Hidden 3 yrs ago Post by Medili
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Ryuuko listened to the others talk while finishing up with her meal. Information were exchanged, some new and some were confirmations of what she already knew. Good progress were definitely made in this first day that marked the start of their investigation. Things remained inconclusive, and a defense still needed to be made... But they still have two more days for that. And besides, there was still time yet to do more today, even in the lateness of night. It was something that Ryuuko had been considering to do depending on what information were discovered by the team.

"Alright then. I have an idea of something to do to possibly get us even closer to nailing this thing." Ryuuko grinned wide while pushing her eyeglasses up by the bridge of it with the middle finger of her right hand. "It's pretty obvious, but what the heck I'll state it nonetheless. As we all know, that Robespierre kid's prosecution focus is on making out this whole thing as if it's the fact that Jeanne's the only one that's guilty about what happened. So, we really need to bag this manbat person or at least find more evidences of their involvement with the incidence, thus allowing us to call bull on that kid's primary point of argument." She paused a bit as she considered her next statements. "Now, we also know that this manbat themselves claimed that they're an opportunist... Yes, we don't know exactly what they meant by that, but I feel that we might as well do a gambit by baiting this opportunist with an, well, opportunity. A bait that they will hopefully take. That is to say... I'm going to break the curfew tonight and see if the manbat will show up again or not."

"Now, of course, this doesn't necessarily mean there will be a fight or some other such... dramatic happening. To that end, I'm wondering if any of you have an audio recording device that I can borrow. Nazca maybe?" She looked at the Abya Yalan girl as she spoke so, continuing "If not, then even just a camera will do. Anyways, in the end, the point is to collect potential evidences to build our defense... So I am open if anyone have more ideas of what I should do or bring with me while I'm out breaking the curfew. To make the most out of it and such. Or hey... Maybe any of you would like to accompany me on this endeavor? Haha."

Ryuuko then sipped on some drink as she finished speaking. However, she soon spoke up again after remembering a certain thing that she had forgotten to mention. "Ah, right. One more thing." She turned to look at Jeanne, giving the Frenchwomen a friendly smile as she addressed her directly "Jeanne, I'd like to ask you to please stay put for tonight. After all, we need to keep you out of trouble for the sake of us all. Surely you understand, yes?"
Hidden 3 yrs ago Post by Vega7285
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Hana Yun

Hana returned to her room as the evening wore on. It would be good to investigate the island by night, as doubtless several of her fellow polymaths had already, but she was in no hurry to do so. Jeanne's alleged activities of the previous evening didn't have her particularly excited to explore without full preparations.

And besides, she had a few things to do during a night in. The first, was calling after one Angelo Beloco. The second, while she was at it, would be getting in touch with Mr. Porter. If he was interested in a collaboration, it was worth arranging things with him, as well. So it was that, some time after dinner, she sat down next to her telephone to ask the operator to connect her. Hopefully, nobody was otherwise engaged at the time.
Hidden 3 yrs ago Post by ERode
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EE 87, May 5 | Night

And thus sounded the blasted bell once more, heralding the lightning that sealed the buildings, the incursion of that all-consuming mist. Ten chimes rang with cacophonous, metered rage, and this time, the sudden locking down of every exit point did not come to a surprise to any of the residents within the isolated island. Now was the time for the night, for clandestine encounters and the advancement of schemes. Within the muted light of the fog-shrouded streets, shadows stirred, pursuing disjointed goals.

@banjoanjo
The dinner party had concluded, dishes scoured and discarded, the guests leaving to do whatever work they wished, or to seek the rest that they believed they deserved. In the end, Ryuuko, seeking adventure and excitement, had left the apartments with Nazca, searching for any sign of the rumoured manbat, leaving Bang to chaperone their fractious charge. Throughout their discussions and studies about what had transpired the night before, Jeanne remained largely mute, only watching them speak and intermittently picking at her food. The Frenchwoman affected once more a sense of uninvolved cool, and despite Franz’s request, she had not done more than flip through a few pages of the censored student register before tossing it to a couch.

Jeanne herself sat by the window, her eyes squinting against the blinding Formula that made alteration impossible, her gaze drawn to the fog that pressed up against the glass without clouding it over. Nothing was said between the two. It had been two hours now, of this awkward silence, in this suite with no possessions worth distracting one’s self with.

Perhaps Bang should have brought a book.

@Vega7285
The operator was quick and efficient, with the sort of manic tone that sounded like someone who had caffeinated properly in preparations for a night shift at the telecommunications center. Within a couple of moments, the line connected to the famed ‘Angelo Beloco’, and a distorted voice sounded, some sort of device utilized to artificially crack what should be an otherwise stellar connection.

“Bermuda Triangle, Classified Section. Who’s this?”

