Brave Galaxy is set in a world loosely based on Hiro Mashima’s Fairy Tail and Eden’s Zero. It is a PG-13 or so rated space fantasy RP, and uses a combination of character statistics, which can be acquired via roleplaying and events, and creative freedom to help direct players’ characters. While there is a main storyline, which can be found in the events section, characters are free to interact with others and their environment however they see fit.
Explore the galaxy. Overcome the obstacles in your path. Shape the future of humanity.
The Grand Casino in the Lustrous Sector was a place full of architectural beauty, the most gorgeous (or outrageous) people in the city and a myriad of well-heeled and elegant thieves seeking various sorts of enrichment from card sharping to clever hustles. The casino itself was perhaps the biggest thief of them all, only it had a license from the government to conduct its activities. It was an enormous edifice, a veritable temple to money and the acquisition of it and was decorated to match. The interior was a lavishly appointed extravaganza of gold, marble and finely carved gaming tables. Everyone in the place was elegantly dressed with some veering over into outright flamboyance.
Emily Winter stood in the grand columned entrance of the Casino and her bright emerald eyes ran over the rich appointments of the interior, drinking in the detail. She had opted for elegance and simplicity in her dress. It had been a simple matter to "acquire" a dress that fit her from a fine shop in the commerce district that fit her and squeeze into it. Well it didn't require much squeezing but seeking out a way to conceal a dagger had taken her some effort, but ultimately it all worked out and she was now quite literally dressed to kill. Her sweep of bright crimson hair, her pale skin and the way that her emerald eyes matched her emerald dress had drawn admiring gazes to her. In this case, being noticed was quite acceptable.
Now her task was to find someone of interest, preferably someone who was rich and was a) cheating at gambling or b) losing badly at gambling. Either of those, for different reasons would appeal to her. That keen, green gaze swept around the room and quickly evaluated and then rejected a series of different characters. However, that gaze stopped dead when the man with cascading silver hair and soft purple eyes came into view. Perhaps it was his elegant, beautiful form of dress or perhaps it was the scarring of his face but something drew her gaze.
It was also, as she watched, the fact that he was seemingly beating everyone else at the table and doing so with style. It was enough to cause her to wander over and stand next to him. She tugged on his sleeve and said, "Well, well. It's looking like Lady Luck is favoring you tonight, sir!"
He'd been working this casino for a couple weeks now, carefully balancing the line between "too good to be true" and "desperate loser" to hide his abilities from prying eyes. Today was a payout day, and Gio had spent most of his morning slowly acquiring a small fortune in chips. And because of this, Gio had also managed to acquire something else: a sizeable band of tag-a-longs, looking to profit off his hot streak, and the generosity that only a gambler could show. But for now, Gio's eyes were on the prize.
"Bring those sweets stones back my way, Milton, m'boy!"
The croupier, whose name badge clearly said "Martin", obliged, though not without some idle grumbling. Gio held his palm out flat, bringing the dice to eye level, scrutinizing them carefully, his free hand wrapped around a pretty young woman's waist. Right hand still level, Gio leaned over, whispering in the elf girl's ear. After a brief moment's protest, and a look of mild embarrassment, the elf acquiesced to Gio's request, blowing a kiss to the pair of dice.
"Alright now," Gio bargained, pointing at the dice, "Now you two owe me, got it?"
And, after a moment, Gio nodded, dropping a stack of chips on the square marked "2" before tossing the dice to the far side of the table.
"Snake eyes."
The table exploded in sound as a large stack of chips was added to Gio's pile, more than half of which Gio quickly deposited on a server's tray. He gestured to the others gathered round the table with a flamboyant flourish.
"LIBATIONS!" he cheered, "FOR EVERY-BODY!"
However, it wasn't long before he felt someone pull at his coat, and Gio found himself staring face to face with a ravishing young woman. Green eyes, hair like wine and skin like porcelain. Slim. Petite. Standing no taller than his collarbone. Not his usual type, but he definitely wouldn't kick her out of bed in the morning... And that voice: something about it lured him in.
