Tethers [IC]

[Sei]

Monday
Death Parade

True to her image, Mari dutifully collects the papers and clipboards as they are brought up to her. She does her best to smile and thank everyone, but it's becoming evident that current events have taken a toll on her. Her hair has become slightly disheveled, her face is layered with fatigue, and her voice is weary- even in gratitude. Nevertheless, she doesn't miss a beat when it comes to doing the task she has been assigned. And that even includes taking noticed of your raised hand.

She takes one more paper before stopping to shuffle over to your side. She smiles and lowers her head closer to yours. A polite gesture masking the fact that she doesn't feel like raising her voice at the moment.

"Mmmm. Well... Mr. Monday, is it?" Mari gently rests a hand on your shoulder as she leans in more, "Staying here in the afterlife... Well... I suppose since you're already dead it wouldn't be too much of a hassle to change the status of your soul. Mmmm... Mhmm. You've died back in your world, so it's only naturally that your spirit cross over to the next world. But..."

You feel Mari's fingers grip your shoulder even tighter. Much tighter... She even leans in even closer. Her lips practically pressing against your ear as her voice quiets to a whisper. All the while, she never drops her smile...

"You wouldn't want to do that, now would you? After all, you have so much more to live for back in your world. Even if you think this is the proper course of actions -despite being wronged- I can assure you that what you're thinking now is nothing short of silly, down-on-your-luck thoughts. And besides... You wouldn't want to waste such an incredible reward, I promise. After all, you're going to work hard for it. It would be a shame to do all the work and not get paid for it, right? Especially after Li- Mistress Lili and I went through so much trouble to strike up this opportunity for you. I-I mean... It's not like we worked particularly hard or anything. All I'm saying is that getting even a single soul past the golden gates is a lot of boring paperwork on its own. Like... a lot, a lot. And... Heh... Even if you wouldn't have to do that paperwork yourself, you wouldn't wish to make even more dreadful work for others. No no no. After all, the whole reason you're here today is because you're a kind, benevolent, and understanding individual that just so happens to not want to go to heaven yet. You just want to go on a nice little adventure, play with some superpowers, go home, and put this whole little incident behind you."

Even though you're already supposed to be dead, you feel like death is about to decend upon you once more.

Mari speaks rapidly. Her grip on your shoulder steadily growing in intensity. In fact, you wouldn't be surprised if you heard the entirety of your shoulder snap any second now.

"So just take the damn deal..."

You're afraid to make eye contact. Despite Lili herself calling herself a devil, you feel as if the true demon is currently right next to you.

"Ah~ Thank you, sir!"

And in a second, Mari's tone shifts back to the soft, angelic one you know.

A hand quickly reaches for your clipboard and snatches it out of your hands. The white-haired assistant quickly skips a few paces ahead, smiles, and holds the paperwork up for you to see. You're not entirely sure what just occurred, but... It seems your hands moved on their own and finished filling out the document. Even now, they remain shaking.

"Thank you for your assistance, Mr. Monday. I look forward to assisting you and the others during out upcoming journey together. And please, do not worry. We will strive to make sure that you successfully return to life."

Mari's expression quickly shifts from a brilliant smile to that of stern determination. And while her eyes are looking directly at you, you get the feeling she doesn't even see you at the moment.

"No matter what..."

***

Micah and Kazu
Final Destination

"Alright, alright. No looking at confidential documents and no bad-mouthing the boss."

With two people approaching her at once, Lili pushes the two of you away and creates some distance with a few steps. With a quick swipe of her finger, she closes out the screen on her phone before turning it off and tucking it away in her pocket. Then, with a deep breath, she turns to address the two of you while wagging a finger.

"Matters concerning different worlds are super hush-hush kinds of things. Even if it's by accident, learning something you aren't supposed to know is a super easy way to have your entire soul 'reformatted'. And trust me, you definitely don't want that. We can work out the details of your reward once we're done doing what all we need to do."

Lili lowers her finger and takes a second to glance around the room. Although, without any doors or windows, you aren't sure exactly she could be looking for.

"And... Definitely watch what you say about the big guy," Quieting her voice, Lili leans in a bit while covering her mouth with one hand, "Last time someone said they were going to smack the big G, he ended up having both his arms cut off and sent to some old-west timeline. And he was still expected to work his desk job the following day. It was pretty sick stuff. Granted...that timeline got a lot more interesting."

Lili snatches the informational document and quickly tosses it over her shoulder. Surprisingly, as if in synch, Mari casually strolls by and adds the document to the stack in her arms.

"Point is, don't go getting too excited just because you're dead right now. Bad things can still happen to you, believe it or not."

Lili speaks with her hands on her hips as if she's disciplining two children. Although it's hard to take her seriously when she looks as though she's only doing so because it's her job.

"Just... Just wait until we touch down on the next world, okay... People around here can't be bothered to micromanage that much..."

Regardless, she still manages to slip in a more personal tip towards the end. Albeit somewhat cautiously.

[Twelveseal]

Micah Grey
Edge of Tomorrow
When a Hand First Grasps the Bull's Horn

"Matters concerning different worlds are super hush-hush kinds of things. Even if it's by accident, learning something you aren't supposed to know is a super easy way to have your entire soul 'reformatted'. And trust me, you definitely don't want that. We can work out the details of your reward once we're done doing what all we need to do."

Reformatted? That's... Yeah, not something I want to think about. No, wait... could that have been... No. That wasn't reformatting. Not of the soul, at least. It was more like getting scrubbed... I can't deny that I want to know more, but the more I think about it, about what Lilith said, the more I feel like we're all walking a thin line. All of us, newly deceased and divinely employed alike.

I get it. For now, it's time to drop this subject.

"Just... Just wait until we touch down on the next world, okay... People around here can't be bothered to micromanage that much..."

I nod. This sounds like it will be a longer relationship than I had initially considered. And that we'll have more of a chance to talk, away from prying eyes and ears. I fill out the forms and hand them in, mind churning over what's happening and what it could mean as I return to my seat.

This could be the greatest opportunity of my life.
Or the worst choice I've ever made...
Either way, all I can do is sit and wait.
I long ago gave up on praying.

[Sei]

Everyone
The Realm Between the World and Heaven
Without Time

A few more minutes pass by and things seem to just about be wrapping up here. One by one, the documents make their way into the hands of Lili's silver-haired assistant and everyone's previous restlessness slowly dies down into quiet anticipation. Justin is the next to hand in his papers. He's soon followed by the young blonde who- as of yet- has not commentated much on the situation. Nevertheless, once they return to their seats, the room becomes dead silent. All paperwork has been turned in. All except for one that is.

"Hey..." Lili calls out over the crowd and addresses the straggler, "Is there some kind of reason you're holding things up, pal? Did you forget how to read when you died or something?"

The black-haired man does not respond to Lili's provocation. He is completely absorbed in the form sitting before him. But, as far as anyone can tell, he isn't making any kind of effort to fill it out. Rather he is just sitting there staring at it in deep thought. Completely unmoved by anything going on around him.

Lili grumbles, huffs, and taps her feet against the floor. Her eyes dart back and forth, likely mulling over the actions she could take here. Given her personality, it's obvious that she wants to take a more direct approach; however, it seems her better judgment is keeping her in check.

"Out of curiosity... What exactly do you have to gain from all this?"

Then, without even looking aware from the papers in front of him, the man speaks.

It's a simple question. There's a certain casualness to the young man's voice, but it's clear that he's dead serious. So much so that is appears to catch both Lili and Mari off guard. Even still...

