WXer

Gundam 0094 (Invite Only Roleplay)

---

Disker's inquiry was met with the standard fare he had become accustomed to from the Cathartes' pilots: Scaling from solo sincerity to ludicrous dismissal, with confident caution in between. At the extreme latter end of the scale was, of course, Ezmy but Disker already knew to expect that from her. He played along with her quip, smiling and nodding at her before breaking into a scowl. "Not illegal weapons, you muppet. I meant they're using old weapons. Think post-30 Bu- Mid 80s." A slip of the tongue, Disker had to bite his lip. The incident he was about to refer to was never made public knowledge but would definitely incense any Spacenoid that knew of that massacre. A legacy treasured only by the Titans in their suppression of dissidents.

As Disker suspected, their Federation guest confirmed that it was indeed an early Titan mobile suit that committed the assault. "Titan Marasai, huh?.." While this piece of information did answer his early question, a dozen more took its place. "I mean, I guess that shouldn't be a problem for our MS team if we went but we'd need the old man to sign off on it." Disker would state, acknowledging the pilots' proposal to sortie out for a hunt. He was confident their combined experience would make short work of any jag piloting a discontinued mass production unit. However, wherever there's cannon fodder, there's bound to be an opposing cannon aimed directly at you.

"My only concern is the fact that our future playdate might be packing more Titan relics, some of which we are not able to deal with. Not with our current firepower." The exotic arsenal designed by the mad geniuses of the purged Federation elite was deadly. Some were able to blast targets with beams beyond the horizon, some able to precisely dissect targets with wire-guided beams up close, and even some more nullified beam attacks altogether. Who knows what they were gonna encounter but Disker suspected it was coming for them soon.

RWBY: Chasing Shadows

---

This was Rio's first battle against the Grimm. No fantastical story or training dummy could have ever prepared him for the rush of adrenaline that he had felt just now. The tactics of teammates and his own quick trigger finger had seemingly won them the fight. No one was visibly hurt and, after inspecting himself for bite marks, he could include himself in that count. Yet, his heart was still racing even as the creatures in front of him started to dissolve from their fierce, monstrous figures into a shapeless ooze that looked like it belonged at the bottom of a saloon spit bucket.

A sigh of relief would soon escape Rio's tensed body as it became clear that they had repelled the initial wave of Grimm but his fingers were still frozen in place as he gripped his weapon. Instead of easing his hold, his hands merely kept shaking even as he actively made an effort to relax. Soon enough, he had resorted to a few full breaths but this would come to a halt upon hearing Nivea's caution against the apparently toxic air. In his sudden panic, Rio instinctively covered his nose with his right forearm while rummaging through his pockets with his free hand for the kerchief that his mother prepares for his daily wardrobe. At least his vise on The Boatman's Due had loosen.

Finally covering his mouth with his makeshift mask, Rio had to focus and inform his companions on the strict timetable that his Semblance had given him. "I'm all fer sticking away from walls but we need t' move if we wanna catch 'em." Protected by the thin strip of fabric and against the caution of their handler, Rio would take another deep breath to focus in on the runaway targets. A clayish rouge of energy would manifest and envelop itself around him as the distant pitter-patter of water droplets hitting the unlit distant ground of the abandoned bunker became as thunderous as a roaring river to the Huntsman-in-training. "My Semblance is tellin' me that they're less than a click away - I'll resume takin' point."

Again, Rio's impatience would not wait for any possible objections from his team. They had a mission that needed to be accomplished and standing around this dark pit waiting to get ambushed again was not gonna get results. He would resume his earlier brisk pace once more, advancing towards the darkness in pursuit of the Grimm he managed to mark earlier.

Shin Megami Tensei: Persona

---

"Hell yeah, broski!" Kazu would enthusiastically reply without a second thought, completely missing the inflection in his classmate's voice. His sudden high spirits would quickly subside though as he realized the implied infidelity in the response, wiping away his smile and replacing it with a gnarled smirk. Luckily, he wouldn't have to stew about this for too long as Hoshino-san revealed his name and where he had just come from. That distinct Osakan accent certainly caught Kazu's attention. Perhaps this was why rumours had circulated about Noriaki? Didn't seem like that big of a deal however.

