A Game of Gods Season 3: Frontiers

Central, Outside Fifth Laboratory Prison: ...Guess We Could Always Knock

During the short walk to approach the prison's entrance, Wake turned to his companion with a raised eyebrow. "You really think we have a free pass to go anywhere we want? I sure as hell don't. But we're not here for the prison—we're here for what's next door."

Grabbing Vicki's shoulder to stop her from walking into the prison, the Chief Adviser thumbed over to the prison's wall and pressed a finger to his lips. They were out of sight from any onlookers, but as long as they were within earshot of the Sergeant, they'd have to be careful about talking too loudly.

"I'll explain everything once we're inside, but right now I need a new plus one—somebody like our chain-smoking friend over there. Vicki Vale is a little too conspicuous for this next part."

Whoever Mystique chose to impersonate next, Wake would lead his companion out to the sidewalks and around the edge of the prison, taking great care to avoid the Sergeant's notice as they dove past the other side of the perimeter wall. A short walk around the block would bring the pair to the lone guard outside the ruined laboratory.

Whelp. This was either going to be the easiest or the hardest part of this little adventure. With a brisk pace and an air of poorly-suppressed annoyance, Wake walked up to the guard and flashed his pocket watch at the man. Didn't even bother to look him in the eye.

"Open up, soldier. Emil Zane: I'm a State Alchemist. Got an errand to run in this dump and I needed it done yesterday."

That almost certainly wasn't going to be enough to get in, but Wake hoped it'd at least jostle the guard enough to get the upper hand in this conflict. It's not like some peon would know what went down in the place he guarded; the Chief Adviser could use that to his advantage.

Near the Seafang

"Ha, there we go."

Naga throws the chaos device under her cape, where it vanishes as it gets stowed away in her handy-dandy pocket dimension.

"Injured? As if such paltry automatons could harm me. As for what goes into making these........"

She picks through a few more pieces, scoffing when she sees the crews working.

"My, my, my. Of course, I am not so cruel as to blame any of them for not knowing any better - after all, compared to the Great Naga the White Serpent, how is a less-experienced adventure supposed to compete? Thankfully I'm in a good mood today, so I'll give you a rare glimpse at the mind of a master sorceress."

She snaps a finger, and then picks up a random cylinder from one of the broken bots.

"This, of course, is obviously a device created by someone who was compensating for the size of his... magical power. How barbaric, I couldn't imagine relying on-"

She accidentally pressed something on the box, and a dozen missiles shoot out, flying a few hundred meters in the blink of an eye, and blowing up a particularly large rock sitting off in the distance.

"Ahahahaha, how curious!"

Gotham S.T.A.R. Labs

"Where to start...."

Rosalina ponders this for a moment, following Samus's gaze towards her hands.

"Right here, then."

She nods slowly, but confidently.

"Are you afraid of yourself? It is hard for someone to learn how to appreciate the world when they cannot even appreciate their own self. So... maybe it's a bit too early to throw yourself headfirst into anything else yet. After all, we already shook on it, and nothing happened. That means not everyone will naturally be harmed by you, won't it? If you aren't sure why you should take my word on it-"

She presses a finger to her wrist, and her dress vanishes, replaced in an instant by a certain suit◊.

"You are not the only Samus I've ever known...."

Edited by nman on May 3rd 2021 at 1:48:14 AM

Nightingale - Tekka Ascendancy Air Hub

"I expected you to be able to handle that much." was all the Head Nurse managed to comment on in regards to the Mana Transfer before her escort wagged her finger. "... If it weren't for my limits, we could continue indefinitely."

On the subject of the Servant's reliance onto this source, the next words came just as clearly.

"If such happens to me, I'll accept it without much fuss." the nurse answered, leaning onto her as well. That was quite a ride. "I have no intention of letting my charge expire prematurely. You'll see me yet for a lifetime, at least."

"Afterwards." her hand circled around Eugen's shoulder, grasp firm. "... I am the long-dead spirit of a determined woman made manifest in this world. I've already trained and developed a healthcare system in the Frontier, one that's growing each and every year. Even if I am gone and unable to see my vision realized, I can rest easy, knowing that I built a foundation for others to pass on the torch in not just mine, but in this world as well."

"That's why I don't concern much of my own end. I need only concern for those still living here."

Barry - Near Seafang

"Gahahaha! I see the lil' honey's still playing hard to get~" if he could give a wink, he most definitely would deliver such to Sonia. Such was the Chopper's infatuation with her still despite the years- before getting distracted by whatever device Naga activated.

"'Ey, watch it, missy! Ya might accidentally blow up our ship with that!" the Chopper exclaimed, whistling as the missiles made short work of a nearby rock formation. Now talk about firepower!

