Letter Bee

Mass Effect- Seraphim

@AWACS, Yes.

Academy of Noble Arms - Reboot (With gratitude to TheHangedMan)

@Double, Accepted.

NCQuest - A Mecha RP: The Defense of Darwin (BeeNCQuest)

@AzenExile@FalloutJack@Metatrooper@Selvariabell@Senhara@Neozeon0083@ArmorPlated@Psychic Loser@Ubermensch:

RP will end in either six days, or if we extend the end date to March 15, eleven days.

Re: Zero: The High Council

Ashton Andrews and Flame Brooks

"You were trying to trigger a reset, right, Ashton?" Flame asked his boyfriend as the latter stared blankly at nothing, his face flat with shock. "Aerith had killed herself, Chieko was being abducted, and we all just lost against Fritzi and her group. Given the information you knew... You couldn't have done anything else."

Ashton slowly shook his head, refusing easy absolution. Tears were in his eyes as he said,"Flame, I killed Hiro. I stabbed him thinking that it'd trigger a reset. Repeat: I killed Hiro because fool that I was, I thought I'd had this game figured out and that all will be cleared the moment we get another reset!"

Flame put his hands on Ashton's shoulders, saying, "Ashton; I'm here with you. I won't pretend things will be all right, not right away. But you had no other choice and I will keep saying that until you believe it -"

Ashton grabbed his boyfriend's right wrist, saying, "Even if you're right, I may have ruined it for everyone. Here is what I infer from the chattering of the people around me."

A pause, as Ashton began deducting once more, "One, that these people and Lord Talus are behind our abduction and transportation into this world; they're not even trying to hide the fact that they're the people who 'love' us. Two, that this is part of a game, in which one of us is selected as a 'Sentinel', which, considering that Hiro was called one, is a term for the person who resets the timeline when killed."

Another pause, "Three, and this is a hidden rule, these... 'Embodiments of Sin' run things so that we can't easily just kill ourselves or each other to force a reset. Four, the two of us are abberations; un-desired playing pieces with an unknown patron or set of patrons. That makes us more vulnerable than the others. And Five, I don't think they and Lord Talus can erase Hiro's death or the consequences of it in Lugnica; including that Older Male Oni calling me a monster."

Flame breathed a sigh of relief as he said, "If you're able to deduct that much, then you can devise a way out of this mess. But as for me..."

He turned to Lord Talus and the other 'Embodiments of Sin' and said, "All right, you lot! I know you hate us or otherwise take exception to our presence, but we want to know if you guys can bring Hiro back! Or, for that matter, if killing him just returned him to Earth - Alive - without his memories. We are willing to pay any cost within the bounds of reason and morality to do such, and we know guys like you - Dark Powers - can do a lot of impossible things when paid with the suffering of others. So we offer to suffer, we offer blood, we might even offer one of our souls - Mine - if it'd bring Hiro Nishioka back!"

Academy of Noble Arms - Reboot (With gratitude to TheHangedMan)

De-Canonized Post.

Trinidad Academy - Early Morning [6 AM]

Miss Ellora nodded at Cleophas' arrival; it was clear that rowdy students were always a risk in a school for people with magical weapons. Her words were, "All right, people, next class will be English, then Math, after which the Assembly will replace our Small-Unit Tactics period. Do not look upon this as a reprive; the next day will have much harder classes to compensate."

A pause. "And finally, I must remind you that using one's Noble Arms to commit violent acts outside of training, to cheat, or to play illegal games of chance is an offense against the School, and will earn demerits." She then tilted her head slightly to the right. "Note however that as the nature of Noble Arms is based on the focused use of said Arms as a tool to shape the environment, there is leeway if you don't get caught. This is not a license to bully, harass, or otherwise harm another student, but I am obliged to tell you that if I don't catch you doing minor offenses, I am not obliged to punish you. Class dismissed."

