We now return to your regularly scheduled program
What are the roots that clutch, what branches grow
Out of this stony rubbish? Son of man,
You cannot say or guess, for you know only
A heap of broken images, where the sun beats
And the dead tree gives no shelter, the cricket no relief,
And the dry stone no sound of water.
- T. S. Eliot, The Wastelands
Thou wast not born for death, immortal Bird!
No hungry generations tread thee down
- John Keats, Ode to a Nightingale
[2]
◊ – Luffy, Kosuke, Oni
Though the night the world ended differed from most, most in the world lived in ignorance. It was only a select few that by some miracle lived through the carnage, the fertilisation of a new world.
Some remain unaccounted for. No-one knows where the Colonel and his Lieutenant walk, nor the robot that served the Jedi Master.
Though their fate, and the fate of others, remains unknown, there are many who we now follow, even in this strangest of worlds...
Assassin
Assassin has done what her kind do best, and kept to the shadows. She knows many things so far. First, that she is not the sole survivor in this world. There are those hostile, and those willing to bargain with others.
Yet since leaving the Manikins underground, she has found only those hostile to her. Kefka, and now this dark council of Morgoth… she left them just as they formed some alliance.
She steps once more into this hostile world.
Sora and Winda
have met with a man who lives in a fairy forest. He calls himself Robin. Robin Hood. Together, they have… liberated some Magatsuhi from stronger demons, for the sake of the fairies. He’s a fun guy. Today, they went on another raid, against a stronghold ruled by one called Kun, after having turned down the idea of going after another faction. On their way they passed by a small army from said fortress going hunting – a perfect distraction.
Now they just need to find a way in…
Steph
After the end of the world, Steph found herself alone. But not for long. It seemed that even as she escaped death at the end of the world, death awaited her in this new land. For a being of blades knew her.
Yet she met a man she knew well, though he did not know her. The hound of Chulainn joined her, protected her, in this strange land of demon bars and time tides.
Suzy
Suzy found herself on a battlefield in the new world. It seemed that she may die, before she met a man named Hector. Hector escorted her to his city of Troy, where she met a man named Paris, and a beautiful woman named Helen.
They have given her a room but… what do they truly want with her? And is this city a palace?
Or a prison?
Dot
Dot found herself “captured” on a battlefield as well. She has walked amongst a war camp, besieging the city of Troy, meeting men named Achilles and Agamemnon. Now, she is out on a raid, having just captured a town of Manikins for the war effort, with her newfound “allies.”
Achilles seems to want to use them to get back against Agamemnon… but how does he plan to do this?
Sam and Klara
The two girls, having come to this world, have found themselves in the care of a man hunting dragons. Sigurd, he calls himself. A powerful warrior, he chose to take the girls under his wing, even after losing a friend.
Though neither stroll into battle like their guardian, both of these girls hold great power. One holds life and death in her hands, the other can pierce the veil of time itself.
Yet like the world around her, when the girl peered into the future she found only the Vortex. A swirling tangle of possibilities and potentialities, with only one constant.
The machine made of blades, scything through her visions like so much chaff.
Cloud
Cloud awoke in the new world on his own. Indeed, more alone than he seemed before he began, having lost someone… inseparable to him. Yet even as Light was carried away in the arms of angels, a familiar face showed herself to him. Nuru, though she avoids the light of the sun and remains in the shade, has joined him on his journey.
Having walked through lands of peril, they find themselves at the edge of a crowd. An angel speaks, warning them of the lies of Kun…
Gold
Gold has not found himself alone. Though his body was stolen by the dark spirit Exar Kun, Revan remains by Gold’s side as a guide. But what can a spirit and a young man do in a world where near everyone is hostile?
Fortunately, it seems that they have avoided Kun for now. And the Cathedral of Shadows nearby seems safe, now that they have fulfilled the request of the man inside.
Luis and Silver
Having met with a man named Fingolfin, who saved them from an army of Orcs, they journeyed to a village of strange people known as Manikins. Yet though this place offered them temporary refuge, they now find themselves in the hands of new enemies, swept away from Fingolfin.
Merely two more prisoners in a stream of Manikin slaves, the two are in the hands of demons.
Gilgamesh
This world sucks. No-one here seems to know what respect you deserve. First there was that Morgoth, killer of Turin… and that moronic elf who let him get away. Hmph. He deserved to be thrown onto the blade of the Balrog.
And then there was that figure of a thousand shadows. Who *dared* to wear the face of your one equal. He even had the audacity to demand your help in finding who impersonated him?
You have no patience for mongrels.
Yet despite all this, there’s potential here… yes, there’s potential.
And what is a King if he does not grasp every opportunity he has?
Luffy and Kosuke
What a mess. The world ended, and then some dumb sun started shouting at you! Man, you don’t know anything about “Reasons” or “creating the new world”… what was wrong with the old one?
