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.
Trillium was abuzz with its usual crowd of nocturnal tourists, all sifting through the streets in search of something new to keep them busy until sunrise. A full moon hung high above the city, casting its silver gaze upon the valley as its soft light danced across snow-capped mountains. The consistent hum of speeder engines and the soft rumble of chatter fit right in with the flashing neon lights and general vivacious nature of the city.
Matteo found it to be vastly different than his life back and Chorus, though he felt stranger still in the city that had blossomed from the ruins of his own town. The sheer activeness of any given city block was comparable to that of his town's shopping district yet the people all seemed to be mulling about doing nothing. What a waste of time. Had it not been for the generous bonus bounty placed on the heads of any grublings killed in Trillium he would have never bothered to visit such a place. From his perch atop a building overlooking the town's tourist district, he could see why they had such a bad infestation. Grublings feed on debauchery, and in this city, they were sure to be stuffing their faces. If the governor really cared he'd shut down the red light district rather than just call in hunters, though then Matteo would be out of a job.
To those in the street Matteo was nothing more than a dark shadow painted on the moon. He squat on the corner of the edge of the roof, sharp blue eyes focussed on the hunting his prey. He saw the world using the whole of his senses, taking in every smell, noise, and soul to be found in the area around him. He was almost in a trance, like a predator stalking its prey through the bush.
In the shadows below him, his faithful companion did his best to aide in the hunt, a truly mighty beast who was out of place in such an urban environment. Avoiding people was impossible but Xolo did his best to stay hidden. Their targets preferred to stick to the shadows anyway, tho so far they hadn't had any luck finding a nest. While the individual grubling is nothing dangerous, they tend to breed quickly, and the more there are in one nest the more nutrients they collect and the larger the queen. In some of the worst infestations, the queens have been found to grow three times the size of a normal human, and even begin to grow carnivorous. Most cities clean them out as a part of routine police labor, but in tourist hot spots like Trillium, the problem sometimes requires a specialist's touch.
Matteo had experience hunting grublings in the past, but never in a place so depraved. It was likely he'd find a nest larger than any he'd previously seen, which is why Hunters Branch saw fit to provide him with firebombs should he find there are too many to simply decapitate. Hopefully, things wouldn't reach that level as Matteo wasn't a fan of the paperwork associated with using guild resources.
Whatever the case he'd surely find sign of them soon.
Post by Reya Starlyght on Mar 26, 2020 21:06:17 GMT
It was a typical evening, no agenda on the mind except for unceremonious entertainment. Leo and Eris found themselves at a dive they often frequented, the owner and her family longtime friends, and one could even say to a lesser extent allies. Though one could doubt how useful a local barkeep was, to have an eye and ear everywhere was the goal in mind. Not that either of them were thinking about such at that very moment, however, a few drinks into the night and mostly certainly acting like it, although they were far more sober than any would assume in reality. The crackle of a record playing smooth jazz in the background only served to further set the mood, a relaxed atmosphere that fit the worn down bar, with its stained wooden counter top, cracked leather stools, and all.
He could have stayed there for days, caught in the murmurings of a few other patrons, idly watching a dueling match on a static-filled screen while Eris leaned against his shoulder, his arm wrapped around her side. That was not to be, however, as some time into their evening she sat up abruptly, turning to him. "Hey, want to prank some tourists?" Eris said, a mischievous grin present on her visage.
A small bout of laughter escaped his lips, followed by a lazy shrug. "Sure, why not," Leo replied. Finishing their drinks, a shot of whiskey and vodka respectively, they paid their tab and were off to roam the streets of the capital they knew so well. Of course, it was constantly evolving, as all metropolises did, and the reputation of Trillium didn't really help its case either, people were always curious, always poking their noses in illicit activities if only because they had nothing better to do, it was all a part of the experience. How annoying, specifically those who found it hilarious to then report their findings to the authorities, as if they hadn't been drawn in by curiosity themselves. Scaring such individuals away was always fun, yes, especially those who thought they blended in so well, leaning against buildings half covered in shadows as if they thought that was a suitable disguise.
Glancing down a road that was usually subject to such annoyances, Leo blinked. He hadn't thought he had consumed a lot of alcohol, but there lurking in the alley was a massive wolf, larger than any natural creature of its size. That wasn't really what threw him off, however, strange sights were to be witnessed in Trillium at most hours. Nay, there was something... familiar. He tilted the side of his head, having paused and turned down the street, before his eyes widened, recognition kicking in. "Xolo?" Leo asked, incredulous. "Hold on, but isn't Illiana...." His voice was cut short, swept up in a distant memory as that was all that could be offered, a recollection of what he once thought to be the truth up until then.