<This is why Trinidad Academy's reputation is in tatters; it produces Rogues, and not the Heroic kind, either!> Another anonymous message from the blue guy; the red one stayed silent. <No offense meant to present company if you guys like being rogues, btw.>

And with that, it was time for the two academic classes, then the boredom of the Assembly.

------

By an accident of fate, Xris, James, Ellie and Mason were seated together in the the Academy's large autidorium, awaiting the arrival of President Grace Poe. To the right of their group, right next to Mason and at the edge of the rows of seats, was a brown-skinned, golden-eyed young man who said, "Hello; My name is Pablo Legazpi. What are your names and how are you all?"

Once they've made their responses, they'd wait for the Philippine President... And wait... And wait. As they kept waiting for the Academy's guest, Pablo smiled faintly, knowing this truth about himself: He liked hinting that he knew everything; it was dangerous for him, but also the truth.

Then came a voice from the intercom saying, "Class, the President's visit has been delayed due to minor 'security issues', therefore the Assembly is postponed to the afternoon. However, resuming classes as normal will not be an option due to the time of uncertainty about the length of the delay. In summary, the members of the student body have a free period; a recess, if you will."

Pablo then began typing into his smartphone; just seconds later, Xris, James, Ellie and Mason's own phones began to beep. With a knowing smile, the boy directed his eyes at his device's screen, then the screens of the others'.

<If you want to know just what the security problems that delayed the President's visit are, follow me. And yes, Trinidad Academy is unprofessional to the point of hilarity.>

And with that, Pablo Legazpi left his seat, gesturing to the others to follow him.

At the same time, Charles and Cleophas had been selected to stand on the auditorium stage beside a young Eurasian boy with red hair, pale-ish skin, and a snub Filipino nose, and were also expected to do nothing. But said Eurasian - Whom Charles might recognize as Carsi Cruz Maurice Tyrone, one of the top ten of Trinidad - looked at them, pointed at Pablo's group, and said, "Let's go after Mr. Legazpi and the people he is gesturing at; they seem up to something."

@Achronum@Smike@Trainerblue192@Bartimaeus@Eklispe@GingerBoi123@TsundereStorm

NCQuest - A Mecha RP: The Defense of Darwin (BeeNCQuest)

Haven Base plus Red-Star Floating Supercarrrier Kuei-Ren

Osamu grimaced, "How dare you. How could you? Kyexun Armati, or Amarati; whatever, do you not realize who you are talking to?! Win or lose, I can and will have my pound of flesh!"

Pressing another button of his holographic projector, Osamu caused Alexander's shock collar to spark anew, causing the young man to scream and twitch in pain once more, as the guards escorting him began to kick him strongly enough to hurt but not enough to break anything. Laughing maniacally again, Osamu had one unusual thought: Hibiki, surrender and live. I'll cover for you; I will focus attention on myself.

A glance at Julian, the captured Paragon Agent now brainwashed into one of their own. Osamu felt pity towards a third person for the first time; a realization that came too late for him. I am beyond redemption. My path in life was set ever since my father, my creator, was found out and killed.

Seeing that Adam had already closed off communications (after yet another sign of disregard for his threats), Osamu realized something: He was betraying Red-Star, and doing so for similar reasons as the others. For Hibiki, so he can be safe. A pause in his thoughts before they resumed with this statement, So the person literally mind-screwed to join us is the only truly loyal member of our NC Force.

Why was that? Why didn't Red-Star send a force of Comrade-Pilots to reinforce the Slave ones? Oh, wait, they did; that's who Haven's 'Third Fleet' had wiped out. The Havenite Third Fleet, a surprisingly battle-hardened force tempered in previous conflicts against Red-Star.

It was then that Theodore recovered his nerve. "Osamu Akiyama; Adam is right - You are an incompetent moron put in here only because of intrigues beyond my information-gathering skills. For what you did to my people - all of my people, you are going to pay. Now get out."