"Huh? Didn't I answer that already?" Lili raises a brow and tilts her head with a mocking expression, "I'm helping out a friend who screwed up. And in the process I'm landing a job that's going to net me better pay. What part of that didn't you get the first time?"

Once again, the young man does not react to Lili's aggressive tone. Rather, he actually breaks away from the document in his hand and looks up toward Lili. Naturally, Lili responds by giving him the stink eye.

The young man sighs, "Nevermind… I'm just having a difficult time trying to determine why a troubled devil like you would want to become a benevolent goddess. Even if you are living a life of poverty, I get the impression that a simple pay increase isn't worth the effort you're putting in."

This time, it's Lili who goes quiet. If only for a moment. Her brow twitches. It may be subtle, but it's clear that this man is trying to pry into the workings of the 'divine'. Lili may be a bit of a brat, but she is attentive in her own right. So there's no way that she would miss this. And the cocky looking smile on her face says as much.

"Oh? Sorry, kiddo. You're giving me too much credit. I'm super lazy and I just want to sit on my ass and collect a-"

"Mari," Before Lili can finish her whole bit, the young man begins addressing the assistant, "Is it normal for the newly deceased to have trouble recalling their deaths? Ignoring the possibility of trauma, it's a bit odd that some of us were able to remember without issue. Regardless of how sudden some of our deaths were. Furthermore, do the dead typically arrive in this place in a different physical condition than when we were living? And is it normal for me- someone who only speaks Japanese- to suddenly be able to read and understand fluent English?"

It's a quick barrage of questions. On paper, they seem simple enough. It doesn't seem like any of the things he asked would be impossible to do- given the people you're dealing with. It even sounds like all these things could be considered common courtesy for the newly deceased. However, they more you start to think about it, the more things don't quite add up. Sure these things would be nice, but one could also argue they would be wholly unnecessary.

Mari opens her mouth to answer, but words don't come out quick enough. She's doing her best to keep a collected image under the pressure, but it's clear that she's a bit flustered. Her eyes even dart over to Lili for some kind of back-up. But...

"Nevermind… It's not like knowing any of that would change our situations anyway."

Before he can even receive an answer, the young man backs down with a disinterest tone. As his attention goes back to his handout, Lili threatens to beat him up with her eyes.

"I just have one question I honestly want answered," He picks up his pencil and slowly starts to fill out his form, "The reward that waits for us at the end of all this... In my own words, 'a chance for a better life'... Would it be possible to give that reward to someone who is still alive?"

Another question. And a rather peculiar one at that. Though it can be assumed that this guy has his reasons. Still, the more this man talks, the stranger his motivations seem to be.

"Uhm… Excuse me. Sir?" Mari cautiously steps forward, "May I ask your name?"

"Shunsuke," With a heavy sigh, the Japanese man stops what he's doing and looks back up, "Nakamura Shunsuke."

"Right... Mr. Nakamura then..." Mari takes a deep breath as she speaks. Apprehension weighs heavily on her voice, "I'm afraid it's against the rules for gods and goddesses to interfere with the lives of the living. You see... Even if it's a small intervention, a goddess granting favor to a mortal could easily alter the shape and the course of history. No doubt you've heard tales of such blessed people back in your world? … It's one thing to do for the deceased, but-"

"Fine!" Again, Shunsuke interrupts Mari. This time with a growl. As the expression on his face begins to intensify, he shifts his attention over to Lili, "Not as a goddess then! But as a devil... Or is messing with the living off limits even for beings of evil!?"

Up until this point, Lili has just been quietly listening off to the side. Disinterested, annoyed, and clearly tired off all this talking. However the moment these words leave Shunsuke's mouth, her eyes slowly shift over to him and- for the first time- she truly looks the part of a devil. There is a certain aspect of malice in her eyes when looking at this man. It's somewhat akin to a predator preparing to pounce on its prey... Not to eat, but simply to rip it to shreds and destroy it. To play with it, simply because it would pass the time.

But...

"Yeah, yeah. Shut up and sit down before you start cutting people with all that edge."

There's also something there that says 'this person is not cut out for evil'.

Lili slumps down on the podium and, at the same time, snaps her fingers next to her head. In a flash of light, the last document appears in her hand- clearly unfinished.

"I think I'm starting to see why goddesses get paid so much."

Lili takes a deep breath, slaps her own cheeks, and hypes herself up. Ignoring everything else, she gets "back into character" and shifts gears back to the flamboyant girl you met upon arrival. Posing included.

"Alright, scrublords! Listen up! Ain't got no time to explain things 'cus this room will literally cease to exist in like 30 seconds. So hold on to your lunches and protect your asses. We're taking to express route!"

And with another pose, Lili snaps her fingers and the room is enveloped in a blinding bright light.

***

Everyone
Country Side - Grassy Plains
Early Morning

When you're finally able to see again, you find that you and the others are no longer in that small room. Instead, there is a clear blue sky over your heads and bright green grass almost as far as the eye can see. Perhaps not the most ceremonious way to arrive in a new world but, then again, nothing since your death could really be called as much. So, if anything, this lack-luster beginning can be seen as being in line with everything else.

There's just one thing that's really bothering you...

"Goo goo..."

...And that would be the mob of strange creatures currently surrounding you and the others.

There are dozens of them. Maybe even more. And despite their goofy looking faces, there is no denying the bodies that would make even the hardest of body builders look on in envy. And their eyes... Their cold, soulless eyes... Each and every one of them is watching you closely and the hoard slowly encircles your group. A few even step forward... Drawing closer to your group... And they...flex... They just... flex... Aggressively.

[Rafflesiac]

Sylvie Williams
The Realm Between the World and Heaven
Without Time

Completely ignored. That hasn't happened often, but it's always just as annoying. And now this Shunsuke dude's asking boring questions about his boring altruistic goals and screaming boring platitudes and Jesus Christ I think I'm going to retch onto this Formica desk, oh thank Lili she shut him up. Well, there's at least one more chance with Lili and Mari later on, after this adventure's over! 5,025 can be someone else! Come to think of it, she's kicking us out now and hasn't even told us what the name of this place is. Or what the society's like. Will we even have money? Will we even need money? What's the age of consent? Is polyamory common? Are there STIs? Are the people blue like in that 7/10 James Cameron movie?

Sylvie Williams
Country Side - Grassy Plains
Early Morning

Well, someone was blue at least. Someones. Somethings? They're like if Arnold, Sonic, and a raindrop had a Mesopotamian threeway. What strange and mysterious creatures. Definitely not Earth, at the least.

I smile.

The Blue Man Group looms closer. Not exactly friendly, but also not actively hostile. Guess they're just waiting their turn? Lili did mention the world was conveniently cliche, so that might be it. Still, if they're waiting for me to attack, they're gonna have to wait a lot longer. One of the grumpy people can handle that.

"Hi there! There was this weird glowy light and then we all ended up in this field. Could you direct us to the nearest town or city please?"

[Mormarth]

Johnny Miller
Country Side - Grassy Plains
Early Morning

I leaned back and took in the running talk without much comment, filing it away quietly in the corner of my mind for later perusal, slouching into my chair as I did so.

Man.

A couple of these guys seem like they're going to be big old pains in the ass about this.

Well, whatever, things for future Johnny to think about. For now, best to take these things moment to moment, don't sweat the small stuff, take every day one step at a time.

Y'know, sometimes those meaningless platitudes really just give you a direction to be angry at that's both real and somewhat ephemeral, just that shapeless outline of 'that guy', you know the one.

Fuck that guy, piece of shit, 'oh sorry miller i forgot to turn in your tools and they just closed, guess you'll have to stay late lololol', lookin' ass...

