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Messages - ReaperJoe

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31
Approved Characters / August Flare
« on: February 03, 2020, 02:47:28 AM »
CHARACTER

Name: August Flare

Age: 17

Species and Gender: Human Male

Symbol:  N/A

Occupation: 1st year Beacon Student

Appearance: August is relatively unremarkable, physically speaking. He stands at an average 5'9", has short brown hair, and he has a fit and slender body shape. Due to his lack of funds, even his best clothes are shabby and patchwork at best. As such, he tends to wear his Beacon uniform at most opportunities if at all possible, because he wants to present himself as well as possible. Unfortunately, this means that he has to clean his uniform more often, thus leaving it looking more and more worn as time goes on, just like the rest of his clothes. If he must go out without his uniform (either because it would get ruined or if he needs to keep a low profile for whatever reason), he instead wears a patchy coat that's well-worn and even threadbare in a few places as well as a ragged pair of pants with a few rips and tears in places.

However, despite all these traits, there are two details that make August stand out against the masses. Firstly, he has a "presence" about him. When he moves, it is with clear purpose, and when others meet his gaze, they more often than not unconsciously step out of his way. When he engages in conversation, those around him may find it difficult to step away until he dismisses them. Whenever he looks at someone, it is difficult to ignore his gaze.

This leads to his second notable feature: His eyes display an unusual bright orange color that shine with the ferocity of the sun. His gaze is intense, almost always giving off the impression that he's silently judging whatever he's watching. At the same time, his eyes betray nothing of his own thoughts, even as they seemingly bore into the very souls of those he's looking at. 

History: August's first memory is filled with fire. His nostrils are filled with smoke, his tongue can only taste hot ash, his skin only feels the heat licking off the flames. His is vision is blurred from tears as they try to wash away the smoke, and his ears deafened from a cacophonous mixture of roaring flames, distant howls, and his own screams. Everything he might have had--family, wealth, opportunity--is burning down all around him, leaving him with nothing but his name, his body, and the remains of the clothes on his back.

The next thing August knew, he was in a place called "Vale", surrounded by people he didn't know whose voices he couldn't understand. He had only just learned the very basics of language, and lacked the vocabulary needed to describe what he felt. He was confused: he didn't know where he was, he didn't know how he got there, and he didn't know where he was supposed to go or what he was supposed to do.

At first, the child cried. He wanted someone to hold him, to tell him he was alright. But no one ever did. He wanted someone to leave a light on at night, to keep away his fears. But the door was shut and locked tight, and the windows were drawn closed. Not even a night light was left to keep little August safe. And as crying proved less and less effective, August's eyes, which had once stared out into the world with brilliant intensity, slowly faded and darkened. The only thing left in the young child's mind was a single question: why?

"Why am I here?"

Because he had no family.

"Why?"

Because they were killed by Grimm.

"Why?"

Because they hunt people.

"Why?"

No one knew.

That left August unsatisfied. There had to be a reason beyond that. But the Grimm's menace and their animosity went unexplained no matter where he went. When he asked how they survived, he was told about their undying nature and their endless hunger for mankind. When he asked where they come from, he found no known origin. He asked why Grimm refuse to hunt animals, and was given no satisfactory reason. He grew older, and his eyes regained the emotion of frustration.

Eventually, he asked a new question, "What's the difference between mankind and other beasts?"

They didn't have the capacity for creation, they couldn't think, they acted on instinct; there were many answers, but the theme was the same: they were less than than humanity.

"Is that really such a great difference?"

Indeed. No animal could build such great walls or make such magnificent works of art. No beast could master the elements of science like man. No creature that crawled on its belly could wield such destructive weapons of war, no could such beasts resist the temptation to use them like man could.

These answers gave young August a sense of awe. He looked around him and saw the buildings, walls, clothes, and everything else that could only be created by man. He learned of the stories of great men and women who advanced society by leaps and bounds and wondered if he, too, could be like them. He was inspired, and for a brief moment forgot that he was alone in the world. His eyes filled with the feeling of pride.

He asked, "Are Grimm capable of such things, too?" Perhaps that was why man struggled against the Grimm so much.

No. A resounding answer.

"Then, if mankind is so great, why do we struggle against Grimm?"

Because they are many. Because they are unknowable. Because they defy logic. Because they are unnatural.

"Is mankind working to defeat them, despite these obstacles?"

Yes, humanity was united in this aspect, and August was pleased to hear this.

But then, he saw how mankind fought each other in what seemed like pointless, fruitless conflicts. He saw the White Fang perform their terrorist acts, and he heard the reports of people being killed. He asked those around him, "Why do people fight each other?"

He received many responses. Their ideals demanded it, or maybe they just wanted to be heard. Maybe there was no reason at all, or maybe the reason was something that couldn't be explained with mere words.

"Was this conflict necessary?"

No, many would say. The conflict was avoidable entirely.

To those, he asked, "Was the conflict meaningless?"

Yes, many would say. Because it was avoidable, people lost their lives for no reason.

"Is conflict with the Grimm necessary? Does it have meaning?"

Yes, on both accounts. The Grimm had to be stopped, or they would destroy everything. Stopping the Grimm meant saving lives.

"Then why are we not all fighting the Grimm? Why do we continue to fight each other?"

They fight because neither side will put down their weapons. At this answer, August's eyes filled with anger. Why fight pointless conflicts? Why kill people when Grimm already do that enough? Why point weapons at others when there are creatures far more deserving of lead?

