"Ah, I see." Kitana said with a nod, and then another scowl as the one who asked about beer walked over to get one. Honestly, a device that can create anything the mind can picture, and you use it to get beer, of all things? Shaking her head, she turned back to Maria, sizing her up. She looked like she could handle herself in a fight, which was good.
"So, would I be correct in assuming that all of these people have some form of kombat experience?" Kitana asked as she began to look around at the other people that were beginning to come through the portal.
Chaika Trabant (Team Magic) - Proper Explanation And Introductions
Chaika listened to the explanation Maria gave them. It was somewhat similar to what the Doctor had told them earlier, but it still helped shed more light into the matter. For example, now she knew that they were looking specifically for parts of a weapon, and not for the preserved bodyparts of her deceased father.
There was still a small doubt clouding her mind, but first she had to introduce herself to the others who didn't know her.
"Name, Chaika Trabant, wizard," the white-haired girl stated, with a rather stiff bow because of the coffin on her back. "Question. Why two teams?"
Raven (Team Science) - First Contact Temporarily Avoided
Obviously, the first thing Raven noticed was that he was no longer in any location he was familiar with. The second thing was that the group he was acquinted with had been suddenly replaced by a more numerous group formed by people he did not know, and some of which were actually unlike anything he had seen before, or anything he would have found in any part of Elrios. However, he detected a faint feeling of camaraderie between them, which meant they probably at least knew each other's names and worked together for whatever purpose they pursued.
It was time to analyze the situation. From one moment to the next he was alone in an unknown location, near a group of complete strangers. He was not injured nor tied up, and he had his weapons with him, so he was not a prisoner. Most of the group did not seem aggressive, and some actually looked like fairly decent people, so if they were behind this, they probably did not mean to cause him any intentional harm. So the use of force would hopefully not be necessary. But what exactly did they want, and why was he there? And what exactly happened to his own comrades?
In the end he decided to be patient and let the others take the first step, so he merely began to examine his arm in silence, trying to make sure everything was still working properly. After all, making sure he was in the best condition for any eventual emergencies was still the first thing a soldier had to do if there were no immediate threats around.
Magic Base
"My name is Estellise Sidos Heurassein, Estelle for short. For those who don't know." the princess finally spoke up. "It really is a pleasure to meet you all!" she continued, with genuine excitement welling up in her voice.
"But...I think Ms. Trabant brings up a good point. Wouldn't it be better if we worked with the other team?"
PM box is Closed, Indefinitely Friend Code: 3368-4181-6850Atrocitus came out of the portal back into the magic base, managing to hear Chaika's question. "Its probably because our employers have the mental maturity of adolescent school children and the separate team concept is their method of a superiority argument." He crossed his arms imposingly. "The fact they took the time to hurry us along for another mission may be a sign they are finally realizing the severity of their own situation."
It turned out that Jack's garage was right next to Icarax's forge. As Jack was making some final checks on his bike, he heard the dark God starting up his forge. Curiosity piqued, and honestly having nothing better to do, the Chaser decided to visit.
"Hey, what's cookin'?" Jack called out, leaning against the doorway behind Icarax.
edited 5th Jun '15 10:35:31 AM by UdtheImp
DAMMIT MARK, STOP HITTING HELPY!!Mordin Solus - Science Base
Mordin looked around the base, taking in his surroundings. A half-dozen different workstations, a multitude of abandoned projects, all set in half a factory built in a field.
"Interesting."
It took him a moment to realize that he had not been introduce to most the team. He turned towards the group that was filtering out of the portal, and extended his hand towards no-one in particular.
"Mordin Solus. Aware of situation, will help."
The introduction done, he turned back to the factory part of the base, retracting the proffered hand in the process. He turned just in time to see Teridax pull a large amount of raw materials from thin air... or more precisely, the beam of red light that emanated from nowhere.
He approached it, and a quick scan showed an enormous energy signature, of an unknown state. Experimentally, he stuck his hand into the light, and it met no resistance.
"Interesting."
Fletcher Renn - Magic Base
Fletcher teleported into the library, bypassing the round of introductions Maria had organized. The team was gaining and hemorrhaging members at a ludicrous rate. Armani's friend (who hadn't recognized him) had been and gone, and so had several others.
Maybe one day he would be the one who was sent home early. Sounded like something that would happen to him.
He wasn't his world's hero. That was Skulduggery or...
...Valkyrie.
