Search Results

​

The longer Ren listened to the royal family, the more frustrated he felt. These unthinking, self-centered halfwits... They needed to be brought back down to reality, and face some hard facts. Ren was probably not the person that should do this, one of their halfway literate advisers should have done so long ago, but here they were.
He forced himself to calm down for a moment, remembering that these were royalty. On the other hand however, he wasn't actually their vassal. He could say some things that otherwise might be dangerous to mention.
“Excuse me, your Majesties, your Highness,” he interjected. “I believe the three of you are mistaken.” Having made this bold statement, probably worthy of a beheading, Ren charged on with his argument. “I'll start with you, your Majesties. You cannot lock your daughter in a room. In fact I'd wager it's this oppressive control of her that is the root of the problem in the first place. Prisoners are locked up, not princesses. Think about it.”
He turned to Anika now. “And you, princess. You hardly deserve that title,” he announced flatly. “You would spend your days skating, and still expect to be clothed and fed by the people around you. You have thousands of poor peasants within your kingdom barely scratching a living out of the dirt, and you give no thought to how hard it is for them to pay the taxes that you gorge upon daily. And the worst thing is, these people still look up to you. You are the future of their government. They look to you to provide the stability this country will need when your parents pass on. And yet, instead of actually learning your job in life, instead of mingling with these people and trying to alleviate the sufferings they undergo that you cannot even begin to imagine, you would rather go... ice. Skating.”
Having felt he had made his point, and somewhat concerned that he had put himself and his companions in danger of reprisal, he stepped back a few steps and bowed respectfully. “Excuse me for my harsh words, although I won't blame you if you don't. Also, may I suggest some compromise? Build an ice rink in the castle. It's an abominable waste of taxes, of course, but if you will be continue to be unreasonable, perhaps it's the best way.”
There, I've said my piece, kicked them in the ass, and even offered a solution to their problem. I give it five minutes until my head is rolling down the steps.

​

Mizuki stood glowering in a corner of the room, decidedly uncomfortable and irritated with being here. She did not like parties. She had never liked parties. She was more used to bursting through the windows, stabbing some fat old man, and running off thereby ruining said parties. And yet here they were, and she had no idea why. And as far as Mizuki could see, they were only here because it was some sort of annual visit. What a load of bullshit. She didn't have the time or patience for this.
That Alessia girl wasn't making her any happier either. Little wench was already breaking some other persons gift. Not that she cared that it was broken, it was a tacky nutcracker thing anyway. It was the other girls clumsiness that annoyed Mizuki.
God, it was stuffy in here. And too noisy. Mizuki remained in her corner, prepared to frighten off any that came near with a look.

Even without powers such as Franco's, the eagerness in Kyle was readily apparent. Franco allowed himself a small smile. It was good to find someone so appreciative of everything that what was on offer. This man will prove to be invaluable to us, I believe. A man intelligent enough to entrust with important matters, and grateful enough not to betray our trust. We shall see in due time if my intuition is correct.

"The only thing I have to confirm is that my mother will be protected? Her, and my younger brother, but that's it. You can protect them? Then I'm your man Lord Bertram! What you've offered me here it's... It's more than I could ever have asked for from anyone, so thank you. I'd be honoured to be of service to the Bertram family. There's one matter I'd like to discuss with you elsewhere. It's private and well, it's important. I swear to you I'm your man, and that's why I want to tell you about this. It's something about me, something important. Something that might be able to help you and the family."

