Assorted PSO2 Slice of Life Short Stories

[Anduril]

So, I decided to give another try at some of the PSO2-based short story projects I've abandoned over the past couple of years, and tentatively plan to add them here.

To start off, here are profiles for my major and minor characters establishing their status quo around the beginning of Episode 1:

~MAJOR CHARACTERS~

Spoiler!

Kayla Blayke
Female Newman
Age: 19 (AP238) || 22 (AP241)
Twin sister of Noland, she is upbeat and friendly, but can be socially awkward, often keeping to herself, particularly when she is troubled. Kayla grew up sheltered, spending most of her days reading with her mother, though she did occasionally play with her brother and his friends; when her brother started experiencing strange headaches, she took it on herself to keep an eye on him feeling that it was her responsibility as his twin. She entered the ARKS academy alongside her twin in AP233 with the intention of becoming a field operator; however, thanks to her performance with ranged weapons and Techs, she was also qualified to be a combat operative, though she declined the opportunity. Kayla befriended another operator who often tries to bring her out of her shell. With the increase of Darker activity in AP238, she was put on combat stand-by in the event of emergency missions while continuing her field operator duties.



Noland Blayke
Male Newman
Age: 19 (AP238) || 22 (AP241)
Twin brother of Kayla, he is normally rather laid back and soft-spoken —to the point that people mistake his relaxed attitude for stoicism— but when push comes to shove, he focuses on the task at hand and shows strong leadership potential. From a young age, he has experienced strange headaches that left him with a strong sense of déjà vu, an affliction whose source doctors were never able to properly diagnose. Entering the ARKS academy with his twin sister in AP233, Noland trained diligently with the prospect of being a combat operative; although he was naturally proficient in Tech usage, Noland excelled at close quarters combat during training, even being able to keep up with the infamously unforgiving combat instructor known as “The Beast.” Following the increased Darker activity in AP238, his headaches gave way to mysterious flashes of memory that he is unable to truly explain, including dreams of a young girl with jet-black hair and bright green eyes.



Charlotte Hanniver
Female Deuman
Age: 17 (AP238) || 20 (AP241)
Younger sister of Andrea, she is bubbly, energetic, and caring, but with no sense of personal space and a reckless desire to explore, others often find her annoying; although, those who know her well have an overwhelming desire to protect her from herself. When she was young, her parents —weapon researchers working for a manufacturer that dealt directly with ARKS— felt that it was necessary to protect their daughters should another Darker attack on the level of the incident of AP228 occur, leading them to hire a former ARKS operative as a caretaker and bodyguard for them; Charlotte instantly grew attached to the Caseal. With the desire to see more of the universe outside her own ship, she enrolled in the ARKS academy in AP235; during her first day there, she became quick friends with another student with striking white hair and piercing ice-blue eyes.



Erin Seanna
Female CAST (Newman)
Age: 27 (AP238) || 30 (AP241)
Quiet and serious while also being highly protective of those she cares for, she has a softer, playful side that very few have seen. Born a Newman, she underwent the life-saving CAST conversion procedure in AP219; as a result of the conversion, she suffers from debilitating sensory overloads if she is not calm and focused. Erin still wears glasses as she did before the conversion, but it is not for vision correction; her mother gave them to her as a focus object to keep her sensory issues in check. She formally entered the ARKS academy in AP225 along with her childhood friend, but left the organization following the Darker incident in AP228 during which her body had suffered heavy damage. After several months of isolation, she took a job as a bodyguard for the children of two weapons researchers at the recommendation of her childhood friend. She rejoined ARKS in AP232 with a special recommendation, her intention being to keep an eye on the elder of her charges, who had recently entered the academy.



Andrea Hanniver
Female Deuman
Age: 20 (AP238) || 23 (AP241)
Older sister of Charlotte, who she is highly protective of, she has a resting glare that hides her naturally shy and gentle personality. Due to her delicate body and health, Andrea was often prevented from doing anything too outgoing by her parents when she was younger, leading to a fierce independent streak that culminated in her joining the ARKS academy in AP232 against their wishes. Seeing her as an impediment to her freedom and independence, Andrea was resentful toward her parents when they hired a former ARKS operative to be her caretaker and bodyguard; their relationship was tense at first, but they eventually became closer when the Caseal began to show the two girls a world outside the sheltered home they had known, eventually giving them basic weapons training as they grew older. While her relationship with her mother is strained due to the fallout of her decision to join ARKS, Andrea still deeply cares for her parents and is often homesick, though she would never admit it out loud.



