A Chain of Debt (A Matou Shinji AU Quest)

[Daiki]

[x] Join him for a patrol

It may just be for the sake of nostalgia but spending some time with good ol' Hillard sounds good.

[Skull Leader]

[x] Join him for a patrol

The dice wanted us to met our old male senpai (a rare form of senpai) from another life. Might as well hang out with him for the night. Just don't let him escort you back like you are in trouble.

[Dracueri]

[x]Join him for a patrol

[Malorius]

[x] Join him for a patrol

For the old times sake. For the memories of the strolls through the castle... That have never happened in this world.

[alfheimwanderer]

On the patrol, there are three interesting encounters. The first is with a group of older students fairly expertly handling an Acromantula, with Hillard commenting on how they don't seem to need his help, meaning that he will probably move on, since it's impolite to take credit or get credit for things one didn't actually have much of a hand in (and even a single hit on the enemy will count as you helping).

Does Shinji try to land a hit on the Acromantula, regardless? It would be a sizable amount of points - more than a troll.

[ ] Yes
[ ] No

The other two encounters are...going rather less well, with a group fighting (and being slaughtered by) an Erumpent, and a group trying to fend off a powerful werewolf.

Hillard seems uneasy with the prospect of taking a firstie into one of these fights, but since Shinji has always been a gambler, he figures it wouldn't be so bad to try and jump into the fight with...

[ ] The Erumpent - it's not considered quite as dangerous by the Ministry
[ ] The werewolf - the group seems to be holding up a little better, and Hilllard might be enough to turn the tide
[ ] Neither - both have him in way over his head

[Dracueri]

[x]No

No point leaving bad first impression

[x]The werewolf - the group seems to be holding up a little better, and Hilllard might be enough to turn the tide

If were going to gamble in battle better the werewolf than the Erumpent

[Skull Leader]

[x]No
[X] Neither - both have him in way over his head

Shinji should instead simply observe the fight and divine an solution to aid them without fighting.

Jumping in would surely make since for our Gambler Shinji, but its not HIS points so the pot gain will not be his. So instead work on the skill that he worked hard to unlocked and observe before leaping headfirst in.

[Malorius]

[x]No

We can killsteal later, when we won't be so easily caught. Right now it would be just unprofessional.

[x]The werewolf - the group seems to be holding up a little better, and Hilllard might be enough to turn the tide

Gambling on unsure result may not be wise, but that's just how Shinji rolls.

[alfheimwanderer]

[x] No
[x]The werewolf - the group seems to be holding up a little better, and Hilllard might be enough to turn the tide

---

Hillard raises an eyebrow when Shinji mentions that he would like to try fighting the werewolf, but nods after a moment.

"I suppose that is the safer choice, even if it is rated XXXXX, as compared to the Erumpent's XXXX," the prefect allows, shaking his head. "After all, if an Erumpent hits you, you're probably breaking some bones at the very least, if you don't explode."

"E...explode?!" Shinji repeated, incredulous. "How--"

"It injects an explosive substance into its victims via its horn."

"...so if you get hit, you turn into red mist."

"Not quite that neat, sadly," Hillard notes, grimacing. "Let's do this. Tag the werewolf with a spell, if you can, but keep back and leave the fighting to the rest of us."

And what does Shinji do?

[ ] Follow that advice - it seems quite sound
[ ] Charge in, using his wand to hurl sparks at the werewolf
[ ]Try to draw the werewolf's attention with a loud whistle, distracting it from the heavy hitters
[ ] Well he does have some aconite and a knife...

[Dracueri]

[x]Follow that advice - it seems quite sound

[Skull Leader]

[X] Well he does have some aconite and a knife...

Not the smartest of choices but it feels like what CoD Shinji would do, after divining of course.

[Daiki]

[x] Follow that advice - it seems quite sound.

Leave the stabbing + poison to Zabini.

[alfheimwanderer]

[x] Follow that advice - it seems quite sound.

---

And so the advice proved to be, given that it allowed him to claim credit for the kill - while not exposing him to any more risk than was absolutely necessary. Of course, it was perhaps not as glorious a victory as if he had managed to rush in and stab the wolf in the face with an aconite laced dagger but...he had the feeling that Ron wouldn't have been very pleased with him if he'd done so, since in this game, a "death" would result in the loss of all points accumulated until now.

As it was, his contribution to the fight was striking the wolf in the crotch with a knockback jinx when it was distracted, causing it to double over in pain - allowing the others to finish it with far more dangerous spells.