What a dirtbag.

I squinted in the early morning light, mildly pleased with the mild temperature and lack of overt humidity.

And doesn't that just tell you something about my situation, 'oh wow I'm outside and don't want to freakin die, amazing'.

The current company around us, not so much, but hey, Sun's out, Guns out, am I right?

I mean the blue weirdos look dumb as hell, but credit where it's due, y'know?

Still, one thing at a time.

I got to my feet, swiping bits of grass off of my pants, putting on my best 'annoyed maintainer' face.

Similar to normal face, but frownier.

"Alright weirdos, I'm gonna need you to stop right there," I said, holding my hand out in the widely-recognized symbol for 'hold the fuck up', "An' we can talk this out like people who talk, or we can just go ahead and make this all much less friendly."

I say this with the confidence of a Man who has no immediate method to dissuade aggression, but hopefully one will pop up.

[Draconic]

Anthony Mathers
The Board Room that Never Was
Probably the Last Time?

Okay, so that happened. This Shunsuke character clearly was concerned for someone's wellbeing with he kind of devotion that would make anyone envy its recipient, whoever they were. Anthony had to admit, he also kind of envied how noble his sentiments were. It made him wish he were a better person. Not that he wasn't a good person, just that he was definitely capable of being better. He decided to make a point of that. If he was getting a second lease on life, he might as well actually live it this time.

He hoped that whoever Shunsuke wanted to help, that they would manage until he could get back.

As for Lili, for a moment she seemed… no, 'sad' wasn't the right word, but maybe melancholic. Like she was tired. The thought occurred to him that if she remained like this, he wouldn't actually mind meeting her again.

"Alright, scrublords! Listen up! Ain't got no time to explain things 'cus this room will literally cease to exist in like 30 seconds. So hold on to your lunches and protect your asses. We're taking to express route!"

Aaaaaaaaand she was back to being a vaudeville performer… dammit. And he was actually starting to think he might be able to get along with her.

Waitasecond, what did she mean by the room ceasing to exist?!

"Wait! Stop! What are we supposed to—!"

Lili snapped her fingers and Anthony was blinded by a flash of light. And then he suddenly found himself landing on the ground with all the grave and dignity of a sack of potatoes. But it was him, so it was even more cliché.


Country Side - Grassy Plains
Early Morning

Anthony rubbed at his eyes with a gloved hand, trying to blink the spots out of his eyes that persisted after that bright flash.

"Jeez, what the hell…? They couldn't have warned us to cover our eyes? I mean, at least at the bare minimum…"

Hold on… he was wearing gloves? He hadn't been wearing gloves in the conference room, and these pieces weren't cheap things either. They were sturdy, leather gloves that wouldn't look out of place on a…

A suit of armor.

And that was when he noticed that his upper arm was encased in blue plate armor. He looked down at himself.

Right... He was still a bit skeptical, but he had to admit:

"Okay. This is a good start."

He felt a weight in his back and found that there was even a weapon there. Although considering what kind of powers he wished for, while the armor actually kind of made sense, why was the weapon that came with it so… generic? He would've expected some sort of magical anti-darkness spear. Not that he knew what such a thing would look like were he to see one.


Oh well, at least it was a weapon. And he did feel strangely good about it. Actually, he just felt really good in general. And that was when the realization really began to set in: This was real. This all was completely real, meaning this strange sensation that he felt was…

"My power… I actually have freaking supernatural powers!" he exclaimed giddily. He suddenly knew that some strange force was already at work here and that he was its source. This was going to be interesting. Something about his voice felt slightly off, but he could figure that out in a minute. Also, he could stand to calm down a bit. He wasn't exactly out of the woods yet.

Right now however, there was a large group of things, best described simply as obnoxious… flexing at him and the other people that Lili had so politely dropped in this random field in the middle of nowhere. Also, why were the creatures just flexing? Whatever. It probably didn't matter. He raised his spear in what he hoped could be considered a passable defensive stance and turned his head to look at Micah, who was still picking herself up, but who had — as luck would have it — remained beside him.

"Miss Grey, are you alright? I'll… uh… well, I'll try and cover for you while you get your bearings. I should be able to manage that much. My powers probably won't help too much in terms of offensive abilities, but I might be able to defend you while you're figuring out how to use your powers. Or at least, I really hope I can."

After all, if he couldn't defend Micah, it just meant that he couldn't defend himself either. Joy.

Looking back at the ridiculous creatures, he decided it couldn't hurt to ask.

"So, are you guys threatening us, or is this just your way of asking if we know where the nearest fish 'n chips stand is?"

It only occurred to him after he'd asked already that just as likely to be sentient — or at least capable of vaguely understanding him — as they were not to be.

Wise Up!

Unlimited Salt Works
A passive ability that ensures that any loot the bearer finds is significantly more valuable and/or useful than it otherwise would be, or should be, by a very substantial margin.

For instance, where one might otherwise find sixty gold pieces and a steel sword in a chest somewhere, someone with this perk would find three hundred gold pieces, a mithril scimitar with enmity towards reptiles, the deed to a small house in a nice neighborhood, and an extremely expensive spatula.

Simply put; you find better treasure.

[Bylackbre]

Wallace Ladon
Country Side- Grassy Plains
Early Morning

I blinked quite a few times so that my eyes can adjust from being in a conference room to the middle of nowhere. "So this is the new world that Lili and Mari said they were sending us to? Well, I do have to admit that the sky looks nice at least in this place," I noted as I looked up at the gorgeous blue skies.

I only allowed myself a second or two to admire the sky before looking around to look at the group and startled to find our 'welcoming party' that has graced our arrival.

"Alright, whose idea was it to have the Big Blue Buff Beach Body Builder Smurf Battalion serve as our welcoming party?" I asked the others as I cautiously looked at the situation involving the horde of blue flexing creatures approach us all.

"My power… I actually have freaking supernatural powers!"

After hearing the armored group member say this, I concentrate and managed to feel a source of energy or power and tried to subtly manipulate it to be ready without actually using it.

They might just be curious and not hostile. They're constant flexing and posing is reminding me of some of those characters from those shows my brother tried to get me to watch but I never got around to them, weren't they called something like Jimbo's Crazy Journey and Empty Plastic Botanist or something like that.

Regardless of if these guys are hostile or not, drawing a weapon or using a power on them runs a risk of provoking these beings which seeing how fit these guys are would be bad. If things do go south I will make sure to help protect those whose powers aren't more on the combative side.

I finished my thoughts and started to brace myself as I kept an eye on not only the members of the welcoming party but also on the members of our group nearest to me to see who might be able to fend for themselves and who I might need to prioritize protecting. If these 'greeters' were going to attack us I would at least want to be ready to help keep others out of harm's way.

"Alright no hasty moves everybody, we don't need to make provoking others into becoming enemies as the first thing we do in this world. Their flexing might just be some kind of sign language or attempt at non-verbal communication but regardless we need to keep our distance and get ready if they decide to strike first. If things do go south some of us need to find a way to break their ring around us so we can all make a break for safety."

[Twelveseal]

Micah Grey
A Room Without a View
End of Infinity


I have no idea what I’m in for… but it’s the best chance I have. I tell myself over and over again as I sit in my chair, once more growing warm from my body’s heat. I didn’t really give it much time to cool, so it’s not that bad. I just hope no one noticed the sound of my bare legs peeling off it.

I can’t help but wonder about this Shunsuke guy. His questions make me think of myself. He’s not wrong to question that part of our situation, but… I turn my head to the side. These sorts of situations… of course there’s more to it. That’s a given.