Now, Barry's all about getting up-close and personal with his prey. Much more fun to -snip snip- and -chop chop- his target than blow 'em up to smithereens from a distance. Still-

"Ya reckon you could get 'em ta work on the ship, boss? It ain't much of a me-thing, but might makes it easier ta soften out folks 'fore our raids."

Daud - Slowly Getting to Work

Shortly after Reiko revealed all that she could before going on her own separate path, all three of the participants there then went on their own separate ways. Despite being told about this 'Aizen' individual and learning of him orchestrating the murders a decade ago, they have glaringly few leads still to go on.

It is with such notion that he suggested Yue to... continue about her routine, normally. With nothing to latch on, they're stumbling in the dark. On the bright side, they have the element of surprise here, being one of the few people to know about this. Should they find any lead on the whole matter, that would be given more focus above all else.

As for whether the man himself would be involved? Well- let's just say that he needs time, to make a few wake-up calls, meeting with some familiar faces, before he could get in on the action again...

Amestris - Outside the Fifth Laboratory

The duo could get by the sergeant easily enough. He had little reason to suspect, much less ascertain as to why they want to visit what is essentially a pile of ruin next door.

The lone guard, as they saw at the Lab, yawned, looking about and keeping his focus. An off-the-record shift, they say, and a hush-hush subtle hint that something is going on there. Nevertheless, it wasn't his business to question his routine.

A routine that was summarily interrupted by someone that claimed to be a State Alchemist, alerting him immediately as he salute and stood at attention.

"S-sir!"

... But, true to Scratch's prediction, that wasn't enough, not quite. He knows the faces that passes through, the white-lab coat types. That they'll either be accompanied by the gold-toothed doctor or a very high-ranking military official from Central Command itself.

Being just a State Alchemist alone wasn't enough, to gain entry to this supposed 'dump'. Especially not from a State Alchemist whose name he hasn't heard or been informed of beforehand.

"S-sir, this facility has been closed down until further notice. Orders from the high-up." the guard says. "Who gave you your orders?"

Scratch and Mystique had better prepare a damn good bluff or find a way to incapacitate him.

Edited by JustSomeGuy732 on May 4th 2021 at 8:23:19 PM

Tekka Ascendancy Air Hub

"As glad as I am to have you think so highly of me and my power... I do have my own limits too, you know?"

Eugen sighs, and tilts her head into her shoulder.

"I suppose a human lifespan is a fine starting point...." Her hand goes up, coiling around the red streak in her hair and playing with it. "And that is true, what you have now is a powerful legacy to leave. Better than most of ze people on this planet can claim to be leaving behind. Better than I can claim to be leaving behind....."

She licks her lips.

"Mhmmmmm.... Now that I think about it, we have both already cheated death once before, no? Who is to say we cannot do it again? And again. If ze Grim Reaper thinks we will be easy targets, he will have something coming for him." She winks, and gently rubs a hand along Gale's thigh. "And... you were here without someone to supply you at first, no? That means there is at least some time you can go without one, and then find another source. But until that day... it means we can think of something. If it takes a day or a decade, it matters not, I know we will find it. You might be alright with letting go, but... I have been called selfish many times before. I do not so easily let ze things I have go."

She stretches her free arm up, releasing it from her hair.

"But for now, one day at a time, yes? And each day, a moment at a time. In this moment... I think some Chinese food sounds good, no? Or at least something... close - ze Adventurer's Guild has ze best cuisine from Fire Nation immigrants."

Sonia (Near the Seafang)

Sonia's first assessment upon hearing Naga begin to speak was that she wished the woman hadn't. At least now the Belmont knew better than to engage in conversation with this White Serpent.

While she didn't flinch at the missiles flying off and destroying a boulder, she didn't look very impressed either.

"Curious indeed." Sonia deadpanned before she turned her attention to Wulfrik, wondering if the ship's captain would be any less, or more, of an earsore.

Dark Samus (Gotham S.T.A.R. Labs)

Rosalina would quickly find that she had the alien's complete and rapt attention upon revealing that she's known another Samus, especially once she's shown off a suit that Dark Samus has seen in her memories. Wide eyes met the Star Matron's own, and it took some considerable self-control for the alien not to immediately start asking questions. Ultimately, she settled for just one.

"What was she like?"

Wulfrik, Seafang

If there are, it will teach them to be swifter next time.

-First the screeching sorceress shows up, then starts poking around in his kill, triggering its weapons and destroying a rock some distance away. The chopper has his first good idea in a long while, and suggests using the same weapons on the Seafang.-

-Against the kind of enemies that can be encountered in this hateful world, such precautions have merit.-

POINT! See to outfitting my ship with those things. This beast will serve us, in life or in death.

