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In Qualia: Mission Sub Rosa → 2 yrs ago Forum: Casual Roleplay
LÊ BẰNG KIỀU and JEANNE DU BORDEAUX


In Qualia: Mission Sub Rosa → 2 yrs ago Forum: Casual Roleplay
LÊ BẰNG KIỀU
As Franz finished his piece, Bang cleared his throat. “Ah, I suppose I should go next.”

The boy and his cane gradually made it to the blackboard with his diagram. “From my investigation, I believe that the shooter attacked from this position here. Miss Valeriya states that the perpetrator used a firearm with an internal compression system. Not powerful enough to kill, which would explain the erratic trajectories of the bullets too. The shots were random, you see.”

He gestured to the alley, and the paths of Jeanne and the manbat.

“From the position of our shooter, they would not have been able to know of Jeanne’s approach with the lack of visibility in that alley. So why the shots? A jumpy trigger finger of an inexperienced gunman? Or a deliberate attempt to lure her elsewhere?”

He scratched his head, lost in thought for a moment. “Ah, forgive me, I’m talking to myself. A-Anyway, that doesn’t even begin to cover the remainder of strange findings at the scene. While the shots were fired from a standing position, there was a silhouette of the person on the concrete, lying on the ground with their limbs splayed out, head pointed opposite of where the chase was coming from. Hardly a compact resting position, correct? I suspected foul play but couldn’t find any traces of blood to suggest an injury. Either way, I believe they were on the ground like that for a considerable majority of that night.”

Bang hobbled back to his seat. “From this point on, this is all my personal conjecture. I’ll need some time on my own to confirm this hypothesis but I have a feeling this shooter may have been on this island longer than us students have resided. I think it would be worth investigating the types of firearms used by island security, as well as what their patrol patterns look like. Perhaps if we find this shooter, we can have them corroborate the existence of this manbat with an eyewitness testimony.”

With some difficulty, he pulled his seat back in. He shrugged. “That’s all from me.”


In Qualia: Mission Sub Rosa → 2 yrs ago Forum: Casual Roleplay
Hana | Valeriya | Bang


The officer started at Hana’s sudden approach. Up close, it became apparent that most of the aura of authority that emanated from him was due solely to his outfit. With short, curly hair poking out from beneath his helmet and olive skin with an oily sheen, he must have been from the Mediterranean region of the Occident, a rookie officer who struggled with the restlessness of adolescence and the exhaustion of adulthood. Certainly, this appeared to be a low priority enough area that no senior officers were available to see that he was doing his job properly, but going by how he had tucked his pant legs into his boots (in this climate, even!), perhaps he was the type to be oddly strict with himself.

“Oh, uh,” he said, voice cracking slightly as he fumbled for his radio device. “I can’t really leave my post, Miss, but I could call for someone else to help if you’d like?”

“There’s no time for that,” Hana snapped back, keeping up her momentum with a relentless verbal assault. “What if someone finds it and takes it? This is my first day here and I already lost my ID and money and what if I can’t even get back into my dorm? What if I didn’t misplace it and it was that person who bumped into me earlier…” She chattered on, making her most persuasive case that she needed attention right now.

The officer pursed his lips as Hana brought up a barrage of relatively logical concerns. He wasn’t too certain of Bermuda’s procedures and wait times for making new IDs for students, but the presence of a possible thief wasn’t something that he could ignore either. He cast another look at the relatively emptied-out area that he was standing before, and then let out a sigh. Drawing out his notepad and pen from his breastpocket, the young man nodded.

“Alright, deep breaths, Miss. When did you notice that you’ve lost your wallet? And do you remember any details of the person who bumped into you?”

She had his attention, but getting him to budge might be more trouble. Hana did do her best to subtly move away, pulling the officer that much further from his post, as she made her effort to calm down. “I noticed it was missing maybe fifteen minutes ago,” she began, still distraught. “I’ve been walking for hours, so it could be anywhere.” Making up details for a person would be harder, but she could at least avoid implicating someone among her immediate group. “I don’t remember much. I think they were about my age. A young man with light hair?” Any uncertainty and thoughtfulness on her part weren’t from trying to remember, but it wouldn’t be out of place, anyway.

“That’s not much to go off of,” the officer said, looking at how sparse his notes were. Weren’t Polymaths supposed to either be geniuses or superninjas? Well, there was no point in dwelling upon it. Now that he was committed, backing out would be naught but a stain upon his badge. “But that’s still doable. For now, let’s backtrack. Could you show me what path you took to get here? Were there any shops or restaurants that you’ve patronized?”

“That sounds good.” Hana begins walking, leading the officer back the way she came. “I was doing some shopping around here, and I did stop for lunch somewhere earlier.” She could even describe the place. No point in lying there. Regardless, the coast would hopefully be clear for the others to proceed.



Bang wrinkled his nose as the two left, taking the opportunity to clear his nose with a coarse exhale. He lifted the tape for Valeriya to move under. “After you.”

Well, that was impressive. Valeriya noted that she’d have to genuinely thank Hana for doing so well later. Of course, that was with the mental note that the girl was a good actor and a liar, it seemed. Regardless, she ducked under the tape with a nod to Bang and began to look over the crime scene, going for the gunshot areas first.

Really, this wasn’t exactly her area of expertise, but knowing the properties of firearms as well as basic physics would get her far enough. Probably.

Her examination of the marks that the bullets made in the surrounding area made a few things clear enough for Valeriya. It was likely that the steampistol used a self-contained compression device rather than a larger exterior one. For self-defense purposes, such a weapon may be good for warding off thugs, but it certainly wouldn’t be ideal for killing a target. With some simple arithmetic as well, she could ascertain the direction from which the shots were fired, an issue made easier in part to how each of the five marks she found appeared to fan out in ways that almost seemed impractical.

