apathynoir

[apathynoir]

🎲

kiss meme | 14: a kiss to the stomach

he doesn’t mean to stare. truly, he doesn’t—but what is one to do when they are met with something that they have never seen before?

when dwyer was a child, he busied himself with books of all kinds; anything and everything was fair when the goal was to chase off boredom. he’d flipped through his fair share of mythological tales, sat in thoughtful silence in an attempt to imagine some of the creatures within ( and scoffing at the more outlandish—because what on earth is fascinating about a snail that kills you if it touches you? )… he can still remember some of them if he reminisces long enough.

the memory comes to him now because of a particular entry in one of those very same books: an angel. said to be a messenger of the gods, descending to the mortal earth on downy white wings… is that not what this woman who lays in front of him is? her wings sprawl outwards, snow spilling half-melted across shingled rooftops, and it is a quick and stark flash of home. dwyer stifles a gasp. he tries not to wax poetic, but he cannot help it. not when the woman looks at him with eyes the color of winter dipping to springtime. heavens, yeah. where else could she have come from?

dwyer’s eyes aren’t nearly so nice. tucked beneath hair he’s never bothered to tame, limping to the side awkwardly to avoid being burned by the gentle warmth of being looked at. he can’t help it. this is just what he does.

instead of a soft look or a series of sweet words that may or may not come out the way he wants them to, dwyer bows his head. obedient, acknowledging, it falls to the skin just above her navel; what else can he give her than this? and now, reverently, lips brush against the spot just so, happening with a stiffness that falls away the more familiar dwyer becomes with the sensation. 

he still isn’t sure he’s ready for the confirmation that he’s being watched, so dwyer’s eyes still keep to the side. " …sorry if that was… forward of me, my lady, " he mutters. " i just couldn’t imagine doing anything else… "

[apathynoir]

🎲!!

kiss meme | 40: an impulsive kiss

dwyer grits his teeth at the clashing of blades, hating that he can feel his boots slide backwards on the dirt. butlers are built for combat but certainly nothing so close to swordfighting; the last time dwyer ever touched a blade was probably when he was cleaning yato with a cloth. what the hell is he supposed to be doing when he brings a dagger to clash with an honest-to-gods sword?!

put in simple terms, this woman is totally beating his ass. were he not trying to save face, dwyer would be sighing exasperatedly enough to cause wind storms. gods, maybe that would help him or something.

clang! clang! sparks flit off of steel’s collision and dwyer doesn’t know how much longer he can hold out like this. he’s fast and he’s precise, but the one thing he tries to avoid is close-quarters combat ( yes, the slappyface is a viable option… until he gets both of his godsdamned arms sliced off because he’s trying to slap an armed swordswoman ). strike after strike after strike reverberates in his arms and saps them of their strength. this can’t be how he loses. he can’t just let himself be cornered like this! 

so while he still has feeling in his hands, dwyer runs through scenarios in his mind. slappyface will have him leave handless; running will open him to attack; playing dead has a thirty-percent chance of actually working; gods if only he had that warp staff.

but then.

an idea comes to him.

it is a dastardly idea and one that is devoid of good sportsmanship. it might even be a breach of personal space. scratch that, it just is a breach of personal space. but if dwyer’s fated to die at the end of a blade, he might as well throw shit at the wall and see what happens. maybe??

the next time his assailant comes at him, he first blocks the strike with his dagger. he then dislodges a gloved hand from its place on the blade and flips it so the blade sits broadside against the sword, and then he pulls with a paired kick to the shins so that—

—she falls right on his lips, and they kiss, for whatever the hells that’s worth. it’s chaste, sweaty, and at least on dwyer’s side tastes like needing to book it the fuck out of there. which is precisely what he does, once he unlocks his grip on his dagger and punts the sword upwards. see ya! wouldn’t wanna be ya!

