FunnyGuy

Code Vein (Closed)

---

Location: On the Road!
Interactions: Akaia @Exit, Vincent @Daxam,
Mentions: Juice @PigeonOfAstora, Poppy @dreamingflowers, and Ajax @DClassified

---

“VINCENT! Ha! I knew you’d make it!” Erik's exclamation boomed through the van as he raised his fists. “Licorice, you’re right! The matter at hand is of the utmost importance.” Erik nodded with a determined look at the corvid that simply stared at him. “And Kaia, as for Pops, don’t worry. If anyone can save someone from Pop’s, it’s me… Well, technically Ajax is the better pick but I’m a great second!” He gave Akaia a thumbs up before sharing the positive gesture with Renee and Licorice.

“Alright! We have quite the pressing mission but those explosions are just calling out to us, don’t you think?” Erik placed the vehicle in park and made his exit before peeking back in. “Renee, stay here and make sure no one takes the van. And just know that if you take it… Vincent can catch you.” Even with the warning, Erik kept up a warm smile for his guest. While making his full exit of the vehicle he rounded the front of it. “Let’s take a quick detour and find out what’s making all that commotion. It sounds too big to be a Kaboom Box but way smaller than a Tsar Bomba… Hmm….”

Erik walked toward the now smoking ruins and sighed.

“If only I still had my megaphone… Vincent, you’re pretty loud. Can you yell to see if anyone’s out there?”

Young Justice

Location: The Hotspot, Taos
Interactions: The Team

---

Viktor paced himself several feet behind Riley who had left the restaurant in a hurry. The sight of such a thing had piqued his interest, presenting a small window of opportunity.

Before this moment, he had a few options laid out in front of him. Many included lightly sabotaging the suspect’s evening date so that events could move forward and allow the team to tail her. However, Riley, the potential victim being let go so easily was something Viktor found strange. To risk losing positive control over him seemed out of character for someone planning a kidnap him. Without hard evidence, Viktor couldn’t be entirely sure but this was this situation was the best lead the team had. Three persons of interest included Riley, the mystery woman, and Mateo. One operation to uncover.

Viktor just hoped his team could handle things at the cafe while he made the unilateral decision to leave. I was able to make a few saves, but the rest is up to them… I hate it, but I have to trust them to be successful.. Too bad his idea of saves were actually potential obstacles for everyone inside as he had piled on another tale.

“I have a request but I’m embarrassed to say it.” Viktor had caught Riley being dismissed by the suspect. Hmm.

“I have to leave because… my ex…” Viktor subtly nodded his head in the mystery girl’s direction. “...is here and I just can’t… The entire situation is very awkward... She cheated on me.” Viktor averted his eyes but was really shifting his sights out of a window at Riley who had just exited.

“Oh… I’m sorry but what-” She wondered what that had to do with her or how she could even help something like that.

“Listen, I’m unable to face my friends with this, so… I will pay their bill with and tip you personally if you agree to tell them I… had a stomach ache. Sufficient?”

“A deal's a deal, I guess. Follow me to the register.” The only thing she cared about was the easy cash. Viktor paid, tipped $50, and was on his way out the door to follow a different element of their lead. The prey.

Viktor began to game plan in his head about how he would approach Riley. He knew he’d have to do so without interfering with his trajectory. If the mystery woman was indeed the culprit, Viktor only thought it best to allow the hunter to take its prey so it could be followed to its lair. When he was given a moment of pause, he texted the good ol' group chat.

Tailing the guy who just left 😠

Viktor favored the determined expression of the emoji he chose.

Code Vein (Closed)

---

Location: The Strategy Room!
Interactions: Lys @Force and Fury, Akaia @Exit, Ajax ,
Mentions: Vincent @Daxam, Dallas @pantothenic, Poppy @dreamingflowers, Indigo @khosmik

---

Erik’s smile faded from his expression as he watched both Vincent and Akaia bolt out of the room, and just when he was going to explain why he drew the former the way he did. He couldn’t judge either of them as that’s precisely how he’d want people to react to something like that, even if he didn’t. Instead, he remained in the strategy room, contemplating whether he’d just let those who sprung into action handle it or discover what was really going on.

