kj1225 Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 "... Your world is weird. People routinely get parts from others attached to their bodies and their souls don't explode where I come from. Actually, pretty much all of y'alls are weird. I mean, even Isobel has the weird tablet thing that can't shut it's metaphorical mouth." Kyle scratches his head as he thinks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Powder Miner Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 "Kyle, maybe I'd stop constantly ranting at you if you didn't seem to make it your life's mission to give me reasons to rant." LOTUS shot back. "Anyway, I'm an AI, though that should have been fairly obvious. Hadn't they already thought of AI in concept by your time? ...When even are you from, what are we talking, 20th century, 21st, 22nd? Almost everyone besides Alexandria are behind the times compared to Isobel and I, I've got to say it's a bit odd. Anyway, Divine Knight you said you were, do you require any maintenance or things like that, or can you function indefinitely without additional input or energy sources? What are you capable of, combat-wise? You've piqued my interest -- tactically, you could be quite unique." Isobel, meanwhile, stuck her hands in her jumpsuit pockets and stayed silent, looking down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElfCollaborator Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 (edited) Empi just looks at everyone as if they're odd. "....did I just, like, walk into a military installation? You're all talking about shoving weapons into each other's orifices." Edited January 28, 2017 by ElfCollaborator Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kj1225 Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 Kyle mumbles something about not minding shoving his weapon in your orifice. He immediately closes his eyes and covers his face at how stupid it was. "Yeah, kind of. We're being told by a higher power to kill things for the good of others. Admittedly, we don't have much choice nor do we really know if we can trust the people giving us the job but, eh, I've worked with worse terms." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raindrop Valkyrie Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 Snow, The Lady Ashford. She stared at the... strange entity that was speaking to her. She wasn't really sure how to comprehend it. It didn't really give off any magical signs or the clear notes of a construct. It wasn't like her either. She couldn't really feel any indication that this was a being held together by life strings. It wasn't life by Graterran standards. So, what was it? Was it an elemental spirit of some kind she'd never seen before? It didn't seem to command any elements. Perhaps it was one of a concept, like intelligence? Such spirits didn't exist in Graterras, but that didn't mean they were impossible in other worlds. Maybe, none of them ever got powerful enough to manifest in Graterras. It claimed it was an AI, but that didn't mean anything to Snow. As for it's questions... "I do not require anything so long as I am attached to Aelia. Even if I were somehow disconnected, I'd still be fine as this body has no physical needs. I do need rest however. My mind is like that of a human's still. Aelia is powerful but even she can't change the nature of something like that. As for combat ability, I employ the Ice Magic of my soul. I can use wind magic as well but have decidedly less talent in the area and it's not useful for purely offensive magic anyway. Enough about myself. What are you? Is that body your host? Do you feed off her energy and use her as a husk to your purposes? Or, are you just a guiding spirit? I can't say I've ever seen a spirit of your type so I am not familiar with your kind." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Powder Miner Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 That was enough to startle Isobel out of her reverie, causing her to suddenly look up at the icy knight with confusion clear in her eyes. "A-a husk?! What? No, it's nothing like that!" "Ha, I didn't actually stop to consider if you would comprehend me. I suppose that my world's just so normal to me it didn't strike me that I'd be that strange of a concept. Alright, so the basic thing here is that I'm not a spirit -- there wasn't any magic involved in my creation, I'm not from any of those organizations which dabble into the stuff. Instead, as an Artificial Intelligence, I am something of a marvel of technology. Scientists -- do you have those yet in Graterras? Scientists are people who explore the mundane workings of the world in detail and figure out how to create complex devices using them. I am one of those devices and an exceptionally complex one, as scientists where I am from have figured out how to create devices that can think, and sometimes think quite well." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kj1225 Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 "Wait if you're still human in your head and things that help humans not go the way of Trevor are kind of impossible for you... how do you keep sane? Like eventually you'll stop being able to remember things or you'll.... Wait, I get it, you must be attached to some kind of magical brain cloud so that you can avoid the things that make people all psycho. Cool." Kyle nods to himself as he understands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raindrop Valkyrie Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 Snow, The Lady Ashford. Scientists? Snow had heard of them, but they were a rare breed. Really just wizards given a different name, or that fancied a different title, in reality. After all, magic in the world of Graterras, was mundane. It influenced everything. Spirits, existed in every bit of the elements that a normal human could perceive. Water acted as it did cause the spirits that created it acted that way. The air, fire, earth... everything natural acted in ways due to the spirits within them. Beings of untrue life, more akin to what someone else would call microorganisms. Rarely did they gain sentience or become elementals and usually when they did they still had to succumb to their natural limitations being incomplete or partial life. "That term is only really used by eccentrics trying to defer themselves from others of the field. Spirits, Fire, Air, Earth, Wind, and all their kinds aren't magical constructs. They are natural entities that are part of the world. Magic can compel them, ask them to do tasks, or force them, but it's a force of suggestion. It only enacts natural occurrences much faster and in much more predictable patterns than is normally thought possible. They can also be affixed to housing such as yourself, in the case of a very powerful spirit, one that approaches near sentience, close to being true life. Or, objects can be created that invoke certain patterns invoking magic, that programs the spirits to carry out a task. Smaller spirits can be suggested to do things with the right type of magical suggestion. It's like tugging the reins on a horse or something similar. One implies intent, the spirits read that intent, and replicate it. Some spirits are powerful enough on their own to have intent of their own or even deny the intent of others. These are typically called elementals. A Housing for one tends to increase their ability to function. You only sound like you are a spirit of a type I've yet encountered. I'm glad that the woman you accompany is not your power source. Some spirits, such as blood spirits inhabit humans and use them as a power draw. They tend to also use their bodies for ill-gotten goods in testing out their gained sentience. They are typically malevolent if that's not any indication." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kj1225 Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 "Huh, that's what people used to think where I come from. It's full of shit obviously, but eh, they didn't have the tools we do now. Especially after the contact." Kyle scratches his head in thought. "But yeah, people like, thought that things moved because they had these magic elements in them or some shit, wasn't until that crazy motherfucker with the halfpipe dropped his balls that people figured it out." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kj1225 Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 Kyle quietly goes back to his room while no one is looking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chevaleresse Posted January 31, 2017 Author Share Posted January 31, 2017 Mitsurugi inhaled deeply, then exhaled. Calm down. Inhale, exhale. A troubled mind can't face the troubles of the world. Inhale, exhale. It is not the time to dwell on the past. Inhale, exhale. It is not the time to grieve for those passed. Inhale. . . exhale. It is not the time to mourn the loss of your home. Inhale. . . exhale. It is not the time to curse yourself for not being strong enough. Inhale. Strong enough to save the lives of the people who'd depended on you. Exhale. To think of all of the lives and lineages cut to an abrupt end. Inhale. To remember the feelings of flame on your skin as your shrine burned. Exhale. The sight of the entire landscape burning, because your own attempts at fighting had set it aflame. Ex-hale. . . The feeling of reality itself collapsing around you like the feeling of your own utter and complete failure to protect everything you loved . . . In-h-hale. . . She stood up, clearing her throat. "Lady Ashford. I apologize, but may I make a request of you?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raindrop Valkyrie Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 Snow, The Lady Ashford. Snow had given a snarky answer, her typical modus operadi... however, she noticed the careful raising and falling of the woman's chest. She was making an effort to control her breathing. Typically... characteristic of one trying to hold something in, something from bursting out. It was odd how often she ended up dealing with individuals here that had something just underneath. Though, it perhaps wasn't as strange as she had thought. It was always something Snow had been good at. Recognizing the feelings of others. Her empathy, was always lauded as her strongest quality, despite the other things said about her as a ruler. Her ruthlessness, her only the strong survive attitude, the things she showed on the surface, not but masks used to make any challengers to the throne think she was weak. They were truly parts of her, but anyone that truly knew her, knew they weren't the only parts that exiting within the Lady Ashford. "Hmmm, no apology needed. Speak your piece." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chevaleresse Posted January 31, 2017 Author Share Posted January 31, 2017 "I realize that you came here to meditate, but. . . may I ask you to spar with me?" Trying to meditate and clear her thoughts would only result in a loss of composure; it didn't do for a lady to let herself be reduced to a sobbing wreck in front of others, much less a literal force of nature. She really did feel ashamed of causing further disruption to this avatar's routine, but she seemed to be the only viable opponent; the others were either unskilled in melee combat or quite frankly too strange to deal with in her mental state. Regardless, having something to focus her mind on had always helped her; she didn't doubt the same was true now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raindrop Valkyrie Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 Snow, The Lady Ashford. "An odd request, but I'll oblige. A spar is it's own form of meditation after all." It was certainly a change of pace, an interesting one. From meditation to a spar. Who knew it'd end up this way. It'd been an awful long while since she sparred against anyone who wasn't one of the Divine Knights. It'd be interesting to have a new opponent. One she could possibly lose to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chevaleresse Posted February 1, 2017 Author Share Posted February 1, 2017 Mitsurugi nods. "I agree. I believe I saw one that one of these rooms was entirely empy; shall we move there?" The woman didn't seem to be upset; the goddess was glad. Most people's idea of meditation was peace and quiet - or, at least that was the idea of those who didn't practice a martial art. This prospect also provided another distraction to think of; she'd never fought someone who had trained in the Western tradition. Though Snow wasn't from her world, she resembled the paintings she'd happened to have seen of the Western knights to a degree; perhaps the resemblance ran deeper than that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raindrop Valkyrie Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 Snow, The Lady Ashford. "Alright. There should be enough room. Aye." Snow wasn't really entirely sure what to make of the situation still, but it was intriguing. She'd not felt this kind of excitement in awhile. Perhaps it was simply because she was a lot more than she seemed. This woman definitely gave off some powerful aura. It'd probably make for quite the interesting spar. She lead the way, and they arrived rather quickly. It was pretty easy to find an empty room in this hall. One that wasn't damaged to some degree was a bit harder but, nonetheless still not that difficult. She drew her blade, a sole Fang of Winter. A rather simple longsword in it's design. It seemed almost... unremarkable. Like any old soldier's sword. It didn't even particuraly air on the side of nobility. It was simple, practical. The only thing that gave it any bit of strange presence was the frosted look on the blade. Despite how warm the room was there seemed to be frost that clung to it. Just like her armour. The metal was even the same. It wasn't quite steel. It had a more bluish tone to it. A hue that only helped with it's wintery visage. She held it in her left hand. Steadying, she took a few practice swings, two handed. It'd been awhile since she fought with but a single blade. But, she'd figured she not use her personal style yet. "We start when you're ready. Feel free to make the first move." she said holding her sword just right in front of her. A Neutral stance, ready to take on anything that came at her in an instance. Yet, she didn't seem poised to strike. She was relaxed, calm. Almost unnerving how much her form breathed. There wasn't any rigidity to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chevaleresse Posted February 1, 2017 Author Share Posted February 1, 2017 Mitsurugi drew her weapon with a slow motion. It might have seemed like a motion intended to cow an opponent, to seem more threatening, but her eyes weren't fixed on her opponent; rather, they focused on the blade itself with an odd reverence. Only for the moment, however; their golden surfaces quickly returned to Snow. Feel out your opponent. She radiates an aura of ease that a less competent fighter would not. It wouldn't do to show her entire hand immediately to the woman. She brought the blade into a medium guard, well-balanced for both offense and defense, before circling the Divine Knight for three steps. On the fourth, she made an exploratory thrust, aimed at Snow's right hand. Aelia's champion would discover one thing very quickly; Mitsurugi was fast, incredibly so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raindrop Valkyrie Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 Snow could see the move, one meant to prod her guard find information. A smart move. She deflected it, though just barely. Her longsword easily caught the blow and glanced it aside. Frost chipped from it's surface, a fine diamond dust lifting from it's surface. The slight mar to it's surface quickly returned to perfection as the magic within the blade refroze the patch of uncovered metal. If Mitsurugi looked, she could see thin wispy fingers of frost lazily drifting on her blade. Hmmm, she's fast. Faster than I am. Not by much but enough that there's a difference. My speed, my strongest aspect I have other the others. Shame... Seems like I'm not the fastest swordswoman today. Though, I can use that to my advantage. The benefit of knowing more than one style. Snow's loose form grew more rigid as her body tensed. Not of nerves, but because she suddenly switched her stance. She quickly transitioned from her deflection to placing the Fang parallel to the ground. She gave a thrust of her own, aiming towards Mitsurugi's sword arm. It was more for her reaction, the attack was rather unorthodox but would probably take any swordsman not worth their salt down quickly. She didn't rather expect it to work, but figured it'd say something about her style of fighting. A statement she wished to make. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chevaleresse Posted February 1, 2017 Author Share Posted February 1, 2017 An interesting move, but not an optimal one; that would catch me off guard were this a decade after my awakening. Let's see how she reacts to this. Her blade was extended past the point where it could threaten, though just barely, and Snow's blade was aiming to remove her ability to threaten entirely. Mitsurugi would have tried something a bit more daring, but her opponent was still largely an unknown factor. Trying to do anything to her or her blade directly would likely stop a mortal warrior in their tracks with frostbite. She brought her blade straight to the side, angling it just enough to keep the tip of Snow's pointed at the air behind her instead of at her arm; this also placed the edge of her blade toward Snow's body. Pressing the attack from here could end in either swordsman's death, were this a real fight; the strike would either fall on her opponent, or the opening would result in her being cut down - or both. Instead, she retreated back outside of Snow's reach with a slash, more meant to ward off the chance of a followup than to actually strike with lethal intent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raindrop Valkyrie Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 Snow, The Lady Ashford. "Ah, that's her game." Snow didn't pursue, instead she stayed put and took a different stance. This one less rigid than like her original one. It looked more akin to that of a samurai than a western knight "Nice plan, you aim to not let me follow up. Sadly, that doesn't work against me." The sword she was holding suddenly burst into frost vanishing in thin air. Before it could really be processed Snow was already going for another technique. A quick draw, a quick attack. In an instant, Snow had drawn her longsword slashing as if to attack. Of course, Mitsu was nowhere within range of the actual blade, however, Snow combined this with the sword's innate magic. Iaijutsu. Something she'd learned from a traveling swordsman from the Crystal Isles, combined with her magic. It sent a blade of ice towards the woman, allowing Snow to continue her attack from afar. She aimed towards Mitsu's sword arm yet again, pushing on that point once more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chevaleresse Posted February 2, 2017 Author Share Posted February 2, 2017 A ranged strike using magic? I'd planned to only fight with my own sword skills, but applying some of my other abilities may be in order. And that technique. . . I hadn't expected iaijutsu, much less magically enhanced. A strike at the sword arm was necessarily aimed far to one side of your target, and this one was performed from further away from normal; Mitsurugi simply sidestepped it. Before she could deliver her counterstrike, however, the fight was interrupted. The ship rumbled, with the engines groaning audibly but not deafeningly as they had previously, announcing the hodgepodge craft's arrival at their first destination. A familiar voice crackled to life over an unseen intercom. "Cid here. Once this piece of shit stops moving you should be good to walk around. Mostly. None of the nasty stuff from between worlds likes to hang around. Just remember to get back into one of the safe zones before you launch again." It was now time for those going to explore - and possibly save - this world to leave while the rest moved on; the group would be back once their missions were complete. (You are now free to move between zones, or leave on a subplot. However, please only make ONE move.) Mitsurugi bows politely to Snow. "It seems that we cannot finish our fight right now. I look forward to finishing it later, however; now, though, I will go to explore this new world." Mitsurugi leaves for the Jak and Daxter subplot after hearing Snow's reply. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raindrop Valkyrie Posted February 2, 2017 Share Posted February 2, 2017 Snow, The Lady Ashford. "Perhaps another time then. Your speed is an incredible aspect. But know that speed isn't the only thing to value in swordsmanship. We can continue at anytime you would like. I shall rest my mind then, this exercise, proved... interesting." Snow threw her sword into the floor boards rather abruptly. She jumped onto it centering her gravity on the middle of it. She folded her other leg over herself and began to meditate. She didn't really feel like moving about more, so, she'd just have to make do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurorix Posted February 2, 2017 Share Posted February 2, 2017 Jade O'Duffle "I guess we're here, time to head out." Jade thought out loud to himself getting out of his bed and heading out to whatever mission he was going on next. Hopefully there'll be more of a cash reward for this mission. Jade leaves for the Jak and Daxter subplot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Powder Miner Posted February 2, 2017 Share Posted February 2, 2017 LOTUS and Isobel will leave for the Overwatch plot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kj1225 Posted February 2, 2017 Share Posted February 2, 2017 Kyle heads for the Throne room. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts