Potemking

World of Light

Mirage & Rika

LOCATION:The Maw - The Depths
WORD COUNT:705(+1 EXP)
MENTIONS: Geralt, Peach, Sakura, Bella, The Proxy

---

As Peach was rescued by Sakura and Geralt, Rika’s rapidly constructed plan came to fruition. The lumbering thing, already lured back to the charge by Mirage’s bolt, became utterly infuriated by the crane rumbling and rattling away inside it, and after some smashing and thrashing it got itself into the room with the pit. There, unable to jump or climb up to reach the crane, it became effectively stuck for as long as she kept wiggling the controles, screeching up at the source of the noise with great fury.

The sounds it was making were hideous things, but at least it was adding to the noise in the room, giving the others room to breathe, recover and then escape. With that in mind the ship girl started gesturing with her free gauntlet for them to move out towards the door while she was keeping it distracted, a move that would let them all get out while leaving her behind to make some kind of mad dash afterwards.

Mirage, however, seemed to take this in the opposite way. Rather than run, he took Rika and the Proxy's loud noises as an opportunity to move farther forward. He carefully eyed the Proxy as he moved, the gurgling and stomping being great motivators for wanting to get rid of it. With the others out of the picture, it just meant there were a lot less distractions that could pull the Proxy out of it's cage. So all they had to do was knock him in, like putting a golf ball, or something! He had no intentions of leaving Rika behind to do this herself, who knew what was happening outside the room with all the rumbling? It was very possible Rika would have an issue getting to the exit herself. She wouldn't be the first abyssal he helped today.

Managing to scurry up to join Rika at the controls, he looked over the situation for a moment, noting the now empty room and the very angry, eyeless meat sack that was throwing a tantrum right next to the pit. "All that's left is to give 'em a whack with that crane." He seemed fine with letting Rika operate it since her plan had worked out so far, though the sight of the controls and the damage from her gauntlet made it clear things were a little difficult. "Need a hand?" He asked with a slight tilt of his head.

The girl’s eyes widened a little at the idea, and then she looked momentarily sheepish at not thinking of that, before nodding in agreement to it.. However as he, and to an extent she, expected, Rika didn't have much luck hitting a swing. The crane was slow and when combined with the way her gauntlet was blocking things and the arm twisting she was having to do to even hold the controles she didn't have any success.

“Yeah” she whispered in response to his request for help, before scooting a bit to the side while sliding the controle over to him, attempting to ensure that the move to hand over control didn't interrupt the noise making.

Mirage took a moment to familiarize himself with the controls, not being complicated by any means but he didn't want to embarrass himself too much. Good thing the Proxy didn't have arms, as with how low the crane was dangling, it could probably just grab the damn thing at this point. Realizing he had to keep the thing in place while the crane positioned behind it, he took his Dart Gun in one hand and put it to work: As the crane positioned behind the monstrosity, Mirage's darts rattled the top of the cage to try and at least buy time by keeping it in place.

With the darts deployed, he pulled back on the controls and brought the crane in for a good smack against the Proxy, hoping to send it into the pit below. Not exactly the speediest tool, but hopefully it'd be enough.

If it wasn’t, while he was at it Rika had tried to sneak her way round to the cage’s entrance and, once there, lined up her two cannon to give it the extra kick it needed to be tipped into the drained abyss bellow.

World of Light

LOCATION:Al Mamoon Northeast - Rocket Inc.
WORD COUNT: 1,286 (+3 EXP)
MENTIONS: Midna, Jesse, 'Number Two', The Dragonborn.

---

Mao eyed Midna, noticing her not only floating past (He had already seen her doing this, but seeing her go over the panels was infuriating) but also commenting that the beginning was dangerously close. Looking down at the surrounding panels, a lot of them took him back towards the start if the arrows could be believed. "Thanks for the warning," He commented, the relief of not being sent back overcoming his frustrations for the moment.

With that, Midna also pointed out where the end path of the maze was. All that was left was to deduce the last few panels and head that way; Where she would be putting down defense in case this was leading to an ambush. "I don't need luck!" He retorted to Midna's kindness, taking light offense but not really giving off an aggressive enough tone for it to mark him down as angry. Overconfident, possibly. As he was about to take a step in the wrong direction, Jesse attempted to warn him: The Demon spinning off course, though not back to the beginning, at least.

