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⇜ Deicide ⇝ [Dark Fantasy Isekai]

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Character Sheet. Name. ??? Age. ??? Gender. Female Race. Curse ___________________________........... Current Appearance. As pictured. Location. ??? Interactions. Everyone. Summary. A nameless girl wakes up in an unfamiliar world and seeks help from others nearby. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Where the hell am I?Where the hell am I? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ A girl woke up lost just like the rest of them; lying on her back, looking at a strange sky, smelling the ash in the air. She had no recollection of who she was, where she was or how she ended up in the middle of a desolate and scorched field, but she did have a memory. The flashing images of a time from before repeating themselves over and over in her head. Slides of some far off dream she recognized but could not marry with the present. It was a mystery, but it was all she had, and despite the memory itself leaving her feeling annoyed, she clung to it like a child would a toy. Whatever it was this mote of time she was allowed to keep, she'd guard it and use it and this place to fill in the gaps in her memory and find out what happened. The gathering in the distance seemed a good place to start. Slowly, she got to her feet, brushed the dirt from her skirt and pulled a nearby spear out of the ground. ··· Hesitancy was betrayed by curiosity. There was too much she didn’t know and no other way for her to fill that void. She needed answers and she knew that the best way to get those answers was to ask. So she did. She approached the group, spear held firmly in both hands defensively and a question held at the tip of her tongue. She was prepared to throw either one. Both at the same time if she must, but as she grew closer, she began overhearing bits and pieces of a conversation already being had. Questions, lots of them. A lot of questions and a lot of questions being asked back to back in a wildly uneven manner. ...Huh... At first glance, it seemed that those gathered here were just as confused as she was. She shoved the sharp end of the spear into the ground and blurted out the first thing that came to mind: ”Hiiieeee.” Standing before the group was a relatively short gal. Five feet tall. Hair like sun-bleached driftwood that was cut short to her chin and parted like a stiff curtain around her face. A dark cloak hung from her shoulders and half obscured the thin frame of a girl underneath. A black buttoned shirt ended at the hem of a pleated skirt. The skirt stopped just above her knees. Sheer leggings poured into ankle boots that were already covered in mud. She was clearly not dressed for this world. One hand held firmly onto the buried spear. The other extended an outward palm in a meek greeting. ”Hello. I… uh. I'm sorry to interrupt but I’m a little lost and I have all of the same questions that she does.” She finished, gesturing toward the woman who'd just dropped her hands.

⇜ Deicide ⇝ [Dark Fantasy Isekai]

_{Update. 03.17.25.15:24}

- Changed the description of character skills to better represent
exactly what she can do.
- Added 'mystery code'.

Listen.

_{character concept for ⇜ Deicide ⇝ [Dark Fantasy Isekai] · image·font·v2_}

Age. ??? Gender. Female Race. Curse Skill One. Can shrink down to about two inches in height and can also return to her original height at will. The time taken to complete the change in size is one second. Visually, she simply shrinks. There is no instant visual change, no sound, no flashing lights or effects. __________________________........... Skill Two. Has the ability to send and receive messages with anyone she has met. The distance does not matter and she does not need to have eye contact with them. These message are delivered telepathically and cannot be picked up or interrupted by anyone else. Replies work much the same way. Code. Dvrgtgin

ThemeTheme _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ Psychology. She is singular in her focus, driven to be as verbally obtrusive as she can. She doesn't know why, she just knows that for some reason her voice matters and everyone should hear it. Everyone is supposed to hear it, and so she's naturally loud. Loud and pragmatic. Once she knows what she and those around her are capable of, she understands where the line is and when and how not to cross it. More importantly, this means she understands how little help she is in a fight. Besides trying to be the voice of reason, or annoyance to some, she'll do little else besides stay out of the way and stay out of the fight. She is also quite inquisitive. Of people. She really wants to know why they do what they do and then maybe try and tell them to do the opposite just to see if they will. What I Remember. · A Crossroad. What do I remember? Well I'll tell you what I remember. I remember a crossroad. But not like an actual crossroad. Like, the kind you find in life. The kind where there are two paths ahead of you and one of them is obviously the better one. I stood there like a signpost, okay? I stood there and I told him "Go this way! This way is safe. This way is right. THIS is where all the cool people go." But did he listen? NO! No he didn't! He said in not so similar words, "But I want to go this way." and then walked RIGHT OFF A CLIFF! But not like an actual cliff. What I Can't Remember. · A Failure. That idiot and his stupid dream. His willingness to kill so. Many. People. And for what? I watched him literally step on the backs of other people. I watched him take something beautiful and destroy it for his own benefit. I watched him at every crossroad in horror as he dug up the other path and set the signpost on fire. And finally, when it was my time, when his greed and rage and indifference saw to me tumbling off the cliff edge with him to our end, a single thought crossed my mind: Why didn't you listen to me?! Oh and that cliff we tumbled off of? It was real. It was a real cliff! I died! Honestly? You people suck. Why do I even try?_ _ _

⇜ Deicide ⇝ [Dark Fantasy Isekai]

I know we spoke and you gave me the green light to submit a sheet, but in case things change, I'm alright being put into reserve. There are a lot of very good people here already and I wouldn't want to further slow down the game. Please let me know if you need me to make any changes.

Edit: I forgot to remove the placeholder name I left in.

Listen.

