Clearing!! - IC

[Sei]

Penny Morricone
Evening Phase
Regulus Academy- Bravery Cliffs

Lyn listens to your words quietly, the look of irritation on her face intensifying the more you say. Though it doesn't look like it'll extend beyond minor annoyance, it's still more than clear that this girl does not want you here. It's all over her face and clearly presented in her body language. Regardless, she refrains from making any comments and waits until you've said all you have to. The minute you finish speaking, the sound of the girl's gum inflating again serves as the prelude to the inevitable, sharp pop.

"Honestly... What's up with the kids at this school?"

The horned student mumbles something under her breath. You find it rather funny considering she's, at most, a year or two older than you.

"Not sure where the heck you got the idea that I was threatening you from... But I guess that's how thrill-seekers like you roll. Always looking for trouble," Placing a hand on her hip, Lyn eyes you from head to toe- unimpressed, "But if you can't take a bit of friendly advice, then sure... Chalk me up as a category five threat. Super dangerous. If you pee your pants in terror, I totally won't tell anyone."

Though it's clear that she's obviously pushing back now, not once does she drop the nonchalant attitude. Had it been anyone else, her words would probably just sound like baseless boasting. But there is neither hesitation nor confidence in her delivery. She simply speaks as if- should the two of you come to blows- there is only one way this whole thing would end.

"Look, cowgirl... How about I ask you nicely? Would you please leave this place and come back when it's actually time to start class? ...Cus if you don't, I'm going to have to make you leave. And that'd be a pain in the butt for the both of us."

[I3uster]

Penny Morricone
Evening Phase
Regulus Academy- Bravery Cliffs

"Honestly... What's up with the kids at this school?"

Second year, eh? Sounds almost like a teachin' lady to me.

"I've never really had school before this, miss. Can't really say I'm a big fan of it too. Nature you can't walk to, everybodies' going crazy throwing sh...things and each other, and all the people I talk to end up reactin' like they got a snake bite in the crotch...no offense, lady." As if to accentuate her mocking she inclined her hat.

"Not sure where the heck you got the idea that I was threatening you from... But I guess that's how thrill-seekers like you roll. Always looking for trouble," Placing a hand on her hip, Lyn eyes you from head to toe- unimpressed, "But if you can't take a bit of friendly advice, then sure... Chalk me up as a category five threat. Super dangerous. If you pee your pants in terror, I totally won't tell anyone."

"Well, the place doesn't really look like it's crawling with uglies, so unless you think I'm dumb enough to fall down here I'm not seeing anything that's going to be more dangerous than you, miss. And you seem pretty convinced you are, so chalk that up to my intuition, I guess." She closed the distance between the two. Slightly raised brows betrayed her irritation at the situation, but she tried her best to keep a cool exterior.

"Regardless of that I'll keep my pants dry for now. You don't want it in your boots if you plan on walking."

"Look, cowgirl... How about I ask you nicely? Would you please leave this place and come back when it's actually time to start class? ...Cus if you don't, I'm going to have to make you leave. And that'd be a pain in the butt for the both of us."

Penny leaned her head on her shoulder as the woman finished talking. "Right, right, miss. If you say so. Wouldn't make me look good refusing a lady's wishes would it?" There was a mocking tone to her voice.

She clearly couldn't handle this kind of push-back to her attitude, trying to de-escalate whatever this situation was. And yet she still felt compelled to mouth off. "So, just before I say my farewells, what exactly does make this place too dangerous for someone who can clearly handle themselves? You diggin' for mines here or somethin'?'"

[Sei]

Penny Morricone
Evening Phase
Regulus Academy- Bravery Cliffs

Lyn looks you dead in the eye and scuffs. Rolling her eyes ever so slightly, she makes it clear that she isn't a big fan of your words or attitude. That being said, she-like you- keeps the hostilities rather passive. Instead of mouthing off in retaliation, she simply opts to take the situation as it is and remain silent. For someone who was just threatening to forcibly remove you from the scene, she sure has been rather dismissive of this whole affair. Though, based off of what little you've seen of her, this could also just be a part of her personality overwhelming her sense of duty.

"What a pain..."

But as you start to think this to yourself, you snap to attention at the sound of a sigh.

Looking even more troubled than before, Lyn hangs her head a bit and shakes her head a little. Exactly where this is coming from is a bit of a mysterious; however, that does not stop you from listening for an answer to your question.

"Why don't you just take a look behind you?"

Your mind freezes over as you try to make sense of that statement.

Call it confusion, bewilderment, or just plain unpreparedness, your mind shuts down for the brief moment between your ears receiving the message and your body turning to do as advised. It isn't until you turn a full 180 degrees that you see what the student is talking about. ...There, up in the sky, racing through the sky towards you is a massive winged-beast that can only be likened to one thing. ...A dragon, easily the size of a small building, is quickly approaching the two of you with dark flames visibly brewing in its chest.

"The two star students are taking the last part of their exam. Naturally, part of that exam involves fighting some pretty nasty monsters and there isn't exactly a sure fire way to keep those things locked up in the forest. Which is why I'm here. Babysitting the cliff..."

Despite your senior's disinterested tone, you're all too well aware of the supposed threat here. In this world, there are few Spawn that are more dangerous than though falling within the dragon class. Speed, power, endurance, and ferocity... These creatures had it all and they're widely feared by men all around the globe. A baby dragon on its own probably has the strength of twenty men... A dragon of this size though? Who can say what kind of havoc it can cause...

Groaning out of sheer annoyance, Lyn drops her bag down on the ground next to her and steps forward towards the edge of the cliff. Rubbing the back of her head once or twice, the horned girl lets out another sigh while doing a couple of quick stretches.

"...This is why I dislike freshmen. Always wondering off somewhere they have no business going..." Lyn doesn't even try to be coy with her words. Turning to look over her shoulder, she looks you dead in the eye as if to ask if this were the kind of danger you really wanted, "Just FYI, I'm only a two star student myself. No guarantees I can actually kill that thing on my own. Even if I go nuts... That being said, I need you gone. Like yesterday."

