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Post by DreadLasagnaArchduke on Jun 23, 2018 17:55:50 GMT
June 7th Location Unknown Time Unknown
"The time has arrived. Soon enough, the dogs of war shall be let loose. We must maintain a watchful eye."
"The most watchful one, yes. Undoubtedly a powerful assortment, as always. They are likely to have done much preparation in the time leading up to this. We cannot afford to take any risks this early on in the game."
"No, we can't. We have made much preparation of our own, however. We won't be caught off guard."
"We won't, no." A devilish smile crept onto the man's face. "Now, we allow them to show their hands."
"This conflict will not be forgotten for a very long time. We will make sure of this."
"A legacy that will remain for all infinity. Truly an ambition worthy of kings."
"And kings we shall be."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
9:30 AM
"Good morning, Dust Springs! As always, I'm your host, Clown Stevenson!" The man sitting at the desk, given the rather unfortunate name at birth, had wanted to go into newscasting from an early age. Of course, given the name, the local news station had decided to go all-in with the gimmick, and he was forced to appear in full clown regalia when they did let him appear onscreen, which was rare. Nobody liked clowns, after all. He regretted having gotten into the business. He regretted not having gotten a name change. He regretted a lot of things.
HONK HONK! "We've got a lot of great news for you all on this beautiful summer day, with temperatures in the high something or other, and winds in the other thing!"
"The Splash-O-Rama is expected to be running in full swing this afternoon, packed as it usually is during the summer! Make sure you get your tickets real early, before you drown in the exorbitant prices, am I right? Haha..."
"There's been a slight increase in the pigeon population out here lately! Residents are worried what it could mean for the safety of our landmarks and lawn ornaments, and for the bread supply."
"Finally, it seems like the entire east coast of the United States has just kind of drifted off into the ocean. Nah, just kidding."
"That's it for me this morning, thank you for having me!"
There was a string of muttered curse words as the man walked off camera, crumpling the script he'd been given, as they segued into the actual news portion of the show.
The day was indeed arguably a beautiful day, and there was definitely going to be a lot going on, but it would probably be far more interesting than whatever the news had to offer, and far less reported on...
FATE/ENDLESS DESTINY DUST SPRINGS HOLY GRAIL WAR DAY 1
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Post by ramenigma on Jun 24, 2018 1:25:01 GMT
December 1540 Staufen im Breisgau, Germany
"I don't... Want to do this anymore."A man sat on the end of his hotel bed with his head in his hands. His suitcase had been dropped by his side, unopened and unpacked. A thick, red liquid seeped through its cracks and pooled on the ground."This whole... All of this has been a horrible, horrible mistake. Oh God, if you still can hear me, tell me. Is there any way left to save my soul?"god cannot help you"So prayer is pointless. I have already passed the point of no return."
The man violently jumps up and begins to pound against the wall. With every strike, the skin on his hand becomes more red, more tender, more cut. But he keeps on doing it as if he is trying to escape his hotel room. But the room was locked by his own hand. So his frustration, anger, everything... It's all just wasted effort.
He screams.
It would be later that same night that the man would be killed in a violent explosion originating in that same hotel room. His body would be so grotesquely mutilated in the explosion, that he'd almost be unrecognisable.
But only almost.
June 7th Dusty Springs Church 0:05
Altar boy. Altar boy. Please don't stop your song As you fly to the warmth of Heaven Oh. But Hell is the warm one, isn't it? I wipe the fluids from my face with a handkerchief soaked in holy water. It's hard to see through the tears. It's always too sad when someone dies. Every day. Every day there's disease, accidents and misfortune. Why is the world so cold and cruel, if hell is burning hot? I want to stretch out by an open fire and read by a bright light. Mmmngh.... I clap my hands together before the body. I mumble a little prayer for him. I wasn't raised to know any, so I recite a poem that I made up on the spot. Oh, but it doesn't rhyme because I was never taught poetry either. I'm a self-learner, most of the time. Does that mean I'm a self-teacher?
"Tpyo." My right hand man scowls and places a hand on my shoulder. "You're getting worked up again. Calm your breathing down."
"Mm. Okay, Caster." I nod and finish my poem. In the quiet of the church, besides the dripping of course, I can really hear my own ragged breathing and it upsets me a lot. "But I'm actually fine. I smiled the whole time, you know? Mewp!"
Fist pump! Peace sign! Twir- Ah. AH! Oh no. I slipped on the blood and my routine was ruined! Now my coat is extra dirty and I'm disappointed in myself again and now no-one will see that I really am a good and kind and disgusting child! It's ruined! It's ruined!
It's ruined. It's ruined. It's ruined. It's ruined. It's ruined. It's ruined. It's ruined. It's ruined. It's ruined. It's ruined. It's ruined. It's ruined. It's ruined. It's ruined. It's ruined. It's ruined. It's ruined. It's ruined. It's ruined. It's ruined. It's ruined. It's ruined. It's ruined. It's ruined. It's ruined. It's ruined. It's ruined. It's ruined. It's ruined. It's ruined. It's ruined.
