A Game of Gods Season 3: Frontiers

Gotham S.T.A.R. Labs

"That isn't entirely true." Rosalina takes a sip of her tea. "We shook hands earlier, I'm still fine. Don't apply human standards to everyone, because I'm... a bit different. I know that not everyone here may be from the stars like me, but they come from all sorts of strange and wonderful places."

Setting down her teacup, she takes a moment to dip a cookie into it.

"I wouldn't give up so quickly. There are many people on this world, and many more appearing every day. You might be unable to properly interact with humans, elves, or animals from their worlds, but that doesn't lock you off from the rest. For now, at least. There is only one question to ask, though."

She bites her cookie, savoring it for a few seconds.

"Even if you think you can't stop being a... 'poison', why can't we try and help you control it?"

Nia and Pyra, Hill of Origin: A Resolution

Nia was tempted to back away from the pet, but the sympathy Pyra gave her changed her mind. They're stuck here until the "nascent will of the universe" just decides that it's satisfied and lets them go back home. And considering that the two have likely been around for ten years (as far as they know), who knows when that time will come? Pyra, ever the optimist, reassured her Driver, "Don't worry, Nia. We'll make this work out."

"Don't you want to go back to your home?"

"I do, but there's not much we can do now. Nothing except to live in this new world and to explore it."

Nia sighed as she looked back at her Blade and the two denizens. She had to accept her situation now. Even if she's used to living on the outskirts and in the slums, she didn't want to drag Pyra with her to them. This is going to be one hell of a learning experience, she thought. She made her decision on where to go, "We'll try that Port Eagle place and figure things out from there. What do you think, Pyra?"

The Aegis nodded her head in response. "That sounds fine with me."

A growling broke up the somber-ish scene. The familiar feeling of hunger overtook the Gormotti. "Before we do, you know any places where we can eat?"

Edited by Ore-O on Jun 12th 2021 at 12:51:14 PM

Frontier Medical Center - Nightingale

First, came the gasps!

Then came the 'Oh my~' and blushes.

And finally, came the completely unamused -_- face.

Two of which came from the hospital's collective staff while the other belonged to a certain nurse who has thoughts about being carried over like this.

Still, Nightingale persevere. And when at last her gift was upon her...

She nestled it in-between her two hands under her chest, safeguarding it. Her objective is achieved and once Prinz Eugen has spoken, it was the Berserker's turn to speak up.

"I should punish you." Dun-dun-duuuuun! Now that Prinz have nothing to bribe the nurse with, she's left to her mercy. "How fortunate that today happens to be my break. There won't be a second time."

... She's been making an awful lot of exceptions for today.

"I already gave my word. That's as much of an assurance that you're going to get." The nurse made herself comfortable sitting onto the bed. "... And it should go without saying, but I expect you to not retire yourself by then."

A beat.

"Just for the bear."

The Fifth Laboratory

As it turns out while the facility indeed seems inactive from the outside, the inside is anything but; with lights still on(though only dimly) the deeper they enter within. Further investigations into the many rooms reveals that the place appears to have been cleared beforehand; only thing left behind were dust, small pipes along the edges of the ceiling and leftover equipment. There weren't even many notes and documents laying around.

Almost as if the place had been stripped clean, after it has served its purposes.

Even without these however, it's abundantly clear that something sketchy is definitely going on here. And soon enough, they came upon a clearing- a central room of sorts, brightly-lit and complete with a transmutation circle on the floor.◊ On some of the little circles at the outer layer, there were traces of dried blood. And before the transmutation circle, lays another entrance leading deeper inside the facility- or underground, as it looks like.

As they entered the room however, they would not be alone. There was a clank-clank of iron clinking with steel before said presence revealed itself as some tall armored dude with a sword.◊

"... I was expecting intruders." he sighed, almost disappointed, relaxing his blade and bloodlust. "Still. Rare enough I get to see the leader of the country and legendary swordsman, in the flesh. If we weren't so hopelessly outmatched, I would've liked to test my mettle."

He makes no move, though he does cast a curious gaze at Mr. Wake.

Maria, Kaibadome

"I'm okay with you setting something up," Maria nodded to Tawna.

Chun-Li, Club Murciélago, 10 Years And One Day Ago

Chun-Li held up a finger to Mystique, as if to tell her to wait a moment. She played along with Falcone. Chun-Li wanted to get the eventual fight with these thugs to a place where innocent people wouldn't be harmed. Once she was away from innocent people, she smiled...

And Chun-Li started demolishing Falcone's armed goons, quickly trying to knock them out with her martial arts skills before they pull out their weapons. They were the ones who appeared armed, so they would be the ones that Chun-Li would try to take out first. If things went well, Mario Falcone would be the only one left who was still conscious.

Near the Seafang

"Dohoho, treasure? Why of course, that is the life of an adventurer and sorceress, after all - wherever monsters rampage, I'm there to take them down. Where ancient treasures glitter, I'm there to claim them. And where an enemy rises to face me - victory will be mine."

Naga puts her hands firmly on her hips and puffs out her chest as she proclaims that, practically shouting it as a challenge to the world at large.

"If you require the safety of traveling in the safety of my shadow, I could not turn down such a humble request - but fiiiiiiirst...."

She quickly scurries around to pry whatever crystals, fancy-looking magical circuits, or even just sufficiently-shiny pieces of metal she could quickly hoist and throw into her veritable bag of holding, and then floats back over.