Come to think of it is the world even over? There are people here… and they’re alright. They have pork, and beer, and everything!
Even your buddy the Human is here! You nearly had to fight him, but he suddenly chickened out at the end… ah well.
In fact, you guys think that you’re doing alright. If only that OTHER idiot wasn’t here…
And that’s where we left o-
Hold
In this world, Chaos is king. All is in flux, and there is nothing to rely on. Yet in Chaos lies infinite potential.
With that in mind, it should come as no surprise that a man seeking his friends should find them. Who are we to doubt the currents of fate?
Its pull proves inexorable when the man is one who has travelled through time and space before. A man who knew the world was going to end, and was determined to stop it.
A man who certain parties in the Vortex are very interested in…
Reintroducing: Captain Jack Harkness
Welcome back
-luis walks among the manikin. feeling scared, confused, alone, and with no idea how to get out-
-all he can do is hold himself and follow them to their destination-
-but all the while the ground around him freezes frozen solid none stop-
edited 3rd Feb '17 10:17:40 PM by Lilqueendaisy
LOVE IS STORED IN THE AXOLOTL!-Steph shifts slightly, sparing another cautious glance back at Cuchulainn-
So, uh... okay. Where do we go from here?
-Gilgamesh travels, walking calmly through the ruined world-
-yet, even so, there are still things here that trouble him-
-namely-
-the mongrel who saw fit to steal the face of Enkidu-
-Gilgamesh frowned, continuing on his journey-
UN JOUR JE SERAI DE RETOUR PRÈS DE TOIHah! That's the stupid way to do it! Now this way is the way you do it with style.
-Kosuke jams two bones in his nostrils and crams the other end in his bottom lip-
Hee hih?
-He then grabs a bowl and begins to BOOGIE-
Wuh-Buh-Wuh-HUH! Wuh-Buh-Wuh-HUH!
-Sora, too, is looking for any sort of openings they could take to get in- mario is red, i am green, i try my best, but everyone's mean
Jack
-This can't be the world-
-You can see the other side of it for one thing-
-And though you stand next to a skyscraper, its walls are ashen, dead somehow-
-A sun shines in the middle of the world, its light blinding-
-You are alone-
-But you hear the sound of boisterous voices nearby-
Luffy and Kosuke
-The crowd of Oni look on-
-Drunk, and enraptured-
-One speaks up-
Boss, boss! That's not 'ow you do it.
-The bold Oni clumsily reaches for bones of his own, jams two in his nostrils, one in his bottom lip, and starts
Ha-hah!
-He grabs for a bowl but misses, hitting another on the arm, who punches him back, sending him reeling to the floor-
-The crowd laughs and drinks more-
-The Human looks on, his expression unreadable-
-Speechless-
Gold
-The ghost nods-
Indeed. I suppose that man shall allow us shelter in his cathedral. You remember the way back, yes?
Steph
-The Hound reclines against a nearby wall-
Why are you asking me? Before you arrived I was simply drinking in that bar.
-He looks directly at her-
These are not the lands of Ulster. I have no battles of my own to fight.
Cloud
-The angel continues to orate-
Truly I tell you, what is the worth of one without value? One who merely gnaws at the roots of the great tree we call society.
-It smiles down on the crowd below, and its smile is one of terrible kindness-
What manner of existence is it, but the life of a parasite?
-Nuru merely watches for now-
Klara and Sam
-Sigurd works silently-
-It is strange-
-The dragon is dead, but he seems to be setting up a noose-
Dot
-The manikins you have captured huddle quietly-
-And your commander, Archilochus smiles in satisfaction-
Good work. No casualties and a successful raid.
-He looks at Dot-
Let us march back.
Winda and Sora
-It seems that due to the army leaving, there is an opening on the east side-
-Robin signals toward it-
-But a guard is fast approaching, and it's a good twenty metres distant-
Luis and Silver
-One of your captors clips Luis on the back of the head-
Enuff with the magic ye lily livered blaggart!
-None of the manikins dare make a peep-
-They seem to have simply given up-
-A fortress is on the horizon-
Suzy
-There is a knock at the door-
-Gentle, but insistent-
Gilgamesh
-It's strange but-
-In some way-
-You feel almost drawn in one direction-
-You cannot describe this as anything but a feeling like...-
-You're coming home-
-But something's not quite right-
Assassin
-The army is sizable-
-Incredibly big in fact-
-The soldiers do not seem to be of high quality, however-
-Though fierce, they lack discipline, and snap at each other-
-None are taller than five feet-
-Yet they march tirelessly, and in one direction-
-One in black armour, who seems to be a leader, speaks-
Awright! Yesterday we lost a patrol in the place between two rivers. Word says it was an elf.
-There is a roar of anger-
Our job is to find him, and take 'im down. Move out!
