Eiji Hino

--IC: Hestala: The Skies, somewhere between Cliffside and Tesara-- As he did that, Hestala fiddled with the controls of the Vista Baby, slowly willing it to begin rising up from the ground. The damage that had been incurred on it in the dogfight caused things to be a little more jittery than usual, but at least the airship still functioned. She prepped the weapon systems while she was at it, the Skyblasters whirring and clanking into a ready position. "Still waiting on that ammo, dahling!" - - - --IC: Bacchus: The Arena-- Bacchus was so absorbed in recording the strange writing on the dais, trying to puzzle out what they could possibly be saying, that he did not hear Drukann's statement, nor did he notice Kaenis' seeming disappearance or the giant woman's approach: he was too absorbed in his work. But as the symbol of the Three Virtues lit up, his face did too. Only then did he notice the closer presence of the giant woman. "Forsooth!" he cried excitedly, scribbling in his notebook. "Three Virtues, three people!" But what else were they missing, he wondered? Clearly the light show was the only thing that they were going to get as they currently were. Maybe the missing piece that the missive referred to had something to do with the words on the dais? --OOC:-- Sorry for the wait, guys.

everything was, in fact, not alright, but it was opposite day.

she have own hair porple

ussalry

his transmetal toy was kinda cool lookin, ngl

dragon

some guy wrote a poem about him or somethin, idk

they aren't actually dinosaurs, jim. (hey, buddy. missed you too.)

non-egypt man takes name of egypt man

purple dragon lady with some high-class glass on her eye.

who watches the watchmen? not me, the new show sucks.

officially declared legally dead. (also, hey man; been a while.)

--IC: Hestala: The Wastes, somewhere between Cliffside and Tesara-- The pair managed to clamber inside the Vista Baby, Hestala closing the boarding ramp and door behind them as quickly as she could to prevent any of the Vorox from getting in. She made her way to the cockpit, and began to bark orders at her rival as she flicked switches and pushed buttons to boot up the airship. "Dahling, in the back hold you'll find a large crate full of skyblaster spheres. Push that up here and start loading them in the open hatch on the floor!" When loaded, the skyblaster spheres would fill up the cartridges that had been emptied in her dogfight with her rival's Rockoh. - - - --IC: Bacchus: The Arena-- It still wasn't fair, Bacchus thought as he slumped his shoulders in resigned defeat. He didn't want to share this mystery with Drukann and his giant woman sidekick, but it looked like he was going to have to. Oh well. If it was unavoidable, then he'd make a show of solving all the important bits before those other two did. ... Drukann and his sidekick, he meant, Not Juno and Kaenis, they were cool. The Rock Agori saw the red Skakdi approach the dais in the center of the Arena; he put on a burst of speed in order to get there first, sliding to a halt once more and casting some sort of smug look at his new rival- "Too slow," it seemed to say- before hunkering down and running his hands along a portion of the strange text. Fascinating... He pulled out his notebook and began recording the text within it, once again taking care to mimic the style of the writing. It could come in handy later.

--IC: Bacchus: The Arena-- Throughout the slow confrontation, Bacchus remained where he was, pointing dramatically away from the Arena, brows beetled. He kept that pose through Juno's gun-pulling, Kaenis' desire for a peaceful resolution, and the giant woman's veiled threat and continued insistence. But when the map dealer relinquished her opposition of the two rapscallions that were trying to solve the mystery instead of them, that was when he broke pose. He turned to Juno, a look of confusion and slight sadness on his face. "Is that it?" he asked. "Is... are we just going to let them come along? But it's our mystery!"

--IC: Hestala: The Wastes, somewhere between Cliffside and Tesara-- For a moment, Hestala considered victory as the Vorox retreated into the air... but then the horn sounded. And then another one did. She didn't like the sound of it, and she figured she knew what the sound of it meant. "Get in, dahling, get in!" she shouted at her rival, shoving him in the direction of the Vista Baby's still-extended ramp. "They're calling their friends! Get in; we won't stand a chance out here!" Her plan was to use her airship's integrated weaponry, and her rival's cooperation in operating it, to take down the remaining Vorox and however many else decided to show up. In her haste, she did not go back for the moneybag she had tossed onto the wrecked, abandoned Rockoh earlier. - - - --IC: Bacchus: The Arena-- If the giant woman sidling up behind the Skakdi was supposed to intimidate them, it didn't work on Bacchus. Being an investigator required nerves of steel!... except when it came to heights. But being a short boy, he had encountered his fair share of relative giants before, to the point where he had just accepted that they existed. The Skakdi gave his name- Drukann; an... interesting name, the Rock Agori thought. "A pleasure to meet you, Drukann..." he began, seeming to ease things into a more amicable state... before suddenly pointing away from the Arena. "... now git! I'm not going to fight you, but I'm not going to compromise on this, either! This is our mystery, and we're going to solve it whether you like it or not!" He was not usually this stubborn about not sharing his cases with anybody, but in his mind, he and his crew deserved this, not them!

