It is here, on the city streets that you can navigate the huge downtown sector of Gondora. You will find shops of all types and varieties, as well as restaurants, pubs, and clubs. The most notable of these places would be the Humble Beginnings Pub and Club Serenity. There are very sophisticated areas of the city streets, and like most cities, there are also dingier, slum-like sections of the town, though most of Gondora is rather safe, even if it wouldn't seem like it.
Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2015 12:18 pm
Acel continued to follow Aleera's guidance as he walked down the streets of Gondora. The place was massive, and it was hard to believe that there was still an enormous section of the floating city that was completely uninhabited due to the fact that they kept it empty in case of emergency evacuation needed on a global scale. It was like having a giant Ark, except the Ark was a damn city in the middle of the ocean. The things he had seen in the last two days made his head spin. He was used to Bergerac, and that was about it. He knew the quaint lifestyles that his village had offered him, and no more. His parents had often offered to take him into Paris, but he didn't have an interest in the giant city. He wanted to live at home with his family, and the few close friends he had there, and that was good enough for him. But he could not believe how absolutely naive he had been to believe that was possible in this day and age. That he could just go on living out there with no problems. That the A.I. Cores wouldn't eventually find there way there with a large force and kill them all. Sure, many had escaped the raid, but who knew if anyone was there, now. He didn't think his parents were going to go back after what had happened, and without them, there was no way for the others to survive there. As he slowly got lost in his thoughts, he approached the street that she had spoken of. Jarvas. He repeated in his head as he approached the sign for the street and he nodded to it, mentally noting that he was indeed at the correct place. He smiled to himself as he made the turn, swinging onto the side street and heading down the right side of the road. She had said that the stores would be not far from the intersection, so he kept his eyes peeled for Gilliano's Garments and Alloy Armaments. He knew that they had to be somewhere near-by. He looked high and low, but he saw nothing of the like. There was a bakery, sure, and what looked like an old bookstore, but there was nothing that jumped out at him as some sort of baiter equipment shop. No signs or lights or anything that drew his attention to the existence of these stores, and he thought that perhaps he had been played by that woman, and she had sent him in the wrong direction. He turned around once more to scan the area, but to his dismay there were no shops with the names he was looking for. He sighed as he stopped on the corner, and he put a hand on his temple, rubbing the side of his head as he tried to figure out what to do from here. He was in a city he didn't know, looking for shops he couldn't find, newly inducted to do a job he couldn't hope to carry out. He was lost.
"Farm boy!" A voice cracked through Acel's thoughts, and he quirked a brow as he looked at the woman who stood, leaned against a light post on the street, smoking a cigarette. "Do I know you?" Acel asked with the same puzzled expression. She just laughed as she ground the cigarette into her open palm. "Do you know me? Naw. You don't know me. But, I know a couple of tid-bits about you. You just completed the H.A.L.F Process, and you are here looking for Alloy Armaments. But, you have no ******** clue as to where it is, eh?" He looked at her, the stupid look on his face growing old for the woman as she shook her head. By this time, the woman was rubbing her temples as much as Acel was, and she just sighed. "Not much to say, eh? No questions? Do you even want help finding what you're looking for?" The woman's brown hair hung around her plain face as if she were hiding from the world. She was certainly not a beautiful woman, by any means, but she was quaint and her normalcy was almost alluring in a way. She wore a set of finely crafted armour, and a straight-edged sword hung at her side. Acel merely sighed as he looked at her and nodded. "Alright, fine, you got me. I need a hand finding this place." He stated. "So the man can actually open his mouth to ask for something after all, eh? Good. You're not going to make it out of my shop alive if you don't get your s**t together and start participating in the job at hand. Come inside." She stated with a nod, walking toward the Bakery and swinging the doors open. She stepped into the shop, but it lacked the scents that a bakery would usually let off. Nothing smelled fresh and sweet--there was no warmth from ovens or noise from the kitchen as people cooked the delectable items that lined the shelf. Acel was growing more and more confused as he reached out and grabbed a plastic cupcake off of one of the display tables and scratched the back of his head. "Alright, you've got me. What the hell am I doing here?What is this place?""God, I wish that p***k Orion would stop sending me every greenhorn with a sob story. You've been handed a favor, kid. A big a**, shiny, priceless favor. This place is a front, if your genius level intellect has not yet told you that. Alloy Armaments is a special blacksmith that makes weaponry for the higher ranked Baiters. Orion is one of those Baiters that we often do work for. However, when he takes a liking to a new baiter, every now and then, he will send them to us. SO, it looks like you're our new client, kiddo. So. What do you want?" Acel stood there, silent, for a long while as he thought about it, and the woman began to tap her foot impatiently. "Are you daft man? What kind of weapon do you use? What is your specialization? Everyone has a weapon of choice." Acel almost flushed at the question and he sighed as he looked at her. "I don't have a specialty when it comes to combat. I have never fought before, save for the examination they put me through, and I only made it through that with sheer luck." It was the woman's turn to be stunned and she looked at her with wide eyes. "You do realize that 60% of people who go through the H.A.L.F process die, right? And most of them are proficient with some form of weaponry that they use to get themselves through it.""So I'm told." She tapped her foot for a moment and then nodded to him, beckoning him to follow her as she hi a button and a back wall full of fake cakes opened up and led into a massive back workshop. The walls were absolutely littered with weaponry, and there were multiple machines in the large work area for all sorts of design and creation purposes. "When we first started doing work for the higher ups, we kept the shop in plain sight, but we got so many requests for our weapons from regular citizens and low level baiters who couldn't afford it, and our time was wasted so often we decided to just close up and offer the services in private, only to the higher ups. That's why we've hidden ourselves like this." She stated, and Acel nodded along while they walked into the massive workshop and she motioned to the walls of weapons as if to tell him to choose. "So, how did you win? How did you manage to get through it without dying?" Acel just shrugged his shoulders. "Like I said...luck mostly. I used two metal pipes and swung them around as hard as I could. My mother uses two shortswords, but I found the range a little lacking...like I couldn't build up enough momentum with them. I am used to handling hoes and pitchforks for the most part. Tilling land. But I know nothing of pole-arm combat...at least I have watched my mother practice with the twin swords before." The woman stroked her chin and nodded, stepping closer to him and grabbing him by the bicep, her fingers squeezing and trailing across his arms and body. He slapped her hand away finally and glared at her. "What are you doing?" He snapped. "Someone is touchy. Listen, I need to know your physique to properly gauge what kind of weapons you can handle. Sorry. I should have told you first. Didn't realize you were gay." Acel bit his lip in irritation and clenched his teeth. "Easy. I am just kidding. The name's Rivana. We'll probably be seeing a lot more of each other as long as you are in this business. Don't you dare take anything you get from me to anyone else for repair or modification, or I will cut your little d**k off, I promise you, and it won't matter whether or not you're gay." Acel opened his mouth to say something to her but just sighed, shook his head, and waited for her to continue.
Rivana immediately began to toy with a massive machine, attached to some sort of drawing board. She looked Acel up and down as he stood there, his messy, tangled blonde hair and his ragged jeans and dirty shirt. The man looked like a farmer that didn't give a s**t, that was for sure, but he had a damn good body. She had felt the metal in his chest when she had been prodding at his body, and it was exactly at that point that she had been brushed away by him, but she was certain that whatever wound he had sustained would not inhibit him from using the longswords as twin blades. He had a very slender, lean physique from his constant working in the fields. His muscles were dense, and he was naturally strong, which was perfect for the weapons she had in mind. She bit her lip as she went to work, and when he began to ask her what she was doing, she glared at him and told him to sit down and wait. That perfection could not be rushed. He waited as she drew-redrew-and reredrew the designs for the weapons, but when she had finally reached a point of satisfaction the machine blared into life and she grinned as the machine ceased its thunderous roaring. She waved him over and he nervously stepped toward the machines before she popped the lid open and a pair of curved longswords, similar to katanas in a way, but slightly less curved and slightly shorter than the usual katana. The handles were wrapped in red leather, and a white half and black half of the yin yang hung from the hilts. He knew almost nothing about weaponry, but somehow he could tell that this was an incredible piece of work. He reached down to grab it and she slapped his hand. "The fundamental design cannot be changed after they are moved...even a fraction of a hair. So, tell me, is there anything different you would like?" Acel stroked his chin as he looked at the yin yang. "Why the Yin Yang?" She smiled, happy he asked. "You are the Yin Yang. You and the weapons are the two halves. You are opposites, seeing as one is meant to kill, yet the other has no idea how." She said with a smirk as she looked at the man. Acel regarded the swords cooly for a moment and then shook his head. "The thought is interesting. But, I will have it changed. I like the black and white, the opposites. Keep that. But perhaps something more...personal. I'd like for you to make it into a cross. Even length on all four sides instead of the standard crucifix shape. One black with a white rim, the other white with a black rim. The two people who mean the most to me. Both have a little bit of the other inside of them, yet they are the exact opposite, as is the reason that I love them. My two hearts. Just like the cross shaped monstrosity they put in my chest." He said, and Rivana thought on what he was saying, trying to piece the man's story together. "Deal." She said finally and closed the lid, quickly sketching out a few more things before lifting it again, the two opposite crosses hanging from the hilts. "Do you think you could make me a pair of them, smaller in size, that I could wear? My wife always joked that I would look good wearing earrings." He said, fighting back the quivering of his lip. Rivana was about to protest, but she sighed and nodded to him. After a few more minutes, he was punching them through his earlobes, and holding onto the two longswords, admiring the perfection of their blades. "The machine allows us to perfectly control the molecular construction of what we want to make. We not only draw the shape of the weapon, but we are drawing the very molecular makeup of it. They are the most reliable blades you'll ever carry." Acel bit his lip and he looked at her with apology in his eyes. "And how am I supposed to pay for this?" She laughed and shook her head. "You still don't get it? You dumbass. You couldn't afford these swords if you were a baiter for the last fifty years. Orion has covered your expenses. Be thankful for it." Acel looked at the blades and he sighed as he allowed her to fit them to his hips using leather holsters and he ran his fingers across the hilts. "Thank you. Very much." He said, knowing that he owed a debt that would take quite some time to repay. She nodded with a smile. "Now its time you meet the other stuffy p***k that Orion has sent you for." She said, her eyes full of mischief.
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Posted: Sat Oct 24, 2015 11:50 am
Acel quirked a brow as the woman mentioned the 'stuffy p***k' that he was going to be meeting. The second person that he had been sent to meet by Orion. Gilliano's Garments was the name of the store he was sent to, so he could only imagine it was some sort of high-end tailor. But he knew that there was no way he could manage to fight without some form of protection. Mere 'garments' would not suffice when he was going to be a soldier. He pondered just what this man might be like, or just what he might acquire. He had nothing in mind, in particular, though he could not lie that he would be happy to change out of the tattered farmer's clothing. They reminded him far too much of his past. In fact...he would never wear such simple clothing again. No. He would dress with some form of flair...he would dress well. He would make sure he left that life behind and stored only what mattered in his memories. He would let the past dangle from his ears and in the swords that he wore on his sides. Rivana led him back out of the workshop, and into the fakery as Acel had decided it would be named. "He might have a bit of a strong personality, and you will want to punch him in the face more than once before you leave, but trust me, you don't want to do it. Just bear with him. His heart is in the right place...and if you try to lay a finger on him, well, let me tell you, it ends badly." She rolled up her sleeve to show a grisly scar on her forearm. "Jesus, what did you do to him for him to have cut you like that?" She burst into laughter as they walked out into the street and then towards the book store beside them. "No. Not him. It was his ******** cat." Acel just stopped in his tracks, his confusion was evident, and Rivana merely smirked knowingly. She told him that he would understand in time, and he just shrugged his shoulders as they continued on their way.
