GENKI SILENT PROTAG. She'll probably strong-arm you into doing something ridiculous, and do so with the cutest smile on earth. She might also poke you with a naginata if you're a punk.
THE SASSY PROTAG. a phantom thief with a heart of gold. lives rebelliously and without regrets, though spends most of his time feigning a very unassuming persona. #nailedit
A true sunshine protagonist. Country bumpkin, slow on the uptake. Wants to be everyone's friend. Swordian Master of fire, incredibly hot-blooded. A GOOD BEAN. Please love him. He's my favorite and I am biased.
The original fabulous Tales science lady. Probably wants to dissect you pretty shamelessly. Loves and adores cute things. Inventor of the Swordians. Definitely the definition of Mad Scientist.
[his brows quirk up, but only for a moment. okay. negotiating with Shadows isn't anything new. it's just. . . usually he has to knock them down, or beat them up a little bit, first. it's almost strange that this one-- assuming she is a Shadow-- wants to start right out the gate with talking]
[but he goes with it, because negotiating is always preferable to fighting]
Okay.
[but he's not lowering his (totally fake) weapon]
Provided there aren't any knives involved in the conversation.
[maybe one of these days, akira will realize that harold is not actually a shadow. just a terrifying woman.]
Then... hm. Maybe you should put the toys away, kiddo.
[motioning towards his very fake weapon, that she can see is fake.]
You'd be slaughtered in a hurry by any of the soldiers if you think you can play cat burglar with a replica weapon, you know! Though even Dymlos might go easy on a kid who's in over his head, who knows? ★
[HOPEFULLY THAT DAY IS SOON?? he might be a little grateful when he finds out, because then he doesn't have to fight her!1]
[his brows shoot up when he calls his weapon a "toy," and he immediately pulls it back to inspect her claim for veracity. and when he runs his finger across the blade to find that it isn't sharp at all. . . welp. yep. it's definitely still fake]
Wh. . . [well, now he just looks bewildered, as his gaze flickers up from the weapon, to her. but he shakes it off quickly, re-summoning his confidence as the (faux) weapon twists in his hand and slides easily back into its sheath]
Sharp eye you've got there, miss.
[it's kind of weird, since a Shadow has never seen past the fakeness of his weapons before, but. . . ah. well]
[he also has like a billion questions in response to everything else she said, but. one step at a time.]
[her gaze catches easily; she's watching his expressions and shifts in his body language. he's an interesting little cat burglar, isn't he? there's something about that surprise that makes her interested.
after all, he didn't seem to realize he was wielding a toy, but all the same, he doesn't seem entirely shocked that's the case, either. so what's his deal?
she's just going to have to find out, that's what harold thinks.]
I'm a genius, after all. But I don't think it takes a genius to spot a toy weapon in the middle of a warzone. I think even our foot soldiers could spot that without a second glance.
[...]
You're pretty interesting though, little cat burglar.
[. . . . . . . . . he doesn't know if that's a compliment or not]
I suppose I did graduate form Fascinating University with a degree in Really Interesting Studies.
[he says lightly as his hands dip into the pockets of his jacket. his stance seems to shift towards the more casual, now that he's not holding a weapon, but the tension in his bones is hidden underneath that jacket. he's totally ready to move at a moment's notice, as always]
So which one of us is going to give their name first? Should we flip a coin?
[now is probably not the time for casual, almost flippant humor, but THERE YA GO]
[it's probably not a compliment, harold doesn't hand those out like candy. she's interested, but it's probably not for the best reasons.
he just seems like he'd squeal a lot less than chaltier under pressure.
either way? harold is arching a brow at him, like he just asked the dumbest question in the world.]
You break into my room, on a ship I built, in a warzone... and you think who should be doing the introductions is up for debate? You're a little touched in the head, huh?
"I suddenly showed up outside with very little idea of how I got here, accidentally pissed off a few guards, and escaped into a tiny vent shaft to avoid capture."
How's that?
[and that isn't a lie. but he figures if she's a Shadow, or at the very least a cognitive being, then it's fine for him to be a little honest. about that, at least]
[she is still neither a shadow or a cognitive being, friend.]
Well, I don't know what you expected when you're invading a military base in a time of war. You're probably lucky you didn't land yourself somewhere in Dycroft, or you'd be a dead kitty burglar already!
[just saying.
she's way more benevolent than those pesky, asshole aeth'erians, even though she's... a defected aeth'erian herself.]
[there's. a pause, and then he slooooowly takes a step to the side. not quite towards her, but not away, either. his gaze flickers away, affixed on his surroundings now. it looks like he's taking this opportunity to look around the room. . . although he does respond, casually and without a drop of the confusion he's immediately feeling at her answer]
[said so matter-of-fact, like she's finally getting serious here.]
I can't really tell what it is, since I was inside and couldn't read the shift in the wind. Time traveler? Timeline jumper? Maybe from a whole different world entirely?
[she's looking him over even more closely than before.]
You're no simple cat burglar, though, wherever it is you might be from.
