Enter The Arena As Your Avatar -- The Spinoff!

Pepsiman is not startled by these newcomers, and faces them with astonishing quickness. It is. Unnerving.

"Spreading the delicious, crisp taste of Pepsi™ to the people of the arena, of course! Well, I was, but this dastardly door has gotten in my way... something to do with the purple sky and distinct lack of life in the area, if I had to guess!"

He speaks with much enthusiasm, despite seeming to either not have a face or at least having their face completely covered by whatever the hell it is he is wearing.

One of the triplets, Ta, talks with him.

So... Pepsi, right? I'm not into sodas, but I appreciate your efforts.

The second one, Te, tries to open the door with one of her hairpins.

I hope that works.

The third one, Ti, takes the word.

Uh... I don't like Pepsi. I prefer... Uh... Other brands.

Maybe was a bad idea to talk, Ti.

Pepsiman looks at Ti. There is no face to express judgement, but the judgement being given is very clear.

The door is. Well, it's more of a gate, really. There's no lock to pick.

"If we can't pick the lock... then how about we try opening the door ourselves!"

Pepsiman pushes against the door, but it doesn't budge.

"This door is mighty sturdy! If this keeps up, I may have to get serious!"

Edited by Whoma on Jun 14th 2021 at 7:36:49 AM

The triplets rams into the gate, trying to help Pepsiman.

We aren't too strong... But we want to help you!

Their combined efforts lead nowhere. The gate isn't going to budge... judging from their difficulties, it is likely barred from the inside. Not particularly strange... if this were actual Skyrim. Considering this is the arena, though, the fact that this door is barred is particularly alarming. What reason would the people inside have to bar the gates shut? There's no sign of a conflict save for the sky and the eerie silence.

Pepsiman puts his hands on his hips. "It's no use, unless someone comes by to help us, we'll have to find another way in!"

Ta: Indeed. We can give a call to our teammates, maybe they can help.

Te: ...Or maybe we can jump to the other side. You looks very athletic, could you jump the gate?

Meanwhile, Ti is looking at the sky... She hadn't noticed before, but now she feels somewhat strange from all of this strange situation.

Pepsiman nods.

Pepsiman Theme Song

In a single leap, Pepsiman rockets over the walls of Windhelm, all the way to the other side, landing with truly awesome grace. That nobody sees. He spares not a moment to look at what greets him inside, instead opening the doors to let the others in. Cause, hey, if it's space zombies, that's not his problem!

The triplets are awed by Pepsiman's jump!

I know you can do it!

...

Thanks for opening the gate!

They enter with him, ready for anything waiting inside.

Inside is... it's a little horrifying.

There are people. Lots of them, standing in place, almost like statues, completely still. But what is more striking is their faces... or, rather, lack thereof. Yes, every single person in Windhelm... is missing their face, as if it had been magically spirited away, replaced by an empty gap of skin. No nose, no mouth, no eyes, nothing. How they are even alive is not answered by looking at these poor souls. They don't seem to be breathing, but alive they most certainly are.

Of course, not everyone in Windhelm is missing their face, and not everyone had a face to steal.

But there are few. Less than ten. For everyone else, it's a permanent coma that no amount of healing can fix.

Pepsiman puts his hands on his hips "I don't think they're in the mood for Pepsi™."

The atmosphere inside the town is very gloomy. When the triplets saw the faceless people... Well, frightened isn't enough to describe their feelings. Ti was even about to faint!

Ta: Well, they lack mouths, so they can't drink.

Te facepalmed.

Edited by BombonBombin on Jun 14th 2021 at 10:15:53 AM

Pepsiman looks to the nearest person unaffected by the defacing, none other than Jin Xenoblade himself◊.

"You there! Care to explain what happened to this place?"

Jin seems to almost flinch at the sound of his voice, as if he wasn't expecting it.

"You... you're lucky... to have missed it. It wasn't even a fight... he just... took everyone's face, without even a second thought. I tried to pursue, but he simply... vanished into thin air. Like they were never there."

"Who is this nefarious malefactor you speak of?"

"I don't know... he was... a figure, cloaked in purple and blue, limbless save for two clawed hands.◊... and his face, like the visor of a helmet◊. He arrived in a burst of black fire, and a wave of his hand was enough to take the faces of everyone in this city, floating away like leaves in the wind, vanishing into thin air."

