The Create-A-Hero RPG Season II IC Thread

[NiteMare Shape]

As the battle between the alien invaders and Earth's heroes rage below, the Arlaaekan mothership hovers over the planet, watching as the events on the surface unfold.

As he watches from his command post, Captain Tri'Karda makes mental notes on the tendencies of his adversaries, immediately thinking of several countermeasures for any possible offensive that the humans and their god-like protectors might be foolish enough to attempt.

But that is how he got to the position he is in now. He was a key figure in the Arlaaekan Civil War, and played an important part in the eventual overthrow of the democratically elected leaders of his homeworld, and the instalation of The Autocrat as Supreme Ruler.

Over the years he has lead the charge in other seiges, each time the inhabitants try to rise up and fend off the invading forces of Arlaaek, but each time they have failed, each time those who resist have been utterly destroyed by the superior technology, as well as the superior leadership of the invading forces...His leadership. And now they stand at that threshold again, and once more the inferior resistance will be obliterated.

He is interrupted for a moment when one of his lieutenants approaches the command post.

"<Sir, we are in position. We are ready to begin the next phase.>"*

"<Very Well. Prepare the factory ships. It is time to make this planet's atmosphere more hospitable for Arlaaekan life. Once that is accomplished we will begin the with the terra forming of the planet.>"*




*translated from Arlaaekan

 

[SuperBoy-CK]

As Icon flies back into the thick of the battle, he notices several of the alien battle suits surrounding a civilian, ready to open fire.

They're going to kill that kid. He thinks to himself as he changes course and heads straight for the injured civilian.

Icon lands between the battle suits and the kid just as they open fire, absorbing the blaster bolts with his chest.

"Stay behind me, I'll draw their fire. When you can get to safety." Icon says as he goes to work on the aliens.

I can't believe what I&#8217;m seeing. Just a moment ago I thought I was a goner and Icon himself came and saved me. Not only that but he also bought me enough time to gain my powers back. There's know way I&#8217;m passing up the opportunity to fight along side him.

With my return strength I unbury myself from within the smash up tank. For a brief moment I look on as Icon makes short work of the aliens.

&#8220;This is too cool.&#8221;

While watching as Icon was just in the middle of finishing off the last one I noticed one battle suit on the ground that was still operational preparing it cannon.

&#8220;I got this one.&#8221; I yell towards Icon.

Before it could make it&#8217;s move I rush over to its position and place my foot on the chest of the battle suit and grab it&#8217;s cannon with both of my arms and rip it off. I then force my hand into the suit&#8217;s chest and jerk the suits power source out.

&#8220;How do you like that?&#8221; I say realizing at the last second that I just displayed my abilities and my costume is torn to sheds revealing myself.

 

[NiteMare Shape]

I can't believe what I’m seeing. Just a moment ago I thought I was a goner and Icon himself came and saved me. Not only that but he also bought me enough time to gain my powers back. There's know way I’m passing up the opportunity to fight along side him.

With my return strength I unbury myself from within the smash up tank. For a brief moment I look on as Icon makes short work of the aliens.

“This is too cool.”

While watching as Icon was just in the middle of finishing off the last one I noticed one battle suit on the ground that was still operational preparing it cannon.

“I got this one.” I yell towards Icon.

Before it could make it’s move I rush over to its position and place my foot on the chest of the battle suit and grab it’s cannon with both of my arms and rip it off. I then force my hand into the suit’s chest and jerk the suits power source out.

“How do you like that?” I say realizing at the last second that I’m just displayed my abilities and my costume is tore to sheds revealing myself.

After Icon is finished dealing with the last of the battle suits, he looks back toward the young hero who has just finished off a battle suit of his own.

"Nice work. I'm Icon." He says as he extends a hand to the younger man.

 

[SuperBoy-CK]

After Icon is finished dealing with the last of the battle suits, he looks back toward the young hero who has just finished off a battle suit of his own.

"Nice work. I'm Icon." He says as he extends a hand to the younger man.

This is amazing. I extend my hand and grabs Icon's and begin to shake it.

"I'm Icon... I mean I'm Sam... wait. This isn't going how i thought it would. I haven't been a hero for not even longer than a mouth and you already know who I am. So much for a secret identity. Well my hero name is Youngster."

I then realize that i was still shaking Icon's hand doing this whole conversation.

"You're probably going to need that." I say as i release his hand.

 

[Johnny Blaze]

Skin Deep ~ Act 6​

The floorboards whined with each step as Kensei walked up the small set of steps to the domicile's porch.
The shack was small and looked run down from the outside. On passing, one would think this building was vacant, and had been for some time.

The Swordsman quietly crept up to a dirty window and peered in. It was hard to see through the layer of grim on the glass, but Kensei could make out a few pieces of furniture.
The room appeared to be deserted though.

The overwhelming sense of evil surrounded Kensei as he approached the front door. Slowly reaching out to touch the handle, Kensei discovered that the door was already open. Giving it a gentle push, the Celestial Samurai stepped into the house.

The stench of animal feces and rotten meat stung his nostrils immediately and made his eyes water. If he were a lesser man, Kensei would surely have doubled over in nausea. But Kensei was not a normal man.

The Swordsman focused himself and walked into the house.

The evil presence was everywhere. Kensei could not seem to pinpoint it. This house was surely a cursed place.

The door slammed shut behind him, and Kensei spun around to see Kajima, in his wolf-human form standing before the door.

"You are not human", Kajima stated in an animalistic voice.
"What are you?"

"I am a bane to your kind", Kensei stated matter-of-factly.
"Long have I walked this Earth, protecting the innocent and dealing out death to all your ilk."

"There is no place for your evil in this world", Kensei said as he held the Kusanagi out in one hand, and the bag of white ash in the other.

"You should not have come here, samurai", roared Kajima as he charged in at Kensei, slashing him across the chest.

The Swordsman gritted his teeth in protest as the creature's claws sliced through the seams on his armor and tore at his flesh.

With a sharp knee to the groin, and an quick elbow to the throat, Kensei knocked Kajima away from him.