He was the guy with a useful power who tagged along with the big boys. The nice guy who finished last.
Maybe he should've taken Gracious and Donegan's offer. Joined the Monster Hunters. Get out of the shadow of Skulduggery and Valkyrie
He supposed that was what he was doing here. Couldn't go much further to get out of their shadow.
He summoned a new baseball bat, titanium this time. He gave it a few swings, testing the weight and balance of it.
Of course, a titanium bat would still be useless against robots, which couldn't feel pain.
With a thought, a fire axe appeared in his other hand. After a few test swings of that (and accidental lodging in the ground), he summoned a golf bag and tossed the axe and the bat into it. A few more blunt and sharp objects followed them, Fletcher knowing from experience how often he lost them.
Usually, he'd teleport back to whatever storage locker he was keeping them in, but that wasn't an option here.
edited 5th Jun '15 12:34:09 PM by GeekCodeRed
It's a fact of life that sometimes, the best place to reflect on your past actions is not the serenity of water, but the energy of fire. Stare deep into the crackling embers, at the logs of wood burning away, at the immobile ground underneath, and the fire stares right back at you. It tells you things, makes you have startling realizations about things you've never even considered. It's a companion, a mentor and a challenger.
Right now, the fire was telling Zuko that he was pretty uncomfortable.
It wasn't their fault, though. To be granted, the situation was pretty much perfect. It began as a break from the constant training. Why don't we sit by a fire at night? Look at the stars! Like we used to do! Aang suggested. A comment from Toph about how she doesn't see what's the big deal about looking at stars later and Zuko found himself being dragged by his new friends to the middle of the forest. Apparently, they used to have these 'mini-holidays' all the time. Even when they were being hunted by...
... well, by Zuko.
So this was their first mini-holiday in a lot of regards. First one since the failed invasion, first one in the Western Air Temple... first one with Zuko. But that wasn't what made him feel uncomfortable, no. Hanging out with the Avatar's group was pretty easy. You had to earn their trust by layers. First one was Toph. She usually liked a dirty joke or a sarcastic comment. If all failed, you could just make yourself an easy target for her. Second one was Sokka. Now he was a bit more complicated. Sokka was nice, but he fancied himself a genius? Not like he wasn't one, but it helped to inflate his ego a little. In the end, he liked joking as well, so if you used the same strategy as before, you were fine.
Aang was the third one. If Toph and Sokka accepted you, Aang was pretty much in the bag. But you needed to prove yourself to him. Prove that you could work off him, like some kind of half-baked Ember Island Players routine. Aang was kinda like that, always on his feet, always improvising. You needed to play off that to earn his trust. And Zuko found out that being his broody, slightly jerkish self worked with Aang. You couldn't be a jerk all the time, though, you had to show just a sliver of your heart to him. Just a tiny bit, so he'll be interested and try to make you open up.
Katara was a puzzle. One that Zuko wasn't sure he'd ever crack. She still didn't trust him, even after he had helped Sokka rescue Hakoda from the Boiling Rock. Even after that, she was still glaring daggers at him every time he came around. Like she expected him to turn on them at any time. Zuko didn't blame her. Who would trust him after what he did?
Anyway. That wasn't why he was uncomfortable. Ten or so minutes ago, Toph wandered off to see something. Not two minutes later, Sokka went after her. And now it was just Zuko, Aang and Katara around the fire. With the latter's predisposal to ignoring him, the two soon got... in the mood. It started with googly eyes, then it moved on to stealth kisses, and he was pretty sure the two had forgotten about him being there. Again, Zuko couldn't blame them! If it was him and Mai, they'd probably be doing the same thing too. Well, maybe not Mai. She'd most likely threaten the two with death if they didn't leave them.
"I'm going after Sokka." Zuko announced, standing up and grabbing his broadsword, jolting Aang out of his Katara-infused trance.
"Do you want me to come with you?" The young Avatar asked.
Zuko just shot him a you're really asking me that? look, before nodding at Katara with a you clearly would prefer to be with her look. Aang just gave him a sheepish yeah, you're right, anyway, thanks a lot look (plus a small thumbs up) before sitting down and going back to talking with Katara. "I'll be fine, anyway." The Fire Prince told them as he walked into the forest, but they had already drifted off to Romanceland.
