Huh, I thought you were basically asking us to make them up, Quincy?
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Province of Ilagorn -- Adventurer's Guild a.k.a. The Delipitated Duck
12th Hour of the 2nd Day, Summer
12th Hour of the 2nd Day, Summer
For all the abuse hurled in the party’s general direction, Ier-Briar remained undaunted. Even she had enough sense to not break the front teeth of her new ‘employer’, after all, and instead, the blonde knight burned with a desire to prove the bespectacled woman completely and totally wrong. A waste of time? No, they’d come out of this as ‘very important’. Her heels dug in, and she engraved as many details about the work as she could have.
The shipment broke off from the main road. The forest was filled with wildlife and lesser creatures, but also home to elementals and dryads, surprisingly enough. The water temple’s ruins sounded interesting, but irrelevant. The fog and humidity would make starting any unmanageable forest fire unlikely as well, and Ier-Briar flicked her blue eyes in Mallory’s direction for a moment, a reassuring and competitive glint in her eyes. If the woman’s flames could torch even a forest eternally mired with fog that would certainly live up to its famed nature wouldn’t it?
“If we’re lucky, we’ll stumble upon such circumstances and survive them,” Ier-Briar returned with a smile with more teeth than mirth, “And we’ll most certainly tell you all about it, Guildmaster. Look forward to it, won’t you?”
With that, she turned heel, expecting the others to follow. The southern highway. Iber. Fogmere Forest. She recalled the general form of the map, but she certainly didn’t expect the Guildmaster, thorny as she was, to offer them that map as a freebie as well. Once they were out of the Dilapidated Duck, Ier-Briar was quick to turn her attention onto Nimr, then sweep her gaze onto the others as well.
“We’ll start with preparations first, if any of you require that 'last minute shopping'. Nimr?” A pause. "A detailed explanation on your capabilities will be essential as well. As is clear, I'm a knight, strong of arm and skilled with the blade. My focus sharpens with the battle oaths of my ancestors, my shieldwork is of particular note, and I am wholly confident in my ability to make myself the center of our monstrous foes' attention."
It was a bit forced, wasn't it? But the faster they got everything out of the way, the faster Ier-Briar could saunter back into the Guild and make sure that woman understood that she wasn't like any others before her.
Zone 2
Regardless of what abuse was hurled in his direction for his cowardly, villainous tactics, the large man with a refreshing smile remained unperturbed, his grip unbroken as the two students made their way out of the bus, obviously frustrated. Behind him, the child-proctor clicked her tongue, prompting the man to turn around once the door to the bus hissed closed once more.
“Being a bit harsh, aren’t you, Goudo?” She commented, as a lull came over the exam grounds.
He plopped the dummy down on one of the seats once more and shrugged. “Well,” he chirped, “Gotta test to see how ballsy they are, right? Woulda definitely been fun if they tried for a quick attack instead.”
The girl rolled her blue eyes. “Whatever you say. You’re moving onto the second part then?”
“Of course. Gotta give them a hint as to what’s gonna happen, right?”
She clicked in the seatbelt. “Don’t crash.”
“No worries. My record is spotless.” And there it was, that annoyingly sparkly smile of his.
She rolled her eyes again, this time in the opposite direction.
@Scribe of Thoth@Stern Algorithm@Lugubrious@vFear@AdmrlStalfos19
As Shun hid himself and Mari texted as many people as she could about the current situation within the bus, the doors suddenly opened behind them. Had the villain changed his mind? Was there going to be a fight after all?
No.
There wasn’t.
The person that left the bus so soon was the bus driver, a potbellied man who had bright orange earplugs on as he exited the place with a mystified expression on his face. The pudgy man in the blue vest turned to the students with a shrug as the doors hissed behind him, before heading to a decent-sized piece of rubble (specifically the one that Shun had hid behind) and pulled out his smartphone and began to play Digimon GO, hunting for digital monsters amongst the implied carnage.
Now, what was that about?
Zone 5
@zelosse
The Victorian lady gave him a long look. Were her ears deceiving her? Were his ears deceiving him? Did he not actually understand Japanese? Was he denser than a neutron star? W- Nononono. Deep breaths. Remember all those classes. She took a deep breath, and then realized that he had, for whatever reason, started likening her to his grandpa for some crazy, incoherent, nonsensical reason. This was tiring. But this was also what being a teacher was about. Patience and tolerance, even for the students who required special treatment.
Her storm gray eyes closed for a couple of seconds, before opening up again.
“Alright, I suppose I’ll treat this differently then.”
And something changed.
It was like a switch being flicked. A button being pressed. A negative sign placed in front of a number. The trigger was almost unnoticeable, and the time taken was almost instantaneous, but the change immense.
Kaito could feel it then, goosebumps bursting over his body as he was swallowed wholly by a gross mass of murderous intent, stretching beyond merely the fear that accompanied a shocking surprise and falling thickly into the quagmire that was dread. This woman, for all her long-winded speeches, all her anachronistic attire, wasn’t a joke after all. Monstrous? Demonic? No, her countenance hadn’t changed at all, and she made no movements that promised any form of violence. And yet, he could not move.