"Now then. No great victory is complete without a visit to the tavern!"

Frontier Medical Center

"Fufufu, is that so?" Eugen's mouth curled up into a tight, barely-perceptible, minor smile rather than her typical smirk. The tips of her shoes skewed towards each other by an inch, and she leaned in somewhat. She slowly licked her lips as she looked straight ahead at the nurse, deep in thought. She had made this bed, it was only appropriate she face whatever her fate would be today when-

"Oh."

Her eyebrows rose a smidgen, and she leaned back until she was at her full height, putting her hands on her hips.

"Well then, I will take my stay of execution with pride - today."

She briefly sits down on the corner of the mattress - even if she knows that the simple action of putting one's weight on the comforter will make it wrinkle ever-so-slightly and require being adjusted before they could dare leave - and presses her knuckles together, her hands in half-open fists.

"Well that is quite ze easy demand to grant - while there has never been a shortage of those eager to point out my flaws and weakness, no one has ever accused me of being soft or weak - in body, or mind. Perhaps I am stubborn, perhaps a glutton for punishment, perhaps, even, simply lucky; but I do not go down quite so easily. I can agree to such an agreement quite readily.... Just for ze bear."

She winks.

"Now, I believe there was talk of getting lunch, yes?"

Dark Samus (Gotham S.T.A.R. Labs)

"...Controlling it was what one of my wishes was for, and it gave me my armor in response." Samus answered, though she still looked like she wanted to believe Rosalina. "Back...then...they trusted me. Krillin. Chun-Li. I didn't know what to call that feeling then, but I still liked it. If I can truly master myself, and keep it at bay...then I could experience that with more people."

"It's going to be hard...but I want to try." She said, looking Rosalina in the eyes. "I want to do this."

Sonia Belmont (Near the Seafang)

"Of course they do..." Sonia said, sighing and finally giving in to the urge to pinch her forehead in frustration. Still, she'd made the offer, she could at least wait to hear what the captain had to say.

Tawna (Kaibadome)

"Sure thing." Tawna said with a smile, and ushered the woman inside to let her get a look at the terminal as she fiddled around with it. "What're you feeling? I'm more of a vehicle gal myself, but if you want to try something on-foot, just say the word."

The third arrival pulled his face from the dirt and finally woke up too. Unlike the two sleeping beauties before him, he looked more like zombie getting up. With blank eyes he stared off into space as he blinked the sleep out. It took a few minutes for him to think to finally wipe the drool from his mouth. A few more to finally stand up and scratch his ass. He yawned and stretched as he took in his surroundings. Before him were the fruits of labor of the people of the Frontier. He had only one thing to say confronted with that.

"God, what a dump."

He took one last big stretch to get the last of the drowsiness out then pulled his bracelet to his face and tried to open communication channels that no longer existed.

"Hey QT. Where the hell are we? QT? Hey pick up! Meow? I swear if you guys are just screening me..."

Slowly it seemed realization of his situation donned on the man. A look of horror crossed his face. He frantically began searching his person before pulling out a comb. With deft skill he worked his magic until his pompadour was perfect. The floor ain't no place for a dandy man. A do like his required love and care before it could be presentable. Satisfied with the results, he smiled smugly and exclaimed.

"Crisis averted."

He caught bits and pieces of what the blue haired girl was saying to the other chick. So they were supposed to play baby sitter to some cosmic being or something? That sounded like a pain in the ass. Kids are the worst, so god kids had to be infinitely worse right? But it also sounded like this whole thing would blow over if he did absolutely nothing, so it was his kind of job.

Admittedly he wasn't really paying attention. He was too busy checking out the assets on the red head in the mini mini skirt. How is that little thing supposed to keep in all that booty!? His leering of the Blade wasn't exactly subtle as he looked on, admiring what can only be described as art.

The blue hair ain't too bad either. Though she seemed to be a robot which made it kind of weird. He ain't the the type to discriminate. Booty is booty baby. He knew organic woman packing more silicon then the blue haired number here. But text to speech wasn't exactly made for pillow talk if you catch his drift. So lets just call her plan B.

The man with the pompadour moseyed on over to the ladies, mustering up all the swagger he could. Once in view, he stuck up a pose to get the red head's attention and locked eyes with her.

"I hear you are new around here. How about I show you around baby?"

There was a fatal flaw in that plan, not that he cared. If he he even noticed there were two other girls besides the Blade and the robot, he didn't show it.

Nia and Pyra, Hill of Origin: Angry Welsh Catgirl Noises

Both the girls from Alrest noticed that they were not the only ones that came here. Some incredibly flamboyant guy with the strangest hair showed up from the tree. And then he started to flirt with Pyra. The first thing he did on this strange new world that he's stuck in was to hit on someone (not that they are aware that he's been to other worlds). Flustered at the man's confidence, unfounded or not, the Aegis attempted respond, "Um... Uh... Aren't you lost too?"

Indeed, that fatal flaw reared her furry head. Nia glared at the pompadoured pervert and made her statement known, "Oi, I've got a direction for you: back to whatever hole you crawled out of!"

Shocked at her Driver's sudden rush to her defense, Pyra couldn't respond before Nia continues, "Also, what kind of hairstyle is that? It looks like you took the biggest pile of Armu shite you could find and stuck it on your head."