Teresa Reisa
Female Human
Age: 27 (AP238) || 30 (AP241)
Playful and highly mischievous, she has an extremely harsh and frightening side when angered. Born to a pair of private detectives, Teresa is the youngest of six children and the only daughter; she was taught to hold her own and quickly picked up on many of her parents’ investigative skills, which lead to her assisting their agency from a young age. She entered the ARKS academy in AP225 alongside her childhood friend; when she was injured during the Darker incident in AP228 —which lead to her friend’s resignation from ARKS— Teresa refused to have the scars on her face fully removed, instead opting to mask them using small head-mounted holographic projectors she had originally used to tease her brothers. She eventually became a combat instructor at the academy where her relentless teaching style lead to several students nicknaming her “The Beast;” upon hearing this, she decided to embrace the name: using her projectors, she gave herself an appearance based on a Fang Banshee. She still has access to many of the connections forged by her parents through their work, something she often takes advantage of.



Ophelia Dania
Female Newman
Age: 17 (AP238) || 20 (AP241)
Although introverted and oftentimes distrusting, she is highly protective and has a strong desire to help others. Born to a Deuman father and Newman mother, Ophelia developed a complex related to her unusual appearance: although she was a Newman, she had her father’s ashen skin, white hair, and pale blue eyes. From a young age, she became acquainted with the world of hospitals and medicine, primarily due her mother being unable to find a babysitter for her when emergencies cropped up; it was during this time that Ophelia discovered a desire to help others. Following her parents’ example, she enrolled in the ARKS academy in AP235 to become a field medic; on her inaugural day at the academy, she found herself the unwitting partner of another new recruit.



Rhian Ivensen
Female CAST (Human)
Age: 27 (AP238) || 30 (AP241)
Highly focused and detail oriented, sometimes to the point of obsession. Born a Human, she was converted into a CAST in AP222; she entered the ARKS academy in AP225 and was viewed as a close quarters combat prodigy by many of her instructors. While in the academy, Rhian became friends with two of her fellow recruits, and would often join them on missions, being appointed their squad leader due to her analytic skill; when her cousin enrolled the following year, they became a well-oiled quartet. During the incident of AP228, her squad was overwhelmed and nearly killed by Darkers after they had walked into an ambush. She was able to survive her throat being slashed by virtue of being a Caseal, but her voice box was heavily damaged; although it could be repaired, she chose to remain voiceless as penance for having led her party into that near-fatal attack. Following the dissolution of her team, Rhian continues to serve as a member of the ARKS combat forces, though she rarely accepts quests that require joining other operatives, fearing that she would only lead more ARKS into unnecessary danger.



Gayle Artin
Female Human
Age: 26 (AP238) || 29 (AP241)
Rather unassuming when interacting with others, her diminutive height hides her ruthlessness in combat. She enrolled in the ARKS academy in AP226, following in the footsteps of her parents and grandparents. Her first major mission was, unfortunately, the Darker incident of AP228; she, alongside her cousin and two other ARKS they had befriended in the academy, were one of the many teams dispatched, and one of the few that lived to tell the tale. During the mission, she was protected from a swarm of Darkers by the team’s Ranger, who she was supposed to be covering; while Gayle only suffered a small injury across her left eye caused by the shrapnel of her shattered sword, her savior was left on the brink of death, only surviving by virtue of being a CAST. This incident left Gayle with a deep fear and hatred of Darkers that manifested in a ruthless combat style that served her well as she continued to serve as an ARKS member. She moonlights as a private detective alongside one of her former teammates.



Branwyn Thea
Female Newman
Age: 25 (AP238) || 28 (AP241)
Friendly and helpful, she is also prone to extreme laziness. As an only child, she was spoiled by her parents, though they did teach her the value of hard work; to their frustration, Branwyn used her clever mind to find ways to get things done with minimal effort. She entered the ARKS academy in AP227 with the intention of being a combat operative, but following the incident in AP228, Branwyn instead decided to become a field operator, fearing for what could happen were she to see actual combat. She served as an operator in relative peace, easily making friends with her fellow operators and becoming a close friend and mentor to an awkward young recruit in AP235; however, with the increase in Darker activity in AP238 she, alongside several other operators, was put on emergency stand-by in the event that more ARKS were needed in the field. Realizing that she will be unable to avoid the call to action, Branwyn has taken it upon herself to train in her off-time.