Gotham, Coventry Rooftop

"Can do!" Arc chirped at Krillin's request to remove the jetpack, shifting her nails into dagger-like talons and slicing through the bottoms of the straps, then lowering the device carefully to the rooftop. "Yeah, I would have liked to meet Batman as well! He sounds like he was really..." she trailed off, cocking her head and squinting as she caught sight of the faint symbol on the top of the propulsion pack.

"Hey, isn't this the logo of... that guy?" she asked, switching her nails back to normal as her partner searched the Rogue for weapons and the like, "You know, uhhhhh... Oviman? Robo Rick? Eggnik? Did you really build this thing yourself, Mr. The Riddler? Where'd you get the materials from?"

Edited by darksidevoid on May 6th 2021 at 3:46:41 PM

Mystique—Outside the Fifth Laboratory

“I did.”

It was a voice everyone would recognize. Gone was Vicky Vale. In her place a man walked outside the shadows. He would walk slowly with heavy and slow steps . The slow steps of a military man.

It was none other than the Fhürer: King Bradley himself.

“And one more thing. This visit is off the record. Everything that happened here is strictly classified. All you need to know is that this a matter of national security.”

He frowns slightly.

“Tell anyone we were here. And I will personally see you will get court martialed. Is that clear soldier?”

He would wait for his answer and then turn to see Alan.

Although he would only see an experienced man being emotionless and annoyed, Mystique was excited on the inside, like a kid waiting for their favorite to start, just waiting to see the expression on his face.

Edited by FallenLegend on May 7th 2021 at 7:19:30 AM

Gotham S.T.A.R. Labs

"She was dedicated," Rosalina nodded as she recalled. "Driven towards fulfilling her goals. Destroying the vile criminals who hid in the darkest corners of the galaxy, ensuring that they could hurt no one else. The universe may be a very big place, and she may have only been one woman, but her name was well known across a large portion of her home galaxy. To the point of being a living legend. And yet while so many would be quick to think she was cold and detached, there was always a warmth to her. Compassion, love for the innocent, protecting those too weak to do so themselves."

She takes a seat by a coffee table, and pours two cups of tea.

"And she was..." Rosalina's smile wavered a bit "Alone. So alone. In every cycle, in every lifetime, there was always the distance. She was willing to put the weight of the universe on her shoulders, willing to die for it, but never able to truly feel as though she were a part of it."

She slowly stirs a cube of sugar into her tea.

"If nothing else, I wish to help you not suffer from her same fate. The world is far too large and wonderful a place for you to not learn how to love it, rather than focusing on hatred."

Nightingale - Tekka Ascendancy Air Hub

"Are you so wanting that a century isn't enough?" To be frank, Gale expresses her puzzlement here for a very long while. She is not daft, Eugen is infatuated with her. And... some measure of hers feel the same.

That is in the now, and the past several years. But can the same be said for the next ten, twenty, fifty years, when many things would have undoubtedly changed yet her obsession and dedication shall forever remain a constant; tethered to her mortal fate? She is not questioning M16's faith, just-

-what is there to love about the Servant, then, when one had seen everything?

"Or is that just your way of getting me to open up?" Her hand reaches out and lay atop of Eugen's own that lay playing with the nurse's thigh. Gale does agree with this sentiment, at least. Take one step at a time. Which brought her to...

"Fire Nation cuisine. Notoriously spicy and hot, as in their theme. Haven't had it in a while." the nurse complied. And as the vehicle made their way back to the Adventurer's Guild...

"... About what you asked, on cheating death. I will consider it." At this, the Head Nurse then stared at Prinz Eugen straight on, unwavering. With a look that brook no compromise whatsoever, being as serious and strait-laced as she can be.

"I will consider it seriously if you handed me the bear."

... Yes, she has in fact been thinking of the bear after all this time and had just been bidding for the right moment to strike. Why do you ask?

Barry - Near the Seafang

Smirkin' as the boys back in the ship are getting ready to haul their new-ass weapon system, Barry then gets to work on what he does best: moseying up to the two *lovely* beauts(Naga and Sonia) there, screeching or otherwise.

"Soooo...." Uh oh. "Will ya lovelies be joinin' us on our treasure-huntin' murderin' cruise? We got room left, right, boss?" Not even waiting for Wulfrik's reply(or his vehement refusal, likely), the living hollow armor continued. "And howsabout' you and me catch up on lost time and the good ol' days, eh, missy~? Don't worry, this tin heart got allll the room left for ya, gehaha!"

