The Multiverse IC

[Thaelasan]

"Ha ha!" Braum chuckled as he finished his work, patting Toothless' head. "The dragon enjoys milk, eh? You see? He is not so bad, is he?"

Braum turned to Lu and Ciel, smiling.

"Do not feel disheartened, you two." Braum instructed. "Anyone would have tried to defend themselves against angry dragon! At one point, Braum may have been the same way. But deep down, Braum knew... I knew, that everyone deserves a chance. Mother always said 'Treat others as you would treat yourself.'"

He fetched the flask from his side and poured a bit more into the bowl, trying to avoid Toothless taking it from his hands.

"Not to worry, little one, there is always more to eat! Always more to drink! Braum will make sure you are nice and full so you no longer attack people, eh?" he patted the dragon's head affectionately. "Let's see... what can we name you, hmm? For now, how about... Nightingale? No, too feminine for you. Hmm.... Wait, is it a girl dragon?"

He pondered for a moment.

"Noooo... Braum is sure it is male. But Braum is not foolish enough to look!" he laughed, slapping his knee jovially.

"But what can we name you, little dragon? Hmm.... How about... Blackfang? Too simple?"

"What about Irritation? Or Annoyance?" Lu suggested, her eyes half closed as she laid against Ciel. "It's all he's been thus far."

"Come now, young girl..."

"I'm quite old, thank you." Lu grimaced.

"Come now, young LOOKING girl," Braum corrected, smirking. "No matter what this dragon has done in the past, why not look to the future? Try to start over. After all, he could be a very good friend! Not many people can say they are friends with dragons, eh? Little dragon, would you let this pair pet you?"

"I didn't say I would-" Lu began.

"You should try. Please." Braum asked, taking her hand. Ciel moved forward a bit, concerned, but Braum placed his own, large hand on the dragon to calm him.

"Now, both of you - make up." Braum commanded, patting them both on the shoulder. "Life is too short to spend on petty squabbles and conflicts! And Braum doesn't want any grudges, if we're going to eat together! Grudges sour the milk and ruin the meat!"

He looked up to Ciel, who looked hesitant. To be honest to himself, Ciel had to admit - the dragon, docile as it was, looked... cute....

He knelt down to the dragon's level, slowly raising his hand, showing he wasn't armed with anything. Braum nodded to him, pleased.

"Yes. This is how friendships begin. " Braum said, overjoyed. "Now, apologize to the dragon."

"What?!" Lu yelled, pulling her hand back. "You must be out of your mind! The dragon attacked people without any reason! Why do I have to apologize? He almost got Ciel killed! He-"

Braum gave her a stern gaze.

"Young-looking girl, what is your name?" Braum asked, kneeling down.

"Luciela R.... Er.... Lu." Lu said, suddenly very confused. She leaned back, but Braum placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I knew a girl from the village like you. Stubborn, like ram. Bucked everyone who looked at her funny. Sent more than a few hopeful boys home with broken bones and bruises! Never wanted to get married even when her mother and father tried so hard, you see. But Braum knew better."

Lu was silent, still perplexed.

"You see, when a girl is stubborn or arrogant, it is just like when a man is - because they fear something about them is wrong." Braum said sadly, patting her shoulder. "They fear how others see them. What they are. What they will become. And she feared that her freedom - her sense of self - would be gone if a man were to take her. She feared she would become as a housewife, tied down and without anywhere to go."

"....What... happened to her?" Lu asked. Ciel was amazed.

"A man from outside of the Frejlord, from Demacia, came to visit. Handsome fellow. Hair flowing in the breeze. But he was also adventurous and never stayed in one place too long. And Braum saw a chance."

"What did you do?"

"Braum sent a letter to both of them, one asking for them to meet under the starry sky on the top of a nearby mountainside, a short journey for either. The girl, of course, was at first adamant about not going. She said,"

Braum heightened his voice, a pitch no one thought was possible, both humorous and good.

"'A man trying to get my attention again but not brave enough to face me in person and ask!?' she said, snorting. And then Braum went to see about the man, and he said,"

Braum's voice became deeper, almost baritone.

"'A young village lass? A homely girl who wants to stay at home?! Too shy to speak to me?! Why would I want a girl like that?!"

He cocked his head to the side, still smiling.

"But of course, a human's curiosity.. it is a strong feeling of the heart. And the two went to the mountain together. And Braum watched - hiding nearby so not to disturb - as the two met and argued!"

"Argued?!" Lu asked, now enthralled.

"ARGUED! Like two angry goats!" Braum chuckled. "They yelled! They shouted! They bickered! They called names! Soon, the two of them had their arms crossed and turned away from each other, about to go home..."

"No!" Lu said, worried.

"Ah! But that's when the beautiful thing of nature happened. You see, Nature also has a heart, and if it sees two people who can be together... it seems to push them together." Braum looked at Ciel, then back at Lu. "It is fate, maybe. Or just chance. Who knows? But suddenly, from above them both, a single... beautiful star, glorious and shining, appeared in the sky, piercing all clouds as the sunset ended in the distance. It is a sight very few can resist. And for a long moment, both of them stared at the sky in longing. And soon, they found their hands intertwined!"

"But why?!" Lu asked.

"Because, when two people, no matter how different they are, see something like that... It pulls at the soul, the heart." Braum touched his chest, and Lu actually followed the example. "And they followed what the heart said. For the first time, they had met a person with the same spirit as them. Free. Headstrong. Haughty. But loving."

"....And... then what happened?"

"They married, of course, what else?" Braum asked, hands on his hips. "Her parents cried to see her go but they knew she could never stay in one place too long. The last Braum heard of them, they were on a boat, out to lands far beyond Valoran and the icy Frejlord. And Braum wishes them all the best."

"Did they ever find out..."

"Who sent the letters? Weeeellll...." Braum whispered, leaning close. "Braum thinks they knew later that night, after they found out that neither of them could actually write!"