Under the presumption that they were aiming to hit someone running on the road, it seemed unlikely that they would opt to aim for a shot angled high enough to strike a lamp, or low enough to strike the street.

Bang remained a few steps behind her, inhaling deeply in search of any further trace of that seawater scent. “Any luck, Miss Valeriya?”

“The pistol used an internal compression system. Compact, but it wouldn’t kill. Not easily, at least. The shot groupings seem…random. Whatever this was, it certainly wasn’t a serious attempt to kill someone. A frame job, perhaps.” Valeriya frowned, having become deeper entwined into this mess than she wanted to be.

“Pushing her away from a location? Or luring her towards?”

“Likely towards, supposing that our Frenchwoman didn’t actually burn down the library. Which I’m unfortunately starting to suspect is looking more and more likely.”

Another sniff, now pointing towards a trail. It would be simple to just follow it but Bang had to keep his company in mind.

“Is there, ah, any chance of narrowing down the shooter’s location from the trajectories?”

“There is, yes.” Valeriya nodded, starting to do the mental math necessary. Based on the angles of the gunshot impacts…hm.

“The shooter fired from the side of the street over there.” She pointed. Really, this was like some sort of botched back-alley hit job in some shithole like Kiev. “Will this be all that you need from me? I’d gather you could relay all this back to the others easily, and I still owe Hana a meal.”

Bang raised a surprised eyebrow. “Oh? I didn’t think your curiosity would have such limits. Well, if there’s somewhere else you must be.” He bowed his head lightly. “Thank you for your assistance, Miss Valeriya. I hope we can meet again soon.”

“Of course, of course.” Valeriya nodded insincerely, wanting nothing more than to wash her hands of this nonsense and get the hell out of here. The mad Frenchwoman could burn, for all she cared. She had her own mission to get back to. “I hope you’ll repay the favor someday. But for now, we should both be making ourselves scarce before the policeman returns. Until next time, Sir Bang.”

Valeriya smiled and turned to leave, walking off in the direction Hana had gone in with the policeman. Time to bail her out.

The Egoist watched her leave before tossing another glance at the points of impact. Favor? Rather presumptuous of the girl. Given enough time he would have come to the exact same conclusion. Faster even, with what his senses were telling him. Ah well, it helped to have others confirm his suspicions. Bang made his way to where Valeriya was indicating - the same place the scent trail was leading.

Here, the scent that he followed seemed to have settled, intensifying in the stench of the ocean’s depths. The heat of the afternoon sun had evaporated any shadow of last night’s fog, but the persistence of the smell was still curious. After all that movement, it had stalled here, of all places. And more curiously, what did this smell even belong to, so potent that it existed as a trail, where even Jeanne herself only had a small whiff of it in her hair despite having spent the entire night outside.

If any passersby were to see Bang, they’d assume he’d fallen asleep on his feet. He scrunched his eyes harder, hoping for any mote of concentration that would lead him further down the trail. It was no good. The scent stopped here. With one sense used to its limit, he exercised another one, looking around the area and prodding with his cane for any sort of clue the shooter may have left behind.

If any passerby saw Bang, and they most likely would, considering how fetching the young idol of Vietnam was, they were more likely to be puzzled as to why he was past the cordon to begin with. Was he more rebellious than imagined? A surprisingly bad boy side to someone who was otherwise a paragon of courtesy and etiquette? Well, it matter not what they saw, but rather, what he saw. In the absence of any new evolutionary traits, Bang’s natural human senses had only continued to sharpen and expand, allowing him to pick up the minute differences in the coloration of the cement that sealed together the blocks of stone that formed the sidewalk. Months of fog and humidity had darkened the sealant, and though what physical evidence had been swept up already by the investigative force, the Vietnamese Egoist could envision the shape that had once been there.

It was just a suggestion, extrapolated by lighter lines, but combined with what he already knew, Bang could forward a simple enough hypothesis. The gunman may have been standing when they shot their bullets, but they were lying down for most of the night, their body shielding this patch of the ground from the salty fog.

Even more questions were being raised here. He examined it a little longer, trying to narrow down the physical build of whoever laid there. After that, he crouched down where the patch was. The idea was to match the shooter’s perspective that night, what exactly they had in their line of sights and, if possible, what their visual priorities may have been.

The physical build was hard to make out, beyond the obvious statements of how they appeared neither incredibly large, nor incredibly small. The finer details could not be made out, especially if Bang began to take into account the clothing that they may have worn. As he dropped closer however, the outline that the Egoist had examined looked odder and odder. The four limbs were splayed out in four directions, while the lumpy extension that must have been the head was positioned the furthest away from where the bullets had been coming from.

Crouched, Bang had a good view of the intersection, especially the portion where Jeanne would have been coming from. But that view was still distant, and if the mysterious gunman wasn’t an Egoist (likely, for no Egoist would deign to use a gun when a blade would suffice), how could they have even known of Jeanne’s approach beforehand? And that was before he could even continue to consider the ‘final’ position that the gunman ended in. Jeanne had said she had not pursued them, so why was this posture the one that was marked upon the lines of cement?

Indeed, could her testimony even be trusted?

Bang’s expression of concentration was replaced with outright befuddlement. He turned to look in the direction opposite of where Jeanne would have been, sniffing for traces outside of the seawater now. Blood, perhaps.

Nothing to be gathered. With all the information he could collect, and more and more passersby likely to start speculation of him sniffing around a crime scene, Bang decided to concede and finish his investigation for now.

It was going to be one hell of a debriefing for the rest of the team.
In Qualia: Mission Sub Rosa → 2 yrs ago Forum: Casual Roleplay
LÊ BẰNG KIỀU
Sweat down his temple.

Bang didn’t wipe at it as the trio made their way to the smoke pillar. He didn’t wipe at it. This was how it usually went but for this occasion there was even more reason to avoid displaying signs of weakness. What a strange case of fortune that he ended up with these two companions.