The book store was musty, and it looked, from the inside, like they had just stepped into a time capsule. There was so much dust inside the place that it seemed to create a film on absolutely everything. However, in the far corner, in a fine leather seat, a man with a long coat and a stern expression. Instantly, Acel was aware that this man was the 'stuffy p***k' that Rivana had been talking about. He was reading some sort of tattered volume by a man who Acel could barely even pronounce. Socrates? Who the hell names their child so-crates? (soh-crayts) Either way, it was none of Acel's business who the man liked to read, or what his parents wanted to name him. "Good afternoon, Gilliano. We've got ourselves a man in need of some--" Gilliano looked down his nose, barely even staring up from the top of the book. "No." Rivana bit her lip ever so slightly, swallowing back a bit of anger. "What do you mean, no?" Her voice was strained, her teeth clenched. She obviously did not like the man's company very much. "I mean, no." He stated, his voice stern and unwavering as he heaved a heavy sigh and he placed the book down on a side table. "Look, kid, you are a lovely man, I am quite sure, but you are disgustingly dirty, and I have absolutely no intention of allowing you to put anything I have created on your body in its current state. Besides, you are obviously as poor as dirt, and only here because someone took a great deal of pity on you. Now, run home to your family and come back when you are relevant, no?" Acel was stunned by the sheer audacity of the man's snobbish attitude. He remembered what Rivana had said about his cat, and he didn't care. He wanted to crack the man's skull in right there. He bit his lip so hard he could taste the copper in his mouth, and he tried to calm himself. Closing his eyes briefly. "I am quite sorry for my state, sir. It has been a very eventful past two days, and I have been put through hell in order to make it through. I would appreciate your help greatly. Orion sent me here, and I have nowhere else to go at this point." Gilliano paused for a second and looked at the man once again. "All new baiters are put through hell, newbie. You fight for your life, and if you win, you get to keep living. If you lose, you die. It doesn't give you excuse to forego showering and common cleanliness. I gave you the benefit of the doubt and thought perhaps you were a family man, but it appears by the way you speak that you couldn't manage to woo a woman by wearing scraps and luring them with the odour of sweat and dirt. Shame. A woman might do you well to clean you up a bit. Now please, leave. Give my...regards...to Orion." Acel's teeth felt like they were going to explode if he clenched his jaw any harder, but by the time that the man had finished speaking, he had heard enough. He lashed out and grabbed him by the collar, narrowing his eyes. "Listen to me you pompous p***k. I watched my wife and baby girl get slaughtered in front of me two days ago, and I was murdered by the same monster that took them from me. Now, I live with no heart beating in my chest, just the cold metal, and one of the ******** THINGS inside of it that helped take them from me. If you say one more word about my past or where I come from without knowing, I will bury you in the fields I tilled with my bare hands, and leave you there for the worms.""Easy...calm, now." Acel's hand tightened on the man's collar. "Oh, trust me, compared to what I should be. I am calm.""Not you, you filthy peasant. HER." As Acel turned his head, his hand instantly released the collar of the man's shirt. The purple eyes glared up at him as if they could burn holes through him, and the sharp rows of teeth glistened as the beast bared its fangs. The cat...was not exactly a housecat, and it made complete sense why Rivana tread so lightly around the man, even though he was a 'stuffy p***k'.
Gilliano looked at Acel like a cat would look at a mouse, and he smirked--the first show of any emotion other than complete disregard, that he had shown. "If you hadn't told me such an entertaining story, my poor, dirty fellow, you would have been dead for even thinking about touching my clothes with those grubby little mitts of yours. However, I am not a man too good to admit he had erred. Perhaps I went to far with my disdain for your filth. I have a bathroom that you can use to clean yourself up. There is a garbage bin in it, and I expect you to throw every article of clothing you are wearing inside of it. When you are clean, you can come out, and we will begin." Acel raised his eyebrows at the man, and he narrowed his eyes in return. "Don't make me think about this decision any longer, or my generosity will fast dissipate. The bathroom is behind the counter, through the door, and to your right. Towels are there, and in the closet is a spare robe." Acel opened his mouth to speak, but he knew that this was as close to an apology as he would get, and at the very least he was being allowed into the store. He nodded to the man and left the room, walking through the back door and headed down the hall and into an elaborate bathroom. He had never seen anything like it. The shower was enormous, and when he stepped inside of it, the doors automatically closed and the water began to shoot from every direction. It was a light pressure, and it felt good to be washed from every angle, and the water even seemed to massage his muscles as it hit against him. The dirt slipped off of his body, creating a dark brown water that slowly leaked down the drain. After he had washed and dried his body, he stood in front of the mirror, staring at the scars around the metal contraption in his chest. As he thought about it, and pictured the thing opening, the aperture door opened, letting him see directly into the cavity in his chest, where the make-shift heart lay. The blue lights moved across its golden surface constantly, and he felt anger building up inside him as he turned away from the mirror and the aperture closed, leaving the door to his heart locked. He went into the cupboard, pulling his hair backwards to sweep it out of his face and replacing the cross-shaped earrings before he donned the robe and walked outside to the main room, once again. "Alright, the clothes are in the trash, and I am washed. Will you see me now?" Gilliano stopped his reading and he looked at Acel with a smirk. "You know, you aren't half bad, kid. You are quite the handsome man...but by the time you leave this place, I can guarantee, you will be gorgeous." Acel shifted awkwardly, suddenly over-aware of the robe being the only thing he was wearing. "Alright...umm...thanks." Gilliano stood from the chair and walked over to him, the man's long straight hair seeming to never be out of place as he moved. His clothing made him look like he had been alive before the turn of the 19th century, but something about it was slick, and Acel did like the look of the man's long, flowing overcoat. Gilliano grabbed him by the arm and led him to the front desk, where he gripped the head of a panther statue and pulled it back, revealing a biometric scanner. Gilliano pulled his eyelid down, and when he did, it revealed a small chip implanted into the bottom of his eye-ball. As soon as the chip was revealed the scanner let out a shrill beep and a bookcase in the back of the store slid open and revealed the entrance to Gilliano's workshop. He led Acel into the room and it was here that they began their work.
The man had Acel stand in a three hundred and sixty degree mirror, and as soon as he was standing there, lasers began to shoot in every direction, perfectly mapping Acel's body shape and muscular disposition. Gilliano tapped on his temple thoughtfully and with a few different tweaks he adjusted the laser scan so that it showed Acel to be ten pounds heavier-all muscle. "You will gain muscle in this field of work, and if you do not plan that out beforehand, your clothing will soon not fit, and be an utter waste of time. Now...I imagine that you didn't have much in mind, considering your...lack of fashion sense." Acel sighed as the man spoke but he couldn't really blame him for his observations. "You would be correct in that assumption...I need something that will protect me during a fight. But I also want to look...well...good." The man grinned now, and for the first time Acel saw Gilliano in his prime. "Well, that is the smartest thing I have heard you say all damn day." Gilliano grinned and suddenly the three hundred and sixty degree mirror became screens, showing him massive amounts of different fashion styles, and Acel's head began to swim. He didn't know what he was looking for, but he began, slowly, to develop a taste for what he liked. "That...and that...those two things there seem nice...and simple at the same time." Gilliano frowned as he looked at the man in the robe. "A pair of khakis and a black t-shirt? Really?" Acel shrugged his shoulders. "Well...I also like that coat you wear. I wouldn't mind something like that, too. Maybe a littler different though...white?" Gilliano's eyes lit up once again. He nodded to Acel and ushered him out of the mirrored contraption before he sat down and his hands began to furiously punch into a machine, much like the one that Rivana had used. But when the machine began to spit out yards upon yards of fabric, Acel was baffled. "Wait...you sew it all by hand?" Gilliano scoffed at Acel and shook his head. "Of course I do. Who the hell do you think I am, boy?" when Gilliano got to work, Acel couldn't believe the speed at which his nimble fingers sewed the fabrics together. The way that he seemed to work more efficiently than any machine Acel had ever seen. There was a reason these people were in charge of the weapons and armour for the higher grade baiters. It took an hour before the clothing was completely sewn. The white jacket had a fur trim, and Acel couldn't deny that it was a beautiful coat. The black t-shirt was likely the softest thing that Acel had ever worn, though Gilliano assured him that it was stronger than any steel, as well as the khaki pants. The material was all designed to feel and look like regular clothing, but instead of regular thread it was scanned through a system similar to the N.I.C.E system to create extremely hardened fabric that was hundreds of times more durable than a regular shirt and pants. He even designed two holsters for the swords attached to the sides of the overcoat, and Acel placed the swords there as he looked at himself in the mirror. He stroked his chin as he looked at it all and as he thought, Gilliano butted in. "What is it? You look displeased." Acel shook his head. "No, not displeased...what you have done is brilliant. But...I could use some extra armour. On the shoulders perhaps...and maybe on the shins as well?" Gilliano looked annoyed and opened his mouth to say something, but Acel cut him off. "I would love it if you could put a little bit of your own design flair into it as well...I want to set myself apart." He said with a nod, and the man grinned, suddenly no longer bothered by having to do more.
The man had made Acel wait as the shoulder armour and shin guards were created, but when he finally brought them out, there was nothing Acel could do but gawk at them. It was all made of black alloy that stood out perfectly against the white coat, and Acel grinned from ear to ear as he looked at the angelic wings that the shoulder guards personified. The shin guards had intricate patterns etched into them and they looked absolutely beautiful. When he put the shin guards on and the shoulder armour, he nodded in appreciation as he looked in the mirror. "It's...perfect." Gilliano smiled like a snake and shook his head. "Of course it is...and as promised...you look damned gorgeous, young man. Who would have thought such a man was hiding behind all that dirt. I am glad I decided that you were worth the time. But if you ever touch me again, or come in here in such a filthy state, I will let Simba tear your legs off." He stated, only half joking. Acel said his goodbyes, and went back to Rivana to say goodbye to her...but he was ready now. He had his weapons and his attire. He was suited up and ready to go. The man had even made him custom briefs and socks, and a pair of beautiful brown leather, rugged boots to go under the shin armour. When he made his way back towards the headquarters main facilities, he was ready for whatever might come...though he still needed to figure out what that was. He breathed a sigh as he walked up the steps to the main facilities once again and he headed inside. Now he just needed to swing these swords a couple of times...or a couple thousand...to get used to them.
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Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2015 4:34 pm
Dal'Mori Cestrol Menne
It was like digging for gold and finding diamonds. Here, nestled away in this massive metal prison, was a little piece of nature. It may not have had anything from his home area, but it still smelled the same.. Once you got past the natural human odor of course. He actually managed to stumble forward from the sudden nature of his stop.
Relief like nothing he could describe, followed by a large sum of happiness was the only thing going on in his mind right now.
The sight of greenery, the smell of plant life, the night sky sitting closer than he had ever seen it.
It might as well have been Paradise, the Garden of Eden, Valhalla.
He walked in slowly, savoring every moment of the sights that greeted him. Immediately he was accosted by the sights of his village in it's final moments. The forest around it burning, the building toppling over.
He violently repressed these memories. He needed to relax, and looking back on the destruction of his home was not something that needed to be relived.
He took his time looking around, bending down to run his fingers across the grass. It was soft, soft like petting a smooth pet's fur. The trees were sparse, but there were at least two that rivaled some of the trees back home. They looked different, like these trees had to grow up a completely different way than the ones back home. Or they were completely different trees. Either way.
He walked over to one and ran his hand along the bark, enjoying the sensation of the rough texture running across the palm of his hand. He nodded to himself. This place would be perfect. He placed his things on the ground next to the tree, and lowered himself into a sitting position, his back against the tree. He could feel the rigid form of the tree behind him through the shirt he was wearing. Making him wish for clothes like he once wore.
