baraquiel

Expedition to Isekai

---

Asahi had never felt this level of rage and hatred before since the first time he was bullied for being who he was. He remembered the smug look on their faces, their sneering voices and laughter, and their fingers outright pointing at him. Asahi felt like something in his chest was about to burst and as he raised his fist to punch at one of the bullies, his father shouted at them as he brandished the big knife he'd use to chop off thick heavy fishes. They ran in fear while they cried as well, his father taking him in an embrace as Asahi cried the hatred away. He didn't care that his dad reeked of the smelly sea. For the first time in his life, he took pride in being the kid of fishermen.

Now, he couldn't even imagine the look on his dad's face as he punched the wolfbear with all his might. Each time his fist made contact with the animal skulls, he would grunt in anger and his tears dripped down to mix with the blood splattering all over. He was seething with anger at their situation but moreso, Asahi would realize he was much, much afraid of what could happen to all of them. Would their parents and the authorities be finding them right now? Could they same these teens?

Could they even save themselves?

Eventually, Asahi noticed the wolfbear wasn't reacting to his punches anymore and stopped, not before throwing in a few hard punches for good measure. Once the rage gradually dissipated from his system, he could finally see the aftermath of what he did to the wolfbear. Its eyes were a bloody mush, its skull broken and smashed to bits and pieces under its thick fur, and its blood and possibly even Asahi's blood as well splattered all across its face. He didn't know how they did it but they actually did the impossible. They actually did save themselves! For once, Asahi was filled with hope, until he remembered he wasn't the only one fighting the wretched freak of nature.

"Duncan-" The pink-haired lad gasped as Duncan managed to raise a thumbs-up, stupidly grinning as blood rushed out of his mouth, and his arm went limp just as the wolfbear was too. "Duncan!" Asahi shouted in panic and immediately rushed to try and push the wolfbear off him. With the adrenaline disappearing from his body, he felt himself getting weaker from exhaustion but he still did and tried his best. "Guys! Help me take this thing off Duncan! Help me!"

It was Daisuke who helped take the wolfbear off Duncan and Asahi fell down to the ground in shock and exhaustion when he finally recognized what happened to Duncan. His insides were... His body was... It was too much even for Asahi to comprehend what happened to Duncan. It felt like it was just yesterday that he was showing off his stupid flashy grin to everyone as he boasted about whatever he's proud of, and now he's just dead in front of them. In his state of tiredness and despair, Asahi could barely notice Daisuke, Sasuke, and even Haruko as she shouted for his name and ran towards their group.

Afterwards, Asahi really felt he lost his mind when he mistakenly noticed Duncan's intestines twitch. Eventually, his eyes widened and he crawled back in fear and shock as his organs really were moving back inside the blond teen's body right in front of them all.

"Wha-Wh-Wha-What... What the fuck... What the fuck is happening to us?!" Asahi said softly in disbelief and horror.

Expedition to Isekai

---

As if it wasn't obvious enough, Asahi really started to hate this place.

All that dogpiling of the toughest guys in the class and all that beating he did on the wolfbear's head, and the freaking monster looked like it wasn't even hurt. To add insult to injury, it seemed that the class was doing more damage to themselves than to these freaks of nature. Duncan's intestines were flopping out of his slashed belly and poor Yuki was out there somewhere, his right shoulder probably broken beyond repair as he was thrown like a ragdoll somewhere.

Asahi was now face-to-face with the wolfbear, all its eyes focused on the pink-haired lad. Blood matted on the fur on its head, or was it Asahi's? He wasn't sure anymore but he did believe one thing was a hundred percent certain: he was going to die right then and there.

"C'mon, asshole!" Asahi shouted once again, his rage more imminent now than before. Despite the hopelessness of his situation, he was still angry about the animal, about their situation, practically about everything. He gripped what remained of his branch and raised it at eye level so the wolfbear could see it.

"I'm not afraid of a disgusting beast like you. You're going to die here and now." He said to the beast, maintaining eye contact with it as he spoke with stone cold conviction. Asahi wasn't sure how he could speak so calmly like that but he had to do anything to keep the wolfbear's attention at him and give the others a chance to escape.

