WeissSaber
Versed in the lewd.
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Lol, that's the thought process a lot of people have on SB atm
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Once and Future (WormxFate)
- Thread starter Aldsan
- Start date
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- fate/stay night pendragon worm
EVA-Saiyajin
Connoisseur.
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I have been convinced by Howelll.
[x] [Adventure] The Wicked Witches of Winslow
[X] [Activity] Party
[x] [Social] Chelsea and Megan
[x] [Adventure] The Wicked Witches of Winslow
[X] [Activity] Party
[x] [Social] Chelsea and Megan
8.2 - Grand Order
New
Aldsan
(Mysterious Heroine)
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- Voting
- Healing
"And you were able to discover this after a handful of conversations? A bare minimum of investigation?"
"Yes. While Miss Barnes is perhaps the most egregious case, she is not unique. It seems as though any behavior was allowed so long as it did not result in direct violence. Sometimes, even then."
Principal Reid sighed and leaned back in her chair, pushing her glasses up so that she could rub at the bridge of her nose. "What was Blackwell even doing over there? God, I'm surprised Winslow didn't burn down sooner."
It was a question that I imagined the Superintendent would be intent to have answered. Folding my hands, I waited, allowing the Principal to sort through her thoughts.
"As far as Miss Barnes goes, I'll assign her and her friends detention for this stunt and warn the teachers to keep an eye on her. Other than that, there's not much we can do for a moment. We can't litigate her behavior from when she was at Winslow, just what she does here."
"Understandable."
"As for you, Elaine, please stop getting into fights."
I blinked and tilted my head. "What do you mean?"
"I mean the multiple boys who you sent to my office yesterday."
"I merely put a stop to their violence before it was allowed to escalate," I protested.
"I understand that. You're not in trouble. Just – We have security personnel for that, Elaine. I'm sure I don't have to tell you what your parents would say if they heard you were involved in stopping these scuffles."
My ears burned and I turned my gaze off to the side. "The security personnel were not present at the time."
"We're in the process of hiring more guards. Once they come onboard, it should hopefully cut down on the fights. In the meantime, just try to stay out of trouble. Please?"
I shook my head. "I do not believe I should ignore the problem when I have the capability to stop it.
Principal Reid gave me a fond smile. "Just give it some thought, okay? None of us want to see you get hurt."
What was I to say to that? It was not as though she knew that these boys no longer posed any true threat to me. I simply nodded, trying to present myself as suitably chastened. I was not entirely sure she believed me, but she dismissed me regardless and I left her office.
Outside, Taylor sat with her fists clenched, biting down on her lip. She turned her gaze to me, silent question in her eyes.
"The result was about as I expected," I sighed. "They will watch for future misconduct, but cannot punish her for actions done at Winslow."
"So they get away with it. Again."
"They will not get away with it," I promised, squeezing her shoulder gently. "I will make sure of that."
She tensed under my touch before slowly relaxing again. Letting out a slow breath, she nodded and reached up to lay her hand atop mine. "Okay. What do we do next then?"
"Well…" I murmured, feeling a touch self-conscious. "How do you feel about attending a party?"
•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•
Chelsea's parents owned a boathouse a little outside of town. The house rested on a hill, with only the top level visible from front, while a second two floors descended down to the oceanside. At the bottom, a small dock rested with several boats hooked up to it.
It made it a favorite among Arcadia's party crowd. A spacious interior with plenty of rooms for revelers to disappear in and the lake for anyone who felt like swimming, albeit the latter was more common in warmer months. Chelsea made good use of it, hosting a party at least once a month.
Music was audible from outside the house as I drove up, my motorcycle thrumming beneath me. Behind me, Taylor sat, her arms wrapped tightly around my waist. She did not seem afraid the way Erin had at first glance, but her grip tightened several times during the drive, squeezing the breath from me. When we finally came to a stop, it took a minute before she was finally ready to release me and dismount.
"You're a more reckless driver than I would have thought," Taylor commented, smoothing down her clothes as she hurriedly stepped away.
"Would you prefer I slow down for our return trip?"
Taylor shook her head. "It's fine. I can deal."
I tilted my head, studying her. Was she that adaptable or was she simply putting on a strong front? I did not know her well enough to tell. I could probe, but doing so would imply I did not trust in her to gauge her own resilience.
"Let us head inside then," I said instead.
Inside was a writhing mass of people. The living room had been cleared of furniture so that it could be used as a dance floor, a strobe light flashing in time with the beat of the music. Red plastic cups littered the area, the smell of alcohol hanging heavy in the air. I guided Taylor inside, ducking past several dancers to reach the back.
There, we found Chelsea holding court, several girls gathered around her giggling. She brightened up as we entered.
"Elaine! So glad you made it! It's been so long since you've come to one of these."
"I had a feeling this one would be memorable."
"Oh, it will be," Chelsea laughed. "Don't worry. I've got people keeping an eye out for when our guest of honor arrives."
"What now?" Taylor asked, though she had to lean in and speak into my ear to be heard.
"Now we wait," I replied.
Chelsea waved a hand. "Enjoy the party. If you want to dance or have a drink, feel free. Just be ready for when she does get here. From what I hear, she's pretty predictable. I think we can count on her making a scene once she sees you."
Taylor's lips thinned and she shot me a look before shaking her head. "I think I'll just stick close to Elaine for now."
"Sure, you do you."
- Party
Taylor shook her head mutely and I took it as permission.
In the kitchen, a dozen boxes of pizza were stacked up, with another six having already been emptied and thrown in the trash. There were no other offerings. I wrinkled my nose briefly at the lack of choice, before sighing and accepting my fate. I had been spoiled for well-made food recently. I could stomach something greasy for a single night. At the very least, it was not potatoes.
