VitaVitaAR

Final Fantasy: Lightseekers

For Robin, this was uncharted territory, so to speak.

She knew the importance of staying hidden, she knew that this was their best option for achieving their goal. She wasn't sure how she felt about assisting pirates, but at the same time they didn't seem to be evil people and the owner of this mansion was involved in outright crime as well.

When it came down to it, it was totally unfamiliar for her. But regardless, to accomplish their goals, to strike against Valheim and do everything they could, this is what they had to do.

It just wasn't something Robin knew how to even approach. So, when Esben took out the first two guards, all she could really manage was dully slipping inside.

Maybe once they got deep enough into the mansion she'd have a better idea of what they were doing. Right now, it felt like she didn't even know how to help.

Then again, maybe simply being quiet was helpful right now?

From Realms Beyond — An Isekai Crossover RP (Now Accepting)

Heir to the Konpaku

"Miyamoto... Musashi?"

It wasn't the first time she'd ever heard that name. Though the Konpaku style of swordplay differed, certainly, her grandfather had told her about an ordinary human with extraordinary skills as a samurai. One who wielded two swords, not dissimilarly to the Konpaku school.

Niten Ichiryu.

That was it, wasn't it?

But the Miyamoto Musashi she'd learned about was a man. The one she faced now certainly wasn't. Was this a similar situation to Toyosatomimi no Miko?

Actually, what was that situation in the first place? She didn't really get it, but it was obvious the Prince Shotoku talked about in legend was definitely not a woman, so---

Aah, that was way too much to think about right now! Especially when she considered they were definitely from different worlds to begin with. Maybe the Miyamoto Musashi from that world just was a woman?

It wasn't important. It wasn't important right now at all.

Youmu took a deep breath.

"I heard about you when I was learning from my grandfather," Youmu said, doing her best to put that initial confusion behind her, "You're not the same as the one I learned about, but that's definitely the same name and the same style of swordplay."

In Gensokyo, it wasn't exactly impossible she could run across the legendary samurai in some form. It would hardly be the first time someone from the past appeared. She'd never really thought about it until now, but it was never an impossibility.

But she hadn't expected it here.

If she wanted to hone her skills and live up to Grandfather's expectations, what better opponent then someone like Miyamoto Musashi?

Placing one hand on Roukanken's hilt, Youmu slid one foot back. In the same motion, she drew the longer of her two katana in her right hand, its blade glittering in the daylight.

And then she was moving. The cobblestones beneath her feet shook. The air whipped past her.

Even injured on a spiritual level, she could do this much.

Her opening attack was a swift downward slash with Roukanken. But in the very same breath, Hakurouken left its sheath in her left hand and lashed out towards her opponent.

@PKMNB0Y@Raineh Daze

---

The Bookstore

"Mmm, just arrived?" mused the hooded woman, cocking her head as she spoke. Her tone indicated she was clearly intrigued by that notion, though exactly why was anyone's guess. "And looking for information on a goddess, as well? Surely, you've come to the right place. The capital's resources are far beyond anywhere else you might have visited, though some knowledge is seemingly out of the hands of shops like this."

She paused for a moment, as if considering her last words, before continuing.

"Still, if you're looking for information on a goddess, then maybe a book on theology would serve you best. Lavielle, was it..."

The cloaked woman turned towards the shelves after a moment, scanning then briefly with her unseen gaze before reaching up to grasp one particular volume that was nearly out of her reach, let alone Rayne's.

"Perhaps this one might be of assistance?"

All that could be seen of the woman's features, even at this angle, was a smile.

The book, entitled 'Ancient Divinities and those Who Worshipped Them', seemed to cover gods who were revered in the distant past. Was Lavielle really one of these deities?

It was somewhat coincidental that the cloaked woman and the book in question had been in just the right place to assist the newcomer, but perhaps that really was just mere chance.

Regardless, she offered the volume to the halfling.

