ERode

After Era Mythos

Feel free to continue conversing with the boi, Crowvette. Will otherwise update for the others once Psykers and maybe Taka post.

Shoujo⁴: Hatsukoi Reunion

So, this kinda straight up slipped my mind so my bad and all, but like, are y'all still going with this?

Also on a separate note.

AU where Junko's a pro wrestler instead

Iris Ascendis

_{@Nanaya@AThousandCurses@Psyker Landshark}

He was flying. Then falling. Then tumbling. Tuck in your chin, break your fall with your arms rather than your head, and curl into a ball. Air was pummeled out of his lungs, but Otis held his firearm close still as he smashed into the earth, rolling two, three, four meters away before he forced himself up. His head hurt, his vision spun, and yet, he still pointed his gun out towards the distance, recognizing the shapes of the two bandits that remained. They hadn't gotten out of it unharmed. This was the only chance to definitively end this threat!

Hammer struck crystal, the remaining bullets emptying out of its chamber, firing towards the men at supersonic speeds.

Tufts of dirt exploded around them to little effect, every single shot missed, before they disappeared into the aether.

The Strigidae let out a low sign. No magic bullets meant no homing bullets, so that was his bad. Or perhaps he should have prepared a helmet, so his head wouldn't have been knocked about so much by the gambit. Or perhaps they should've sought to escape to begin with, rather than engaging so fully in such a disadvantageous situation. What would it have been like, if it was any of their Ethos pitted against a couple of physically skilled, but entirely essence-less individuals? It'd have been a massacre. Incomprehensible trump cards that they were, it'd have been far too easy to end this.

He coughed, then walked back to the others, circumventing the wreckage of carriage and bone to turn towards Alto. "It'd be expedient, I believe, to return to Wingram and cancel this trip. Injured as we are, and having not resolved the root of this problem, any further travel would be similarly doomed. Especially now that we are one carriage short, and most of us are injured."

Amber eyes flickered over to Fianchetto.

"Also, what was the spell you were going to cast? I have my own hypotheses about it, but without any ability to see essence right now, all that I'd be making are baseless presumptions and wild guesses.

After Era Mythos

Hey @Digmata does Elpis have any personal company sponsors? Like, brand deals n all.

Return of a Failed Generation

Well-trimmed. Well-worn. Well-traveled.

His fingers brushed against the leaves of the hedgerows as he strode through familiar paths. Back in his childhood, back when his place in the House wasn't so certain, he would slip into the estate from the servant's path, ducking underneath the shrubs to avoid the gaze of his pure-blooded siblings. There hadn't been a sense of shame, just of anxiety, of being perceived and of being judged. Now? It was almost...endearing, this path. He had been worried about so little before, huh? So worried that he couldn't even admire how lush the greenery was, how exacting the lines were. The way the sky opened up ahead. How even the walls that surrounded the property had a form of beauty to them. They endured.

Until they didn't.

Ferrucio's expression shifted slightly, the stark sunlight casting sharp shadows across his features, only for those shadows to disappear when he lifted his head up once more when the men-at-arms spoke up. This was new, wasn't it? He never did go anywhere without permission before, at least not when he had stayed at the estate. There was no need for any questions, when the staff had been informed ahead of time of his destination. And then there was...

Huh, so fate had given him the 'first' day?

Orientation. He hardly recalled anything of it now, so certain he was that none of the speeches or performances were things that applied to him. There was Sherry, basking in attention and expectations, and there was Ferrucio, tucked away in the shadow, a somber, shrunken boy simply waiting for her next order. Fouler memories sprung from that relationship, a frown settling briefly upon his lips, before he let that grudge go. He had been her accomplice in the end. No matter what had transpired over the last ten years, she'd have ultimately met the same fate as all the rest. There was no reason to dwell on it. Until this pleasant dream ended, he wanted to enjoy what he could.

"Yes, I should," Ferrucio spoke. "The faster I can get this done, the better. So open up the gate and let me through."

After Era Mythos

Aaaand pasted.

After Era Mythos

//AE 53, Sol 13
//Day 1 of the Play/Tech Expo

---

_{@PapiTan@Digmata}
When Neo-Astraea could no longer expand outwards, it had expanded upwards. The Residential Districts, of course, rose higher and higher up, scaffolding and construction reaching greater heights, but so too did the roads themselves climb, ascending into a network of overpasses upon overpasses, snaking up and down twenty meters into the air. It made for a complicated commute when viewed from a ground-up perspective, but from a bird’s eye view? Most streets just went to specific levels of the districts or merged together into a single artery that lead to the flatter commercial and social districts. And when there was an incident occurring?

