Cyberworld Hero Future RP Thread

...Dark Thinkers? Shadows? Croire wasn't sure, although considering Ramialia was getting somewhat agitated, it probably meant bad news...not to mention both Elijah and Hux's comments along with her outburst yesterday was making the young man tremble and try to keep his armlets together.

"O...Okay, d-do we have a r-rough idea on h-how many might be at t-the settlement? I-If you're s-sending us i-into s-something w-with t-too many numbers as o-opposition, s-stealth w-won't be much g-good and eight...s-seven of us a-against w-what could be a-an army is...I-I mean, I-I'm not d-doubting anyone e-else's abilities b-but..."

Bea's comment sounding like an 'order' definitely didn't help matters as Croire cringed a tiny bit from Ramialia's patience wearing even thinner.

Alcor cupped her chin and shook her head when Hux and Elijah voiced their objections to the idea, "The Moxen Set are also too dangerous to remain in the hands of the Dark Thinkers. Remember that Moldbug was up to something with the Lotus. Gathering them will be advantageous for us and take away the greatest tool in our adversaries' arsenal."

She looked around and then said, "It's been recorded that these things showed up about three thousand years ago, according to Human Settlements. Supposedly, fonts of magical energy coalesced into small gemstones that represented different facets of the world and their associations, and bequeath power. If we can acquire all of them, we might be able to radically restructure the world. And undo the damages to it incurred in the many wars."

She looked at Hux, "As for the issue of the Dark Thinkers' strength relative to other Machines, I've thought of that. Using energy siphoned from the Black Lotus, we have been able to create new gear and weapons. I honestly think this could tip the scales."

Old Man Elijah

"Radically restructure the world according to whose vision?" Elijah asked, letting the question linger in the air for a while before he sighed, looking around the rest of the table. "Whatever. Maybe you'll even use it to bring the rest of humanity back...if you don't just use that kind of power to make synthetic bodies and stick old souls in them."

"I'll get ready to move out now," he stated, looking around the table. "And I'd rather stick to my own weapons, if you please, so I'll wait on the B-SHRIKE. Tell Leadership not to worry, won't you, Commander? I'll always come back no matter what."

Edited by JumpingFruit on Jan 9th 2021 at 9:43:32 AM

Bea attentively listened through the explanations, picking out a few pieces of information she thought relevant.

"It seems a little close to mission time to get new equipment, yes? Usually I prefer to practice with new gear for a bit before taking it to the field..."

Croire hesitated for the slightest of moments before giving a slight nod of compliance. Best to just get the mission over and done with, be of questionable value as a punching bag and give Ramialia a chance to crush anything in her way without being reprimanded.

   What, you expected them to answer reasonable questions that might help your odds like even the slightest of estimates of what to expect in enemy numbers? We're all replaceable to those idiots, of course they won't give any information unless it's for their benefit. It'll be all the more amusing when whatever they have in mind blows up in their face.   

Croire just gave a small nod of agreement in response...and considering everyone else's hesitance on the 'new gear and weapons'...

"...I...I'll do it...I've got n-nothing but a pipe and a b-broken b-blade so...sure, i-if they're u-unstable o-or go haywire, b-better me than t-the whole unit. I-I can probably h-handle it."

Alcor for her part seemed to glare daggers at Elijah, and immediately let out a surprisingly intense and instinctually angry response, "I will not have you wildly speculate and engage in pernicious prestidigitation! Would it fit more nicely with your mentality to leave the devices with the Dark Thinkers? Simply let them continue doing whatever it is they're doing that causes these sudden energy surges?"

Zhane stepped up however and put an arm on Alcor's for a moment. He didn't know why he was stepping up like that and in such an authoritative way though. So he stepped down.

Alcor however didn't snap at Zhane, merely calmed herself down and looked away, flush, "...Noon, you can—-you can continue with whatever it is you're looking to do..." Turning to look at the others she said, "If you want to use the new equipment, go ahead and retrieve it. If not, go ahead to the B-SHRIKE. And...I apologize for my unprofessional, unheroic display of emotion. I will submit myself to evaluation to ascertain why I am suddenly experiencing such things."

Old Man Elijah

Elijah just grunted noncommitally and looked Alcor in the eye one last time before he moved out. It was probably her mind on the fritz, that was all. With how robotic she acted some of the time, all stiff and formal, it could have been her programming. Either way, Elijah felt like he'd said enough for the day.

It was probably better to get out, complete the mission, and then come back home—well, this place wasn't home—to have a nice rest. And then rinse and repeat, rinse and repeat. He had an inkling why they were being treated like soldiers, but he wasn't going to say it out loud yet. Not before he was certain.

Edited by JumpingFruit on Jan 17th 2021 at 11:11:34 AM

Unlike the Commander (who it seems resembled Bea a fair amount in personality), Bea maintained her composure and gave a simple bow following the briefing's conclusion.

"Very well, I shall commit my all to this mission."

And with that, she turned on her heel and strode off to the Shrike to await the mission proper beginning.

Croire.

...Well, that was that. Best to just get everything over with and hope that something among the new equipment was something he'd be able to use without looking like a fool or hinder the group's performance as he quietly went towards where he was instructed rather than the SHRIKE.

