Cu Chulainn

Expedition to Isekai

Bus, ???

---

_{Mentions: @Yankee}

Hell.

It was a feeling all to familiar.

An ever-distant heat, a burning smell, a sense of pain reverberating through his body. This truly was hell, wasn't it?

Kogen's eye fluttered open instantly, his maxed-out earphones muffling the sound of chaos from all around him. With his one eye directed to the window, he took a glance at his surroundings. It was an almost tranquil sight, really. A nice scenic view of a forest once undisturbed. Kogen couldn't help but smile at what he has seen, his tumultuous heart filled with a sense of peace.

"Ahh, how nice it is for the weather to clear up." He spoke to himself, his eye slowly closing as the cacophony of screams and the shredding of metal that he called music filed his ears...

... Wait. Why are we stopped at a forest?

It was then that Kogen opened his eye once more, sitting up from his seat to truly behold the chaos before him. The once packed bus filled with his peers had turned into a sight unimaginable. Shattered windows, caved-in seats, what is left of his classmates all scrambling out of the hell that they had found themselves in. This can't be happening, surely. This must be a dream, a nightmare that he needed to awaken from. All Kogen could do was place his hands on his face in utter shock of the scene around him.

It was then that he realized the blood on his face. His right eye ached... it was bleeding.

It only made sense, after all. It was the eye that contained all of the world's misfortunes. Surely it had been trying to speak to him before this had all happened! Surely if he was awake for the crash, he would have been able to prevent it! Surely such a thing happened because his cursed leaked out into the school bus, and his classmates were to suffer! And surely, his eye wasn't bleeding due to any rational reason such as the rhinestones in his eyepatch cutting into his eyelid during the crash!

In any case, Kogen could not help but feel responsible for this catastrophe. He needed to take responsibility for his actions, or more accurately, his inaction. Resolutely, he would stand up, realizing only now that the pain in his body was much more severe than he had thought. He keeled over and retched, his breakfast almost rematerializing as the sheer agony had almost caused him to throw up. His AirPods fell to the floor unceremoniously due to the sudden jerk of his upper body, allowing Kogen to truly take in his surroundings.

Scream of panic, frantic scrambling, and a foreboding crackling coming from the front of the bus... and yet, amidst the hell that they had found themselves in, a familiar voice called to Kogen. A familiar voice that he had not heard in too long.

That voice... it couldn't help but rile up the One-Eyed Devil!

"J-just who the hell do you think I am?!" Kogen shouted out in defiance as he did his best to keep in this morning's meal. Lifting his head high in the air, Kogen would almost leap out of his seat, rushing through the aisle as his one eye would dart around the bus. The doors were already handled, and it seems that most of the students were already being lead out of the bus in an orderly fashion. Knowing that these two vital roles were already fulfilled, Kogen would instead search for anyone in need of help, his eye settling on a wayward hand grasping the air for aide. Someone was buried in their seat, the cushions having collapsed over them!

"I've got you!" Kogen yelled as he grasped the hand tightly, pulling them out with all his strength as he kicked the rubble out of their way. Whoever was under there didn't matter to Kogen. All that mattered was that he was able to act, to at least save one person's life in the same way his was saved as well. He couldn't help but grit his teeth into what was almost a grin, thinking once more of the voice that stirred him to action.

It was ironic that the only times Kogen had heard that voice holler for him desperately was when his right eye was already bleeding.

Final Fantasy: Lightseekers

Balmung Castle - Banquet Hall
Butterfingers

---

_{Mentions: @Vertigo@Ambra[@honestly everyone lets be real here]}

Aelphis was focused on one single thing. Not the flowy speech by their gracious host, nor by the rowdiness of those who feast alongside him. No, he had a single-minded goal for the butter. Yes, just one block of larded up fat that he so desperately needed, else he'd get shanked! Or worse! He wasn't sure what Viera did when they were angry, but he did not want to find out.

Thankfully, the Faye did not need to climb onto the table to grab the butter for himself. A plate of butter appeared before his very eyes, given to him by the blonde-haired woman who was seated to his left. Graciously, Aelphis bowed his head in thanks as he slowly grasped the plate.

