Shin

Belial's Little Friend "Some say that with age, one gains wisdom and maturity. Others... senility and stubbornness. In the realm of mortals, the line between the two is often rather blurred. Ah, yes... Constance. She's a devout follower of mine, long before you were even a glimmer in your father's eye." Belial mused, almost belittling in his statement about the elderly. "As fitting as it would be for you to haunt her from beyond the grave, I'm certain that you'll be able to thank her for it once you awaken. Of course, that is after you recover from your head wound, your ability to receive shovels to the face is rather admirable." Belial let out a hearty laugh, the strange void around Alain glimmering with a deep purple light. It appeared even deities had their sources of entertainment. "However, whilst her actions may seem rather unhelpful, Constance is a key ally you may require in the near future. Her... prolonged existence has given her quite the number of experiences." Belial added, pausing as Alain spoke of Queen Ethel. "Ah yes, she's quite the piece of work. She desires to use my power for her own gain but does not wish to submit to me. I would almost be impressed with her ambition if it did not make my followers appear as dogs for hire." Laughing again, Belial's voice resonated right through Alain. Alain could feel his centre of gravity shifting slowly, almost to the point where his own mass felt remote from his form. "It would be far less interesting if you were blindly accepting of every word I speak, Alain. It would make claiming your eternal soul much more rewarding if I were to unwrap the fingers you hold it with, one by one." Missing Words "Jeeves passed through here but a few moments ago... although it may have been hours or days... I have not know time since I have arrived here." Oswald replied, somewhat confused by the strange realm both him and his son were residing in. It was almost a perfect replica of the castle's own garden, yet there was a subtle flawed nature to it that gave it away. "I'm not certain where I shall go after this." he replied solemnly, his gaze drifting to the swirling void around them. "Will I enter Engel's domain or shall I be cast away? Throughout my life, I've always desired to what benefits the people around me... getting the balance right was something I always struggled with, perhaps even something I grew worse at as I grew older. In the end, I feel like I drove everyone away trying to maintain everything." Oswald gave a satisfied smile, shaking his head. "There is unlikely to be the time for me to explain my choices, Owen... but as you grow older, I hope you will understand why I have acted as I chose. I am glad that you are here to say farewell as my son, not as a my prince. There were times that I felt as if I had failed as a father, those moments weigh down heavier on me than any decision I made as king."

Freya escapes to chase Owen! Adele stabs herself! MAP FAILED Chapter 8 Adele incapacitated The wedding came to a halt as Adele fell to the ground, the remaining peasants had decided to flee to avoid trouble. Nobody could have anticipated such a dramatic act, nor could they have none much to prevent it. Sebastian approached his master, slowly raising his staff and holding it above her neck. The shining light reflected against the flowing blood, the stream slowly calming. The fight against the peasants, and then Arteria, had worn him out, but there was still enough duty within his psyche to keep going. "Wounds such as these tend to be difficult to treat." Sebastian remarked, still relatively calm in his demeanour. "Perhaps a staff alone might not be enough... I fear I might have to get my jacket dirty. It cannot be helped though, I bid my pardon." Slinging Adele over his shoulder, Sebastian slipped over to the broken window that Arteria had escaped through. Looking back, he gave a sly grin to Cass and the group. "It may be misunderstood if I use the front door, and I'm certain there's a guard out there who isn't happy I borrowed his attire." Hans and Lars were thoroughly baffled, looking at each other and hoping the other would give an answer. The wedding hadn't been quite like anybody had expected, and it was likely that they wouldn't forget it either. Guards had started to pour in, gathering as many of the unconscious peasants as possible. Thwomp stepped through his colleagues, ushering for the remains of Cass' group to leave. "Thwomp take you somewhere safe, better if somewhere different." he called out, the other wedding guests slowly coming out of their hiding places. There would be a lot to clean up after, both literally and metaphorically. Please refrain from posting for a little! THE SHIN has things to set up! Alain, Owen, Sidney and Freya are exempt!

Cass trades Libro for Heal! Cass heals Claire? Cass gains 15 XP! Cass gains 2 Staff WEXP! Cass grows to level 16! (91 98 10 8 61 45 75 58) Magic up! Skill up! Luck up!

