- Location
- Louisville, KY
That sounds awful and ruins the spirit of SMT, aka being really fucking hard.
Adapt (SMT/Worm AU)
- Thread starter SkyRig
- Start date
- Crossover
0.3 Occult (Prologue)
SkyRig
Wake the f#ck up, samurai.
- Location
- Someplace in California
- Pronouns
- He
I reached the Boardwalk in under a few minutes, desperate to get away from my house as fast as possible. My chest was hurting and my body was hot. I could barely breathe. Once I managed to catch my breath, I sat down on a nearby bench and rest for a minute. I could barely think.
Why? Why did I say all of that? Why couldn't I stop myself? Fuck, this was the worst. I knew I shouldn't blame him, but damn it, why now?! Why did he have to start acting like a dad now?! Why didn't he act like this when I needed him the most?
No, I couldn't think like that. The blame didn't entirely belong to Dad. In fact, most of it was my fault. I was afraid he wouldn't believe me, so I never told him just how bad Winslow was. I never told him about Emma.
I took a deep breath, curling my knees into my chest. This was such a fucked up week. First the locker incident, and now this.
…then again, I suppose it wasn't all that bad. There was a silver lining, I suppose. As horrible as the locker incident had been, I found out something new about myself. I debated whether I wanted to tell Dad, but after what happened, I was better off not saying anything.
As…disgusting and unusual as controlling bugs is, it's a useful powerful if you're doing recon work, I guess? I mean, I more or less found a way to make my dream come true. I had a chance to become a hero.
More than that, I could prove I was better than them. Than the Trio.
Of course, I knew becoming a hero wasn't going to be easy. I needed training and a good understanding of my powers, which was the first of things to do on my To-Do List. I needed to learn how many bugs I could control and how far my control could go, as well as how many I could command.
Thinking about this made me calm down a little. Slowly, my argument with dad fluttered away from my mind. I started to relax.
To be honest, I had no idea what to do first. Learning the limits of my power came first obviously, last thing I wanted to do was get myself into a fight half-cocked and not know how my powers worked. Other than that, I also needed to work on the physical limits of my body. I was stick-thin with no muscle, and my stamina was crap. I had to build up some muscle, maybe learn some martial arts. I don't think Dad would argue about me getting some self-defense classes, considering the shithole that is Brockton Bay.
I wondered why I developed the powers that I did. I read online that being in a traumatic event could cause someone to Trigger, but they weren't very detailed. I'm sure the PRT knew more about it, but I wasn't comfortable about joining the Wards just yet. I didn't know if they were accepting anyone right now, much less a stranger. How would I be able to contribute?
Plus, there was the possibility the PRT would be suspicious about me. I didn't have any criminal background and my parents were upstanding citizens (to the best of my knowledge) but there was no way to be certain. It also didn't help that we lived in Brockton Bay, which was a cesspit of epic proportions. The PRT was stretched thin enough as it is with gangs pressing them on every corner, but there was also the fact that the PRT was outgunned. They just didn't have enough manpower, and if discussions on the PHO meant anything, there was nothing Director Piggot could do to request aid.
The higher-ups likely considered Brockton Bay to be a lost cause.
I knew that, even if I had a good understanding of my powers and joined the PRT, I wouldn't contribute much. I was just one person. Me joining them wasn't going to change anything, except maybe give them an extra helping hand.
I sighed slightly. How would I even go about joining the PRT in the first place? I sincerely doubt it was as easy as just walking inside, telling the person at the front desk I was a cape and I wanted to join the Wards.
"What? Come on, you're pulling my leg! You expect me to believe a load of bull like that?"
"Hey, I'm being completely serious here! The Demon Summoning App is a real thing!"
I glanced over my shoulder, seeing two guys I recognized as my seniors from Winslow eating near a taco truck.
"There's a URL and everything, though you have to get it from a chat room on the PHO."
"Oh yeah? Which one?"
"The Gaia Initiative, I think it's called? I hear they only allow members to join the chat room, though. It's freaking weird, though, since you get asked a ton of questions straight out of a JRPG or something."
"If it's members only, how do you get in? Who do you talk to if you want membership?"
"A friend of mine told me there are a bunch of steps, but the short of it is, you have to talk to some guy on PHO that goes by the username Lord_Of_Flies. Tell him you're interested in the occult stuff, and he asks you some questions. If you answer his questions right, you get an invite to the chat room, and bam! Instant URL!"
"Whatever, man. I still think you're full of it. I mean, come on! Demons? Probably just some scam."
Their conversation faded as I lost interest. I agreed with my senior in that it sounded ludicrous. I wouldn't be surprised if it was some kind of scam, though I do have to admit, the steps to even get this supposed URL was curious enough to make it seem interesting in checking it out.
A shame I didn't have a phone, though. I could have looked up the PHO easily. Maybe I could swing by the library.
