Lounging on a black and green chair of her own making that was furnished with sinfully comfortable cushions, Qingshe was in a good mood, as she sipped a sweet, cherry-red beverage from a wineglass. In fact, one might even say the Snake was in a better mood than she'd been all year, as she idly swirling the contents of her cup between sips while listening to the briefing being presented by First Lieutenant Alonso.
A lazy smile sat upon her lips, a languid, satiated thing, and golden-green slitted eyes occasionally traced across the crowd that comprised Task Force Obsidian. Her smile widened at the sight of the newcomers, as idle curiosity over what fascinating Noble Arms they might bring to the table swirled through her thoughts. Amusement bubbled within her at the one called "Aoi Mikoto". For senses like hers, it wasn't hard to notice the hostility she felt for the Snake. The sensation of having a silent glare boring into the back of your neck... Ah~, it was like being home again~.
Really, there were quite a few reasons to be happy right now. ASEAN's major leak had -at least ostensibly- been plugged, and while Qingshe really thought the Danggal Clan got off far too lightly for their treason, she acknowledged the certain level of hypocrisy in that stance coming from her. Didn't mean she actually trusted them not to start trouble again later, but for now, she could be satisfied that they were sufficiently cowed and surveilled such that any further disruptions on their end would be noticed and/or swifty dealt with... with far more permanence this time.
In far more unequivocally positive news, however, America's Congressional Midterm results and the impending entry of the United States into the ASEAN theater proper spoke well for the future of the war's conclusion. The mercurial nature of American politics had its ups and downs, but it seemed in this case, things were finally about to go ASEAN's way fully for a change. Already, the mere implications of this inevitable titan entering the field had shifted the priorities of involved parties. And the biggest proof of it all was the now scheduled diplomatic summit and the willingness for the PRC to even entertain it. Some had reasonably raised concerns, but...
"I'm willing to be cautiously optimistic," Qingshe added her two cents to the discourse, grinning widely and shooting a wink to Cristina, who she'd made a point of parking herself beside in seating arrangements. "At this stage in the war, the PRC have few diplomatic cards left in their corner. If even a speck of rationality remains with them, then the idea of attacking this summit should be anathema, purely from any form of forward-thinking perspective."
Honestly, more than anything else, it was the sheer delight~ of having a student again that buoyed her mood so high right now. The past week had been nothing short of invigorating for her, a true callback and something she'd not realized she was missing so much in her present situation. The satisfaction she received from having someone to pass knowledge on to in a meaningful manner was second to none, and Cristina -to her credit- was an earnest and excellent learner. It really said something about her talent how far she'd managed to come in only a week of tutelage.
Proud showman that she was, Qingshe naturally enjoyed tooting her own horn, and so she wouldn't entirely dismiss her own excellence as a teacher. But in the end, the true burden of improvement lay with the student, and Miss Bernardino had shown tangible results in not just improving her Noble Arm but -far more impressively- demonstrating even the basics of Occult Programming Language. What made it all the more appalling and impressive in equal measure was learning that Cristina had never had any formal schooling before the Snake. That she could still grasp such a thing as OPL even then? Extremely impressive. Qingshe was almost tempted to say "genuinely genius", but she didn't want to jump the gun so early. Only time would tell if that supposed talent held true long-term...
Letting out a wry sigh, Qingshe's mouth quirked. "Then again, 'rationality' and the PRC haven't been close bedfellows for a while now, certainly not since they joined hands with the Downward Descent." There was no point in concealing that fact. It wasn't like Superbia had been anything subtle in his attack on Nico. Pretty much everyone in the Task Force had to know by now about the newest global faction to add the unbelievably unlucky Mr. Makri to their personal shit-list. "So, I wouldn't blame anyone for taking precautions... nor generally harboring doubts of the integrity of this venture." Shaking her head, Qingshe clicked her tongue, before smirking and taking another languid sip of her beverage. "Under normal circumstances, I might say the presence of Arms Masters at such an event would be an inflammatory, dangerous thing... but no-one can trust the risk of a rogue actor striking while they are vulnerable, nor that their fellows won't bring their own insurance. Ergo, everyone feels compelled to not risk being the only one 'unarmed' if the worst should happen, and the whole thing becomes a messy western standoff regardless."
Reclining back in her chair and resting her cheek on the knuckles of her free hand, the Snake chuckled. "Of course, even if this looks too good to be true, even if this is all a hoax, the chance that it isn't is too tantalizing to ignore, isn't it? That's the rub of it all. It's bait too good to not bite, and if this is a trap... well, they'll know that as well as we do." Her gaze traced over the assembled members of Task Force Obsidian, her smile growing a touch cold. "Whatever else they might be scheming, one thing is almost certain, the summit is the ideal chance for the PRC to make a diplomatic coup. With the public revelation of Ai Chen's crimes, people are going to be leveling more scrutiny upon them. Before all else, if this is organized with any sort of eye towards China's future, their priority in this summit will be damage control. Shifting blame."
She giggled darkly. "They can't deny the existence of Ai Chen's proven crimes, nor the recorded actions of other malicious actors amongst them. However, they can still feign ignorance, condemn the likes of Ai Chen and claim she was a rogue actor with lacking oversight. They can make empty promises that nonetheless sound convincing, and they will almost certainly do everything in their power to individualize the sins of accusations levied against them. The more they can avoid the PRC as a whole being held responsible for the actions of a select few, the better." At least, that's almost certainly what she would do in their place. Tactically, it just made sense. Admit nothing, deflect and counterstrike. "Let's assume this is legitimate for a moment. If so, then the PRC will be looking to buy time and put their best foot forward."
She snorted. "Let us be unfortunately brutally realistic: in this era of media sensationalism, the public's attention span is short. A truce of several months serves the PRC's interests as well. It will give them time for the public outrage to die down and for them to fully quell any public upset on the home front. By the time this 'truce period' is over, the American public at least will have largely fallen back into their apathetic overseas stupor, and their cries for justice and war will be but a whisper. The PRC is unlikely to stop committing war crimes... They will simply be more careful about hiding them. Still..." She hummed, one finger tapping her wineglass with a quiet tinkling sound. "For this to truly all blow over, the PRC would need to overwrite the public's outrage with a newer, fresher target, so unless Russia decides to do something particularly... sensational soon, there's a good chance of the PRC being unable to shake this. They need a scapegoat and lack for convincing ones... but that doesn't mean they won't be looking."
She was grinning, but there was a glint of seriousness in her eyes. "This is going to be a delicate political situation. It cannot be overstated how important it is to not be seen to 'strike first' should anything... untoward occur. So, dress to impress and bring your best manners, even if Huo Ren himself should stand in front of you. Our actions will reflect on ASEAN and the security of their position at the bargaining table, and if you're feeling trigger happy... Don't. In an ideal world, all we're there for is to look pretty and -at worst- loom with vague menace while the politics happen. Violating a national diplomatic truce would be a disaster for us... Rather, for anyone who is going to be at that table." Shaking her head, she smirked. "Really, this is the sort of thing that shouldn't need to be said, but I realize that not all of you here today may come from backgrounds sufficient to grant you a complete understanding of the stakes at hand... So, I say it anyway."
"Hoh?" Qingshe raised a brow at Cristinia's request, a pleasant surprise. Although the timing could perhaps have been better... Glancing around at how crowded the section of the beach they were in was getting all of a sudden, the Snake had to loose a small chuckle, shaking her head in exasperation.
To Jin Li, she eventually said in Mandarin, "It seems our conveyance is growing less discreet by the moment. Perhaps we should continue this elsewhere another time. Perhaps tomorrow?" For now though...
She addressed Martha in English. "Hah, please excuse my interruption. I'll soon leave you again to your relaxation... this time hopefully more comfortable than before." From beneath her dress hem, her bubbling ooze spread forth, crossing the short distance to Martha and raising up a thin metallic plank from its mass that the ooze then proceeded to largely coat.
"Simply stick any part of yourself that requires treatment into the shadow, and I'll have you fixed right up~. No need for a full dunking... unless you want it, that is~." Giving a small hum, she grinned. "It may take a small while to complete, as I don't believe I've treated you yet. The first time is always the slowest." She didn't elaborate on why.
Finally turning her attention fully back to Cristina, Qingshe chuckled and spoke in Filipino. "I cannot say I was expecting such a request, Miss Bernardino, but regardless... I'd be more than happy to oblige you." Humming lyrically, she tapped her lips and grinned. "Still, such a conversation as I'm sure you'd require may be... sensitive in nature. Let us take our consultation away from prying ears, shall we?"
The Snake paused at the approach of yet another still, letting out a small chuff at the arrival of Callie. Shaking her head in good humor, Qingshe's lips quirked with a hint of wryness, as she answered the blonde's question. "Ah~, you're not interrupting all that much by now, really~."
Grinning, her slitted golden eyes squinted into smiles. "As it happens, Miss Bernardino and I were just now taking our leave, I believe." She smiled apologetically. "I'd invite you along for what promises to be a fascinating subject of consideration, but well..." She chuckled. "Consider the nuance of the matter something not dissimilar to doctor-patient confidentiality... Unless Miss Bernardino is willing to have you along, of course."
Nervously shook her head, she barely felt safe with what she's doing and would appreciate a company but this is her battle, she needs to face it alone.
"I'm not willing," she answered as she waits for Qingshe's move.
"Lead the way."
Qingshe’s mouth quirked. “Well, there we have it then~.” Sketching a small waggle of her fingers in farewell to the other beachgoers, the greenette practically sauntered away back towards the more industrialized portions of the island. Grinning to Cristina, Qingshe added, “I know just the place~.”
There was no particular rush, and so the pace the Snake led was a languid one. Traversing the streets of the Qing Restoration Society’s present capitol, the pair naturally earned glances everywhere they went. After all, Qingshe alone cut a notable figure even were her position in this nation’s hierarchy not also nothing to sneeze at.
Despite her own apprehension of the tall, unnaturally beautiful woman, if she had a mind to be looking, Cristina would likely notice that Qingshe’s presence seemed to put a pep in the step of many of the civilians. Some smiled. Others even waved. And the Snake sometimes returned those wordless gestures of amiability.
Whatever her past or often uncanny presence, actions in the present spoke louder still. The Zodiac were meant to be symbols of power, of hope and order, showcasing their government’s glorious inevitable victory against those that would oppose them.
For these people, traitors to that tyrannical regime, the fact that their movement had seemingly stolen away one of those beacons of power, those propped up as symbols? It was fortifying, hope granting, and it enhanced the legitimacy of their cause. To have one of the Zodiac take their side made the odds seem just that little bit less long, a welcome morale boost even for the genuine believers. It was, in a sense, a PR coup… one that had only gained even greater momentum after the latest mission had seen the QRS’s Zodiac soundly defeat the CCP's with the death of Ai Chen by Qingshe’s hands.
Qingshe, of course, did not fail to comprehend and bolster this phenomenon. In a sense, it was rather similar to the role she’d once played for the PRC, and it cost her little to form connections with the people of her new faction where she could, to show the flag and keep spirits high.
Not to mention… but there was a certain presence of “humility” one could cultivate by being a powerful figure and yet continuing to interact with everyday folk instead of sitting in an ivory tower.
And so, now, as she had before, Qingshe didn’t waste the opportunity to be seen on the way to her destination, throwing a smile here and a small wave there. A few times, she even addressed someone by name, inquiring after old business and their well being in passing. And the Snake naturally knew that the more she did this, the tighter her coils intertwined within the social structure of the QRS. Soon enough, she was confident her position would be quite secure and irrevocable regardless, provided the aims of the QRS panned out, but it never hurt to lay a firmer foundation for the future.
Not that that would have been too difficult anyway. The residential district the pair of Arms Masters were traveling through was located atop a massive stretch of land around 2 kilometers across that jutted out of the side of the already artificial island.
This “land” was, in fact, rather a series of interconnected concrete blocks, spreading out over the central waters of Mischief Reef’s lagoon. If someone were to have the right power, they might ascertain that the blocks had all been welded together somehow on a molecular level, such that it almost wouldn’t be incorrect to say the structure was simply one large half-circle jutting down southward into the innards of the existing half-moon of the island.
Meanwhile, unseen, beneath that structure, dozens of thick steel alloy pillars acted as supports, punched hundreds of feet into the earth. But perhaps far more interesting was what was built atop it.
A sprawling residential district proudly gleamed under the light. Largely composed of two and three-story buildings, this place was easily the most homely section of the island, home to the many QRS loyalists and many refugees from the PRC’s China. It was here that had quickly become the heart of the island in the past year, thanks in large part to the recruitment of the Snake.
It hadn’t take her long after arrival for Lei Qingshe to make no bones that the living conditions and quality of life were insufficient. To see the citizenry stuck living in meager bungalows wouldn’t be allowed on her watch. Therefore, for once put in a position of true authority, Qingshe had used her power to produce masses of material and oversee a sprawling, expansive construction project to invigorate and modernize the locale, truly turning it into something worth calling a “nation”. And for that, she had determined, they could not remain a mere military base. No, they must be able to support a civilian population.
And the results were clear to see.
The buildings here in large part possessed metallic, armored exteriors, layered with rust-resistant alloy that was often a foot thick or more. The windows similarly were largely constructed with conventionally considered “bulletproof” glass. For, though their defenses were good and the central area not as easily reached, Qingshe hadn’t failed to prepare for the eventuality that the Reef might come under siege. In such a case, the construction here in the heartland would resist splendidly, all but a massive sprawling fortress of a zone.
Despite the militaristic mind taken to the construction, however, aesthetics weren’t sacrificed, and the entire district gave off an air that could only be called “futuristic”. Instead of the “boxy” shape of most modern construction, these buildings had smooth, rounded outsides and sweeping curves. This, of course, was also slightly militantly minded, as curved armored structures would be more difficult to destroy with bombardment, providing angled armor to assaults.