“Ah, Yun Hana,” he smiled cordially. The walk over seemed long without some idle conversation. “Would you happen to be familiar with a James Porter? We’re staying in the same dorm and he seemed to have some interest in the three of us working together to conduct some research. I think we’d be able to achieve some exceptional results with our combined skills.”

Usually his smile wouldn’t come with much effort but this journey was an outlier. He scratched at his nose. Once, twice. Once more.

Oh dear, this girl was pungent.

Some combination of stale chemicals and flowery scents. His sense of smell was something he could keep enhanced without much notice because it was rarely a detriment until today. Perhaps there was some strange trend among the female population. First Jeanne with the smell of saltwater coating her entire body. A slight whiff of it on Ryuuko. And…

The trio stopped outside the cordoned area. Bang narrowed his eyes.

That same scent on the French and Japanese girls was coming from behind that tape.

“I… believe I would also be of assistance with the investigation. I’m not sure I’d be much help luring him away. Miss Yun, would you be able to do the honours?”
In Qualia: Mission Sub Rosa → 2 yrs ago Forum: Casual Roleplay
LÊ BẰNG KIỀU
Bang picked cautiously at the ‘natto’, popping a small chunk in his mouth with some rice. A surprised smile spread across his face. He prodded at the rest of the side dishes, trying a little bit of each as he listened.

“Ignored… the gunman,” he repeated, incredulous but seemingly amused. “You’re quite the steadfast sort, aren’t you, Miss du Bordeaux.”

Another eager mouthful of natto and mackerel as Ryuuko spoke. He nodded.

“The gunman seems like a prime witness we could get a testimony out of but ‘person with steampistol’ doesn’t seem like anything we can go off at the moment. It would be like searching for an Egoist with brown eyes. You’re right to focus on the ‘devil’. Perhaps the administrative department of this island would have some records on Egoist abilities here? Or we could just ask around for that description.”

Not that everyone here would reveal the true extent of their abilities. Bang knew that all too well. But it was something at least. He turned to Jeanne.

“That… does raise a question though. If you intended to return when curfew broke, why did you pursue that stranger in the dark? Moreover… what did they do to make you attack first?”
In Qualia: Mission Sub Rosa → 2 yrs ago Forum: Casual Roleplay
LÊ BẰNG KIỀU
The door closed behind Bang with a soft click. He waited a few moments by that station, listening. Altering his listening. Vessels and membranes within his ear canals shifted at his bidding, going off of practiced muscle memory at this point. His range shifted to the dorm, checking James’ nightly routine. Nothing unusual as far as he could sense. To the rest of the building next. Many students rustling their sheets, preparing for sleep. Some ever-diligent Technologists still tinkering, no doubt into the quietest hours of the night. And—

CLANGGGG.

As if someone had slapped both his ears with a cricket bat, an aural blast assaulted his enhanced hearing, leaving him to barely muffle a scream of pain with his hand. The Egoist collapsed to one knee and rubbed at his ears, working to correct his hearing before the remainder of the ringings collapsed him. But before he shut it off, there was another sound beneath the chimes that caught his attention.

…Whalesong?

Close but far away. Almost lamenting. Bang had not the slightest clue what that could have been. It wasn’t an auditory hallucination; his bodily functions would not allow that. Perhaps another strange resonance from the clock tower?

That train of thought didn’t continue long before he noticed something strange about the dorm. Even with his rudimentary Technologist knowledge he could see the Formulae and put a name to them. Starsteel, was it?

Bang took this as his cue to finally get to bed. More tiredly than he would have expected, he pulled the covers over him, and as he lay there staring at the ceiling, he finally allowed his mind to wander.

The beating of his heart, the blood pumping through every vein, every organ. The contractions of his lungs. The suction of his intestines. All these sensations were as familiar as breathing to him now, and just as conscious.

He closed his eyes and sharpened his hearing once more, letting the range flow more gradually this time for fear of another blast from that accursed clock.

He did not dream that night, as he had not done for many years now.

He thought of whalesongs.

Bang stifled a frown at this examination-turned-spectacle. As much as he hesitated to admit it, the Mesmerologist loon made a valid point. And Ryuuko, volunteering so easily…

Well, it made sense. She seemed a go-getter. Everything she did seemed to forge her reputation into something brighter, more fearsome. What did Bang have exactly? A pitiful story and fatigue. Antiquated Formulae that would leave him at the mercy of anyone here with decent aim. He’d made some decent traction at the ball but it wouldn’t be enough to catch the eye of his target. He needed to forge something of his own.

The sharp clack of a cane punctuated Bang’s entrance as he took a step forward.

“Ah. I think what Mister Schr… er. What he means to say is that this ‘examination’ may have been a bit too much. With respects to the justice system, this demonstration seems a surefire way to throw away any hopes of an impartial jury. A-And in addition to that!”

He coughed. Ah, he usually had his own Amp for these sorts of speeches. Bang looked at the girl he knew only by name and saw something familiar in the resentment. Something preventable.

“I don’t believe in punitive justice. Although much knowledge has been lost last night, is that not why we’ve all gathered to this island? To prosper through cooperation and create even greater tomes of Formulae than any single nation could achieve on its own? What do we gain from crushing brilliance underfoot instead of allowing it to blossom?”

The Egoist glanced at the Austrian boy for a moment before looking right back at Robespierre.

“Miss du Bordeaux does not gain anything from being strung up like a market goat. Neither does this academy, unless its intent was to display cruelty and intolerance for the justice process. What she needs is rehabilitation and an environment of understanding. So I… I also volunteer to supervise her for three days as preparations for the trials are made.”

He’d have to brew a lifetime’s worth of coffee for James as apology after this.
In Qualia: Mission Sub Rosa → 2 yrs ago Forum: Casual Roleplay
JAMES PORTER
LE BANG KIEU
Collab with @Liotrent


James looked over to his roommate, his face flushed a little bit of red when he was asked whether he had 'fun'.