"Caster! CASTER!" I bawl and I hug up to his tall cloaked figure. "It's ruined! Now I'm going to drop in the audience polls! They're all going to hate me! I'm going to be voted off! Voted off! Voted off or worse; I'll lose the respect of the hardcore crowd and be forgotten! Caster! My Caster! My red right hand!!! I don't want to be Cypha!"
"I have no idea what that is." Caster says soothingly and pets my head, what a kind man. "But if murdering a Church official hasn't ruined your relationship with the reader already, I'm not sure what will."
"Oh." I sniffle and wipe my tears and snot on my shirt. "But... I did that off screen. And, besides, isn't that what the villain is meant to do?"
I bend down and look at the corpse again. Just because the murder was quick, doesn't mean it wasn't brutal. A knife has been jammed into his chest where his heart would be, but I wouldn't know about hearts. I've taken the effort of stabbing a combat knife into either of his hands and... um... this is gross but no gross is good because if you're disgusted you are engaged so... I'm sorry but I also gutted him like a fish after death. His organs have been spilt out like maggots writhing out of rotten food but that's okay because they tell me that's just more protein. Um. Thank you, food. I'm only alive because you love me.
Would it be distasteful to have the TV clown report on this murder?
"I'm very good at this." I decide and do my exercises of counting numbers down mentally until I'm relaxed again. "This is a perfect villains opening scene. Yeah. Mmhm. Good Tpyo. I mean, bad. Yeah... Caster?"
"Mm?" He raises an eyebrow and peers next to the body with me.
"Will this work? He's not the big guy, but he's still an important member of The Church so..."
"By the big guy... You meant to kill God?"
"Oh! No!" I'm shaking, Caster you freaking moron. "Not yet! I meant this Holy Grail Wars equivalent of the guy who goes..."
I clear my throat. "REJOICE!" I fling my arms out and the words boom throughout the church.
....
"....REJOICE!" I do it again. "REJOICE! REJOICE! REJOICE!!!"
Rejoice, Tpyo! Rejoice, Caster! Rejoice, Poor Guy I killed!
That's fun to say. And it's ominous as all heck. Maybe I should make that my catchphrase.
No. I can't. Catchphrases aren't popular anymore.
"Um. So, basically, I'm talking about the Church Officiant overseeing the war. Compared to them, this guy was small-fry so I really wanted to open with a big shocking twist but I feel I kind of half-assed it. Am I a let down?"
Caster stops and thinks and sighs and scratches his head.
"You're fine, Tpyo." He finally nods. "This... grotesque scene will capture the imaginations of the other players. Don't worry about that. Instead, let's just focus on having you get out of here."
Can't let the Major Antagonist be arrested before the stories even begun, eh? He adds with a wink.
Mm. Well. Okay. So I end up pulling out the knives and with each one it's like pulling a plug out of an overfilled bottle, but that's okay because I wash them in the water basin. Then, I put my knives back in the pouches I spent ages sewing onto my clothes and open the door to the church. Moonlight shines on me like a spotlight as I walk off the stage.
"Um. Caster?"
"Yes?"
"Can you... I mean I can't do it well... I mean... Caster! As your leader, I demand you do the evil laugh for me!
...Please?"
Caster thinks it over and then softly smiles. And does the laugh for me.
Poor Church guy, I didn't even know your name.
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Post by The Agnolotti Raichu on Jun 24, 2018 5:48:22 GMT
Commercial District - Day 2
"C'mon! Outta my way! Move it or lose it!"
"............"
"Ngh! HEY! Watch your feet, asshole!"
"............"
"OW! Hey, what are yo-"
*CRASH*
"Ohhhh... H-Huh?"
"......Sarah?"
"D-D-Dad...?"
*record scratch*
*freeze frame*
Yep. That's me. Flat on my ass, weapon out of reach, and staring up at my own damnable father like I'm about to piss myself. You're probably wondering how I got into this situation, or even who I am. Well, let's get one thing clear. My name is NOT Sarah Dibraye. ...Well, I guess technically it is, but don't call me that. I hate that name more than I hate anything else in the world. And trust me. I hate a lot of things.
If I had to guess, this whole disaster started... yesterday. I had already been in Dust Springs for a little while. Don't ask how I got there, or what I was doing. It's not important. Dad came in that morning. Don't know how he got here, either. But he probably came in on that stupid elephant owned by that weirdo. You know the one? You know the one. Probably went a little something like this...
---
"Master! Our destination fast approaches! Arrival in about 10 minutes!" The weirdo starts.
"..........."
"...Master?" He turns around and sees my dad facing the opposite way. "You've said not a word since we've embarked. Are you quite alright?"
"......Fine."
"I sympathize with you. It must be quite agitating, the situation at hand, but all can be solved with a clear conscience. Bottling up your nervousness is-"
"It is no mere nervousness." Dad holds up his right fist so the weirdo can see. "This sigil upon my wrist... it is everything that my ancestors before me feared. Resting upon me is all of their expectations, and the future for the generations afterward. The entire fate of my lineage rests in the coming days. I do not have time for nervousness..."
"I... I see. 8 minutes until arrival."
"Stop here. I shall walk the rest of the way."
"But it's summer, and we are quite far South, are we not?"