He fingerguns at you, yes, specifically at you, Sonia. It appears that years being apart hadn't reduced his infatuation and interest towards you. Unfortunately.

Amestris - Outside the Fifth Laboratory

Have you ever seen a man went deathly pale so quickly, who felt that he is so over his head, so over his own shit, that he'd almost threatened to collapse under the sheer pile of 'Oh crap's he's imagining running through his head?

Yeah. That's what the current guard is feeling, when he saw that said Emil Zane is accompanied by none other than the Fuhrer himself. It is almost comical to see him go from questioning Mr. Wake with rightful suspicion to presenting outright utter obedience to the two, fumbling over his salute and greetings; not unlike how a freshly-faced cadet would greet their superiors on their first day in the force.

Such was the force of his presence alone, among the Amestrians.

"Y-y-y-Your Excellency?! I- Forgive me, sir, of course!!" and immediately afterwards, the man unlocked the front gate, leaving its rusted door open. From the grating and sounds of the creaking alone, it seems as if the front hadn't been used for a long while. No sooner had it been opened that the soldier stood at the side and in salute, sweating bullets as he allowed both Wake and the Fuhrer to pass without question.

The path to the inside of the abandoned facility is laid. The guard at the front wouldn't dare to utter anything in public after that threat. And with it, the secrets that the State had been hiding from its citizens lay before them...

Edited by JustSomeGuy732 on May 7th 2021 at 9:01:29 PM

Chun-Li, Club Murciélago, 10 Years Ago

"Mmm... Surprise me," Chun-Li had answered before she felt her shoulder grabbed and noticed that Mario Falcone grabbed her arm and the two of them were surrounded by 10 of his goons. Chun-Li seemed absolutely nonplussed at the attempt of Falcone to pull her to him.

"I'd rather not fight," Chun-Li looked over at Mario Falcone, preparing herself to fight them if she had to.

Maria, Kaibadome

"I actually wanted to visit this Kaibadome, again," Maria Renard nodded to Tawna. "I would like something set up, but I don't know the first thing about how this whole colosseum works."

Tekka Ascendancy Air Hub

"It's not about being a century - which is a good amount of time for us to start with at least, no? But it is about how... about ze... uncertainty. With fuel, I know that I can use petrol, diesel, biodiesel, I could even swallow charcoal if needed, or use ze blaze created by ze dinosaur machines from the other side of this planet. With relying on a person... only one source, only one point of failure.... Half of me is a soldier, half of me is a sailor, and neither half would ever be happy with logistics like that, yes?"

She braces herself as Gale looks like she's getting ready to make a great demand of her. She wants....

She blinks.

Then she laughs. Really laughs.

"Ze bear! Ooooh, all this time, it has been there in ze back of your mind, no? Ahh.... I should have known. Like Eve in ze garden, living in Paradise, and being denied." She lowers one hand, reaching over to poke the berserker's abs. "But I am not a cruel mistress, no? I am... benevolent. Gracious. Feel free to expand on that with your own praise. But as such, I would not wish to torture you with my forbidden fruit like that. I think I can come to a decision...."

The transport's brakes flare up when it's near the hospital, and she's already standing up, slinging Gale over her shoulders as she jumps off and lands on the asphalt, her steel boots absorbing the force of the landing, and marching straight through towards their room in moments. Giving every and any nurse, doctor, janitor, and intern she passed a grin and a nod, but one that left no room for questioning, she walked down the familiar hallways, beyond the area that was restricted to personnel only, and finally reached the room belonging to the esteemed head nurse.

With their present destination now before them, she sets the aforementioned esteemed head nurse down on the bed, and then dives down underneath it, fishing out the backpack she was searching for. She found it quickly enough, having only set it down there earlier today. Her eyes dart around as she's pulling it towards her, opening up its zipper... and withdrawing her target.

She kneels back, uprighting herself, and looked Gale dead in the eyes as she held the bear◊ out towards her.

"There. It is yours. You caught me, I did not have another nurse in mind when I bought it."

She wags a finger.

"But! Take care of it. Ze next time I will award a Number One Nurse Bear to anyone will be..." she taps on her wrist, as if she were looking at a wristwatch for a very long moment. "In exactly hundred and one years from today. You will need to do your best work if you wish to still be in ze running then."

Edited by nman on May 8th 2021 at 2:32:59 AM

Amestris, Fifth Laboratory: Using Shapeshifters is Practically Cheating

Due to his position, "Emil Zane" didn't see the Führer until he spoke; judging by how fast he jumped into a salute, the guard might be forgiven for thinking this State Alchemist was testing Bradley's patience...though if the real Führer knew of his little investigation, that might not be too far from the truth.

