Current
Noble Arms is now either four years old, or three years and eleven months. The third thread had lasted for more than one year.
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1 mo ago
New Interest Check, everybody!
1 mo ago
My Roleplay, Noble Arms: The ASEAN War, will reach its 4th year in June or July. It's been a long journey.
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2 mos ago
Despite its massive flaws, my RP, Noble Arms: The ASEAN War, is still one of the longest ongoing RPs in RPGuild - It turns 4 years old in July and the current thread itself is more than a year old.
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2 mos ago
On 4/14/2026 (on my end), my RP, Noble Arms: The ASEAN War, is now three years and ten months old, and the current thread is one year and four months.
Lingayen Beach, Municipality of Lingayen, Lingayen Gulf
As the People's Liberation Air Force (Technically the People's Liberation Army Air Force, but that was more of a mouthful) was routed by the valiant Vietnamese Lotus Squadron, their innovative tactics, and their jets, Nil's efforts would be aided, then rewarded, as the City of Lingayen was rendered safe for yet another day. As the tide turned, the platoon of soldiers menacing Nemo was mown down by fire from Captain Castro and Kaitlyn, their lives as 'Arms Master Wranglers' cut short in order to allow the child Arms Master more time to recover and either continue menacing his attackers.
Alain, meanwhile, was destroying the boats moving up Lingayen Bay with careful blasts, thus further keeping the city beyond the defenders' lines safe. A battalion of infantry with light machine guns and RPGs had followed him, and were supporting his efforts.
However, as the battle raged, then slowed down, the enemy themselves were vanishing. Corpse after corpse. Wreck after wreck. Troop after troop. Over the course of the past several minutes, the battlefield had drawn to a distinct quiet all across the gulf. It was a silence fit to wake the dead, as the Philippine Army found itself suddenly staring at beaches devoid of opposition.
Out on the water, Chinese transport ships bobbed without movement, their engines hot but movement idle. The sun beamed down with a heat uncharacteristic of dreary weather and more appropriate to the summer month that it was. The glare of the ocean blurred the horizon, the dark shapes of proper warships lying in wait to begin the dying bombardment once more.
There wasn't a cloud in the sky.
There had been before.
The sun grew brighter.
The second sun.
High in the sky, far larger and closer than it had any right to be, a second "sun" seemed to loiter, a searing heat able to be felt all across the gulf. The cloudy day had evaporated, the zone over the ocean hazy with heat waves.
The sun bulged.
A searing beam, a titanic ray of light that left spots in the vision of onlookers, lashed out like a whip towards the eastern shore of the gulf. It traced all across the strip of sand in a flash, a speed akin to someone standing at the epicenter of the sun and merely drawing their finger across their vision. A molten trench trailed in its wake, greenery igniting violently and the nearest buildings to the shore shaking and going up in bursts of flame.
The beam met Ari's shield with a shriek and chest rumbling roar. White-hot flames washed over the titanic barrier, turning blue with licks of orange as they expended their initial payload of force. The barrier seemed to glow brighter in response, straining against the tidal wave of destruction, but it held... for now.
Meanwhile, outside the dome, at the fiery beam's approach, a massive shadow had bled into existence around its edges. It was almost as if it had waited to act till the moment it had the blinding flash of the incoming attack to use as cover, but act it did nonetheless. Allies of the Philippines near to the light dome, close enough to reach the shoreline would find a crackling ebony ooze, swirling with green, to rush over their feet like a wave. A feeling like being on the edge of receiving the greatest static shock of one's life thrummed through their bones, raising goosebumps on skin and making hairs stand on end.
And with a sudden, chilling yank on the feet buried in the "liquid", they would find themselves plunging into the depths with a firmness quicksand could only envy. There was a brief sense of vertigo and falling, as those snatched were thrust through a whirling kaleidoscope of black and green... before being spat out again within the bounds of the light barrier.
Nemo, Hannie, Kaitlyn, and her Corporal's squad, and many others besides who had been in reach before the onslaught of destruction. All of them found themselves safe and sound... if potentially a bit sunburned.
All around, the shadow had somehow penetrated the barrier -perhaps by digging under it, considering its strangely fluid nature- and now ebbed with a hair-trigger tension around the feet of the defenders within.
'What a precious little thing~! Oh, I could just Eat. Her. Up~!'
Serpentine eyes crinkled into smiles to accompany her lips, as Qingshe cupped her right cheek with the respective hand, her elbow resting against the transport's wall. "A pleasure, dear~. My name is Qingshe, but then... I suppose you heard that~?" Humming musically, Qingshe eyed the tear streaks on the girl's face and resisted the sudden urge to lick them.
Instead, a portion of her shadow manifested from beneath her posterior to dribble over her soldier-seat's legs behind her, to his amusingly distressed squirming. Her free left hand reached back to delicately pluck a neatly folded ebony hankie from the mass, the shadow retreating once more, as Qingshe offered the fresh second hankie -a seeming clone of the first- to the huddled girl with color-streaked raven hair. "A pretty thing like you shouldn't be in tears," she said with a strange tenderness, her slitted eyes bleeding into a soft green. "There's far too much ugliness in the world to tolerate the beautiful staining themselves."
Her gaze drifted to the oddly childish woman, who was busying herself with consuming the hankie she'd been given wholesale. An equally amused and interested light edging into her expression, Qingshe idly considered putting a stop to that but then dismissed it. If anything negative came of it, it wasn't like she couldn't take responsibility later... assuming the girl survived the slaughter to come.
That moderately sobering thought turned her attention back to the ravenette, as she vocalized a wordless noise of cheery contemplation. "Mmhmm~! So, little Hannie~! If my ears don't deceive me, your accent would make you one of those Aussies, as they say~?" Her tone was filled with a boundless interest, as her eyes rapidly shifted to an anticipatory amber. "Oh~! Is the wildlife just as wonderful as I've heard~?"
The transport coming to a halt put a pout on her face, as disembarkment was engaged. The interruption, however, hardly quelled her eager disposition, and so she all but sashayed alongside the girl bundled in warm clothing, her own state of rather... less than warm... or modest dress providing a distinct visual contrast. All the while, she continued to direct her attention the girl's way, all but begging for engagement and answers.
The sight of their destination, the auditorium converted into a makeshift barracks for the local defenders, briefly provoked an odd smile and a "How quaint," before her attention was back on the comparatively small child, golden eyes gleaming.