Romanceland? Really? I'm starting to sound like Sokk—
The sensation of being dragged across the Multiverse felt somewhat like slipping on gemsbok bull dung, falling face first into some rock hard stairs and then slowly rolling down one step at a time. You could feel the pain from the next step hitting you in the sides, but you just couldn't see it, because you had gemsbok bull dung all over your eyes. And then you finally hit the last step, and the dung just miraculously went away and you just felt awful.
Like getting on all fours and clutching your sides before giving up and laying on the ground on your back awful.
"... where am I?" Zuko croaked, realizing his surroundings had completely changed in the span of a second. For one, he was hearing the sounds of a beach (?)... and voices? The last he checked, Zuko was pretty sure there weren't supposed to be anyone around. Unless Duke and Teo were thinking of pulling a prank on them, but then again, Duke and Beetle sounded like just two kids. These voices sounded like ten people with different sizes, pitches, genders.
His first instinct was to crawl to somewhere he could hide, but that plan might have failed before it was put into action: perhaps because there was nothing but open space near him... or perhaps because he was sure his groans and moans had already given out his position. Even so, he rubbed his eyes clean and stood up, wobbling. "Where am I?" He asked out loud, hoping to get some kind of answer that didn't start with the words it's the Prince, arrest him.
edited 5th Jun '15 3:30:15 PM by GrateEscape
Vile, Science base
Seeing that Mordin had just introduced himself and wandered off, Vile thought it was best to make a brief introduction so that people knew his name atleast, because like it or not he was stuck with these people...possibly for a while.
"Im going to make this brief, names Vile, already know the gist of the situation so don't bother explaining it to me". Finishing his introduction to the group Vile wandered off towards the factory section of the base, to make a few minor adjustments to his weaponry and repair the minor damage he suffered in the battle with Vaatu.
Science Base
"I need to introduce my self again? Very well, for the third time, I am DLN-008 Elec Man, designed for power management by the genius Doctor Thomas Light. I am the pinnacle of Dr. Light's first line, and I far outshine the second, too!"
Magic Base
Riesbyfe looked over at the new arrival.
"That's a good question, scarface. Too bad I don't have a good answer! Long and short of it is that you've got kidnapped because this is some godlike being's idea of fun, though, so... settle in for the ride, I guess!"
Wamuu, Nerile. Magic Base
"My name is Wamuu," says Wamuu, thrusting out his pecs to make the truth of his words undeniable. The light glints off them. Nobody can argue.
He's about to comment on the princess's strange choice of weapon, looping it into a roundabout warrior's admiration for the northern Stridberg girl and her own devastatingly esoteric device, but he's interrupted by the harsh thud of an even newer arrival. Again, the shape is human, again malformed and immature. Ancient nostrils flare for a second, but recede. The battle left him in good spirits. As a comrade to these things, introductions are in order.
"You have been recruited, juvenile," he booms, angling towards the thing on the floor. There is another pose, but this one more relaxed, a general stance of greeting.
"As the one called Riesbyfe says, our masters have chosen you to join our quest. They sift through the uncountable warriors of uncountable worlds, and you have been found worthy to join our ranks. Rejoice. From our seat in this fortification, we seek the scattered pieces of Sifuri, a weapon I am told is without compare. Once assembled, we shall use it in valiant battle against a being named Omega, a foe without equal. This is the purpose for which we were chosen, our reward the ultimate battle. Join us in it, immature one, and prove that you may share in our camaraderie. I have said this before, and I shall say it again; truth belongs to the mightiest warriors, friendship and respect to the brave. Prove your worth."
His piercings faintly jingle.
Nerile says nothing, drifting around the back of the crowd as an unusually lanky but otherwise unimportant bystander - right up until she hears the word 'god', at which point she starts drifting inexorably towards Loki. As the newcomer arrives and a shouting Wamuu steals the room's attention, she trundles to a halt next to his ear, scowling magnificently.
"Right," she hisses, through gritted teeth, "I don't know what the fuck you think you are, but we need to talk. Library. Now."
edited 5th Jun '15 5:08:57 PM by OG-Sama
Kitana shook her head again at the newcomer's valid question being easily dismissed. She walked over to the newcomer.
"Ignore them. More interested in drinking beer then being productive, apparently. I was also just brought here myself, but I, at least, will attempt to explain. You have been brought to this place from whatever realm you originated from by some being that apparently wants you to help track down a weapon capable of destroying the universe. As for who they are, why they choose you, that sort of thing, I cannot tell you."
