Veronica, back to the Tower
So, that was the end of that particular escapade. Veronica wasn't entirely sure how the rest of the group had acquired the money... but apparently it had all worked out in the end, so whatever. It was best to keep moving on and not dwell on the past. Some of the fighting had been fun, but if nothing else she was glad to see the back of that Majima asshole.
The Mighty Pen
Kashira Lavellan - Tower - A Warm Welcome
While many, many insults and jokes had been made on the subject of elven ears, they did usually acknowledge that in fact, their owners did have excellent hearing. Kashira's polite smile never wavered, but a cold shadow fell over her heart as she caught Sumireko's question to Samus. Oh, no. Ir abelas, ma falon. Ma melava halani. Mala suledin nadas. But you won't have to face this alone. She had no wish to interrupt the conversation, but tried to catch Sumi's eye and mouth talk later. while no one was looking. That done, she stamped down on the sorrow and returned her attention to the introductions.
"Indeed, I'm not familiar with those trades myself," she replied to the two girls. "But I'm sure they'll prove useful and I'll do my best to keep both of you safe." She glanced towards Sabrina, eyebrow raised. "You know each other, I take it?"
Finally, she spared a brief nod to Kirito.
"Your trade, at least, I know," she said. "It's an ancient one with many great names among its ranks. What is it you adventure for, if you don't mind my asking?"
A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent upon arriving. -Lao Tzu
He took up a pair of gold chains acquired in the world of Kamurocho, and jingled them about to entice the cat.* Entirely acquired on the up-and-up, of course. Nobody was going to miss this particular item. "So, tell me! Is there anything you'd be interested in doing a little bartering for, my good captain?"
You know, most of the people here were ladies, come to think of it.
Huh.
Sumireko shook that aside and answered Samus with "...I...there was a...you know, criminals, right? You have them where you come from? Yeah, so, we, meaning me, and Reimu, and Zazsalamel, and KOS-MOS, and 2B, and that one elf woman, and someone who fired a laser behind me maybe it was KOS-MOS, we set up a shrine to get donations, and then we met a guy who was really into slot cars or something." She shrugged here, kind of out-of-place considering how morose she sounded. What was with that guy anyway?
Sumireko paused, and sighed, before holding up a hand. "Long story short I shot a gangster in the back. I was just trying to keep him on the ground, and...my finger slipped." She hung her head low with an additional "yeah."
Samus Aran- Tower: I'm Not Qualified To Work With Kids
Samus listened to all of Sumireko's story, confirming her suspicious that someone had been killed during their quest to gather money. Considering the high amount of organized crime in the city, it didn't surprise her that someone had been confronted by a gang. It was still unfortunate that someone who clearly wasn't prepared for killing had to deal with that, and it hadn't even been on purpose. It was obvious that she wasn't taking it well, but Samus wasn't really sure what to do about it. She had to say something though...
When Sumeriko looked down, Samus bent down slightly and placed her free hand on the girl's shoulder.
"Hey... you didn't mean to do it, right? There's no point in overthinking it then. Shooting a far from innocent man on accident doesn't make you a cold blooded killer. Just... be more careful with guns next time if you need to use one."
edited 5th Feb '18 12:36:47 AM by ScorpioRat
Anti-Gnosis Weapon
KOS-MOS had so far done a pretty good job of keeping her attention split between three conversations at once, but now she discarded two of them for later review as something 042 had stated ground her information processing to a screeching halt. While she pretended to continue listening politely to Kirito and Uzume, the gynoid couldn't help but stare dead-eyed into a space just over the boy's shoulder, the wireless appendages atop her head swiveling directly toward the Pod to optimize signal reception.
The YoRHa Infantry Squad was created in the early 11940s, during the 14th Machine War. Their overall objective was to combat the extraterrestrial Machine Lifeforms occupying planet Earth, she repeated tonelessly, even as she vaguely registered the armor-clad bounty hunter give Sumireko a passable answer to her dilemma, Unable to parse your last statement, 042. Please repeat.
edited 5th Feb '18 3:31:47 PM by darksidevoid
GM of AGOG S4: Frontiers RP; Sub-GM of TABA, SOTR, & UUA RPs
A dogged fellow, aren't we?
