The Manaverse

North East Penthouse

Granite City

Jut was awoken by buzzing sound that came from his door. Stumbling across the plush carpet of his room and flipping an outfit on through his spacial armory, he found the buzzing came from a panel in the main room. It was signaling someone was at the elevator, requesting permission to enter the Penthouse.

When Jut touched the panel, an image of a woman standing inside the elevator appeared. He could hear her shifting as she waited. He could only see the top of her head and her hair was a platinum blonde, almost white.

"Hello?" Jut said aloud. It was clear she heard him because she startled and looked up at the camera.

"Jut? Is it too early?"

It took him less than a moment to recognize Isabelle. He could never forget her face. After seeing her in internet videos in countless cosplay, he would recognize her anywhere. Her ears were now pointed and her eyes were an ice blue.

"Come on up." Jut said and authorized the elevator. Once he was sure she couldn't hear him anymore, he said "And it is too early, but whatever."

Jut was a night person after being on the freight crew for so long. Seven am was usually bedtime, not day begin time for him. He knew he would have to adjust, but it was hard.

As he was waiting for Isabelle to arrive, he didn't have the chance to be nervous. He could see across both of the sky bridges from where he stood on the second floor outside his room. There was a figure coming down each.

Brick stumbled out of his room below. He was slobbishly dressed in a wrinkled shirt. "What's going on?" The soldier asked, yawning. He looked up at Jut.

"Our first team meeting. Could you go down the outer steps and let in Diggy and Joy? They'll be here soon."

Brick stumbled out that way, nodding. His outfit changed in a shimmer of mana to a fresh, crisp set.

Jut crossed to the kitchen and began pulling food out of cabinets and the fridge. The coffee maker started and soon he was cooking.

Isabelle walked in just as the griddle came to the proper temperature.

"Good morning, Jut. I hope I'm not too early."

Now that she was in front of him, Jut could see and feel the differences ascension made in her.

Isabelle was wearing her usual scrubs, but she was leaner now. Not by much, but he could see it. Her ears were pointed, but unlike when she was in cosplay, he couldn't see any seams. Something about her felt cold too. He couldn't describe it past that. He also felt that feeling he got from other Stone Rankers, like she was just more present than before.

"No, I think perfect timing is more accurate. We have two more people showing up." Jut said as he started making pancakes and sausage. While Brick had bought beer with his credits, Jut had bought actual food. Specifically, breakfast food.

"Oh. Who?" Isabelle asked. She didn't seem particularly interested one way or the other.

"Give it two minutes. All the mysteries will be answered." Jut said with a chuckle. "Please feel free to sit. Bacon, eggs, pancakes? I have muffins and toast too."

As if a light went on, Isabelle's face brightened. "Anything's fine. But I would kill for some of that coffee." She glided over and chose a seat on the longer side of the table. Jut filled a cup and brought it to her.

Jut cooked and Isabelle sat in silence, sipping from her cup. The smell of food had them both content.

In a shuffle of feet and dead silence otherwise, Brick, Diggy and a very Human Joy walked in the door from the patio.

"I'm so glad you both made it. Please, sit. Let's eat before I begin with why I wanted to speak with you all this morning." Jut said, acting as if their very coincidental appearance, all at the same time, was his plan all along.

Brick sat in the middle of the table on the side across from Isabelle. Diggy and Joy sat at the far end of the table on that same side. There was a thick tension in the air.

Jut sighed as he lifted multiple plates and set them on the table with a soft clink. He made multiple trips back and forth with food and drinks.

"Morning, Jut." Diggy said. "Do I smell your pancakes?"

"You do, brother. You do." Jut said as he set a plate of his pancakes in front of the Minotaur.

Diggy smiled and immediately started piling syrup and toppings on his pancakes.

"Please. Feel free to eat. Then we can talk."

The tension had grown thicker until Diggy made delighted sounds as he chewed. Something popped in the room and the people around table started eating. The silence became more companionable quickly after that. Food usually did that.

It was after everyone had killed a few pancakes, muffins and many cups of coffee, when Jut started the conversation he had in mind.

"All of us lost quite a bit over the last few days." He let that obvious statement that poked everyone's wounds float for a moment before he continued.

"But, we did the best we could and made it through something awful. Now is the best time to keep busy. If the wave showed us anything, it's that we need to be as ready as we can be for when that barrier falls." Jut pointed at the barrier to emphasize his point. Then he made eye contact with each person at the table. "Since everyone here is Stone rank, I propose a team up. We take the broken dregs of three teams and make a new and better one."

Brick nodded. "I'm definitely in." He sat back, sipping at his cup.

Isabelle looked at Jut. "Would that require all of us to live here?"

Brick and Jut made eye contact.

Joy started to shift in her seat. "I don't know. I have a perfectly good Penthouse to myself."