He made a quick rundown of his options. While he and Sasuke attended martial arts classes together, Sasuke was the far superior fighter out of the two of them. With his lack of sheer strength, Asahi made up for it with his reflexes and agility. He reckoned if he could, and that's a big 'if', try and outrun the wolfbear, make it so Asahi could have a way to direct it towards the blazing fire from the bus wreckage. It was barely a plan but he was desperate for anything at this point.

Just then, he was surprised when Duncan made a beeline straight for the beast. Asahi had no idea where he got the strength to do such a thing as Duncan was now shouting at Asahi to run away just as he struck at the wolfbear, aiming at his neck.

"Tch. Stop trying to be a hero, dumbass!" Asahi yelled back. What will running away do for them anyway? Even if he could manage to get away, Asahi wasn't totally sure if the others were still alive or even barely at one piece. The beasts could still chase after them, never stopping until all of them were dead.

Asahi ran fast towards the wolfbear, taking the chance that it would be somewhat incapacitated from Duncan's attack. "Why don't you just... He leaned down to quickly pick up a large stone then jammed what's left of the stick at the animal's eye before slamming the stone at it like hammering a nail. "...Die!"

Expedition to Isekai

---

'Why am I doing this to myself?!' Asahi irritatingly thought to himself as he swung his burning branch at the wolfbear, hoping it was enough to deter the nightmarish creature, but of course it didn't work because why should it. Its three pairs of soulless eyes followed the swinging stick for a while as it had seemed to be distracted by whatever Asahi was doing.

As for the pink-haired boy himself, he was regretting this decision in his life. He should've snuck off and run as far as he could the first chance he got but alas, he had to be a 'hero' and help his classmates. As much as he wanted to leave them and escape for safety, Asahi quickly realized that he won't be able to step another foot further in this place all by himself. He needed to stay with his classmates if he wanted to have the slightest chance of surviving in this god-forsaken otherworld. Besides, he thought that if he survived, he'd be seen as a hero and an inspiration by his peers. It also seemed that no one was doing anything at first so he had to try and do something, anything.

A figure rushed past Asahi so fast he barely had time to react to it. His eyes widened in amazement when he realized it was Sasuke, bravely rushing into the thick of danger like a true hero. "No...!" Asahi said in alarm and worry as the wolfbear lunged at him. He took a step forward to try and help Sasuke any way he could but it seemed that there was no need for Asahi's help as it got flipped and slammed on its back. Kunio, Yuki, and the rest of the boys all dove onto the beast. It made this weird, scary noise like a demonic dog as thrashed around, trying to escape while the boys all put their entire weights on it to keep it pinned down.

"Duncan!" Asahi screamed, eyes wide open in horror as he saw the wolfbear clawing at him. It ripped his shirt to pieces, showing huge clawmarks across his torso. Asahi couldn't even imagine the pain Duncan was under yet he was still on top of the animal, keeping his down against its neck.

Growling, Asahi rushed towards the group, tightening his grip on his lit branch as he hit the wolfbear's head, over and over and over and over. "Fucking! Bitch! Die! Die! Die!" He screamed in anger everytime his branch made contact with the beast's head. It didn't matter to him that the monster's skull might be harder than he thought. He kept hitting it until the branch started to break and the wolfbear's blood splattered on Asahi, and he kept on hitting it with whatever's left of the branch in his hands anyways.

Life in Gloomminster

Jelani Ndiaye

Name: Jelani Ndiaye

Species: Human

Age: 27

Sex/gender: Female, She/Her

Role: Gloomminster University staff - Liquid Alchemy & Arcane Brewing Professor

Appearance: As part of a tradition from her homeland that spans generations, Jelani has various markings on her body most notably on her face, back of her hands and feet, and her back. She likes to mix modern trends with her traditional clothing, and she wears jewelry that's given to her by her mother and grandmother. As such, Jelani is seen to always have a scarf wrapped around her head as per her homeland's tradition as well.

Personality: Jelani is bright and spirited. Being a part of a handful of young professors of Gloommnister University, she wants her students to feel at ease at her company especially since her subject is one of the hardest to teach. She ideally wants to create an environment where her students can have fun while also learn a lot of meaningful things as well. Most of the troublemakers take advantage of her kindness and her being near their age group, but only a fool would underestimate a teaching prodigy such as Jelani.

