Yankee

Hello....!

Hey there, welcome! 1x1 always has something going on, good luck in your search for RPs!

World of Light

Word Count: 1201 (+2 exp)
Level: 8 - Total EXP: 52/80
Location: Edge of the Blue - The Maw

The Cadet had absolutely no idea what Delsin was saying. Up until Delsin mentioned a shipwreck of his own, the only thing the Cadet could glean was that he had some kind elemental power. Still, an introduction was in order after the 'Conduit' requested it, so he piped up like the others.

"You can call me the Ace Cadet. Ace is fine too," he said, having come to appreciate the nickname, "I'm an A-list monster hunter."

He thought about dropping all of his other titles too, to match Delsin's longer introduction, but the conversation quickly moved on. After some clarification, Delsin explained there was a plague on the island. Not just any plague, but one that turned normal people into fish people. Great, just our luck! the Cadet thought, scrubbing a hand through his hair anxiously. Just had to keep positive and hope no one had a weak immune system. Hopefully Blazermate could heal diseases too.

When Kamek approached him, the Cadet could feel wariness start to build up. Ace Cadet liked the old Koopa, he was always looking out for everyone, but his proximity and the offered book put the hunter on edge for some reason. He reached out almost hesitantly to take the cookbook, but once it was in his hands it was clear that it was just that: a book of recipes and butchery techniques. A gross, sort of slimy book, but otherwise just a manual. He let out a half chuckle at his own misplaced worry.

"Thanks. I'm pretty sure it's not even close to the most disconcerting thing in this place though," he told the old Koopa. The Cadet was pretty dang good at cutting if he said so himself, but the whole 'turn into spirits' thing put a huge damper on collecting parts. This might help. Or at the very least it might make him a better cook, considering it was for butchery. When they were in a better place to transport a bunch of parts and goods, he'd give it a try.

After some time to dry off slightly by the fire (and in the Cadet's case sharpen his blades), and some spirit swapping (Sakura made a good point about keeping the ship shape spirits for now), the group got underway. Just before moving out the Cadet noticed that there was no muted snorting at his heels, and asked if anyone had seen the behemoth piglets. "No" was the resounding answer. It was regrettable, making an already terrible day worse, but it would have been a real miracle everyone including those little pigs had made it. This wasn't the time or place to think about "what if's," so they had to move on.

The venture into the waterlogged village was damp and miserable, punctuated with surprise snail attacks, but the Cadet figured it was going to stay damp and miserable until they brought down the guardian lurking in the area. Ahead they could see humanoid fish monsters of various shapes and sizes. Could it be these were sailors succumbed to that plague Delsin mentioned? If they were, it didn't seem like there was anything left of whoever they used to be. Unless they used to be aggressive monsters with murderous intent shining in their eyes. The fishmen approached with weapons draw, their intentions clear. The Seekers responded in kind.

"A few dozen small fry," the Cadet said, clapping Mirage on the shoulder as the monster hunter didn't hesitate to move with the other water skaters into the front line. They spread out, handling Murlocs one by one - or in Mirage's case, corralling a bunch of them together. Nadia, no longer able to skate over the surface, was picking fishmen apart on one of the building's rooftops. There were quite a few enemies to choose from, but the Cadet predictably had his eyes on the hulking sharq-men.

One of the sharqs was busy being bombarded by the Koopa Troop, which he Cadet stayed well away from. The other was looking for someone to try and tear apart, it's teeth bared, and the monster hunter was content to give it a target.

He opened with a makeshift gap closer - leveling the clutch claw at the giant, he shot the contraption out where it latched onto the monster's shoulder. In the next moment the Cadet pulled himself forward towards it, sailing quickly over the water and brandishing his sword and shield. He flexed his rigging, smashing into the giant blades first once the claw's chain was finished retracting. Even with the rigging's blades stuck into it's flesh, the monster didn't even flinch. It reached up with it's long arms to rip the Cadet from it's back, but at this angle it was easy to see, so he dismounted with a few parting shots from the mini cannons. He skated away from it little by little, keeping it's attention and drawing it further from where the others were battling.

The giant fishman groaned and lashed out, swinging it's arms one after another, but the monster hunter was always just out of reach. It was quick to realize it's strategy wasn't working, and with surprising speed the monster lunged forward on it's stomach with it's arms outstretched. It barreled into the Cadet sending him crashing into the murky shallows. The monster followed up with it's fists, and it was strong - strong enough that the Cadet could feel each blow through his armor as the creature brought it's arms down on him, unrelenting.

So he was currently being battered by a giant sharq man covered in barnacles. But on the bright side, he had the tools to fight back this time.

He bared the brunt of the assault until he could get his shield up, meeting one of the sharq's hands with it and knocking the fist away. It was a brief moment of reprieve that the Cadet used to put some space between he and his opponent. From his position he could see what the rest of the crew were doing, and he spared them a quick second's glance before refocusing on the monster in front of him. It had it's arms raised to bring down onto the Cadet again, but it wouldn't find it so easy this time.

