Mayhem Mackenzie didn’t acknowledge it, but she felt deja vu rattle her spine like frostbite. There was something about this scenario ? a loosely knit group of strange characters uniting together to save the world ? that echoed in a memory of hers so far from time and space that it might as well have been from another life. Regardless, she felt compelled to spit out one word in disgust, addressing everyone around or above her.
?SURVIVORS!? Mayhem’s head was as red as a ripe tomato and as hot as a habanero. She walked past the Batmen, swatting away even these imposing figures with just an ounce of effort and a flick of her wrists. Instead, she focused her attention on the black monstrosity that stood in front of her ? the Big-O. By now, Mayhem had already hit the giant robot with buildings and already commanded her Starmen to blast it. If the Big-O had any scratches to show for it, they were too light to be visible.
Dammit! I keep hitting this thing and the end result’s always the same! They say it’s a sign of insanity to repeat an action and expect a different outcome, so if I’m insane, so be it!
The Gotham heroes reformed, thrusting themselves head first into battle with Mayhem’s army. The few other people remaining who observed their fight admired their unwillingness to kill, even if their enemies were hopeless animals. The same did not apply for the Starmen, the androids whose heads were lopped off by batarangs tossed in abandon.
?To you, vile woman ? en garde!? Mayhem ceased beating on the Big-O senselessly only to see an orange tabby cat flying at her brandishing a rapier. The cat’s weapon pierced Mayhem’s cheek, a small stream of blood running down her face. The cat leapt back, distancing himself and Mayhem, who took her fingers to her cheek and looked at her own blood with a sense of disconnect. ?Tonight, I dance with the devil in the pale moonlight!? the cat said in a distinctly Spanish accent.
?Wow. I kill like hundreds of thousands of insignificant people, and the first one of you would-be heroes to actually make me bleed… is a fucking cat?? Mayhem said, her face permanently in a state of disbelief. ?A talking, Mexican cat?!?
?Do you have anything against cats, nyaa~?? Mayhem turned around again only to find herself wrapped around a giant black tentacle, lifting her above the ground. She forced her shoulders through the coiled appendage, tearing it apart in her struggle. Once she landed, she found a shorter, more fiendish looking cat-like creature in a black t-shirt, smoking a cigarette. ?You must be the cause of the S.O.S. Signal, nyaa~.?
?What the fuck are you?!? Mayhem asked of the cats.
?Cats, mi diablo. I am Puss in Boots, and mi amigo…?
?Neco-Arc Chaos, the fabled 667th beast. Let my name be inscribed in legends, nya~.?
?SPAYED OR NEUTERED YOU LITTLE PRICKS!!!? Mayhem looked around to find another building, the last one on the street that remained standing, and started to lift it. This time, she felt every sinew in her muscles tearing and giving way, only able to lift the building up above her head for only a few seconds before dropping it onto everyone on the street, not just as a plan to kill off her attackers but because she was finally getting exhausted. The chaotic power that had surged through even her bone marrow was finally dwindling away. Perhaps she’d killed everyone already? Or maybe, the group of people around her were far too determined to give into negative energy.
?ATOMIC PART!? A voice echoed throughout the city. Mayhem’s last tossed building had disintegrated, reduced to a storm of dust swirling around everyone on the street outside the arena. Each hair on Mayhem’s body stood straight up, a cold sweat streaming down her goosebumps. She had never seen that particular power before. Soon, a figure emerged in the middle of the dust cloud. The man in long white robes, with a powerful beard adorning his face, and a pair of glowing gauntlets wrapped around his wrists. ?RELEASE!!!?
Everyone was silent, no one dared to make even a gesture. Judah Solomon raised his fist into the heavens, and from the palm of his hand released a thin stream of energy that suddenly ballooned as it was siphoned into the impenetrable atmosphere. The explosion surging out of Judah’s fist resembled a small mushroom cloud. After several tense minutes and many faces frozen agape, Judah tucked his hands back into his robe.
?What… what… what was…? Mayhem stammered.
?That is the Atomic Part, a treasure bestowed by the Lord upon the House of Solomon. By the prestige of Moses whom with my Lord made holy covenant, I cast this ability which splits the atoms as easily as the liberator split the sea. Seek forgiveness, bastard child bearing the mark of the House of Mackenzie, seek forgiveness with THY LORD, should I send your ghost to Him this moment!?
?That… that…? Mayhem slowly backed away, letting the fear consume her, letting it dig right into her spine. ?That… THAT WAS FUCKIN’ AWESOME??? Mayhem screamed out. ?You know how MY powers work, Wandering Jew? When people piss their pants, I get stronger. I made this whole city tremble at the sight of me, and for a while, I was this city! But then, practically everyone died. Then I had to get the inmates because they offer an infinite supply of psychosis but I think the Batman’s cronies just knocked them all out. So now what? You just became my best friend, man. Really. Because, when I’m the one who gets piss scared, when start to feel my life slipping from my fingertips…?
Mayhem walked back over to the Big-O. In one moment, the robot that beleaguered her was now above her shoulders.
**?I GET EVEN FUCKING STRONGER!!! WHERE ARE YOU HIDING, COFFY MINUS MACKENZIE?!? **
?I knew I promised myself I wouldn’t trouble Bruce’s city in any way…? Roger Smith said, within the cockpit of the Big-O, ?but I can’t let this monstrous girl manhandle me.?
?And why not, Roger Smith?? asked the red-headed, white-faced android standing beside him.
?Because you already fit that job description, R. Dorothy Wayneright.?
?You’re such a louse. You could have easily just as smashed her.?
?I know how he operates. I’m going to respect his wishes by not killing this villain, so long as he’s still standing. But if the Batmen fall, that’s when we have to get serious. Hold on.? Roger clicked on a video phone on the dashboard, the face of his butler Norman appearing on the screen. ?Norman, how’re the evacuees??
?There are over fifty thousand New Gotham survivors cavorting in your mansion this very moment, Master Roger.?
?Over fifty thousand?? Roger asked. ?I’m certain that the underground railways couldn’t transport that many in such a short amount of time.?
?We were aided by a pretty young girl in what appeared to be a Megadeus. She called it GaoGaiGar, and she used it to help transport civilians here,? the butler explained.
?Then we’re fortunate. Norman, if that girl is still in my home, I trust you’ve already invited her into my bedroom with a bottle of chardonnay??
?I would have, Master Roger, had the girl stayed. I believe she’s returning to New Gotham to help fend off the threat.?
?I know New Gotham can use all the help it can get right now, but two Megadei against one very strong, but still very human-sized menace? It’s a little overkill, don’t you think??
Chimeras on the street began falling over like rows of dominoes. The samurai attorney, Auron, was busy dashing in-between the monsters and slaying them with his blade, in a manner that the Steel Samurai himself would have approved of. His prinny comrade Porter chose to be a conscientious objector ? after all, he slightly resembled some of the creatures, and he didn’t want to get slaughtered just for being in the midst of battle. The prinny instead stood on the sidewalk, drinking.
?I can’t just let this city go to ruin. This is my home, woman, and I will follow my own path to justice.? Auron walked up to Mayhem, who was still lifting the Big-O. Mayhem put the Big-O down, walked over to Auron and was about to punch him out of spite when-
25. Shinsekai Gakkyoku Zatsugidan - Stormy Saxophone 2 ~ The King of Fighters '96 Arranged Sound Track
from behind Auron’s large, fluttering suit, Kyo Kusanagi and Iori Yagami appeared, their fists burning with flames in their respective colors. They took no time for personal exposition ? Iori pounded on Mayhem in a combination of powerful lunges with his arms, dodging out of the way in time for Kyo to jump kick her, kick her again as his body curved into an arc above the ground, and finishing the attack with a flaming uppercut, letting the embers from his fingers singe Mayhem’s clothes.
?That was good guys, really,? a certain demon hunter said, appearing behind Mayhem, ?good enough for the champions of the King of Faggots tournament, that is.?
?Will you can the shit talk, Dante?!? Kyo yelled back. ?I think killing this chick’s the most important thing we can do right now!?
?Kill her? Hell no, man. Don’t see no reason to,? Dante said.
?Wait… what? Don’t see a reas- she just slaughtered like half of the city!?
?She fucked up my concert, man,? Iori said.
?Didn’t Jedah fuck your concert up??
?Yeah, but… still…?
?Whatever, I’m just saying, this chick’s got short-shorts, man. The only thing stopping me from killing you is the fact that I want to sleep with you,? Dante explained.
?You…cheeky…BASTARD??? Mayhem finally leapt back into the Absolutely Safe Machine, and began picking at the attractive young men with her mech’s legs. She flailed the machine about wildly, finally slashing a gash across Kyo’s chest.
?AGH!!!? Kyo cried out. ?Hey, Dante, I’ll be back. Gotta cauterize the wound!? Kyo leapt out of the skirmish, leaving the group alone to fend off Mayhem directly. Auron and Dante nodded to each other, and in a moment where they both understood exactly what the hell to do, slashed both sides of the the Machine’s legs off with their swords. The crimson samurai made sure to finish off with a cool pose, letting the wind brush against their clothes for a little bit ? a mistake for the overly cocky swordsmen, as a few surviving Starmen rewarded their bravado with psychic attacks, slightly frying their minds.
?Forgot about us, nya~?? Neco-Arc Chaos and Puss-in-Boots both pounced on Mayhem, scratching her face with all the fury of a pair of embittered house cats. She grabbed them by their throats and chucked them across the street.
?Hey, bitch!? Another unfamiliar voice yelled out to Mayhem, who by now had gotten tired of beating up anonymous strangers all day. ?Wish Kyo would’a told me about Second Wave’s cronies showing up here too! I thought I’d get a moment’s rest from you fuckers, but the princess was right! You bastards are everywhere!?
?Rock!? Kyo yelled out. ?What the hell are you doing here?!?
?Just making sure you and Iori weren’t killing each other, but looks like that ain’t the case.? The blonde young man in the red jacket turned his back to Kyo who was kneeling on the street, tending to his wounds. Rock’s back spurt out a small burst of purple ki, faintly resembling a pair of wings…
I swear to God, Mayhem thought, I’m fighting an endless horde of faggots.
?ROCK HOWARD! GET YOUR PASTY WHITE ASS HERE THIS INSTANT!?
26. ARM - Special Power of Exposing Moonlit Nights? ~ Touhou Moon Lantern
The girl who appeared in this very city two weeks ago the same night Mayhem scouted this area… the girl who calmed the chaotic energy of the freed New Gotham inmates… the little albino girl who dared to oppose Second Wave with an army of niggas!
Princess Pin held the PS9 in her hand, scolding Rock Howard from a distance.
?Come on! GET! The Niggapocalypse has a very busy day tomorrow! Didn’t you hear that we were doing a broadcast tonight?! We’re about to hit the airwaves! Demyx and Yugo just beat the crap out of the pedophile-reporter-guy and Park just slapped some hookers around on Maury ? weren’t you paying attention?!?
?Honestly? … Not really…but…?
?Then, I compel you Rock Howard, get the fuck back here so we can get on TV and inspire the people to rise up against Second Wave!?
?I don’t know if you know this, Princess, but Second Wave is here, right now!? Princess Pin looked around her, finding Mayhem Mackenzie amidst a pile of cyborg-animal bodies and broken androids littering the street.
?Really. Crazy lady on the mech, are you really with Second W-…hey. You feel familiar.?
?You… you…? Mayhem felt the last of her superhuman strength get sucked out of her in Pin’s presence. ?You were here that night… with the convicts!?
?Yeah. So what??
?You… made them calmer. You sucked the chaos right out of them!!! WHO ARE YOU?!?
?I’m just the Aspect of Balance! Who’re you, terrorist lady??
?I’m… I’m…? Each syllable Mayhem stuttered was just another ounce of her strength, and another chunk of her confidence disappearing into nothingness. ?I… I’m…?
?She’s nuts. Oh well. Come on Rock, we have shit to do.? Rock shrugged and followed Princess Pin, who teleported them away from the city.
?She looks weak already. Think I should go in and finish her?? Coffy asked Asagi, the both of them still surveying the scene from above on Marche.
?Do it. You want to get the experience points, right??
Coffy leapt off the chocobo in a grand display not unlike Judah’s, and landed right in front of Mayhem. Coffy felt her desire to slaughter Mayhem for the loss of life she caused today, if not for her expression of absolute terror on her face. The blonde girl and the brunette probed each other’s eyes, unlocking memories of who they were before they came to this bastard universe.
?Coffy… Minus… Mackenzie… do you know why I want to kill you?? Mayhem spoke in a whisper.
?Why?? Coffy asked.
?Because you left me.?
Mayhem was no longer powered by fear or despair. Now it was only pure hatred that emanated through her bones. Mayhem tried not to rely on hatred as a battery for her powers ? it was the strongest emotion, but it left her without control. Giving into her hatred, for Mayhem, meant finally accepting this was a suicide mission. Just like the last one.
Mayhem blasted Coffy straight into the air with an uppercut, sending her a mile above the ground. She surveyed the scene around her ? her opponents were all gathering around Mayhem, calculating the best course of action now that her strength was restored. She looked around and saw a group of remaining chimeras ? rhino-torpedoes.
?Hey, you guys,? she said to the chimera. ?Go blow up in Coffy’s face when you see her in the sky. I don’t want to see her, ever again.? The torpedos roared in approval, seven of them speeding into the sky to tear Coffy apart in an explosion. Judah was the first to approach Mayhem, slowly, while smiling.
?She will most certainly survive this. Coffy is stronger than you.?
?Old man… I don’t care how the hell you know her. Let me tell you this ? in our former organization, we used to send out teams of people to deal with uppity civilizations around the Multiverse. Everyone in the team had a role to fulfill, and they were all strong. But one of them would always have to be the healer, because they were weaker than everyone else. Do you know who the healer was in our team, old man??
Judah shook his head.
?I was. And I’m about to kill my former leader.?
?What… what lies do you speak, woman?!?
?LIES?! IT’S THIS FUCKING UNIVERSE THAT’S LYING!!! YOU’RE ALL LYING TO ME RIGHT NOW, AND YOU TURNED COFFY INTO A LIE LIKE THE REST OF YOU!!!?
Mayhem’s yell echoed throughout the city. The glass windows of the remaining buildings that stood in a ten mile radius had shattered instantly. Nearly all of fighters on the street were deafened by the boom of her voice.
?Remember this, you bastards! I didn’t kill Coffy! YOU DID! YOU FUCKING DID IT!?
27. Men Women and Children ? Celebracion! ~ Men Women and Children
?Who said I was dead you fucking psychopath?!? Coffy descended to the ground, her arms crossed around her chest. It was an unbelievable sight for Judah, who’d never seen Coffy like this before ? but the image of several metallic limbs jutting out of Coffy’s back, wrapping around weapons and assimilating them in her body was more than familiar to Mayhem. Coffy’s back limbs had completely taken over the rhino-torpedoes, and she was now using them to safely propel herself back to the ground.
?I’ll get my revenge on you, traitor!? Mayhem’s fist lunged at Coffy, but she freed up another metal arm to catch the punch in mid-swing. The force reverberated deep into the hollow space of the arms, and Coffy at once shuddered and suffered a massive headache. Mayhem took advantage by kneeing Coffy in the throat as she choked back her tears. Coffy let go of the rhino-torpedoes, sending them back into the sky. Her arms now constricted Mayhem, Coffy forcing each limb to squeeze the life out of her.
?I don’t know what the hell you’re on, but I know exactly who I am!?
?You… you know who you… are, but what… what are you, Coffy? All this metal… on your body… you must wonder…?
?I don’t care. I don’t care about my metal arms!?
?Glad…to hear it.? Mayhem broke free of the constriction just like she did last time, ripping right through the limbs and leaving Coffy howling in pain. ?I’m not full of shit, Coffy! I can tell you why everything’s been happening the way they’ve been happening. I can tell you why we have the same name, why I know you but you don’t remember me, and why we have our powers. But I need to tell you soon, because eventually… I’m gonna forget, just like you. I’m gonna get assimilated and die just like y-?