He then closed the holographic link for good, activating a jammer just in case Osamu attempted another hail. He then said to the team, "Begin deployment; you are already acquainted with the directions to the hangar. Once in your NCs; make for the Kinetic Barriers; I will deactivate them for a few seconds in order to give Haven's own artillery and missiles time to fire. Do not rush the Kinetic barriers at supersonic speed before I turn them off; we don't want any accidents. The Havenite Third Fleet will also be moving to engage the enemy in a surprise attack right now; pinning down their own logistics and supply craft and forcing them to split their forces."

A faint smile, "Coordination is essential in this battle; move out and I'll join you shortly."

------

The hangar of Haven Base was once again buzzing with activity, with TABRIS already freed from its makeshift scaffolding/restraints. It was time for the International Volunteers to get in their mechs and begin the final battle!

@AzenExile@FalloutJack@Metatrooper@Selvariabell@Senhara@Neozeon0083@ArmorPlated@Psychic Loser@Ubermensch:

Re: Zero: The High Council

((Collab Post between BrokenPromise and Letter Bee.))

”Aerith! Stop it!.” Hiro attempted to to stop Aerith from killing herself, but he hadn’t reacted in time.. In such a state of passion, Aerith had fatally sliced her own neck open. The light in her eyes faded before she dropped to her knees and rolled over onto her side. There was no saving Aerith this time. Hiro’s fists shook in quiet anger.

DEATH COUNT : 31

”Damn it.” Hiro grit his teeth. ”Is this really it?”

”Oh, she really did it.” Elder Sibling lifted a hand to their chin. ”Perhaps I could have done something, but I’m not really in the business of saving humans.”

That was when Flame and Gris showed up on the scene. ”Chiyo!” Gris assumed a fighting stance. ”I don’t know what’s going on, but I don’t like the look of you, buddy.”

Quill stood up and turned to look at Gris “Relax, we’d do nothing to hurt her.” The oni crouched down beside her. “She’s on our side anyway.”

Flame looked at Gris, then Quill and Elder Sibling, before saying to the older Oni, “These guys are members of a ‘Demihuman Liberation Front’ who are trying to hunt us down thinking we have precognitive powers. They plan to either kill or enslave us, and, well, let’s just say that we’re willing to owe you a favor if you’d be willing to help us avoid such a fate.”

A sigh, “Let’s just say that though I am a scowling cynic, you don’t seem like someone who’d let racial hatreds get in the way of being owed a favor.”

Footsteps were heard as Ashton arrived at the scene, taking in how he had arrived too late and how Aerith was already dead. Drawing his ‘borrowed’ paring knives, the boy looked at Flame, and then Gris, his next words being:

“You’ve brought help? Good; if this needs to come to a fight, we’re going to need all the help we can get.” The boy breathed in the slightly smoked air and said to Fritzi, “Jiwald. Thank you for teaching me this, by the way.”

The silk handkerchiefs wrapped around the knives came off, and Ashton held them out in a reverse grip as new energy flooded his body. Flame looked at his boyfriend, seeing an invisible signal as he said to Gris, “We’ll be backing you up, by the way, unless you object.”

”Oh there's definitely going to be a fight.” Gris drew his sword. ”No one, and I mean no one drags my own into a mess like this.” He broke into a sprint. ”I'm coming for the lot of you!”

Not one to miss a beat, Hiro joined the fight as well. He wasn't experienced with these group fight situations, but he would wait for an opening. There was no point in everyone attacking Elder Sibling at the same time.

Flame sprinted just behind Gris’ left, before breaking off to place himself protectively in front of Chieko once more, putting himself between her and Quill… And then turning to the Chunni and saying, “You were just about to succeed, weren’t you? You would never have lost the rhetorical battle with the Female Oni by yourself.”

He faced said Female Oni, saying, “May you tell us what exactly happened? I think that your boss and your miniature assassin can handle the fighting for a few seconds while we try and establish how exactly my friend - Aerith - killed herself.”