History: Jelani Ndiaye's father worked abroad to support the family while she was left under the care of her mother and grandmother. They instilled the core values and culture of their homeland within her, teaching her and honing her magical abilities. Jelani's parents then decided to work harder so they could have money to send her to study at Gloomminister University so she could learn even more about magic and the world around her. She even decided to take up part-time jobs to support herself and to be able to send money back to her family. Through dedication and hardwork, Jelani persevered until she graduated top of her class. The university viewed her as an asset and hired her to be a part of their prestigious staff. She never stopped working, never stopped learning, and never stopped being kind to those around her. Now, her father was back at home with her mom as they enjoyed retirement while Jelani has continued to teach at the university. She hoped that like her mother and late grandmother, Jelani could be a beacon of hope and inspiration to the young bright students that she teaches.

Hurgen Dawnfort

Name: Hurgen Dawnfort

Species: Dwarf

Age: 51

Sex/gender: Male, He/Him

Role: Gloomminster University staff - Artifice Professor

Appearance: Standing at a respectable 4'9" 1/2, the 1/2 is important to him, Hurgen is always seen wearing his artificier uniform, his way of showing he lives and breathes being an artificier. He has had blue markings on his face and all over his body even at birth, and he keeps his beard and hair braided and well-kept by metal hair bands. He is particularly bound with big muscles though he does also have quite the beer belly. If there's one thing Hurgen loves just as much as artifice magic, it's a good ol' fashioned beer.

Personality: Hurgen is a very merry person to be around with. He can mostly be seen talking with his students when he's out and about as he's really curious about the constantly changing trends in today's world, so he can also somewhat connect to them. In short, the other students really vibe with him a lot. He's also definitely intrigued by what teenagers are into these days because he really wants to get close to his teen kids too. He also loves a good drink or ten so inviting him over at a cozy pub is a great way to earn his affection. However, Hurgen takes his artificer class very seriously. He is as fun and relaxed outside of class as he is serious and strict when it comes to teaching his subject, but he always make sure to give positive reinforcements to all his students and he is patient and very helpful to those that need it too.

History: In the Dawnfort family, the men were always given the pressure to succeed when it came to artificiary magic. This had led to Hurgen's older sister always in constant arguments with their dad. Despite being the eldest child, Hurgen was always the one being given the opportunities and the rewards despite his sister's hardwork, and despite her being more talented than him. She had enough of the humiliation and anger she constantly felt under their dad so she left. This created a rift in the family, which made Hurgen's father push him to his limits and make him think that no one will take him seriously until he had proven his worth. That was what Hurgen believed in most of his life. When he became a young adult, he had a chance to reconnect with his older sister. He was surprised to see how happy she became ever since she left, like she was a bird finally free from her cage. She also helped Hurgen deconstruct their dad's toxic idealogy from him and realize he doesn't have to constantly kill himself from working so much to prove his worth, that he was already worthy of a lot of good things in life just for being himself. Since then, Hurgen left to become independent and started to have a healthy outlook not just on artificiary magic but on his life as well. He found the one he'll grow old with for the rest of his life and their love gave them a beautiful baby girl. Hurgen then became a professor at Gloomminister University and became a firm yet nurturing hand to those that he taught and will continue to teach.

Expedition to Isekai

---

Asahi was one of those that kept to themselves in the bus. He wasn't much of a morning person even in his younger years and he was definitely not going to become one now. He would need just a couple of moments that he could get all to himself first thing in the morning, or else he would be socially tired for the rest of the day. That didn't mean he wouldn't appreciate small conversations here and there, but it seemed that his classmates had their own thing going on either with themselves or with other people.

He was just scrolling through his phone, admiring a few handsome content creators his age on social media when he got distracted by the noise the bus driver just uttered out. "What the-" He barely had time to process what had happened when the light surrounded everyone.