A small shudder ran through me at the memory of Gawain's cooking before I firmly put it from my mind.
Claiming a piece for myself, I took a seat at the counter and motioned for Taylor to join me. She wavered, seemingly unsure, before doing so and hesitatingly taking her own slice of pizza. She nibbled at it uncertainly, watching the doors as though she expected someone to burst through and ambush her.
She had endured a long conflict with few allies and now a new confrontation loomed close. Nerves were to be expected, nevermind ingrained habits. Changing that would take time.
"Tell me about yourself," I said.
"Why?" she asked, a hint of suspicion in her voice.
"I know precious little about my new friend. What are your hobbies, for instance?"
Taylor blinked, clearly startled at my words, before ducking her head, her hair falling to hide her face. "That's… You're serious, aren't you?"
"Why would I not be?"
"No, it's just… I guess I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop. It wouldn't be the first time I thought things were getting better just for it to be a lie."
I pulled a second slice from the box and chewed thoughtfully. Despite my initial apprehensions, I was enjoying the pizza. Something about the low quality spoke to my anger and need for vengeance.
"What did she do?"
Taylor remained silent for a long moment before looking up and meeting my eyes, her gaze surprisingly steady. "Back in August a girl started sitting with me and chatting with me. Said she wanted to be my friend. That went on for about a month before she helped Emma pour glue on my textbooks. It was a trick, you see. The betrayal made it hurt worse than if I'd just known she was one of Emma's cronies from the beginning."
My lips thinned and I forced myself to take a bite. My first instinct was to comfort her, but that would not help right now.
"I see," I said instead.
"Yeah," she smiled bitterly. "So all this still feels like it's too good to be true."
"It can be difficult," I murmured, "To trust again after having that trust betrayed. However, it takes but a single candle to bring light to the darkness. A single person who stands up to right the wrong they see in front of them. There is hope yet in this world, Taylor. I hope to prove it to you."
Taylor looked away again, hunching in on herself as if to hide from me. "Why is it so different between here and Winslow? Why didn't anyone over there ever do anything to help?"
Her question did not seem entirely directed at me. It was not something she truly expected an answer to.
"I can only speculate. From the outside looking in, it has the appearance of a failure in leadership."
"Leadership? I mean, yeah, the teachers didn't do anything either, but it wasn't just them."
I shook my head. "Values flow down from the top. If you will forgive the analogy, an arbitrary king gives tacit permission for the nobility to be corrupt. A corrupt nobility allows for dishonorable knights. Dishonorable knights lead to lawlessness and rebellion among the peasantry. Justice must be upheld on every level, not only the lowest."
Taylor scoffed. "No wonder this country is so messed up. I don't know that I've ever heard of an honest politician."
I was certainly aware. I had not had the time to research the topic in depth, but even the brief overview Arcadia's history class offered had left me baffled at some of the laws that had been passed and allowed to stand. Long term, it was something I would need to address, but I had more immediate concerns for the time being.
"You never did answer my question," I observed.
"What question?"
"What are your hobbies?"
"Oh. I don't really… I read, I guess?" Taylor shrugged and reached for a fresh slice of pizza, only for her fingers to scrape the bottom of the empty box. She blinked in surprise, slowly looking from the box back up at me. "What the – Did you eat the entire pizza?"
Heat flooded my cheeks. I had perhaps been hungrier than I thought. Turning my nose up, I answered imperiously, "An army marches on its stomach. I would not deprive myself in preparation for tonight's confrontation."
"Pfft… Hahaha! Where did you even put it all?"
Taylor's giggles soon turned to outright laughter and I smiled in response. Even if it was at my expense, it was good to see her finally act unreserved.
Her good mood lasted until Chelsea entered the room. She looked at the both of us and said, "She's here. Are you two ready for a show?"
"If you wish to withdraw," I said, looking at Taylor, "Now is the time."
"No," Taylor shook her head. "I can do this."
I took her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. Her return grip was stronger than I expected and she held onto me like a lifeline as the two of us returned to the party. There, we weaved our way through the throng of people until we came to the center of the dance floor.
"Is it too late to back out?" Taylor muttered.
"Come, it will not be that bad."
"I don't know anything about dancing. I'm going to look like an idiot."
"Just move to the beat," I advised. "There are no complicated movements to this sort of dancing."
Taylor frowned but started bobbing back and forth. It was… Well, presumably she would get better with practice. I joined her however, raising my arms in the air as I let my hips sway back and forth. It was an experience that was purely Elaine, with not a trace of the King within, and if not for the glimpse of a familiar head of red hair out of the corner of my eye, I might have been tempted to lose myself to the beat.
Then someone bumped into Taylor from behind and sent her stumbling into my arms. The click of a phone's camera followed a moment later, before we had the chance to disentangle ourselves.
"Aww, isn't that cute. Did you have to start asking to service girls because no guys wanted to touch you, Taylor?"
Taylor flushed and hurriedly pushed herself away from me. I sighed and faced our opponent. Emma Barnes smirked back at me. Well. We had been counting on ceding the opening gambit. It was important to make her the aggressor. Still, what an annoying opening move from her.
"Did you need something, Miss Barnes?" I asked.
"What? Can't I come over here and say hi to my friend? After all, we're such good friends, aren't we Taylor? I mean, she practically used to tell me everything. Has she told you about the Armsmaster panties she used to wear?"
Taylor cringed in on herself like a beaten dog, the instincts instilled by over a year of abuse not so easily dispelled. The sight fueled the ember of anger dwelling in my chest, stoking it to a blazing flame.
"Oh, I would hardly think that unusual for a child. My brother had his own Hero branded underwear when he was younger," I said casually.
"At least I didn't wet the bed until I was eleven," Taylor added.