As Noriaki extended his hand, Kazu was quick to grab it. Instead of a customary and expected handshake though, the overly familiar Kazuyoshi would pull himself in to bump shoulders with his seatmate while patting Noriaki's back with his free hand. After a brief moment, he would release his hold and lean back on his seat. The smile had returned on his face, realizing that after months of no social contact, he had finally made a friend outside of his previous clique. At least, he hopes so.

"Kind of straightforward of you to offer that, yeah? But hey, if you're free later, I can show you around the cool the places around the neighbourhood." Again, his mouth spoke faster than his mind could think. No establishment within the immediate area could really be considered cool. Still though, this was a welcomed distraction from Kazu's present reality. Maybe they could just wander about and pass the time?..

It dawned on him that it's been quite a while since he just hung out with a person that wasn't Ayane or without his bike. What the hell could you possibly do around here after class with such limited options?

---

@Asura

RWBY: Chasing Shadows

---

To lead a blind charge into the maw of the unknown, one must be brave or ignorant. Luckily for Team Frisk, their guiding vanguard exemplified both traits. The only knowledge Rio really had of these Atlesian bunkers pertained to their role as set pieces in the backdrop of the stories set during the Great War. True to its age, the abandoned outpost's decades of disrepair and band aid fixes to its supporting framework were easily spotted even as a faint lantern was their main source of illumination. The stench of the rooms they had explored, however, did not smell like that of an abandoned tomb. Rather, it besmelled like that of a butcher house backroom that never bothered to bleach its blood soaked boards, his brain reckoned. The lack of bodies and bones were disturbing though but not enough to deter him from pressing onward.

As they explored the dwellings of the bandit interlopers, Rio would use the tip of his halberd to tap the doors and fixtures. Keeping his uncle's words in mind, a crafty bandit would have definitely left a trap in the form of an enticing gift. To his relief and disappointment, the junk piles were exactly as they seemed as none of them triggered an alarm, explosion, or snare. Still, he wasn't going to be shifting through the garbage. Who knows what the hell he could catch from years of gathering bunker bacteria. Rio would merely stand by as the other rummaged through the assortment of debris, tensely gripping his weapon as he remained alert.

His patience would be quick to run out though as Rio would continue delving haphazardly into each subsequent room without questioning or confirming with the rest of his team. The sooner they were out back in the heat, the better. This particular line of thinking continued to dominate his thoughts as the still air got colder, making each breath he took shallower and harder. It felt damp, causing his throat to start itching. The desire to spit had to be stifled due to present company, causing a clearly audible gulp from him to break the silence. Was it possible to be allergic to this black sludge they had just now stumbled upon? Certainly something to ask Miss Lanatae when they come back topside.

Rio was now lost in his thoughts, getting himself into an automated rhythm as they continued on. However, this daydream-like daze would be broken instantly as the demonic laughter startled him. As the source of the disturbing dissonance revealed itself, it took Rio a good split second before realizing that it was rushing towards him. "What in t-" he would state as the beasts started their assault. Instinctively, he would do a wide sweeping slash with The Boatman's Due while also using the weapon's momentum to jump back a step. While this might not have slain any of the Grimm, Rio had hoped that the Water dust infused in his halberd's edge had marked his targets.

As Saffron took the initiative and put herself at the front now, Rio would reconfigure his weapon into its compact gunnery mode. Activating his semblance, the presence of water droplets on the targets in front of him would hopefully guide his aim true as he started blasting them, starting with the ones closing in on Saffron.

Shin Megami Tensei: Persona

---

There had never been a school assembly meeting that captured Kazuyoshi's attention and today's was no different. He struggled to stay awake, leaning back on his worn-down chair with his arms crossed and his head down. Aside from them trying to be hype rallies for the most boring thing on Earth, the fatigue was setting in from his lack of sleep which offered no moment of reprieve. The well-structured speeches of the assembly sounded like random cacophony to him. Yet, even in this drowsy state, he couldn't ignore the snippets of malicious whispers from the surrounding students. The brashness of these catty chatterboxes were probably stirred on by Kazu's exposed vulnerability, being openly excluded by his clique and looking like a sleep deprived deadman. As a consolation prize though, it seems his summertime mishap wasn't the only featured selection from the rumour mill's specials. The student that sat near him had quite the buzz about him though Kazu was sure the details were probably exaggerated since the people were bored from this student council-led crucible. This lull would soon be broken, however, as school president Nakano-san drew attention to the missing students once again at the end of her speech. The principal's flustered response would be enough to seal and steal the conversation away from Kazu's misfortune, causing him to smirk and applaud. Looks like something compelling did happen after all, jolting his internal battery with unexpected interest. As the principal dismissed them, Kazu tried to muster what energy he could to get to his new homeroom class assignment.

