freedom is the power to choose our own chains.

[attr="class","quicklinks"]Mouse Ornery Noblesse

[attr="class","quicklinks"]HP: 100%
SP: 100%

[attr="class","technoscroll"] smile immediately spread across his face as soon as his single eye caught sight of Mouse, his hand lifting in a wave before spreading his arms outward to embrace her, taking her into his arms. That same eye shut at her kiss, and he affectionately nudged at her forehead with his. "Good morning, my dearest Lily. It certainly is one way to greet the sun. While it is not quite an 'adventure' in that the quest takes place in Dol Dona itself, its unique circumstances may make up for it. And I am happy that I can experience it with you and the others."

His head canted as she seemed to back-track, and his eye squinted in faux suspicion. But, he'd let it go; it seemed like something that would probably become relevant as the quest went on. Additionally... he never actually took a close gander at the offered rewards, only the description. Quickly discarding that suspicion, he proudly puffed his chest up against the featherlight force of her fists, even if everything else of his posture and expression betrayed his usual dainty gentleness. "The greater the challenge, the more we shall take from it into ourselves. Together, we will, as they say, 'wipe the floor' with them. Th-though, I am presuming that we will not be doing more than incapacitating them."

Within seconds, Ornery and Noblesse appeared to join them, the former causing the confident pose Gorre had taken to deflate in surprise. Was it the loud announcement from the darker-haired Beastman that he could barely decipher as actual words? Their sheer speed? But, even so, he reoriented himself, and waved at the pair, inviting all three of them into his party. "It is gladdening that you two could make it." The AI's gaze repeatedly flicked between the two of them, worried that he'd lose track of them if he blinked. "I'd never faced an entity with the skillset of a player... But it shan't be too different from fighting monsters, right?"

"The reason I'd invited you all is twofold: I wanted to know the two of you, Ornery and Noblesse, a bit better, and what better way to understand others is through a shared activity? The second part..." He brushed the back of his hand to Mouse's, and he began to walk towards the Windmill Plaza, glancing behind him to see if they'd follow. "...Ah... I had heard of something known as a 'double date'? W-would... would this qualify?"

freedom is the power to choose our own chains.

[attr="class","quicklinks"]Mouse Ornery Noblesse

[attr="class","quicklinks"]HP: 100%
SP: 100%

[attr="class","technoscroll"]is smile and the gentle blush upon his cheeks persisted, as if they had suddenly become a permanent feature of his expression while he was beside Mouse. It could have been seen as uncharacteristic for someone who seemed to hide behind even his own skin not long ago, but now, even if his movements still expressed their usual fragility, there was some element of giddiness present as well.

The implication of her words were not lost on him, however, dragging his eye down to the dirt for a few seconds in thought. He did not yet understand the effect Cernunnos had upon her actions in its entirety, but there were multiple inferences he could make from their previous interactions. Their discussion as they made their way to that other AI came to mind. But, he didn't allow himself to become dispirited from it; Gorre knew that she'd do her best to keep out of such a situation, and he trusted in his own ability to think on his feet to adjust.

"I will have to consider what Skills Tribal Grapplers possess. Thankfully, I've... already committed them to memory, so to speak. Together, we've the speed and technique to react appropriately to what is thrown at us, and the power to beat back their own. Besides, they've their fists, while we've at the very least another arm's length's worth of steel and magic between them and us." Fingers gripped at the air, holding it as though it was one of his blades. Yes, they also have the environment as one of their advantages against them.

His other hand curled around hers, fingers overlapping with her knuckles after she had gone to do the same. "This is a rather odd premise for a double date, but odd premises expose more of ourselves than otherwise... I-I think." The AI's lips tucked into his teeth in a slight pucker of shame. "It is n-not out of any sort of bloodthirst! I am rather averse to conflict, actually! O-or rather, when it is needless... You all already know I can perform appropriately in a fight. J-just, when it can't be helped..."

