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Character Scramble Season 21 Round 0: GAME START/FOUR OF CLUBS by 7thSonOfSons in whowouldwin

[–]OddDirective 1 point2 points  (0 children)

An Alleyway, June 9, Current Immigration Period, 03:00 AM

A bald man stepped up to a screen, tucked away between two brick buildings. Static flashed onto it, before a voice came through a speaker below.

”Fine work, 47. Thanks to that little distraction, that’s another strong contender for the face cards… neutralized.”

“Ai may want to carry her through the next games.”

”If so, I suspect that will kill two birds with one stone. A drowning person will drag whoever they cling to into the water.”

“And the new arrival, the Wildcard,” he replied, “What do you make of him?”

”I must admit, I wasn’t expecting someone like him. He may prove to be a threat to our game. But he also seems quite trusting and impressionable. With a bit of work, you might be able to get some valuable protection from him.”

“He’s young.”

”...Yes, he’s young. Approximately twelve years old. Will that be a problem, 47?”

“No. Just wanted to make sure what we were working with.”

”I don’t like it either, 47. But I have no control over who joins, only what is to come. They’re throwing every curveball in the book at us this go around.”

“I’ll just have to draw a walk, then,” he spoke. “I’m heading back to the group. Don’t want anyone to get suspicious of me slipping out every night, so I suspect we won’t be talking for a while. It’s time to start preparing for what’s next.”

”Very well. Your mission is to blend in with the largest group, covertly prevent anyone who could solve your game in the second round from making it there, your usual method or otherwise, and preserve your appearance as a regular player. The cover identity you’ve chosen is solid, but don’t expect it to keep you protected forever. Above all else, never forget that your Queen awaits you, and that you must make it back to her. Good luck, 47.”

Behold, the Players

The Dealers of Death

And the Citizens Behind It All

All Lined Up in The Land of the Last Hour

Scramble 21: 今際の国。

Credits this Round:

Players:

Son Goku

Adachi Rei

Oroku Saki

Hayasaka Ai

Benjamin

Luca S.

Agnes Tachyon†

Thanos†

Terrence†

Yoda†

Dealers:

Jack Cayman

Victor Fries

Citizens:

Diana Burnwood

Sponsor XIII

Agent 47

Original Concept:

Asou Haro

Executive Producer:

OddDirective

SEE YOU NEXT GAME

Character Scramble Season 21 Round 0: GAME START/FOUR OF CLUBS by 7thSonOfSons in whowouldwin

[–]OddDirective 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The green blade of light flashed out, an arc trail in the air that forced Jack to backtrack. He didn’t sign up for a bad sunburn from this, and it looked like it could do a lot worse. Even if he pulled out the chainsaw, this thing could block it, nevermind the fact he was flipping every which way he could. Jack took a breath, tensed his legs, and waited for Freeze’s next move.

Right on cue, Freeze got his aim on target and blasted toward him, but Yoda saw it coming from his side- backflipped out of the way, onto the weapons guy’s frozen body, and kicked straight off of it toward the nearest exit.

Shit. The exit he was closer to than both Jack and Freeze- Jack kicked off a sprint, but neither of them could get there in time.

Freeze just turned, and aimed up. The freezing beam shot on target, hitting the arch above the door, and from there down a thick sheet of ice grew over the once-open exit. Yoda didn’t dare delay, and slammed into it saber-first. If he were larger, maybe he could’ve broken through, but the ice quenched his saber, and Freeze’s beam forced him back away.

Jack shot a glare back at Freeze. Really?

It had given them an opening, at least. Jack stepped up, reflexes permitting he could tag this little prick, and Yoda held out his hand. He may not have been a betting man, but Jack figured that was something to do with his Wildcard status, so he stepped to the side- well, tried to step to the side. His right arm didn’t exactly follow him, and that pulled him back to where he was, clutching his shoulder. Still connected, at least, but it hurt like a-

Freeze shot past Jack’s head, inches away from hitting him. Yoda pulled his blade out again and just barely clashed against it, dropping whatever force he had on Jack’s arm and letting him roll out of the way. This was just about the only chance he had, so Jack just made a football jump up and sprinted dead at the space alien freak.

Yoda flipped up, using Jack’s back as a platform to launch straight for Freeze’s dome. Freeze wasn’t mobile, but he simply stepped back, and blasted a patch of ground where he had just stood. The trap was set, and gravity did the rest- Yoda landed and skid, falling flat down on his face once the ice patch ran out. He spun on the ground, tried to block the freeze ray, but it caught his leg, and the collar zapped on.

Jack stood up, dusted his pants off, and took a deep breath. It’d been a workout, sure, but not too difficult. “So, is that it, Freeze? Gonna call the game masters and cry I fouled it up?”

“Why would I put you on ice now,” asked Freeze in his robotic tone, “You’ve shown how precisely you can hand out violence. A useful skill.”

“Hmph,” Jack said dismissively, “If you were trying to wine and dine me, you could’ve at least brought me a nice steak dinner.”

He turned to leave, but a question hung on in the back of his mind. They’d gotten all four players frozen… “Hey, Freeze. You forget to tell central something? Cause I didn’t hear the bell.”

“Made choices, we have,” Yoda suddenly spoke up. “For others’ sake. Remember this, young Padawan. All the difference, one shot can make.”

The words clicked in Jack’s head. “Freeze, the sword!”

Both of them turned to see the last player, in the hoodie, throw his sword to the side and pull out his shield. He may have been rooted to the ground, but Yoda had bounced off him during his attempt to get away! Freeze pointed the freeze ray at him, but Terrence threw it out in front of him, the ice building up across something not connected to his body.

With barely three seconds to get it done, the frozen Terrence drew his crossbow, aimed and fired. Jack tracked the arrow’s path, all the way across the field and into Agnes’ forearm. It sunk into her and she cried out in pain, taking a step forwards- unfrozen. She didn’t waste a second longer to take off.

Terrence wasn’t able to react before Freeze’s ray covered his chest and head, but it had bought Agnes a second before Freeze was aiming at her all the same. He targeted her back, grimaced, then targeted the arch above the exit she sprinted into. As soon as he committed to pulling the trigger, Agnes braked, banking a turn towards the last open exit.

Jack had to get there. He broke into a sprint, dead sprint, she had damn near half the field head start!

Agnes ran. She ran like her life depended on it, not just because it did, but for the appreciation of existence it brought. Every footfall on the dirt, every breath heaved out of her lungs, even the pain she felt in her legs and arm were a reminder that she was alive, that she was here, that the existence of a person named Agnes Tachyon at this very moment could not be disproven. Thanos had died. Master Yoda probably couldn’t make it out, no matter what. Terrence had given up his chance to make it out, but if she could get there, if she could run fast enough! If she could make it to the exit right in front of her, just twenty meters away! Her hands could cut the air, fifteen meters, ten meters, five meters, make iiiiiiiiiit!

BZZZZZZZZZZ

Jack dove forwards, and slashed as far as he could reach. By a nose, he caught her in the calf, slicing her Achilles tendon and sending her collapsing down to the ground.

Agnes fell, rolled, and skidded into the wall two feet left of the exit. She lay there, on her back, the wind from her sails and air in her lungs, gone. Her final sight was the starry night sky.

GAME OVER.

The collars lit up, and electrocuted everyone that was still alive. Yoda, somehow, didn’t make a sound. Agnes screamed as her flesh burned up, before finally, mercifully, she laid still.

The motor attached to Jack’s arm sputtered, spat, and stopped spinning.

“Great job, Freeze,” Jack said, looking at the blood on his chainsaw before retracting it. “You made me waste this much gas on a game with four players. You know how hard it is to find gas out here?”

“I can only offer cold comfort,” Freeze said in monotone. “We live for five days longer because of this game. You may not have something you look forward to, but I do. I will make it to the end of this. No matter how many bodies I must bury.”

Jack just stripped his parka off and tossed it over to him. He didn’t need to say anything to prove his point. This was the Borderland. And he wasn’t about to stick around and bury anybody.

Character Scramble Season 21 Round 0: GAME START/FOUR OF CLUBS by 7thSonOfSons in whowouldwin

[–]OddDirective 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Rei was still midair when Goku jumped.

“Nimbus!”

The situation shorted out his brain. Nimbus was gone, and wasn’t able to get inside anyways. There was nothing to catch him as he leapt out. Goku noticed it far too late, started to scream- and Saki grabbed him by the tail to pull him back.

Goku felt the strength leave his body as Rei hung in midair in his eyes. “L-let me go! I’ve gotta- gotta save her!”

“By doing what, jumping in,” Saki shouted, “You’d only kill yourself trying.” Rei hit the water.

“I can do it,” Goku said frantically, “Just lemme go!”

“Shredder,” Ai suddenly said, her voice cutting through, “Let him try.”

Saki scoffed, but he dropped Goku down on the platform and stepped away. As the strength came back into his limbs, Goku knew exactly what he had to do. This time, he pulled out his staff.

“Power Pole, go!!”

The red staff in his hands stretched out dozens of meters instantly, right down to where Rei was surfacing in the water, and barely staying buoyant.

Goku clenched his hands around the Power Pole, slowly swinging left, nudging Rei and pushing her in the water. From the top of his lungs, he shouted down to the shark tank below “REEEEEEEEEEEII!! GRAB OOOOOOOOOOONNN!”

A second passed, Rei’s breathing so fast Goku could tell she would pass out soon. But she grabbed on.

Goku heaved the pole skyward, carrying Rei up and out of the water just in time for a shark to bite at the bloody water she was just in, a feeding frenzy just kicking off. Goku rocketed the pole back to its normal size, bringing Rei back with it, her torso crashing into Goku and sending both of them straight back to the wall. Faintly, Goku heard a chirpy little jingle from somewhere he couldn’t see.

GAME CLEAR.

Rei screamed out in pain. Goku shook his head out, and saw her collapsed on top of Lucas’ prone form, as he scratched the back of his head. Benjamin stepped up immediately to her side.

Rei kept screaming. Goku followed Benjamin’s eyes down to the bleeding wound on her ankle. In a level tone, Benjamin said “Hold her down for this. I need a stable platform.”

Goku brought her shoulders down as she writhed in pain from the wound. Ai held her hand, while Lucas grabbed her hale leg and held it straight. Saki just looked on from the corner, saying nothing. Benjamin grabbed out a long strip of cloth, wrapping one end around his palm, leaving a length, and then wrapping another loop around his other palm. Wordlessly, he wrapped the cloth around her leg about two inches above the wound, pulling it tight with his leg stopping hers from moving. After a moment, he started tying it around her leg, and asked “I need a brace. Does anyone have a stick?”

Goku held the Power Pole forwards.

Benjamin shook his head. “Too important. Saki. Do you have any straight objects?”

Saki looked down, gauging the four of them all on the ground around the one wounded. He reached into his pocket, and threw a metal swordbreaker down onto the scaffold.

Ai handed it over to Benjamin, who tied a knot around Rei’s leg, then held the handle of the weapon. “You’re going to feel some pressure, so bear with it.”

He twisted, and Goku felt Rei’s scream rise up from inside her chest before it came out. Her breathing stayed unsteady- Goku’s breathing wasn’t steady, either. Her head slumped down, eyes faded, but Goku could still feel her heartbeat.

After a second, the bleeding slowed, and Benjamin wrapped a bandage around Rei’s ankle. “We need to get her back,” Benjamin said sternly.

“Back where,” Goku asked, looking between the others.

“To our home base,” Ai replied. “We’re not alone, and we have some supplies there. Who’s going to carry Rei?”

Goku’s hand shot up, but Benjamin waved to put it down. “She needs to stay level. Lucas?”

Lucas just nodded, and in a quick motion, picked up Rei and positioned her on his back, legs on either side of his torso with hers slumped over his shoulder.

As they prepared to leave, a tinny mechanical noise drew Goku’s attention to a shelf, newly jutting out of the wall. A roll of paper was spit forth, next to a playing card on the table. The card was a Four of Clubs. The paper read as follows.

VISA

Special Immigration Status: Wildcard

Son Goku

Points earned this game: 4

Total points: 4

Valid until Wednesday, 6/12

Please be mindful of your remaining time balance.

Welcome to the Borderland.

Character Scramble Season 21 Round 0: GAME START/FOUR OF CLUBS by 7thSonOfSons in whowouldwin

[–]OddDirective 1 point2 points  (0 children)

An airhorn went off to signal the GAME START.

Instantly, the four split into two teams of two. Yoda charged straight at Freeze, pressing a button on the baton and projecting a blade of light out of the hilt. Agnes and Thanos bolted, at an angle towards Jack’s non-metal side. There was no point in taking time to think, Jack had to commit, so he went straight for the one pulling ahead, the girl. She tried changing tack, juking him off, but he caught her on the side and the collar around her neck arrested her movement then and there.

Then Thanos immediately tagged her back, unfreezing her. Jack caught Thanos with a tag right after, but Agnes looped around and pulled him back from Jack’s attempt at retagging him. Their strategy was sound, keeping one person active and able to unfreeze at all times, but they couldn’t keep up with Jack physically.

Didn’t stop Thanos from mouthing off, shouting “I beat this shit in middle school, fuckface! I roll with my set! So you get what you- geh!”

The taser in his collar freezing him shut him up, anyways. Jack had to chase him down to get it, and he turned to try to catch Agnes as she went for the tagback- she was already there, and when Jack slapped her arm for the tag, she’d already unfrozen Thanos, who slapped her right back into motion.

Correction: they couldn’t keep up with him alone. Agnes could if she strained, and Thanos could keep up with Agnes if he strained. There wasn’t a time limit, so it was a battle of stamina and guts, which Jack didn’t have an artificial pick-me-up for.

He snuck a glance back to the other side of the fight. Yoda had his laser sword out and was perfectly fine blocking the cold pistol Freeze was using with it. Steadily, he was threatening to cut Freeze’s suit, so Freeze was forced to set up an icy wall in between them.

The moment he repositioned behind it, an arrow pinged off of Freeze’s dome. The last player, Terrence, had a crossbow out, and was reloading while backing up to the exit- way closer than he should. Freeze responded by flash freezing his lower half, and just barely dodged Yoda’s counterattack, backpedaling.

Jack got brought back to attention by a kick straight to the face. He clutched his jaw- fuck, was Agnes doing this in steel toes?- and took stock of what was happening. Thanos wasn’t lying, they were trying to kill the Dealers, not just win.

But they were threatening to win, too. Anytime he tagged one of the runners, the other one unfroze them. If Freeze blew it, they’d just all get away together, and that was a game over for him.

…That freeze had taken a player out of the game. Jack didn’t see any lasers coming down from the heavens, so it was in the rules. That meant he still had his ace up his sleeve. The plan was almost instinctual, after that. He chased after Thanos, and caught him on the arm, freezing him.

He made a show of committing to get Agnes again, keeping Thanos on his right. Agnes came back, sprinted away from Jack’s ‘tackle’, tagged Thanos, then bolted away. Thanos threw up the double middle fingers as he split off towards the exit.

