Letter Bee

Letter Bee's Character Sheets

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Name: Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus/Constantine
Title: Emperor
Class: Ruler
Gender: Male
Alignment: Lawful Good
Height / Weight: 5’8/197.9 pounds
Source: IRL History
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Personality: Constantine genuinely believes that the faith he brought to the Roman Empire was a net benefit to it and the world, and does not regret his actions, which one might point out, did include banning infanticide and providing aid to parents so that they do not have to sell their children to slavery. Though he regrets the pain and suffering brought by errant members of the faith, as well as rolls his eyes at the modern age's own lack of devotion, Emperor Constantine maintains a strength of belief which others lack, strength of belief which borders on arrogance.

Bio: Will his IRL life do?

Weapon: Roman Spatha Longsword.
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Parameters: E-! stats usually.
Strength: B
Endurance: C
Agility: B
Mana: C
Luck: B
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Class Skills:

Revelation (C) - As someone who has been given a Revelation from God, especially one which led him to victory, Constantine has an instinct for whichever action would lead him and those under him to an optimal outcome. This instinct has no rational explanation, as it comes at the most unlikely of times, but rejecting the whispers and messages from it can only lead to a damning failure.

Saint (B) - As a Ruler blessed by God who changed the course of history, and is commemorated as a Saint by the largest denomination of Christians, Constantine the Great was seen as a paragon of virtue by many Medieval scholars, and it shows in his Servant form. Constantine gets a rank up to Charisma, raising it to A.

True Name Discernment (European) (B) - Constantine can discern the True Name, Skills and Parameters of a Servant he directly encounters, but this skill is more effective on Servants who are rooted in Christian and Hellenic Pagan legend, meaning that veiling skills and phantasms made by those folk are less effective than those used by Servants rooted in Far Eastern and Mesoamerican Lore (an exception is Shirou Amakusa Tokimune because he is Christian).

Personal Skills:

Baptism Rite (A) - Constantine generates a set of blessed javelins, which launch themselves against an opponent. These javelins, when piercing an opponent, fix them in place as Constantine says a prayer to God for the purification of their soul and the destruction of their body. This prayer, when finished, causes the enemy to erupt in white flames which consume them entirely, leaving only ashes in their wake.

Military Tactics (B) - Constantine is adept at planning the logistics, strategy, and actual tactics of a large number of people, although one should note that his knowledge might be obsolete in many places thanks to developments past his death. Not just that, but this is situational and is best-partnered with his Anti-Army Noble Phantasm, which in turn is also situational.

Applies a + modifier to a single Anti-Army Noble Phantasm of oneself and allies and a rank down or - modifier to the enemy Anti-Army Noble Phantasm. Note that if not in a siege or last stand, this merely applies a rank up to up to a single Anti-Army Noble Phantasms with their rank not exceeding A of oneself and allies and a rank down (as long as it is not A rank or higher) or - modifier (as long as it has a +) to enemy Anti-Army Noble Phantasm.

Charisma (B) - One does not gain the loyalty of the Legions, reunite the Empire, legalize Christianity, declare infanticide a capital crime, and found a new Capital of the Unified Roman Empire without having both charm and talent. One also forgets that historically, Constantine was a tactful convert who kept using Pagan symbols throughout his reign and was only baptized on his deathbed. Either way, Constantine can gain the affection of, and fire up the fighting zeal, of entire armies and populations.

Increases the ability of allies during group battles to B.
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NOBLE PHANTASMS

Noble Phantasms

Title: The Host at Milvian Bridge.
Rank: B
NP Type: Anti-Army Noble Phantasm
Range: 60
Maximum Number of Targets: 25,000 individuals.
Description: An army marched with Constantine to the Milvian Bridge, an army painted the symbol of the Chi-Rho on their shields, and an army won a great victory under the symbol. As a Noble Phantasm, Constantine can summon his loyal troops to his side once more as phantasmal soldiers, the legions of Heaven itself. Though his armies are individually weaker than Iksander’s Ionoi Heitairoi, they can manifest in the normal world in greater numbers due to the strength of their faith and the faith of the hundreds of millions who follow the Church in the present-day - However, even this is temporary, four to eight hours at the most.

Title: The Blessed Nails
Rank: A-
NP Type: Anti-Unit (Self) Noble Phantasm
Range: 1 - 10
Maximum Number of Targets: 1
Description: Constantine the Great’s mother, Helena, gave him two nails from Christ’s crucifixion order to grant him God’s protection. As long as the two nails are together, they grant Constantine protection from ranged attacks, with arrows, bullets, ranged Magecraft and Noble Phantasms avoiding his body. However, Constantine does not gain the effects of this protection if the projectile were to explode on impact, if the attack was performed in a manner where range would be considered a non-factor, or if it was performed by a weapon that has simply long reach, such as a spear (Copied with permission from another Fate RPer’s CS).