?SHUT UP!!!? Coffy chucked Mayhem at her own Absolutely Safe Machine, which lie on the street in ruin. Mayhem crawled into the bed of the mech and laid down in it, plugging her body into the console. Dante was about to slice the machine open when a reinforced diamond casing suddenly shielded the exposed bed.
?Absolute Safety…activated.?
The machine’s half-torn limbs recoiled into itself. A series of plates and gears slided into formation, locking at intangible points, and the machine was completely transformed. It was no longer a spider-like mech ? it was now a ball. A big, steel ball that could not be penetrated.
?Dammit!!!? Dante kept hacking away at the ball, but none of his blows left a dent. A small circular window was on the ball. Morbidly curious, Duela Dent walked up to it and peered inward to find Mayhem Mackenzie sprawled along the bottom of the ball in a familiar padded cell.
?HA! HA!? Duela cried out. ?THAT’S FUNNY!?
Coffy walked up to the ball that Mayhem trapped herself in. She knocked on the window.
?Uh… hello?? Coffy said.
?Shut up,? Mayhem said, who was very clearly trying to sleep. ?I’m tired. I’ll kick your ass again tomorro-zzzz…?
Everyone looked around each other. The chimeras were either dead or unconscious, and the Starmen were deactivated. They had apparently won.
Coffy walked toward Judah, hugging him.
?We did it,? she said.
?It would have been all for naught if it weren’t for the presence of these warriors,? Judah said, addressing the rock stars, bounty hunters, androids, superheroes, lawyers, and assorted strangers standing around them. ?It appears we were all united by fate on this day.?
?Yeah. We’re… a pretty weird group of would-be heroes, huh?? Kyo asked.
?Coffy… it would be best if you addressed them.?
?..what?? she asked.
?It’s just as I’d said. We are the ternity Numbers. We were preparing a fight against an unknown enemy in the weeks before, but now we have seen with our own eyes what sin they’re capable of.?
?I… I understand.? Coffy turned to everyone, looking at a large variety of faces, deeply moved that they all came together to help her city in its hour of need. ?Uh, first off, I want to thank all of you for helping to protect our city. I’m sure we lost far too many people today, but I know that if none of you were here, the toll would have been all the greater. But I’m not going to call it a day today. These bastards threatened my home and the people I love, so I’m going to do the right thing, the insane thing, by following them and hunting them down. I will hunt down their every cell and bring all of their members to justice.
?I know that what I’m about to ask you, in light of what you’ve just done, is unfair. I can’t force any of you to do anything against your will. I can’t promise you anything should we succeed. All I can say…all I want to say, in my selfishness… is that I want to fight alongside all of you. I think you guys want to get back at Second Wave just as much as I do right now. We… we might be able to save the world, guys.?
Coffy pointed to her LOL-Mart smock, laughing to herself.
?Because honestly, if I don’t, I just have this retail shit to look forward to tomorrow morning. I want to save the world, and I want you guys to help me. What do you say??
KOS-MOS/Hideki Intro, Post 3 of ?
Execute program the.one.for.me.and.only.me
Targeting hostiles 1 through 22
Proceed with annihilation
Hidekis heart beat rhythmically, his eyes twitched back and forth. He felt KOS-MOSs grip loosen from his arm. He watched her as she rose up from the ground, floating inches above the floor. He hair waved out behind her as a second chaingun came into existence in her hand.
All the glass remaining in the front of the airport gave out with a wave of force and light. The double guns let loose a roar like supersonic jet, peppering machine and animal hybrids so profusely that they were torn apart. Meat and shrapnel littered the sidewalk behind them.
This is crazy. This is so crazy. Hideki put his hands over his eyes and lowered his head toward the floor, trying to even out his breathing. It was a crazy killer persocom I found, a beautiful crazy murder-bot. Why couldnt it have been an innocent and defenseless persocom? One that didnt come with an arsenal?
Hideki.
Hideki slowly took his hands away from his eyes and looked up. KOS-MOS stood with her hand extended, her weapons gone from sight. Behind her was a mess of metal, fur, wire and shattered glass. The screaming of civilians was dimming into the airport behind him, the screaming of monsters still filling the street.
Hideki, KOS-MOS repeated, All enemies in the vicinity have been dispatched. Shall we continue on our way?
Talking- Hideki squeaked out, clearing his throat. Youre talking, KOS-MOS. Where did you learn those words?
I record what I hear, Hideki. There are many people in this building. Ive heard many words. My other self tells me more.
Your other self? Hideki was confused.
We must go now, Hideki. KOS-MOS said, pointing to the street, where two tall silver monsters were cooperating to rock a street lamp off of its mooring. As they succeeded in breaking it a pulse of blue light wrapped around the pole, and the two monsters, electrocuted, fell backwards onto the ground.
Excuse me, A voice said, Hideki Motosuwa?
Hideki turned to see a regal looking woman in a drivers hat standing amid the rubble. Mr. Kokubunji would like to offer you a ride to a safe haven.
Hideki looked around to see a long black limousine parked on the street, bits of monster stuck in the battered grill. The rear door was open, and a young boy was standing beside it. He stared at them without expression.
Um, yeah, Im Hideki.
Then I shall assume that this beautiful young woman is KOS-MOS. On behalf of Mr. Kokubunji and Wayne Enterprises, let me welcome you to New Gotham. Im afraid it has seen better days. She smiled a bit, and Hideki finally noticed her most distinctive feature: Two metal pieces covering where her ears.
Youre a persocom? Hideki asked.
Yes, my name is Yuzuki. But please, this is no place for discussion, we must get you to safety.
Hideki reached out to KOS-MOS, who still had her hand ready. Hideki took it, looking into her eyes. He steeled himself and breathed deeply. Lets go, KOS-MOS. Lets get to somewhere safe. She did not respond.
Seated in the car, Hideki half listened to Minoru Kokubunji as they rolled past the debris of a warzone.
-and like I said before, once this is all cleared up, we will see that all of your needs are taken care of. The situation at hand, however, is far more serious than it looks.
More serious than a destroyed city? Hideki whispered.
Yes, Minoru said, But I will leave that explanation to them men in charge. Here we are now. The car rounded a corner where four buildings once stood and came to a stop beside a lake-sized debris pile. Im afraid well have to walk from here.
KOS-MOS exited the vehicle first, looking around before extending a hand to Hideki. I feel so useless. Im being protected by a girl, how lame does that make me?
Minoru and Yuzuki lead them through the junkyard toward what looked like a concert hall. Im so lost. What use am I going to be in this situation? Im no fighter.
Hideki walked past several strange-looking people without noticing. A white-haired man in a long red coat whistled at KOS-MOS as they passed while holstering an enormous sword on his back. What am I saying? Hideki resolved himself. If someone needs help, you help them! This is no time for whining, its time to do whatever you can to assist the people around you! I made a promise to protect KOS-MOS, and damnit, Im going to do that if it kills me!
Alright, Ill do it! Hideki said, startling several silent people standing around him. He went red in the face and laughed out loud.
What are you going to do, Hideki? KOS-MOS asked.
Hideki surveyed the ruin that was once New Gotham. There was a large metal ball pressing down into the street, surrounded by the strangest assortment of people Hideki had ever seen.
A girl in purple and green, skin paler as snow, was pointing into the ball and cackling hysterically. In a fit of good humor she slapped a man with bat ears on the back then, terrified, ran around to the other side of the giant ball.
A red-suited samurai and an evil-looking penguin stood conversing with a black-suited man and a young red-haired woman. They seemed to be discussing something about a very, very big man with very big fists, pantomiming attacks it must have made.
A large white-haired man, covered in weapons (who Hideki noticed was staring in their direction) was ignoring threats from two men. They both looked competent in hand to hand fighting, and seemed ready to use it on him.
Men and women dressed like bats surrounded the area, destroying remains of chimera and robots.
Im going to do whatever I can. Hideki said, clenching a fist in front of himself for emphasis. Im going to help people who need help, and Im going to keep my promise to you.
KOS-MOS stood in front of him, quirking her head to the side slightly, blinking her red eyes. Hideki?
Im going to protect you with all Ive got, even though Im not a good fighter. Hideki waited for a response, but KOS-MOS said nothing. She turned, took his hand, and walked toward the others in silence.
Time: Present Place: Soul Society; 1st Squad Corps Headquarters
The shinigami collapsed to his knees before General Yamamotos throne, panting hard from his sprint over. The sweat on his forehead continued to drip on the thick folder he carried with him. Get up, commanded Chojiro Sasakibe, Vice Captain of the Generals 1st Squad Corps. The tired man, clearly out of shape, nodded five or six times before pulling himself together. Your name?
Kat Katsuro. Im an assistant at cough the Department of Deceased Forecasts, under the direction of the Research Institute. The general begins stroking his long, white beard, asking, start with a summary.
Ye- Yes sir! Quickly unwrapping his folder, Katsuro pulls out a one page memo. Today, there was a significant loss of life at a major city on the North American continent. Its somewhere on the east coast, centralized around the city of Gotham. However, judging from the quality of life signs were detecting, we believe its likely an immigrant city, like New Gotham.
Katsuro, as Chojiro placed a hand on his hip, what numbers are we looking at?
Were looking at a war situation. Possibly hundreds of thousands of souls. Furthermore, the loss of life spiked over the course of a few minutes, then plummeted; leading us to believe there was a major, concentrated assault on the city.
Could it be Aizens doing, the General wondered aloud. No, we do not think so. According to initial reports, Hollow activity did not intensify until about half an hour after the initial spike. We are now reading major Hollow activity in the area, though, including multiple Menos Grande. There are some peculiarities about this event though.
Katsuro pulls out the rest of the folders contents, handing them to Chojiro. As the Lieutenant briefly looks through the reports and surveillance photos, Katsuro continues his report. About ten-fifteen minutes after the initial spike, the weather in the area changed drastically. The forecast for that region was 97 degrees Fahrenheit, but in the span of two-three minutes the temperature dropped to 65 degrees with heavy rain and signs of hailstorms. Furthermore, in photo number eight-, as Chojiro shows this particular photo to the General, we caught an afterimage of a flying humanoid with huge, arced wings and tails. Both the wings and the tails were frozen to sub zero readings.
The General turned his head towards Chojiro, commanding him to bring Vice Captain Matsumoto in here- no. Convene an advisory meeting of all present Vice Captains immediately. If my concerns are true, Hitsugaya-Taichou will not escape our grasp!
02: Terms and Conditions
Time: Present Place: New Gotham***
Help me, officer! The business man continued to beat on the police car, trying to get the oblivious mans attention. God damn it, help me you stupid fuck! Ive got-, then he holds a short chain attached to his chest to the windshield, Ive got a fucking keychain strapped to my chest, and so do the rest of these people! Surrounding the police car were dozens, if not hundreds, of the souls of the dead, now walking aimlessly around the ruined city in search of answers from someone.
But those still living could not see them, for they were now what the humans call ghosts. Some have realized it and have since taken slumber on a curb or in a building sinking into their own despair, while the rest have rejected it and are now running around the city aimlessly like zombies with voices.
A few more poor souls surrounded the police car, trying to get the officers attention, when suddenly, a huge black thing crept around the corner, behind a skyscraper. The monstrous thing was a Menos Grande, the embodiment of hundreds of Hollow souls wrapped together into a single entity, its thirst only quenchable by hundreds of dead souls in proportionate number. As if being led by the Menos Grande, a horde of Hollow monsters ran and jumped and flew into the street, all of them bearing ravenous fangs for the teeming swarms of dead souls all around these streets.
Heavy rain flares up again as the dead souls started running past the police car. But the businessman, still clinging to his own ignorance, continues pounding on the windshield, hoping the officer could wake up and save him somehow. Not even the drops of hail blocks would move the officer from his seat. Then, a small child beside the businessman screams, Look! Look at the monsters!
Huge spikes of ice penetrated one Hollow after another, decapitating some while cutting others in half. As if being under siege by a hail of arrows, the horde of Hollows began to retreat to the Menos Grande, who was now twisting and turning in agony. Then, Hitsugaya lands right on the white mask of the Menos Grande and sinks his frozen tails into the beasts nose, forcing it to tilt backwards as if something was pulling its nose. With a glare of sheer hatred, Hitsugaya stabs the full length of his zanpakto deep into the creatures forehead. Within seconds, the being was consumed in ice.
Hitsugaya kicks himself off the beast, the blow creating breaks in the tall ice block of the Menos Grande until the entire thing shatters, raining down frozen hail onto the streets. One by one, the Hollows were consumed as if in the grasp of a volcano of ice and tidal waves. Hitsugaya took one more look at the area, making sure they were all dead.
Landing on the street, behind the police car, his bankais transformation his wings, his tail, his frozen claws evaporates into thin air. Crouching to his knees, his sheathed zanpakto in hand, Hitsugaya takes a breather. He hasnt felt the presence of any Shinigami reinforcements in the city since he arrived. The captain has long since assumed that, because all the military resources of Soul Society was being poured into the Generals winter campaign, there would be little to no help to render to catastrophic events like these.
That is, he would be the only one here to send all the souls of the dead to Soul Society today. All of the hundreds of thousands of them. Suddenly, a little girl pulls at Hitsugayas sleeve. He turns his eyes to see, behind the girl, a following of hundreds seemingly ready to praise him as their savior.
Taking a deep breath into the wind, in the embrace of the calm and bitter rain, Hitsugaya bites his lip first before nodding at all the souls he will now send to Soul Society. Holding up his blade by the hilts end, he approaches the little girl, saying, I am Hitsugaya Taichou. I am from Soul Society. You humans call it heaven. I will now send each of you there one at a time. If you do not wish to be sent to heaven, I will leave you here to be eaten by those monsters you just saw on the street. For the rest of you, as he lays a hand on the girls forehead, clearing away her hair to bash the seal at the bottom of his zanpakto into bare skin, I hope you find true peace.
Something Hitsugaya has realized he will never have.
Time: Present Place: Soul Society; 1st Squad Corps Headquarters
So, the General asks while playing with his cane, what have you concluded, my friend? Chojiro cleared his throat first. The short of it is, we can only speculate Hitsugaya-Taichous motives in this siege at this point-
Is that what I asked you to do at the Vice Captains meeting?
You asked for an advisory meeting concerning Hitsugaya-Taichou. I presumed you werent concerned with the city itself, since we dont have the manpower for it. A pause followed as the General quietly conceded to his Lieutenants point. Continue.
I have asked Matsumoto to come here, as she steps out of the shadows behind Chojiro, her pink scarf flowing freely in the afternoon air, because she is the one person that knows Hitsugayas motives best. Matsumoto?
She takes a step forward, briefly nodding towards the seated General, before explaining: We knew two things about Hitsugaya-Taichous search for Hinamori. One, Hinamori went down to Earth to look for Aizen. Two, Hitsugaya-Taichou went down to Earth to look for Hinamori. Therefore we can safely conclude Hitsugaya-Taichou is planning his movies based on how he would think Hinamori would plan her moves. To this date, he has kept such a low profile that we havent been able to detect him.
Therefore, the General speculated aloud, his sudden participation in the defense of the city of New Gotham is an anomaly.
Correct, as Matsumoto continues with hand gestures, his rationale for finding Hinamori is based on a specific set of dos and donts, which so far has excluded him from intervening in major human conflicts. I assume he can only be acting under a different set of rules in this situation. I believe that, because of the suddenness and the seriousness of the event in New Gotham, he had cause to investigate whether or not it was related to Aizen.
What about the General turned his old eyes back to Chojiro, him saving humans? It was a tradition, a mandate, and a fact of afterlife that Shinigami have no place interfering with conflicts exclusively involving humans. Initial recon teams have confirmed he has taken major action against both physical and corporeal agents in the city. His course of action seems to be isolated from the pattern of organized resistance throughout the city. General, although we can assume Hitsugaya went into the city to investigate the source of the assault, he might have had other considerations in mind. The Department of Deceased Forecasts has reported to me that theyre seeing a significant boost in Soul Societys immigrant population over the past half an hour. However, we have no concentrated Shinigami presence in the city.
Matsumoto intervened, declaring, Hitsugaya is a good guy. He wont stand by and watch innocent people around him die to thugs. Thats just who he is. Chojiro nods alongside Matsumoto, explaining that he must have known Soul Society wouldnt have anything to send to the city anyway to deal with the population boom of deceased souls, considering present circumstances. Also, he may have considered that Hinamori might be in the city. However, we have also considered the possibility that he is endearing himself to the organized resistance in the city.