"T-thanks." Aelphis muttered, his shaky hands holding the plate. Finally, the butter was his! All he needed to do now was pass it to the Viera and rejoice in his guts remaining in his body for another day! Aelphis's eyes were fixated to the Viera's knife, the plate of butter moving in accordance to his own will.

However, before he could fully let go of the plate, Aelphis froze, his knife-shaped ears twitching as they keenly picked up on the Lord's speech once more. Did... did he just say ten million gil? Ten million gil?! That's... that's a lot of gil! Assuming it's evenly distributed among, say, everyone on this table, that's still more than enough gil to buy all the ether Aelphis could ever dream of!

As Lord Leonhart concluded his speech, goblet raised in honor of all those who have gathered today, Aelphis could not help but literally jump out from his seat, standing atop his chair. His fist was raised in the air as he hollered in celebration, striking an almost dramatic pose as his hood flew right off his head.

"For the Goddess! For the Mothercrystal! For the Gil!"

Aelphis stood (relatively) tall and proud on his pedestal, in something of a victory pose. The Faye, in his excitement, did not realize the skeptical he made of himself, though it probably was not too egregious given the rest of the festivities. To be honest, this was the most motivated Aelphis has ever felt! For this one brief moment, all his worries began to wash away, his eyes settled almost firmly on the prize!

Almost, of course, as a glint of white and pale yellow caught his eye.

"... Oh, shi-"

Aelphis reached his hand out, but to no avail...

CRASH!

The plate of butter had found itself shattered on the floor, spared naught by the Black Mage's hubris. He stood there on his pedestal, frozen in both fear and shame. If they weren't already, all eyes were surely on him now, especially those of the particularly vicious Viera seated next to him! Right, suppose it's time to save some face, then?

"Aelphis Vres-Lii. Practitioner of Black Magic." The Faye said, giving a formal bow to his new colleagues, trying hard to avoid eye contact with anyone. "I will be in your care." Without a moment of hesitation, Aelphis readjusted himself to a seated position, straightening his clothes and doing his best to subtly kick the mess of butter and the shards of the shattered plate under the table.

Expedition to Isekai

I'm sorry.

I made a mistake

"Draped in darkest darkness, cloaked in crimson carmine, the One-Eyed Demon King appea-... W-wait! Where are you going?! I'm not done yet!"

---

Name
Tsutsumi Kogen

Identity
Tsutsumi Kogen, much like his peers, was born in raised in Kuroshiro, where he lived with his parents and cute younger sister. From a young age, Kogen was fascinated by the world of punk rock and anime, often daydreaming about being a powerful wizard or a cool rock star. However, as he entered middle school, his fantasies turned into something more extreme.

Kogen is what one would call a "chuunibyou," prone to acting out his fantastical delusions in real life. It didn't help that he was also something of a troublemaker, pulling pranks on his fellows while blaming it on his "air of misfortune." Naturally, his classmates generally avoided him, as they found his tendencies to quote the lyrics of his favorite songs in gratuitous English while ripping on an imaginary guitar strange and off-putting.

Desperate for friendship, Kogen thought he had found it with a certain group of delinquents and hooligans, introduced to them by one of his very few childhood friends. They seemed to accept him and his eccentricities, and he was overjoyed to finally have people to share his interests with. However, he soon realized that he was being used as their errand boy, and that they didn't actually care about him at all.

Determined to prove himself, Kogen stood up to them one day, but it ended in disaster. He was beaten so badly that he had to wear a bandage over his eye for several weeks. The other students took pleasure in taunting him, calling him "Hitotsumi-kun." At first, Kogen felt ashamed and embarrassed by his injury, but he soon realized that the whole reason why he got beat in the first place was so he could truly stand up for himself.

Kogen began to embrace the name "Hitotsumi-kun," even going so far as to wear an eyepatch as a fashion statement. He no longer cared what others thought of him and continued to live his life as he wanted, even if it meant being an outcast. As Kogen prepared to enter high school, he knew that things wouldn't be easy, but he was determined to stay true to himself and not let anyone bring him down. Having been coerced by his homeroom teacher to make at least a few friends before graduation, Kogen knew at heart that even this wouldn't cause his peers to accept him for who he was.