Finnian Rudreigh
Male CAST (Human)
Age: 28(AP238) || 31(AP241)


Deianira Dania
Female Deuman
Age: 19(AP238) || 22(AP241)


Ylana Ivensen
Female Human
Age: 16(AP238) || 19(AP241)


Maeve Dyfide
Female CAST (Deuman)
Age: 16(AP238) || 19(AP241)

~MINOR CHARACTERS~

Spoiler!

Phineas “Fynn” Blayke
Male Newman
Age 39 (AP238) || 42 (AP241)
Father of the twins, Noland and Kayla. A man who wears his heart on his sleeve, Fynn believes that following one’s personal passion is paramount and is never afraid to let others know in his loud, boisterous way. He currently works as a prep cook in Franka’s Café, primarily dealing with the larger and heavier creature parts brought in by ARKS operatives on behalf of Franka. Sports a large mustache because his wife once mentioned that she loved how they looked, but as a result, he is required to wear a face mask when he works. Though reluctant to give his blessing when his son and daughter declared their intent to join ARKS, Fynn soon realized that they needed to follow their hearts just as he did when he first entered the culinary world. He met his wife, Summer, at the age of seventeen when he was working as a busboy in one of Ur’s larger civilian shopping districts; he was smitten at first sight, and was happily wrapped around her finger from that moment forward.



Summer Blayke (née Brenach)
Female Newman
Age 41 (AP238) || 44 (AP241)
Mother of the twins, Noland and Kayla. A woman with a gentle smile on her face that hides a mischievous soul, Summer currently works as a data analysist at a civilian security firm but spent twelve years as a homemaker raising her twins. One of her greatest joys in life is playing jokes on the people she loves, particularly her husband who will go out of his way to please her in any way he can. She would say her greatest joke is also her longest running one: she convinced her husband that she loved big, bushy mustaches in the hopes that he would grow one, and look silly with it; however, his enthusiasm over the idea has kept her from telling him the truth for over five years, that said, she does still twist it in ridiculous shapes when he falls asleep. Although Summer is overall a lighthearted person, when she is angered, she is a force to be reckoned with; without breaking her smile, she will verbally beat down anyone who crosses her, and should she be physically threatened, her ARKS training has made her exceptional at close-quarters combat. She met her husband, Fynn, when she was nineteen-years-old and was playing hooky with her friends in a civilian shopping district; she had recently become disillusioned with the ARKS organization and was avoiding a performance review.




Nayelli “Elly” Seanna
Female Newman
Age: 45 (AP238) || 48 (AP241)
Mother of Erin. A woman who is hardworking and ambitious, Elly works as a high-ranking supervisor in Ur’s campship mechanics division, a position she earned by climbing the ranks from an apprentice. She was born and raised on Thorn but transferred to Ur in AP216 along with her young daughter. Elly had a short romance with a campship pilot that resulted in her pregnancy; unfortunately, the father would never get to see his daughter’s birth as he was reported deceased in a warp accident when responding to a distress signal from a previously unknown planet, an incident whose details were kept top secret. When her daughter was converted into a CAST, Elly was used as a template for Erin’s appearance as she grew into her teenage years. While on good terms with her daughter, they rarely see each other due to their individual responsibilities.



Andrew Hanniver
Male Deuman
Age: 42 (AP238) || 45 (AP241)
Father of Andrea and Charlotte. A man obsessed, whether it be over his job or the people he loves, Andrew is the head researcher of a weapons manufacturer that deals directly with ARKS and various civilian security firms. Overprotective of his daughters due to his firstborn’s fragile physical condition, he was driven to find ways to protect them in a way that still allowed them, in his mind, a bit of freedom and normalcy; this included covering their home with cameras and paying several security guards to secretly be on standby. However, when he was caught up in the incident of AP228, his need to protect his daughters lead to hiring a former ARKS operative to act as a bodyguard and caretaker for his two young children. Though outwardly opposed to Andrea’s decision to join ARKS due to his desire to protect her, Andrew was secretly proud of her when he realized that his daughter had come to be a strong and independent young woman. He met his wife, Vanessa, in AP216 when they began interning at the same weapons research lab.



