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Mischief Reef/Đá Vành Khăn/Panganiban Reef - 11/09/2022 06:10 UTC+8

Lounging on a black and green chair of her own making that was furnished with sinfully comfortable cushions, Qingshe was in a good mood, as she sipped a sweet, cherry-red beverage from a wineglass. In fact, one might even say the Snake was in a better mood than she'd been all year, as she idly swirling the contents of her cup between sips while listening to the briefing being presented by First Lieutenant Alonso.

A lazy smile sat upon her lips, a languid, satiated thing, and golden-green slitted eyes occasionally traced across the crowd that comprised Task Force Obsidian. Her smile widened at the sight of the newcomers, as idle curiosity over what fascinating Noble Arms they might bring to the table swirled through her thoughts. Amusement bubbled within her at the one called "Aoi Mikoto". For senses like hers, it wasn't hard to notice the hostility she felt for the Snake. The sensation of having a silent glare boring into the back of your neck... Ah~, it was like being home again~.

Really, there were quite a few reasons to be happy right now. ASEAN's major leak had -at least ostensibly- been plugged, and while Qingshe really thought the Danggal Clan got off far too lightly for their treason, she acknowledged the certain level of hypocrisy in that stance coming from her. Didn't mean she actually trusted them not to start trouble again later, but for now, she could be satisfied that they were sufficiently cowed and surveilled such that any further disruptions on their end would be noticed and/or swifty dealt with... with far more permanence this time.

In far more unequivocally positive news, however, America's Congressional Midterm results and the impending entry of the United States into the ASEAN theater proper spoke well for the future of the war's conclusion. The mercurial nature of American politics had its ups and downs, but it seemed in this case, things were finally about to go ASEAN's way fully for a change. Already, the mere implications of this inevitable titan entering the field had shifted the priorities of involved parties. And the biggest proof of it all was the now scheduled diplomatic summit and the willingness for the PRC to even entertain it. Some had reasonably raised concerns, but...

"I'm willing to be cautiously optimistic," Qingshe added her two cents to the discourse, grinning widely and shooting a wink to Cristina, who she'd made a point of parking herself beside in seating arrangements. "At this stage in the war, the PRC have few diplomatic cards left in their corner. If even a speck of rationality remains with them, then the idea of attacking this summit should be anathema, purely from any form of forward-thinking perspective."

Honestly, more than anything else, it was the sheer delight~ of having a student again that buoyed her mood so high right now. The past week had been nothing short of invigorating for her, a true callback and something she'd not realized she was missing so much in her present situation. The satisfaction she received from having someone to pass knowledge on to in a meaningful manner was second to none, and Cristina -to her credit- was an earnest and excellent learner. It really said something about her talent how far she'd managed to come in only a week of tutelage.

Proud showman that she was, Qingshe naturally enjoyed tooting her own horn, and so she wouldn't entirely dismiss her own excellence as a teacher. But in the end, the true burden of improvement lay with the student, and Miss Bernardino had shown tangible results in not just improving her Noble Arm but -far more impressively- demonstrating even the basics of Occult Programming Language. What made it all the more appalling and impressive in equal measure was learning that Cristina had never had any formal schooling before the Snake. That she could still grasp such a thing as OPL even then? Extremely impressive. Qingshe was almost tempted to say "genuinely genius", but she didn't want to jump the gun so early. Only time would tell if that supposed talent held true long-term...

Letting out a wry sigh, Qingshe's mouth quirked. "Then again, 'rationality' and the PRC haven't been close bedfellows for a while now, certainly not since they joined hands with the Downward Descent." There was no point in concealing that fact. It wasn't like Superbia had been anything subtle in his attack on Nico. Pretty much everyone in the Task Force had to know by now about the newest global faction to add the unbelievably unlucky Mr. Makri to their personal shit-list. "So, I wouldn't blame anyone for taking precautions... nor generally harboring doubts of the integrity of this venture." Shaking her head, Qingshe clicked her tongue, before smirking and taking another languid sip of her beverage. "Under normal circumstances, I might say the presence of Arms Masters at such an event would be an inflammatory, dangerous thing... but no-one can trust the risk of a rogue actor striking while they are vulnerable, nor that their fellows won't bring their own insurance. Ergo, everyone feels compelled to not risk being the only one 'unarmed' if the worst should happen, and the whole thing becomes a messy western standoff regardless."