Xolo's ear twitched towards Leo at the sound of his name. The last thing he had been expecting was to run into an acquaintance, much less one who spoke his name with such familiarity. It was suspicious, to say the least. The smell of the two strangers gave them away before Xolo bothered to get a good look at them. He was all too familiar with the combined scent of flowers and aftershave belonging to the dynamic duo he'd long thought dead.
Leaping from the shadows the gigantic wolf bounded towards Leo and Eris excitedly, stopping just short of the couples as he nearly tackled both of them. His huge tail wagged softly behind him, and he was quick to nuzzle Eris while giving Leo and sloppy kiss on the cheek with a swipe of his tongue.
People walking by watched with awe, fear, and confusion as Xolo was reunited with his old friends. It had been entirely too long, and seeing them brought back good memories of the adventures they'd gone on together with Illiana. Plus knowing they were alive meant Matteo may not be without allies in this era after all.
Letting out a soft yet sharp howl Xolo beckoned the boy down from his perch above the city. The two were never very far apart and within a few minutes' time, Matteo was on his way.
Jumping from rooftop to rooftop the boy slowly made his way downwards. After about a minute of running, he could see Xolo's white fur in the alley below, but the size of the wolf made it impossible to make out the people standing next to him. Something about them smelled awfully familiar, but Matteo could not determine where he'd first discovered the scent, yet still, it brought him a strange sense of comfort. Skillfully he leaped sideways onto the alley wall, using the pipes to slow his momentum as he made his acrobatic descent. Bouncing off the top of a dumpster, Matteo landed with a soft thud in the alley adjacent to Leo and the gang. Reaching into his coat pocket Matteo grabbed his three-sectioned staff, making it form a full stick with a simple flick of the wrist.
Cautiously he approached the group. In his heart, he knew not to fear them but his mind was abuzz with paranoid thoughts of betrayal. Xolo's acceptance of them did a lot to appease his uneasiness, but still, he kept his staff ready just in case. The closer he got to them the harder it was to stay on his guard. Xolo finally moved to reveal who'd been petting him, bringing Matteo face to face with two ghosts from his past.
"Aunt Eris?" He asked in disbelief, staff falling to his side as he stared down the couple. How could they still be alive? According to history books, five hundred years had passed since the 'war' on Chorus and yet neither Eris nor Leo had aged a day. The sight of them was enough to force tears from Matteo's otherwise cold eyes, one he quickly wiped away with the sleeve of his coat. Switching his stance Matteo raised his staff, pointing its end towards both of the imposters in what was clearly meant to be a threat. "How?!"
Xolo barked in disagreement with Matteo, stepping towards the boy and lightly growling at him. "HOW?!" He asked again, jabbing the staff in the air between them. Xolo barked again but Matteo ignored his friend. He needed answers.
There was no mistaking the scar over the wolf's piercing blue eyes, the undeniable resonance of his very life itself. Leo couldn't help but crack a smile as Xolo's colossal form bounded up to them, breaking out into laughter as he delivered a big sloppy dog's kiss. He reached up, just managing to scratch behind Xolo's ear as Eris petted his side, the ancient guardian a welcome although more than peculiar sight. Five hundred years, it didn't take Leo long to recognize the time unlike many other events, he recalled the silence of stereo with absolute clarity, their long time friend and her entire family obliterated without a second notice. Wars, yes, he hated them. Pointless squabbles between nations over what only amounted to pride, countless innocent lives sacrificed for human greed. Perhaps, though, one had been spared.
Their reunion was cut short as a different face, not the one Leo had expected to answer Xolo's call, landed from above. Had he not relied on his vision, he would have mistaken the boy for Illiana herself, but that was not the case. He still recognized him, though, her son. "Matteo...." Eris answered him, the melancholy resonating in her voice. How had he managed to survive, how had they given up hope so quickly? Had he and Xolo been trapped somewhere for half a millennium, or had they they truly only crossed paths again at that very moment? There was a sinking sense of guilt and dread building up in his throat, yet Leo forced himself to put it aside. He approached Matteo, attempting to lay a gentle hand upon the boy's staff and direct it away from its current trajectory, although if he were to respond aggressively Leo would simply step out of the way, his agitation was reasonable, after all.
He didn't need a further explanation to Matteo's single word, knew exactly the thoughts that were coursing through his head. It was only a natural response, after all, for a normal human being. Illiana had asked them not share the truth about her, about Matteo himself, so in a way his first question was really the only one appropriate. "Your mother was trying to protect you, but seeing as you are still alive after all these years you must understand some semblance of the truth," Leo began, a soft tone that never deviated far from its center of pitch. "Time is a fickle thing, isn't it? It affects us the same as it does you, as it does Xolo, as it did Illiana." Leo's gaze fell to the pavement, not having to be told the truth. "How did you survive?" It was a simple query, almost as short as Matteo's own. Yet it was all that pressed his mind at that very moment, running through scenarios but none seemed to add up, explain how much time had truly passed.
