Letter Bee

Noble Arms - The ASEAN War

@SkyHresvelg has agreed to be my first Co-GM in Discord!

Noble Arms - The ASEAN War

Noble Arms - The ASEAN War

In the twilight of World War II, a mysterious power surfaced among select humans. This power, the Noble Arm, was the ability to conjure up a paranormal weapon that can defy the laws of physics, a weapon innate in the user's mind and summoned by their will into reality. For reasons that are still unexplainable despite years of research, Noble Arms only take the form of weapons from before the First World War, however, despite the antiquity of these forms, the power they bear to the battlefield is unlike anything modern technology has been able to produce.

• The ability to manipulate the elements to the user's will.
• Forces that can reduce matter down to atoms in seconds.
• The strength to withstand the explosion of a nuclear missile.

All of these powers, and more wondrous and terrifying abilities, come with Noble Arms. Thus, the ones who bear them, the Arms Masters, are sought after by countries all around the world. Where once the strength of a country was decided by the technological strength of their Army, it is now judged by the power of their Arms Masters.

But this state of affairs has produced sadness and strife; the world was just not prepared for the possibility of superhumans, people who just by existing, challenge the notion of equality between men. And so Arms Masters and Normal Humans live in an uneasy state of coexistence, with radicals on both sides wishing to shatter the peace and dominate one another.

Then, in the early decades of the 21st Century, the status quo shattered again, with three groups of beings, only one of them claiming to be part of Humanity as it is now, manifesting the ability to give Noble Arms to those who once lacked them, albeit under conditions which appeal only to the desperate. These factions, known as 'The Big Three' are:

The Big Three

The Seven Virtues - "Humanity can be more than it is now. Make it so." The Seven Virtues claim to be ascended Humans, Arms Masters who had transcended their mortal form and become something more. Now they seek to guide Humanity to a similar 'Ascension' by handing out Noble Arms from those Arms Masters who had died in the line of duty, or very rarely, creating new ones which had not been held by an Arms Master before. However, the Seven Virtues make one demand from those they empower: Give up their existing property, their wealth, and their posiition in society, and dedicate themselves to Humanity as a whole.

The Paragons of Science - "Humanity is the only concept worth worshipping." The Paragons of Science are a cabal of scientists who have mixed together actual scientific principles with the Occult to decipher part of what makes Noble Arms 'tick', enough to manufacture Artificial Noble Arms which can compete with the best of existing ones. However, they give these Artificial Arms only to those who can 1.) pay through the nose for them, or 2.) people who are willing to renounce 'throne and altar' to promote a future where Humanity rules over all of nature, and worships only itself.

The Downward Descent - "Freedom from Morality." The Downward Descent do not claim to be Human, but rather something more; the darkness of people's thoughts and inner desires made manifest, whispering the fulfilment of their darkest wishes. The Downward Descent want nothing more than Humanity to descend to a level lower than animals, to pull civilization down into ruins so that people would give up on being something more than what they were, to regard their hopes and dreams and aspirations as only so many lies and self-deceptions. And in exchange for indulging their wishes, the entities of the Downward Descent can give Noble Arms to anyone, not just the unpowered but also those who already have a Noble Arm; they are the only source of a Second Noble Arm, ever.

And all it takes is for you to renounce not just your soul, but actively endorse the very things you find most abominable in your heart and mind.

Their machinations have swept the old divisions out of the water, destroying the uneasy peace of the world as apocalytpic warfare breaks out all over it. China, once held at bay by the ASEAN countries, has rearmed and built - Literally built - an army of Arms Masters through vile procedures and is preparing to overrun Southeast Asia. The Philippines, once a bulwark against Chinese expansion, even elected a Pro-Chinese President, only for the latter to turn out to have sold out his own voters and their children to be trafficked to China and sacrificed to the Downward Descent, causing his swift overthrow and replacement with someone who isn't a Chinese puppet.

We all live in interesting times...

------

All right; I've tried running Noble Arms, TheHangedMan's RP idea, several times now, and tried to add my own spin on it once before. Now, I am trying again with my darkest RP yet.

This is a game where you play ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) or ASEAN-allied folk (US and European Volunteers) as OCs and China is the enemy. There will be both adult and child soldiers as Noble Arms are not selective and the situation is just that desperate. You are not limited to Arms Masters; people who use their own skills and technology are permitted as well.

And now, the meat of the lore.