"I either get there or I don't, no use going halfway house." Esclabor disobeys orders! Esclabor moves to 9,17! Esclabor flips off Constance! OTHER PHASE Constance moves to 9,11! Ezekiel speaks! "The demon who hides in the realm of his own drives you to depths you cannot fathom! The beast within is not one of this earth but one of the heavens, its fangs bared at the hands that both provide it with sustanance and that strike it. The skys above and the depths below cannot see outside of their gaze, the ground that mortal men traverse too far for their narrow lens to behold. Be gone! Be gone! Such vile breath cannot pierce the glory of the truth! Within lies an eternal sin, but the shell accepts the sins of others! The living nor dead can accept the wanderer of the line. Without an end, the tale matters not, but without a tale to tell the end shall never come! The parable repeats itself, recycles and crumbles, until the ash left behind stains the ground for all to behold!" ENEMY PHASE "I ain't going to another wedding ever again!" Peasant Man #1 cowers in fear! Peasant Man #12 moves to 7,9! Peasant Man #12 attacks Serge with his Board with a Nail! 5 Atk, 75% Hit, 15% Crit (8 75) Serge takes 5 damage! (32/41 HP remaining) Serge does something maybe. (24 56) Peasant Man #12 cheeses it! Serge gains 10 XP! Serge gains 2 Sword WEXP! Peasant Man #17 moves to 9,16! Peasant Man #17 attacks Esclabor with his Pointy Stick! 9 Atk, 57% Hit, 4% Crit (98 54) Esclabor dodges! Esclabor laughs at the man's miss! 16 Atk, 100% Hit, 6% Crit, Charge possible (53 45) Defeated surrounded by friends... and Esclabor. Esclabor gains 13 XP! Esclabor gains 2 Axe WEXP! The mighty PC slayer, Peasant Man #22 moves to 9,18! Peasant Man #22 attacks Esclabor with his Shovel! 12 Atk, 62% Hit, 5% Crit (32 4) Peasant Man #22's streak continues! "... maybe I should have hired him instead of Shaggy..." Peasant Man #25 moves to 7,16! Peasant Man #25 attacks Freya with his Pointy Stick! 3 Atk, 76% Hit, 1% Crit (44 76) Freya takes 3 damage! (18/43 HP remaining) Freya counters with a well placed mop! 11 Atk, 92% Hit, 37% Crit (68 44) Maybe not that well placed! (19/30 HP remaining) Freya gains 8 XP! Freya gains 1 Lance WEXP! Peasant Woman #6 moves to 7,9! Peasant Woman #6 attacks Serge with her Frying Pan! 3 Atk, 44% Hit, 0% Crit (93 39) Nope! Serge counters! (9 65) Engel? (88) Nope! Serge gains 8 XP! Serge gains 2 Sword WEXP! The peasant women flee! Peasant Child #7 moves to 9,17! OTHER PHASE "I don't think I like this priest very much... you have enough to think about, Princess. I look forward to seeing you bloom the next time we meet. My brother would be interested to see how many friends you have left after this... and maybe I can help you get rid of the rest afterwards." Arteria complained, hiding a silent fury after hearing Ezekiel's words. "I'll carve your holy little helper... but maybe his God looks upon him favourably today." Arteria flees! Chapter 8 Turn 6 SPREADSHEET In Pursuit of Pants Sidney had been somewhat delayed in her pursuit of Owen's kidnappers, but her pacing meant that she was able to give chase. The unruly mob had forced Owen into a sack, carrying him as if he were a sack of potatoes. "Make sure yer take his pants from him, yer seen what he can do with those." one of the peasants warned, Owen's antics still very fresh in his mind. For a bunch of tunic wearing goons, their pace was almost impressive. Taking twists and turns, the peasants planned to use their knowledge of the city to lose Sidney. Unfortunately for them, that wasn't quite going to work on the thief. Guards were puzzled as they watched the chase occur, although not quite invested enough to join for themselves. Passing a turnip stall, Sidney could hear someone running alongside her. Decima had also begun to give chase, panting as she tried to keep up with Sidney. "Don't... mind me... I'll follow as best as I can." she gasped, nearly tripping over a stray cat. "I slipped out just after you did... nobody seemed to notice. I think they're... trying to get out of town." Her suggestion hadn't been too outrageous, there was definitely some logic to the route they were taking, removing themselves from the city centre gradually as they weaved between buildings. Heretically Hilarious Blows to the shovel aside, Alain had somehow ended up in the same dark emptiness from before - after he'd been killed in the previous battle. There was a deep laughter, a familiar deity had decided to grace the diplomat with his presence once more. However, there was a strange pulling sensation in his limbs, as if he were a puppet about to be forced to dance by its puppeteer. "Alain, Alain... you do amuse me. Last time it was lightning, this time a shovel... should I prepare to see you when you drink your milk slightly too quickly?" Belial joked, quite blatantly amused by Alain's antics. "Do not worry, you have not died this time. I just thought I would check on how you were doing... you've become very good friends with Queen Ethel, haven't you? I think you two will get along swimmingly." Heaven's Drive Owen's ride wasn't particularly comfortable, although he perhaps had the luxury of being unconscious and being able to ignore the lack of finese from his captors. However, he was subject to a far more surreal experience, although it would be down to him to say if it were better or not. It wasn't clear why, but Owen was standing in the middle of a misty fog, with grass beneath his feet and silhouettes of flowers and bushes hiding themselves in his peripheries. There was a fainty nostalgic smell, similar to that of his mother after she'd visited the castle gardens. King Oswald stood in front of Owen, wearing a white robe and faced away from his son. His faded pink beard swayed gently in the breeze, the wind's tones echoed and distant. "Owen? Is that you?" Oswald asked, turning to look at Owen. His face was sickly and gaunt, the face of a man who was doomed to die. "I was just speaking to Jeeves, but he had to leave. I think I'll be following him soon, have you come to say goodbye to me? I have few regrets as a King, but many as a father... I wish I had more time to know you as my son, instead of my heir."

EDIT: Now I know how Serge feels when he double posts.

Arteria had been given her response from Cass, who was still smouldering, and permission to brutalise the axe brothers. "Well, well, that's as clear as it gets." Arteria muttered darkly, a sadistic glimmer sparkling in her eyes. Hans and Lars stood together, looking at the woman's blade nervously. With only their ties to fight back with, and a massive disadvantage in both skill and ability, things were looking bad for the duo. Lars shot a solemn nod at Hans, both of them knew that this couldn't end well for them. "Sorry, boss... we ain't quick enough to escape that psycho." Lars replied, readying the tie in his hand for their final stand. "Was a pleasure workin' for yer, yer don't believe it, but yer are the hero Emily worshipped... just give yerself some time to grow." Adele moves to 7,6! Adele punches Claire for some reason! 10 Atk, 84% Hit, 23% Crit (52 66) Claire takes 10 damage! (22/32 HP remaining) Claire chooses not to murder her ally! Nobody really learned anything from this! "I apologise, Lady Adeltrudis, but I'm afraid I was left a request to fulfil in a situation like these. I'll look forward to whatever disciplinary actions you choose to take later." Sebastian interrupted, tossing the bouquet onto the floor and drawing a pair of daggers from his jacket. "Master Javier told me to ensure that you and Princess Cassandra remained safe and well looked after, I'm hard pressed to believe he anticipated this... but I must act." Sebastian discards his manners! Sebastian reveals his true stats! Sebastian moves to 8,4! Sebastian attacks Arteria with his Throwing Knife! 8 Atk, 97% Hit, 25% Crit (95 71) Arteria takes 8 damage! (30/39 HP remaining) Sebastian gains 9 XP! Sebastian gains 1 Sword WEXP! "My, my... I knew you were hiding something. It's almost disappointing though, the one before you fought much better. It would be so easy to finish you here, it depends if our little Princess wants me to murder her lover's butler... perhaps I have other places to be?"