"Well, well. It's looking like Lady Luck is favoring you tonight, sir!"
"Luck has nothing to do with it, mon frère~!"
"The dice speak to me, they whisper their future in my ear!" he boasted, "Then... I just need to decide if their words ring true."
Once again, Gio held the dice up high, this time holding them up to his ear, as if listening to what they had to say. He nodded. He smiled. He whispered something back that was barely audible among the cacophony of the casino. But after a few moments, he winked at the stunning redhead before declaring:
"Morton! Put it all on Seven, my good man!"
Gio tossed the dice across the table, a self-assured expression on his face. He reached for his winnings but was beaten to the punch by the Croupier's rake.
"Box cars." he announced flatly, "And the name... is MARTIN."
Immediately, the woman who had been on Gio's other side had departed, as well as most of the rest of the gambler's entourage, as if disgusted by the mere implication of being stood near someone who would dare lose at craps. Gio seemed to be having a very spirited argument with the table, and the dice in particular, calling them backstabbing little instruments of chaos before turning his attentions quickly back to Emily.
"Well!" he shrugged unconvincingly, "You win some you lose some, eh?"
"Pleased to meet you my dear. I am known as Giovanni Selvano de Zozo... By what name can I call you?"
last edited Jan 1, 2020 23:30:30 GMT by fairchild.txt
The moment Gio starting talking to the dice, a strange light had entered Emily's emerald gaze. It was as if she had suddenly realized that this man was someone with whom she might have an affinity. He was interesting, surely, but there was also something more to him. As he spoke to the dice, it seemed as if an eldritch power was somehow emanating from him as he shook them.
Standing close, she thought there was the shiver of energy from him and it made her stick around, even after it had appeared that he'd run out of luck. Aside from that there was a certain kind of chaotic energy around him that appealed to her and any guy with as many scars as he had definitely was someone she'd enjoy being around if it meant engaging in fights. She just grinned and inclined her head. "Yup! Can't always be on the lucky side!"
Although he might later come to regret calling her 'my dear' for now she let it slide and gave him her hand in what she presumed was a "lady-like" fashion and bowed slightly. "Well Giovanni Selvano de Zozo, you may call me Emily Winter. Pleasure to meet you!"
Looking around the casino, she leaned in and added, "Pretty classy joint to lose money in, isn't it?"
"Well, that's certainly not the desired result, but... c'est la vai." he shrugs, "But luck favors the bold."
Unlike the others who had gathered when Gio was on his winning streak, Emily had not left him the moment he lost. There were certainly a lot of reasons that might be... She could have been interested in him despite the money on the table. Or maybe she thought we was funny. Or maybe she was an undercover member of staff, checking if the 'too lucky' guy who had been frequenting their casino was actually cheating. It wouldn't be the first time that security sent a pretty woman to break down his defenses. But this time, he wouldn't be so loose of tongue. It had been a long time since he had been caught, and it was because he never revealed more than he felt comfortable telling a cop. It could be taxing on relationships, but he had long learned that sometimes, you just had to act cautiously.
"And fate favors the cautious." he continued, pulling several large value chips from jacket. "Only a fool would take Domina Fortuna at her word."
Gio rolled a chip across the back of his fingers, flipping it into the air and catching it in his other hand. Clearly, this woman had some sort of agenda, be it personal or professional... And only time spent with her would coax the reality from her.
"Come, Madame Winter, I will treat you to whatever drink you like... And perhaps we can talk?"
Emily smirked. "Nobody should be too cautious though. That's just a waste of energy and time!" Her eyes were challenging, as she put just the right level of saucy attitude into her gaze. Trust was not something easily won, especially not from professional gamblers. If she seemed too curious, he'd dismiss her as some kind of plant.
As he flipped the coin and tossed it into the air, the green-eyed young woman saw it fall and said, "Sometimes you just have to take that coin, flip it and see where it lands."
Winking, she added, "But having a backup plan is never a bad idea. I'm all for having a little something in reserve."