Noble Arms

Noble Arms:

Noble Arms take the form of weaponry that were created before World War I - Each one of them has powerful abilities beyond normal human capacity, however they can only be used if they are released into reality by their user. Noble Arms exist in a kind of 'hyperspace' that is unique to its user and can be called from there - in essence, an Arms Master is always armed.

Noble Arms have an astonishingly versatile ability pool, from calling down fire, to strengthening the body, etc., and more often than not, possess more than one ability. However, similar to physical activity, using a Noble Arm is draining physically and more so mentally - Extended use of its abilities is much akin to overexerting yourself on both fronts, and as such, so much more fatal to overdo.

For the purposes of defining what a weapon is, a weapon is 'something crafted or shaped by human hands for the specific purpose of doing harm'. This also means that you can use a bunch of stone age flint knives, a wand, and yes, a staff as weapons.

Noble Arm Ratings:

Noble Arms are rated according to how valuable they are, and that value is determined using two factors: Rarity of effect, and military usage. The strength of a Noble Arm is thus determined by how many military and police countermeasures are in place. The rankings go from F to A. There exist Noble Arms that change strength depending on the situation, and are added with the additional "+" symbol.

Examples of determining rank and its effects is:

- A Noble Arm Capable of strengthening its user is common, and can easily be countered by police officers with proper ordinance, and thus, merits an E rank, its user is not notable to the government and subsequently ignored.

- On the other hand, a Noble Arm capable of creating explosions in the atmosphere is uncommon and dangerous, as such, the user must undergo a government registration form and be placed under mild scrutiny. The Noble Arm in question will merit a C or B rank.

- Finally, there are Noble Arms that can achieve effects akin to nuclear explosions. Such Noble Arms are both rare and extremely dangerous to countries at large. Its user will be under constant surveillance and limits will be placed on the usage of their Noble Arm. Such Noble Arms are always rated A.

Differences from IRL and the Original

- The Association of Southeast Asian Nations is considerably more militarized and economically than IRL, with a joint military command and coordination between their best Arms Masters.
- The IRL President of the Philippines got booted out for collaboration with China. Same for the IRL Vice President. The Philippines is now led by a 'Government of National Salvation' chaired by an Original Character.
- After some thought, another OC (Democratic) is the President of the US instead of anyone IRL.
- Indonesia has been caught flat-footed by China's new militaristic mood, and while it remains Democratic, its military (both Army and Navy) are rising in power once again, although its President is still canny enough to balance out competing interests.

Character Sheet

[center][b]Appearance:[/b] (Picture preferred, although written descriptions are good too. Also, please included miscellaneous information such as height and weight.)[/center]

[b]Name:[/b]

[b]Age:[/b]

[b]Nationality:[/b]

[b]Noble Arm Name & Appearance:[/b]

[b]Noble Arm Rank:[/b] (E, D, C, and B. With special exceptions permitted by the GM and Co-GM, No A Rank Arms are allowed without GM Permission. You can also add a '+' to your Rank, which signifies that your NA's power can temporarily go above 'normal'.)

[b]Noble Arm Type, Element, and Range:[/b] (Is your Noble Arm Support/Melee/Ranged, or some other? What Element or Concept are they themed on? Are they close-range, mid-range, or long-range or all of them?)

[b]Noble Arm Abilities:[/b] (No maximum number, however, try and be sensible about this. Just because you [i]can[/i] doesn't mean you [i]should[/i], also be as detailed as you can, especially on its strengths, weaknesses, and effects.)

[b]Misc Abilities:[/b] What are your other talents?

[b]Personality:[/b]

[b]*Likes:[/b]

[b]*Dislikes:[/b]

[b]Fears:[/b]

[b]Bio:[/b]

[b]*Current Goal:[/b]

[b]Military or Civilian Rank:[/b]