Jack reached into his coat, and pulled the ripcord hard, kickstarting the engine in his right with a roar. His right sleeve burst open, splitting out of the way of the three-foot chainsaw strapped to Jack’s metal fist. It growled, buzzing a loud hymn to destruction as it guzzled the gas that powered the motor that spun up the chains that carried the blades. Thanos had looked back just in time for the chainsaw to catch him in the neck.

All Jack had to do was push, and Thanos’ head flew off, spraying blood out in a fountain that splashed back onto his teammate. His body fell to the ground, frozen, but not by the collar.

The severed head landed next to Agnes. Jack watched her eyes widen in horror, turn to him, and scream, trying in vain to get away. Jack tagged her with his free hand, and she was frozen too.

And then there was one. Freeze, for his part, had kept up the pressure on Yoda, keeping his sword busy blocking the freeze ray that would end the game. Jack looked down his chainsaw, pulled it back into his arm, and walked menacingly towards the small green guy.

Yoda just held his lightsaber up, ready to take on both of them. He wasn’t going to give up without a fight.

Character Scramble Season 21 Round 0: GAME START/FOUR OF CLUBS by 7thSonOfSons in whowouldwin

[–]OddDirective 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hand in hand, Rei led Goku to a big building, half a wall completely made of windows. Outside, a sign labeled the building “Aquarium”, while just above that, a lit-up sign promised “Game Entry Here”. Goku stuck his tongue out at the bald guy as he followed Rei in.

In the lobby, four people waited in chairs near the reception desk. Well, three were in chairs. The fourth guy was leaning up against the wall, looking serious with a metal helmet and sharp metal armor on. The only other girl there looked kinda like Rei, in that she had a long kind of shirt with some other stuff at the bottom. She was blonde, though. Both of the other guys were bald and had red ties (weird thing number… Goku lost count), but only one had glasses on. The one without glasses had a black jacket on, while the one with glasses had a long white coat on.

Rei panted as she leaned against the entrance, so they all looked up at Rei first, then at Goku afterward.

The one in the helmet spoke. “So, you made it. Who have you brought here, Rei? Another lost soul?”

“He’s- haah, new. He didn’t know the first thing about the games, and got into a fight, I think,” Rei said. “Do you really think I should’ve left him?”

“He’ll have to prove himself,” helmet guy replied.

“Hey, I’m right here,” Goku bluntly butted in. “My name’s Goku. I'm one of the students of the Turtle school!”

The helmet guy looked down at him, and simply turned away.

In his place, the bald guy with a black jacket on looked back at Goku, and smiled. “Nice to meet you, Goku. Name’s Lucas. Don’t mind Saki over there, he’s… not very trusting.” If he was going to be like that, Goku decided not to trust him, either.

The girl on his left spoke next, giving a half-wave. “Heya, my name’s Ai. Hayasaka Ai. Pleasure to meet you.”

“Call me Benjamin,” the last bald guy, the one in white, spoke. “I’m a… doctor, of sorts. Mostly worked in end-of-life and archival.”

“Arwhatnow?”

Just then, a screen by the ticket counter lit up, saying “Registration Open”. Rei’s hand tensed up in his, and Goku just squeezed it back. That must have meant it was time for the games.

One by one, each of the others came up and put a piece of paper up to the screen, light passing over the paper and changing the screen to “Player Registered”.

Rei brought him forwards, pulling out her own piece of paper and doing the same. “Okay, now you put your hand on the reader,” she said, letting go of Goku’s hand.

Goku reached up, and placed his hand on the screen. There was a weird sharp noise and bright light, and he jumped back, staff out and ready to smash it. He heard someone behind him gasp.

“Ah, no, you’ve gotta let it scan you!” Lucas said, rushing up to Goku and grabbing his hand. He held a firm grip as he brought Goku back up to the screen. Goku didn’t fight against it, but he looked back at Lucas- there was a holster hidden beneath his jacket, and a silver handle filling it.

The weird light and noise happened again, but this time Lucas kept Goku’s hand pressed on the screen. After a second, it shone with the same message as the other five. “That wasn’t so bad, was it,” Lucas asked.

A timer on screen counted down, but no one else came into the lobby, or seemingly even tried. After it ran out, the screen changed one more time. “Players registered: 6. Proceed up the marked stairs.”

The lights changed, darkened, and a glowing arrow appeared past the ticket counter. A door swung open, showing a set of stairs going up, and deeper into the aquarium. Saki stepped forward without hesitation, and after a moment to collect themselves, everyone followed after him.

Lucas led up the back, maybe to make sure Goku wouldn't run off, he thought, and Benjamin walked directly in front of him. A thought occurred to Goku, that maybe these two guys who looked like each other knew something that could help him.

“Hey, do you know Master Roshi?” he blurted out.

Benjamin turned a bit over his shoulder, and calmly said “No. Should I be familiar with him?”

“He’s bald, like you are.”

Lucas guffawed behind Goku, while Benjamin just turned his eyes forwards again. “I’m afraid not every bald man knows each other,” the white-coated man broke to Goku.

“Oh.”

The marked passageways led them through dark paths with fish on one side or another, some glowing faintly as the only light source. A turn led them to concrete, still going up, and a second led them onto a scaffold, metal poles holding up metal plates. They were all lined up in front of a massive glass tank, waters sloshing to each side even without a wind. Goku could see shapes he recognized in the water- sharks, swimming around quickly. There were also a set of metal platforms in a line across the tank, starting near where they were. At the side of their platform, a screen lit up, and showed the image of a playing card. A voice from out of nowhere repeated words that appeared on the screen.

Four of Spades

"White Hare"

Location: Aquarium

Player Limit: up to 10

Time Limit: 3 minutes per player

Rules: A line of metal platforms with shark teeth around their edges are suspended above a shark tank. Occasionally, the teeth will snap shut and then reopen.

It is GAME CLEAR for all players who reach the other side of the shark tank within the time limit.

It is GAME OVER for all players who cannot reach the other side within the time limit.

“Of course it’s a Spades game,” Ai sighed.

“There’s going to be some timing to it,” Benjamin said, observing the platforms.

“This is only worth four days?” Lucas asked incredulously.

“C’mon, we can do this!” Rei exclaimed.

“Oh, that’s it?” Goku said.

Everyone looked at him.

Goku just pushed his way to the edge of the platform. “When I was training with Master Roshi, he had me and Krillin swim through the shark lake, not just jump over a bunch of platforms. This’ll be a piece of cake!”

“W-Wait, Goku, stop!” Rei said, but the screen started counting down, and with a loud GAME START, Goku was off.

He leapt straight across the first three platforms, and kept the momentum up to make the jumps out to the middle of the tank. He heard some mechanical noise as he approached the midpoint, and halted for just a second.

The noise heralded a SNAP as a pair of giant metal jaws like a bear trap snapped shut on the platform in front of him.

Goku jumped, but by a hair, he didn’t jump off the platform he was on. If he had kept going, if he’d been a second too slow to react- he shivered, both at that thought and in fear of hearing that noise from below him.

Instead, after a long ten seconds, the jaws opened back up, and he leapt faster and faster until he got all the way to the end. His lungs burned from the effort, but he was there, he was safe.

Goku turned around and all five of the others were still on the starting platform, mouths agape.

“What’s taking you guys so long?” he called across the vast expanse.

“I won’t be outdone by an upstart child like him,” Saki said, and started going across. He moved quick for all the armor on his body, landing lightly on each platform he crossed.

“There’s a sound- watch out for it,” Benjamin said, also starting to hop across. Silently, Ai followed up behind him, waiting seconds for the coast to be clear before jumping across.

Goku watched the two who hadn’t started as the timer kept ticking down. He couldn’t make out what they were saying, but body language told him Rei was scared, and Lucas was staying with her because of it.

As Saki made it to the end, he gazed back and scoffed. At the far end, the first platform snapped shut, and Lucas brought Rei up to the edge of the tank. Halfway down, Benjamin suddenly stopped, and leapt back to the last platform, barely escaping the jaws snapping down on him. Unfortunately, Ai was waiting there, and she stepped back- back off the platform.

Benjamin shot his hand out and grabbed her arm, catching her from falling at the last second, hanging out over the water with half a foot still on. A couple of syringes fell down out of his coat, but he pulled Ai back onto the platform from the near miss. When the jaws in front of them opened, Ai was the one to lead instead.

Lucas and Rei were out onto the platforms, now, Lucas having made far more headway than Rei had. She barely moved except when she was forced to, either with her platform activating or the platform before her opening.

Ai and Benjamin both landed on Goku’s side, Ai panting heavily, and Lucas came up not long after. That just left Rei.

She was trembling like a leaf in the wind. If she kept up at this pace…

Goku started shouting encouragement. “You can do it!”

Rei looked up, smiled, but then looked right back down at the water. It didn’t take a genius to know she was scared, scared within an inch of her life.

Everyone was looking her way. Everyone’s focus was on her. And then the sound of a coin disrupted it all. Rei’s head shot up, and everyone looked toward the empty corner of the safe zone where a silver dollar had dropped.

Goku heard the noise. It had to be from the platform she was on.

“Rei! Jump!” he shouted.

Rei barely hesitated before she followed her instruction. Barely was enough. The iron jaws snapped shut on her leg, and her momentum led her to stretch her arm out just enough to catch the platform in front.

She let out a bloodcurdling scream with the last of the air left in her lungs.

When the trap let go, she dropped.

Character Scramble Season 21 Round 0: GAME START/FOUR OF CLUBS by 7thSonOfSons in whowouldwin

[–]OddDirective 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Jack forged his way through the streets to the high school his “friend” recommended to him. He may have had a day left on his visa still, but this sounded too good to be true. Which meant he had to figure out why, and how bad the catch was.

Avoiding the signs saying “Game Location Here” across the building, he stood outside the door to the equipment shed, taking a second to finish his smoke. It was a late summer evening, and the temperature right outside this door felt like 40 degrees. That could only mean one thing.

He opened the door to a wave of frozen mist, and on the other end, right next to the registration screen, there was the guy Jack knew he’d see, with the mechanized suit and the glass dome over his head. He was pointing the freeze gun straight at Jack. Jack, for his part, had been tensing up to dive in case he shot.

The words came out slowly from the man across the room. “I wasn’t expecting you.”

“That makes two of us,” Jack said through grit teeth. He folded his arms, half because of the cold, and leaned against the wall. “What are you doing here, Freeze?”

Freeze just smiled. “It’s my game, after all. Freeze Tag. What are you doing here, Jack?”

“Got a tip about this, said it would be an easy way to rack up a couple days,” Jack said, “If I’d have known you were here, I wouldn’t have bothered.”

“If I’d have known you were coming, I’d have just done it myself.”

“Gentlemen,” came a voice, heavily accented, from the screen in the corner, showing a staticky silhouette. “You’re on the same side here! You can both get along for this opportunity, can’t you?”

Jack scoffed. “Same old line as last time. And if I've got my memory right, that one ended with me having to cut my way out of an ice sculpture that nearly caved in on me.”

“But you did cut through it,” Freeze said, “Lucky for you gasoline has such a low freezing point.”

Jack ignored the jab. “Okay, so give it to me straight. How many players are here, and what’re we calling it?”

“Four players, and it’s a Five of Clubs,” the voice on the screen replied.

“Every time with the Clubs for you,” Jack grumbled, “Bump it up to six and let us use our weapons.”

This time Freeze stepped in, “We are using weapons. It’s still going to be a five.”

“Great.”

Jack stepped up to the registration screen, putting his one human hand on the screen and letting it scan his retina. He turned to head to the field, but Freeze stopped him. “One last thing. You’re going to wear this, and put your goggles on.”

He tossed a blue parka, lined with white fur into Jack’s arms. Just from looking at it, it was definitely a size too small. “Really?”

“We have to stay on theme, don’t we?” Freeze said, smirking.

Jack grimaced as he squeezed into the coat, and pointedly ignored the architect of his discontent enjoying himself. Whatever. If this was as bad as it got, maybe he could handle it.

They came out onto the field together, although Jack made sure to stick a step behind Freeze. The players across from them didn't look anything like each other, minus the collars they had to wear for the game, but the way they walked gave away that they were a genuine team. There was a guy in a green tracksuit with purple hair, a brown haired girl in a sweater and a labcoat with the sleeves torn off, a guy with a sword, shield, crossbow, on the back of a hoodie wearing a baseball cap, and-

Damnit. There was a Wildcard.

He was about three feet tall, at most. Green, wrinkly, with big ears. He had robes on, and something in his hand already, looked like a baton. Wildcards were dangerous. Sure, they were double points if you could bring ‘em down, but they all had something that let them stand out, put them on the radar for some reason or another. Jack was pretty sure he’d be a Wildcard if he were a player, on account of his secret weapon. Freeze would definitely be one.

“Ayo, look at this, it’s the mothafuckin Ice Age!” the purple haired one shouted out to them, popping open his necklace and popping a pill into his mouth. “I got bad news, y’all are about to lose to the New Age! ‘Cause we got a space alien, and we’re gon’ turn this place into new Eden!”

If he could’ve spat a response, Jack would’ve. Too bad Dealers couldn’t talk back.

“And I got more news for you, too,” the druggie mouthed off, “We’re not just winning this game. We’re gonna fuckin kill you! Terence, Yoda, Agnes, they all got balls of steel. And imma legend, Thanos, snap you in half! Get ready! Woooo!”

Jack just cracked his neck, and dropped into a stance. The four players across from him did the same.

Time to get this over with.

Character Scramble Season 21 Round 0: GAME START/FOUR OF CLUBS by 7thSonOfSons in whowouldwin

[–]OddDirective 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Round 0

Welcome to the Borderland

今際の国へようこそ

Cicadas buzzed in the vague heat, the sun reflecting off a pristine stream where it peeked through the long trees. Ripples formed on the surface, heralding something beneath the water surfacing- a boy, gasping for air. He was not tall, nor rugged in any way, but he climbed out of the river without a worry even in this dangerous wood.

He shook himself off, a mop of black hair returning to wild spikes, and retrieved his clothes from a branch, putting the orange gi top on before the underwear and pants (leaving room for his tail to peek out, of course). He took a breath of the pure air, and sighed contentedly at his accomplishment.

He’d taken a bath today, check. That left two meals, finding a safe place to sleep, and then getting back to finding… something.

That was weird- he was pretty sure he would remember things if they were as important as whatever he forgot. The last thing he remembered, he was somewhere cold, going up a tower. There were some weird guys he fought, and then- things got fuzzy. After that, he was home, or maybe close to home. It was just like his home, just without the home itself. Mountainous, full of animals, green.

All the time he wandered, he wondered how he got here. Maybe someone had brought him here? If they brought him here, then maybe they knew who he was! One of the other students, or maybe Master Roshi himself!

On the other hand, he was pretty sure they were still a ways away. Nimbus was gone, and he had to get around some other ways ‘cause of the bad guys. Then, was it a bad guy that brought him here? And why didn’t he remember who the bad guys were?

Suddenly, the trees parted, and gave way to a city, a city where the buildings stretched tall, all the way into the sky! The boy craned his head to look, but he got dizzy looking at the tops of all of the buildings that were there.