After all, who would want to be friends Hitotsumi-Kun, Demon Lord of the Evil Eye?

Peculiarity
As a generally peculiar person, it is almost a given that Kogen would possess a multitude of... talents that set him apart from his peers. If asked, Kogen would be more than happy to talk about his peculiar abilities, including his hidden right eye which holds all the world's misfortunes. Sealed within it is the very essence of Hell itself, a scar born of betrayal...

As far as actual talents go, he is a treasure trove of obscure facts and trivia, especially in regards to topics like the occult, J-rock, and fantasy anime. However, his depth of knowledge into these topics is quite shallow, kind of like a kilometer-wide kiddie pool. In fact, his accumulated knowledge is so surface-level that even the otakus don't consider Kogen to be one of their own, among other reasons.

To be honest, a lot of Kogen's talents are pretty useless for survival situations. He may possess the mischievous nature of a prankster, but not the mental abstraction needed for anything elaborate. He could take a punch or two, but he's by no means tough. Even Kogen's ability to entertain others is middling, his musical talents extending only to the air and broom guitars.

If there was one thing that Kogen has that sets him apart from his peers (aside from his admittedly pretty sick air guitar skills,) it would be his ability to stay true to himself. Even when he was beaten by those he once called his friends, even when he was ridiculed by his classmates, even when his teachers have told him to grow up, Kogen's sense of identity has not once conformed. Call it willpower, stubbornness, or the inability to mature, Kogen's true strength lies in his strong sense of self.

In other words, Kogen's true strength lies in "being Hitotsumi-kun."

Expedition to Isekai [Short-Term Dungeon Delving]

I may shift from delinquent to unfortunate village idiot on his Good Will Hunting arc, if people want to join gangs more than I.

Expedition to Isekai [Short-Term Dungeon Delving]

I don't mind a discord.

Also, willing to work with and implement backstory shenans with others if anyone is interested. I know @Yankee and I are cooking something up.

Final Fantasy: Lightseekers

Balmung Castle - Banquet Hall
Grand Introduction

---

_{Mentions: @Vertigo}

The young Faye fiddled with his bare wrists, clearly uncomfortable with the festivities. Between the banter being passed about along with the food, a lot of it was almost too much for the shut-in. He thought this would be a more... discreet affair. Maybe he just showed up to the castle, meet the lord or, more likely, one of his pencil pushers, and sign on for some adventure! To be honest, Aelphis wasn't quite sure what he expected, but a banquet full of distinguished warriors was not something he was prepared for, for sure.

The talking, bickering, shouting even, watching the food fly out of people's mouths as they spoke. The smells that filled the hall, the mix of fragrant aromas. The splattering of colors, the mix of strangers he was seated a bit too close to. It was all a bit too much for Aelphis. He already missed the quietness of his home, the mix of dark greens and browns, the tranquil humming of the insects and other animals that made their homes in the trees that surrounded his little hamlet. Aelphis thought of that feeling deeply, wishing for a sense of familiarity, once more.

A hit would be nice right now.

Aelphis shuffled underneath his robes, doing his best to maintain a sense of discretion. He poked at a strange glass device hooked to his hip, a contemplative look on his face. Maybe he should take a hit now. Maybe that'd help with the chaos, that loud grating noise in his ear. That noise, those colors, these people... They were staring at him, weren't they? Staring at him with disdain, with distrust, something that even a shut-in like Aelphis had gotten accustomed to. After all, he was a filthy witch, a dirty witch, a fiendish witch.

A witch, just like mother.

Aelphis pulled his robes fully over him and the device. It's best not to, with all these eyes on him. What he needed was to relax, to act natural. He grasped his utensils, resting the ends of them on the table eagerly as he looked at the food served on his plate. Quillback, was it? Aelphis wasn't exactly paying attention to what was put on his plate. He scarfed the morsel hungrily, smacking his lips exaggeratedly with every bite. It was... actually good. Aelphis continued to eat with genuine gusto, going so far as to disregard his utensils as he stuffed his face.

