Futuristic Zone A

White Masquerade · Aug 24, 2017

Solaris: City Upon the Hill

Solaris: the city upon a hill. A majestic description for a majestic locale, it is the capital city for the land-locked Floor 10. With no oceans, lakes, or seas in its code, it's one of the floors to lack a significant body of water at all. However, despite the absence of something so vital to life, it harbors quite a surprising amount. In fact, the wide biodiversity that can be found throughout the floor has been a source of problems for the city of Solaris. With not just only player-killing marauders stalking the lands outside the city, so too do horrid and ghastly creations reside. Taking all of this into consideration, it is hoped that one will now be able to deduce exactly as to why the city of Solaris was built upon a hill.

Notable Locations:
The City Center
Ruined Library (HQ)
Interstate 41
Industrial Complex
Subway Station

Atmosphere:
Mostly desolate, save for the occasional monster searching for humans to snatch up into the night. Quiet and crumbling, grungy and decaying, dirty and depressing, once the sun goes down, it is truly an urban wasteland.

Attendee Size:
A smattering of people here and there hiding.

The Ruined Library (HQ)

Codebreaker Job Board:

Brighter Days (Reward: 650 Kirito)
Listed by the leader of LoliPop, Blackberry Preserves; the maker of the floor 10 guild needs assistance in the city of Solaris. Though always a problem, following the WORLD UPDATE, random attacks from monsters have seemed to turn into all-out invasion. Though warnings have been issued for residents not to log on, they have been largely ignored, and as a result, citizens have been killed or taken by monsters beyond the bounds of Solaris for reasons unknown. Contact Blackberry Preserves for more details.

Code Academy Shop:

Small Health Potion (10 Kirito)
A small, red-looking vial you can either drink from or inject straight into your veins like a full-fledged addict. It recovers 1 HP.

Small Power Potion (10 Kirito)
A small, blue-looking vial you can either drink from or inject straight into your veins like a full-fledged addict. It recovers 1 PP.

Medium Health Potion (30 Kirito)
A medium, red-looking vial you can either drink from or inject straight into your veins like a full-fledged addict. It recovers 3 HP.

Medium Power Potion (30 Kirito)
A medium, blue-looking vial you can either drink from or inject straight into your veins like a full-fledged addict. It recovers 3 PP.

Large Health Potion (60 Kirito)
A large, red-looking vial you can either drink from or inject straight into your veins like a full-fledged addict. It recovers 6 HP. (Requires 2 Nerve)

Large Power Potion (60 Kirito)
A large, blue-looking vial you can either drink from or inject straight into your veins like a full-fledged addict. It recovers 6 PP. (Requires 2 Nerve)

Grand Health Potion (120 Kirito)
A grand, red-looking vial you can either drink from or inject straight into your veins like a full-fledged addict. It recovers 12 HP. (Requires 4 Nerve)

Grand Power Potion (120 Kirito)
A large, blue-looking vial you can either drink from or inject straight into your veins like a full-fledged addict. It recovers 12 PP. (Requires 4 Nerve)

Tim Tams (200 Kirito)
Whoever made these is a GENIUS. It recovers 5 CDR.

Stem Cell Juice (250 Kirito)
Look. You really don't want to know what this is. Just drink the thing and accept the 1 bonus point it gives you. (Requires 5 Nerve)

1 TM 220 Quick Attack (150 Kirito)
Teach any beast how to move fast...and how to move first in any round. Costs 2 PP.

1 TM 58 Endure (150 Kirito)
Teach any beast how to withstand pressure. They will survive all skills and attacks used on them this turn with 1 HP. Costs 3 PP.

1 TM 44 Rest (200 Kirito)
Teach any beast how to take care of themselves. For 2 turns they will rest and lose all their rolls, but gain full HP and be healed of all negative status effects. Costs 3 PP.

1 TM 20 Rage (250 Kirito)
Teach any beast how to act out. When ‘rage’ is used, the monster gets +2 PROW to their roll. Each time the monster is attacked, their PROW bonus goes up by +1 until the end of battle. Costs 3 PP.

1 TM 31 Mimic (250 Kirito)
Teach any beast how to copy the characteristics of another. For the rest of battle (or until they die) they can copy the last skill used by a target and replace ‘mimic’ with it. Costs 4 PP.

1 TM 6 Toxic (250 Kirito)
Teach a glitch beast how to poison the target. If it wins a roll, the target is poisoned and loses 1 HP each round. Stacks. Costs 3 PP.

1 TM 46 Thief (300 Kirito)
Teach a glitch beast how to finesse the target. Roll a a die with the same # of faces as the items a target has. Whichever number it lands on, that item is taken and given to the monster’s master. Costs 5 PP.

1 TM 70 Flash (300 Kirito)
Teach a glitch beast how to blind the target. When using a skill/rolling anytime that turn, the target must roll a two-sided die. If 1, their skill/roll is cancelled. If 2, their skill/roll continues as normal. Costs 4 PP.

1 TM 04 Calm Mind (300 Kirito)
Teach a glitch beast how to be centered. The monster can clear all bad status effects from itself or its target. Costs 4 PP.

1 TM 82 Dragon Tail (375 Kirito)
Teach a glitch beast how to be a dragon. (After winning a roll) When against 1 enemy, using this skill will end the battle. When against multiple enemies, the target will be kicked out of battle for 1 turn. They can choose to come back in or stay out. Costs 5 PP.

1 TM 15 Hyper Beam (250 Kirito)
Show an experimental beast how to hit the target with all its power! Its roll is automatically its highest number! It cannot attack/defend for the rest of the round. Costs 5 PP.

1 TM 26 Earthquake (300 Kirito)
Show an experimental beast how to shake the ground! This skill targets every other person in battle. Anyone with less than 4 AGI takes 7 damage. Costs 5 PP.

1 TM 75 Swords Dance (300 Kirito)
Show an experimental beast how to get dangerous! Increase their PROW +5 each time this skill is used. The bonus resets once the monster attacks. Costs 4 PP.

1 TM 65 Shadow Claw (350 Kirito)
Show an experimental beast how to attack weak spots! Roll a two-sided die. If 1, this skill does 4 damage. If 2, this skill is a critical hit and does 8 damage. Costs 5 PP.

1 TM 50 Overheat (350 Kirito)
Show an experimental beast how to let off some steam! Double their PROW, but after their roll, they lose 2 PROW for the rest of battle. Costs 6 PP.

1 TM 89 U-Turn (200 Kirito)
Tell a designer beast how to hit-and-run. After damaging an opponent, a monster can use this skill to become untargetable for the rest of the turn. Costs 3 PP.

1 TM 77 Psych Up (200 Kirito)
Tell a designer beast how to adapt. A monster can use this skill to copy stat/buff/changes of their target that stays until the end of battle. Costs 3 PP.

1 TM 32 Double Team (250 Kirito)
Tell a designer beast how to move fast. Before anyone attacks the monster this turn, they must roll a 2-sided die. If 1, the attack automatically misses. If 2, the attack continues on as normal. Costs 3 PP.

1 TM 47 Low Sweep (300 Kirito)
Tell a designer beast how to maim someone. The target loses 1 HP and moves last in the next round. Costs 3 PP.

1 TM 60 Drain Punch (350 Kirito)
Tell a designer beast how to steal. If the target takes damage from the roll, heal the monster by same damage . Costs 3 PP.

Extendo (30 Kirito)
Strange. A long pole that extends and retracts. It gives a +1 bonus to Agility.

Armor Not (100 Kirito)
This is not armor. It's just a plain robe. But it feels really nice. It gives a +1 bonus to Processing Power Recovery.

Diary of a Madman (150 Kirito)
Yo...this book is kind of messed up. It gives a +1 bonus to Prowess.

Suteki Suteki Blade (150 Kirito)
A beautiful straight sword that'd be sure to make lovely babies. It gives a +3 bonus to Prowess. (Requires 3 VIT)

Track 9 (150 Kirito)
Please support the artist. Do not download this track from anywhere else. Get it from the official Code Academy App. It gives a +1 bonus to HP and PP. (Requires 4 CDR)

Halbirb (250 Kirito)
A long, terrifying stick with an axe at the end. It moves surprisingly as fast as a bird! It gives a +2 bonus to Agility and Prowess. (Requires 3 AGI)

Victoria's Secret (250 Kirito)
Blue panties fashioned into long string worn around the neck. Honestly, most people wouldn't even notice, but it'd sure take a lot of nerve to pull off. Use this item to gain instant rapport with male NPCs. (Requires 5 NRV)

Flamenco (250 Kirito)
Place this disk into your chest and watch as it turns the roaring desires of your heart into armors of fire! It gives a +5 bonus to HP. (Requires 10 PROW)

Mahadharma (250 Kirito)
A crest worn on the head, it's a simple red dot. Rest assured. Despite its simplicity, the knowledge stowed behind it is grand. Only a quick mind would be able to brave the secrets it tells. It gives a +1 bonus to HP Recovery and PP Recovery. (Requires 5 AGI)

Mahapadma (300 Kirito)
A crest worn on the chest, it's a simple black triangle. Rest assured. Despite its simplicity, the peace flown through it is profound. Only a pliant body would be able to tame its everlasting force. It gives a +2 bonus to HP and PP. (Requires 6 AGI)

Pendant Of Resplendent (300 Kirito)
A rich-looking pendant of silk woven with diamonds that only those with the fire to match its beauty should wear. Seriously, it will kill you if you don't. For every quest the wearer completes, they receive 20 Kirito. (Requires 5 PROW)

Joyeuse (350 Kirito)
A gold-hilted sword that that seems to keen with happiness. It recovers 2 HP whenever you kill something. (Requires 5 VIT)

Jiji (350 Kirito)
A thin, white form-fitting armor that clings right to your skin. It gives a +3 bonus to HP.

Plot Armor (500 Kirito)
A dark and featureless garb that flows down to a snug fit. If you are about to be killed, roll 1 die with 4 sides. Roll a 4 and you inexplicably survive with 1 HP. (Requires 10 PROW)

Bestiary: PlipKat (600 Kirito)
A self-contained program housed in the form of a cute, extraterrestrial wolf. Whoever designed it designed it well...just named it wrong. Plipkat is a survey program able to tell who exactly is a Codebreaker and what their class is. (Requires 7 CDR)

Potata Earring Left (1,000 Kirito)
A simple yellow and white earring worn on the left ear. When in close contact with another wearing the right, your characters slam together and FUSE! Permanently! Add together your stats and pick four skills to keep! The new character can buy upgrades and receive bonuses from both classes! (Requires 8 VIT)

Potata Earring Right (1,500 Kirito)
A simple yellow and white earring worn on the right ear. When in close contact with another wearing the left, your characters slam together and FUSE! Permanently! Add together your stats and pick four skills to keep! The new character can buy upgrades and receive bonuses from both classes! (Requires 8 NRV)

Bushido Eve's Dual Kata-Katana (1,700 Kirito)
Possibly the same swords that Eve wielded in the Garden of Eden against Adam. Or at least modeled after them. It gives a +14 bonus to Prowess. (Requires 15 VIT)

White Masquerade · Aug 10, 2019

Solaris:
The Ruined Library

BlackBerry Preserves
Waiting in the foyer of a decrepit library near the edge of the city square, a woman stood, Maquella Smith, or as better known to others...the leader of the floor's highest guild: Blackberry Preserves. A hand on her chin, eyes flit to the wall in a corner of the room checking whether anyone walked across the pitiable excuse for a door.

Ugh. What a mess.

The ground rumbled again and Maquella heard more screams emanating from the avenue nearby and beyond. What were those tree-like monsters stalking the road and snatching people off into the night? Where did they come from? Who was directing them? What was directing them? And then a better question..

Why?

Heaving a sigh, Maquella grew visibly at ends knowing people did not heed the warning posted about what was going on in this floor. Hell, it probably even attracted the dummies. This last update...as soon as they came back to the world, the oddities began. A few weird buildings here and there. Additions of functions they'd never heard of before...even the inclusion of something called the + class?

