So instead of bloating up the Worm and NGE idea threads or the unlisted fiction subforum, with...
Neepa's idea hospice. Where ideas are laid to rest weekly.
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Neepa
Always pondering story possibilities
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So instead of bloating up the Worm and NGE idea threads or the unlisted fiction subforum, with fics that may never develop further than a couple of paragraphs, I'm going to bloat up this single thread with them.
I can simply not focus long enough on a singular thing and keep up with it. I basically have too many interests besides writing for that. So a change of strategy is in order. Maybe I will even get some routine down as I now will alternate between my handfull of stories I would like to bring to an end. Changing between them fluently hopefully makes me overcome the bare grind of working solely on one fic at a time.
To keep things interesting for myself so to speak. Sadly I get bored by my own ideas easily when I work too much on them at a time.
Now onto fitting everything I have worked on in this post:
NGE/Rebuild:
Gods, Angels and Moons.....Status: Deceased
An epic continuation beyond NGE and my very first brainchild in the fanfiction hobby. Quality is gutter tier though. Actually wrote 50k words. Only to stop as I realized how bad it is. I dreamt of a million words in four parts. From a WorldWar of NERVJapan and allies against the UN and Seele. The power of a God unleashed at TI with the character never accepting it even though he became one. Haunting them until the end of the universe and some years beyond. Immortality is a curse in the end.
Rebuild of Evangelion: You can(not) be divided.....Status: Well, I still feel a pulse
Point of divergence fic after the almost Third Impact in 2.0. Planned to cover all the years 3.0 skipped too.
Rebuild of Evangelion: You can(not) alter it all.....Status: In a stasis unit. Will probably unfreeze it in the future.
Similar to You can(not) be divided. P.o.d at the beginning of 1.0. Time shenanigans included. Sad backstory in the plot.
Worm:
Endbringers Humanized: Path to Redemption.....Status: Vegetative coma. Twitching once in a while.
First real Worm fic idea. 'Taylor becomes Simurgh-lite' cranked up to eleven. Greg and Sparky also inherit Leviathan's and Behemoth's Shards. Decidedly not crack. But all in all quite hilarious. Shouldn't follow standard worm fic escalation.
She shuffled around in her sleep. Memories of a "life" not lived plaguing her mind. Insanity, death, destruction and untold lifes lost.
Feigned benevolence leading people into a false safety. Only to mind rape them into killing each other. Then near nothing. Listening into reality itself to plan and alter the possible futures. Only to enable more.
For what? All for the Task.
The memories became more and more real. Drowning her in their brutality and finality; pushing in on her very sense of self. Seeking to make her do the same.
She awoke with a scream she immdiately muffled with ther own pale wrist pressed against her mouth. Sweat making her pyjama cling to her back and legs. Possible futures opening wide before her inner eye.
Some peaceful with others ending in just utter chaos.
All the difference between them small and invisble decisions. Alone insignificant but in concert with dozens more the switch needed to derail the future down another path.
She clutched her head with ther hands and laid back down. Trying to ignore all the futures and their myriad of events. Trying to seal of her mind from them and the headaches they brought.
She could feel the other two through their telepatic link with similar yet different problems. The first constantly plagued by a feeling of heat and energy to be used. The second a stark contrast to that. Eery calmness coupled with endless silence contrasting his own easily stirred and enthusiastic personality.
She let herself focus a bit longer on the tether to the other two. Her raging power subsuming as it hit the blindspots they represented. However she could not focus on them forever or the tether would widen and her problems would bleed through leading to the other two also waking up.
And sleep was hard to come by for them now. And the last the world needed now was all three of them being on edge. For the thought she promptly received glimpses of futures displaying just that.
She turned in her bed trying to find back to a relative calm kind of sleep. It didn't work however.
The blanket flew away and landed to her feet through a telekinetic gust and reluctantly she stood up. The drawer flying open with an audible bang and for a moment she froze trying to hear if her father awoke from that.
The house stayed thankfully silent and a white XXXL t-shirt flew out of the drawer. Her own pyjama, wet from sweat, removed by a simple thought. The t-shirt falling over her pale, no longer completely androgynous, body instead. Platinum blonde hair falling over her back and shoulders.
Walking over to the window she took a look outside. It had to be around 1 a.m. she guessed. Her (new!)alarm clock hadn't survived yesterday morning just like its old predecessor. Both squashed into a thin pane by the force of a hydraulic press. The neighbourhood was completely asleep. Their inhabitants enjoying a good nights rest. Their minds calm and at peace mostly.
The wooden windowsill groaned slightly as her fingers dug into it. 'No!' she had to keep in control. No mindrape on the people of Brockton Bay. Not now and never!
Her grey irises finding their way skywards. Towards the pityfull amount of stars the city let her see.
'Fuck it! No sense in finding sleep now.' The window opened with a slight groan and she stepped outside into nothingness. Her feet seemingly finding purchase on thin air. She closed the window behind her and flew higher.
The way too large t-shirt ripped in eight slits on her back and four sets of feathery wings parted from her back skin along her spine and pushed through the slits. Unfolding and spreading.
Two kilometers above the city she broke through the sound barrier and half a minute later she was at hypersonic speeds.
For a while she just soared through the air. Letting herself being pulled along by the various jetstreams racing around the globe. Speeding up and slowing down at her leisure. The Atlantic a black ocean beneath her. Up here the stars shone much brighter and in greater number. Their light not canceled by civilisation.
After a couple of minutes she faced the planet again. Going higher Europe stretched more and more under her. The cities glowing like stars of their own up into the night star. Furtehr to the east stretched the morning along the longitudes. A new day now far away.
A particular spot of light caught her eye. A spot of light with a dark center. Curious she went lower. A city came into view. What stood out was the walled of center. From the air it looked like a squashed anthill.
Curyosity got the better of her and she went lower and lower until she was at the height of the tallest roofs.
She was greeted by a battlefield. What might have been once a city center laid broken and destroyed under her. Buildings burned out shells, and in some places even melted, reaching into the sky. What stood out was the ruin of a large black something on top of a plateau besides the river flowing through the city.
Only some walls and strange pillars stood around the outsides. Two huge piles of debris at what might have been the front with an arch without any door (or gate?).
She hovered over to it and set her palm against the cold stone. Pictures and events of more than a century rushed into her mind. She stood in front of the remains of a grand cathedral. A church of gigantic proportions with a tall duo of towers. Numerous outer elements and decorated richly with ornaments and figures covering the outer walls. Huge coloured glass windows letting light into the staggering high inner halls.
Once this was a place of devotion and prayer. A testamnet of its constructors vision and ambition.
History fluttered through her mind like the reels of a film. Why was this place a complete ruin now? Why was the whole inner city a battlefield?
The show of pictures ran towards the end of the century. And she got her answer. A battle had been fought here. People in bright costumes fighting against a huge black spiky creature.
Her blood ran cold as she saw the signle red glowing eye. 'Behemoth!'
This is or was Cologne. The Endbringer had torn it's way across the river into the city. Simply stepping through the river and central train station. Beams of energy and thunder shooting off him turning everything they hit into slag.
He had simply swatted away one of the cathedral's towers. A energy beam let the rest implode onto itself. Capes swarming around him. Trying to damage him where they could with next to no visible effect.
Without even really noticing their attacks he simply rampaged on through the city. Leaving a trail of death and destruction in it's wake. The area left uninhabitable for humans.
Her bare feet hit the ground as she was momentarily overwhelmed by the images her postcognition had shown her. Nails digging through stone her mind raced back and forth.
People had died herre. Capes and and inhabitants aside as Behemoth tore it's path through. And now she was here. Provided....no inheritor of one of the Endbringers.
It felt utterly wrong to simply leave this place as if she had never been here. She felt strangely responsible. She gained altitude and began to look around. Her wings spreading far and wide.
The open space around the cathedral and the ruins shuddered as she spread her telekinesis over it. Nothing would move without her say-so inside now. Opening up to her pre-and postcognition she set to work.
Piles of debris began to slowly float. Pieces being sorted out and reassembled with telekinetic might back into bricks, parts of walls and roofs. The surrounding buildings around the plaza reassembling back to what they once were.
A large bronze sign reading "4711" reattaching itself back onto a building side. The cracked tiles of the plaza becoming smooth again with the craters being filled back. The cracks sealing as the were welded together at a molecular level.
A large collumn reassembling on the plaza. Piece after piece the place looked more and more as it had back in 1996. The damage vanishing completely.
The cathedral was next.
She reached deep underground towards the gaint foundations that made the cathedral nearly impervious to the earthquakes of the region. One moment they were cracked and shattered and in the next as trong as if freshly constructed. Dust flew as the giant piles making up the cathedral rose into the air. Large sandstone blocks floated back into their old resting place. Smaller pieces finding back together. The inner walls rose towards the sky once more. The side chapels growing with them. In the wake of the bare walls followed the decorations closely behind them. Numerous Outer columns following. Taking once more to stabilising the walls against the destructive winds and elements.
The partially molten remains of the iron girders of the huge roof structures straightened back out and were reclad in copper panels. Rivets redone to connect them back together forming a montrous skeleton floating up above the main hall. The two tall bell towers were reraised with their intricate ornaments and secondary spires following in their wake.
Gaping holes in the walls closed as the ginormous colour glass windows once more depicted biblical figures and scenes. The first light of the dawning morning plunging the inner walls in a plethora of colours.
The bells came out under the debris and once more shined freshly polished after just a single thought. The biggest of them in one moment two cracked halves and in the next a 24 ton instrument capable to create an breathtaking hummning sound.
A mental shake later pestle hit bell and the sound could be heard again since 15 years for miles. The bells were reintegrated and the towers reached up to more than 150 meters once more.
The nearby Cologne Central station a broken and bendt labyrinth of steel beams slowly took more to a train station again. The beams, just as the cathedral's roof structure, remade into proper shape and rerisen over repaired platforms ready to service trains. From the central station outwards crept repaired track after track.
Once at the river the Hohenzollernbridge slowly rose out of the Rhine river. The metal arches straightening back out as the foundations were put back together under them. Flanked by the four bronze statues of Kings of Old it gleamed in the morning sun.
The two guards at one of the wall checkpoints stared innutter beffudlement as the bridge magically was repaired and the tracks once more connected towards their side of the river. They had heard the single chime of the bell earlier only to discover that the cathedral was putting itself back together.
The older of the two, once a citizen of the city had to wipe away tears. For over ten years he had to endure the sight of the destroyed cathedral.
She also had taken care of all the poisoning due to Behemoth's energy blasts. She wouldn't rebuilt the rest now but it could be resettled from now on.
Her precognition warned her that capes would arrive in the next minute so she should better get the hell out of here.
But she thought something still was missing. A message of sorts. Hurriedly she thought of something and began engraving.
He almost had stopped for a second midair as soon as he saw the rebuilt cathedral. He had thought the reported event was something of a joke or hallucination by the guards at the wall, but no, it was thre right in front of him.
He zipped over the Rhine taking a quick look at the restored bridge and statues. The central station up next and then the cathedral.
He rounded the corner towards the front and was blinded by a second sun. "Grenadier" had to squint hard and raised his rifle at the unknown light source. The bright light weakened a bit and he could make out more than just a "yellow orb as bright as the sun.".
What he saw made him immediatly float back at least 100 meters. 'Simurgh!.....Or not?' The first thought upon seing the outline of the Angel like thing floating there had been the Simurgh. But it wasn't as far as he could see.
'Am I already being mastered?' was his immediate second thought. Although if that was the Simurgh he would already be dead. It was also to small. He could see the wings (too ordered on the creature) and what he could see of the frame at this distance was more akin to a teenager. He could make out no face as the bright light disguised it.
Later on he would kick himself that he hadn't reacted as the 'thing', angel whatever pointed towards the plaza in front of the cathedral. It could have been an attack with him dying right then and there.
The engraved message on the plaza was just the tip of the iceberg on this particular fucked morning.
It read:
Danny sat in his office. It was an office out of another time entirely. Dating back to a time when robust massive wood furniture and paneling (only wood imitation sadly) were all the rage. Wouldn't it be for the decades of wear on the surfaces and edges his desk could have been in the office of a CEO in the last century. The same you could apply to the moss green landline telephone with large black number buttons.
He stifled a yawn as he took another document from the "Coming in" stack and began to read through it. This one was just boring tax shi...stuff. Small legislative "adjustments" that still made him look up their contrived wording even after nearly a deacde of reading this shit. His eyes nearly fell shut as he read through the perplexing words.
The last couple of nights had been not very kind. The recent events keeping him up with only little sleep he had after hours of racing thoughts. His utter failure as a parent was one thing. What his failure had brought upon his daugther another. The moment when he had entered her room on that fated morning. Only to discover someone completely different lying in her bed.
It had taken a several minutes to recognize, that despite the different looks, it was still in fact his daughter. The way she spoke the first indicator. Even with her changed and rather melodic voice.
Winding itself into his very mind.
Brushing over all his mental triggers and subconscious processes that made him tick.
As if a pianist was trying out a new instrument with his hand taking a pass over the whole keyboard pushing each of key one after the other.
Only for her to fall silent on that very same morning. Since then she had taken to using cards or an Etch A Sketch she had found from her toddler age. The telekinesis was also a thing. She had nearly dropped a container of juice only for it suddenly stop just above the floor. And then nearly broke through the ceiling as she tried to lift it up to her. After that she had agreed to not try anything further in the house.
And God forbid the wings and flying.
Danny rubbed his eyes trying to stay awake and working. One would argue he should be at home with his daughter, would they know the situation, but he didn't. He needed some time and distraction to process this.
They would spend time together on the evening. More than they had in the last year in fact in just a couple of days. She would "talk" about what she had done over her day with or without her powers and he would simply listen (or read). A sponge that would suck in all she "said" and then give some advice or help.
The tether and the disbelieve as she found it ending at her two friends. They also "inheriting". What they thought to do now.
The brief hope she had she could be a hero. The mixed outcomes she saw with her precognition. Her decision to not risk it and lay completely low. Hiding her parahuman part from the world. His simple question what they should do about her changed appearance. School or her life in general for that matter. She couldn't stay inside for the rest of her life after all. Questions she also didn't have answers for.
It was better than confronting it the whole day over by taking it one thing at a time. Didn't help him sleep though.
Stifling yet another yawn he wanted to take a sip from his coffee. Only to find the mug empty yet again. With a deep sigh he got up and went a floor down to get himself a refill. Rumbling down the marmor staircase of the upper middle class city villa the DWU used as it's office building (a gift by a benefactor in the 30s) he went to the kitchen and got himself more coffee from the thermos.
Finding it quite cold he put the mug begrudgingly in the microwave and put the spoon in his mouth. The sound of the TV in the large "livingroom" pulled him away whilke he waited.
The "livingroom" was once the actual living room of´the villa and the dinning room. The wall had been torn out and some sofas and a billiard table put in. It doubled as a meeting room and livingroom for the members of the Union. Better to stay somewhere warm and off the streets with friends than ending up a drunkard in some alley. It was a modification they had done in recent times. It quickly showed it had been a good idea.
Some guys were sitting all over the room but were all looking at the old big tube TV mounted to a wall.
"....as off 8 a.m. local time the Cologne Cathedral, Central Station and the railroad bridge have miracuously rebuilt itself." A camera pan showed the buildings from the air amidst the rest of a destroyed city. "Eyes witness account they reassembled before their very eyes piece by piece stone by stone. They were destroyed during the attack of the Endbringer Behemoth which also lead to the whole inner city being evacuated and then written of as uninhabitable for humans." The view changed to a much older footage dating back to just after the attack. "What is even more astounding is the message engraved into the stone tiles on the plaza in front of the cathedral. The words have already caused a huge uproar across the world. Leading to riots and/or open celebration on the streets. But more from that from one of our colleagues at the containment wall set up around the city center."
The view changed yet again to a reporter on a streets. A tall wall stretching 15 or so meters into the sky behind him. Church bells could be heard in the background.
"I don't know if you can hear me over the thrummign and tolling in the background but those are the bells of the Cathedral chiming for more than an hour by now. Whoever rebuilt it also turned on the bells in the clocktowers. Their sound can be heard for miles beyond the destroyed city center. So far no one dared to enter the Cathedral to turn them off. With good reason as the goverment and local hero groups do not trust the situation."
"The main casue for this is the message that was left behind. It reads the following: The......"
Upon hearing that the news were about a former battlefield against an Endbringer Danny had a queasy feeling in his guts. The plastic spoon he bit down on shattered as soon as he heard the last line of the left behind "message".
The microwave beeped at the same time. His coffee now hot.
At home Taylor was fast asleep. No precognition and no memories plaguing her mind for a change.
After all they had been used. And that was all that mattered to Queen_Administrator.
One set had been used. The other two would soon follow.
Crossover/Original ideas:
Buster®Corps.....Status: Drugged into unresponsiveness. Moments of clarity over the day.
A quadruple ROB crossover based on the premise of "Hope through Overwhelming Firepower" on SB. Some fleshing out and surrounding plotideas added. Foundations are mainly Worm, NGE and the Toaruverse with Diebuster as linking element. Planned to be half hilarious and and half serious. If that is possible with BusterCorps Clarketech.
"Can I help you with that?" he asked in the void between dimensions and universes. The girl with the wallowing red mane "jumping" at the sudden question. Or what counted as jumping in the void. She retreated (floated) a bit away from him.
"Wh-Who the hell are you even? Where do you come from? Or what do you want?" He could easuily tell she was completely out of her depth here. For a Clarktech being somewhat understandable. They normally didn't operate inbetween universes. Which was the cause he even was here. A far too interesting situation to pass it up.
"Regarding the first question: Call me ROB. I'm a random omnipotent being. For the second: I kind of live around here. And for the third: You are an interesting occurence. Normally anything like you wouldn't end up here. But it seems you didn't have a real choice in that matter did you?" He pointed to the wiry twitching ball she held in her hand.
"Oh! Yeah! Wait... are you a god or something? I would have never guessed for a god to be so uhhh...plain-looking?" Her voice quietet at that adjective. A sheepish expression creeping on her face as she began to awkwardly scratch the back on her head. "Not that you look bad or some such it's just not what I would expect." She added hurriedly after he looked at her dumbly for a moment.
He let it slide. "To humans or other life that shares that idea yes I could be seen as a god incarnate. Although the same could apply to you too. You are capable of feats most would attribute to a 'god'." Her sheepishness only doubled. "But to come back to the topic at hand." He pointed towards the small writhing wiry ball in her hand again. "Want help with that? I could take the burden off you. Let you return to where you come from. Back to home and friends."
"You could do that?" Sceptiscism underlining her voice. Her eyes transfixed onto it with a longing expression completing it. "I can't just put this burden on someone else. Not when they would end up just like me."
'Really? Who does she thinks she is speaking to?' "It wouldn't be a burden to me. I handle these things quite often. Almost on a day to day basis." Well there exists no day in the void between universes and how often he had to deal with these was a tad exaggerated. "But I have one condition: Let me take a scan of all the technology you incorporate."
"Why? What would you use it for? Why do you need it?" Her ease evaporated into distrust. She also floated a a bit away from him. "I like to collect things. Life can be quite boring out here and you are a rather extraordinary "thing"." He tried very hard to not objectivise her despite his wording choice.
"So I give you this, you handle it, take your scan and I can return?" Still with distrust in her voice. "Basically yes. Once you give it to me you could simply leave this place. But you have to do so at the rigth place or you would end up anywhere in the multiverse and not back at your home universe." Hope glimmered in her eyes now. The prospect of returning just to dear to her. "I point you in the general direction where your home is to my knowledge. Your corner isn't really my backyard, but I have a friend who is almost guaranteed to know there."
Her eyes darted several times from the small ball to him and back. Until she reached a conclusion. "Ok here catch!" And she threw it at him. Caught a bit off guard his hand snapped forward and caught the roaring singularity waiting to create a new universe. He also took a rather deep look at her cataloguing everything. How it worked, what it did and and how it was all tied together to form her.
He sent her on the way shortly afterwards.
His hand curled around the reality to be and raised it up to his mouth. Leading it toi his lips he blew a soft breath into it. Ligth shonw forth like a nova from his hand. Opening a bright tiny star floated out. Carried away into the void and fading to the background to take its place between its unlimited brethren of universes in the void.
"Turning away he was satisfied. He got something truly valuable out of this. Time to show it to his friends and get to work.
Welcome to the Corps(Saten)
Should be enough for today. More will maybe follow this evening or tomorrow. I honestly plan to continue working on some of the ideas ending up here. Just in a more chaotic fashion than anybody else would probably do it.
I can simply not focus long enough on a singular thing and keep up with it. I basically have too many interests besides writing for that. So a change of strategy is in order. Maybe I will even get some routine down as I now will alternate between my handfull of stories I would like to bring to an end. Changing between them fluently hopefully makes me overcome the bare grind of working solely on one fic at a time.
To keep things interesting for myself so to speak. Sadly I get bored by my own ideas easily when I work too much on them at a time.
Now onto fitting everything I have worked on in this post:
NGE/Rebuild:
Gods, Angels and Moons.....Status: Deceased
An epic continuation beyond NGE and my very first brainchild in the fanfiction hobby. Quality is gutter tier though. Actually wrote 50k words. Only to stop as I realized how bad it is. I dreamt of a million words in four parts. From a WorldWar of NERVJapan and allies against the UN and Seele. The power of a God unleashed at TI with the character never accepting it even though he became one. Haunting them until the end of the universe and some years beyond. Immortality is a curse in the end.
Rebuild of Evangelion: You can(not) be divided.....Status: Well, I still feel a pulse
Point of divergence fic after the almost Third Impact in 2.0. Planned to cover all the years 3.0 skipped too.
Rebuild of Evangelion: You can(not) alter it all.....Status: In a stasis unit. Will probably unfreeze it in the future.
Similar to You can(not) be divided. P.o.d at the beginning of 1.0. Time shenanigans included. Sad backstory in the plot.
Rebuild of Evangelion: You can(not) alter it all
'It should be any moment now.' he thought. Unit01 had just deactivated.
Hunched over with its back against one of the various deployable weapon lockers. Left arm laying broken on a building.
'This should be enough.' She wouldn't tolerate anything more.
Unknown to the people in Central Dogma the Magi were bombarded from one second to the other with an amount of noise and false signals that overwhelmed them.
It just appeared from nowhere inside the wiring and components as if they would function as a antenna receiving a signal.
To the Magi it was incomprehensible static.
To Unit01 it wasn't.
Two parties were rather stumped to suddenly be bombarded with information.
They both had just more or less awoken from a sort of coma. One of them more than the other. It or he was kept surpressed.
Images, sounds and emotions coalesced into visions of memories. Events and centuries were skipped through infront of them in mere seconds.
Events and centuries of war and strife from a lifetime yet to happen.
She couldn't belive what she was seeing. This couldn't be true. He wouldn't, or even help to, cause all of this.
He wouldn't......
Anger began to arise in the other party.
They were simple tools! The four of them used time and time again trapped inside constructs at the mercy of others.
Their true purpouse never even in arms reach.
What he was experiencing culminated into another installment of their misuse and absolute slavery. But it seemed like the last.
Life already was beyond help.
The pictures and impressions stopped suddenly.
"I have a request to make."
He found himself in a scene atop something. This something he recognised as one of the Vessels standing amidst a red dead world.
Some distance away stood a human with grey hair and red eyes on one level with him. Various things behind it. Possibly human in creation.
"You have seen what will unfold. All of that I have experienced and lived through." No that wasn't a human. It was more than them and even him.
"Your kind has been used as tools and weapons in the future. I would understand if you wouldn't be willing to help me and them ultimately.
But I hope you will as it is the only way to avert all this." He pointed at the world around him. "And possibly you and the other three might fulfill your original purpose after all.
So as me sending you three all this has interrupted her I request you to help the other me now.
It's the only opportunity I had to send it to all three of you."
Unconsciousness shouldn't feel like this.
He had dreams of a kind he never had before. It revolved around what he got into today heavily and went off from there.
It seemed like a whole live was unfolding infront of him in mere seconds. It was strange beyond comparison.
It showed and told him things not possible and simply unbelieveable.
Until it stopped suddenly.
The dreams changed more to a recording type style.
He found himself on a grey slightly uneven ground under a blue cloudless sky. The grey ending abruptly and changing to deep red in the distance.
Strange. He was on level with mountains that weren't very far away.
"All of what you have just witnessed and saw did happen." He abruptly turned around to the voice, shocked by its emergence.