And with that, Lyn turns to face the oncoming threat- her magical power slowly filling the air. Just by feeling your senior's impressive aura, you're not only able to get a better idea of just how powerful she is, but also how fearsome that winged lizard is. The thought of fighting such a powerful enemy excites you, but standard reason also holds your trigger finger at bay. Teetering on the idea of turning tail or defiantly staying, you carefully weigh the obvious risks against the potential rewards...

"Hold on, Ms. Crowell."

And, naturally, before you can come to a decision, a deep voice calls out to the young girl from behind you.

Turning, you discover an older man, dressed in red, slowly approaching the two of you. Cigarette in hand, it's clear that he has a much different air lingering about him in comparison to all the students you've seen so far. Furthermore, though he's as relaxed as the girl ahead, there's no denying the overwhelming amount of "readiness" you can see in his every move. From a simple step down to the way he draws breath... Even though your own experiences are limited in scope, you can immediately understand that this man is nothing short of battle-hardened.

"Let the newbie handle this one."

A man of few words, he dominates the attention of two people by hardly saying anything.

"You can't be serious!?"

Lyn immediately objects, turning her back to the dragon in order to do so. The man in red however pays her no mind... Drawing his cigarette to his lips, his eyes instead shoot over in your direction.

"...Well?"

[I3uster]

Penny Morricone
Evening Phase
Regulus Academy- Bravery Cliffs

It was huge.

Not the biggest spawn she had ever seen, but size alone was not an indicator of danger for these things. Now this one over here though was definitely a heavy hitter. Like a multirole aircraft it ruled the skiesas well as it could inspire terror below.

An awesome presence. Not exactly what she had expected on her first day at school, and a bit of nervousness overcame her. She was still smiling cockily, but just one error of judgment could mean disaster, not only for her but also the exact person she couldn't allow herself to fail before.

She had to take care of that shitty attitude.
As much as her rational mind was occupied with the threat before her, her instincts had already reacted.

In her hand was a silver, old-fashioned looking six cylinder revolver. Its barrel lacking any writing that could possibly lead one to the manufacturer, but it was clear what design it borrowed from.

Colt Single Action Army, choice of sheriffs, cutthroats, army men and bounty hunters alike. The gun that won the west they called it. An object of pride in a peaceful time. However, today it was simply a tool, no, an extension of her body. Something that gave her the reach to take down the dragon. Machinery was humans way to accelerate its evolution, and it needed this growth spurt if it wanted to keep up with the spawn.

"You might wanna step aside."

Multirole fighter versus hand cannon, round 1.

The girl took a breath, and time seemed to slow down to a crawl. A series of automatic processes ingrained into her via rigorous training and some less savory methods was executed in an instant. A steadied hand, lining up the sights before the shot. A grip to her jacket, ensuring that the little charm she needed for this was there. A simple touch to the cylinder, a faint glow telling her that it had accepted its command.

"Howdy from Wyoming, you ugly ass lizard."

Suppression Round Bitter Creek loaded.

A pull of the trigger. A strange, electric howl served to punctuate her sentence. It was certainly not the natural sound of this type of gun, the hammer seemingly not eliciting the instant explosive reaction one would assume here. Powder had its limitations when it came to the spawn after all. Surely there were a few ballsy enough to still rely on this backwards way of propulsion, but as much as Penny liked leaving an anachronistic impression, she was shaped by a mind that aspired to progress.

The miniaturized rail gun howled, and the air around the small projectile ignited, its massive acceleration causing the friction to burn everything it touched.

The projectile bursted into a gooey mass in the air.

Killing had to wait. First it had to be robbed of its greatest advantage.

Wiseup!

Perk: The Kid

The last creation of the late Doctor Pilz was a weapon to be wielded by his latest project. A hand-held miniaturized rail cannon in the shape of a Colt Single Action Army. She can use it with a variety of ammunition types (see below on Skills) depending on the situation.

Skill: Suppression Round “Bitter Creek”

Based on an amorphous, slime-like spawn that digested its prey by wrapping them in itself, this round explodes on impact, coating the target and a small area around it in sticky, black goo, hampering movement. This goo is, while difficult to ignite with regular fire, flammable. If ignited by magic or another source of great heat the target will suffer severe burn damage. The talisman used is a dried piece of the spawn.

[Sei]

Hanazawa Renko
Evening Phase
Regulus Academy- Dormitory A

Cautiously stepping down the hall, you can see the end goal in sight. Finally... After what seems like a long and perilous journey, you've finally reached safe haven. Your dorm room...

When you first arrived here, it was only natural that you didn't know what to expect. Sure you've been to schools before. And sure you've been around people before. But this school is by far way different from the rest. Aside from the lunatics running around starting fights, there are also those who are running around starting other kinds of trouble. Sneaking into restricted rooms, causing small explosions, otherwise destroying property of the school and collapsing the ceiling on your head... Even on your way from the entrance ceremony, you were unfortunate enough to cross paths with two students racing in the hallway... You still can't tell what was worse. Getting run over by the two... Or getting swept up in their turbulence and thrown through a third story wall...

Needless to say, your day has gotten off to a rocky start... It has been nothing short of a trial and you would like nothing more than to see it end. You expected a certain level of energy from this place, sure. It might be a little annoying, but it's nothing you can't shake off and ignore with a bit of dignity. You're refined, after all! But... If there's one thing that's getting under your skin... If there's one thing that is making this whole experience truly traumatizing... It's the fact that there are just so many damn men EVERYWHERE!

"Yo, check it out. That girl's pretty cute. Think she has a boyfriend?"

"Pfft. As if you'd have a chance with a girl like that. Me on the other hand-!"

"Hey, babe! Digging the twintails look! And those stockings with that skirt-! HNNNNNNNNG!!"

Even as you walk down the hall to your designated room, you can feel the eyes of several men dancing across your skin. Unfortunately, this school favors co-ed dorms. ...You were not privy to this knowledge beforehand.

