MS Paint? Hell Yeah!
In a hospital far deep within the ultra-modern city of Tokyo, there was a man, lying in his bed, paralyzed from the neck down. Six months, he had laid in the same bed for that amount of time. Of course, any normal person would go mad from being confined on a bed for so long, but then they could just decide to stand up and do something else. But he couldn't, he could no longer move, let alone stand. None of his limbs were functional. He never regretted it, he lost them in exchange of something he deemed more precious than even his life, limited to losing neural control over his limbs was a very good bargain.
Staring to the scenery of the city, Akio Shibara thought about the decision he made just yesterday; did he do the right thing? In the end, she just wanted to repay everything he had done for her, and he was afraid that she would fail to do so, and became broken herself.
"By that reason, I did the right thing... right?"
A system notification popped up.
Student #xxxxxxx: Hisako Irokane, authentication failure.
Terminating proxy connection with BBSERVER-01...
"...Seriously, what kind of game uses this level of security?" Hisako complained while sitting on her seat at her classroom, tapping buttons on her display once in a while. "To think that he got so worked up about a game..." Hisako said.
But she was actually a bit thrilled. A part of what he said became true, to be precise, the part about getting nightmares. She only remembered a part of it, but it involved her entire class being stranded somewhere, and she became the point man. Afterwards, she couldn't quite remember, but it was surely the most terrifying dream she had in a while.
Hisako recalled what Akio said about a program called 'Brain Burst'. According to him, it could help her attain victory in that tennis tournament she was planning to participate in, and she was to meet Akio and demand explanation about how exactly that would work today after school.
Protesting from not being fed, her stomach let out a growl.
"Damn, lunchtime is already half done!" Hisako stood and practically rushed for the cafe; she wanted that yakisoba bread, but after this long the chances are it already sold out. Hisako ran outside her class, quickly moving to the cafe.
Red Lagoon
Manabu were just heading back to class with several friends, when he barely avoided crash with underlassmen that rushed into canteen. He didn't remember her name, but he didn't resly cared either. He take another bite of his yakisoba bread (last one
) and laughed to supposedly funy joke and thrown in witty remark. But his thoughts were elsewhere, in city of ruins, his battlefield.
With first years several new names appeared, but Manabu decided wait for right moment before he chalange one of them. Of course if he was chalanged one it would be different metter. He never refused anyone chalange...
edited 8th Aug '12 3:52:02 AM by Tenzen12
Just another day at school.
Come lunchtime, the school roof was - surprisingly enough - a popular destination, the cool breeze and warm sunlight rather preferable to the stuffy confines of the canteen or the classroom. Some things, after all, never changed; No matter the year, there were *always* an odd half-dozen students or more, in small knots of one or two...Lounging around, talking, just passing the time.
Stretched out on the warm tiles, his head pillowed on his crossed arms, Kazuya looked the picture of ease; Eyes half-closed, seemingly on the verge of drifting off into sleep...Before the clatter of footsteps roused him, made him arch an eyebrow as a polywrapped package thumped lightly against his chest.
"-Ah, napping again, Phantom-kun? As expected: You've been working hard, haven't you?"
A little sigh sawed from Kazuya's throat, as he opened his eyes - Looking up at Akira Iwata's smirking face as he sat up, the small bundle falling neatly into a cupped hand. "I thought I told you...Don't call me that at school," he growled, good-naturedly; Plastic rustling, as he unfurled the curry bun from the wrapper, taking a bite. "Just 'Kazu' will do, thank you very much."
"Don't be so cold, sempai." With an easy grace, Akira lowered himself to the ground, cross-legged: An oddly meditative position, his hands folded on his lap. "-They were out of yakisoba bread by the time I got there," he offered, by way of apology. "You don't mind, do you?"
"No, this is fine." Leaning against the wall, Kazuya demolished his bread in a few bites, brushing the crumbs from his long pants; His gaze flicking to the side, to the ever-open window on his Neurolinker. "...It's about *that* time, anyway; I've waited about long enough."
"Jeez, again?" Akira didn't *quite* roll his eyes, but you could hear it in his tone; "-Well, good luck, Master; I'll be cheering you on from behind, as always."
"That's nice, but I'd much prefer your support at the front," Kazuya remarked ~ Glancing over at his Child again, wondering if *this* was how Cobalt Breaker had felt. He'd never been this troublesome as a newbie, had he? He couldn't remember.
