>>1101551
Memories of the war flash through your dreams like an old film reel. After holding the line against Principality war machines as well as defeating the Warhammer wielding Scintillan Knight, your squad was suddenly sent back to the capital city of the Duchy to receive new orders.

You remember when the news of the Knights forgoing their passive roles as peacekeepers, and taking more active measures in preventing the conflict from raging. Almost immediately, posters, films, and other media were made to scrutinize and question the legitimacy of the Scintillan Knights. Some vocal people went marching in the streets, while others went to their recruitment officer.

You find yourself….

>Reading a newspaper
>Shopping for groceries
>In a flight simulator

>>1101572
>Reading a newspaper

>>1101572

>Reading a newspaper

>>1101551
>>Reading a newspaper

>>1101572

Votes counted.
Writing now.

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>>1101572

You find yourself reading a newspaper at an outdoor seating area in the capital. It had only been around a week since the machine soldiers made their debut, and now everyone is calling them, “Vantablacks” or the like for their black smoke. Aside from news from recent skirmishes was the typical war time propaganda, recruitment ads, and political comics.

Taking a sip from your morning coffee, you almost feel your face turning green since most of the civilian population had to replace some of their quality ingredients with whatever else they can find. Thank god you didn’t eat any of the bread here. Potato flour, wheat alternatives, even sawdust probably made up of more than fifty percent of all the bread in this city, you bet.

Gwyn’s finger enters your view as she points to a picture on the page you’re reading.

“So do you actually believe that the Princess is still on the island, or is she actually driving trucks?

Your eyes scan over the picture of greyscale portrait of the princess in a driver’s uniform with large bold words captioning it.

PRINCESS VIOLETTE IS DOING HER DUTY. ARE YOU?

>“I bet she’s in some safehouse underground.”
>“Probably hiding somewhere on the mainland.”
>“Yeah, I think she is.”
>Other

>>1101838
>“I bet she’s in some safehouse underground.”

>>1101838
"Who knows? If I knew, I'd be having better coffee."

>>1101838
Supporting >>1101929

>>1101838
Writing

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>>1101838
“Who knows,” you shrug, “if I knew, I’d be drinking better coffee.”

Gwyn smirks, “I can drink to that!” She puts at least five sugar packs into her coffee before quickly downing the brew.

You get out of your seat, leaving your unfinished ‘coffee’, or whatever the hell they gave you to drink before heading out to the market square. If you remembered correctly, Jager and Ferron were out getting groceries.

The walk to the market was hectic as the noise of horse drawn carriages echoed throughout the city streets, town criers shouting about how everyone had to ration food, and soldiers on leave occupying the various establishments.

That’s when you hear her.

You turn around and see her, the charging at you, screaming your name!

“NEMO!”

>Accept your fate
>Dodge
>Catch her
>Other

>>1102152
>Accept your fate

>>1102152
>Accept your fate

>>1102152
>>Accept your fate

>>1102152
Writing now.

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>>1102152
Was this your destiny? To be the toy of forces much greater than yourself? With a small breath of air, you resign yourself to your fate.

Landing hard on your back, your little assailant’s arms coil around your waist.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9RE3WYa6fk

“Alright, Lex. Fun time’s over.” As you ruffle her short hair before Gwyn helps you back onto your feet.

“Nemo, I was so worried! I heard about the battle, are you okay? I knew I should’ve given you a good luck charm-” Lexine quickly spews the words from her mouth, “And it’s Vagabond!”

Placing a reassuring hand on her head, you calm her down, “Don’t worry, L-Vagabond. When you worry us, we worry about you. As long as we’re out there together, everything will be fine.”

>“Have you seen Ferron or Jaeger around here?”
>“So what’s the news on the homefront?”
>“How are you doing?”
>Other

>>1102401
>“Have you seen Ferron or Jaeger around here?”

>>1102401
>>“Have you seen Ferron or Jaeger around here?”

>>1102401
Writing

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>>1102401
“Have you seen Ferron or Jaeger around here?” You ask, “They were out getting groceries.”

Lex holds a hand to her chin before a spark flashes through her eyes as she remembers.

