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TestYourMight Stealth Bomber from Not Winnipeg Either Since: Nov, 2010
Stealth Bomber
#201: Oct 30th 2011 at 4:42:57 PM

"Oh," said Nightwolf, "you mean..."

The Apache warrior turned to the newest arrival.

"Don't attack unless he strikes first."

J-E-T-S JETS JETS JETS!
GreyStar Wild Horse from Chaos Since: Dec, 2010
Wild Horse
#202: Oct 30th 2011 at 4:50:26 PM

If fate was having fun trodding on Ranma's life, then it must have been particularly malevolent this fine day. A look of indescribable shock infected the girl's face as she heard that her newest bride to be was in fact an old hag in the body of a little girl. This in itself was not so bad. No, the worst thing was that she was a vampire.

It was at times like these that Ranma considered that quite possibly her mom had conceived him with a different patron, as opposed to the selfish boor known as Genma. She then smacked her forehead as she realized that once again she was made a scapegoat for her father's actions, something that really didn't sit at ease with the young teen.

As if to escape her predicament, Ranma queried two very important questions. "Why did pops want me to marry you? You don't look like a martial artist at all... Also, why would you be willing to marry an offspring of that Neanderthal, even if I look nothing like him? I would've thought you had learned that pops was a shameless bastard..." Ranma inquired, a bit too desperately.

Always be ready to do the unusual and unexpected.
RainehDaze Nero Fangirl (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
Nero Fangirl
#203: Oct 30th 2011 at 5:03:06 PM

"Well, I never planned to meet you again, let alone follow up on the engagement," explained Evangeline, walking up to Ranma with feigned harmlessness, "So it wasn't really a concern of mine at the time. I was expecting him to make the blood trade, remember, not accept an engagement with a foreign magical entity."

What the vampire was about to do required more speed than available in her current condition; the distribution of mana about her body was too even. Though it meant subjecting herself to the cold and leaving considerable vulnerability, the blonde rerouted the incoming magic, forcing it all into speed boosts, and then made a series of quick jabs at points on Ranma's body—from point blank range. Should they contact, the redhead would find herself incapable of remaining upright as well as in considerable pain. At least she hadn't gone for some other points, the more perverse ones were far easier to reach with her size...

SullenFrog (Elder Troper) Relationship Status: I wanna know about these strangers like me
#204: Oct 30th 2011 at 5:04:00 PM

Spider-Man stared at Bender in a mixture of shock, bemusement and disgust. Part of him was completely appalled that anyone would do such a thing to their own son and have the gall to act so nonchalant about it, while another part of him was wondering if it was even possible for robots to have children in the first place; sure, Wanda and the Vision had a pair of kids at one point, but theirs was a...complicated situation, to say the least.

In any case, when Bender fell onto his back, Spidey made no move to help the cantankerous machine up. At any rate, his attention quickly shifted to the distant form of someone new, and as they drew closer the arachnid avenger could not help but raise an eyebrow. Well, this one certainly looked menacing; did he step right out of the Dark Ages? He probably had, at that; with these Acclimators, who knew where Tall, Dark and Armoured here had come from?

He was about to address the newcomer when a voice—or rather, a series of voices speaking simultaneously—suddenly rang out from nowhere. Ah, so you are all present at last, it said, its words like those of a venerable sage, a kind teacher and a child wise beyond their years all at once. Excellent. We may begin.

With these words, the fire suddenly swelled into a towering pillar of flame which filled the area with the warmth of a cool summer's day, and whose flickering light turned the ice gold as far as the eye could see. Within this blaze, an image began to take shape; flickering, swirling and as inconstant as the flames which contained it, the shape seemed to shift between multiple different forms at its own discretion--one moment it was a majestic swan made of gold-hued fire, its wings spread wide as though it were about to take flight; and the next it took on the scowling aspect of some vast, predatory bird, hovering in preparation for a killing dive. Yet no matter what form the fiery shape took, several things remained constant: it was always golden, and it always resembled some type of bird.

