Jedly

Deep Ground Online (Hiatus)

@KoLProbably going to write a reply to Eclipse Princess' message even though it's currently two days later in current time.

Oh, nice, leveling up! Woot. Will post this weekend.

Deep Ground Online (Hiatus)

Paper Moon

And that was that. Everything had been said and done. The remaining Outlaws were in the midst of their retreat. The dissolutions had been bested. CC was most likely cornered and dealt with. The princess had been saved from the final boss, and was whisked away to her castle by the brave knight. ”All’s well ends well, as they say.” Paper Moon took in the silence, feeling the wind gently rush against his face. He didn’t even feel the need to put on his goggles and seized the moment in its fullest. They had won, although they did not accomplish their original goal, they felt content with a victory just as substantial.

The epilogue to the epic consisted of small skirmishes between Arms’ forces and leftover dissolutions and Outlaws. The rogue directed the newbies through the city from his vantage point high in the sky. Seriously, what were those Outlaws thinking, using these mounts for frontal assaults? Moon leaned forward and placed his hands on the neck of the dragon. If it really wanted to, it could perform a barrel roll and fling the boy off in honor of its previous master. But judging from the fact that the beast maintained its form, it held no ties to the Outlaw Moon had kicked off a while ago. The creature’s reptilian eyes glance back and met his for a moment. He was completely engulfed in its detail, an amalgamation of viridescent pigmentation scattered haphazardly surrounding its reptilian pupil. It then returned its focus to their front. He took the time to assign the dragon a name and set its return point, which would be his home in the outer regions of the neutral zone. ”I’ll name you… Fluffy! Yes, you will be my Fluffy, and I will treat you with a mother’s kindness!” The mount only gave an irritated grunt as a response, knowing full well that denying was out of its will. That barrel roll must've seemed pretty alluring right now.

Moon grabbed the reins and steered his mount towards a specific city block designated as everybody’s meeting point. Upon his descent he spotted every single face he could recount, with the exception of the commander himself, Arms Slave. The buildings gave the dragon just a wide enough berth to land. Its wings adjusted themselves to bleat its speed and provide a controlld reconvening with the ground. The boy eased his body over one side and slid down the dragon’s hide. He was almost instantly met with hugs and pats on the back as the Strykers and Sweepers revered him. It was all bittersweet, really. Not because it was the end.

”Because it was only the beginning.”

Paper Moon held his fist high to the sky, a sign that they had met victory’s embrace. Their cheers only increased in intensity, drawing the attention of the city’s denizens residing along that city block. The coordinator managed to calm down his comrades and cleared his throat. Well, that wraps things up. I’m sure you all received adequate EXP for your efforts and are currently having a blast with your new perks. You all did it. You kicked some major ass today!” Before he continued with his address, he opened up his friends list and sent requests to all of the players involved. His friends list almost instantly increased by twenty-eight, with the only pending being Arms Slave. The group of players remained gave him his undivided attention as silence and suspense played the tango. ”If any of you ever need a helping hand with an annoying mission or just somebody to confide in, give me a holler. You defended the city that offered you tranquility and far surpassed what was expected of you. It is known by default that such a feat should be met with equivalent rewards. Dinner’s on me… and Strawberry Baby!”

The players exploded with jubilation once again. ”Wait, what?!” Moon smiled widely as he wrapped his hand around Strawberry Baby and pulled her close, who was currently glaring daggers at the rogue. His face felt like it was about to freeze off, but it was totally worth it. While everybody happily cheered away, he leaned in closer to the mage and dropped his voice to a whisper, ”Notify all Sweepers to report in to their bosses after the party. I’m sure the higher-ups have already taken notice to what transpired here today, and want first hand accounts. Outline any necessary precautions.” She nodded, although she still felt contempt for the boy. ”I’m leaving the place and scene up to you, Strawberry. I gotta bounce for a bit. We’ll split the tab, so your pockets won’t feel that empty.” Moon paged through his UI and held his finger over the logout button. ”Oh, right, I almost forgot.” The girl’s scrunched up expression loosened, leaving him an opening to slip in one last jeer. ”Bet’cha look like a bookworm IRL~. Good luck finding me in school tomorrow. kthxbye.”