_{character concept for ⇜ Deicide ⇝ [Dark Fantasy Isekai] · image·font·v2_}

Age. ??? Gender. Female Race. Curse Skill One. Perspective is a silly thing. There are so many ways to discover how to look at something that sometimes, you forget why you were looking at it in the first place. I don't know why everything and everyone was once so much bigger than me, but for some god awful reason, I can be small. __________________________........... Skill Two. And sometimes, that little voice in your head? Well that's me. I've got a lot to say and I'd appreciate it if you'd listen. I don't care where you are. I don't care who else is talking to you. You're going to hear what I have to say because as far as I'm concerned, it's important. No really. Really! It's important I swear!

ThemeTheme _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ Psychology. She is singular in her focus, driven to be as verbally obtrusive as she can. She doesn't know why, she just knows that for some reason her voice matters and everyone should hear it. Everyone is supposed to hear it, and so she's naturally loud. Loud and pragmatic. Once she knows what she and those around her are capable of, she understands where the line is and when and how not to cross it. More importantly, this means she understands how little help she is in a fight. Besides trying to be the voice of reason, or annoyance to some, she'll do little else besides stay out of the way and stay out of the fight. She is also quite inquisitive. Of people. She really wants to know why they do what they do and then maybe try and tell them to do the opposite just to see if they will. What I Remember. · A Crossroad. What do I remember? Well I'll tell you what I remember. I remember a crossroad. But not like an actual crossroad. Like, the kind you find in life. The kind where there are two paths ahead of you and one of them is obviously the better one. I stood there like a signpost, okay? I stood there and I told him "Go this way! This way is safe. This way is right. THIS is where all the cool people go." But did he listen? NO! No he didn't! He said in not so similar words, "But I want to go this way." and then walked RIGHT OFF A CLIFF! But not like an actual cliff. What I Can't Remember. · A Failure. That idiot and his stupid dream. His willingness to kill so. Many. People. And for what? I watched him literally step on the backs of other people. I watched him take something beautiful and destroy it for his own benefit. I watched him at every crossroad in horror as he dug up the other path and set the signpost on fire. And finally, when it was my time, when his greed and rage and indifference saw to me tumbling off the cliff edge with him to our end, a single thought crossed my mind: Why didn't you listen to me?! Oh and that cliff we tumbled off of? It was real. It was a real cliff! I died! Honestly? You people suck. Why do I even try?_ _ _

ᵗʰᵉ Last Avatar.

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West GateWest Gate ____________________________________________________________________________. Sunlight spread across the desert as a brilliant red, setting flame to the outline of Tu Zin against the mountain it was nestled against and heralding the return of another day. The warmth of its first light was cast across the dusty settlement like a net, chasing the last of the morning’s dawn into the shadows of rocks and rubble. It burned across dirt paths and slipped into the open windows and cracked doors of the earliest to rise; of those who woke to watch the sky catch fire and witness a beautiful thing impossible to see inside the walls of the Republic. Feyi never forgot her first time, and every day since then, she’d wait outside to give witness. By the time the sun had slipped above the distant mountains, she was already well and truly up. She’d spent the early morning hours in the dark, directing a handful of people as they prepped for a journey into the Wilds. They loaded supplies into the back of a vehicle parked at the front gate; a jeep albeit an ugly thing when compared to the Kyoshi. Even in the softer light of the morning sun, it was obvious that years exposed to the elements hadn't been kind to it. What had once been a white coat of paint had turned to a smudged brown from sand constantly scratching at the surface. Damage sustained to the exterior over time had been repaired over and over again with sections of metal plates wielded… or sometimes taped to the frame. The windows had been reinforced, the grill too fixed with a bullbar. A makeshift cage had been crudely attached to one side of the vehicle to create more space for cargo. All of it was rather mismatched and haphazardly cobbled together like a misshapen puzzle. Cosmetics clearly weren’t a point of concern, but while Tu Zin’s own vehicles weren’t conventionally attractive by any means when compared to the Kyoshi, in some ways, they performed better. Tu Zin knew a thing or two about traversing the lands around their home. Supplies were fairly straight forward. There was stable food and water, enough for at least a week outside the settlement which was longer than their three day planned excursion. Enough gas to get to and from their destination with some to spare. There were camping and cooking supplies, medical supplies and even some stacks of old newspaper for ass-wipe. All of it was loaded into the Jeep with a second, similar pile of supplies neatly stacked to the side and being loaded into the Kyoshi. Additionally, laid out on the hood of the jeep were a few extra guns, because while necessities were certainly important, what mattered significantly more to most going out were their means of defending themselves. Its why there was a large gun mounted to the roof of the jeep. The Wilds were dangerous. Fauna didn’t always play nice and sometimes, neither did the flora. People were dangerous as well but so too were spirits. They were out there, despite being less of a presence now than they were before the war. They were also incredibly dangerous. Bullets were useless, and according to Unye, bending wasn’t much help either. Their best chance in that situation would be to run. ”You understand?” ”You know I know some of this too, right? I was the main operator for SynEn’s PipeRunners. Some might say the best. Mostly Jin.” Sumire gave Feyi a thumbs up. ”People bad. Spirits bad. Flowers bad. I've got it.” Feyi placed another case of water into the back of the Kyoshi. ”Remind me again why you decided to leave? You’re not a Bender and Jin isn’t your blood, unless I’m missing something.” ”Jin is... well he's...” Sumire’s eyes seemed to wander off as she willing let go of the words she wanted to say. She turned toward the desert sun and let golden light wash across her face, splashing the cool of a still retreating dawn from her cheeks with a gentle warmth. The softer edges of her were slowly beginning to harden during her time in the desert. Or maybe she'd always been like this. It was hard to tell. ”I've been watching his back for a long time. That idiot needs me.” She turned back to Feyi and beamed her a wide smile before grabbing one of the pistols from the guns laying on the hood of the jeep. She pushed it into place on her hip. ...Or maybe I need him?...