"A lovely day, don't you think?"
A voice called out beside me. I turn my head and stare. Without me noticing, a woman had walked up and sat next to me. Her clothes told me she was probably someone important; a black suit with a mini-skirt, sun-kissed blonde hair spilling down over her shoulders with a figure even Sophia and Emma would kill for and wearing sunglasses. Her face was heart-shaped, skin fair and sporting light pink lips that looked incredibly soft.
She was beautiful, almost inhumanly so. I stared at her for what must have been a minute before I realized she was looking at me with a wry smile. Realizing what I was doing, I looked away and apologized. "S-sorry, I didn't mean to…"
"It's fine. I get plenty looks like that, you are hardly the first. Still, what's a girl like you doing out on the Boardwalk all by yourself? Doesn't seem very safe, especially when you are all alone."
I scoff. "Is anywhere in this city safe?"
"A fair point, but you haven't answered my question."
I frowned a little, wondering whether I should answer before shrugging. It wouldn't hurt to tell her.
"I got into an argument with my Dad about something that happened. I… I said some hurtful things. Things that I kept bottled up in my chest. The sort of stuff I dream of saying in my head, but never want to say out loud. The worst part is, I don't know why I yelled at him. It all just came rushing out of me." I shook my head. "I just… I feel so angry at him, but I know he means well."
The woman hummed. "I see… Sounds like you have a complicated time."
"You have no idea…" I nodded in agreement. "So, what about you? What brought you to Brockton Bay?"
The woman smiled rather strangely. "Oh, a lot of things. Though I admit, one thing in particular drove me here. I'm hoping it will provide me with something wondrous."
"Oh? Like what?"
"I'm not entirely sure just yet. I'm playing the waiting game you see. I want to see where this new potential will go." She paused briefly, tilting her head in thought before continuing, "Although, I must admit, Brockton Bay has made me genuinely curious. It's such a terrible place, with people constantly squabbling for the pettiest of reasons. Even the villains are vying over the littlest of things. All for what, a sense of superiority? To demonstrate their prowess? Meanwhile, the heroes are helpless to fight back, too constrained by their own rules or unwilling to act because of their own thoughts."
I frowned. "What do you mean?"
"Think about it this way. The Azn Bad Boys are comprised of only members of the Asian communities, and to my knowledge, they only have two capes to their name. One boasts immense physical power, but all he has on his mind is to dominate and flaunt his power. He thinks himself a dragon, but what has he done to earn his scales? Has he proven how powerful he truly is by challenging those greater than him, or is he complacent and content with his prowess by wanting to rule over a place holding no importance?
"The Empire Eighty-Eight is no better. A group of fanatics seeking to revive a dead age, yet their unity is as strong as they would have others believe. They hold power, but what good is it when their goal is so short-sighted? They are content with reviving an old order and proving their strength, but in the end, they rely on a central power to keep them in line. They are no hydra. Cut off the head, and they are leaderless. And if the head has no ambition or true goal in mind, how can they hope to grow?
"The Merchants are of little importance. They hold influence, perhaps, but in the end, they are as weak as they are foolish. They have no real goals or desires. They take not out of greed, but out of a selfish desire to prove they are worth something in the eyes of society. That they, downtrodden and cast aside and beaten, are as powerful as any other, unaware of how truly fragile they are.
"The PRT? A group doomed to fail, both because of their own faults and of the machinations of others playing with things they don't understand. They all have good intentions, but how often do they act upon those desires? They call themselves heroes, but they're more like broken toys that will one day be cast aside when they can no longer be of use. Some merely call themselves heroes when they are anything but. They wear a mask, literally and metaphorically, claiming themselves just when they are so much lesser than that."
"I'm…not sure I understand."
The woman chuckled. "I don't expect you to. At least, not right away." She looked down at her watch. "It seems my time is short. I apologize for interrupting your free time, Taylor. Have a pleasant day."
"Oh, um, you too, miss…?"
"Cyphere. Louise Cyphre. Perhaps we will meet again in the near future…"
Louise stood up and left. I watched her leave, somewhat mystified by the swaying of her hips before shaking my head furiously. What the heck was I doing, ogling a woman like that? Especially one older than me?! I mean, sure, she was drop dead gorgeous and leagues more beautiful than Emma, but-
…wait.
How did she know my name?
Why? Why did I say all of that? Why couldn't I stop myself? Fuck, this was the worst. I knew I shouldn't blame him, but damn it, why now?! Why did he have to start acting like a dad now?! Why didn't he act like this when I needed him the most?
No, I couldn't think like that. The blame didn't entirely belong to Dad. In fact, most of it was my fault. I was afraid he wouldn't believe me, so I never told him just how bad Winslow was. I never told him about Emma.
I took a deep breath, curling my knees into my chest. This was such a fucked up week. First the locker incident, and now this.