The skinwalker growled and came back at the samurai, feverishly trying to tear him apart.
But despite the beast's ferocity, it was clumsy. It's attacks were wild, unfocused. It was easy for Izanagi's Chosen to avoid the blows.
Kensei smashed his armored forehead into Kajima's elongated snout, splattering blood across the room upon impact.

A quick slash from the Kusanagi slashed deeply into Kajima's chest. The skinwalker howled in pain as it stabbed outward with it's claws. The creature's claws dug deep into Kensei's stomach as Kajima lifted the samurai over his head and hurled him into a wall.

Kensei slammed into the wall and bounced onto the floor. Kajima was on him instantly, but Kensei brought the monster down with a quick leg sweep.

A stern kick to the ribs sent Kajima rolling across the room to smash into a desk.

Kensei clutched at his stomach wound, blood pouring freely from his armor.

Kajima rose to his feet as the wounds inflicted upon him began to close up. Kensei's wound too began to heal, and the samurai was once more standing tall and focused.

"Looks like this could take forever", Kajima snarled in a smile.

"I don't know", smirked Kensei as he opened the ash bag with one hand.
"I plan to be finished in time for lunch."

With an angry roar, Kajima came at Kensei again. The Celestial Samurai stood firm as the beast closed in, taking the contents of the bag and covering the Kusanagi with it.

Kajima leaped in, and Kensei ducked under the wild strike and slashed.

Kajima landed on his feet and stood perfectly still. Upon finishing the strike, Kensei returned the Kusanagi to it's scabbard and came to a stop as well.

Silence reigned inside the house as neither moved a muscle. Then, with a disgustingly wet sound, Kajima's body split in two just above his naval.
Kensei walked over to the body of Kajima and, with one quick movement, drew his blade, lopped off Kajima's head, and returned the blade back to the scabbard once more.

--------------------

The flames seemed to reach for the sky as the house burned down. Kensei simply stood at a safe distance, watching the blazing inferno as the cursed dwelling, as well as Kajima's body, were turned to ash.

The the building burned, the presence of evil slowly began to recede.
Kensei stood there silently, waiting for five hours until he could no longer feel the evil presence anymore.

Satisfied that all was well, Kensei turned and began his walk back to Jack's.

 

[Johnny Blaze]

Skin Deep ~ Epilogue​

Kensei stood underneath a blood red sky on a large hilltop, adorned in his armor. He squinted as the howling wind kicked up dust at his eyes.
Dark storm clouds hung ominously in the sky, the booming of thunder ringing out every so often.

Below the Swordsman, at the hills base rested a city. Or what remained of it. Only a few buildings remained standing in broken forms. Most laid in massive piles of burning rubble as large robotic soldiers patrolled the empty streets.

"It is what will happen, Musashi", came the voice of Izanagi.
Kensei turned to see the lord of the Japanese pantheon standing before him adorned in his shining armor and wielding his mighty spear.

"My Lord Izanagi", the Celestial Samurai dropped to his knees and bowed low.

"Rise, my Kensei", Izanagi bade.
"We do not have much time. As grave a threat as Leevoth and his goals are to this planet, he can wait."

"What you see before you is what will happen very soon. This world will see a war unlike any it has ever seen before when it is invaded by these alien conquerors."

"Even now they are out there, among the heavens, heading towards our world."

"What about the heroes", Kensei asked.
"Surely Earth's champions can prevent this disaster from occurring?"

Izanagi reached out his hand, and the image changed to a bloodstained battlefield. All around the pair were the dead bodies of the world's heroes, some mutilated beyond recognition.

Kensei looked to his feet at the blue clad hero that seemed to stare up at him in a forever look of supreme horror.

"They need your assistance, Musashi. They cannot succeed without you. And if they cannot succeed, then this world will perish."

"I understand, master", nodded the Swordsman.
"Leevoth will have to wait. This matter is of the utmost importance."

Izanagi looked firmly at his champion and gave Kensei a quick nod.
"I know I can count on you, my champion."

"I will not fail you, Lord Izanagi."

--------------------

Kensei shot out of his slumber and sat up on Jack's pullout couch. It was two in the morning, and the sound of the box fan blowing on him wasn't quite loud enough to drown out the cicadas from outside.
He was not shocked though at his dream meeting with his god. Kensei had received his lord's instructions and he needed to begin immediately.

With great haste, Kensei got dressed and packed his clothes. Within five minutes, the Swordsman had gathered his things, put his bed away, and was out the door heading towards the airport...

 

[wiegeabo]

Then...

Mr. Data of Star Trek fame once said 'Ohhh...****'. As I stare down the barrels of the guns trained on me, I can sympathize.

"Hands up!" the first cop shouts.
"Freeze, don't move!" the second yells at the same time.

I stare, frozen. "Um...which do you want me to do?"

The second cop looks at the first. "Um, put your hands up, than step away and freeze."

I nod at the second cop, I'll call him Officer Clueless, and do what he says. "Listen, I can explain the body. It wasn't me."

"Oh yeah? Who was it? The one-armed man?" the first cop says. I'll call him Officer Prick.

"Not quite. It was the other burglar."

The two cops look at each other. "The other burglar," Prick says.

"Exactly. The one you just missed. Hey, I'm telling the truth."

Before I know it, Clueless and Prick have me cuffed, booked, and stuck in interrogation with two tough detectives. When a cat-burglar is accused of killing a billionaire philanthropist, he tends to get the department's full attention.

The detectives don't interrogate me for long. Oh, they try the typical ploys. 'Confess and it'll go easier for you.' 'We caught you red handed, don't make it any tougher on yourself.' They even try pulling at the heartstrings with the old 'He was a pillar of the community' And 'Do you think they'll let a guy like you get away with it?" It's only when they start the old good cop-bad cop routine that I get bored and say those four little words:

"I want a lawyer."


Soon...

"Wait, wait, wait. Are you telling me you want to operate on my brain?!"

Kevin shakes his head. "That's exactly what I just said." Dr. Kevin Jones. A good guy really. All the weeks I've been here, he's kept my spirits up every step of the way, even though he couldn't tell me exactly what was going on.

