Side Story Champions of the Arena III: Cursed Company

[Yun Lee]

So much had happened in the short span of time here. The recollection of Sean's death. The chaos of the train. And now...this. Seeing Gen again was the last thing Yashamaru had ever expected to do, and yet here he was, alive and well. Back then, he'd been concerned he'd see the old man in the streets of Prudence, head unnaturally bent as he drudged on through the streets of the burning city with no thought other than a ravenous need for flesh and blood. But no...here he was, alive and well. And Yashamaru was prepared to follow him down the path of Vengeance. It's tge only path he truly knew, after all. Still...a few things the old man said gave him pause. But his concern could wait. There was something more pressing to deal with.

"Daniel." As they faced the two options, Yashamaru turned to the younger brother. An only child now, just like himself. "I want you to listen to me. Losing the person you loved and admired more than anything else in the world...I still don't have the words for the grief it makes you feel." As he spoke, he gripped Shanao's hilt, the only tangible connection he had left to him in this life. "You're younger than me when it had happened, and you're handling it better than I had. I think it may have had to do with the fact that I chose a certain path that laid ahead of me. This path gave me justice, but my own twisted version of it. That's not to say I don't regret the life I've chosen, because I don't. But ever since our time in Prudence, I realized something: I've been alone this entire time, up until that point. I had a home in a village I could've fallen back on, but I didn't. I left to pursue my own wrath, and in doing so isolated myself from people who could have helped me."

The samurai placed a hand on Daniel's shoulder, getting down to reach eye level with the boy. "The two of us have a choice to make, right here and right now. The darkness and blind anger I reacted with back then...you can see where it leads, if you aren't careful." Without moving the rest of his body, Yashamaru pointed out the bionic man in their midst. "But there's more to this world, to all of this, than we truly comprehend. If we stick together, maybe we can learn the meaning of it all." His grip tightened on the shoulder. "And I promise you, if you desire justice for your brother...you'll get it in the end. I won't stop breathing until that happens. You have my word." A pause. "Even if it means we part ways here. You don't have to accept Vengeance if you don't want to. But know that if you do...you won't be doing so alone."

He let go of Sean then, to allow him to decide where he wanted to go. It wasn't right to force or suggest he go down a path he didn't want to, but he hoped the two of them could at least find an understanding.

---

In the back of this group congregated at the hotel, Marianne hung back, quietly listening to all that had been said. Yesterday, things had been at their lowest. Snatched up by two terrifying strangers, dragged away into their schemes... Goddess. She couldn't even die right. But she had to wonder why. Did her own Goddess not even want her? Was she so truly despicable that she was left to torture the living? She couldn't make heads or tails of it, of any of it.

That is, until last night.

Marianne had foregone sleep after that unlocked memory. Dice... The memories of that boy...unusual as he was, he was nice. Charming. He didn't seem to care that Marianne was cursed or misfortune personified, he...had he cared about her? She didn't know. But she could venture a guess, from that memory. It replayed in her mind over and over, his kindness towards her in spite of their situation. And yet, he was gone, wasn't he? Another lost to the cruel hands of fate...at least, that's what they wanted her to think, is is not? After all...that first memory...they never spoke his name. For all she knew, it could be someone else. He was lucky enough to survive the casino, after all. A fortunate boy, and an unfortunate girl. A boy who knew of her beloved Goddess, too.

Could it be, then, that in this whole, cruel world of death and disaster, even after all the misery Marianne had unleashed...could it be that the Goddess had kept them both alive to find each other?

If so, then she would force herself to press on. Dice needed her, and she needed him, and perhaps she could find redemption in saving at least one person. She'd rescued him before, hadn't she? She could do it again. A newfound resolve had blossomed in Marianne's heart through the hours in the cafe, where her exhausted body allowed her mind to race over everything. A will to survive had been found in Dice. And perhaps...a will to live could be born of that, as well.

So, Marianne followed the path of Truth. She would get answers, and find Dice. And then...? Maybe her Goddess would have something better in store for them.

@Sark @Takumi @Capri @Lucky @Atomic Knight @Yun Lee @Gummi Bunnies @Jeremi @Team Prudence/Light​

 

[Jeremi]

Team OBLIVION/NEXIUM

"Games are played by children," Shang Tsung replied back. The Eleven's death had been a shame. His glance briefly met Eren's before turning his attention back to Arcade. "The way I look at it you need us more. We'll no doubt stumble on the right answer eventually but you will still be stuck with your little conundrum." He stroked his chin and smirked. "Perhaps you have something to sweeten the pot? If games are going to be played the stakes will have to match, don't you think?"

@Sark @Capri @Gummi Bunnies @Space_Candy @Lucky @Ver @Crunch @Minerva @Jeremi @Team Oblivion/Nexium

---

Team OBLIVION/LIGHT

Truth or vengeance? All this melodrama. "Just an old man clinging to relevancy in a world that has left him to rot." He watched the Master head down the path of Truth and Henshaw quickly floated after him. "Vengeance is for those that care about emotions. We've already humored him enough."

@Sark @Capri @Lucky @Atomic Knight @Yun Lee @Gummi Bunnies @Jeremi @Team Prudence/Light

 

[Sark]

“YEW TAYK DAT NAYME OUT OF YERR MOUTH RAHT NOW!”

Zora’s face lit up with fury, with bewilderment.

How does he know that name?

More than that... how does he know?

She won’t tell... she can’t tell. She might be watching... she might learn.

“Ah ain’t tellin’... ah ain’t tellin,”

She grit her teeth and bit her lip. Her forehead was laced with sweat.

Team OBLIVION/NEXIUM
"Such conviction... Such pride..." Arcade lamented. "We'll iron out those trails in time. Don't you worry. I'll make it simple for you. I'll make it very, very simple."
Arcade stretched out his palm. He recoiled all his fingers, bar two, forming a crude gun. He pressed his 'weapon' against Zora's forehead.
"No. I'll make things simpler still."
He turned on the spot. He nestled his fingers atop Alexander Anderson's brow.
"You said something about a promise, didn't you?" Arcade hummed, numbly. His theatrical smile was gone. He stared at the cowgirl with empty eyes. "You're honor bound. You're sworn to mercy's right hand. Let's see how deep that pride runs, shall we?" Arcade's brow grew wet. His eyes grew wide. He pressed his fingers against Anderson's forehead. He pressed harder. Harder. His fingers started to shake, not with fear, but with anticipation. "What will it be, Zora? Will you spill the beans? Or will I spill dear sweet Alexander?"

"Games are played by children," Shang Tsung replied back. The Eleven's death had been a shame. His glance briefly met Eren's before turning his attention back to Arcade. "The way I look at it you need us more. We'll no doubt stumble on the right answer eventually but you will still be stuck with your little conundrum." He stroked his chin and smirked. "Perhaps you have something to sweeten the pot? If games are going to be played the stakes will have to match, don't you think?"

"So you just want to get the rest in gear, more or less?" Shion raised a brow as Arcade went on about getting the rest of the flock in line through trauma. At Zora's nervousness at the mention of someone named Howie, the red eyed former Elite watched her body language with a frown. From the looks of it, this Howie was part of what got her in this Arena. The specifics he didn't necessarily care to know, not wanted to know. It looked like there was little choice in the matter, however.

"WRONG!" Arcade hissed through bared teeth. "Use your head, Shangy! You're replicable! Replaceable! I paint the streets with your innards? I'll have a dozen conscripts ready and waiting to fill your bloody shoes! To promise of freedom is sweet and tempting, dear wizard! You have nothing to negotiate with! No cards to play!" He shot a glare in Shang's direction. "Your pot is sweet enough! Kill the Arcades, earn your freedom! That is the deal! Those are our terms! Didn't your mother never tell ya ta look a gift horse in the mouth!"

SHANG TSUNG// SHION// PHI// MOLLYMAUK TEALEAF// SUIGETSU HOZUKU// LYDIA FRYE// GODBRAND// AKUMA
^ @Jeremi @Atomic Knight @Takumi @Lucky @Space_Candy ^

CIRI// SARUHIKO FUSHIMI// ZORA SALAZAR// EREN JAEGER// ALEXANDER ANDERSON// FORGE// ANDROID 17// THE ELEVEN
^ @Minerva @Ver @Capri @Gummi Bunnies @Crunch ^

"Ah, so it's kinda like picking a poison." He hummed. As they met with Gen and he explained the basics of the two paths before them, the pinkette tilted his head and rocked on the balls of his feet, arms behind his back and tightly clasping his hands together to remind himself to keep his emotions and expression in check.

COMPENDIUM HOTEL LOBBY
"That is one way to look at it, I suppose." Gen reflected as he walked the Vengeful Path. "Though, not all poisons bring pain. Liquor can kill, and yet we wet our beaks all the same. You will find no immediate dangers, no matter which path you chose. But each path holds a revelation, and with knowledge, comes burden; what has been learned, cannot be unlearned. He who wishes blissful ignorance, return to the rooftops. Only he who wishes to suffer wisdom should remain..."

So much had happened in the short span of time here. The recollection of Sean's death. The chaos of the train. And now...this. Seeing Gen again was the last thing Yashamaru had ever expected to do, and yet here he was, alive and well. Back then, he'd been concerned he'd see the old man in the streets of Prudence, head unnaturally bent as he drudged on through the streets of the burning city with no thought other than a ravenous need for flesh and blood. But no...here he was, alive and well. And Yashamaru was prepared to follow him down the path of Vengeance. It's tge only path he truly knew, after all. Still...a few things the old man said gave him pause. But his concern could wait. There was something more pressing to deal with.