Perhaps this banquet wasn't so bad, after all. With a big gulp, Aelphis leaned over, hoping to grab more of that quillba-

"W-wah!"

The Faye jumped back, in surprise. That's... that's a knife! A dining knife, but still a knife! His head turned slowly as if on a rusty swivel, looking up to the Viera like a rodent cornered by a fierce, bunny-eared predator. This was the same man who was staring intently at him, Aelphis thought... or was it through him? Was it because he looked too eager to eat? Did Aelphis look weird, gross?

A sigh of relief was let out when the Viera simply asked for some butter.

"B-butter! Right, I can grab that! Butter!" Aelphis exclaimed, almost saluting the man as he would reach to the butter. Oh, it's awfully far, huh? The diminutive Faye struggled as he reached forward for the butter, a look of exertion on his face. He's... he's trying, that's for sure, but he struggled much more than the Sollan girl beside him who was reaching for some drink just a moment ago.

Oh lord, someone help him before he splays himself over the table...

Expedition to Isekai [Short-Term Dungeon Delving]

Probably urged by the people who really know him to attend since they are about to graduate junior high. I was considering the "delinquent who is actually smart but needs the right push" vibe. Figured they were slowly getting on the right track, but they haven't quite gotten past the initial hurdle that set them back in the first place.

Expedition to Isekai [Short-Term Dungeon Delving]

Thinking of a delinquent with unrealized potential who thinks he's a dumbass because he's taken the fall for something really dumb in the past and doesn't mind the heat for it. Troubled youth finding his purpose, etc. etc.

... and I guess he is childhood friends with some nerd or something.

Expedition to Isekai [Short-Term Dungeon Delving]

👀

Final Fantasy: Lightseekers

Aelphis - Black Mage

"You call me a witch, an abomination, a freak of nature... but isn't it society's fault I'm the way that I am?"

---

GENERAL INFORMATION

Name: Aelphis Vres-Lii

Age: 23

Gender: Male

Race: Faye

Origin: Edren

---

COMBAT INFORMATION

Class: Black Mage

Weapon: Circe, a simple stave fondly named after a witch from a bygone era. Dotted with motifs of piglets and even adorned with a boar's skull at the head of the staff, this stave is attuned to spells that incur afflictions or curses upon the mage's foes. Has a single slot that allows for the embedding of materia.

Inventory:

• Robes
• A multitude of books that center around the theory and practice of magic, alongside a few other books that relate to alchemy and herbalism.
• Collapsible portable chemistry lab for rudimentary alchemy
• Herbalist's satchel
• Potions in syringes (x3)
• Ether Distiller, a device hooked up to Aelphis's arm. Allows for the intravenous consumption of Ether as needed to compensate for diminished mana reserves. (x5 doses)
• A shiny pebble

Materia:

• MP Turbo (embedded within stave)
• Frog (frog)

Limit Breaks: Penultima
An offshoot of what is said to be the strongest form of Black Magic in all of Artimis. An all-out offensive spell, Aelphis conjures a blast of raw black magic that can shatter through all defenses... However, this spell only bears a fraction of the original's power output, incapable of piercing through certain powerful defenses. Proof of Aelphis's magical talent... or perhaps the expectation to master such a spell alludes more to the high expectations his "mother" had for him.

---

PERSONAL INFORMATION

Appearance Details:
Short for a Faye, Aelphis stands at a measly 5'4", bearing a slim and almost malnourished build. His jet-black hair is kept at a short length, and his skin is rather pale, outlining his sunken crimson eyes. Aelphis's body is marked with small cuts and bruises, all scars of experimentation, some self-inflicted. Aelphis appears rather timid and unassuming, his hands trembling especially as he casts his incantations. Between his general demeanor and his boyish looks, many would underestimate the young Black Mage at first glance.