Yet, still, they gleamed with a silvery sheen in many places, their fresh nature apparent. And where they did not shine silver, many other colors had quickly cropped up, as people came to live here and add their own personal touches in the forms of storefronts and homes. Though, most dominantly, there seemed to be a preference for brilliant yellows and vibrant blues, which seemed to be the factional color. Though, secondary still to that, there was a not inconsiderable number of buildings that hewed towards a light-drinking black and bright green, Qingshe’s own aesthetic and likely something many had adopted in acknowledgement of her role in pushing for this place to exist at all.
And all the while, the flag of the Qing Restoration Society flew proudly on practically every street and over many shops and domiciles, displaying a winding blue and white-scaled eastern dragon on a bold yellow background with a red dot in the top-left corner.
Striding along the bustling sidewalks, Qingshe led the way down the main street of this district towards a notably larger structure, positioned roughly dead center of the reef’s lagoon.
One could use several descriptors to encompass the place, but perhaps foremost among them might be “traditional”. The six-story building hearkened back to images of Chinese palaces, standing roughly twice as tall as the average building in the area. It wouldn’t be a long stretch to call the structure a declaration in and of itself of the intent of the QRS, announcing that they treated this palace is as a vision of the future where they had restored their monarchy.
And it was to that place that Qingshe was gradually making her way.
Cristina quietly followed the snake, as she makes her stroll around the capitol. It wasn't as hasty than she would've preferred, but there is no reason to voice her complaints to someone who's lending a hand.
She never felt so small standing next to someone, and she wasn't talking about their heights. The unexpected part was it doesn't felt that's being suffocated.
Admittedly, a huge part of it might be conscious effort, but seeing how she interacts with her own people, to see her talk to them and inspire confidence on them.
She looked like a symbol of hope to them, no she is one.
She snapped out of her thoughts when she saw the residential district of the Reef. It looked more like a resort than a refugee center and judging by how Qingshe looked at it, it seems like she had a hand on its construction.
Compared to little, weak, cowardly her she might as well be a god.
Does she deserve to stand in this ground?
She wasn't a hero, just a girl who wanted her sister back, and said sister hates her.
Qingshe will hear a laugh, a defeated laugh, one that you could hear when someone had enough as they enter the palace.
She might not intend to do it, but she had already beaten Cristina's self-esteem.
At the defeated noise from Cristina, Qingshe nearly paused. Though, being that she was still in public and in a position to be upholding appearances, she didn't allow her smile or confident air to wane, as she shot Cristina a brief look in the corner of her eye, observing the worn quiet the girl was languishing in.
The reasoning for her depressed air wasn't quite clear, but perhaps she was still mulling over the past and the future? The after-action reports regarding the interactions with "Superbia" and the one calling herself Cristina's sister had been... "interesting" to read... at least as far as how ridiculous they were. It all seemed so... absurdly petty to her, but then again, what was she really expecting from the Downward Descent? They were the embodiment of all that was irrational and loathsome.
Tangentially, Qingshe still could not fathom how horrendous Nico's luck was. How did this man somehow unfailingly manage to gather obsessive and powerful stalkers from every antagonistic faction he encountered? This was just ridiculous. So... so stupid. Honestly, it made her wonder if the likes of Huo Ren hadn't gotten such foolishness from the Downward Descent's influence... It was a nice fantasy anyway.
Letting out a hum of consideration, the Snake dragged herself back to the present and took a moment to organize her thoughts, as she and Cristina reached the palace complex and passed through a quick routine security check. As they stepped into a lavishly decorated and expansive foyer area, Qingshe allowed her pace to quicken minutely, heading for a large staircase and shooting some passing staff a nod.
Heading up toward the fourth floor, Qingshe smirked and leaned over slightly to conspiratorially whisper to her fellow Arms Master, "Personally, I'm not much for ostentatious grandeur of this kind, but apparently, there's certain appearances to uphold... or so Ren Zhao would insist." She chuckled at the thought of that silly, jealous man.
"He was the one to greet us on arrival," she elaborated as a reminder, just in case the man had somehow gone overlooked. Which would be markedly funny and true to form, regardless, given that the entire reason for his own defection as far as she was aware was being overlooked for his brother.
Loosing a chuff, as they traversed hallways gilded with traditional Chinese finery, Qingshe added, "Don't get me wrong, I enjoy showing off as much as the next person..." she smirked, "but I prefer to show off things with purpose." She gestured broadly to the halls. "In the end, what is all this but an imitation, filled with impermanence. For all that the QRS is using this as our capitol at present, we know it won't last. This is effectively a loan from the Philippines, given their own territorial claims, and I quite imagine that if we win this war, ceding it to them fully will be part of negotiations to maintain the sanctity of our alliance. Anything we build here is... fleeting, in the end."
Shaking her head, Qingshe chuckled. "But I'm getting away from myself. There's something to be said for putting on a show, but isn't it better to draw admiration for a purpose other than bragging?" She shrugged, grinning. "Grand works should do more than simply put others down or raise yourself up. They should inspire, lead by example. What they should evoke is aspiration, not jealousy. For in the end, one of those encourages others to rise up... while the other only urges them to drag others down."
Tapping her lips with one finger, she chuffed. "Such things are the reason the balance between admiration and spite is so delicate in the end. That's how I feel anyway."
Cupping her chin with one hand, Qingshe's golden, reptilian gaze focused more intently on Cristina, as they neared their destination. "What one should hope to invoke with one's own greatness in others is ambition, the thirst to improve and... evolve for the sake of themselves and others." Her smile was all teeth. "The development of one's Noble Arm most often is rooted in such a genuine desire as well... which leads me to ask..."
The pair arrived at a doorway with keycard scanner and number pad, the light on which flashed green without any movement from Qingshe to interact with it. Perhaps it had been remotely triggered somehow? Regardless, the door swung open to admit the pair into a room that was -though comparable to a luxury apartment- far less ostentatious than the halls outside. These facilities here, rather, seemed to share a greater reminiscence to the futuristic lean of the district outside the palace, and the Snake's black and green aesthetic was heavy here... though largely inverted. The dominant color was greens in the decor with black as an accent, creating a fairly more welcoming and less inherently ominous "vibe" than the owner usually championed.
As soon as the two had stepped inside and the door closed securely behind them, Qingshe finally deigned to finish her prior thought. "...What is it that drives you, Miss Benardino?"
There was a quiet passionate intensity in the Snake's words, as she strode further into her abode towards a small sleek... tea table? It had enough seats around it to easily accommodate them both at least. Qingshe availed herself, at that, and a small wave of her hand beckoned Cristina to make herself comfortable as well.
All the while, Qingshe was still speaking. "And I do not... necessarily mean what drives you in this particular moment." She chuckled, tapping a finger on the table. "I mean what drives you to improve as a concept. I mean as a pattern." Leaning back in her chair, Qingshe tilted her head slightly. "I mean in the sense of what mindset first drove your Noble Arm to awaken at all... and I'm willing to bet strongly that there's a correlation between that moment and many of the future points of... improvement in your capabilities."
Inclining her chin, Qingshe paused, seeming to stare into the distance for a moment, before chuckling and shaking her head. "Though, perhaps I'm getting ahead of myself again." She smirked in a manner that was almost self-depreciating. "Let me ask you then, adjacently, how much do you really know about the nature of Noble Arms?"
Cristina was visibly nervous, as she enters Qingshe's mansion. She'd infiltrated other mansions before, but this the first time she enters one as a guest. It felt wrong if anyone asked her.
"To raise others up? Was it really a good ideal?" she asked. Qingshe after all is not the first person who said those words.
Her sister was the best of them, the only one to unlock her Noble Arms among them. The best fighter, the most clever...
...and the kindest. The most caring.
She wondered what would happen if she just saved herself, she would make a better member of the Obsidian compared to her.
She did her best to keep up with the Serpent's ramblings.
Noble Arms are powered by desire, the will to do 'something' is what makes it powerful.
It needs a 'drive'.
She initially tried to answer money but it wasn't what really drives her. What made her start
"Everything I did was for a small hope that I can save my sister instead what she always do, it wasn't meant to be however." she answered as she looked at a window.
"As for the nature of Noble Arms, I think they are a reflection of what their owners wanted to achieve, some sort of soul manifestation?"
"Naturally, raising others up is a most laudable thing," Qingshe said with a grin, before chuckling. "Though, I find it more sustainable to encourage others to raise themselves up in turn. Rather than doing all the work for them, give others the tools to help themselves." She smiled warmly. "In such a way, they will not be left helpless without you, and you will not find yourself burdened with unnecessary expectations. And those you help raise up can help raise others in turn."
Not making any move to address her guest's nerves verbally, Qingshe chuckled and favored the anxious Cristina with a smile, as a small puddle of her shadow bubbled out from beneath her arm and smoothly ejected a small, pristine glass tea set with two empty cups and a cozy little teapot presently steaming merrily from the spout. A sweet, herbal scent drifted into the air, as Qingshe filled both cups and took one for herself, the other standing in silent offering.
"Though your knowledge is incomplete, you're on the right track," the Snake praised in response.
Taking a slow, comfortable sip, the greenette let out a pleased hum and then placed her cup down upon one of a pair of saucers that had manifested in the interim of her handing it. Her shadow slunk away, disappearing from sight once more.
Licking her lips, Qingshe briefly organized her thoughts, before continuing to address the primary topic of this meeting, "You are correct that Noble Arms have a connection to the soul. Most of them -the naturally born ones- are reflections of their user in some capacity. In fact, one could say a Noble Arm is never more possessed of potential than it is with its creator." Leaning back in her chair, she sighed. "Try as many might, inherited Noble Arms will never truly match up. There will always be some level of... let's call it 'spiritual dissonance' that holds them back."
"Despite the vast majority of Noble Arms not having anything worth referring to as 'sentience', it can't be denied that they possess a certain capacity to reject a user they find unfavorable." Qingshe let out an amused chuff, grinning. "They truly are immensely picky little things, and they exercise stiff favoritism. When it comes to inheritance, a Noble Arm holds all future users to the standard of their first one, and the more precisely alike one is to the original user, the more likely the Noble Arm will bond with them and successfully develop further abilities under their partnership."
Her expression turned a bit more serious. "Of course, because it's simply impossible for two people to have truly identical souls, there's no scenario where an inheritor will truly possess the same potential as the original. Really, it's a stroke of luck for a Noble Arm to allow itself to be inherited at all... never mind operating optimally for another."
Shaking her head, the Snake sighed, a glint of warning and pity in her gaze. "Some have thought it wise to try and force a bond by various means, of course, but the backlash of incompatibility is such cases... Well, let's just say the would-be inheritor usually ends up lucky to survive... or even come away sane..." The Snake let that statement hang ominously, allowing the warning to sink in, before adding grimly. "And still others... the likes of the Downward Descent... They have found... truly unholy ways to manifest success... at the cost of everyone involved. Forcing a Noble Arm to work with a normally incompatible user... Forcing two Noble Arms to coexist under the same host...?"
Closing her eyes, Qingshe let out a sigh of genuine sympathy. "I wasn't there to witness it personally, but I read the after-action reports..." Her golden eyes reopened, half-lidded. "What happened to your sister... The madness, irrationality and unfettered twisted desires... Such things are not unusual consequences of undergoing the Downward Descent's abominable enhancements."
Taking another sip of her tea, the Snake exhaled and tapped the table with one finger rhythmically. "The process of forcibly bonding to an unwilling Noble Arm is a wholly unnatural thing, and for it to result in anything but painful death or the agonizing evisceration of the recipient's soul, it requires both Arm and User to be... twisted to artificially create a commonality between them for the bond to truly take hold..."
Scoffing derisively, the Snake briefly scowled, shaking her head. "Or so I can only strongly theorize. Even under the PRC, that isn't something I've ever attempted." Largely for lack of technical capacity than any moral-based unwillingness at the time, granted, but Cristina didn't need to hear that less flattering tidbit.
"But as for what Noble Arms truly are in more explicit terms... Hmmm, how shall I put this?" Qingshe tapped her lips with one finger. "Tell me, have you heard of the phenomenon succinctly named... 'Occult Programming Language'?"
Cristina took the tea, it did little to calm her nerves but it was enough to make the 'consulation', breathable for the lack of better word. She smiled a little bit at getting the question partially right, making inferences was one of the few things she's good at.
She recoiled in fear as she heard of what Qingshe thought happened to her sister. Everything that happened to her was because she left her alone that time, she should've have stayed with her.
"And what will you do, fight with that piece of metal, please save yourself instead.
The freelancer stayed silent, before asking.
"So in order to free her, we need to undo the enhancements? Their forced bonds?"
The then looked at the teacup before answering the snake's last question.
"I know nothing, but if you ask me about it, it must be something important." she answered looking at her snake-like eyes.
Huffing, Qingshe took no pleasure in partially shooting Cristina's idea down. "It may not be so simple. As I said..." As inconvenient as it was... "Dabbling in matters of successful forcible Noble Arm grafting isn't something I can count under my repertoire. I have theories... ones with strong basis, yes, but only theories."
Taking another sip of her tea, Qingshe sighed. "I've inspected those... 'gifted' by the Downward Descent in the past, of course, enough to form the aforementioned conclusions, but I've never tried to revert the process." Not with a living subject to show for it afterwards...
She lifted up a finger, listing off. "The problems are threefold here. One, breaking the bond between the victim and a grafted Noble Arm. Already, that would be an immense feat, to shatter such a normally inviolable bond... and to do so without harming the bonded. This is the first step, because if we tried to return the victim to normal before doing so, even if we succeeded, they would immediately suffer from 'spiritual dissonance' and likely die due to the still bonded and now incompatible Noble Arm."
A second finger rose. "Secondly, there's no guarantee such a separation would inherently revert the victim's mind and soul. I suspect what the Downward Descent does is nothing so flimsy as an 'enchantment', fit to be unraveled wholly by the right hands." Her expression darkened. "What I believe they do is twist the victim's soul irrevocably... like playdough. And like playdough, returning it to its precisely exact former shape is something nearly impossible."