It seems lady luck had given him another boon. Upon arriving at the entrance of class 2-A, a quick scan would reveal that Kaede-chan wasn't in the room. The last thing he needed was for Ayane-chi's best friend to passive-aggressively maltreat him for the majority of the school year. That'll just have to be an after school special, he gleefully thought to himself. Still though, with none of his faux friends in this class, Kazu now had the freedom to choose a seat without having to consider social obligations or follies. With great consideration for his drained state, he dragged himself to a window seat at the very back of the class. Conveniently, the student in front of him seemed tall enough to shield Kazu from the prying eyes of the teachers if he so chooses to rest his eyes. Before he would even attempt to do this though, introducing himself to his seatmate was imperative.

"Yo, buddy. Keep that posture straight, yeah? Chicks dig a sharp stature." Kazu would state in a strained voice after tapping his classmate's shoulder. As he would do that though, the addled Asakura would soon realize that his new acquaintance was none other than the transfer student who managed to capture the imagination of the gossip grapevine. A piece of work, as one of those jabber-jaws put it. That was the only detail Kazu could recall at the moment but his blue-eyed batchmate could pass for the part. He also gave off a standoffish aura though Kazu wondered if his rap sheet could back up his rep.

"Call me Kazuyoshi, by the way. New to the school, yeah?" Caution would beat out his curiosity as Kazu opted not to ask details during the literal first time they would speak to each other. If he weren't to open up though, perhaps participating in the canard colloquy would be a better option in knowing more about Kazu's new friend.

---

@Asura

Gundam 0094 (Invite Only Roleplay)

---

Among the personnel on board the Cathartes, perhaps there was none as valuable to the Federation and Zeon remnants as the boy currently in front of Disker. Technically, Marlowe was now an adult but the childlike wonder from his youth never faded. Disker had the displeasure to chronicle this when he was among the ranks of the Titans as an experimental mobile suit engineer. While he wasn't one of the doctors pumping the lad full of mind-altering chemicals or psychologically reprogramming him to push beyond his physical limits, perhaps he could have done something to stop it back then. Not just for Marlowe but also for the rest of the unfortunate souls bound to the greed of the fascist warmongers considered to be the Federation's elite.

While he can't change the past, Disker can certainly try to make amends now. "Let's have a look kid." he would state with mustered enthusiasm. Upon a quick glance, it was clear that the spherical mechanism was more than just a juvenile's toy. There was too much circuitry and intricate wiring that laid beneath the surface panels. Fascinating to the inquiring mind but not enough to distract him from the matter at hand. Disker would hand back the deceptively heavy device to Marlowe before continuing to walk towards the salvage bay.

"Tell you what, come along with me to salvage and we'll see if we can borrow the tools needed to get that thing back on." the engineer would state, already a few steps ahead of Marlowe. Said tools were already in his personal quarters but he needed to ascertain some overlooked details of the scavenging team's latest sortie. Ready to slip ahead even further, a muffled yet familiar voice from a nearby source had told someone to "grow up" that prompted Disker to respond with "Invite goes out to you too, Eibril." Marlowe probably couldn't recall everything Disker needed so he would rope any who had gone out during the sortie, including the nearby Amagaida Xerda.

The enigmatic pilot had skills unmatched by even those her senior but this most likely the meant the worst. A common trend in the Augusta Labs recruitment efforts were to target traumatized youth, particularly orphans, for their research effort. Of course, it wasn't advertised as such. Under the guise of humanitarian relief efforts, the Titans had promised that they would help the abandoned children readjust to peacetime as part of their campaigns to maintain order in the Earthsphere. While Disker couldn't be sure, he had a feeling Amagaida's upbringing certainly had to have been similar. Still, he approached her with the trepidation in his voice as they didn't have much of a personal rapport. "Pilot Xerda, if I may ask you to accompany us to salvage. I have a feeling either we or the assailants missed something and hired guns usually come back to finish the job."