Personality:
The child prodigy who grew up into a burnout. Aelphis carries a multitude of burdens, many of which he hides under a mask of cynicism and desire for solitude. Acquiescing to the rumors of his kind, the Black Mage is more than content to live the rest of his days as the dreaded "Witch of the Chocobo Forest" if it means he will be left alone. Much of his motivations in life have been squashed, replaced with a simple desire to fulfill his own bodily needs. This includes his addiction to Ether, something he has grown an unhealthy dependency on to numb the pains that come from his upbringing. Even his research has been dedicated towards this physical need, studying ways to extend and increase the effects of Ether for a longer-lasting high.

Despite these issues, Aelphis still carries a burning curiosity to learn more about the world around him, a fragment of his former love of learning. This curiosity burns especially bright when it comes to uncovering the true mystery surrounding the darkness that plagues the world. Not for any altruistic reasons, of course. It would be just a bit easier to score some Ether if all of Ibros didn't blame him for the light fading away. Now that he started thinking about it, it'd be nice to be a "hero," too, if it means everyone would get off his case...

Biography:
There are many stories surrounding the "Witch of Chocobo Forest." Some say she is a terrible hag who drinks the blood of children who stray too far into the woods, drinking their blood to stay eternally young. Others say that anyone who wanders too far into her domain would be turned into a toad. There are even a few sinister rumors that this witch even had a hand in bringing about the vanishing of the Light! Of course, these rumors are, in the end, mere rumors meant to scare children from going into the Chocobo Forest alone... well, except for the toad part. That part has some truth to it.

The true identity of this "witch" is none other than a young Faye Black Mage named Aelphis, who merely wishes to be left alone. To the lost traveler who would find themselves near his humble abode, Aelphis would simply give them directions, in exchange for ether or coin for more ether... and to those eager witch-hunters who read too deply into the rumors, they would enjoy the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be green and slimy for just long enough to be punted to the other side of the forest.

Aelphis was not always a "witch." There was a time when he was just simply a boy who had also gotten himself lost in the woods one day, lured by a whisper in the wind as his latent magical talent awakened. There, he met someone who would more correctly be called a witch; a strange woman with a big hat. This woman had realized Aelphis's potential not long after their chance encounter, and quickly took him under her fold, informing the boy of his aptitudes and enticing the young Faye her own magic. With promises to teach him such mystical wonders, Aelphis was more than happy to learn from this witch.

This was but one of many mistakes Aelphis would make in his life.

The witch's lessons were harsh and heavy-handed, with lessons of both black magic and alchemy hammered into Aelphis's mind. When he wasn't learning magic or otherwise running errands, the strange woman had performed many peculiar experiments on the boy ranging from testing the limits of his mana to seeing how different toxins and drugs would affect his ability to manipulate his aether. It was this ordeal that had caused Aelphis's addition to ether in the first place, the witch using it as both a way to quickly restore his magical reserves for more experimentation as well as a way to control the boy to further her aims.

This went on for almost a decade until suddenly, the witch had vanished on the eve of the War. It was a struggle for Aelphis to cope alone and without the woman for a time. Despite the abuse he had suffered under her tutelage, she was also something of a parent to the boy. It didn't help that he had been slowly weaned off of the witch's supply of ether. After another half decade of monotony and a gradually declining store of ether, Aelphis realized that staying around in his surrogate mother's abode would be, as she put it, "a waste of his talents." Not wanting to be nagged by her during her eventual return, Aelphis would set off, following any call of adventure he would come across...

Traits:

• Tends to ramble and complain when it comes to heavy physical exertion such as hiking long distances.
• Hates small talk. Prefers to speak only when it concerns important things, like how walking sucks.
• Enjoys spicy foods. Dislikes sour foods.
• Sports a surprising green thumb.
• Allergic to chocobo feathers. Aelphis is very happy he is away from home.
• Polyglot, despite being sheltered for so long.
• Does not have a Oedipal complex, please stop asking.

Relationships:

• Witch (?) - Surrogate Mother. Teacher. Has a nice, big hat. Studious, stern, probably sadistic. Status unknown. Aelphis isn't even sure she was a true mage from the amount of materia she had.
• Viper (27) - Magical Reagents dealer. Roves around Edren. Has ether... for money. A bit of a drama queen.