A figure with white hair stood a couple of steps away from him facing a huge mountain of machinery and computers.
"I showed you the future how I lived and expirienced it all. The other two inside Unit01 also got this "course" as you may call it.
I hope you will be able to change and prevent this future from ever happening.
To that end I uploaded specific information and a lifetime of memories, experiences and more into your mind. They are accessible at your leasure and contain everything you could ever use or even be remotely usefull to you.
However some are attached to a trigger that will make you remember them whether you want it or not. Those contain the most important parts you need to know.
With their help you should be able to weather the storm you and the rest of humanity will face down the line."
He stoppped and silence descended upon the scene.
The person turned around and he could finally the face of the guy talking to him.
'Impossible!' He knew that face even with the white hair and red crimson eyes.
"I wish you luck younger me. I am Shinji Ikari third and last Commander of Wille and also last human alive on Earth in 2392."
This was a catastrophe! The Magi seizing up in the middle of their first battle against an Angel!
Every feed from the surface had frozen together with all the equipment in the Geofront. Terminals were completely unresponsive to any inputs.
Doctor Akagi was frantically standing at one trying her very best to solve the problem without any success.
Seconds passed by until static washed over the screens and the seizure was over.
Unit01 still stood unmoving and hadn't moved at all. Cold sweat slowly broke out on his back. 'She should have done something by now.'
All eyes were focussed on the pruple unmoving machine. Praying it to do something.
Which it did.
The eyes lit up in crimson red light and the Unit straightened up. A halo of light forming above the head.
A broken arm was stretched directly to the left and regenerated as it began to glow in the same light as the eyes. The flesh crystalizing and growing back together.
Armour regrew and the hand snapped to a fist.
The arm moving back towards the torso.
Hopes hit rock bottom again as the Unit fell silent once more. The eyes turning pitch black with the halo vanishing as fast as it came.
Maya let her chin hit her chest and sunk down in her chair. Now they were lost.
Their last hope had dissappointed them and humanity would die today.
She let her eyes wander across the cosole in front of her.
A change caught her interest.
Unit01 had just begun to transmit data! And then the red "Offline" changed to a white "Online".
Her head snapped back up to the main screen just in time to see the eyes of Unit01 lighting up in white light.
Only to be cast in shadow by the 3rd Angel who raised his arm to end the reawakened defender.
The arm however caught by a purple hand as the Unit spurred to grab both of the Angel's arms and push him back.
Gendo still had cold sweat running down his back. Nothing had happened how he had predicted it.
First the one reactivation what had almost been an awakening hadn't the Unit self deactivated and now normal operation after a restart.
Everything was in the green. Unit01 was operating under the Piloting System with no faults across the whole system.
Synchronisation was good at an almost exceptional level.
And the Pilot was fighting like a combat veteran! City Blocks were reduced to rubble as he drove the Angel through them, keeping him put off and the arm lances away.
A glow appeared in the Angel's bone mask and Unit01 dodged the beam by turning on it's heels with the ease of a dancer.
The Angel's arms splashed blood across Neo Tokyo3 as the Unit pinned it to the ground with its knees and ripped them away.
One of the Pylons opened, the knife was retrieved and a core pierced.
A cross shaped explosion spiralled into the sky engulfing both.
The feeling of breathing the coppery liquid had lost all its disgust, sensation to vomit very moment and awkwardness.
Claustrophobia was replaced with an incomprehensible calmness.
He had just remembered the restart sequence despite never knowing it in the first place. He knew how to open the Pylons with only a thought and missed the feeling of a skintight suit.
He just remembered it all as if it was there the whole time. The control sticks in his hands felt like he had used such for years and he knew how far he could push them and how he had to handle them.
Before he knew better he adjusted the settings on the EntryPlug and made the Unit walk back to the elevator.
It was out of this world entirely.
Hunched over with its back against one of the various deployable weapon lockers. Left arm laying broken on a building.
'This should be enough.' She wouldn't tolerate anything more.
Unknown to the people in Central Dogma the Magi were bombarded from one second to the other with an amount of noise and false signals that overwhelmed them.
It just appeared from nowhere inside the wiring and components as if they would function as a antenna receiving a signal.
To the Magi it was incomprehensible static.
To Unit01 it wasn't.
Two parties were rather stumped to suddenly be bombarded with information.
They both had just more or less awoken from a sort of coma. One of them more than the other. It or he was kept surpressed.
Images, sounds and emotions coalesced into visions of memories. Events and centuries were skipped through infront of them in mere seconds.
Events and centuries of war and strife from a lifetime yet to happen.
She couldn't belive what she was seeing. This couldn't be true. He wouldn't, or even help to, cause all of this.
He wouldn't......
Anger began to arise in the other party.
They were simple tools! The four of them used time and time again trapped inside constructs at the mercy of others.
Their true purpouse never even in arms reach.
What he was experiencing culminated into another installment of their misuse and absolute slavery. But it seemed like the last.
Life already was beyond help.
The pictures and impressions stopped suddenly.
"I have a request to make."
He found himself in a scene atop something. This something he recognised as one of the Vessels standing amidst a red dead world.
Some distance away stood a human with grey hair and red eyes on one level with him. Various things behind it. Possibly human in creation.
"You have seen what will unfold. All of that I have experienced and lived through." No that wasn't a human. It was more than them and even him.
"Your kind has been used as tools and weapons in the future. I would understand if you wouldn't be willing to help me and them ultimately.
But I hope you will as it is the only way to avert all this." He pointed at the world around him. "And possibly you and the other three might fulfill your original purpose after all.
So as me sending you three all this has interrupted her I request you to help the other me now.
It's the only opportunity I had to send it to all three of you."
Unconsciousness shouldn't feel like this.
He had dreams of a kind he never had before. It revolved around what he got into today heavily and went off from there.
It seemed like a whole live was unfolding infront of him in mere seconds. It was strange beyond comparison.
It showed and told him things not possible and simply unbelieveable.
Until it stopped suddenly.
The dreams changed more to a recording type style.
He found himself on a grey slightly uneven ground under a blue cloudless sky. The grey ending abruptly and changing to deep red in the distance.
Strange. He was on level with mountains that weren't very far away.
"All of what you have just witnessed and saw did happen." He abruptly turned around to the voice, shocked by its emergence.
A figure with white hair stood a couple of steps away from him facing a huge mountain of machinery and computers.
"I showed you the future how I lived and expirienced it all. The other two inside Unit01 also got this "course" as you may call it.
I hope you will be able to change and prevent this future from ever happening.
To that end I uploaded specific information and a lifetime of memories, experiences and more into your mind. They are accessible at your leasure and contain everything you could ever use or even be remotely usefull to you.
However some are attached to a trigger that will make you remember them whether you want it or not. Those contain the most important parts you need to know.
With their help you should be able to weather the storm you and the rest of humanity will face down the line."
He stoppped and silence descended upon the scene.
The person turned around and he could finally the face of the guy talking to him.
'Impossible!' He knew that face even with the white hair and red crimson eyes.
"I wish you luck younger me. I am Shinji Ikari third and last Commander of Wille and also last human alive on Earth in 2392."
This was a catastrophe! The Magi seizing up in the middle of their first battle against an Angel!
Every feed from the surface had frozen together with all the equipment in the Geofront. Terminals were completely unresponsive to any inputs.
Doctor Akagi was frantically standing at one trying her very best to solve the problem without any success.
Seconds passed by until static washed over the screens and the seizure was over.
Unit01 still stood unmoving and hadn't moved at all. Cold sweat slowly broke out on his back. 'She should have done something by now.'
All eyes were focussed on the pruple unmoving machine. Praying it to do something.
Which it did.
The eyes lit up in crimson red light and the Unit straightened up. A halo of light forming above the head.
A broken arm was stretched directly to the left and regenerated as it began to glow in the same light as the eyes. The flesh crystalizing and growing back together.
Armour regrew and the hand snapped to a fist.
The arm moving back towards the torso.
Hopes hit rock bottom again as the Unit fell silent once more. The eyes turning pitch black with the halo vanishing as fast as it came.
Maya let her chin hit her chest and sunk down in her chair. Now they were lost.
Their last hope had dissappointed them and humanity would die today.
She let her eyes wander across the cosole in front of her.
A change caught her interest.
Unit01 had just begun to transmit data! And then the red "Offline" changed to a white "Online".
Her head snapped back up to the main screen just in time to see the eyes of Unit01 lighting up in white light.
Only to be cast in shadow by the 3rd Angel who raised his arm to end the reawakened defender.
The arm however caught by a purple hand as the Unit spurred to grab both of the Angel's arms and push him back.
Gendo still had cold sweat running down his back. Nothing had happened how he had predicted it.
First the one reactivation what had almost been an awakening hadn't the Unit self deactivated and now normal operation after a restart.
Everything was in the green. Unit01 was operating under the Piloting System with no faults across the whole system.
Synchronisation was good at an almost exceptional level.
And the Pilot was fighting like a combat veteran! City Blocks were reduced to rubble as he drove the Angel through them, keeping him put off and the arm lances away.
A glow appeared in the Angel's bone mask and Unit01 dodged the beam by turning on it's heels with the ease of a dancer.
The Angel's arms splashed blood across Neo Tokyo3 as the Unit pinned it to the ground with its knees and ripped them away.
One of the Pylons opened, the knife was retrieved and a core pierced.
A cross shaped explosion spiralled into the sky engulfing both.
The feeling of breathing the coppery liquid had lost all its disgust, sensation to vomit very moment and awkwardness.
Claustrophobia was replaced with an incomprehensible calmness.
He had just remembered the restart sequence despite never knowing it in the first place. He knew how to open the Pylons with only a thought and missed the feeling of a skintight suit.
He just remembered it all as if it was there the whole time. The control sticks in his hands felt like he had used such for years and he knew how far he could push them and how he had to handle them.
Before he knew better he adjusted the settings on the EntryPlug and made the Unit walk back to the elevator.
It was out of this world entirely.
Worm:
Endbringers Humanized: Path to Redemption.....Status: Vegetative coma. Twitching once in a while.
First real Worm fic idea. 'Taylor becomes Simurgh-lite' cranked up to eleven. Greg and Sparky also inherit Leviathan's and Behemoth's Shards. Decidedly not crack. But all in all quite hilarious. Shouldn't follow standard worm fic escalation.
Endbringers Humanized: Path to Redemption
She shuffled around in her sleep. Memories of a "life" not lived plaguing her mind. Insanity, death, destruction and untold lifes lost.
Feigned benevolence leading people into a false safety. Only to mind rape them into killing each other. Then near nothing. Listening into reality itself to plan and alter the possible futures. Only to enable more.
For what? All for the Task.
The memories became more and more real. Drowning her in their brutality and finality; pushing in on her very sense of self. Seeking to make her do the same.
She awoke with a scream she immdiately muffled with ther own pale wrist pressed against her mouth. Sweat making her pyjama cling to her back and legs. Possible futures opening wide before her inner eye.
Some peaceful with others ending in just utter chaos.
All the difference between them small and invisble decisions. Alone insignificant but in concert with dozens more the switch needed to derail the future down another path.
She clutched her head with ther hands and laid back down. Trying to ignore all the futures and their myriad of events. Trying to seal of her mind from them and the headaches they brought.
She could feel the other two through their telepatic link with similar yet different problems. The first constantly plagued by a feeling of heat and energy to be used. The second a stark contrast to that. Eery calmness coupled with endless silence contrasting his own easily stirred and enthusiastic personality.
She let herself focus a bit longer on the tether to the other two. Her raging power subsuming as it hit the blindspots they represented. However she could not focus on them forever or the tether would widen and her problems would bleed through leading to the other two also waking up.
And sleep was hard to come by for them now. And the last the world needed now was all three of them being on edge. For the thought she promptly received glimpses of futures displaying just that.
She turned in her bed trying to find back to a relative calm kind of sleep. It didn't work however.
The blanket flew away and landed to her feet through a telekinetic gust and reluctantly she stood up. The drawer flying open with an audible bang and for a moment she froze trying to hear if her father awoke from that.
The house stayed thankfully silent and a white XXXL t-shirt flew out of the drawer. Her own pyjama, wet from sweat, removed by a simple thought. The t-shirt falling over her pale, no longer completely androgynous, body instead. Platinum blonde hair falling over her back and shoulders.
Walking over to the window she took a look outside. It had to be around 1 a.m. she guessed. Her (new!)alarm clock hadn't survived yesterday morning just like its old predecessor. Both squashed into a thin pane by the force of a hydraulic press. The neighbourhood was completely asleep. Their inhabitants enjoying a good nights rest. Their minds calm and at peace mostly.
The wooden windowsill groaned slightly as her fingers dug into it. 'No!' she had to keep in control. No mindrape on the people of Brockton Bay. Not now and never!
Her grey irises finding their way skywards. Towards the pityfull amount of stars the city let her see.
'Fuck it! No sense in finding sleep now.' The window opened with a slight groan and she stepped outside into nothingness. Her feet seemingly finding purchase on thin air. She closed the window behind her and flew higher.
The way too large t-shirt ripped in eight slits on her back and four sets of feathery wings parted from her back skin along her spine and pushed through the slits. Unfolding and spreading.
Two kilometers above the city she broke through the sound barrier and half a minute later she was at hypersonic speeds.
For a while she just soared through the air. Letting herself being pulled along by the various jetstreams racing around the globe. Speeding up and slowing down at her leisure. The Atlantic a black ocean beneath her. Up here the stars shone much brighter and in greater number. Their light not canceled by civilisation.
After a couple of minutes she faced the planet again. Going higher Europe stretched more and more under her. The cities glowing like stars of their own up into the night star. Furtehr to the east stretched the morning along the longitudes. A new day now far away.
A particular spot of light caught her eye. A spot of light with a dark center. Curious she went lower. A city came into view. What stood out was the walled of center. From the air it looked like a squashed anthill.
Curyosity got the better of her and she went lower and lower until she was at the height of the tallest roofs.
She was greeted by a battlefield. What might have been once a city center laid broken and destroyed under her. Buildings burned out shells, and in some places even melted, reaching into the sky. What stood out was the ruin of a large black something on top of a plateau besides the river flowing through the city.
Only some walls and strange pillars stood around the outsides. Two huge piles of debris at what might have been the front with an arch without any door (or gate?).
She hovered over to it and set her palm against the cold stone. Pictures and events of more than a century rushed into her mind. She stood in front of the remains of a grand cathedral. A church of gigantic proportions with a tall duo of towers. Numerous outer elements and decorated richly with ornaments and figures covering the outer walls. Huge coloured glass windows letting light into the staggering high inner halls.
Once this was a place of devotion and prayer. A testamnet of its constructors vision and ambition.
History fluttered through her mind like the reels of a film. Why was this place a complete ruin now? Why was the whole inner city a battlefield?
The show of pictures ran towards the end of the century. And she got her answer. A battle had been fought here. People in bright costumes fighting against a huge black spiky creature.
Her blood ran cold as she saw the signle red glowing eye. 'Behemoth!'
This is or was Cologne. The Endbringer had torn it's way across the river into the city. Simply stepping through the river and central train station. Beams of energy and thunder shooting off him turning everything they hit into slag.
He had simply swatted away one of the cathedral's towers. A energy beam let the rest implode onto itself. Capes swarming around him. Trying to damage him where they could with next to no visible effect.
Without even really noticing their attacks he simply rampaged on through the city. Leaving a trail of death and destruction in it's wake. The area left uninhabitable for humans.
Her bare feet hit the ground as she was momentarily overwhelmed by the images her postcognition had shown her. Nails digging through stone her mind raced back and forth.
People had died herre. Capes and and inhabitants aside as Behemoth tore it's path through. And now she was here. Provided....no inheritor of one of the Endbringers.
It felt utterly wrong to simply leave this place as if she had never been here. She felt strangely responsible. She gained altitude and began to look around. Her wings spreading far and wide.
The open space around the cathedral and the ruins shuddered as she spread her telekinesis over it. Nothing would move without her say-so inside now. Opening up to her pre-and postcognition she set to work.
Piles of debris began to slowly float. Pieces being sorted out and reassembled with telekinetic might back into bricks, parts of walls and roofs. The surrounding buildings around the plaza reassembling back to what they once were.
A large bronze sign reading "4711" reattaching itself back onto a building side. The cracked tiles of the plaza becoming smooth again with the craters being filled back. The cracks sealing as the were welded together at a molecular level.
A large collumn reassembling on the plaza. Piece after piece the place looked more and more as it had back in 1996. The damage vanishing completely.
The cathedral was next.
She reached deep underground towards the gaint foundations that made the cathedral nearly impervious to the earthquakes of the region. One moment they were cracked and shattered and in the next as trong as if freshly constructed. Dust flew as the giant piles making up the cathedral rose into the air. Large sandstone blocks floated back into their old resting place. Smaller pieces finding back together. The inner walls rose towards the sky once more. The side chapels growing with them. In the wake of the bare walls followed the decorations closely behind them. Numerous Outer columns following. Taking once more to stabilising the walls against the destructive winds and elements.
The partially molten remains of the iron girders of the huge roof structures straightened back out and were reclad in copper panels. Rivets redone to connect them back together forming a montrous skeleton floating up above the main hall. The two tall bell towers were reraised with their intricate ornaments and secondary spires following in their wake.
Gaping holes in the walls closed as the ginormous colour glass windows once more depicted biblical figures and scenes. The first light of the dawning morning plunging the inner walls in a plethora of colours.
The bells came out under the debris and once more shined freshly polished after just a single thought. The biggest of them in one moment two cracked halves and in the next a 24 ton instrument capable to create an breathtaking hummning sound.
A mental shake later pestle hit bell and the sound could be heard again since 15 years for miles. The bells were reintegrated and the towers reached up to more than 150 meters once more.
The nearby Cologne Central station a broken and bendt labyrinth of steel beams slowly took more to a train station again. The beams, just as the cathedral's roof structure, remade into proper shape and rerisen over repaired platforms ready to service trains. From the central station outwards crept repaired track after track.
Once at the river the Hohenzollernbridge slowly rose out of the Rhine river. The metal arches straightening back out as the foundations were put back together under them. Flanked by the four bronze statues of Kings of Old it gleamed in the morning sun.
The two guards at one of the wall checkpoints stared innutter beffudlement as the bridge magically was repaired and the tracks once more connected towards their side of the river. They had heard the single chime of the bell earlier only to discover that the cathedral was putting itself back together.
The older of the two, once a citizen of the city had to wipe away tears. For over ten years he had to endure the sight of the destroyed cathedral.
She also had taken care of all the poisoning due to Behemoth's energy blasts. She wouldn't rebuilt the rest now but it could be resettled from now on.
Her precognition warned her that capes would arrive in the next minute so she should better get the hell out of here.
But she thought something still was missing. A message of sorts. Hurriedly she thought of something and began engraving.
He almost had stopped for a second midair as soon as he saw the rebuilt cathedral. He had thought the reported event was something of a joke or hallucination by the guards at the wall, but no, it was thre right in front of him.
He zipped over the Rhine taking a quick look at the restored bridge and statues. The central station up next and then the cathedral.
He rounded the corner towards the front and was blinded by a second sun. "Grenadier" had to squint hard and raised his rifle at the unknown light source. The bright light weakened a bit and he could make out more than just a "yellow orb as bright as the sun.".
What he saw made him immediatly float back at least 100 meters. 'Simurgh!.....Or not?' The first thought upon seing the outline of the Angel like thing floating there had been the Simurgh. But it wasn't as far as he could see.
'Am I already being mastered?' was his immediate second thought. Although if that was the Simurgh he would already be dead. It was also to small. He could see the wings (too ordered on the creature) and what he could see of the frame at this distance was more akin to a teenager. He could make out no face as the bright light disguised it.
Later on he would kick himself that he hadn't reacted as the 'thing', angel whatever pointed towards the plaza in front of the cathedral. It could have been an attack with him dying right then and there.
The engraved message on the plaza was just the tip of the iceberg on this particular fucked morning.
It read:
The Endbringers are no more.
Their powers however still are.
Each Endbringer was inherited by a single parahuman.
But make no mistake. We are not enemies of humanity.
We three are humans too after all.
Inheritor of the Simurgh's powers
Their powers however still are.
Each Endbringer was inherited by a single parahuman.
But make no mistake. We are not enemies of humanity.
We three are humans too after all.
Inheritor of the Simurgh's powers
PS: I hope what I did here is proof of my words. : )
The world was turned upside down from then on.
The world was turned upside down from then on.
Endbringers Humanized: Path to Redemption
They were in the freight space of one the various stranded cargo vessels. Against their biggest reservations they had to somehow get accustomed to their powers. Accidents couldn't be allowed to happen or they would be either found or possibly killed and then be found out. And they weren't liking their chances should the world get to know the extent and origin of their parahuman powers.
So they each had sneaked out and met up halfway towards the boat graveyard. Then she had used her precognition to lead them around any gangs and people in general to avoid even being seen.
Her throbbing head had subsumed by now. The sheer flood of sensations of the Simurgh's precognition had caused her a major headache even with just brief use. What was most unsettling was she could even see way farther into the future would she put her mind to it. Months to even years should be possible as far as she could tell from the Simurgh's "memories".
The single to half a day precognition (which she surpressed as best as she could) was already enough in her book.
Currently she hovered or sat in midair just halfway up the cargo compartment. A small pebble orbiting her through her telekinesis. She already had her run ins with the more than potent telekinetic aspect of the Simurgh and currently was just doing a little exercise in control of it. The flying had taken more time to get accustomed to. As well as the four feathery pairs of wings seperating from her back along her spine when she used it.
The "memories" let the powers seem intuitive to the Endbringers. An aspect of themself they had absolute control over like extra limbs. They had no such luck.
'More like a an eager dog on a leash.' Taylor thought bitterly. Although that could be simple down to practice. Questionable if they could even practice that much without the rest of the world finding out about them.
Ten or so meters away Sparky stood in the middle of the cargo hold and let lightning dance from one hand to the other. Multiple scorch marks on the steel deck and walls indicating where it had impacted against.
He moved with utter care and concentration trying his utmost to control himself and Behemoth's powers. Air shimmering around him slightly. A product of the constant aura of energy he radiated. Thankfully not deadly and only noticeable when he stayed in one place for more than around two minutes.
His posture was slightly hunched forward and strained. It visibly took a lot out of him to keep in control and contain the gigantic destructive potential.
"Taylor could you fling that stone at me with telekinesis?" he pointed at the small pebble orbiting her.
'Why?' she simply asked back over the tether that connected all three of them.
"Just want to test something." he made a dismissive gesture. "But throw it slowly. Wouldn't like a hole going straight through my head." he added a second later. His tone rather tense.
She honestly doubted she would be able to put a hole through his head. They also appeared to have inherited the physical traits (much more in her case to her annoyance) of their respective Endbringer.
The rock stopped its circular path next to her and she concentrated to find the right measure of power to shoot it away.
The pebble accelerated in an almost instant and shot towards Sparky at the speed of a baseball homerun. His eyes widened at the higher than expected speed and he took a reflexive half a step back.
It never hit him however as it took an instantaneously 90 degree turn an arm away from him and shattered against the steel wall as its kinetic energy was redirected. A loud low bang and sharp pieces all that remained afterwards.
They both just stared a second dumbfounded at the stain it had left on the metal. It was one thing to read about the Endbringer powers and another to see them in close up action.
The sound of flowing water tearing them both free as Greg dropped into the cargo bay with a a small swimming pool worth of water. "What was that? Were we found?" Water spreading around as he made his entrance.
"What is up with you two? Did you just blew our cover or not?" They both deigned him not with an immediate answer.
"You may just have with your theatralic entry!" Sparky retorted hotly. "Did you just catapult yourself into the ship with a whole wave of water?" At times like these he really questioned the common sense of his friend.
She jumped two conclusions further. Greg had taken to testing outside since Leviathan's abilities were water based. They hadn't liked the idea, but got him to promise and stay inbetween the labyrinth of wrecks so no one might see and hear what Greg did there. 'How did you test exactly Greg?' She already dreaded the answer and couldn't surpress the small glimpse of precognition she was bombarded with.
Greg suddenly was cornered between the two of them and this immediately showed in his folding demeanor. "Well....just some hydrokinesis tests here and there coupled with some harmless tests on some things." His voice quieting a little at the last bit.
Taylor hovered a bit higher and took a quick peek over the ridge of the ship. Not liking another precognition she already saw on the matter. Harmless was one way to describe it. One of the still floating vessels was only halfway visible anymore with two others having cuts or two to three holes punched through them.