Squinting behind his glasses, he was mildly offended by being told to calm himself down. He was perfectly calm! She just didn't know what he was like once he wasn't! And she'd be spared knowing, as she seemed to pick out the rest of the path easily, allowing Mao to follow suit. Arriving at the end was tiring, to say the least, but aside from looking a little green in the face, he was in one piece. "Guh... I don't want to see another one of those panels as long as I live." He complained, managing to compose himself as the rest of the group gathered up. Luckily he was too sick to his stomach to get angry over the fact that Necronomicon suggested that they jump over the panels, though he was hit in his pride a little from such an obvious oversight.

Just one more motivation to fight these Resistance members.

Figuring there were plenty of folks capable of using an elevator, Mao had no issue with Jesse calling it down. He was eager to board, however, in case there was trouble down below. He offered Midna a glance, not sure if she'd be doing that shadow-lurking thing again, but regardless he poached a small spot in the elevator, his small frame not taking up a large amount of space compared to the larger members of the group.

It seemed the Resistance wanted to buy time with mooks; Mao was quick to jump into action when the elevator stopped, but surprisingly tried to keep his axe out of it's most practical use. Attempting to not kill, Mao still laid down immense pain with brunt strikes from his axe to an X-Naut that sent it barreling into more of the opposition, but mostly kept to blocking with his axe while attacking with firm kicks or grabs. There seemed to be no interest in friend-hearting these ones, but it made good practice for this 'mercy' crap he was having to take part in. Maybe they'd be less violent after they squashed the stronger members? There was only one way to find out.

Mao had landed himself in a rather unfortunate situation during the last ambush. The mooks were varied, people were distracted, and he had a few too many enemies on him in particular. Spur of the moment led to him frantic to defend from all sides from his over eagerness to go into the fray, and to even his own surprise, four mechanical limbs emerged from beneath his coat, saw spinning, drill revving, and surgical scissors snipping. The sight caused the enemies to recoil in their own surprise and fear, but Mao was eager to get to work.

Using the saw as a tactic to keep enemies away rather than cutting through them, Mao focused on delivering blunt damage with his drill and catching X-Nauts by the fabric of their suits with his scalpel before tossing them like trash. What was originally a situation where he appeared cornered turned into a "You're stuck in here with me" scenario, as Mao caused havoc with his newly rediscovered toys. After cleaning up his portion, his new limbs retracted back under his coat, seemingly disappearing all together. There wasn't any visible sign they actually existed. Truly a dangerous concealed weapon, all things considered.

The kitchen caught Mao's attention: Before having to continue he snagged what food he could, snarfing it down with a satisfied expression, not entirely aware of what he even snagged up with how fast he went about it. A meal was good for the body, though! And after the injuries he took earlier, he'd take any good his body could get.

The rest of the elevator trip was concerning. Mao couldn't help but wonder how far down they'd gone, figuring a building shouldn't be designed with such depths. Yet, as the elevator opened, and the wind tested to try and send them away, Mao gripped the elevator railing with one hand while the axe in the other helped him keep grounded. Soon he was out, and expecting danger, he took the calm moment to pop open a bottle of BBQ Sauce to gulp down, it being the closest thing he had to a drink anyways. Magic reserves restore, he looked over the edge at what seemed to be a bottomless pit before tossing his empty BBQ bottle down in curiosity if he'd hear it break.

As the others thought about the plan, he sat there for a moment and listened. But never heard the shatter.

Instead, Ciella's huffing got his attention. "Ah, shit." She seemed eager, and considering Midna was the only one who really showed reason towards friend-hearting the Resistance members, Mao figured Ciella took part in the previous killing. With no hesitation and an axe over his shoulder, he darted for the propulsion ramp and went flying after her. Not an air-bound creature by any means, Mao found it both exciting and terrifying to experience flight. He crashed down into the arena, feet meeting the ground and causing a small crater zone where the metal beneath the sand could be seen.

His gaze first fixated on the group before them, noting the familiar faces among them. Following that though, the appearance of Number Two brought a tightened grip onto Mao's recently obtained war axe. "Sworn my ass, they're just under your control!" He'd deal with her soon enough, but for the moment, she wasn't a threat. They just had to knock down her defenses, then she was easy pickings.

"Not sure what these new guys can do, but I know that black fur-bag and the old guy are dangerous. Don't need him conjuring more monsters or healing anyone." His quiet, but aloud thoughts came as the fight initiated. He thought for a moment on how to handle this, before his knowledge of his own Striker gave him an idea.