Explain, the General ordered.
New Gotham is controlled by the Batmen.
Heh, its the Goddamn Batman. Raising his eyes at Matsumoto, General Yamamoto asks, and you think he might use them to point him to where Hinamori might be? Matsumoto only nods. Fine. Matsumoto, this is what were going to do.
Okay, Roxy is doing nothing for me right now (sadly), so I am fully Peptucking.
Switchblade admits to being a bastard, and will be playing as Ambush Bug from DC comics and will be bringing along an assist, Cheeks the Toy Wonder, also from DC comics. I will consider the ramifications my actions will have on love, peace, anarchy, freedom, and everything in-between. Peace, god bless, and no homo.
(Devil Hunter/Crimson Flame ~ Desperate Times call for A Strong Drink [or five])
Let the Insanity Begin! (Rockstar ~ Nickelback)
(This section takes place during the fight with Mayhem Mackenzie, before she gets trapped in the Absolutely Safe Machine.)
In another section of the ruins of the building, Ash Crimson was torching anything that got in his way, his expression turning to that of insane glee as he spotted Kyo and Iori onstage with another man, the three of them scrambling to protect themselves while they tried to go in and attack the crazy woman Duela had mentioned earlier. It would only be a matter of time, then. Of course, being the gentleman that he was, he would wait until this fight was over before trying to steal their treasures. It wasn proper to do a sneak attack like that, especially in a life-or-death situation like this. But, that didn mean he couldn have some fun with them.
Meanwhile, while the people were scrambling to get the hell out of the town, Yuusuke Urameshi and Cerberus were speeding straight for the epicenter of this insanity, closely tailed by Morrigan. She knew that Dante hadn?t killed Jedah like she asked, but the devil hunter had indirectly caused his death at the hands of another. She would still give him most of the reward for his work, however. The initial purpose of the mission had been fulfilled, however strangely.
Yuusuke was punching his way through the creatures trying to reach the arena, slamming his fists into them again and again while the ice demon running alongside him had grown to his true size and was freezing and tearing apart their attackers like they were chew toys. Who knew that working with these guys would be that fun?
The succubus was gliding close by the two, making short work of the chimeras and Starmen using her bats and consecutive Soul Fist attacks. They didn have much farther to go, so she really didn need to be wasting much of her energy on these impudent creatures.
Kyo blinked as he felt a spike in energy, much different from the enormous output that the Psycho-bitch was pulling out. Great, now what? He turned his head, trying to pinpoint the source of the disturbance while he side-kicked a flying piece of building away with a flaming leg, his eyes widening slightly. It couldn be. *This is just fucking wonderful…the fruitloop Frenchman is here.*He whistled to Iori, jerking his head in the direction of the man in question, his fists clenching tighter in anticipation. They would get their chance yet. Bastard almost killed Chizuru, and he didn?t even bat an eye. Fucker.
Iori glanced in the direction of Kyo?s head-jerk, and fought every instinct that was screaming for him to release the demon within and tear the man apart. It wasn that he cared about Kagura, far from it. It was the fact that the asshole was trying to interfere with things that he obviously had no control over. Although, nobody would probably notice if he did go after the man, there was too much chaos going on as-is.
Amidst this chaos, Metropolis Police Captain Leon Kennedy was grumbling under his breath. It was one of his only nights off in a while, and this shit had to happen. Luckily, he knew how his luck usually turned out and had packed a briefcase that he had somehow snuck into the concert. Actually, he had to just flash his badge and say that he was on combined task-force duty or something like that. With all the events happening at New Gotham this weekend, it wasn’t surprising that they would enlist the help of their “Sister city” to keep things under control. Even with the Batmen and their sidekicks, you never knew when you could use the extra help.
Then he saw something that made him want to run onstage himself. When he saw the flash of white hair and that red coat, it was unmistakable. The idiot was at it again. He knew Dante personally through work; the man was usually hired by the police department to clean up jobs that were obviously not done by human hands. He was also drinking buddies with the Leon, spending many a night off in the local bars playing pool and swapping work stories. But seeing him here, and fighting a demon in the full view of thousands of people… Yeah, he was a dead man.
Without hesitation, he pulled out an assault rifle from the suitcase, putting the weapon together quickly before firing upon the sickened deformed creatures that tried to attack him, then focusing his attention on the large mechs that were fighting, then back to the stage where Dante, Iori Yagami, and another person that he hadn?t recognized were fighting their way through the creatures, taking them down with ease.
Leon then rushed forward, stopping just short of the stage and aimed straight for the woman that was trying to attack the large, black mech in front of them, steadying his arm before firing, causing the trio to look down.
?Yo, Kennedy. What brings you to this party??
?Fuck off, Dante. What in the hell is going on here?!?
?To be honest, I don?t even know myself. I just was here for a bit of business, and then all this shit happened. All I did was blow a hole in the cieling.?
?You?re a fucking idiot, you know that??
Kyo and Iori have spotted Ash Crimson, and they want to kick his ass, but know they can?t under the circumstances.
Yuusuke, Cerberus, and Morrigan are heading for the arena to help Dante out.
Leon Kennedy (a captain in the Metropolis Police Department) was enjoying his day off when the whole fiasco happens, and yells at Dante for generally being a moron.
All are open for interaction.
Strange Tales Volume 0: The Good Doctor’s Arrival
“Saving the world? That’s an awful big responsibility for a young lady like yourself.”
A light fluttering sound echoed through the air like the wings of doves–to be certain, several of the shell-shocked heroes and heroines gathered here had missed it until it was quite upon them. Some of the Batmen glanced up at the source of the sound–what appeared to be a man in a crimson cloak, making a slow descent to the pavement. He glanced about, meeting the Question eye-to-…well, seeing him clearly; the wind toyed with a gray-tinted strand of his hair as lazily as it did his cloak. He smiled softly as he landed, his shoes clicking lightly on the pavement, and then turned toward the young woman clad in the LOL-Mart fatigues.
“Still, I guess it’s a better career aspiration than the eternal dregs of retail work,” he replied, now smirking slightly.
“Glad to see you can appreciate initiative and drive. But seriously, who the fuck are you?” Coffy was understandably perturbed by the late arrival of somebody who could fly. “And why the fuck are you so LATE?”
“A wizard is never late, miss,” the red-cloaked man replied. “Nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to.”
“It seems our good doctor is well… read.” Auron adjusted his glasses with just the right touch of frigid detachment. “Tolkien, sounds like.”
“Well spoken, and well read, yourself, Mr. Ace Attorney. That said… I am a sorcerer, not a wizard. And I do deeply regret my lateness. For those of you unfamiliar,” continued the man, projecting his voice more loudly, “my name is Doctor Stephen Strange, heritor of the mantle of the Ancient One. And as for the… peculiar events that have occurred in this city just a few hours ago, I too am quite intrigued as to their origins and portents.
I–wait, pardon me, but would you be… Judah Solomon?” Strange’s slate-gray eyes widened at the sight of the worn-looking man who stood beside Coffy.
“That I am, by the grace of He who rules from on high.”
“Then we’re lucky.” Solomon was well-respected amidst the scholarly and learned of the world–especially scholars of “alternative” theorem. “Or perhaps blessed.” In an instant of thought, Strange stretched out a bit of his mind toward the older man; upon connection, Stephen traced a single phrase into Judah’s mind:
We need to talk.
So we do; and so we shall, Lord willing, replied Judah, nodding nigh-imperceptibly.
“‘We?’ What’s this about ‘we?’” the Princess interjected, herself offput by Strange’s unexpected arrival. “As a doctor, you represent the greed and decadence of Western medicine, fueled by capitalism alone! You have no place amidst the young revolutionaries I represent! We shun your heartless doctrine and seek a reconnection with our tribal roots, and we will have no part of your death-dealing!” Auron glared at the pale-skinned lolita from the corners of his eyes, but Strange seemed to be acceding to her accusations, raising his hands guiltily into the air.
“Heh. How true that once was, especially in regards to myself. But times change, as do people… and people’s occupations. I am but a mystic now; my time as a practicing doctor is lost to me, even if I wished to return to it. Nevertheless, I understand your distrust. I merely offer my services as a sorcerer; if you don’t want me, you need not have me. But I would be honored if you took me amidst your… ‘number.’” Strange passed a glance to Judah, but traced nothing more.
“…well, all I know is Second Wave needs to be stopped. The more hands we can put to work on that task, the better.” Coffy nodded toward him, nudging Marche a few steps forward (the chocobo warking a slight noise of disapproval). “If you wanna take the ride, Doc, I don’t got any problems.”
“…thank you, young lady.” Strange nodded. He spoke no further–it would be impolitic, after all, to admit that he would have come even uninvited. His dreams had been troubled, as of late; sights of eyes and hands and tongues writhing in dark places; of ill wills arriving uninvited to hidden places of the heart; of a tower amidst a field of blood, crumbling, crumbling into so much black stone and ash. A threat was beginning to stir, one that may lie at the heart of the very world itself–he could almost taste it on his tongue, the sense of the impending weighing heavier and heavier on his thoughts. Its form was unknown to him; in dreams and visions black and foul, he had come close to seeing it many times, but beyond a sense of madness incomprehensible, he could not define it. He could not even name it beyond the sense of anticipation it awoke in him, the sense that some great end come nigh. The sudden, bewildering explosion of activity in New Gotham, and the black pulse of negative emotion swelling there (its source indeed seeming to be contained in the massive sphere before him)–everything in him told him that there might be a connection between these visions and the activities of Second Wave, but he could not be sure. He could consult the Vishanti further on this matter, given time, but he felt time was growing short. And if these “Numbers,” too, sought to get to the heart of the manner–if he could not accompany them, they would have to accompany him, as it were.
But all that was irrelevant; Doctor Stephen Strange, Sorcerer Supreme, would indeed be one of ternity’s number.
He would talk with Judah. For everything, after all, there was a season; a time to rend, and a time to sew, a time to keep silence, and a time to speak. Here approached the time of speaking, and of sewing, of mending that which had fallen to pieces; soon would follow the time of rending; and then that of silence.
Name : Puss in Boots
Gender : Male
Race : Cat
Height/Weight/Any other physical attributes : That of a cat
Fur : Orange
Pictures
Puss striking a pose
Talking to Donkey
Looking fierce
My Sig before i realised that srk doesn’t allow images in sig…
History
How did I ever write character descriptions before I could shamelessly rip off Wikipedia…
Recommended to King Harold by Doris, the Ugly Stepsister and barmaid of the Poison Apple Inn as a famous ogre assassin, Puss is hired by the king to assassinate Shrek. However, unlike his fairy tale counterpart, he does not try to trick the ogre into changing into a mouse, but instead makes a direct, frontal assault on Shrek, which works up until the feline gags on a hairball, spitting it up. Shrek and Donkey think of what to do to with him as Donkey even proposes to give him the Bob Barker treatment, but the swashbuckling cat begs for his life. Ultimately, they spare his life, and Puss proposes to the ogre he owes a life debt to him, in thanks. Then Shrek remarks in a sad, guilty way but in the end they all become friends.
Shrek appears to have accepted this debt, as Puss In Boots stays with him throughout the course of the film. Donkey had a particular rivalry with him, considering Puss a threat to his position as Shrek’s best friend. It is revealed that Puss has a litter of siblings, a sick mother and a father who lives off the garbage.
Personality
Puss in Boots used to work as an assassin, but ever since he met Shrek the cat seems to have turned over a new leaf. Puss speaks in a distnict spanish accent. He is loyal to a fault, willing to give up his life for the ones who have gained his respect. Now he’s a good Puss, with a good and kind heart. He, however, takes no nonsense and is as quick and sharp with his wit and words as he is with his sword.
Abilities/Skills
Puss in Boots is a feline zorro, extremely skilled and fast with a sword. Though he be a cat, he can easily take on 5-6 swordsmen at a time. He is lightning quick, and would not hesitate to use his cuteness to his advantage.
- Erik Satie - Gymnopdie #1
“Um, this is kind of awkward,” Coffy began addressing the crowd while the sorcerer Strange pulled Judah aside to talk. The fact that no one has left yet seemed to be the answer to the question she asked. “Are there any other newcomers who’d like to introduce themselves? Like, you,” Coffy pointed to the short albino girl, “who’re you?”
“Actually, I should be asking that of you! I only zipped back here because I lost my contact lens (it’s small, thin and red, anyone see it?), but are you really trying to fight Second Wave?”
“Um… yeah? (Sorry, haven’t seen it.)”
“Because (oh, okay, thanks) you look like you’re just a LOL-Mart lackey. If the capitalist power structure of the White minority is our enemy, then why should anyone trust you? For all I know, LOL-Mart itself is behind Second Wave and you’re just a spy sent to seed the seeds of dissension! Like piranha plants!” Princess Pin took a step back, held her PlayStation 9 to her heart, and began glowing transparent. “But if you really plan on stopping the terrorists, then I’ll have to consider you my rival, Ms. Coffy!” With that, the girl in white disappeared, once again leaving everyone confused in her wake.
“Uh. Okay. She was a psychopathic little lolita wasn’t she?” Coffy said. “How about you two, Aristotlean guy and miss android?”
“Oh, uh… uh… to be honest, I’m kind of intimidated, and lost,” Hideki began. “But I know that something terrible happened to this city. I want to know if I can do anything to help?”
“If you want to volunteer or something, I guess the National Guard’ll be popping in sometime within the hour. You see that big steel ball beside you?”
“Oh.” Hideki turned his head slightly to find the ball holding Mayhem Mackenzie. “Yeah?”
“The girl inside of it is responsible for what happened today.”
“ACK!” Hideki jumped away from it, pouncing as if he were a scared cat.
“Hideki!” KOS-MOS quickly stepped between him and the ball, placing her hands on it. KOS-MOS’s crimson eyes glimmered in binary, as if the android were scanning the 'Machine for information.
“Don’t worry. She’s pretty immobile now, I think. If she weren’t, I think we’d all be dead right now.”
“Oh. Okay.” Hideki calmed down, but planted his open palm on his forehead. He was already suffering from a headache in an attempt to understand everything happening today.
“We have to be leaving now,” the Batwoman, Kathy Kane said. “We’ll be leaving the Question here, but having all his personalities out at one time greatly strains the Oracle’s mind. We have to return, or else…”
“I understand, I guess. Thanks for your help!” Coffy bid the heroes goodbye, who simply vanished at once save for the faceless man in the blue trenchcoat.
“I’ve gotta get out of here too. I’ve got a concert tour to wrap up, even though the New Gotham show’s canceled. My label’s gonna somehow blame me for all this too,” Iori Yagami said. “Peace out, fuckers.”
“Peace out, fucker,” Kyo Kusanagi repied. With that, the rock star took his leave, headed back toward the ruined concert arena.
“My examination is complete.” KOS-MOS said. “The device name is ‘Absolutely Safe Machine.’ Its description is that once it enters ‘Absolutely Safe’ mode, it protects its user from the outside world. The metal alloy comprising the outer casing is approximately 94 and 78/100th percent vibranium.”
“Vibranium?” From out of the crowd a lone man wearing a black outfit stood out, surprised to hear the metal’s name. “My nation’s chief export is vibranium. It’s an impenetrable metal, the only known to man that cannot be dented once cast, much less destroyed.”
“Your nation?” Coffy asked. “Wait… holy shit, are you the Black Panther?! You’re talking about Wakanda, right?”
“Yes. We only trade vibranium with a few chief industries. If only we knew a little more, we could probably find out who developed this machine.”
“Continuing,” KOS-MOS interjected. “I’m detecting the presence of design schematics patented by Stark Industries.”
“Wait.” Dante approached the ball, well aware of the name. “Stark Industries You mean Tony Stark? I know about it. The headquarters is about five blocks from my place.”
Whoa, really? Then I guess we’re heading to Metropolis tomorrow. Now that the city’s leveled, I’m pretty sure the government’s gonna be sending feds here yesterday. Judah?
Yes? the old man said, still in the middle of mystic conversation with Strange.
Is it fine if everyone crashes the night at our place? Coffy asked.