"I was just warming up before," he said, more to himself than the monster. He could feel the sting of lacerations caused by the barnacle lined firsts of the monster, but he closed in to slash across the fishman's stomach before it could give him any more. Just after the slicing movement the Cadet took a page out of their street fighter's book. Normally he wasn't one to shout out technique names, but his blood was pumping and he could once again feel Jamaica's burning drive in his being. "Shoryugeki!"

The Cadet crouched and then pushed off of the water with his shield raised, propelling himself up. The Shoryugeki was a fast, brutal uppercut delivered with the shield to the underside of the fishman's jaw. If he could stun the thing he'd be in a good position to try and finish it off, but so long as he kept it from going after anyone else he considered that a win.

Friendly neighborhood demon, here...

Hey there, welcome!

World of Light

Thank you! I'll send you a PM

World of Light

What if I just added another CS onto the pile, wouldn't that be funny haha...

Another Traveler

Name: Therion
Game Origin: Octopath Traveler
Appearance: Full Character Art!

Personality: Therion is cynical. During the time spent with his seven fellow travelers ("friends," he has to remind himself) he has worked through most of his deeper trust issues, but the fact remains that for most of his life he's seen some of the worst humanity had to offer, so it stood to reason that you can't take someone at face value, especially someone you've just met. It's one of the reasons he prefers working on his own. Or... was one of them anyway. He still says he works better solo when actually on a heist. He is a thief, one of the best, and his confidence is due to his sheer skill at his occupation. Sure, the few times he's gotten caught were pretty devastating, but he was still a pro among pros. He exercises his skill liberally, and has certain rituals he follows to ensure success rather than actually plan things out in advance.

His personality can be abrasive, his confidence coming off as arrogance especially when mixed with his dry sense of humor. He is sarcastic and rough around the edges, with a sharp eye and sharper tongue. He isn't friendly in the slightest, though despite his harsh past he still holds a sense of camaraderie with those he travels with. He shows he cares in his own way, not directly but with subtle gestures or weak jokes. He holds a sense of pride that prevents him from admitting things easily, and he tends to deflect rather than let his true feelings be known. Unless those feelings are negative, in which case he won't have a probably saying it aloud. That said, being a thief Therion would much rather avoid trouble than make a fuss - but he will hold a grudge.

Background: Orphaned at a young age, Therion grew up on city streets and alley ways. He was a street urchin, with a talent for pick-pocketing that got him into trouble one too many times. Sitting in a prison at age twelve, Therion met an older boy named Darius who convinced him to team up and break out. They were successful, and the two of them formed a dynamic criminal duo once they'd escaped. For four years Darius and Therion made a reputation for themselves as master thieves, performing all kinds of elaborate heists. At some point Darius was approached by a gang called Cianno, with a proposition. Get rid of Therion, and you can join our group.

Darius called his partner out to meet in the heights of the Clifflands, the most recent stop on their cross-country thieving journey. He told Therion about the offer he'd been given, and like a fool Therion thought there was no way Darius would go through with it. They'd known each other for years, and why would be come clean about it if he was planning on disposing of him? However, Darius lashed out with his blade, catching Therion off guard. He'd slashed at Therion's face, cutting him but missing a fatal blow. Off balance but already drawing a weapon to retaliate, Therion moved to defend himself when Darius moved in, shoving him hard from the cliff.

It was a long, long fall.

But he'd survived. It was a miracle, though many times while enduring the pain Therion kind of wished he hadn't. He'd been found by some good samaritans who dragged him back into town. That was six years ago. Ever since Therion had kept a low profile.

Well... sort of low. He had become something of a 'phantom thief,' because while no one knew his name or face, tales of his escapades still swirled around rumor mills. He had to keep himself fed after all. He had mostly stuck to the Clifflands, venturing out only when tales of a mark were particularly interesting to him. And there was one such tale that tickled his fancy, right in Bolderfall. A manor with a huge treasure inside, in the upper part of town. Therion made quick work of getting passed guards, dogs, and locks. Inside the manor he found an exquisite gemstone, but before he could snatch it he was discovered by the manor's butler Heathcote. They dueled, and though Therion emerged victorious Heathcote had managed to shackle Therion with an iron cuff around the wrist. It was a Fool's Bangle, the mark of captured thief. They weren't designed to be removed.

This one, however, apparently had a special key to take it off. Heathcote revealed that the rumors were planted, the whole thing a set up designed to attract a thief that the lady of the house could use for a mission. Cordelia Ravus, whose family's prized Dragonstones had been stolen away, was looking for someone good enough to steal them back. The reward was the removal of the Fool's Bangle. Upset and shamed, Therion reluctantly agreed.

