intro ♚ september

[boardmaster]

WELCOME TO Grantebrycge

We’ve all had those dreams: you wake up on a table, to blurry, ominous images and the certainty that you are absolutely buck-naked in a room full of strangers. This is not quite it.

Instead, you come awake to the sun on your face. The soft burble of water nearby. The hustle and bustle of a busy street and the faint, fortifying smell of bread. You open your eyes and there’s no one there at your bedside, but there is what appears to be the end of the world happening just beyond your window.

There’s a crack in the world across the sky, the “sun” is the totally unnatural light spilling from that crack straight into your eyes, and someone’s left a neatly pressed and folded uniform at the foot of the bed that isn’t yours. Somewhere in the room, there’s a strange clatter like beads, the click of claws on the floor.

Something’s in here with you.

Also, you are naked.

ONE ♟ Video Killed The Radio Star

Rise and shine, Heroes. It seems that today is filled with good fortune as the morning is very uneventful, aside from the monthly arrival of new comrades. This is the perfect time to grab your weapon, Carrier and uniform and use your time to look around Caissa. While exploring or catching up on the latest gossip, you might blow past the delivery carriages outside of the Hall of Glory, but you certainly won’t be missing the steampunk televisions and vending machines which will be set up around noon time by your lovely maids and butlers! The TVs are placed in every single bedroom as well as leisure rooms so you can enjoy your daily fix of popular cooking show Inferno Kitchen, primetime Cheoksan drama Summer Cantata or the Gammonian hit series Sport of Crowns! The vending machines can be found in the hallways and contain snacks and drinks such as canned mackin’ cheese (or as Noirs like to call it, Lovekraft Supper), Pooky, Cpt. Pepperoni, Mountin' Do, or Eight Up. You are free to come up with your own TV show or vending machine food items.

Thierry Toussaint My dearest Heroes! I hope today finds you well, and for once I bring good news! [ he laughs a little sheepishly. he’s dressed less formally than in previous somber declarations and his hair looks windblown, like he ran here ] As you well know, our recent victories and mostly importantly, a successful alliance with Gammon has brought no small amount of blessings: we have more resources, better manpower, and the invaluable help of our Gammonian colleagues not just in war, but also in advancing our civilization! And so it is my pleasure to unveil our new and improved broadcast technology— [ a pause, where he winks ] —do I look clearer to you? It’s a little harder to tell from this end, I’m afraid. You’ll be able to receive better, brighter and more varied content from our country’s talented producers. Oh… [ another, longer pause. teddy looks offscreen and then laughs ] I’m not getting paid for this, I promise. I don’t need any other motivation to be excited for my country, do I? In addition to the television programs, we will be helping with the release of newly developed vending machine technology that brings fresh and healthy snacks to the streets of our capital, and hopefully, beyond. It would be nice to have one for my office. I’ve mentioned our Gammonian friends, haven’t I? And I’ve saved the best for last: as a token of the friendship between our countries and all that we can do for each other, Gammon has assisted us in completing Platform 40— … 42 and 5/8ths, an instantaneous portal between our very own Caissa and Cochrane. I look forward to even more cultural and commercial exchange from all the way across the Rokirovka Ocean! And ah, speaking of exchange—the Platform has been completed just in time for you, dear Heroes. Gammon has actually extended another invitation to you: as national and international icons and users of magic, they would like you to visit their school of magecraft, Pigeonsblood, in Grant— Grant… [ … ] You will be able to reach the school easily through the Platform! Pigeonsblood’s Headmaster has assured me that you would be a great inspiration to their incoming class of aspiring mages; I urge you to take advantage of this opportunity. Gammon’s knowledge and mastery of magic, as you may have seen during your previous visits, is nothing to take lightly! And if you like what you see, I’m told Gammon would be happy to sponsor classes for Heroes at the school. I’m sure they want to keep the inspiration flowing, hm? Thank you once again, all of you, for making such wonderful things possible. I’m sure your achievements will continue to open doors, both metaphorically and literally, for Blanc and for yourselves.

Meet up with your chums, old and new, and head over to Caissa’s train station. Once there, locating the Platform 42 and 5/8ths is an easy feat. There are two guards standing watch and they will stop curious civilians from sneaking past them. They will only let Heroes use the Platform and as such require proof of identification. A Hero’s uniform, rank badge or a passport identifying yourself as such should do the trick. As the platform functions as one of Gammon’s checkpoints, you will need to pay a small fee of 200 colle to pass. Should you be a new arrival, the Prime Minister will suddenly show up and pay the fee.