_Prompt:

A week has passed since the meeting with Unye. Although much had been discussed, three things seemed the most important: First, he’d informed the group that they were not the only ‘settlement’ in the Wilds. Although it could be said Tu Zin was one of the larger ones, there were pockets of civilization dotting what was left of the world. Most survivors still lived near the capitals of the Bending nations and despite a more challenging way of life, these survivors thrived. Trade of goods and information did happen by way of dedicated couriers. Second, he explained that while Tu Zin was relatively close to the City, the natural barriers surrounding the settlement helped to keep them out of the city's eyes. The area surrounding Tu Zin was a drone blind spot. It was impossible to pass through the Si Wong Desert from the North. East of that was the Bastion Sea and West were the ruins of Gao Ling. Synergy Radiation in the area disabled any equipment running on Synergy. The third was the unfortunate reality of threats to Tu Zin. There had always been inherent danger to travel outside of any settlement but in the past couple weeks, it seemed disappearances had increased significantly, and not just on the road. Unye was forced to take a closer look at the situation when disappearances began happening inside the city. It had earlier been decided that after the conclusion of their celebration, a team would be assembled to investigate the disappearances. Reports had indicated sightings of strange creatures outside a nearby forest and it was there that they would start. An invitation was extended to the group in the hopes that in exchange for a place to call home, they would help to defend that home in its time of need. During that meeting, the man standing next to Unye, Tenet, remained silent. In the week between that meeting and now, the group was given free reign of the settlement once again, except of course to the town hall. Once the rest of the hunting teams returned without incident, the last part of their celebration kicked off with a huge feast. Sandworm is quite good. Posts for this round can include a snippet from their past week in the settlement. It is the early morning on the first day of the expedition.

ᵀʰᵉ Last Avatar & ᵀʰᵉ Red Lotus.

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The UndergroundThe Underground ____________________________________________________________________________. ”Am I in trouble?” It was difficult for Katakuri to put into plain words the gravity of their situation. Chosah didn’t and couldn’t understand. Her world, as far as either of them were concerned, was nothing more than play, sleep and her favorite foods. Claps for accomplishments. Laughs for things she found silly. Tears for the things she disliked. Hugs and kisses and the promise of more of them tomorrow and every day after that. But the discovery of what she was and Katakuri’s choice to protect her, pulled her from that world and thrust her into a new one. The real one, where laughs and smiles and cheers weren’t given to Benders no matter their age. The look in her eyes was tearing at a small piece of him. Chipping away at a wall that had been carefully built through years of conditioning. Brick by brick, everything he’d been taught and knew was true had been fed to him by the program that trained him; the program that shaped him into the sharpened tool he was. He’d been made an effective agent of the LSF, and the city and the wider world knew peace because of it. So why did everything he know stand in direct defiance of the girl wrapped in his arms? Why was such a simple directive so difficult to follow? All he was meant to do now was turn the child in. It wasn’t important what the LSF did with her afterwards. All he needed to know was that she had the potential to be dangerous and the world was much better off without her. He knew this. Understood it truly to his core. But he also knew his world was never the same since Chosah. He knew that this world, the one he helped to uphold, never gave to him what the child in his arms gave to him freely, every day. ”Daddy? --- By the time Shinobi News broadcast Tao’s speech to the wider Republic, Katakuri was already beneath the streets and out of the public eye. Once in the Underground, he knew it would be impossible for anyone to find out who or what he was. All he needed to do now was keep a low profile and keep moving. Already he'd ditched his dinner jacket and replaced it with a stained coat he paid a small amount of yuan to a beggar for. Chosah too was given a small, dirty and hooded cloak that he secured around her neck and over her shoulders. With the hood up, her features were obscured and when standing next to Katakuri, the pair blended naturally with the noise of the crowds. Before they ventured too deep and the air became a danger for Chosah, Katakuri also managed to procure for her a breathing mask and a number of oxygen capsules. It would be enough to last at least a day or two for Chosah alone. Katakuri figured he’d be fine and if he needed to, he’d find means for himself when the time came. For now, getting Chosah to a place he knew she stood a chance was all that mattered. Everything else came after.

Microfiction & Poetry contest #13 - voting and feedback

This is probably a non-issue and I don't know if this has been discussed already, but taking a look at this after having not been involved in the contest for so long, I just realized: would it help to have the theme and prompt listed as a reminder of what they were somewhere? Mostly just in case someone is coming here after having not seen the original post for this round of the competition.

ᵗʰᵉ Last Avatar.