If the nails are separated through theft or gift, the protection is split among the holders of said nails, lowering its strength by one rank.

Title: The Church of the Holy Apostles
Rank: A+
NP Type: Fortress, Anti-Injury, Anti-Army.
Range: 60
Maximum Number of Targets: 25,050
Description: One of the many Churches Constantine built, and the one he wished to be buried in, the Church of the Holy Apostles was the resting place of the relics of St. Andrew, St. Luke, and St. Timothy, and also many Eastern Roman/Byzantine Emperors, including Justinian and Heraclius. Lasting for a millennium or so, it was eventually abandoned by the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate some years into the Ottoman conquest and eventually demolished. As a Noble Phantasm, the Church manifests once more in its full glory, the relics, and Emperors buried inside its crypt acting as an anchor for the righteous dead and a beacon for those who still live.

In essence, the Church heals those whom Constantine deems righteous, including those whom he grudgingly concedes to have lived an honorable life despite their ignorance of the True Faith, restoring their health as long as they are within sight of the soft light given by the Church. Not merely that, but the Church feeds energy to The Host at Milvian Bridge and Christian Servants whose Masters have been killed, allowing them to stay in this world longer as long as they are within the Church’s grounds or within sight of them.

Title: Constantinople, the City of the World's Desire
Rank: A++
NP Type: Bounded Field
Range: 100
Maximum Number of Targets: 500,000
Description: A Bounded Field which transforms the area into a replica of the city of Constantinople at its height as a Christian, Greco-Roman City, and which thus contains several buildings which did not exist in Constantine’s time like the Hagia Sophia (built a century or two after). This city, populated by artificial constructs analogous to NPCs in a video game, can provide for every mundane need (food, water, clothing, antique weapons), and should the Church of the Holy Apostles be summoned in the same area, the latter's range and the maximum number of targets are boosted to the Field's.

Fighting Style: Constantine is a decent melee fighter and horseman and often fights with a lance, sword, and shield on top of a summoned steed.

Letter Bee's Character Sheets

Fate/Novus Apocrypha - The Ends Justify the Means (Reboot)!

Disclaimer: While the Type-Moon Wiki isn't the best source, it is the most accessible one. So do look it up for when you find some terms difficult to understand.

Summary

There was a story of an ambitious Magi who stole the manifestation of the Holy Grail and transported it to Romania, where sixty years later, he declared his secession from the Magus' Association and revealed his possession of said Grail to provoke a war which will shake the heavens and the earth. That man was Darnic Prestone Yggdmillenia... And this is not his story.

For in this timeline, he who stole the Grail was stolen from, throwing off his plans for vengeance upon his fellow Magi. Darnic the Thief found that it was his turn to suffer theft, and all he can do was fume, for the Grail disappeared so perfectly that he could not find out who had stolen it. Several years later, in 2015, a new faction arose in the south of Greece, where Sparta once stood - These men and women proclaimed themselves the Philosopher Kings, harbingers of a world where Magi ruled over Mortals, and the Supernatural ruled over the Mundane.

And they had the Holy Grail - All they needed was a Holy Grail War to power it. And so Anastasios Palaiologos, leader of the Philosopher Kings, sent out a challenge to the Magus' Association and Yggdmillenia, telling them in simple terms that if they wanted the Grail, to 'come and get it!'.

Long story short, Anastasios and the Servant he summoned, Lucius Tiberius, massacred the initial forces Yggdmillenia and the Magus' Association sent, but not before those forces succeeded in activating the 'reserve system' of the Greater Holy Grail, allowing for the summoning of a whopping 21 Servants, allowing seven masters from the Magus' Association, Yggdmillenia, and the Philosopher Kings to fight it out to win the Spartan Holy Grail War!

---

Yes, I, Letter Bee, am running a Fate RP. And this time, we have a plan for how the plot goes, backup plans for if that goes awry, and we are not going to fill up all 21 Master-Servant Pairs right away - Instead, we will first fill up the Red Team with 7 Master-Servant Pairings, and when those are full, new Master-Servant Pairings can be applied for the other teams (which will also be staffed with 6 NPCs each (3 Masters and 3 Servants each) because there's no way in heck we'd ever get 42 PCs). Here are the rules:

Rules:

1.) No Gilgamesh (except as Caster as he is nerfed in that class), Enkidu, Karna (Except as a Rider or Archer), or Heracles. No King Hassan, Alcides, and Quirinus, either. Or Merlin. Basically, if it's as powerful as any of the listed Servants, it is forbidden for Players' PC choices.
2.) No Powergaming or Godmoding. Metagaming is allowed only if you have Divination Magecraft or other forms of 'flawless' info-gathering.
3.) Be nice to others as well as the GM and Co-GMs.
4.) Players who leave or drop out will have their characters controlled by the GM and Co-GMs.
5.) Dead Apostles (aka Vampires) exist in this setting but only the Philosopher Kings can have them as OCs/PCs when the Red Team has filled up and applications for the Philosopher Kings and Yggdmillenia are open. Every faction, however, can have Mixed-Bloods (people who are Half-Oni or some other magical creature), even the Red Team.
6.) Shielders, Rulers, Savers, and Foreigners are allowed but are still covered by Rule#1.
7.) Edited Rule: Greek, Roman, and Byzantine Servants will get a staging ground bonus from being summoned in Greece.
8.) From now on, all New Character Sheets require 3 Approvals from the Main GM and Co-GMs to be fully permitted to play. Also, Co-GMs can override or put a moratorium on Main GM decisions if they feel like they are bad for the game itself.
9.) The game is now set in 2015 instead of 2021.
10.) Canon!Artoria and Arthur (From Fate/Prototype, an alternate universe) can be summoned together at the same time, like in Fate/Grand Order.
11.) NPCs don't count for Red Team slots (there will always be 7 slots each for Masters and Servants), but they do count for Yggdmillenia and Philosopher Kings slots (meaning that there will only be 4 slots each for Masters and Servants for those teams).

Servants and Master Applications

Servant Sheets

[indent][indent][indent][center][h3]Put Class and image here [/h3][/center]
[b]ᴺᴬᴹᴱ[/b]
[indent] Servant's Name[/indent]

[b]ꜰᴀᴄᴛɪᴏɴ[/b]
[Indent]what is their faction?[/indent]

[b]ᴀᴛᴛʀɪʙᴜᴛᴇ[/b]
[indent]Upon legend and GM decision [/indent]

[b]ʟᴇɢᴇɴᴅ[/b]
[indent]Link if you're using a canon servant, write if you're making a servant that's not established yet, this servers as their bio[/indent]

[b]ᴘᴇʀꜱᴏɴᴀ[/b]
[indent]List positive and negative characteristic traits here, show how it's done on the IC while you list their bits in bullet form in this section of the sheet[/indent]

[b]ᴡɪꜱʜ[/b]
[indent]What is their wish [/indent]

[b]ᴘᴀʀᴀᴍᴀᴛᴇʀꜱ[/b]
[indent]STR:
END:
AGI:
MNA:
LCK:
[/indent]

[b]ᴄʟᴀꜱꜱ ꜱᴋɪʟʟꜱ[/b]
[indent]Refer to [url=google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&… link[/url][/indent]

[b]ᴘᴇʀꜱᴏɴᴀʟ ꜱᴋɪʟʟꜱ[/b]
[indent]Like Class Skills, same wiki link reference [/indent]

[b]ɴᴏʙʟᴇ ᴘʜᴀɴᴛᴀꜱᴍ[/b]
[indent]what are your servant NPs? List and put it under spoiler tags.
Title:
Rank:
NP Type:
Range: 1
Maximum Number
Description:[/indent]

[/indent][/indent][/indent]

Master Sheets

[indent][indent][indent][center]image of Master[/center]
[b]ᴺᴬᴹᴱ[/b]
[indent]Name of OC[/indent]

[b]ꜰᴀᴄᴛɪᴏɴ[/b]
[indent]What[/indent]

[b]ʀᴀɴᴋ[/b]
[indent]Ranks can be biased upon Mage Association, choose your rank by referring to wiki [/indent]

[b]ᴘᴇʀꜱᴏɴᴀ[/b]
[indent]bulletin form, show in the IC, not tell here[/indent]

[b]ᴡɪꜱʜ[/b]
[indent]Their backstory why they want grail and their wish[/indent]

[b]ᴄᴏᴍᴍᴀɴᴅ ꜱᴇᴀʟ[/b]
[indent]what[/indent]

[b]ꜱᴡɪᴛᴄʜ[/b]
[indent]Explain how and what activates their magic[/indent]

[b]Qᴜᴀɴᴛɪᴛʏ[/b]
[indent]of magic circuits[/indent]

[b]Qᴜᴀʟɪᴛʏ[/b]
[indent]of magic circuits[/indent]

[b]ᴀꜰꜰɪɴɪᴛʏ[/b]
[indent]refer to wiki[/indent]

[b]ᴍᴀɢᴇᴄʀᴀꜰᴛ[/b]
[indent]refer to wiki[/indent]

[b]ᴄʀᴇꜱᴛ[/b]
[indent]how old[/indent]

[b]ᴍʏꜱᴛɪᴄ cᴏᴅᴇ[/b]
[indent]what[/indent][/indent][/indent][/indent]

The OOC Discord

Innocence Lost - A Science Fantasy RP [v.03]

Ashton and Flame (After Jest's Edits)

As Ashton looked at his foes and activated Supernal Vision, taking a moment to concentrate as he did so, he found himself relying on Flame's Shield of Force spell to protect both of them from the incoming 'Goblins'. What was this? Were more Loyalists after them? Either way, as more Security VTOLs and groundcars rushed through, some of the latter carrying heavy-duty laser weaponry, Ashton was only able to notice the faintest presence of Magic in these 'creatures' - Did someone use an aura-suppressing spell on them?