His throat was seizing up. His heart was hammering. His mind was burning white. If he took a step back, would he break off into a run, or would he fall over, his legs unable to support his weight?
Kaito didn’t know.
He didn’t know a thing.
@TheWindel
That same terror swept through Houki as well as she observed at a distance, but rather than any sensation of mind-paralyzing fear, what she felt was a more formless type of hopelessness. It was bad news, encountering this strangely dressed individual. It was bad even being in the same area as them. She had no way to gauge just how seriously these mock villains were going to act, after all, but her instincts were firing off immediately.
This person was bad news. This area was a no-go. If they wanted to score points, if they even wanted to have a chance at doing that, the three of them should leave immediately. Turn tail. Leave Kaito to whatever fate awaited him.
It was the only logical choice, after all. There was nothing noble with retreating in the face of a terrifying foe, but there was similarly nothing wrong with it.
Was thinking of a defensive skill, a taunt, and a self-buff skill, myself. Probably like a shield technique that destabilizes the opponent when they attack, a projection of killing intent that draws the focus and attention of enemies around her (especially the one that she maintains eye contact with), and then some mantra spoken that improves her own stamina/endurance and focus through breathing techniques and self-hypnosis.
Oh right, what sort of equipment do we have on us? Just generic newbie stuff, or would it vary depending on background and such?
Oh right, what sort of equipment do we have on us? Just generic newbie stuff, or would it vary depending on background and such?
It was a masterful move from Muu, a crystallization of the evasive, counterattacking instinct that had been driven into her in the past week. Like a true dancer, she pivoted out of the way and cracked the pommel of her sword into the goblin’s skull. He cried out in pain, then howled in further agony as his body fell into the still hot flames. But there was no instant conflagration, the monster’s nudity working for it as he tumbled into the fire pit and then rolled out just as quickly, various burns marking his dirty, green hide. He hissed, spat further, and threw the first thing his hand grabbed.
As luck would have it, that object turned out to be Matteo’s knife.
The bloodied blade hurtled through the air towards Muu’s chest, and at the same time, the goblin burst off once more, scrambling on all fours past the Blade Dancer. She may be the most competent of them all, but her skill only extended to as far as she could reach. And the other woman, the ranger…she was certainly reaching her last legs now.
Indeed, for Ash, the question had turned from ‘what she should do’ to ‘what could she sacrifice’. As her defenses became more sluggish, as each blow got closer and closer to hitting something dangerous, the thought that dominated her mind was where she should get hit. A stab in the arm was going to paralyze her ability to counterattack. A stab in the belly was a slow, painful death. A stab in the ribs was going to puncture a lung. A stab in the thigh would likely cut open an artery and drain her dry. A stab in the calves was too low. The head was out of question. So her options, options, options, were w-
Ash heard those splashing steps too late. Had tunneled too far into countering the frenzied strikes to realize that the other goblin broke behind her. Leaping up, the club-wielding goblin grabbed a fistful of her hair, yanking her into the ground as a million pinpricks of pain burst through her skull. The knife-wielder, finally sensing an opportunity, straddled onto her stomach and clenched both hands around the hilt of the rusted knife.
There was a breath. An instance of anticipation.
And then, it drove the blade down towards her throat.
As luck would have it, that object turned out to be Matteo’s knife.
The bloodied blade hurtled through the air towards Muu’s chest, and at the same time, the goblin burst off once more, scrambling on all fours past the Blade Dancer. She may be the most competent of them all, but her skill only extended to as far as she could reach. And the other woman, the ranger…she was certainly reaching her last legs now.
Indeed, for Ash, the question had turned from ‘what she should do’ to ‘what could she sacrifice’. As her defenses became more sluggish, as each blow got closer and closer to hitting something dangerous, the thought that dominated her mind was where she should get hit. A stab in the arm was going to paralyze her ability to counterattack. A stab in the belly was a slow, painful death. A stab in the ribs was going to puncture a lung. A stab in the thigh would likely cut open an artery and drain her dry. A stab in the calves was too low. The head was out of question. So her options, options, options, were w-
Ash heard those splashing steps too late. Had tunneled too far into countering the frenzied strikes to realize that the other goblin broke behind her. Leaping up, the club-wielding goblin grabbed a fistful of her hair, yanking her into the ground as a million pinpricks of pain burst through her skull. The knife-wielder, finally sensing an opportunity, straddled onto her stomach and clenched both hands around the hilt of the rusted knife.
There was a breath. An instance of anticipation.
And then, it drove the blade down towards her throat.
Dianoid, District 15
It certainly looked more professional than she had expected.
Through the glittering gates of the northern entrance walked, amongst other Kanamin obsessors, a translucent girl in a sailor uniform as black as a mourning widow, her strides as disciplined as if she were in a funeral. Slipping through the gaps within the crowd, she walked above the mash of thirty-year old enthusiasts and parent-dragging children, her eyes narrowed slightly against the brilliance and the noise. Opening songs and insert songs sounded brightly over the speakers, punctuated by coarser cries as, on one of the many stages within the convention, the famed ‘GinyaForce’ wotagei dance group twirled their iridescent sticks about. Elsewhere, a cosplayer with a convenient power flew around and granted panty shots to her followers. Yu-Ri wisely plastered herself to the side as the camera-wielding mob swept by, her own eyes affixed to the business side of things.