Where’s the portal, you might ask? Take a deep breath, walk through the wall between the guards and you’ll find yourself in Cochrane! Heroes might experience some sudden vertigo or a near insatiable hunger for pork. Very minor side effects vary from person to person.

In order to reach Grantebrycge, Heroes must travel from Cochrane to Friedgood and then a little ways further. They are free to make this journey by foot, mount or train. Directions to Grantebrycge are vague but you can’t miss the landmark of the Great Face Cliff, a monument depicting the faces of the towns’s founding members. Poobin and Cemron seem especially stern as they glare down at anyone who dares to visit.

TWO ♟ Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!

Upon entering Grantebrycge, Heroes will be immediately be ambushed by swarms of eager students from Pigeonsblood’s welcoming committee. This committee consists of upperclassmen from each of the Four Branches - Achroite, Prehnite, Bixbite, and Citrine, and they are dressed in uniforms in their Branch color (pictured here in the Bixbite red). Officially, they’re here to help you learn more about Pigeonsblood, give you a tour of the campus, and show you what each Branch can offer you so that you can make an educated decision about which to enroll in. Unofficially, they’re there to try to talk you into enrolling into their particular Branch and some will ramble on about how their Branch is the best while others fight amongst each other to try to get your attention.

Once the tour is finished, the committee will lead Heroes to the administration building. There, they’ll part with you to attend to other duties, leaving you with a reminder to head to the center plaza in an hour for the freshman orientation party. Heroes can enroll in classes if they so choose and have made a decision as to which Branch is the best for them. It’s recommended as it’s free, courtesy of Gammon. If they enroll in classes, they will receive their class schedule, a permit for a uniform, and a key to their dorm room. Head to the university shops later to have them take your measurements!

NOTE: The rooming and class schedule are up to player discretion. If there is an official mission the professors will allow an absence - Heroes can’t save the world if they’re worrying about their GPA, after all!

For those who choose to not enroll in Pigeonsblood, they can explore the campus some more, but either way make sure to head down to the central plaza before the party!

THREE ♟ The Part Where They Rope You in with Free Food

Stepping into the center plaza puts you in the middle of excited back-to-school buzz. Several event booths line the plaza, all eager to get your attention. Some will try to recruit you to their school club. Others are simply there to provide information, such as maps of the school and information about the Four Branches. Still others get even more specific, headed by banners marked “THE TOTAL IDIOT'S GUIDE TO A SUCCESSFUL ACADEMY LIFE” and “GUIDE TO HAPPINESS: HOW TO NOT DIE DURING EXAMS”. A few generous booths will provide you with free food like “Splotted Richard” or “Bangers and Mash” to fill your tummy, as well as school merchandise, such as Branch-specific pens, face paint, flyswatters, and other bits of merchandise.

If those don't get your attention, the freshmen running your way definitely will. They're beyond excited to see a Hero among their ranks, and approach you eagerly, yelling things such as, “Did you enroll? Let's do our best together!”, “You're my inspiration! I hope we're classmates!” and “Please let me know if you need a tutor! I wouldn't mind…” Thankfully, their enthusiasm is brought to a stop by the welcoming committee, who make their way to the center plaza and hush the excited freshmen. After a heartwarming speech about youth and school spirit, the committee flashes their new classmates a bright smile and finishes with: “And now, it's time for some fun!”

What do they mean by fun? The freshmen are more than eager to demonstrate! Aside from the fun offered at the various booths, there are many magic games to partake in. There's “Splash Tag,” where players must use water magic in lieu of touch to play tag, “Air Races,” in which racers use psionic, gravity, or wind magic to boost their movement, “Hot Potato,” in which the temperature of the potato is increased with each pass until it explodes on the loser, and Illusion-based Pictionary.

A few steps away from the commotion, near where the welcoming committee made their speech, is a tall bulletin board. Various flyers are posted here-- club announcements, dating ads, tutoring offers, and of course, Pigeonsblood help wanted ads.

INFO ♟ Welcome!

Welcome to Crosscheck's Month intro log! For any further questions, please see the FAQ or reach us at the Contact Us page. Have fun!

Remember to check out the uniform contest for ranked Heroes!