Although the redheaded young woman rarely touched alcohol, since it dulled the senses and made for sloppy and inattentive action, she decided that under these circumstances it would be wiser to play along. She seemed to consider his request and eventually nodded as if she'd made her mind up. "Today, today because I'm wearing a green dress, I have red hair and I feel like sweetness, I'll have a glass of Chartreuse."
The sickly sweet, green liqueur was not really something she'd voluntarily drink but it was all about creating a persona and right now, that persona was going to be her ticket to a much more interesting time. As she'd found herself transported, through means that she didn't entirely understand, to this new and strange version of the world, she had figured it was time to make the best of it.
It helped that Gio was a crooked character. Not evil, not as deadly as she was but definitely someone who would be keen on various kinds of deception. Now it was only a matter of coaxing that side of him out. Trust. Only some modicum of trust would do.
Post by fairchild.txt on Jan 13, 2020 14:25:36 GMT
Gio tilted his head at her comment, feigning ignorance with an ease which could only be replicated by years of experience. She seemed to very much be of two minds about mitigating risks. In Gio's mind, that cemented her as a gambler, herself. Though, what she gambled with was anyone's guess. Gio couldn't quite get a read on her... and soemthing about that thrilled him immensely.
"So true." he shrugly gaily, "Risk, of course, is the spice of life."
"And what is a casino, but risk, distilled and packaged for the common man?"
Upon hearing that Emily was willing to take him up on his offer for a drink, Gio felt himself loosen up, if only a little bit. It was certainly a start. Most casinos were rather strict regarding their employees drinking on the job. And so far, Gio had managed to get a drink in her hand. If she actually drank it, well... that would make it far less likely that she was a plant. But then, it also wasn't out of the question. After all, some places were definitely more lax in their rules than others. Especially when it came to weeding out potential threats to the business. For now, he'd put a pin in it. But as far as his strategies, well... he wouldn't admit the truth of them to a stranger, regardless. After all, fate favors the cautious.
For himself, Gio had ordered a martini. He had never had one before, but he'd definitely heard of their reputation. There was an implication to it. A flavour. Only the most debonair gentlemen ordered them, in the stories and movies he had seen. Secret agents. Wealthy businessmen. And, on occasion, sinister villains with a flair for the dramatic. He found himself hating the taste almost immediately, but did his best to sip the drink down, stomaching it as best he could to avoid being made the fool.
"So, Miss Winter- may I call you Emily?- ah-yes. Well. What brings you to a decadent den of misfortune, such as this?"
"Hunting for thrills, I take it? A little excitement that can't be found in the day-to-day?"
Emily's bright emerald eyes matched by the green of her liqueur briefly shaded darker and a feral, vulpine smile danced across her full lips. "Oh yes! I do love a little creative risk taking. Like you say, what else is this place but risk?"
An almost coquettish smile replaced the hungry one as she added, "Sometimes, though, when we really dance with risk we win. This life's like a dance on a razor blade, but if you don't dance, you won't win."
There were imperceptible tics that moved over Gio's face. It was clear that he wasn't especially enjoying his martini while Emily was relishing the sweet, herbal taste of Chartreuse on her tongue. So he's wearing a mask too she thought I have to get behind that one and see why he's got it on. Keeping any trace of her thoughts out of her voice she said, "Emily will do nicely and to answer your question: I always did like a little thrill or a little adventure in my life, even more than a little."
With a quizzical tilt of her head and a flirtatious rising eyebrow, she spoke. "It seems to me that you're just the sort of person who might be able to come and dance on that razorblade I mentioned. Do you think we might help each other find what we seek?"
Now this was a particularly enjoyable interaction for the redhead. It had been too long since Emily had truly had a worthy counterpart and this Gio might fit the bill perfectly. There was an attitude and a posture that he had which spoke of someone who was only too willing to court trouble. The terrible scars on his face also indicated a fighter and someone with a will that couldn't be crushed. He might be the perfect accomplice for what she had in mind.