By the time they would arrive at the ship's wreckage collection and processing area, the scrapper crew would have gone through most of the initial screening process. All the serviceable materials would be placed to one section of the holding bay while the the rest would be hoarded near the jettison port in case they needed to make room, in the hopes that they can either readily replace the damaged junk with better quality scraps or hold on to it to find a buyer desperate enough to spend money on melted ceramic composite. Regardless of either future scenario, the damage marks of the latter scrap heap was what Disker needed to examine.

"Did any of you get a good look on what caused this?" he would ask, taking a closer look at the scorch marks on one of the melted alloys. His sharp eye once again quickly came to a conclusion. "Because who ever jumped our guests are certainly packing tech that shouldn't be in service right now."

Gundam: Ascend to the Stars

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Port Algec

Briefing

---

Listening in on his Centurion's informal meeting was somewhat underwhelming. Roose had thought that military officers would immediately go into sharing war stories, like the hired guns out on the Empire's outer border would when he used to operate around Armen. The complaints about mediocre food did make him want to interrupt and point out how the countryside was just filled with wild boars roaming the forests, waiting to be hunted and made to delicious pork steaks. Yet, Roose metaphorically bit his tongue and leaned back on his chair. Interjecting into his superior's personal conversation was probably not the smartest thing to do.

As he was settling in, Roose could not help but notice Skye's loud prompt at someone over in the back. In fact, half the room probably noticed. While the irony of her calling someone a kid was definitely not lost on Roose, he knew that she would most definitely be an authority on knowing who belongs to a military briefing, civilian or otherwise. However, as Amaya introduced herself as a doctor, Roose figured that they might be essential to the operation as a consulting operator or in another supporting position. It took quite a brave effort to actively invite Skye's contempt though. And perhaps it takes that, boredom, and stupidity to get in between both of them as Roose would do. Making his way towards Skye's side, he had this to say.

"Now, now Skye. Obviously Doc Yashia here is gonna take our blood pressure or something before we head off to space. Carius Tadmoore, by the way." he would state, extending his hand out to shake the doctor's.

Midnight Sun: Last Song Over the Horizon

So this was paradise. Finally away from the terror and uncertainty of a dysfunctional post war society, replaced with boredom and mundanity. Well, as mundane a military academy that turned kids into soldiers could be. It was an odd sensation for Seiichi to be in since he had always gazed upon the military structure as a civilian observer but now he would be a bolt screwed inside the machine, supporting one of the pillar foundations of the Confederacy's future.

Paradise was paralyzing. Each day's lecture he is subjected to somehow manage to be more boring than the last. While he had met each academic requirement, Seiichi acknowledged that he merely inserted the minimum effort to check off the requirements. This latest assignment about the late Taiyōtawa would meet the same fate as the rest of his work as Seiichi had already planned to write it out at the eleventh hour before the deadline. Scheduled procrastination helped bring joy to his life, the same way the lunch period stole all of it each day. He couldn't quite understand how the other students could stomach the synthetic sustenance paste, let alone look at it. As they were dismissed by their instructor, Seiichi would be in no rush to get the cafeteria as he chose to be one of the last out of the classroom. Unfortunately, he still needed to eat and would reluctantly go to the cafeteria.

One of the only benefits of artificial nutrition compounds is the fact that the last scoop of goop is just as good as the first one. Cold or hot, the grey matter served by the cafeteria affected Seiichi's grey matter the same way. Prior to this, he had only seen this type of food being served to the garrison soldiers and the poor citizens of his homeworld during the war time rationing. He, along with the rest of the upper class of Oppnaris, had access to food with actual flavor and texture. The farmlands under Kapteyn's Star did not produce much but the fruits of its harvest placated his mercurial tendencies. Fortunately, one of the other benefit of this slime's staunch structure was its application for architectural art pieces. Perhaps today he would form his villa from memory.

As Seiichi sat down at his preferred table, the fellow students in his lunch group had already finished up and started chatting among each other. He would flash them a quick courtesy smile before returning to his neutral expression, not even stating a hello to anyone there. His relationship with them had been established as one of tolerated co-existence as he never bothered to learn their names and he was certain they didn't as well. It seemed pointless to make niceties with others you'd probably only interact with one hour everyday. Heck, he barely remembered his household servants' names and they served Seiichi for all three meals each day. Speaking of which, the final form of his food had finally been achieved. To his disappointment, the paste did not hold his villa construct intact for too long.

A slope of slop for Seiichi Cepheid's subsistence solely sustained.

