A Barrel of Original Characters

barrelofocs:

Oooh, damn it, he’d messed up the other. K.C. flinches a bit as the stranger he interrupted splashes down into the pool. “Sorry, sorry, I just didn’t expect to see someone doing that here. Wherever here is.”

He steps onto the water, calmly breathing. A hand is offered for the doused human. “Let me lend you a hand out? K.C., by the way.” His words are spoken on exhales, keeping his breath relatively steady.

“Huang Shanyin. And I’d love the help.” Shanyin said, holding up a hand. Weird, this guy knew the same trick he did? “Hey, how’re you walking on water anyway?”

“Eh?” And that question made him loose focus, resulting in K.C. also getting dunked in the water. He sputters a bit as he breaches the water’s surface, coughing a bit harshly as some water got in his throat.

     Their attention had been mostly focused on some nearby Nightopians playing around, so perhaps that’s why they didn’t notice the presence someone else around, but the violet dream being is nonetheless the slightest bit startled whenever they feel someone tap them on the shoulder, followed by a voice that they certainly don’t recognize.

     “Huh?” NiGHTS utters, whirling around to regard whomever it is that had addressed them. Their head tilts a little in both mild curiosity and confusion at the stranger standing before them, and their hands rest upon their hips habitually as they give the other a brief once-over. Their cerulean hues are immediately drawn to the horns, and while they’re not intimidated by them, it does bring up some suspicions; is this another Nightmaren, perhaps?

     But, then again, they’re pretty sure they at least know of all the others of their kind currently working under Wizeman, and they certainly don’t recognize this one - they don’t think their creator is in any hurry to create any new ones, either. So, just who are they, exactly?

“Oh, you left Wizeman’s rule? I have to say, that’s the first time I’ve heard of that happening! Well, welcome to the side of light then! I’m sure if a certain someone wasn’t in slumber they’d greet you in a heartbeat.” 

But that was for another time. “So you help out the visitors, hm? I take it you have some sort of special ability that lets you aid them. Would you mind telling me about it?”

     “Yep, I’m one of a kind!” NiGHTS declares, and they can’t help looking rather proud over this fact - Wizeman puts forth a great effort to keep the denizens of Nightmare under his thumb, after all, so even humoring the thought of rebelling is rare from others of their kind. It’s unfortunate, but they understand that not everyone can shrug off the threat of permanent erasure at the hands of their creator as well as they can. 

     They don’t like it, mind you, but they do understand. 

     “I couldn’t stand being there or listening to him anymore, so I left, and eventually somehow got roped out into helping out the Visitors…and, here I am.” They shrug nonchalantly - of course, their explanation leaves out some details, like how the old bird practically begged for their help, or how they were trapped in the Ideya Palace by their creator and wound up meeting the first Visitors they ever really bonded with as a result. 

     A lot of things that’d take forever to explain and they don’t really have the patience for saying all at once.

He nods, standing straight once more. “Very well, I see how you can aid Visitors now! It’s much better than my own skill-- much less draining!” Echost chuckles a bit, his laugh sounding slightly like rumbling thunder.

     Their attention had been mostly focused on some nearby Nightopians playing around, so perhaps that’s why they didn’t notice the presence someone else around, but the violet dream being is nonetheless the slightest bit startled whenever they feel someone tap them on the shoulder, followed by a voice that they certainly don’t recognize.

     “Huh?” NiGHTS utters, whirling around to regard whomever it is that had addressed them. Their head tilts a little in both mild curiosity and confusion at the stranger standing before them, and their hands rest upon their hips habitually as they give the other a brief once-over. Their cerulean hues are immediately drawn to the horns, and while they’re not intimidated by them, it does bring up some suspicions; is this another Nightmaren, perhaps?

     But, then again, they’re pretty sure they at least know of all the others of their kind currently working under Wizeman, and they certainly don’t recognize this one - they don’t think their creator is in any hurry to create any new ones, either. So, just who are they, exactly?

“Ah, I’m Echost! I guess you could call me a being in-between nightmares and pleasant dreams. It’s a pleasure to meet you, NiGHTS.” He lightly picks up one of their hands, planting a quick peck on the back of it.

“Oh, sorry, I should have asked if that was still a polite way to greet people. I admit my manners might be a few centuries behind– staying in a solitary realm just a bit off from Nightopia does that to a being.”