"Daniel." As they faced the two options, Yashamaru turned to the younger brother. An only child now, just like himself. "I want you to listen to me. Losing the person you loved and admired more than anything else in the world...I still don't have the words for the grief it makes you feel." As he spoke, he gripped Shanao's hilt, the only tangible connection he had left to him in this life. "You're younger than me when it had happened, and you're handling it better than I had. I think it may have had to do with the fact that I chose a certain path that laid ahead of me. This path gave me justice, but my own twisted version of it. That's not to say I don't regret the life I've chosen, because I don't. But ever since our time in Prudence, I realized something: I've been alone this entire time, up until that point. I had a home in a village I could've fallen back on, but I didn't. I left to pursue my own wrath, and in doing so isolated myself from people who could have helped me."

The samurai placed a hand on Daniel's shoulder, getting down to reach eye level with the boy. "The two of us have a choice to make, right here and right now. The darkness and blind anger I reacted with back then...you can see where it leads, if you aren't careful." Without moving the rest of his body, Yashamaru pointed out the bionic man in their midst. "But there's more to this world, to all of this, than we truly comprehend. If we stick together, maybe we can learn the meaning of it all." His grip tightened on the shoulder. "And I promise you, if you desire justice for your brother...you'll get it in the end. I won't stop breathing until that happens. You have my word." A pause. "Even if it means we part ways here. You don't have to accept Vengeance if you don't want to. But know that if you do...you won't be doing so alone."

He let go of Sean then, to allow him to decide where he wanted to go. It wasn't right to force or suggest he go down a path he didn't want to, but he hoped the two of them could at least find an understanding.

PATH OF VENGEANCE
The Path of Vengeance was short and cold. It came to a sudden, dark ending, as all such journeys do. Stoic, and ignorant to the face and memory of his 'friend', Gen twisted the handle of an unmarked, silver door. He gestured for Yashamaru and all who followed in his wake to step inside. Once to party was inside, he clicked the door shut behind them. His slid his hand across half a dozen silver locks.
"That's really not necessary, Gen... I'm not going anywhere... Not when I'm in the company of... such good friends..."
"Be silent until you are addressed, demon..." Gen spat, sealing the final lock. "We will take any precaution we see fit."
"Of course... Of Course... You do what you need to do... To feel safer..."
"Rule Number One: The Prisoner Lies." Gen muttered to himself as he circled his captee. "Everything he says must be taken with a large grain so salt."
"I am not the demon you believe me to be, Devil... Not yet, anyway..."
"Rule Number Two: The Prisoner Bargains." Gen struck the Prisoner's cheek. Even with the bag obscuring his face, the onlookers could feel the Prisoner recoil. He had been beaten into submission more times than he could count. He feared the Devil's hand, as all men do. "His honestly can only be assured via trade."
"Oh, I do love deals... Almost as much as I love games... Anyone for charades?"
"Rule Number Three: The Prisoner cannot be moved." Gen raised his hand once again. The Prisoner fell silent. "If he so much as scratches his nose without my permission, the dozen claymores packed beneath his chair will detonate. Everyone in this room will die."
"..."
"Rule Number Four: The Prisoner will only answer 4 questions a day." Gen hummed. "This is the Prisoners' 'trial'. These are his terms. Learn what you can from him through whatever methods you desire. Perhaps he will respond differently to a stranger's hand..."
"New tormentors? Now this is a treat... Yes... Yashamaru... I heard your voice from down the hall. So good to see you again..."

Truth or vengeance? All this melodrama. "Just an old man clinging to relevancy in a world that has left him to rot." He watched the Master head down the path of Truth and Henshaw quickly floated after him. "Vengeance is for those that care about emotions. We've already humored him enough."

Could it be, then, that in this whole, cruel world of death and disaster, even after all the misery Marianne had unleashed...could it be that the Goddess had kept them both alive to find each other?

If so, then she would force herself to press on. Dice needed her, and she needed him, and perhaps she could find redemption in saving at least one person. She'd rescued him before, hadn't she? She could do it again. A newfound resolve had blossomed in Marianne's heart through the hours in the cafe, where her exhausted body allowed her mind to race over everything. A will to survive had been found in Dice. And perhaps...a will to live could be born of that, as well.

So, Marianne followed the path of Truth. She would get answers, and find Dice. And then...? Maybe her Goddess would have something better in store for them.

PATH OF TRUTH
The path of truth was long and hard. It didn't come to end, as it did loop onto itself. The path seemed to twist onto itself over and over. You were walking in circles. Loops. A figure of eight. An open door broke the monotonous path. A slither of warm light. The humming of computers. An inquisitive hand pulled the door open.
View attachment 9252
A museum waited for the Conscripts. Its walls were stacked high with books and tomes, looted and pilfered from across the city. An amazonite statue of robed woman loomed over party, an axe and spear held firmly in her grasp. Save for a single set of footprints, the chamber was coated in a thick layer of dust. The air was thick and heavy. It was hard to make out what lied inside the 8 glass exhibit cases that filled the chamber. A gentle hand might have wiped away their dusty veils to reveal the artifacts hidden inside. Then again, the Conscripts had hardly been 'gentle' up until this point. A quick scan of the room would reveal that the Master was nowhere to be seen.

YASHAMARU// DANIEL DIAZ// HANK HENSHAW// THE MASTER//
^ @Takumi @Yun Lee @Atomic Knight @Jeremi ^
RAMUDA AMEMURA// MATO KUROI// JACQUELINE FALSWORTH
^ @Takumi @Gummi Bunnies @Sark ^ ​

 

[York]

Team OBLIVION/Team NEXIUM
For the first time since dawning of the First Day, the Android's glassy eyes widened. His jaw swung loose. Surprise sent his heart sinking. It tightened his chest and pooled in his gut.
View attachment 9243
"..."
"No."
Fire consumed the scene before him. He did not see Evie's blade pierce his forehead. But he felt it. He felt it all. For a mind such as his, seconds lasted for lifetimes. Any data his mechanics received was analyzed a thousand times over in the time it would take for a mortal man to draw breath. As the thin blade passed through his skull and slowly slipped deeper and deeper into his core, he could do little more than stammer, slack-jawed. His inbuilt computer was dissecting ever agonizing second of the process, prolonging his pain. All it could do was panic, screaming into the void. His soul already banished, 17 went limp. White consumed the greys of his eyes. Silence.

ANDROID 17 HAS BEEN ELIMINATED!
KILLER(S): SHANG TSUNG/EVIE FRYE!
METHOD OF MURDER: SOUL DRAINED AND STABBED!
CRIME: FIRST DEGREE MURDER!

TEAM NEXIUM: 6/8 MEMBERS REMAINING!



The Eleven's applause was cut short. The shock and awe that had sparked on the mention of his survival was replaced by the stunned silence of the grave. The two tattered halves of the Eleven struck the concrete on either side of Eren, spraying crimson across his jacket. The Time Lord twitched. He opened his mouth, but released no sound. Veins of gold slowly stretched across his face. Ribbons of light and life rippled from every pour. Slowly, the Eleven was returning to life... Or, at least, the top half of him was.

THE ELEVEN HAS BEEN ELIMINATED!
KILLER: EREN JAEGER!
METHOD OF MURDER: DECAPITATION!
CRIME: SECOND DEGREE MURDER!

TEAM NEXIUM: 5/8 TEAM MEMBERS REMAINING!

Oblivious to the changes the Time Lord was undergoing, the Prime Minister started to clap.
"Jolly good show!" He chuckled. "What a sudden, yet inevitable, betrayal!"
He clapped one final, booming clap. The glass coliseum came crashing down. Translucent shards rained down upon the Conscript. They pitter-pattered off of the Prime Minister's umbrella.
"Look at how the cards have fallen..." He rubbed his hands together, his tongue dancing between his lips. "Wonderful! And the winner is..."

"TEAM OBLIVION!"

Confetti burst out of every crack in the sidewalk. Distant trumpets rumbled and sung. SmArcade entered the ruins of the Arena and threw his arms around Shang and Evie.

"Anything you'd like to say to the kids watching at home? And words of wisdom? Any belly-warming advice?" He pointed an imaginary microphone towards Shang's lips. He yanked it away before the wizard could so much as open his mouth. "And that's all we have time for, folks. Now. Onto the losers!"

The Madman strutted over to Zora and Eren. He one, chilling moment, he was indistinguishable from any other Arcade, to the original Arcade.
"Truth be told..." He cooed. "The deck was stacked from the start. I believe my exact wording was something of the lines of 'the Team with the most surviving members' would be declared the victor. Without Forge, you were at a distinct disadvantage from the start... losing the number-duo simply sealed your fate. You lost 5-8. That's a big L, amigos... What to do with you?"

The Prime Minister joined his hands behind his back. He started to pace the ruined courtyard.
"Secrets. Secrets. Secrets. Where to start?"
"Eenie..."
"Meenie..."
"Miney..."
"Zora..."
His eyes crept across his eyelids until they met the Cowgirls.
"Care to share your sins with the class?"

"Aren't you forgetting something, Prime Minister?" Lydia Frye hummed smugly. Yes. It had always been Lydia... Hadn't it?
"Hm? Oh, yes..." Arcade sighed. "The one of the Arcades you are hiding in District Omega. He's currently enjoying the Devil's Council's hospitality, in the Tower-Formerly-Known as the Compendium Hotel. It's South East of here. Cross the River, dodge the Tanks and keep on marching. Keep your eye out for the skyscrapers. You can't miss it."
"And the other Arcade?" Lydia hummed, raising an eyebrow. "You promised us the locations of two ginger loonies. Where's the other one?"
View attachment 9244
"We'd hate to have to resort to more primal methods of extorting the information we need..." Lydia wiped the Android's cooling fluid on tunic. "And I think you'd hate it too..."
"Torture? Now, now, Lydia... That doesn't sound like you. Besides..." Arcade grinned. "I'd probably like it. If you want the location of the next Arcade, bring me the rose from the lapel of the second Arcade. I'll be waiting for you, right here..."
"That wasn't the deal, Arcade..."
"The 'deal' has changed. I'm not a fool, Assassin." He chuckled. "I live by your collective grace. My information is all that's keeping me alive. If I am to prolong my existence and disrupt Glasses' game as much as possible, then I'm going to keep to lead you on a little. Bring me the rose from District Omega. Then we'll talk about Arcade number two..."