Jin looks at the ground.

Pepsiman doesn't say anything for a moment.

"Would a Pepsi™ help?"

"What?"

Pepsiman hands Jin a Pepsi. They inspect it for a moment, don't get what it's supposed to be, and hand it back.

Stanislas the Ghoul runs in from goddamn nowhere.

No! Come back! He didn't take my face!

The triplets hear Jin's story.

Ta: Hmmmm... We don't know what class of magic its using, but strip someone's face that way, means it is a serious menace. We, the Tateti, must help to stop it.

They notices the newcomer.

Ti: Hiya! Have you seen too that being?

Outside Riften

Argalia is relaxing in his tent, tending to his wounds, and sharpening his scythe, alongside doing maintnence on the more intricate components within it. A campfire is present outside. While argalia could have gone inside any building, likely, he seems to be more interested in using his tent for now.

Outside Riften

Ruby Rose is patrolling the outskirts of the city, looking for any signs of trouble.

She spots Argalia's tent.

Outside riften

Argalia, finishing maintnence and some first aid, exits his tent, twirling his scythe around, before sitting by the fire, checking on the status of a slab of deer roasting above it.

His outfit does NOT match his camping, resembling something the upper class in an early industrial era, or possibly nobility, would wear.

Pepsiman nods at the statement of Ta, and then speaks in agreement. "Yes! We must stop this dark force from doing this again. Without a face, nobody can drink Pepsi™, not even Pepsi Max™!"

Pepsiman then turns and faces Stanislas. "Ah, another poor victim! What do you need, random person?"

Explanations would be nice! I... I've never seen this! That giant just swooped in and stole their faces! What the hell is going on?!

Ruby spots Argalia's scythe and her eyes narrow. She unfurls Crescent Rose into its full scythe form, holding it up in the air.

Whiterun

A smol girl walks up to the odd group.

"Oh dear, some people lost their faces? That sounds nice. A creature that lacks a face where it would normally have one, and can survive... it doesn't need to eat, sleep or do anything. It can just exist in a perfect tranquility forever."

Edited by KiriK on Jun 15th 2021 at 3:58:15 AM

Pepsiman shakes his head at Stanislas. "Sorry, random person, but I have no idea, I just got here!"

Then, Pepsiman does a 180 turn to swiftly face the smol girl. "Nobody asked you! Also, would you like a Pepsi™!"

I could already do these. I don't need to do any of those in fact... I think? I just never took the risk.

He ponders. Ah, like anybody care! I'd say we need to stop the monster but that's because I'm offended it'd go over me. You know how many people used to kill just to get to be in my presence, back in the day? And it's not metaphoric! I hired a lot of people to follow me around and fawn.

Hub Centralis-mall

Our recently unsanitized octoling was walking in the mall, mostly due to the fact she had been to a total of two places, this being one of them.

She had a weapon in hand, but it was at her side, she appeared non hostile. She was playing music through her headphones as well, just thinking...a lot.

Argalia looks over to the girl in red, flashing a grin, saying    "Well. Looks like someone else appreciates some odd weaponry."    He calmly stands up, saying    "I'm hoping you're not planning on using that, you don't even know who or what stands before you, young lady."   

He dusts himself off slightly after saying this.

Edited by ReynTheLord on Jun 15th 2021 at 2:09:14 AM

Ta talks with the new girl.

Altough the fact that a being like this exists is truly awesome, that doesn't means this dark being is a very wicked being, and must be stopped.

Ti: Some ideas?

Te: Maybe a can will be OK to recover from the fear...

"I don't know, but I don't care either. Do you plan to try and take over or destroy this city?" Ruby asks.

"Sure." She accepts the offer of Pepsi.

"Wooooow! How did you do it?" the girl asks Stanislas. It seems he's somehow made a new fan. "My little darlings need to use pheromones to make others kill for them..."

Hub Centralis Mall

Agent 8 is perched on the floor above Dedf1sh, aiming a Charger.

She hasn't made any moves... but I can't blow my cover in case she turns out to be hostile.

Edited by KiriK on Jun 15th 2021 at 4:12:27 AM