press your luck. ♥

celestia ludenberg 'celes • taeko yasuhiro' super high-school level gambler Taking the alias Celestia Ludenberg, she’s a “Super High-school Level Gambler” who doesn’t know how to lose… In addition to her love for gothic-lolita clothing, she’s a mysterious high-school girl wrapped in a veil of lies. When she plays a game, she always manages to rob everyone of all their money. The ultimate gambler, the “queen of liars”. There are many scary rumors about how she ruined the lives of many men and women who dared trying to challenge her to a game. (affiliated with despairtm!)

[diceandfrills-blog]

(( i forgot this was a thing i'm so sorry ))

[simplicityandfortitude-blog]

Fed to the Rules and I Hit the Ground Running || {dtm open}

The streets were mean and law and order could basically be thrown out the window because who needs rules and laws, who needs to follow anything but their personal creed in a post apocalyptic world?

Kiyotaka Ishimaru did.

And he was hell bent on returning order to what was left of this world.

Boots crunched underneath him. Glass, asphalt, the crackle of flames from some of the fires rioters had set, he heard them all. He needed to find someone he knew, and fast.

He didn’t want to admit that he was scared. He was a leader dammit! Leaders don’t get scared!

…

Or maybe leaders are the ones who are the most scared, in the end.

[diceandfrills-blog]

[Given her experience in this place, no longer was she fazed by the decadence surrounding her: unfortunately, the patience of stealthily moving about in search of shelter had yet to settle in. The first couple of times, she had taken it seriously, - it was a life or death situation, after all - but after then, she had 'adapted' to her surroundings. Funny, really, but no matter. Whilst she said she had adapted, it was quite the opposite, though one couldn't tell by her collected demeanour.

Something else that had caught her fancy was the many classmates she had encountered during her journey - they had all been deceased, such as herself, be it by murder or execution. Speaking of which, she had just been so lucky as to spot one of said classmates in the distance, and my, how ironic was it for it to have been her second murder victim. Granted, she hadn't killed him with her own hands, no, but she was convicted for his along with Yamada's death.

She wondered if the fool even knew that she was the one who planned his murder.]

Oh? Ishimaru-kun, what a delight to see you here.

Surely this environment doesn't fit your tastes, yes? Havoc and disorder - it's against your morals, isn't it? I wonder how you're managing to cope with it.

[fireballa-deactivated20140817]

///// {dtm|open}

[fireballa-deactivated20140817]

Damn, this girl and her theatrics. It wasn’t the time for that shit; was she really so careless as to put on a show in such an environment? Leon crossed his arms and frowned. How unimpressive. He quirked an eyebrow as he waited for Celes to finally get to the point. And when she did…he was not exactly thrilled.

It wasn’t her victims that irked him. Leon really didn’t care much about Ishimaru and he found Yamada disgusting, but the way she said their names - a sort of tone that suggested they didn’t matter - made his skin crawl. At the same time, though, he wanted to know just how she could show no remorse. Not give a damn.

He was so goddamn tired of feeling guilty for his own crimes. But in any case.

“How’d ya manage to rope someone into helpin’ you with murder?”

[diceandfrills-blog]

[Surprisingly, she gives no reaction to his question - not even one of her usual, dark chuckles or smiles that make up her character. She's perfectly emotionless, doing no other action but blankly staring at him. Did he really ask that? Did he really ask such an ignorant inquiry? How did she manage to rope someone into helping her? Surely, he wasn't aware of who she was - she was Celestia Ludenberg, Queen of Lies, and a master of deception and manipulation. To ask such a thing was insulting to her, almost questioning her ability. Stirring from her stagnancy, with her gaze unwavering, she speaks in a low tone.]

How did I manage to convince someone into helping me with murder? My, Kuwata-kun... you're more incompetent than I thought. Saddening, really; however, in hindsight, I suppose that's not startling for one who relies on brawn instead of brains.

[Had he not been ranked 'E' already, at that very moment, he now became one for sure. The baseball player had fortunately been spared the moment of seeing the gambler's anger flare up, but he certainly was exposed to it now, as her features hardened and voice crescendoed to a loud growl.]

Listen here, you fucking idiot - who do you think I am!? Unlike your pitiful hormone-driven existence, I'm the manipulator, not the one manipulated! How the fuck do you think I coerced someone into helping me!?