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The Thirsty Cactus · A TLA CollaborationThe Thirsty Cactus · A TLA Collaboration ____________________________________________________________________________. Exit    The Thirsty Cactus. It wasn’t the only drinking hole in Tu Zin, but it was the most popular. Situated near the center of Tu Zin at the edge of one of the squares, it saw patronage at nearly all hours of the day and was frequently packed with locals and those who traveled the road. The drinks were hard and the food was great, or great as far as food was concerned in the Wild. The main floor was the bar and dining area which saw several hands helping to serve those patrons seeking shelter and food inside. The two floors above were additional rooms that could be paid for and used per night, all of which was managed by the proprietor, Linus. Typically, The Thirsty Cactus was always booked, what with Tu Zin being the largest known settlement beyond the walls and the inn being one of the more favorable stops. In fact, so popular was it that even after having been previously vacated in anticipation of housing Benders from the city, the rooms that were not rented out to the handful of survivors were already being claimed. Feyi didn’t get it. The air inside was often thick and sticky and warm. There was a fireplace in the corner that helped to push warm air into the colder corners of the dining area, but it also drew out the alcohol that had long soaked into the wood and the floors. It coated the mouth on every breath and painted the tongue on every word until you could get drunk on conversation alone. Then there was the dust that was dragged in from the outside and smudged into every crack and crevice and surface. Feyi could feel it scratching at her fingers and elbows and would often find it in her drink and food. It was impossible to escape, even when inside. Even more difficult to escape were the people that thrived under it. Under the dust and the last bits of sand from the desert, every inhabitant of Tu Zin made their home, and while some were welcoming of the new faces, not everyone shared in their celebrations. Feyi had learned early on when she arrived that there was safety, yes, but some of that safety she had to earn. Even beyond the walls of the city did danger lurk in the shadows. Because of this, and also because she could, Feyi had picked out a table in the loft area that overlooked the rest of the bar and provided some amount of privacy. Despite the warmer air collecting up there, and the smell, it was much preferred. With clear line of sight to the front door, she could easily wave over the others as they arrived and see any and all who intended to join them, friend or otherwise. She was seated next to Reman and in front of a pitcher of clean water, something she insisted was not easy to procure. ”I’m so good.” Feyi said, throwing Reman a wink. ”What would you do without me?” Theyra    ”Right now Feyi I do not know really.” Reman let out a small laugh and took a sip of water. Exit    ”Don’t drink it all before the others arrive.” canaryrose    Tu Zin was a place that took some getting used to. Chu was not quite there yet. She had spent most of the day exploring the town and resting up a bit (doctor’s orders, fuck you Vasra), and the dust felt like it had coated her lungs already. Every breath was irritating. But she was safe, and that was the important part. Now, though, she had to meet Tu Zin’s leader. Benders were important here, apparently. Chu Hua found herself opening the door to The Thirsty Cactus and immediately being hit with a strong odor of alcohol. The dust was slightly better here, although not by much. Her eyes skimmed the large, crowded room, searching for familiar faces, and they landed on Reman and Feyi. They sat on the balcony, conversing easily. Chu made a beeline towards them. She knew little about either, but from what she had gathered about them, they confused her- Reman especially. He wasn’t a bender, but he was here anyway. Never mind he had helped Jin Wei- how had he known about this place? Why? She recognized the name Xuoshi, which further confused her. Feyi was less of a mystery, Chu understood what she had done for her sister. She would’ve done the same for hers. Thinking of Daiyu and Jie made her heart ache. Just more people she had left behind. “Yo,” she said, reaching the table, and plopping down next to Reman. She eyed the jug of water. “What’s on tap here?” she asked Feyi, placing her elbows on the table. Exit    ”Stronger stuff than they have in the city.” Feyi raised her brow, flashed both of them a knowing smirk, and then got up from the table. ”Wait right here.” Before either of them could comment or protest, she’d run off and disappeared down the steps to the bar. Theyra    Reman took the time to look around and he had to admit that he liked it here. Bearing that the Thirsty Cactus’s aroma is overwhelming alcoholic and it kinda reminds him of a place back at the city. The city a place he thought he would never leave. He did wonder how his family was doing now that he left. Probably concerned about him and only Ms.Moon knows the truth and he doubts that she will say anything. Still, something to think about and Kaye will probably be angry at him if she knew the truth. If he ever returns to the city that is. Either way time to wait and meet with Tu Zin’s leader since Reman has some questions that he needs answers to. If he can provide them that is and so Reman was content to stay silent unless Chu starts talking to him directly.. Abstract Proxy    Vasra arrived at the Thirty Cactus escorted by an old lady bristling with energy despite the cane that she walked with. A cup of tea had led to a slow, ambling conversation that Vasra found pleasant. Tu Zin was not what she had expected. It was not just surviving in the desert, but growing. It was not what she had been taught at the university. It was not what the researchers in Ba Sing Se predicted. Lies. So many lies. So many lies that Vasra felt a heavy weight bearing down on her. There was a rot, she suspected, a lingering disease eating away at Ba Sing Se…and she wasn’t sure she could cure it. “You know, Mrs. Guō, I could have found my way here on my own,” Vasra muttered, a flush of red on her cheeks as the elderly lady led her closer to the table where some of the others sat. “Nonsense, you’re not like the others, you’re no ruffian like that stickball player, what would Unye say if something happened to you.” “You judge her too harshly,” Vasra replied. “Pah, stickball is a brutish game for violent thugs, now penguin sledding, that is a civilized sport.” “I’m sorry, what?” Vasra meekly managed. “The Doctor Dermok,” Mrs. Guō announced, patting Vasra motherly on the hand before turning and disappearing in a swish of fabric. Vasra offered a shrug and then smiled at her companions, “Forgive me for my lateness, I was briefly detained by the kindness of widow Guō. However, do not despair, for I bring some of her famous saffron buns.” Depositing the bag of fresh pastries on the table, Vasra sat down. The others looked good, better at least. She felt better. A bath had helped. She had slept. She had slept well for the first time since before they had fled Ban Sing Se. She needed to speak more with the settlement doctor, Sarah. She doubted Chu had been following her medical instructions. vietmyke    ”Ooh, that looks good.” Jin commented as he quickly swiped up one of the aforementioned saffron buns placed on the table. Jin was quick to plop himself down on a seat next to the others, Sumire not far behind. Somehow, Jin looked just as dirty as when they had arrived, except instead of sand and blood, he was covered in a film of mechanical oil and grease. Only his face appeared fresh and undirtied. His nose crinkled a bit at the wafting smell of alcohol permeating the room ”Its crazy just how functional this town is, despite being so far out of the way.” Jin remarked, ”Somehow I expected something more… low tech, out in the wastes.” All things considered, the town was a veritable hub, compared to what Jin had expected. He’d expected something closer along the lines of a tribal village, but Tu Zin had practically everything they needed to survive- except for the one thing Jin was so desperately searching for: Synergy. Exit    ”Life finds a way…” Feyi commented, returning to the table with two full pitchers of a mystery, bubbling and frothy liquid and enough glass mugs for everyone. ”...to make good booze where none should exist.” Then her eyes snapped to the bag on the table and the veritable treasure half hidden inside. ”Are those Mrs. Guō’s saffron buns?! Who-...” She immediately claimed one and placed the end into her mouth. --- As the drinks were poured and passed out and Mrs. Guō’s buns were mostly unevenly distributed, thanks in part to Feyi, the group settled in and spent the time before their meeting discussing the past events and the day before. The explosion had upended all of their lives, tossing them wildly into the unknown and it was a miracle they had landed where they did. Where most of those who tried to escape didn’t make it past the desert, they somehow survived and not just survived but found refuge. They were alive. Still, much had been lost and there were some who had lost more than others. It was hard to consider oneself lucky when the cost to survive was so high. For now, however, they had each other and they had a glimmer of hope. Tu Zin was safe and the people here for the most part accepting. Even better, Unye, leader of the settlement was supposably a Bender himself. The potential for a new life outside the protective walls of the city was more real now than any of them would have believed only a few days ago. However, there were still some walls standing between them and the peace they so desperately wanted. A little more than half an hour at the table passed before…