Skidding to a stop upon a radio tower, the two Talents looked down the network of roads as red lights flared up down one of them, the first visual cue. Warnings were sent along neighbouring streets, vehicles directed away from the encroaching disorder, while police cars and drones sped in to get closer to what looked to be a runaway car. Was it a stolen car? A reckless joyride turned into panic? The getaway vehicle of some thief? Those were all questions to be answered afterwards. For now, there was only the buzz in both Amaris and Elpis’s earpiece, as an office clerk said, “Res West PD has been contacted. They’re aware of your proximity to the incident. Good luck.”

Crimson neon continued to trace down the path that the offending vehicle was taking, the technological work of Socappo the Crime Light, but the police giving chase had their hands tied too. If they were on flat ground, they could perhaps run the car down or pop the tires with low-caliber firearms, but at ten meters up on an overpass? In a densely-constructed residential district?

If the car crashed, there was every chance that it would fly right off the road and smash into a building or drop down into the streets below.

Indeed, in a situation like this, it wasn’t the police who could act, but rather…

_{@Taka@Psyker Landshark@Yu Narukami}
“Huh?”

It went without saying that there was certainly a market for Talents that catered towards more adult audiences. While it had been a point of contention between the Ministry of Self-Actualization and the Ministry of Population Development, it was finally accepted that Agencies were allowed to pursue profits and Fame from that angle as well, so long as it was kept away from the broad public’s eye.

An announcement made from the Play-Tech Expo? Even if it was purely just verbal with no microphones? That certainly was not keeping it away from the public’s eye. There were news reporters here, and not just the authentic, professional type. There were stockholders present, even amongst those just walking from one exhibition to the other. And of course, there were superfans too. Though Ladyice wasn’t a massive Talent compared to other the titans of Neo-Astraea, she was still known, an ice-themed temptress that was still surprisingly passionate.

“Seven? Seven what?”
“Miss Ladyice, could you explain the specifics of this deal?”
“Was this Ministry-approved? Ladyice, your answer, please!”

A small crowd, some drawn by the initial words spoken by the Talent and most drawn by the hubbub that occurred afterwards, was forming now. And across the city, viewing all this from her cubicle in Blackriver Agency, Samandra let out a low sigh, before swapping apps to order an extra-large pineapple-and-strawberry pizza for her post-work meal.

What was immense psychic pain for her PR team, of course, was nevertheless an opportunity for other leeches to latch on. Intercepting at sonic speeds, Zephyr descended, presenting an entirely different image of what a Heroic Talent ought to be. Sleek, sharp, scandalous levels of skin exposure broken up by a mesh suit underneath. And the mocking disdain in her voice…that sounded about as close to real disgust as one could get.

Cameras, from phones and other devices, were pointed now towards the two women, the confrontation streamed live. The first salvo had been fired by Zephyr, in a way that was almost incongruously ‘witty’ to her company-image of a cold but just warrior of the skies. And in the meanwhile, Ladyice’s fans were at once confused but also intrigued by this. Hero-on-Hero conflict wasn’t nearly so common in Neo-Astraea, but if there was one company who was willing to muddy the waters on the subject, it had to be Blackriver. Is this it? Could this be the lead-up to the first real fight that Ladyice would get into since her debut?

181,000 vs 690,069

On the second floor of the East Wing, something was brewing up indeed.

Something that didn’t include Armada at all.

There was always time to make big purchases and do shopping, but while a few people who were originally drawn to Armada’s corporate spiel stayed behind to talk with business representatives, the majority of them were filing out now, turning away to see the drama that was happening just a stall or two away! Graphics cards? Mailing lists? Generic speeches about how Talents depended on the support of their fans? There were only five million people in Neo-Astraea, and almost all of them were fans, followers, of multiple Talents. Speeches like that? They were one in a hundred, in one ear and out the other!

A catfight though? One that didn’t seem wholly scripted?

They couldn’t miss that at all!

“It was a nice speech,” Jimmy said, a good-natured grin on his face. “Wouldn’t get you any points outside of school though.” The pink-haired Fashion-Talent was turning towards the Blackriver stall as well, leaning his elbows against one of the glass display cases propped up around the Team RESPAWN exhibit.

“Didn’t think Carmine Corp produced Talents like that though, huh? The tech-based type.”

Zephyr’s attention and ire was turned to Ladyice, sure, but if one considered overlapping factors between fans…Armada’s casual ‘robot-boy-cool’ audience was in just as much risk of poaching.

_{@Yankee@Crowvette}
“Oh my god! She’s glowing! She’s GLOWING!”
“AHHHH! THE KIRA-KIRA BEAM!!”
“My past mistakes…today, I have been reborn!”

There was no doubt that it was a success. Some became new fans, some turned into zealots, and still more had what could only be considered a spiritual awakening while in the glow of the Idol-Talent’s final heart-pounding, foot-stomping, singalong-inducing song. No doubt, it would be played many times more in the fans-only afterparty at the Skylounge once the handshake event ended, and though there were rules against unauthorized recordings, camera-rips from the show would no doubt be trending across more niche online communities for at least another few days.