But all is not lost-! Once you reach your room, you'll finally be safe from their prying eyes! Eyes filled with perverted intent... Eyes that are no doubt shamelessly undressing you even as you briskly walk to your room! ...You can feel them breathing your air. You can hear them taking in your scent... Savoring it... Tasting it-! It's absolutely revolting!

You try to ignore it.

You step a little faster just so that you can get away from it all!

But... Once you're just a short step and a hop away from sanctuary, you can't help but notice something odd outside your door. A large box that surely doesn't belong to you... and it's moving... Unsure of what to make of this, you slowly approach the mysterious box and look to assess the situation further. But, once you've move in just a little further, you see something truly terrible... Your luggage has been opened... and all of you bras and panties have been scattered about the hallway...

[Katie]

Hanazawa Renko
Evening Phase
Regulus Academy - Dormitory A

I close my eyes.

Maybe if I can’t see it, nothing happened? I can just pretend that all my undergarments aren’t strewn about the hallway like flowers in a field and that there aren’t guys looking at them or me and that everything is just fine and dandy. Keep your eyes closed and everything will be alright.

…

oh god this is so embarrassing embarrassing embarrassing embarrassing embarrassing so so embarrassing

my stuff is everywhere i can’t just pretend the mess is gone if i close my eyes there are probable people trying to steal it from meright now and i need to right this mess before it gets any worse why did i bring that pair of panties oh god save me save me someone please

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.”

It’s the sound I make as I scramble across the hallway trying to get my stuff and stuff it into my luggage because nobody should be seeing this because it’s so embarrassing embarrassing embarrassing embarrassing

…

Who the hell opened all my stuff? I’m going to break them in two after I’m done with this embarrassing embarrassing embarrassing—

I pick up another bra and weep to myself.

[Sei]

Gawain Abbywood
Evening Phase
Regulus Academy- Dormitory C

"Huh...!?"

Once again the second girl utters something unintelligible. Cocking her head to the side in the process, a look of utter confusion riddles her face as she looks back and force between you and the cannon-wielding blonde. Her mouth slightly agape, it's clear to anyone that she wishes to say something; however, words escape her before they can be spoken. Blending in well to the silence, the girl says nothing more. She simply raises her head slowly towards the ceiling as if her mind just ceased functioning.

Meanwhile, the shorter girl - Varis- raises her gun as if to reaffirm your utmost attention.

"Ms. Kimiko, Please return to our quarters. I will see to the situation at hand and educate Subject Gawain Abbywood in regards to the wrongs he has committed. Do not be alarmed. I will set my guncannon to stun. As a student at this institution, I'm well aware that killing my peers is punishable by-"

"Hai, hai... Hold on a sec, please..."

The Japanese girl momentarily slips into her native tongue while cutting of your aggressor. Apparently having regained a bit of her wit, she peels her attention from the ceiling above and slowly steps between you and Varis. Putting on an uncomfortable smile, she turns to face you directly and clears her throat.

"Um... Abbywood, is it?" She's certainly a lot less annoying than the other party. A polite obstacle, if you will, "I think you might be misunderstanding something here... You see, this room belongs to me and Varis. Us two girls... No guys... It's right here with the rest of my information~"

Upon saying this, Kimiko reaches into her pocket and tugs out a piece of paper. After carefully unfolding it, she holds it out and presents it to you. Still trying to wrap your mind around her previous statement, she eye the page skeptically... Slowly averting your eyes to examine its contents. Only then do you make out the not-so-subtle sound of metal locking and clicking in the background. There is no telling where it's coming from. There is no time to check either. Not taking any chances, you immediately dive towards the floor and you notice Kimiko do the same. ...Before either of you make it to the ground proper, a large way of light brushes over your backs and out of the large hole in the wall.

"W-Wh... WHAT THE HELL, VARIS!?"

The Japanese girl is the first to react.

Quickly recovering from the incident yourself, you draw your attention to the blonde girl once more. The smoking cannon in her hand immediately catches your eye.

"DID YOU JUST TRY TO SHOOT ME!?"

Kimiko's panicked voice continues to fill the hallway.

"Correction. I attempted to shoot Subject Gawain Abbywood. As per my initial objective..."

"BY SHOOTING ME TOO, RIGHT!? YOU FREAKING PSYCHO!"

Varis is in no way affected by Kimiko's sudden aggressive behavior. She remains as cool and collected as before. Her eyes not once breaking contact with your own.

"Subject Gawain Abbywood was momentarily occupied by your presentation of our living directive. Following my battle instincts, I saw this brief lapse as a prime opportunity to engage the target. Unfortunately, I missed..."

"BUT YOU TRIED TO SHOOT ME TOO, RIGHT!?!"

You yourself can feel Kimiko's panic turning into rage and anger.

"Do not worry, Ms. Kimiko. As I previously stated, I set my guncannon to stun. Even if I were to hit you too, your life would not have been placed in any danger. At the most, you would have been sent flying outside and subjected to a small drop. Should such an event have occurred, I would promptly apologize with cookies."

"YOU CAN SHOVE YOUR DAMN COOKIES!"

[Sei]

Hanazawa Renko
Evening Phase
Regulus Academy- Dormitory A

Anger-! Followed by depression...

Intense, uncontrollable, and deeply felt rage-! Followed by more tears...

As the gravity of the situation presses down on you more and more, you are torn between these two states of being. Clenching your fist in a fit of rage, glaring at the obvious culprit-! ...Only to realize that within that fist is a bundled up pair of your most embarrassing and needlessly sexy lingerie. The kind you couldn't exactly tell your parents about...

You stomp your way down the hall and make your way closer and closer to your luggage... Only to stop every couple of feet and regrettably pick up another pair of unmentionables. Without of a doubt, this is truly embarrassing! You dare even say that this goes well beyond that. Such a word to describe the soul crushing despair you're feeling now doesn't even exist! Or so you'd like to think... Anyway-! A fistful of panties and a few bras later, you finally arrive next to the box.

"Rustle, rustle, rustle..."

A voice quietly narrates from within the walls of cardboard.