In the background, opera music vibrated out of a gramophone, warbling tragic tones in a language Hana didn’t know.
Hidden 3 yrs ago Post by Zombehs
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Shou Zheng

Even if each of them had their personal bedroom within the apartment, Shou doubted the insulation was thick enough to block out the noises the pair would be making. He'd slept through worse, but it was a convenient enough excuse to spend the night elsewhere if asked. By the time he finished his meal and headed back up to his room, it sounded like things were well underway between the pair and he gathered some of the equipment he had brought along before he slipped out and locked the door behind him. Hopefully he didn't come back to a dead roommate and his ransacked belongings.

He should probably be more concerned with his own safety instead though. The warning from last night still rankled him, but Shou felt a sense of stillness and calm fill him as he watched the waves slosh up against the sandy beaches. For such a built up city, it felt odd to look down into completely empty streets... Well maybe not. Even if he couldn't see anyone, his ear fins flicked at every little noise.

He wasn't planning to pry on other people's business tonight. There was no desire to be strung up as an example like Jeanne had been this morning after all. With the fog finally rolling in after the clocktower toiled, Shou rose from his perch and squinted. Here, by the beach with no street lights nearby, the fog truly was impenetrable. His destination was straight ahead though, and he hopped forward onto the sandy shore without hesitation. Weapon gripped in hand and twirled around as he stepped into the waves and headed underwater again.
Hidden 3 yrs ago 3 yrs ago Post by Kumbaris
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"Daughter. Just what are you doing?"

Bunga turned her head towards her mother. A veritable giant compared to her very small form. A petite human being with purple hair standing right next to someone much bigger than her, and the giant's smile warms Bunga's heart so much. Despite her size, despite her intimidating posture, she treats her daughter like how a mother should treat daughters.

Bunga remembered that question after she went back home crying. She was a bit of a brat during her schooldays, always getting into trouble with the other kids from school, and always highly insecure of herself. She doesn’t yet know what she wanted to do, and her mother most likely just finished a conversation with the school superintendent about today’s incident.

“I… I”

“Really Bunga, why did you hit that man? He was just asking a question about where you are living. You have no reason to hit him.”

“But, but. He’s always pestering me mom! He makes fun of my hair! He makes fun of my skin too! He says my skin looks like poop!”

Her mother sighs, putting her hands on her forehead. “That is still no reason to hit a man Bunga. You should tell your teacher that the boy was bullying you. Do you remember what I told you on the first day of school?”

Her mother went and grabbed some tissues, putting it on her cheeks, cleaning off her tears. The blackened eye from the little fight she had with the boy became even more visible. She had given the boy a good beating, but the boy also didn’t leave Bunga unscathed.

“That violence is the last resort mom.”

“Yes Bunga. Now, I’m going to meet with Rangga’s mom tomorrow, and I want you to come with me okay? I also want you to say sorry and promise not to fight again, understood?”

“Yes mom.”

Bunga went to her room afterwards, wanting to spend her time playing with toys and reading books for the rest of the day.

She never had a problem with the boy again after that. The glare her mom gave to the boy, and the presumed scolding the boy’s mom gave to him also seemed to shut him up. Perhaps not everything is solved with fighting after all.




“So this is why we united father?”

“Yes Bunga. We united in response to the threats the Occidents posed to the archipelago, and have been united ever since.”

Her father was taking her to a local museum in Palembang. Bunga’s eyes seemed to sparkle at the various exhibitions the museum had set up, a collection of tapestries, artifacts, and objects all before Bunga’s time. The theme of the day being ‘Unification.’

As she was highly interested in almost everything, and being the curious woman she was. Bunga turned towards the figure beside her. Unlike her mother, her father carries an air of dignity and grace, much more formal clothes, and much more bespoke mannerisms fit for a wealthy spice merchant. “Daddy. I wanna ask, how did Palembang unify with the rest of the islands? Why did the Sultan of Palembang give power to the people of Majapahit? Wasn’t the Majapahit empire in decline daddy?”

Her father smiled, crouching down to her, ever the shrewd businessman, he sensed an opportunity for her. “Well Bunga. I can explain it to you, but perhaps you can search for the answers yourself? The exhibit showcases how the unification process was done. Perhaps you can learn how we unify in the museum better than I can.”

Bunga simply nodded and started exploring the exhibitions herself. Returning to her father not long after, smiling widely.

“It’s because the populace of the sultanate pressured the Sultan to unite with the Majapahitans, in exchange for local autonomy and elections right?”

Her father nodded. “Correct dear child. And what is the message we should take from this exhibit?”

“That United we are strong, and divided we’re weak!”

Her father beamed, clearly happy at Bunga’s answer. “Good girl. Now, do you want some Kapau Rice? It’s almost lunchtime right?”

“What?!? We’re going for Kapau Rice Daddy?”

“Of course sweetheart. Take it as… a reward for learning something about our Unification.”

Bunga can’t wait to taste the rice dish after that.




“Bunga?”

