Etrian VS: Black Bird Edition

You tell Wulf to go stock up on Medic Bullets, and you'll practice with those.  "Understood," he says simply.  "On to the labyrinth gate?"

"Right," you answer.  He turns and walks off with a kurt nod.  Last up is possibly the most important part of the city, the entrance to the massive dungeon that put Zharton and its neighboring town on the map...

It's not hard to find this place.  It was the first place you went when you arrived.  The town was built around it.  Even if it weren't, it wouldn't be hard to find, as it's the only entrance to the incomprehensibly massive tree.  You have to look straight up just to see where the great tree Yggdrasil vanishes into the clouds...  The inside is like its own world, or so you hear.  You forsee you'll be passing through this portal quite often.

A soldier standing by the gate stops you.  "I don't recognize you.  Papers?" he demands.

"We're still getting them together.  Muan told us to go explore the town," you explain.

"Ah.  Rookies.  Here for the festival, then?" he asks.

"Yeah!" Merrick answers.  "We're gonna win, too!"

"We'll see.  Remember, first you have to be chosen as the town's representative.  All the rookie guilds will be competing tomorrow...  You'll need to really stand out."

"People've mentioned that..." Yvan says.  "What exactly is this competition?"

"It's a closely guarded secret," Urvan cuts in before the soldier can answer.  The soldier nods in approval.  "It's a race inside Zharton's secret dungeon," he continues.  The soldier's mouth drops open.

"H-hey, you aren't supposed to know that!" the soldier protests.  "All participants are sworn to secrecy...!"

"Yeah, well, people get drunk sometimes," Urvan says with a shrug.

"What, you believe everything drunk people say?"

"No, but you did just confirm it..." Urvan points out.

"Well...  Pretend that I didn't!" the soldier demands.  "Now... go... get your papers and registration done."

"Right, right..." Wulf says.  "We'll be running along now.  Thanks."

"Don't mention it.  No, really, don't mention it, or I'll lose my job," the soldier implores you.

You step away from the labyrinth gate.  "Last is the Explorer's Guild, right?" Merrick asks.  He's more than a bit excited.  "Get our credentials and be an official guild?"

"Yep," you promise.

"Then into the labyrinth.  Joy..." Urvan sighs.

"Let's go," Wulf suggests.

"Just a minute," you say.

As if on cue, you hear a voice calling out to you.

"Hello, everyone!" a voice calls out.  As expected, your alchemist comes running along the road.  "Sorry I'm late.  Hard to fill out paperwork in these gauntlets."

"Why didn't you just take them off...?" you ask.

"Huh.  Oh, yeah, I guess I could've," Darian says.  You suddenly have a bad feeling about this.  "But, eh, anyway.  It's in the past.  So-o-o-o, ready to... huh.  If we're going back to the Explorer's Guild, why didn't Muan just have me wait for you there?"

"Either to give us a chance to talk... or as a test," you say.

"Huh.  Well, I guess I could've suggested it.  But, eh, it's in the past.  So.  Ready to head back?"

"Yvan has something to ask first," you say.

Yvan groans.  "Do you have any problems working with a half-demon?" the two of you ask in unison.

"Huh.  Weird.  But...  Well, yes, actually.  I'm a bit concerned the distraction could impact my performance.  I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm excited to work with you, but... I mean... you're a half-demon!" Darian says excitedly.  "At the risk of sounding... creepy, I would love to study y- er, get to know you a bit better.  And maybe measure your combat abilities.  And possibly sketch you a bit, perhaps write a few papers about you...?"

"Um..." Yvan says.  She's clearly unused to this sort of positive interest in her transformation.  "That's... a bit...  Well, let's... start with... y'know, a few chats first..."

"Oh, right, of course, of course.  Just so long as you're not going to have a problem with me."

"Wow.  It's... really a bit odd to have someone... interested in me," Yvan mutters.

"Let's talk a bit about you abilities before we set out," you tell Darian.

"OK.  So...?"

---

3 skill points.

(A) Formula Mastery
(B) Fire Formula (requires Formula Mastery Level 1)
(C) Ice Formula (requires Formula Mastery Level 1)
(D) Volt Formula (requires Formula Mastery Level 1)
(E) Palm Mastery
(F) Fire Palm (requires Palm Mastery Level 1)
(G) Ice Palm (requires Palm Mastery Level 1)
(H) Volt Palm (requires Palm Mastery Level 1)
(I) HP Up
(J) TP Up
(K) Elemental Attack Up
(L) Elemental Defense Up
(M) Chop

A E and I

Melee-ranged elemental attacks. Punch someone with a formula.

Finally caught up! Yay! Yvan is adorable. And gorgeous. And adorable. And mine. My half-demon. So! Guild name.

.... Seraphim's Wings. After Yvan. Because she's more like a half-angel, and she deserves to be loved. And with her help, we're going to fly all the way up past Yggdrasil's branches and touch the clouds. Yvan will carry us to victory.

You rub your chin. "Sepharim Wing?" you suggest.

Darian slowly turns to look at Yvan. He's followed by Wulf, Muan, and Urvan.

"...What?" she asks. She fidgets uncomfortably.

"I like it well enough," Darian says.

"Sounds like something out of a fairy tale..." Merrick mutters.

"Storm?" you ask.

Urvan grimaces. "I don't like storms."

"I think it's kinda cool," Yvan says.

---

Voting/debate continues...

The guild must be named after Yvan.

Team Blitz? Cause all we do is attack a lot?

Yvan is the kind of Tsundere I like. She's adorable. My Yvan.

Hmm... I still got nothing.

Blitzwing works with me.