She stopped for a moment, then remembered another important bit of info. "Oh, yes, and apparently we are in direct competition with another team much like this one, one that apparently is comprised mostly of people who's main focus is on science and that sort of thing. Juvenile foolishness, I assume." She said with a bit of an eyeroll.
Magic Base
"Aw, I guess we aren't from the same world then," Maria looked disappointed at Riesbyfe's response. "No vampire hunter especially of the Church of my world would not know the name Belmont."
"That clan is the greatest of vampire hunters back home," Maria explained for Riesbyfe's benefit. "I am the sister-in-law of the current one, Richter."
Maria glanced over looking at the assembled group, "We are a ragtag bunch of people with magical powers... including martial artists, witches, an elf, a necromancer, a demon, and another demigod."
"Anyway, we don't know when exactly we'll go on the next mission," Maria explained to Kitana and the new arrival with a distinctive facial scar, though glaring a bit at Riesbyfe's dismissive comment. "Our mission prior to the one we just finished was a month ago though in that world six months had passed since we originally visited it."
Wizard Needs Food BadlyIcarax- the forge of Science
It would seem that my activities had not gone unnoticed by the rest of the group. Bothersome though they were, I would not call this unwelcome; after all, the noise of the hammer was not to be muffled by the walls I had established around the forge.
I lifted the newly forged blade, it's rippling surface still glowing a reddish yellow from the heat. That glow soon began to spread to my hands and though it was a discomfort, I dismissed it. My hands would not melt from the heat. The sizzle that filled the air as I plunged the sword into cold water drowned out most of Jack's question but I got the gist.
Curiosity.
I took my time before returning an answer, bidding him to simply observe. Taking the blade out of the water I let the water drift off its sides in white smoke, leaving the blade pure. It was good. The blade was light and it's edges was a bright silver that seemed to shine in the dim light. Balancing it in the center of my palm, I judged that both it's size, shape and weight would be ideal for Sokka's stature. Unfortunately I have yet to see him fight with a blade.
Turning to Jack, I let the blade slip from my hand. It fell with hardly a noise and buried itself deep into the ground.
"I have decided that Sifuri is a cause worth my time and cooperation. That is all."
I looked beyond him and saw a bike. One no doubt that was a feat in engineering and weapons design. Nevertheless, I questioned its structural integrity. Would the bike collapse if say, it hit a truck in a head on collision? It just so happened that I had something in mind in terms of transport. I had seen its blueprints on one of my visits to Destral and heard about it later during the war. It was a mobile battering ram that gained a reputation for punching holes in all but the strongest defenses.
The Destral bike. Antroz had gone and reinforced the front wheel with protosteel. Later, I heard, he had used his new bike to simply run over an army of dark hunters. I was intrigued to say the least.
Thus I decided that this was a good time for a trial and error experiment.
"That bike," I said, striding up to the man.
"Should you wish, I can turn it into an engine of destruction with which you can ride down armies and shatter castles."
I bent down and retrieved Sokka's sword. It still needed a hilt and a sheath but I suspect that Urza could supply the details for that given the proper incentive.
"What say you?"
Team Science, Base
When he touched her shoulder Gavrill looked down at Sokka, tilting her head to one side like a bird, and gave him a friendly smile. That is to say, her mouth turned up at the corners and all her teeth were visible. He wasn't nearly as smart as he thought he was if he really believed that what she wanted was to be patted on the head and told she was totally part of the team.
"I do like you boy, but don't push your luck. If you patronize me like that again, I'll pull your heart out through your throat. That's easier than it sounds, by the way."
Team Magic; Library
Do you know what it means to feel your own birth?
By your reckoning, I believe I am about one year old. But I remember. It came with a choked cry and a whirlwind light and a glass mind breaking. And up until that moment, I had been my mother.
Princess Zelda. Chosen of Nayru, Ruler of Hyrule, Bearer of Wisdom, Seeker of Sifuri. Doomed dust-worn wanderer. Not strong enough, in the end, to bear her burdens to the last.