Her mother and her father could only react with shocked faces as they saw her daughter arrive. Her servants reacted with shock as well.

Bunga had been working late at night in the lab. Busy studying and calculating the Formulae of nature (as usual), and she had been so busy that she didn’t realize the time. By the time she did go home. It was incredibly late at night, so she just took a quick shower and went to bed.

“What's wrong mom? dad?” Bunga responded, stretching her arms upwards. She looked at the dishes at the table and turned her head back towards her parents. “Are we having breakfast laksa as usual again?”

“Bunga… look at the mirror.” Her father suggested. “Hurry, look.”

Not really taking their surprise seriously. Bunga walked, drowsily, into the mirror.

And the house visibly shook as Bunga screamed.

It took a whole day of familial effort to make sure Bunga calmed down. But she has still not settled with her newfound appendages in her head, and particularly on her butt.

The woman still couldn’t believe that those experiments she did all those years ago were a success, the certain fluffy appendage on her butt does feel nice to the touch though, silver linings… silver linings.




Bunga hugged her mother, both hers and her mothers’ eyes tearful as Bunga is preparing for her journey towards the city of Bermuda. It all happened so suddenly too, after her discovery of temporary replication of animal formulae, Bunga had been recruited into the ranks of the Ministry, and then her secret assignment with the BPN as well.

Her parents didn’t expect their child would be such a major figure within the Polymath community, and they certainly didn’t expect that their child would be going to Bermuda out of all places.

“Mom, Dad. I love you okay?” She said, interrupting her sentence with the occasional tear. “I promise I’m going to buy you all the stuff you want from the Occident okay!”

“Oh, don’t do that Bunga. Just focus on your studies and do well okay.” Her mother responded, shedding many tears as well. “We’re going to keep your room in our house here prim and proper you hear? Should you need a place to go back to, just give us a telegram and we’ll make sure you’ll be taken care of, okay?”

Her father could simply nod along with her mother. “Good luck Bunga. I hope that your contributions to the fields of formulas will be renowned to the world. Go get 'em!!”

She didn’t remember much, but she felt the sadness of leaving her family, the transfer to the bigger ship, and then arrival in Bermuda.




Bunga shuffled in her bed, her eyes still closed as she smiled yet again, her hair was frazzled, and her fox ears twitched occasionally.

“Aaahhhh no. I don’t want the big lolipop daddy. Nooooooo…” She mumbled. “Ah. No, not my ears. Aaahhhhh."

Her sleep is long and comfortable.
Hidden 3 yrs ago Post by Click This
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Nazca Whitehall
Clockwork Autumn

Overall, they had made some progress during their dinnertime investigation and presentation, but to Nazca, progress was not as fast as she’d liked. Considering the amount of evidence that they had gathered overall, more progress on discovering who had assaulted Jeanne should have been made. That fact remained somewhat irritating, but the pleasant French food had done much to ameliorate that. Unlike Jeanne, she could appreciate any cuisine if they were at least done right, so she was not so picky. In the end, she still enjoyed a good mystery.

The rest of the dinner brainstorming dragged on. She was half-tempted to return to her room to work on projects neglected by her move in to the dorms, but the delights of French desserts kept her in long enough to make it to the conclusion. Really, it was a wonder how she maintained her slim frame with how much dessert she was hoovering up into that mouth of hers. Nonetheless, she was there to hear Ryuuko’s plan for the night, one that she had to raise an eyebrow at.

It definitely made sense, at least, to try and provoke the manbat thing to make another appearance, if a bit bold. Although Nazca hadn’t planned to do it this early, she had wanted to stay out during curfew and further investigate its effects before this entire matter. Perhaps she might as well do it now?

“I can provide that,” she nodded, before continuing on to take up the Japanese girl’s offer. “I would like to accompany you out tonight as well. If anything, I would like to see how well my equipment fares under the fog."

At that, she left to return to her room to gather her clockwork instruments, plus something extra for Ryuuko. She didn’t give her a spy hawk –though she did put it back in the air again incase it caught something during the night again—she set aside an audio-visual recording device for the egoist. For good measure, she also lent the girl a radio transponder, in case they were split up in the fog. She then threw on a light coat and brought along a black carrying case of her instruments and clockwork creations as a contingency for any encounters, and then she was set as she met back up with Ryuuko.

"Shall we investigate, then?"
Hidden 3 yrs ago Post by Izurich
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--Caught in the Night--


After the dinner with the Head of the Public Safety Committee, the German Polymath decided that it was in her best interest to locate Franz Steiner immediately. As far as she was concerned, this was an urgent matter and the sooner she monopolized Franz's attention, the better it'd be for everyone, yes including the madwoman's defense team; being around Jeanne wouldn't be good for anyone, the best place for the blonde to be was in a secured padded cell deep inside an asylum for the criminally insane. Thus, even though it had been hours since the sun had set, Lucy didn't return to her castle-like abode.