No one’s going to tell you that more is, though.
You have to find that out on your own.

The question he posed about death… hmmmm… So our deaths might be falsified. It’s a valid point. We might actually be alive, and these two are lying to us to try to keep this whole thing quiet and under control… But then, why… Some things clearly don’t add up. Especially Lili’s response to my question. Clearly, they’re afraid of being observed in some capacity, and punished by their observers. But at the same time, they must be hiding from someone else in a position of power.

In other words, we’re pawns caught in a potential power struggle between people far more powerful, than these two, than a girl who can seemingly erase souls…

Great.

That means this isn’t just a bargain, it’s also a sort of bribe. They’re afraid we’ll take that queue and blab to the gatekeeper. Of course, if it’s as long as they say, it’ll be months before that would happen, and probably longer before anything’s done about it with the sort of bureaucratic system that they seem to represent, but… there’s always chances for something to go wrong. For them. Before they sweep this under the rug.

But what exactly is this?

"Alright, scrublords! Listen up! Ain't got no time to explain things 'cus this room will literally cease to exist in like 30 seconds. So hold on to your lunches and protect your asses. We're taking to express route!"

“Eh?”



Country Side – Grassy Plains
Early Morning

There’s grass on my ass. Or, no. Wait. My ass is on grass. There we go. I quickly check to make sure nothing’s showing and take in my surroundings.

Bright morning sun and a clear blue sky to go with it. A sea of grass as far as the eye can see. At least it’s not tall grass. Or sharp grass. Or made of living biosynthesized polymers and metallic crystal lattices. Or carnivorous.

I shudder despite the warm sun.
Yes, it’s normal grass.

Less normal are the people around me, or the not-people beyond.

Demons? They look mostly harmless though… Kind of wish I had a sketchbook, really. They’ve got nice builds, and that posing… If they’d hold still, they’d make good study models. I don’t think they have actual muscles, though, if that sound’s any indication. Just the appearance of it.

I guess these are slimes? Normally, I’d expect a major source of liquid for this. Water, waste, acids, liquid metals, molten rock, toxic coolant, fuel stores, oil, something to be a source of liquid. But… Maybe I shouldn’t be putting my expectations on these guys? Or maybe there’s just a lot of groundwater here.

So… Lili and Mari dropped us here. In the middle of nowhere. Surrounded by these things and with no sign of civilization. Just grass. As far as the eye can see.

They want us to fight some evil thingies, so either these are some of said evil minions, or they’re our personal trainers. Considering we just had someone point out that we can speak the lingua franca of the gods, or something that passes for it, since we could speak and understand each other, these guys will probably understand us if we talk to them.
Assuming they can.

Slimes aren’t usually known for their brain-power, though…

But still, they’d probably have said something instead of just flexing like morons and trying to look threatening. I suppose we would be the invaders here, though. Hmmm… what to do, what to do…

While I’m sitting here and considering my options…

"Hi there! There was this weird glowy light and then we all ended up in this field. Could you direct us to the nearest town or city please?"

"Alright weirdos, I'm gonna need you to stop right there, an' we can talk this out like people who talk, or we can just go ahead and make this all much less friendly."

Ah, good! Chatting has never been my strong suit. I’d really rather most people not pay attention to me. Having to actually start a conversation… ugh. And with a new species? No thanks. Listening is more my way of handling things.

"My power… I actually have freaking supernatural powers!"

Meanwhile, the guy beside me is freaking out. I subtly edge away from him, trying not to be spotted. He’s probably the kind of guy that always wanted to be a superhero as a kid… I don’t recognize him, though. Considering the way he’s acting, he’s gotta be someone from the group. A native wouldn’t flip out like that. Probably. He’s definitely rocking the fantasy chic, though.

Actually, where’d the other guy go? Jacket guy. Anthony, I think? Ugh, too much going on at once. I didn’t notice this new guy get here. He was just…

"Miss Grey, are you alright? I'll… uh… well, I'll try and cover for you while you get your bearings. I should be able to manage that much. My powers probably won't help too much in terms of offensive abilities, but I might be able to defend you while you're figuring out how to use your powers. Or at least, I really hope I can."

…
Oh.
Ok. I get it. Then this means that weird girl that kept feeling herself up was… aha. Note to self. Stay away from G.I.R.L. Or at least, that’s what I think might be going on there…

So this guy actually is Anthony. He just got a full makeover as part of his deal. Kind of curious what kind of power he chose if it did this…

I look at the things that are probably slimes, some edging closer and trying to be intimidating. I guess they might be that, to some people. The fact that they haven’t done anything though makes me think they’re not really interested in fighting. Even with the encircling formation. It’s more like they’re trying to keep us in place, but there’s not even really anywhere to go…

Bunch of posers.

"So, are you guys threatening us, or is this just your way of asking if we know where the nearest fish 'n chips stand is?"

… I’m going to pretend he didn’t say that. For his own benefit. It’s the kindest thing I can do right now. So I guess this means we have our “powers.” Great. I can finally do something about these clothes. Not that I can help standing out in a place like this, but… better showing off a little than showing off a lot, so to speak.

_{”Alright…}

I slowly stand up, dusting myself off while keeping my clothes in their proper place.

_{”Appreciated…”}

I turn inward, reach inside, to that familiar place. It moves. It grows. It fills and splits open. I don’t have to look. I know what one would see. I can feel it. The lines, like the paths of a circuit, black and hungry for light race from fingertips and toes up my limbs. Spread from my core, my hear, my eyes. Black mist seeps from them, flows, crawls across my body and over my clothes, obscuring everything as it spreads. I can feel the temperature drop as it blocks the light, devours it.

For a brief moment, I open the eyes I had closed before the beak-like helmet forms. Eyes I know are as black a sin, knowing neither iris nor sclera. One more look at that blue sky before we start.

_”but…”

Armor. Nothing like the plates the man beside me wears, it looks as if flesh and bone and blade were grown from pure shadow, concealing even gender behind a carapace of something not quite material, but more than good enough. Within and without, guarding, reinforcing, bolstering.

Darkness given form and function. Rending claws and piercing blades. A form suited for movement, seamless, muscle and shell made of darkness manifested. More of that black mist pours off of it, spreading gloom and concealing the exact shape within it, forming a mantle, faulds. A featureless helmet, long like the head of a bird of prey. A jagged crow veiled in shadow.

Let’s see… when fighting demons, the key is usually to disrupt their structural integrity. If you don’t have an exorcist, or someone skilled at banishing or sealing them, the key is to just deal so much damage, so quickly, that they can’t reform. Tear them to pieces, change the material they’re inhabiting into something incompatible, alter the environment into something different… But there’s no guarantee these are demons. Or even fiends at all. They haven’t attacked, they’re just kind of weird, and maybe a little annoying. So, something frightening and that can deal with large groups on an open plain… Ugh… It’d need to be that wouldn’t it… Anything else would be messy, hard to control, or unsuitable for handling these numbers if they actually attack. I have a group to consider…

I lift my heel, and from the shade beneath, something swells and rises, a complexity that I can’t even attempt to imitate as whorls of black and violet, purple and gray form and die from it as it surges out of the spreading pool of darkness. Hollow. Nothing but an imitation running on an entirely different mechanism, but it will serve well enough. It only needs to mimic, not replicate. If the machinery is different, so long as the result remains the same, it’s fine. I never liked the sound of the regular ones, anyway.

_{”Unnecessary.”}

When dealing with crowds, always use an appropriate weapon.
Serpentine belts of shadow feed the rotary cannon in my hands as its barrels begin to turn.