[. . . squints at her. time traveler? timeline jumper? those aren't terms with which he's familiar. but the part about being from another world entirely, at least, is. somewhat. the Metaverse counted as a completely different world than the real one, right?]
I think I'll keep the answer to that question to myself. For the mysteriousness factor.
[and he's back to meandering around and investigating the room]
And I'm not a cat burglar. [that's more Panther's shtick, but he doesn't say that aloud]
[come on, akira. you've seen movies and anime in your life, these aren't totally foreign concepts.
either way, investigating the room isn't going to net him much that's special. mostly, the room has cute clothes strewn about, each... labeled with a different name? camille berselius, est berselius, catherine berselius, karen berselius...
hm.
there are stuffed animals and plushies around the room, as well as what looks like a massive sword in a case with chains, a model ship, and other assorted things.
it's not that remarking, half very obviously a girl's living quarters, and the other half seems to be a small technological workspace. it's hardly a lab, she's gotta leave the base for that—but a place for her to tweak things and work on smaller ideas to brainstorm.]
Well, whether or not you answer, the more mysterious you are, the more likely you don't leave a warzone alive.
[...]
Though I don't think letting anyone kill you would be fun. I'm kind of interested in seeing what goes on in that stupid brain of yours.
[yes, but there's no such thing as REAL LIFE time travel!! . . . he thinks]
[actually, maybe he shouldn't think that. based on his past experiences, he'd totally be proven wrong]
[he lingers on the clothing, gaze immediately drawn towards the names. there's one constant-- Berselius-- so that's what he decides to use]
I'm grateful you at least think that much, Berselius-san.
[swivels to face her again, heels clicking behind him]
[. . .]
Sort of.
[SORT OF. . . because the way she says she wants to study his brain very closely reminds him a bit too much of a certain doctor, only. significantly less good for his health??? and also, because he thinks he managed to yoink her name off of some labeled clothing, he offers]
Well, at least you're smart enough to pick up on some context clues, Joker.
[yeah, obviously she's not actually buying that being his real name.]
But Berselius sounds so stuffy! Aniki might like that, but it makes me sound old and boring! Not cute at all!
So. Harold.
[harold sounds like an old man name normally, but somehow, it's cute when attached to her? it's fine. whatever. it's definitely not any of those other names, nor is it her real name, but she's not really trying to pretend it is.]
I really wonder how that brain of yours works that you don't just try to ask questions first instead of pretending like you've got a clue. That doesn't really make you look too smart, you know!
[not that he looked smart to her to begin with, given how he showed up here.]
I tend to think that people aren't so willing to answer questions asked by-- [gestures at himself. well, mostly his get up] -- someone as suspicious looking as me.
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8((((((
[but he goes with it, because negotiating is always preferable to fighting]
Okay.
[but he's not lowering his (totally fake) weapon]
Provided there aren't any knives involved in the conversation.
[SAYS THE THIEF HOLDING ONE RIGHT NOW]
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Then... hm. Maybe you should put the toys away, kiddo.
[motioning towards his very fake weapon, that she can see is fake.]
You'd be slaughtered in a hurry by any of the soldiers if you think you can play cat burglar with a replica weapon, you know! Though even Dymlos might go easy on a kid who's in over his head, who knows? ★
no subject
[his brows shoot up when he calls his weapon a "toy," and he immediately pulls it back to inspect her claim for veracity. and when he runs his finger across the blade to find that it isn't sharp at all. . . welp. yep. it's definitely still fake]
Wh. . . [well, now he just looks bewildered, as his gaze flickers up from the weapon, to her. but he shakes it off quickly, re-summoning his confidence as the (faux) weapon twists in his hand and slides easily back into its sheath]
Sharp eye you've got there, miss.
[it's kind of weird, since a Shadow has never seen past the fakeness of his weapons before, but. . . ah. well]
[he also has like a billion questions in response to everything else
she said, but. one step at a time.]
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after all, he didn't seem to realize he was wielding a toy, but all the same, he doesn't seem entirely shocked that's the case, either. so what's his deal?
she's just going to have to find out, that's what harold thinks.]
I'm a genius, after all. But I don't think it takes a genius to spot a toy weapon in the middle of a warzone. I think even our foot soldiers could spot that without a second glance.
[...]
You're pretty interesting though, little cat burglar.
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I suppose I did graduate form Fascinating University with a degree in Really Interesting Studies.
[he says lightly as his hands dip into the pockets of his jacket. his stance seems to shift towards the more casual, now that he's not holding a weapon, but the tension in his bones is hidden underneath that jacket. he's totally ready to move at a moment's notice, as always]
So which one of us is going to give their name first? Should we flip a coin?
[now is probably not the time for casual, almost flippant humor, but THERE YA GO]
no subject
he just seems like he'd squeal a lot less than chaltier under pressure.
either way? harold is arching a brow at him, like he just asked the dumbest question in the world.]
You break into my room, on a ship I built, in a warzone... and you think who should be doing the introductions is up for debate? You're a little touched in the head, huh?