“I guess that’s that for the briefing.” Erik's eyes peered up curiously toward the source of the blaring alarm. Why did an intruder choose to arrive before the briefing was really finished. I was only taking questions, but still… With his grin returning to grace his face, he shrugged and started out the door of the strategy room.

He calmly strolled down the corridor while rolling a gold construct resembling a flaming marble between his thumb and index finger. The loud bang he heard followed by Vincent’s complaint tickled him enough to get a chuckle out of him. The same could not be said for the sound of shattering glass. The construct dispelled in Erik's hand as he broke into a sprint down the hall.

“Making an old man run.” He muttered as he passed Dallas and the mess made by Poppy. “Keep up the good work Dallas!”. He shouted as he raced on but also grimaced as he imagined how pissed off Poppy might be. Reaching the door, Erik arrived just in time to watch Akaia shut it. He could have sworn he caught a glimpse of a tall figure of a stranger outside, but Akaia shut the door too soon. Judging by her reaction, Erik concluded two things; there wasn’t an emergency, and Akaia was disappointed the intruder wasn’t a certain someone. Switching priorities, he stopped in front of the disappointed sidhe. He figured he was too late to save Vincent from the wrathful one anyway.

“Who’s out there. Kaia?” Erik asked, but he was more so curious than concerned. Even if the person out there was a danger, he was sure the wild Vincent and the pissed-off Poppy were enough to handle it. “And what are you growing in the pot? A brand new staff?” Erik leaned toward the pot to take a closer look. “Hm, or something else?”

Avalia

Time: Afternoon
Location: Myriamor
Interactions: Myra @13org, Maeryn @princess, Alaia @Alivefalling
Mentions:

Equipment:

Outfit (left)
Disguise Ring (Appearance)

---

Then…

The failure to inflict violence on humans in River Port had left Vrexen eerily quiet. His lack of communication with the others was ominous given his outspoken nature. The only sounds that left him for the first two weeks were simply low growls and muttering. The demon had been railroaded from his passion… his purpose. The demon had always believed violence was the only aspect of life that mattered yet he kept experiencing different in this world.

This wretched world.

Food… Amas… Fear… Death… Difficulty… Humans…

Vrexen had begun to despise the reliance on these things, yet as much hate he had gathered in his heart, he never inflicted harm to anyone during his eerie period of docility. The lack of violence or mention of it from the demon had put Astra on edge. The fear of Vrexen snapping at any moment was frightening enough, but now he was behaving so strangely. However, nothing occurred. After some time, the demon eventually spoke again but never commented on the events that occurred in the port town.

Astra took the opportunity to take the role of guide and navigator while she practiced the use of her magic. The dark elven rogue did this for two reasons: to increase her worth to Vrexen, and to leave Maeryn responsible if anything were to go wrong.

All the while, she asked for pointers with erebokinesis. She’d play the two against each other while reaping the benefits until they reached Myriamor, a place she wasn’t exactly comfortable traveling to. Her head was not without a price on it, and so she kept close to Myra and Vrexen as much as she could. The former she bonded with more than the others. Myra was Astra’s big investment after all. So much potential, but the pale demoness needed so much time to bloom. She attempted to teach her about what each ama was worth, the various uses of gadgets, and the effects of different potions.

At the same time, however, Astra noticed Myra’s extreme aversion to her and Maeryn’s use of dark magic. Even when she wasn’t using it offensively. In an attempt to keep good relations with Myra, Astra decided to use her magic away from Myra. Out of sight, out of mind.

---

Now…

Vrexen, Astra, and Myra were essentially window shopping within the Sturdy Stables where Vrexen eyed potential buffet he could help himself to if he ever felt the need to indulge in sinking his teeth into the beasts of burden. As desirable as that was, he was content with just being indoors and out of the sunlight. Still, in his reptilian appearance, he whipped his tail about as he was pleased with Astra’s showing of a place he could ravage later.

“You know if I had a mount, I could keep up with you two.”