[apathynoir]

♡

●●●○○ | ATTRACTION ○○○○○ | AFFECTION ●●●○○ | INTEREST ○○○○○ | LOYALTY ●○○○○ | TRUST

picking out the notables from the crowd is something dwyer's father made quite sure he knew before he could even walk. people can have " powerful presences " of all kinds, but it takes a refined eye to truly know what that means. it is suffice to say that this woman carries herself in a way that commands respect---and dwyer has no qualms about giving it to her.

he wonders what she has seen. he typically does, meeting faces like hers. and he wonders, too, whether she would be keen on sharing over tea.

[apathynoir]

kiss roulette

inspired by the infamous "i want the k" meme by deactivated tumblr user tastcful. send 🎲 to generate a kiss! potential suggestive/nsf.w themes may appear

A kiss on the cheek

A kiss on the nose

A kiss on the forehead

A kiss to the top of the head

A firm kiss

A gentle peck

A romantic kiss

A platonic kiss

A kiss to the eyelid

A kiss along the jawline

A kiss to the neck

A kiss along the collar bone

A kiss on the chest

A kiss to the stomach

A kiss along the hips

A kiss in the rain

An upside-down "Spider-Man" kiss

A kiss while laughing

A kiss underwater

A rough kiss

WILDCARD! Dealer's choice :)

A french kiss/kiss with tongue

A kiss influenced by alcohol/other substances

A sleepy kiss

A kiss that's an accident

A kiss while one or both parties are crying

A kiss in greeting

A kiss in parting

A kiss to the back of the hand

A kiss to the palm of the hand

A kiss to the inner thigh

A kiss while someone watches

A kiss to a scar, birthmark, injury, or other marking

A kiss after a bite

A kiss against a wall

A kiss to the shoulder

A kiss to the back of the neck

A kiss while one party is carried

A tentative kiss

An impulsive kiss

A kiss out of spite

A clumsy kiss

A bloody kiss

[apathynoir]

" dream interpretation. " what a load of trite.

dwyer is not a devout believer in anything but the sweet mother-goddess of sleep. people who claim to see the future or to have the ability to divine fortunes do not interest him in the slightest---because how do they expect to prove any of what they say?

it is rather obvious that these sorts of gimmicks rely on the honesty of the human heart and the coveted ability to ask questions. coax information out of a man without him knowing and he'll say you're a magician when you tell him what he told you! it's a lucrative business---one that pays---but dwyer has no interest in that sort of social labor. he certainly doesn't care for knowingly tricking people, that's for certain.

so when he hears the name of a new face promising dream analysis, well, the first thing he does is raise an eyebrow. he already analyzes his dreams well enough; good ones are ones he oversleeps for, bad ones are ones he wakes up from, and all the rest is unnecessary. boom! he's done it! can he have a thousand gold now?

but the second thing dwyer does when he hears that there's a dream interpreter in town is go find them. he loves being a little hater.

he doesn't enter the line, but he does stand beside it; listening in he comes to find just how ridiculous some of these conclusions are. i mean, who comes up with these...?

@verseandrhyme

sleeper agents

non-mission board: pearlescent

[apathynoir]

Send ♡ to see what my muse thinks of yours

○○○○○ | ATTRACTION ○○○○○ | AFFECTION ○○○○○ | INTEREST ○○○○○ | LOYALTY ○○○○○ | TRUST

LOW | ●●●●● | HIGH

[apathynoir]

i think you're interrupting something

[apathynoir]

activity check: june

i don't feel like making a new banner right now. you get the point

-> passed!

total skill points: 8 -> 10

monthly point (faith c -> faith c 1/2)

toa summer arena 2024 (faith c 1/2 -> faith c+ )

classes accessed:

none

classes mastered:

none

rank up / mastery / event rewards:

light rune (pending)

[apathynoir]

dwyer thinks he understands, if only slightly; calling back to his days of learning horseback reminds him of rein etiquette. at ease, forward for speed, backwards to slow down... hand movements are important when riding a creature with whom one cannot so easily converse with. it is all they have, rider and mount. it would seem it is the same with pegasi.

going straight into flight as shigure had demonstrated, however, is too much to ask of a man who has never so much as sailed through the air after a comically strong punch. therefore, dwyer starts how he knows best: with a gentle tap of reins and a squeeze of his legs, he starts into a walk. good so far.