Pyra look at KOS-MOS and the small child on with a sense of awkwardness and embarrassment, holding herself back to avoid covering the latter's ears. If she had known that her Driver could be this... profane, she would have stopped it earlier.

Edited by Ore-O on Jun 2nd 2021 at 3:21:02 PM

Gotham S.T.A.R. Labs

"Is that so? That technology will be a useful first step for you then. How effective is it meant to be?"

Rosalina took a long sip of her tea as she looked Dark Samus's armor over.

"Those are some rather well-connected people in Gotham. I could see why them seeing you in not quite the most favorable light may cause you trouble. But I have my own connections." She strokes her chin in thought for a moment. "I don't suppose you'd want to do the weather reports in the morning...."

She sets her hand down again, slowly, tapping the table once.

"Well, it's just an idea. But it seems as though you'll have to do something about your public perception if that's the case."

King Bradley (Mystique )—-Fifth laboratory.

King Bradley looked around the place with a frown. Inside she was smiling. There was only one word that could describe her feelings. “Jackpot!”

True they didn’t find the secret, but they got the second-best thing. The proof that Alan’s intuition was right on the money.

But before she could say to Alan, “You were right you clever boy,” an armored warrior make himself known. And judging by his reaction, he was on the side of Amestris and the king.

“If I am in need of a workout, I might indulge you. But, for now, I have more pressing matters to require my attention.”

He puts his two hands before he's back, to give the impression he is confident and relaxed.

“If You want a job well done you have to do it yourself,” King Bradley replied with her hands on his backs. “This project is too important to leave any loose ends.”

Of course, she had no idea about anything, but a good liar always played along. And his passing interest in Alan didn’t go unnoticed, She glanced at the man and then at Alan.

“Yout must be curious about my companion, aren’r you? As you know, I am a very busy man, so I am appointing Emil Zane to supervise progress on my behalf. Strictly off the books of course.”

Club Murciélago (ten years and one day ago)

“Ok, But don’t think I will forget that you still owe me an answer.” The mutants shrug but don’t follow Chun li.

Instead, once she leaves, the only thing she has to say is “have fun.” In Raven’s mind punching, random thugs were just a stress reliever, and Chun li didn’t need her help.

Now into the VIP lounge. Chun li would find herself in a comfortable and luxurious area with blue lights … Or it would be if it wasn’t for the fact that the place was now filled with 20 hired thugs, all unconscious on the floor thanks to Chun Li’s martial art prowess.

Once she was done, Falcone would clap sarcastically. “Well, well If you wanted to impress me you succeeded. I do like strong women. Who doesn’t like a woman that can kick ass.”

It’s at this point that he starts removing his shirt, to show he is surprisingly buff for a mob boss.

He then makes a defensive stance, one Chun Li would recognize as one of the fighting styles known as …box.

'''“This city is infested with lunatics. People dressed in bat costumes, clowns... .Did you really think I wouldn’t be prepared for a fight? I paid for the best self-defense teachers money can buy. So why don’t you take a sit and be my playmate before you get hurt, babe?” '''

Edited by FallenLegend on May 27th 2021 at 5:59:46 AM

Gotham, Coventry Rooftop: You Won't make Him Sing...but He Might Squeal A Little Bit!

The Riddler spotted the chipper officer's sudden manicure, and deeply regretted it. With a shriek rivaling a fifties-era housewife spotting a mouse, the Rogue flinched in terror as the razor sharp nails ripped straight through...the straps to his jetpack.

Determined to recover the masculinity he'd just lost, the Riddler turned towards Arcuied with steam spewing from his nostrils. "If I said I built it myself, I built it myself! And what's it to you where I acquired the materials?! It's not like you would be able to build something half as sophisticated as that!"

"Kinda a moot point when she's already mastered the air walking technique." Krillin smiled and shrugged. "At the rate she's been training, she'll be flying in no time!"

"You're completely missing the point, Supercop." the Rogue sneered at his pint-sized captor. "Not that I expected much from you to begin with."

Krillin's smile shriveled away, replaced with a small but stubborn frown; this jerk had pressed the "Supercop" button one too many times.

"Yeah. Well, speaking of expectations, I'm sure there's a room in Arkham with your name on it. Time we brought you back there."

"WHAT?!"

The cry was so loud and so sudden that the veteran officer jumped a full step back in surprise...though Arc would no doubt find nothing unusual about that reaction—Krillin was a jumpy guy.

"I can't go back to there! If you need to throw me away, then send me to Blackgate. I'm a criminal Super—Sergeant Krillin, not a lunatic!"

That's not what your record suggests. the officer thought, but chose to take the high road. "Blackgate Penitentiary isn't the safest environment for you, Mr. Riddler. It's full of former henchmen of your old rivals; some of them might hold some serious grudges against you, and we don't want you to get hurt."

"If you send me back to Arkham I promise that I'll get hurt! Don't tell me you haven't heard the stories. The crumbling shack has never been the same since that bitch stuffed it with her experiments! From what I hear it's worse than a prison, now—it's a goddamn hunting ground for those monsters!"

Krillin had heard the odd rumor or two about Arkham Asylum. While it had been severely damaged a few weeks before he arrived on the Frontiers, the Mayor had seen to rebuilding the asylum to full functionality in a matter of just a few months. Partly because Arkham had developed into something of a necessity for the city's wellbeing—it was where many of Gotham's Rogues called home, after all—but mostly because the building had been seized by an Outsider looking for an antique estate, and the moron had decided to release nearly all the patients to the streets because they were cramping the Victorian vibe. Reports claim that this short-sighted Outsider was the reason the asylum was attacked in the first place; guess he got what was coming to him, but still...