He shook his mind clear of those thoughts, and relaxed his body, slowly but surely. Starting with his feet, all the way up to his head, he relaxed every body part. This was the first step into the meditative style he preferred. Taking deep breaths started to relax his mind. This was almost like sleep to Dal'Mori. It would not completely rejuvenate him, but given that he was just asleep a little while ago, he didn't feel he needed much rest.
It took him an hour straight. An hour of hearing the screams of those he loved, the crackle of the fire, the smell of burning. It was worse than a nightmare, because they were his actual memories. While his nightmares would add more to it, make it truly horrifying, the truth was always worse. He felt helpless again, and weak. Useless and empty. There was a raging darkness residing within him now, and he wasn't too sure what it was or why it was there.
It wasn't just rage. It wasn't just sadness. It was like a combination of both, but with a heavy underlying need. An undying need. A need that could make a ravaging beasts hunger pale in comparison. It was like a leech, grabbing at anything it could reach, using it to fuel it. He couldn't place it, but it was terrifying to think he had something that dark could lurk within his heart or mind.
After an hour of combating these thoughts, suppressing them, trying every mental exercise he was taught by his village healer to make them go away, he found himself finally able to completely relax.
So he sat there, for a few hours, enjoying meditating for the first time in a long time. It had been at least two weeks now. One week spent doing things at home.. The next, laying in the aftermath of the ruination of his home, getting brought to the base, and getting the abomination called a Code.
It happened in a flash, one moment he was sitting in the park, the next time he was assaulted with images of home, the burning, the destruction, the face of the monster taking up every inch of his eyesight as it made sure he wouldn't forget its face.
He shot up like a bullet, sweat pouring from his brow, his breath in ragged gasps. Somehow, he had fallen asleep in that park. Miraculously it turns out his things were not messed with. Perhaps the weapon he carried around, marking him as an obvious Baiter, albeit one in training, made people think twice of messing with the man.
Ultimately irrelevant. He was awake, and his things were there. It was time to start his day anew. It was still pretty early in the day, but shops and the like were opening. The smell of fresh dew wafted into his nostrils, and he allowed a contented smile to cross his lips. Once more, for a brief moment, he was able to pretend he was back home, waking up to a new day, greeting the sun as it rose into the sky.
He sighed as he allowed the feeling to slip away. It would do no good to think about home. It was still a raw wound.
He collected up his things, and rose to his full height slowly, working out the kink of having sat in one place, with nothing but a firm tree to keep you up. He was a little sore, but honestly he felt like he could more than handle it. His new body was starting to feel more and more natural as time progressed. While he wasn't too happy with the idea, he figured he'd better get used to it quickly, given that if he understood things correctly, people carried around multiple of these things, and they all amplify the bearer.
He nodded to himself and started off, before promptly falling backwards into the tree. Apparently his legs had fallen asleep.
Thankfully, he managed to get to moving around without too much issue. With people being out and about, there was still a few incidents, but it seemed like his earlier thought was true, people just didn't mess with Baiters. He apologized, and every time they just basically wrote it off, even if initially they seemed pissed. There appeared to be some perks to being one of the planets only defenders.
He meandered about for a while, finding all mannerisms of things. Weapons he'd never seen, armor that made his look way more lightweight than it actually was, food shops with weird and exotic dishes. Granted, his village had been a simple one, so all of these things being new and exciting for him, were probably commonplace for the people who live here.
Finally, after a few more stumbles and an almost fight, he found a place that looked like what he was looking for. It appeared to be a cloth workshop, a given due to the number of outfits that resided both within and out. The designs on some of them even gave him a brilliant idea!
He walked inside the building, a soft ring echoing throughout the small place. Immediately he was beset upon by fear. His eyes snapping back and forth, his breath once more coming in short pants. What was wrong with him? He was starting to really not like this place. Perhaps with time he might be able to tolerate it, but right now this place was horrible. It was too close, too narrow.
He didn't even bother sticking around, and stepped right back outside. He immediately began working on calming himself down. This place was going to be the death of him. It brought to mind probably the most childish thoughts he could have. How would he win the tournament if they held it in a place like this? He would lose simply because he couldn't enter the ring. That wouldn't be fair at all.
Such a weird thought knocked the fear train right off it's tracks, and he found himself almost laughing at the absurdity of it. Here he was, in a new place, due to the worst of circumstances, and he was honestly worried about winning a tournament, that didn't have anything worth his time but a prize he wasn't even sure what was. How the hell was he capable of thinking about something so mundane, when he had such bigger goals?
Someone up high was smiling down on Dal'Mori today. His usual ability to completely ignore the world around him while inside his own mind, while outside of combat that is, had him standing right outside the building with the clothing. Why would this be a good thing? The owner of the store came out to see why he came in and then left so abruptly.
She was a little thing, with light blonde hair, dark brown eyes, and a bright smile on her face. "How can I help you sir?" She asked, wrapping her hands around themselves behind her back. She didn't appear to be nervous one bit, in fact she seemed rather confident for one of such small visual stature.
Regardless, this question caused Dal'Mori to jump and turn to her, obviously startled by her presence. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to frighten you!" She said in clear distress. She seemed worried, as though she might lose him as a customer. Little did she know he didn't have any money. Anyway, he waved off her concern with as gentle a smile as he could muster on his face. "Not a problem." He started, and quickly looking for a way to save face, "I just, uh, realized I don't have any kind of currency from this place."
She looked confused for a moment, as if wondering why he would go into a store without any currency? This was answered when he gave her a brief rundown of what had happened to him recently. She seemed sad at the story, feeling some level of empathy for him. She had never honestly dealt with the loss from this society. She was born on this place, and her family had lived a while quite comfortably.
Dal'Mori was at a loss. He needed to have these clothing made up, so he could wear his armor again. Suddenly he remembered something. A gift from his best friend back at the village. He could even remember hearing her voice, speaking to him so casually.
'I found some outside the village. I know they're your favorite.'
He shook his head, trying his best to suppress those thoughts, trying to fight back the sudden, painful pang of loss. He could remember her face, yet all it did was remind him of everything they would never be able to do. So lost in the throes of memory he was, he didn't even notice the woman waving her hand in front of his face vigorously.
It took him a few minutes before he calmed all the way down again, and he looked down at her knowing look. She may not have experienced much loss in these years, but she was not blind to it either. She assumed PTSD, or Combat Fatigue, thus she offered him what he offered her, by waving off his apology.
"I can offer you a trade perhaps?" He offered, finally in control of himself, and when she expressed visual interest he reached into the pocket of his trench coat, and pulled out a small handful of some kind of greed stems. "See these? They are native to a pond near my home. It's an herb, tended to by the beetles of the river. An unlikely benefit of having an invasive species, I suppose." He explained, a little more animatedly than he had been acting for a while.
He held forward three of them. "They taste absolutely delicious, and one bite will last for a few hours. It's very chewy, but it tastes good." This was clearly his deal, some of his last items from home, for some clothing.
She bit into one, and hmm-ed at the flavor. It was stringy like celery, but not in a bad way, and it tasted like strawberries and bananas mixed. That was to her, to Dal'Mori it was simply a delicious gift from his home. She decided to take pity on the man, and nodded her acceptance. She would help this man out, even if he couldn't pay her. "What did you need?"
He explained everything in great detail. How the shirts he needed were tight in certain areas, but not uncomfortably tight, and loose in certain other areas, this allows his upper armor to hook into all the right places, defend him, and still allow mobility. How the pants he needed needed to be thicker in certain areas, to allow his lower armor the same thing. He also explained he needed them to be the toughest material she had, his new strength made shreds out of his previous set.
It was in those moments that he remembered something. "I also would like a design put onto the back of my coat. I want to wear my village symbol, visibly, wherever I go." He said with absolute conviction. She accepted his request, she was feeling generous and all of this would be relatively easy, but she had to see the design first.
What she was not expecting, was for him to take off his shirt, right there in the middle of the street. Where Dal'Mori came from, it was not uncommon for people to walk around without upper body clothing, so such a thing was so natural by this point, the it didn't even register to him as something wrong to do. He was also completely oblivious to the true meaning of the blush on her face. While she was embarrassed, he took it like he did with Corrinne, suggesting she might be ill and needed some rest, all while wondering to himself if there was something going around.
Still completely unaware of the situation, he glanced down at his chest. Marred in several places with nasty looking scars, it was a sight to behold. Some might find it disgusting, the scars that dotted his chest and back, like some kind of morbid connect the dots, while others would look at it as a testament of his will to live. However, he completely ignored all of these, and pointed at the only not scar tissue feature of his chest. A tattoo, around the size of his fist, painted one solid color, with only enough black to give everything enough detail to understand what it was. It was dark green in color, and depicted a spear, and a length of wheat acting as a crossbones-esque style bottom to a large oak tree.
Getting over her embarrassment, as much as she could, she inspected the tattoo closely, before nodding. As per her request, he handed over all his armor, save the bits around his forearm, and his trench coat. She mentioned she wouldn't be but a moment.
As he watched her walk away, he found that hard to believe. He once sat with the cloth workers in his village, and it always took at least an hour for them to get the things they wanted done, done right. So, naturally, he was skeptical of her claim. So, imagine his surprise, when not but ten minutes later, based on the movement of the sun, she walked out with all the completed items.
He rose from his spot on the ground, where he had moved to get out of the way. He knew well he would only be in the way if he tried to go in there, if he could even managed to get past the front door, that he would only be in the way. His surprise was evident all over his face. She laughed, but not in a mocking way, in the way you would generally laugh at naivety, as if it were adorable. She explained they had some machines that could craft matter out of nothing, and she happened to have access to one.
This explanation was bumpy at best, given that she had to stop several times to explain what machines were, and what matter was.
Regardless, after avoiding a particularly embarrassing scene by making the man go around back to change into his new clothing, she waved goodbye to him as he walked on by, still chewing the bite of the herb from earlier.
Dal'Mori, now equipped comfortably, headed on back towards the main headquarters. He was feeling much better now, with his armor back in place, wrapped up in his trench coat, and weapon strapped to his back, he felt like himself again. Everything was where it was supposed to be. He was able to move through crowds without the walls collapsing around him, mentally of course. There was the usual stumbling and bumping, but that was obvious, but he felt a mightier bit confident than he did while in the training room.
He didn't feel exposed anymore. He instead felt ready. Ready to handle anything that came his way.
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B.A.I.T.R Standing: 44 Health: 320/320 Control Limit: 352
Skill: 35 [--] Strength: 33 [35] Defense: 20 [--]
Quote:
Tactical Advantages
Power House - Level 1 - Every time you deal damage to a foe, they lose 2 Defense for the duration of the fight.
Ooc: Yes, I did have him sleep through the night, and I will not be posting with him again until everyone else has slept and/or woken up.
Also, I left the interaction between the store owner and Dal pretty vague, only because I felt going into all the actual details would have been a little much, and this post is huge already.
Line Count: 659
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Brotherhood Of Explosives Vice Captain
Mind-boggling Trickster
Offline
Ominous Noodles Crew
Dramatic Fatcat
Offline
Posted: Sat May 28, 2016 7:43 pm
❅❄❅⋅⋩⋩Безумная Утенок
I F I G H T F O R M Y F R I E N D S
Wow, this man was talkative. Ilya hadn't really met someone who could talk more than him, but he couldn't have been any more happy about it. When Acel brought up who the Baiter was in the family, Ilya almost spoke up, but was silenced by his mother’s questions. It was something he was interested in either way, so he didn’t mind. He must have thought that Ilya’s dad was a Baiter, or that they were simply living on Gondora for other reasons. Looking up at his mother, Ilya saw that she was very much into questioning this man, berating him to giving her answers to make herself feel better about Ilya doing this, and going farther in life as a Baiter. Furthermore, Acel still seemed absolutely oblivious that Ilya was a Baiter. Suddenly, Ilya had a wild idea. How long would it take for this man to realize it on his own, that he was what he was. It was a little game to play with himself, figuring out just how long he could go without spilling the beans. Oh, this was going to be fun.