Even so, despite her interest in the withdrawn ravenette and the alabaster-haired girl, Qingshe couldn't help noting the reek of tension in the air, as they were guided further into the premises. An understandable state of affairs perhaps. After all, already the news had drifted in that the Chinese offensive had engaged with the nigh-defenseless northern Philippines. They'd not yet hit Lingayen yet, but that was nothing less than a matter of time, an hour at most, if even that.
Qingshe tilted her head, snooping on the airwaves. Even despite the lack of truly comparative opposition, the Chinese were still making progress at a speed that could only be called unnatural, utterly overrunning anyone and anything that stood in their way, and it wasn't hard to guess why.
Arms Masters.
A staple of any competent, non-suicidal military in this day and age. Whether anyone liked it or not, times were changing, and humans -Arms Masters- were the new atom bomb. Only a fool would not cultivate that resource. And, as it so happened, some were far more "blessed" with options and "rolls on the gacha" than others.
China's egregiously enormous population was an advantage that couldn't be denied in this respect. And their methods of recruitment were harsh... but effective. With no need to worry about paltry, trivial things like "volunteers" or "willingness", they could easily militarize any and all assets that the government decided might be worth investment.
Like her...
Qingshe shook her head lightly, as the auditorium and stage proper came into view. A fairly distinctive speaker, one Noel Alonso, a mere teenager, was giving a strategic briefing to a number of enlisted personnel of various ranks. Golden eyes tracked across multiple uniforms, and the voluptuous serpentine woman couldn't help the edge that made it to her otherwise pleasant smile.
Nothing higher ranked than the Second Lieutenant on the stage to lead this merrily hopeless band. And she couldn't imagine that many of the adults present were exceptionally charmed by that fact. The situation really was as desperate as advertised, huh? Even with the likes of Qingshe among them, relief was intermixed with the innate wariness at their arrival, as Noel called attention to the trio of fresh Arms Masters with his greeting. Qingshe spotted recognition in many a gaze, smelled spikes of fear even, but one and all seemed ready to keep their composure and... and least tolerate her existence for time being.
Qingshe finally relented her loitering around Hannie to smile wryly and nod in return, her slitted eyes shifting to a murky blue edged with gold. She raised a brow at being singled out -perhaps understandably- by the boy ostensibly in charge of this haphazard resistance, and she felt in turns amused and miffed by the treatment of the girls beside her, greeted almost as an afterthought.
She wondered at the nepotism. Was it because of who she was representing? Because of her status as an Arms Master? Her power? Reputation? Rather, wouldn't the last one be a point in the opposite direction? Impossible to say for sure without perhaps tastelessly inquiring directly, and so she would hold her tongue.
Instead she merely folded her arms beneath her chest and cocked her hip, one hand extending up to cup her chin. "Oh, none at all, Lieu~ten~ant~!" she chirped, before pouting playfully. "It's been almost too peaceful in this lovely city~. Not even an assassin to pass the time~!" Her eyes glimmered with naked anticipation. It perhaps ominously went without saying, but that peace was all too inevitably to be shattered.
It was truly going to be a terrible waste of lives, resources and time... but perhaps she could find some level of entertainment in the absurdity of it all. 'Silver linings,' Qingshe concluded grimly with a smile she wasn't sure she felt.
Noel:
Noel nodded, then said, "Let's just say that I have been cutting off the heads of saboteurs both highly and lowly placed since the establishment of the 'Government of National Salvation'. From the halls of power in Manila to deep in Visayas and Mindanao and then back to this place, I and a few others spent a month taking care of the worst rot."
He sighed and spoke, "There were assassins, but none who can match me at night and few who can match me at day. Either way, will you be taking command of the defense from me, or can I keep it? I've been told you might outrank me militarily due to your... experience."
Rin:
Suddenly a shift in the atmosphere marked a cooling sensation.
Wholesome as these moments deem, one must cherish it before the unknown takes it all in the upcoming fateful mission that the Arms Masters will partake.
"Assassins. Right. Now that's a term I've never heard for quite a while."
Out of the blue, Rin joined the conversation with her colleagues.
"Survival is no respecter of experience, boy. One cannot tell when the ice melts, even if it is as durable as a diamond, it will break and crumble but if you master your fate, that diamond will be unbreakable and fresh from the furnace."
Rin
Rin showed honor and compassion through her bewitching glance and smile towards Noel as she slightly nod.
Having been introduced to the woman named Qingshe, who was surprisingly tall and towered most.
"Rumor is: Someone smart is a snake. Someone clever tricks the snake. Someone brilliant invents the snare. Life is a game in every level.
Just a poem I have out of the blue, pardon me for any misunderstandings. " Rin laughed at her own amusement.
She greeted Qingshe in her culture's way of welcome.
Slowly but surely, Rin tip-toed and reached the tall woman's face and caresses it, not that she's about to kiss her, though the double meaning implication might say otherwise.
"I'm honored to meet you Sifu Qingshe." Rin said in a cool and calming voice.
Hannie
Hannie's responses to Qingshe's questioning are short and sparse, quiet and without eye contact. Mm-hmm. Yeah. The wildlife is fine. She's not trying to be rude. She is being rude, but she doesn't want to be. It's just - everything. Nevermind what her interrogator is, she's going to war. Nevermind the war, her interrogator is the most freakish thing she's ever been forced to think of as human. No, that's a terrible way to put it. Very mean. But... It's safe to say that she has a few hangups right now that aren't going away however she gets pressed.
She nods and mumbles and shuffles her way into the auditorium, breaking away from Qingshe as soon as Noel has her attention, in favor of standing around Nil. The harmless kind of weird is much more her style. She has nothing to say, but she eyes the crumbs of soggy fabric on her mouth like she might.
Rin's abrupt entrance draws her back to watching the People Who Matter, though listening to them doesn't feel like it does her much good.
Flashback Collab, Part Six
Qingshe:
Arms Masters truly were a breed apart, and somehow, no matter how many she met, the occurrence managed to remain a novelty.
The waifish ravenette bundled away against a cold only she could feel. The borderline feral, pale girl with her bone-white hair and tribalistic markings running across bare skin. The woman with similarly unnaturally-hued hair, dressed more akin to a businesswoman or "bodyguard" of some stripe. The grey-haired boy was even armored.