It still wasn't clear what role the two women actually played, trainees... assistants? Their attitude was more that of the teenagers trying to do a chore than the diagnostic clinician Megumi portrayed herself as. The pair weren't exactly instilling him with confidence, but it was best for his own peace of mind if he tried to trust Megumi's supervision - someone as particular as her would most likely ensure her underlings were up to the task. He was fairly sure that if all was well, they'd need to just stop the bleeding, clean it up and give Nikolai whatever painkillers he wanted. His own medical knowledge was rather limited, mostly related to any potential injuries he could encounter on the field. Even then, it wasn't as if he'd had any actual experience, other than during the mission on the colony. He needed to learn to trust others, even if he felt that he knew better. "Nikolai, can you breath through it OK? They can at least clean it up a little." Tarquin replied, his friend's concerns allowing him to take his mind away from the medbay's coordination. The blood's red glimmer against Nikolai's pale skin was a stark contrast, and a reminder of Elaine's brutality - how hard had she even punched him? If it hadn't been for Jess, he may have ended up in a similar situation only a few days prior. Admittedly, it may have been somewhat provoked, but was it really the right response? "At least let them look, then they might not need to touch it at all." It wasn't as if the task were beyond their level of training, but Tarquin hoped that at least one of the pair knew how to approach it. He didn't want to find out Nikolai's response to them botching the job. The mental image of Nikolai flinging his own faeces had somehow slipped into his mind, and he'd avoid it if he could.

"Freya... just don't get yourself clobbered by these punks!" Freya attacks Peasant Man #18 with her Mop! 9 Atk, 92% Hit, 18% Crit (9 78) Peasant Man #18 prays to remain unmopped! (59) There is no god, only mops! Freya gains 13 XP! Freya gains 2 Lance WEXP! Freya grows to level 16! (41 28 40 27 55 51 50 42) HP up! Strength up! Skill up! Defense up! Claire moves to 7,5! Claire tries to cast Fire at Arteria! She actually casts Inferno! Cass also jumps in the way! Oh dear! 20 Atk, 71% Hit, 3% Crit (46 4) Claire roasts Cass for 20 damage! (14/36 HP remaining) Thankfully both of them have the sense to stop attacking! Claire gains 10 XP! Claire gains 1 Tome WEXP! Cass gains 5 XP for not dying! As the flames enveloped Cass, Arteria couldn't help but watch in awe, her hands twitching with excitement as her beloved plaything was torched by Claire in her place. The smell of burning fabric and singed hair, she raised her nose to inhale the vapour, as if she were smelling a particularly fragrant flower. "You've killed so many people, including myself... why the sudden change of heart?" she sneered, watching as scraps of Cass' dress fell to the floor. "All of this for a smelly little peasant, you do amuse me. I'll indulge your silly little morals this once, making you beg for mercy was delicious enough and I wouldn't want to be too greedy... but part of me wants to. Tell me, why shouldn't I simply cut through these two and get to the peasant?"

Cass moves to 7,4! Arteria cackled, eyeing Cass as if she were a lost animal. "You're changing your tune awfully quickly, Princess. I'm starting to think you're not as funa s I thought you were." she mused, still playing with her blade idly. "What of the two fools at the colleseum that I played with? You were very happy to watch their end... it's a different story when you're the one causing it. It's a great responsibility to play with the lives of others, but also the greatest thrill. Does it not send fire through you to know that their existence hinges on your actions?" Serge moves to 7,8! "You got it boss, Hans! We're protectin' the guy hidin' behind the priest!" Lars moves to 10,2! Hans moves to 9,3! Esclabor remained silent throughout Serge's ranting, although once things got close and personal his attitude very much changed. Pushing Serge away as he released, Esclabor turned back to the cathedral entrance, looking over his shoulder with a venomous glare. "Screw you, Serge, I'll remember that..." he spat, not even remotely inclined to follow the man's orders. "Freya, we're going after the Prince. I'm not letting these punks get away with slugging both him and Alain." Esclabor refuses to cooperate! "Apologies, Mr Molenli. As noble as your intentions are, I'm afraid Lady Adeltrudis is somewhat more important than these unruly mobs... I'll keep in mind not to break too many noses with my Bouquet." Sebastian does not cooperate!