It was on the road out of town that Therion met a strange duo around his age. One was a tall, scruffy young man with a lazy smile on his face, who radiated a friendliness and warmth that was almost nauseating. In contrast the beautiful woman with him was stand-offish, and the smile she wore was obviously fake. It was the kind of awkward meeting of a group of strangers who just happened to be heading in the same direction at the same time, and the cliffs were not at all wide enough to keep away from each other. The young man introduced himself as Alfyn, not hesitating to strike up a one-sided conversation with Therion. Despite the slightly uncomfortable journey filled with small talk, shifty glances, and fending off Birdians, after they'd all exited the Clifflands Therion was shocked to hear Alfyn invite him to journey with the duo. At the time, Therion recalled rejecting his offer. But then the three of them just kept traveling in the same direction. He knew they had seen the bangle on his wrist at some point, and yet they said nothing. Even the woman, who Therion had come to learn was named Primrose, began warming up to him after a week or two. If asked Therion would say No, I'm not with them, but despite himself he began warming up to them, too.

The rest was history as they say. The now trio met Olberic, H'aanit, Cyrus, Ophilia and Tressa after that, and explored the continent together. It would have been a lie to say that after a few months Therion didn't enjoy their company. Even Tressa whom he regularly quarreled with had a special little place in his heart with the others, as much as he was loathe to admit. The group even proved useful while hunting for the Dragonstones. It turned out having a support network made life easier, who knew?

After obtaining one Dragonstone and failing to secure the others, Therion's return to the Ravus Manor was bitter and frustrating. They had tracked the stones down to a black market, but a run in with his old partner left old wounds aching. Darius, the man who had betrayed and left Therion to die all those years ago, was in possession of the remaining Dragonstones. He would have to face Darius, but he needed time to recover and track him down again. In the mean time the group of eight travelers pursued another target: the Obsidians. Arriving in Noblecourt, their dancer stated that she would face the crows alone. She always said that, the hypocrite. Of course they didn't let her. The eight split into two groups of four, one to accompany Primrose and the other to secure supplies for their journey further North. There was no dramatic scene accompanying Therion's passage in the World of Light. He was leaning against the outside of a shop while his fellows bartered inside. Tressa had forbidden him from "making trouble" while Primrose was dealing with her past here, and begrudgingly he obliged. Idly he rolled a coin between his fingers - and then noted a blinding white sweeping towards him. There was no time to even draw a dagger before he was engulfed.

Specialty: Rogue

• As a thief, Therion excels at speed, stealth, and sleight of hand. In combat, his specialty is evasion and debuffing.

Level: 1

Experience: 0/10

Powers:

• Thieves' Specialty
  • The ability to debuff opponents. In this case, the skills Shackle Foe to lower an enemy's physical attack strength, and Armor Corrosive to lower physical defense. Perhaps most importantly, Therion can steal from enemies mid-battle.

Strengths:

• Master Thief
  • He can slip in and out of a place without being noticed, pick all but the most complex of locks, lift items directly from people who remain unaware until hours later, and has enough of a discerning eye to tell when something is valuable.
• Fleetfoot
  • Therion is very speedy, letting him take the initiative in battle and more easily evade attacks. Of course it also helps him outrun trouble in the first place.
• Precision
  • Or in plainer terms, Therion is able to land critical hits more easily. It also help when throwing, catching, or really doing any kind of intricate work.

Weaknesses:

• Short-Sighted
  • He doesn't think that far into the future. He has a tendency to go in to situations with no back up plan, with only the devil's luck to carry him through. If things don't work out he shifts into winging it. Naturally in a fight this can lead to some sticky situations.
• Prideful
  • The ego that kept Therion literally shackled with the message "caught red-handed." Therion's stubbornness means he relies on no one but himself, and he'll carry on with disadvantages just to prove a point.
• Poor Magic Control
  • Therion's low SP pool coupled with his lack of proper training means that his control over magic is sorely lacking. That's not to say he has no talent as a caster, but the only spell he really knows is called Wildfire for a reason. His spells have a tendency to spread wider or flare up stronger than intended.

Spirits:

• n/a

Kindred Spirits:

• Raziel (Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver) -
• Ratonhnhaké:ton (Assassin's Creed III) -
• Ranulf (Fire Emblem) -

Inventory:

• Thieves' Tools: lockpicks, rope and grappling hooks, small pry bar, etc.
• A simple short sword
• Stinging Dagger, a blade laced with poison
• A couple of throwing knives
• Some ill-gotten gains?

Hiiiii

Welcome! The 1x1 section is usually pretty active. Enjoy your stay!

World of Light

Word Count: 1028 (+2 exp)(+15 collab)
Level: 8 - Total EXP: 50/80
Location: Edge of the Blue - The Maw

For the Ace Cadet

New Power from the Maw:
(TBD, banked for another time)

New Strength from the Maw: [TBD]

New Strength from the Maw: Feast
Eating anything will restore health in addition to its actual effects. Also, receive a fast-diminishing attack boost after eating.

