Valentine's Day Mission [OPEN TO ALL]

[light_of_willpower]

Who: (Future)Trunks Briefs (light_of_willpower) and you!
What: Of COURSE Trunks is going to go to Ancient Greece and try and help retrieve Cupid's bow and arrows. It's not going to be easy though.
Where: Non-fiction-History-section, Ancient Greece
When:Valentine's Day
Warnings: ...fanservice?


Scenario 0: Research

Trunks wasn't kidding when he'd said he had no knowledge of Greece or anywhere like it. Which meant, even if they were in a hurry, he was still going to take an hour at least and go get a primer. Running through the halls, getting some direction and then heading for History. Time to get some basic information on customs and culture, who these gods were, and so on if they were supposed to 'blend' in.

Scenario 1: Hate Arrows

This had not been what Trunks was expecting, not least of which because of how he was dressed. He'd been assured his clothing was appropriate given he was a warrior... But it was definitely not what was used to. At least he was able to take his sword, even if he'd be trying to blend in.

Heading through the portal, it wasn't far to find things had already gotten bad. People fighting with each other, and thank Kami it was farmers and villagers. Children fighting each other with rocks and sticks against their parents, small brawls of adults of both genders, and he sighed to himself. Okay, time to start cracking some heads. He could knock them out, and that'd stop the fighting right? Just had to defend himself too.

Which meant, unless it was needed to parry, he kept the sword at his back sheathed as he waded into the fray.

Scenario 4: SO CLOSE

Trunks had managed to meet up with some of the other Library-people, and they'd been so close! The tangle of chaos as some people loved and others hated, and everyone argued and fought had been a mess. So far he'd managed to avoid most trouble, but this group of citizens was too large to handle on his own. Not and be 'discreet' about it. Good thing they went in a group in the city—but they must've just missed the culprit!

Scenario 7: Wandering around

This is the open option if you want to encounter Trunks while running around trying to deal with retrieving arrows and bow. He's at least dressed time-period appropriately (minus the shield and helmet above) and did some research before coming here, but this is definitely not his favorite situation to be in. (Darn fussy Gods....)

Comments

7!

[unfavorableinstigation]

Nita's own clothes were beginning to itch, being around in this weather under the exertion they'd been in. It was frustrating that she hadn't been able to do much to reverse the magic of the arrows, though the arrows she found she was able to contain safely.

/Hey, Trunks,/ Nita greeted, in the Speech so that it would sound like Greek (heh) to the people around them.

/Any luck on your end?/

Re: 7!

[light_of_willpower]

Keeping the arrows safe was a pretty good thing to do, as far as Trunks viewed things. The fact that he wasn't as sweaty as he might be, was the only plus side he'd found in the clothing here so far. Then again, it wasn't as if he'd cared before--he still did what was needed.

"Nita" Greeting her politely, although his head tilted slightly at the speech she used. It..it had an odd accent, and didn't seem like how she'd spoken in the Library. "Yes and no. Yes, in that I've found effects of the arrows, no in that I haven't found the culprit."

[unfavorableinstigation]

Nita sighed.

/Figures. They're probably trying to keep us running in circles and handling the crowds, rather than following them./

The fact that there hadn't been much description of the culprit wasn't helping either. Nita would have had her own ideas of who was behind the theft, but she hadn't seen the Lone Power since showing up in the Library, so the odds of It being tied in were slim.
If It's even aware of the Library, It's probably not gonna be involved directly, anyhow, Nita reassured herself.

/You didn't get shot, did you?/

Nita was trying her best not to get too caught up in the more sedate crowd around them.

[light_of_willpower]

"Probably. It's a decent strategy, IF they know we're even coming after them." A sigh, and he rakes a hand through his bangs. "It also makes perfect sense, as they clearly don't care about being discreet or causing trouble--it might even be a deliberate insult TO the Gods, but knowing they won't trouble themselves to fix it."

Someone had done his research.

"That we all have to be discreet, just makes it harder for us too. I REALLY don't want to have to find out which is more important: getting the bow and quiver back or keeping our own presence here deniable." The question about being shot though, brings a head shake in the negative. "Even if I can't cut loose the way I'd like, I've been managing. I've been knocking people out too, because I really don't want to have to kill someone I don't have to."

[unfavorableinstigation]

Nita nodded.

/Whoever it is, they don't care about playing it careful - or they just really want people to hate rather than love./

But there wasn't much time to muse on the theif's motive.

/And I have some tactics for knocking them out without pain on top of that, but.../ Nita shook her head.

/Some of them aren't exactly discreet./

Talking the oxygen in an area away from a person for a short while was doable, but not necessarily practical in knocking out whole groups.

[light_of_willpower]

"That is the one plus side, to wading into a brawl." Trunks conceded, crossing his arms, and sighing. "I'm not used to having to hold back though--so it's been a bit of an adjustment." He'd gotten a scratch or 3 and a few bruises while learning that. "Then again, most of the fights I've been in if you hold back, you die."

