WAR ♞ BATTLE OF GRAUPERA

[boardmaster]

BATTLE OF GRAUPERA
16 APRIL (LATHYRA) 2016

It is a dark and stormy night; the rain falls in torrents, except at occasional intervals, when it is checked by a violent gust of wind —

Not exactly. The rain is still light, but the suns are well below the horizon when the Airy leaves Graupera, setting the stage for Blanc and Noir’s first battle in two hundred years. The weatherman says showers will turn into storms later in the evening, but he doesn’t warn for the milky fog that will soon blanket Capablancan seas. The light from your ships, the lighthouse and the fortress walls serve as our Heroes’ only guide...

The same sleeping bat with sugar powdered around the corners of its mouth hangs from one of the ship’s masts until Commander Lisbrand arrives.

Lisbrand As I’m sure you’re all aware, Noir intends to take us by sea: Capablanca is a key strategic location for launching an attack on the coast. Should Noir capture Graupera, there’s no telling how far they’ll advance with their next move. You will be fighting not just to defend Capablanca, but Caissa as well. I trust you will all perform as well during the battle as you did during preparations. Blanc’s fleet will be standing by to absorb the task force into its ranks; I expect you’ve all completed what naval training was available to you at this point. [ a swift but beady eye is cast over the recruits ] You will need every last bit of it. [ picks up a pen and chucks it with deadly precision at the bat on the ceiling. ]

Verdoni [ immediately casts a wing forward to deflect the dangerous pen on time. then, he drops to the floor and transforms, wiping his mouth with his handkerchief. it’s warm. ] I suppose I need not remind you all of the weather conditions. Noir will enter Blanc territory with the storm, so brace yourselves. I will not lie — Noir has a significant advantage over us in this weather. Expect them to turn the elements in their favor and use lightning, water, and wind magic against you, your crew, and your ship. As most of you here will recall, Noir does not fight fair. They will use every tactic in and out of the book in order to destroy anything that stands in their way. It might do you well to remain alert at all times and to prepare for any scenario. So long as each Hero’s crew focuses on protecting their respective ship, you should be able to hinder their advance. Should the worst come to pass, retreat to the nearest allied ship or make your way to the shoreline to reinforce the last line of defense.

Basic info on the war can be found here. All OOC questions about the event may be directed to the thread below.

ONE ♙ Preparation
Only fools rush into battle! In preparing for war, the first step should always be protecting yourself. As such, Heroes will need to mount barrier generators that convert distilled water into large spherical barriers of pure mana on all ships. They will also need to calibrate the ones installed at Fort Graupera. Be sure to stock water by the barrel. When the enemy’s artillery fire hits these mana barriers, the blows as well as any shrapnel will be dispersed and dissipate in the air. Use them wisely; while the barrier is active, the ship will be unable to move and nothing can enter or leave the barrier. The ships also need to be stocked with ammunition, healing supplies such as potions, spare parts and other materials for repairs on the water. No one wants a leaky ship, right?

Once that’s done, get to know your teammates! Meet up with them at your assigned ship and use this time to get acquainted with each other's strengths and weaknesses, discuss plans, and figure out the roles assigned to you. The knowledge might come in handy in the coming hours…

All Heroes assigned to a crew are required to fight on the deck. The soldiers won’t be pleased to discover someone hiding in the ship’s hold. You can be a cabin boy or girl and run supplies, but they'll expect them by the truckload! Nobody gets to slack off in war! If you are not assigned to a crew, discuss your battle plans with your allies to tighten the shoreline defense. Those participating in the naval battle will need your assistance to secure Graupera!


TWO ♙ Sailing Into the Storm

Heh, blind as a bat and wet as a rat — that’s them. Wait, what do you mean the Airy's gone already? I bet Lei ran off because he needed to wax his chest. Fine! I got time to spare, so I’m going to kill the rest of you. I can’t wait to see the looks on your faces when I plunge right in...

A ♙ As predicted by Secretary Verdoni, by the time Noir’s fleet is in range, the weather has changed. Heavy fog reduces visiblity to near-zero, and rushing without stumbling is a feat for the brave thanks the mixture of rain and seawater washing over every deck. Thunder rolls in the distance, a messenger of the double-pronged storm advancing on Blanc. Roaring gusts of wind rip and tear at clothes, Carriers, and you! Watch out! Lightweights and those not exercising caution are likely to be blown right overboard.

