Side Story Champions of the Arena III: Cursed Company

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"... Hm," the bespectacled young man only grunted softly, simultaneously dismissive yet pensive. There was little telling what was going on in his head, if anything. Not that it was the easiest thing in the world to really muse on his surroundings when everyone else was intent on making a scene like this, but he tried.

Adjusting his glasses, Fushimi gave a passing glance to Zora as she introduced herself, and then one brief look at Phi, seeming to take little to no interest to her, only to return his gaze to Zora once more. "... Fushimi. Just call me Fushimi," he responded curtly, giving a silent nod of acknowledgement toward the older man, Shang Tsung. They weren't exactly the type of people Fushimi found himself associating with, but they'd have to do for now.

He could only hope they'd be able to keep up with him.

"I don't usually find myself in little joints like these, but something tells me we're all fish out of water here," Fushimi breathed, eyeing up the chaotic fight continuing to go on right in front of him. "Fish out of water in a watering hole, even."

@Atomic Knight @Jeremi @Capri @Anybody​
 
"My name?" Phi questioned, eyeing Zora. She pointedly ignored Fushimi's glance, instead once again eyeing the chaos occurring nearby. With a hand placed on her chin in a quizzical manner, the young woman seemed to be processing what she was seeing. "You can at least call me unimpressed. There doesn't seem to be much in the way of proper security in this place."

After a moment, she shrugged. At least she was uninvolved for now.

bBTSVRI.png


"We may be fish out of water," she said to Fushimi. "But I have a feeling few here are used to being caught."

@Capri @Jeremi @Ver​
 
Phi nodded at what Zora said. "In fact, a first and second arena were mentioned, the implication being that the third is underway." She crossed her arms and looked pensive. She had her own thoughts on what the arena meant, though had no interest in sharing at the moment. "However, we apparently have been involuntarily placed in this resort with no idea how those two elements connect. It doesn't make any damn sense so far."

@Capri @Jeremi @Ver​
 
Sark said:
​

"Maybe it was a gift, I don't crockin' know!" The Life-Guard exclaimed. "Presumably your great-great-grandkids or whatever signed the contracts on your behalf, or maybe you're senile, and your legal guardian signed for you. It's like I said. They don't pay me to use my lil grey cells. They pay me to stop wrinkle old codgers like you from drowning in the paddling pool, and bust up the creeps who slip out of the illusion before they can spoil game for everyone."

"Pfft. The better question is: who isn't running CotA 3?" The Croc tipped its squinting head towards Shion. "You want to learn more about CotA 2? Try asking you buddy over there--" The Life-Guard shot a fat finger in Ouka's direction. "Go give him a pat on the back while you're at it. Without him and his shitty friends... well, the 'trilogy' wouldn't have turned out like this, lemme tell ya."

"Mechanical? Mechanical? MECHANICAL?" The Crocodile bellowed. "Does all this look mechanical to you? Go fuck yourself, mech-o-boy! This body?" His fingers squeaked and wailed as he ran them up and down his torso. "This is all 100% geniun---"

POP


"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
The Life Guard flocked to the Bartender's side. He placed to chubby, trembling over the hole that now scarred his brother's side, desperately trying to plug the wound.
"You're losing a lot of air here! I gotta apply pressure, I-I-I--"
"It's too late, Inflatable-Life-Guard-Crocodile... my time...." The Bartender wheezed, touching his friend's cheek for one final time. "My time has come..."
"No! No! I refuse to accept that! Don't give up on me! Not yet! Please!"
"Memorize my face... old friend... I don't... I don't..."
"I won't forget you, Inflatable-Bartender-Crocodile... I'll never forget you!!"
"Thank you... Thank.... Just because I gotta die... don't mean that I gotta... fade... away..."

PPPFFFFFFFFFFFFFFTTTTT

The balloon went limp in the Crocodile's hands. He pulled to rubber up towards his chest. "He died doing what he loved... threatening our patrons... His body might have been hollow... It might have contained naught but air... but he had some much heart... by Croc... he had the most heart outta all of us!!" Tears squeaked down the Life-Guard's plastic cheeks. "HE HAD HEAART!!"

"Clearly..." Forge slowly approached the Crocodile, his palm outstretched as a sign of peace. "Clearly this is a very intimate moment between you and your.... dead... crocodile... friend. My friends and I--" Forge bit his tongue. "My collogues and I--" He revised. "We never meant for this to happen. We never wanted this... air-shed. We'll take our things and we'll--"

"NO!" The Crocodile tightened his hold over the plastic corpse. "You don't get ta walk away from this!" The rest of the resorts Crocodiles started to close in, their stubby fists raised high. "I warned you... us Crocs are a proud people! You don't get ta hurt one of our own! You don't have that right! Ya gonna pay! Ya gonna pay for every cubic inch of air!!" A sea of green rubber rushed in like a rip tide. There were hundreds of Crocodiles. Hundreds of hundreds, each as heartbroken as the next.