Looking over her concernedly, he frowns. "You haven't been hit have you? Hurt?"

I /think/ this is safe to handwave, since they're not in the Library.

[unfavorableinstigation]

Nita made a wry face.

/I'd bet./

She'd had a fair few moments like that, long before she found the Library.

Nita shook her head.

/Not by any of the arrows, no. I- have been doing selective shielding, to avoid the worst hits,/ she confessed. /Makes most people just think they're missing, but I keep expecting someone to see through it eventually./

And either shatter it, or take another angle. Possibly a more painful one. She'd been holding back, too, so breaking it was possible.

handwaving the shielding? yeah, since their powers are all active again.

[light_of_willpower]

That frown isn't leaving his face before he sighs. "No, I get that. Besides, your method of shielding is probably more discreet than mine. Easier for me to just take the hits." It wasn't as if he hadn't been beaten up and badly before. What were a few cuts and bruises? He healed quickly enough.

[unfavorableinstigation]

Nita made a noncommittal noise - and then a much louder noise to her right made her turn her head.

/If there's need, I can do healing,/ she got out quickly.

0! (7 to come)

[bigbadrose]

"I've been to ancient Rome!" Rose chimed in helpfully. In a library. Loudly. "I can help," she nodded cheerfully. "You should go as a gladiator soldier, champion of the gods, that way no one'll look too much at the hair. And if you pretend to be a slave, you'll have to defend yourself, but they'll notice you even less. Just don't run into anyone obnoxious. I'm always doin' that." And how.

Re: 0! (7 to come)

[light_of_willpower]

"Being a champion of the Gods would require me to actually know more about them." Trunks responded, holding up a book of Greek mythology. "That, and saying I 'am' one while not being one? Touchy. Apparently these guys had more pride-issues than my father." But it's said lightly, for all the truth there.

But he is pulling over one of the books, which talks about the different groups in the society, and looking up Gladiators.

[bigbadrose]

"Ah good point," Rose nodded. "Your Dad seriously sounds like my Mum." Another nod. Because her Mum could absolutely rival some of the Greek gods for pride, just saying.

"You could be someone's bodyguard. But you'd have to have someone with ya for that to work."

[light_of_willpower]

"That's not a bad idea, aside from what you just pointed out." Bodyguard, he could do easily--and it wouldn't be an act, in some ways. "I'd still like to get myself at least familiar with the basics of this culture though."

0 into 4?

[piano_man]

The Library had gone topsy turvy, and he wondered if this was going to be what he had to get used to. If so- well, he could handle it. It felt sort of like the soundstages had until just recently. With various sounds and shouts over the sound effects of westerns, exotic and romance pictures being filmed. He was still out of his element but he could at least pretend.

After all, what was a vaudeville boy without pretend?

Over the course of, well everything, he'd managed to get himself situated. Sort of. Okay, he found someone familiar- that was close enough.

"Huh, and I thought I wasn't going to have to actually read anything in this place."

Works great!

[light_of_willpower]

Trunks has a several books around him, including a small stack he's already skimmed and done his best to get the relevant parts of. Mostly the mythology so he knows just who these Gods and Goddesses are. Probably the first time Cosmo's seen him with the jacket and sword slung over his shoulder though, as he looks up at the familiar voice.

"I've learned not to go in blind to new situations, and the book Sunset and I found ourselves in last time just made that even more clear." But it's a friendly greeting and smile. "Honestly, as much as we have to be quick--given they want us blending in, I figured I'd take some time to try and learn how to do that."

[piano_man]

Cosmo playfully rolls his eyes, "This is stuff I remember from grade school. Come on. What have you got?" He leaned against the desk, being careful to not jar the books. They were alive in someway and he didn't want to deal with the entire Greek section knocking him on the head.

His eyes traveled the book, skimming it quickly before he pointed at the sword. He assumed it was real. It had to be. "Well you'll be able to take that. Looks just like the ones we had in this one Hercules picture. But the rest?" He gestured to both their outfits, "The only place where you'd get arrested for wearing trousers."

[light_of_willpower]

"I was afraid of that." The fashions hadn't really impressed him much to be honest. "Some of the fighters Mom used to hang around with wore weighted capes, or armor with pauldrons--but those stretched." His mother had then modified the saiyan armor, but that had still done nothing once most of the fighters were dead.

"I'm used to what you see here, in terms of battle look." Shoving the book aside for a moment, and looking at Cosmo fully. "So, what I've learned so far? The gods and goddesses have major pride issues, and they don't like mortals taking away from their thunder. Which will make my job harder, but oh well." A shrug. "The society seems to bend alarmingly masculine in some ways too, with women being almost like a separate class, below slaves. At least for most of them. Agragrian society, except for the city-states. I was just going to start looking into that, along with customs and what kind of warriors I might be able to pass for."