Most fine.
Then we’re agreed.
Um… question! the pale-faced Duela asked. I get that we’re like the Super Friends now and such, but, uh, what’re we gonna do with her? Duela cocked both of her index fingers over to the sphere where Mayhem was resting.
Oh. That… is a good question, Coffy pondered out loud. If there’s no chance of us breaking her out of there, then we’d probably have to wait until she got out to grab her.
That won’t be happening, KOS-MOS interjected again. Once the Absolutely Safe is engaged, it will never open again. The user will spend his or her remaining days within the chamber. As food or water cannot enter the Absolutely Safe Machine, a human being would likely starve to death, which it’s designed for android users in mind.
Whoa. So she’s just gonna starve in there? Duela asked. I mean, it’s not like she doesn’t deserve it, but it’s still kind of a miserable way to die, don’t you think?
If she is who she says she is, then I don’t have to worry about her getting hungry in there. Coffy walked over to the capsule, placing her hand on the vibranium casing. I don’t want to leave her here, in case Second Wave picks her up and somehow gets her out of this thing.
We can’t just toss her in jail either, Duela added. The penitentiary blew up and the Asylum’s in ruins.
I’m not sure how comfortable I’ll be if feds take possession of this thing anyway. We can’t just kill her and get it over with either. There’s probably a lot of important things she could tell us if we interrogate her. I think we have to keep her prisoner.
Are you serious? Prisoner? Auron asked. I’m certain this is illegal under every jurisdiction.
So’s a city-wide annihilation. I’m pretty sure the authorities won’t take too kindly to us just declaring war on an international terrorist cartel, so I think we’re the only ones we can trust right now. Oh, I almost forgot about that giant black robot whose shadow we’re all standing in. Hey, Mr. Robot! Coffy yelled out. Are you in, or are you going back to wherever you came from?!
I’m in, Roger Smith spoke through the Big-O’s PA system. But I don’t feel comfortable revealing my identity in public.
I know who you are, Negotiator, Judah yelled back out. You’re in this city today due to the recommendation of a certain friend of yours, is this true?
Huh… so he told. I guess it just can’t be helped then. The Big-O finally moved, kneeling before the Numbers. A plate on the megadeus’s chest opened, and the negotiator and his android companion jumped out.
Fancy meeting you again, Roger, Auron said. It’s like the justice convention’s expanding its scope.
This is the most colorful cast of characters I’ve ever had the pleasure of performing with, Roger said. I’ll send the Big-O underground for the rest of the day. Then we’ll head to Metropolis through the tunnel system to avoid detection.
Whoa. There really are tunnels going through from Metropolis to New Gotham? Dante asked. I always thought that was just a rumor. Does it really go through Paradigm City also?
It’d have to. I’m from there.
Okay. Let’s get moving! We’re gonna talk anti-terror strategy and drink sacramental wine all night long! Coffy pumped her fist into the air, and the rest of the Numbers cheered. Except for you, Coffy said, looking straight at Toshiro Hitsugaya. What are you, like eleventeen? The young-looking shinigami grunted. Coffy got behind the Machine and started rolling it down the street, and Judah led the way back to his apartment. The Numbers were soon marching on their path of defiance, the old Hebrew leading the way while Coffy straggled along behind everyone else. Just a few minutes into their walk through burning rubble and bloodied bodies, Coffy heard Mayhem’s voice whining within the Machine.
“What the hell are you doing?!” Mayhem yelled. “You can’t -BUMP- treat me like I’m -BUMP- some sort of hamster!”
“Piss off. It’s because of you that we’re in this mess anyway!” Coffy snapped back.
“That’s it! I’m opening this thing up -BUMP- and I’m gonna tear your head off and -BUMP- I’m gonna puke in it, Coffy Mackenzie!”
“No use.”
“What?!”
“No use. You’re not getting out of that Machine. We can’t get in, but you can’t get out. It works both ways.”
“You’re shitting me! I’m… -BUMP- give me a second here. Open up. Open sesame. Come on. Over-BUMP-ride. OVERRIDE! LET ME OUT OF HERE!!!”
“You’re stuck in there. You’re in a giant hamster ball. You’ll be spending the rest of your life as our furry pet. Deal.”
“FUCK YOU!!!”
[LEFT]The Numbers finally reached the apartment, and not a moment too soon - helicopters began sweeping the area, and the party narrowly avoided detection by hiding in the shadows. [/LEFT]
[LEFT]“I feel like we’re prisoners or something,” Kyo said, finally entering the apartment building. “We’re totally on the run from the man now.”[/LEFT]
[LEFT]“Ain’t shit to it,” Dante said. “Just gotta scatter like rats when the police is around.”[/LEFT]
[LEFT]“Are there any cops left?” Ash Crimson asked, twirling his hair. “I think they’re all dead now.”[/LEFT]
[LEFT]“Man, why are you even here?” Kyo asked. “I really ought to kick your ass for that shit you tried to pull!”[/LEFT]
[LEFT]“What do you care what happens to Iori Yagami, my dear Kyo? I just have business with him, you know.”[/LEFT]
[LEFT]“Kyo cares because Iori’s his old butt buddy,” Dante explained. [/LEFT]
[LEFT]“I don’t care what happens to him. You just stay out of my way, and my ass.”[/LEFT]
[LEFT]“Homosexual repression is hilarious to observe, but can’t you guys shut the fuck up for a second?” Dante said. [/LEFT]
[LEFT]
“Hey! The doorway’s too small. I can’t fit Mayhem in!” Coffy yelled out, struggling to shove the capsule through the apartment building’s entrance. “There’s no way I can fit her into the apartment either.”[/LEFT]
[LEFT]“Fuck her,” Dante spat back.[/LEFT]
[LEFT]“I can’t just leave her out in the open. She could roll away or something. Someone’s gotta stay outside and stand watch. Any volunteers?” Coffy asked, addressing the Numbers. [/LEFT]
[LEFT]“I’ll do it,” Duela replied. “I should probably roll her into that alley next to the building?”[/LEFT]
[LEFT]“Good idea. We’ll be here all night, so I figure we should take two hour shifts watching her.”[/LEFT]
[LEFT]“Do I have a say in all this?!” Mayhem yelled out.[/LEFT]
[LEFT]“No!” everyone replied.[/LEFT]
[LEFT]“Okay. I’ll see you guys later,” Duela said, leaving the building and rolling a noisy Mayhem outside.[/LEFT]
[LEFT]“Now that we have that taken care of, I’m gonna take advantage of this situation and try to raid any ruined liquor stores. Peace!” Coffy said, leaving the entrance. [/LEFT]
[LEFT]The remaining Numbers all marched into Judah’s apartment, setting their bags, equipment, or weapons in the corner of the room, hanging their coats along the small hallway leading to the living room. [/LEFT]
[LEFT]“Allow me a moment,” Judah said, entering his bedroom. The party all found chairs or sofas to sit in, some preferring to lean against the wall or sit on the floor. [/LEFT]
[LEFT]“Nice place,” Kyo said. “Lots of Torahs and shit. Is that guy Judah Jewish?”[/LEFT]
[LEFT]“No shit, Sherlock,” Dante replied. “That mother fucker looks like Moses’s cousin.”[/LEFT]
[LEFT]“I met Moses once,” Judah said as he reappeared with a tray packed with bottles of wine, “and Moses was not my kin, though a respectable man by his own merits. Now, Numbers, I have forty bottles of wine. They are each a century old. This, among my few material possessions, is my most precious. I have waited for an important occasion to dine upon this. ternity Numbers, may the Lord look upon us in approval.” [/LEFT]
[LEFT]Judah began passing out drinks, and soon everyone was comfortable despite the highly awkward situation they were all in. Judah and Doctor Strange spoke to each other for a long time, discussing, of all things, the universe.
“I feel a chaotic flux of energy surging in this very room, Judah.”[/LEFT]
[LEFT]“Indeed. Occasionally, this wall will disappear and becomes a gateway to the Middle East itself. It’s there were I met with Zeltrech.”[/LEFT]
[LEFT]“I see. What did the time-crosser have to say?” Strange asked.[/LEFT]
[LEFT]“He spoke vaguely, like a desperate man rendered mad by time and circumstance. He told me he is now unable to cross through time. He is trapped in this plane of reality.”[/LEFT]
[LEFT]“I’ve lately been suffering from visions, indecipherable images of impending death and destruction, but also, of false memories, several lives that become dear to me and collapse as soon as I wake. It’s most distressing. But the most perplexing is the memories I have of… the stars. The stars in the night sky. I saw them, up close, Judah. I saw stars for what they really were.”[/LEFT]
[LEFT]
“Some schools of thought still believe the stars are a congregation of saints and angels, looking down on humanity. I don’t subscribe to that. What were they in your vision?”[/LEFT]
[LEFT]“Flaming orbs of gas, Judah, shimmering in their life-giving light.”[/LEFT]
[LEFT]“Most interesting, should that vision be accurate.”[/LEFT]
[LEFT]“I also dreamt of a world smaller than ours, where in man actually broke through our atmosphere and ventured into the great beyond. They called it ‘outer space.’”[/LEFT]
[LEFT]“Because it was blank and mostly empty? Creative name for it,” Judah said.[/LEFT]
[LEFT]A man in a military uniform suddenly entered the room, exiting from the bathroom.[/LEFT]
[LEFT]“You are out of toilet paper,” Bright Noa said.[/LEFT]
[LEFT]
“I’ve some beneath the kitchen sink,” Judah replied.[/LEFT]
[LEFT]“Thank you.” Bright went into the kitchen and grabbed the TP, returning to the bathroom.[/LEFT]
[LEFT]“I’m back guys!” Coffy said, entering through the front door. She held a large grocery bag filled with various vices. “Coronas! Thunderbird! Chicken & waffles! And, uh, ganja, if any of you’d like to step outside.”[/LEFT]
[LEFT]“Thank you, Coffy. Given the circumstances, we will dine on this, despite the grease. And I will allow you to indulge on your recreational drugs, on this one occasion.”[/LEFT]
[LEFT]“Great.” Coffy set the booze and the food on the table. “I’m gonna go check on Mayhem and the clown chick. I’ll be right back.”[/LEFT]
[LEFT]“For the last fucking time, NO, I DON’T KNOW YOUR FATHER!” [/LEFT]
[LEFT]“You must know, right? Everyone knows Tony Stark is Iron Man, and you were built by Stark Industries, so-”[/LEFT]
[LEFT]“I WASN’ T BUILT BY STARK INDUSTRIES! THIS FUCKING MACHINE WAS!”
“I wasn’t talking to YOU, Miss Mass Murderer. I was talking to the ball.”[/LEFT]
[LEFT]“ARGGGGGGH!!!”[/LEFT]
[LEFT]“Getting along?” Coffy asked, the lit blunt firmly between her fingertips. “Heh heh heh… heh heh heh! Man, I hate this fucking alley!” She said, stumbling into the alleyway placing a hand along the wall. [/LEFT]
[LEFT]“Why do you hate it? Is it because it’s too dark, dingy, or damp?” Duela asked.[/LEFT]
[LEFT]“I hate it because… heh. I got beat up here, almost left for dead when I was ten years old. Judah saved me that night, which is why I’m alive today.”[/LEFT]
[LEFT]“Bullshit,” Mayhem said inside the 'Machine. “We only got here two years ago.”[/LEFT]
[LEFT]“You’re crazy. That’s crazy talk,” Coffy stammered.[/LEFT]
[LEFT]“Are you smoking dro, Coffy?” Duela asked.[/LEFT]
[LEFT]“Better believe it. What you gonna do? You don’t like it? Gonna rat me out to the cops or anything? If you do that, then… then I’m gonna play with myself in my cell! Ha ha ha ha ha!”[/LEFT]
[LEFT]“She’s always been taking drugs, since before we got here,” Mayhem explained. “It’s how we operated. It wasn’t for recreational use - they needed to have us coked out so we’d be extra violent.”[/LEFT]
[LEFT]“Violent? What’re you talking about, hamster girl? I’m mellow~.”[/LEFT]
[LEFT]“Huh. So what were you guys, back then?” Duela asked, rubbing the ball.[/LEFT]
[LEFT]“I forgot our organization’s name. All I really remember is that we were sent to this universe to watch it burn. This is a fucking abomination. You’re all abominations. And Coffy here… it corrupted her! Sooner or later, it’ll get to me too.”[/LEFT]
[LEFT]“But that doesn’t make any sense,” Coffy tried to say, but managed slurring. “Then why does Judah remember me from almost twenty years ago?”[/LEFT]
[LEFT]“Who knows? All I know is that there were five of us. I already forgot the man’s name, and Maiden Mackenzie is missing. The only other Mackenzie was Master, and she’s with Second Wave now also.”[/LEFT]
[LEFT]“It’s so interesting that you guys would form some type of terrorist organization and leave me uninvited!” Coffy took another hit from the blunt, then waved her arms around. “Ooooh, I am lost in an ocean of myself.”[/LEFT]
[LEFT]“If you guys thought I was bad, you couldn’t even begin to handle Master, and if we ran into Maiden… then again, you’re considerably weaker than usual, Coffy.”[/LEFT]
[LEFT]“Heyyyy… remember when you called me ‘Minus?’ What does that mean?”[/LEFT]
[LEFT]“I don’t remember that either. All I know was that your code name was a minus sign, and that your real name actually was Coffy Mackenzie. That, and you were my best friend, and I looked up to you more than anyone else in my life! Now that you’re this… this lame, retail jockey, I feel like killing you and then killing myself!”[/LEFT]
[LEFT]“Aww… I think she loves you!” Duela giggled.[/LEFT]
[LEFT]
“You’re fucking crazy. I don’t… believe you. Man. Fuck this.” Coffy took a large puff from the ganja and blew it at the Machine. “Enjoy. Good night.” Coffy stumbled away, going back to the apartment.[/LEFT]
[LEFT]“I’ll make your life HELL for this, Coffy Mackenzie!”[/LEFT]
The Grand Epic of Ambush Bug
Chapter 1 “The Quickening”
POP
The green-suited wonder appeared, clad in heavy furs and armor, a viking hat perched precariously atop his head. “Lo!” he bellowed, banging his broad sword upon his heavy round shield, “Forsooth! Oh mighty gods, your champion has come forth to do battle! Let loose the doors of Valhalla and let the battle maidens fly through the air and the thunder strike and the wind blow and let the Scots Baio to their hearts content!”
“Dude,” the miraculous red-haired monk didst reply, “Survivor 12 was, like, four years ago.”
“It was?” the emerald insectoid one inquired most piteously.
“Yeah, totally. It was tubular and radical. Most bodaciously awesometacular.”
“Isn’t that the way it always goes,” Ambush Bug mused, pulling up the collar on his trenchcoat and pulling his fedora down over his eyes. “The good times come before you know it, and leave before you get there.”
“Dude,” Miracle said, “there’s a new tournament at SRK. You can probably still get in on that. It’ll be gnarly. And also tubular. Because no one says tubular enough anymore. Tubular, tubular, tubular.”
“Depends, who would be writing me?”
“Switchblade. Tubular, tubular.”
“So there’s a good chance I might get to make out with a blonde teenager?” Ambush Bug asked.
“Tubular! Tubu-tubu!”
Ambush Bug thrust out his chest and put his hands on his hips, his cape billowing behind him. “I’ll do it! Come, Cheeks, to the Ambushmobile!”
POP
“The fuck you volunteered to stay here with me, anyway?” Mayhem asked from inside her portable prison, slowly banging her head against the rounded padded wall, scratching at her arm and idly wondering how oxygen was getting in there. “I doubt it was to spend quality time talking about your daddy - who I’m sure is actually not your father because no business owner would raise his little girl to be a goddamn clown.”
Duela sat on the dirty ground, she could feel dampness through the cloth of her pants as she did so, and leaned against the Absolutely Safe Machine, situated in the corner of the alley to prevent it from rolling away. “I guess it’s because I was stuck in Arkham for so long, I know how much it sucks to be trapped in a room like that, so-”
“Oh cry me a fucking river,” the encased woman shouted, throwing her arms up in the air, “You just knew you didn’t fit up there with all the sane people, so you came down here to fuck around with another crazy bitch.”