Pod 042
"Correct." The pod replied in his calm, clipped baritone. "Clarification: In our universe of origin, human civilization has been destroyed, and the human race is now extinct."
edited 5th Feb '18 5:51:51 PM by LittleMako
Stop Killing My Titles
Baron
"Maaaan, I'm jealous." The magnificent opulence of Blacker Baron grinned at his buddy in black as he stepped right behind Guts, eager to pioneer the next floor of the tower. "Proper animals are rare stuff back home, dig? Neva seen a life bear in my life."
Claw
"That's rather humble of you. You're resourceful enough not to cause trouble for the group." Claw groused, looking back towards the gate to Kamurocho - where the two troublemakers from the batting center would inevitably appear - then back to Patches. "That's more than I can say of some here."
"For now I'm happy to just browse through, but I think I might come back to you in short order." As said, for now he decided to simply peruse the items on the display with his knowledgable eye.
grah
Vampire Hunter
Sabrina, Tower
Sabrina narrowed her eyes and tilted her head, but before she could go further, Kashira asked if they knew each other.
"Yes," Sabrina nodded to her questioner. "This is not the first time that Junko and I have been involved in this weird multiversal nonsense."
"I just hope you do not experience what I had experienced back then," Sabrina crossed her arms as she tried to forget that horrible experience she experienced in the Crystal City prior to travelling to the first world she visited. That was something she did not ever want to remember again.
Wizard Needs Food Badly
Nitori - Tower Gate
Right, she had her attention, now to sell the idea. The kappa cast a few furtive glances about, mostly to make sure none of those vampires were around. Satisfied, she turned back to 2B.
"Well, I thought you and I could come to an arrangement. I'm not much in a straight up fight, you see. You however, clearly are. So perhaps you could protect me in the future? We can be a team, you and I, alright? I can repair you and maintain you. I like tinkering with machinery, but if you're not comfortable with that we can drop it of course. So, what say you?"
She looked up with expectant eyes, then it occurred to her that maybe the height difference might be discouraging. Gently she ascended, until her face was level with 2B's.
Conception is sin Birth is pain Life is toil Death is inevitable
Anti-Gnosis Weapon
The human race is now extinct.
KOS-MOS reprocessed this statement several times, still unable to fully comprehend it. Almost against her will, she began to make sense of it in light of the available facts. The other gynoid was of a similar or even more advanced construction compared to herself, which certainly should be possible by the early 11940s, and she was constructed for an ostensibly similar purpose. 2B summoned and dismissed her own weapons in a similar way to the anti-Gnosis unit's own favored arms. Given the year in which she had last seen her friends, there was more than enough time in the intervening interval for humanity to find the planet once again and then go—
No. It was unacceptable. It was inconceivable. It could not be, after everything they had suffered through, that all of humanity would be dead and render her efforts moot by that point. And after all, 2B and 042 were from an entirely different universe...
No, KOS-MOS knew that was just a weak rationalization. There was nothing to specifically affirm that they were from the same place in the multiverse, but nothing to truly deny it, either, and the similarities were close enough that they might not be coincidence, so the possibility did exist. Both Dio and Josuke had been from the same base universe, after all, even if some specifics in their personal timelines had differed. With the desperation of a drowning woman, she grasped for something that would make certain that the horrible future 2B and her Pod originated from was somewhere other than merely the distant horizon of her own universe.
042, in what year did the human race cease to be extant? In spite of her efforts, the fear and anxiety surging through her system bled a little into the tone of her transmission, and KOS-MOS braced herself for the worst.
edited 6th Feb '18 11:22:39 AM by darksidevoid
GM of AGOG S4: Frontiers RP; Sub-GM of TABA, SOTR, & UUA RPs
Did you know this section has a character limit?
Qrow - If I May Butt In; Tower
"You know, he's underselling it when he calls it a bear." Qrow commented to Baron, having located Guts. "Thing was the size of a small house. If it was pitch black and covered in bone armour, I'd have called an Ursa Major."
He took his flask from his front pocket and took a swig, before patting Guts on the shoulder.
"I only know one man who coulda done that, and he'd have aura to back him up. So don't cut yourself short."
Patches began to chuckle to himself in his own, unique way, oblivious that the cat-captain was still there and fully aware of him.