it takes a few short laps before he has enough desire to truly start. he tightens his hands around the reins, looks once, then twice over his shoulder... and gently pulls back.

the pegasus responds to his command easily, which is perfect for a trained horse and positively terrible for dwyer. the beast jumps and spreads its wings quickly, making every movement short and fast for efficient handling. its rider is startled by all the movement and begins to look around frantically as a result.

good gods, oh, merciful dusk dragon to whom he rarely prays, Are You Seeing This Shite ? they are not far off the ground, but dwyer hazards a guess that a fall from the height he's at would hurt even if he didn't die. as the pegasus flaps its wings there is unfamiliar turbulence, and dwyer can feel himself rocking in his saddle. oh, good heavens.

" guhwuh-- ahh--- woah, woah, hey--- " he stammers, body folding to strap itself tightly to the body of his mount. " ahh, ahhh, i want off! off of the flappy horse! go down! down, the ground, ground, down, please!! "

Girl ….. the flying honse

[apathynoir]

" ...alice, huh. uh, nice to meet you... "

dwyer thinks he knows a few things about horses. before the life of a butler he first had to walk the path of the troubadour, which entailed horseback and, interestingly enough, his choice of dress back home. when not in his nohrian butler-cloth, dwyer dons the familiar grays-and-purples of his riding dress, boots and hip-shields aplenty.

but all of this is news to him. horses know him? they know his feelings? was this why horse kept biting him when he thought about taking a sweet, sweet nap after a clash? dwyer shudders. Do Horses Know His Thoughts?

he shakes his head, untamed silver tresses flopping where they choose. now is NOT the time to be intimidated by equines, he thinks. if they know things, then they can smell fear. probably.

these thoughts are a bit ridiculous, dwyer realizes, as shigure is looking at him with all the care a friend can possibly have. even if the pegasus could suss out dwyer's uncertainty, surely shigure would guide him to righting it. this is simply what friends do.

so as shigure instructs him on how to mount a pegasus---similar, dwyer finds, to horses, though with the added difficulty of swinging around the wings---he does it with no qualms, settling on alice's splendid white back as though he were gearing up to head out on his own mare.

" okay, first step's done. ' get on pegasus. ' " notes dwyer, mostly to himself. " do i just... walk around on her now? do pegasi, er... trot? or do they do weird flying horse maneuvers for everything? "

Girl ….. the flying honse

[apathynoir]

dwyer prides himself on many things---as a butler ought to---not the least of which being his strong sense of understanding. though on the surface he seems not to care, in truth he is always looking, always thinking about the people he is meant to serve in one way or another. he thinks, he does, and down to the way he stances his feet depend on what is best for his masters.

the young girl maria draws her hand to her chest and dwyer sees it. following the trail of sight alerts him to two things:

her stare is reciprocated in kind by the lancebearing shade

someone is coming AT HIM

Red Dragoon 7.5/10HP hits Dwyer 10/10HP with Blessed Lance. [Roll: 12 - 5 = 7; -1.5HP, Dwyer 8.5/10HP]

Dwyer is unable to counterattack.

Beak of Gofannon activates! Dwyer is now inflicted with Toxic Poison.

dwyer stumbles backward, coughing as the wound in his side bleeds and stings acidic. gods, that lance had to have been poisoned; he's familiar with all manner of ways to kill, and poison is up there with the commons. he can already feel numbness begin to settle in---it must be potent. all the more reason to wrap things up as quickly as possible.

but at the same time, he sees the way maria views the red-haired shade. he has heard the way she talks about the red-haired shade, a warning tone with crisped edges of pride and wonder. dwyer is not one to make odd-shot assumptions, but he feels as though this shade bears a resemblance to someone maria knows.

for a moment, dwyer thinks about what he would have done were it a shade of lady corrin. lady elise was hard enough to put down, but he could chalk that one up to a mercy kill if anything. if anything so much as looked like lady corrin, dwyer would have a hard time not defecting.

so perhaps it will be easier if he offers a hand. stepping in front of maria, massive dress skirt blocking the vicinity, dwyer pulls one of the two staves from his back and hits the base against the ground to begin channeling. " why don't you have a short break, lady maria? " he asks, servitude bared. " allow me to clean up for you. "

being poisoned means nothing to him---not when he's dealt with so many ninjas in his time. he stands up straight, squeezes the grip on his staff, and makes one quick, precise swipe.