I guess I should set up first. And give a warning. After all, these things seem like they’re not interested in a serious fight. If anything, it’s almost like they want to have some kind of bodybuilding contest… The Halo pattern should work fine for all that. And a little insurance, besides.

"Alright no hasty moves everybody, we don't need to make provoking others into becoming enemies as the first thing we do in this world. Their flexing might just be some kind of sign language or attempt at non-verbal communication but regardless we need to keep our distance and get ready if they decide to strike first. If things do go south some of us need to find a way to break their ring around us so we can all make a break for safety."

Aaaaaaand… yeah, there went my momentum. So this guy wants to try talking with them? Hmmm… I suppose it’s a valid option. No, isn’t it just that I’m too focused on the prize right now? He might be right.

I let the Vulcan come to a stop, even as I hoist it into position, barrels tilted up, beside my hip.

Ahhhh… Halo only really works as a preemptive technique. But there are other ways to use this thing. Just takes a bit to start moving again. I’m just glad this thing isn’t as heavy as the regular ones. Swinging one of those things around, even with the armor and reinforcement… ugh…

I sigh inside the helmet, and train my eyes on the crowd.
Ah, I guess I should actually give them a warning, still.

_"Warning..."
There, job well done. They heard that, right?​

[hero]

Murakami Rinna
Country Side - Grassy Plains
Early Morning


While the circumstances behind our death have been explained in a simple manner for us to understand, there is a part of me that still feels uneasy about the whole deal and thus refuses to believe it. I guess there are so many similarities between the working of the living and the dead that it is hard to draw the line and tell them apart when out of context. Nevertheless, having been presented with hard evidence, I can no longer think of this as a prank or an act. No, somehow, it appears I've become involved with forces beyond my control and, having signed the contract, I've been transported to a different land in order to fight against evil. It sounds a lot like the plot of a manga for boys my age, but I am not as excited as some of my peers. Conflict is one of the things I always try to avoid and this quest is one that requires it in order to to move forward. I do know how to the defend myself, but I am not the kind of person who enjoys inflicting harm on others, or see them get hurt, whether they be good or bad.

"Haa..."

The air I breathe is pure, a lot cleaner than what I am used to. Add the tranquil landscape and you get a pleasant place where to relax and collect ourselves. All in all, not a bad spot to start our supposed adventure. To be honest, I am not even sure of how to start or where to go, but being together gives me some peace of mind. If possible, I would like for us to remain together.

"Your name is Justin, right?"

My first thought is to approach the boy who suffered for all of us when he had the reason of his death exposed. While I have a feeling I am as clumsy as he is in terms of romance, he didn't deserve to be humiliated like that. I know for a fact that men put their pride above all else, so the whole thing felt really mean to me. In that sense, the role of a demon fits Lily well... Anyways, I figured I would give it a try and cheer him up. Where we live we don't commonly address people we barely know on a first name basis, but given he's from the west, he might feel more comfortable if we do introductions this way. I read that addressing someone by their surname in the west makes you feel distant and that's the opposite of what I want.

"I'm Rinna. That Lily is such a bully, isn't she? Can you stand?"

I hesitate to ask him if he's okay because I honestly don't know if that'd do any good. For now, offering a helping hand and showing him that he hasn't been completely abandoned after what he was put through is the best I can do.

"They said we can go back if we solve problems here so let's do our best, alright?"

That's all that we need. If we can overcome the trials that await, we can return the world of the living and reunite with those that are waiting for us there. Besides, we're supposedly super heroes now... If what the contract said was true, then we're no longer ordinary humans. I bet Justin must have picked up a really cool superpower-!

"...?"

My train of thought comes to an abrupt halt when I finally notice the crowd that has suddenly gathered around us. Or perhaps they were always there and I am late to the party. Honestly, I am more perplexed by the sight than anything.

I... It's just ridiculous, although, well, their face looks cute and kind of friendly...

"Pftt...."

The rest of the group seems torn between going on the offense and finding a way to talk this out.

Meanwhile, I am doing my best to hold my laughter.

It's just too funny, I am sorry!

[Draconic]

Anthony Mathers
Country Side – Grassy Plains
Early Morning

Micah was quick to stand up. He allowed himself to relax just a little bit.

_{“Alright… …Appreciated…”}

Was it just him, or did she seem slightly… different, somehow?

<sub>“but…”

“Unnecessary.”</sub>

And then all hell breaks loose. Shadows seem to coalesce around her into a suit of armor so imposing that he wasn’t even sure the same person was inside of it. The entire display was utterly terrifying.

“Holy shit…”

What looked to be some sort of chaingun rose out of the ground, and for a moment, he was worried that she was going to turn it on him. Unnecessary is right! Heck, it’s an understatement that borders on self-deprecation. With that kind of power, it would have been well within her sensibilities to ask him if he was trying to make a bad joke!

Wait… was she revving that thing up?! Jesus fuck!

“Wait, what are you doing?! They haven’t even attacked us yet! They’re just standing around like idiots and you’re just going to up and massacre them?!”

“Alright no hasty moves everybody, we don't need to make provoking others into becoming enemies as the first thing we do in this world. Their flexing might just be some kind of sign language or attempt at non-verbal communication but regardless we need to keep our distance and get ready if they decide to strike first. If things do go south some of us need to find a way to break their ring around us so we can all make a break for safety.”

He could say with no shortage of certainty that Wallace was a born leader, and he’d be happy to follow this kid just on account of his moral compass.

But Micah… Had he misjudged this girl completely?!

The gun slowed down, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

_"Warning..."​

Anthony blinked. Was she serious?

“Okay, first of all, there was no way anyone heard that — I wouldn’t have heard it if I wasn’t standing right next to you — and second, you call this a warning?! What in the hell was that about?! It’s—”

He cut himself off. He didn’t want to spook her, though at this point it was just as much about not getting on her bad side as it was about not scaring her off, because she seemed like she was capable of reducing him to a fine red mist in less than three seconds.

“Look, sorry, I didn’t mean to freak out, but you’ve gotta understand that what you just did is a massive overreaction. Can we talk later, if we have a minute? I’ll keep my distance if you need me to. I just… kind of want to know where…” he tried to find an appropriate way to describe her right now and failed. “…all this,” he gestured to all of her, “came from.”

Yeah. He had questions. Because considering how timid she seemed to be, this was just terrifying. He was sure that he’d been cowering for a few seconds there. He was lucky not to have dropped his spear.

[Twelveseal]

Micah Grey
Country Side – Grassy Plains
Early Morning


Hmmm... No significant cha-

“Holy shit… Wait, what are you doing?! They haven’t even attacked us yet! They’re just standing around like idiots and you’re just going to up and massacre them?!”

“…”

I look at him, not that I expect he can see my face through this thing. He should at least be able to tell I’m facing him. It’s not like the suit can really hide body language.

I look down at my gun.
I look back at the crowd of blue things.
Then I look back at him.

Right, of course. Oh God, I must look like a total maniac right now. These people haven’t…

I sigh inside the helmet, the sound echoing weirdly through the half-formed systems.

I just put on a combat suit and pulled a machine gun modeled after something normally meant for an aircraft out of thin air... right.

It’s better safe than sorry, insane as it might seem to outsiders.

I’m not putting the gun down. But…

“Okay, first of all, there was no way anyone heard that — I wouldn’t have heard it if I wasn’t standing right next to you — and second, you call this a warning?! What in the hell was that about?! It’s—”

I lower my head again, this time more in shame. I can feel my shoulders droop. I really need to speak up. Just… I’ve never liked talking. Having someone pay that much attention to me long enough to really talk…

It feels like I’d have a panic attack.