He lightly drops the hand he had picked up. “Anyways, I’m guessing you’re… one of Wizeman’s creations? Ah– don’t worry, I won’t tell any visitors I find! It’s not my job to meddle in his affairs at the moment.” Oh, drat, he’s rambling again.

     This is a lot of information to take in at once and NiGHTS has to make a conscious effort not to tune any of it out when the explanations go on for more than a few sentences; it’s not on purpose, mind you - just habitual, given that they aren’t fond of long, rambling lectures. They get the general gist of his words, at any rate, and the important thing is that he’s not here to pick a fight. 

     There’s been a little too much of that lately and, quite frankly, the First Level grows weary of it after awhile. 

     “Echost, huh? It’s nice to meet you, too,” they remark when he finally finishes, leaning back and crossing one leg over the other in their usual casual sitting position with a friendly smile gracing their features.

“Oh, you left Wizeman’s rule? I have to say, that’s the first time I’ve heard of that happening! Well, welcome to the side of light then! I’m sure if a certain someone wasn’t in slumber they’d greet you in a heartbeat.” 

But that was for another time. “So you help out the visitors, hm? I take it you have some sort of special ability that lets you aid them. Would you mind telling me about it?”

     Their attention had been mostly focused on some nearby Nightopians playing around, so perhaps that’s why they didn’t notice the presence someone else around, but the violet dream being is nonetheless the slightest bit startled whenever they feel someone tap them on the shoulder, followed by a voice that they certainly don’t recognize.

     “Huh?” NiGHTS utters, whirling around to regard whomever it is that had addressed them. Their head tilts a little in both mild curiosity and confusion at the stranger standing before them, and their hands rest upon their hips habitually as they give the other a brief once-over. Their cerulean hues are immediately drawn to the horns, and while they’re not intimidated by them, it does bring up some suspicions; is this another Nightmaren, perhaps?

     But, then again, they’re pretty sure they at least know of all the others of their kind currently working under Wizeman, and they certainly don’t recognize this one - they don’t think their creator is in any hurry to create any new ones, either. So, just who are they, exactly?

“Ah, I’m Echost! I guess you could call me a being in-between nightmares and pleasant dreams. It’s a pleasure to meet you, NiGHTS.” He lightly picks up one of their hands, planting a quick peck on the back of it.

“Oh, sorry, I should have asked if that was still a polite way to greet people. I admit my manners might be a few centuries behind-- staying in a solitary realm just a bit off from Nightopia does that to a being.”

He lightly drops the hand he had picked up. “Anyways, I’m guessing you’re... one of Wizeman’s creations? Ah-- don’t worry, I won’t tell any visitors I find! It’s not my job to meddle in his affairs at the moment.” Oh, drat, he’s rambling again.

“What about your teammates? You might as well tell me what they look like so I can do the same for you.“

Yeah, funny story, Griffon Grimm did not enjoy it when someone else with flight invaded their air. Melia took down one just as someone called out (bird-lady? really?), and turned just in time to see them slam another of the winged demons in to a building.

“No problem, lady!” Alani bellows, casually incinerating that Griffon with a fireball launched from her claw-gauntlet-things. “Alani Kouhau, at yer service! Brawler an’ almost-professional kicker of Grimm ass!”

“Hey, we’ll find her. If she’s got artificial wings an’ is still kicking, I doubt she’s dead. People like that are fighters in their own ways.”

At this point it was probably suicide to try and fight on your own against this many Grimm and White Fang.

The working sword is placed back in it’s sheath, as as he runs after the other Adam starts tinkering with the jammed blade. There’s quite a bit of muffled swearing as he smacks the sword a few times.

“Thanks for that. I owe you one, Adam.“ The faunus replied, watching the giant bird go up in smoke.

“A dragon, huh? Those things’re massive, accordin’ to myths. I guess we’d best get moving t’ town then! There’s a lot of people there who’d need protection, if nothing else.” 

“Nereus Castor.“ A beat passed. “I’m an opossum faunus.“

His gaze turns predatory as he lowers his rifle, seemingly pointing it at Nereus’ head. It fires, and sends a Nevermore crashing into the ground just behind the other Faunus.

The two traded positions, and soon enough the opossum was taking out the robots like it was nobody’s business. Daggers were adept at slipping inbetween the joints where there was no armor, cutting primary wires and causing short circuits to happen.

Oh well, at least that cluster of Beowolves was dead. “Vacuo, eh? Never been there. Hey, thanks for dealin’ with all of those darn robots! Chainsaws an’ rifles ain’t the best tools for those things.”