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Katerina "Cat" Ainsley

"Delightful! You would like to join us? Well, as long as you despise Sonic Boom. What more can I ask for?"

0 · 1,262 views · located in Minimum

a character in “Error”, as played by TheHuntress

Description

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❝I can make you see your worst nightmare. Would you like a try?❞



❝Come. Closer. No, closer. Follow the Cheshire Cat. I'll show you my Wonderland.❞




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∞ Full name ∞
Katerina Renee Ainsley

∞ Nickname ∞
Cheshire Cat ll Cat

∞ Alias ∞
Cheshire Cat

∞ Race ∞
Hiatus

∞ Age ∞
17

∞ Gender ∞
"Contrary to popular belief. I am female."

Female

∞ Sexuality ∞
"It's no fun when all people care about are gender."

Pansexual

∞ Role ∞
Leader


∞ Group ∞
"We are the madmen."

Wonderland

∞ Item ∞
Illusion Chains

∞ Occupation ∞
"Too young. Too boring. Too much of a waste of time."
None




❝Come. Take a glance into the Looking Glass.❞




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∞ Side ∞

"I have enough nightmares to deal with. I don't need one more."
It is needless to say that the leader of the Wonderland absolutely abhors the system of Minimum. Cat wishes to create a new world, one without the restrictions of the false notion of equality, one with limitless opportunities, and one where freedom is allowed. A "mad" notion, they said. And that's why she named her group Wonderland. A land supposedly "mad", but free of restrictions and chains that bind them to a nightmarish Dystopia.
*∞ Height & Weight ∞
5'3" 106 lbs
∞ Hair ∞
Reddish Brown, styled in a way that makes it seem as if her hair forms cat ears.
∞ Eye color ∞
"Just a warning. Don't look into my eyes."
True Color: Deep Purple
However, people don't know her true eye color, given that most can't look her straight in the eye. When they do, even without her using her hiatus, they get a tinge of fear and discomfort, for her eyes usually reflect the things they fear most.

*∞ Distinguishable Facial Features ∞
Her trade-mark smile: One often can describe her grin perfectly with that of "the grin of a Cheshire Cat", mischievous, mysterious and knowing.
∞ Birthmarks/Scars/Tattoos/Piercings ∞
"Funny. How my number appears the opposite from his ."
She has a few scars running down her arm. It looks self-inflicted, but she always covers it up so no one can see. Her core number XVI can be found on the right side of her neck.
∞ Physical Description ∞
The first word that comes to people's minds when they see Cat would be "mischievous". Her small build, facial features and that grin all make her up to seem as a mischievous child. However, she doesn't usually allow many people to get within a distance of her. Her eyes that seemingly look purple from a distance morph into different faint images as one stares into them. Fear is created but it isn't just accidental. Within her eyes they can see their worst nightmares, dreams, and memories.
The uniform of Wonderland, or Landers, is what she always has on. Her Victorian styled dress with the large bow in front of her chest is her signature choice of clothing. The pompous red and white dress is actually a hassle to walk in, but always having a love for the old-fashioned, that style is what she chose to define Wonderland.




❝Welcome. This is my Wonderland where madness roams and no rules apply.❞




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Habits/Quirks ∞
✦ { Closing Her Eyes } A weird habit she has developed in which one can constantly find Cat simply shutting her eyes from the world, burying her head in her hands. Such is so that she can escape the nightmarish world and into the comforting darkness of her mind.
✦{ Victorian Dresses } A liking for the old-fashioned, one can never catch Cat without one of her pompous Victorian-styled dresses which she chose as the symbol of Wonderland.
✦{ Sweets } Not limited to simply tea and biscuits, Cat is practically always eating sweets, which she finds comforting in a sense.


∞ Likes ∞
♥ Freedom ll Unique People ll Madness ll Fun
♥ Fairytales ll Reading ll Books
♥ Challenges ll Games (Mind Games, Board Games, etc.)


∞ Dislikes ∞
✖ Restrictions ll Bonds ll Rules
✖ Ryota ll Sonic Boom ll Core ll Mitsuki
✖ Crowds ll Annoying People ll People Beating Around the Bush


∞ Talents ∞
✔ Singing (But usually slightly creepy hymns)
✔ Baking
✔ Skills With Chains (Although it doesn't sound deadly, chains can be used in multiple ways and forms to prove to be a deadly weapon)
✔ Reading People (She can see deep into their worst fears and memories, able to see past their facade)


∞ Hobbies ∞
✔ Games, Pranks and Tricks
✔ Ballroom Dancing
✔ Painting/ Sketching


∞ Fears ∞
✘ { Fear of Crowds } She doesn't usually go out of her comfort zones, for crowds would mean more chains and nightmares for her to see. Although it has become a part of her life, she nonetheless does not wish to have nightmares and memories haunt her every step she takes.
✘ { Claustrophobia } Cat fears restrictions, physically and mentally and thus cannot stand to be in a tight space.
✘ { Fear of the Ocean } She doesn't know why, but she has never dared to step into an ocean with all its depths and mysteries.


∞ Flaws ∞
✘ { Rashness } Though sometimes being daring is a great trait, it often turns into rashness in which she does not think twice before pursuing something she wants, often not caring for the consequences.
✘ { Temper } When Cat loses her temper, all hell breaks loose. She is able to hold a grudge against someone for a long time, relentless in her acts of revenge.
✘ { Relentless ll Stubbornness } If someone challenges her, she will never back down from it. Her patience and determination in such cases are vast, but it often leads her into much trouble, never giving up nor willing to change her beliefs for her own well-being.


∞ Secrets ∞
⌛ { Her Feelings for the Sonic Boom Leader} No matter how much one asks, she'll never give them anything other than the fact that Ryota is a traitor. However, there is definitely something deeper than that, a history that haunts the two.
⌛{ Her World } She would not bother to tell others how her world looks like because no one will truly understand. It is a dark world, one where it is a constant nightmare to walk through, filled with others' lingering fears and memories.
⌛ { Her Wish For a Happily Ever After } With all her readings of the tales of knightly valor and happily ever afters, she also wishes one for herself. However, years later, after the pain, betrayals and nightmares, she has lost all hope in that idea and simply accepting that the world is a constant nightmare and perhaps madness is the only escape.




❝I'm mad. But if you can see what I see, you wouldn't be so sane either.❞





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∞ Weapon ∞
"My world is made up of chains. You can't see them, but trust me, they're a nightmare to deal with."
Illusion Chains
No one could ever understand exactly what Cat sees. Through her eyes, her entire world is made up of dark chains that hang from everyone's bodies, trailing along the ground. These chains bind that person to their worst fears, nightmares, and memories. With one touch, she can see exactly what haunts their minds, but with her touch, that person is able to see the chains that is bound to themselves, materializing before them in its physical state. With Cat, her weapon exists anywhere and everywhere. She just has to pull on them.


∞ Error ∞
"You think you're fearless don't you? Let me show you what you're afraid of."
Phobia Exploitation
Her world is a nightmare. The chains that bind those to their worst fears, nightmares and memories are reflected in her eyes, able to see past a person's facade and into their terrifying realm of imagination. With a pull on the chains that bind them, she is able to choose between their fears and exploit them with her illusions. Cat can make one experience their worst fear, see their dead families come back to life, and even take on the form of what they fear most.
However, each power comes with a price. Her world is made up of nightmares, able to see and sometimes even experience the fears of those around her. Cat cannot make one experience death, or torture, for it can be reflected back on herself. Her illusions do not have the ability to harm, but merely to freeze one with fear, especially those with weak minds. Although many times her victims harm themselves in the progress.

Sense Manipulation
With her power over phobia exploitation, Cat has a limited control over sense manipulation. Through direct contact, she is able to cloud one's senses altering and manipulating them as she wishes. Sight, smell, hearing, touch, taste, balance, and pain can all be altered under her touch. The most effective aspect of using this error is by pushing her own senses onto another, making them see or feel what she feels. However, if one breaks from her touch, her abilities no longer extend to that person.


∞ Personality ∞
{Mischievous ll Stubborn ll Open-Minded ll Accepting ll Vengeful ll Daring ll Rash ll Manipulative ll Playful}
Having a love for fun, the leader of Wonderland is definitely mischievous in her pranks and games, especially taking interest in mind games and manipulation. Cat would never back down from a challenge if put up to it, daring and adventurous in her methods. However, such often leads her into trouble when she would not accept the fact that she may not be able to succeed in some of the challenges. Her rash nature often dominates her common sense, pushing her to attempt things that would endanger her safety. Even so, she would never accept defeat, always persisting in both her actions and beliefs.

Open-minded to those that she accepts into her gang, she gives them a chance at earning her trust. However, if one were to break her trust and betray her, her methods in revenge are always blood-curling, for her vengeance is not something to be messed with nor her ability to hold long grudges. However, the members she accept into Wonderland are quite diverse, due to her accepting nature and distaste for rules and restrictions. For her gang, she promotes freedom and fun, allowing the members to do anything as long as it pushed forward their cause and as long as it got on Core's last nerves.




❝Quote❞




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*∞ Romantic Interest ∞
"He's a traitor. That's that. End of story."
Ryota Osaka
∞ Most Precious Person ∞
"Character Thought"
To Be Added When Relationships Develop
∞ History ∞
The world is made up of chains. At least, that was Cat's world. What others call their nightmares, she called them her life. Through her eyes, all she has ever seen were the nightmares of others, those that haunt many to the edges of insanity, she bore with strength. But by each day, it took away a part of her. As a child, perhaps her nightmares were not nearly as horrid as the real world.

There was only one family she has ever known. It was made up of four kids, each fighting for each other. Cat loved them, having taken her in before she could even remember, truly she did. Especially one, one by the name of Ryota, who she had entrusted everything to. Creating FOCUS, the four caused havoc within Minimum, but to Cat, it was more than that. She took comfort within his midst and for him, she would have gladly given up her life. That is.. Until the day when betrayal struck.

As Core struck into the heart of the rebellious group, Cat and Ryota were assigned to stand guard against the appearance of Core. However, it was a trap. The two were strong, especially as a team. The winner would have been evident, especially as Cat dealt her damaging blow, her chain entwined around Mitsuki's throat. Then... Darkness. That was all she remembered, just as Ryota flashed before her, knocking her away from Mitsuki, the chain coming loose from her hands. Why...? As her head cleared, her gaze laid on her childhood friend with the leader of Core. Traitor.. She was smart, waiting until Mitsuki's leave before she confronted Ryota with suspicions of betrayal. But it was futile, for her friend avoided her questions, her gazes and her.

He betrayed their cause, her trust, and her feelings for him. And for that, she broke away from the group and swore revenge. For years, she deemed Ryo as the traitor that caused the failure of the plan and nearly the lives of the four friends. Always having a love for freedom, she wanted to create a world where there are no restrictions or rules. The others called her "mad" for thinking so, and thus, she created a world of madness: Wonderland. Creating Wonderland, she made a name for her new family, one which she will ensure will not betray her. To her, betrayal from the cause is the ultimate crime.

So begins...

Katerina "Cat" Ainsley's Story

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Ryota Osaka Character Portrait: Edwin Adler Ashford Character Portrait: Willam "Liam" Hayes Character Portrait: Nemiel Kestyr Character Portrait: Katerina "Cat" Ainsley Character Portrait: Amira Lucas
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Time: Four Hours Earlier



The world is made up of chains...

Her eyes fluttered in the darkness, a single candle flame sustaining its meager light throughout the darkened room, the blinds shielded against the rising sun that was already peeking its way through the folded curtains, over the sleeping girl on the large bed. The darkness assured her, comforted her in the silence, for she knew that if she opened those eyes, she would see the same dark chains that trailed in every corner. Cat... But the darkness had its horrors, the memories of the past flooding her mind as her eyes fluttered once again, the only sound that could be heard within the room was the panicked gasps that now wrought the girl's breaths. Come on, Ryo, don't be so dull! The voice of a child rang in her mind, so unfamiliar to her now, but nonetheless it was her voice.

TRAITOR!

Her eyes snapped open, the candle flame dying instantly at the suddenness of her movement, a slight chill remained in the room, still silent. However, she did request for silence, her room shielded against the chaos that she knew was roaming the doors outside. "You're joking..." The sounds were coming to her now, ringing through the closed door as she pulled herself off of the bed she had just taken comfort in a few seconds ago, now tainted with the memories of the nightmare that continued to ensue in her mind. With a frustrated glance, she pulled away the dress that was placed neatly by her bed, quickly changing into the red Victorian-styled dress, the fabric heavy but familiar and comforting.

"Fools!" She exclaimed as she stepped out of the room, two strands of her hair pulled into the usual braid as she made her way down the winding staircase of the tower, the morning sun already streaming through the windows that now lighted the abandoned tower up in a dim, muted light. "Do I have to remind you of the time?" She could hear the faint voices that echoed off of the bare walls, a faint look of annoyance lingered in her eyes as the winding staircase ended at the main room of the tower.

Liam had warned them. He told them that making so much noise while the Mistress was still sleeping was a bad idea. Even worse, to be starting the Tea Party so early, and without the Mistress? It was a dangerous game to play. However, the newer recruits ignored him, and he refused to repeat himself. It was their mistake really. If they should turn to gibbering buffoons, locked in their own heads by fear, then it was no concern of his. In fact, Liam almost hoped it might happen. Not only would it create a stronger sense of discipline within the Wonderland's ranks, but it wouldn't be anywhere near as annoying to have to deal with every morning. After issuing his warning, Liam stood patiently against the wall, on the side of the door with the handle on it. Far too many times had he made the mistake of standing on the opposite side, only to catch the door with his face. Cat always did love to slam the door to her room. At precisely that moment, the obvious divine intervention aside, Cat chose that precise moment to storm out of her room. The wall on the far side cracked from the impact. How terrifying. The new doorknob was directly at groin level. "Of course not Mi'lady. It's not even noon yet. I tried to warn them that you wouldn't be pleased, especially started the Tea Party without you. I suppose they simply couldn't wait any longer." At that moment, Liam couldn't help but smile softly at his Mistress, the Chesire Cat. Never, in his wildest fantasies, would he have imagined the Queen of Hearts to be this physically unimposing. His Mistress was a powerful, terrifying woman, that much was certain. However, there was something to be said about the way she threw tantrums like a little girl. To be entirely fair, she was much younger than him. Liam forced himself to suppress a chuckle. She was even rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. As she addressed, her words cloaked with venom, Liam had to suppress another chuckle, he couldn't stop himself from smiling. It was just her way. Without saying a word, Liam adjusted the guitar case on his back, then drew a pinched line across his mouth, zipping it shut.