New Weakness from the Maw: Magic Aversion
From body altering spells, vitality absorbing supernatural powers, cannibalistic curses and even ugly unreliable mysteries, the Cadet has grown mistrustful of all magic. This includes beneficial spells from allies. When given the choice he will avoid helpful magic as well as magical enemies, and his performance against such opponents is diminished due to caution and suspicion. Other supernatural phenomena and superstitions are in a similar boat, though not to the same extent.

Consciousness came slowly to the monster hunter. Blackness gave way to gray, and numbness gave way to ache. Spatial awareness faded in, and the Cadet could tell he was sitting up even if he couldn't see it. His eyelids were crusted shut with sea salt, and the effort to open them was too great at the moment. Everything felt heavy. There was something slick on the back of his neck. ...am I bleeding? His thoughts came slowly too, but once they'd caught up they wouldn't stop.

He remembered that they had all headed to the Maw's helm, still stuck in their child bodies. That the Maw's course had been altered thanks to a certain Seeker. That there was a man in iron cuffs, and that the Maw had struck the sea bed.

And then...? Well the whole sub must have run aground. It would have been disastrous. Wherever he was now, the smell was almost worse than the Rotten Vale - there must be corpses around. He really needed to wake up and check things out.

But the Cadet was cold and damp, making him sluggish. His limbs felt heavy and there was something pressed up against his side. There were familiar voices speaking softly around him, so maybe others of the group were all okay and had woken up first. Fighting through the last of the fog clouding his mind, the Cadet let out a stuttering sigh and raised the arm that wasn't currently draped over something to scrub at his eyes. He reached toward the back of his neck, but his hand found just wet hair - longer than he recalled having - tickling his nape. No blood, which was lucky. Wait... The Cadet blinked at his hand, where it was covered by a thick leather glove and green scale vambraces.

He was suddenly very aware of his whole adult body, including the ship girl rigging he'd obtained by fusing with Jamaica.

"Holy jumping jaggis," he breathed, "we're back to normal." Or at the very least back to their pre-Maw selves. The Ace Cadet let his head drop backwards in relief, and knocked it on the coral shelf behind him. "Ow."

Now fully awake, he could see a majority of the group gathering under the makeshift shelter. Sakura, Bella, Mirage, Hat Kid, Rika, Bowser, Peach, Kamek, and Junior... he didn't seem Blazermate, Link, or Geralt just yet, but out of everyone those three were pretty tough, they would probably be back soon. Those that were gathered all looked back to normal too. Further attempts to move showed that the "something" pressed into his said was Nadia, tucked under one of his arms. Though his awakening was not as animated as Sakura's, the allayment of the Maw's dismal pressure and the sheer relief that they'd escaped brokered a smile on his face despite their losses. He squeezed Nadia into a strong one armed hug. "We made it pawtner."

Sure they were soaked, cold and shivering, but they had made it out.

And now they just had to stay alive. It would be very lame if they were beaten by the elements of all things. The Cadet couldn't truthfully say he was a survivalist, but he knew a thing or two. His second priority though, after confirmed that everyone was alright, was checking his gear.

He'd trapped Nadia in the hug for longer than he'd intended. Hopefully untangling himself from her wasn't too painful, given not just his rough armor but the rigging and weapons strapped to his person. Frankly he was amazed that his equipment all seemed to make it. Maybe they'd returned to normal after the impact had settled? The greatbow was whole, all of his arrows were intact, and his swords were looking okay too. Well, the blade of the Master Bang could use a sharpening. He'd get to that in a moment. Even that hammer nestled in his belt was still there. He flexed the ship rigging, and found that everything was still working properly. The blades there would need some touching up too though.

After making sure his livelihood, the weapons he carried, were fine the Cadet practically ripped off one of his gloves and vambraces. His arm was totally normal, back to the post-fusion slightly darker shade with no enlarged pores to be seen. To be safe he tried flexing it a couple of times and nothing usual happened. Phew. He re-donned the armor, the armor skills meaning he'd recover any dings or scrapes soon enough. Finally, he checked his items.

"I don't know if I've got anything fire-worthy," he stated, sifting through various coatings, powders, and other miscellaneous items he had. All were water logged. They definitely must have reverted at some point after the crash was over, because otherwise his vials and jars of potions would have all completely shattered. As it was, a couple had cracks running through their glass containers but he counted it a win that not all was lost.

About that time they were approached by a stranger. The Ace Cadet peeked out of their campsite, looking around at the desolate beach, ruined ships and buildings, and sea creatures corpses. Were there actually other people in a place like this?? Regardless the Cadet motioned the man over once he got a few approvals by the others.