Lu giggled as Braum laughed. Ciel could only stand awkwardly as Lu smiled and enjoyed what this man was telling her. And it made him... happy.

"Now, you see, arrogance is only when someone is afraid of losing something dear to them. You don't have to tell Braum what it is, little Lu." Braum said, patting her head. "But hold it close. It is obviously dear to your heart. And what your heart says, you should always follow. For now, however..."

He stood to his full height, rubbing his bald head.

"Braum needs to follow his stomach! Ha ha! Come! Braum will tell more stories over a nice meal!"

Meanwhile, Lu turned to Toothless, then looked both ways. Sighing, she opened her eyes again and her hand.

"I'm... sorry, dragon." she whispered as Ciel sat next to her, impressed.

"My Queen.... I am ... very happy." Ciel said, sincere.

"Don't get me wrong, Ciel! I have no intention of.... Oh nevermind." Lu blushed, finishing patting Toothless and standing back to her full height. "You saw nothing! What could a person teach me, anyway!? I'm older than any human! Hmmph!"

She shook her head as she began to follow Braum. Ciel turned back to Toothless, scratching the dragon's neck lightly.

"Sorry about that, new friend." Ciel said, standing back up. "If you want something to eat... I'll be preparing things shortly for Lu."

With that, he walked quickly to catch up to Lu. Corrin and Kinu looked at the dragon.

"Uh.... yeah..." Corrin frowned. "You're... friendly now, right?"

"NEW FRIENDS!" Kinu said happily. "Yay! Playmates!"

Corrin walked to catch up with Lu and Ciel, leaving Toothless to either follow, or stay where he was.

Edited April 7, 2016 by Thaelasan

[shadow_claw]

Undyne

 

Confused, the monster frowned. She had never seen the ocean before. Asgore had told her about it, and how that was likely where her people were from, but she herself had never seen it. Waterfall was the closest she had ever gotten.

"I...I don't think so." She finally answered. "This is my first time overground." She admitted. We're there other monsters, just like her, who still lived in the seas?

 

This new human was much better than the two below. She had already decided to keep her guard up around them. They had attacked the dragon. That alone was enough to keep Undyne wary. And that girl...she acted as if she was entitled to everyone's immediate respect. But this new, burly man...he was able to find common ground as if it was nothing! Just like Frisk...

 

Maybe humans weren't so awful.

 

Only after the couple turned away did her armor vanish. She didn't feel safe yet around them. If that meant waiting outside the restaurant with the dragon, she was okay with that.

 

---

 

Chell

 

Noise has awoken the woman, but out of pure instinct, she made no movement to betray the idea that she was sleeping. She remained still, with even, practiced breaths to portray the idea she was undisturbed. It was only when the almalgamation left did she rise. Her face puckered into a sour grimace. Sleep had worked most of the pain medication from her system. But this was fine. She was used to pain.

 

Soft, clicking steps filled the basement as Chell exited the boiler room. Though, the outlying rooms were nowhere near as warm. Instead of gathering her blanket, she slipped her arms into her jumpsuit and zipped it up. Although ugly, it was warmer than going topless. Which was nice. The young woman followed the sounds of soft conversation. Surely these were the voices that had spoken while she was 'asleep'. Before she got too close, she fired a portal back towards the stairwell. In the case that she needed to flee, the concrete made for decent portals.

 

---

 

Miraculous Ladybug

 

No. This wasn't Adrien. The tone of voice was entirely different. It was cold. Hostile, even. But this stranger had made no movement to attack her, so he probably wasn't one of Hawkmoth's villains. Probably.

"I...don't know." She admitted with a frown. This wasn't Paris. This was so far from Paris that it was actually pretty alarming. Glancing away from the stranger, her eyes darted about. Families, people with pets, and couples walked about every which way. Huh. They all spoke English, too. That only left one real option, judging by their accents.

"...America...?" Ladybug ventured out on a limb here, as she had never left Europe in her life. But this was what Americans sounded like, and her accented English was far different.

[pudding]

Mikaela

She didn’t know? How dumb were humans. He had least had an explanation for why he did not know where this was. He was not from this place and not even from this time. What explanation did she have? Well, it didn’t matter either way. If she wasn’t going to be useful, he could just find someone else. He started to turn away when she spoke again, offering up a name. America? Well, the people around them were speaking English but accents and whatever always confused him. Well, at least he knew where America was. Now he would need to figure out some way to get back home to Japan. Boat or plane would have to do and without any money, the only option would be outright theft or simply murder. No matter, he had no issues disposing of humans. He had done it countless times before and he could do it again.

 

Turning away with a nod, he made it a few steps before the realization of where he was seemed to hit his body. A city. A city absolutely full of humans, walking so close to him with no idea who or what he was. His hand rose to his chest as he clutched the fabric there as his heart began to beat quickly. It would be so easy, wouldn’t it? These weren’t livestock and they certainly weren’t scared of him. They were living in blissful ignorance of what would soon come and strike them all down, and then the brutality they would face at the hands of the vampires. Hunching over, he wheezed softly before finally sinking to his knees. Still holding his chest, he bit his lower lip, a hand quickly going to the vials at his side. He had the blood of the vampire who had turned him. He could drink one of the vials and be fine without drinking the human blood.

 

But no, he only had a few vials and he had no idea when he would see Krul again. His hand shook before moving away from the red vials, instead choosing to bite down on his own cheek to try to clear his thoughts and urge the pain of resisting to leave more quickly. It didn’t work, of course, things could never be that easy, but at his clear discomfort the human crowds began to whisper and pull away, giving him a much wider area than before. Not that it mattered if they moved a mere ten feet away from him. He could easily cover that distance in less than a second. But at least it gave him some reprise and a bit of space to try to clear his head.

