"That's nice of her." Dahlia said. "So what about you guys?" she asked to Kasumi and Alex.
edited 29th Apr '15 11:31:49 PM by RhymeBeat
The Crystal Caverns A bird's gotta sing.Prospa rubbed her temple. What was I thinking getting myself involved in a new web of deception? No, no use lying to myself, I know why I did this.
The mage sighed. "Of course I know who you are Princess. My family are friends of the Schnees, the Schnees are friends of your family. Well...I suppose "friends" is a relative term given you're actually friends with Lupa and the legendary sex fiend herself. In any case, I suppose I trust you. At least as much as I can trust anyone I just met. It's...not an emotion that comes easy. Gave my teammates more than a few headaches back when we started out."
-dramatic music ensues-Lu let slip a tiny smile. "You're a good woman, Prospa. I can see that. I look forward to working with you."
She sighed. Lies and deception. All her life, it was like this. It was why she loved Percival so much, he was so...genuine.
Sometimes it felt like she would drow on her own lies.
....But it needed to be done. To best serve her kingdom, her people...
"We apologize for lying to you, we do not wish to, but it is our belief that it is for the best. Our presence in the task force would be...controversial."
She had slipped back to using the Royal We without realizing it. Lu had put on another mask, the familiar persona of the Queen.
"...Please keep the information on our identity to yourself."
She put on the white mask again and she was Alisa Delfin.
"We should go back."
Prospa crossed her arms and rocked back and forth, thinking. "This is a dangerous game you're playing. One slip of the hand and this whole matter will come crashing down around you." The woman paused. "That being said I do swear to keep quiet. Even if I had no vested self-interest there is still one family member I hold some affection for. It would not do to have her adversely affected by my decision."
-dramatic music ensues-"Appreciated, sunshine." She smiled at the man, lighting her cig off his lighter and letting out a puff into the ceiling. "Was waiting with it to not come off as, hm, impolite, but it seems nobody cares anyway."
Puff. They had quite a company. She felt it wasn't yet everyone, unless she was meant to play the role of a degenerated scum.
Lots of Hunters fresh outta Beacon, too.
She couldn't help but chuckle when Alisa dropped her voice modulator. "Alisa", yeah right. Who was this girl fooling? Then again, she had special knowledge. Offers to shoot her to pieces some years ago. Declined them, mostly out of caution. Getting the very Queen of Vale was a herculean feat, but likely not one she was interested in pulling... although the cash was handsome.
"Ada. Golden Calf, because I''ve found it fancy. Pleasure." She addressed nobody in particular, puffing out another cloud of nicotine. "You need me to lock some area down? Done. Shake a thug so he spills the beans without spilling his guts? Done. Finding the thug in the first place? Done."
Leonado shrugged impartially to Ada's comment, then lit his own cigarette. He took a few drags from it, blew the smoke out of his nose, then pocketed his lighter. It's not like there was a no-smoking sign anywhere, so politeness wasn't an issue.
Thinking about it now, no one here seemed to pose a threat. Well, beside the burly looking Mike guy and the snake lady. Even then, that could just be all for show. He'd have to wait until he saw some actual combat to decide.
The masked woman was an enigma, but one he instinctively knew he didn't like. It wasn't the fact that she was hiding her identity, that was fine, but just that she had this noble air around her that irritated him.
He sighed, and leaned back in his seat. Everyone was up and exchanging real names, but he would hide his. He didn't really want to be connected with his father.
edited 30th Apr '15 4:27:28 AM by amporiusrex
"Gimme your pants.. and now your other pants""The reason for the code names is obvious."
Richer
◊ strutted in, holding a stack of papers and documents. Coming in behind her was a small, short little raccoon faunus girl, wearing a labcoat and big glasses. She looked nervous and basically hidden behind Richter. "Birth names are a crutch. A liability. They hold you back. Keep you chained to society and its rules. When you have a name the government, that's us, can call you, then you can be held back." She pulled out a lighter and lit the papers on fire.
"These are your pasts. Your birth certificates. Your social security numbers. Your pasts. And while you are here, you don't have any of that."
She smiled sweetly at all of them. "Also, they're cool as fuck."
"Hi, everyone. I'm Richter, the director of Vale's Covert Defense division. If there is a threat to our country, big or small, I know about it. And from this day forward, so will all of you. This shy little cutie next to me is Talia."