Dialogue was not so different from fencing. A deflection. A parry. Once your opponent was open, you could respond with a counter-strike. Emma's eyes widened, shooting to Taylor. Had she really thought her secrets safe? That only she could dredge up their once relationship?
"You–"
"By the way, Miss Barnes; no Miss Hess or Miss Clements with you tonight? One might think they are ashamed to be seen with you."
"Sophia was busy," she bit out. "What about you? I heard you were dating someone. Does she know you're here with Taylor?"
"Amy trusts me," I said simply. "And I do my best to live up to that trust."
"So I guess you won't mind if I send her this photo of the two of you then."
"Go ahead," I said.
Emma's brow furrowed as my response failed to give her the hook she had been looking for. Time to press harder. Just a bit more pressure.
"I do hope you are not going to parties like this all the time. You should take the time to study. The standards at Arcadia are higher than they were at Winslow."
"My grades are perfectly fine," Emma snapped.
"A C in History. A C in English. A D in Math. A B in Biology. I suppose you were inspired by that one. Were you looking forward to studying anatomy?"
Emma steadily turned more and more red. "How did you get a hold of my grades? Isn't that illegal?"
I raised an eyebrow and did not deign to answer.
Shaking, she said, "Whatever. It's not like I need to know any of that anyways. I'm a model. I'll do just fine without it."
I could not help it. I burst out laughing. "Ah, yes. Perhaps you will move to Hollywood and become a famous actress while you are at it, Miss Barnes."
"What, like you think being Student Council President is going to mean anything once you're out of school?"
"I ran for President out of a duty and obligation to my fellow students, not for future gain," I said, shaking my head sadly. "That you cannot understand something as simple as that is what makes me concerned for you, Miss Barnes."
"Don't give me that bullshit–"
"You are a selfish person. A person who thinks nothing of tearing others down to build yourself up. However, that sort of person is weak. It is through cooperation and the building of trust that civilization is built. A group can do greater deeds than any one single person. Even a King does not stand truly alone. Their entire nation stands with them."
"At least I'm not a - a dyke!" Emma stumbled over her words. I suspected she was not used to direct insults like that. She preferred the game of two-faced comments and backhanded compliments.
At some point the music had gone silent. Everyone around us was listening to the two of us argue with bated breath and Emma's words had rung loudly in the silence. Emma's eyes darted around, searching the crowd. Perhaps even she realized she had gone too far with the use of an actual slur.
My stomach twisted and I turned away, suddenly feeling disgusted with myself. I had been so consumed with the need to inflict punishment upon Emma that I had turned her own weapons against her. Rather than act to rehabilitate her, I had wanted to destroy her.
"You have been given a fresh start at Arcadia," I said. "I suggest you make use of it."
Whispers started racing through the crowd as I walked away and Taylor followed in my wake. Behind us, Emma stormed off, the music kicking back in a moment later. Slipping out of the living room, we met Chelsea and Megan downstairs.
"Not quite the vicious takedown I was hoping for, but I can work with it," Chelsea said.
"Honestly, Elaine, you went too easy on her," Megan added.
They were not entirely wrong. Chelsea had given me all sorts of ammunition. Just because Emma was Queen Bee at her previous school did not mean there were not all sorts of rumors about her amongst Winslow's student body. Even still, perhaps there were better methods.
"I do not want to bully her. If she is smart, she will take the second chance she's been given. In the meantime, ensure she cannot form a power bloc amongst the students. Do not harass her, but make it clear she is to be persona non grata."
"Soft," Megan complained, but she gave me a gentle smile and pulled me into a quick hug. "Don't worry. We'll take the rest from here."
"Try to have some fun," Chelsea added. "There's a whole party going on. I know there's some games set up on the bottom floor."
With that, Chelsea and Megan departed, leaving Taylor and I to our own devices. However, instead of saying anything, Taylor simply scowled out the window, looking at the dark ocean below.
"What is it?" I asked.
"Just… I should be happy. If this works, I'll never have to deal with her again. Instead, I just feel frustrated. It feels like I just sunk to her level."
Sighing I put a hand on her shoulder. "Feelings are rarely simple. In this case, I would like to think we merely exposed her character for others to see, but you are correct. Perhaps there was a better way to go about this, a way a wiser person than I could have found."
"It's not your fault, I just…" Taylor ran a hand through her hair before suddenly pausing, focusing on something outside the window. "Hey, do you see someone on the docks?"
"What? In this weather?" Curious, I looked through the window. Sure enough, a boy stood outside, swaying at the edge of the pier.
"Is he drunk? What's going on?"
The boy took a step forward and disappeared into the waters below. Screams erupted through the house as people realized what had happened, and I – I shoved the window open and vaulted through the opening. Sprinting down the length of the pier, I dove into the wine-dark sea.
- The Rescue
Then, I spotted a dash of color amongst the waves and I struck out for its source. I found the boy there, floating, dragged out away from the pier by the ocean's currents. With a grunt of effort, I grabbed the boy and began my own fight to return to shore.
It was awkward. The boy was bigger and heavier than I was. He dragged me down and the riptide pulled me back with each passing wave. I knew how to swim, but I was not a professional swimmer or a trained lifeguard. Carrying another person was an entirely different beast.
And through it all, that dreadful cold seeped into my bones, making me more and more sluggish.
No matter the struggle, however, I refused to give in. This boy's life was counting on me to succeed. Failure was not an option. With a shout of exertion, I pushed the final distance to the beach, stumbling onto the sand. A crowd had gathered there, staring wide-eyed. I levered the boy to the ground and took a deep breath before realizing I was not yet finished.
"Someone call an ambulance! If anyone knows CPR, come help now!" I commanded. I did not have the knowledge to treat this boy myself, but I could at least organize a response.