Looking down at her own stats of Trojan+ in the Code Academy HUD, it all just seemed too strange. Monsters suddenly attacking her floor, attacking her city, and what was once a few random encounters turned into all-out war. Least, that's what it seemed like. Week after week the frequency of anomalies grew larger until it was something she could not ignore. It was true, monsters were always prominent outside the walls and lurked in the blacklands of Floor 10, but this was another whole level. They were all programming, all harmless programming, but the people of Solaris were tired of the pushing and felt it was damn time to push back.

Her eyes back now to watching the door, Maquella awaited those first to walk in. Whom, one might ask? Simple. The ones she called for help. The ones she called for help to hit these monsters where it hurt: Codebreakers from all around the world. But there was one group in particular she wanted help from most: Edge La and the Pwnies of Floor 1. The first guild to officially unite and take on the bad guys of the world. And in their banding together, become the symbol of justice those with special powers should have been from the start.

..Amazing. That’s amazing.

There was something inspiring about the thought and at it, Maquella smiled.

Maybe one day Edge La, I can be like that too.

The Unexpected
Valkyrie
“Hello?”

Cautiously stepping over garbage and cracked tile and into view of the guild-master was a young girl sporting brown hair and black, wide rims upon her eyes.

“Are you...”

And looking down at her wrist.

“BlackBerry Preserves?”

“Hm. Not sure. I could be. You are..?”

“Valkyrie. Valkyrie from the Pwnies of Floor 1.”

“Pwnies..? You got my message then after all? Thank goodness! I couldn’t get though to your guildmaster. I sent her message after message, but I’ve heard nothing back. It’s like she disappeared. Tell me, is she okay? Is everything going all right over there?”

“Ah..with Edge La. Okay. Yeah. Soooo...she is our leader, but to be frank, I’ve never met the woman. The only one I’ve met is K. And some Loading from Coca-Cola, but really it’s been K that’s handled everything with the guild. In my opinion she’s kinda lazy, but then again, so am I, so I guess it works out.”

Shocked and in disbelief, Maquella continued staring at the girl before trying to suss out her next few words.

“I see. I see. I see. I see. I see. Then let me ask, did anybody else come with you?”

“Well. I’ll be honest with you, Black. I don’t know. I’m a little too busy with school to be keeping up with the others. The only reason I’m here is because my class is literally a pile of rubble. It’s been so long since I’ve gotten homework, I’m starting to miss it.”

What was this? They were in the middle of a war zone and this young lady was taking it as a joke. Was she even aware that people out there were dying on the street? Where was Edge La? Who was K? And this couldn’t have been Pwnies. Still eyeing the Codebreaker, Maquella thought that maybe she had made a mistake. She needed soldiers, not clowns. With Edge La seemingly gone and under the rule of this “K”, maybe this was the kind of group it devolved into. Maquella refused to believe it, but maybe the Golden Age of Pwnies was over and the dream she held of them in her head was gone.

IntroductionsIt’s the obligatory introduction phase where everyone gets to introduce their characters and do some backstory. It only comes around once so hey, don’t sweat it. Go for it!

Azure Sky · Aug 11, 2019

Solaris:
The Ruined Library

Erik Weiss aka Dullahan

Why do people help each other? Why sometimes they don't? Is it an instinct, or a complex chemical process at brain-level? Humans are social animals and mammals gifted with reason. But that doesn't answer my question. Is it because of empathy? Because it's our duty? Why is it a duty? What defines a duty? A responsibility? And why is it a responsibility? Who decided that? Ah, yes. I did. We all decide our own fate.

For a short while Erik was lost in thought, asking questions and arriving at conclusive answers on his own. It was a habit. He constantly had those sorts of thoughts. Even in the situation at hand. Overthinking, researching, trying to understand human nature. Despite closing off his "heart" (he was confused why an organ that merely pumps blood was associated with emotion; probably because the high amount of nerves that were near it, in the diaphragm; further research was needed) to others and pursuing an accounting career, his fascination with communication didn't fade away. Yet, that was not of importance at the moment.

"Not many people have gathered I see." He said, thinking out loud. He walked at a constant pace, analyzing both women carefully, shifting his attention from one to another. Blank stares and a pokerface, until he came close, at about 1 meter distance from them (respect of personal space). Suddenly, his facial expression seemingly softened, smiling professionally. The type of smile you'd see when you're greeted by a receptionist at a high-class hotel.

"Greetings. I am Dullahan. A new member of Pwnies. Pleased to meet you." And what followed was complete silence and an intense motionless gaze.

QuirkyAngel · Aug 11, 2019

Solaris:
The Ruined Library

Prince Antonelli (Luciano Antonelli)

Luciano Antonelli, otherwise known as Prince Antonelli to those who knew him in the virtual world, pushed open the door to the decrepit library at the edge of Solaris’s city square, uncaring of the eyes, if any, that directed towards him. He was used to it. More importantly, his mind was distracted by thoughts of his latest song. The lyrics sounded off to him. Trashy. But what could he do about it? How could he fix it into something that could one up AXE, and prove his former friends wrong, when inspiration was nowhere to be found?

All he could hear was the ground rumbling and horrid screams that left little space to think.

Letting out an irritated sigh, Prince pushed down the hood that hid his face and stalked towards the sole occupants of the cluttered room. Close enough that he was within hearing range, but far enough away that he couldn’t be mistaken as a member of Pwnies. Or any other guild for that matter.

He promptly sat himself on a broken shelf.

Who knew people from JinX’s guild would be undertaking the quest on floor 10? Prince certainly hadn’t. If he had, he might’ve reconsidered the job. The trojan had been pushing for him to join her guild; Edge La’s band of do-gooders from floor 1. It would certainly make their interactions easier if they were from the same guild. Though, it was for that very same reason that Prince was reluctant to join. A connection with JinX beyond their mutual “business” seemed too…bothersome.

Besides, how could he trust a guild leader who hardly showed her face? One he knew nothing about?

Long gone were the days where Luciano was so naïve.

Silently Prince listened to the conversation between Valkyrie and Blackberry Preserves. Part of it anyway. Unlike Dullahan, He didn’t feel the need to introduce himself since anyone who knew anything about pop culture knew who he was. The ones that didn’t probably weren’t worth knowing. It wasn’t as if he needed friends to do the job either. Working solo on quests often proved more profitable as rewards didn’t have to be shared.

But, of course, that depended on the difficulty of the quest. Monsters infesting the streets of a supposed safe zone couldn’t be normal. Seeing as the leader of floor 10 had yet to divulge any specific details about the job Prince could only conclude they were still waiting for more people. Rather than introducing himself then having to repeat himself when more people showed up, Prince chose to be more productive with his time.

“JinX. JinX. JinX.”

The mail from JinX came much quicker than expected. Much, much quicker. Either she was completely on top of her little side business for the day or she was incredibly bored. One or the other.

Private message from JinX
As always thank you for your patronage! Attached to this message is 9 kiritos. Don’t hesitate to call for me if you ever need my help. Or simply if you need some spare change. We’re friends, after all~

You’re in floor 10, aren’t you? Spades told me. I hear some pretty bad stuff’s going on down there. Posted on the Pwnies’ bulletin in fact. If you meet any of my guild members, send them my regards. I might show up if I have the time.

P.S. How do feel about a blind date? My dormmate found out we’re friends and wants to meet with you.

Prince rolled his eyes at the Trojan’s message. Meeting with fans was nothing new to him. It was a semi-regular occurrence when he’d been a member of AXEL. Part of the job to entertain fans and keep AXEL supporters happy. The 9 kirito deposited into his bank account was nothing compared to what he used to make. Chump change really, but for a Fashionista like himself it was like gaining 9 armor. He knew what it was like to hit zero. He never wanted to go there again. Besides, it was easy money. Insurance in case he ever ran out from skill overuse. Prince had subscribed to JinX because he needed the cash in a time of desperation. He continued because it was mutually beneficial relationship. He helped her by spreading her name and she helped him by passing his music to her “friends”/subscribers. It was a win-win. Prince couldn’t say he completely trusted the Trojan, but he liked it better this way.

She was upfront about business if nothing else.

Private message from JinX
P.P.S. She’s B-Reaper's sister so be nice to her

Prince blinked, then groaned, burying his face in his hands. “Goddamn you, JinX.”

Of all of JinX’s “friends”, there were few that frightened him more than the impulsive, coffee addict. Closing the message without replying, because procrastination was clearly the best way to deal with things he didn’t like, Prince returned his attention to the Codebreakers present. A feminine rights activist. A young girl. And a man with an intense, if not creepy, stare.

Prince repeatedly told himself to think positive. In his head, of course.

Picking up a dusty book by his feet, the Codebreaker aimlessly flipped through the crusty pages while he waited for more people to show up…or for the Guild Leader that called them there to explain the situation. Either way worked. Reading wasn’t one of his favorite pastimes, but it was certainly one way to pass time. Who knows? Perhaps the words would give lyric ideas. At the very least, it distracted him from the occasional rumbles and screams that pervaded the broken library. Death wasn’t real in the virtual world. But, even so, it didn’t make hearing it any less uncomfortable.

GasMaskie · Aug 11, 2019

***

Just how long had it been. Two years? Three years? It sure as hell felt like that. For someone who spent a majority of their time in virtual reality, time sure had a funny way of flowing. There were moments where he wasn't quite sure just how much time had flowed within each moment. In the heat of battle, what was likely a few seconds unravelled into a few minutes. 'Course, outside of combat with whatever misfortune scoundrel happened to catch the private eye's unrelenting pursuit, there were other moments where time seemed to just flat out stop. Moments with that pink-haired femme fatale - usually over dinner in some nice-ish restaurant on Floor 1. Out of everyone in that odd little get-together of CodeBreakers and misfits, she seemed to be the only person he had really kept in contact with - the virtual creature who was currently chaffeuring him honestly had more contact with the current leader of that guild than him in spite of his nominal allegiance.

The raven-haired, fedora-clad detective rested his elbow against the car door as he watched the passing scenery. [Solaris: The City Upon a Hill] He had been on higher floors than this, and even the cities there weren't quite as depressing as this. He sighed, popping the blue-colored sucker out of his mouth, dryly noting his own preference for artificial flavors in this artificial world. Just how were floors designed? The problems with the creatures post-update were one thing, but to have an entire floor devoid of any significant bodies of water? The fact that a city once thrived here was just another reminder of how fake this world was - civilization couldn't have started here in the first place in the real world.

Slinking back into a normal posture within his seat in the back, the young man pulled out a worn device from within his suit jacket. He'd have to repair it sooner or later, but the update had made its primary function pretty redundant. Immediately following it, the young man's abilities had stabilized once more - replacing the corrupted Berserk Mode with the Raid Mode he was so used to. He hadn't had a chance to go back into it though - the small-time crooks he'd go after didn't warrant the extra muscle. Slipping the strange object back into his suit jacket, the young man nodded in the rear-view mirror to his companion driving the car. The luxury model slowed to a halt in front of its destination: [The Ruined Library].

***
Solaris:
The Ruined Library

He climbed out of the car, keeping a hand on his hat in case of any sudden breezes. As the cloak-clad Daemon engaged the parking brake and locked the car, it followed behind the young man like a shadow. A hand flew to his chin now as he pushed on through the doors on broken hinges. It certainly wasn't as nice as the guild headquarters, but the run-down and decrepit nature of the locale oddly made him feel more at home - like that locked down office of his on a higher floor.

"...JinX. Hrm." He grimaced slightly as he ignored the notification from the incoming message. Just muttering her name was enough to trigger the bonus, which was a little scary in its own right since it granted her practical omniscience over the matter of her name. Honestly, he would have preferred if she had just come along with him to Solaris like he had asked - it'd be easier to keep a close eye on her and discourage her from any criminal endeavors that she was no doubt planning behind his back. The young man shook his head. He'd make do one way or another. There were bigger fish to fry too - he just had that sleuth's hunch about PK Fire rearing its ugly head here. And Abdullah Abdulahi - Joe Cool as he called himself here. He'd been sitting on his information for a while - even masked and obfuscated, tracing his IP was child's play. The amnesiac made a mental note to deal with him later when he had the time. He scratched his cheek as he approached the second set of doors to the main area of the library.