…then again, I suppose it wasn't all that bad. There was a silver lining, I suppose. As horrible as the locker incident had been, I found out something new about myself. I debated whether I wanted to tell Dad, but after what happened, I was better off not saying anything.
As…disgusting and unusual as controlling bugs is, it's a useful powerful if you're doing recon work, I guess? I mean, I more or less found a way to make my dream come true. I had a chance to become a hero.
More than that, I could prove I was better than them. Than the Trio.
Of course, I knew becoming a hero wasn't going to be easy. I needed training and a good understanding of my powers, which was the first of things to do on my To-Do List. I needed to learn how many bugs I could control and how far my control could go, as well as how many I could command.
Thinking about this made me calm down a little. Slowly, my argument with dad fluttered away from my mind. I started to relax.
To be honest, I had no idea what to do first. Learning the limits of my power came first obviously, last thing I wanted to do was get myself into a fight half-cocked and not know how my powers worked. Other than that, I also needed to work on the physical limits of my body. I was stick-thin with no muscle, and my stamina was crap. I had to build up some muscle, maybe learn some martial arts. I don't think Dad would argue about me getting some self-defense classes, considering the shithole that is Brockton Bay.
I wondered why I developed the powers that I did. I read online that being in a traumatic event could cause someone to Trigger, but they weren't very detailed. I'm sure the PRT knew more about it, but I wasn't comfortable about joining the Wards just yet. I didn't know if they were accepting anyone right now, much less a stranger. How would I be able to contribute?
Plus, there was the possibility the PRT would be suspicious about me. I didn't have any criminal background and my parents were upstanding citizens (to the best of my knowledge) but there was no way to be certain. It also didn't help that we lived in Brockton Bay, which was a cesspit of epic proportions. The PRT was stretched thin enough as it is with gangs pressing them on every corner, but there was also the fact that the PRT was outgunned. They just didn't have enough manpower, and if discussions on the PHO meant anything, there was nothing Director Piggot could do to request aid.
The higher-ups likely considered Brockton Bay to be a lost cause.
I knew that, even if I had a good understanding of my powers and joined the PRT, I wouldn't contribute much. I was just one person. Me joining them wasn't going to change anything, except maybe give them an extra helping hand.
I sighed slightly. How would I even go about joining the PRT in the first place? I sincerely doubt it was as easy as just walking inside, telling the person at the front desk I was a cape and I wanted to join the Wards.
"What? Come on, you're pulling my leg! You expect me to believe a load of bull like that?"
"Hey, I'm being completely serious here! The Demon Summoning App is a real thing!"
I glanced over my shoulder, seeing two guys I recognized as my seniors from Winslow eating near a taco truck.
"There's a URL and everything, though you have to get it from a chat room on the PHO."
"Oh yeah? Which one?"
"The Gaia Initiative, I think it's called? I hear they only allow members to join the chat room, though. It's freaking weird, though, since you get asked a ton of questions straight out of a JRPG or something."
"If it's members only, how do you get in? Who do you talk to if you want membership?"
"A friend of mine told me there are a bunch of steps, but the short of it is, you have to talk to some guy on PHO that goes by the username Lord_Of_Flies. Tell him you're interested in the occult stuff, and he asks you some questions. If you answer his questions right, you get an invite to the chat room, and bam! Instant URL!"
"Whatever, man. I still think you're full of it. I mean, come on! Demons? Probably just some scam."
Their conversation faded as I lost interest. I agreed with my senior in that it sounded ludicrous. I wouldn't be surprised if it was some kind of scam, though I do have to admit, the steps to even get this supposed URL was curious enough to make it seem interesting in checking it out.
A shame I didn't have a phone, though. I could have looked up the PHO easily. Maybe I could swing by the library.
"A lovely day, don't you think?"
A voice called out beside me. I turn my head and stare. Without me noticing, a woman had walked up and sat next to me. Her clothes told me she was probably someone important; a black suit with a mini-skirt, sun-kissed blonde hair spilling down over her shoulders with a figure even Sophia and Emma would kill for and wearing sunglasses. Her face was heart-shaped, skin fair and sporting light pink lips that looked incredibly soft.
She was beautiful, almost inhumanly so. I stared at her for what must have been a minute before I realized she was looking at me with a wry smile. Realizing what I was doing, I looked away and apologized. "S-sorry, I didn't mean to…"
"It's fine. I get plenty looks like that, you are hardly the first. Still, what's a girl like you doing out on the Boardwalk all by yourself? Doesn't seem very safe, especially when you are all alone."
I scoff. "Is anywhere in this city safe?"
"A fair point, but you haven't answered my question."
I frowned a little, wondering whether I should answer before shrugging. It wouldn't hurt to tell her.
"I got into an argument with my Dad about something that happened. I… I said some hurtful things. Things that I kept bottled up in my chest. The sort of stuff I dream of saying in my head, but never want to say out loud. The worst part is, I don't know why I yelled at him. It all just came rushing out of me." I shook my head. "I just… I feel so angry at him, but I know he means well."