When I'm in the suit, the armor, this alchemy of science and magic, that's what people see. The suit. I'm just the faceless operator.
But even then, talking is...

“Look, sorry, I didn’t mean to freak out, but you’ve gotta understand that what you just did is a massive overreaction. Can we talk later, if we have a minute? I’ll keep my distance if you need me to. I just… kind of want to know where… all this, came from.”

It’s not an overreaction. Not for me. You just… you just don’t…
You just don’t understand. It's not your fault. You don't understand.

But you’re trying to.
At least a little.
I get that.

I can’t tell you what you want to know… I’m not even sure I’m allowed to. And I’ve tried so many times before. No one ever believed it. Not unless they saw it themselves.

But in this situation, someone might.
But how can I…
How can I tell him? Them? It’s a struggle for me to string together a sentence without freaking out, let alone a bo-

Oh.
Of course.
I’ll give him that.

I facepalm, the gun drooping down as my left hand finds a more important task. Once I’ve finished feeling like an idiot, it goes right back where it was, gun at the ready. But…

_{”Stay... Please.”}


It’s probably safer. For both of us. This thing isn’t up to the power of a real one, or even one I’ve had more time to work with, and I have no idea how much magic I have at my disposal. I’ll have to cycle energy as if it was limited, if it comes to using this. Having someone else covering, anyone…

And it’s nice to have someone behind me.

Though you might be a little too nice for your own good.

[Mormarth]

Johnny Miller
Country Side – Grassy Plains
Early Morning

I held my hand out some more, feeling a bit silly as people just decided to fuck around and pop rotary cannons out of their assholes or whatever the hell they were doing.

Jeez, could've set up a whole official thing, but 'nah i'mma just swing my giant gun cock around just so people know how big it is'.

Like calm down, sheesh, we're all very impressed, please stop pointing it at anything within earshot, thank you.

As I grumbled about the state of young people these days, I did feel a slight 'expansion' of sorts, within what I can only really describe as my 'self'.

By slight, I am perhaps underplaying the exact breadth of what is available to me, but I digress.

I decided to start simple, just sort of pushing my brainpower in a general 'pay attention' direction, out of sheer curiosity of what would happen, probably not going to blow anything up.

I scanned across my field of view, almost seamlessly moving beyond the edges of my vision and senses to accommodate additions that hadn't been there moments before.

IFF, basic RADAR for now, WXR possible. INS and SATCOM systems are, well, rather unlikely to work, if they did, that'd just raise more questions. ADIS a secondary consideration, for now, I've got the necessities, I'd figure the rest out later.

Friendlies in blue, weirdos in...

Let's go with yellow for now, unconfirmed, after all, I pushed away a mental query for possible firing solutions.

It flits over my supposed allies for the moment, noting the unknown in our midst with concern, and noting the exact number and position of potential OPFOR.

I'd already issued the challenge, next up (barring negotiations), is some minimum force, or they'll attack, at which point, well...

I mulled that thought over for a moment, considering the scenario.

Well, I could probably find something in here.

Is this what shooter protagonists felt like? But worse.

Gave me a headache, really. So many choices, it's like I'm at Wal-Mart looking for chips.

"Oi, edgelord with the Vulcan, quit flagging, hostilities not confirmed."

"Spear-guy, who the fuck're you? You weren't at the room. Answer, now."

Turns out late nights running the fences with some bored cops, and terrified convoy trips paid off when it came to keeping your head in a crisis.

I didn't turn around and bark at anyone, mostly cuz I didn't have to (lol), but also to keep eyes up front, priorities! I also figured it'd be more appropriate to be less snarly at the person with a cannon than some weirdo with a spear.

Everyone else could just go do whatever, I figured I was handling my own shit just fine.

[Draconic]

Anthony Mathers
Country Side – Grassy Plains
Early Morning

Did the Armor of Shadowy Doom just shrink away from him? …Yes. Yes it did. Anthony would even venture to say that it was trying to shrink in on itself.

It was still objectively terrifying.
He wasn’t actually sure if he could get any closer without breaking into a cold sweat.

Be that as it may, he at least felt a swelling sense of relief that this was probably the same girl he had spoken to in the board room. He really did need to know what was what though. He wanted to at least have one partner… uh… colleague? Never mind. He needed at least one other person on his side or he was going to lose all hope and die. Again. Only this time it would be worse because he’d probably end up in a ditch and get eaten by bears.

Or velociraptors. Or carnivorous yaks? What? He had no idea what the fauna here was like! For all he knew, yaks were lizards, herrings didn’t exist, and ginger cats had wheels instead of paws! Wait, what was he thinking about again? Oh, right, Micah.

He would need to pick her brain a little. Anthony doubted he would be able to make a significant amount of progress, but at this early stage, even getting her to give him a full sentence would probably count as a win.

She continued standing there, motionless. Then, a sigh louder than anything she’d said since he’d met her escaped from the inside of the helmet, and she let her head fall into her hand.

_{“Stay... Please.”}

There was no way he could say no to that. Besides, he’d be a real jerk if he just started ignoring her and pretending this awkward situation never happened.

“I can do that,” he nodded, voice softening, if a bit more strained than he’d intended. "But as long as your in that armor, I’m not sure I can get within arm's length. You’re the most dangerous-looking thing I’ve ever seen. Uh… ‘thing’ in this case just means that I can’t limit the categories to just people.

“Oi, edgelord with the Vulcan, quit flagging, hostilities not confirmed.”

‘Okay, I feel like you’re not paying attention. Like, at all. I mean, he might be right about her being edgy, but he must have some sort of death wish to try and startle her after that display!’

It was a normal reaction. Normally one’s self preservation instinct should override one' desire to pick on the potentially human cataclysm. It was like he was trying to—

“Spear-guy, who the fuck’re you? You weren’t at the room. Answer, now.”

—uh… …get… …himself… ki…

What?

What?!

For real?!

“What are you talking about? I’m Anthony Mathers? Clearly? Of course I was in the freaking room!” Miller really wasn’t paying attention. He still wanted to give the guy a chance for his pragmatic attitude, but this condescension could prove to be a problem, “Remember? Anthony? The guy whose death was basically slapstick comedy on a budget of $24.99 and a fucking tuna fish sandwich?”

‘Oh, great, now he’s got me swearing too…’

“I’ll be honest, man, I’m far too used to being forgotten, but less than ten minutes is a new record. I'm almost glad because at least it says less about me than it does about you… …uhh, no offense…

“Also, I think I might’ve scared her by being frightened of her, so there’s no need for the whole intimidation thing. It’s-working-by-the-way-please-don’t-kill-me…”

He blinked. The man wasn’t even that close to him, why was Anthony cringing? Oh, right, he was just that much of a wuss.

“Look, I think she’s already got the picture, so I really don’t think you need to add your crasser, if more concise, version of what I already said to the mix. I mean, at least if you actually want to keep things civil. I hope that’s the case.” Because if it wasn’t, Anthony probably had just over twenty seconds left to live.

He turned back to Micah, momentarily recoiled at the sight of her Armor of Doom… like a pansy… got a goddamn grip, and said, “Sorry about him. I don’t know what his problem is.

“Erm… a-anyway, I can be a go-between. If you need it, I mean. Is there anything he or the others should know? You can tell me and I’ll speak for you if you don’t want to stand up in front of everybody.”

[Mormarth]

Johnny Miller
Country Side – Grassy Plains
Early Morning

I was feeling tired already, so there's a maybe-friendly, maybe-liar, maybe delusional person in the middle of the group, insisting he's someone he looks nothing like (anymore?).