Franco nodded in response to Kyle's first question. “Yes, your family will fall under our care as well. I can arrange for her to be sent south to one of the Bertram estates. She would have to undertake a few minor tasks around a farm, perhaps by feeding the chickens or doing some laundry, but a small, comfortable cottage and suitable nourishment shall be provided. For your brother, we could even see what special skills he possesses, and perhaps set him up as an apprentice or guardsman. But of course,” he paused, “you may not like the idea of your family also being drawn into the Bertram's employ, or you might prefer if they were here in Corvus. In that case I can give you a small sum of money and you can make arrangements for them. I won't be offended, whatever you choose.”
Standing up, Franco prepared to end the discussion. “This important matter, we'll discuss it at my home. I also have a few more things I'd like to tell you without the danger of prying ears. In the meantime, you'll want to pack up your things and say a few goodbyes I imagine. Come to my house when you've finished, and I'll have someone prepare a room for you. By the way, do you have a horse? You'll need one if you're to keep up with me. Buy yourself a good one, I'll cover the expense.” Franco looked thoughtfully for a moment, checking that he had said everything he needed to. “I think that's all then. Any last comments?”
He stood by the door, ready to leave, but he was still turned towards Kyle, allowing him to question things further. Franco wasn't particularly in a rush to leave, but there wasn't much more he had to discuss here and now. What he had left to say could wait.

Astedia
​

After sliding clumsily down the slope after Johanna and Dawn, Ren stepped carefully across the ice to the skater girl. "Hello there, young lady," he smiled, holding out a hand to shake. "My name is Ren, and my companions and I are from Sapphire Eclipse." He looked down at her skates and then back up. "That was some skating back there," he complimented her. "You probably skate quite a lot, I imagine. What's your name by the way?"
Smiling at the girl, Ren was trying to figure out whether she could actually help them in their quest or not. At the very least, she would probably be able to point them in the direction of the castle, but if she had some information regarding the princess, then maybe they would be able to return her home sooner than expected. But of course, this mission was tagged as long, so no doubt things wouldn't be so easy. Something somewhere would screw everything up, and in the end, as Dawn had already hypothesized even though Ren didn't know it because of magical wind blowing paper magic, the skater girl would almost certainly turn out to be the princess. Unless of course Cal realized that her plot had been seen through, and hastily altered to be completely different. And then I stopped typing this, ahem, 'awesome' post.


Ok, so there's a post. Not proud of it, but it'll do! (Maybe. Hopefully someone interacts with this chick in a not awkward way xD )

Franco examined the young man knelt before him for a few moments. Such determination, he was pleased to find. Kyle might just turn out to be a better catch than Franco had counted on.
“Yes, you are accepted. At least for the moment, until we both decide whether we can work long-term together. Now, get off your knees.”
Franco paced around to room for a few moments, casually glancing over its contents without much interest. Really he was giving Kyle a chance to set himself on his feet, and make his first impressions of Franco.
After a few moments, Franco turned back to face Kyle, making eye contact. “I see you're well trained in dealing with the nobility,” referring to the salute and kneeling. “I am glad to see that your training extends so far, and one of the vainer members of nobility would hire you just for that, but with me things will be different. Of course, you will salute in public when needs be,” he explained further, “but in private it won't be necessary, you'll have other uses for your limbs anyway. As for bending the knee, you bow when I do. That means not to the flamboyant peacocks that call themselves aristocrats, and not to me either. You and I bow only to the king, and to my father.”
Confident that the issue of etiquette had been sufficiently resolved, he continued onto a more important subject. “Speaking of family, you aren't being employed merely by me. By accepting this position, you are being taken on by the Bertram Family, and will be under its command. I just happen to be its most senior representation here in Corvus, of course. The most important thing for you to understand, however, is that anyone under the employ of the Family, is part of the Family.” Franco locked eyes with Kyle, speaking carefully now. “And family is about loyalty. We don't just want your sword arm. We don't just want a facade of ceremonial bows and salutes. We want people who we can trust, and that will trust us.”
Franco looked away again, vaguely studying the objects on the desk nearby. “The perk of that last part is that we will provide for you and your loved ones, we'll protect you from whoever may wish you harm, and we most certainly won't turn you over to another power. Any power,” he stressed.