Reclining back in her chair and resting her cheek on the knuckles of her free hand, the Snake chuckled. "Of course, even if this looks too good to be true, even if this is all a hoax, the chance that it isn't is too tantalizing to ignore, isn't it? That's the rub of it all. It's bait too good to not bite, and if this is a trap... well, they'll know that as well as we do." Her gaze traced over the assembled members of Task Force Obsidian, her smile growing a touch cold. "Whatever else they might be scheming, one thing is almost certain, the summit is the ideal chance for the PRC to make a diplomatic coup. With the public revelation of Ai Chen's crimes, people are going to be leveling more scrutiny upon them. Before all else, if this is organized with any sort of eye towards China's future, their priority in this summit will be damage control. Shifting blame."

She giggled darkly. "They can't deny the existence of Ai Chen's proven crimes, nor the recorded actions of other malicious actors amongst them. However, they can still feign ignorance, condemn the likes of Ai Chen and claim she was a rogue actor with lacking oversight. They can make empty promises that nonetheless sound convincing, and they will almost certainly do everything in their power to individualize the sins of accusations levied against them. The more they can avoid the PRC as a whole being held responsible for the actions of a select few, the better." At least, that's almost certainly what she would do in their place. Tactically, it just made sense. Admit nothing, deflect and counterstrike. "Let's assume this is legitimate for a moment. If so, then the PRC will be looking to buy time and put their best foot forward."

She snorted. "Let us be unfortunately brutally realistic: in this era of media sensationalism, the public's attention span is short. A truce of several months serves the PRC's interests as well. It will give them time for the public outrage to die down and for them to fully quell any public upset on the home front. By the time this 'truce period' is over, the American public at least will have largely fallen back into their apathetic overseas stupor, and their cries for justice and war will be but a whisper. The PRC is unlikely to stop committing war crimes... They will simply be more careful about hiding them. Still..." She hummed, one finger tapping her wineglass with a quiet tinkling sound. "For this to truly all blow over, the PRC would need to overwrite the public's outrage with a newer, fresher target, so unless Russia decides to do something particularly... sensational soon, there's a good chance of the PRC being unable to shake this. They need a scapegoat and lack for convincing ones... but that doesn't mean they won't be looking."

She was grinning, but there was a glint of seriousness in her eyes. "This is going to be a delicate political situation. It cannot be overstated how important it is to not be seen to 'strike first' should anything... untoward occur. So, dress to impress and bring your best manners, even if Huo Ren himself should stand in front of you. Our actions will reflect on ASEAN and the security of their position at the bargaining table, and if you're feeling trigger happy... Don't. In an ideal world, all we're there for is to look pretty and -at worst- loom with vague menace while the politics happen. Violating a national diplomatic truce would be a disaster for us... Rather, for anyone who is going to be at that table." Shaking her head, she smirked. "Really, this is the sort of thing that shouldn't need to be said, but I realize that not all of you here today may come from backgrounds sufficient to grant you a complete understanding of the stakes at hand... So, I say it anyway."

Cristina Bernardino

& Callie Lidmann

- A collab post by @Lewascan2, @Digmata & @Nimbus


THE STARCHILD and the SERPENT'S CONSULTATION



Mischief Reef/Đá Vành Khăn/Panganiban Reef - 11/01/2022 08:22 UTC+8

"Hoh?" Qingshe raised a brow at Cristinia's request, a pleasant surprise. Although the timing could perhaps have been better... Glancing around at how crowded the section of the beach they were in was getting all of a sudden, the Snake had to loose a small chuckle, shaking her head in exasperation.

To Jin Li, she eventually said in Mandarin, "It seems our conveyance is growing less discreet by the moment. Perhaps we should continue this elsewhere another time. Perhaps tomorrow?" For now though...

She addressed Martha in English. "Hah, please excuse my interruption. I'll soon leave you again to your relaxation... this time hopefully more comfortable than before." From beneath her dress hem, her bubbling ooze spread forth, crossing the short distance to Martha and raising up a thin metallic plank from its mass that the ooze then proceeded to largely coat.

"Simply stick any part of yourself that requires treatment into the shadow, and I'll have you fixed right up~. No need for a full dunking... unless you want it, that is~." Giving a small hum, she grinned. "It may take a small while to complete, as I don't believe I've treated you yet. The first time is always the slowest." She didn't elaborate on why.

Finally turning her attention fully back to Cristina, Qingshe chuckled and spoke in Filipino. "I cannot say I was expecting such a request, Miss Bernardino, but regardless... I'd be more than happy to oblige you." Humming lyrically, she tapped her lips and grinned. "Still, such a conversation as I'm sure you'd require may be... sensitive in nature. Let us take our consultation away from prying ears, shall we?"

The Snake paused at the approach of yet another still, letting out a small chuff at the arrival of Callie. Shaking her head in good humor, Qingshe's lips quirked with a hint of wryness, as she answered the blonde's question. "Ah~, you're not interrupting all that much by now, really~."