Tea Party! Cat had to place her hand on her forehead, the coolness of her hand waking her up from the daze that had ensued after the nightmare. How could she have forgotten? "Don't give me that look." She gave Liam a glare before turning her strides. Despite the glare, it did not hold any distaste, but simply a look of annoyance that usually came with her morning tantrums. Now aimed for the small locked door on the side, Cat's each step was accompanied by the heavy dress swaying at her feet, the train of which dragged along the ground. The room that opened from the small lock in her hand appeared sinister, but its contents were anything but such. With a few moment's hesitation, she placed her hand on the large can before her, handing it to Liam as a small smile lingered on her lips. English Breakfast Tea, perfect for the morning occasion. But then again, she had always been able to choose the perfect tea for all different occasions.

"Kuni!" Her voice bellowed throughout the tower, authoritative and demanding, as if not allowing her second-in-command the chance to answer. "Milk and sugar!" No one could have breakfast tea without the cream and sugar, and she did not even await a response from her second-in-command. Besides, Cat was still having a hard time accepting the fact that she had a second-in-command. Handing the box to Liam, she gave him a small smirk as she turned around, placing full trust in the man to boil the tea to the right temperature and intensity. "Let the Tea Party begin!" Her voice was accompanied by her own laughter as the room exploded into chaos.




Time: One Hour Earlier



This is madness.

A faint smirk rose on the corner of her lips as the thought flashed across her mind, the large room filled with the different members of Wonderland, all dressed up in her favorite Victorian-styled outfits. Cat sat with her knees crossed, her chair centered at the far end of the long table, now decorated with a pure white tablecloth. This event was not at all unfamiliar to Wonderland, and truly, it was a mad event.

Liam stood at his Mistress's side. He was at her right hand, back a pace or two, and deathly silent. Though he sipped his tea thoughtfully, as the Cat had managed to pick a most delightful blend of the English breakfast variety, Liam remained, for the most part, silent. His function, while not acting on Cat's direct orders, was to observe and protect. More loyal than a German Shepherd and three times as vicious. As the revelry descended into it's usual madness, Liam made occasional glances at the clock and the sun in the sky. It was high noon, almost three o'clock. It was nearly time. As the clock struck two thirty, Liam took a single step forward, and leaned over, placing his head over Cat's shoulder. He was still a good distance away, so as not to earn a slap from his mistress, but close enough that their conversation would remain private. "Mi'lady, it is now half past three o'clock, precisely. You should be going now, or else you will be late for the arranged meeting at the Truce Zone." Liam said simply, just low enough that she would be the only one to hear him. Once he had finished, Liam took a step back, at his usual spot behind his mistress. When she directed her attention back to him, Liam merely nodded, silent, stoic, and compliant. It only mad sense. The Savage Nymph would have followed the Chesire Cat's bobbing tail until it no longer possessed the strength to fly. Even then, it would have walked, crawled, and dragged itself across the ground to ensure her safety. Liam wouldn't be losing anyone else. Today, or ever for that matter.

Truce Zone? A hint of confusion flashed across her eyes before realization dawned. It wasn't surprising that her eyes immediately blazed with anger at the sudden reminder of the event that was doomed to take place for the day. Liam was smart to take a step back, for her arm immediately flew up, missing his head by inches as she pulled herself up from the chair, the sudden motion silenced the room, and the only sound that could be heard was the sound of her angered breathing. It took Cat a few seconds--or was it minutes-- before she calmed her breathing, but her eyes nonetheless still retained that cold glare she had dropped ever since the Tea Party started. They're mad for daring to ask me to go. They should probably know by now exactly what will occur at the Truce Zone. Hell, they would be lucky to get the talking started with Cat there, for she was going to flood his mind with his greatest nightmares and make that traitor bow down on his knees in front of her.

"Kuni!" The silence lingered in the room as Cat remained motionless for a few seconds, her hands scrunching up the table clothes with frustration and annoyance that she did not bother to hide. "Liam." Her eyes flickered toward the loyal member, the anger in her eyes still blazed despite the cheery atmosphere the room was soaked in but a second ago. "You're with me. Let's go." Typical Cat, her voice not even allowing a hint of question to her demand. It came as no surprise that she demanded for Liam's presence, besides, his loyalty and his past all combined to qualify as her personal guard. Whatever that might take place in the Truce Zone, she had full trust that he would no doubt remain loyal to her. Whatever the leaders were planning, they would do best to prepare for her rage.



Time: Present Times



Why won't you all just leave me in peace...

She hated crowds, and this was one of the reasons she had sat at the far end of the table during the Tea Party, a spot reserved simply for her. Within crowds, the chains dominated over the people, each filling with the screams and nightmares of the individual involved. And it was to her dismay that she understands each leader will be bringing forward their second-in-command and a fellow member. For safety measures. A faint arrogant smirk lingered on her lips as her strides stopped. As if anyone can stop me. Her fingers tingled as she watched the dark chains that laid across the ground. One grasp, and whoever it was linked to would experience their worst nightmare. One grasp, and she could bring even the strongest of all warriors to their knees. But now's not the time. Her eyes flickered upwards at the members that followed her. She had barely even remembered Kuni's existence, his quietness not doing much against Cat's easily distracted mind. However, she could hear the sound of Liam's footsteps, weighted down by his over-sized weapon, at least... It was definitely over-sized to Cat, and slightly on the heavier side. Careful now, Liam. Her thought held a hint of distaste as she did not turn her gaze to look at him, but nonetheless the silent warning should have been implicit. While she fully trusted in his abilities, the members that are gathered here today can crush them easily if they put their mind to it. And honestly, Cat was not about to let that happen. Her proud gaze looking with a condescending attitude and her body fixed with a relaxed posture that somehow paradoxically showed hints of tension.

Liam walked silently behind his Mistress. Every so often he reached up to adjust his guitar case, so it would sit more comfortably upon his back. However, Liam was no fool. Inside the unassuming case was Lunatic, his weapon of choice, as well as the item granted to him as a Hiatus. Lunatic was a massive, over-sized claymore, but that meant nothing to Liam's brute strength. When he swung Lunatic, bones crunched and walls crumpled. He adjusted the zipper at the top of the bag as he walked. The resulting opening was just wide enough to stuff his fist into at a moment's notice, should things go poorly. Hopefully they wouldn't. However, if anyone would make that happen, it was, most likely, going to be Cat. Her hatred of Ryota was well-known by every single hiatus in all of Minimum. She opposed him at every turn, defied him, fought him, and hated him with every fiber of her being. Such a violent action would, most likely, come from Cat first, followed by Liam second, in defense of his mistress. Her eyes caught his as they gazed at the small group's destination. She was nervous, but simultaneously confident beyond all belief. She defied anyone to lie to her, to tell her no, to look at her wrong. It was times like this that Liam remembered why he and... he and his partner, had chosen Cat. She was, in a word, fearless. She was proud, she was regal, and she was terrifying. Liam nodded as she caught his eyes. No other words were necessary. They both knew exactly what was going on. Liam sighed to himself, and at the same time as his Mistress, looked to the entrance of the Truce Zone. Thinking quietly to himself, Liam smiled. "Let the madness begin..."

With Liam's voice, a faint smile rose on her lips accompanied by a chuckle that eased the tension slightly, something perhaps only Liam was able to achieve in such a situation. "You are all invited to my ultimate Tea Party." The mischievous look flashed in her eyes. "Commence the Mad Tea Party." And with that, that signature Cheshire Cat grin flashed across her expression, a look that suggested the commencement of another one of Cat's games.

Shall we begin?

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Ryota Osaka Character Portrait: Edwin Adler Ashford Character Portrait: Willam "Liam" Hayes Character Portrait: Nemiel Kestyr Character Portrait: Nia Dione Character Portrait: Katerina "Cat" Ainsley
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Time: Four Hours Earlier



“You are not my master. His voice resounded within Edwin’s head, sending shivers down Edwin’s spin. I am. Edwin looked up to stare at the room that he lived in, the bare white walls bathed with blue from the blazing lights from his phone. He sighed, sitting down on the bed that lay in the center of the room, away from the four walls that surrounded it. I am the controller of my error- I am- Edwin rocked back and forth, worry in his eyes as he kept his eyes fixed on his hands crossed on his legs. Don’t worry, don’t worry- Edwin clutched his head with his hands, covering his ears with his fingers as if to block out noises and sounds though there was none besides his low-toned muttering and the whirring from his phone. He was alone- but he was once again winning this small struggle. “I will never submit to one as weak as you!” The blue light disappeared, the phone closing as Edwin’s mind was once again left to himself. Shakily he stood up and out of his room, towards the bathroom that was across the hallway, though it looked as if it were light-years away.

His hand slapped hard against the light switch causing the dim fluorescent light to flicker on in the bathroom. It was tiny and cramped, far different from the houses of almost the entire population within Minimum. They lived in wide houses, built tall into the sky based on developing ‘current’ technology. But the Errors don’t; they have no place in the enforced closure of Minimum- Edwin was no better. Conceal. Don’t feel. Don’t let it show. He shook his head and then turned on the rusting faucet, watching the water spurt from the tap before slowing down to a small trickle down the drain. Staring at the water, Edwin lost himself in his thoughts as his phone started beeping again- but this time no blue light shone from the old blue-colored phone. Edwin looked down at his pocket with weary eyes, the bags under his electric blue eyes ever more apparent under the dim light of the bathroom. But at least it wasn’t his phone- At least it isn’t him.

Pulling his phone out from his pocket, Edwin cancelled the alarm clock to see the notification he had set the day before. Error Gangs Meeting- The time for the meeting was blocked, but Edwin was too lazy to scroll down. He already knew the time anyways, as he had been one of the negotiators that had been there to plan the meeting. Where is Nia and Ryota. Closing the faucet that he had opened for nothing, Edwin stepped out of the bathroom, forgetting to close the lights as he rushed down the corridor on his floor and down the rickety stairs that led to the lower levels. “Nia.” Edwin knocked sharply on the only door on the floor beneath his, but before he could hear a reply, Edwin slowly bounded down the second flight of stairs heading down, his footsteps light and soft. Repeating what he did for the next two floors below Nia's- "Madoka. Lucy-Anne"- Edwin finally came to a stop on the first floor of the narrow apartment, his feet causing the old floorboards to creak slightly as he stepped down from the worn down stairs. His blue eyes flickered left and right as he took in the mess of the first floor- he had not come down since two days ago- and sighed. Who’s turn was it to clean again?

His phone flashed a blue gleam as the voice resounded in his head again. “Fool. As if those humans would-“ Edwin shook his head, squeezing his eyes shut to block out the voice as soon as it barged into his mind. His eyes shone a bright blue as he felt the force grappling against his mind- but they immediately dulled down the moment the force gave up, receding once more to the back of Edwin’s mind. Edwin sighed again, his shoulders slumping slightly as he allowed his hair to fall in front of his face. He was tired; the struggle had gone on for so long. But once again, Edwin forced himself to move and ignore him. Walking up to another door, Edwin rapped twice on the solid wooden frame and coughed before calling out quietly, “Ryota?” Edwin stood in front of the door, waiting for a response, as his eyes flickered to and from the door and the stairs, waiting for his two companions to the meeting to show up some time soon.



Time: Present Time



Edwin stood behind Ryota, just as all the other second-in-commands stood behind their leaders. His eyes surveyed the others present as a deadly silence filled between the different leaders that now assembled in the area. His back slouched, Edwin looked extremely calm and relaxed, but his hand lay on his buzzing phone, a sign that he was ready to enter the grid any moment upon Ryota’s command. But Edwin was sure that he wouldn’t need to- even Katerina wouldn’t kick up something dangerous, or so Edwin thought. Slowly, he watched the other gangs start to assemble at the meeting area, each seemingly wary of the other groups of three there.

Edwin made sure to keep an eye on Katerina, as he knew that Ryota and Katernia rarely ever met one another without a fight. The main reason why he now refrained from playing around with his phone was because of the Leader of the Wonderland Gang, her moods unpredictable and her mind in the air, Edwin felt as if he needed to make sure to keep Ryota and Katerina away from one another.

“Commence the Mad Tea Party.” Katerina said, her trademark smirk appearing on her face. Edwin shook his head as he unleashed his Error, in case Katerina had any plans in mind. I summon thee. The words surfaced and died away in his mind, as his surroundings were suddenly covered by a light blue color. Edwin’s eyes glowed faintly, but faded fast as he took a step out of his body and into the blue grid. A frown appeared on his face as he watched the other Errors present, intent on stopping any fight or conflict that could occur. One of the members of the other groups each also activated their Errors, as always while in the truce area, as the appointed 'guardians' to make sure no serious conflict occurred in the truce area. This was where compromises were made- not fights.

The stands that surrounded the large round table started to fill as the other members of the different gangs within Minimum started to fill within the respective areas that was designated to the different gangs. The Sonic Boom members stood directly behind where Ryota now sat- and where Edwin now stood- on stands elevated higher than the ground. Separating each gang was a bar and isle- nothing more, and the members milled and murmured as the usual tension started to fill the air. Edwin sighed as he started to walk around the table though his body remained where he had stood, right where he had activated his Error. This will be another long 'meeting'...