The Snake rubbed her chin, frowning. "No two souls are ever truly alike, and successfully determining the exact nuances of even a single subject enough to restore them? Well... the only one I might succeed in such an endeavor on is myself. There's no-one I know better, after all..." Nor whom she had such in-depth "blueprints" of.
A third finger rose. "And lastly... there is the matter of repairing your sister's Noble Arm itself. In this, at least, I can say I actually have some experience... not the 'repairing' so much as the ability to alter a Noble Arm at all, but... it is a delicate and finicky process with much risk involved. And I still need to know what my final result should be." She tilted her head, a humorless smile on her lips. "I'm sure you can see how that might be an issue, yes? I've never personally met your sister. I don't know her like you. I don't have her... template to restore her from backup."
Snorting, Qingshe paused to down the rest of her tea in one gulp, before moving to pour herself a fresh steaming cup. "As usual, no matter how much I learn, I'm still lagging behind where it matters..." she muttered, before shaking her head and reforming her smile. Though, it didn't fully reach her eyes. "Ah... but the path of science is one without end, and everyone has to start somewhere. Someday, eh?" she mused aloud, before refocusing herself on the matter at hand.
"Of course," she chuckled, "if we were to find that there was a way to institute a process of... 'self-correction', that would remove much of the burden of our side of the restoration. In that case, all we would need to do is remove any grafted Noble Arm your sister might have and start the process, allowing her soul to gradually sort itself out..."
Pursing her lips, Qingshe's brows scrunched in thought. "Either way, we must successfully capture your sister before anything can be attempted. She did show the capacity to teleport through portals, which complicates matters, unfortunately, but... if we can get her inside my shadow... spacetime will not avail her in escaping."
"As for how we might be able to actually do any of that, even with only our present Noble Arms...?" Qingshe chuckled. "Why, we'd attempt to revert the Downward Descent's work with the same thing they used: Occult Programming Language." Having finally pivoted around to addressing a topic she'd expected would be fairly necessary at some point in this meeting, the Snake continued. "I'm not surprised you haven't heard of it. If anything, I'd be shocked if you had. It's a highly classified topic, kept deep in the dark by just about every organized entity large enough to comprehend and utilize it."
Leaning back in her chair, Qingshe cradled her teacup in both hands and took another sip, smiling wryly. "This may sound absurd, so I'd brace myself if I were you. I promise... as much as I wish I were joking, this is no laughing matter," the Snake warned, before forging forward without hesitation. "Occult Programming Language is, to put it bluntly, magic. Very real and very dangerous magic. There's really not a tamer way to say it."
Qingshe leaned forward, placing her cup back on its saucer with a quiet clink. "Occult Programming Language -or as it is most often abbreviated, 'OPL'- is the art of 'programming' -or perhaps hacking- reality itself. It is a freeform, intensely math-based magic that functions by means that have... unfortunate cosmological implications. It treats everything in reality as something based in a form of underlying 'code', which OPL can manipulate."
Qingshe's expression was deadly serious now. "I don't think I can understate how dangerous OPL actually is, just how much unfettered calamity can result from its careless use." Snorting, the Snake's mien was one of bitterness, like she'd swallowed something unpleasant. "As much as I normally abhor the denial of knowledge, this is one such matter where I can at least understand... not going out of one's way to spread it around. There is a very good reason those in the know keep OPL quiet... and jealously hoard any secrets they uncover in how to manipulate it."
The Snake paused for a moment, cocking her head silently, as if she was organizing her thoughts, before adopting a wry expression. "To put into perspective just how existentially dangerous Occult Programming Language truly is... I will finally say it plainly."
Qingshe grinned in a manner that was perhaps unsettling, as an old bout of ire resurfaced within in the same as it did whenever she revisited this absurd bit of history. "Noble Arms are quite simply the completely unintended result of the first successful, fumbled use of Occult Programming Language, the blind shot in the dark of an idiot savant that somehow managed to alter something so utterly fundamental to reality and Humanity as a whole that it would eventually create the world we have today."
Closing her eyes, Qingshe audibly inhaled in frustration. "For good or ill, that is the truth. Noble Arms... were nothing but an accident."
Upon more fully restoring her composure, Qingshe's eyes slipped into a half-lidded expression of distant derision... though not one directed at Cristina, merely a memory. "Noble Arms, in truth, are a form of OPL." Pursing her lips, Qingshe tapped the table with a finger rhythmically. "A... 'preset' form of manipulation, if you will. Freeform OPL is difficult for reasons I won't get into immediately, but for that reason, it is flexible, technically capable of doing anything but generally lagging behind in practice. Noble Arms, by contrast, generally shoulder the burden that makes OPL so difficult, allowing their user to make use of OPL far more easily than a general practitioner... without even really knowing how they are doing anything. As a result, Arms Masters are typically more powerful. They are 'masters of one' compared to 'jacks of all trades'."
Tilting her head, Qingshe chuffed. "Noble Arms are essentially glorified, premade 'casting focuses', only capable of accessing a set series of 'code' that is generally determined on their manifestation. But for all they are generally highly secure and finicky, they are still ultimately expressions of OPL, and because of that... Well, once someone finds a way to cross the threshold of OPL mastery that allows them to manipulate the forces that presently largely shape today's world order?"
Qingshe's expression darkened. "That's when forces like the Seven Virtues..." She sneered. "-The Paragons of Science..." Her lip curled in derision and disappointment. "-and the Downward Descent arise." There was a cold, distant chill in her voice, as she mentioned the last one, before taking a quiet calming breath and smiling once more. "Though they all achieved that pinnacle of understanding in recent years, their machinations can be felt throughout the world. Even this entire war..." the Snake trailed off, before shaking her head.
"Regardless, you understand then?" Qingshe inquired. "If you want to save your sister, more than any amount of personal development of your Noble Arm, you will almost certainly need Occult Programming Language to address what has taken hold of her."
Cristina wasn't sure on what to expect when she asked for the Serpent's help, the most vivid image she could think of was her being strapped to a surgery table like a patient in need of a surgery. The second image was her meditating some form of eldritch knowledge where a single moment of weakness will lead to insanity.
She didn't expect the knowledge to be weirdly comprehendible even if such comprehension shows how impossible saving her sister was.
And yet...
"It was still possible." she muttered, there was a path to save her, it won't be easy and she may die and fail but the path was there.
She owe her sister this much and more.
"I do know that she will go for my head, does that mean that I would to stick with you?" she asked. "Or hope that my own Noble Arm can impede her escape?"
She listened on Qingshe's explanation of the Occult Programming Language. She was right, it was an absurd concept and yet it would explain how these 'magical' items existed.
"Should I really know about this? What was your guarantee that I won't reveal this to the anyone."
She then looked at the table, this Occult Programming Language was a huge thing, so important that no one should knowledge about it.
"It was a lot but how exactly would you use that to make me stronger?"
Leaning back in her chair, Qingshe nodded with a small chuckle. "Not discouraged? Good.Excellent even. Such determination will serve you well going forward." She grinned widely, approvingly. "That sort of attitude is exactly the type that creates great Arms Masters. While one should always be mindful of the odds for the sake of avoiding recklessness and waste, when it comes to your ideal future, never let them stop you from trying."
She chuffed. "You can't succeed without doing at least that much, after all. The fact of the matter is that success is always possible, no matter how daunting the odds. The possibility is there... You just need the tools to make it happen."
Giving a hum of contemplation, Qingshe considered the younger Arms Master's other questions, folding one arm under her chest and cupping her chin with her free hand. "Of course, while I cannot deny that my presence is a fairly secure place to be, generally speaking," she smirked, "there's a chance that your sister, even in madness, at least retains enough of a survival instinct to avoid a confrontation with me." Snorting, the Snake grinned wryly. "While in the past, I went to... great pains to conceal the extent of my strength... until the time was right, those days of obscurity are admittedly long behind me... for better or worse."
Looking morbidly amused, Qingshe's expression was conflicted. "While I have yet to attain Mr. Makri's own particular brand of... popularity... at least in that respect, I hope it's not too bold of me to speculate the reasoning at least stems from my enemies' conception of my threat level... which was perhaps elucidated upon more clearly than ever in my battle with the Rooster." Shaking her head, the Snake clicked her tongue. "That is all to say that I quite suspect my presence will act as a deterrent, even accounting for your sister's twisted state."
Taking her cup, Qingshe hummed and downed another soothing sip of the brew within. "If your sister is to pursue this imagined feud of hers with you further, I predict she will at least attempt to exercise it in situations where she can be confident in absolute victory."
Qingshe frowned. "The Downward Descent are... generally speaking power-mad cowards. They -including your sister now- will likely wish to never invite a situation that makes them look or feel powerless. The only losses they will accept are ones they can somehow justify as being 'planned' by themselves beforehand. They laud nihilistic anarchy and the power of the individual, domination, the exercising of one's own whims above all else. The greatest insult they can suffer is to be forced to submit to the dominance of another absolutely and without recourse... well..." She snorted. "Aside from those that are 'into that shit', as they say..."
"But that aside," the Snake redirected, "your sister will probably try to corner you alone or with limited backup, and with the power to create long-range portals, she likely won't find it all that difficult." Tapping her lips with one finger, Qingshe hummed in thought. "Then, presuming in the worst case that you cannot avoid a fight whose circumstances are dictated by your opponent, your best option is to simply prepare for that eventuality... One where it is quite likely I will be unable to immediately aid you."
At Cristina's words of concern(?) -perhaps mild paranoia(?), Qingshe only chuckled, her gaze half-lidded. "My dear~, I didn't tell this to you with any expectation that you'd remain silent... at least not by any means of my doing." Leaning back in her chair, her lips quirked. "I'll leave it up to the best judgement of your survival instinct, neh~?"
Her tone was laced with amusement as much as warning. "I'm not saying not to share this with other members of the Task Force. My, if anything I'd almost encourage it, especially..." She paused and stared out the window, briefly frowning. "-if I am unable to tell them myself at some point." Golden eyes tracking back to Cristina, she huffed. "Still, always keep in mind, as things stand in the world, there are some very powerful people that are very interested in that information not reaching the public consciousness. If you spread it around too recklessly..." she trailed off leadingly, before shrugging.
"Well, not everyone is as difficult to 'disappear' as I am, after all..."
Qingshe let those words hang in the air ominously for a while, polishing off her cup of tea and pouring a new one in the interim. Finally, after perhaps too long a while, Qingshe chuckled, not a hint of tension left in her mien.
"But onto a more productive subject, I think..." Her golden gaze was half-lidded in contemplation, as the Snake lazily swirled the contents of her cup with one hand.
"How will Occult Programming Language make you stronger, you ask?" Qingshe loosed a chuff. "Ideally, not directly. Though I wouldn't call myself a novice in using it by any means, I am not unaware of its risks and limits."
Rubbing her chin with one finger, Qingshe hummed. "When it comes to granting you the strength to accomplish your goals, we should focus firstly on your capacity to actively improve your Noble Arm's abilities." Grinning now, Qingshe's hand dipped down from her chin underneath the table and returned with several sheets of paper and a pen. "To that end, I have prepared a series of questions for you, ones aimed to identify with certainty your Noble Arm's Value, Element and Growth type."
Placing the papers on the table, she tapped the stack, indicating several large, empty spaces with accompanying questionnaires. "For the sake of security, I ask that you write these things down, rather than explaining it all verbally. This part of the process will require we delve into the functions and limits of what your powers can presently do before we truly explore expanding them. And perhaps it is needless to say, but I quite imagine that in the case we were somehow being spied upon, this should make it a bit more difficult for compromising details about your capabilities to be learned by others."
Pausing, Qingshe chuckled. "Of course, if you desire truly absolute security, we could both dip into my shadow, but I don't think that's quite called for yet, eh?"
"And as for OPL, itself, as an asset in your quest?" Qingshe tilted her head. "Well, I can provide you two main options." She raised one finger. "Firstly, tools of restraint." Her shadow flowed up onto the table, expelling a collar-shaped device. "Like this, an implement to restrict the flow of OPL in a subject that wears it."
She snorted. "In short, it is a tool that could greatly weaken -if not outright seal- a wearer's Noble Arm. As a mercenary who travels around, I imagine you've never had the misfortune to encounter these personally, but some governments -provided they have the means- 'encourage' identified B and A-Rank Arms Masters to wear these out of 'concern for public safety' if they should be of a mind to shun military recruitment. Similarly, they are often used to keep dangerous prisoners manageable by the same entities."
Qingshe's tone was leading. "I'm sure you can see where I'm going with this... I could provide you a few devices of this nature, but it would be up to you to apply them. Of course, there's always the risk of them being used against you, but if ever you are granted the opportunity, these could make the difference in ensuring your sister doesn't evade capture before more secure means of containment are prepared."
Meanwhile, a second finger rose. "Secondly, if you think yourself inclined to the dedication to see the path through..." Qingshe paused, her lips quirking invitingly. "Then I would provide you the means to learn Occult Programming Language." Smirking, Qingshe leaned back in her chair. "Of course, knowing it exists only gets you so far, merely strips the curtain off the stage, but I would offer you the means to pluck the world's strings as well... all for the chance to rip your sister from the tendrils of the Downward Descent."
She let that sink in for a moment, before continuing. "Naturally, you might ask what guarantees I have that you wouldn't misuse that knowledge, and the truth is?" She chuckled. "None of worth. None but my own intuition. Call me reckless if you like, but I've got a good feeling about you, Miss Bernardino. And in the end... can I really call myself someone that leads by example if I don't show others how to follow me? What do I get out of teaching you?"
She paused then, allowing her expression to adopt an edge of forlornness. "I get a legacy... in some form or another. Of course, I would hardly leave such an arrangement exclusive if opportunity provided, but..." Her golden gaze rose to meet Cristina's eyes. "For all that I have learned, the secrets great and terrible I've uncovered, the wonders and horrors I am capable of... What does it matter in the end, unless I can ensure that my knowledge lives on beyond me?"