_Prompt:

Jin: For a half a second, a deep well of dread opens in your gut. Like something dark and heavy and very unsettling. You feel sick but just as quickly as you're overwhelmed by this, the feeling passes over you. Suddenly, all is like it was before and you're almost not sure you felt anything at all. But in the haze of your confusion, you know you did. What you felt was real. Everyone: The bar doors open and a near impossibly large man enters, drawing the eyes of everyone in the bar. He stands over six feet and looks to weigh easily over 200 pounds, non of which is obviously fat. Despite its best effort, his clothing cannot hide this. He is wearing Light gray pants with a black undershirt tucked into the waistband. A dark gray and thick poncho that seems very resistant to the sea of sand outside is draped over his shoulders and opened in the front. Peaking out from under this poncho is the grip to what seems like a very large handgun. The hood down reveals a rough and scarred face like that of obsidian sanded against the elements and braids that come down to his shoulders. One of his eyes is glossed over. There is no emotion on his face. Just a seriousness that remains unchanged as his eyes scan the bar. Eventually, he finds and focuses on the group and just... watches all of you. The second man to enter is much smaller by comparison. Under six feet and although not thin, when standing next to the first man, he seems to have the thickness of a paperclip. Short black hair that is only slightly messy. A face, that although touched by the sun, is free of cuts and blemishes and could be described as fair. Unlike his partner, he is not dressed for the elements and is instead in something that seems far more relaxed. His khaki's are tucked into black boots and a light, long sleeve shirt is tucked into the pants. The first few buttons on this shirt are undone. Before Feyi can say anything, the others in the bar begin to cheer and shout his name in congratulations. This man is Unye and so far, his hunt is still the largest to have been brought back. Ignoring the cheers, the silent warden next to Unye continues to leer.

ᵀʰᵉ Last Avatar & ᵀʰᵉ Red Lotus.