Grinning, her slitted golden eyes squinted into smiles. "As it happens, Miss Bernardino and I were just now taking our leave, I believe." She smiled apologetically. "I'd invite you along for what promises to be a fascinating subject of consideration, but well..." She chuckled. "Consider the nuance of the matter something not dissimilar to doctor-patient confidentiality... Unless Miss Bernardino is willing to have you along, of course."

Nervously shook her head, she barely felt safe with what she's doing and would appreciate a company but this is her battle, she needs to face it alone.

"I'm not willing," she answered as she waits for Qingshe's move.

"Lead the way."

Qingshe’s mouth quirked. “Well, there we have it then~.” Sketching a small waggle of her fingers in farewell to the other beachgoers, the greenette practically sauntered away back towards the more industrialized portions of the island. Grinning to Cristina, Qingshe added, “I know just the place~.”








Just a little something I felt like cooking up... a sheet for one of the present reoccurring antagonists, who may just be getting more limelight soon.

"Miss PMC" wasn't clicking for me, so here's a different WIP, which I seem to have gotten a lot more successful momentum for.
WIP

Mischief Reef/Đá Vành Khăn/Panganiban Reef - 11/01/2022 08:15 UTC+8


Crossing her arms, Qingshe watched and listened placidly, as Jin Li responded with Mandarin in kind and drew a rough sketch of Southeast Asia. As he spoke, her brow slowly furrowed, the Snake following the direction of his words in relation to the issues she had raised. As he spoke of Lao and Cambodia, she tilted her head, cocking a single brow at his return question. "You think Lao and Cambodia have reason to side with China then." It wasn't phrased as a question. "Yet, as concerning as that is," she added, "in regard to our traitor issue, the relevant question we must ask is if either of those countries have access to Task Force Obsidian's strategic information."

Shaking her head, Qingshe chuffed humorlessly at the nickname for Ren Huo. It might have been funny if it weren't for how very true it was. Rather than exhibiting any particular appreciation for the insult to the Zodiac's Dragon, she inclined her chin at the information regarding the Philippines. She clucked her tongue in disdain. "Then the Philippines is our prime suspect, it seems." She cupped her chin with one hand, rubbing it with her thumb. "Between a government built like a house of cards, openly treasonous militias being formed within their own borders, and the fact that Task Force Obsidian was both originally formed underneath their jurisdiction and seems to largely remain under their command?" The Snake frowned heavily. "Yes... it lines up. They would most likely have the easiest access to compromising data about our deployments."

But yet again, it left her with questions, the "who", "why" and "how" most prevalently. Even knowing of all the war crimes China was committing, it boggled the mind why people would continue to support them in spite of that. Despite all she had seen and done herself, Qingshe was -in some ways- an optimist about humanity. She liked to believe in the strength of good sense and decency in the majority... Well, perhaps she wasn't that optimistic, but she at least believed in humanity's sense of self-preservation. To side with China right now, even knowing what they had done to those they captured or conquered in this war already? How could you justify it? Did anyone really think the devil would play favorites once everything was wrapped up with a nice little bow? No. That was a fantasy, especially with the Downward Descent presently mucking about...

At the pivot to speaking about Ren Huo, Qingshe's expression gained a twinge of consternation. Sighing, she shook her head. "I don't necessarily disagree, My Emperor; Ren Huo is undoubtably a threat. However, that fool would not be as much of a threat without a traitor telling him exactly how and when to attack us. Regardless of his interest, it matters little if he cannot locate us to begin with." She crossed her arms, frowning. "And even if we got the chance to target him, there is demonstrably a major complication: the presence of Cao Bao." A highly troublesome sort if she'd ever known one; Cao Bao was only made more troublesome by the apparent metric that he was far saner and more tactical than the majority of his comrades. Not a high bar to clear, granted, but as an enemy... the Snake would admit he was genuinely dangerous. "Unless we can distract or otherwise deal with Cao Bao long enough to isolate the Dragon, Ren Huo will never die, not while he has that man as his bodyguard."

Pausing, the greenette's golden eyes briefly flicked to Marta, who'd remained quiet all this time and looked a tad bit lost. Well, to be honest, the nun mostly looked like she was paying attention, and an untrained eye might have mistaken her silence for someone merely musing on what was being said tactfully. However, the somewhat glazed look in her eyes betrayed her incomprehension.

Smiling apologetically again at Marta, Qingshe switched from speaking Chinese to Filipino, saying, "Sorry about this. I merely had a bit of a sensitive matter to raise, and such things are best conveyed in our mother tongue." She chuckled. "It would be quite silly to potentially have translation errors in these matters." The half-truth crossed her lips easily; her only true concern had been concealing the topic of her conversation from listeners. Shaking her head, she eyed Marta's bandaged arm. "I thank you for your patience, but I don't believe I got an answer before. If you'd like, I can fix up that arm of yours... along with any less obvious injuries you might still be harboring." She chuckled. "I promise it's not a bother. In fact, you might even say it's one of my main jobs in Obsidian."