But the minority opinion offered a different outlook: Conflict was necessary. If one side does wrong, it is proper to rebuke them. If one side oppresses, it is the others' duty to rise up in rebellion. If one side was weak, the strong must take over lest more succumb to the Grimm.

As such, conflict was meaningful. It honed our wisdom by teaching right from wrong. It taught equality, showing that every man is capable of fighting for a cause. It gave strength, and ensured blades were sharp and ready for any danger on the horizon.

"But does conflict not drive mankind apart?"

Perhaps it does, but perhaps that is the way it is meant to be.

"Would unity not be better to face the Grimm?"

Is it possible to unite such a fragmented people? Surely, it would be better to fight off the Grimm, but would it last long enough to properly finish the job?

August did not like that answer. However, he could not refute it. His eyes had gained reason, and as he grew older, he thought over his conversations through the years. He came upon 4 fundamental truths about the world he lived in: "Grimm were unnatural and deserved extermination", "Humanity was greater than Grimm", "Humanity was divided", and "conflict is meaningful". This, however, left him in an unsatisfactory state. If humanity was divided, then it is likely the Grimm will never be exterminated. Thus, the truth that "Humanity was divided" must be fallacious in some way. If Humanity could not unite, then Humanity could not exterminate Grimm, thus invalidating the truth "Humanity was greater than Grimm".

While he was contemplating this one day, August came across a man with a knife. The man was not there for chatting or friendly conversation.

"Why do you have a knife?"

Because he was going to hurt August if the boy didn't do what the man said.

"Why should I do what you say?"

Because the man was bigger and stronger than August.

"You must be pretty small and weak, if I am the biggest and strongest you can take."

The man wasn't weak, and August better shut up and get on his knees. August did no such thing. The man cut August.

August was scared. Perhaps he was terrified. But more than that, he was angry. This conflict was not necessary. Both his life and that of the man's would have been better off if they had never met. And then August came to a terrible realization: "Humanity divided itself pointlessly, and thus killed itself pointlessly". This made August upset. He did not want to die pointlessly, but, if he did, it would be this man's fault.

"You're pathetic."

Shut up. August did not.

"You should be ashamed. You pick on the weak to make yourself feel strong."

The man wasn't weak. August disagreed. The boy saw a trembling man, barely able to hold onto his knife.

"You'd be better off begging everyone everywhere for forgiveness for living such a squalid worthless life."

The weak-willed man fell to his knees, staring into August's eyes and unable to move or speak. The moment was silent, the man kneeling in fear, the boy staring with righteous anger. The man then begged for forgiveness and ran away.

August thought for some time on that encounter, and on his amended truths. If Humanity pointlessly divided itself, then they needed someone who could unify them. But who could do such a thing? He looked at the old politicians, who had succeeded in careers that relied on Humanity's separation. They were not suitable to the task, for while they had the experience and knowledge, they had benefited far too much from the previous system. He looked to the youthful huntsmen and huntresses, with starry-eyed dreams and with flocks of fans. Perhaps they were suitable, but they were too naive. Their vision was too short-sighted, scaled down to the safety of a single village or the rescue of a single person. They could not wipe out all the Grimm. He looked to the civilians, the everyday man and woman who made up the rest of society. They lacked the ability to lead, and could not secure Mankind's dominance. But there was no one else that in the world left to fill the role, save for one.

It was then August realized his final truth: "The only one who can unite the world is me"

Personality: To say August has a dominant personality would be an understatement. Whenever he speaks, his voice carries throughout a room and bears with it an extraordinary sense of arrogance. He openly challenges authority, questioning policies, opinions, and even orders of those who have the audacity to claim to be his superiors. To those under him, his orders offer no room for dissent or negotiation. While he will listen to the opinions of others before making a decision, once his word has been given there is no longer any hope for discussion.

Yet, in spite of this arrogance, August's words and actions always carry some air of respect. In debates, he never attacks a person's character, only their ideas and arguments. In conversations with others, he definitely gives the impression that he looks down on others as inferiors, but at the same time genuinely seems to believe average people are capable of achieving incredible things and should aspire to higher purposes.

August enjoys the Arts, especially those of language. Whenever possible, he will find time to read both classic and modern literature, especially works of great speeches given by those throughout the ages. He is a proponent of the idea that mankind's ability to craft art is the primary difference between man and Grimm; while the creatures are capable of innovation through their various and sundry forms, they will always be ugly, inferior creatures compared to the majesty and supremacy of mankind.

Speaking of supremacy, while August holds a very, very high opinion of himself, he is not a human supremacist. In fact, he is a strong advocate for faunus rights, and encourages political reform to end abusive practices by exploitative entities. At the same time, he condemns the actions of the White Fang as a divisive terrorist group that hurts its own cause through its actions.

August's arrogant personality can be quite abrasive to others, so there are very few that grow close to him. However, when people do take the time to understand him, August will take great pains to inspire loyalty in them. Through discussion, dialogue, debate, and shared training, he encourages those around him to aspire to better themselves, while instilling in them the idea of a possible world without Grimm.

When dealing with detractors and enemies, however, August takes a much different approach. If loyalty cannot be inspired, he instead chooses to instill fear. He truly believes he has the right idea in his thinking, and will not hesitate those that oppose him as examples to everyone else. "If you do not stand with me, then you have two choices. If you stand out of my way, you do the world a service by not slowing down progress. If you stand against me, you do the world a service by acting as a stepping stone for the world to enter a new age," to put it in his own words.

