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[Glass]

Xili Han will be trained in her skill as a Defender to rank 3 using the Combat Simulator.

[IronyOwl]

Purchase a High-Grade Combat Simulator for 4000 EC.

[Nakéen]

Year 450 Cycle 1 - Downtime

Team Scarlet Star

Baretta Scarlet: Recreational Leave (Free)
Capella Scarlet: Recreational Leave (Free)

Skit: ARMs and Ice Creams
Location: Aumacha City - Machimachi District

With the recent victory over the C-Class Spectre, Aumacha City was in a festive mood. It was hard to imagine the entire city was on high alert the week prior, as people had already returned to their routine. To them, Phantasm attacks were just part of that routine after all.

Baretta and Capella wore casual clothes, and only their small NRCPF badge indicated their affiliation. The two girls were incredibly happy to go outside, marveling at the stores, gardens, and artworks of the district. Their two Handlers followed not far behind, keeping a close eye on them. They were currently fixated on an abstract monument in the middle of a plaza.

Baretta Scarlet: "So that... er, thing really exists. It looks even worse than I thought!"
Capella Scarlet: "What is that? You know about it Baretta?"
Baretta Scarlet: "Yep! My big sister was from Aumacha! It's all in her memories, but that's my first time in Aumacha proper!"

The two Handlers picked up on this. "Big Sister?" So that is how these ARMs refered their "Core Donor" as. Interesting.

Capella Scarlet: "Ooh! Mine never went to Aumacha... but she travelled a lot! For, er, work."
Baretta Scarlet: "Ahem- Handler Natashia? There is... there is some place I would like to try out, if you don't mind?"

Given it was the girl's leave, Natashia agreed. She wanted to go to a restaurant located in one of the malls of the district, called the Ostentatious. They were famed for their incredibly elaborate meals and desserts, and it seems the original Ginette Zephyrus loved going there.

Capella Scarlet: "No waaay! It still exists! I can't believe it, it's like a dream come true!"

The Handlers took a table on the vast open-air balcony. Right as the girls were about to sit, someone from the table next to you called out to them.

??: "My, isn't that the girls from Team Scarlet?"
??: "You are right! Baretta and Capella, was it? Hello! It's us, Tsubasa and Colombine from Team Crystal Wings!"

Two girls accompanied with an adult each waved at you. Tsubasa was tall and had an aura of maturity. Her eyes and hair were pink like jewels. Colombe was average-sized, but still taller than Baretta and Scarlet. Her eyes were amber, and her hair white.

Baretta Scarlet: "No way! Miss Tsubasa... Miss Colombine... It's- it's an honor to meet our seniors!"

[Team Crystal Wings] Tsubasa: "How earnest! Please you don't need to be so serious. Just call us by our names."
Capella Scarlet: "Hmm? You are only two, were are the other members of your team?"
[Team Crystal Wings] Colombine: "Oh, they are back at the base. Plume is recovering from the battle against the Spectre, and Krys is in the simulator. Ah, don't worry! Plume is a-okay! Just a few scratches and all, she will be back into shape in no time!"

The two Handlers greeted Natashia and Johnathon. Tsubasa's Handler introduced himself as Takeo Sazaki, he seemed like a serious person past his fifties. Colombine's Handler was a young man in his early twenties, whose name was Carl Vertol.

Upon the girls insistence, your tables were joined. Baretta then ordered a light salad followed by a decadent gelato dessert, while Capella settled on an extra spicy curry dish. The girls continued chatting, exchanging experiences and gossiping about various things. The senior ARMs in particular gave a lot of useful advice to their juniors, especially how to better control their powers.

After finishing their meal, the four girls decided to spend the rest of the day together. They went sightseeing, shopping, and overall relaxing. It really raised the morale of Team Scarlet.

[Team Crystal Wings] Tsubasa: "It is time for us to part. Thank you for the pleasant time, I'm glad to have met the two of you today. Until next time."
[Team Crystal Wings] Colombine: "Wait I got an idea! How about a joint training exercise next Downtime? It would be a good excuse to hang out again, right?"
[Team Crystal Wings] Tsubasa: "It will be up to our Handlers to decide."