My voice stirred the surrounding teenagers to movement, like an anthill that had been kicked over. Everyone around me was rushing. Rushing to render aid. Rushing to call for help. Rushing to get him inside. Rushing because they simply didn't know what else to do.
I stood in the middle of it all, a solid pillar amidst the chaos. At least, that was, until someone draped a towel around my shoulders. I turned and saw Chelsea standing behind me.
"Come inside," she said. "The others will take care of Terry. You won't do him any good if you also wind up in the hospital."
I started to protest, only to realize my teeth were chattering. My body shivered uncontrollably, trying to fight off the cold that had set in so deep I no longer felt it.
"T-That might be for the best."
She led me inside to a roaring fireplace. Dimly, I watched others go past, the room slowly emptying as water trickled down my scalp, my frozen hair thawing out. At some point Taylor had found me. She wrapped her jacket around me, before leaving to retrieve blankets as well. I struggled to hold my eyes open and deny Morpheus his due.
Then, between one blink and the next, someone was standing there who had not been present a moment before. Not a single person paid mind to her presence. She moved like a wraith through the crowd, never stepping aside, yet somehow never touching anyone either, seeming as if the mass of people simply parted naturally for her presence.
My sister leaned down, trailing her fingers across my cheek. Blonde hair so pale as to be nearly white hung as a curtain around the two of us. All that separated us was a black veil, hiding her face from view.
"My sweet Summer King. Thou wert reckless tonight."
I raised a hand, placing it over hers. "Is this a dream?"
"What is a dream, truly? My presence here is real enough."
I let out a slow breath, watching as it fogged between us. "And what has brought you to darken my doorstep?"
"I have watched thee these past months. You and the mistress thou hast chosen to cavort with." For a brief moment, her nails dug into my skin before she regained control, her touch turning soft and delicate once again. "I told thee before, did I not? Thou art mine. I am here to claim thee."
"I will not feed your delusions. I am not yours, Sister."
"Art thou not? Even in this new body, thy flesh remembers my touch. The sweet cries I once drew from thee–"
I batted her hand away with a snarl, my skin crawling at the reminder. The barest hint of a smile showed through her veil.
"You will not harm her," I declared.
Morgan simply laughed. "I do not need to harm her, Sister Dearest. Her tragedy is already written. Of course, I could save her, if thou wished. Thou need but pledge thyself to me."
"Begone," I said, scowling. "I need not listen to your deceit."
"In time, thou wilt see, and when that happens thou wilt call for me." Morgan raised her veil and leaned in, pressing frozen lips to my own. Though I struggled beneath her, I could not push her away until she rose on her own, satisfied with what she had stolen from me. "Farewell, my Love."
I started awake. The room was empty, the party having long since finished. Only embers remained in the fireplace. I could almost think the whole thing a dream if not for a single incongruous detail.
A single purple pansy sat next to me.
Very lucky draw on the Party Cards. At the end of the month, you will get a free point of SIZ.
It is January of 2011.
- Glory
- Shop
- Adventure
- Activity
- Social
Dabronyakumadznts
I am the CEO of MiHoYo (Status: Immobilized)
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Damn Morgan is THIRSTY
Skitzyfrenic
Elves are for lewding.
- Joined
- Dec 23, 2014
- Messages
- 4,362
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- 53,820
She's the mother of like half the round in Arthurian myth. Yes.
WeissSaber
Versed in the lewd.
- Joined
- May 10, 2020
- Messages
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- 14,824
A wild Morgan has appeared lol
Curious to see how she'll overcome this
Also cool to see Elaine shutdown Emma.
The mentions of Amy from both Emma and Morgan just makes me want more Amy activities now lol
DannyPhantom619
I'm a half ghost
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Well I'm glad Elaine is helping Taylor when it comes to Emma.
plammed
Getting sticky.
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- Jan 31, 2021
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- 635
Only more recent and garbled Arthurian myth, not the older and funnier stuff.
Martenzo
Getting sticky.
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- Nov 8, 2020
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- 60
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- 63
[X] [Power] Chivalry (EX)
[X] [Glory] Awareness
[X] [Adventure] To the Victor, the Spoils
[X] [Activity] Study Group
[X] [Social] Amy Dallon
Should probably do the Study Group. We've been explicitly warned not to fail English again.
Edit: Also, we keep failing Awareness. Which is bad, for a hero frequently investigating stuff.
[X] [Glory] Awareness
[X] [Adventure] To the Victor, the Spoils
[X] [Activity] Study Group
[X] [Social] Amy Dallon
Should probably do the Study Group. We've been explicitly warned not to fail English again.
Edit: Also, we keep failing Awareness. Which is bad, for a hero frequently investigating stuff.
Last edited:
Howelll
Know what you're doing yet?
- Joined
- Mar 10, 2022
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- 67
Emma has been defeated easily yay, but with their dissatisfaction with the method combined with Sophia's need to... Sophia I can't help but wonder if the trio will sink into the background forgotten or not. Did Elaine just interrupt Browbeat's (Terry) trigger in some way or is that me thinking of something else? Needing the crit on heroism to save him, with the cold draining strength, makes me wonder if putting a glory charge in Str over Power might be a good idea in the future.
The politics roll jumped out at me as something that, if passed, might have lead to Taylor regaining some faith in authority. Since it failed, her viewpoint is reinforced. So much world building that goes into all these skill checks and their ripple effects; very impressive of Aldsan to keep track of and use all these rolls.
[X] [Power] Chivalry (EX)
[X] [Glory] Power
Judging by discussion on SB, magic resistance won't be bought for over two thousand glory from now, for good reason, so this is needed to raise it indirectly with all the high priority magic adventures.