[And as if she had never snapped in the first place, she returned to her composed demeanour; the only remnant of her recent outburst was the irritated expression on her features. Never mind what she said about allying with him - she'd rather die by the hands of a rioter than work with him! Honestly, killing him herself was appealing as well, considering he annoyed her that badly.]

In any case, it was simple really: Yamada-kun, whom was my accomplice, was too naive and loyal to me for his own good. He would do anything for me and would most certainly believe my words, be they the truth or lies. By telling him that Ishimaru-kun had stolen 'that thing' and was planning to kill him, as well as having assaulted me, of course, that was enough to enrage him. Before the pig could do something reckless, I informed him of my plan, and we followed it. It went along nicely, may I say.

[She paused briefly, averting her gaze to the side.]

...But its fun came to an end during the trial. I was sure that I would have gotten away with both murders, but alas, Naegi-kun exposed me as the culprit. Heh heh, for him to see through my lies truly makes him a worthy opponent, wouldn't you agree? Hn, there - does that answer your question, Kuwata-kun? I'd hate to repeat myself, so I do hope that you had listened.

[puellamagismoved-deactivated202]

[nyanmada-deactivated20130907]

It is I! The Chosen One! {dtm: open}

[nyanmada-deactivated20130907]

Upon hearing the voice Hifumi froze. It was chilling, all too familiar voice he remembered from his days at Hope’s Peak Academy. No… it couldn’t be, could it? Come to think of it, he’s had a pretty nasty headache since he woke up, perhaps delusions are a side effect of coming back from the dead. Dare the boy look behind him to confirm whether this was just his mind or reality? He slowly moved out of his hero stance and began turning his body to view what was behind him… 

And there she stood right before his very eyes.  

“C-C-CELESTIA LUDENBERG-DONOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO?!!!!”

His face was in utter shock, his already ghastly voice had only become more shrill at the sight.  It was her alright; and if there was anyone the doujin author knew he couldn’t stand a chance against under any circumstances, she was the one, Celestia Ludenberg. The one who had caused his death in the first place. This was the last thing he expected, and the last thing he was prepared for. What a “pleasure” it was to be first reunited with Celes at this moment. 

Hifumi dropped the Justice Hammer as his massive body nearly tipped over onto his backside; the hammer itself almost hitting his foot. He was a more of a mess than usual… face drenched in sweat, pulling at his tie, gasping for air and trying his best to regain his composure. All he could do was hope she didn’t just come back for the sake of killing him again.

[diceandfrills-blog]

[It was about time someone showed the display of fear she desired: out of all the people she's met with, the only reactions thus far were that of utter annoyance. The feeling was mutual, no doubt, but there was just a satisfying feeling of watching the male before her shuffle about nervously. She tittered softly, her pace towards him unwavering its steadiness. She was purposely taunting him - he had been the easiest of their bunch to frighten - and when she stopped before him, that ''innocent', saccharine smile of hers crossed her lips.]

Indeed. Surprised to see me, Yamada-kun? Surely you didn't think that you were the only one revived in this place? If you did, then I'd hate to disappoint.

[That act was over the minute it began, for now her the hostile nature within her demure and refined demeanour had revealed itself. Granted, it was not the full extent of what she was capable of doing, but that smile of hers - no matter how feigned it was - fell completely, now showing her contempt for the male before her.]

Whatever made you decide that yelling would be a good idea, numskull? Hadn't you realised that you could have gotten killed? You're lucky that it was I who had found you and not one of those many rioters wandering about, because if not - once again would your idiocy bring yet another end to your pitiable life.

[She watched him as he dropped the hammer and nearly tripped over it, an exhausted sigh passing her lips as she turns away slightly. Goodness, in retrospect, she was astonished that - during their stay at the academy - he hadn't managed to fail in killing Ishimaru when the time came for them to execute their plan.]

My, just look at you, fumbling about and even dropping your weapon. Had I been a rioter-- no, had I intended to do harm, you would have been killed already. Did our situation at Hope's Peak Academy teach you nothing, or is it just that you're truly incompetent?