The doors swung open violently with a kick as the ironically-named P.I. strode into the room. A gaze of suspicion and distrust fell upon the current occupants of the room as he silently approached. Didn't look like an ambush. Regardless, he kept his guard up as moved towards a sturdy looking wooden hair and took a seat. Leaning back and propping his feet up on a sturdy guardrail, the disguised creature behind him stood behind the CodeBreaker and awaited any further orders or developments.

"Joker. Detective. Don't mind my partner over there, I'm an OS Phantom+. 650 Kirito for the job, right?"

(

White Masquerade

QuirkyAngel

Azure Sky )

simj26 · Aug 12, 2019

Solaris:
The Ruined Library
Se7enHe made a face and grimaced as he threw a piece of what looked to be part of a computer aside. Nothing here. Why was it so hard to scrounge through garbage? Maybe it was because he was on floor 10. He rarely made his way down to the boonies down here- there just weren’t many who would seek the help of a private detective up on Harajuku Theatre on the 34. He doubted that anyone had even heard of him too. He glanced down into the dumpster again, and then to the street opposite the alleyway that he was skulking around in. Another one just went in. Some posh, self-important type. He could feel the oppressive rich boy attitude from all the way here. A gleam caught his eye from within the dumpster, and his attention zipped back to it. He plunged his hand into the trash once more. He extricated his hand, clutching onto a gold watch. The habits that people kept even in this day and age. The glass was slightly scratched, and the hands had stopped moving, but it was otherwise in good condition. A few dings and bangs here ought to fix it up. Maybe he could even sell it for some Kirito. He slipped it into his pocket and pulled off his gloves. Discarding them into the same dumpster he had been digging in, he watched as a fedora-wearing gentleman exit his car and make his way to the meeting point.

That was enough waiting from him, he guessed. Time for him to move. He slowly made his way to the broken building, tailing behind the man with the fedora from a distance. The way he carried himself suggested that he was somewhat like Se7en himself. Not in temperament, but rather, his disposition. He was always thinking, watching, listening, as if trying to pry apart every information he received. Perhaps he was a detective as well? Se7en tucked his hands into his pockets and quickened his pace as the man opened the door to the Ruined Library. He slipped in between the crack of the door, just behind the man, dodging the closing door. He jogged up to the gathered group, none of them familiar, just in time to catch snippets of the conversation.

“Hirin’ two detectives, huh?” He strode in from behind Joker, his black, polished shoes barely making a sound. He patted the one called Joker on his shoulder, grinned and flashed a thumbs up. “Hope I’m not stealing a contract from ya. We both need to eat, eh?” He moved to the front, and with a flick of his hand, a card seemed to magically materialise between his pointer and middle fingers. With dextrous control, he moved the card over to his palm, offering it to their client. “Se7en, private detective, Harajuku Theatre up on 34th. Pleased to make your acquaintance.”

His eyes darted across the room as he did a small bow with the card in hand, furtively taking in the appearances and temperaments of those gathered currently. A small smile came to his face, as he retreated from the front stage. “Man, you guys ought to liven up a bit. You’re getting a bit of greyscale on the library.” He tapped one of the books, and watched as the dust scattered down from the shelves. “I don’t think we need any more of that,” he said, and guffawed.

The One Eyed Bandit · Aug 12, 2019

Solaris; Back Streets

Little City's name had never quite felt so apt before.

Katsura strolled through the back streets of Solaris, her vision slowly drifting from building to building. She made sure to take it all in, the sights, the sounds, and even the smells of the city. Not in the same manner as the detective who seemed to be a member of the Pwnies in name only, but in one closer to a tourist. She'd never been much for traveling, even in this virtual world that made it so easy, so this was a fresh experience. Besides Little City, Katsura had only ever been inside of a handful of different towns; some she'd been dragged to by the family, and others she'd been sent to on business. Solaris was one of the latter.

It was clear enough to see why. The cityscape, which was surely once grand and fantastical, was slowly ebbing away into decrepitness. Great gashes littered the asphalted streets, clear signs of the conflict that the World Update had brought to the sprawling city. Walkways that once may have been bustling with life now lay barely trodden, either abandoned entirely or avoided out of fear. Even the hellscape of a real world that everyone was so deadset on escaping was more inviting than this.

That did not mean that she couldn't appreciate things for how they were, though. It seemed like it would have been terse of her to just show up in this place, satellite blazing, intending the save the day without even the slightest clue as to what the Floor was really like. The places, the people, they were both important, she reckoned. This wasn't just some video game where they'd stroll into a town, clear a camp of monsters, and then move on to the next one with a purse a few coins heavier. There were real lives being lived in this town, so it was important to Katsura that she took the time to understand their plight, even if it was just a little.

Yes, indeed, in the face of all this Little City did indeed seem quite little. Quaint, even. At the thought, she heaved a sigh of exasperation. That town was enough trouble on its own, so what exactly was she getting herself into this time?

Playing hero only ever earned her a headache and a receipt for over-the-counter medicine. She hadn't even asked for this 'Junior Master' job, so it was beyond Katsura why she insisted on taking it so seriously. Not only that, but she didn't even trust the real Master of the Pwnies. Edge La may have presented herself with a lot of pomp and circumstance, but she'd done little to actually to win over her loyalty. She killed people, protected murderers, and knew way too much. She'd been dodgy from day one. She should have handed in her resignation the moment that the woman had been so eager to start handing out promotions when she'd barely even had a single job as a Breaker under her belt.

Yet, here she was. Walking into yet another pain-in-her-ass job, without even a draft of a letter of resignation in sight. What a pain, what a farce, what a sham. She just wanted to complain at someone over a drink right now, but it'd have to wait.

Business was calling.

Solaris; The Ruined Library

Trodding into the decaying walls of the Library, Katsura's relative lateness didn't seem to bother her. A couple of familiar faces lined the shelves. The enigmatic detective, an equally enigmatic newbie, and a motormouth. At least one of them was of a reliable sort, even if she couldn't see herself getting along with him very well. Even if she could, he was far too busy chasing that would-be love interest of his around anyway. The other one she was unsure of. She'd met him a couple of times, and she didn't like the vibe that she got from the man. It reminded her a little of those PKFire members she'd met in the airport. He wasn't quite as... Eccentric as they had been, but he had a similar aura of ruthlessness. The last one was by far the easiest of the three to understand, a loudmouth with her heart in the right place.

Some of the others, Katsura had heard about, if only in passing. A Code Breaking heartthrob that'd turn Gay Lord green with envy, one of Joker's contemporaries, and an up and coming Guild Leader. There was a face or two that she'd been hoping to see amongst the crowd, but the meeting wasn't over just yet, so there was still a chance that they'd show up.

"I hope I'm not too late." She spoke calmly as she walked between the smattering of books and bookcases that littered the hall. "It looks like a few of my other guild members have been nice enough to show up here too. Small miracle, that." She glanced at Joker in particular. It wouldn't have surprised her if she could count the number of times she'd actually spoken to the sweet toothed detective on one hand. "Not that I'm complaining."

Dusting off her hand, she approached Blackberry Preserves without a hint of formality. Even if the woman was the head of a Guild, this hardly seemed like the kind of environment where she needed to keep up an air of politeness.

"Katsura." She stretched her hand out towards the other woman. "Pleased to make your acquaintance. I'd assume you're Blackberry, yeah? It's always... Nice... Meeting the minds behind the other Guilds." For a brief moment, she paused. That was a slight lie. Most of the Guild Leaders she'd met tended to be pains in the ass in some way or another, but that was information she tended to keep to herself. "To get formalities out of the way, I'd like to accept this job of yours. Not just as a single Breaker, but as the Pwnies Guild as a whole. What's happening here definitely isn't something we can ignore, so consider us at your disposal. Assuming those present don't have any complaints, of course."

Those were some pretty-sounding words. Maybe she was getting better at this leadership thing.

Chak · Aug 12, 2019

Nightblossom Sonata
Solaris; Streets, The Ruined Library
"Coming here alone was a mistake... but I won't leave them."

Sonata's sandals padded, thankfully in near silence, through the rubble as she moved a the front of a small group. They totalled in seven, herself the de facto leader simply due to the fact that there wasn't anyone else trained for the job. Granted, neither was she, and even now she fought off subtle tremors attempting to betray her instinctual fear. Still, there wasn't anyone else available, and she had stepped up. This wasn't anything new to her.

In one hand she gripped a stone, it's general shape calling her memories back to the fruits she tended in both the real and virtual worlds aiding in her forced state of collectedness, while the small, child sized hand gripping her other drove her to dig ever deeper in he reserves, refusing to let herself pretend there's a chance to back down. With four children and two other adults relying on her, after all, she couldn't. Apparently when all this began three of the children, siblings, had lost track of their parents, while the other three, two fathers and their daughter, had done their best taking the trio of kids in. It had been their attempted flight from the area that led to them stumbling upon Sonata, and she'd made them a promise that she would do everything she could to help them. As it turned out, the library, and the safety other, actually trained, Codebreakers offered was closer than any real escape from the streets of Solaris.

Peering around the corner, she watched as one of the hulking monstrosities prowled through the street. It was unlike anything she'd ever had the misfortune of witnessing, and set every hair she had standing straight up. After a few moments of it looking about it eventually turned and started lumbering up the street away from them, and Sonata took the moment to pass the child's hand she held off to their brother and motioned for the group to get across the street. They were, after all, only a block away, and the library was in sight. As the sextet moved quickly, Sonata rose and was about to follow when on of the fathers stumbled on a loss stone, causing a racket and leading the creature to turn.

As the creature's eyes locked on the family, they froze.

And it froze.

And all was still for what felt like almost an hour.

In reality only a second past before the rock Sonata had held bounced uselessly off the face of the creature, and as soon as it turned it's attentions to chase after her, she herself had already turned tail and was bolting down the road. The family used this chance to slink off quickly and slip into the library.

Sonata, however, was already cursing herself thoroughly. Sure, she had helped, but she wasn't feeling near sacrificial enough to stop the pistoning of her feet, nor was she feeling brave enough to turn around and check how close the creature was to her heels. Thankfully, however, there was a gated of alley a few more meters up on her right, with a hole in the fence. Just as she got the last of her legs pulled all the way through the space the fence clattered fiercely as the beast slammed into it. Within seconds of impact it seemed to start tearing at the gate in an effort to get to her, and Sonata remembered one of her more important tenants; "Mate and Patr will give you the tools, but your will and application are your own."

In short, neat, there was a gate in the way. Keep going.

Ignoring the scuffs and dirt that clung to her normally pristine dress and skin, Sonata turned tail and fled up the alley which, thankfully, spilled out adjacent to the library. Turning to her right, she quickly took note of the door the family would have used and made her way inside.

_______

Having ensured the family was tucked away safely, Sonata informed them that she needed to speak to the Codebreakers and see what the gameplan was, all while waiving off any praise from the two fathers, ensuring she was most certainly going to awaken to find she'd wet herself. In all honesty, she was partially regretting having left her orchard work, and while she was happy to help, she had never imagined something so terrifying as what she'd just encountered to be a real threat. Walking up to the door that held the marker she'd been following, Sonata stopped for a moment, looked down at herself and recognised the state she appeared to be in before clutching a crescent moon shaped emblem that graced on of the bow ears on her dress, and in that moment a digital wave swept over her and cleared her of all dirt and debris.

Now clean, she pushed the door open to find herself in a room with a handful of others.

All of them looked like they were prepared for this.

She likely was not, but she didn't need to be prepared, just willing.

"Rodisna salwen, happy greetings. It appears I was of a number that received invitations to this conwen of, ah, Cobebreaker, is what we are known as, correct? Apologies if tardiness is something that my arrival has entailed, I was aiding a rodine, ah, group of related people, ah, family. That is the word. They await safely a few rooms over." Sonata spoke, her voice lilting, and her 'w's carrying a soft 'v' sound to them while her 'b's all sounded similarly soft and almost unpronounced. She gave a shy wave at this and introduced herself, "I am known as Nightblossom Sonata, and as oft with my family, we go by our full names, though if it is easier for any of you, you may refer to myself as Sonata, or Ms. Nightblossom should formalities be required. A delec to conw you all this day."