"I cannot be spotted with your ridiculous clothing and your elephant. It will attract too much attention from the public, and I will not be so ill-fated for my chance at success to fail before it appears. Do you understand me?"
"Y-Yes, Master. I understand. Though do take care of yourself."
"...I will manage." I dunno what Dad did after that, but nobody said anything about any elephants, so he probably did that... like... spirit thing? That's a thing, right? We'll say it's a thing. He must've ended up in the suburbs, walking by himself. Or uh... the Residential District if you want to be some kind of fancy jackass.
---
Me? At that point, I had made the Commercial District my hangout spot. Didn't really have anywhere to go, and damn it all if I get put in an orphanage or something like that. That's not my style. I manage just fine on the streets. I wasn't doing much of anything, mostly just digging through trash cans for any potential treasures. That dumb proverb and all. It wasn't the best life, but I wasn't going back to New York anytime soon.
...What's that? You need to know what I look like? The hell?! How am I supposed to describe myself?! That's just... That's weird. Uh... I guess I'm pretty scrawny. Street life does that to you. What else...? Oh! I like wearing my hair in two pigtails! There. Scrawny girl with pigtails. That should be more than enough to go on. Nosy assholes.
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Post by Try Biển Noodles on Jun 24, 2018 19:50:01 GMT
Amusement District Splash-O-Rama
“It’s my turn!” “No I was here first!” “No! You were first last time!” “Liar!” *GLAAAAAAAAAAAARRRREEE*On the top of a Splasho-O-Rama waterslide stands an intimidating lifeguard towering over two fighting brothers. “You’re holding up the line. Someone go down the slide before one of you hurt yourselves.” *GULP!*The boys shut up and hurry down the slide. This sort of interaction is not uncommon to Sofia Garcias, and her unflinching face confirms this fact. “Rather harsh, no? They will only be boys for a small fraction of their lives, why not allow them to enjoy it at their fullest.” A voice whispers in her ear. “I thought I told you not to speak to me while I am on duty.” “You could at least allow me to enjoy the pool while I am here. Public swimming areas are perfect for promoting body positivity, and it would be a shame to not participate.” “Look, I already told you that there would be serious ramifications if people saw you. If you want to scope out the water park, be my guest; however, stay hidden even if you find someone else participating in this ‘war’.” A small girl stares at Sofia who appears to be talking to herself. Sofia responds by giving a glare that sends the message “What are YOU looking at. Go down the slide already.” “Very well my master, but this whole tough girl act doesn’t suit you. Perhaps you’d be a bit happier if you embodied the emotions you showed me after summoning me.” Saber soon leaves after realizing Sofia has no intention of responding. The what followed the summoning ritual is the last thing the lifeguard wants to think after all. Administrative District Library - Hidden Chamber Last Night - Moments after the Ritual The light in engulfing the room faded, in the middle of the magic circle stood a finely dressed hispanic man. The young woman and middle aged man beside her removed the hands they were using to shield their eyes. As soon as Sofia caught a glimpse of the person in front of her, her face twisted into absolute horror. “It is a pleasure to meet you master. I am a servant of the saber class as you can tell by my fencing sabre.” He walks up to the young woman and grabs her hand whilst taking a knee. “I promise to win this war for you in a just and fair way. Together, we will exemplify the beauty of humanity.” “No… you can’t be...” Tears rolled down the woman’s face. “What’s the matter Sofia,” the man spoke up. “Considering you are not a mage and I am one of low rank, summoning a servant of the Saber class is a big deal and could mean victory for you in this war.” While this was exactly what Sofia wanted, she was nonetheless shook to her core. “[redacted] it cannot be real. Y-your alive… I-I brought you back….” A smile crept on Sofia’s face as she processed seeing [redacted] in front of her. “...So that’s what I look like to you… This is your definition of beauty.” “Huh…?” “I apologize, but I am not the man you see. For various reasons, I take the form of the person my master views as the most beautiful.” The man responded in a comforting voice. “It is my goal to pursue the beauty of humanity and allow others to see their own beauty. I hope this form will assist me in assisting you.” “S-so it was too good to be true. This dumb ritual brought me a sham, a phony.” Sofia pulls away from Saber and begins to leave. “Miss Sofia, I wouldn’t give up so quickly if I were you.” The middle aged man. “This summoning ritual was only the first step of the holy grail war. I explained it earlier, if you want your wish granted, you need to defeat the rest of the masters.” “BUT HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO DO THAT WHEN MY ‘SERVANT’ LOOKS LIKE THAT!” The man recoiled with a look on his face signifying he understood exactly what Sofia was referring to. Saber quickly spoke up. “I am afraid I do not follow. If this is the form you view as most beautiful, how could there be any issues with how I look?” Sofia let out a frustrating sigh before answering. “Look, there is no resident of this city that does not know that face. If someone saw [redacted] wandering around town, there would be a public outcry!” “Well if that’s going to be an issue, why don’t I show you a little something we servants can do?” Saber suddenly vanishes. “As long as I have a steady stream of mana, I can quell any worry you have.” “You need me to give you magic power? Sorry to break it to you, but I’m not a ma-” “I’ll supply you with magic energy.” The middle aged man interrupts. “I may not be a great mage, but I’ve got enough mana to support you… It’s what [redacted] would have wanted.” And with that, this trio of nobodies were prepared to take on a hopeless fight. These underdogs were going to face off against incredibly mages and deadly servant, but the drive for victory was nonetheless there. Despite the odds that were against them, the hope for a brighter future gleamed in their eyes… well namely Saber’s eyes. Sofia is still incredibly skeptical of the whole war thing and feels uncomfortable being with her ‘servant’. On the way home from the library“So Master, what do you do for a living?” “I’m a lifeguard, what-it-too-ya?” “Aaaah. A guard of others lives. Quite the noble profession! Very suiting for a beautiful hero.” “First off, I am no hero. Second, I just sit around all day making sure no one drowns. While it may not be glamorous, someone has to do it and it fits my skill-set as a swimmer.” “How modest of you. Just another beautiful trait, but don’t forget it is important to own your accomplishments and challenge others to reach the same noble highs as oneself!” “What the hell are you talking about?... Are you supposed to be a motivational speaker of a warrior to win a war?” “Why can’t I be both?” “...whatever. Just don’t drag me into your heroic crusade.”