Especially once Noir starts firing. Wind and lightning whip through the fog and both Coxswains and Heroes on Graupera proper will need to aim and time their barriers just right. Call it too soon and you waste precious resources; miscalculate and the ship and/or the fortress may take damage! If the barrier generator runs out of power, Quartermasters will need to replenish its water supply! But if the machine takes direct damage, it has a chance of exploding in a shower of fire and dangerous ricocheting parts, drastically decreasing your ship’s defense and maybe even knocking holes in the hull! Protect your ship to protect the fortress; the Blanc army can only put out so many fires. Should your ship take a hit, it’s also the Quartermaster's duty to respond accordingly lest the craft turn into a flaming monstrosity. Gunner’s Mates, return enemy fire with cannons and other long-range weapons available in your ship’s arsenal! The mana cannons in particular deal heavy damage, but they drain equally large amounts of mana. There’s no time to wait for your mana to replenish in the middle of a storm, so grab the nearest Hero for some up close and personal refueling!

If you don’t, Noir mages will take this opportunity to gather mana and send spells of tidal waves. And if your barrier’s down by then? Say goodbye to your ship and pray that you remember those swimming lessons. Your allies on land should be able to assist you once you reach the shore. Go ahead and join the shoreline defense; your shipwreck has probably left them with a few more holes in their defense and a few more fires to put out, anyway.

B ♟ The two forces clash! The noise is deafening as shouts from both sides mix with howling of the wind and the crashing of waves. Now that the armies are going head to head, Noir soldiers make use of their landing bridges to board Blanc’s ships! Noir mages simply use water magic to surf or wind magic to jump and do the same. But boarding is when Noir soldiers are vulnerable; make use of your resources and home turf advantage to take them down! They’re not the only ones who can take advantage of nature’s blessings.

Enemy soldiers who successfully board will begin to destroy anything they see. Should the ship be successfully hijacked, Blanc’s soldiers and the Heroes may have no choice but to jump into dangerous waters. Chance of survival is slim: waters are rough and ships are constantly rocking. It’s more than likely you'll be crushed between them or beneath them, Noir soldiers and mages will be taking potshots at you, and the strong currents are sure drag everyone into the depths. Once you’re in the water, you’re as good as dead. You are going to need some help.

ENEMY ♟ Noir Soldier
Weak against None	Strong against Lightning	Immune to None
When these soldiers cry “PERUN!”, run. When they cry “PERUNIKA!”, run faster. These battle cries mean you're about to be zapped by A FEW THOUSAND VOLTS OF LIGHTNING BOLT! The clues and advice left by our surfer friend Antonio, the mayor’s cute butler Charles, and the notorious assassin Black Lightning might help you out here — draw LIGHTNING WARD SYMBOLS to protect you and your allies from lightning damage. WARDS DRAWN BY KINGS are most effective. During battle, you will hear these mages utter other spells you might want to keep in mind: “VELES” is a support spell that summons streams of water. Whoever drinks it will receive a vodka-flavored MAGICAL BOOST! Soldiers like to make a game out of it at parties. “VELESIA” is an offensive water spell that INEBRIATES ITS TARGETS UPON CONTACT. The water it summons possesses a faint alcoholic aroma. It also tastes like vodka. “STRIBOG” is a wind spell that summons a powerful wyvern-shaped whirlwind that can hurl people overboard, destroy ship structures, and even send ships off course!

Noir’s bridges were a good idea, but ideas are meant to be stolen. Use them to move to an ally’s ship if your fellow Heroes and soldiers are in need of support, especially if Heroes have been knocked out or hurled off. The injured can be transported to safety on the backup ship, but beware of Noir soldiers chasing you down! They're as persistent as a rash.


THREE ♙ Crashing Against the Shores
To those who remained on the island or returned from sea, the battle is nothing but alarming lights and frightening shouts in the distance. But that doesn’t mean you can relax. Enemy projectiles that fly past the ships will shake parts of the fortress, and any Noir magic that gets past the naval defense will set any kind of material on fire or blow out chunks of wall, armaments, and you. Use water to make short work of any fires, and remember to reinforce damaged areas, or the fortress will suffer.