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Ryota Osaka Character Portrait: Edwin Adler Ashford Character Portrait: Willam "Liam" Hayes Character Portrait: Nemiel Kestyr Character Portrait: Nia Dione Character Portrait: Arian Vance
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Early that day...
Alexandria played with her bright blue hair, picking small strands and forming loops of sorts with her index finger. Soon enough her playful demeanor changed into a distraught state, her hands which had been carelessly playing with her hair now began puling in frustration. She began walking back and forth as she did when she felt anxious and unnerved; it was a good thing that nobody ever came to NORA, other than the gang that is, or else they would have thought something was seriously wrong with her. Alex wasn't to blame though; being an informant had its perks, of course, needless to say it was never easy to know the exact number of casualties of other hiatus under the core's hand... especially because for the moment there was nothing that could be done to stop it. Even though she knew very well that it was useless to dwell upon things that she did not have control over, she could not help to lament on their current situation.

Upon looking at the old clock hanging in the wall, one of the many recent additions to the shop which she had brought from her family's antiques shop, she shook her head encouraging herself to regain composure in case any member of the gang showed up, most of the gang knew only of her calm and self composed demeanor which meant that if they saw her preoccupied she could cause panic. It would be a lie to say that it hadn't taken her minutes for her to go back to her calm self and her morning routine began. Alex had arranged a meeting before their usual time, as usual she'd allow everyone to have as much freedom as possible not minding what everyone did outside the gang or perhaps trusting that they'd behave, still she was always watching out for her gang even when they were unaware of it. The truth was that Alex considered her gang not as a group, organization or anything of the sort, Candy Crush was her family and that much was true.

It did not take a genius to connect the dots and realize that there was something going on and it would obviously result in bloodshed something every inhabitant of Mininum had probably gotten used to by now. Alex began cleaning the shop and as soon as the shop was almost spotless she sat down on one of the leather seats on the round table. Just as she sat down she heard the bell carefully position on top of the entrance door announcing every member's arrival, one by one every member of the gang entered the shop and Alexandria simply nodded and smiled at every single one of the members waiting for them to join her at the rustic looking round table.

It had already been discussed that they would be meeting with all the other gangs, even so Alex reminded them of the meeting and asked them to be friendly with the others as they all had held the same goal. Alexandria spoke with outmost clarity and finally informed the gang of the attack the night before, just before the meeting was adjourned Alex spoke with Amira, Michael and Aki privately, confiding in them once more and asking them to be extremely careful to see if there were any Core or strange behavior in any member who could be a spy.

Finally, not taking a minute longer in their meeting every Candy Crush member headed out to the other meeting being the third gang to arrive. Everyone in the gang took their positions in their rightful place the Southern side, Alex sat down quietly and said nothing simply looking at her childhood friends carefully having mixed feelings about what had happened years before. Alexandria refused to believe that Ryota had betrayed them even when there was evidence that said otherwise and could not help but wonder why Nem had distanced himself from her. She shook her head for focusing in the past and not in present matters and she mentally scolded herself.

Katerina was the first to speak "Commence the Mad Tea Party," she said playfully and mischievously as ever. Alex let out a small smile to her old friend and began speaking, "I'd like to begin by saying that I am glad to see everyone," she let out another small smile offering it to everyone now, without beating around the bush Alexandria began speaking again. "Being that said, she said taking a pause trying to find the right words knowing that even though they had gotten used to taking casualties it was never easy, "you should all know that there has been another attack..." Allowing the news to sunk in she continued, "the Core attacked a large group of hiatus, from what I could tell there were no survivors." Alexandria paused one last time more allowing others to speak as they saw fit.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Ryota Osaka Character Portrait: Edwin Adler Ashford Character Portrait: Willam "Liam" Hayes Character Portrait: Nemiel Kestyr Character Portrait: Nia Dione Character Portrait: Arian Vance
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As he always did, Liam woke with the sun. Wearily, Liam rose from his bed and made his way to the bathroom. Liam rubbed his eyes and stretched as he looked at himself in the mirror. Scars covered his body, and what little was unharmed was covered in tattoos. Liam smirked at himself. What would his parents think? More somberly, what would Madoka think? It had been years since Liam had seen her, almost two whole years. He couldn't though. Liam loved her too much to... to tell her what he had done. It was his fault. Everything was his fault. If he hadn't been so weak, he could have saved them. "Stop it." Liam told himself, his golden eyes staring back at him from the mirror. "You did the best you could. It's not your fault. It's theirs..." The Core had ended Markys's life. Liam had done his best to defend it, but even he wasn't strong enough to save him from them. He still wasn't strong enough. He would be though, one day. One day, Liam would watch the Island burn. Every Core, every building, and every broken promise. Until then, he had work to do. Liam quickly showered, dressing himself in his cloak and usual garb. He did, however, opt to wear more comfortable black leather boots. In case, the situation called for it. Liam needed to be prepared to move quickly. After he had eaten a small breakfast, Liam quickly wrapped Lunatic in white bandages, and stored his weapon within its case. At that, Liam slung the guitar case over his shoulders, locked his apartment behind him, and made his way to Wonderland.

It was certainly a forlorn place. Left freestanding on the south side of Minimum, the Wonderland was a simple, white building. Most of its windows were smashed, and the sides were all painted with symbols of the Landers. Some were rather clever, others were just moronically phallic. Usually, most people avoided this building like the plague, but not Liam. He walked, rather calmly, through the front doors and into the shadowy, colorful depths of the Wonderland. This was, usually, considered a death sentence to any other Hiatus, save for the Landers. They weren't the most powerful gang in Minimum, that honor fell to the Sonics. They weren't the smartest either, that was the Candy Crush. They weren't even the wildest or most destructive, that was Air Gear. So why? Why, then, would people much rather visit any other gang building in all of Minimum than the Wonderland? The answer was simple: the Landers, apart from the Core itself, were the most feared group of people in all of Minimum. Their Leader, the Chesire Cat, was the cruelest, meanest, most terrifying woman in the whole city. Her Error was really just to reinforce that fact, she didn't need it to send shivers down your spine. Her commands were reason to demolish entire city blocks, her whims started wars, and she was Liam's leader. Liam waved to the Landers he was friends with as he made his way up the stairs and down the corridors that lead him to the scariest room in all of Wonderland: Cat's room. Liam was her personal bodyguard. This wasn't because he was the most powerful Hiatus in the Wonderland, nor was he the fastest, or the smartest. Instead, Liam was far more vauable. He was the most experienced. He'd been there the longest, barring Kaleb. He was, however, without a doubt, the most loyal Hiatus in all of Wonderland, and possibly, in all of Minimum. Liam took his place beside the door, never daring to peek inside, for fear of what might happen to him if he did. Liam may have been a scarred veteran, with years of experience, but he wasn't looking to die anytime soon either.

They day began rather simply. As it became closer and closer to Tea time, starting roughly around ten o'clock, the Landers became more and more... rowdy. Their revelries became louder, wilder, and more destructive as it approached noon, until the noise managed to worm its way up to where Liam now stood, at Cat's door. Liam had warned them. He told them that making so much noise while the Mistress was still sleeping was a bad idea. Even worse, to be starting the Tea Party so early, and without the Mistress? It was a dangerous game to play. However, the newer recruits ignored him, and he refused to repeat himself. It was their mistake really. If they should turn to gibbering buffoons, locked in their own heads with fear, then it was no concern of his. In fact, Liam almost hoped it might happen. Not only would it create a stronger sense of discipline within the Wonderlander ranks, but it wouldn't be anywhere near as annoying to have to deal with every morning. After issuing his warning, Liam stood patiently against the wall, awaiting the obvious consequence of his peers' actions.

Finally, the disturbance was too great. The Cat had awoken. "Fools!" Cat exclaimed as she stepped out of her room, two strands of her hair pulled into the usual braid as she made her way down the winding staircase of the tower, the morning sun already streaming through the windows that now lighted the abandoned tower up in a dim, muted light. As Liam followed behind her, he forced himself to suppress a smirk. Watching Cat become angry with someone who wasn't him was rather enjoyable. Such notions had to be hidden, however, lest he incur the Mistress's wrath. "Do I have to remind you of the time?" She yelled at them all furiously, silencing the revels instantly. Attempting to assuage his leader's anger, Liam spoke. "Of course not Mi'lady. It's not even noon yet, Wonderland knew that already. I tried to warn them that you wouldn't be pleased, especially when they started the Tea Party without you. I suppose they simply couldn't wait any longer." At that moment, Liam couldn't help but smile softly at his Mistress, the Chesire Cat. Never, in his wildest fantasies, would he have imagined the Queen of Hearts to be this physically unimposing. His Mistress was a powerful, terrifying woman, that much was certain. However, there was something to be said about the way she threw tantrums like a little girl. To be entirely fair, she was much younger than him. Liam forced himself to suppress a chuckle. She was even rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

Cat placed her hand on her forehead. Groaning, she turned to Liam. "Don't give me that look." She gave Liam a glare before turning her strides. Despite the glare, it did not hold any distaste, but simply a look of annoyance that usually came with her morning tantrums. As she addressed him, her words cloaked with venom, Liam had to suppress another chuckle, he couldn't stop himself from smiling. It was just her way. He knew she wasn't actually angry with him, but he didn't dare say otherwise. The she really would be angry with him. Liam shuddered at the thought. Instead, without saying a word, Liam adjusted the guitar case on his back, then drew a pinched line across his mouth, zipping it shut. Her thoughts now aimed for the small locked door on the left side of the room. Cat's every step was accompanied by the heavy dress swaying at her feet, the train of which dragged along the ground. The room that opened from the small lock in her hand appeared sinister, but its contents were anything but such. With a few moment's hesitation, she placed her hand on the large can before her, handing it to Liam as a small smile lingered on her lips.

As the revelry descended into it's usual madness, Liam made occasional glances at the clock. It was high noon, almost three o'clock. It was nearly time. As the clock struck two thirty, Liam took a single step forward, and leaned over, placing his head over Cat's shoulder. He was still a good distance away, so as not to earn a slap from his mistress, but close enough that their conversation would remain private. "Mi'lady, it is now half past three o'clock, precisely. We should be going now, or else we will be late for the arranged meeting at the Truce Zone." Liam said simply, just low enough that she would be the only one to hear him. Once he had finished, Liam took a step back, at his usual spot behind his mistress.

At Liam's words, a hint of confusion flashed across Cat's eyes before realization dawned. It wasn't surprising that her eyes immediately blazed with anger at the sudden reminder of the event that was doomed to take place for the day. Liam was smart to take a step back, for her arm immediately flew up, missing his head by inches as she pulled herself up from the chair. Her palms slammed onto the table, and their sudden motion, along with the noise, silenced the room. For a few, long seconds, the only sound that could be heard was the sound of Cat's breathing; angered, ragged. It took Cat a moment before she calmed herself, but her eyes still retained that cold glare she had held ever since the Tea Party started. "Kuni!" She yelled, demanding the presence of her lieutenant. The silence lingered in the room as Cat remained motionless for a few seconds, her hands scrunching up the table clothes with frustration and annoyance that she did not bother to hide. "Liam." Her eyes flickered toward the loyal member, the anger in her eyes still blazed despite the cheery atmosphere the room was soaked in but a second ago. "You're with me. Let's go." Typical Cat, her voice not even allowing a hint of question to her demand. When she directed her attention back to him, Liam merely nodded, silent, stoic, and compliant. It only made sense. The Savage Nymph would have followed the Chesire Cat's bobbing tail until it no longer possessed the strength to fly. Even then, it would have walked, crawled, and dragged itself across the ground to ensure her safety.

As the gang marched to the Truce Zone, Liam felt Cat's eyes flicker upwards at the members that followed her. A silent warning for Liam. Any misconduct or weakness, any at all, would be punishable by immediate death. While she fully trusted in his abilities, the other members that were gathering here today could crush them all, easily, if they put their mind to it. Liam merely nodded, continuing to walk silently behind his Mistress. Every so often he reached up to adjust his guitar case, so it would sit more comfortably upon his back. He adjusted the zipper at the top of the bag as he walked. The resulting opening was just wide enough to stuff his fist into at a moment's notice, should things go poorly, though, hopefully, they wouldn't. Unfortunately, Liam had no more time to mentally prepare himself for the meeting. They had arrived.

As Liam walked down to the main floor, his mind was racing. This was a meeting of all the biggest gangs in Minimum. The slightest provocation, and war would erupt, bathing the city in fire. As he walked alongside Kaleb, behind Cat, Liam begrudgingly admitted, the person to make that happen was, most likely, going to be Cat. Her hatred of Ryota was well-known by every single Hiatus in all of Minimum. She opposed him at every turn, defied him, fought him, and hated him with every fiber of her being. Her eyes caught his as they gazed at the small group's destination. She was nervous, but simultaneously confident beyond all belief. She defied anyone to lie to her, to tell her no, to look at her wrong. She was, in Liam's eyes, the only person who would ever command his respect. She would be, from now until forever, the only one for whom Liam would ever kneel. Everyone else would have to kill him first. It was times like this that Liam remembered why he and... he and his partner, had chosen Cat. She was, in a word, fearless. She was proud, she was regal, and she was terrifying. Liam nodded as she caught his eyes. No other words were necessary. They both knew exactly what was going on. Thinking quietly to himself, Liam smiled. "Let the madness begin..." Liam only smirked, but in the back of his mind, he was worried. It wasn't something many people could feel, but Liam knew Cat the best. She was just barely holding back her anger. If she had truly allowed herself to rage, all the fodder class Hiatus in every gang would have fainted by now, their worst fears coming to life in their own heads. With Liam's voice, a faint smile rose on her lips accompanied by a chuckle that eased their tension slightly, something perhaps only Liam was able to achieve in such a situation. A mischievous look flashed in her eyes. "Commence the Mad Tea Party." She said simply. With that, her signature Cheshire Cat grin flashing wide for all to see. Her anger temporarily forgotten, or so it seemed, Liam relaxed, but only just. He didn't want to get too comfortable just yet. Preferring to stand, Liam took his place behind Cat. Sitting was a position of hesitation. He needed to be ready for anything.