[X] [Activity] Church
Amy has been dated recently, and a strong connection with the church for supernatural backup beyond Erin is going to be helpful. Even if it is kind of funny that Caren the church lady is tied for third highest bond already. That and Elaine can't bring up supernatural concerns about Amy with Vicky and Dean present on a double date.
[X] [Adventure] Vampire Hunting
As concerned as leaving Heart of Winter to build up strength makes me, this has more going for it this turn. Morgan bringing up Amy guaranteed Elaine's next activity and social will be vampire related, so this has plan synergy. Also, the flavor text on the action is looking for clues, and we haven't even met the church enforcers yet, so this hopefully will not be fighting the master and getting Elaine killed.
The politics roll jumped out at me as something that, if passed, might have lead to Taylor regaining some faith in authority. Since it failed, her viewpoint is reinforced. So much world building that goes into all these skill checks and their ripple effects; very impressive of Aldsan to keep track of and use all these rolls.
[X] [Power] Chivalry (EX)
[X] [Glory] Power
Judging by discussion on SB, magic resistance won't be bought for over two thousand glory from now, for good reason, so this is needed to raise it indirectly with all the high priority magic adventures.
[X] [Activity] Church
Amy has been dated recently, and a strong connection with the church for supernatural backup beyond Erin is going to be helpful. Even if it is kind of funny that Caren the church lady is tied for third highest bond already. That and Elaine can't bring up supernatural concerns about Amy with Vicky and Dean present on a double date.
[X] [Adventure] Vampire Hunting
As concerned as leaving Heart of Winter to build up strength makes me, this has more going for it this turn. Morgan bringing up Amy guaranteed Elaine's next activity and social will be vampire related, so this has plan synergy. Also, the flavor text on the action is looking for clues, and we haven't even met the church enforcers yet, so this hopefully will not be fighting the master and getting Elaine killed.
8.3 - Grand Order
New
Aldsan
(Mysterious Heroine)
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- Voting
- Healing
The flower was not the first of such tokens my sister had left for me. In our past life, she had made a game of leaving such gifts, as if to show that no security I set could keep her away. I was tempted to simply burn it. Instead, I took it home and left it on my desk, unsure what to do with it.
A purple pansy. In the language of flowers, it meant, 'You occupy my thoughts.' A favorite of Morgan's. It had featured prominently in the very first such bouquet she had left me. My lips twisted in distaste at the memory and I swept the flower into a drawer to at least leave it out of sight.
There was no doubt in my mind that she had meant it as a deliberate provocation. A reminder. Only… the timing of it felt strange.
Why now?
Why had she waited half a year from her incarnation to contact me again?
"I can offer some theories," Erin said, sipping from her cup of tea. "Though, they would be just that, theories."
We had met at her house today. A roaring fireplace warmed the room, a sharp contrast to the frosted windows and gentle snowfall outside.
I gestured impatiently for her to continue.
"I've mentioned before that your level of… integration with King Arthur is unusual among the pseudo-servants. Sephora's project, for instance, has reported that the host's personality has remained dominant, with the Heroic Spirit simply acting as a voice in their head. They've received most of the Heroic Spirit's power, but none of the skill in using it. By contrast, Euanthe's project is almost the opposite. The Heroic Spirit is dominant, and has his skill but none of the raw power to back that skill up."
"Whereas I had neither."
"No," Erin said, rejecting my comment. "You started empty and have been rapidly gaining both power and skill as the Heroic Spirit fills you. It puts your eventual projections ahead of most of the others. Again, we can only speculate as to why that is the case. However, it does lend to an interesting hypothesis regarding our erstwhile guest."
I tilted my head, thinking it over. "You believe she had similar issues with manifesting as the other pseudo-servants."
"She does not seem the sort to sit back and trust her power with whoever's body is hosting her, so it's possible there was a conflict involved in establishing herself. Or perhaps she is like you, and has had to slowly regain her power these last few months. At the end of the day, all we have is guesswork."
As ever, my sister's thoughts were a mystery to me. I let out a huff of annoyance and picked up my cup of tea. "What about what she said at the end? About Amy?"
"That is more troubling." Erin frowned, her brow furrowing in thought. "From what you've said, it did not sound like she was threatening her. Not directly, at least. Rather…"
"What is it?" I asked.
Erin paused before answering. "Nothing. Just a thought I had. Try not to worry about it too much. We don't even know if she was telling the truth."
No. For all that Morgan hid her deceit behind half-truths and suggestions, she had never been one to outright lie. I played our conversation back in my mind, searching for hidden meanings. I shook my head. It was possible she had misled me, but there was a certainty to her voice. A certainty that my compliance was only a matter of time.
The teacup broke in my hand. Erin immediately got out of her seat, rushing over to try and pat me dry with her napkin, but I sat rooted to the spot, staring at the shards of porcelain.
"Elaine! Are you okay?"
"I am fine. The tea had already mostly cooled." I sighed softly and began picking up the pieces, gathering them into a pile.
"Maybe we should hold off on tonight's patrol," Erin said uneasily.
"Stop. I am fine. Truly." I placed a hand on Erin's wrist, putting a halt to her fretting. "Trust me to care for myself. We should go over what Merlin has discovered in the meantime."
Erin met my eyes, her face tightening in worry. After a moment she relented and returned to her seat, motioning to her butler. "Sebastian, go fetch the maps."
The shadowy servant ghosted out of the room, its footsteps entirely silent. When it returned, it wheeled in a corkboard, upon which a map of Brockton Bay had been pinned. Red dots covered the map, marking locations where people had been attacked. I studied it, looking for patterns, only to pause as something incongruous stood out to me.
"Most attacks are in the Docks and Midtown… but only a few in North End?"