“I saw them at the bakery a few minutes ago. Follow me, I know a shortcut!”

You barely had the time to tell her to slow down before she runs off.

“She sure has a lot of energy for a kid growing up in a city where you can’t get any actual meat.” Gwyn comments sadly, “How long has she been hanging out with us? One, two months?”


“Kids will always find their own little grains of happiness even in the worst situation. It’s the only thing keeping them together.” You start to follow after Lex.

“Let’s keep it that way, then.”

---

The two of you weave through the graffiti covered alleys before you come upon screaming and yelling. Turning the corner you find a ragged, knife wielding man pinning Lex to a wall.

“Gimme your cash, or I’ll gut you, you little rat! I know you’re hiding it!”

As you draw your gun, you notice Gwyn’s face growing into a frown. Script and text of an unknown language slowly surrounds her as her eyes begin to glow ever so slightly.

>“Let her go, NOW.”
>Let Gwyn deal with him.
> Shoot him
>Other

>>1102747
>Let Gwyn deal with him.
We've got her back.

>>1102747
>Let Gwyn deal with him.

>>1102747
>>Let Gwyn deal with him.

>>1102747
>Shoot him

>>1102747
Writing

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>>1102747
Checking the corners of alley before training your sights upon the man, you cover Gwyn’s steady approach.

To say that Gwyn was a good Dust user would be an understatement. As one of the best users in Aegis Shroud, she was always rather…’terrifying’ in her usage.

Closely approaching the armed man from behind, the script orbiting around her began heating everything that they touched from the brick walls, the garbage cans, and even the knife the man was holding.

Securing his knife hand before grappling him from behind, Gwyn’s hand touched the knife. Slowly turning it red hot making the man drop the blade as he screamed, his palm and fingers suffering from first degree burns. With the main threat dealt with, she tumbles backwards, tossing the man towards you.

>Sidestep out of the way
>Get a hit in
>Soften his landing
>Other

>>1103038
>>Sidestep out of the way

>>1103038
>Sidestep out of the way

>>1103038
>Sidestep out of the way

>>1103038
Writing now

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>>1103038
With a mere step to the side, the mugger flies across the alley, and lands in a garbage can. You check to see if he’s ready for more, only to find him unconscious.

Gwyn leads Lex out of the alley, lecturing her about making shortcuts while you make sure nobody else was opportunistic for another go. You swear that crime was getting worse the longer rationing was in effect.

-

The bakery was completely devoid of any actual bread when you caught up with Ferron and Jaeger. Jaeger in his usual proud manner lectured about how his superior Hunter training would’ve made sure that the streets were safe as Gwyn and Lex continued to pretend to listen to his ramble. It did help that he was still wearing his gas mask, otherwise his voice would be much louder.

Ferron quietly watches as they went about their business. It had been only a week, or so since she got a prosthetic arm, and she hasn’t really said much since then.

Maybe she needed cheering up the only way you know how?

>Just let her stew
>Ruffle her hair
>Try and make a joke
>Other

>>1103348
>Ruffle her hair

>>1103348
>>Ruffle her hair

>>1103348
>Try and make a joke.
What did the fish say when it swam into a wall? Dam!

>>1103348
>>Ruffle her hair

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>>1103348
Writing

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>>1103348
You put your hand onto her head and start ruffling her hair, snapping out of her trance.

“Huh? Hey!” she moves your hand away with her prosthetic, “What’s that for?”

“A lady is beautiful when she smiles.” You smile.

Ferron just looks at you with the straightest expression as possible before bursting into laughter.

“Well then, Lady Nemo, maybe you’ll find a nice suitor!”

Your face goes red as you try to reword your comment. You take a bite from a small bun of potato bread to hide your embarrassment.

Clearing her throat, Ferron asks, “So what are you going to do with that Warhammer gun that you got? I heard that Hunter-type weapons sell for a rather nice price on certain collector markets. Would also be nice to pay off this arm, though.”

“What!?!” Jaeger exclaims from behind his mask, “That weapon deserves to be returned to the family than to collect dust on a shelf!”

Gwyn intervenes, calming down the whole debacle, “The hammer is Nemo’s. He should decide on what to do with it.”