"Y-Your Excellency!" Mr. Zane tittered, "I was j-just..."

He half expected Ray to break character, whip out her phone, and take a picture of his panic-stricken face for posterity; he didn't exactly need to fake being on-edge when Mystique came around to play a new role—especially when the stakes were high. Fortunately she decided not to cause a scene here, so the alchemist fumbled for half-thought words, only to settle on a silent death glare to the guard. As if the poor soldier didn't have enough pressure to hurry up.

Once the path was clear, Mr. Zane would follow the Führer into the abandoned building, and wait for the darkness to envelope the duo before bursting into a great big grin. Though out of an abundance of caution, he chose to keep his voice down. After all, if his hunch about this place was right, they were bound to be listeners deeper inside.

"Have I told you recently that you're brilliant? Because you're fucking brilliant. I couldn't have written a better way in! At this rate, the day I piss you off for real is gonna be the day I fucking die.

Despite the boarded up windows blotting out almost all of the light, Wake strolled around the ruined entrance as if it were a sunny afternoon, stepping around wooden planks and broken glass with ease. He would've made a lousy child of Darkness if he couldn't see without a light source, and his companion had the eyes of a cat. Literally, if she wanted them.

"Our friend Dr. Moreau told me this place was right next to a state prison." Wake explained, remembering his earlier promise to do so once they were safely inside. "Figured if the military's R&D branch is using alchemy for some sketchy shit, they'd want to do it somewhere they can grab test subjects nobody would miss. The fact this place was condemned only raises more red flags, though I can't say I hate the ambiance so far. If we run into trouble in here, I'd wanna keep the home field advantage."

The Chief Adviser gestured to invite the Führer to proceed first. "I'll follow your lead, long as you can stomach that getup. If we cross paths with anyone, you can say that I'm Emil Zane—an outsider recruited by Your Excellency to help keep the plan on schedule. Not sure what that plan is, but we're entering a motherfucking evil lair—there's bound to be a plan.

"So, mein lieber Führer." Wake smirked. "Ready to enter the lion's den?"

Dark Samus (Gotham S.T.A.R. Labs)

As she mimicked Rosalina's actions in stirring sugar into her tea, the humanoid Phazon entity pondered what she was told, before nodding in understanding, given what she herself knew.

"There was no fear in her when I was other and we fought. No fear of losing, no fear of dying. Good for a Hunter...not good for a person." Samus said, now absent mindedly stirring. "I...do not want to be alone. But I am...dangerous. I cannot stop being a poison. It and I, we are one. The nurse, she wished to kill me, and did not know...she would want to kill me more if she did."

Sonia (Near the Seafang)

("Do not kill him. Do not take him apart. Do not pour Holy Water into his armor in hopes it will burn him from the inside out.") Sonia thought to herself, trying very hard to not engage Barry as she looked back at Wulfrik.

"If you require another crew member, I am open to negotiations. But I have conditions." The Belmont said, and it wouldn't take a genius to figure out what one of those conditions might be.

Tawna (Kaibadome)

"I think I could help set something up. Or I'm sure this strapping young man could do so. Isn't that right, Mokuba?" Tawna said, speaking to the latter. "This is your business, after all. I wouldn't want to step on your toes."

Hill of Origin

The hill where newcomers to Akihabara would appear looked somewhat different after a decade. Replacing the old, terribly burnt tree from years past was a ten-year old oak tree in the same spot. Blessed by the local goddess of greenery and harvest, it stood tall and its large roots dug into the nearby soil in a way that provided ideal places to rest.

And so, it was upon one of these roots that a blue-haired, red-eyed woman◊ sat, her attire somewhat strange by modern standards. She was quiet, seemingly just drinking in the moment as she stared out over the lands nearby and the blue sky littered with puffy white clouds above, moving her head every so often to look in a different direction.

From the Northeast to East, across a large river bridged by an impressive piece of stonework, was a gleaming city that looked like it belonged to the early 21st century or maybe a little later, skyline full of buildings variously made of concrete, wood, brick, glass, and steel. To the Southeast lay the ocean, with large white windmill turbines dotting the nearby sea. To the South, between the the shore and the hill, was a sizable farm full of shrubs and trees in orderly rows, with a quaint farmhouse somewhere in the mix. From the Southwest to the immediate West was a large airfield complex, with docks at the southern edge. Finally, from the Northwest to the North was a gleaming city of mostly metal and glass that looked like it had come out of the pages of a sci-fi novel, with buildings painted in a variety of colors but in many cases more rounded and taller than those seen to the East. Simple wooden steps with wooden rails led down the hill in each cardinal direction.