Either way, as one of the creatures, bypassed Flame's shield, Ashton found himself parrying an ax with one of his curved daggers, before kicking the stomach of the 'Goblin' holding it with a booted foot. Whispering a spell of High Enchantment, Ashton felt his High Magic coat his blades to inflict unhealable wounds against any creature of Magic, giving him the confidence to counter his opponent's next attack with a swift roll and a series of strikes of his own, knowing that if he can inflict even one wound on the 'Goblin's body, it'd most likely be crippling.

Flame, meanwhile, had drawn his Perfected Electrum Bow and was aiming at the 'Goblin' which was his opponent. Whispering a spell of Prenatural Calmness in order to banish all distraction from his mind, he allowed the creature to attack the shield of energy which he set - All the more time to ready and fire the Bolt of Light which, amplified by his weapon, would strike the creature's rotten heart and disintegrate the body around it. Once he had dispatched the enemy which had tried to take him on in single combat, he'd look to see if Ashton had done so with his own challenger.

The other boy's enchanting grin, as well as the smoldering ruin of what was presumably the monster who had tried to take him on, confirmed that yes, his boyfriend had dealt with his mysterious opponent. So Flame asked next, "These things are magic and not just some weird science which looks like magic, right? If so, what type?"

Ashton didn't know what to tell Flame, except that, "I myself don't know - I think whoever summoned these pricks is also capable of hiding Magic as I can. Either way, keep up your barriers, there might be -"

A laser bolt struck Flame's shield, staggering the other boy slightly forward. Ashton sighed, sheathed his blades, then thrust out his palm at one of the VTOLs, sending a gust of wind strong enough to shake it - Aerokinesis. He then looked at the VTOL and said, making sure the crew had a clear reading of his lips, "That was a warning shot. Do not try and harm my boyfriend."

Then looking at Flame, Ashton spoke, "Anyway, the fact that these are Goblins means that it must be a Human or someone conversant with Human myth and legend summoning them. A Human with Magic either means a Loyalist like Crowley," he spat the name with contempt, "Or an Adult with Magic like that mercenary Nero, Iris, and Samuel spoke about."

Flame cast a Cone of Silence around the two, knowing but not caring that this made them look suspicious, before saying, "Or someone with a magical item like Mr. Winterborn - Remember his sword?"

Ashton nodded, even as Flame's shields withstood another shot - This time a tungsten shell from a Railgun. Then he said, "I wonder sometimes about that sword. I rarely got to see it in action, but I saw enough to know that it is a Kaisoken, one which willingly fought its own kind. I wonder what its motives were for that?"

"Mr. Winterborn himself is a noble person," Ashton said, "And if not for the fact that the mysterious mercenary was able to cast spells of his own, I'd assume the latter was like him, someone with a magic item. And from all accounts, the merc did have magic items as well as the ability to cast spells." The boy then paused to thrust out his palm again, causing a gust of wind to sweep more snipers of a nearby roof. "This means that the Ascendancy if they are the ones who employed the mercenary, must have more magical resources than we do - That we are not the last of our kind."

"As if we'd be the last of our kind anyway," Flame said, "The Ascendancy is in full possession of the resources to make more Star Marines - To torture more kids like us." He then fired a few warning shots at several Tayanen in armored shells who were walking towards them with riot shields in hand. "If we don't stop them, they'll just torture more kids or draft adults to enforce their tyranny on everyone." He frowned, "And so we will stop them."

@Letter Bee@Th3King0fChaos@The Man Emperor@Landaus Five-One@FalloutJack@Conscripts@dragonpiece@Starlance@jdh97@6slyboy6

Innocence Lost - A Science Fantasy RP [v.03]

This RP is still going strong after 8 months!

S̴T̴O̴R̴M̴C̴L̴O̴A̴K̴ : Rise of Tyranny (Interest Gathering)

@Shu Ah so there's a power vacuum going on in Cyrodil right now? INNNNNTERESTING! *totally not plotting to become the next Emperor*

@Double

<Snipped quote by Double>

AHEM! A story for another day. ;)

@Shu

You can be the next Emperor? Or try to eventually become one? Cool.

S̴T̴O̴R̴M̴C̴L̴O̴A̴K̴ : Rise of Tyranny (Interest Gathering)

I am interested.