One could argue that it was a poor move, trying to locate a Mesmerologist infamously known for being a slimy conman so late in the day, and that hypothetical argument would eventually become irrefutable as the bells rang...

...and Lucretia was still outside, nowhere close to her assigned dorm.

"...?!" Now no longer sheltered within the confines of castle walls, the bell's sheer volume struck Lucy at full force, causing the petite girl to jolt a bit; lips pursed, green eyes darting about nervously as a mysterious mist began rolling in, blanketing everything around her in their damp presence. She... didn't like this, this fog... it wasn't natural, wouldn't even take a savant to notice it.

Although Lucy hated to admit it, she felt tension gripping her body, eliciting that primal fight-or-flight response as she voice-commanded Schwarzritter to activate. The steel golem unfurled into its full imposing frame, providing its mistress with a sense of safety as they began trekking the long way back to the castle dormitory.
Hidden 3 yrs ago Post by Medili
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Bat Hunting


"Yes, yes. We shall. Let us begin!" Out of all people, Ryuuko didn't quite expect that Nazca would be the one to accompany her in the search for the slimy manbat. Still, Ryuuko didn't mind the company. Who knows, maybe this occasion will really proof to Ryuuko that despite the Abya Yalan's poor brunch choice, she'll be a capable companion out in the field. The devices Nazca lent to Ryuuko were already going to be of great help if they ended up really finding the manbat- or any other things that might prove to be useful in the search for evidences that can strengthen their defense of Jeanne's in court.

One minor worry at the back of her head was about the one who ended up keeping watch of Jeanne. Hopefully, the Frenchwomen really will behave and stay put as she were asked to and thus not giving Bang a lot of trouble to deal with.

The two girls had left the Incan-style apartment before the curfew began, avoiding the need of forcing their way out. As for breaking their way back in later on... Ryuuko's plan was simply to stay outside until the end of curfew. Anyhow, nothing that needs to be worried about now. Heh... Ryuuko looked around at the surrounding, now well and truly engulfed in the annoying seaweed scented mist. "Wonder if anyone else broke the curfew as well aside from us and potentially our enigmatic manbat, haha. Anyways..." She looked at Nazca as she paused, a wide toothy grin on her face. "Guess we should just start walking now. Let's stick together closely, eh?"

And with that, she turned around and started walking, expecting Nazca to follow closely after herself.
Hidden 3 yrs ago 3 yrs ago Post by Zombehs
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Shou Zheng


Hidden 3 yrs ago Post by banjoanjo
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LÊ BẰNG KIỀU and JEANNE DU BORDEAUX


Hidden 3 yrs ago 3 yrs ago Post by Izurich
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--The Manbat Rises--


@ERode


Hidden 3 yrs ago Post by Psyker Landshark
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Valeriya Zhukova


The walk of shame back to Valeriya's dorm didn't take too long. Sure, someone saw her coming out of Shou and Kiran's, but that was their problem, not hers. As it stood, she made it back just before curfew. As much as Valeriya would have liked to break it and try to get her mission objective off the island as soon as possible, it wasn't happening until daybreak when the island's mail and shipping center reopened. Plus, she still had a mission report to turn in along with the blueprints.

So when she returned to her lodgings, Valeriya had a quick dinner before heading up to her room. The blueprints were stashed with her things. Sure, Lucretia may not be involved, but Valeriya didn't need her asking questions as to why she had a blueprint that clearly wasn't her work on her person. With that done, she sat down to draft her report.


Dear Cousin Niko,

I have settled into my quarters at Bermuda just fine. You'll be pleased to know that I've already found that souvenir you wanted me to send back, and this letter will be attached with it.

This may come as a bit of a surprise, but I had an interesting conversation with the fellow student I bartered for it from, and he seemed quite interested in visiting our dear motherland. In the interest of politeness, should he ever do so, I trust you'd be willing to show him around? I know how you've always been interested in hosting foreigners, and I did promise him something of a tour in exchange.

With love,
Valeriya
Hidden 3 yrs ago Post by Medili
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Higashiakemi Ryuuko
Nazca Whitehall



Hidden 3 yrs ago Post by Vega7285
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Vega7285

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Hana Yun
James Porter


Her business with the paper concluded, Hana placed a second call that evening, asking the operator for one Mr. James Porter. Hopefully, he wasn’t busy this evening. That he might not be in didn’t even cross her mind.

On the other end of the call, James was already setting up his lab from his luggage. He didn’t bother the night before, he didn’t need it, he already had a fair bit in his kit for anything he might need. He had just finished setting up when the phone for the dormitory rang. He came out of his room to pick it up. ”Good evening, James Porter here, who is this and what is the purpose of this communique?”

“Good evening,” Hana returned the greeting. “This is Hana Yun, we met the other night. I ran into your roommate earlier today and he mentioned you were interested in some form of collaboration?”