[nyanmada-deactivated20130907]

It is I! The Chosen One! {dtm: open}

And there he was, flat on his face; a large figure lying on the ground in the middle of who knows where. Luckily for him, no one had seemed to be around. A guy like Hifumi would no doubt face an immediate death if he were found by the wrong person. He lifted his head and pushed up his glasses up to take a better look at his surroundings.  Where the heck was he? Well there was one thing he knew for sure; compared to the scene set before his eyes, the afterlife didn’t seem that bad. Surely this scene, his revival, meant something… he was the The Chosen Hero brought back from the dead to save the world from such catastrophe! And as The Hero, he couldn’t just sit back and idly watch the world fall into chaos!

Hifumi stands up and pulls his backpack from behind, opening it and rummaging through it’s contents… pencils, paper, doujins, anime dvds, hand held video game systems, a bag of potato chips… how is it even possible to fit all this junk in here? 

“AHA! There it is!”

He hauls out a large hammer, painted in blue, black, and yellow… the one and only Justice Hammer! He dramatically swings it into the air while setting himself into a heroic pose.  

“With this, no fiend stands a chance against the might of Yamada Hifumi!”

[diceandfrills-blog]

[Only a fool (or someone who possessed a death wish) would be so bold as to shout in this sort of situation.

Whilst the voice had certainly caught her interest, Celestia was torn between going to investigate or minding her own business; after all, no matter how curious she was to see who had been the idiot to reveal themselves like that, had they already found themselves in trouble with the rioters, she certainly did not want to be in the crossfire. However, she was intelligent enough as to keep herself hidden from any of the other protesters - she could simply peer around the corner and that would be that. It would at least be a bit of amusement, considering how lackluster the premises were already. (Once one overcame the initial feeling of panic, running and hiding only grew boring - the gambler was no exception.)

Therefore, she stealthily moved towards the source of the voice, idly twirling a strand of hair whilst she did so. Goodness, was the other a rioter - she hadn't encountered one, but as far as she cared, they all were insane - or was another one of her former classmates unfortunate enough to get tied into this predicament? The name that followed the voice's preceding shout had confirmed her suspicions: Yamada Hifumi.

Su-surely this was not happening, was it? Whilst she knew that those deceased would miraculously be revived here, she... certainly did not prepare herself for the presence of the doujin author. Out of everyone from that confounded class, he was the last person she wished to encounter. Granted, he certainly did brew some nice milk tea - but what was mere tea to the overall presence of a nuisance? Approaching the area where the voice had come from, she looked over, only for a grimace to mar her features.

Much to her chagrin, there he was, right before her. Joy. How to go about this? Knowing the male, and his fondness towards her, he would disregard the fact she killed him and would more than likely return to his loyalty for her. That could be of use, so long as the male didn't tire her into killing him yet a second time. With a sigh passing her lips, she strode towards him, arms crossed against her chest and her displeasure still evident on her face.]

...Yamada-kun.

[fireballa-deactivated20140817]

///// {dtm|open}

[fireballa-deactivated20140817]

Well. The fact that she’d been executed was completely unsurprising. It’d only been a matter of time before Celes committed murder, and even the Queen of Liars can’t hide behind false words forever.

And it looked like that question pissed her off. It wasn’t like it was an unreasonable thing to ask; what was her deal? Just sick of pretending to be Leon’s friend? That was fine with him; he didn’t want her acting like she actually gave a shit. Didn’t need a “friend” like Celestia Ludenberg anyway.

“…so who’d you kill?”

Leon didn’t think it particularly mattered who her victim had been, though he had to admit he was curious. He wouldn’t be shocked if it was her little pig boy servant.

[diceandfrills-blog]

[Whatever irritation she was provoking into the other was the least of Celestia's concern: after all, this certainly was not the time nor place for them to make enemies with one another. And whilst she was certainly not fond of the idea, it would be best for them to (temporarily) ally with one another until they found shelter. For them to fight in the open would only mean that they were purposely bringing attention to themselves; and even if one were to die by the other's hand, the other would not last very long if a rioter's attention was caught. But she couldn't deny the fact that watching the redhead get so riled up with her words was amusing. Cute, really, but in the sense that he had always been one of the immature ones of their group.]

Curious, are you? Heh heh, very well then. I suppose you could say I'm the murderess of two, however, only one did I kill with my own hands.

