Blake

Hug Venusaur
Catch Charizard
Fight Blastoise

H/C/F:

Dunsparce
Stunfisk
Carnivine

The captain nodded along as the group gave their little tidbits, smiling. She took note that one sidestepped it entirely, others seemed adverse to it, and some embraced it. There were some tougher nuts, but nothing that couldn't be worked on. At the end, once everyone else had answered, Akiko added something on.

 "You're gonna like, give an answer too, right? And are you sure uhm... Nika won't be too upset at you calling her that around us?"

"Yes, Captain Macha. Do you think that 'Nika' won't be too upset?"

The group would look to the entrance of the meeting room to find the Major standing there. She looked a bit more disgruntled than earlier, but the difference was rather small. As she stepped into the room, Maddy scrambled out of the seat and into one right next to it, sitting there with her back straight.

"Well, it's no matter," Nika sighed as she took her seat, her face conveying her annoyance, clashing with her calm tone, "I figured she would do it sooner or later, so it doesn't change much. I merely ask that you all follow protocol and refer to me as Major or Major Volkov when in any official capacity. Understood?"

"Oh, come on! You don't have more faith than that in me?" Maddy pouted some more at Nika, earning another sigh from her friend, "I'm hurt!"

"That aside, I trust that you had your answers questioned? If there are any other questions you have, you will be able to answer them with your tablets. Each of you will be provided a digital device that looks like a small computer screen that you hold in your hand. It has a touch screen, so you don't need a keyboard, and it can connect to the internet... However, these are currently limited to our own server and bulletin board system. That will be wear your missions will be posted, and there will be an area for you to post requests. Questions, concerns, requests for leave, and so on. There is also a chat system for communicating with people within Diluculo and our associated. For the time being, this means the 8 of you plus Captain Macha. Your name will not appear with your actions on it, but your codename will, even in the chat. By now, the tablets should have been placed in your rooms, so please, learn how they work. This is experimental hardware not yet available to the public, so consider yourselves lucky. With that, you are all dismissed for the rest of the day. Your first missions will begin tomorrow morning, so make sure you get some rest. The morning comes sooner than you think."

Nika maintained her posture until the recruits had all left, immediately losing her composure slightly to slump back against the chair, a small groan escaping her.

"Same as usual, then?"

"He is a nightmare. He found out about the new group, and he came unglued that he was not informed prior."

"He doesn't even hold any power over us, directly. I could never put up with him like you do."

"I'm just doing what I can, Maddy."

-----

-April 16th, 2000-
-5 AM-
-Diluculo Branch 22-

As soon as the hour began, the tablets the group had inspected before the end of the night would begin blaring loudly, waking up anyone but the soundest of sleepers. The first thing that they would notice was a notification that three new Missions were available, each marked urgent.

On further inspection, each of the recruits would find that the third mission was already claimed, by Nue... Raida.

The first mission required them to meet in the front hall by 7 AM, while the latter required them to meet there at 9 AM, with further info about each of them listed on the BBS.

When the time came, it was up to the recruits to report to the Front Hall on time.

-----

-April 16th, 2000-
-6:50 AM-
-Front Hall, Diluculo Branch 22-

As the time came close, Nika stood, waiting, just outside of the front doors, still wearing a suit, despite the potential for combat. She looked at her watch, then to the distance, tapping her foot impatiently. As the recruits arrived, she would give them a simple nod, then another glance at her watch. Finally, the clock hit 7:05... and a shuttle arrived to take them down to New Jersey.

"Took you guys long enough," Nika spoke flatly to the driver, taking the passenger seat, glancing to her subordinates, "Pile in. This is not our vehicle, but the organization's, so please do not damage it."

Once everyone made it in , the ride began, leaving them with enough time to talk, eat some food, drink some coffee, or sleep. The Major stayed mostly quiet through the trip, leaving the recruits to their devices.

-----

-April 16th, 2000-
-8:45 AM-
-Front Hall, Diluculo Branch 22-

Maddy stood in the front hall, wearing what appeared to be the most casual outfit she had. A slightly loose tee, her hair up in a ponytail, and a short pair of jean capris, reaching just past her knees. She had a purse over her shoulder, her face made up just a bit. She hummed and rocked on her heels as she waited for everyone to arrive, giving each of them an enthusiastic wave. When her three little ducklings arrived, she addressed them properly.

"Who's ready to have a day of fun? I mean, yeah, there's some official business... but we have a few hours before that, so let's get going! Anywhere you guys wanna visit first?"