Comments

Ichigo Kurosaki | Bleach

[moonfangs]

A: Magical Weapons & You

[Soon after getting his weapon and carrier, and with Bearit following along on his heels, Ichigo is still quite frustrated by the lack of answers anyone has for him, the fact that he's stuck here with no apparent way out, and probably most of all, the fact that he's completely powerless and practically disarmed. After tasting what it's like to have superhuman abilities, he's feeling almost naked without being able to sense anything, without being able to flash step or move any faster than a normal person, and especially without Zangetsu. He and his reforged blade hadn't had much time together, but it's part of his soul.

And this gaudy hilt he's got tucked in his belt definitely isn't part of anything. Still, it seems to be his only weapon here, and the old man that pointed it out to him did say it's a legendary sword with fantastic potential. He'd also mentioned something about mana being necessary to unlock its true potential, but he never actually said what this mana crap is or how to make it work.

Finding out how to use this dumb thing is the one problem that Ichigo figures he can deal with right here, right now, and he's got to start somewhere, so once he's outside and away from the crowds near the Hall of Glory, he draws the hilt and holds it tight with both hands.]

So, how's this work? [He furrows his brow and gives the weapon a shake.] Do I have to say a trigger phrase or something? What did the old man say...?

[He tilts it all around, inspects every inch of the thing from every angle he think of, and when all else fails, turns it around and starts smacking it from the pommel end.]

C'mon, you piece of crap, do something!

B: TV Party Tonight

...What the hell did any of that mean?

[Standing by a wall in one of the leisure rooms, Ichigo has been making a face at the TV all through the awkward guy's presidential address to the nation or whatever that was. He said a lot of things, plenty of very important sounding things even, but practically not a word of it actually means anything to Ichigo. It's like he was dropped right into the middle of a story with no clue what's happened up until now, and he's being expected to just run with it and go with the flow.

Nevermind that that's literally what did happen, he's irritated and folding his arms nice and tight over his chest while making a nasty face to make sure everyone around knows it. If they're gonna draft people from other universes to fight in their wars, the least these people could do would be to give them primers on what the hell's going on.

...Or maybe they already do that and he's just missed them?]

C: Hail to the King, Baby

S-stop! Hold on, keep your hands to yourself- who did that?

[Traveling through portals really isn't something Ichigo does lightly, but when he's told what's on the other side is a school, he can't stop himself from going over. Schools mean books, books mean information, or at least people in charge he can talk to about this whole hero situation. The lack of knowledge he has about this whole world is still troubling him, so the more he can learn, the better.

What he doesn't anticipate is being mobbed by eager students on the other side. The various welcome committees are busy with other people that have just traveled through the gate, leaving him to suffer the brunt of a whole gaggle of students eager to get a look at a hero, no small few that want to get a touch of his uniform and weapon, and a few that just want to touch him.

And, of course, Bearit has his own fans. He's loving the attention, all the people cooing over how cute he is, and the hands petting his fuzzy fur, very unlike his struggling, flailing master.]

idiots with swords part one!

[likethelight]

[ Feeling naked and lacking one of his senses?

Missing the sword that's a part of his soul?

Stuck with some stupid not-quite-sword that doesn't seem to want do anything swordlike at all?

...

Yeah Allen can actually relate. Which is why the Rook pauses slightly at the noisy outburst from the... ah. Really, it'd be impossible to miss Ichigo. Sight or sound of him. Especially when the guy starts beating up his own weapon. Ah. Hm. (Maybe Allen should just leave the irritated fellow to his angry monologue...) ]

...Perhaps if you tried to focus on synchronizing with it. [ Except he's too much of a humanitarian for his own good. Hello.

He'll even point helpfully to the hilt. ]

Presuming that's the weapon they've given you, that is. [ Noting the stranger's new sort of appearance and the badge of a Pawn he's wearing at least. ]

one of infinity thousand billion

[moonfangs]

[Really, Ichigo knows that smacking his sword like he's trying to get the dregs out of a bottom of ketchup won't accomplish anything, but it sure feels good. This thing has some really big shoes (or... sheaths?) to fill, and so far it isn't accomplishing jack squat.

Of course, his theatrics are attracting attention, even if he isn't trying to draw it on purpose. He spares a glance toward the guy talking to him, glares one more time at this stupid hilt, then heaves an annoyed, grouchy sigh.]

Yeah, they give this to me. Said it's supposed to be some legendary sword or some crap like that, am I supposed to go on a quest to find the actually useful part or something?

[Wait, what's that he said?]

What's synchronizing supposed to mean in this situation? Do I need to line my reiatsu up with it or something?