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Post by gemellidreamer on Jun 24, 2018 22:33:35 GMT
Residential District - A Nondescript Park
It was a fairly unusual day for many reasons. Wei had realized this even while being completely unaware of what the other participants in the Holy Grail War were up to. He didn't exactly have much time to think about what the others were doing, however. Right now, he was focused on trying to appear as inconspicuous as possible, something that was made much more difficult by the presence of his Servant... Who technically wasn't 'present', but his voice was still there.
As soon as it became clear to Wei that he was to be the Master of a Berserker-class Servant, several things became very clear to him. In terms of pure power, he was likely to have the strongest Servant, unless one of the other participants had summoned a truly legendary Servant that could mop the floor with the others. Just going by past history, Saber was the most likely if this event occured at all. Something else had had quickly realized was that summoning a Berserker meant subtlety was mostly thrown out the window. He had heard about a few Berserkers who actually maintained some reason. Those who whose madness was driven by jealousy, or envy, or some other emotion that could be easily hidden until battle started, and they more or less looked like ordinary people. To his relief, he had actually managed to summon a Berserker who was capable of communication. Rather simple communication most of the time, but still a boon that he would appreciate greatly.
To Wei's detriment, on the other hand, he had summoned a Berserker who stood out. A lot. To the point that Wei immediately knew that he needed to keep him in spiritual form most of the time, unless he wanted rumors to start spreading and for the other participants to instantly know their first target. While Wei wasn't sure how good his chances of winning the war were, he did intend to not embarrass himself and lose on the first day or something as ridiculous as that. The hulking man made of muscle that he called his Servant had various complaints about being kept in spiritual form for too long, but reluctantly agreed on the condition that he would face his first opponent soon. We wasn't sure if that was a condition that he could actually keep or not, but trouble had a habit of finding him, so it seemed like a safe agreement to make.
And what was Wei doing now? Something extremely ridiculous. Something that he did not want to do. The least embarrassing way to put it was that he was bird-watching. The most embarrassing way to put it was that his Servant, upon hearing the news about pigeon numbers slightly increasing, had loudly yelled about how this was clearly an enemy attack, and Wei needed to examine the pigeons to find out which one of them was secretly an enemy Servant. And so Wei, binoculars in hand, went to the closest park to where he left, and watched the birds. Yep. He could feel the debts going away already with this very productive tactic.
"To the right! That bird is about to strike!" Wei could hear Berserker's voice in his mind, almost gleeful at the chance to attack some innocent animal that had done nothing wrong to anyone.
"... No, that bird just went to go pick some food off the ground."
Maybe it was better that things were peaceful for now. He imagined things wouldn't stay that way for long.
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Post by ramenigma on Jun 25, 2018 1:09:21 GMT
? ? ? - ? ? ? Time Unknown
"If someone is unkind to you, you must be even crueller." The man with the glasses and the clipboard began as he paced the white room. "The world will be unkind to you, the world is unkind to you, the world has always been unkind to you. So, you must be willing to be proactive. You must be willing to do any kind of violence, crime and unpleasantness in order to achieve your goals. Because the world won't love you, won't help you, won't protect you. You must live for yourself. And, since you are a part of us that means you must live for us and you must act for our goals. Do you understand?"
Oh. Who is this? This is the Grand Seer of the Dark King Satanael. He who has mastered the fifty orbs of dark infraction and creator of the hellspawn hommunculi project. Under the rule of the masters of evil, The Organisation of Evil looks to conquer the world and become as gods! World Ender of the Black Spawn Cauldron froths and bursts with cruel powers that they have absorbed to access the worlds true Nightmare Drive. Ah. Ah ah ah. I think I'm screaming again. No, wait. I meant to say. This is the true power of my kingdom, and as the Heir to Maleficence I will follow the training of my instructors in apocalyptic action.
Sire. I understand. I nod to indicate my secession to the words of the evil one.