-----

OOC

“... this is a life or death game. We HAVE to fight people. But I’m not dumb enough to dive in if my partner isn’t going to back me up. Caster, retreat as discreetly as possible.”

4 hours ago, Yui said:

Out of curiosity, will this year's Masquerade feature an optional theme for monsters similar to last year? If so, are there any ideas on what that theme might be?

I was not planning for that, at present. I see themes as a welcome "gimmick", similarly to this scheduling idea, and I don't know if crossing the wires is a grand idea.

Only went with one per line (hence Litwick but no Chandelure) and only once per type, otherwise there'd be a lot of doubles.

Falinks can swap with Bewear and Snorlax can take Bewear's spot, but it's a toss up.

I really don't care for psychic, flying, rock, or steel much.

"...a-a pleasure to make your acquaintance sir, Alexandre Roi..."

"Hmmm, yeah you sure look like a Roi...been a while since I've seen one really. I guess that would make you the missing heir? The one who Dion's been hunting?"

Lopt cocked a brow at the response, his suspicions confirmed. Did the lad not realize that he should be keeping his identity quiet? Telling the team was one questionable thing, but a random shopkeep was another entirely. He needed more help than Lopt initially anticipated.

"Relax. I'm not going to turn you in like that, 'yer majesty'... Just a heads up for next time, wouldn't just use yer own name like that. Cause there's others who used to be from Farway who'll love the chance to send ya packing back to Dion just so he can get the chance to end ya."

"I-I'll keep that in mind sir...but l-like my friend here said... w-we're in the area d-due to the sounds of these creatures."

"Ahhh, I get ya. Well, I can tell you these started a month ago...wasn't too many before...but it's almost like there's a whole army of them now. Meanwhile, it's like the town's being dwindled down...and we never see any corpses after the attack...so we can't be for sure they were killed. Hell, if anything, they might've just escaped from here due to some heavy fear and sorrow for losing their families...least, that's my thought on it."

"No corpses, eh... Any signs of a struggle, anything?" Lopt's eyes narrowed, the jovial tone remaining, but with the slightest bit of something darker laced into it, "After all, that would be quite suspect. Doesn't sound like any natural creature I know of... How about you, Alex?"

The shapeshifter shot a look to the younger Jaeger, placing a few coins on the countertop near the owner, made a motion like tipping a hat, and then headed towards the door.

"Unless you know anything else of note, I think we'll be leaving now. I may have an idea on what's ailing your town, and I would like to discuss it in private with dear Alex, among other things. Either way, I'll be stepping outside. Thank you for the help!"

As the shifter stepped outside, he pressed a hand against the doorframe, turning just the tiniest part of his fingertip into an eye. His rabbit ears would pick up on any sounds, and now he could keep an eye on the little princeling, as well. My, what delightful trouble this was going to be...

-April 15th, 2000-
-2 PM-
-Mission Room, Diluculo Branch 22-

"I, uh, have two questions for you, Captain. First, could you maybe possibly not refer to yourself as an older sibling. It makes me feel, um... It makes me uncomfortable, okay?" 

"Okay, two things! One, can ya not call yourself 'big sis'? Nooooooot a fan of it...and two, how can I score a date with you?" 

"Aww, but that's how I see myself..." Maddy looked down a little, dejected by Ann and Austin's immediate response, before the last part of it caught her ears, pursing her lips as she replied. "After putting someone down, you'd really ask them out? How shameless..."

 "...okay chill...it was a joke, so calm yourself down. Actual question: how many other people in the world have these damn powers?"

"Mmm, at least you asked a good question to make up for it... But the answer is that we don't really know? The official count is less than 700 right now, but there are many people who manage to fly under the radar, and Id seem to be growing exponentially... All of you are part of what is called 'Id Generation 1.5', and, as we told you earlier, there are around 300 of you that the world is aware of. The first 'Id Generation', the group including the Major and Myself, is slightly older than you, but there were only about 200 of us recruited at the time. Just keep in mind that the less than 700 includes criminals and others that popped up in the past 10 or so years and drew the attention of the higher-ups."

 "Second, are there any specific rules we should know about?"

"Mmm... Nothing special. As your commanding officer, the Major can add rules as needed, but the most important things are just to report when you're told, do not cause a ruckus, and absolutely do NOT draw attention to the existence of Id, whenever possible."

"How should we expect to be alerted to missions? Will we get much warning ahead, or is it more likely that we don't get much time to prepare?"

"Since we are all asking around I've got kind of an add on to, uh, Cade? His question. What sorta missions will this group being handling?"