”WHAT THE FU-”

Shiro Kawabata

Now he remembered. Rather than making the walk upstairs which would have taken a grand total of ten seconds, not even, Shiro instead decided to enter DGO at his doorstep. He could only imagine how his parents would have reacted if they decided to drop by and see him lying right in front of the door. Beams of the morning sun stretched out through the door’s window and grabbed at the boy, ”Just give me another five minutes mom…” Shiro said aloud purely for comical effect as he rubbed his eyes and hair. He rose from the wooden flooring and stretched out, coming to the realization that he hadn’t changed out of his school attire. ”Jeez, how long was I in there?” He attempted to soothe the sores that had developed on his body, but when it appeared that it was pointless to do so, he surrendered and set out for his destination. The door to the empty home quietly shut behind him, and with that the boy departed.

Due to the fact that that it just opened up shop, Shiro had the cafe all to himself. It probably wasn’t her shift yet, but his mind wasn’t focused on that. He set his elbows on the table and support his chin with his palms. On his way to the cafe, he had sent a message to Arms Slave:

To: Arms Slave
From: Paper Moon
Subject: Eeeeeeeeyyy gurl, can I have yo digits?
“Now that was something I didn't expected to get into when I logged in today! Anyways, everybody's off partying. We should meet up at school and stuff. Y'know, enjoy our youth. Go stargazing and tell each other our deepest secrets, the whole enchilada! Just keep an eye out for my awe-inspiring complexion. But in all seriousness... Well, that's all there is to it. I'm at a loss right now. I'll keep you posted about any developments."

Critical thinking and lull. Two things Shiro rarely indulged in, but at the moment, was currently completely engulfed by. Arms Slave probably felt it too, which is why he decided to never show up. The two both worked on the same frequencies, so they had probably came to the realization that things just didn’t add up. An easy victory was usually a flag for an even more challenging hardship in the near future. Mulling wasn’t his gig, but for now it was the only course of action he could take. The only thing he could find respite in was the coolly sweet flavor of strawberry and banana in his mouth.

Smoothies really were the best.
@Lucius Cypher

Deep Ground Online (Hiatus)

@KimiyosisG'luck. I might have Shiro go to the diner for some R&R after that entire shebang. Almost at the end of the seven hour drive back to our part of the state. Robotics competition and the antics with my teammates was totally worth though!

Erm, PM me if you have any ideas. Have a good flight.

Also @Lucius Cypher probably just gonna have him PM Arms and be like "ayylmao we gotta meet up at school (ﾉ´ ▽ `)ﾉ♪"

Deep Ground Online (Hiatus)

Mother of IC activity, XD. Reading up now, will probably post tomorrow or Friday, depending on availability. OH NOES, IT'S A SPAMMER BOT. MY ROOMMATES ARE ALSO FARTING LIKE CRAZY HALP.

Deep Ground Online (Hiatus)

@Lucius Cypher@Mega Birb
Passionate =



+

Deep Ground Online (Hiatus)

@Mega BirbEeeeeeeeeeeeeeexactly. Prepare thyself comrade.

Also, storm giant is 10/10 ded. Now it's just time to mop up the Outlaws. RIP tertiary characters.

Deep Ground Online (Hiatus)

Paper Moon

Well, things had definitely escalated quickly. Although he knew that the EXP rewarded for killing Outlaws was tempting, he didn’t foresee this many people joining in on the whole shebang. At this rate, they probably weren’t ever gonna confront CC, but based upon the entire hubbub in the city, the aforementioned hacker was already knee deep in troubles. But now was not the time to worry about that, for getting out of this shitstorm alive took priority. ”Maintain fire on the cloud giant! Jet Rhino, get ready to switch with our squad to heal!” Moon held his hands at the sides of his mouth and called out to his comrades before him, all the while bullets rained in every direction. The scene had drastically changed over the course of the battle. The players under Moon’s and Slave’s command had now completely surrounded the remaining enemy forces, which were currently seeking refuge next to the dissolution. They had their backs against the wall without anywhere to go. The mage-heavy squads still continued their assault on the boss, but with the lack of Cerulean Knight’s presence, it didn’t look like they were going to down the damn thing in time. With his main focus on the men and women he was commanding over, he also kept tabs on the wild type variables in this situation. To his left, holding down the gate was who he presumed to be Eclipse Princess, accompanied by a fellow with a skull as an accessory. Speaking of the latter, Moon and Sky Knight watched as the guy turned an Outlaw into a four course meal. The two stared, mouths agape, complete awestruck by the spectacle.