At the Shrike, it looked like the machine was customized now for the task of getting to and around the Tangle. Faster moving, more sleek, and with magic circles scrawled on it in binary coding that a cursory look at would inform those involved that it would keep the ship out of the sight of the beasts of the Tangle.

Meanwhile, Zhane Noon retrieved a new sword - a black blade covered in a silver two part sheath that had a red line down the middle, the grip of the blade and pommel melded with several wires heading up into the blade. Zhane got a feel for the blade and then looked over at Croire. "So, you felt it too, right? We both kind of had no ability to help against Moldbug. There really isn't much of a better feeling than getting stronger."

I want Bea to notice me. I want her to...to really notice me. I want to become stronger...stronger and stronger still. I want...I want to become so strong, I could kill Moldbug and anyone else who'd threaten her. Zhane beamed and smiled broadly.

Croire would see several weapons around there - a large claymore like sword that logic would dictate would be heavy, but a cursory attempt to pick it up would reveal it was very, very light. Another weapon was a gigantic rifle of some kind with a pair of prongs proceeding out from the barrel, conducting some sort of magical / electric field between them.

Edited by NickTheSwing on Jan 23rd 2021 at 12:25:03 PM

Old Man Elijah

"...This thing's balance is off," Elijah noted as he tried out the large claymore. "It's so light that I'm likely to overextend myself with it, instead of using it the way it was intended to be used. And this gun's a mite big, so anyone who wants to carry it around is going to be weighed down more."

"I'll just stick to my own familiar weapons," he finally decided. "Blessed bone-steel hasn't quite failed me yet, so you can have these new ones. Probably know how to use them better than me, too...Hmm." As Elijah sheathed his own weapons and headed onto the revamped Shrike, he looked at Zhane and seemed to shake his head, but it was over as quickly as he had done it.

Edited by JumpingFruit on Jan 27th 2021 at 7:00:21 AM

"O...Oh...? W...W-Well, I c-can't exactly stop o-other people f-from getting h-hurt if I'm h-hiding in the b-back with a f-firearm, s-so...n-not much of a c-choice for me, really, e-even if it c-could be unwieldy..."

Croire timidly took the claymore from Elijah and...well, he was somewhat surprised at how easy it was to hold. Sure, it did feel somewhat odd, but it was better than nothing. Granted, Ramialia would likely outright refuse to use it and stick to her metal pipe and to be honest, Croire wasn't going throw away his old sword, but...it was a potential upgrade.

...Hopefully it'd hit reasonably hard despite it's light weight as he hesitantly nodded in agreement with Zhane.

"Maybe...? I-I don't really t-think I've gotten any s-stronger so I can't r-really say...b-but hopefully I can d-do more with this, a-at least."

Bea examined the exterior of the Shrike with interest, tracing the lines of the runes with her eyes before stepping aboard and taking her usual seat at the back where she could best watch her companions.

"It's a matter of principle for me. How can I trust a weapon to perform if the first time I have swung it is in the heat of battle? It's better for me to spend time practicing with any new equipment first in safer conditions."

Zhane simply nodded, and as he and the others proceeded on to the Shrike, he found himself looking more at Bea than he had before. There were a lot of really scary things outside the City that could threaten her. She was always in combat situations, and doing her best for Dahlia... The Dark Thinkers, the Shadows, the Machines. He had to become stronger at least than Moldbug, so that he could fight against him next time.

Because as far as Zhane was concerned it was very obvious there was going to be a next time.

As he got situated inside the Shrike, he said to everyone else on the mission, "Everyone, ready to head out? The higher ups have sent a guide to the Tangle to my Multi-tool."

He was rather proud of how his voice was starting to sound. It wasn't just his body - his voice was sounding a bit deeper, or maybe it was just his renewed confidence...

Old Man Elijah

"I'm as ready as I'll ever be, I suppose," Elijah said, taking a seat near the front of the Shrike and stretching his legs out. It wasn't as if they would get in anyone else's way. "You certainly seem ready, Zhane. It's as if you've aged, what, a good five, ten years in a few days. Are you sure you want to be a crotchety old man like me soon?"

"I kid, I kid," he added quickly, making a 'forget it' gesture with his hand. "Something's rather odd about it. I don't remember growing up nearly as fast back in my day. Still, I guess these are different times, but if you ever want to talk about something, I want you to know that I'm here for you, okay?"

With that, he leaned back in preparation for takeoff.

Edited by JumpingFruit on Feb 20th 2021 at 10:15:22 AM

Shrike Time

"I had presumed our pilot had already undergone puberty, but I may have been incorrect. The rapid onset is... Unusual but probably not unheard of."

Bea peeks one eye open from her meditation.

"Likewise, if you require a confidant then I am willing to listen."

"I-I mean...s-sometimes we might not have m-much of a choice t-to use untested g-gear...but I-I guess that's why t-there's ones l-like me to t-test stuff so others...don't..."

Croire wasted no time getting to the Shrike, looking somewhat uneasy. Elijah's comment about Zhane made him even moreso, especially with Ramialia getting more irritated by the subject.

G-Guess it's...just the five of us t-today.