“Why yes…” James was surprised that Bang found Hana so soon. “… I was thinking of forming a collaboration between the three of us regarding some research I wanted to conduct. Pardon if it all was a bit hasty. I had to make a few quick assumptions about your own course of research-“

James paused for a moment to start the brewing process of the sleeping concoctions Jeanne requested. “… Sorry, as I was saying. I had to make an assumption that you have some background in the medical or chemical field. I too specialize in such things. Mostly pharmaceutical of course, if you remember.”

“You did mention that the other night. Also something about being a…perfumer, if I recall?” It was worth bringing up, though he did mention motivations beyond simple fragrance. “I wouldn’t be surprised if you heard from some of the other students that my own work is in a similar vein, actually. I did a bit of showing off at the ball.” That he’d made a good guess was certainly not out of the question, either. “Most of my research involves pharmaceuticals, though I dare say I’ve taken a very different approach. All the more reason to work together, by bringing in different perspectives.”

“I haven’t set up a laboratory yet, myself. I don’t suppose you’ve already secured space for your own work, have you?” An innocent question, and a good lead in to where and when they’d meet.

“My lab is set up already, I was busy setting it up when I came back from a short stroll. Perhaps our dorm would be a good place for a meeting, perhaps in the evening? I have some appointments to keep in the morning and the afternoon.” James replied. He wasn’t expecting to hear from Hana so soon. His book is filled with appointments, Jeanne, Bunga, now Hana. Another person would’ve been quite elated to have appointments with so many women, but not when it was business related.

“Tomorrow evening sounds good. I’ll see you then.” There was no reason to be too concerned with formality or arguing about where and when, as far as Hana was concerned. She’d have the day to do as she pleased. “Oh, I will need to know where your dorm is located. Let me find something to write on.” It didn’t take her very long to produce a pad of paper and something to write with. Any student would be a fool not to have plenty of both handy, and it wouldn’t do to forget her own appointments, either. This might even be the sort of thing she could look up, but it never hurt to ask.

James gave her the directions to the dorm. It was quick and simple either way, ”That should be everything. I look forward to seeing you again miss Yun. Do have a good night.” He hung up after saying that.
Hidden 3 yrs ago Post by ERode
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EE 87, May 6 | Morning

The dust settled, and the ashes did too.

As the sun crested over the horizon, the mist around Bermuda dispersed, melting away from the heat and leaving only a sticky dampness behind. Within an hour or two, even that residue to fade, until the picture of an island shrouded in fog disappeared completely. Only memories of the night before persisted now. Memories, and the remnants of wreckage left by the intrepid and the foolish. The crater left upon the beach, and the shattered lamppost on the adjacent street. The smell of burnt flesh, and the clockwork birds laying lifelessly on the ground. The destruction of a storefront, and the bullets scattered over the streets. Were strange things happening, or were stupid kids just acting out, now that no government oversight was there to remind them of how to behave in polite society?

No one knew for certain, and indeed, as morning cracked and the adults got to work, so too did Bermuda’s police force, judiciously cordoning off these incidents. The newspaper, of course, remained aware regardless, and soon enough, copies of the Bermuda Triangle began to pop up around the city, enjoyed with a cup of coffee in a quaint little café or read in bed with a warm croissant.

News, of course, still featured the Ottoman Empire’s civil war front and center. With Polymaths recalled to the capital or having found positions of leadership within the rebellion, it had now become a sight of international interest in seeing how modern warfare looked. Nothing substantial could be confirmed yet, but certainly, there were plenty of stories, from mechanized castles laying close-quarters siege on each other to armored infantry possessing state-of-the-art steamcannons and piledrivers to, of course, the Egoists squads that murdered them by the dozens.

On more curious notes were stories of how some curfew breakers ended up amnesiac the day after. While only one such individual, a Mr. F, served as the account for this curious situation, it was nevertheless interesting. Was there something in the air out in the open seas? Certainly, there were more than a couple instances where transient global amnesia could set in, and in a world as unfinished as this, there were plenty of local legends out there as well that may have grains of truth connecting to this strange affliction. No peer-reviewed studies have been released, but more than a couple clubs had expressed interest in this as well.

And who could simply neglect the increased incidences of property damage over the night before? While none had been so extreme as Jeanne’s immolation of a library, a bar had been broken into and the street littered with bullet holes. Had a student gotten fully shitfaced? And what of those clockwork drones littering an area blackened by flame? One could easily recall the illustrious Nazca Whitehall as both a craftswoman of clockworks and as one who had volunteered to supervise Jeanne from the day before? Had there been an altercation? Multiple altercations?

The truth was muddled, however, known only by those intimately involved…
@Zombehs@Vega7285
What were friends for, if not to help with dodging hospital fees?

It had taken time, but the natural regeneration of an Egoist was a powerful one, and even if Shou had been almost completely wiped out the night before from his self-flagellation and the strange creature in the fog, by the time his pains started to rouse him, he was strong once more.