--IC: Bacchus: The Arena-- In reply, Bacchus clapped a hand to his chest, clearly showboating a little. "Forsooth!" he declared. "I am Bacchus, renowned investigator of New Atero! With me are Kaenis the explorer, and Juno the... map... dealer." He stumbled a little as he realized that he didn't actually know Juno's formal occupation, but recovered quickly. "And we're here to answer a call! The call of a mystery! The call that was placed into our hands and other assorted graspers by way of a mysterious missive, beckoning us toward a beacon and a puzzle awaiting us at this very Arena! It's a mystery that we fully intend to solve, so if you're here for the same reason we are, I highly suggest you back off, buster. This is our mystery!" As he rambled in his announcement, he took the opportunity to size up the newcomer. (Skakdi. Red and orange coloration indicates a fire-based elemental affinity, blue eyes indicate impact vision ability. Muscular frame and rough hands suggests much time spent exercising, mostly by way of fighting. Something in posture and speech lends credence to lots of time spent drinking.)

--IC: Hestala: The Wastes, somewhere between Cliffside and Tesara-- The Vorox managed to get a few nicks in on Hestala, but they either hit her armor or were too shallow to cause any lasting damage. The Vortixx woman then yanked her hook out of her adversary's leg in a horizontal line, aiming to tear through muscle so as to cripple the creature, before aiming a blunt swing at its head, the stinger wound on her shoulder still aching. "Over here, dahling!" she called to her rival, who seemed to be predisposed with whacking the Vorox that they had already taken care of. "Get them!" She pointed at the creatures that were still approaching the Vista Baby before charging at the next one and aiming a blunt thrust at its midsection. - - - --IC: Bacchus: The Arena-- As was to be expected, Bacchus was the very last to arrive at the Arena. The Horse with No Name puttered on ever slower and ever lower until its nose skidded into the sand, sending the Rock Agori tumbling headfirst into a dune. Believe it or not, that was how he normally dismounted his skyfighter. Uninjured, he dusted himself off and slung his backpack- containing his Thornax fruit supply in case things went south- over his shoulder and his Thornax launcher on his hip, patted his pockets to make sure his notebook and pipeweed were still there, filled his pipe with said pipeweed, and trundled on into the Arena. His initial awe at the magnificent, ancient architecture was shoved to the metaphorical back burner as he caught sight of his friends... and two other folks. Shock! Disappointment! A third adjective! Not only was he not the first on the scene for this beacon mystery, but he and his crew weren't even the only ones here! It looked like somebody was trying to encroach on his investigation! Getting a running start, Bacchus slid on his heels across the sand and stopped right in between his friends' Rockohs and the confrontational-looking red Skakdi, striking a pose with his pelvis out and his hand on his launcher's handle. He had only heard the last part of the newcomer's inquiry, the part about what their business was. "I could ask you the same question, ol' buddy chum friend pally-pal," he answered dramatically. (He waved excitedly to Juno and Kaenis immediately after.) --OOC:-- Bacchus has finally arrived on the scene, and is talking to Drukann.

hey, uh, so i wanted to apologize for the fuss i made on the discord server the other day. i've been having a crisis of confidence lately; i don't think that any of what i contribute to the skyrise community is actually any good, and i don't think my ideas, characters, etc, deserve the positive feedback they've been receiving. i shouldn't have made a scene, and if i worried any of you, i didn't mean to. y'all are chill.

