Esoteric

Esoteric's Workspace

Prisoner Data Form

Caedence "Nano" Senichi

Aliases: Catie, Cadie / Nano, The Cherry Blossom Killer

Prisoner ID Number: 3254

Species: Human

Gender: Female

Age: 26

Former Faction: The Senichi Family

Physical Description:

Description Form

Height: 5'8

Weight: 125lbs, 56.6kg

Eye Description: Teal / Violet

Hair Description: Dark Violet

Skin Description: Light, Fair

Scars, Birthmarks, or other Identifying Traits:

• A light brownish spot that kind of looks like a potato if you squint hard, just above her left hip bone.
• Eye color changes from Teal and Violet depending on her current personality.
• Dragon Trinity Tattoo

  Centered on her right bicep,
  just below the curve of her shoulder

  
  
• Watercolor Yin-Yang Tattoo

  Located on her upper sternum,
  just above the 'V' of her breasts

  
• Smooth Stoke Lotus Flowers

  Located on the back of her upper right shoulder,
  transitioning diagonally towards her left side,
  extending down along the hip, buttock, and thigh,
  and ending just above her knee

  
• Colorful Peacock

  Begins just above her right knee,
  traveling up the side of her body,
  and ending just below her breasts

  

Facial description: Fair, clear skin that's smooth and pale in color. Probably could use a tan, or several.

Description of Clothing/Armor:Caedence enjoys modest clothing that reflects her heritage. Often times this is through brightly colored blouses with billowing sleeves and a traditional waist sash, paired with a skirt of modest length, or a full rendition of an ancient Kimono. Otherwise, she may choose to wear more hip, urban clothing, like abstract shirts and jeans. She tends to keep a sense of modesty, but tries to remain somewhat fashionable at the same time, as long as she can remain mostly covered. Unfortunately, she cannot keep her hair long as she would like, as Nano keeps cutting it to stay around shoulder length.

Nano prefers the more seductive route, wearing revealing clothes or those that accent her curvaceous curves. Top with deep necks, expose her stomach, bear her arms, or a combination of all paired with tight pants, or skirts that may be a tad too short. However, she's no good in heels, call it hereditary, and may choose between pointed flats, something with open toes, or even botos that vary from ankle cropped to shin high. Much to Caedence's displeasure, Nano likes her hair kept at a medium, shoulder length. Also to her other half's great, great discomfort, Nano has tattoos and likes to show them off.

Nano's Armor consists of a thing, environmental suit which regulates body temperature, and offers protection against natural elements. The outer layer of armor is composition of flexible, grafium steel threading provided mobility over defense, and only offers moderate protection against projectiles, optical weapons, and blunt force trauma. Her mask has built in readings that monitor her battery levels, including recharge timers, and will alert her to dangerous symptoms such as low vitamin and mineral levels, compromised suit integrity, nanite shutdown, and so forth. With her armor she wears a traditional, scarf like wrapping around her head and neck called a Shoueffa, "The Veil of War". Traditionally, veiling yourself in battle states your intent to kill, whereas wearing it relaxed around the neck is supposed to convey a more passive, non-lethal nature.

She also has a vambrace computer, which offerings the same monitoring capabilities as her helmet, with the addition of being able to manually activate her nanite given powers. However, in combat situations she may not always have time to use this method of activation, and thus has set parameters for voice commands.

• "Hikari", translating into "Light", activates her Light Particle Sheathe.
• "Jikan", translating into "Time", engages her Akinetophic Field.

Bionic Limbs/Synthetic Organs/Robotic Augmentations:

• Neural-Thread Network: Woven throughout her body along predefined pathways is an intricate system of cybernetic threading, allowing her to remain impervious to her nanites.
• Nanites: A completely self sufficient, mechanical ecosystem has been created within Caedence's body. Extremely advanced, microscopic machines that are the basis of her combat abilities.

Weapons of Choice:

• Epilogue: Nano's only weapon, other than her hands, the name of which is derived from the ideal that death is the final chapter of your life. The sword itself is made from a unique metal, referred to as Grafium Steel, a metal that is incredibly durable yet is able to hold an exquisitely sharp edge. However, the true function of this place is the Light Particle Sheathe it can create, which takes the form of a glowing, neon teal aura around the blade. It may look like magic, but it's actually derived from the energy her nanites utalize. Raw energy is injected into the blade, which runs on a self sustaining looping cycle. This enhances her blade to the point where she can puncture, and cut through materials no normal sword could. Including a wide variety of hard metals, and armoring techniques. The downside being she cannot adjust the amount of power the blade receives, meaning she cannot enhance the blade's power any further. Despite that, this sophisticated weapon gives a literal edge over other swordsmen.
• Qui Tsu Fei: Not technically a weapon in on itself, Qui Tsu Fei is a martial arts style developed by the Senichi line, based around their heritage and culture which includes many ancient Asian themes and its teachings are virtually unknown to the outside world. This martial practice focuses primarily around non-lethal methods of defensive-offense. To break it down further, the techniques involved revolve around a few core themes of combat; Prediction, Redirection, Speed, and Countering. The user focuses on the speed and precision of their strikes, rather than raw strength, and performs this technique by reading their opponent, redirecting their attacks, and countering with calculated movements which use the opponents own strength and momentum against them; Typically in an attempt to the combatant out by deflecting, and redirecting their force while using minimal effort to do so. However, if confident, the user of Qui Tsu Fei can perform incapacitating strikes when the moment is opportune.
  • Fei Tsu Ken: This is the highest level art among the Senichi Discipline, a master level technique that is taught only to the most proficient, advanced members of the family. Incompetent use of the technique often leaves the user in a fight they cannot win, and is often times a reason of death among aspiring martial arts students. The reason being is that Fei Tsu Ken is meant to teach the disciple to encompass multi-body combat in unison with the Qui Tsu Fei style. This is achieved around the idea that the user must maintain a sphere of influence within the length of their arm, or their weapons reach. This idea also broadens the technique of it's parent style, formatting the single target methods of prediction and reaction to include more than a single body. Along with the teachings of this discipline, there is also a regiment of mediation and awareness training, to teach the body to recognize the subtle nuances that your senses can pick up in an attempt to achieve a state of hyper awareness. This style also teaches the moral boundary of non-lethal fighting.
• Kinetic Particle Barrier: Because she is in fact more often than not bringing a knife to a gun fight, Nano needs time to close distance. The Particle Barrier is a light shield, as her intertwined cybernetics cannot sustain a heavy system. What this does is create a sort of over-shield that hardens upon projectile impact. Specifically meaning that when impact is sustained, the shield with harden instantaneously to deflect the projectiles, meaning it can stop a single round, or a rapid burst for approximately a full second. Fortunately, this shielding has two layers, being she could virtually be shot twice before it goes down. The shields have a recharge time of approximately two minutes, and do not share power with her Akinetophic field, or particle blade. Explosives will immediately knock out both layers, though she is protected from shrapnel and debris for the hardening duration. This shield does not alter the effect of elements, such as fire or heat, or the cold.
• Akinetophic Field: The main reason she's a viable swordsman in a firefight is her ability to project what's referred to as an Akinetophic Field, roughly translating to "Without movement or sight." This field performs three key functionalities, neither of which effect Nano herself. The first is that the nanites cause temporary Akinetopsia to anyone caught within the field, a disorder where the individual will process motion as a series of still images rather than continual motion. However, this would only appear to make movement skip, or jump, like a film reel with missing frames. The second ability is to affect individuals within the radius of influence with a form of paralysis, slowing muscular signals to such a rate that the body appears to be moving in substantial slow-motion. The final ability of this technique is that the nanites exponentially slow the rate of molecular movement for non-biological organic matter, such as metal, fabric, and so forth.
  
  Effectively this appears to stop the progression of moving particles, most notably bullets or optical weapons such as laser. Adding all of these complicated procedures together effectively makes it appear as if Nano can stop time. Because of her Neural-Thread Network, she is immune to the paralyzing effects, the temporary Akinetopsia, and the molecular slow to items she is holding when the field is activated. The field cannot be cast, but rather projects around her in a full, spherical radius of about 20 yards, and expands nearly instantaneously. This field can be sustained for a maximum of twenty seconds. The way that this works is that, at 100% Battery capacity, each seconds takes 5%, which doesn't allow her much time for hesitation. Additionally, this ability has a twenty minute cool down.
• Nano can use voice activation for her two abilities:
  • "Yamate", meaning "Stop", activates her Akinetophic Field.
  • "Hakiri", meaning "Light", activates her Light Particle Sheathe.