When the day was over, Team Scarlet returned to the 4th Division Base.

Baretta Scarlet
Courage: 2/3 -> 3/3

INVOKER: 3/7 (3/40 -> 8/40)

Capella Scarlet]
Courage: 3/3 -> 3/3 (unchanged)

DEFENDER: 3/5 (3/40 -> 8/40)

Spoiler: Baretta Scarlet Status (click to show/hide)

Baretta Scarlet
Phantasm Elements:
A: 0
B: 0
C: 0
D: 1

LIFE 5
MIND 1
HEART 2
SOUL 3

Power: 1/1 [max 7]
Harmony: 1/1 [max 3]
Courage: 2/3 -> 3/3 [max 4]
Love: 1/1 [max 5]

STRIKER: 1/5
CASTER: 1/5
DEFENDER: 1/4
INVOKER: 3/7 (3/40 -> 8/40)

SENSES: 2/5
AID: 2/6
LABOR: 1/4
PUZZLE: 1/3
EMPATHY: 1/3
CLEANSE: 1/4

Spoiler: Capella Scarlet Status (click to show/hide)

Capella Scarlet
Phantasm Elements:
A: 0
B: 0
C: 0
D: 1

LIFE 2
MIND 3
HEART 3
SOUL 4

Power: 2/3 [max 4]
Harmony: 2/2 [max 5]
Courage: 3/3 [max 5]
Love: 2/2 [max 6]

STRIKER: 1/5
CASTER: 1/3
DEFENDER: 3/5 (3/40 -> 8/40)
INVOKER: 1/4

SENSES: 2/5
AID: 0/6
LABOR: 2/6
PUZZLE: 1/3
EMPATHY: 1/5
CLEANSE: 3/5

Team Green

Malakim-12: HG Combat Simulator - 30 DEFENDER Cycles (3000EC)
Raven-621: LG Decontamination Sphere (Free)

Skit: Earnest Malakim-12
Location: 4th Division Base

Inside the HG Combat Simulator of Team Green, Malakim-12 was hard at work defeating simulations of Apparitions and D-Class Spectres. The training was intense even for an ARM, but for her it wasn't so unpleasant. After clearing the 30 training cycles, she went outside for a bit to stretch and practice martial arts to relax.

Right at this time Raven-621 passed by, having just left the Decontamination Sphere.

Raven-621: "Hello Malakim. Aren't you supposed to be done with training?"
Malakim-12: "Hello Raven. I am. I'm just relaxing right now."
Raven-621: "Woah. That's impressive, really. Was the training too easy for you?"
Malakim-12: "No, I wouldn't say that. It was tough, but it was enjoyable. It reminded me of my Core Donor's memories. Training helped her keep a calm mind, it's the same for me."
Raven-621: "So earnest! My Core Donor was more of an indoor person. And well, so am I."

Raven-621 sat on a shadowed bench, looking at the training session of Malakim-12. She found it really entertaining, and captivating.

Malakim-12: "How was the sphere?"
Raven-621: "Bigger than I thought, and comfortable. You sleep through the whole process, so there isn't much more I can say about it. I had a pleasant dream, the operator told me it was part of the decontamination process."
Malakim-12: "Hmm hmm. I see."

Feeling a bit dozy, Raven-621 then took a nap on the warm bench. Malakim-12 woke her up later when she had finished her session. The two girls then returned to their quarters.