@Letter Bee@Amidatelion


Mischief Reef/Đá Vành Khăn/Panganiban Reef - 11/01/2022 08:20 UTC+8


Were Cristina to actively seek out Qingshe at this time, she would have little trouble finding a trail. The Snake of the Zodiac was not exactly a subtle figure to behold. Between the way she dressed, her own personal fame and recognition amongst the Qing Restoration Society and the fact that she had recently spent some time actively engaging with people in a search of her own for Jin Li, if Cristina were to ask around, she'd find no shortage of people willing to point her -one of their special guests- in the right direction.

Indeed, here in the heart of the QRS, amongst allies, Lei Qingshe had no particular reason to conceal her destination or target, despite being perfectly capable of it. If Cristina were to search for her, the trail would eventually lead to one of the many beaches that lined the island, and in the distance, she'd likely have little trouble spotting the tall Chinese woman, still clad in her usual eccentric salacious getup and speaking to a similarly eccentrically dressed boy in blue and frills. And sitting next to them on a towel underneath a parasol, there also appeared to be another member of Task Force Obsidian, Marta the "nun", presently clad in a modest swimsuit and with one arm swaddled in bandages.

@Digmata

Mischief Reef/Đá Vành Khăn/Panganiban Reef - 11/01/2022 07:50 UTC+8



Ah~, never change, Ren Zhao; you never fail to be endlessly amusing~.

Wearing a coy smirk and slitted eyes squinted into easy smiles, Qingshe stood to the side, not quite separate from the majority of Task Force Obsidian but not close enough to say she was "grouped" with them more-so than the Qing Restoration Society members in the area. In this situation, after all, she was amongst people to whom she owed quite a bit more "official" loyalty than a collective national task force of debatable hierarchy and discipline.

Shooting Ren Zhao a cheeky side-eye, Qingshe chuckled quietly at his boasting. The self-proclaimed "Dragon of the Zodiac"... she couldn't say she entirely trusted his good intentions, no matter how rich that might be coming from herself. Oh, to be sure, he was a staunch ally, but Qingshe had no doubt Huo Ren's erstwhile brother was as much in this for his own reasons as she was... and with markedly more selfish motivations to boot. Justice... morality... ending China's present tyranny... restoring the Qing rule? The Snake quite doubted any of that actually mattered to Zhao. He was here for one reason as far as she was aware, and that was to take for himself what he'd been overlooked for in favor of Huo Ren. Prestige. Respect. Authority. Power.

He sure can 'talk the talk'... but how much of that QRS propaganda of his is just talk, I wonder~?

For all that she loved to rag on him internally, however, Qingshe didn't particular distrust Zhao... or at least not his commitment to the bit... for now. By this point, having thrown his lot in with the QRS and ASEAN, there was very little chance the prideful man would compromise that with betrayal. His defection was as genuine as Qingshe's had been; of that much, she was fairly certain. Trying to go turncoat all over again would not see him welcomed warmly, and the Snake quite doubted his former masters had anything kind planned for him if he tried to come crawling back. In short, Huo Zhao had made his bed, and he had no choice but to lie in it. Therefore, if nothing else, Qingshe could at least trust that he had the victory of the Qing Restoration Society in his best interests.

Qingshe's grin only widened, as Master Ren Zhao's little speech came to an end, and the Snake took the time to saunter past the bearded man with a toothy grin on her lips. "Oh~, it's most comforting to be back on the home front, Dragon~," she all but purred, golden eyes gleaming. "My my~, it does my heart wonders to be welcomed so warmly by Master~ Zhao, himself." The tease in her tone was subtle enough to at least not be construed as public mockery or overt disrespect, but there was no doubt that the Snake was making some form of continuation of perhaps overly familiar banter.

In the corner of her eye, Qingshe spied Noel drawing away from the group with Nico in tow, and she had to resist the urge to shake her head at the bits of conversation her sharp hearing picked up. She didn't get the sense that Nico would be particularly amendable to the less than subtle romantic overtures. Never mind that it was generally considered a poor idea to get "extensively entangled" with people of higher rank in any command structure, Qingshe would have recommended against it solely on the contextual merits of this individuals involved, just based on what she'd gathered about them so far.