"I'd say it was... Entertaining." He turned on his heels and walked over to take a seat on the couch across from him. "What about you? Eventful night Mr... Uhm... Sorry if this comes out of the blue, but I don't quite know how to address you. I apologize for my curt ignorance."

"Ah. Bang Kieu would be my given name. Bang is fine too." He smiled. "I understand. I used to find it curious how the West place their family name at the end."

James took off his hat and placed it onto the coffee table. "Well Bang, since we're roommates, tell me about yourself. How did you earn your reputation and end up here?"

The Egoist shrugged. "Lost a quarter of my body weight in an accident. Survived. Some may regard me more of a motivational speaker than a polymath," Bang chuckled. "What about you, Mister Porter?"

"I'm regarded as quite the prodigy with brewing chemical concoctions in my early forays into chemistry. However, these days I'm learning to be parfumier..." James crossed his legs elegantly and gentlemanly as he steepled his fingers, "My current study is focused on the ethical use of formulation within perfumes to affect ones mood. It's akin to drugs, thus, I need a better handle on pharmaceutical studies as well. My encounter with Kalil and his drug vapours tonight makes that fact painfully clear."

Bang blinked.

"Ah. I see! Well... that's all fine with me if you partake in your... pharmaceuticals. I'll just request that you keep those activities to your side of our lodgings. My physical condition is still a little sensitive." He eked out a smile.

"Of course. Chemical experimentation may be... volatile" he was relieved, it seems that Bang wasn't going to be a bothersome roommate, perhaps the type to keep more to himself. James smiled back before continuing the conversation, "... By the way, you mentioned that you've met with an accident. How did that come about Mister Le? Or would you prefer to be called Bang in a more casual manner?"

"Bang is fine with me! I assume we'll be rooming together for a while after all." He found himself unable to force his smile much longer. "It was an Abstraction incident. My brother... bit off more than he could chew."

"Ah..." James clasped his hands together tightly, realizing he'd stepped on a landmine, "... I apologize for bringing back presumably painful memories."

"It's been a long time. It's fine." Ah, this always happened when he was made to talk about it. Bang cleared his throat. "Uh. What about you? You've probably got family missing you too, right?"

James' face betrayed no emotion, his voice was still holding up the façade, but at this very moment he contemplated his life as he did many times before,

"... Yes, they're quite proud of me..." A lie.,

"... They're expecting me to do great things once I'm done here..." I'm expected to be proficient in my job.

"... They say they'll be waiting for me and give me a warm welcome home!" I don't even have a home, not a real one.

James smiled earnestly. There was nothing for him before. There'll be nothing for him after. He has a job to do. He let the statements sink in, before switching the topic, "I'm actually quite interested in some of the people here... There was this woman who Kalil spoke to, do you happen to know her? She seemed quite interesting."

Bang restrained his jealousy, thankful for the topic switching away from family.

"Hmmm. I didn't catch the chance talk with the fellow myself, I only joined that little group once he stepped away. Are you talking about the Russian girl in the nice dress? Or the quiet British one?"

"The British one? She seemed like she'd be from the New World with her appearance." he replied. "Ah! Since we are speaking cordially, would you like me to make some tea or perhaps you're a coffee type of person. I hear coffee is quite good in some places of the Orient."

Coffee at this time of night seemed a little...

"You'd be correct! Well, since you're offering, I wouldn't mind trying the tea they have here. In exchange, I'll treat you to a Vietnamese-style coffee in the morning!"

"I'd love some Vietnamese-style coffee!" Yes, one of James' few real pleasures, Tea and Coffee. He stood up and started brewing up some tea in the nearby kitchen, from there he continued the conversation, "... Who else did you converse with? I've only gotten to know two people throughout. Kalil being one, and another person from the Orient... Hana I believe was her name."

"Like I said, the group earlier. Kiran Agnarrson, the travelling Technologist. Valeriya Zhukova from Russia and..." Bang had to take a moment to remember. "Ah... Nazca, I believe. Aside from them, I also spoke to Ryuuko. That Japanese defector, if you know."

"Japanese defector? Interesting..." There were a lot of colorful characters, "... Did your meetings involve less drugs? Because Kalil wasn't quite discreet that he was higher than the chandeliers... I can still feel some of the lingering effects." James put a hand to his forehead.

"I..." Bang blinked. "Um. I didn't take... drugs."

He coughed politely into his fist.

"I suppose you and Kalil were...?"

"I was a little unwilling..." He brought over the cups of tea and placed them by the coffee table. "I'll be honest, I was using a drug, but it was mostly used to calm people. I had no intention of inhaling it alongside whatever Kalil was using. It was a prototype for a type of perfume I'm developing you see."

Okay, that seemed like a safe conversation thread. "Is there a demand for perfumes that are... relaxing? I assumed their purpose was to just smell pleasant."

"As I've said, purely pharmaceutical. However, I can picture some more wealthy people demanding something... Stronger. I don't condone such a thing." James elegantly sipped his tea. "What about you? Do you have a particular pursuit of study?"

At that Bang coughed again, sipping his tea to hide his embarrassment. "My Egoist studies specialise in regeneration. After, you know, the accident. It's a fairly, ah, archaic focus but it helps me a lot personally."

"Hmm, perhaps we could collaborate. Chemical compositions of the body and such are complicated. I could study them for you, though a biologist or a doctor would be more appropriate." James closed his eyes to ponder this thought, Bang seemed to be a rather pleasant person to converse with. There are only a few who don't absolutely annoy him. He finds that even his handlers are assholes with enough time.

The Egoist raised an amused eyebrow. "Are you trying to get me into your relaxants too?"

James then opened one of his eyes as his lips formed a playful smirk, "Not quite..." he then leaned forward slightly, "... What I offer is a collaboration between you, I, and another student to further our research of the human body. Human chemical composition, more accurate human anatomical models... Imagine the lives our studies would save."