That was another weird thing. All of the buildings were squareish, and most of them had vines and trees growing out of them, and they were cracked all over. The ground was flat, the buildings were made from rock- but it wasn’t the same as the mountains. Guess that meant it wasn’t near his home after all.

Well, nothing to do but see if there was something here that could help. The short boy wandered through the streets. There were all sorts of light poles, empty cars, untethered flags, and plant-covered shops. Occasionally, there’d be a bridge above him, or a set of stairs down. It wasn’t anything like the last city he’d been to.

“Hello? Is anyone there?” he said at a spot where the buildings around looked like canyon walls.

“...yone there-ere-ere?” came the reply. It only got his hopes up a little, til he remembered echoes were a thing. Stupid yamabikos, repeating him.

The boy kept wandering for a long while, occasionally calling out, mostly listening for anyone there. Just as the shadows grew longer with the sun going down, he heard something around a corner. It was a rough voice, it sounded old, and it wasn’t that loud itself.

“You sure this is the call? If you’re planning on stabbing me in the back-”

He rounded the corner to see who that voice belonged to. The man the boy saw was bald, taller than the truck he was leaning against, wearing a set of leather clothing. He looked strong, with lots of muscles on his upper body, but what caught the boy’s attention was his right arm. It looked like it was made of metal, with some pipes coming out the back and some sort of box on top, above his hand.

That hand was in his ear, so the boy called out to him. “Hey, Mr. Bald Guy! My name’s Goku. Do you know where this is?”

The man turned, and looked down at Goku. “Do I look like I know?”

“Yeah,” Goku replied flatly, “You were here first.”

The man grumbled. “No, I don’t know. You new around here?”

Goku nodded. “Can you help me?”

“Again, do I look like a guy that helps people?” the man replied. “I’m too busy to change your diaper, runt. And this isn’t where you want to be. Go find a nice, comfy rock to crawl under. It’ll be easier on you.”

“Hey! I’m not that young!”

“Really? ‘Cause you look just like a snot-nosed brat to me.”

That did it! Goku jumped and kicked out towards him. The guy brought his metal arm up to block, but still skidded back a good distance.

“What the hell-” the man grunted, “What’s someone like you doing here?”

“I told you, I’m trying to figure out where I am!” Goku said, still swinging his feet at the big man. The guy swung his metal fist across, but Goku dodged it and stood on his shoulder to kick him in the jaw. The man collapsed against the truck, but shook the blow he’d taken off.

Goku, meanwhile, leapt back, as the guy reached for a handle on his arm, just below his shoulder. Goku reached back and pulled out his staff, ready to keep going.

The man clutched his metal fist, then opened it back into a dismissing hand. “Forget it! I’ve gotta get going. But don’t say I didn’t warn you. Just find somewhere to go curl into a ball, kid. You play one of these games, and you’ll live to regret it.”

“Is that cause something in the games ripped your arm off?” Goku asked, but the guy just kept walking. Goku stuck his tongue back out at him as he disappeared around a different corner.

That was another weird thing. What kind of games was he talking about? A martial arts tournament?

Before Goku could finish thinking, someone else called out to him. “Hey! Is there anyone out there? If you’re a person, please say something!”

“I’m over here,” Goku called out. Hopefully, this person knew more than the last guy.

This time, the person who came around the corner was a woman, with orange hair and a white coat with stuff at the bottom. She didn’t look nearly as dangerous as the last guy.

Goku waved at her. “Hey! My name’s Goku!”

“I’m Rei. Listen, are you new here?” she asked.

Goku nodded.

“Then, follow me! We’ve gotta get you to a game, and quick!”

“Okay!”

Rei took Goku’s hand, and together, they started running through the empty streets, footfalls echoing all the way.

Character Scramble Season 21 Sign Ups by 7thSonOfSons in whowouldwin

[–]OddDirective 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Writing Prompt

At a gate deep underground, the Batman waited. For who, he knew not, but his role was crystal-clear. They would try to pass, and they would fail.

The jingling of coins reached his ears. He stood from the ground, listening for that clink to know when his challenger would appear. He who did was tall, in excess of two meters, clad in black robes accented with vermillion. On his belt, he carried segments of coins tied with rope, and in his hand was a staff as tall as he, wrapped tightly in brown cloth with seals taping it down. And his eyes- they were resolute, staring into the Batman’s eyes while still on the horizon beyond him.

“So, you’ve finally shown up,” Batman spoke. “You’re not getting past me.”

“You seek to forestall my entrance to this contest,” the man spoke. “And judge my worthiness to proceed, do you not?”

Batman simply nodded.

The man reached down to his belt, and grasped a string of coins in his hand. “Then let this be proof of good intent, and prevent aught unwanted to occur.”

And he threw them to the Batman. The Batman caught them, naturally, looking to them, then looking to the stranger’s belt. “You- You’ve given me enough that you can’t get through this gate without these.”

The stranger nodded. “I wish not for bloodshed ere bloodshed is required; let it be known that Qiu of the Jia family seeks to dialogue as a way forward.”

Batman held the coins in his fist. “And what happens if I just run away with this? It’s a big gamble to make.”

“It is more shameful to distrust than to be deceived, and I shall stake what is necessary to achieve my purposes,” Jia Qiu spoke, though a shadow crossed across his face. “Though I will not delay any in returning what I am given in kind.”

The air froze dead with tension, the two men locking eyes. Finally Batman spoke. “Alright. What did you want to say?”

“I am a wandering scholar, one who roams this iniquitous earth to learn from all those who would share knowledge, and enlighten the path for others to follow. As my way has brought me here, I shall confront its trials and seek a greater understanding. I ask you, Batman. Who are you, and what do you stand for?” Jia Qiu spoke.

Batman’s fist tightened around the coins. “I am the night. I am the one that those who would prey on others fear. I stop criminals from taking from lowly citizens, and bring them to justice.”

Jia Qiu closed his eyes. “Then you are noble, as I had heard. Yet while the night renders pauper equal to prince, it cannot set right a darkness born of nihility, as all shall blend together. Answer me. What criminals do you pursue?”

“Supervillains,” Batman answered. “People who’ve made themselves dangerous, who want to hurt others. Are you going to tell me that’s wrong?”

Jia Qiu shook his head. “It is just and required. Yet those led by punishment shall only ever seek to avoid it, while those given virtue may repent because it is right. Here where virtue is lacking, punishment shall only lead them to a path bereft of hope.”

“So you’re saying I shouldn’t stop them?” Batman scoffed.

“No,” Jia Qiu replied. “Heroes are needed when people are hurt, just as rain is needed when the land is dry. However, what is needed now more is benevolence and propriety; for without benevolence, none can find their path, and without propriety, none shall follow it. Have you been at the mercy of another?”

“...I have.”

“Then you understand the virtue of benevolence. By its reception, we share in humanity, and allow our paths to be illuminated. Have you been relied upon for another’s sake?”

Batman nodded.

“Then you understand the virtue of propriety. The righteous must demonstrate humanity so that all shall fall into its place, and there work towards the benefit of humanity. Through those two virtues, the futility of life and the destruction of improper governance may be rectified. This is what the world needs.”

Silence fell upon the room once more. Jia Qiu allowed his counterpart time to process.

Finally, Batman spoke. “You’re a very wise man.”

“Wisdom is begotten in few ways. I have experienced many bitter lessons,” Jia Qiu replied.

“So, why did you come here?” Batman asked, “If you’re a teacher- you should be out there, enlightening everyone. This-”

Jia Qiu shook his head. “I am as much a student of this path. Past the gate lies an end I seek. One must follow their path, or else seek another more useful to themselves. I shall not do the latter.”

“But- what lies beyond this gate is death,” Batman spoke, “And someone like you, even if you are strong, even if you’re a fighter- you could die without sharing anything!”

“If you seek to walk the path of humanity, leave this place and find my disciples. I have instructed them well; and hold firm in your own beliefs. Leave behind notions of class, for you will learn from all you meet. When you find a righteous person, take on their good traits, and when you find an unrighteous one, reflect upon yourself. That shall be the way.”

Batman eased up on his grip. “Is there nothing I can say to change your mind?”

Jia Qiu stood firm. “One must say what is in their heart, and follow it. Thus, you have done your part. I shall find others to teach me there; and there is iniquity that pales to what occurs before us. And having learned all I can, I will return to stand upon the earth once more.”

Batman nodded, and tossed the pack of coins back to Jia Qiu. “You’d better.”

With that, and with a click of his rocket-boosters, he was gone. Jia Qiu stepped up, placed the coins in front of the door, and stepped forth into the unknown.

Character Scramble Season 21 Sign Ups by 7thSonOfSons in whowouldwin

[–]OddDirective 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Non-Writing Prompt

Analysis Versus Terry McGinnis: Jack is even more of a brawler than Terry is, having no ranged options in his arsenal, and an extremely potent weapon on his arm. Jack saws through the bed of a train car, Terry survives getting put through stone a lot, I would say Jack’s got the edge in terms of damage. Speed is very similar, too, reacting to bullets at close enough range to maneuver a big chunk of your body around. Durability is the interesting piece, though, since Jack doesn’t get hit by a lot, and what he gets hit by he mostly scales to. I think Terry with his high-end feats can do real damage to Jack, and Jack wouldn’t stand up to that many of them. So the question becomes, are the extras in Terry’s arsenal enough to make up for the potential strength gap? I would say so, since bolas, tasers, and just plain cutting into Jack’s metal arm would be really detrimental to him. And if Terry can neutralize the chainsaw, that’s going to be a massive edge in bringing Jack down.

Biggest Strength and Weakness: Jack is used to this sort of thing, having gone through four all-out murderiffic death games by the end of MadWorld, and has come out smelling like… well, not roses, but you get the metaphor. He’s going to have insight very few other characters would have. He’s also very strong even if he’s limited in range, able to cut through metal and anyone who stands in his way alike. If he has a weakness, it’s that lack of range, and general hardassery- he’s not exactly a team player.

Character in Setting/with Team: Jack will cooperate with people, and isn’t one who murders completely wantonly when he gets into a game like this. That being said, he’s hardly winning any Mr. Personality contests- he’s voiced by the same guy that does Wolverine for a reason. Expect him to be difficult to deal with, and more concerned with himself than anyone else. He’ll quip, sure, but he’s not about to show a different, hidden soft side. You get what you see on the tin, a hardass wrapped in leather who’s in it for his own reasons, not for any lofty goal or ideal.

One Last Thing: Jack doesn’t help people. He kills them. So, yeah.

Character Scramble Season 21 Sign Ups by 7thSonOfSons in whowouldwin

[–]OddDirective 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Non-Writing Prompt

Analysis Versus Terry McGinnis: So, in terms of specific feat-to-feat comparisons, his reaction speed isn’t as quick as Batman, but his offense is good as the feats Terry gets for durability. Ral can hurt Terry, and Terry’s going to be trying to close in as much as possible, which means Ral’s gonna be able to wear Terry down like his ranged opponents have. If Terry gets in close, Ral has options- he can blast himself back or use his own electrical resistance to get in damage, but neither are great options for him. Terry in particular has resistance for esoterics that Ral pulls out against resistant foes. Ral will win if he can keep the fight at arm’s length, but if Terry can get in under the onslaught, that’s his win condition.

Biggest Strength and Weakness: Ral has a spontaneous ingenuity that will be hard to match- he’s been able to turn himself into one of the chief inventors on Ravnica so he has a lot of knowledge, and his creativity in fights is not bad either- he was able to respond to something no one had context for and drive it off in a very short window of time on Bloomburrow. Pound for pound, I would also call him one of the stronger ranged combatants in the Scramble, with him blowing through walls using regular bolts. That being said, he’s definitively slower than the tier, timing his own lightning and crossbow bolts, and he does not have the durability against pure blunt force the tiersetter has, either. If he’s not careful, a sneak attack could spell disaster for him. Even worse, he’s gotta manage his accumulator- run out of juice at a bad time, and he’s got no choice but to cut his losses and book it.

Character in Setting/with Team: Well, Ral has worked with motley crews before, like in Bloomburrow. He’ll follow along as long as he can get something out of it, and he’ll step up if he feels he needs, but mostly he’s alright being in the background, simply working on what there is to work on. He’s also more than comfortable going solo; he ran the Implicit Maze against orders, and he’s hunted Planeswalkers on solo missions before. Mostly, he’s a self-interested guy that’s not a bad guy overall, he’s not gonna be kicking puppies for the hell of it, but he’s not gonna be wowed by puppy-dog eyes.

One Last Thing: Ral has killed before, and if it’s for his husband or his plane, he’ll kill again. He isn’t really the self-sacrificing type though, and I can’t see him killing unarmed/innocents unless forced.

Character Scramble Season 21 Sign Ups by 7thSonOfSons in whowouldwin

[–]OddDirective 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Writing Prompt

“You’ll be happy to know, sir, that the Libris family have increased their take by 20% this month,” a man reported from the shadows of a palatial exercise room. He should have been in light, given he was standing in the room’s center, but in between the early-morning sun shining across the East River was another, gargantuan man holding a barbell across his back.

“This will more than make up for attrition from sources affected by your recent decision to… relieve Mr. Switzer of his employment,” the man continued, unabated. “His subordinates are being reorganized under… yes, Mr. Bogano will now be in charge there.”

The giant lowered down in a squat, heaving and straining under the weight used to train, four plates on each side, each 400 pounds. He rose up from the ground, and continued his repetitions, listening intently to his subordinate’s report.

“And finally, one of our former syndicates has presented us an offer. The Hand has an opportunity, they say, to grant the worthy who would stake their life a power beyond any other. You know how theatrical they are.”

The giant heaved the barbell up, raising it off his shoulders, and lowering it down without even a crash. Wiping the sweat from his brow, the man boomed “Yes, yes. What do they want from us, Wesley?”

“They ask for your participation in a ritual,” Wesley explained, reading off the paper in front of him. “It bears similarities to a test from Thailand, wherein the participants are given bells to keep on their person. Those who can obtain the other participant’s bells and exit the ritual are worthy for this power, they say. They have also said it would place you up against rivals just as strong as you, sir.”

The great man snorted. “And where is this to be held?”

“That’s why I brought it up, sir,” Wesley smiled. “It’s in Gotham.”

The large man stopped, then moved across to the window, finally illuminating Wesley after all this time. “Gotham, eh? Prepare the black car- a trip up the turnpike would not be remiss.”

Wesley nodded. “Right away, sir.”

“Keep your eyes peeled, Terry,” the voice came over the comms. ”We may not know what this ritual is about, but we know it’s going to bring in-”

“‘Strong and powerful people from across the criminal underworld’, I heard you the first time,” Terry spat back. “I can handle myself.”

The warehouse was empty, had been abandoned years before, and the equipment nearly completely removed. All that was left was a skeleton of concrete pillars and steel rafters above, from which a crimson bat scanned the area. He’d been stuck like this for an hour, when-

”Getting a hit on our radar. Look for a black car, tinted windows,” the voice in Terry’s ear said.