No matter what others would like to believe, the truth was that even after the better part of a century, humanity had yet to adjust to the inevitable encroachment of the future. Isolation and prejudice, driven by envy, fear and pointless superiority complexes on both sides had widened that gap inexorably. Honestly, the only reason lasting peace was possible was that normals had been stricken with hopelessness, with the knowledge that Arms Masters were inevitable... and far more powerful than them if given reason to believe that destruction was the only way to create a world that would accept them.
As the saying went: "A child would burn down a village to feel it's warmth." A similar principle was what kept the peace from the normal side. However... the same was not so for Arms Masters.
They knew they were different, and that sense of isolation, of "being special" tended to leak into all of them, no matter their origins. In the modern day, with a crisis of both mental and physical health, the problem was exacerbated, resulting in a plague of "Chuunibyou" behavior in flashy clothes and attitudes. Thiers was a world where the fantastical was real, so why wouldn't any child see themselves as the "protagonist" of their own story, for good or ill. From Qingshe's experience, Arms Masters couldn't help a subconscious acknowledgement of their superiority, even those that openly expressed opposing viewpoints.
Because, objectively... they were wrong. And everyone knew it.
It was a powder keg of truly titanic proportions.
One she would neutralize, no matter the cost.
But not today. Nor tomorrow. Not a month, nor, realistically, even a year from now. No, such ambitions were for another place and time. Here and now, before she could go about correcting humanity's mistakes... she had her own to worry about.
Qingshe raised a thin emerald brow, smiling but internally baffled at Lieutenant Noel's abrupt offer to transfer command.
'Impulsive,' she couldn't help thinking. Those were far from the encouraging words of a confident -if realistic- commander she needed to hear. He was young, too young really, but even despite that and the discontent she could spy in the eyes of some of the troops, there was enough legitimacy behind him and his appointment to the position to keep things in order. Quite frankly, she worried of a revolt if someone of her infamy -and a foreigner, no less- were to take command.
Defector or not, here to help or not, she couldn't erase the past and the crimes against humanity she had been responsible for, both directly and indirectly. The fact that she was Chinese at all was surely to engender resentment within the hearts of the populace under siege, and that was even if one discounted the prejudice against Arms Masters, especially powerful ones. They couldn't help it. It was only human nature.
So, of course, Qingshe shook her head in denial. "Worry not, Lieutenant. Your command will be sufficient. I may have experience, but that's primarily in leading a... research team, not an army. Warfare is distasteful to me." She smiled mildly at the quiet exhalations and muttered expressions of relief her enhanced hearing managed to pick up among many of the troops. Tapping her jawline, she nodded, "As I'm sure you were informed prior, I am ultimately but a foreign consultant and contractor. I can provide advice, opinions, but this command structure has no place for me."
A chilling sensation turned Qingshe's attention to Han- No, not the bundled girl, who even now seemed to almost be trying to hide-without-hiding behind the "Nil" girl away from the other Arms Masters. Rather, it was the newcomer she had spied upon entering the atrium. She'd somewhat suspected another Arms Master but had possessed no means to assume for certain until the latter's approach.
After all, dyed hair was hardly an unusual fashion choice in the wake of Arms Masters appearing. In fact, it was even a somewhat useful defense against mugging for some people, as it was an easy way of planting the sneaking, quiet thought of "what if that color is natural" in any ne'er-do-well's head. Rather useful for reminding scum of their mortality. If there was anything good to be said about the rise of Arms Masters on a large scale, it was that mundane crime in the modern day had suffered a steep decline... what with all the wannabe "heroes" looking to fulfill their comic book fantasies.
Qingshe languidly blinked that train of thought away and refocused herself on the matter at hand, namely that she was being addressed by the newcomer, one "Rin" according to the Lieutenant... from Japan. Despite the charming little greeting, Qingshe truly couldn't help internal skepticism. It was no secret the enmity between Japan and China, and given the invasion of Japan a month ago, which was still ongoing, Qingshe found it difficult to follow the logic of that overt cordiality, even with her defection.
Although... then again, amongst those of sufficient rank, it wasn't exactly a secret that her last location was Japan. When China had leveled her own biological and mechanical advancements against their most hated neighbor, of course she had been eager to intervene, stem the tide... and take back her property. Such was her task, to head to the front of each new corner of the war and shore up their defenses against her misspent youth and China's other advantages.
Outwardly, however, she merely returned Rin's level demeanor and little "riddle" with a sly, closed-mouth smile. "Sifu? My, now that's not a way I've been addressed in a long while~," Qingshe replied. Truth be told, given she'd not stepped foot in Chinese or Qing controlled lands in the past six months, she'd barely spoken Chinese at all, except to touch base and get new directives.
Qingshe's slitted eyes were seemingly trying to decide if they wanted gold or blue with their red tinge, as she lightly placed her unclawed, ebony-gloved left pointer finger on Rin's sternum, gently arresting any further encroachment on her personal space. Despite Rin's actions, she could smell no lust emanating from the shorter woman, except perhaps on an objective observational level. Which meant the one before her was either genuinely gracious in temperament... or a creature of similar social acumen to Qingshe herself.
'How frightening,' Qingshe observed internally with a smile that now lightly bared teeth. She would have to be on her guard until she could determine the truth of things.
"I wonder then, Rin-san was it?" Returning the favor of a culturally appropriate welcome, her extended finger applied a deceptively gentle pressure, not enough to shove, but certainly enough to force the other woman to either stop using tip-toes or step back. Her serpentine eyes now gleamed gold, as she straightened up to her full height from her prior languid slump. "What does that make the snake that eats the brilliant and snares the clever?"
Her body shifted. Not a lot, but enough that she no longer faced Rin head on, a subtle dismissal, as her gaze mellowed into a yellow-green towards Lieutenant Noel. "Mah~ As much as the pleasantries are amusing, our time is short." She cupped her chin with a placid smile. "Were you informed of our tactical value prior? If so, then you may be aware, given the situation, mine is in logistics. Materials. Weapons."
Noel:
"I have," Noel said. "Let's just say we have a bigger chance to win now. This is 29 July, and tonight will be a New Moon; one of my powers is to spread a plague of madness against an entire enemy army when the New Moon is in the sky; even E to C-rank Arms Masters are affected. The original plan was to see if we can hold out until then; if we do, we'll have inflcited a defeat on a sizable portion of the People's Liberation Army. But now, not only can we probably hold out until then, but defeat them earlier."