Of course, no rush job lives up to expectations. Supposedly the material used for construction were cheap by facility standards, and the contractors specialized in building mansions for wealthy big wigs, not housing for mentally ill patients. In short, the decrepit former estate had been replaced with a Mc Mansion, with all the flaws it entailed.

But that's not what the Riddler was talking about—he was talking about the victims of Miss Junko Enoshima, a sociopath who had begun accumulating power in Gotham soon after it arrived on the Frontiers. At first, her "Global Liberation Army" had presented itself as a Gotham nationalist sect, whose only real goal was to rid the city of the Outsiders they claimed were trying to seize Gotham for themselves, but it didn't take long for their true colors to show: they just wanted power, and one of the quickest routes to power is through fear and intimidation. After years of being considered an isolated threat, Junko orchestrated a multi-city terrorist strike on Gotham, Akihabara, and San Fransokyo, which shot her straight to the top of the GCPD's and the Pathfinders' Most Wanted list. It took nearly a decade of searching, reacting, and recovering from attacks big and small, but a group of Pathfinders managed to track Miss Enoshima down—only to watch her take her own life just to spite them.

If only that were the end of the story. As it turned out, Miss Enoshima was a fan of playing twisted little "games" with innocent people. Many of her victims never survived, but those that did were never the same; no wonder they'd end up in a place like Arkham. Despite his stance on rehabilitation and civil justice reform, Mayor Travers hadn't done much to improve the asylum's treatments apart from encouraging its manager to hire more (humane) Outsider staff; the Mayor's mission was to give street thugs and Rogue henchmen a fresh start and an honest living, not to help those with mental illness. So while things at Blackgate had been slowly turning for the better, those in Arkham would likely never see the light of day...and one big point in contrast between Miss Enoshima and the infamous Joker was their mortality rate. The former sought to bring others to despair, the latter just killed people for fun. One method left broken people with arguably broken sanity, the other just left bodies. After years of running amuck, it didn't surprise Krillin to think there were more than a few of Miss Enoshima's victims locked up in Arkham. But the bloodlust Mr. Nigma was suggesting...that had to be made up.

The pint-sized officer sighed. "It's up to the judge to decide where you'll go. Arc and I—"

"Can help strike a deal with the D.A. if I plead guilty and cooperate, correct?" the Riddler said, practically chomping at the bit. "I can tell you how I got the materials for my jetpack. There's an arms dealer right here in the city—sells all sorts of things you don't want your average knuckle-dragging mugger to get their paws on. Get me into Blackgate, and I'll tell you everything you need to know. I'll even be nice and use short words so you'll know what I mean."

Krillin opened his mouth to speak, only to immediately close it; only to gesture that it wasn't their place to make these kinds of promises...only to scratch the back of his head when he realized they could probably speak to the chief and get this deal on the table. In the end, he looked to his partner to ask what she was thinking.

Wulfrik, Seafang

-Wulfrik stares as one of the women requests to join his crew. Then he blinks once or twice and grins.-

Do you now. And what condition are these?

Fifth Laboratory/"Underground"

The armored guard stared on, his visor betraying nothing. As it turns out, without any outward motion or facial features, it's almost impossible to gauge out what exactly he's thinking.

Then he skulked back to wherever he was. There's none of him to do, the entrance theirs to enter.

Upon entryway, they would find themselves within interlocking tunnels. Tunnels that, as they descend deeper and were they to keep track of their elevation, they would find themselves below street level; up above. The sewers.

Pipes and steams are about, here. Countless, countless pipes, top and ceiling, all interconnected and leading somewhere along with sewage waters at the side. Up above should their eyes turn up, there were gratings above and.... things and shapes crawling about. Multitudes of them, with hints of tail and claw and eyes hidden beneath the darkness. Eyes staring down at those that entered...

Frontier Medical Center - Nightengale

Nightingale's passive look was in stark contrast to her holding ze bear with both hands closely. Satisfied with Eugen's answer, she... placed her hard-won prize onto a nearby desk overseeing the windows to the world outside.

And stood closely to the side of the bed, waiting for Eugen to get off just so she could make it again. That's the one thing that the botegirl will have to get used to.

"Yes. And we'll walk and drive there." Her voice brook no argument for the repeat of Eugen's last stunt.

Frontier Medical Center -> Guildwards

"Hmph, yes, yes, I get ze idea." Eugen sits up and smooths the cover up a tad before stepping away to let Gale finish the job to her standards.

While waiting, she leans in low, pressing her face juuuuust shy of the stuffed bear's, and trying to follow its gaze. Sentry duty, she thinks, and nods.

"Aha, yes, walking. Perhaps I was a bit... eager... earlier. If it will make you feel better, you can always return ze favor all ze way to ze Adventurer's Guild, yes?"

She gives the nurse a teasing wink, and then hold out an arm.

"Regardless, it is a nice day, and such a short trip, we could go there on foot."

Fifth Laboratory, Pipelines: Down, Spot

There were times in Wake's life when he would confidently walk face-first into a mistake: a misplaced word here, a poorly-interpreted move there, something he said or did often had the luck of pissing someone off, and it was only when the pissed-off party had a violent streak that said luck became bad luck. In a single sentence, he once suggested that a vulture like Giovanni was on the same level as the murderer of Maneater's family...which led the Lord of Calamity just short of devouring him then and there. In these streaks of bad luck, the Chief Adviser could trust his silver tongue to at least get him away from the edge he'd be dangled over; he always worked better under pressure, after all.

