Mosaic City, located along China's coast, is quite large city sometimes called the Crossroads Between Nations due to its diverse population. While it was once a large tourist spot, the city was placed under a blockade as the military appeared claiming there was a radiation leak. The true hazard, however, is much more sinister.
"It's an endearing term, Kid. Besides, wouldn't wanna keep calling them Persona in public and actually catch some weird fanatic's interest in Jung's theory with the whole facet of the inner soul thing. And if you think you don't got the strength, you'd probably want to ask some of the Users to help piggyback you to some strength. It'll give you some experience in facing stronger abominations and you can use the foreknowledge for future battles in the case you have to fight those again."
"I can't exactly ask that since they have their own lives and worries. Besides I've been able to keep up with some shadows..." Granted with a lot of effort. "Besides you can't exactly call that reaper a normal shadow." Ringo said, slowly standing up and scratching the back of his head.
"That, and placing orders over at Laharl's shop. The Smithy knows how to get what you want." Ringo nodded in agreement.
"He's able to craft weapons that can harm shadows and armor that protects you from it...though I am curious as to how he made such things but I can't complain too much about the benefits given to me." Ringo looked over at Vice. He might as well ask out of curiosity since he knows a fair amount. "Do you have an 'imaginary friend'?"
"You could ask some of the more adventurous ones. Or the ones that have a thing for being a hero. Use the whole 'reason for existence' card if you want to get them to do what you want. If you're the type who can't stomach a bit of manipulating, then think of it as a favour for those who can't defend themselves and all that. It should help dull the 'pain' for your type."
Vice suggested. Really, the stronger the people who knew about this and the better the relationships each and everyone else had with the other would just benefit them in the long run. It was admittedly difficult working with people you disliked, or those whose motives you couldn't just quite understand, but communication usually tended to those problems like bugspray for pestilence.
"And unfortunately, no. I'm a Normal so that places me at quite a ways beneath most of the Raiders. In terms of battle ability though, I can probably enter the third stratum on my own and live through a bit of scuffles. Not that I'd risk it without safety nets of course. You kid? Think you've got a good gauge of what you can do?"
"You could ask some of the more adventurous ones. Or the ones that have a thing for being a hero. Use the whole 'reason for existence' card if you want to get them to do what you want." Ringo's eyes slanted at Vice. "If you're the type who can't stomach a bit of manipulating, then think of it as a favour for those who can't defend themselves and all that. It should help dull the 'pain' for your type."
"Sorry but I'm not one for that." A part of Ringo kind of wanted to chug the beer can he just received at him. He knew his teacher would but thankfully she wasn't here. "I am not one to sugar coat matters such as these."
"And unfortunately, no. I'm a Normal so that places me at quite a ways beneath most of the Raiders." Vice said. "In terms of battle ability though, I can probably enter the third stratum on my own and live through a bit of scuffles. Not that I'd risk it without safety nets of course. You kid? Think you've got a good gauge of what you can do?"
"I'm alright...though...' Ringo tilted his head. "What do you mean by third stratum?" If Ringo is correct, a stratum is a language that is influenced by contact. Another definition of stratum he heard is a layer of rock or soil with consistent characteristics. "What areas have you been to by the by?"
"Well, you're that Type I guess. Not my job to tell you how to do shit so whatever."
The older of the commented as he stopped leaning back on his motorcycle and tried his best not to breathe in too deep the scent in the air. It wasn't exactly fresh and he was probably gonna have more luck choking not he smoke than anything else but his lungs did need the set. Rolling his shoulders, a few popping sounds here and there, Vice then pulled out his phone to double check on the time and if he'd received any kind of message on it.
"We've taken to calling the levels of the areas we explore in the area as Stratums. Reasons are there, though that's mostly up for semantics or what have you. In regards to where I've been? Just the usual. Sewers, Buildings, Hospitals, those kinds of things. Even made quite a few maps to try and make sure that I or any of the others wouldn't get lost in a Shadow Nest. Imaginary friend or not, it isn't healthy going out there without information. And you, Kid? Any projects you've got going on?"