"Ah, you know how it is...Besides, I'll just get in Phantom-kun's way. Please, go right ahead, Sempai."
'One of these days,' Kazuya thought. 'One of these days, Cadmium Cypher, my [Child]...I may have to do something about you.' He pushed the thought to the back of his mind, as he scrolled through the window one last time - tapping the 'RANDOM MATCHMACKING' icon. His brow furrowed, as a silent chime echoed in his mind, lips shaping the words...
"BURST LINK!"
It didn't matter *who* he fought. It didn't matter whether they came at him alone, or all at once. 'I won't back down - ' that was what the Iron Phantom always thought. It wouldn't be long before he stood beneath bruise-black skies, with Hunger in his fists and an enemy to face: What could be better than that?
"Alright! Another win." Duel Avatars couldn't really grin, but you could tell that Bloodshot Marksman was grinning. "Time for the next opponent!"
"Argh, stop looking for fights," Blank Arsenal sighed. "I told you I'd rather be doing this after classes." I wanted to chat with Ai...
"Now, now," Marksman replies, patting Arsenal on the back, "we're doing this for you, see? I gotta help you rack up the points and level up so you'd actually be able to fight on your own. We've managed to get you to Level 2 so far! Isn't that great?"
Arsenal grumbles and looks at his shiny white feet. "Then you should have just sired someone competent in the first place."
"Hahaha! Don't get so down! You've been doing well so far, considering— wait, looks like we have our next fight." Marksman stares at Arsenal. "Up for it?"
"Let's just get it over with. Who're we fighting against?"
"Some guy called Iron Phantom." Marksman did that peculiar non-grin grin again. "Let's exorcise him thoroughly, shall we?"
edited 8th Aug '12 7:31:42 PM by fillerdude
He wasn't where he *should* be. That was the Iron Phantom's first thought, as the world slid sideways and back into view; Not in the colosseum surmounted by crackling electric fences that was Yamashita Senior High's local network, but...
A red-and-black sky, the color of raw meat. Churning clouds, lit from within by bleak light; The fitful, flickering illumination throwing long shadows over the dimly-lit world, a cyclopean metropolis of leaning towers and cracked streets.
The Iron Phantom faded into being on the highest level of a steel tower, spires reaching skywards like accusing fingers. Overhead, lighting crackled; It was the End of the Century Stage, like a shadowy, distorted mirror of the Real. He turned his head, with a grinding screech of servoes, as he made out his opponents: Red, and white.
Bloodshot Marksman, and Black Arsenal - Parters? Parent and Child? Yes; They was a *similarity* to them, a likeness...Like a family resemblance. He couldn't help but feel a stab of irritation - Cadmium Cypher looked *nothing* like himself.
The Iron Phantom stood in filthy reflection of their polished plate; The raw iron of his armor pitted and bulky, spiked shields affixed to his pauldrons - Helm high-crested and imposing, with an ornate faceguard and bronzed grille. His right hand - Three-fingered, oversized - grasped the hilt of Hunger, the cleaving sweep of the sword's edge glinting dully in the light.
He made an unwholesome chortling sound, like the grinding of gears; His helm tilting towards them, ember-red and sickly-yellow light flaring in the mismatched lens.
"Who dies first?" he leered - The fingers of his free hand curling in a beckoning gesture as the Iron Phantom wrenched his blade free, the toothed edge squealing, striking faint sparks against the tower's steel floor.
edited 8th Aug '12 8:12:52 PM by iridium248
"Heh, are we up against an amateur? I can sense him from here," Bloodshot Marksman said as he materialized two red submachine guns. "Well, I guess he's not really trying to hide himself. I like that kind of straightforwardness. Think you can hit him from here?"
Blank Arsenal was one step ahead. Looking through the scope of the sniper rifle Marksman had gifted him, he mutters, "Probably not... Damn, that guy looks right at home in this stage." He puts his finger on the trigger. "What's the plan?"
"The usual," came the reply.
A beam shot out from Arsenal's sniper rifle, the air crackling in its wake.
The streaking beam of a laser blast sliced through the air, in a powerful linear distortion - The Iron Phantom's blade came up, the wide tang turned to the side, and the ray splintered against it. Jags of light stabbed out in all directions; He grunted, a gear-shifting growl, as smoke rose from his plate - His densely armored form was highly resistant against impact, much less so against energy...He'd have to keep an eye on the weaker one.