Dwyer 8.5/10HP critically hits Dark Moonstone 6.5/10HP with Isolation. [Roll: 16] Dark Moonstone is inflicted with Isolation and Void!

Dark Moonstone is unable to counterattack.

the shade with flowing hair had been a problem before and would perhaps continue to be a problem. dwyer does not like problems. he likes to fix them where able. but as the head of his staff shines and fires a bolt of color-inverted magic, he can be certain that this will act as a quick fix to their worries.

Dwyer lost -1HP due to Toxic Poison!

…blarg.

brightest light, deepest shadow

summer arena 2024: team 8 gold round.

[apathynoir]

dwyer heaves a sigh as the figure of arval takes an attack, only to live on a sliver of health. he's run enough mental separation mantras through his head to potentially sever his mortal ties to the earth forever or whatever, but at least he can acknowledge that these shades have nothing to do with the real people they mimic.

he replaces the air with a sharp sucking in through teeth when not-arval retaliates, nearly nuking its recipient before the tome steals the last bit of life from them. gods, if only he'd brought a single healing stave...

his hunch deepens in anxiety, though his face belies none of it. he hates when things fall out of his hands like they are doing, with no staff to remedy missteps, but perhaps he can learn something from this. the dress he wears keeps its shape despite all the jumping around he's doing---and hey, it's pretty dang comfortable. to stay his worries, dwyer focuses on that.

a separate figure---one he does not know, but one that maria has informed him is not to be trifled with---approaches, blessed lance thrown out to the side as they prepare to engage. with him! good heavens, but the dress will be ruined.

Red Dragoon 10/10HP misses Dwyer 10/10HP with Blessed Lance. [Roll: 1 - 3 = -2; -0HP, Dwyer 10/10HP]

Dwyer is unable to counterattack.

so dwyer will simply sidestep. given how piss-easy it is to do, he wonders if his clothing has distracted the enemy.

oh, who is he kidding. do these things even think? can they even see?

he cannot counter the blow due to the bow in his hand, but he is not upset by this. he instead turns and sets his eye on the other flier in the army---one who looks... strange and uninviting. and that there are two of.

Dwyer 10/10HP barely hits Dark Moonstone 8/10HP with Zanshin (Schism Shot). [Roll: 2; 1 + 0.5 = -1.5HP, Dark Moonstone 6.5/10HP]

Dark Moonstone is unable to counterattack.

his arrow only barely scratches the cheek of the figure, but it at least hits. the nature of the shot prevents an attack in retaliation, which at this point is all dwyer can ask for. he's got to keep himself looking as nice as possible---who knows how much he'd have to pay in damages if this dress got tattered?!

brightest light, deepest shadow

summer arena 2024: team 8 gold round.

[apathynoir]

dwyer awakens only moment after his previous fall. he can only imagine that the battle had ended soon after he ate high class dirt, but the thought of losing so pathetically makes his eye twitch. how embarrassing. if his father could sense it, he hopes at least that he doesn't bring it up.

the new illusion sweeps in and dwyer's equipment wanes and waxes anew. the fan in the bronze round was not of much help, and the gauntlets of the second were brisk but not effective enough. as his new weapons appear in his hands, it is not them that makes dwyer balk. no, the lance, bow, and magic candle are fine, if in the candle's case slightly odd.

it is the large, beautiful, glittery purple dress that catches him. the thing itself is open-necked, paired with batwing ribbon sleeves and a backless bodice showing off his shiny pale skin ( and reminding him that he should probably spend more time outside ). a thick trail, made from the same slick ribbon material as his sleeves, travels down the back of the skirt but never touches the floor. at the front is a two-layer composition---the shell of the skirt encasing a tulle curtain underneath.

it is a very nice, and perhaps very expensive, dress. a wedding dress, no doubt.