She didn't need telepathy the gaze she leveled on Greg was enough. "Oh come on! Yes some of it may be a bit obvious, but I didn't sink an island or something!"
"Didn't sink an island?! Greg we cannot be seen nor leave any big traces of ourselves or we could be caught!" Sparky immediately confronted him. "We are equipped with the powers of fucking Endbringers! One thing and the world would probably want to see us dead! Did the name "Planetary Siege Engine" not register in your thick head?"
"Well that would happen only so long as these powers are seen as something bad!" He got himself worked up. Didn't they see the possibility these powers opened? "We could seriously help people! As much as they were used to destroy we could repair the damage they have wrought upon the world? Did nobody of you two every want to be a hero?" Greg looked Taylor squarely in the face. "Come on Taylor I'm sure you would jump at the opportunity to be one?"
The direct question hit Taylor like a a comet. Floating back a step she fidgeded awkwardly. She honestly wanted to. But upon discovering from where her powers came she had buried that dream. Or tried to.
'We can't. The-These powers are not made for that. You have also seen for what they have been used in the past. W-We just simply cannot. The possible mistakes we could make are simply to great. I know what I speak of with seeing the future and such.' She already had lost count of the varieties of futures she had seen about it.
That took the wind out of Greg's sails. "Fine! Then let's hide from the world and deny any good we could do. Or the people we could save. Better than being scared about mistakes we have yet to make." He spat with venom.
Silence was their only answer.
After that they left the boat graveyard.
So they each had sneaked out and met up halfway towards the boat graveyard. Then she had used her precognition to lead them around any gangs and people in general to avoid even being seen.
Her throbbing head had subsumed by now. The sheer flood of sensations of the Simurgh's precognition had caused her a major headache even with just brief use. What was most unsettling was she could even see way farther into the future would she put her mind to it. Months to even years should be possible as far as she could tell from the Simurgh's "memories".
The single to half a day precognition (which she surpressed as best as she could) was already enough in her book.
Currently she hovered or sat in midair just halfway up the cargo compartment. A small pebble orbiting her through her telekinesis. She already had her run ins with the more than potent telekinetic aspect of the Simurgh and currently was just doing a little exercise in control of it. The flying had taken more time to get accustomed to. As well as the four feathery pairs of wings seperating from her back along her spine when she used it.
The "memories" let the powers seem intuitive to the Endbringers. An aspect of themself they had absolute control over like extra limbs. They had no such luck.
'More like a an eager dog on a leash.' Taylor thought bitterly. Although that could be simple down to practice. Questionable if they could even practice that much without the rest of the world finding out about them.
Ten or so meters away Sparky stood in the middle of the cargo hold and let lightning dance from one hand to the other. Multiple scorch marks on the steel deck and walls indicating where it had impacted against.
He moved with utter care and concentration trying his utmost to control himself and Behemoth's powers. Air shimmering around him slightly. A product of the constant aura of energy he radiated. Thankfully not deadly and only noticeable when he stayed in one place for more than around two minutes.
His posture was slightly hunched forward and strained. It visibly took a lot out of him to keep in control and contain the gigantic destructive potential.
"Taylor could you fling that stone at me with telekinesis?" he pointed at the small pebble orbiting her.
'Why?' she simply asked back over the tether that connected all three of them.
"Just want to test something." he made a dismissive gesture. "But throw it slowly. Wouldn't like a hole going straight through my head." he added a second later. His tone rather tense.
She honestly doubted she would be able to put a hole through his head. They also appeared to have inherited the physical traits (much more in her case to her annoyance) of their respective Endbringer.
The rock stopped its circular path next to her and she concentrated to find the right measure of power to shoot it away.
The pebble accelerated in an almost instant and shot towards Sparky at the speed of a baseball homerun. His eyes widened at the higher than expected speed and he took a reflexive half a step back.
It never hit him however as it took an instantaneously 90 degree turn an arm away from him and shattered against the steel wall as its kinetic energy was redirected. A loud low bang and sharp pieces all that remained afterwards.
They both just stared a second dumbfounded at the stain it had left on the metal. It was one thing to read about the Endbringer powers and another to see them in close up action.
The sound of flowing water tearing them both free as Greg dropped into the cargo bay with a a small swimming pool worth of water. "What was that? Were we found?" Water spreading around as he made his entrance.
"What is up with you two? Did you just blew our cover or not?" They both deigned him not with an immediate answer.
"You may just have with your theatralic entry!" Sparky retorted hotly. "Did you just catapult yourself into the ship with a whole wave of water?" At times like these he really questioned the common sense of his friend.
She jumped two conclusions further. Greg had taken to testing outside since Leviathan's abilities were water based. They hadn't liked the idea, but got him to promise and stay inbetween the labyrinth of wrecks so no one might see and hear what Greg did there. 'How did you test exactly Greg?' She already dreaded the answer and couldn't surpress the small glimpse of precognition she was bombarded with.
Greg suddenly was cornered between the two of them and this immediately showed in his folding demeanor. "Well....just some hydrokinesis tests here and there coupled with some harmless tests on some things." His voice quieting a little at the last bit.
Taylor hovered a bit higher and took a quick peek over the ridge of the ship. Not liking another precognition she already saw on the matter. Harmless was one way to describe it. One of the still floating vessels was only halfway visible anymore with two others having cuts or two to three holes punched through them.
She didn't need telepathy the gaze she leveled on Greg was enough. "Oh come on! Yes some of it may be a bit obvious, but I didn't sink an island or something!"
"Didn't sink an island?! Greg we cannot be seen nor leave any big traces of ourselves or we could be caught!" Sparky immediately confronted him. "We are equipped with the powers of fucking Endbringers! One thing and the world would probably want to see us dead! Did the name "Planetary Siege Engine" not register in your thick head?"
"Well that would happen only so long as these powers are seen as something bad!" He got himself worked up. Didn't they see the possibility these powers opened? "We could seriously help people! As much as they were used to destroy we could repair the damage they have wrought upon the world? Did nobody of you two every want to be a hero?" Greg looked Taylor squarely in the face. "Come on Taylor I'm sure you would jump at the opportunity to be one?"
The direct question hit Taylor like a a comet. Floating back a step she fidgeded awkwardly. She honestly wanted to. But upon discovering from where her powers came she had buried that dream. Or tried to.
'We can't. The-These powers are not made for that. You have also seen for what they have been used in the past. W-We just simply cannot. The possible mistakes we could make are simply to great. I know what I speak of with seeing the future and such.' She already had lost count of the varieties of futures she had seen about it.
That took the wind out of Greg's sails. "Fine! Then let's hide from the world and deny any good we could do. Or the people we could save. Better than being scared about mistakes we have yet to make." He spat with venom.
Silence was their only answer.
After that they left the boat graveyard.
Endbringers Humanized: Path to Redemption
Danny sat in his office. It was an office out of another time entirely. Dating back to a time when robust massive wood furniture and paneling (only wood imitation sadly) were all the rage. Wouldn't it be for the decades of wear on the surfaces and edges his desk could have been in the office of a CEO in the last century. The same you could apply to the moss green landline telephone with large black number buttons.
He stifled a yawn as he took another document from the "Coming in" stack and began to read through it. This one was just boring tax shi...stuff. Small legislative "adjustments" that still made him look up their contrived wording even after nearly a deacde of reading this shit. His eyes nearly fell shut as he read through the perplexing words.
The last couple of nights had been not very kind. The recent events keeping him up with only little sleep he had after hours of racing thoughts. His utter failure as a parent was one thing. What his failure had brought upon his daugther another. The moment when he had entered her room on that fated morning. Only to discover someone completely different lying in her bed.
It had taken a several minutes to recognize, that despite the different looks, it was still in fact his daughter. The way she spoke the first indicator. Even with her changed and rather melodic voice.
Winding itself into his very mind.
Brushing over all his mental triggers and subconscious processes that made him tick.
As if a pianist was trying out a new instrument with his hand taking a pass over the whole keyboard pushing each of key one after the other.
Only for her to fall silent on that very same morning. Since then she had taken to using cards or an Etch A Sketch she had found from her toddler age. The telekinesis was also a thing. She had nearly dropped a container of juice only for it suddenly stop just above the floor. And then nearly broke through the ceiling as she tried to lift it up to her. After that she had agreed to not try anything further in the house.
And God forbid the wings and flying.
Danny rubbed his eyes trying to stay awake and working. One would argue he should be at home with his daughter, would they know the situation, but he didn't. He needed some time and distraction to process this.
They would spend time together on the evening. More than they had in the last year in fact in just a couple of days. She would "talk" about what she had done over her day with or without her powers and he would simply listen (or read). A sponge that would suck in all she "said" and then give some advice or help.
The tether and the disbelieve as she found it ending at her two friends. They also "inheriting". What they thought to do now.
The brief hope she had she could be a hero. The mixed outcomes she saw with her precognition. Her decision to not risk it and lay completely low. Hiding her parahuman part from the world. His simple question what they should do about her changed appearance. School or her life in general for that matter. She couldn't stay inside for the rest of her life after all. Questions she also didn't have answers for.
It was better than confronting it the whole day over by taking it one thing at a time. Didn't help him sleep though.
Stifling yet another yawn he wanted to take a sip from his coffee. Only to find the mug empty yet again. With a deep sigh he got up and went a floor down to get himself a refill. Rumbling down the marmor staircase of the upper middle class city villa the DWU used as it's office building (a gift by a benefactor in the 30s) he went to the kitchen and got himself more coffee from the thermos.
Finding it quite cold he put the mug begrudgingly in the microwave and put the spoon in his mouth. The sound of the TV in the large "livingroom" pulled him away whilke he waited.
The "livingroom" was once the actual living room of´the villa and the dinning room. The wall had been torn out and some sofas and a billiard table put in. It doubled as a meeting room and livingroom for the members of the Union. Better to stay somewhere warm and off the streets with friends than ending up a drunkard in some alley. It was a modification they had done in recent times. It quickly showed it had been a good idea.
Some guys were sitting all over the room but were all looking at the old big tube TV mounted to a wall.
"....as off 8 a.m. local time the Cologne Cathedral, Central Station and the railroad bridge have miracuously rebuilt itself." A camera pan showed the buildings from the air amidst the rest of a destroyed city. "Eyes witness account they reassembled before their very eyes piece by piece stone by stone. They were destroyed during the attack of the Endbringer Behemoth which also lead to the whole inner city being evacuated and then written of as uninhabitable for humans." The view changed to a much older footage dating back to just after the attack. "What is even more astounding is the message engraved into the stone tiles on the plaza in front of the cathedral. The words have already caused a huge uproar across the world. Leading to riots and/or open celebration on the streets. But more from that from one of our colleagues at the containment wall set up around the city center."
The view changed yet again to a reporter on a streets. A tall wall stretching 15 or so meters into the sky behind him. Church bells could be heard in the background.
"I don't know if you can hear me over the thrummign and tolling in the background but those are the bells of the Cathedral chiming for more than an hour by now. Whoever rebuilt it also turned on the bells in the clocktowers. Their sound can be heard for miles beyond the destroyed city center. So far no one dared to enter the Cathedral to turn them off. With good reason as the goverment and local hero groups do not trust the situation."
"The main casue for this is the message that was left behind. It reads the following: The......"
Upon hearing that the news were about a former battlefield against an Endbringer Danny had a queasy feeling in his guts. The plastic spoon he bit down on shattered as soon as he heard the last line of the left behind "message".
The microwave beeped at the same time. His coffee now hot.
At home Taylor was fast asleep. No precognition and no memories plaguing her mind for a change.
After all they had been used. And that was all that mattered to Queen_Administrator.
One set had been used. The other two would soon follow.
Endbringers Humanized: Path to Redemption
It was early evening In New York City. The city however was alive as usual. People up and about diving through the nightlife. Going into clubs or eating in the various restaurants. Sirens rushing to the various problems metropoles brought with themselves. One of the NYPD and one of a different kind.
Two capes however didn't respond to where the second siren was rushing to. Or anywhere else for that matter. No, today was a free evening. They were comfortably sitting on the couch in their livingroom up at the top floor of the little apartment building they owned. Uncaring for the worries of the city for this evening.
She was browsing PHO under the name "Iron Maiden" and amused at the wonders a forum about parahumans produced. Namely the fanfiction subforum(SFW). Her husband serving as a rest/heater for her (slightly cold) feet and in deep concentration as he read a textbook on quantum mechanics. The function of an invention of his needing to be properly and thoroughly understood.
The subject not really budging under his attempts to understand it.
Magnus let the book fall in his lap and blinked a couple of times. Trying to free his mind from the clutches of theoretical physics his head hid the backrest with the eyes darting up towards the cream-coloured ceiling (her coulour choice not his). It would be some before he could write a scientific explanation on his newest tinkering product. Or at least try to explain how it does what it does.
A sudden shift in tension of his wife making him look over to her. As beautiful as on the day they met her red mane flowed down in soft curls over her shoulders. Together with the red costume colour scheme it was what brought her the name "Iron Maiden". Just like the shade of rusty iron.
Also the manner in which she could dispose of/beat up the usual alley mugger or low level villain. The joke about the "Iron Maiden" staying at home and ironing clothes was also usually one someone did only once.
Didn't stop him from ordering her a custom t-shirt with her cape name, an iron and an ironing board on it as a joke gift though.
The couch had been hard that night.
But at the moment her hazel eyes were intensely focussed on a video that seemed to be playing on the tablet with her fingers rather tightly around the device's edges.
"Hey, whats up? What's so gripping to get you on edge?" She simply looked up through her glasses (she wears contacts out of house) then scrambled over to him and restarted the video. It was an amateur video, probably made with a smartphone, showing an almost pitch black street. The street suddenly was illumninated as flames lickered from a side alley into it. A dark figure thrown back by them against a building with the wall caving in under the impact. Some lizard creature storming onto the street. Suddenly lances of water shot out from further down the street. Piercing through the flames as if they were solid and they itself liquid striking the lizard thing. A person running amidst them wit sewers popping open as it ran past them. A deep animalistic howl coming from the monster as in response it shot more flames which were redirekted by the first dark person now standing in the hole it involuntary made in the building. A screeching sound rang out and the person filming abrutply turned around. A truck was floating upwards and crushed together midair by an invisible force. Then flung down towards the fight. The camera then focusing on the figure floating above the street. Clad in something alike to a pure white gown eight wings sprouted from a women's back. A domino/hood combination covering most of the face except the nose and mouth.
After he had seen the angel like person it had dawned on him what he was seeing. The powers at play very telling who they were. Especially in combination with each other. This was confirmation enough of the event of last week and the message left behind. 'Scary.' The only thought fitting.
"And? Who are they?" Elizabeth expectantly asked. A similar gaze leveled at him. "Those seem to be the three Endbringer inheritors the message mentioned. Which would make the last one seemingly also the author of it and responsible for rebuilding parts of the former Behemoth battlefield." Keeping rather rational here but the display of power had him scared deeply. Never would he want to cross these three individuals in a bad way. Or even possibly ever.
"Mhm. Scary isn't it? For parahumans to have such big potential at their fingertips. To use as they please." She leaned against his shoulder for comfort. He put an arm around her and pulled her closer. They never had been in an Endbringer fight themselves despite being in the business for a couple of years now. "Where was this recorded?" he asked.
"Brockton Bay." She answered absently. 'Oh....' He thought simply. Remembering how close that city was. "Yeah...." Elizabeth agreed. This meant it could only be Lung the three were fighting. The parahuman to face of against an Endbringer alone and live to tell the tale.
"Did you notice their constumes? Despite being equipped with power beyond comparison, safe Scion himself probably, they still have the same rookie problem like the rest. Their costumes are improvised at first and not up to the task at all." Sarcasm mixed with mirth in her voice. He skipped through the video to take a closer look at them. The video quality made that near impossble though. Although you could see the tears on Behemoths inheritor from going through the wall and the burn marks on the Simurgh's inheritor robe. Or tunic?
"What do you think? WIll they join the Protectorate or even the Wards? He honestly couldn't picture them with the government and the government with them. Also it would be upsetting the balance of power quite a bit in the world. Anyone could be top dog in the world with all three Endbringers at his disposal.
"Maybe we can help with that!" She sat enthusiastically as she seemed to have an idea. He wouldn't probably like this one. "Maybe we could show them the way of neutrality? We after all one of the most prominent Independent capes in the US!" A bit of pride showing there. "We could show them some of the ropes and give advice on how to establish themselves. They wouldn't have most of the problems independents have. They are so overpowered nobody could really threaten them. Especially when working together. The world would simply have to put up with it. Also they have shown to stand of the side of "Good" already. Beating up Lung seems to indicate that at least."
He was still now warming up to his wife's idea. There wasn't enough to conclusively work with. But she simply continued on. "Also we have something they might want!" She bathed in his bewildered look for a moment.
"And what would that be?" He already dreaded the answer somehow. "We, or you, know just the guy able to provided or make materials for their costumes able to stand up to their power level somewhat. They will need some proper ones if they want to keep their identities hidden." Smugness was the only way he could describe her face now.
"Boris....?" He guessed after a second.
Elizabeth's grin told him plenty. She really wanted to takes this on as Iron Maiden and Black Knight, didn't she?
Two capes however didn't respond to where the second siren was rushing to. Or anywhere else for that matter. No, today was a free evening. They were comfortably sitting on the couch in their livingroom up at the top floor of the little apartment building they owned. Uncaring for the worries of the city for this evening.
She was browsing PHO under the name "Iron Maiden" and amused at the wonders a forum about parahumans produced. Namely the fanfiction subforum(SFW). Her husband serving as a rest/heater for her (slightly cold) feet and in deep concentration as he read a textbook on quantum mechanics. The function of an invention of his needing to be properly and thoroughly understood.
The subject not really budging under his attempts to understand it.
Magnus let the book fall in his lap and blinked a couple of times. Trying to free his mind from the clutches of theoretical physics his head hid the backrest with the eyes darting up towards the cream-coloured ceiling (her coulour choice not his). It would be some before he could write a scientific explanation on his newest tinkering product. Or at least try to explain how it does what it does.
A sudden shift in tension of his wife making him look over to her. As beautiful as on the day they met her red mane flowed down in soft curls over her shoulders. Together with the red costume colour scheme it was what brought her the name "Iron Maiden". Just like the shade of rusty iron.
Also the manner in which she could dispose of/beat up the usual alley mugger or low level villain. The joke about the "Iron Maiden" staying at home and ironing clothes was also usually one someone did only once.
Didn't stop him from ordering her a custom t-shirt with her cape name, an iron and an ironing board on it as a joke gift though.
The couch had been hard that night.
But at the moment her hazel eyes were intensely focussed on a video that seemed to be playing on the tablet with her fingers rather tightly around the device's edges.
"Hey, whats up? What's so gripping to get you on edge?" She simply looked up through her glasses (she wears contacts out of house) then scrambled over to him and restarted the video. It was an amateur video, probably made with a smartphone, showing an almost pitch black street. The street suddenly was illumninated as flames lickered from a side alley into it. A dark figure thrown back by them against a building with the wall caving in under the impact. Some lizard creature storming onto the street. Suddenly lances of water shot out from further down the street. Piercing through the flames as if they were solid and they itself liquid striking the lizard thing. A person running amidst them wit sewers popping open as it ran past them. A deep animalistic howl coming from the monster as in response it shot more flames which were redirekted by the first dark person now standing in the hole it involuntary made in the building. A screeching sound rang out and the person filming abrutply turned around. A truck was floating upwards and crushed together midair by an invisible force. Then flung down towards the fight. The camera then focusing on the figure floating above the street. Clad in something alike to a pure white gown eight wings sprouted from a women's back. A domino/hood combination covering most of the face except the nose and mouth.
After he had seen the angel like person it had dawned on him what he was seeing. The powers at play very telling who they were. Especially in combination with each other. This was confirmation enough of the event of last week and the message left behind. 'Scary.' The only thought fitting.
"And? Who are they?" Elizabeth expectantly asked. A similar gaze leveled at him. "Those seem to be the three Endbringer inheritors the message mentioned. Which would make the last one seemingly also the author of it and responsible for rebuilding parts of the former Behemoth battlefield." Keeping rather rational here but the display of power had him scared deeply. Never would he want to cross these three individuals in a bad way. Or even possibly ever.
"Mhm. Scary isn't it? For parahumans to have such big potential at their fingertips. To use as they please." She leaned against his shoulder for comfort. He put an arm around her and pulled her closer. They never had been in an Endbringer fight themselves despite being in the business for a couple of years now. "Where was this recorded?" he asked.
"Brockton Bay." She answered absently. 'Oh....' He thought simply. Remembering how close that city was. "Yeah...." Elizabeth agreed. This meant it could only be Lung the three were fighting. The parahuman to face of against an Endbringer alone and live to tell the tale.
"Did you notice their constumes? Despite being equipped with power beyond comparison, safe Scion himself probably, they still have the same rookie problem like the rest. Their costumes are improvised at first and not up to the task at all." Sarcasm mixed with mirth in her voice. He skipped through the video to take a closer look at them. The video quality made that near impossble though. Although you could see the tears on Behemoths inheritor from going through the wall and the burn marks on the Simurgh's inheritor robe. Or tunic?
"What do you think? WIll they join the Protectorate or even the Wards? He honestly couldn't picture them with the government and the government with them. Also it would be upsetting the balance of power quite a bit in the world. Anyone could be top dog in the world with all three Endbringers at his disposal.
"Maybe we can help with that!" She sat enthusiastically as she seemed to have an idea. He wouldn't probably like this one. "Maybe we could show them the way of neutrality? We after all one of the most prominent Independent capes in the US!" A bit of pride showing there. "We could show them some of the ropes and give advice on how to establish themselves. They wouldn't have most of the problems independents have. They are so overpowered nobody could really threaten them. Especially when working together. The world would simply have to put up with it. Also they have shown to stand of the side of "Good" already. Beating up Lung seems to indicate that at least."
He was still now warming up to his wife's idea. There wasn't enough to conclusively work with. But she simply continued on. "Also we have something they might want!" She bathed in his bewildered look for a moment.
"And what would that be?" He already dreaded the answer somehow. "We, or you, know just the guy able to provided or make materials for their costumes able to stand up to their power level somewhat. They will need some proper ones if they want to keep their identities hidden." Smugness was the only way he could describe her face now.
"Boris....?" He guessed after a second.
Elizabeth's grin told him plenty. She really wanted to takes this on as Iron Maiden and Black Knight, didn't she?
Crossover/Original ideas:
Buster®Corps.....Status: Drugged into unresponsiveness. Moments of clarity over the day.
A quadruple ROB crossover based on the premise of "Hope through Overwhelming Firepower" on SB. Some fleshing out and surrounding plotideas added. Foundations are mainly Worm, NGE and the Toaruverse with Diebuster as linking element. Planned to be half hilarious and and half serious. If that is possible with BusterCorps Clarketech.
Buster Corps
Prologue
Prologue
"Can I help you with that?" he asked in the void between dimensions and universes. The girl with the wallowing red mane "jumping" at the sudden question. Or what counted as jumping in the void. She retreated (floated) a bit away from him.
"Wh-Who the hell are you even? Where do you come from? Or what do you want?" He could easuily tell she was completely out of her depth here. For a Clarktech being somewhat understandable. They normally didn't operate inbetween universes. Which was the cause he even was here. A far too interesting situation to pass it up.
"Regarding the first question: Call me ROB. I'm a random omnipotent being. For the second: I kind of live around here. And for the third: You are an interesting occurence. Normally anything like you wouldn't end up here. But it seems you didn't have a real choice in that matter did you?" He pointed to the wiry twitching ball she held in her hand.
"Oh! Yeah! Wait... are you a god or something? I would have never guessed for a god to be so uhhh...plain-looking?" Her voice quietet at that adjective. A sheepish expression creeping on her face as she began to awkwardly scratch the back on her head. "Not that you look bad or some such it's just not what I would expect." She added hurriedly after he looked at her dumbly for a moment.
He let it slide. "To humans or other life that shares that idea yes I could be seen as a god incarnate. Although the same could apply to you too. You are capable of feats most would attribute to a 'god'." Her sheepishness only doubled. "But to come back to the topic at hand." He pointed towards the small writhing wiry ball in her hand again. "Want help with that? I could take the burden off you. Let you return to where you come from. Back to home and friends."
"You could do that?" Sceptiscism underlining her voice. Her eyes transfixed onto it with a longing expression completing it. "I can't just put this burden on someone else. Not when they would end up just like me."
