TRP is a post-Great War AU RWBY RP set in Mistral City and Haven Academy with no canons, no rank claims, no maidens, and no god interference. We offer a progression system and site-wide events that change the setting based on player actions.
Post by Marion Linette on May 13, 2021 5:12:02 GMT -5
Wrapping the blanket over herself, mostly over her hair and shoulders (As the water had barely managed to drench her lower body). Marion sat on the couch with a tired expression. Air would eventually come back on its own. She just needed a little bit of rest.
At least she had something to distract herself with once Alina returned with a map of the zone. Placing it in front of the blonde woman, who pinched the corner of it with her dryest hand to adjust it to her angle of vision.
She hummed in contemplation as Alina explained the situation. She didn’t say it, but it was clear she suspected the Bleikur Tribe was hoarding resources for themselves for whatever reason. It was not as if they could sell them to any real business. So amassing large amounts of wood only for it to rot once winter came seemed stupid but entirely in line with the mentality of the average bandit.
Well, it seemed some people just liked to shake down the hornet nest every now and then. But considering Alina’s reputation as a stupidly strong fighter, it was likely that they would give up if someone went and called them out on their bullshit...
Of course, they would put a stupid excuse as to why the quota hadn’t been met this whole time, but that didn’t matter as long as they actually started doing their part. Then both of the parties could walk away happy and pretend shit never happened.
It looked like a decent task to occupy herself with. And Marion would have welcomed the chance to have something good to focus herself and likely redeem herself a little on the faunus eyes... At least until Alina decided to double down with the touchy-feely angle.
And it was honestly making her uncomfortable. As much as Alina said the issue was in the past. There was some social expectation that she would at least pretend to be a little mad for a while until things slowly got back to normal. So Marion would very softly, very gingerly, but very deliberately get herself out from under Alina’s arm. Offering the faunus a plastic smile if she looked questioning.
Whatever the case, Marion would choose to turn both of their attention back to the map before that could become a topic. -I don't think so. It seems simple enough. Something like this is bound to happen every now and then when you work with bandits-
The blonde said, cupping her chin as she concentrated over the map in front of her.
-They can’t possibly all be stupid enough to be on board with this. So I will get to the bottom of it. Figure out exactly why this is happening and who is pushing for it- It was likely the chieftain forcing the others to comply or a small group of fuckers doing so. So there was a good chance most of the tribe would sell them off and elect another leader if threatened with taking away their shit.
Strength was valued among bandits. But there was another thing that was just as important. Not being an idiot.
-I will try to make them comply. Even if you have to intervene, I may find ways to limit the damage... I doubt a lot of them would blindly follow their leader against you- Nodding to herself, the blonde one seemed like she didn’t have any problem with the mission at hand.
-Anyway. Yes. I can do it, I will give you the report as soon as I’m done...-
Post by Alina Rybalka on May 13, 2021 14:30:21 GMT -5
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[attr="class","nikki101"]WE CAN ALL AGREE THAT VIOLENCE BREEDS VIOLENCE
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[attr="class","nikki102"]BUT IN THE END, IT HAS TO BE THIS WAY
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[attr="class","nikki109"]When her arm was pushed off of the shoulder, gray eyes looked over to the blonde and the faunus shrugged. There was a twinge of irritation, but it was quickly suppressed. Irrational thoughts, really, and she’d have to get her mind off of it before it festered. [break][break]
”Not a hugger, I guess. Got it.” she’d say, flatly and detached in tone but with a twitch in her hand when she pulled it back. Marion laid out her plan in dealing with the wayward bandit tribe, and Alina nodded her head at it wordlessly to show that she had zero issues with the plan before changing the subject. [break][break]
”We’re also expecting some representatives from some minor outlying villages to arrive tomorrow. If you’re in the area, give them the tour and hand them off to the Central Rada building. If the bandits give them shit, remind them how I dealt with someone threatening a village rep last time.” [break][break]
Nothing more needed to be said, really. Nobody wanted to have something like that happen, especially when the first time the punishment was done so publicly. That was the entire point, so that those who didn’t listen to reason had an image in their head that made them accept the rules through fear instead. She changed the subject again, then. [break][break]