Aura and Semblance: August's aura takes on a stark orange hue, and he has an above-average quantity. However, due to his lack of prior training before getting accepted to Beacon, he has not learned any techniques or gained any particular proficiency in using it. He intends to change this, but for now he is left with nothing more than basic defensive aura.

August's semblance is not all that impressive: it's little more than a single-target fear effect that, at best, can stop an opponent in their tracks. To activate it, he only needs direct eye-contact with his target, though distance is a factor in how effective it is. In short, the closer August is to the target, the stronger the effect, with the strongest effects taking place at around a conversational distance. There are also many other factors that determine how effective his semblance is, such as the target's mood, disposition, tactical situation, moral standing, and potentially many more. In general, though, the more superior August's position is compared to the target, the more effective the semblance is. On top of that, once he has used it on a target, he can't do so again on the same target for at least ten minutes. Furthermore, the effect only lasts so long as he maintains eye-contact, and can only use his semblance for about a minute at a time on any one target.

The degree of effect of August's semblance can be divided into stages.

At Stage 1, the minimum stage, the target feels a sense of foreboding. If the target is trained in Aura detection, it might feel like the ping of a particularly dangerous enemy. There is otherwise no other effect.

At Stage 2, August becomes an object of fear for the target. While the target maintains eye-contact, they cannot willingly approach August, though they can otherwise move freely.  They can willingly break eye-contact at this point, but it takes a conscious effort to do so.

At Stage 3, the target suffers the same effects as above, but can no longer easily break eye-contact without outside influence and movement is slowed to the pace of a nervous walk. The target can still otherwise move about and defend him/herself, so a clever victim could try to move to a place that breaks the line of sight (such as behind a rock or tree) or fling dirt into the eyes of either themselves or August. 

At Stage 4, the target suffers the same effects as above, but can no longer willingly move. The only things the target can do of their own accord at this point is stand and speak.

At Stage 5, the target can no longer even stand, as the fear becomes so great that their legs turn to jelly and are forced to kneel before August. This is the most severe stage, and it is not easily achieved.

His semblance can affect Grimm, too, but they don't suffer the effects in the same way. If August uses his semblance on a Grimm, they generally will pause in confusion, possibly even stopping in their tracks. If they were in the middle of making an attack, they'll "think twice" before committing, possibly even choosing a different target to strike. This confusion generally doesn't last more than a couple of seconds

Spoiler: ShowHide
This portion of the semblance is something August keeps from people as much as possible, hence the spoiler tags. Read at your own risk, with the knowledge that most characters won't be aware of this true nature.

August's semblance is the ability to dominate people beneath him. When he uses his semblance, his aura literally tries to embed itself into the soul of the target. If he maintains this contact for a full minute and the target is in a sufficiently submissive position morally or spiritually, August can force a connection that binds the target to his will. When this connection forms, August can send telepathic communication to the victim, but the victim cannot respond in kind. This telepathic communication is not bound by distance. Whenever August gives a command, either spoken or telepathic, to the victim, the victim must follow the command or face consequences. The command can be literally anything, though August can choose whether to enforce the command (For example, August can ask for the salt at the dinner table from a victim without invoking his semblance). That means August can issue suicidal commands, or even physically impossible commands.

However, August's semblance does not restrict free will. Any individual under the effect of August's semblance can refuse August's orders, but it comes at a cost, and the cost is determined by what stage of submission August implemented the semblance under. Whenever the consequences for disobedience are about to be invoked, the target in question will feel a severe sense of dread as a warning. The earliest stage August can impose his true semblance on someone is Stage 3, and any individual under the effect of this semblance without the protection of aura will most likely die if they disobey.

Those with aura, however, will experience adverse effects as a result of disobedience. At Stage 3, a hefty chunk of aura is damaged as August's semblance literally rips into the soul, and if the individual has unlocked their semblance, they will lose the ability to use it for about 30 seconds. At Stage 4, a much larger chunk of aura is damaged, and semblances are locked from use for an hour. At the highest stage, Stage 5, disobedience is highly likely to result in death, unless the victim is particularly hardy. If they do survive, their semblance will be lost to them for the day.

On the bright side, punishment for disobedience can only occur once per day, and, unless August is watching, he won't know if someone has disobeyed his orders. While disobedience can result in a hefty handicap, it is still entirely possible to ignore August while under these effects. Furthermore, the connection only lasts for 30 days, unless August resets it.

There is one exception to a target's free will: they cannot willingly directly attack August or knowingly cause him harm while under the effects. There is no punishment for attempting, however they will be unable to follow through on any attempt, as if they were physically restrained by an invisible force.


Combat Behavior:  August's training is minimal and basic at best. He can handle direct combat with most common forms of Grimm, such as Beowolves, Boarbatusks, and the like, and can survive long enough against the more dangerous Grimm for backup to arrive. However, he's at a severe disadvantage against other thinking opponents, due to his lack of nuanced fighting capabilities and a semblance poorly suited to direct combat. And while he might be more suited to a commanding role, his lack of experience can still easily lead to a tactical misstep, potentially leading any team he's leading to their deaths.

His best attributes by far are his charisma and intelligence. His biggest strength is his ability to critically analyze the moral and practical positions of different groups and find weak points in ideological thinking, while at the same time communicating those flaws in such a way that's easily digested by a layman. As such, he's very skilled at demoralizing the enemy, to the point that he can even inspire some members to drop their arms or even switch sides. At the same time, August holds such a conviction in himself that he can inspire the people around him to take up arms and fight for him. If given the opportunity to play politician, August can potentially draw enough of a force to make any plan work through sheer manpower.