[Quite melodramatically does she now lapse into silence, only to thicken the suspicious atmosphere (and partially irk the other a tad bit more). Though, when she does speak again, her words are so firm and curt, clearly emphasising that she held no remorse for her actions.]

I killed Ishimaru-kun and Yamada-kun.

[makangos]

One Chance {dtm open!}

[makangos]

Whoever the shadow was didn’t step forward, which only made Sonia all the more nervous. Nodding, Sonia stepped into the dim light, putting her gun away in it’s holster. “Fair enough… My apologies, I’ve been a little on edge with the rioters out an about,” she said, her voice hushed. “Now, if you’d step out into the light, please? I need only see your face.”

Of course Sonia was on edge. No one was safe from snitches, looters, rioters… and people who were out of their minds. This girl, Sonia guessed by her voice, seemed to be rather poised and calm, which was relatively rare. Earlier, Sonia had come upon a man who was mumbling about a dog and a parachute. Sonia didn’t quite understand, so she gave him a can of soup from her pack and promptly left.

Still, Sonia couldn’t help but be nervous. Everyone, until proven otherwise, is a threat. Maybe not a threat that should be eliminated, but nonetheless, a threat. Sonia tried to put on a kind smile, which could be seen, though barely.

“Worry not, miss. I do not intend to hurt you. I’ve been dodging around guarded areas seeking out my shelter… And I am sure you are doing the same. If you need me to get you back down to the sewers, I’d be glad to help you. I know a shortcut, anyways.”

“Unless you bought property…? I could probably help you find that, too, as I’m heading in the general direction of the Shelters District.”

[diceandfrills-blog]

[Celestia could at least laud the other on following her advice; though, it was something that needed no praise at all. Had the other not done as instructed, she simply would not have revealed herself - that was that. (In retrospect, perhaps she was lauding the other on being intelligent.) Whatever, a promise was a promise; as prompted, the gambler soon stepped into the dim light, her usual gentle smile painted on her lips.]

My, it is something you need not fret over. It is only understandable to be suspicious of others: I, myself, am doing the same. It is hard to know who is trustworthy and who's not.

[Funny for her, of all people, to be able to speak boldly on the topic of being trustworthy.]

However, as you had said yourself, I mean you no harm either. That is, so long as you do not present me a reason to do otherwise.

[It was well-established that it was within the gambler's character to slip in threats with her words. If she didn't, how else would she maintain that intimidating aura of hers? For the most part, her threats were nothing more than just baseless statements - though, she would act upon such statements if she found it necessary. By appearance and actions alone, she already deemed the other to be harmless in the long run. But there was no harm in letting the fact known, was there?]

I do indeed own property. If you would be so kind as to lead me to the direction of the Shelters District, it would be much appreciated, miss. Ah, excuse me for not introducing myself. My name is Celestia Ludenberg, but you may call me Celes.

[meme-archive]

My character falls asleep on yours. What does yours do?

[fireballa-deactivated20140817]

///// {dtm|open}

[fireballa-deactivated20140817]

…well. Her behavior was about what Leon would have expected. Acting like they were friends, an act that annoyed the hell out of him. Actually, Celes’ entire being bothered him; her cutesy smiles, her over-complicated attire, the way her gaze had burned into him as she calmly accused him of (intentionally) murdering Sayaka Maizono…all of it.

Regardless of his feelings, though, and regardless of his desire to just get the fuck away from her, there was one thing he needed clarified.

“…Inevitable? What are you talking about?”

“So, what, you expected to see a dead kid wanderin’ around?”

[diceandfrills-blog]

[A heavy sigh leaves the gambler's lips after hearing his question - in all honesty, it was more of an exhausted 'I don't have time for idiocy' kind of sigh. She didn't really expect intelligence from the redhead; a killer he may be, sure, but he certainly was not a smart one. Though, she supposed his ignorance was forgivable, considering how he had been the third of their group to die. The facade she was once holding up now faltered to a slightly-miffed expression as she began to answer him.]

Ah, yes, that's right. Because of your execution, you were unable to know what had occurred afterwards. No matter - allow me to enlighten you, then.

I simply judged based off my own experience. I, like yourself, was executed, and considering how I phenomenally returned to life, it was only safe to assume the same of you, as well as the others who died before and after us. Which is why I said 'our meeting would be inevitable.'