Post by Ringo Shiro on Feb 12, 2014 11:23:59 GMT -5
"Well, you're that Type I guess. Not my job to tell you how to do shit so whatever." Ringo is not really understanding this person. Pleasantness wasn't exactly a good descriptor of him, though Ringo can't exactly pass too many judgements on him. Every person has their issues and histories as his teacher would say....before then complaining about some of her coworkers but that was another story.
"We've taken to calling the levels of the areas we explore in the area as Stratums. Reasons are there, though that's mostly up for semantics or what have you." That would be an organized way of going about it. Considering Ringo noticed different shadows can be found in different areas, having a different term for areas of what kind of shadows appeared made sense. "In regards to where I've been? Just the usual. Sewers, Buildings, Hospitals, those kinds of things. Even made quite a few maps to try and make sure that I or any of the others wouldn't get lost in a Shadow Nest. Imaginary friend or not, it isn't healthy going out there without information. And you, Kid? Any projects you've got going on?"
"I'm still investigating the outer areas and figuring something out. A common project among most." Ringo responded. "I myself have only been to the tunnels and the sewers. I hope to at least look into the other areas soon. You said you been to other areas? Mind telling me a thing or two about them." Ringo might as well get some idea about them before going out and explore them himself tomorrow.
When the kid had prompted Vice to see if there was anything else he could tell him, the young man decided to at least humour the kid a bit. Still, he wasn't going to be giving the guy a map to some of the more dangerous areas unless Vice could confirm that he was strong enough to handle it, or at least strong enough to deal the necessary amount of damage so that he could survive an encounter.
"Judging from your current presence…and equipment, you'd be be able to handle yourself well enough on the first stratum of the Building. Mind you, that thing carries with it a lot of fire and physical types when I went in so I'd be careful with flying fire balls and whatnot."
Uncrossing his arms and standing up from his position, Vice then began to walk forward to a slightly more spacious area, spacious enough that the kid would at least be able to swing his sword properly.
"I can't give you the rest of the information though, not unless I can know that you're good enough."
Vice's fingers made a cracking noise as he fisted them to his sides and made his torso open for a strike.
"Now all I need you to do, to have me be convinced that you can handle the gravity of the information, is to hit me right here, smack on the chest, with that sword of yours, with all you've got."
Vice nodded.
"If I can survive flying fireballs to the chest, then I can survive a strike."
Shaking his though, the older of the two made sure to make eye contact with the nest head in front of him.
"If you don't want to…then that's fine. Just know that there's quite a few more areas out there that are filled with monsters that won't hold back against you. So it's only normal you know how to not hold back."
Tapping his foot on the concrete as if he was becoming impatient, Vice asked once more:
Post by Ringo Shiro on Feb 14, 2014 3:51:54 GMT -5
(Wait, Ringo left his chokuto and kotes at home o.o he only has his bouken on him)
"Judging from your current presence…and equipment, you'd be be able to handle yourself well enough on the first stratum of the Building. Mind you, that thing carries with it a lot of fire and physical types when I went in so I'd be careful with flying fire balls and whatnot." When RIngo went in they shot electricity. These things do seem to have a wide variety of powers huh?
"I see... thank you." Ringo began to notice Vice standing up and moving his stance into a fighting one.
"I can't give you the rest of the information though, not unless I can know that you're good enough." Ringo arched an eyebrow. "Now all I need you to do, to have me be convinced that you can handle the gravity of the information, is to hit me right here, smack on the chest, with that sword of yours, with all you've got." Ringo opened his mouth to voice his rejection but the man continued. "If I can survive flying fireballs to the chest, then I can survive a strike."
"If...you say so..." Ringo did not draw his bouken though. His opponent before him was unarmred. It was only courtesy that Ringo did the same. His teacher did teach him a thing or two about hand to hand combat but really the only purpose of it was to strengthen his hands and legs in the case of extended matches.
"If you don't want to…then that's fine. Just know that there's quite a few more areas out there that are filled with monsters that won't hold back against you. So it's only normal you know how to not hold back." Ringo's opponent made a tap of his leg on the concrete. "Are you ready?"
"Sure...I need the information anyhow...I apologize for everything from here on forward!" With that Ringo lunged himself. What he lacks is skill. He can not do things like feints or multiple strikes fast enough without his opponent responding. Thus he has to put everything into speed and power. It was risky, especially since Ringo is putting nearly his all into this strike and doesn't know how well his opponent can fight. But none the less he did ask for this, and Ringo is going to have to oblige him if he is going to get that information.