 

 

Toothless

The dragon’s tail immediately increased in tempo, nearly putting a dent in a nearby streetlamp as he turned his attention on the bowl of milk. To give more room for his tongue, his teeth quietly retracted in his mouth as he planted both feet on either side of the bowl and began attempting to drink the liquid. While his tongue certainly did fit in the small bowl, his face was far too rounded to get close enough for his liking and he ended up trying to shove his entire face into the small bowl to reach the milk at the bottom. When this failed to work, he grunted softly and lifted his head, glancing down between his paw and the bowl of milk. While a significant green film still resided over his vision, likely from where the goo had actually gotten inside of his eyes and not just laying on top of them, he could still see much better than before and make out much more shapes in the green.

So he lifted his paw to stick it back within the milk when a movement in front of him caught his eye. Looking up, his green eyes stared directly at Ciel, watching the man as he knelt down and stretched out his hand. Looking suspicious, he shifted backwards ever so slightly, the corner of his mouth lifting up slightly as if he was considering baring his teeth. However, given his teeth were now safely retracted in his gums, the gesture looked a bit odd. While never outright growling, he did immediately plant a heavy, black paw on the other side of the bowl and drag it closer to himself, either trying to protect the few remaining drops of milk or just trying to make sure Ciel didn’t steal them from him. Clearly moving past the point of the fight earlier was going to be tricky, although it certainly was a good sign that he had not openly growled at either of them, even when Lu outstretched her hand as well.

 

Which did, of course, change when Lu decided to pat his head. His eyes narrowed down to slits and his left cheek raised up slightly in response to his mouth opening just a bit wider. His teeth reappeared and remained firmly closed against one another, but he did not move until she finished petting him and walked away. Watching her go briefly, his eyes softened ever so slightly before his gaze jerked back to Ciel. Unlike when Lu had patted his head, he did openly growl when his neck was scratched, the noise low and deep within his throat, though significantly quieter than his roars from before. Instead of snapping his teeth at the offending fingers, he shifted a wing so it covered his neck area. Waiting until Ciel had moved away as well, the dragon finally seemed to relax more, his pupils widening into squares and his ears rising back up from where they had been pressed firmly against his head. Looking at the remaining individual nearby, he stared at her blankly, trying to figure out what she was doing. The rest of the group was leaving but they were not far enough out of sight to be an issue to follow. Moreover, he knew their game. Two had been there at the fight before injured. Then there were the two who actually fought him and the large, stocky viking that seemed the kindness. In terms of trust, he could easily rank that one at the highest place but the others were a mystery. Sure he was put off by the two that had attacked him and disliked the idea of them touching him, but the remaining two were…. well, he didn’t know what to make of them. He hadn’t really paid them any mind.

And then there was this one. With her armor completely gone now it was clear she was unarmed. However, she hardly even looked like a person. Her entire body was blue and she had fins on either side of her face. Additionally, there was some kind of strange, red crest rising out of her head. Sniffing the air, he abandoned the bowl for a moment to slide closer to her, sniffing the ground by her feet. She smelled like fish. In fact, he couldn’t smell anything but fish. Was she some kind of sea dwelling dragon? As far as he knew humans never looked anything like this and, to some degree, they always smelled like humans as well. Whining softly, he looked up at her as if demanding an explanation for why she looked smelled and looked so strange. Was she a dragon or was she not?

[Coryn02]

Solaire

 

After Ciel attempted to engage, another person intervened. A rather jovial character with a very long moustache and a shield embelished with a ram's head stood between him and the dragon, intercepting the sorcery blast that by all rights should have obliterated a normal shield. The newcomer decided that feeding the dragon was the best idea, and offered it some milk. It also offered some to Ciel, who confusedly declined.

 

The dragon, surprisingly enough, calmed down after this, as it seemed very hungry. It also seemed to be somewhat blinded by something on its eyes, which accounted for a lot of its aggressive behavior. Lu made some of her characteristic judgements about the dragon based on how she found it to be a pest, and in response, the man- calling himself Braum- launched into a story about how he manipulated two stubborn people into finding love in one another. Lu was completely enthralled by Braum's tale, and had a perfectly positive opinion of him afterwards.

 

She really is just like a child; she whines when she doesn't get her way and she likes listening to stories. Truly, a regient in a youthful form!

 

Corrin seemed somewhat confused at this turn of events, but Kinu was her usual self and glad at what had happened.

 

On the other hand, Solaire saw no reason to trust the dragon. His father had told him many stories of the Everlasting Dragons and their reign of terror over humanity in the Age of Ancients. While this did not seem to be of the same stock, it was evidently capable of sorcery like Seath was, so he would treat it with caution.

 

He walked over to the others, careful not to spook the dragon, and addressed himself to Braum.

 

"I'm glad we could all get along after all. The world is harsh enough without cooperation. So, Braum of the Freljord, would it be impolite of me to ask what brings you to this land?"

 

The Warrior of Sunlight was brought back again in his mind to the main issue: why was he in this strange new world? Lordran might have been deadly, but at least it was one he knew, and he still had his duties to fulfill for his father. If there was no easy way out of this place, a Bonfire would be necessary.

[Thaelasan]

Braum pondered for a moment, putting a finger to his large chin.

"Braum... does not know, actually. One moment, Braum is strolling along path in northern Valoran, enjoying a nice change of scenery... The next moment, he is THRUST through a weird portal thing. Braum was sure he had been summoned to the League!" he shrugged. "At first, Braum thought this was some sort of new map the League was trying but... it is ... very weird."

He scratched the back of his head sheepishly.

"Hah! I wish I could help you more, little knight." Braum sighed. "Are you hungry as well? We may all eat together, yeah?"