Franco figured that here was a good place to halt his introduction. He resumed his pacing around the room, giving Kyle a moment to process what had been said and what had been offered. Of course, there was much more that they had to discuss, in regards to what Kyle's actual duties would be, but that could wait for now. First Franco had to determine whether Kyle was prepared to devote himself to a Family that before now hadn't interacted with him in a meaningful way. It was a big commitment, but Franco could see potential in the soldier. He wanted Kyle to take the job.
Franco pulled a seat over to him and sat back in it. “Like I said before, this a temporary position at first. We will both want to examine what we have to offer, and how it benefits our out interests. And furthermore, people have left the Family amicably before. You leaving would be much the same, if you found you couldn't work with me. Any questions?”
He left the conversation open for Kyle to continue, to voice any of his own concerns or opinions. Franco meanwhile was focusing the soldier's emotional state. While talking himself, it was hard to notice the other persons more subtle changes in mood, and while they usually didn't impact much on that moment in time directly, Franco actually found them quite fascinating. He felt that they helped him construct a more complex picture of a person. Sometimes he would discover the little things that were their pet peeves, or what fears they suppressed. And occasionally that information was quite valuable.

With a groan, Alec rolled over with a groan, rubbing his eyes. He was rested, sure enough, but his muscles still ached from that damned three day journey by horse. Grimacing as he eased himself off the bed, he pulled on his clothes quickly, looking around for for his little companion.
“Koko?” he called. “Where are you, you little scamp?” When there was no response, he wasn't really surprised. The kitten, intent on establishing herself as the dominant in their partnership, regularly launched ambushes and sneak attacks on Alec. As far as he knew, right now she was lurking in the shadows somewhere, biding her time.
“Koko, we're going to eat now, so lets skip the games till later, OK?” Koko didn't respond, seemingly intent on inflicting bodily harm on Alec. “I'll get you a full plate of sausages if you come out right now,” he promised. Still no response, strangely, as Koko was near to fanaticism in her love for those succulent pieces of pork.
Alec frowned, peering around the room at the possible hiding spots the cat could have concealed herself. Finally he spotted her through the grimy glass of the window on the windowsill outside, fast asleep. He carefully opened the window, which thankfully opened inwards, and scooped the cat up in his arms.
He poked her awake. “Hey, cat, we're going to eat now.”
Koko opened her eyes sleepily, opening her mouth wide in a long cat yawn. “Sausages. You said you'd get them for me.”
“So you actually could hear me,” he frowned. “You were just pretending to be asleep.”
Stretching in his arms and giving out another yawn, she leaped agilely onto his shoulder. “I was asleep. But I'm also a magical talking cat, so I know things other cats wouldn't.”
“Yeah, well, shut your trap now,” Alec warned her, opening the door to their room. “Other people don't like it when cats talk.”
Koko laid her ears back grumpily, but she didn't talk back. They were in public now, and she knew that if she did say anything she would get Alec into big trouble. She certainly didn't want to cause any trouble for him.
​