'Accurate' would probably be something he'd disappoint the Brit on. Bang allowed himself a chuckle. "You're certainly not the first person to present this sort of idea to me, Mister Porter. Sounds promising. Ah, who is this other you have in mind?"

"I'm not quite sure yet, but I may suggest Ms. Yun Hana. I witnessed her go towards the infirmary after the lightbulb exploded to check on the wounded. However, it's a tentative suggestion since I'm not quite sure she's a doctor, it's just an assumption after all..." The more people he could connect together, the better his social web will be. He'll eventually get to his target, it was only a matter of when.

"I think that's a great idea!" Bang's smile was genuine this time. "Imagine all the medical knowledge we'd acquire, all the people we could help with our combined knowledge."

When Bang smiled, he felt a feeling in his heart that he had not felt before.

There were people like this who cared about others, who cared about his fellow human beings. And here I am, a killer - is that really what I want to be?

"Then perhaps we should call it a night and see to it tomorrow then?" He stood to shake his hand. "... I think this is the beginning of a fruitful relationship."

... Perhaps this time, I mean that.

Bang nodded, clamping his artificial hand onto James'. "Glad to be working together, roommate."
In Qualia: Mission Sub Rosa → 2 yrs ago Forum: Casual Roleplay
LÊ BẰNG KIỀU
Ah. Were they supposed to be expecting more roommates?

Bang peered curiously around his new lodgings, counting the bedrooms and bathrooms with bemusement. The architectural style was somewhat lost on the Vietnamese boy – somewhere in the west Europes, perhaps – and he made an honest effort to appreciate the opulence, really. He… could think of improvements to better suit his condition. Already he could imagine the sunlight distractingly reflecting off the stark floors and shimmering pool, directly into his eyes. The vast floors incrementally adding to the work placed on his limp over the next several months.

With the room staff having already deposited his luggage in a bedroom (he’d have to figure out which one later) Bang flopped gracefully onto a living room sofa, taking in the chilled air with closed eyes.

"It seems we're stuck together for the time being...”

Bang opened one eye to peer at his new roommate. He recognised this one from the dance floor.

"... Introductions are in order I suppose, James Porter. Chemist and Dynamicist, and you are?"

The Egoist returned it with a smile much warmer than the other boy’s.

“Le Bang Kieu, Vietnamese Egoist. I hope we have a good stay, roommate.” He paused. “Did you have fun tonight?”
In Qualia: Mission Sub Rosa → 3 yrs ago Forum: Casual Roleplay
BANG | KIRAN | VALERIYA | NAZCA
Collab with @SilverPaw @Psyker Landshark @Click This

He had some apprehension in approaching the table while the Icelandic boy was conversing with others, two girls in fact. Bang tried to not let it deter him, though he couldn't help but take another glance at the Russian girl in the dress.

"Mr Agnarsson?" He placed his free hand on his chest and greeted Kiran with a smile. "My name is Lê Bằng Kiều. It's... truly an honor to meet you here. I'm a fan of your writings."

"Hm?" Kiran looked up from the remains of his cuts of pork and a salad he'd fetched at some point. "Oh, those things? I'm glad to hear it. Also, it's Kiran, please," he smiled at the newcomer. "Why don't you take a seat, join us for a meal? We can talk some more. I'm not usually approached for those travelogues, after all, though they were surprisingly popular...Anyhow, I do know of you by reputation, but I'll be glad to get to know you in person."

While they had been walking to their table, Valeriya blinked as an errant glance up at the flickering lights had her accidentally bump against Kiran. A quick apology later, and they'd found themselves seated with food and...apparently a fan of Agnarsson. Huh. Wasn't that Vietnam's wonder child? How curious. And was he staring at her? Hah. Well, it was nice to feel validated.

"Of course, feel free to have a seat." Valeriya looked up from her plate of assorted East Asian delicacies and smiled at Bang. "I've heard of his travelogues as well, though I've never had the time to get around to reading them. His Formula designs, on the other hand...well. That's rather closer to my own field. Of course, yours aren't quite so unknown to even us over in Europe, though I assume you're rather tired of hearing about such by now."

Bang grinned and took a seat. "I'd hope that you of all people would be familiar, madam. It is Russian technology that allows me to be here today. I'm afraid that's as far as my mechanical expertise extends, however. I hope it's alright that I know you more for your travels than your Formulae, Kiran." He shrugged, looking at the other boy.

Nazca had eaten earlier, but it was for this very reason that she left extra room in her stomach. Yep, she now had another full plate of food in front of her as she sat down-- this time with a sampling of East Asian cuisine, after taking a cue from her Russian counterpart.

She was still miffed that her target had gotten away.

The flickering lights were an oddity. An oddity that didn't concern her. With no reason to make a fuss, she took another bite of her serving of yuxiang shredded pork, bring a smile to her face as she patted her cheek with her free hand.

"Never heard of them. But go ahead," she decided to helpfully add after she finished chewing. Nonetheless, she spared a modicum of decorum to welcome the newcomer to the table, despite not knowing who he was either.

She took another bite.

"Hm, no, I do not care what you know me for, I wouldn't be offended if you had no idea of who I was either. There are so many famous people here, it is difficult to keep track of them all, wouldn't you say?" he asked rhetorically. "And to familiarize the ladies with my writings...There are four volumes, first three are on expeditions to northern Abya Yala, Greenland, and uninhabited parts of Iceland, the fourth is a short series of chapters about the Dark Continent," Kiran explained. Turning to Bằng, he offered, "If you happen to have the copies with you, I can sign them for you."

