Zone C -- Megacity One

[Todd Ingram]

Once again another stranger showed up. This time, the guy actually looked quite normal. No blue skin, no earlobes hanging down to their knees. Just a normal looking guy. Granted, the guy looked pretty beat up. Seems like he had his own run-in with some friendly primes. The man closely observed Batman before speaking,


"So who are you suppose to be? Scary-black-pointy-eared-gimp-suit-wearing-motherfucker? I mean, with that outfit you can ask for -atleast- 50 bucks an hour."


Oh great, Batman thought. Another loud mouthed freak appeared.


"The name is Batman" The caped prime spoke proudly. "Who are you and what brings you here?"


The pretend spy started laughing. "BATman? Really? Your name is Batman? Holy shit, like, were they all out of good hero names and you got stuck with Batman? Was Raccoonman taken? What about butterfly man?"


The moron continued listing names that would have been better than Batman. After a while, which little patience the vigilante had left ran out. With his roaring voice he shouted, "ENOUGH! What are you doing here?"  He took several steps towards Archer.


"Woa wao, easy there buddy. A bit touchy are we? The name is Archer, a pleasure. For you that is. It’s a pleasure for you to meet me."


Oh dear lord, spare me. batman shook his head in disbelieve. I'm surrounded by idiots


"And for your other question, I'm scouting the area for one of my compadre's, feisty blue skinned girl. Might earn me some extra points if you know what I'm saying." he winked at Batman, confirming his innuendo.


"You're with her?" The caped vigilante asked.


"Yeah why? You know her? I saw her first you know, you and your gimp suit get in line."

"Look you idiot. I have no interest in your perverted games. I am however an ally of her. SO I will help you scout the area, you go back to her and tell her I'm in the area, understood?"


Archer nodded and walked off.
 
 

Batman moves C3 to C2

[Todd Ingram]

The dark knight scouted the surrounding area. Lucky for him he wasn't stuck with another one of these freaks. He thought Enel had a giant ego, but this guy, this Archer. Man that was a whole other story. Between the two of them they had mouths the size of Gotham and then some. Moving through the buildings he kept his eyes open, searching for whatever threat there may be. If it wasn't blue, didn't have a slick haircut, or earlobes hanging over their knees, they were going to get it.

His grappling hook provided him with enough altitude to reach the top of one of the buildings. The best vantage point he could wish for. From afar he noticed someone moving, he was moving fast. it was time to intercept.  Once again his glider proved to be useful as the wind carried him swiftly over the streets of this large abandoned city. The prime below him had no idea he was being followed. Bruce landed a few rooftops further ahead, so he could prepare properly. With his one hand, which fingers weren't broken. He held two batarangs, waiting for his target to run by. IN the distance he could hear the steps closing in. Bruce was counting.
One….


Two….


NOW!


Two batarangs were send flying below towards his target. Who-ever this was he reacted quick as he jumped back. immediately looking up towards the roof where the dark knight stood tall. The vigilante's words carried through the streets.


"That is far enough. I'm afraid this is as far as I am going to let you go. Who-ever you are after has to wait. You will have to go through me first."
 
After his speech Batman leapt from the roof and used his cape to glide safely to the ground level, standing in front of the prime. The challenge was made.
 
 

Batman Challenges Dust for combat.

[The Future Warrior]

"Thiss placce wouldn't be sso bad, if it weren't for all the aaaaaaaaaasssholess trying to kill uss," Cell observed as they started to leave the jungle-bordered shoreline behind. The resort loomed to the west, a sight that Cell payed a brief glance toward. Many an hour were spent and many a drink were had there, with Archer. Good times. Among a whole lot of shitty times, admittedly, but still. Good times. No time to dwell on that now, though. There was a destination to get to. And a damn important one. They could put an end to this if they could manage to get there ahead of Team Overcompensation Six.

"Yeah...it isn't so bad, by itself," Graowr agreed. "But it's so...empty." As they reached the outskirts of the city, she couldn't help but close her eyes and shiver briefly. Ever since being on this island, she hadn't seen anyone except the thirty some odd contestants who had signed up for Dante's Abyss. Not even any sign of them, where they might have gone or if they'd been here at all. It was just downright unsettling, and maybe the only thing she didn't really like about this place. It meant that either there had never been anyone here at all to begin with, or that everyone had just up and been taken without leaving a trace, somehow. One was kind of eerie, but made sense. The other was just downright creepy and unsettling. The type of power it would take to do it was just...beyond her. She knew people and things that could just up and poof an entire planet away, of course, but... The thought of that power here, in the Omniverse? Being used for something like this?