So, Ilya listened with great enthusiasm to the man’s story of how he became a Baiter. He almost giggled when Acel began explaining what the Half exam was, however when the man explained that if he had not taken it he would have died, Ilya grew somewhat sad. Ilya had taken the exam of his own free will at a young age, but Acel had to take it, or else he would've died. Momentarily, he wondered if there were other like that, if there were others whose lives had been saved by the organization. Ilya wondered about this until his stomach growled, and they decided it might be a better idea for them to dedicate themselves to finding food instead.
Finding a place was luckily not hard in the slightest, and they were seated as well as served rather quickly. Ilya had a pile of food, that he was likely not going to finish, in front of him and he wasted no time in chowing down, asking his questions between his bites and swallows, making sure to never speak with his mouth full. Again, Acel talked plenty, talking about his life as a Baiter, and how tough the missions were. He said he was fairly competent with the low ranked battles, and that he had actually just came from one mission where there were he had battled and killed three AI to save the older boy from utter destruction. Ilya couldn’t help but be impressed, hoping that one day he would be that cool. Acel suggested that when he was older, Ilya would make a good baiter due to his adventurous demeanor. Puffing up his chest proudly he almost let out a laugh. The man still didn’t even notice.
But then Acel’s demeanor changed. His fork dropped from his hand and Acel’s eyes met his for a moment. Once again, his choice made someone mad, but that would never make him rethink what he had done. Instead, his eyes hardened and he nodded. Ilya was a Baiter, and though he wasn’t ever going to be ashamed of his choices. No, he was proud of it, even if the adults around him hated him for it. It wasn’t for them, it was for the people who mattered enough to support his decision. The ones that he would be happy to sacrifice his life for, even if it meant he would never see them again. Gripping his fork, Ilya almost said something, but Gavriil stopped him. ’Calm, Ilya. Nothing would be to gained by shouting at this man. He’d only concerned.’ Slowly Ilya nodded, but he wouldn’t let it go. Not yet.
Thankfully, his mother stepped in, locking dangerous eye with dangerous eye. Katya was much smaller than Acel, yes, and certainly less muscular, but Ilya could feel the anger radiating off her like heat. However, when she spoke, her voice came out smooth and calm. He almost wanted to duck and cover, but he waited, watching his mother with his ice cold eyes, letting mama bear speak for herself. ”First off, do not speak to me as if you know my situation. Of course I wouldn’t let my son do something that would endanger his life like this. And if you for even a moment think that I would let my child, or any child for that matter, join a group where there is no more than 35% of the takers survive, then you are sorely mistaking my abilities as a mother.” Katya didn’t shift in her seat in the slightest, nor did she let her voice quiver as she held her eye contact with the man before her. It was almost as if the woman had no fear of adversity, or if she didn’t care if the man was a Baiter or not and would still clobber him if he dare spoke ill to her child. ”Now, eat your damned food. You too, Ilya.”
Almost without hesitation, Ilya went back to eating his pile of wings and Ribs. But… He couldn’t stay silent. It was his choice, and he never meant for anyone to take the blame for it. He didn’t tell his mother that he was going to be doing this, and if anyone should be taking any sort of blame, it should be him. ”I didn’t tell my mom I was going to be taking the test. I just did it. That’s not on her, that’s on me. I made my choice, and I won’t back down from it. Whatever it is that you have to say about my decision, say it to me and about me. Not my mother.”
Katya’s eyes turned to Ilya, but he did not turn to meet hers. No, he held his gaze, just like his mother did. However, instead of a pure burning anger, his held determination. Determination to fight, and to win at any cost. To protect his mother, and to protect those he loved. To find the ones who were so important to him. That was what he was here to do, and he wasn’t going to let anyone stop him.
Lines: 300 OOC: Moving to the city streets, because that's technically where they are.
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B.A.I.T.R Standing: 43 Health: 560/560 Control Limit: 348
Skill: 32 [--] Strength: 30 [32] Defense: 25 [35]
Quote:
Tactical Advantages
Tank - Level 1 - Your A.I. Core has imbued you with an inhuman durability. You can shrug off heavier blows with ease that your comrades might not be able to. You gain 10 extra Defense. However, you also receive a -5% to your defensive chances.
Raven62
Posted: Mon May 30, 2016 11:32 am
It was easy to see the empathy in Ilya's face as Acel was telling his story about his death, and it almost broke his metaphorical heart. The kid was such a kind child...how was it possible that he had done this? Not only had he become a baiter--the most dangerous occupation in the world--but he had also successfully done so. He bit his lip in frustration. He knew what that meant. And as he thought about it, the burning visions of his family being slaughtered--the b*****d, faceless, demon with the greatsword that ruined his family....he pictured his little daughter being murdered in front of him, and his eyes burned furiously, but he did not cry. He met Katya's gaze, those glossy, steel eyes, mercilessly serious. They were not murderous--they were merely strong. They were forged steel, folded a hundred times over--they were a shield for the weak--they showed everything that Acel was. He was the most expressive man--the most honest and transparent person you could ever know, and as he looked at Katya, he saw the exact same thing. As she spoke to him, he took in everything that she had to say. She took in her words, and he hardened himself to his feelings, as he forced himself to understand what had happened to her...she must have been terrified when she had found out. It would have been the most horrible feeling for a parent in the world...well...almost. Acel, as she said to eat their food, nodded to her, the steel in his eyes softening as he furrowed his brow and he began to eat his food as he had been told.
Acel listened to what Ilya had to say as well, stopping mid-chew and focusing on the child intently as he spoke of his resolve, and when he finished, Acel nodded to him. "I apologize for not addressing the matter to you, and instead talking to your mother. I understand that you are not just a regular child...no regular child could do what you have done. But regardless, you are a child, Ilya...you have so much of your life left...and I know you aren't going to turn away from this...but just...promise me..." Acel's tears let out as he looked at the boy. It was feeling that he could not hide...he was never good at hiding. The images of his wife and daughter danced in his eyes, and he thought of his baby's face. Lidia...if she had been a baiter...if she had been old enough to take the test young and learned to defend herself...she would have lived. If they passed the test...if the succeeded the H.A.L.F...they could gain the strength to survive...they, as our children, could improve their chances of survival in this cruel world...so why not raise your child to be strong...to do this and survive? He wept for his daughter's, and his own weakness...but now it was different. "Promise me...that you will be come strong. Stronger than me. Promise me that you will not lose to these times, and that you will not die. I lost my wife and daughter to these A.I. things....she was only a baby." He looked up to Katya, wiping his eyes, his face red, but calm. "Let me help you protect yours...so that you don't suffer the same pain." Acel stated, his face serious, and strong. "Ilya, you have already become a baiter...but you are not strong enough to face these things alone...sadly, the A.I. you currently have...he is very weak. But he can be strengthened, and so can you. But you have to fight your enemies, and be able to win against them...or you won't grow fast enough to be able to protect yourself. Let me take you outside. Let me take you to show you what it is you will be fighting against, and let me help you become strong." Acel stated--his resolve radiating around him as he looked from Ilya to Katya to see their reactions.
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OOC:
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B.A.I.T.R Standing: 175 Health: 1500/1500 Control Limit: 1400
Battleground Proficiency - Level 4 - You gain +8% to all defense chances, and your opponents receive -8% to their defensive chances against you.
Ominous Noodles
BlankCaption Captain
Intellectual Smoker
Offline
Ominous Noodles Crew
Dramatic Fatcat
Offline
Posted: Tue May 31, 2016 2:24 am
❅❄❅⋅⋩⋩Безумная Утенок
I F I G H T F O R M Y F R I E N D S
Ilya heavily appreciated that Acel actually took the time to listen to both him and his mother, going so far as to pick his fork back up and continue eating the second she told him to. Judging from appearances, she was older than him by a decent margin, and likely had more experience in her life because of it. There were grey hairs running through Katya’s long black hair, but she still looked fairly young. However, she had a very interesting body type, one that made most people afraid of her, as they rightfully should be. From a long life of wrangling aliens, stray AI’s, human experiments, and worst of all a toddler, she was actually a rather muscular woman. She didn’t carry a build that said she worked out, but one that said she did a lot of heavy lifting through her life. She used every single muscle in her body in her daily activities. It made her look like an oddly adorable combination of the Hulk and Tinkerbell. Small, but muscular, and still rather feminine looking. Pretty in the face, with a muscular yet feminine stature. Her green eyes were cold, though, even after she listened to Acel tell his story. While her eyes softened ever so slightly, feeling an obvious amount of sympathy for the man before her, she still held a great amount of resolve.
Both of them did. Ilya never held back, always going full force with everything he did, hardly ever thinking about the consequences of his actions. It was how he got into this mess in the first place. And while he didn’t exactly take offence to being called a child, he did feel that it was necessary to point out that his goals as a Baiter were already to be stronger than everyone, stronger than Acel, stronger than those two he had seen in the training room earlier, though he still hadn’t met them. ”Even though I’m a child, I know I can achieve great things, and I won’t let some dumb AI stop me from doing that. I’ll protect my mom, and I’ll become a powerful baiter at a younger age than anyone else. I wont let what happened to that boy you saved earlier happen to me. I won’t!” His voice rose, where the adults attempted to stay quiet. It continued to rise as he spoke, some of the customers in the restaurant turning to stare.
Katya grabbed Ilya’s ear, pulling him close to her as she spoke in a slightly menacing tone to her child. ”Ilya, this is no place to be shouting.” She then let go of Ilya, who now pouted, and looked at Acel, meeting his eyes once more. ”I greatly appreciate your offer, I really do. It’s hard, as a single parent, to hear that your child has left to take the Half, especially considering he had somehow managed to hop onto a train and ride it out of the country without your approval.” She shot a look at her son, who sank further into his seat, then looked back at Acel. ”But he took it, none the less, and I think that his motives are reasonably sound. He should have waited a few years, yes, but there’s no changing that now. Thank you for offering your protection.”
At Acel’s next words, Ilya perked, almost standing in his seat out of excitement before his mother pulled him down again. ”Does this mean you’re gonna take me on a mission with you?!” Ilya asked, his voice raising again, this time in excitement. Ilya sat back down, his blue eyes now almost glowing with excitement. He suddenly didn’t care about how tense things were only moments before. It simply dissolved around him, replaced by everything he had ever wanted. Was this guy really going to help him become stronger? Or, at the very least, allow him to be able to learn what he needed to do? Oh, he was so excited. He wanted so badly to be able to see what he had signed up for, to see more than what he had been restricted to for his short existence. Once again, a million and one questions ran through his head. Where would they go? Where in the world, what part of that area, what would happen, how long would it take, what did they have to do? Ilya could have bounced in his seat, already forgetting entirely what Acel had previously told him. It was no use, he was still a child. The permanence of danger still held no bounds in his mind, not until something serious would happen to him to see it.