[That just makes him look more grumpy, if that's even possible, because he's so conveniently cut off from his spiritual power altogether. If this thing gets fueled by his soul, he's really up a creek without a paddle now.]

1/2

[likethelight]

[ Quests? People talk like that? ]

'Reiatsu?' [ Erm. ]

I don't know about that, but... some of these weapons are a little particular. [ And he could go into a long explanation on mana and all that, but... honestly, he doesn't find it terribly useful or important and just wings it on gut instinct for the most part.

So he'll step forward and come alongside Ichigo, indicating his weapon with a helpful offhand gesture of his (white) gloved right hand. ]

But the way I find that helps me... is to think about it like each weapon has its own power. Its own soul, if you will. And to have it recognize you so you can use it... you have to relinquish a little bit of your own into it. Synchronize your own soul with it

[ But Allen smiles a bit at that. Lightly, and with an almost veiled sort of dismissive gentleness, shrugging his shoulders for a second. ]

At least that's how I understand it from my world.

But if it recognizes your will—your mana...

[ Fingers fanning wide to the side for a second, he clenches his gloved right hand in a grip and—conduit—a brilliant white light shoots out and begins to form a blade, the handle already in his hand from the power stitched into the glove. A very large blade, almost more plank than sword, forming of his own (holy) mana, that shimmers after a moments and is cloaked in the illusion of a glossy white sword.

And it lights up the space around them. The essence of himself distilling into swordform and making the air hum with its energy. ]

...it'll respond.

2/2

[likethelight]

Although..

[ Shouldering the... one can't even really call it a broadsword, because it's half like a shield as it's as broad as Allen is and nearly as tall, but he shoulders the luminescent manablade lightly nonetheless and shrugs a little with a blase kind of smile. ]

To be honest some of them can be pretty weird regardless. I think the weaponmaster favors the ironic.

Ain't no party like a TV Party

[youknowshesgone]

Hmm... sounded like lies, political double speak, misleading remarks, and promises with no basis in reality.

*Don't mind this blonde listening over from the corner watching. She was still in her 'uniform' but she had every intention of changing that ASAP, she just didn't want to deal with her roommates right now.*

So what usually ends up on TV. Here or anywhere else.

[moonfangs]

[He doesn't immediately reply to that in words, so much. Just an irritated sound somewhere between a grumble and a grunt. All these people look so normal, just like he used to be once upon a time, and they're all supposed to be saving a world with nothing to go on but a bunch of political crap? Seriously?]

Can't argue with that. He said a whole lot, but I don't understand hardly a damned thing coming out of his mouth. [Not that he paid much attention to politics and politicians back home, that's somewhere near the bottom of his priority list right now.] What's all this got to do with us being heroes and saving the world? We don't have time to go to school!

[youknowshesgone]

*Willa likes him, he's straightforward and properly angry at all this crap. Well, likes him enough, anyway. He hasn't annoyed her.*

Probably a political thing? Us going there probably ups his status. Either we're going to end up doing something else while we're at the school, or us just being there means something.

*It was another thing to look out for being there. What the hell did sending us there doing for Caissa, and for the blowhard in charge.*

a

[oneregret]

[Well, even if Mikael's more of the silent and wondering type, he has the same questions as Ichigo. The same frustration as well. His sword looks like any normal sword, even if the vines spreading all over from the hilt are an unusual design choice. His swinging it around earlier has told him nothing.

So, he approaches this loud guy now, holding up his own sword in something of an offering as he faces him.]

If you want to find out, why don't we try them? [Hello stranger, fight him]

[moonfangs]

[Lucky guy, he's got a sword that's actually a sword. After seeing all the bizarre weapons he's seen, the vines don't even faze Ichigo. He spares only a glance at first at the swinging sword, right until he's approached and spoken to.

...Crap.]

Try them? Do I look like I'm up for a fight? [Right now, he's armed with a sword hilt and a slightly concerned expression, and while it sadly wouldn't be the first time he'd fought with basically the ass-end of a sword, it didn't count last time. He stops smacking his sword and lets his arms hang at his side, looking the other guy down warily.]

Is there a trick to these things I missed somewhere?

[oneregret]

Beats me.

[He thinks the hilt thing is kind of funny. But it's definitely meant to be a sword, right? He raises his own sword just to tap the flat end of it to his other palm.] Maybe if I swing at you it'll appear.

[You sure you don't wanna try???]

C

[showsnopiety]

[Now, Caren couldn't help but notice the flailing about. It was kind of like watching someone drown in the ocean, what with the way that Ichigo was mucking about.