"So... what exactly are we going to be dealing with? Our first bit of training was a mock fight... are we forming some sort of superhero team? Or is it more like... spies? I'm just wondering what exactly we're expected to do, is all."  

"All good questions! First off, Cade, with the exception of emergency situations, if any, they will be up to you to complete. With the state of Id and the world as a whole, we don't actually have a ton of missions, outside of trying to appear normal and keeping our eyes open. We get either orders from above or leads from people out in the area about strange events, and we'll be posting them. You guys aren't the only ones who will be using the system, so some missions that cross over with nearby areas will be potentially covered by other Diluculo branches. Basically, each day you will check your mission assignments for the day, week, whatever, and sign up for it. Some are short, some are long, but we will generally try to assign three to five of you per mission, unless it's either super simple or difficult. One of us higher ups will accompany you for your first missions, and then on more dangerous missions. Think of it like quests, if you've ever played a RPG Video Game. The ones based on hearsay from the area will be ones that you can take up if you have time, but they might not last forever..."

Glancing at Marcel, then Lucia, Maddy continued her explanation.

"And I kinda answered your questions with Cade's, but I'll elaborate on the specifics. The missions will generally be combat based, but some will be reconnaissance or simply getting a part time job that keeps you from doing others. Of course, you could call the latter type spying, but it's more just trying to keep tabs on an ever changing world. Our official status is that of a military group, monitoring the emergence and use of Id within the area in and around New York, but if thinking of us as superheroes makes you feel better about all of this, go ahead! Just, y'know... Superheroes with a boss. That report to higher bosses. And the leaders of the world."

"Who is it that we actually answer to? With the... specifics this group is created for I have to work under the assumption that we're likely a more controlled group, right? If the answer is everyone higher in the organization, what part of the structure are we actually a part of? Ah, I suppose this would also be a more... private question, but how are weapons handled within the organization, such as the purchasing or owning of one?"

Akiko let out a breath, as the captain blinked a bit, "Ehe, sorry if that was a bit too much at once..."

"No, it's okay, Akiko," Mathilde smiled softly at the girl as she shook her head, "It's completely normal to ask questions like that in this situation. Let's see... If you wanna go all the way to the top, the answer is that we answer to the United Nations. Diluculo is a joint effort by the nations of the world to come together and assess, understand, and handle the threat and promise that Id can represent. Major Volkov is the head of this branch, and she reports directly to the head of the entire organization, as well as to that politician I mentioned earlier, though that's more a matter of obligation than actually reporting. He's just... difficult, to say the least. He was considered a rising star in US politics before this worldwide initiative began, so he's a bit of a control freak."

Maddy took a deep breath, and sipped at a glass of water on the table before continuing.

"Aaaanyway, there are branches all over the world, and we're just one. A small one, too, because the UN itself is the headquarters for the entirety of Diluculo. I'm sure all of you saw it when arriving, but it's next door. We're meant to be a training branch, henceforth, while many of the operatives who came from the generation with the Major... I'mma call her Nika when she's not around... Nika and myself, who are simply poised as regular UN employees. Some are strong, some are weak, some may even be brought in to help train you on occasion. As far as weapons go, funds from around the globe go towards our weaponry. It used to be standard military fare, but they're more lenient with you guys, as they finally realized that some Id are more specialized than others. As such, once you have had a decent amount of training, you will be given a weapon of your choice, which we will order, with any specifications in mind. You will be able to repair them once a month for free, anything else will come out of your earnings. Speaking of, your earnings will be based on which missions you complete and how well you perform, so make sure to do your best! And, of course, any wages you make on said part-time jobs."

"Is Major Volkov new to her position, by any chance?" Sergei asked as Maddy took another deep breath.

"... Yes, and no. She's new to having new recruits, but she rose up to Captain in under a year. Given how she's my only superior at this branch, and there's only one person above her, I think you get the picture. She has some quirks with how she runs her ship, but she was given this branch due to her performance as a leader over the past four years. She also has one of the highest success rates in the entirety of Diluculo, both for herself and others, though she doesn't wear any of the medals or display the awards. I guess she's just not the type..."

The captain glanced at a clock on the wall, finding that her long winded discussions had taken around 45 minutes by this point. With a slight smirk, she stretched in the seat and downed her glass of water, pointing to the group.