”We haven’t had the opportunity to chat in private like this in a while, and that’s partially my fault. I’ve been out of the city a lot the past few months. I anticipate I’ll be around more often. I don’t like playing games so I’ll just ask outright – in order to keep you happy what do you want?” Gray eyes were focused on the blonde, then, and all traces of a smile went away as the faunus leaned back further into the couch. Her tone was right back to conversational and friendly, as if a switch had been turned on and that previous apathy was nowhere to be found. It was such a quick change that it would have been jarring if she didn’t do this sort of thing often. ”You’re not an ideological convert and originally only joined due to fear compliance. That was fine for then but not so much now if we’re going to be actively working together more. For a partnership to work I need to know your goals other than staying alive so I can help make them happen.” [break][break]
Clearing out grimm infestations, bringing surrounding villages and bandit tribes to heel, and the day to day politics of trade agreements and keeping this Revolutionary League from tearing itself apart ate up most of her time in the early stages of this experiment. As time went on, however, they were approaching a point to where much of it did not need Alina’s direct attention outside of Kerch and it would be a welcome change of pace. [break][break]
”If there’s something simple I can do, like say increase creature comforts that’s something I’m willing to work towards. The castle is being rebuilt, and you could have a private suite there if you wanted. Spirits know that there’s enough space in that damned thing to have one.” [break][break]
And then she just sat back and waited for a response. Marion had been used primarily as a bandit tribe liaison, but it was clear she had talent for more. The sticking point and the reason why Alina hadn’t given her more is both because of her inconsistent presence in the capital and the fact that aside from fear compliance there wasn’t a lot keeping Marion in with the Revolutionary League at all – unless power was a motivation. The wolf faunus could work with that, too. She didn’t expect an actual response that was truthful at first, but she’d keep poking because the benefits gained by actually tethering the blonde to the cause in one way or another in a more permanent fashion would be nice if it were possible. [break][break]
Alina needed more lieutenants, especially as the Revolutionary League expanded beyond this area of Mistral. She needed to have people in place to take the bigger roles down the line for when that became necessary, and it was one of her priorities to try and facilitate that when it was possible… like right now.
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[attr="class","nikki103"]714 words
[attr="class","nikki103"]KERCH KOZAKS
[attr="class","nikki103"]6662 TOTAL WORDS
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NOTES
A Semblance, D Weapons, B Dust Enhancement, C Durability, B Agility, C Martial Arts, D Stamina, D Exhaustion
Post by Marion Linette on May 16, 2021 20:47:47 GMT -5
Shrugging herself at Alina’s comment about not being a hugger. Marion kept listening to the faunus speak the details of her assignment... It was not as if the blonde was super against hugging and physical contact. She just believed the faunus had some really shitty timing for it.
Well, minutia aside. The other part of the mission sounder way simpler in her mind. Just to escort some village representatives through completely friendly territory. Really. If someone actually was stupid enough to attack their own people in a diplomatic visit, they deserved to meet one angry Alina for their efforts.
-Sure, I will get to it if I finish with the Bleikur tribe in time- And that really was all there was to it. Since 99/100 times something as simple as that wouldn’t give them any problem. Likely thinking the same, Alina then moved into a different topic. And one that Marion was most interested in.
Marion raised an eyebrow at first. Unsure of how to respond. She didn’t ask for anything in particular, nor anything special in the end. She followed the Kozaks because that seemed like her best shot. Her best shot at what? Who could know? It just gave her a nice balance between freedom, responsibility, and enjoyment from time to time.
Although. That last part had been lacking a bit. Mainly since the Kozaks were driven out of the city so many months ago. So she cupped her chin in deep thought as she listened to Alina’s offers.
-A castle suite...- She said contemplatively, more to herself than to anyone else. Crossing her arms and closing her eyes for a second or two to consider it... Needless to say, she was convinced from the first nanosecond she heard it. She just wanted to pretend like it wasn’t so easy to buy her loyalty.
-Yeah, that actually works super fine- She finally declared, giving up on the act and turning to face Alina fully.
-And I take it that increasing our lumber production would work towards having the castle in good condition sooner, so that gives me further motivation to do things right-
She mentioned it as an extra thought. She didn’t know if Alina had planned to offer the suite after asking her to do that job as a way to get her to take it more seriously... But it was a distinct possibility.