My appologies to you all for not providing more suitable accomodations, the fiery apparition continued, but there was little time to arrange for a less inhospitable and more secure location. Be that as it may, you are safe for the time-being; I have fortified this realm, and the Tainted can no longer reach you.

edited 30th Oct '11 5:04:16 PM by SullenFrog

The Danse Macabre Codex
Fusionman Since: Nov, 2009
#205: Oct 30th 2011 at 5:10:05 PM

Malachite looks intrigued for the first time. "The Tainted? You say you brought us here for our own safety? If your gauntlet didn't activate when it did I would have died because of it."

GeekCodeRed Since: Sep, 2010
#206: Oct 30th 2011 at 5:15:09 PM

Unidentified subject has appeared. Issuing statement.

"Where are John Conner and Katherine Brewster?"

Anura from England Since: Apr, 2011 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#207: Oct 30th 2011 at 5:17:31 PM

"Tainted? That's what they were called?"

"Hah! Let 'em come! They went down without any problems at all!"

A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they will never sit in.
GreyStar Wild Horse from Chaos Since: Dec, 2010
Wild Horse
#208: Oct 30th 2011 at 5:20:55 PM

Fortunately, Ranma was on the defensive from the approaching girl. Experience from many situations taught the redhead never to let down your guard, especially against old people and strange children. In a combination of sheer luck, slick ground, and instinctive back step, Ranma escaped from the pressure point attack with minimum paralysis, though she landed on her back rather ungracefully from her efforts.

Great... Yet another one that demands I be immobilized or unable to resist... an unconscious shivering shook her slight frame, not having to do with the cold this time. After a few moments, Ranma sat pack up, though she realized her sense of balance was rather disjointed. Glaring at Eva for what she almost did, the girl was about to launch a riposte when the fire flared up.

Turning her eyes upon the now blazing heat source, Ranma listened intently to the voice in the flames.

Always be ready to do the unusual and unexpected.
TestYourMight Stealth Bomber from Not Winnipeg Either Since: Nov, 2010
Stealth Bomber
#209: Oct 30th 2011 at 5:21:03 PM

"The Tainted?" said Nightwolf, curious about what he had just heard. "Do you speak of wraiths?"

J-E-T-S JETS JETS JETS!
DragonGeyser The Chew Toy of Gaming from a computer, DUH. Since: Dec, 2010
The Chew Toy of Gaming
#210: Oct 30th 2011 at 5:30:29 PM

Kenshiro had begun to ponder over the voice's mentioning of Tainted when the firey bird being appeared. Thus, he decided to ask, "If they are called Tainted, then what are they tainted with?"

Lampshade Hanging: It's a lifestyle.
RainehDaze Nero Fangirl (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
Nero Fangirl
#211: Oct 30th 2011 at 5:33:57 PM

"Whilst all these questions are valid, I do have one more personal matter to consider," the vampire child said as she turned her back on Ranma, focusing on the phoenix that appeared before them, "Could you not entirely remove the effects of the Infernus Scholasticus curse and Mahora's bindings, or did you merely forget to do so?"

Colonial1.1 Purveyor of Obscurity from The Marvelous River City (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
Purveyor of Obscurity
#212: Oct 30th 2011 at 6:03:26 PM

Here it was that Exarchall noticed the eighteen other figures, his eyes now adjusted to the sudden change of shade and colour. The wheels of his mind set to motion as he quickened his pace of approach.

So many of the sort usually found in Ordona, with rounded ears, but with the slenderer body-types found in Hyrule. Such strange clothing did they wear, particularly the one clad from head to toe in red and blue with spiderweb lines overlaid. Only one of them looked like a warrior who could've come from the land of Hyrule, and he had the face of a noblewoman's "favourite".