Potential Iliad City Rework

-Moved to PMs-

Innocence Lost - A Science Fantasy RP [v.03]

Windsor and his Crew - Present Day

Windsor was incognito, continuing to work in Aisha's ship as a regular crewman. The duties continued to shift as the Captain grew more confident in her ability to treat the youth as her subordinate, although technically she was still his'. As for the rest of their crew, they still didn't know what to make of it, and she heard whispers of how this was some sort of 'game' for the CEO. So one day, Aisha decided to go to where Windsor was chatting with a Korta member of her crew, and bluntly say, "Will. We need to talk, now. Alone, please. And no, it isn't a date."

She looked at the Korta crewmember as she said that. Either way, she gestured for Windsor to accompany her outside, to where the ship was docked inside the Queen Elizabeth's hangar, and towards a Food Crawler which, though smaller than the ones in the Galactic Bazaar, was still large enough for them to have a meal inside in relative privacy. After paying for the food, Aisha looked at Windsor and said, "As your personal pilot and caretaker, I have to say this: Game's over. You've been 'slumming it' with us long enough without telling us why. And please don't give me that bs about wanting to know how life for us is - It's flipping condescending. So tell me, why don't you go back to your life of wealth and luxury and leave us alone?"

Windsor almost snapped, saying, "It's not all it's cut out to be. Before I inherited the Fleet, there is a designated part of the ship where no one can go in and out, a part of the ship with artificial parks and rivers and streams surrounding a luxurious suite of rooms where the person inside is provided with everything they wanted - Except the right to leave. A golden, gilded cage that you must not leave 'for your own protection. And the worst part is that one did need to be protected, that there are threats outside who would use the desire of the caged bird to leave, to see the world, as an opportunity to take him away for a fate worse than death."

He breathed in and out, "I love my mother. She did what was needed. But I hate what she did, which was keep me locked up in that gilded cage, with only a few servants and my books for company, with very rare public appearances to reassure people that I am alive and fit for inheriting the Trading Fleet - But not too fit, because if I even show one moment of genius, I'd be taken away. Now tell me, is it even fair? To have the Ascendancy force this choice on my mother and me?"

Two bowls of soup were served by a Tayanen server, and Windsor began eating a few spoonfuls from his bowl out of courtesy. Then he looked at Aisha and said, "I hate the Ascendancy. I hate injustice. Just because you're rich doesn't mean you cannot be a victim - I learned that full well."

After a few seconds to let his words sink in, Windsor got up and said, "I'm resigning from your crew, by the way. If you don't want me, then you don't want me - I'm not going to demote you from the position of personal pilot, though. I promoted you to that fair and square. Goodbye, Pilot Ibrahim."

And with that, he walked to the door of the Food Crawler, waiting for the vehicle to stop. And once it did so, he walked out, calling his security personnel to send a small groundcar to pick him up. If they wanted him back in his cage, if he was really maladapted for life outside it... Well, flip them for refusing to let him learn.

Innocence Lost - A Science Fantasy RP [v.03]

GM Post - Ashton and Flame

Ashton and Flame, having had their laserdiscs and a few musical instruments delivered to the Xuanzang, were now looking for a place to catch up with Jude, having decided to accompany him home to the Xuanzang.

Then they saw the pillar of white fire from some distance away and Flame said, "Damnit. It's either us, the Ascendancy, or miscellaneous terrorists. Either way, we need to warn the others - Ashton?!"

His boyfriend was already looking at the pillar, a bad idea considering the fact that it could be radioactive, and taking a moment to concentrate, a long moment to use Supernal Vision. Then he said to Flame, "It's World Magic, but much amplified as if someone pumped in a lot of Mana." His face turned firm as he said, "Let's go - Maybe we can do something."

As he began running towards the source of the danger, Flame, already activating his 'Prenatural Calmness' spell (he had taken that instead of a Nuking spell - That can be learned later) said using the telepathic link being lent to them, <Maria! Are you here? Tell me what's happening with the pillar of fire! Also, send a message to every one of our crew in the Bazaar to rendezvous in the Pillar of Fire!>

Just in case Maria was somehow incapacitated, Flame would also send a voicemail to his' and the others' omni-tools, saying, "There's a Pillar of Fire in Sector North! One of us is at fault! Help us put it out and then flee the Bazaar at once - Security will not look kindly on what we're going to do!"

Ashton, meanwhile, was making a few automated purchases, ones which relied on his Omni-tool and access to autonomous delivery drones. One of the latter flew overhead and dropped three hoverscooters/airspeeders in front of them, which both kids hopped on and began driving towards the flaming pillar (it was up to Jude if he wanted his'). The second purchase, meanwhile, would be dropped off at where the Pillar of Fire was, and contain several containers of high-grade fire-extinguishing foam which was resistant to radiation as well.