"I guess we warm up a little, and once everyone wakes up or gets back we can head further in, gather what we can." He glanced at the bodies of the creatures again, curious as to how they weren't huge piles of ash but more curious about what they could be used for, but he didn't want to be carrying a bunch of body parts around with unknown dangers sure to be lurking about. Most looked too rotted to be good for food either. Ugh, food... the Cadet was sure his usual appetite would come back quickly, but so soon after the Maw he didn't want to think about it. He sat back down next to Nadia, rolling his shoulders. He looked to Delsin, questioning him. "How long have you been here? Do you know what's around the area? Place looks totally dead..."

_{@Rockin Strings}

---

Word Count: 798 (+2 exp)
Level: 6 - Total EXP: 48/60
Location: Sandswept Sky
𝙱𝙿 ●●●●●
ft. Lugubrious
D34C25

The conversation with Robin on the train proved both fruitful and unexpected.

"Ah, yes..." Both Robin's face and voice took a more serious turn as he recognized just what Primrose meant. He slid his hands into his pockets. "Actually, I had wondered if anyone might question that. On my own it could have been mistaken for an ability unique to me, but when Tharja followed suit, it certainly begged the question, didn't it?"

Realizing that his preamble might be mistaken for avoiding question, the tactician cleared his throat and proceeded. "Well, I don't know too much about it. I am no scholar, with no interest in magic beyond how it can benefit me and mine during battle. It was several weeks ago that I saw it used--an astonishing, overwhelming power. I didn't realize it at the time, but that aura bears a striking visual similarity to that of someone about to use a Final Smash." He waved his hand as if to put any new questions on hold. "Before you ask, I participated in a multi-world tournament some time ago. In that tournament, a glowing orb would occasionally appear during matches, and whoever broke it would gain the power to use a Final Smash. These are essentially reality-bending all-out attacks, unique to every individual. And it would seem that in this world, that power lurks within us all, no orb required."

As he laid his hand over his heart, his expression darkened. "But that doesn't mean they incur no cost. What I saw led me to believe that the price of a Final Smash is the user's own life. After putting one's whole being into an attack... not even a spirit remained." He shuddered despite the desert heat. "I dare not consider the implications. In that moment of desperation, no price seemed too high... but if I had gone through with it, things could have turned out so, so much worse." Robin shook his head with a sigh.

The information surprised Primrose. That tournament Robin mentioned she'd seen sort of first hand, or at least something similar during her time at the Alcamoth, but she'd never seen the orbs he spoke of during the exhibitions there. Regardless, she had confirmed that the power was one accessible to her - at a steep cost. That put a damper on any thoughts she might have had about harnessing it. "...I see," she said after a moment. It had seemed incredibly dangerous when faced with it in the temple, but knowing it went for both the user and their opponent was not exactly a comfort. At least they could be on the lookout for something like that in the future though, and they wouldn't be caught off guard. She told the pair as much, and thanked them for the information before parting.

It was a thing to ponder, the "Final Smash." She wondered if there would ever be a situation she could see herself using such a power in, but none came to mind. Her drive was too strong to sacrifice herself. Eventually the information was tucked into place in her brain, and she relaxed for the rest of the ride.

The town they pulled into was warm and colorful, even with the daunting loom of the mountain surrounding it. This close up, the climb seemed tougher than ever. Maybe she should have prepared more for that part, and not just the cold part. Raz brought up a good point about boots, and the dancer agreed with Midna that this being a tourist town surely they had recreational gear. "I wonder if the gold passes would work all the way out here, if this town falls under Al Mamoon's jurisdiction..."

A question for Ciella perhaps, but the captain didn't seem like the type to want to entertain mundane questions like that. Best to leave her alone and just try it out.

Primrose waved Raz off as he went to explore. With a group as large as theirs, it seemed impossible not to be able to find each other after splitting up. This town was much smaller than the city they'd just left after all. Eventually after sorting out everyone's inventory, she went along with a couple of others to the sports shop. "We'll meet you all soon for lunch," she called back to rest of the group. Some good footwear would suffice, and getting it sooner rather than later might give her some time to practice dancing in them. Primrose noted that there were some small crowds gathered, chattering about a musical act and wondering where the girl playing for them had gone, and figured that just like any town public performances would be a decent way to raise funds once her own supply had run out. Hopefully not too soon though.

---

Word Count: 390 (+1 exp)
Level: 2 - Total EXP: 9/20
Location: Paved Wilderness: Hammerhead

Level Up!