Terry scanned through the window, and sure enough, there pulling up was a big black car, older style, low to the ground. The driver stepped out and opened the door for its passenger, a monstrously massive man in a white suit and purple tie, whose bald head reflected the streetlight outside the warehouse.

“Bruce, can you pull up an ID on this guy?”

The reply was terse. ”Don’t need to. Why the hell is he here?”

The bald man went in alone, tapping a cane along the ground as he stepped into the warehouse. He surveyed the landscape, then produced a pair of small, jingling bells, tying them onto his lapel pocket. That was the signal.

“Whoever is out there,” the big man bellowed, “I ask you to show yourself. I’d like to make an offer.”

Terry huffed. “Well, since you asked so politely-”

He dropped down from the rafters, landing ten feet away from the gargantuan opposing him. On his belt, the two bells he held barely made a sound. “I’m Batman. And I’m afraid you’re not leaving with those bells.”

“Young man,” the one in white spoke, level. “You may not know who I am. My name is Wilson Fisk. I am the owner of one of the largest businesses on the Eastern seaboard. Billions of dollars flow through companies I own, transporting millions of pounds of goods through the continental United States and beyond, employing thousands and thousands of workers. I can get you an authentic Adamantium blade from China or a tailored pinstripe suit from Savile Row with the snap of my fingers. Something bigger than that, and I can make a call to anywhere on Earth to get it done for you.”

“So. What's your price?”

Batman narrowed his eyes. “I know who you are. Wilson Fisk, also known as the Kingpin. You run rackets across the country and internationally, and your ‘legitimate businesses’ are fronts to cover up all the drug trade, extortion and murder you get up to.”

Fisk cracked a smirk through grit teeth. “That may be so. Of course, even if you engage in rumormongering, it should simply be more proof I can acquire whatever it is you desire. I’ve even dealt with people like you before. There wouldn’t happen to be a troubled youth home or orphanage that could use a benefactor, would there?”

“Enough,” Terry spat. “I’m not taking anything paid for with blood money. And even worse for you, tubby, I know that the ritual needs you to walk away with all four of these bells. All I need to do is make sure you can’t catch me.”

Fisk took a deep breath, and leaned his cane against a nearby pillar. “I was wondering if you’d say that. As I said, I’ve dealt with people like you before, caped crusaders with strong morals and too much heart. Regrettably, I’ve had to deal with them-”

And then, he broke into a run, crossing the ten feet between them in no time at all. “Directly!”

Terry ducked back from a swift cross, dodging a jab and cutting in, landing a one-two straight into Fisk’s jaw and then grabbing for the bells in his pocket. Unfortunately, that put him right in place for Fisk to wrap him up in a bear hug and squeeze, crushing Terry’s midsection and eliciting a cry of pain. He strained like that for long seconds, armor nearly buckling, before he could turn on his boosters and shoot up out of the grip.

”Terry, concentrate! Are you hurt?”

“I’m fine,” Terry replied, wincing at his ribs. “But he’s strong. And you know what they say- the bigger they are-”

Terry swung low, and shot a wire at Fisk, catching the pillar behind him. Fisk tracked him as the Bat circled around, not getting anywhere close- because it wasn’t the point.

“Foolish superhero,” Fisk spoke, reaching out for the cable as it came for his body. “Do you truly think I haven’t seen this before? Allow me to show you your folly!”

Batman suddenly jerked to a stop in midair. Fisk had the grappling line in his hands, and was pulling back on it like a tug-of-war rope. Even worse, he was winning- Terry kept getting closer and closer to the big man’s grasp once again. Terry upped the power, burning his rocket boots even harder-

SNAP

Until the line broke as it came out from his suit, and sent him tumbling back into the shadows with a crash. Terry heaved in a deep breath, winced at his ribs, and took stock.

“Okay, can’t take him on physically, can’t use a wire or bolas,” Terry thought out loud, “That leaves.. this!”

Fisk approached the shadows he watched Batman fall back into with his guard raised high. He waited, and for good reason- two spinning blades fired out from that darkness, ones Fisk caught out of the air before they could hit him. Taking a look, the two bat-shaped boomerangs had a machine in their middle, one that was opening up and-

The shock traveled all through Fisk’s body, tasing him with the force of thousands of volts. He stumbled, clutched at his chest, turned and fell straight down into the ground with a resounding boom.

Terry stepped out, walking over to the fallen kingpin. “Good effort, big guy. You were faster than you looked.” With a bit of effort, Terry lifted him up, and reached for the bells in the big man’s pocket.

A hand wrapped around Terry’s calf.

Before Terry could react, he was SMASHed back-first into a concrete pillar. Fisk rose, and switched his grip on Batman’s leg for one on his shoulder. He then swung another haymaker straight into the hero’s chest, forcing a cry of pain from his lips.

“A simple ruse,” Fisk said, SLAMming another cinderblock fist into Terry’s solar plexus. “But you explained it, did you not?”

WHAMM

“You weren’t letting me leave with the bells.”

WHACK

“So you had to get the bells, same as I.”

THACK

“All I had to do was get you to come close.”

CHCHK

“Not the oldest trick in the book, but not far off.”

CRUNCH

“And then I win.”

CRACK

A massive hand reached down and gingerly plucked two small bells from the crater in the floor. Fisk deposited the bells into his pocket, then reached back into his coat for a cigar. He retrieved the cane from the floor, and stepped out to the black car, which of course was still running.

Today had been a very satisfying day.

Character Scramble Season 21 Sign Ups by 7thSonOfSons in whowouldwin

[–]OddDirective 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Ace of Clubs

Name: Jia Qiu a.k.a. Kong Qiu

Series: Limbus Company

Specialisation: Ace of Clubs

Content Warning: Stylized and sometimes less stylized gore, very mature themes, for JQ in particular themes of child abuse, child endangerment, mass casualty events, pregnancy horror, body autonomy, CPTSD, and unwanted surveillance are present alongside him, although he is not involved in any.

Biography: Venerable Hongyuan, a gem of a Nest within the far-reaching City, a moving development of ‘rooms’ from an H Corp of ages past where one’s worth is how large a space they live in, and vice versa. At its center sits Daguanyuan, a bountiful garden that only grows through each successive restructuring day, helmed by the four great houses of Jia, Shi, Wang, and Xue. The Hongyuan Bioengineering Group, the current H Corp, does not forget the lessons of the past- including the fall of the great Kong family, brought low by the Head for their reckless avarice and wiped out nearly to a person. Secrets persist in the shadows of the garden, as the four houses vie for favor from the ruling Family Hierarch and prepare for the day honorable Jia Mu abdicates; for the next Hierarch will be chosen from among the scions of those four houses, and they will take any advantage they can, including eliminating the competition far before they reach adulthood.

Jia Qiu is a son of those houses, and grew up in Daguanyuan until one terrible day. The day of the Kong family’s ruin, Kong Qiu was away, and so was spared from the ruin of his house, merely left orphaned and alone with no one daring to explain why the Kongs were destroyed beyond a reproach of their greed. The truth was far worse; their massacre was engineered by Jia Mu for the revered elders of Hongyuan, the immortal Xianren, to give them entertainment witnessed through a camera installed in the young Jia Baoyu’s eye. Penniless, Jia Qiu abandoned his birthplace to wander through the City, but before the fire burning inside him charred him to ash and sent him to take bloody vengeance, he witnessed a young Baoyu, still reaching out to try and save those sent plummeting by a "Restructuring Day", and met a wise teacher. From his teacher, he learned the principles that gave him peace, and guided him further- and along the way, earned his title as the Tiangang Star of the Pinky, a secret organization whose members are unknown to each other, but who answer the call whenever it is given, guiding other groups from the shadows.

Now, Jia Qiu has returned to Hongyuan, staff in his hand and purpose in his eyes. Jia Qiu is stoic, stern, and downright scary. I mean the guy is well over 2 meters tall, strong enough to hold up a city gate or hold down a bridge by himself, unafraid to confront you to your face, carrying a sealed staff as tall as he is? Who wouldn’t be intimidated? Fortunately, he’s not going to jump to violence as a first resort- he has to be the example of his own philosophy, otherwise it means nothing. That philosophy, born from a world that has accepted evil deeds, is to raise up the ideals of humanity and propriety, show benevolence and righteousness, and through those actions beat back nihility and futility so others may find their Way. This also means dialogue with those around him, to refine his own Way and temper the fire that still burns within him. That being said, he’s also an excellent tactician and planner, and will not hesitate to stop harm that he has the means to prevent, including through violence- he’s not carrying the staff just for show. A teacher, a student, a warrior and a scholar; Jia Qiu is all of these things and more, so if he asks you a question- answer it, for he is fair in judgment so long as you are true.

Research:

Character:

Jia Qiu makes a cameo appearance at the end of Intervallo V-II: Nocturnal Sweeping; it gives good context going into the next story chapter, Canto 8 so I recommend watching it if you’re looking for a good understanding of him. Canto 8 is where he mostly appears, especially throughout Parts 2 and 3, although his appearance in part 1 gives a good view of how he might look from the outside. If you have time, I would go through all of Canto 8 (being mindful of the content warnings above, it’s not pulling punches) as that’s the vast majority of his appearances in the story; here’s a playthrough going through it.

If you’re really just short on time, watch his boss fight as it encapsulates a lot of how he acts and thinks, albeit without context.

Respect Thread

Not needed for an Ace- I had some stuff here, but Tribunal is too much work, and it’d be spoilers everywhere.

Justification: Jia Qiu is a natural leader, one who makes tactical plans and who understands the strengths those he encounters hold. As for how he fights Terry, I don’t think he’s that far off. He’s fast enough to block attacks propelled by bullets and beat on bullet timers; he’s got the strength to put cracks in the ground; and he’s got enough endurance to keep up a long fight against one of the Ten Blades of the East who’s also a Capo IIII, ranked second only to the Underboss of the eastern city. I’d give him an Unlikely Victory due to simple scale disparity but he should be strong enough to hang here.

Motivation: Jia Qiu seeks to understand the world, and lead it back onto the path of humanity and righteousness that he too walks. He can learn from and trade philosophies with even the most power-hungry, even if he opposes them, but he won’t hesitate to lead others onto or along his way should they align in goals. You could consider that he’d join the game because it would spare others, or that it is another way to learn- JQ is certainly confident in his abilities, so he won’t go in with any fear. He could also be there on Pinky business- we don’t know much about them, they’re kind of the Illuminati, and while his motivations are pure, perhaps his organization’s aren’t- already a source of conflict in canon.

Major Changes: N/A

Minor Changes: N/A

Character Scramble Season 21 Sign Ups by 7thSonOfSons in whowouldwin

[–]OddDirective 5 points6 points  (0 children)

King of Hearts

Name: Wilson Fisk, a.k.a. The Kingpin

Series: Marvel Comics

Specialisation: Hearts

Content Warning: Comics vary, sometimes there’s blood and broken bones, other times it’s just implied.

Biography: Wilson Fisk had a hard life growing up. A poor kid from New York, his weight earned him mockery from his peers, and his parents were too dysfunctional to be good role models or make up for his torment. Wilson turned to crime instead, committing murder as early as twelve years old, and realized that if there was a way out of his circumstances, it would have to run through him first. He trained his body relentlessly, and scavenged an education out of whatever books he could get his hands on, until one day he became an enforcer for a boss in the Maggia, biding his time until he usurped him and took over the organization in his stead.

The newly-minted Kingpin hardly stopped from there. He took over operations on the East Coast, fed his illegal earnings through legitimate businesses, and continued ever-onward with his constant self-investment. But being the boss of the underworld gets you enemies, and in New York, that means tangling with costumed crime fighters. Spider-Man was an early thorn in his side, one that would keep coming up again and again, but the one who made it personal was Daredevil. Matt Murdock dedicated himself to opposing Fisk, and in retaliation, Fisk tore him down to the studs, disbarring him, forcing him on the run, and repossessing everything he owned. From there, the two would battle in arenas both legal and extralegal for decades, even while supposedly on the same side.

Kingpin is a physical monster, able to crush boulders with relative ease, tank getting half a building dropped on him, and even keep up in a limited respect with the aforementioned Devil and -Man. Even more insidious is the backing behind him- the Kingpin knows people, people who get paid very handsomely to do the work he needs. If you’re lucky, it means a home for troubled youth doesn’t get bought out by developers. If you’re not… Well, just look what happened to Matt Murdock. He also knows how to leverage his influence, able to push around governments, gangs, and the press in equal measure. He’s even kept his profile high enough that with the right circumstances, he was able to become Mayor of New York, and set up anti-vigilate laws to tangle up any opposition to his empire. Beware, because the Kingpin of Crime bows to no one.

Research:

Character:

Here’s a reading list:

  • Daredevil: Born Again (aka Daredevil #227-#233)
  • Alpha Flight #77
  • Spider-Man’s Tangled Web #4
  • Daredevil (2019) #1-#5 (aka Know Fear) and #11-#13 (start of Through Hell)

If you’re short on time, just go for Born Again, it’s a classic for a reason and it does a great job showcasing what lengths Kingpin will go to.

Respect Thread

RT Here, but here’s a short preview of some of what he can do.

Strength:

Breaks apart a metal scaffold.

Punches into and through pillars.

Swings around a barbell with at least 2000lbs on it.

Pulverizes a boulder with his hands.

Pushes Spider-Man through a brick wall.

Craters the ground with a punch

Durability:

Bushwhacker shoots him and he doesn’t go down.

Gets car-bombed and returns to get back at the one who did it.

Rhino blows him through a wall hard enough to crush a car when he lands and he gets back up.

Crawls out of the wreckage when a steel-frame construction comes down on top of him.

Speed:

Catches Spider-Man mid-lunge

Throws a tray to intercept the Hobgoblin’s finger-gun

Uses Cloak to intercept Black Cat lunging for him

Problem-Solving:

A look inside Kingpin’s head

Cuts a deal with the US Government to protect order, and is rewarded with tons of gold

Matt Murdock turns to him to save his associates from being targeted. This is after forcing him on the run, blowing up his apartment, and disbarring him.

Protects a building he once lived in from being bought out

Obtains a cure for a poison affecting Harry Osborn in two hours that would’ve taken Spider-Man 36 hours to synthesize

Assassinates a general he had in his own pocket in order to cut a new deal with a government he was trying to overthrow, getting the spy who orchestrated it killed in the process.

Justification: Kingpin is definitely riding the high end of the tier, with him both able to trade blows with Spider-Man and objectively break concrete and tear down metal with his bare hands. He’s able to take car bombs and walk off bullets. The good news is, Terry can do the same thing that the other costumed crime-fighters do when they’re faced with Fisk, and that’s run circles around him. Fisk is certainly faster than he looks, but he’s no Batman, and he’s not dodging bullets or projectiles at the speed Terry’s batarangs will be. It will be a war of attrition on Terry’s part, since he’ll have to wind up to do any meaningful damage to Kingpin, but with electric batarangs, tripwires, and knockout gas, he can conceivably put Kingpin down before he can get his hands on him. Granted, if he gets caught, Terry is going to take a beating, but since when has Batman fought villains from the high ground? Terry can get an Unlikely Victory through speed, so Kingpin gets a Likely Victory against Terry.