As you stare down the jittering culprit, you feel a burning desire welling up within you. The longer you gaze at the spectacle, the more frustrated you feel yourself becoming. Your eyes burn and tear up as your fist shakes and steadily rises above your head. Completely disregarding all the sultry looks and questionable comments, you prepare to strike. Retribution will be made! Vengeance will be yours! This incident will not go unpunished! With a fistful of panties, you bring down the hammer of justice!

...At least, that's what you intended on doing.

Mere inches away from delivering the fatal blow, the box turns towards you and tilts up slightly. At first it's nothing more than a slender finger, but that serves as nothing but a small prelude to a set of big, violet eyes looking back up at you. Big... adorable... violet eyes...

Your heart skips a beat.

Your chest suddenly feels tight for some reason!

You aren't sure why, but just seeing the culprit's eyes has stopped you mid-vengeance! It's not a spell... It's not telekinesis... Dammit, it's not even some kind of supernatural charm ability! You just stopped and started burning up for some strange reason and you don't know why!

Looking up at you for a moment, the person in the box remains completely still. Like a child caught in the act, they make no effort to defend themselves or even speak. They can only sit there and look at you like a deer in the headlights- accepting its own fate. But as time ticks on and nothing is said between the two of you, the little cardboard flap is lowered and eye contact is cut off. The box lowers to its original position and all previous movement stops.

...

......

..........

ARE THEY TRYING TO PLAY DUMB!? Do they really expect you to believe they're just an ordinary box after all this!?

[Sei]

Amy Collins
Evening Phase
Regulus Academy- Dormitory A

You muster up your courage. You steel your will and solidify your position. No matter what... You aren't leaving until your roommate finishes the story! After all, after that... "scene"... what else could possibly happen? Surely there is nothing more shocking that can possibly happen. Worst case scenario... They do it again! Or do it longer-! Or start doing all sorts of weird... nasty... disgusting things to each other-!

...

You feel like your mind is prepared for anything else this tale could throw at you, but, as you sit there, you start to have some doubts. The detail used in that last bit has awakened a part of your imagination you wish you could turn off and you're probably making it worse for yourself. But-! It's not entirely your fault. After actually taking a moment to look at the book in your roommate's hands, you can't help but notice that all this is still relatively early in the book! She's not even halfway through! Or even halfway to halfway!!! This story... it still has plenty of time to... "develop."

You can feel your psyche cracking under the pressure and anticipation.

You have chosen this path, but you might have regrets. Even if this is all for the sake of becoming bestest best buds with your new roomie, is the price you're paying too great?

Interestingly enough, as you start to rid your minds of worries, you notice that your roomie has stopped reading. In fact, you don't think she's said a word since that last line she read. For a second, you get excited and feel as though you won. That you lasted the punishment placed upon you and have proved yourself worthy of being pals with this lovely person. But then you actually look down at the pages... Still more chapter left... Ahaha... But instead of continuing on with the story, the blue-haired girl gently closes the book and rises from the bed.

Without a word, the teen walks over to the door and you can't help but notice a bit of haste in her step. And, just as soon as she approaches the entrance, she swings open the door with one swift motion. Her head peeks out into the hall- left and then right... But her expression seems just as deadpan as ever. Weird...

There's a brief and (honestly) kinda awkward pause, but eventually she steps out into the hall and says, "You should go ahead and eat."

And with those words, she takes a few more steps out into the hall and slowly starts to close the door behind her. But, before shutting it completely, she stops- leaving the door slightly ajar. Through the crack, you see her turn to face you one more time.

"Don't be late for class."

And then she just walks off... Leaving you alone in an empty room with nothing but some luggage, a dirty book, and a sandwich.

...

You didn't even manage to get her name...

[Airen]

Amy Collins
Evening Phase
Regulus Academy- Dormitory A

"I-I won't-!"

Ah...

There we go then... With that... I have actually lost...

While you could probably argue that I won, simply by virtue of her seemingly giving up before I did... But such a line of thinking is wrong, after everything I had sacrificed, the mental purity that would never truly return, she had managed to bail, bail without even giving me her name, denying me even that smallest of victories, the honor of knowing who exactly the person sleeping in the same room as myself was...

It takes me a few moments to come to terms with this great and terrible loss.

But when I do, it's with the usual Amy Collins shrug of 'just try it again later.'

After all, this was also that person's room, she couldn't escape me, we were going to have some sort of relationship, be it besties, or just friendly acquaintances who actually happened to know the name of the other person.

She can't deny me that forever... Right?

Wondering about a horrible future, I sigh to myself, before leaping back onto my feet, slipping my headphones back around my neck, and my key in my pocket, before striding out the door, sandwich in hand.

Even if my roomie was being anti-social, the other students couldn't be that introverted.

I would just befriend one of them first!

It's important to make friends early on... Because school life gets awkward if you don't...

So, mindless wandering until classtime it is!

Let fate decide the rest of the day!

[Sei]

Amy Collins
Evening Phase
Regulus Academy- Dormitory A

You failed to make friends with one person, but that doesn't mean the day is a bust! There's still some time before class starts, your lunch is portable, and there are tons of people walking around the school. All you have to do to get over this minor little setback is make one friend! Then you can come back and try again with your roomie. After all, it's not like she completely blew you off and called you annoying or anything. Plus she got you a sandwich! As far as you can tell, that like... a 0.5 friend increase! Sorta...

Nevertheless, you've gotta meet someone. Someone that'll actually talk to you. And the first step to doing that is walking out the door!

"Oh. Hi there~ Are you my new neighbor?"

...That was fast!

Not even two steps out the door and you're already being greeted by the person next door. Such refreshing friendliness!

Turning to your left, you see a girl stepping out of the room next door. She's a little taller than you and probably a little older too, but she seems cool enough... Even if you don't think you could ever be brave enough to pull off the outfit she's wearing. Still, a potential friend is a potential friend.

"Was that your roommate that just walked by?" Her eyes glance to the side for a moment, "She seemed...quiet."

You're a little surprised she decided to be blunt about it there...