Ashton, meanwhile, was to Gris’ right and hopefully Hiro’s left, feinting and weaving behind both combatants’ backs. He let Fritzi see him, trying to attract her attention, but did not try more than the most perfunctory of attacks lest he stab Gris by accident… Or Hiro before it was time to kill him.

Quill folded her arms. “She was feeling sorry for herself and was weak, That's all. We didn't do anything.”

”I'm glad you're making use of my teachings, Ashton.” Elder Sibling rolled their neck, causing it to crack loudly. ”My next lesson will teach you your place.” Elder sibling extended their fist outward and teleported in front of Gris. The action was unexpected by the older oni, who essentially ran his head directly into her fist. Once he was stumbling backwards, Elder sibling appeared behind Hiro, and kicked Ashton into the stumbling Gris. Hiro had just enough time to turn around and spot them. But Elder Sibling had already taken hold of Hiro's arm and flung him over their head. Hiro was still flying through the air when Elder Sibling appeared beside Flame and kicked him square in the ribs. He could feel his ribs crack before tumbling across the street like a runaway tire. ”Very well Chieko.” Elder Sibling bent over to pick her up. ”We will discuss your terms elsewhere. I believe we can come to an agreement.” With Chieko slung over one shoulder, Elder Sibling bent over the other one to pick up Chiyo. ”Let's regroup Quill. Do not harm any of them.” They looked to Aerith's body. ”Though nothing can be done if they choose to kill themselves.” and with that, Elder sibling vanished with Chieko and Chiyo.

”Don't you dare.” Hiro struggled to stand up. There was blood running down the side of his face, and it looked as if one of his arms had been broken. ”Don't you dare run away from me.”

Quill snorted and turned her back to Hiro. “As amusing as a fight between us would be, I have my orders.” She strode away from the others.

”Gah!” Hiro limped after Quill.

”How do you feel, boy?” Gris locked eyes with Ashton. ”I hope I softened your fall, because between getting hit by that kick and your head, I'm not sure I can move right now.” He gestured towards Hiro and Quill. ”Get up! I can't let them run off with Chiyo!”

Ashton nodded as he stood up, fear filling him as he knew what he was going to do; what he needed to do. But considering how Aerith had killed herself and how his next actions would be seen by the others, he had to ask: Would there even be a group after he did this? Would he not just shatter what semblance of unity they had after what he was going to do?

He walked towards Hiro, letting go of the knife in his right hand as he held it out to help him up. But once the boxer had taken it, Ashton would stab his chest with the blade in his left, saying only two words:

“I’m sorry.”

Letter Bee's Character Sheets

More Spoilers

Name: Colin Summer

Appearance:


Age: 18

Personality: Colin is a kind and compassionate person who is easily appaled at the callousness and brutality of the Fairbanks Corporation, or all Corporations in general, but manages to hide it beneath a veneer of lies and omissions as well as his own usefulness to Fairbanks. Due to the discovery of his unique 'gift', he can afford to question or even cross Fairbanks and the Anti-Tshwane Coalition more than the usual NC Pilots, as Fairbanks is aware that he is in a position to suddenly rebel against them if they mistreat him.

However, Colin knows this; that despite this relatively fair treatment, Fairbanks will not stop creating new races of man to live as slaves, Paragon won't stop enslaving the old races of man, and Denver-Vegas will just explot old and new equally. So, he has secretly pledged himself to Theodore Narra and Haven in exchange for a world where all sapient beings can live in harmony and symbiosis; mutual aid and support in an uncaring universe. But if Theodore is just another exploitative would-be master, he will turn against the General Commander and Haven.

Backstory: Born in an Independent Settlement close to Fairbanks territory, Colin was given over to Fairbanks at the age of 13 as part of the town's tithe of 'volunteers'. His unprecedentedly high Sync Ratio (100%) was discovered, but psychological exams showed that while he was no pacifist, he was not a born killer either, and trying to turn him into one using training and drugs would destroy his psyche, his brainstem, and with the latter, his Sync Ratio. In short, making him just another NC Pilot was a waste of his potential.