(Yeah. Hence Vice considered it just be level 1 equipment)
Vice had half a mind to retort something along the lines of 'don't apologise' or something like but instead chose to simply brace himself for the attack. He was going to take it as if it would have been a shadow appropriate for the more dangerous areas to make sure he had a good scale to measure the Kid's attack. He stood his ground, even as the younger student moved towards him with a lunge. The distance between the fist and the target area was quickly decreasing but it was still too slow if this was his main method of attack.
Turning down the instincts of rotating the side of his hand to intercept it at the wrist before twisting it to redirect the force of the attack, Vice simply took the attack head on.
He probably shouldn't have been wearing the armour he had managed to procure from his endeavours on the outside because the attack wasn't enough to really make him feel 'secure' about the younger male's chances of surviving out there. Taking a step back from the blow, Vice breathed out slowly before straightening himself up again. His arms crossing back to their position and the dissatisfied look that he purposely placed on his face was enough of an indicator for his answer.
"That…would most likely get you killed in the other areas, Kid. With that said, I can't safely tell you the information without risking the chance of you actually going there. Maybe…maybe if you got yourself some better equipment from Laharl's Smithy, you can think about it."
Post by Ringo Shiro on Feb 14, 2014 11:39:14 GMT -5
Ringo felt his fist make impact against his opponent. Either he has really tough skin or underneath his clothing armor. Considering what Vice does, it wouldn't be a stretch of the imagination. Not to mention if he was going to those places, he should've been able to do something about Ringo's strike. He wasn't good enough. Ringo stood back as Vice straighten himself, a look of dissatisfaction on his face.
"That…would most likely get you killed in the other areas, Kid." Ringo looked at his fist and then unclenched it and waved it a bit to give it some air. "With that said, I can't safely tell you the information without risking the chance of you actually going there. Maybe…maybe if you got yourself some better equipment from Laharl's Smithy, you can think about it."
"You're surprisingly unclear..." Not too long ago this man was suggesting manipulation of others. "...but I will consider it when I can get the opportunity." Ringo turned back and walked over to pick up his bags.
"I already gave you a few suggestions, but you decided to do things your way."
Vice rolled his shoulders in a manner that could have been taken as indifference to the situation.
"Really, aside from that all the other options you've got left is training and getting better used to the conditions outside. School, work, family, those things are important too but time is a luxury we barely have at this point."
The red eyed biker said, his voice notably more seasoned than before. It wasn't much, but he was placing some stock in the situation finally.
"Get hurt, hurt them, get hurt again. Only way we can get used to this."
With his part said, the civilian decided to move on over to his bike as well. Might as well go home if nothing better is gonna come out of this.
"If that doesn't sit right with you, then at least make friends with the others. Let them know that you've got their back if they ever need it."
Post by Ringo Shiro on Feb 17, 2014 11:24:17 GMT -5
"I already gave you a few suggestions, but you decided to do things your way." Ringo is honestly starting to have conflicting opinions about this individual. "Really, aside from that all the other options you've got left is training and getting better used to the conditions outside. School, work, family, those things are important too but time is a luxury we barely have at this point." Considering the recent reaper attack, he has a point. There is nothing stopping from what happened on that full moon from repeating once more.
"Get hurt, hurt them, get hurt again. Only way we can get used to this." Ringo was a touch shocked when he heard this. "If that doesn't sit right with you, then at least make friends with the others. Let them know that you've got their back if they ever need it." The man said as he walked over to his bike. Ringo was now even more conflicted on his opinion of this person.
"Sure...thank you for the advice." Ringo started to pick up his bags and started to head home himself. At least he found an ally of sorts even if he doesn't agree with everything he says.
With those words offered to the younger of the two, Vice had revved up the engine and the roars of the machine could once be heard. It even placed a small smile on the biker's face before he placed on his helmet. Properly getting on his vehicle, the young man gave the retreating back of the kid one last time.
He shook his head. Everyone has a chance, and even if they didn't it wasn't a reason to not want to get stronger. Revving the engine again, and shifting, the man then began to push his motorcycle around before firing through the exit and into the near empty streets of the city.