More potentially immediately concerning than that impending social trainwreck, however, was the reminder that Nico had been exposed to the fell powers of the Downward Descent's leader. Based on what she'd seen of less fortunate victims of that madman -both pre and postmortem, "magic cancer" was certainly an appropriate way to put it. It was an affliction that apparently fed on the energy of Noble Arms, making treating it rather tricky by most supernatural healing methods, and Qingshe was reminded most immediately that she'd not actually had the chance to conduct a medical overview of Task Force Obsidian's members after the conclusion of the last mission.

She'd been at first far more preoccupied with dealing with the thunderstorm she'd inadvertently helped create, which largely consisted of mitigating the damage it would cause, raising shelters and giant lightning rods from her shadow around and above the evacuating team and their rescued hostages. Other than the cold from the rain and wind chill, she felt she'd done a decent enough job holding the line until the storm finally moved on and a proper evacuation was conducted.

Of course, even once that was done, she'd had other issues to concern herself with, like writing up her strategically redacted after-action report in a technically honest but ultimately self-flattering manner... and ensuring no-one they'd come to rescue died as a result of the supernatural weather. If even a single person perished due to the mere proximity of the clash of titans she'd participated in, well... Sure, she couldn't be held totally responsible, of course, but it wouldn't be a good look regardless and might give certain people annoying ideas about what they should try (and fail) to dictate as her limitations.

Still, most of the damage to lives and psyches had been done by Noel and Ai Chen, the latter of whom who was now well and truly dead, a charred, waterlogged corpse sitting in the Snake's shadow. If anything, despite the scale of things, it was a miracle that the Snake and Rooster's battle had somehow caused little to utterly negligible loss of life compared to Noel's wave of madness. Most of the collateral on Qingshe's end had been to the local ecosystem and weather, but such things would ultimately correct themselves in time.

Which was all to say, this lack of time to really breathe between the conclusion of the last mission and making landfall here in Mischief Reef had unfortunately left Qingshe with few chances to clean up several injuries that the team was still recovering from even now, injuries that made such a "vacation" as this more of a necessity than a luxury.

The Snake made a note to make some healing rounds as a high priority. No sense leaving things be, when her team could be fully enjoying their time here otherwise, unfettered by the weight of past battles. Amongst those, she placed an inspection of Nico quite highly in its own right, if for no other reason than she was confident in curing anything that might still ail him. After all, he'd spent enough time in her shadow already for her to get a body template to chew on. It was quite possible for her to completely rebuild his body from scratch if need be to purge him of any lingering curse from Superbia.

In the meanwhile, however, there was another matter she needed to take this opportunity to address...

"See you around, Dragon~. We should definitely catch up later." Waggling the fingers of one hand in farewell to Huo Zhao, Qingshe sauntered off, as Task Force Obsidian split up to explore the premises and engage in "vacationing" in each of their own ways.


Mischief Reef/Đá Vành Khăn/Panganiban Reef - 11/01/2022 08:05 UTC+8


Now then... where oh where would he be on a day like this...?

Such were Qingshe's thoughts, as she traipsed about the island. Her target hadn't been in the places he'd usually be found in an "official" capacity for someone of his station, but a little asking around had given the Snake a few promising leads. After all, her target hardly had much need or apparent inclination to be subtle right here where they were ostensibly the most secure, and their position was such that someone was liable to be paying attention to their passage, no matter where they went.

Eventually -perhaps inevitably, however, her search finally led her out to one of the many beaches the island possessed. In the distance, across pale sands, sharp eyes spotted a familiar someone -none other than Sister Martha- sitting under a parasol... and someone no less recognizable standing next to her, swathed in frills and blue. Humming in the back of her throat, Qingshe ambled her way over, cocking a brow, as she caught the tail end of the two Arms Masters' discussion.

With her accelerated mental capacity and wireless connection, it took the Snake but moments to consult the internet for current events, and Qingshe had to restrain a frown at what she found. Preliminary US voter polling was not looking optimistic for ASEAN's interests in the war. If the US pulled out of both ASEAN and Ukraine after these midterms... Well, it wouldn't mean anything good. She could say that much with certainty. Of course, in principle, she actually agreed with an anti-war noninterference stance... In principle anyway. In practice, this little hiccup threatened to be highly inconvenient to her current interests, and it was all the more frustrating to know there was nothing to be done about it on her part, both practically in her physical incapacity to presently meaningfully interfere and ideologically in her personal unwillingness to intrude in humanity's self-determination... to a degree. There was little sense expressing despair over something she couldn't change yet -if at all.

Instead, as she reached Marta and Jin Li, Qingshe adopted a more firmly unperturbed smile, as she spoke up.