Fairbanks being Fairbanks, however, they found another use for him. Noticing the correlation between Virtual Reality and NC Piloting, as well as having gotten some Red-Star Resarch Papers about the Neural-Net, the head of the Massachuets Institute of Technology decided to create a new type of NC that was just a core, an armored chassis, and an anti-gravity system. This new NC will use a combination of Neural-Net and Virtual Reality to enter computers and the minds of humans 'hooked' onto man-machine interfaces, like Virtual Reality Pods and Neural Combatant/NC/Mecha systems. However, unlike a certain Red-Star Artificial Human, this NC cannot control other Mechs; merely hack them for information.

But when Colin was hooked up to the NC, the results were not what he expected, he tapped not into computer networks and NC Cores, but inside another part of the Universe entirely; a compedium of all knowledge of the past, present, and possible futures. But due to such knowledge being too much for any human mind to comprehend, he was only able to return with bits and pieces. Not just that, but he knew that Fairbanks was going to misuse the knowledge he had, so Colin decided to lie to his superiors, saying that he was able to access several computer systems ran by other Corporations, but only acquired some information due to their firewalls.

He then gave Fairbanks' Professors several tidbits about their enemies' plans, which satisfied them enough to allow him 'temporary ownership' of the NC. And he promptly began trying to contact Haven...

Tactical Preferences and Skills: He knows basic marksmanship and how to punch, but is otherwise unprepared for violence.

Notes: No, I have not watched Natusme's Book of Friends.

------

NC Character Sheet

Code-name: Panopticon

Appearance:


Body Type: (Bipedal, Hover, Tank-Tread, .etc) Other.

Type of NC: (General-Purpose, Interception, Assault, .etc) Utility.

Equipment & Armaments:

Akashic Reader - Colin Summer can tap into the Akashic Records, a plane of existence containing information about past, present, and multiple possible futures. Not just that, but he can communicate, but not control, with any mind hooked up into Virtual Reality or an NC Core. However, the Akhasic Records are not a public library; much of the information within is incomprehensible to a single mind, meaning that Colin only has bits and pieces of important information. Not merely that, but should he spend too long in his NC, he can go into a comatose state where he forgets to eat...

Letter Bee's Character Sheets

Spoilers

Pilot Character Sheet

Name: Natalie DuPoint

Appearance:


Age: 18

Personality: Natalie is a brash, fun-loving girl who loves her twin brother a lot; this love has resulted in a grudge against people who had previously hurt them, like Alexander Sky and Haven as long as they keep the former within their ranks. This grudge, however, does not prevent her from treating her enemies with honor, including Alexander if he ever falls under her power; Natalie is aware that this makes her the better person. Note however that her sense of honor clashes with Denver-Vegas and the common corporate ideology except when it makes for good PR, but Natalie does not really care; she feels that her ability to pilot well benefits the executives more than her 'unruly' behavior.

Backstory: In a small town on the Great Lakes were born two twins, Nathaniel and Natalie, who lived happily in said town and grew up watching the Reality Games together. Despite being normalized to accept violence and death as part of their entertainment, it seemed as though they'd grow up 'normal'; stuck together as humble farmers and fisherfolk... Until a local privately-ran hospital discovered that they had an average Sync Ratio (55% for both), enough to operate the man-machine interface of an NC. They were 13 then, and were promptly packed off to an NC Pilot Academy; their parents were promised millions of dollars for handing them over.

Three years later, Nathaniel and Natalie were deployed to support a rebellion in Japan against Red-Star, the Chinese-Controlled Corp that was controlling the archipelago. It was a disaster, as Nathaniel was captured on his first engagement by Alexander Sky of Red-Star and his Phoenix Inferno, and promptly taken to their torture rooms. Natalie, in her grief and rage, killed many Red-Star conventional forces herself, and also took down several of the enemy pilots. Nevertheless, Denver-Vegas was forced into a draw against Red-Star, and was barely able to demand its captured pilots back. But what did it matter? It meant Nathaniel would be given back!