But then there were times when Wake was absolutely correct, when he really didn't want to be—and it was in these times that he felt most compelled to stuff a foot in his mouth.

As he followed the Führer deeper into the facility, the void that enveloped him soon began to fade. Wake suppressed a groan, knowing full well what the dim-but-still-illuminated hallway meant; not because the full stretch of his power would be off the table, but because he knew the military wasn't footing the electric bill for a facility they decommissioned years ago. "The Lion's Den" was right, and despite his companion's assurance that they were the hunters in this story, Wake had more than a few doubts. Even if that were the case, what could two hunters do against a pride of thousands? Perhaps hundreds of thousands, if not more?

Wake didn't dare approach the sigil etched into the ground, even as its guardian revealed himself. Too many thoughts were running through the Chief Adviser's head to pay the samurai much heed—which might've been a blessing in disguise, since the list of similarities between the swordsman and a certain chopper wasn't exactly short. The last thing Wake needed right now was the revelation he was walking though Fun Barry's hometown. He'd probably break character and flip his fucking lid!

So with both eyes studying the markings on the ground (and only giving the samurai a short glance, as if to ask "are you done?"), "Emil Zane" followed the Führer deeper into this labyrinth...thankfully through an area with plenty of shade. Once he felt they'd made it a safe distance in^note  about 500 feet within this dark maze of pipes, the Chief Adviser would stop walking to look at the grating above them—and to the three-headed hound snarling down at them.

No, not at them. At him.

"Chimeras, I take it?" Wake smirked as he raised a hand, as if to grasp the metal wires well beyond his reach. "Let's see if these ones can talk."

With a sudden yank of his outstretched hand, the grate sheltering the Cerberus ripped from its place with a loud CLANG! that would echo throughout the labyrinth. The shift was too fast for the beast to counter—it lost its equilibrium, and slammed into the grounded grate. It growled in defiance, despite the presence of one of its master's children, and slowly raised itself to charge the bastard who'd dared take the first strike.

Though it'd be surprised (if such a creature could be surprised) to find that the man in the suit had not made a break for it, but had come closer to it. Fixing six eyes on the man's two, the Cerberus noticed how white the assailant's teeth seemed to be, and how his eyes seemed to shine with something even in the dark.

"Your Excellency," the man grinned, even as he kept his stare with the chimera "wanna see something cool?"

He didn't wait for a response. One moment the Cerberus could see the man's eyes shine with some predatory excitement, the next those eyes were blacker than the darkness enveloping them. Those white teeth shrouded themselves in some kind of inky aura, one that spewed forth like a torrent to surround the startled chimera. To clutch it, strangle it, drown it in the void emanating from the man's mouth and eyes—until the creatures six eyes could see nothing else.

And then, amidst its panicked spasms to get away from something horrifically intangible, the thing fell to the ground. One might mistake the poor monster for being dead—and in a very real sense, it was—but things that die aren't known for getting back up immediately afterwards, or sitting patiently in front of its killer, or wagging its tail as said killer chuckled and scratched behind one of its ears.

"I'm no magician, but I don't reveal all my tricks."

It was an honest statement, one directed at the woman behind the disguise. Over the past decade, Raven had learned a lot about Mr. Scratch: that he was a being of darkness who could manipulate its force at will, so long as a strong light source didn't intercept him and his target; that he had an uncanny way of finding out all sorts of improbable facts and histories, to the point that his sensitivity to the environment sometimes bordered on the supernatural; that he had adopted the life of best-selling author Alan Wake as his own, and longed for a wife who thought "he" was long dead. But there had never been a good reason to bring up the Taken.

Just as Raven had learned much about Mr. Scratch, the Chief Adviser had learned enough about the Mutant to recognize she wouldn't approve of his toys. Raven valued equity and equal rights to all, no matter how impoverished or oppressed. She stuck up for the little guy, but she was more than happy to kick the top dog in the balls if it meant they'd start treating those beneath them with the respect they rightfully deserve. She considered herself a rogue and a terrorist (at least to some extent), but her misdeeds had good intentions behind them. She was an antihero who wasn't afraid of killing, but rarely did so and never without a purpose. She'd never appreciate the fun of watching the life (and light) leave a victim's eyes as the Darkness consumed them, encapsulated them, and transformed them into foot soldiers to be stationed, deployed, and possibly killed wherever one wished. The psycho life just wasn't for her!

Once again, Wake turned his attention to the grating above them. He stretched his arms wide, as if to welcome the chimera to avenge their fallen brother—only for the same fallen brother to kill them at its new master's command.

"Anyone else want to snarl at me? Hmmm?"

Perhaps it was a pointless exercise...or perhaps the invitation was just another example of Wake's "bad luck" just waiting in the wings.

Edited by TheodoreHastings on Jun 2nd 2021 at 6:16:31 AM

Now that is a cute reaction. Just his type. Seriously, he is so done with frigid angry women wanting to kick his ass. Upon hearing the red head's reply, the man could only shake his head and chuckle.