[diceandfrills-blog]

♠ ，ᴛʀᴜᴍᴘ ᴄᴀʀᴅ. [ᴅᴛᴍ ᴏᴘᴇɴ]

[faceripped]

The stranger’s mild reaction to her threats makes her feel the fool, and embarrassment only translates to more frustration and her grip on the knife tightens even further, teeth gnashing behind quivering lips. But the next words to leave the other’s lips forcibly unwraps a memory within and temporarily paralyzes the frightened idol.

That dark velvet voice permeating the darkness with surprising conviction. There’s only one woman who could still remained so composed in such critical conditions, only one who could emit such a chilling giggle and remain dainty in the face of destruction and chaos. 

“Celes-san?” 

The name hardly carries on huffed breath, her still panting from the excursions of the night. Though there’s enough to hint at surprise and even some relief, and Sayaka even relaxes her tightened clutch on the blade’s handle, though not completely removing it from its suspension. Especially not once Celes brings up her ‘efforts to kill’ and the idol feels her muscles tense once more. She’s tempted to tell the gambler to shut her mouth, but she’s able to muster up enough gumption to hold back her tongue another minute.

Still pointing her weapon towards the gambler in refusal to let it drop (just in case) Sayaka side-steps a little more towards the shadows, never lifting her gaze. Though she trusted Celes, really, and she quite liked her back in Hope’s Peak, there was something always vaguely sinister hiding behind that porcelain-white demeanor. 

“…Where are you going?”

Celes may have been composed enough to keep her farce up, but Sayaka had moved past from that point, leaving familiarization and formalities aside for the moment as primal instincts took blinding hold of her body and mind. There’s no time for superfluous conversation or the act of keeping up appearances, at least not time Sayaka could make. 

[diceandfrills-blog]

[As the other identified her, the gambler only laughs again, a smirk becoming apparent on her lips as she upholds the act just a tad bit longer. Shame really: already was she growing bored of this 'buddy-buddy' facade of hers, but if she successfully managed to coerce the other into showing her shelter, the two could soon part ways and never see each other again. Their tale together had ended the moment the idol had succumbed to death, and the gambler certainly had no intentions of 'catching up on the past' with those formerly from Hope's Peak.]

Indeed, it is I. Why, I feared you may have forgotten me, Maizono-san.

[She refrained from making another witty comment in regards to the idol's death - seeing the other become defensive consequentially from her preceding remark was enough to stop her. It wasn't that she feared the other, heavens no! As she had mentioned, her murder attempt had failed once and would more than likely fail again, considering the idol did not possess the heart to kill another, no matter what she fronted. Celes, on the other hand, would not hesitate in killing another, if necessary. Though, upon her revival, the first thing she wanted to experience was definitely not a fight with her peers.

In retrospect, betrayal would not be a wise move so early in the game. She had yet to find shelter, and she was under the assumption that the idol before her had not done so also. Were she successful in earning the other's trust, then Celestia could use Sayaka as a 'scapegoat' of sorts to lead her to safety. After that point, it would all be dependent on whether or not she deemed the idol being useful. If not, then they would never again cross paths with one another. After all, as far as Celestia was concerned, all chances of 'friendship' had ended with the idol's death. (Not that she really cared about her classmates in the first place.)]

Mm? I'm looking for shelter - you are doing the same too, I trust? After all, I'm sure that neither you nor anyone else in their right mind would prefer to stay out here in the open, lest you possess a death wish.

[...There's a pause as she now moves to put her plan into action.]

Though I hadn't been successful during my search. How about you, Maizono-san?

[talentlessamnesiac-blog]

I can hear your heart beat to the beat of the drums || {dtm open}

Heart pounding in his ears, ears ringing as he ran. The sound of rubber hitting pavement as he ran. His thin fingers wrapped tightly around the steel pipe in his hand.

The weapon wasn’t much really, he had basically just grabbed the first thing he had seen and hoped it would work. To be honest, he was very worried about encountering anyone with an actual gun, friend or foe for that matter. The area they were in, the situations, he knew what something like that could do to people. Friends becoming foes, foes becoming friends. Sometimes the world is twisted.