However, Nathaniel was no longer the same person he was before. Due to his low Sync Ratio, Red-Star saw no value in Nathaniel beyond turning him into a mining slave, and he had been worked to the brink of death before the news arrived that he was to be given back to Denver-Vegas. Outraged at how the enemy had literally broken her brother, Natalie was one of those who argued that Alexander needed to be punished for his crimes, and she was surprised that Red-Star actually followed them up on the recommendation, publicly humiliating and flogging Alexander before Denver-Vegas' ranks as a sign that they were willing to do anything for peace.

She remembered turning to Nathaniel then, hoping that the latter would smile, that it would be like the old days when they watched the Reality Games. But there was nothing, nothing but brokenness.

In time, Nathaniel recovered some of his will to live, but he was forever changed by his experiences. "All of us are mere tools, even Alexander Sky," he would up saying to his sister, and Natalie was surprised at that. She was even more surprised when he said, "I want to forgive him; he didn't know what he was doing."

Nathaniel then entered a seminary afterwards, a seminary ran by loyalists to the Pope-in-Exile in Independent Fortress Switzerland. But Natalie was aware that he was happy, that he had achieved a happy ending. Not so for her; she still needed to fight for Denver-Vegas and one day, confront Alexander Sky about what he did.

Said confrontation did not have to end in death...

Tactical Preferences and Skills: Outside of her NC, Natalie prefers to hit fast and hit hard, using carbines, assault rifles, and even a light flamethower before beating a quick retreat. In her NC, however, she prefers to wade into the middle of battle, searing infantry and conventional vehicles alike with a Flamethrower whose heat barely skirts the restrictions on Energy Weapons, before engaging lighter Mechs in Melee, crushing them with her claw.

Notes: N/A

------

NC Character Sheet

Code-name: Firestarter Charlie

Appearance:

Yes, it's a Contemptor-Pattern Dreadnought from 40k.

Body Type: (Bipedal, Hover, Tank-Tread, .etc) Bipedal

Type of NC: (General-Purpose, Interception, Assault, .etc) Assault

Equipment & Armaments:

Twin-Linked Railguns (Left Arm) - Twin-linked Railguns that propel hyperaccelerated bullets against a close-by enemy; these giant 'slugs' can pierce through an entire 21st century Aircraft Carrier from bow to stern, even if fired from half a kilometer. In NC-to-NC combat, their purpose is to deter Melee-inclined NCs from approaching Firestarter head-on, forcing them to try and flank it.

Close-Combat Claw (Right Arm) - A giant claw-like device built for close-combat that can grab enemy NCs and tear off their limbs, and which also carries a Flamethrower attachment in the middle of the 'palm' (See below).

Flamethrower Attachment (Also Right Arm) - This flamethrower attachment vomits out flames so hot that it is rumored that its builders used an illegal Energy Weapon; a Fusion Gun, to be exact. This rumor is true but no one dares confirm it out of fear of reducing Natalie's effectiveness.

Head-Mounted Jammers (To each side of the Head) - To prevent missiles and drones from coming near Firestarter, an ECM Suite is installed in Firestarter's head that causes most forms of electronic communication to go haywire for 30 seconds, with a cooldown of 5 minutes. This does not work against other NCs or her own missiles (see below).

Back-Mounted Missile Launchers (Back) - Two sets of four long-ranged incendary missiles filled with chemical compounds that produce toxic smoke as well as fire; these are used to preceede Firestarter's approach and cover it with chaotic environmental hazards.

I'm testing the waters for an Antiquity-inspired (early Iron Age, mostly pre-Roman) Fantasy RP.

Voted; interested in Greco-Romans, Iranians, and Other (Jews).

Note that I might not have the time for a game, though, but should I do, I'll be joining.