Just plain spooky.

Team GC moving from D3 to C2

[Sterling Archer]

I chuckled as I limped through the city limits, quickly finding myself a beaten-up pickup and stowing my Z-staff in the back. I didn’t exactly have high hopes that the leather-bound guy in the cape would be an enormous help necessarily, but if he knew Graw he couldn’t be a hindrance. Hell, maybe he had some kind of tracking sonar. ‘Cause he’s a bat...or something. Or maybe he was just a crazy person. Who knew, really.

“They’re still on the move,” I noted, using one hand to steady the tablet on the dashboard as I peeled out and took off through the city streets. There were no other cars in sight; knowing my luck they probably snagged some sweet sports car while I was stuck with this jalopy. “Oh Genie, I miss you so.”

Fingers tight on the wheel and foot pressed to the floorboard, I whipped around corners and through the various empty streets with little regard for personal safety. It barely mattered if I played it safe; if I hit anyone taking a tight corner it would more than likely be those douchebags anyway. With a smirk, I whipped through a red light and ramped over a median, the suspension barely managing to do its only job as the underside of the shitty truck scraped against the pavement. “OUTLAW COUNTY!” I cried out nonsensically, pumping a fist through the sunroof.

After taking another few hairpin turns and thoroughly wrecking any chance of my truck ever driving straight again, I glanced down at my map. They continued to creep forward, despite my breakneck pace. “i swear to god, if they’re banging through town in a Lambo I’m going to be so pissed.”

Gritting my teeth, I pulled a hard left and hopped onto the sidewalk, crashing through mailboxes and toppling streetsigns. I didn’t have time to worry about how many Wanted Stars I had. It was time to be the big damn hero!

C3 → C16

[Sterling Archer]

“You can’t run from me forever!” I cried, speeding across the asphalt, tires threatening to tear as I slammed over yet another curb. “You assholes are getting a face full of ARCHER!”

Up ahead, the buildings seemed to grow higher and higher. I was nearing the center of town, with the safehouse at the center. I glanced down yet again at my map and verified my bearings. The targets were in sight, my little blip threatening to smack straight into theirs. Had they stopped for gas? A bag of doritos? I guessed I’d have to find out.

“WOOO!” I cried, wind whipping through the open windows as I sideswiped a parked car, relieving me of my side mirror and shattering the window. Glass sprayed into the interior of the vehicle, though it mattered little. It wasn’t like I planned to bring this heap with me off of the island anyway. The only way to heal the ache in my head was a little diesel therapy. My hand fumbled for the radio knob, cranking the music that was playing over the airwaves.

“No. Way,” I blurted out, the blessed tunes washing over me.

Hiiiighway tooo the Danger Zoooooone!

“Oh, HELL yes!” I hollered, taking a 90 degree turn and barreling through an open plaza. Wish a devilish grin I gunned it over the high curb, tires bursting as I slammed through. My rims shot sparks into the air as I continued my warpath, scraps of rubber slapping against the pavement. The acrid smell of scorched rubber was music to my...nose. Okay, they can’t all be winners.

“GET READY TO EAT LEAD, MOTHERFUCKERS,” I whooped, screaming over the protest of my automobile. It didn’t matter. I pushed my bad leg even harder on the gas, the vehicle barreling toward a fountain.

Poignant.

“HERE WE GO!” I cried, as my truck left the ground.

C16-C21

[Sterling Archer]

In a shower of sparks the truck touched down, soaked with fountain water. The engine chugged for a few precious seconds before seizing entirely, the vehicle turning into a deadly spin as momentum continued to carry me. An ungodly scraping noise issued from the bottom of the car as muffler met cement, skidding nearly 20 meters before grinding to a halt.

I quickly leapt from the driver’s seat, grabbing up the Z-staff and barreling across the open plaza. My tablet told me my targets were mere meters from me, just inches from my own position on the map. I could do this. I could have my stupid hero moment. I ignored the screaming agony from my leg as I bolted down the street, leaping over downed trashcans and chunks of pavement. It was going to come down to the wire.