Malakim-12
DEFENDER: 2/5 (0/30) -> 3/5 (0/40)

Raven-621
Love: 0/1 -> 1/1

Spoiler: Malakim-12 Status (click to show/hide)

Malakim-12
Phantasm Elements:
A: 0
B: 0
C: 0
D: 0

LIFE 1
MIND 3
HEART 4
SOUL 2

Power: 2/2 [max 3]
Harmony: 3/3 [max 5]
Courage: 3/3 [max 6]
Love: 0/1 [max 4]

STRIKER: 1/5
CASTER: 3/4 (1/40)
DEFENDER: 2/5 (0/30) -> 3/5 (0/40)
INVOKER: 1/4

SENSES: 1/4 (1/20)
AID: 3/4
LABOR: 2/4
PUZZLE: 0/4
EMPATHY: 1/5
CLEANSE: 2/4 (2/30)

Spoiler: Raven-621 Status (click to show/hide)

Raven-621
Phantasm Elements:
A: 0
B: 0
C: 0
D: 0

LIFE 2
MIND 4
HEART 1
SOUL 4

Power: 3/3 [max 4]
Harmony: 3/3 [max 6]
Courage: 3/3 [max 3]
Love: 0/1 -> 1/1 [max 6]

STRIKER: 1/5
CASTER: 3/6 (1/40)
DEFENDER: 2/5
INVOKER: 2/3

SENSES: 1/3 (1/20)
AID: 2/5
LABOR: 1/3
PUZZLE: 2/4
EMPATHY: 2/4
CLEANSE: 2/5 (2/30)

Team Gunmetal Rose

Carla: Recreational Leave (Free)
Jeannie Xian: HG Combat Simulator - 30 CASTER Cycles (3000EC)

Skit: Carla and her Handler
Location: Aumacha City - Holo-Zoo

Carla and Sarah Finch went to the Holo-Zoo of Aumacha City, where one could see reproductions of the wildlife from pre-Impact Naera in their natural habitats. The place was similar to a gigantic landscaping area with the latest hologram technologies, which made the sceneries and animals near lifelike. They even reproduced sounds and smells, it truly was as if you were in a zoo with real animals.

Carla was having a field day. While she didn't say much, she clearly enjoyed looking at the various holographic depictions, and learning about all these animals ecologies. One creature in particular ellicited a stronger reaction from her than the others. It was an incredibly ugly and smelly creature, known as a Glugariton. It looked vaguely like a massive overweight six-legged tusk-less walrus with a sucker-for-a-mouth and way too many creases.
Carla: "That's a Glugariton! Oh it really DOES smell, heh."

Sarah inquired about this... thing.
Carla: "I find it cute. They are actually very docile creatures. How I know about them? Oh, that's one of my Core Donor memories. She lived on a farm with many, many animals. She especially loved Glugaritons."

At the end of the day, Carla felt refreshed and in better spirits than before.
Carla: "Thanks for the day Handler Sarah. It... reminded me a bit of why I fight. Can we come here again some other day?"

Skit: Jeannie and Coffee
Location: 4th Division Base

Jeannie was put through rigorous training in the HG Combat Simulator, facing waves after waves of Apparitions and then D-Class Spectres that she had to clear using her CASTER powers. The first waves were easy, but after the dozen it started seeming unending. Jeannie wondered if she would ever manage to endure it all.

She had managed, against her own expectations. She was feeling exhausted mentally, and just wanted to SLEEP. The yawning Handler Roland Thompson offered her a cup of coffee, which made her remember how she had her first taste earlier. So bitter... it wasn't really her thing.
Jeannie Xian: "Ugh... thanks Handler Roland, but I think I will pass. That's probably the last thing I want after training. When I tried it... memories of that horrible taste came rushing. I should have trusted my big sister's memories... She was more of a tea person."

She was talking about the memories of "Julie Xian", her Core Donor. She didn't go into great details, but she and her family lived in some city deep into Nagaea. Roland could easily guess what must have happened to her family. She then tried to get her Handler to tell a bit more about himself.
Jeannie Xian: "When did you start drinking coffee Handler Roland?"