He then sighed and said, "The plan is simple: Oppose their landing on the beaches, then the ground beyond, then retreat to the city and hold out until nightfall. If we can get ten or so Arms Masters of C to B-rank strength in our forces plus luck, we'll be able to make it." Then Noel looked at Nil, Hannie, and Rin, before saying, "Nil has performed Anti-Air duty before for other ASEAN countries, while as for Hannie, I've been informed that her NA is ice-based, same for some of Rin's abilities. That means they are capable of working together..."
Flashback Collab, Part Seven
Nil
They had been in this large room for a few minutes already, a blessing for Nil's ears over the rumbling of the truck, but as soon as they got in they had been greeted by two Arms Master and began discussing with Qingshe, the chattier of the group.
Nil slowly made steps towards the rest of the barracks, not like the discussion was loud or irritating, rather Nil was simply curious about what the rest of the barracks looked like.
Adding to it the small girl seemed to not want to be close to the conversation, or maybe someone in particular "Should we go take a break?" Nil asked Hannie in half-baked English.
Hannie
"Huh?" Hannie blinks, taken out of the somewhat absorbing effort of following the conversation. She looks from Nil, to Noel, back to Nil. One of these choices is a lot easier than the other. Maybe staying around and listening would be smarter, but... "Um. Okay. Where are we going?" She glances back again to see if anyone's watching. This feels naughty.
Qingshe:
Qingshe made a wordless utterance of curiosity, as her left ear perked up. It seemed the children likely were off to do as their adorable kind were want to: explore and generally make a mess. Well, she hoped not, but she wasn't sure how much she would bet on the opposite, given the temperament of one and the likeliness of the other being led around by the nose.
Outwardly, she gave no bodily indication that she had noted that suggestion to leave and the acceptance thereof. Meanwhile, a thread of her shadow, the length of a hair and all but invisible, began to slide across the floor, guiding itself along the fissures between tiles to go even more reliably unseen. It's destination? To weightlessly grip the bottom both girl's shoes and then trail along behind them like toilet paper. She would keep an eye on them.
To Noel, she hummed aloud, before nodding with a light creasing of her brow. "The plan is to hold out on the beaches and rely on a single, conditional ability to save the day?" That seemed like a remarkably bad idea, but it also was one of the only options they had. Folding her arms, Qingshe closed her eyes in thought, before musing aloud, "Given the speed of the Chinese advance, we have less than an hour before our forces must contest one far superior, both technologically and numerically... for what will be hours. Ally morale is low, aside from desperation, and enemy morale is high. And worse..."
Her golden eyes opened, and for once, there wasn't a humorous glint in them. "Judging by the pattern of prior invasions, we can reasonably expect multiple A-Rank Arms Masters to be leading the charge." She sighed. "China has Arms Masters to spare, and from a strategic standpoint, a lightning war at immediate extensive cost will still be less detrimental down the line. They're already fighting the war on at least two separate fronts. They'd only gamble on a third if they intended to crush it by any means necessary."
She twirled a lock of her green hair. "Which is to say, of course, that any plan that relies on time is sure to be one that will collapse under the unyielding pressure. Even with me here, we can only take so much, especially given the inevitable bombardment and our glaring lack of consistent and widespread Anti-Air defenses. Additionally..." Her eyes narrowed. "How certain are you that they don't know your plan? Assassins are one thing, but what about spies? If you are ultimately the linchpin of a defensive victory, then that's a singular, all too vulnerable fault point to exploit."
She lightly chuffed with a grim smile. "Unless you have some particularly special gems in your back pocket, not even a dozen Arms Masters will do more than delay the inevitable."
Her words were grim, but internally, she wasn't too worried. In fact, while she perhaps did not exaggerate the threat facing them, she downplayed her own effectiveness. But that was a necessary sacrifice. Her task was ultimately to ensure every nation she visited could stand on its own two feet when she left. There was no sense hand-holding them beyond the necessary.
Kaitlyn Price
Unlike the Arms Masters, Kaitlyn arrived to the Auditorium with her own unit. The ride was silent, for the most part- or she was, at least. Some of her unit had opted to comment on their kids, or recent news.
Kaitlyn preferred not to think about what was to come. Or just... Not think about it too hard.
Shortly after arriving, she noted just how... Spacious the room felt. It reminded her, vaguely, of her highschool's auditorium. A disorienting juxtaposition when she compared the innocence of youth to the grim realities of her present situation.
Just don't think about it.
And it's doing just that- stalwartly fending off fending off nagging spectres of the past- that two curious extraordinary-peoples may encounter her, nervously thumbing the copper needle in her hair as she studied the bizarre light fixture on the ceiling.
How did they get it to hang like that?
Of course, she'd decided to do some research as her unit dispersed to entertain themselves. Digging out her phone, she was surprised to find the building was only a little over 100 years old. She'd passed by some houses back at home older than this place.
Noel:
"China has suborned many members of our government and military and economic class; in short, the elites," Noel said. "Even a few Arms Masters have fallen prey to temptation, although I'm supposed to be discreet about that. So they probably know my power and have a ready counter to it or are targeting me."
He sighed, "To be honest, our superiors talk big, but the Government of National Salvation has made plans to relocate to Australia; if my power does not work or is countered, the plan is to withdraw all Arms Masters, plus what members of the Philippine Marines we can spare, and repeat our actions in the Philippines Campaign against the Japanese - A fighting retreat to the Bataan Peninsula and Corregidor Island to buy time for the escape to Australia along with how many of our citizens are able and willing to become refugees in foriegn lands."
Noel's eyes sparked with a mixture of disdain and defiance. "But as for me, my personal plan is to lure out whoever can counter my powers, get an Anti-Material Round or several into his head, and then use that power come the New Moon. If that fails, I'll cover the retreat to Bataan myself."
Flashback Collab, Part Eight
Nil
"Somewhere" Nil answered almost taking Hannie's response as a yes. Nil turned and walked away in a manner that is not very subtle but also that doesn't make much noise, someone who wasn't looking would hardly notice it.
Looking around it was plain just how large the room was and also how astonishing is the contrast between the colorful ceiling and the hastily placed bunk beds laying on the side.
While wandering about Nil instinctively approached the Americans that just entered, like a moth to flame. Nil stood on the side away from the larger crowds and their fanfare and closer to a soldier silently staring at her phone.