--IC: Hestala: The Wastes, somewhere between Cliffside and Tesara-- "Thank you, dahling," Hestala breathed as her rival's axe made short work of the Vorox. She continued her charge on the rest of the buggers who had now encircled her oh-so-precious Vista Baby; pointing herself at the nearest one, she aimed a low blow at it, hoping to drive the point of her hook as deep into its leg as it would go. - - - --IC: Bacchus: The Wastes, en route to the Arena-- Poor little Bacchus. The Horse with No Name couldn't keep up with his two friends' much faster, much newer Rockohs, no matter how hard he gunned the skyfighter's shabby engine. It was very likely that he would be the last of the group to make landing at the Arena. And he didn't like that thought; he always wanted to be the very first on the scene of any mystery. More black smoke billowed up as the engines cranked; this was normal. It had always let off a lot of black smoke. - - - --IC: Catina: Cliffside-- Amidst the general confusion and chaos that permeated Cliffside on a daily basis, those interested would notice the quiet arrival of a new figure in town. He was a Glatorian, easy to miss with his nondescript gray armor and mundane, if rather large, weaponry. But sharp eyes would observe that his hands were bloody; he had scaled the jagged cliffs to reach here all on his own. No ship had helped him get to Cliffside, for he had no ship to help him. All that was left of his was localized entirely over his shoulders. He was a survivalist. A knight errant. A bodyguard. A guide for those who wished to cross the Wastes. He was all these and more. And he was looking for work. Surely there would be someone in this shanty city of miscreants, thugs, hooligans, and other general riffraff who was in need of some form of hired protection to ensure their own safety, his logic went. He had skipped seeking employment in Tesara, as their guard force was more than adequate in keeping the entire population of the city safe. And he would not go back to New Atero. So aside from the odd wanderer in the Wastes, Cliffside was his best bet. Wrapping his cut hands hastily in white cloths, which were immediately stained red, he shuffled over to the local bulletin board and pinned upon it the only piece of actual parchment he owned. In scrawled letters, it read simply: Any potential customers would be able to inquire very close nearby, as the lonely Glatorian slumped down upon the floor and against the wall to which the notice board was nailed. He was a survivalist, a knight errant, a bodyguard, a guide- he was also very weary. It had been a long trek. --OOC:-- Local sadboy enters the fray. Catina is Open for Interaction by the Cliffside notice board.

At the behest of basically everyone on the Discord server I guess, here's this boy. Character: NAME: Catina SPECIES: Glatorian GENDER: Male POWERS: None GEAR: Thunder Manibus- A long lance tipped with a drill bit. Despite its name, it has nothing to do with actual thunder. Thornax Launcher- A standard Thornax Launcher, accompanied by several overripe Thornax fruits. Water Skin- An unremarkable water skin. PERSONAL AIRCRAFT: None ALLEGIANCE/ROLE: Catina hails from New Atero and works as a knight errant/bodyguard for hire. APPEARANCE: Completely average in height and in muscle mass, Catina wears armor painted a dull, slate gray everywhere except his helmet, which remains navy blue. His large shoulder pauldrons are not part of his natural armor set; rather, they are fashioned out of hull pieces from his now-destroyed Jetrax, the Full Helm. PERSONALITY: A drifter by choice, Catina is a melancholy fellow who suffers from trust issues that prevent him from forming anything beyond a professional relationship with people. His status as a mute, coupled with his lack of sign language knowledge, presents a large communication barrier that can only be marginally bypassed through the use of expressions and body language. Despite his handicaps, he shows an impressive dedication to his work, never leaving a job half-done in order to keep his clients from meeting the same fate he has. BIO: Catina was once an up-and-coming hunter of beasts in a small explorer's guild stationed in New Atero. For a small while, life was good, until one of his comrades grew envious of the prestige that he was earning. On an expedition deep into the Wastes, the Full Helm was shot down by the envious comrade, and Catina was left among the wreckage at the mercy of the beasts he once hunted, with no weapons and too few supplies. Despite his wounds, and the loss of his voice after encountering a particularly nasty Spikit, he made it back to civilization, where he was patched up physically, but not mentally. He set off into the Wastes again shortly after, this time prepared for the challenges that lay ahead. He has not been back to New Atero since, nor will he ever go back.