"Now, why don't we make this fun?" The smirk grew into a mischievous grin, "I promise this is no test, but I was supposed to keep you guys occupied until Nika returned... So why don't we just share a fun fact about each of ourselves or something? Like, something that isn't going to be compromising in combat, so Nika can't protest..." Maddy pursed her lips a little, humming, "Oooor we could play truth or dare! I'm sure Alec, our resident medic, has a nice truth serum ready for me to use on each of you. So, which will it be~?"

OOC

Charlie managed to snap out of their ramble just enough to nod along as the two younger students began to figure out what they meant. Of course, Charlie had more than enough to keep on talking, but it seemed they got the idea for now.

“Yeah. Just do what they say,” Avi grunted, gesturing to Charlie with a nod. “You’ll learn fast enough.”

"Ehhh?" Charlie cocked a brow and tilted their head, "Surely you have some advice for them, too. After all, you play far more than I do, Mr. 300 wins. I may have the better grasp on theory, but Avi here has more of a grasp on actual gameplay, so why don't you ask him for help? Or... we could do a showcase? Show these newbies what their captains are capable of? If you're up to it, of course~"

Blake here! I won't be posting my character, as they won't be showing up immediately.

-April 15th, 2000-
-2 PM-
-Front Hall, Diluculo Branch 22-

As their free time came to an end, the recruits would find Mathilde waiting for them in front of the exit. Gently rubbing the back of her head and laughing with a little nervous twinge, Maddy addressed the group.

"So, the Major had some, uh, urgent business to attend to. You see, each of these branches has some important government officials that we report to, on top of our military superiors... And our particular correspondent is a bit, em..." The captain shifted a bit, looking about as if to find the perfect answer, before muttering the rest of that thought, "Challenging? Yeah, that's about as nice as I can get... Anyway! The training is on hold for now, but I'm willing to answer any questions the rest of you have. The structure of our organization, what your gameplan will be, how missions are handle'd.. Y'know, the basics. Just let big sis Maddy teach you!"

Leading the group back to the meeting room from earlier, the captain took the chair Nika had previously sat in... Clearly enjoying herself a little too much. One could even say she looked almost like a cat as she got comfortable. However, it was short lived, as she leaned forward, fingers knitted together in front of her face.

"So, what can I teach you guys about, for now? And make sure to take this seriously, or it'll cut into the rest of your free time for the day~"

People have plenty of ideologies that they follow and things they seek to achieve through them. Faith, power, ambition, learning, freedom, enlightenment, and many more abstract things than these. But which one drives you? Which ideology do you think is absolutely central to your being? That you genuinely cannot imagine being without?

"My, this is a nice looking establishment," Lopt tapped at the floor with his cane as the duo entered, "Not what I was expecting, but certainly tasteful. Of course, in a town like this, that normally means...

"Ah, customers. Welcome to my shop." Lopt cut himself short as the shopkeep noticed them, giving a slight bow to him "Looking to protect yerself, I reckon? Well, these weapons and armor are handcrafted by my son back there...so there the best of the best. So, what can I do fer you Jaege-...er...gentlemen? I apologize, force of habit."

"Looking to protect ourselves... Ha! No. My friend here probably doesn't need protection, and I'm a bit too... frail for most of these items, you see." The shapeshifter walked forward, extending his hand for a shake. "The name's Lopt Solbjorg, and what we're here for is to fix your little beasty problem. Strange creatures appearing at night? We're professionals in exterminating nuisances like those, so if you have any useful information to share... perhaps we have some coin to spare?"

@(youknowwhoiam)and @PhoenixOfCute are also black, ftr. They're just extremely Red and Blue, respectively.

https://still-anchorage-15218.herokuapp.com/

Basically, this "Quiz" gives you between 25 and 175 ideals that you rate your belief in them, based on the option you chose. It honestly takes 10 minutes or less, and it's a pretty decent "personality" type quiz.

My Results

43 minutes ago, radio414 said:

Does this mean the monsters can only meaningfully interact with who they're scheduled with? What happens if there isn't any chemistry between us, are we just stuck for the rest of the event?

Also, I too am in favor of last-year's two week length. Definitely wouldn't have been able to keep up the pace I set for Larry for a full month, and a schedule would have meant there'd have been no pace at all.

I was asked similarly in PM, but I would be willing to make exceptions for people to assist with something a monster would want to do for the day. Additionally, we could always have monsters have more than a single day, if required, paired with different people. Different ensembles. This is still an early, imperfect idea, though it does seem to be mostly well received, thus far.

9 hours ago, LordCowCow said:

Honestly, I think a schedule would be a bad idea still. I cannot see any positives to it. Allowing people to post when they want means if they really want to they can still go with a schedule if they find that easier or more fun but they can also post more if they feel they can.