And so I was born. Bursting from her head fully-formed, I took as my swaddling a name she already knew, a piece of herself long set apart as Other.
who
I am Sheik of the Sheikah. A lie, mostly. I am not Sheikah by birth, any more than the Princess is. And if a name is that which your parents call you, I have never had one. Of her alter-ego's traits I took only a sprinkling, just enough from our pooled memories to coerce her mind into accepting me. I believe I am my own person. The name is of little importance. Up until recently I never had anyone else to talk to. I was simply the Other.
are
There is one thing I am sure of, even more than my own name. My birth was not an accident.
you
The gods broke me off and formed me to be their arm. I am the guard and guide of Wisdom. I shield her from what she cannot think. I take what she cannot handle and bear it myself, detached and impartial. All to keep her mind from breaking again. If there is a second collapse I fear she will never recover.
let
She came close, these past few hours. I can't say how many times. The blows came like hammerstrikes and I had to hold her, wincing with every new crunch. Vaatu. Her comrades, Team Magic. The Avatar. Her rivals, Team Science. The piece of Sifuri she sent out as a beacon. All wrong, all mixed in a slurry of shock and fear and pain.
me
There isn't much to tell, in the end. By the time I let go, she sat in a corner of her mind and looked quietly at nothing.
out
Corner. I may be nothing more than a mentality given shape but even my ability to construe the mind is limited. Suffice to say that minds have no corners and no edges and not even a space to sit down in. Language has many failings. I try not to use words when I can.
please
Now, however, there is little choice. She stands in the Library, Moja's sanctum, where this new trouble came to smother her old one. She yearns to speak to her comrades but fears their reply. She wants to know why she was abandoned, but she knows that their reasons, whatever they are, must be perfectly valid and thus all the more painful. She wavers on the brink.
ple
So I seal her lips and wrap her eyes. I pull back my hood and cast my red-blue gaze on all assembled.
"My name is Sheik of the Sheikah. I was the Princess Zelda, who was lost, and now I speak in her stead. You did not notice her absence. It came with the time-rift. A strange effect of time's bending, no doubt, and in no way your fault. For her it was two years. She wandered alone in the Spirit World without another soul to speak to."
Even now I marvel at my voice.
"There is no blame on either side, but the fact remains. The Princess is hurt. She will need long mending before she is ready to return to you. Pass any words to me, that I may convey them to her."
I pause, touch my chin.
"And please, speak gently."
edited 6th Jun '15 6:39:40 AM by troydenite
Zuko's immediate reaction was to blink, rub his eyes to wipe away any possible obstacles, take another hard look at the eclectic collection of beings in front of him... and blink again. The first one to speak up wasn't that weird. Her hair, though, was silver, which sent off a thousand warning signs in the firebender's head. People don't have silver hair, that's just not natural. And he didn't even want to consider her clothes- too much metal.
But it was nothing compared to the second one. Zuko knew a few people who liked to show off... earthbenders, mostly. During his early years, he'd hear soldiers would talk about Earth Kingdom soldiers marching into battle without wearing a shirt. That seemed like complete savagery, but he was pretty sure this guy put that to shame. The young prince wasn't sure of many things, but he was sure that this guy was constantly thrusting his abs forward, as if trying to smother the young man in them.
"Stay away!" Zuko warned the group, entering a defensive position as a very scantily-clad woman stepped forward. "None of what you people are saying makes any sense!" He yelled, furrowing his brow, his mood growing angrier and angrier as he found himself unable to explain what was going on. "Sifuri? Omega? What is that supposed to mean?!" Taking a deep breath, he stopped, scanning the group in front of him. "You're all going to tell me how to get back to the Air Temple. Now!" He ordered through gritted teeth.
edited 6th Jun '15 8:25:11 AM by GrateEscape
Kitana, seeing the newcomer take up what appeared to be a kombat stance, once again drew her fans, which the boy would no doubt notice were extremely sharp.
"Now, I have better things to do then fight you. However, if besting you in kombat is the only way to get you to calm down, I will not hesitate. I have no knowledge of where this temple of yours that you speak of is, and if I knew where the exit was, I would have already left. Consider your next move very carefully, or you will find yourself in quite a bit of pain."
"Actually I already got the engine of destruction part down pat," Jack said. "Its mostly defensive measures and balancing issues that are the problem. Sure, it can smash through a couple of walls and take a few missiles head on, but not much else afterwards. If you can offer me something that's both lighter and tougher than carbon titanium so I can still turn on a dime when I'm wreckin' shit, I'm all ears. Unless the stuff's gonna slowly suck out my soul and mutate me into something straight outta Hell, then no thanks."