ALLY PHASE Constance moves to 9,19! Constance heals Peasant Man #22! Peasant Man #22 returns to full HP! Constance gains 25 XP! Constance gains 3 Staff WEXP! ENEMY PHASE "That psycho's gonna kill me! I ain't gonna do anything, I swears it! Don't let her kill me, please! Peasant Man #1 cowers in fear! Peasant Man #12 moves to 10,9! Peasant Man #12 attacks Sebastian with his Board with a Nail! 5 Atk, 82% Hit, 14% Crit (73 99) Sebastian takes 5 damage! (11/36 HP remaining) Sebastian shoves the Bouquet in his face! 7 Atk, 56% Hit, 0% Crit (20 94) Sebastian deals 7 damage! (8/30 HP remaining) Peasant Man #12 strikes again! (86 10) The plank appears to have mercy! Sebastian gains 6 XP! Sebastian gains 1 Sword WEXP! Peasant Man #17 moves to 7,16! Peasant Man #17 attack Freya with his Pointy Stick! 1 Atk, 73% Hit, 0% Crit (17 67) Freya takes 1 damage! (31/42 HP remaining) Freya mops back into action! 10 Atk, 91% Hit, 7% Crit (40 25) Freya deals 10 damage! (10/30 HP remaining) Freya gains 8 XP! Freya gains 1 Lance WEXP! Peasant Man #18 moves to 6,17! Peasant Man #18 attacks Freya with his Shovel! 4 Atk, 74% Hit, 0% Crit (48 0) Freya takes 4 damage! (27/42 HP remaining) Freya does that thing! 9 Atk, 92% Hit, 6% Crit (56 61) Freya deals 9 damage! (9/30 HP remaining) Freya gains 8 XP! Freya gains 1 Lance WEXP! Peasant Man #22 moves to 6,18! Peasant Man #22 attacks Alain with his Shovel! 12 Atk, 72% Hit, 0% Crit (42 37) Alain gets bonked on the head! Alain goes down! A quiet voice whispers into Alain's ear. "You really need to stop making a habit of this." Esclabor isn't happy! "You little spudhunter! I'll drive that shovel right up your rear!" Peasant Man #23 attacks Freya with his Pointy Stick! 2 Atk, 78% Hit, 0% Crit (19 88) Freya takes 2 damage! (21/42 HP remaining) Freya's Wrath activates! Freya mops back with fury! 10 Atk, 90% Hit, 36% Crit (65 23) In a parallel universe, Bill is proud. Freya gains 17 XP! Freya gains 2 Lance WEXP! Peasant Man #24 looks at his weapon... then over at Freya! Peasant Man #24 moves to 8,14! Peasant Man #24 attacks Esclabor with his Board with a Nail! 8 Atk, 69% Hit, 28% Crit (53 83) Esclabor takes a plank to the face for 8 damage! (11/33 HP remaining) Esclabor glares at the man! 16 Atk, 93% Hit, 3% Crit, Charge possible (88 66) "I'm not sure what's more pathetic, that attack or your life prospects." Peasant Man #24 consiers his future! (77) He realises his life sucks and leaves crying! Esclabor gains 17 XP! Esclabor gains 2 Axe WEXP! Esclabor grows to level 15! (19 70 31 30 89 42 31 68) HP up! Skill up! Luck up! Peasant Man #25 moves to 9,19! Peasant Woman #6 moves to 11,9! Peasant Woman #9 moves to 9,20! Peasant Woman #10 moves to 7,18! Peasant Child #7 moves to 12,18! OTHER PHASE "A shame really, you values your toys too much, Adele... they're far more replaceable than you believe." Arteria stays put! Chapter 8 Turn 5 SPREADSHEET Hans and Lars stayed put as Arteria rambled, both of them tense from their company. Hans looked back at the cowering peasant, the axeman shooing him away. "Get out, you fool! Don't matter if two women get married, ain't worth losing your head over." he barked, the peasant visibly shaking as he tried to hide behind Ezekiel - who had been muttering to himself the entire time. "Scram! An' tell yer friends that Lady Adeltrudis don't appreciate yer stealing the Prince." Lars was more focused on Arteria, his eyes fixed on her blade. "Not gonna lie, Lady Adeltrudis... yer nobles keep some strange company. Can't say I'm massively fond o' her. The boss is right, yer can't just go around chopping up who yer don't like... otherwise you end up like 'er." Lars warned, very aware that Arteria could change her mind and cut through him at any moment. "I ain't as strong as the boss, if she wants to go at it, we ain't gonna last long." Arteria howled with laughter, amused by Lars' proclamation. Opening her arms wide, she shook her head. "I'm cutting people up to make my little princess' wedding easier and have a good time. Adele wants to do the same... she even punched that dear child because she felt like it. We're not so different, are we? You have no investment in the well being of any of these people, you don't need to care about any of them." she lectured, looking at the body of the woman on the floor. "Will you ever miss her? She's a faceless puppet of the system, looking to destroy what you desire... her strings were cut, now she can be tossed aside." - Esclabor panted heavily, blood dripping from his nose where the plank had struck. Turning back to Serge, the noble winced. "Damn, they got Alain too." he complained, clenching his fist. "Serge, those three madwomen can sort things out... I need to you cover my back. If those peasants gang up on me, I need you to keep going and find Prince Owen. I don't care how much money I need to throw at you to do it, just do it, OK"? He furrowed his brow as he looked over at Constance, disgruntled by the assistance she gave the peasants. "Old people are the worst, I think I hate them more than children. At least with kids they don't know better, that fossil's had decades to get some sense in her head." he grumbled. "I almost want to deck her one on the way out, just for good luck."

Freya moves to 7,17! 10 Atk, 86% Hit, 6% Crit (82 91) Freya deals 10 damage! (5/30 HP remaining) Peasant #24 looks at his board and sighs! Freya gains 8 XP! Freya gains 1 Lance WEXP! "I don't care if they all mob me, someone needs to chase after the Prince!" Esclabor moves to 8,13! Esclabor attacks Peasant Man #16 with his Attitude! 17 Atk, 95% Hit, 4% Crit, Charge possible (52 68) Peasant Man #16 can't stand being near Esclabor! He leaves! Esclabor gains 17 XP! Esclabor gains 2 Axe WEXP!

"I hope you know what you're doing Princess... just don't do anything reckless." Cass moves to 8,6! Cass uses Libro on Esclabor! Esclabor is healed for 14 HP! (19/33 HP remaining) Cass gains 20 XP! Cass gains 3 Staff WEXP! "I'd have to say I actually prefer radishes, Lady Bennett." Sebastian moves to 9,9! Sebastian uses Heal on Claire! Claire returns to full HP! Sebastian gains 8 XP! Sebastian gains 2 Staff WEXP! Claire moves to 8,7! Claire turnips Peasant Child #4! 14 Atk, 100% Hit, 12% Crit (94 24) No child can resist turnips! Claire gains 7 XP! Claire gains 2 Tome WEXP! Peasant Child #4 attempts to flee! Adele moves to 7,9! Adele trips the child! Adele hits the child! So heartless! Serge moves to 8,12! Serge attacks Peasant Child #8! 14 Atk, 80% Hit, 0% Crit, 12% Adept, Charge Possible (45 82) Serge deals 14 damage! (11/25 HP remaining) (65) Peasant Child #8 goes for Serge's eye with his spoon! (90 23) Not even worth it! Serge shows his questionable parenting methods! (17 42) Peasant Child #8 cheeses it! Serge gains 6 XP! Serge gains 3 Sword WEXP! "Sorry, boss... we ain't gonna let that nutjob gut them peasants. The prince is important and all, but us two ain't getting there in time." Hans and Lars move to 8,3! Hans and Lars split! Hans moves to 8,4! "My, my... I might have to take the scenic route... unless our dear Adele wants me to get rid of her goons." Alain moves to 18,5! Alain attacks Peasant Man #24 with his fine literature! 15 Atk, 100% Hit, 11% Crit (45 19) Peasant Man #24 takes 15 damage! (15/30 HP remaining) Alain attacks again! (51 25) Peasant Man #24 prays for his... consciousness? (24) Praise be to Engel! Alain gains 9 XP! Alain gains 2 Tome WEXP! Sidney escapes to chase after Owen!