New Power: Guardian Orbitars. A pair of shield-shaped weapons that act as satellites, floating around Pit when active. They can block enemy attacks and can be deployed in two ways: Smash-style where they are appear as quick medium-sized shields that can stop an enemy's attack and reflect projectiles, or Uprising-style where they replace Pit's currently equipped weapon. When in Uprising-style, these Orbitars can fire weak shots or be used as weak melee weapons, but their real strength is in summoning a very large energy shield that can be projected out and damage opponents that touch it. The large shield only lasts for a couple of seconds, similar to the Smash-style shields.
***

The angel flitted out of the van, very much appreciating the sunshine. Whatever was going on with that rain, it was super dangerous. The droplets of water, or whatever it really was, had stung his skin and feathers, but he'd made out better than the others who'd ended up with spots of wrinkles and gray hairs. One of the perks of being a long lived angel. He jumped up onto the top of the van, plopping down cross legged and stretching his wings in front of him to inspect them. He ran his fingers through his feathers, feeling for any damage. His wings, while not exactly delicate, were really important to take care of! The spots the aging rain had touched had subtle difference in texture, but otherwise it seemed fine.

While Yuri and Nero split off, Pit kicked back and laid on the roof of the vehicle. He folded his arms behind his head and one leg over the other. "Wonder how anyone's supposed to get by that," he said, thinking aloud. He couldn't imagine anyone with a normal human's lifespan getting through the storm. Maybe if they moved really, really fast...

Well, they'd cross that bridge when they got to it. Or someone would. Pit would definitely join the strike team once they figured out a way to reach the Qlip-thing without everyone turning old. As it turned out though, Vandam had another assignment in mind for the interim.

"So like exploring?" Pit asked after Nero explained what the Moogle had told him. Pit was no scout, but honestly it beat hanging around Smash City and doing nothing but patrols. Plus, technically, the mission they'd just been on was just to check out what was going on in the Dead Zone anyway. So... maybe he was a scout!

"Sounds good to me!" he said with a grin. That arena looked exciting, so it would be fun to scope it out. Though there were plenty of crashes and explosions that they'd passed too, maybe not the safest place for cars. He hopped down from his perch, stretching his arms over his head. "I'm sure there's some interesting places around. Since the world is mashed up, we could turn a corner and find robots, or aliens, or anything." He started off toward town to see what they could find out.

Qualia: Mission Sub Rosa

Inti had certainly not expected any applause, especially not after following up an apparent professional, but the sound of clapping drew his attention and he found himself looking back up again at Franz.

"Even 'not much' is an overstatement," Inti said with a grin bordering on cheeky. His face was still flushed slightly darker from the exercise, though he was cooling down quickly outside of the throng of students. He blinked at the hand Franz had extended, but after a moment he took it in both of his and gave it an enthusiastic shake.

"It's nice to meet you Franz! My name is Inti." The Inca released Franz's hand, and forgoing a surname he continued. "The other students were singing your praises. _{Well, mostly.} It's nice to get a compliment from such a person." Even if it was probably just flattery, Inti didn't mind. He was in a good mood, enjoying himself, and he knew his performance was not great. Still, Franz seemed nice enough. Plus if he remembered right, someone had mentioned that he was a particular type of Polymath. Inti had never met a Mesmerologist before. Not that he recalled anyway. But he had heard about them, and they interested him, and so Inti didn't hesitate to bring the Occidental boy's specialty up.

"They said you are... a mesmerologist too, is that right?" At some point Inti had crossed his arms underneath his poncho, tilting his head curiously. "I've heard it's rare and difficult. How does it work? Can you see inside of a person? Do you have to practice a lot? Oh, how do you find time to practice and dance and everything else too?" For what it was worth, Inti did appear to be genuinely interested to know more, with not a hint of judgement in his voice. Just after asking his questions, he paused and an expression reminiscent of embarrassment crossed his face, but it passed quickly. Manners, manners, Inti! "Ah, if you don't mind answering. I would understand if you didn't want to talk about it," he added, "though it seems really cool."

While Inti and Franz talked, more students made their way to the dance area. Little by little they were taking to the floor in the wake of excitement the two boys had stirred up. It was nice to see things getting even more lively. And speaking of lively, there were two guys that had come loudly into the hall and requesting another song change. Were they inebriated or something? There was alcohol being served, so it was possibility. The duo was hard to ignore even if you were in the middle of a conversation with someone... and now they had started singing! The sight of them made Inti laugh, it looked like they were having fun.

_@Jumbus

Cacophony Concord

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_{HP: 1920/1920 - MP: 1920/1920 - SP: 1920/1920}
^{_________________} _{[spreadsheet for most recent changes]}

Inspect User

I want a space here.