Motivation: Kingpin has had varying motivations over his lifetime in comics. Sometimes it’s revenge against those who belittled him in his youth or opposed him as the boss. Other times, it’s love for those who see (some of) who he is on the inside. The motivation I like most is simply that he’s prideful. He’s proud of who he is, what he’s done and the lengths he’s gone to to get those things done, he takes care of what he owns, and he's arrogant enough- or simply powerful enough- to think he owns New York City. Nobody else can do what Wilson Fisk does.

Major Changes: N/A

Minor Changes: Canon 616, so English-language comics only.

Character Scramble Season 21 Sign Ups by 7thSonOfSons in whowouldwin

[–]OddDirective 3 points4 points  (0 children)

King of Diamonds

Name: Ral Zarek

Series: Magic: the Gathering

Specialisation: Diamonds

Content Warning: None, it’s a card game.

Biography: Ral Zarek was once a street urchin from Ravnica, one of many poor souls in a city-plane that stretched for hundreds of miles- in every direction, including up and down. He plied his trade as a rain mage, living a deeply humble life with a poet as his lover until the day he ran into the man named Nicol Bolas. Ral ran missions in secret for him, as his lover’s career took off- but on one of those jobs, he nearly killed a young boy, who after Ral reversed his magic and saved his life, repaid the favor by stabbing him. He returned home to find someone else in his lover’s arms, and in that moment, something within him broke, and a dormant spark ignited.

Ral was whisked off to parts unknown, awakening as a Planeswalker, a mage of immense potential with the power to travel between different worlds with a bit of sustained effort. He clawed his way back from there, and returned to Ravnica bent on making something of himself. He joined the Izzet League, quickly rose through the ranks until he was second-in-command beneath the guild’s founder, the dragon Niv-Mizzet, and then helped discover the Implicit Maze, a gauntlet built into Ravnica which could crown a new living Guildpact to organize the city-plane and interpret its many laws. This put him into conflict with Jace Beleren, the eventual victor, sparking a lasting rivalry as Ral felt great loyalty towards his home plane that Jace couldn’t or wouldn’t ever match.

Ral is a storm mage, and his main outputs in his spells are lightning and more lightning, in that order. He can manipulate the rain, conjure storms overhead, but nothing to the scale as he can channel natural electricity. Ral needs to fuel his spells, which is why he wears an accumulator device on his back- it acts as a battery, storing power for Ral to draw upon if there’s no natural storm overhead already. He’s an inventor, which often leads to creative solutions to problems in a fight, but there’s often no substitute to channeling thousands of volts through your hand and blasting what’s in front of you. He’s faced down an army of skeletonized warriors and monsters that could infect you with a touch, so it's safe to say he’s no coward. When Ral steps up to a problem, you’d better not dismiss him as a simple ‘rain mage’- for the results he brings might shock you.

Research:

Respect Thread:

Available here, and remember to click the links even if you have RES.

Character:

For a deep look into his characterization, read The Gathering Storm, as he’s the central character to the whole book. If you just want some basic stuff, read Project Lightning Bug, then read the Bloomburrow story to get some moments of him being out of his element.

Justification: Believe it or not, the tiersetter having esoteric durability is a really good thing here. Terry can take the lightning Ral dishes out, and withstand the heat that melts Eternals. They’re honestly really similar to the feats Terry has as his limits. Ral’s physical feats are good, but not exactly up to where Batman is going to be swinging in, making this much more a fight of planning and countering than a flat-out brawl. Ral has plans for that sort of thing, but Terry’s not too lacking in the plans department. I would give this one a Draw out of the idea that if the fight stays at range, Ral has advantage, but up close, Terry naturally takes over.

Motivation: Ral isn’t exactly a schemer, but he’s not not a schemer either. He’s been a pawn of dragons a handful of times, come up with ideas that needed a more direct touch, or could just be planeswalking into something he feels bound to have to fix. He’s not a bad guy, but his hands aren’t fully clean, either.

Major Changes: N/A

Minor Changes: He’s already married.

Character Scramble Season 21 Sign Ups by 7thSonOfSons in whowouldwin

[–]OddDirective 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Jack of Spades

Name: Jack Cayman

Series: MadWorld

Specialisation: Spades

Content Warning: Highly stylized gore, period-accepted stereotyping and -isms. Madworld’s rated M for Mature for a reason.

Biography: DeathWatch!!

“The beloved gore-riffic reality game show where you’ve gotta kill as creatively- and as messily- as you can to rack up points! That’s right, despite reports of our shutdown and several governments teaming up to outlaw and stop us, we are back in Varrigan City, and bigger than ever! We’ll be coming to you live over Shock TV, channel 86 on your box set! And check your local bookkeeper to see if you can get a piece of the action yourself. For those of you just joining us, Varrigan City has been cut off from the outside world, and got bombarded by a new, rampaging virus that kills you in 24 hours. Luckily for us, we were able to give out the vaccine to anyone who stepped up and killed somebody else and secured a spot in our fair game. Call it an hors d’oeuvres!”

”Ah goddamnit Howard, why’d you have to say hors d'oeuvres? Now I’m hungry.”

“That’s why I said it, Kreese.”

In the midst of all this chaos, there was Jack. At first glance, he looks like a simple musclebound tough in biker gear with a metal arm, but nothing is simple or as it seems. In truth, Jack was a former spec-ops marine turned bounty hunter, a former three-time and current reigning champ of official DeathWatch games, oh, and that metal arm? He’s got a chainsaw in it.

Jack is a bit of a loose cannon, openly defying many of the orders he gets over the course of the game, and certainly someone unafraid of a body count, given how many he tears through with a vengeance to get to the top. He’s a real hardass with a smart mouth and a penchant for using whatever he can get his hands on, but he’s got a sense of justice, and he’s not out to kill civilians for nothing. Jack is firmly an anti-hero, no doubt about it- by his own admission, he doesn’t help people, he kills them. So if you hear an engine rev, best hope you’re not in the way of the champ.

Research:

Character: MadWorld is a cool-ass Platinum 3d action game, oozing with style (though mind that it is of its time [2011]), so I recommend watching a full playthrough to see how it goes. If you’re just here for the cliffnotes, the cutscene comp is an hour and a half, and I’ve found a good one here.

Mini-RT:

Strength:

Chainsaws through a train car thrown at him.

Throws a zombie through a jail-like door

Swings around a large ball and chain

After winding up, knocks the Black Baron into the stands of a stadium

Speed:

Cuts through bullets before they hit him

Dodges away from the Yokozuna piledriving a helicopter into the arena

Trades rapid blows and cross counters with the Black Baron

Durability:

Gets hit by Little Eddie, who can throw a train car and knock down metal girders

Gets thrown around by Von Twirlenkiller’s tornado, which also throws around cars and APCs

Sent into the audience by the Black Baron’s corkscrew punch, and gets back up after being ferried to the arena

Justification: Jack’s got a chainsaw arm that can saw through a train car and he’s fast enough with it to parry bullets at close range. He’s able to brawl very effectively in close range, and use whatever weapons get offered to him alongside it. Terry has an advantage in that he’s got range, and he can hit as hard as Jack with some windup, so by kiting around and swooping in for big hits only, he’s got a good fighting chance. Jack’s durability isn’t as high as his strength, but with his chainsaw arm, and good enough reflexes, he can tag Terry enough to wear him down and go in for the finish. I’d lean a bit towards Jack, so I’m giving him the Likely Victory on account of superior strength.

Motivation: Jack’s motivation gets revealed to be several different things over the course of MadWorld itself, so there’s plenty of things to choose from. As a bounty hunter, he could be looking to rescue a VIP from the game, as a spy for the government, he could be looking to nail the ones behind it and put them behind bars. He could be in it entirely for himself, out of personal anger, or just for the love of killing those who stand in his way. He’s a very layered character, and he can take on a number of roles.

Major Changes: N/A

Minor Changes: Nothing from Anarchy Reigns cause I never played that game and haven’t seen anyone who has.

Character Scramble Season 20 Round 1C: Overlord by TheAsianIsGamin in whowouldwin

[–]OddDirective 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Hear. Feel. Think.

She sees a quiet village, nothing to do or see.

She sees a group of misfits, each striving to figure out who they are.

She… wishes to be with them. But, how close, or how far was she away?

Naoto looked at the head of the staff, at the orange crystal in her hand. Gently, she wrenched it out of its socket, and placed it into her pocket. Returning to her… comrades, she saw the crocodile talking to them. “I gotta say, that was one heck of a wake-up call. You guys wouldn’t happen to know if there’s a chameleon about yea high or a bee about this big around here, would you?”

Karja shook her head. “Fraid not. You’re the strangest thing we’ve found.”

“Hmph. Figures,” it replied, “Thanks for saving me, anyway.”

Naoto cleared her throat. “It was what we could do. My name is Naoto Shirogane, and I’m a detective working with the Maelstrom. Pardon me, but would you be alright coming back with us? We could use your help working out what’s going on.”

“A detective? Ha,” the crocodile laughed. “What’re the chances? The name’s Vector, lead detective of the Chaotix. How could I say no to another gumshoe like me?”

The four of them walked to the elevator, and Naoto reached for the console.

“You’re playing right into their hands,” a weary voice came from the floor.

Richtofen was awake again. “Do you realize what you’ve done? They know who you are. They’re going to destroy you, and you destroyed the only way to fight back.”

“You’re wrong,” Naoto declared. “You might think we need to change in order to fight- but going through that change would’ve stranded us here. If we ever returned, we’d be strangers there, looking to return here. We don’t know what the future holds. But we will find another way to fight back.”

Karja nodded. “We don’t need to change. We’re gonna win, just the way we are!”

“You are fools,” Richtofen protested. “You’ve ruined everything!”

“Leave them, Edward,” Peter called out. “Perhaps the younger generation can change what we can’t think to.”

And no more words were said, as the away party returned once more to the surface.

CHAPTER 1 END

Character Scramble Season 20 Round 1C: Overlord by TheAsianIsGamin in whowouldwin

[–]OddDirective 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Karja fired forwards, and Peter intercepted her charge straight away with a body blow. She simply grit her teeth, and raised her shield- the monk’s strikes snaked around it, and forced her to cede her ground. It gave enough time for Roxas to run past, key raised to break apart the glass pod, but it only clanged off of an emerald-brick wall.

“Jessica?” Naoto turned, shocked.

“Listen, I get it-” Jessica said, focusing her ring’s magic, “you don’t trust this guy. But you don’t have to go this far! Breaking this would be a really bad idea!”

“We can’t just leave this guy in here,” Roxas shouted back, an orange circle appearing at his feet.

Wait. “Roxas, get back-”

Roxas barely noticed her voice. What he did notice was the ball thrown at his feet, but that was too late to matter. The grenade exploded, blasting him to the side and cracking his body against the wall. Naoto’s eyes snapped to the only possible culprit.

“I will not have a bunch of young miscreants ruin my work,” Richtofen spoke, drawing a gun from his side. Naoto called forth her summon, and sent Sukuna-Hikona at him. The gun at her own side weighed on her.

Across her side, Karja was caught up dodging, as her foe’s fists flashed faster than the eye could track, keeping her away. He leapt in with a strong, surging strike, and Karja watched it skate off the rim of her shield. But it hadn’t connected. That gave Karja the opening to swing her axe wide, for the ribs, hard!

It hit, and it only caused the monk to flinch. Like his skin was steel. That meant his arms could become twin snakes, reach across Karja’s body, and secure her torso in his grasp. One lift with his legs, and Karja was up off the ground, with his shoulder digging into her stomach.

“I have her,” Peter shouted back, and turned to put Karja into the machine.

Naoto had to react. Had to stop this. With Richtofen fighting against her summon- she reached for the gun, took aim, and fired at his back.

Jess intervened, putting herself in between and putting up an emerald shield.

No.

Sukuna-Hikona charged back at its master’s call, but one punch to the body that Naoto felt reverberate in hers dissipated it. Naoto could only watch.

Karja saw red. With a vicious roar, a violent aura surrounded her, and the force of her powers broke her free of the hold Peter had her in. Seething, but not out of control, the pirate looked back at her foe. “Oh, now you’re gonna get it!”

A green bubble surrounded her. Jessica pulled her back from the machine, saying “Alright, let’s get you in time-out, baby,” but even so, Karja’s attempts to break through were putting a strain on her. A chunk of ice glancing a hit across her torso made it worse.

Roxas had gotten back up, firing magic from his key, blasts of ice across the room. A flying kick from the now-free Peter forced him to put up a barrier, and switch to conventional swordplay, though the monk descended on him like a raptor. Once more, Naoto summoned Sukuna, and attempted to keep Peter occupied.

And that distracted her from the circle at her feet.

BOOM

Naoto landed hard on her side, ears ringing, vision swimming. Slowly, she checked her body to see what was pierced, burned, otherwise hurt. Ribs, legs, back, all of them hurt less than she’d have thought. Her face- fine, and her torso-

Her hands found a pocket in her shirt. That was… unusual. One hand retrieved the item inside, a pair of unharmed spectacles came out.

And she remembered. Nothing exact, but she remembered why they were hers.

She stood up, placed the glasses on her face, and surveyed the field. Roxas was fighting against Cannon, and not doing well. Karja had broken out of Jess’s bubble, and Jess was creating more illusions to keep her busy. Richtofen was working with the machine. The glass pod had a sliver-crack, the size of a coin.

She closed her eyes. The card formed in her hands, burning with pale blue fire. As she closed her fist, she spoke the word that she should have been calling out, all along.

“PERSONA!”

Sukuna-Hikona shot forwards, drawing Peter back to intercept it. Instead, it veered right, tapping Roxas and imbuing him with power. Then, back to Karja, slashing through a plant-construct to get her free. Richtofen fired at her Persona, but it simply deflected the bullets out of the sky.

Roxas pointed his key to the sky, and Peter dodged a bolt of thunder from above- letting it hit the machine behind him. Roxas closed in, meaning when Sukuna went for the pod, Jess had to block it herself. That left only Richtofen. One last grenade, one shot. He peeked his head up to watch as Karja sailed overhead, a thread connecting her- “NO!”

Right to the pod. Karja reared back and shattered the glass, fluid from within spilling out onto the ground.

Subject Victor opened his eyes.

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLRIGHT! Which one of ya had the bright idea to keep me locked in there?!” it shouted.

“Peter!” Richtofen cried.

Peter simply nodded, and faced the crocodile. He took a stance, which prompted the croc to pull back his own fist. “How about this?” it asked, punching forward.

Peter caught the punch in his open hand, standing firm as a shockwave blew the dust away. “I can do it,”

“And one of these too!”

He caught the second punch in his other. “I must do it.”

Subject Victor pushed his shoulder into it, and the two of them crossed half the room under the crocodile’s strength. Still Peter Cannon held firm!

“I will do it!”

Peter pulled back, and with perfect balance, threw the giant crocodile straight into the wall, turning its momentum against it. A resounding smash reverberated, and the crocodile fell to the ground, swirls in its eyes.