"-Not good enough."
And then he charged. He moved, barrelling forward, faster than anything that large had a right to; His boots digging into the steel underfoot with each step. Hunger's blade was inclined as a shield - The bands of metal encasing his left arm retracting, his rusting gauntlet still concealed in his predatory lunge...
"I don't think I damaged him at all," said Blank Arsenal, studying the monstrous being out to destroy them. "Crap, he's lunging at us full-throttle."
"Just keep shooting at him," replied Bloodshot Marksman. "It'll keep him occupied, and even if you miss, your shots will hit something eventually and give you that field destruction bonus. Not that your skills will help much."
"Thanks a lot for the confidence booster."
"Haha! I'm off. I'm going to take that guy head on."
"Aren't you supposed to be a long range fighter?"
"I gotta keep his attention 'cause you're dead if he ever sets his sights on you."
The white avatar shakes his head. "Fine, fine. You're better at that than moral support, anyway."
"Hahaha!" Marksman charged forward as Arsenal's shots streaked towards the enemy. 3... 2... 1...
"LET IT RIP!" he roared as his guns filled the air with bullets and the scent of gunpowder.
edited 8th Aug '12 9:25:24 PM by fillerdude
Muzzleflash lit the world. Solid slugs weren't *quite* as effective against the Iron Phantom's armor - But the difference between a Level 3 and a Level 5...It changed things *entirely*. Hailing bullets *spanged* off his armour, off Hunger's blade - A pummelling barrage that staggered him, snapped his head back as his Life Bar ground down, ground down...
-Now.
He leapt. There was nothing graceful about it; It was a convulsive, bounding *leap* that wrenched him into the air, arms outstretched, in a single soaring moment. The air was thatched with bullets, Hunger's great edge uplifted in his right hand as a laser beam hissed past him - But Marksman had clearly found his range, blazing up at him with hideously accurate fire, metal shards blasted free from his thick plate...
When the Iron Phantom came down, he hit the steel floor like a meteor - His left-arm gauntlet slamming against the ground as he landed in a crouch, lashing out with Hunger's death-edge. That bounding leap had taken him right between the pair...But they probably had time to dodge out of his sword's reach.
That was all right. He wasn't striking at *them*, but the at the floor underfoot - No longer peerless steel, but something corroded and tarnished, waves of rust rippling across the surface like erosion in fast-forward.
"FALL!" The Iron Phantom roared - A hideous, monotone shriek - as he brought his executioner's hand down with splintering force...He heard the tower *groan*, as rust ate through the supporting pylons- A breathless koom-koom-koom as the ground gave way beneath him...Beneath all three of them, in a rising cloud of dust and snapping metal beams.
If he'd timed it right, he'd have corroded through everything - Just enough to send them all plummeting, as the structure collapsed all around them in a hail of fist-sized debris and support beams.
edited 8th Aug '12 9:27:56 PM by iridium248
It all happened so fast. Blank Arsenal tumbled backwards, barely dodging the deadly arc the enemy's sword made. A guttural "FALL!" rang in the air, and their surroundings began twisting into shapes distorted and decayed. The entire building gave in, and fell.
Dust from the fallen debris quickly filled the air.
Arsenal coughed as he unearthed himself from a pile of rusted pylons. He saw his battered Parent standing near him, an M2 in his hands, seemingly scanning the area for their opponent. "Crazy guy. His skill sure was something, to be able to do all this," he said, gesturing to the rubble around them. "You okay?"
Arsenal glanced at his health bar, and nodded slightly. "I still have a quarter of my health left. I was expecting to get knocked out, though."
"Yeah, I took the brunt of the impact from the fall," said Marksman nonchalantly. "I messed up when we hit the ground though and sent you hurtling through the air."
"Ha, when you say it like that, it's almost like you're a dependable Parent." Arsenal bumped a fist into Marksman's shoulder. "Thanks."
"Don't mention it. Anyway, we're not done here." Marksman shifts into a firing stance. "Where do you think that bastard is hiding?"
"I'm going to use my ability. I'll be able to tell roughly where he is the moment he moves."
"Good. He's going to be banged up too. We'll take him out!"
edited 8th Aug '12 10:11:03 PM by fillerdude
The dust billowed, coiling away like tendrils of funeral essence. There was a groan, as the collapsed tower settled; Girders sliding and tumbling away, succumbing to gravity at last. It was hard to make out anything in the spontaneous fog; Weird, dark shapes loomed from all sides as the cloud rippled, giving a myraid of false traces, shifting shadows...