"Ara Mitama!" He called, the Demon appearing in a quick and effective manner. Mao held his axe forward, as Ara Mitama targeted the Dragonborn with it's Taunt spell. "You back up for round three, gramps? This time I'll whack you over the head with your own axe!" He boasted towards the Dragonborn, taunting him further.

Not foolish enough to dash into the group of more notably dangerous enemies after his experience with the mooks, he took to a slow pacing towards the left, simply distancing himself a little as to not have the Seekers bunched up together in a bundle for some sort of AOE. He was ready to fight, but knew it'd be messy. He only hoped that this went smoothly, and that Midna didn't have more to complain about afterwards.

Persona - Soldiers of Fortune

Dakota Rhett

_{November 29th - Time Unknown - The Velvet Room}

---

What was turning out to be a peaceful slumber was easily interrupted by the sudden boom of thunder than rang in Dakota's ears, eyes shooting wide open with a gasp. An attempt to move showed he was restrained, the young man grasping the harness as his eyes darted about the area, slowly taking in the details of where he was. The seats, the metallic appearance, and the horrid mixture of engines and explosions that made this place sound like any B-grade war movie he'd watched in his life. He'd been here before, more than once. This dream always played out the same way, and seemed to have no real purpose behind it, which caused his panic to disperse into a bit of annoyance at not getting to sleep peacefully.

But something was different this time, Dakota discovered. As he undid his harness and pulled himself to his feet, the repeated visits to this dream had made him wonder what was behind that door. Now it was open, and to spice up this repetitive experience, he'd check out this new development. One step at a time, he slowly traveled across the aircraft, wincing at each explosions as if it could be the one that hits his plane. And with the way it shook, it wouldn't surprise him if they were getting hit.

Panicked by this sudden thought, he was quick to enter through the newly opened door. His mouth opened to speak, but nothing came out. No matter how hard he tried to question the situation, words couldn't escape him. Instead his eyes rested on the source of light in the room, and the sleeping police girl that he didn't recognize in the slightest. His head tilted in confusion, though his attention was quickly snatched by an ominous voice, view shifting to the mysterious figure in the cockpit.

Finally? I don't even know who you are.

Eyes widening at the sight of the empty pilot seat, the lack of alarm from the mysterious individual seemed to imply this wasn't a huge deal, but he also hurried him in a calm tone to take a seat. Dakota followed the man's suggestion, sitting down and swiveling back to face the front of the plane. Igor's words pulled him from viewing outside in any regard, his tone carrying some sort of effect that brought the young man's full attention.

Hell... I feel more lost. It's kind of a purgatory, really.

An explosion, yet again. The blast was visible from his seat and Dakota couldn't help but stare at the sudden brightness in the dark. Soon, it all twisted to black, leaving the outside of the plane devoid of detail. A void of black that felt like it lead nowhere, to the point he wasn't even sure if they were moving anymore. Despite this being a dream, he felt sick. His stomach was in knots, and he was getting a little anxious from all of this.

So sudden, that my life was thrown off track. I put all my eggs in one basket, and it came back to bite me. Where I thought I was free, I've come to realize life without passion is a boundless cage, still.

Dakota's view follows Igor's gesture, the young man looking over the plane. Despite how strange it was, it did feel safe. Something inside gave the young man some peace here, like he could just sit and relax with his own thoughts, without hinderance from anyone else.

I feel lighter here. As if there's something truly comforting, even in the carnage surrounding this plane.

Bringing his view to the console, the rampart wheel being something Dakota attempted to stop: But it torn from his hands in a fashion that nearly made him feel like his wrists would be snapped. A hopeless gaze ventured forth towards an explosion that blew open the void, exposing a sky with many planes, more than the boy could hope to count.

"Lost souls circling the drain, day by day, until you go down."

Dakota winced at these words. They sparked fear in his heart, the idea of death being a terrifying one. He didn't want to end up as one of those that the shells finally hit their mark on: He wanted to persevere, and make it through. He wanted to find a road to happiness in his life after feeling like he'd lost it. Were the solutions tied to this huge-nosed individual, somehow?

I don't want to drown. How am I supposed to find my worth, though? I'm just a shell of what I used to be, and a cowardly one at that. Is there really something out there for me to find? I'm just not sure...