Off to the side of the tree on the hill was a wooden platform on stilts with a long wooden table upon which were laid a variety of refreshments, such as cookies, fresh fruit, and pitchers of lemonade and water complete with paper cups. Behind the table sat what seemed to be a young girl◊ with turquoise hair and golden eyes, and a banner hung above read "WELCOME!"

Nia and Pyra, Torigoth: A Brief Respite?

Ever since she stowed away on a ship rumored to have searched for the legendary Aegis, Nia's last few days have been... chaotic to say the least. Finding out that the Aegis is a girl in red, having a hole through her chest and a boot to the neck by a very pissed off brute of a man, Malos, having said girl revive her and helping her fight off that Malos guy, the boy she forced to back off being friends with a Titan of all things, and now she's back in Gormott. She said her thanks to the kid and went on to rest for the night, hoping that he wouldn't follow her. One person's enough for her.

As for the Aegis, she would never have suspected that her newest Driver would be some young roguish Gormotti, but considering the alternative, she'll gladly accept her. The fact that the two of them have driven Malos back together long enough to escape already proved that her faith in Nia was not unfounded. They needed a place to rest and to get their bearings. They'll need it to prepare for Elysium.

So they settled on a local inn in Torigoth, somewhere Nia hasn't already built up a reputation. Sure, they saw some soldiers from Mor Ardain currently occupying the Titan, but they were too busy talking up the locals to be recruited into their army. As the two girls rested in separate beds, they had a chat with each other before laying down. Tomorrow, they'll look for a way to get to Elysium, or at the very least, proof that it exists beyond children's tales.

Nia and Pyra, Hill of Origin: Paradise Regained?

Unbeknownst to the girls, they are no longer sleeping in a bed in a town populated by cat people on the back of a goat-like Titan. Instead, their heads lied on the ground of a hill. The Gormotti woke up first, her sight blurry from the sleep. After rubbing her eyes and checking on her right, she sees that the Aegis is still asleep. She nudged the redhead and called out to her. "Oi, Pyra! Wake up! Come on, wake up!"

Stirring awake, Pyra's vision is greeted with her Driver's face with an expression of concern. Seeing as she can see that there's no ceiling above them, she already noticed that something's up. Shaking her head to ward off her tiredness, she looked at the area around them. A large farmland, an airbase, two cities far more advanced than any place in Alrest (not counting what's already beneath the Cloud Sea's surface), and a shoreline with actual water instead of the horizon of clouds they're used to. With all this around them, Nia asked Pyra, "Is this... Elysium?"

If it were, it had to have been a dream. No way they got to Elysium just by sleeping together. No way in hell that it would be this easy. Pyra shook her head, confirming her Driver's suspicions, "No. It's... not like the one in my dreams."

Even if where they stood is similar to how they first met: two girls on a hill with a tree overlooking an idyllic land, this time it felt... real. The air they breathe, the sounds of the wind blowing, the feeling of the earth under them, all of it felt like they are physically there. The Aegis and her Driver looked around any further to see if there's anything else they missed. Lo and behold, they spotted a blue-haired woman resting on the roots of the tree. Pyra attempted to speak to her with a meek and soft "Hello? What is this place?"

Edited by Ore-O on Jun 5th 2021 at 1:09:15 PM

Hill of Origin

By the time the Aegis and her Driver turned to her for answers, the woman sitting under the shade of the tree was already staring at them thoughtfully. Once Pyra addressed her, however, her countenance broke into a gentle smile. "Hello," she greeted with a melodious voice, "You have just been transported to a universe known as the Frontiers, a blend of many times, places, and peoples from across various alternate universes and timelines. This specific location is commonly referred to as the Hill of Origin. The fact that you have appeared on this hill marks you as special in some way distinct from the common people, typically meaning you are people of importance in your home universe. As far as I am aware, you are the first newcomers to appear here in the last ten years."

"I am sure you are wondering why such a place exists, and why you have been chosen to come to it," the woman continued, folding her hands in her lap, "The answer is that you have been selected by the nascent will of this universe so that it may gather data and learn from your interactions with the world and its other inhabitants. To our knowledge, the aforementioned will is still growing after at least ten years of existence, though details on its exact development are scarce."

"Having said that, I believe introductions are in order," she concluded, nodding at the pair, "I am the Kosmos Obey Strategical Multiple Operation System, or KOS-MOS for short. It is nice to meet you. What are your names?"