"Mah mah~, there's not much sense dwelling on things we cannot change, Young Emperor," she said to Jin Li, cocking a single amused brow at the way he was childishly doodling in the sand with his Noble Arm. The Snake of the Zodiac, both Chinese and QRS, was wearing her usual salacious black and white "dress" of a battlesuit like the casual wear she treated it as. She had no immediate plans to acquire any beachwear, but if the impulse struck her, she could always dip into her shadow for a change of attire. In the meanwhile, she was presently acting in a more official capacity as an Arms Master of the QRS, and that meant at least ostensibly dressing the part.

Folding her arms underneath her ample chest, Qingshe chuckled and sighed, briefly pausing to wistfully appreciate the glittering blue waves and the horizon on this warm sunny day, before returning her attention to the conversation at hand. "I prefer not to rely on miracles to attain victory. If this misfortune for our cause is imminent, then we should be preparing to adapt to the new status quo. With effort and ingenuity, I'm confident we can still prevail." One hand's fingers tapped a thoughtful rhythm upon her other elbow, as the Snake hummed in thought, before her lips pursed into a half-frown. "Speaking of... 'miracles', however, that brings me to a matter we must discuss: that being the apparent necessity of such absurdities in all of Task Force Obsidian's missions."

Eyeing Marta, Qingshe smiled apologetically. "I do apologize if this comes as a disturbance to your relaxation, but this matter is simply one that cannot wait, I think." She eyed Marta's bandaged arm and then blinked and smiled warmly. "Ah, I do apologize for not getting around to it, but if you're still recovering, I'd be more than happy to patch you up fully." She grinned and gave a small wink. "No sense leaving you injured on vacation, right~?"

Her gaze then flicked back to Jin Li. She began speaking in Mandarin. She wasn't entirely sure if Marta couldn't understand the language, and she wouldn't have entirely minded if she could in this case. But she was at least paying lip service to OPSEC. "This is a concern that I've had since the first day the TFO was created. No, rather, even before then; it was already apparent that this was an issue that somehow wasn't getting resolved. And even after I did my best to clandestinely plug the more... digital holes, the problem has yet persisted."

Frowning in truth now, Qingshe loosed a sigh through her nose. "There's really no kind way to put it. ASEAN's operation security is a dumpster fire. In every single mission I've been in with their Arms Master task force, without exception, the enemy has had some form of specific counter or trap prepared, and upon reflection, considering the odds, the latest mission only wasn't an unmitigated disaster due to my presence." Her expression darkened with distaste; as much as cutting loose could be fun, objectively speaking, she was no particular fan of being relied upon so heavily. That the odds were so long that her presence had been the only thing staving off a total defeat at the hands of Ai Chen and Huo Ren's artillery -not to mention Cao Bao’s apparent presence... It was not encouraging. "The last mission was the worst incident yet, and if the pattern holds, I'm only expecting even more effective traps in the future. We have a leak, a bad one, and unfortunately, I'm quite confident it's not a technological hole in ASEAN's OPSEC."

Her expression was serious now, Qingshe demonstrating little levity in this moment, a notable contrast to her usually almost whimsical behavior. There could be little doubt to those that had any extended exposure to her that this was a matter that genuinely had the Snake perturbed.

"It is my observation, in my official capacity as a QRS Special Liaison, that our allies are demonstrating a crucial lacking in matters of upholding their responsibilities in this alliance." A small pool of ooze rippled out from beneath the hem of her dress, extending forth a small cylindrical platform not more than 10 inches across. Atop that platform, there rested a black binder and -atop that- a rather bulky-looking USB device. Casting her gaze around to check that no-one other than Marta was nearby, Qingshe gestured to binder and USB, an indication for the QRS leader to take them. "This would be my present, unvarnished report on the events that have transpired so far... your eyes only for now, pending your personal choice of distribution."

She sighed and shook her head. "I realize this is not going through official channels, but I find myself with little choice in the matter to ensure our security. I do not know how deep the rabbit hole goes, but I'm confident that we have at least one traitor in a very high and very compromising position." Her expression darkened. "As things stand, we cannot trust the greater ASEAN alliance. Their failure to retain the element of surprise in any meaningful way is unsustainable. We have thankfully been succeeding in spite of this failure, of course, but I don't think I need to explain that this is not a good thing."

Closing her eyes, Qingshe inhaled slowly, held the breath for a steadying moment and then exhaled. "Whoever the traitor is, they have intimate oversight over ASEAN operations, particularly in matters of Arms Master deployment and most relevantly in regard to Task Force Obsidian, the place ASEAN is presently placing an... unfortunate amount of eggs in one basket." Shifting, Qingshe cupped her chin with one hand, brow furrowing, as her golden eyes opened into narrowed slits. "If the TFO falls, it will be not just a notable blow to ASEAN's effective power projection, but it will be a huge blow to morale. We already have far too few Arms Masters to spare compared to mainland China. To lose those gathered in Task Force Obsidian would destroy national confidence in the program."