"I'm afraid information on ancient gods like that is a little scarce, but I believe this book might have what you're looking for."

@DracoLunaris@PKMNB0Y

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Knight RP

The air was torn apart by the dragon's slamming claw. Moments later, so was the earth.

Fanilly's life narrowly escaped the same fate, rolling along the ground, plate metal clanking as she tried to recover.

There was no more time to plan. They faced this dragon, all of them together. Whatever plotting she had tried was difficult to maintain in the face of such an opponent.

Display valor?

She pushed herself off of the ground, gripping her glinting sword in both hands, now.

Valor.

Display valor.

She had no time to try and construct a new plan. No time to try and issue detailed orders.

Her knights were already engaged. She faced the dragon at close-range.

Was this a failure? Her failure? Had she left them with nothing but the choice to 'display valor' in hopes of the best?

These sorts of thoughts ran through the Knight-Captain's mind again and again.

They'd passed the other tests. Her plans, even if met with difficulties, had worked.

Was a foe like this the limit? Had she simply been lucky?

Fanilly's grip tightened. Inwardly, she cursed herself. For the failure to think ahead more clearly, for the failure to escape the dragon's assault more quickly without assistance. For her pounding heart, hammering with fear in her chest at the mere sight of such an incredible enemy.

It was pathetic, wasn't it? What kind of captain was she?

To simply break down in the face of any opponent, after trying so hard to keep it together. That wasn't the actions of the Knight-Captain of the Iron Roses. That wasn't the worthy demeanor of any leader. How could she even claim to hold that title if this was all it took for her willpower to shatter?

What could she do now?

How could she help her knights? How could she lead them to victory?

Was there any way?

Show valor. That's what the dragon demanded. That legendary Thrinax wanted from them.

She had to show valor. Was that all she could do now? Was that it? Unless---

That was the very goal of this final challenge all along? Faced with an impossible foe, a true dragon, one of the mightiest beings in the entire world, the friend of Prince Erion himself.

To show valor and succeed against an enemy that was overwhelming.

That was how she could lead her knights to victory now. Even in a situation where all her planning fell apart against an enemy like this, that was the only way.

Perhaps at times like this, all one could do was hold a prayer to the sun and moon in their heart and strike true.

Her heart was still pounding. Despite knowing death's impermanence in this place, she was still frightened.

Fanilly planted one foot forward, raising her blade, the hilt gripped in both her hands.

"Iron Rose Knights, strike! Wound him, and seize victory!"

They already knew this. They were already doing everything they could to grasp that future. But Fanilly had to say this not just for her knights, but for herself.

The enchantment on her blade surely greatly increased its power. But even so, attacking where the dragon's scales were sturdiest was a mistake. There was no denying that.

Ducking low, the Knight-Captain broke into a sprint, towards the dragon. Either she would draw his attention from his other attackers, or they would draw his attention away from her.

All they had to do, in the end, was wound him.

Get beneath him, plant her blade against his scales, and thrust---!

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Knight RP

@Taka: I wanted a draft or at least the details of a whole bio, because I already see some things that don't really work here.

For one thing, he's fairly directly copied from a canon character, which I have to say I'm really not a fan of for original setting RPs and especially ones taking place in a setting I've worked on for so long.

This character as he's currently written simply doesn't work in this RP.

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Knight RP

@Taka: I asked for you to heavily discuss it with me to hash out any details, and you never really did.

I wanted to see you actually write up the backstory before you moved forward with anything approaching this idea, because it's crucial to actually make it make sense with already-established characters and Fanilly's character and backstory as well.

This, too, you never really did.

There was a reason I wanted this, so I could look at what you had in mind and detail and tell you what did or didn't work, especially since he would be one of multiple characters involved in Fanilly's training. One of her trainers already exists in the RP, so you'd need to be coordinated with that to work.

There's also stuff here you didn't mention to me, which is why I wanted you to give me a more completed bio to look at and talk about.