Like...it doesn't give us anything we couldn't do before I don't think. All it does is gives a "reason" for people not posting.

I... literally presented a positive to it. It allows alternative performances to shine, while longform performances had the stage in past years. A schedule only works if everyone is on board, because it’s not really a showcase of their scheduled day is full of other monsters showing them up.

Also, people have busy lives. Many people, even if the quarantine persists, have not had as much time in recent years. Giving them a time and a place, instead of “be active the whole time”, can be a huge benefit.

9 hours ago, MetalSonic said:

What about just making the event shorter? Wouldn’t that prevent burnout more and give the “weaker” monsters more of a chance to shine because they don’t have to compete for so long?

It also means that major events that can’t be worked around cause more havoc. Last year, I was only able to do half of the event due to when the window for moving happened, and lots of people have had similar issues. Not to mention things like Halloween parties. I think cutting it shorter invites more issues than it solves.

“If we aren’t the ones getting the drop on them, they’re getting the drop on us. They cleared up the zombie hoards, and it’s not really an ambush if they choose to pursue Caster. It means they had every intention of attacking us, anyway. Making another friend doesn’t seem mathematically viable, as a team of 3 is about the max that you can make work efficiently.”

1 hour ago, Chaos Sonic said:

I know you mentioned not a concrete theme...but can the theme be virus related? XD

Bad jokes aside, the specific day thing for monsters is actually an interesting idea. I assume there'd be a type of schedule/spreadsheet for it to truly show what will happen and who will be there, cause that'll be helpful. It'll also definitely keep the monsters from getting burnt out, so that's a really neat idea there.

Yep. It would require policing, though not harshly, to keep it in order, with a schedule for all to see.

48 minutes ago, LordCowCow said:

I don't think the Discord will help much. A couple people will use it but then won't get responses fast and it'll be abandoned. But it won't HURT so...

As for the schedule, hard no. It not only limits what people can do, making it that they can only do things that span a couple days, it limits how much people get to interact with a monster that they particularly like. Plus if one person gets inactive that means the whole schedule goes to shit.

What's the point in not having a monster hunt if its still gonna be kept a secret who is who?

As I said, it can also lead to shortform acting to shine brighter. Again, those like Erma or Squid Sisters crashed and burned, despite their brilliance. It would be nice to give them a chance for once.

If one person gets inactive, the schedule can be adjusted or filled in with a free for all day. Or, if people are willing, it could be fixed outright. The burden would be on my shoulders, more than anyone else.

What's the point of a Masquerade Ball? Lack of full info makes things more exciting. On top of that, it can assuage aggression between people who normally conflict with one another by removing the element that makes them clash. The only downside is asking people to please keep mum, which... they were gonna do anyway.

People can still guess, it's just a matter of satisfying themselves. There's no reward for it. It's something people can do for fun, and I'd be willing to answer their guesses.

8 minutes ago, God of Illiteracy said:

I was skeptical about the idea of showcase days at first, but looking at the details now that I can, I think this will certainly be an interesting thing to try out. The implementation of a dedicated discord server will also at best do wonders and at worst have no negative impact on the event. Finding some sort of compromise between showcase days and standard activity may be the best course of action though. Something like let non-showcase monsters remain active in their AMA and any forum games they may be running, to avoid the event getting clogged up. Those do make up the majority of a monster's activity lately, but with a more limited time to show what they're made of and far less spotlight to share, I imagine monsters will get more out there. Probably. I'm a memelord not a psychologist.

Tentatively in favor of these ideas, but figuring out a middle ground between what you're proposing and what we did last year should be a priority. The last time you proposed a major change to the Masquerade, it resulted in a spectacle of a flop in 2018, so skipping that step and getting right to middle-ground like we did with optional themes last year seems wise.

Hmmm, I think the point about AMAs/Games/Intros is actually a great one. It allows them to still hang around and interact, but without taking the limelight... And I think that's a wonderful middle ground, honestly.

that's why I'm posting this in fucking may, since 2 months notice wasn't even close to enough ;;

-----

ALSO DISCORD IS GONNA HAPPEN THEN. It's not gonna be open until at least September, but it's gonna happen

7 minutes ago, Dae said:

We're not even ready for June to come, fuck outta here with Halloween. This year is already scary enough.

The event takes a lot of planning. And, if changes are to occur, it's very clear they need to be more than 2 months in advance, based on past years.