Her frown deepening, Qingshe clicked her tongue. "I do not like to be in this position, but I can only make the recommendation -in my official capacity- that we internalize and segregate as much of our war efforts as possible, limiting our national coordination. As things stand, we must assume that any information shared with ASEAN is compromised. Any plan we make that they help execute must be assumed to be an impending disaster that will devolve into 'winging it'." Closing her eyes, the hand on her chin rose to massage the bridge of her nose in frustration.

Huffing, Qingshe shook her head and opened her eyes again, her expression firming resolutely. "Not to say we should simply 'make do' with this disastrous situation, of course. Just leaving a major traitor to their own devices cannot end well for us, no matter how well we personally internalize our OPSEC." Once Jin Li had taken the binder and USB stick -if he had indeed done so, Qingshe's shadow would fully retract beneath her dress again. "My Emperor, we must raise this matter with ASEAN somehow. This traitor must be dealt with if we are to win this war, especially with the impending withdrawal of the United States's aid. We cannot afford to be getting attacked internally as much as externally. However..."

She raised one finger, her expression concerned. "We must consider carefully: do we raise this matter loudly or quietly? If we go loud, the traitor may become more cautious, more discreet. It may take longer -take critical time- to weed them out. Yet, at the same time, going quiet means we are right back where we started. The very fact that we do not know who the traitor is to begin with raises the issue of who we can possibly trust in a high position to help organize efforts to oust the cancer."

The Snake frowned, raising another finger. "Not to mention, there's no guarantee this is the only major traitor. Furthermore, we've had so many 'volunteers'-" She carefully did not glance Marta's way when saying so. She held no ill will towards the self-proclaimed nun, of course, but in principle, she did not find her concern invalid in a generalized sense. "-from all walks of life joining Obsidian, all of them accepted into the fold far too easily. I understand that times are desperate, that we need warm empowered bodies, but who's to say these volunteers aren't enemy plants in their own right? Anyone could be a leak, but I suppose if there's any consolation, those with access to the sort of strategic information necessary to easily set such targeted traps for Obsidian at least must rank above the bottom floor 'volunteers' start at."

At that, Qingshe paused, finally having gotten this long-standing building concern off her chest. She could think of no-one better (though perhaps not quite as ideal) to go to first about this matter with her receipts to back up her conclusions than the young Emperor of the Qing Restoration Society. If there was anyone she could be absolutely certain was at least trustworthy (no matter what level his suitability for his unexpected position), it would be the leader of the QRS. There was no way the QRS would have lasted this long if he were a traitor, and so, keeping in mind her own technically overriding obligations to the QRS over ASEAN as a whole, the choice was clear.

She waited for Jin Li's response.
@PKMNB0Y Yeah, I tell you honestly that was basically the best link I could give you. Honkai Impact unfortunately suffers from having extremely incomplete wikis in general, and for members of the Flame Chasers like Mobius, it’s even worse, because even in-game, she and her comrades are figures of mystery (and Mobius especially so in a lot of cases). It’s partially her mystique that makes her so menacing. Actually finding out what she can do kinda requires playing the game and teasing out her mysteries. Some of what she can do is only implied even. I can, of course, make an actually detailed list if you like (and would be doing so anyway for the CS by necessity).

As for Mobius’s personality… well, the best way to describe her is the evil scientist teammate who’s a secret tsundere at heart that actually means well, regardless of her methods. This seems to be the greatest takeaway on her. She is considered a hero for good reason, regardless of her spurts of sadism and pragmatic callousness. She likes to do her own thing, but she’s savvy enough to see where the winds blow and is overall interested in the betterment of the world and others around her. The more overtly heroic members of the cast might take issue with her, but Mobius is pretty good about working with people, regardless of differences. If the concern would be if Mobius would become an antagonistic force to most of the party? I’d say unlikely unless they really forced the matter. She’s had a teammate she literally goaded into genuinely trying to kill her before, just to test her regeneration abilities, and she still worked with him afterwards fairly nonchalantly. Though she doesn’t go out of her way to make enemies, Mobius personally has no problem working with people that might hate her guts, even enough to try (and probably fail) to kill her.

Overall takeaway is that I don’t think she’ll have any problem coexisting with the existing party unless she gets some serious enough “burn the witch” reactions. And even then, she has tolerated attempts at killing her with little more than amusement. She’s ultimately a multifaceted person, so I’m pretty confident in being able to keep her allied to the side of the angels.