"Needless to say, violence was not the best course of action..." Forge muttered, retreating further into the bar until his back struck another Champion's. "You know... I've seen some crazy things in my time... Aliens. Demons. Zombies. Hell, I thought I had seen it all... but this? This exists outside the realms of rationality and possibility... I never thought it would end like this. I never thought I'd meet my end at the hands of an army of plastic crocodiles..." He drew his weapon once again, ready to go down fighting. "I'll look forward to getting to know you all on the other side--" His side-eye glared at Josuke. "Well... some of you, anyway..."
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"Now let's see how many of these creeps we can drag down to Crocodile Hell with us!!"

@Lucky @Atomic Knight @Takumi @Capri @Yun Lee @Jeremi @Gummi Bunnies @Crunch @Minerva​
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Atomic Knight said:
There was a ripple in the air, followed by an explosion of sound. As water began to shoot up into the air, a heavy wind picked up that threatened the immediate area around the chaotic fight. Waves coalesced together and floated upward, taking many of the crocodiles with it, as if all were being pulled upward by a giant invisible fist. Raw power seemed to ebb and flow in the air, all of it forming around a young boy in the crowd of faces.

The boy held his hand out toward the levitating sphere of objects, as if he was the one controlling it. He turned his head to the Life-Guard, one of the few he had spared.

nKejkNG.png


"Where is my brother?" he asked. "I want to go home. Now."

Nearby, a young woman stood casually, her yes observing the chaos before her. The visions she had seen before unsettled her, but all this was a different matter entirely. She supposed she had to get used to it real quick, though. She had a strong feeling she had somewhat of an idea what was happening here...

yZOpN3B.png


"Interesting..."

Her gaze traveled across the group, though she found herself pausing at the sight of an old man and a young guy with glasses. She squinted slightly at the pair before quickly looking away, trying to appear lost in thought.

@Sark @Lucky @Takumi @Capri @Yun Lee @Jeremi @Gummi Bunnies @Crunch @Minerva​
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Daniel would find Ouka standing beside him, much of the water in the air gathering onto the ground then turn into ice spikes to puncture many of the other crocs.

Capri said:
ZORA SALAZAR
@Sark @Atomic Knight @Ver @Jeremi



"Ah have tah agree wit' dat" Zora said in response to Phi, "One o' dem gaters, or crocs or whutev'r, said sumthin' bout an "Arena" or sumthin'. Dat an' dem gaters recognized one o' dem boys,"​
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Atomic Knight said:
Phi nodded at what Zora said. "In fact, a first and second arena were mentioned, the implication being that the third is underway." She crossed her arms and looked pensive. She had her own thoughts on what the arena meant, though had no interest in sharing at the moment. "However, we apparently have been involuntarily placed in this resort with no idea how those two elements connect. It doesn't make any damn sense so far."

@Capri @Jeremi @Ver​
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Meanwhile, Shion would step back and out of range of the fighting for the meantime. Sighing, the No.6 resident placed his hands in his pockets momentarily. His pocket knife was still there, good. The man with a gun might of been more eager to fight off the crazy crocs, but Shion didn't want to waste bullets at the moment from the only gun he owned.

Listening to the other's speak, the red eyed man glanced over.

"I only know of the first Arena, so the basic premise might be the same while everything else has changed. Especially if there are more than one person in charge." He commented. If there were multiple people running it, that was a problem that needed to be corrected quickly.

@Sark @Atomic Knight @Capri @Ver @Jeremi @Gummi Bunnies @Everyone
 
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"Here comes the expert," Fushimi mumbled as Shion slid into the exchange, quickly announcing himself as a survivor of a past Arena. Yes, that would make sense, wouldn't it? This was all put together almost... too efficiently, like a manufactured product on a conveyor belt. In other words, there was no way this was the first of its kind, even without the croc from the beginning talking about this being the third. It looked like Fushimi had popped in at the exact right time, if this was supposed to be the biggest, baddest one yet.

Fushimi knew a thing or two about being bad, so he'll fit right in.

It seemed that whoever put them all here, he didn't want them all wasting too much time bumbling around in the dark. It was just as well, Fushimi hated not knowing things. The sooner he got a grasp on this unruly situation, the better.

"Yes. It'd be best for everyone involved if you'd volunteer that info to us. After all, we're all supposed to be friends here, aren't we?" He said, his dour gaze and his consistently brusque tone doing nothing to make himself look friendly at all.

Of course, logically speaking, it would be in Fushimi's own best interest to preserve someone who claimed to know a thing or two about what kind of mess they were all in, but he was loath to get any sort of attached to anyone. If he had to rely on anyone else to make it through, he was already dead.

@Takumi @Atomic Knight @Jeremi @Capri @Anybody​
 
"Yes, that is certainly how the situation seems right now," the old wizard remarked to Fushimi. He didn't have much else to say. Not even about the revelation about this being a continuous thing. Once again he stroked his beard with interest. Seems like a lot of revelations were already falling into place.