”Holy crap, that was totally wicked!”

”Right? He was like, SHINK, KSSH, RAAAAA”

”And then he was all like CRACK! CRACK CRACK CRACK CRACK!”

”I think I’ve found my role model. Dude, before I go to class tomorrow I’m going to submit a new club form!”

During this casual exchange of words, the dissolution began to vibrantly glow. Yet the two were completely oblivious to this pertinent detail. ”Oh, really? And what do you plan to christen this club?”

Sky Knight rubbed his chin and mulled deeply. With a snap of his fingers, a spark went off inside of that brain of his. ”I got it! The Whatever-That-Skull-Guy’s-Name-Is-Fan-Club-Club. Preeeeeeetty catchy, right? Rolls right off the tongue.” Moon gave an affirming applause to the brilliant player. Only a genius could craft such a spectacular title.

Just then, a cannonball whizzed past their heads and exploded a few meters past them. After almost receiving more than just a haircut, the two dropped back behind the cover where Strawberry Baby was currently scrolling through her inventory. ”What happened? Seemed like you two were hitting it off pretty well. Such a shame that ordinance intruded on your little moment. I was about to start a Fanfic starring you two~.” She remarked whimsically, meanwhile Moon looked over the edge of the wall and watched as Arms Slave took care of the cannon that just fired on them. ”Well, you know. When people come up with revolutionary ideas, there are always those who want to obstruct ingenuity…” Moon’s voice trailed off as he finally came to acknowledge the recent development. ”Well that looks like an uh-oh.” Sky Knight had a similar reaction and nodded.

”Mages aren’t going to make it in time, and it’s heavily defending its crit point. Hmmm…”

Strawberry Baby patted down her skirt and stood up from the ground, ”Well looks like you’re in luck, champ. Just cooked something up that’ll make your little pea-shooter there actually touch the thing.” Moon’s hopes instantly skyrocketed, ”Oh, really?! Well lay it on m-”

”But it’s gonna cost ya.”

Moon clicked his tongue and pouted at the same time. He sighed and tilted his head, silently asking the mage to name her price. ”Your IRL ID. Or, at least a hint. Just depends on how good of a hint it is.” Strawberry Baby chirped as she poked at her UI, getting the spell ready. The rogue finally caved and jerked a thumb at his face with a smirk, ”Just look for this ugly mug roaming the halls of the academy, yeah? Oh, plus an eyepatch. ”

The other party of the deal suddenly broke out into laughter, unable to believe that Moon’s avatar was an exact replica of his real self. In a game where people were not bound by the constrictions of reality, Moon merely strove for normalcy. ”Kay, I admit it, you’ve managed to amaze me. Give me your carbine, I’ll buff it for you.”

”Wait.” Sky Knight, who had not spoken a word throughout the entire covenant finally cut in. He released his sidearm from his belt and handed it to Strawberry. The mage took the single barreled sawed-off shotgun in her hands and grinned. So now things had turned into a hit or miss situation. The boy had one shot, otherwise all was for naught. The mage casted a buff spell on the weapon, then shoved it into the rogue’s grip. ”Don’t miss.” Moon solemnly nodded and began to make his way for the city gate, but abruptly stopped within a matter of seconds. He glanced back at the two while the conflict continued to rage on. ”Say, Strawberry… That stealth spell recharged yet?”