The Snake glanced out the window, her eyes tracing across the glimmering blue of the horizon, the vibrant ocean waves rippling in the distance. A smile crept across her lips, even as an old, cold fear trickled into her gut. "I've made many enemies in my lifetime... in the frighteningly short amount of time I've been an Arms Master. Looking back on it, in hindsight, it's... almost frightening how things have changed. I've made many sacrifices, more than my share of mistakes, but for all the bounty I've made off with, I can't help but worry it will all be for nought. I've done everything I can to reach the top, but I still can't help but wonder... When the devil comes to collect his due..."
Her gaze flicked back to Cristina. "-will it be enough?" Her smile didn't reach her eyes. "I've been thinking about it for a while... and I've been taking measures, looking for ways to ensure that if the worst should happen, my dream... and the treasure trove of knowledge that was bought at all too dear a price... will outlive me. To make a better world, even if I'm not there to see it."
After a moment, her eyes closed, and she chuckled, shaking her head. "But listen to me ramble on..." She smirked. "I apologize. This is about you, not me, so please excuse my digression." A small laugh escaped the Snake. "Sometimes, I've got more thoughts than I know what to do with, and a few extra slip out."
Tapping the stack of papers on the table, she grinned. "First thing's first. We focus on this and address the most practical means of strengthening you with any immediacy. Beyond that...?" She shrugged. "The offer is on the table. No more. No less. So, don't feel pressured to answer me now. There will be other days, and my door is always open."
In the comfort of her own mind, Cristina felt relieved that she is likely to personally deal with her sister, it was little bit selfish but she still wants to be the one face her. She wants to face her and not run away like a coward.
She just hopes that her sister wasn't into the latter, it would raise some uncomfortable questions.
Cristina raised an eyebrow, she expected her to eventually leak it? That everything is up to her?
"You are too different than what I expected, or maybe you are the same but I'm just knowing why." she laughed as she asked for a refill.
She just sigh as she looked at the stacks of papers, it was more closer on what she expected albeit in a scale she didn't see coming.
Cristina nodded at Qingshe's words, she made a point of taking safer missions perhaps if she had been more daring.
"I could use some of that, if I got overpowered, me having that or not won't change a thing. My teleportation was short ranged after all."
As for Qingshe's second offer, it was a large step probably the largest she would take in her life.
But she had no time for hesitation, it is either she do it now or she wouldn't do it.
"I accept your offer, do whatever it takes to make me stronger.
I can take it." She immediately took the stack of papers and begin answering.
Qingshe's lips quirked into a smile, as she refilled Cristina's cup obligingly. "Different? Yes, I suppose I would be a bit... if all you'd ever heard about me came from curated propaganda... be it positive or negative." Shaking her head, she gave a small laugh. "Although, while some get it all wrong... others barely scratch the surface in how all too right they are..." Whether that was positive or negative... she didn't elaborate.
Returning to the matter of the OPL restraints, Qingshe nodded. "I will provide you a few then. If you have a preferred format or ideas for what shape they should take for best implementation, please don't hesitate to raise the matter." She smirked. "Really, the worst I can do is shoot an idea down, but it never hurts to consider your options." Giving a small hum and waggle of her fingers. "The collar is the most secure generally, of course, but it's more easily identified. I can certainly make it fairly easy to conceal, but once you whip it out, I'm sure your sister might have some conception of what you're attempting... Food for thought."
At Cristina's unhesitating acceptance, Qingshe cocked a single brow highly and then grinned widely, chuckling, as her shadow bubbled atop the table and with a static-like crackle deposited an inch-thick book atop the surface with a pitch-black cover and raised, golden text across the front cover, reading: "Collective High Codic Conversion - A Primer to Occult Programming Language, by Lei Qingshe".
"This," the Snake replied, "will be your gateway into the art, and this-" She flicked one hand closed, a puddle of her humming ooze suddenly bubbling up from beneath her fingers, before she opened her palm to reveal a black USB-drive with glowing green lines crawling down the sides as per usual of Qingshe's cyberpunk aesthetic. "-will be your alternative." The ooze disappeared from her hand, as she held the drive out to Cristina. "Should your physical copy be stolen." She smirked cheekily. "I wouldn't worry too much about the digital copy being stolen. I've packed some... fairly nasty surprises into this little cutie for those that dabble in unauthorized access."
"I give these to you as aids for self-learning, but I will find whatever free time I can to tutor you personally." Chuckling, she added, "And even if I don't necessarily find time for us alone, I do consider myself quite the accomplished multitasker when needs must. Rest assured, you will not lack for my input should you have questions." Grinning, her fingers flicked in a show of sleight of hand, and a card slid across the table. "My personal contact details, to more easily keep in touch."
That said, Qingshe lapsed into quiet, avoiding giving Cristina distractions from filling out the stack of questionnaires. If ever she had questions or need of clarification, only then did Qingshe speak up, otherwise keeping to herself until there was nothing left to cover.
The forms themselves, if not for the context of the situation, might have read as much like a personality test as any actual power analysis. The questions covered a fairly wide spectrum and often touched upon moral quandaries and other if/then situational inquiries. Much of this, according to Qingshe, was meant-
"-to narrow down your most defining characteristics as a person... particularly those with a high chance of being what your Noble Arm "values" most in a User, the defining trait upon which hangs the crux of the reason it chose to appear in your hands."
Other questions, aside from the actual capabilities of her Noble Arm (in as fine detail as she could manage) included what she thought was her weapon's "element".
"Noble Arms typically have a centralized... Hmm, I don't know if you play video games, but I suppose 'skill tree' wouldn't be a poor comparison. It's under the umbrella of whatever theme your Noble Arm is rooted in that largely determines what sort of abilities it's most likely to develop."
And lastly...
"Based on what I've seen of the field reports, I already have some suspicions, but I won't openly speculate yet. Even so, we should confirm for sure what manner of Growth your Noble Arm is inclined to. Generally speaking, Noble Arms fall under 'breadth' or 'depth'. To use the skill tree comparison again, a depth type invests all their power into a singular tree or specialty... or perhaps specific series of 'programs', as it were. By doing so, they become a 'master of one' and are vastly more powerful in their area of expertise... This type, in my experience, breeds higher -if not top- tier Noble Arms on average. Conversely, breadth-types do not typically constrain themselves to a single skill tree. They branch out to others and gain a certain level of unpredictability to them, a flexibility under which radically opposite elements can coexist. They are jacks of many trades... and accordingly, they cannot approach the greatness of a specialist in any of them. And then, there's the fairly common middle ground type..."
All in all, reading between the lines, the Snake seemed rather... excited to have someone to actually say all this to. If one didn't know any better, they might think she was a bit pent up. Though she seemingly made an effort to keep herself on-task, once she got going, the words and knowledge flowed like water from her. For every question, she seemed to have both an actual answer and at least a couple speculations to share as a bonus.
"Then give me the strongest variant." Cristina answered before giving the idea a few more thought. "Can also make something into the form of a extendable handcuff, in the off chance I could catch her off guard." she added.
Cristina took a look at the book and the hard drive, here it is the secret that everyone will kill for to know literally in the palm of her hands. "I will make sure that it won't ever happen in the first place." she promised.
She also took the card and add her number on her phone, to confuse anyone who will try to get access into it she didn't use Qingshe's name or serpent on the number.
No one in the right mind will call her Linlin, she's pretty sure of that.
The questionnaire however proves to be little tougher than she expected until she realized that the only way to answer it was through sheer instinct and honestly.
My Noble Arm, I think it values my resolve specifically the resolve to keep finding my sister. I cannot think of any other trait.
As for element, it would be Space as most of my abilities themed around making use of portals to move around or limit my enemies. Weirdly enough, I felt that it was an incomplete descriptor. Mainly because it doesn't explain my ability to create orbs of fire, normally I would think of it as a bizarre off-shoot but given everything I hear now, it could likely as huge of a part of my space abilities, considering I recently learned how to light Sinagtala on the fire of said orbs.
As for last question...
Most of the time, it was 'depth' considering that my 'abilities' are derived from other abilities but...
My trump card, Mirage Space seems to have the ability to induce my growth through 'breadth' considering that being inside it grants me the power to fly, shoot sword beams and even teleport as long as I'm inside.
After answering the questions, she passed the paper to Qingshe.
Come to think of it, she never went to an actual school. That would mean that Qingshe is her first teacher.
That was weird, but it wasn't that bad.
She smiled a little as Qingshe was checking her papers.
Chuckling, Qingshe nodded at the custom request for the restraint. “Well… as long as you’re confident in your aim~.” Smirking, she nodded again and made a note, as somewhere deep in her shadow, her power processed and went about churning out an answer to the request. “I’ll provide you a collar and a pair of bracers with a detachable set of chain-links. Individually, they should be able to greatly weaken a wearer, and all together…”
She frowned and hummed in thought. “Well, they should probably be capable of rendering your sister incapable of doing much other than summoning her Noble Arm. Given how powerful her portal-making Noble Arm appears to be, I doubt it will do more than that, and if she has more than one Noble Arm now… it might be even less effective, being that there will be approximately twice as much energy that needs to be suppressed.”
Shaking her head, Qingshe smiled reassuringly. “Be cautious is all I am saying. Even if she appears to be completely at your mercy… don’t count her out. A single slip-up could mean her escape.”
She chuckled at Cristina’s promise and simply smiled in wait while the space-manipulator added the Snake’s number to her phone contacts. She continued to wait patiently while the forms were filled out and then received and reviewed them quietly, making small noises of acknowledgement.
Once she was done taking it all in and letting the details percolate, Qingshe nodded and set the papers down into a navy-blue binder she produced for that purpose, closing it and securing the contents from any prying eyes.
“On the matter of your Noble Arms’ value… I would speculate it has little to nothing to with your sister. Such a thing would be… how shall I say this… too specific?” She shook her head. “Not that it’s impossible per-say, but the ‘value’ of a Noble Arm is usually far more general. For example, the Love of Family as a whole wouldn’t be unexpected… but something relating to a specific individual?”
She frowned. “Now, that would be very unlucky in a long-term sense. Let us hope the actuality is far more practical, like general Resolve or Determination. Those would be more reliable. Still… whatever the case, given that you wield a natural Noble Arm, I’m sure any Value it has will be well-suited to your desires.”
“As for your Element… Hmm… Space makes sense, and as it does, I’m inclined to wonder about some of your conclusions. There’s your flight, which sounds less like a separate tree delve and more like you are simply altering your position in space… which has some interesting implications. Similarly, your “homing” shots are most likely warping space to course correct. Your teleportation? Also space warping, of course. I am curious about the explosive orbs, but I have to wonder if space warping isn’t somehow responsible for them as well, perhaps by combusting matter with compression? Of course, we should test this, but…”
Qingshe paused, and a glimmer entered her eyes. “Alternatively, these ‘fire orbs’ might be an expression of ‘Space’ in the galactic sense; that is, it could be an element drawn from the concept of stars shooting through space. If that is the case, it means your Element is one with a generous interpretation indeed~.”
Leaning back in her chair, Qingshe giggled merrily, a grin on her lips. “And assuming that either of my suppositions are correct, I would indeed classify your [Sinagtala] as a Depth-type, if not a Composite-type.” Humming, she tilted her head in thought. “The best way to confirm one way or the other though… Well, we’ll need to test just how much of your powers are actually, in fact, entirely centered around your so-called ‘trump card’. If I’m not incorrect, then I suspect that everything you do is actually drawn from that as the root ability, which you are only able to exercise to its fullest in a limited capacity. And if we were to pursue full mastery of that aspect, well…”
Chuckling again, Qingshe’s golden eyes glimmered with anticipation, a wide smile on her face.
“…I’m truly excited to find out what would happen.”
Cristina quickly took the collar and the bracers, she would need to adjust her pants to keep these items on her. A pouch or something will solve the storage issue.
She grimaced at Qingshe's words about her sister. She got it wrong? But she cannot think of any other words that felt right?
Hopefully it won't be a problem right?
"It might a very generous interpretation." she agreed noting how she acquired the Noble Arm.
[If searching for her sister meanings finding a needle in a star-filled night, then she will find her or die trying.
She clenched her fist as she listen to to her teacher's explanation, she could see her vision and it makes her excited for some reason.
For once, she felt like she was actually closing the gap.
"When will we start?" she asked.
Seeing Cristina’s grimace, Qingshe smiled reassuringly at her. “Don’t be disheartened. Even if we cannot identify your Noble Arm’s precise Value, just being true to yourself is often enough to align with it regardless.” She chuckled. “Speaking of, the very reason identifying your weapon’s Value is important is that the more your actions and desires align with that Valued Trait, the more easily your Noble Arm will be inclined to develop and improve your abilities.”
Leaning back in her chair, Qingshe sighed. “In a sense, your Value is a measure of your core self, and your Noble Arm recognizes that. It was made to fulfill that attribute. Therefore, you are rewarded for essentially… simply being you, really and truly, not allowing yourself to be fettered by restraints or the opinions of others. Arms Masters are, in a sense, empowered by doing whatever the hell they truly like, growing more powerful than their peers… which, as you might imagine, then conversely contributes to the reputation of powerful Arms Masters being unstable or forces of anarchy and disorder.” She snorted. “Which then creates fear that encourages others to try and regulate them harder, only for them to buckle back harder in return… A vicious cycle.”
Shaking her head, the Snake grinned wryly. “But I digress.” She chuckled at Cristina’s question. “When shall we start? Hah, well, though I expect we shan’t have much time for this leave, what with the diplomatic event encroaching so soon… If we want to make progress in a timeframe enough to be relevant…”
She grinned widely. “…When better than now~?”
“My God,” Callie pronounced to the empty room. Her portal had closed a few seconds ago; no danger of any complications now.