9 minutes ago, radio414 said:

I feel like I'd forget which day is mine to post pretty quickly. I also thought the bigger problem was that a bunch of monsters simply lost motivation and reduced their posting habits, and I'm not sure how this fixes that particular problem. The monster discord is a good idea, though, and might help with that?

I'd post a schedule and make sure to tag people when their turn is coming up, so forgetting the day shouldn't be that big an issue.

I feel like that is half of the problem, on top of just many of them feeling like they burn out because they have shortform ideas (Erma, Squid Sisters, and a few others stand out as being outstanding but not having lasting power), and the community tiring of/not taking to their gimmick so much.

The changes could allow the one-shot style of monsters to fair a bit better, as opposed to the longform ones the event has favored in the past. However, I cannot state enough that this is tentative, so it's not a 100%decision by any means, and the input is appreciated ^^

Hopefully Discord will help with that, regardless. I feel another big issue is that the monsters are a gaggle of randoms that can't effectively communicate, due to needing to stay in character when doing so, and only the fabled WEIRDMAGEDDON remotely pulled that sort of collaboration off. Turning the hunt into something people do for themselves instead of an incentivized part of the event allows this idea to work. I'd still tell monsters to keep mum about their identities, tho.

RN, It's 2-2 on approval and rejection of the first idea, so I really wanna hear more thoughts.

EDIT: i'm sorry this got so long winded

Yes, dearies, it's that time of year again! No, not the one where you channel a monster, the one where you figure out the exacts for the process of bringing these monsters to our fair forum.

So, I feel like we need a bit of a shake-up. No, not in the form of a theme or anything, but the event hasn't been performing as well in the past few years. I would posit this is due to it being static, instead of adopting to its community.

As such, I have an idea that I would like to hear some thoughts on: Monster Showcase.

Instead of having the monsters be active 24/7 for the duration of the event, it would instead look like this:

Opening Day: Every monster is able to introduce themselves, interact, and make a general first impression.
Day 2 through October 30th: Either 1 or 2 monsters for that day, intended to make a stronger showing on their own, without overstaying their welcome for the entire event.
October 31st-November 1st: All monsters are able to post, like opening day, with them maintaining their role on the 31st and saying goodbyes on the 1st.
AMA/Game/Intro threads: Monsters will be allowed to use their own threads of these types regardless of the day, so to keep some sort of presence up, should they so choose. It just means people have to go look at the monsters they're interested in, instead of the monsters taking that day's limelight.

This way, it keeps both the players and the community observing them from growing bored of it as quickly. However, this is only an idea on paper, not set in stone, and I really want to hear feedback on it.

I understand that this would require working around people's schedules, and I would work hard to make sure it works for everyone.

Additionally, I will probably make a Discord Server for this year's Event, most likely in late September. I would consider asking people to make burner monster accounts on discord... but that seems too much like a hassle.

Instead, I would instead say that we do away with the actual Monster Hunting facet. It is largely ignored, instead just letting the monsters run around and act, so the players could join a server where everyone knows their identity. Treat it more like one grand stage play.

However, even if this happens, monster identities would still be private until the deadline for signing up. The anonymity of the monsters is still a major factor in the event's fun, even if there's no real hunting going on.

So, yeah, please let me know! I don't want to charge forward and act on something the community wouldn't enjoy, after all.

I talk to the golem as much as to Berserker and her master.

"It seems there's another servant out here fighting zombies. Caster isn't sure why he couldn't detect them, as they don't appear to be an assassin... And someone like that seems like a major concern. If Caster can pull this servant away, can Berserker get the drop on them? Possibly Archer as well."

I send Caster in alone.

"Leave this to him," I assure the other two, "I'm certain that Caster can handle it."

"Probably. That's the coaches problem though, not mine. Shoulda shown up." He noticed one of the new recruits approaching them. David, if he remembered right. "And no. Only two-hundred-eighty-eighty."

"Oh yeah, two-hundred-eighty-eighty, so you've done 28080?" Charlie gave a cheeky grin, before their attention was pulled away to David.

"Excuse me, but I wanted to ask you and possibly of Avi something, Charlie." The boy spoke, pulling his deck box from his bag. "Would you both take a look at my Time Thieves? I...want to be absolutely positive my deck is running at it's full capacity. Since you and he both Dueled me and made it obvious I still have a ways to go...I figure it's only right that you two take the look at it."

Avi responded before they had a chance, but Charlie wasn't entirely disagreeing with Avi. He was too harsh, but not entirely in the wrong. Taking a deep breath, the teen added their two cents.