Now that she had it out in front of her, it seems that the 3D-printed firearm had somehow completely repaired itself without explanation. The giant crack down the barrel was gone, the shattered pieces were back in place, and if she had bothered to check it was even loaded.
"...need to." Despite meaning that Sumireko wouldn't have to spend a lot of extra pocket money on printing another back home, this wasn't exactly what she needed to see right now. "I think I need to go sit down for a bit. Thanks, anyway."
Calamity is a housewife
Kirito, with Uzume, KOS-MOS, and Kashira
I was asked by the sci-fi woman for elaboration on what I had meant. I rubbed my head and admitted in my thoughts that 'adventurer' was a little vague to someone outside of a fantasy setting. The elven woman understood though, and when she asked for more details I found myself at a conversational crossroads.
That was; do I tell these guys that I 'adventured' in a video game turned deadly?
My thought process was thus; if I mentioned VR simulations and asked them if they knew about it, I could possibly get some level of confirmation on whether I was in a simulation or not. If they didn't believe it though, I'd just look crazy to them, maybe hurt what partnerships I could have with them for further 'challenges' down the road. These people were supposed to be from other worlds, after all.
I steeled myself and spoke to the blue-haired sci-fi lady.
"You see... I'm a gamer, and I'm used to virtual reality simulations of fantasy settings. Just a while ago, a couple thousand players, me included, were trapped in a simulation together, and if we died in the simulation, we'd die for real. The only way out was to, essentially, beat the game by exploring, clearing out and beating the boss monster in all the game's dungeons. So... that's what I'd consider an 'adventure', and after I made it out alive, I found myself here, so..."
I cleared my throat after failing to find any more words to say.
"Am I... uh... making sense?"
The elven woman did have a more specific question, one that I certainly knew I didn't have to step around. My next words lost their uncertainty, and I more successfully steeled my nerves.
"I'm looking to save someone I know. She hasn't left the virtual world I talked about and is still asleep in the real one, and right now it seems like this 'wish' I'll get from clearing this tower will wake her up."
Guts, with the Baron and Qrow
The Baron went ignored, as per usual. It was when a second, surlier voice chimed in that Guts groaned internally. Sure was hard to find some time to yourself nowadays.
The drunken swordsman was unmistakable in his voice and the telltale sounds of slushing drink. He was trying to insert himself into the conversation (what little there was of it), and there must've been a reason for it. Guts hardened his heart again, ready to deflect whatever words got on his nerves.
He'd suddenly felt a hand on his armored shoulder, and while it didn't touch the skin, the action sure made it crawl.
Guts grit his teeth, clenched his jaws and smacked the drunken swordsman's hand away with his own. He finally turned to look at the two men following him, no longer indifferent, and with hatred in his eyes.
"Don't. Touch me."
As soon as that was made clear, Guts allowed Qrow his inquiry.
"You're here for a reason, aren't you? Make it quick."
"Shake the dust." - Anis Mojgani
A dogged fellow, aren't we?
2B - Tower gate
The short be-hatted girl raised an issue that 2B hadn't considered - maintenance. Without 9S or the facilities at the Bunker or a Resistance camp, she was going to have to perform it herself.
"Protecting our weaker support units makes tactical sense. I'm going to be doing that anyway." She replied, slowly tracking the girl's ascent to eye level with just one raised eyebrow. "As for repairs, my Pod and I can do basic field maintenance ourselves. If you're qualified to work with android systems, I might need you for more serious issues."
She was not oblivious to the conversation between the Pod and KOS-MOS, and she turned to glance at the other android with a somewhat sympathetic frown. She knew from experience that this was not especially pleasant information to know.
Meanwhile, Pod 042 had turned to face KOS-MOS as well. "The specifics of the extinction event are classified above my level of clearance. However, I do know that it took place before the initial alien invasion in 5012 AD." Pod 042 paused for a moment, before adding, "Unit KOS-MOS appears distressed. Proposal: I should conduct a structural comparison of units KOS-MOS and 2B to confirm that both units originate from separate universes."
edited 9th Feb '18 2:02:09 AM by LittleMako
The Mighty Pen
Kashira Lavellan - Tower - All New, Faded For Her
As Kirito struggled to explain his world, Kashira fought just as hard to understand what he was saying. Fantasy, I know that word. Nothing else makes sense, but I know that one. She settled for nodding politely and praying for something she could latch onto. And as luck - or the gods - would have it, she got it when he described his intent to save someone and relaxed...just a little. I still know next to nothing and I'm about to sound stupid by trying to understand. There are worse things than ignorance, but not many.