Talking, opposite coloured animals, peculiar golems of metal, and... a long, loud sniff, just to make sure, blood-drainers. His grip on the sword tightened, and the shield was brought in closer. Exarchall was about to enter into a combat stance when the blazing entity arrived, making its greetings and apologies. The Mighty went into a characteristicly meditative neutral pose Cliff Lords of rank were known for, listening. —

"He could not know it. For it was not all a joke."
SullenFrog (Elder Troper) Relationship Status: I wanna know about these strangers like me
#213: Oct 30th 2011 at 6:36:31 PM

The protection of your charges is, at present, no longer your concern, machine, the apparition replied evenly, its inconstant form seeming to glance in the Terminator's direction as it spoke. There are matters of far greater import than their survival which now concern you; nevertheless, you need not worry—they will endure without your presence, difficult though such a concept may be to process.

Its gaze flickered to Evangeline then, and a hint of red that might have been eyes appeared in the vicinity of the apparition's head for a brief moment. I could easily have done so, at that, it said, a note of mild amusement creeping into its voices, and I can do so right now...but I do not believe that I will. In any event, for one of your stature this is hardly an impedement. Now then, to more pressing matters...you compared the Tainted to wraiths, Nightwolf, and though crude that analogy is suitable to an extent; they are creatures who were once living, with their own thoughts and dreams, but they have succumbed to an insidious force and have now become little more than rotting husks, helpless to do anything but carry out its dark will.

"And I'm guessing that you want us to put a stop to that," Spider-Man said, folding his arms over his chest in a vaguely-confrontational matter. "But why did you pick us in particular, and who are you?"

A faint chuckle escaped the apparition. You are correct, Spider-Man; that is indeed why you have been plucked from your own realities and brought to this place. Why you, specifically, were chosen is a difficult question to answer, but answering your second question is simple enough; I have possessed a great many names and appellations in my time, but for these purposes, I believe that Zahav will suffice.

The orange chick peered up at the fiery image with no small amount of awe; its beak was hanging open, and its eyes were wide as saucers. "Torchic..." it cheeped softly in amazement, seemingly enraptured by this glorious vision of avian majesty.

edited 30th Oct '11 6:36:53 PM by SullenFrog

The Danse Macabre Codex
Fusionman Since: Nov, 2009
#214: Oct 30th 2011 at 6:39:01 PM

"Creatures capable of stealing will..." Fascinating I may be able to do a lot with that back home...

"You got any idea of how they work Zahav?"

GeekCodeRed Since: Sep, 2010
#215: Oct 30th 2011 at 6:40:15 PM

Response issued by subject Zahav unsatisfactory. Issuing response.

"Return me to the location of John Conner and Katherine Brewster."

RainehDaze Nero Fangirl (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
Nero Fangirl
#216: Oct 30th 2011 at 6:45:10 PM

"Though it is clear enough that I have little choice in aiding you, will you break the curse in exchange for this?" Evangeline questioned, accepting the compliment graciously but turning instead to bargaining. It was true that she was powerful, and quite likely that she could have undone such a curse when given her full power... but Mahora's defences were specifically tailored to defeating 'evil' creatures... which just so happened to include her. And she was trapped there. It was an agonising circle. "Konoemon continues to block all my attempts to get at the library and over a decade of trying has yielded little success... this would merely expediate the process, correct?"

MystyGlyttyr Bitch pills from Ship's Harbor Since: Oct, 2010 Relationship Status: Crazy Cat Lady
Bitch pills
#217: Oct 30th 2011 at 7:00:53 PM

Adrian kept Sparky up, slowly starting to aim towards the...whatever it was. "Well, this is still better than Black Mesa, but couldn't you have at least made...I don't know...a house, with some nice cozy chairs and a fireplace, maybe a fridge with plenty of cold cuts, some beer, a barbeque, some nice kittens to pet..."

Easing back into life one step at a time
Locoman Since: Nov, 2010
#218: Oct 30th 2011 at 7:10:13 PM

Great. So their mysterious saviour had appeared... and rather than taking them to a party or somewhere with alcohol (or even a working Sub-Etha transmitter) Ford had been drafted against his will into another gad about the Whole Sort of General Mish Mash (WSoGMM for short). Stuffing his towel into his satchel, he looked sullenly at the apparition in front of him, clutching his gude like a shield.