“I’M NOT CRAZY!” Duela shouted at the top of her lungs, punching the Absolutely Safe Machine as hard as she could with her right hand, shaking the hand afterwards as the white skin began to take on a red hue. She could hear Mayhem laughing from inside the ball, smiling as Duela got angrier, and she got stronger. “Why do you hate that Coffy person so much, anyway?”
Mayhem stood up, looking out of the glass at the red-haired girl, still tending to her hand - the Absolutely Safe Machine was quite hard - and scratched her head. “I thought you just finished saying I loved her,” she mocked, trying to get Duela angrier.
She put her pale hands on the cold steel ball and met Mayhem’s eyes through the small window. “Well, do you?” No answer. “Come on, you can tell me! I’m not judgemental. Really!” After a bit of silence watching the imprisoned woman seethe, Duela began to tap on the glass as if it were a fishbowl. “So now we’re not talking to me, huh?” She turned around, folding her arms, but somehow she knew that behind her back Mayhem was flipping her off (she was right), “Fine. I can entertain myself just fine.”
“I hope somebody fucking walks in on you ‘entertaining’ yourself, you crazy slut…”
This time it was the girl in purple that decided not to reply, lowering herself to the ground and propping her back against the steel ball to keep it from rolling away, she pulled a deck of cards from her sleeve and whistling to herself while dealing out a hand of solitaire. “Oh so now you’re going to ignore me, huh?” Mayhem shouted from inside. She tried to peer out of the small window but it was facing slightly upwards, above the other woman’s head. “WELL FUCK YOU! You’re just a crazy cunt anyway…”
For roughly forty minutes (she guesses, she wasn’t really counting) she got no response other than the Arkham escapee whistling various showtunes. She paced around (as much as one could) in the machine, arms folded. Growling out in frustration through clenched teeth, the Mackenzie woman finally bit the bullet. “Fine,” she said, “You want to know what my deal with Coffy is? She just fucking left, stayed in this god-forsaken shithole of a universe and let it just… eat her - and not in the fun way.” She stared out into the cloudy sky a bit before tightening her fist. “Could you stand up or something? I can’t even see where the fuck you ar-”
Mayhem’s request was interrupted as the pale woman reached up and grabbed the edge of the prison’s window, jerking it down to her own level and watching the unprepared inhabitant fall flat on her face inside. An angry fist flew towards Duela’s face, slamming loudly against the unbreakable glass and causing the clown to flinch. “Anyway (bitch), like I said Coffy was my fucking idol and my best damn friend and now she’s just gonna leave me to rot in this piece of shit hamster ball. Yeah, I’m bitter. No, your addled little mushball of a brain doesn’t get it and no, I really don’t give a shit.”
Duela began to laugh - an ironic, slow chuckle as she sat across from the window, facing into it. “You know, I used to be on the Defenders,” she told her.
“The who?”
“You haven’t heard of the Defenders?” she asked with wide eyes, amazed.
Mayhem shook her head, burying it in both hands, mock-crying before pulling them up and above her head, holding her hair back and out of her face. “Did you not pick up on the fact that I’m not from this world?” she moaned. “How fucking stupid are you!?”
“The Defenders, the fucking Defenders!” Duela replied, throwing her hands up like it should be the most obvious thing ever. “Silver Surfer, Doctor Strange, Black Adam, Goku, and me. We were the whole world’s strongest team of protectors and then they decided I should go into Arkham and had me committed even though I’m so obviously not crazy (I think Strange did something to their heads to make them think I was) and I was stuck there until I broke out and-”
“AHA!” Mayhem shouted with a smile, “You owe me. I got you out of that place so you owe me now return the favor and break me out of here!”
“I don’t owe you anything,” Duela told her firmly, “I was actually almost out when you started blowing the place up. And besides, why would I help you?” She widened her eyes and leaned in to the window, “You’re evil!”
“Misunderstood,” she corrected quickly, the two sitting there. She could have sworn there were crickets chirping in the silence. “Okay fine you’re right. But I helped you either way, so I should get something out of this. And I want-”
“Okay fine,” Duela told her, picking up the cards and shuffling them in front of the window. “I’ll show you a trick!”
“You know, this shit really wasn’t what I had in-”
“Pick a card!” Duela demanded, fanning out the deck in front of her.
Mayhem looked at the woman like she was crazy (understandably) and simply folded her arms. “I can’t, you psychotic motherfucker.”
“Oh, ummm… You’re right.” Duela stroked her chin a bit, looking at the dingy ground beneath her. “How about this then?” she asked, backing up a bit and flashing her breasts at Mayhem.
“Fuck you!” she shouted, running forward on all fours to roll the ball at Duela, trying to run her over. The redhead simply extended one of her legs while buttoning her jacket back up, catching the Absolutely Safe Machine with the bottom of her foot and stopping it dead. “…I have never been so goddamn humiliated in my entire life.” With a flick of her ankle, she sent the perfectly spherical prison rolling backwards towards the corner she had kept it in, Mayhem tumbling about inside. “Okay fine, I take that back,” she griped, laying almost upside-down on her back, arms folded.
“Miss Duela,” came a male voice from the entrance to the alleyway. Turning around she saw a bearded man in ornate red robes walking towards her, adjusting his collar. “The girl, Coffy, requested that another come to take your place. After drawing straws, it was me.”
Doctor Stephen Strange - everyone knew him, the Sorcerer Supreme. It felt like an honor just to be around someone so… Regal. “Doctor Strange… But why? I was the one who wanted to come…”
“Doctor Strange?” Mayhem asked. “But he’s the one who sent you to that fucking cell of yours! Kick him in the balls, bitch!”
She looked back at the machine, “Huh? No he isn’t. It was Ed Elric, that short little alchemist that did…”
“Coffy actually felt a bit sorry for leaving you out here so she decided to send another,” Strange explained to her, “Mostly so you could go to the party and meet everyone before the alcohol ran out. She thought you deserved some since you’re one of the Numbers now.”
“But I’m only nineteen, I can’t-”
“I don’t think anyone cares tonight,” he told her before she could finished that thought.
On the way out, she gave the sorcerer a tight hug, pressing her head against his chest before walking off with a smile. “Okay, thanks, Daddy!”
Auron set down his glass of bourbon and rose from his chair. Making his way to the door, he paused and leaned in to speak to Judah for a moment, gesturing at Porter, who was currently wearing a strip of packaged condoms tied around his head and holding a wine bottle.
“If he gives you any trouble, throw him out a window. Open it first.”
The aged Hebrew raised an eyebrow. “That should prove entertaining.”
Stepping outside, the attorney found Coffy leaning against the balcony railing and looking up at the stars, shrouded both by the smoke rising from the city and that rising from the joint in her hand.
“Miss Mackenzie.”
“Oh, hey~! You’re… Auron, right? Man, it’s gonna be tough remembering everyone’s names… Wanna hit?” She offered the joint in Auron’s direction.
“No, thank you.” He leaned on the railing a few feet from Coffy and looked up at the stars himself. Coffy continued smoking for a minute, then flipped around, leaning back over the railing with the joint clenched in her teeth.
“Man, I hate awkward silences. You know, I heard, like, it’s only an awkward silence if something isn’t being said. Didn’t get it then, but I think I do now, like, if there’s something unspoken that’s not being said, if no one’s saying it, it gets awkward, you know?”
“I think so.”
“So, uh…” She paused to take a drag, the ember lighting up her face in the near-darkness, “what aren’t you saying?”
“…I am concerned.”
The wayward LOL-Mart employee coughed softly and blew smoke out her nose. “No shit?”
“No shit.” Auron was silent long enough that Coffy was about to prod him again, then he spoke. “I’ve grown old on tales of adventure and justice, and had to face the reality of adventure being impossible in any meaningful sense and justice being perverted, even from within those meant to uphold it.”
“Crooked cops?”
“Crooked cops, corrupt attorneys, vengeful prosecutors, bought judges. ‘Justice’ in this city is more and more becoming ‘what I paid for’. I’ve made several powerful enemies.”
“Well, you’ve got, uhh… damn, what’s the- friends! You got some friends, right?” Coffy took another hit, trying to cough without actually letting any smoke escape her lungs. “Really good shit, sure you don’t want some?”
“I’m sure. And what ‘friends’ I’ve made are fickle. Do you know Bluecorp?”
“Never heard of it.”
“Not surprising, you would have been much younger. Its CEO was blackmailing multiple wealthy individuals. I took him down. Just off the bar exam, my first legitimate case. No one thought I could win, least of all me. The people he was blackmailing were very grateful. They sent me money. But not help when I needed it later. They asked for it when they got in trouble, and I defended them, of course. If they were innocent.”
“You only defend innocent people?” She looked at the joint in her hand. “Either I’m really faded, or something about that doesn’t mesh.”
“You mean, how can I tell? It’s… I’m not sure. Something about a piece of evidence doesn’t add up, or an initial statement in the case file is off. Holes just make bigger holes, in both directions. A guilty person will always be guilty, an innocent one always innocent. That’s just the way it is.”
“So, uh… whoa, we got off the thread. Really good shit.” She frowned at the joint, now little more than a roach, sucked the coal down to her fingers, then flicked it into the parking lot below, “You said you had concerns.”
“Mostly that nearly everything we’re about to do is illegal. It’s hard to reconcile that with the thought that everything we’re about to do is just. I-”
They were interrupted by the window nearby slamming open and Porter flying out of it, yelling “I SAID I TRIPPED, DOOOOOOOO-” The prinny exploded against the wall of the apartment complex across the street, and Judah stuck his head out the window, blinking. Auron chuckled.
“He’ll be fine.”
“I suppose that is a relief, although small comfort.” Judah pulled back into the apartment, closing the window as he did.
Coffy raised an eyebrow. “Tripped?”
“Porter is a breast man, and last I saw him he was on top of a table.”
“Oh. So, uh, if you’re having a hard time, why are you, uh, staying around?”
“I am a defense attorney. In every sense of the word ‘defense’. Defending the world is a tall order, but one I would love to do. Also, it will certainly be an adventure.” He paused. “Plus, something about traveling with a group of heroes, intent on saving the world, just… resonates.”
Porter came wandering up the stairs then, a crumpled cigarette burning in his bill. “You know, dood, that old dude’s kinda harsh.”
Coffy chuckled. “He says he taught Hammurabi everything he knows. Knew? What do you call it when the pupil’s dead, but the master’s still around?”
“Fucked up, dood.” Porter walked back into the apartment, calling out, “Okay, ladies, sorry about the delay, dood!”
Auron winced. “I should probably go restrain him.” As the swordsman opened the door, however, the window slammed open again and Porter was flung out, yelling “DOOOOOOD! NOT AGAAAAIN!” Shaking his head ruefully, Auron made his way back inside.
< Don’t kill me if you somehow spot dry humor here–I doubt you would though. XP. This took way too long if you ask me. >
Ash looked around the apartment and the many people in it–well, technically it wasn’t that many…but for a small compartment he thought that this amount of people would surely not fit. Well, the platinum blonde sighed as he realized that apparently so, it was possible–although he held his nose a couple of times walking around because of the booze he smelt. Blech, this stuff smells like crap–who in their right mind would drink this shit? …Well, usually the person drinking the stuff wasn’t in their right mind.
Then he once again spotted the brunette, who was standing with that white-haired man from earlier. The blonde briefly wondered whether or not did that guy always seemed to accompany the Kusanagi heir lately. Maybe it was some kind of bodyguard? Nah. Ash waved with a traditional smile of his, which Kyo happened to notice and did a favor by returning the gesture with a customary glare. Male PMS much? But as he neared the two, he heard the brunette say:
“Come anywhere near my ass and I’ll kill you.”
I feel welcomed to do so.
He had expected as much as something like that to come out from the Kusanagi heir. Ash instead just waved the comment off with a rude dismissal of the hand before he had a mischievous smile cross his lips.
“Don’t worry…I won’t get close to you–much.”
Dante, however seemed to be minding his business (for now xD) as he didn’t so much as comment on the situation…yet. He was polishing off a bottle of win until it radiated light off of it like a beacon, shaking his head as well.
“Heh!”
Kyo, however did not think what Dante was doing–which generally would not be a good idea if he wasn’t who he was–and decided to speak up. Ash however, instead got comfortable, eying Kyo Kusanagi a couple of times to see if he was paying attention. And of course when the brunette was, he sent many glares at Ash.
“…Dante…I don’t think that’s a safe idea, especially if you’re going to be our guide tomorrow.”
The Son of Sparda, shrugged, putting down the bottle of wine for a moment, replying to Kyo:
“Enhanced liver from demon blood, kid. I don’t get drunk…easily, anyway.”
Ash blinked. The platinum-haired blonde still thought that as an excuse so the white-haired man could drink how much almost whenever he wanted.
“But you can still can get drunk…”
“Yeah…but hey…that’s okay.”
The white-haired man just nodded. Ash ran a hand through his hair, snickering a little as he knew that the two probably were going to have more then a beer or two.
“Even with all of the drinks here, I don’t think I will be over-indulging any time soon…however…”
When he said the last word he was looking particularly at the two to make his point. Though, you would be surprised to see how fast Kyo frowned–it was like an avalanche dropping two seconds earlier.
“Oi…I’m not that stupid, especially with you around, fruitloop.”
Ash frowned slightly for a tentative few seconds upon hearing that new nickname for him. He really thought that Kyo apparently had a fetish with the cereal with the similar brand name.
“You sure act stupid around me.”
In a matter of seconds the two were glaring daggers at each other–tension raising before the Son of Sparda waved a hand in between the two so they couldn’t really glare at each other.
“Oi, oi, save the bedroom talk for later.”
Kyo looked like he was about to kill something in this room–however, Ash was amused by that comment, so when he spoke, it was no wonder he sounded like a nice breeze had come by.
“Are you implying something?”
“What the hell?!”
Dante grinned.
“Maybe, maybe not.”
Ash smiled as well as he snickered once again upon hearing Dante’s comment.
“How sweet of you~”
“WHAT?!”
Kyo was far from amused as he glared at Dante, and then Ash–who just whistled innocently and looking in the other direction from the brunette’s glare. Dante himself was amused.
“Haha! You guys are great…just remember, when we get to my place tomorrow before Stark Industries, don’t touch my shit. You’ll more than likely get maimed…”
Oh ho! So, he’s pulling a threat or something…? Ash eyed the white-haired man warily.
“…I don’t want to even know.”
Kyo said, while Ash took the more curious approach.
“Hm, does this mean your stuff is cursed or something?”
Dante nodded.
“Yup. Oh, and don’t bother the Devil Arms. They don’t appreciate it, especially Beowulf.”
The Frenchman sweat dropped. Excuse me? For his luck–Ash had a vivid imagination which he wished he hadn’t sometimes.
“…What? Are they alive or something?”
“Wait, that big-ass dog that was with you…was he one of them?”
Yes, that was definitely Kyo’s comment.
“Bingo. That’s Cerberus. There’s also Nevan, Beowulf, and the twins–Agni and Rudra.”
Once again, Ash’s train of thought would be something like: What?
“Cerberus? As in the three-headed dog in those myths? How do I know you’re not making this up, hm?”
There was a smile upon the platinum blonde’s face as he had pointed this out. It wasn’t that he didn’t believe in different kinds of myths–it’s just he thought the man in front of him was pulling his leg when he said that he could bring these things right out.
“…eheheh…Nah, I won’t pull him out. He’d trash the apartment. Nevan’ll be just fine.”
Dante grabbed a purple scythe-guitar from his so-called ‘vortex pockets’ and it transforms into a beautiful red-haired woman. Kyo and Ash both stare–amazed. But even so, the platinum-blonde rose an eyebrow. I don’t know if she still has her sanity though…Ash thought, recalling the insane women who he had seen and one of them…he even encountered.
“…I see. Very interesting.”
“Hello. Hon, is this the Kusanagi heir?”
The red-haired woman smiled as well as pointing to Kyo to make clarification to who she was talking about. Dante nodded.
“Yup.”
Ash blinked.
“Hmm, she even speaks normal English…”
That’s right! No moonspeak for yew!