Charges/Sentences:

• Homicide: Premeditated Murder of the first degree, exact figures are unknown.
  • Manslaughter: Involuntary third degree, and voluntary second degree manslaughter, precise statistics unknown.
• Trespassing: Unlawful breaking and entering.
  • Possession: Concealing a deadly weapon, especially with lethal intent, in restricted areas.
• Assault: Including aggravated assault, and battery, detailed counts unavailable.

Skills:

• Death Rides Wind: The technical name behind her swordsmanship, the term is a reference to the original concept of its foundation, Leaf Rides Wind, a non-lethal phrase depicting how fluidly a leaf dances upon a gentle breeze. Nano's repurposed technique makes her graceful killer on the battle field, chaining her attacks together the same way a handful of leaves swirl within a strong gust. She is more than proficient in the use of her sword, it is an extension of herself, a part of her. It is not a tool in her hands, but an instrument of death. Her movements are swift, and her strikes precise. She a storm, her sword the flicker of lightning, leaving behind only the rattling wails of death.
• Hand Forces Flow: Another misconstrued term, derived from Hand Parts Water, referencing how flowing water will part and move around the hand. The practice, again meant to be non-lethal, revolves around directly the flow of battle around oneself. Nano, rather, sees this as forcibly changing the flow of battle, and thus she is able to control situations by creating vulnerabilities in her opponents. Though this utilizes the primary teachings of Qui Fei Tsu, and Fei Tsu Ken, her version is less about tiring her opponent and more about reducing their combat effectiveness, if a finishing move isn't readily feasible. She does this by using the same methods of the two teachings, but instead of passively out-sustaining her opponent, she will use these moments to separate joins, break limbs, attack vital areas, and so forth.
• The Blind Sense: A benefit of the Tsu Fei Ken style, this practice focuses on enhancing the other senses, and relying less on what your eyes see. Meaning, against less experience, noisy opponents, Nano could quite possibly fight with her eyes closed by listening to her opponents breathing, their steps, the ruffle of their clothes, and other telltale sounds. Though not entirely effective on its own, except against aggressors of far lesser skill, its actually a necessary component of the Tsu Fei Ken style, as the eyes cannot see what's behind you. Additionally, this also helps stimulate her mind. She must think ahead, and make snap decisions to react to her opponent, or opponents.
• The Strength of the Willow: While not entirely strong physically, much of Nano's training has revolved around this concept. She is not the oak that stands tall in the storm, but the willow that stays rooted while bending to the winds. She takes thing as they come, and rolls with the punches. She may lack strength, but she greatly makes up for that with her agility, stamina, and maneuvers. She knows how to work herself out of holds, and even a variety of restraints. However, the key attribute of this teaching is that she understands how to bend in combat, meaning when an attack connects, she moves with it to substantially lessen the impact.
• Aspect of the Wind: A useful skill, considering how close she must be to her targets. The training revolving around the Aspect of the Wind is literally the art of movement closely resembling to how wind moves. The body is trained to react to obstacles fluidly, with both speed and agility. To break it down, this is a combination of training your reflexes and parkour. She has excellent reaction time and reflexes, and is able to traverse in unorthodox ways smoothly, and with varying amounts of speed depending on exactly what sort of obstacles she must over come. Some of these practices include moving without excessive hindrance through tight holes, up vertical surfaces, understanding maximum gap closing distance, landing safely, and so forth. Many of these skills can also be applied to combative movements.
• Eye of the Storm: Her training has also included the tailoring of her emotions, the destruction rages around the storm yet the center must remain calm. Meaning she remains cool and collected during what would otherwise be high stress situations. She's both cold, and calculating, and the idea that hesitation equals death has been imprinted in her mind. Nano was already an intelligent woman, and training out reactions based on emotion have only served to enhance these qualities. During the squall of battle, she is steel layered in ice. She is the tempest, and will do what she feels is necessary, without expending energy on trivial actions.
• Growth of the Sapling: A benefit of the original, intended purpose of her nanites, Nano can recover from the worst of wounds without too much cause for concern. Rather, the nanites are apt at repairing damaged cells and bodily structure, yet this is not an immeidate, or even quick benefit. In actuality it does two things, assists fixing her body and shortening the recovery period in comparison to a normal person, and helps keep her immunized against foreign bodies that could cause illness or disease.

Flaws:

• Links of the Chain: A drawback of the Death Rides Wind style, if Nano is interrupted while moving through a sequence of attacks she will ultimately fall out of sync with herself. Her mind is already two steps ahead, so breaking one of the links of her chain will scatter her attack completely and leave her vulnerable as she attempts to regain balance and recompose her combat process. This vulnerability is momentary, as she will back off and attempt to guard herself, yet this causes her to also lose the pressing edge of her attack and puts her on guard. A skilled opponent will use this to their advantage.
• Two-headed Snake: Qui Fei Tsu, and Tsu Fei Ken are styles that require proper use of the arms and legs. Without both arms, Nano's effective attacks are limited to what she can do with her legs, and vice versa. In short, she cannot with a single arm and leg. Especially since most of the techniques involved with these styles involve much use of her arms, and less of her legs. However, like two halves a whole, her can fight adequately with just her legs, she is just severely limited on the number of moves she can perform. However, this situation in reverse is much more difficult, as it is incredibly difficult to fight without her legs, and likely to be ineffective against even a moderately skilled opponent.
• The Frailty of the Willow: The entire purpose of this technique is to avoid damage, to shave down the power of attacks. Her body is not a thickly corded cage of muscle, but is rather soft and finely tuned. With hand to hand combat, she has trouble with opponents with substantial musculature, or high endurance. She also has trouble sustaining solid hits, lacking much in the endurance and resistance departments.
• Aspect of the Target: Nobody ever said using a sword in the modern age was a wise decision. Despite how well she can move, a person can only zig-zag so much before taking a few hits. Additionally, a figure running at you is likely to obtain your full attention due to the increasingly rises levels of threat. For every injury, or debilitating effect she sustains, her peak performance goes down and her combat ability declines right with it. She relies on being able to move quickly, and close distance efficiently, since she is almost guaranteed to draw the attention of her targets if she's within their visual range. However, this is less of a problem against other melee oriented opponents.
• Piercing of the Veil: Everybody is human, and even a cold, calculating combat machine like Nano are subject to that statement. Since genetically, she remains unaltered, she is still prone to human emotions such as acting in anger, hesitation, but most notably she is very prideful. She does her best not to show it, not to react to that particular feelings, but at other times she'll let loose if only to prove herself. She's trained all of her life, and is definitely lacking in departments of praise and compassion. It was never "Good Job", no "I love you", or "I'm proud of you", rather is was always a curt nod, a dismissive hand, a stoic look.
• Range of the Cactus: Nano is a close quarters combatant, just as she's been trained for the majority of her life. Consequently, she knows about zero when it comes to fire arms. In fact, she has no skill with the weapons period. Her hands shake when she aims, she forgets how to reload, and likely doesn't even know where the safety is. The only, and I mean the absolutely only situation a gun is useful for her is if it's already loaded, the safety is off, and the barrel currently resides between her victim's teeth. Even then, the action is rather pointless since she's a close quarters combatant anyways.
• Fears of the Flower: Nano has a form of aquaphobia, that surfaces only when she is fully submerged in water. Her methods of training were often times less than desirable, and has left her with the irrational fear of fully body submersion. Caedence does not suffer from aquaphobia, and can swim rather well.
• Erosion of the Stone: The nanites within Nano's body, as mentioned above, are self sustaining. These molecular robots achieve this by using the natural minerals she ingests and those that her body produces. Despite how incredibly difficult it would be to destroy a molecular machine, it is possible, increasing the amount of resources the nanites consume to replace these machines. Nano has to supplement her diet with powerful multivitamins which she takes once a day normally. During states where the nanites consumption increases due to a decline in their numbers, Nano must increase her dosage, typically needing no more than two or three.
• The Flash of the Storm: While she is partially protected against such attacks, a large electro-magnetic pulse will disable her nanites. The machines do have protection against burning out completely however. Most notably, a tiny, minimal draw shield that doesn't actually protect the nanites, but senses when an electro-magnetic, or similar pulse is about to hit the nanite. At that point, the nanites automatically perform an immediate shutdown. Information is stored in a black box system, which will automatically reboot the nanites after the pulse has passed and it is safe to do so. This also serves to turn of her nanite given abilities, including her kinetic barrier, particle sword, and prevents her from activating the Akinetophic field.
• Yin and Yang: As with most intensely trained killers, she's a bit fucked up in the head. Nano suffers from Disassociation Identity Disorder, meaning she has two personalities. The first, is perhaps what she could have been under normal circumstances, and closely reflects a truer, positive nature—Yang. Her other side is the product of her training, the cold, remorseless killer—Yin.
• Wilting of the Weed: Despite the arguably small medicinal benefits of her nanites, this comes with a drawback. When the nanites are focusing on fixing say, a broken bone, or creating scar tissue, she's very susceptible to foreign bodies and will likely come down with flu-like symptoms. When fighting off foreign bodies, she will feel weak and mimic the symptoms of a fever. Both of these states of illness increase in intensity depending on the amount of effort the nanites must use. Both of these at the same time will cripple her, and render her pretty much useless in a combat situation. I say nearly, because her zombie-like state may terrify lesser beings into fleeing in terror.