An odd hopefulness gave him warmth, though it faded as negative thoughts clouded his mind, and his view. Igor's nod wasn't directed at him, and it caused Dakota to turn and try to look, noticing an awake but drowsy police woman, the same that had been napping before. His eyes locked onto the lever, and the hand she had upon it. As it was pulled, the young man's eyes widened, attempting to scream as his plummet began.

The force of the air felt like it could cut his skin, a moment in his fall his view of both the sky and ground were fully obscured by the clouds, leaving him with nothing but the sounds of war, which came back into view as he flew downwards, gaining speed and getting ever closer to the explosions rocking the surface. Fear set in, unable to make a sound, but simply thinking of his demise with two repeated words:

I'm falling!

_{I'm Falling!}

_{I'm falling!}

_{"Falling asleep in class, man..."}

. . . . .

Dakota Rhett

_{November 29th - Morning}

---

His eyes shot open, shifting from a slumped position to instead sit straight. His fingers combed through his hair, trying to clean it up a little as he looked for the source of the voice that woke him up. To his left was a guy with a concerned expression, eyebrow raised seeming utterly confused by Dakota's napping. "You're lucky you have that tall dude sitting in front of you, or the prof might've noticed." He remarked in a quiet voice, eyes back to the front as he tried to look involved, himself. Either not expecting a response or he didn't want one, as to not make their interaction obvious.

Rubbing his eyes, Dakota recovered from his sleeping state fairly quickly. Or tried, eyeing the front and trying to listen in. His thoughts blocked out most of that, however. That whole situation with the plane was a dream again, but why were there so many details this time? Who were those people, and why'd the guy in the fighter helmet have a nose longer than most sub sandwiches? Shuddering, he tried to get past that, as he realized details from the dream were disappearing, here and there. Leaving large chunks missing. There were a few words that rang in his head, however, with that same voice of authority.

_{"Soon you will wake up, but whether you face reality -whether you awaken- is up to you. And should you find your worth, we will surely meet again.”}

Back pressing against his seat, he bit the inside of his cheek with a frown. Dream or not, finding his worth... That was a goal in his life. He had no idea what to do with himself, and while he was blessed with the chance at university, he hadn't been making much use of it thus far. He had no real progress on a path he'd chose when he talked to his parents, who judged him. He could feel it. Looking online just got him more messages of demand for him to work harder, or words of success for The Spark. He was dead weight, now. A fire that burned out before it even really began. This 'worth' was something he wasn't really aware of himself having, but it at least reminded him to not give in too easily. He had a semester at least to try and figure himself out, that'd be enough time.

If he kept falling asleep like this, though, he wouldn't last. So there was a chance he'd not have the time he was speaking of. Shaking his head, he decided enough was enough when it came to second-guessing, at least for now. As disinterested as he was to begin with to fall asleep, that hadn't really changed now. He just couldn't get motivated about anything, and it was as frustrating as it was saddening. No amount of attempting to hype himself up or getting himself involved lead to him feeling any better. He just wanted to feel comfortable, was that too much to ask?

With the wolves of doubt nipping at his ankles, he was starting to genuinely think it might be. Despite being willing to still try, he had a lot of doubts that just wouldn't fade. All of it was honestly making him sleepy again, and he felt like he'd be napping again before long. Only thing keeping him awake was the idea of the guilt he'd feel for letting the guy beside him waste his kindness. Looking in his direction, all Dakota got was a small thumbs-up gesture, which caused an honest grin to shine on Dakota's face. He offered the same thumb gesture back, before focusing on the lecture with a little more intent.

Pokémon: New Horizons

I say go for it, doesn't harm anything.

Persona - Soldiers of Fortune

Tactical helmet Igor is not something I knew I needed in my life

Persona - Soldiers of Fortune

Been busy working on some other stuff, but I managed to get a few important things written down in a compact manner. Excited to get started today!

NPC Entry: THE SPARK

A small-time indie band originating out of Barclay, Texas consisting of a guitarist, bassist, drummer, and vocalist. While not mainstream, they are usually seen performing gigs across town to keep attempting to build up their fanbase, and plan to expand across the rest of Texas once they gain a foothold. They've had issues with fans having to readjust to a new vocalist, the group simply claiming to have had a 'falling out' of sorts with their previous singer, one Dakota Rhett. Their new blood is still top notch, however, and keeps people enticed. So the transition is going smoothly, all things considered.