“I see…”
As Nevan is talking, she is circling the Kusanagi heir,
“Hmm…yes, I can feel the energy coming off him…quite delicious…but, you belong to another, yes?”
“Hm, insightful too. Dante–that is your name right?–where did you get these so-called ‘Devil Arms’, do they come from Devils?”
Ash spoke, completely ignoring the red-haired woman who had a particular interest in Kyo, who responded to the woman,
“…I have a girlfriend, if that’s what you mean, yes.”
“Basically. If you defeat a high-level demon, they have to give up their soul and serve the person who defeated them. It’s a power thing.”
Anarchy~ Was what Ash thought as soon as Dante mentioned the power thing.
“Hm, I didn’t know they could look so humanoid though…”
Although when the platinum blonde said this, what Nevan said to the Son of Sparda made Ash roll his eyes.
“And you defeated me quite spectacularly. Too bad you couldn’t stay with me though, sugar.”
“Most higher-level demons can shift shape. I tell them to keep their human forms most of the time, though. Cerberus is the only one that stays close to his true form…considering he doesn’t like looking like a human.”
“Hm, so that beast can look like a human but he prefers not to. Interesting. I just thought you were something just there to look at–but you seem to have interesting abilities as well. Although…”
At the end of that sentence, the platinum-haired blonde eyed Kyo.
“Stay away from me, fruitloop.”
Again with the fruitloops. Ash blew a blueraspberry before then having that sinister smile cross his face as he said,
“I am…for now.”
“Hey, I took down that ass-vampire before.”
Excusesawhat?
Kyo glared.
“Only with our help.”
Ash smiled sweetly, laughing as if everything was howdy dandy.
“I don’t know what you guys are talking about.”
Dante blinked and shrugged a little mid-way in his response.
“Really? Huh…thought you were there like Kennedy was. Oh well.”
“…?”
Ash titled his head to the side. Eh? A police-man was there? Well, maybe he hadn’t been looking right at the location at the time–who knows what was happening at exactly what time. After all, the platinum-haired blonde seemed to recall everything becoming so haywire that he had to jot down some notes in his private little secret notebook he brought around. Not that it mattered anyway. It sounded like to him that the vampire who Dante had referred to was already disposed of–thus, having less than an important purpose.
“…”
Kyo, however was just still worried that Ash might try to get the katana–or worse, try to sleep with him. Although, one thing the Kusanagi heir didn’t know was that neither option had crossed his mind…yet, at least until what Dante had said:
“Ah well, tomorrow’s gonna be interesting.”
Ash had that sinister look on his face again as he eyed the Kusanagi heir for the 20th time today.
“It sure is going to be…”
For all his trouble he received another predicted glare from the brunette and Ash shrugged, looking the other way.
“What? I wasn’t doing anything…”
“Heheh…you two are funny.”
Dante said, grabbing another bottle of wine. The platinum-haired blonde simply rose an eyebrow at this, saying,
“…I’m surprised we all even fit in this apartment. Although…”
The blonde sweat dropped a little as he looked at the wine and different types of beers.
“I’d rather not drink any of this…”
“…I’m gonna head over there…”
Kyo said, slinking off to another corner of the room, grabbing a can of beer, whilst talking to himself,
“Just watch your tolerance, Kusanagi…”
“Yes, you better. Anyway, Dante–does this taste any good?”
Ash asked, holding up a can of beer. Dante had the normal look on his face when he answered (no he didn’t actually >_>;),
“Yeah.”
Taking Dante’s advice–which necessarily was not a good thing most of the time–the platinum blonde shrugged, taking a gulp from the can after opening it. A few seconds later, Ash spits out the contents of the beer.
“Ce qui la baise? Ce got comme la merde (What the fuck? This taste like crap.).”
For once, Ash was NOT amused from the look on Dante’s face and from what he had drank from. Never again am I subjugating myself to this crap in a can. Kyo just shuddered, as he heard the platinum-haired blonde, moving away from the two before taking a sip of beer.
“…What the? You did that on purpose!”
Ash fumed for a good ten seconds before then seeing out of the corner of his eyes that Kyo seemed to be moving away from them. Ash then gave Kyo a funny look as he said,
“You won’t be escaping from me anytime soon, Kyo-kun~ <3”
“Hey, different strokes for different folks, bud.”
Dante merely said as Kyo glared at the platinum blonde.
“Oh, urusai!”
Kyo had half a mind to torch Ash, but with the close quarters, they’d more than likely burn down the apartment. Ash smiled right as Kyo glared at him and shrugged once again. Dante rose an eyebrow, drinking some of the wine in the bottle he was holding. This is going to be a long night…
Ash bluesrasperried once again at the brunette–earning another lethal glare from the Kusanagi heir. Then he ran his fingers through his hair again before sitting down–he had a smile on his face. Well, well, looks like things are proceeding as planned… Even though, he wondered what the hell was going on sometimes.
Son of the Grand Epic of Ambush Bug
Chapter 2 “The Second Chapter”
POP
Ambush Bug appeared before the white-haired man. “You are Dante?” he asked, running his fingers along the edge of the billiard table he had brought with him for this exact purpose. “Son of Sparda?”
Dante glared at him. “Who wants to know?”
Ambush Bug put on a pair of sunglasses, then pulled them down so he could look over the top of the lenses like one of those guys in the movies. “I played Devil May Cry 2,” he said.
Dante sighed. “Damn it. Okay, let me get my wallet. You rent it or buy it?”
“Bought it.”
Dante pulled out his wallet and started counting out bills. “Regular or Greatest Hits?”
“Anniversary collection, actually.”
“Here’s your ten dollars back.” Dante handed Ambush Bug two fives. “Did you play the Lucia disc?”
“Yes.”
Dante handed him another five.
“Thanks.”
POP
The Guide to Super-Heroes Tip #183: Always keep your receipts.
Coming Soon:
Auron’s arm in his coat: cool samurai thing or heartbreak of psoriasis? You make the call!
Over the past half-century, Florida has been steadily moving its burgeoning population into gigantic colonies. A new home for mankind, where people are born and raised
? and die.
*?Why is it that we have fought on for so long when our resources are only one thirtieth of Florida?s. It is because each one of us is fighting for our freedom. Our inspiration is heavenly ? our cause divine.?
A tall, physically-fit man who is somewhere in his 30s, wearing military regalia, is addressing a crowd in Side 3?s capital colony.
?Rise, my people, rise! Don?t let Florida?s bourgeoisie oppress us any further. Take your sorrow and turn it into anger! We, the chosen master race of colonists, will exceed the promise Zeon had in us and save the earth!
SIEG ZEON!?
The crowd, roused by the man?s gripping oration, start to join in their leader?s chanting. Throughout the colony, the only words that can be heard are hearty yells of ?SIEG ZEON!?*
Eight years ago, the cluster of colonies furthest from Florida, Side 3, proclaimed itself the Principality of Zeon and launched a war of independence against Florida.
Initial fighting lasted one week and saw both sides lose half of their respective populations.
People were horrified by the indescribable atrocities committed in the name of independence.
*An old, balding man wearing a monacle was oblivious to the massive cylindrical object that took up the entire sky as he yelled to his butler in a C-3PO-esque British accent, ?Oh Poppy, I see a poor person. Let us kick him with our nice wingtips till he dies.?
Before Poppy and his master can kick the poor person, the colony completes its descent, smashing them, as well as the rest of the entire city of Boca Raton.*
By the time the war had gone on for nine months, it was at a stalemate.
That was until a Zeon attack on a remote colony turned awry as Florida unleashed its prototype battleship, White Base and, more importantly, its ultimate weapon, the Gundam.
As the months raged on and Zeon devoted more and more of her energies to defeat these prototypes, she failed to note that Florida was battered and preparing for a fierce counterattack.
It pushed to liberate territory occupied by Zeon and then took the battle to the colonies itself. Only a little past the war?s first anniversary did Zeon issue an unconditional surrender.
After a long, nigh apocalyptic war, this was supposed to signal peace and prosperity for all who happened to be within Florida?s sphere of influence.
Unfortunately, Florida had other plans.
Catch That Fucking Traitor
Whether in the afterlife or somewhere else, the soul that once inhabited the cold shell of the Coral Square Mall was probably not at peace.
You could tell, because a Gamesplotch employee was viewing the very visage of Pandemonium before him, as he was assailed by angry customers.
?My PEE-ESH-PEE won?t play SHELDA!!!?
?Yo dog, why can?t I play PS2 Madden on mah NES,?
?GOD HAND HAS NO BUMP-MAPPING AND DOES NOT EXPLOIT THE SYSTEM?S POTENTIAL!11 IT DOES NOT MAKE ME FEEL LIKE A SUPER-SEXY MATURE HI-DEFINITION GAMER! DON?T CAPCOM AND, BY DEFINITION, YOU, REALIZE THAT WE ARE MODERN AND MUST HAVE A TRUE, ARTFUL BANG FOR OUR BUCK!? RAGE!?
The employee was starting to do what any Gamesplotch employee would do in such a situation: he curled up into the fetal position, hoping that it was all just one big, tasteless nightmare.
Suddenly, the manager came out of the back door that leaded to the store?s restroom, an imposing, clean-shaven man in his 30s with black curly hair which is kept short so as to avoid him growing a honkyfro. He?s wearing the tannish military uniform of his days of warring against Zeon. He still at least acquiesced enough to wear a Gamesplotch name tag which read ?BRIGHT NOA?.
Bright looked upon his underling?s cowering in disgust. He hoisted him by the front collar of his shirt and then punched him. The employee stumbled back, startled but underwhelmed by the force of the strike.
Not that Bright noticed. His postwar life fell apart so quickly that he had little time to notice that the passion that once guided his correctional fist was all but lost to the winds of time, as he took up the mantle of dealing with the irate customers himself.
Meanwhile, somewhere above the Florida Keys, the Argama, a heavy assault battleship, was preparing to launch its mobile suits, as the entire crew shifted to full alert status.
The communication channels were cluttered.
?I can?t believe she sold us out to Florida!?
?What a bitch! I bet it?s because of Scirocco!?
?A traitor? How could she? How selfish can you possibly be??
???
?Fucking Floridians!?
?We believe she?s going to meet up with the Titans somewhere in a mall in Coral Springs. Do whatever?s necessary to bring her back to the ship, preferably alive.?
?Zeta Gundam! Kamille! Let?s do it!?
?Emma! MkII! Launching!?
?Lieutenant Quattro Bajeena! Hyaku Shiki! Launching!?
?Hey, did we just build another Methuss THAT quickly? Well, whatever. Petty Officer Fa! Launching!?
?Rick Dias Team! Launching!?
And so a flurry of giant humanoid robots piled out of the Argama?s multiple launch bays, all making haste for suburban Broward County.
Bright fought hard against the enraged gamers, but even his fortitude had hit its limits. Just as it looked as if they were about to be upon him, everyone stopped in surprise as the ground shook.
The warring sides put aside their differences to look around for the disturbance when the shaking got more intense and the rumbling louder.
They all knew what this meant; Gamesplotch?s Number One customer was approaching.
And so a rather large woman (over one yard width minimum) was seen, wreaking havoc upon the entryway into the store. She walked slowly to the counter and, to show her strength and scare the rest off of the line, bit off one gamer?s head.
She glared down upon Bright with a mean and hungry look in her eyes. She spoke.
?Ah?need games!?
This woman has to be Bright?s most horrendous challenge ever. He has dealt with her before and always lost, poorly. Much like the moon, she blocked the sun and, in turn, any shred of happiness and self-satisfaction Bright had ever hoped to regain.
Outside the mall, the Titans, Florida?s elite counterinsurgency force stationed themselves in the parking lot, now being littered with military machines, mostly the Titans? rank-and-file green mobile suits and two weird-looking brown ones.
A hulking, goggled bald man, wearing a Floridian Forces Cap to shield his shiny noggin, was monitoring the communications work that had been set up by a team of two young people just barely in their 20s, one blonde-haired man who had kind of an oh-so ?80s thing going on with his hair and a girl with somewhat short green hair. The latter looked like she got something.
?Captain, our contact from the AFUG says she was told to go inside the Coral Square Gamesplotch and await Scirocco. I think we should lock down the area before she gets there.?
The big bald man was not pleased, ?Fucking Scirocco. That fool thinks a little skirt-chasing can lead him to a bonanza of intelligence. What does His Excellency want with this man from the Lands Beyond Florida??
Captain Bask Om then motioned to his soldiers dutifully, though hardly enthusiastically.
?We are to secure Gamesplotch. This area is known to have colonist sympathizers to root out anyone who could inform the AFUG of our presence.?
The fat woman who had walked into the game store that day, was sure that Bright may not have heard her properly. She yelled again, louder this time.
?Ah?need games!?
Bright had enough of her bearing her jaws at him. Though it may cost him his life, he would rather die than any more have to server her whims. He rushed in for a hearty punch and was quickly swatted into the glass cabinet where all the games were by the woman?s flabby hand; not Bright?s brightest day.
As if perversely saved, Bright noticed more customers. Except these guys weren?t normal gamers: they wore black uniforms and were apparently scaring away the other mall customers outside the store into a panic, probably because they carried machine guns and were quick in training said arms on the denizens inside.
One announced, ?This store is now under the occupation of the Floridian Forces. I even THINK I smell colonist on you and I?ll frag your asses quicker than a noob in Counterstrike.?
Bright?s will was too battered at this point to attempt resisting the soldiers. The fat woman felt differently, though.
She stared him down, ?Ah?need games.?
His response was to shove the butt of his gun into her wide stomach. His response was incorrect. He would pay the price inside the belly of that mumu-ed beast.
The soldier?s compatriots may have tried a vain attempt to avenge him, if it were not for Bask?s arrival.
He had overheard of the woman?s transgression and dealt with it?by shoving his fist through the woman?s gut and yanking out his slightly-digested subordinate, leaving the woman more ready to say ?Ah?need guts,? had she still had the physical capacity to speak.
Bask then turned to Bright. The manager?s profile was instantly recognizable to this Floridian military enthusiast, ?Captain Bright Noa of White Base.?
He eyed Bright with what increasingly became disdain. THIS is what a hero of the Floridian Forces had turned too. Seven years ago, he had captained White Base impromptu and with no experience and wound up being pivotal in Florida?s victory. Now he was actively colluding with these hooligans, who were most likely supporters of the Titans? hated enemies, the Anti-Florida Union Group. Well, ok. That?s all a lie. It?s just that Bask hadn?t punched anyone for the past two hours and he needed a victim badly; the whole political conviction thing made for a damned convenient excuse though. He followed his verbal greeting with a very physical one across the disgraced captain?s face.
?How dare you sympathize with these wretched rebels!? Bask was itching for a fight, ?It?s the complacency of people like you that triggered things like the Zeon rebellion.? He leapt the counter and hit him hard again.
?I would kill you myself,? Bask initiated a combo, flinging Bright across the store, ?but I think it would be nicer to have some fun for a moment. Bask approached Bright about to lay some more smack down when the ground rumbled again, but this time not from a fat woman.
Bask?s walkie-talkie went off. The blonde guy from a few paragraphs up had an emergency.
?Captain. The AFUG is here. Mouar?s in the Gabthley fending off enemy mobile suits and I?m about to do the same. You oughta get over here.?
Bask made a rare decision: the enemy outside took precedence over his brutalizing a random civilian. It was a tough choice for him, but the woman who betrayed the rebels was coming, which meant that Scirocco was coming, and Bask could face a firing squad ? at least right now, anyway ? if he were to inflict any harm on that guy.
Mall shoppers scattered as the parking lot became a war zone between competing teams of big robots. One delirious man was yelling loudly while shaking his fists to the heavens.
?Damnit! Florida AGAIN!? Fuck you, Cru! I?m gonna punch you in the face! I?m Shin Shoryuken your retarded punk ass. Get our ass out here. I?m??
He was promptly squished under a big mechanical foot as one of the rebels? mobile suits, a hulking blue and white machine they called the Zeta Gundam, landed right on top of him. The machine?s eyes glowed an eerie, jade-y green.
To Be Continued. You WILL see the fucking tears of time!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v329/RodimusPrime/Cheeks.jpg
Cheeks the Toy Wonder, Ace Attorney in…
CANADIAN TURNABOOT
Damn it, Auron, Ace Attorney mused as he stared at his opponent. This guy is too good…
Cheeks the Toy Wonder, chief prosecutor, sat on his stool.