Arteria grinned, beckoning Adele to her side. "What a wonderful proposition, I always thought red is a much better colour than blue." she commented, her blade glimmering with patches of red across its blade. Sebastian looked cautiously at Adele and then back to Cass, his eyes almost objecting to his master's decision. "Let them all know how you feel, why give in to their will when you can simply force your own upon them? Chaos creates order, their deaths are but a nuisance to your inner desire. Those who cannot fight back have no right to complain! Take what you want with your might!" Turning her gaze to Cass, she gesturing for Cass to take the stage. "My little Princess, didn't you want a wedding without interruptions? They couldn't possibly accept you, why should you have to accept them?" she cackled, eying the children down the aisle. The children looked back at the woman, terrified by her murderous gaze."You never knew any of these people yet they shunned you... nobody will miss them, they're not irreplaceable like you." Hans turned to his brother, somewhat unsettled by Arteria's speech. "Lars, that ain't right, we're defending ourselves, we can't be just killing people because we don't agree with them." he urged, pointing over at Adele. "She might be paying the bill, but we gotta help the boss, they won't cut down people who ain't fightin', right?" Lars watched on sternly, gripping his brother's tie tightly. "I dunno, little bro... it's pretty hard to tell who's the craziest out of them three sometimes." Lars remarked, ushering his brother forward. "We don't got time to think about that, the boss needs us. At least he's got his head on straight."

Tarquin had always believed growing up that he didn't need friends. Now, not only did he have one, but two... admittedly they were a robot and a mentally unhinged ex-child soldier, but they were good friends regardless of their backgrounds - all the "normal" teenagers he'd met had been impossible to connect with. He could only imagine the Professor's sly smile when he told him, or even showed him Nikolai. He was so good at so many things, it would be incredible to prove he'd begun to develop social skills too. There was work to be done, but with time and effort, surely he'd be able to learn. "Whenever I was sad growing up, he always knew what to say. He said that I was like a son to him." Tarquin replied, deciding to keep his own origin quiet for now. Thinking about it, technically the Professor was one of his parents, the only difference is that he had eleven others. "You can speak to him too when I next call him... if you want to. We should probably get you to the Medbay... punches hurt no matter what the reason for them." Thankfully, the trip to the medbay had been uneventful, Tarquin hadn't even been aware of the drama around Abigail's crowd. Approaching the medbay reception, Tarquin couldn't say he recalled the attendant's name... or anything about her. "Is Doctor Amparo busy? I've brought Nikolai Zelenko to have his nose tended to." Tarquin requested, wondering if it were a task that they could handle.

