[WORLD TWO | INTRO LOG]

[spellbindmods]

Who: All coven members
Where: In and around the new world’s apartment building where the coven is staying
When: Day (the calendar isn’t syncing for me hELP)
Open/Closed: Open to All

You’re in a room. It’s pretty bright — blindingly so, even. There’s something very stark and very clean about the place, and also the person you’re sitting in front of. You’re sitting? You’re sitting. There’s also a pane of very powerful plexiglass separating you from the uniform-clad person who is now speaking to you. It’s impossible to transcribe what they say verbatim, but here’s the gist of it: - You’re being welcomed to a city called Shehui. Depending on who you are, the level of technology may be light years ahead of you or child’s play. - There’s a very strict policy about magic. While there are measures put in place to prevent magic from happening, this is still something that they reiterate over and over. They don’t want to take chances. - Crime is also frowned upon. Small infractions will result in credit deductions, while major crimes will get you banned. Antisocial behavior is also looked down upon. You’re locked in the city for your initial eight weeks. You can leave afterwards, but trying to break out of the city or cause social unrest will result in monitoring and a potential ban. - This city is supposed to be somewhat relaxing. Is it a free pleasure cruise? No. Is it a self-contained society that runs on community and indulgence? Yes. - You’re being given an allotment of credits in order to stay in the city, which is what the economy there runs on. This goes on for quite some time. - You’re being moved to a housing location. Despite the slotted speaker in the middle of the plexiglass, the only time you have a chance to ask questions is when a small slit opens in the bottom and a package is slid towards you. - What’s in the package? There’s a credit card-like apparatus that has apparently taken a picture of you. It contains a place to write your name, an identification number and barcode. It also has a thin strip near the top that has scrolling script floating by. It states “WELCOME TO SHEHUI. YOUR ID WILL UPDATE WITH COMMUNITY NOTICES AND PERSONAL PINGS FOR JOBS AND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES RELATED TO YOUR INTEREST.” It’s a lot to take in, but that’s the long and short of it. Have questions? The person will reiterate a few times that there are information desks around the city. That’s all for now…now you’ll be traveling to your next destination: your new home. The floor slowly lowers as if you’ve been in an elevator the whole time. It connects to several other glass containers, much like your own, all suddenly clanking together in a chain. After a short wait, the chain begins to move — quickly. Faster, maybe, than you’ve ever gone before. It’s hard to even make out the scenery when you’re zipping past everything so quickly. Where does this trip lead you? The ground floor of your new apartment building. The plexiglass cases open up and you’re in a hotel lobby. There’s a flashing board on the wall — NEW ARRIVALS, COME HERE. A ▢ So now’s the time to get settled into your new digs. Your name is on the board, and there’s a promise that your things — which, by the way, were mysteriously taken — will be located in your room. No need to fight over bedrooms; those also hold name placards that are digitally installed. Maybe everyone else is already there. Maybe you’re the first person there and need to find a way to stake your claim on the fridge or a bathroom. B ▢ Maybe you don’t want to fuck with anybody right now and are busy exploring the apartment building. You may encounter some aliens, some strangers, some ice machines. There IS that floor that’s nothing but recreational stations. If you’re overwhelmed, the garden is a good place to start. The sport court is pretty empty right now, if you want to have any regrouping meetings.

The apartment building is locked up tight for three hours in order to let new arrivals get their bearings. After that, the ground floor lobby doors open into the city of Shehui. There’s a lot to take in, but let’s cover the biggest bases: C ▢ Right outside this communal apartment building is a large, digital job board. The list of available jobs and credit opportunities are constantly flashing by. Want to pick one out? Just hold up that ID card you were given and the instructions and location will be sent to the ID’s text scroller. D ▢ You’ve got 500 credits to blow on clothes, food, strippers…whatever you’d like? Right next to the apartment complex are tons of local businesses, from bistros to outlet malls. A movie theater, an arcade, a video game store…and the best thing about Shehui? Most everything is dirt cheap. Where are you shopping? What are you buying? Enquiring minds would like to know! E ▢ Right next to the shopping area is a wooded park. It’s akin to a nature trail that’s similar to Yellowstone in scenery and topography. If you’re more comfortable someplace less…tech or modern…then this may be exactly where you’d like to be. F ▢ Wildcard! How will your character interact with this new and unusual world?

Comments

[spaceforged]

[He'll bet she did. Being down in that hole in the earth with demons tossed in. He sighs and turns onto the street with the apartments.]

Yeah, I picked up a lot over time. But it is a little difficult at times to train yourself out of your default weapon.

[He taps the side of his metal arm.]

You'd think tech would have all its functions here but it doesn't. ...so far.

[allconsumed]

[She got plenty of experience after that, too. Velvet gives the metal arm a brief glance, then raises her own bandaged one and flexes her fingers.]

Then we're even. It'll be good practice for us to fight in ways we're not used to. I became reliant on this hand, I'll admit.