"Well, you'll forgive me if I have a problem with the idea of you inserting a gland that you created, and has never been tested on humans, inside my head. And somehow that'll give my abilities or powers that you won't even tell me about."

"That's because they are classified."

I glare at the fat man standing next to Kevin. I don't know his name. I don't even think Kevin knows his name. And Kevin runs the project. Well, he runs the medical part of it. All I know the fat man as is 'The Director'. I guess that means he's the guy in charge. And that means he's the guy I hate.

"The surgery's probably gonna kill me anyway. Or at least screw up my brain so badly I'm left a vegetable. And you still won't tell me what I'm risking my life for."

"...No."

"...**** you." The Director just grunts and smiles happily. I think he hates me too.

"Listen, Darren. I'm not going to lie, it's dangerous. And we don't know exactly what you're reaction will be to the gland. But it's probably not going to kill you. It could possibly kill you, but it's really not that probable."

Kevin and I stare at each other. And then I crack up, Kevin laughing with me. "Dammit. How do you always get me to laugh?"

"I don't know. It's just way too easy."

The Director doesn't look happy with my reaction, which makes me laugh even more. I stand up and slap Kevin on his back. "Alright! Let's do this. I'm excited! You excited?" I ask the Director. He gives me an angry look, and then walks out of my cell-I mean room, my room.

I walk Kevin towards the door, knowing full well the guards standing just outside won't let me out. Still, Kevin treats me as a person, so I do the same for him. "Thanks for being honest with me," I say with a smile.

"Anytime, Darren. It's the least I could do." Kevin steps outside and the door slams shut behind him, locking me inside.

My smile drops and I sit on my bed wondering if prison wasn't the better choice.


Now...

"And that's it?"

"That's it," the rather large man says, leaning back in his chair.

I sit on the bed in my prison cell and look at the paperwork I've been given. It doesn't really say much. Basically, in exchange for a release from prison and Presidential pardon for all previous crimes, I will become a member of The Agency (whatever the hell that is) for no more than five years. I will also submit to classified testing and 'adaptation' procedures as determined by The Director to prepare me for my service for the country. And if I violate the terms of the agreement, The Director has the authority to rescind my services and put me right back where he found me. Granted it uses tons of legal jargon, but that's what it boils down to.

"I'd still feel better if my lawyer looked this over."

"Sorry, but it's classified. Besides, what could he tell you that our lawyer hasn't."

"That's what I'd like to know."

The Director smiles. "You're smart, Mr. Cole. I like that. You'll make a good addition to the team."

I sigh. "What the hell. Not like I have anything left to lose." I sign the document and hand it back to The Director.

He smiles as he takes the document and puts it in a folder. "We'll have you released to our custody in an hour, and you'll be pardoned once you complete the testing phase and officially join The Agency. Welcome aboard, Mr. Cole."

I think I just made a deal with the devil...

 

[wiegeabo]

Double

 

[NiteMare Shape]

This is amazing. I extend my hand and grabs Icon's and begin to shake it.

"I'm Icon... I mean I'm Sam... wait. This isn't going how i thought it would. I haven't been a hero for not even longer than a mouth and you already know who I am. So much for a secret identity. Well my hero name is Youngster."

I then realize that i was still shaking Icon's hand doing this whole conversation.

"You're probably going to need that." I say as i release his hand.

I can't help but let a slight smile creep across my face as Youngster releases my hand. This kid was nearly killed by a small group of these battle suits, but almost seems to have already forgotten that upon our introduction. He seems somewhat "star struck," not really believing that I'm here.

But we have important things to do, I don't know how the others are faring against the aliens. I know Blue Blur and Survivor were out on Central Island along with Blacklight...but I haven't heard anything recently. I don't even know if they're still alive. But I have to assume that they are alive, if Earth is going to survive, it's going to need all of us to fight off this threat.

All of us....

"Let's go, we've got work to do." I say as I begin to fly away from the scene, with The Youngster right behind me.

 

[wiegeabo]

Then...

It wasn't much of a trial, to be honest. I really didn't stand a chance. It was no surprise that, because the victim was such an important philanthropist in the city, the district attorney himself prosecuted.

Witness after witness testified against may character. Or lack thereof. Some of them I even called my friends, and I have no doubt the DA gave them a sweet deal so he could put this win on his resume. Experts talked about how I was a habitual lifelong criminal, and that my escalation was inevitable. And how it was completely believable that I could kill someone if caught in the act.

Of course, I didn’t.

My lawyer tried to put up a defense, but I really didn’t give him much to work with. I mean, all I could do was claim that I didn’t actually commit the murder. That, while breaking into to steel his money, I happened to come upon the actual killer. And it didn’t help that the real murderer didn’t leave behind any evidence. Even the knife was wiped clean. Which means that the only evidence of a crime is mine. It figures, after a lifetime of burglary, I get sent to prison because I tried to be a hero and save a billionaire’s life. If I had left him to die, I would have probably gotten away clean.

“Will the defendant please rise,” the judge said. My lawyer and I do so. “The foreman will read the verdict.”

The jury foreman unfolded the paper in his hand. “We the jury, find the defendant, Darren Cole…guilty on all charges.”

There were murmurs from the room, even some applause. I just drop down into my seat, my stomach hitting the floor…and then the was the sentencing hearing…

“Darren Cole, aka Darren Moore, aka Darien Fox. Due to the heinous nature of this crime, and your lifetime of criminal activities, I am sentencing you to no less than fifty years in a maximum security prison without the possibility of parole…”


Now…

I’m wheeled on my gurney to the operating room. Through the doors, doctors, scientists, and nurses skitter around doing whatever it is they need to do. Through the observation window, I can see the fat man looking in with that smug expression that’s always plastered on his face.

Kevin steps up to the head of my gurney. “How’re you doing, Darren?”

“Oh, you know. Same as always. Happy go -lucky, carefree, sexy as hell,” I say with a wink at one of the nurses. She rolls her eyes, but I can still see the blush with the mask on. I motion for Kevin to lean in close. “And scared as hell,” I say quietly.