"My doctor," he muttered to himself, "says that I have a malformed public duty gland and a natural deficiency in moral fiber, and I am therefore excused from saving Universes, Multiverses or any such thing."

Turning to the bird

, he waved a hand at it. "Er," he said, "is there any chance that I can be too drunk to notice all of this?"

edited 30th Oct '11 7:10:22 PM by Locoman

troydenite Since: Mar, 2011
#219: Oct 31st 2011 at 1:14:21 AM

He fought in his dreams.

It was a dark, foggy night. The air was still, but as the silver moonlight fell through the tall jutting shafts of green bamboo, weaving a criss-cross of pale light and dim shadow across the leafy undergrowth, something stirred.

A rustle of leaves. A single figure stepped into view, clad in white Chinese silk, the thick swirling mist obscuring most of his facial features from view. He was not young, as could clearly be seen from the lines on his face, and yet his body exuded power. He was strong, very strong – and yet today was the day he would fall, for across from the man stood Rio himself, untransformed and dressed in similar attire to his opponent, save that it was in a shade of darkest black. The years seemed not to have touched him at all, for he still looked as youthful as he did now. Indeed, the only thing different was the scowl on his features, directed straight at the ground beneath his feet as he contemplated the event that was about to take place. What he had spent all this time preparing for… was about to happen. He was going to win.

A pause – then Rio raised his hand, inhaling deeply while directing his gaze straight at his opponent, grim determination reflected in his eyes. He tensed once - and a swirling purple-black aura sprung up around him in response, with a blast of air that scattered the leaves around him and broke the silence of the night. The middle-aged man stepped back for a moment, apparently surprised at the almost palpable air of black malevolence that now surrounded the Confrontation Beast Fist user – before most of the tension in his body went out of him as he seemingly resigned himself to what lay ahead. Kandou Dan moved his hands in response, stretching his fingers into claws and swinging them outwards into a Tiger Fist stance. A similar aura roared into life, though this one illuminated the forest with bright, fiery orange. The twin flames flickered dimly in the darkness, seemingly at rest as the two men surveyed each other bleakly and with resigned finality –

Then both of them charged, Ki flaring up into raging infernos that bit and swept at each other even as the White Tiger and Black Lion clashed for the last time. Both were partners in a dance that meant death for one of them. Both moved at speeds that would be impossible for other men, kicking, dodging, and striking at each other with the unbridled fury of wildcats and the practiced accuracy of a thousand hours of training. Both knew that to miss a beat would mean failure, and that failure would only come with the ultimate price. Rio jabbed at his opponent’s head. Dan intercepted the strike with his arm, before his other hand shot out towards an unprotected spot in the Black Lion's defense. Having seen it coming from a mile off, Rio twisted aside and struck him in the left temple with a powerful back kick, causing him to cry out and reel back. However, even as Rio laughed aloud in sheer delight before dashing forwards and punching his rival brutally in the gut… he realized he couldn't shake the nagging feeling that something was wrong. This was too easy. Dan was too slow. What was…

His mind went on autopilot. Every move that his opponent made he intercepted without thinking. Dan was getting more and more sluggish, his aura dimming as sweat shone on his forehead. Finally, he made a clumsy move that missed Rio entirely, who reacted in his turn by stepping aside, grabbing his shoulder with both hands at two vital points and dislocating his left arm with a single deft movement. Dan’s features twisted in pain. With the same utterly nonchalant, distracted and slightly disturbed expression still on his face, Rio turned around and smashed him through several bamboo plants, ripping a shallow furrow in the ground with the shockwave that emanated from the sheer force of his punch. Only when all was still save the ragged breathing of his opponent did he snap back to the present. There was something wrong. There was a hole in Dan’s body, a wound from which his life energies were ebbing away. He had already been dying…

Their fight had meant nothing. Their duel had meant nothing. With a snarl of anger he leapt on Dan’s battered body, intending to end him right there and then in the blindness of his fury - only to freeze a few inches away from his face as the man began to speak, though he barely registered the words that his senior was struggling to gasp out. Worthy opponent… descendant… destiny… Then Dan breathed his last.