WHY IS DWYER WEARING THIS?

his confoundment is shaken by the sound of war around him, and he snaps out of it just long enough to see his blue haired buddy take a swing at something that looks like arval. huh? what?? they're fighting each other?

no, that's not right. he sees the way "arval" flickers from the hit, unnatural even for a being such as them ( in a nice way, don't take it the wrong direction ). these aren't real people.

dwyer scans the battlefield to search for his place. it is found in the way a shade hunches, injured, atop their wyvern, and the bowstring lacing his fingers calls out to him. he pauses for a few moments---he knows who that is. those pigtails are unmistakable. " lady elise, " dwyer murmurs as he nocks his bow. these aren't real people. these aren't real people. " m' sorry for this. promise it won't hurt. "

Dwyer 10/10HP critically hits Budding Flower 2.5/10HP with Zanshin. [Roll: 5, automatic crit; -4HP, Budding Flower 0/10HP] Budding Flower has been defeated.

his skills with the bow are still warming up, but the thwock of the arrow in its target tells dwyer all he needs to know. he winces as the thing falls to the ground motionless and tries to envision some inanimate object, perhaps a head of lettuce, in place of those pigtails.

brightest light, deepest shadow

summer arena 2024: team 8 gold round.

[apathynoir]

this stupid hatter is almost down---dwyer can feel it in his buttling bones. whether it would stay down was something they would need to check for themselves, but speculation only took valuable Slapping Time. so he'll put a sock in it.

Rafiel 3.5/10HP uses Recover on Dwyer 3.5/10HP [Roll: 2; +3HP] Dwyer 6.5/10HP

he feels the rejuvenating sensation of a recover flow through him and it's enough to almost ( ALMOST ) make him do a little jig. he's adrenalized and incentivized---now it's time to pulverize!

Dwyer 6.5/10HP hits and misses Maddest Hatter 1.5/25HP* with Nepenthe Gloves. Nepenthe Gloves ignore resistance! Denizens of Opulence activates! [Rolls: 12 - 2 = 10, 2 - 2 = 0; (1.5 + 0.5) / 2 = -1HP, -0HP, Maddest Hatter 0.5/25HP*]

Teahouse Distribution activates! [Roll: 1] Debuff isn’t inflicted.

as dwyer takes a swing, he overclocks his second punch and trips over his own feet. he manages a single hit, but alas---it has only just fallen beneath the required Pain Index, as the hatter, though tottering from weakness, still remains upright! how shameful that dwyer couldn't even finish the annoying pest off.

Maddest Hatter 0.5/25HP* counters with Winner Takes All. It bounces four times: Tomebreaker activates! It critically hits Dwyer 6.5/10HP! [Roll: 18 - 8 = 10; 2 * 2 = -4HP, Dwyer 2.5/10HP][Roll: 1] Dwyer 2.5/10HP is inflicted with Cornucopia for one full round. Tomebreaker activates! It misses Dwyer 2.5/10HP! [Roll: 1 - 8 = -7; -0HP, Dwyer 2.5/10HP]

and without fail dwyer receives his due pay: a beam explodes right in his face, sending him tumbling backwards and down to the floor. his placement allows the next attack to miss him, but he already has lost as much health as he'd had recovered. what a useless endeavor, but at least he hadn't gotten knocked out...

oh, the other double-attacker's going. wait, what's h

Maddest Hatter 0.5/25HP* counters with Winner Takes All. It bounces 4 times: Tomebreaker activates! It critically hits Dwyer 2.5/10HP! [Roll: 19 - 8 = 11; -4HP, Dwyer 0/10HP]

aaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

snake eyes. naptime.

Dwyer has been defeated!