Personality:Caedence is the Yang of her two personalities; she is the creative, joyous light. She has a compassionate nature about her, while also being fun and playful, if a bit docile, or submissive at times. She has a warm smile, which she shows often, and kind eyes. She tries to see the best in people, even hardened criminals have good qualities and deserve empathy and understanding. She also tries to remain positive, but sometimes this trait is obscured by her meekness. She knows the world is cruel, and she knows of the stains that blacken her soul. She is also fully aware of her alter ego, and what she does. On a normal day, Caedence likes to ignore these facts. She's also more in tune with her emotions, and tries to keep herself from dangerous situations.

Nano is the Yin side of Caedence, a side that is darker, colder, and stained with blood. She's a start contrast to the sweet, caring Caedence. She can be patronizing, sarcastic, and playfully seductive. She embodies the darker qualities Caedence does not. She more dominant, and aggressive, especially when being flirty or sexually playful. She sees the world for what it really is, a selfish, cruel world that punishes the just, and rewards the corrupt. She's detached from herself, feeling very little in the way of stimulating emotion other than amusement, pleasure, and pride. On a sub-note she's also capable of anger, but when engaged in combat she loses all of this and feels nothing, becoming devoid of limiting emotions, which is to say, all of them. She typically does not feel regret, or sadness, perhaps a sprinkling of loathing and a healthy dash of contempt. Nano will not stray from a fight, especially if her pride is challenged. She is the funnel into which Caedence pushes all of her pain and hurt, all of her dark thoughts and desires, everything negative in her life.

Personal Biography:

A brief look into the history of Caedence Senichi-Tagawa

Lightning flares, punctuating the silhouette of a young girl's martial forms with the clap of thunder. Rain falls steadily, drenching the small figure, pitter-pattering against stone and thrumming against the angled tile roofing of the private housing. Shielded from outside eyes behind opaque white walls, decorative in nature, the girl practiced. A solemn wind rustled through the petals of colorful gardens forming a swirling pattern of colors as it washed through the compound. A door squeaked open softly admitting a stealthy observer, quiet steps bring him to a railing of polished wood. The girl did turn around, but continued her forms as before. Her face placid, she barely made a sound as she danced through the clear, rippling puddles, another shadow in the night. The breeze swept low, rustling the large cherry blossom tree centered in the courtyard and stealing from it a multitude of dazzlingly pink petals. The child poised herself, as the gust whipped her raven hair about her, snatching the petals from the air.

She turned, splaying her palm open before the figure, presenting her feat. Lean, powerful legs hidden beneath the pleated folds of a Hakama step forward. The elevated Geta clacked across the courtyard of smooth, polished stones as the watcher approached the child, his figure looming over her imposingly. The end of his Bokken, a wooden sword, thumped across the back of her legs roughly, reminding her to kneel. The girl let out a squeak of surprise from the stringing mark left on her legs, earning her another thwap. Biting her tongue, she steadied her breath and waited as her father observed the petals in her hand. He reached down, plucking out the ones that had been crushed or torn. Three disfigured petals lay before her, flowing away in the streams crisscrossing the courtyard.

Thwap-Thwap-Thwap

The girl let out a whimper before she could stop herself—Thwap.

"Again," He spoke, his powerful voice left no room for anything else. The girl rose, bowing to her father before continuing her ritualistic dance, practicing her forms as she waited for the next flurry to bring her more petals. A door out of view squeaked once more as it closed, signaling the likely departure of her instructor. She dare not stop, nor lie. She always got caught, and the punishments were much worse than simply failing. She schooled her face, silently hoping that nature would take mercy on her. Inside the building her father stood, shaking his head silently as he looked at the meal growing cold on the small, low table. It was going to be one of those nights, he might as well make some tea.

Dawn broke, illuminating the form of the weary child, struggling to continue. The storm had long since blown over, yet the girl was still soaked through to the bone. She sniffled, ignoring her runny nose as she labored through her forms, her foot cutting swathes in still puddles marred by the broken forms of cherry blossoms. Her father was watching again, a scowl tempting the edges of his face as his daughter collapsed against the chilled, wet stones. He strode towards her, his tongue clicking in a sound of disappointed irritation.

"Rise," He commanded, and she did. The girl struggled to her feet, her body limp and exhausted, but his voice left no room for disobedience. "You will eat, and then sleep. I expect to see you when you awake."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

An array of figures basked in the light streaming through translucent sections of the pale, colorless wall, their powerful forms hovering at the edge of a large, bamboo mat. A young girl stood before them, dressed in similar white clothes as the figures laughed and snickered at her. A mere child, who couldn't have been older than eleven, a part of their demonstration. The members of the Senichi's expansive family nearly laughed themselves to tears, though the girl remained straight and stoic, ignoring their presumptuous cackles. To men stood to one end, dressed in hues of dark blue, the colors of the master. One, thick in body and with a chiseled face bordered by a thick beard was scowling menacing. The other, her father, his clean shaven face all planes and angles looked on passively, knowingly. Yet, he did not smile as the other pointed out one of his men to the ring, a grin split wide across his face.

"Now, Hanjo, Ichizo here will put an end to this mockery and you will show us your real warriors," Tsuga voiced, the tone of his voice underlined with amusement. Hanjo merely let out a quiet 'Hmph', choosing not to fully acknowledge the statement. He simple watched as the two fighters took their stances, one seemingly severely outmatched by the other.

"Master Inowa, surely you can't expect me to fight this girl?" Ichizo asked, rather concerned at the arrangement.

"I expect you to display the full prowess of an Inowa Disciple, this is Hanjo's arrangement therefore it will be his problem when it's over, just try not to break anything," Tsuga commanded, silencing his disciple's opinion through the sheer intensity of his voice, though it hardly altered in pitch.

"Begin"

Ichizo rushed forward, already formulating a plan of attack, he would be firm, but gentle. He did not want to hurt the young girl too badly. His leg sprung from the side, arcing through the air with excellent speed, though it passed only empty air. His eyes widened as the small girl dropped low beneath his kick, throwing out her own leg and sweeping his ankle. He grimaced, pushing himself up off of the mat at the spectators fell silent. Tsuga, in particular, was scowling again.

Once more the male fighter struck out, feinting with another kick and following with his fists instead. He came low, sweeping upwards and again his strike passed through only the air. He reacted quicker this time, using his moment to spin his body and follow through with an elbow. Two small hands gripped his arm, her smaller form forcing him to continue his momentum and throwing him off of balance. He stumbled, spinning wildly as he once more met the mat. This time his fall was a thing of laughter for the other disciples.

"Hah!" "Surely Ichi isn't losing to a child?" "What a mockery."
"What disgraceful form." "Ichi stop screwing around!"
"He's one of the best?" "Are you joking?"
"Pathetic." "No way."

Ichizo grimaced, his face hot with humiliation. The girl didn't smile, or gloat, she barely even made a sound. Most infuriating of all, she'd barely moved from her starting position. He let out a growl, losing all inhibitions of holding back. He charged forward, in a series of moves. He crouched, sweeping his foot low, she jumped over it. He followed up with a second, overhead kick, she moved like a wraith to the side, his strike whispering only through strands of hair. His teeth pressed together in anger. Without pause he used his prior move to step forward, close to her, striking out from his mid section. It was like trying to fight a shadow, he punched, she moved, he kicked, she side-stepped, he swung, he missed, swing, and miss. He let out a cry of rage, throwing a sloppy punch. Caedence took his arm, spinning as she tugged it forward, causing Ichizo to toppled over her small form.

"Hiyah!" Her small body cried, leveling an overhead kick into the back of his neck. He let out a grunt, she wasn't strong enough to incapacitate him that easily. He began pushing himself up, but another kick to his temple sent his vision spinning. He raised an arm to defend his face as he rose further. Two quick, successive strikes behind his knee sent him down once more. The child's attacks and the laughter of his peers were too much. He sprung to his feet, the strain of his efforts overshadowed by a tide of unyielding rage. Faster than she had anticipated, he took hold over her arm and flung her with all the might he could muster.

Caedence whimpered, feeling the socket tug painfully as Ichi propelled her through the air. She remained composed however, angling her body and landing in a low crouch. She could hear him, his bullish breathing, his thundering steps. She leveled a kick backwards, one that connected with his groin and sent him crashing over her. His face hit the mat with a thud. Caedence rolled over, kneeling on him as she hurled her fists repeatedly into the back of his head.

"Hah! Hah! Hiyah!" She called as Ichi's face bounced slightly against the mat.

"Enough," Her father commanded. Immediately Caedence rose, her body stiff as a tree, and bowed. The audience stared, open mouthed. "Perhaps next time, it will be you who brings a real warrior," Hanjo replied flatly.

Awhile later, as the sun was nearing its peak, Hanjo sat in the middle of a garden composed of finely raked gravel, and flourishing beds of exotic flowers. Beside on the same, smoothly carved stone bench sat his daughter, who was currently busy pouring two cups of freshly brewed leaves. His gaze lingered on a rippling pong, where large, fat fish swam playfully. He was quite displeased, despite the performance his daughter had given. Surely he should feel happiness and pride, yet a quiet storm of emotional shadowed those feelings.

"Tomorrow, when we arrive home, you will begin the steps again..." He started, pausing only to sip the scalding tea, "After your punishment."

"Punishment, Otousan?" Caedence repeated, tonelessly. She already knew once, but the question was one act of minute rebelliousness she could have without offense.

"You allowed him to throw you like a useless toy. Had this been a real fight, he would have taken that opportunity to kill you," Hanjo explained. He was never one to punish without proper reasoning. Caedence nodded in acceptance, likely it would be the birch strap, the usual grade of punishment for failures such as this. She did not respond then, there was no need for an answer. He knew she would try, and she knew he expected her to excel.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The morning was dim, painting the land and the Senichi private residence in hues of gray. Members of the household began to stir as the sun slowly crept its way over the horizon, further hidden behind scattered clouds. The scents of dough being turned, and tea leaves seeping began to permeate the air. For the Senichi familly, they were no days off. Men and woman began filling wash basins and buckets, to begin their routine of scrubbing, polishing, and waxing. Others began to don their outfits, to begin a morning of training and discipline. The children would file out into the courtyard, to begin their own form of practice for most of the day, exempt from most chores to study both general education and the martial arts. Caedence stirred from her sleep, pushing a book she had been studying from her face. She stretched and yawned, as she thought ahead to the coming weekend. There were no breaks, especially not as the daughter of the head, yet school work was only done during the week.

She looked around the frozen image of her room, as still as the morning air. She put on her uniform, her thoughts wandering into a daydream of what breakfast would hold. Although that wouldn't be until later in the morning. The door let out only a quiet whoosh as she jogged down the corridor, heading for the courtyard. She was halfway down the breezeway when she stopped with fright. A man had appeared before her, literally appeared. He blinked into her vision, his body crouched over a large brush where he should be running across the floor. Yet, as she stared, his form only continued to blink forward some, and freeze, over and over. She struggled for words, her voice nothing but a croak as she choked on her own terror.

"Caedence?" The man asked, he had blinked again, he was besides her now. Caedence backed away in sheer horror, bumping into the railing as he called her name again. She looked over her shoulder, startled by the barrier, and her fear found new levels to drown her in. Outside in the courtyard everything was, blinking. Each person she saw was frozen, only moving by disappearing and reappearing elsewhere.

"Caedence, Child, what's wrong?" The voice asked, over, and over again. Caedence remained frozen, unable to form words, unable to tear her gaze away from the still motion of the world around her, jumping through its motions as if jerking through the frames of an image. Finally the shock subsided, and a scream found its way to the top of her throat.

"OTOUSAN!? OTOUSAN!?" She screamed, propelled down the hallway by her own emotions. Things blinked rapidly in and out of her view as she ran. Objects that had been there before disappeared, and things constantly popped into her view. Hanjo had been sitting at his desk, writing out a notice for the rest of the family when he heard her screams. He sneered, looking at the long swathe of ink running across the bottom of the page where his hand had jerked. He stood angrily, making it to his door before he spied the wild, terrified look of his daughter. This was unlike her, fear was an emotion she did not feel. He looked beyond her, searching for some sort of immense danger, but found none.

"What is the meaning of this? Explain yourself Caedence," He ordered as his daughter literally ran face first into him. She clutched at his Hakama, her red face stricken with tears.

"I can't see them, I can't see them move, I ca-.. I can-.." Her words became lost as a torrent of sobs wracked her body.

Later that night, Hanjo sat at his daughter's beside, his hand pressed to her forehead. Such a rare thing to occur, and to his daughter no less. His own mighty flesh and blood. How the heavens must laugh, striking his daughter with such an affliction. He frowned in thought, surely the power of man superseded that of the old gods now. He stood, ignoring the compassionate look on the nurse's face. He did not need to feel sorrow, or guilt. He was angry, yes. Angry at the muses of nature, but his family would prevail. The Senichi-Tagawa bloodline would remain strong, starting with his daughter. Tomorrow, he would contact the galactic federation, perhaps there was cure. If not, he would find somebody who could make one.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

A year later, Caedence found herself staring at an electronic display, far from the marked line where she stood. "E," She began, reading off the chart. She was in an optometrist lab, reading off a display of increasingly small letters to a technician, a warm smile was plastered on his face. He nodded, urging her to continue. She gazed back at the screen, bracketed by smooth white walls covered with informative posters and signs warning of dangerous signs of cancer, or oncoming blindness.

"W."

It had taken quite a long time to find a cure, to repair the damaged cortex in her brain. An array of medical professions had speculated that she may have been victim to a seizure, or stroke, while she slept, claiming she had trouble remembering it. She was certain that she had not woken during the night, but regardless there had been damage to her brain. This damage led to a disorder so rare, that nobody really knew about it, and thus funding to research a cure had never really been sought except by groups so small that they're progress was negligible.

"Q."

Her father sought other sources, and it wasn't long until a name was passed to him—Axton Blayse. The man was considered the prodigal son of engineering, a genius who was currently doing astounding work with machines so small they couldn't be seen without a high powered microscope. A year was such a short time, in comparison, yet Axton had always said it was taking far too long. Caedence had quietly wondered how her father could afford such a thing, she had been told he would ruin himself funding this research. To be truthful, she wasn't even sure what her father did for a living. Even when he disappeared for weeks a time, she had watchers ensuring she trained and studied.

"G."

Axton had created something extraordinary, something that could change the course of human history. A tiny robotic machine that could advance science years into the future, at the least. A self-sustaining, self-replicating nanite. Her father had urged him to secrecy, ensuring the further potential of Axton's creations. Caedence had heard some of it, promises of riches, military application, and the like. Lesser men, Hanjo had told her, are always prone to propelling their greed to the furthest limits. Not only did these nanites repair her on a molecular level, but they began to take on more puspose. Afterwards, Axton had vanished.

"K."

During the time of her affliction, her father made her treat it as a part of her training. Much too early for a girl who was barely a teenager, yet he had pushed her even harder. At home she wore a blindfold, never taking it off, and was expected to be ready when an attack was sprung on her. Her opponents never went easy on her, and she could always her the disappointment in her voice. The punishments increased in severity. From brutal lashing with a switch, or cane, to physically holding her head repeatedly underwater, until she was left to cough out lungfuls of water.

"X."

She struck the thoughts from her mind, it was only because her father cared so much for her to succeed in a world that was so cruel and difficult. She'd heard of famous people chewed up and spit out in the blink of an eye, and others where the best protection money could by couldn't save them. No, to survive was to depend on yourself, and only that. Nobody in this world gave two shits about you, don't trust them, don't listen to their filthy lies. They will harm you, steal from you, lie to you, manipulate you. The world will use you, and discard your withered corpse into the streets with the rest.

"Y."

The technician nodded, "Good, Good, do you feel any pain?"

"No," She lied, ignoring the splitting headache burrowing through her skull, the stinging fire coursing through her veins as her body rejected the presence of the foreign machines.

"Have you felt any pain since.." The technician paused, finding her operation only listed as experimental, "Ah.. since your procedure?"

"No," She lied again, pushing away the memories of her writhing on the floor, curled into a ball of pain.

"Any trouble sleeping, or eating, any abnormalities to your usual routine?"

"No," her voice was flat, her face perfectly blank as she refused to acknowledge all the mornings she was doubled over, vomiting and then dry heaving when her body had nothing left to give. All the sleepiness nights she lied awake, willing herself not to cry as her body's initial rejection of the nanites flared up. The crippling fatigue that would wash over her, or the ache in her bones. She was a fighter.

"Any motion sickness, ringing in the ears, abnormal coloring of the skin-"

"Nothing at all, I have been in perfect health since fulfilling the recovery period."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Another couple of years passed, during which she underwent a further increase to her training. She had also taken on meditation, and more advances styles of martial arts, along with learning how to use the sword, specifically the Katana, and those of similar design. She was a new metal, ready to be forged in the fires of her Father's desires, molded by the weight of his expectations, of what he had done for her. For all of the ill things he spoke about the world, he had not discarded her. She stood now, like many times before, in another bloodlines practice ring, her toes flexing against the thing strips of bamboo composing the mat beneath her. To either side students of Qui Tsu Fei fighting style stood, observing the yearly tournament the Senichi family held to show off skill and award rank.

"Didn't she miss last year?" One of them whispered.

"I heard she went blind," Another voice whispered back.

Caedence ignored them, focusing instead on her breathing and her surroundings. Another woman stepped forward, she was years older by far and had the face of somebody wizened with experience. The middle aged woman bowed respectfully before Caedence, a girl merely in her mid teens. Caedence returned the gesture, before taking her stance once more. A dignified member of the family broke through the crowd, offering each of the women a sturdy Bokken. Both of the women accepted their weapons, Caedence leveling her's before her in a straight line, a formal stance mirrored by her opponent.

"Begin," The gravelly voice of the eldest commanded.

"Yamate" she whispered, feeling thousands of tiny flutters against her skin as the nanites exploded from her body in speeds far too fast for her eyes to see. In less than a second she was bathed in a purple hue, the faces of her watchers seemingly frozen in time. Experimenting with her ability had shown that the field will begin to lighten into a brighter shade of blue, increasingly changing from purple as it draws to the end of it's duration. She wasted no time, rushing forward with her sword held at the ready. At a dead run she jumped, parallel to the ground as both of her feet connected with the solid force of her opponent's body. Caedence rolled, leaping once more into her attack at the field began to lighten from plum, to lavender, and finally to a sky colored teal. She took a position behind her opponent, steadying her breathing as she focused her ears on the elder, perched against the far wall of the room.

The field dissipated as quickly as it had come, leaving all that delayed forced to hit Caedence's opponent all at once. The woman's body flew backwards, her face frozen in shock as pain exploded across her body. Her limbs flailed as she turned quick rotations through the air, whirling like a human torpedo into the stunned crowd. A resounding slap echoed, as the suppressed forces caught up to Caedence. Her bokken exploded into a hundred wooden shards, leaving her hands only with a hilt. The crowd gasped collectively, their voices immediately protesting their disbelief.

"Did you see how fast she moved?" A man asked as medical staff rushed over to the battered form of Caedence's victim.

"That's not possible, she's cheating!" Another voice cried. Caedence stood, dusting herself off as another man entered the ring.

"She was searched and scanned before entering, I saw it!" A third said in her defense, a statement that was quite true.

Caedence ignored all of them, looking up towards the elder, and most importantly to her father position next to the older man. He didn't smile, but he nodded, which was as good to Caedence as a hug, a kiss, and a brand new puppy. 'Cheating? For being better than them? Nonsense' her father had said. In his desire for her to be the best, Caedence felt he was losing his way, forgoing his honor and her family's traditions. But he had saved her life, surely he was right in this. Honor was impractical, it was a weight to drag you down. Another part of her argued against that, but it was a quiet, meek park.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"It's time you joined the family business."

The words echoed in the back of Caedence's mind, now just on the cusp of adulthood. A shrieking wind was coursing through the night, carrying frigid air to slither across the outside of her armor. She lay against a glass window, held to it by a pair of air compressing gloves that acted like suction cups. A hundred stories below her, a city bustles with life among tall towers and thickly crowded roads. She did not feel afraid, but focused as she looked up towards the final floor. The penthouse suite, and the current temporary home of a target that had been rather hard to follow. It had been months since she'd been home, receiving only coded messages from her father's organization as she followed the trail of a target labeled only as 'Crow'.

She looked at the small picture hovering at the edge of her vision, overlayed aboved her electronic display. It wasn't much to go off of, a dark picture of a man with shadow black hair and a coat blown askew by a snow flurry. According to the substantial dossier, he was a known criminal, head of one of the top gangs terrorizing the galaxy. Caedence had read all thiry-six pages herself, and that was just what they knew of him. Above her, the windows fell into darkness as the suite's lights were turned out. She waited another forty minutes before moving.

"Hakiri," She said, drawing her sword with one hand. The blade hummed with soft vibrations as a starkly contrasting glow wrapped around the blade, like a torch held up in the night. With a swift motion she cut a roughly shaped hole through the window before her, and slithered inside. A disembodied voice called out in concern, as a like flicked on. A man with wild, cray hair stumbled into view, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Caedence's weapon speared forward before he could utter a single sound, fluidly opening him up from groin to neck in a single, swift motion. He crumpled to the ground, uttering soundless cries through a ruined throat as he tried to hold the vital pieces of himself where they were supposed to be. Caedence ignored him and moved into the next room, ignoring the need for a keycard by sweeping her weapon through the metal door itself.

The resident of this room too, met the same fate at the ghostly visage flickered before them, its weapon the brush to paint their blood upon the canvas of the room. Caedence barely paused to acknowledge the falling body as she stood below the ceiling, just short of the rooms far edge. She had studied the layout of the building, and with a little recon before hand determined the location of the master bed in the suite above her. She ran at the wall, her leg compressing as she launched herself in the opposite direction, dragging her sword across the ceiling. She landed, and immediately repeated the maneuver, slightly angling her cut another direction. Each time she did, she was met with an ear splitting screeching of metal groaning beneath its failing ability to hold the floor. A third pass and the ceiling dipped inward, hesitating just a second before caving in and bringing a fairly large bed toppling in with it.

"Yamate!" She called, feeling the same fluttering sensation on her skin. The scene before her froze, plaster smashing against the ground, loose wires letting off sparks, and a dark haired man sitting up in the bed. There was a look of surprise on his face, and a gun in his hand. From the way his body was position he must have been getting out of bed, likely alerted to something amiss from the sounds of her cutting through the floor. She leapt forward, using the falling debris as stepping stones in her ascension towards her target. Without hesitation she plunged her blade into his chest, before canceling her field of distortion, and the particle light sheathe of her blade.

The bed crashed to the ground, causing Crow to cry out in pain as his body jerked against the sword impaled into his chest, though the sound was cut off by a gurgle of blood. The lights in the room flickered ominously as he smiled, blood trailing from either side of his mouth. He raised up a shaking hand with effort, reaching into the breast pocket of his silken night shirt. "You're father.." He choked out, handing her a small case, before letting out one final, sinister chuckle. Caedence peered inside, seeing only a usb drive. She left her mark scattered all over his lifeless form, filled with no more emotion than when she had began as she considered the enigma of the drive.

It was later that she checked it, during her flight home after escaping the skyscraper. The shuttle rocked violently as it propelled itself into space, something no uncommon among cheaper flights. The drive held an expansive database of files on it, most detailing locations and dates. She chose a video a random, watching intently as a camera feed pulled up. A figured hidden through a heavy layer of shadow stalked up a corridor, from the other end a woman was approaching. She recognized the suit her father adorned during work, a set of armor based around the concepts of ancient ninja, and samurai. What had Crow meant to show her with this however? She knew what her father did for a living, she did the same thing, hunting down criminals and-

Hanjo moved without warning as he passed the woman, throwing her against the wall. Caedence recognized her as a bounty, at least one she'd seen inside the records of completion for her fathers kills. In this, the woman was dressed as a commoner, in a blouse and skirt, and even a bag of groceries. Caedence thought back, trying to remember what the report had said, but her thoughts went askew as the horrid scenes played before her. She activated the sound, plugging in a pair of ear buds into her wrist pad. Immediately her ears were assaulted by the shrieks of the woman.

"You look a lot like my late wife," Her father sneered, a look so menacing plastered on his face that Caedence didn't even recognize him. His hand ripped at the woman's clothes as he pressed a free arm against her throat. Caedence shut the video off, noting the subject number in the title. A little searching found the correct folder, and an entirely different report about the woman. She was nobody, a nobody who was engaged and a mother of one. Something deep within Caedence shuddered, suddenly becoming obsessed with the data drive. Another showed more vile acts, from other members of the secret sect of assassins, and still more, and more, and more until Caedence was left shaking, feeling a rage she'd never known existed within her.

"Honor," she seethed, stalking down the halls of her home. She had done nothing but stew on the ride home, watching the videos again, and again.

"Discipline," she hissed, her blade drawn as she marched through the still night, a whisper carried only on the wind.

"Honor," she growled again, standing before her father's door, "Discipline..."

"Honor.." her hand shook, violently, "Discipline, Honor, Discipline, Honor, Discipline..."

"..."

"...Yamate!"