As Gio listened to what Emily had to say, he raised one hand, beckoning the bartender to return. As far as the gambler was concerned, he had seen her type before: fresh out of university, looking to rebel against the universe itself. She wanted excitement, but she really didn't know what it meant. She had seen films. Read books. Heard stories. But did she really know what she was asking for? Did she really comprehend how lucky the people in the stories tended to be? At least, that is what Gio had assumed. He was comically misinformed, but he worked with what he knew. He simply couldn't picture this pretty young thing as a calculating killer.
"So... You're looking for excitement. Danger, even." Gio mused, "That much I get. But what is it you... want?"
Gio downed the drink, ordering a mojito to replace it. For his troubles, the bartender was rewarded with a thousand credit chip from the quickly diminishing pile which Gio had stacked on the counter.
"After all, we can sit here talking about risks and rewards all night and never get anywhere."
"In the end: I am a man who views the future as a voyage through the stars, and Fate as my navigator."
He leaned against the bar absentmindedly, taking a drink from his minty, refreshing beverage before scooping up his remaining chips with his free hand. Gio opened his hand, revealing the chips had vanished from sight, before he stood, bowing slightly and holding one hand out towards the redhead, beckoning her to join him on an adventure which promised to change them both, if only a little.
"So... what is it you search for, Emily?" Gio probed, "Because I am more than happy to help you along your way."
There was, if only for a fraction of a second, a feral gleam in Emily's eye. It flickered there only momentarily before she made it disappear. She shrugged and made an expansive gesture around the room. "I want anything and everything that I can get out of the world! I want to take it and move through it and enjoy it!"
She spun around and came back to smile at Gio. It was her best fake emotion, all of it working towards the artifice that she was somewhat naïve and a bit innocent when that was the furthest thing from any kind of truth as it related to her. She watched the way that Gio was drinking, marking it with her eyes although he seemed remarkably steady and perhaps was far more inured to drinking than most of the saps in this place.
Pausing just one theatrical beat, Emily appeared to ponder something off to one side, as though lost in thought. Eventually her startlingly emerald gaze returned to Gio and she said, "I search for the great fortune that can be made when sleight of hand is in confluence with those who might easily believe in illusions. Do you see what I mean, Gio? Are you, as it were, on my wavelength?"
Leaning back herself, watching him as the gears turned in his mind was an enjoyable experience. Here was a fellow charlatan who might just be ripe for a little swindle. He didn't need to know who exactly it was who was actually being conned!
Post by fairchild.txt on Jan 20, 2020 15:51:01 GMT
Gio's eyes glazed over. Yep. Just a spoiled little rich girl, looking for excitement. She wanted everything and she wanted it now. But did she even really know what she was looking for? Gio highly doubted it. She just wanted to seem quirky and dangerous without ever taking the first step: simply stating what it is she wanted. Gio certainly wasn't about to spend the day taking her to do whatever her little heart desired. What would it be first? Ice cream sodas? Sneaking into a movie? Folk music? Gio shuddered just thinking about it.
"Yeah. I'm gonna say probably not, kid." Gio shrugged, standing up, drink in hand, "If you can't even risk saying what you want out loud, there's no way you could handle spending the day doing what I do for a job."
"How about this: I'll pay for your drink. I'll even throw you a bit of coin so you can play the penny slots like the low roller you are."
With a flick of his wrist, Gio produced a cigarette from his sleeve, and a lighter from somewhere else entirely. He spoke as he lit it, seemingly more interested in the meager flame at than whatever Emily had promised him, regarding excitement and adventure. He flipped the lighter closed, banishing it once more to a secret pocket sewn into his coat which even Gio had a hard time finding, some days. "And if you ever decide to step up, you can find me at the roulette wheel, eh?"
He figure the dismissal would go one of two ways: either she would stand up to the challenge and prove him wrong, or she would be another in a long list of women who have slapped him across the face for being a chauvinistic pig... whatever the hell that meant. If it was the former, excitement would be abound. If the latter, he would be able to go back to gambling in some semblance of peace. Either way, the gambler would get what he wanted.