DarkRecon

Souls of Steel: A Giant Mecha RP

For Maria, it was a rough night. Not because she partied too hard but because of the incident she was involved in with Elora. She should have figured as much too.

She just hoped that Elora was ok. But not knowing anything hurt the most for her.

At any rate, it was new day and Maria just decided to do what she did best. Train.

Asking for Jake's assistance, he agreed to do some simulations in the V.R. pods to get her up to speed with her perfect sync. Jake admitted that he also needed some training. Said something about focusing on both his sync rate and his own physical body.

Though it wasn't long before both heard the announement to report into the briefing room.

Both Jake and Maria took seats and listened in. For Jake, though, it was no surprise that Fortress was their next stop. After the party, he had decided to see if there was any important news on the war. And the takeover of Fortress was the top of the list.

Pilots and cadets asked the usual questions. Maria, though, kept quiet for once. Usually, she'd had asked for something like intelligence data. Though for Jake, that was THE question for him. You always wanted to know what was coming or what you were going to get into if at all possible.

So when Jake heard Ritsu's order for Elise and Katya making her comment about Irina and her "without knowing more about the enemy's strength and deployment" part, Jake then spoke.

"If I may ma'am. We could always use my recon drones. I had spoke to Elise about this before but if you want, I can have Elise control the drones from the bridge of the ship and have them simply scout the capital out to see what were at least going to be dealing with initially. I know this ship has it's own sensors but the drones will be more accurate with visuals and data analyzing...I know it's weird to request Elise but I still acknowledge her as my superior despite her "demotion" so if you don't mind, I would like to put my trust in her to be this teams extra eyes and ears. Course, we'd have to be cautious. Despite their small size, the last battle has shown that they can be destoryed with precision fire."

Souls of Steel: A Giant Mecha RP

@DarkRecon I mean you saw the size of it? We wrote a lot it's why it took so long.

@Apollosarcher

I did see it. Just felt that it'd never be finished =p

But yeah, I'm ready to move on if we are ready?

Souls of Steel: A Giant Mecha RP

Finally an update ^_^

Tales of Arcadia - Fantasy, Magic, Monsters, Adventure

Hi. Is there any open slots left for this RP? Just curious.

Souls of Steel: A Giant Mecha RP

Maria, Jake (Briefly) and Elora

Elora seemed quite passive in the party, only giving a cursory glance in the direction of the dance-off. However, when Maria spoke to her, she seemed to fidget a bit. "M...Maria." She seemed a bit dazed in her speech. "How are you?"

"...Honestly...I wish I could say ok...but I'm sort of an emotinal mess right now", Maria responded.

Maria did look at Elora's mask and could only guess what it was for. Perhaps to control her? Or keep her powers in check? It wouldn't be the first time she'd seen such equipment. She did use one piece of equipment from her Helldiver days to "fix" Ariin and Paladin.

As well as being tested on due to her link with the T-system back in the day.

"...Elora...I'm sorry. But when I heard what high command was planning to do with you and Serah I kind of...no I just did my best. But look at you...it just looks like your still in captivity", Maria said sadly.

Shaking her head, she then said, "No I'm sorry...I shouldn't be like this...but...I can only imagine what the mask is for so...I'll stop...actually, do you need space? I'll leave you be if you want", Maria then asks.

Elora lifted a grasping hand, as if she wanted to catch something. She then straightened the palm, and performed a stop sign. "No, please...I want you to stay. And it''s ok...It doesn't hurt. The professor said that the mask helps me stay in control. It is difficult to explain, but...It calms me. I don't feel so afraid." She looked down, and pinched her arm. "There's no pain at all. It's...Nice, I think." Then she lifted her head. "Wait, me and Serah? Who is planning, and what?"

"I probably shouldn't stay since it'll most likely make you lose control", Maria then said, understanding the purpose of the mask if Elora's explanation was correct.

"But...mind-reading or no, I won't lie to you...members of high command wanted to execute the both of you. In Serah's case, her attacking us during your rescue since they don't believe in Frameworks going berserk even though my fri-err...squad member Jake had evidence showing Serah's sync rate going below zero percent. In your case, they think the Cruxi brainwashed or compromised you in some way that'll come to haunt all of us..."

Shaking her head, Maria then said, "I got fed up though...after you...well put my mind straight, I started a pertition of sorts with Jake to mount a case for the both of you. Katya, Jason and a few others in our squad helped. Elise, our new superior, also helped by getting it to people that'll help out. Though I had a talk with her about my behavior when I had seen that Cruxi and lost my temper and her being grounded due to injury. Jake telling her that she could use his recon drones to help us from the bridge. Jason-"

Looking at Elora, Maria realized that she had overdid it.

"...I'm sorry. It's just been a crazy few days with me and several others and me worried sick about the both of you", Maria then said, looking down in shame.

There was a couple of seconds of silence before Elora responded. "Wow. That is a lot. Well, thank you for saving me, Maria, Jake." She bowed her head a bit, and lifted it back up. "So they are afraid of me...I don't know what to think." She sighed. "Anyway, I was given permission to have fun, so let's enjoy ourselves at this party, ok?" She reached out, hesitantly, and gently took Maria's hand. "Just like old times."

Maria herself actually was hesitant like Elora but then, she put her other hand over Elora's.

"Yeah...old times...well not for me...old times were...alot different from this...you'd probably know since you did swim around my head a little bit before...but all this..."

She then looked around the room and saw all the old and new people around.