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[he says that with a straight face]
[. . . it's like. a half truth? kind of]
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[...
she has suspicions, after all. she's just not calling them out, not yet.]
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[rocks back on his heels with a hum]
"I suddenly showed up outside with very little idea of how I got here, accidentally pissed off a few guards, and escaped into a tiny vent shaft to avoid capture."
How's that?
[and that isn't a lie. but he figures if she's a Shadow, or at the very least a cognitive being, then it's fine for him to be a little honest. about that, at least]
no subject
Well, I don't know what you expected when you're invading a military base in a time of war. You're probably lucky you didn't land yourself somewhere in Dycroft, or you'd be a dead kitty burglar already!
[just saying.
she's way more benevolent than those pesky, asshole aeth'erians, even though she's... a defected aeth'erian herself.]
no subject
[there's. a pause, and then he slooooowly takes a step to the side. not quite towards her, but not away, either. his gaze flickers away, affixed on his surroundings now. it looks like he's taking this opportunity to look around the room. . . although he does respond, casually and without a drop of the confusion he's immediately feeling at her answer]
. . . Dycroft?
I can't say I've ever heard of it.
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So that's what it was.
[???? harold, that's not a response.]
I thought it could be something like that, but I must have missed when it happened. Too busy with important work.
[that still explains exactly nothing, harold.]
no subject
Ah. I see. I, too, understand everything now. What a helpful and informational explanation.
[. . . he's being sarcastic]
no subject
[said so matter-of-fact, like she's finally getting serious here.]
I can't really tell what it is, since I was inside and couldn't read the shift in the wind. Time traveler? Timeline jumper? Maybe from a whole different world entirely?
[she's looking him over even more closely than before.]
You're no simple cat burglar, though, wherever it is you might be from.
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I think I'll keep the answer to that question to myself. For the mysteriousness factor.
[and he's back to meandering around and investigating the room]
And I'm not a cat burglar. [that's more Panther's shtick, but he doesn't say that aloud]
no subject
either way, investigating the room isn't going to net him much that's special. mostly, the room has cute clothes strewn about, each... labeled with a different name? camille berselius, est berselius, catherine berselius, karen berselius...
hm.
there are stuffed animals and plushies around the room, as well as what looks like a massive sword in a case with chains, a model ship, and other assorted things.
it's not that remarking, half very obviously a girl's living quarters, and the other half seems to be a small technological workspace. it's hardly a lab, she's gotta leave the base for that—but a place for her to tweak things and work on smaller ideas to brainstorm.]
Well, whether or not you answer, the more mysterious you are, the more likely you don't leave a warzone alive.
[...]
Though I don't think letting anyone kill you would be fun. I'm kind of interested in seeing what goes on in that stupid brain of yours.
Very. Closely. ★
no subject
[actually, maybe he shouldn't think that. based on his past experiences, he'd totally be proven wrong]
[he lingers on the clothing, gaze immediately drawn towards the names. there's one constant-- Berselius-- so that's what he decides to use]
I'm grateful you at least think that much, Berselius-san.
[swivels to face her again, heels clicking behind him]
[. . .]
Sort of.
[SORT OF. . . because the way she says she wants to study his brain very closely reminds him a bit too much of a certain doctor, only. significantly less good for his health??? and also, because he thinks he managed to yoink her name off of some labeled clothing, he offers]
Joker, by the way.
[code name only, though]
no subject
[yeah, obviously she's not actually buying that being his real name.]
But Berselius sounds so stuffy! Aniki might like that, but it makes me sound old and boring! Not cute at all!
So. Harold.
[harold sounds like an old man name normally, but somehow, it's cute when attached to her? it's fine. whatever. it's definitely not any of those other names, nor is it her real name, but she's not really trying to pretend it is.]
no subject
Oh, right. Of course. And it'd be a shame to use a name that doesn't live up to your cuteness.
[he says that lightly, slightly teasingly!! probably still trying to keep the atmosphere from getting too heavy.]
If you're Harold-san, then who are. . . [glances at the clothing] Camille? Est? Catherine? Karen?
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Sometimes it takes a while to decide on the name you like best.
[and in the end.]
Harold's definitely the one that works best for my purposes!
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I kind of like Camille. That would've been my runner up.
[JUST SAYING!!]
But I agree that Harold is hands down the best.
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[which is why it's the best.]
Do you even know why it's the best, or are you just looking to appease me so you get off lightly?
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[HE WAS DUBIOUS]
[also yeah, totally trying to appease her to get off lightly, that too]
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I really wonder how that brain of yours works that you don't just try to ask questions first instead of pretending like you've got a clue. That doesn't really make you look too smart, you know!
[not that he looked smart to her to begin with, given how he showed up here.]
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I tend to think that people aren't so willing to answer questions asked by-- [gestures at himself. well, mostly his get up] -- someone as suspicious looking as me.
[at least he admits to it]
But I'll take the bait. Why is "Harold" the best?
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