The woman hummed. "I see… Sounds like you have a complicated time."
"You have no idea…" I nodded in agreement. "So, what about you? What brought you to Brockton Bay?"
The woman smiled rather strangely. "Oh, a lot of things. Though I admit, one thing in particular drove me here. I'm hoping it will provide me with something wondrous."
"Oh? Like what?"
"I'm not entirely sure just yet. I'm playing the waiting game you see. I want to see where this new potential will go." She paused briefly, tilting her head in thought before continuing, "Although, I must admit, Brockton Bay has made me genuinely curious. It's such a terrible place, with people constantly squabbling for the pettiest of reasons. Even the villains are vying over the littlest of things. All for what, a sense of superiority? To demonstrate their prowess? Meanwhile, the heroes are helpless to fight back, too constrained by their own rules or unwilling to act because of their own thoughts."
I frowned. "What do you mean?"
"Think about it this way. The Azn Bad Boys are comprised of only members of the Asian communities, and to my knowledge, they only have two capes to their name. One boasts immense physical power, but all he has on his mind is to dominate and flaunt his power. He thinks himself a dragon, but what has he done to earn his scales? Has he proven how powerful he truly is by challenging those greater than him, or is he complacent and content with his prowess by wanting to rule over a place holding no importance?
"The Empire Eighty-Eight is no better. A group of fanatics seeking to revive a dead age, yet their unity is as strong as they would have others believe. They hold power, but what good is it when their goal is so short-sighted? They are content with reviving an old order and proving their strength, but in the end, they rely on a central power to keep them in line. They are no hydra. Cut off the head, and they are leaderless. And if the head has no ambition or true goal in mind, how can they hope to grow?
"The Merchants are of little importance. They hold influence, perhaps, but in the end, they are as weak as they are foolish. They have no real goals or desires. They take not out of greed, but out of a selfish desire to prove they are worth something in the eyes of society. That they, downtrodden and cast aside and beaten, are as powerful as any other, unaware of how truly fragile they are.
"The PRT? A group doomed to fail, both because of their own faults and of the machinations of others playing with things they don't understand. They all have good intentions, but how often do they act upon those desires? They call themselves heroes, but they're more like broken toys that will one day be cast aside when they can no longer be of use. Some merely call themselves heroes when they are anything but. They wear a mask, literally and metaphorically, claiming themselves just when they are so much lesser than that."
"I'm…not sure I understand."
The woman chuckled. "I don't expect you to. At least, not right away." She looked down at her watch. "It seems my time is short. I apologize for interrupting your free time, Taylor. Have a pleasant day."
"Oh, um, you too, miss…?"
"Cyphere. Louise Cyphre. Perhaps we will meet again in the near future…"
Louise stood up and left. I watched her leave, somewhat mystified by the swaying of her hips before shaking my head furiously. What the heck was I doing, ogling a woman like that? Especially one older than me?! I mean, sure, she was drop dead gorgeous and leagues more beautiful than Emma, but-
…wait.
How did she know my name?
Last edited:
SkyRig
Wake the f#ck up, samurai.
- Location
- Someplace in California
- Pronouns
- He
Doesn't bother me all that much, since I am more invested in the story than anything else. Besides, the DLC is optional. If you want to play it the old fashion way, don't buy the DLC. No one is forcing you to do anything.
Just tossed Louis Cypher, and that description matches their SMT Imagine appearance, according to the SMT Wiki. I wouldn't just TOO quickly to marking Louise as being Lucifer or Satan in Human form, given that there are several SMT games where that name is used for a significant Chaos Character.
- Location
- Louisville, KY
Louis Cypher is always Lucifer in SMT. Always. Even if it doesn't seem like it, it is.
TheStranger
Of course you realize, this means war.
- Location
- Take a Guess!
- Pronouns
- Who
Cool, so she does have her bug powers still. Though now I'm curious, did she Double Trigger in the locker or did she only trigger once?
It might be easier than you think, Taylor, seeing as how they need all the help they can get these days.
...ah, fuck me sideways.
Oh, so the Cult of Gaia is asking whether or not you're neutral, chaos or law aligned?
"Lord of Flies"?
...great, now I can't stop thinking about how Beelzebub might be interested in seeing if Taylor's bug control could extent to him or any other kind of demonic insect.
Taylor's a little too trusting tbh. If some stranger just walked up to me and started talking, I'd be wary of them until I knew for sure they weren't dangerous. Double so since this is, well, Brockton Bay.
- Location
- Sea of Quanta
Canonically (according to NM) Taylor had a double trigger in the locker. Her first gave her same level of control over insects that Aiden had. Second one gave her super-precise control and neigh infinite multitasking. Funnily enough, while second triggers are rare - double triggers are much easier to come by.