"Hold it!" Atrocitus stood in front of Kitana. "With all due respect your highness, we have training rooms for, and I prefer he save our energy for the next mission!" Then he turned to Zuko. "You calm down as well," he told the Prince. "No one here is hostile. First of all - "
It was then Princess Zelda came, but declaring herself as Shiek as if she was a different person. The Red Lantern could practically taste the fear and confusion the Hylian ruler felt over being abandoned as well as the mounting stress of this whole terrible ordeal. This alter ego was probably her main coping mechanism. He decided to speak with her.
"Sheik," he began, as gently as possible. "Please, rely this to your Princess. We have indeed forgotten about her previously, and that was indeed a grave slight upon her. Though words is no where close to mending the damage, I say that we are sorry for leaving her highness behind. She may not forgive us, even with time, but tell Zelda to not hesitate to ask for help she may need, as both an ally, and........"
Atrocitus hesitated, his fist subconsciously clenching. He did not know if the words he wished to speak were genuine or not, or even proper. His hand opened. He spoke them anyway.
"And as a friend."
edited 6th Jun '15 8:07:20 PM by UdtheImp
DAMMIT MARK, STOP HITTING HELPY!!Saikhan
sat in the offices of Varrick Enterprises, watching as his host- the odd entrepreneur himself- strolled around the place, moving things an inch to the side before moving them back, wiping the dust off absurdly clean objects and yelling orders at his assistant.
"Zhu Li," Varrick continued. "Tell the circus I want ten platypus bears. No, twenty! I want to make this Avatar Korra parade the best thing this entire city has ever seen!"
"Varrick, I—"
"Ah, yes, Saikhan! Faithful lieutenant Saikhan!" Varrick interrupted him, jumping on top of his chair and waiting until it stopped spinning around to continue. "You know, I have to apologize, but were you involved in all the starspawn hubbub that happened to us these past few days?"
"... yes, sir. I was with Atrocitus." Saikhan said. "The red guy?" He added after seeing Varrick's look of confusion.
"Ah, yes, the Red Menace! You know, with the footage that I got, I'm going to make him a star! It's too bad he won't be here to see it. Oh well, that way he can't sue me too!" Varrick said, snapping his fingers. "Right, right, Saikhan, what do you want?"
"I was thinking. About the Cybermen... and the Da'leks."
"Frightful fellas, weren't they?" Varrick said, tapping a pen against the table. "In order to help Republic City recover, I've got plans to make toys out of them! Put on your own revenge fantasy against the invaders! Actually, the Chief is pushing this whole story about how they're not starspawn, right? Don't want to blow the minds of innocent little citizens—"
Saikhan's glare was enough to stop Varrick on his tracks. "The Cybermen came here because of the Rift that the Seekers created when stopping the Da'leks, right? But why did the Da'leks came here in the first place?"
Varrick looked around, shrugging. "To kill Avatar Korra, doy! Isn't that common knowledge?"
"And how did they find out about her? How did they find out about... about the whole 'bridge between two worlds' thing? For a race of starspawn that doesn't care about humans, they sure knew a lot about us."
"I'm sure space has some kind of encyclopedia." Varrick said, pointing at Zhu Li. "Space encyclopedia. Write that down!"
"Well... I was interrogating the lieutenant. Amon's lieutenant, that is. And he told me that the Da'leks showed up in this particular date." Saikhan said, sliding a piece of paper with the transcript over to Varrick. "Does the date sound familiar?"
"... is it supposed to be your birthday?"
"It's the date you came to Republic City, Varrick." Saikhan slid another set of papers, which Varrick held onto with a slightly more serious look. "That's the funny thing about you. There's no records of you ever existing prior to this date. Varrick Enterprises showed up on that date. Not even Zhu Li has any records prior to that date. The funny thing is, Republic City asks for newcomers, for immigrants, to bring in records from their previous homelands. And I checked. There's no sign of you in the Earth Kingdom, the Fire Nation or the Water Tribes. You have never existed before this date."
Varrick stared down at Saikhan, completely serious. "So I keep a low profile!" He chuckled. "Sue me, right?"
"That's not all." Saikhan muttered. "You have several unaccounted for shell companies, which were responsible for buying out the locations which the Cybermen were occupying. That run-down ramen shop... Republic City Tours... add to that the fact that you paid a hefty sum of money to keep the contents of this building's basement hidden from the police and the government, and I think I've got a good theory." Saikhan glared at Varrick. "You brought the Da'leks here. You brought the Cybermen here. You are behind all of these events."
Silence.