"You are getting hung up on the details, baby. You can't go expecting maps in life. You want to know what is out there? No one can tell you (well maybe this blue haired chick). You got to go and experience it yourself. Life's an adventure with no guarantees. One day you are charting your way through space, the next you are face down in some god's day care. The only thing you can do is choose the company you want to weather this crazy storm with."

He flashed her a smile and a wink. Now was the time to go in for the kill. He took a step toward the pretty little lady, only to take two steps back as some sassy kid got in his face. The cat eared girl's initial comment may not have had the desired effect, as he seemed more confused about who the hell this girl was and why he was bothering him. Can't she see he was trying to hook up with the obviously hotter of the two? The second comment was a direct hit however.

He tensed up as the kid had the gall to insult his hair. He tried to keep up appearances, be cool and dandy. But the vein bulging on his fore head or the grinding of his teeth weren't exactly subtle tells of how he really felt. He leaned forward so he and the cat girl's face were at the same level. He made the sort of face typical with Japanese delinquents.◊ You know, the kind of face where you weren't completely sure if they were trying to intimidate you or were simply constipated.

"Hey...there is some lines you just don't cross, yeah? Making fun of a guy's hair is one of them. Besides...YOU THINK I AM GOING TO TAKE FASHION CRITIQUE FROM SOME KID IN A ONESIE!?"

Nia and Pyra, Hill Of Origin: Pyra the Peacemaker

The spacefarer's glare had only invited the Driver of the Aegis to fire back with a stare of her own◊. She leans forward, her hands balled up as she heard the sentence. The comment about her attire didn't do much to rile her up, but the age part made up for it. "I bet you're a real lonely man, if that's your first talk with a lady!"

Before this could escalate any further, Pyra let out an audible "Ahem!" to both of them. Her unamused expression clearly read out "knock it off" without another word. There doesn't need to be an argument, especially since there's more pressing matters at hand. But just in case, Pyra vocalized herself. "We shouldn't be at each other's throats right now. I know you have good intentions, Nia, but I can take care of myself if he does something inappropriate. I don't want you to do something you would regret."

She turned her eyes to the Dandy from Space, her stern look now on him, like a mother scolding two unruly teenagers. "That goes for you too. I understand that you're trying to help out, but I think you shouldn't flirt right away. It doesn't make a good first impression."

Nia, on her end, is hesitant to drop it. She didn't know what this arsehole had planned with Pyra and the latter felt too trusting for her own good. The Gormotti's glare started to lessen in intensity before she took a few steps back, provided that the pompadoured man does the same. One sigh later and she complied. "Fine. I'll back off."

The Aegis turned to the two bystanders and bowed her head. "I'm sorry that you had to witness that. If I known what was coming, I would have stopped this earlier."

Edited by Ore-O on Jun 13th 2021 at 2:16:11 PM

Dark Samus (Gotham S.T.A.R. Labs)

"It's meant to keep people from touching me. And considering I fight best at a distance, it serves that purpose if someone closes the gap." Samus answered, looking at herself. "If not the armor itself, then the Phazon bubbling to the surface. It's not pleasant for others to touch."

"If I'm to deviate from Her...I should try to be more social?" She said, as if asking rather than confirming, and the Phazon itself seemed to have thoughts about this given the way it gurgled as some of it slithered into view from her shoulders.

Sonia (Near the Seafang)

"The first one should be obvious. I want as little to do with him as possible." Sonia said, eyes glancing towards Barry before looking back at Wulfrik. "I'll do whatever work is asked of me in exchange for safe passage, but I reserve the right to abstain from the more religious aspects of it. If...when battles should arise, my whip will be at your service."

Wulfrik, Seafang

-Wulfrik ponders it, then nods. That the woman refuses to partake in the rituals of Chaos is of little consequence, the inverted elves having remained aboard far longer with no divine retaliation, while her enmity with the Chopper may be useful to keep him in line.-

Then we have an agreement, barring one formality. Come.

-Wulfrik goes to the prow, and pats the wooden dragon's head.-

Draw your blood, and let the ship drink of it. You'll agree that your joining has little use if the ship refuses to move when a stowaway hasn't paid for passage.

Mystique—-Fifth Laboratory/"Underground”

”By all means, I could use some amusement after a stressful day,” King Bradley replies with a smirk.

One of the drawbacks of a disguise was that to play in-character is that she couldn’t tell her real opinions. Not without a double meaning that only Scratch would understand that is. One could never tell who might be eavesdropping.

But while the King seemed to almost emotionless, inside She had the widest of smiles. While both lacked the power of destruction like the likes of Naga, or Krillin, but they still far made it up with the power of lies and deception. Perhaps that's what made them more dangerous than any of the others that had arrived at the hill of origin.

King Bradley stared at the chimeras with a frown. While Mr. Scracth used his powers of darkness. He had to pretend she wasn’t impressed and perhaps a little shaken.

Not unlike a hunter going with their hounds. A dog may be loyal to a hunter, and they may even cheer once they use their powerful jaws to pierce the flesh of any prey. A hunter might be wise to remember and be grateful those teeth are on his side.

“A quite impressive display of Alchemy, Mr. Zane.” The “king of Amestris” said. “I knew you would be perfect for this job.”

And then came the double meaning she used to talk with him when she was in disguise.

“Once Magic gets understood it becomes as mundane as alchemy. Just a mere science. The mystique of power, the allure of the unknown. You could say magic is precisely what makes magic so powerful.”

Instead of attacking, like Alan, the king put his hands behind his back. As if the task at hand was just beneath him. It was of course just Mystique’s best guess at what the real king would do.