He was kind of used to the feeling of carrying heavy objects when he was a kid while helping his dad and grandpa hoist a large fishing net over the sea to catch fish, but this was definitely nothing compared to that experience. Asahi felt like the sky just fell down on him. He had a massive vertigo like he had a hurricane in his head. He lost his hearing for a bit and his sight was blacking out so much he thought he could never see again.

He tried to move but groaned in pain when his arm was pinned down by one of his classmates. "M-Move..." He uttered weakly as he also would weakly try to push the person away with no avail. He then heard a familiar voice giving orders, and Asahi never thought he would feel so elated to hear Masato's annoyingly righteous voice again.

Asahi managed to get himself out of the piled mess of bodies though he would groan weakly in pain all over his body. He couldn't see anyone properly because his eyesight still dimmed but he could see the general silhouette of things. He knelt down over what he hoped was his classmate and not a hunk of metal debris. "H-Hey... Hey, get up..." He said as he shook them. 'Good god, don't tell me they're all dead...' He thought, his heart filling up with dread.

He heard Masato giving out orders again, this time to tell anyone who was conscious enough to help Kondo open the door. Asahi would only go and shake others to wake them up before the door finally opened. "C'mon!" He shouted in support of Masato and the others that shouted as Asahi got out of the bus along with the others, helping them as much as he could through his intense headache.

The heat of the outside didn't help Asahi's dizziness, but it was better to be out in the open air than to be stuck in a crumpled mess of metals that used to be the bus. One thing led to the other and eventually everything within the vehicle caught in flames, filling the air with the sickly smell of smoke and burning gasoline mixed with what Kumi had for breakfast while she was vomiting.

Once everyone managed to get their bearings and somewhat recovered a bit, it was time to regroup and take stock of what happened. Mayumi's right: it seemed that their merry class was unlucky enough to go through a Portal and end up at the Otherside. Asahi heard about it a lot online of course, but he'd never thought he would actually experience it himself.

He rolled his eyes when Masato suggested to stay still and call the authorities, as if that really helped a lot of people before. It seemed that everyone was slowly starting to realize where they were too while there were a couple of them that were already on the move. Rin was already out and about breaking branches off the weird trees either for campfire, for making shelter, or probably both, as Tsubaki was making rounds to make sure everyone was in one piece.

Asahi was massaging his temples now that his headache was gradually disappearing when he heard a commotion. All the color drained from his face as he saw an abomination of an animal, snapping at the branch Rin was trying to get. Maki delivered a mighty dropkick to the devilish beast, but it did absolutely nothing to it.

The smell of the burning bus still filled the air, but it was now mixed with the musky scent of one-no, three monsters, all snarling, all eyes focused on their class. Asahi lowered himself on the ground behind his classmates as he made his way towards the bus. He grabbed a thick, long branch nearby and stuck it at the fire, holding it there until the tip was on fire. He didn't know if this will work but he needed to at least try and do something.

"Oy!" Asahi shouted at the top of his lungs, running towards the front of the group facing the wolfbears. "Get away, you filthy animals! Get away!" He continued to yell as he waved his burning stick towards the creatures hoping it was enough to drive them away.

Expedition to Isekai

Hoshino Asahi

Name: Hoshino Asahi

Identity:

Asahi's dad and grandpa were fishermen while his mom and grandma ran their own stall at the local wet supermarket. For Asahi, his mother was the most charismatic person in the whole world. He watched in awe as she did the impossible, sweet-talking and convincing their customers by telling them their products were the best among the rest, even making them buy their products at double the price or sometimes making them buy their whole stock too. They weren't that rich, but they could still manage to get by on a normal day. Even so, their community knew of his mom as being very charismatic and friendly. Asahi was always surprised when they were being greeted at by someone he didn't know, and his mom would tell him they were just a friend that she made while going on her daily life.

His mom really inspired him, and he wanted to become someone like her one day when he grew up. Adults were his easiest targets. Just shower them with compliments and they could do anything he asked them to, within reason of course. Asahi even managed to sweet-talk his way out of trouble once. It didn't work with his parents though but still, he couldn't help but be impressed of himself. His mom also taught him that words have power, and he should be very careful of the way he speaks to certain kinds of people. Asahi brought his mom's words of wisdom to heart.