"Who made yer stick for you, lad? Our grandma could sharpen better than that, an' she's in an urn!" Hans and Lars move to 6,6! Lars attacks Peasant Man #3 with Hans' Tie! 10 Atk, 100% Hit, 0% Crit (89 73) Lars deals 10 damage! (8/30 HP remaining) Peasant Man #3 attacks back with his Pointy Stick! 8 Atk, 51% Hit, 2% Crit (69 12) Hans off! Lars seals the deal! (34 64) Hans and Lars gain 30 XP! Hans and Lars gain 3 Axe WEXP! Hans grows to level 11! (41 32 37 78 14 15 75 29) HP up! Strength up! Speed up! Luck up! Lars grows to level 11! (91 49 69 42 89 90 27 22) Skill up! Defense up! Resistance up! "You should fight me instead of healing him... I know you're holding back, my little butler..." Sebastian moves to 8,8! "Remind me to ask Lady Adeltrudis to give you a second pair of shoes, Mr Molenli." Sebastian heals Serge back to full HP! Sebastian gains 8 XP! Sebastian gains 2 Staff WEXP! Claire applies her knowledge of turnips for Peasant Woman #6! 12 Atk, 100% Hit, 19% Crit (20 61) (79 21) Claire deals 24 damage in total! (3/27 HP remaining) Claire gains 8 XP! Claire gains 2 Tomes WEXP! ALLY PHASE "Sorry theres, grandma. We'll make space for you so you can beat up them gays with us." Constance moves to 9,19! ENEMY PHASE "A sword? We only want to run them out of town, not murder them!" Peasant Man #1 attacks Ezekiel wit his Pointy Stick! 11 Atk, 62% Hit, 0% Crit (52 34) Ezekiel takes 11 damage! (26/37 HP remaining) Peasant Man #12 moves to 11,9! Peasant Man #12 attacks Claire with his Board with a Nail! 7 Atk, 60% Hit, 11% Crit (31 90) Claire gets planked for 7 damage! (18/32 HP remaining) Claire responds with an essay about turnip leaves! 15 Atk, 83% Hit, 10% Crit (47 98) Claire's trivia deals 15 damage! (15/30 HP remaining) Claire gains 8 XP! Claire gains 1 Tome WEXP! "Cowards? She's the one running away, tubby!" Peasant Man #16 moves to 9,13! Peasant Man #16 attacks Freya with his Shovel! 3 Atk, 76% Hit, 1% Crit (73 39) Freya takes 3 damage! (33/42 HP remaining) Freya mops for the sake of love! 11 Atk, 88% Hit, 5% Crit (19 23) Freya deals 11 damage! (6/30 HP remaining) Freya gains 8 XP! Freya gains 1 Lance WEXP! Peasant Man #17 moves to 8,14! Peasant Man #17 attacks Freya with his Pointy Stick! 1 Atk, 73% Hit, 0% Crit (44 87) Freya takes 1 damage... maybe? (32/42 HP remaining) Freya mops up the damage and then the peasant! 10 Atk, 91% Hit, 7% Crit (5 73) Freya deals 10 damage! (20/30 HP remaining) Freya gains 8 XP! Freya gains 1 Lance WEXP! Peasant Man #18 attacks Sidney! (88 23) Nope. Sidney gains 5 XP! Peasant Man #19 attacks Owen with his Pointy Stick! 8 Atk, 68% Hit, 0% Crit (40 3) Owen takes 8 damage! (15/31 HP remaining) Owen pantses it! 10 Atk, 124% Hit, 16% Crit, 16% Astra (16 57 61) Owen makes Peasant Man #19's pants fall down! He runs away with his pants at his ankles! Owen gains 17 XP! Owen gains 2 Sword WEXP! Peasant Man #20 attacks Owen with his Shovel! 10 Atk, 69% Hit, 0% Crit (5 51) Owen takes 10 damage! (5/31 HP remaining) Owen strikes back with his pants! 9 Atk, 97% Hit, 7% Crit, 16% Astra (71 95 97) Owen deals 9 damage! (3/30 HP remaining) (95 42 14) Owen's pants glimmer with a green light! Owen deals 4 damage! Owen swings his pants around 4 more times for luck! Owen gains 17 XP! Owen gains 3 Sword WEXP! Owen grows to level 15! (3 94 71 44 15 91 6 2) HP up! Skill up! Speed up! Defense up! Resistance up! Peasant Man #22 attacks Owen with his Shovel! 9 Atk, 69% Hit, 0% Crit (33 88) Owen gets bonked on the head! "We gots him! Take him away before his friends beat us up!" Owen is kidnapped by the peasants! Cass becomes the convoy! "Rights this way, miss. We can't let the elderly be excluded from this happening." Peasant Man #23 politely moves to 8,17! Peasant Man #23 attacks Sidney with his pointy stick! (76 76) Lol. Sidney gains 5 XP! Peasant Man #24 moves to 7,18! Peasant Man #24 attacks-... (99 45) Never mind. Sidney gains 5 XP! Peasant Man #25 stays put! Peasant Woman #2 attacks Ezekiel with her Rolling Pin! 7 Atk, 58% Hit, 0% Crit (2 72) Ezekiel takes 7 damage! (19/37 HP remaining) Peasant Woman #6 stays put! Peasant Child #4 moves to 8,9! Peasant Child #4 attacks Cass with his Yo-yo! 3 Atk, 48% Hit, 0% Crit (85 60) Nope. Cass gains 5 XP! Peasant Woman #7 moves to 9,12! Peasant Woman #7 attacks Esclabor with her Rolling Pin! 8 Atk, 71% Hit, 4% Crit (53 79) Esclabor takes 8 damage! (13/33 HP remaining) Esclabor tells Peasant Woman #7 what he thinks of her. 15 Atk, 78% Hit, 2% Crit, Charge possible (21 1) Peasant Woman #7 goes pale! She passes out! Esclabor gains 13 XP! Esclabor gains 2 Axe WEXP! Peasant Woman #9 stays put! Peasant Woman #10 stays put! Peasant Child #5 moves to 8,11! "And this is why I hate children..." Peasant Child #5 attacks Esclabor with his spoon! 8 Atk, 63% Hit, 0% Crit (1 90) Esclabor takes 8 damage! (5/33 HP remaining) Esclabor expels profanities not suitable for children! 16 Atk, 77% Hit, 0% Crit, Charge not possible (69 58) Esclabor scars the child for 16 damage! (9/25 HP remaining) (70 88( Peasant Child #5 runs away screaming! Esclabor gains 7 XP! Esclabor gains 3 Axe WEXP! Peasant Child #7 stays put! Peasant Child #8 moves to 7,12! OTHER PHASE "My, my... attacking a priest won't let you go to heaven. Let me speed up the journey." Arteria moves to 7,3! Arteria attacks Peasant Woman #2 with her Iron Blade! 23 Atk, 96% Hit, 7% Crit (20 65) Peasant Woman #2 takes 23 damage! (4/27 HP remaining) Peasant Woman #2 swings for her life! 1 Atk, 51% Hit, 3% Crit (9 15) Arteria takes 1 damage! (38/39 HP remaining) Arteria finishes the job! (37 5) Peasant Woman #2 needs a funeral after this wedding! Chapter 8 Turn 4 Alternative Objective - Have three blue units go outside to chase after Owen! SPREADSHEET Arteria smirked, making sure Adele and Cass were watching as the peasant woman fell to the ground. "One down, free of charge." she sniggered, prodding the corpse with her foot. Compared to her previous battles, Arteria seemed almost restrained, more smug in her satisfaction than overjoyed at the prospect of murder. She looked to the back of the church, a group of peasants had picked up Owen and were hurrying away with him. "You have a dilemma though, dear Princess. Do you stop me, get married or save your brother? It would be ever so difficult to try and achieve all three at once... but I'd like to see you try. Will you send your pets to go save your brother whilst you wed your beloved? Or perhaps you'll abandon love for familial love? Maybe you'll even give up everything and come after me?" Esclabor gritted his teeth, looking ahead at the mob of peasants. "Patch me up, Princess. I'll get through all of them if have to, nobody's running off with your brother like that." he grunted, poised to leap into the crowd. "Dealing with Miss Psycho's going to have to wait, a few dead peasants don't mean squat if we can keep the Prince from getting hurt. Damn, I knew this wedding was a bad idea... no use complaining now, we need to make a plan fast."

Freya moves to 8,13! Freya attacks Peasant Child #4 with her mop! 12 Atk, 91% Hit, 1% Crit (43 73) Freya deals 12 damage! (13/25 HP remaining) Peasant Child #4 does some tricks with his Yo-Yo! Freya attacks again!?! (47 79) Freya deals 12 damage! (1/25 HP remaining) Freya gains 7 XP! Freya gains 2 Lance WEXP! Owen removes a Vulnerary from convoy! Owen uses said Vulnerary! Sidney takes a Salve from convoy! Sidney uses the Salve on Owen! Alain moves to 1,18! Adele attacks Peasant Woman #1 with her stool! 15 Atk, 88% Hit, 19% Crit (44 89) Bonk. Adele gains 10 XP! Adele gains 2 Axe WEXP!

Horace is pretty fat, does that count?