Carla
Courage: 2/3 -> 3/3
Love: 2/2 -> 2/2 (unchanged)

Jeannie Xian
CASTER: 3/7 (1/40 -> 31/40)

Spoiler: Carla Status (click to show/hide)

Carla
Phantasm Elements:
A: 0
B: 0
C: 0
D: 0

LIFE 2
MIND 4
HEART 2
SOUL 4

Power: 2/2 [max 4]
Harmony: 1/1 [max 6]
Courage: 2/3 -> 3/3 [max 4]
Love: 2/2 -> 2/2 [max 6]

STRIKER: 1/6
CASTER: 2/5
DEFENDER: 2/3
INVOKER: 3/7 (1/40)

SENSES: 2/6 (3/30)
AID: 2/6
LABOR: 3/5
PUZZLE: 2/5 (1/30)
EMPATHY: 0/6
CLEANSE: 2/6

Spoiler: Jeannie Xian Status (click to show/hide)

Jeannie Xian
Phantasm Elements:
A: 0
B: 0
C: 0
D: 0

LIFE 4
MIND 2
HEART 2
SOUL 2

Power: 1/1 [max 6]
Harmony: 2/2 [max 4]
Courage: 2/3 [max 4]
Love: 3/3 [max 4]

STRIKER: 1/3
CASTER: 3/7 (1/40 -> 31/40)
DEFENDER: 1/3
INVOKER: 2/5

SENSES: 2/5 (3/30)
AID: 1/4
LABOR: 3/6
PUZZLE: 2/6 (1/30)
EMPATHY: 1/3
CLEANSE: 0/6

BUILD ORDERS

Team Scarlet Rose:
HG Combat Simulator (4000EC)

Team Green:
Decent Landscape Area (2000EC)
LG Quality Optimizer (1000EC)

Team Gunmetal Rose:
None

[Nakéen]

Year 450 Cycle 1 - End of Cycle Balance

Team Scarlet Star

+10000EC: Starting Funds
-2000EC: Decent Canteen
-2000EC: Decent Quarters
-2000EC: Decent Recreation Room
-2000EC: Decent Landscape Area
New: 2000EC
+5000EC: Mission Reward
-4000EC: HG Combat Simulator
-400EC: Facilities Maintenance
Final: 2600EC

Team Green:

+10000EC: Starting Funds
-2000EC: Decent Quarters
-1000EC: LG Surgical Unit
-1000EC: LG Decontamination Sphere
-4000EC: HG Combat Simulator
New: 2000EC
+5000EC: Mission Reward
-2000EC: Decent Landscape Area
-1000EC: LG Quality Optimizer
-3000EC: Training Cycles
-400EC: Facilities Maintenance
Final: 600EC

Team Gunmetal Rose:

+10000EC: Starting Funds
-2000EC: Decent Quarters
-2000EC: Decent Landscape Area
-4000EC: HG Combat Simulator
New: 2000EC
+5000EC: Mission Reward
-3000EC: Training Cycles
-400EC: Facilities Maintenance
Final: 3600EC

[Nakéen]

Missions will be posted later. You may RP in the meantime!

[Stirk]

“Let me think….”

Roland takes a sip as if to invoke the memories of the first time he tried coffee.

“I was around twelve, I think. My grandparents where always drinking coffee so I wanted to try it too. I spat the first sip out and rinsed my mouth out with hot chocolate. We added sugar and cream to the point it was closer to a milkshake then a cup of coffee, then kept adding hot cocoa until the bitterness was a distant memory. Every day after that we used a little less sugar until I got used to the taste. It is certainly something you have to acquire.”

He drained the rest of the cup.

[Nakéen]

Hearing Roland recounts his childhood, Jeannie tried to make an effort. She poured herself a cup, and as if to imitate her Handlers past self, added cream and sugar until the drink had turned light chocolate in colour. She took a sip, and still grimaced.
Jeannie Xian: "It's better... but... this bitterness... so tenacious."

[Stirk]

“Heh, you’ll get used to it.”

Roland ran the numbers in his head on the odds she would live long enough to get used to it, somewhat regretting that promise slipped out.

“Maybe next time I’ll snag some energy drinks instead. Sweeter with more kick, too.”