CHARACTER

Avatar Appearance
Username: Ames
Race: Human
Gender: Male
Height: 176cm | Weight: 69kg

Classes:
Warrior lvl 50 (+10% HP | +10% STR | +10% END)
Animist lvl 50 (+10% HP | +10% MP | +10% SP)
Ascetic lvl 28 (10% MP | 10% DEX)
_{Weapon Proficiency: LVL 4}

Attributes:
HP – 55 (810)
MP – 60 (660)
SP – 60 (690)
STR – 65 (98)
AGI – 52 (74)
END – 50 (65)
DEX – 65 (80)
LUC – 70 (78)

Abilities:
▶ Power Attack _{Actively consume SP while preparing for an attack; unleash for increased damage on attack.}
▶ Combat Stance _{Passive. Increase STR, END, or DEX by 10% at will. Five second cooldown.}
▶ Double Strike _{Active. 25% SP cost. Attack twice with your weapon, dealing incremental bonus damage based off SP consumed. Can be combo'd into from Power Attack.}
▶ Sundering Blow _{Active. 40% SP cost. Strike downwards, causing a burst of energy around you and dealing damage to all enemies. May inflict Stun. Range increases by 5 meters for every 100 SP consumed, starting from a radius of 10 meters. Can be combo'd into from Power Attack.}
▶ Reinvigorate _{Active. 100 MP. Regain 100 SP. Can be used in tandem with Power Attack.}
▶ Fluid Power _{Passive. Power Attack can combo into any offensive skill.}
▶ Harmonic Cycles _{Passive. 5% of HP/SP/MP can be converted into HP/SP/MP. Can be used once per round.}
▶ Art of the Split Soul _{Active. 5% SP and 5% MP per round. Imbue a Weapon or Shield with a portion of your soul, enabling it to float within a 20m radius of you, attacking or defending at your command. This bypasses Equipment slot restrictions. Imbued Weapons or Shields do not grant stats or effects.}

INVENTORY (OUTDATED)

Funds: 15883 Rishi

Item Pouch (Common):

• Ankle Bells (dented)
• Common Health Potion x4
• Common Antidote x2

Equipment

• Main Hand: Water Tiger Hook Sword UC +7 STR +3 DEX
  • Weapon can be used to Grapple while attacking, at 80% efficacy.
• Off Hand: Adventurer's Buckler C
  • No extra effect.
• Head: Battlerider's Cowl R +50 HP +10 AGI
  • Increase [Charge] attack damage by 20%. Increase [Riding] proficiency by 10%.
• Armor: Lacquered Woodplate UC +30 HP, +20 SP, +5 END
  • Reduce damage taken by wind and water attacks by 50. Increase damage taken by fire attacks by 15.
• Arms: Phantom Flame Bangles R +100 HP +3 AGI +5 END
  • Reduce fire damage by 35. Consume 100 HP to enhance your equipped weapons with magical flames.
• Legs: Barbarian Leg Paddings UC +20 HP, +4 STR, +4 AGI
  • 10% resistance to Restraint effects.
• Shoes: Sturdy Sandals UC +5 AGI, +2 DEX
  • 5% resistance to Knockback effects. Mitigates difficulties of movement on slippery terrain.
• Accessory: Divining Rattlebones C +8 LCK
  • No extra effect.
• Accessory: Banner of the Raid Chief R +30 SP +15 STR +10 DEX
  • x% chance of increasing ally’s damage by 10% when they attack. X equals 5 x the amount of party members. This effect does not stack.
• Accessory: Deep Red Cloak C
  • No extra effect.
• Accessory:

Current User Experience

Perception: Fantastic
Gore: Pixelated
Pain Setting: 40%
Clothing Damage: On
Nudity Censor: Personal
Profanity Censor: Off
Combat Action: Stylish
Spell Incantations: Stylish

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^{_________________}
For Ames, the last couple of days had been very exciting. They weren't filled with danger or adventure, but instead: possibilities. The day after obtaining her Nuclei, Ames had toured the Sweet Maid and generally basked in the establishment's aura. She inspected every part of it, from the kitchen to the bedrooms to Britomart's clothes. Especially her squire's clothes - as the proprietor, Ames fully planned on either finding a matching outfit or hiring a tailor. Eventually she was going to lean into this part of the game, because... well, it was fun. If she had been embarrassed at first, telling Sean and the others about how excited she was to explore the Nuclei, the feeling was quickly wiped away when she logged back in.

She'd parked the inn outside of Nyu-Taro and spent the in-game nights there, inviting the rest of her party to do the same, though with all of them spread out and pursuing their own things it wasn't likely they were all in the same place for long. Besides that, Britomart turned out to be a poor chef, and Ames wasn't much better - she could cook an egg and flip a pancake, but any fancier breakfasts were left to Raime if he so chose to try and cook with his one-armed avatar. Today, though, Ames packed the Maid away. The morning was spent mulling over whether to keep it safe or to move it closer to the battlefield, maybe make some money renting the rooms out... after she'd been reminded that the war was something the party was intending on 'doing.'

After passing through the gates into the city with Britomart, the crest on Ames' hand flashed and the squire faded out of existence, back to wherever she and the inn rested while not summoned to the material world.