"Good. Then, let's try this again." He motions me to wipe my face and pick up the AntiHeroes Archweapon. "This time... Without the theatrics, please."
i pick up the knife and i begin the Tutorial Battle
Residential District - A Park That Could Be Described But Won't Be
Today is going to be a great day! Every day can be a great day when you think in the right way.
Heading back from the church, I cleaned myself off and me and Caster bought ice-cream and sandwiches. Back at my secret headquarters, they taught me that nutrition is one of the most important things in life. That's why I always make sure to eat a balanced diet. And since it's such a nice day and the sky is so blue and the sun hurts my eyes, we should have a picnic. That's what I declared. That was my decision.
However, once we'd entered the park it became apparent that there was a major issue. There was a pinup notice board at the entrance. And someone had lost their wedding ring in the park. I mean, of course, that's their own misfortune. But they left a number to call them if someone finds it. So, maybe I should do that. Because it wouldn't interfere with my grand mission, my villainy and it would leave them indebted to me and it's important for me to have minions. But not the yellow one-eyed overall wearing kind. That's irrelevant, though. It seems like a healthy waste of time.
"Caster. Let's go find their ring!"
"Mm?" Caster cracks open an eye and scrutinises the note. "It looks small and hard to find. With all due respect, it sounds like a waste of time."
"Exactly! And we have to find some way waste time or our time will be wasted!"
Caster raises an eyebrow, but he gets it. I think.
"Alright, then. I'll go search the bins and waterfountains. I can't imagine they would have taken it off if it meant so much to them, so it must have gotten stuck on something."
"Huh?" I scratch my head and wince a little in pain. How have they not healed yet? "Why wouldn't they? What does that have to do with anything?"
Caster just shrugs. I suppose you've got me there, he seems to say, as he wanders over to the nearest bin and looks inside. He pokes through the trash with his cane and shakes his head. I guess that leaves me looking for another place to look. Well, lying down on the ground, I can only see bugs in the grass. Maybe I need a better vantage point. You know, to see if it'll glint in the sun. Or, maybe...
Ah! A tree! And it even has a bird nest where a stray crow may have deposited the ring! Perfect. Perfection! I shimmy up the tree, very pleased with myself, until I reach the top branch.
And that's where things go wrong. I look down and discover. I'm scared of heights.
I'm paralysed. And, to make matters worse, I've just noticed the other denizen of the park move themselves right under the tree. judging by the binoculars, a bird watcher. Watching the pigeons? Oh, are those rare?
"Well. I do like pigeons." That was my last thought before the branch snapped and I found myself in a big heaping mess in front of the stranger.
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Post by gemellidreamer on Jun 25, 2018 21:19:07 GMT
Residential District - The Park With No Name
Wei was just about ready to give up on his bird-watching plan that was barely much of a plan to begin with. Already, Berserker had gotten bored of this plan and seemed like he was ready to pester Wei into going somewhere else. It was really odd. Li Kui was a legendary hero that Wei had read many terrifying things about and who looked and acted the part, but right now, Wei only thought of him as a really impatient voice in his mind. ... Well, at least they got along well enough. Wei didn't exactly feel like he had met a lifelong friend considering they had only met a short while ago, but considering some of the stories he had heard about Servants who went rogue, he felt like he could consider himself lucky.
That was when life intervened and decided to make things weird again.
Wei heard footsteps coming from somewhere, something that he at first chalked up to the sounds of a child running around energetically in the park. But that idea didn't last long until he saw someone in his binoculars climbing up a tree. It was an impressive feat of athleticism, and Wei, wondering if he had somehow encountered a Servant already, took several steps closer in order to better examine this mysterious person.
And then the mysterious person suddenly fell. Wei decided that this was probably not a Servant, but it was someone who really needed help. Was he alright?
"Hey, are you okay? Need me to call a medic? That was a pretty harsh fall..." Wei extended his hand, and it was only then that he finally got a good look at the mysterious stranger. He blinked twice, making sure that he was seeing things correctly. His clothes were rather eccentric, but Wei decided that judging someone else's fashion choices was kind of a mean-spirited thing to do. Besides, it was hardly the most important thing right now.
In Wei's ears, he could hear the sound of Berserker telling him to finish off the poor, innocent stranger, on the off-chance that he was an enemy. Not only was that a ridiculous plan, it also ignored the several people around him. He couldn't just pick fights with people because they MIGHT be involved in the Holy Grail War, after all.
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Post by melcaroni on Jun 25, 2018 23:39:08 GMT
Commercial District Nick's Real Army Surplus:
The cloaked woman looked at the building, a large gray warehouse with the name "Nick's Real Army Surplus" in neon letters above the entrance; if there was any doubt about whether this shop would be the place to acquire arms, the large, dancing man in a gun suit twirling a rifle outside would have cinched it. Though people were passing on the street nearby, none seemed to remark on the oddity of a figure wearing a camouflage cloak over her body, nor the large rifle strapped to her back. She wordless walked into the store, the dancing gun mascot not giving so much as a "hello".
The inside of the store was impressive-- A two-story warehouse, with general merchandise on the bottom floor and the top floor seeming to be where the guns were proudly kept on display. Immaculate glass cases covered each rack, and customers approached them with reverence, not so much as breathing on the glass. A man in uniform, presumably Nick, smiled gleefully as he guided the customers through his wares.