At Cat's signal, Ryota's second in command and the lieutenant of the Sonics, released his error. His eyes glowed faintly, and his body was surrounded by a powerful pulse of bright blue light. It faded fast, but the gesture had not been lost on Liam. The meeting had truly started, and each of the four gangs were made to have one member each release their Error. Looking to Kuni, Liam waved his hand in a nonchalant manner and smiled, speaking just loudly enough that only Cat and Kaleb would hear him. "Please, do remain seated Kaleb. You and Cat are the aces, after all. It would be best to keep such cards hidden until the appropriate time, no?" Reaching behind his back, Liam produced Lunatic from its case, slamming the business end onto the ground beneath him. The resulting crash silenced his gang mates. The Landers, arguably the loudest present, weren't being obedient or compliant. They were scared. As Liam's error activated, his eyes flashed a dangerous shade of gold, and Fox-Fire licked up the length of Liam's blade, consuming the bandages that were wrapped around Lunatic within seconds. The fire's cool temperature chilled the south half of the room to a mere twenty degrees Fahrenheit in seconds. As the bandages fell away, the fire quenched itself, there was nothing left to burn. Once the fire had gone, the room's temperature returned to normal. Liam's Error was still active, and he was ready to use his powers at a moment's notice, but the only way to tell was in his eyes. They shone with a dim light, like the reflection from an animal's eyes in the dark. With the proper etiquette observed, the meeting began. Liam's face showed no emotion, but he listened intently to all that was said, and committed it to memory.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Ryota Osaka Character Portrait: Edwin Adler Ashford Character Portrait: Willam "Liam" Hayes Character Portrait: Nemiel Kestyr Character Portrait: Nia Dione Character Portrait: Arian Vance
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With a tired sigh and half-hearted wave backwards, Nia trudged her way out of Stardust -- her place of work, of all things -- and into the unforgiving bowels of Minimum. It had been in the morning hours when she had left home (a time under the lasting ends of night sky), but it was most definitely late afternoon now; the streets were filling, growing busy with joy in those released from the clutches of education. They were kids, most of them-- young, rowdy in the way that Hiatus and Errors could never afford to be, 'kind of like how Castor and Alya used to be, aren't they? And probably just as (affectionately) stupidly idealistic.' She seemed to remember them more, lately; but she had always been haunted by the nostalgia, so nothing goes to say. 'Just melancholy at its' finest, unfortunately.' It was probably fortunate that Nia had lost the pain that used to come with the memories, somewhere over the years. Not that any would help her now, or that blaming herself ever would have.

There wasn't much to shake herself out of, but -- upon finishing her (now) lukewarm coffee and boarding the 2:23PM train -- Nia turned to the talk of most Hiatus that day: the Big Fours' meeting down at the Truce Zone. It wasn't difficult to guess the outcome with or without experience, shit was most definitely going to hit the fan that night. She couldn't think of a time when the Landers and Sonics didn't end up butting heads literally every time they saw each other, and god forbid that this be the appropriate place to start. Even Nia stayed the fuck away from the Cheshire Cat (but not necessarily her chronies) whenever she could. 'That right there? A mess that I'm not touching with a ten foot pole, no matter how fucking annoying her opposition might be.'

Whatever it was between Ryota and the Ainsley Cat, she never wanted to know.

It was twenty minutes to three when Nia stepped onto East Minimum ground, a minuscule amount more relaxed buried under the sound made by a crowd. She shifted the conspicuous staff-shaped bag across her shoulders and made for home, already mildly antsy for the meeting to come. As unafraid of her own safety as she was, this kid was, as she put it, 'entirely unappreciative of throwing every other Sonic into a pit of vipers'. As much as she didn't care about people that much, Nia would rather not lose her gang mates (or have them in a vegetative state, like a certain someone).

But, in any case, Error life never granted anyone a choice. And, as she stepped onto the beach -- home to Sonic Boom --, she resolved to ignore the threat of imminent death once more. A soldier never discourages himself outside the field or purposely debilitates himself in battle, or something like that. She supposed it didn't really matter, and promptly crashed in her room until four-thirty (Edwin's call); in which case she got up, groggily made coffee in the machine, (if time permitted, showered), and left accordingly with the rest of the best (so to speak).





Standing behind Ryota and to the left of Edwin, Nia remained still; almost relaxed as she waited, eyes darting from one gang to another. As much as it wouldn't make too much sense for things to really break out (that would prompt Core, not to mention a massacre in and of itself), she was evidently on edge-- the tension in the room seemed to run that way. At least it seemed as if it there would be more than Edwin and Nia running interference between the Sonic and Lander powerhouses, 'Liam, for one, and any other gang that doesn't want a riot or destruction on their hands. Logically, anyway.'

"Commence the Mad Tea Party."

Nia showed little to no reaction to both Edwin and Liam's subsequent Error activations (although, to the latter-- 'Show off.'), but grew more alert; almost itching for the double-ended spear in the case on her back. There was little left to do, by then, other than to listen semi-attentively at the Azura's words; nothing particularly surprising, considering the nature of the Error-Core relationship. She supposed that the best (or more) was yet to come, something big enough to warrant the need for a large-scale meeting; and thus did nothing but silently pay attention until there was a call to action.


Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Ryota Osaka Character Portrait: Edwin Adler Ashford Character Portrait: Willam "Liam" Hayes Character Portrait: Nemiel Kestyr Character Portrait: Nia Dione Character Portrait: Arian Vance
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She had been having a good dream, something about her two favorite people and finding a dog on the beach when a banging noise rudely interrupted Madoka's snooze fest. The maned girl slowly opened up her eyes, trying to smooth down her wild purple hair with one hand and rubbing the drool from the side of her face with the other. "What time is it?" Madoka asked no one groggily and turned her head looked at the small cracked clock displaying the time on the bedside table. "Shoot! I'm going to be late!" Madoka rolled out of the bed, tangled in the covers and did her best to push the blankets aside, she hopped over to the closet as she pulled on a pair of socks and flung the door open.

Madoka grabbed the first thing within reach, which just so happened to be her school uniform. She had skipped school today in order to attend the meeting, not wanting to be left out. She shoved her head and arms through the top then pulled on the skirt and zipped it up, figuring she might as well put on the shoes as well. There was only half a day of school today and the rest was really prep for a festival so it's not like she was missing anything important.

The last thing Miiko grabbed before stepping out of the room was her bow and quiver, the choker that activated her Error was always around Madoka's neck. The choker had been a gift from her brother, Markys, before he died. She almost never took it off, not even in the shower.

Miiko took the steps two at a time, ready for action. She was so excited, this was going to be her first time into the neutral zone! Maybe she would be able to gauge other Hiatus's Error's. As soon as she stepped out of the building and onto the beach, sand began to fill her shoes; Madoka closed the door and began to make her way to the meeting point.

Sometime later...

Madoka's neck craned in awe at the marvelous neutral zone. A beautiful old building that looked as though it carried more secrets then even Core knew. She shouldered her quiver, arrows knocking together in a harmony that only Miiko could find beautiful. Archery had always been her favorite thing, she could string a bow faster than most could sheath a sword and her aim was not too shabby either. Madoka plucked the string gently, the vibrations sending tickles down her arm; it was hard not to giggle with glee.

Someone said something and the room went quiet, Madoka knew she was supposed to stand back with Lucy, but something made her want to step forward and be a part of the tension. Miiko pulled her gaze from the beautiful stylized ceiling and allowed it to crawl forward towards the people on the other side of the room, stopping on a blue head of hair. Her breath caught in her throat; she had been looking for him for two years and there he was, standing next to a lady in a red ballgown.

His appearance had changed a lot, the scars, the piercing, the change in eye and hair color, but there was no doubt in Madoka's mind that it was most definitely him. "Liam," it was hardly above a whisper and yet Madoka winced at the sound. The name brought back memories both good and bad, the park, archery tournaments, school, holidays, Markys.

The last few years were the most painful of all, did Liam even know what happened to his best friend? She didn't want to tell him, she didn't want to see the pain on his face when she told him that Markys was dead; assuming he didn't already know.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Ryota Osaka Character Portrait: Edwin Adler Ashford Character Portrait: Willam "Liam" Hayes Character Portrait: Nemiel Kestyr Character Portrait: Nia Dione Character Portrait: Arian Vance
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Humans were such idiotic creatures. They were greedy. They were selfish. They killed each other for money and they limited themselves in this tiny, tiny world called Utopia. Michael hid a chuckle of amusement as he continued to work, dragging his feet through the boring routine of a bank accountant. No one knew what he was. No one thought he was dangerous. No one believed he could kill them without batting an eyelash either. New flash, people... No one planned a murder aloud, either. He flashed a charming smile to one of his female customers, earning a giggle and a big flush from the woman. She was not that good looking unfortunately. Not that good for him. He typed the information, glancing at a file next to his working desk with a small smirk. He had all the information about the deaths of some certain people. And he was very amused right now. Michael flipped through the file, fixing his tie absently. Small fries, really. Unimportant. But this was a move from Core. Provoking them, perhaps? Making the groups become angry and make mistakes? He wouldn't be surprised if that was the case. Checking the clock, Michael noticed that his working hours were over and he stood up, putting his files in his suitcase.

He walked out of the office, waving his hand toward his co-workers, half of them he had bedded. He shook his head. Pathetic fools. Charmed by his smile and attitude. He looked down on those people. Yes, he liked having sex. But he also felt that they gave in too easily. Pathetic fools. Michael looked up at the night sky and smiled almost wistfully. Oh how he wished he could be as free as those beautiful starlights. He felt so restricted. By these laws, by these mortals and by these goddamn world in general, being caged behind those tall walls and never got to fly. He placed his hands inside his pocket, idly walking back to his place, an old but still very neat and comfortable house. The only place that held good memories. Michael stood outside the door, hesitated for the briefest second before he walked in, wearing a gentle smile on his face. He went to greet his sister, planting a small kiss on her forehead as she giggled mindlessly. "Hello, little sister, did you have fun today?" He asked, smiling sadly as he took a seat in front of the beautiful girl. The girl giggled and nodded enthusiastically. "Uh huh! I had fun! I talked to Mister Rabbit and had tea party and then I got a beautiful dress and then I got cut by the knife and it hurt but then I smiled and I saw Mama and Papa and then-"

"Easy there, little sis, you don't have to talk so fast. Deep breath." Michael instructed, wiping the crumbs of the leftover breakfast on her white dress and carefully bandaged the new wound of the girl's ankle. 20 years old and she still acted like a small child. He gently gave her a bath, showing no sign of reaction even though Lily had a very curvy body for a woman and he was a rather physical man. He took his time, dressing his sister up, checking over every single bruises and scratches before feeding her spoon by spoon. "Brother has to go to work now." He said after he finished her bed time story, petting her head gently as he sat next to Lily, his hand gently held his sister's. "B-But... Can't you stay?... I'm lonely... And you always work..." Lily said pleadingly, looking at Michael with big brown eyes. Michael felt his heart clench. "I'm sorry, Lily... I will spend as much time with you as possible. But... I have work to do. I need to put food on this table, too, hmm?" He soothed, kissing her forehead. "It's just a meeting. I will be back soon, I promise. And I don't break my promises when it comes to you."

It still took awhile to convince Lily that he wouldn't leave her and by the time Michael left the house, it's already 7.00. He stuffed his hands in his pocket loosely, his gray button up shirt and jeans were neat and clean. He eyed the street, his sharp grey eyes took in everything behind thin frame. He was carrying a thick file with him. It didn't take long for him to arrive to the shop, listening to his leader with attentive eyes. He nodded, agreeing to the term. He was a polite man. Yes. And he surely could observe people's reaction. That was what he did half of the time. Observing. And then striking when people least expected. He followed Alex and chuckled lightly when he realized their group was the third one, taking his usually spot next to Amira, the second in command, flashing everyone a cold smirk. Well, well, well, today's meeting sure was an interesting one. He knew more than half of these people. Michael propped his hand up, listening to the greeting of one of his own friends, Cat, a smirk graced his lips as he pulled out a lollipop and placed it in his mouth, humming a soft tune. His eyes shifted when Alex - his 'future wife' spoke, her greeting much tamer and duller than Cat's. A snort left him though, when people started to activate their Errors. Such fools. Did the concept of 'keeping your powers' hidden escape those people? Perhaps so, it was rare to see people with brains nowadays. He flashed the people who he knew another smile, winking at his childhood friend Kuni and let his gaze linger on certain members longer than necessary.

At the words of his leader about the attack, Michael stepped forward. "Aye, I have the files of each member that has been assaulted. I have already copied the files and arranged them so that those belonged to your group will be on top and the others at the bottom. Please look over these files and make sure there's no mistake." He said coolly, passing over the files to his 'fiance' and the other leaders of the other groups, keeping a cool facade. He stood up straight and put his arms behind his back. "However, in the process of collecting information, I notice a strange thing." He said finally, taking out the last file that contained only a single person. Michael carefully placed it on the table in front of Alex. He tapped at the picture.

"Jackson Glenn, 25 years old, new member, alliance unclear, used to be in a motor gang, was a drug dealer and came from an abusive family. Died in the newest attack." He explained, showing the picture of a thin but angry young man. "I have evidence that suggests he was a double agent. However, at this state, there's only vague evidence, no clear conclusion just yet. It might fit the reason why the group was attacked in the first place. He might have passed the information to Core. With your permission, I'd like to continue to investigate his case, trying to find how much information has been leaked and how long this has happened as well as confirming his identity." He said, pushing the file so that it was in the center of the table for the other leaders to see. He was positive this one was a spy. And this was not the only one in the groups. His sharp eyes took in everything, making sure that he caught every person's reaction. Michael allowed a soft chuckle of amusement escaped his lips.