Distressed cries fill the air; those watching the naval battle closely will notice crewmembers who have fallen into the ocean. Neither Hero nor Blanc soldier is safe. While they have managed to get away from the main battle, they are now weak, disoriented, and require assistance. Row out in rescue boats to collect and heal the soldiers and your fellow Heroes before they turn into casualties. You may need their help later!

Allies aren’t the only ones reaching the shoreline. Some Noir ships will break through Blanc’s naval formation. If the fortress’ weapons don't take them down, then it’s up to you to take care of the rest. Noir soldiers will disembark and fight Heroes on the shore. Defeat them, destroy their weapons and seize their ships before they lay siege to the fortress! Blanc will thank you for these finely captured contributions to the war effort.

Noir General...? Huh! I just let you rats win! If I didn’t, there’d be no way to find Lei and punch him in the chest later! Give him my kind regards! AND TELL HIM I HIT ON HIS HOT GIRLFRIEND. I think they’re still dating. My intel said they were — [ his voice fades out as the Noir fleet retreats ]

FOUR ♙ Triumph Over the Seas
The thunder of the storm and the blasts of cannons filled the air with deep, resounding booms throughout the battle, but what cuts through the noise is the eruption of roaring cheers from the army that seems to shake the world of Enprise — Blanc has won its first official victory over Noir. The world will know of their triumph. Capablanca celebrates once news reaches the shore; as our Heroes look toward the resort city, they see an entirely different sort of sea — the lights of the city pushing back the night. First in little specks, then in a brilliant flood of color that paints an aurora in the sky: warm, real and bright.

It’s time to go home, Heroes! Or at the very least, back to Capablanca. Dock your ships and then put those sea legs back on dry land. You will be greeted with much enthusiasm from the citizens of the city. Hugs, cheek kisses, more hugs, hand kisses; some even brought pen and paper and are earnestly asking for your autograph. A few forego the paper and make you sign something else entirely. Children swarm in, tugging on uniforms for attention.

The recognition doesn’t end there. As a reward, hotel and resort owners start inviting heroes to stay at their establishments for a few days. For free. Continental breakfast included. Don’t abuse their hospitality or your reputation might suffer. And the freebies don't stop there. Locals also seem to have taken their hero worship to the next level. Small gifts will be given to their favorites. They contain things like pasta, pastries, good luck charms, potions, and even jewelry for Heroes they really like. Someone might even get a “special coupon” for La Coniglietta, a cabaret renowned for its racy shows and voluptuous wererabbit performers and staff.

If you prefer to spend your nights in well-deserved peace and quiet, then you’re always welcome to your new room at the completed Fort Graupera. Time to rest on your laurels, Heroes.

Comments

bye

[rollin]

[ Their second kiss is in the middle of a violent storm and war-torn sea, the sounds of spells and waves crashing against their ships as his lips crash into hers. The faint taste of alcohol rides alongside the same fire, and that's all it takes to open his mouth and take all of her. ]

SLAMS HANDS DOWN

[avantguard]

[ In a way, the second kiss is also born out of necessity. Much less so, much less forced. There are mana potions in storage that would have done the job just as much. If Asuna was in her right mind, she might have gone for those mana potions because she was too shy to tell him to use her for mana.

This Asuna has less inhibitions, too.

Although she can see his face approach, although she's the one that told him to use her, she still makes a sound of surprise once his mouth meets hers. There's a storm outside, but there's a louder one in her chest. Her heart thunders violently but that same warmth she felt in that seedy brothel washes over her like a wave.