"...it's still new to me now...or perhaps...I'd just forgotten what it's like or never had the chance...it's tough to explain Elora but it's like turning the light off in a house for a few years then suddenly turning it back on...I'm just not used to it yet..."

Still holding Elora's hands, Maria did look away.

"...and there's a part of me that's afraid to get used to it..."

Then, as she was touching her, Elora just happened to see an image...or perhaps a memory...a fraction of it. Perhaps she had gained it when she entered the then "Mai/Seven" mind during her rescue and duel with the Cruxi. The image, though, would most likely disturb Elora as it showed Maria on some high tech chair.



Elora pulled her hand away, her body language showing that she was startled as she tucked her arms to herself. “AAH!” Her entire body now trembled with shaky legs, at the same time as the fight between Ana and Irina; Maria noticed that her condition seemed to turn worse when Ana ran away. “I-I can’t...” Elora held her palms on her mask. Dariya soon ran in, and wrapped an arm around Elora’s waist, keeping her standing. “My, it seems we ran into some difficulties. Oh well, at least she got to meet with her friends.” The sexy scientist then dragged the masked girl off; Maria could feel how Elora continued looking on at her, mumbling something before they turned a corner.

Maria was slightly confused at first but instantly knew what may have happened. For that one moment, she felt...that connection again. When Elora jumped into her mind’s eye so to speak. Then it hit her.

...oh no...she saw something...something no one else should have…, Maria thought to herself.

Even from the DJ stand, she actually saw Jake wave at her and then point to the exit of the room. As if to say “Go after her”. Nodding, Maria quickly left the room. She had to make sure Elora was ok. But more important, like it or not, she also had to be more cautious when around Elora. Not because she was dangerous but because of possible “accidents” like this.

Even back then...on that chair...her work with the Telekenetic link system taught her to expect such instances with those with similar abilities.

After about a minute or so, she saw her being escorted into the R&D lab by that lady she remembered being named Dariya.

“Hey wait!”, Maria called.

But then soon entered the R&D door as it closed behind them. Maria quickly knocked on the door though not to be too forceful about the knocking itself.

Souls of Steel: A Giant Mecha RP

Heh...ah mecha...

Oh yeah. I did want Maria's past involved at some point. Ariamis, if you want to group chat with Maria and Elora since she addressed her, let me know. Might as well move that foward with Jake is playing DJ XD

Souls of Steel: A Giant Mecha RP

First off, still here ^_^.

Second, that "gundam" reminds me of the musha gundams from the video games dynasty warriors gundam. One of the two weilded double katana's and the other a spear. There was also a Knight Gundam too that weilded a sword/shield setup too.

I thought about including them in a special side story that involved Maria's past with the Helldivers but I haven't gotten around to talking to Ariamis about it first. At some point though, I do wish for Maria's past to come...well "haunt" her at some point.

Souls of Steel: A Giant Mecha RP

Maria didn't want to. She was still too much spun up about stuff in general. Her renewed "emotions". Her now perfect sync. High command pushing for Elora and Serah's execution. It just kept her tensed up.

But now, she was walking with Jake towards the area were Ariin was throwing a party for his aniversary with Paladin. Normally, Maria would have thought such a thing weird but considering the circumstances, she thought better of it.

After all, it was because of the device she had that allowed Paladin to use Ariin's bionic eye to actually communicate with everyone last she heard.

As she walked, she noted that Jake didn't really wear anything fancy. Just his default getup with his headphones around his neck right now. Maria, on the other hand, still liked to dress up. Usually with different clothing so, she decided to wear something she thought she'd never wear.

While she was also casual in jeans, sneakers and a blue t-shirt, it was the black jacket she was wearing that stood out somewhat. It looked worn as if it had been used for a long time.

But it was the angel wings printed on the back that made it stand out more...

"...let me guess...that jacket-", Jake began but Maria finished.

"Yeah...it belonged to my mom", Maria said.

Jake didn't say anything else about it but then said, "I'm glad your going to this. I know your still concerned about Serah and Elora but we all did what we could. Now, we just hope Elise's contact can use the evidence I submitted to get high command to back off."

"I know...I'm just...still not used to social events such as these", Maria then responded.

As they walked, both did pass by Elizabeth as she was returning to her quarters. Maria did make eye contact with her but it seemed that she wasn't interested in her at the moment. In fact, it looked liked she was trying to find someone else.

"...she's in a hurry", Jake muttered.

"...and sooner or later, I have to break the ice with her and the other new pilots", Maria said.

"...it sounds like you have a history with her", Jake then asks.

"When I was "Seven" back when the Helldivers were active, I was assigned to bodyguard duties for her family company and framework testing...short story, she and I didn't get along", Maria then said.

Jake merely nodded at that.

Not too long after that, they arrived in the party area. Maria looked around and saw thing were lively there already.

"I'm going to hit the music stand. I can play DJ better than anyone", Jake said.

"I don't doubt that at all...I'll trying to mingle as best I can", Maria then responded.

Going their seperate ways, Maria then noted Ariin...but then another caught her eye...a girl in a weird mask with what looked liked some cybernetics all over said mask.

Walking up to the woman, she then knew who it was somehow.

"...Elora?", Maria asks.

Souls of Steel: A Giant Mecha RP

Still here. Sorry all. Offline stuff holding me up. Let me know too if someone wishes for Maria or Jake to do something specific for a plot device or something.

Souls of Steel: A Giant Mecha RP

...still here...wow...no postings in days...