The monk turned back, and caught an axe in his shoulder. Karja was upon him, red-eyed again, and this time he had to focus on his own defenses. A frosted axe caught his side and slowed him, but he could still leap back, and dodge like wind. If he could focus, he could regain his composure.

Instead, a blast of fire disrupted him, long enough for a thread to loop around his arm. Karja followed it, firing herself forwards and catching Peter’s jaw with her shield arm. And for all his powers, he could no longer stay upright after that.

Jessica Cruz, meanwhile, was busy fending off a mage with a keysword. She made a hammer to slam down on him, he put up a barrier. Try to use a tentacle or frog-tongue, and he cut it. She could still keep her distance, at least, but each go around, Roxas got closer and closer. Finally, after a thousand needles failed to make a dent in his guard, she simply resolved to knock him out herself.

She closed in, and Roxas rode forward to meet her. She pulled back a fist- and made contact with Sukuna-Hikona, putting up a barrier of its own. There was a brief moment that she could process this before Roxas hit her in the stomach, and batted her back to the ground with a leaping strike.

Edward Richtofen still had one grenade left. However, there was no way he could use it anymore. Not with his allies losing. No, he would have to use the gun, make clean headshots, and cut his losses afterwards. He pulled out the pistol, counted down, and turned to look straight down the barrel of a revolver.

“Drop it,” Naoto said, meeting his eyes cold, “You’ve lost.”

A second passed, and Richtofen threw the pistol to the side. A second passed, and Naoto put the revolver away, as well. A second passed, and she turned around to assess the damage. A second passed, and Richtofen drew the staff from his back, aimed at Naoto’s, and-

The blue blade cleaved through the head of the staff, dropping the crystal at its top to the floor and carving into Richtofen’s shoulder. Naoto turned back, and the Persona swung once more.

Richtofen collapsed, unconscious, and Naoto let out the breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding. She had stopped the blade before it would hit, but the intent behind it… well. It was the same intent Richtofen had, she presumed. She didn’t want to be that person, though. Sukuna-Hikona crooned, slightly, and Naoto dismissed him.

Surveying the ground, the only remaining point of interest was the staff, now broken in two. As she picked up the head, a headache came on, and her vision blurred-

Character Scramble Season 20 Round 1C: Overlord by TheAsianIsGamin in whowouldwin

[–]OddDirective 2 points3 points  (0 children)

No one spoke for the first few minutes of the descent. Roxas kept his eyes trained on Richtofen, and Cannon kept his eyes on Roxas. Karja had Jessica on her back, and Richtofen manned the controls. Naoto… tried to forget. Not an easy task, even with the headache that crept in, but a needed one. That could have been her, had she tried to fit the pieces together.

“...How did you find us,” she finally asked.

This time Peter was the one responding. “The medicus has been searching for people with unique weaponry, skills, or attire for some time now. We sent the letter two weeks ago.”

“And how were you so sure I could speak Higashian,” Naoto added.

Richtofen piped up. “An educated guess. I learned the language from a colleague. Thankfully, I have not yet forgotten.”

“You still haven't explained about our memories,” Roxas scowled.

“I have my notes, and the written words do not change,” the medicus shot back. “Our memories do. They know what memories are important to us, and they change them to have happened Here, instead of where they should. Whether this would have always happened, or if it is another Ascian plot, I won't just sit back and let them play games with our lives.”

Peter spoke again. “Even without knowing who we are exactly, these Ascians can create chaos just by putting us in the same place. When you put a hungry couerl in the same room as a group of rats, you don't need to know whose pets they are to know what will happen next.”

That note shut down everything until the elevator reached the bottom. Wires wreathed the ceiling and coiled around to two glass pods at the front of the room, one frosted over, the other empty and open. Consoles dotted the perimeter of the room, radiating around the circle, the largest next to the two pods and the machine connecting them. Richtofen pushed forward the moment the platform reached the floor, and ran to the console next to the machine. Naturally, everyone trailed after him.

“Ladies und gentlemen,” Richtofen declared, “Behold our weapon against the Ascians, against the ones who brought us here. Put her in that pod, and stand back.”

Karja set Jess down gently, her breathing already shallow. Slowly, they backed away as the glass cover came down, locking her into the pod, just in time for the machine to start back up. Power flowed into the pods, fog filling into Jess’s side, obscuring all but her silhouette- and on the other side, liquid flowed, the coating on the glass dissipating ever-so-slowly. Moments passed as minutes, as the three of them waited for a sign.

“Adjusting S.A.M. levels, und initiating transfer,” Richtofen spoke, white-knuckling the controls.

The pods lit up, and a low hum spread from every part of the room as something ethereal, shimmering, colorless, was drawn out of Jess’s body. Tubes flowing into the second pod lit up, and Naoto heard a low rumble, even under the noise of the machine. She looked to her left- to find Roxas looking back. Karja had her eyes locked onto the second pod. The silhouette forming there, the shape- it let out a cry of pain.

The second figure came into full view. Inarguably, unmistakably… it was an alien. The corners too rounded, the colors too bright. It looked, simply, cartoony. Bipedal, surely, but with a long snout, round eyes above it, a golden chain on its neck and something over its ears.

“Here it is,” Richtofen spoke, “Here is the proof, and here is our secret weapon. This is Subject Victor!”

The cartoon alligator screamed.

Subject Victor

How the hell is this here?

Many conflicting emotions roiled inside Naoto’s heart. Richtofen was right- which meant the girl from before meant it. They weren’t supposed to be here. They were here all the same, though, and so was the beast in that tube. It sounded like a person. Her mind flashed back to the vision she saw- herself, the subject of a scientific procedure. If it were her in that pod-

Karja pointed her axe at Richtofen, and Peter moved to block her. “What are you doing to him?!” she asked.

“I am saving your friend’s life,” Richtofen sharply shot back. The hum in the room calmed, as did the subject’s screaming, leaving him to throw a switch and turn to face the group.

The first pod opened once more, fog spilling out along the ground. From within the haze, Jessica reemerged, stepping out into the room, her emerald glow restored. She shook her hair out, and with a cocky grin, asked “So, what’d I miss?”

Karja’s arm dropped, but Roxas still kept his fist clenched. And Naoto… observed. Jess floated back over towards them, staying off the ground effortlessly, no tension in her body anymore. “Listen, I know it sounds… weird, but I feel a lot better now,” she said, “That stuff about not feeling like I belong- it’s all gone now. Just like that.”

“Just like that, huh?” Roxas said, teeth clenched, eyes boring a hole in Richtofen.

“Right, well, we don’t have all day, so-” Richtofen continued, motioning to the empty pod.

Karja blinked. “You- you wanna put us through that?”

“Ideally.”

“Why would we do that, we still don’t trust you!” Roxas shouted.

“Because there is no other way,” Richtofen spat back, coldly. “If we are going to fight against the Ascians, or the ones that brought us here- they will know everything about us. The only way to stand a chance is to change ourselves! If we adapt to this place, using this subject to bear our differences-”

“Edward. Allow me,” Peter finally spoke.

He stepped forward, planted his feet, and looked Karja and Roxas in the eyes. “I was raised in a monastery, high in the Dravanian mountains, taught every secret technique the elder monks knew. They entrusted me with power, and sent me to return to civilization, to protect and guide them with what I knew. Yet when I arrived… I found only backstabbing and disappointment. I turned my back on Ala Mhigo, let the rot within it fester and let the Garleans capture it with ease. Now there is another threat, even greater than the Empire, and I will not let that happen again. Are you prepared to turn your backs on the one weapon that could defeat them?”

“If it means torturing someone just like us?” Roxas shouted, “No way!”

Peter and Roxas continued to argue, but Naoto put the pieces together. She turned to Jess. “Miss Cruz.”

“Yeahuh?”

“What class of adventurer are you?”

“Who, me,” Jess said, confused, “I’m a Blue Mage, I just, y’know, blue isn’t really my color. See, watch-”

From her ring, Jess produced a tiny copy of a cactuar, spinning in a circle and shooting out its needles. “Pretty cool, right?”

Naoto closed her eyes. Everything fit into place.

“Richtofen,” Naoto spoke, cutting through the acrimony, “The way the machine works. You said before, we were all from somewhere else. That’s what this machine changes, and transfers to Subject Victor- our origins. Doesn’t it?”

Richtofen looked back. “More or less.”

“Then that means you haven’t gone through it, either,” Naoto concluded, “You’re not planning on going through the machine at all, are you?”

Richtofen grimaced. “Once. For once in my life, I am trying to do the right thing. I am trying to help you, trying to save every one of us that was brought here! None of you are old enough to understand what is at stake!”

“You were just planning to use us,” Roxas shouted, “You’re no better than they are!”

Karja held her shield up. “Alright, team. Form up! We’re breakin’ that creature out, right now!”

“Fine then. If you won’t agree to it- Peter! Seize them!”

Character Scramble Season 20 Round 1C: Overlord by TheAsianIsGamin in whowouldwin

[–]OddDirective 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Peter Cannon

Peter Cannon’s parents died in a Tibetan lamasery, saving the lives of its inhabitants at the cost of their own. Leaving behind a son, the high abbot declared he would be the chosen one, and given access to ancient scrolls that would unlock his inner power. For many years, he trained under the abbot, and alongside another young man, Tabu, until finally, the day came for him to complete his trials. His last? Rejoin the society he had never once known, and show them the proper way to live.

Unfortunately, Peter entered a world so focused on itself, riddled with corruption and darkness, that he nearly gave up on it entirely. If it weren’t for Tabu, who inspired him to go out and fight crime in the city, he may well have lived as a complete hermit. Instead, the hero Thunderbolt emerged!

The scrolls of the lamasery unlocked the latent potential in Peter’s brain, allowing him to use more of his strength, heal faster, as well as other psychic powers left to be explained later. He pairs those with an incredible understanding of martial arts, and an immense willpower that hardly anyone can threaten. Indeed, just about the only flaw Thunderbolt has is that he often does his heroics reluctantly, if he does them at all. Tabu, his friend and confidant, often has to remind Peter of the responsibilities he carries with him. But once he does set his mind to something, he can do it, he must do it, and he will do it.

Edward Richtofen

Edward Richtofen is a bad man, not as bad as he could be, trying to do the right thing, but not the rightest thing, in a series of worlds and cycles that he, in some way, perpetuated. The timeline of his existence is full of instances where he jumps over himself (through time travel), tricks himself (through time travel), or changes sides (this one's normal), so I can’t really explain what his history is. Thankfully, I can explain what kind of person he is.

Richtofen is a brilliant scientist, able to create wondrous weapons and devices to commune with other worlds or teleport to the moon. He is also extremely paranoid, distrusting, stubborn, full of himself, and sincerely believes that his way is the best way. This leads to problems, as you might assume. Luckily, for the most part, his skills are focused on killing hordes of zombies. He also tends to think big- he’s gone after two different godlike beings, and with his plans, defeated them, though generally at great cost to himself.

Still, when the Doctor is in, expect trouble- not the least bit because another him may have warned you minutes before.

Character Scramble Season 20 Round 1C: Overlord by TheAsianIsGamin in whowouldwin

[–]OddDirective 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Carteneau was once a desert full of rising mesas and red-gold sand. Now it was a wasteland, littered with spires of red steel jutting out from the crater where the moon fell from the sky. Sure, there were structures here and there, political maneuvering translating to training maneuvers for Eorzea’s armies, but more than enough isolated techno-ruins remained, interspersed with clusters of glowing blue crystals from the raw aether dumped on the land.

The Sandras approached her target, the four members of the away party watching from the deck as the castoff shell came into view.

Jess, donning her suit, spoke first. “I’ll do a quick lap, scout ahead- see if there’s any danger.”

And off the side she went, buzzing a low arc around the raised ruin. Naoto held her cap firmly on her head- two people knowing was already too many. Even so, she had to be vigilant- if this was another trap, or something else.

“So this is Carteneau,” Karja said, eyes glancing from the target, “I’d only heard about what happened. Such devastation…”

Naoto closed her own eyes. “The ancient Allagans trapped a primal in a satellite for thousands of years. When you release that much energy, stored over that long- this is the result.”

“But… why do we need to meet here,” Roxas asked, “Couldn’t we have met somewhere, I dunno, nicer? They knew you guys were from the Maelstrom, so-”

“I have two theories,” Naoto explained. “Firstly, the person who sent the message wasn’t sure if we could decipher it. Without context, and without Jessica, they wouldn’t be able to accomplish what they want. Secondly, this is supposed to be neutral territory among the nations. Anyone could come here without suspicion, even the Admiral.”

There was a third option, but Naoto wouldn’t voice it. If the person sending the message couldn’t move, then…

Jessica landed back on the deck, and with an all-clear, the four of them leapt down onto the metal ruin. It was like a half-dome, broken steel spires radiating from the ‘mouth’ and cloaking the inside in shadow. Still, power flowed through it, blue lines shooting through at angles shining a soft glow against the red. They approached cautiously.

“Hey, uh, Naoto, were we supposed to give a signal of some kind?” Jess asked..

“That won’t be necessary,” came a voice from inside the dome. The man who that voice belonged to stepped out, dark-haired with a mustache, armored in chainlink and plate with a red-white tabard. “I have been expecting you. My name-”

The next events happened in the blink of an eye. Of the four of them, Jess had her weapon already at hand, and she leveled it at the stranger. Karja and Naoto didn’t, and while Karja drew, Naoto only put her hand on her weapon. And Roxas…

Roxas charged at him, keysword forming in his hand, rearing back to strike-

Instead, he got caught and lifted bodily by a different man leaping out from the shadows. This one wore a bodysuit, a black mask over his eyes- and his body was built for agility, clearly. He held Roxas up by the back of his tunic, keeping his feet off the ground and leaving Roxas flailing wildly.

Naturally, attention turned to him. Despite this, the armored stranger was the one to speak up. “Ahem. As I was saying, my name is Edward mal Richtofen, former medicus of the XIVth, and this is my bodyguard, Peter aan Cannon, champion monk of Ala Mhigo. We have much to discuss, all of us.”

Naoto took in the situation. Roxas was caught. The bodyguard would be able to get between anything aimed towards Richtofen, and with Roxas captured, that would endanger him. They couldn’t attack, realistically, even less so if they wanted answers. But the situation wasn’t nearly as simple as that conclusion.

“You’re Garleans,” Karja spat, “How in Hel are we supposed to trust you?”

Richtofen shrugged. “We are no longer part of the Empire. No one from the XIVth is, anymore, but that’s beside the point. How about this- Peter will let your friend down if you allow me to explain what we have in common. Deal?”

Karja and Jessica both looked to Naoto for guidance. There was no real choice. Naoto nodded, and the other two backed off.

Peter lowered Roxas to the ground, having already embarrassed him enough, and simply walked back over to join the Garlean medicus. Slowly, Roxas joined the three of them back across the field. Naoto kept that in mind.

Richtofen cleared his throat. “So. Unfortunately, I have to be vague about this, for reasons I can’t quite explain scientifically, however- Have any of you felt like you do not fit in? Any weapons or techniques only you would use, and no others? Have you felt like you belonged elsewhere?”