“We’ve done this dozens of times, Darren.“

“On mice!“

You’ll come out of it just fine.”

“Just-just answer me one question.”

“Sure…”

“…How long until my hair grows back..” Kevin smiles under his mask. “Because I really love my hair…”

“Heh. Ok, put him under.”

One of the doctor’s fills a needle and injects it into my IV. “You’ll feel a slight burning in your arm…”

He’s right. Then, someone wheels in a table with a bubbling vat on it. Inside floats...something. “Is…is that it?” I’m starting to feel drowsy.

“That’s the gland, Darren,” Kevin’s voice floats in from everywhere.

“It looks…freaky…” The world goes dark…

 

[Johnny Drama]

[YT]FDcPv6olllQ[/YT]

6:00 AM

Ultima floats above Lost Haven, behind him are hundreds of small Arlaaekan space crafts.

Ultima looks down at a city in panic. He smiles in delight at the flashing lights, the ambulances and the police cars, the people running

around like chickens with their heads cut off. Ultima is as excited as kid in a candy store. A very powerful, very evil kid in a candy

store. He turns around to face the sea of spacepods.

"People of The Planet Arlaaek, this is the day you have been training for for years. Today is the day you claim this

godforsaken planet as your own. This, the planet that birthed me and then propelled me into space, into your planets open arms,

deserves a better age, it deserves superior inhabitants, and superior these humans are not.

And for this reason, I will lead us to domination. Like me, this planet will loose every last bit of humanity it once had and will become

property of the planet Arlaaek.

It's a brand new day, but it's our day. Remember that.

You all know what you must do. Destroy every thing in sight, give your life if you must. Do what needs to be done in the name of

victory, but make sure that for every drop of green blood that is spilled, you spill twice as much RED. In the name of Arlaaek,

ENGAGE!!!"

As Ultima gives the word, the Arlaaekan space pods drop from the sky. The Kamikazes don't wait around, as 3 crash land into Lost

Haven International Airport.

The ensuing explosion is strong enough to propel everything within a quarter of a mile, people, cars, everything near the blast is

blown away. Everything destroyed.

Ultima gives a maniacal laugh that can be heard from the ground below.

He then flies away, faster then the speed of light, flying towards the sky before teleporting to god knows where, leaving behind a

smoke cloud.


8:00 AM

The bridge that just a couple days ago served as safe way out of the city has now been destroyed, insuring no one will evacuate the

city this time. Not like it matters, the invasion has gone global. Lost Haven Mutual Bank is destroyed as another kamikaze makes

impact. Lost Haven Stadium has already been brought down.

Arlaaekan motherships in the distance seem to appear closer to ground level by the minute. US Airforce fighter jets explode in the sky,

creating some of the most horrific fireworks this world has ever seen.

Arlaaek has now taken the battle to the ground.

As the space pods lower to the ground, they begin to morph, loosing their wings and transforming from jets into some strange type of

hover cars. They speed through the streets, shooting projectile missles at buildings as they drive by and destroying anything in their way.

One of the hover cars crashes into an Army Humvee, causing a glorious explosion.

Lost Haven is now becoming a broken, beaten shadow of it's former self.


8:30 AM, New York

After leaving Lost Haven in a flash, Ultima appears in New York, which is falling apart by the second. He grins as he sees The Statue

Of Liberty in ruins, Yankee Stadium at reduced to a mountain of rubble, and Time Square a blaze. Ultima lowers himself to the ground

and heads towards an unexpected location: The NBC corporate building at 30 Rockerfella Square.

"Time to make some 'must see' TV..." he says with a smirk.

9:00 AM, Back in Lost Haven

S.T.R.I.K.E General Frank West stands on stage in front of 300 S.T.R.I.K.E Elites, inside a large S.T.R.I.K.E auditorium. His men are all

anxious, and all nervous. This is the battle for the planet, and for the first time in earths history, we are figting for it woth our lives.

"Men... This may seem like a loosing battle. And hell, maybe it is. But I look around this room and I see the best of the best. There

is a HUGE reason why we do what we do. We are above the Army, above the Marines. We are earths last defense. More than half of

you will die today,that I can't change, but you will have died defending your planet. In this, our darkest hour, I ask that you all,

soldiers of S.T.R.I.K.E, give 110% so that your children can live on and tell your stories, I ask that..." Frank says as he is

interupted.

The lights go out, and the 3 giant flat screens behind him suddenly turn on, with Ultimas face smiling.

"Hello world..."

"Oh my god..." Frank says with great despair.

Meanwhile, New York

As the giant screen in the center of Times Square turns on, all the panicing New Yorkers stop what they are doing and stand in awe

of the white-skinned menace on the screen. Ultima makes his introduction to the world.

"Hello world. You all may be scared, and I understand that. That fear in you is a good thing, for it will make you all

feel more alive than you really are. My name is Ultima, and I am Earth's liaison to The Planet Arlaaek, I am their most powerful

General and I am the one leading this invasion. But believe it or not, I was born here, and began the first 30 years of my life as one

of you. You people sent me away, into outer space, where the planet Arlaaek found me and saved my life. But enough about me.

Let's talk about you "people". You people overpopulate this planet and suck it's resources dry, you breed and you kill and you breed

and you kill and then you breed some more. I can't say I blame you for it.

That all sounds like a fun time to me, but the powers that be have decided you don't deserve the big blue orb you call

home.

So, within the next 24 hours I am going to destroy the entire planet.

I have in my possession the greatest weapon this side of the galaxy, and I intend on using it. Say your

goodbyes, pray to your cartoon character gods and hold your children tight. My only regret is that I can not murder each and

everyone of you insects personally. Ah well, such is life. To everyone, I bid farewell and I wish you all a very painful

death..."





Meanwhile, back in Lost Haven

Ultimas broadcast ends and the 300 S.T.R.I.K.E soldiers begin to riot. Frank West bears an emotionless face, as if the panic around

him isn't affecting him. He walks off the stage and through the crowd, still a calm look about him. He leaves the auditorium and

enters and elevator taking him to the top of S.T.R.I.K.E Headquarters. As Frank exits the elevator he takes his blazer and over shirt

off, dropping them in the floor. He stands at the edge of building,, watching the havoc ensue on the city he loves so much.