I half expect her to get that realisation when she says "Louis Cypher" quickly a couple of times.
Tisaku
Head Chief Thinkomancer
has he
SkyRig
Wake the f#ck up, samurai.
- Location
- Someplace in California
- Pronouns
- He
Better get her some Master/Stranger screenings, stat. XD
She triggered once in the locker. Her second trigger is coming up soon, i.e. the end of the arc, and while it does give her the same level of control she has in canon where she Double Triggered, she'll get something extra.
MysteriousTGexp
Ever changing being, genderbending fan.
- Location
- Quebec
Yep Lucifer, Louisa Ferre, Louis Cyphre, any mysterious blond haired character, a brown haired woman called Hikaru. It's like every game Lucifer is like: Hmmmm... What should I look like this time?
SkyRig
Wake the f#ck up, samurai.
- Location
- Someplace in California
- Pronouns
- He
There was a character to took the identity of Louis Cypher in an SMT game, but it was literally for a single scene and got killed off fairly quickly.
So good OLD Lou is here and with Fly Man Earth Bet is Triple Fuck and Cursed; Scion, Chaos, and Law I believe Taylor should go Neutral she seemed like someone who'd do bad things for the right reasons and would fight every side to save mankind.
The man's title is something like the Prince of Lies I'd believe that was either a body double or an avatar not the real thing.
0.4 Occult (Prologue)
SkyRig
Wake the f#ck up, samurai.
- Location
- Someplace in California
- Pronouns
- He
The call arrived minutes after Armsmaster went out on his daily patrol. The notification pinged on his HUD as he traversed the streets, changing course from the Boardwalk to the location marked on his map.
The ride to the location in question was not very long and made it in under ten minutes. He would have gotten here faster had he driven recklessly like a kid riding a motorcycle for the first time. The area was already closed off by yellow and red tape. Cars belonging to both the Brockton Bay Police Department and the Parahuman Response Team were littered about, parked along the sidewalks and in the middle of the street. As he expected, there was a fairly decent sized crowd of onlookers, curious and already posting about what was happening on PHO. As soon as they saw him, they became excited. Some even tried to rush out past the tape and greet him.
Armsmaster ignored them entirely and continued on his way. A PRT officer stayed behind to look after his bike and ensure no one touched it while also directing him to the man in charge.
Officer Michael Gibson was one of the few people on the department that had an amicable relationship with the PRT, unlike many of his colleagues who viewed the organization with hostility and/or distrust. It was understandable that the department did not have a good relationship with the PRT, not when the criminal element was steadily growing worse and worse. Many felt frustrated by the lack of progress and the bodies that were slowly, but surely, starting to stack up. In truth, Armsmaster shared in their feelings of frustration. He had been stationed in Brockton Bay for some time now, and yet he made no progress in dealing with the rampant gangs and capes running amok in the city.
Back to Gibson, Armsmaster first met him a year after he arrived in the Bay. The man was newly instated and ran into a situation gung-ho, nearly getting himself killed in the process. He received a harsh reprimand from his superiors about his recklessness, especially when a cape had been on the scene. Armsmaster would have felt the same as Gibson's superior had the latter not revealed he managed to uncover some vital information about the operations of a minor gang that was looking to make it big. Gibson passed the information to him, aiding in the successful capture of what may have been an up and coming gang if left unchecked.
It was the first a few other, more minor meetings, but Armsmaster found himself appreciating Gibson for his dedication and service.
The officer was standing at the mouth of the alley, back facing the crime scene and speaking with Miss Militia. His colleague noticed him approaching and nodded in greeting. "Good, you're finally here. I hope you haven't had lunch today, Armsmaster."
The Tinker raised a brow at Miss Militia's words before shrugging and turning his attention to Gibson. "What do we have?"
Gibson grimaced. "We're still going over the crime scene as we speak, but so far, we have at least three or four bodies. At first we thought it was another skirmish between the gangs, or maybe some idiots went and pissed off the wrong cape."
"But?"
"But, the victims belong to different gangs," Miss Militia answered in Gibson's stead. "Two belong to the Empire, and one is from the ABB. There are probably more back in there, but those are the ones we managed to identify."
Armsmaster frowned slightly. What could be giving them so much trouble identifying the bodies? Curious, he stepped into the alley.
The alley was not very spacious and led into a dead end straight ahead, but in this time of day, the shadows cast by the nearby buildings could hide the bodies easily depending on how far away the person was from the crime scene. A few trash cans and dumpsters were damaged, showing obvious signs of a struggle. Signs pointed to a cape, if the claw marks and massive dents in the dumpsters were any indication. The trash spilled out onto the ground, the smell indicating it was a few days old at most.
Reaching the end of the alley, Armsmaster found himself stopping dead in his tracks. He stared at the crime scene, and for the first time, he found his stomach lurching uncomfortably.