Hearing Eris address him filled his heart with renewed sorrow. Five hundred years later and the reminder of what could have been still pierced his heart worse than a stalagmite ever could. Biting down the tears beginning to form Matteo flashed his sharp teeth, clutching the cloth over his heart he refused to submit to the <i>weakness</i> building inside him. Leo's vague explanation did little to satiate the monster hunters need for answers, but the blondes follow up question temporarily kept Matteo from pressing further.
How had he survived? Luck. Pure and simple. "I don't know." Matteo practically growled at the floor. His memories of the time within the cave were hazy at best. Any attempt to recall specifics only caused the scars that cover much of his body to throb with pain. He spent much of his time buried drifting in and out of consciousness, his body constantly having to be rebuilt as the earth he was stuck in began to shift, grind, and settle. The memory was almost too much to think about.
Clearly pained at the though Matteo snapped back to reality. The trauma of his memories had seeped out to his face, perhaps confirming what the couple had already hypothesized. Survival had been no easy feat. Gathering himself Matteo focussed his emotions, his steely-eyed scowl slowly returning. He had to keep his composure. There was no point crying about it now. He'd promised himself to never again be the victim and so with newfound resolve he began to explain how his family had died. "While my mother was fighting I had gone to look for Dad in the mines..." Grinding his teeth together Matteo tried to keep down the bubble of rage boiling in his throat. "They'd been shelling the village all morning so many of the villagers had fled up the hill and into the mountain. The Federation soldiers tried to follow us but we knew the caves better than them..." Growing visibly frustrated as the story continued Matteo's lips curled into a snarl. "They must have grown tired of fighting and blew up the mountain from orbit." Matteo's tone turned dark as he tried to ignore the fact that he was currently standing in Fioran territory.
Verbally retelling the tale of the destruction of his village had done more to reaffirm Matteo's position in this common era. Here only historians cared about the war on Chorus, and yet he'd still found those affected by the senseless slaughter. The current state of his homeworld was improved by much of the galaxies standards, but to Matteo it was simply a conquered planet. Choruseans did not dine in the banquet halls or dance at the galas. No. Those were foreigners. Foreign companies, businessmen, and executives, who'd all made their riches off of land that was stolen. The very mines they pillaged were the tombs of thousands, all massacred over greed.
Post by Reya Starlyght on Apr 28, 2020 19:40:06 GMT
His expressions spoke volumes more than words ever could. The pain, the hatred, they were the only proper answers to such a tragedy. A part of Leo was overjoyed that Matteo had survived, but the boy he had known was gone, replaced by a shell of vengeance, he didn't have to declare his intent for it to be obvious. In the end, however, Leo only saw the child. Broken and battered, most certainly, but still someone who needed guidance lest he be swept up in his rage, to let it consume him was death, after all. It was undoubtedly the case for Matteo in particular, even if he was blissfully unaware of the fact.
To have all he had ever known ripped away from him, it was such a terrible thing to go through. At least Xolo had bonded to him, evidently, at least his home still existed in some aspect. To see it corrupted, however, was a fate worse than mere destruction, Leo knew the sentiment well. Who knew how long he had been practically alone, however, although Matteo's grief still seemed fresh, a festering wound agitated at even the slightest prod. It had been five hundred years though, as cruel as it was eventually all things faded somewhat, altogether the scars would always be present. More importantly, why had he never bothered to contact them before? Even their abrupt meeting was nothing but wild chance, which did beg the question why exactly he was in Trillium in the first place.
Leo would have reached out, but given both the boy's defensive stance and the position they were in, he knew it wouldn't go well. Struggling for the proper response, it was Eris who eventually managed one. "We should have done more," she said, shaking her head. "It must hurt, to be standing here now." That was better than anything he could have mustered, an apology perhaps would have worked, but in the end what for? The Federation's actions? Perhaps Matteo held a grudge against all Fiorans as a result of the country's horrific decisions in the past, but that would be a bit ironic considering his mother's heritage. All institutions were the same anyway, unbiased in their pursuits to an ultimate end goal, no matter how convoluted it was.
Then again, they could have done more. Been more insistent on the impending doom of Chorus, not calling all a loss in the aftermath, there were a plethora of ways it could have all been prevented. That was not to be, however, as was the same in so many other parts of his life all they could do was look forward, altering the past was hopeless.