Going, going, going. I was running faster than I ever had in my life. Lives were on the line here, and not just my own. I could save little blue and that weird creepy bug. I could do something more than just be a hilarious awesome and generally cool guy. And there wasn’t a thing anyone could do to stop me. Let them try.

“Let’s do this!” I hollered, whipping myself into a frenzy. My hand found my pistol, my other retrieving my shotgun. I was armed to the teeth and had nothing to lose. I’d take them all down if it was the last thing I did. I had barely enough bullets, but more than enough stupidity. I was unstoppable.

Another corner. Another intersection. Sprinting. Pain. My lungs heaved molten lead as I ran, the pain dulling into a numb as adrenaline poured into my bloodstream. There wasn’t anything they could do.

I turned the corner.

“HEY.” I yelled, waving my shotgun at their backs. “Turn around, fucksticks!”

Challenging Fucksquad

[Handsome Jack]

The moist forests of the south give way to the suburban sprawl of the city as I continue my mad dash to the Drumpf Building. I ain't gonna lie, I'm fucking tired. Carrying Graowr all this way as fast as I could go is taking a lot out of me. Even on the smooth asphalt roads, I continue to stumble over my own feet. And, eventually, I can't go on any longer. My foot catches a loose manhole cover and I fall. Rough roading scratches and burns my carapace as I slide a good ten feet or so before stopping. But I never let Groawr touch the ground. That much I make sure of.

When I stop, I struggle to regain my feet. Blueberry hops down off my back and rushes over to help me up. I can't thank her for it. The words won't come to me. I merely nod graciously as the woman almost half my size begins to help me traverse the winding city roads. I can tell she's not really in much better shape than myself for this, so I try to look for an alternative means for us to get around. I see plenty of abandoned cars, motorcycles, and other things, but I don't know shit about hotwiring them. Or even if they have any fuel left. And I doubt my simple-minded companion knows anything more than I do about it.

I DO eventually spy something that could help. Buuuut... fuck... I guess I don't have a choice. I nudge Graowr and point at what I've found. Her eyes light up in excitement, because of course they do. With a sigh, I head on over to them with her. Moment later, our duo are zipping along the city streets on a couple of stolen bicycles. Mine's pink; her's is blue. No fucking surprise there! Like a little kid on Christmas, it's like all her excitement from our first team-up has returned. With a gleeful laugh, Blueberry rings the bell on her handlebars. Damn bitch. Stop being so fucking adorable.

Moving from C2 to C20

[Todd Ingram]

Batman grinned as the young prime decided to run from his challenge. Not feeling the need to pursue he simply watched until he vanished from sight. "Well that was easy."
With the area cleared he decided to backtrack and see if he could track that smooth talker he met earlier. If he knew where the others were, he could join them and await for the return from Enel. Surely they could found a way out of this place together and stick it to Karl. The camera's were buzzing around him. These things were getting annoying. Quickly he sought a way back to the rooftops. From there on out it was sweet sailing. He found peace up in the air, it was quiet there, no bullshit, no idiots with their dumb comments. He couldn't find the idiot from before anywhere. Instead he had to continue to be carried by the wind. Without purpose he was no one. He had to find his allies fast, before everything goes to hell. Enel might not make it up there. no, that’s too early. He might make it, it was a god after all. No matter what, if he had divine powers he would be OK.

It were the women that he was more worried about. Just as he was thinking about her he noticed something in the distance, YES, that was her. That blue skin was recognizable from afar. Quickly he glided towards the duo. He recognized Graowr, the green beast beside her, not so much. But it didn't seem to hurt her, it even seemed to be with her. This thing got weirder and weirder.

From the sky Batman descended, landing in front of Cell and Groawr. "I finally found you, I've been looking for you. Your partner Archer should be around here also."

300 words
Batman moves C2 - C20 reunites with Blue en Cell

[Karl Jak]

Face to Face

Sterling Archer vs Gildarts

Word Limit: 800
Posts Per Player: 2
Time Limit: 20 hours 
Random Elements: On

Archer issued the challenge and posts first.

Timer starts now.