She ended her introduction with a polite curtsy and bowing of her head as she awaited the response of the professionals in the room.

QuirkyAngel · Aug 14, 2019

Solaris:
The Ruined Library

The message Joker received.

Private Message from JinX

How’s my favorite PI~? Sorry I couldn’t come with you to Solaris. My manager’s such a slave driver, but I should be done soon. Attached to this message is 3 kiritos. To help with your debt. Saying my name 289 more times should cover it =P

Dinner was great btw. Looking forward to when we meet again. If you run into our mutual friend, Joe, on the case do let me know. I owe him a couple of words as well^^

GasMaskie

Prince Antonelli (Luciano Antonelli)

Prince looked away from the book when two detectives arrived, the second one’s boisterous laugh piercing the relative silence of the gloom-filled library. The positive, laid back attitude reminded him of Ethan. Though there was something theatrical about Se7en that his former friend did not possess despite having trained in the entertainment industry. A subtle slyness in the way he moved that suggested nimbleness far greater than the coding of a normal human allowed. And then the business card came out even faster than his eyes could see.

A Pwn Star? Likely.

As for the other detective, if he was an OS Phantom, there was a high chance the “partner” behind him wasn’t as human as it appeared.

Ever since having discovered Code Academy and stepped into the world of Codebreakers, he’d learned to be wary of those that could bend the virtual world to their will. They looked normal. Just like anyone else. But they had abilities far beyond what even the developers intended. Even an innocent-looking girl like Nightblossom Sonata could probably punch out a wall with relative ease once she distributed her stat points.

Just has he could.

Prince nodded at Sonata’s greeting, partly because she’d been the only one—besides Se7en— to address the library occupants a whole, and partly because the cadence in her tone was pleasing to the ear. Her pronunciations were strange and her voice a bit soft to be a stage performer, but she had all the makings of a good singer. With training of course. If a talent agent from his parent’s company were here they’d pick her up on the spot. Heck, if he weren’t set on being a solo artist he might’ve attempted the same. With her natural talent, and some good coaching, she could even give Antony a run for his money.

A pleasing thought.

“I think what’s going on outside is lively enough for all of us.” He replied to the grayscale joke with far more pleasantness than would be if his mood had been kept sour. Even the junior guild master of Pwnies acknowledged the seriousness of the situation. Enough to promise her entire guild’s cooperation. Did that mean JinX would have to assist as well? Was that why she said she said she ‘might show up if she had the time’? His eyes flickered briefly to the other members of Pwnies—the ones that declared themselves Pwnies members at least—, mildly curious of their responses, though he couldn’t say he deeply cared one way or another. The interpersonal relationships of the infamous Floor 1 guild had nothing to do with him.

He closed the book in his possession, letting it disappear into his inventory. Perhaps if there was a librarian, he’d check the book out the normal way, but, seeing as the entire establishment had degraded into a wreckage, he doubted anyone really cared. Especially not during a monster invasion. The World Update came with it all sorts of changes, but floor 10 seemed to be hit the hardest. His attention returned to the girl who claimed to help a family escape virtual larceny. “You have a lovely voice, by the way. Did you know that?”

The compliment was simply a recognition of talent. It’d be a shame to let such gifts disappear because she didn’t know about it or no one ever told her. What she chose to do about it though was up to her. Having grown up around talented musical artists and stars, he could spot talent when he saw it. He also knew it took more than talent to cut it in the music industry. Such gifts had to be nurtured in order to truly blossom.

If Prince were completely honest with himself, he was even a little bit jealous.

Clearing his throat, Prince Antonelli glanced away.

simj26

Chak

Mentioned:

The One Eyed Bandit

The Suspicious Eye · Aug 15, 2019

Trouble Comes in Many Forms, Like Ponytails or RedSolaris: Streets to Library

Hidden under the smoke and destruction of what once was an average Solaris street, a small figure sat on the grass resting against the brick remains of some sort of building. Her long brown hair cascading down her back, curling up around the grass and stones. Resting her shoulder against her knee and her blade against her forearm she looked across the screaming wasteland. Traveling here was far from easy, hitching a ride with one of the few companions she made in the past year, she didn't expect her to literally drop her here. Taking a moment to recover she might as well see what's going on.

With a heavy sigh, Trouble lifted her hand, sliding it through the air she tore open the code of the world and began studying it, trying to figure out where she can make the most damage. Deep in thought a figure appeared beside her, a red haired girl with glowing yellow eyes. To anyone else a girl appearing out of nowhere was shocking to say the least, "luckily" no one else can see, hear or feel her except Trouble. Leaning over Trouble's shoulder she poked her cheek. Noticing the annoyed pout on Trouble's face the girl grinned and kept poking. "What are you doing?"

Swatting her hands away Trouble continued looking at the code. "You can clearly see what I'm doing Red." Two years of her life in and outside of VR with her, almost too real, imaginary friend changed Trouble. Having lost quite a few of the guild members she would call friends, Trouble decided to take a long walk. A two year walk spent training, gaining new skills, breaking code and traveling the areas, alone. Trouble made friends, but none were ever as close as the literal parasite living in her head. She no longer evaded the existence of Red, instead embraced the fact Red was just there and nobody else could see her. Whether it is for the better was anyone's guess, but it was far less lonely than being alone all those years.

"Don't you have a meeting to get to?" Red said as she floated up and watched others Pwnies members enter the Library.

"Yes"

Floating down Red pushed her head through the tear of code Trouble was reading, and stared right at her with a cocky grin, "It looks to me like you're stalling."

She was stalling.

Trouble knew this, Red knew this, but both knew Trouble would never admit it.

"Shut it, I'm almost done." She said, she finished looking through the code and gave a long eye-roll. "This place is fucked," she said with a heavy sigh. Standing up she pulled a ribbon out of her inventory and pulled her long hair into a high ponytail. Closing the code she made her way towards the remains of the library ahead of them. Strips of wayward code blocking her visuals as Red floated in front of her.

"You can say that again."

Swinging the doors to the library open she replied. "This place is fucked." Ignoring the others she continued talking to her invisible friend. "What are we even doing here? I just get back and I'm already on a mission."

"You took this because you're flat broke."

"Fuck you. I took this because....Fuck you."

"Oooo so very well put babe. But you're looking crazy again talking to thin air." Red said with a smile pointing to the others in the library who were waiting for the mission to start.

"Don't call me babe!" Trouble said glaring up at Red. Her head followed Red's finger as she finally noticed the others all gathered around. Fucking god dammed imaginary friend who can't read my fucking mind. Making me look fucking crazy. After cursing her unseen companion she let out a sigh and stepped towards the others. "So is this the meeting place? I'm Trouble. Let's get this over with." Taking a seat next to Joker, the only person she did remember, she scanned over the others. Valkyrie, how the fuck did she get here so fast? Dullahan, more like just Dull. Prince Antonelli talk about narcissistic much. Se7en, like the retro movie? Or the porno? Katsura hmmm why does that sound familiar? Nightblossom Sonata, you're a mouth-full...I mean your name is a mouth-full.

"Hey don't get mad at me. If this place is as fucked as you say we can have A LOT of fun here." Grabbing Trouble's pony tail, she began to play with it, swinging it side to side. The ponytail wagging happily on its own as if it was an animals tail. "If you can't find a way in. Fix it. Force it. Or Fuck it, just destroy everything. The three F's never fail."

A smile forming on trouble's face at Red's statement, Trouble shrugged. "You're not wrong there."

Refaulted · Aug 15, 2019

Stein

Solaris Streets
There was quick, nervous breathing coming from the lanky Japanese man as he walked through the streets, sticking close to the rubble of buildings to avoid being seen by any of the monsters that prowled the seemingly abandoned city. Since coming to Floor 10, he had done his best to avoid getting into any trouble, as on his own he doubted he could take on any adversaries that he came across. His strength came from sticking with a group, but he had missed joining up with any of the other members of Pwnies, and he couldn't exactly trust whatever he saw out in the wastes of the Floor, for fear that he could end up running into the player-killing bandits that hunted wayfarers outside of the limits of Solaris. Honestly, he would prefer getting killed by any of them than the monsters in the city. At least then he would have a general idea of what would come next.

Stein rounded a corner and felt a wave of relief as he saw the library in the distance. He hadn't seen a soul since entering the city, not even another Codebreaker, and when he saw a person entering the building, he just knew he was almost somewhere he could be safe. Or at least safer than where he was. As he took a step forward, he heard a clattering of rocks behind him. He froze, sweat dripping down his forehead, and he slowly turned around, trying to prepare for whatever monstrosity awaited him. But there was nothing aside from what seemed like sifting shadows disappearing around the corner of a building. He waited to see if there was any more movement, his heart racing in his chest. He took a deep breath, trying to still himself, before turning back around and running towards the rendezvous point.

Solaris: The Ruined Library
Stein ran through the doorway, breathing heavily as he entered, bending over to catch his breath. Sure, he couldn't exactly become winded in a virtual landscape, but the fear had caused him to hyperventilate a bit, so he wanted to allow himself a moment to calm down. When he finally felt his chest untighten, he stood up, placing a hand over his abdomen and letting out a long puff of air. "I regret not preparing myself with a weapon or anything before coming here. This place is absolutely terrifying." He looked up and noticed that there were a handful of people standing around the library. He kept forgetting how many people had left Pwnies, or had refused to come due to the nature of the city. It was sad, but he was glad there weren't as few people as he had originally thought. There seemed to be a couple Codebreakers unaffiliated with any Guild that had come for the promise of a reward, or for the thrill. He was just glad they were there to assist in the mission.

His eyes then swung over to a rather familiar face. He spotted Trouble first, and his troubled expression lessened to a degree. He hadn't had a lot of interaction with Trouble since he had joined Pwnies, but with what little time he had to get to know her, he knew that she was very capable. He had heard she had taken time for herself to train her Codebreaking abilities, and he was excited to see them in action. Then he noticed Joker talking to another Codebreaker off to the side. Joker he had never been able to understand that well, as he had such a mysterious aura around him. No matter what Stein did, he could find little information on the private investigator. The man did scare him quite a bit, anyways, so he decided it would be best to leave the man alone. Then there was the familiar face of Pwnies resident Junior Guild Master. Stein was impressed with her ability to take up a leadership role so quickly in the Guild, and he had heard of her run-in with PK Fire down on Floor 1 along with other members of Pwnies. She was already talking to a woman Stein assumed was the one who called them all here, Maquella, the leader of BlackBerry Preserves. Dullahan, Valkyrie, and Sonata were newer members, so Stein didn't know too much about them at the moment. He hoped that he would be able to get to know them better over the course of their time in Solaris.

Stein rubbed his arm nervously. He wasn't great at mingling with people, and it wasn't like he stood out that much anyways. Everyone was interacting with one another, and Stein didn't feel exactly like jumping in on a conversation, as that would be very rude. So he walked a ways away and looked around at the library. It tugged at his heart to see a place that is usually brimming with knowledge and information brought to such a state. The books covered in dust or ruined to a point they were barely legible were a horrid sight for him. Maybe once they had dealt with the monster problem in the city, he could come by when the library was rebuilt, so he could enjoy it as it was meant to be.

Lucem · Aug 15, 2019

Solaris:
The Streets, The Ruined Library

Elijah Royals

This was the first time he had ever set foot outside of Little City. Up until last month, he never had a reason to visit any of the other territories, let alone a higher floor. Aside from the afterlife, Solaris was the only other place he had visited since he first connected to this reality. In its current state, the city wasn't the ideal location for his first trip out of town.

Ever since the big update shook up the world, Solaris had become a frightening place. The name alone was enough to send shivers down people's spines, forcing them to think about the things that had been happening lately. He'd overheard a lot of patrons in the local bars spill their hearts out to anyone who would listen as they mentioned their friends and families that lived on the tenth floor, attempting to drown themselves in alcohol just so they wouldn't have to constantly wonder if their loved ones were still alive.