[Chicogal]

Mystique

 

Mystique regarded Loki quietly, seeming to have become somewhat sombre at his news. Mere characters... She wondered whether the people in her world were characters too. Characters who hated her, who didn't understand, who only feared people like her. She didn't even know what this, 'cosplay,' was that Loki mentioned. Probably some kind of re-enactment, judging from how the context. "It's not as if I make a habit out of meeting gods," she commented, raising her blonde eyebrows at him. He seemed to have forgotten the fact that her world did not usually encounter such things, at least on a physical scale. And meanwhile, here he was, all tall and annoyingly eloquent. "But you seem to have met your own judgement." She grinned slightly, glancing away for a moment to avoid any glares that could come her way. For all she knew, he had laser beams in there (doubtful).

 

Characters, though... "What did it say about me?"

 

~~~

 

The Doctor

 

Ah, interesting! The Doctor glanced the way of Clarion every now and then, watching the blood dripping. It was, admittedly, a little gross, but fascinating nonetheless. At her question, he raised his eyebrows toward the door. "Want to find out?" he asked, an overexcited grin coming to his lips. Oh, she wasn't even a human, but he loved showing off! He bounced behind Chell, helping with opening up both doors. "Ta-da!" The injured girl was promptly hauled away, and he was nigh-on assaulted by a nurse trying to find out what had happened. With a question for Nurse Hannah, the matter was dealt with in a few minutes.

 

He returned to Clarion and Isaac near to his spaceship, and he knocked on the side of her blue 'wood.' "Impressive, huh? Looks like Chell is going to be out for a while. Anywhere you two want to go?" Sometimes, it was just fun to go on an adventure. "Else, we can return later. As in, we step inside and return - say - three hours later. Whatever takes your fancy."

[Chicogal]

Tamaki

 

Tamaki leaned in close to his guest, smiling gently at her as he traced a finger on the edge of her jaw. Her brown eyes fluttered prettily, taken in by his proximity. "I am your prince, my princess," he sighed happily. And he was quite content serving her, as a Host. He loved his guests, whoever they were. Her soft giggle was music to his ears, and he straightened slightly. All was right with his world. But a moment later, he was no longer seated on his red couch.

He fell onto his backside, no longer supported. The ground was hard and cold and damp, and there was barely any light. A small exclamation escaped the boy's lips. Oh, what had happened? Had he passed out? Strange. Wincing slightly, he was about to roll to his feet when he noticed a figure curled up beneath a structure. At a further look, it was a lady - but certainly not one of high calibre. A peasant? Most probably. He observed her for a moment, features good-natured as was his manner. "Princess, what are you doing under there?" he asked her, now crouching. Tamaki held out a hand to her. He didn't have much of a sense for danger, not considering any possibilities. He smiled charmingly, jerking his chin up slightly such that his hair swooped elegantly to the other side. "It's no place for a beautiful lady such as yourself."

[shadow_claw]

Chell

 

The woman reacted expectantly. A knee-jerk reaction, Chell shot out from under her quiet hiding spot. She didn't like to be cornered. It made her more than a little anxious. Steely gray eyes locked on the stranger, her face wrinkled into a scowl. Never mind the fact she bowled the stranger over to escape. Now that she was looking back, though...she felt kinda bad. This boy was young, younger than her, at least. She had knocked him over like it was nothing. Frowning, she hesitantly extended a hand. Poor kid. He had snuck up on her, but she still felt bad.

 

Undyne

 

It was fine. She would stay behind with the dragon. The monster, of which, seemed confused. He didn't seem privy to humans either. Sighing, she hopped down from the rooftop and settled down next to the beast. Leaning against the wall, though. She didn't want to sit on the ground.

"Not much into humans, huh? Yeah...I dunno about them either." She sighed. Her single yellow eye followed the retreating group.

 

Miraculous Ladybug

 

The longer she was around this stranger, the more concerned she was. He looked awful. Ravenous, even. He had sank his teeth into his arm like it was nothing. Who was this stranger? He wasn't a villain, or she would have already been attacked. But something was...wrong. Something was totally off about him. And it made her anxious.

 

Genos

 

This...was not Sensei's apartment. That's where he had been heading, but the road he had been on changed quite abruptly. Genos blinked, frowning. He still had groceries to deliver to Master Saitama! Yellow pupils flickered orange as he scanned the area. Everything in the local internet was written in a different language. Granted, it was effortless to translate, but the extra step was irritating.

"New York...City?" He's never heard a city was such an absurd name! Cities were always named alphabetically! Indeed, he was in a strange place. And something told him Saitama's home wasn't anywhere nearby.

[Chicogal]

Okay, perhaps not a lady. Tamaki was once again thrown onto his backside, letting out a soft, "oof." He certainly wasn't used to such roughhousing. The people he tended to spend his time with were not so boisterous. His blue-violet eyes had opened wide at the speed and violence, but then they caught sight of an outstretched hand. He looked up at the woman, putting his hand in hers and rising to his feet. Being a true gentleman, he made sure not to lean on her or use her as assistance - taking her hand was simply a polite gesture that he appreciated her offer. Besides being a woman, she was hurt as well. His pale eyebrows rose, and he glanced around the dark place.

 

"Thank you. Sorry about scaring you there," he smiled apologetically, dusting off his black trousers and straightening his blue blazer. "What is this place? I was at Ouran Academy just a moment ago. Not sure how I got... here." He gestured about vaguely before offering her his hand. "I am Tamaki Suoh. It is a pleasure to meet you, miss...?"

[shadow_claw]

Chell

 

Chell stared at Tamaki for a while, her eyebrows drawing together. There had been a notepad next to her bed. The staff had put it there upon realizing that she couldn't talk. In hindshight, she should have brought it with her. She couldn't answer the young man, even if she wanted to. Instead, she held a finger up to her lips, hissing air from her teeth to imitate the ssh noise. There was something here. Just beyond the walls. She had heard it; she had felt its frigid touch. This boy could blow her cover of sleep and scare the thing away.

 

That was not her intent, naturally. She was curious. This creature had spoken of its own monstrous form, but expressed an empty loneliness. She knew the feeling of loneliness all too well. Hell, her best friend had been a cube for quite some time. Just like that turret she had rescued, perhaps all this creature was was, well, different.

 

That was no reason to kill or shun someone. Besides, she had set her mind on investigating now. Lifting her Portal Gun from the blanket, she slid it on her arm. Another glance at the blond, and she began to walk. As much as she enjoyed the company of others, there was no telling how the creature from before would react to a new face. It was best to be left alone.

 

---

 

Maxwell

 

