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Dearly Dreams
Topic Started: Oct 14 2013, 08:51 PM (798 Views)
Gregzilla
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(Takes place after "A Journey Into Mystery" for Greg.

Adri and Sorin only please.)

It was nice, training peacefully.

That wasn't to say it was completely without difficulty. But the peace of a simple training battle, the peace of mind, singularity of focus on the moment rather than countless implications... that was a blessing he rarely had outside of the forge. Even his schematics didn't amount to much relaxation, as he had to account for so many variables. Not to mention how many memories butted in at the wrong times in almost any situation. A fight, however... he could remain focused in a fight, as well as meditation.

Greg Zivaku walked out of the training arena, having completed another set. He was getting good at them. That was four now. He paid the Moogle for his time, and bowed thankfully. Plus, he had been across the worlds so far, albeit not far, but there was still one thing he did know: where his towel was, which he used to wipe his face of sweat. It wasn't from exhaustion, but a workout.

The man had dismissed his weapons, not needing them at present, and sat on a bench, looking in at the sphere of holograms that constituted the eponymous arena of this world. Just some time, a place to think things out. A place to figure out how he was going to catch up with Naito, about how to deal with that Jade Empire native, about the armor ideas for Rikka Masami... Concepts, thoughts bouncing around in his head. It could work... but it still relied on the aforementioned Jade Empire citizen. He needed time to learn how to use his holy fire in that way. Perhaps akin to saidin, or perhaps saidar...?

...no. He had to keep focused. Use memories, don't let them use you. However, he didn't bother to look around, just concentrating inward. It was probably best. Perhaps he could even find a new skill this way, if he wasn't interrupted.

Which, of course, meant he was about to be.
Azumi Emily Ian
Gregory Keith Zivaku
Isaac Tsukino Zivaku
Kira, UNSC Smart AI
Naito Hane Zivaku
Sora

Brandon Sanderson's Three Laws of Magic: 1 - 2 - 3
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Adri
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(This takes place after "Who Has Time for Tears" for Audrey)

Indeed, the Cruxis Angel was possibly about to be interrupted. But not in the traditional way.

A sudden flash of light came from the other end of the arena, a teenage girl appearing from it. Though she appeared to be lost and had no clue to where she was now, there was another emotion more apparent than confusion: fear. She immediately ran to one side of the sphere, ignoring the Moogle and the young man, and curled up on the platform, pretending to be unseen despite being in plain sight. She knew this was pathetic; she knew this was no way to hide.

Audrey Crowe thought she was finally safe from all of the dangers. Her new friends had helped her, she had powers that she never thought she had, and she was about to get something to defend herself with. And despite her regret at the thought, she thought that "he" was still trapped, still undergoing his own conflict in the town.

But she found that that wasn't true. As she and Sorin were about to buy a new weapon for herself, she found a business card dropped on the ground. When she found what it said, her heart sank. She ran off without saying goodbye to her new friend, without getting that weapon that they promised to get while back in Radiant Garden.

Audrey looked at the card once more, having kept it as a painful reminder. 'Ignazio "Ignis Fatuus" D'Aleo, illusionist extraordinaire!' She recognized it from the poster she found in the Lakeside Amusement Park, what led her to him. She knew from this that he was out of the town too, possibly looking for her now. She knew he would be angry with her for leaving him behind like this, for going out when she was absolutely useless. For receiving help from the 'insects' of the outside world...

The girl buried her face in her knees, wanting to cry. The only thing that came out were soft whimpers. "I'm sorry, Ignazio...I'm sorry..."
~*Characters*~
Audrey Crowe
Ignis Fatuus
Cheryl Mason
Kalas
Xelha
Kairi
Akemi Jing
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Sorin
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This place looked like a perfect place for Jasmine. When she originally looked around there was no one around the that creature, the Moogle, said she could train in this strange arena. Since it seemed so empty that meant she didn't need to worry about anyone seeing her and freaking out. She had just went back to her ship to drop off her cloak as she didn't want to lose it and when she returned, it looked like she was no longer alone.

One was a male that was sitting on a bench and the other a female that was hiding, rather badly, by the sphere. In the few minutes she had spent on her ship this place started to fill up. Jazz sighed as she put a hand on her hip. "Well this is rather awkward. And here I was hoping for a nice relaxing time to stretch my legs."

----------------------------------------------------

Greg was shaken from his intent study of the inside of his eyelids by two women.

He opened them, looking to both of the women. There was one, a... he could see a faint... something around the one standing up. Something dark... hard to tell, needed to refine his skills for that. The angel waved, but was more concerned with the other woman, the one sitting on the ground, near tears. He walked over, whispering. From her state, she seemed afraid and upset, so he spoke softly, trying to softly reassure as he walked over.

"Miss, are you okay?" Not bothering for the answer, he stepped closer. "I'm going to go over there. Please don't be alarmed, I'm not going to touch you unless you ask me to." He motioned to the other woman, for her to come over, and walked closer. When he was a few feet away, he crouched, hands on his knees as he did not sit down.

"My name is Gregory Zivaku. People call me Greg. What's your name? Please tell me what's wrong. I promise I won't tell anyone unless you want me to."
Edited by Sorin, Oct 16 2013, 06:43 PM.
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Adri
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Though she acknowledged the young man approaching her, Audrey didn't look up. Even if these people tried to help, they wouldn't be able. If Ignazio found out, he'd take care of them himself like he told her he would, or he would take her further away once he found her. Even as she tried to hide away, she knew she would be found eventually.