The city itself was far worse than any description a distressed drunk could provide. Any bright, cheerful colors had been washed away by a sea of gray and brown, everything covered by either dirt or raging flames. Even the sky rejected a naturally coded blue, instead covered by a thick layer of smoke that was only growing as it absorbed the fumes from the ruins below. He didn't see a single person as he walked by the crumbling buildings, left alone to wander a place that was little more than a hunting ground for the creatures that had claimed Solaris for themselves. Everyone else was either dead, dying, or hiding. The mere thought of stepping foot outside was probably enough to keep many of the survivors from trying to leave, which was understandable. As for him, he didn't find his surroundings to be unnerving. Instead of instilling fear, it only provided him with a sense of familiarity. The atmosphere here was a lot like the one that existed in the world outside his visor.

He had seen plenty of stuff just like this during the time he spent working for the Distribution Center. There was nothing but a wasteland that only had danger to offer. The only difference was that the silence of a dead world was nowhere to be found here. Instead, there were the screams of dying inhabitants. The fact that there was still more life in a place like this than reality probably could've been seen as unsettling.

During his stroll, Elijah got a good look at the creatures that had been crawling around the city. Like everything else in this world made of code, the monsters stalking the road didn't scare him. Still, getting killed or captured would've made him late for his appointment, so he did his best to avoid them on his way to the library.

His feelings about taking on missions like this hadn't changed. He still wasn't ecstatic about being a member of Pwnies, and trying to clean up a city under siege by monsters definitely went against his policy to avoid things that were too troublesome. However, he also hadn't forgotten where he stood. Like the airport operation, this situation could easily spiral out of control and create problems for every floor. Compared to the possibility of Little City ending up like Solaris and the risk of getting snatched up by monsters whenever he wanted to grab a drink or stop by the library, this was definitely the lesser of two evils. He'd been fulfilling his duties as a guild member by using that same logic, but not very often.

Aside from situations that could easily place him and the guild in a tight spot, he hadn't had much contact with most of his fellow members. While Elijah may have been forced into the Code Breaker lifestyle, he still tried to minimize its influence on his once peaceful life as much as possible. Only a few members were in his contacts, each of them managing to make an impression in their own unique way. As it turned out, a few of those people arrived just before him.

As he set foot into the library, the first familiar face was the sugar-loving detective. There was also the shadowy figure that always stuck to him like glue, but they didn't really have a face to recognize. He almost expected to see to see his fellow Trojan accompanying the gumshoe, but Joker seemed to be alone this time. He offered the man a greeting as he sauntered inside, soon spotting someone else he was familiar with.

"Checking in, Master." There was a touch of playfulness in his usual calm voice, but it may as well have been the appropriate greeting. With Edge La gone, the 'Junior' part of her title seemed unnecessary. Katsura had taken on all the responsibility and likely all the accompanying headaches in her absence. She seemed to be taking her role a lot more seriously than before, but that could've been attributed to necessity instead of her own desires. While he may not have liked being in this line of work, he trusted her a lot more than he did their actual boss.

Taking up an empty spot against one of the crumbling walls, Elijah took the opportunity to introduce himself like the others. "I'm Royal." Just like the introduction on his first day, he decided to leave it at that. While there were a few members of Pwnies that he was still unfamiliar with, there was also the person who requested them for this mission. He didn't know much about BlackBerry, but it'd be hard for her to do worse than the last guild leader he met. Well, that wasn't being entirely fair. Even if he didn't trust Edge La, she at least had the decency to give him wine before forcing him into labor.

Edward Philips

He could barely feel the heat from the surrounding flames as he sped through the ruined streets. His hair and jacket flailed wildly in the wind, and he felt the strap of his camera slapping against his neck. The moped's engine continued to roar, but he could still hear the thumps of his heartbeat in his ears. However, both sounds were overpowered by the angry voice that admonished him.

"You idiot! This is all your fault!"

"S-Sorry!" Once again, Ed apologized as he tightened his grip on the handlebars. He doubted that it would be enough to calm Sigma down, but he kept letting out the stutter-filled sorries. Although, as much as he didn't like the bat-like creature being mad at him, it was the least of his concerns. "Um, are they still there?" He was tempted to take a look behind his back, but his companion was quick to shut him down.

"Eyes on the road! Don't cause any more problems by making us crash!"

The gruff voice was harsher than usual, but Ed couldn't really argue. Sigma's anger was pretty justified this time. If he had known that it would've led to this, he wouldn't have stopped to take photos. However, he had no doubts that the creature had no interest in his regrets. Neither did the monsters chasing them.

"Can't this piece of junk go any faster?"

"I'm already going as fast as I can!" The bike was already pretty old, so its speed couldn't match up to most of the newer models. Still, he had put a lot of love and hard work into restoring it to its current condition. He'd never dream of getting rid of it. And in its defense, it wasn't made to escape bloodthirsty trees.

"Up here! Take a right! Right!"

Without hesitation, Ed turned the corner at full speed, narrowly avoiding a fissure in the ground. The old machine resisted some of the finer movements its driver was attempting to make, but it help up well. Even after it straightened out, Ed kept accelerating until the voice told him it was okay to stop.

"Alright, looks like we lost 'em. Take it slow from here on out. Pay more attention to your surroundings! We're not in Little City anymore!"

While he could've argued that he was already being careful and just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, Ed just nodded and tried to calm his nerves. After readjusting the frames of his glasses, he summoned a detailed map with a wave of his hand, illuminating the lenses with silver light. "It looks like we should be there soon."

Minimizing the floating screen, Ed took another look at his surroundings. It was a horrible sight to behold. He could feel the misery of the people who lived here just by gazing at all the destruction. Thinking about how much everyone must've suffered made his heart hurt. Aside from the poor residents that were still trapped between the monsters and the rubble, nobody should've been here. Only those trying to help were willing to cross into such a dangerous place.

"Hey, Sig."

"What?"

Sigma looked down at him from his perch atop his helmet, clearly still upset about suddenly being forced into a high-speed chase. Although, he didn't seem as angry as he was a moment ago, so it was probably okay to keep going like this. "Why did you sign us up for this mission?" It was easy to see why some people signed up for a job like this despite how dangerous it was. Code Breaker guilds were supposed to be protectors, so it made sense for them to help the people of Solaris in their time of need. However, Sigma wasn't like that.

"I told you before. I thought it'd be beneficial."

That sounded more like Sigma. He wasn't a bad person, but he could be a little selfish. He also had some trouble controlling his temper, but that wasn't important right now. "I know, but you never said how." He also had a habit of keeping things to himself unless you pushed him for answers.

"Do I really need to explain that to you? There'll be two guilds involved in this mission. The leader of LoliPop is the one who asked for help. I'm not really interested in what she does, but being a guild leader means she should be well-informed about what goes on in this world. The same goes for the leader of Pwnies. There's a good chance that they'll have some useful info."

"You mean about the person you're looking for?" There was a brief moment of silence after he asked the question. Sigma sometimes got quiet whenever he brought up things like that.

"Yeah."

Sigma was searching for someone. The only problem was that he didn't know who. The creature had a bad case of amnesia, not remembering much about his life before he was found in the alley. He didn't know much about Sigma, but that was because he didn't know much about himself. Not knowing who you are must've been scary, so it was understandable that he'd want to put the pieces of his memory back together as soon as possible. While his problems weren't exactly the same, Ed could empathize with him. He had been suffering from random blackouts, moments in his life that were completely unknown to him. It wasn't something as serious as amnesia, but even losing those few memories was scary. In that way, the two of them were the same.

"Does it really matter why I'm here? You wanted to help, didn't you?"

The question pulled Ed out of his thoughts, his dark eyes rising to meet the shadowy figure atop his head. "Of course I do, but..." Ed trailed off as he struggled to put his feelings into words. If he was being honest, the thought of coming to Solaris was frightening. It went without saying that being here in person was even more terrifying. He was just a bundle of nerves that didn't have any experience with things like this. Him being here probably wouldn't have made a difference, only putting him in danger. Even so, it wouldn't have felt right to just sit at home and do nothing. He may not have had much experience, but he was still a Code Breaker. It would've been wrong to do nothing with these abilities while people were suffering. If there was even a small chance that he was needed here, he wanted to help.

"We're here! Look sharp!"

Once again, his thoughts had distracted him from reality. When he snapped out of it, he turned to see the Solaris library in front of them. Like the rest of the city, the building was in ruins. It was almost hard to believe that this was the gathering place for the people tasked with restoring the tenth floor.

After parking his bike, Ed slowly approached the steps. Despite being in a burning city filled with monsters, the thought of meeting new people still made him nervous. Thankfully, he had an understanding friend to help him through these difficult times.

"Quit standing around! Get a move on!" Not wanting to wait around and be bait for more of those flesh-eating trees, Sigma gave Ed a rough push, causing the boy to stumble forward as he slipped into his jacket. Don't say anything out loud from this point on.

After almost having his face slam into the broken concrete, Ed adjusted himself as he rubbed his back. I know. At least his nerves were gone. For the most part.

Ed took a quick peek inside the library before heading inside, making sure that he wasn't interrupting something important. The inside of the building didn't look much better than its exterior, but at least there were signs of life here. Several people had arrived before him, including two women who seemed to be the leaders of their respective guilds. He didn't know anything about the people here, so it was hard to tell who was actually part of the guild. Not being a member was an easy way to be singled out and feel isolated, so that wasn't doing anything to help keep the nerves at bay. Still, he didn't want to be rude by not saying anything, so he did his best power through and properly introduce himself.

When the two women were done speaking, Ed took a deep breath before approaching them. He first turned to the one with multicolored hair, thinking it best to start with the one who sent out the request. "It's nice to meet you. My name is Ed-" The boy stifled a yell as he felt sharp teeth bite into his skin. "C-Canon! I'll do my best to help the city."

As the pain began to subside, Ed turned to face the bespectacled woman. "You must be the leader of Pwnies. I look forward to working with you." Like before, his greeting was accompanied by a smile, followed by a slight bow. He tried his best to not make a pained expression as he felt another bite.

Ed rubbed his side as he walked away, already regretting his first interaction with these people. That definitely could've gone better. To make matters worse, he could feel Sigma getting ready to chew him out. At least it wouldn't be in the literal sense this time.

Don't just give out your real name!

Right. Sorry about that. He still wasn't used to using a code name like this. Sigma seemed to have a big problem with him revealing personal information. He must've believed that the less these people knew, the better.

And don't bow, you idiot!

But they're leaders...

Not your leaders!

Ed carried himself to the nearest wall as he took in the lecture that nobody else in the room had to hear. Or could hear, rather. Trying to take his mind off the pain in his side, he looked around the room, seeing who he'd be working with on this mission. It was a little intimidating to be in a room full of Code Breakers.

As he looked around the room, one person stood out. Although, he wasn't quite sure if they were a person. Sticking close to a fedora-wearing man, there was a tall person wrapped in a dark cloak. There was something a little eerie about his appearance, but before he could look at it for very long, the voice in his head returned.

Eyes front. Don't look that way. Unlike his usual reprimands that were fueled by annoyance, this one sounded more serious. The deep voice had a touch of wariness, but it revealed suspicion instead of fear. I have a bad feeling about that guy. Don't get involved.

White Masquerade

GasMaskie

The One Eyed Bandit

Xel · Aug 16, 2019

VieraSolaris - City StreetsThe sound of gunfire filled the desolate and decaying streets in a nondescript corner of the city. The screams of the foolish and the unfortunate as they were snatched up by monsters echoed through the concrete jungle. Amidst it all was a lone silver-haired woman, shield in one hand and a rifle in another. Every shot she loosed tore through whatever hapless monster happened to be on the receiving end, almost always proving fatal. As the last creature's lower half fell to the ground the woman raised an arm to wipe her brow with a sigh. Viera had always hunted the monsters that dwelled on the floor, Solaris was his home city, she was well use to it's quirks. But ever since that update she needn't venture beyond the walls to get the thrill she sought. No, the monsters decided to bring it straight to her.