The only danger to this is when he's matched by someone with equally powerful charisma, who can attack his own points and reputation. If he loses a moral debate, especially publicly, especially if he loses in combat as well, August's public support will wane and his biggest strength can be turned against him. At the same time, this can work both ways; if August wins in a public arena both in a moral case and in the battlefield, the potential gains could be tremendous. Furthermore, August's semblance acts as an ace-in-the-hole, allowing him to "win harder" if he manages to start successfully eroding his opponent's case.
 
WEAPON

Name: N/A

Primary Form: August's weapons consist of a simple long sword and pistol. It's all he can afford.
(Hexcode = FFA400)

32
WiP Characters / Re: August Flare
« on: January 28, 2020, 11:39:47 PM »
Semblance is pretty much finished if anyone wants to take a look at this.

33
Everywhere Else / Re: ACTIVE GRIM THREAT: SEARCH AND RESCUE! [Closed]
« on: January 22, 2020, 01:06:05 AM »
Lucas, once he finishes relocating to a new safe spot, scans the battleground to observe how his team is doing.  Ashlee seems to be having a rough time of it, the onslaught of Grimm continuing to find their mark.  Should he try to make an escape route for her?  Could he do it even if he wanted to?  Ice dust could work, but it would take quite a bit of ammo, and it would probably strain his dust supply.  However, after a fairly impressive display of acrobatics, she seems to have escaped the attempted encirclement.  In fact, with the speed boost from her weapon, it looks more like Ashlee was encircling the Grimm, even managing to take down three of them on her own.

Across the way, Arcano would find no trouble taking out the stunned boarbatusks, their armor not nearly enough to defend them while their sitting ducks.  Before the stars even clear from their vision, the boar Grimm are already fading to ash as the faunus makes quick work of them.

Lastly, but certainly not least, Fallow's shout of warning drags Lucas's attention to where the young boy is coming from, his eyes just in time to catch the flurry of ice blades come racing towards the battlefield, reducing whatever Grimm they came across into a fine black mist.  Even the Ursa, which had a buffer of seven other monsters, couldn't stand against the onslaught of Fallow's spell, and the 100 blades easily tear down the remaining Grimm in the area.

Taking a quick scan of the area to assure that the coast was indeed clear, Lucas hops out of his hiding position and approaches the center of the clearing.  "Regroup!  Status report!" he commanded, giving Fallow an opportunity to catch up with the rest of the team.  "How are you on ammo, dust, aura, etc.?" he clarified for the 1st years' sakes, "Do any of you need refills?  I have powdered dust I can share, but nothing more than that."

Battle Log:
Encounter complete!

34
MiA Characters / Re: Amane Petrichor
« on: January 20, 2020, 10:38:21 PM »
A'ight so, after looking at the revision, I'm gonna go ahead and say that's not nearly a big enough nerf. 

Now hear me out, I'm basing my comparison somewhat on D&D, which is admittedly a different system than the one we're using here.  However, I feel like it's a fair comparison in this case.  Right now the semblance is most comparable to the spell Teleport, which is a 7th level spell.  That's on the same level as travelling between dimensions, and max level characters can only cast a spell of this caliber twice in a day (technically four times, but they would have to give up slots that could give them functional immortality or literally grant wishes).  And even then, the spell has pretty stringent restrictions.  For instance, if the character is attempting a teleport to a place they've only seen casually, there is a 33% chance that the spell will backfire and do damage to them, and a further 20% chance that they won't even make it to their intended destination.

Now, again, this isn't D&D.  Raven can teleport pretty much whenever she wants to.  However, she has restrictions like I said in my last review.  She can't choose where she teleports to.  Only who.  If all of the people she has a connection with are in one location, she won't be able to escape from said location.  If people know who Raven had a connection with, they could have people watch said connections and ambush her if she ever used one.  In that sense, she's somewhat predictable.

Amane, however, doesn't really have that restriction.  Even with the 15 degree range, that's an area about the size of Mexico.  That's still a huge range.  Personally, without a stricter restriction than "be able to visualize or have a live camera feed", I think this semblance should be brought down to the scale of a few miles, not degree coordinates.

35
The Vale Region / Re: Shards of Knowledge [Shard INC][Semi-closed; PM]
« on: January 20, 2020, 10:01:30 PM »
Smokey's blinded by ice, unable to see anything beyond the blue of his frozen sarcophagus.  He's alive, though, and his aura's still ticking, so he's got that going for him at least.  He can still feel the rest of his body, though that might be more of a curse than a blessing: the seeping cold is far from what he would call comfortable.  The only sense that he can rely on right now is his hearing, and even then what sound reaches his ears is muted by the icy walls surrounding him.  In short, he's very stuck.

On the flip side, however, guessing from the feeling in his hands, it seems Lynn is in much the same predicament, as Smokey has detected no movement from her claw.  That means he accomplished what he set out to do.  He's still reeling from the pain of the blow, but since neither of them are going anywhere, he has plenty of time to recover.  Unfortunately, that's pretty much all he can do, at least for the next thirty seconds or so.

He flexes one of his arms to test out the sturdiness of the ice--it's pretty solid.  He can probably break out if he put serious effort into it, but that might give Lynn an opportunity to escape.  That being said, once Smokey's semblance times out, Lynn will probably break his grip anyway.  Maybe if she thinks he's still stuck in ice, he can use that opportunity to reset the cool down on Immovable Object?