"Yeah, man. Me too." Diggy added.

Joy pointedly looked away from the Minotaur's direction.

"I finally got a suite all to myself. I would hate to give that up." Isabelle said hesitantly.

Jut held up his hands and everyone went silent.

"No. Everyone can stay where they are if they want. However..." Jut trailed off, looking at Joy then Diggy in turn. "Party cohesion is a thing. I learned this from my mentor and during my Prime days. That means we would need to be close enough to interact daily. At least for a while."

"I propose this." He continued when everyone stayed silent. "Isabelle moves in with Joy and Crimson. Diggy stays in his Penthouse. Brick and I stay here. Then, if we expand our team, we can house the new members in appropriate housing."

Jut let them think about that for a moment before he dropped the but. "But. And I apologize if this is insensitive, but you two need to hash out, like now." Jut pointed obviously to Joy and Diggy. "If you can't and that bars us from owning all three Penthouses as a team, that's fine, but I still ask that Joy let Isabelle move in, if she wants to. That way, she is closer to the team, if she decides to join."

Brick's jaw was on the table. Isabelle was looking at Jut incredulously. Joy was beat red and Diggy was looking out at the barrier.

Jut addressed Isabelle first. "Just check out the amenities and the rooms. Ours are identical to hers. You'll want to move in as soon as you see the place, I promise."

Brick, sensing the drama about to spike, followed Isabelle down the hall to show her the rooms and escape the coming tension.

Jut looked at the remaining Human and Minotaur. "You can both choose not to, and that would suck. We're going to be inside this blue bubble for two weeks with no escape. We'll have to live inside the Safe Zone for a long time after that, too I am guessing. It would be better for things to be resolved now because I want you both."

Jut looked at Joy. "Joy, you have the highest damage output in the Zone. We will need that when the barrier comes down."

Joy was searching Jut's face. The last dregs of outrage at his meddling in her business was fading away slowly.

"Diggy. You're the Homie and I want your wit and talent on my my team. But I won't force anyone to do anything they don't want to." Jut said, looking at his bud.

Joy took a deep breath. She looked resigned. "Daniel. I'm sorry, but I can't be with a non-human. Not... not now, at least." Joy said, unabashedly. "Not so soon after all this."

Diggy looked like Joy had stabbed him, but he nodded. "I...I get it. Can we at least be teammates? Jut has a really cool idea and I'm old enough to not hold grudges."

Joy looked contemplative for a long moment. Then she nodded and looked at Jut. "I can do that. I also have no problem with Isabelle moving in, if she wants to. She seems pretty content with her new space though."

Diggy smiled and nodded at Jut. "Give her a minute."

Jut smiled back. "Yeah. She'll fold. They're just too nice."

When Isabelle and Brick returned from the impromptu tour, the seating arrangements were much different.

Jut sat at the head of the table. Diggy and Brick sat across from Isabelle and Joy in the closest seats to Jut.

"You're sure I can move in?" Isabelle asked Joy. Her eyes held a new twinkle and curiosity.

"Absolutely. I saw you pull Kit up, and you helped her save my life. She would want you to."

"Then I would love to move in." Isabelle said with a smile.

Brick spoke up. "We should discuss skills and professions. We can't even begin to work together without that."

Jut nodded. "We should do a round of re-introductions. System names, race names, equipped skills, and professions. Maybe add in what party roll you want." Taking the lead, Jut explained his new skills to everyone after his Drakkin race. He finished with his profession and role. "I want to be a weapon smith and make the team's weapons. I will also take on the Support role in combat, filling in where I can. I want to get more Support skills in the future too." He gestured to Isabelle who was sitting on his left.

Isabelle froze up for a moment. Then her performer's mask appeared. "I'm Isabelle Wynters. I'm a High Elf, which is a Title Race. My Healing Touch Skill is Stone Rank. It heals on contact and for much more HP for a lot less Mana after my Ascension. I also have Regenerative Touch. It's the same but heals over time instead of needing to be channeled like Healing Touch. My last Skill on my combat bar is Magic Bolt. It's a ranged special attack. I want to be the team's Healer and Alchemist. I received the Alchemy Skill, so I'll make potions."

Joy picked up right after Isabelle finished.

"Joy Armstrong. I am the Title Race, Spartan Human. My Stone Rank skill is the special attack Power Fist. It's much stronger now. I also have Quick Steps and Damage Shrug. The first let's me move much faster for a short time and the second allows me to turn a glancing blow into a missed attack. I am a Damage role build with my points going into Body and I want to be a seamstress. I want to make pretty clothes for the team." Joy flushed deeply.

Jut wasn't sure if that was because of the conflicting images, one of a fashionista and the other a warrior ripping a Monster in half, or of it was because Brick praised her.