Katya couldn’t help but crack a smile at her son’s excitement, though she did not feel the same way. However, she then turned to face Acel, the same look of deadly motherhood in her eyes as before, when she first saw the bloodied boy that Acel had saved, her green eyes fierce and angry like a grizzly bear whose child was in danger. She then gave Acel the very same warning that she gave the boys AI. ”I will allow you to take Ilyusha out on a mission but only under one condition. It is the same condition that I gave Gavriil, and I expect it to go over the same way with you. Do not ever Let my boy get into the same condition as the boy you saved earlier. And if you do, I swear to God, I do not care if you are a Baiter, I will smite you with all of my righteous fury.” Casually, she then took a sip of her drink, then smiled at Acel, a rather calm and relaxed smile that lit up her face, making her look much younger. ”I’m sure it would never get to that, though.”
’Your mother is terrifying.’ Gavriil said, feeling an obvious sympathy for the man. Obviously, Acel wouldn’t be afraid of the woman, but the idea that she would threaten a Baiter who was obviously more powerful than her… She must have done something in her life that rendered her absolutely fearless. ’What does your mom even do as a living?’
’Fights bad guys, and wrangles monsters.’ Ilya answered with a pure nonchalance that only worried the AI more. What the hell did that even mean? But Gavriil simply took it, knowing he wasn’t going to get much more than that out of the child.
”Oh, one last question.” Katya gently wiped her mouth after eating one of the last bites of burger, cleaning the grease and barbeque sauce from her mouth before continuing. ”What’s the housing like? Like what are we set up with here.” Katya did, after all, have her priorities.
Lines: 381 OOC: Rawr.
Quote:
B.A.I.T.R Standing: 43 Health: 560/560 Control Limit: 348
Skill: 32 [--] Strength: 30 [32] Defense: 25 [35]
Quote:
Tactical Advantages
Tank - Level 1 - Your A.I. Core has imbued you with an inhuman durability. You can shrug off heavier blows with ease that your comrades might not be able to. You gain 10 extra Defense. However, you also receive a -5% to your defensive chances.
Raven62
Posted: Tue May 31, 2016 1:11 pm
Acel watched every move around the table as he spoke, and as he was spoken to, as well. Even as he looked down at his plate--he was watching the two people that he was eating with. He had learned to truly hone into Midas' abilities, and was able to easily watch everything around him at once, now, without being overwhelmed by it. "Listen, man, I am sorry I didn't mention it earlier. It wasn't exactly the subject to joke around with...but honestly...I didn't want to be the bearer of bad news on that one either. I know what happened to you...and I know that it wouldn't be easy on you to accept what the boy is." Midas spoke, the sound apology was likely the softest thing he would ever hear the A.I. speak, and he reveled in it. "I forgive you, midas. I know what you did was for my own good as well. But, to be honest...I think it's a good thing. He is safer, now that he has passed through the test. He has a better chance at living longer. I believe with a little help--he may just achieve the goals he has set for himself. With how fast you can grow in this world, with a little help...he could be twenty times stronger than me by the time he is my age. No...not could...he will be. I will make damn sure of it." Midas liked it when Acel got serious like this--the man, when faced with the responsibility of fatherhood in any way...he was kind of a bad a**. The kind of man that would go through any suffering to protect those around him--the kind of man that would endure anything to keep safe those he loved. He was a pretty cool guy, sometimes.
"I believe you when you say it, Ilya. You have no idea how much stronger you are going to become every day that you strike out on a new mission. Every time you experience combat. You will grow more than you can dream. I know you will be able to fight this world all by yourself, and you probably don't need much of my help to do it...but I am going to make damn sure that you're ready for what's ahead. I hope your A.I. is ready to help just as much." Acel stated with a smile, turning back to Katya, who had already pulled the child's ear and spoken to him to stop yelling. Her arms were fairly muscled--much like Acel's actually. Neither of them were built in the way that would make people look twice--they were not huge, they were merely toned. Their muscle was lean and compact from a life of hard work, though in very different fields. A literal one for Acel. She must be quite the woman to have gained a body like that. Jasmine had done her fair share of farming, but she had never managed to build quite that much of a tone to her body. "I can only imagine...I had to worry about my daughter toddling her way out of the town, sometimes, sure, but she was too young to really run away with purpose, like that. But you are right. His motive are sound, indeed. And, whether we like it or not, this is how it is, and whether we want to believe it or not, he is ready for it, too. He would not be alive right now if he wasn't. We just have to thank the lord that you have quite an incredible son." Acel said with a light chuckle as he looked to Ilya. When the boy got excited for the idea that they might take a mission together, Acel smiled once again and he nodded to the boy. "Aye, that mean we'll be doing a mission together. There are some things we have to do beforehand, sure, but we will get there as quick as we can. I am due to have an upgrade done for my code core...the heart in my chest. You see...when my family was taken from me, I died. I was not a baiter--there was no coming back for me. I was stabbed through the heart by a thing with a greatsword...and when they brought me back--they inserted this in my chest." He stated, pulling aside the top of the t-shirt to reveal the metal plating with the aperture opening before the aperture actually burst open and revealed the golden hued, plus-sign shaped heart in his chest. The blue lights of Midas' sensors glowed on the surface of it, dancing around just like they did on the baiter identification card he had gotten.
"From what I understand, each code core needs different components for their upgrades--something I am going to have to seek out. This is going to be part of our mission, to be sure. So, we will have to speak to them about that before we settle on the mission completely. But, we can deal with that stuff later." He stated with a nod, turning back to Katya. He met her eyes with the same determination should would have seen in them before, and he smiled at her--he liked her, truly. She was a wonderful mother, and it made him happy for Ilya to have such a thing. She would be able to feel it, building around him as she spoke of protecting her son, and Acel's hand, unknown to him was clenched so tightly around his fork that the thing had twisted unnaturally. "Believe me, Katya. If your son ends up in the same condition as that boy outside...I will end myself long before you get the chance. I have failed as a father already...was too weak to protect my daughter...my wife. That will never happen again. I will give these monsters something to fear. His name will be Ilya." His eyes almost seemed to pick up on a hint of the orange flame that lingered behind them--hiding in the darkness. He grinned as he said it--determined to make this child the greatest prodigy of all time. "I like that you decided to name your A.I. as well. I haven't seen much of that, myself, but having a stronger bond with your partner is important. My A.I. is named Midas." He stated with a grin to Ilya. "Yo, Gavriil, it looks like we're going to be spending some time around each other. But, seriously, if you're afraid of this lady, just wait until you see our brothers on the outside. Buck up, sonny, because this s**t's about to get real." Acel snapped his attention back to Katya and smiled as he asked about the accommodations. "Well, honestly, I think you can use that card to gain access to any accommodations you like. They gave me quite the nice apartment, myself, though some of the things in it are so high tech I haven't gotten around to truly using them properly or effectively. Not the best with the city life, really, having grown up on a farm. I could always show you where it is I am staying. If there's an apartment in the building you like, you could always go for that. If not, you can check the ones around the area." He said with a nod. "It would be a big help, yes. They just dropped us here without really telling us where we would be staying, so somebody actually giving a little guidance would be refreshing. There aught to be something suitable, I'm sure. Thank you, Acel." He went back to eating his food after Katya had spoken to him, agreeing to come around the residential section of the city. He really did enjoy the spice to the chicken that he had gotten, and the vegetables had been grilled just right, so he savored the meal as long as he could.
When they had all finished, they tidied up their plates and Acel's baiter card was scanned for the meal. They left the shop and it was quite an easy walk back towards the train. He made small talk as they went about the state of the city--the way that it was mostly uninhabited in large sections. The spa and resort that they had here with the hot springs, which were to die for, though he had only gotten a chance to spend a short couple of minutes in one before he had been removed for accidentally being in the women's section. Though, he left that part out of the story of course. He talked and laughed with the two of them, and it felt...normal almost. His wounds had completely healed by this point, though his clothing certainly needed mending. When they got on the train, it immediately lurched to life and sped off toward the residential section of the city. From there it was only a short walk to them apartment complex he lived in. When they got there, he showed them the two story building, and he waved his arm in front of him. It wasn't luxurious by any means, but it wasn't grungy either. He walked them upstairs to the second floor and he opened his door, allowing them inside. The entrance led straight into a three way intersection. Directly ahead would lead them to the dining room--the kitched attached to it on the left-hand side. A large porthole in the kitchen looked into the living room as well, which was on the left side of the three way intersection. It was quaint, sure, but it had a lovely L shaped sofa and a pretty huge T.V with multiple consoles and T.V boxes attached to it. On the living room side of the kitchen, there were a couple of high stools, at a breakfast bar where one could it and eat, though the dining room was also usable for this. The right side of the intersection led down to a bathroom and two separate bedrooms. The bathroom, as he showed them, had a massive, deepsoaker tub in it. The shower head was situated above the tub, hanging from the ceiling as to act liek a waterfall of sorts. The tub even had settings Acel had never even attempted to use to simulate currents or jet-streams as well as to maintain any level of temperature the user desired without ever letting the water change from that temperature. The bedrooms were large, but not gaudy. Walk-in closets and queen sized beds. Dressers and nightstands with lamps and even a fireplace in the master bedroom with a couple of chairs by it. It was cozy to be sure. At the end of the tour they made their way back to the living room and he propped himself against the wall. "Well, this is the place. I am sure they have larger, three bedroom units as well, but as Ilya manages to rank himself up in the organization, I am sure moving into larger, better, homes is also a possibility. What do you think?" He asked with a smile.
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B.A.I.T.R Standing: 175 Health: 1500/1500 Control Limit: 1400
Battleground Proficiency - Level 4 - You gain +8% to all defense chances, and your opponents receive -8% to their defensive chances against you.
Ominous Noodles
BlankCaption Captain
Intellectual Smoker
Offline
Ominous Noodles Crew
Dramatic Fatcat
Offline
Posted: Tue May 31, 2016 6:34 pm
❅❄❅⋅⋩⋩Безумная Утенок
I F I G H T F O R M Y F R I E N D S
Acel seemed to truly believe that Ilya would become extraordinary, and that simply made him beam with excitement. He was so incredibly happy that the man chose not to tear him down like an adult normally would. Where both of them had every opportunity to tell him no, they gave him the ability to continue with what he wanted to do. So, naturally, Ilya beamed and grinned, excited for the many battles to come.
Katya, however, simply chuckled at Acel’s recollection of his little girl. ”Toddlers. They’re always such a handful. Lord help me if I ever have another kid...” The last part she muttered. She didn’t plan on it, at the moment, but if she ever did, she hoped they wouldn’t be as much of a handful that Ilya was, and still is. ”But yes. He’s quite a remarkable little boy, and I couldn’t more proud of him.” Ilya beamed again, sitting up straighter in his seat. ”I’m sure your daughter would have been an amazing human being, after getting to know you. I’m deeply sorry for your loss, that is something that no parent should ever go through.” At that moment, Katya seemed to consider something, but shake the idea off rather quickly, going back to the conversation. ”I’m grateful for my son every day. He’s a pain in my behind, and causes me trouble left and right, but I love him more than anything.” Katya smiled, resting her elbows on the table. Truth be told, there was a lot to be proud of with her son. Acel was right, he had to be pretty remarkable to have been able to complete the Half. And he had already seen a good chunk of the things he needed to be afraid of in the world, and he stood up to them with absolutely no fear in his eyes whatsoever. Truly, she couldn’t have asked for a more incredible boy.
”Yes!” Ilya exclaimed, almost wiggling in his seat in pure ardur. There was so much going on, but he honestly couldn’t be more happy about it. He was going to go on a mission! He didn’t care that they had a few things to take care of first, all he cared about was getting in that first mission, the breath of fresh air that wasn’t going to sting his lungs with ice, to breathe something that wasn’t going to freeze the particles of his breath. He loved Russia, he did, but it was always so cold. There was only so long he could go before he wanted change. And when Acel pulled back his shirt to show off his heart, Ilya made an excited face, his mouth opening into a small ‘O’ shape. He wondered just how different each and every core was, and what components he would need to be able to upgrade his, in the future. He was so excited. From all the information he was receiving, there was never going to be a dull moment in his life. Not ever. For a boy of eleven years, that was important.