"God, If you are up their. PLEASE, Give us the strength we need..."

 

[Byrd Man]

Lost Haven
8:00:32 AM

The alien crafts continue their death dives into anything that moves. Death and destruction seem to be winning the day.

BOOOOOMMM!!!!

An unseen force destroys hover cars and pods in the blink of an eye.

People in the middle of the crossfire disappear, only to reappear in safe locations scattered throughout the city.

In a tenth of a second, another hover vehicle is dismantled, it's driver laying among the parts on the street.

The unseen force stops countless suicide bomber vehicles before they reach their destination.

The force is as silent as it is swift. It remains unseen and almost unnoticed. Leaving only a imprint of it's motion.

A Blue Blur.

 

[Johnny Blaze]

Kensei stood on the rooftop of an apartment building in the ruined city of Lost Haven.
The Celestial Samurai had battled hard throughout the night upon his arrival. He had rescued many citizens from the rampaging battle suits, but there were many more that he could not help.

Now the morning sun began to illuminate the mass carnage that littered the entire city.

Below him, wandering the streets, were a small group of civilians. They were scared beyond belief, visibly shaking at the sound of every explosion in the distance as they walked on.

Then another sound caught the Swordsman's keen ears. The sound of an engine, and it was quickly getting closer.

Kensei turned and looked down the road to see a hover car racing towards the unaware people.

The Celestial Samurai leaped off of the building and onto the street below.
The people froze in panic as Kensei landed a mere dozen meters behind them.

"Get out of here! Run!"

The family paused, as Kensei reached out with the Kusanagi towards the hover car.

"Go", the Swordsman roared as the winds began to pick up.

The family snapped out of their shock and obeyed the samurai's orders, running down a side street and away from the danger.

The winds exploded when the family was safely away, turning into a raging cyclone that shot right at the hover car.

Kensei's eyes narrowed as he moved the cyclone through the Kusanagi, slamming it head-on into the speeding hover car.
The alien craft seemed to hit a steel wall as the vehicle crunched up like a aluminum can. The car flew backwards, thrown by the cyclone into a garbage truck that sat unoccupied in the middle of the road.
The explosion lit up the early morning sky, and the winds instantly began to fade into a gentle breeze.

Kensei stood tall and returned the Kusanagi to it's scabbard when something caught his attention. Out of the corner of his eye, a blue streak and it was coming up impossibly fast.

 

[Spike_x1]

These hover vehicles--the Survivor couldn't tell whether they were manned or unmanned drones. When it all boils down, however, he decided that it didn't really matter. He had never killed before, but these aliens were obviously beyond any sense of mercy that the Survivor could drum up. The area around the street intersection where he now stood in the middle of had been practically leveled. Nothing above six or seven feet tall appeared to still be standing.

Adam had been herded here, lured away from the remaining vertical buildings that still littered certain parts of Lost Haven, where his superhuman agility and familiarity of the city's layout gave him an advatage over any Arlaaekean ground forces. Apparently, these aliens learn their opponents' weaknesses, and form strategies around those weaknesses pretty quickly. "When have hover cars ever been a good sign?" the Survivor grumbled to himself. Adam had spotted one of the alien vehicles blasting at a crowd of people earlier, so he shot several of his own energy blasts at it, seemingly scaring it off. That was where he grossly underestimated how smart these thing are. Chasing the fleeing hover car, Adam was lured out into the open where he had no viable cover before noticing that there were four more assault vehicles waiting for him, and three more closing off the way he came.

"S**tbrick," Adam swore as he calculated his odds in this fight. "Oh, screw it!" Springing into action, the Survivor fired a concentrated energy beam from his eyes, visibly burning through one of the hoover car's armor plating. While blasting, he simultaneously backflipped through the air to dodge the return fire from the Arlaaekeans. Even successfully dodging the blasts, Adam could still feel the heat through his costume, burning and blistering his skin before healing up a split second later.

Hurling several more energy volleys before landing, the Survivor successfully blew apart two of the assault cars when one of the remaining six bastards actually hit him square in the chest with one of their shots. Floored for a moment, Adam grit his teeth and tried not to look at his exposed ribcage and organs that were threatening to fall out of him until a second or two passed for tissue to grow back sufficiently enough for him to move again. "That hurt, you tit!" he screamed as he instantly sprang back to his feet and charged straight for one of the hover cars, dug his hands into the outer plating, lifted it above his head, and hurled it at another one of the cars. The Survivor would be lying if he said that the resounding explosion actually gave him any real sense of satisfaction. He still had four more to destroy before he could let himself feel satisfied after all.

 

[Byrd Man]

Kensei's eyes narrowed as he moved the cyclone through the Kusanagi, slamming it head-on into the speeding hover car.
The alien craft seemed to hit a steel wall as the vehicle crunched up like a aluminum can. The car flew backwards, thrown by the cyclone into a garbage truck that sat unoccupied in the middle of the road.
The explosion lit up the early morning sky, and the winds instantly began to fade into a gentle breeze.

Kensei stood tall and returned the Kusanagi to it's scabbard when something caught his attention. Out of the corner of his eye, a blue streak and it was coming up impossibly fast.

I come to a skidding stop in front of the Samuri, the sound of the sound barrier catching back up with me rattles and breaks nearby windows, but doesn't move the Japanese warrior.

"Of all the alien infested cities in all the world, you had to find this one." I say with a slight grin.

"Glad to see someone else out here who can handle their own."

 

[Johnny Blaze]

I come to a skidding stop in front of the Samuri, the sound of the sound barrier catching back up with me rattles and breaks nearby windows, but doesn't move the Japanese warrior.

"Of all the alien infested cities in all the world, you had to find this one." I say with a slight grin.

"Glad to see someone else out here who can handle their own."

"Matthew", Kensei greets him with a short bow.
"It is good to see that you are well."