Slipping the shield over her back she took the rifle in both hands and cautiously began making her way down the deserted street. The distant echoes of fighting or the all-too-familiar screams ensured her walk was anything but quiet. Thinking back, she did genuinely enjoy the increased aggression. More fights to be had, more opportunities to sate her darker whims. But as time went on and the city became more and more inhospitable she began to feel the same anger and irritation that everyone else felt. Daily life became all but impossible and it was just a routine to log in, fight for survival, and then log off. It was cumbersome to say the least. And no matter how many of the blasted things she took down, more always came flooding in.

As she made her way down the sidewalk she kept a look out. Potholes, scorch marks, and all manner of damage marred the roadways. Buildings were missing windows, missing entire walls, beyond the simple disrepair. The entire city looked and felt like a warzone, and that was because that was precisely what it had turned into. As she reached an intersection she eyed a man down the street. Panic filled his features as he desperately swung at some tree-looking monster. A quiet sigh slipped past her lips as she raised her rifle, bringing it up to her shoulder and peering down it's ironsight. She steadied her aim on the creature, her sight lined up with the center of it's solid trunk-like body. She held her aim, slowing her breathing as the man turned and began to run from the monster. Even as the beast moved to follow him she held her aim, moving slowly so it remained dead-center in her sights.

After a few moments she lowered her weapon, watching as the creature caught up with it's pray. Branches weaved out and snatched up the man, lifting him from the ground as he screamed for help only to be run through by even more branches. With a shrug she turned and made her way down the opposite street, the sounds of the man's screaming voice quickly being silenced behind her. Instead her focus was off in the direction of the city's outskirts. She'd gotten an invite by the local Guild to show up at the library and that was far more important to her than saving some guy who'd just respawn soon enough anyway. It didn't take her long to navigate the streets to her destination. She had dropped by the library more than a few times in her life and even with the face-lift the city had received she had no trouble navigating.

Approaching the library she noted others making their way inside. Clearly she hadn't been mistaken about the summons. Shifting her rifle to a more relaxed position she made her way through the doors. Her eyes quickly scanned around over those already assembled. Not a single face she recognized, but then she expected as much. It wasn't as if she associated with other codebreakers or guilds or any of that sort of stuff. Still, there was quite a crowd already gathered and so she made her way over to the side and out of the way. Flashing a smile and a wave to any who caught her eye. Reaching an amicable spot she leaned back against the roughened wall, hoisting her rifle up to hold the butt of it's stock, it's barrel pointing skyward as she patiently waited to see where this was all going.

Solaris - Ruined Library
Interactions: N/A
Mentions: Everyone

Kalin Scarlet · Aug 17, 2019

Solaris:
The Ruined Library
???

Above the city, a pale haired young man watched the chaos swirling beneath his feet with a smile. As the people fought monsters amongst ruins, he noted the few particular individuals converging on a specific location.

Well then...I guess there are some people left, after all. Thought that message might just be some random joker trying to beat a dead horse.

A trio of diamond shaped machines formed in front of him, shooting out to catch him as he leapt from his perch atop the ruins of a building. He hovered in the air, the dynamos pushing him forward with bursts of energy letting him cruise above the virtual apocalypse, and come to a stop in front of the destroyed library.

Let's see how the newbies stack up.

The Suspicious Eye · Aug 20, 2019

Some Trouble can be DangerousSolaris: LibraryLooking over to the opened door as another member came in. Raising a brow a smile grew across her face as she noticed who it was, Stein (

Refaulted ). Haven't seen him in a while. She thought to herself as she perked up a bit, glad to see this group won't be a total bust.

Red shimmered into Trouble's vision. "Oh what's this? Your body temp and heartbeat are rising, snuggle muffin. What's got you all hot and bothered?" Looking over to what Trouble was looking at a wide grin grew across Red's face. "Ah I see what it is."

Ignoring Red, Trouble got to her feet and made her way over to Stein. She hadn't really gotten much time to talk with him when they first met and after all these years, she thought she could at least make a good second impression. Extending her hand, she smiled at him. "Stein it's good to see you again."

"I've been waiting years to gaze upon your handsome face yet again. Mi Amore! Take me into your arms!! Kiss me!" Red added now dressed in an Italian bull fighter costume, fake mustache and all. Giggling she vanished only to appear behind Stein and drape her arms around him. "Though honestly is it your visual filters or is he cuter. Can't you just say yum?" Red said as she licked his ear. "Don't you just want to tear him to bits?"

Pulling her hand away Trouble coughed a not so subtle, "*cough* quit it *cough*," poorly trying to it up by pretending to clear her throat. Sliding her hand to the back of her head she tried to make small talk. "Seems this place is in bad shape. Luckily with all of us this job should be pretty easy." Her cheeks slowly reddening she looked away from the scene Red was concocting to the unknowing Stein.

"Why don't we grab a drink after it's all over hot stuff. Maybe even some dessert?" Red said leaning against Stein's chest she gave Trouble a devilish grin. "Can't ignore me forever, babe. I'll make you crack in front of him." Leaning in close she pointed right at Trouble. "Maybe I'll send him a real message and put some hearts in your eyes."

A chill ran across her at the subtle threat, Trouble quickly changed the subject. "Oh uh hey I think they were going to explain the job in more detail back there I...we...should probably head back and see what's up." Slowly stepping back Trouble stumbled against a pile of rubble. Quickly catching herself with her other foot she, her cheeks flushed in embarrassment as she looked over to Stein. I'm an idiot. Without another word she turned around and made her way back to the others. How does JinX make this look so easy?!

Red watched the scene quietly and her brow twitched at Trouble's flustered appearance. Watching her walk off Red looked at Stein, her brow lowered and eyes narrowed into near glowing slits of rage. If looks could kill, Stein would be vaporized on the spot. Taking a deep breath her face glitched and changed to a playful smile as she floated over to Trouble's side. "Well that was adorable. Aren't you a cute one."

"Shut up." Trouble hissed under her breath. Rubbing her cheeks in an attempt to hide her blush.

Resting her hand on Trouble's shoulder Red leaned in close to her ear. "Why not let me into his head? Write a nice little love story for you?" Her eyes glowed with evil intent. "You know how good I am with memories. Remember that bitch who 'lost' the ability to speak? Or that loser who knows he killed his mom and beloved sister? Compared to that this would be child's play."

Shooting her hand up right at Red, Trouble missed her throat, but grabbed her shirt and pulled Red close. "Listen to me close Red." Trouble snarled at Red, her eyes sharpening to focus right on the imaginary friend. "You won't go near my guild-mates. Ever." All light evaporated from her face, her eyes glowing with bloodlust towards for Red. There was no need for more words, her look was all the threat Trouble needed, she'd kill her and make sure it was painful.

Shocked by the sudden threat Red lost her cool for a moment as she was pulled towards Trouble. Staring back at the predatory eyes Red's widened eyes slowly lowered as a smile returned to her face. "Yes of course. I won't do a thing." She said patting Trouble's hand, adding with a shrug, "not like I could do anything anyway. You're the boss. I'm just here for the ride." Red said poking the bridge of Trouble's nose. A pair of dark sunglasses appeared on Trouble's face, "might want to hide the crazy eyes, love."

"Whatever." Trouble said tossing Red aside. She made her way back over to her seat. Plopping down in the chair again she didn't bother to take notice of the others, instead she sat and stewed in her bloodlust. Waiting for it to die down or her target to dare make a move.

White Masquerade · Sep 28, 2019

Solaris:
The Ruined Library
Blackberry Preserves

‘Tap. Tap. Chikkuh.’

And so another member of Pwnies appeared. This one coming off weirder than the last, facial expression somewhat void of motion at all, but at the crooked smile, Maquella not wanting to seem shallow, nodded curt in return. This guy was quiet- a little odd in how he presented himself, yet compared to the one named Valkyrie, Blackberry much more preferred his style of address. Eyes turned towards now to the one sitting on the broken bookshelf, Maquella raised a brow almost imperceptibly, surprised that a music star would show up here. Luciano Antonelli; she was not aware he was a Codebreaker and the revelation shocked her. Codebreaking. This new world power was an amazing thing. Whether rich or poor, known or unknown, the manifestation had no regard for race or class. If you had the ability, then the codebreaking power was yours.

“Hmp.”

And as far she knew, not one person in the world had a clue about how it worked.

KA-LA-BOOOM!

The door suddenly kicked open and in strode a gentleman right by a hooded figure to his side. To this a normal breaker would have been confused, but off knowledge gained from her own travels and route to becoming guildmaster, Maquella knew that those two could be no other than an OS creature and their phantom master.

That’s right. The class that uses Nerve and CDR. Good.

The Phantoms were the fiercest of all. Though themselves not having incredible power, with their monsters by their side, they stood a force to be reckoned with. That would be more than enough to take on the ones that roamed. ‘Alright,’ she thought. Now they were getting a squad. People who looked like they could fight. This mission just might be a success after all.

“Yeah,” she’d respond, lips quirking at the grunt he was a Phantom +. “You got it. Six-hundred fifty Kirito plus the knowledge we’re doing something good for the people of this town.”

Which was right. Because according to this Codebreaker, with that power came a responsibility - a responsibility to move and protect those in ways ordinary people couldn’t do. If there was something the average couldn’t solve, then the onus would be on them to step up and use their abilities to take a shot. Though Maquella had to admit this was not the light she first saw it in herself. It would have been the bloody hero of Floor 1 and after her encounter with Edge La, that was how she, BlackBerry Preserves, chose to see it too. Though there was the still the issue of how those people gathering chose to view their role in the Codebreaker history themselves.

Still pensive and ginger, Maquella took the card from the one called Se7en and recalled what she knew of Harajuku and the 34th Floor. A detective agency maybe? Possibly there was a file stacked on the place back at her dorm, but she at least knew detectives were the good guys. Kind of. If Se7en did well on this mission she might approach him about joining a proper guild where his powers could be used for something more in line with what was right.

“Hi. Pleased to make your acquaintance as well,” Maquella answered, slipping the card into a pocket on her side.

“I’ll say I do appreciate you trying to liven things up,” the woman started. “But what’s going on on Floor 10 is serious, detective. I didn’t call you all here to play around. Once everyone who's on track to come has, we’ll be discussing a plan of taking on, and yes, fighting the monsters running around. I will do my best to avoid this, but want to make clear that if not careful, some of us here just might die. Or maybe worse.”

Harvesters. Green, chipping monsters with tree-like limbs prowling the road. Over her many hours of surveillance, the breaker noticed they were not like the other creatures that gathered. Instead of hunting and killing people caught in the open, they...took them away. Into the wild and out of sight. Maquella shuddered at the thought. What was happening to those taken to the wilds outside the Solaris reach? Could they be experiencing some kind of harm, something that’d mess with them in real life? There were stories of those being taken not remembering exactly what happened after it was done, so-

And this was when one more person walked through to their midst and by the way Valkyrie smiled, she and the newbie seemed to be connected.

Huh? Wait..but. Could it be..?

And at the introduction, Maquella stood still, taking the woman in. Well, well, well. The Codebreaker came late to the party and a certain air of authority was lacked, but down to business herself, Maquella was never too fond of being formal. The woman seemed nice enough...and Edge La did leave her in charge. Maybe there was something the Edge Lord saw in the brunette that wasn’t readily visible now, or there still was a facet of observation BlackBerry had yet to grow herself. Deciding to give the weight to the latter, BlackBerry chose to give Katsura a chance.

So with a nod towards the official acceptance of the quest by the master of Pwnies, Maquella smiled, answering that, “I and LoliPop accept your help, Katsura. The way things are going, we need it.”

Pupil now flicking to the small commotion at the entrance, a moment later, a small girl walked in - one who spoke in a strange tongue. Taking it as someone who was not from the West like herself, Maquella welcomed the foreigner in kind and looked to another short woman that walked through the door: Trouble. It was even more confusing as this one was clearly having an intimate conversation...but with none other than herself. Leading Maquella to briefly ponder something she’d never considered before: Codebreakers and mental health. Still watching Trouble as she muttered and took a seat next to the one called Joker, another person straightaway came into the library huffing and puffing - a breaker called Stein.