Even as Katya threatened him, as she felt it was necessary to do apparently, Acel took it rather well. She did notice him gripping his fork harder than normal, twisting it out of shape, but it did not phase her in the slightest. Working in the labs, she had seen things that were far more horrific than fork bending. Hell, she had seen a thirteen year old little girl eat a grown man whole, once. Now that was something. However, she did greatly appreciate that he agreed with her sentiments. Ilya needed to be protected, at least on his first few missions. He needed more than just himself out there, and Katya was glad that it was him. ”I’ll make those monsters fear me, alright! They won’t know what hit them!” Ilya beamed once more, so proud of what he had done, and what he knew he could accomplish. ”Right!? I think the name suits him well. Gavriil, like the angel, but Russian. My strength from God.” When Acel gave the name of his AI, Ilya smiled, ”I like that name, too! It’s great!”
’I’m not an angel, child. It would be best if you didn’t refer to me as such.’ Gavriil then paused, acknowledging Midas before he spoke again. ’I’m not scared of the woman, per se. But afraid for her. Afraid that she’d actually attempt to carry out her threats and end up hurt in the process.’
Katya, however, was now more concerned with finding accommodations for her family. Acel offered to show them around his apartment to showcase what it was that they were gonna live in. Of course, Katya accepted this, wanting to see exactly what it was that she was getting into. Finishing up, Ilya threw his new badge down so fast that Katya couldn’t even think of paying, his card being scanned, and the meal being paid for. Then they were off, making idle chatter as they made their way to Acel’s home for viewing. When they got there, the train ride being rather short and uneventful, they were shown around the two bedroom home, full of many things that Katya and Ilya we very excited to see. So they were given full apartments, not simple lodges, that were easily able to be made into a home, at least for them. It wasn’t luxurious, but it was simple. She had assumed the furnishing would come standard in such a place, so she was glad she didn’t have to worry too much about that, though she was still going to bring in all her furniture from Russia.
As Katya made her way around the place, she checked a variety of things, such as the cabinets, the refrigerator, the size of each bedroom, the space of the apartment itself. It all looked fairly good, though she figured she’d have to ask for a larger apartment to accommodate what she figured what was going to happen eventually. ”It looks like it’s reasonably, though I may need to find a bigger place, if what I think is happening does actually happen. A three bedroom, perhaps.” Katya thought on it for a moment, gazing around the apartment. Acel did mention that they could get a three bedroom, so things may end up being cramped if all of them did come live with her, but she didn’t mind.
”We should take a look at placed to live, Ilya. Then I can set things up for us while you’re out doing your thing. Does that sound alright with you, sweetie?”
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B.A.I.T.R Standing: 43 Health: 560/560 Control Limit: 348
Skill: 32 [--] Strength: 30 [32] Defense: 25 [35]
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Tactical Advantages
Tank - Level 1 - Your A.I. Core has imbued you with an inhuman durability. You can shrug off heavier blows with ease that your comrades might not be able to. You gain 10 extra Defense. However, you also receive a -5% to your defensive chances.
Raven62
Posted: Wed Jun 01, 2016 2:21 pm
Acel laughed alongside Katya as she had made a joke about toddlers, and he nodded to her. His eyes fell, ever so slightly, at the thoughts of his daughter, but at the same time, it had slowly become easier. She was a wonderful mother, and Acel knew that he would grow to like this woman a lot. He hoped that he would create the same impression on her. But, considering she had already entrusted her child to him on his first mission, it was obvious that she had some sort of trust in him, and that was opportunity to build a friendship to be sure. It all hinged on this first mission--if he screwed it up and Ilya was harmed in any way, it would be one hell of a problem. But, he was confident. Especially after his victory in his last battle. He knew that he could do it, now. He could fight and win. They all made their way to his home, and they spoke along the way. Acel complimented Ilya on his naming of the A.I. once again, after he had told him the true meaning. Strength from God...how interesting. Acel was infected with the code of something claiming to be an Angel...the child here had named his code Strength from God. What better way to send Strength than in the form of an Angel. Quite the interesting way of looking at things. "Well, we're going to be fighting out there together, so lets hope for both of our sakes, that you don't have an issue with the real battles, nooby." Midas said with a hint of jest to it, so Gavriil would know he was only toying with him.
After Acel had shown them around his home, and he was awaiting their response, Katya admitted that she was taken with the home, and that it seemed reasonable, though they would certainly need a larger place. She mentioned what she figured would happen, and Acel wondered if she was expecting another child. He almost grinned at her, not having seen an infant since his child passed. "Well, anything you need at all, you let me know, okay? I will do whatever I can to make the transition, and life here, easier." He stated quickly, wanting her to know that she could rely on him if she needed to for any extra help with the pregnancy. He knew this would likely fall to the husband, but things could get crazy around here, and sometimes an extra hand could be really...well...handy. He smiled to himself as he thought about it--an infant baby here in Gondora to brighten up the dreary life...it would be lovely. He wondered if it would be a boy or a girl. But, unfortunately, this was not the time to be thinking about these things. They needed to get themselves ready for this mission of theirs. Acel had just returned from a battle...it would not be easy for him to just run right back out there--but he knew how Ilya was already--how excited he was. He smirked to himself as he nodded to the others, excusing himself for a moment to go get changed and coming back out with a pair of jeans and a nice, long-sleeve black shirt. He threw the ripped black t-shirt he had been wearing into the trash and he turned to Ilya, nodding to the boy as he made sure he had everything he needed. He made sure his two swords were tightly strapped to his sides, and he began making his way out the door with Ilya and Katya. They said their goodbyes, and Acel stepped away from them so they could have whatever moments they needed. However, Ilya was very brief with his goodbyes, bouncing in his shoes with anticipation. Acel felt bad that the kid would have to wait through some things, but that was just how it was. He really did seem dedicated to getting stronger, though, and it was exciting for Acel to just watch the kid...and maybe exhausting too.
"Alright, so first things first, I am going to need to go to the main offices. That's where you'll get whatever missions you need, when you're getting them for yourself in the future." Acel stated with a nod. Ilya nodded along with him, and they made their way back to the train that would take them to the Main Facilities once again. It was a short little journey, but the anticipation made it seem like ages longer. He spoke with Ilya along the way, pointing out certain things as they walked through the Main Facilities, until they reached the elevators that would take them to the Offices. Once they had gotten up to the top floors, and the Elevators opened, they were admitted to see the secretary. When he walked in, the woman immediately recognized him and nodded his way. Acel nodded back with a small smile, Ilya close by. "Acel Belgarde. You arrived back from your last mission and left in quite the hurry. You made a...ravishing impression on some of the medical staff and other baiters with your display. However, you did manage to do something right...that boy you saved is alive. He made it, and they have replaced his destroyed Code Core in time. Well done. However, after that mission of yours, you have reached the requirements to be raised to the next level in the organization. You did very well on your last mission, and the higher ups are glad to have you boosted to "Baiter" instead of "Trainee". With that, you will be receiving a new code core--as well as the ability to enter more dangerous areas on Earth, and to upgrade the Standard Cores that you are given. This will, in every aspect, make you a more efficient operative." The secretary explained. "Now, this might be a lot of information all at once, so lets take it step by step. At the very least, Quan Yuen is here in the offices, so we can have him analyse your badge and upgrade it for you." Acel nodded to her and turned to Ilya, who still seemed rather full of energy and excitement, though, when he was told that Acel alone was going to be let through to have the badge upgraded, Ilya seemed disappointed. He was a boy full of wonder--obviously he wanted to be there to see it happen. When Acel had asked him to stay put for a few minutes, Ilya nodded, only stopping him for a moment to mention that he had never heard of the Badges being upgraded or changed. He asked Acel what his badge looked like, and even took out his own, showing Acel the white card with the black flecks. Acel looked it over--it seemed rather plain compared to his own, but he pulled his out anyways to humor the child, and when Ilya looked at the bright golden card, the blue lights dancing across its surface, like the sensors that adorned Midas' head, the child lit up. "Wow! Cool!" Ilya exclaimed as he looked at it. "Just you wait to see what it looks like, after. Hopefully even more-so." Acel said with a grin.
At that point, Acel ruffled Ilya's hair with a wink as he walked away from him, leaving him sitting in the office, though he doubted the boy would stay seated too long before wandering and asking questions about something to the secretary. As Acel went down the hallways to the office of the man who created the badges for the baiters, he was taken by his own wonder of how the badge would change. Would it change color, shape, or would it be something that not even he could expect? As he knocked on the door, the man within let him inside calmly, opening it up and asking him to take a seat. They spoke for a moment before the man asked Acel for his badge, and Acel handed it over, looking from the badge to the man and smiling. "You've got quite the connection to your A.I., sir. It's rather nice to see. Most baiters use them only as tools, and I find that the ones who appreciate their partners make it much further." The man stated with a nod. Acel smiled, talking with the man a little more about his opinions on the A.I. and the interesting difference in the badges. But the man, as he took Acel's Card, placed it down on Acel's right wrist. He pressed it down hard, and Acel was about to ask him what he was doing, but then suddenly, the man's hand began to glow brightly, and a burning sensation filled his wrist as the glow intensified. After a brief moment of severe pain, the man withdrew his hand, and he grinned as he saw his work complete. The tattoo was very artistic--not a realistic representation of Midas' face, but more of a transformers logo style version of Midas' face. The lines were deep black, though in certain lights it seemed to have a golden sheen. Blue lights danced among the tattoo's face, though they were there and gone, moving and shifting, on and off, like that of Midas' true face. "Acel, don't get me wrong, I like you, but I thought that tattooing the name of your crush on your body was a big no-no in your society. What if we break up, man? You're stuck with my face on your wrist forever. Though, let's get serious, that looks bad a** as hell." Midas stated, admiring the new badge. Acel nearly blushed at the comments, realizing the badge was supposed to reflect a large part of yourself, and that Midas was at the forefront of each evolution he had seen in the badge thus far. The man grinned and dismissed him, congratulating him on his promotion.
When Acel returned to the secretary office, Ilya was standing near the chair that he had been left at--suggesting the boy had wandered at least a little bit, though nothing seemed disturbed by him in any way. He asked if it was already done, and Acel nodded to him. Ilya seemed pretty jazzed to see his new badge, and so, when Acel pulled up the sleeve to his black shirt, and he revealed the black, shimmering tattoo on his wrist Ilya immediately latched out and grabbed his wrist, tugging him closer to get a better look. "OOOOO! So cool!" He said, as the blue lights blinked across the tattoo as if it were alive. "It's hard to be humble when you're this damn cool." Midas stated, and Acel almost laughed as he took a deep breath and he went back to the secretary. "I am going to head down to the Code Development sector. When they tell me what they need in order for me to upgrade my core, I will have them direct me to where I need to go to attain it. I wish for this to be considered a mission for Ilya, here, as he will be joining me to collect the materials from the outside world." The Secretary agreed, sanctioning it as his mission, and then they were allowed to leave. Headed to the next section of B.A.I.T.R HQ's main facilities.