"We can't really... do that much for you. After all, I don't really use Xyz. I know how they work, of course, but not their decks. I only own my deck and a few older cards that used to be in it, and I've never had much chance to play others... But you should take Avi's advice. Look over your deck and think about what belongs and what doesn't. What cards seem to perform well in testing? Which seem situational? Things like that."

“So if we compare the structures of our decks and find where we’re lacking so we can fix it… That could be a huge help.”

Charlie turned slightly to look at Terry, cocking a brow and smirking. Seemed like little miss evil overlord wasn't here for the day, instead a cute, eager girl was. Where oh where did the evil overlord go?

"It's possible... but I'd have to say Avi would probably know more about your deck than I would... Well, maybe I do have an idea beyond Avi's advice," They muttered, a finger to their lips as they looked up, "Why don't you try seperating your decks into two piles. One full of cards related to your deck's core, like your Time Thieves or Generaiders, and then the cards that aren't related. Stuff like Monster Reborn or Forbidden Lance, y'know? The core cards probably require less focus than the others, though of course both are important. Start with the generic pile, then go onto the core. And if I have one more piece of advice, find a central goal for your deck. After all..." Charlie grinned, flashing a monster that looked like a scythe, ever so briefly, "My goal is to just take your head, and my babies are good at that~ Though, of course, there's lots of card generation as well, to make sure I can fuel my plays, which is more secondary. Do your decks aim to control? Burst? Just be a lot of good cards? Categorization is important, too..."

Charlie rattled on and on, despite saying they had no other ideas, talking about things like deck classifications, the place of trap cards, and more, completely losing track of themselves as they rambled.

-April 15th, 2000-
-9:20 AM-
-Training Grounds, Diluculo Branch 22-

A loud clap filled the air, even louder than the previous one, drawing the three boys' attention to Nika.

"And that's time. If the three of you need a quick shower, there's a locker room at the back of the gym. You will receive reports about your performance and things you need to work on, as well as your future assignments, once we are done with our meeting in the mission room. It is down the hall, on the right. You are dismissed until then."

With that, Nika left, grabbing a clipboard off the wall as she did. Jotting down notes as she headed to the next location, she felt the urge to shake her head. There was absolutely potential, but Maddy was completely wrong... They had not received an easy group. 

Instead of heading directly to the meeting place, she instead headed back to her office, quickly typing up the reports. The info she lacked would have to be combined with Maddy's, but there was more than enough time.

-----

-April 15th, 2000-
-9:20 AM-
-Infirmary, Diluculo Branch 22-

"I think I got the wrong message... She said it was for Mathilde... Unless... was my message the lie? Fascinating... I'm guessing the random gibberish coming from the thingy was the other messages, so... gibberish... Kinda like this. What did you hear?"

"Mmhmm, like Lucia said, it sounds like total gibberish when it's not aimed at us."

"And I heard only gibberish," Alek added to the discussion, "Most curious... However, if they say they hear things, then they must be able to. We'll have to see what you can do for communication efforts, because it seems like the most likely area for you to excel in."

Things wrapped up quickly in the infirmary, the three recruits being informed to head to the mission room and wait, like the first group. As the three left, Mathilde gave them a wave, turning to hear a beep coming from Alek's computer.

"Ah, it seems the major finished up her assessments and wants to know about ours. My, she is quite fast," The man commented, trailing off a bit, "And what did you think of them?"

"I think the girls are good natured kids in a bad situation... And that Raida is a perfect fit. I'm not too confident about sending Akiko out to combat, though... She'll have to work twice as hard as everyone else, or more."

Alek nodded back to Maddy as he typed up quickly, "Anything that you would like to add?"

"Hm... nothing official, no. Thanks for writing them up for me~"

-----

-April 15th, 2000-
-10 AM-
-Mission Room, Diluculo Branch 22-

Once the recruits had assembled, they would find themselves waiting longer than was implied. After 30-40 minutes of sitting with one another, Nika and Maddy finally made their appearance, handing out manilla envelopes to each of the young members. The captain found a seat near the end of the table, while Nika stood at the head of it, clearing her throat.

"No need to stand, I'm going to keep this brief. Inside each of the files you have been given, you have been assigned to one of two groups for later today. We will be having a mock battle with teams of four, with either the captain or myself serving as proctor and advisor. We will not get involved, but we will be there to make sure no one gets injured too badly."

"On top of that, you have room assignments~" Maddy cut in, producing a smaller piece of paper, "I don't know if you were informed that last night's rooms were temporary or not, but we have larger rooms fit for two people, bathrooms built in and all. Your file includes your room number, as well as your roomie."