"You'll have to forgive me, I think our worlds are too different for me to understand entirely," she said, restraining the smile trying to break out at the absurdity of it all. His friend or whoever she is deserves more respect than my laughing at the two of us trying to talk. "But if I understand you correctly, your friend is trapped in a realm of dreams, as were you for a time, and only by killing the creatures of that realm were you able to break free and wake up. And now you're trying to rescue her." She bowed slightly. "Noble. I hope you can free her one day. I know what it's like to lose a...friend to dreams." The reflexive wince was still there and the flare of pain was no weaker for all the time gone by and it always lingered. Vhenan...
"Your people can all walk this dream world with waking minds while your bodies sleep, then?" she asked, affecting a perhaps too-bright smile. "I can only imagine what it must be like for so many to be able to shape the world together just by thinking about it. Although, if you adventure in this dream world, what is it you do in the waking world? Are they at all similar? Are you?" And right then, I felt the whole world change... She paused and then, she did laugh quietly. At least I still can. I still have this. "You don't need to answer if you'd rather not. I enjoy learning far too much for my own good. If we weren't on this quest, I'd probably spend a few months just asking everyone questions."
A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent upon arriving. -Lao Tzu
Calamity is a housewife
Kirito, Tower, with Kashira
"A realm of dreams is actually a pretty good way to put it."
As the elven woman (I believe I heard her say her name was Kashira earlier) put the ideas together, I confirmed her deductions with a nod of the head. I wanted to respond, but her noticeable wince stopped me for a second. She said she knew what it was like to lose someone to a dream. At the time, I wondered how similar her situation was to mine.
"Thanks... I hope so too."
She then asked her questions, and me being a big fan of exposition, obliged her some answers.
"Oh no, it's totally fine. I'm actually with you on that, learning about other worlds is one reason people are fans of the... simulations at home. These simulations, or dream worlds I've been talking about are seen as a form of entertainment and escapism where I'm from. Basically, we're asleep in the real world and our minds perceive this shared dream world that someone else, let's call him the 'game designer', made. While we're in it, it's as real as anything else we'd feel in the waking world.
"Although, our real world is a lot more mundane. There, I'm still a student, and so are most of the friends I made in that simulation."
I looked back at the swords on my back, still weighing heavily on my shoulders like real steel, not code.
"I woke up here with my equipment from that game... er, dream world, but everything else tells me I'm not in one, that I'm in the real world now. Honestly, I'm still not too sure what I've gotten myself into... with this Tower and everything."
edited 6th Feb '18 11:40:49 PM by LatverianBadger
"Shake the dust." - Anis Mojgani
Anti-Gnosis Weapon
Understood. The receptors on KOS-MOS' head righted themselves as soon as the known date was transferred. A structural comparison between 2B and myself is unnecessary for the stated purpose, as humans have persisted well beyond the 51st century in my own universe. Comparative analysis may still provide useful data for our coordination on future missions, however. Pending concurrence from 2B, please conduct said analysis of our structures when time and conditions permit.
As she internally replayed a sped-up recording of Kirito's explanation for her own understanding, the blue-haired robot woman smiled slightly. Thank you, 042.
With a nod at the boy carrying dual swords, the space-age "sci-fi heroine" finally chimed in. "Simulation software similar to the description provided are also common in my universe of origin, and utilize the universe-wide information network known as the Unus Mundus Network, abbreviated UMN. Safeguards to secure said simulations and other UMN traffic against hacking by malicious actors are also presently required by law. However, several high-profile cases from approximately one hundred years ago have been recorded in which dozens of individuals were remotely hacked and held as hostages by a terrorist."
Of course, the man responsible had ultimately been completely and utterly annihilated at the most basic level in both body and soul when attempting to grasp the power of God. Lucky that someone had pulled that one off, as stopping him would most likely have been impossible otherwise. Not that the rest of the Climbers would ever need to know the grisly details of such events.