-You said it yourself. I’m not an ideological convert after all... Neither am I a complicated woman. Alina. You throw nice shit in my direction, and it will keep me happy. And I’m sure I can store a lot of nice shit in a castle room- She admitted without a hint of deception in her voice. As enamored as Alina could be with her little ideology, Marion had never made an effort to pretend she actually cared for that.
And that was fine in her mind. She knew the faunus put a great value in being practical. And Marion herself seriously doubted even half of the Kozaks actually believed in shit anyway. But people look out for themselves, for their survival and wellbeing. And if at the time the Kozaks seemed to be the better suited to provide for these things? Well, there you got your party.
-If you make being with the Kozaks my best possible option, then I don’t plan to go anywhere. I think you are pretty capable, so it’s not as if I’m chasing a pipedream in trusting you... I know I will get to be pretty comfortable if I make myself useful here. We are having some rough times, but things will get better eventually... I mean, what I’m going to do? Defect and join some run-of-the-mill bandit tribe? Surrender to the authorities like some kind of idiot?-
The blonde said with a snort, recovering some semblance of good humor at the thought.
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Last Edit: May 16, 2021 20:52:44 GMT -5 by Marion Linette
Post by Alina Rybalka on May 19, 2021 11:51:45 GMT -5
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[attr="class","nikki101"]WE CAN ALL AGREE THAT VIOLENCE BREEDS VIOLENCE
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[attr="class","nikki102"]BUT IN THE END, IT HAS TO BE THIS WAY
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[attr="class","nikki109"]The castle ploy worked, and that was a good thing. Truth be told, Alina didn’t really have a solid idea on what to use the old structure for. She didn’t want it as her primary residence, largely because it didn’t suit her style or the image she wished to project. If the leader of the League sat in a castle all day, what would be the difference between her and the Council? Any attacks on the city would hit the castle first as most would assume the leaders would have residence there, too, which honestly shouldn’t be too much of a threat outside of crazy strong semblances due to the fact that the stone was very thick and sturdy. Letting it sit unattended, however, was an objectively bad move. Opening up all of it to the public, frankly, would cause more cleaning costs and time than would be useful. The bottom floors would be fine for public use, but the uppers would still need occupants… and if used as a reward then it was ideal. [break][break]
Just because Alina didn’t want it doesn’t mean that it wasn’t desirable or that it couldn’t be luxurious. If it could be the chain that binds some decadent subordinates to the League and more specifically to Alina and Kerch, then this could be a nice and long term win because in order to have access to that luxury one needed to stay at the League’s main headquarters and thus close by its leader. It also opened up the door to expanding that luxury and reliance on Alina for that luxury in the future, further binding subordinates she found promising to the cause when they otherwise might not be. A few years ago she might have called this sort of thinking underhanded, but nowadays it was just a fact of life. She couldn’t win this alone, and if everyone thought exactly like her then everyone would have died before escaping the capital. [break][break]
Over the past months, the wolf faunus had become leaps and bounds better at interacting with and inspiring loyalty from those with thought processes so different than her own that they might be considered alien. The ideological converts were the most reliable, truly believing they were making a better world. The glory hounds were the most unreliable but could be sated with conquest and praise… and there was no shortage of opportunities for the first with Grimm always encroaching and enemies in all directions. The second took some adaptations, but it was kind of amazing how simple words could inspire such fanatical loyalty in those longing to be recognized above all else. Some wanted wealth and status, like Marion, and that was a tricky one because they were only loyal when they could have their needs met by the League more than by any other competitors. It was this group that defected the most in the early days among the rank and file, but many didn’t last very long on their own for a multitude of reasons. [break][break]
”True enough. I’ll even give you the option of supervising some of the work once you pick out what wing you want – it’s going to have to be partially rebuilt anyway, so it can be modified a bit to your liking.” [break][break]
She didn’t expect it to work as well as it did, especially as a first offer. This allowed Alina to simply offer the renovation offer out as a bonus rather than as a ceded demand, which worked out better for optics anyway. The wolf faunus would have bent a little bit farther if pushed, but it seemed like that wouldn’t be necessary in this case. It allowed her to space out the rewards to make it seem as though it was generosity and rewards rather than things, she was already planning on pawning off anyway since most of her other top-level subordinates weren’t nearly as luxury minded. She adjusted her black shorts in a pause before continuing: ”There’s still the matter of the dirt tracking inside my house, though. I’m going to expect you to clean it up and get it back to pre-Marion condition, though I’m not entirely heartless. I know my shower is better than what you have access to and before I go I’ll heat up the water tank so you can get a warm shower after you’re done.” [break][break]
The faunus stood up, then, and maintained a friendly sort of tone as she did. ”I’m going to change before then. If you want to overachieve and get the clothes done while you’re here I’d appreciate it, but not required. I’m not going to make you repair the exterior unless I find there’s holes that go inside. If there’s nothing else, I’ll leave you to it.” [break][break]
Alina would never miss an opportunity to get someone else to do her household chores for her. She hated doing them and always slacked when left to her own devices, so making someone else do it and being able to spin it as kindness was literally the best thing to happen to her this week.