Richter began to pace around the room. "You are the best of the best, as far as I'm concerned. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. But I'm going to make you even better than that. You will be handling threats greater than any Hunter. Whatever your motivation. Excitement, money, a feeling of altruism and sacrifice. You'll get that. Or maybe you've just here because we're the big scary government and you don't have a choice. Sorry about that. You'd all better get acquainted and loving each other soon, because you're going to be seeing a lot of each other. I expect to see some bedfellows in short time. In more ways than one..."
One by one, she walked past each of them, introducing everyone to the group by their code name and expertise.
"We've got a lot of strong fighters here, and some support, and some mission control. But you are all equals. I'd like to hope it stays that way. Any questions?"
Lilac then raised her hand as well. "What about those of us who have families? What will happen to them? Are they going to be put under government protection?", she asked.
She was concerned about whether or not she would be allowed to see her husband Squall during her time on this task force. She at least wanted to know that he'd be safe, and unaffected by her duties for this group.
edited 1st May '15 9:35:10 AM by TheHailStormer
"Never let anyone tell you that something is impossible." - Monty Oum, 1981-2015Pasts, birth certificates, history. Connections, responsibilities, family. Up in flames.
Leonado couldn't help himself but smile. Of course, it was a lie; It's not like it was that easy. But still, the further he could delude himself the happier he could be.
He, personally, hadn't asked for anything: He volunteered. Sure, they sought him out, they being the Valoran government, and offered him whatever they thought he would want. It didn't matter how they found him, or where they found him, or the matter in which they did. What mattered was the offer.
And of course he refused. But he joined anyway.
It wasn't a decision they anticipated in the least. Or perhaps they did, and the money was for show. You really couldn't tell with secret government types.
"Speaking of qualifications, when will we get information about our allies specific qualifications?" Leonado asked, immediately after Alex.
"Gimme your pants.. and now your other pants"Dahlia was a bit unsure about the "loss of records" part. She didn't want Uncle Celadon to worry about her, and she liked living her life with him. Don't be selfish she chided herself. This is for the good of Remnant.
The Crystal Caverns A bird's gotta sing.Archie just kept up his best poker face as he watched the files burn. Another fake identity going up in smoke and questions being asked which may or may not have had obvious answers. Taking a swig from his flask and giving a barely audible sigh, he glanced over at the Wolf faunus.
"...wouldn't call it extreme. It's pretty much the easiest way for them to deny that we exist if we're discovered...or if someone was trying to track one of us down before hand."
...Talking definitely wasn't his strong suit. Pointing out observations, on the other hand, that was slightly easier. And with the mention of bedfellows and the like, the 'human' just shrugged, taking another gulp from his flask.
"That's assuming we get a chance to rest. Some of us might want to focus on the missions given out with a higher priority. Unless some of us here have a secondary and more vital mission of 'catching some tail'." He remarked, keeping up that perfect poker face.
edited 30th Apr '15 4:23:35 PM by TheRealWren
Hope you weren't expecting anything witty here. Maybe some day.En Route
"Killing someone doesn't change a damn thing about you." She said with a harumph as she finally managed to calm Ieria down. "It just...shows you things about yourself you hadn't already known." She sighs and looks back to Lucretia. "Fine, if I absolutely have to, I will. But..." She leaned in close. "Am I to assume you've got someone ready to put me down as well?"
Briefing
Richter. Her face did not give Francesca a warm feeling, rather it made a hole in the pit of her stomach. You...it's because of you that Oscar... She thought to herself before swallowing her contempt for the woman. Calm down, she didn't have a hand in it, she sent him on the mission, but she didn't put him there herself.
Still, Francesca couldn't help but find herself feeling disdain for the woman. Whatever, she was a tough one, no doubt, she could take some hate from the Snake faunus.
At some point, she would have to talk to Lucretia about casually revealing herself to their allies, sure her disguise was almost pointless, but that wasn't a reason to just discard it immediately.
edited 30th Apr '15 4:47:38 PM by RomanianInquisitor
"I am nature's weapon. You are unfit to carry on your species, and I shall ensure that you do not do so!" - Charles Darwin, XCOM SniperRichter smirked at Lupa. "I like to make an entrance. Don't worry everyone, your families are safe. As long as you work for me, that is. They are welcome to live on the base, and will have transport to the nearest town and back. Keep that in mind. And I think my adorable assistant can field the other questions."
She tapped her Talia on the shoulder, and the little raccoon faunus tensed up, her big bushy tail wagging a bit as she nodded.