Cass moves to 9,10! Cass heals Serge! (37/41 HP) Cass gains 15 XP! Cass gains 2 Staff WEXP! "My dear princess, my brother said I was never much of a painter... he said I was far better at sculpting." Serge moves to 9,8! Serge attacks Peasant Man #7 with his boot! 13 Atk, 83% Hit, 3% Crit, 12% Adept, Charge Possible (54 76) Serge deals 13 damage! (17/30 HP remaining) (1) Serge attacks again! (57 2) Swag! Serge gains 10 XP! Serge gains 3 Sword WEXP! "Worry about the psycho later! Leaving her brother behind to get attacked by a mob... looks like we're picking up the slack, Freya." Esclabor moves to 9,11! Esclabor uses his attitude to fend off Peasant #11! (12 56) Does anyone actually like Esclabor? Peasant Man #11 doesn't and leaves! Esclabor gains 17 XP! Esclabor gains 2 Axe WEXP!

Yo, I totally don't mean to be a party pooper, but it might be worth sitting down for a little while and ironing out some world building and some sort of introduction post. If you're looking for something quick and relatively casual, you shouldn't run into too much trouble. Still, it never hurts to put a little work into an RP. A roleplay isn't like a dog, it's not just for Christmas! Either way, have fun and good luck!

If you're smart, you can read protect/detect. If you see it coming, you can either make a switch or set up for free. It also has use in stalling for toxic/burn damage or wish/leftovers recovery. The only times where you're hard shut down are if you use two turn moves or Slaking, but neither have any real use outside of PU.

Nikolai hadn't really given Tarquin the answer he was hoping for, only one that created more questions. Did Nikolai really have no place to go? In that case, it would be up to Tarquin to help him find one. Tarquin wasn't too sure about the sea, he'd never actually visited a coast, but it seemed to mean something to Nikolai. It was a little surprising that Nikolai had made a close friend before, even more so that he was similar to Tarquin. Tarquin felt like he wanted to know more, but an unspoken order seemed to hold his curiosity back - as if he wasn't meant to probe further. "When everything's all sorted... I can ask the Professor to help! He said that I could have anything that I asked for. He's always been really nice to me, and he's from Germany so he knows all about Europe." Tarquin replied quickly, hoping to give Nikolai something to look forward to. "When I used to live with him, we weren't near the sea, but I'm sure we could find somewhere."

Much of the philosophy that Nikolai was departing to him would have gone over his head a few days ago, but snippets of it were starting to make sense. Did Nikolai actually feel bad for provoking Elaine? The more he listened, the more it sounded like Elaine had simply heard something she didn't want to hear, and had taken it out on the one delivering it. In his head, he appeared to be trying to justify Nikolai's behaviour in his head. Was that what friends did? Elaine did resort to violence in the end, so he could put it down to her in the end. "If she didn't like what you were saying, she should have used her mouth rather than her fist." Tarquin replied, continuing to walk along. "Problems aren't solved by punching people that you disagree with. She's impulsive and her judgement is poor. She's the kind of person who would disobey orders because she thought she had a better idea... and her ideas probably aren't very good." The last comment made him stop for a moment, his eyes wide with the surprise. Was he simply a toy for the ANF, being kept around as long as he did what he was told? He'd proved himself to be as proficient as the rest of the crew, if not more so. It was something that had been at the back of his head for some time now, but with a large conflict brewing, it was becoming more prominent. "Nikolai, when the fighting's over... where would you want to go?" Tarquin asked, unsure of his own answer to the question. He was curious to his friend's response, but also hoped it would help him form his own answer.