Through the ice, he hears the muted sound of gunfire ringing off against ice and metal.  Judging from the number of impacts, probably from an automatic weapon.  Since Lynn is "unarmed" that would probably be the sound of Nathan's weapon.  A thought then popped into Smokey's head.  What if my teammate can't take advantage of this situation?  Having never fought with or against him, Smokey has no idea what Nathan's capable of nor his preferred battle style.  He just kind of assumed his teammate would be able to take advantage of the lockdown.  But if Nathan was the type that liked to sit still and spray and pray, Lynn may very well be able to take him on with one hand literally tied behind her back.

The worst part is, Smokey can only really guess at what's happening.  "Please don't fuck up," he muttered quietly inside the ice.

Combat Log:
No update, very frozen, much stiff.

36
MiA Characters / Re: Amane Petrichor
« on: January 14, 2020, 08:29:27 PM »
A'ight, so, I guess I should do my job and give this a review.  So, I can tell a lot of thought was put into this remake of Amane, and a lot of the personality quirks seem really interesting.

However, the history and semblance sections are probably going to need some heavy revision.  Global teleportation is an incredibly strong ability.  Even if the ability was limited to a "once-a-day" use, I would say it still would be too powerful.  It's not that I'm against teleportation period (Raven's semblance proves that teleportation semblances are a thing in RWBY), but it's more that this semblance has almost no limitation.  In Raven's case, she can only teleport to people that are significant to her, and she doesn't really get to choose where she ends up (it's dependent on where her "connections" are). 

In Amane's case, the only limitation is really "if she has aura".  Sure, if she doesn't know what a place looks like or doesn't have a camera feed, she can't teleport to that specific location, but that doesn't actually close off very much in the grand scheme.  With a specialist's connections, it's probably very easy to get a camera feed of a spot in any of the Kingdoms, at least within the capital cities.  With that alone, she's pretty much the ultimate "Protect the VIP" character, especially considering she can take a "large adult" with her at the same time.

Again, I'm not against teleportation itself, but there needs to be some sort of limit.  Range, number of uses per day or cool down time(probably still with a range nerf), familiarity, there's a number of ways to do it.  That being said, it looks like the semblance currently informs other parts of the profile, and I'm expecting the nerf to be significant enough that it will probably impact Amane's backstory, and maybe her combat behavior, so I'll refrain from reviewing those portions for now.

If you have any questions, you know where to find me on discord.

37
The Vale Region / Re: Illumination and Concealment [Open, Limited 4/5]
« on: December 12, 2019, 03:52:26 AM »
"Oh, good thing there's a seat between us, then," Lucas jokes at Aoife's colorful description, "Though, if that's the case, perhaps I should scoot down a little more."  The actual explanation, however, was much more interesting in Lucas's opinion.  While he could do without the fact about feces, he made a mental note in his head about the machinations of Gram's semblance.  It's a little disconcerting to see Gram openly use it in a crowded bar with Aura-less people, now knowing how it works, but it seems that it's only dangerous if Gram wants it to be.  Lucas's inner tactician was already thinking of potential counter-measures, though his inner critic chided him for it; this was a bar, not a battlefield.

Observing the playful banter of the two teammates, Lucas wasn't really sure what to say next.  While the two definitely seemed friendly with each other, he still couldn't quite be sure if it that's as far as it went, and making a joke without proper context could go over poorly.  And with that thought, Lucas found himself asking the question every introvert dreads:  "where does the conversation go from here?"  In an attempt to inspire someone else to pick up the workload, he says, "Well, can't say I've ever heard of a semblance that assaults the nostrils like that.  Still, though, that sounds like it could get out of hand really quickly.  Can you move it after you, uh, puff it out?  Or can you disperse it when you don't need it anymore, or does it just hang around?"  Lucas isn't really trying to pry, but all these questions might be a bit suspicious, especially considering neither of the two actually know his name.

38
The Vale Region / Re: DASE-d and Confused [CLOSED]
« on: December 12, 2019, 01:32:44 AM »
Mikado being just as in the dark about Billy's circumstances somewhat comforted Smokey, though he really couldn't explain why.  Maybe it was just satisfaction that she didn't just keep him in the dark, but then why would he care?  It wasn't like he made any serious effort to get close to her or anything.  Hell, this entire situation is actually what he expected the huntsman's life to be like:  Work with a team one day, then some other team the next.

"I can't exactly say, but if it was something delicate, I can probably guess why she didn't tell me.  Don't know if you've noticed, but I'm not exactly the picture of subtlety," he answered Mikado's question with an attempt at a joke.  Still, he couldn't help but be a bit worried about her.  They hadn't known each other long, but Smokey knew Billy to be somewhat impulsive and brash at times.  Or maybe he's just projecting...?

Regardless, he couldn't help but agree with Mikado's sentiment, saying, "Yeah, probably.  She can take care of herself, at least.  Still kinda sucks, though."

39
Everywhere Else / Re: ACTIVE GRIM THREAT: SEARCH AND RESCUE! [Closed]
« on: November 23, 2019, 12:43:43 AM »
Lucas watched the first few seconds of Ashlee's fight with a scrutinizing eye, ready to jump into the fray if the need arose.  Fortunately, despite Ashlee's proclaimed inexperience, she seemed to handle herself well; although she couldn't avoid the initial assault, she managed to turn the situation around and defeat the first five of the Grimm, causing the creatures to disappear into black mist.  That being said, Lucas did have a few criticisms, mostly revolving around the taunting.  Grimm can't understand you, you know? the Hermit thought to himself as he shifted his attention back to the surroundings, trusting Ashlee to be able to deal with the other Beowolves without putting herself in dire straits.