Hannie
Hannie peeks out from behind Nil to look at who she's looking at. She looks up at Nil's face to be sure that that's who she's looking at. "Why are we staring at her? She looks busy." No answer. Nil just staring, the soldier not noticing, looking up at the ceiling, back down at her phone. She inwardly sweats. She was made to cause awkward social standoffs, not... be left to fix them. It's so much worse from this side of things.
She tugs on Nil's sleeve. She looks desperately at the distracted soldier. Is this really going to be up to her? "Um!" she says - or tries to say. It comes out more like "um." She shrinks behind her friend for protection. "Helloooo?" she manages to call out, from cover. "I-I don't know why we're here!"
Kaitlyn "The Spooked" Price
Kaitlyn jerks her attention away from her phone, blinking, wide-eyed.
"... O-oh!" She looks around- maybe one of her squadmates were around? Alass, no such rescue from impending social awkwardness was within sight. She's on her own- "Um..." She swallowed, pocketing her phone. "You're talking to me?"
She looks between the two, noting, with some dread, that the older of the two was... Suspiciously quiet. Judging.
"C-can I help you?" She asks, thumbing the copper needle in her hair.
Then her breath hitches, and her eyes widen a little more. It doesn't take more than a cursory glance- or, in Kaitlyn's case, a thurough examination- to realize these were Arms Masters.
Oh no, the battle isn't already here is it? She checks her phone.
No.
Then why do they need her? She's just an ordinary foot soldier!
Maybe they're lost?
In a military encampment?
Kaitlyn notes that one of them is a child, of all things. Why is a child here? Does she even know what she's signed up for?
Oh God, what did I sign up for? Is the Phillipines Army really okay with this?
Maybe it's nothing? They're just lost. She'll give them directions and then... Start praying. Or something.
Qingshe:
The serpentine woman frowned. "Yes, I suppose assassins would, at minimum, imply they have acknowledged your existence." And depending on how long such attempts had been going on, they may have a fair grasp of his Noble Arm's powers... assuming they hadn't simply engaged in some good old-fashioned data espionage of his classified records and learned everything about his capabilities.
After all, that's exactly what she had already done, herself, after being informed that an Arms Master would be helming the local defense.
She wondered, how much did China already know about the Philippine's preparations? Her own arrival wasn't advertised, but she didn't particularly do subtle. Would the enemy escalate preemptively in response to her presence? She'd made herself a serious thorn in their side on the other warfronts, so they certainly had a pattern of behavior to judge from. Would they consider escalation worth it? Too many unknowns.
Qingshe ran one ebony-clad hand through her emerald hair, her anxiety otherwise contained. There was so much to prepare for and so little time. If the enemy A-Ranks decided to hold nothing back, then it was all too likely that the only thing left alive in the ruins... would be her. Wouldn't that be ironic? Coming here to salvage things and being the reason that it all went to shit.
She let out a small titter of giggles, shaking her head. "The Government of National Salvation..." What a joke, she wanted to say. And hardly a funny one either. What a pretentiously grandiose name. Instead, she continued, "A retreat is in progress? Good. Your leadership at least acknowledges reality." Tapping her jawline, she sighed. "I'm hardly a military strategist, but that is sound thinking. Perhap-"
She paused at the Lieutenant's last statement and shot him a look of restrained incredulity. "Using yourself as bait? When they presumably have the resources to counter you? When you are the singular critical asset upon which success rests?" Her expression tightened, before she raised a single brow. "You must crave a humiliating end, boy."
Her golden eyes darkened. "Lest you dismiss the obvious. The enemy is under no obligation to humor your archaic little duel challenge. And you are just as vulnerable to being picked off from afar, whether it be by bullet... or artillery." She chuffed quietly, shaking her head with a sardonic grin at the youthful arrogance of it all. "Rather, in the first place, you shouldn't be anywhere near the front lines under any circumstances until night falls. That would be the ideal course of action."
Because as an asset, he objectively was worth more alive than any amount of lives that would lost without him leading the charge. Qingshe knew perfectly well why that logic wouldn't be accepted, but she had to point it out nonetheless. It was the rational course of action, and she'd be a poor consultant if she did any less.
Meanwhile, her shadow thread continued to feed her information, other similar scouting lines beginning to stealthily crawl across the makeshift barracks, mapping the interior and getting a feel for the equipment and resources at her disposal, living or unliving alike...
Flashback Collab, Part Nine
Noel:
Noel nodded and spoke, "Hmm, all of this is true. If that's the case, then we just maximize enemy casualties and hope."
He was genuinely left speechless by Qingshe's own words.
Rin
Qingshe is one heck of a woman and seeing the obvious that Noel himself was left speechless, she couldn't help but chuckle a bit.
Though these group of relations are important, Fuyuko's life is top priority, given that both of them are Japanese and it would be a dishonor if she doesn't lay her life down.
Out of the blue and after some time, Rin appeared behind Noel.
"Sounds assuring isn't it? Hope is something that is close to faith." Rin sucked on her lollipop afterward, she got some Munchies with her and offered two to Noel.
" Boy" Rin paused for a moment and then addressed Noel by his first name. In Japanese, first name basis either mean you're close to that person or acknowledged them as an equal.
"N-Noel..."
"Isn't love one of the reasons why both factions are at odds? War has a lot of stupid reasons and if you think about it, they love their country as each of us love our own. "
Noel:
Noel smiled at that and said, "This is true, Rin. But at the end of the day, only one love can win."
Rin
Rin smiled and laughed a bit.
"Reminds me of my homestay wards, you seemed to be keen on Teleserye, the way you said it sounded promising like a Prince Charming of a Main Character." Rin couldn't hold her tears from laughing at Noel's delivery.
She calmed down for a bit.
"We shall see how this power of love then."
Noel:
"You watch Filipino Soap Operas?" Noel asked. "Even I find those cringe."
Rin
"Tell me about it, the cringe levels are comparable to Japanese Manzai. " Rin fidgeted and gulped, savoring the strawberry lollipop flavor and let off an embarrassed sigh.
"Had to learn some Tagalog to operate you know. In all due respects, I guess we're having this conversation in a way to settle our anxieties in this warzone. Let's focus for now."
Noel:
"I heard a little about your Chains. Can you impose a 'condition' on the Chinese A-Ranks once they make an appearance?"