"I wish our reunion was under better circumstances", the Swordsman states as he looks around at the destruction that surrounds them.

 

[Byrd Man]

"Matthew", Kensei greets him with a short bow.
"It is good to see that you are well."

"I wish our reunion was under better circumstances", the Swordsman states as he looks around at the destruction that surrounds them.

"You ain't just whistling dixie, my friend."

Both Kensei and I look up as another explosion rocks the ground.

"That cannot be good." I say as I look at Kensei.

 

[Johnny Blaze]

"You ain't just whistling dixie, my friend."

Both Kensei and I look up as another explosion rocks the ground.

"That cannot be good." I say as I look at Kensei.

"No, it's safe to assume it is not", Kensei sighed as he looked towards the direction the blast came from.

"I would say it was at least a few blocks away", Kensei stated.

"We're needed, Matthew. Let's go", Kensei says as he begins to run off towards the sound of another explosion.

 

[Byrd Man]

"No, it's safe to assume it is not", Kensei sighed as he looked towards the direction the blast came from.

"I would say it was at least a few blocks away", Kensei stated.

"We're needed, Matthew. Let's go", Kensei says as he begins to run off towards the sound of another explosion.

I take off running and grab Kensei with me. We cover the distance in the blink of an eye.

I stop and look around me.

"I-uhh....might have went too fast." I say as I realize that I stopped in the middle of a battalion of armored aliens.

"Hi, fellas." I say as I hit an alien with a punch that's going the speed of sound.

"We're the welcoming party."

I start to attack more of the invaders as Kensei removes his blade.

 

[Johnny Blaze]

I take off running and grab Kensei with me. We cover the distance in the blink of an eye.

I stop and look around me.

"I-uhh....might have went too fast." I say as I realize that I stopped in the middle of a battalion of armored aliens.

"Hi, fellas." I say as I hit an alien with a punch that's going the speed of sound.

"We're the welcoming party."

I start to attack more of the invaders as Kensei removes his blade.

Kensei reacts quickly and leaps out of the way as an energy blast explodes where he once was.

"We will have to talk about our travel arrangements after we're through, Blue Blur", Kensei states as the Kusanagi cleanly slices through the legs of one of the battle suits.

With surprising agility, Kensei climbs up the back of one of the alien attackers, driving the blade through it's back and into the body of the surprised being inside.

Kensei somersaults off of the dying creature as another armored alien unleashed a blast of energy that blows it's dying partner apart.

Kensei rolls upon impact with the ground, rising up in one fluid motion and slices through the torso of the nearest battle suit.

 

[trustyside-kick]

OOC: Previously...

Madlove takes advantage of my distraction as I look at Jake's eyes with the intent to kill me. He takes advantage of my distraction and I feel like such a rookie; as though this whole time of me learning how to play hero never happened. He uses his apparent telekenetic powers, pulling the nearby alley fence with raw force, and wraps it around me.

With the blessings of Metatron, I can do a many great things. I can take all of the powers the other archangels bestow upon me and use it at one...but I'm not nearly skilled enough to manipulate the earth particles in steel.

Wrapped up, unable to budge, Madlove levitates me like the plaything I've been the entire time for his amusement.

"Ha! You see, my children!! The Negative is of no match for those who reach True Enlightenment. I am grateful that this...this cretin had defiled our Church this night. Now you see...the TRUE power of Enlightenment!!"

They...they nod at him in agreement. They actually believe it. Jake...actually believes it all. And part of me...starts to believe it to: the defeat aspect. I'm bruised, injured, tired, exhausted...

And each time I glance at Jake I feel more and more dead inside. Grace, I'm...sorry. I tried to watch over your brother, I should've tried harder. I should've been there more. I--

*VVVRRROOOOOOOOOM*

The heck is that??

*BOOM*

...

...

...

"AA--AARRGH!!"

Pulling the debris off of me, I unwrap myself from the mangled piece of metal fence that once held me bound. What the heck was that? My head's spinning, but it looked like something out of an old sci-fi film. It came crashing down at such speed...like a missile. But it was waaaaay too big to be your traditional missile.

I look around me, there's destruction everywhere. Not one place to I look--my left, right, front, and back--do I see anything that isn't nearly obliterated. I wonder what--Gosh...

"...Jake...JAKE!"

Immediately I use my control over the winds and earth to pull and push away debris. If I got this banged up, I--I don't even want to think about it. I can take care of myself. Madlove...I can't see him anywhere. No doubt he could've easily dodged or flown away when that...whatever the heck that thing was. But...damnit, these were just kids. These were just--

An arm lies beneath some rubble. I rush with all the speed I've got and start to pull off the debris. I can hear police sirens echoing in the short distance, no doubt coming in response to the nearby destruction of this section of the city. I don't even think, all I can think about is saving these kids. All I can think about it....Jake.

The arm that was sticking out belonged to one of the other kids. I pick his body up and lie him down gently. He's not alive. He's dead. My Go--he's dead. I start to get impatient. I pull off my helmet, and just start digging through.

I dig and I dig. I find the second kid, an asian girl with pigtails. She's also dead; crushed trachea. No...No no no no no.

"JAKE!! JAKE!"

I finally find him; my girlfriend's baby brother. I cradle him like a baby in my arms, and I've never cried so hard. Tear falls down my face and I start to curse under my breathe.

Jake Daniels.

Age 16.

Born March 22nd 1993.

Died...August 2nd 2009.

 

[NiteMare Shape]

The Youngster and I had been relatively successful fighting of the battle suits, however I thought it would be best if we split up and covered more ground on our own.

I had just taken out several more of the battle suits, along with some sort of hovercar when something got my attention from across the street...

A familiar voice coming from a car radio.


"Hello world. You all may be scared, and I understand that. That fear in you is a good thing, for it will make you all

feel more alive than you really are. My name is Ultima, and I am Earth's liaison to The Planet Arlaaek, I am their most powerful

General and I am the one leading this invasion. But believe it or not, I was born here, and began the first 30 years of my life as one

of you. You people sent me away, into outer space, where the planet Arlaaek found me and saved my life. But enough about me.