*Optional

Rules

1.) Cooperative storytelling comes first. You are not here to godmode by gaming/breaking the system to make yourself as powerful as possible. You are not here to use your powers to brute-force all obstacles the GM brings before you, or use sophistry, psychological tricks, or 'mental influence magic' to win every diplomatic confrontation. If you find 'Storygaming' an ugly word, this is not the RP for you.
2.) Nor does an angsty backstory that fits various 'story beats' make your character good if their purpose is to defeat everyone and establish themselves as superior top dogs and otherwise make it an arms race with the GM on who can godmode more. If you're not going to use your angsty backstory to make a good story, this is not the RP for you.
3.) That said, powerful characters and angsty backstories are permitted, as long as they are made by players who are willing to cooperate with each other and the GM to make a good dynamic story that isn't just 'X overpowers Y' by bending the rules so far they break, violating the spirit of said rules, and (to quote Dave Brookshaw of Onyx Path publishing) of course, common sense.
4.) I am not as lenient as TheHangedMan. If you cannot obey the prior three rules, you don't need to respond to this thread at all; there are other games for you.
5.) Do not be an asshole.
6.) Post length is five sentences minimum, but longer posts are encouraged, of course. GMs are also bound by this rule.
7.) Characters are supposed to start out at B-Rank - Sorry for not adding this earlier. Note that exceptions can be made for one (two at the most) players who can be trusted to control themselves and not powergame when it weakens the story.
8.) 1 US Dollar is 55 Philippine Pesos - Remember this when you spend money.

Noble Arms - The ASEAN War Test Version

Noble Arms - The ASEAN War

In the twilight of World War II, a mysterious power surfaced among select humans. This power, the Noble Arm, was the ability to conjure up a paranormal weapon that can defy the laws of physics, a weapon innate in the user's mind and summoned by their will into reality. For reasons that are still unexplainable despite years of research, Noble Arms only take the form of weapons from before the First World War, however, despite the antiquity of these forms, the power they bear to the battlefield is unlike anything modern technology has been able to produce.

• The ability to manipulate the elements to the user's will.
• Forces that can reduce matter down to atoms in seconds.
• The strength to withstand the explosion of a nuclear missile.

All of these powers, and more wondrous and terrifying abilities, come with Noble Arms. Thus, the ones who bear them, the Arms Masters, are sought after by countries all around the world. Where once the strength of a country was decided by the technological strength of their Army, it is now judged by the power of their Arms Masters.

But this state of affairs has produced sadness and strife; the world was just not prepared for the possibility of superhumans, people who just by existing, challenge the notion of equality between men. And so Arms Masters and Normal Humans lived in an uneasy state of coexistence, with radicals on both sides wishing to shatter the peace and dominate one another.

Then, in the early decades of the 21st Century, the status quo shattered again, with three groups of beings, only one of them claiming to be part of Humanity as it is now, manifesting the ability to give Noble Arms to those who once lacked them, albeit under conditions which appeal only to the desperate. These factions, known as 'The Big Three' are:

The Big Three

The Seven Virtues - "Humanity can be more than it is now. Make it so." The Seven Virtues claim to be ascended Humans, Arms Masters who had transcended their mortal form and become something more. Now they seek to guide Humanity to a similar 'Ascension' by handing out Noble Arms from those Arms Masters who had died in the line of duty, or very rarely, creating new ones which had not been held by an Arms Master before. However, the Seven Virtues make one demand from those they empower: Give up their existing property, their wealth, and their posiition in society, and dedicate themselves to Humanity as a whole.

The Paragons of Science - "Humanity is the only concept worth worshipping." The Paragons of Science are a cabal of scientists who have mixed together actual scientific principles with the Occult to decipher part of what makes Noble Arms 'tick', enough to manufacture Artificial Noble Arms which can compete with the best of existing ones. However, they give these Artificial Arms only to those who can 1.) pay through the nose for them, or 2.) people who are willing to renounce 'throne and altar' to promote a future where Humanity rules over all of nature, and worships only itself.

The Downward Descent - "Freedom from Morality." The Downward Descent do not claim to be Human, but rather something more; the darkness of people's thoughts and inner desires made manifest, whispering the fulfilment of their darkest wishes. The Downward Descent want nothing more than Humanity to descend to a level lower than animals, to pull civilization down into ruins so that people would give up on being something more than what they were, to regard their hopes and dreams and aspirations as only so many lies and self-deceptions. And in exchange for indulging their wishes, the entities of the Downward Descent can give Noble Arms to anyone, not just the unpowered but also those who already have a Noble Arm; they are the only source of a Second Noble Arm, ever.

And all it takes is for you to renounce not just your soul, but actively endorse the very things you find most abominable in your heart and mind.

Their machinations have swept the old divisions out of the water, destroying the uneasy peace of the world as apocalytpic warfare breaks out all over it. China, once held at bay by the ASEAN countries, has rearmed and built - Literally built - an army of Arms Masters through vile procedures and is preparing to overrun Southeast Asia. The Philippines, once a bulwark against Chinese expansion, even elected a Pro-Chinese President, only for the latter to turn out to have sold out his own voters and their children to be trafficked to China and sacrificed to the Downward Descent, causing his swift overthrow and replacement with someone who isn't a Chinese puppet.