"Name's Joshua, by the way~ And I know what you're thinking. Joshua... is a boy's name! Not really a good fit for a girl, right? So feel free to give me any kinda cutesy name you can come up with. Actually, I kinda encourage it... Hahaha..."

[Airen]

Amy Collins
Evening Phase
Regulus Academy- Dormitory A

"Ah yeah, new neighbor, that's me! Amy Collins!"

Saying something like that with a small bow, before realizing that was probably too much and hurriedly returning to my usual stance. Things are already going better here than they did with my roommate, first improvement, this girl actually seems willing to talk with me!

Good sign!

Excellent first sign!

Can't screw this up by doing weird things, a second rejection might hit me a bit too hard emotionally-!

"And yeah, she's not exactly what I would call talkative, but she got me food, so-!"

Unwilling to turn my back entirely on my roomie, even though she turned her back on me with absolutely no hesitation or sign of remorse! I listen when she introduces herself as Joshua, thankful for the first normal conversation I've managed to have since arriving in this place-! Sure, maybe Joshua isn't really a girl's name, but that's fine, I'd say it actually fits her remarkably well, I mean, it's a rare name for girls, but certainly not unheard of! Yes, there's certainly nothing wrong with a name like that!

But...

"Cutesy, huh? Well if it's really alright, lemme think..."

I've never been the best at coming up with nicknames, certainly not on the spot like this, but...

Let's see, her hair is really pretty, a nice silver color, so...

"Umm, how about Silvy~ It's nice and short, easy to remember, and highlights your hair!" Finishing with a smile, I tilt my head slightly to the side, "I've always thought silver hair is neat, so it really stands out to me!"

Am I too energetic?

Maybe I'm being too energetic.

Even so, I can't help it-!

[Vritra]

Gawain Abbywood
Evening Phase
Regulus Academy- Dormitory C

Eyes locked onto the little irritation who is so obviously the one at fault I begin to step forward into my room. Really I was assigned this room, I have no need to knock and I also don’t need to bother with this useless waste of time. I know I am not in the wrong, with nothing to do before my arrival and to provide myself with a distraction to rid myself of the irritation at the waste of my talent I confirmed the specification on this mission over and over again. So all this Ms. Kimiko has shown is that she is either mistaken in her assumptions or the administration either way everything would be on her. I honestly don’t care, while this Varis is immensely irritating it is essentially nothing but an extension of my feelings and thoughts towards this mission and how it truly is an unnecessary thing and waste of my talents.

Although before I can begin my explanation Varis attempts to use Kimiko’s actions and insistence on her papers as an opportunity to attack, useless. It’s useless because I have received countless hours training to eliminate such basic weaknesses, It’s useless because of how obvious her actions are and how obvious her tells are and It’s useless because of her weapon of choice, does she really think she can hit me in this situation with it. One might think that with my attention drawn to the documents in front of me that I might be open to sneak attacks and underhanded tactics but such thinking is foolish, I am the sword and shield of humanity a shield that falters has no reason to exist and although defective I shall validate my existence and complete my purpose, I shall block all harm and cut down my opponent.

Already moving before the click is finished I discard the paper to grab Ms. Kimiko’s shoulder and move her to safety, forcibly if so required, while wrong in her belief she still remains a civilian and thus I shall extend my helping hand to her as is expected of me.

Hmm guess her papers didn't fall fast enough when I let go, well once again nothing to do with me.

…It doesn’t look like I need to bother with a reprisal, Ms. Kimiko seems to have taken issue with Varis’s conduct, really everything she does seems to lead to demonstrating her wrongness, failing not one but two surprise attacks, demonstrating her faulty combat instincts, though Ms. Kimiko response seems strangely emotional for whatever reason, her mistaken attempts to block me from my own room, thinking she can make up for her mistakes with something as cheap and insignificant as cookies, really if one wants to atone they are supposed to use something of value.

.
..
...

Kuhahaha

Thank you Varis for demonstrating how you are completely and utterly in the wrong, it’s almost refreshing to be given such near validation. She is in the wrong, she is in the wrong about everything. Nothing to worry about because thus I am in the right.

“Since you seem to have such issues to work I will leave you to sort them out on your own."

Ignoring the argument between my two new roommates I stride past and into the room. I’m sure it will once again be an annoyance but it would be best to get everything in order I’m sure whatever they are going to put us through later will be simplistic but it will take up time so who knows how much I’ll have left after.

I’m also sure that Varis will put up another pointless and wrong struggle to block me but she’ll never touch me with such ineffective attempts, I’ve already readied my magic it will be a cake walk to pre-empt her if she tries anything.

[Sei]

Flutzwiel Hieugen (Fel)
Evening Phase
Regulus Academy- Dormitory E

It takes a moment for the two to fully come to terms with your little intrusion. Between your approach your innocent forcing of the apples, there is a bit of "oddness" for them to take in.

Neither one of them speaks, immediately. Their eyes are first drawn to your face, then the apples, then each other. Communication without words, as one would call it. Though it's likely that their thoughts are completely in synch, it's likely that their general mindset is one and the same.

"Hey, man..." Breaking the silence, the taller boy with the dark hair leans towards his friend. Moving towards the other's ear, he places a hand over his mouth as if to mask his words, "What's with this girl? Her skin's all pale and she's talking kinda funny. Is she's an elf?"

Whoever this person is, he's terrible at whispering...

On the other end of the "private" conversation... The shorter teen maintains a look of slight irritation. Not so much with you, but which the words spilling out of the other's mouth. Regardless, he doesn't acknowledge the tall one's question. Or even look at him, for that matter... Rather, he seems rather intent on looking at you- practically deadpan. Reviving the previous silence, he looks deep into your eyes for at least half a minute before looking back at the apple. Without a word, he reaches out, gently lifts the apple from your hand, and brings it to about chest level. For the remainder of the awkward minute, he eyes the peculiar golden fruit resting in his hand... and his expression becomes ever so slightly more troubled...

"This...thing..."

Those are the only words he mutters.