The Pwnies members were steadily piling up and marveling at the growing number, it made the leader a bit glad. It looked as if she was not going to have to do this alone. The reality of it was that Codebreakers were already in short supply. Split between good and evil, and then amongst the 100 floors, it became sparse when taking into account an even smaller number of them realized or acknowledged they were Codebreakers at all.

“And that has to change,” Maquella muttered. It just had to. She had seen what Edge La did, what Edge La started and swore she would continue on and do the same. Her own team, LoliPop, was growing with a noticeable number of members on the list, but at the current moment, due to the nature of their work and the fight they centered around, most could not be here at this time. Though Maquella knew that if their paths were to ever cross, there would be a silent acknowledgement that they were both fighting on.

“I’m Royal.”

Now another man came in, young, with a scar near his lip and the greeting between him and the current Pwnies master made BlackBerry fall further on the side Edge La knew what she was doing. It was quite genius as she saw it unfold. Even if the leadership was disrupted, even if the leadership changed, even if she was gone, the dream, the idea - would still live on. To create a consuming fire, all one needed to do was light the spark. It would continue to rage on its own despite the loss of the match.

Time passed and after logging the one called Canon, Maquella’s head raised ever so slight seeing someone she finally recognized from the area: Viera. The rifle-carrying killer was always hunting monsters across the floor but it seemed now the action was brought to her. It was actually kind of funny. That Trojan might’ve actually been the one person from them all glad for the trouble brought by the latest update. Bearing a grin genuine for the first time that day, Maquella stated, “Viera. It’s nice to see you and I’m glad you are here. After we’re done cleaning up Solaris, maybe we can go over again the proposition for you to join our team of women. LoliPop would definitely be helped by someone like you.”

The winds started to shift and unbeknownst to Maquella, there would be another Codebreaker hovering just outside the library above, but past those doors, it seemed like all those who were coming now gathered inside, and BlackBerry walked forward, took a deep breath, speaking in a low yet permeating voice.

“Good. It looks like most of us have made it. Alright. Firstly Codebreakers, despite your reasoning for answering the summons, I want to start off by saying thank you all for coming. Solaris is in need of some desperate help and if you so choose to be a part of this, we will be the ones to give it. Now,” the woman said, opening up Code Academy and displaying a large screen for all those in the room to see.

The Heroes Assembled

“Let us begin.”

White Masquerade · Mar 21, 2020

Solaris:
The Ruined Library
Blackberry Preserves
"Floor 10 is my home- a home to over a million people, and it has a certain ecology that lends itself well to a biological diversity hard to find in other areas. There are place here on this floor that you will find nowhere else. Everything outside of Solaris is wild and even we, people like me, don't know all there is to explore in the zones surrounding this town. The monsters are unique, intelligent, and have mentalities suggesting they could form societies of their own. No one knows the extent to which this is true, but they are a special section to our tower of virtual reality nonetheless. The issue we're having, is now they're attacking the city."

Flipping through Code Academy to an aerial shot of the city, Blackberry continued. "After observing their movements over the course of a few weeks, I started noticing a pattern."

With an audible click, three locations became circled in red.

InterCity 41 - Prince Antonelli
Subway Station - Valkyrie
Industrial Complex - Stein, Trouble

"They are gathering around three different places in the city. InterCity 41, the highway connecting Solaris to our next closest neighbor. The Subway station, spanning under the full berth the city. And an industrial complex once used to build motorcycles, near the heart of Solaris. I want to figure out why that is."

Continuing to think and peer at the screen Maquella went on. "Whatever we find there could be a big clue as to why this is happening and how we can stop it."

She then closed the screen.

"I will be communicating with you all from here, guiding you through the town and coalescing any information you have as you explore these areas. If you have any questions on what you'd like to know, please ask. Otherwise, head towards one of the three locations and see what you can find. As soon as you see something, please let me know."

First Mission: IntelligenceThere you have it, the first mission to explore one of these three sectors (notable areas) of Solaris. You can team up, go alone, whatever wish. You can also ask Blackberry a few questions about herself, the situation, the world or even the game itself. Just don't forget to report back whatever you see; it could give clues as to what is going on.

White Masquerade · Mar 22, 2020

Solaris:
The Ruined Library
Valkyrie
“As long as the pay is good," she found herself muttering before realizing the words left her mouth. To be honest, Valkyrie needed the cash and she knew doing this was a much better plan than telling her mother she was strapped for money. Her mom'd eventually tell her cousins, her father would overhear that, then her sister would get involved...

Ugh.

Yeah. There was no way she was going to go down that road. This here definitely paid more than the local grocery stores did. And stripping. Not that she was opposed to it, but getting her account full like that way was too easy. A little too easy.

At least with this I'll be able to get out and do something.

Standing inside a decrepit library in the middle of Solaris was not Cho's idea of grabbing life by the horns, yet it some odd way, she felt that doing something like this would allow her to grow. All that time spent going to nightclubs, crawling the pubs, and hooking up with anything cute that moved and said 'hey', was not conducive to building a successful life. It did take her a while to figure that out, but the lesson technically didn't leave her in a position knowing what to do with her life; just knowing what NOT to do with it.

Man, how did I mess up so bad? Cheating on tests to wondering if I ever should go back home to the fam...where am I even going? Christ.

A question most people ask themselves when they reached a certain age, yet now was not the time to mull over it. Valkyrie knew all the answers wouldn't come in one day and experience taught the woman that sometimes you just had to do stuff. Do stuff and keep on doing stuff until something clicked. Cross one thing off your list if it wasn't good, try something else, and then cross off another. That in essence was the way life worked: you just had to take things one day at a time and before you knew it, you were face-to-face with what you were looking for without even realizing it. So with a sigh and clapping both hands to her face, Valkyrie refocused back to her surroundings- to the beings that continued haunting the roads outside.

"I'll take the subway station then. It sounds scariest so seems like the perfect place to start. I just have one question though, Ms. Berry. What are those tree-like things we have to fight? I mean, I assume we have to fight them right? They won't just let us pass, no?"

You Can Do It
Blackberry Preserves
"That is correct. They won't just let you pass. Historically the monsters have stayed outside the city, but something recently has caused them to become more aggressive. They are called Harvesters by the way. They are mostly what you will encounter, but there may be a few other animals outside like Waste Hounds or Clickers you will have to deal with too."

"Waste...hounds?"

"Yes, they're about three-and-a-half feet tall with bones that probably weigh more than you. They would tear a normal person to shreds. However, they should not be a problem for a Codebreaker. Have you been in fights before?"

"Yeah...but not a lot. It's been a lot of collect and delivering things for me at the guild. At most, I've just ran after a few small-time crooks and threw a punch here or there. Nothing really that serious."

Taking it in, Blackberry remained silent for a nod, processing and thinking of the best way to find words for her answer. It would be a bit difficult for the girl to get into fighting, yes, but only mentally. The virtual world was good with things like that. As long as you had the stats necessary to put up a chance, the rest of things would naturally follow. All you had to do was trust yourself and let go.

"Alright. Then in that case, trust yourself and let go."

"I'm sorry?"

"Trust yourself and let go. If you feel like doing something, just do it and your body will follow. You are a Deviant Artist so I'm sure once you start, you will catch on quick. Try things out and see what happens. You may even come to find you can do things others can't."

And for the faintest of moments, Blackberry Preserves disappeared from the Valkyrie's entire line-of-sight.

"Wha-woah. What was that?"

"Invisibility. That's how my Codebreaking manifests. It's unique to me as far as I know, so you will unfortunately have to figure what you have on your own."

Well call me butter and put me on a biscuit.

And just like that, Cho already seemed to have a goal forming for her life in mind. "Thanks for the tip ma'am," she smirked with a newfound purpose circulating in her veins. "Off to the Subway station then. I'll be sure to let you know what I find."

White Masquerade

QuirkyAngel · Mar 24, 2020

Solaris:
The Ruined Library
Prince Antonelli

And so it begins…

Prince Antonelli quietly listened to all the information presented by BlackBerry Preserves, his eyebrows knitting together in thought. Monsters all gathering in three locations? Odd. Was it a calculated assault on the city? Do monster programs even have the mental capacity to do such a thing? Or was something drawing them all together?

Someone?

Drumming his fingers against the bookshelf, Prince sighed, then stood up, slipping his hands into the pockets of his jacket. He had no idea what to make of it and thinking too hard was giving him a headache. Better to just take action.

Valkyrie had already made her choice.

Prince was tempted to go with her since Deviant Artists were excellent at offense and it would provide a measure of protection against the critters that roamed outside. However, they had three areas to investigate to complete the mission and everyone going together like a big happy family would just be waste of time. It was just an investigative mission anyway. If anything, taking along one of the detectives was probably his best bet.

Either Se7en or that Joker fellow.

Detectives were supposed to be good at this sort of thing, right?

“Prince Antonelli,” Prince introduced himself since he realized he hadn’t yet done so. “I guess I’ll take the highway then.”

He glanced at where the guildmaster of Lolipops had turned herself invisible, not sure if he was looking at her or at air. Trojans had a trick where they made themselves un-targetable, right? Was that the skill she used? Or was it something else? Didn't she say it was unique only to her? Prince’s lips thinned as she recalled a certain pink haired girl that danced around him, reversing everything he did, during their confrontation. Trojans always had various tricks up their sleeves and he didn’t look forward to fighting one.

Ever.

Fortunately BlackBerry Preserves wasn’t an enemy. “But first, can I ask who’s the big idiot who thought making monsters in the virtual world was a good idea?”

If there was a bug in the programming, surely the designers would be the ones able to fix it. It was their fault to begin with. At least that was Prince's line of thought.

White Masquerade

Refaulted · Mar 24, 2020

Stein

Solaris: The Ruined Library

He picked up a torn and battered book, blowing dust off of it as he opened it, staring at blank pages covered in dirt and mold. He flipped between pages completely devoid of any sort of words, as were most of the books in the digital world. Most of the information someone could get was stored as data that people could then borrow and download for themselves, making the need for any physical documentation near obsolete, aside from the stray few books that could be bought in the physical world, though those were mainly children's books bought to help teach children to read during their years before jumping into virtual reality. More advanced books were quite rarer, though they were still available for custom order from most authors, mainly due to the bookworms like Stein. His collection was one of the things he was most proud of, with books covering most of one of his walls in his room, each one taken care of with utmost gentleness to make sure they preserved well.

He was so lost in thought that he didn't hear someone walk up behind him, and almost jumped out of his own skin as he heard her speak, the book in his hand flying off, it's new location lost aside from the light thud it made as it hit the floor or a table. He turned around to look at Trouble (

The Suspicious Eye ), his face flushed lightly with embarrassment as he took her hand gingerly. "Trouble! Yes, it's so great to see you as well. You're looking great after all this time. I'm sorry about...that, it's just this whole city has me on edge. Back in Little City, dealing with monsters that could just...kill people, I never even though of it. I know we can die and can revive, technically, but those things are entirely terrifying in their own way. I really wonder why they carry people off, though? Is it some sort of virus just meant to attack and disrupt people? Or maybe they take them for a more direct reason, like they feed on their code or try to infect others, or do they just intend to cause mayhem? Personally, I think it isn't necessarily random. If they didn't attack the city for so long, why now of all times? Something or someone may be controlling them, or forcing them to attack the city instead of sticking to the outer reaches. It's entirely confusing, and I'm hoping with everyone here we ca-."

He paused in the middle of his sentence, noticing her coughing into her hand and somewhat barely making out the words she tried to mutter under he breath. His cheeks brightened slightly as he grabbed his arm with his hand, rubbing it slowly as he stared sheepishly away from his Guildmate. "Oh, yeah, yeah, I'm sorry. I was rambling. I tend to do that sometimes with people. Just, when it comes to work, it's what keeps me...sane, I guess?" He looked about the library, and let out a sigh. "I agree, with this many people, we can probably get this job done relatively easily, but I'm not gonna try and rely on good fortune, what with not just the monsters, but bandits as well to deal with. They are probably taking advantage of the chaos to kill unsuspecting individuals." He looked back to Trouble and noticed her cheeks beginning to turn red, and a concerned look crossed his face. "Are you okay, Trouble? You seem-" She cut him off before he could finish, walking away towards Blackberry Preserves as she began to explain the situation. Stein's puzzled face was there for only a few seconds before he decided to ask her about it later, and approached the rest of the group to listen in on the plan, standing at a respectful distance from everyone.