We all live in interesting times...

------

All right; I've tried running Noble Arms, TheHangedMan's RP idea, several times now, and tried to add my own spin on it once before. Now, I am trying again with my darkest RP yet.

This is a game where you play ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) or ASEAN-allied folk (US and European Volunteers) as OCs and China is the enemy. There will be both adult and child soldiers as Noble Arms are not selective and the situation is just that desperate. You are not limited to Arms Masters; people who use their own skills and technology are permitted as well.

And now, the meat of the lore.

Noble Arms

Noble Arms:

Noble Arms take the form of weaponry that were created before World War I - Each one of them has powerful abilities beyond normal human capacity, however they can only be used if they are released into reality by their user. Noble Arms exist in a kind of 'hyperspace' that is unique to its user and can be called from there - in essence, an Arms Master is always armed.

Noble Arms have an astonishingly versatile ability pool, from calling down fire, to strengthening the body, etc., and more often than not, possess more than one ability. However, similar to physical activity, using a Noble Arm is draining physically and more so mentally - Extended use of its abilities is much akin to overexerting yourself on both fronts, and as such, so much more fatal to overdo.

For the purposes of defining what a weapon is, a weapon is 'something crafted or shaped by human hands for the specific purpose of doing harm'. This also means that you can use a bunch of stone age flint knives, a wand, and yes, a staff as weapons.

Noble Arm Ratings:

Noble Arms are rated according to how valuable they are, and that value is determined using two factors: Rarity of effect, and military usage. The strength of a Noble Arm is thus determined by how many military and police countermeasures are in place. The rankings go from F to A. There exist Noble Arms that change strength depending on the situation, and are added with the additional "+" symbol.

Examples of determining rank and its effects is:

- A Noble Arm Capable of strengthening its user is common, and can easily be countered by police officers with proper ordinance, and thus, merits an E rank, its user is not notable to the government and subsequently ignored.

- On the other hand, a Noble Arm capable of creating explosions in the atmosphere is uncommon and dangerous, as such, the user must undergo a government registration form and be placed under mild scrutiny. The Noble Arm in question will merit a C or B rank.

- Finally, there are Noble Arms that can achieve effects akin to nuclear explosions. Such Noble Arms are both rare and extremely dangerous to countries at large. Its user will be under constant surveillance and limits will be placed on the usage of their Noble Arm. Such Noble Arms are always rated A.

Differences from IRL and the Original

- The Association of Southeast Asian Nations is considerably more militarized and economically linked than IRL, with a joint military command and coordination between their best Arms Masters.
- The IRL President of the Philippines got booted out for collaboration with China. Same for the IRL Vice President. The Philippines is now led by a 'Government of National Salvation' chaired by an Original Character.
- After some thought, another OC (Democratic) is the President of the US instead of anyone IRL.
- Indonesia has been caught flat-footed by China's new militaristic mood, and while it remains Democratic, its military (both Army and Navy) are rising in power once again, although its President is still canny enough to balance out competing interests.

Character Sheet

[center][b]Appearance:[/b] (Picture preferred, although written descriptions are good too. Also, please included miscellaneous information such as height and weight.)[/center]

[b]Name:[/b]

[b]Age:[/b]

[b]Nationality:[/b]

[b]Noble Arm Name & Appearance:[/b]

[b]Noble Arm Rank:[/b] (E, D, C, and B. With special exceptions permitted by the GM and Co-GM, No A Rank Arms are allowed without GM Permission. You can also add a '+' to your Rank, which signifies that your NA's power can temporarily go above 'normal'.)

[b]Noble Arm Type, Element, and Range:[/b] (Is your Noble Arm Support/Melee/Ranged, or some other? What Element or Concept are they themed on? Are they close-range, mid-range, or long-range or all of them?)

[b]Noble Arm Abilities:[/b] (No maximum number, however, try and be sensible about this. Just because you [i]can[/i] doesn't mean you [i]should[/i], also be as detailed as you can, especially on its strengths, weaknesses, and effects.)

[b]Misc Abilities:[/b] What are your other talents?