His feet led him to nowhere in particular, his body twisting and molding to fit blind spots for the rioters. Funny how in times like this, the darkness can be a beacon of hope, but other times, you can’t really stand it. Nothing was safe… he needed to find a place to live, and fast, if he wanted even consider living in the end.

This wasn’t really living, it was survival.

[diceandfrills-blog]

[She moved stealthily, save the light sound of her heels against the concrete; this really wasn't a problem for her, considering the havoc the rioters were wreaking was much louder than simple clacking. So far so good, really. She had been moving for about fifteen minutes now without any sort of hindrance or confrontation from another. At this rate, she would be sure to find shelter soon.

At least, that was what she thought at first. Hearing footsteps other than her own, she soon came to the realisation that there was someone nearby. Peering ahead of her, she saw that it was (seemingly) someone like herself, perhaps a student pulled into the crossfire of the riots. However, she couldn't be so trusting - in actuality, she wasn't trusting at all. She trusted no one, mask or no mask, stranger or acquaintance: in her eyes, everyone would be enemies here, no matter how friendly they proved themselves.

Eyeing the other's steel pipe did not alleviate Celestia's initial scepticism towards the approaching stranger. Though, she addressed him with her usual calm air, not taking our her concealed weapon. Not just yet.]

I do take it you mean no harm, yes?

[If so, then she supposed she could assist him; if not, then she would deal with him properly. She glanced to the side, noticing a concealed area for them to converse, then gestured for him to follow her there.]

...Come. We can speak here without the risk of the rioters finding us.

[fireballa-deactivated20140817]

///// {dtm|open}

[fireballa-deactivated20140817]

Well, no shit. Of course he was in no shape to fight anyone. The air was positively filthy and his entire body ached from his execution. Even Celestia, with all her talk of adaptation, should have been able to realize that adjusting to such a despairing environment wouldn’t happen immediately, even disregarding the whole coming-back-from-the-dead thing.

To be honest, she was one of the last people Leon wanted to run into. She wasn’t insufferably irritating like Togami or Yamada (fuckin’ otaku creep), and she wasn’t the girl he’d accidentally killed, but she was an annoyance nonetheless.

“Celes. Fancy meetin’ you here.”

He kept a firm grip on the baseball bat in his hands. He doubted the gambler would try to attack - even in his weakened condition, he was an ally and probably stronger than her - but it never hurt to be cautious.

[diceandfrills-blog]

[As expected, her plan had worked - though upon hearing the other's voice, a small grimace came onto her features as she identified him. As far as she was concerned, the ordeal at Hope's Peak Academy would be the last time she would ever see her classmates. Rather, it would have been, if she were in control of the situation. Whatever, it couldn't be helped, she supposed - considering that she herself was here, that would only mean that those executed, as well as those who had escaped successfully, would unfortunately be here also.

How bothersome. It meant that she would have to play the role of 'friend' once again. She was by no means intending to be an enemy to her former class, oh no, but she would much prefer they never cross paths again. She worked better by herself than in the company of others. Nonetheless, knowing that the baseball player was who she was dealing with, she decided to put up the front: head tilted to one side and a gentle smile gracing her lips.]

My, my. If it isn't Kuwata-kun. I could say the same for you.

...Though, in hindsight, I suppose our meeting would have been inevitable.

[As aforementioned, seeing her former classmates here regrettably had a high likelihood of happening.]

[nurseful-deactivated20150713]

Source / ♥♥♥

[izuru-bye-deactivated20160815]

ロンパログ by 日生Ｋ

[fireballa-deactivated20140817]

///// {dtm|open}

Well, shit. What a pleasant scenario for Leon to wake up to.

He pressed himself against the wall of a cafe as masked rioters passed by, bearing the face of a creature that could very well be considered the devil himself. Monobear. Not exactly a face he was excited to see again, especially considering the last time he’d seen it.

No. Leon clutched a metal baseball bat closer to his chest. It wasn’t the time to relive that moment, not yet.

When he felt the coast was clear, Leon sprinted to the nearest building in sight, paying little attention to his burning muscles or the pounding headache that would surely become unbearable before too long. When he reached his destination he leaned against the wall and paused a moment to catch his breath. It was honestly a little worrying that he was already worn out; he really hadn’t been running around that long. He hadn’t even been alive all that long.