With each area, Stein had trouble deciding where would be the best place for him to go. He definitely couldn't handle any threat he found along the way on his own, so going solo wouldn't do him much good. Valkyrie, one of the new Pwnie members, seemed gung-ho to be going to the Subway Station, and one of the freelance Codebreakers, Prince, was already trying to recruit Joker and another freelance, Se7en, to go with him to the Highway. That left the Industrial Complex with no volunteers yet. His mouth twisted as he thought, before he relented, speaking mainly to himself. "Guess I'll take the Industrial Complex. What could go wrong? Probably die, I guess, but there are worse things...wow, that's pretty morbid."

Azure Sky · Mar 25, 2020

Dullahan

Solaris: The Ruined Library

Erik watched and listened to all the people around him with great interest. Some very colourful characters, and some quite peculiar ones (not that he was one to talk). The woman called Trouble seemed a bit off. Was she having an argument with her imaginary friend? Schizophrenia? He would definetly try to keep away from her. Despite his interest in all forms of communication, he really did not click well with people like her. Meanwhile, K seemed like a no-nonsense kind of person, and Prince was without a doubt a very confident and outspoken individual. As for the rest, he needed more time to actually grasp anything of note about them.

He then shifted his focus to Blackberry's little speech. "A woman of high moral values? Or a facade? She seems genuine at first glance. And if she did not care about this place, she would not have called us. But does she care because of other people's mischief, or because of the fear that disaster will eventually befall on herself? Selfless? Selfish? A bit of both, maybe? Ah... since when was I so quick to judge? " Erik's train of thought was interrupted by the little exchange between Valkyrie and the leader of Lolipop. He witnessed as she became invisible, and heard her explanation of it being a unique skill. Fascinating. She continued by adding that it was a skill manifestation unique to her. Even more fascinating. So, everyone had their unique little virtual displays of ability? That explained why his displays mirrored his current self: dull.

Without saying anything he just smiled politely and followed Prince Antonelli towards the highway. His reason: it had virtual trees. Also because of the stark outer contrast between him and the Fashionista. It secretly amused him.

QuirkyAngel

White Masquerade

The Suspicious Eye · Mar 28, 2020

Solaris: The Ruined LibraryTroubleTrouble tapped her leg as the BlackBerry Preserves informed the group on the topic. It sounded dangerous, Trouble wasn't the type to go rushing into danger, trouble always seemed to find her on the regular so there was never the need. However, with her recent financial escapades, she was strapped for cash and the pay was something she was willing to walk into likely danger for. Hearing the others take their location she expected the Industrial Complex to be avoided. An open area full of run down building were perfect for ambushes from bandits and monsters alike. Unless you're hyper aware or have a fast reaction time you're likely fucked.

Refaulted said:
"Guess I'll take the Industrial Complex."

Fuck. Trouble cursed to herself as Stein volunteered to take the complex. There was no way she was going to let him go solo. Running on pure instinct, not weighing out anything else Trouble spoke up. "I'll take the Industrial Complex as well." She said raising her hand.

'For no apparent reason, heh' RED said with a coy smile as she floated above Trouble's head. Enjoying the new material she had to poke the bear that is Trouble.

Ignoring RED's comment Trouble looked over to Stein and gave a smile. "I'll do my best to make sure you don't die, Stein." Though I can't make any promises. Trouble thought as she didn't know how well two people were going to do if her expectations were true.

'Awww what a mushy thing to say. What a pile of goo you are around him.' Standing up she stretched, slyly flipping off Red up in the air as she did so. RED chuckled and patted Trouble's head. 'Don't worry we'll keep him alive.' Floating over to Stein she looked him up and down before shrugging and floating back. 'If not, well we all gotta respawn one day.'

Trouble rolled her eyes under her dark sunglasses as RED didn't seem to provide any confidence. She looked back to Stein and smiled trying to reassure him and herself. It was going to take skill and a whole lot of luck to keep them alive in the Industrial Complex. She wasn't the luckiest she was definitely going to run into trouble, but as a Trojan luck was bullshit anyway.

White Masquerade · Apr 4, 2020

Solaris:
On The Way To...Industrial Complex

...Stealth Check Pending...

Stein's agility is not high enough to make it through the streets of Solaris unhindered. Due to this, he has encountered a monster!

Trouble's agility is high enough to make it through the streets of Solaris unhindered. She can move forward straight to the Industrial Complex or stay behind and help Stein. The choice is hers!

The Literary Doctor
The city of Solaris IS in a state of disrepair. There continues to be screams, roars, and footsteps making their way through the virtually paved Earth- a set of those even your own. Hard to believe that just a few months ago you were relaxing on Floor 1 with the members of Pwnies by your side. The comes an update and with the flick of the wrist; this. Down one alleyway and shooting through the road to another, you seem to be making good time across the death-plagued city. It is difficult to ignore those crying for help and creeping past packs of creatures swamping downtown, but soon, as you glance to map of Solaris in Code Academy, you realize you're close to the destination your quest revolved around: the Industrial Complex. Yet you seem to have forgotten something. You are an Internet Explorer.

One misstep of your caring yet clumsy feet sends a clatter of rocks tumbling out from your location. As you try to avoid eyes that may have centered on you, your heart pounds, praying it was not enough to illicit alarm from a trio of nearby monsters. However...it was. Hoping against reality, quickly you re-focus on the situation and come face-to-face with eyes of a sentient branch.

It only made sense. Blackberry did say that creatures were gathering around these areas. Of course it'd be much harder to avoid them here! Luckily, you were only able to attract the attention of one of these things...for now. Still, there's always that niggling little feeling crawling around endlessly in the back of your head. Really- what can you do against that? You are an Internet Explorer.

Fuck.

Looks like you'll have to move first.

Harvester Lv.1

"Sssrrrk Sssrrrk."

5/5
(+1 Per Turn)

AGI:
1

PROW:
2

Harvester (Lv.1)

Stein
Lv.15
Internet Explorer

HP: 11/11 (+4 per turn)
PP: 14/14 (+5 per turn)
CDR: 2/2
VIT: 10
NRV: 16
AGI: 3
PROW: 6
Skills:
Avast Antivirus II
HELP! EX Ultimate
Emergency X-it II
Bookmark

Items:
- 1205 Kirito

Armor / Equipment:
-

The Suspicious Eye

Refaulted

The Suspicious Eye · Apr 4, 2020

Solaris: On The Way To...Industrial Complex

TroubleTrouble was on edge the entire time since they left the ruined library. Whether it was because she was now alone with the boy she had a crush on, or the fact that they were about to walk into a dangerous bandit and monster infested area, no one will know. Though it was pretty clear it was Stein. Thoughts of being alone with Stein for a prolonged period of time sent her mind racing just as fast of her heart. Glad to have the sunglasses and clothing. She felt it suddenly shift around her as RED changed her attire to her white jacket and street clothing. Shades gone Trouble looked over at RED with a 'what the hell' look.

RED smiled, 'Camouflage, sis. Now you look more like a bandit. I even gave you a local gang symbol. You're welcome.'' RED said smugly, knowing full well this would likely get her in more trouble. More trouble meant more danger, more danger means she gets to spend time out.

Trouble wasn't so sure about RED's sudden 'help.' She knew what was coming and while at any other time she'd be more than happy to spend time with Stein. She was going to try her best to get to the industrial complex without getting caught up in danger. Letting RED take the lead Trouble walk alongside Stein nervously glancing over to him on occasion. The screams and roars were unintelligible to the young girl's beating heart. Her speed going fast to slow Trouble couldn't decide if she wanted to be near him or if it was too much. Finding a safe hidden strip of walkway Trouble mustered up her courage and spoke softly to Stein. "You know I am really happy we're spending time together. I always wanted to get to know you better Stein." Trouble said mentally high fiving herself for not messing up for the first time since she saw him. She looked over... then back to Stein to see him quite a bit far back, face to face with a monster.

Fuck!

Turning on her heel she dashed towards the monster back. She couldn't believe she was so in her head that she didn't even notice that he was so far away. How the hell did i not notice?!

It certainly wasn't RED messing with her senses. Totally not.

Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!

Placing her hand on her sword she went low and dirty as she speed towards the back of the monster.

Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!

Trouble leapt up and went for her sword. Aiming for it's back she drew her sword and with a firm arm went to bring her body down on the monster. Code sparking around her ready to uno reverse this beast if it got the better of her.

Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!

Refaulted · Apr 4, 2020

Stein
HP: 11/11
PP: 14/14

Solaris: From the Ruined Library to the Industrial Complex

Well, things could definitely be worse. While he had hoped others would have taken the chance to join Stein on his foolish venture deeper into the city to explore the abandoned industrial section of Solaris, it was all for naught, and it was just him and Trouble. All in all, he was glad she was coming with him, as he had hoped for it as soon as he made his decision. While he could fend for himself to an extent, any major threats would be out of his control. So having another person, especially a more combat savvy class like a Trojan Horse, set him more at ease. Not to mention it was Trouble! Knowing her also made the entire ordeal much more bearable, aside from the constant threat of a monster or bandit coming out of nowhere and mincing him to pieces, or worse, carrying him off into the deepest bowels of the city. A fellow Pwnie really did help relax a bit.

Then again, she seemed a little awkward. Looking around him, Stein couldn't blame her. She was younger than him, but she was at least seemingly able to handle their predicament more than he could. Buildings were crumbling around them, and the screams that rang through the air sent chills through his body, the sound of them bouncing around in his head as he tiptoed as carefully as he could through the rubble on the ground. He wanted to be at the bottom of this mystery. If it was so simple that they were just killing other digital avatars, then it would just be as simple as exterminating the monsters and handling them in a way that their numbers begin to decrease to more acceptable levels. But on the surface level, it just didn't seem like that was what was going on. There had to be more, and Stein was sure that there was at least part of, if not an entire answer at the Complex.

His attention was gone for too long. He barely registered the loose rocks under his feet as his foot slipped out from under him, and he tripped over his own leg as he fell to the ground, just barely catching himself as he knelt to the ground. He stared at the ground, surprised for a second, before he took a moment to compose himself and looked up.

Right into those lifeless yet malicious eyes.

Stein jumped back, pushing himself up onto his feet as he stared at the monster. He had done his absolute best to avoid any he saw or heard on his way to the library, and since leaving, he had definitely gotten too close for comfort to them. And now he was closer than he had been before, and he wished that he wasn't such a useless klutz. He could practically hear his heart in his ears, it drowning out every sound around him as he stared at the grotesque mass of coding in front of him. He was sure, outside of the virtual reality hell he was in, he was drenched in sweat, and he was thankful that it wasn't so much the case here.

It was the sight of Trouble running towards him that dragged him back into his current situation. Compared to when he had first became a Codebreaker, he wasn't so weak. Back then, he had been afraid to act, and it put him and others in danger. Not taking an action is the worst kind of action to take, he knew that. It was time for him to show the progress he had made, and stand up to the threat he faced in the moment.

Stein snapped his fingers, and in a flash of white light, a book appeared in front of him. it was bound in old, worn brown leather, with cracks in it as if it had traded hands thousands of times. On the cover, in Latin, it said Omnia Mutantur, Nihil Interit, the words shining golden. Stein lifted his hands, his fingers now glittering with the same gold as the books cover. The book opened in front of him, the pages flipping sporadically until they stopped, and Stein's eyes scanned the page, finding exactly what he was looking for. He placed one of his fingers on the page and, as he pulled it away, he pulled a shining light out from the paper, and aimed it at the creature. As if he was firing a gun, he shot the light towards his foe, the words senties dolorem flying through the space towards his target.

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