With a final howl of desperate, animalistic rage and an explosion of purple energy that shook the forest, Rio fell to his knees at the feet of the man who had been everything to him, of the man who had become his only reason for living. His rightful victory had been stolen from him. His opponent, his senior, his most bitter rival… was dead. He had no-one to surpass now…

He would never defeat Kandou Dan.

Even as the last scene burnt itself once again into Rio’s memory and he stirred in his sleep, seated as he was at the front of the inner chamber of the Confrontation Beast Hall, a woman’s voice rang out unheard.

“Bearer positively identified as ‘Black Lion’ Rio -designation SS-JSGR-011. Acquisition complete;now initiating emergency planar shunt.

The brooch on his chest shimmered out into a shining well of golden light. Then he was gone.


Rio was woken by the cold. Opening his eyes, he looked around for a moment before standing up, his feet crunching on the ice that he now stood on. He was in a barren, icy wasteland of some sort. Being no stranger to waking up in utterly alien environments, he decided after only a brief moment that his surprise and chagrin (of which there was quite a lot of) would have to take a back seat to the task at hand – finding out where he was exactly and learning how to get back. If this is the work of some forbidden technique of the Fierce Beast Fist brats… they will pay for this, he swore silently, before wrapping his mantle around his leather-armored body and stepping forwards. Only now did he notice that he was not alone. There were several beings of considerable martial prowess here, true, even though they were not of the Beast Fist - but there were also others with absolutely no affinity to the pugilistic arts whatsoever. In fact, there appeared to be a robot of some sort among them, and another one's whose Ki he could not sense – the tall one in the tattered leather jacket and the sunglasses who was toting the gun. They were all being addressed by a many-voiced fiery avian spirit of some kind, whose physical appearance constantly shifted – obviously more than human, judging from the power that emanated from it. He was not surprised. He had already met one god in the flesh. What reason was there to preclude the existence of another? One of the men assembled had suggested that he might be drunk for seeing it... either he was indeed dispossessed of his normal mental faculties through intoxication or he was simply a dimwitted fool.

The bird mentioned something about alternate realities. Rio's gauntleted fist clenched at the revelation, a plainly visible scowl showing across his face. His lips tightened into a thin line of anger. So, he had been snatched here (as had the rest of these people) not by the Fierce Beast Fist, but by this overgrown flaming rooster, for a 'higher purpose' of some kind.

He wanted to scream in frustration. He had plans. He had a rival to defeat and no time to waste here, doing the errands of a bored cosmic entity...

But he kept his mouth shut and suppressed his anger for the moment. Inciting the ire of such a powerful being would prove disastrous for him; indeed, he would have no choice but to complete whatever task this Zahav had at hand for him and then take his leave.

It made him sick, but he would have to submit. For now. With that in mind, he addressed Zahav curtly and with no small amount of irritation, making no move to introduce himself or otherwise preface this sudden entry into the conversation.

"So these 'Tainted' are all that are plaguing you? What would you have us do, then? Destroy their bodies? Grind every single last one of them into dust? Take out the source of their sudden reanimation?"

"Surely there must be some way to go about it." The sarcasm was apparent in his voice.

edited 31st Oct '11 3:00:35 AM by troydenite

desdendelle Hooded Crow from Land of Milk and Honey (Sergeant) Relationship Status: Hiding
Hooded Crow
#220: Oct 31st 2011 at 2:01:42 AM

Muttering to himself, Reaper sheathed the sniper rifle. Crossing his hands, he shrugged, and was about to introduce himself, when the odd, golden entity appeared. "So, you've taken from where we were to... save the universe? I'm no hero," he said. "I'm just a miner. Sure, I've killed the Queen Bitch of the Necris, but the cost was too high; I doubt I will be willing to pay the cost of saving the multiverse, whatever that is."