Rin
"Yeah, all sorts of condition. Just like an Author, imposing retcons. To what type of condition do you have in mind?"
Noel:
"If by chance, you can strike their A-Ranks, possibly if I ignore Miss Qingshe's advice and make myself bait after all... Can you impose a condition to prevent them from manifesting their Noble Arms without serious harm to them?"
Rin
To her confusion, she wondered if such a thing was possible.
"No? I don't think I can do that and even if I could, there's always a bad storm that will approach. But if you like, conventional pressure would do the trick, I can alter the mass and shape of my chains anyway. "
Noel:
"I must have watched too much of your Anime, then," Noel said to Rin. "Guess that closes one possible tactic."
Flashback Collab, Part Ten
Qingshe:
Again, the strange, suited Arms Master woman that had all but propositioned her spoke up, and Qingshe's demeanor grew progressively more closed off and subtly irritated with the conversation's progression.
Things had first devolved into barely veiled flirting, followed by time wasting small talk... and then by blatantly disregarding her advice, seemingly out of hand. This was the quality of leadership around here? This was what she had to work with?
Qingshe's arms crossed, her golden gaze beginning to bleed into a burnt orange. Hope? Love? What absolute nonsense was this? Was this Lieutenant about to throw away his life and the lives of his subordinates for what was, at best, a gamble of disgusting proportions? Was he actually intending to meet the numerically and technologically superior enemy in a straight fight on the beaches with trench warfare as their best attempt at cover? Shouldn't guerilla warfare within the city itself have been the first resort? He... was a legitimate commander, right? He'd been appointed the position by merit, right? Qingshe had assumed so, but...
The absolute waste of, just... everything at his disposal, equipment and lives alike, made her lip begin to curl in disgust, before she suppressed it back to neutrality. She resisted the urge to bristle, as her gaze landed on this... "Rin" individual again, the one currently undermining her efforts to make something workable of this shitshow.
Eventually, after a strangely pointed question and denial regarding Rin's abilities, Qingshe managed to find her voice again. "If you're both done with the fantasies, perhaps we can discuss strategies of actual worth," she said, briefly raising a single brow. "The hour is late and the enemy imminent. Unfortunately, I can't imagine abandoning the current strategy entirely is possible without consequence. So, what resources have you not committed to the beach? What does your Anti-Air complement consist of?"
Lucy:
A new girl steps in, right after Qingshe finishes her request. This one is in full combat gear already. Unloaded rifle slung around the back, pistol in it's holster, vest and pads in place. This person looks like she's ready to go to war. "I have to agree, without a plan, we'll all die. Not even the best warrior could save us then. We need to plan effectively, I don't intend on dying here." The funniest part? This girl has only one arm, yet is preaching about fighting effectively. She sits down nearby to the rest, pulling a nutrigrain bar out of her pocket, opening it, and chowing down. She looks slightly displeased by all this, each bite seeming more frustrated than the last.
Noel:
"The Philippines' military modernization program included a purchase of only three Israeli SPYDER systems, one of which is in Lingayen City just in case the Chinese decide that the municipality's economic value is worth less than smoking me and any Arms Masters out should we attempt guerilla resistance here," Noel answered Qingshe. "The Armed Forces of the Philippines as a whole were oriented towards fighting internal enemies - Communist and Muslim terrorists - and only very recently began focusing on outside threats. Our Infantry and Marines do have MBDA Mistral shoulder-mounted systems from France, as well as LIG Nex1 Chirons acquired very recently. How much? 300 of each for this theatre; which yes, isn't enough."
He then sighed, "We also have Nil, as well as 'Sophist the Agitator', an Unregistered Arms Master who volunteered to help us; he can fly and has control over gravity, and that's the extent of our AA capabilities."
Rin
Personalities gauged, she observed. So this is what it means as the saying goes, ones true colors, showing, near death's door. Noel tries to picture himself as a good person, he's naive and overly accommodating.
Qingshe looked like she's up to the task but something tells Rin that, it's as if she's trying to win a game.
This new girl that entered (Lucy) , Rin kept her guard on, she reminds her of a certain Kunoichi.
Then it goes back into full circle.
Noel...out of all the participants, Rin found him the most interesting.
"If I may, if the air is the prevalent responsibility, not that I'm one to segway but let's not forget that like Japan, China is no slouch, when it comes to infantry. The sky might not be kind but the land would be a deciding factor for all the horde that may arise, there's gotta be a common ground to balance."
Flashback Collab, End
Hannie
The weather outside is dim and moist. It looks like rain might be on the way, yet not a drop has yet fallen. Meanwhile, in a nearby room with a pretty big light on the ceiling, wide eyes meet past the immovable medium of Nil, standing tall and unreactive between two short and very reactive girls. Echoes of a silent, anxious staredown. The echoes, presumably, are inside Nil's skull.
"...um," says Hannie. Once again the sound doesn't come out loud enough. "C-can you talk to us? Should we not be here? Sorry..." She's pretty sure she's blushing. She mumbles something even she doesn't really make out. In another place, not so far away, the leaders of this operation exchange many words and little meaning. There are few words here, and there is no meaning.
Dark clouds tumble over themselves in slow motion, refusing to yield true rain.
Kaitlyn Price
"No! No, you..." She hesitated to say she had more of a right to be there than some common private, but in truth, she didn't feel someone so young should be anywhere near a battlefield.
"If the lieutenant is okay with you being here... I guess it's fine."
She fidgeted, looking around, never quite meeting eyes with Hannie.
"Um... I'm Kaitlyn, by the way. Private Kaitlyn Price."
She looked around.
Isn't there someplace more appropriate to hold a conversation?
Nil
this isn't too bad Nil thought while looking at the girls having some sort of awkward conversation, at least they were mostly quiet and no one was upset, when people are like that they become loud.
Nil started wondering if the group in the war room was this quiet, well maybe that would be the case if they were just discussing strategy and no one was derailing whatever conversation they were having.
Nil had been listening to the girls in front of her but didn't feel like interjecting herself, it's not like this conversation was really going anywhere... or even started really. Until the little one made an extremely shy plead for help with their conversation, Nil looked back and forth between Hannie and the girl sitting on the bench for a couple of seconds, looking almost panicked while doing so.