That’s about right… Spindle’s thought, tinged with uncharacteristic shock, echoed across her own. She’d tugged at the thread in her mind just about as soon as she’d managed to return to the barracks she’d found. The things she had been hearing at the time seemed important.
“I –” Callie took a breath, closed her eyes, let the wave of fatigue from keeping distant space connected for so long wash over her as she recentered herself. The biggest societal shift since industrialization was an accident caused by one guy playing with eldritch physics. Sure. Yep. That’s not disturbing.
Listening in on Qingshe and Cristina’s conversation hadn’t been especially difficult. Mischief Reef’s wide open sands and utilitarian grid layout made for some long sightlines; she’d been able to introduce herself eloquently to the young Emperor (Difficult to get a read – that theatricality both very clearly is and very clearly isn’t a mask…) over the course of a few minutes while comfortably keeping half an eye on the departing figures (and compartmentalizing the base part of herself that floated somewhere between maximizing the opportunity to appreciate one of them and being stunned by said appreciation). After politely excusing herself (“I think I’ll take a walk, get a sense of the place – yes, I saw it on the news a couple of times when I was younger, it looks so much better now the QRS has made it into a home and a haven as much as a base… Oh, no, thank you so much for offering, your Majesty, but I like getting to know somewhere by experiencing it myself, you know?), it had been similarly trivial for her to follow the pair at a distance of several hundred meters, relying on her usual combination of experience, over-tuned instinct and Charter’s vision to keep a bead on them while remaining beyond notice.
All that preparation had been in aid of a single portal, less than a centimeter wide, placed on the wall of the tread of Cristina’s left boot – barely visible even if you could get the angle to see it and only audible on the other side from the rush of blood through the inside of Callie’s ear. Granted, feeling the throb of the air in that ear each time the boot hammered on the ground hadn’t made for a pleasant jog back to the barrack block – nor had the guilt she’d felt over entirely violating Cristina’s personal boundaries, if she was being honest – but the intel had been…
Well. ‘worth it’ was perhaps the wrong way of looking at things.
‘earth-shattering’ might be a better fit.
So magic runs on code and Charter is a glorified programme. I mean, sure, but… Why tools of war? Are people just that prone to violence? I mean… Callie furrowed her brow. Then she sat up, blinking. Wait – how does all of this square with the whole ‘human potential’ aspect? Either humans are just innately, metaphysically special or he rewrote the codebase of the universe to treat them as special, and Hell would either of those be something! Sure, the ‘NA proves the soul’ argument’s been done to death on every NA forum and chatroom but… Did people even have souls before the 1940s? God… She covered her mouth, holding in a disbelieving laugh. Not that that concept means much anymore if one man could have changed humanity’s foundational metaphysics by accident!
Callie did laugh, now; the sound in the empty room and the whirl of her mind covered Spindle’s silence. By accident… And, if what she said was right, it’s a wonder that it hasn’t happened again. Or maybe it has! Maybe the stories of wizards and magic swords are true and every one is a precursor to this! And as more people find out, the likelihood of a rogue actor or an idealist doing something like it again grows… Her mind stopped dead. That amount of power being apparently in reach of those who could tap into OPL… Suddenly, granting magical powers almost at random to individuals dotted across the world seemed positively benign. If, instead of building something new within the universe’s nature, that first great act had been to undermine it…
The higher-ups have to know about all of this, right? Callie asked suddenly. They have to. I know we’ve got – I mean, I don’t know but we have to have people embedded in the Big Three, even if we didn’t know before then, right? If… For the second time in a minute, her mind screeched to a halt. If they had that kind of power, there was the potential to rewrite geopolitics in a truly literal sense. Would the CIA not use that power? Would not every organization in the world that got its hands on it? But they clearly haven’t, they clearly haven’t, so what’s going on? What made that first act special? Callie shook her head. And –
Augur.Spindle. Their thoughts clear and controlled.I’ve just received a directive from the very top of command. You’ve done well to secure the information you did and you will be briefed on its implications. Was that a hint of dread? Would have made sense, given what they’d both heard… For now, you’re exhausted from using your Noble Arm for such a period of time – you need to sleep, to recover so that you will be at maximum effectiveness for Obsidian’s next deployment.
I… She felt it, the growing weight of her shoulders, the fuzziness in her mind even as her thought jabbed at it, some new revelation waiting to pierce through. You aren’t wrong… I just don’t know how well I’ll be able to rest with so much –
Sleep.
Tiredness crashed over her. Sure, sure… Sluggish, weighty, Callie clambered onto the bunk. Her head dropped back against the pillow; her eyes fell shut.
As she slipped away, the last thing she felt in the midst of the haze was a thread pulling in her mind.
Just a little something I felt like cooking up... a sheet for one of the present reoccurring antagonists, who may just be getting more limelight soon.
"Good grief, can't a guy build a tidy nest egg securely these days?" Appearance: A man of fairly average height and an unimposing presence, Cao Bao exudes the aura of a slacker, messy brown hair, hands often stuffed in his dark long coat's pockets, a slouch in his shoulders, as he sits on whatever's available with an ever-burning cigarette lazily hanging from his lips. His sharp brown eyes nonetheless indicate a keen awareness of his surroundings that belies his air of nonchalance, and the presence of his Noble Arm is rarely found absent from the sheathe at his hip, no matter the setting. As far as Arms Masters go, his garb is not particularly loud, even if it isn't really any sort of military standard. Cao Bao's appearance doesn't tend to draw much attention in a room filled with his peers except, perhaps, in the capacity that looking less eccentric among those that are ironically makes him stick out like a sore thumb by comparison. Height: 5'8" Weight: 145 lbs. Build: Lean and somewhat muscular.
Name: Cao Bao (That Camping Bastard, The Unseen Shadow, Zodiac Candidate) Age: 25 Nationality: Chinese
Noble Arm Name & Appearance: [Blueblood], an almost innocuous scimitar with a dark, navy-blue hilt and general lack of adornment. There is something nearly sinister about the humble appearance of this weapon.
Warning: Intelligence suggests that the only reason Cao Bao has not been officially classified as an A-Rank Arms Master by the PRC is a, quote: "lack of motivation and merit". The limited nature of sightings of him and -at present- unconfirmed rumors of his capabilities leave his threat level in flux. Regardless, a confrontation with Cao Bao should be treated as nothing less than an A-Rank threat in practice, especially in the understanding that he is usually paired as a supporting unit for another powerful Arms Master.
Noble Arm Rank: B
Power: A- Speed: A- Range: F+ (Summon Range & Destructive Projection) Persistence: B Precision: C- Potential: D+ (Pending motivation)
Noble Arm Characteristics:
Value: Self-Interest.
Element: [Greed]
Growth: Depth
Type: Support
Range: "Mid"
Savescum: While the Noble Arm is summoned, he passively “marks” anything he touches (including himself), saving a mental “blueprint”. His power will automatically “overwrite” a preexisting blueprint with an updated version if he contacts something again for longer than 1-2 seconds (or if he actively wishes to overwrite it). At any time or place thereafter, he can "reapply" a blueprint and transfer the existing mass back into the state it was when he last "scanned" it. He deconstructs, transfers and reconstructs the matter in what appears to be an instant through open space from one place to another, sliding the subatomic particles through just about any obstacle to reach a point within 100 feet of him. Of note, an object larger than his summon radius will still transfer in full. Objects he transfers retain all traits they had when scanned, including preexisting damage, inertia and more, letting him fire hails of ammunition and weaponry he has “tagged” midair/flight. It should be noted, this only affects targets physically. For whatever reason, things like memories will never degrade under this effect, nor could he resurrect someone that has already died, their soul long gone. In a similar vein to not being able to affect souls, he cannot “mark” other Noble Arms. “Marks” on living beings wear off after a few days, but nonliving targets permanently become his "property".
Intelligent: Just because Cao Bao is lazy doesn't mean he isn't smart. He simply tries to do things in the most efficient way possible, expending the least amount of effort. His mind is a cold, razor-sharp machine, capable of feats that exemplify a genuinely high natural IQ, some of which are his extensive library of learned languages and his capacity to do advanced mathematic calculations mentally. Observant: Cao Bao maintains an incredibly high -and incredibly paranoid- awareness of his surroundings, especially in potential combat situations. Very little escapes his awareness, as he tactically assesses his situation, continually mentally marking the positions of assets and hazards, along with potential escape routes. Pain Tolerance: After... extensive and often ruthless testing of his ability in the past, combined with no small number of combat situations where he accrued injury, Cao Bao is fairly inured to the concept of pain. He dislikes and avoids it, of course, but he is no civilian that's liable to go into shock or be disabled by suffering a little agony. Polylingual: Can fluently speak, read and write Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Filipino and English. Soldier: Though he lazes about wherever he can, it's more a demonstration of a lack of will than any capability to be disciplined. Cao Bao has nonetheless gone through militant training in the past and is an acceptable hand at CQC, swordplay, gun handling, survival skills and a bevy of necessary standardized skills. Occult Programming Language V1: Unconfirmed, but there are suggestions that pursuing the OPL arts is something a man of Cao Bao's intellect and academic excellence might be inclined to pursue in his downtime. It has certainly not been ruled beyond his capabilities were he to be motivated.
Cao Bao is a lazy coward. That is what many would like to say. The man himself would protest that he simply has a highly developed sense of self-preservation and common sense. Cao Bao is a cautious and paranoid man, more aware than anyone else that all it would take to end him is one sufficiently lucky critical shot. As such, despite being fairly unrepentantly crass and apathetic, he is far from overconfident. He fights like a cornered animal, ruthless and efficient, carefully analyzing troublesome elements of opposition and removing them first, one step at a time. He favors one-on-one fights, ambushes, hit and runs and kiting retreats, preferring to scatter his foes and pick them off individually. Cao Bao views himself in all situations as an unlucky underdog fighting against people out of his league, even when he clearly overpowers them, and this lends him to being particularly dangerous to even those that see him as powerful, as his attitude is at odds with what is expected.
Cao Bao values nothing more than the pursuit of a quiet and secure retirement, and his sole motivation to comply with China’s war can be summarized as "that's a lot of zeroes"... and, of course, the fact that safely leaving the military in the current "climate" is easier said than done. He is a rational and practical thinker, who possesses a fairly notable lack of malicious scumbaggery compared to many of his comrades. He is someone who could almost be called a fairly decent guy if not for his allegiances and willingness to comply with even the most morally bankrupt orders to keep his position secure (though he may violate the spirit of those orders if left wiggle room). He is not cruel for cruelty’s sake, but he is still perfectly willing to engage in cruelty and dirty tactics for a strategic advantage. And when evil is committed in front of him, he is typically too selfishly apathetic to bother opposing it if it would compromise the integrity of his goals. Outside that, when he has the “luxury”, he can almost be called altruistic.
He is someone that religiously avoids risks unless specifically ordered to take them and will quickly retreat if he is not absolutely assured of his victory, unless he has no other reasonable course of action. He is also prone to summoning allies to him for aid if he feels outnumbered or outgunned and can’t afford to retreat. Indeed, it can be said that his sharp mind and proclivity for "choosing life" make Cao Bao an immensely dangerous foe in combination with the skillful use of his power. On which note, it can also be said that the only reason his power has not evolved further up till now is his sedentary and unambitious mindset. Were he to ever exhibit a genuine proclivity to improve himself for the sake of his ambitions, his power would only grow more dangerous still and truly push him into the realm of his A-Rank peers.
Likes: Lazing about, relaxing, cigarettes, a good book, peace and quiet, money, acquiring things.
Dislikes: Foolishness, pointless maliciousness, danger, exerting more effort than something is worth, wasting time (on work).
Fears: Death. Losing everything he's worked for.
Cao Bao's rise to prominence is a thing regarded as dangerously innocuous, much like the man himself. What intelligence can be gathered about his origins paint him in a light that suggests his calculating, careful nature has been with him even in his youth. Public schooling records draw increasingly clear lines to indicate a brilliant, dangerous mind lurking behind his image of a slacker, grades reflecting a calculated campaign of doing the absolute minimum to get exactly what he wanted from his future. Before joining the military, he was on track to find a lucrative position in banking, a path paved in part by the comparatively abnormal effort put into mathematics and economic adjacent schooling.
It is unknown exactly when he first awakened his Noble Arm, but it is suspected to have been within the period of 2014-2016 at approximately age 17, during and after which he -according to indications of his self-preserving nature- lay low and used his powers solely for personal gain. It is unlikely that his entry into the Chinese military was a decision made of his own motivation, much like many Arms Masters recruited at veritable gunpoint. It is suspected that in the course of experimenting with the convenience of his new abilities over the years he went unknown that enough indications of an Arms Master's presence were eventually raised by carelessness or public incident reports to see him outed and recruited in 2017. This, however, is merely speculation.
What can be seen of his abrupt change in career to the military thereafter shows no signs of duress or rebellion. By all accounts, his recruitment and integration into the PLA's forces was a flawless operation, to which he displayed none of the typical indicators of dissatisfaction or mutiny, falling in line without hesitation and becoming a loyal asset to the CCP's agenda.
In the years that followed, his records of service paint him as a contrastingly exemplary and unremarkable unit. Though he always accomplished his duties to the letter, records show that it was always to the absolute minimum, never once going above and beyond the call of duty. What "incidents" can be found tend to be those he escaped on technicalities and a keen awareness and manipulation of the rules. Comparing records to service peers, he demonstrates exceptionally lower cases of sustaining injury or being subjected to disciplinary measures, and those times he was disciplined were never incidents severe enough to impact his career trajectory.
Taken together, he can be viewed as a ruthless and subtle ladder climber, never overtly pursuing promotion but accepting and adjusting to them without complaint when granted. It is this very capacity to adjust to new roles and responsibilities so easily that belies his scheming, self-serving nature, that of a man who will always do the absolute minimum to maintain the security of his position, yet performing that same "minimum" to excellence. The apparent acknowledgement of this tendency by his own superiors is what is suspected to have led to the bulk of his promotions, acting as effective gradual probes of his competence and true value as an asset, and Cao Bao has yet to truly disappoint.