However, she couldn't ignore the man for too long. As he crouched before her, saying his name, the girl slowly looked up at him, her eyes brimmed with tears. She also noticed the other woman nearby; as strange as she looked, it didn't matter to her in her moment of fear and distress. However, she looked away after a few seconds, wiping the tears away with an arm.

"...i-it's Audrey. Audrey Crowe," she replied shakily, holding herself tighter. "E-Even if I tell you what's wrong, you can't help me. I can't even help myself when it comes to my problems; I just run. I can't do anything...like 'he' said I can't..."
~*Characters*~
Audrey Crowe
Ignis Fatuus
Cheryl Mason
Kalas
Xelha
Kairi
Akemi Jing
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Sorin
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Jazz frowned as she looked over the woman that was hiding. Well from what she said she was hiding from someone. It reminded her of one of her jobs back when she was with Team Plasma. Jazz's smiled softly as she knelt beside the woman along with the guy. She wanted to help this Audrey out and it wasn't that often that Jazz was this willing to help out right away.

"Hey it's alright Audrey. I'm Jasmine Mizuki. And I think we'll be able to help if you let us. Whoever told you those kinds of things is just wrong." Jazz said softly. Whoever this guy was that Audrey seemed so scared of, it reminded Jazz of Ghetsis, the bastard. That manipulative way of talking just made Jasmine angry. Anyone that reminded her of that guy was already put on Jazz's list to keep an eye out for.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Greg sighed, listening to what he could understand of her story. It sounded like Audrey was in an abusive relationship of some sort, with a liar to boot. He was very quiet as he spoke, waiting for Jasmine to finish and nodding his thanks to her.

"Miss Mizuki is right. You don't have to be afraid. If it helps, you can tell me what's wrong. If it's too painful, that's fine." He paused a moment. "However, even if I can't help the situation directly does not mean I can't help solve some of the symptoms. If you can talk, it can help. Do you have anything to defend yourself with? This is the Mirage Arena. Peaceful, but also has places for combat training, which I can definitely help you with if you would like."
Edited by Sorin, Oct 18 2013, 05:51 PM.
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Adri
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Audrey looked back up at the two as they spoke to her. Though their wanting to help did slightly calm her, comforted her, there was still that doubt that they ever could. She still felt like no one could really help her, and if they did, then Ignazio would find out and try to get rid of them like he said. Or take her further away from them; that was also possible.

But...part of her just couldn't hold back. She felt helpless; she had no weapons and the only magic she had was based on dreams and creativity. And she had no one else to protect her now, not after she ran off the way she did.

With that, she took a shaky breath and answered, slowly, "I...I-I don't know if I should tell you...but no, I don't have anything to defend myself. I...I was going to...this guy named Sorin was gonna help me get one, but...I ran away in a panic..." She then looked further down, burying her face in her hands. "Oh god, Sorin...I didn't even say anything to him. He probably thinks I'm a total loser now..."
~*Characters*~
Audrey Crowe
Ignis Fatuus
Cheryl Mason
Kalas
Xelha
Kairi
Akemi Jing
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Sorin
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Who was this guy that Audrey was so scared of that she ran off from someone that was helping her and going off without a weapon? Jazz resisted the urge to scowl. It would be best not to do anything that seemed like that she was angry toward Audrey the poor kid. She felt sorry for her and really did want to help out.

"I can help too if you want it. And don't worry about this Sorin guy. Just try to explain to him why it happened and apologize to him. If he is a good guy then he should understand." Jazz said. "Even if you don't have any weapon I am sure there are some things that me and Greg here can show you that can help no matter what kind of weapon you are using. I dunno about him but I am used to being in danger a lot."
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Adri
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Now this Greg could handle. He nodded to Jasmine, smiling back to Audrey. "I've dealt with my fair share of trouble, don't worry. I know how to handle a lot of things, and hate to see you like this, Miss Crowe. Even if I don't know you well."

He looked to the spherical arena. "In there, you've got a holographic arena. We can rent weapons for you to test out, so we can see what you're best with. Nothing too difficult, just low difficulty so that we can see your style, your proficiencies."

In order to show he wasn't kidding, he spoke softly again. "I know how to fight. It's okay, I won't hurt you, but I want you to see something." With that, he summoned the Bifröst to his hand, placing it on the ground. "I custom-built this weapon to some alternate abilities by myself. Once we can find out what you're best with, I can come up with something for your use as well. So, would you like to give it a try? If so, I'm sure Jasmine here will be able to get the head Moogle to give you some sessions. And don't worry about cost, please. We can handle ourselves just fine. Just anything to help you. If you want to avoid feeling depressed from any perceived uselessness, maybe the best solution is to find out what you are good with, and capitalize on that."

-----

Once more, Audrey looked back up to the two. She looked to Jasmine first, listening to what she said about being used to danger. From the looks of her armor and her demeanor, she definitely looked like the type to take care of herself. Sure, Audrey also had to survive when she was stuck in that town, but...when she met that stage magician, that all changed.

She didn't dwell on this for too long. This woman wanted to help, and she couldn't bring herself to deny it. She could probably learn a thing or two from her, even. She also nodded to what she said about Sorin. He had been good to her; if she could find a way to apologize to him, she knew he would understand. All she needed for that was the courage to face him again...