The woman removed the hood of her cloak, and in an instant, the rest of it vanished along with it. At that moment the young man behind the cash register blinked his heavy eyelids, and spoke.
"Hello, welcome to Nick's Real Army Surplus, how can we help you?" He asked.
The Gunner scanned the upper level for a moment, then zeroed in a case and pointed. "I'd like to purchase those."
The cashier turned and followed her finger listlessly. "Which ones?"
The Gunner reached into her pocket and produced a large roll of bills.
"All of them."
Splash-O-Rama's Front Gates, 7:00 AM:
The front gates of the Splash-O-Rama were packed with screaming children, weary parents, and sweat. An impenetrable wall of thick, human meat and stench blockaded the front of the establishment, all trying to squeeze through into the park while the poor, poor employees scrambled to get them through in an orderly fashion.
Good thing Abby never took the front door anyways.
On the other side of the park, next to the back gate meant to keep intruders out, Abigail reached out her mechanical arm and grabbed hold of the lock, and with a grin, busted it between her fingers. With that, she opened the gate, holding it open with a bow.
"After you, my dear." She said.
Her girlfriend, Yumiko, laughed and walked through, laying a finger on Abby's prosthetic arm as she passed. "Don't forget to take that off in there. I don't know how much more damage that thing can take."
"Hey, I do maintenance." Abby said, closing the gate behind them. Nonetheless, she quickly reached up to her shoulder, clicked a few gears and turned a few screws-- The arm went limp, and with a quick tug, came free. Yumiko took it, placing it inside her bag.
"I'll keep it here until we go," She said, patting the bag.
"You're the only one I'd trust it with," Abby said, throwing an arm around her. With a few steps, they quickly blended into the crowd, and set up a spot to sunbathe and relax.
"Alright, let's hit the park!" Abby said, stretching her one arm. "I think I wanna do the slide first."
"I'll wait for you here," Yumiko replied, flipping down her shades and applying some sunscreen. "Besides, I don't want to leave our stuff unattended."
"You're so responsible." Abby said, giving her a peck on the cheek. "See you in a bit."
With that, she made her way up to the line for the Big Splash Waterslide. The line was long, but she could wait; she deserved this after all. She glanced down at the mark on her hand, the mark that had lead her to this town of Dust Springs. Very soon there wouldn't be time for pleasantries... She might as well get a bit of time with Yumi while she still could. This park might not still be here when all was said and done.
Gunner is out getting us gear. She thought. Hopefully she can figure out where to get guns here... Though this IS America, she could probably trip into a whole stash of them. A Servant like her probably operates better on her own anyways. I can use this meantime to strategize, relax, and prepare myself mentally. After all, "She who is prudent and lies in wait for an enemy who is not, will be victorious".
Abby reached the top of the stairs for the slide, where the lifeguard sat. She was rather cute, so against Abby's better judgment, she decided to flirt a bit. She shot the girl a wink and a grin, before turning and disappearing down the slide. Hopefully that left more of an impression than the fact that she was missing an arm.
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Post by DreadLasagnaArchduke on Jun 25, 2018 23:55:16 GMT
Residential District - Park That Shall Not Be Named
A short distance away from the other players in this scene was another birdwatcher, perched atop a bench as if she herself were a bird. A small swarm of pigeons flocked about her bench, with one sitting on her head she didn't seem to notice. Her attention went between the notebook in her hand, in which she was scribbling vigorously, and the birds in front of her, with her occasionally letting out a coo or chirp. Her attention was grabbed slightly by this other scene, giving her a third sight to switch between.
Residential District - Dust Springs Church
Into the church, first thing in the morning, arrived Father Nicholas Everfield. He dressed in simple black vestments, with a dull mustard-yellow raincoat, just in case. His silvery hair was kept at around his shoulders, and his face maintained its usual stubble. His stern expression betrayed the slightest hint of shock at the scene before him, as he held up a hand behind him.
"...Sister. Halt." The young woman behind him paused, confused. Placing his small, gold-rimmed bifocals on his nose, he let out a grunt.
"...Father Erasmus. I had received word he was to join us in keeping watch. It appears someone has seen fit to target him at the very beginning of the proceedings. Unless they knew of the notice given, which is impossible, he was a victim of circumstance."
"...Ah! I see!" The young woman nodded frantically, doing everything she could to avoid looking at the dead body on the floor. That pew definitely looked interesting... What kind of wood was that made of? What kind of wood did they usually make them out of?
"One of the participants has already chosen to prove themselves a danger. To lash out against the power of the Church." Everfield let out another disapproving grunt. "...Sister Hanna."
"...Eh?" She was startled, but pretended very poorly not to be. "Yes, sir?"
"Action must be taken."
"...Huh? Oh, yeah, that's right! Right away, sir!" Hanna scurried off elsewhere into the building, as the priest pushed his glasses against the bridge of his nose, frowning at the man on the floor.
"Hmph. This will certainly prove an interesting Grail War, indeed."