Damn. Missed. Not that he was massively concerned about it. Snapping the book shut, the frail man tucked it back into his coat. Only one had gotten caught in the attack and survived. What a shame. But, he always restrung his broken puppets. Maxwell stalked forward, examining the bent and broken man. Not dead. Then he would fix this puppet. One leg was ruined, ripped to shreds. A smaller wound there had drawn them in. His chest didn't look well either. No matter. What couldn't be fixed could be replaced. Maxwell flipped his book open, flicking through the pages until he found one that suit his fancy.

 

A transmutation could work, if it didn't kill him. Snapping his fingers, a ball of shadow popped from the Codex Umbra. Organs could be crafted and legs could be replaced, but they wouldn't be human. They would be inherently demon in nature. But that only made things more fun.

 

Once finished with his work, Maxwell grinned, and snapped his fingers. Where could he throw this plaything? Blondes of a feather should flock together.

 

---

 

Clint

 

He must have blacked out. That was the only explanation of why he had woken up in another alley. A tall, blonde man stood before him, grocery bags in each hand. Both arms were pure, dark metal, glinting gently in the low light. The stranger initially spoke in a foreign language. Japanese, maybe? Noticing the blank look, the man cycled through languages until Clint understood.

"If you understand me, then respond."

"I...I yeah." Clint jerked into a sitting position, spitting and coughing as he did so. He felt...awful. Worse than usual. Something felt wrong. "I can hear you."

"You appear to be of monster origin. Is this true?"

"What?" Confused, he looked up incredulously at the yellow-eyed stranger. "I'm a hero, man. An Avenger."

The blond stared for a while, his yellow eyes flickering orange. "I see." He finally remarked. "You are not registered in the Hero Association." Exhaling, his eyes raked over Clint once more. "I have never seen a limb such as yours. Are you a cyborg as well?"

 

"What are you talking about man? All my arms and legs are-oh my god..."

[pudding]

Mikaela

Mika rounded his gaze on the woman standing nearby, the only one who had yet to make a clear attempt to avoid him. Did this masked stranger have absolutely no sense of self preservation? Could she not see that this was clearly a situation where a normal person would step away from? Still clutching his chest, he closed his eyes and forced himself to breathe. Just, calm down. That was all he needed to do right now and the only thing he should be focusing on. Of course, with this many people around it was difficult but, by the strength of his own will and experience of repressing hunger, he managed to slowly control the urge to feed. It had been four years, dammit. He could hold out another few days if he had already made it so far. He knew he was running out of time and the blood was becoming less effective but he refused to just quietly give up. He would fight against this forced existence as long as he had to in order to save Yu. And that meant he would never drink human blood. Even if it killed him, he refused to travel down that path.

Slowly, he shifted his arms to his knees, using them to help slowly stand before allowing his arms to fall at his sides again. His fingers twitched briefly before he looked ahead at the human city. It was dangerous enough trying to associate with the humans beneath the ground when they were not so plentiful in numbers. A city was hardly the place he wanted to go. He wouldn’t be able to stand to be around that many people.

But, looking around, the buildings loomed on all sides. Was this strange forest somehow built in the center of the city? Or, a better question, was the city built around the forest? Biting his lip, he frowned but ignored the woman in red, instead moving past the fountain in the other direction. If he was forced to pass through the city to get out, so be it. He would deal with this task in stride and make it back to Japan to save Yu. That was all that mattered anymore.

 

Toothless

The dragon tilted his head to the side, listening but hardly understanding the strange creature’s words. They sounded like human grunts but that was impossible. Dragons couldn’t make noises like that and it was apparent that this wasn’t a human. Moving closer to the wall she was leaning against, he looked at the way she was leaning against the wall briefly before rising up on his back legs. Still a fair distance of about fifteen feet away, he stood on his hind legs for a moment before leaning back into the wall, mimicking her pose. His wings were forced into a somewhat awkward position and he looked absolutely ridiculous but at least it was a fairly fine mimic of the pose Undyne had made. Looking at her, he tilted his head to the side again, studying her silently, trying to figure her out. Was she a dragon? Or was she a human?

 

Loki

“Really?” Loki asked, glancing down at his pocket but leaving his phone be there. He could pull it out later if need be. After all, he had no access to an outlet at the moment so trying to charge the stupid thing would be a pain in the ass. Although, there was always magic. Technology and magic could very easily go hand in hand, but he had never attempted to charge a cell phone before using magic. He’d have to make sure not to short circuit it if it came to that point. “But you and my brother came from the same universe. Or, at least, the same source material.” He mused over the thought for a moment. Marvel Comics, it had said. A company that produced books and movies. The name had appeared for both searches and it was apparently popular enough to override mythology, which came at a short second underneath the comics in a simple web search. Frowning up at her, he paused for just an instant to regroup his thoughts back. Alright, he could work with this. Formulating a plan was always his game.

“I didn’t look that deep,” he replied with a shake of his head, looking out of the alleyway they had run into. Making sure the area was clear, he nodded, no longer facing Mystique and instead choosing to focus on the outside area. “Anyway, I hardly doubt this is just us. If the archer is here, we’ll need to assume he is fictional as well. We don’t know the rules of this universe so we’ll have to play by ear and try to find some way to return.” Now wait a minute there. Did they really? He couldn’t speak for Mystique here but what did he have to return to? Asgard? His brother? Frowning slightly, he recoiled into the alley, setting both hands on his hips and turning his gaze downwards to stare at the ground. This place didn’t seem to have either. If so, it could be a safe heaven for him. He was all but exiled or executed anyway. Why not embrace this new world? “Or, perhaps we should attempt to locate him again. A cooperative effort may be just what we need.” With that, he walked quickly back out of the alley, starting back in the direction they had come from.

[Chicogal]

Tamaki

 

Aaaand she didn't even greet him. Tamaki certainly wasn't used to such rudeness. His usual consorts were well-mannered and bred. Besides that, he was usually treated well due to his good looks and charm (he wasn't about to deny it; there was a reason why he was the 'Princely type'). He blinked back at her shushing, eyes round as his shoulders hunched up slightly. Oh. Were they not meant to be in here? No problem, his father could get him out of any trouble if so. A soft gasp escaped parted lips as she withdrew what seemed to be a- a gun!

 

"My lady!" he protested in a whisper, determinedly following after her bandaged figure. "Please, let me know what is happening, where I am! Why do you need a gun?" He peered at the weapon again. "Is-Is that really a gun?" He gulped.

 