Or well, strong enough to limp through the streets before curfew ended at least. It was fortunate that he had managed to get Hana’s address one way or the other before any of this happened, as she was likely the only one that he knew and trusted now. His fried nerves still tingled, the warming of the air only rousing the many burns that covered his body. Every salty breeze brought a sting that reminded him of the blackness that caressed him the night before, and his left still ached from the effort it took to launch himself out from the beach in a single bound. But so long as he lived, he would continue to walk. The dragon’s path was filled with obstacles, but death was the only insurmountable one.

Blood tracked up the stairs through the Incan-style apartments, yet Shou, in his fatigued, pained, yet still alert state of mind, would notice that his wasn’t the only blood painting the white-washed floor. There had been another injury here.

To be shelved for later though.

Curfew ended, a faint electric buzz racing through his body, and the Egoist alerted Hana to his presence in whichever way he was accustomed.
@Click This@Medili@banjoanjo
Pain.

Pain and confusion.

What exactly happened? Why was she like this? It hurt to breathe, and her whole body felt feverish, sensitive to the bandages that wrapped all around her. This was not her room. The smell of burnt flesh filled her nose with every breath, or was it that her nose itself was burnt? And her hair…there was something all too light about how her head felt, as if a weight that she was used to was suddenly removed.

With great effort, Nazca brought her body up, and as she did so, the bed itself moved up to match her efforts, propping her to a sitting position.

This…this was a hospital.

For all of Ryuuko’s incessant worrying and Bang’s own knowledge of first aid, neither of the Egoists were Polymaths who had dabbled in medicinal arts. There was no point for Egoists to do so, after all. Ryuuko wasn’t a true martial Egoist, but she could shrug off most encounters with motorized vehicles, while Bang’s specialization was regeneration and literally nothing else. The best they could do while Jeanne slept without a care in the world, was to rip linen off the curtains, sanitize it best they could, and try to bind up Nazca’s many injuries. And in the morning? With Jeanne dragged alongside them, they hurried Nazca to the closest hospital in the city, surprising the morning staff and having her immediately treated for her burns. Ointments and salves now coated her from head to toe, and her condition had stabilized enough that there was no risk of death and low risk of infection. Perhaps in a month, Nazca would be as good as new.

But that didn’t stop the nurses from whispering, of how that hellfire witch had already roasted one of those who were meant to guard her. Didn’t stop Ryuuko and Bang from expressing their concern. Didn’t stop Jeanne from sitting in a corner of the hospital room, reading through a small notepad as if none of this affected or was even tangentially related to her.

The question remained.

What happened to her last night?

And could she even trust those who now stood before her?
@Izurich@Psyker Landshark
By all intents and purposes, Valeriya was successful. No violence was needed to get what she wanted, and Kiran was a fairly good partner in bed, possessing that ever-so-winning combination of a pretty face and a toned body. Both of them were experienced, and while much of their elopement was transactional, it didn’t meant that it was necessarily unenjoyable either.

More importantly, her cousin would be happy to hear from her after so long, and she ought to be looking forward to his response in the next couple of days too. Indeed, with libido satisfied, mission completed, and a couple days of freedom to enjoy, the world was quite literally Valeriya’s oyster. She could hit up that Egoist again about testing out the limits of her Technologist designs, pursue Kiran more professionally about a possible alcohol enterprise, or maybe even enjoy the city itself and sample the local cuisine! There was an atelier that might have her name on it, or maybe a couple of unburnt publications to study up on. For an enterprising young woman such as herself, it would be a tragedy if she spent the day solely indoors.

So she opened the door and, collapsing to the side of it was a familiar face.

Lucretia, the princess of the Konigsmahne. Hair stuck to her face, and clothing still possessing of a dampness that didn’t look to be from fog alone. Schwarzritter loomed behind, a silent, unmoving guardian, but the floating half-ring wasn’t anywhere close to large enough to obscure its mistress from the glances of other residents of the castle-dormitory.

And, just a couple beats later…

“Aw fuck! Who broke the doors?”
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Valeriya Zhukova


Having already dropped her letter and package into the mail chute the previous night, Valeriya went about her morning routine with no small amount of cheer. It was...mostly a successful night. She'd accomplished her assignment within just a few days of arriving on the island, and she'd gotten laid to boot. Kiran was definitely aware she was a spy now, but given his reaction to it, well, Valeriya had an inkling he wasn't just a novelist and engineer, either.

So that left the day solely for her own interests. What to do...? Valeriya mused to herself as she finished getting dressed and started walking out the door...only to run straight into a bedraggled Lucretia. Well. She'd never returned last night, then, it seemed.