>Sell it
>Return it
>Other

>>1103661
>Sell it.
Gotta help out our pals.

>>1103661
>>Sell it

>>1103661
>Sell it

>>1103661
thought about using it but have no real experience with these kind of weapons and no idea where the hell I'd buy ammo for the thing so I figure I'd just
>sell it
and see if I can't help get a few party favors for our little group of marry men here.

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>>1103661
Writing

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>>1103661
“Sorry, Jaeger, but we gotta pay off that arm.”

Jaeger doesn’t say a word, and merely crosses his arms. If he was angry at you for deciding to sell it to some collector, you wouldn’t know. Gazing into the polarized lens of his mask, you couldn’t see his anger, or any other emotion; or even his eyes.

All you could see was your own reflection.

The bell to the door rings as you see Bailout enter the nearly empty bakery.Adjusting his beret, Bailout was about to speak before being interrupted by a voice.

“Pardon the intrusion, but is the man known as Nemo here?”

Everyone shifts over to see an older gentleman in dress uniform as enters the scene with cane in hand. Catching your eye was the rank insignia sewn onto his collar: a single crown.

What was a Major doing here?

Removing his hat, revealing his greying black hair, “I heard that he was the one who defeated the knight at the battle.”

> “Yes, that’s me.”
> “What’s your business?”
> “And who are you?”
>Other

>>1103906
> “And who are you?”

>>1103906
> “What’s your business?”
> “And who are you?”

>>1103906
>And who are you?

>>1103906
Writing

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>>1103906
Pivoting your body to face him, “And who would you be?”

“Nemo!” Bailout shouted, his verbal onslaught was then interrupted by the old man simply lifting his cane into the air.

“It’s fine, Mr. Rook, I believe that I’m remiss for not introducing myself, first.” Lowering his cane to the ground, “I am Major Grant, Royal Scintillan Army, and your new employer.”

A wave of silence hits all of you like the tide against a seawall. It takes a few seconds for any of you to actually understand the situation.

“With due respect, sir, but we still have a contract with the Regulars we need to finish.” Gwyn says.

Bailout answers Gwyn’s concerns by laying a piece of paper on the table. Scanning the contents of the paper, you see that it’s a contract detailing that you would now be under Major Grant’s command, and personally signed by the CEO of Aegis Shroud, The Old Man.

“Do not worry, miss. Proper compensation will be provided to your previous employer,” Major Grant explains, “I paid top dollar to get this Elite Squad under my personal command!”

>“Elite?”
>“So what do you want us to do?”
>“How much are we getting paid?”
>Other

>>1104087
>“So what do you want us to do?”

>>1104087
>“Elite?”
>“So what do you want us to do?”

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>>1104087
Writing

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>>1104087
One word sticks in your mind like the mud around your feet in the trenches.

“Elite, sir?”

Major Grant pats you on your shoulder reassuringly, “Yes, my boy! You defeated a Scintillan Knight in single combat. Any man who can do that is an elite in my book.”

An odd feeling wells up in your gut, being called an elite for ‘defeating a knight in single combat’ when all you really did was drown the man in a pool of muddy trench water just felt weird. You’re not sure if it’s pride, or disgust, but it quickly went away when you gave credit where it was due.

“I didn’t do it alone, sir. I couldn’t have done it without Steady Hands or Jaeger,” nodding to the two, “But if I may ask, sir, what sort of task do you want us to do?”

Grant pulls up at the table and whispers to the lot of you, “Normally, I wouldn’t be saying this here, but it would be a waste for talent such as yours to be wasted in a muddy trench. So that is why you are going to be part of a rather…. ‘Clandestine’ group dedicated at performing surgical strikes at key enemy installations. I assure that you will all be handsomely paid for your service.”

Extending a hand to you, “It is a pleasure to have a squad of elites, Nemo.”

Looking at the group, you see eyes full of intrigue, worry, excitement, and more untold emotion. You take his hand and shake on it.

“Welcome to the Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare. A group of Old Soldiers fighting New Conflicts.”

>And that’s the end of the thread! We’ll be running same time next week. Stay tuned at twitter to keep updated.

>>1104218

See you next time!