Again, she set that matter aside for now, turning her attention to Greg, listening to what he had to say. The fact that he wanted to help despite the fact that, as he said, he didn't know her, was a bit of a surprise. Ignazio had always told her that everyone was only out for themselves and would just use her for their own means. Yet, aside from Sorin, these people were also willing to help a complete stranger, with no thought of her paying them back.

Audrey looked at the sword that Greg summoned, that he said to have custom-built. It was almost hard to believe; this sword looked like it came straight out of a fantasy setting, possibly the likes of a Tales game. But, the fact that he made this, and that he would make something for her as well...

She had to think on this, had to consider. She had handled weapons before, makeshift weapons like the trademark steel pipe, and even a gun. However, even with those, she still nearly died against the monsters fought, still had to resort to hiding. It was why she resorted to being 'protected' by Ignazio, to be kept away from the dangers and remain adamant that she was useless. For that, part of her wanted to deny this chance for training, wanted to remain hidden away and just let herself be found by her protector again.

But...there was another part that wanted to protect herself. To stop hiding away and start exploring these worlds to her heart's content, to be secure of herself while she was out there. To stop feeling so useless and hateful of herself...

To take a leap of faith.

Her decision was made. With a deep breath, she then nodded to the two, slowly getting back to her feet. "A...alright. I-if you guys can help, then...l-let's have a go at it."

Of course, it was right then that she remembered something. The young man said his name was Gregory Zivaku...looking to him, she had to ask, "Um...b-before we do that, Greg...d-do you have a brother named Isaac?"
Edited by Adri, Nov 17 2013, 03:42 PM.
~*Characters*~
Audrey Crowe
Ignis Fatuus
Cheryl Mason
Kalas
Xelha
Kairi
Akemi Jing
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Sorin
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Legend
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Seeing Audrey stand up and let them help her made Jazz smile. She just needed a good push to get her to start and try to do things herself. "You'll have to talk with Greg about weapons. I kind of fight unarmed if you consider these claws of mine as part of my hands." Jazz said.

She had plenty of money to go and get a few sessions for them. It was rather easy to set something up for the three of them. She would start off with something easy so Audrey could get her feet wet in a manner of speaking. As she walked back to the two Jasmine managed to hear Audrey's question. One that reminded her of someone.

"Oh I can't believe I didn't realize it. You're related to the Prince. I mean Naito. I think he mentioned something about having brothers." Jazz said as she grinned, thinking about the young man that helped her out.

------------------------------------------------

Greg smiled at Audrey's decision. He was about to ask Jasmine to set it up, but he heard the comment from Audrey. All he had to say to that was preceded with a sigh. "I'm sorry about him. He's my broher." He needed to say it in that order, because yes, he assumed Isaac hadn't said it at all. The angel then looked to the Shadow Burst. "Oh, yeah, that's my other brother. Prince? Interesting name for him. I haven't met him yet. It's... extremely complicated. I don't want to bore you with the details, ladies." The last sentence was, unfortunately, said in French. He didn't even notice, switching back again. "Just come over here when you're ready, and pick a weapon to start with, Audrey. Anything of choice, then we'll work from there." That done, he stepped away.
Edited by Adri, Oct 25 2013, 02:12 PM.
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Adri
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Audrey didn't have anything to say when Greg apologized for Isaac. Truthfully, though he made a few smart comments, he didn't really seem that bad. And a third brother? This was one heck of a coincidence if two others who already met the other brothers would suddenly wind up here. Of course, when Greg suddenly spoke in French, the girl did a take, even as he switched back.

Okay, she thought, what was that about?

She didn't question this, just going over to start the session. Her mind was still on the talk about brothers, as it reminded her of her own back home. What was he doing, now that she no longer existed in the Realm of Reality? Was he still hanging around the wrong crowd, still bringing their parents hell, just without a sibling to abuse and manipulate? Or were they all just better off without her, without an extra waste of space hampering them down?

She had to stop from thinking further into that. She was trying to stop thinking that way.

With a sigh, Audrey walked over to begin her session, going to choose a weapon for herself. "It's just a few sessions, right?"

~*~*~

The first session seemed to have been an easy one. Strangely, the Moogle still used Unversed data, even though these things were supposed to have been wiped out in Birth by Sleep.

Guess he just couldn't bother with an update.

However, even with the easier Floods and Scrappers, Audrey seemed to have been having trouble with her weapon of choice. It was a simple sword; nothing too big or small about it. Just a standard, double-edged sword. That she was just swinging around like it were a baseball bat. Though she managed to take out at least one Scrapper, most of the Floods easily dodged by sinking into the ground like Shadows, rising up to get a good hit. Even as she tried to block the attacks, she ended up falling back as the hits kept coming.

"C-Can we try something else?!" she called out to her friends.
~*Characters*~
Audrey Crowe
Ignis Fatuus
Cheryl Mason
Kalas
Xelha
Kairi
Akemi Jing
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Sorin
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Jazz frowned as she watched Audrey fight. Since this was the easiest fight they could get Jasmine took most of her time watching how Audrey fought. She did not seem to be good with a sword at all. Since she wasn't really getting to do much better to just turn it off and start over with a different weapon.