With a layer of sweat visibly forming on his brow, the green-haired boy becomes fixated on the apple. Almost as if it had suddenly become a matter of life and death.

"Huh? What are you talking about, dude?"

His friend- on the other hand- doesn't seem to quite see what he does.

"Ah... Gome-... Sorry," Laughing the whole thing off, the boy with the unruly hair gives you his full attention, smiling nervously, "You just caught us by surprise, is all. Didn't realize someone was listening in on our conversation. And... well... I don't think we've ever met a girl that looked... quite like you."

His mannerisms are awkward, but honest. While you're not entirely sure what that last bit meant... Seeing how he asked the other boy if you were an elf, you can assume there's some kind of misunderstanding here.

"Anyway, my name's Rei," Giving you a big smile, Rei finally takes his apple from your hand. At the same time, he turns over towards the boy at his side and places a hand on his shoulder, "And this here is my good friend Yoichi."

"...Nice to meet you..."

Looking at Yoichi's face here, you can't help but think he's sweating much more than he was a few seconds ago.

Completely oblivious to his friend's silent expression of fear, Rei simply turns back towards you and adopts a rather large- albeit a little awkward- smile.

"Um... Yeah... Soooooo... What were you saying before?"

[Snax]

Flutzwiel Hieugen (Fel)
Evening Phase
Regulus Academy- Dormitory E

"Name...Flutzwiel. Call me...Fel."

Looking at both boys, she makes a small bobby nod as if trying to curtsy and failing somehow. At the same time, she doesn't stop nibbling at her golden apple as if it was the greatest snack on the earth. Truly, nobody should hate such a great fruit, right?

With Fel also being dense as a brick, nobody noticed Yoichi's silent fear. Instead, she merely looked straight at Rei with her somewhat blank but gentle eyes.

"Box...someone inside it...maybe? You had...a treasure? This...Fel's, treasure."

She points at the apple she's biting into, innocently. At this point, Yoichi is literally sweating buckets and even the densest of the dense are able to notice - Fel, noticing this, cocks her head and puts her hand on his head.

"You...okay?"

Used Inner Fire
Inner Fire: A stream of light enters the body of herself or an ally. This increases their [uwoo] potential by raising emotional levels and instilling them with courage and whatnot. It also unlocks latent potential, raising their damage, aim and evasion. (kind of like an adrenaline buff)

[Sei]

Flutzwiel Hieugen (Fel)
Evening Phase
Regulus Academy- Dormitory E

"Huh?"

It's a quick, small, and completely dumbfounded response from Rei. Perhaps he just had a hard time following the conversation. Perhaps he simply just didn't hear you properly. Regardless of the reason, he opens his mouth- visibly with words in mind- but all that comes out is something stupid and unintelligible.

His own train of thought completely derailed, he turns his head- baffled expression and all- back over towards Yoichi. Having noticed the slight exertion of magic, he could only wonder what exactly it is that you just directed at his friend. After all, the light fades just as quickly as it is made. There seem to be no major effects on the outside... But when Rei lays eyes on his friend again, the boy has lowered his head just enough so that his eyes are hidden behind his unkempt bangs.

"Hey, Rei..."

There's a clear change in the boy's tone. Without warning, Yoichi speaks up in a low and foreboding manner- much like someone preparing to deliver grave news.

"...Yeah?" Rei still maintains his casual tone, though it is clear that Yoichi's shift in behavior has affected him, "Something the matter, man?"

Yoichi pauses, only answering his friend by raising the golden apple slightly higher.

"If I die here today..."

Suddenly, the boy turns and snatches the second apple away from his friend. Firmly clutching the twin fruits, Yoichi finally raises his head and reveals and unnatural fire burning behind his eyes.

"IF I DIE HERE, I WANT YOU TO TELL MS. VANESSA HOW MUCH I LOVE HER!!!"

It's a sudden, outrageous outburst that completely throws off Rei and garners the attention of everyone within earshot.

"UWOOOOOO-!!"

Letting out something of a warcry, the boy screams towards the ceiling before raising both apples to his face, placing them side to side, and chomping down for one big, overblown bite. It's unlike anything you've ever seen before... Not so much for its amazingness or any kind of skewed "cool factor". No... It simply stands out because you've never seen anyone attack poor, defenseless apples with their face like this.

"Tsch-!"

Yoichi chews vigorously- literally having bitten off more than he can handle. The look of determination on his face is... "a bit disturbing", to say the least. It's clear that his mind is dead set on defeating these sweet snacks, though his reasoning remains unclear. Nevertheless, he has committed the entirety of his existence to this single moment. This single summit. The challenge of eating two apples at once...

Having made some progress in chewing his first bite, Yoichi's face twists as if in pain. He falls to one knee- a small fragment of chewed apple spilling from his lip... He belches, but doesn't excuse himself. Rather, a faint trail of what appears to be smoke of stem escapes with his breath. If it wasn't clear before, it's obvious now. Something is wrong with the meal the boy has committed himself to; however, the fire in his eyes does not waver. Deciding to forego chewing the remainder of his first bite, Yoichi swallows what's left and tries to get back up. His knees shake beneath him and the golden fruits in his hands seem like impossible weights.

By this point, Rei's face has been shaped by a combination of confusion and disgust. But despite it all, something within him makes him reach out to his friend. The same person who is giving such a passionate and unrelenting effort before him... With a hand firmly placed on Yoichi's shoulder, Rei kneels down a little and manages a few words.

"What the hell, man...?"

It seems quite eloquent.

Once again though, Yoichi shrugs off Rei's words. Instead, he continues his effort to stand once more. At the same time, he slowly brings the apples back up to his face for another mouthful of sweet fruit.

"N-Not yet-!"

Yoichi reaffirms his own misplaced determination.

Having worked himself back up to one knee, it seems like he'll manage to not look as pathetic as he is now. However... Just as he prepares to take his second bite, his stomach expands very suddenly. Cartoonishly even... Almost as if a bomb just went off in his stomach... And he falls over immediately after. Eyes rolling into the back of his head with a lovely mix of foam and apple flowing from his mouth.