---

SKILL ACTIVATION: UNDER THE MOON’S SHADOW

Eclipse, Nyx, and the girl Moon hadn't spotted earlier would have most likely picked up on the sound of quickened footsteps racing towards and past them, yet there was no visible source. In a matter of minutes he had reached the top of the wall and was now running along its rim towards the battlefield. Moon wished he had Slave’s chains so bad right now. He staved off the urge to rest and continued his cursory sprint, taking the chance to ready his weapon. ”This better work…” The boy gulped as he took a quick look over the edge. Nobody would be willing enough to catch him. Maybe Drauni. Probably not. He leaned forward as he closed the gap between himself and the leap of fate he was doomed, or destined, to make. The storm giant was entirely focused on his comrades, even though it had ceased any attacks and was putting all of its energy towards going nuclear, he’d rather not be spotted by the boss.

And just like that, metal was replaced with thin air. The kinetic energy generated from Moon’s charge was the only thing propelling him towards his target. While he soared through the air, the stealth spell wore off, displaying the rogue to the entire audience. He cocked the shotgun and with no regrets shouted out to in the midst of the chaos, ”FOR STRAWBERRY SMOOTHIEEEEEES” He squeezed down on the trigger when he was within range of the dissolution’s head. The buckshot completely encompassed its face, decimating the sliver of HP remaining.

The radiance emanating from the giant changed hues, and within the span of a second, burst into a snowfall of blinding polygons. The explosion shined vibrantly, until it was slowly engulfed by the darkness that embodied the region’s atmosphere, as if the boss never existed. For a moment, all was silent. ”So this is what tranquility sounds li- AND THIS IS WHAT FALLING THROUGH THE AIR FEELS LIKE OH SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT.”

Although Moon usually had an out, this wasn’t one of those times. The rogue flailed his arms as he plummeted to the ground, only to be whisked away by one of the few dragons left. The Outlaw steering the mount looked at the Sweeper utterly perplexed. Meanwhile, the boy gave the player a warm smile, ”My hero!” From there, he promptly kicked him off and hijacked the mount.

To: Arms Slave, Jet Rhino, Junkyard Dog, Ash Roller, Strawberry Baby
From: Paper Moon
Subject: Glad I wore my brown pa- wait I didn’t. Shit.

“Alright, let’s wrap up the remaining Outlaws and figure out how we’ll spend our EXP. We’ll secure the drops once everything’s been said and done. Arms Slave and I will handle divvying them up to everybody. Good work out there everybody.”

It wasn't long before the fighting continued, but for the most part, everyone had just been assigned to cleanup detail.
@Lucius Cypher@KoL@Caits@Mega Birb

Deep Ground Online (Hiatus)

-still crying over exams- will be posting tomorrow. Things're really popping off in front of the gate. Probably not too many outlaws left, since there were only a small armada to begin with, eh?

Deep Ground Online (Hiatus)

@Alina13Sorry if it seems like I'm moving your char around a bit, but I think she'd be able to strut her stuff the most lending a helping hand to Arms Slave.

Anyways, post is up. Wooooooooo. -collapses back into mound of AP notes with Battlefield WWI trailer playing on repeat-

@Kimiyosis By the way, just wondering if you found Levi's appearance through search or pixiv, since I ran into the user's account. Thought you would be interested~.

Deep Ground Online (Hiatus)

Paper Moon

Battle Theme: ”Tonight’s target is your cowardly self!”

Moon shouted to motivate the gents and gentleladies fighting alongside him. Even the newbie, Syshia, was influenced by the charismatic rogue into battle. Well, she wasn’t exactly all that new. Had some EXP in the bar and some meat on her bones. But she was still ultimately green, as seen by the fairly high exhilaration she was showing. He traced the redhead out of the corner of his eye, then refocused his vision on the battle ahead. The five players instantly slammed their sides into the parallel concrete walls as soon as they reached them, with Syshia and Paper Moon on the left and Strawberry plus the two others on the right.

Bullets relentlessly permeated the surface of the concrete, and judging from the horses’ clopping, the enemy was gradually advancing. Just then, another War Machine flew well over the hill to their rear and sped past the squad. Moon clearly picked up Jet Rhino’s war cry as his APC broke through the enemy’s defenses and began to pick off the Outlaws one by one. ”Guess they don’t call him Jet Rhino for nothing.” He commented before looking over to the other three, ”Make your way up and support Jet Rhino. Strawberry, try to get off additional hits on that dissolution while Arms Slave draws the agro.” The rogue quickly glanced over his shoulder to confirm that his fellow Sweeper was still alive. On the contrary, the guy was single-handedly taking the damage like a total fucking boss. ”Yeesh, would not want to get into a bar fight with him.” He murmured and then motioned for the other three to follow his order. The three peaked out from behind their cover and gunned their way forward, while Moon eased his back onto the concrete and slid to the ground with a sigh, ”Mind covering me for a sec? Gotta look at some super top secret intel.”

In the time that his squad had disembarked and moved up, he had received two messages, one of which from an unexpected sender. He replied to Arms’ first, notifying him that he would send Syshia over with a capable player. Without taking his eyes off the keyboard he waved for one of the two marksmen to come down. Drauni and Sky Knight relieved their rifles, unsure of what to do as they glanced at each other. The duo ended up utilizing the most unbiased and absolute decision making process known to mankind: Rock-Paper-Scissors. Guess the former ended up losing, as he was the one who was currently running down the hill screaming obscenities while bullets dug into the earth at his feet.

Drauni flung himself forward at their feet, and finally collected himself after taking a few seconds to stop his whimpering. ”How did I not get hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit?!”

”Don’t know. Game must be rigged. Want me to test it out?” Moon queried coldly, to which Drauni replied by frivolously shaking his head, ”Alright, sounds like a plan. Anyways, I need you to escort Ms. Syshia here to the city wall, unharmed might I add.” The newbie must have believed he wasn’t up to the task, which he may have truly not been, but Moon was out of options here. Angst seemed to have taken a hold of the player, but the rogue was quick to put that to an end. ”Look, if I didn’t have faith in your capacity to be a knight in shining armor, I would’ve asked Sky Knight up there. It’s in his name for orange smoothie’s sake! You bear the name of the valiant warrior who was the master of warfare, the son of Dronacharya, who fought in the Mahabharata war, who supposedly still roams the earth and has seen the manifestation of the selfie! I didn't type up that four page history paper for nothing! Now you better live up to that name!” Yet again, this was the guy who still held unrequited feelings for his childhood friend. Eh, he’ll suffice. He’ll have to. Drauni picked up his marksman rifle and bowed to Syshia, ”This way, please.” The kid managed to croak out.

As soon as the two were on their way, Paper Moon proceeded to scan over the second message.

To: Arms Slave, Eclipse Princess

From: Paper Moon

Subject: Re: Stop fooling around

”Woah, tsundere-ometer is going off. Sorry, sorry, just a bit of playful humor XP. Glad to meet the maiden who saved us a lot of ammo there, and I offer you the warmest of greetings because of it. Don’t worry, I’m not much of a stickler for the usage of derogatory language! Unfortunately, most of our ranks consist of level one to two players who willingly put their lives and EXP on the line to defend your highness, so we don't have a lot of firepower. In fact, they aren’t really “sweeper scum”, so I’d prefer it if you would stop referring to them as such. I didn’t have any game breaking power-ups or weapons lying around for them to use, but who knows, maybe the experience they’ll gain from this battle will be worth just as much, if not even more?

Anyways, I digress. We currently have multiple squads dealing with both the dissolution and the outlaws, I being a member of the latter. If you want, you could give us some breathing room and pick a few of them off? Heck, you could even meet up with me and we can produce our own action film. Just look for the guy sporting a badass jacket and orange locks of pure epicness! Well, gotta go. Got places to see, people to blast.”

Moon waited for Sky Knight to convene on his position. The two then moved out into the open and rushed to their comrades, who were already in the thick of it. The two managed to drop an adversary on the way, and soon joined in on the firefight just a bit away from the city wall.

Without dread and never fearing

@Lucius Cypher@Alina13@KoL