In the wake of the fight, he is rather surprised to find out that there is a rather pretty Asian girl - Chinese he thought - amidst the other fighters, who Hillard seemed to recognize - and who seemed to recognize the older boy. She also seems curious who Shinji is, as he arrived with Hillard to save the day. She is accompanied by a girl with reddish-blonde hair, though the latter is decidedly not happy...

Does Shinji...

[ ] Get Hillard to introduce him to the pretty Chinese girl
[ ] Head back to Slytherin - it is better to leave people wanting more
[ ] Introduce himself - there are few better impressions to be had than coming on salvation's wings
[ ] Approach the other girl and ask what the trouble is?
[ ] (write-in)

[Dracueri]

[x]​Head back to Slytherin-it is better to leave people wanting more

[Skull Leader]

[X] Approach the other girl and ask what the trouble is?

[Daiki]

[X] Approach the other girl and ask what the trouble is?

[alfheimwanderer]

[X] Approach the other girl and ask what the trouble is?

---

Given the circumstances, it seemed almost foolish not to approach the girl with the reddish-blonde hair and see what was wrong, since someone who was in a state of emotional turmoil could usually be counted upon not to make the best decisions. And considering that the Asian girl seemed distracted by Hillard (at least, if that's what her blushing and playing with her hair while she talked to the older boy meant), it would be better not to try to slide into the conversation, as he was fairly certain she would not think well of him for that.

So, his target picked out, the boy made his way over to the girl with the reddish blonde hair, who had seemingly been forgotten by her lovestruck friend and seemed more upset by the minute.

"Are you well, mi'lady?" Shinji asked, with an exaggerated bow, thinking to make her laugh - or at least to smile, so she would associate his presence with good things. "That fell beast did not mar your beauty, I trust?"

"Huh?!" The girl glanced up sharply, not having expected anyone to come to talk to her, and in the process...

'Huh...that's not her real hair?'

"No!" the girl cried, gripping the hairpiece before it could fall off her head entirely, with Shinji's face having gone entirely blank at the display. "You - you saw, didn't you?!"

"I...saw nothing," Shinji responded slowly. "Nothing at all."

"Liar! You saw--"

"Nothing except a pretty girl whose fuss over trivial things mars her features - and the brightness of her eyes," the boy improvised. In for a penny, in for a pound, as it were. Retreating here would only get him torn to pieces, at least verbally, perhaps by the girl - perhaps by her rather more attractive friend, who had noticed the commotion.

"W...huh?" she muttered, her tirade cut off by his confusing words. And actions, too, as he stepped forward, into her personal space, his hands reaching out and-- "What are you..."

--straightening the hair-piece, so that it sat a bit more securely on her head.

"There," he said gently, his voice seeming perfectly at ease - even if the trembling of his limbs proved otherwise, with his unsteady hands causing his fingers to brush the arch of her ears, with the girl letting out a small gasp at the unexpected contact. "Better?"

"I--"

"You should have more confidence in yourself, Miss..."

"Edgecombe," she supplied, her voice uncertain. "Marietta Edgecombe."

"Marietta, then," he said, choosing the more intimate option of her first name, and letting a small smile tug at the corner of his lips as he did so. "As I said before, I saw nothing...except a pretty girl whose fuss over trivial things mars the brightness of her eyes."

"I..."

"Alas, I must go," the boy interrupted, stepping back and giving the girl a jaunty salute with his wand. "Duty calls, you see."

"Duty...?"

"To protect the world - or at least my colleagues' grades - from devastation," he summarized with a roguish smile. "Master Hillard, shall we be off? I think there is _____________ that needs slaying."

Choose one

[ ] An Erumpent
[ ] A Dragon
[ ] ...a Dark Wizard
[ ] A living nightmare
[ ] (write-in)

[Daiki]

[x] Erumpent.

I don't want to fight it but we should probably not stay stuck forever on that vote.

Shinji probably thinks fighting that kind of exotic beast makes you stand out more, anyway. "Dragons? Please, too common."

[Dracueri]

[X]A dragon

[Skull Leader]

[X] An Erumpent

Let's not pick the hardest target. XXXX vs XXXXX. I will take the one that only four XXXX. Granted that status is based on the Erumpent not being the most aggressive target which is thrown out of the window because of the actions done by other students. (You just had to piss the magical rhino off kids...)