'Really? Who does she thinks she is speaking to?' "It wouldn't be a burden to me. I handle these things quite often. Almost on a day to day basis." Well there exists no day in the void between universes and how often he had to deal with these was a tad exaggerated. "But I have one condition: Let me take a scan of all the technology you incorporate."
"Why? What would you use it for? Why do you need it?" Her ease evaporated into distrust. She also floated a a bit away from him. "I like to collect things. Life can be quite boring out here and you are a rather extraordinary "thing"." He tried very hard to not objectivise her despite his wording choice.
"So I give you this, you handle it, take your scan and I can return?" Still with distrust in her voice. "Basically yes. Once you give it to me you could simply leave this place. But you have to do so at the rigth place or you would end up anywhere in the multiverse and not back at your home universe." Hope glimmered in her eyes now. The prospect of returning just to dear to her. "I point you in the general direction where your home is to my knowledge. Your corner isn't really my backyard, but I have a friend who is almost guaranteed to know there."
Her eyes darted several times from the small ball to him and back. Until she reached a conclusion. "Ok here catch!" And she threw it at him. Caught a bit off guard his hand snapped forward and caught the roaring singularity waiting to create a new universe. He also took a rather deep look at her cataloguing everything. How it worked, what it did and and how it was all tied together to form her.
He sent her on the way shortly afterwards.
His hand curled around the reality to be and raised it up to his mouth. Leading it toi his lips he blew a soft breath into it. Ligth shonw forth like a nova from his hand. Opening a bright tiny star floated out. Carried away into the void and fading to the background to take its place between its unlimited brethren of universes in the void.
"Turning away he was satisfied. He got something truly valuable out of this. Time to show it to his friends and get to work.
Welcome to the Corps(Taylor)
She drifted along the edge of consciousness. Feeling the soft sheets around herself in the distance. Floating in a warm feeling of safety not yet ready to really wake up. Clinging to peace and warmth just a little bit longer.
New probable Member found.
Surveying candidate and parent universe: Parasitic alien lifeforms hidden across multiple nearby realities found. Clarktech equivalent Category 1.5. Connected to new Member and humans granting abilities and powers.
Examining Parasites: Capable of physics and energy manipulation of a medium level and scale. Influencing host towards an objective. Weaknesses observed and noted.
Adapting: Adapting Membership, Protocolls and Interface to complement Parasite. Parasite broken down and integrated into new Member directly along with Interface and Protocolls.
Benefit: Powers and Abilities flawlessly integrated to wotk together with Parasites own specialisation. Allowing greater and better utilisation of both with integrated Parasite.
The vocie just had been there. As if someone was directly speaking into her mind. It was totally different from what hher senses let her feel and came not from them. It simply was there.
Specialisation: Gearing drives, utilities and power generation to support changes to Membership and Interface.
Checking: Locking full extent of abilities for the probationary period.
Primary Singularity: 1% Output
Secondary Singularity: Offline
Tertiary Singularity: Offline
Sensors, IFF and Guidance Systems: 0.1% Range, 10% Resolution
Inertial Canceler: 1%
Physics Canceler: 1%
Algorithmic Image Drive: Offline
Inertial Canceler and Physics Canceler: Due to probation retuned mostly for survival of new Member.
Protocolls: Retuned to enable highest possible chances of survival for new Member.
"DING!"
"Welcome to the (transuniversal) Buster Corps®! Your body and mind have been augmented with Category 4 Clarktech, into a machine/human hybrid, allowing the reshaping and manipulation of reality itself on near galactic scale. However due to probation time greatly reduced until you have proven to be worthy as a member of the Buster Corps®."
"Once again. WELCOME TO THE BUSTER CORPS®!"
Taylor Hebert awoke suddenly and violently. Sweat letting the hospital gown she wore cling to her body. The locker was immediately in her mind. The raw filth of it and the act making her stomach churn. Rapidly tzhe strange dream was pushed to the back of her mind as the last day flooded her mind.
Only for it to be thrown in front of her again. "Goal: Help protect humans/humanity against any current threat they/it faces!" blared it inside her mind.
'WHAT the FUCK?'
Unknown to her were the other new members that were just recruited. Despite being universes away she would get to know them both in the not so far future.
New probable Member found.
Surveying candidate and parent universe: Parasitic alien lifeforms hidden across multiple nearby realities found. Clarktech equivalent Category 1.5. Connected to new Member and humans granting abilities and powers.
Examining Parasites: Capable of physics and energy manipulation of a medium level and scale. Influencing host towards an objective. Weaknesses observed and noted.
Adapting: Adapting Membership, Protocolls and Interface to complement Parasite. Parasite broken down and integrated into new Member directly along with Interface and Protocolls.
Benefit: Powers and Abilities flawlessly integrated to wotk together with Parasites own specialisation. Allowing greater and better utilisation of both with integrated Parasite.
The vocie just had been there. As if someone was directly speaking into her mind. It was totally different from what hher senses let her feel and came not from them. It simply was there.
Specialisation: Gearing drives, utilities and power generation to support changes to Membership and Interface.
Checking: Locking full extent of abilities for the probationary period.
Primary Singularity: 1% Output
Secondary Singularity: Offline
Tertiary Singularity: Offline
Sensors, IFF and Guidance Systems: 0.1% Range, 10% Resolution
Inertial Canceler: 1%
Physics Canceler: 1%
Algorithmic Image Drive: Offline
Inertial Canceler and Physics Canceler: Due to probation retuned mostly for survival of new Member.
Protocolls: Retuned to enable highest possible chances of survival for new Member.
"DING!"
"Welcome to the (transuniversal) Buster Corps®! Your body and mind have been augmented with Category 4 Clarktech, into a machine/human hybrid, allowing the reshaping and manipulation of reality itself on near galactic scale. However due to probation time greatly reduced until you have proven to be worthy as a member of the Buster Corps®."
"Once again. WELCOME TO THE BUSTER CORPS®!"
Taylor Hebert awoke suddenly and violently. Sweat letting the hospital gown she wore cling to her body. The locker was immediately in her mind. The raw filth of it and the act making her stomach churn. Rapidly tzhe strange dream was pushed to the back of her mind as the last day flooded her mind.
Only for it to be thrown in front of her again. "Goal: Help protect humans/humanity against any current threat they/it faces!" blared it inside her mind.
'WHAT the FUCK?'
Unknown to her were the other new members that were just recruited. Despite being universes away she would get to know them both in the not so far future.
Welcome to the Corps(Shinji)
He drifted along the edge of consciousness. Feeling the soft sheets around himself in the distance. Floating in a warm feeling of safety not yet ready to really wake up. Clinging to peace and warmth just a little bit longer.
New probable Member found.
Surveying candidate and parent universe: Clarktech up to Category 1.5 found. Tied into local life and probable member. Near standard universe with no great deviations from up until now surveyed standard.
Examining Clarktech: Capable of physics and energy manipulation of a medium level and scale. Highly biological compatible with positive effects on life and/or enabling it in the first place. Weaknesses observed and noted.
Adapting: Adaption of Membership, Protocolls and Interface to complement observed Clarktech and facilitate better integration of changes.
Benefit: Powers and Abilities flawlessly integrated into existing Clarktech specialisation making up/influencing Member. Allowing greater and better utilisation of both with preexisting Clarktech.
The vocie just had been there. As if someone was directly speaking into his mind. It was totally different from what his senses let him feel and came not from them. It simply was there.
Specialisation: Gearing drives, utilities and power generation to support changes to Membership and Interface.
Checking: Locking full extent of abilities for the probationary period.
Primary Singularity: 1% Output
Secondary Singularity: Offline
Tertiary Singularity: Offline
Sensors, IFF and Guidance Systems: 0.1% Range, 10% Resolution
Inertial Canceler: 1%
Physics Canceler: 1%
Algorithmic Image Drive: Offline
Inertial Canceler and Physics Canceler: Due to probation retuned mostly for survival of new Member.
Protocolls: Retuned to enable highest possible chances of survival for new Member.
"DING!"
"Welcome to the (transuniversal) Buster Corps®! Your body and mind have been augmented with Category 4 Clarktech, into a machine/human hybrid,allowing the reshaping and manipulation of reality itself on near galactic scale. However due to probation time greatly reduced until you have proven to be worthy as a member of the Buster Corps®."
"Once again. WELCOME TO THE BUSTER CORPS®!"
Shinji awoke suddenly. A chime still echoing through his very mind from when the last message had spoken. Staring right at a foreign ceiling he didn't knew. It smelled of hospital and looke like it after a quick glance around. He was already attributing the strange voice to a weird dream and or the medicine/ anasthetic he had been most likely givena fter the batlle last night.
He froze as if petrified suddenly. "Goal: Help protect humans/humanity against any current threat they/it faces!" blared it inside his mind.
This couldn't be real.
Unknown to him were the other new members that were just recruited. Despite being universes away he would get to know them both in the not so far future.
New probable Member found.
Surveying candidate and parent universe: Clarktech up to Category 1.5 found. Tied into local life and probable member. Near standard universe with no great deviations from up until now surveyed standard.
Examining Clarktech: Capable of physics and energy manipulation of a medium level and scale. Highly biological compatible with positive effects on life and/or enabling it in the first place. Weaknesses observed and noted.
Adapting: Adaption of Membership, Protocolls and Interface to complement observed Clarktech and facilitate better integration of changes.
Benefit: Powers and Abilities flawlessly integrated into existing Clarktech specialisation making up/influencing Member. Allowing greater and better utilisation of both with preexisting Clarktech.
The vocie just had been there. As if someone was directly speaking into his mind. It was totally different from what his senses let him feel and came not from them. It simply was there.
Specialisation: Gearing drives, utilities and power generation to support changes to Membership and Interface.
Checking: Locking full extent of abilities for the probationary period.
Primary Singularity: 1% Output
Secondary Singularity: Offline
Tertiary Singularity: Offline
Sensors, IFF and Guidance Systems: 0.1% Range, 10% Resolution
Inertial Canceler: 1%
Physics Canceler: 1%
Algorithmic Image Drive: Offline
Inertial Canceler and Physics Canceler: Due to probation retuned mostly for survival of new Member.
Protocolls: Retuned to enable highest possible chances of survival for new Member.
"DING!"
"Welcome to the (transuniversal) Buster Corps®! Your body and mind have been augmented with Category 4 Clarktech, into a machine/human hybrid,allowing the reshaping and manipulation of reality itself on near galactic scale. However due to probation time greatly reduced until you have proven to be worthy as a member of the Buster Corps®."
"Once again. WELCOME TO THE BUSTER CORPS®!"
Shinji awoke suddenly. A chime still echoing through his very mind from when the last message had spoken. Staring right at a foreign ceiling he didn't knew. It smelled of hospital and looke like it after a quick glance around. He was already attributing the strange voice to a weird dream and or the medicine/ anasthetic he had been most likely givena fter the batlle last night.
He froze as if petrified suddenly. "Goal: Help protect humans/humanity against any current threat they/it faces!" blared it inside his mind.
This couldn't be real.
Unknown to him were the other new members that were just recruited. Despite being universes away he would get to know them both in the not so far future.
Welcome to the Corps(Saten)
She drifted along the edge of consciousness. Feeling the soft sheets around herself. Fluffy warmth all around her. Not willing to wake up yet. It simply was too nice.
New probable Member found.
Surveying candidate and parent Universe: Near standard universe with no great deviations from up until now surveyed standard. Probable Member baseline human.
Intergating: Proceeding with integration of Membership, Protocolls an...d.......WARNING!!! Integration cannot be completed. Fault found in minor universe deviation preventing Integration.
Surveing minor deviation: Deviation found to be uncertainty in universal constants exploitable by sufficiently intelligent species. Constants can be altered at a high level and small scale creating a local "personalised reality".
Automated systems unable to proceed. Contacting permitted entities for new procedures.........New Procedures received.
Dismantling: Dismantling Inertia Canceler, Physics Canceler and Algorhytmic Image Drive.
Adapting/Integration: Adaption of Membership, Protocolls and Interface and Integration into new Member. Removing limits on Interface to enable proper utilisation of Powers and Abilities.
Rebuilding: Rebuilding dismantled drives into one singular piece. Connecting newly dubbed "Reality Shaper" to Interface. Adding pointer to Membership.
Benefits: Powers and Abilities had to be rebuilt to enable usage in parent Universe to not counteract "Personal Reality". With changed Ineterface augmenting "Personal Reality" powered by Members power systems.
The voice just had been there. Spouting technobabble she couldn't understand. Coming across some kind of problem too. What a weird waking dream.
Specialisation: Gearing Reality Shaper, utilities and power generation to support changes to Membership and Interface.
Checking: Locking full extent of abilities for the probationary period.
Primary Singularity: 1% Output
Secondary Singularity: Offline
Tertiary Singularity: Offline
Sensors, IFF and Guidance Systems: 0.1% Range, 10% Resolution
Reality Shaper: 1%
Protocolls: Retuned to enable highest possible chances of survival for new Member.
"DING!"
"Welcome to the (transuniversal) Buster Corps®! Your body and mind have been augmented with Category 4 Clarktech, into a machine/human hybrid,allowing the reshaping and manipulation of reality itself on near galactic scale. However due to probation time greatly reduced until you have proven to be worthy as a member of the Buster Corps®."
"Once again. WELCOME TO THE BUSTER CORPS®!"
Saten awoke with bleary eyes. Sunshine falling inbetween a crack of the curtains blocking the sight outside the windows and directly into her face. Reluctantly she sat up and rubbed her eyes. Absently noticing the bandage on her arm, the IV drip and patches covering spots down her legs. 'What happened? Why am I......"Goal: Help protect humans/humanity against any current threat they/it faces!" blared it inside her mind suddenly.
'What?'
Unknown to her were the other new members that were just recruited. Despite being universes away she would get to know them both in the not so far future.
New probable Member found.
Surveying candidate and parent Universe: Near standard universe with no great deviations from up until now surveyed standard. Probable Member baseline human.
Intergating: Proceeding with integration of Membership, Protocolls an...d.......WARNING!!! Integration cannot be completed. Fault found in minor universe deviation preventing Integration.
Surveing minor deviation: Deviation found to be uncertainty in universal constants exploitable by sufficiently intelligent species. Constants can be altered at a high level and small scale creating a local "personalised reality".
Automated systems unable to proceed. Contacting permitted entities for new procedures.........New Procedures received.
Dismantling: Dismantling Inertia Canceler, Physics Canceler and Algorhytmic Image Drive.
Adapting/Integration: Adaption of Membership, Protocolls and Interface and Integration into new Member. Removing limits on Interface to enable proper utilisation of Powers and Abilities.
Rebuilding: Rebuilding dismantled drives into one singular piece. Connecting newly dubbed "Reality Shaper" to Interface. Adding pointer to Membership.
Benefits: Powers and Abilities had to be rebuilt to enable usage in parent Universe to not counteract "Personal Reality". With changed Ineterface augmenting "Personal Reality" powered by Members power systems.
The voice just had been there. Spouting technobabble she couldn't understand. Coming across some kind of problem too. What a weird waking dream.
Specialisation: Gearing Reality Shaper, utilities and power generation to support changes to Membership and Interface.
Checking: Locking full extent of abilities for the probationary period.
Primary Singularity: 1% Output
Secondary Singularity: Offline
Tertiary Singularity: Offline
Sensors, IFF and Guidance Systems: 0.1% Range, 10% Resolution
Reality Shaper: 1%
Protocolls: Retuned to enable highest possible chances of survival for new Member.
"DING!"
"Welcome to the (transuniversal) Buster Corps®! Your body and mind have been augmented with Category 4 Clarktech, into a machine/human hybrid,allowing the reshaping and manipulation of reality itself on near galactic scale. However due to probation time greatly reduced until you have proven to be worthy as a member of the Buster Corps®."
"Once again. WELCOME TO THE BUSTER CORPS®!"
Saten awoke with bleary eyes. Sunshine falling inbetween a crack of the curtains blocking the sight outside the windows and directly into her face. Reluctantly she sat up and rubbed her eyes. Absently noticing the bandage on her arm, the IV drip and patches covering spots down her legs. 'What happened? Why am I......"Goal: Help protect humans/humanity against any current threat they/it faces!" blared it inside her mind suddenly.
'What?'
Unknown to her were the other new members that were just recruited. Despite being universes away she would get to know them both in the not so far future.
Should be enough for today. More will maybe follow this evening or tomorrow. I honestly plan to continue working on some of the ideas ending up here. Just in a more chaotic fashion than anybody else would probably do it.
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Neepa
Always pondering story possibilities
- Location
- Germany
more tomorrow....my bed calls me...
Silver Lining
In a time where all sides were just contend to sit back, if only for a single day, the storm had arrived.
At 16 o'clock and 23 minutes Winslow Highschool was enveloped by a collumn of golden light shooting up into the sky. The whole building dissappearing in the glistening light. In Boston people thought a second sun had been born further north; so high up reached the collumn into the atmosphere. At the same time every parahuman in the city had a short moment of disorientation and vertigo.
Only the school's janitor would be found with a dumbfounded expression standing, several steps away from the border, as Protectorate and PRT finally responded to it. He had left the building to take out some trash to the bigger containers in the school's backyard.
Quickly the school was cordonned off and a controlled perimeter established around it. No one dared to come nearer as the properties of the light were entirely unknown.
The even by cape standards strange event made global news the same evening. Puzzling people across the globe. And making them fear. What if this was another Endbringer? The emergence of a fourth genocidal monster to attack mankind?
Those that feared would soon be affirmed. Although in a way no one could have foreseen.
Collin nodded towards the PRT officer standing guard at the final checkpoint on the school's former main gate. His steps becoming hesistant and very measured beyond. His attention never shifting away from a small video link displayed on his helmet's HUD. The video feed showed the Simurgh from a distance never captured before. Hovering only a meter off the ground and barely a stone throw away from him. Wings folded around her body and head turned towards the golden collumn. Doing nothing else. No psychic scream, telekinesis, no nothing. Uncaring for anything around her. It had flown in at 3000 sharp in the morning and not moved since.
He sincerely missed his halbeard now more than ever. But weapons of any kind had been banned inside the innermost perimeter. How they even knew that the Endbringer was no danger at the moment was due to a thinker that came running towards the camp that had been established. Going by the name of Tattletale she had told them that the Simurgh currently was contend to simply be were it was and do nothing else. 'Assuming a waiting position' to quote the Thinker.
"Although if you want to die fast go ahead and attack her......or the collumn." she had said with a shrug. "My power tells me she will defend it to the best of her ability should someone try anything." His question as to a cause or deeper meaning she had answered with "I'm Sherlock Holmes times a thousand, not Jesus." with a vey self satisfied grin. He couldn't shake the thought she wanted to say that sentence since forever.
Assault had laughed. He hadn't.
Taking care to stop before a spraypainted line a very brave PRT soldier had put just a centimeter behind the Simurgh's nearest body part to the collumn (got the whole next month off from duty for that) he took out his newly created scanner tinker gadget, raised it and turned it on.
At daylight the golden collumn wasn't as dazzling as at night. Aside from a tinting the whole block slightly golden it was bearable to look at it directly. Didn't help measuring it. He got completely erratic readings on the whole electromagnetic spectrum. Barring visible light it was all over the place and jumping around at random. Emitting faint but measureable radiation.
Sunken into the readings he took half a step forward to see if the reading got any stronger the nearer the source he came. Just a second after he had done that a high pitched buzz tried to deafen him from his own helmet speakers.
"Collin! Get back now!" screamed Dragon in his ears. Her voice a pitch he never had heard before. "What?.....why?" still surprised at her sudden action/reaction.
"Take a look at the Simurgh!" her voice now sounding strained even. Slowly he turned his head towards the giantess. Only to look into the face of the same. Posture unchanged but head turned and lowered to look at him directly.
Despite there being no emotion in her expression he felt the hostility rolling off her.
He could fell a drop of cold sweat running doiwn his spine and slowly lowered his arm with the scanner. With a quick glance Collin saw his boot tip just portruded beyond the white line on the ground. Even slower he leaned backwards and took a step back. At that the Simurgh once again resumed looking at the collumn.
Commotion and shouting let him turn around only to see chaos. People were running around in the camp at the school's main gate. Some tents knocked down. A tearing sound to his now right as Leviathan simply marched through the waist high fence surrounding the school. The Triumvirate above watching his every move. Never taking their eyes off him. With a slight trembling accompaning every step Leviathan strode towards the collumn. Only to come too a complete stop a similar distance away as the Simurgh. Not even acknowledging the others existence and then ceasing to do anything at all.
Despite now pushing almost 48 hours without sleep Collin thought he would need all the caffeine he could get for the next 24 hours.
He would remain in the right as just an hour later at ten a.m. Behemoth would erupt out of a hole in the ground and follow the other two Endbringer's example.
Over the course of the day emergency news would rush around the planet as more than a dozen other creatures emerged in or around Brockton Bay. Some appearing just seconds apart from each other. Teleporting in, flying in or simply marching. All of them drawn towards the golden collumn in the middle.
The fourth one a rather short black round thing. A grey sphere as a torso with legs, shoulders and head attached to it. The fifth a being consisting of two vastly different bodies. One a high reaching spindly body rooted to the ground and the other a smallish three headed human like thing. The eleventh even taller than Behemoth covered in white long fur. The Yeti came to mind. With arms reaching its kness, sharp claws and a maw wih long pointy teeth.
The seventeenth a spiky black figure twice as tall as a human. Sharp thorns all over its body with the arms ending in blades. A knightlike look to it.
The blocks around the school now had some gashes and destroyed areas. Places where the Endbringers had simply walked through anything standing in their path. Not interested in doing more damage besides what was necessary to reach the collumn.
The city now had been mostly evacuated. Under 10% of its inhabitants still remained. Them being simply the last to be evacuated. The Truce was in effect on the whole world. The emergence of seventeen more Endbringers cause enough for that. The Fallen and similar groups were already heralding the end of the world as Judgement Day was upon humanity. Suicide rates were through the roof also.
Barely a dozen capes was all that remained atop one of the buildings adjacent to Winslow High. The rest had either leaved by themselves or been ordered away. The most resilient and fastest in the US among the remaining. Strider and Tattletale had been offered anything within presidential power to remain and evacuate heroes or further observe the Endbringers.
The last one had just arrived around 16:37 and joined the other 19 around the collumn. 'All Endbringers have arrived. Something will happen shortly.' that tidbit made Lisa startle out of her bored thinker pose sitting on the roof's edge. "Uhh guys?! It appears they are all in attendance! The last one was the last to arrive!" she called out to the group scattered behind her. Heavy footsteps behind her as the heroes rushed over to her.
"Are you sure, Tattletale? Are there no more missing?" Lisa had to admit Alexandria covered the apprehension in her voice remarkably well given the situation. Even the otherwise so confident and resolute Brute felt something in this situation. "Absolutely. And look." she pointed up into the sky. The collumn began to shrink down and shrunk in diameter.
The heroes could only watch as the event seemed to proceed.
The call was complete after all. All had arrived. Now he second step could follow.
Heart rhytms accelerated and fingers twitched more and more as the collumn shrank further and further. The outer walls of the school could be seen again untouched by it. Slowly the upper limit fell down towards the school's roof.
Only to come to a sudden stop. Slowly the golden light began to pulse. Growing brighter and fainter faster and faster until both states blurred into each other.
And then suddenly the school exploded outward together with the light. A wall of light washing over everything annyhilating the whole building. Leaving the Endbringers completely unfazed and untouched.
Eyes blinked, hands were and arms used to shield the same were lowered again to look at the now changed scene. What the collumn had covered all this time.
There in the middle of it all. On the ground level surrounded by the ramins of a wall behind it stood a lone figure. Covered in grime, blood and filth barely recognizedable as a girl at this distance.
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Neepa
Always pondering story possibilities
- Location
- Germany
Silver Lining
No one said anything. No one moved. They all even kept their breath. All transfixed by the situation. A single human had been the reason for this. A single human for whatever reason enough to make all three active Endbringer and their seventeen inactive brethren turn up. To attend whatever this was.
This event had "Trigger" written all over it. Everyone of them suspected that. The state of the girl indicator enough for it.
Hitched breaths were drawn in as all the Endbringers snapped to attention. Their waiting stance giving way to a more rigid posture at a call only they had heard or sensed.
But nothing seemed to happen next.
Dragon spotted it first. Making her call out to the rest in a hushed voice. "Look at the bodies of the Endbringers! They are disentigrating in layers to dust!" It took some time for all to see this. The process difficult to view from this distance for those without better or enhanced eyesight. It was the most noticeable on the largest Endbringers. Patches of their bodies flaking away in layers. Crumbling into a grey dust floating in the air.