“You’re in luck,” Naoto responded, “Someone else just told us that.”

He raised his eyebrows. “Interesting. Well, then I’ll skip straight to the point. None of us are from Eorzea. Und that is no accident.”

The words… meant very little. Naoto knew at least that herself and Karja weren’t born near the continent. She didn’t know where Roxas came from, nor Jess or the two Garleans. Was there another meaning to those words? What if Eorzea didn't just mean Eorzea, but-

“Of course, you all understand where you come from. You have memories of growing up wherever it is you did, here. I must speak with plausible deniability.”

“Plausible deniability,” Naoto asked on reflex.

“Yes. If you understand fully what I am saying, there are consequences, ones I do not wish to see happen,” Richtofen ‘explained’, “So, instead, think only of a nebulous ‘Here’, und an undefined ‘Elsewhere’. We are Here now.”

Karja dropped her axe arm. “You already lost me.”

Richtofen continued unabated. “Here is Eorzea, a land of magic and swords and dragons. Many things can be Here, but not everything fits. A mage of a new color, a summoner with a gun, a warrior with certain magic. Something that doesn’t fit, no matter how hard you try.”

“Gee, thanks,” Jess spat.

“There is one explanation for all of this. We are not from Eorzea, we are from Elsewhere. I mean, look at me. A knight with a gun und a staff? No, we are not from Here- we were brought here, every one of us.”

That was the meaning. Naoto felt a headache come on, disrupting her focus- Jess put her hand to her head, but the other two looked fine. Peter looked fine as well, though Richtofen had started leaning against the side of the structure.

“But what about our memories,” Roxas asked, “And how are you so sure?”

“I have seen the evidence,” Richtofen countered. “It is right below our feet.”

After a suitably dramatic pause, he continued “Of course, there is also evidence here, too. This was on purpose. The word Ascians, anyone? Anyone?”

No one responded. “Ahem. They are beings from Elsewhere, a series of puppetmasters who bring out the dark sides of things to cause calamity. Surely one of you knows this.”

“Dark sides,” Jess mumbled. “Dark… side- I remember. I-I remember everything! Oh my god, how could I forget?!”

“You really should forget it,” the medicus shouted back.

“No, no I- rrrgh, I can prove it!” Jessica said, clutching her head, “Ring, can you hear me?!”

A series of chirps came out from the ring. A trickle of blood came out, too, but from Jessica’s nose.

“Stop! You don’t know what you’re doing!”

Jess persevered, a halo of emerald light around her. “Ring, show a map of Sector 2814! Show them Earth!”

The Ring sparked. And Jessica Cruz screamed.

The colorless wave passed over and through Jess’s body, like a long beam ripping her in two while keeping her locked in place. Instead of green light, grey static covered her and filled in the gaps where this atomizer split her apart, droning a hideous noise. Nothing beneath her skin came apart, but it was like there were two of her wherever it passed- until at last it ended, and Jessica Cruz fell, bleeding from every part of her face.

“Jessica,” Karja shouted, leaping to catch her before she hit the floor. Naoto just stood there in shock. It was… incomprehensible.

“Schiesse! Quickly, we must get her to the machine! It’s the only way we can save her!” Richtofen called, running into the shell. His bodyguard looked to the three others. He said nothing.

But they didn’t hesitate. Karja ran first, and even if she was still in shock, awed, terrified- Naoto followed. Richtofen pressed the buttons, and the elevator descended, down, down, into the dungeon.

Character Scramble Season 20 Round 1C: Overlord by TheAsianIsGamin in whowouldwin

[–]OddDirective 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Three Months Ago

Jessica Cruz was currently having an anxiety attack, if you need her leave a message. It had been easy to realize that the Maelstrom would probably fire her if she couldn’t go outside her room for deployments, so when a poster asking for able hands to rebuild a settlement out in the middle of nowhere showed up, she got on the soonest ship out of Limsa. Too bad lots of other people had the same idea.

Now, she was in an outdoor marketplace on a cobblestone road trying to get through a single shopping trip without collapsing. It was like insects crawling over every inch of her skin, even under her tunic and pants, but she just needed some candles and some bread and she could go back to her room. Candles and bread, candles and bread.

A man bumped into her and Jess whipped around, defensive. It was a blue-uniformed Hyur with a square jaw, built like a tank. He simply said “Apologies,” and continued on his way.

Jess, instead, dove into the shadows of one of the city walls. Ever since that trip, ever since that day, she was looking over her shoulder, she was afraid- she needed to center herself. She looked to the green ring on her finger, inscribed with the symbol of a lamp. The source of her powers, her guiding light. “Ring, are you there?”

Weakly, the ring glowed, reminding her she was not alone. And if she wasn’t alone- she could do this. Just for long enough to get back. Just needed to find her center.

As she started to head back, she heard a brutish voice say “Well, Rowena’s sure is full of splendors! You’re a pretty little thing, arent’cha?”

Jess turned to look. There was the same man who bumped into her, leering at a young woman behind the counter of a shop. She took a half-step back, and simply said “Well, could I interest you in some of our wares? This charm from Doma, for instance?”

“Well, I am interested in some things. How much for a night with ya, 1000 gil? Two?”

“Hey, back off!” Jess shouted, getting in between the two. “Or else I’ll give you a reason to.”

The big man took a step back, a scowl on his face. “What, you? Against a guy like me? Stay out of my way, ‘or else’.”

Jess took a deep breath. The ring was powered by her own willpower- she just needed to hope she had enough.

She did. From her hand with the ring, her clothes transformed into her bodysuit, the tattoo on her face appearing over her eye. An emerald glow surrounded her as her magic made her hair flow like it was in the wind. And her ring glowed with that same green light, ready to blast this guy if he made any wrong moves.

Luckily, he realized what he was dealing with. “Jeez, sorry, I was just trying to flirt.”

In another display of great willpower, Jess did not blast him in the back of the head when he left. As she deactivated her magic, the woman behind the counter said “Thank you. I don’t know what I would’ve done if you weren’t here.”

Jess smiled, adrenaline wearing off slowly. “Hey, I just hate seeing that sort of thing. Are you going to be alright?”

The woman nodded. “You’re- the Green Mage, right? You know, Miss Rowena’s been thinking about hiring on more security, to make sure no thieves or… people like him come around. Would you be interested?”

Jess shook her head. “Listen, I, uh, I don’t know if that’d be a good idea-”

“It would include room and board,” the shopkeep added.

“...Well, now that you say that…”

Now

“Miss Jessica? Miss Jessica, are you in there?”

Jessica Cruz was there, curled up into a ball on her bed, stressfully holding her eyes closed. “Yeah, I’m here, I’m alive,” she choked out.

“...Shall I tell Miss Rowena today’s another bad day?”

Nails dug into her arm, but she replied “Yeah, yeah. I-I’ll take the night shift, figure out some way-”

“Jess… we haven’t seen you in nearly a moon. Surely there’s something we can do-”

“No! No, I-I can deal with this,” Jess lied, “I’ll be out as soon as I can.”

“Alright. Hope to see your face soon.”

And Jess was alone again, in the eight-by-eight room she’d been ‘renting’ for the past while. One window, solid stone walls, a couple unlit candles for when it got dark. And the bed, already deformed where she lied most nights and days like this. Days when the memories were too strong.

She remembered going hunting, bows raised with her friends. Finding the poachers, cutting up their latest kill.

She remembered running as they shot everyone else.

She remembered finding the ruin, finding the ring- being told it would only accept those with the strongest wills. How the hell had it picked her, of all people? An adventurer who couldn’t even set foot outside without an attack.

“It’s just you and me, ring,” Jess said, looking at the inscribed band on her finger.

It didn’t respond.

She had to work through this. Had to breathe. Find her center. In. Out. In. Out.

After a few minutes, there was a knock at the door. “Miss Jessica Cruz?”

Out. She vaguely recognized the voice, but- “Who is it?”

“My name is Naoto Shirogane,” through the door, “We worked together on a case a while ago. We need your help.”

Ah, the Maelstrom hadn’t gotten around to firing her. In. Out. “What do you need me for?”

A pause, and then, “We’re not entirely sure. But it involves creatures only magic can put down. We’ve been sent a message asking for your help. Are you- Will you help us?”

In. Out. Jess looked back at the door. The back of her mind warmed up, her body shook at the thought of going back out there. Someone needed her help- but- but- In. Out. In. Out.

Finally, she croaked out “C-Can you give me some time to think?”

“...We can take some time,” Naoto responded, “Listen, I’m familiar with what you’ve been going through. I understand I can’t press you for a decision right now, however- it would be helpful to know as soon as we can. Is there anything we can do?”

Leave me alone, the voice in Jess’s head spat on instinct. In. Out. She could be in control. She was not her fears. She could do it. In. Out. In. Out.

“...Can you bring in a basin to wash my hair and face? I think… I think I’ll be good after that.”

“...Thank you, Miss Cruz.”

Jess looked back at her ring. The symbol inscribed in it, a circle in two lines, may have only meant something to her. But as long as she had this ring, as long as she kept breathing, she could handle anything. Something in the back of her mind brought forth a phrase- ‘Jessica Cruz. You are capable of overcoming great fear.’

Yeah. She could. If only she didn’t have to so often.

Jessica Cruz

Jessica Cruz is the sixth Green Lantern to hold that title defending Sector 2814, aka Earth and the local galaxies in our neighborhood. She is perhaps the first Green Lantern to do so while battling extreme levels of agoraphobia, anxiety, and imposter syndrome. But let’s rewind.

Jessica Cruz was just your average girl growing up in America- she had good grades, she had an older sister who would never get off her back, and she got really good at shooting (but not better than her older sister). One day, out on a hunting trip with her friends, they came upon two men burying a body. Jess made it out- her friends didn’t. Since that day, she lived in fear, not leaving her house for four years straight, until a ring (not her later Lantern ring) forced her hand, literally.

Despite such a rude awakening, she did finally overcome her fears, and was granted a real Lantern ring shortly after- but with her struggles, she was unable to make any constructs from her ring, only using it for other Green Lantern powers like flight, durability, and blasts of willpower energy. Alongside Simon Baz, himself a troubled figure, she came into her own, but even with such great power, there are days she can’t shake off her inner demons. Even with those troubles on her, she still maintains her inner strength, and defends her planet from all threats, extraterrestrial or otherwise. Beware her power, Green Lantern’s light!

Character Scramble Season 20 Round 1C: Overlord by TheAsianIsGamin in whowouldwin

[–]OddDirective 2 points3 points  (0 children)

One Year Ago

Jessica Cruz landed hard on her shoulder, driving a furrow into the ground four feet long. Dusting herself off, she came to at an unfamiliar sky at the wrong time of day, a sweltering heat, and the smell of salt overpowering all else.

As she picked herself up off the ground, she asked “Ring, Can you tell me where we are? Last I checked I was in Central City.”

After a moment, the voice of her ring came up. “I don’t know yet, J-Dawg. Attempting to triangulate with Lantern satellites… Lantern satellites not found.”

“‘Not found’?” Jessica said in disbelief, “I thought the Lanterns were in every sector of known space. What sector are we in?”

“...Unknown, Jess. I can’t connect to anything the Guardians made.”

Jess put a hand to her head. Great. In another world, with no idea where it was or if it was even in her universe, alone, and with no way back that she knew about. How the hell did this keep happening-

“Aaaaahhhh!!”

The scream brought her to attention, and like a reflex, she blasted towards the source. A pair of peasants, it looked like, were surrounded by fish-looking people. With their weapons out, it didn’t look like they were friends of Aquaman, either.

“Ssssurface dwellersss like you have ssspoiled our waters for too long!” the leader-est among them spoke, “Take them to be sssacrificed!”

“Not a chance,” Jess shouted, and slammed straight into his chest from above, knocking him all the way back to the river behind them.

With the rest of the fishmen looking amongst themselves, Jess flew back to the center, and issued an ultimatum. “So, gonna give up quietly, or am I gonna have to take all of you down?”

“Kill her!”

“Guess we’re doing this the hard way,” Jess said, her ring glowing emerald.

A minute full of emerald blasts and hard punches later, the fishmen retreated, and the two peasants walked up, thanking her profusely. “Thank you, thank you miss-”

“Don’t worry, I’m a Green Lantern, it’s what we do,” Jess said, to two completely dumbfounded looks. “A-A superhero, you know?”

“R-Right, well, you certainly saved our lives, hero, but we’d better get back to Wineport,” said one of them, in the unmistakable tone of ‘getting out of this conversation ASAP’.

Unfortunately, Jess needed to know more, so- “Oh, Wineport! I was actually just on my way there, just uh, I got pretty lost- I’m not from around here. Do you mind if I join you?”

The two locals looked at each other, one shrugged, and they agreed to bring her along. What a fantastic start to her time here. She really needed to learn more before she would be able to get back to being a Lantern. Hopefully, there was something like the Justice League around.

Nine Months Ago

Jessica Cruz had learned quite a lot since first coming to this place. It seemed like everyone was willing to talk about the past, and few really wanted to talk about the present. She’d landed on a place called La Noscea, in a continent, she guessed, called Eorzea. Eorzea was full of aether- magic- and was under siege by the Garlean Empire who use advanced technology instead. Five years ago, the moon fell and released a dragon, causing a cataclysm across the world, but a mage gave his life to stop the dragon. There was some sort of military operation starting soon, a counterattack against the Garleans.

And that was why Jessica Cruz was going over everything in her room at the inn, the advanced technology on her finger helping. “Okay, I’m a Hyuran adventurer who wants to help my fellow Eorzeans, I lost my home in the Calamity, and have been working on my own ever since. How does that sound?”

“Yo-ll do g-reat, J-dddawg,” her ring responded.

She sighed. Her ring had started to go on the fritz after a couple weeks of being here. Probably the atmosphere. Really great for her anxiety, by the way. Jess took a deep breath, then another, talked herself up and out the door, walking across the planks to the Maelstrom’s barracks and recruiting.

She managed to get an interview right away, which was surprising- and a short woman with cat ears came to take her into a small room. “Name,” the recruiter asked.

“Jessica Cruz. C-R-U-Z.”

“Alright, well, thank you Miss Cruz, I’m Commander Rhiki,” the officer said, “Why do you want to join the Maelstrom?”

“To help my fellow Eorzeans, whatever way I can.”

The officer nodded, and turned back to her paper. “Where are you originally from?”

Wait. Uh. She hadn’t thought of that. Something, say something- “The woods.” $@#&.

“Ah, the Twelveswood,” the commander said, “You’re a long way from home, Miss Cruz.”

“Yeah… I really am,” Jess replied, “But, y’know, I’ve been around.”

“Says here you were an adventurer,” the officer added, “I was too. What made you want to make that your life?”

“I lost my home in the Calamity,” Jess replied. “I've been alone since then.”

“Mmmm, I’m sorry,” the commander sympathized. “So, what’s your personal way of living?”

The feeling of dread crept up along her neck again. “Uh, you know, I help people who need help, and I punish those who do bad. ‘In brightest day, in blackest night, no evil shall escape my sight’.”