"Maria!" Ashton said, before shifting to the borrowed telepathic link, <We just ordered several containers of high-grade fire extinguisher - The type which can put out flaming lava - Dropped off to the site of the incident! Are you okay?> Then shifting gears to talk to Jude and Finbarr in his mind, Ashton added, <Jude, we might need the Stasis power if I remember right about you having it, while as for you, Finbarr, we're going to need an escape route back to the ship as soon as possible, so rendezvous with us so we can flee!>

Why were they going to flee again? Because Bazaar Security in gunships and old-fashioned ground vehicles (which were cheaper and less vulnerable to counterattack than hovering speeders), was already flying towards Alan and the pillar of fire, saying, "Attention! Attention! You kids are under arrest for Suspected Terrorism and Unauthorized Magic Use!"

@Letter Bee@Th3King0fChaos@The Man Emperor@Landaus Five-One@FalloutJack@Conscripts@dragonpiece@Starlance@jdh97@6slyboy6

Innocence Lost - A Science Fantasy RP [v.03]

Ashton and Flame - The Galactic Bazaar

Ashton and Flame sent a message to Nero and Laurey through omni-tool text, saying simply, Hey, you two! We’re going to the bazaar to look for some bootleg Earth Music - J-Pop, Classical, and Heavy Metal! Want to come with?

PS: We might try and enter Korta Stock Markets next - They have their own Stock Exchange and Corporations and have had them even during their vassalage. Won’t that be fun?

The message bleeped inside Laurey’s mind as she lay, spaced out, on a crate in the Cargo Bay. The Mech towered over her. Avelyn, where had she gone? Oh well.

Music? Yeah, that’s what she needed. Something to really transport her. And Stock Markets… that seemed important, like something sober Laurey wanted to know about.

So came her reply: “You know it!”

It’s funny, because at the time, Nero was actually trying to figure out what the hell he could spend several million credits on besides ‘the best goddamn chainsaw in the world. That was still bookmarked, but while he was seeing about maybe finding some really good low-profile armor online before hitting the bazaar, a message appeared!

Ah stupid pop-ups… Always when I’m- Oh wait. Nah, this is legit.

After all, he didn’t usually get messages from people who were...you know...in the same ship as him. But since they’d landed at the Bazaar now, that probably made it a bit more necessary. He wasn’t sure about Classical music. Some people swore by it. Nero’s eyebrow DID go up at J-Pop and Heavy Metal. He didn’t know Metal as much as the other, ‘cause...you know...orphan Japanese boy, buuut he was curious, so he sent a -Sure, why the hell not?- in reply and also needed to know their location.

The response was, We’re still near the ship’s airlock, waiting for you guys. After that, we’re going to the hangar and taking a Food Crawler so we can have breakfast, while also heading for the Main Bazaar where we can go to an obscure but good music shop in the northern section of the superstructure. By the way, the two of us are paying.

“Double neat!” Laurey messaged back, swinging herself upright and almost toppling straight over again, “Thanks guys. I’ll make my way there.” Despite having just gone shopping, it wasn’t that daunting to go again, and there was breakfast. Can’t argue with breakfast.

”Eh?”

They wanted to pay? But weren’t they all…? Ah, he’d explain it to ‘em in person. Nero would show up at the airlock in basic casuals, then. Still armed, of course, but mainly stuff in his pockets so it’s not so obvious. Not that it was gonna be an issue where being taken by surprise was concerned. With the way he’d upgraded, the young assassin was feeling pretty good about handling shit right now. Besides the fact, teaching a basic novice like Laurey kind of underlined how frigging cool he was, so bonus ego boost! Thanks to all that, well, it’s not like the boy was in any sort of sour mood as he broke the confusion to the pair by the airlock.

”How come you guys wanna pay the way when I could spend literal years trying to figure out what to do with all those credits?”

Ashton blinked at that and said, “Well, we invited you, so it’d be rude to ask you guys to pay -”

Flame sighed and said, “Ashton, we should probably get to the food crawler - That and I do have some ideas on how Nero can spend his money.” He looked at Nero, “Basically, once all this is over, why don’t you buy a farm, as well as settle down with the… Partner of your choice? Or if that’s boring, why not learn how to be a gunsmith?”

The Food Crawler in question, a gigantic restaurant on wheels, was quickly approaching. Perhaps it’s time to get out of the ship?

Yeah, Nero would be leaving to flag that sucker down while they were walking and talking. He’d given the duo kind of an incredulous stare. You know, the whole ‘You serious?’ look.

”Ya gotta be kidding me. Farming? Gunsmitching? Putting aside the part about ‘partner’, although a girl who can keep up’d be nice, you just said two things I’m definitely no good at. I spent the war killing plants with knives. I mean, c’mon, Flame. Literally the worst guy to do those things. I’d be a better...uhhh....hey, computer: What’s that prize-fighter wrestler with a mask?”

The Omnitool replied ”Luchadore.”, and he nodded, going ”That.”.

At this point Laurey arrived, dressed in her tatty and curry-stained clothing (the only set she had besides the Ascendancy uniform and her brand-spanking-new overalls). She did not seem to notice, or care.