[b]Personality:[/b]

[b]*Likes:[/b]

[b]*Dislikes:[/b]

[b]Fears:[/b]

[b]Bio:[/b]

[b]*Current Goal:[/b]

[b]Student Rank:[/b]

*Optional

Rules

1.) Cooperative storytelling comes first. You are not here to godmode by gaming/breaking the system to make yourself as powerful as possible. You are not here to use your powers to brute-force all obstacles the GM brings before you, or use sophistry, psychological tricks, or 'mental influence magic' to win every diplomatic confrontation. If you find 'Storygaming' an ugly word, this is not the RP for you.
2.) Nor does an angsty backstory that fits various 'story beats' make your character good if their purpose is to defeat everyone and establish themselves as superior top dogs and otherwise make it an arms race with the GM on who can godmode more. If you're not going to use your angsty backstory to make a good story, this is not the RP for you.
3.) That said, powerful characters and angsty backstories are permitted, as long as they are made by players who are willing to cooperate with each other and the GM to make a good dynamic story that isn't just 'X overpowers Y' by bending the rules so far they break, violating the spirit of said rules, and (to quote Dave Brookshaw of Onyx Path publishing) of course, common sense.
4.) I am not as lenient as TheHangedMan. If you cannot obey the prior three rules, you don't need to respond to this thread at all; there are other games for you.
5.) Do not be an asshole.
6.) Post length is five sentences minimum, but longer posts are encouraged, of course. GMs are also bound by this rule.
7.) Characters are supposed to start out at B-Rank - Sorry for not adding this earlier. Note that exceptions can be made for one (two at the most) players who can be trusted to control themselves and not powergame when it weakens the story.
8.) 1 US Dollar is 55 Philippine Pesos - Remember this when you spend money.

Royal Rumble: Rumble over the Heavens

Erisse Augusta Narrativia

Erisse was beside Duke in an instant, Narrative Round of Familiarity activated right away. In her hands, she held an Anti-Materiel Rifle, which the woman apparently knew how to shoot.

"This kid must have gotten some illegal steroids or Demonic help, or both," the woman said, "I know how to deal with this."

And she fired at the rogue student's arms and legs, each shot enough to pulverize a normal limb into powder. Some would think this callous, as she was an adult and the kid was, well, a kid. But callous or not, Erisse was sensing that something truly vile was afoot and that she had to cripple this rogue student/fighter before he harmed any other person. And if that kid can regenerate his wounds anyway, well, that meant that she had no responsibility to hold back.

"You know," she spoke, unable to hear her own words because she put on earphones beforehand, "Maybe that Suzakura kid was right and I should be doing this in a swimsuit..."

She then belatedly handed Duke a set of earmuffs, "Earmuffs?"

@Dezuel@Scarifar@AtomicNut@KillamriX88@Spin The Wheel@Crowvette

Mechwarrior: Disposable Heroes

Raven Rivers

Raven focused on preparing himself and his mech for the coming battle; he could not mope around lest that loses him a chance to save Katrina and Andrew. But at the same time, he just didn't feel he can get along with anyone else right now; the Captain was burying his own feelings in his duties to the rest of them, while the rest were clearly opposed to treating this as a situation where they had to win hearts and minds. Well, all except the noblewoman, Dashcke, right? And she had a stick up her own ass.

Nevertheless, Raven went to see her as she maintained her mech, swallowing his revulsion at talking to anyone right now and trying to memorize his etiquette lessons, knowing full well he was likely to flub some stuff up and offend the noblewoman who thought that her presence was God's blessing on Earth.

Walking towards Lady Dashcke, Raven gave a deep bow of respect and said, "A moment of your time, Your Grace?" Was that even the right term? Or did I commit a faux pas? The Mechwarrior then followed up with, "I need to thank you for partly considering my side earlier in the meeting, about how this is a battle for hearts and minds, although I don't know if there is any other solution but to threaten unarmed truck drivers in order to get what we need for our continued survival."

He then sighed, "I also wish to talk about the blase attitude of my fellow team members to the people of this planet, just because they were throwing protests at our force, which in turn was because we were representatives of a power they hated and which we secretly hate as well, to the point where my esteemed teammates want to see said people back under the Capellan yoke. Will you be willing to oblige me, Your Grace?"

Raven was clearly outraged and disturbed by what he had seen earlier in the meeting, and hoped that the noblewoman would provide a sympathetic ear, a sympathetic ear which he needed right now, and if refused to him, he'd just seek elsewhere...

Royal Rumble: Rumble over the Heavens

Greece could still exist, but the greek gods wouldn't necessarily be greek gods. Every culture probably has different names for all the gods. Though if the god was in greece then he'd probably refer to himself with a greek name.

@Spin The Wheel

I mean, this setting isn't Earth.