A person is smart. But people are stupid indeed.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Willam "Liam" Hayes Character Portrait: Katerina "Cat" Ainsley Character Portrait: Michael Parkinson Character Portrait: Kaleb "Kuni" Kate
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Kaleb... Was point blank lost and confused. He rarely knew exactly what was going on during these things, but was able to make it seem like he was keeping up just fine. He walked into the room after rushing away from home. He had been taking care of his mother and was quite frankly concerned that he would be late. He saw Michael and gave him a timid smile and a soft wave, happy that the male was there.

He sat down and waited for the meeting to start, sitting there in silence, fidgeting slight as he sat next to Cat. Liam caught his attention and told him that he was an ace. He was an ace? Him!? But he hadn't done anything. It was all his "friend's" fault that he was even in this position! Kaleb poked his fingers together nervously. "B-But I'm no-not really all that great... Honestly... It's... Well it's all my... Friend..." Kaleb whispered, not even knowing if Liam caught it.

"Well... If me and... Cat don't go... Then does that mean you are going to Liam?" Kaleb asked softly, but it seemed to go unnoticed as Liam did seem to take the lead. That was probably for the best. He watched the people around him, his eyes landing on Micheal again. When the man spoke, he was happy to have something to focus on... 'cause it wasn't long before "his friend" started to get antsy.

'Oh please stay inside... It will cause a lot less trouble... And we're in a meeting... And...' Kaleb thought at the beast. He would have continued, but was interrupted by a voice heard only to Kaleb. 'Shut up! I'll come out when ever the hell I want. But... I'll stay. Only if you say please~'
'Please?'
'IT IS PLEASE SIR TO YOU!'
'I'm sorry!'

During this mental battle, he scrunched down lower into himself as if afraid. Poor Kaleb could only hope that no one else was witnessing this... He tried to focus on the file that Micheal had pushed out, making no move for it. He believed him. He trusted Micheal.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Ryota Osaka Character Portrait: Nemiel Kestyr Character Portrait: Katerina "Cat" Ainsley Character Portrait: Rachel Donzen Character Portrait: Alexandria Daenerys Drakone
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Location | South District | Rooftop Garden
Time of Day | Night {6:30 P.M.} | 2 hours ago



He stared out over the sea of houses, a mismatched patchwork of different personalities that clashed against one another but seemed to complement eachother at the same time. The south was always relatively quiet but around sunset the sound of the wind across the rooftops and the scent of the flowers made it somewhat serene. His hands lightly caressed the petals of several flowers as he walked through the garden, while his mind tried to unravel some of the problems he was currently dealing with in the city. So lost in thought had he become that he didn’t even react to the sound of his name being called and it wasn’t till he felt the rough thump of a palm smacking against his chest and knocking him off balance.

”Whu-u-What that--?! Ciara!?”

He looked over at his sister while he regained his footing, confusion plastered across his face as to why he’d just been smacked and both of his hands held up in front of him, palms facing inwards. He seemed somewhat startled and unsure as to why his sister was even there let alone as to what he’d done to annoy her.

”You didn’t have to hit me you know, I was just trying to relax before I go out.”

He muttered as he rubbed his chest where he'd been hit.

“Where you going? Um? Let me guess, you can’t tell me? Sound familiar? I’m not stupid, I know it’s got something to do with this gang you are just so proud of big brother. It’s got you written all over it. You’ll get yourself killed, you know that right? I don’t get why you want to cause trouble in the city, it’s not as bad as you think it is. We get by and people leave us alone.”

Nem looked at her and tried to smile but just couldn’t bring himself to, not properly.

”It’s not safe in Minimum. They’ve got too much power and I’m worried for you. Look I can’t tell you what it is I’m doing but it’s going to make everything better. You’ll see.”

He thought for a moment she was going to hit him again but she just shook her head and turned to leave, heading back towards the stairway that lead back into their house below the garden.

”Sorry sis...”

”Me too”
She whispered as Nem vanished into nothingness. He knew the others were already on their way to the meeting point and he didn’t want to be late.





Location | Between East & North Districts | Truce Zone
Time of Day | Night {8:30 P.M.} | Present Time



The truce zone was quiet out here at the edge, but he could already here the sound of others approaching, an echo of voices from within their meeting place. He knew several of his own gang would already be taking up positions within as per usual, since each gang usually jostled for territory and of course the best view of preceding’s. It was still a little early so they’d all be getting ready for the inevitable conflict these meetings usually caused as their grand finale. He’d rather avoid the coming meltdown but with the recent killings across the city he knew a meeting was due, one way or another. He only wished she’d understood why he did this, why he worried that she’d be the next victim of the slaughter. Shaking his head to clear his mind of his sister and remove her from his thoughts for the moment he looked over his shoulder at the three of his gang that stood with him, before walking towards the meeting itself.

”As we discussed, I want Miseria in the gallery with the rest of wor lot. Keep the peace if you can, we’ve never sparked anything and I don’t want that to start now. You two with me for the meeting. Karem, lad you can offer your error for the meeting as our sign of good faith.”

As he entered he noticed the other leaders were already taking their positions around the table, and next to each of them was their choice for the meeting, nothing particularly surprising for each gang in turn. Taking his own seat he nodded towards the other leaders as a whole with his eyes only really lingering on Cat and Ryota while darting over Alex as best they could without seeming to do so. As much as the building appealed to him there was an uncomfortable confined feeling for him whenever he entered which always put him ill at ease and made him feel trapped when compared with the freedom of the open sky above the building tops. Once they’d all settled and each of their accompanied gang members were eying the others with distrust and suspicion, since when else are they likely to bother to try and impress each other, Cat decided to break into said moment of silence with a cry of pure light-hearted madness. Which, Nem had to admit, was exactly what was needed and he couldn’t help but smile at the nut-job she was.

"Commence the Mad Tea Party."

Giving her a faint salute with his first two fingers resting against his temple he watched as those around the table activated their errors as required and did his best to feint dis-interest as Alex piped up with news of the recent increase in killings. Though the fact that there had been some so recently was certainly cause for something to be done. He replied softly to her rather energetic greeting to them all.

”A tea party indeed? We must be mad or we wouldn’t have come here, now would we?"

Nem chuckled darkly and made an over-elaborate gesture of bowing towards cat , smiling slightly before lying back in his chair.

”But as has been mentioned the streets of Minimum are becoming more dangerous daily, so we need to deal with it. Oh, and can we try to agree to something before we try to kill each other this time; I’m starting to get sick of the routine.”

Pausing for a moment Nem lifted his glass from the table and took a sip before letting another grin spread across his features as he finished what he’d been saying, accompanied by a faint chuckle.

”You can bet that they’re lovin’ the in-fighting we’ve got going on. I know I am. But anyways, I see one of us is keeping silent. Why is that I wonder?”

Turning to look directly at the leader of Sonic Boom, Nem waits with baited breath for an answer.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Willam "Liam" Hayes Character Portrait: Katerina "Cat" Ainsley Character Portrait: Franki Hunter Character Portrait: Kaleb "Kuni" Kate
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Earlier...




Franki's eyes blinked slowly and she squinted toward the rising sun on the horizon. From atop this particularly high skyscraper in the West District, she could watch quietly as the sun climbed the morning sky almost as lethargically as Franki had woken that morning. She had done this before and it was not uncommon for her to be found on a different skyscraper each morning to watch the sunrise and each evening to watch the sunset. In a majority of her spare time, Franki was either running along rooftops or sitting atop skyscrapers, listening to the sounds of the city and watching the sun either wake up or go back to sleep.

As the last of the warm sun rose over the horizon, Franki sighed and closed her eyes, listening to the cars far below her. They sounded distant to her despite the fact that she knew if the people down there looked up, they'd be able to see a pair of worn brown leather boots hanging from the side of the building. Most people thought that Franki's perpetual tendency to take the rooftops as transportation as well as a source of amusement was just a way for her to get her adrenaline pumping. To a certain degree, that was true. However, aside from the rush of happiness Franki got from running along with roofs, she also found a sense of peace at simply being on top of the skyscrapers that looked over the entirety of the West District -and in some cases other portions of Minimum. There was a pure bliss that Franki felt by being in the busy West District, yet also being so disconnected from everything within the city. She loved the bustling city and the rush of excitement at being in the city, but she also loved being all the way above the city and getting the chance to look down on all the hurrying bodies while she laid back and watched.

Franki chuckled at herself as she thought over these things. 'Maybe I should be part of the rooftop-hopping Air Gears instead of the Landers.' But she always knew that she would rather be with Wonderland than anything else. Despite the fact that Franki had extreme trust issues and she rarely even told people her last name, she had always felt a certain kinship with the mischievous nature of the Landers. They were a sort of make-shift family for her despite all their madness.

Franki stretched her dangling legs out over the rooftop and yawned loudly. Upon ceasing her long yawn, she produced a box of her favorite cinnamon-flavored toothpicks from her pocket and stuck one between her teeth. As she began to chew methodically on the spicy stick, Franki began to think to herself about the coming meeting at the Truce Zone. Having the extreme trust issues that Franki had, it was hard for her to even think about going to a place filled to the brim with more people that she didn't know at all than there were people that she knew. Truthfully, she had no desire to go, but Franki knew that she had to. That was the thing about being in a gang like Wonderland. Sometimes, she had to do things that she didn't want to do, but one thing that could always be said about Franki was that she did these things without complaint but rather with her usual cheer because she believed in the Landers and she would stick with them until the end.

It early afternoon when Franki sighed once more and laid back on the cement rooftop, letting her blond hair fall around her haphazardly. She felt sleepy again and told herself would only take a short nap. She remembered that she had a tea party to go to prior to the meeting and -although she would never admit it- Franki actually wanted to go. So, she closed her eyes lightly, telling herself that she would be awake in less than an hour.



Hours later....



Franki blinked her drowzy eyes open only to realize that the sun was setting and she was excedingly confused. Had she slept the entire day away? She glanced down at the small watch on her wrist and jumped with a start. "Shi-..." she said quietly, only half finishing her curse word before she was on her feet, grabbing her wooden staff from beside her and set off running in the general direction of the Truce Zone. She remembered in the back of her mind that she had missed the tea party and she became angry at herself for sleeping for so long, but what really mattered now was to get to the Truce Zone before the meeting started so that she would not create a bad image for the gang.

It was not unlike Franki to be late as many members of Wonderland would know, but to simply not show up to a tea party would surely get her a few odd glances from the members of the gang. So, in order to not be even more late for the event, Franki raced faster along the rooftops, using her wooden staff to push herself faster and farther each time she jumped from roof to roof.

At some point, Franki scaled down the side of a building and landed, continuing to sprint in the direction of the Truce Zone. She finally skid to a halt at the Southern entrance where she knew Wonderland members were entering and she saw the last of the Landers hustling in. She let out a sigh of relief realizing that she was not too late -for the meeting that is- and she jumped in at the tail end of the Wonderland procession. Making her way inside, Franki pushed her way silently to the front of the crowd of Landers, saying her cheery hellos to each of the members that she passed and making up believable excuses as to why she had not been at the tea party that day. Had they not been members of her group and had they not known Franki's Error, she might have used it to create the illusion that she had been at the party. However, Franki knew that some of these Landers knew more about her than anyone else and they would have known had she used her Error. Besides, Franki had recently been trying to cut down on using her illusions since she had found that they were sometimes destructive to a person's psyche. So, instead, Franki used her amazing lying skills to create a convincing story that her sickly uncle had called her and she had to go help him do something that afternoon/evening.

As she finally came to the head of the group of Landers, Franki couldn't help but smile in wonder as she could now fully see the Truce Zone. The place was a true beauty. The architecture was gorgeous and the open sky above them made the place only more beautiful. However, Franki knew that there would be time to marvel at the place later -maybe. Right now, she looked down at the table below and saw that Cat, Kaleb, and Liam had taken their seats at the table among nine others, three from each of the other three groups.

Franki had just leaned her elbows on the railing when she heard Cat speak, "Commence the Mad Tea Party." followed by the activation of several Errors. Franki knew that Liam was the right choice of members to be down there with Cat and Kaleb. He held something of the madness of the Landers, but he was far more stoic and calm -well calm-looking at least- than most of the other Landers, Franki included. Despite the fact that Franki knew that Liam was better down there than she would have been, as the discussion down below commence, she couldn't help but feel an odd urge to tell them all what she thought on the subject -which was indeed an odd thing for Franki to feel. But, she swallowed the urge and held her tongue from yelling down to them because Franki knew, in the back of her mind, that this meeting was going to be something of a "Mad Tea Party" as Cat had put it, whether she said anything or not.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Ryota Osaka Character Portrait: Edwin Adler Ashford Character Portrait: Willam "Liam" Hayes Character Portrait: Nemiel Kestyr Character Portrait: Nia Dione Character Portrait: Arian Vance
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Location | East District | Hamatora

Time of Day | Afternoon {2:30 P.M.}




"Hey, Ryota! You aren't paying any attention!" Ryota jolted up by the sound of something screeching inside his ear. Falling off the stool, Ryota landed on the ground with a thud. Glanced upwards his faced an anger Ashley. Though she was pouting Ryota couldn't help giving her a happy-go-lucky chuckle. In frustration Ashley chopped Ryota on the head, "Don't laugh! You have been asleep for an hour! Stay awake."