There was one other thing to address, however, and her gaze moved to the swords on the young man's back. It was far from difficult for the combat robot to tell that his stance was slightly off, and that he moved as if unused to their encumbrance. "Kirito, given that prior utilization of your equipment was solely within the confines of a simulation, are you presently proficient in the use of your weapons?"
edited 7th Feb '18 4:06:19 PM by darksidevoid
GM of AGOG S4: Frontiers RP; Sub-GM of TABA, SOTR, & UUA RPs
Samus Aran- Tower
"Er... You're welcome?" Samus stood up and watched Sumireko leave with the gun that she had presumably fired, more confused than when the conversation had been started. Was that girl really going to be okay? It didn't look like she was in the mood to be followed, however. Not that she couldn't follow her if she really wanted to, but that seemed almost rude to do. Oh well.
Most of the other travelers around her were occupied with their own discussions, and Samus didn't have enough of a desire to socialize to insert herself into a group more than she had already. Sometimes listening was more rewarding than speaking anyway when it came to learning something new. At least that's what she told herself as she leaned against a nearby wall with a barely audible sigh.
edited 8th Feb '18 12:04:14 AM by ScorpioRat
Did you know this section has a character limit?
Qrow - Thank The Two Brothers for Anti-Social Assholes
Qrow smiled, and put his hands up.
"Fine, fine. I'll go."
He turned around and smiled to himself, walking away from the bigger Black Swordsman. No way in hell this guy would be gossiping to anyone about his magic.
Qrow walked as far as the wall, leaning back against it, placing himself a few feet away from Instinct. His secret safe, he could go back to personal matters.
"Y'know, kid, most of them don't bite. If you want, I think I can introduce you to some people I think you'll get along with."
"I wouldn't worry about what Qrow said, princess," Yang said to Weiss, brushing her hair still. 85... 86.... "That geezer said time's like, stuck, back home, so as far as anyone else on Remnant is concerned, we never left." 95....
"But I sure hope we get this done fast. If we're stuck here until we're uncle Qrow's age before we get back, people are gonna notice that we're super old." 99.... 100.... All better. She put her hairbrush back in Bumblebee's storage and stretched her arms up, shaking her head side-to-side a couple times to let it settled. Perfect.
Was that a big dude with a big cannon on his arm? "Huuuh," she stated simply, curious.
She mozied on over towards Samus, giving the bounty hunter a once-over before focusing on the arm-cannon.
"Maybe I should have gone for something big like that...." She looked down at her robotic hand and opened and closed it a few times. "Hey buddy," she addressed her. "Where'd you get that?"
Samus Aran- Tower
Another girl approached Samus, though this one looked old enough to be out of school, at least. The fact that one of her hands was made of metal did make her wonder how someone her age had lost a limb at all. Samus watched as Yang looked her over, curious to see what this one was going to say. It couldn't be worse than trying to comfort the one who shot a man. Samus tilted her head and looked down at her main weapon.
"...This?" she asked. "It's part of my entire suit. It was a gift from my teachers." She could tell that the blonde young woman was comparing the cannon to her own arm. "Do you have something similar?"
Salute the freedom fairy! ._.7
-I- To Qrow
As the group dispersed and its many members began to wind down, the Scion took her time scanning each of them. Moving only her head and eyes in quick, precise and mechanical motions, she analyzed each in turn. As well, while it seemed as if she was only half paying attention, in truth she was absorbing each and every conversation and interaction happening in the room at the same time, noting details down for future reference.
Analysis: A mysterious and entirely mechanical being made out of gold. It could speak. Feminine. Seems to have killed before. Her right arm seemed to entirely be one big cannon.
Conclusion: Unknown defensive and offensive capabilities. Likely a warrior. Indigestible, not for eating in emergency situations.
Analysis: Very, very large man, clad heavily in black armor. Left arm from the elbow down seemed to be mechanical, or perhaps just a very convincing gauntlet. Carried a sword that seemed to go beyond the human limitations of swordmanship and inspired immediate skepticism. Claimed to strangle bears as a hobby.
Conclusion: A cowardly boaster who relied on looks to scare off opponents. Or, an entirely above-human fighter who should be treated with all caution. Impossible to claim without further evidence. Also not for eating; content of meat is unknown.
Analysis: An aging adult human male, not much of note, carried a large blade across his back. However, just before she made her middling conclusion on him, he turned and glanced at her, their eyes meeting. It told her more than his mere body had; he too, was dangerous.