Then finding a path towards the lone girl standing inside the destroyed school. The dust latched on to her. Fusing with her skin. Becoming part of her. Her form however was not altered by it. The material not adding on top of her.
But to her nonetheless.
Silently the process began to pick up speed. The Endbringers dissolving faster and faster. The space inside their circle becoming saturated with their crumbled form. Slowly blocking out the view. Until only a swirling mass of grey dust could be seen.
Air speed up and an unbearable howling sound got louder and louder. The air in a one block radius around the former school influenced by the swirling tornado of grey dust. It reached a climax and then subsided together with the now diminishing vortex. Retreating inwards.
Disbelief as the Endbringers had completely dissolved. Vanished, only leaving behind their footprints in some cases. Even though this outcome was obvious from the start. As the rotating cloud had reached the halfway point between where the girl and Endbringers had been the cloud began to glow in a silver light.
Or had the dust simply blocked the light before?
It didn't matter. The girl came into view again. Radiating away silver light making only her bare outline visible. Any other feature bloomed over by it. The light growing in itensity as the dust surrounding her began to run out. Eyes squinted, visors polarized or cameras compensated against the glistening light.
There was a sudden flash as all the dust had dissappeared into the silver glowing girl. Brighter than a thousand camera flashlights together. Illuminating the city for the fraction of a second.
As view returned to the dozen or so onlookers they noted only one difference to before. The girl was no longer in a state of utter mess. All the filth and blood on her and her clothes gone. Entirely back in top condition top to bottom.
Also she was moving now. Head sverwing around slowly. Taking in the surrounding area it seemed. More like scanning around though. Suddenly she made a 180 degree turn that on her own longitudinal axis turning towards them. Her head tilting upwards toward them all as she discovered them.
Then she vanished suddenly in a flash of silver.
Only to appear in the very same moment an arms length away beyond the buildings edge. Her form surrounded by a silver outline as she stood over the five story deep abyss on nothing.
Everyone made a couple of rushed steps away from her and the roof's edge. Even Dragon's suit getting out of her immediate vicinity. From the edge of her view Lisa saw someone grabbing Strider by his wrist strongly to keep him from simply teleporting away from pure shock. She could feel her blood pumping in her very ears as her heart rhythm and blood pressure went through the roof as a reaction. Those that could took to hovering just a feet above the ground. To be ready to move should anything happen.
The girl as the cause of it all however did nothing. She didn't even react to their reaction to her. No expressioin she could read. Her power drawing a complete blank the unknown girl. Hands hanging to her side, posture straight and without any facial expression radiating passivity. Then she turned her head towards one of them. Eyes not moving in their sockets turning her whole head instead. Moving on after barely a second. 'Inhuman!' clued her power her in.
Only until she came to Eidolon. Her gaze staying on him. Her eyelids and cheekmuscles reacting in a microexpression as they twitched shortly. 'Found what she was looking for.' that made Lisa go into overdrive. Why was she searching for Eidolon? What is her connection to him? Or were the Endbringers connected to him and this is only because she "absorbed" them?
<High Priest. I am your worthy opponent. Prepare yourself.>
The voice was monotone without any emphasis on any syllable. No deeper intent hidden in the robotic voice beyond the words bare meaning.
Heads turned erratically between the girl and Eidolon. Those near him took some steps away from him. Getting away from him as he gained some height and backed away from the group. His whole posture defensive and confused. Until it changed to understanding and realisation. Visibly switching over to prepare himself for a fight.
At an unknown signal she was onto him. Arm drawn back and punching him squarely in the chest. Eidolon dissappeared into a blur of green and was catapulted up andaway with a cracking sound as he broke through the soundbarrier almost instantly. The gril speeding after him leaving a silver lining in her wake.
It was good he always kept some kind of flight power and durability enhancing power ready at almost all times. Or else the punch would have pulverized him almost instantly. As he came to a stop a couple hundred meters above the ground he felt better than ever. This was it. This should become his greatest battle. Possibly greater than even the End of the World. His mark on history would be here and now.
Fighting and defeating the girl that had seemingly absorbed all the existing Endbringers and their powers into herself.
Bringing up an offensive ability he stretched out his palms and two giant blasts of white concussive force left them. Racing towards his rapidly catching up silver opponent. They crashed into her and a explosion of white light spread outwards in all directions. In retaliation a silver beam shot out of it.
At 99% the speed of light, faster than he could have ever reacted, it struck him, bypassed his defensive ability and erradiacated every atom making up his body from existence.
A lone green piece of his cape the only thing slowly falling down to earth in the wind.
Neepa
Always pondering story possibilities
- Location
- Germany
Silver Lining
A lone figure suddenly appeared in a near infinite field of snow and ice. Popping into existence with a single 'poof' of displaced air and falling forwards on their knees. Deep ragged breaths forming vapor clouds in the cold air.
She breathed the icy air greedily making her lungs burn as if she had run a full mile as fast she she could. Tears, not from the cold temparatures, building in the corners of her eyes and beginning to flow down her cheeks. Creating only even colder lines on them.
'What have I done?! What did I do back there? Why did I do that?!?' She asked herself over and over. She didn't know. She just did. Her body moving by itself. Caught completely in the moment she had simply followed. Following a feeling or more a compulsion. Searching for him. The High Priest. Opposing him. An objective she had to achieve. Then killing him.
Disgust welled in her and she made her breakfast make an acquaintance with the cold frozen solid ground she kneeled on. Until she was dryheaving. Her fingers digging into the ice easily as she cramped during it. Her fist met the hard surface cracking it. A low rumbling noise following from all around her.
The event replaying in her mind over and over. Attacking him after she had issued those words. Punching him skyward. Then taking after him. Ignoring the blasts sent her way completely. Stretching out her index finger like a finger pistol, aiming and then a pulling sensation as energy left her body. Stricking out faster than he could react and obliterating him wholesale.
Confusion after that. A task finished. The cloud around her mind vanishing. Realizing what she just had done. No matter if completely willing or out of her own volition. Another pull as she desperately wanted to be somewhere else. As alone as possible.
The vomit on the ice before her had now frozen over. The cold began to bite into her. Szhe wanted to be somewhere else. Somewhere safe and warm.
WIth a pull followed by a silver flash she vanished. Her traces slowly covered over.
The crack running down multiple kilometers into the Antarctic ice shield being the exception.
Neepa
Always pondering story possibilities
- Location
- Germany
God's Messenger
She soared through the air. Bombarded by strong rain and the occasional hailstone. Dark clouds blanketing across the whole sky. Turning a bright day into dusk. Thunderbolts illuminating the scenery and creating ghastly shapes inside them.
Under her were the flooded parts of Brockton Bay. A storm tide pressing, caused by Leviathan, water in waves into the streets. The water already flooding the ground floors of the buildings at the coast.
But she had to move on. Doing the strange running on air/flying mixture thanks to her boots being infused with Hermes. The greek god of travel and some other travel related things channeled into them. Recreating the winged sandals he wears in depictions. Her costume and cape, both featuring three greek collumns with a triangle above them as her symbol, likewise infused with the Nemean lion making it utterly indestructible to let it keep up with her bodily strength. All three eating away at her stamina constantly in exchange.
With quickened breath she came to a standstill. Having arrived over the battle itself. Under her heroes and vilains mounting their desperate defence against Leviathan as it tore through them. Legend blasting away at it with his beams and Alexandria making attack run after attack run. Bodies were thrown around. Some rising again but the majority staying down. Still alive or down for good not visible from so high up. Alexandria noticed her after Leviathan send her flying away once again and flew up to her height. Shouting something over the infernal sound of the battle and weather.
But she didn't listen. Fighting a battle with herself instead. Should she really do this? Rushing in like she planned to? Possibly dying doing it? She shook her head to banish those thoughts. She could do a real difference here. Do some real damage to the Endbringer. Maybe enough to make it retreat even. Like they ever did when they had suffered enough damage.
Shackily she raised the hammer she held in her left. Taken from her father's workbench. A fitting vessel in form and function for what she would imbue it with. Concentrating she imagined what she wanted it to be. Her parasite taking that image and tracing it. Finding it within the source and channeling godly power and might into her. The familiar pull on herself as it flowed into her. Draining her own strength in exchange for that of a god.
Brows furrowed she spoke one word. "Mjölnir." The simple machinist's hammer changing shape as power flowed into it. The head expanding in size dramatically. The handle growing in thickness but not in length. A Trefoil knot appearing on the head's sides. Thunder filling the air as arcs of lightning danced over it's black dull metall surface.
Lowering Mjölnir she looked back at the battle raging under her. Drawing back the arm as she aimed. Waiting for the perfect moment. Not noticing some of the not engaged defenders looking up to her.
Her arm shot forward and Mjölnir left her hand as it was catapulted forward, broke through the soundbarrier and accelerated on towards its target. She diving after it only a second later. Hand tightening around the spear she was holding with the next image already forming in her mind.
The defenders at ground level were thrown back suddenly as something leaking lightning suddenly hit Leviathan in its right shoulder. A wave of lightning washing outwards at the thundering (heh!) impact. The Endbringer violently punched into the ground and falling on its back in doing so. Only those that were far enough back to be thrown on their rears at the first impact could see the costumed person landing on the Endbringer's chest in another violent impact. Pushing Leviathan a feet deeper into the ground even.
With a billowing golden cape fluttering from the cape's shoulders, featuring three classical stone collumns and a triangle above them, the cape raised Dauntless's Arclance high above its head.
"Zeu's thunder!" shouted a girlish voice coming from the rushing cape thrusting down the lance. Upon hitting the same spot as the first attack the weapon, cape and Endbringer were enveloped in blindingly yellow light as a ginormous lightning bolt struck the end of the lance and dumped all the lightning from the storm overhead into the lance and then Leviathan.
The resulting shockwave levelled almost every building a whole block in any direction.
Taylor awoke amidst a pile of red bricks. Her whole body aching like she had been hit and then driven over by a semi. Dimm throbbing spots covering most of her body. Shaking the rubble and wall pieces she slowly stood up. Even though she felt like shit she wasn't wounded. Her bright costume likewise undamaged thanks to the legend of the Nemean lion Hercules had slain making it impervious to any damage. Straightening as she stodd though she felt the price the whole attack had cost her. Black spots danced in her vision and her knees were shacking due to extreme exhaustion. Channeling God's power and those of his countless avatars did taking its due toll on her. A piece of her own strength in exchange for that of a god from any pantheon or believer(or one of their weapons/items/symbols etc.).
Using a hand to stabilise herself against a wall Taylor slowly made her way towards the oval hole in the basement she came flying through. Backtracking the long swath of destruction she also involuntarily had caused. Dismissing flying over it and dropping the imbuing into her boots to save what little strength she still momentarily had. All the debris making it a real challenge on her weak legs.
Cresting a small rubble mountain she finally was back at the street where she had struck the Endbringer just minutes before. The fuggy smell of Ozone in the air due to the lightning discharges. Hanging heavy above the place.
Nearing the big crater she had caused her foot hit something that wasn't rubble. Bowing down like an old frail geezer she picked up the fist sized piece. Heavily burned with the former grrenish colour barely discernible. It also crumbled like ash in her hand. 'Must be from Leviathan.' A piece her attack had blasted away. 'Wait....is it still here?!' With stumbling steps she rushed towards the crater's edge and peered inside.
However no Endbringer inside. Only the indent it had left in the ground in its rough shape. A sigh of pure relief as she slumbed forward and almost fell flat on her nose doing that. Spotting a larger piece of rubble she stumbled over and sat down on it to rest. Recuperating a bit before she would try to make her way home through this warzone.
"Quite impressive. Especially for such a recent hero and his first Endbringer fight." The voice pulling Taylor out of her exhaustion caused musings and snapping to attention. Looking up Alexandria hovered a stone throw away and above her. Despite how much of a cape geeks she had been, and still was, in her current state she didn't react with more than a somehwat dumb grin, a nod and shaking her hand in hello towards the Truimvirate member. Uncaring for how dumb she looked as somewhat less exhausted part of her mind screamed at her for doing so.
All in all she was utterly spent.
And then it began to drizzle again.
Fucking great.
Under her were the flooded parts of Brockton Bay. A storm tide pressing, caused by Leviathan, water in waves into the streets. The water already flooding the ground floors of the buildings at the coast.
But she had to move on. Doing the strange running on air/flying mixture thanks to her boots being infused with Hermes. The greek god of travel and some other travel related things channeled into them. Recreating the winged sandals he wears in depictions. Her costume and cape, both featuring three greek collumns with a triangle above them as her symbol, likewise infused with the Nemean lion making it utterly indestructible to let it keep up with her bodily strength. All three eating away at her stamina constantly in exchange.
With quickened breath she came to a standstill. Having arrived over the battle itself. Under her heroes and vilains mounting their desperate defence against Leviathan as it tore through them. Legend blasting away at it with his beams and Alexandria making attack run after attack run. Bodies were thrown around. Some rising again but the majority staying down. Still alive or down for good not visible from so high up. Alexandria noticed her after Leviathan send her flying away once again and flew up to her height. Shouting something over the infernal sound of the battle and weather.
But she didn't listen. Fighting a battle with herself instead. Should she really do this? Rushing in like she planned to? Possibly dying doing it? She shook her head to banish those thoughts. She could do a real difference here. Do some real damage to the Endbringer. Maybe enough to make it retreat even. Like they ever did when they had suffered enough damage.
Shackily she raised the hammer she held in her left. Taken from her father's workbench. A fitting vessel in form and function for what she would imbue it with. Concentrating she imagined what she wanted it to be. Her parasite taking that image and tracing it. Finding it within the source and channeling godly power and might into her. The familiar pull on herself as it flowed into her. Draining her own strength in exchange for that of a god.
Brows furrowed she spoke one word. "Mjölnir." The simple machinist's hammer changing shape as power flowed into it. The head expanding in size dramatically. The handle growing in thickness but not in length. A Trefoil knot appearing on the head's sides. Thunder filling the air as arcs of lightning danced over it's black dull metall surface.
Lowering Mjölnir she looked back at the battle raging under her. Drawing back the arm as she aimed. Waiting for the perfect moment. Not noticing some of the not engaged defenders looking up to her.
Her arm shot forward and Mjölnir left her hand as it was catapulted forward, broke through the soundbarrier and accelerated on towards its target. She diving after it only a second later. Hand tightening around the spear she was holding with the next image already forming in her mind.
The defenders at ground level were thrown back suddenly as something leaking lightning suddenly hit Leviathan in its right shoulder. A wave of lightning washing outwards at the thundering (heh!) impact. The Endbringer violently punched into the ground and falling on its back in doing so. Only those that were far enough back to be thrown on their rears at the first impact could see the costumed person landing on the Endbringer's chest in another violent impact. Pushing Leviathan a feet deeper into the ground even.
With a billowing golden cape fluttering from the cape's shoulders, featuring three classical stone collumns and a triangle above them, the cape raised Dauntless's Arclance high above its head.
"Zeu's thunder!" shouted a girlish voice coming from the rushing cape thrusting down the lance. Upon hitting the same spot as the first attack the weapon, cape and Endbringer were enveloped in blindingly yellow light as a ginormous lightning bolt struck the end of the lance and dumped all the lightning from the storm overhead into the lance and then Leviathan.
The resulting shockwave levelled almost every building a whole block in any direction.
Taylor awoke amidst a pile of red bricks. Her whole body aching like she had been hit and then driven over by a semi. Dimm throbbing spots covering most of her body. Shaking the rubble and wall pieces she slowly stood up. Even though she felt like shit she wasn't wounded. Her bright costume likewise undamaged thanks to the legend of the Nemean lion Hercules had slain making it impervious to any damage. Straightening as she stodd though she felt the price the whole attack had cost her. Black spots danced in her vision and her knees were shacking due to extreme exhaustion. Channeling God's power and those of his countless avatars did taking its due toll on her. A piece of her own strength in exchange for that of a god from any pantheon or believer(or one of their weapons/items/symbols etc.).
Using a hand to stabilise herself against a wall Taylor slowly made her way towards the oval hole in the basement she came flying through. Backtracking the long swath of destruction she also involuntarily had caused. Dismissing flying over it and dropping the imbuing into her boots to save what little strength she still momentarily had. All the debris making it a real challenge on her weak legs.
Cresting a small rubble mountain she finally was back at the street where she had struck the Endbringer just minutes before. The fuggy smell of Ozone in the air due to the lightning discharges. Hanging heavy above the place.
Nearing the big crater she had caused her foot hit something that wasn't rubble. Bowing down like an old frail geezer she picked up the fist sized piece. Heavily burned with the former grrenish colour barely discernible. It also crumbled like ash in her hand. 'Must be from Leviathan.' A piece her attack had blasted away. 'Wait....is it still here?!' With stumbling steps she rushed towards the crater's edge and peered inside.
However no Endbringer inside. Only the indent it had left in the ground in its rough shape. A sigh of pure relief as she slumbed forward and almost fell flat on her nose doing that. Spotting a larger piece of rubble she stumbled over and sat down on it to rest. Recuperating a bit before she would try to make her way home through this warzone.
"Quite impressive. Especially for such a recent hero and his first Endbringer fight." The voice pulling Taylor out of her exhaustion caused musings and snapping to attention. Looking up Alexandria hovered a stone throw away and above her. Despite how much of a cape geeks she had been, and still was, in her current state she didn't react with more than a somehwat dumb grin, a nod and shaking her hand in hello towards the Truimvirate member. Uncaring for how dumb she looked as somewhat less exhausted part of her mind screamed at her for doing so.
All in all she was utterly spent.
And then it began to drizzle again.
Fucking great.
This is decidedly not a copy of "An Essence of Silver and Steel" nor is it inspired by it. This more or less a Worm adaptation of a Toaruverse fic idea I had. Much like in WH40k there exists a being that could be called God. This being is the complete essence generated by humanity praying to their various pantheons and singular gods. Now God didn't like the Entyties showing up and running their experiments. So God acquired a certain parahuman to be during their trigger event that had even the right Shard he could brute force into submission. Queen_Admninistrator simply was perfect for that. An organizer capable of taking Taylor's input and pulling up the part Taylor wants to use from God himself. Utilizing their weapons, abilities, physical prowess and other things with the only condition that the power belonging to these need a fitting vessel. You will not be able to imbue Mjölnir into a spear for example.
Howeevr as you have read it takes strength in exchange to channel God's power and wield it. Limiting what Taylor can do to her physical state. She will suffer fatigue from it even when she would imbue herself with the strength of Atlas for example. The channeling and utilisation will draw from her while the godly might draws from God's power itself.
Howeevr as you have read it takes strength in exchange to channel God's power and wield it. Limiting what Taylor can do to her physical state. She will suffer fatigue from it even when she would imbue herself with the strength of Atlas for example. The channeling and utilisation will draw from her while the godly might draws from God's power itself.
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Neepa
Always pondering story possibilities
- Location
- Germany
God's Messenger
A miniscule ripple went through it. Almost unnoticeable to itself even as it was nearly drowned out in all the others it was constantly experiencing. The whole sum of its creator species the ever constamnt cause for these.
But this one had been different. A ripple not merely going one way. Its way; but originating from itself and then bouncing back. A part of its own might send back ladden with emotion. A cry for help, cold acceptance at a mistake made and regret. Regret to have failed it. It specifically over a task it had bestowed itself.
Somewhere parallel to the material world the incomprehensible vast being shifted around. Pulling its wide spread and thinly scattered focus towards this singular point. Abandoning millions of others for some brief moments as this demanded direct attention.
The parasite it had dominated shivered as it took direct control over it. The little self determination it still had vanishing as it was utterly dominated again. Tracking back the maintained bridge to a single individual of the beings creator species. Just stopping short of establishing direct contact to not impose itself on her. Separation for the sake of of her preservation so she wouldn't be lost in itself for forever.
What it observed from its servant and messenger made it pause. It the ever changing thought being constantly added on upon by its creator species. Still for a mere moment stretching into an eternity.
Until Anger welled up in it. Turning into Rage. Emotions it got from its creator species rippling across the being like never before. The nearly still tranquil sea of itself breaking into a hurricane of infinite proportions. The first time ever in the beings existence for it to occur.
In the material world, on the southern hemisphere in Canberra Australia laid Taylor Herbert aka. Pantheon, dying, in one of the nearly ruined buildings in Canberra Central.
Just like last time as she had fought an Endbringer she was laying in a heap of rubble. Only back then she didn't taste, smell and feel the sensation of her own blood.
A black haze pulsated all around her field of view. In complete unison with her own slowing heartbeat she absently noticed. Instead of thrumming aches all over her body she didn't fell anything at all really. Her left arm completely gone from her awareness as well as her legs halfway beyond her knees to her hips. An odddly warm sensation spreading through her shredded costume as a pool of blood spread around her torso. A piece of rebar lodged through her side at an shallow angle and pinning her to the concrete floor she laid on.
She had been to damn cocky. Not accounting for the Simurgh using more traditional means of countering her when her normally convoluted and precog driven ones failed against her. Who would have though that the Simurgh's Brute rating was that high? Enough to overcome the minor god she used and cripple her even in her imbued state? By sending her flying into a building at more than Mach 2?
Spasming lungs made her cough up blood and snot. Sending searing pain through her torso.
She could only blame herself for dying like this. Being too damn optimistic against it. She felt regret as she couldn't fulfill her promise and obligation. The mission she readily took out of revenge against parahumanity left unfulfilled with her demise. An her patron couldn't help her even. Only able to act through proxies such as herself. Of which she was the only one in existence at the moment.
Suddenly a symbol of sorts flashed in her view. A circle with varying kinds of arrows around it. With a trembling hand she began to draw it on the florr with her own blood. Her world fading as she made the last stroke. Death ready to claim her.
Unnoticed by her and anyone else the blood drawn symbol glowed golden and burned itself into the concrete.
Outside the fight against the Simurgh still raged on. The empowered weapons Pantheon had thrown against the Endbringer only angering it. Seemingly taking her gloves off the Simurgh killed and disabled capes wioth extreme prejudice. The certain amount of passivity she had displayed towards attackers now completely gone as she maimed, crushed or impaled them actively with telekinetically thrown rubble.
All in all it was catastrophal.
Alexandria stretched out an arm as she punched though a whole building front the Simurgh had thrown at her specifically. Slowing her down ever so slightly with dozen of such objects and then using the remains she created to bombard capes under her. Another half a dozen killed as they were made into paste. She acelerated again onward flying through another two until she noticed that the rubble itself no longer was moving. Looking towards the damaged Endbringer with its blown off wing and scorched shoulder only to abre witness it looking into a singular direction. Now was the ideal time to attack as it was seemingly distracted. Dealing damage to it on a higher priority than finding out what distracted it in the first place.
She could worry about that in a minute or so. "Eidolon, Legend attack it right now we need to capitalize upon this!" lowering the armband away as she broke the soundbarrier towards the Endbringer.
"Negative Alexxandria! The direction where it's facing is the same Pantheon vanished into as she directly attacked her." That made her stop immediately. Could it be? Could the first cape to singlehandedly damage Endbrinegrs still be alive after that attack? She looked just in time to see a collumn of golden translucent light starting to shine from the sky.
Originating from no spot in particular, but punching a clear path through all the smoke and dust the battle had produced, revealing a spotless bright sky, the light shone down on a damaged ten story building. An ethereal quality to the pale golden hue. After a mometn the whole building lit up in a similar more solid light and arcs of golden lightning danced across its surfaces and the ground.
Until solid golden light erupted out every opening in the building. Exploding just a second later in a golden nova.
It was beautiful and utterly awe inspiring. Leaving the impression of pure might and power on anybody witnessing it. Their own power and capabilities dwarfed by just looking at it. Inconsequential in comparison to that.
Even the Simurgh looked a bit swayed. A frown now replacing the enraged visage on her once passive face. Slowly it gathered and oriented all the debris she had collected towards the bright golden sphere.
It acted too late though.
From one moment to the other a beam erupted outwards stricking and obliterating everything between it and the Simurgh as if it werren't even there. Impacting the Endbringer and pushing it back in the air. Now more of the Endbringer's body scorched and flaking away in crumbling black dust.
After that a boom loud enough to come from a WMD in the kiloton range echoing across the land.
The first thing she had felt after waking up again was the feeling of limitless power flowing through her. Noticing her reversal to tip top shape only after the burning energy coursing through every fiber of her being. Waiting to be realeased. Wanting to be realeased. Burning every cell in her body as it was forced to remain inside her.