"Lieutenant, that..." Varrick began, before suddenly bursting into laughter. "That is the craziest theory I have ever heard! Yeah, I bought out those companies, but I also bought out, what, a hundred or other companies that haven't been turned into cyber people nests! And you wanna know why I don't have any records before that date?" He snapped his fingers, and Zhu Li reached into a nearby locker, pulling out an old picture of a very young Varrick amidst circus animals. "I was a circus guy! Still am, if you ask me. And we circus people were kinda... anti-government? We wanted to be free and all that, so we had no registration. Incredible philosophy, horrible execution. Besides, lieutenant..." He spread out his arms. "Look at me. Do I look like a starspawn?" He pulled on his cheek. "I'm flesh and blood just like anyone else!"
Saikhan leaned back on his chair, pulling on his collar. "I guess that... makes sense."
"Listen, I don't blame you lieutenant. The Chief is really angry, trying to make sure all this starspawn nonsense never happens again. I know, because I'm a big supporter of her United Nations Intelligence Taskforce project. But here's the thing: that's all I am. A businessman who wants to make the world a better place."
"My apologies." Saikhan muttered, shoving the papers back into a folder. "I guess I miscalculated." He mumbled, standing up and heading for the door.
"Hey, don't worry!" Varrick said, his smile growing wider. "Little guys like you are free to make mistakes, you know! And I love little guys! Yep, I like to think I'm always there to stand up for the little guy. Especially if that little guy can help this guy become a bigger guy!"
A bigger guy. A bigger guy. A bigger guy. THE BIGGER GUY.
Saikhan's eyes widened as he remembers the words that echoed from the Rift during the Arena. Walking past a completely emotionless Zhu Li, his step got a little faster as he raised his hand to reach for the doorknob. But then, he heard a low burning noise. Something small, something almost invisible, flew right past him. Not past him... through him. Groaning, he looked down at his chest, and at the bloody hole that this something had tore open. Falling to the ground, he watched as Zhu Li moved to lock the door. Looking back, he saw Varrick putting down an otherwordly, golden device.
◊
Humming to himself, Varrick strolled over to one of his closets, opening it up to reveal a record player. He reached into a shelf and pulled out an old, dusty record which soon started playing a song that Saikhan had never heard before in his life.
Snapping his fingers, Varrick walked over to Saikhan's body on the ground, even as he tried to foolishly ask the still emotionless Zhu Li for help.
"Ah, Saikhan." Varrick sighed, sitting on top of the lieutenant, right over his wound, sending head-splitting amounts of pain coursing through his body. "What did you think this was going to accomplish, really? Consider this. If I was the guy behind all of this- which I am- do you really think I'd have just let you go to spread your theory to more people? To tell the Chief that her new best friend was actually behind it all?" He shook his head, tutting his finger. "You were so lovable, Saikhan. A perfect background character. Nobody noticed you, nobody cared for you. You could have lived forty, fifty more years! Now I'm going to have to dump your body in the river. And your family too- do you know how much that costs? A lot of money, Saikhan! A lot of money!"
As Saikhan tried to yell for help, Varrick reached into his pockets and shoved a gag into the lieutenant's mouth. "No one's here to listen to you, Saikhan. And I give you... say, thirty seconds to bleed out. How about you listen to the music? I love these guys! I wish I could bring them over here to this... primitive planet, but, you know what, one thing at a time, right?" Leaning down to hear Saikhan's groans, he raised an eyebrow. "What? What's that you're saying? I think you've got something in your mouth. Learn to talk properly, Saikhan."
Tapping his foot, Varrick closed his eyes and started swaying his head to the beat of the song. "Don't want to be lonely lonely.. hoo hoo ho-ho, don't want to be lonely. I can't really relate to this song, Saikhan. Because no matter how many of you apes surround me, I still feel so alone. Do you know what it's like to have a head like mine? Brimming with ideas and knowing I can't do any of them because you people are too ancient to understand? It's a death sentence, really. Just point that laser screwdriver to my head and fire the trigger. Pzoom! But I still have things to do. Oh yes, Saikhan, I still have many things to do. I'm going to—"
"Sir." Zhu Li interrupted him, causing Varrick to furrow his brow. "He's dead." She said, pointing at the lifeless eyes of the lieutenant.
Varrick sighed, clasping his hands. "People these days, they don't wait for you to finish your grand speech! Might as well spit on my face, huh?" He stood up, patting his behind. "I think I've got blood on my pants, Zhu Li. By the way, you can take care of the body, right? Just... dump it somewhere away from this building. I don't want to smell dead humans while I'm working on my latest acquisition!" Varrick adjusted his coat as he walked over to his desk.