Asahi got his work cut out for him at school. It turned out that young people weren't as easy to trick as the adults. He watched as kids that were once on top of the food chain got brought down to the lowest of the barrel just because they said the wrong words to the wrong people. He then learned how to carry himself, to adapt to how his schoolmates were all different and unique from one another, and to say the right words at the right people. Asahi was probably known at his school as being confident and flamboyant, carrying himself with this positive, carefree attitude like life had always worked for him. With his witty one-liners and seamlessly funny jokes, Asahi had acquired the adoration of most of the people he met.

The pink-haired lad wanted more than that. He thought New Zealand was a chance for him to pull his family out of that small town and give all of them the life of luxury he knew they meant to have. As for Asahi, well, he didn't mind getting his hands a little dirty if it meant getting what he wanted. A few sweet words were all that will take.

Peculiarity:

• Asahi has his own way of using the right words to charm people to make them do what he wants. He can tell what makes a person tick or what brightens up their day and use that knowledge to his advantage. He also has a certain way of making people commit to a decision or an idea they think is theirs while making sure Asahi is able to benefit more from it than them. He can also be quite vexing if he wants to be.
• It's a man-eats-man's world out there, and Asahi will pretty much choose to save himself at any given occasion. That doesn't mean he won't help if he is needed but when given the choice, Asahi will always choose the winning side or at least the side that won't get him in trouble. Some people call it being selfish, he calls it being a survivor.

---

Awakened: 100
Mind [32] | Body [16] | Spirit [52]
Facsimile:
Cable - Manifest a semi-transparent cable. One end is connected to Asahi, the other end can connect to any living organism. Information and certain capabilities can be shared between the connected parties, with varying levels of ease.

Expedition to Isekai

heya! let me know what needs to be changed ^u^

Hoshino Asahi

Name: Hoshino Asahi

Identity: Asahi's dad and grandpa were fishermen while his mom and grandma ran their own stall at the local wet supermarket. For Asahi, his mother was the most charismatic person in the whole world. He watched in awe as she did the impossible, sweet-talking and convincing their customers by telling them their products were the best among the rest, even making them buy their products at double the price or sometimes making them buy their whole stock too. They weren't that rich, but they could still manage to get by on a normal day. Even so, their community knew of his mom as being very charismatic and friendly. Asahi was always surprised when they were being greeted at by someone he didn't know, and his mom would tell him they were just a friend that she made while going on her daily life.

His mom really inspired him, and he wanted to become someone like her one day when he grew up. Adults were his easiest targets. Just shower them with compliments and they could do anything he asked them to, within reason of course. Asahi even managed to sweet-talk his way out of trouble once. It didn't work with his parents though but still, he couldn't help but be impressed of himself. His mom also taught him that words have power, and he should be very careful of the way he speaks to certain kinds of people. Asahi brought his mom's words of wisdom to heart.

Asahi got his work cut out for him at school. It turned out that young people weren't as easy to trick as the adults. He watched as kids that were once on top of the food chain got brought down to the lowest of the barrel just because they said the wrong words to the wrong people. He then learned how to carry himself, to adapt to how his schoolmates were all different and unique from one another, and to say the right words at the right people. Asahi was probably known at his school as being confident and flamboyant, carrying himself with this positive, carefree attitude like life had always worked for him. With his witty one-liners and seamlessly funny jokes, Asahi had acquired the adoration of most of the people he met.

The pink-haired lad wanted more than that. He thought New Zealand was a chance for him to pull his family out of that small town and give all of them the life of luxury he knew they meant to have. As for Asahi, well, he didn't mind getting his hands a little dirty if it meant getting what he wanted. A few sweet words were all that will take.

Peculiarity:

• Asahi has his own way of using the right words to charm people to make them do what he wants. He can tell what makes a person tick or what brightens up their day and use that knowledge to his advantage. He also has a certain way of making people commit to a decision or an idea they think is theirs while making sure Asahi is able to benefit more from it than them. He can also be quite vexing if he wants to be.
• It's a man-eats-man's world out there, and Asahi will pretty much choose to save himself at any given occasion. That doesn't mean he won't help if he is needed but when given the choice, Asahi will always choose the winning side or at least the side that won't get him in trouble. Some people call it being selfish, he calls it being a survivor.