"That stood out to me too. Part of that might be because there's a lot more homeless in North End, and it's easier for them to disappear without raising a fuss. But…"
"It is still an odd choice of territory," I said, tracing the map with a finger. "A concerning amount of these are near Arcadia."
And though it was not marked on the map, near the Dallon household as well.
"Have you noticed any students going missing?"
"...No." I could not keep track of every single student, but the administration would have made an announcement if there had been a rash of disappearances.
Why hunt so close to the school if they were not preying upon the students there?
"We will patrol there tonight. Perhaps we can catch them in action. Let me send a message to Victoria to meet us."
Erin's face twisted in displeasure.
"What?" I asked.
"She's a normal. She doesn't know about the supernatural and we're supposed to keep it that way."
"I would hesitate to call any parahuman normal, Erin," I commented wryly.
"You know what I mean," she sniped back.
"Regardless, we are too involved with supernatural events that are occurring. As our team grows, members will need to be read in by necessity if they are to provide any meaningful aid. The entire reason you shaped me into what I am is because of the need to stop a supernatural phenomena, after all."
Erin stood up and walked away. She paced back and forth across the room, biting down on her tongue as she thought furiously. For my part, I simply sat and waited, confident in her decision.
She must have tread her own steps over a dozen times before she whirled to look at me again. "Fine. You win. Only team members though. We can swear them to secrecy. And last I checked, Victoria had declined to join the team."
I grimaced and looked away. That was a fair compromise. She was correct to demand that stipulation, even. For all that I trusted Victoria, she was still beholden to New Wave. An organization founded on accountability would inevitably clash with one founded on the basis of secrecy.
"Very well. I can accept that."
"Good." Erin relaxed and sat back down. "This is going to be a nightmare to try and explain as is. We'll be lucky if we don't end up with a Sealing Designation by the end of all of this."
"If they do send anyone after you, then lean upon my aid. I will protect you."
"Thanks," Erin smiled wanly. "It's a nice thought, at least. Hopefully it doesn't come to that."
•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•
The night air bit at me even through my cloak. Snow blanketed the ground, thick enough that Erin and I were walking to canvas the neighborhood rather than driving. Erin had been inordinately happy when I had told her such, enough that I felt a bit insulted.
I was not a poor driver. She just needed to cease being such a child about it.
Above us, Merlin ghosted through the darkness, scouting the way ahead. Falcons were not normally nocturnal birds, but then, he was not actually a merlin in the truest sense. Merely a spirit given the shape of a bird. It should be no surprise that Erin had ensured his vision would be adequate to the task.
"Why did I let you convince me that coming out and patrolling was a good idea? I could be sitting next to a fire at home right now."
"If you were at home, you would be wishing you were out here," I replied, amused. "You are the sort who prefers to be hands on."
"I prefer not to freeze my arse off," Erin grumbled. "When I moved here I was told Brockton Bay was supposed to have mild winters."
It was and that was another problem unto itself.
The wind kicked up, sending another flurry of snow scattering through the air. I sighed and tilted my head back. "Perhaps we should call it a night. There's likely not anyone out and about for the vampire to prey upon in this weather to begin with."
As if in defiance of my words, a falcon's screech echoed through the night.
Erin glared at me. "You just had to say something."
I let out an exasperated huff and ran forward, following Merlin's guidance. The falcon flitted from streetlight to streetlight, just barely visible against the dark of the night. The cold stole the breath from my lungs as I pumped my legs, pushing myself towards the conflict that awaited me.
My sword formed in my hand as I rounded a corner into an alley. Inside, contrary to my expectations, were two people in costumes. A man and a woman. A body lay behind them, its heart pierced by a sword.
I brought my sword to bear. "Identify yourselves."
The man half-turned, taking me in. He was clad in a white robe trimmed in gold, a hood pulled forward to disguise his face, though locks of long, dark hair flowed out from underneath. The shadows hiding his eyes were not entirely natural, he wore some sort of black mask beneath to conceal himself, though it left his clean-shaven chin exposed. His expression pinched with annoyance. "Cloister, I thought you had put the barrier up to keep out any civilians."
"I did." The woman turned to look at me curiously. Her costume was closer to that of a nun's, a long dark-blue habit with a wimple to hide her hair. A veil hid her face from view. "Some people do occasionally ignore the effect. I take it that you are one of the local heroes?"
"I will not ask again. Identify yourselves."
The two shared a look. "Calm yourself. We are from Haven," the woman said. "I am Cloister. This is Sanctity."
They said the name as though I were meant to recognize it. It failed to ring even a single bell. I stared at them blankly before pointedly looking at the corpse behind them. "Care to explain that?"
Sanctity grimaced. "I know how it looks at first glance, but that's not a person. There's a rogue biotinker in the city who has been kidnapping people and turning them into monsters. Look." He slowly crouched and lifted the corpse's hand, revealing the claws that had formed at its fingertips. Then he opened the mouth open to reveal the fangs within.
One of the Dead then. It seems Erin had done a worse job of keeping a lid on things than she had thought. Speaking of Erin, she rounded the corner and skidded to a stop, panting heavily. She pointed a finger threateningly in the direction of the two Haven members as she struggled to draw breath.
"A bit late," I said blandly."
"Shut – up. Ugh. How are you so fast when you're wearing armor?"
"Properly made armor does not limit movement as much as popular belief would have you think. There are somewhat more important things to deal with right now, however. Do you recognize a team called Haven?"
"Sure," Erin sniffed. "They're a nominally Christian team that claims parahuman powers are a gift from God, a sign you've been chosen for greater things."
"Nominally–!"
"Our doctrine is a bit more complicated than that," Cloister said stiffly, cutting off Sanctity's outburst. "We simply ascribe to a belief in God's supremacy and that all things are ultimately according to His plan."