It wasn't all that long, either, but as they walked, Ilya asked some questions about the Code Cores and how they were enhanced, and what that could do, and Acel knew very little about it himself, but he answered the questions that he could. By the time he had managed to slug his way through a few questions, they were already in the next buildings over, in the research and development section of the HQ--the place where they had made his heart in quite a hurry not too long ago. As he entered the facilities, Ilya had a ball looking at all the interesting things and gadgets, and when the scientist approached them, Acel nodded to him, revealing his tattoo as I.D. to prove he was a real Baiter now. "Have you put any thought into what it is that you'd like to have as your new code core, sir?" Acel nodded to him immediately and he unclipped one of his swords that had been made for him. "Aye. I would like for you to change this sword and sheath into the next code core, please." The man obliged and took it to the N.I.C.E system, inserting the blade and sheath and powering it on. It ran it through, imbuing it with the circuitry that it would need to house an A.I.. Finally, Acel would be able to capture a second source of power. Then, Acel posed the questions about his current Code Core. He mentioned it could be upgraded, but he didn't know how or with what, and they explained that they would need to do a more in depth analysis of the Code Core. Ilya was allowed to stay, this time around, and he got to watch intently as they opened Acel's chest and inspected the code core inside without removing it. It seemed to be doing a fine job, circulating the blood. But they recognized that the tissue on the arteries had been burned from the blood being heated and blasted through his body. They stroked their chins, and they smirked for a moment before they nodded to Acel, allowing the aperture to close. "Alright. It seems that you've tapped into some sort of ability to heat and speed your blood circulation to increase the latent abilities of your body. But if you continue to do this recklessly, you will kill yourself before long. In the Atacama Ruins, in South America, you can find crystals. They are not ordinary--though they were common jewels worn by the people there. These jewels were blue in color, and were most popular in earrings. If you collect some of these from the ruins, we can utilize them to enhance the sensing capabilities of your A.I. as well as reduce the heat of the blood when you are pumping it too fast for your body to handle. This means your body will be able to do so for longer, and a more intense rate. Though, moderation is highly recommended with these methods." The scientist explained, and Acel nodded to him with a smile as he looked to Ilya. "Well, it seems we know where we're off to, now, huh?" He said with a grin as he looked at the boy. He walked outside with him, back toward the main facilities and the portal room. It would all begin soon.
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B.A.I.T.R Standing: 175 Health: 1500/1500 Control Limit: 1400
Sarah mouth formed an O when Acel told her that the children had met his form. The Angel of Despair. She remembered him clearly. She would admit he wasn't the most charming person, and the thought of him being around children wasn't something she was to comfortable about either. Apparently, it was a true thought since Acel seemed ashamed about it. She wondered what the thing said to them.”I... I don't think.... think so either. May-maybe give th-them some time to... to calm do-down from the ex..perience. Time.... sometimes help. A br-break would pro-probably be best. For-for now anyways.” She offered. She was sure the children would come to forgive him, eventually.
Sarah bit her lip as he tried to explain what would happen if she lost her family. It seemed to be the wrong thing to say as he teared up once again. She wished she could take back her words.
Sarah looked up at Acel when it seemed he was taking some time to respond. Did she perhaps say the wrong thing? She was a bit shocked to see him looking at her in shock before a smile formed on his face. It was a shy smile, making Sarah's face feel a little warm. She looked away when he confirmed he wanted to, nodding. He seemed really eager to go, she even thought maybe relieved. Though she could imagine why. He probably didn't want to be alone after what happened. After all that he revealed to her, and having those thoughts in the back of his mind currently, it probably wasn't safe for him to be alone. Taking that as a sign she did the right thing, she began to lead the way out of their hallway.
She looked at Acel when he asked if she was nervous around him, probably afraid that she was nervous about his other part. “I'm.... I only been... been talking for se-seven years. I'm... I'm still not-not use to talking to-to anyone, at-at least stra-strangers. Not that you-you're a stranger or some-something. Sing-singing and children are-are easy for me-me to calm do-down around.” She had started stuttering when Vincent showed his displeasure at the fact Sarah couldn't right off talk as soon as she got her hearing. She began to worry that others would be just as annoyed that she wasn't speaking well. Not that Acel needed to know that. “I'm-I'm sorry my-my speech is so-so bad.”
Sarah looked down at herself, her eyes widening as she remembered that she was still in her torn clothes from her mission. She had forgotten. As soon as she began to think back to her mission, the silly Quazzar popped into her head, causing her to giggle suddenly. 'Oh Code, here we go again.' Sarah heard the Guard say, causing her to actually laugh at the memory of it saying that the Quazzar had broken her. She took a second to calm down. “So-sorry. Yes, I got back from a-a mission. I had th-this silly AI that was act-acting like a cliché super hero.” She said, giggling all over again.
She listened as Acel told her his small experience with food from the city. She wondered where he use to live. She didn't know much about him, and didn't feel comfortable about asking. “Well.... I've... I've had a lot of d-different foods, thou-though a lot of them were a-at places that my pre-present clothes won't really be ac-acceptable. Un-unless you're okay with me-me quickly ch-changing my clothes, we-we could go to a f-food cart that are usually s-s-sitting on sidewalks.” She offered.
She nodded at his response, telling her that she was free to choose, and that she was fine the way she was. She imagined that Acel wasn't from a city, just by what she gathered, so he wouldn't realize that her clothes may cause a stir in a sit down resturant. So street food it was, as Acel called it. “I.... I know a c-cart just about a-a block from h-here.” She said, taking the lead slightly again.
She led him around the block, finding the usual hotdog cart that sat there. She came to Gondora quite a bit with either her family or Jenny, so she was pretty familiar with the area. She gave the guy a smile as they walked up to him. “A...A chili ch-cheese dog please.” She asked the man.
She glanced at Acel who seemed confused and said he would have the same as her. Sarah was confused but remembered that he did say he wasn't too experienced when it came to the city's food. She wondered if she should let Kawaguchi know whenever he plans to spend time with Acel so he could enjoy other food. She would as well, if they hung out after this.
She gave the man her card to pay for the hotdogs. She gave Acel his before thanking the man and walking away. She lifted the hotdog and took a bite from it. She felt the chili and cheese touch above her lip. She moved the hotdog away from her, unable to see the mark of chili and cheese above and the corner of her lip. She started lip lift her hand to try and wipe it off, stopping when Acel offered his napkin. She looked it for a second before giving a small smile of thanks and took it, wiping her mouth off. “Th-thank y-you.”
B.A.I.T.R Standing: 170 Health: 1070/1500 Control Limit: 1364
Skill: 141 [165] Strength: 85 Defense: 115 [125]
Quote:
Tactical Advantages
Tank - Level 1 - You gain 10 extra Defense. However, you also receive a -5% to your defensive chances.
Quote:
Royal Guard
B.A.I.T.R Standing: 153 Health: 1446/1446
Skill: 121 Strength: 85 Defense: 101 [111]
Tactical Advantage: Tank
Raven62
Posted: Mon Oct 10, 2016 11:14 pm
Acel nodded to her as she spoke about him needing a break from the children. That was a definite yes. His eyes widened for a moment, his pupils dilating. Her body on the street...his wife with her hand outstretched toward him.
"Please, don't..."
"I tried to tell you before...and prepare you for it, when I saw it in your head. But, remember when my voice always disappeared? Bastards wouldn't let me. But...it isn't your fault, Acel. It wasn't you...it was...him."
He was shaking slightly as he stood there, halted for a moment, a fraction of a second that felt like an eternity. Would he be tortured by this for the rest of his life? Was he insane? Was he...was this...worth it?
His moment was shattered when she started leading the way out of the hall, and he instinctively followed behind her, aiding him in the battle against the demons in his head with a distraction. His feet scraped the ground as he moved, like he didn't even have enough life in him to raise his own legs.
Right foot. Left foot. Listen. Walk. Focus.
He kept his eyes on his feet as they walked until he finally pushed his thoughts aside and spoke to her, asking her his question. Acel listened to her explaining how she had only been learning how to speak for seven years, and he was about to tell her how impressive he thought it was, when she apologised for how bad her speech was. He reached out and he grabbed her wrist gently and stopped her to look into her eyes.
"Don't apologize for anything, Sarah. I had no idea that it had only been seven years since you had learned to speak. It makes total sense why there would be difficulties with such a new skill. It will take a while to master, but you're doing an incredible job with it for the time you've been doing with it. I'm impressed. You should give yourself more credit." He stated, having been able to focus on different feelings, and his desire to squash the very idea of her thinking she spoke badly. She shied away from him when he said it, though, looking away quietly and not really responding to it. He hoped he had not offended her, but he had to admit...focusing on her in that moment helped pull him out of his own darkness. Or was he just distracting himself...just ignoring that it was there?
Any semblance of the thoughts of his past were erased by the sound of her laughter as they walked. It was sweet...pleasant and charming. As she explained that she had been on a mission, and there had been an enemy acting like a super hero, he chuckled along with her, shaking his head. "It is strange the kind of personalities they have, huh?" He said with a light smirk, surprised at how she was able to do this to him...for him. Sure, he couldn't erase his thoughts or his past...but it felt less heavy somehow.
From there they went to the food truck, and ordered their food, a chili-cheese dog as it was. He had never had this kind of food before, and he was beginning to truly enjoy the aspect of trying new foods on a regular basis. She mentioned that she would not be able to eat certain places due to her attire, and he quirked a brow at it, not understanding why that could possibly be. Did people actually force you to wear certain things in order to enter certain establishments? He knew Giliano had certainly disliked him for wearing his farming clothes in his shop, when he had gone there.
As Sarah ate, some of the chili got on her lip, and as she was about to wipe it, he moved to wipe it for her, and he smiled as she thanked him for it, ever so slightly, though it was still a smile. "You are welcome." He said quietly. He was no longer attempting to assert something, like before, and he had fallen slightly into the quiet contemplation of everything. Though he was not sinking into it.
But he moved the chili cheese dog of his own to his lips and he took a big bite of it, and as the flavor washed over his mouth, his eyes rolled back and a long 'mmmmm' escaped through his closed lips as he savoured it before beginning to chew. It was incredible. He could easily eat that every day of his life...he probably would...he was going to get ingredients for home.
As he ate the food, he felt the chili also getting on his lip, but he quickly brought his hand up to his lip and swiped his thumb across it, cleaning his lip and then popping his thumb into his mouth briefly to remove it. "This might be one of the best things I have ever eaten." He said with a smirk...he actually felt...happier. He supposed that food was usually a good way to combat sadness, at least in his own experience.
He continued eating, and wiping his lip as he did, savouring every little bit of it as he ate. But by the time he had gotten to the halfway point of the chili dog, he looked over to Sarah and he swallowed his bite before clearing his throat. Something had been bothering him...and he had to get answers from her...he owed her nothing so...why?
"Sarah, why are you....doing this? I mean...we barely even know each other. Don't get me wrong...I...I appreciate it. But...I am really sorry that I just laid my emotions on you like that, even though we aren't really close...I'm sorry." He said, biting his lip. He was rather embarrassed about that.
"B-because I u-understand...what it's l-like...t-to be a-afraid...of your own t-thoughts. Y-you h-have nobody to turn to...I-I had my f-family and f-friends. I-I just w-wanted to be sure...y-you weren't l-left alone. S-sorry if it's w-w-weird." Sarah spoke softly.
Acel just smiled and nodded back to her. "Don't worry, Sarah. It's not weird at all. It's actually...very kind. But, you're right, I am very alone here. I didn't know why my parent's had been avoiding me, but everything is starting to make a little more sense now." Sarah went on to speak about how she felt alone too...how she wasn't used to living alone. She had been living with four brothers, as well as their families, and her parents all under one roof. They must have had a massive home.
"That's quite the large family. I imagine it must feel like my home used to. We all knew each other and were tightly knit, like a family, where I came from. But me, I was an only child." Sarah seemed saddened by that. "I can't imagine being an only child. It seems lonely to me."