In this way, Cao Bao has somehow remained a figure of outwardly unremarkable nature, presenting himself as an underachiever, yet having climbed the ranks of the PLA in sinister silence, always lurking in the background of his flashier and more famous allies, downplaying his own competence and capabilities and using his allies as effective meat shields against renown. Cao Bao is truly the shadow of China's ace Arms Masters, and one shudders to imagine what he might be capable of if forced into the limelight in his own right.
Current Goal: Short Term: To survive... by any means necessary. Long term: To retire from the military and enjoy a quiet, sedentary civilian life, untroubled by enemies and safety risks.
"Miss PMC" wasn't clicking for me, so here's a different WIP, which I seem to have gotten a lot more successful momentum for.
"Good grief, what's the point of being a rebel if you're going to fall in with the military. Ah well... Let's just get this over with. Never saw myself in the mercenary business, but needs must. I'll make those guys pay for ruining my vacation." Appearance: A young woman not far into adulthood with a clear punk aesthetic, Mia has long black hair streaked heavily with pink, black-painted lips and nails and pale skin, onto which is tattooed a red heart on her left forearm and a black spade under her left eye. She appears to be wearing pink contacts that turn even her pupils a pale shade; though there is a nonzero chance these are -in fact- not contacts at all, given her status as an Arms Master (she never clarifies). She wears an eclectic combination of things, among which is a fishnet undershirt, a sleeveless black top, a studded collar, fingerless fishnet gloves faux(?)-ripped black jeans, metal-studded black combat boots, and a collection of necklaces, bracelets and bangles. Overall, she very much carries herself with the air of a rebel, often wearing a deadpan stare or frown. It's not unusual for her to be wearing earpods or headphones, usually blaring something loud enough to drown out anyone talking to her but usually quiet enough to keep her musical preferences private. Height: 5'7" Weight: 130 lbs. Build: Fit and athletic.
Name: Mia Mathers (Croc Puncher; Tokay Witch) Age: 20 Nationality: Floridian American (Mercenary)
Noble Arm Name & Appearance: [Senbonzakura], a pair of gold and green twinned "brass" knuckles made of some form of far more durable metal. The grips of the knuckles each have a pair of golden skulls decaled.
Noble Arm Rank: B
Power: B Speed: A- (Other living creatures using her body) Range: F+ (Petal control range) Persistence: C Precision: B Potential: D
Noble Arm Type, Element, and Range: Melee Transmutation Support-type.
Sakura Transmutation: The primary ability of the Noble Arm is to transform anything either it or its user touches into pink Sakura petals under the user's telekinetic control. Viable targets for the transformation can be nearly anything with a tangible capacity to act on the world; it is unable to target conceptual subjects like "gravity", and though it is unable to transform other Noble Arms, it has an enhanced capacity to damage them. This transformation is only applicable on direct, immediate physical contact with either the Noble Arm or Mia's body while it's manifested. The transformation does not apply to whole targets, but rather "shaves away" the zone of direct contact. Mass is not a factor, merely the amount of space a target occupies. The transformation is very fine in application, able to separate a target into select components or otherwise draw an offending target away from a subject (allowing the extraction of poisons, for example).
Transformation speed is roughly "instant" in most situations regarding Mia, the Noble Arm itself or nonliving targets around her; however, other living creatures are slightly resistant to her power, requiring prolonged contact of roughly 1-2 seconds to transform unless it is with direct contact from her Noble Arm (and not Mia's body). The transformation is further inherently temporary and must inevitably revert, either manually at Mia's behest or automatically after a 24 hour period. Transformed petals drop exactly where they are on reversion and do not automatically move to reconstruct whatever they once were. Once reverted, Mia loses any awareness of an individual target's exact location beyond what she's bothered to memorize.
The petal transformation is inherently nonlethal in direct function. Transformed or otherwise power-severed body parts do not have any innately deadly effects on a target. A body with a transformed heart can still pump blood, and a transformed lung can still be breathed with, for example. Similarly, a body part reverted at range still functions just fine, still working to the benefit of the owner. However, equally, wounded body parts can still affect the whole are range as well, and a crushed heart (for example) could still pretty certainly kill the owner at range. There is the further caveat that a transformed sensory organ (eye, nose etc) does deny that sense to the owner. A fully transformed body is not affected by the lack of ability to breathe or otherwise sustain itself, entering an unconscious form of "stasis"; Mia is the only creature that naturally retains consciousness in this state. This "stasis" can apply small scale as well, able to temporarily delay the effects of a transformed wounded site to allow the subject to keep fighting or otherwise survive long enough to seek medical attention.
The reversion of the transformation can also be used in a limited healing capacity, able to transform severed targets, press them together and then revert them in a re-fused state. This method cannot truly manifest any lost mass or revert the physical state of mass that was damaged prior to transformation. Therefore, wounds like incineration or burns -for example- are beyond its purview to resolve beyond delaying their effects on the rest of the body. It can, however, be used to fuse mass together even if it didn't used to be connected. As normal, this doesn't inherently seem to have any strictly negative effects. In fact, it even makes it possible for Mia to easily transplant doner organs to a recipient in need if she has access to them. More dangerously, however, this can be used to fuse together things that have no holy right to coexist, the results of which can be unnerving to behold.
Petals created by this power are under the user's complete awareness and telekinetic control. This is packaged with an high multitasking capacity that continually scales to the number of petals currently created, allowing the individual manipulation of all of them at once.
Polylingual: Can fluently speak, read and write English, Filipino and Japanese. Street Fighter: Though she has some grounding in actual martial arts taken to ostensibly "burn off her aggression" in her youth (it failed), Mia can be primarily said to be a savvy practitioner of dirty street fighting, making her a fairly brutal combatant with an eye for improvised weapons and possessed of a pretty strong pain tolerance. This is packaged with a fairly keen awareness of her surroundings, and she often makes intuitive use of her environment. Straight A's: Say what you will about her attitude or griping, but Mia scored well in school nonetheless. Very well. It's not unusual for her to whip out some obscure science factoid to exert to her advantage. She's an able (and dangerous) chemist, provided the materials, and her knowledge of biology and nature makes her a surprisingly capable ad-hoc medic or surgeon. She's definitely the sort of person you'd want to get lost in the woods with. Lock Picking: Mia first got into lock-picking to get into places at school she wasn't allowed for both the forbidden thrill of it and in seeking quiet places to be left alone. She later took up lock-picking as a hobby, ordering all sorts of locks off the internet to pick and eventually becoming a rather dab hand at it.
A bit of a loner and a punk, Mia has a sharp, acerbic tongue and an air of intuitive ruthlessness to her. She values her personal space and is slow to make friends, being the sort of person to spend social gatherings glued to her phone and only speaking if spoken to, even drowning out such potential "riveting" conversation partners with headphones/earbuds if she can get away with it. Though she isn't a malicious person by nature and does carry a sense of justice, she is fairly self-interested, the sort of person who gets annoyed about advertisements asking for donations to starving people in other countries. As long as something doesn't immediately affect her, she is usually perfectly happy to turn a blind eye and not waste her time investing emotions in something beyond her reach. This can potentially make her come across as callous or even cruel, but ultimately, this is truly a sign that she secretly has a bleeding heart. She simply chooses to look the other way to spare herself feeling compelled to do something.
Once so compelled, however... Well, Mia has a shockingly opinionated and ruthless sense of justice, having gotten into no small amount of fistfights in her youth. Becoming an Arms Master did very little to curb such incidents. She has a vindictive side to her, quite willing to go out of her way to make those that earn her ire suffer if she can, and between her intellect and flexible power, she is quite capable of being... creative. Beyond that, though she is slow to befriend, she is very loyal once her trust is earned. Yet, conversely, she is quick to take offense at perceived betrayals, expecting equal loyalty to what she gives others. She can be glib and acerbic in turns, yet buried beneath all her thorns and neuroses, she is at heart a girl that just wants to live a peaceful, quiet life... Were but reality so kind.
Likes: Independence. Sabaton, along with a wide variety of other music. Sweet and spicy food. Personal space. Reading and writing. Peace and quiet. Taking out her anger on deserving targets. Learning. Outwitting someone. Winning games (she's competitive).
Dislikes: Authority exerted towards her. Idiots. Pointless cruelty. Musicals (they always destroy her SOD). War. Risking her life. Losing in a battle of intellect. Losing games (she's very competitive).
Fears: Death. Threats to her free will.
Born in Florida in the United States, even from her youth, Mia has been a girl that seemed "done" with everything. She grew up active, adventurous and opinionated, a headstrong girl that was often liable to mess with things she shouldn't, which -given the wildlife of her home state- was often a problem. Her overly honest nature, however, led to her having trouble connecting with her peers, and her school years came with the misfortune of a protracted series of bullying events that led to her becoming more withdrawn, jaded and aggressive, becoming known as a punk and troublemaker, starting fights and making sure no-one thought that they could hide behind silly things like "social standards" if they earned her ire. Insults were returned with punches, and she came close to being expelled many times before she both tempered herself and earned enough of a reputation to ward off many from trying their luck.
Yet, for all that, she cared little. She made her stance clear, proved she wasn't going to be trod on without reprisal. She was going to make her way in the world how she saw fit, and screw whoever told her otherwise. She was supposed to change for the world? Nonsense. She'd make the world change for her. And it was this daring "my way or the highway" attitude that eventually drove her to manifest her Noble Arm, granting her a power that would, indeed, allow her to rather literally change anyone and anything that might get in her way. This, of course, served merely to reinforce that her way of living was correct; though, she did not advertise her status as an Arms Master and openly abuse her power. By the time she awakened her Noble Arm at age 18, she was in college and had learned to (mostly) temper her impulses. The (relative) rationality of young adulthood led her to seek a quiet, undisturbed life, unconcerned with anything but bettering herself and securing a comfortable future, no matter how mad the world was going in the background.
Having always been something of an adventurous sort as much as she was often a homebody, in her young adulthood, Mia began taking trips away from home between college classes. Finding academics a drag and the lauding of their importance to "ever get anywhere in life" overblown, Mia started taking her education a little slower, taking her time to "enjoy the ride", as it were. In the meanwhile, she got into traveling and studying other cultures, taking her classes online and going from merely bilingual to polylingual. Her first overseas trip was to Japan, where she soon came to agree with the adage that it was "nice to visit but perhaps not to live there", at least by her American cultural sensibilities.
More recently, however, this adventurous spirit found Mia in a bind.
Leaving her pet tokay gecko, Princess, back home with a "lucky" pet-sitter, Mia was on vacation, visiting a pen-pal in the Philippines shortly before the rebellion in Bagulo kicked off destructively. In the chaos of that event, Mia's pen-pal was killed, and the place she was staying in with them burned down, resulting in the destruction of much of her personal property, including her travel visas and much of her local currency, leaving her stuck without a way to return home legally.
More than a little furious with the situation, not more than a day later, Mia had eventually resigned herself to make contact with PGNS loyalists and strike up a deal to acquire new travel documentation in addition to the monetary compensation for acting as "hired help" to resolve this rebellion crisis. So, it would be that Mia found herself joining arms with the military, an institution the rebellious girl would normally passionately hate working with, in pursuit of financial stability... and the extraction of justice upon the traitorous Danggal Family, whose actions resulted in the death of her friend and ruination of her vacation.
Current Goal: Short Term: Survive and complete this mission. Long term: Exact justice and escape this war alive.
Military or Civilian Rank: Civilian "Mercenary" Volunteer
"Quote?" Appearance: An average-sized young woman with golden eyes and long, vibrant red hair. Clear skinned and well-dressed, she does not initially give off the air of someone fit for a battlefield, even as a sly, sadistic(?) smile creeps across her face. She favors a smart, clean getup, wearing a button-up, collared white shirt under a black pencil skirt and heels. A thick, brown coat is usually slung over her shoulders akin to a cape, the sleeves hanging empty. A dapper red ribbon is tied in a bow, tucked in her shirt collar, and a pair of devilish horn-like ornaments are nestled on both side of her head behind her ears. She gives off an appearance more congruent with an office secretary than a competent soldier; yet, a glimpse at the honed body hidden away would reveal a lithe and flexible machine, a product of no small amount of hard work, occasionally visible during her morning training routine. Height: 5'7" Weight: 130 lbs. Build: Shapely and athletic.
Name: ??? (Titles?) Age: 25 Nationality: American (Mercenary)
Noble Arm Name & Appearance: [???], a scoped rifle with some physical similarities to an M1 Garand, including the satisfying ping noise every time it ejects a spent clip.
Noble Arm Rank: ?
Power: C Speed: B- (Summoning) Range: B -/+ (Summon creation/ranging) Persistence: B Precision: B Potential: D
Noble Arm Type, Element, and Range: Ranged Conjuration Support-type.
Magic Weapon: As a weapon, the Noble Arm never really runs out of ammunition. While it does require actual physical reloading, the user can summon fresh 8-round clips apparently ad-infinitum, though only one at a time, the previous clip immediately dissipating to nothingness. Furthermore, mundane ammunition becomes "enchanted" when fired with the rifle, acting as if it were summoned and magical for the purposes of damaging things otherwise inviolable to nonmagical damage, like another Noble Arm. Despite the outdated weapon they are fired from, the rounds of this rifle have notable armor-piercing qualities, comparable to .50 caliber rounds.