Nia and Pyra, Hill of Origin: Getting the Bearings Straight

This is just great, fantastic even, Nia thought as she heard the explanation. She hoped it was just another dream and that she would wake up back in Torigoth. As ridiculous as her previous situation was, getting a girl to a place only heard of in feel-good stories, this current one feels even more so. Yet she could not let Pyra's earlier statement about this place not being Elysium go. She said it without a hint of irony or sarcasm, not even sounding like she's trying to hide something.

Pyra, on the other hand, is more willing to believe KOS-MOS. Of course, she's still trying to process this information. Being transported to another universe is not exactly something you just understand right away. Plus, the fact that they are somehow important because they ended up on this hill means that someone or something out here picked them for whatever they have in mind, as the android has already said.

Regardless, Pyra introduced themselves, "I'm Pyra and this is my Driver, Nia."

By contrast to her partner's soft voice, Nia expressed herself in a rather blunt manner in a thick accent that can most likely be identified as Welsh to someone outside of Alrest, "You got a map or something?"

Edited by Ore-O on May 11th 2021 at 1:16:59 PM

Hill of Origin

"Certainly," KOS-MOS replied with a slight nod, then called over to the girl below the welcome banner, "Momoko, these individuals need a map!"

"Okay~!" The child's voice was, naturally, childlike. She hopped down off her seat and reached under the table for something, then quickly walked around and over to the three women, holding a pair of rectangles of metal and glass, and a pair of USB charging cords. "Welcome to the Frontiers, by the way! These are called smartphones!" she explained happily, then began demonstrating, "You press and hold this button to turn them on or off, and..."

The small girl went on to expertly describe the basics of using a smartphone, including the map and navigation app, with KOS-MOS occasionally interjecting, until the pair from Alrest were satisfied that they understood how to use them. "Oh! Would you like a paper map as well?" Momoko offered at last, "We also have those!"

Nia and Pyra, Hill of Origin: New Phones, Who Dis?

After given the "smartphones" and the explanation from the two ladies, they seem to get the gist of how these things work. While Nia had some difficulty, given that most of the advanced technology she's ever seen is from the Ardainian garrison or a trade ship from Argentum (the warship from the last few nights notwithstanding), Pyra quickly got used to it. Something that does so many different functions at once is rather convenient, if somewhat dizzying at first.

Looking at the map on the phone, there's nothing that said "Elysium" on it. Even the physical map had no sign of it. Nia gave Pyra another look of concern, fearing that the promise they made would be in vain as she vocalized her Blade's name. Pyra was similarly concerned, but she still kept her head up. "Maybe Elysium's not been discovered yet."

Although it's tempting to assume that it's just a bizarre and overly long dream, the haze of unconsciousness was never present when Nia first woke up from here. The sensations seem very real and from the short time that she's known her, Pyra has not changed at all. The Gormotti took another look at the city and then back to Pyra. A bit of her wishes she had Pyra's optimism, but she couldn't hold her breath yet. Still, in a place where they're seemingly plucked from their reality, it's nice to take any advantage they can get. "Alright. Do you know where we should go first?"

Lappland, near the Seafang

Mopping up the last few golems had been, in this lupo's estimation, dull. Still, in the chaos, she had managed to stumble across her bounty laying in a pool of his own blood in the ruins. Thankfully whatever automaton or cackling witch that had done him in had left him identifiable.

Lappland would have liked to finish him off herself, but at least she would still get her payday.

With the body trussed up and draped over the back of the saddle like a sack of potatoes, she rolled her bike over to the gathering around the seafang, in time to hear Sonia mention joining the crew.

"Pf-ahaha, really, Belmont?" Lappland leaned her chin on her palm, a wry smirk crossing her face. "They worship a god of murder. Either you're not gonna fit in, or you've been holding out on me for a long time!"

Hill of Origin

"I would say that depends upon what you wish to do with your time, Nia," KOS-MOS answered logically, "What sort of goals do the two of you have, and what sort of life did you lead before you came here? If you are looking for a location known as 'Elysium', a place by that name does exist in the myths of some cultures, but I am not aware of any such location having been brought into the Frontiers. I am afraid I am also not familiar with the term 'Driver' in the sense that you seemed to use it just now, either, so I wonder if perhaps you could enlighten me."

King Bradley (Mystique)—-Secret place with Mr. Scratch

If they were one thing Mystique regretted about this new form was not being able to smile outwardly.

At ease soldier,” King Bradley would tell to the guard at the entrance. “I will let slide that you forgot to salute just don't let this repeat again.”

That changed once they had a small moment of despite. As she was being praised Mystique had a high grin on her face.

“I love playing pretend. Keys unlock doors, but the right face will unlock people. And people are the key to everything.”

Mr. Scratch’s just changed her mischievous grin to a smirk of satisfaction.