Nodding happily Ryota gave a wave of his hand, as he once again seated himself on the stool. A second later, the door chimed. Ryota looked up to greet the customer with a warm smile, "Hey! Welcome to Hamatora!" The smile dyed down once he got a better look at the man. Ashely glanced over at Ryota with curiosity,"Hey Ryo. That man-"

Ryota glanced at Ashely causing her to shout up. She quietly left Ryota's side and went to tend to the new merchandise in the back. Once in the back Ryota stared at the man, "Your not here to buy anything, are you?" The man looked over at Ryota, who Ryota in turn gave him a skin cutting glare, followed by a smirk. Stepping down from the stool, Ryota called to Ashely, "I'm leaving the store Ashely. Lock up when your done." Without another word Ryota escaped the store, the man following a few feet behind.

Entering a bar, Ryota seated himself at a table, the man sitting at the same table. A waitress walked up to the two,"May I take your orders?" Looking at the menu Ryota nodded, "No thank you." The maid nodded and went on her way.

After a few more moments of silence the man spoke, "Aid." Ryota glanced at the man, "I'm in trouble, and I need your help." Ryota kept a smooth smile, but his eyes showed a different set of emotions. The man continued despite Ryota's silence, "Core-" Ryota stopped him right there, "Shouldn't you be asking a Lander for some help? Why me?"

The man looked around, as if he was waiting for something to happen,"Listen, I can't go to a Lander. And we're buddies right?" Buddies wasn't the right word. Ryota would just go gambling with him from time to time. "I'm sorry, but I wish not to get involved." Ryota walked out of the cafe leaving the man behind.




"Ryota...What do you think of Minimum?"

"What do I think?" Ryota tilted his head slightly sideways. He had never thought of it before. It had only been two months since their Father, Asato Saiga, finally accepted them into the family. Officially moving them out of their Step-Mother's home, and into the Saiga residence. They were now full-fledged Saigas.

Glancing over at his Brother, he was still able to see the scar which was inflicted on him not to long ago. It made Ryota's stomach turn inside out, whenever he stared at it for to long. It was a reminder that he was weak, that he couldn't protect anybody.

Mitsuki never complained about the pain, wishing that Ryota wouldn't worry so much about it. Just like everything else. Mitsuki always harbored the pain, his own and Ryota's portion as well. He never shouted a voice of complaint, nor did he ever get mad at Ryota. He always protected him, always.

"It's nice...I guess. I mean..."[/color] Ryota didn't know what else to say. He never thought a question could be so difficult to answer. Mitsuki never turned his gaze toward Ryota, instead he stared straight ahead. Looking out at the moving ocean. The smell of the sea over took Ryota's sense of smell, and he too couldn't take his eyes off of the beautiful ocean.

Minutes past before Ryota continued, "I don't hate it...but..." Ryota paused trying to find the right words,"Minimum seems...unnatural. Sort of fake. Like it shouldn't even be here. At some points I can't help but think Minimum is an-"

"Minimum is an Error." Ryota's eyes grew wide. He quickly turned to his brother, with absolute shock covering his face. Error was a word no one was allowed to use, unless referring to those "people" who held unnatural abilities. Father always hated the word, and forbid Ryota and Mitsuki from talking about them. So Ryota never expected his Older brother to ever say the word, especially calling Minimum an...Error.

Laughter resounded in Ryota's ear, and he looked up at Mitsuki's face. He was laughing at Ryota. No. He was laughing at himself. Mitsuki's expression didn't match up with his carefree laughter, it was cold and cruel. Something that caused Ryota to look back down, turning his gaze to the ocean view. Minimum...is an Error?



Location | East District | Beach House

Time of Day | Afternoon {4:30 P.M.}




That was the end. Ryota opened his eyes to see he was facing a cream colored ceiling. The sound of the ocean waves calmed his short breaths, easing his mind. When had he fallen asleep? Where was here? Looking around he remembered he had came back to his home, his Beach House.

Glancing at his clock the time flashed 4:30. Reluctantly Ryota lifted himself up and stared out the window in a blank stare. Laying his head against the windowsill, wishing to fall back to sleep. Back to those peaceful days.

His thoughts where interrupted by a sudden knock on his door. "Ryota?" Ryota let a soft smile show. He knew that voice anywhere. It could only belong to one person. With his smile growing larger, Ryota opened the door to find Edwin staring at him quietly,"You look so alert Ed, what's the special occasion?" Ryota asked confused. "The meeting." Ryota eyes went wide, as he rushed to get ready.

"Shoot! Okay. Okay. Stop starin' at me with those 'I thought you told me you were going to remember this time. We can't be late to this meeting.' eyes. It was a common mistake. It wasn't like I meant to forget. I-It was just that I didn't have the time to remember. It isn't like I was the only one-"

Right than Ryota heard his phone buzz. It was a text from Ashely and a few other members. Don't forget about the meeting. He didn't even read on.

"Okay...so maybe I was the only one...ARGH!" Ryota throw his phone on the bed, and sighed. Today wasn't his day. First the flashback, than he forgot about the meeting. He still had to deliver some flowers to the Hospital. Picking up his cellphone Ryota made call, "Hey, Ashley. Before you head to the zone could you deliver the vase of flowers that is on the counter to the hospital. Just say its for room 369. Thanks."

Hanging up Ryota smiled happily at Edwin, "Okay, Eddy. Lets get goin'." Heading out he called up to Nia, "Come on Nia! We gotta go!" Once the two were beside him, they headed off to the truce zone.



Location | Between the East and North Districts | Truce Zone

Time of Day | Night {8:30 P.M.}




Walking into the truce zone, Ryota had his headphones turned up to max, so he couldn't hear anything but the music. Why? Because as soon as he stepped into the building he heard her voice. The Cheshire Cat. Her voice echoed in his head, and Ryota couldn't take it. So he put on his headphones, and sat in his seat. He was silent throughout the whole beginning of the meeting. Commence the Mad Tea Party. Yep that was Cat for you, she was still as loud as ever.

Turning his gaze to Michael, he could make out a few words through the music. It seemed there was a huge attack caused by Core. Looking at the documents, Ryota reached for them, reading over the following names.

One particular name caught his attention, Stephen Howard. His status was unknown. That was strange, didn't he just see Stephen a few hours ago?

Thinking back to earlier, he remembered that Stephen wished for some kind of help. Was it because of this? Ryota let his mind wonder, trying to get a good picture of Stephen's facial expression. He was sort of antsy when they were talking. Was what he needed help with that important?

Core- Was Core after him? Ryota was thinking when he heard a distant voice. Followed by a tap on his shoulder. Taking off his Headphones he listened to what was being said, ”You can bet that they’re lovin’ the in-fighting we’ve got going on. I know I am. But anyways, I see one of us is keeping silent. Why is that I wonder?” Focusing his eyes on Nemiel, Ryota was silent for a few minutes. He had a blank expression which was rare.

Catching eyes on him he quickly changed his expression to a natural smile, "Sorry, about that. I was just...collecting my thoughts." Pondering on his own thoughts, he searched for words to say, "Oh, yes. Michael, as always you have such detailed documents. That mind of yours is amazing." Ryota laughed a little at himself.

"But...something bothers me about this...Never mind, sorry for my rambling." Ryota flashed a smile at everyone, letting the documents fall back onto the table and pushing them away.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Ryota Osaka Character Portrait: Edwin Adler Ashford Character Portrait: Willam "Liam" Hayes Character Portrait: Nemiel Kestyr Character Portrait: Nia Dione Character Portrait: Arian Vance
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Rachel Donzen woke up from her afternoon nap at 6:00 PM to get ready for the Gang Meeting at 8:30. She has 2 hours and 30 minutes to: take a shower, wash her hair and make sure it’s all nice and shiny (that always took about an hour, because she has so much hair), put her pretty pink bow in her hair, put on her little pink dress, get her big pink boots on, have a glass of strawberry milk, and is finally ready to head out the door of her apartment. Before heading out, however, Rachel stops to look at herself in the mirror. ”Well... Well… Don’t you look all cute today, Ray Ray. Of course, you have to look pretty on the outside. Inside, you are just a dirty worthless who… I better get going or I’ll miss the meeting… Not like it matters anyways… We never accomplish anything at these dreadful things.” After Rachel was done talking to herself in the mirror, she slapped her eyepatch on her face, stuck a piece of bubble gum in her mouth, grabbed her parasol, and left the building.

Rachel made it to the truce zone just in time to hear Nem’s instructions to the group. She had to run some ways to get here on time. She stood beside one the other Air Gear members, Phin. She seemed out of breath, breathing heavily. ”As we discussed, I want Miseria in the gallery with the rest of wor lot. Keep the peace if you can, we’ve never sparked anything and I don’t want that to start now. You two with me for the meeting. Karem, lad you can offer your error for the meeting as our sign of good faith.”, he told Rachel and the two other top members of Air Gear.

“O…K! Pick fights with everyone… cause chaos! Got it!” She looks up at Nem and gives him that big smile of hers, “Just kidding! I’ll be on my best behavior! Sir!” She gives Nem a little salute before following him to his seat and taking a seat right next to him.

Most people in the room seem tense, but not Rachel. Rachel leaned back in her chair, and put her feet up on the table. Her parasol is open and she holds it by the shaft above her head. And she is still chewing her bubble gum, blowing out a bubble every once in a while. She didn’t look anyone in the eyes, didn’t greet anyone. Even when the a few the other showed off their Error and the Cheshire Cat spoke "Commence the Mad Tea Party." to launch the meeting, Rachel didn’t do a thing. She lounges in her chair, seeming to not pay any attention. This must be her version of "being on her best behavior." She never has anything nice to say to the people at these meetings and could cause a fight.It's like they say after all, "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all." Rachel doesn't normally follow this advise however. In fact, it probably just a matter of time before her craving to always be the center of attention kicks in; and the best way to gain attention is to cause trouble.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Ryota Osaka Character Portrait: Edwin Adler Ashford Character Portrait: Willam "Liam" Hayes Character Portrait: Nemiel Kestyr Character Portrait: Nia Dione Character Portrait: Katerina "Cat" Ainsley
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What if I tell you, that I live in a nightmare?

Unconsciously, her eyes fluttered slightly before closing, allowing the darkness to soak in against the chaos that wrought the scene. If anyone else were to look through her eyes, the scene before them would be much different, from darkness to the distant sound of screams, the space was overrun by the nightmares of those that surround the Truce Zone. Not to even mention the phantom clown that has been circling around Liam, which she was starting to take a slight agitation to. Of all things, you decide to fear a clown… The little tinge of humor that mingled with her thoughts allowed Cat an interim for her to take a deep breath, a soft puff of air escaping her lips as her eyes opened to once again lay her gaze upon the scene before her.

The faint flash of a blue glow caught her attention as the person she knew to be the second-in-command in Sonic Boom activated his error. Cautious. Not so dumb after all. Her bitter thoughts were interrupted at Liam’s voice, making sure to keep her gaze straight ahead. If she was to lock gazes with him now, she was not sure how strong the influence of the nightmares that reflected in her eyes were, but it was definitely not going to produce merry effects on those that dare to contemplate on her eye color. ”Please, do remain seated Kaleb. You and Cat are the aces, after all. It would be best to keep such cards hidden until the appropriate time, no?” And with that, the crash was heard behind her back, which earned Liam a roll of her eyes, as his error was activated, the sudden shine of light that she did not even need to turn her head to see was enough to catch the glimpses of all the Landers, if not the other gang members. A little too flashy, no? A faint smirk played on her lips. Let it be flashy. That was enough to give the others a warning.

“Do not take me for a fool, Liam.” And with that, Cat played at the cuff of her dress. Although her peripheral glances trained on the faint motion behind her back along with another glance in the front that caught only the slightest hint of her attention, the purple-haired girl who trained her gaze on Liam. For the former, if Franki believed even for the slightest second that Cat did not realize her absence, then she was dead wrong. I’ll deal with you later. A turn of her head and her mischievous glare at the girl that leaned on the railing defined Cat’s thought, but mostly it was to deliver a cautionary nudge was sent toward the man standing behind her as she waved off the small disturbance of the girl she recognized as the famous Madoka he always spoke of. She at least owed him that much to feign ignorance at the affair, but anymore and she was not about to sit quietly at the exchange between him and the member of Sonic Boom.

”A tea party indeed? We must be mad or we wouldn’t have come here, now would we?” Her previous words were returned by the leader of Air Gear, which was reflected with a mischievous smile from Cat at her equally playful friend. If his gesture did not gain him favor, then his later words definitely did. ”You can bet that they’re lovin’ the in-fighting we’ve got going on. I know I am. But anyways, I see one of us is keeping silent. Why is that I wonder?” Yes. That definitely earns him some points with Cat. ”Sorry, about that. I was just… Collecting my thoughts.” But, that answer was not acceptable enouh for Cat, who itched for a fight. ”Something to hide. Perhaps. Her words were followed by a mischievous nod to the one the taunting words were directed at, the more silent one of the group. ”Perhaps planning another betrayal? Maybe that was going overboard, but she wasn’t allowed to taunt him physically, thus at the moment, words will have to do it. Forcing her glance away from the leader of Sonic Boom, she directed her attention at those that seemed to have something productive to say.

“I’d like to begin by saying that I am glad to see everyone,” the small smile from her childhood friend Alex was returned with a playful look of “Just get on with it” from Cat, shaking her head at the formality of Alex. ”Being that said, you should all know that there has been another attack… The Core attacked a large group of hiatus, from what I could tell there were no survivors.” Cat’s expression remained its usual mocking smile, but the gaze in her eyes flickered slightly at the information being voiced. No survivors… Her eyes narrowed at the words, which was followed without even room for breathing by the member of Candy Crush, Michael. She barely heeded his words as she took the papers that were passed into her hands, not even bothering to take a look as she turned and placed it in Kuni’s hands. ”Keep it.” If they expected her to read in this situation, they were all fools. ”However, in the process of collecting information, I notice a strange thing.” That caught Cat’s attention, and her gaze lingered on the photo in front of Alex for much too long. Whatever words that spewed out of Michael’s mouth, Cat paid no attention to, the gaze in her eyes seeping darker by the second. Jackson Glenn huh? Her lips were now drawn into a tight line as Michael’s mouth continued moving with speech. ”…I have evidence that suggests he was a double agent…” With that, her eyes snapped up to meet his, a look of anger flashed across her expression for a slight second. ”You’re insane.” Her words were venomous, followed by a step forward as she crossed her arms over her chest with an unconscious motion. ”You realize that you are accusing a member of Wonderland of betrayal.” Whatever chatter from the Landers was now silenced with her words. If there was one thing that Cat did not tolerate, it was betrayal. And whatever Candy Crush was suggesting, they had just placed accusation upon one of her fellow members.