Royal Rumble: Rumble over the Heavens

@MagusDream, Greece does not exist in this setting.

Royal Rumble: Rumble over the Heavens

Ken

Something alarmed Ken about Rev just then, something in his words or his tone or how he looked at them now. He knew it, he wasn't the best at communicating, the best at socializing, but what Rev was manifesting right now was startling, a nigh-imperceptible but still existent change that brought a chill to the boy's heart.

Ken did not want to confront Rev in his own home, not after what had just passed between the three of them - Well now two if Chinami was leaving. But he could feel it, the beginnings of a chill borne out of disappointment which would eventually wither and pervert whatever had been formed by the battle against Nightman. If this chill was allowed to continue, to take root inside Reverio Galand's heart, it would cause not just the destruction of any chance of friendship, but it would turn them into enemies.

He didn't want that. But how would he stop it? Rev was a person who preferred his own opinions above all and obliviously distrusted others who thought differently, not getting the memo that other points of view were sometimes valid. Chinami was someone who was attached to her ordinary and secure life, someone whose strength was focused on her safety, both physical and psychological. As for himself... He shared the lack of social education and immense naivete which Rev was still showing now, but he had some of Chinami's insight and knowledge on how the world really worked.

As Rev and Chinami obviously waited to go to the door of the apartment, as they probably noticed him just standing there as though he was frozen onto the ground, Ken finally found his voice, and it was desperate, unfettered, its cadence high, almost shouting.

"Please!" the boy implored, putting his hands up in a placatory gesture, "I know what we all just said to each other, and how we've all made assumptions about the situation which turned out to be wrong, but we cannot just let this meeting end like this. I know I'm not the best socially; I know I am still a novice at how normal social interactions work. But I know deep in my heart that letting this meeting end on this note will just result in negativity for all of us and those around us."

Looking at both of their faces, letting them see the shock written on his own, Ken made his pitch, "Let's go to a flower garden like I brought up before. Let's enjoy the beauty which is still there in life, and delay talking about revolutions and tragic backstories and grand agendas for the rest of the day. We can eat and drink sweets and coffee, see the sights of Rhea's green spaces, take pictures of ourselves or have them taken for us. I'll even pay for everything. Everything. So please, let's just spend a while just being kids; we have that right, after all that we've gone through..."

He then looked at Chinami, his eyes carrying a silent plea.

@Dezuel@Lewascan2

Royal Rumble: Rumble over the Heavens

Ken

"Rev," Ken said sternly for once, "You should know from being in Rhea for years now that 'virtue' and 'courage' are not confined to those of 'royal blood'. For centuries, Rhea has achieved it's reputation as a center of advancement and the source of the best fighters in the world by allowing people from all backgrounds and walks of life a chance to earn their place up, under the recognition that 'a good birth' isn't the only thing which matters - How one's lives shape us as well, to be better or worse people, counts too."

The boy continued, "The nobility of various nations betrayed the people under them by believing that they are better; not just in looks or in smarts or in powers, but morally as well. Rhea proves that is wrong - This city is a beating heart of people of all attitudes, virtues, and vices and an ever-shifting cast of minor and major heroes and villains. And that is its strength." Then he sighed once more before finishing, "As for everything you just said about Nightman... Why are you not inclined to believe Chinami this time, considering your profession of trust in her?"

@Dezuel@Lewascan2

Royal Rumble: Rumble over the Heavens

Ken

Ken was surprisingly able to take Chinami's diatribe, and the valid points behind it, without feeling more than a pinprick of anger and hurt. Instead, he nodded and said, "I apologize; turning the conversation to myself was a most naive blunder - I'm sorry. As it is, it would be remiss of us not to give you a chance to back away from continuing to know us, given that we put your life in danger by revealing our backstories and goals. After all, you're right that we barely know each other, and a friendship cannot be built by forcing another person to accept a threat to their life and wellbeing."

Then the boy added a hint as to his true feelings, "Nevertheless, Rev is right that he sees many likable traits in you - I do too. And we three have kept each other from dying before; why can't that same success be repeated and refined? As it is, we offer our loyalty to you - You know how much that's worth..."

He then turned to Reverio and responded to the other boy's question, "Now, I'd love to stay over for dinner, yes. What are you cooking? Vanquelin cuisine is very well-known worldwide, with multiple restaurants in Rhea claiming to have a chef trained in that country."

All the while he glanced at Chinami as he waited for her to leave, or talk about leaving, or, and he secretly hoped for this, stay.

@Dezuel@Lewascan2