“You could feed us as well…” Vrexen spoke plainly. Astra shot him a disgusted look before Maeryn came bursting in with a rare look of excitement on his face. Vrexen let loose a low snarl while Astra simply said,

“Where’s the party, Maerie?”

Avalia

Time: Afternoon
Location: Dugmaghord
Interactions: Rosaria @potter, Nuallán @13org, Aurora @Mole
Mentions:

Equipment:

Pocket watch
Black stetson
Hat and Cowl
Black Duster Outfit
Repeating Crossbow
100 Iron Bolts
100 Steel Bolts
Champ (Oak Horse)
Megatron figurine
Hunting knife
Rope
Saddlebag
Black neckerchief
Tinder box
Canteen
Matches
2 lbs of black powder
Two Gold nuggets
$40
Black swim trunks
Teeth Cleanser
Jumping Shoes
Body Cleanser
Armpit Fragrance
Birth Preventers (6)
Dark sight glasses
Wayfinder
First Aid Kit Cloth Armor
Mithral Shortsword
3 Red Potions
3 Blue Potions
Strength Gloves

---

Silent was the outlaw as he listened along to Aurora’s gentle hum. He had always enjoyed her company but the soothing melody made this time waiting for others to join him all the more pleasant. As nice as any moment was, it passed like any other. Rosaria’s voice cut in with a warm greeting and the declaration of joining the hunting party.

“Anyone else? Nope. Only folk that’re comin’ are the ones that show up on time. I ain’t no stickler for time, but I ain’t gon’ be waitin’ all day for dilly-dallyin’, princess.” He took one last sip from his canteen before tucking it into Champ’s saddle bag.

“You comin’ along Aurora? You know I’m always good to make space on the saddle for you and Mela there. And we ain’t racin’ or nothin’.” Whether she stayed or went was fine with him. It wasn’t like he would be playing third-wheel with Champ around.

Young Justice

Location: The Hotspot, Taos
Interactions: The Team

---

While Ja and Kassy remained at the women’s restroom, Viktor beelined to the first waitress he could find.

“Excuse me, ma’am. There’s something you and your staff team must know.” The way he spoke was slightly offputting to the waitress but she gave her his attention because, despite his tone, he wasn’t actually rude. He had a frustrated look on his face but that was just Viktor attempting to feign concern.

“Sure, what can I help you with?”

“You see the guy at the women’s restroom. Stop. I know it appears odd, and trust me, I got up from my table to confront him. However, he is not a creep. In fact, the teenage boy will soon be a father to the child the teenage girl experiencing slight nausea but they have both assured me that she will be fine.”

“Uhh, okay…”

“Good. I figured I would inform the staff team so the soon-to-be parents could have their privacy and so there was no alarm. Oh, and look at that, they’re finished. Perfect.” Viktor was going to break the conversation but figured he could take advantage of the situation. “I have a request but I’m embarrassed to say it.”

As much as she wanted to get this weird exchange over with, she felt she could at least hear him out. Oh, what could it be?

Avalia

Time: Afternoon
Location: Living Quarters, North Pass
Interactions: Rue @potter, Bowyn @helo, and Eris @Tae
Mentions: Annya, Bardulf, Ismael, Bron, Kharne, Aidan, and Raven

Equipment:

Male Outfit
Backpack (top right)
Adamantine Quarterstaff 250
Sling 4
40 balls 30
3 lbs of black powder 150
Mithral Half-Plate with Lighting Enchantment 590
North Pass Drip 80
Zoomies 300
Teeth Cleanser 5
Hair Cleanser 20
Hair Softener 20
Body Cleanser 2
Armpit Fragrance 5
Ring of Warmth (gifted)
3 medium red potions 9
3 medium blue potions 9

---

The Four Month Recap (trigger warning. The arrogance is strong in this one.)

The True Four Month Recap

To think that the mighty hero of Avalia would blow his cover of being such a bold light elf after being tested by the likes of Princess Annya! But it only made sense! Of course, the princess of her own kind would see through even Kaleb’s near-perfect performance! She only provoked the hero so she could witness the true glory of her savior and bask in his raw magnificence! And bask she would as her reward for her sharp intuition were four long months of mentoring the one who would end the second great war!