"KYAAAAAAA!!"

Some of the girls who were watching nearby start to scream. A number of the students start to scramble and holler at the sudden development while others simply start taking out their phones.

"He's dead! Somebody get the nurse!"

"You idiot! If he's dead then there's nothing the nurse can do for him! Quick... We have to hide the body!!!"

Amidst all this chaos, you feel as though you missed something rather important.

[Snax]

Flutzwiel Hieugen (Fel)
Evening Phase
Regulus Academy- Dormitory E

Fel didn't quite follow what happened until the boy keeled over. Not understanding what the heck was going on, she worriedly put her hand on the boy again, this time determined to heal whatever illness that ailed him - after all, it couldn't have been the apple!

Light washed over the boy's body, gentle and soothing...Almost like a droplet of light washing in through his system.

Angel Tear used
Her main healing skill for instant health support. Targeting a single ally or herself, she can direct a ball of light that falls from the heavens upon the target. The target then instantly heals X amount of health, heals some wounds, and gains a short term buff of increased defense parameters as well as pain inhibition.

"You...okay?"

Worriedly, she kneels down and puts the boy's head on her lap as she brushes away the foam and pieces of apple, as if they didn't bother her at all. She remembered she had done this for the children back at the village when they were sick or ill...

[Sei]

Gawain Abbywood
Evening Phase
Regulus Academy- Dormitory C

This has gone on long enough. You simply desire to enter your new living space. Your room. Why such a big fuss needs to be made about it is beyond you, but you're not having any more of it. Therefore, like it or not, you will not be held back any longer. You will enter the room. By force, if need be.

With the two girls now arguing among themselves, you take the opportunity to slip on past them and cross the threshold. You're sure you'll be met with some kind of opposition, but that is to be expected. It is the obvious result and- therefore- predictable. So you are prepared... The minute the cannon-toting munchkin makes her move, you will blast her with your magic and blow her awa-

"Hold it..."

A voice calls out to you. Not the voice of the tiny gunner, but rather that of the angered Japanese girl. It's nothing but two words filled with clear hostility and, naturally, this triggers your sense of danger almost immediately. It's just that... apparently... "immediately" isn't fast enough. By the time the girl's words even register in your head, the world has gone dark and you can't help but notice a distinct lack of a ground beneath your feet...

SLAM!

Your entire back and your body is driven straight into a flat surface, but it doesn't remain that way for long. Whatever it is, it's solid, but it crumbles beneath you from the sheer impact. And though it's not quite enough to make it collapse entirely, it's enough for your scrambling brain to register the feeling the pain. Enough pain so that a simple "ouch" is probably an understatement...

"Honestly... This school is full of morons..."

It's a little hard to hear her over the obnoxious ringing in your ears, but you can make out Kimiko's words of annoyance. Slowly lifting her hand from your face- apparently slamming you by your head alone- she reaches into your pocket and pulls out a slip of paper. Somewhere amidst all the pain, you think to move in defiance of her action; however, your body doesn't respond quite like you would. It's hard to say whether it's do to sudden disorientation or merely being stuck in the wall. Your body is a little too numb to tell...

Briefly reading over the paper she lifted from you, Kimiko's expression sours even more. Her eyes drift up ever so slightly to meet your eyes only to shift to the wall on your right soon after. She reaches out, ignoring you, and pulls something from the rubble of the wall. A small plaque... Then, holding both the paper and the plaque up for you to see, you delivers a very annoyed and piercing leer.

"Hey, you. Numbskull... Do you know how to read?"

You aren't entirely sure exactly what the girl is getting at, nor do you particularly care for her tone. However, still trying to regain the use of your limbs, you instinctively start investigating just what it is she's drawing your attention to. First is the plaque that she just lifted from the wall- reading 202. It's a small little indicator of the room number that is placed next to all the room doors. It's easy to tell. You've seen several of them on your way here. Next is the paper with your student information written on it. It contains things such as you name, age, gender, and even a brief summary of your classes. However, as per Kimiko's guidance, your attention isn't drawn to any of that. Your attention is drawn to the space that reads "dorm number". The space that reads 203...

...

.....

You sit there, snug in the wall, remaining in silence. Meanwhile, Kimiko continues to leer at you. She obviously expects some kind of reply...

"Excellent work, Ms. Kimiko. That was an impressive maneuver on your part."

Meanwhile, the blonde girl next to her readies her cannon once more and aims it at your head.

"Shall I deliver the decisive blow now?"

[Sei]

Penny Morricone
Evening Phase
Regulus Academy- Bravery Cliffs

The hammer falls, the air breaks, and the ground beneath your very feet buckles and tears.

A single shot like lightning illuminates the sky and races towards the heaven. Its target, naturally, is the singular dragon racing towards the cliff. Generally such a shot would be enough to tear apart thirty or so of your average spawn; however, given the current threat, such an opening shot is likely necessary. There may be no overkill today, but you'll be damned if you don't show this demon spawn that you're a threat to be reckoned with.

"▂▂▃▃▄▄▅▅!"

The vile dragon lets loose an inhuman howl upon seeing your move. Its wings make a slight adjustment as it prepares to evade, but it's too late. Your draw is too fast. Your aim is too true. And your bullet is way too fast. If this undead flying lizard wanted to have any chance of evading your attack- however small it might be... it should have started dodging before you even laid eyes on it.

The bullet crashes into the beast without mercy.

The sky cracks with the sound of thunder.

In mere seconds, the approaching dragon is engulfed in a massive cloud of smoke and flame that hangs above the trees. A fierce gust of wind blows across the forest below, signifying the residual force and the floating islands immediately surrounding the area sway in the deadly breeze.

From within the dusty inferno, you can hear the dragon's pained howling. Without a doubt, that little warning shot was more than enough to piss it off, but that only serves to fuel your rush even more. The impact was more than satisfying, but knowing that something could withstand such a blast excites you even more. And as the smog clears and the dragon emerges, you can't help but smile at the thought of the thrill. You hadn't managed to clip this little lizard's wings, but you can see just that much more effort being placed in their beating.

