A Game of Gods Season 3: Frontiers

Pig Wait We're Finished Already?, Bisga

"...wait, that's everything?" The surprise in Inosuke's voice was genuine, even as he watched the locals take over the captured cleric for their own investigation rituals. That was it? Some small fry and a promise of more (how much) later? ...well, a warm-up was good to have. Oh well. The goat woman was offering to treat injuries. Normally, he'd probably dismiss those glancing blows he got from his fight with the cleric, but Monjiro wouldn't let him rest if he caught wind of that, somehow.

"Got bit a couple o' times." He said as he approached Toriel, Fubuki's kimono on him worn and torn - probably still salvageable if a skilled tailor got their hands on it. "Don't fear no snakes, but I guess having someone look at it would help." Here he shucked the top of it off to bare the flesh wounds in question.

"You like to live dangerously, don't you?" The Exorcist chuckled as he deposited Rico off the impromptu bridal carry he got himself into by not going off an exploding mech in time. Straightening up, Shigure looked towards the Soul Edge and grinned like a wolf, flourishing Stormhowl as he went over to approach the thing. "Now then. Let's see how evil demon blades bleed. And you better treat Tira well, or we'll have words." He chuckled, seeing Tira bow down to worship the ground Gespenst walked on.

Slowly raising the odachi, he positioned himself so as not to get in the way, but to be able to slice the miserable parasite in two. "Try not to kill us all while you unload these, huh?" He chuckled at O'Kais' excessive choice in weaponry. Now, here was hoping Velvet wouldn't try doing anything really stupid at the last moment. "On three."

Morgrim craned her neck, watching Zasalamel's healing magic. "Now, sir sage, will that be truly enough to destroy the sword? It seems almost unthinkable that the creature would not have a shard lying around for a contingency like this."

The man was an adviser to a recently elected mayor. Chun-Li seemed to hold him in high regard, though more for his martial ability than any administrative skills. Then again, perhaps in a city like Gotham, that made him an ideal candidate. "My apprehension to Mr. Barry aside, I can appreciate that he sticks with this land rather than to try parting it for political gain." She nodded, giving the butcher an extremely reluctant nod. "If we stumble upon her, how does this Reiko look like and what can she do?" Something told her that the Sakura would rather use the assassin than get rid of her and call it a day.

Satsuki elaborated some more on the history of Gotham. It was a hellhole, for lack of a better word; an urban jungle barely tamed by the efforts of groups like the Hospitallers. The old crimelords seemed to have been defeated, but new threats rose in their stead, like a Hydra Grimm. As Wake turned to address Pyrrha, her ponytail tilted slightly as he seemed to have found something pitiful in her name. "I... don't think I'm familiar with the phrase, apologies." "Pyrrhic Victory" must have been more Pyrrhic than a Victory, and she dreaded figuring out the finer details of the phrase.

Still, she returned the handshake, grip firm and strong, but not domineering. "It's nice to meet you, Mr. Wake. Can you... tell us more about this turtle boss?" Chun-Li called her Bowsette, so they must have been acquainted. "...and should we be worried about this robot dog?" She tilted her head in confusion at the boxy thing strolling up to Chun-Li. It was kind of adorable, but she feared even coming near it; wouldn't want to accidentally bend it out of shape.

Nightmare's Castle

It was over. Rico shredded Nightmare to bits, then got pulled off of the crippled Knightmare before it exploded by Shigure. "In fact, that is how I prefer to live life," he answered. Once he was on his feet he took stock of the situation. Soul Edge stabbed into the ground, afraid (if human emotion could be transposed onto that eye of its.) That was it, then. It was done. Nightmare had been destroyed. The Frontier was safe from yet another fascist threat.

The hooded mage from earlier walked through the portal as Rico stumbled towards it. But Nightmare was dead, and his mech was destroyed, and his adrenaline was dying down. The pain across his arm crescendoed to a fever pitch, and he felt a bit woozy, so he didn't really catch what the guy was saying. He guessed it was congratulations for a job well done.

"We did it! We saved the castle!" Rico raised his rifle-wielding arm in triumph, then seemed to become aware of the massive amount of blood he'd been casually leaking over the entire arena during the fight. "...Oh."

With the sound of clattering weapons and equipment, he fell to the floor, catatonic.

Edited by SpartyMcFly on Feb 15th 2020 at 1:52:27 PM

Gotham Portal Area: I Drink, and I Know Things

"I wouldn't call it common knowledge." Alan smirked at Alice. "Least not on this rock. Let's just say that my world lies in the crossroads of many others, and leave it at that."

From a fictional standpoint, that wasn't far off from the mark. The works of Alan Wake might've brought Mr. Scratch to life, but the world the Evil Twin and his outdated model (once) lived in was the real world—or about as real a world as anyone could confidently believe. Notwithstanding getting high on some good shit.

"It means to win at such a high cost that it might as well count as a loss." Wake answered Pyrrha. "The Battle of Bunker Hill, the Battle of Chancellorsville, whatever battle they based 300 on...sorry, I'm sure I'm not making sense to you. Basically when you can claim you won at the cost of so much effort, time, money, or even so many lives, that the rewards of winning just weren't worth the sacrifice: that's a Pyrrhic victory."

Wake paused, and grimaced. "Not the most fun thing to be associated with, but who knows? Maybe it means 'Curb-stomping badass' where you're from!"

The request for information on the Koopa Queen brought a wearied look into Wake's eyes.

"Bowsette, the supposed wife to Bowser: the biggest baddest and hands-down dumbest villain of the Mushroom Kingdom. Showed up about six weeks ago and set up shop in a casino owned by the infamous Falcone family—or it was owned by them, till the Madame stormed the place and pummeled her way through the old management. Since then, she's been doing well morphing the place from a palatable establishment into an ungodly eyesore. The issue at hand is that she's decided that the Koopa Kasino just isn't enough for her anymore, and has started stretching her power into the neighborhoods around it.

"The Mushroom Kingdom's a weird place, and the Madame is even weirder. From what I've seen, she can breathe fire, rip enemies to pieces with her claws, wield giant hammers she stows in that giant spiked shell on her back, and turn into a giant terrifying lizard woman who can squish you like a bug. Big thing to keep in mind with the Madame is that she's a fan of spectacle. Unlike the other ringleaders of Gotham's criminal underground, she likes to be seen.

"Her allies include two children—or beings that look like children—and a mad scientist called Dr. Robotnik. If I'm being honest, the little ones are probably the bigger threat: one is some kind of witch who has more brains than the lot of them put together and a giant snake for a BFF, and the other can summon weapons on a whim and likes to shred people to pieces with them—not gonna lie, that brat scares me the most. Robotnik's work has gotten the Madame some very shiny and very dangerous toys, as well as transform the Koopa Kasino into a goddamn fortress. If you're wondering why we haven't just stormed the place to get rid of this thorn in Gotham's side, that would be another example of a Pyrrhic victory."

Turning his attention to the group's straggler, it seemed that Alan had made a miscalculation. Several miscalculations.

"Alan Wake, Chief Adviser to Mayor Cody Travers." he said as the feathered billionaire offer a hand (wing?) to shake. "And here I thought I had the thematics of this planet all figured out. You, my little feathered friend, have just broken the pattern."

Video games, comic books, a metric fuckton of anything and everything Japanese—Scratch was confident that whatever god created this planet fell into the "acne-plagued sexually-depraved basement-dwelling nerd" trope. But this thing? This talking duck that looked like it flew straight out of a cartoon? Seemed a little too kiddish for the demographic.

Which begged the question: where the hell did Scrooge Mc Duck come from? His first guess might've been Daffy's posh grandpa, but Daffy Duck had black feathers, not white. Which left the other talking (well, squawking) cartoon duck he knew about:

"An acquaintance of Donald's, I take it?" Wake asked, with maybe a little too much of a smile. The duck made Alan laugh when he was a little tyke.

"Wait, there are mines in a city?" Krillin mumbled to himself.

The Street Fighter's offer left a sour taste in Scratch's mouth. She was willing to talk with the Madame^note  "On Gotham's behalf," was the implication in exchange for digging up dirt on a faction that hadn't rustled too many feathers in Gotham; setting aside one incident outside of a Taco Bell. Whether she was aware of it or not, the Street Fighter was stepping on Wake's toes and requesting payment for the effort.

"First note: I'm the one who will be speaking to the Madame." Alan corrected. "It's part of a power play. Criminals don't get an audience with the Mayor—or anyone of comparable status outside the city—just by acting like criminals. They want a chat with someone with real power? They play by our rules.

"Second note: you should sit this out altogether. I'm happy to have the Captain by my side because the Hospitaliers have a clear and vested interest in Gotham, but Switzerland's got no cards to play here. At best, your presence will make it look like the Pathfinders deem the Madame a viable threat, and Christ knows she doesn't need an ego boost. At worst, it'll look like the Mayor can't handle the city's problems without calling in the big guns; we'll look like a little kid crying to their mommy, pleading for the Pathfinders to clean up our mess."

Wake stepped towards the portal, as if to bar the Street Fighter from entering until she agreed to his terms. "I'm willing to make a few calls about your little problem, but only after the Madame's been pushed back in line. Gotham's problems come first and fore—"

Something bounded out of the portal, missing the adviser's left leg by an inch before skidding to a halt in front of Chun-Li. With the wind more than somewhat taken out of his sails, Alan stepped away from the portal to skim the utter book's worth of text on a post-it note.

"...they're shooting her into space just to see what happens?" Wake blinked in disbelief. "Isn't that like pushing someone off a roof just to see if they'll fly?"

"You're not thinking about letting them do this, right?" Krillin asked Chun-Li after reading the note. "Even if she's done terrible things, Reiko still deserves a chance to defend herself in court. This is just...horrible!"

"And an excessive waste of rocket fuel." nodded Alan. "This 'Architect' chick doesn't sound like the sort to really plan things through. Maybe the title's ironic!"

"Do you think this is funny?" Krillin frowned at the adviser.

Wake shrugged. "I've been told I have a sick sense of humor."

Fearing that the note was bound to sap attention away from the task at hand, Alan turned towards the portal and started walking:

"Whatever you were looking for in Gotham doesn't seem to be there anymore, but Gotham still needs help. Anyone who isn't a Pathfinder is welcome to join me. Knowing the Madame, she won't be hard to find."

With that, the Mayor's adviser disappeared through the portal, and waited to see who would follow.

Edited by TheodoreHastings on Feb 16th 2020 at 6:14:55 AM

"Rico!"

Suffice it to say, with Siluca being treated, Lady was quick to rush over as Rico faceplanted on the ground. She knelt down next to him.

"Come on, stay with me, don't let yourself get taken out by some demonic tinhead, ok?"

"There will be no need for that. The debt is already paid with the death of Soul Edge."

He turns to look at the cat.

"Were we on my world, I would say yes. Fragments of the cursed sword are scattered throughout it. But it has not been here long enough to spread in the same way, and besides, with the presence of beings who are radically more powerful then anything on our world, it would not have deliberately weakened itself by allowing shards to split off from it. I believe we are safe in that regard."

Then Rico faceplanted. With Siluca healed, he nodded, then walked over to Rico, motioning for Lady to shift to the side an inch or two.

"The fortitude of you mortals continues to surprise me." He said as he started to heal him. "Such a blow, glancing or not, would have caused the minds of many to be consumed by Soul Edge's madness. To survive such a blow and maintain both ones sanity and control over ones mind is not something easily done."

Velvet, meanwhile, was standing far away from Soul Edge, so no need to worry from Shigure. She probably didn't trust herself to get too close to the thing in its final moments. She was occupying herself by looking down at this "Cell Phone" thing that Scratch had insisted she start carrying around with her, seeing that she had a number of missed calls from him, as well as a text message to call him when she had a minute. Thus, she pulled it out and called him. She waited to hear the sound of him picking up.

"Wake."

This was part of a very simple system the two had come up with, after they'd had to dance around the question of "Are you free to talk openly" one too many times for Velvet's liking. She always picked up the phone and responded in the same one word manner. If she said "Wake", that meant she was in public and thus couldn't start openly speaking of private topics without others overhearing. If she said "Scratch", that meant she was free to say whatever the hell she wanted.

"Had to take care of some business. It's wrapped up now. What's going on?"

Toriel (Bisga Woods)

Once Inosuke brought himself before Toriel for healing, she directed him to sit down, and took a seat herself to start working some healing magic onto him, as well as using a few tricks of the trade she had picked up from working in the hospital. While she worked, Toriel began to speak.

"I apologize if I offended you earlier. I was not meaning to imply that you were only seeking to hurt the captive. I was merely concerned that the torture would take precedence over the interrogation; regardless, it was unkind of me to cast that assumption onto you, and I am sorry."

Sonia (KAIBADOME™ - Vs. Juri)

Casting her eyes upwards as her opponent took to the skies, Sonia quickly brought her arms up in an effort to block; while she did manage to lessen the impact of Juri's blows, the end result was still Sonia getting booted back a good distance, barely managing to right herself before she crashed into the wall. Arms throbbing, Sonia put away her whip for the time being, and instead drew a sword, before running back into the fight.

Persephone (KAIBADOME™)

To say Persephone was unamused by Maria's latest crack would be quite the understatement, and her fists clenching made this clear as day.

"The only reason you're not tasting the floor right now is due to her orders. But please, continue to encourage me to find a loophole. I implore you."

Dark Samus (Hospital Gang)

Predictably, Dark Samus did not have a whole lot to say regarding Alan Wake, but the mention of space, and someone getting shot into it, seemed to draw her attention as she stared at the little machine that had delivered the message. While not having the means to verbally express it, her facial expression deepening into a glare and the fact that she growled at the thing was evident that even she didn't care for the thought of Reiko's fate.

Edited by Bored_Man on Feb 15th 2020 at 8:04:55 AM

Akihabara - Gotham Portal (Ismene, Others) ~ I Smell a Rat

"Uh, 'adventuring drunk nobody' is my job description, not my name," Ismene clarified as Mr. Wake exuberantly shook her hand, missing the joke entirely.

Past that point she simply remained silent as the man introduced himself to the rest and explained some things about the problem he needed help with. When he abjectly refused Chun-Li's and the Pathfinder's help on the matter, or perhaps just refused to even let them help, her eyes narrowed.

It wasn't until Mr. Wake had vanished through the portal that she actually voiced her thoughts.

"...You know, there was a perfectly good opportunity for an alliance there. If this 'Bowsette' person really is that big a problem, then wouldn't it be more efficient to team up to deal with her? Like, I'd think this would be a cooperation between the Gotham people and the Pathfinders, not the Pathfinders dealing with the problem all on their own for the simple glory of it. Is Gotham really that messed up that accepting outside help just makes you look weak?" She rubbed her chin again in thought. "And also, he was saying some weird things...."

She turned to the others. "I mean, I'll follow if the rest of you want to go, because Gotham could use the help anyway. But something smells really fishy here."

Edited by Yomegami on Feb 15th 2020 at 11:08:11 AM

Chun-Li, Gotham Portal

"This robot dog is technology of the Sakura Empire," Chun-Li picked up the Dinergate and pulled off the note, reading it intently. She looked reserved about the situation, looking to be not as angry as Krillin and Dark Samus were.

Chun-Li then held the Dinergate, pointing the lens at Pyrrha and sounding like she was having a bit of fun, "It's a cute little walking camera!"

While the lens was pointed toward Pyrrha and away from her own face, Chun-Li shook her head, answering Krillin's and Dark Samus' concerns that she might be okay with it.

"Clearly, meeting Bowsette will have to wait for me since my presence has been requested," Chun-Li turned the Dinergate to have the lens face her while she looks over to Ismene. "I trust that Krillin and Pyrrha will make sure no undue harm is done to Bowsette."

"Do not worry... I should be able to secure a boat," Chun-Li puts the Dinergate and clears her throat, "You are dismissed."

Once Chun-Li was certain that the Dinergate had left the scene complete, she addressed Krillin and Pyrrha, smiling at them. "You two should go with Wake and see what he's up to here."

"The rest of you, however, do have the option of joining me on my trip to Sakura Empire if you wish," Chun-Li stated to the others. "I could use the help, especially if we want Reiko to have proper justice."

Edited by GameGuruGG on Feb 15th 2020 at 11:35:24 AM

Satsuki - wherever the heck we are

A frown crossed Satsuki's face as she listened to Wake's report. Bowser's casino had been an off addition to the chaotic mix that was the Gotham campaign. She hadn't attacked or interfered with the Pledge's efforts, and could be counted on to hold her own front... but there had always been the specter of the koopa king's ambition lurking behind the unspoken arrangement.

If Bowser had decided she wanted to expand once again, things could get ugly.

"Having the Hospitalier's captain along would certainly suit Bowser's ego well enough as it is." She mused, looking thoughtful. "Whether that works in our favour or not is yet to be seen, but it would at least make it clear that we are serious. I will accompany you."

"I must agree with Mr Wake on this." She added, turning to Chun-li and the others. "Gotham is trying to build itself into a self-sufficient city-state. This isn't just a matter of training and resources, it's a question of sovereignty, of the perceived powers of the Mayor and the crime bosses. The Pledge is already tied into this city, so my presence won't be seen to weaken Gotham's position. I can't honestly say what the reaction to you might be."

"What's more, I would feel better about this business with Reiko if you looked into it. I've seen the reports of the firefight earlier this morning - no real damage was done, but this is still an over-reach by the Sakura Empire. Reiko is going to be a test case for justice in the Frontier as a whole, and summary execution by experimentation is not the precedent I would like to see set."

She bowed her head respectfully towards Chun-li. "Rest assured I will do everything in my power to make sure this meeting goes peacefully."

Gespenst - Nightmare's castle/Formido Castle

"Sure, any help in fixing this place up would be appreciated."

Gespenst shook a bit to get some dust and metal fragments off himself, he had his fortress, and sooner or later he'd have it up to operational standards, a good base. He still had that permit he could use...maybe he could get some kind of maintenance crew in here. Still there was one other issue to deal with.

"Hey Gold eye, do you know if there's a portal back to Akihabara near this fortress? I'm not exactly sure where we are on this new world and if Siluca is gonna help we'll need to establish a method of movement."

Edited by Bcom on Feb 16th 2020 at 2:18:35 PM

Chun-Li, Gotham Portal

"Understandable," Chun-Li nodded to Satsuki. "But I'm the only Pathfinder here. I can't decide where the others choose to go with exception to Samus since I've taken responsibility for her."

Chun-Li walked over to Dark Samus, attempting to explain the situation as if to a child, "I want you to join me on the trip to Sakura Empire... My goal is to ensure Reiko gets a fair trial for her crimes and doesn't get shot off into space. Do you understand?"

Juri, Vs. Sonia, KAIBADOME™

Juri focused completely on trying to dodge Sonia's sword as she played defensively by moving backwards away from her. While Sonia had not hit Juri yet, it did seem that the Street Fighter was struggling to find a good opening to reverse the situation.

Maria, KAIBADOME™

"Alright, calm down," Maria nodded to Persephone, signalling her to calm down. "Well then, why are you here?"

Maria held up a finger before Persephone protested her, "I mean I figured you would be somewhere Sonia is not, working out loopholes."

Portal Area (Scratch): Can You Hear Me Now? Good! Cuz It's ABOUT TIME!

Scratch flared his nostrils as the word "MANEATER" emerged on his ringing phone. Great. Now she wants to talk?!

Tucking a hand in his pocket and picking up the pace just a bit, the Chief Adviser blew hot air out his nose as Velvet asked what was going on.

"Oh, not much. Just your average Gotham afternoon. I'm about to jump into the lion's den and could quite possibly never see tomorrow, but I'm glad you got good use out of your me-time! It's important to keep a good balance between professional and personal life, y'know. Good for you!"

With the hissing sarcasm out of his system, Scratch closed his eyes and let out one long aggravated sigh.

"The Madame is on the prowl. It'll look bad if Mayor Travers comes to her, and Deputy Mayor Arkeville doesn't seem durable enough to handle the risks. So I'm biting the bullet, and am on my way to talk her out of expanding her territory. I'll let you imagine how that's going to pan out, which is why I've been trying to reach you. How soon can you get in walking distance of the Koopa Kasino?"

Portal Area (Krillin): Let's Split Up, Gang!

Krillin crossed his arms as the bizarre man left earshot.

"I'm not sure intentions are the problem, Ismene." the officer replied as he meditated on the adventurer's concerns. "Mr. Wake seems worried about what people think is happening, and I can't say he's wrong. If this was about helping an impoverished neighborhood, then yeah, turning down help would be pointlessly stubborn. But getting Chun-Li involved in this would look like escalation. If Bowsette's gaining power now, imagine how popular she'll be with Gotham's thugs once the Pathfinders are dragged in to try and stop her. It's managed to work out for the best, but it's clear the Mayor's adviser knows how to think a few steps ahead."

A frown creaked on the martial artist's face. "Even if his attitude could use a little work."

The frown remained until Chun-Li finally answered his earlier question: no, she would not allow the Sakura Empire to execute Reiko without a fair trial. He smiled, and thought about how lucky the Pathfinders were to have a leader like her: someone who wasn't afraid to anger some powerful people if it meant doing what was right.

"Not a problem." he nodded as Chun-Li made her request. "We'll make sure things don't get out of hand. You guys be careful with the Sakura Empire!"

Recognizing that Samus might not be fully aware of the situation, Krillin stepped over towards her and gave her a friendly smile.

"Looks like we'll be parting ways for a while. I'll come back and see you later today, once this thing in Gotham simmers down. Now you be on your best behavior and do whatever Miss Chun-Li says, okay?"

The smile shot into a delightful grin, and he gave the alien-woman a big thumbs up. "We're counting on you!"

Alice, A Girl and her Serial Killer

A world in the crossroads of other worlds… something about that explanation seemed strange. Where was he from, exactly? The way he spoke to people he had never met as though he were familiar with them was not particularly comforting. Ismene seemed suspicious of Wake’s motives, and Alice was beginning to think she might have a point.

As Chun-Li left for the Sakura Empire, Alice pondered what she should do next.

“I’m not yet sure if Wake is someone we should be suspicious of or merely a strange person. Either way, while I honestly belive the Sakura Empire is a larger threat to the Frontiers than this Bowsette, some of us need to stay behind make sure Mr. Wake doesn’t get in over his head.”

She looked over at Barry.

“I think you should head with me to Bowsette’s lair, too. I’m not sure how our little meeting is going to play out, and it’d be useful to have some additional manpower.”

Akihabara - Gotham Portal (Ismene, Others) ~ Change of Plans

As Satsuki and Krillin explained in better terms why it might not be a good idea to let the Pathfinders get involved, Ismene crossed her arms and sighed, staring off at some random patch of ground in thought.

"...Well, when you put it that way...." she eventually said. "...Yeah, I can definitely see where he might be coming from." Then she looked back up at Krillin in particular. "Actually, I think my problem came from exactly that: his attitude. Had he put it in the way you or Satsuki had said it just now, he probably wouldn't have come off as that suspicious. But instead he put it in a way that sounded a lot more like this was for his self interests and not all of Gotham's."

She frowned. "...And that's still not getting into the other things. Like, how would he know about where Alice's been? Unless any of us have met him before and told him then, but that's not what it sounded like. I'm wondering what else he knows that we don't...." She shrugged. "...Or maybe I'm just thinking about this too hard."

Concerned about Mr. Wake as she was, she hadn't paid much attention to the news about Reiko's potential fate up until now. However, now that Chun-li was planning on meeting with the Sakura Empire over it and she was done musing, she decided to address it now.

"...I think I'll go with you. I mean, if nothing else we might as well make sure Reiko gets what she deserves. I don't know about the Sakura Empire, but I did get some really sketchy vibes from them during that meeting a month ago...." Then she looked back at the portal. "...Also, I don't exactly trust Mr. Wake right now."

Finally, she turned to the people who decided to stick with Gotham, and gave them a grin. "Good luck dealing with Bowsette, guys!"

Nightmare Castle

Well, a few more attacks and that big robot sure was defeated alright.

"Good work, take a long rest, you earned it," the former Team Aqua grunt known as Venus said as she recalled her Salamance. "Well... That's that. Guess these guys can deal with the cleanup now, aight?"

Whistling to herself, Venus headed back to yonder portal.

Naga the Serpent - Distraction - Bisga Woods

"Ahaha, and once again I've saved the day!" Naga proclaimed when the Drow had been defeated. She turned to walk away, waving off the knight leader. "It's lunch anyway, so a natural time for a stop. Now let's see, I think it was... that way...."

She took off flying, eventually reaching the portal back to the Adventurers Guild....

Naga the Serpent - Wendy's - Adventurers Guild

...and straight to the Wendy's, where she started in on a humble meal of fifteen sandwiches and a dozen sides.

Venus - Second Floor - Adventurers Guild

"Nope, not there. Now let's see... aha!" Venus casually strolled around the second floor of the Adventurers Guild, poking her head in here and there to try to find da chief. And lo and behold, she finally tracked down Cynthia.

"Oh, heya boss. Just got back from that trip. Saved the world and helped take down some sort of robot... sword... monster... thing. Wound up not being all that bad, but heda probably been bad news if he got around to buildin' more of those robot things. Anyway, that's all settled now, what I really wanna talkabout is you see this stuff around town?" She unrolls a sizable paper she was carrying, and holds up a poster for the KAIBADOME.

"Guess this thing's opening today, looks like some sort of honest-to-Arceus gym. Thought I'd go take a look. You want in?"

Red stared at the clear plastic cup curiously, shaking it back and forth as she watched the dark liquid and strange balls inside of it swirl around. She was watched by the nervous pimple-faced teen behind the counter who looked like he wanted to shrink under the counter instead of dealing with the large, horned woman, and a selection of customers who had been brave enough to stick around when she had stepped inside. "And you say this... buba tea is your most popular drink?"

"U-uhuh." The teen nodded rapidly as a drop of sweat rolled down his forehead.

"Alright, I'll take it." The koopa queen took a sip of the drink and made a thoughtful look. "Hmmm, interesting."

"Are you going to...um..." The poor cashier squeaked, his hands shaking, "p-pay for that?"

She furrowed her brow at him and frowned, which made the boy go white, before she said, "Of course I am! I'm a villain, not a petty thief." The words didn't seem to reassure the youth, whose eyes widened further as she stuck her hand into her cleavage. The whole store seemed to hold its collective breath, until she pulled out a card. "Here, I was told that this lets me pay for stuff."

One credit transaction, and a cashier with a newly ignited joy of being still alive, later Bowsette had left the BUBA store and was back onto the street; Sipping happily at her branded Bub-a Tea. And just having a generally great time with her first day of new existence.

Edited by Alleydodger on Feb 18th 2020 at 12:33:22 AM

Daud - Apartment Room

"Then it's settled. Welcome aboard, Bell." Satisfied that at least one thing had run smoothly today, Daud downed the last of his cup before placing it back on the table, mock frown on his face.

"And here, I thought I'd be able to learn a thing or two on how you operate. But I kid. I wouldn't be so crass as to demand you divulge your secrets, so long as we cooperate." Won't be much use to me, anyway, if it involves shit like 'magic' and whatnot.

The ex-assassin taps his hand on the table, wondering if he should inquire him about a certain person of interest and...

Hmm, should he? He'd already done his part. The rest lies on the Pathfinders, the Akihabarans and even the Sakura Empire to not fuck things up later. And to think, it was all over one person.

Well, wouldn't hurt to try.

"If you're as good as I think you are." Daud started. "Then I'm sure you're somewhat aware of what had transpired just a few hours ago over in Gotham. I confess, the result could've been much better, but now, we have something like a potential match light about to fall in place on the powder keg that is Akihabara."

"Haven't learned any new development regarding it yet, but the moment I do is the moment I'll decide on what to do next." he glances at his communicator, as if expecting news of it to come soon. "While I'll try to mitigate the potential clusterfuck, can I leave it to you to monitor and stabilize things on your end?"

Barry - Portal Area

"... Well, crap. Sorry, boss lady. This is just the one thing I can't miss."

Shit, it's one thing to lend a helping hand to an old pal of his when in a pitch. It's another matter altogether to miss out an execution of honey herself. Especially by her supposed friends in whatever Empire she's from, no less!

No fair! He wants to get in on it too! At least invite him for the watching!

"I'll make it up to ya later, promise! Just, ahh, shared a personal history with our local executionee, and wouldn't wanna miss it for the world." A beat.

"No worries, tho! If the same thing ever happens to ya, I'll come a-running and resc- err, I mean, get a front-row seat myself, gyahaha!"

Edited by JustSomeGuy732 on Feb 18th 2020 at 4:39:38 AM

Alice, Gotham

Alice latched onto something Barry said - or almost said in this case - and gave him a curious look.

“Did you nearly admit that you would come to my aid if I were in danger?” Alice asked. “Is that perhaps the true reason you wish to see Reiko? Not to simply watch a bloody spectacle, but because she is a friend that you wish to rescue from her fate?"

She ponders this for a moment before returning to the topic at hand.

"Perhaps I'm prying a bit too much. At any rate, I have no objections to that. I trust that you can take care of yourself… and more importantly, that Chun-Li will make sure you don’t do anything foolish."

"Hm, well as a token of our newfound friendship I guess I can let loose a few freebies. I already have a real time source of information gathering as to what is happening and well... I think you might need to invest in heart medicine in the future. That or a strong drink, aha.~" Putting two fingers to temple while the white glove on his hand lit up with a golden eye symbol, the devil concentrated briefly as if he was listening to something from afar before nodding his head.

"Yes, the woman you were pursuing this last month or so seems like she'll be executed by the Sakura Empire via being tied to a rocket that will be launched into potential orbit. Also there's a bit of a chilly political showdown between the Pathfinders of Akiba and those who based themselves mostly in Gotham, something regarding a spikey shelled turtle person expanding her criminal empire?"

"Oh, that was a good deed you did then." Clasping her hands together and praising the disguised Zinnia wholeheartedly despite the less than stellar description of what Soul Edge was, Cynthia blinked as she looked at the Kaibadome poster in slight surprise, especially so when it was said to be something rather close to an actual Gym of all things. "Well, I do admit I am rather curious now... If it's not any trouble, could you guide me there?"

Edited by Makaioh on Feb 18th 2020 at 9:12:55 AM

Sonia (KAIBADOME™ - Vs Juri)

With the spacing she had acquired thanks to the sword, Sonia had the opportunity to press the attack, and she did just that by dashing towards Juri, weaving this way and that to try and throw off her opponent's timing. Once she finally did come in for a blow, Sonia raised her blade for an overhead strike...as a feint while she raised her leg to deliver a kick to Juri's midsection. Whether or not she actually did hit, the Belmont would press the assault, bringing her sword down.

Persephone (KAIBADOME™)

"And miss the chance to see my master get taken down a peg, and learn her weaknesses? I would be a fool to pass that up." Despite her words and her tone assuring ill intent, Persephone's eyes told a different story, which was particularly noticeable as she cast a glance at her master locked in combat at this very moment.

Dark Samus (Gotham Portal)

Meeting Chun-Li's eyes as she explained to her what she wanted, 'Samus' blinked a few times, then looked to Krillin, seeing that he was requesting much of the same by his gestures and his smile. Turning back to Chun-Li, she gave her a nod, an indication that she would follow her.

Rocket Launch Facility - Unknown Coordinates - Middle of the fucking Ocean

Any one who took up Architects note expecting to arrive to an island or something similar would soon find themselfs disappointed, especially so if they were relying on that land as there was absolutely no land here to be seen. That was not to say the location was empty however, far from it, it was a massive bustle of activity.... Ranging from a ship that had towed the rocket from the train out to this location, which was now on standby out to the side, to a barge with a massive steam turbine attached to its back that is arcing dangerously with electricity as it is overseen by a robotic crew. A large industrial crane based "thing", can be seen paddling through the area on barge with its bucket as it seems to be helping Architect oversee the final preparation for the launch.

Strangely for all this activity, at just a glance it would seem the centerpiece in all this was missing, any one used to the large launch platforms normally found at Cape Canaveral or Baikonur would be a little let down, as all that could be seen was just little thing sticking out of the water, a small cone maybe 2 stories tall at best... there was no way something that size was going to reach space... But the extra observant would notice that the turbine barge seems to have tubes running under the water.... is something down there?

Well either way, if it was Architect who you had came for, she, or more accurately one of her could be seen standing on the back of a supervision platform barking out orders to the crew below, with a sign behind her reading. "Days Since Last Workplace Accident: 1".

Notably, she seemed completely unarmed, and even more.... unexpected... if you were expecting some kind of ambush here, is that there was no setup of the sort able to facilitate that. It would be a lie to state that there were no weapons on the premise period, but they were confined to a couple honor guards doing nothing standing 2 to a platform, to the north west, north east, south west, and south east. Using there robotic bodies to hold up the flag of the Sakura empire and remain unmoving with there equipment stowed....

And more disarmingly, or distressingly depending on just HOW dim your view of these girls was, was that for once Amagi could be seen outside of her normal position in the intelligence office, standing front and center on a boat to the west that seemed to be filled with civilians... civilians that were busy drinking beer, eating food, and just in general having a good time rather then being drawn here against there will.... they seemed to be here to watch the show.

Edited by Imca on Feb 19th 2020 at 3:37:48 AM

Pig Healing, Bisga

"Well, no harm done, Raphael." Inosuke shrugged weakly, his shoulder tingling up when the wound there was tended to. "If we beat them up too much, they can't spill, right? I ain't no interrogator, though. Don't think anyone back at the Corps was." Repentant demons? There were hardly any save for Nezuko, and if they were, they probably secluded themselves away from humans.

"...so do people just look like goats back at your place?" Might as well try and do some of that socializing thing while he was being patched up...

"Much as I can respect that-" And Rico just passed out from blood loss. Shigure decided to not finish the sentence, just shaking his head. Well, at least professionals could tend to him now. He saw Morgrim approach from the corner of his eye - and feel the limiter turn back on at her behest - but then the dark-skinned sage's words had him wondering. It seemed like it popped up a lot: the curiosity that "mere men" could withstand the horrors standing before them.

"The power of human spirit can do anything if you put enough work into it." He said with a nod, watching the healing process. "Because even if you do not have power, you have tenacity - and with enough tenacity, you can overcome any challenge before you." He looked at Gespenst overlooking his new base of operations, and then asking about a near portal to Akibahara so freely. No doubt Siluca wouldn't be pleased to hear that.

"Well, either way, our job here is done." Shigure rolled his neck slowly. "What do you folks say we grab a bite and then move on with our business?" He's been craving some clam ever since they started prying open Nightmare's shell, honestly...

To win at such a high loss that the victory is irrelevant... that would probably still be better than a complete loss, right? Not that Pyrrha could ever learn what became of Beacon and Vale, or of her friends... of Jaune... "...I wonder..." She hummed more to herself than to Wake, a melancholic look on her face for a time before she shook it off. She couldn't afford a pity party like that. There were things to be done.

"It doesn't matter now. I am starting anew here, and I can only hope things will be better this time." She concluded with a nod, refocusing her attention on the matters at hand. It sounded like this Bowsette was a threat the likes of which Gotham hadn't yet seen. Or perhaps not, given how weary Wake sounded when describing her, as if it was Tuesday. Certainly that kind of set of skills was nothing to scoff at, and she had powerful allies behind her too...

And unfortunately, it seemed like Wake had little love lost for the Akibahara. As a relative newcomer, Pyrrha could understand some of his issues with "Switzerland" (wonder what that meant), but at the same time, shouldn't they just work together to root out the big threat that Bowsette was? And apparently the murderer that Pathfinders were after was going to be shot into space by way of official execution.

Some small part of Pyrrha wondered how would a ship going into space even look like before curbing it right there. Chun-Li was requested by the Sakura representatives to attend the execution, and she with Krillin was supposed to go and help out with Bowsette. That arrangement suited the redhead just fine: they were still newcomers; no one would confuse them for Pathfinders, but mere outsiders who want to help. She hoped.

They were mounting a powerful enough force to assist Wake, at least. "Right. Let us not waste time then." Oh Brothers, why couldn't she offer Samus a reassuring hand squeeze? That just seemed like the cruelty of the world at large. "We'll see each other later, alright? Stay with Miss Chun-Li and make sure she's safe as well." Given how whimsical the Sakura were, Pyrrha wouldn't put it past them to try and do something to the Pathfinders' leader as well - especially if she would start demanding releasing Reiko.

If this Bowsette was as bad as they said, then perhaps it was a good thing that Barry wouldn't be joining them, at least. "Please take care, everyone." Thus Pyrrha moved out to join Wake and the group who would be assisting him.

Edited by FergardStratoavis on Feb 19th 2020 at 7:45:36 PM

Nightmare's Castle

Rico did not immediately respond to Lady. He seemed barely conscious, at least until Zazy got to him. Then he definitely looked like he was in pain as his skin knitted back up where Soul Edge had cleaved it from his body. Rico's armor (and clothing) remained damaged, but after Zazy was done his work his arm looked entirely pristine, like it had never been cut off.

"He was not the first person to offer me power in a bid to forestall his end," Rico grunted, his voice strained as he tried not to cry out in pain from just how damn much getting healed hurt. "He will not be the last. He used a new method, true, but it's all the same. He was trying to push back what happens to us all, in the end."

Edited by SpartyMcFly on Feb 19th 2020 at 5:52:45 AM

Monokuma and Junko Goons - Gotham Streets

With not really much of a clue as to what happened, besides seeing Reiko briefly and some sort of military vehicle, Monokuma and the goons eventually decided to drive away and back to Burnley, figuring those up ahead were likely heading to the graveyard portal.

Siluca - Nightmare Castle

It was somewhat surprising the golden-eyed man did not ask much in return for healing her to consciousness, though Siluca had no reason to complain about it.

When Gespenst asked about a possible nearby portal, the mage looked back towards the scythe-wielder expectantly, though briefly glanced at Rico on the ground. Her state had probably been similar not too long ago, though with Zazzy nearby, Rico would probably be healed in no time.

Maybe it was just her still recovering from her injuries, though she hadn’t quite thought about how she would get her people over here. Seeing as how Zasalamel and Tira had both come to Akihabara, Siluca assumed this castle was in relative reach, be it via land or through the portals, though she was certain it wasn’t anywhere her scouts had explored.

“Having a portal nearby would certainly help with transporting supplies and armaments to this place.”

Though, come to think of it, didn’t Shigure’s notice say something about Nightmare and his forces being present near Gotham and the Wastelands? Siluca had seen his notice a few times when checking the Adventurer’s Guild notice board over the course of the past month’s investigation. While it was something she took brief note of, she must have been too focused on figuring out how to fight the Britannians to remember that until now.

“Though now that I think of it,” Siluca said as she turned towards Shigure, “I imagine we might be able to use either the Wastelands or Gotham portal if there isn’t a closer one nearby, if Nightmare and his forces have been sighted in those locations.”

Scrooge - Gotham Portal Area

Scrooge looked at Alan with complete confusion. "How do ye know my nephew?" Did Donald have adventures in other worlds and never told him? If that was the case, the rich duck noted to chew that lad for costing some amazing business opportunity!

Then the mayor's helped explained the situation about how that Reiko woman was going to be executed in a very messed-up way. Scrooge didn't have any love lost for criminals, but that was simply inhuman! "Well, I can't just turn a blind eye to that." And thus Scrooge moved to follow the rescue group.

Edited by Alecoene on Feb 19th 2020 at 11:55:09 AM

Velvet rolled her eyes at Scratch's annoyance. "I don't work for you, I'm not one of your peons at the mayor's office. How I spent my time is no one's business but mine." Then she sighed. "I'll be there soon. You've been in a van with Astolfo before, you know exactly how fast he drives.

Which meant "Dangerously fast"

"Try not to die before I get there."

Which was as close to "Be careful" as Velvet was ever going to give out. Then she hung up, and wandered over to a bit of intact fencing near Shigure.

"So. It's done." She said as she turned, leaning against the wall as she crossed her arms and fixed her eyes on him. "We had a deal. I trust that you don't plan to back out at the last minute?"

Her eyes narrowed in that way that said doing that would be a really bad idea. Or maybe a good one, given this is Shigure, not a normal person.

Zazy looked first at Shigure, then Rico as they spoke.

"So I see......would that there had been more like you among the figures of my world, mayhaps Soul Edge would never have survived as long as it did."

He finishes his healing, and rises.

"That said, there will no doubt rise others who threaten this world. Some of who you have already doubtless encountered. As I said before, my role is not to act, but to watch. Observe. I have a....shall we say, a vested interest in observing the course of this world, and how it develops. Unique individuals, such as yourselves, are of particular interest to me. Whenever our paths are destined to cross again or not, I cannot say."

He turns to walk away, pausing for a moment.

"Do be wary. Should you continue to succeed as you are now, there are others on this world who will take notice. It is only when one flies high in the sky that ones wings can be burned off, and plummet to the earth below."

Then he walked away, over to Ges.

"As for you, if you are taking posession of the castle, there are things you should know. Firstly, Nightmare's former army was, by and large, comprised of mind controled minions, who should have regained their minds on the death of Soul Edge. I suspect most of them will wish to repay the one responsible for freeing them, and will willingly join with you. Some will have skill at combat, but their value will, for the most part, be relative to the tasks you assign them. Mostly, they will be good for manual labor and other tasks that would take up your time were you to do them yourself."

"Secondly, Nightmare had, on his castle grounds, a portal not unlike the one in the city we came from. His portal to Gotham exits in a different location. I have examined these curious devices, and it is within my power to connect the portal to others you know of, that being the city itself, and the wastelands which border this castle. Of course, portals work both ways, so think carefully before you agree."

"Lastly, the girl, the one who so quickly flocked to your service in the wake of her former master's death....."

Zazy looks over at Tira, who is currently having an animated conversation with several ravens, all of who are squawking at her.

"She is a curiosity of mine. Even for one as long lived as I, it is a true rarity to encounter one who holds two souls within them. After she knelt to Nightmare, and by extension Soul Edge, and pledged her loyalty, I made it my business to do some looking into her background, her history, what made her who she was. If you plan to keep her around, I am willing to share what I know of her with you, should you care to hear it."

As Zazy walked away, Lady looked at him, not really sure what to think about what he'd said. Then she looked down, checking over Rico to be sure the wounds looked healed.

"You ok? All healed now? He diden't do anything....weird to you, did he?"

She'd help Rico to his feet if he was feeling up to standing.

"Anyway, I don't have anything else planned for the day. Honestly, I thought this was going to take longer. What about you? Any other big plans for today I don't know about?"