~Later~​

Tummy full and resting contentedly at the top of a flight of stairs, Koko looked curiously around at the abandoned house that Alec had broken them into. It was dusty and unfurnished, with a few broken floor boards and holes in the wall, but at one point it had probably been quite a nice home. Probably the property of a merchant who had gone out of business.
Down on the ground floor, Alec was talking to the other four Alec's who lived inside him. It was Alec's power, something Koko didn't really understand, but she didn't really understand her own power either, so she wasn't really interested. Her ears perked up as Alec seemed to finish what he was saying.
“Come back here when you've found him, or this time tomorrow. I'll be waiting here.” The other four Alec's nodded, and prepared to depart. “Leave from different parts of the house, and at five minute intervals,” the real Alec finished.
Seeing the other four finally leave, Koko trotted down the stairs and leapt up onto the real Alec's shoulder. She didn't really like the other four, if she was honest. They unnerved her, so she kept her distance. “Where are they going?” she asked.
“They're going to inquire about this Vex person. One will go to the slums, another will see if he's hiding with one of the nobility, and the other two will try to cover the rest of the town.”
“And what will we do?”
“We'll stay here till tomorrow.” Noticing the disapproval in her face, he tried to satisfy her. “We'll get plenty to eat, I promise. And you'll get to explore this entire house.”
Koko shook her head. “This is going to be boring. I have needs and places to see, I can't be holed up here all day!”
Alec sighed, unsure of what to tell his furry partner. Then, he had an idea. It shouldn't be too dangerous, and he would be nearby if something happened... “Hey, Koko, how would you like to go on a mission?”
Her ears perked up. “A mission?”
“Yeah. Here, come over here,” he said, leading her over to a window. “You see the sign for the bar down there?” She nodded. “Well, I want you to go and see if Vex is in there. Just stay out of sight, come right back if you feel scared, and for the love of god, don't talk. I'll be nearby if you get into trouble as well.”
Koko frowned, nervous about taking on an actual mission by herself, but also a little excited. Alec was actually entrusting her with one of his missions for the first time, and it would keep her from getting bored as well. She nodded to Alec. “I'll do it.”
He opened the window, and she hopped out onto the street. “Stay safe now, ok?” Alec said to her quietly, with a slightly concerned look on his face. Koko just nodded, and set off down the street to the bar.
It wasn't too far, and the trip was mostly uneventful. She managed to get through the doors by trailing closely on the heels of someone entering it. Nobody seemed to notice her as she slinked along the walls and in under a table, hiding behind one of the legs.
From this position she looked around the room, not in a particularly systematic manner, but her attention was soon drawn by three people in particular. One of them had a whip out, and he talked funny. The girl was grasping her sword like she was about to use it. The other man was turned away from her and partially concealed by another drinker in front of her.
And strangely, she felt a little drained, as if she'd just run really far. That was kind of strange, she thought vaguely in the back of her mind.

Trotting briskly on a blue roan mare, Franco made his way through the city of Corvus thoughtfully, not really noticing the townsfolk as they scurried out of the way of his horse, hurling curses after him if they didn't realize he was a nobleman. If Franco had heard them however, he wouldn't have really blamed them. Most people of means had some sort of entourage, and a herald as well if they were rich enough. Franco had servants and guards on hand as well, but they just didn't seem to understand his mannerisms. He would go out at all hours of the day, without prior notice given, and he wouldn't wait one moment for his servants to even saddle their own horses. It didn't help that there was little interaction between Franco and his subordinates. They were simple townspeople, raised simply and unused to someone as spontaneous as Franco. What he really needed was someone who he was in constant contact with, or could read his mind.

Due to these apparent limitations of his entourage, Franco was now making his way alone, and said subordinates were no doubt searching desperately through the streets to find him for the third time that day. He was too preoccupied to think about them though. His father was constantly inquiring as to his progress with the royal family, sometimes sending up to five letters a week. And each time Franco would either have to reply with the news that no progress had been made, or not bother resonding at all. The latter was Franco's most common method of dealing with the issue lately, and thankfully the flow of letters coming from the Bertram estate had eased as well.

Franco wouldn't have minded if the flow hadn't abated, if it had meant replies to his other letters. Nyla hadn't replied at all since he'd arrived here. She was probably busy on one of her missions, but still, Franco missed hearing from her. It was only when he thought of her that he realized how lonely he really was.
Finally he arrived at his destination. It was one of the several barracks that dotted Corvus, this one in particular housing infantry and some training grounds. Inside, Franco hoped, was someone who could be a suitable companion for him, someone who could cope with his sudden impulses and ideas. Someone who wasn't an uneducated peasant trained to simply follow orders, but could also formulate their own plans of action and even anticipate what Franco wanted of them. A rare thing to find, but such people were out there. Nyla was a prime example of that.