She turned over to Greg. "Yeah probably should stop it here and let her try something new. Why don't we try and see if she does better with something with more range? It's pretty obvious that she isn't really doing that well with a sword though you probably know better than I do. She definitely does need a lot of help unfortunately. If this is how well she deals with these kinds of creatures it makes me worried what would happen if she had to fight something that could actually think."
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Gregzilla
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Greg sighed, quietly putting palm to face as he watched the display. He expected something bad, but... this bad? It was like she was focusing entirely on her power, and not on--

...that was it. He let down his hand, and looked to the Moogle. "Can you switch the hologram weapon? Try to change it to a set of throwing knives, or other flechettes. Something small, concealed, and able to throw for high accuracy, low damage unless properly aimed."

"Aye aye. One needle storm comin' right up, kupo!" He hit some buttons on the controls for the place, the ones only he could control.

Greg nodded, mumbling under his breath. "Dovie'andi se tovya sagain." It's time to toss the dice.

WIthin the simulation bubble, the sword in Audrey's hand would change. It would shift into a set of "senbon", ninja typical throwing needles. They would be hard to use for close combat, but the sheer number of them would probably make for an easier time. Even if she threw a ton at once, it was possible she could deal enough damage to do serious harm.

And given it was a simulation, she wouldn't truly be hurt if they pricked her instead. That was the more pertinent concern. He was nice, but still pragmatic.
Edited by Gregzilla, Oct 27 2013, 07:50 PM.
Azumi Emily Ian
Gregory Keith Zivaku
Isaac Tsukino Zivaku
Kira, UNSC Smart AI
Naito Hane Zivaku
Sora

Brandon Sanderson's Three Laws of Magic: 1 - 2 - 3
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Adri
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At this point, Audrey had been holding the sword over her head, the enemies constantly beating her down. She was close to screaming for help, when the weapon in her hand changed. Due to how tight her grip was, she'd felt a prick, but wasn't hurt as expected. She looked to her hand and saw the throwing needles in her grip. Something small and durable instead of the standard weapon she had been using.

Unfortunately for her, she had a strong dislike towards needles. And seeing them in her hand, you can probably guess what her reaction was.

The girl screamed in panic, throwing the needles away from her as if her life was on the line. Some were thrown randomly, the Floods barely dodging them. Others, however, hit the Unversed dead on, a Scrapper and a Flood taken down as they were struck right between the eyes.

Though she still wasn't doing too great, she was faring better than with the sword at any rate.
~*Characters*~
Audrey Crowe
Ignis Fatuus
Cheryl Mason
Kalas
Xelha
Kairi
Akemi Jing
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Sorin
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Legend
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"So turns out you gave her a weapon that she is scared of." Jazz said as she gave Greg a quick look before quickly adding under her breadth. "Not that I can blame her..." Still sending out Audrey there with different weapons wasn't working so they need to give her some actual advice.

Jasmine walked over to the Moogle and asked. "Hey can I talk to her when she's in here?"

"Just talk into here, kupo." The moogle said as it motioned to something by the controls.

Jazz nodded her thanks as she walked over and took a deep breadth. "Hey Audrey can you here me? I'm going to give you some tips. First and most importantly is to stop standing around and move!" Jazz said a bit bluntly. "Standing around in a battle is bad and you don't have anywhere near the defenses to even try to. So move around, try to dodge and get away from those things and use those needles from range. You're doing better already so takes advantage of your longer range and finish them off."
Edited by Sorin, Oct 31 2013, 07:18 PM.
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Adri
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Greg sighed, nodding his assent to Jasmine's assumption. Yes, he had made a mistake. He hadn't accounted for trypanphobia. However, he had far more benefits from this arrangement than detriments, at least from his perspective. He wasn't looking for a good weapon. He was looking for range. Short range was bad, but perhaps mid range would be good enough? In any case, he would try to help Jasmine give advice.

The angel walked over to the same place Jasmine had used to speak, and was very calm, attempting to be soothing, as he spoke to her. "I apologize, I just wanted to see how you would do. You are doing better. But Jasmine is right: if you don't move more, you can be more easily overwhelmed. Try dodging, running, and aim, don't throw blindly. Aim your throws, and you can use those against the targets around you. You're doing better. Just try to see if that helps."

-----

Despite the panic, Audrey did listen to the advice that Greg and Jasmine gave her. She did have to hit herself for not strafing around like she should; that was the number one thing she had to do when fighting monsters in the Silent Hill games. She just had to think about those times, like fighting the Split Worm in the third game (without the largeness. And the tunnels). If she stayed in one place for too long, she would get killed with just one bite.

Of course, that was easier said than done. Though she began to move, ducking when a Scrapper tried to claw at her, it was when she took aim that she remembered that she had needles in her hands. Instead, she closed her eyes as she threw them and barely held back another scream as she threw them; though they hit her targets, it wasn't as well as if she tried to aim them.

It was clear that the senbon weren't the best weapons of choice for her. And at this point, her doubt was starting to creep back up into her.

I can't do this. I'm horrible.
~*Characters*~
Audrey Crowe
Ignis Fatuus
Cheryl Mason
Kalas
Xelha
Kairi
Akemi Jing
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Sorin
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Legend
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It was good to see that Audrey was already doing better despite her panic over the fact that she was using needles. She still seemed to be doing her best but it was obvious even to Jazz that something that gave Audrey a bit of range seemed to fit her more. But the whole weapon things she would leave to Greg. He would actually know what he was talking about with those kinds of things.