SHANG TSUNG// SHION// PHI// MOLLYMAUK TEALEAF// SUIGETSU HOZUKU// LYDIA FRYE// GODBRAND// AKUMA
^ @Jeremi @Atomic Knight @Takumi @Lucky @Space_Candy ^

CIRI// SARUHIKO FUSHIMI// ZORA SALAZAR// EREN JAEGER// ALEXANDER ANDERSON// FORGE// ANDROID 17// THE ELEVEN
^ @Minerva @Ver @Capri @Gummi Bunnies @Crunch ^

Team PRUDENCE/LIGHT
"Well..." The Master grumbled, observing the Ninja's destination. "I suppose that makes two of us. Still. The fact remains: the Devil possesses my map. Should he lose it, and one of Arcade's cronies acquires it, we're going to be in quite the pickle..." His grumbling turned to muttering. Blunt, incomprehensible, muttering. He tensed he jaw and raised his tone once more. "I agree. He must be eliminate him. He couldn't have gotten far. I'm sure a simply search and destroy mission would be elementary for a man with your considerable capabilities..."



"Put him down, Henshaw." The Master interjected firmly from site of the bubble's detonation. "Whether you set him down upon this rooftop or the sidewalk below, I care not. What I do care for is the time we are squandering here. This city is on the verge of collapse. Should it fall, the entire Arena will be subjected to the evils which ail this land." The heroic, resistant scowl that had once marked his face faded into another familiar, sickening smile. "If we wish to be a part of said disaster... well... then we don't have a moment to lose..."

YASHAMARU// DANIEL DIAZ// HANK HENSHAW// THE MASTER//
^ @Takumi @Yun Lee @Atomic Knight @Lucky @Jeremi ^

RAMUDA AMEMURA// MATO KUROI// JACQUELINE FALSWORTH
^ @Takumi @Gummi Bunnies @Sark ^


Team PRUDENCE/DEAD HEARTS
"Yes..." The General repeated to himself, an infectious smile slowly spreading across his remaining soldiers. "We're all in the same boat..."
A distant siren roared. Across No-Man's land, a thousand, wispy shadows stirred. They were coming. There was no stopping them now.
"Look alive, men! If you still have feet, I want to see you standing!" A few dozen bodies stirred. Weak and weary, but with a spark of hope reignited within them, the last of the Generals men raised their arms. They rested their rifles atop the trench's ridge, nestling their barrels between the sandbags, and waited for the inevitable. "The Good Goddess has sent us an angel! Hellfire shall not burn u---"

BOOM

A poor choice of words.
Flames soared from the street behind the General's trenches. An aging man wrapped in bandages, and a bleeding stranger in yellow were flung from a hole in the sewers, their bodies shielded by thin, golden barriers. The pair crashed at Ifrit's feet. With a gurgle, the man in yellow faded from consciousness, his wounds slowly claiming him. Flames soared from the hole in the sewers the pair had been flung from. They had avoid a fiery death by mere seconds. The pyropath would recognise the pair as Sinestro and Aizawa, two members of Team Dead Hearts.

"Pay no heed to them!" The General roared, pointing towards the wasteland before them. "Right! Take aim!"

The pounding of a thousand mechanical boots shook the city. The wheezing groan of gears and joins drowned out the wheezing, stammering breaths of the remaining soldiers. The fog of war was slowly starting to clear. The phantoms were slowly growing clearer. Clearer. Clear--

[ENEMY LOCATED] A wave of LW-9 droids peeped in unison. They raised their weapons. Unflinching and unthinking, they opened fire. A wave of crimson laser-bolts raised down upon the solders. Their fighting force was reduced by a third within seconds. [ELIMINATING]
View attachment 9245
[THE RATS OF THE DISTRICT MUST BE PURGED, BY ORDER OF THE MAGNANIMOUS GUIDE! DEATH TO THE DISTRICT!]
SHOTO AIZAWA/ THAAL SINESTRO/ IFRIT
@Space_Candy @York​

Ifrit
@Sark @Space_Candy @Others?

Ifrit didn't look back, even though she could practically feel the heat radiating from that explosion. Of course, there was no way she would have predicted that they had been moments away from death, but nonetheless, Ifrit's erratic line of reasoning (partly, if not entirely driven by her hunger pains) had at least spared some lives.

Though, having a more childish side, she couldn't help but turn around just in time to see two people being flung into view from the explosion. One had passed out from exhaustion, the strange yellowish barrier that had previously protected him fading, while the other still seemed conscious. She spared only a moment to check upon Sinestro, if only to survey his wounds, before she focused for now on the battle at hand. Were the two friends? Or foes? She wasn't sure, but she knew they were on a different team than she was, and therefore she had to be carefull.

But, as immature as she may be, even she knew what was coming, and why the general in these trenches was so focused on the wasteland in front of them. This was after all a battlefield, and it was only a matter of time before they would run into enemies. As she prepared for the onslaught with the rest of the soldiers, she began to gather flames around herself, acting as an impromptu barrier, and also to be able to sear right through whatever enemies awaited them.

Soon enough, she saw them.

Creatures not of flesh and blood, but of metal. Little different than the drones she had seen in battle, but she knew what to do, not discouraged even by the losses incurred.

"Hehehehe... Let the ground boil!!!" She roared, and in a swift motion, she let loose the flames that had been surrounding her, in an effort to burn away at the advancing droids.

For now, she would have to play defense, but as soon as they had a chance, she yearned to advance forwards.

Sure, these were machines they were fighting against, but logically, these machines must be sent by someone, right? And that someone, would surely have food.

For now, she gritted her teeth, bearing through her hunger, and the pain of those dreaded originium crystals slowly eating away at her body. Her oripathy wasn't getting any better, especially now that it would be difficult for her condition to be treated, but there was no room to worry about that for now.

Though, oddly enough those crystals were spreading much slower through her body than they had been before she had first received treatment.

Perhaps the malnourished state her body was in also slowed down the progression of her Oripathy?

Maybe if someone more experienced were here, they would know. But for now, Ifrit focused on holding the line, and slowly gathering some excess flames, preparing to burn through the remaining enemies, and make a mad dash for a place she could find food, likely further down the battlefield.

Though, in the brief moments she could manage it, she peeked back towards where Sinestro lay, and perhaps Aizawa, had he decided to stick around.

At least it was unlikely she would be attacked from behind, but she was prepared to retaliate in the event that something did happen.​

 

[Jeremi]

Team OBLIVION/NEXIUM

Shang Tsung's smirk never left his face. "I knew you would be a creature of habit, but to such lengths." He chuckled. "Very well, perhaps you can give us proper directions then? We are your soldiers," He bowed mockingly towards Arcade waiting on a reply.

@Sark @Capri @Gummi Bunnies @Space_Candy @Lucky @Ver @Crunch @Minerva @Jeremi @Team Oblivion/Nexium

---

PATH OF TRUTH

Another creature of habit. The Master not being in his sights made Henshaw weary. The Cyborg Superman floated towards the nearest glass case and whipped the dust away. No point and trigger any unnecessary traps just yet.

@Sark @Capri @Lucky @Atomic Knight @Yun Lee @Gummi Bunnies @Jeremi @Team Prudence/Light

 

[Takumi]

Team OBLIVION/NEXIUM
"Such conviction... Such pride..." Arcade lamented. "We'll iron out those trails in time. Don't you worry. I'll make it simple for you. I'll make it very, very simple."
Arcade stretched out his palm. He recoiled all his fingers, bar two, forming a crude gun. He pressed his 'weapon' against Zora's forehead.
"No. I'll make things simpler still."
He turned on the spot. He nestled his fingers atop Alexander Anderson's brow.
"You said something about a promise, didn't you?" Arcade hummed, numbly. His theatrical smile was gone. He stared at the cowgirl with empty eyes. "You're honor bound. You're sworn to mercy's right hand. Let's see how deep that pride runs, shall we?" Arcade's brow grew wet. His eyes grew wide. He pressed his fingers against Anderson's forehead. He pressed harder. Harder. His fingers started to shake, not with fear, but with anticipation. "What will it be, Zora? Will you spill the beans? Or will I spill dear sweet Alexander?"



"WRONG!" Arcade hissed through bared teeth. "Use your head, Shangy! You're replicable! Replaceable! I paint the streets with your innards? I'll have a dozen conscripts ready and waiting to fill your bloody shoes! To promise of freedom is sweet and tempting, dear wizard! You have nothing to negotiate with! No cards to play!" He shot a glare in Shang's direction. "Your pot is sweet enough! Kill the Arcades, earn your freedom! That is the deal! Those are our terms! Didn't your mother never tell ya ta look a gift horse in the mouth!"

SHANG TSUNG// SHION// PHI// MOLLYMAUK TEALEAF// SUIGETSU HOZUKU// LYDIA FRYE// GODBRAND// AKUMA
^ @Jeremi @Atomic Knight @Takumi @Lucky @Space_Candy ^

CIRI// SARUHIKO FUSHIMI// ZORA SALAZAR// EREN JAEGER// ALEXANDER ANDERSON// FORGE// ANDROID 17// THE ELEVEN
^ @Minerva @Ver @Capri @Gummi Bunnies @Crunch ^



COMPENDIUM HOTEL LOBBY
"That is one way to look at it, I suppose." Gen reflected as he walked the Vengeful Path. "Though, not all poisons bring pain. Liquor can kill, and yet we wet our beaks all the same. You will find no immediate dangers, no matter which path you chose. But each path holds a revelation, and with knowledge, comes burden; what has been learned, cannot be unlearned. He who wishes blissful ignorance, return to the rooftops. Only he who wishes to suffer wisdom should remain..."