Jumping off his horse just in front of the doors to the barracks, Franco threw the reigns to the startled guardsmen standing by them, pausing only to flip the man a gold coin before throwing open the doors without uttering a word to him. It wasn't really neccessary, either way the guardsman would have to hold the reigns.
Striding quickly through the hallways of the barracks, Franco grabbed the first person that crossed his path. “Kyle Ryogi. Bring me to him,” he demanded. “Don't just stand there with your mouth hanging open,” he remonstrated when he didn't react immediately, holding up a coin to get the man's attention. “Bring me to Kyle, and you get this. Simple, right?”
The man nodded wordlessly, and turned around to lead Franco, bringing him down several halls and up a short flight of stairs before presenting Franco to what he assumed was Kyle's dorm room. Franco handed the man the promised gold coin and shooed him away.
“I'd tell you not to drink it all, but we both know it's pointless,” he called after him. Without a further thought for his guide, Franco then burst into the dorm room, taking a few steps in before stopping to examine who he assumed was Kyle. This man was... interesting. His feelings were more complex than the usual guardsman that Franco encountered on a regular basis.
“Kyle Ryogi, correct?” he asked him, pacing around the room. “I am Lord Bertram. I received a letter from you twenty minutes ago requesting a position in my retinue. I assume your services are still available, yes?”

​

In a dark, dusty inn room, somewhere in the city of Corvus, Alec turned in his bed, murmuring incomprehensibly to himself, before settling back down to sleep. He had just arrived after a three day journey, and he was exhausted. He'd probably sleep away the entire day, as a matter of fact. Maybe get up for some food in the evening, and then go back to sleep. Yeah, he'd take things easy today...
Something more sinister had other plans, however. It lurked in the shadows, peering out at Alec with glowing eyes. It was watching him, stalking, preparing to make a fatal blow against the sleeping man. It moved towards him slowly, silently, but relentlessly, getting closer and closer with each passing moment. It slid through the shadows up onto the top of the closet near the bed, peering down at the sleeping figure below it. It gathered itself up, preparing to strike, and... pounced.

A tiny bundle of fur bounced off Alec's face, landing in a heap beside him. The creature struggled to untangle itself from the sheets, but when it had it was revealed to be a small black kitten. Koko was her name, and she was bored. And a little hungry. But mostly bored.
She crept up right in front of Alec's face and sat. “Alec?” No response. “Aaaaleeeec,” she called out.
“Mmm,” was the muffled response.
“Alec, are you awake?” He didn't respond this time either. “I'm bored. And this room is small. And I'm hungry. And you've been asleep for six hours.” The sleeping man made no indication that he had heard or cared about these statements. “Alec?”
“What?” he muttered.
“I said, I'm bored. Lets go do something,” whined Koko.
Alec sighed, knowing that he had to address her in some way for the sake of his own sanity, and tried to reason with the little cat in front of him. “Koko, I've just had a really long journey, with barely any rest. I just need a little more sleep, and then we'll go downstairs to eat. Deal?”
Koko shook her head. “Alec, you don't understand,” she explained seriously. “I'm bored.”
Alec shifted in his bed, preparing to roll over. “Look, you're a magical talking cat. You of all people should be able to amuse yourself.”
"So you mean like, talk to people and scare the pants off of them?"
Alec gave her a look. "Do that, and you'll be held down in a bucket to drown before you can explain you're not a witch. Not that it would make much of a difference." And with that he turned his back on her and settled back to sleep, effectively ending the conversation.
Koko could have squirmed over to the other side of the bed and continued her assault on Alec's better nature, but she didn't feel up to the challenge. Besides, she manipulated him emotionally on a daily basis, and that got old sometimes. She'd have to find something else to do.

The door and window of the small room they had rented were locked, but that didn't faze Koko. She merely walked up to the window, and using the magic power that she had been born with and didn't fully understand, she was able to shift through it, making her body intangible and thereby finding herself on the outside of the locked window.
Peering down at the milling townspeople below, she amused herself by showering the dust that had collected on the windowsill down on them. She was however keeping an eye out for a particular person. Some man named Vex, according to Alec. She didn't know what he looked like at all, however, but it was something to do to pass the time, no matter how futile it was. Besides, she was a kitten. Logic and reasoning weren't really her forte.
Alec however, now he was smart. Alec could find them warm places to sleep and tasty food to eat. Alec could keep them out of danger, or keep it away from her if it was impossible to avoid.
She began to drift off to sleep as she thought these happy thoughts. Alec was kind, and the only person Koko had ever really known. And as far as she was concerned, he was the only person she wanted to know.

Alright, here's my purchases and stuff.