Heading to the Other Side (Other Side) || Team 8 Silver Round

[apathynoir]

Maddest Hatter 21/25HP* counters with Winner Takes All. It bounces 4 times: Selkiesheen activates! [Roll: 2] Attack doesn’t get redirected. Tomebreaker activates! It misses Dwyer 10/10HP! [Roll: 5 - 8 = -3; -0HP, Dwyer 10/10HP]

...huh. had he spaced out for a second?

dwyer swears he had felt recoil from where he'd thrown his risky gambit, but looking at his arms and legs, there is nary a mark to show it. come to think of it, the pain he thought he felt left without a trace---is there something he isn't understanding?

as his eyes peek through moppish bangs he just barely catches on to a second bout of attacks, spurred on by the attack from his blue-haired comrade. the tome in his hands must have sent the behatted thing into equal levels of irritation, because the bouncing blast is coming towards him, Hello, it's

Maddest Hatter 16/25HP* counters with Winner Takes All. It bounces 4 times: Selkiesheen activates! [Roll: 2] Attack doesn’t get redirected. Tomebreaker activates! It misses Dwyer! [Roll: 11 - 8 = 3; -0HP, Dwyer 10/10HP]

not coming for him, because dwyer's getting some serious deja vu from this shebang! with a quick turn of heel he rolls out of the way, only barely coming to his feet when yet another attack comes for him.

Selkiesheen activates! [Roll: 2] Attack doesn’t get redirected. Maddest Hatter 14/25HP* barely hits Dwyer 10/10HP with Raise the Stakes! [Roll: 9 - 4 = 5; -1.5 - 1 = -0.5HP, Dwyer 9.5/10HP]

Dwyer 9.5/10HP counterattacks and barely hits Maddest Hatter 14/25HP* with Nepenthe Gloves! [Roll: 5 - 2 = 3; -0.5 + 1.5 - 2 = -0HP, Maddest Hatter 14/25HP*]

Maddest Hatter 14/25HP* follows up and misses Dwyer 9.5/10HP with Raise the Stakes! [Roll: 1 - 4 = -3; -0HP, Dwyer 9.5/10HP]

even with the advantage the hatter has over him, dwyer evades with grace. his counter triggers another tantrum blast, it seems, and unfortunately dwyer is much too close to the thing to avoid this one.

Selkiesheen activates! [Roll: 2] Attack doesn’t get redirected. Tomebreaker activates! It critically hits Dwyer 9.5/10HP! [Roll: 20 - 8 = 12; 2 * 2 = -4HP, Dwyer 5.5/10HP]

it's a harsh blow, but not one that cripples him. as he stands and brushes himself off, however, the frantic call from his teammates alerts him to maria's defeat.

tch. of course it had to be her first. what on earth had such a young child done to deserve that abuse? dwyer is only further incited at the fact that he hadn't done a thing to protect her. he was being too self-serving! what good is a butler that lets his masters perish? certainly none enough to stay employed!

so when the hatter extends its mandatory invitation to a far-off table, dwyer cracks his knuckles and gets to work.

Invitation to the Table activates!Maddest Hatter 14/25HP* summons Dordice A and Dordice B. [Roll: 2] Maddest Hatter 14/25HP* selects Dwyer 5.5/10HP to fight! Maddest Hatter rolls! [Rolls: 10, 7] 10 is the higher result. Dwyer 5.5/10HP barely hits and critically hits Dordice A with Nepenthe Gloves. [Rolls: 7 - 4 = 3, 14 - 4 = 10] [Roll: 10] Dwyer’s total score is 10. It’s the same as Maddest Hatter’s. Dwyer receives nothing.

he takes out some of his frustration on one of the die before him, delivering an open-palm slap that sends the thing spinning and spinning before landing on a number.

whatever significance it has, it bores dwyer's partner in teatime---with little fanfare he is sent back to his place among the party. damn! and right when he'd had a chance to do something! he flashes a look back at maria, feeling somewhat soothed at how protectively her mount crouches over her. what an awful sight.

Maddest Hatter 11/25HP* counters with Winner Takes All. It bounces 4 times: Tomebreaker activates! It critically hits Dwyer 5.5/10HP! [Roll: 20 - 8 = 12; 2 * 2 - 3 = -1HP, Dwyer 4.5/10HP]

as his partner attacks the hatter yet again, down comes the fresh wave of attack---but despite the flashy reverie, dwyer merely brushes it to the side. it's not worth more than a scrape on the elbow, and he's got enough of those. he's sick of being rattled around by these damned counters---he will make the creature pay for the trouble!