Needless to say?

The thunder of the crowd’s applause and cheers sounded long after she left the stage for the dressing room.

“M—-arvelous work~!” In a yellow-and-green checkered suit, Mario Schuler, producer and owner of 72ka Production, greeted Kirara with applause of his own. Despite the clear joy in his expression, the man knew of course that they had precious little time to retouch her makeup and outfit before the handshake event began. He would save throwing her up in the air and celebrating for later. “You truly are the next shining beacon of Neo-Astraea’s future, Kirara! With a response like this, as well as what we have planned for the next week, I just know that you’ll have a spot on the Monthly Rising Stars list! Bravo! Keep this up, and you’re guaranteed to break the One Million Barrier before the year ends!”

Which was something to say indeed, when half the year was already gone, but where would Mr. Schuler be without his explosive enthusiasm?

The makeup artists and hair stylists were already bringing Kirara to a seat as they worked on making her just perfect for her role, while another production assistant held a drink for her, letting her take a quick sip or two of honey water to help with her throat after such a taxing performance. Two security personnel (who were kinda just for show, considering how the strongest person in the room was the pop star who was currently being pampered) stood beside the door, their hands either hooking around their vests or clasped together around their stomach.

There was perhaps only five minutes before Kirara would be expected to emerge for the handshaking event; every second of recuperation mattered.

But then, a knock on the door, followed by the voice of one of the event staff.

“Uhm, excuse me, Mr. Schuler? There’s two people who’d like to meet Kirara. They say they’re from…Summit Studios?”

"Oh, a movie deal? F---antastic~! Let them in, darling! Let's go CINEMATIC!"

…

Clearly, Caspian’s face wasn’t well-known enough to be recognized as a fellow Talent.

Wardens of the Glade: A Light Fantasy RP

She almost missed it.

Bootlaces tied, Sarnai had twisted her body to start adjusting the belts around her waist, making sure all her pouches and bags were where they ought to have been, when all the hairs on her neck stood up on their ends. The smell struck her first, the air burning, transforming, as a golden resplendence scarred the atmosphere. She swung her head up, dark eyes squinting towards that radiance. She had seen lightning during the flood months, slicing across the sky, bolts of blue that left only an impression in her gaze as it faded away into green. But this lightning, tamed by the will of a princeling, was held with just as much surety as his arrow between his fingers. An impossible color, held for a half second that extended into an eternity.

An entirety that then was reduced to an instant.

Lightning struck four times with unerring accuracy and control, each arrow splitting its predecessor until the shattered shafts resembled a blooming flower, still crackling with warm sparks. There was no doubt in her mind, indeed, that he could have pierced through four different targets instead, such was the power he commanded, and yet, the restraint indicated a discipline beneath his well-deserved pride. An archer who could not only slay evil, but also simply stun and disable petty miscreants.

Sarnai swallowed. It felt easier to accept now, in a way. It wasn't about hard work after all. Wasn't about the years wasted, the opportunities lost from her meandering and hesitation. There was simply the immeasurable gap of talent and wealth, scarred into her gaze like vestigial lightning. Against such towering capacity for mercy and destruction, it was almost like...

...she got closer to those 'regular, capable prospects', simply from the new heights that had been demonstrated here.

Her heartbeat slowed. She finished securing her belts. She rolled up her sleeves. Loosened her corset. Stood up, patting the hesitation out of her dress. She turned towards her superior kinsman, gaze pointed downwards slightly in respect to his higher station, both as a warrior and as a person.

"Though I can't say you're the best ever, you certainly are doubtlessly the best amongst those taking the trial," Sarnai spoke. "Thank you kindly for your display of skill. There's no doubt of the quality of your bow, and only fools would think that a crossbow in the hands of a commoner would surpass a masterwork of a bow in the arms of an archer."

She set her crossbow to the ground, her boot sliding into the stirrup. Seizing the string with both hands, Sarnai drew in a breath, then let it out as she pulled up, her back muscles extending beneath her blouse. The bow bent, the string set.

"But this is what I can afford and what I have used my whole life. So I do beg your pardon."

After Era Mythos

There’s various rankings out there, generally measured by Fame, and then specifically measured by other qualities, which differ depending on what the ranking is for. So you could have Five Million Fame + pushes the most merch sales as one top rank Talent, but you could have another Five Million Fame + generated the most concurrent viewers in the last year for another top rank Talent.

There’s no definitive, end-all-be-all ranking, basically.

After Era Mythos

Blargh, finally finished all that NPC stuff. Will probably make Character tab Zeroth Post look better later, but for now...IC post in 2-3 days. Maybe even tomorrrow if I'm feeling fancy.