[VermilionSkies]

"I'd be glad to come back here, Carla. Though, I wonder... What it was like, back before the Phantasms?"
Sarah turns to her and smiles.
"I hope that someday, we'll be able to find out ourselves."

[Egan_BW]

While watching over the four ARMs, Natashia starts beeping. She takes a small communicator device from her pocket and checks it.
"O-oh. Excuse me, handlers."


"Hello Sarah. Yes it's me, your sister."

"..."

"Well, that's good. Have they let you outside at all?"
"Yes, I know that it didn't go well that time."

"..."

"Please don't give the doctors more trouble. They want what's best for you."

"..."

"I have to hang up now. I love you."

[Nakéen]

Jeannie seemed quite cheerful, but then she remembered something.
Jeannie Xian: "Handler Roland, I just had a thought. Does coffee and energy drinks even have an effect on us ARMs?"

Roland half-remembered having read something about this somewhere in the ARMs documentation... but he was too tired to remember where exactly. It was something about ARMs being unaffected by substances that would normally affect humans. They didn't need nutrition either, deriving their energy from their Phantasmal Cores. There was also something about, what again, the act of eating and drinking being important in the process of stabilisation? Damn caffeine jolting his neurons back to life...


Carla smiled with a hint of sadness.
"Yes, Handler Sarah. I hope I... we will get to see a world without Phantasms."


After Natashia was done with her call, Handler Sazaki brushed off the apology.
"Don't mind us. Family is to be cherished."

The three Handlers didn't exchange much words, keeping most of their thoughts to themselves while they watched over their ARMs.

[Stirk]

“Dunno. Do you feel any less tired?”

[Nakéen]

Jeannie Xian: "I guess I don't? But it may be because I'm speaking with you? Or the bitterness slapped me awake. I really have no idea."

[Nakéen]

Year 450 Cycle 2 - Briefing

[4th Division Chief Commander] Talaros Braern: Good morning Commanders. I have a good new and a bad new. The bad new is, play time's over: we are receiving our first Spectre extermination orders. It seems our adequate performance for a first run convinced some high officers from HC that the 4th Division was ready to take on D-Class Spectres. The good new is, I managed to negotiate for us not being sent yet on the frontline of the reclamation efforts. I hope for the ARMs that they are ready.

In addition, here are documents including the general information and classification of Spectres, as well as a primer on Spectre combat. Once more you have Chief Operator Valie to thank for that.

AVAILABLE MISSIONS

[4th Division Chief Commander] Talaros Braern: Coming right up is a mission in Settlement H22 of Yellow Area H22. Phantasmal energy levels suddenly surged yesterday, causing an anomaly to appear. It is too late for a decontamination, and a D-Class Spectre is expected to appear today. According to analysts, it will be a Type Apprentice.

Location: Settlement H22 - Outskirts
Danger Level: Medium
Difficulty Range: 6-8
Reward: 10000EC
Goals:
- Eliminate the D-Class Spectre, Type Apprentice.
- Eliminate the Apparitions.

Phase 1: Eliminate the first wave of Apparitions.
Phase 2: Destroy the Spectre's Barrier.
Phase 3: Destroy the Spectre's Phantasmal Core.

Main skills:
1. STRIKER

Useful skills:
1. CASTER and INVOKER
2. AID (MIND)

[4th Division Chief Commander] Talaros Braern: The second elimination order is in Yellow Area G16. A recon team has detected an incubating D-Class Spectre Type Messenger, HC wants it destroyed before it can ascends to C-Class. The first strike will be the most important: if you fail to take it out quickly, it might ascend to C-Class mid-battle.

Location: Yellow Area G16
Danger Level: Medium
Difficulty Range: 6-10
Reward: 10000EC
Goals:
- Eliminate the D-Class Spectre, Type Messenger.

Phase 1: Destroy the Spectre's Barrier.
Phase 2: Destroy the Spectre's Phantasmal Core.