Let's talk about you "people". You people overpopulate this planet and suck it's resources dry, you breed and you kill and you breed

and you kill and then you breed some more. I can't say I blame you for it.

That all sounds like a fun time to me, but the powers that be have decided you don't deserve the big blue orb you call

home.

So, within the next 24 hours I am going to destroy the entire planet.

I have in my possession the greatest weapon this side of the galaxy, and I intend on using it. Say your

goodbyes, pray to your cartoon character gods and hold your children tight. My only regret is that I can not murder each and

everyone of you insects personally. Ah well, such is life. To everyone, I bid farewell and I wish you all a very painful

death..."

"Not on my watch."

 

[Johnny Drama]

"And anyhow, it doesn't matter where you go or what you're running from, the stars always stay the same..."

14 YEARS AGO, EASTERN LOST HAVEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Mrs. Linleys 4th grade class let's out into recess and all of her students run out into the playground. Sandy and his sister Julie head to their favorite spot, the swingset.

"Betcha I'll beat you there!" Julie says as she sprints way from Sandy.

[blackout]"Ha! Yeah right!"[/blackout] Sandy says as he dashes off to catch up.

He passes her pretty quickly and sits down on the swing. Together, they have an unspoken contest to see who could swing higher. Julie usually won, as Sandy was afraid of heights. Ironic, considering who his father is.
As the kids quickly tire of the swingset they run to the jungle gym.

"Be careful children!" Mrs. Linley says as she sips on her tea and watches on.
Sandy runs the front of the jungle gym and goes down the slide. As he reaches the bottom he halted by a cold white on his chest.
Sandy looks up to find a tall white skinned man with long black hair and an evil, monstrous smile.

"Hello Sandy. I'm Ultima. Nice to meet you"

Sandy stares in shock of the monster in front of him. Julie sees the Ultima and screams, and a paniced Mrs. Linley immediatley blows the whistle around her neck. The other students flee in terror back into the building.
Ultima smiles at Mrs. Linley from a distance and then telports right in front of her. The whistle drops from her lips as she lets out a loud scream. Ultima morphs his hand into a long, sharp spike and impales Mrs. Linley through the chest, pinning her to the wall behind her.

"AAAAHHHHH!!!!" Julie screams as Sandy gets up off the ground and stands in front of her.

[blackout]"Get back, Julie"[/blackout] Sandy says as he raises his palm.

Ultima turns around to face the boy, not taking him seriousley in the slightest bit. That is, untill and entire metal jungle gym is ripped from the ground and flung towards Ultima, knocking him down and pinning him to the ground.
The two children run away as fast as they can, but the jungle gym behind them is thrown high up in the air as Ultima stands back up and disapears in a cloud of smoke, reapearing in front of the children.

"Very impressive, but you fail."Ultima says before pointing to Julie.

"YOU are the one with the real power, now aren't you, sweetie?"

[blackout]"My dad wont let you hurt us, my dad..."[/blackout]

"YOUR DAD IS TOO LATE!

"Wrong again, Ultima!" Mercury Man says as he lowers from the sky.

"Ah, Mecury Man. Glad you could make it. You'll get to watch as I suck your childrens brains out!

"Not in this lifetime. You threaten my children, and you cross the line, you monster"

Mercury Man and Ultima run toward eachother and collide, engaging in a battle.
Sandy and Julie run as fast as they can away from the shuffle.
Mercury Man propels Ultima away with projectile blast from his hand, sending Ultima through a wall. Ultima teleports closer to Mercury Man and dileivers flying kick. Mercury Man recovers and delivers another blast to Ultima.
Mercury Man runs towards Ultima with his fist cocked back.
"How many years have we been doing this dance, Ultima?" Mercury Man says before delivering a blow to Ultimas jaw.

"Not long enough, Steven Ultima says with a bloody smile. Ultima once again morphs his hand into a sharp spike and teleports from behind Mercury Man and impales him his chest.

"Aagh!!"

Mercury Mans blood begins to run town Ultimas arm and out of his mouth.
"You loose, Mercury Man. How does it feel?

Sandy and Julie are running through Lost Haven Central Park as fast as they can. Sandy looks over at Julie who is crying hysterically as they run. Suddenly, the body of there father falls from the sky in front of them, halting them in there tracks.

"DADDY!!" Julie yells. Ultima drops down to the ground in front of the children.
"Y'know kids, your father was a much better fighter when he wasn't all worried about the two of you, hahaha.
Ultima grabs Julie.

[blackout]"Put her down!!"[/blackout]

"Y'know what? I think I am just going to take her with me, okay?

[blackout]"I swear to god, I will kill you"[/blackout]

"I am looking forward to it. See ya in the future, kiddo" Ultima says as him and Julie teleport to god knows where.

[blackout]"JULIE!!!"[/blackout]

10 YEARS AGO

Sandy and his mother Carole sit on the airplain as it flies through the night sky. Carole looks at her son who is lost in his oversized headphones.
She puts her hand on his shoulder to get his attention.

[blackout]"Yeah mom"[/blackout] He says as he takes off is headphones

"We will be in Paris in less than an hour" she says

[blackout]"Can't be any worse than Mexico was. Or Brazil..." [/blackout]

"Paris will be different. If we keep our heads low we might be able to stay for a while." she says

[blackout]"I'm just tired of running, mom"[/blackout][/blackout]
"Honey, as long as those S.T.R.I.K.E people are looking for you, and as long as that Ultima is out there, we need to stay oon the move. Our home is on the road. And anyhow, it doesn't matter where you go or what you're running from, the stars always stay the same. We have eachother, that's better than most have." She said.

[blackout]"Dad never ran from Ultima and he never ran from S.T.R.I.K.E. Dad always fought back. He was The Mighty Mercury Man"[/blackout]

"you have a long way to go before you can fight back against the likes of them..." Carole says before violently coughing into her hand.
She grabs a tissue from her bag and continues coughing into it, leaving the tissue dark and bloody. Carole quickly puts it away before Sandy can see.