This time, Asuna is the one that leans in closer. Her hand moves from his arm to his neck, skin slick with rain and seawater. ]

CROSSES IT OFF THE LIST

[rollin]

[ Through this connection, mana flows, and so does a pleasant feeling that overcomes him as he savors her lips. He knows her body better the second time around, repeating the rough and languid movements that made her hum. But there are things experience hasn't taught him; clueless, unbound hands tentatively hover until they rest on her waist and pull her in, holding her tighter, chest to chest, as he slowly deepens the kiss and forgets what they did this for. ]

DAMN KIDS

[avantguard]

[ This is bad, Asuna thinks. It's bad but it's also good. It's bad because he's making her hum again and it's good for the same reason. She's forgetting why they did this in the first place, too. She had thought it would be chaste but he's grabbing her and tugging her in closer and she can feel their bodies touch at different points and her nerves light up.

Like the brothel, she finds his hair. It's wet and cold against her fingers. Like the brothel, she's interrupted right after. Yata doesn't pull her away, a tremor that rocks the boat does. She breaks the kiss with a gasp and stares at him, breathing harder.

Okay. That was much better than the statue kiss or the brothel kiss. There's a shout of "We've been hit!" that interrupts her thoughts and she looks towards the crew, still fighting. ]

Q-quick. The cannon. Fire the cannon now, Yata-kun.

1/2

[rollin]

[ Electricity—or is that the mana?—seems to run down his spine as her hands are in his hair and he wonders if he should do the same. Could he make her feel like this? Good and weak and nearly out of her mind—

Their lips smack apart and he gasps, trying to remember what it's like to breathe. ]

Oh yeah. Sorry.

[rollin]

[ But he's never felt more alive. ]

Hehe... [ He sports a wider grin as he grabs the cannon and jumps back into action. ] They're gonna pay for that!

[ What, for the boat? Nah. The ball of mana at the barrel grows bigger, hotter, brighter... Almost like the sun. And when it fires? Three red beams in succession blast holes several feet wide through an enemy ship, sinking it in almost an instant.

AND HE FISTPUMPS. EAT SHIT, NOIR. (And don't interrupt his makeout sessions.) ]

[avantguard]

[ He shouldn't apologize to her. He should apologize to the crew, some of which who are staring. Damn. DON'T STARE!!!

Yata seems a lot happier for some reason. Even though their ship has just been SHOT AT. What are they paying for? The ship, probably. Meanwhile, Asuna touches her lips and tries to even her breathing. He pulled her closer... he kissed her harder...

She covers her face, wanting to groan aloud at herself. Why did it stop, why did she want to keep going?? HEAD IN THE GAME, ASUNA. And that shot from the cannon? That's enough to make her stare in wide-eyed wonder at the blast it causes.

Don't interrupt Yata's makeout sessions...

The crew cheers as they see the ship sink, chanting "YATAGARASU", and there aren't that many Noir soldiers left to fight on the SS YOLO either. This battle is starting to come to a close.

She'll help get rid of the remaining Noir though, drawing her sword in an attempt to get her mind off that... really good kiss. ARGH. She vents her frustrations into her sword play, quickly getting rid of like five Noir BYE LEAVE THIS PLACE ]

[rollin]

[ Yata doesn't have the luxury of distraction; he wasted most of his mana on that one shot, so his breathing is also staggered as the fatigue kicks in. So does his embarrassment as he watches Asuna take down whoever is left on their ship. She exhales as she swings her sword, and the lips she took part before he trembles and touches them in awe.

Forget the chants. They kissed. They kissed. And he tries not to make it all he thinks about as they free their ship.

After Asuna defeats all the remaining Noir, Yata approaches her with a now-shy pout and a still-red face. ]

... Hey. Um. G-good job back there.

[avantguard]

[ She's gripping her sword tightly, wishing more Noir would come on board NOW because she wants the distraction and without soldiers now all she can think about is his kiss. It seems to have sobered her up, too. Or maybe it's just because she's concentrating so hard.

The latter, most likely.

Her rapier is being put back in its sheath when Yata reappears, pouting and blushing. It makes her face get a little red, too. ]

You too. [ She offers, as shy as she crosses her arms across her chest. After a moment, she realizes he looks even more tired than how she left him. ]

... Are you alright?

[rollin]

Yeah, I'm fine. [ He furrows his brows as he wipes the rain off his face—or tries to. ] You?

[ She didn't seem like herself. ]

That Noir cast a spell on you...

[avantguard]

[ She's still not 100% but it's more due to the.... kiss... than alcohol spells.