Cass moves to 8,14! Alain moves to 1,13! Alain drinks his Vulnerary! Claire moves to 10,9! Claire attacks Peasant Woman #5 with the History of Turnips! 13 Atk, 100% Hit, 19% Crit (61 44) Peasant Woman #5 realises that she left her turnips in the oven! Claire gains 10 XP! Claire gains 2 Tomes WEXP! Hans and Lars move to 6,7! Adele attacks Peasant Woman 3 with her Stool! 15 Atk, 91% Hit, 18% Crit (55 5) Peasant Woman 3 loses a few teeth! Adele gains 10 XP! Adele gains 2 Axe WEXP! "I suppose you have spent a significant amount of time around Mr Molenli, milady." Sebastian heals Adele! Sebastian gains 8 XP! Sebastian gains 2 Staff WEXP! "This is the second worst situation I've been in involving weddings..." Esclabor moves to 7,10! Constance moved earlier! Good job, Shin! Enemy Phase Peasant Man #1 attacks Ezekiel with his Pointy Stick! 11 Atk, 52% Hit, 0% Crit (97 60) Can't touch this. Peasant Man #3 attacks Sebastian with his Pointy Stick! 8 Atk, 80% Hit, 0% Crit (43 34) Sebastian takes 8 damage! (20/36 HP remaining) Sebstian makes Peasant Man #3 smell his Bouquet! 6 Atk, 82% Hit, 2% Crit (42 60) Sebastian deals 6 damage! (18/30 HP remaining) Sebastian gains 6 XP! Sebastian gains 1 Sword WEXP! "Perhaps deciding against the hidden poison dart gun was a poor choice." Peasant Man #7 moves to 9,7! Peasant Man #11 attacks Freya with his Pointy Stick! 2 Atk, 72% Hit, 0% Crit (17 53) Freya takes 2 damage! (38/42 HP remaining) Freya mops back! 10 Atk, 84% Hit, 2% Crit (95 78) Freya misses! Freya gains 5 XP! Freya gains 1 Lance WEXP! Peasant Man #12 looks at Freya again! "I'm finding someone else to get beaten up by." Peasant Man #12 moves to 15,9! Peasant Man #16 moves to 9,14! Peasant Man #16 attacks Cass with his Shovel! 5 Atk, 38% Hit, 0% Crit (67 82) No deal! Cass shows him the power of her fists! 13 Atk, 100% Hit, 8% Crit (23 21) Cass deals 13 damage! (17/30 HP remaining) Cass gains 8 XP! Cass gains 1 Axe WEXP! Peasant Man #17 attacks Sidney with his Pointy Stick! 8 Atk, 33% Hit, 0% Crit (68 33) Silly rabbit! Why did you even try? Sidney gains 5 XP! Peasant Man #18 moves to 9,18! Peasant Man #18 attacks Sidney with his Shovel! 11 Atk, 34% Hit, 0% Crit (5 99) Bonk! Sidney takes 11 damage! (22/33 HP remaining) Sidney gains 5 XP! Peasant Man #19 moves to 8,16! Peasant Man #19 attacks Owen with his Pointy Stick! 8 Atk, 68% Hit, 0% Crit (20 21) Owen takes 8 damage! (13/31 HP remaining) Owen counters with his Spare Pants! 11 Atk, 100% Hit, 8% Crit, 16% Astra (30 35 56) Owen deals 11 damage! (19/30 HP remaining) Owen pantses again! (14 19 66) Owen deals another 11 damage! (8/30 HP remaining) Owen gains 9 XP! Owen gains 2 Sword WEXP! Peasant Man #20 attacks Owen with his Shovel! 10 Atk, 69% Hit, 0% Crit (71 95) Owen dodges by the skin of his pants! Owen counters with more pants! 9 Atk, 87% Hit, 7% Crit, 16% Astra (67 48 72) Owen deals 9 damage! (21/30 HP remaining0 Owen goes for round two! (23 85 69) Owen deals another 9 damage! (12/30 HP remaining) Owen gains 9 XP! Owen gains 2 Sword WEXP! Peasant Man #22 moves to 9,17! Peasant Man #22 attacks Owen with his Shovel! 10 Atk, 71% Hit, 0% Crit (56 0) Owen takes 10 damage! Good thing he has luck! (3/31 HP remaining) Owen pantses on the edge! 10 Atk, 87% Hit, 7% Crit, 16% Astra (45 76 66) Owen deals 10 damage! (20/30 HP remaining) Pants have two legs! (30 69 26) Owen deals 10 damage more! (10/30 HP remaining) Owen gains 9 XP! Owen gains 2 Sword WEXP! Peasant Man #23 moves to 8,19! Peasant Man #23 attacks Sidney with his Pointy Stick! (93 57) Not worth it. Sidney gains 5 XP! Peasant Man #24 moves to 7,15! Peasant Man #25 stays put! Peasant Woman #1 moves to 6,4! Peasant Woman #1 attacks Adele with her Frying Pan! 5 Atk, 77% Hit, 9% Crit (59 68) Adele takes 5 damage! (34/39 HP remaining) Adele counters with her stool! 15 Atk, 88% Hit, 19% Crit (79 82) Adele deals 15 damage! (12/27 HP remaining) Adele gains 8 XP! Adele gains 1 Axe WEXP! Peasant Woman #2 swings at Ezekiel! (88 23) How are they so bad? Peasant Woman #4 attacks Sebastian with her Frying Pan! 4 Atk, 45% Hit, 0% Crit (20 1) Sebastian takes 4 damage! (16/36 HP remaining) Sebastian uses his flower power! (28 47) Peasant Woman #4 believes Sebastian is her Prince Charming! She runs away to prepare for his proposal! ... He never gives it. Sebastian gains 6 XP! Sebastian gains 2 Sword WEXP! Peasant Woman #6 looks at Freya! Peasant Woman #6 moves to 12,9! Peasant Woman #7 moves to 8,15! Peasant Woman #7 attacks Cass with her Rolling Pin! 2 Atk, 48% Hit, 0% Crit (6 48) Cass takes 2 damage! (34/36 HP remaining) Cass introduces Peasant Woman #7 to her fists! 13 Atk, 100% Hit, 5% Crit (67 64) Cass deals 13 damage! (14/27 HP remaining) Cass gains 8 XP! Cass gains 1 Axe WEXP! Peasant Woman #8 moves to 1,14! Peasant Woman #8 attacks Alain with her Frying Pan! 9 Atk, 67% Hit, 0% Crit (59 41) Alain takes 9 damage! (13/25 HP remaining) Alain introduces her to the joys of being a nerd! (97 32) (34 78) By burning her eyebrows off! Alain gains 13 XP! Alain gains 3 Tome WEXP! Peasant Woman #9 stays put! Peasant Woman #10 stays put! Peasant Child #4 attacks Cass with their Yo-yo! 3 Atk, 38% Hit, 0% Crit (75 10) Yo no! Cass gains 5 XP! Peasant Child #5 moves to 7,13! What a jerk! Peasant Child #7 stays put! Peasant Child #8 moves to 7,16! Other Phase "Come... let me say hello to the guests." Arteria moves to 9,5! Chapter 8 Turn 3 SPREADSHEET

His request had gone better than he'd hoped, although Nikolai was being a little too apologetic towards Elaine. Had Tarquin said something to hurt his feelings? It was hard to tell in the chaos of the meeting, they'd need to go somewhere a little less intense, away from the others. Nikolai hadn't had it easy, but he'd done his best to aid the crew in their last two outings. Tarquin had found he could trust him far more than he could Elaine. Before he left, he gave Elaine a quick glance, his eyes full of the same distaste for her he'd shown in their first confrontation. "Don't you touch him like that again, Hedrick. Someone of your rank should know better. If you cannot be trusted within a meeting, one would have to question your worth on the field." Tarquin warned, showing almost no sympathy for the woman. He also had something to say to Abigail of similar effect. He couldn't be entirely sure he could trust her, but at least he didn't know for sure that she was likely to be a liability. "If you follow instructions, I see no issues with your deployment." Tarquin walked towards the door, taking Nikolai with him. He took his time in thinking of how to word things, as well as avoid the others. It wasn't until they'd reached halfway before he spoke. There was so much that he didn't know about Nikolai, there were lots of questions that he couldn't feel like he could ask. There was also a great deal about himself that he couldn't reveal to Nikolai. His upbringing, his education, even his creation, so much of his life was classified. People appeared to connect through sharing their lives with others, how could he truly do so if he was forbidden to share his own? "You shouldn't pay attention to her, she only cares about her own ego." he explained, his own interactions with her more than telling of her apparent true colours. "Her first response is to resort to violence, her mind can't comprehend any other solutions. There have been two missions so far where her nature had risked the well-being of the group."

EDIT: Even SF began to double post.