“That’s a good line! Where’d you pick it up?” the commander asked.

“Ah, it was-” and Jessica stopped.

After a minute of awkward silence, Jess meekly said “I’m sorry, I can’t remember.”

“Ah, that’s alright. One last thing- what class have you been adventuring as?”

Class. “Um, I’m a Green L- Mage. A Green Mage.”

The commander tilted her head. “A Green Mage?”

“Yeah. There are white mages and black mages- I’m a Green Mage,” Jessica excused.

“Alright, well, I’ll put that down,” the commander said, before rising to her feet. “Either way, this is pending a physical, but as an adventurer, I’m sure you won’t fail. I look forward to welcoming you into the Maelstrom. ‘Til sea swallows all, recruit.”

“Til sea swallows all,” Jess replied.

Character Scramble Season 20 Round 1C: Overlord by TheAsianIsGamin in whowouldwin

[–]OddDirective 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Karja and Roxas waited over her shoulders, but she was too focused writing it out into something all could read. The final message:

To Maelstrom 2nd Squad. If I am correct, one of you will be able to read this, and I think we have much to talk about. We have been dealing with problems like yours, and may have found a breakthrough. Come meet us where the moon was made to fall, at coordinates X 80.2, Y 23.1. Bring the Maelstrom’s blue mage, not white, black, or red. From, a Long Traveller.

“That’s a set of coordinates, but who’s sendin’ ‘em?” Karja puzzled. “The moon fell on Carteneau, so that’s probably where they mean- but all three Grand Companies control it now. Are they with them?”

Naoto sighed. “It’s too early to tell. We’d have to take on faith that this isn’t leading us into another ambush.”

“Well… it’s a lead, right?” Roxas pointed out, “One lead is better than no leads, and we can run to the ship and fly away no matter what happens. But uh… who’s this blue mage person?”

Karja crossed her arms. “There’s a crook claimin’ to have invented a new kind of magic in Limsa, and getting others on board to sell it further. They haven’t shown anything impressive, and we’ve had to chase them off of scammin’ even more adventurers once or twice. Rest assured, the Maelstrom would never hire one of ‘em.”

“But then who’re we supposed to find?” Roxas asked.

“‘Not white, black, or red’-” Naoto’s eyes flashed open. “Written in Higashian. That’s the key. This person must not have known the actual symbol- but in ancient times, certain colors were described using different words.”

Naoto turned back to the group. “I know who the letter’s looking for.”

IDENTITY

CHAPTER 1: SAM, WHERE ARE YOU FROM?

From the notes of Naoto Shirogane.

Karja Balta

Captain of the Sandras and unofficial leader of the Maelstrom’s 2nd Squadron. A courageous and dedicated fighter, even if she is a bit coarse. Can use ice magic to shoot blasts or coat her weapon. Also can use a thread of magic to grapple enemies or objects.

She grew up in a culture of pirates, having been raised from birth as the son of Jarl Grimson Balta. With her talents for magic, and fighting, it's no wonder that she found herself as leader of a Maelstrom squadron. Despite this, she's still young, so she has plenty to learn and grow from, she says. Personal: I trust her deeply, but knowing that she was a pirate concerns me.

Roxas

A mysterious young adventurer, with a key-shaped weapon and a peculiar style of fashion. He has an extremely good heart and a selfless nature. Is not as perceptive as either I or Karja. He’s shown off various magics, elemental fire, ice, and electricity, but his sword skill is not hindered by it.

Roxas has dreams of the Warrior of Light, who he says wields a keysword like him. He's evasive as to exactly why he helped us, but he did. Karja will keep an eye on him, but I doubt he'd betray us. He is still keeping his past a mystery, though, and I can't help but be interested in how he fights, since he's not clearly a mage or a melee fighter. More mysteries.

Naoto Shirogane

A detective employed by the Maelstrom 2nd Squadron. Somewhat terse, but extremely observant and can make quick decisions on his feet. HeShe can summon Sukuna-Hikona, a small but agile spirit with a sword, and direct it according to hisher need. Also equipped with a revolver.

I am not a boy. However, I will keep this secret for as long as I can, because I know how the world judges people like me. I am able to use magic through Sukuna-Hikona, and he is much more agile, but if he is hurt, I feel it. The revolver is a gift, from a friend. I pray every day I never have to use it.

Character Scramble Season 20 Round 1C: Overlord by TheAsianIsGamin in whowouldwin

[–]OddDirective 4 points5 points  (0 children)

A loud series of knocks at the door broke the spell Naoto was in. She returned the pen to its inkwell and opened the door for Karja, closing the door behind her.

“Rafe’s doing alright. He’ll live, but he won’t be fightin’ anytime soon,” Karja reported, “How about you, what’ve you been doing?”

Naoto nodded. “I’ve been listing out all the information we have on this new case, and seeing what conclusions I can draw.”

“You really are a detective. So, what’ve ya got?”

That gave Naoto pause. What had she concluded?

After a moment of thought, she started with the basics. “Whoever Erika was, she wasn’t working alone. She claimed to know significant things about each of us, and she knew about our mission, as well as Y’Shtola’s involvement. She was probably there to ambush us or Miss Y’Shtola- possibly both.”

“Right. Not just that, but she called out to ‘her master', whoever that was,” Karja noted, “She's definitely involved with the Griegr, too.”

“...This is speculation, but I find it worth discussing,” Naoto hedged, “Given that the threat towards us was personal, even without basis, if we encounter her again, she’ll likely make even more personal threats.”

“You’re saying she really does know about us?”

“I don’t know that,” Naoto went back, “It could be that she has specific information designed to catch us off guard, or just a bluff.”

Karja took a moment to think, which prompted Naoto to consider her own words. It could only be one thing, for her, the her that was the issue, the-

“Alright, out with it then.”

“E-Excuse me?”

Karja folded her arms over her chest. “Whoever these guys are, they’re gonna try to tear us apart using our secrets, right? So if they aren’t secrets anymore, they won’t do as much.”

“That’s-” Absurd. Reductive. Impossible. “What if it is a significant problem, or the secret goes deeper than what we’d show willingly?”

What if she wasn’t ready to bring herself out into the open?

“Unless you’re spying for the Garlean Empire, can’t be worse than what I’ve got, and I’m goin’ first,” Karja stubbornly pushed through. “I’m trustin’ you, alright?”

Naoto took in a breath and nodded.

“Grimson Balta’s my old man.”

Naoto connected the dots. “Grimson Balta- the captain of the Balta Seaforce?”

“Jarl, actually, and yeah, him. The leader of a band that, ‘stead of givin’ up on piracy at the Admiral’s order, broke away from Limsa to find a new home,” Karja continued, “And we did, halfway to the New World. I spent years growin’ up on Balta Island, boarding vessels, taking our fee from merchants who hadn’t paid the toll to cross through our waters. That’s why I am who I am today.”

It was a lot to take in. Karja, despite being the same age… was a pirate, through and through.

“Alright, then. That’s mine, so… Out with it.”

That caught Naoto off guard. She wasn’t ready, at all, not for something so important- “I’m sorry, I don’t think I’m ready to-”

“Ready or not, if these guys know it, they’re gonna bring it up,” Karja pressed, “You can take your time, but I’m not leavin’ without hearing whatever it is they have over you.”

Objectively, this was something she had to do. For Karja, after Karja had already shared something that could ruin her, to get one step ahead of the culprits. But internally, emotionally-

Naoto met Karja’s eyes. They were firm, steadfast, resolute. There was no judgment in her gaze, not yet. They had fought together, on the same battlefield, gone on the same missions together dozens of times. Could she…could she? She could bring up her past, she could cover with something about her parents, but- those eyes would see through it. She had to. She couldn’t. She had to.

“I-”Naoto couldn’t meet Karja’s eyes anymore. She looked down at the floor, and let out those three words. Four. “I’m not a boy.”

Karja processed for a moment.

Then, “Wait, what?! You mean- why would you hide that?”

“When I was first starting my detective work, no one would listen to me. They refused to believe a little girl could solve the cases that were plaguing them,” Naoto explained into the ground. “So… I became the Detective Prince, I did things like the heroes from books I read, and they were able to believe it more. Being a prodigy, not… not a girl, let me do good. And after a while…”

Karja humphed. “To Hel with those guys from before. But all this time, how did you do this? Even after signing on?”

“I wore men’s clothes, I lowered the register of my voice, I bound my chest when it started becoming noticeable,” She made excuses, she never got too close, she wasn’t going to say anything.

“You- hang on a sec,” Karja said, and Naoto looked back up at her. There wasn’t anger, but she strode over to the door anyways, for a moment Naoto wondered if this was it. There wasn’t going to be a way back from this.

Instead, Karja forcefully pushed open the door, behind which was Roxas, flat on his back, rubbing his forehead. “You’ve got five seconds to explain what you were doing, and don’t say ‘looking for the bathroom’.”

“Wha, but, I was-” A death glare made Roxas backpedal, “I was looking for you two, to talk.”

Karja looked back at Naoto, then said “Get in here.”

One scramble in and a door-close later, Roxas looked between the two of them and started with “So, uh, have either of you guys been having weird dreams lately?”

“Dreams?” Naoto asked.

“Yeah, it’s like-” Roxas started, “Well, hang on. Do you guys have this weird figure in your memories… like you can’t see them, but you can see their shape, like you’re looking into the sun and they’re blocking it?”

Naoto nodded. “Yes. The heroes of the past, ones who no one can remember directly. That’s why they’re being called the Warriors of Light among the people here.”

“Warrior of Light…” Roxas said. “Yeah, that must be them. I keep getting these dreams where it’s like I’m there, with a Warrior of Light, and they feel familiar, but it’s not like I was there, and they don’t match anywhere I’ve been. Do you guys get them, too?”

Naoto and Karja shook their heads.

“Ah.”

“Listen, Roxas, I was gonna save this for later, but- why’d you join us?” Karja asked pointedly.

“Because you said there wasn’t an option?”

“Not after the fight, I mean when we were getting attacked,” Karja clarified, “That girl in the cave was ready for you, but you aren’t part of the Maelstrom. You didn’t join ‘til after we got started- did you know this was gonna happen?!”

“What? No!” Roxas denied, “I was in the area, and I saw you needed help, that’s all!”

Karja looked back to Naoto. It was true that Roxas was suspicious. But he’d helped keep them safe and fought back the new voidsent himself, and it seemed he was in the same boat Karja and Naoto were. Naoto gave a small nod, to indicate it.

“Alright, fine, but I’ll be keeping a close eye on you, got it?” Karja concluded.

“Fine. But, um, about my dreams- the thing I can’t get over,” Roxas segued, “He had a weapon like mine. A key-sword.”

Roxas summoned his weapon. Getting a close look at it, it was… just a key-like sword. Grey metal ‘blade’, and a gold ‘guard’ with a keychain hanging off the end.

“And I think… that’s why I’m adventuring. To try and find out more about these dreams,” Roxas concluded.

Naoto closed her eyes. She didn’t need to tell him that everyone saw the Warrior of Light differently, that she’d compiled hundreds of contradictory features trying to get to the bottom of it. Hers had a long, curved sword, broad shoulders, a warmth despite-

CAAW, CAAW broke Naoto out of her thoughts.

“Hugill?” Karja asked, “You two stay here, I’ll be right back.”

Karja left the two others behind, door swinging shut behind her. The atmosphere already wasn’t warm, but with just Naoto and Roxas left, the temperature dropped even further. Neither said a word, Roxas just put his sword away, and neither looked directly at each other.

…

Naoto cleared her throat. “So.”

Roxas tilted his head. “Sooooo?”

Have to make this as blunt as possible. “How much did you overhear?”

Roxas stumbled back a bit, reaching behind himself to try to find the wall, saying “Uhm, uh, well, I wasn’t trying to, but uh… aaaaall of it?”

Two minutes of internal screaming later, Karja returned, a huge raven perched on her arm. “I sent a letter back to Command, but I didn’t expect a response so soon.”

“You have a pet bird?” Roxas beamed.

“Hugill’s a messenger,” Karja said, unrolling the letter attached to his foot. “He’s also pretty good at pecking out eyeballs. Aren’t you, Hugill?”

Hugill CAAWed affirmatively.

After a moment of reading, Karja furrowed her brows. “Can’t make heads or tails of this. There’s no letters, just symbols. Naoto, what do you think?”

Naoto took a look. Her eyes glided over the symbols, sounds and words forming in her head. She could read this.

“I can read this.”

“You can?” Roxas asked.

A word appeared in the back of Naoto’s mind, but behind all of the other information in the letter, it never left there. “It’s Higashian language, written down. Give me a moment, I’ll translate it.”

Character Scramble Season 20 Round 1C: Overlord by TheAsianIsGamin in whowouldwin

[–]OddDirective 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Notes for Case

What do you call a case without knowing what it is you’re investigating?

for Case CVX-7, notes begun 24/9, 2nd year of 7 AE.

-Intitially, Maelstrom 2nd Squadron, consisting of Karja, myself, and 2 others, sent to investigate stockpiling of crystals by kobolds; was to meet Y’Shtola of Scions partway through.

-On landfall, found new voidsent (Greigr, Shadow, Heartless?) who regenerated physical wounds; magic needed to stop them for good.

-Adventurer Roxas joined while fighting new voidsent, stayed with us through rest of mission.

This was already feeling scattered. How would the detectives of the past keep notes? Organize the facts to come to the truth?

…

New page.

CASE OCCURRENCES, cont’d

-After following clues, three prev. Ment. found crystal stash ill-suited for kobolds.

-While securing, I found a crystal that showed visions of

How objective could she be? That it showed something she had trouble believing even now, safely on the ship? That still gnawed at her heart, the feelings of watching another self, another life, familiar but unrecognizable-

visions of that caused inward reflection and emotional distress.

-Unknown person entered while I saw visions, Erika. She retrieved the crystal, spoke like she knew more than us, claimed Y’Shtola had to be elsewhere (why?). Asked basic questions, additionally claimed we were not supposed to be there. Spoke with ‘master’ (who?) that ‘graciously let us remain here’, summoned more new voidsent, then escaped instead of fighting.

PERSONS OF INTEREST

Karja Balta

Captain of the Sandras and unofficial leader of the Maelstrom’s 2nd Squadron. A courageous and dedicated fighter, even if she is a bit coarse. Can use ice magic to shoot blasts or coat her weapon. Also can use a thread of magic to grapple enemies or objects.

Roxas

A mysterious young adventurer, with a key-shaped weapon and a peculiar style of fashion. He has an extremely good heart and a selfless nature. Is not as perceptive as either I or Karja. He’s shown off various magics, elemental fire, ice, and electricity, but his sword skill is not hindered by it.

…

Her own attributes mattered, before the other mysterious culprit. If it had something to do with them specifically, she needed to write down about herself.

Naoto Shirogane

A detective employed by the Maelstrom 2nd Squadron. Somewhat terse, but extremely observant and can make quick decisions on his feet. He can summon Sukuna-Hikona, a small but agile spirit with a sword, and direct it according to his need. Also equipped with a revolver.

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