~~~

 

Mystique

 

Mystique shook her head, looking mildly thoughtful. "I've only ever heard of you two in mythology... And even that isn't a big focus." Thor. He was meant to be all buff and Aryan-looking. Quite the stark contrast to Loki - a design choice? Of course the one with the narrow face and slender figure was meant to be less trustworthy. A god of mischief he looked indeed... And someone had decided that. A shiver ran down her spine.

 

The blonde jogged after Loki to catch up, slipping her hand into his almost unconsciously. "So, we're in a universe where we're considered creations," she stated, expression almost steely as she stared ahead. "Which means that someone decided to- to make us this way. Someone decided that I should- well- " Her fingers squeezed his hand tighter, perhaps saying more than she could put into words. A heavy weight dropped into her chest. She resisted the urge to lean her head into his arm and instead settled for glancing up at him. "Someone wrote our stories. Maybe this is part of it."

Edited April 13, 2016 by Chicogal

[Thaelasan]

Lu clapped her hands as the group journeyed beyond the borders of the city, leaving the lights and sounds behind as they headed back to the shoreline Kinu and Corrin knew to be familiar.

As soon as Ciel had found a proper space on the sandy beaches, he began to draw things from the soul realm to cook and make a meal. A table was summoned, as well as the chairs from before. Soon, the smell of grilled foodstuffs was strong in the air.

Braum sniffed loudly, pleased.

"Yes! Braum is happy with this. You are a good cook, Ciel." Braum nodded, having learned the man's name as they had walked and spoken. "See? Food calms the heart."

"Indeed." Ciel commented, sampling a soup he was brewing. "This needs more salt."

"Then Braum shall leave you to it." Braum stated, sitting down in one of the chairs and making himself comfortable.

"Braum?"

"Yes, little Lu?"

"Can I try some of that... goat's milk you offered the dragon?" Lu asked, curious. She had taken her seat in her large chair near Braum. Corrin and Kinu had also already sat down across from them.

"Certainly!" Braum nodded, reaching for another flask and a cup. He poured this for Lu, sliding it over to her. She took a sip, then mulled it over.

"It tastes almost the same as regular milk.." Lu said, confused. "But it's also different."

"It comes from my own farm, little Lu." Braum stated, pouring a cup for himself. "Raised and bred by my own hands, with love and care."

"How... primitive." Lu cocked her head. "You have no one to do it for you?"

"Why would I?" Braum asked, tilting his head slightly. "Is it not more enjoyable to do something yourself, no matter how small the task is, when the reward is so great?"

Lu gave him a strange look, now lost.

"Sometimes, it is better to do things yourself, than expect others to do it for you." Braum said, gesturing. "You allow Ciel to cook for you, but have you ever tried it yourself?"

"She's a mess in the kitchen, Braum. I worry she'll burn her hands." Ciel stated. "There's no need."

"Hey! I may not be great, but I can cook too!" Lu said adamantly, standing.

"Ah! Don't hurt yourself, little Lu. Ciel probably does it for you because he loves you, eh? I was not challenging you." Braum said, motioning for her to sit down. "I meant that you should appreciate it as much as he appreciates you."

Ciel said nothing, but he smiled slightly as he continued cooking.

[shadow_claw]

Chell

 

Blue eyes momentarily met the boy's violet ones. Did this...really look like a weapon? Certainly not. She got her hand to the interior of the weapon! The recoil alone would shatter her entire arm of it was a lethal weapon. Incredulous, she bristled somewhat. Not only was he not listening to her request of silence, but he didn't even know the difference between a weapon and a tool!

 

She pressed a finger to her lips once more, before turning and stalking out of the room. Really, stalking was the only appropriate word. Her heel never actually hit the ground in her Longfall boots, so she walked primarily on her toes. Her eyes remained wide as she continued, wary of what lay beyond the walls. That thing...she was unsure how it would react to her being awake. Would it run? Would it attack? She didn't know.

 

 

---

 

Undyne

 

A yellow eye rested on the dragon as it awkwardly leaned against the wall. A smile played at her lips, her crooked teeth soon poking from her lips. Like a shark's, they were jagged and sharp. Also like a shark's teeth, they were pretty crooked. Her front two teeth both leaned to her right. She would be lying if she denied her overbite. It wasn't bad, but it certainly was visible with her massive teeth.

"So...What part of the underground are you from?" She asked, shifting her weight slightly. "I live in Waterfall."

 

Ladybug

 

"Hey, wait!" Ladybug leaped after the strange man, spurred into action by his departure. Bounding after him, she fell into a trot to catch up. "You're hurt. Something's wrong, I can tell. Let me help. It's my job to help people in need." God, she sounded so dumb! She'd never really had to introduce herself before. Most just...knew her! They were practical celebrities in Paris. "I can...I can conjure you something. It's always exactly what's needed. Please, I don't like to see you like this." He looked dreadful. Horrible. Like he was going to collapse with a heart attack any second.