Having eaten his fill, he stretched on his seat, content. He gathered the empty plates together, and looked around, trying to find out if there was any obviously designated area where to put them. "I'll be just a moment." Thus excusing himself from the table, Kiran left, plates in one hand, suitcase in other. He was shortly intercepted by a waiter, who took the empty plates off him, and wouldn't hear of Kiran carrying them any farther himself. Shrugging the encounter off, he returned to his company. He did privately think that they were looking to spoil them rotten here, though. Though maybe the over-the-top hospitality was there just for the evening.

"Well, then," he sat down, laying the suitcase on the table. "This here is my project. A mobile unit, though minimized. You ought to see it once I have it transformed. I do hope workspace is ample around here...Anyhow, it's a fairly basic model as of yet, but I'm looking to have it adapted for underwater exploration. Submarines are all well and good, but this one should be more suited to what I have in mind...Khm," he coughed, slightly embarrassed as he caught himself just in time before expounding on this subject further - possibly more than his conversation partners would have been interested in.

Besides, as Valeriya's words reminded him, they were sort of rivals, though he personally wasn't as interested in military applications of his creations. Of course, he was aware that his machines had been funded precisely because of their devastating potential. He didn't think he was wrong for not having taken one of those models with him to Bermuda, however. If his investors wanted him developing the MUs for war use, he could always apply his newly-gained knowledge after he returned home from his studying, after all.

Valeriya listened as Kiran went on about his travels, taking the opportunity to eat her dinner. She offered a polite nod as he excused himself, finishing off her plateful of nigiri sushi and red-braised pork belly before he returned.

Once Kiran started talking about his mobile unit models, however, Valeriya listened far more intently. This was what she was even sitting here to learn about, after all.

"No, do go on." She favored Kiran with a slight grin. "If you pique my interest enough, I might reciprocate with something of my own designs. Fair is fair, after all."

"You're interested in underwater exploration, then? I take it that means the design isn't even close to finalized?"

Frankly, Nazca wasn't particularly interested in travel tales, although she politely didn't indicate as much, preferring to just keep to her food like her Russian counterpart while idly listening.

And like her, it was only when he began to talk about actual technology that Nazca's interest was piqued. It wasn't actually a field that was relevant to her, but such information was always welcome-- and she had been having some problems emulating marine life with her own creations.

She didn't vocalize as such, but her attention was now more focused on him as she leaned in closer.

Bang's gaze flitted between the Russian and the Icelandic boy. He couldn't believe his luck! There was a chance to complete the Ministry's task on his first day here and all he had to do was keep the conversation chugging.

"Finalised or not, it'd be interesting to see what features are prioritised for such a journey," he chimed in.

"Ah, I must have forgotten I was in the company of polymaths, it seems," Kiran shook his head fondly. Though actually what he'd put from his mind was the fact that other people could be after his secrets as well. No matter, he could answer vaguely enough without revealing any specifics. "Well, I'd enjoy learning more about your research in exchange, of course, though a 'might' doesn't do much to sway me," he answered Valeriya bluntly.

"But I will say in regards to finalization that there are certain field tests I must perform before I could claim whether it's close to completion or far from it," he added. "As for the features...It's be the usual, pressure resistance, propulsion systems, sensors, and so on. Not all that revolutionary, all things considered," Kiran explained with a shrug. It was true enough that technically there wasn't anything novel to his project in the sense that what he'd be applying to it had existed previously, but he was certainly planning to make advancements with it. But that much was a given.

"You know, I believe there is a certain Egoist whose insight we - or at least I - might benefit from on this matter. A scion of the Zheng family; they are known to adapt their bodies for traversal across and through the oceans. I wonder if some of the concepts they use could be applied to technologism? Truly, inter-major cooperation might be what we should strive for in the future," he rambled, nodding to himself as he patted his suitcase twice. Though at the mention of co-operation, Kiran couldn't help but glance at Bang's torso - exactly one such example of specialists from differing Majors working together, sitting right there at their table. Unfortunately, even if he were an Egoist himself, Kiran had no way of seeing Formulae beyond another's flesh. (That he wasn't a medical expert never entered his consideration at all.)

So that's how it was, then. If Kiran was being truthful that he'd only just begun working on underwater functionality, that was a load off Valeriya's back. Still, he knew damn well she had an obvious interest in a competitor to her field. The Icelandic teen could just be stringing her along with false information. It was what she'd do, after all.

"How interesting. I suppose I did promise to reciprocate. I'd assume at least Kiran here is at least somewhat knowledgeable of my work. If none of you are, it's no worry. Suffice to say, I've been creating powered armor and electromagnetic launchers for military purposes. As to my progress..."

Hmm...how much to reveal? Well, best to go with nothing particularly threatening. Even though she was around civilian teenagers, there was always the risk one would write home to the wrong person.

"The base design is complete, and is seeing limited deployment. I've been tasked with...dumbing it down, suffice to say. I've received complaints that both the armor and the railguns require too much specialized training than can be afforded for conscripts at the moment. Will that satisfy you, Agnarsson?" Valeriya smiled thinly, her expression not quite meeting her eyes.

"Mm-hm!" Kiran nodded happily, pretending there was nothing off at all about Valeriya and her murderous expression. "Adapting inventions in such a way that they can be used by non-polymaths or even those who lack specialized training can be quite the challenge," he agreed blandly.

Nazca continued to eat. She hadn't offered any insight at all into her own black-box creations, but the Icelander and the Russian were gladly offering their own insights on their own technology! Granted, they were being as liberal as one could be when it came to disclosing proprietary technology, but just having the scribbled notes version was nice.

"Ah? Railguns? I see your pursuits are at the cutting edge of modern technology," she decided to comment. "It would be interesting to see how well the technology can be miniaturized," she added.

"It would." Valeriya replied neutrally, dabbing at her mouth with a napkin. Any sort of actual reply to that would be going too far, even if she somewhat liked Nazca personally.

"Mm, I can imagine," Bang nodded, mentally jotting everything down. "Military types sure have it rough, huh. What kind of issues do the regular conscripts have?"