-Where was the Iron Phantom?
For a long, eternal moment, there was nothing - Just the stressed sounds of tortured metal, the grinding slide of debris rolling away...
A hand emerged from the dust cloud, cracked and pitted. Arsenal would be the first to see it; But Marksman was looking in the wrong direction entirely, as the Iron Phantom reached out for him, the embers of his mismatched eyes flaring in a sudden surge.
He looked like hell - As if he'd hit every beam on the way down. But he'd known what to expect, and weathered the fall slightly better, his denser armor taking the impact for him...Twenty percent of his health left. Maybe less.
Enough.
The Iron Phantom's gauntlet settled on Marksman's shoulder, in was a vicious parody of Arsenal's comradely gesture. Steel fingers dug in, with gouging force: Dirty blooms of spontaneous rust erupting on crimson armour.
"Such concern," he drawled; The plates of his battered form groaning with an unoiled shriek, as he drew Hunger back for an impaling stab. He was looking past Marksman, as even his corroding grip viced down - Right at Arsenal, as he pulled his Parent into the line of fire. "Fear not; You'll be seeing him soon, once I'm done."
edited 8th Aug '12 11:07:51 PM by iridium248
Damn, I was too late, Arsenal thought as Iron Phantom... did something to his Parent. Unfortunately, his scanner hasn't been able to determine the monstrous knight's abilities.
Calm down, he told himself, even as Iron Phantom drove his sword through Marksman's body. He couldn't, though. Dammit, I told him I wasn't cut out for this.
Even without his scanner telling him, there was two things Arsenal was sure of. One, their opponent's health should be low. Low enough that he can finish him off. So Arsenal took a couple of steps back and activated his Glove Equip skill.
The second thing was, his Parent was still in the game.
"Heh..." Arsenal said as he began firing. "'Course we will. We have to have our victory celebration after all."
Urk, that didn't sound like him at all.
edited 8th Aug '12 11:18:26 PM by fillerdude
Hunger *stabbed*. The blade punched through Bloodshot Marksman's cuirass, and out the other side; Whining fractiously as the Iron Phantom lifted the thrashing form, crimson plate flaking away in scads of rust, limbs already crumbling...
-Just a moment more. A Level 5, he knew, would take a lot of killing.
He was unpleasantly surprised when a laser beam stabbed a finger's-length into his side; Another slashed across his helmet, wrenching his head to the side, making him *roar* in pain. The other one - He was *shooting* him, with commendable accuracy, even as the Phantom held on, sustaining the deathgrip...But taking increasing punishment all the same, until - With a final, lurching jolt - Bloodshot Marksman's HP beeped to zero at last.
In all honesty, the Iron Phantom wasn't doing much better. His health bar was in the red; Ten percent? Eight? It *hurt* to move, as if he was seizing up - He knew he was in trouble when Marksman's form crumbled away to dust beneath his touch, clearing Arsenal's shot-
...All the same, he couldn't resist a spiteful flick of his wrist; Something round and heavy tumbling to the debris-strewn ground between them both, rolling to knock gently against Arsenal's boot, as Iron Phantom stared straight into the muzzle of the rifle.
It was a helmet. Bloodshot Marksman's helmet - The eye lenses put out, crumbling slowly as it tarnished, the rest of his body corroded away entirely. "You'll...You'll scream just like he did," the Phantom growled...Forcing himself forward, step by agonizing step, only his stubborn will driving him on...
edited 8th Aug '12 11:28:21 PM by iridium248
Arsenal saw his Parent's head roll on the ground and got annoyed.
"Someone's really getting into his character," he quipped as he readied his gun for the final volley. "Don't be so dramatic. You've probably been playing too many video games; why don't you take a break?"
Bolts of plasma punched through Iron Phantom— through his torso, left paldron, his helmet. "Sorry, this is our win."
edited 8th Aug '12 11:56:52 PM by fillerdude
The last barrage of lethal light scythed past him, scythed *through* him. Something stopped the Iron Phantom in his tracks, as his legs lost all strength; He paused, almost thoughtful, trying to make sense of things - Looking down, at last, wondering *why* he couldn't move...