“I know I am, but don’t let that stop you from praising me. Yes, my enemies don’t get to last very long. Lucky for you…I have taken a like on you.—And credit where credit is due, I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for your silver tongue.”

Once she follows Alan and uses her shapeshifting to use cat eyes for when it was dark, and nobody was able to see, but changing them back to normal the instant light or any sign of people was heard.

She nodded at his plan. “Of course. Just like the alchemist we met. All kings and empires try to hide their class. But in the en they are all the same. They all hide secrets. Secrets were morality and ethics are but a facade to make their people sleep without guilt..”

“By all means,” she would reply to Alan. “Just one thing. We might be entering the lion’s den, but don’t forget that beneath our gazelle’s disguise, we are the hunters.”

And with that, the fuhrer would lead the way walking as if he knew the place, but in reality just looking for anything that might me if used to the pair.

Club murciélago 10 years and one day ago

Mystique smirked at Chun Li. “Surprise you? Tell me do you like girls Chun Li? “

She would transform into a girl with blue eyes, and black long hair with a hime cut.

The mutant shrugged. “If not, I can do boys as well. Tall and handsome, lean…or maybe someone you might remember.”

Of course, the thugs circling Chun-Li didn’t get unnoticed by what she said with a shrug. “They are all yours. It’s your day off after all.”

Meanwhile, Falcone’s face was red out of pure anger.

“Look babe, you must be drunk because you are not getting. That wasn’t a request. I am taking you into my personal VIP section.”

He would try to pull her into his personal section of the nightclub.

As for the goons. They were prepared to help their boss if necessary judging, by how they circled Chun Li, they underestimated the martial artist and didn’t unsheathe any of their guns. Yet.

Edited by FallenLegend on May 16th 2021 at 7:49:19 AM

Nia and Pyra, Hill of Origin: Pyraxposition

Wow, what a helpful answer, Nia thought sarcastically as KOS-MOS continued. The mention of different Elysiums did nothing to improve the situation for them. They could end up in a place called that and it could very well not be the one Pyra meant. Pyra explained the situation for Nia, which is fine by her. "We were trying to find a way to Elysium, where I was born. I wouldn't be able to go by myself if it hadn't been for Nia. I even had to give half my life force for her. The core crystal's proof of it."

Her hand points to the emerald cross on her upper chest. Yet instead of it being a complete cross, it had a rhombus cut out of it. Pyra continued with an explanation of their relationship. "Oh! I almost forgot, I am a Blade and she's my Driver. We're bound together and I help her out both in battle and in life and she does the same for me."

Nia decided to throw in her two G on this, crossing her arms all the while, "As for me, I'm just some Gormotti girl that just happened to stumble upon her. As for what I have in stake for her quest, I just don't want to break a promise. But unless there's a way out of here and back to our home, I guess I have no choice in the matter."

Pyra looked at her Driver with a hint of sadness in her face, "Nia..."

Edited by Ore-O on Jun 5th 2021 at 1:16:15 PM

Hill of Origin

"Do not worry. There should eventually be a way for you to return home," KOS-MOS assured, reaching over to pat Nia's head, "As I mentioned, we were all brought here for the sake of providing data to the nascent will of this universe, so that it may grow and mature. Once it has finished maturing, it should be capable of returning anyone who wishes it to their home universes. Of course, whether it will be a benevolent deity or a malicious one is still questionable, which is why those of us living in the local area are striving to create and maintain civilizations that are both prosperous and peaceful, in the hopes that such will be reflected in the character of the nascent will." After saying this, she moved her hand back to her lap, then nodded at Pyra.

"Though my attempted analysis of your 'core crystal' has unfortunately given me little to no insight into its functioning, I gather that Blades and Drivers are combatants of some sort, correct? In that case, perhaps you could either work for a particular government or become freelancers. The latter are also known in the local parlance as 'adventurers', and take on various types of jobs as it suits them. The Adventurer's Guild in Akihabara to our immediate East is a convenient central location for such people to find things necessary to their craft, such as equipment and job postings."

"Before that, however, I assume the two of you will need a place to stay and money to pay for food, unless you plan to live freely in the wilderness. Akihabara is unlikely to have any permanent residences available at this time, as much of the available space has been populated over the past ten years, but Port Eagle to the North and Northwest, which is part of the Concordia Union, offers free housing and utilities to newcomers to the Frontiers, along with a reasonable monthly stipend that should be enough to live on until they are able to find gainful employment, although one would need to live frugally. Alternatively, if you wish to stay at a non-permanent residence such as an inn or hotel in Akihabara, perhaps you have something of value which you could sell for immediate currency?"