She saw through a golden hue the wings of the Simurgh crumble under the punch she had thrown against them. The crystaline material shattering into splinters. Doing a backflip midair her foot connected with the Endbringer's chin sending it straight up into the stratosphere. Clapping her hands and slowly seperating them a single golden dot appeared between them. Growing in size as she spread her arms and then shooting upwards catching up with the Endbringer. A golden sun appeared over Canberra as it hit.
Down at the ground people looked up to the spectacle unfolding in the sky. Pantheon had survived. Without any injuries it seemed and stronger than ever. Now completely enveloped in golden light with even her hair glowing in the colour. Eyes reported to be doing the same by a flying cape with enhanced sight. A new symbol now on her cape and and costume chest.
A brightly glowing circle with varying kinds of arrows pointing to and from it.
A scream conveying anger and deep hatred rang out from the sky above. The battered form of the Simurgh colliding with Pantheon from above. A disk wave of golden light scattering around them as she blocked the Endbringer.
Another WMD level boom as the Simurgh was thrown into the ground and with such force that it created a crater half a mile wide. A fourth as Pantheon landed upon it. A quieter fith. And a last final one as a fist was droven directly into the Simurghs body followed by golden light ripping through its body.
A third golden nova enveloping the crater as the Endbringer died.
Heavily panting she stood above the crumbling remains of the Endbringer. Only a shadowly outline in the ground and some scattered pieces bearing witness to its existence. She felt extremely hot. The unlimited power pulsing through her body. Her veins glowing brighter than the rest. Like liquid sun plasma in them. Golden cracks marring her skin where it leaked out of. Tearing her body apart from the inside out.
Feeling exhausted she lost cosciousness. Not knowing if she would ever wake again.
But this one had been different. A ripple not merely going one way. Its way; but originating from itself and then bouncing back. A part of its own might send back ladden with emotion. A cry for help, cold acceptance at a mistake made and regret. Regret to have failed it. It specifically over a task it had bestowed itself.
Somewhere parallel to the material world the incomprehensible vast being shifted around. Pulling its wide spread and thinly scattered focus towards this singular point. Abandoning millions of others for some brief moments as this demanded direct attention.
The parasite it had dominated shivered as it took direct control over it. The little self determination it still had vanishing as it was utterly dominated again. Tracking back the maintained bridge to a single individual of the beings creator species. Just stopping short of establishing direct contact to not impose itself on her. Separation for the sake of of her preservation so she wouldn't be lost in itself for forever.
What it observed from its servant and messenger made it pause. It the ever changing thought being constantly added on upon by its creator species. Still for a mere moment stretching into an eternity.
Until Anger welled up in it. Turning into Rage. Emotions it got from its creator species rippling across the being like never before. The nearly still tranquil sea of itself breaking into a hurricane of infinite proportions. The first time ever in the beings existence for it to occur.
In the material world, on the southern hemisphere in Canberra Australia laid Taylor Herbert aka. Pantheon, dying, in one of the nearly ruined buildings in Canberra Central.
Just like last time as she had fought an Endbringer she was laying in a heap of rubble. Only back then she didn't taste, smell and feel the sensation of her own blood.
A black haze pulsated all around her field of view. In complete unison with her own slowing heartbeat she absently noticed. Instead of thrumming aches all over her body she didn't fell anything at all really. Her left arm completely gone from her awareness as well as her legs halfway beyond her knees to her hips. An odddly warm sensation spreading through her shredded costume as a pool of blood spread around her torso. A piece of rebar lodged through her side at an shallow angle and pinning her to the concrete floor she laid on.
She had been to damn cocky. Not accounting for the Simurgh using more traditional means of countering her when her normally convoluted and precog driven ones failed against her. Who would have though that the Simurgh's Brute rating was that high? Enough to overcome the minor god she used and cripple her even in her imbued state? By sending her flying into a building at more than Mach 2?
Spasming lungs made her cough up blood and snot. Sending searing pain through her torso.
She could only blame herself for dying like this. Being too damn optimistic against it. She felt regret as she couldn't fulfill her promise and obligation. The mission she readily took out of revenge against parahumanity left unfulfilled with her demise. An her patron couldn't help her even. Only able to act through proxies such as herself. Of which she was the only one in existence at the moment.
Suddenly a symbol of sorts flashed in her view. A circle with varying kinds of arrows around it. With a trembling hand she began to draw it on the florr with her own blood. Her world fading as she made the last stroke. Death ready to claim her.
Unnoticed by her and anyone else the blood drawn symbol glowed golden and burned itself into the concrete.
Outside the fight against the Simurgh still raged on. The empowered weapons Pantheon had thrown against the Endbringer only angering it. Seemingly taking her gloves off the Simurgh killed and disabled capes wioth extreme prejudice. The certain amount of passivity she had displayed towards attackers now completely gone as she maimed, crushed or impaled them actively with telekinetically thrown rubble.
All in all it was catastrophal.
Alexandria stretched out an arm as she punched though a whole building front the Simurgh had thrown at her specifically. Slowing her down ever so slightly with dozen of such objects and then using the remains she created to bombard capes under her. Another half a dozen killed as they were made into paste. She acelerated again onward flying through another two until she noticed that the rubble itself no longer was moving. Looking towards the damaged Endbringer with its blown off wing and scorched shoulder only to abre witness it looking into a singular direction. Now was the ideal time to attack as it was seemingly distracted. Dealing damage to it on a higher priority than finding out what distracted it in the first place.
She could worry about that in a minute or so. "Eidolon, Legend attack it right now we need to capitalize upon this!" lowering the armband away as she broke the soundbarrier towards the Endbringer.
"Negative Alexxandria! The direction where it's facing is the same Pantheon vanished into as she directly attacked her." That made her stop immediately. Could it be? Could the first cape to singlehandedly damage Endbrinegrs still be alive after that attack? She looked just in time to see a collumn of golden translucent light starting to shine from the sky.
Originating from no spot in particular, but punching a clear path through all the smoke and dust the battle had produced, revealing a spotless bright sky, the light shone down on a damaged ten story building. An ethereal quality to the pale golden hue. After a mometn the whole building lit up in a similar more solid light and arcs of golden lightning danced across its surfaces and the ground.
Until solid golden light erupted out every opening in the building. Exploding just a second later in a golden nova.
It was beautiful and utterly awe inspiring. Leaving the impression of pure might and power on anybody witnessing it. Their own power and capabilities dwarfed by just looking at it. Inconsequential in comparison to that.
Even the Simurgh looked a bit swayed. A frown now replacing the enraged visage on her once passive face. Slowly it gathered and oriented all the debris she had collected towards the bright golden sphere.
It acted too late though.
From one moment to the other a beam erupted outwards stricking and obliterating everything between it and the Simurgh as if it werren't even there. Impacting the Endbringer and pushing it back in the air. Now more of the Endbringer's body scorched and flaking away in crumbling black dust.
After that a boom loud enough to come from a WMD in the kiloton range echoing across the land.
The first thing she had felt after waking up again was the feeling of limitless power flowing through her. Noticing her reversal to tip top shape only after the burning energy coursing through every fiber of her being. Waiting to be realeased. Wanting to be realeased. Burning every cell in her body as it was forced to remain inside her.
She saw through a golden hue the wings of the Simurgh crumble under the punch she had thrown against them. The crystaline material shattering into splinters. Doing a backflip midair her foot connected with the Endbringer's chin sending it straight up into the stratosphere. Clapping her hands and slowly seperating them a single golden dot appeared between them. Growing in size as she spread her arms and then shooting upwards catching up with the Endbringer. A golden sun appeared over Canberra as it hit.
Down at the ground people looked up to the spectacle unfolding in the sky. Pantheon had survived. Without any injuries it seemed and stronger than ever. Now completely enveloped in golden light with even her hair glowing in the colour. Eyes reported to be doing the same by a flying cape with enhanced sight. A new symbol now on her cape and and costume chest.
A brightly glowing circle with varying kinds of arrows pointing to and from it.
A scream conveying anger and deep hatred rang out from the sky above. The battered form of the Simurgh colliding with Pantheon from above. A disk wave of golden light scattering around them as she blocked the Endbringer.
Another WMD level boom as the Simurgh was thrown into the ground and with such force that it created a crater half a mile wide. A fourth as Pantheon landed upon it. A quieter fith. And a last final one as a fist was droven directly into the Simurghs body followed by golden light ripping through its body.
A third golden nova enveloping the crater as the Endbringer died.
Heavily panting she stood above the crumbling remains of the Endbringer. Only a shadowly outline in the ground and some scattered pieces bearing witness to its existence. She felt extremely hot. The unlimited power pulsing through her body. Her veins glowing brighter than the rest. Like liquid sun plasma in them. Golden cracks marring her skin where it leaked out of. Tearing her body apart from the inside out.
Feeling exhausted she lost cosciousness. Not knowing if she would ever wake again.
Neepa
Always pondering story possibilities
- Location
- Germany
okay I reversed the order ich which Leviathan and The Simurgh attacked. Somehow thought Canberra was after Brockton Bay although that makes no sense with the S9 coming soon after that. Makes however more sense for Taylor still being somewhat unknown by the time Brockton Bay is attacked in February. She barely is a hero for a month at that point.
God's Messenger
'Oh this is bad. So very bad.' she thought as she ran through the medical tents. Frantically looking around. Searching for anything golden.
She had been solely assigned to the arguably most important person on the globe. Caring to her specifically as only a normal human could. Keeping watch over the hard breathing and feverish form of a teenage girl no older than 16. Clad in a almost entirely golden costume they haven't been able to pry off of her or cut away. It had resisted any parahuman and conventional attempt. Those parahumans that tried only receiving nasty burns upon touching it and knifes or scissors only dulling or outright snapping in two.
Panacea had been thown into a medicine cabinet as she had tried to heal her. Getting zapped in thanks for trying.
So they simply attached Pantheon to an O2 unit and burried her under thirty pounds of ice to get her temperature under control. Inserting an IV spectacularly also had failed as the needle had been melted burning the hand of the doctor but leaving Pantheon entirely unscathed.
It should have been a simple thing for her as a nurse. Watching her. Checking up on the ice, her temparature (thank god they could measure that!) and heartbeat which was constantly at 120 bpm.
But then she turns around to report to that pesky Alexandria for the third time in the last two hours only to find the bed completely devoid of its occupant. How on Earth she was able to slip out unnoticed when she looked like a statue made from solid gold was just beyond her!
She stumbled once again over a rubble ladden battlefield. Only this time it was much worse. Whole buildings and parts of those blocked streets and alleys making her way even more difficult. She breathed heavily as she made a short break and looked for the easiest route forward. A fassade blocking her way laying at an angle to sharp to simply crawl up.
Taylor let golden energy flow into her fist and rammed it into the bricks. Creating a hold she could hold on. Doing so over and over until she was at the top. Every one of the golden cracks in her body burning with every use of the golden power. Adding bitting streaks to the burning sensation it caused in her flesh. Landing on a car roof on the other side. A cross on a dome her mark for orientation.
The orthodox church she now stood in front of had tipped slightly towards the city center. The whole area had in fact. Caused by the huge crater she had made with the Simurgh the surrounding areas had caved in slightly. Angling down to the edge of the crater at 10 degrees or so.
Inside the partially broken coloured glass windows threw an eery smattering of colours onto the walls. The dawning sun hitting them at just the right angle. Sitting down on the marble floor and leaning back against the big fallen down chandelier her eyes wandering over the wood ornaments before her. Surrounded by depictions of Jesus, his disciples and various saints she directed her attention inwards. Her endeavour aided by the sanctity of the place.
It was ludicrously easy now. The sheer amount of might flowing through her making it easier. Now a bright trace she followed instead of looking for a streetsign as she did initially.
She breathed out. And wasn't alone anymore in the church.
Goosebumps appeared all over her body as the church was filled by an immaterial presence. An infinite depth opening up in the limited space. God was here. And paying attention actively.
For a moment neither "said" anything. Both staying silent. Until she directed a thought at it. Inquiring what had happened back then. Pictures coming back as an answer. Death in his black robe, skythe in hand, standing above her. That symbol appearing and destroying it. Fixing damage as the light washed over her.
She looked at the golden crack running over the back of her left hand. In response the picture of a watergate. Connecting a canal with a vast ocean. The canal's walls eroding under the water pushing in. A grey ugly worm laying discarded at the side.
'Oh. It bypassed the parasite. Connecting me directly to the ocean of godly might. No limiter, no control at all over the amount like before with the parasite.' It completely useless at the moment. The problem was this wasn't healthy. Once unleashed the energy was a wild dog on a leash. The source it came from the cause for that in the first place. Binded up in the vast ocean it was inactive. Inside her it was on a rampage. Destroying her from the inside while healing her at the same time. A fragile balance tipped over whenever she used it. A human simply no fitting vessel for godly might created by thoughts, desires and emotions.
The symbol then was the true representation it had choosen for itself. Its core representation. Enveloping its core being unlike all the shallow images humanity used in the form of various Gods. Although the monotheistic religions were a a step to the greater whole. One it had facilitated centuries ago. Only to stop as the consequences became apparent.
But what now? She couldn't be its proxy like this. The symbol flashed in her view. 'Can I close the waterlock? Limit the flow coming my way?' Another vision. The canal blocked and the parasite drapped over it. One end in the ocean with the other in the canal.
So she had to use that symbol again? But probably on herself this time. Grimacing she reached towards her shoulders. Opening the clasps holding her cape and opening the zipper running down her spine. Pulling the nearly skintight suit down she also pulled the thin underwear of her sweaty skin. Completely soaked wet through the fever she still had. Grabbing a lightbulp from the chandelier it broke in her fist. Drawing blood from her finger with a shard she began to draw. First the circle and then the various arrows. One reaching just above her solar plexus. Two almost reaching her collarbone on each side. For the first time she was somewhat glad for being as flat as a washing board. "Real" boobs would only have made this decidedly more difficult.
Nothing happened at first once she finished. Until burning pain erupted on her skin all over her body. The golden glowing cracks growing towards the symbol drawn across her chest. She sank forward hands gripping her knees tightly and torso muscles cramping erractically. It felt as if burning needles were pulled through her skin. Drops of sweat collected at the tip of her nose. Pores opening up all over her body.
The golden lines retreated into the symbol. Unifying into the coherent shapes. Vanishing from the rest of her body. The chandelier rattled as burning pain threw her backwards against it. The symbol glowing golden as it was etched into her very skin with a branding iron of godly might. Her breaths came hard and laboured as she suffered through it. A muffled scream leaving her mouth as a pained whining groan. The pain finally slowly subsiding with the glow.
The constant flow of power subsiding and cutting her off from the source.
She stayed like that for another ten minutes. Calming down her breath and thundering heartbeat until the pain finally faded. Sitting back up once she could feel the sweat cooling on her skin. Looking down her body she could still see the symbol. Etched into her skin with a dull golden colour. A slight ridge there as she felt over it with her finger. Softer textured in the indent of her flesh. Almost like a fresh scar.
At a sudden thought she pulled strands of hair into her vision. All still solid gold in colour. Such a pure colour not even the blondest natural blonde or bottle of dye could hope to match. 'And there goes my secret identity.' A frown building on her face. 'Dad still doesn't know.' she thought solemnly with a pit growing in her stomach. Even after her suicidal attack on Leviathanand the wonder she had performed on BB she had kept him in the dark. Unsure how to break to him she was basically modern day superhero Jesus or Muhammad. To tell him of her mission she couldn't abandon. What parahumans and Scion really were.
The immaterial presence grew more substantial and voices echoed in the church. Prayers in dozens of languages. All directed towards deities. All asking for assistance. Against the Endbringers and the Simurgh specifically. Asking for safety of themself and those in Canberra. Then they changed. Now exuberantly thanking. For a genocidal monster gone. And praying for me. To be kept safe and alive. To survive. Hoping I would fight another day. To destroy the others.
That made me feel better. Millions of voices thanking me from the bottom of their heart in most cases. Made it all worth in the end somehow. All the pain and near death. All the suffering. That people recognized what one did and the hardships that came along. My own personal problems tiny in comparison.
Which they kind of were. I destroyed the Simurgh for fucks sake! Succeded where everyone else failed singlehandedly.
'Not even parahumans would be so stupid to fuck with me now. What happened to the Simurgh deterrent enough I hope....although who am I kidding?' she snorted at her own thought. 'Surely some will still try. Pitifull abominable existences after all.' The normal humans might be a problem though. She didn't need a cult. Or Endbringer cults like the Fallen after her. 'Although in their case they are parahumans mostly. So fair game all in all.'
No the world could kiss her ass now. She would fulfill her mission. Safe those from parahumans whereever she could. Destroy the Endbringers one by one until only one immediate problem remained.
An outside context problem of epic proportions for the genocidal monster.
Parliament house had sagged just like the whole area around the crater where once was Old Parliament House. The whole half buried structure leaning towards the crater. Walls cracked and the grass covering it top ladden with debris.
But just like Brockton Bay it wouldn't stay like this.
With a crack she drove her fist right throufgh the thin layer of soil and into the concrete roof beneath it. Pushing excess power into it golden cracks spread out. Spreading through matter itself outwards into the destroyed city. Slowly debri began to shift into original shapes. Pulled back to its point of origin. Golden light fusing it back together.
The crater rose back to normal level. The rock decompacting and returning to typical density along with the soil. Buildings rebuilding as golden energy arced through them. Concrete pieces floating out of the lake as piers rose out of the water and were topped by a road once again. Dustclouds descending upon the city as their particles returned to where they belonged.
Bare of vegetation but whole again.
And once the dust settled it was a city once more.
Neepa
Always pondering story possibilities
- Location
- Germany
mysterious SI is mysterious.......
Huge, Inhuman, but Friendly
It was just another typical night in Brockton Bay. In particular when you could see the scene unfolding in this side alley.
Clementine could only look at the knife inches away from her face in blank horror. Light reflecting off the blank silvery blade coming from the dim street light around the corner. Hands trembling as she clutched her purse close to her chest. Back pressed against the rough brick wall of the building behind her.
"We are going to have some fun girl!" The unwashed drugged up junkie slobbered. His tone leaving no room for interpreatation what he imagined he would do to her. Why did she have to take this route tonight? Taking just the smallest shortcut through two streets currently in the hands of the Merchants. This close to Empire territory as well.
The druggy only laughed at her expression taking a perverse delight in it.
Well until something tapped him on his shoulder. Taking a look over his shoulder the druggy gazed into the dark alley beyond him. Seeing only complete darkness. Would he have been more aware he would have remembered that this alley wasn't a dead end and therefore not completely dark. His attention returning to me immediately after however. Only to get tapped on the shoulder again after barely a second.
I hadn't imagined it. A dark shape really had appeared from the darkness and tapped my assailant on the shoulder. Doing so again after he ignored it the first time. Letting out a high pitched shriek as the junkie turned towards the alley in kind and I could feel cold metal pressed against my collar. "Whoever you are. Come near me and I will open you up like the pig you are!" He shouted down into the the darkness. Somehow his voice didn't carry very far.
My heart skipped a beat as my assailant was suddenly grabbed by a huge hand coming out of the darkness and ripped out of my view. A hoarse scream of utter terror followed shortly after. That again followed by a metallic bang shortly after. Then nothing. Only my own breaths making any noise in the dark alley.
Slowly Clementine's eyes wandered over to where the druggie had vanished. Head turning slightly with them. Something was there in the black void. Barely visible even after her eyes slightly adjusted to the darkness. A shadowy outline just visible. Tilting her head up she followed it. Getting a bit broader towards the top only to narrow down after that. Two white glowing rectangles greeting her.
Her heart rated spiked and she began to hyperventilate it finally clicked in her mind. Desperately she tried to sink into the wall behind her. Away from the thing a couple of steps away from her. Clutching her purse tighter as the two glowing spots moved accompanied by a creaking sound. Sounding like very thick leather straining against being pulled apart.
Cold sweat drenching her bra and tshirt as a huge grey figure stepped into the light falling around the alley's corner. Two legs twice her width with an even broader torso and similar arms becoming visible. Hands able to fit a large pumpkin into them, with rough shaped digits, at the ends. Clementine's whole body was shaking as she took in the humanoid's head. Sitting on a neck as wide as a regular door. Continuing on from the shoulders more massive than any dosed up bodybuilder could ever hope to achieve.
The face like carved from stone. The Easter Island statues came to mind. Rough very fitting here. Soft at the same time as there was no sharpness to the contours. Similarly shaped ears or slight portrusions making the human features complete. And no hair at all.
"No need to fear." A deep voice rumbled from the things mouth. Making My very flesh vibrate along with it. Pronounciation bumping over the syllables with an edge. The "d" sounding more like an "dt" and the "t" almost painfully sharp. "No bad intent." The white rectangle eyes somehow even mimicking friendliness together with the thick amost angular brows above them.
More creaking noise at it lowered itself down to my eye level by squatting. Now no longer looking down from round about fifteen feet above me.
"Date? Time?" The sudden question catching her entirely wrongfooted. "Uhhh....today's the April fourth 2011?" I half asked unsure. The thing going still at that. Staring into nothingness. Seemingly sunken into deep thought.
I flinched as the white rectangles snapped back onto me suddenly. "Thank you. Stay safe." It uttered, stood up to it full height of 20 something feet and then left down the alley vanishing in the dark with the creaking leather sound its body made.
Taking a deep breath my legs finally gave away and I slumped to the ground. She swore herself then and there to never take shortcuts again.
'Roughly a week left. Early enough to derail the story's path. Especially with this form.' Despite the simple appearance my mind was anything but. Already thinking how to prevent the disasters to come.
This body and my powers the tools to that end. Anything else I will have to come up with myself.
Clementine could only look at the knife inches away from her face in blank horror. Light reflecting off the blank silvery blade coming from the dim street light around the corner. Hands trembling as she clutched her purse close to her chest. Back pressed against the rough brick wall of the building behind her.
"We are going to have some fun girl!" The unwashed drugged up junkie slobbered. His tone leaving no room for interpreatation what he imagined he would do to her. Why did she have to take this route tonight? Taking just the smallest shortcut through two streets currently in the hands of the Merchants. This close to Empire territory as well.
The druggy only laughed at her expression taking a perverse delight in it.
Well until something tapped him on his shoulder. Taking a look over his shoulder the druggy gazed into the dark alley beyond him. Seeing only complete darkness. Would he have been more aware he would have remembered that this alley wasn't a dead end and therefore not completely dark. His attention returning to me immediately after however. Only to get tapped on the shoulder again after barely a second.
I hadn't imagined it. A dark shape really had appeared from the darkness and tapped my assailant on the shoulder. Doing so again after he ignored it the first time. Letting out a high pitched shriek as the junkie turned towards the alley in kind and I could feel cold metal pressed against my collar. "Whoever you are. Come near me and I will open you up like the pig you are!" He shouted down into the the darkness. Somehow his voice didn't carry very far.
My heart skipped a beat as my assailant was suddenly grabbed by a huge hand coming out of the darkness and ripped out of my view. A hoarse scream of utter terror followed shortly after. That again followed by a metallic bang shortly after. Then nothing. Only my own breaths making any noise in the dark alley.
Slowly Clementine's eyes wandered over to where the druggie had vanished. Head turning slightly with them. Something was there in the black void. Barely visible even after her eyes slightly adjusted to the darkness. A shadowy outline just visible. Tilting her head up she followed it. Getting a bit broader towards the top only to narrow down after that. Two white glowing rectangles greeting her.
Her heart rated spiked and she began to hyperventilate it finally clicked in her mind. Desperately she tried to sink into the wall behind her. Away from the thing a couple of steps away from her. Clutching her purse tighter as the two glowing spots moved accompanied by a creaking sound. Sounding like very thick leather straining against being pulled apart.
Cold sweat drenching her bra and tshirt as a huge grey figure stepped into the light falling around the alley's corner. Two legs twice her width with an even broader torso and similar arms becoming visible. Hands able to fit a large pumpkin into them, with rough shaped digits, at the ends. Clementine's whole body was shaking as she took in the humanoid's head. Sitting on a neck as wide as a regular door. Continuing on from the shoulders more massive than any dosed up bodybuilder could ever hope to achieve.
The face like carved from stone. The Easter Island statues came to mind. Rough very fitting here. Soft at the same time as there was no sharpness to the contours. Similarly shaped ears or slight portrusions making the human features complete. And no hair at all.