Curiosity nagged at me, but I let it pass for the moment. "Let us stay on task. Do you have any information to share about this supposed biotinker?"
The two Haven heroes shared a look before answering.
"It's… Think zombies. Each of these creatures are strong and dangerous to a normal person. If they can kill you, they'll make you into one of them. You don't want to fight them alone."
"We've seen this sort of thing before," Sanctity added. "Given that sort of self-propagation, they can quickly overrun a city if left unchecked."
I narrowed my eyes. There was something they were hiding from us. They had hesitated, looking to one another to confirm their story. The Dead Apostle had also been operating for months at this point, so clearly overrunning the town in a horde of zombies was not their intent – but perhaps Haven was not aware of that.
"The Protectorate called you here in response then? I was under the impression they tended to be more in-house." I said, testing the waters.
"They can be, but we've worked together with the Protectorate in the past."
A non-answer. They were evading, trying to make it sound like it had been the Protectorate who had called them here, but that was not the case, was it? If not the Protectorate however, then who?
Of course, when put like that the answer was obvious, was it not?
"Nimue. We need to –"
I cut myself off, my ears pricking. I had caught the barest hint of something. A shoe scraping against pavement.
"We need to what?"
"Quiet." I scanned the area, looking for its source and – There, across the street, a girl stood in the shadows. The pool of light cast by the nearby street light just barely touched her feet. She smiled as she realized I had spotted her and winked, her red eyes catching the light.
"Into the alleyway now!"
"What? What's going on?"
"Now!" I snapped, even as a flood of bodies began jumping down from the roofs around us. The Dead fell upon us, a tide of bodies that had been waiting silently above. I quickly backed into the alley, counting on the narrow walls to limit their ability to approach us. I would need to act as the shield for the others, to keep any of the corpses from pushing past me.
- Combat
A strange weapon, but one that seemed effective enough. Cloister's attacks seemed to be plain steel, but each sword that Sanctity threw shone with an inner light and seared through the incoming corpses.
Even with the volley of attacks however, it barely served to slow the horde. They crashed into me with a physical weight. I cut one down and carried my strike through to carve through the legs of another, sending it tumbling to the ground, but that left me vulnerable to a third, its claws scraping against my armor.
A bolt of fire sailed over my shoulder consuming another corpse, quickly followed by another flurry of those strange throwing swords.
The torrent of dead did not abate. I laid about me with my sword, none of my strikes definitive, but managing to at least ward off the monsters around me long enough for my support to burn off a few more of the dead.
Laughter echoed on the walls around us and I caught a flash of dark hair through the crowd. The girl – No, the vampire. Gritting my teeth I pushed forward. We could end this now if I could strike her down.
The vampire grinned in delight as I waded through the mass of dead to reach her. "Really? You're coming right for me? Instead of running away, you're approaching me? You're quite the brave one, aren't you?"
"I cannot slay you without getting closer, after all."
"Ahaha! Well, come as close as you like then." Her smile stretched, fangs gleaming in the light as I lunged to meet her.
She was fast. Faster than I expected, her form a blur even to my eyes. I ducked under her extended hand, drawing my sword across her stomach, a burst of mana letting me part through her skin. Even then, however, it did not cut as deep as it should, an unnatural fortitude resisted my steel.
Before I had finished clearing my sword from her body, her off-hand caught me in my side. A golden pane of light formed between us, blunting the worst of the blow. Cloister let out a cry of pain as the shield broke, but even with its protection the sheer strength of attack sent me reeling.
I rolled across the ground, quickly pushing myself up to my knee to catch her next attack, only to see her flesh knit itself back together, undoing what little damage I had wrought. The surprise of it let her pass my guard again and I found myself flying, crashing into the side of a building.
The pummeling left me dazed long enough that she could have taken advantage if she cared to. Instead, as I found my bearings, I saw her simply standing there, staring at her own claws in confusion.
"You," she said, "are not a parahuman. Are you?"
The vampire slowly stalked forward, her eyes meeting mine. Crimson eyes so deep I could drown in them. I tried to scramble to my feet, to offer resistance, but found myself frozen, like a frog caught in the gaze of a snake. Her raised hand approached my face, an inevitable force that would take me and drag me into the dark to never be seen again.
Then she reeled back with a screech and the smell of scorched flesh met my nose. One of Sanctity's blades had pierced her chest. Whatever glamour had gripped me vanished and I took the opportunity to flee, escaping back into the melee.
I found the others huddled behind a golden dome when I returned. Cloister's power, helping to ward off the Dead. The nature of the shield did not seem to allow for them to attack through it however, and the nun periodically lowered it so that the others could fire their projectiles through, striking at the Dead around them.
"What were you thinking?!" Erin snapped as I rejoined them.
"I underestimated her," I said simply. "We need to fight our way free. We cannot manage a siege. Thus far she has been playing with us."
"We have a prepared location we can retreat to," Cloister said. "If we can get free from this attack, then follow us."
"Agreed," I said simply. "I think our best bet will be to scale the building. We can escape by rooftop."
Sanctity nodded. "These corpses will have a difficult time following us. I'm not so sure their maker will allow us to leave so easily though, and Cloister can't maintain her shields while moving."
"I will hold the rear as long as I am able before following. Take the fire escape and begin climbing."
My allies nodded and began their retreat. I turned to face the mob once more as our protection fell, but instead of the expected swarming of our position, the Dead began falling back. What…? Was the vampire pulling back? Except… No, she was just pulling back the fodder, replacing quantity with quality. Ghouls pushed their way through the ranks and leapt upon me, snarling with unrestrained bloodlust.