For Hasu:

One point into Erza for +3 magic.
Buying an improved Mages Staff for 300, and keeping my old one in storage for when Ren can dual wield.
AS: Cure, Aero, Thunder, Barrier Surge.
​

For Mizuki:

Pretty sure she has 2 points to spend, not 1, since she's gone from level 1 to level 3, so...
One point goes into Erza for +3 speed.
One point goes into Juvia.
Buying an Omega Arts for 700 and equipping it.
AS: Blitz, Blitz, Cure, Aero.
​

Just something about the stats I noticed on the chart, aren't the characters supposed to gain +10 hp and mp every time they level up? Maybe you are quite aware of this and are just waiting for peeps to spend their points, but I thought I'd remind you anyway. :P

Anyway, for the missions:

Ren goes with group 2.
Mizuki goes with group 1.

​

Ren took the barrage of insults and accusations coming from Scarlett and Gaius calmly, but he felt more and more depressed the further they spoke. The hated Ezekiel and he could understand that, he did too, but they weren't prepared to keep it in check or even consider a solution other than murder... Would they be the same if they found out about me? Am I as vile and wretched in their eyes as Ezekiel is?

"MAYBE YOU SHOULD GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE TOO, YOU WANNA GO AND MURDER SOME OF OUR FRIENDS WITH HIM?"

It seems this one thinks so.
Ren focused on Gaius, his words hitting hardest, creating turmoil inside. Dale had arrived and was berating Scarlett, so he could ignore her. He probably would have anyway.
"You stand here," Ren said lowly, doing his best to stay calm, "ready to murder someone in cold blood, and you accuse me of wanting to kill. You act like you are the first to ever feel hatred, and tell me that I am the one that will hurt this guild. Who are you helping with this? You want to kill this man, and drive me away. Will that bring Leviathan back? Will that make him happy? Will it make you happy? Will it make this guild any stronger if you get what you want? Let me put it to you simply: It won't. It'll create division. It's already started actually; some of us wanting to kill this man, others not. You want me gone, that's not something I'll forget any time soon. And your Team King, well, how long do you think that will last now? You want to kill the brother of its leader. You think that won't create some sort of tension, eh?"
Ren shook his head, feeling a little sick in his stomach. "I didn't say we should let him go free," he added. "He should be made to stand trial, and atone for his crimes. Someone impartial to this whole thing, who's judgement isn't clouded by emotions, should decide his fate."
A trial... It was something that had occurred to Ren just before he mentioned it. Was it the best way for someone to atone for their deeds, the best way to redeem themselves? Maybe I should try it. Can't be any worse than being singled out as a killer by a fellow guild member.

​

Ren watched the wounds on his hand fade away as Evanora's light passed over them. His mind was on other things, however. Not too far away were Ezekiel, his brother, and a few guild members who wanted blood. This is what Ren was really focused on, and with the appearance of Scarlett, he'd decided that things had gone far enough. "Animals," he growled to himself, pacing towards them.
He barged in and placed himself right in between Ezekiel and the three that wanted revenge, planting his staff firmly on the ground with a thud. He stared icily at the three, examining their faces for a moment.
"You would kill this man in cold blood. How is that any better than what he has done?" he posed to them. "He is evil. We know that. But an evil man can do some good. Give him the opportunity to do so. And what about you? Are you truly good? Or are you evil, and only just now revealing you true colors. Perhaps you don't know yourself."
"I for one have to give this man another chance. I have to believe he can redeem himself. If he truly deserves to die, then so do I. You'll have to kill me first."
It all hinged on this really. Not only did Ezekiel's fate hang on the balance, but unbeknownst to everyone else here, their decision would make it clear to Ren whether he deserved to live as well. Whether he could truly redeem himself.
It was kind of selfish really. Ren was only defending Ezekiel because, in a way, Ren and Ezekiel were the same. Ren was being attacked just as much as Ezekiel. At least, that's how Ren saw it. He'd base his next few decisions on theirs.