Soon enough the circle of friends came together. Ames had shed the cloak she'd been wearing now that she was more or less happy with how her avatar looked. Balancing fashion and function was a bit tricky, but she thought she had a decent grasp on it now. The edge of the haori, her most prized piece of equipment, fluttered gently behind her as she moved. It's long sleeves swayed with the movement of her arms, the opalescent phantom bangles peeking through from time to time. The haori was tied around the waist, covering up most of her chest - though the top showed plenty enough to see the necklace of bone she'd been wearing since almost day one. A cute cat earring pierced one ear, which was new. The shin guards and sandals she wore were a deep fiery red that bled upwards into the scarlet embroidery of the haori. All in all, it was decent look.

Ames stood with one hand on her hip, about to ask the all important question: what the hell were they going to do next? Were they going to split up or support one clan over the other? There were things left undone, mysteries she still wanted to solve, but she wanted to see what her friends were thinking. However, her voice was drowned out by an engine's roar, and she blinked in surprise when an unfamiliar man approached them. He was acting awfully friendly... but... oh, wait, was it...?

"Russ?" Ames guessed. That rugged guy that never posted any pics in their chat, wasn't it? He had said something about going on a trip and not having internet access for a while, but suddenly meeting up with him in the game was pretty surprising.

Ames smiled at the man. With so many disappearances within their party, it would be cool to have another person join them—— aaaaand nevermind, he'd immediately stated his intent to go off on his own. The red haired swordsman scoffed and pinched the bridge of her nose. She had to get used to this. She took a deep breath and took a look at whatever Russ - or Leif - was holding.

"I dunno, don't think I've seen it before," Ames shrugged. "Oh, and I'm Amelia if you couldn't tell. I guess it's nice of you to drop in and say hi."

She was kind of curious about what kind of trouble he could have gotten into in such a relatively short amount of time, but there was something else she was more curious about. "Uh, what do you mean 'locked in' to your path? Can that really happen?" Was she going to have to worry about somehow getting stuck in one of the paths she'd picked up?

World of Light

Word Count: 708 (+1 exp)
Level: 6 - Total EXP: 44/60
Location: Sandswept Sky
𝙱𝙿 ●●●●●
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Out of many possible last minute arrivals, Primrose had not expected one of Validar's Grimleal captains to accompany them. Her appearance made Primrose wonder if she wasn't the only one tagging along. The dancer's eyes scanned the area for anything that might give away an invisible presence, but it was futile as one might expect. Well, so much for washing the paranoia away, she thought to herself, crossing her arms. She nodded to Ciella, giving her a polite if muted greeting, and then left the woman to her own devices.

For Primrose, there wasn't much of anything that she needed to do during the train ride. There were some questions she wanted to ask before they disembarked, but from the looks of it there would be plenty of time to ask. At first she was content to sit on her own, gaze out of the train at the sands - but after Tora toured the train and invited people to test his defense, the dancer went up to spectate for a little while. It might have been training for Tora, but it was a good lesson for Primrose as well. Seeing how her allies fought would help her decide what to empower them with when she danced. Up until then she had been more or less using her best judgement with stolen glances in the midst of battle.

When asked if she planned to participate in beating the Nopon up, Primrose shook her head.

"Just observing," she told them. After a few rounds though she piped up during a health break and said, "Actually, there is something I would like to try. Given how our abilities seem to return in bits and pieces, there is something I want to make sure of..."

She stepped forward, explaining that there was a "divine skill" she had recalled at some point yesterday, and it was meant to spread the power of others. She had already confirmed that it worked for her own abilities, and now she wanted to see if it still worked when she danced for another. "...so I will need a few volunteers," she added.

Sealticge's Seduction, a provocative if short display, lived up to it's expectations. Buffs like Midna's Dragon Dance spread out to affect all allies present, and though it couldn't be tested just then Primrose was confident that the opposite still held true as well: that weaknesses inflicted on one enemy would affect all enemies. With some strategy, either option could be a potent advantage.

Speaking of strategies, it was about time that Primrose went looking for some information. With her comrades informed of the combination potential she bid the fighters farewell and entered the body of the train once more. It was Robin and his blonde shadow that the dancer sought out. Back in the underground temple she had been intrigued by a power they hadn't ended up using. If it was something innate to the duo, that would sate her curiosity just fine - but if it was some spell, some magic she might learn as well, or even some new piece of information about the world at large... then she didn't want to pass up the opportunity. Just as she did with the Master of Masters, Primrose didn't hesitate to seek out the answers to her questions.

Once she found Robin and Tharja, Primrose gave them a smile that she intended to be disarming.

"Good morning. I don't think we had time yesterday to really meet. My name is Primrose." The duo could infer a lot about Primrose. Clad in her red and showy outfit, it was clear she was a dancer. And given her bold, if brief, introduction it was also clear that she wanted something from them. Primrose did not insult the pair by beating around the bush.

"If you don't mind, there has been a little something nagging on my mind... yesterday, in the temple, when you were both still Gleaming," she said, giving the term they'd been using so far, "at the last moment your eyes and body glowed and you were filled with a terrible power."

She paused, giving them a moment to collect their thoughts as they surely knew the question she was about to ask. "What was that?"