Dynashot: Before firing a shot, a moment's attention can be used to transform the bullet into an explosive projectile or vice-versa. Explosive shots are under the user's full control, only detonating when and where she desires. She can detonate them mid-flight, on contact or post-penetration of a target, and she can even "program" shots to detonate upon meeting a particular condition (ie. contact). Only 8 not-yet-detonated rounds may exist at once and only so long as the user doesn't summon a new ammo clip, as the rounds will dissipate into nothingness immediately, whether they have detonated or not. Explosive round detonations have comparable power to tank-busting explosive charges, more than capable of reducing armored targets to ruin and turning unarmored targets to paste. The radius of the immediate (and most potent section of the) explosion varies between 6 inches and 5 meters, which can be determined when enchanting the bullet.
Rad Company (WIP): Summon PMC of badasses. Well-trained super-soldiers, fully sentient and fully loyal to their creator, pursuing her well-being vigorously, even to the point of "encouraging" her into an intense training regimen over the years. Their creator theoretically has absolute control of them, but she lets them push her around for her own good.
Supply Depot (WIP): Possible ability to set up a "basecamp" of some capacity? Summons can resupply themselves in this base, rather than needing to be resummoned entirely. And this base grants the ability to efficiently store or retrieve things from the "PMC Armory", allowing the user and her summons to securely collect items and convert them into replenishable weaponry and supplies. "Requisition".
Polylingual: Can fluently speak, read and write English, Filipino and Japanese. Soldier: A former -and current- soldier of sorts, she has undergone standardized martial training, thanks to the dutiful (if perhaps overenthusiastic) efforts of her summons. She's very capable in gun handling, CQC, survival techniques and a bevy of other critical disciplines of expected competence for military personnel.
WIP
Likes: Noodles, particularly ramen ("Yes, I'm aware it's cheating on my training diet! Can't a good boss relax with her hard-earned money once in a while?!")
Mischief Reef/Đá Vành Khăn/Panganiban Reef - 11/01/2022 08:15 UTC+8 Crossing her arms, Qingshe watched and listened placidly, as Jin Li responded with Mandarin in kind and drew a rough sketch of Southeast Asia. As he spoke, her brow slowly furrowed, the Snake following the direction of his words in relation to the issues she had raised. As he spoke of Lao and Cambodia, she tilted her head, cocking a single brow at his return question. "You think Lao and Cambodia have reason to side with China then." It wasn't phrased as a question. "Yet, as concerning as that is," she added, "in regard to our traitor issue, the relevant question we must ask is if either of those countries have access to Task Force Obsidian's strategic information."
Shaking her head, Qingshe chuffed humorlessly at the nickname for Ren Huo. It might have been funny if it weren't for how very true it was. Rather than exhibiting any particular appreciation for the insult to the Zodiac's Dragon, she inclined her chin at the information regarding the Philippines. She clucked her tongue in disdain. "Then the Philippines is our prime suspect, it seems." She cupped her chin with one hand, rubbing it with her thumb. "Between a government built like a house of cards, openly treasonous militias being formed within their own borders, and the fact that Task Force Obsidian was both originally formed underneath their jurisdiction and seems to largely remain under their command?" The Snake frowned heavily. "Yes... it lines up. They would most likely have the easiest access to compromising data about our deployments."
But yet again, it left her with questions, the "who", "why" and "how" most prevalently. Even knowing of all the war crimes China was committing, it boggled the mind why people would continue to support them in spite of that. Despite all she had seen and done herself, Qingshe was -in some ways- an optimist about humanity. She liked to believe in the strength of good sense and decency in the majority... Well, perhaps she wasn't that optimistic, but she at least believed in humanity's sense of self-preservation. To side with China right now, even knowing what they had done to those they captured or conquered in this war already? How could you justify it? Did anyone really think the devil would play favorites once everything was wrapped up with a nice little bow? No. That was a fantasy, especially with the Downward Descent presently mucking about...
At the pivot to speaking about Ren Huo, Qingshe's expression gained a twinge of consternation. Sighing, she shook her head. "I don't necessarily disagree, My Emperor; Ren Huo is undoubtably a threat. However, that fool would not be as much of a threat without a traitor telling him exactly how and when to attack us. Regardless of his interest, it matters little if he cannot locate us to begin with." She crossed her arms, frowning. "And even if we got the chance to target him, there is demonstrably a major complication: the presence of Cao Bao." A highly troublesome sort if she'd ever known one; Cao Bao was only made more troublesome by the apparent metric that he was far saner and more tactical than the majority of his comrades. Not a high bar to clear, granted, but as an enemy... the Snake would admit he was genuinely dangerous. "Unless we can distract or otherwise deal with Cao Bao long enough to isolate the Dragon, Ren Huo will never die, not while he has that man as his bodyguard."
Pausing, the greenette's golden eyes briefly flicked to Marta, who'd remained quiet all this time and looked a tad bit lost. Well, to be honest, the nun mostly looked like she was paying attention, and an untrained eye might have mistaken her silence for someone merely musing on what was being said tactfully. However, the somewhat glazed look in her eyes betrayed her incomprehension.
Smiling apologetically again at Marta, Qingshe switched from speaking Chinese to Filipino, saying, "Sorry about this. I merely had a bit of a sensitive matter to raise, and such things are best conveyed in our mother tongue." She chuckled. "It would be quite silly to potentially have translation errors in these matters." The half-truth crossed her lips easily; her only true concern had been concealing the topic of her conversation from listeners. Shaking her head, she eyed Marta's bandaged arm. "I thank you for your patience, but I don't believe I got an answer before. If you'd like, I can fix up that arm of yours... along with any less obvious injuries you might still be harboring." She chuckled. "I promise it's not a bother. In fact, you might even say it's one of my main jobs in Obsidian."
@Letter Bee@Amidatelion Mischief Reef/Đá Vành Khăn/Panganiban Reef - 11/01/2022 08:20 UTC+8 Were Cristina to actively seek out Qingshe at this time, she would have little trouble finding a trail. The Snake of the Zodiac was not exactly a subtle figure to behold. Between the way she dressed, her own personal fame and recognition amongst the Qing Restoration Society and the fact that she had recently spent some time actively engaging with people in a search of her own for Jin Li, if Cristina were to ask around, she'd find no shortage of people willing to point her -one of their special guests- in the right direction.
Indeed, here in the heart of the QRS, amongst allies, Lei Qingshe had no particular reason to conceal her destination or target, despite being perfectly capable of it. If Cristina were to search for her, the trail would eventually lead to one of the many beaches that lined the island, and in the distance, she'd likely have little trouble spotting the tall Chinese woman, still clad in her usual eccentric salacious getup and speaking to a similarly eccentrically dressed boy in blue and frills. And sitting next to them on a towel underneath a parasol, there also appeared to be another member of Task Force Obsidian, Marta the "nun", presently clad in a modest swimsuit and with one arm swaddled in bandages.
Ah~, never change, Ren Zhao; you never fail to be endlessly amusing~.
Wearing a coy smirk and slitted eyes squinted into easy smiles, Qingshe stood to the side, not quite separate from the majority of Task Force Obsidian but not close enough to say she was "grouped" with them more-so than the Qing Restoration Society members in the area. In this situation, after all, she was amongst people to whom she owed quite a bit more "official" loyalty than a collective national task force of debatable hierarchy and discipline.
Shooting Ren Zhao a cheeky side-eye, Qingshe chuckled quietly at his boasting. The self-proclaimed "Dragon of the Zodiac"... she couldn't say she entirely trusted his good intentions, no matter how rich that might be coming from herself. Oh, to be sure, he was a staunch ally, but Qingshe had no doubt Huo Ren's erstwhile brother was as much in this for his own reasons as she was... and with markedly more selfish motivations to boot. Justice... morality... ending China's present tyranny... restoring the Qing rule? The Snake quite doubted any of that actually mattered to Zhao. He was here for one reason as far as she was aware, and that was to take for himself what he'd been overlooked for in favor of Huo Ren. Prestige. Respect. Authority. Power.
He sure can 'talk the talk'... but how much of that QRS propaganda of his is just talk, I wonder~?
For all that she loved to rag on him internally, however, Qingshe didn't particular distrust Zhao... or at least not his commitment to the bit... for now. By this point, having thrown his lot in with the QRS and ASEAN, there was very little chance the prideful man would compromise that with betrayal. His defection was as genuine as Qingshe's had been; of that much, she was fairly certain. Trying to go turncoat all over again would not see him welcomed warmly, and the Snake quite doubted his former masters had anything kind planned for him if he tried to come crawling back. In short, Huo Zhao had made his bed, and he had no choice but to lie in it. Therefore, if nothing else, Qingshe could at least trust that he had the victory of the Qing Restoration Society in his best interests.
Qingshe's grin only widened, as Master Ren Zhao's little speech came to an end, and the Snake took the time to saunter past the bearded man with a toothy grin on her lips. "Oh~, it's most comforting to be back on the home front, Dragon~," she all but purred, golden eyes gleaming. "My my~, it does my heart wonders to be welcomed so warmly by Master~ Zhao, himself." The tease in her tone was subtle enough to at least not be construed as public mockery or overt disrespect, but there was no doubt that the Snake was making some form of continuation of perhaps overly familiar banter.
In the corner of her eye, Qingshe spied Noel drawing away from the group with Nico in tow, and she had to resist the urge to shake her head at the bits of conversation her sharp hearing picked up. She didn't get the sense that Nico would be particularly amendable to the less than subtle romantic overtures. Never mind that it was generally considered a poor idea to get "extensively entangled" with people of higher rank in any command structure, Qingshe would have recommended against it solely on the contextual merits of this individuals involved, just based on what she'd gathered about them so far.
More potentially immediately concerning than that impending social trainwreck, however, was the reminder that Nico had been exposed to the fell powers of the Downward Descent's leader. Based on what she'd seen of less fortunate victims of that madman -both pre and postmortem, "magic cancer" was certainly an appropriate way to put it. It was an affliction that apparently fed on the energy of Noble Arms, making treating it rather tricky by most supernatural healing methods, and Qingshe was reminded most immediately that she'd not actually had the chance to conduct a medical overview of Task Force Obsidian's members after the conclusion of the last mission.
She'd been at first far more preoccupied with dealing with the thunderstorm she'd inadvertently helped create, which largely consisted of mitigating the damage it would cause, raising shelters and giant lightning rods from her shadow around and above the evacuating team and their rescued hostages. Other than the cold from the rain and wind chill, she felt she'd done a decent enough job holding the line until the storm finally moved on and a proper evacuation was conducted.
Of course, even once that was done, she'd had other issues to concern herself with, like writing up her strategically redacted after-action report in a technically honest but ultimately self-flattering manner... and ensuring no-one they'd come to rescue died as a result of the supernatural weather. If even a single person perished due to the mere proximity of the clash of titans she'd participated in, well... Sure, she couldn't be held totally responsible, of course, but it wouldn't be a good look regardless and might give certain people annoying ideas about what they should try (and fail) to dictate as her limitations.
Still, most of the damage to lives and psyches had been done by Noel and Ai Chen, the latter of whom who was now well and truly dead, a charred, waterlogged corpse sitting in the Snake's shadow. If anything, despite the scale of things, it was a miracle that the Snake and Rooster's battle had somehow caused little to utterly negligible loss of life compared to Noel's wave of madness. Most of the collateral on Qingshe's end had been to the local ecosystem and weather, but such things would ultimately correct themselves in time.
Which was all to say, this lack of time to really breathe between the conclusion of the last mission and making landfall here in Mischief Reef had unfortunately left Qingshe with few chances to clean up several injuries that the team was still recovering from even now, injuries that made such a "vacation" as this more of a necessity than a luxury.
The Snake made a note to make some healing rounds as a high priority. No sense leaving things be, when her team could be fully enjoying their time here otherwise, unfettered by the weight of past battles. Amongst those, she placed an inspection of Nico quite highly in its own right, if for no other reason than she was confident in curing anything that might still ail him. After all, he'd spent enough time in her shadow already for her to get a body template to chew on. It was quite possible for her to completely rebuild his body from scratch if need be to purge him of any lingering curse from Superbia.
In the meanwhile, however, there was another matter she needed to take this opportunity to address...
"See you around, Dragon~. We should definitely catch up later." Waggling the fingers of one hand in farewell to Huo Zhao, Qingshe sauntered off, as Task Force Obsidian split up to explore the premises and engage in "vacationing" in each of their own ways. Mischief Reef/Đá Vành Khăn/Panganiban Reef - 11/01/2022 08:05 UTC+8 Now then... where oh where would he be on a day like this...?
Such were Qingshe's thoughts, as she traipsed about the island. Her target hadn't been in the places he'd usually be found in an "official" capacity for someone of his station, but a little asking around had given the Snake a few promising leads. After all, her target hardly had much need or apparent inclination to be subtle right here where they were ostensibly the most secure, and their position was such that someone was liable to be paying attention to their passage, no matter where they went.
Eventually -perhaps inevitably, however, her search finally led her out to one of the many beaches the island possessed. In the distance, across pale sands, sharp eyes spotted a familiar someone -none other than Sister Martha- sitting under a parasol... and someone no less recognizable standing next to her, swathed in frills and blue. Humming in the back of her throat, Qingshe ambled her way over, cocking a brow, as she caught the tail end of the two Arms Masters' discussion.
With her accelerated mental capacity and wireless connection, it took the Snake but moments to consult the internet for current events, and Qingshe had to restrain a frown at what she found. Preliminary US voter polling was not looking optimistic for ASEAN's interests in the war. If the US pulled out of both ASEAN and Ukraine after these midterms... Well, it wouldn't mean anything good. She could say that much with certainty. Of course, in principle, she actually agreed with an anti-war noninterference stance... In principle anyway. In practice, this little hiccup threatened to be highly inconvenient to her current interests, and it was all the more frustrating to know there was nothing to be done about it on her part, both practically in her physical incapacity to presently meaningfully interfere and ideologically in her personal unwillingness to intrude in humanity's self-determination... to a degree. There was little sense expressing despair over something she couldn't change yet -if at all.
Instead, as she reached Marta and Jin Li, Qingshe adopted a more firmly unperturbed smile, as she spoke up.