"You're doing better Audrey but you need to calm down. I know that you are scared of needles but Greg can find you a different weapon. I want you to take a deep breath and try to calm down. You need to be calm and focus on your target as you throw but don't tunnel in on it. Be mindful of all the other enemies. Take a breath, focus on one enemy, and throw a needle at it. You can do it Audrey, just finish off the rest of these and we can keep going." Jazz said as she tried to be encouraging as she gave her advice.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Greg was worried, but did note the changes in her behavior. She was getting better, but still doubted herself. The dodging was also helping her style, but perhaps she needed something that could be more easily aimed... Okay, that would be good enough.

He then looked to the Moogle. "If you could, a reflex bow. Zero draw weight, for shorter range for the time being, but accurate enough for use. If there's an arrow cost limit, put it at the height. I'll pay."

"That's fifty munny for the session, kupo."

"Done." He put down the cost, and looked over at her. Hopefully, this would be good enough... though she would probably need strength training for a real bow and arrow.
Edited by Sorin, Nov 3 2013, 11:36 AM.
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Adri
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At first, Audrey didn't acknowledge the next bit of advice, her fear and doubts creeping up as the enemies began to close in. She was almost considering letting them take her down, just drop this session and leave without a word. However, that changed when she felt the needles in her grip suddenly change. She opened her eyes and saw the bow in her hand, as well as feeling the weight of a quiver on her back. Though she had never used a bow in her life, it was better than the needles at any rate.

It was then that Jasmine's advice finally kicked in. Though she still doubted herself, she took a deep breath, pulled out an arrow, and took aim. It was a little sloppy, and she had trouble maintain the arrow in place, but she kept her focus on the Unversed closing in, starting with the one Scrapper left standing.

"Do you really think you can take those monsters on by yourself?"

Her grip began to falter as the voice ran through her mind. A memory from her time with Ignazio...when he told her that she was nothing but a helpless wreck...

"Look at you. You're covered in cuts and bruises. You can't even handle a gun, much less fight for yourself. Why do you think you can fight them when you're on the verge of death?"

The bow was almost lowered from her hand. He was right...she couldn't do this...she couldn't--

That very Scrapper suddenly leapt at her, claws lashing out.

"Take it from me, my dear. You don't need to fight if you can't do it. Just stay with me, and you'll be safe for the rest of your life..."

She acted out of reflex. Lifting the bow once again, she pulled the arrow back and fired.

"I will protect you...forever..."

The Unversed was knocked right out of the air, the arrow striking it in the chest. For a moment, there was silence, the girl staring at the downed enemy. Did she...did she really just do that...?

However, it wasn't over yet. The Floods were closing in, and the Scrapper came right back up. She still had a lot of enemies to take care of. So, with another deep breath, Audrey prepared another arrow.

"You can't do it, Audrey."

This time, she ignored the voice in her head. As a Flood rose up in front of her, she quickly backed up and fired another arrow at it, shooting it right between the eyes.

"Just because you think you can tackle them down, it doesn't make you stronger. How do you think you got those cuts in the first place?"

Arrow after arrow, the Unversed began to fall one by one. Though she wasn't perfect in the long run, having missed quite a few times, she was faring even better than she had been so far, focusing on taking down the enemies before her.

"I've said this once, and I'll say it again. If you step outside, you will be killed. I forbid you from leaving my sight."

Finally, it came down to her and the lone Scrapper. Each time she tried to fire an arrow at it, it kept dodging her shots, even closing in to get a good hit on her. She did knock it away each time it did that, but other than that, it still wouldn't fall.

But she didn't give up. She maintained her stance, holding the bow and arrow at the ready, but didn't fire just yet. She was waiting for her enemy to make the next move.

The Unversed came charging in, ready to lash out once more. Closer and closer it approached, closing the distance.

"You can't fight them, Audrey. You're completely helpless when you try."

Just as it raised its claws at her was when she fired, at point blank.

"You will stay here until we find a way out. Do you understand?"

"...yes, Ignazio. I understand..."


The last of the Unversed fell. The fight was over.

Audrey slumped over, panting from the exhaustion. It was the easiest, yet she felt like she had run a full marathon. However, there was a complete change in her demeanor as she looked down at the bow in her hand. At first, she was a nervous wreck, believing that she was useless. But now...

...I can do this...
~*Characters*~
Audrey Crowe
Ignis Fatuus
Cheryl Mason
Kalas
Xelha
Kairi
Akemi Jing
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Sorin
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Legend
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Jasmine's smile grew slowly as she watched Audrey take down the Unversed. Compared to her earlier attempts she was doing incredible. A bow seemed to fight her well right now but what was most important was that Audrey had listened to her advice. Her main problem when she was using the sword was that Audrey was putting all her strength into her swings and just swinging it. What she really needed to do was take a second and slow down a little. A bow seemed like the perfect kind of weapon to do that.

"That was great Audrey! Looks like we found a good weapon for you to start with." Jazz said. Really for someone just learning it was a good job. Audrey still had a long way to go though. "You still have a lot of thigns to work on but that was a big step in the right direction."
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Adri
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Greg grinned broadly as he saw her progress, watching as she calmly took out the various combatants. He walked over to the Moogle as she was finishing up, whispering to him about something he had in mind.

In accordance with the plan, as she finished the training, the sound of applause from an audience sprang up around Audrey within the training arena, cheering for her progress, enjoying that she was doing so well so far. This did not drown out Jasmine, but was more of noticeable background noise.