From Realms Beyond — An Isekai Crossover RP (Now Accepting)

Heir to the Konpaku

"Ah-"

Youmu blinked, taking a step back, her phantom half wavering behind her. Someone hadn't seen her? Surely she wasn't unnoticeable, it wasn't as if she was trying to be sneaky!

Not that the young half-phantom was particularly talented in the ways of stealth even when she was doing her best.

Regardless, she quickly took a step back and had to quickly catch herself at least until the woman's hand came to rest on her shoulder. No small amount of indignation rose in her heart when the woman mentioned her height, a scowl crossing her face. Her height... her height didn't matter at all. To bump into her and disparage her height...

However, all of that took a backseat in her mind when Youmu realized what kind of person had just walked into her.

To begin with, it was clear to anyone trained in any sort of battle that the way she carried herself, the way she reacted, was just slightly different. A quicker response, even if she hadn't been watching where she was going. That alone might not have confirmed it in Youmu's eyes, but the way her stance shifted when she took note of the Roukanken and Hakurouken on Youmu's back and hip---

She didn't need to see that she was armed to know that this was a swordswoman.

But that wasn't all. Youmu hadn't seen anyone in any familiar styles of dress in this world, until she met this woman. Her features, too, marked her as from somewhere like Gensokyo, or the nation outside the barrier, at the very least. Of course, Youmu only had the absolute faintest awareness of that world.

But she felt fairly confident this woman wasn't from this one.

"It's fine," she began, "She's just rec-C-cute?"

Youmu's cheeks colored almost immediately. It wasn't exactly common for her to be called cute by a random stranger, or even those she knew. With one exception, at least. To say it was unexpected would be an understatement, and for a few moments the half-phantom found her composure shaken.

"E-er, well, th-that's besides the point..." she half-mumbled as she averted her eyes, before clearing her throat and trying to push aside and residual embarrassment, "It's simple. Those who are trained in how to wield a blade can recognize one another, can't they?"

Putting aside the obvious fact they were both carrying a pair of katana to begin with.

"I don't think either of you are from this world, are you?" she asked, "... Er, at least, I'm pretty sure you're not..."

She inclined her head towards the swordswoman after a moment's pause, realizing there wasn't exactly anything marking the little blonde girl as foreign when compared to the other people in the streets.

"Because I'm not, either," she continued, "My name is Konpaku Youmu, heir to the Konpaku school of swordplay and servant to Saigyouji Yuyuko-sama."

---Ah.

They almost certainly weren't from Gensokyo, even if the swordswoman was definitely from another world. Would her introduction even give either of them the slightest flash of recognition?

She couldn't worry about that now!

There was something more important to discuss, after all.

"---And if you want to challenge me, I'll accept."

It was only natural for a Konpaku to take the opportunity to display their training. But more importantly than that, she also wanted to try and regain use of her phantom half. While allowing the spiritual wound that had been inflicted on her to heal was important, so was stretching her muscles, so to speak.

Facing new opponents would also help her grow more experience. Grandfather had told her as much very clearly.

And, perhaps most importantly of all, meeting and interacting with more people from different worlds would maybe make her path back to Yuyuko-sama's side just that much closer.

@PKMNB0Y@Raineh Daze

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Knight RP

Suddenly the dragon was there.

She knew he'd been in pursuit. It was impossible not to know. But suddenly the enormous creature's claws were flashing through the air as his bulk slammed down.

Fanilly threw herself forward as soon as she hit the bottom of the hill, hearing the earth tearing apart behind her from Thrinax's mighty blow.

Her heart felt like it was about to tear its way free from her chest. She had to shake the pursuit and regroup, but on her own... how? How did she do something like like that? She had to think, in the scant instant she had before Thrinax renewed his assault, she had to think.

Her sword wasn't particularly useful for this purpose. There was no way she could damage him notably with it from this angle, even with the blessings. They would need a more concentrated effort in order to strike the dragon and wound him. And besides, if she could do that then the challenge would already be over.