 

 

 

[Coryn02]

Solaire ((I'll post with Clarion or Pinwheel soon; I will eventually have all my characters doing stuff again. Sorry I went quiet...))

 

I'll sit with them, but I won't be partaking in their food. An Undead doesn't hunger or thirst, after all.

 

A Warrior of Sunlight had much more important things to do, and carrying all the extra supplies would weigh you down considerably, not even accounting for the heavy armor one would wear to protect themselves from the battles they would throw themselves into. And besides, they shouldn't waste some of the only comfort to be found in a living life on a person who could not enjoy it themselves.

 

Ciel summoned a fully laden table with chairs out of nowhere, which was impressive to say the least.

 

Braum seemed to be larger than life, both literally and in how he acted, but his very manner of speaking seemed to radiate humility and kindness. Were they from the same world, he was almost sure such a person would make a fine member of his covenant.

 

Solaire sat down at the table with them, but he felt somewhat awkward as he wasn't eating like everyone else. How long had it even been since he'd sat at a table? Probably longer than he could figure out himself.

 

"I agree with Braum, there is something to be gained in working for your own ends. After all, doesn't material wealth only have worth because of the effort put into obtaining it?"

 

Personal experience justified this thinking; everything in Lordran could slaughter you within seconds given half a chance, even the decrepit Hollows that littered the landscape. It was about analyzing the potential rewards from whatever you try to accomplish, and what you risk in return. Perhaps it was a ruthless way to think, but it kept him human- or at least, as much so as he could be.

 

He was still, however, confused at how he came to be in this world. Perhaps it would be best to see what they had in common?

 

"You mentioned some sort of League before, Braum. Is that anything like a covenant?"

 

- - -

 

Clarion ((I'm on a roll. Pinwheel is next, but I'm running out of time, so that one might have to wait until tonight, especially because I have to do the color formatting. Not that I regret it, I'm quite satisfied with the way that ends up.))

 

The girl's jaw dropped when the Doctor opened the door to his machine again. What should have been the previous exterior of the box within the woodlands was now a hospital ward! How was such a thing even possible?

 

The Doctor was quite expecting such a reaction, and then offered to go anywhere they liked and to return within three hours.

 

"Honestly, I really want to go home right now. But I don't know how I got here, or where I really am, or where my life is even headed anymore..."

 

But this was very much a fascinating machine! Quite worth stealing, not that such a thing fell within her ethical views. And could it really go anywhere? And the name, Time And Relative Dimensions In Space... Was this a time machine?

 

"Though... Do you think we could we go to London? I've always wanted to go there."

 

The Book of Claws continued to bleed. Clarion made a mental note to try reading it later: the worst of it was probably over, and if it went badly and resulted in more nightmares she felt confident in her abilities to handle it. Though, if something new happened... She might be able to find out how to break the infernal curse upon her form.

 

- - -

 

The Pinwheel ((Phew... Glad this is over with. Now, I suppose I am opening up the roleplay somewhat for more stuff in the future. Looking forward to responses and any corrections I need to make.))

 

After having left the woman to sleep in peace, Pinwheel returned to the cabinets filled with corpses. It drew out one of the drawers and carefully removed one of the bodies, placing it upon the ground and then closing the drawer again.

 

Pinwheel then began its most elemental necromancy: the act of returning life to the lifeless.

 

The body began to twitch, then move where it had lain on the floor. After a moment, it stood and stared at its creator with lifeless eyes.

 

"Go stand guard by the staircase. Nobody comes in."

"Let the girl from before leave if she comes by, though."

 

The reanimated corpse, imperceptibly acknowledging its orders turned away, and stood in a vigilant position upon the foot of the stairs, looking upwards.

 

In the other room, Pinwheel heard the indistinct sounds of conversation. Was it the girl from before? While it knew nothing of her nature, most people don't generally talk to themselves, so they had to be speaking to someone else unless they'd gone mad. Meaning there was more than one person around.

 

Pinwheel moved towards the source of the noise, seeking to discover who the woman from before was speaking to.

 

Whoever they are, they won't be glad to see us, that much is certain. We must be vigilant.

I still think she wants to be friends with us.

I'm glad you're being hopeful, but not everyone will want to be our friend. We should be careful anyways.

Edited May 6, 2016 by Coryn02

[Chicogal]

The Doctor

 

The Doctor nodded, glancing across to the soldier. He hadn't said anything, so London it was. "I'm not entirely sure of what's happening here," he admitted, going back to Clarion. "The universe feels very... wrong. So I can't say that I can take you home. But I can take you to London." He grinned, and jerked his head back inside the TARDIS. It didn't seem like they were needed here anymore, anyway. Humans would deal with their medicines and silly tests on that girl, and there wasn't a whole lot that he could do about it. "So - allons-y, Alonso!"

 

Spinning around, he bounded back into the TARDIS. "Close the door behind you!" he called out over his shoulder. "Next stop - London!"