Personal Belongings:

• Nova brand cigarettes, known for their cool, minty feel. Both girls smoke.
• Silver flip lighter with an embossed figured of an eastern dragon.
• An airtight packet of cherry blossoms.
• A tin of breath mints.
• A pair of black ear buds.

Other: Caedence and Nano were imprisoned for seven years at the age of nineteen.

Theme Song

Esoteric's Workspace

Moved.

A R K H E U S

Collab links added, find them here.

Player Resources

Esoteric's Workspace

Moved.

A R K H E U S

IC is green for launch. Let's get those characters done people :)

Freedom In The Stars: Deathbound [A Suicide Squad inspired sci-fi adventure] (Closed down)

Taka's face feel into a state of contentment as she listened to the ongoing discussions, mostly Callum explaining the elephant in the room, or rather, the headless elephant. She rolled the salt cube around in her mouth with her tongue, feeling quite pleased with the treat, and herself. So the fed guys had really put a bomb in her head, not that she had ever doubted them—It wouldn't have been the first time Taka had the sanctity of her cranium threatened. She wondered idly if she could get around this one, disable it, but after what had happened last time... she was rather hesitant to try. Maybe if she had like a frog or something, that's what people tested on right?

Callum gave the signal to move out and Taka obliged, fully willing to let somebody else lead. If she was the princess, then Callum had established himself as king, and she had no desire to try to ascend to the throne. Kingly duties weren't her thing anyways, she wasn't one for bossing people around. He could smile once in awhile though, she thoughts as she followed the group back to the hangar. Callum led them through the frigid air to a vehicle that looked appropriate for this type of climate. She climbed in the back, a smile on her face—

"Oh can I drive?! I'm a good driver!" She stated. However, Callum seemed quite clear on his intent to do everything, and failed to respond to Taka. She sat with a huff and pout, crossing her arms over her breasts. "Jerk.." she murmured, setting her back down between her feet.

"Damn feds. They just send us out to some icy asshole of a planet to get fucked over by some mind-control artifact thingy? Like we're some kinda "Self-Destruction Team"? Jesse grumbled, taking a seat as well.

"We're probably the best they got," Taka giggled, stretching her legs out, "And if you die, well, who cares right?"

Jesse looked over to Princess, raising an eyebrow. "Well, I'm sure Call wouldn't be too happy he didn't get to finish me off." He muttered, somewhat disgruntled by the glee with which Taka had made the comment.

Taka shot a glance at Callum's back, "King Callum has it out for you huh?" She asked curiously.

Jesse's gaze shifted amongst the criminals gathered in the transport. "Who doesn't?" He asked, almost thoughtfully, before leaning in closer to Taka. "I don't play well with others." He whispered with a wink.

Taka chewed on the statement for a moment, almost literally as she bit her treat in two, "I think you'd make a fine subject for a princess," She stated, nodding to herself.

"I'm flattered, Bubbles-"

"Princess" Taka corrected.

"-You're just warming up my little heart." Jesse commented, not giving any heed to the correction.

"And his heart grew three sizes that day," She said with a laugh, finally noticing the somber mood of the other passengers.

"That it did..." Jesse murmurred absentmindedly as he looked at his crewmates, eyes narrowly watching their dull expressions. As if snapping from a trance, his eyes widened as he looked to Taka. "Don't these jokers know how to enjoy their job?" He asked almost incredulously.

"Probably worry about 'splodin," Taka explained, tapping the side of her head for emphasis.

"Don't worry about that," Jesse said, tapping the side of his head with his revolver. "Mind games." He reminded the Novahn cryptically, before diverting his attention elsewhere. Taka followed suite, leaning back and closing her eyes. She hummed softly, listening to the howl of the icy winds and the creaking of the vehicle shaking over uneven terrain. Before she knew it they'd arrived at their destination.

"First a temple now a dungeon? I hope I get an epic!" Taka exclaimed, her voice drowned out even to herself by the wailing of the oncoming blizzard. The grouped work their way through flurries of snow towards the mouth of a cave. Taka pushed her goggles up onto her forehead, looking around with clarity in what would be darkness for most of the others. However, it didn't seem there were any hidden loot cashes in the darkened corners. The only things of interest were the lights illuminating the corpses, bright even to makes her eyes water and her vision blur. Other than that there was a strange little pyramid of metal. Taka walked closer to it, reaching her hand up towards it—

"I wonder if this is-" She began before a shrill ringing split through her skull. Her thoughts melted into incoherence, becoming only aware of the pain inside her head. She cried out as the ringing intensified, blinded by the its pulse of light. She fell to the ground, writhing, seeing only a bright white canvas of blindness speckled with flashing spots. The comfort of darkness washed over her, pulling her away from the terrible sound. Into the abyss of her own mind.

Music

An bewildered face was looking down at her, from so high up. Onimani blinked, unaware of how to properly form words but answered with a gurgle of light, childish sound. Next to her a twin pink form sat slumped against the wall, a happy look plastered on her face despite her physical limitations. The larger figure laughed, scooping the children up in both of her arms, "I think we'll see a celebration the likes of which this city hasn't seen in a long time," she said with a laugh. The small pink nohvans mimicked the sound, feeling the joy of it. Onimani blinked—

She was running. Down an alleyway. "Come on Taki!" She cried, looking towards the exit and back to her sister frantically. The other nohvan was shambling along, using a pair of braces connected to her forearm as a crutch to help support her improperly developed legs.

"I'm going," She huffed, "As fast as—I can."

"C'mon Taki, get on!" Oni ordered, kneeling before her sister. The other girl smiled, wrapping her arms around Oni's neck. Oni help the crutches steady, so as not to bang herself up, and took off at a lumbering jog, fueled by her sister's giggles. The duo rounded the corner and emerged into a street already full swing into celebration. A hunter had killed Dhumandi in a legendary act of bravery, or so the elders had told the two small girls. It was being hauled out of the water and the girls were determined not to miss it. Oni laughed with her sister, closing her eyes for just a joyous moment—

It was dark, Oni was afraid, terrified. She crouched, hidden behind a stack of smelly crates full of fish and other sea life. Taki was crying next to her, one of her crutches broken. A pair of boots crept closer, thump.. thump.. thump. Oni pressed her hand over her sister's mouth, "Ssh" she whispered. A wide eyed Taki looked up at her nodding. The two terrified girls huddled together in the silence, ears straining for their assailant.

"Well what do we have here?" A rough voice said, peering over the top of the crates with a sinister sneer. The girls screamed, Oni squeezing her eyes shut with fright—

"Hey you little tramp, get off me!" An angered voice commanded, connecting a boot with Oni's head. She was older now, and attacking one of the members of High Octane.

"YOU DON'T EVER LAY YOUR HANDS ON TAKI AGAIN!" Oni shrieked, throwing herself back at the man, trying to bite him. They were well aware of what her fangs could do, and she found the butt of a gun jammed into her mouth.

"I'll do whatever I fucking please to that sweet little bitch of a sister of yours, you got that you little shit? You're here on my good graces, next time you do your job and you do it well or you'll find yourself in the first whorehouse I can drop you off at. You got that you little bitch?" The man sneered, kicking Oni across the floor once more. Tears streamed down her face, ones of helplessness and despair. She sat up, rubbing her fists against her eyes—

"Hey Oni?" Taki's melodic voice asked, looking up for a workbench littered with hundreds of components, her tool in mid turn against the project she was working on.

"Yea?" Oni replied passively, running a greasing rod through the barrel of her gun.

"I think today is our birthday, that makes us thirteen now, right?" Oni asked a bit sadly, her mind depressed at the thought of what could have been.

"Yea probably," Oni grunted, moving on to cleaning another piece of her weapon.

"I got you something," Taki said, using the joystick of her wheelchair to roll closer to Oni. She tapped the side compartment, build into the wheel. Oni quirked an eyebrow, but opened it for her. Inside was a small container, wrapped in dirty red cloth and tied with a bit of colorful wire to make an impromptu bow. Oni smiled, she only ever smiled around her sister now, Taki was the only one who could make her smile anyways.

"Oh sis.." Oni said, unwrapping the gift and pulling out a small pastry cake, "How did you?"

"It wasn't a lot, I promise, besides we may not need to save money anymore," Taki explained, rushing forward before her sister could question her too much, "I think I can turn them off, I promise I'll be safe about it okay?" She pulled at the metal collar around her neck for emphasis, her sister nodded, trusting Taki's judgement. Oni smiled, tearing the treat in two and sharing it with her sister. A hopeful laugh sounded from both of them, Oni's eyes closing with a pleasure she hadn't felt in a long time—

Oni fixed the goggles over her face, a simple piece of headgear with darker lens to help combat her sensitivity to the lights on the ship. Behind her the quiet hum of Taki's chair rolled behind her. Oni held up a fist, signaling her sister to stop. Around the next corner a door opened, footsteps echoed on the metal tiles coming from the hangar. A tall, thin man walked around the corner, a clipboard tucked beneath his arm.