“I think the message is clear,” he said to support Alan’s threat. He frowned at the inhuman creatures in front of them.

“Unless you want to learn why I am the leader of this country.—I want to know-how is responsible for this.”

What was in Alan’s mind was true. Perhaps Mystique wouldn’t kill without any good reason or at least without having something gain. Be it chance or a mere coincidence the reason brought them together all those years ago, one thing was true all the same:

They were both creatures of darkness.

Maria, Kaibadome

"Oh right, you are a racer," Maria thought about it for a moment. "I'm more of a physical fighter, though I do know how to control the vehicles that are in the Frontiers."

"I would like to practice my fighting skill, but maybe you can teach me more about racing," Maria looked at Tawna, curious.

Chun-Li, Club Murciélago, Ten Years & One Day Ago

Chun-Li frowned as she looked over Mario Falcone as if she was thinking about something, "Alright..."

"Your men are fine," Chun-Li stated bluntly, as she sat down on one of the couches. "They are just knocked out."

"You want a date, then you've got a date," Chun-Li smirked at Mario Falcone. "But if I'm not satisfied, I still can have just as much fun fighting as partying."

Chun-Li sounded absolutely confident of that last statement.

Gotham S.T.A.R. Labs

"Well, that would be a difference, certainly."

Rosalina slowly sips her tea.

"But you shouldn't be so focused on doing the opposite of her. No one is perfect - but no one is imperfect, either. She had her strengths and flaws, her loves and hates and those who loved and hated her, her moments of happiness and sadness - just like anyone. To be a separate entity from her doesn't mean you should strive to be her exact antithesis. Just be... you."

She nods.

"It's good to learn from her example to know how you can steer the course of your own life. And starting by appreciating the smaller things in life, and learning how to fit into this world... that's a good direction to take."

Hill of Origin

KOS-MOS looked upon the trio of newcomers with a beatific smile, especially as redhead intervened before she could herself. "There is no need to apologize, Pyra," she assured, "However, I appreciate your level-headedness and your willingness to intervene in conflict. Likewise, Nia, I think your drive to protect your friend is commendable. And Dandy, I think your ability to take things in stride is praiseworthy, and I know someone very close to me who would very much agree with your outlook on life. Now, Nia and Pyra were just asking me about places to get food. The Adventurer's Guild has both food and job postings, and I know the owners of one of the restaurants well, so perhaps I will be able to get you a free meal there. First, however..."

Momoka stepped in, having dashed back over to her table and retrieved another smartphone and charging cord. "Ummmm, Mister Dandy, here! Please take these! They might be a little less advanced than you're used to, but I don't know if your communicator will be compatible with the technology of this era... Also, if you all are hungry, you can have some of the refreshments from my table! That's what they're there for, after all!"

"While that is certainly true, Momoka, I'm planning on taking them to C.C.'s. Perhaps it would be better to let them box some food up for later?" KOS-MOS suggested.

"Okay~!" the turquoise-haired girl hastened back over to her post and pulled out several small boxes, then laid them on the table, letting the newcomers drop in as much fruit/baked goods/etc. as they cared to. "I'll get these delivered to your new residences for you!" Momoka chirped.

Once they were finished, KOS-MOS reached over to pat the munchkin on the head. "Thank you very much, Momoka! I will see you later. Have a good day!"

"Oh, you're welcome! You have a good day as well, Miss KOS-MOS! Bye-bye, everyone~!"

"Now," the gynoid continued, turning to the trio, "If the three of you will please follow me..."

Adventurer's Guild, C.C.'s Pizza

KOS-MOS led Dandy, Nia, and Pyra down the hill, across the river, and through the streets of Akihabara to the Advenurer's Guild. An attentive guide, she happy to answer their questions as they walked, and was deft in pointing out important landmarks such as THE KAIBADOME and the transit portal, the latter close to the building they were headed to. After entering the Guild Hall building, rather than following the signs to the food court area, they instead turned down a nearby hallway and came to a stop a short distance away, at the wide wooden door of a place whose neon green sign declared itself "C.C.'s Pizza and Grill".

A sign hung in the door's upper window also declared "CLOSED", but KOS-MOS didn't let that stop her as she began knocking loudly and steadily on the door. At just the moment when her raps seemed to be for naught, the door opened and a golden-eyed, green-haired woman peeked out. "Can't you read?" she groused with some amount of venom, "We're not op— Oh!"

The woman opened the door more fully, revealing both her attire◊ and a glimpse of the rooms inside. "You're here pretty early today, Miss Vice-President! If you'd told me you were coming, I'd have been ready for you! What's the occasion?"

"These are Pyra, Nia, and Dandy. The three of them are newly arrived from the Hill of Origin," Vice-President KOS-MOS explained, indicating her charges with a smile, "They were hungry, so I thought I would treat them to some of the best food The Frontiers have to offer."

"Treating them?" the verdant-haired woman snorted, "It's not like you would need to pay; everyone knows the first meal for newcomers is free. Besides, just like how you didn't call ahead just to annoy me, now you're trying to butter me up, so you obviously want something. What is it?"

"It was an honest compliment, C.C.," KOS-MOS rejoined, still smiling as she pronounced the name C2.

"Fine, fine..." the amber-eyed woman sighed, "I can't say you aren't a pleasant surprise, at least. Well, don't just stand there; come in, already!" She moved aside, and the blunette guide held the door open for her trio of followers.