THE GUITARIST

Mel Corse is 25 years old, and considered the de facto leader of the group, usually making the business decisions and scheduling gigs while the others work their magic. His large figure matches his aggressive personality, always using his loud voice to get involved and shut down arguments in his group as more of a domination move than actually trying to calm them down. He differs from his bandmates in the sense he wishes to actually go commercial, however he hasn't disclosed this to everyone and has no plan to do so until he feels the time is right. No matter the reason, he couldn't keep dead weight around, so Dakota had to go. He'd much rather push forward than let the group stagnate waiting on a lost cause.

Beige Skin Tone / Short Brown Hair / 6'1" / 253lbs / Torn jeans and sleeveless shirts.

THE BASSIST

Javon Deonte is 23 years old, and probably the more level-headed out of the group. He simply plays because he loves to do so, and though he loves the crowds, he's not really in it for popularity. Preferring to stay behind the scenes and just play, he remains quiet in general conversation aside from with his bandmates. Who he'll open up more with, and express his concerns to in a blunt fashion. As long as the band doesn't try and tie him down to any major commitments he's more than happy to keep with them. But Mel's bossy nature can get on his nerves, and he has a certain distrust of the man's business decisions. He deeply respected Dakota's passion but thought it was for the best he took it easy. He figured they might group up again in the future, but Mel seemed to have stomped any hope of that into the dirt by bringing on new blood so fast.

Almond Skin Tone / Black Dreads / 5'7" / 166bs / Nylon pants, dress shirts with popped collars.

THE DRUMMER

Micki Davik is 22 years old, the current youngest in the band. He's a happy-go-lucky sort of person glad to be following his passions with people he can get along with. He puts trust in Mel mainly because he has no understanding of the business outside of playing, and feels it's best that way. He took Dakota's absence fairly well, but the situation was concerning from a friend's perspective. While he hasn't forgotten his former bandmate by any means, he's pushed on and continued performances without missing a beat.

Ivory Skin Tone / Short But Messy Ginger Hair / 5'5" / 157lbs / Baggy shorts, overly bushy jackets.

THE VOCALIST

Miranda Hue is 24 years old, and Mel's choice for Dakota's replacement as a vocalist. The transition from a male to female singer was jarring only for a short period of time, Miranda making it clear she had the charm and appearance to keep the crowd entranced, without mention of her wonderful singing voice. Her immense pride and concern of her self-worth shines above the other portions of her personality, despite being able to put on a pretty face. Her and Mel seem to have a deal of sorts, as she's clearly not the type to want to be outside the spotlight, and therefor reside in a small-time band. Whoever she replaced before didn't matter, either: Even if he was capable, he'd be a stick in the mud compared to her. Her exceptional talents made him a mere stepping stone towards obtaining her as their vocalist, or at least that's how she sees it.

Warm Beige Skin Tone / Long Red Hair / 5'7" / 162lbs / Short jeans, corsets and leather jackets.

Brights Dive Bar

THE LOCATION

A small bar with a rough exterior but well-furnished and clean on the inside. It's not exactly fit for attracting large crowds but instead just local clientele., serving a very basic line of drinks and usually having open mic or karaoke during the evenings. You really can't go wrong with the place if you're looking for a simple time without a lot of hassle, as long as you aren't looking to cause trouble yourself, that is.

THE PEOPLE

Most of the folks are older, people who've lived near the bar for a chunk of their life. They usually don't expect many new folks, aside from the occasional kid who just became of-age and was looking for their first real drinking experience. A small group of regulars are actually not there for drinks at all: Instead, they take up the karaoke hours or open mic for whatever they can come up with. The worst you'll usually get is a look of uncertainty as a newcomer, but that can be enough when you're alone. Having another regular with you can usually get folks off your back, unless they are troublesome in their own right.

DAKOTA'S CONNECTION

Dakota knows quite a few of the older locals through his time with his Grandmother, including the owner / bartender of the establishment. He hadn't properly stepped into the bar until he was 21, but after that he kept coming back. Loving the people and the music. It's a place of comfort for him, often helping him escape the outside world a bit. If it's up to him to pick a hangout spot, this would definitely be one place he'd go to now and again, though only during evenings.