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Post by ramenigma on Jun 26, 2018 0:01:13 GMT
Residential District - That One Park, You Know The One...
Are you okay...
Huh. What. What? What the heck? My heads spinning and my thoughts are blurring but did someone say are you okay to me? What a weird thing to say. What a weird thing to say in general to someone you don't know. What a weird thing to say to me.
Uh. Well, actually. The people who say that in cartoons and anime are normally the protagonist and then all the other characters swoon over them and then they appear in the final arc to save them from the darkness. I can see it already. I'm already planning our final battle together, where I drop the world on them and break their ribs and then they say "No, Tpyo. I don't blame you. It was the fault of the Darkness." And then I scream to the heavens and then we can both cry and the sad-instrumental-cover of the main theme kicks in as I realise that I don't want to fight any more so I sacrifice myself to stop the meteor I was going to drop on all of humanity from hitting!
...Oh, they're still looking at me. I think. I have grass in my eyes.
"Um. You can stop staring at me, I'm fine. Just planning the rest of our character arcs together." I mumble.
Wait. No. Hold on, that's not right! That's not right at all! This isn't how you greet a protagonist, if they even are a protagonist maybe they're that guy who hangs on the protags shoulder and shouts "you can do it!" and "the power of friendship!" Is he going to draw a smiley face on our hands because I hate felt markers because they smell like chemicals. No, this won't do. No! This won't do at all!! Okay, maybe they didn't hear my intro. I can redo this! I can do this again! I can repeat the doing of this!
"haaaanNNNNNNAAAAAAAAGGGGHHHHHHHHGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!"
With a mighty bellow, I flip to my feet and spread my arms out in a ten point landing! Maybe twenty points! Maybe I'm an olympian! Caster, Caster, Caster! Film me! I want to upload a video to the internet and get view points, I've always had that dream!
"Heh. Hehehe..." I cross my arms and enter my master villain pose that I didn't rip off wholesale by smashing together Dragon Ball villains together. I do my evil laugh. "Nyakehekekhek!!! That's right! You've found me! But I am in more than fit fighting state! I'm above and beyond! Yeah. Perhaps you do not know what you have just stumbled upon, so I'll take the liberty of revealing my character concept!"
I twirl and toss my arms in the air like a person trying to scare off a bear because the bigger you are the scarier you are.
"My name... Is Unintentional Tpyo!" I boast. "I've been sent here from a secret ancient organisation of intense evil to destroy this world! I am the true evil who has killed over a thousand innocents and has been blessed with dark arcane shadow magics! This world shall crumble beneath my feet, for I am the being closest to a devil! Actually, I should have said I am the devil! That would have been better! But anyway! Whimper at my feet, insolent morgrel!"
.....
"I meant to say mortal or mongrel but I accidentally portmanteau'd. I'm sorry. Uh. You know, I hate it when that happens. Um... I could do it aga... No, actually, it's... It's fine. You get one intro so..."
....
"Um. So are you scared?" I scratch the back of my head and wince at the pain.
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Post by gemellidreamer on Jun 26, 2018 0:26:04 GMT
Residential District - The Park With No Name
Wei had a look of what appeared to be a mixture of confusion and pity as he watched Tpyo's antics unfold. Whatever impact Tpyo was trying to make, it was clear that he had gotten something completely different. As Wei got more of a chance to examine Tpyo's mannerisms, he became increasingly aware of how young and malnourished he looked. The fact that he was clearly playing pretend also didn't escape his notice. ... Of course, at the same time, he was also ignoring Berserker's outlandish demands to attack Tpyo, since he had unintentionally(?) issued what sounded like a challenge to Berserker.
"True evil? Why can't you just be regular evil? ... No, that's not important. I'm afraid to say that I can't really play along that much. Hey, listen, I won't ask for your family situation, but if you're in trouble, I could probably give you some money so you can get something to eat. It's okay, we all go through hard times..." Wei said this, but he was very aware of how he himself couldn't afford to spend too much money wastefully. Still, this was hardly an extravagant expense, and he couldn't just leave this poor child alone. Wei, reasonably or not, had completely gotten the wrong picture of what Tpyo was doing.
He pulled out his wallet and took out a ten-dollar bill, then went to hand it over to Tpyo.
"Here, there's a nice sandwich place just down the street. Get something nice. Oh, if you'd prefer to save some money, there's a place with tasty yet affordable burgers a bit farther away. Do you need directions?"
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Post by kwanramen1313 on Jun 26, 2018 7:51:02 GMT
Residential Area - Mila's Residence
It was an average morning for Mila, since she (at least temporarily) moved to Dust Springs. She sat at the kitchen table, reading the newspaper with the sound of hot coffee brewing and the smell of fresh pastries.
*DING*
"Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaster! Your breakfast is ready~" Archer exclaimed, with a bright and beaming smile.
Mila gives some sort of vague grunt of affirmation.
"I'll go grab it for you too! Hope you enjoy~"
Mila, once again, gives a vague affirming grunt.
She continued to read the newspaper, while nibbling away at the croissant and sipping her coffee.
"Soooo? What do you thiiiiink? Is it better than yesterdaaaaaay's?"
"Mmf. Still needs more butter. Coffee... is okay, though."