PATH OF VENGEANCE
The Path of Vengeance was short and cold. It came to a sudden, dark ending, as all such journeys do. Stoic, and ignorant to the face and memory of his 'friend', Gen twisted the handle of an unmarked, silver door. He gestured for Yashamaru and all who followed in his wake to step inside. Once to party was inside, he clicked the door shut behind them. His slid his hand across half a dozen silver locks.
"That's really not necessary, Gen... I'm not going anywhere... Not when I'm in the company of... such good friends..."
"Be silent until you are addressed, demon..." Gen spat, sealing the final lock. "We will take any precaution we see fit."
"Of course... Of Course... You do what you need to do... To feel safer..."
"Rule Number One: The Prisoner Lies." Gen muttered to himself as he circled his captee. "Everything he says must be taken with a large grain so salt."
"I am not the demon you believe me to be, Devil... Not yet, anyway..."
"Rule Number Two: The Prisoner Bargains." Gen struck the Prisoner's cheek. Even with the bag obscuring his face, the onlookers could feel the Prisoner recoil. He had been beaten into submission more times than he could count. He feared the Devil's hand, as all men do. "His honestly can only be assured via trade."
"Oh, I do love deals... Almost as much as I love games... Anyone for charades?"
"Rule Number Three: The Prisoner cannot be moved." Gen raised his hand once again. The Prisoner fell silent. "If he so much as scratches his nose without my permission, the dozen claymores packed beneath his chair will detonate. Everyone in this room will die."
"..."
"Rule Number Four: The Prisoner will only answer 4 questions a day." Gen hummed. "This is the Prisoners' 'trial'. These are his terms. Learn what you can from him through whatever methods you desire. Perhaps he will respond differently to a stranger's hand..."
"New tormentors? Now this is a treat... Yes... Yashamaru... I heard your voice from down the hall. So good to see you again..."



PATH OF TRUTH
The path of truth was long and hard. It didn't come to end, as it did loop onto itself. The path seemed to twist onto itself over and over. You were walking in circles. Loops. A figure of eight. An open door broke the monotonous path. A slither of warm light. The humming of computers. An inquisitive hand pulled the door open.
View attachment 9252
A museum waited for the Conscripts. Its walls were stacked high with books and tomes, looted and pilfered from across the city. An amazonite statue of robed woman loomed over party, an axe and spear held firmly in her grasp. Save for a single set of footprints, the chamber was coated in a thick layer of dust. The air was thick and heavy. It was hard to make out what lied inside the 8 glass exhibit cases that filled the chamber. A gentle hand might have wiped away their dusty veils to reveal the artifacts hidden inside. Then again, the Conscripts had hardly been 'gentle' up until this point. A quick scan of the room would reveal that the Master was nowhere to be seen.

YASHAMARU// DANIEL DIAZ// HANK HENSHAW// THE MASTER//
^ @Takumi @Yun Lee @Atomic Knight @Jeremi ^
RAMUDA AMEMURA// MATO KUROI// JACQUELINE FALSWORTH
^ @Takumi @Gummi Bunnies @Sark ^ ​

"I know someone who might like to have a conversation with you. Though probably not under these circumstances." Ramuda commented on Gen's words, chuckling to himself.

The path of Truth led to the thought of: Jakurai probably would of liked this place. Seemed kind of like the place of a goody-two shoes. Or just avid readers. Or nerdy types that could read for hours at a time alone. Ramuda went to inspect the glass cases, moving to wipe the dust away from them in the process. While the Master's disappearance was concerning it wasn't like he could do much about it now could he?

"You'd think the last ones in here would of cleaned up a little more, haha." He tried to joke, despite not feeling in a joking mood.

He did pause upon being able to see his reflection at least a little, his smile growing strained, even as Henshaw came and had the same idea. In fact, Henshaw being near him made his mood plummet even more as the Cyborg's words played again in his head.

Crunch.

Smile gone completely now, he took his frustration out on the lollipop in his mouth as he kept helping to try and wipe away the dust, while also trying not to sneeze.

@Sark @Jeremi @Atomic Knight @Yun Lee @Lucky @Capri @Gummi Bunnies @Team Prudence/Light @TruthPath

To Shion, other than the promise of killing Arcades, he didn't think any conscript with enough sense left would willingly want to take such risks. Even so, those desperate enough just might.

Either way, hopefully Shang wouldn't piss off Arcade enough that he'd make things harder for them. While he doubted it, but as far as he knew Arcade's usually wanted to get things their way no matter how much trouble it was for others.

@Sark @Gummi Bunnies @Capri @Jeremi @Crunch @Ver @Anyone I missed @Team Oblivion/Nexium

 

[Sark]

Another creature of habit. The Master not being in his sights made Henshaw weary. The Cyborg Superman floated towards the nearest glass case and whipped the dust away. No point and trigger any unnecessary traps just yet.

PATH OF TRUTH
With a wave of his hand, the dusty veil slipped away. Behind the glass, a familiar face waited for Mr.Henshaw. Still as the night, a mechanical skull stared back at him. Unblinking. Silent. Hank looked down upon his own face, now browned with rust and dirt.
View attachment 9255
Any attempt to verify the artifacts legitimacy would prove Hank with the same answer: the skull was real, and impossibly old. According to OBLIVION'S records, it was older than Prudence itself by several thousand years. Stab marks. Burn marks. The skull had been through a lot in its time. It was hard to pinpoint the cause of the skull's deactivation, but its inanimacy spoke volumes: The Head in a Jar was almost certainly dead.

"I know someone who might like to have a conversation with you. Though probably not under these circumstances." Ramuda commented on Gen's words, chuckling to himself.

The path of Truth led to the thought of: Jakurai probably would of liked this place. Seemed kind of like the place of a goody-two shoes. Or just avid readers. Or nerdy types that could read for hours at a time alone. Ramuda went to inspect the glass cases, moving to wipe the dust away from them in the process. While the Master's disappearance was concerning it wasn't like he could do much about it now could he?

"You'd think the last ones in here would of cleaned up a little more, haha." He tried to joke, despite not feeling in a joking mood.

He did pause upon being able to see his reflection at least a little, his smile growing strained, even as Henshaw came and had the same idea. In fact, Henshaw being near him made his mood plummet even more as the Cyborg's words played again in his head.

Crunch.

Smile gone completely now, he took his frustration out on the lollipop in his mouth as he kept helping to try and wipe away the dust, while also trying not to sneeze.

Beneath the dust, three artifacts waited for Ramuda, each neatly laid out and dated.
The fist was a Hypnosis Mic, all scratched and beaten. Though dusty and dented, the mic still appeared to be in decent working condition.
View attachment 9256
1A. Golden Mic Idol, Prudent Age, 2020 D.E.
The second artifact was slightly longer than the first, and was clearly worse for ware. A thousand years older than its partner, Artifact 2 was rusty and ragged. By the looks of things, it had been stomped on a fair few times. It lacked the 'grill' part of the mic, but first two Artifacts had similar 'necks'.
View attachment 9258
Similar Article, Lethal Model, Hubristic Age, 1859 D.E.
The third artifact was Ramuda's own makeshift mic. Somehow, the mic looked even worse for ware. Parts of its casing were missing. Other parts had been melted into slag. Chunks of stone still stuck to the mic, biproducts of a shoddy excavation
View attachment 9259
Ancient Proto-Type, Predates Divine Era, 14,000+ P.D.E
A plaque sat in front of the three artifacts. Obscured by dust, the message was nigh unreadable.

[Strange items, aren't they?] An electric lung bubble from the shadows. A librarian, hidden from sight remarked with confidence. [The last one flipped the history books on their heads. People lost their minds. The church most of all. Tech like that shouldn't be that old. It should be impossible, right? That last one is as old as the Divine Spark of Knowledge itself...]

YASHAMARU// DANIEL DIAZ// HANK HENSHAW// THE MASTER//
^ @Takumi @Yun Lee @Atomic Knight @Jeremi ^
RAMUDA AMEMURA// MATO KUROI// JACQUELINE FALSWORTH
^ @Takumi @Gummi Bunnies @Sark ^

Team OBLIVION/NEXIUM

Shang Tsung's smirk never left his face. "I knew you would be a creature of habit, but to such lengths." He chuckled. "Very well, perhaps you can give us proper directions then? We are your soldiers," He bowed mockingly towards Arcade waiting on a reply.

"To Shion, other than the promise of killing Arcades, he didn't think any conscript with enough sense left would willingly want to take such risks. Even so, those desperate enough just might.

Either way, hopefully Shang wouldn't piss off Arcade enough that he'd make things harder for them. While he doubted it, but as far as he knew Arcade's usually wanted to get things their way no matter how much trouble it was for others.

Team OBLIVION/NEXIUM
"Directions? Easy. Turn left as 'do I look like a fucking map to you' street." Arcade snapped. "You can teleport, arsehole. Remind me to ban that form all future games. It's a fucking broken power. Easy. But if you're too stuck up to get your fingers dirty and do the deed yourself, I'll lower myself and lend you a hand---!"

With a stamp of his umbrella, Team OBLIVION were bathed in was of Shang's own energy. Dragged through an emerald doorway, Team OBLIVION was met with the same decision Teams Prudence and Light had faced a few moments before.

TRUTH or VENGEANCE
Two corridors.
One Blue, on Crimson.