Pokémon: New Horizons

The Devoted Researcher

Isla Gavins

__________________________________________________
_________________________________________________


_{"Research, battles, and new-land exploration! Och, what a lovely time this'll be!"
Theme Of A Researcher X Battle With A Researcher}
_________________________________________________
__________________________________________________

Name:

Isla Gavins

Age:

24

Gender:

Female

Home Region:

Galar

Appearance:

Standing at 5'10" and weighing in at just over 160lbs, Isla sports a head of messy shoulder-length ginger hair complemented with a pair of big, brown eyes. Her fair complexion gives a nice brightness to her smooth skin, allowing her rosy-red cheeks to be clear for anyone to see. Smiles are her go-to expression, cheery demeanor keeping her lips curved as she expresses her curiosity through slight raises of her brows to whatever she's eyeing at the moment. She stands straight, having good posture that allows her full height to be expressed without fail to everyone she meets.

Her usual attire consists of a yellow shirt with black stripes, under a light waist-long jacket with a skirt that remains slightly above her knees in length. Her bright legs are darkened and fully covered by her gray stockings, leading down to a pair of black dress shoes. She has a bulkier yellow coat for colder weather stowed away, along with jeans and general sleepwear for when she's not on the road.

For accessories, she's always carrying around a bag for her clothing and writing supplies. The bag having a few patches on it, marking trips to both Sinnoh and Orre. It also has some initials on it, from an unspecified "D.L" and "R.R", the former having a small smile beside it while the latter is littered by hearts around the letters. A chain dangles around her neck with a fully-colored steel Chansey as it's vocal point, and she has a pair of small hoop earrings that are usually hidden by her hair.

Personality:

Enthusiastic is the simplest way to describe Isla. She's an eager individual, always on the move and ready to spring into action. Nothing excites her like exploration and Pokemon research, the girl willing to go to dramatic length to get her answers and not letting small things like fear get in the way of science. This obsession with research can lead to her spacing out and occasionally rambling off as she takes notes, falling out of a conversation if her mind wanders too far.

Not to say she'd willingly ignore someone: She's kind, one to look out for others as a fair and generally simplistic person. Trouble is not something she can turn away from, a mother hen that's willing to stick her nose in any situation to try and solve it, especially when someone is in danger. Her tolerance for unnecessary violence outside of a sportsman competition between trainers is zilch: Seeing a mistreated Pokemon or person will get her to bare her fangs of aggression and step up to tell someone off, or worse if it comes to it.

While not bossy, she's happy to make suggestions she'd think are best for other people, even if they don't accept it. Attitude directed at her can be met with a hint of sass, though she'll generally disregard it as someone still having some growing to do if they think they need to be aggressive to make a point. Such approaches yield no results with her, the woman not willing to budge to someone trying to force her hand unless the situation was truly dire. To which if extremes were taken, she'd not be one to forgive such a thing.

Scientific side being the key to her adult conversations, she's got a gentle tone to calm younger crowds as well. Always ready to put the kettle on for a conversation, or cook up a storm when presented with the opportunity, she has a way of easily making connections over time. Supportive of people's goals and endeavors, it brings her joy to see others grow: And it brings a hint of sadness to see someone fall off their path and stagnate.

She takes a gentle approach to Pokemon, too. Wanting to get close and study their habits though her friendliness sometimes can get her chased off. She's smarter than to go try and observe an Ursaring up close, but when it comes to smaller Pokemon she's willing to try and slowly slip into the scene to get a closer look, even if it means peeking out of a tree to get a good look at the subject of her study.

And no matter where her studies take her, that smile of hers is sure to follow.

Pokémon

The Sudden Supporter

Name:

Conch

Species:

Slowbro (Galarian)

Gender:

Male

Ability:

Quick Draw

Moves:

• Heal Pulse
• Shell Side Arm
• Disable
• Zen Headbutt
• Reflect
• Light Screen

The Six Knights

Name:

Cadets

Species:

Falinks

Gender:

Male

Ability:

Defiant

Moves:

• No Retreat
• Iron Head
• Coaching
• First Impression
• Beat Up
• Agility

Persona - Soldiers of Fortune

@Lugubrious

Been working on some NPC things, might get a bit of it done tonight along with some minor locations for a little bit of worldbuilding fun.

World of Light

LOCATION:Al Mamoon Northeast - Rocket Inc.
WORD COUNT: 1,174(+2 EXP +10 EXP) Level up!
MENTIONS: Midna, Jesse

A Power Suited For A Genius!

Evil Modification - Mao gains access to four mechanical limbs that emerge from beneath his coat on command. Each comes with their own dangerous attachment to dish out pain or to be used as utility where applicable outside of combat: a pair of large dissecting scissors, a drill, a buzz saw, and a comically large surgical scalpel.