Ren swayed on his feet, barely conscious of what was going on around him or even of where the enemy was. Damn, that guy hit hard. He looked around, struggling to keep his eyes open. Almost half his teammates were down on the ground. And over there, to the right, was that blasted Ezekiel. Ren took a few steps towards him, dragging his feet and the staff that was somehow still in his hands. Come to think of it, Ren remembered that drowning men would clutch at the nearest piece of debris in an effort to survive. Their bodies could be found still tightly grasping even a tiny plank as if it was the one thing most precious to them. Perhaps this staff was the same thing to him, right now. Perhaps it really was all that was keeping him alive.
His steps became firmer and faster. Power began to surge through his body, collecting and molding the air around him. Time to kill his ass.

Ren used Aero.

Mizuki used Quick Blitz.

Ren used Aero.

Mizuki used basic attack.

Character Name: Franco Bertram
Age: 26
Appearance: This guy.
Personality: Quiet and secretive. He only speaks when he wants to impart certain information, or when he wants to skew the discussion a certain way. Can be cruel when necessary, but he derives no pleasure from it.
Brief Bio: The son of Geoffrey Bertram, head of the noble House Bertram, Franco's loyalty lies first and foremost to his family, and by extension their allies. He has had some experience as an interrogator, which is how he discovered his mind reading power.
The Bertram family wouldn't mind all that much if the kings power were to wane, as this would only increase their own power. However, the one thing worse for a noble family than a totalitarian king would be an uprising of the lower classes. Therefore the Bertram family has sent Franco as their contribution to the war.
Magic/Powers : Mind reading.
To read a person's thoughts he must have physical contact with them, however this takes a large amount of concentration and time.
By extension, Franco can also sense the emotions of the people around him in a thirty meter radius, even if they aren't in view. This means that he can tell if someone has hostile intent, and it makes him particularly effective against assassins and surprise attacks.
Weapon : Longsword.
Additional Information: None.


Character Name: Alec
Age: 23
Appearance: This other guy.
Personality: Confident, disciplined and calm. He is efficient in combat, and has no qualms about killing.
Brief Bio: Alec was the illegitimate child of nobleman, who quickly sent the boy to one of his more remote holdings, a farm, to avoid a scandal. Alec's first few years were spent in manual labour around the farm, but at the age of fourteen he was sent by his father to join the army. There Alec honed his combat skills over a few years, but when he discovered his power he promptly left the army, and offered his services to those who would pay, quickly making a name for himself. Now, after hearing rumors of Vex's uprising, he is trying to join this revolution, for his own personal reasons.
Magic/Powers : Shadow-cloning.
Alec can make up to four copies of himself. When killed, these clones dissolve into shadows, and make their way back to Alec.
Weapon : A katana as a main weapon, with a shorter tanto for backup.
Additional Information: Constantly accompanied by Koko.


Character Name: Koko
Age: 2 months old.
Appearance: This cat.
Personality: Cautious of new people, but friendly and chatty with those she's comfortable with. Fiercely loyal to Alec.
Brief Bio : Koko doesn't really know where she came from or why she can talk, but she believes she must have some purpose. She just needs to find it.
Magic/Powers : Transdimentional shifting.
This allows Koko to transfer her body and other people/objects to and from a personal dimension in an instant. Excellent for dodging attacks and hiding.
Weapon : Um, claws? And teeth I guess.
Additional Information: Constantly with Alec, usually perched on his shoulder.


Note: Just gonna say this, the personality of the characters may end up completely different to what I've said above. I tend to do that, although not on purpose. : P

Ren, sensing that he was going to be hit next turn, because spidey-senses I guess, took a single step to the right to avoid the attack.

Mizuki used Quick Blitz.

Ren used Aero
Mizuki used Quick Blitz

Ren used Aero, and Peter didn't bother writing much more than that because he's too tired for that ****.

Mizuki sprinted towards the enemy, her sword plunging down towards him as she used Quick Blitz.