The interior of C.C.'s Pizza and Grill was cozy, but refined. The entrance was elevated, lending a view of most of the space to our quartet of customers, with wooden stairs leading left to end at an empty wooden reception desk (from which C.C. grabbed a set of menus as she passed) with bowls of mints and toothpicks and an alcove for customers to wait during busy hours. Indeed, well-polished, dark brown wood was the predominating feature of the style, though the seats were cushioned with velvety-soft, lime green pillows, from the booths to chairs at the center tables to the plush recliners by the currently-unlit fireplace in the corner. Also of note was the grand piano against the wall, on the same side of the room as the fireplace. Although the instrument was unmanned at the moment, some smooth, classic jazz was being pumped through the speakers in the ceiling above.

"Fire up the oven! We've got special customers today!" the proprietoress called back to the kitchen.

"Already?!" a deep male voice replied, "But it's not even-"

"No griping! Just do it, on the double now!"

"Yeah, yeah..."

"Sit wherever you want; it doesn't matter to me," C.C. said, turning back to her customers and gesturing across the space.

Dark Samus (Gotham S.T.A.R. Labs)

"..."

After trying and failing to give a response to this repeatedly, Samus frowns in a frustrated manner.

"I don't know who I am. I know I'm a hunter. A fighter. But beyond that...that's why I am here. To figure it out." She said, before getting up and pacing around the room, having to consciously focus on keeping her feet on the ground in her state. "Krillin and Chun-Li fit in by doing good in the world. They fight for good things. She fought for good things. I've just been fighting to survive. I think that's where I need to change...I need to be in touch with people, to fight for them." Turning around, she stared at the Luma Mother. "Am I making any sense?"

Sonia (Near the Seafang)

"I would agree, yes." Sonia said, and took a hold of one of her knives. Saying a silent prayer to whatever gods were watching over the Frontiers, and hoping that she wasn't about to be doing something very foolish, she cut into her palm, and pressed it against the dragon's mouth, letting her blood drip into it. "By my offering, I ask for passage."

Tawna (Kaibadome)

"I'd be delighted to, if you're willing to learn." Tawna said, and got to work setting up an arena for Maria. "Do you want any specific opponent in particular, or do you wanna go a round with me? I could spare some time sparring with you, it'd be a good workout."

Frontier Medical Center -> Adventurer's Guild | Nightingale

...

Maybe Nightingale has been too lax, for Eugen to continue being as she is without any fear and worries. Perhaps corrective measurement is warranted, after all.

The nurse grips the offered arm. Strongly. Tightly, offering no escape.

"Then I shall oblige."

—-

If what had transpired before can be considered a scandal, then this is something else entirely.

There Nightingale was, holding a leash in one hand. In the other end was... a hospital binder. Hospital binders wrapped around Prinz's Eugen's arms(that is now behind her body) and waist, complete with a white mask wrapped around the botegirl's mouth, restricting any coherent words coming out of her mouth. It's almost as if Nightingale's transporting a prisoner rather than a patient, leading ahead of them briskly without stopping.

Let it be said that Nightingale's restraint techniques is not to be underestimated. Especially when it comes to containing unruly patients or, in this case, one 'unruly' staff for the past hours. That she does so shamelessly with a complete poker face under the gapes and stare of passers-by certainly doesn't help with the rumour-mill.

This continues on from the hospital, outside of it and alllll the way to the entrance of the Adventurer's Guild. Then, and only then, did the nurse stop, bring her hand towards Eugen's face and removed the white mask. Almost as if waiting for Eugen's 'safe word' despite not providing any.

Fitting punishment or not, they can't exactly dine together if she's restrained throughout the entire ordeal...

Amestris | Hornet's Nest Status: Kicked

"Anyone else want to snarl at me? Hmmm?"

"Yeah. Us."

All of a sudden and at the same time as the voice spoke, something big and large like an oversized cannonball whiffed past Scratch's form and towards the Changed chimera; knocking the wind out of it. Gone were the confused looks and ferocious glare of the rest of the chimeras towards the overconfident 'alchemist', replaced only with... not respect, but in understanding of their betters. Like how animals are trained to shy away from another predator high up in the food chain.

"What the hell were you thinking, Wrath? 'Who's responsible?' Letting a bug cause a scene here, under your watch?"

And out, came an unamused lean-looking teen,◊ scowling. Not even sparing Mr. Scratch a glance beyond a brief disdainful stare.

"And who the hell is he, anyway? Give me one good reason why I shouldn't sic the Chimeras onto 'em, 'cause he sure as shit is begging for it."

In the brief moment since they talked, were they to look back at the 'cannonball', the Changed chimera had already lost its entire upper body; leaving behind only its hind-legs and behind as the sound of bone-sickening -crunch- and -munch- could be heard. The culprit? a pudgy, bulbous round man with beady eyes,◊ eagerly chomping onto his meal one delightful bite at a time.

Between the stirring of countless Chimeras up above towards a certain upstart, the two strangers who obviously knows the Fuhrer(or 'Wrath', as they call him) very well and the impatient one's line of questioning, to say that they're stuck between a rock and a hard place is an understatement.

If Mr. Scratch's intention is to kick the hornet's nest, then he really nailed the part with flying colors. Nicely done!

Edited by JustSomeGuy732 on Jun 28th 2021 at 7:55:28 PM