On empty crossroads, seek the eclipse -- for when Sol and Lua align, the lost shall find their way home.
SullenFrog (Elder Troper) Relationship Status: I wanna know about these strangers like me
#221: Oct 31st 2011 at 9:05:17 AM

As I said, there was little time, Zahav replied to Adrian. The Blight has spread far more quickly than I had anticipated; I was forced to extricate you all from your own realities earlier than I would have preferred, in order to begin fortifying them against its corruption.

"Hold up," Spider-Man interrupted, "one thing at a time. You said something about some sort of blight just now?"

The fiery apparition seemed to nod. That is correct. The force I spoke of a moment ago which animates and directs the Tainted is a vile thing that does not belong in this cosmos; its very presence is inimical to the continued existence of creation itself, and as it spreads throughout the multiverse its vile touch desecrates and corrupts everything in its path. To give an analogy that will be easier to take in, think of the multiverse as a living body, with each individual universe forming one of the innumerable cells or atoms that make it up; the Blight, to continue this analogy, is a cancer which is slowly spreading throughout and killing that body. Left unchecked, its tumescence will debase and consume everything in its path, and already it has spread far and wide; I am attempting to hold the Blight in check, to halt or at least slow its advance, but even for one such as I this is no simple task.

That, my friends, is where you come in; to bring an end to this contagion, I require your assistance. The devices now bound to your bodies, my Acclimators, will allow you to traverse the volatile medium which separates the many realities from one another, and they render you largely immune to the corruptive and cancerous properties of the Blight.

He paused then, and when he next spoke his tone was almost appologetic. I realise that this is a considerable thing to take in; some of you, I am sure, will protest—as indeed, several of you have already done—that you are not suitable for this task, or that you have unfinished business in your home realms—loved ones to protect, perhaps, or grudges to settle. You will probably come to despise me over the coming days for taking you away from your lives and putting you into this situation, and for that I am truly sorry; I sincerely wish that there was another way to solve this problem, but there is not. If nothing else, I will attempt to make your taske easier whenever and however I can.

Spider-Man, for his part, merely shook his head and sighed. "Great," he muttered under his breath, "it's like the Secret Wars all over again, only this time the stakes are much higher..."

edited 31st Oct '11 9:06:11 AM by SullenFrog

The Danse Macabre Codex
RainehDaze Nero Fangirl (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
Nero Fangirl
#222: Oct 31st 2011 at 9:12:59 AM

"It'll make a nice change to be responsible for saving reality rather than being accused of damning it," Evangeline commented airily, quite used to being in mortal peril—a change of scenery and some excitement, even if considerably weakened, was a wonderful trade in exchange for not having to spend another dozen years trapped in Mahora without hope of seeing the outside world. Add in a redhead to torment, a sorcerer to mock, and a vampire to observe... this was the best situation the blonde had been in for years.

It got her out of having to do the exams for the end of Junior High for a fourth time, too.

GeekCodeRed Since: Sep, 2010
#223: Oct 31st 2011 at 10:03:06 AM

Unable to comply with subject Zahav's commands. Programming dictates commands to be taken only by subject Katherine Brewster.

"Terminating the blight will stop the termination of the Multiverse. John Conner and Katherine Brewster are located in the Multiverse, correct?"

Anura from England Since: Apr, 2011 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#224: Oct 31st 2011 at 11:59:53 AM

Sonic wasn't particularly bothered by this turn of events. He was fine with an opportunity to run in places he might never have imagined before, and with all the universes apparently in danger, he couldn't just walk away.

"Right then," he said, sporting his seemingly-permanent cocky grin. "where do we start?"

A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they will never sit in.
GreyStar Wild Horse from Chaos Since: Dec, 2010
Wild Horse
#225: Oct 31st 2011 at 12:01:07 PM

Ranma, being the sort of simple person she was, decided to put the explanation in plain and simple terms. "So... we're kinda like the medicine or the antibodies to the disease, right?"

Always be ready to do the unusual and unexpected.

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