Expedition to Isekai

hello! are you still accepting? I would love to apply ^u^

Life in Gloomminster

---

Earlier in the morning...

"Are you sure you really want me to go? I swear I can handle the commute, Ma." Varis tried to reason out but to no avail. His bags were full of his clothes and other necessities, all packed and ready to go, although it seemed that the only one who wasn't ready was their owner.

His mother, Winona shook her head and wagged her finger at him. "Nuh uh. We talked about this, dear. You're always waking up so early in the morning and coming home very late at night. You barely have time for rest and recreation especially when you're studying and doing your assignments. You almost caught the flu back then and this time, I refuse to see my son getting sick."

"Your Ma's right, kiddo." Markus said, nodding in agreement with arms crossed against his chest. "Besides, it's always school and home, school and home for you. Maybe living independently will help you meet other kinds of people, y'know? Gain new friends! Be a part of something! You're still a teen, V. Leave the adulting to the adults." Varis's stepfather added as he gave the young carbuncle a pat on the back.

Amity stood by the living room, glaring at her brother while grasping her teddy bear tightly. By her constant request (moreso nagging), Winona helped dye her hair black. Being naturally white-haired, whenever the color of her root hair's showing again, it made her look like either a skunk folk or a nine-year-old grandma so their mother-daughter time consisted of mostly hair-dying. The little girl ran up to her brother and gave him a tight hug. "Message me all the time, dum-dum." She said, her voice muffled against his shirt. Varis giggled and hugged his little sister too. "I promise I will come visit you whenever I can, Ames." He softly said, patting her head as she fought back tears.

Winona wiped a tear from her eye as she and Markus joined in on the family hug. Amity usually didn't like sweet, sappy acts of affection, but she just let it pass this time. Varis promised himself he will never cry in front of his mother as he claimed himself for being her rock but like his sister, he just let it pass this time.

Present time

"Here we are. The owner said the rooms are up top." Markus said as he parked their rented car in front of a bookshop. Varis looked at it through the glass. His parents did mention they found him an affordable room to stay at during his studies but they never mentioned it was at this place. He would pass by this same bookshop almost all the time whenever he commuted. Who would've thought fate would bring him back here again?

"I'll get my stu-" He started saying while he removed his seatbelt, but his stepfather was already on it. He chuckled and got out of the car as Markus brought out the last of his stuff. "Now, if anything happens, message us. Call us. Your ma insists." Markus reminded Varis, the latter smiling and nodding. "Okay, okay, I promise."

"We mean it, kiddo. We can't be there for you all the time, so this is the chance for you to find out what it looks like to be independent, to be making your decisions. We know you are capable of doing a lot of things, V. We just hope that you also realize that you don't need to do everything. Understand?"

Varis sighed and nodded again, this time more earnestly. "Yes... Yes, I do. I'll message you guys whenever I can, I'll eat at the proper times, and I'll take care of my health. I won't make you, Ames, and Ma worry. Again." He sheepishly said before the two hugged.

"Take care of them, Pa." Varis said as Markus chuckled. "Already on it, kiddo."

Markus then ruffled Varis's hair and got in the car. "Oh, and don't forget, V! Have fun!" He said with a smile and a wink as he drove down the road. Varis looked back at the bookshop with a signage that said 'Cunningham's Bookshop and Binders'.

"Okay, Varis. You got this." The young carbuncle said to himself, steeling his resolve and fixing his bangs to cover the red gem on his forehead. Breathing deeply, he grabbed his bags and entered the bookshop. He was surprised to find out he was beginning to like this place just from the get-go. The interior felt warm and cozy, like a soft hug from a friend or two. No one's here, though. There must be not a lot of people going to bookshops nowadays.

"Uh... H-Hello? Miss Cunningham? Is anyone there?"

Life in Gloomminster

@PerfectThought thank you thank you! tho if you don't mind can you make another invite for the discord? the last one was invalid hehe

@LostDestiny well I am always down for a good collab whenever xD

@Mistress Dizzy oh wow he looks amazing! very much thanks for this!