"You have... chocolate?" Nil finally blurted out in her typical shitty English, this was truly the best she could say, responded Hannie's plead, moved the conversation and maybe she was going to get some chocolate. Nil was pretty satisfied with the three words she just spat out.
Kaitlyn "The Lost" Price
Kaitlyn blinked, staring blankly at the tall and imposing lady for several seconds. Those gears were a turnin', and when they finished-
"Do I have... Chocolate?"
Did I hear that right? Is this imposing, superhuman Arms Master asking for chocolate? At a time like this? We might all be dead or dying in the next hour, and she wants bloody chocolate!?
Alright... Calm down, Kaitlyn. It was an innocent question. If... A bizarre one.
"Um... I have hard candies?" She said, stating it more like a question than a legitimate response.
She dug into one of the utility pouches, not housing things she'll need to stay alive in the upcoming battle.
The battle she's not thinking about. Because that would stress her the fuck-
"Here!" She beamed at the two, thrusting a hand towards them holding said candies.
don't think about it
"I-I have mints, too! And... Gum."
She paused, realizing she may have been acting a bit... Odd.
"You... Uh... You like gum?" She asked, turning her attention towards the less intimidating of the two.
Hannie
Candy... She's already had ice cream. Well, part of an ice cream. A very small portion of ice cream... before... um. Candy... The soldier's acting kind of weird. Is she doing that thing strangers do? Candy... ...is this worth resisting? It's not... It isn't. She creeps out from behind Nil for a better look.
"uh." The customary inaudible exhalation before she rallies herself to speak clearly. She feels more exposed than she expected. Her voice still comes out quiet. "I... I had gum before. Once. I think I spat it out. I like mints?" There was that guy at one of the laboratories who thought it was funny to give her mints, because of her power. Eventually, it stopped being a joke. He was nice. "And I guess hard candy, sometimes. Depends on the flavor." She's being picky. "Sorry if I sound picky." She shoves her hands into her coat pockets and tries to find eye contact. It isn't easy, only half because of the struggles on her end. But this lady feels... easier to look at than most people.
Kaitlyn "Mildly-Less-Anxious" Price
Kaitlyn found herself smiling as the little one spoke up.
There you are~
"No, it's alright. I can be picky too." She let out a little chortle, kneeling down to be more level with the little thing. "I've got butterscotch, those weird watermelon things..." She sorted through her pouch, showing off each one.
"Oh, a caramel cream."
She'll be keeping that one.
"I think I saw a little shop around here. They probably have more stuff. You wanna go get some?"
Why is she buying a child sweets? Is this... Should she be doing this? She hasn't even gotten the girl's name yet!
NPCs:
The small store set up in the auditorium for the sake of the current occupants also sold various brands of potato chips and other junk food as well as canned goods and also had a fridge for sodas and beer.
Nil
That question sparked a response, from both girls actually, truly everyone loves candy.
a candy shop? now that is an interesting place to go to, it's where people exchange candy for paper and everyone knows paper doesn't taste as good as candy.
"let's go there!" Nil said elatedly, breaking both her monotonous silence and posture to start walking in a random direction, almost surely the wrong one.
Hannie
"Ooh..." Hannie says, looking over all the candies. "Oh," Hannie says, considering the offer to go shopping for more. "Oh?" Hannie says, watching Nil hurry off like she knows where she's going. "Uh," Hannie says, looking from the departing form of her fellow nation-saving superweapon back to Kaitlyn with slightly more than the usual uncertainty in her eyes. She seems to have run out of words. She may need a second to restock.
Kaitlyn "I Got This" Price
"Oh, uh, wrong way!" She called out, standing back up. She took a step towards the departing Nil- paused to reconsider- then decided to just wave her down.
"Wrong way! The shop is this way!"
She'd spotted it just through a cursory glance around the room, quickly identifying her target.
Which was food. Or candy, in this case.
Some small part of her was slightly unsettled by the source of this instinctual assessment. As if some part of her had been permanently altered by events in her life.
Hoping that she heard her, Kaitlyn looked down and offered her free hand to Hannie. Such a shy, small thing without her guardian would probably get lost pretty easily in such a busy place.
"Um... Is there anything specific you want? Don't worry, I'm buying."
Hannie
Maybe she's getting a little swept up, or maybe she's just used to following people around. Hannie takes Kaitlyn's hand easily. She considers yelling after the wandering white-haired girl, but she doesn't know her name, and... well... she just doesn't want to yell, really. "I- I like mints. And... cherry flavor. And blueberry. And, lemon. Um." She goes down the mental list of hard candy flavors she's tried and liked. Actually, are there any she's ever disliked? "...I like... candy." That ought to cover it. It always beats scientist food.
Nil
Nil kept walking for a while then heard being called out, the other two were going in the opposite direction that's where the candy shop is she thought while turning to follow them.
The small one was closely following the woman with a military uniform the small one was called... Hannie, right? was it normal for her to follow strangers? this doesn't seem too normal for children of that age.
Then again it's not like Nil could blame her, she was doing the same thing basically but it might be worth it to keep an eye on them while trying to get some candies.
NPCs:
Kaitlyn had enough Philippine Pesos to buy literally everything in the store; 1 US Dollar was 55 Philippine Pesos and 1 piece of candy was literally 1 Philippine Peso. Kaitlyn had 50,000 Philippine Pesos; perhaps 80,000.
Kaitlyn "Momma" Price
She speaks... Really simply. How old is she, even?
Kaitlyn dug out one of her cherry candies and passed it along to Hannie on the way to the shop, watching out for... Something.
She couldn't explain it, but she had to make sure there weren't any threats around. Especially with a child here. She should probably keep her close by until the battle starts.
And then what?
Well... She can't keep her out of the fight. She IS an Arms Master...
...
"So, uh, I don't think I caught your name," She said, idly browsing the assorted goods. Some of it looked interesting- she hadn't really had the time to sample Philippines cuisine. Or sweets, in this case.
Hannie
Hannie unwraps the candy and pops it into her mouth as quickly as it's given to her. The word "stranger" echoes in her head again, but she pays it no mind. Isn't that how they get you? Oh well. Yummy candy. She lets it melt for a while.
She pushes it to the side of her mouth to speak once addressed. "I'm Hannie," she says. There's some energy in her voice now. She peeks over the counter, her view of the other side more limited than the army girl's. "Um, Hannie Cavalet. C-rank." Sometimes her grade is more important than her name. An army place seems like that kind of situation. She looks over the wares for a while before remembering that other thing she's supposed to do. "Oh, what's your name?"