Acel nodded to her, looking down at his food a little bit as he took a couple more bites. He took a deep breath after finishing about half of the chili dog, and he turned to her. "I am sorry for...you know...all of this. Being so gloomy and such.""You're telling me because you want to...I don't mind at all. Besides, as strange as it might seem, I like hearing people talk. When I got my hearing, it was the most amazing thing to me."
Acel smiled to himself...it seemed that she had gone through her own trials and tribulations through her life as well. He wondered if she had any dark secrets like his own. "Thanks for this, Sarah...you are genuinely a kind person. Not many folks like that around anymore. However, if you haven't noticed, I tend to talk a lot, I might get annoying." He said with a small chuckle. She reassured him, telling him that his voice sounded sweet, like warm honey, and he almost flushed at that, feeling his cheeks grow warm. Immediately afterwards, she too looked slightly away, with a light flush, apologising fervently if it had been weird or inappropriate for her to say.
He shook his head and took another bite of the chilli dog. It was getting close to finished, now, and he was trying to keep the toppings from falling off. "I don't think it was weird of you to say. You don't have to be afraid of saying whatever it is that you're thinking. I won't judge you, I promise." He said with a warm smile, though in the back of his mind all he could think of was 'how could I judge her anyways...considering who...or what...I am'. She stayed silent after that, however, and he scratched the back of his head after finishing the last bite of the chilli-dog. He asked her if he had said something wrong and she shook her head. "N-no...it's j-just n-n-not what I expected...t-that's a-all."
After another little period of silence between them, Acel hesitantly met eyes with her once more, this time a certain nervousness to them. "So, umm, I know that I have already taken up a bit of your time as it is...but...well, I mean...I think I am going to go back out there. I have to keep myself busy...and at the same time, the most logical thing to do is also make sure I get stronger...to keep myself from faltering like I did, again. I might go back out there...I know you just recently returned, however. So, if you wanted to go...but you need rest, that is also fine. You don't even have to...I mean, it's just...an invite." She asked if he meant to ask her to accompany him on another mission, and he nodded meekly.
Sarah looked down at her slightly torn / burned clothes and she smiled. She looked back and simply stated that she wouldn't mind coming along at all. "Would you like to change, or just hope that they don't take any more off of you?" Acel asked, smirking as he even let himself laugh a little at the joke, hoping she knew he was just kidding.
"I wouldn't want to ruin any more clothes than I have to." Sarah said simply, a light flush on her cheeks. "Well, that just wouldn't do, now would it." He said, chuckling ever so slightly and taking a deep breath as he looked around, figuring the best way to go to get back to headquarters. His body hurt...he felt like he was going to break, both physically and mentally...but he had to do something. He couldn't sit still right now, or he would fall apart. He knew that. And so he began making his way, along with Sarah, back toward the headquarters.
It was strange...but all he could think of was when he and Jasmine would go alone, together, out into the ruins. Exploring...being young and wild and free. He felt warm with that thought, as he moved with Sarah, and for a brief second...he was at peace.
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B.A.I.T.R Standing: 194 Health: 1500/1500 Control Limit: 1552
Sarah smiled timidly at Acel when he seemed to moan in happiness when he took his first bite of the messy dog. She felt happy that she was able to find something he enjoyed. As they stood there eating, Sarah thought back to what Acel said about her speaking. He said he was actually impressed by how well she was doing in only seven years. When he told her that, it made her so confused. It wasn't what she was ready to hear. She waiting for laughter, for the names she was so sure that would happen. What he said would happen.
You think any of those fighters are going to take you seriously? A girl that just got her hearing and is still struggling to speak? A girl who would rather resort to her sign language to even her own fiance who can't understand it to begin with? On top of that, you don't look like much of a fighter to begin with! You're just going to end up making a fool of yourself and me.
He said that over and over for years when she got her hearing and told everyone her plans. And not too long after that, the hitting started as well when he realized that words weren't going to stop her, only hitting her where it wouldn't show as long as she covered up. She locked her mind down, feeling the sting of tears threaten to come. She didn't want to cry, not in front of Acel, not after she comforted him for crying as well. It just didn't seem right to cry when someone else was still feeling down. A part of her wanted to cry tears of joy though, to know that maybe her fears were wrong. But they also wanted to cry in sadness at her past, at how much she let happen because she didn't want to think that things were falling apart because she was making her own decision.
She was thankful when Acel distracted with a question, but realized that her answer would be what she was thinking. She swallowing hard, she answered him, the thoughts of her nights where she cried alone after an altercation with Vincent. It happened every week and every time, it was hard for her to hold on. There was a point where she stopped training to fight because she just wanted to give up. She put herself in a place where she was alone, usually a hotel room, making an excuse as to why she didn't want to come home just yet.
She was glad to talk about family, that was easier. She didn't take offense to his shock at her large family. She liked her large family and hoped to some day add to it. Though she kept that thought to herself. She brushed off his apology for being gloomy by reassuring him it was fine. She had been gloomy with Jenny a lot when things were getting bad for her. Jenny really was her rock through it all. Her family was as well, but it was nice to hear someone agree that would outside her family as well.
She flushed a bit when she told Acel what she thought of his voice, comparing it to warm honey. She hardly ever told anyone what she thought of their voice, afraid that they would laugh at her for doing something like that. It took her a hard time to apologize for saying it, because it was so weird. He once again told her it was okay, he was fine with it. She stared down at the last bit of her food, confused once again. Was this man going to always confuse her? Or was she and Vincent really that wrong about how everyone would think of her? She needed to be alone to think it over. She glanced up at Acel when he asked if he said something wrong, quickly reassuring him that it was fine, she just wasn't expecting his response to be the way it was.
She finished the last bit of her food, wiping her hands off with the napkins and brushed off any crumbs that clung to her shirt from the bun. She put her hands behind her, standing straight once again. She glanced at Acel, meeting his eyes. He seemed to have something on his mind. She was a little confused, needing to ask if he meant to go on a mission with her in his small speech. It was actually sweet to see someone else besides her get flustered about asking questions. She agreed, though she did look at the state of her clothes. They were already ruined and she didn't feel like ruining anymore clothes, if they survived. She wondered if she would be able to protect Acel better now, she felt stronger. She flushed at Acel's joke, timidly saying she didn't want to ruin anymore clothes. He seemed to take that answer, looking around.
She thought back at her fights with the AIs in her last mission, remembering that she had beaten them on her own. Surely now she could do a better as a team member than last time with Kawaguchi and Acel. Maybe. She hoped anyways.
۩…………………………………………………………………۩
Outfit:Day clothes Headphones: Attached: Can hear Line Count: 219 OOC: Song: Translation:
Quote:
Sarah
B.A.I.T.R Standing: 170 Health: 1070/1500 Control Limit: 1364
Skill: 141 [165] Strength: 85 Defense: 115 [125]
Quote:
Tactical Advantages
Tank - Level 1 - You gain 10 extra Defense. However, you also receive a -5% to your defensive chances.
Quote:
Royal Guard
B.A.I.T.R Standing: 153 Health: 1446/1446
Skill: 121 Strength: 85 Defense: 101 [111]
Tactical Advantage: Tank
Raven62
Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2016 8:29 am
Acel was extremely relieved when Sarah agreed to come along with him. He wasn't sure why she would do such a thing right after getting back...considering he had just stumbled out of the rebirthing chamber as well. They had both just finished fighting for their lives, and then they were leaving to go and do it some more. It seemed almost pointless in a lot of ways, but at the same time, he couldn't really see anything else they were supposed to do. It was their lives now, their jobs. Save the world and all that.
They walked together back to the trains, after finishing their meals, and then made their way toward the headquarters. They talked idly, just little things. He told her about his love for food, and how he adored to read. He told her about Tomba--the man who used to look after him if his parents were busy protecting their village. A kind man who believed that A.I. had souls--that they weren't all evil. He even told her about The village itself. It felt like it had been a long time since he had talked so candidly about it. He couldn't believe it had only been a few days.
It felt like he had experienced a lot since then. Like he had gone through so much...and he had. He had gone out there so many times it made his head spin. He had been promoted to a full baiter...it was all happening so fast, it was incredible and terrifying all at once. As he talked about himself and the past, and all of these things, he asked her as well, making small talk and trying to learn more about her as a person. He knew she was famous, from their mission together, but that was about it.
Acel took a deep breath as they approached the main facilities once again, and he and Sarah got off the train that carried them from the downtown core of Gondora. It didn't take long for them to get to the top of the towers, to where the offices were held, and when they did, the Secretary merely nodded her head toward them. "Back again, are we? Don't you guys ever need to rest? Sleep? Eat? Relax?" Acel shrugged his shoulders. Usually he would play into it more, and have a conversation with the woman, but he wasn't feeling up to it. "I guess that's the price for being a little less than human." He said with little inflection. He wasn't being rude, but he just...didn't have a whole lot of personality to throw into things right now. He was amazed with how much he had let himself relax with Sarah, even.
"Well, then, Sunshine, I suppose I will get right on finding you something." Gigi stated, being sarcastic toward the man, just to play with him. She took a little bit of time going through her computer before she waved him back over. "Alright, so, we've got an interesting fellow in the Kamikatsu region of Japan. He seems intent on finding a family heirloom of his. Apparently it was taken by a band of thieves, into the jungles. Not your standard 'go get the A.I.' kind of mission, but hey, if they pay, we'll take it." That last bit made Acel's stomach churn a little bit. It sounded a little harsh...like they didn't care about the people, just the money.
Either way, though, it was their job, and they had a new one to attend to. Acel was relieved that it ended up being a search and explore type mission. It was at least possible that they wouldn't be met with some sort of insane opponent. Though, at the same time, the one he had just come back from was also a search mission, and he had met the fiercest opponent he had ever faced. He could only cross his fingers and hope that this one wasn't as bad. He had Sarah there, though, and that made him feel a little bit safer. She had become a baiter around the same time as he had...she was strong.
He took a deep breath as he turned behind him to look at Sarah for a moment. "Well, looks like they've got this all set up. Time to go and see what the Kamikatsu region has in store for us. Thanks a lot, Sarah, for coming with me like this."" Acel stated, nervously shuffling as he did. He hoped she didn't see him as weak because of his emotional plight. But, they got back into the elevator together, down to the base of the tower once more, where the portal room lay. When they walked to the room, the operators set it to go to Kamikatsu, and they were ready.
"See you on the other side." He said with a nod, and he walked forward into the portal, blasting through to the opposite side of the world. When he came through the portal on the other side, he was surrounded by lush forests, and the sounds of hundreds of different creatures going about their days. The birds and the crickets and the deer. He could hear all sorts of things. Midas scanned the surroundings thoroughly, before letting Acel know what was around--including the village just a quick hike up a steep hill to their left side.
"It looks like there's a village over the hill here. It's likely where our client is." He stated with a nod, and moved along with Sarah toward the hill. They would be in the village before long, and after that, it would just be about finding the man who was looking for his lost heirloom. Acel was distracted by the scenery as they walked. The animals and the flora. He couldn't believe such lush places existed.
The village that they would find would be nestled into the forests. It was quaint. The homes made of wood and straw--ferns and other materials harvested from the world around them. The people wore simple, peasant like clothes, and they were very often busying about with work to keep the village functioning. The man they were looking for would be found in a destroyed home. They would merely need to ask around for someone looking for help from B.A.I.T.R and they would surely be directed there.
The man had recently been robbed by thieves, his home burned down, and his prize possession stolen from him. It was a cane that his family had passed down from generation to generation. Sure, a walking cane wasn't much, but the man would be extremely depressed over its loss. Knowing he couldn't go get it himself, he has requested some agents of baiter track the thieves into the jungle and retrieve it before they are gone with it forever.
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B.A.I.T.R Standing: 194 Health: 1500/1500 Control Limit: 1552