---

Midna's frustration only confirmed Mao's assumption their side had the same failings in capturing anyone. Though, considering she seemed to be the only one here actually bothered by this result, he was somewhat confused to how his brainwashed group had been gathered up before. He supposed some of the others, like that giant detective and fat hamster were the more reasonable ones. This group seemed mainly consisted of wildcards that sold him on the group's goals, or at least their methods for reaching those goals, weren't the same. Maybe Midna was too idealistic with her wish to save everyone, but Mao could see the benefits despite her just trying to be a 'good guy'.

Observing his new prize in his Glass War Axe as he followed Midna over to Laharl, his face twisted a little at the example she provided on how to uncurse others. You literally send a heart to them? That was so... Cutesy and disgusting! However, Laharl seemed better than before, proving it worked along with his eyes changing from that red glow. Reluctantly he'd keep it in mind, as it was better than not knowing. Things were better this way though: The last thing he needed was someone ratting that he saved a fellow demon. That blue runt wouldn't of ever let that go, Mao was sure of it.

"I'll keep this noted." He spoke in acknowledgement of Midna's lesson, avoiding the snark this time. As cliché as it was, there were good uses for this ability. Being able to harness it himself could be useful, even if the concept was a bit of stomach souring one. He'd have time to linger on that pain later, as he had both physical and mental pains to deal with aside from Friend Hearts. With no damn healer, Mao noted he was stuck with his crisped wounds, which were causing pain just by existing, let alone whatever fight came next.

Then there was Jesse, confirming to Mao again these people weren't on the same wavelength. Her words left him conflicted, feeling an odd sense of annoyance with her despite mostly agreeing with what she had to say. Resting his axe on his shoulder, he decided to pipe in. "There's more than just that God's Curse at play here." Mao added, unsure if Jesse was filled in at all considering how hurried everyone was. "Number Two... The Resistance Leader's brainwashing is at play. It either changes your view to make the acts of violence seem right, or makes you completely oblivious to the harm you cause. It's brought this group together by force. I doubt most of them would be in this situation if she wasn't involved."

A momentary thought about Klee and Baz caused Mao's expression to be etched with determination, not caring about why Midna's group had come here in the first place, or intervened with the issues of the city. He and Jesse were both gleaming until today, making Mao assume they picked Jesse up around here as well. Bolstering the ranks was the obvious answer, but who knew how long this had been going on? Mao's memories went back a way, but if they've been traveling this world the whole time that Mao himself could remember in this world... It wasn't a lot of time, in retrospect. There was probably a long road ahead to hoping they could surpass the being that brought them here.

Ciella's insistence that they push on was something Mao could agree with. Eyeing Midna for a moment, he decided to not give her a hard time amongst the trouble she was having, instead choosing to push his wannabe parole officer towards their next task. "Let's try and put that demonstration to use down there." He commented, not backing her from a morale stance, but more as a long-term strategy to defeating Galeem. It's not like he didn't have people he wanted to save, but he wasn't about to put that information out there for an entire group like this. She'd just have to take his words as best she could, and perhaps stick close if she wanted to work together on saving a life or two during their descent.

Mao had no fear in taking front: Though he didn't know Braum in the slightest and his lack of speaking made it clear he didn't care to do so, his defensive capabilities were notable. Whatever appeared, Mao was willing to be the first in the fray. But the last thing he expected to appear was a maze. A maze with moving panels that did nothing but make the path more annoying to find.

"Tch, sounds simple." Mao spoke in agreement with Joker, pushing his glasses up with confidence. "Simpleton puzzles like these are nothing my 1.8 Million E.Q can't solve!" With a confident boast, he took the lead with an extreme lack of hesitation, a step on one of the panels sending him spinning out of sight with a yelp of surprise. He was spun across six panels, before finally arriving on a yellow one. Taking a second to recover from the dizziness, he pressed onward to see where he'd end up. There were multiple options, the demon scoffing at the first one because it lead barely anywhere except a few spaces to a yellow spot.

Going down, he decided to try the third panel he saw. It took him back towards the right, then a couple of panels shuffled him upwards to a yellow panel. Too fixated on going forward, he simply didn't notice that it was the same spot he had disregarded moments ago. Walking farther to the right, he had another split in his path. Go upwards, to which seemed too far up to be progressive, or down. He chose down.