"Mah mah~, there's not much sense dwelling on things we cannot change, Young Emperor," she said to Jin Li, cocking a single amused brow at the way he was childishly doodling in the sand with his Noble Arm. The Snake of the Zodiac, both Chinese and QRS, was wearing her usual salacious black and white "dress" of a battlesuit like the casual wear she treated it as. She had no immediate plans to acquire any beachwear, but if the impulse struck her, she could always dip into her shadow for a change of attire. In the meanwhile, she was presently acting in a more official capacity as an Arms Master of the QRS, and that meant at least ostensibly dressing the part.
Folding her arms underneath her ample chest, Qingshe chuckled and sighed, briefly pausing to wistfully appreciate the glittering blue waves and the horizon on this warm sunny day, before returning her attention to the conversation at hand. "I prefer not to rely on miracles to attain victory. If this misfortune for our cause is imminent, then we should be preparing to adapt to the new status quo. With effort and ingenuity, I'm confident we can still prevail." One hand's fingers tapped a thoughtful rhythm upon her other elbow, as the Snake hummed in thought, before her lips pursed into a half-frown. "Speaking of... 'miracles', however, that brings me to a matter we must discuss: that being the apparent necessity of such absurdities in all of Task Force Obsidian's missions."
Eyeing Marta, Qingshe smiled apologetically. "I do apologize if this comes as a disturbance to your relaxation, but this matter is simply one that cannot wait, I think." She eyed Marta's bandaged arm and then blinked and smiled warmly. "Ah, I do apologize for not getting around to it, but if you're still recovering, I'd be more than happy to patch you up fully." She grinned and gave a small wink. "No sense leaving you injured on vacation, right~?"
Her gaze then flicked back to Jin Li. She began speaking in Mandarin. She wasn't entirely sure if Marta couldn't understand the language, and she wouldn't have entirely minded if she could in this case. But she was at least paying lip service to OPSEC. "This is a concern that I've had since the first day the TFO was created. No, rather, even before then; it was already apparent that this was an issue that somehow wasn't getting resolved. And even after I did my best to clandestinely plug the more... digital holes, the problem has yet persisted."
Frowning in truth now, Qingshe loosed a sigh through her nose. "There's really no kind way to put it. ASEAN's operation security is a dumpster fire. In every single mission I've been in with their Arms Master task force, without exception, the enemy has had some form of specific counter or trap prepared, and upon reflection, considering the odds, the latest mission only wasn't an unmitigated disaster due to my presence." Her expression darkened with distaste; as much as cutting loose could be fun, objectively speaking, she was no particular fan of being relied upon so heavily. That the odds were so long that her presence had been the only thing staving off a total defeat at the hands of Ai Chen and Huo Ren's artillery -not to mention Cao Bao’s apparent presence... It was not encouraging. "The last mission was the worst incident yet, and if the pattern holds, I'm only expecting even more effective traps in the future. We have a leak, a bad one, and unfortunately, I'm quite confident it's not a technological hole in ASEAN's OPSEC."
Her expression was serious now, Qingshe demonstrating little levity in this moment, a notable contrast to her usually almost whimsical behavior. There could be little doubt to those that had any extended exposure to her that this was a matter that genuinely had the Snake perturbed.
"It is my observation, in my official capacity as a QRS Special Liaison, that our allies are demonstrating a crucial lacking in matters of upholding their responsibilities in this alliance." A small pool of ooze rippled out from beneath the hem of her dress, extending forth a small cylindrical platform not more than 10 inches across. Atop that platform, there rested a black binder and -atop that- a rather bulky-looking USB device. Casting her gaze around to check that no-one other than Marta was nearby, Qingshe gestured to binder and USB, an indication for the QRS leader to take them. "This would be my present, unvarnished report on the events that have transpired so far... your eyes only for now, pending your personal choice of distribution."
She sighed and shook her head. "I realize this is not going through official channels, but I find myself with little choice in the matter to ensure our security. I do not know how deep the rabbit hole goes, but I'm confident that we have at least one traitor in a very high and very compromising position." Her expression darkened. "As things stand, we cannot trust the greater ASEAN alliance. Their failure to retain the element of surprise in any meaningful way is unsustainable. We have thankfully been succeeding in spite of this failure, of course, but I don't think I need to explain that this is not a good thing."
Closing her eyes, Qingshe inhaled slowly, held the breath for a steadying moment and then exhaled. "Whoever the traitor is, they have intimate oversight over ASEAN operations, particularly in matters of Arms Master deployment and most relevantly in regard to Task Force Obsidian, the place ASEAN is presently placing an... unfortunate amount of eggs in one basket." Shifting, Qingshe cupped her chin with one hand, brow furrowing, as her golden eyes opened into narrowed slits. "If the TFO falls, it will be not just a notable blow to ASEAN's effective power projection, but it will be a huge blow to morale. We already have far too few Arms Masters to spare compared to mainland China. To lose those gathered in Task Force Obsidian would destroy national confidence in the program."
Her frown deepening, Qingshe clicked her tongue. "I do not like to be in this position, but I can only make the recommendation -in my official capacity- that we internalize and segregate as much of our war efforts as possible, limiting our national coordination. As things stand, we must assume that any information shared with ASEAN is compromised. Any plan we make that they help execute must be assumed to be an impending disaster that will devolve into 'winging it'." Closing her eyes, the hand on her chin rose to massage the bridge of her nose in frustration.
Huffing, Qingshe shook her head and opened her eyes again, her expression firming resolutely. "Not to say we should simply 'make do' with this disastrous situation, of course. Just leaving a major traitor to their own devices cannot end well for us, no matter how well we personally internalize our OPSEC." Once Jin Li had taken the binder and USB stick -if he had indeed done so, Qingshe's shadow would fully retract beneath her dress again. "My Emperor, we must raise this matter with ASEAN somehow. This traitor must be dealt with if we are to win this war, especially with the impending withdrawal of the United States's aid. We cannot afford to be getting attacked internally as much as externally. However..."
She raised one finger, her expression concerned. "We must consider carefully: do we raise this matter loudly or quietly? If we go loud, the traitor may become more cautious, more discreet. It may take longer -take critical time- to weed them out. Yet, at the same time, going quiet means we are right back where we started. The very fact that we do not know who the traitor is to begin with raises the issue of who we can possibly trust in a high position to help organize efforts to oust the cancer."
The Snake frowned, raising another finger. "Not to mention, there's no guarantee this is the only major traitor. Furthermore, we've had so many 'volunteers'-" She carefully did not glance Marta's way when saying so. She held no ill will towards the self-proclaimed nun, of course, but in principle, she did not find her concern invalid in a generalized sense. "-from all walks of life joining Obsidian, all of them accepted into the fold far too easily. I understand that times are desperate, that we need warm empowered bodies, but who's to say these volunteers aren't enemy plants in their own right? Anyone could be a leak, but I suppose if there's any consolation, those with access to the sort of strategic information necessary to easily set such targeted traps for Obsidian at least must rank above the bottom floor 'volunteers' start at."
At that, Qingshe paused, finally having gotten this long-standing building concern off her chest. She could think of no-one better (though perhaps not quite as ideal) to go to first about this matter with her receipts to back up her conclusions than the young Emperor of the Qing Restoration Society. If there was anyone she could be absolutely certain was at least trustworthy (no matter what level his suitability for his unexpected position), it would be the leader of the QRS. There was no way the QRS would have lasted this long if he were a traitor, and so, keeping in mind her own technically overriding obligations to the QRS over ASEAN as a whole, the choice was clear.
@PKMNB0Y Yeah, I tell you honestly that was basically the best link I could give you. Honkai Impact unfortunately suffers from having extremely incomplete wikis in general, and for members of the Flame Chasers like Mobius, it’s even worse, because even in-game, she and her comrades are figures of mystery (and Mobius especially so in a lot of cases). It’s partially her mystique that makes her so menacing. Actually finding out what she can do kinda requires playing the game and teasing out her mysteries. Some of what she can do is only implied even. I can, of course, make an actually detailed list if you like (and would be doing so anyway for the CS by necessity).
As for Mobius’s personality… well, the best way to describe her is the evil scientist teammate who’s a secret tsundere at heart that actually means well, regardless of her methods. This seems to be the greatest takeaway on her. She is considered a hero for good reason, regardless of her spurts of sadism and pragmatic callousness. She likes to do her own thing, but she’s savvy enough to see where the winds blow and is overall interested in the betterment of the world and others around her. The more overtly heroic members of the cast might take issue with her, but Mobius is pretty good about working with people, regardless of differences. If the concern would be if Mobius would become an antagonistic force to most of the party? I’d say unlikely unless they really forced the matter. She’s had a teammate she literally goaded into genuinely trying to kill her before, just to test her regeneration abilities, and she still worked with him afterwards fairly nonchalantly. Though she doesn’t go out of her way to make enemies, Mobius personally has no problem working with people that might hate her guts, even enough to try (and probably fail) to kill her.
Overall takeaway is that I don’t think she’ll have any problem coexisting with the existing party unless she gets some serious enough “burn the witch” reactions. And even then, she has tolerated attempts at killing her with little more than amusement. She’s ultimately a multifaceted person, so I’m pretty confident in being able to keep her allied to the side of the angels.
I can’t really do it right now (at work, and it’s too busy), but I could definitely hunt down more detailed lore and other stuff about Mobius for you later. If you’ve never looked into Honkai lore before, it’s a pretty deep rabbit hole. Aheh.
Considering throwing my own hat in the ring here with Mobius from Honkai Impact 3rd, a super-genius scientist who fused herself with cosmic alien DNA in the pursuit of evolution and her ideal of Infinity. As one of 13 heroes called the Flame Chasers, she fought against the apocalypse of a 50,000 year Samsara and managed to make contributions that would eventually help the next Era achieve victory where hers failed.
P.S: I haven't been involved in any Group RPs for the last 2 years so I may be a bit rusty.
Whoa, damn! Welcome back! Long time, no see! To think I'd happen to come across your first post here in years! It's like the stars aligned. XD
Listening to Ren's words, Kasum suppressed a groan and rolled her eyes. So, this is about Lin's bullshit? What did he even say that was worth tears? Ugh... Kasumi mentally lamented getting saddled with this drama, as she did her best to ignore Ren's horrible attempts at being subtle about his burgeoning crush. She wondered if she should bluntly address it and clear up any potential brewing misunderstandings. Mu didn't seem to be quite "all there" at the moment, and it was possible he was feeding the perception of reciprocating something that wasn't there...
Nah, not worth the trouble. Just gonna... stay far away from that trainwreck... until it matters anyway.
The pinkette frowned at the brunette's retreating form, as Mu sprinted ahead towards the ramen shop. Aloud, she merely groused quietly, only loud enough for perhaps Ren to hear over the rain, "Still only paying for myself. I didn't agree to shit." Man, she didn't even really know this guy that well. The hell was he saying, trying to extort her into paying for his food?
Her frown deepened, as Ren inquired after her troubled mien, only for the pinkette's expression to smooth out into neutrality. "Bah, just my imagination. Don't mind me," she said blithely with a casual shrug of her shoulders, stuffing her hands in her pockets and turning on her heel to follow Mu. The lie leapt from her lips easily, as Kasumi mulled the matter over internally. Despite her concerns or her desire for impromptu meat-shields, if what she was sensing was any real form of danger, it would be objectively irresponsible for her to involve fellow Academy students in such a matter. Unbloodied and inexperienced as they were, if it was a matter requiring the attention of experienced shinobi, she'd just be leading them to the slaughter, which would hardly reflect well on her in the eyes of her superiors. Kasumi quickly approached Ramen Ichigo, brushing aside the flaps to enter to small seating area, as the familiar scent of warm herbal broth intermixed with meats and vegetables. She felt her mouth watering a little at the promise of food, clicking her tongue at Mu's words and resisting the impulse to smack him on the back of the head. "Oi, slow down; there's more to ordering a proper bowl of ramen than telling the chef to go nuts. Read the menu, or you'll regret it," she groused.
Her words prompted a hearty laugh from over the counter, as a tall mustachioed man with greying hair, a somewhat portly countenance and laugh lines on his cheeks walked up to the counter, wiping his hands off on his apron. A grin was already on the lips of Mr. Ichigo, the present owner of the establishment. Elsewhere behind him in the relatively small kitchen area of the rest of the building, the sounds of chopping and bubbling liquid echoed out, and glimpses of a younger girl and man could be seen occasionally bustling around the workstations. Both were brunettes and looked vaguely similar if you were actually looking for it, likely to be related.
"Don't trust my chef's instincts, Miss Haruno?" Mr. Ichigo chuckled, receiving only a flat look in response.
"With a 'chef's choice' meal? Not on your life. That's one 'tasteful adventure' I won't be taking again," Kasumi said bluntly, eyes narrowing at the belly laugh she got in response, as she flopped one of the stools at the counter, already resting one elbow on the countertop and her chin in the palm of the related hand. "A large beef bowl for me instead..." She paused. "In a carry-out bowl if you please."
Calling the orders back to the kitchen, Mr. Ichigo raised a single bushy brow, his mustache twitching. "In a rush today, are we? And here I'd thought you'd have time to chat, since you came with friends," he chuckled.
Not friends, not even close the pinkette didn't say aloud. Kasumi frowned, her chakra senses still prickling in the distance. Despite doing her best to dismiss the matter... "I just realized there's something pressing I may need to handle," she finally said as a nondescript answer. Her eyes drifted towards Mu and the redhead presently pining after him, her gut twisting in annoyance at the idea of having to endure their little "not-date" as the third wheel. Oh, to be sure, that wasn't the specific reason she was leaving, but it certainly contributed. "I'll come back if I have time-" She probably wouldn't. "-but please, don't stop having a good time on my account." She didn't imagine that would be too difficult; she was self-aware enough to know she wasn't exactly a "cloud of sunshine". They'd probably get along much better without her there to be a killjoy once her patience ran out.
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