Main skills:
1. DEFENDER

Useful skills:
1. CASTER and INVOKER
2. AID (SOUL)

[4th Division Chief Commander] Talaros Braern: The last elimination order is within Green Area H32 where Team Gunmetal Rose went for recon. After the fault was closed and the area decontaminated, the decontamination team was attacked by a D-Class Spectre. They managed to retreat without taking serious casualties, and identified it as a Type Apprentice. The Spectre's exact whereabouts are unknown, it will be a game of cat and mouse.

Location: Green Area H32
Danger Level: Medium
Difficulty Range: 6-8
Reward: 10000EC
Goals:
- Eliminate the D-Class Spectre, Type Apprentice.

Phase 1: Find the Spectre.
Phase 2: Destroy the Spectre's Barrier.
Phase 3: Destroy the Spectre's Phantasmal Core.

Main skills:
1. STRIKER
2. SENSE (SOUL)

Useful skills:
1. CASTER and INVOKER
2. AID (MIND)

Spectre Combat Mechanics

[4th Division Chief Operator] Lia Valie: "Here it comes, the 4th Division first confrontation with Spectres. Here is a bit of theoretical material. I hope it increases your team's chances of success. If you have any question, now is the time to ask."

Spoiler: Spectre Combat (click to show/hide)

Core and Barrier
To destroy a Spectre, its Core must be destroyed.

However, this Core is protected by at least one Barrier, which must be destroyed to expose the Spectre's Core. Low Class Spectres will only have one Barrier, while Spectre of higher Classes are likely to possess multiple Barriers.

Battle Formation: Focus, Support
ARMs must assume a battle formation when fighting a Spectre. There are two positions in the battle formation: Focus and Support.

Focus: an ARM assuming this position fights the Spectre head-on, and is thus able to damage its Core. It also exposes her to much more danger. There must always be one ARM on Focus.
Effect: Can damage Core. Increased Skill gain.

Support: an ARM assuming this position fights from the sidelines, avoiding to get in the direct line of fire. She is able to damage Barriers, but cannot harm the Core.
Effect: Danger Level and Difficulty are decreased.

Spoiler: Spectre Class and Type (click to show/hide)

Spectres are ranked according to Type and Class.
The Class of a Spectre determines its danger level and degree of maturity. Spectres of Class A are called Incarnations, and are extremely dangerous.
The Type of a Spectre is determined based on which Core Attribute it is associated with, as well as its Class.

LIFE SPECTRES:
D-Class - Harvester
C-Class - Reaper
B-Class - Grand Reaper
A-Class - Incarnation: Death

Weak VS: Invokers
Strong VS: Casters
Main Damage Type: Weakness (LIFE)

MIND SPECTRES:
D-Class - Apprentice
C-Class - Sorcerer
B-Class - High Sorcerer
A-Class - Incarnation: Chaos

Weak VS: Strikers
Strong VS: Defenders
Main Damage Type: Turmoil (MIND)

HEART SPECTRES:
D-Class - Shadow
C-Class - Terror
B-Class - Elder Terror
A-Class - Incarnation: Madness
Main Damage Type: Fear (HEART)

Weak VS: Casters
Strong VS: Invokers

SOUL SPECTRES:
D-Class - Messenger
C-Class - Corrupter
B-Class - Arch Corrupter
A-Class - Incarnation: Corruption

Weak VS: Defenders
Strong VS: Strikers
Main Damage Type: Hate (SOUL)

[Glass]

>Commander Deer, I recommend that Team Green complete the mission at H22. Although I did have Han practice her skills as a Defender, Team Scarlet Star has one ARM who is solely effective as a Defender, and so we should not attempt to take the Area G1 mission from them just because Han is capable of taking it. Furthermore, both of our ARMs have strong Mind and are effective at Aid, and while we lack Strikers, so does everybody else. The fact that the Aid is Mind-based rather than Soul-based also reduces the probability of Han's Love deteriorating past its current damage. Area H32’s mission, meanwhile, is undesirable due to the dependence on Sensing.