Once she finished, Greg looked to the Shadow Burst. "Please keep her company during this next session I have planned. I am going to make sure on... one moment." He looked to the Moogle. "Is there a forge here, including higher tech equipment and multiple types of metal and other equipment?"

A nod. "Yup! We've got plenty of stuff like that out back, kupo." He looked back to a different area of the arena lobby. "But we've also got a shop for that kind of stuff. Why do you want to build it yourself, kupo?"

Greg shook his head. "It's personal. Specialized equipment. I'll be there a few hours." That said, he looked to Jasmine again. "Right. Once I make the training regime, which won't be too hard, I want you to stay with her. You can talk with her, do a lot, but make sure that she keeps going. It might be boring, and will take hours, but she needs the work to use a real bow. I'll be making that weapon."

That done, he went to the comm unit. "You did great, Miss Crowe. Please come back out. We have some things you will need to do. Jasmine will keep you company, but I'll be busy with something nearby. Please do as we are saying and you will definitely be able to defend yourself. You can do this. I promise."

He looked to the Moogle again. "A bowl and a few jugs of water, please. Real, not holograms."

-----

Jasmine's encouragement and hearing the sound of applause was what did it in. As she was catching her breath, Audrey looked up as she heard the cheers from an unseen audience. Even if it was just a simulation, to know that she had the full support of two people that she had just met...

She took a moment to let it all sink in. Then, she fell to her knees and let out the tears that she had bottled in. She was overwhelmed and needed to let it all out, but she wasn't feeling helpless and afraid this time. Now, with the encouragement given, she believed in herself, believed that she could hold her own without getting herself killed. For a whole year, she had put herself in recluse, only under the watch of that man who convinced her that she couldn't do anything. She was ready to set that all aside and take the leap she's always wanted, escape from being a prisoner for the rest of her life.

This only took one moment before she looked up as Greg spoke into the comm unit. She knew they weren't done yet, but she didn't know what was next. Wiping her tears away, she took a deep breath and staggered to her feet, making her way to the exit. Walking out the door, she walked back into the lobby, just as the Moogle came back with the bowl and jugs of water as asked.

"Um...what are those for?" she asked.
~*Characters*~
Audrey Crowe
Ignis Fatuus
Cheryl Mason
Kalas
Xelha
Kairi
Akemi Jing
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Sorin
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Legend
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"Beats me." Jasmine said as she came over to Audrey and put an arm around her, the smile still on her face. "You did great in there. You still got a lot to work on but that was a great start." Jazz was proud of Audrey and if it kept her away from whatever bastard that she knew from before it made it all the better.

Jazz turned to Greg and nodded in response. That was fine by her, and it wasn't like that she was going to be leaving right now. "So that's these things for huh? Some kind of weapon thing?" Jazz asked. The way Jazz saw it she would let Greg deal with all this weapon business while she could help Audrey out in hand to hand. That was Jazz's specialty after all and Audrey probably needed all the help she could get on that front.

-----------------------------------------------

Greg smiled to Audrey as she came out. She seemed to be doing well, though it appeared that he was the only one present who knew what he was talking about here. He set up the bowl on the floor, and filled it with water, then set the partially-spent jug to the side. "You did very well, but now we need to make sure you can use a real bow. In order to make sure of that," he pointed to the bowl. "I want up to sit there, and do the following." He sat on the ground, raised both hands, and slapped them down on the water. It wasn't really spilled out, just some of it went flying a bit, a few drops. On the whole, it was still in there. "While you do this, I am going to be working on getting a weapon for you.

He stood up, and walked over to Jasmine, speaking to her slightly softer. "Though I think precision is a good idea, I think that you should help on this. It's about arm strength, so she can use a bow and defend herself. The one I gave was too easy to draw to be realistic, it was about aim and skill, not realism. Make sure she keeps doing this practice until I come back. It will be a long time. I apologize in advance, but keep her occupied. If she doesn't practice and get stronger, she can't defend herself." He didn't seem to be harsh, not unfair. Just firm. With that, he looked back to Audrey. "I'll be back later. I will not be leaving the world, mind you, but I will be busy for some time. Jasmine will be here to train you for then."

And with that, he walked off. He had work to do. Hours of work.
Edited by Sorin, Nov 7 2013, 07:55 PM.
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Adri
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Audrey looked to Jasmine as she further encouraged her and, for the first time since she had been here, allowed a small smile to cross her face. She was still taking in the fact that these two people that she just met were so willing to help her and ask for nothing in return. She had been told that strangers would use her, and even before that, she just couldn't trust people after being put through hell by her peers. But to actually receive help after so long was a good feeling, and she just couldn't deny it.

However, she had to frown when Greg demonstrated the next part of the training. Sure, it didn't seem so bad, but what did it have to do with using a bow? And how long would she have to do this? Though she tried to listen when he spoke to Jasmine, possibly about keeping her from backing out, he was already done before she could get a word in, walking off to get her weapon ready.

"W-wait!" she called out. "H-how long do I have to..."

Too late. He was already out of her sight. Audrey looked back to Jasmine, then at the bowl of water. Well, if this would help her get better like he said, then it wasn't like she had any other choice in the matter. With a sigh, she sat down before the bowl, and raised her hands in preparation. How bad could this be, she asked herself in thought.