Speaking of those remaining Grimm, they continue charging at the lone girl.  Their snarls and growls could almost be misconstrued as laughter at her taunts as they clambered over each other to get their claws on her.  Fortunately, while their mindlessness serves to remove any sense of fear or danger, it also keeps them from properly coordinating, and only three of the Grimm manage to get in range to actually strike.  However, that doesn't stop the remaining seven from trying to surround the young huntress-in-training and cut off her escape.  And that's not the only worry Ashlee should have.

Out of the woods stomps out another black-furred monster, this one larger, thicker, and stockier than the Beowolves before it.  As the Ursa steps out into the clearing, it rears back onto its hind legs and swivels its head to survey the area.  Spying the carnage of the other Grimm nearby, it lets out a snort before falling back down into a lumbering dash towards Ashlee, it's footfalls and grunts alerting anyone paying attention to its presence.

It's at this time that Arcano's voice comes on over Lucas's scroll.  Having spied the faunus approaching the clearing, Lucas did his best to keep track of Arcano, Ashlee, and any other developments in the battle, a feat that was admittedly straining his powers of perception.  Lucas considered Arcano's proposal, but only for a very brief moment.  "You've got the wrong idea, Arcano," he said into his scroll.  From across the clearing, a nearby bush rustled.  "I know you're worried about the civilians, but you need to remember one thing."  Lucas flipped a switch on Sophist's Lantern, causing it to begin to change forms.  "You're part of a team, and that means not leaving your teammates behind, even if they look like they've got everything under control.  That's because..." his voice trails off as he takes aim with the newly formed sniper rifle.  The dust container spins as he locks in kinetic dust, feeding it into the rounds.  "...the world likes to throw surprises at us.  And in this line of work, surprises can be deadly."

As if on cue, two black and white circles come roaring out of the bushes racing straight for Ashlee as she fends off the Beowolf onslaught.  Fortunately for her, Lucas had his eye on them, and fired a dust-enhanced bullet into the side of one, causing it to careen out of control and drive straight into its counterpart.  As a result, both Grimm end up stumbling over each other, and the two end up crashing into a tree instead of their intended targets.  Now that they're no longer spinning, the true form of the Grimm is revealed:  Boarbatusks!

Unfortunately, although Lucas successfully stopped the surprise attack, the armor of the Boarbatusks prevents him from getting a killing blow, and he's not in a good position to finish them off.  So instead, he quickly moves to another nearby location in order to hide once again, so the Grimm won't turn their attention towards him.  Arcano, on the other hand, would be in a prime position to take them out from his spot in the treetops, especially considering he took the effort to hide in their shadows.

As he moved, he heard Fallow's voice.  "What's your plan, I might be able to help," he said, moving his semblance lantern over the group of Beowolves trying to surround Ashlee, the ghostly green light cascading over all of their forms.  It would disappear from Fallow's view, of course, but he was close enough now that he could easily find the battlefield, if not by instinct than by the sounds of snarling and gunfire.

Battle Log:
Beowolves: 10/15 remaining
3 attacking, 7 trying to surround Ashlee
3 Claw attacks aimed at Ashlee (5% damage each)

NEWCOMERS
Ursa
Charging towards Ashlee

Boarbatusks: 2/2 remaining
Two Spin Attacks at Ashlee  Thwarted by Lucas, currently stunned next to a tree

Lucas's combat log: ShowHide

Aura: 100%
Semblance: 96%

Sophist's Lantern
Ammo: 4/5 (One shot at Boarbatusks)
Fire: 100
Ice: 100
Lightning: 100
Wind: 90
Earth: 100
Kinetic: 85 (5% used in shot at Boarbatusk)
Gravity: 100
Smoke Cannisters: 3/3

40
Beacon Academy / Re: Arts and Sciences [CLOSED]
« on: November 21, 2019, 01:58:51 AM »
Clara wasn't really sure what to say to Azure as she started confessing the true nature of her issue.  She can tell the faunus is especially troubled by it though, as evidenced by Azure's very telling body language, and Clara felt the need to help.  "Don't worry about it!" Clara began cheerfully, [color=#cyan]"I'm not really sure what coffee has to do with it, but if it's hard to focus right now, just let me do it!"[/color]  Because that's totally how this problem works, right?

"Seriously, sometimes I focus too much on one thing that it's actually bad for me.  Happens a lot, to be honest:  there was this one time I was tinkering with my brother's weapon and trying to figure out how it works, and I was so busy tinkering with it that he came back from his two-day trip and walked in on me with all of his dust spread out around the room.  Just for reference I started when he left the morning before he left and didn't stop till he came back and kicked me out ," she says, trying to reassure Azure.  She then realizes that telling someone that she goes days without eating might raise a few alarm bells, and hurriedly adds, "That was years ago though, these days I just forget about lunch every once in a while!"  That should reassure her.

As Clara calls Azure's scroll, she listens for any sign of a ringtone, but hears none.  She briefly wonders why Azure wouldn't have her ringer on full blast, and then it dawns on her that many students aren't like her and enjoy socializing even during class.  A scroll going off from a text message during a lecture probably wouldn't end to well.  And judging from Azure's looks and demeanor...yeah, she's almost definitely the type that likes to socialize.  Finding her scroll might be a lot harder than Clara initially thought.

However, Azure seemed to have heard something.  As she crouches by a nearby door and tells Clara to call again, she does so and listens intently for any sign of a scroll ringtone.  After a few seconds, though, Clara says, "Um, I don't hear anything..."