I have to try something bold, Auron thought. “Mr. Krizak! Isn’t it true that you sexually molested Aya Brea in no less than 6 rounds of Rurouni Taikai 3!”
“It’s not true, eh!” the witness protested. “Her nudity was a legitimate part of the plot, eh!” Mr. Krizak adjusted his tuque, straightened his hockey jersey, and took a long sip of maple syrup. “Aya brought it on herself, eh!”
The judge banged his gavel. “Prosecutor Cheeks, your rebuttal?”
Cheeks the Toy Wonder, chief prosecutor, sat on his stool.
Auron banged his fist on the bar. Damn, he has an answer for everything!
“Don’t worry, Auron,” the massive pair of breasts that was Mia Fey-possessed Lulu said. “You still have your key evidence.”
“You’re right!” Auron said. “Now get out of Lulu, Mia. You look like a freaking Jim Balent drawing.”
Mr. Krizak sat in the witness stand and nervously got free universal health care.
“Your honor!” Auron said. “I submit the following piece of evidence: the sock that Mr. Krizak wore when he wrote Aya Brea’s scenes in RT3!”
“Hey, eh!” Mr. Krizak protested very politely. “I wrote those scenes barefoot, eh.”
Auron pointed his finger at Mr. Krizak. “Exactly!”
The crowd in the courtroom gasped in awe.
The judge pounded his gavel on the bar until order was restored. “Mr. Cheeks, what have you to say to this evidence?”
Cheeks the Toy Wonder, chief prosecutor, sat on his stool.
“The prosecution’s case is quite clear. Aya Brea, you are found guilty of indecent exposure and sentenced to death by old age. Court dismissed!”
Damn, Auron pouted. He’s too good.
ternity: This Bastard Universe Episode 1 - Story Thread-
One two, one two!
Coffy Mackenzie wraps her fingers around the mic, her body getting tense as the monolithic stage lights above her beam her with heat. The crowd of anonymous readers came to the concert pumped up, ready to abandon their whole lives up to this point and dance into oblivion.
- The Rolling Stones - Jumpin’ Jack Flash
Ladies and gentlemen! Coffy is ready. From the moment she formed syllables with her lips, her trepidation dissolved, the final layer of doubt peeling off, the sincerity of her heart now shining through. This is the moment you’ve all been waiting for! The super star band of internationally infamous inter-fictional-universal-crossover-scenarists are finally here!
The lights finally shift from Coffy and first beam down on the kid from Jersey, strumming on the bass guitar.
Onyx!
The spotlight moves to the man on the electric guitar, shocking himself which each pluck of the high-voltage chords.
Dry!
The spotlight descends on a the guy on a harmonica, who comes so close to the blues that he tastes the music on his lips, nodding to the rhythm of his heart.
Moogle!
Finally, the spotlight graces a lone figure, beating on a cowbell.
Bowling Pin! Together they form the ternity Team, and now they want to introduce you to their new drummers!
Lady Lionheart
Midnight Shadow
** Amethyst**
** Lumintrium **
** Switchblade**
** Mizuki**
** Nude Bob Dole**
** Lucent**
** Krizak**
** RockBogart**
** JSG**
** NeoSeifer**
** Cleofis Randolph**
** Chris**
** monochrome**
** RIZero**
** Soulshard01**
** Curley W**
The stage is almost filled to capacity, and the drummers almost fall into the crowd. Everyone dances for an eternity, just as it ought to be.
[LEFT] ___
[/LEFT]
[LEFT] At nine in the morning, the Numbers boarded a subway train, riding through a derelict station connecting New Gotham, Paradigm and Metropolis The walls of the station are layered with ancient dirt, as the system hasn’t been used in decades. The Numbers shift in their seats restlessly, or they stretch their legs by standing up. They watch the walls and the dimly glowing lights flicker like filmstrip, and the reality they had all long ago accepted in their minds now has the constitution of fiction. [/LEFT]
[LEFT] “Do you think we’re gonna be heroes?” Duela Dent busied herself by shuffling the same deck of 53 playing cards, and Judah Solomon leaned over from the seat facing her. [/LEFT]
[LEFT] “Heroes? In light of whom? Of our countrymen, we will be but strangers to purge from the Earth. We shall be hunted down by nations and peoples, and we will shall be in err to think we could find haven in all the four corners of the world. However, before the eyes of the Lord, and by our hearts’ born witness, we will have fulfilled the duty of the world. We will do good, and you will love yourself. That is my will.” Judah folded his arms, seemingly waiting for a response from Duela. Upon hearing such a heartfelt answer, most people would shed a tear. Duela simply laughed, finding the words funny.[/LEFT]
[LEFT] Roger Smith preferred to stand. He was lost in thought, staring at the world moving around him outside the window. The refined-looking negotiator always allowed himself to feel melancholy, especially on subway trains. His companion, R. Dorothy Wayneright, a white-faced android with a black velvet dress with a youthful red bob cut, was sitting beside him. Sitting in front of her were Hideki Motosuwa, typical-looking Japanese undergrad student, and KOS-MOS, also an android, but far beyond Dorothy’s abilities.[/LEFT]
[LEFT] “Uh, excuse me. I was just wondering - are you a persocom too?” Hideki asked Dorothy, whose expression remained unchanged, not just because she was unable to change her expression, but because she wouldn’t change her expression anyway. [/LEFT]
[LEFT] “No. I’m merely a housekeeping android capable of piloting giant mecha.” [/LEFT]
[LEFT] “Oh. I see.”[/LEFT]
[LEFT] “Monsieur Question, I’m afraid you’re far too paranoid.” Ash Crimson, also seated, pulled out a pocket mirror and began to twirl his eyelashes. “Aglets do not exist as tracker chips to help the government spy on ordinary people.”[/LEFT]
[LEFT] “I agree. My sentiments exactly,” the faceless detective responded. [/LEFT]
[LEFT] “Wait. Weren’t you just saying -”[/LEFT]
[LEFT] “Aglets exist as tracker chips to help corporations spy on ordinary people.”[/LEFT]
[LEFT] “Of all the useful New Gotham heroes, you were the one that stuck around?” Ash asked rhetorically, placing his face into the palm of his hand.[/LEFT]
[LEFT] Coffy Mackenzie was not inside the train. Instead, she was on a makeshift tram that was less a car and more a wooden platform being dragged by the train, because the Absolutely Safe Machine couldn’t fit on board. Coffy spent the last three hours rocking the giant ball to sleep, finally exhausting the prisoner to sleep. Blue circles formed under Coffy’s eyes. [/LEFT]
[LEFT] She took off the LOL-Mart vest at the apartment before she left for the train, wearing a pale green hoodie with a pattern of the orange sun on the bottom left corner of the hoodie’s front, and blue clouds embroidered on the top-right hand corner facing it. Coffy always wore long sleeves, concealing her metallic body as much as she can. [/LEFT]
[LEFT] The demon hunter Dante strode up to the front of the train. Actually, he leaned, walking with his crotch outward dragging his red coat across the floor. Dante didn’t actually mean anything by the gesture - even he knew he had to act deathly serious today - but it’s become second nature to him now. Dante stood beside Roger Smith, the only person who actually knew where the ride was ending.[/LEFT]
[LEFT] “Hey. How long till you think we’ll get there?” the hunter asked.[/LEFT]
[LEFT] “I’d guess twenty more minutes.”[/LEFT]
[LEFT] “I don’t know if anyone realizes it or not, but we accomplished nothing last night. All we did was get drunk, or attempt to get drunk. I heard it took Metropolis all of one day of me not being there for it to get dumped into the shitter.”[/LEFT]
[LEFT] “Right. Are you familiar with any of those superheroes?”[/LEFT]
[LEFT] “You mean the ones killing each other on the streets? Don’t know, don’t care. But I did hear about the Superhuman Registration Act being in full effect in Metropolis. Hey!” Dante called out, hoping to get everyone else on the train to listen to him. “If any of you have powers, don’t go using them out in the open. That’s an open invitation for S.H.I.E.L.D. to deport us to Monster Island, or at least get our powers gimped to human levels.”[/LEFT]
[LEFT] The Numbers nodded, realizing that acting incognito was the most important facet of their operation. [/LEFT]
[LEFT] “Really? Then why the hell were you shooting up demons on the street then?” The young brunette Kyo asked.[/LEFT]
[LEFT] “Because as far as I know, owning guns and shooting them isn’t a superpower, and I can’t be prosecuted for killing demons in self-defense. We’ll probably have to defend ourselves in some fights, but we’re not trying to be more than human today.”[/LEFT]
[LEFT] ___
[/LEFT]
[LEFT] The ternity Numbers stepped above ground, emerging through a cavern underneath a bridge. [/LEFT]
[LEFT] “What a delightful trip, nya~” Neco-Arc Chaos said to himself, in a deceptively deep voice. “The train was just rocky enough to remain comfortable and sleep-inducing. I would gladly ride it again. A++~nya.” Neco-Chaos stretched his back, placing his hands behind his head. He looked up to find a giant zeppelin soaring through the air.[/LEFT]
[LEFT] “Metropolis has such pretty zeppelins,” Ash Crimson said. “I’d like to ride in one just like that one. I wouldn’t mind being able to grab the clouds in my own arms.”[/LEFT]
[LEFT] “You don’t wanna be in that zeppelin,” the attorney named Auron spoke. [/LEFT]
[LEFT] “And why not?”[/LEFT]
[LEFT] “Because everyone but you can see that it’s falling and is about to crash into that skyscraper.” Sure enough, the zeppelin exploded in mid-air, knocking out a chunk of a large hotel. Several biplanes then flew around the city, barely avoiding overpasses that were so high up they would actually connect to the rooftop parking garages of buildings. These planes dragged streaming messages behind them - “VIVA LA REVOLUCION!” “TAKE BACK YOUR LIVES!” “THE HEROES WON’T HELP US!” From a distance, the Numbers heard ten thousand hollering laborers, who were still able to cheer despite the death and destruction they just bore witness to.[/LEFT]
[LEFT] “It’s bullshit,” Dante said. “These poor bastards do this once every few years - try to strike against the their corporate bosses. This is a power plant town. It’s rich, it’s populous, and this antiquated technology - it’s kinda magical too. But you better believe that to make good money you need to be a 1st class dick.”[/LEFT]
[LEFT] “Aren’t you a dick?” Kyo asked.[/LEFT]
[LEFT] “Did you just grow a pair of balls, Kusanagi? Yes, I am a 1st class dick. But the executive-class twenty-something-millionaire dicks I’m talking about make up for their lack of good looks with absolute depravity. First thing’s first - we’re going to my place and we’re packing heat.” Dante began leading the group into the heart of the city across a bridge, only stopping after he realized he was missing someone.[/LEFT]
[LEFT] “Oh, right. Gotta wait for the prisoner.” Dante stops and the Numbers freeze in their tracks, waiting for a panting, wheezing Coffy Mackenzie to catch up while rolling the capsule.[/LEFT]
[LEFT]
“PISS OFF!” Mayhem Mackenzie yelled from behind the line. Coffy finally tired of listening to Mayhem shriek, complain, and threaten to kill her, and tagged out to Judah. [/LEFT]
[LEFT] “You mind shoving her around for a while?”[/LEFT]
[LEFT] “Not a problem,” Judah said. He went behind the Machine and shoved it with his index finger, rolling it faster than Coffy could. Dante tapped his foot with all the impatience of a speedy rodent.[/LEFT]
[LEFT] “Got that settled kids? Good. This is the Devil May Homecoming.”[/LEFT]
[CENTER]___
[/CENTER]
Unaware of the presence of the newly arrived ternity Numbers, the city of Metropolis continues about its day to day business. In the top floor of the Stark Enterprises building, Tony Stark, Reed Richards, and Lex Luthor sit, discussing their next bit of corporate tyranny over fine wine and fillet mignon; at the same time, across the city, in an anonymous, beat-up looking warehouse, a different crowd–consisting of the likes of Captain America and Spider-Man–discuss their next move over Chicken McNuggets and stale sandwiches scrounged from various vending machines. Elsewhere, all around the city, men, women, and children go about their daily lives, heading out to lunch or back to work, depending on their hours.
On a lower floor of the Stark Tower, one such young man in a drab but well-tailored business suit steps out of an elevator, a large briefcase in his right hand.
“Welcome back, Light,” a pretty young secretary says, offering a warm smile.
“Hello, Misa,” Light Yagami replies, offering a nod. “Anything happen while I was on lunch?”
Misa frowns for a moment, thinking back. “Mmm…Dr. Sevarius passed by earlier, said something about wanting to see the Chief next chance he got. He seemed a bit more animated than usual; maybe he hit some kind of breakthrough on his project?” the blonde-haired woman speculates, a hint of a mischeivous grin dancing on her lips.
Light raises an eyebrow. “Really? Interesting,” Light says, looking thoughtful. Anton Sevarius was one of THE authorities on cloning.
Lately, his work had been afforded considerable attention from the top–he had, in fact, aided Reed Richards on a number of recent projects–but his demeanor was that of the proverbial reclusive mad scientist; Sevarius was known for locking himself in his lab for days, leaving only for food and water, and shunning contact with pretty much every other human being in the building.
If he had, in fact, emerged and asked to speak with the Chief of Research and Development, it likely meant either a breakthrough or a catastrophe–either of which would be important information.
“Thanks, Misa,” he says at last, offering a small smile.
“No problem,” the secretary answers, beaming. “If you really want to thank me, though, you can buy me a drink tonight.”
“Fair enough,” Light concedes, his smile broadening. “I’ll pick you up tonight after work,” he says as he turns, walking down the hall towards his own office, leaving the still beaming Misa behind him.
Light holds the smile until he is safely inside his own office; the instant the door closes, though, the smile fades, replaced by that same thoughtful expression he held earlier. “Sevarius,” muses Light, as he lays his briefcase down on the desktop and seats himself in his leather-backed chair.
“Talking to yourself again, Light?” asks an eerie voice from somewhere behind the young man. “That’s not healthy, you know.”
Light sighs. “It’s called ‘thinking aloud’, Ryuk.”
The white-robed shinigami shrugs as he hovers behind Light’s chair, running a hand through his black hair. “Sounds like talking to yourself to me,” Ryuk rebuts. “But either way, can’t you think of anything more pleasant to talk to yourself about than that guy? He’s creepy,” complains the shinigami.
Light’s eyes narrow. “Creepy? Like your Captain?”
“Former Captain,” correct the shinigami, growling. “Yeah. He reminds me of Kurotsuchi–my old boss back in the 12th.”
Light nods. “From what you’ve told me, Mayuri Kurotsuchi and Anton Sevarius would get along splendidly if they ever met.”
“Enough of that,” Rukh grimaces…then, abruptly, he grins. “Did you bring me any lunch?”
With a sigh, Light opens his briefcase; reaching past the ornate katana and the papers contained within, he pulls out a single apple and tosses it to the shinigami, who deftly catches it. “Golden delicious. Excellent,” Ryuk says, still smiling…then, abruptly, he frowns. “You shouldn’t be carrying your zanpakuto in there, though. Show some pride and carry it where it belongs.”
Light snorts. “I hate to break it to you, Ryuk, but humans usually don’t carry around swords these days.”
“Humans can’t see it anyway,” retorts the shinigami.
“Most can’t see zanpakuto or shinigami,” concedes Light. “But there are a few that can. Misa can see you.”
“Misa’s talented,” snorts Ryuk. “But she wouldn’t care if you came to work carrying a sword, a cannon, or an octopus.”
“Maybe. But others might. It would be rather awkward if some fledgling mystic were to see me running around with my zanpakuto, don’t you think? It might lead to…complications. Of the Registration Act variety,” Light states coldly. “And that is one thing I cannot afford. Now eat your apple.”
The shinigami sighs, shaking his head, but obligingly takes a bite of the apple, leaving Light to think in peace. Sevarius…I’ll have to see what I can find out. If the doctor has hit some results–good or bad–they’ll want to know. At that thought, Light Yagami smiles again…but it is a smile as cold and humorless as that of a shark. And later tonight…my real work awaits.