There was a hole clean through his torso, a hole that passed right through him. Flickering light danced on his left eye-socket, bright enough to make him wince - As Hunger fell from his nerveless hand, clattering to the ground.
0 HP. He was already dead, but still moving - Just for a moment more, before the system caught up with him at last.
As his legs gave out, he couldn't find it in him to be angry - Even as his face hit the deck, denting it. His armored bulk followed, with a graceless *CRASH* like a tree being downed; Until he was stretched face-first on the ground, his form crumbling away in swirling pixels.
All the same, he managed to growl out:
"-Well done. You're going to go far, like that."
Going to go far? Arsenal studied his fallen opponent for a bit. "Thanks, but I only won thanks to my Parent." It was true after all. If Marksman hadn't been protecting him he could have just rained death on Phantom from the start.
"I didn't actually do anything remarkable," he whispered to his now gone foe.
edited 9th Aug '12 12:46:35 AM by fillerdude
King of Anime
Amane waded her way through the ocean of students in uniform. Reddish brown eyes cast about as she searched the room for her friend. While they were friends they had not eaten together in awhile so it took her a bit to search Toki out in the crowd. One she caught her eye though she made her way over with a satisfied smile.
With the sound of clattering chairs and the shuffling of her tray onto the table she addressed Toki as she sat down whilst breaking a pair of chopsticks apart.
She used them to point towards Toki as she twirled them. "Spill. There's something you want to talk about. I just know it." A pause as she took a stab at her food.
edited 9th Aug '12 1:05:25 AM by Chariot
Toki looked down at the chopsticks pointed at her as a small harmless frown appeared on her face. After that she looked off to the side in a slightly sulky way as she mumbled "If you say it that way it makes me not want to tell you, Amane"
King of Anime
A pause from Amane met Toki as she looked off to the side. Twirling the chopsticks once more Amane made sure Toki's eyes met a frown to match her own. "Awww but you said you would." she said with a fake whine as she leaned back in her chair.
"Hmmm alright then... but do know that what I'm going to tell you is fairly serious. Are you sure you want to hear about it?" asks Toki as she crosses her arms, her eyes looking at Amane as if studying each and everyone of her reactions.
King of Anime
At the word serious Amane sat back in her chair as she chewed her lip in though. Not quite what I was expecting. Though if it is serious why is she asking me for help? Unless... "Tentative yes provided it is nothing that is too serious." she remarked after a few moments of deliberation.
edited 9th Aug '12 5:47:09 PM by Chariot
"Understood. Then I shall explain. Do know that from now on everything I'm saying it's nothing but the truth... so I'm not joking around with this. I'm going to help you with your problem, Amane" says Toki, looking straight into her eyes as she interlocked her fingers.
"About... a year or so ago I obtained a secret kind of power, Amane. The proof of it should be enough in how I've done better in my studies and on sports ever since. Now I have intentions to share that power with you"
King of Anime
Amane rose an eyebrow in response to the statement that she had a problem. Pushing aside her bowl of food she leaned closer towards Toki whilst imitating the other girl's gesture of interlocking fingers as she nodded in response.
"I'll admit you've caught my interest. How did you come across this anyways?" She paused to take a deep breath before continuing once more. "And since you're trying to help I guess I should thank you. So thanks." she remarked with a smile.
"No thanks are needed. I'm merely doing this because I want to" says Toki, glancing aside for a second before staring once again into Amane's eyes "And I got this power the same way I'm planning for you to get a hold of it. Among everyone in the world, a person chose me to share it"
"You may feel special right about now. However, consider that what I would give you is something that will change you life irrevocably. Would you still be interested?"
Tokyo City - May 17 2046 - Tuesday
A city of technology, where mankind's advances at science has revolutionized and improved the life of those who dwell within, letting them experience the world in new ways.
To nobody is this more true than to selected youth of the city who live in a secret world... beyond the limitations of time.
They are those who live in an Accelerated World.
Lunch time and Kurosaki Toki kept her blue colored eyes set on a particular classmate of hers. Amane Hayase, more of a friend than a classmate even if they had drifted off a bit since a little while... After all they both had different things to worry about in their lives right now.
Then right at that moment, in the time it took someone to blink, Toki stepped into another world and then was back again to the normal world.
The events in the other world were interesting... but right now her mind was on other things. The other world would have to wait until she came back in company.
edited 8th Aug '12 6:22:58 PM by daltar