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[attr="class","nikki103"]850 words
[attr="class","nikki103"]KERCH KOZAKS
[attr="class","nikki103"]7512 TOTAL WORDS
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NOTES
A Semblance, D Weapons, B Dust Enhancement, C Durability, B Agility, C Martial Arts, D Stamina, D Exhaustion
Post by Marion Linette on May 23, 2021 4:16:35 GMT -5
-That sounds like a decent deal. Yeah...- Marion said, trying to sound as calm and collected as she could. Not wanting to sound overly enthusiastic with the idea of herself supervising the construction of what would be her living quarters in the long term.
In reality, Marion could have started laughing and dancing on the spot from joy. But she wouldn’t let Alina see that.
She could picture it already. Having a nice and spacious castle suite overlooking Kerch on a warm summer night. With a king-size bed and nice fluffy carpet, a private bathroom just for herself, and a mini-fridge. Maybe even a jacuzzi inside, eventually. And a large TV screen once they got reception in Kerch, or maybe one of those KfConsoles growing in popularity lately.
She wouldn’t go putting those stupid potted plants some people liked to own. That reminded her too much of her damn mother. But still, that suite would be her own little piece of heaven on earth, only for herself.
But before that, she would need to work for it. If getting something like that meant busting her ass doing jobs for the Kozaks, then so be it. It would be worth it.
And yes. One could get wealth and commodities by having... Like... An honest job, as long as you were not a faunus. But where was the fun in that? You really needed to be a special kind of psycho to consider doing an office job for eight to ten hours a day, six days a week to be a good deal. And for what? Two weeks of vacation per year? Was that all of their hard work amounted for?
No, Marion's life wasn’t worth so little to throw it away like that.
When Alina mentioned wanting her to clean the house, Marion couldn’t do anything else but comply. That had been in her plans even before Alina's punishment. Getting up and wrapping the towel around her head.
-That is fair. Just let me get my scroll from outside, and I can start. I don’t want someone stepping on it by accident-
Sighing, she began walking outside. -And sure... I might as well do the laundry while I do the rest- And with that, she went to retrieve her scroll. Doing some small cleaning wouldn’t kill her, she reasoned. Alina’s house couldn’t be that dirty... Right?
...
-Alina... You know hair brushes exist, right? I can lend you one of mine if you need it...-
Marion said to Alina once the blonde was done with her chores, incredulous before the sheer amount of silver strands of hair she amassed during her small cleaning adventure.
And yes, it had been a true adventure, filled with perils but without a treasure chest in the end. It was bad... It reminded her of that time when she was sent to Beacon and discovered that you actually have to clean shit up, that it doesn’t just clean itself while you are not looking.
-...I could make a wig out of this shit...- She exclaimed, part amazed and partly horrified with her loot. All neatly packed into a plastic bag she was sure some weirdo on the intranet would pay good money for -Well, whatever. I cleaned what I personally did and then some. Also did the clothes-
She also had wholeheartedly taken the offer for a nice, long shower once she was done. Of what she found in the drains, she would not speak, ever. But at least. The bath had made her feel a little lighter after some cleaning duty on top of the training sessions. She even found a small first aid kit she used to bandage her fingers to protect them until her aura recovered fully.
-Is there something else you need? Else I should probably be on my way or something-