"Hell yeah. Cool skills and nice clothes. Sign me up." Brick also went next. "Brick Almight. I am a Bohemian Human. I am a Guardian build, or so Jut tells me. I want to block hits and give them back. My Skills do just that. I can nullify damage I take while dealing a small amount back with my shield skill. My special attack does extra physical damage and my last skill pulls the Monster's attention to me. I'm also going to be making metal armor as an armor smith. So, I'll make everyone gear they can use."

Diggy gave in and went last. "I go by Diggy Highfield now. I'm a Minotaur, which is a Title Race." He looked pointedly at Jut to avoid seeing Joy as he said that. "I have the Bull Rush Skill that was upgraded when I ascended. Being a Minotaur doubles the damage of that Skill. I have Power Strike and Cleave. A single target attack and cone-shaped Area of Effect Skill that can hit multiple Monsters at once. Since we have two Smiths already, I'll take on leather working and I'll skin the monsters. I'm kind of interested in opening a shop too, so maybe I can sell the party's extra goods from all the crafting we do?"

Jut nodded. "That seems like a pretty decent team make up if you ask me."

"Yeah. It's a classic Prime team build." Isabelle said. "I wasn't really into this idea when Jut first mentioned it, with how dangerous it all was. However, it seems like the System is designed to seek combat. I can either find a way to survive or give in, so I will join this potential team." She sat back with a small smile.

"I'm technically already on the team, but count me in." Brick said, also leaning back. His hands moved up to support his head, his fingers laced together.

Diggy spoke next. "I'm in. Jut and I have always ran together in Prime and in Pre-System life. I shouldn't have changed that to begin with by letting my folks kick you out that first night." He nodded to Jut and leaned back in his seat. "I am in."

This left Jut and Joy both leaning forward. They made eye contact. While everyone had acted interested, only Joy was left to actually agree to be in the party.

Joy hesitated for only a moment before nodding slowly. "I want to be part of a team again." She bit her bottom lip, looking away momentarily. "I miss the girls, but I'm a fighter. I need a team. I am in too." She looked back into Jut's eyes and nodded confidently.

The rest of that morning was considered the first official Team Meeting that was arranged to be held once or twice a month. They would discuss anything of relevance and adjust their rules and plans as needed.

The next topic was the general schedule. After a lot of back and forth, they finally agreed upon training four mornings a week. They would run the dungeon between two and three times a week. They would have a casual day, where they would hang out and a day off. All activities would run no later than six o'clock absent an emergency or a scheduled dungeon run. Isabelle also requested four days off per month to heal for the Safe Zone.

The last conversation was about a name for their team, as one would required going forward.

"But we are warriors. Our name should reflect that." Brick said for the second time. He was slightly annoyed.

"But, Granite City Warriors sounds like a football team, not a party of warriors or adventurers," Diggy argued, also sounding annoyed.

"I agree with that. Who will we fight? The Sun Stone City Swashbucklers?" Joy said, agreeing with Diggy begrudgingly.

Everyone turned and looked at Jut.

Jut shrugged. "What? I'm horrible at naming things." He said, holding both hands in front of himself as if to push away the task.

"But you're the team leader. It should be you who picks." Joy said.

"What, I'm not the leader. Brick is-" Jut started.

Brick cut in. "Who here thinks Jut should be the team leader and bear all the responsibilities that go with it?" He was already raising his hand.

Diggy and Joy instantly raised their hands. Jut scowled at them. He whined loudly when Isabelle also raised her hand slowly, looking guilty.

"You too, Izzy? Come on."

"Well. This was your idea." Isabelle shrugged. "Besides. They won't agree and I am tired of this conversation. I want to see the Dungeon."

Everyone except Jut agreed, saying aye.

"Fine." Jut growled. "Then I say..." He grabbed his chin in thought for a long minute. "Radiant Crusaders."

Everyone had a different reaction.

Brick seemed to not care one way or another and he only shrugged.

Diggy nodded enthusiastically. "I like it."

Isabelle looked confused while Joy was scowling.

"Why that?" Joy asked. "It sounds so... religious. I wasn't big into that stuff."

Jut nodded. "Neither was I. Yet, I met a Goddess. I don't want to worship her or anything, but as her Champion, and being forced to choose our name, I am going to tie my team to her in some way. I think she would get a kick out of it too."

As if to underline the point, each member of the new team received a status window.

Ophelia, the Prime Deity of Life, Creation, and Order, thoroughly approves and enjoys your new Party Name. As such, it has been accepted.

You are now a Member of the Radiant Crusaders.

"Well, I guess she does approve after all." Joy said flatly.

With little fanfare, the new team, the Radiant Crusaders, all stood and split up to go about the rest of their days separately. As quickly as they had gathered, Jut was now alone with his thoughts.

"Now I need to look into setting up the Non-Combat side of the team...hm...."