[Strazio Rockwell]

“Get down here Goddamnit,” Strazio shouted, “now that your friend’s gone are you too scared to fight?!”

The fae girl shouted back, “I’m not an idiot, you know, if I come down, you’re just gonna beat the snot outta me.”

As if to punctuate her sentence a lance of white-hot destruction crashed into the wall next to her. She yelped and scrambled over to an adjacent windowsill. Strazio charged another bolt and fired. This one shanked to the left and punched open a hole in the brick wall. Clownpiece dove through the opening just as a third bolt erupted from Strazio’s fist. A flash of heat and light followed her, but due to the angle of impact it did little more than singe her backside.

“You fucking coward,” Strazio shouted, “come out and fight me!”

Clownpiece peeked out of the rubble and stuck her tongue out, “come and get me then.”

Strazio screamed at her and fired a fourth lance. She ducked back inside. Every few seconds the foundation would shudder as Strazio fired another breach bolt. Days worth of frustration manifested themselves as javelins of destruction. After several more minutes and a handful of attacks, Strazio stood winded in the street. The price of magick was paid in flesh and blood, thin tendrils of smoke emanated from his burnt forearms. What had once been an apartment complex was now more akin to a crumbling artifact of some long-forgotten war. And despite this Clownpiece had yet to emerge from the stricken shell of a building.

Strazio thought about bringing the building down around her, but he didn’t feel like sifting through rubble to scavange her items. Besides there was a mountain of frustrations he need to start chipping away at.

Inside was what you’d expect of a cheap apartment complex. A layer of dust seemed to cling to everything, except the cieling where it had been knocked loose by the efforts of one pissed off mage. It was a three story joint, well two-and-a-half after the bombardment. Strazio snorted and spit a pearl of snot onto the linoleum floor. He stood at the bottom of the steps and listened for a minute or two. Nothing moved save for the occasional creak as the building adjusted itself. He took a deep breath and started up the stairs.

Strazio stopped at the second floor, it was little more than a long hallway with a series of doors on either side. The entire corridor sloped to one end as the crumbling third floor pressed its weight against the damaged foundation. Shafts of sunlight peeked in through gaping holes punched into the building. Motes of dust and debris floated in the air, only visible when they passed through light. Strazio began walking down the hallway, taking slow and measured steps. Once he was about halfway to the end a sudden commotion of movement froze him midstride.

“Surprise!” Clownpiece shouted as she emerged from a room behind him.

Before the Defender of Darkshire could respond the clowngirl threw her hand forward and let loose a torrent of flames. The inferno barrelled down the hallway, consuming every last inch of space available to it. Strazio dove into an open room and hit the deck. Though he avoided the main burst of fire it spilled in through the opening and licked at his legs. He screamed and crawled deeper into the room. Frantically he smacked the flames out with his hand and stump. What had once been a seventy degree summer day had turned into a couple hundred degrees trip through the Underverse. And worst of all? He could hear that little bitch cackling like a damned hyena.

Once his cloths were extinguished he stood and entered into a low crouch. The hallway had become a crucible and the entire building started to burn. Smoke filled the air and he found it hard to breath. There was no doubt in his mind that the psychotic little pixie was waiting around that corner ready to light him up again. And despite this thought he still charged into the hallway and towards Clownpiece.

“Burn!” she shouted and unleashed another wave of conflageration.

It was like running into a wall of red-hot sand. Strazio screamed and pushed forth, dumping energy into his failing limbs. For the briefest of moments the two were at a standstill.

“Get fucked,” Strazio shouted as he burst through the wall of fire.

His stump smacked her arm away while his free hand grabbed at her collar. The two fell to the ground, with Strazio on top. His grip had progressed to her throat. His hair was on fire and his eyebrows had burned away. He screamed and pushed with all of his weight.

Strazio used Overcharge and cannot use it again without opting to take 2 pnts of damage. Strazio is attempting to use Blackout on Clownpiece.

[Todd Ingram]

"BATMAN!" The blue skinned female shouted out. Cell eyed the newcomer.
"What are you doing here?"

"I was looking for you actually, now that Enel was in the Arena I came looking for you and,… Where's the other one?"Batman was looking around, looking for the other female.

"Oh she walked her own path, I'm with Cell now!"She said excitingly.