[His tech – and frankly, a lot of the tech she's encountered in Shehui so far – is beyond her, but she can totally understand why Shiro wouldn't want to waltz up to any random place to see if they could get his weapon working.]

[spaceforged]

I did too. It’s hard not to.

[When your hand could carve through rock, melt metal, and was a leg up against things bigger and nastier than you it was just survival. Shiro doubles checks with a glance that the monitor he’d spotted on his way to work this morning is still there. There are two.]

What did you use before you came to rely on the hand? We can probably get it here. They surprisingly don’t have regulations on weapons of any sort. Even fire arms.

[allconsumed]

[She doesn't have to follow his glance to know what (who) he's keeping an eye on. It would just be more suspicious if she looked, too.]

My off weapon is a short, retractable blade. There was enough of the right material on Aimintas, so I made one there. I… picked up the know-how when I was younger.

[Translation: she learned how to craft and care for the weapon by Artorius, but she's not about to name drop him. She has a blade hidden in the toe of her boot, too, but she also doesn't bring that up.]

… I won't use steel when we spar. Getting a practice blade shouldn't be hard, and training hand-to-hand isn't a bad option, either.

[spaceforged]

[Blades. It has been a while since he used one. Well, not that long ago. Shiro pulls open the door to the apartment complex and holds it open.]

Hand to hand works best. I haven’t used a blade since I was a prisoner. [She already knows so he won’t hide it.] But even as cadet they trained us in physical combat.

My off-hand I can train on my own at a shooting range.

[He shuts the door behind them and heads for the stairs.]

[allconsumed]

Thanks.

[Velvet takes the lead up the stairs, glancing back as they continue to chat.]

A shooting range – somewhere you can practice with projectile weapons, I take it. That's another thing, I should get more familiar with those. If I can't defend myself against everything that's available, there's no point in training at all.

[spaceforged]

You’re right that’s where you can practice firearms. Probably crossbows too. I can show you how to use one and reload while we’re here. [He’s not the best shot but he’s not bad at it either. His guard is still up. There could be monitors around but after a few floors not seeing any his shoulders stop being so tense.]

But defending against them is easier to learn. Someone pulls a gun you want to be behind cover or diving out of the way as soon as possible. At close range the shot is too fast to dodge.

[allconsumed]

Good to know.

[Someone else might urge him to relax, but the way he keeps his guard up makes him seem all the more trustworthy in her mind. The fact that he reliably provides useful information adds to the image.]

I've dealt with long range artes – magic – before. Usually my strategy was to aggressively close the distance and take the caster out at close range, but I can't afford to be as reckless here. In those fights, I had healing artes to back me up.

[spaceforged]

We’ll both have to fall back on old instincts. It’s been...how many years since you fought with a different strategy in mind? [He opens the door to the roof and steps out into the chilly air. It’s like a snap waking his senses back up and commanding his attention. Shiro pulls off his coat and walks to the center of the roof, dropping the coat off to the side. He rolls his shoulders, stretching the muscles.]

For me it’s been half a year? My memories of my time as a prisoner are patchwork.

[allconsumed]

[For Velvet, the cold is nothing – literally. The low frequency worlds neuter a lot of her abilities, but she's still a daemon who doesn't feel the elements. It can be useful, but it also reminds her of her inhumanity.

She follows suit with her own stretching, getting loosened up while considering his question.]

When I started hunting, I was timid at first, but I think that's typical. Once I got used to it, I formed the habits I have now. My teacher used to scold me for fighting with too much emotion.

[The cold way she says "teacher" makes it obvious that her memories of him aren't fond.]

So my old instincts are the same as my new ones, but I'm still confident that I can adapt.

[spaceforged]

I believe you can. [But what she just said nags at him. Too much emotion? It sounds like trying to build a machine. He could be wrong but...]

How do you even gauge how much is too much? That’s pretty vague. [He pivots to face her and shifts his feet. Hand to hand is something that he knows very well. He saw her fight in the dream. He knows better than to underestimate anyone. Especially when that was an outdated glimpse of her speed and abilities.]

I’d get it if it was suggested you’re too aggressive. But...anyway, start when you’re ready.

[allconsumed]

[She appreciates the vote of confidence, even if it doesn't show on her face. Her voice takes on a weighty tone with a sardonic edge.]

"Pride and anxiety. Pity for the enemy. The thrill of victory." He said things like that would be my downfall.

[Velvet hates that she can remember the words so well. She removes the gauntlet from her right arm, then sets it aside. When she turns back to face him, there's a hard look on her face.]

To hell with him.

[With no lack of ferocity, she charges at Shiro, launching straight into a flurry of blows. Her punches are strong but awkward, but she favors kicks, which come at him from all directions with smooth accuracy. In the back of her mind, she's curious to see how he'll handle an early onslaught.]

[spaceforged]

[He tenses when she charges, opting to dodge at the start. A few of her punches land but many miss. He's watching her as he moves, light on his feet. When he blocks he tends to favor his robotic arm for it. It's practically a reflex by this point.