Leon could deal with it, of course, but one would think an exceptional athlete could handle the effort. Damn.

Dying sure took its toll on him.

[diceandfrills-blog]

[Having already accepted her new situation, Celestia wasted no time in her search for shelter. For her to hesitate even once would mean that she would die, and although she had embraced death once, she would not embrace it a second time - especially not by someone else's hand. Carefully evading the eyes of numerous rioters, she would dart through alleyways, behind trees and buildings, and would squeeze her way through narrow spaces. The search for shelter was annoyingly lengthy, however, she could not let her tedium interfere with her survival tactics. (It would be a huge relief when this was over, though.)

Currently standing behind a building, her crimson eyes surveyed the premises before her: she watched a few protesters pass by, and just when she was about to move on to the next location, she heard footsteps from behind her. Whirling around on her heels, she turned to face the darkness in which veiled another. That was beneficial, at least - so long as she was hidden, she would not be assaulted; however, she was not in the clear yet. She still had to remain on-guard, in the events that the stranger did attack her.]

Oh my, could it be that my time is up already?

[It was a question of rhetoric, really: nothing more than words that would efficiently spark a conversation. If she could get the anonymous person to speak, that would ultimately decide whether or not they were friend or foe, so to speak. Celestia could hear the heavy, distressed breathing of the stranger, and knew very well that they were in no shape to attack her. If they had recklessly done so, they would be jeopardising their own life.]

Though, judging off your struggles for breath, it seems that you propose no threat. Rather, it is advised you refrain from doing so. You are in no shape to do so.

[makangos]

One Chance {dtm open!}

[makangos]

Of all the places Sonia wanted to be, here was not one of them. A few places came to mind. Home was definitely one of them. She missed eating a hearty breakfast with her parents in the morning, talking about yesterday’s news. She missed her soft bed and eating things that weren’t stale bread and beans.

Gosh, how spoiled she sounded. What would her friends think? They would berate her, surely. What would Tanaka-san think?

No, no, she didn’t want to think about him. Not when she was this vulnerable.

Bringing Sonia away from her thoughts was the sound of heels clacking against the pavement. A lady rioter? They were rather uncommon in these parts. Not to mention that heels weren’t very good for chasing would-be victims.

And then Sonia saw the shadow of the approaching figure.

Her hand automatically went to her gun. Surely the figure wouldn’t see her, right? Oh, but she must hear her heartbeat, her heavy breathing, her shaking…

She aimed the gun, and then lowered it. She couldn’t do it.

The voices of the rioters faded away, giving Sonia the chance to speak up. She would try to sound as brave as she possibly could.

“Sh-Show yourself.”

Well, that didn’t quite go as planned.

[diceandfrills-blog]

[The sound of her footsteps soon came to a halt upon the gambler finding herself being addressed. The thought that there was another hiding in the very same alleyway was something that had not occurred to her; she found herself cursing herself for not expecting this to happen. Not that she feared the outcome of this meeting, oh, not at all - however, this would be nothing but an obstacle in her goal for shelter. Celestia would rather not waste time with someone who would not benefit her, but given the circumstances, she had no other choice.

She stood there in place, still hidden in the darkness, and blatantly disregarded the female's demand to reveal herself. One never revealed their hand in a game of poker, and she would most certainly not reveal herself in a situation such as this. It would be much too dangerous to do so, she knew, especially given their renowned status across the nation. Ah, but the stranger's words had a sense of weakness to them - it certainly did not give her any more reason to listen to them. If one wanted to order someone to do something, they would have to inject a tone of confidence and authority in them.

A chuckle left the female's lips as she now reached for her blade, holding it firmly in her hand. She would not resort to violence just yet, considering that she did not know the other's exact location, but it was her secondary plan, if things were to come down to it. As for now, she simply decided to taunt the other, almost as if she was daring her to come out and assault her. The sooner this nuisance was defeated, the better for Celestia.]

My, my. It's rather dangerous for someone to reveal themselves if you do not return the favour, wouldn't you agree? You would hold sway over the outcome, and that would be quite misfortunate for me.

However, I'll give you a proposition: we both show ourselves at the same time, therefore, neither of us will have the advantage. I trust those terms are fair enough for you?