"Jesus…"
Red splatters painted the walls of the alley like coats of paint. Limbs and remains of flesh were strewn about across the ground, some left in a trail that led up to a pile of eviscerated bodies. The lucky ones had chunks missing from their bodies. The rest looked as though they had been torn to pieces, their stomachs removed entirely and their intestines spilling out for all to see. One victim sticking out from the pile was missing half a head, possessing only a jaw and tongue. Anything above the jaw was gone.
Armsmaster had met his fair share of villains, some more depraved than others. But this?
"What kind of sick bastard does this?" he muttered to himself. He heard Miss Militia approach behind him. "Do we have any leads on who…or what…did this?"
The woman sighed. "No, we don't. I'm half-tempted to say Hookwolf, but between the state of the bodies and the fact that there are Empire gang members in there…"
"I doubt it was the ABB or the Merchants. Lung is a possibility, but there is a lack of burn marks in the area. That, and whatever did this was vicious-" Not to mention depraved. Now that he looked closely, some of these bodies looked as if they'd been eaten… "-and wild. I don't believe anyone in the Merchants is capable of doing this, either."
"Could it have been one of Faultline's?" Miss Militia suggested.
Armsmaster mulled the possibility in his head. The other villainous capes not affiliated with the gangs were often overlooked, so it was possible that one of them could be responsible. The other possibility was a new cape, but he heard nothing about any potentials arriving in the city or someone having undergone a Trigger event. Though now that he thought about it, he did overhear some of the agents talking about the possibility that a school girl suffering a bullying campaign having undergone a Trigger event. He may have to look into that angle when he had the time.
He looked about the alley, hoping to find a clue of some sort that might lead him to the identity of the responsible party. To his satisfaction, there was a camera installed on the upper left side of the alley wall. It was slightly damaged, but the state of the camera was of no importance to him. It was the chip inside the camera that made him worry.
He quickly dismantled the camera from the wall and began to remove the hardware. Eventually, he found his prize.
"A wireless security camera?" Miss Militia commented. "I'm surprised a shoddy workshop like this one could afford one."
"The manufacturer is Tayama Industries," Armsmaster informed her. "Aside from the obvious logo on the bottom of the camera, the parts are cheaply-made." Really, was it so hard to make decent hardware even if you had to cut a few corners? Personal feelings aside, Armsmaster slid the chip into the USB port on his helmet. "Hopefully this will provide us with a few clues."
After a few seconds of processing, the video feed captured by the security camera began to play. It was of some poor quality, a little grainy and occasionally glitching, but it had a good view of what looked to be the crime scene. It showed an Asian kid, not affiliated with the ABB as Armsmaster found no gang colors on his person, being harassed by some Empire goons, no doubt extorting him for money and whatnot. They were roughing the poor boy up quite a lot before the ABB came into the picture. Knives and bats were drawn and escalated into a full-out fight in the alley.
So far, it seemed like an ordinary crime.
At the 1 minute and 14 seconds marks, however, things took a turn for the worst.
The Asian kid's face scrunched into an emotion akin to frustration, fear and anger. He took out his phone. At first, Armsmaster thought he was making a phone call, but his thoughts were disproven when he saw a red-and-black miasma leak from the handheld communications device, followed by what looked to be a bestial Case-53 emerging from the miasma.
That was when the screaming started.
"Armsmaster?" So engrossed in the video was Armsmaster that he momentarily forgotten that Miss Militia was also here. "Did you find something?"
Armsmaster shut off the feed and looked at his colleague. "Call the Director. She's going to want to know about this." Rather than ask questions, Miss Militia nodded and walked away, already on the phone and dialing up Director Piggot. Armsmaster tapped the side of his helmet and contacted whoever was at the console. "Console, this is Armsmaster. I need you to run a search."
"You're going to want to put that on hold, Armsmaster," Clockblocker reported nervously. "We, uh, we've got a problem."
The Tinker frowned heavily. "What kind of problem?"
"Um, yeah, we-we can't find Shadow Stalker. Last time we checked in, she was supposed to be on patrol with Kid Win and Vista, but…"
Armsmaster swore under his breath.
This day can't possibly get any worse.
The ride to the location in question was not very long and made it in under ten minutes. He would have gotten here faster had he driven recklessly like a kid riding a motorcycle for the first time. The area was already closed off by yellow and red tape. Cars belonging to both the Brockton Bay Police Department and the Parahuman Response Team were littered about, parked along the sidewalks and in the middle of the street. As he expected, there was a fairly decent sized crowd of onlookers, curious and already posting about what was happening on PHO. As soon as they saw him, they became excited. Some even tried to rush out past the tape and greet him.
Armsmaster ignored them entirely and continued on his way. A PRT officer stayed behind to look after his bike and ensure no one touched it while also directing him to the man in charge.