Dwyer 4.5/10HP barely hits and hits Maddest Hatter 9/25HP* with Nepenthe Gloves. Denizens of Opulence activates! [Rolls: 2, 12; (1.5 + 1 + 0.5 - 1) / 2 = -1HP, (1.5 + 1 + 0.5) / 2 = -1.5HP, Maddest Hatter 6.5/25HP*] Teahouse Distribution activates! [Roll: 1] Debuff isn’t inflicted.

yet again his fists hardly make any substantial contact. it's a contribution, at least---the hatter looks close to buckling, so anything helps, he supposes.

as expected, the hatter rises to fight back against his feeble knocking, but dwyer already knows what's coming. and brother, he is prepared.

Maddest Hatter 6.5/25HP* counters with Winner Takes All. It bounces 4 times: Tomebreaker activates! It misses Dwyer 4.5/10HP! [Roll: 2 - 8 = -6; -0HP, Dwyer 4.5/10HP] Tomebreaker activates! It misses Dwyer 4.5/10HP! [Roll: 11 - 8 = 3; -0HP, Dwyer 4.5/10HP] Tomebreaker activates! It misses Dwyer 4.5/10HP! [Roll: 1 - 8 = -7; -0HP, Dwyer 4.5/10HP]

with the power of proficient hand-to-hand experience and this cool ring he found, dwyer simply sidesteps any meaningful attempt to hit him. getting hit is for losers! get with the program, you useless sack of---

oh, wait---

oh, no---

" ...er, embla---sorry---lady embla?! to your right, your right, your--- "

Heading to the Other Side (Other Side) || Team 8 Silver Round

[apathynoir]

as the sun rises dwyer feels a muffled sense of calm. ahh, the sun---though he loves the dark and gloomy, nothing beats the feeling of sunlight on skin. it's so peaceful, so healing...

so gone.

now they are somewhere else, and dwyer has none of the same weapons he once had. replacing his fan is, interestingly, a pair of magical gauntlets that radiate dark energy from the palms. against his better judgement, dwyer puts them on. they feel good. the slappyfaces shall be legendary.

their enemy appears straight from the gate and plays one of his teammates for a fiddle before setting them back to their original place. they look worse for wear from the ordeal---seeing how their adversary toyed with them only incenses dwyer. he'll make sure they pay for that.

after a half-hearted cheer from his partner embla ( that... somehow works, despite it all? ), dwyer clashes his gauntlets together before stepping in. he's going to give this damned thing a piece of his mind---and of his fist!

he winds back, letting the darkness of the gloves flow from his fingers to his knuckles. this is a sensation he isn't familiar with, but he knows how best to administer it. he flexes his fingers once, twice; balling them up into a fist, he concentrates the magic to a center point. once the leaden weight of darkness sits at its most potent, dwyer knows it is time.

time to STRIKE!

Dwyer 10/10HP hits and misses Maddest Hatter 21.5/25HP* with Nepenthe Gloves. Denizens of Opulence activates! [Rolls: 12 - 2 = 10, 1 - 2 = -1; 1.5 + 1.5 - 2 = -1HP / 2 = -0.5HP, -0HP, Maddest Hatter 21/25HP*]

Teahouse Distribution activates! [Roll: 1] Debuff isn’t inflicted on Maddest Hatter.

well, like, he lands the first hit, but the second...??

he's not sure how he whiffs it so bad, but here we are. and the first punch barely did squat anyways; what about all the power and stuff? the magic, the lead, the super lead-up? did that count for NOTHING? dwyer sits there in silence, wondering all of these very important things.

meanwhile, the creature counters.

Maddest Hatter 20.5/25HP* counters and critically hits Dwyer 10/10HP with Winner Takes All. [Roll: 18 - 4 = 14; -4HP, Dwyer 6/10HP]

[Roll: 1] Dwyer 6/10HP is inflicted with Cornucopia for one full round.

that one hurt.

and the creature isn't done. after he finishes totally laser blasting dwyer's dumbfounded ass, he turns to address the rest of the party. though dwyer missed his second hit the thing seems irked by the double-dipping attempt anyways. with a great spark, out flies a second, more randomized attack.