"Her own path? She is out there alone? That's not safe at all."

Groawr shrugged. "So, you met Archer?"

"That idiot? yeah I met him a while back, he said he was scouting on your behalf."

The blue Majin nodded, "Yeah he is! He's a good partner to have on your team. What about you? What are you planning?"

"I just scouted the south, I can move ahead and scout the north as well, perhaps even provide some backup for that idiot I met earlier, if I run into him."

Blue nodded excitingly once more, "Yeah you should totally do that! Thanks Batman!"

Batman nodded, "No problem, Godspeed"

And with those words he disappeared as fast as he appeared. Immediately taking off. He repelled towards one of the rooftops, in order to use his glider effectively once more. He could feel it, this event was at its end. This was the homestretch. Weaving through the air he looked around. until up ahead he noticed something. Two primes were having a standoff, one of em looked strangely familiar. It was Archer! But the other guy? He looked tough and dangerous. But it was a one on one fight, and up ahead, he noticed an even larger group of primes gathered, watching, grinning. This is an evil Batman can't stand for. Moving over the rooftops he ran passed Archer and his dangerous looking foe. "Good luck you idiot, don’t die." Batman knew these word's wouldn't reach him, but they were said nonetheless.


 

300 words
Batman moves solo C20-C21

[Todd Ingram]

Up ahead the group of strange primes were still gathered. Suddenly Batman stopped. From up high he observed the group. There were so many of them, none of them seemed familiar from this distance. But they outnumbered him greatly. At that moment he remembered one of Alfred's lessons. A lesson that always stuck with him ever since his friend told him. If he ever got outnumbered, and forced into a corner, always pick the one with the loudest mouth. The rest would follow. Perhaps it was time to put that plan into action.
Batman moved even further, to get an even better view of it all and asses the situation. First thing he noticed was the maid. There was a maid in this event? could she even fight? His eyes went from prime to prime untill finally he saw him. The one with the biggest mouth and the biggest guns.

"GO ON!! KICK HIS ASS!" He was shouting from a distance towards, what batman would assume was his partner. That must be the leader of this band of misfits. That’s the one Bruce should go for. From up high the dark knight descended with great speed. Using his glider to slow down halfway.

Right in front of Deadpool, a dark armored knight dropped. The entire group took a fighting stance.

"Wait what? Who are you?! What are you doing here?!" The red and black tight wearing warrior shouted. "This was never part of the plan?!"

"Seems to me, it wasn't a good plan then. It's time to put your fist where your mouth is tough guy." The dark knight said in a threatening manner as his cape fluttered behind him. His posture indicated he was ready for a fight. The armor was damaged, blood was seen all across the armor. This man been through hell and back. And here he stood, ready for the next battle.

Batman Challenges Deadpool to Mortal Kombat!

[The Future Warrior]

"Ahahahaha!" For all the bad news going on currently, for all the horrible timing and the desperate run to try and salvage this...Graowr was having a moment of fun. A bicycle. She'd only gotten to ride one once, and it had been fun until she crashed into a wall. They'd still been rebuilding that building when she left town to go start on her adventures. But the most important part of that experience was sticking out in her mind now. She had no idea how long it had been, how many years, decades, maybe even a century or more, since she'd ridden a bike. But what she did know was that whenever it had been, someone had told her. "Once you learn how, you never really forget. Riding a bike is just something you know how to do."

And it was true. It came back to her naturally, even after so long. And it was fun. She was able to forget about the horrible situation, even for a little, and just focus on getting somewhere fast. Just that she had to get there, not why she had to get there. That was great.

"Sure beatss walking, eh?" Cell hissed, tail swishing to and fro behind him with the motion of pedaling. And boy was it an awkward sight.

"Hehe, yeah!" She laughed. "It's a lot better, alright!"

They were stopped dead by the sudden arrival of... "Batman!" the majin said excitedly, skidding to a halt.

They had a hurried converation with the dark knight before he once more disappeared into the rooftops and was gone. "...he'ss kinda weird," Cell noted.

"Yeah. Just a little. But he's pretty cool!" the little blue demon cheerily responded.

"I guesss sso. Now let'ss keep moving!"

Bicycles on the move!