Presented with three more arrows, one stood out in particular because it pointed back up towards where he came. "Crafty bastards." He grumbled, deciding to take the panel to his left. It brought him spinning through four more panels, before yet another yellow panel blessed his travels. The bright colors were starting to hurt his eyes, and the spinning was getting to his stomach. Deciding to take a momentary break, he observed his current location, one path having an arrow that pointed up again, but on the other side, he saw a wide doorway. shouting back at the group with surprising closeness, as if he still wasn't too far away. "The damn exit is blocked by this one panel! That's so damn rotten..." If he had to keep spinning like this, the maze would be turning into a water slide as Mao's innards became his outtards. "I'm going to get the name of whoever design this crap, and then put 'em on two panels that will spin back and forth. Forever!"

Relieved thanks to his moment of ranting, he began to try and deduce where to go next. Where were the guinea pigs when he needed them? He might have to go back on helping Midna with the friend-hearting if one of these rebels sent him back to the beginning...

Rocket Inc. Puzzle: Mao's Path

World of Light

LOCATION:The Maw - The Depths
WORD COUNT:761(+2 EXP)
MENTIONS: Sakura, The Proxy

---

There was a lot to be stressing about. The Command Center was getting more hectic as Mirage attempted to fend off Junior's underwater stalker. Camera view shaking as she grabbed and pushed attempting to make the BULL move, which Mirage met with setting himself to continue in reverse to negate her pulling. Unfortunately, this seemingly craftier than expected faceless individual let him go, which sent the machine floating through the doorway and crashing into a few pieces of debris. Pincers attempting to scramble for her, he utterly missed his mark and the girl got through: However, it seemed to be enough time as even from where Mirage was up above, he could hear the water draining.

Another unfortunate thing was that, with the lack of water and the sudden crash, the BULL was beached. Since Mirage would have to travel down with the others anyways, this wasn't a huge deal, but he wasn't happy with leaving Junior alone. With the increasing chaos in the Command Center and a thud surprisingly close to him, he had to try and slide out of the helmet so he could observe and continue the mission in his actual body.

Pulling his helmet off wasn't the greatest idea, however. He knew something was in the room, but seeing it was worse. The Proxy's empty sockets gave him a moment of nausea, but he held tight as a sound from Bella caused it to travel away from the source of that previous thud... Which, judging from Peach being there, made it obvious what the sound was. Alright, Elliot. You've always been the sneaky one. Time to tread carefully.

Palms resting gently against the chair he was in, the tips of Mirage's shoes graced the floor as he lowered himself down. His gaze shot around, noting everyone in the room. With how they were now, they were surprisingly spaced out: If this thing couldn't see, then they could probably keep using misdirection to lose it. But with the water draining, the others might come back, unaware of their current plight. That meant getting rid of this huge blob, and Mirage had a slight idea on how to do that after a moment of observation.

He began to slowly pace himself towards where the Submarine and BULL had took their dive. Without the water, it left a drop that'd serve well for getting rid of this thing. But he'd have relocate to space himself from the others, first. This also kept any source of noise away from the injured Peach, who he'd try to help once the threat was removed. All he could offer to Sakura was a finger over his lips as he passed by, the finger then gesturing to the drop that was now accessible in the room past that damaged fence. He tried to match his gentle steps with the monster's, eyeing it's path and figuring it'd be quite random without sight, so the best he could do is try and travel at angles that'd give him more distance.

His lungs burned from the lack of breaths he was taking, trying to stay silent as he positioned himself between the patrolling Proxy and the damaged section of the fence that had saved Peach's life. His steps still followed after it's own, feeling his ability to stay quiet running short. So he'd take his chance; He figured at worst the noise he'd make would bring the Proxy to his side of the room and let the others start slipping out. And at best, it'd take a four-floor drop into barely any water, and considering all the debris down there, it'd be lucky if the fall was just blunt damage from gravity.

He pulled out his trusty Dart Gun and took aim, thinking a small prayer for himself as he hoped his optimism wasn't misplaced. He had to get out of here and get help down to Junior: This damned thing was in the way, and with one injured, two petrified, and Geralt not being close enough to be filled in on the idea he had... It didn't leave him with much choice at this point.

The dart fired, the sound potentially alerting the Proxy but it was quickly replaced by the platform connecting to a higher spot on the fence, above where the Proxy had damaged it, the sound from both the platform's connection and the movement of the fence hopefully putting it into a further alert that something was trying to climb again, redirecting it from Mirage.

All the little trickster could hope is that his plan didn't backfire on him.