No, it was clear she would have to do something, anything, else. Something that would shake the dragon for at least a few moments, either to give her an opportunity to escape to cover or for her knights to join her.

Their win condition was to wound the dragon, however slightly. Thrinax had to do everything he could to ensure that didn't happen, so---

Turning her body, Fanilly tossed her sword into her left hand and drew her knife with her right. She didn't need to hit. She just needed it to seem possible that she might.

The Knight-Captain drew her arm back and threw it.

The Dragon's head was a large target. A nick on the gums, the eyelid, or even the eye would be a loss for Thrinax, so at the very least he'd likely rather move his head even a little to ensure that it missed or hit his thick scales, wouldn't he?

It's what Fanilly hoped.

She was already running.

From Realms Beyond — An Isekai Crossover RP (Now Accepting)

Heir to the Konpaku

Unfamiliar.

That was the best word she could use to describe her feelings.

The human village was the biggest settlement she'd ever seen before, when it came to human beings. And certainly, it was bustling and full of activity. But this place was nothing like the human village. Not only did it boast the same unfamiliar architecture of the small villages they'd seen so far, but it was filled with an incredible amount of people.

Youmu let out a heavy sigh.

"I don't think it's going to be any easier finding a way to communicate with Yuyuko-sama here then it was in any of those villages," lamented the half-phantom.

At least the little girl they'd found seemed alright. There was a strange, familiar and yet unfamiliar feeling about her, one that she couldn't really adequately describe in words, but since the girl hadn't spoken very much it was hard to get any answers about who she was or what happened.

Still, Youmu had to do something, even if there was no way for her to know what. Perhaps this world had some sort of magic that would let her contact Yuyuko-sama, or expediate their purpose? Either she would at least be able to speak with her mistress, or she'd reach the completion of their goal here and be returned to Gensokyo.

At least that's what she hoped.

Taking a step forward, Youmu paused after a moment to look back over her shoulder.

"Fujiwara-san, do you want to come with me?"

She didn't really know why she was inviting the Hourai immortal along, not in the least. But it made more sense to look for something potentially helpful together rather then split up even more then they already had.

@PKMNB0Y@Raineh Daze

---

Mysterious Girl

The girl didn't speak for some time before she was picked up. It was hardly surprising, given her prior lack of response, but after a moment she seemed to stir, one delicate hand curling slightly.

Perhaps it would be difficult for the Toa, immensely physically powerful and still largely unfamiliar with human being as he was, to tell, but she was almost impossibly light. Far more then her appearance should have suggested.

For the first time since they departed the village, she spoke.

"... You won't rot, will you...?"

Her voice was quiet, and slightly strained due to a lack of speaking for so long, but the fear and worry in her tone was self-evident.

@PKMNB0Y@Lugubrious

Reborn in a Fantasy World, This Time I Shall...!

Witch's household

---

"... How much do I have to explain to you? I know you're a goblin, but how come you don't know anything?" complained Ilsa, as Relki snickered behind her.

With a sigh, the witch turned towards a hallway leading deeper into the cottage.

"Come on, I'll explain as we go."

When the goblin followed, the witch continued.

"Mana is an intrinsic part of living things," she began, "Basically, if you have a soul, you have mana. But a lot of living things have very little mana, only what comes from being alive. And mana that's a part of the soul is very difficult to use, and even if you work out how to use it, it could kill you."

The hallway branched off into various rooms, most of which were shut. Small lanterns lined the walls every few paces, but what was most notable was its length. While not excessively long, surely this hallway couldn't possibly fit within the dimensions of the forest cottage as they appeared from outside.

"However, those who are born with mana that overflows from their soul are capable of using it," added Ilsa, "By conforming it to a specific pattern, it's possible to produce specific effects. Unless you're even more of an idiot then I expect, I'm guessing you've already figured out that this is magic."