Team GC moving out: C20 to C21

[Dawnika Snow]

Although she had led the team earlier, she was beginning to feel a bit tired. Yet still her adrenaline rushed and blood pumped furiously, beating through her heart like river water. Gildarts, that red suited maniac and Dust had already stopped some of the targets from entering the safe house. None of them were Graowr though. Would she be lucky and get to pound the blueberry girl's face in like she had hoped for before?

No more than fifteen minutes later her Vita Compass let out a beep as it shut off. She hadn't realized it was tracking Graowr the entire time she was traveling with Gildarts. Must have forgotten to turn the damn thing off. As she looked down though, it was in its familiar blank state signaling that prey was close. Erika grabbed the shotgun off her back and looked around, noticing the girl who was called Tamsin and that Jak fellow she had met during the preshow. If she was correct, Graowr probably still had a group with her. It would be smart to bring them along.

“Hey you two! Someone just entered in range and it’s possibly a group! Get ready!” She called out and the two of them moved to her position. Tamsin was the first to speak.

“And you have a plan?” She asked Erika who was scanning the area for her target.

“Yeah, I got a simple plan. I'm gonna bash the blue one’s face in while you two back me up. Perfect right?” Tamsin gave her an odd look but she was no different from before when she led them in E zone.

That’s when Graowr and Cell turned the corner on the street to face the three opposers.

“Long time no see stretchy!” Erika called Graowr out. “I think it's time to make some blueberry pancakes!”

Jak, Tamsin and Erika challenge Cell and Graowr. No movement.

[Karl Jak]

Face to Face

Cell vs Dawn, Jak Mar & Tamsin

Word Limit: 800
Posts Per Player: 2
Time Limit: 20 hours 
Random Elements: On

Post Order is... Jak -- Cell -- Tamsin -- Dawn

Timer starts now.

[Clownpiece]

Blackness clouded around the edges of Clownpiece’s vision, her consciousness slowly fading as she futilely tried to breath. The mad mage’s last hand crushed her throat, and kept her pinned to the ground. Her left hand pushed against his face, trying desperately to throw him off, but he wouldn’t budge. 

CRACK

In a last ditch attempt to shake the Defender of Darkshire off, the banner-clad child slammed her torch into his temple. Strazio’s grip let off for just a moment, and she took in a deep breath, smoke burning her throat but still clearing up her consciousness. Another purple streak tore through the air and met the mage’s skull with a hollow thud, and the fairy heaved with all her strength, rolling the dazed man off of her. She scrambled to her feet and kicked forward, hoping to get further down the hall and away from the madman. In an instant her right foot was torn out from underneath her and Clownpiece was sent sprawling. Her vision exploded with blinding white as she crashed face-first into floor. Agony flared up throughout her skull, and the fire-weakened floor beneath her shuddered under the impact.

“You’re not going anywhere,” Strazio seethed from behind her, his hand closed with a crushing grip around her ankle. The fiery spirit rolled onto her back as the Defender began to drag her closer and lashed out with the only thing in range, her broken foot. The heel of her fractured limb slammed into his left eye, sending stabbing pain coursing through her leg. Strazio recoiled from the hit, and again his grip loosened just enough for Clownpiece to wrench herself free.

The hell fairy scrambled backwards with her hands, keeping her eye on the white-haired mage. Her assailant pushed back to his feet, not rising any higher than a crouch, and he just stayed like that. Clownpiece forced her feet beneath her, rising to a crouch as well, and watched, her entire being locked, loaded, and ready to pounce. The mad mage thrust his arms out forward, and the fairy sprang straight up. A powerful shockwave obliterated the floor beneath her, shattering it into splinters and ash, and the girl slammed into the ceiling above. The burning building gave way beneath the impact, sending her straight through and driving the wind out of her chest, and moments later she crashed onto the floor of the third story.

A shout of pure rage shook the fragile walls of the apartments, and the infernal child took in a deep, smoke-filled breath. Burning embers tickled at her bare arms as she lay there, floor quickly starting to ignite. Splinters and shrapnel suddenly exploded in her face, her only cover gave out beneath her, and the star-spangled girl found herself plummeting back to the second floor, a maniacal laughter echoing dully through the hallway. Again, she crashed face-first into the floor, and the weakened walkway was crushed under the impact. The floor’s integrity rapidly deteriorated, and not a moment later the entire hall was plunged back down to the ground floor, combatants and all.