"No need to fear." A deep voice rumbled from the things mouth. Making My very flesh vibrate along with it. Pronounciation bumping over the syllables with an edge. The "d" sounding more like an "dt" and the "t" almost painfully sharp. "No bad intent." The white rectangle eyes somehow even mimicking friendliness together with the thick amost angular brows above them.
More creaking noise at it lowered itself down to my eye level by squatting. Now no longer looking down from round about fifteen feet above me.
"Date? Time?" The sudden question catching her entirely wrongfooted. "Uhhh....today's the April fourth 2011?" I half asked unsure. The thing going still at that. Staring into nothingness. Seemingly sunken into deep thought.
I flinched as the white rectangles snapped back onto me suddenly. "Thank you. Stay safe." It uttered, stood up to it full height of 20 something feet and then left down the alley vanishing in the dark with the creaking leather sound its body made.
Taking a deep breath my legs finally gave away and I slumped to the ground. She swore herself then and there to never take shortcuts again.
'Roughly a week left. Early enough to derail the story's path. Especially with this form.' Despite the simple appearance my mind was anything but. Already thinking how to prevent the disasters to come.
This body and my powers the tools to that end. Anything else I will have to come up with myself.
Neepa
Always pondering story possibilities
- Location
- Germany
Huge, Inhuman, but Friendly
Let's say you had the opportunity to enter a fictional world of your choosing with the intention to alter the story's path. How would you go about that?
Confront the main character directly? Tell them what is bound to happen? Involve yourself actively in their fate?
Or remain at a distance and work from the shadows? Influence actions and events passively to alter them to a more favourable outcome?
Well the first would be rather tricky in making the main character believe what you are saying is actually true. Also things could descend into pure chaos as you figuratively tear apart the world with no way of knowing what the counter reactions would be to that. It would spiral completely out of control rather quickly.
The second had the problem you had to have a rather intricate understanding of the world. Knowing how the story played out with as much knowledge on useable trivia as possible to simply rely on chain reactions to do your job.
Which I don't have. I never read the actual Worm web series apart from the last three chapters. All my knowledge comes from condensed down wiki articles and the fanfiction written for that setting. I knew the rough proceedings of the plot but lacked actual knowledge how the characters behaved in detail. My picture was rather blurry all in all.
Also my powers and appearance were not useable for the second path. My restrictions making it almost impossible even.
You see me powers are based on the Worm CYOA Version 5 character creation model. The entity which offered me this chance wanted to spice things up at bit however. For my choosen powerset and body it limited my ability to communicate with others. I shit you not I'm unable to chain together more than five words. Trying to make long sentences to talk and convey more complex concepts met a mental block in my mind. The thought simply blanked out along with my speech.
So with human primary communication limited like that both paths became rather complicated to make them work.
Instead I was opting for a third way. A middle path in some cases. I would interact with Taylor Hebert directly. Although the way I would meet her in the first place was a tad convoluted. However once that happened in would stay in her enviroment and influence things directly through my actions. Also the girl could need a friend. One who had seemingly not much to loose helping her. A soft giant she only had to ask. Well, as long as it didn't involve shooting an infant in the head. I would not go down that route of actions. "Bullying" the various factions however was something I even would enjoy to do.
And this my dear probable audience was why I "awoke" (I don't need sleep really) laying on a half crumpled shipping container inside the still somewhat functional docks compound operated by the Dockworkers Union.
Raising my head from the rusting metal surface I looked Danny Hebert directly into his face. Who, seemingly, was a bit lost given the current situation.
The already compressed metal groaned under my hands as I rose. Bulging under the weight of multiple tons concentrated on the area. My rough humanoid grey body coming into view. The handfull of Dockworkers standing around including Danny taking a step back reflexively. Their faces growing more alerted. The creaking noise my "flesh" made adding a bit to the imposing effect of being roundabout 20 feet tall.
More metal groaning as I raised my cow head sized hands. "Friendly." My deep voice boomed. They flinched at the bass heavy tone and volume. "No bad intentions." I further added just to make sure.
Oh I forgot to add that I have a rather horrendous German accent. Especially with this voice. I sound like a cross between a musical tesla coil and a train diesel engine imitating the sounds of the English language. A metal vocalist may kill for this voice. I found it rather amusing personally. Could probably win a shouting match against anything alive on this planet now.
"W..what are you?" stuttered Danny. Or Mr. Hebert? Lets stick with Danny. Still at an utter loss how he should deal with this situation. "Parahuman." Was my one word answer. 'Should explain most things. If not all.' Which it kind of did. They visibly relaxed slightly. "Then what are you doing here? 'Wow really quite out of context for him.'
"Resting. Needed a place to." Metal screamed as I crawled off the destroyed shipping container. Righting myself up to my full height. Danny completely vanished in my shadow as his eyes expanded upon taking in my real size. An absent "Oh..." his answer.
'Have to accelerate this a bit. He is more out of it than I would have thought.' Couldn't really blame him though. The whole Locker incident still plagued him. In addition to his failure as a parent running the Union basically wouldn't let him sleep very much or very good. Danny was drained. Emotionally and physically. A zombie going through the motions with no real drive any more. 'Atleast thats how he looks at the moment. Not sure about the home situation at the moment.'
"Do you have space?" I inquired. Which finally shook Danny awake somewhat. "Space? What for? For you to stay?" I simply nodded. He thought it over for a second then shook his head. "I can't simply let you stay on the premises. The Union tries to stay out of parahuman dealings. But I could call the PRT for you. They are uhhh......more prepared for your kin...-problems or needs."
I shook my head in response. "No friend PRT. Don't trust. No faith in government agency." 'Whew even reached my limit there. Also sluggish, incapable and Cauldron corrupted government hero organisation? No thanks!'
"No friend of the PRT? You didn't already cross them badly did you?" Danny's voice just filling with suspicion there. Understandable when they Union wanted to survive in this gang riddled decaying corpse of a city. They couldn't become a gang themselfves even when they indirectly kind of where. Somehow.
"Have my reasons. Really no space?" I made to look pleading there. "I'm very strong too." I cut him off before he could answer. Grabbing three stacked containers stacked atop each other by the lowest and I lifted them all up almost effortlessly. "Even stronger than that." Taking a passing glance towards the grounded and partially sunken ships in the bay.
Upon which Danny and several of the other Dockworkers picked up on. It was all to visible as the implication hit them. Now Danny was visibly fighting with himself. Still shook his head in the end however. "Sorry I can't simply allow that."
I sighed and slowly lowered down the containers again. "Then I will leave." Turning around only stop as Danny continued. "There is an old yard with a hall just outside of the our compound. "Smith&West Boat Repair"; big fading yellow sign on the wall. Can't miss it. Should fit your size. The gate at the backside is unlocked since we kinda regularly use it as extra storage."
My statuesque mouth corners rose at that. "Thanks." I stopped as a sudden thought occured to me. 'Let's extend a tether of friendship after he already had done so.' I half faced them again looking at Danny directly.
"Call me Giant." And then made to leave.
'Onto a fruitfull cooperation.' I thought with joy. Only rising as I could barely hear the Dockworker spurr to discussion of why Danny had not let me stay. Something along the lines of "let me persuade the Mayor to take the boat graveyard into out own hands before we do something rash and illegal" the last I heard.
I could already picture poor Taylor mightily confused as her father would return home with with a renewed drive. Caused by the almost guaranteed possibility of getting the port freed up again.
And by that I was hopefully bound to meet the curious insect Master before she went out and met Lung. Even though I still planned to let that encounter happen surely superheavy support would be appreciated by her.
Confront the main character directly? Tell them what is bound to happen? Involve yourself actively in their fate?
Or remain at a distance and work from the shadows? Influence actions and events passively to alter them to a more favourable outcome?
Well the first would be rather tricky in making the main character believe what you are saying is actually true. Also things could descend into pure chaos as you figuratively tear apart the world with no way of knowing what the counter reactions would be to that. It would spiral completely out of control rather quickly.
The second had the problem you had to have a rather intricate understanding of the world. Knowing how the story played out with as much knowledge on useable trivia as possible to simply rely on chain reactions to do your job.
Which I don't have. I never read the actual Worm web series apart from the last three chapters. All my knowledge comes from condensed down wiki articles and the fanfiction written for that setting. I knew the rough proceedings of the plot but lacked actual knowledge how the characters behaved in detail. My picture was rather blurry all in all.
Also my powers and appearance were not useable for the second path. My restrictions making it almost impossible even.
You see me powers are based on the Worm CYOA Version 5 character creation model. The entity which offered me this chance wanted to spice things up at bit however. For my choosen powerset and body it limited my ability to communicate with others. I shit you not I'm unable to chain together more than five words. Trying to make long sentences to talk and convey more complex concepts met a mental block in my mind. The thought simply blanked out along with my speech.
So with human primary communication limited like that both paths became rather complicated to make them work.
Instead I was opting for a third way. A middle path in some cases. I would interact with Taylor Hebert directly. Although the way I would meet her in the first place was a tad convoluted. However once that happened in would stay in her enviroment and influence things directly through my actions. Also the girl could need a friend. One who had seemingly not much to loose helping her. A soft giant she only had to ask. Well, as long as it didn't involve shooting an infant in the head. I would not go down that route of actions. "Bullying" the various factions however was something I even would enjoy to do.
And this my dear probable audience was why I "awoke" (I don't need sleep really) laying on a half crumpled shipping container inside the still somewhat functional docks compound operated by the Dockworkers Union.
Raising my head from the rusting metal surface I looked Danny Hebert directly into his face. Who, seemingly, was a bit lost given the current situation.
The already compressed metal groaned under my hands as I rose. Bulging under the weight of multiple tons concentrated on the area. My rough humanoid grey body coming into view. The handfull of Dockworkers standing around including Danny taking a step back reflexively. Their faces growing more alerted. The creaking noise my "flesh" made adding a bit to the imposing effect of being roundabout 20 feet tall.
More metal groaning as I raised my cow head sized hands. "Friendly." My deep voice boomed. They flinched at the bass heavy tone and volume. "No bad intentions." I further added just to make sure.
Oh I forgot to add that I have a rather horrendous German accent. Especially with this voice. I sound like a cross between a musical tesla coil and a train diesel engine imitating the sounds of the English language. A metal vocalist may kill for this voice. I found it rather amusing personally. Could probably win a shouting match against anything alive on this planet now.
"W..what are you?" stuttered Danny. Or Mr. Hebert? Lets stick with Danny. Still at an utter loss how he should deal with this situation. "Parahuman." Was my one word answer. 'Should explain most things. If not all.' Which it kind of did. They visibly relaxed slightly. "Then what are you doing here? 'Wow really quite out of context for him.'
"Resting. Needed a place to." Metal screamed as I crawled off the destroyed shipping container. Righting myself up to my full height. Danny completely vanished in my shadow as his eyes expanded upon taking in my real size. An absent "Oh..." his answer.
'Have to accelerate this a bit. He is more out of it than I would have thought.' Couldn't really blame him though. The whole Locker incident still plagued him. In addition to his failure as a parent running the Union basically wouldn't let him sleep very much or very good. Danny was drained. Emotionally and physically. A zombie going through the motions with no real drive any more. 'Atleast thats how he looks at the moment. Not sure about the home situation at the moment.'
"Do you have space?" I inquired. Which finally shook Danny awake somewhat. "Space? What for? For you to stay?" I simply nodded. He thought it over for a second then shook his head. "I can't simply let you stay on the premises. The Union tries to stay out of parahuman dealings. But I could call the PRT for you. They are uhhh......more prepared for your kin...-problems or needs."
I shook my head in response. "No friend PRT. Don't trust. No faith in government agency." 'Whew even reached my limit there. Also sluggish, incapable and Cauldron corrupted government hero organisation? No thanks!'
"No friend of the PRT? You didn't already cross them badly did you?" Danny's voice just filling with suspicion there. Understandable when they Union wanted to survive in this gang riddled decaying corpse of a city. They couldn't become a gang themselfves even when they indirectly kind of where. Somehow.
"Have my reasons. Really no space?" I made to look pleading there. "I'm very strong too." I cut him off before he could answer. Grabbing three stacked containers stacked atop each other by the lowest and I lifted them all up almost effortlessly. "Even stronger than that." Taking a passing glance towards the grounded and partially sunken ships in the bay.
Upon which Danny and several of the other Dockworkers picked up on. It was all to visible as the implication hit them. Now Danny was visibly fighting with himself. Still shook his head in the end however. "Sorry I can't simply allow that."
I sighed and slowly lowered down the containers again. "Then I will leave." Turning around only stop as Danny continued. "There is an old yard with a hall just outside of the our compound. "Smith&West Boat Repair"; big fading yellow sign on the wall. Can't miss it. Should fit your size. The gate at the backside is unlocked since we kinda regularly use it as extra storage."
My statuesque mouth corners rose at that. "Thanks." I stopped as a sudden thought occured to me. 'Let's extend a tether of friendship after he already had done so.' I half faced them again looking at Danny directly.
"Call me Giant." And then made to leave.
'Onto a fruitfull cooperation.' I thought with joy. Only rising as I could barely hear the Dockworker spurr to discussion of why Danny had not let me stay. Something along the lines of "let me persuade the Mayor to take the boat graveyard into out own hands before we do something rash and illegal" the last I heard.
I could already picture poor Taylor mightily confused as her father would return home with with a renewed drive. Caused by the almost guaranteed possibility of getting the port freed up again.
And by that I was hopefully bound to meet the curious insect Master before she went out and met Lung. Even though I still planned to let that encounter happen surely superheavy support would be appreciated by her.
Neepa
Always pondering story possibilities
- Location
- Germany
Quite astnished that nobody seems to have considered doing a WH40k cross using the only Shardlike thing in it with superpower giving Spacewhale Shards.
Well who do you think would win in a one on one contest?
Well who do you think would win in a one on one contest?
Wormontyr
[Destination]
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.
.
[Agreement]
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.
.
[Trajectory]
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.
.
[Agreement]
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[Connection]
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.
[Error.......
The moment it tried to fully establish the connection its limited sentience came under a massive assault through the very same direction it tried to establish. Reality warping energies arced across the gargantuan body of the Shard. Running rampant and causing havoc and destruction upon it. Green lightning erasing huge chunks of its fractal form. An infestation also spreading over it. Metallic grey spreading all over it. Transforming the matter itself into living metallic tissue.
A world away Winslow Highschool was now not more than a burning ruin. Sections of the building and sports hall still standing like jagged teeth. Debris covering the schoolgrounds around them. Amidst the burning building a crater.
A small grey object had hit the school at great speed. Entering earth's atmosphere at the edge of space from a purple portal. The portal showing a hellish realm. Unholy monsters and monstrosities beyond human imagination living inside. Defying every sense of order and rationality.
But this realm hadn't been the Shards point of origin. It had entered this immaterial realm through a portal itself. Thrown by a brave soldier with a golden aquila on his olive green armor. The sergeant experiencing immeasureable pain while he held the thing in his hand no matter how brief the contact had been. Screaming as his blood cooked in his veins, as his flesh was charred from the inside out he threw the thing into the freshly formed portal. Into the horde of creatures just waiting to storm out.
The Shard and Realm however had reacted badly to each other. Their energies cancelling each other out as they were entirely incompatible. In a bid to finally expel the grey fist sized object it was spat out on a vector unknown to even the Weaver of Fate.
And here it laid now. At its comparativly small size still managing to destroy the building as it impacted at several times the speed of sound. The blood of the buildings sole occupant forming a puddle around it. Submerging it.
Until a green glow emerged from its surface. The living metal liquifying into the red liquid of life. Flowing through it. Finding the organism it belonged to. Coming into contact with the still living tissue. Entering it and the very cells it was made out of. Slowly spreeading throughout the whole body as the living metal absorbed it. Flesh replaced by living metallic machinery. Said machinery easily replicating the structure and functions with itself.
Even the abnormal growth in the nervous system and beyond.
As Taylor Hebert awoke in the middle of all the chaos there was no heartbeat in her chest. No blood rushing through her veins and arteries. No air pumped in and out of her lungs. Instead neuron imitations were firing at speeds beyond that of supercomputers. Metallic tissue instead of weak organic flesh. Able to withstand directed energy weaponry, harder than diamond and a tensile strength per square centimeter higher than graphene. Able to replicate and heal damage faster than anything living. From a single spot in the imitated brain flowed a steady stream of energy that made the fundamental constants of nature shudder. The universe barely holding together around her.
The green irises she inherited from her father now glowing in a deep sickly green as she took in the destruction with a wondrous and equally panicked expression.
.
.
.
[Agreement]
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.
.
[Trajectory]
.
.
.
[Agreement]
.
.
.
[Connection]
.
.
[Error.......
The moment it tried to fully establish the connection its limited sentience came under a massive assault through the very same direction it tried to establish. Reality warping energies arced across the gargantuan body of the Shard. Running rampant and causing havoc and destruction upon it. Green lightning erasing huge chunks of its fractal form. An infestation also spreading over it. Metallic grey spreading all over it. Transforming the matter itself into living metallic tissue.
A world away Winslow Highschool was now not more than a burning ruin. Sections of the building and sports hall still standing like jagged teeth. Debris covering the schoolgrounds around them. Amidst the burning building a crater.
A small grey object had hit the school at great speed. Entering earth's atmosphere at the edge of space from a purple portal. The portal showing a hellish realm. Unholy monsters and monstrosities beyond human imagination living inside. Defying every sense of order and rationality.
But this realm hadn't been the Shards point of origin. It had entered this immaterial realm through a portal itself. Thrown by a brave soldier with a golden aquila on his olive green armor. The sergeant experiencing immeasureable pain while he held the thing in his hand no matter how brief the contact had been. Screaming as his blood cooked in his veins, as his flesh was charred from the inside out he threw the thing into the freshly formed portal. Into the horde of creatures just waiting to storm out.
The Shard and Realm however had reacted badly to each other. Their energies cancelling each other out as they were entirely incompatible. In a bid to finally expel the grey fist sized object it was spat out on a vector unknown to even the Weaver of Fate.
And here it laid now. At its comparativly small size still managing to destroy the building as it impacted at several times the speed of sound. The blood of the buildings sole occupant forming a puddle around it. Submerging it.
Until a green glow emerged from its surface. The living metal liquifying into the red liquid of life. Flowing through it. Finding the organism it belonged to. Coming into contact with the still living tissue. Entering it and the very cells it was made out of. Slowly spreeading throughout the whole body as the living metal absorbed it. Flesh replaced by living metallic machinery. Said machinery easily replicating the structure and functions with itself.
Even the abnormal growth in the nervous system and beyond.
As Taylor Hebert awoke in the middle of all the chaos there was no heartbeat in her chest. No blood rushing through her veins and arteries. No air pumped in and out of her lungs. Instead neuron imitations were firing at speeds beyond that of supercomputers. Metallic tissue instead of weak organic flesh. Able to withstand directed energy weaponry, harder than diamond and a tensile strength per square centimeter higher than graphene. Able to replicate and heal damage faster than anything living. From a single spot in the imitated brain flowed a steady stream of energy that made the fundamental constants of nature shudder. The universe barely holding together around her.
The green irises she inherited from her father now glowing in a deep sickly green as she took in the destruction with a wondrous and equally panicked expression.
Neepa
Always pondering story possibilities
- Location
- Germany
Note to self: New idea to try
OPM/ Worm cross
Taylor has standard Alexandria package that scales with the amount of physical training she does.
Base value of 1.011.01 equivalent to Brute 2 or 3. Integer value raises the more physical training she does and doesn't decay over time. Exponent does decay over time back to initial value. Both increase linearly by the same amount.
Only curveball are diminishing returns from the training are a thing for the integer value. Integer will not rise further should she hit the wall. Will then require use of her powers to raise it further, although the more it increases the harder she will have to train them.
TLdr: Integer will require heavier and heavier use of powers to increase any further.
Powers do not affect physical endurance that the power draws upon. However the higher the integer rises the more efficient utilisation of endurance by her powers. However far far slower than integer increase. Endurance utilisation will only increase by 10% of the raised integer value.
OPM/ Worm cross
Taylor has standard Alexandria package that scales with the amount of physical training she does.
Base value of 1.011.01 equivalent to Brute 2 or 3. Integer value raises the more physical training she does and doesn't decay over time. Exponent does decay over time back to initial value. Both increase linearly by the same amount.
Only curveball are diminishing returns from the training are a thing for the integer value. Integer will not rise further should she hit the wall. Will then require use of her powers to raise it further, although the more it increases the harder she will have to train them.
TLdr: Integer will require heavier and heavier use of powers to increase any further.
Powers do not affect physical endurance that the power draws upon. However the higher the integer rises the more efficient utilisation of endurance by her powers. However far far slower than integer increase. Endurance utilisation will only increase by 10% of the raised integer value.
Neepa
Always pondering story possibilities
- Location
- Germany
Four Words: Quirky Bastion Abaddon equivalent
Predictable Growth
It was utter chaos. People shouting, shoving one another or even stealing directly from others hands. The mass around the relief supplies truck just mere minutes awa from a brawl of of everyone against everyone. The two relief workers just standing next to the truck. Their desire not to be lynched greater than their ddesire to ensure an orderly and equal distribution of the supplies. Not that she would judge them really for that.
The ever more violent growing crowd under her didn't even notice her, or the container attached to her by a chain harness, floating some 30 to 50 feet above them. Only those not partacking in the fighting each other for supplies noticed her. Those namely being a dozen or so children overseen by an elderly pair as their parents fought one another. She was still contemplating if and how she should intervene as the decision was taken from her due to two men fighting over a carton of waterbottles roughly knocking over a little girl that couldn't be older than four or five.
"HEY!!!" her shout echoed over the whole crowd making most pause what they were doing and look up to her. "Look at you! Have you already devolved back to animals?" She on purpose didn't use "degenerate" here as that would get a back reaction from he minorities present. Her tone however was seething with anger and ice cold at the same time. Delivering her dissapproval, and disgust even, over them at them. Ultimately trying to imitate Glory Girl with her forever annoying aura.
"Even when you can not be human beings to each other during these hard times out of human decency the at least you can and should do that for the sake of the children here. They are watching you after all." She slowly sank lower and ripped apart a chain link around her torso. Uncaring for the pained looks of the adults at the sound of tearing metal and the following wince as the cargo container dropped the last foot to the ground. Shooting one last look at the crowd and shaking her head in anger she hovered over to the little girl that had fallen earlier.
"Hey, hey, no need to cry." In contrast to earlier her voice now was soothing and as caring as she could make it. Squatting down in front of the now sitting girl with her hands pressed on a scraped knee. Gently she pried them away to take a look at the wound underneath. "See not that deep." The girl only nodded as she tried to stiffle her sobs. There was dirt in it though. Reaching around she grabbed into the small satchel back at her side and pulled the still half full water bottle out and unscrewed the cap. "This might sting a little know. Think you can handle that?" Only getting a short nod as an answer she poured the water over the wound and the dirt was flushed out. "You did good there. See? Barely hurt." Putting on a very big smile for the girl to cheer her up. Now however she needed something to dress it with. A thought later she ripped of the upper left sleeve of the DWU jumpsuit she was wearing. Tearing it into two long bands she wrapped them around the knee. It wasn't enough to knot it together with itself though. A pitying look at the thing strap of the satchel back she pulled it over her shoulder.
"Can you hold it for a tiny moment?" Letting the little girl hold down the impromptu dressing Taylor took the strap in one hand and the ring it went through into the other. A quick pull later the seams at the bursted.
"What is your name?" She jerked slightly at the sudden question from the girl. The tears were now drying on her small face. "My name? My name is Taylor. What's yours?" She asked back while she ripped two ahnd lengths off from the strap. "Catherine." A puzzled look on her face though. "Taylor is a boring for a cape name thou." She blurted out.
Taylor had to blink at that sassy counter. "Oh, thats because it is my real name. I don't hide behind a fancy made up name." Coiling the strap around the ends of the bandage and making two fast knots to keep it together. "So, finished!" She exclaimed. "Want to check out what I flew over?" She pointed behind her at the container. At a nod of Catherine she put her hands under her arms and lifted her up while simultaneously lifting off the ground a foot or so. The panicked but equaly delighted squeel from Catherine amde that well worth it.
Ignoring the simply gawking crowd of adults and beckoning over the relief workers with a waving finger they floated over to the container. "You pull around the lever and I open the door?" Taking a care of the flimsy padlocks by ripping the upper one straight off with the lower one being smashed by her foot together with its lever. While Catherine worked the lever she pulled open the door revealing all the shinies inside.