41
The Vale Region / Re: Illumination and Concealment [Open, Limited 4/5]
« on: November 19, 2019, 12:52:12 AM »
Watching the interaction between Gram and Aoife, Lucas sipped whatever remnants of his drink remained and said, "Huh, could've fooled me.  Where I'm from, friends don't greet friends so, uh, boldly, not that I'm judging or anything.  That being said," he gestures to Gram's reclining form in between Aoife's arms, "You two seem like more than just friends, if you don't mind me sayin'.  Who are you, exactly?"  Lucas heard Gram mention Aoife's name, but that doesn't explain how he knows her or why their so chummy with each other.  He has a few guesses, but it's definitely better to hear it straight from the horse's mouth.  ...Or would a more appropriate analogy be to let Aoife let the cat out of the bag...?

When Gram comments on his "occasional whafts", as he put it, Lucas responds with a curious question, "By the way, what is your semblance, if you don't mind me asking?  If it's something I need to be worried about, I'd like to know what I'm dealing with."  It seems that Gram has a problem keeping it under control, which could be dangerous in a situation like this, where there are people everywhere that could be affected.  However, from the looks of it, Gram's semblance seems to be some sort of gas, which could probably be dispersed with the use of Lucas's own semblance and a bit of wind dust.  Or it could help facilitate the damage, if I'm not careful the more cautious side of his mind warned. 

42
Everywhere Else / Re: A Small, Dark Room [CLOSED]
« on: November 18, 2019, 04:55:20 PM »
While taking a few bites out of the cheese and crackers (Janken was right, the cheese is quite delicious!), Clara listened intently to the briefing.  Her curiosity overwhelmed what apprehension she held regarding the whole ordeal, and was pleasantly surprised with how much the actual experiment had lined up with what she thought was going on in her head.  Of course, she couldn't exactly predict a semblance that pulls the soul out of her body.  That's, uh, well, something she probably shouldn't spend too much time thinking about.  Her head would be left spinning for weeks.

Then there's the other two semblances, each bringing with them their own host of questions.  The fact that the mind-reading semblance was the one Clara had the easiest time understanding probably just goes to show how specialized this work actually is.  And she thought her brother had a complicated semblance...Still, the mentions of "light treason" and the ability to probe her mind set off a few red flags in her head.   She's a bit more apprehensive about the whole procedure, but her curiosity still gets the better of her.  Besides, it's not like she has anything crazy to hide...right?

Regardless of all that, Clara had a few questions regarding the mission itself.  "Um, is there a concrete way to tell what's bad from what's good?  Er, I guess, what's not hostile from what is?  Like, some people think bears are cute and cuddly, and some people think they're terrifying, right?  In the outside world they're the same, but inside someone's head, they'd appear different, right?  Am I making any sense?  Sorry, a lot of this is kind of high-level for me," she asks a bit sheepishly, not really knowing if her question actually got across or not.  She makes her way over to the chairs and lets Jane and Grace do whatever it is that they need to do to strap her in, when she thinks of another question to ask, "Oh, also, will we still be able to use dust when we're, like, ethereal?  Because, if not, I won't be able to fight.  Like, at all."

43
The Vale Region / Re: DASE-d and Confused [CLOSED]
« on: November 11, 2019, 08:13:16 PM »
The cafe was just as Smokey expected it to be.  Crowded, noisy, and everything he normally tries to avoid.  Unfortunately, it also just happened to probably be the best spot to beat the heat, and everyone knew it.  With his short stature and stocky build, he has to battle his way through the crowd, muttering apologies as other people's elbows find him as he advances.  Thank goodness for aura...

In the meantime, he tries to keep his conversation with Mikado going, responding, "Uh, yeah.  Went to Atlas, actually.  It, uh, it wasn't the place for me."  Smokey let the conversation die down after that.  He really doesn't like reminiscing about his past, there were too many bad experiences and not a whole lot of good ones.  He's a little bit relieved when the faunus waitress provides a bit of a distraction as she guides them to a table and hands out the menus.  He casually glances through it, even though he's not really planning on ordering anything besides a cool drink, but his distraction ends when Mikado brings up the one thing he didn't want to think about.

"..." Smokey responds with silence at first, but eventually speaks, "I don't know.  To be honest, I didn't really know much about her.  Far as I remember, the only thing she said about herself was that she was from Vacuo.  She tell you anything more?"  Smokey had gotten along well with Billy, for the most part.  They worked well together when out on missions, though Smokey would attribute that more to having complimentary skill sets rather than any unique bond or anything like that.  She just took out whatever Smokey's blasts missed, and her semblance let her catch anything that moved too fast for Smokey to take out himself.  Other than that, though, their relationship was mostly just professional.  At least, that's how Smokey saw it...


44
Everywhere Else / Re: ACTIVE GRIM THREAT: SEARCH AND RESCUE! [Closed]
« on: November 11, 2019, 04:23:28 PM »
Lucas inwardly sighed to himself as most of the others wasted the opportunity to discuss their abilities and specialties.  It's possible that they're not particularly useful in the current situation, but simply giving your teammates an idea of what to expect could mean the difference between a clean fight and "friendly fire".  Lucas is somewhat comforted that his semblance can potentially be complementary to Fallow's.  "Copy that, Fallow.  I'm obligated to remind you that we're in a forest, though.  I can do a bit of damage control, but try not to get too crazy with the dust.  A wildfire is a complication the evacuation doesn't need," he says over the scroll.