"Mostly, making sure they can handle the speed and strength boosting servos on the armor without hurting themselves or others in the process." Valeriya sighed, setting her fork down as she finished with her food. "It isn't a real issue, at least in my eyes. Nothing that can't be solved with a decent amount of training time. But as much as I hate to say it, the generals do have a point when it comes to the conscripts and not the regulars. But enough about me. What of your projects, Bang?"

The Vietnamese boy looked genuinely surprised at the interest taken in him.

"Ah. Well, I'd hesitate to call it 'my' project but..."

The boy removed the glove from his right hand, revealing an artificial forearm lined with porcelain shells. He removed the largest piece with a soft click, revealing a series of woven steel ropes. As he flexed each finger, their tautness would adjust.

"This is the newest model I've been asked to prototype. It was designed to simulate a naturally occuring muscular structure. My reports on it so far have been... quite favourable." A wry smile crossed his face. "With enough practice, I may even be able to dabble on the piano."

"Ooh, it's your arm as well, not just your ribs," Kiran exclaimed, pleasantly surprised. His hand hovered over the metal structure, though he'd stopped himself just in time before he'd touch it - not that he needed to; a technologist such as himself could clearly see the prosthetic's Formulae. "Fascinating," he murmured. "You yourself must have some knowledge of Technologism to use it, no?" he queried. "Oh, and, I wouldn't know if it is possible with Egoism, but have you considered adjusting your organic body to metal? It might make the integration smoother, but that's just a guess," he said.

Valeriya started to inspect the arm. An artificial arm? While it wasn't too close to her own strength-increasing powered armor, it was still close enough to her field for her to take an interest despite herself.

"Indeed," She nodded in agreement with Kiran, carefully looking over the Formulae. "Very impressive work, especially considering how little Technologism is practiced in the Far East, to my knowledge. Do you know who designed this prototype of yours?"

"Minimal. I had to do some reading but my base knowledge is certainly not enough to create something on your levels." Bang scratched his head sheepishly. "Altering my body in such a way is... a little outside of my wheelhouse, I'm afraid. Keeping myself fleshy is kinda my goal!"

He looked to Valeriya, stifling a chuckle. "Ah, it depends who you ask. I'm sure everyone on that particular committee would be all too eager to claim credit. I believe that the cabling was based on an old Russian design, something about the Antonov Piston. It was traded amongst other things in the research alliance between our nations." Bang allowed himself a little smile. "Hopefully this prosthetic is the first of many successes to result from that."

"Hm, I see," Kiran nodded thoughtfully. "Well, this has been an enlightening conversation, and it would be my pleasure to meet any of you at a later time. As for today, well, it seems the dancing is finally getting somewhere," he waved at the dance floor, where Inti had been dancing not long ago. "I'll be taking a closer look at that, if you don't mind." Kiran didn't wait past any reciprocated farewells, and slipped into the crowd soon after.

Nazca continued to observe and listen, especially when the Vietnamese boy began to show off his arm. As her own art relied on creating life-like simulacrums of animals, getting any sort of inspiration for next-generation clockwork internals was always good. As the third-party to this entire conversation by virtue of her barging into it, though, she mostly kept to herself, only offering a comment here and there before it appeared the conversation was dying down. "It was a pleasure," she agreed, before standing up as well. "I do believe I have somebody to find, though."

"Rather fixated on that boy, aren't you?" Valeriya smirked at Nazca even as she waved Kiran off. "Do I detect something of a crush?"

She turned her attention back to Bang for the moment, nodding at his explanation. "That makes sense. I'm somewhat familiar with the Antonov Piston. But it's good to see our technology has been a boon so far." Valeriya smiled slightly, pushing her now emptied plate away as she looked towards the dance starting.

"I don't suppose we should be joining the rest over that way?"

The mention of dancing made Bang glance at his cane, a soft frown setting in as he was reminded of his usually limited stamina. Usually. With his target in such close proximity, they'd expect him to make exceptions, right?

Hidden within the confines of his shoe, his missing three toes sprouted back to form. Bang rested his cane against the table and stood with more ease than before, albeit still with a slight hobble.

"I suppose!" He answered, winning grin back on. "Miss Valeriya, would you honor me with your company for a dance?"

"Oh, why not?" Valeriya shrugged, favoring Bang with a slight grin of her own. It wasn't as if she could get too pushy with her target, at least not on the first day. That, and she'd accomplished enough of her objectives that it'd be greedy to push for more so quickly. Best to just maintain her cover for now and act as a normal student would.

"A gentleman leads, doesn't he?" She stood and offered her hand for Bang to take. In all honesty, she was curious to see how Bang would manage dancing, considering his bad leg.

"That he does," he replied coolly, already feeling a bead of sweat form on his temple.
In Qualia: Mission Sub Rosa → 3 yrs ago Forum: Casual Roleplay
Le Bang Kieu

Higashiakemi Ryuuko
東明見 竜子

Collab with @Medili


"Oh by the way... You're Lê Bằng Kiều, aren't you? You're quite famous, you know."

Bang paused, taking a little too long to register the girl and the reputation that came with her. A cautious stare before he loosened up with a smile to match hers.

"Only for good things, I hope." He extended a left-sided handshake, before realising she was carrying his soup and drawing it back. "Ah. It's a pleasure to meet you too, Ryuuko."

Misgivings aside, she was far more amicable than what he'd expected, given all the gossip. She was doing him a favor. It was only fair for him to return the good feeling for now.

"My apologies, I'm usually able to manage these things on my own. New school nerves, I suppose!" He chuckled.

Ryuuko on her part didn't seem to realize the slight pause that Bang did before responding back to her. If she was being observant as she would at times, she'd probably noticed. Regardless, she's too elated due to the excitement of meeting someone new(a significant one at that) at the moment. She put the bowl on the palm of her left hand, the heat easily bearable due to her carapace, and used her right hand to make the casual gesture of waving off the apology.