His thoughts strayed to the events in Nifl Phant, looking over the adjustments he'd made to the frigid coat that he'd draped around himself. Spoils of war from their clash with Inas, and proof enough of that fact... right?

"Ah, you do not need to address me so formally, Noblesse. Simply 'Gorre' is enough. Though, I am admittedly flattered." A tiny, bashful chuckle spilled from his lips, while his arm lifted slightly to brush against Mouse's. "...It does remind me of when I'd, at one point, appended the word 'leader' before your name. That was shortly after our first meeting, I think."

Suddenly, as he stepped through the threshold into the Windmill Plaza, he paused, turning his head up to the sky. Yes, this was still Dol Dona, but it still felt like he was walking into an Area. When he came to terms with the change in the air, Gorre stared forward at a trio of wolves with their fists raised just in front of the Windmill from which this section of the Root Town had gotten its name.

Simultaneously, they howled, and raced toward a larger shape hidden beneath the long shadow of the structure. But, the air pressure from the roar of a different beast blew back these three wolves, mouthing swears at the incredibly massive example of a bear who revealed himself underneath the hot sun. His arm reached forward, flipping his hand upward in a taunting motion. Just before the aggressions could continue, the AI opened his mouth to shout.

"E-excuse me! Would you kindly move this conflict of yours outside of the Root Town, please?"

All four of the fighters turned their heads to that new voice, their eyes burning with hostility. It was quite obvious that they weren't going to comply. especially as they, as a collective, continued to bear that hostility while they approached.

freedom is the power to choose our own chains.

[attr="class","quicklinks"]Mouse Ornery Noblesse

[attr="class","quicklinks"]HP: 100%
SP: 90%

[attr="class","technoscroll"]Um..." The AI expected a bit more reason from the Beastmen, and a lot more words to be spoken in response. However, their eyes continued to gleam with that silent fury, very much the anger of those whose pre-existing anger was compounded by the frustration of being interrupted from releasing that anger. It was especially obvious with the Ursine, who cracked his knuckles in front of the bare bear chest that his unbearably massive frame was bearing at that moment.

"W-well... Violence it is. Be careful, and call out if you need assistance! I shall do my best to come to you!" He couldn't help but notice the odd status that was indicated beside Ornery's name, squinting around him as if to see if he'd missed something that could have inflicted it upon him within the instance before drawing his weapons, offering one more parting, gentle brush of his knuckles against Mouse's arm. His one eye stared with wonderment as Mouse's spell shot forward, lifting and then crashing fragments of the earth down upon the fist fighters.

All of them seemed to move with practiced grace, leaping and dancing around the battlefield and the spell with agility and speed that did not match up with the body shapes of these absolute units. But, they were left unprepared by the cloud of dust that smothered their vision, pouring into their eyes and affecting their vision for the worse.

This left them unable to counter the coming, berserk onslaught of Ornery, and the clean, steel flashes that followed it from Noblesse's blade. Gorre, himself, joined them within the cloud, twirling his body like a top to slash into one of the wolves in passing. At this point, almost all of them were afflicted by some form of status affliction, blood dripping from one of the lupine fighters while the bear and one other wolf spasmed from the effect of Ornery's poison.

But, they were relentless, and not only were they relentless, they were careful enough to adapt. All four of them separated from each other, hopping apart and spreading out... to launch pathetic attacks at the vague shapes of their targets. The three lupines split off to take on Mouse, Ornery, and Gorre, all of them performing simultaneous, yet most likely ineffectual [Rapid Attack]s upon their targets, leading with a dash-closing kick and twisting their bodies for backwards roundhouses.

The bear, just as blind, roared, and launched himself at Noblesse, both of his fists successively making contact with his raised blade and bearing the weight of each gauntleted strike down upon the length of his sword. The first words he'd spoken since the beginning of the fight, "[Tiger Bite]," came out as a bellowing, deep half-roar.