Clownpiece slowly pushed up to her feet, casting a blurred glance all around her. Thick smoke suffused the air, burning her lungs and obscuring just about everything from the fairy’s poor eyesight. The only thing she could tell was the the apartment was quickly becoming an oven. She concentrated, wavering on the very edges of consciousness, and focused on a random point behind the thick smokescreen, hoping there was some sort of flat surface there. She took a soft step forward, and the small noise repeated a few meters in front of her.

BOOM

A bolt of white-hot energy slammed into the ground where the ping had hit, its brilliant light piercing through the haze and revealing where Strazio had been. A radiant smile crossed the fae’s face, and hellish heat welled up in the palm of her left hand.

“Thank you, Dane!” She shouted, thrusting her arm out. “This one’s for you!” Fire and brimstone erupted from her hand, and engulfed everything in front of her.
 

681 Words
Clownpiece used Hellfire and Lampad's Torch (Bash)
Strazio used Shockwave (Cone), Breach, and Blackout

[The Future Warrior]

Up ahead it was chaos. There were sounds of shouting, chaotic movements and all sorts of badness. It wasn't exactly heartening to be heading into, but...Batman and Archer were supposed to be up here. That was all she needed.

As she and Cell rounded the corner, they both skidded to a stop at the sight of the three before them. It was that crazy blonde again, Jak and...a maid? She dove aside as a blast of gunfire ripped apart her bike, rolling into a crouch. "I don't...don't want to do this!" She closed her eyes. Cell had leaped into the fray, holding off Jak and the maid, and leaving only the crazy blonde, holding he shotgun menacingly, to start stalking toward her.

"So, you ready to rumble, Blueberry?! I'm in the mood for a snack!" she snarled, a manic light in her eyes.

"Wait..." Graowr backed up a pace, holding up a hand, palm out. "Wait, wait, wait! Just listen!"

The blonde stopped in mid-stride, a confused look on her face. "What? You got somethin' to say? Spit it out!"

"I don't want to fight. I know..." Graowr clenched the hand by her side into a fist. "...I have four of the Main Quest items to end this game. I know where the fifth and last one is. I can stop this now, if you let me go."

"And let you fuckin' win?! Fat chance!" The barrel of the firearm swept around, pointing menacingly at the azure demon. "So less talkin' more fightin'!"

"Wait! Wait, I can make you an offer!" Graowr could see the i'm listening flash across the deranged mercenary's face. "I will fight you! All out, to the death if you want. Just...just not here, not now! Listen, I..." She looked aside, her free hand disappearing into her side. She fished around, like in a jumbled backpack, and pulled out her own backpack. "Here, I have...I have a bunch of items. Pieces of the artifacts that have dropped. I have a lot of them. They're the point of this game, getting them and putting them together pushes you higher up the ranks, right?"

The shotgun slowly lowered, a calculating look flickering behind the eyes of the malicious manic merc's eyes. "Yeah. I guess so. What about 'em?"

Graowr had by now taken to fishing out pieces left and right, pulling them from her body and stowing them in the backpack. "You can have them. All of them. I'll let you take them, and promise to fight you later. After this is over, after Dante's Abyss. We'll be at full strength, rested and ready to fight. No limits, no one else in the way, no..." she tilted her head back, the metal of the collar gleaming. "...death collars!" She held out the backpack full of assorted items and artifact pieces, looking at Eirika with a tired, desperate cast to her eyes. "...okay?"

For several long, tense seconds there was nothing. Then Eirika just grinned and shrugged. "Yeah, whatever. Fuck it! A better fight sounds good. I can go beat up on bug-man over there, for now! Fork the shit over, bubblegum, and get the hell outta here before I change my mind."

Graowr tossed the backpack at the deranged woman, before turning around and sprinting away. "After this is over!" she called back. "I'll find you when we're all rested up!" And then she was gone. The safehouse was just ahead. She was on her way to end this.

As per agreement, exchanging all uncompleted artifact pieces with Dawn in exchange for nulling the challenge against Graowr.

Graowr moving from C21 to Safehouse C.