SHANG TSUNG// SHION// PHI// MOLLYMAUK TEALEAF// SUIGETSU HOZUKU// LYDIA FRYE// GODBRAND// AKUMA
^ @Jeremi @Atomic Knight @Takumi @Lucky @Space_Candy ^​

 

[Takumi]

PATH OF TRUTH
With a wave of his hand, the dusty veil slipped away. Behind the glass, a familiar face waited for Mr.Henshaw. Still as the night, a mechanical skull stared back at him. Unblinking. Silent. Hank looked down upon his own face, now browned with rust and dirt.
View attachment 9255
Any attempt to verify the artifacts legitimacy would prove Hank with the same answer: the skull was real, and impossibly old. According to OBLIVION'S records, it was older than Prudence itself by several thousand years. Stab marks. Burn marks. The skull had been through a lot in its time. It was hard to pinpoint the cause of the skull's deactivation, but its inanimacy spoke volumes: The Head in a Jar was almost certainly dead.


Beneath the dust, three artifacts waited for Ramuda, each neatly laid out and dated.
The fist was a Hypnosis Mic, all scratched and beaten. Though dusty and dented, the mic still appeared to be in decent working condition.
View attachment 9256
1A. Golden Mic Idol, Prudent Age, 2020 D.E.
The second artifact was slightly longer than the first, and was clearly worse for ware. A thousand years older than its partner, Artifact 2 was rusty and ragged. By the looks of things, it had been stomped on a fair few times. It lacked the 'grill' part of the mic, but first two Artifacts had similar 'necks'.
View attachment 9258
Similar Article, Lethal Model, Hubristic Age, 1859 D.E.
The third artifact was Ramuda's own makeshift mic. Somehow, the mic looked even worse for ware. Parts of its casing were missing. Other parts had been melted into slag. Chunks of stone still stuck to the mic, biproducts of a shoddy excavation
View attachment 9259
Ancient Proto-Type, Predates Divine Era, 14,000+ P.D.E
A plaque sat in front of the three artifacts. Obscured by dust, the message was nigh unreadable.

[Strange items, aren't they?] An electric lung bubble from the shadows. A librarian, hidden from sight remarked with confidence. [The last one flipped the history books on their heads. People lost their minds. The church most of all. Tech like that shouldn't be that old. It should be impossible, right? That last one is as old as the Divine Spark of Knowledge itself...]

YASHAMARU// DANIEL DIAZ// HANK HENSHAW// THE MASTER//
^ @Takumi @Yun Lee @Atomic Knight @Jeremi ^
RAMUDA AMEMURA// MATO KUROI// JACQUELINE FALSWORTH
^ @Takumi @Gummi Bunnies @Sark ^


Team OBLIVION/NEXIUM
"Directions? Easy. Turn left as 'do I look like a fucking map to you' street." Arcade snapped. "You can teleport, arsehole. Remind me to ban that form all future games. It's a fucking broken power. Easy. But if you're too stuck up to get your fingers dirty and do the deed yourself, I'll lower myself and lend you a hand---!"

With a stamp of his umbrella, Team OBLIVION were bathed in was of Shang's own energy. Dragged through an emerald doorway, Team OBLIVION was met with the same decision Teams Prudence and Light had faced a few moments before.

TRUTH or VENGEANCE
Two corridors.
One Blue, on Crimson.

SHANG TSUNG// SHION// PHI// MOLLYMAUK TEALEAF// SUIGETSU HOZUKU// LYDIA FRYE// GODBRAND// AKUMA
^ @Jeremi @Atomic Knight @Takumi @Lucky @Space_Candy ^​

"Two mics?" Ramuda spoke, blinking slightly in confusion. How many mic users got stuck in this shithole? Where were they now if their mics ended up here in such bad condition?

That other artifact, didn't the Master describe something similar to whatever that thing was at some point?

His eyes narrowed at the dates, moving to try and remove the dust from the plaques to see if they'd be somwhat legible. When the librarian spoke but remained hidden, Ramuda hummed.

"Is that so? How exactly did your library end up with two mics. And what can you tell me about this Ancient Prototype that this plaque might not?" He replied. As interesting as the story behind each artifact was, he was a bit dumbfounded on the 'ancient prototype' they possessed. It seemed like a knockoff itself, but with it being so badly damaged it was a bit hard to tell. The other seemed like a genuine mic that seen better days, but he wondered what happened to it's owner.

@Sark @Jeremi @Capri @Atomic Knight @Gummi Bunnies @Yun Lee @Team Prudence/Light @Truth Path

 

[Capri]

ZORA SALAZAR
@Sark @Gummi Bunnies @Ver @Minerva @Crunch @Jeremi @Lucky @Atomic Knight @Takumi

“...”

Arcade threatening Zora by killing Alexander wasn’t what affected her.

What affected her was his knowledge of the promise with her. How much did he know. How much did he not know.

She didn’t want to tell the truth... she didn’t... she didn’t.

It looks like there would be no other choice. Arcade would be pulling the trigger, but she still believed that the blood would be on her hands.

“Fahn... Howie’s thuh name uhv a man ah killed. Howie Honeyglow. Ah made uh praw-miss wit’ a girl ah new. Ah’d get bettuh, n’ get outta mah ol’ outlaw lahf n’ live wit’ her. She... sent me tah work fer Howie... buht... ah destroyed one uhv his ol’ buildin’s. He placed me in ‘arshah work areuhs then thuh othuhs. Punishm’nt... wus ‘arshah fer me. One day... ah jus’... snapped,”

There was certainly some remorse in her face.

But some could say that it wasn’t remorse for killing Howie... it may be remorse for breaking her promise with the girl...

Or it could be something else entirely...​

 

[Yun Lee]

Marianne felt her heart stop as she saw the things Ramuda unearthed. No...she'd seen that before...it...that was...

"Dice..." She placed her hand on the case, feeling as if her heart might break. This...it couldn't mean that he was undeniably gone, could it? No...no! She refused. She had to refuse. That could just be a replica, perhaps, like the ones her uncle has of so many treasures back home. Instead, Marianne would start cleaning dust off nearby cases, quietly listening for answers to Ramuda's questions.

@Sark @Takumi @Jeremi @Truth

---

"......" Yashamaru fixed this prisoner with a steeled gaze, trying at first to see if he could figure out the identity through voice alone. They knew him, but did he know them? Either way, he turned to Gen. "So, the prisoner is only able to answer four questions, but I wonder how many you would be able to, if I were to ask a few." With a narrow selection of things to learn, Yashamaru didn't want to waste questions.

@Sark​

 

[Jeremi]

PATH OF TRUTH

The neutral look never escaped Henshaw's face. Even when his own ancient face stared back at him. Was this real? Had he somehow managed to earn the peace he had sought? Playing with time...there wasn't much that aggravated him to the extent as time travel did. "We are wasting our time among these pointless relics. We need to find the Master and then continue on."

@Sark @Takumi @Jeremi @Truth

---

And it went on. "Truth or Vengeance?" Shang Tsung said aloud. "Whose truth I wonder?" He didn't budge waiting to see what the other would pick.

@Sark @Capri @Gummi Bunnies @Space_Candy @Lucky @Ver @Crunch @Minerva @Jeremi @Team Oblivion/Nexium

 

[Capri]

JOSUKE HIGASHIKATA
@Sark @Yun Lee @Takumi @Jeremi @TruthPath

"Is that all this place is?" Josuke asked aloud, "A collection of microphones?"

Josuke went off to see if there was anything else besides the microphones in the area. He wasn't interested in the microphones.​

 

[Atomic Knight]

Daniel took in everything Yashamaru had said attentively. His hart swelled with both admiration and guilt. There could be hope found in those feelings, but a part of Daniel rejected that hope. A very large part of Daniel, in fact. He had been stewing in new negative thoughts even before learning of Sean's fate. People were calling him a killer, weren't they? Maybe Daniel was supposed to get vengeance after all, if that's how it was going to be.

He remembered, distantly, in the days he and Sean had spent with their grandparents, that Sean had said killing the cougar was not something that Daniel should ever repeat.

"Maybe in the moment it felt okay," Sean had said. "Maybe for a second. But after its over, it didn't bring Mushroom back, did it?"

"No," Daniel had said sullenly.

"And in the end, you just felt worse, right?"

"... Yeah."

"So, please Daniel, never again, okay?"

Daniel had promised Sean that day, but he had been ready to break that promise later when Lisbeth tried to stop them. She had hurt both of them so much. Daniel would have killed her that day if Sean had not stopped him.

The reason? Daniel had lied. He had lied to Sean about the cougar. The truth was, even if it didn't bring Mushroom back, it had felt good to kill the cougar in revenge. It felt good.

"Vengeance," Daniel said to Yashamaru. That was the path he chose. He followed Gen and Yashamaru, only staring at the prisoner wordlessly once they went beyond the door.

@Sark @Yun Lee @Vengeance

---

Phi sighed aloud at the paths laid out before them. She felt certain a couple headscratchers awaited them. "Isn't it obvious?" she asked. "I'm choosing truth."

@Sark @Capri @Gummi Bunnies @Space_Candy @Lucky @Ver @Crunch @Minerva @Jeremi @Team Oblivion/Nexium​

 

[Sark]

Phi sighed aloud at the paths laid out before them. She felt certain a couple headscratchers awaited them. "Isn't it obvious?" she asked. "I'm choosing truth."

His eyes narrowed at the dates, moving to try and remove the dust from the plaques to see if they'd be somwhat legible. When the librarian spoke but remained hidden, Ramuda hummed.

"Is that so? How exactly did your library end up with two mics. And what can you tell me about this Ancient Prototype that this plaque might not?" He replied. As interesting as the story behind each artifact was, he was a bit dumbfounded on the 'ancient prototype' they possessed. It seemed like a knockoff itself, but with it being so badly damaged it was a bit hard to tell. The other seemed like a genuine mic that seen better days, but he wondered what happened to it's owner.