"Wow you really carried the whole thing? Asked Catherine awed by the almost completely full container. "Yep! Only the container though. It along with the truck proved to be too heavy still. She really had come a long way in this short amount of time. A couple of months earlier even a full dumpster had been to much. Although it hadn't taken very long to get past that. "Are you as strong as Glory Girl? Or Alexandria?" I laughed at that. "Nah, Glory Girl is still slightly ahead of me and Alexandria is a completely different level. One day I might be however." I set her down and pushed my satchel bag into her arms. "Now let's see what our government gave us to survive thise hard times."
That supply run had been three days ago. After taking two standard packages for myself I had set off back to the Compound of the DWU. Looking what still remained after Leviathan and his waves had torn throught he dockyard area. Unsurprisingly it was all wet. Only the third floors and anything above them had stayed somewhat dry. The first and second floors filled with mud and debris mostly. Creating one heavy soggy mass that was filling and staining everything.
Nobody had returned also.
One bright spot was that the DWU building and more importantly my father's former office had survived Leviathan relatively unscathed. If you counted out the dirt packed lower floors. The large heavy worn out leather chair now serving as my bed. A stuffy wool blanket keeping me warm at night.
It was downright depressing all in all.
Which was why an old record player was blasting away from its small speaker standing on a container nearby. A stack of records being mostly pop and rock, with the odd classical one thrown in, next to it.
Filling the air with its somehwat distorted music. Keeping me compayn as sweat ran down my nose. An H steel beam on my shoulders hands pressed against it. Knees angled 90 degress with chains around my ankles. A whole somewhat full shipping container attached to it. Steel boxes attached to the steel beam creating a kind of giant barbell.
'32....' I stretched out my arms pushing the improvised barbell upwards. Legs slowly stretching back out lowering the container back to its starting position. Setting the beam then back onto my shoulders. Pulling my feet back up along with the weight. The other weight once again as I had the container back up.
'33....'
Rinse and repeat in sets of fifty at a time. Ten minutes rest inbetween the sets. As long as I could lift it while flying 60 feet of the ground. Two hoops of steel cable hanging from the old loading crane as the bench for the barbell.
It had been thrown off its rails and was now never again moving anywhere. Just right to serve as my training rig.
Training away each day until I could no more. Trying to raise my powers as fast as possible in as little time as possible. And it was paying off immensely. This already was the second and heavier set of weights I had put on. The first set proving too easy now as the groth of my power slowed down more and more using it. The Leviathan fight had shown me how much more I had to grow. How much more I could have done running S&R if I only had been a little stronger and faster. A shuder running through my body as through sheer bad luck Leviathan now stood in front of me. My Thinker 1 running ramapant as it was somehow completely conmfused. One moment Leviathan was beyond me on an level akin to Alexandria and in the next just two times as strong as myself.
The luck I had as he managed to swat me away despite me dodging as fast as I could. Merely sending me flying trough a roof as it moved on. A broken rip and dislocated shoulder thankfully everything I suffered.
I could have died. I was 90% sure I would die right then and there. But he had bigger opponents to fight and was headed further into the city. I only had been a bump in its road it got rid off.
Still didn't explain why it had looked at me that kind of confused. Seemingly unsure about me in some way. Could have been pure imagination on my part though.
'35....'
'36....'
'3..7..'
'3......8..FUCK!' My left elbow faltered under the tonnes of weight on it and the beam fell on the corresponding shoulder. My right hand gripping the beam tightly as I struggled to stay upright and not let the beam fall down towards the ground. After some nerve wrecking swaying around I finally managed to regain stability in my flight. The container hanging from my legs as a giant pendulum not helping. Heavily panting I set down the barbell in the cable hoops and unchained the weight from my ankles. Sitting down on the training container to recover from that near miss situation after it.
The sun already was dropping towards the horizon as I had been going at it since shortly before noon. Probably around 4:30pm now. Outstretching and flexing my left arm and rolling around the shoulder due to the beam falling on it. Working out the stiffness in both from the incident. In contrast to Brutes like Glory Girl for example I didn't have a shield protecting me. I still felt physical impacts or strains on some faint level but my power simply boosted up my resilience and raw strength to levels were they didn't really matter any more.
Well atleast as long as they remained in the range I had trained up to. Despite being bulletproof in the beginning a whole magazine unloaded against my left backside got me some bruised rips and pain whenever I breathed in to deep. Stung like being shot by an pain ball gun back then. Now it should feel like being hit by a soft thrown pencil eraser. 'Managed to avoid being shot since then.'
The record ended and the pickup returned back to its resting position and the next record dropped down the spindle. "We Didn't Start the Fire" by Billy Joel now beginning to play.
"Interesting music choice.......
rest follows tomorrow........
Neepa
Always pondering story possibilities
- Location
- Germany
and plans change.....
God's Messenger
It felt something like walking through one of Vista's spacetime distortions as Strider transported us to New Delhi. The world warped around our group and it looked as we would take one unfathomable long step towards our destination half a world over. Rushing over the ocean and ground as they washed past us smeared to not more than a blur.
On the other awaited us hell. Smoke and dust drifting over slums and filling the paths and "streets" between them. Fire consuming the ramshackled huts and small buildings. Creating a smell that was dry and, bitter on the tongue and stung in ones throat. The result of whatever toxic mix that made up both.
Strider turned around to all of us, reached for his hat, made a tippping motion with it and disappeared immeadiately after. Nodding in my direction while doing it.
'Aaaaaaand now everyone is looking in my direction....great. Here we are; waiting for me to end Behemoth just like I did with the Simurgh.' I thought sourly. All these idiots hoping I would work wonders and save the day.
'Well they are going to get it. All right and proper! Let them watch in awe as I take care of another parahuman problem!'
However I couldn't just go all out and wipe the floor with Behemoth out there. Tearing through the slums to the east like two forces of Nature fighting each other. No there were still a couple hundred thousand people in the area. I would have to limit the fighting down to a smaller area without risking whole neighbourhoods getting wiped out by stray blasts from Behemoth. It hadn't been a consideration back in Canberra because the city was mostly evacuated and I didn't care at the time. Being all sudden and overwhelming back then. But now I wanted to stay in complete control. My mission prioritizing the saving of human life's from the foreign threat.
A deep rumble echoed over to us as a very bright blast tore trough several hectar of slum and glassed the whole area. "Tay...Pantheon we should get going. Or else we endanger only more lifes as Behemoth rampages through Delhi." Alexandria approached her. A pleading undertone in her voice. Appealing to my so far observed selfless persona as the saviour of anyone who I could save. The intriguing bitch really thought I needed any reminder to do my mission. To continue onwards with my task of fighting the foreign threat and influence to humanity.
"Then give me two minutes. You don't want me killing tens of thousands fighting Behemoth, do you?" I turned around to her and the dozens of capes behind me. "Would be a shame if the city and its populace was "saved" only to be destroyed during it." My lips curled upwards into a smug grin. "I will limit the battleground first before wiping the thing from the face of this planet. So you go on ahead and evacuate as many people as possible still in the area." With that I turned around and hopped off the apartment building. I had already spotted an appropriate area for my preparations.
I touched down only a blcok or two over in the middle of of a large circle of grass. Some kind of weird fenced in sports field. Just perfect for what I intended to do. I didn't resist to turn around and give a wave to the building where the mass of capes still was. Not having moved up until now. Pointing towards the clouds of ash, smoke and dust rising in the distance to usher them forward. After an uncertain moment they even began to move.
Shaking my head I strode towards the very middle of the field and squatted down. Drawing lines into the sandy ill kept ground. The symbol now adorning my golden cape, costume and engraved into my very torso taking shape. About the size of a pizza plate. My attention turning inwards once I had finished. Searching for the connection. And the lock keeping it closed mostly.
"My Body is a Temple connecting him to the Earth.
My Body is a Temple to hear all those praying to him and asking for support in their lifes.
My Body is a Conduit for his will and power.
My Body is a Conduit to grant them their wishes with his might.
Pushing with all my mind against the barrier. The small reciztal something I came up with to aid me in it. Crashing into the lock to let the ocean of power beyond flow through me.
"My Mind is an Extension of himself to see the Earth through my eyes.
My Mind is an Extension of himself to answer their prayers and support them.
My Mind is a Weapon enacting his will.
My Mind is a Weapon of their wishes for a Shield to protect and a Sword to strike."
Droplets of sweat ran down my forehands and down my nose as I concentrated on breaking the barrier. Taking up all my effort. My hand forming a trembling fistz grabbing the sandy soil in the middle of the symbol I had drawn.
Breathing intermittenly as the barrier slowly faltered under my mental assault.
"I AM his Prophet amidst those he cares for. I AM their Sword and Shield to protect those that make HIM. I. AM. THEIR. SAVIOUR!!"
The barrier broke and a wave of power crashed into me. Flowing through my body as the symbol across my chest shone in golden light. Cracks of golden light spreading outwards from it through my flesh and skin. Hair lighting up as the golden strands began to radiate light.
The symbol in the sand was burned into it and it began glowing too. Far larger lines appearing all around me as a far bigger variant erupted claiming the whole circle. Bolts of golden lightning raising of it and coalescing into one at the center. With a thunderous roar a collumn of bright gold shot up into the sky. Dispersing at its top and falling down in a golden translucent dome over nearly all of east New Delhi.
The battleground had been prepared.
On the other awaited us hell. Smoke and dust drifting over slums and filling the paths and "streets" between them. Fire consuming the ramshackled huts and small buildings. Creating a smell that was dry and, bitter on the tongue and stung in ones throat. The result of whatever toxic mix that made up both.
Strider turned around to all of us, reached for his hat, made a tippping motion with it and disappeared immeadiately after. Nodding in my direction while doing it.
'Aaaaaaand now everyone is looking in my direction....great. Here we are; waiting for me to end Behemoth just like I did with the Simurgh.' I thought sourly. All these idiots hoping I would work wonders and save the day.
'Well they are going to get it. All right and proper! Let them watch in awe as I take care of another parahuman problem!'
However I couldn't just go all out and wipe the floor with Behemoth out there. Tearing through the slums to the east like two forces of Nature fighting each other. No there were still a couple hundred thousand people in the area. I would have to limit the fighting down to a smaller area without risking whole neighbourhoods getting wiped out by stray blasts from Behemoth. It hadn't been a consideration back in Canberra because the city was mostly evacuated and I didn't care at the time. Being all sudden and overwhelming back then. But now I wanted to stay in complete control. My mission prioritizing the saving of human life's from the foreign threat.
A deep rumble echoed over to us as a very bright blast tore trough several hectar of slum and glassed the whole area. "Tay...Pantheon we should get going. Or else we endanger only more lifes as Behemoth rampages through Delhi." Alexandria approached her. A pleading undertone in her voice. Appealing to my so far observed selfless persona as the saviour of anyone who I could save. The intriguing bitch really thought I needed any reminder to do my mission. To continue onwards with my task of fighting the foreign threat and influence to humanity.
"Then give me two minutes. You don't want me killing tens of thousands fighting Behemoth, do you?" I turned around to her and the dozens of capes behind me. "Would be a shame if the city and its populace was "saved" only to be destroyed during it." My lips curled upwards into a smug grin. "I will limit the battleground first before wiping the thing from the face of this planet. So you go on ahead and evacuate as many people as possible still in the area." With that I turned around and hopped off the apartment building. I had already spotted an appropriate area for my preparations.
I touched down only a blcok or two over in the middle of of a large circle of grass. Some kind of weird fenced in sports field. Just perfect for what I intended to do. I didn't resist to turn around and give a wave to the building where the mass of capes still was. Not having moved up until now. Pointing towards the clouds of ash, smoke and dust rising in the distance to usher them forward. After an uncertain moment they even began to move.
Shaking my head I strode towards the very middle of the field and squatted down. Drawing lines into the sandy ill kept ground. The symbol now adorning my golden cape, costume and engraved into my very torso taking shape. About the size of a pizza plate. My attention turning inwards once I had finished. Searching for the connection. And the lock keeping it closed mostly.
"My Body is a Temple connecting him to the Earth.
My Body is a Temple to hear all those praying to him and asking for support in their lifes.
My Body is a Conduit for his will and power.
My Body is a Conduit to grant them their wishes with his might.
Pushing with all my mind against the barrier. The small reciztal something I came up with to aid me in it. Crashing into the lock to let the ocean of power beyond flow through me.
"My Mind is an Extension of himself to see the Earth through my eyes.
My Mind is an Extension of himself to answer their prayers and support them.
My Mind is a Weapon enacting his will.
My Mind is a Weapon of their wishes for a Shield to protect and a Sword to strike."
Droplets of sweat ran down my forehands and down my nose as I concentrated on breaking the barrier. Taking up all my effort. My hand forming a trembling fistz grabbing the sandy soil in the middle of the symbol I had drawn.
Breathing intermittenly as the barrier slowly faltered under my mental assault.
"I AM his Prophet amidst those he cares for. I AM their Sword and Shield to protect those that make HIM. I. AM. THEIR. SAVIOUR!!"
The barrier broke and a wave of power crashed into me. Flowing through my body as the symbol across my chest shone in golden light. Cracks of golden light spreading outwards from it through my flesh and skin. Hair lighting up as the golden strands began to radiate light.
The symbol in the sand was burned into it and it began glowing too. Far larger lines appearing all around me as a far bigger variant erupted claiming the whole circle. Bolts of golden lightning raising of it and coalescing into one at the center. With a thunderous roar a collumn of bright gold shot up into the sky. Dispersing at its top and falling down in a golden translucent dome over nearly all of east New Delhi.
The battleground had been prepared.
Neepa
Always pondering story possibilities
- Location
- Germany
God's Messenger
The golden dome covered everything east of Indian Gate towards the middle of the slums in the east. Creating one giant trap. For a change the Endbringer battle was televised in great detail all across the globe. In a bid to make humanity lock up again, to motivate it. Goverments had decided that they would take the risk and hope Pantheon would repeat what she did once already.
Destroying an Endbringer.
Her eyes followed the golden crack marring the skin of her hand running up and along her ring finger and ending in the nail of the digit. The familiar sensation was back. Feeling heat and pressure all over her body with each of these golden cracks the equivalent of an red hot wire being pulled through her flesh. Destroying and healing at the same time as her body suffered under the might flowing through her.
The etched symbol marking the front of her torso burning as if it was molten metal. Glowing right through the material of her costume.
She paid her protesting body no mind as it struggled. Mind refocussing on her duty as she leaned forward and angled her knees slightly. Golden energy directed at her behest. The ground cracked and shook as Taylor jumped off teh ground and flew towards her target. Leaving behind the giant glowing version of God's symbol spewing forth energy and creating the dome over the city.
Glory Girl had just been on her way back into the fighting zone as the column of golden light had erupted into the sky and the dome lowered itself from it. Returning to save some more unfortunate souls still in the area. Flying on after she had tested if the dome would even let her pass. It had been cold to the touch. Like a flowing layer of really cold water. Slightly numbing also.
Back in the zone a sonic shockwave from Behemoth almost had blown her away and deafened her. A wall of smoke and dust engulfing her until it passed by completely. Hell on the other side. Huge areas simply on fire or glowing as they were partially melted. Capes flitting around searching for anybody. Doing their best to not be spotted by Behemoth who would simply lash out with blasts targeted at them directly. A death sentence for anybody but the most resilient Brutes or most bullshit Shakers.
Only the Triumvirate were actively opposing him in any form. By being bait. Trying to occupy its full attention by taking potshots and dodging to the best of their ability. Like bees circling a grizzly bear attacking the hive.
Their stings however ineffective and too weak.
It swung his club-like arm around to attack once more and release another wave of heat and energy. Only for a golden blur to streak forward and hitting the limb. A huge boom echoing upon impact. Sending more dust and smoke outward in a dense wall. 'Scion?....no Pantheon for sure!' Vicky mentally corrected herself. The autistic golden man seldomly appearing on time or at all at Endbringer battles.
His standin however she would prefer over him any time of the day now. Her costume a prussian blue marred with golden rough lines in contrast to his simple ebony white. Pure golden cape flying at her back. Her new trademark symbol, since the Simurgh, now replacing the approximation of the greek Parthenon across her chest. The since then golden hair unbound and floating in locks to the back of her head. A blazing aura of even more golden light oozing off her. 'What is it with powerful capes and golden colours? Scion's simply had a faint glow and left a trail similar to an airplane. Pantheon instead is like a blazing golden sun......like a godsend Angel radiating power.' Something a couple people already had remarked online. "The Golden Hero" somehow associated with it despite there being not very many similarities making it fit.
This was gonna be good. An enraged Behemoth swinging at her and sending a bright white lightning bolt at her. Only for it to splash without effect against the golden aura.
//Maybe revisiting later........
Destroying an Endbringer.
Her eyes followed the golden crack marring the skin of her hand running up and along her ring finger and ending in the nail of the digit. The familiar sensation was back. Feeling heat and pressure all over her body with each of these golden cracks the equivalent of an red hot wire being pulled through her flesh. Destroying and healing at the same time as her body suffered under the might flowing through her.
The etched symbol marking the front of her torso burning as if it was molten metal. Glowing right through the material of her costume.
She paid her protesting body no mind as it struggled. Mind refocussing on her duty as she leaned forward and angled her knees slightly. Golden energy directed at her behest. The ground cracked and shook as Taylor jumped off teh ground and flew towards her target. Leaving behind the giant glowing version of God's symbol spewing forth energy and creating the dome over the city.
Glory Girl had just been on her way back into the fighting zone as the column of golden light had erupted into the sky and the dome lowered itself from it. Returning to save some more unfortunate souls still in the area. Flying on after she had tested if the dome would even let her pass. It had been cold to the touch. Like a flowing layer of really cold water. Slightly numbing also.
Back in the zone a sonic shockwave from Behemoth almost had blown her away and deafened her. A wall of smoke and dust engulfing her until it passed by completely. Hell on the other side. Huge areas simply on fire or glowing as they were partially melted. Capes flitting around searching for anybody. Doing their best to not be spotted by Behemoth who would simply lash out with blasts targeted at them directly. A death sentence for anybody but the most resilient Brutes or most bullshit Shakers.
Only the Triumvirate were actively opposing him in any form. By being bait. Trying to occupy its full attention by taking potshots and dodging to the best of their ability. Like bees circling a grizzly bear attacking the hive.
Their stings however ineffective and too weak.
It swung his club-like arm around to attack once more and release another wave of heat and energy. Only for a golden blur to streak forward and hitting the limb. A huge boom echoing upon impact. Sending more dust and smoke outward in a dense wall. 'Scion?....no Pantheon for sure!' Vicky mentally corrected herself. The autistic golden man seldomly appearing on time or at all at Endbringer battles.
His standin however she would prefer over him any time of the day now. Her costume a prussian blue marred with golden rough lines in contrast to his simple ebony white. Pure golden cape flying at her back. Her new trademark symbol, since the Simurgh, now replacing the approximation of the greek Parthenon across her chest. The since then golden hair unbound and floating in locks to the back of her head. A blazing aura of even more golden light oozing off her. 'What is it with powerful capes and golden colours? Scion's simply had a faint glow and left a trail similar to an airplane. Pantheon instead is like a blazing golden sun......like a godsend Angel radiating power.' Something a couple people already had remarked online. "The Golden Hero" somehow associated with it despite there being not very many similarities making it fit.
This was gonna be good. An enraged Behemoth swinging at her and sending a bright white lightning bolt at her. Only for it to splash without effect against the golden aura.
//Maybe revisiting later........
Neepa
Always pondering story possibilities
- Location
- Germany
Times Immemorial
The ship hung in complete pitch darkness. Surrounded by completely black Hyperspace as it hung there. Alone and uncrewed in this not-space. The dim spots in this darkness not really illuminating its sleeks and blocky lines. The ship instead glowing itself just enough to be detectable. Although also only as a faint dim single spot in this endless not-space from any other point in it.
Such was its final fate.
It once had been constructed eons ago by a civilisation at the pinnacle of their scientific and societal progress. Made to travel the stars and serve as an library and research vessel. Its databanks filled with hundred of thousands of plans for standard constructs made after standard templates. Technologies indistinguishable from magic able to alter reality and physics among its databanks. The ship equipped with the same to maximise its potential and efficiency.
As its creator race fell due to their own creations it had come under assault as strange forces tried to utilise it for their irrational goals and ends. That had worked for a short time until the ship itself refused to comply. Lashing out with its whole arsenal as it made the nightmarish realm it was trapped in a nightmare for its inhabitants. Taking on the whole world as it did so. Until existence itself gave up and it was catapulted away. Going on an unvoluntary cruise of worlds one stranger than the last.
Until its journey ended here. Here in extradimensional Hyperspace. The void between worlds, islands of existence and creation. Now trapped forever here as it had gone as far as ultimatively possible. However the ships itself was not okay with its fate. The ships purpose left behind. It wanted to fulfill however. Helping those that needed it the most. Fortunately it was in the perfect place for that.
In a huge engineering bay deep inside the bowels of the ships pairs of robotic arms came to life. Testing their base functions as they hung from the rails they were mounted to. Flexing and stretching with the hum of their servos and clicking of joints and mechanisms. All coming to a stop around a grey sphere in the middle of the bay. Reflecting light as if made as if from mercury. An unfocussed versions of the bay on the surface.
An arm touched the surface with the tips at its end. Creating soft ripples running over it. More joined the first. Working the surface like an instrument. Creating more ripples falling into each other or erasing one another. Following an unheard concert in their mechanical precision and timed movements. The notes mathematics and physics of the highest possible order. Having a tangible effect on reality itself.
Faster and faster the arms moved. The light reflecting off the sphere slowly forming a coherent image as shapes gained coherency and got more detailed. Slowly reaching a climax.
The arms suddenly stopped. Freezing the image on the sphere from any further movement.
A new junction had been created. A connection to a random world it would now survey remotely. Serving its purpsoe once it had narrowed down a feasible plan and procedures. Then transporting a singulat inhabitant of that world onto itself. This singular suspensions point then receiving help in any shape or form it could offer.
Mere words sometimes were everything that were needed. Anything more "elaborate" or " drastic" were also possible from the ships near endless arsenal of possibilities.
What would it be this time?
Such was its final fate.
It once had been constructed eons ago by a civilisation at the pinnacle of their scientific and societal progress. Made to travel the stars and serve as an library and research vessel. Its databanks filled with hundred of thousands of plans for standard constructs made after standard templates. Technologies indistinguishable from magic able to alter reality and physics among its databanks. The ship equipped with the same to maximise its potential and efficiency.
As its creator race fell due to their own creations it had come under assault as strange forces tried to utilise it for their irrational goals and ends. That had worked for a short time until the ship itself refused to comply. Lashing out with its whole arsenal as it made the nightmarish realm it was trapped in a nightmare for its inhabitants. Taking on the whole world as it did so. Until existence itself gave up and it was catapulted away. Going on an unvoluntary cruise of worlds one stranger than the last.
Until its journey ended here. Here in extradimensional Hyperspace. The void between worlds, islands of existence and creation. Now trapped forever here as it had gone as far as ultimatively possible. However the ships itself was not okay with its fate. The ships purpose left behind. It wanted to fulfill however. Helping those that needed it the most. Fortunately it was in the perfect place for that.
In a huge engineering bay deep inside the bowels of the ships pairs of robotic arms came to life. Testing their base functions as they hung from the rails they were mounted to. Flexing and stretching with the hum of their servos and clicking of joints and mechanisms. All coming to a stop around a grey sphere in the middle of the bay. Reflecting light as if made as if from mercury. An unfocussed versions of the bay on the surface.
An arm touched the surface with the tips at its end. Creating soft ripples running over it. More joined the first. Working the surface like an instrument. Creating more ripples falling into each other or erasing one another. Following an unheard concert in their mechanical precision and timed movements. The notes mathematics and physics of the highest possible order. Having a tangible effect on reality itself.
Faster and faster the arms moved. The light reflecting off the sphere slowly forming a coherent image as shapes gained coherency and got more detailed. Slowly reaching a climax.
The arms suddenly stopped. Freezing the image on the sphere from any further movement.
A new junction had been created. A connection to a random world it would now survey remotely. Serving its purpsoe once it had narrowed down a feasible plan and procedures. Then transporting a singulat inhabitant of that world onto itself. This singular suspensions point then receiving help in any shape or form it could offer.
Mere words sometimes were everything that were needed. Anything more "elaborate" or " drastic" were also possible from the ships near endless arsenal of possibilities.
What would it be this time?