One explanation later, Valeriya sighed to herself as she finished helping Lucretia dry up and into a fresh set of clothes. Hell. Another random assault on a student out past curfew, eh? Once was curious. Twice meant something was going on behind the scenes on this island. Damn it. It wasn't exactly her problem, but it was definitely something to look into. This meant...damn. The Frenchwoman was probably innocent, then. And framed. Fine. It seemed she'd have to get herself involved with the Jeanne nonsense for now, depsite how much more pleasant it would be for everyone else if she was dealt with on a more permanent basis.

With a resigned sigh, Valeriya set out, looking to investigate exactly where Jeanne and her minders were today.
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--Scheisse Morgen--


"...?!" Like a spooked kitten, Lucretia slumped form jolted the moment Valeriya touched her, no need for the Russian Engineer to shake her roommate awake there for sure. A few seconds of deliriousness later, memories of what transpired last night came in waves; the Man-Bat Egoist individual must have carried her here, and since the entrances and windows were locked, he simply did the next best thing he could that didn't involve property damage. The white-haired Polymath hissed between clenched teeth, feeling aching pain all over her body, as if her muscles were on fire.

Due to her current condition, she welcomed Valeriya's offer to help, even if it was something as simple as drying her mist-soaked body up and then preparing a fresh set of clothes while the younger girl showered to scrub off all of the salt, dirt, and grime away. Moments later, Lucy was all cleaned up, ready to begin her day. She still felt rather shitty, but the noblewoman was nothing but diligently ambitious and the myriad of events leading up to now merely burned her desire to get to the bottom of all this; she now had no doubts why Pax Occidenta sent her here, the academy was merely sugarcoating something sinister, something wrong with this island, and she'd be damned if she didn’t uncover the truth.

After having a proper breakfast, tinkered Schwarzritter, and finally dropping off the reprogrammed floating drone to be sent to Sukuro Jinga, she moved on with her day. First order of business? Find Herr Steiner and make him see reason, also inquiring him if he knew anything about whatever went on during the night, the source of that fog, and who in the name of Paracelsus was that bat Egoist?! So many questions needed answering and woe to those who'd deny Lucretia von Konigsmahne the answers she deserved.
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James Porter



Night turned to day, the brewing process was complete. An extra strong brew of so-called 'sleeping medicines'. Now it was time to send the meds off. But beforehand, he would construct a letter expressing the desire to meet.



After writing the letter, he secured it to the vial he had of the sleeping serum. He then made preparations as per usual before heading out, this time with newspaper in hand. He was off to meet with Bunga, he knew however that she'd be quite disappointed with not having Bang in toe. However, with the news of last night's incidents, he had an inkling feeling of where they might be.

"Off to the infirmary then..." He dusted the top of his hat and secured it attop his head and started to walk towards the agreed meeting place Bunga and James had agreed upon.

@Kumbaris
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"Miss Bunga. Wake up Miss Bunga."

The sleeping girl from Palembang slowly woke up as her BPN handler rouses her into consciousness once more. It was only a couple of years after her discovery of animalistic Egoism, and the government has taken a keen interest in her studies. Bunga's house, once felt very secluded and homely, were suddenly swamped with visitors from Trowulan, important people with important badges wearing expensive clothing, talking in a language Bunga's familiar with, but not so much so that she felt comfortable talking with them. The formality of it all is... jarring for Bunga in hindsight.

"Hmmm. Anggini, are we approaching this 'training facility' anytime now?"

"Actually, we've reached this training facility Bunga. You might wanna look out the window to your left."

Bunga peered out, and saw... veritably nothing. Just an endless sea of greenery, jungles for all the eye to see.

Is this what this long journey all leading up to? Taking a boat from Palembang to Jayakarta, and then a very, very long trip on a horse driven cart to the depths of the mountains. Only to arrive at a... jungle?

Is Anggini here a bit mental?

"Umm, Anggini." Bunga talked, jumping out of the cart. "Are you sure that this is where we should be arriving at? I'm pretty sure that we're in the middle of nowhere."

She turned around, looking at the thick foliage and the sounds of animals all around her. She was about to turn around and head back to the cart, but literally out of nowhere, a man suddenly jumped out, from where that man jumped out of Bunga's not really sure herself. But she can instantly tell that this man's... unique.

"Ahhhh. A woman I see." The man talked to himself. "Wow Anggini. I didn't expect that you'd be so confident that you'd let a young woman like her train under me. I definitely promise that I will not harm her in anyway, shape or form."

"Yeah, sure Wiro."

He then turned towards Bunga. Changing his demeanor to suit the situation more appropriately. "Ah, where are my manners. Miss... Bunga Kurniawan right? My name is Wiro, just call me Wiro. I am the Chief Martial Arts instructor for any prospective BPN Agents. And my oh my, they sure do know where to get their talents huh? Those pencil pusher sin Trowulan sure knows their stuff when picking agents."

"I will be teaching you martial arts primarily, but also people's skills and also some tricks in case you got into a tight situation and need to ensure your safety. Trust me, I have a 99% success rate in agent satisfaction."