In a more controlled section of the convention floor, the booths of various companies affiliated with the Kanamin brand were set up, gentlemen in well-tailored suits and their attractive female aides walking about and shaking hands. There was even a surprisingly classy Kanamin-themed solar-powered sports car on display, set up as the grand award for a charity lottery. She tilted her head slightly at that, before pulling out a card and purchasing a ticket for herself. AI-Assisted Drive enabled even children to ride and own vehicles, after all. And considering how it was donated by one of the up-and-coming car manufacturing companies in Europe, the schoolgirl in mourning clothes certainly knew someone who’d be interested in dissecting it.
A good deed a day kept the devils away, right?
Her cellphone pinged, notifying her that an email contained the ticket number had arrived, but Yu-Ri was already turning her attention to one of the more ostentatious booths in the area. The Orbit Portal Company had, alongside with setting up a separate booth for special preorders of Yuka Iguchi’s new album, also had a sleeker (if not still Kana-pandering) booth in the financial area, and Yu-Ri arrived there soon enough, her smartphone in her hands now as a note-taking app booted up.
“Ah, excuse me,” she said, waving down one of the representatives, “I’m of Sakugawa Middle’s News Club –de arimasu. Could I take a minute of yours and ask a lot of questions –de arimasen ka?”
Zone 2
@Scribe of Thoth@Stern Algorithm
Before Mari could come to a decision, however, another face popped up in the bus. With a shirt soaked with his sweat and a child-dummy in his arms, Shun had finally arrived inside, just in time to catch both the tanned girl and the musclebound man. Those bright eyes narrowed slightly at his approach, flickering back to the students at the exterior of the bus, before the large man’s hand immediately wrapped around the throat of one of the dummies.
“Well then, one can keep a secret, but two…” He spoke softly, a nonchalant smile creasing his features. “Guess that’s a bit too much to expect. Listen up you two, ok? You aren’t going to say a word to this to those heroes outside. You’re going to leave this bus and tell them to all leave and if you don’t I’ll snap this fellow’s neck.”
The Mastermind paused, then a shrug.
“Of course, if you got everyone here to rush me down, you could probably stop me, but, well…would be a pretty big splotch on your record if the people you’ve saved ended up dead anyways, right?”
Zone 5
@Zelosse
“Uh…huh?”
The woman was clearly taken aback by this. Did the explosions and screams ruin this child’s sense of hearing? She knew it. Should have told the Principal to dial it down on the theatrics. But even excluding one’s sense of hearing, didn’t it make sense that this outfit wasn’t normal? That no normal human would just wander into an area of the outskirts that was actively being used as Jigokuraku Academy’s testing field? That, with the whole ‘villains are also in the exam’, it was right to at least be cautious about this?
Or maybe she was using too many big words and the masked guitarist simply didn’t understand her. Not that she was ever going to repeat that shit a second time to the same person. But at the same time, she had to stick with the role, and really, if she didn’t have to hit anyone to make them stay still, that would be optimal, right?
So instead, she doubled down on the ham and the cheese.
“Foolish Miscreant,” the DEFINITELY NOT OLD woman declared, “My Presence Here is Neither Of Misfortune Nor Mistake. The Blighted Star Shines Upon You Today, Masked Child of Mortal Flesh, For You Are In The Presence of a Merciless Queen. Bow Your Head Or Bear Witness to the Wrath That Has Turned This Place to Utter Ruin!”
Tae would have liked to buy something extra if she hadn’t been flat-out broke the entire time. Instead, the monk girl had waited for the others outside the General Store, recovering some of her sobriety in the cold night air. She still wasn’t wholly certain what the big deal was, but it would be nice as always if everything could be resolved cleanly without any camp-burning. Mirror looked to be lost in her own thoughts as well, and as the two of them shivered outside the store in wait for their own companions, Tae didn’t exchange a single word with the Tabaxi. She hummed a soft little tune instead, and soon enough, Jameson and Vadania were back.
The cold wind that swept over Fort Rock’s surroundings did well to wake the inebriated monk up further as she slipped casually beside the stout Jameson, using the fighter as solace against the worst of the weather. But there was a warm light in the distance, and though their numbers gave Tae pause, the revelry and relaxed nature of these gypsies pulled her in regardless of those concerns. Mirror served as the immediate spokesperson, and Tae stepped up as well, her smile apologetic, her cheeks flushed with the cold and the wine.
“Well, she says ‘asks’ but it’s more like ‘orders’. Heard the guards were attacked ‘n all, so now they’re feeling prettttty mad about it.”
It wasn’t all that subtle, but it wasn’t all that direct either, as she partially interposed herself between the Tabaxi and the partying vagrants, her somewhat glassy eyes fixed on Stanimir.
Smart move. Almost made it sound like they were a couple there, Stern.
Guess I'll wait for other people to post before going againnnnn.
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