[The Future Warrior]

She bolted. Leaving the scene of chaos behind. The sound of Eirika cackling as she caught the sack of items and went to go beat on Cell. The majin retrieved her fallen bicycle and clambered back aboard, pushing off and getting underway, taking off for her destination. Just as fast as she could make the pedals on this damn bicycle go, she bolted. She could hear shouts of protest, and the screaming whine of ki as Cell interrupted a chase attempt. Further mangled cursing, and Cell's mocking cackle rang in her ears as she ran for it.

And she was reminded again, of a persistent thought: This sucks!

She knew the way. She knew it quite well. And she was already close. The building loomed ahead, the towering office building that held the safehouse. Drumpf Tower, Cell had said it was called. The majin had never bothered looking for a name. She wasn't going to be here long enough for it to matter. It was just something she would try to forget about once she was off this island. Another unpleasant memory. But right now? Right now it was beautiful. Her target was waiting for her in there. The old man with the last main quest item. And she was going to get it.


She didn't even slow down as she came careening around the corner on her bicycle. Righting herself she went forward, right toward the main doors of the building. Her eyes narrowed, focusing on the glass portal. One hand lifted precariously from the handlebars, the golden glow of ki building up in it. As she drew nearer she gritted her teeth and threw her hand forward. The bolt of light shot forward ahead of her, hitting the doors and blowing them apart. She sailed through, up the steps and through the entry way. And that was where her balance gave out.

The wheels wobbled, going unsteady, and finally losing out on going straight. The front wheel jerked to the right and the bike went down. Graowr wasn't on it. She hopped up and forward, landing in a handstand and springing up back onto her feet. She looked around feverishly. "Hey! Hey, old man! I know you're in here! The one that just finished in the Colosseum a little while ago!" She ran this way and that, searching for him, before finally locating him, resting on a couch.

"You!" She lifted a hand, pointing at him. "Listen to me! That item you got, in the capsule! It's the last one I need to complete the main quest item and end this. I...I don't have anything to offer in return for a trade..." She looked down, exhausted and sad. "I...I guess I could offer you these." She fished out some items from their storage in her malleable body. "They...won't let you win the competition or anything, but they should let you last in a fight if you get stuck here after things end." She steeled her expression. "But...but if I have to...I'll fight. I'll fight you for the item. I just...want this to be over. It's awful."

Graowr issues a challenge to The Humble Sage.

[Karl Jak]

Face to Face

Batman vs Deadpool

Word Limit: 800
Posts Per Player: 2
Time Limit: 20 hours 
Random Elements: On

Batman issued the challenge and posts first.

Timer starts now.

[The Humble Sage]

The Sage stared at the blue bubblegum warrior through bruised and battered eyes. All the scholarly questions that would have normally assaulted his brain were scattered like birds before the indignation that burned through him like a laser.

“Awful? You think this game awful?” The Sage’s body ached all over, but his self-righteous rage refused to be seated. Unsteadily he rose to his feet, planting his dueling cane to keep his balance.

“I have watched a youth torn to shreds by a beast for the amusement of madmen, seen firsthand the barely functional heroes upon which this world’s future depends. In the pursuit of what? Glory? A trophy to display proudly as you drink in a tavern? This is precisely the event you were promised, and yet now, after countless deaths, you say to me that this game should be resolved through jovial amiability?” he spit a glob of inky blood out of his mouth, his vision swaying slightly as his anger spent what little adrenaline reserves remained after his fight in the colosseum.  The poor girl looked utterly exhausted, the Spirits only knew what her week here in Karl's personal circus had included. Still, the Sage was hard pressed to feel any sense of pity for one who willingly signed up for a death match.

“You say this gruesome spectacle of a game must end.” he was no longer shouting, now speaking with only a stern murmur of contempt, “In that respect, I very much agree.”

A swirling sphere was fished from a pocket, it’s colors shimmering as it arced through the intervening air. Almost at once, a void of whiteness enveloped the two of them. The Majin tensed, guessing where the Sage’s ranting was headed.

“However, you will get the end that this event dictates. The end that you agreed to when you put your name on Karl Jak’s paper. This world we live in, the one our own hands have wrought, is written in blood. If you wish to triumph here your victory must be written in the same.”

Sage accepts FW’s challenge, using an ISO verse to prevent outside interference.
1 SP spent for regeneration (2/5 SP remaining)