Could be magic horseshit, could be enemy action, either way, it's annoying, I wish it would go away or be reasonable rather than aggravating.

Alas.

Calm down, Johnny. You're dealing with civilians, not people who are reasonable, or quickly become reasonable when given proper 'encouragement', such as the silent presence of a firearm.

Speaking of!

Let's deal with this one step at a time.

I kept my 'awareness', which I'll take as a mental abstraction of the suite currently hooked into my brain somehow, up and running and leveled an irritated look at the guy in armor.

Yep, completely different.

"Alright, different hair, different build, different clothes, no glasses, different eye-color, and I'm pretty sure you're a bit taller, as well, 'Anthony'. So you'll forgive me if I'm a little suspicious."

Not even Queer Eye could do that much.

I continued, with strained patience:

"And for your information, I don't know if you've ever been around a gun, but you generally don't point it at anything you don't want dead. Currently, we are not trying to kill the Aztec Gods of PVC Pipe drumming, so, logically, I made it a point to try and make sure they didn't get shot."

I moved an eye over towards the specter in dark, spooky-looking armor brandishing an aircraft-mounted weapon like some sort of video game character.

Alright, less annoyed, more gruff.

"So just, uh, don't point it 'at' anyone, or anything, kay? We're dealing with unknowns, not a random battle."

[Rafflesiac]

Sylvie Williams
Country Side – Grassy Plains
Early Morning

A fair number of the others had decided to stare aimlessly into space, drool dripping from slack jaws. Maybe they were still dazed from getting warped. Others however weren't so content, like Lampshading - apparently named Micah, if Mari's dialogue had been anything to go by - who'd covered her shy, withdrawn exterior with an imposing, vicious exterior and a massive gun. Girl evidently had issues. Though bristly shells do hide the softest insides... And given how she had Wage Slave's jacket, she might've been hiding a little more that than too. Speaking of which-

"You're Wage Slave?" I blink, and then chuckle. "You spent your superpowers on turning into Cedric, Prince of Fantasia? Though I have to say, I'm impressed by that honesty; I know if I had to push pencils and wasn't even hot I'd jump at getting to be Legolas too."

[Draconic]

“Alright, different hair, different build, different clothes, no glasses, different eye-color, and I’m pretty sure you’re a bit taller, as well, ‘Anthony’. So you’ll forgive me if I’m a little suspicious.”

“And for your information, I don’t know if you’ve ever been around a gun, but you generally don’t point it at anything you don’t want dead. Currently, we are not trying to kill the Aztec Gods of PVC Pipe drumming, so, logically, I made it a point to try and make sure they didn’t get shot.”

“Really?! I had no idea.” He didn’t need to tell the man that, no, he had never been in the presence of a gun before. Miller could probably tell anyway. “Have you maybe considered that many of us have never held a gun before? Or does everyone carry a loaded Glock where you’re from? Actually that’s not even relevant, because I can say with almost complete certainty that none of us have ever held a chaingun at any point in our lives.”

“So just, uh, don’t point it ‘at’ anyone, or anything, kay? We’re dealing with unknowns, not a random battle.”

“You’re not even listening to me!”

This made him sadder than he cared to admit. Still, no more reservations, this guy was just rude. At least he wasn’t actively antagonizing the most dangerous thing in the vicinity though. Also, Anthony was certainly not actively deflecting from the real issue which was that this weird joke about him looking different was making him extremely self-conscious. No. He would not take the bait.

“You're Wage Slave? You spent your superpowers on turning into Cedric, Prince of Fantasia? Though I have to say, I’m impressed by that honesty; I know if I had to push pencils and wasn’t even hot I’d jump at getting to be Legolas too.”

Anthony took two large paces away from Micah, and took a deep breath to calm himse—Oh, screw it!

“OKAY THAT’S IT! What are you idiots talking about!” her use of the term Wage Slave as a name failed to even register, “I don’t look any different! What kind of idiot would spend their single chance at having superpowers on a freaking makeover?! Not me! _{Also, who the hell is Cedric Prince of Fantasia?} Never mind — Who are you to call me unattractive? I’m fine! You’re not exactly a supermodel yourself, and what beauty you do have is clearly hiding a personality from a dollar store. You’ve probably never had a relationship that lasted longer than three days!”

Wait a minute, what was Miller saying about him not wearing glasses? He could see fine, but he didn’t actually feel — ohoho, no way, he was so not letting them get in his head. It was a lucky break. A freaking coincidence! There was nothing unnerving about this at all. Nothing!

[Twelveseal]

Micah Grey
Country Side – Grassy Plains
Early Morning

“I can do that. But as long as you’re in that armor, I’m not sure I can get within arm's length. You’re the most dangerous-looking thing I’ve ever seen. Uh… ‘thing’ in this case just means that I can’t limit the categories to just people.”

I… suppose I can’t argue with that. I mean, there are worse things out there, but... yeah.

No one here’s likely to take this well. I probably seem more dangerous than the… whatevers over there. I can’t categorize those. Their actions are too far outside of my expectations. It’s really throwing me off…

"Oi, edgelord with the Vulcan, quit flagging, hostilities not confirmed. Spear-guy, who the fuck're you? You weren't at the room. Answer, now.”

“What are you talking about? I’m Anthony Mathers? Clearly? Of course I was in the freaking room!” Miller really wasn’t paying attention. He still wanted to give the guy a chance for his pragmatic attitude, but this condescension could prove to be a problem, “Remember? Anthony? The guy whose death was basically slapstick comedy on a budget of $24.99 and a fucking tuna fish sandwich?”

_{”You… changed.”}

Like, everything changed. Clothes, hair, eyes, build, facial structure. All of it changed. Though, when magic’s involved, the absolute that is “impossible” becomes a suggestion instead of a law.

_{”A lot.”}

“Also, I think I might’ve scared her by being frightened of her, so there’s no need for the whole intimidation thing. It’s-working-by-the-way-please-don’t-kill-me…”

_“Eh? Ehhhh!?!”

You think I’m going to attack you!? I haven’t pointed this thing at anyone but those creatures! God, I hope no one else thinks that. I picked this thing because it can lay down suppression fire like there’s no tomorrow. Enough to destroy, or at least slow down, Slimes. The armor makes it easier for me to deal with being seen… but it also covers every possible point of entry.

_{”S-sorry!”}

I shake my head.
_{”Not… scared. Surprised. Embarassed. Won’t attack… people…”}

And it’s not like you scared me. It’s that I realized no one here expects this. And why should they? I didn’t think about it at all. At the same time though… I don’t see anyone here to show us around, tell us what to do, protect us from attacks, unless these guys are that and they’re just really bad at it. The first thing I see look like Demons. Really strange Demons that don’t act like I’d expect. But still Demons.

Unexpected things are dangerous. They can’t be quantified or accounted for.

_{”Like… soldier. Valuable. Helpful. Good… allies.”}

I tilt my head in the direction of the man speaking as I talk. Soldiers are a big help to have around. They tend to know what they’re doing better than you do, and they don’t usually crack under pressure. They might not be the most flexible bunch, and there’s always the chance of dealing with a rotten apple or someone who’s just not cut out for the job, but it’s actually comforting to know there’s someone like that here. Especially one that can keep such a cool head in a situation this weird.

“Look, I think she’s already got the picture, so I really don’t think you need to add your crasser, if more concise, version of what I already said to the mix. I mean, at least if you actually want to keep things civil. I hope that’s the case.”

_{”It’s… fine…”}

He doesn’t bother me. Gruff is fine, so long as it’s not all the time. It gets attention. When you have something that needs to be said, and it’s not wrong, it’s good. Gruff is serious. This is serious.
I could never manage it though.