"Okay? M-Master actually... Enjoyed my coffee?"
"I... guess..."
"Oh my goodness!!! She!! Actually!! Liked!!! It!!!!"
"Please... just... stop..."
"Awwwww, okay then~"
Mila continued to eat her food. Once she finished, she sighed. "I... need to go to the store. Can you stay behind a-"
A pout grew across Archer's face.
Mila sighed once again.
"Fine... You can come... Just... don't be embarrassing..."
And so, Mila and Archer went their way over to the commercial district.
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Post by The Agnolotti Raichu on Jun 26, 2018 9:34:47 GMT
Commercial District - A damn trash can:
Damn, it was hot that day. It wasn't even noon yet and it was hot. I remember being thankful the sun wasn't beating down on my neck while I was scrounging around for my breakfast. I remember also being thankful that there were so many fast food joints and other food stands around. Meant I never really had to wait before I happened upon something some picky eater took one bite out of and didn't want the rest of. Thank God. I hate waiting.
That was the case that morning, too. I only had to dig around maybe three trash cans before finding gold. Well, not actual gold, but to me it may as well have been. A chili cheese dog, one bite taken out, top of the pile, still in the little tray thingy that it came in. Bun looked a little soggy, though. Maybe some coffee or something got spilled on it. No way in hell I was complaining though! Who just throws that stuff away?!
"SWEET! Score one for-" I had cut myself off there for a couple of reasons. First off, I was about to call myself by my real name. Did I mention I hate being called Sarah? Just wanted to make that clear. And secondly, that was the moment I realized I had actually said that out loud. Kinda shouted, too. I didn't actually mean to, but I did anyways. Probably got some weird looks. I felt my face heat up with embarrassment, and I couldn't help but look around like a dumbass instead of getting the hell out of there. Guess I just had to see if there were any people judging me.
Nobody really stood out except for two women making their way toward the corner. One had this ridiculous hairstyle where she wore like a ponytail... but like, on the side? Who does that? Who actually does that? And she wore some sciency getup with these really weird-looking boots. She looked dumb. That was the only word I could use to describe her. The other one was better, though. Cyan hair, grey hoodie, somewhat normal stuff. Probably a bit warm given the time of year, but I wasn't about to call her out after seeing the psycho next to her. I glared at them in... what's the word? Contempt? Contempt. Yeah, that sounds right. I glared at them like I wasn't the one shouting excitedly about eating out of a trash can loud enough to be heard halfway across town...
Well, that's a lie, but you get the idea! Sheesh.
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Post by kwanramen1313 on Jun 27, 2018 5:24:05 GMT
Commercial District
Mila and Archer walked down towards the electronics store. She was hoping that miraculously, maybe there would be something interesting there, though... in the few months that she spent here, she wasn't really optimistic.
On the way there though, they passed by an alleyway... And there appeared to be pigtailed girl, holding a chili dog, glaring daggers towards them. Mila just rolled her eyes and continued walking but Archer...
"Hey! You! Yeah, you girl over there! What the FUCK do YOU think you're looking at, huh?"
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Post by Try Biển Noodles on Jun 27, 2018 21:05:35 GMT
Amusement District
Splash-O-Rama
Sofia didn’t particularly mind the noise of the busy water park. Sure, the chaos never prevented her from enjoying her job; however, that meant she was always on guard. Swiftly analyzing each patron climbing towards her slide was second nature to the lifeguard, and she would surely spot any anomalies… enter Abigail. The war-torn girl walks towards the slide, and Sofia immediately steps in front. “Excuse me, but I cannot let you on and request to see your visitors arm-bracelet.” As soon as she is certain no one is currently on the slide, the lifeguard flips a switch turning off the water jets for it. “I’d rather not make a scene here, but it’s a safety hazard to let someone with one arm onto the slides. Surely they would have told you when you bought your ticket.” ...Meanwhile… Saber wanders the park trying to find something to do. Since he is unable to leave is spirit form, he cannot properly enjoy the thrills of being at a place the shines with human beauty… that is what he thought at least. During his foreray around the pools, he catches a truly terrible sight in his eyes. A group of kids were bullying an elderly man for being overweight and flabby. The horror! The gentlemanly saber, not capable of standing for this, walks his invisible body over to the group of kids and proclaims, “HOW DARE THEE POOPOO SUCH A PRISTINE AND BEAUTIFUL PERSON’S LOOK! HAVE YOU NO SHAME!” Predictably, the kids freak out thanks to the ghost yelling at them and run off screaming. Enraged, Saber chases after them as they jump a fence in the back of the park and head towards the residential district. Sure, Saber should probably stay near his inexperienced master; however, justice must be served.
Residential District
Considering Saber’s speed, it did not take long to catch up to them. Grabbing one of the kids from his swimming trunks, Saber begins to give a long winded lecture about body positivity and that someday those kids will look like that wise elderly man. Throughout the entire encounter, the kids cry incessantly. Saber did not enjoy upsetting the kids, but he knew that if he did not teach them now, they would never learn… Oh hey, there is some super edgelord weirdo nearby that could use some straightening up. Yeah, let’s have Saber do that.
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