”Oh, yes. Michael, as always you have such detailed documents. That mind of yours is amazing.” Michael’s chuckle combined with Ryota’s words was enough to test Cat’s patience, whose hands always closed shut, a faint shudder unnoticeable to others shook down her back at the accusation. The glare in her eyes did not reflect humor in the slightest as the deep purple of her eyes was tinged with the chaos and darkness that roamed in its gaze, as if the entire party’s fears and despairs formed themselves into her glare. ”You dare accuse those of Wonderland of acts of betrayal?” Her voice no longer held that playful tone, but instead was a mixture of disbelief and fury. You are not getting away with this. Her thoughts took a dangerous turn, but her sense at least pulled her back. The chains that dragged along the ground were in easy reach… Breathe. Nothing riled Cat up more than hints of betrayal. And truly, it only took a little more for her to snap.

Tread carefully. This is my Wonderland.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Ryota Osaka Character Portrait: Edwin Adler Ashford Character Portrait: Willam "Liam" Hayes Character Portrait: Nemiel Kestyr Character Portrait: Nia Dione Character Portrait: Arian Vance
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Michael cocked his head and looked at everyone, his face betrayed absolutely nothing of what he was feeling or thinking right now. He eyed Ryota, nodding gently at the compliment but didn't speak anything. His calculating grey eyes took in the anger of Cat. He placed his hands loosely at his sides, not even moving to defend himself, waiting for the loud woman to finish speaking. Once she was done, Michael continued to wait, allowing the silence to stretch out as much as possible. Finally, when he deemed that everyone had had enough with the waiting, Michael calmly opened his mouth to speak. "Is that all?" He asked silently, eyeing Cat with the utter coldness of someone who wasn't afraid of deaths. "Shall we proceed? Or are we going to spend all this meeting explaining to you about my usage of words? If you have paid attention, I said 'evidence that suggests.' I did not accuse anyone of anything." He stated clearly, placing his hand on the table, unfazed by Cat's anger. She was the fool here, not him. She took in the information and got mad even without reasons. He was discussing with calmness. Thus, she was the one that acted like a hot-headed fool.

Michael pushed his glasses up and turned to the other leaders. "Now that we have had Miss Cheshire Cat's anger mixed in with the meeting... as usual. I shall continue with what I was saying before I got..." He looked down on Cat and turned to the other ones. "politely interrupted by miss Charming and Elegant over there." He took a few pictures from his pocket and placed them on the table. "According to my source, Glenn had been caught several times at suspicious places before he got killed." He explained clearly, pointing at the pictures. "As you can see, this is Glenn talking to a few characters that have been confirmed as the member of Core." He said, looking into Cat's eyes. "Please hold any questions or possible tantrums until the end of the meeting. Some of us do not have that much time and resolving problems in a relatively quiet place is easier than that of a noisy room caused by a hormonal teenager."

With that being said, Michael felt into his usual calculating silence again, his eyes darted to each leader's face, observing their reaction. He did not insult anyone though~ If Cat took that as a personal insult~ Well, it was clearly that she thought of herself that way~ Did Michael even say that 'hormonal teenager' was a female~? Nope. He looked into Kaleb's eyes, his piercing gaze spoke thousands of words but at the same time, he didn't say anything. He pushed his glasses up again, activating his power. He created a beautiful red rose, placing it right at Cat's direction. "A beautiful rose for a beautiful and elegant lady." He said, his voice was absolutely serious though he was mocking her on the insides. Katherine? Beautiful, perhaps. But elegant? An elephant was probably more elegant than that brat. He returned to the meeting. "Of course, there are several more evidence. But unless you all want to take a look at it. I shall keep it for myself in case it got destroyed by unwanted factors." He smirked and took a step backward with a small shift of his head. "My report is done for now." He stated, simply waiting for a response.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Ryota Osaka Character Portrait: Edwin Adler Ashford Character Portrait: Willam "Liam" Hayes Character Portrait: Nemiel Kestyr Character Portrait: Nia Dione Character Portrait: Arian Vance
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(Oopsie... I'm sorry)

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Ryota Osaka Character Portrait: Edwin Adler Ashford Character Portrait: Willam "Liam" Hayes Character Portrait: Nemiel Kestyr Character Portrait: Nia Dione Character Portrait: Katerina "Cat" Ainsley
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As Liam stood at his Mistress's side, he watched as her eyes traced the room. She took in everything. Apparently, something she saw garnered his immediate attention, as she nudged him in the side. Almost imperceptible was the signal, but Liam wouldn't have missed it if his life depended on it. So subtle that most anyone else would have missed it, Liam watched the soft turn of Cat's head and folowed her mischievous glare up to the second floor. As soon as his gaze fell upon the purple-haired girl, who leaned on the railing, he averted his gaze. He thought, for just a second, that their eyes met, but he wasn't sure. "Madoka..." Liam breathed, so quiet that no one would have heard it. It was so quiet, that he wasn't even sure he'd said it. Madoka had been Liam's friend from since their childhood. She was the younger sister of his best friend in the world, and she was the one he wanted to see the least. How could he face her after what he'd done? Liam's eyes found the dirt, and the quickly closed, blinking back tears. Liam knew that Cat expected better of him, and that their relationship was tenuous at best. She at least owed him enough to feign ignorance of the affair, but Liam knew not to expect much. After all, she was a Sonic, such relationships would probably be seen as treason.

Liam kept his silence as the others spoke. He agreed with Nemiel. The Air Blades had always been friendly with the Landers, if only because they weren't Sonics, but Nem was smarter than he let on. Alexandria spoke next, greeting the others politely. Liam thought he heard his Mistress snort at her formal way of speaking, but such a thing couldn't possibly be true. After all, the Mistress was a lady, as she so frequently reminded him, and ladies didn't snort. Liam had to admit, despite his worries, things were looking to be proceeding smoothly, even if Cat had sent more than a few barefaced taunts in Ryota's direction. That being said, she was acting surprisingly civil. Liam was quite impressed. However, with a few well-placed words, that pride vanished, replaced only with fear. As Michael, who passed out the folders on the Core attacks spoke, Liam watched as his Mistress became more and more agitated. Michael continued with his report, seemingly unphased, bringing up one Jackson Glenn, a member of the Wonderland. "I have evidence that suggests he was a double agent.” With that, Liam felt the pit of his stomach drop five hundred feet into the ground. Cat's eyes snapped up to meet Micael's, a look of anger flashed across her expression for a slight second. Finally, the calm shattered, and all hell broke loose. ”You’re insane.” Her words were venomous, followed by a step forward as she crossed her arms over her chest with an unconscious motion. ”You realize that you are accusing a member of Wonderland of betrayal.” Whatever chatter existed among the Landers was silenced with her words. If there was one thing that Cat did not tolerate, it was betrayal, and they all knew it. Liam felt he almost heard a collective nervous gulping. Liam made to step forward, behind his Mistress, but he knew better. She was just as likely to round on him as she was to snap at Michael at this point. Patience.

Unfortunately, it only got worse. Michael’s chuckle combined with Ryota’s words was enough to push Cat’s patience, which was of uncertain strength at best. Her hands were clenched shut into fists, and a faint shudder unnoticeable to most others, though Liam caught it, shook down her back at the accusation. She was literally shaking with fury. Any more and she was liable to attack just about anyone for no reason whatsoever. The glare in her eyes did not reflect humor in the slightest as the deep purple of her eyes was tinged with the chaos and darkness that roamed in its gaze, as if the entire party’s fears and despairs formed themselves into her glare. ”You dare accuse those of Wonderland of acts of betrayal?” Her voice no longer held that playful tone, but instead was a mixture of disbelief and fury.

Michael cocked his head, his calculating grey eyes took in the anger of Cat. He placed his hands loosely at his sides, not even moving to defend himself, waiting for Cat to finish speaking. Once she was done, Michael continued to wait, allowing the silence to stretch out as much as possible. Liam scoffed. He did always love to show off... Liam thought, though he kept it to himself. Finally, when he deemed that everyone had had enough with the waiting, Michael calmly opened his mouth to speak. "Is that all?" He asked quietly, eyeing Cat with the utter coldness of someone who wasn't afraid of death. "Shall we proceed? Or are we going to spend all this meeting explaining to you about my usage of words? If you have paid attention, I said 'evidence that suggests.' I did not accuse anyone of anything." He stated clearly, placing his hand on the table, unphased by Cat's anger. Liam tried to catch Michael's eye. He was always one to press whatever advantage he had, usually, it was an admirable trait. Here that kind of thinking would get him killed.

Liam, on the other hand, had had enough. From the look on Cat's face, she was about to make scarves out of Michael's intestines. Silently, Liam stepped forward and placed a firm hand on Cat's shoulder. Gently, he squeezed; a reminder. Cat would know what Liam was trying to say. His actions spoke much louder than words. Cat would know what Liam meant and he didn't even have to speak. He's just trying to get a rise out of you. If you yell and scream and carry on like you want to, you will appear weak. Allow me to handle this, please. You can punish me later. Liam thought quietly to himself. Although, if he knew Cat like he did, she probably knew exactly what he was thinking. That being said. Michael had insulted Liam's Mistress. Steps had to be taken, he was a guardian after all. "Watch yourself Michael. We're here to discuss a course of action, not waste each other's time with insults and accusations. Obviously, I will see to it that a full-scale inquiry is made in the matter of Jackson Glenn. I owe you a great debt, Michael. You gave me information and assistance when I needed it most, and for that you have my thanks. However, you mark my words and you mark them well, such things mean nothing to me. The next time you insult my Mistress, I will personally see to it that it's the last thing you ever do. That is not a threat, Michael. It's a promise. I don't care how valuable that head of yours is." When he had finished speaking to Michael, Liam stared him directly in the eyes. For almost a minute, Liam didn't my blink. Liam wasn't angry, no, he was furious, but instead of the hot, loud, anger that Landers usually displayed, Liam's eyes were cold. Within the golden eyes of the Savage Nymph, there was not a shred of mercy or warmth as they locked fiercely with Michael's grey eyes. For what seemed an eternity, Liam remained locked with Michael. If he weren't my charged with keeping the peace, Liam would have leveled Lunatic's business end at him, for extra emphasis. Liam had brutalized entire gangs for less than a few paltry words on his Mistress's command. However, instead, Liam turned away, disgusted, but as he did so, he felt cold. As if all the eyes in the room were on him. Truthfully, most of them were. His little stunt had garnered him the whole room's full attentions. Some eyes, mostly the Landers, were full of pride, and others, some Sonics and the majority of the Candy Crush, held only contempt. However, in this moment, Liam held the floor. Pressing his advantage, Liam continued to speak, increasing his volume so that all would hear him.

"A statement has been made Ladies and Gentlemen. This is something we can't ignore any longer. The Core is scared of us. Laugh if you will, but I know I'm right. The Core can't risk all out war, Minimum would be completely destroyed. If such a declaration was made against even just a single gang among us. Each gang represented here, from the roaring Sonic Boom," Liam paused after he said each name, gesturing to their respective corners of the room. "To the Sweet-Toothed Candy Crush, to the High-Flying Air Blades, to the thoroughly Mad Wonderland, has more than enough power on their own to see to it that Minimum will fall, should all out war become reality. However, such a course of action is, obviously, not within Minimum's best interests. We're a threat, and they're finally treating us like one. This is no time to celebrate like we might in the old days, where we could act with impunity because they couldn't find us. Now each Gang here has enough of a presence in Minimum that the locations of our separate headquarters are at risk of discovery. Obviously the Wonderland was targeted first. I can't say we're not the rowdiest of gangs, if not the most well-known after the Sonics. Our gang has always been famous for taking all comers, but such a practice must now come to an end. Gone are the days where we can accept anyone among us as long as they wish to see Minimum burn. If they can infiltrate the Wonderland, the other Gangs are just as much at risk. Recruitment will have to become much more selective. Steps must be made to ensure our safety. We cannot risk being expunged from the inside out just when our strength is reaching its peak. As Nemiel, the leader of the Air Blades, said earlier," here Liam gestured to the man who spoke before him. "Our in-fighting is only doing the Core's work for them, and it's certainly not doing us any favors, either. I know that I am neither a Leader nor a Lieutenant, and my opinion matters little in the grand scheme of things, but this must be said and it must be said now, while I have your attention. Our only option, to see the Core, and the horrendous mockery that is Minimum, burn to the ground is to join together. Call me mad, call me a fool, call me what you will, but I have said my piece. I suggest that our primary course of action is to stop flinging around insults and accusations long enough to figure out just what can be done to facilitate such a union."