“Erm… a-anyway, I can be a go-between. If you need it, I mean. Is there anything he or the others should know? You can tell me and I’ll speak for you if you don’t want to stand up in front of everybody.”

_{”… Complicated. Very.”}
I might just have an idea that could start explaining. Some. And I wouldn’t have to talk to do it. Give me enough time, and I might even be able to come up with more ideas. But not for now.

_”Later.”

"Alright, different hair, different build, different clothes, no glasses, different eye-color, and I'm pretty sure you're a bit taller, as well, 'Anthony'. So you'll forgive me if I'm a little suspicious. And for your information, I don't know if you've ever been around a gun, but you generally don't point it at anything you don't want dead. Currently, we are not trying to kill the Aztec Gods of PVC Pipe drumming, so, logically, I made it a point to try and make sure they didn't get shot."

Not killing them immediately could be a mistake… but the way they’re acting really is abnormal, and not immediately threatening.

“Really?! I had no idea. Have you maybe considered that many of us have never held a gun before? Or does everyone carry a loaded Glock where you’re from? Actually that’s not even relevant, because I can say with almost complete certainty that none of us have ever held a chaingun at any point in our lives.”

Oh God, now I feel like crap. I really just want to run away from this whole situation. Not that that’s really anything new, I guess. It’s kind of my go-to. Run and hide or stay out of the way and out of sight. Why exactly did those two have to drop us in the middle of a sunny field with no cover at all again?

I think I feel my blood pressure rising, just thinking about it.

"So just, uh, don't point it 'at' anyone, or anything, kay? We're dealing with unknowns, not a random battle."

I nod, and finally let the barrels tilt down to the ground. It was getting heavy, anyway. It only weighs a fraction of what it should, but still…

I try to rationalize it, try to accept the simple reasoning behind his words, but there’s still a tightness in my chest that makes me feel like I’m going to regret it.

“You’re not even listening to me!”

"You're Wage Slave? You spent your superpowers on turning into Cedric, Prince of Fantasia? Though I have to say, I'm impressed by that honesty; I know if I had to push pencils and wasn't even hot I'd jump at getting to be Legolas too."

“OKAY THAT’S IT! What are you idiots talking about! I don’t look any different! What kind of idiot would spend their single chance at having superpowers on a freaking makeover?! Not me! _{Also, who the hell is Cedric Prince of Fantasia?} Never mind — Who are you to call me unattractive? I’m fine! You’re not exactly a supermodel yourself, and what beauty you do have is clearly hiding a personality from a dollar store. You’ve probably never had a relationship that lasted longer than three days!”

Never… never had a… a relationship… at all. I never had a… Nononononononononono! I will not cry! Even if they can’t see it, I will not cry!

“Don’t! _{Don’t… fight. Please. Dangerous…”}

[Mormarth]

Johnny Miller
Country Side – Grassy Plains
Early Morning

Okay, alright, we're doing this now.

"Alright fella, I'm going to need you to apologize to the lady, you having some kind of dis-associative freak-out is no excuse to go throwin her under a bus, okay? You wanna bitch somebody out, I'm all ears, chief. So let's stop changing the subject and flinging shit at people and face the facts."

“Don’t! Don’t… fight. Please. Dangerous…”

I flitted my eyes over towards the menacingly-attired girl, noting the obligingly lowered M61 with a nod, before grimacing a bit.

Don't want temper to get the better of me, so let's try to de-escalate this before somebody gets more than their feelings hurt.

After all, priorities, I'm still keeping the mass of yellow in my 'line of sight' as it were.

So how to put this? Hm. Okay, shift back away from 'gruff, irritated cop' to 'trying to calm down a freak-out'.

This was either the guy after some sort of bizarre-ass wish-fulfillment thing he won't even admit, (what, is it some kind of fetish?) or the dumbest infiltration I've ever seen.

"You freaking out and calling me a liar after I, rightfully, questioned why the heck a guy I don't recognize is claiming to be that sadsack in the suit who drowned. I looked up at you, I saw your face, dark hair, glasses, suit, build like a guy who occasionally goes to the gym after work when he doesn't just want to suppress the urge to fucking die. Don't you come at me calling me a liar. Because you certainly don't look like that guy, and refusing to admit you've changed at all makes you come across like a nut."

Maybe I was projecting with that urge bit. Just a little.

"I mean, shit, if you just turned into somebody different-looking after you signed the paper, fine, okay, whatever. It's a little less crazy than someone pulling out a suit of armor from the 90s and a Vulcan pulled straight off of a Hornet and just carting it around like whatever. Just look in a damned mirror or something, Quixote, I'm sure someone would give you one if you asked politely."

Shit, I've probably got one in one of these pockets, if it survived death that is, or I could get one.

I sighed, rubbing just above my left eyebrow with one hand, "Just, just take a minute and acknowledge the fact that maybe, just maybe, the entire world isn't out to get you after you got stepped on by Baby Beelzebub, we're all dead here, chief. In it together, so pull your head out of the sand and deal with the fact you've got some Fabio going on now."

[Bylackbre]

Wallace Ladon
Country side - grassy plains

The fact that the blue body builders where still approaching had me a bit nervous and the fact others in the group were arguing with each other wasn't helping matters.

First we had a guy, who I can know identify as Anthony, appear with a full suit of armor and spear acting surprised, then Micah created a freaking minigun made of shadows. Now an argument is breaking out and I would rather they be ready to help others fight these things if needed rather than fight each other.

"I know that now seems like the perfect time to argue but we have other things to be concerned about. So can we save this discussion for later?" I ask Johnny, Anthony, Slyvie, and Micah before going back to focusing on the others and the blue man group.

I was wanting to wait until I was certain if the B.M.G. was hostile but decided i would rather be safe than sorry. I concentrated on the energy I had prepared in my left hand and started to give the power shape. Something akin to a tower shield or riot shield made of thick ice big enough to protect myself and others with formed with my left hand holding it. A halberd made of the same thick yet sharp ice appeared in my right hand and I positioned myself and equipment to be ready if B.M.G. got to close to the others.

I looked over the shield and weapon created through my powered and admired them for a second before deciding some modifications were needed. I tightened my grip on the shield and manipulated the shape of the shield so that spikes appeared upon the front so that our greeters might hurt themselves more than just a bruised fist if they punched or kicked the shield. The ice that made up the halberd sunk into itself as it shortened and changed itself into a sword which I figured would work better when surrounded if a fight broke out with the buff smurf rejects.

I did a quick scan to see what others might be doing and how they were before getting ready in case the greeters became hostile. I was thankful that my power wasn't able to give me frostbite as I tightened my grip on my sword and shield in anticipation of the first things we meet in this world becoming enemies to us.

I can see Rinna about to burst out laughing but I wonder how the others are, I thought as I wondered how The girl with a bag over her head, Justin, girl with the killer grip, Monday, the woman who sat on the snack table, that grumpy guy whose name sounded like that of a soccer player from a team an old friend would never shut up about, and Yamashita were doing in the situation we found ourselves in.

[Rafflesiac]

Sylvie Williams
Country Side – Grassy Plains
Early Morning

"Wow, hurtful. Guess Louis Vuitton was wrong when they picked me for that campaign a while back."

Models were a fun bunch: hot, they knew it, and they were happy to show it off. And boy did they. The positions they could hold! Ahh, Milan. Only real issue was the lack of stamina from the starvation and all. And that one fling I had lasted three months, thank you. You were fun, Kara.

"Sylvie. And check yourself out in the mirror that Wallace made to cool things down, Mathers."