 

~~~

 

Tamaki stared after her, innocent eyes opened wide. She'd acted so brusque and rude to him... Oh, the hurtfulness of it all! His hand went to his heart, dramatic background just about appearing out of nowhere. He was the image of a hurt puppy. He had not done anything wrong, and the girl hadn't said a word... Clearly, he was not welcome here. Perhaps because he was not a commoner?

 

In any case, she had a gun and it was more than a little bit dangerous. He gulped, walking quietly after her. Maybe there was a reason why she had it. "What's going on?" he whispered, coming closer with exaggerated steps of his long legs.

[Thaelasan]

Braum began to pour himself a drink from one of his flasks as Solaire asked his question. It was obvious he had been hungry for quite a while as he took a large bite from a meat Ciel served him the moment the plate was before him. He then laid the slab of beef back on the table.

"Ah? A covenant?" Braum asked, confused. "Like a clan? A tribe? No, friend. The League is an assortment of many people, strong people, who ... fight each other to better themselves. Some fight for honor. Some fight for their own gains. Some fight because they must. Braum fights because he wants others to become strong."

He patted his chest, grinning.

"There is no honor in a hollow victory, friend... Braum did not get your name?" he said, digging his fork into the meat again.

"It's Solaire." Lu piped up, reaching for a pastry before Ciel gave her a stern gaze.

"I will EAT, Ciel. Just let me have it." Lu said stubbornly.

"Health first. Sweets after. Otherwise, no dessert." Ciel said, chopping up an onion with his face averted to avoid hurting his eyes. It was obvious he'd done this often.

"Pffffff...." Lu sighed, beginning to eat reluctantly. Braum chuckled.

"Anyway, Solaire..." Braum said, mulling over the name. "Victory does not just come from defeating your opponent - it comes from showing your opponent you are a worthy foe. Make them work for it. Is that not all we could ask in life? Even if we were to... die. Would we not want to be remembered as strong and honorable fighters?"

He took another bite, savoring the flavor.

"Yes. Honor. Glory. Strength. Braum knows the meaning of these words. But some men dilute them, or convert them to their own means. But we all know their true worth. There is no honor in a wrongful death." Braum said sullenly. "None at all."

 

----

 

Isaac turned to the Doctor, confused.

"Wait, London. Like England London? Like old Earth London?" he asked, concerned. "How is this box gonna get us there? As far as I could see, it didn't have any thrusters or methods of travel. But after looking this thing over, what kind of engineering is this anyway?"

He pointed at everything in the room, confused.

"This isn't anything that I've seen before, at least not based on CEC regulations. Is that large thing in the middle a graviton energy projector? Is that how it's powered? The floor? What's with the walls?" he asked, lost. "So many things I really want to know."

[Coryn02]

Solaire

 

Braum stated he was not apart of an organisation, and that the League was a sort of common battlefield for those of many callings.

 

When asked his name, Solaire was about to respond before Lu interceded and reminded Braum of his name. Ciel was attempting to convince her to eat her meal before dessert, a scene he'd borne witness between siblings in Astora, where the younger one would always be difficult.

 

She might be stronger than she looks, but that girl still needs to grow up a bit, I think.

 

Braum comtinued to talk about battle as though it was some glorious undertaking of proving one's worth, for prestige and might. While this was certainly the truth against equal opponents, in Lordran one often found themselves hopelessly outmatched: opponents of much greater size and strength would reveal themselves, and sometimes even a rank-and-file Hollow could prove dangerous.

 

Solaire decided to make this side of the story known to the others, at least as much as he thought they would want to hear.

 

"A knight of Astora should live for truth, valor, and for a higher calling than themselves, as I strive to do every day. But Lordran is a different place. Most of the beasts that have infested it are not fair opponents, having an advantage in numbers or sheer strength. While a Warrior of Sunlight will help those in need, when I fight for myself, I don't do it because I feel like I want to make a mark. No, I fight because it's the only way I can survive long to see the sun rise the next morning."

 

He bitterly remembered how he was willing to throw his life away- after his exile, he'd vainly sought out a dragon to die with honor. He found it very quickly at the hands of the first young drake he encountered. It was returned to him with the Darksign, cursing him to an eternity of torment and suffering.

 

But instead, he'd made himself into a beacon of humanity. Rather than be consumed by his failures, he would surmount them. A Warrior of Sunlight always strives to be better than they are.

Edited May 9, 2016 by Coryn02

[Thaelasan]

Braum held out a hand and patted Solaire on the back to comfort him.

"Braum can see you have faced much hardship, Sun Knight. It is visible, even through your happy, warm nature. But you have prevailed. And Braum is sure you will continue to surpass even your own... expectations for yourself. Braum is absolutely sure!"

He placed his mug back on the table, nodding.

"It is always important to take time to rest. But then it is also important to know what must be done." he said, taking a nice breath and releasing it. "After we finish resting, Braum thinks we should try to find out why we are here. Or, how."

Lu nodded, arms crossed.

"Seems reasonable." she shrugged. "I don't like being pulled through worlds without my consent. Damn that Glaive..."

"He always asked first..." Ciel began.

"AFTER that first time." Lu corrected. "But still."

"Either way!" Braum said, clapping. "We are together now, yes? So we should WORK together as well!"

Corrin took a sip from his drink as Kinu dug into the meat in front of her, now seemingly completely rested from what had happened earlier.

"I don't know much about traveling to other worlds, though it has happened to me before." he admitted, nodding to Kinu who gave him a slight glance over her meat. "But Ryoma... Takumi... Kaden... Sakura... Azura. They're all waiting for me - for us - back home. They could be in danger right now. If we can get home, somehow,..."

He quickly amended his statement, frowning.

"That doesn't mean, of course, I don't enjoy your company. If any of you would wish to join my army, I would gladly accept you all. You each seem strong and capable. They'd accept you in my homeland with open arms - I'm sure of it... That is, if you can't get back to your own homes.."

There was a silence in the air as Lu, Ciel, and Corrin looked down at their food sadly. If that was true...

But Kinu continued to eat, undaunted, and Braum seemed unaffected.

"It'll be ok, Corrin!" Kinu said, swallowing a bit of food she'd been working on. "We have each other, right silly? We've always gotten out of any mess together!"

"Yeah... You're right..." Corrin nodded. "You're right! Kana... all of them.. they'll be fine, right?"

"RIGHT!" Kinu punched his shoulder. "But Kana probably wants her dad back soon, right? And her mommy too."

She pointed at herself, grinning.

"But she's a strong girl, like her mother!" Kinu puffed out her chest proudly, hands on her hips. "I'm certain of her strength!"

Corrin laughed as he turned back to the rest of the group, but Lu and Ciel didn't join in the laughter.

Lu was currently deep in thought, rubbing her chin as she mulled over something that caught her fancy.

"The power to cross worlds..." she pondered, suddenly intrigued. "....Someone here has that ability.... Interesting..."