Unfortunately, when she slapped them down in the water, she slammed them in too hard, spilling water all over herself. She cursed out loud, quickly grabbing the edges of the bowl and holding it in place before it could start jittering around. She then picked up the jug and refilled it to the same level that it was before. Taking a deep breath, she went about trying again, not exactly replicating what Greg did, but with better results than the first time.

This was going to be a long day.

~*~*~

Eight hours later...

"So...tired..." Audrey weakly raised her arms once more, doing all she could to ignore the cramping in her joints. "Arms...hurt...real...bad..."

This was all she had been doing for those hours. Though she managed to finally replicate what Greg demonstrated, she had been doing it over and over and over again, unable to even take a break. Though she wanted to stop a few times, whining over the point of this, Jasmine was there to coach her back into it before she could think about giving up. Despite the pain and weariness that grew over time, the girl did manage to make conversation with her, telling her about what her life was like before she wound up in the video game worlds. However, not a word was said about her time in Silent Hill, with Ignazio D'Aleo. She just didn't want to go into that while she was trying to make a change for herself.

However, that thought was enough to encourage her to go further into this. She had spent a year doing absolutely nothing, allowing her doubts about others and herself take precedence. It was because of this that she was as out of shape that she was, that she couldn't defend herself like she wanted. She had to be expecting that it would be this grueling, especially if she wanted to learn now rather than in a matter of days. She just had to suck it up and keep going until she was ready.

With that, she ground her teeth together as she slammed her hands into the water once more, making the effort to do it again. She was tired as all get out, but she just couldn't give up now.
~*Characters*~
Audrey Crowe
Ignis Fatuus
Cheryl Mason
Kalas
Xelha
Kairi
Akemi Jing
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Sorin
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Legend
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It was a long eight hours but Jazz was used to not having much to do for many hours at a time. At least this time she had someone she could actually talk to. Still she felt a bit of sympathy for Audrey for having this kind of training for the first time. Jazz knew she was exhausted after her own day long training session. Still Jazz kept Audrey going and listed to her as she explained about her life. It made The Shadow Burst feel for her and was glad that she was able to help her.

When the two had time Jazz was giving Audrey some tips on close quarters combat. She told her how to be more precise with her strikes, avoiding putting all her strength into her blows like she did when Audrey was trying out the sword. Jazz also told Audrey some ways to increase her agility and speed so she could keep that range advantage.

----------------------------------------------------------

Greg finally walked out after all of that time. It appeared he had been working very hard, as his forehead was slick with sweat, and he carried a rectangular box in his arms as he approached. This box was made from black yew wood, aside from a single metallic tube on the front of it, and had no other markings, but he did have some minor cuts on his hands, perhaps splinters or other minor injuries that could be easily solved with magic.

The angel saw the two woman in the distance, and nodded his thanks to the Moogle, then walked closer to them, speaking kindly to Audrey first. "Very good. You can stop now." He set the box on the ground, and faced the tube toward the trainee, then looked to Jasmine. "Thanks for all the help. This seems like a perfect weapon for her style. I'll explain how it works, but we need one last thing."

With that, he looked back to Audrey once more. "Miss Crowe, if you would place your finger on the hole in the box, it will take a very small, one-drop blood sample. It's to establish a DNA lock on the weapon. I apologize for being so curt before, but as you will see, it was necessary to be firm to be able to do what you soon will see you likely can do now."
Edited by Sorin, Nov 9 2013, 05:19 PM.
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Adri
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The minute Greg said she could stop, Audrey immediately did so, collapsing onto the floor. She was exhausted and her arms were sore to the point where she could barely move them. However, she cringed when the angel instructed her to place her finger in the tube, both at having to move her arms again and that she would have to prick her finger for the DNA lock.

However, she was too tired to complain. She just had to do this one thing and she'd finally have a real weapon. So, gritting her teeth from the pain, she managed to move her arm over and place a finger in the tube. She winced as she felt a prick in her finger, but didn't pull back out of a sudden fear. The small pain was practically nothing compared to the soreness.

Almost immediately after, the box had opened up, as if in reaction. Wincing, Audrey barely managed to push herself back up, only to a sitting position in order to take a look. As she looked what was in the box, she had to stare in awe.

It was another reflex bow, but not like the one she wielded in the arena. This one was somewhat larger, slim and silver in appearance. The bowstring was thin, but sturdy enough to hold. However, there were a few notable details that differed from the traditional bow. There was a section in the middle of the string that extended toward the arc of the bow, possibly made to keep the arrow in place. The handle of the bow also didn't look like a typical handle, as it extended inward slightly. It seemed more like a hilt of a sword. Lastly, when she managed a hand to run over it, she could feel that the curve on the inside was bladed, though she managed to keep from cutting herself.

"Wow..." she muttered, looking to Greg. "Th-this isn't just a bow, is it? How does it work?"
~*Characters*~
Audrey Crowe
Ignis Fatuus
Cheryl Mason
Kalas
Xelha
Kairi
Akemi Jing
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Sorin
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Legend
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Jazz was definitely impressed by Greg's work. She was no expert on weapons but even she could tell how fine of a weapon he managed to make in eight hours. She did like the blade on the weapon too, which would help with the close combat tips that she had given Audrey during the time she was training while waiting on Greg.

"I got to say you did a great job on that thing." Jazz said as she smiled. "I do think that you really have a good weapon on your hands Audrey. With that and some more training you will be able to go out there and show that you are able to fight yourself."