Vanessa Hanniver (née Reyta)
Female Deuman
Age: 42 (AP238) || 45 (AP241)
Mother of Andrea and Charlotte. A woman with a cold disposition who values order above all things, Vanessa serves on the board of directors of a weapons manufacturer that deals with both ARKS and civilian security. While outwardly she appears to be uncaring and controlling, from her own perspective, she is trying to create a happy and safe life for those she cares about. However, her innate desire to create order according to her view of the world has often put her at odds with those around her, primarily due to her inability to truly see things from another’s point of view; this is particularly evident with her relationship with Andrea, who often rebelled against Vanessa’s plans for her, culminating in the girl joining ARKS against her wishes. Because of the estrangement that arose between her and Andrea over this decision, she was not as adamantly opposed to her younger daughter Charlotte’s decision to attend the ARKS academy as well, for fear of pushing away another person she loved. She met her husband, Andrew, when they both began interning at the same weapons research lab when they were in their early twenties.



Claudius “Claude” Dania
Male Deuman
Age: 38 (AP238) || 41 (AP241)
Father of Ophelia. A man who has always put the safety of others above his own, Claude serves as a surgeon in Ur’s main ARKS hospital, though he began he medical career as a field medic. He has seen countless combat missions during his time serving in the field and every team member he has lost is still fresh in his mind, but has never felt that he didn’t do his damnedest to save them; Claude knows that there are many things in the universe that cannot be controlled by human hands. His biggest struggle of parenthood has always been his desire to make his daughter feel like she belongs wherever she goes; due to inheriting his skin- and hair-color despite being a Newman, his daughter was often the recipient of judgmental stares and bullying growing up. He and his wife, Trudy, grew up in the same neighborhood, though it was obvious to Claude that she had affections for his younger brother. After he entered the ARKS academy, it would be three years until he saw her again; she had just enrolled in the academy’s field medic program —a program in which he was a teaching assistant— and it was during this time that they began to grow closer.



Gertrude “Trudy” Dania (née Brenach)
Female Newman
Age: 35 (AP238) || 38 (AP241)
Mother of Ophelia. A woman who believes that there is no such thing a no-win scenario, Trudy serves as a doctor and ARKS liaison in various civilian hospitals on Ur, she first entered medicine as an ARKS field medic. A calm and affable person, she decided to become a medic out of a desire to save lives through healing, rather than combat; when she entered the ARKS academy, she did so as a technical pacifist, refusing to actively partake in any combat missions, but still participating in basic weapon training. A loving mother and wife, she always tried to find a balance between her work and homelife; although, on occasion, she had to bring young Ophelia with her to the hospital, an opportunity Trudy used to instill the importance of helping others in her young daughter. Ever since they were children, Trudy had feelings for her future husband, Claude, often using playdates with his younger brother as an excuse to spend time with him; two years after Claude entered the ARKS academy —a period of time during which Claude rarely returned home— Trudy and his younger brother did begin to date, but it was short-lived, and the following year she enrolled in the academy where she unexpectedly encountered her childhood crush again as a teaching assistant in the field medic program.

~RELATIONSHIP CHART~

Spoiler!

I do plan on keeping my writing somewhat closely tied to the established lore of PSO2, with a couple of assumptions:

• Based on the ages of several characters, the ARKS academy has students as young as 14 (based on Zeno's age in Ep2-6), and they become full-fledged ARKS at 16.
• There are at least a couple of generations of Deumen before the current, as there is no indication that Io or Pietro were converted into Deumen from some other race.

Depending on the focal character of the piece, point-of-view and style will vary, including but not limited to journals, scripts, and second-person narration.
Any feedback, comments, and criticism in relation to anything in this thread is appreciated.

~WORKS LIST~

Snowy (03/03/2016; revision 03/05/2016) [Ophelia, Charlotte]
Concert Night (04/06/2018) [Kayla, Branwyn]
We Both Have Pretty Bad Vision (04/20/2018; audio added 05/19/2018) [Noland, Kayla]
Home (04/28/2018; revision 05/06/2018) [Andrea, Charlotte]
Journal Excerpts: AP228/09/11-10/12 (05/07/2018) [Erin, Teresa, Charlotte, Andrea]
So Bored (05/18/2018) [Charlotte, Andrea, Erin, Ophelia]
The Reisartin Detective Agency Files: Teresa and the Mystery Client (05/29/2018) [Teresa, Gayle]
A Restless Night Bathed in Moonlight (06/14/2018) [Branwyn, Kayla]