Would love or passion sprout between them? Unfortunately for the princess, no. Kaleb had eyes for another beauty within his entourage. The very elven maiden that had been at his side from the beginning (even when he couldn’t quite find her whenever she vanished). Of course, the snowy-white-haired vixen, Valerie, might have been a worthy rival for the hero’s passionate affection, but sadly she sought to leave this world. It was far too harsh for her delicate spirit. Upon giving a warm farewell, she revealed her true name to him. Raven. A name Kaleb would carry with him as he continued onward. And to make matters worse, The Woman Formerly Known as Saiorse had abandoned her duties as someone who might assist the hero and fled into the night. The selfish deserter would not be missed.

The responsibility falling on the hero’s shoulders now more than ever only further invigorated and impassioned him. Despite the option to depart from this world being present and the grim warning of the realities that accompanied war, the hero remained. To him, the story was already written and only waiting to be told and shared through the lips of all who knew of its glory!

Whether the looming dark elf threat, a winding river, a frigid north, or even Annya’s overbearingness, Kaleb persisted! The hero did all he could to pass the obstacles presented to him. Meditation time? Ha! What hero wastes time with that? Instead, Kaleb used the thirty minutes to get in some extra sleep before the real training began. Monologues were mostly avoided by his requested desire to meditate on the importance of respect alone due to being far too distracted by lectures. The hero cleverly expedited the mandatory journal entries by simply drawing how he felt using faces so he could spend more time on matters that weren’t so self-indulging. Resting was definitely included in these matters!

Thanks to the ever-needful princess, our hero had the pleasure of learning about sailing. Naturally, he excelled in these lessons. So much so that he only found it fitting to allow Ismael and Bardulf to get some more hands-on practice while he “supervised” their efforts. Kaleb could not horde all the glory and needed to empower his allies any way he could.

Upon passing the island of Yenworth, Annya chose to kindle the flame of Kaleb’s vast potential by advancing his training to include magic. Unbeknownst to the princess, our hero had received plenty of advice from the gracious maiden, Eris! His displays of magic were flashy, even for one who wielded flame in the palms of his hands. Despite his ability to conjure flames, the hero found himself contending against the harsh cold, and arriving at the North Pass only made matters more challenging. Even the warm welcome of the kind Nana Ruma was not enough to calm the hero’s wild spirit.

Why had Annya chosen such a place meant full of crazed creatures seeking death in this unrelenting cold? Was it a trial? To test his willpower, or perhaps she required a suitable reason to seek his comforting embrace when the time came. Whether it be the former or the latter, Kaleb was in store for quite the challenge indeed!

North Pass

Ther was no denying that Kaleb couldn’t stand being in North Pass. It looked nice, sure but could he actually enjoy that niceness? Fuck no! On a positive note, it gave him a reason to use his magic to keep warm. Warm wasn’t all he kept either. Kaleb mostly kept to himself as well except if he wanted something from someone which he made sure wasn’t very often. His behavior in River Port would seem a tad more tolerable since his magical slip up in front of Annya behind the brothel. Still, his first impression was one that stuck in the minds of most of the group. Butting heads with Annya was a normal occurrence though it had gotten a lot healthier over time. Some might call them frenemies or even think of them as bickering relatives.

He continued to spend an intimate amount of time with Eris, opening up to her about his acting career, and in turn, she shared what she knew of Avalia. He discovered she had a firm grasp on many aspects of this world. Who needed a dusty old library when you could have a gorgeous woman tell you everything you wanted to know in a hushed sultry voice? Oh right, some people aren’t so fortunate. She also hinted that she was older than she appeared. She never put an actual number on it, but judging by Annya’s own age and looks, did it even matter? He also noticed she rarely shared too much about herself which made him wonder if it had anything to do with past trauma. Perhaps if he opened up about his mother, she would as well. However, for the time being, he’d keep that to himself.