-They march once more-
Well, you... know this area a lot better than me, right? Or... at least a little bit. If you could just... point me in the right direction? Maybe gimme a map?
....Very interesting, is it not...? Let us see where this leads...
-strides onwards, unafraid-
-but perhaps cautious-
UN JOUR JE SERAI DE RETOUR PRÈS DE TOI....!!!
-Luffy practically spits the bones out of his face in laughter-
PFFHAHAHA! You guys are great!
-And yet his jovial face-
-Soon turns more serious, and confused-
....Mrrrm.....I feel like I'm forgetting something......
...Hrrrm......Hrrrrrrrmmmm.......
.....!!!!
-He looks up at Kosuke, annoyed for no particular reason-
Wizard!! We gotta tell these guys the plan!
Silver only looked at Luis get hit in passing. What could he do? Dissent and get beaten too, maybe killed? Even though he thought he knew he was doomed, he wanted to be alive as long as he could. He looked at the fortress, and then at the Manikin. His look only offered apologies.
All the while his fingers twitched toward his Poke Balls. Not that he noticed.
Right, uh...
He turned and snapped his fingers, and then pointed in the direction of their origin.
That way!
After a pause, he looked over at Revan.
Right?
dead devotionWinda and Sora
(While sneaking towards the opening, Winda looks at Gulldos)
{Distract the guard until we enter the building.}
{Why me?!}
{Because you're quicker than the rest of us, duh.}
{The things I do for love!}
(Gulldos flies towards the guard in an attempt at intercepting it before they spot Winda and the others.)
edited 9th Feb '17 6:30:40 PM by josh6243
Hahaha— ah- ah!- Ah-ah-ah
-Kosuke starts laughing too but accidentally just hurts himself trying to laugh with the bones stuffed up his nose and mouth-
-Carefully extracts them and tosses them aside, then looks at Luffy blankly for a few moments-
The plan...? ...AH! That's right! The plan!
-Looks at THE ONIS and hyooman-
You guys! Gather 'round! We gotta tell you what exactly we're gonna do from here!
Huh? What's he doing??? Is he gonna distract that guy?
-He says, still hustling behind them-
mario is red, i am green, i try my best, but everyone's meanSam and Klara
-Fortunately, this time, the being of metal doesn't follow you back-
-Perhaps because the subject you are focusing on is so close in the future-
-You see Sigurd affixing the noose around the dragon's neck, and somehow, impossibly, hoisting it up-
-Sigurd glances back at them-
Worry not. This isn't for you.
-He goes back to tightening the rope-
The gallows-god deserves his share of sacrifice.
-Say Klara, doesn't that sound familiar...-
Silver and Luis
-The guard snorts and clips Luis on the back of the head again-
Try an' turn that magic on us and it'll be the last thing you do kid.
But if you can use magic...
-It laughs a horrible laugh-
We're gunna get a lotta MAG out of you!
-The fortress looms closer-
-And out of the corner of your eye Silver-
-You see a familiar figure following you in the distance-
Suzy
-The door opens, odd, as it was locked shut before-
-It's the beautiful lady you met at the table-
-Helen, that was the name-
-She looks both ways furtively before coming in, closing the door behind her and sitting down-
You shouldn't be here.
Steph
The right direction to what? I cannot guide you to a destination if you have no goal.
-He straightens up-
Besides. Now that you've shown up, I've decided I want to follow you.
Gold
-Revan re-materialises-
I believe so.
-He vanishes once more, and you are "alone" again-
Gilgamesh
-You stride toward your goal-
-But in the way...-
-You see a dust cloud, on the horizon-
-Directly in your path-
Assassin
-Soon, the army finds themselves at an area-
-There are signs of a battle here-
-Corpses, similar to those in the army-
-The leader bends down to sniff one, and-
Whossat on the horizon?!
-The army turns as one, a sentry pointing at something no-one else can see-
-The leader sniffs-
Battle formation you lugs!
Luffy and Kosuke
Eh?
-The Oni closest to Luffy reacts in interest, but the rest of the crowd seems rowdy-
-The Human clears his throat-
Yeah. The plan. I'd really like to know that, to be honest with you.
-A few more look up at Kosuke's words, but the majority are still havin' a blast, unable to hear-
Sora and Windos
Guess so-
-As Gulldos divebombs the guard, Robin leaps forward and into the crack-
-The guard lets out a gasp of anger and swings his sword at Gulldos' neck-
-You probably have seconds and most before he shouts to raise an alarm-
edited 9th Feb '17 6:43:32 PM by ThanatoSeraph

...Good god, Mob. I'm just glad you're in one piece!
I would have gone on to the moon to help you, but I was preoccupied with keeping a boy I found in a dumpster safe. I'll introduce you t-
.......?
-He looks around-
.........Where'd he go?