Officer Michael Gibson was one of the few people on the department that had an amicable relationship with the PRT, unlike many of his colleagues who viewed the organization with hostility and/or distrust. It was understandable that the department did not have a good relationship with the PRT, not when the criminal element was steadily growing worse and worse. Many felt frustrated by the lack of progress and the bodies that were slowly, but surely, starting to stack up. In truth, Armsmaster shared in their feelings of frustration. He had been stationed in Brockton Bay for some time now, and yet he made no progress in dealing with the rampant gangs and capes running amok in the city.
Back to Gibson, Armsmaster first met him a year after he arrived in the Bay. The man was newly instated and ran into a situation gung-ho, nearly getting himself killed in the process. He received a harsh reprimand from his superiors about his recklessness, especially when a cape had been on the scene. Armsmaster would have felt the same as Gibson's superior had the latter not revealed he managed to uncover some vital information about the operations of a minor gang that was looking to make it big. Gibson passed the information to him, aiding in the successful capture of what may have been an up and coming gang if left unchecked.
It was the first a few other, more minor meetings, but Armsmaster found himself appreciating Gibson for his dedication and service.
The officer was standing at the mouth of the alley, back facing the crime scene and speaking with Miss Militia. His colleague noticed him approaching and nodded in greeting. "Good, you're finally here. I hope you haven't had lunch today, Armsmaster."
The Tinker raised a brow at Miss Militia's words before shrugging and turning his attention to Gibson. "What do we have?"
Gibson grimaced. "We're still going over the crime scene as we speak, but so far, we have at least three or four bodies. At first we thought it was another skirmish between the gangs, or maybe some idiots went and pissed off the wrong cape."
"But?"
"But, the victims belong to different gangs," Miss Militia answered in Gibson's stead. "Two belong to the Empire, and one is from the ABB. There are probably more back in there, but those are the ones we managed to identify."
Armsmaster frowned slightly. What could be giving them so much trouble identifying the bodies? Curious, he stepped into the alley.
The alley was not very spacious and led into a dead end straight ahead, but in this time of day, the shadows cast by the nearby buildings could hide the bodies easily depending on how far away the person was from the crime scene. A few trash cans and dumpsters were damaged, showing obvious signs of a struggle. Signs pointed to a cape, if the claw marks and massive dents in the dumpsters were any indication. The trash spilled out onto the ground, the smell indicating it was a few days old at most.
Reaching the end of the alley, Armsmaster found himself stopping dead in his tracks. He stared at the crime scene, and for the first time, he found his stomach lurching uncomfortably.
"Jesus…"
Red splatters painted the walls of the alley like coats of paint. Limbs and remains of flesh were strewn about across the ground, some left in a trail that led up to a pile of eviscerated bodies. The lucky ones had chunks missing from their bodies. The rest looked as though they had been torn to pieces, their stomachs removed entirely and their intestines spilling out for all to see. One victim sticking out from the pile was missing half a head, possessing only a jaw and tongue. Anything above the jaw was gone.
Armsmaster had met his fair share of villains, some more depraved than others. But this?
"What kind of sick bastard does this?" he muttered to himself. He heard Miss Militia approach behind him. "Do we have any leads on who…or what…did this?"
The woman sighed. "No, we don't. I'm half-tempted to say Hookwolf, but between the state of the bodies and the fact that there are Empire gang members in there…"
"I doubt it was the ABB or the Merchants. Lung is a possibility, but there is a lack of burn marks in the area. That, and whatever did this was vicious-" Not to mention depraved. Now that he looked closely, some of these bodies looked as if they'd been eaten… "-and wild. I don't believe anyone in the Merchants is capable of doing this, either."
"Could it have been one of Faultline's?" Miss Militia suggested.
Armsmaster mulled the possibility in his head. The other villainous capes not affiliated with the gangs were often overlooked, so it was possible that one of them could be responsible. The other possibility was a new cape, but he heard nothing about any potentials arriving in the city or someone having undergone a Trigger event. Though now that he thought about it, he did overhear some of the agents talking about the possibility that a school girl suffering a bullying campaign having undergone a Trigger event. He may have to look into that angle when he had the time.
He looked about the alley, hoping to find a clue of some sort that might lead him to the identity of the responsible party. To his satisfaction, there was a camera installed on the upper left side of the alley wall. It was slightly damaged, but the state of the camera was of no importance to him. It was the chip inside the camera that made him worry.
He quickly dismantled the camera from the wall and began to remove the hardware. Eventually, he found his prize.
"A wireless security camera?" Miss Militia commented. "I'm surprised a shoddy workshop like this one could afford one."
"The manufacturer is Tayama Industries," Armsmaster informed her. "Aside from the obvious logo on the bottom of the camera, the parts are cheaply-made." Really, was it so hard to make decent hardware even if you had to cut a few corners? Personal feelings aside, Armsmaster slid the chip into the USB port on his helmet. "Hopefully this will provide us with a few clues."