Silly man. Maybe Bearit is doing well, but Ichigo looks like he's about to explode, in Caren's eyes. From embarrassment, mostly. So she watches for a few more seconds to see how he fares, before she wades in, and grabs him by the wrist to pull him gently out of the mob.]

Excuse us. Important Hero business; I need to speak with my comrade in privacy.

[Or so she says as she pulls him away from the others. She's stronger then she looks, for all she's tiny and delicate. But whether Ichigo will go along with it, or yank away-that's up to him.]

[moonfangs]

[About to explode is a good way to put it. He's never handled this kind of thing well, his face is all kinds of red and shouty-looking, which makes sense since he's shouting and everything. There's no way he can just start elbowing and bodychecking these people, most of them are just kids, and several are, gasp, girls. His secret weakness.

So, it's probably understandable that he resists when someone grabs his wrist and starts pulling, at least until he manages to twist his head around and see she's dressed like he is. Whoever she is, she's in the same boat he is, and that's all he needs to see.]

Yeah, back off! We're heroes, we've got lives to save and... and yeah!

[Not all of them are cowed, but enough opt to let him go that the two of them can start to get away, one step at a time, while the truly dedicated hangers-on keep on babbling their questions. Whoever this girl is, she's his hero right now, just so long as this escape attempt doesn't quickly go south.]

[showsnopiety]

[Wow Ichigo, you sure showed them. But Caren, while she's a girl, she's also a hero. And she's trying to help him too. At least he wasn't being carried. She could do that.

Or accidentally dislocating something.]

Dungeon concerns. If you have any questions, direct it to Gilgamesh, Jae-Ha, or Bolin.

[She points.]

They're over there.

[And while they look away, she walks faster, dragging Ichigo along. After a moment, she glances over her shoulder to check on him.]

You get used to it. Be glad you weren't exposed to hero underwear or porn.

Have you tried turning it off and turning it back on again?

[rememberher]

[ Her training schedule was in absolute shambles, between her erratic sleep schedule and the change of weapons. Lux hadn't expected a smooth transition but, her right hand wrapped in tape to keep from further injuring it, wielding a sword (even a training sword) rather than a staff was quite different.

And so, making her way out toward the afternoon, she had a front row seat to...

What was he doing? Was he yelling at his weapon? Oh dear.

Walking over, the slight blond smiled somewhat apologetically. ]

I don't think being rough with it will help...

Like thirty times!

[moonfangs]

[Yelling at things and hitting them are the only things Ichigo knows, dammit! And to be fair, it's been pretty effective so far, so forgive him if he's trying his best to keep up the streak.

He stops smacking the pommel mid-hit and pauses to glance toward the girl that's trying to get his attention. Grumbling, he lets his sword hand drop and dangle at his side while he reaches up to irritably scratch at his head.]

I'm all out of other ideas. If you've got a better one, I'm all ears.

oh well then I think you're out of luck :c

[rememberher]

[ That much is quite obvious! But give her the benefit of the doubt her, she's a thinky one, this girl, so yelling at something to JUST FUCKING WORK ALREADY isn't part of her lexicon. ]

Have you tried channeling your mana through it, maybe?

[ As if that were the most natural of ideas here. Whoops.

She should probably clarify. ]

Mana is a force that flows through all of us. Think of it... Think of it almost like an embodiment of your soul. You focus it through an object, and—

[ Holding her left hand in front of her, the crystal-filled bracelet on her arm begins to glow faintly. ]

Your weapon will respond. If it's that kind of weapon, that is.

video killed the 1,621,378,192 chapter shonen jump series

[acknowledges]

[It's not like he has any particularly hard feelings towards the Prime Minister. Up until recently he's just sort of been there saying things before or after they go off to fight, either trying to ramp up their energy or giving some kind of vague summary after the fact. His only practical experience with the guy was when he'd given out a bunch of presents to all of them a little while ago, when Naruto had gone from bright enthusiasm for what is still a kitchen full of ramen- to discovering just how much of a pervert Thierry really is.

Still, there are plenty of changes happening around them (he'd almost walked into a vending machine out in the lobby this morning!) and that's reason enough for him to stand still and watch the address. His arms are folded over his chest, making them equally confused parallels squinting at the screen.]

I think he's sayin' he got a tv and he thinks we're dumb'attebayo.

at least SOME OF US got a finished anime

[moonfangs]

[Dumba-what? Ichigo turns his head to glance over at the guy with the whisker cheeks making weird comments like he'd just said something strange (because he did just do that), but winds up shrugging and focusing back on the TV after just a second.]