"It's more like a 50% satisfaction rate with female agents. I should add." Anggini commented. "But yes, I know nobody else in this side of these islands that knows Martial Arts better than... him. Unfortunately."

"Alright! So, I have the shack where you'll stay for the next 6 months. I look forward to teaching you Miss Bunga." The man then visibly kissed the Egoist's right hand, smiling at the thought of training her. "I look forward to teaching you the mystic and powerful martial art of the 212 style!"

Bunga wasn't quite sure what to make of this man. He seems eccentric without a doubt, and she is personally not sure if she wants to spend 6 months, day in day out with this Wiro person. The fact that Anggini also mentioned that the man also has a 50% satisfaction rate with female agents didn't help matters either. But... the offer to go to Bermuda is just too good to refuse, way, way too good. The opportunity to continue her research cannot be ignored, even if... she must spend 6 months with this potential creep.

In the end, she sighs, nods her head, and grabbed her suitcase. "I look forward to studying martial arts under your tutelage, master Wiro."



"Haaahhh... Hahhhhh. Ya ampun."

Her breathing was ragged, and her body was covered in sweat. She is 2 months in and the training regimen Wiro put her under in was very, very intense. A lot of running, a lot of sparring martial arts between her and Wiro, and a lot of... weird expositions from Wiro, especially explaining how weird his exploits are, and his most... unusual stories involving women.

Bunga's starting to understand why he has that 50% satisfaction rate among women. This man is... quirky to say the least.

And while she is here drowning in her sweat, studying kicking and punching techniques that she's slowly getting better at, but not so much so that she can spar against Wiro and win. Wiro is still out there, practicing various martial arts techniques with his weird Dragon Axe. Slicing and Dicing against the air, the man seems like an endless bundle of energy, constantly training, socializing, and then further training her.

She can already see her muscles slowly forming, and it only has been 2 months.

"Hey Bunga! Are you done taking a break? C'mon! Get back into the fight! I have some techniques that will blow your mind! Like, you can knock out a person twice your size with this simple punch, c'mon!"

And yet, despite everything. Bunga can also see the other 50% of women that is satisfied with Wiro. He might need to improve his conversational skills with women, but in the end. His sheer energy and enthusiasm in training martial arts more than make up his awkwardness for Bunga.

"Yes Master. I'll be back in a sec." She responded, finally getting up and stretching her body once more. She is super sweaty, and super tired, but training for an hour or two again doesn't sound too bad. Makes the shower and dinner afterwards much more relaxing in her experience.



Bunga opened her eyes, she noticed that the sun's up.

What an interesting set of dreams she had last night.

Outstretching her arms. The Nusantaran woman climbed out of her bed and slowly walked towards the shower, a bit groggy and dreary eyed. But fully rested by all measures, her animalistic features are gone, most likely disappearing during her sleep, so no fox tails, or fox ears in Bunga for now.

She'll graft the Egoist Body Paint onto her at a later point. Not now, not while she's about to take a shower.

A short shower later, she makes sure her clothes are fitted well. She needs them to make sure she's presentable after all, but before going to breakfast, before starting, well, anything. She makes a beeline straight towards the books she just bought yesterday. Two books focusing on the current state of Egoist research on natural formulae, she has read one of them, the book focusing on Europe's progress on Egoist research, and now she wants to see what the African continent has had to offer when it comes to Egoist research concerning Natural Formulae.

The areas around the Swahili City States interest her the most, she has heard rumours about it. But she never got the pleasure of actually going into the cities of Mombasa or Zanzibar. "Alright, so let's start learning shall we." She said. Opening the book and starting her studies for the morning.

She might be a BPN agent, but she's not gonna spend her opportunity in Bermuda to waste. Might as well read the academic literature while playing Secret Agent.
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Nazca Whitehall
Clockwork Autumn

For Nazca, her last conscious waking thought was savoring the beef bourguignon at Jeanne’s delicious dinner party.

As far as she was concerned, the next moment, she was in an infirmary bed, surrounded by the typical overly sterile atmosphere that hospitals were wont to present.

Her immediate following thought was confusion, and then pain.. Although she wasn’t aware of it yet, much of her body had been scorched and burned, although by how she felt and how she had been bandaged, it was clear what the damage was from. Her hair, as beloved as it was, was a lost cause.

But how? What the hell had happened to her? Wasn’t she simply eating dinner with… Jeanne?

The injured girl groaned, wincing in pain as she shifted positions to look around. She was far too injured to immediately jolt up. Nonetheless, her surprise, her room was quite crowded; the participants in last night’s –to her just a few minutes ago—dinner party were essentially all there. Jeanne included.

“Wh—” She broke out into a cough, her throat overly dry from whatever ordeal she had gone through, as her eyes locked on to the nearest visitor. “What… happened?”
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