“Fellas,” she nodded to the three. They had nice auras, purple-green lights dancing about them. She shook her head. “You ready to eat until our stomachs burst?”

“Yes!” Ashton said, while Flame thought about Nero being a Luchadore and nodded to show his approval for the idea.

Minor Timeskip

This food cart had a wider variety of food than the last one, and quite a bit of Earth food too, such as steaks and ribs and salads and vegetable soups. Also fresh fruits grown in greenhouses on the Bazaar, such as plums and apples and oranges and grapes. Then Flame said, “You guys want to know something potentially gross? Some Rau’ve bodies are edible, just like fruits and vegetables. Rau’ve can also grow fruit and flowers, too, and those are edible as well.”

“Gee, Flame,” Ashton said to his boyfriend, “You could have made me lose last night’s dinner right now, you know that?”

“Same goes for humans,” Laurey said, wearing a dramatically grim look, “doesn’t mean you’ll catch me chowing down.”

Yes, they were enjoying a great deal of foods to feast on, aaand when Flame brought up the subject of eating Rau’ve, there was...sort of a cough or a grunt of some kinda’ noise from Nero’s direction. It sounded a little...like embarrassment.

”So uhh...I may’ve actually figured that part out… I was a bit low on rations, and it wasn’t cannibalism, so...”

It was also a bit of trial and error, because there were also parts that weren’t edible.

Ashton twitched as Flame said, “To be honest, if it’s flowers and seedless fruits, it’s no less different than eating hair or fingernails. Still gross, but not cannibalism -”

“Okay,” Ashton said, “Let’s talk about something else.” He looked at all three of his companions and said, “My father is a fencing teacher, and by fencing, I mean swordfighting, and by sword fighting, I don’t mean the pretty stuff with rapiers and sabers. My dad knows how to use a longsword, like the one that Crow guy kept waving around, only not Perfected Electrum. He taught me and my adoptive brother a few tricks, too.”

Flame looked at Ashton and said, “That Arthur kid?”

Ashton smiled and said, “Yes, Arthur, my brother. We found him trying to take shelter from the rain - We didn’t ask why he was running away - And then we took him in and adoption was surprisingly smooth due to me being able to afford the right bribes. He fast became my dad’s finest student and was teaching him new tricks after a time.”

He then stood up from his seat and began to demonstrate a few poses and stances, not caring about what the other customers thought. Laurey clapped for the little display. If Nero gave it a thought, those were nigh-identical to Blue Crow’s fighting style when the latter eventually decided to ‘get serious’ instead of just throwing magic around...

“Nero’s been teaching me how to fight,” Laurey said as she chewed something wholly unsentient, “Not with a sword though.”

”Yeah, with proper fists and that.”, continued Nero, swallowing so he became a bit more intelligible. He had noticed the similarity in the stance from the Crow guy when he started fighting properly. Really, the boy had been a little more interested in the sword itself, but hey, he was observant.

”This father of yours have like a student that he expelled or something? That merc kinda’ fought like that. Not like really well, but I did get rushed when he launched out from the wall.”

Ashton said, “He taught for money - Gave courses lasting for years and made a few dozen apprentices in addition to his students. I was his best, though… And Arthur was better.” He sighed, “I miss them. I miss my family.”

Flame said, “So, what about your mother, Ashton?”

Ashton perked up again and said, “Well, she was a mechanic. A mechanic for sports cars. Also did the family expenses. I wonder how they’re doing, how they must be worried about me - At least the Ascendancy didn’t take Arthur, though… Maybe they thought I was the bigger pain.”

Nero sat back a bit. His capacity for food was reaching its limit.

”I don’t know or care for family. Yours have been fine, but mine are a pair of right fucks, so the hell with ‘em.”

Always a sensitive topic, in a way. Nero’s parents were on his list of people that he wanted dead, somewhere after the ascendancy commanders who’d started the Star Marine project and that of the soldiers - any who survived, that is - who brought him in when the orphanage basically sold him to them. Come to think of it, if those people weren’t sort of taking care of some other kids up shit creek like him, he’d off them too. Maybe he’d kick them around a little. Wasn’t sure. Point is, Nero had no love of family. They fucked up his life long before the Ascendancy ever got the chance. He didn’t like the subject, but he had no problem talking about his hatred for them. This was obviously part of the reason he was so standoffish. Where would he gain the trust of anyone in his life? Nowhere, that’s where.

“Hear hear,” Laurey said, raising a glass of blue ice wine in toast, “To family, can’t live with them, can’t live without them. No, shit, can’t be born without them. Without your parents.” A pause and a wry smile, “Fuck them. To us, and the infinite potentials of suffering and solace born unto us.” She finished off the last of her drink.