Despite Eris being his favorite among the group he mingled with the others without causing too many issues, which only meant there were a few issues that were nixed swiftly. One occasion was when he complained about Bron’s training regimen. Before things could escalate or the decision of placing Kaleb under Kharne’s tutelage occurred, Eris recommended Darius be sent to Botan who might have far more patience with someone like Kaleb given her conversations with Hiruma. When alone with Annya, she urged that it wouldn’t be great for the group if Kaleb somehow spoiled relations with Kharne as he may have with Bron. Guiding her faith, the decision was made. As much as Kaleb grumbled about it, he went out to train with Botan.

The monk questioned Kaleb’s desire for training, though he was willing to take him on as a student regardless of the reason. All he needed to know was what drove Kaleb, which happened to be his thirst for glory. It wasn’t the healthiest goal, but Botan chose to make do with it. To the monk, it was nothing more than a weapon to use against the foe known as indolence. Botan knew every excuse in the book due to using the same ones himself as a youth. Additionally, the panda demi-human saw a little of himself in Kaleb. Someone always trying to shortcut his way through things he found mundane. Under Botan’s tutelage, the spoiled celeb was quickly given an ultimatum. The removal of his hair or his voice. Botan knew full well based on his information gathering on Kaleb that the young man would never sacrifice the former. Without uttering a single word, the young man was on his way out.

“And here I thought the savior of all of Avalia could endure a simple month-long challenge to become something more. Then it’s decided, farewell-”

“Psyche! Ha, you thought I’d quit? I never quit anything! Take my voice, but don’t beg me to speak when you miss it. I guess you escape me calling you Po. But trust I’ll be patient just for that.”

“And you’re sure about it being your voice and not your hair because you- never mind. The voice it is.”

And for a month there was not a peep from Kaleb. There may have been a celebration of sorts that he wasn’t privy to but things were a little smoother for the group. The fact that he could emote his ass off didn’t help much but the voice was a great thing to lose for a month. Annya even held a noticeable bliss whenever she was reminded of the blessing.

However, it was not for naught. After some time, Kaleb spent more time listening (as if he had any other choice) and noticed the different sides of people he hadn’t seen before due to the absence of his criticisms and complaints. Since he couldn’t socialize much, he practice training a bit more, which was even more so due to the fact that he despised the cold. He learned he didn’t have to always put his two cents in… maybe it was more like five dollars, but you get the point. He also learned he didn’t always need to be heard and that the chores he was subjected to due to his lack of doling out excuses were not as bad as he made them out to be. Being too prideful helped him persist, which in the end humbled him some. Kaleb was much more tolerable once he could talk, and the ring of warmth Eris gifted him after his month of silence assisted in snuffing out much of his whining. Was he still an asshole, sure, but he kept a lot more to himself. For the group, life was was better…

---

Currently

“Sincerely, Bardulf?” Kaleb stared at the letter, unamused by it before igniting it in flames. He’d read the letter a few times, contemplating if he wanted to attend. Even as he cleaned up the mess he made with the letter, he continued to let his options stir in his mind. Despite burning the invitation, Kaleb leaned toward attending the outing. He liked Bardulf, especially since he noticed Eris taking an interest in him. Sure, there was a tinge of jealousy but he had his ways of dealing with competition. If relations remained as they were between the two, then perhaps he’d continue to like the man. No promises. I am starting to run out of conditioner… But do I really want to be around everyone on a day off from Annya’s schedule?

After a shrug, Kaleb geared up, wearing his mithral half-plate armor. Leaving his room, he headed in the direction of Bowyn’s with a neutral expression only to find Rue at its opened door. Of course. He maintained his expression until he was close enough to see Bowyn and graced both fairies with a smile.

“Adorable as always. Hashtag BoRue for the win, right?” A light snicker escaped him as he strolled by eyeing the two. He noticed the clutched paper in Rue’s hand that he guessed to be a copy of Bardulf’s letter. Without a need to stop and ask, Kaleb assumed the couple would be attending the festivities.

He didn’t mind the two. Bowyn had been more of a stranger to him after the big reveal of him being a human. As for Rue... She was the shy type so Kaleb always felt he was probably too intense for her to hang with him. That and he just didn’t have the patience to pry a person from their shell. Oh yeah, and there was the way her wolf looked at him. Kaleb didn’t think he was a fan but wasn’t emotional about the opinion of glorified Yorkie.