"O-oh! Right!...Um...While the organization has a very good idea of the capabilities of each of you, it is um...important for us to determine your specific strengths and weaknesses...Th-that's why we have prepared a large room, controlled by a state-of-the-art computer system of my own design. It can prepare virtual training simulations of a very large variety, and give us very rapid statistics and data on those training in the simulations. I-I call it the Training and Assessment Room!" She proudly adjusted her glasses.
Richter chuckled. "I call it the T&A Room."
Talia's face went beet red. "M-Ms. Richter...You promised you wouldn't say that..."
"Besides your specific strength and weaknesses, you will all be graded in the categories of Strength, Agility, Intelligence, Endurance, Creativity and Stealth. Once this meeting is adjourned."
edited 30th Apr '15 4:55:09 PM by Saturn
Ada quirked an eyebrow at the dramatic burning of all these documents before ostentatiously looking at her own lighted cig.
"I assume the government will be nice enough to provide us with any materials we'll need?" She inquired, leaning back on the couch. "Since, well, getting here was... fun although I wouldn't call it pleasant."
Then Richter and her assistant kept talking, making the red-head quirk an eyebrow again. Stealth wasn't much of her forte and she didn't consider herself particularly creative... but the others she should be fine with. Ada nodded, taking a puff of the cigarette. "Fine enough. When does this... T&A start?" She grinned at Talia.
"That's a relief." Dahlia bleated to herself. "I understand" she said to Talia.
The Crystal Caverns A bird's gotta sing.Phew...looks like Squall will be safe after all., Lilac thought to herself, relieved.
"So, when do we begin this T&A thing?", she asked.
edited 1st May '15 9:45:08 AM by TheHailStormer
"Never let anyone tell you that something is impossible." - Monty Oum, 1981-2015En Route
Lucretia looked at Fran. "We don't have anyone. We don't need to."
The Queen did not say anything else. Fran didn't need to know just what kind of failsafe they had for her.
Lucretia resisted the urge to wince.
Meeting
"Alisa" watched the documents burn impassively, arms crossed. She then listened to the short briefing. Of course, Lucretia knew all this already, but "Alisa" supposedly didn't.
"Alisa" laughed. "Naughty, naughty Richie...Can I call you Richie? Anyway, don't tease the poor girl. Oh, and do I have to put my shoes back on? I don't want to put my shoes back on."
She looked at the others. "I can't wait to see your moves." she said,with a teasing hint in her voice.
Lucretia actually was curious about them. They were going to be a team, after all. She had read the files, but the best way to get a feel for your team was in actual combat.
"Whatever this T&A has, we can handle it." Lilac would feel familiar arms wrap over her shoulders with the voice of an old friend. "Right, Lilac? Maria Ashen, Red Bear, reporting for duty." She lowered her voice so she could talk with her friend.
"How're you doing, Lily? You know, you look a little wider since I last saw you..."
edited 1st May '15 10:03:52 AM by Insano
Allurand and surrounding world loading, 28%..."Maria! It's great to see that you got invited too!", Lilac said quietly with joy to her old teammate, before looking down at her slightly wider than normal belly. "I guess I've just put on a little weight, that's all. Nothing some exercise can't fix. How are you and Rey doing?"
edited 1st May '15 10:09:09 AM by TheHailStormer
"Never let anyone tell you that something is impossible." - Monty Oum, 1981-2015

"Alisa" patted the girl on the shoulder. "In my experiences, country folk tend to be the best companions. Certainly less obnoxious than city idiots."
She laughed at the man's words. "Well, maybe I really should unmask if it makes me look older."
Lucretia's "Alisa" persona was as far from her real self as possible. A deliberate choice. She needed to distance herself from the task force as much as possible.
She tilted her head towards Prospa. "Trust me, I have a big failsafe. Simple. Effective."
"Shall we?"
"Alisa" led the other woman to the empty other room. She didn't even bother opening the lights.
Lucretia let the figurative mask drop first.
"You're a clever woman, Azulong, you know how dangerous this is, and you know how risky it is to trust anyone here. I am doing this because I don't want you suspicious of me. If I don't win you over, that's another knife in the back I need to look out for. If you recognize me, I'll need to have you swear that your mouth will be kept shut. Do you hear me? Shut. This is important. I think you won't betray Vale, but I can't trust anyone, so I'll have to threaten you."
She sighed. "I don't like this game of lies, but I do think this needs to be done."
She removed the literal mask too.
"....Do you know who I am?"