Shin Megami Tensei: Persona

---

Good things come in pairs. When told this ancient adage, most people do not reflect upon it. On the surface, it seems so shallow and pointless yet it is actually a tribute from ancient philosophers of the ancient Middle Kingdom to the harmony brought by balance in the cosmos. For you see this proverb refers to the dualistic nature of the self and life as represented by Yin and Yang, where every act of brilliant light will undoubtedly give birth to a consequence of shadow. Still, who has the time to wax poetic about some trivial fortune cookie filler?

Unfortunately, Kazuyoshi Asakura has all the time in the world ever since getting hospitalized. He was only there for a few days but it felt like an eternity. He was unable to move because of his injuries yet was immediately informed of the drunken escapade's aftermath when he had first awoken. Kazu could merely stare at the water damaged ceiling or read a booklet on Taoist meditation his mother gifted him though this did little to ease his conscience. The guilt had started to manifest itself at night in one of two nightmares which alternated between each other. The first one had him be a passenger on a now familiar train cart with his only companion being a well-refined attendant though Kazu could never quite make sense of the gibberish the gentleman spoke of. The other, more sinister dream has Kazu back on his motorcycle down a dirt road, racing for his life while being pursued by a shadowy figure maniacally laughing as he gets closer and closer. They both end the same way though - with the sorrowful highschooler abruptly waking up in cold sweat before he could ever reach the end of either metaphysical journey.

On his last day at the hospital, he had found the opportunity to visit the room of his sweetheart. By the door was a whiteboard panel that simply had the words "Mochizuki Ayane" written on it but reading that was enough to tighten his chest and expunge the wind from his sails. Ultimately, he couldn't muster the courage to stay in there for more than a few minutes. The guilt was unbearable as he looked upon the scars he had inflicted upon her. There were no parting words for he was a coward and she was in a coma.

It would be at his home that Kazu would nurse the remainder of his wounds. The main physical injury he had dealt with was a toe fracture that since healed a week ago though he still walked with a very minor limp. However, the real damage to his school life would soon reveal itself as none of his so-called friends bothered to visit him or even give him a courtesy call on his phone. The reason to this was already quite clear as his girlfriend's closest childhood companion happened to be the queen bee of Hinotori High and it seems she had Kazu excommunicated. He has definitely seen her do worse for less. It only added to the stress of all the troubles he was already having which he supposed was the point of this petty scheme.

Hence why we find Kazu unable to sleep in the comfort of his own bed and instead was pondering about a proverb he had read from his booklet. To be quite honest, he was actually thinking about he and Ayane made a great couple when he had read that short passage. The memories weren't all bad, it was just that one night. Hell, he can't even remember much about it. As he exerted effort in trying to recall those sealed moments of his life, Kazu soon drifted into slumber's reprieve.

"Argh, why couldn't that last forever." he would groan as his bedside alarm soon went off after what felt to be a fleeting moment as three hours had now passed. Fortunately for Kazu, his dad was going to drop him off in the family car for at least the first week of the new school year. No matter how dumb of a mistake he would make, at least his old man still had his back. True to form, Kazu didn't verbalize his appreciation for his dad as he chose to stuff his face with bread rolls and fried eggs on the ride over to Hinotori High. Food crumbs fell all over the backseat where Kazu had sat, earning him an earful from the elder Asakura with which Kazu responded to using a high-spirited, formal apology that ended with a deep bow. As they pulled up to the school gate and the youth stepped out, a stern mister Asakura could be faintly heard muttering "...Dumbass."

Stepping back into the school grounds was quite the cathartic experience for Kazu. This place was always welcoming to him as others used to looked on in adoration and envy as his clique sat at the top of the social pyramid. Yet the sneers, jeers, stares and glares he received from the other students he passed by had slapped that rosy nostalgia away and replaced it with the gravity of his new reality. Still, he held his head high and avoided eye contact with everyone on his way to the new semester's starting student assembly.

Arriving at the school assembly hall, Kazu quickly found his old crew. One of the lads had made quick eye contact with him before breaking off and awkwardly stared at the ground instead. The others soon noticed and made sure to have their backs to Kazu. At that moment, he had arrived at a crossroads. While he made a quick decision, it was one of doubt and hesitation.

Kazu found an empty seat at the very back row of his class' designated seating area. He was alone again, naturally.