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Ryota Osaka Character Portrait: Edwin Adler Ashford Character Portrait: Willam "Liam" Hayes Character Portrait: Nemiel Kestyr Character Portrait: Nia Dione Character Portrait: Katerina "Cat" Ainsley
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With a blink of his eyes, the blue flash once again dashed across Edwin’s eyes and then disappeared once more, faster than any one could register. Edwin took note of the longing gaze Liam had sent towards the Sonic Boom gang stands, unease rising within his heart. Why would a Lander be close to a Sonic Boom member. But he shook the thought away. Walking up towards the table, Edwin placed his hands down on the table, feeling the tension in the air. “First of all, thank you, Liam, for the wonderful speech. I must commend you, Katerina, for recruiting such a strong spokesperson and member within your gang.” He nodded at Liam and Katerina in turn before taking a step back, his eyes sleeping the members that stood in the stands and down near the table. “Might I remind everyone sitting here,” Edwin turned his head, looking at all the leaders and members standing there, his eyes dwindling on Cat and Michael, “I usually do not speak unless forced to, I am sure everyone here knows this.” He raised his hand to cover a cough, his phone buzzing in his left hand. “However, I would rather not see the structure that we ourselves have drafted, the Landers and Candy Crushes included, fall to ruin due to insolence and infighting.” His cool, dark blue eyes roamed the table once more, his face emotionless. “Michael, you must understand that what you just said was a personal insult to Katerina, head of the Landers. She is, for a reason, the head of one of the strongest Error groups currently within Minimum. Our leaders sitting here,” He turned his eyes towards the five leaders, nodding in turn, “Are sitting here due to their heightened prowess and stronger capabilities. Please, I do not wish to create a fight. But, I cannot watch as a rift is created between two of our most honorable members within the Error gang system within Minimum.”

A small smile formed on his face as he turned to look at Michael, his stance filled with authority. “I do not wish to make this a confrontation.” His eyes flickered an electric blue, a tiger-like figure appearing on his side, “But as one of the guardians of this meeting! Edwin projected his voice, looking at the people who stood on the stands, “I demand that there be decorum, respect, and substance to this meeting- which, I am sure, Michael, you will be able to fill with your reports.” Edwin glanced at Ryota, his Error fading away as suddenly as it had appeared. “I have stepped out of my boundaries as a second-in-command. I apologize, Katerina, Ryota, Alexandria, Nemiel, however, as one of the suggestors of the creation of such a gathering between the four Error Gangs within Minimum, I felt as if I should see what I created to rise into fruition, rather than rot before it even does anything.” Taking a step back, Edwin bowed his head at the leaders as a signal that he had finished speaking. He had spoken too much, anyways- but every time these ‘meetings’ were held, there always was inevitably a bit of arguing between different members of different groups.

His eyes moved towards the stands, watching the Errors that gathered on the stands, watching the small gathering around the rather elaborate table. They are…uncommonly quiet today. It was common for group members to speak up if they wished- it was part of the agreement. If they felt as if something was not going how they wished, if they did not like how someone spoke, the Errors could speak and voice their opinions loudly. This, obviously, caused skirmishes to sometimes happen, but that was exactly he reason why the guardians were appointed in the first place. The four guardians were chosen from each gang, Errors of power and standing within the respective Errors- but, obviously, the Leaders could not participate. Not only were they stronger- much stronger- than even their second-in-commands, but their personal ties, as per to the thoughts of some, would hinder the evaluation of different problems that would come to the grand council. Edwin had been the one to motion for such a large meeting to happen, travelling around meeting every gang that resided within Minimum, discovering his unnatural talent in being both a salesman and a spokesperson. But I never thought that this would just enforce the rifts between our groups. His eyes flickered the blue flash once again reappearing in his eyes as he stepped into his Error once more.

“You dare summon me at will?” The tiger walked up to him, across the desk, it’s fangs bared and claws unsheathed. “I did not mean to- I had to interject-“ But Edwin’s Error didn’t listen, it flicked it’s tail, sparks flying in the air. “Do not believe, child,” the tiger said, scathingly, “That because I haven’t killed you yet means that you have much longer to live.” The tiger’s eyes flashed a bright blue, sparks flying off of its tail again as it swished back and forth. Taking a step back, Edwin backed away from the tiger, his expression cautious as he watched the tiger walk up towards him, regal and furious. “I am my own master, child. I will never listen to you-,” And then the tiger was gone. Edwin shivered, but refrained from collapsing, scared that it would trigger a random explosion. A shaky sigh escaped his lips as Edwin once again focused on the events in front of him. That Michael better focus on sharing information…He does not want to be the object of Katerina’s wrath… He had seen her rage before- once. It had been a Sonic Boom member, callous enough to challenge her power and leadership skills. The member had been a promising one- extremely strong Error- but, now, the member was stuck in the asylum still frothing and screaming of his worst nightmares.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Ryota Osaka Character Portrait: Edwin Adler Ashford Character Portrait: Willam "Liam" Hayes Character Portrait: Nemiel Kestyr Character Portrait: Nia Dione Character Portrait: Arian Vance
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Kaleb listened to the words of other closely. And when Cat exploded, he took her hand gently, giving her a smile. "Peace, please? Micheal does not mean harm..." He insisted, knowing Micheal very well as well as Cat. She was pissed, but he took it as his job to keep her slightly calm. He sent Micheal a small smile, hoping to get him not to piss Cat off much more. He did not need people turning on his friends.

He stood up, deciding to speak. He was rare, and people usually could not hear him very well because he was usually quiet. But Kaleb hoped that Liam or Cat could say it louder for him. First, he turned to Liam and gave a timid and shy smile. "You would be a better lieutenant any time." And then he turned to the group take a moment and a breath. "I... I kinda... Like Ryota-kun's idea... B-But... We-We would well... Maybe... Uh... have someone... Of higher rank... Be-Because... It could well... Ensure loyalty... And... If found out... They... Well would have a higher chance... Of surviving... C-Core is strong... But so are we... L-Liam was right..." Kaleb said, aware that his voice was varying in sound, "T-They are scared... Or... Well... Otherwise we would not be at war... And no spies would be needed."

Kaleb poked his fingers together nervously. [color=purple]"I... I know that... Well... No one wishes to give... Up a leader... But... I think that... The calmer the better... Because... Well... A calm head thinks better in rushes... And... I'll just be quiet now."[color] Kaleb felt stupid. He didn't even know if he contributed in the least to what was going on... He sat back down, hanging his head. His hands were shaking greatly. Why was he the lieutenant again? Oh yeah... His friend.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Ryota Osaka Character Portrait: Edwin Adler Ashford Character Portrait: Willam "Liam" Hayes Character Portrait: Nemiel Kestyr Character Portrait: Katerina "Cat" Ainsley Character Portrait: Michael Parkinson
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Nem chuckled to himself as Ryota stumbled over his words a little and looked somewhat embarrassed at the comment. But then he was always a little distant during these meetings, they all were if Nem was honest with himself. The past they shared usually resulted in the four of them being somewhat distracted and not all too focused on what was being decided save when they finally came crashing back to the present or the old hatreds burned a little brighter than usual. Either way it normally meant for a good round of entertainment till something hit too close to home and they either went all out or walked away, with the former happing more often than not till someone forced the latter to occur. His mind was almost drifting as he could feel his vision blurring and tinting, just like…



His body ached, and he felt shaken and lost. He could feel something pounding inside his skull, deep and never-ending. A loudness, a echoing sound which entered his head and that’s all he could feel. Nothing could be that loud and just be sound. He walked through the rooms as If nothing was different but it seemed darker than usual, somehow empty. He could feel a warm wetness spreading down his arm, dripping from his fingers. His skin tingled and his breathing was difficult. The smoke pressing in on him, its taste cloying and overwhelming in his throat. The smell of burning flowers was all around him, their scent almost lost in the smoke; yet, cutting through it all was the smell of burnt meat.




Shaking his head he refocused on the present, his sight aligning with the set of dice he had resting in the palm of his hand, he’d been throwing them up and down without even being aware of doing so till his hand had clenched on them hard enough to pierce the skin. Not to mention that he’d been completely lost in thought to the point where the talking all around had simply become a faint drone at the back of his mind. Coming back to the present he mentally tried to piece together what he may have missed of the meeting so far.

He listened to the back and forth of the discussion, enjoying the agitation that was rife even amongst those whose purpose here was to keep the peace. Some things never change, you can’t stop them being themselves. He glanced to his side to see that dear Ray Ray was becoming quite bored with proceedings as per usual, and given her joke as they’d been approaching he was wondering why she hadn’t simply done something along the lines of tap-dancing across the table simply to make light of events, but then again she was on her best behaviour at these meetings unless she wanted to cause friction and displease Nem.

I suggest that our primary course of action is to stop flinging around insults and accusations long enough to figure out just what can be done to facilitate such a union."

Nem chuckled slightly and smiled over at Liam as he finished speaking, mulling over his words while Edwin pipped up with yet another inspiring speech directed at them all.

“I apologize, Katerina, Ryota, Alexandria, Nemiel, however, as one of the suggestors of the creation of such a gathering between the four Error Gangs within Minimum, I felt as if I should see what I created to rise into fruition, rather than rot before it even does anything.”

Once they were both finished Ryoto followed up with a rather strange suggestion.

"Well, that is all I've got. What do you guys think?"

In the silence that seemed to stretch out following the idea of planting a spy within the core Nem caught a faint whisper of an addition coming from a rather distant member of the gathering. Her comments were interesting, if a little vague and uncertain.

”Well my dear boys, don’t you both have a gift of rhetoric? Now I love listening to all your pleas and cries for peace and harmony but the point where you declared all out war against the Core is little short of insanity. Yes, there are only a small number of Core, however they are not alone and if it was to result in our destruction or the lives of Minimum. They’d most likely class them as casualties of war. We’re a thorn in their side, one they’d gladly destroy and rejoice over that fact in a heartbeat. They haven’t done so because we’re far reaching and hidden deep, each in our own ways, and because they enjoy playing with us as a cat toys with its prey. We may have some advantages but don’t think we’re the stronger in this fight. We’re the underdogs plain and simple. But that doesn't mean we're not still able to make them hurt.”

He looked towards Ryoto before sighing a little, more to himself at admitting this but he decided to plough on through anyways..

”And as much as I’d hate to agree with anything you say lad, your suggestion of someone on the inside may prove to be our winning hand in this. Because eventually we’re going to have to take the fight to them in one way or another and better we do so on our terms rather than theirs.”

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Ryota Osaka Character Portrait: Edwin Adler Ashford Character Portrait: Willam "Liam" Hayes Character Portrait: Nemiel Kestyr Character Portrait: Nia Dione Character Portrait: Arian Vance
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Michael inclined his head, clapping his hands softly at Liam's mini-speech. "Very well said, my friend." He said calmly, smiling like nothing had just happened. Quite frankly, nothing had just happened at all. At least according to him. If a leader could not even keep their calm, they really shouldn't be a leader. Hot-headed fools were no leader material. He stepped backward, giving room for the other to speak, raising an eyebrow at Ryota's bold suggestion and then at Kaleb. Ah, what an interesting idea. What should he do now? Running a hand through his hair, Michael tapped his fingers on the table softly, appearing to be deep in thought. Should he even consider this? He could be dead if he wasn't careful. But... Death was just also another foolish limitation, correct? Why should at he fear death? What if there was a limitless world after it? People feared what they did not know or understand. Michael was pretty sure he had seen the dark side of the world. More so than that Madoka girl. Yes, she was not a member for nothing. But... She wasn't that evil. She didn't have the heart to do what people considered immoral in order to archive their goals. He could. He understood it more so than most.

Making up his mind, Michael looked up, meeting eyes with each leader respectfully before he opened his mouth to speak. "Kuni is correct. Miss Little Lion over there lacks what I can call... The will to do evil things." He said softly, not provoking anyone, merely stating a fact. "Miss Lion, could you look at each of us straight in the eyes and tell me that you could kill a person's lover or their parents in order to archive what we are hoping you could do? Could you wrap your fingers around their necks and squeeze the life out of them if they accidentally see you giving us a message? Could you watch the life dies in their eyes, knowing that you are the reason a person's life is lost? And their family grieving for what you did?" He asked calmly, placing his hand on the table.

"I am not famous. Nor am I any important. Yes, I do admit, my intelligence can be a bit higher than some people. But a lot of people are smart. And my future wife here is smarter than anyone I know. I believe if, by the sheer chance that I'm caught with no way out of it, I can commit suicide just fine without a hint of regret. I can kill without batting an eyelash and as Aid has said before, my information is organised neatly and straight to the point. I do not do things in a biased way. I write what I see and I write no lie. Perhaps it is best that I become the sacrifice pawn for the good of this chess game. I can still make friends with the newbie. He is mentally unstable after all. Much like my sister. I don't need anything in exchange for this. I merely want you all to promise me something if you let me go. Protect my sister. Take care of her." He said softly, running a hand through his hair slowly.

"And as much as I want to deny it, I hold some dirt on some members of Core. So I know it's not going to be a problem trying to find a position. I have a plan though..." He said softly, leaning closer so he could whisper out the words instead of speaking it aloud. "Instead of spying, why don't we do an assassinate mission? We all want him dead, correct? Or at least injured and helpless. I can infiltrate his rank and spy on you... But that's it. i can only do so much with my power. I'm that physically strong compared to some of you... So if I may be so bold as to suggest another person with me..." He said softly, his eyes shifted to each person before he stopped at Liam's place. "Liam... Would you like to do this with me? You are physically strong and is a very good soldier. You are famous, correct. But your nickname is the Savage Nymph for a reason, correct? You are not a Lieutenant either. We can easily arrange this so that it appears Liam and I betray you all and wish to search for a safe place in Core. Liam is strong. I can help him gain people's trust until the right time and he destroys Core from the inside while you all on the outside. It's going to be hard and risky, yes. But I am well informed and I can twist words for my own needs." He said softly, leaning closer.

"So? What do you think, leaders? It is at least worthy of your consideration, right? If you are too afraid you will lose a strong person, I will also stand out to be the sacrifice pawn. I just want Core dead. Mainly because I hate limitations. And they are the limitations I need to overcome in order to archive my freedom. So please, let me do this." He said, his voice returned to normal volume after speaking out the plan. He hoped they would at least approve. Why a spy when you could get an assassin?