Sounds about right. How about giving us some info on who he is, or what he wants from us? What about how we're supposed to get done with all of this crap altogether and get back to what we're supposed to be doing, back home?

C

[penitents]

[ This time, Sasuke is expecting this kind of behaviour from the locals. The best way to avoid them is to look busy and important, and while the latter comes with being classed a hero, the former has become Sasuke's key to avoiding the unwanted attention. It doesn't always work, he'd still needed to be rescued by Jae-ha the other day— but he blames most of that on being mobbed early in the morning on his way to get tea. If Jae-ha hadn't arrived, Sasuke doesn't like to think how it might have ended when he ran out of patience.

He considers, on his approach, walking right by this guy. It would mean less attention on himself, after all, but he remembers Jae-ha again and regards the suffocated expression on the other Hero's face and sighs to himself as he makes up his mind. The massive hawk on his shoulder shuffles her great wings as he approaches, and having chosen to forgo the Hero uniform for his own black attire, Sasuke is a bit of an intimidating, one-armed figure when he says clearly and firmly: ]

Excuse me.

[ There are a few stuttered gasps as a couple of the students recognize who he is, the rest of them falling silent before whispering to their friends and shuffling aside to make space for this unexpected visitor. The only ones unaffected seem to be those cooing over Bearit. ]

[moonfangs]

If anyone grabs my ass again I'm gonna- ...huh?

[Wow, something sure spooked them. Ichigo pauses mid-flail and slowly lowers his hands as he follows the awed gazes of the students that were formerly violating his privacy. What he finds is... a guy. Just a guy, albeit one with any admittedly imposing look about him. The black outfit, missing arm, and stern expression are all the kinds of things that might impress someone, but not to this degree, not all by themselves.

Clearly, Ichigo's got some kind of big shot on his hands, here. This guy must have a reputation. And now he's going to use the awe of the kids to try to slip through the crowd toward him, one step and gentle nudge at a time.]

We've, uh, we've got some official hero business to take care of, so all you guys just... go back and study, already!

[When in doubt, bullshit and hope for the best.]

kojirou heard swords and here he is

[hiryugaeshi]

A sword with no blade, how fascinating.

[ Kojirou looks over Ichigo's shoulder at the hilt he's smacking about, rubbing his chin with his right hand as though deep in thought. ]

To cut with no blade, or perhaps with a blade that cannot be seen? That would require a rather high level of martial artistry.

[ A blade with no blade! He's treating this like a zen riddle for some reason. ]

sword sword swordity sword

[moonfangs]

Eh?

[Oh, hello random dude. Be careful getting into his privacy bubble, he might get even more pissy than he already is.]

The hell are you talking about? There's nothing there, this piece of crap's useless.

[Look, he's waving his hand where the blade should be. Nothing, zilcho, bupkis! It's clearly broken.]

If they're going to give me nothing but this, I'll just fight barehanded.

b - because i love that song and hello, roomie

[gwenhwyfar]

[ She wasn't prone to staying in the proper room most of the time. There was barely a need for sleep and having a large meal in the dining hall was enough to keep the terrible hunger at arm's length that she didn't have to worry about interacting with heroes and locals. She didn't usually stay in the leisure rooms that long, too, but hearing the broadcast regarding Gammon was enough to get her to stop and listen.

She never sat in any of the chairs, she stood there rigidly, listening intently, only catching interest when they mentioned a "magecraft" school. It wasn't as if political alliances lasted that long in her homeworld and overall, she was too cynical to think that the one with Gammon would last. Still, Teddy seemed pretty excited, didn't he? ]

He's speaking of the last battle we fought against Noir in Gammon.

[ Regina supposed she was gracious enough to answer that question. ]

It appears Gammon would like to open their doors to us so that we may expand our skills with magic if we choose to. The rest of it's nonsense, really, but gaining another ally against Noir means something.

we'll pass out on the couch, awwright

[moonfangs]

[He twists his upper body some to get a look at the woman that speaks up, then shrugs noncommittally and reaches up to scratch at the back of his neck. Aside from the names, he more or less gathered most of that, but it's still all kinds of frustrating being dropped right into the middle of a war that isn't any of his business and being told to fend for himself, figure it out, and do what he does without much of any preamble.]

Gammon, Noir, when was I supposed to learn about any of this? Did that metal bird give me the heads up and I just missed it?