Once the food was over - Obviously, it was paid for beforehand - Ashton and Flame led the way towards the interior of the Galactic Bazaar, where they eventually entered a shop filled with musical instruments and old laserdiscs ran by an old Korta, who greeted the four and said, “Wolf Cub! Fire-boy! Glad to see you - I just got a few new pieces of Old Earth Music you guys might like!”

He then looked at Nero and Laurey, asking, “New friends? Don’t worry, I won’t pry!”

This was one of those off-to-the-side and out-of-the-way spots, as opposed to the guy shouting for business at a vendor spot marked ‘Akbar’s Emporium’ a ways back. Strange little man, that one. Anyway, this shop had a whole helluva lot that was music, ranging from instruments that Nero might be interested in messing with, here and there, to musics of all kinds and in all forms. At the mention of him and Laurey, the young assassin just shrugged and went ”Yeah, basically.”, and returned to looking around. He wasn’t completely ignorant of music. He just didn’t really own much, so certain things would get his attention. Laurey gazed at the metaphorical candy, a child.

Just as the Korta had greeted his new customers, another entered the shop, though they were not as human as the rest. Jude had been tasked with checking in on those who were spending their time and recently acquired credits down at the Galactic Bazaar. Jude didn't have any interest in spending their portion, browsing the wares of the market or even really leaving their room, but they'd long since stopped refusing direct orders from anyone in a position of authority, so off to the shops they went. After sweeping a few of the bigger stores, this particular shop caught their eye. They were a music lover, and hey, everyone was really so it couldn't hurt too bad to check for the crew in here. At the least it'd be less than a waste of time than that stupid Akbar's Emporium.

Miraculously, Jude ended up picking correctly. First they spotted Nero, then Laurey, Ashton and Flame too. They cursed their luck at not having time to browse, and approached the group. "I was told to make sure you were all fine. Are you?"

Holy moly. An eidolon of the future man had arrived from the future, man. Laurey’s mouth ran away with her, “Are you a messenger of the Great Machine?” Her face glittered like smashed glass.

A disappointed sigh escaped Jude's 'mouth,' even as Laurey's face beamed in excitement. "I am not an AI. I was human. This metal shell is just, what the Ascendancy made me, I guess. I would appreciate it if you didn't call me a robot." Jude said, their voice carrying the slight sadness their face could not. "You're… Laurey, right? I think I've seen you around. I recognize one of the guys over there too." Jude mentioned, pointing to Ashton. "Are you all with Moonstrike? Like I said, I was just checking in."

“That’s odd, I’ve never seen you,” was all she said, before letting the others deal with the not-robot. She hid her disappointment in the meticulous study of the music.

“Jude!” Ashton said as he waved at the big guy, “Glad to see you - The higher-ups allowed you to finally join us, it seems?”

Flame then introduced Jude to Laurey, “Laurey, this is Jude - He’s one of us, experimented on more… Comprehensively than usual by our old tormentors.” He then gave a rare smile and asked, “So, do you have a favored genre of music? This place sells obscure Earth songs...”

Nero looked over back at the new arrival who was being kinda’ obvious, openly talking about Moonstrike and all. Granted, the guy running this place was a friend of Ash and Flame’s, so he wouldn’t mind, but it was a bad idea to just open your yap about the rebel organization. The interaction between him and Laurey was also kinda’ weird, but then it was obvious that both of them were cybered up and...hang on a minute. Even as he was being introduced, Nero snapped his fingers.

”Now I remember. I saw you in combat once. Think I jumped off that helmet once into somebody’s guts. Nice swords.”

Jude wouldn’t recognize Nero right off because he wasn’t in his mask or any combat armor right now. The reverse was possible because the cyborg always looked the way he did now. Nevertheless, the instance of some Star Marine hopping off of his head and diving headfirst into someone to vibro into their body with vibroblades would be something he could easily recall.

Jude was a tad confused at how Ashton seemed happy to see them, at first, but then they were swept up into introductions and the like and didn't really have time to process all that. Flame was here as well, and approached Laurey and themself with Ashton, eager to introduce the two. Jude was glad he had got Laurey's name right, not much of a worse introduction than getting someone's name wrong, but they were far happier at Flame smiling at them and making pleasant small talk. If only those of Jude's old squad were as welcoming…

Before Jude could answer, though, the last person in the shop, who, again Jude thought they recognized something about, introduced himself. Apparently they had been in combat together, Nero vaulting off of Jude into someone they were currently fighting and disemboweling them.

"Thank you. For the help in that fight and the compliment. As for the music question… Um, well, I have kinda eccentric taste? Or, eclectic? I'd be interested in some softer rock music, stuff from around the start of the 21st century."

“We have those!” the Korta shopkeeper was in his element, “Let’s just say that during the ‘dark days’ of our vassalage, we made plenty of illegal contacts with illegal music sellers on Earth…”

@jdh97 @FalloutJack @Kafka Komedy