Continuing on, he eventually arrived at Eris’ room door, and without pause, he gave the door three firm knocks. He’d been with her earlier for breakfast but hadn’t seen her since then. As often as he visited, he’d have a key if there had been a spare.

“Delivery for the lovely Eris Lorafir.” He stood waiting with his arms proudly crossed at his chest. His lips formed a confident smile that accompanied his posture. The man was primed.

Avalia

Time: Evening
Location: Guarav Village
Interactions: Isolde @Blizz, Dante @Alivefalling, Menzai @samreaper, and Aidan @potter
Mentions:

Equipment:

Armor Deflection
Channeling Gloves
Ergen named Marble
Padded Cloth Armor
Memory Glass
Teeth Cleanser
Hair Cleanser
Hair Softener
Body Cleanser
Armpit Fragrance
Wayfinder
Backpack
4 flasks
3 Medium Red Potions
4 Medium Blue Potions
3 Black Potions
Elven Outfit 170

---

The last four months had to be the most interesting collection of events that Darius had ever experienced. Living in a fantastical world out of a fiction novel, arriving in a village of wolf people that adored humans, performing military-style physical fitness with his older brother that was meant to be dead, and discovering he could harness powerful magic… water but still! Even after arriving at Guarav, Darius was waiting to wake from this trippy dream in a hospital bed or his apartment floor. As implausible as that was given his healthy lifestyle at the time, Darius found it far more probable than getting sucked into a portal created by elves who needed help fighting a war against… other elves. The whole thing felt like the introduction to some RPG or something.

Fake or not, he was here and it didn’t seem like he was waking up anytime soon if he was indeed asleep. He was already in the depths of this whole thing. So instead of searching for the lifeboat that wasn’t present, why not swim while he could. Perhaps he’d find something along the way. Maybe he’d drown. But it would be far better than treading and waiting for the situation to change. Stagnation was Darius’ enemy. That may have been the reason why he thrived so well. Training, learning, and socializing. It was almost perfect except for the fact that he had to watch Dante and Aidan shoot cool fireballs and Isolde with her lightning. Darius felt like he had been put in the position he had always taken while with Dante. The second fiddle. However, this second fiddle held a purpose. Who would douse the reckless flames? Who would help apply ways to defend the group with an element that exuded physical force?

And for fourth months Darius practiced how to not only hone his element but to support the elemental prowess of his comrades. Extinguishing, conduction, and steam generation. He was disappointed he couldn’t transition his element into its solid or gaseous state like he’d seen in the the Avatar: The Last Airbender, but made due with what he could do.

During his time in Guarav, Darius had decided to purchase an Ergen mount he named Marble due to its color palette. It wasn’t as fierce as the tiger mount he could have gotten, but all he could think about while seeing the creature was a skit from Katt Williams about tigers kept in captivity.

“Nah.”

Darius didn’t want to hedge his bets on an overgrown tiger. He’d just get something that would take him from Point A to Point B. He was all about the experience anyway and an overgrown deer would promise that better than an overgrown big cat.

“Looks like I’m the first one here, Menzai!” Darius approached with his padded armor and Marble trailing behind him. Darius crossed his arms at his chest confidently. “Whatchu got for us?”

🗡 Roses and Daggers 🎕

Time: Morning
Location: Sorian Vikena Estate Garden
Interaction: Charlotte @princess
Mention:

“What have I done? Oh heavens, what did I do this time?” Lorenzo groaned shielding his eyes from the sunlight beaming through an oak tree’s branches and leaves. The man couldn’t quite take in his surroundings due to the tight squint of his eyes, yet he knew where he was. “Ugh… am I?” Though not as familiar to him as his own garden in Veirmont, Lorenzo had still spent plenty of seasons lightly tending to this one where he now lay. Peering down, he noticed the warm-colored tulips and sighed knowing he had crushed plenty when making a bed out of them. He did not need to ponder why he had come out here. He was used to waking in odd places, especially after he drank, which was often.