She came to a half when they reached a finely-carved door, depicting what appeared to be a stylized owl. Its large wooden eyes peered out at the approaching figures, and they almost appeared to move to follow them.

At least, until the door opened to reveal a rather unexpected figure.

It was, indeed, a rather round, large owl, two feet tall, with tawny feathers and tiny spectacles perched ahead of its large, amber eyes. The fact it was wearing a green sleeveless was also rather perplexing.

"Ah, Young Lady Ilsa," the owl said, with a voice that could be likened to a friendly, middle-aged man, "I see you have-"

The owl hesitated for a moment.

"A... gob-I mean, a guest."

"Yes, yes, she's a guest," responded Ilsa, "And she's here to check out some books. Specifically the ones about beginner's alchemy. I'm sure you can help her, can't you?"

Whatever hesitation the owl had about a goblin seemed to have disappeared.

"Of course," he began, "This way, this way."

He gestured for Rita to come inside.

"I'm going to check on that medusa," explained Ilsa, as she turned to leave, "Hopefully she's not tearing up the garden. If you want anything, just tell Reginald. I'll be back."

The owl, quite obviously Reginald, bobbed his head in response.

Meanwhile, outside, the lead mushroom creature seemed somewhat doubtful. Its shiny, black eyes looked the medusa up and down warily, and then it wordlessly pointed towards the damage done to the nearby tree. Its fellows bobbed their capped heads, using their whole bodies to move to compensate for their lack of a neck.

"I think they're still worried," the fairy cheerfully supplied, insisting now on landing on Colleen's shoulder as if she belonged there.

"Just what is going on here?!"

It was Ilsa.

The petite witch was angrily marching towards the medusa, using her staff to gesture to the nearby tree.

"What were you doing?!"

@Rune_Alchemist@Pyromania99

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Knight RP

"..."

Others were stepping in for her. Sir Fionn. Sir Rolan. Either attempting to convince the apprentice mage, or standing up for her.

But if she couldn't do this herself, what sort of captain was she?

They faced a dragon. Not just any dragon, but Thrinax himself. The legendary companion of Prince Erion. They needed everything at their disposal. Fanilly couldn't understand how someone in this situation could even threaten not to help.

Had she done something wrong down the line in dealing with the mage? The Knight-Captain searched through her memories. The fact Gisela reprimanded her certainly didn't help, but they were still facing a dragon. It had to be more than that, given the situation, didn't it?

Fanilly took a deep breath.

"... We can talk after these tests are over, Lady Gertrude," she began, "But---"

She paused for a moment, trying to choose her words carefully. As much as she was starting to feel frustrated, she also had to secure the other girl's assistance to help with forcing the dragon to remain grounded. Without her, she still had faith in her knights, but at the same time she couldn't ignore the just how much a mage could assist in battle against a dragon.

Even if death was not permanent here, Fanilly had to act in the way she thought would secure victory with the least potential for casualties. That meant trying to utilize every advantage she could possibly think of.

And that meant leaning on Gertrude's capabilities as a mage.

"But right now---"

The glimmering scales were like jewels.

Thrinax had taken off.

He was approaching.

"Down!" Fanilly cut herself off, "Get down the hill now!"

Already she was running, sprinting to the nearest edge of the hill as swiftly as she could. She could already imagine it, see what could happen playing out in her mind.

Slashing claws. Snapping jaws. Lashing tail.

Sheer size.

A dragon was dangerous for all of these reasons.

But they all paled in comparison to the most unique and terrifying weapon of their kind.

Dragonfire.

Searing, scorching, devastating flames that could melt away even dwarven steel in seconds. That could burn the hides of trolls to a cinder. That could leave scars upon the land that would remain for hundreds of years.

Fanilly's greaves hit the side of the hill, and her momentum allowed her to slide down, air rushing past her.

She could feel the heat behind her. Any closer, and it would have singed her cape and possibly even the back of her neck.

This was it.

They had to win.

They had to wound a dragon.