I cut at their limbs, focusing on disabling them over dismantling them. My allies did the work of felling the ghouls, even as they climbed upwards. A pair of blades found their mark in the ghouls around me. Another ghoul leapt for me only for a fireball to intercept it, so intense that it nearly instantly burned the creature to ash.
The numbers were simply too great however. I found myself borne to the ground under the sheer weight of the combined bodies. I kicked and struggled, my armor helping to ward off their blows as I fought to free myself.
A giggle came from the alley's entrance, sharp and cruel. The laugh of a child, delighted as she tore the wings from a fly.
"Hello again, oh gallant knight. Surely you didn't think you could escape me that easily?"
I summoned my shield and used it to push a ghoul off of me, kicking another in the face as I rolled to my knees, my shield vanishing as I brought my sword to bear, deflecting the claws of another. The vampire was still approaching, taking her time, unworried that I might escape.
"What? No banter? No witty comeback? I know how you heroes love that sort of thing."
"I have no words to give to monsters," I said, slicing through another ghoul. My allies had crested the roof, which meant it was past time to escape, but I was surrounded, the way up closed off to me.
"Boring. Well, if you aren't going to play with me…"
My blood froze in my veins. My breath was driven from my lungs as sheer magical pressure pressed me back against the wall. I grit my teeth, forcing myself to stand, to push forward against her presence.
"...Then I might as well just end things here."
Out of the corner of my eye, I caught sight of a silvery thread. The vampire lunged at me. Without hesitation, I wrapped the thread around my wrist and found myself yanked upwards, like a fish caught on a line. My shoulder dislocated from the force, but the thread of ether pulled me up to the roof. Below, the vampire snarled, denied its prey, and leapt after me, only for a golden shield to intercept it mid-air. The vampire's impact broke through the shield, but it robbed her jump of its momentum and sent her hurtling back to the ground.
"This way!" Sanctity called and I immediately began moving, any injuries ignored for the time being. The trick Cloister had pulled would delay the vampire for but a moment and we needed to be elsewhere. We sprinted across the roofs before hopping down on the other side.
The Dead Apostle had been fast. Fast enough that she likely could have followed us if she had been so inclined. Yet, as we sprinted into the night, there was no sign of her. Whether we genuinely lost her or she simply let us go for some twisted whim, the night fell quiet.
Even still, we did not risk stopping until we reached our destination.
Erin's breath came in ragged gasps by the time a familiar church came into view, but she forced herself to keep moving and not to collapse until our ragtag group had spilled inside. She fell to the floor and lay there, staring up at the ceiling.
"What poor guests are these to be bursting into the Lord's house in the dead of night?"
Caren's voice cut through our group and the two Haven heroes stiffened. The church was only dimly lit, but it was enough to see the nun standing near the altar, looking at us with an amused sort of contempt. Father DiMaggio stood next to her, along with another man who I did not recognize.
The unfamiliar man was also dressed like a priest, but was otherwise unremarkable at first glance, his only distinguishing trait the eyepatch he wore. However, his movements spoke of experience. Each was precise. Calculated. He scowled at the two Haven heroes. "I thought I told you two to lay low until we were ready to move in force?"
"It was not our intention to –" Sanctity began, before Cloister suddenly cut him off.
"It is my fault, sir. I wished to investigate a strange noise we heard and came across one of the Dead. It seems it was a planned ambush."
The man drew a deep breath before turning his cyclopean gaze upon me. "Fine. We'll discuss what happened later. What about these two?"
I could hear the grimace in Cloister's voice as she answered. "Independent Heroes. They assisted us in escaping."
"Pendragon and Nimue," I added, as way of introduction.
The man nodded. "Pendragon and Nimue then. I am Hansa Cervantes. You have my thanks for making sure these two idiots made it home safely. If you would like, you may take refuge here until morning."
I glanced behind me. Was it simply my paranoia that saw red eyes lurking in the darkness?
"What keeps our assailant from attacking here?"
"Cloister's power is particularly well-suited to isolating a location. It grows stronger the longer she remains in one place. She can ensure that we are safe."
"Then we will take you up on your offer. Thank you."
With that, I dragged Erin off of the floor and we settled in for a long, restless night.
Keen eyed viewers may note that I've nerfed the stat block for the standard Dead a little bit. They felt a bit too tanky for what they're supposed to be. I may give them a second pass in the future and reduce their glory per kill as well.
It is January of 2011.
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WeissSaber
Versed in the lewd.
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View: https://youtu.be/thV9hVxt5Zk?si=FE7NoJajTiC_IlwM
Gotta say I love this so much lol
And power upgrade is awesome
Howelll
Know what you're doing yet?
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Who saved who this update, or was there no specific ambush target and either group would have lost someone without the team up. Now we know how strong the vampire is, just need to decide how to increase party dps. Against 20AR it might be worth getting mana burst or strength upgrades after Gwenn.
[X] [Power] Gwenn
[X] [Glory] Power
Not sure how high this needs to be, but one more seems ok,
[X] [Adventure] The Heart of Winter
With Gwenn, and the cloak this can likely be safely done. Might want to let Erin borrow the cloak actually so she doesn't die to aoe or something.
[X] [Activity] Study Group
[X] [Activity] Sports
No urgent activities for once, so either get the studying out of the way, or see what sports will have happen out of curiosity.
[X] [Social] Victoria Dallon
[X] [Power] Gwenn
[X] [Glory] Power
Not sure how high this needs to be, but one more seems ok,
[X] [Adventure] The Heart of Winter
With Gwenn, and the cloak this can likely be safely done. Might want to let Erin borrow the cloak actually so she doesn't die to aoe or something.
[X] [Activity] Study Group
[X] [Activity] Sports
No urgent activities for once, so either get the studying out of the way, or see what sports will have happen out of curiosity.
[X] [Social] Victoria Dallon