Of course, she knew that she had a reputation of sort considering what they publicized about her back home. The Japanese love their smear piece on anyone they deemed as a "mere" non conformist, let alone a person that, arguably, can be called as a traitor to the country... Not that she cared about that.

"Haha, mostly good things, yes! They called you a hero, you know. And I can see why, considering what you did in that accident!" She nodded before continuing. That was, at least, what she had heard based on the highly publicized news of the event that made Bang who he was known as publicly.

"And no worries! I can definitely understand that. It can be a bit unnerving getting into a new school and such what's with the uncertainties!" She replied, her smile remaining on her face. "Especially a school such as this one where everyone is someone with a reputation, I guess. Anyway! Let's put this soup on a table first, hmm? Wouldn't do to keep you from your meal!"

She gave Bang a nod and a toothy grin at that, before looking around to spot an unoccupied table. Upon finding a nearby one that was placed beside a wall, she pointed it out to Bang. "That one okay with you?"

"It is," he nodded, cane tapping as quickly as he moved. The comment about the accident sent a quick twitch across his mouth, and he directed his attention to the table. A quick glance made sure that these seats were suited for Egoists with tails. He pulled out a chair for the girl before taking a seat himself, sighing with the release.

"Thank you," he said, meaning it. "I hope the night's been treating you well. It's quite a party, isn't it?"

Ryuuko followed Bang to the table, being careful not to spill any of the content of the bowl. She then put the bowl down on the table as Bang pulled a chair out for her before taking a seat for himself. She then made sure that the bowl was at Bang's side of the table.

"Thank you too." She said with a smile, nodding in thanks at Bang's gentlemanly politeness as she took her seat. It was comfortable enough to sit on despite her tail, the organizer had been sufficiently considerate as expected. "Quite the party indeed, if not rather extravagant, haha! The tour was fun enough too, so it has been a pretty good day for me. I hope the same's true for you as well? How have you been finding things to be so far?"

She was absorbed enough in the conversation, forgetting at the moment that she still haven't got a meal for herself. She put an elbow on the table, her right hand under her chin as she looked at Bang while talking.

"Exciting, nervewracking. Sure feels far from Hanoi. All these different polymaths gathered in a single location... this may change the course of history for entire nations, don't you think?"

The fingers of his right arm flexed habitually as he caught sight of a group across the room, the one with the girl in the nice dress. There was a twinkle in his eye. "Look, they're already getting along."

Ryuuko contemplated Bang's words for a brief moment, covering her lips with the back of her right hand which where under her chin. Then she nodded, returning to her previous pose.

"Oh yes. It may well change the course of history for many indeed!" She nodded, and then made a light smile with her eyes slightly narrowed. "Hopefully for the better, yes? Hopefully." She chuckled lightly at that, more to herself than to Bang, then she shook her head casually. "Nah, never mind that. Anyways..."

She then turned to look at where Bang was gazing, seeing that the previous group of two had now became a group of four instead. "Oh? Interesting..." She took another brief moment as she thought to herself. Well now, that is quite the gathering there. Hmm... Those are... She did not really recognize who the two extra additions were. She felt like she had seen the green eyed Occidental young man before, but not the white haired young lady. After that brief contemplation, she remarked again to Bang. "Indeed. They seems to be having an amiable conversation, aren't they? How nice, haha."

Bang observed her gaze, gauging her reaction. "Do you recognise some of them?"

At Bang's question, she turned from looking at the group back to Bang. "Yes I do." She nodded lightly. "The young Occidental lady is Valeriya Zhukova from Russia. She's... Well, I've heard people call her a warmonger due to her... field." Then she shrugged casually before continuing. "Of course, I don't know if that is true, haha. Anyway, the tall one with the turban is Kalil Gharbi. He's a Dynamicist, something about manipulating heat... As for the other two, can't say I recognise them all that well..."

Then she grinned, a bit mischievously, the action causing her sharp shark-like teeth to be quite prominent. "And how about you? Anything you know about them, Mr. Bang?"

"I'm not familiar with the Dynamicist... ah! That's that Agnarrson fellow." He brightened even more. "I used to read his travelogues when I was hospitalised."

"Agnarrson? Ah, I see. So that's the name of the other man. I think I've definitely heard that name somewhere before..." Ryuuko paused and observed how Bang seemed to brighten upon talking about the person. She smiled, pointing casually with a finger at Bang's soup. "Sounds like you want to go talk with them, hmm? Maybe you should finish the soup and then go? Hehe." She finished her words with a light giggle.

"R-really? You think that's a good idea? Oh, right, the soup..."

The boy rapidly ladled a third of the bowl into his mouth, feeling a spicy warmth fill his chest. As he exhaled with satisfaction, he noticed that Ryuuko's side of the table was bare. Bang, you fool!

"Gee, I've taken up a lot of your time. Did you want to get something for yourself to eat?"

Ryuuko nodded in response. "Of course! At least for me personally, I've always found that taking the initiative to talk to people is the better thing to do!"

She watched as Bang started eating from the bowl of soup, waiting politely. Then, Bang pointed out that she haven't gotten anything for herself. Whoops, funny how easily one can forget about things huh?

"Oh! Right, I totally forgot about that!" She laughed, rubbing the back of her head with her right hand, looking embarrassed. "Silly me, and I'm feeling pretty famished too. Yeah, I think I'll get back to exploring and finding something for myself. And no worries, I've enjoyed our conversation! Thanks a lot for your time, Mr. Bang!"

She winked casually at him, smiling, before then standing up from her chair. "Well then, I'll leave you to enjoy your soup. Hope I'll see you around, Mr. Bang. Until next time!" She nodded and waved at him casually before turning around to leave.

That was a really nice encounter! But now. I really reaaaally need to get something to eat, haha. And with that, Ryuuko returned to exploring the hall, focusing on the task of finding a good dinner once again.
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