Conclusion: Predatory, confident. A powerful potential friend. Also, perhaps edible.
And so she went down the list, pausing in confusion at some, nodding glumly at others. They were odd, unknown, and frighteningly alien. But she could tell that they were all fearsome in their own way; not a one went without their own signs of battle fatigue, of carrying themselves confidently. Barring the two who had appeared here with her — and oddly enough, they themselves seemed recognized by the group, so she didn't worry about their capabilities.
Somewhat satisfied, she idly pondered exactly what she should do now. While she pondered, the aging hunter she had noted earlier completed his odd attempts to socialize with the large black swordsman, and found his way over to the wall a few feet over from her.
He was far enough away to where he could be mistaken for simply having elected to rest. But she knew he had come for her. She didn't acknowledge him as he came to rest. She recognized him as another hunter, and she wouldn't show anything that could be taken as a sign of submission or weakness. She knew quite intimately how gleefully predators leaped on such signs.
"Y'know, kid," he addressed her casually, easily. An attempt to drop her guard with deliberate levity? Or, perhaps he wasn't here to judge her value as prey, but to judge her in other ways. "Most of them don't bite. If you want, I think I can introduce you to some people I think you'll get along with."
The Scion frowned. These people would not bite. Yes, she had taken that for granted; humans were odd, but even she knew that they seldom had the tendency to bite at strangers. An inane reassurance, but one she nonetheless appreciated. It was the effort that counted. Similarly, the second sentence boggled her mind. Was she not capable of standing along side any of these people? Was something preventing her from doing so? He apparently thought so. She could probably chalk it up to more of humanity's odd behavior. One in thousands she had already noticed.
Still, she had not expected him to try and reassure her. Who knows why, but it would be disgraceful to not match kindness in turn.
"I am not troubled by thoughts of being bitten by these people. But I thank you for the attempt nonetheless." She smiled slightly, craning her head halfway towards him. "I do not need assistance to be alongside anyone here, however. It's as simple as walking over to them. Besides, I have no need to do so right now."
also I forgot to mention last time that she's got fucking red tron lines. Go figure
edited 8th Feb '18 10:40:55 PM by tvtropesnoob
"Your Sig is now charmingly out of date" — Vox, 7/6/2016
Nitori - Tower Gate
Promising start, though it wasn't quite the commitment Nitori wanted out of the android. She tapped her chin as she contemplated the matter a moment.
"Sure. I can work with that," said the kappa at last. A superior smirk now adorned her face. "And you need not worry. I guarantee none here are better suited than I."
As if to reinforce the point, mechanical arms extended out from the kappa's backpack, forming something akin to jazz hands.
Conception is sin Birth is pain Life is toil Death is inevitable
"Oh this? Nah, not a part of a suit, nothing like that," Yang said to Samus, popping off her right arm and just casually waving it around a little bit in her left hand. "Just needed some help after getting it cut off, so my dad gave me a hand. This one was made by some guy in charge of another academy. Probably an apology for letting our school blow up."
She popped her arm back in and flexed it once for good measure.
"That place we were just in, Japan, seemed sooooooo ancient I was wondering if Remnant was the only place with real tech like ours," she added.
2B - Tower gate
Zasalamel's comment earned him a glance from the black-clad woman, expression as impassive as ever.
"Hm. Not so similar for me... but I'll give you curious." She replied after a moment. Curious? Definitely. KOS-MOS's reply was surprisingly reassuring. Maybe it had just been chance that her first taste of human civilization had been so... distasteful. She'd dipped her head and shaken it lightly, pushing those thoughts into the back of her mind. She'd indulged them enough for today, and there was still a mission to accomplish. She gave Zasalamel a nod and had started to turn towards the rest of the group when she felt a tug at her sleeve, looking down to see the girl with the blue hair and the enormous backpack.
"What is it?"
While his master was otherwise engaged, Pod 042 chimed in to answer KOS-MOS's question on the same silent channel. "The YoRHa Infantry Squad was created in the early 11940s, during the 14th Machine War. Their overall objective was to combat the extraterrestrial Machine Lifeforms occupying planet Earth. The human race is no longer considered extant in our universe."
edited 4th Feb '18 4:33:45 PM by LittleMako