Well, actually, it's a little of that too. ]

Eh? Oh.

[ Vodka spell. ]

I'm fine. [ As she reaches up to hold her head and ends up just pushing her hair out of her eyes. ] Right now, we should focus on winning the ba-

[ Cheers interrupt her and she jolts in surprise, looking around. ]

Wh-what's going on?

leaves

[rollin]

[ Yata's eyes brighten as he realizes what's going on. Even he'd know that cheer anywhere. Facing Asuna once more, he declares with a smile, ]

It's over, Asuna! We won!

[ Then, overjoyed, he pulls her in for a big, warm hug. ]

nO COME BACK

[avantguard]

Eh?

[ They won? They won! Her tense muscles relax and although she wants to ask the damage to the ship, count their soldiers, find out how everyone else is faring

Yata is hugging her, tightly. In front of the crew. ]

Kya!

[ Their cheeks are pressed together and she's BLUSHING but not pushing him away. It's not as strong as the warm sensation of when they kissed, but she's surrounded by a gentle heat with his hug. Everyone else is raising their arms in victory, shouting. ]

We won.

[ Ha. Haha. They can do this, they can win against Noir. And go home...

There's a strange twinge in her chest before she returns Yata's hug and goes a bit limp in his arms, showing just how much she trusts him. ]

Aaah! I'm exhausted!

RUNS BACK TO WITH OPEN ARMS

[rollin]

Me too.

[ Yeah. The crew is smiling. Some even obnoxiously cheer Yata on with whistles and shouts. He can't help but shy away after that, putting some distance between him and Asuna. He did agree to mana exchanging with Asuna alone, but in front of everyone else? It's an idea he'll have to get used to.

Their cheeks touched... If he was braver, should he have gone for another kiss?

No. That's stupid. She's not his girlfriend. GET A HOLD OF YOURSELF, YATA. He's just glad they won. They actually stand a chance against Noir... ]

Um. A-are you staying at Graupera? We could go to Capablanca later... Get something to eat.

CATCHES U AND SPINS AROUND

[avantguard]

[ Asuna too, releases Yata and steps back, straightening her uniform. His cheeks are squishy. She presses a hand to the one that touched his, rubbing it idly while looking away.

There's still cheering but everyone on their boat is talking animatedly with each other for now, boasting about the way they took out two Noir. Asuna took out like ten on this boat and even more on SS ALBATROSS. They're not thinking about the people they lost, just yet. They've won, it wasn't in vain.

Still rubbing her cheek, she finally glances at Yata and his invitation. They're usually Lunch Buddies (on top of exclusive mana friends with benefits ) so she wonders if she's being invited out for dinner. It's late. ]

... Yeah. [ She relaxes, little by little, a small smile and her eyes shining as lights start to appear on the shore as the fog clears. ] Oh, and whoever lost in defeating the most soldiers has to buy.

hehehe

[rollin]

[ From touching his cheek, Yata lifts his hands and holds his head as if he'd just realized something. ]

What!? Oh man, I totally forgot about that. [ Asuna wins either way. His fingers comb through his hair. ] I guess this means we're going to Hamburg Queen...

[ NO FANCY RESTOS FOR DINNER just burgers and fries. Thankfully, the fast food chain has a ton of branches in Blanc alone.

He realizes that he lost, but he doesn't realize that this is practically an invitation to a dinner date. ]

flowers in the bg I MEAN

[avantguard]

[ ... She can guess what that place has. But girls would always go to McDonald's together as a group after school. Not Asuna, really, but she would hear them talk about it. ]

That's fine.

[ First time she's gone with a friend to a burger place. ALL THESE FIRSTS. Actually, she's looking forward to it. ]

As long as you're buying me dinner.

[ She says this quietly so nobody OVERHEARS. Like the crew. They were already doing the obnoxious cheering thing. ACTUALLY, she's going to grab Yata and lead him to a different part of the ship. Where less people are and less staring will happen. ]

also sparkles and shoujo bubbles

[rollin]

[ Wait, what? Before Yata can yell "DINNER!?" he's being dragged to a quieter place where he can hear nothing but his heart.