It takes a moment for the giant to regain its wit. It thrashes about wildly in the air, trying to shake off the effects of your attack, but its attempts are useless. Its iron body has been scarred and its scales glow with unnatural embers. All of this only serves to fuel its rage... But this doesn't faze you at all. After all, you have plenty of other tricks up your sleeve and even more bullets to accompany them. So if this oversized gecko wanted to tango, then it had better be prepared for a beating.

"▂▂▃▃▄▄▅▅!"

With another fierce roar, the air quakes and exerts an unnatural pressure on your body. At the same time, the mighty beast makes its move and flies towards your positions- several times faster than before. You move to pull the trigger once more, but the dragon's speed far outpaces you and your expectations. Despite its size and injuries, it's still able to demonstrate a speed on par with a fighter jet. If not greater. In the time it takes you to blink, its gaping maw has already wrapped itself around the cliffside.

Its putrid breath quickly replaces the crisp clean air as its massive teeth threaten to tear and crush your back back. Your mind goes on full alert... Your thoughts alone as frozen on the notion of attacking, but now isn't the time. So, without conscious decision... Without the capacity to even think or perceive death in that instant... Your body moves. Your body moves to the side, your foot sinks with incredible force, and your leg kicks off of the rocky ground with enough power to shatter your foothold. Your whole body is propelled in an instant and you just barely slip through the creature's teeth.

The rock face is consumed in one fell swoop and you just barely make it out with your head. Unfortunately, in your haste, you sent yourself flying off the cliff and down towards the forest below. You have no foothold, you're left helplessly falling through the air, and the black beast has already recovered and spotted you before you can catch your breath. Time slows to a crawl as its blood red eyes turn towards you. It immediately kicks off of what's left of the cliffside and dives towards you with the same monstrous speed as before. It opens its mouth once more, making it clear that it has no intention of letting you escape.

You reach for you gun, but you won't make it in time. Though your finger is already on the trigger, there's no way you'll be able to aim before it swallows you whole...

"Tsch-!"

It's in that moment that you hear a sound.

You can't tell where exactly it's coming from, but it rings clearly in your ear. If only for a second... What happens next is hard for you to explain. Not due to something as silly as being incompetent or plain stupid... No, it's hard for you to explain because you simply don't see it happen. One second you're staring down certain death and the next... The next moment you're staring down at the cliff, the forest, and the dragon with a bird's eye view.

"Honestly... Who the hell takes on a dragon without knowing how to Air Step?"

This is the voice of the horned girl you encountered earlier. The voice of your senior, Lynda Crowell.

With one arm wrapped firmly around your waist, she looks down below as the dragon tries to discern your location. As the two of you slowly fall back down to earth, the elder student looks over at you with determined eyes.

"Listen, I'll make this quick. There's not much I can do if I've gotta lug you around, but you can still attack with that gun of yours. Right?"

The rest doesn't need to be communicated. With that much said, the ideal plan of action is obvious.

Turning her attention back to what's below, Lyn locks eyes with the black dragon as it raises its head and spots you. At the same time, you can feel her hold on you tighten as she prepares to make her move as well.

"I'll handle the maneuvers. You just tell me where to move... I'll leave the rest to you, kid."

[Sei]

Regina Deschain
Evening Phase
Regulus Academy- Cafeteria

"Oooooo~ Ominous!" The blonde immediately responds with a catty grin, "Not only did you answer my question in full, but you did it in such a way that you fulfilled the criteria while still being super vague! Impressive."

You're not sure if it was intentional or not, but you feel as though there was an insult hidden in there...

Nevertheless, with her curiosity seemingly sated, Chloe drops back into her seat- nodding to herself in satisfaction. With this little moment passing, Casey once again sighs with embarrassment while the pink-haired Lucy just looks over and shoots you a reassuring smile. All the while, the ruckus happening just a few feet away rages on and increases in volume. But, as far as you can tell, it doesn't seem to bother this table's occupants in the slightest.

"Oh, right," Snapping to attention, Casey manages to tear her face from her palm to look at you, "I know this may come off as kinda sudden... And sorry if it's a little rude of me to ask. But have you given any thought to the kind of people you'd like to team with during your stay here?"

Casey delivers her message with a plain and casual tone, but there is no mistaking the honest interest in her eyes. Granted, it's a rather straightforward thing to ask someone you just flagged down.

"Um, sorry," But before you can answer, Lucy draws your attention by apologizing and waving her hand dismissively, "Casey has a bad habit of focusing on a single thing once she sets her mind to it. It can make her a little insensitive at times and often causes her to leave out important details."

"Did you just call me insensitive?"

And immediately Casey snaps back. She narrows her eyes and leers over at her friend, visibly looking a little less than pleased. Lucy on the other hand just continues to smile without a care in the world. Despite Casey's attempts to get her attention, her little retaliation is ultimately ignored.

"You're new, so you probably don't know this, but all students who enroll in the military courses are divided into four man teams. Originally we had no say in the matter, but ever sense Mr. Vincent took over, we've been able to choose our teams before going into our first exercises. That being said, the team you pick is the team you're assigned to as long as you're at this school."

Lucy continues by offering you a little sneak peak at what's in store. You imagine this would have been explained to you once you showed up for your first class, but now that you've been told here it's certainly something to think about.

Motioning to herself and Casey, the pink-haired girl continues to elaborate.

"But there's just two rules regarding who can be on your team. Easy rules. Simply put, you can't pick anyone who is either part of an established team and you can't pick anyone who is at a star level higher than you."

"Which presents us with a bit of a problem," Picking up where Lucy left off, Casey huffs and turns back towards you, "You see... While we aren't exactly two star students yet, Lucy and I are still second year students who are already part of an established team. Which means..."

Trailing off, the brunette slowly looks over towards Chloe.

"It means we can't take this idiot into our team. And because of the way she is, I worry for her ability to make decent friends and find a good team. So... You know..."

It's starting to become pretty obvious just why you were brought over here.