"Were you going huh sprite?" He asked, stopping in the two girl's path.

"Ship needs some color, and a tag change," Oni explained with her best poker face.

"Both of you?"

"Does she look like she can paint you moron?" Oni growled impatiently, anxiety building in the pit of her stomach.

"And your dumb as rocks, got it, get on with it then before you get a spanking kid," The man replied with a laugh, walking around them.

Oni grit her teeth, motioning her sister to follow. Once in the hangar she gave the same story two more times, before helping put Taki up in the cockpit, second seat, where she would pretend to do the tag changes on a computer pad. Oni hopped down, approaching a pair of workers fixing up another space craft.

"Where's the paint she asked?"

One of the men turned to answer her, and found a barrel in his face, "What the FU-" the resounding bang echoed off the walls, splattering the insides of his head across the ships hull, and his coworker. The other man whirled, fumbling for something large to hit her with—Oni squeezed the trigger a second time, hitting him in the shoulder. A third time, his chest, twice more she shot him, the final round embedding itself into his head. The hangar's alarms sounded, causing Oni to let out a curse she barely understood the meaning of. She ran for the ship, where Taki was already engaging the thrusters.

A man coming around the back of the ship leveled his weapon at Oni.

"Drop it kid, the boss would hate to lose the money he could mak-Hey what the fuck you little shit," He cursed, Oni had pulled the trigger to her gun halfway through, but it only let out an empty click. The much larger man stalked forward, a sneer on his face as she backhanded her. Oni fell to the floor, tasting blood. But it was Taki's startled cry that shot adrenaline through her, overshadowing it with determined rage. Her attacker's food was raised, ready to deliver a kick to her head. She rolled around it, moving with the nimbleness only a kid could have. She sank her teeth into his ankle, holding on for dear life as he tried to shake her off. A few moments later and he collapsed to the ground, his paralyzed form failing to scream anymore vulgarities at her.

The girls laughed with relief as Oni fired the heavy blasters, blowing open a hole in the hangar. The vaccuum of space rushed in, sucking out tools and the responding High Octane personnel. The thrusters engaged and the two sisters blasted their way out of the station.

"I can't believe.." Taki wheezed, her lungs failing to supply enough oxygen throughout all of the excitement.

"Neither can I," Oni laughed, hugging her sister from the seat next to her. The girls didn't say anything else for a few minutes, they just laughed and cried together, the swirl of emotions refusing to pick a steady course. The jubilant sounds of triumph were only disturbed by a quiet beeping. The girls fell silent, Oni's eyes widening with terror.

"Oh my god.. Taki!" Oni yelled, she tried to get back to the controls. Tried to turn around, to take it all back. But her body froze and stiffened as Taki's collar detonated. The splash of wet plops sent chills down her spine, she didn't want to turn around, but she did, and the dead of space was only broken by her constant, continuous wails.

Taka huddled on the ground, curled into a ball as the scene continued to replay in her mind. The bang, the plopping sounds, the noises. Every single detail painted in perfect clarity. She body shook as it was wracked with the power of her sobs.

"Taki.." She cried, pulling herself to her knees. She stared at the ground through the wall of disheveled hair hanging in front of her face. "Taki.. please don't leave me,"

"I won't Oni, I won't," a haunting voice chimed, airy and melodic. Taka looked up towards the voice, her wails only increasing as the visage of her sister hovered just at the edge of the light. A pink skinned nohvan, with pale hair and coral colored eyes. The visage smiled at her, her eyes staring into Taka's soul. "I won't leave you again, I promise."

Esoteric's Workspace

Moved

A R K H E U S

Anne's Bio finally added, sorry that took so long boys and girls.

Next stop. The IC.

Esoteric's Workspace

Physiological Interview

"Please state you name for the record Miss," A pointy nosed man in a crisp white collared shirt asked. He adjusted his glasses and pressed a hand to the table set between him and his client, opening up a computerized interface. A dossier pulled up with information about the auburn haired woman before him, including her training exams.

"Annelle Caldera," Anne replied formally, you could hear the underlying tones of nervousness in her voice.

"You're the daughter of Lucias, yes? I heard he had high hopes for you," The clerk smiled reassuringly. To Anne however it looked sinister, snake-like. There had been a lot of pressure put onto her because of this fact, her prestigious father. The Head of the Watchmen, a man who escalated himself to the very top. Everybody had expected one of two things from her, to forge her own trail in a blaze of glory, or to ride her father's success. Anne watched the clerk, mustering the strength to keep her face passive as he flipped through her records.

"I see you know work as a Systems Engineer, why did you leave the watchmen?" The clerk asked, fixing his sharp eyes on her. Suddenly the weight of this interview set itself upon her. This man could put her away somewhere dark and isolated if he deemed her too fucked up to be among society, or even if he just wanted to. Who would question him? Who questions the questioners?

"I.." Anne started, picking through her words carefully, "I lost my squad, my friends. After that, I didn't feel like I could adequately perform my duties." Anne took a breath, willing her eyes to stop watering. The memory was still fresh in her mind, their faces, what was left of them.

"Yes, it says here you quit for personal reasons, in the comments you only put 'I can't do this anymore', elaborate," He demanded, leaning forward and folding his hands on the table.

Anne took a breath, balling her fists tightly to try and distract her mind, "We were the Valkyrie Swords.."

It was an average night, punctuated by a light drizzle of rain. It had been dark in the slums, but here it was practically abyssal. Anne crouched inside a rusted building, her hidden form peering through metal blinds that refused to move anymore. Her squad was lined up to either side of her, bodies barely moving as they mimicked the stillness of the night. Anne watched the rain falling, so soft it barely made a sound. Her mind pondered how it all worked, the weather, the day cycles. She always did that, lost herself in thoughts of machines of how they worked. Receiving a stern tongue from her father about how she should be training, something he'd been pushing since she had been young. Even then she only earned average marks. She could practically feel the disappointment in his eyes, but he had never showed it, he just kept pushing.

"Maybe this will be the night you get a name, huh?" The woman next to Anne said. She turned to look at her squad captain, a blonde haired green eyed beauty by the name of Madaline—But everyone just called her Sunshine. You always got a nickname after you earned a story, it related somehow. The man next to Madaline chuckled quietly, Ox, and he was built like one too.

"You think sho ah?" He chuckled again, a quiet rumbling. Anne remembered the first time she'd met Ox, a little over six foot tall he cast a shadow that should could nap beneath. That felt like so long ago, a younger version of her even though it had been a measly two years. It might as well have been a lifetime ago.

"Shut up you oaf," Marcy hissed. Despite the name, Marcy was a man, the titled was derived from the word 'mercy'. Which was something he did not give.

"Both of you quiet, look," Sunshine said, leaning a little closer. The small square lit up for just a moment before going dark again. From the first entrance two flashes signaled, which were returned by the new arrival. Anne never quite understood why a signal that was older than dirt was still used.

Car doors slammed shut and idle engines became quiet as shadowed figures emerged, loaded with duffel bags and armed. A table was quickly set up in the middle, flanked by each faction's soldiers. The two leaders stood to either side, showing their wares and negotiating deals. Anne turned on her visor's interface. She pressed the thumb of her left hand against the palm of her hands, activating the interface nodes in her glove. She moved her hand slowly through the air, manipulating the imagery on her visor, marking the targets.

"Marked," she whispered. A second later three small blips hovered at the edge of her vision, notifying her that she was linked up with her squad. A few seconds passed as Sunshine read the situation. As Anne watched another window popped up, Sunshine was profiling the two at the table. The first was a key negotiator for Sapphique, Malcolm Croyle. The dossier the department had on him popped up, Anne closed it. She had read his report at least twice. Sunshine sucked in a breath as the second window popped up, Anthony Tandon, a civil rights spokesman. He's led peaceful protests and given a number of speeches in an attempt to fight the corrupt power of the government.

"Holy shit, is he Liberata?" An unfamiliar voice asked. Anne focused on her interface, A blazing sun and chariot had appeared just below the blips for her squad. Sunshine must have linked up with the Dawn Riders, another group of watchmen posted up just across the square.

"Eyes on the price boys," Sunshine whispered through the comms, "Case is open, Axel you got eyes on it?"

"Yea I see it," A husky voice murmuered, "Looks like a weapon's deal, look like Mr.Tandon is buying something pretty big."