Spreading his hands, Trunks smiled a little. "If this is all familiar to you, wanna help me out? Because I promise it is not at all familiar to me."

[piano_man]

Taking a seat he crossed his arms over his chest, "Well. You know more than I remember. It's familiar, and I just know a few of the Gods names, nothing fancy." Who needed to be a scholar when one was travelling around playing fiddles?

"I know more about Greek plays and stories. It helps with comedy." He read the pages again, "Between the two of us we'll probably be able to fake it." He offered Trunks a grin, "Just like those phony movie actors."

[light_of_willpower]

"Acting isn't really my strong suit, so I'm hoping I can get away with playing the strong and silent type." Trunks said in response but he was glad Cosmo was there.

"So what would you recommend?" He is more than happy to be a student here Cosmo. "Oh, and...um..." Reaching up to rub the back of his neck in nerves. "So, we're supposed to be discreet. But if you need help or get in trouble and can find me, find me." The look in blue eyes is entirely serious.

"I really don't want to have to see if the Gods care more about a mission being done, or not upsetting the status-quo. But the limiters I have here in the Library will be off."

[piano_man]

"Swell." He let's that words roll over him. IT wasn't always simple, not if so many that were brought here were so strong. The kid had to be about four years younger than Cosmo but there was no way he'd be an easy guy to knock off.

"It's one thing to know where you're going and what you're doing. But if you just get your knowledge from a book, you don't have the experience. You may know Greek, but you need to be able to be Greek."

[light_of_willpower]

"That's the tricky part, since we don't have Greece on my Earth, ancient or otherwise." But Trunks wasn't disagreeing. "Which is why I am listening to you and trusting you on this, Cosmo."

[goodguess]

Trance was still debating at this point as to whether or not she should go on this mission. After all, it had already been asked as to whether or not those who looked incredibly different to people had any chance of blending in. Never mind the whole political situation that could arise, as Trance had some experience when it came to people worshiping the unusual as gods. This was Earth at a point in time before they had contact with species unlike their own. Each 'book' had its own rules, and that just added another complication.

For whatever reason, when Trance saw the boy poring over the books, it seemed like a good time for stress relief. When she really wanted to, Trance can be exceptionally stealthy and quiet. So it's not until she's leaning both elbows on the table that the blonde actually says anything. "Find anything interesting or helpful?"

[light_of_willpower]

To his credit, Trunks didn't startle--not like he had with Rose coming on him suddenly. (Which had also been a different situation, as he'd just had to delve into painful memories and was already nervy when Rose had decided to play her game.) It would make sense he wasn't the only one who was taking time to do some planning and research before their mission. So the awareness of another being in the same space as he was wasn't a surprise.

Besides, if they were looking for a place to start, of course they'd ask someone already doing the research. "Sort of." Trunks replied, marking his place in the one book. He had a few different ones set in one pile, and another pile off to the side he'd already decided weren't as useful. "Trying to learn about an entire culture when you don't HAVE that culture where you're from, enough to blend in while hunting a thief isn't the easiest thing I've ever had to do."

Doesn't mean he hasn't been paying attention though as he looks up to meet whoever it was saying hi.

[goodguess]

"Maybe not the entire culture, then," Trance said while reaching over to look at one of the books in the marked pile. Just to thumb through it idly before picking up any actual details. She knew more than enough about coming across cultures that weren't present where you were from. Sort of.

"If you're hunting a thief, then try playing a part that will let you," she said when laying down the book on another page about astynomia- people for the city's law, essentially. "Not all places or times had police, exactly, but where there are thieves, there's always people around that're supposed to catch them."

Well. Or try to. No one really caught Trance and there were times when she found things, and the rare time when she had to be a thief and steal things. "Luckily, age isn't so much a factor as whether you were fit and capable enough."

[light_of_willpower]

Trunks listened, blue-eyes showing comprehension and a smile as she spoke. "I hadn't gotten that far into it yet." Pulling over the page and scanning it quickly, that smile stayed in place. On the one hand--his problem would be that he would be only playing a part--what if he encountered real trouble? ON the other hand, so far he had somewhat learned that as a culture, the rule of 'might-makes-right' so long as you were a male, seemed to be the general rule. Whether that 'might' came from money or social standing or academic standing or military-prowess was a lot more hazy.

Considering the time-limit though? Worth the risk.

"I'm still more concerned about learning who these Gods are. The impression I've gotten so far implies they're prideful and picky." And hypocritical, but he wasn't saying that out-loud. "Given they're also gods, I really don't want to have to tangle with one or their agents if I don't have to."

Moving to get to his feet, Trunks bowed in greeting. "Thank you. Also my name is Trunks. It is nice to meet you."