Winner Takes All bounces 4 times: It misses Maria! [Roll: 4 - 8 = -4; -0HP, Maria 10/10HP] It misses Seliph! [Roll: 6; -0HP, Seliph 10/10HP] It misses Dwyer! [Roll: 5 - 4 = 1; -0HP, Dwyer 6/10HP] It critically hits Embla! [16 - 2 = 14; 4 + 1 = -5HP, Embla 5/10HP]

yeah, that one was.

dwyer grimaces and sucks air through his teeth. he hadn't meant to do that.

@virtuoustyrfing

Heading to the Other Side (Other Side) || Team 8 Silver Round

[apathynoir]

dwyer runs a hand through his shaggy hair as he backs away from the woman he'd just finished striking across the cheek, feeling so horrified at his own actions that his cheeks might turn red. what would his father say if he'd heard what he'd done---hitting his teammates like they were less than himself! not even using his hand lest he dirty it with contact upon their skin! augh! that kind of disrespect was reserved only for his enemies; allies do not warrant such cruelty, no matter how rank their vibes are!

but he'll flagellate himself over it later. for now the still very-apparent threat looms: these bishops and priests carry a way to make even the most disciplined of men lose their mark. if anything, he should be blaming them. yes, that's right, it's all the priests' and bishop's faults. they deserve the fan.

the solid cudgeling of that dour woman's face ( for some odd reason ) gave him the clarity he desperately needed. now he would deliver clear, crisp justice upon these villains that dared make him for a fool!

...egh. he's starting to sound like lutz.

[Roll: 1] Dwyer 10/10HP is inflicted with one stack of Intoxication [total: 1]

his mind clouds once again but not so far that he cannot remember himself. dwyer knows he is feeling strange, so he straightens himself and grounds his conscious. he thinks of those he must keep safe: the girl maria, with her concern and sharp mind; the boy seliph, with his staunch eye and desire for harmony; the blonde faculty who, though nameless, has been keeping dwyer's vulnerability under lock and key; and the woman he'd slapped and who had shot him colorful in return. an odd group they make, but dwyer's used to it.

to serve them is his prerogative. he has no staves to shake at them ( though it would appear they have that covered ), so he shall serve them with spilled blood. his fan claps against his open palm as he rushes the bishop, not bothering to wait for another shield. this ought to be a fair fight.

Dwyer 10/10HP hits Bishop A 5.5/8HP with War Fan. [Roll: 16 - 2 = 14; -1HP] Bishop 4.5/8HP

despite his lagging step he still lands a satisfying hit against his adversary; as the bishop pulls back dwyer delights in seeing tattered cloth. yeah, that's right. back up, you annoying little whatever.

of course, when dwyer sees how the bishop's hand next moves, he realizes that the annoying little whatever is backing up so he can get a clean shot.

Bishop 4.5/8HP critically hits Dwyer 10/10HP with Fogbound Consecration. [Roll: 19 + 8 = 27; 3 - 2.5 = 0.5 + 0.5 = -1HP] Dwyer 9/10HP

as the fog approaches, blackened to the point of stark opacity, dwyer does the only thing he can think of: he claps his left hand over his nose and mouth, letting the shield locked around his forearm disperse the haze. though his head aches at what he does inhale, though it does further his dizziness in an alarming fashion, he is able to at least keep the brunt of the damage off with his reaction. perhaps this shield is good for something.

the fog still hangs, so dwyer only lifts his hand a smidge so he can speak. " i--- koff! i think their attacks hurt us more if we're affected by the fog! " he calls to his teammates, reflecting on the experience. he doesn't have much given he'd spent most of his time behind a shield, but now that he's felt the touch of the haze his analytical mind runs into overdrive. " if you feel off, be careful around them. it'll --- ugh --- only make it worse! "

Calling All Besties: SURVIVE || Team 8 Bronze Round