"That is correct. Please settle into your rooms and relax for a few hours. Camaraderie is important in a line of work like this, so the only criteria from now until 2 PM is that you must not spend your time alone. Your files also contain information about where to report at 2. That will be all for now."

"Have fun~"

-April 15th, 2000-
-9:15 AM-
-Training Grounds, Diluculo Branch 22-

The Major watched the trio fighting as she waited on Marcel to prepare himself again, a deeper frown creeping across her face. Cade and Sergei showed some promise, but the taunting wasn't needed... And Austin was definitely getting in over his head, as she had expected. Traits like taunting and arrogance were hard to break the habit of, and Nika was sure they weren't the only ones that would do it. Suppressing a sigh, she turned back to the two with her, nodding as Marcel began again. As he made his move, Nika used her Id once more to prepare... But was met with searing pain instead. She flinched, but gathered herself quickly.

"Ahhg... That's a bit more than I was expecting so soon," Nika rubbed where her arm afflicted, but otherwise held her composure. "At least the results are good. You should work on your focus, then. It appears that you force sensations into people's minds, and that it works more efficiently when you focus on them as a whole, as opposed to a part of them."

Calmly grabbing the vial and holding it out to Marcel, with a look that told him to drink it, now, she felt Ann's gaze on her skin.

"Major, if you would like, I could take this. It is pretty painful, and that was the feedback. Just give me your hand, and I can just deal with it, um, if you want me to."

"That's very kind of you, Miss Fernace... But focus on yourself first. I've had worse, and Barrett will be healed up in no time... Even if he was a little reckless. Now, I think that's a sufficient enough test for both of you. Well done." Nika gave a nod of her head, with maybe the slightest hint of her lips curling upward, "Once you two are ready, head to the mission room. It will be down the hall on your right, and we will meet you there shortly."

Standing, Nika walked over to the other three, clapping her hands loudly, with a sound almost like rocks slamming into each other. 

"You have about 3 minutes! Do what you can with your remaining time, and make it count. When I call it, stop what you're doing and line up in front of the bleachers, shoulder to shoulder. Do I make myself clear?"

-----

-April 15th, 2000-
-9:15 AM-
-Infirmary, Diluculo Branch 22-

Maddy watched Akiko wander into the hallway as Lucia began, thinking the girl just needed to breathe. They were going through a lot, and it was clear that she felt bad about her Id. Turning back to the Mexican girl, Lucia began.

"Uncomfortable? No... at least, not physically. These... things feel surprisingly... natural. Like I've always had them.Woah...Oh dios mio! I'm so sorry!"

The Captain did her best as she watched Lucia's display, but she quickly found herself crocuhing and holding her stomach, laughing to the point of tears. So cute, so innocent. The shifting girl let out a sigh and turned back to Maddy.

"I... don't know, really. I've never done this with a spider before... All I know is that, well, I can do whatever a spider can."

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry," Maddy picked herself up, still laughing softly, "That was just too perfect... whew. Anyway, that seems like a good showing for a start. Can you disable it now, or does it have to fade?"

Tch, why would you want to be useful to a kidnapper anyways? Why on earth do I feel bad, I should be angry about it still!" 

"Uh... let's hold that thought..."

Akiko slowly poked her head back into the room, "Ah, apologies Captain but... you didn't hear any of that did you?"

"I'm afraid I did, Akiko," Mathilde sighed, head leaning against her palm and letting out a soft sigh, "Before Alek and Raida return, why don't you two listen to me for a bit."

Walking past Akiko and closing the door to the infirmary, Maddy turned around and leaned against it, covering the window with her body. She crossed her arms and tapped her lip, deciding where to start... And then she did.

"I won't say too much, but... When I arrived here a few years back, I was like you guys. Scared, not sure what I could do or why, and honestly forced to be here. You guys are the second wave, while I was part of the first. We were much smaller back then, but... Arms were still bent, as they were for people like you, Akiko. Or circumstances led to where you are, like Lucia. But... We don't approve of the methods the recruiters use. I'll leave it at that, but I promise, the Major and myself will do everything in our power to make this a safe place for the both of you... alright?"

Maddy waited to hear responses from the two girls, replying to them in kind. As they wrapped up their conversation there was a knock on the door, with the two boys returning, walky-talkies in hand. Maddy handed one to Akiko with a smile, stepping aside.

"Just head outside and talk to us whenever you're ready... Focus on who you want to hear what when you speak, and we'll see how it works out. Alright?"