"Yes, sir, Varrick."
"Zhu Li." Varrick smiled. "We're in private now."
Zhu Li nodded. "Yes sir... Master."
edited 6th Jun '15 1:48:47 PM by Stratofarius
Maria
"Two years?!" Maria looked over towards Sheik, scared at the implications. She looked absolutely panicked at the thought that their friends and allies could end up abandoned on worlds other than their own. However, she must be calm for Zelda's sake.
"Sheik, tell Zelda this," Maria walked over and hugged Sheik gently, before letting go quickly. "We're sorry, and we will be here for her if she still wants us as friends."
"I went deep into the Spirit World... There are things in there that would take your body or your face," Maria warned the others, before looking at Armani. "How's Princess doing? If she's too much of a burden for you... I can try to take her back in. She's my fault, after all."
edited 6th Jun '15 7:20:02 PM by GameGuruGG
Wizard Needs Food BadlyTeam Magic
Loki raised one eyebrow when Iroh stopped him on his path, turning around and nodding absentmindedly. "Yes. I'm from the Earth Kingdom, because I wear green. That is quite the logical jump you've made there, old man." He noticed the arrivals, waving towards them. "Next you'll tell me that woman is from the Water Nation because she wears blue. See how nonsensical it is?"
Waving goodbye to Iroh, Loki let himself be dragged away by Nerile, the smuggest of smirks on his face as he leaned against the book shelf. "Yes, Nerile. I'm a god. God of Lies, Trickery, all those good things. Are you surprised? Perhaps even..." He raised an eyebrow, leaning closer to her. "... slightly interested by this new development?"
Team Science
Sokka froze, watching his life pass in front of his eyes. I should stop now, he though to himself. Quit while I'm ahead. "You know, I'm not patronizing you!" Sokka blurted out, his inner self slapping himself in the forehead several times. "Showing a bit of emotion is not patronizing. At least, that wasn't my original intention. I should shut up now.
"Yeah, looks like. Too bad, huh?" Riesbyfe responded to Maria, now once again seated, "heh, we don't get clans of vampire hunters much on my world. Magi, yeah, demon hunters, sure, but not us for some reason. So, these Belmonts are the best vampire hunters on your world?"
"The best back where I'm from," Riesbyfe added, "are the Burial Agents. Buncha crazy freaks, really, but crazy freaks who can take any vamp you care to name."
"D.I.D., huh?" Riesbyfe muttered as Sheik spoke, "not a duet that's fun to sing, I hear. Like bad overclocking."
edited 6th Jun '15 10:56:32 PM by RhymeAndTreason
Science
-The mekboss looking critically at the tiny choppa and the large hat obtained from the Sontarans and bundle of wires from the Tardis. A disappointing bounty, but a mek incapable of turning junk into fearsome weapons of war has yet to be spored. The orks get to work fitting the squiggohmu with the latest pilfered weaponry soon the air fills with smoke, and the sonorous indicators of orky productivity that are hammering, high-pitched screams, bellowed cursing, and explosions.-
Magic
-Iroh fails entirely to hear Loki's reply, his attention taken entirely a familiar voice. He runs over to the rest of the team, shoving them out the way in his haste.-
... Prince Zuko?
Team Science, Base
Gavrill chuckled softly.
"Hah. Of course not. But I suggest you stop pretending I'm helping you when all I want is to slaughter something. That's my "important part" in this group, eh? It just so happens there are lots of things you need killed, and I get pointed in their direction. Not to mention, you can't actually get rid of me. It's really kind of funny the way you defend the things I do. And I promise you, sooner or later, I am going to do something you can't make any excuses for. Won't that be a fun moral quandary?"
She cast her eyes over the other teammates around them, and shook her head scornfully.
"You think anyone here is your friend? Let me give you some advice. You can't call someone your friend until you've seen them at their absolute worst. That's what's important. Until that happens you don't know shit about a person, not really."
edited 7th Jun '15 7:36:32 AM by Vox

-Looking around at his new surroundings, Iroh sees an aloof-looking man standing to the side. He goes up to him, hoping to get some information.-
I am Iroh, of the Fire Nation. Were you taken from the Earth Kingdoms?
edited 5th Jun '15 6:25:59 AM by Chabal2