[LEFT] With that cold grin still dancing on his lips, Light Yagami turned on his PC’s monitor and began to browse the latest news about the Registration Act Conflict…[/LEFT]
[LEFT] ___
[/LEFT]
[LEFT] This side of Metropolis wasn’t supposed to be seen during the day. Amidst a daylight haze of steam and airships surrounded by tall skyscrapers, the sunlit Metropolis was supposed to be the city of tomorrow. But politics change, and when man schemes his devils feed on him. This was no less true in the literal sense, as demons began to feed on workers, snatching them on the streets and consuming them in the shadows. Ordinarily they have better sense than to attack humans in broad daylight, but this is the only time they have left to feed on souls and blood. The superheroes own the night.[/LEFT]
[LEFT] In one short month, isolated skirmishes between anti-registration metahumans and pro-registration metahumans erupted from bar room brawls to hunting capes in the street as if they were wild game. In a twist of bitter irony, government-hired snipers began picking the would-be heroes off on the streets. The superheroes that have died in battle with one another never had their bodies recovered - the demons got them first. [/LEFT]
[LEFT] It’s a reality that mystic runaway Nico Minoru is accustomed to. The witch known once (and precisely once) by the alias of “Sister Grimm” was huddled in a well-kept-yet-seemingly-empty shop, thumbing through a dictionary with dedication. She was learning words, more and more obscure words that would supplement her now dwindling supply of one-use-only spells. [/LEFT]
[LEFT] “Nico! We’ve got food!” The front door opened up, a pre-teen girl with a cute anime hat walking right through it. “We went to this really expensive restaurant downtown, in the richest part of town, where everyone wears business suits and ties and is white.”[/LEFT]
[LEFT] “That’s… that’s good to hear,” Nico says, smiling warmly despite her voice growing sickly. “You made sure not to use your powers in plain view again, right?”[/LEFT]
[LEFT] “Uh… not too much, but do people really think that punching hard is a super power?” the girl named Molly Hayes asked. [/LEFT]
[LEFT]
“Punching a pickup truck so hard that you crash into it is a super power. Where’s Victor?” Nico scanned the room, ever suspicious of any figures wandering the still-unfamiliar building. [/LEFT]
[LEFT] “He’s still passed out in the kitchen and Xavin and Karolina are patrolling for a minute,” Molly explained, tugging on her cap.[/LEFT]
[LEFT] “That’s good to know.” Nico and Molly hushed their voices. They heard a loud succession of footsteps outside, not unlike the march of an army. Nico quickly ripped a bit of skin from her index finger, letting her blood drip onto her Staff of One. “Transparency.”[/LEFT]
[LEFT] “And we’re here. Devil May Cry, my pride and joy.” Dante’s red coat whipped dramatically inside the shop, despite there being no wind at all. “Along the walls you can see my prized collection of guns, ammo, swords and otherwise blunt objects. Touch one and you will die by it.” The Numbers walked into the building, one by one. If Nico and Molly’s faces were visible, they’d be white.[/LEFT]
[LEFT] “The idea of having an armory without giving them to your troops is really self-defeating, isn’t it Mr. Demon Hunter?” Duela said, trying to stop her finger from touching the blades on the wall. [/LEFT]
[LEFT] “It is, isn’t it?” Dante pulled out a cardboard box from his closet, ripping it open. “9mm handguns, most of them confiscated from the few human bounties I bothered to nab when my demon clients were running dry. Oh, and box cutters. I got them on sale at Office Depot. Ain’t much, but figure with my muscle all you have to do is stay behind me and not die.”[/LEFT]
[LEFT] “Yeah. Whatever.” Coffy Mackenzie turned her attention away from Dante and looked toward the Question. “Hey. You’re supposed to be a physical manifestation of one of the Oracle’s personalities, right?” [/LEFT]
[LEFT] “I prefer to think that the Oracle is a physical manifestation of all of his personalities, but yes.”[/LEFT]
[LEFT] “Do you still have some sort of psychic link to him? I was wondering if you can ask him if he can dig up a little more dirt on Stark Enterprises and any dubious terrorists. Ask him if we can get any rundown on how vulnerable the building is, too. If they’re responsible for Second Wave, I want to take the whole damn headquarters down.”[/LEFT]
[LEFT] “You know what strikes me as odd?” Dante suddenly asked the group. “How these two girls think they can break into my office and think it’s safe to stare at us as if they were invisible.” The Numbers turned over to the corner of the room. Nico squeezed a small drop of blood onto the staff again, raising it and about to chant another spell before Dante seized it, tossing it across the room and knocking the wind out of Nico as he thrust his fist into her gut. [/LEFT]
[LEFT] “Nico!” Molly looked up at Dante, tears now streaming down her cheeks. “You…”[/LEFT]
[LEFT] “Kid, on the count to three, you will get the fuck out. One. Two.” Molly Hayes knocked Dante out of Devil May Cry before he could say “th.”[/LEFT]
[LEFT] “Holy shit, I am not feeling another fight this soon.” Coffy raised her hoodie’s sleeve covering her right arm.[/LEFT]
[LEFT] “Is that a fight I hear rumbling outside of my plush mechanical prison?!” Mayhem squealed. “YES! Beat their asses little girl!”[/LEFT]
[LEFT] “Wait… stop…” Nico groaned, lifting herself up from the floor. “We’ll leave… we don’t want any trouble. We were just… looking for a place to hide out. From S.H.I.E.L.D.”[/LEFT]
[LEFT] “S.H.I.E.L.D.?” Coffy asked. “I heard of that before, but I can’t remember where from.”[/LEFT]
[LEFT] “It’s the government’s task force in superhuman affairs,” Roger Smith explained as he walked toward Nico, kneeling with her. “And quite frankly, I’m appalled that our demon hunting associate would rough up a young woman like this. You okay, miss?”[/LEFT]
[LEFT] “Why shouldn’t I be? It’s not like a sucker punch is the end of the world…”[/LEFT]
[LEFT] “I don’t care if it’s his home. He’s a brute,” R. Dorothy Wayneright reiterated. [/LEFT]
[LEFT] “Hey, don’t look at me,” Kyo said as he felt some eyes wandering in his direction. “I don’t like that prick much either.”[/LEFT]
[LEFT] “Actually, would I be right in assuming that you and the little miss here are superheroes?” Roger asked Nico. “If S.H.I.E.L.D. is after you, then that means you’re probably anti-registration.”[/LEFT]
[LEFT] “We’re not pro- or anti- anything,” Nico explained. 'We’re just runaways!"[/LEFT]
[LEFT] “Then are they targeting anyone with special powers?” Roger stood up, looking back to the Numbers. “Dammit. We’ll be fighting a war on two fronts if we don’t keep low. If S.H.I.E.L.D. really is after you, then allowing you to stay with us would jeopardize our own objectives.”[/LEFT]
[LEFT] “Why not take them to your home?” Auron asked. “Paradigm is isolated enough, so if they took refuge there…” Nico and Molly shot back up, violently shaking their heads and yelling “NO!”[/LEFT]
[LEFT] “We’re not going back to Paradigm!” Molly pouted, crossing her arms. “NEVER!”[/LEFT]
[LEFT] “Okay. Then what do we do?” Auron asked. He suddenly felt the still air around the city block, his samurai and investigative instincts kicking in at the same time. He rushed out of the building to find a giant robot, smaller than the Big-O but still as intimidating looming over the teenage Karolina and Xavin, and the winded Dante. The rest of the Numbers rushed back outside and suddenly stopped in their tracks.[/LEFT]
[LEFT] “Dammit! The Sentinels caught up to us!” Nico cried out. The Sentinel on the street quickly scanned the ternity Numbers, immediately gathering a list of their respective powers and abilities in its memory. The Sentinel turned toward KOS-MOS, the android quickly shielding Hideaki and getting into a battle stance. [/LEFT]
[LEFT] “Target Identified. S-Tier Android. Counter Measure: Terminal Pulse. Engage.” The mecha raised its fist, glowing with a powerful electrical surge. KOS-MOS stood her ground, unflinching. As the Sentinel swung its fist toward her, its left leg was ripped off and the mecha lost its balance. Standing on top of the Sentinel with its leg in his hands was a lone man. A man with a chiseled physique, his bare chest bearing seven scars.[/LEFT]
[LEFT]
“WA…TATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATA!!!” If giant mechs could have pressure points, the mystery man struck each one. The Sentinel exploded, and the Numbers… were in awe.[/LEFT]
[LEFT] “Holy shit!” Duela Dent screamed out loud, the clown-faced girl rushing up to the man. “Hey guys! My dad came to save us in the nick of time, just like he always does!”[/LEFT]
[LEFT] “Whoa.” Even Dante was impressed, his eyes filled with a sense of bewilderment that he hadn’t felt in ages. “Who are you?”[/LEFT]
[LEFT] “I am Kenshiro, student of Hokuto no Ken. More Sentinels are coming our way. If you want to live, follow me.”[/LEFT]
[LEFT] ___
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y226/bpin/TBU_EP1b.jpg
[LEFT]Welcome to Metropolis! A city where dreams have become nightmares.
The superhuman Civil War is in full effect, with government-employed Sentinels, superheroes and supervillains hunting down all uniquely powered individuals in an effort to curtail the senseless death and destruction that follows the path of unsupervised vigilantes. Little does anyone know that even the insidious organization known as Second Wave has sown its share of seeds in the conflict!
Metropolis is a hodge podge of cities named Metropolis in other media. Metropolis shares elements from the city in Superman, Fritz Lang’s Metropolis, Osaku Tezuka’s Metropolis, and yes, even the Metropolis hailing from Devil May Cry. Its an art deco, steampunk environment filled to the brim with robots, zeppelins, towering skyscrapers and all-around retro chic.
Following the mysterious fighter called Kenshiro, the Numbers are currently engaged in fleeing the scene. Other Sentinels, mechanical robots designed to hunt down hostiles with metahuman genetics or other androids, are already hot on your trail. Currently, there’s not much to do as of this moment but run, run, run!
Available NPCs:
The Runaways - Nico Minoru, Molly Hayes, Victor Mancha (should he wake up at Devil May Cry) Karolina Dean, and Xavin are the original party pursued by the Sentinels. They are all young metahumans, and as the name suggests, they’re on the run. Nico is a witch able to cast virtually any magic spell once; Molly Hayes is a mutant with enormous physical strength inside her young body; Victor Mancha is also a powerful android; Karolina Dean is actually a human who for some reason can manifest her powers in a glowing, astral form; and Xavin is a shapeshifter, able to turn into a woman for the sake of his lover Karolina’s lesbian inclinations.
Kenshiro - The Fist of the North Star himself. He is a virtually undefeatable master of the martial arts. He is known for blowing people up with his fists.
Episode 1 ends Saturday, Aug. 25th, at 10:00 AM Central Time.
[/LEFT]
[/LEFT]
waits a second
Drafting is…
waits a second
Drafting is…
waits one last second
DRAFTING IS CLOSED ARGHHHHHHHHHH~
(This is the first part of a Side Story trilogy, entitled “Beast”. This means that the Side Story can be, and has been crafted to be, ignored in its entirety, in an attempt to avoid derailing the TBU overstory or making embarassing retcons either retracting parts of the overstory or Toshiro Hitsugaya’s tale.)
The silver hair man-child was sinking into the leather couch, his earbuds on, his eyes to the PSP sorting through the soundtracks, when Dante commanded everyone to GET THE FUCK OUT! And so, as Dante was scrounging what bullets he could from his desk, as Kyo was chowing down the last of the pizza, as Dorothy was looking for the feline heroes of the group, Coffy noticed the oblivious Hitsugaya-Taichou slightly bobbing his head to trance music and resolved to toss him and his bookbag out the door, onto the superhero groups oversized pokeball.
01: An End to the Easy Life Part One of TBU Side Story Beast
Time: Present/High Noon Place: Metropolis Ghettos
When Hitsugaya first walked into his area with the rest of the Numbers team, he left his earbuds off the thick stench of Hollows in the air unnerved him to the point of caution. And although he heard sporadic gunshots on the way over, he expected today to be a mostly docile, Baltimorean day. Children were still playing in the streets, squandering the water of corner fire hydrants. People were still going about their daily lives. They all went away the moment he stepped out that door, back into the target sights of S.H.I.E.L.D.
It was as if the ghettos waited for this moment in time, the coming of the Sentinels, to be reborn. Guns were blasting all throughout the area. The entire vicinity erupted into civil war as guerilla fighters traded bullets with pro-authority militias in broken down houses, throughout decaying Projects, across open pavement. The Numbers would roll their oversized pokeball past car wrecks and humvees in flames every couple of blocks or so.
As another headless Sentinel robot came tumbling down onto the street corner, the Numbers group continues at a jogging pace behind Kenshiro, now acting as a human lawnmower against the Sentinel onslaught. But the Sentinels came one at a time, marching at Kenshiro like dumb automatons as opposed to the advanced, systematic butchers of mutant lore. Despite the immediate danger the Numbers were in, everyone felt, for the most part, safe.
Looking at her daddy from over one end of Mayhems ASS, Duela boasts, Thats him! Kill their asses, daddy!, in her own blatant but sincere way. Moving back into her place in line behind the pokeball, she sees Hitsugaya in a normal jog; his earbuds on blasting mp3s, his PSP in the pocket of his leather jacket, his backpack bobbing back and forth, his face remaining serene in the in the presence of crisis. She thought it was weird, so she put her face to his ear and screamed, YOURE WEIRD!
His eyes still facing forward, he calmly takes out his earplugs and replies, Sorry, what did you say? I couldnt hear you. Duela gave him a strange look, yelling, You didnt hear a word I said about my daddy didnt you?! Hes risking his life up there- as she points at a man in mid-air kicking a Sentinels head off, -and youre jamming to iTunes!
Hes been like that every since he joined us. A weary Coffy Mackenzie continues peering down her side of the convoy, unable to ignore the mystery child that was jogging beside her. His white hair, his youth, and his mature demeanor put her off all she was told about him was that he was special, and that someone mentioned Shinigami. She still doesnt know what that means probably some Japanese otaku terminology. Fucking nerds.
Duela, have you seen the cats anywhere? I couldnt find them back at Dantes place. Striking a pose, the colored woman had no idea where they are. I hope theyre safe though that pussycat in his boots was cute.
Did someone mention my name? Suddenly, Pussy-n-Boots pops out of Hitsugayas backpack, yawning and stretching as if waking up from a nap. Duelas eyes began to shine with white stars. PUSSY!
Thats my name, as he curtly nods with hat in hand. Oh, and before you worry, you should know my other feline friend is still taking a nap. The orange feline then bent his tiny form to reach Hitsugayas ear. Oh by the way, thanks for leaving your laptop on. Still calm on the outside, the child asks what did you do with my computer?
Nothing naughty, mind you I was just updating my online blog. You see, I forgot to check in right after meeting you fine heroes. And because millions of people around the world depend on me- to which Hitsugaya tuned his hearing out. He bats his eyes right and left, then noticing something seizing Coffys gaze to the sky. Toshiro raises his head towards high noon, seeing something black in the air. It was neither a bird nor a plane. But the very next moment, dozens of jet streams flew away from its wings.
ROCKETS!, the Question screams, prompting Dante to post his gun towards the clouds. He let a round off, turning a rocket into flames- only to watch ten more smaller warheads fly out of its fiery maw. Immediately, Coffy screams, Take cover!
The Numbers scatter, rushing into nearby buildings and underneath close automobiles. Toshiro immediately sprints to a nearby street corner, shoving Pussys hairy head back in the backpack while holding the feline container close to him. As the Shinigami jumps through a window, the first warhead crashes into the ground, jetting its fiery breath into the home.
SUMMARY:
- The Numbers team is making its escape past typically small urban streets of the Metropolis ghettos.
- The area has since exploded into open warfare.
- S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Sentinel pursuit has been light and ‘easy’ enough for Kenshiro to handle by himself.
- The two feline Numbers, Pussy’n’Boots and Neko Arc Chaos, are in Toshiro Hitsugaya’s backpack.
- ‘Something’ in the sky has fired multiple warheads on the Numbers convoy, forcing the group to take cover.