[blackout]"You okay, mom?"[/blackout]

"Yeah honey. I am great" Carole says with a smile.


2 MONTHS AGO, TOKYO

[blackout]"EVERYONE GET DOWN!!!"[/blackout] I yell as I enter the bank.
Everyone just stares at me like I have two heads. This may be because A) none of them understand English and B) I don't have a gun. I better show them I mean business. I raise my palm towards the safe, and use my magnetic powers to rip the safe open.
Now they begin to panic.
[blackout]"Everyone down NOW. I don't want to hurt anybody"!!!"[/blackout] I say. The two security guards obviously don't understand english and they pull their guns from their holsters. I raise my palm and turn their guns and 'cute' little pretzel shapes out of 'em.
They put their hands on their heads and get on their knees. Smart move.
I begin to walk towards the safe. Every bag of money in here has a tracking device made of plastic and more importantly, metal. I raise my hand and I pull the ceiling off the building as if I was opening a sardine can. I make the money levitate with me as I fly away.


The great thing about having a top floor apartment with a large balcony is that makes descending from the sky with millions of dollars at your back very discreet.
[blackout]"Mom! I'm home!"[/blackout] I yell as I enter the apartment. I don't hear any response. She isn't in the living room, so I naturally check her bedroom, where she spends most of her time due to her illness. Empty. No one is here.
[blackout]"Mom!"[/blackout] I yell again as I begin to leave the room.
The moment I re-enter the hallway I am met with a fist to my face.

POW!

I hit the ground HARD. My vision has gone blurry fast and I can't make out the attacker, but whoever he is is VERY strong, strong enough to put an indestructible metahuman such as myself on my ass.

As he approaches, I begin to recognize him. S.T.R.I.K.E agent/superhero Spartan. Behind him is his boss, General Frank West.

"It's been a long time, Sandy. About 3 years since you outran us in Brazil. You were always such a clevar boy. Now your running around robbing banks to pay your mommas medical bills...Tisk-Tisk" Frank says.

[blackout]"Where...Where is my mother?"[/blackout]I ask

"We have her Sandy. She didn't gowillingly of course. Tough woman, Carole Witter is. Always has been.". He replies.

[blackout]"If you hurt her..."[/blackout]

"Hurt her? We are going to fix her, Sandy. Clean her of her 'sickness"

[blackout]"What's the catch West?"[/blackout] I reply, knowing good and well S.T.R.I.K.E isn't known for their tokens of goodwill.

"S.T.R.I.K.E has been employing metahumans since it's inception. The metahumans that play nice while on our side of the sandbox get privilages the rest of you don't..."

[blackout]"Like what, West? Do they get Starbucks gift cards and spiffy S.T.R.I.K.E letterman jackets? Or are we talking medical, dental and 401k?" [/blackout]

"How about not being hunted? Not having to run from city to city, from country to country. How about finding sister, your very much ALIVE twin sister Julie, and how about knowing your mother is going to live to see her son take up his fathers mantle, Mercury Man?''

[blackout]"What???"[/blackout]

"Part of S.T.R.I.K.E's inititve to recruit heroes to fight the good fight. You work for S.T.R.I.K.E, join my ELITE. You become property of The United States Government..." He says with a ***** eating grin.

I am 100% positive he is bluffing about Julie. She is dead, I have come to terms with that years ago. But I do believe that they can help my mother. I have never been this conflicted.

[blackout]"Do I have a choice?" I ask.[/blackout]

"No. You are under arrest. You can either work for me and reap all the benefits, or you can go to prison for a very long time, while your mother DOESN'T get the help she needs..." The bastard replies.

[blackout]"I'm no hero, West!" [/blackout]

Frank looks at Spartan and nods.

"You will be. I believe in you, for whatever that's worth.
Oh and, Sandy...I can deliver you the man who killed your father. I can bring you Ultima. Your mom lives, the scum who took your dady dies. What do you say?" West asks.

Oh my god. By now I am done fighting this. I can cure my mothers disease, AND kill the son of a b**** that murderd my father and took my sister away? What is there to decide?

[blackout]"Consider it done, West. I'll play ball"[/blackout]

LOST HAVEN, TODAY, 8:00AM

I hover over the city, watching the sky clouded with hundreds of space pods. There is an alien invasion occuring and it's my first day in my fathers costume. I think about what my father would have done in this situation. Mercury Man would have fended off half these creeps by now. Now it's my job, and I am going to do everything I can to honor my father. Today I am making myself known to the world as the man who saved the day. Because now...

[blackout]I am MERCURY MAN.[/blackout]

 

[Johnny Drama]

I arrive in Central Island, which has already been ravaged by my

soldiers. This is an important site, as here I will raise my ultimate weapon. The most

dangerous piece of Arlaaekean technology ever assembled...

The Eradicator.

I watch as the giant, unmanned vessel lowers from the sky. As it lands it begins to

transform, planting itself into the ground and developing techno-organic roots, digging

deep into the ground and securing itself in place. It's beautiful... It becomes a living sky

scraper of sorts, expanding further and further into the sky.

It has begun... With this...I kill every, living, breathing creature on this planet....

HahahahaHAHAHAHA!!!

 

[NiteMare Shape]

After hearing Ultima's threats on the radio I immediately took to the skies to find him, and put an end to this. Flying over Sherman Square, I was startled by yet another familiar voice.

"There's trouble on Central Island."

I stop in midair and an surprised to see the familiar form of Flux floating along beside me.

"What kind of trouble?" I ask, not really sure if I want to know.

"It's Ultima. He's begun preparing to activate The Eradicator. We have to get there now and stop him before it's too late." She tells me.

"The Eradicator? What's that?" I ask as I feel a bit of anxiety creep into my gut.

"It's a doomsday weapon. When its activated, it emits an electromagnetic field that breaks down the molecular make-up of non Arlaaekans. I've seen it used before, nothing it touches survives."

"Then let's make sure that he doesn't get the chance to activate it." I say with a grim determination.

Flux nods in agreement, and together we head straight for Central Island to stop Ultima.