PATH OF TRUTH
[You want answers? Ha...] The Librarian scoffed. [I was hopping you could help me out on that front. You're the expert on these sort of things, right Ram? I mean... one of those mics belongs to you. Or at least, it belonged to you... or at least, it's going to belong to you some day. Some day gone by, some day yet to come, it's hard to say. The wires are... tangled, now.] The Librarian stepped out of the shadows, wrapping his cloak tighter around his cybernetic body as he approached. With shaking fingers, he caressed the top of the glass case. He gave it a light strum. [I've looked after these for a while. A few hundred years, give or take. I've been waiting for you all to get back. Took your damn time...] The Librarian wheezed as his fingers met the lock. It snapped open. Lifting up the case's lid, however, posed a greater challenge for the poor old soul. To proud to ask for help, his single trembling hand slowly opened the case. He gestured for Ramuda to take a closer look at his collection. [Please. Take them. They're yours again, if you want them.]

"Is that all this place is?" Josuke asked aloud, "A collection of microphones?"

Josuke went off to see if there was anything else besides the microphones in the area. He wasn't interested in the microphones.

[Sure we do.] The Librarian's mechanical lung gurgled. [We've got a buck load of stuff for you to look through. We don't get guests often. Not living ones, anyway. Main attraction is a flamethrower down the hall. It's Pre-Goddessian. Old shit. If that doesn't take your fancy, we've got a gift shop down the hall. Café. Coffee. The whole deal.] He grimaced. [But you're not here for coffee. You're here for answers, and you won't find them scurrying 'bout my shop. No. You'll find them by asking to right questions. You'll find them by humoring an old man.]

Marianne felt her heart stop as she saw the things Ramuda unearthed. No...she'd seen that before...it...that was...

"Dice..." She placed her hand on the case, feeling as if her heart might break. This...it couldn't mean that he was undeniably gone, could it? No...no! She refused. She had to refuse. That could just be a replica, perhaps, like the ones her uncle has of so many treasures back home. Instead, Marianne would start cleaning dust off nearby cases, quietly listening for answers to Ramuda's questions.

[Ah, Dice...] The Librarian sighed. [Good kid. Better than most on Prudence... or Pride... or whatever we're calling her now. He look a fancy to you, if I'm remembering the right guy. Good friend. Good kid. Died a good death. Heroic. Not like he got much of a hero's burial. Not like there was much of him to burry.] The Librarian reached into his case and passed Dice's mic to Marianne. [Yours, I think. OBLIVION inheritance laws position you as his next of kin, or the closest thing to. Not like there's much of an OBLIVION left. Take it. The last thing we want is another law suit. Too old for that. If everything goes according to plan, you can give it back to him yourself...]

The neutral look never escaped Henshaw's face. Even when his own ancient face stared back at him. Was this real? Had he somehow managed to earn the peace he had sought? Playing with time...there wasn't much that aggravated him to the extent as time travel did. "We are wasting our time among these pointless relics. We need to find the Master and then continue on."

[Do me a favor, Hank, and shut the fuck up before you destroy another city, yeah?] The Librarian groaned. [The sun doesn't shine out of your ass, so get your head out of the clouds. These 'relics' of mine... show them the respect they deserve. Excavating your head was real pain in the ass, and that's sayin' something. But...] The Librarian tutted. [You never were the patient type, were you, Hank? I'm sorry if the truth bores you. If you'd like to leave, be my guest. Feel free to soar out of the nearest window and go pollute someone else's air. Your ego got us all into this mess. It sure as hell isn't gonna get us out of it.]

YASHAMARU// DANIEL DIAZ// HANK HENSHAW// THE MASTER//
^ @Takumi @Yun Lee @Atomic Knight @Jeremi ^
RAMUDA AMEMURA// MATO KUROI// JACQUELINE FALSWORTH
^ @Takumi @Gummi Bunnies @Sark ^

"......" Yashamaru fixed this prisoner with a steeled gaze, trying at first to see if he could figure out the identity through voice alone. They knew him, but did he know them? Either way, he turned to Gen. "So, the prisoner is only able to answer four questions, but I wonder how many you would be able to, if I were to ask a few." With a narrow selection of things to learn, Yashamaru didn't want to waste questions.

PATH OF VENGENCE
The Prisoner's voice was familiar, there was no denying it. As for the prisoner's identity, however, his tone was hardly going to give away any clues. A fat lip, a bruised jaw and a few missing teeth twisted and distorted his words.
Gen opened his mouth to respond to the samurai, but his breath was interrupted by a flurry of tuts and coos. The prisoner tipped his head in the direction of Yashamaru's voice.

"Nice try, Samurai, very nice try... but no Dice. 'I wonder' isn't a question. It is a proposition. You're trying to milk some information out of my dear captor here... and you don't even have the balls to waste a question! You know I don't like cheaters, old friend... You've forfeited your first question. Try again. Try playing by the rules, this time... My rules..."

Daniel had promised Sean that day, but he had been ready to break that promise later when Lisbeth tried to stop them. She had hurt both of them so much. Daniel would have killed her that day if Sean had not stopped him.

The reason? Daniel had lied. He had lied to Sean about the cougar. The truth was, even if it didn't bring Mushroom back, it had felt good to kill the cougar in revenge. It felt good.

"Vengeance," Daniel said to Yashamaru. That was the path he chose. He followed Gen and Yashamaru, only staring at the prisoner wordlessly once they went beyond the door.

"Danny-Danny-Danny-Danny!" The Prisoner chirped at the sound of Daniel's voice. "Oh, this is quite the family reunion, don't you think? Oh, this is cause for celebration... if my hands weren't bound in twelve-dozen painful ways, I'd be hugging you both. Oh... It's been much too long. What a wonderful birthday present this is... wonderful, wonderful, wonderful..." The Prisoner fell silent as his cracked lips twisted into a hidden grin. "What would you say to helping a guy out, hm? Bust me out, would you? For old times sake?"

YASHAMARU// DANIEL DIAZ// HANK HENSHAW// THE MASTER//
^ @Takumi @Yun Lee @Atomic Knight @Jeremi ^
RAMUDA AMEMURA// MATO KUROI// JACQUELINE FALSWORTH
^ @Takumi @Gummi Bunnies @Sark ^​

 

[Takumi]

PATH OF TRUTH
[You want answers? Ha...] The Librarian scoffed. [I was hopping you could help me out on that front. You're the expert on these sort of things, right Ram? I mean... one of those mics belongs to you. Or at least, it belonged to you... or at least, it's going to belong to you some day. Some day gone by, some day yet to come, it's hard to say. The wires are... tangled, now.] The Librarian stepped out of the shadows, wrapping his cloak tighter around his cybernetic body as he approached. With shaking fingers, he caressed the top of the glass case. He gave it a light strum. [I've looked after these for a while. A few hundred years, give or take. I've been waiting for you all to get back. Took your damn time...] The Librarian wheezed as his fingers met the lock. It snapped open. Lifting up the case's lid, however, posed a greater challenge for the poor old soul. To proud to ask for help, his single trembling hand slowly opened the case. He gestured for Ramuda to take a closer look at his collection. [Please. Take them. They're yours again, if you want them.]


[Sure we do.] The Librarian's mechanical lung gurgled. [We've got a buck load of stuff for you to look through. We don't get guests often. Not living ones, anyway. Main attraction is a flamethrower down the hall. It's Pre-Goddessian. Old shit. If that doesn't take your fancy, we've got a gift shop down the hall. Café. Coffee. The whole deal.] He grimaced. [But you're not here for coffee. You're here for answers, and you won't find them scurrying 'bout my shop. No. You'll find them by asking to right questions. You'll find them by humoring an old man.]


[Ah, Dice...] The Librarian sighed. [Good kid. Better than most on Prudence... or Pride... or whatever we're calling her now. He look a fancy to you, if I'm remembering the right guy. Good friend. Good kid. Died a good death. Heroic. Not like he got much of a hero's burial. Not like there was much of him to burry.] The Librarian reached into his case and passed Dice's mic to Marianne. [Yours, I think. OBLIVION inheritance laws position you as his next of kin, or the closest thing to. Not like there's much of an OBLIVION left. Take it. The last thing we want is another law suit. Too old for that. If everything goes according to plan, you can give it back to him yourself...]


[Do me a favor, Hank, and shut the fuck up before you destroy another city, yeah?] The Librarian groaned. [The sun doesn't shine out of your ass, so get your head out of the clouds. These 'relics' of mine... show them the respect they deserve. Excavating your head was real pain in the ass, and that's sayin' something. But...] The Librarian tutted. [You never were the patient type, were you, Hank? I'm sorry if the truth bores you. If you'd like to leave, be my guest. Feel free to soar out of the nearest window and go pollute someone else's air. Your ego got us all into this mess. It sure as hell isn't gonna get us out of it.]

YASHAMARU// DANIEL DIAZ// HANK HENSHAW// THE MASTER//
^ @Takumi @Yun Lee @Atomic Knight @Jeremi ^
RAMUDA AMEMURA// MATO KUROI// JACQUELINE FALSWORTH
^ @Takumi @Gummi Bunnies @Sark ^


PATH OF VENGENCE
The Prisoner's voice was familiar, there was no denying it. As for the prisoner's identity, however, his tone was hardly going to give away any clues. A fat lip, a bruised jaw and a few missing teeth twisted and distorted his words.
Gen opened his mouth to respond to the samurai, but his breath was interrupted by a flurry of tuts and coos. The prisoner tipped his head in the direction of Yashamaru's voice.

"Nice try, Samurai, very nice try... but no Dice. 'I wonder' isn't a question. It is a proposition. You're trying to milk some information out of my dear captor here... and you don't even have the balls to waste a question! You know I don't like cheaters, old friend... You've forfeited your first question. Try again. Try playing by the rules, this time... My rules..."