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____________________________________________________________________________. ”Good evening and welcome to seven o'clocks on Shinobi News. Our top stories tonight..." "Another Bender attack has shaken up the Republic, this time in the Upper Ring. This man… Katakuri Soran of the once powerful Soran family carried out this attack at his own residence only hours ago, slaughtering his father, endangering his mother and kidnapping his own daughter. Republic Security Forces who were already on the scene to investigate reports of domestic violence were caught in the path of this man’s rampage, resulting in the loss of life of many brave men and women. This attack is only the latest display of extreme violence from Benders since appearing all over The Republic and only affirms the seriousness of the Bender threat and the values of what our city was built upon. Despite this, earlier today at the gala and in an address to the city, the King shared his intentions to amend Bender law:" --- “I will not stand by and let Ba Sing Se continue to drown itself in ignorance only for it to fall to ruin. I will not follow in the footsteps of my father or his father before him. I will not allow myself to be controlled as they were, only to watch the people I love suffer. Tonight, I make changes to law, starting with those persecuting Benders.” --- "The King’s decision on the matter has been deemed premature and irresponsible and his handling of the situation unfolding in the Republic has been widely criticized leading to approval ratings dropping significantly since he first took office. However, Commander of the RSF, Tao Xu, has been lauded for his direct response to the attack in the Upper Ring and his acknowledgment of the concerns of threats from within the walls amidst growing chaos. Here is a small part of the press conference he held just moments ago:" --- FunnyGuy    “Greeting citizens of the Republic, as the Director of the Republic Security Force, Commander Tao Xu, the requirement to address the current security threat is a responsibility our forces carry firmly.” Tao presented his hand closing into a fist as he seemed to scowl at the screen. “Since the incident of the explosion in the Lower Ring, I must admit that our forces have had a number of shortcomings in bringing the terrorist responsible to justice. For that, I take full responsibility…” Tao paused for a second to allow his words to sink in, knowing well that his rare show of humility would leave watchers surprised. “But today is not a day for sulking or regret. Today is the day I show the whole of the Republic, just how determined the RSF is in securing peace and order within the Rings. Citizens of the Republic, I am here to inform you just how serious the RSF is in apprehending our wanted terrorist, Katakuri Soran, and bringing him to justice. His neutralization is not a matter of if but when.” An image of Katakuri Soran appeared on the top right corner of the screen. “As I speak, the RSF is increasing the production of additional Vanguards units, drones, and mecha tanks for deployment. To ensure your safety, I will see that more checkpoints and patrols are established to maximize our effectiveness until Katakuri Soran is brought in to answer for his crimes. If you see the terrorist displayed, do not approach him under any circumstances. Report him so that we, the RSF, can deal with him properly and ensure your safety.” Tao leaned in slightly. “And Katakuri, I know you're listening, so hear this and know that you will be found and your victims will be vindicated. We will strip you of your allies by any means necessary and snuff you out of whatever gutter you call ‘shelter’. I know you won't surrender yourself willingly, so continue to run and hide like the coward you are. Peace and order will be promised, I fully assure you and the good people of the Republic of this. Not a matter of if but when.”