Her kicks, however, land more than they miss. He counters by launching one of his own, it's smooth and quick at the leg she's putting her weight on when she kicks. He took a kick to do it, but his own return blows flow like a sword fighter's attacks. Without the deadly power that turns his arm into a sword it's a bit awkward.]

Pity for the enemy keeps us from going too far. Anxiety and fear can keep you sharp and prevent you from being too reckless.

[Where Velvet favors kicks Shiro favors punches and swipes of his robot arm. He's adjusting the former into strictly punches but it's taking time. Reflexes are hard to break.]

What the hell were they trying to turn you into? Even soldiers aren't made to be that cold.

[allconsumed]

[When Shiro counters with his own kick for the first time, it's well-aimed; with a grunt, Velvet loses her balance and drops to all fours, forcing her to recover acrobatically.

His robotic arm adds to the challenge more substantially than expected. Her tolerance for pain is very high, but even for her, there's a limit to the number of times she can slam a fist or foot into it at full strength. In the long term it's going to wear her out, so she needs to adjust her strategy.]

… Just what it sounds like. He wanted followers who fought only for reason and his vision of the greater good.

[Velvet ducks his next attack. To deal with his arm, she starts to focus more on dodging, and – when opportunities present themselves – launching targeted attacks that will be tougher for him to block.]

[spaceforged]

[Anger sparks Shiro’s eyes and he forces it down. He remembers the pit in the ground with claw marks on the walls. A vast prison with demons dropped into it.

He grunts in pain as he takes a targeted attack. Focus. He takes in a deep breath and releases it. The anger rolls back but it fuels his next swing. It’s a smooth punch and he falls back into the same rhythm of movement he’d used against Zarkon. It’s something he learned the arena.

There is a calm space where he can react without being consumed by rage or fear. No more swipes. He takes another hit along his forearm and leans back hammering out a savage kick. He can take a lot of punishment. So long as the person doing it isn’t massive and muscled to hell and back.]

What do you want to be? How do you want to live?

[What path does she want to carve in this world and others? That is what matters most. Her targeted strikes are good. If he takes too many he will go down. He focuses on dodging and striking when he sees openings or creating fake openings. He had exploited that tactic against arrogant aliens. Velvet is smart. It won’t work for long.]

[allconsumed]

[It's complicated. In essence, Velvet already gave up her life to quell Artorius's plan. It's not something she regrets – it was necessary, and deserved, considering the methods she used. The mental and physical toll was immense, and by the end, she was ready to rest. Instead she was spirited away and forced to join the coven on borrowed time.]

Shut up.

[She can't answer his question, and she doesn't want to. It feels more invasive to her than the others, and emotions churn turbulently inside her.

Her movements remain sharp. Velvet is used to fighting with her emotions running high, and in this case, it's good that she warned Shiro that she wouldn't hold back. His new tactics manage to get her out of position, and she takes a few hard shots, but they don't slow her down. Then, as expected, she adjusts. Her aggressiveness only increases.

She doesn't know what she wants – not specifically. Being at the center of everything, using her strength to hurt people, letting revenge dictate her choices… it all wore her down, that much is clear.]

There are things and there are people I have to protect. That's what matters.

[spaceforged]

Then I'm not worried about you. [All he'd needed to know is right there. She'll be fine. And when it counts he'll be there to help shoulder the load, coven wise. Her problems are hers. That's been the odd thing about this place he has only needed to reach out. Not command. He had found it crazy at first. He'd needed the structure of command.

But now, it gives him room to find where he belongs in the coven. He winces as her aggression increases but he's used to another fighter who gets better the more aggressive he gets. It takes him a few hits to adapt to her changes. She's fast, has the endurance to burn but then so does he. But he is taking more hits. She's faster than he is.

Time to adapt again. More feints, more hammering blows that take advantage of his strength metal and human. He's tiring but he can beat she is too. Shiro doesn't want to admit he needed this. He needed to feel a fight again to remind himself he's still a paladin. Instead of sitting around unable to get back to where he's needed most.]

You know you can ask me questions about myself too. If you want to. I know I said a few confusing things in that dream.

[allconsumed]

[It's a fair offer, and there's no doubt that she is curious about his past based on what little she's picked up so far. Still, it can wait just a bit longer – by necessity, because she doesn't have the breath to continue the exchange. Upping her aggression to 100% does have a cost, and the adrenaline can only keep her at full speed for so long.

The training she's done on her own has been adequate to maintain her strength, but it's not the same as this. One of his feints leaves her open, and she takes a hard hit to the side from his metal arm. She lets out what is quite audibly a growl, and in the moment, Velvet realizes what needs is 105% while she still has the energy.

She takes a leaf from Shiro's book, faking a kick that she's used on him several times already; instead of going through with it, she uses her momentum to get under his arms and try to maneuver behind him. From there, her goal is to grab each of his arms at the shoulder and sweep his legs out, attempting what is essentially a wrestling move.

It's unorthodox compared to how she's been fighting, but she wants to attempt a takedown before she runs out of juice. If it backfires, she won't mind too much. It's worth it just to get her blood pumping even harder.]