"Danny-Danny-Danny-Danny!" The Prisoner chirped at the sound of Daniel's voice. "Oh, this is quite the family reunion, don't you think? Oh, this is cause for celebration... if my hands weren't bound in twelve-dozen painful ways, I'd be hugging you both. Oh... It's been much too long. What a wonderful birthday present this is... wonderful, wonderful, wonderful..." The Prisoner fell silent as his cracked lips twisted into a hidden grin. "What would you say to helping a guy out, hm? Bust me out, would you? For old times sake?"

YASHAMARU// DANIEL DIAZ// HANK HENSHAW// THE MASTER//
^ @Takumi @Yun Lee @Atomic Knight @Jeremi ^
RAMUDA AMEMURA// MATO KUROI// JACQUELINE FALSWORTH
^ @Takumi @Gummi Bunnies @Sark ^​

Ramuda rolled his eyes at Josuke before he tilted his head at the librarian as he handed Dice's mic to Marianne and spoke to the group as a whole with familiarity, before reaching out and taking one of the artifacts himself, the one that was likely not a mic but could be useful, before glancing down at the 'ancient prototype'. Carefully taking it, he looked it over more closely for the damage it faced moreso out of curiosity. The librarian did say that he could take them.

"I'm just very knowledgeable about hypnosis mics. You kinda have to be when it's your only way to defend yourself where I'm from after all~." He hummed, before eyeing the librarian.

"Besides, I don't remember running into any mic users I know, buuut I'm pretty sure I'm missing a few memories here and there, so if we've met before soorrry.~" he replied, gently and playfully knocking a fist on his head with a light bonk for emphasis. They all had missing memories, who's to say that some of them may not have been tampered with in some way?

@Sark @Yun Lee @Jeremi @Capri @Gummi Bunnies @Team Prudence/Light @Truth Path

Daniel took in everything Yashamaru had said attentively. His hart swelled with both admiration and guilt. There could be hope found in those feelings, but a part of Daniel rejected that hope. A very large part of Daniel, in fact. He had been stewing in new negative thoughts even before learning of Sean's fate. People were calling him a killer, weren't they? Maybe Daniel was supposed to get vengeance after all, if that's how it was going to be.

He remembered, distantly, in the days he and Sean had spent with their grandparents, that Sean had said killing the cougar was not something that Daniel should ever repeat.

"Maybe in the moment it felt okay," Sean had said. "Maybe for a second. But after its over, it didn't bring Mushroom back, did it?"

"No," Daniel had said sullenly.

"And in the end, you just felt worse, right?"

"... Yeah."

"So, please Daniel, never again, okay?"

Daniel had promised Sean that day, but he had been ready to break that promise later when Lisbeth tried to stop them. She had hurt both of them so much. Daniel would have killed her that day if Sean had not stopped him.

The reason? Daniel had lied. He had lied to Sean about the cougar. The truth was, even if it didn't bring Mushroom back, it had felt good to kill the cougar in revenge. It felt good.

"Vengeance," Daniel said to Yashamaru. That was the path he chose. He followed Gen and Yashamaru, only staring at the prisoner wordlessly once they went beyond the door.

@Sark @Yun Lee @Vengeance

---

Phi sighed aloud at the paths laid out before them. She felt certain a couple headscratchers awaited them. "Isn't it obvious?" she asked. "I'm choosing truth."

@Sark @Capri @Gummi Bunnies @Space_Candy @Lucky @Ver @Crunch @Minerva @Jeremi @Team Oblivion/Nexium​

"If there's any truth to be had, whoever's it is, it could be useful." Shion shrugged, choosing Truth as well. While Shang posed an interesting question at the end of the day, it was likely someone's version of the truth now wasn't it?

Even if what someone considered a truth wasn't exactly that, it could probably be ingrained propaganda of some sort. Only one way to find out really.

@Atomic Knight @Jeremi @Sark @Capri @Gummi Bunnies @Space_Candy @Lucky
@Ver @Crunch @Minerva @Team Oblivion/Nexium

 

[Jeremi]

Henshaw casually smashed through the glass and gripped the excavated skull into his grasp. "The past is worthless only filled with death and decay." He placed the skull between his palms and started to crush it. "Now if you are done with your inane prattle, perhaps you can show us where we need to go next." His eyes shone bright read. "Or end up the custodian of fire and ashes."

@Takumi @Yun Lee @Atomic Knight @Sark

 

[Atomic Knight]

To say Daniel suddenly felt disturbed would be an understatement. He felt a stirring in his chest at the prisoner's words and something akin to disgust filled Daniel as he heard the prisoner speak. The prisoner was a liar, so what was the point of asking anything at all? It sounded like a riddle, one his father might have presented him ages ago for a bit of fun. Though, thinking of his father made Daniel feel too many uncomfortable emotions. Considering the circumstances now, a riddle only made Daniel upset. He was just a kid after all, with a kid's patience.

"If I bust you out, what would you do?" Daniel asked. He really did contemplate breaking this guy free if it meant dealing with the situation more quickly.

@Sark @Yun Lee @Vengeance​

 

[Sark]

To say Daniel suddenly felt disturbed would be an understatement. He felt a stirring in his chest at the prisoner's words and something akin to disgust filled Daniel as he heard the prisoner speak. The prisoner was a liar, so what was the point of asking anything at all? It sounded like a riddle, one his father might have presented him ages ago for a bit of fun. Though, thinking of his father made Daniel feel too many uncomfortable emotions. Considering the circumstances now, a riddle only made Daniel upset. He was just a kid after all, with a kid's patience.

"If I bust you out, what would you do?" Daniel asked. He really did contemplate breaking this guy free if it meant dealing with the situation more quickly.

V E N G E A N C E
The Prisoner leaned forward in his seat, his wrists straining his bindings as he did so. Somehow, beneath his veil, his eyes still found Daniel's. He took a moment to breathe. To lick his lips. To blink the sweat from his eyes. A smile distorted his words.
"I'm going to kill each and every person in this room. One by one." A dry, tired chuckle. "Well. Almost everyone. You see, I know a little secret. Oh, no. It's a big secret, come to think of it. I gotta share it. Can't let the others catch on. Can't have them finding out. But I gotta share it. So this stays between you and me, okay? No one else can know. We're blood bound, after all, you and me." The Prisoner leaned further forward, his bindings chafing him until he bled. Gen kicked himself off of the wall. The Old Man's eyes thinned. His fingers twitched. The Prisoner turned his lips towards Daniel's ear. He whispered. "Come closer, Little Killer. Let me tell it to you."
Crack
Gen's fist struck the back of the Prisoner's head. The Prisoner recoiled, cowering before his hand.
"Next question." He interjected bluntly. "One remains."

Ramuda rolled his eyes at Josuke before he tilted his head at the librarian as he handed Dice's mic to Marianne and spoke to the group as a whole with familiarity, before reaching out and taking one of the artifacts himself, the one that was likely not a mic but could be useful, before glancing down at the 'ancient prototype'. Carefully taking it, he looked it over more closely for the damage it faced moreso out of curiosity. The librarian did say that he could take them.

"I'm just very knowledgeable about hypnosis mics. You kinda have to be when it's your only way to defend yourself where I'm from after all~." He hummed, before eyeing the librarian.

"Besides, I don't remember running into any mic users I know, buuut I'm pretty sure I'm missing a few memories here and there, so if we've met before soorrry.~" he replied, gently and playfully knocking a fist on his head with a light bonk for emphasis. They all had missing memories, who's to say that some of them may not have been tampered with in some way?

T R U T H
"Memory tricks. Yes. I remember." The Librarian sighed. "It took weeks for mine to resurface. My memories, I mean. Though I was suffering from far great... afflictions at the time..." The Old Man strummed upon his mechanical chest. "Yours will return real soon, I'm sure. Trust me. I've been where you are now. I just took the long way around. Be patient." He reminisced. "Good things come to those who... wait. Been telling myself that for the past 400 years..."

Henshaw casually smashed through the glass and gripped the excavated skull into his grasp. "The past is worthless only filled with death and decay." He placed the skull between his palms and started to crush it. "Now if you are done with your inane prattle, perhaps you can show us where we need to go next." His eyes shone bright read. "Or end up the custodian of fire and ashes."

"The past is worthless only filled with death and decay."
The Librarin stole the words straight out of Hank's mouth. The pair spoke in perfect unison.
"Now if you are done with your inane prattle, perhaps you can show us where we need to go next."
For a word or two, the Librarian slipped ahead, predicting each word half a second before it was spoken.
"Now if you are done with your inane prattle, perhaps you can show us where we need to go next."
[Or end up the custodian of fire and ashes.] The Librarian winced. [Welcome to the future, Henshaw. Every show is a rerun. The last time you were here, you said the exact same thing. And the time before that. And the time before that. Do you practice these speeches of yours in the mirror every morning, or do they come to you on the spot? Don't answer that. It might spoil the mystique.]
The Librarian kicked the shards of Hank's former skull under a nearby bookshelf, guiding them out of the paths of their partners.
[Prudence has endured about a dozen revolutions over the years. You'd think that they would have gotten it right after the first one, right? But no. They've endured 12. No matter how much things change, they always stay the same. Up becomes down, and down becomes up. The world revolves 360 degrees, and we all end up at the start again. That's the way of the world. Or at least, it was... before all of you came along...]
The Old Man sighed deeply.
[No more parlor tricks. You came here for the truth. What kind of host would I be if I didn't provide for my guests?] A chuckle. [You're all part of the Third Champions of the Arena Tournament. The first two descended into chaos. Both Arenas were destroyed. Both hosts were killed. Begs the question. Why is Arcade hosting a third game? Why make the same mistakes as before? Madness? No. Genius. He's not afraid of the chaos you reap. His not afraid of it, because he's counting on it.]