For the moment she would let Greg do with his explanations as he knew everything about the weapon he just made as it obviously wasn't a normal bow.

---------------------------------------------

Greg smiled as he was complimented on his handiwork. He had been considering ideas like this for some time, but it was only now that he managd to actually find someone give a bow to. On the other hand, the secondary function he had built in was somewhat different. He held out a hand, gently touching the edge of the weapon where he knew the blade to normally be on the inside, and, as if in a moment of insanity, pressed down on it rather calmly as well.

As if in reaction to the terminology he used, he gently took her hand, picking up the weapon with one hand, but looking to her. "May I?" To her lack of objection, he used her hand to grip the weapon's "handle", leading her fingers around to a certain formation... and looked to her again. "This won't hurt you. So try not to be too alarmed, okay?" With her help, he pushed down on that formation, and suddenly the weapon... changed.

She was no longer holding a bow. Instead, in her grip was a rapier, complete with a handguard. The edges were sharp, but the real power came from the tip. In anyone else's hands, it would be naught but a blunt stick.

Greg smiled a bit wider. "A bowsword. Combination of a rapier and a reflex shape bow, specifically. They're both reliant on your own aim, but that training... Try gripping the weapon a bit differently. Your hand will probably find its way to the proper grooves well enough to morph it back. There is also a magnetic field in the middle of it, between the string and the limbs, when in bow form."

He looked up and down it. "The field is to both work as a self-sustaining, non-transferrable power source, and to work as a tool, should you need such a pulse for electrical reasons. I could not enchant it yet, but once I can, I believe only your own DNA will allow magic to enhance the strength of the string to give you more power. As for arrows... well, if you can find a way to create some of your own, that would be a great help. Otherwise, any kind of arrow will work with this. Even crossbow bolts, but those are heavier, kind of like a glove being put on the end of one of your arrowheads."

A pause as he let that sink in. "Do you like it? You can name it if you'd like to. And the training was for your arm strength. Otherwise... try pulling the bow back and you'll see what I mean."
Edited by Sorin, Nov 13 2013, 07:13 PM.
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Adri
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The minute Greg pressed his hand down on the bladed part of the bow, Audrey almost panicked and tried to stop him from slicing his hand open. However, when he picked up the weapon so easily, she found that it didn't seem to affect him at all. Because of this bit of surprise, she couldn't protest when he took her hand and led it to a formation on the handle.

And then the weapon changed entirely, the girl giving a start as she watched. In just a matter of seconds, the section between the bowstring and arc closed itself, the string itself snapping in half and disappearing into each side. Then, the arc itself curved upwards until both ends met, forming into a blade. It took the handguard forming around her hand for her to realize that this was a rapier.

Audrey stared at her new weapon in awe. She was expecting a bow, but crossed with a sword? Though her earlier training with one made her doubt this at first, she had seen how rapiers worked before. She could just emulate what she remembered of them and work from there, rather than swinging it around like she did with the standard sword.

She listened as Greg explained the properties, finding the same formation on the hilt while she did so. Just as quickly as it changed to a sword, it switched back, the blade splitting in half and curving back into the arc, the bowstring shooting out from both ends to attach themselves back in the middle, and the section in the center opening back up. Okay, she thought, she could get used to this. All she needed was a quiver and she was set.

And not one that had boxing gloves on the arrowheads.

With that aside, she listened further as the angel explained what her training was for. Well, if it was for arm strength, then it certainly worked, what with how her arms ached. Still, despite the pain, Audrey decided to see if it was worth it. She held the bow at the ready, and pulled the string back. With the aching in her arms, there was a little bit of difficulty, more than she initially thought there would be. However, she found that, with those hours of exercise, she could pull it back further than she probably would have if she didn't do those hours of training.

The thought of it couldn't be anymore uplifting. After complaining over the point of all of that, she now felt grateful that she could be able to do this. For once, a wide smile crossed her face, and she began laughing with glee. She could really do this!

"Oh my god, look!" she exclaimed happily, jumping to her feet while still holding the bow as it was. "I can pull it back! I can be an archer now! This is so cool--"

Right then, in her excitement, there was a flash of pink. That excitement made way to panic once again, Audrey releasing the string in shock. From that shot, an arrow made purely of pink mist was fired, from her own magic. Before the girl could freak out over possibly breaking something with it, the magic arrow disappeared almost as soon as it was summoned.

"Wha...?"

"Fights aren't supposed to exist outside of the arena here, kupo," the Moogle explained. "You should be thankful, otherwise I'd be charging you for the damage, kupo!"

Audrey sighed with relief, glad to know her excitement didn't damage anything. Still, while she now knew her magic was useful in that regard, she also knew that she couldn't just rely on it all the time. So, looking back to the Moogle, she asked, "Um...do you have any quivers for sale?"

"Sure do! Only those that hold up to twenty arrows, so you're gonna have to restock more often, kupo."

Audrey nodded, though she hoped to find some 'upgrades' to the future. Kind of like in the Legend of Zelda series, now that she thought about it. With that, she looked to Greg and Jasmine, lowering her head. "...thank you, guys. For...for helping me when I needed it. 'He' told me that people would only do this for their own interests, but...you guys asked for nothing. I-I don't know how I can pay you guys back for it..."
~*Characters*~
Audrey Crowe
Ignis Fatuus
Cheryl Mason
Kalas
Xelha
Kairi
Akemi Jing
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