​

This guy... needed help. Ren wasn't the guy to give it too him, if he was honest with himself. "Yeah, sure, if there's something I ever need to tell you, I will," Ren grinned. What exactly he would need to tell Ander at any given point in time was beyond him, but it was a gesture that Ren felt he should appreciate. Somehow it just felt a little force, though. "See you later then, after this is all dealt with." Ren finally turned to leave, tapping his staff along the ground as he did so.
Four squads to choose from, with four quite different leaders. There was Mikasa, who true to form did not look inviting. Next up was Johanna, who had seemed to have contracted a similar disease to Mikasa, the one that abhorred human interaction, although in Johanna it manifested itself in a huge scowl. Damn, that was scary.
Since those two were out of the way, that left Dale and Caliborn. Caliborn was much the same as always, if a little beaten up, as was Dale who looked as pissed as usual as far as Ren could see. Hard to choose between the two... eeny meeny miney ah screw it just go with Dale because he's the closest.
Ren made his way over, making sure Dale noticed that he was joining the squad but doing no more in an effort to avoid being the target of Dale's temper. Now that he was closer to Dale, it seemed to Ren that the other man was marginally more pissed that he usually was. Wonderful.

​

Ren listened to Ander closely, hoping that he would open up. He didn't get much, but at least Ander said a little more about Bryce. A good start, such as it was.
"Did you do something in your past that you think will catch up to you?"
Ren shook his head. "No, it's just a general state of mind I like to keep," he smiled. "I'm afraid my history is a bit boring and not quite as epic as I would have hoped. Mostly spent travelling, I have to say."
Ren continued, eager to leave the topic behind, and move on to Ander's issues. "I'm sorry Bryce died, but I think even you know that there was nothing you could do. He died, yes, but he did it bravely and honorably. He died fighting for something he believed in, and he only got that far because you were leading. A team is composed of at least two elements, a leader and a follower. You did your job in having the guts to bring your friends into a dangerous environment. He did his in following you there, and giving his all in an effort to complete the mission. Now all you have to do, is commend him for a job well done, mourn his loss, and then move on to continue leading," Ren said confidently, resting a reassuring hand on Ander's shoulder. "I know -" he was going to continue, but the call for the squads to form up interrupted him. He sighed and stood up to leave. "We'll talk about this later, if you want," Ren offered. "That ok with you?"

​

Thankfully it hadn't taken too long for the S-class members to call for the squads to form. This useless loitering around wasn't going to win them this battle. As for those that needed healing, perhaps it would be better to just leave such weakling behind. If the couldn't stand a few knocks then -
She stopped herself, realizing that the stress was getting to her. Right now she needed to focus. Hating on other people would just distract her from the more important task at hand. That task being handing Ezekiel his ass.
She made her way over to where Mikasa was, taking a seat nearby. It didn't seem as if the other members were in a rush, although chances were Mikasa would change that if they took too long.

Ren is going with squad 2

Mizuki in squad 4

​

Ren listened to Ander carefully and tried to follow along with everything. The other man had a lot to say, and none of it really related. "There is usually somebody somewhere watching," Ren said once Ander finished. "Or at least, it's good to assume that someone is, to encourage you to be careful about what actions you take. Otherwise, what you've done in the past will undoubtedly catch up to you," Ren finished with a smile. He didn't seriously entertain the idea that they were being watched specifically though, and dismissed it as paranoia on Ander's part brought on by the stress of the battle.
"As for that Leviathan guy, forget him. What he did was wrong, but Dale dealt with it. It won't happen again, I'm sure." Ren wasn't sure he was hearing the entire story, but as far as he could tell, things had been sorted, and there really wasn't anything he could do about it. Besides, Ander's other words had intrigued him.
"Would you like to tell me about Bryce?" Ren offered. Ander seemed the type to keep his secrets close, so if he was opening up then perhaps this was his way of asking Ren for help. "He was your friend, someone you cared about, right? And the guild, it has something to do with him as well, I gather. Do you want to talk about any of that?"
He waited to see how Ander would react. He might completely blow his top and tell Ren to mind his own business, or he might close up even tighter. Or, he could do the best thing, and open up now that he had started. "I might be able to help you," Ren added as a final word of encouragement.