Shut up, heart. At least she's okay (?) with it. Asuna always seemed like the rich girl type. ]

Um, so. That's what this is, right? [ Then quietly: ] A d-date.

and flowing hair

[avantguard]

[ Now Asuna wants to yell "DATE!?" but she bites her lip. In a normal world, this is a normal procedure when you like someone. Right? Not that she has liked someone before.

You hang out a lot as friends and then if you like them and the person likes you back you start dating. But she's still embarrassed and shy about it she's fifteen. Her first real date. ]

... If you want it to be.

[ Her toe makes a circle on the deck. ]

[rollin]

[ He meant it as one of their platonic friend dates, so he's not sure if Asuna sees it the same way. Especially when she draws circles on the ground like that. He's not too stupid to miss the signs. Maybe, if push comes to shove, she'd tell him she liked him too. But it's all just speculation, of course. He'd rather hear those three words from her.

But he doesn't know if he should say them himself. Yata is seventeen and he doesn't know what to do.

He definitely doesn't want to get his hopes up. ]

Um, like a-as friends, right?

[ And he says something else. ]

Or...

[avantguard]

[ As friends, is that what he meant? She backpedals. For a moment, she stares at her foot. After kissing her and everything else, he wanted to go on a date as a friend? Should she be upset?

She crosses her arms and makes up for the uneven quality of her voice by speaking a little louder. ]

O-of course as friends! One of the platonic friend dates you talked about before.

[ There is nothing platonic about them but if that's what Yata wants...

Even if she wants something else... her hand reaches for her pendant, her scowl aimed at the deck she was just poking with her foot. ]

[rollin]

Oh.

[ His heart drops. ]

Yeah! Pssh. I knew that.

[ God, he's such an idiot. Of course she wants to be friends. She needs that kind of support. He'd be stupid to scare her away with a sudden confession.

...

He eyes the pendant hanging from her neck — a reminder of the fine line they're treading. ]

Need a recharge?

[avantguard]

[ Wait. Wait. Why does she get the feeling now that Yata didn't mean as friends. He meant the "or."

Can she salvage this? Why is he so confusing?! But she has too much pride to take back what she said. Besides, Yata is asking her if she wants to kiss more. ]

Wha─

[ That's what a recharge is for, right? Friends don't kiss like they did by the cannon -- his mouth tugging at hers and his hands pulling her in closer. Lifting her pendant up, she looks at the empty crystal. Back on her own boat, it had saved her and knowing that Yata was helping her without him even realizing made her heart thrash.

It's thrashing now. ]

Yes. Charge me. I-it...

[rollin]

[ This is something they agreed on out of necessity. Out of comfort. To exchange mana with anyone else is out of the question, and to mana exchange any other way won't be out of convenience. They've done it before. It isn't that hard.

Why does he struggle?

He takes a tentative step closer, then leans in, slowly, hesitantly, as if scared of the unknown — a seemingly unfounded fear when they're both so willing. ]

I...

[ He raises his hands, about to pull her close, but decides against it and brings his them back. His nervousness draws out a huge breath as his heart beats like a war drum still beating long after the battle. ]

I-I dunno how to do this right.

[ His mind tends to go places whenever they do. Their kisses were emergencies, never natural, no matter how perfectly their lips seemed to fit. ]

[avantguard]

[ It shouldn't be that hard but they're still new. Every other kiss had been a thing she didn't have time to really think about. It had been fast and had purpose. It made her head spin until she was dizzy. It left her blank-minded but still wanting more. The first time, she didn't understand it.

Now she does.

Asuna inhales quickly when he moves closer but doesn't pull back or push him away. This has purpose too, but it's less necessary. It doesn't have to be now but it is. Just before she can close her eyes, he's speaking. ]

... I don't know either.

[ With Yata, she can admit a lot of things she would keep to herself. He's opened up to her and so she trusts him. Someone she trusts the most. It's quiet back here and Asuna keeps it silent with her whispers. She had seen him try and reach for her and although she hesitates too, grabbing his hand is the easiest thing she's done. ]

But I don't think it has to be.

[ And, taking a deep breath, a new bold Asuna kisses his squishy cheek. Just that fills her crystal with a drop of their mana as she pulls back and looks at the ground, shy. ]