After a few seconds of processing, the video feed captured by the security camera began to play. It was of some poor quality, a little grainy and occasionally glitching, but it had a good view of what looked to be the crime scene. It showed an Asian kid, not affiliated with the ABB as Armsmaster found no gang colors on his person, being harassed by some Empire goons, no doubt extorting him for money and whatnot. They were roughing the poor boy up quite a lot before the ABB came into the picture. Knives and bats were drawn and escalated into a full-out fight in the alley.
So far, it seemed like an ordinary crime.
At the 1 minute and 14 seconds marks, however, things took a turn for the worst.
The Asian kid's face scrunched into an emotion akin to frustration, fear and anger. He took out his phone. At first, Armsmaster thought he was making a phone call, but his thoughts were disproven when he saw a red-and-black miasma leak from the handheld communications device, followed by what looked to be a bestial Case-53 emerging from the miasma.
That was when the screaming started.
"Armsmaster?" So engrossed in the video was Armsmaster that he momentarily forgotten that Miss Militia was also here. "Did you find something?"
Armsmaster shut off the feed and looked at his colleague. "Call the Director. She's going to want to know about this." Rather than ask questions, Miss Militia nodded and walked away, already on the phone and dialing up Director Piggot. Armsmaster tapped the side of his helmet and contacted whoever was at the console. "Console, this is Armsmaster. I need you to run a search."
"You're going to want to put that on hold, Armsmaster," Clockblocker reported nervously. "We, uh, we've got a problem."
The Tinker frowned heavily. "What kind of problem?"
"Um, yeah, we-we can't find Shadow Stalker. Last time we checked in, she was supposed to be on patrol with Kid Win and Vista, but…"
Armsmaster swore under his breath.
This day can't possibly get any worse.
Last edited:
SkyRig
Wake the f#ck up, samurai.
- Location
- Someplace in California
- Pronouns
- He
Oh no, there won't be any Vortex shenanigans.
That shit already happened and ended when Demi-fiend went postal with Lucifer. You think the line "The God you worship is dead?" wasn't for hammy purposes?
Lots of stuff I don't really understand at the moment. In part because I've yet to beat SMT3, and in part because the story has only really just begun. Still plenty of time for exposition.
Still, I can't help but wonder if we'll have to deal with any firmament akin to what's in 4...
SkyRig
Wake the f#ck up, samurai.
- Location
- Someplace in California
- Pronouns
- He
I guess I should clarify.
Adapt's "apocalypse" event is entirely original and is not based off any sort of event from past SMT games. As for when said event will happen, not anytime soon.
- Location
- Louisville, KY
Ugh, I hate the True Demon ending of 3. It's such a downer. I much prefer the Neutral Ending.
SkyRig
Wake the f#ck up, samurai.
- Location
- Someplace in California
- Pronouns
- He
That is an understatement of epic proportions.
And this shit is just the tamest SMT will be throwing out. Fun fact: I don't remember which game it was, but there was a scene in a MegaTen game where you see a poor woman get eaten alive, and in graphic detail. Unfortunately it was not in English, so I had no idea what the hell was happening. If I could post the link of the video I would, but I can't seem to find it. Personally speaking, when I saw the vid, I swore I saw a woman getting raped by demons while being eaten by them. It might have happened, but I am not sure.
Early MegaTen games were dark as shit. Still are, just in another way.
I honestly prefer the TDE and Neutral Endings, though I lean more towards the TDE if only because it's the only way to stop the whole "death and rebirth of worlds" in Vortex World format. Bittersweet, yeah, but worth it in the long run.
EDIT: I just realized something. I might not be able to show off Mara.
For those curious as to WHY that is...look no further.
You've been warned.
- Location
- Sea of Quanta
JP games and novels are dark like... 80% of the time. Some just portray it differently. Hell, Alaya's apperance in MTnY is terrifying, despite it just being a silhouette and a few lines. MegaTen is just a bit more... showy ?
deadcrystal
Slaaneshi Cultist
- Location
- The Warp
Yeah, that's why I'm behind TDE, the demiurge has to be cast down for there to be any chance of a free world in the future, whatever form that world might take.
The funny thing about Nocturne is that the three Reason endings seem to correspond to classic SMT Law/Neutral/Chaos, but really the trick is that all three of them are actually Law endings.
Even with the Yosuga ending as much as it is superficially a Chaos ending, it changes nothing. The Conception will recur as is the design of the Great Will.
You could do SMT3's way of Mara botched summoning and slime form.
All the SMT games are dark; SMT1 the city goes to shit and the world is coming to an end; 2 you find the PC of 1's dead body and you might fight God; SMT3 the world ends in the first 15 minutes and TDE and Freedom are the only 2 good endings; SMT4 the world is already ended all that is left is to pick up what is left; SMT4A Side story to 4 and you get to finally kill god for once again fucking with mankind.