--IC: Hestala: The Wastes, somewhere between Cliffside and Tesara-- The knockback that Hestala received from her hook being deflected caused her to stumble back a little, thus avoiding the brunt of the Vorox's stinger strike. It did succeed in giving her a solid nick on the back of her right shoulder, however; she let out a small cry of pain and started wishing that she had invested in some chest armor that completely covered her back, too. The price of stylishness was pain, apparently. Not to be deterred, however, she took the opportunity to sidestep the next approaching blow and rush forward in an almost crouch, wrapping the curve of her hook around her assailant's ankle. The intent was to pull his feet out from under him as she charged forward to intercept the creatures that were approaching the Vista Baby. - - - --IC: Bacchus: The Wastes, en route to the Arena-- Much lower to the ground than his two peers, Bacchus trundled merrily along as fast as his little skyfighter would take him, leaving a trail of tossed-up sand and black smoke in his wake. Every so often, he would look upward to catch Juno's distinctive striped Rockoh make some sort of course adjustment, an adjustment he would follow her in making very soon after. Part of him wished that he could be higher up in the sky, feeling the wind on his face... and then the part of him that was afraid of heights shut that desire down completely.

--IC: Bacchus: New Atero-- Bacchus beamed as he saw Kaenis' wave, way up there in the sky, before his attention was diverted by the sound of another ship taking off, this one another Rockoh, but painted in stripes. In the pilot's seat, he saw a familiar flash of dark armor- Juno. Gesturing to Kaenis again, he made a sweeping motion with his arm indicating that that ship was the one to follow, and gunned his Horse with No Name onward as fast as it would go in pursuit. It was time they were off. - - - --IC: Hestala: The Wastes, somewhere between Cliffside and Tesara-- Hestala rolled her eyes in disgust. "Robbery, is it?" she muttered. "You've got to be joking. You're not doing it properly at all." Suddenly, both hands went to her hook handle as she aimed a hard swing at the head of one of the Vorox blocking her path. With luck, she'd catch him by complete surprise, and the blunt end of the hook's curve would inflict some good old-fashioned blunt force trauma.

--IC: Hestala: The Wastes, somewhere between Cliffside and Tesara-- Hestala stopped and planted a hand on her hip, her brows beetling. "You can take all that," she snipped, pointing to the wrecked Rockoh. She pointed again, this time to the Vista Baby, and continued, "That one's mine, you can't take it." The hand still gripping a hook clenched tighter around its handle. "No barter."

--IC: Hestala: The Wastes, somewhere between Cliffside and Tesara-- "You think I don't know that?" the Vortixx woman whispered harshly back to her rival. "Now be a dear and pull on that corner." When the Vorox leader stepped forward and ordered them to stand aside, Hestala was only too happy to oblige; she took her hands and her hooks immediately away from the wrecked Rockoh and stepped quickly back, allowing the creatures an uninhibited view of the bare innards of the ship. Bone, steel, engine parts, fuel, weapons: plenty of things scavengers like them could have a potential interest in. For good measure she tossed one of her money bags onto the pile (the one with the least amount of widgets in it). "Come on, dahling," she said quietly, tugging her rival slowly but firmly back toward the Vista Baby. "Best we leave these fellows alone."

--IC: Hestala: The Wastes, somewhere between Cliffside and Tesara-- "To... rrrgh... to make it easier for you to take. You can't very well lug this big large thing around with that little manpower, can you? No... rrrgh. But you can lug around a bunch of smaller pieces." - - - --IC: Bacchus: New Atero-- Left temporarily alone again while both of his partners retrieved their ships, Bacchus ran through his notebook one more time, repeating the words of the strange missive quietly to himself. "The Beacon beckons... the Arena awaits... find that which is missing, and the puzzle will be complete..." The words were just as enticing now as they were when he first found them on the notice board. Potential meanings to these words bounced around in his head, colliding with other thoughts and producing unholy thought offspring. Perhaps he was a bit too determined to solve this mystery, as his focus on it had caused him to become a bit scatterbrained today in regards to other matters. The Rock Agori stuffed his notebook back into his pocket and started to boot up the Horse with No Name. It sputtered to life, kicking up a lot of sand and smoke as it lurched forward, almost ramming into the notice board before it finally climbed to its maximum cruising height... which was about as high as Bacchus himself was tall. The Horse was a shabby piece of equipment, but it was his shabby piece of equipment, and he loved it for what it was. Easing it away from its near collision, he started slowly directing it along the path that Juno had taken to retrieve her ship. He shadowed his brow again as he spotted the pontoons of Kaenis' Rockoh in the sky above, waving enthusiastically at it as if to say, "Yes! I'm right here!"