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SynEn Tunnel System · |@Exit], |@canaryrose] & |@Fiber]SynEn Tunnel System · @Exit @canaryrose @Fiber ____________________________________________________________________________. Fiber    This was an ugly night. It pained her to be doing this, to be hunting Kata, but Zhen’s entire life was built around making hard choices. It was her code, no one and nothing was above the common welfare of all humanity, not herself, not Kata, not anyone whose death might get them even one iota closer to mankind’s optimal goal, however far in the future it lay. He always bore stress differently than her. She had a few major backstops aside from her devotion to the mission, such as a life that kept her too busy for much introspection, frequent usage of the LSF’s psychiatric counseling, and a general belief that free will played no role in choices and detachment that came from that. Kata’s methods were more eclectic, and he tended to veer between calm and rapid outbursts much moreso than her. When she had thought about herself and Katakuri, how it would end, there was only one way she had thought it would go. They would both have been stars on the memorial wall in the LSF HQ, unlabeled, unadorned, just more casualties on a wall behind many security checkpoints and the strictest clearance procedures; the site of the only memorial to benders allowed anywhere in the city. She had stared at the wall many times, counting the few she could name, the blank stars situated amongst the nonbenders who had served honorably, the names known only to those who had served with them, and perpetually fading into obscurity as time wore on and retirements and age took their toll. Now there would be no place for Kata on it, not even if he surrendered now; the only obituary he would have is a line listing him as terminated in the after action report. He had seemed so normal at the Gala, he had played his role perfectly. Even his antagonism towards her husband was forgivable, a way to liven up the evening. A part of herself she tried to suppress found herself wishing his outburst had come a little earlier, that his first outburst had been to give Xiaozhou a premature cremation, but that was an instinct she suppressed. As she had told herself many times, as repulsive as he was, Xiaozhou still was a net positive towards humanity’s ultimate goals. This moment called for a different side of her than the gala, instead of the saintly philanthropist, always promoting her own mission, she was a silent enforcer. No details given, no questions answered, just someone following orders far too classified to let any one from the public know. She couldn’t help but be self-critical about the job she was doing while she was next to 141, no matter what she did, some humanity would slip through; the same could not be said for 141. Exit    Ahead of the both of them were three representatives from SynEn. An, who had been introduced as the expert on the science of synergy as well as the one most familiar with the expansive service tunnels sprawling beneath the city. There was the engineer she brought in to assist and finally there was Jack who was acting as her security. He kept pace with An, and although he’d remained mostly silent, there was a strong sense of alertness about him. Despite keeping his eyes forward he was very obviously keeping close track of everyone in the tunnel. He couldn’t help it. There was no way for him to ignore the beast swallowing every inch of space in the narrow corridor behind them or the mysterious expressionless figure next to it. One was impossibly too large. Impossibly too grotesque. The other was a blank canvas. A void and he didn’t like it. He got the distinct feeling that neither himself nor An were meant to be here or even see them under normal circumstances and that the sooner he got their guests where they needed to be, the sooner he and An could get out. These people were dangerous. Even for someone like him, but he kept calm and remained focused on the task at hand: Get them to the Underground and get back to Vyska. canaryrose    Although Jack could disguise his discomfort, An was having a harder time doing so. That thing, behind her… nevermind the other one, with her disguised face and strange suit. It wasn’t human- but if it wasn’t human, what was it? It was no robot, as she had first thought. It filled the already stuffy, damp hallway with the mixed scents of sweat and antiseptics. If she got too close, focused too hard, she could hear its rickety breathing, the in and out of its warped chest and stretched torso. She just… had to try not to focus so hard. That was it. She tried her hardest not to look at it, instead looking ahead of her, into the tunnels beyond. That was it. That was her job, this wasn’t related to what had happened, not at all. But it was, wasn’t it? These people were hunting something. And An doubted it was the rats. She was an expert, that’s why Vyska had sent her. An expert. They weren’t here for her. So why was she so scared? Despite the storm in her mind, An managed to keep a straight face as long as she kept her eyes off the “agents”. Her lips were pursed, unmoving, her steps purposeful and quick. She just hoped they couldn’t hear the rattling of her heart in its cage. Exit    After what felt like an eternity wandering through the coiling service tunnels of SynEn, the group finally arrived at a locked wrought iron gate. Pins and plates were bolted across the frame and further secured with chains wrapped around and through the bars to create a tangled web of metal. It was obvious from marks on the chains and on the gate itself that attempts to breach the barrier from the other side had been made but then quickly abandoned when it was realized the corridor beyond was still in use. Cameras protruded from the ceiling blinked with life unfettered and all of them were turned to face the ominous ingress. All of them watching and waiting for someone to come through. To test the security of SynEn. A security that was undone in little more than a handful of minutes with a bolt cutter and power drill. The engineer worked quickly and before long, defeated chains were removed and bolts and loose bits of debris pushed to the side. Once the gate was pulled open, the path forward was made clear. In the dark beyond, painted walls turned to cold bleak cement. The uninteresting gray was interrupted every now and again by some small amount of graffiti. A memoir of the brave few who dared to venture so far. The ground was mostly barren or stained wet. There was no electrical humming in the now stale air. No noise. Nothing but an eerie stillness. A quiet that beckoned the agents forward. canaryrose    As the engineer undid the chains, An felt a sense of relief, thinking of being freed from their companions. She turned to them, then, curt, her eyes focusing on the one who looked vaguely normal. “This is the abandoned segment of the Underground,” An said, gesturing into the abyss. “We don’t operate down here, but it’s the most straightforward way to get to the Core without running into anyone. Follow this…” she tugged on the white cable, “and you’ll get to the Core. The wires will guide you, but I understand you’ve been given a map. Try and follow the wires, but, well… we don’t have infrastructure past this point, so we won’t be able to render any assistance once you’re down there. We don’t even have operational communications. So try not to get lost.” She stepped aside, then, behind Jack, giving the two a wide berth. Fiber    Zhen could feel the tension in the air, and to an extent she understood it. It had taken her a long time to get used to Object-141, and she had not been kept in the dark as much as the people from SynEn. It was not her mission to reassure them, not right now. She said “Thank you for your concern. It is people like you who help us keep the city safe.” As she walked forward, Zhen flicked a button on her wrist, one that activated some noise suppression circuits in her helmet, creating enough dampening and background noise that she could whisper into the microphone without anyone outside hearing. Opening the channel to mission control while they still had a signal, she said “Beginning our approach to the underground. Is there anything in the files about our guests from SynEn? I trust they can keep word of this operation quiet.” Exit    The engineer waited only long enough for the larger of the two individuals to squeeze through. Once they were clear of the frame, he shut the gate behind them. For him at least, the iron bars standing between himself and the monster on the other side gave him some semblance of security even if there was no longer a way to lock the entrance. ”Are we done here?” He whispered a little too loudly and a little too quickly. Jack gave him a nod as he watched the larger figure recede further into the darkness, its immense size blocking the entirety of the corridor and obscuring his view of the smaller figure in front of it. But even as the edges of the two individuals began to melt into the lightless hall ahead and the distance between himself and their immediate danger continued to grow, what remained long after was the noise. An ominous echo crawled back to them from the shadows again and again. A sound like that of a breath made of grinding stones. A nightmarish herald for any in their path. ”That is the third individual to show up like this.” Jack said, removing his hand from the grip of the gun tucked under his rib. ”Whoever they are, whoever they work for, these people are dangerous…” canaryrose    An tried to disguise it, but that echoey voice made her flinch all the same. Keep the city safe. It was almost funny, how ironic it was… but not, at the same time. What were they helping these people do? An watched as they retreated down the corridor, only relaxing when she could finally no longer hear them. She then turned to Jack and the engineer, trying her best to look as though that hadn’t rattled her at all. Min- the engineer who had accompanied them- was one of her best employees, but An disliked his presence here all the same. She was relieved when Jack dismissed him and he practically ran down the corridor. She just hoped he wouldn’t gossip about this to anyone else. “I think I’ll give him a bonus on his next paycheck,” she muttered, more to herself than to Jack. “Might encourage some discretion.” Still, the employees who worked in the tunnels… well, they had a mantra, one An found amusing: what happens in the tunnels stays in the tunnels. She just hoped it would apply here. “Jack,” she said. “I… thank you for coming. I know you did not have to.” He could’ve sent anyone, really, he was Vyska’s personal bodyguard, but An suspected he had come more for her than for the security of the company. It raised some interesting questions about if she was under any sort of surveillance, but it was still kind. “You said the third,” she whispered, beginning to walk. “What were the first two? What do you mean… do you think this is connected to…” She didn’t want to say too much- even with them far away, the specter of that presence lingered, making her nervous to even think of her now-usual treasonous musings. Exit    ”It’s all connected.” Jack glanced over his shoulder at the gate to the Underground once more, checking to make sure the shadows hadn’t moved. They hadn’t, and with every step in the opposite direction he took, he could feel the weight pressing against his chest lighten a little more. ”These people were nothing more than rumors not even a week ago, but now here they are, walking casually among us as if they were always right here.” Jack shook his head, taking his place a step and half behind An. He was quickly losing his grip on the plot. There were too many pieces being added to the board: Vyska became a Bender and then lost contact with her father soon after. An discovered a facility beneath the palace. The King announces his intention to change Bending laws and then more of these... agents show up. ”When I said there were three, I meant they made three. One of their own visited us on the day of the explosion with the same credentials as them but by comparison he was… normal. But they all want the same thing…”