[Pride City. Occupied Western City 2291. Free City. District Z. Prudence City. Murder City. Revolutions come and go.]
Spitfire's eyes widened.
"No..."
[The Old Order is replaced by a Brave New World. The Brave New World age, until a Braver, Newer one takes its place.]
"Shit..."
[Rulers come and go. Names change.]
"We need to round up the others. We need to get them off the streets... We need to move!"
[But a rose my any other name...]
"Arcade didn't send us off-world, did he?" Sptifire interjected, her lips trembling with anticipation and fluster. "We never left his resort!"
[And you never will. He didn't send us... you off-world. He sent you back in time.]
"He sent us back in time... to destroy Prudence's history... To scramble it's timeline... To scramble our own timelines..."
[Temporal suicide. Erasure. It's a fate far worse than death.]

[Think of it linearly. Henshaw destroyed the Prudence City in 1884, 20 years before its Golden Age. If the Golden Age never comes, then Champions of the Arena II never happens. If Champions of the Arena II never happened, then Arcade never conquers the city. If Arcade never conquers the city, then OBLIVION and NEXIUM and all the others would never have sent you kill Arcade to kill Arcade to begin with. But if we were never sent to kill Arcade, he never would have sent us back in time. It's a paradox. A logical impossibility. The Timeline will overcompensate to repair itself. It's twitch. It'll glitch. And then? We will all be erased from history.]

[Ifrit is defending the losing side in the District B-C War. Her strength will turn turn the tide. District C will win a war it historically lost. With District C in charge of Prudence, history will be irreparably changed. The P.R.U.D.E.N.C.E. A.I. will be destroyed ahead of time. Champions of the Arena II will never have happened. Arcade never conquers the city. We're never sent back in time. Another Paradox occurs.]

[And those are only the major changes. Eren Jaegar destroyed horsed, carriages and drivers alike at the start of the game. You all did. Those drivers were destined to have children, grandchildren, greatgrandchildren... I'm sure you're all familiar with the Butterfly Effect. The damage you have caused to Planet Prudence has sent rippled throughout time and space. The Distorted Future you now stand in? It's only the beginning. The Fluctuations will only grow stronger and stronger and stronger. Time is dissolving around us like wet tissue!]
The spirit of a young man slowly returned to the Librarians voice. He grow impassioned. His eyes groveled.
[A Train in the Sewers! A Historical District Appearing in the Streets! A Tank in the Square! It has already begun!]
[DOES NOBODY REMEMBER EVIE FRYE? DOES NOBODY REMEMBER OUKA? DO THESE NAMES MEAN NOTHING TO YOU?]
***
CHAMPIONS OF THE ARENA III: CURSED COMPANY
CHAPTER 3: CORRUPTED//SAVEFILE//
TEAM OBLIVION
?JOSUKE HIGASHIKATA?// SHION// PHI// MOLLYMAUK TEALEAF// SUIGETSU HOZUKU// ?LYDIA FRYE?// GODBRAND// AKUMA
^ @Jeremi @Atomic Knight @Takumi @Lucky @Space_Candy ^
TEAM NEXIUM
CIRI// SARUHIKO FUSHIMI// ?RAMUDA AMEMURA?// ALEXANDER ANDERSON// FORGE// ANDROID 17// THE ELEVEN
^ @Minerva @Ver @Capri @Gummi Bunnies @Crunch ^
TEAM DEAD HEARTS
MARRIANE VON EDMUND// ?SHANG TSUNG?// DAN KUROTO// AIZAWA SHOTA// MATO KUROI// CONNER KENT// THAAL SINESTRO// ?BRIAN BRADDOCK?
^ @Yun Lee @Capri @MagatsuNoImouto @Space_Candy @Gummi Bunnies ^
TEAM PRUDENCE
?ZORA SALAZAR?// YASHAMARU// DANIEL DIAZ// CHASE DAVENPORT// HANK HENSHAW// THE MASTER// THE LIBRAIAN// IFRIT
^ @Takumi @Yun Lee @Atomic Knight @Lucky @Jeremi ^
***
View attachment 9484
"Bugger..." Brian cursed with a sigh. "To put it impolitely, bugger."
The lamentations of a man who had been here since day one.
He had always been here.
You have always been here.

y̶̺̱̬̫̬͇͇̝̻͇̰̬̕͘o̵̬̠̓͆̒̓͛̊̕̚̕͝͠ũ̵̜̹̣̥̯͖̱̟̟̖͖͓̩͂̉̍̈́̊͗̒̏̃͘͜͜ ̶̠̥̣̪̋͑̉͛̑̕͝h̴͓̘͇̣̦̰̻̰͇̟̪͇̮̅̒̈̂̍́̏̒ą̵̳̩̱͙̦̯̲̿͌́̋̂̕v̷̮͛̾̊̑͒͗̂̎͘e̴͖̹͇͖̱̖͐ ̵̧͓̲͈͎̣͍͂̀̏̋̉̑̍͒͜ạ̶̧̡̛̬̦̪̩̋̀͗̔̽͊̈̅̏̽̔̽̀͘l̸̗̠̗̘̮̙̝͉̼̯̹̇̌̾̀ẁ̵̱̦̱̼̫͉̟̥͈̪̼̌̓a̶̢̜͚̭̖̻̟̼̘̻͖̳͖͕̱̓̅̈́̃͒͐̕ẙ̸̡̛̼̱̟͓̥̙̖̤̫̈̋̑͋̐͑̚͜ͅs̵̫̙̫̕ ̴̧̨̧̖̩͓̰͔̠͉̦͎͗̔̔̉̒̀̽̈̈́̊͘͝͝b̸̛̥̣͖̥͕̖͌̽̀̿̇̀͂͐̍̚͝é̵͓̟̲̝͛̽͐͘͠e̶̡̞̙͉̼͇̼̣̞̦͍̐̈́́n̷͎͙̳͙̠̱̬̫̈̂͊̚͝ ̵̡͕͇̺͇̈̂̓̍̐̈͂́̐̀̈́̑͝͝h̴̢̛͍͈͕̊͆̂͑̍͂̅̑̃̾̉͜ͅͅͅȩ̴̟̠̥̟̘̦̳͓͔͚̊́̋̐͗̀͊͠r̴̢̧̨̭͉̬͉̣̼̗͑̑͑̈͜͠͝ē̶̛̳̻͚̙͓̟̲̌͊̐̆̑̅́̐͗͊͋̍͝
- 10 1 13 9 19 - 22 21 -
​

 

[Ver]

View attachment 9485

"How much longer are you going to drown in that pool of self-pity?" Fushimi said harshly -- cruelly, even -- toward Zora, not shaken at all by Anderson's life being put on the line, nor reacting at all toward the woman's confession of some wrongdoing in her past that Arcade seemed to have knowledge on. Perhaps it was hypocritical of the young man to say, considering his own misdeeds, but he hated seeing people like this. Weak. Sniveling. Pitiful. Looking for approval when it was useless to do so, from people who did not warrant it.

That was how he saw the spectacle anyway.

Staring straight at Arcade, Fushimi adjusted his glasses while speaking to Zora. "Get the hell over yourself," he continued coldly. "You're sad that you killed someone and broke your promise to your little friend? Arcade seems intent on making sure we do much worse than that here, so if you don't have the stomach for that, stop wasting my time. Or, you can get up and pay this bastard back tenfold."

"I don't care what you did, and the fact that Arcade thinks I do is the reason he can get under your skin. He's just playing games with you, and you're letting him win the jackpot."

Attachments made people weak. That was why Fushimi always kept his distance from other people. If you enjoyed something, that meant you'd be sad if it was taken away from you. If you enjoyed someone's company, that meant you cared for them. They became your weakness. Something that other people could take advantage of.

Fushimi was smarter than that. He was smart enough to not be friendly with Zora. If he were her friend, maybe this revelation would have shocked him, that she'd done something bad. It would have stung more to be judged by friends than to be judged by strangers. So Fushimi elected to alleviate that step by skipping the friend step. It was the closest he could get to kindness.

And in turn, Fushimi looked toward Arcade, his eyes narrowed.

"That all said... do what you want to him," Fushimi said defiantly toward Arcade in regard to Anderson. "It makes no difference to me whether he lives or dies. And you're afraid of that, aren't you? Someone with nothing to lose."

Not even his pride, his moral compass, anything.

"Now, if you're going to do something, won't you do it and let me get on with my way? Or does that take the satisfaction of winning the game out of it?"

Something bad had happened. Fushimi wasn't sure what, but he could feel it in the air. He had no desire to stay here any longer than was necessary, nor any desire to be swept up in the confusion of whatever Arcade was ultimately plotting.

Inaction would be a weakness, after all.

@Capri @Jeremi @Sark​

 

[Jeremi]

Henshaw had known that they weren't travelling to other planets. Arcade was a lot of things but not someone capable of holding control over vast distances, or more than one planet either.

The Cyborg Superman let all the data sweep over him as he processed it all in silence. Until.

"Calm your histrionics, woman." His eyes opened as he addressed Spitfire.

"Nothing has changed. Time is linear. When is irrelevant. Our target is still Arcade." He held up the skull of his other. "12 times the cycle has repeated, yet nothing has changed. No doubt the Librarians attempt to discourage us. To make us falter."

"Futility. Trapped in a circle. Eating our own tail. Yet still...that is the only reason we are on this planet. Life is futility. Arcade's scheme's fall to dust. The only certainty is his death coming closer. Inch. By inch."

And it was quite true. Those names meant nothing to him.

@Takumi @Yun Lee @Atomic Knight @Sark

---

"Whatever he had dangling over our heads means little to anyone here, and mean even less if we perish." Shang Tsung had stood back, and even with the beard gone he stroked his chin in contemplation. "I felt it too," He eyed Fushimi. "A shift in the paradigm, what I means I can not say." He motioned onward. "But I would suggest for us to move on. Knowing Arcade he might have something waiting for those who...stay in one place for too long."​

@Ver @Capri