Between the drinking and his narcolepsy, Lorenzo sometimes found himself resting in unfamiliar places. Normally, he was lucky enough to find his bed, but there were times when he awoke without the warm embrace of his pillows and blankets.

With a deep sigh, the duke rolled over from his backside, sacrificing more tulips, and pushed himself up off the ground. Brushing his clothing off, he realized he was still dressed in his ball attire. Good. He was clothed. That means he at least had a few ounces of dignity. Just a few, unfortunately.

After regaining a sense of direction, Lorenzo trudged toward his home on the estate property. There was no dizziness or headache, fortunately. This morning actually felt easy as he just needed to deal with tiredness. He made sure to stick to the stone walkway, as it gave him something to focus on while he walked along it. The shapes of the various stones used to make the path grabbed the attention of his brain which was still waking. He also wanted to avoid flattening any more of his flora on the way. To devastate something so precious… So precious…

Lottie.

He stopped in his tracks before his gaze looked upon the rear of his home. How could he have been so irresponsible? So selfish!

“No no no no no no no. I-I… I must locate her.” Lorenzo’s eyes shot open as he started briskly for the rear doors of his estate. Bursting through, his eyes searched for his beloved daughter or anyone who could provide him answers.

“Nathaniel! Delilah! Benjamin!” Lorenzo called as loudly as he could upon entry. His eyes were still desperately searching the empty lounge area as he walked through with quickness. “We must find Charlotte this instant! Charlotte! Charrrloootte!” He walked briskly into the hall spotting Nathathiel’s startled face as he jogged to his lord

“Good morning Duke Vikena. I-”

“Where is the lady of this house?! Where is Charlotte?!” His tone was almost accusatory as if she were Nathaniel’s responsibility last night, yet the deep pit in his stomach reminded him otherwise. He didn’t want to face but he knew he’d never escape that feeling. Like shackles tugging at you ever so slightly only to remind you of your sin. Invisible to the eye but so significant to your past failures. Even if the world was oblivious to it, it would haunt you without mercy or compassion.

The poor pathetic man was nothing more than a victim to the grim presence of guilt.

“She is here m’lord. Sleeping in her room. But… Where have you been? I believe Lady Vikena was searching for you for many hours of the night? We saw you come in yet…”

“Lord Vikena! You’re home… You look-”

“I must see her, Nathaniel! Now!” Lorenzo demanded to which Nathaniel replied with a silent nod as he led the duke to Charlotte’s room. When Nathaniel poised to knock, Lorenzo simply burst into the room.

“Charlotte!”

Code Vein (Closed)

---

Location: The Strategy Room!
Interactions: Lys @Force and Fury, Desmond @Theyra, Poppy @dreamingflowers, Akaia @Exit, Ajax @DClassified, Vincent @Daxam, Dallas @pantothenic
Mentions:

---

“Ready are we?” Erik said as he folded and tucked the letter into his pocket. His passion was seemingly reignited as he quickly pushed off the wall with his shoulder blades and walked up to his favorite tool in the strategy room. The whiteboard. Grabbing his prized black marker he started to draw out the team breakdown while conducting the briefing.

“Alright! So, we’re going on a bit of a road trip. Anyone who’s been here long enough knows the Commune has plenty of cool things and resources here at the Crows Nest, but we don’t have it all. We trade with other friendly groups so we don’t have to rely on the Provisional Government for support. We trade supplies, information, and-” Erik held back a chuckle so he could remain as formal as he could. “-I’ve heard there are fun little playing cards being passed around. Anyway, one of the groups has gone missing. A revenant exclusive group that makes their living off of trading human necessities… mostly meats and cheeses for blood beads. We were supposed to trade with them a few days ago but they turned out to be a no-show. So the plan is to go investigate the trade route, follow up at their safehouse, and hopefully trade with them. If not, we might have to take whatever we find.”

Erik proudly turned and stepped away from the whiteboard with his poor scribbling on full display.

“We’ll load up one of the vans and make a stop or two along the way. We’ll head out within the hour, so stop by the armory, charge your batteries, and pack a snack! Questions?!” Erik appeared as excited as ever.