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Inner Chamber · |@Exit] |@MistressDizzy]Inner Chamber · @Exit @Mistress Dizzy ____________________________________________________________________________. Exit    A woman turned to them as they arrived, regarding them curiously. Cautiously. "Welcome." She said, standing up and making her way over. She hopped down one of the raised platforms in a smooth leap, her long white hair trailing behind her like a shadow of ice and snow. Her clothing was loose and left her arms and midsection bare. Part of it was because of the heat, Nelu was sure. The other he could only surmise was to show off the effort she'd put into keeping herself fit. The muscles under her skin were defined in the shadows cast by warm light. She looked as though she could snap a man in half. "So... what do we have?" "Waterbenders. Both of them." Sonam replied. She pointed at Nelu. "And this one seems rather good too... we might want to consider..." The woman nodded her head as she studied the both of them. "Don't worry you two... you're safe now." She looked them over again and again as if the very shape of them was a mystery she could not solve. The bright green of her eyes seemed to cut through the amber glow of the room like daggers, digging into them, trying to see what was really underneath. Her bare feet shifted in the dirt. “I am Hunang.” Mistress Dizzy    ...This… this was Hunang?... Jin stared for a split second, stunned. They felt the urge to shiver, but training and tact muscled the movement down. Exit    Nelu fought the urge to look at his partner but Hunang's eyes snapped to Jin almost immediately. And while Jin was able to control themselves, Nelu could still feel them. It was the same now as it was earlier in the dark of the corridor from before. When they were cloaked in shadow and noise and for too short a time were somewhere else entirely. He could feel them as if their chest was still pressed against his and although the moment was fleeting, he felt their heart skip. They way Hunang focused on Jin, it seemed he wasn't the only one who noticed. Mistress Dizzy    Jin opened their mouth. "Thank you for your hospitality." They drug their gaze downward. An Upper Ring girl would be demure. And the real Jin felt oddly nude under that stare. "I apologize for staring… I've never met anyone quite as striking as you." The best lies had grains of truth peppered in them. Jin felt the smallest prickle of sweat beading the back of their neck. Exit    A cautious curtain was briefly pulled to the side as Hunang allowed herself a genuine smile. "You do not need to thank me... and you do not need to be nervous."

Do You Have RP Pet Peeves?

This has serious “Bitching Thread V3.0” energy, but if we all act like adults maybe it won’t get locked.

@BrokenPromise

I'm genuinely surprised this is a thread that still exists. Maybe we're doing it. Maybe we're actually doing a character development everyone.

I had peeves. I think I had two major ones, but ever since I caught the old, I've learned that my day to day is easier just letting things be. The first peeve I had were character sheets that were obsessively too long. Packed to the brim with information that was neither needed or ever going to be used. I found that they ended up being a waste of time (especially when an RP never got off the ground) or robbed players of organic interaction within the game. All the information is already there. I think a part of that peeve came from my inability to write a detailed backstory for every character I came up with, especially when I first started roleplaying. It was a lot of work trying to dream up a whole previous life in a new world I'd never been in before. I couldn't figure out how so many people were so quickly turning out the volume of information they were, and back when I was in upwards of ten games, that much prework before we even got started was daunting. But then I learned what I thought was happening wasn't always the case and CSs aren't all made for the same reason. For groups that have been going on much longer than others, these long CSs were a record of their past. All the organic information has already been hashed out beforehand is now being put to paper. This also includes characters created outside any game that are then used in any number of RPs the player thinks they can fit their character in. Maybe across all those worlds the character has walked, some of the stories made there stuck and the writer made it a part of their past. Then, all they had to do was copy and paste it into the next world and they were ready to go. Then, there's simply the love of character creation. Writing is an artform, and the character you're going to play is an essential part of the picture you want to paint. It's got to be right. The more information you have for them, the more fleshed out they are, the more the writer knows this character and the easier it will be for them to play as them. It's why long CSs can be good. It's also why I spend hours character creating in BG3 and giving my creation a backstory that no one is ever going to learn about.

And this leads into my next peeve which is players refusing to let players RP the way they want to RP. The need to judge other people for wanting to play someone perfect, someone edgy, someone too happy or too sad is missing the whole point of roleplay. This also extends to games that use character sheets that are obscenely long. It's what they want and that's okay. They want all the information or they want to play a specific type of character and if I don't want to, I don't have to join.

What Are You Listening To?

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	O V E R A G A I N 2024 _____________________ sir chloe _____________________ over again _________

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