"Alright ladies, wait for the bang," Sunshine ordered, pulling a sophisticated canister off her waist belt. She carefully nudged the door open, though it still let out a quiet squeak. One of the nearby figures turned towards the sound, elbowing his buddy in the ribs. They took a step towards the hiding place of Anne and her squad just as Sunshine rolled the device out. It let out a shrill whine half a second before exploding into a blinding glare of light. The men screamed, falling to the ground, along with most of the others present in the square.

A door at the opposite end of the clearing flew open, The Dawn Riders simultaneously moving out with weapons ready at the same moment that the Valkyrie Swords filed out of the building. Sunshine fired two quick pops, downing the closest blinded men and the others took that as their cue. A hail of gunfire opened up in the square, ballistics pinged off the walls and orange balls of kinetic energy punctured through metal surfaces, leaving smoldering holes.

It was pure chaos as the seperate criminal forces scrambled for cover, each opening fire on any target that wasn't their own. Tandon yanked a briefcase off the table and high tailed it towards his vehicle, the tall wiry man running with reckless abandon through the torrential walls of gunfire. Anne moved steadily towards him, dropping anything flagged red that crossed her path.

"Tandon's making a break for it!" Another strange voice declared, another Dawn Rider Anne didn't know.

"On it," Anne said, slinging her weapon and turning on her mag gloves. She sprinted towards the car just as the door closed. Its rubber tires shrieked as it accelerated in reverse out of the alleyway. The driver was skilled, throwing the wheel and spinning the car just as it exited the alleyway. Anne dug down, reaching for speed. She'd never been terribly fast, but today she was fast enough. She lunged at the side of the vehicle just as it started gaining momentum, feeling her gloves latch onto its metal surface.

The vehicle began picking up speed. The rear passenger window came down and a body leaned out, pointing a barrel in Anne's face. She tapped the boot of her heel, feeling the energy kick on the magnets in her boot as she swung her leg out. The magnet caught the gun and Anne used the momentum to swing down as hard as she could. The gunner let out a cry as he was ripped from the window and fell beneath the tires. The car rocked as it rolled over the body, the driver locked the tires sending them into a squealing skid sideways up the road. Around them traffic honked in protest, trying to move out of the way.

The vehicle smashed into a transit bus. The force of the impact launched Anne into the vehicle, connecting her head into the rear passenger door with adequate force. She slumped against the side of the car, her magnets holding her upright, if a bit skewed. Tandon stepped out of the car, blood running down his face and his coat tails swaying in the light breeze.

"Foolish girl," He seethed, pulling a pistol on Anne just as she started regaining some semblance of composure. Tandon reached over and switched her gloves off, letting Anne fall to the ground. He pressed a boot firmly against her throat, rage glittering in his eyes.

"Another government dog, following her master's orders. Tell me, do you play dead?" He asked, clicking back the hammer on his gun. Anne grunted, trying to shift his foot off of her.

"Anthony, enough," Someone said. In Anne's distraction another car had pulled up, followed by several others. Anthony seemed to shrug as he stepped back, allowing Anne to suck in ragged breaths of air. The voice was owned by a large man, muscular but not top heavy, he seemed evenly proportioned. He rubbed a grizzled hand against his thick, scruffy beard.

"I could use someone with your kind of determination," He reasoned, crouching next to Anne and placing his hands on his knees. Anne pulled herself up onto her knees, rubbing her throat. The burly man stood, reaching into his pocket and dropping an electronic card next to Anne. She reached out, taking it in her hand. The display flashed to life, showing a server address.

"Who—"

"Freeze!" Sunshine screamed, charging up the sidewalk with her gun drawn. Anne looked back to see her squad coming to her rescue. Sunshine barely paused for a breath before firing a shot. Anne reached her hand up, realizing that her squad hadn't seen the other Liberata vehicles arrive, and how could they, the other vehicles looked like any old civilian car.

"Sunshine wait, he's not—!" Anne struggled to shout, but the words came out in a wheezing rasp. Return fire poured out from all around her squad. Men and women dressed in plain clothes suddenly had weapons and weren't holding back. Muzzles flashed next to Anne's face, creating still images of blinding white light, followed by the sight of her squad...

"I see, surely that would leave to some.. traumatic stress, no?" The clerk asked, adjusting his glasses as he tapped out some notes onto the table.

Anne wiped at her eyes, willing herself to keep it together, "I just.. I," Anne was on the verge of breaking down into fitful sobs. It had only been a few months, hadn't it?

"How about your home life?" The clerk asked, flipping to another screen showing flowing meadows of grass, and rolling hills bathed beneath golden light

"Not much to say there," She replied with a bit of a waver in her voice, "Dad was always at work, but we had a nice home in Sector Two. I remembering baking with my mom on cold winter days, and kicking our feet in the stream during warmer weather. Dad was always at work, but he—"

"What did your father do back then?"

"He was a part of DigiCorp, one of their Gladiators," She answered, a visage of her farther dressed up in DigiCorp armor pulling itself to the forefront of her mind. He had been so much happier back then.

"What happened?"

"Is it relevant?" Anne questioned, raising an eyebrow at him. She was sure some of the effect was lost due to her red eyes, which were still partially watery.

"In a mental evaluation, everything counts, and we have lost time to make up for," The clerk explained, folding his hands and once more fixing his penetrating gaze on Anne.

"Hey, the delays weren't my fault alright—" Anne began, trying to defend herself.

"Yes yes, You were saying about your father?"

"Ah... Right," Anne said, digging back into her memories, "He liked Digicorp, but at the end of the day it was a corporation and I guess he just, wanted to make a difference you know? Especially after my mom died."

"How did she pass?"

Anne sighed, steeling her frayed nerves and letting out a morbid chuckle, "She stepped on somebody's toes. We were walking home from grocery shopping, I was still young, too young to help carry the groceries anyways. I was dancing around her, doing kid stuff. She tried to pull me out of somebody's way, wound up bumping into another person and scuffed his shoes. He looked like the wealthy, hoity-toity type, fancy suit, dark shades, bleached hair you know? Well, he got pretty mad, looking at the scuff mark on his shoes. I still remember the sneer in his face when he shoved my mother back, she fell, right into the road."

"Was he prosecuted?"

"What do you think? They probably slapped his hand and said 'temper temper'."

The clerk nodded, "Such injustice in this world, it's a shame. Your mother was a fine woman."

"How do you?" Anne trailed off as the clerk answered her by tapping his finger on the tapping, as if to say 'I know everything'. Anne leaned back in her chair, letting out a huff of air that flipped her bangs from her face.

"Do you talk to your father?"

"Not since I left the Watchmen, pretty sure I've disappointed him but unfortunately that's overshadowed by all of this unyielding hate."

"Why do you hate him?"

"Why?" Anne responded incredulously, leaning forward, "I don't know, how about for not being there to protect her? How about for shutting down and leaving me alone after my mom died. How about for trying to force me to become his littler soldier ever since that day, always pushing me, dragging me along behind him in this grand vision of Father and Daughter cleaning up the streets? For devoting himself to his work, escalating himself all the way up into the president's lap to be hand fed his fucking biscuits and leaving me alone to lock the door and microwave frozen fucking pizza? For looking at me with disappointment in his eyes every fucking time I'm in his presence, like it's my fault, like I'm this huge fucking failure."

Anne took a shuddering breath, she hadn't realized she had been shouting. She was standing now too, her grip on the edge of the table strong enough to scatter the pixels on the table. The clerk had the same look on his face, blank, all-knowing. She swore if he had smiled just then she would have decked him.

"I see, I believe I've collected enough data for this interview."

The statement come out of nowhere, ripping away all of Anne's steam. She plopped back down in the chair, feeling worry and anxiety eating away her rage. "So, how'd I do?" She asked, her frazzled mind signaled this was an appropriate time to laugh—so she did.

"You harbor a lot of resentment, towards the Watchmen, towards your father."

"God damn Doc, I think you just cured me," Anne remarked, feeling everything drain out of her. She felt empty, purposeless.

"I'm not going to put your away, Anne, I will however recommend your employer to move you to the basement level."

"Yea? Some dungeon to lock me away in?"

"Just the opposite actually. There's a man down there named Elliot Watts, he's one of us."

"One of us?" Anne asked suspiciously, suddenly feeling quite uncomfortable.

"You'll understand, in time. Learn before you decide. You're interview has already been submitted and cleared, you've been a normal, stable citizen for at least a month now."

"What are you talking about?"

"In time Anne, In time," The clerk said. His chair screeched quietly as she stood, closing the table's interface and leaving the room. Anne just sat there, she wasn't sure for how long. Time passed as she stared at the sliver of light peeking through the partially ajar door. Her thoughts running together, smashing into each other in an uncontrolled chaos.

"What the actual fuck?" She asked the empty air.

A R K H E U S

@UnknownScarlet4 It's also a PC app. Just so you know.