After giving the report about the Beowolves lurking ahead, he looks back at his teammates to keep track of them while they discuss the new information.  He responds to Ashlee's plan first as she starts to speed ahead of the group, "That plan assumes reinforcements will come from behind us, which would be highly unlikely considering I didn't see any on the way here.  Also, you need to stick with--"  He's cut off when she asks what has got to be the most ridiculous question she could have possibly asked in the given circumstances, and Lucas stares at his scroll wondering if he really heard what was just said.

That's unfortunate, because as Ashlee's trying to catch up to Lucas (who has made an effort to hide himself in order to not be spotted by Grimm as he's scouting, thus hiding him from everyone else), Lucas is unable to stop her as she sails past him and out into the open.  As she lands, she'll find herself in a large clearing surrounded by trees on all sides.  She'll also find that this clearing is populated with a number of black-furred creatures with bone-plated masks covering their face.  As the Beowolves turn to face the new disturbance, there's a beat of silence...

Howls ring out from the Grimm in the back as the Beowolves closest to Ashlee charged her, lashing out with their claws as they snarled and growled hungrily.  As the mindless creatures converged on her, Lucas takes out his scroll (making sure to bring Arcano back into the call) and says, "Well, they weren't grouped up, but there's a small group of them quickly converging on a single point.  You might want to get a move-on, though, your teammate might be in a bit of a bind.".  In the meantime, Lucas scans the surrounding area, looking to see if any other nearby Grimm heard this commotion and are coming to investigate.  He doesn't make any active effort to assist Ashlee at the moment, partly because his semblance is still guiding the rest of the team to her (and the Grimm's) location, and partly because he's not quite ready to reveal his location yet.  Ashlee will have to deal with the first few seconds of this combat alone...

Battle Log:
Beowolves 15/15 remaining
10 of them howling and advancing, 5 in range to attack
5 Claw attacks aimed at Ashlee (5% damage each)

Arcano and Fallow will arrive next round

45
Everywhere Else / Re: ACTIVE GRIM THREAT: SEARCH AND RESCUE! [Closed]
« on: November 04, 2019, 03:03:25 PM »
Ashlee's attempted hug is deftly sidestepped, and is instead rewarded with a sharp glare, but otherwise Lucas doesn't pay it any mind.  He is a little bit more bothered, however, by Ashlee's admission, to which he responds, "Then you better catch up.  We don't have time for you to go over the briefing again, so you better find some other way to get filled in."  And as if to say "No, don't even ask me to explain," he begins to tear off into the forest.  His concerns about this mission begin to mount even further as Ashlee continues her proclamations of inexperience.  He really hopes this mission doesn't go sideways.

As the rest of the team follows after him, Lucas occasionally glances back to see how they're doing.  Admittedly, he's impressed that two of three can keep up with him at this pace, but he notices Fallow starting to lag behind.  Didn't I tell them to stick together, he thinks to himself as he picks up his own pace.  To anyone trying to keep up with him, it would seem like Lucas landed on a branch, jumped in front of a tree, then disappeared into thin air.  This isn't a trick of any semblance or dust, but rather the difference three years of combat training makes, as well as a "home-field advantage" (Lucas is a native Mistrali, after all).  Between that and Lucas's natural propensity for stealth, it's clear that he wasn't kidding when he said the lantern was going to be the only thing that would let the younger students track him through the forest.  And that lantern is quickly getting smaller and smaller as the group tears through the forest.

But before any of the group tries to push themselves that much harder to keep up, Lucas's voice comes on over their scrolls.  "Make sure you three stick together.  As long as you guys can see the light, I'll be in a position to keep an eye on you."  Bastard doesn't even sound like he's breathing hard.  He continues, "If you haven't already been able to guess, that floating lantern you're chasing after is my semblance.  Besides being a glorified night-light, it also enhances the effects of dust, depending on what color it's glowing.  To keep this brief and simple, red enhances fire dust, blue affects ice, and yellow affects lightning.  If you need my help navigating an obstacle or need me to provide extra oomph in a fight, contact me on my scroll, and I'll send my semblance your way if I can.  You guys should take this opportunity to discuss your own specialties, as well.  You don't need to be a cohesive team right off the bat, but understanding the basics of your colleagues' strengths can mean the difference between an easy time and a bad time."

After that, Lucas would listen to any conversations the others might have over the scroll as he watched out for any signs of danger.  The students would have a few minutes to discuss amongst themselves before Lucas's voice comes back on over the scroll, "Heads up, I've spotted a small pack of Beowolves along the path.  Looks like there's about 15 of them.  Way I see it, you've got two options.  Option A, take them out.  It'd be best if you could take them out quietly, but with this many of them, I doubt that'll be possible.  Still, that's 15 less Grimm the rest of the defense will have to deal with.  That being said, you'll probably let all the other Grimm in the area know you're here."  He pauses for a moment to let all the information sink in before continuing, "Alternatively, you can try to sneak around them.  If you do that, I'll lure them away so you don't have to deal with them on the return trip, and you'll be able to get to the lumber workers' HQ undetected.  If you do that, though, I'll be a little late to the party, and there's still a chance the Grimm will spot you anyway, possibly in a bad spot.  Your call."

Lucas's combat stats
Aura: 100%
Semblance: 96%

Sophist's Lantern
Ammo: 5/5
Fire: 100
Ice: 100
Lightning: 100
Wind: 90
Earth: 100
Kinetic: 90
Gravity: 100
Smoke Cannisters: 3/3

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