I can’t really do it right now (at work, and it’s too busy), but I could definitely hunt down more detailed lore and other stuff about Mobius for you later. If you’ve never looked into Honkai lore before, it’s a pretty deep rabbit hole. Aheh.
Considering throwing my own hat in the ring here with Mobius from Honkai Impact 3rd, a super-genius scientist who fused herself with cosmic alien DNA in the pursuit of evolution and her ideal of Infinity. As one of 13 heroes called the Flame Chasers, she fought against the apocalypse of a 50,000 year Samsara and managed to make contributions that would eventually help the next Era achieve victory where hers failed.

P.S: I haven't been involved in any Group RPs for the last 2 years so I may be a bit rusty.


Whoa, damn! Welcome back! Long time, no see! To think I'd happen to come across your first post here in years! It's like the stars aligned. XD
Kasumi Haruno




Listening to Ren's words, Kasum suppressed a groan and rolled her eyes. So, this is about Lin's bullshit? What did he even say that was worth tears? Ugh... Kasumi mentally lamented getting saddled with this drama, as she did her best to ignore Ren's horrible attempts at being subtle about his burgeoning crush. She wondered if she should bluntly address it and clear up any potential brewing misunderstandings. Mu didn't seem to be quite "all there" at the moment, and it was possible he was feeding the perception of reciprocating something that wasn't there...

Nah, not worth the trouble. Just gonna... stay far away from that trainwreck... until it matters anyway.

The pinkette frowned at the brunette's retreating form, as Mu sprinted ahead towards the ramen shop. Aloud, she merely groused quietly, only loud enough for perhaps Ren to hear over the rain, "Still only paying for myself. I didn't agree to shit." Man, she didn't even really know this guy that well. The hell was he saying, trying to extort her into paying for his food?

Her frown deepened, as Ren inquired after her troubled mien, only for the pinkette's expression to smooth out into neutrality. "Bah, just my imagination. Don't mind me," she said blithely with a casual shrug of her shoulders, stuffing her hands in her pockets and turning on her heel to follow Mu. The lie leapt from her lips easily, as Kasumi mulled the matter over internally. Despite her concerns or her desire for impromptu meat-shields, if what she was sensing was any real form of danger, it would be objectively irresponsible for her to involve fellow Academy students in such a matter. Unbloodied and inexperienced as they were, if it was a matter requiring the attention of experienced shinobi, she'd just be leading them to the slaughter, which would hardly reflect well on her in the eyes of her superiors.


Kasumi quickly approached Ramen Ichigo, brushing aside the flaps to enter to small seating area, as the familiar scent of warm herbal broth intermixed with meats and vegetables. She felt her mouth watering a little at the promise of food, clicking her tongue at Mu's words and resisting the impulse to smack him on the back of the head. "Oi, slow down; there's more to ordering a proper bowl of ramen than telling the chef to go nuts. Read the menu, or you'll regret it," she groused.

Her words prompted a hearty laugh from over the counter, as a tall mustachioed man with greying hair, a somewhat portly countenance and laugh lines on his cheeks walked up to the counter, wiping his hands off on his apron. A grin was already on the lips of Mr. Ichigo, the present owner of the establishment. Elsewhere behind him in the relatively small kitchen area of the rest of the building, the sounds of chopping and bubbling liquid echoed out, and glimpses of a younger girl and man could be seen occasionally bustling around the workstations. Both were brunettes and looked vaguely similar if you were actually looking for it, likely to be related.

"Don't trust my chef's instincts, Miss Haruno?" Mr. Ichigo chuckled, receiving only a flat look in response.

"With a 'chef's choice' meal? Not on your life. That's one 'tasteful adventure' I won't be taking again," Kasumi said bluntly, eyes narrowing at the belly laugh she got in response, as she flopped one of the stools at the counter, already resting one elbow on the countertop and her chin in the palm of the related hand. "A large beef bowl for me instead..." She paused. "In a carry-out bowl if you please."

Calling the orders back to the kitchen, Mr. Ichigo raised a single bushy brow, his mustache twitching. "In a rush today, are we? And here I'd thought you'd have time to chat, since you came with friends," he chuckled.

Not friends, not even close the pinkette didn't say aloud. Kasumi frowned, her chakra senses still prickling in the distance. Despite doing her best to dismiss the matter... "I just realized there's something pressing I may need to handle," she finally said as a nondescript answer. Her eyes drifted towards Mu and the redhead presently pining after him, her gut twisting in annoyance at the idea of having to endure their little "not-date" as the third wheel. Oh, to be sure, that wasn't the specific reason she was leaving, but it certainly contributed. "I'll come back if I have time-" She probably wouldn't. "-but please, don't stop having a good time on my account." She didn't imagine that would be too difficult; she was self-aware enough to know she wasn't exactly a "cloud of sunshine". They'd probably get along much better without her there to be a killjoy once her patience ran out.
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