Kaitlyn "No Powers" Price
"Hannie?" She smiles, giggling to herself. "That's such a cute name! I'm Kaitlyn. Kaitlyn Price... Er, private."
Here, she blushes, chewing her lip as her free hand came up to brush against her hairpin.
"I'm... Just a private. If that's okay."
Hannie Cavalet. C-Rank
Hannie is quiet for a while, trying to remember what a private even is. There are some who might take this silence as judgmental. She gives up after getting as far as "a low army rank." "Private Price," she says. "That rhymes- no- that's... uh, alliteration! And I'm, um, C Cavalet?" She quickly considers the poetic value of the phrase C Cavalet in comparison, and concludes that it may be best to carry on.
"A-anyway, what's back there?" She jumps up to try to see more.
Kaitlyn "Private" Price
"I think I'll just call you Hannie," she said warmly, squeezing her hand.
"Now, let's see..." She makes a show of looking over the assortment of candies.
"They have... Y'know what, why don't I just lift you so you can see better?"
Kaitlyn can probably carry someone that small. Hopefully.
Hannie
It isn't easy. Hannie is small, but she's bigger than most people who get lifted up by adults. It does mean she doesn't have to go much higher to see everything, at least, but the effort is moderately and increasingly uncomfortable for both parties. This isn't going to last. The store manager steps aside to let her see everything but the alcohol. Hannie hurries to assess her options. It's overwhelming. It's too many unhealthy things, too much pressure to act fast! Umm! Her hand flies out to indicate a jar of green wrappers that say mint on them! "That! - You see?" she strains, her body struggling with her own suspended weight.
She has a flash of realization that this is probably the exact wrong thing to be panicking about right now. She quietly pushes that aside.
Kaitlyn "Uncomfortable" Price
"That?" She grunts, quickly identifying the candies in question.
She sets Hannie back down, her muscles silently thanking her.
Well that was mildly uncomfortable.
"Alright..."
She withdrew the appropriate amount of currency, exchanging it for a good handful of the candies.
That ought to keep her satisfied.
Kaitlyn herself got some of those peach-looking gummies. Maybe they're like the ones back home? Like at Cracker Barrel.
Hmm... Is there a Cracker Barrel in the Philippines?
"Anything else?" She asks, hoping that they were done here. She was sure satisfied, at least.
... *Wait a minute, where did the other one go?
The way she was acting, Kaitlyn expected her to have best her to the cart...
Hannie
Mints. Mmm. "Mm-mm. Thank you!" Hannie stashes the mints in her coat pockets. She still has the cherry candy to work on. She remains, for now, oblivious to the inevitable mild catastrophe of whatever Nil is up to, taking Uncomfortable Price's distraction instead as a cue to aimlessly watch the people of the auditorium move.
Nil
Hurrying to the candy shop Nil saw the others were already taking candies for themselves, hopefully, some are left.
Nil has no paper to buy candies, big problem, maybe she could give them something else they might want, after all the whims of other people are difficult to understand. Some want specific things, others want nothing that is material and many want paper, also what are they doing with those metal disks?
As she arrives Nil pulled out a military hat and two broken pencils and puts them on the desk "This good?" she asks hoping maybe they wanted them.
Kaitlyn "The Confounded" Price
'You have... Chocolate?'
It was the chocolate deal all over again. How did this lady function in society? Or were Arms Masters just kept in isolated bubbles, only called upon to wreak havoc upon a nation's enemies?
"Um..." Kaitlyn briefly looked down at Hannie, gently taking one of her hands, just incase she drifted off or something, and approached the bemused cashier.
"H-here... Just give her whatever she needs," she said, nervously side-eyeing the Arms Master as she laid down a sum of money on the counter no sane person would ever use in one sitting. Unless you were this lady, probably.
Kaitlyn, being a part of... Her specific team... Was rewarded with quite the stipend. A stipend that Kaitlyn almost never used for herself. Almost all of it goes back home, but it's nice to be able to buy trinkets and snacks here and there. Especially when she's nervous.
... While she was at it, she may as well make sure Hannie has some level of financial independence, too. She doesn't know what kinds of things young Arms Masters buy, but she does know that Hannie wasn't able to afford a basic ration of sweets.
"Hannie."
Kneeling down, she withdrew the last of her pesos and handed them over to the child. She tried to project a serious air.
"Just incase you need something, I want you to have this. Okay? Don't spend it all on candy."
Hannie
Oh... there's Nil. Somehow she's not surprised. Hannie looks startled by the subsequent money offer. She takes it with a moment's hesitation, and nods, candy still in her mouth. She's not sure what she'll do with this. She looks at Nil. She goes to Nil. "You pay with this stuff. With money." She displays her new money. "Like what she did for you." She looks over at the counter. "Unless they want pencils and hats?"
@Nimbus Perfect! Sorry about how long all that took in the discord, but I would say you're ready to roll now! Approved, pending the other go-aheads from @Letter Bee and @SkyHresvelg. Once they get back to you, you can toss that in the CS tab and post whenever you like.
A big toast to The Jest (not pinging him) for all his hard work!
Although he has dropped out of the RP due to IRL issues, let this post stand as a public statement of gratitude for all his efforts on this RP's behalf!
Not currently, but I liked the idea a lot when I started - there's a possibility that I'll finish/rework and submit her sometime I really have no idea how electricity works
As Noble Arms are created through life-changing personal growth in my version of it, various governments have created 'Spartan Training Programs (STPs)' to turn 'trainees' into Arms Masters by forcing personal growth. These are not the same as Arms Master Academies, although there is overlap between them and the STPs, with some establishments having separate 'Normal' and 'Arms Master' classes where those of the former can join the latter when they grow a Noble Arm. Note however that the STPs vary in methods and severity; some of them are mere 'Military Schools with more steps', and others are torture factories where abuse is a constant theme.
Singapore has the largest STP in ASEAN, where parents and orphanages regularly 'volunteer' their children for harsh training, both physical and spiritual, in order to have a chance of an Arms Master in the family. However, although the Singapore STP is not as bad as the ones ran by various authoritarian regimes, it is infamous for having dropouts who later join Anti-Arms Master terrorist groups such as the now-defunct Disablers.
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