"I apologize to step into the conversation," Shang Tsung casually pointed towards the crocodiles. "How will we solve this situation so that we can continue this riveting discussion?"

@Takumi @Atomic Knight @Ver @Capri @Anybody
 
Capri said:
ZORA SALAZAR
@Jeremi @Ver @Atomic Knight @Takumi



View attachment 8978

“Yew were in wun uhv dese before? Tell us, den, tell us ahll ‘bout it, pardner,”​
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Ver said:
View attachment 8979

"Here comes the expert," Fushimi mumbled as Shion slid into the exchange, quickly announcing himself as a survivor of a past Arena. Yes, that would make sense, wouldn't it? This was all put together almost... too efficiently, like a manufactured product on a conveyor belt. In other words, there was no way this was the first of its kind, even without the croc from the beginning talking about this being the third. It looked like Fushimi had popped in at the exact right time, if this was supposed to be the biggest, baddest one yet.

Fushimi knew a thing or two about being bad, so he'll fit right in.

It seemed that whoever put them all here, he didn't want them all wasting too much time bumbling around in the dark. It was just as well, Fushimi hated not knowing things. The sooner he got a grasp on this unruly situation, the better.

"Yes. It'd be best for everyone involved if you'd volunteer that info to us. After all, we're all supposed to be friends here, aren't we?" He said, his dour gaze and his consistently brusque tone doing nothing to make himself look friendly at all.

Of course, logically speaking, it would be in Fushimi's own best interest to preserve someone who claimed to know a thing or two about what kind of mess they were all in, but he was loath to get any sort of attached to anyone. If he had to rely on anyone else to make it through, he was already dead.

@Takumi @Atomic Knight @Jeremi @Capri @Anybody​
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"Ah, no you misunderstood, I wasn't in one, my partner was the one dragged into the first one." Shion corrected. He didn't bother responding to Fushimi's friend comment, clicking his tongue softly.

"Basically a bunch of teens and kids were put on an island and into teams then were told to kill each other while the whole thing was being broadcasted. They had a week, and if someone wasn't trying to kill you, then the island was. Only one person was supposed to leave the island alive, but in the end ten people ended up going home...after killing the guy who took them and being stuck on the island for five years." He explained. While a general gist of what he'd been told, before he could say anymore something else was brought to his attention.

Jeremi said:
"Yes, that is certainly how the situation seems right now," the old wizard remarked to Fushimi. He didn't have much else to say. Not even about the revelation about this being a continuous thing. Once again he stroked his beard with interest. Seems like a lot of revelations were already falling into place.

"I apologize to step into the conversation," Shang Tsung casually pointed towards the crocodiles. "How will we solve this situation so that we can continue this riveting discussion?"

@Takumi @Atomic Knight @Ver @Capri @Anybody
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"Hn." When Shang Tsung mentioned the situation with the crocodiles, Shion glanced over with a thoughtful hum. It seemed like a good portion of the others had it handled for the time being, but there was the part about supposedly having paid someone for being placed here. Wordlessly, he took a glance at the surroundings for anything out of the ordinary--outside of the inflatable crocs, anyway.

@Sark @Atomic Knight @Capri @Ver. @Jeremi @Everyone
 
Jeremi said:
The old man stepped back from the ensuing carnage but said and did nothing. Instead, he took a safe place behind the others away from any of the crocodiles.

The cyborg on the other hand. "If it is death you wish," His eyes shone a bright crimson. "Allow me to lead you into oblivion." A burst of heat vision escaped from his eyes ready to hit any crocodile foolish enough to attack.
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The Cyborg's heat vision ignited the pockets of air that animated the crocodiles in his path. Clouds of melted rubber were blown sky high. White flames soared high above the resort, burning a ghostly afterimage onto the eyes of any onlookers.

"OH THE CROCMANITY! THE CROCMANITY!!"

Capri said:
"Yer an idiot," the tall woman said to the sailor boy.

The boy simply shrugged.

"Soft and Wet"

Out of the boy came...


It floated upwards and began to punch the crocs!


ORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORA!!!!!!!!!

Meanwhile, the tall woman stood back with Shang Tsung, watching the fight unfold with a cocky grin on her face.

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"This is cert’nly interestin’..."
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Takumi said:
Daniel would find Ouka standing beside him, much of the water in the air gathering onto the ground then turn into ice spikes to puncture many of the other crocs.
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"OH CROC OH MAN OH CROC OH MAN OH CROC OH MAN OH CROC OH MAN!!" The Life Guard squeaked over the of bursting rubber sacks and spluttering, spluttering rubber. "WHAT MERCIFUL GOD WOULD ALLOW SOMETHING LIKE THIS TO HAPPEN??!! OH CROC! OH CROC ITS A MASSACRE!!"

The Life-Guard fell to his knees, clutching his head.

"CURSE, YOU DAMN, DIRTY HUMANS! DAMN YOU ALL TO CROCODILE HELL!"

Atomic Knight said:
There was a ripple in the air, followed by an explosion of sound. As water began to shoot up into the air, a heavy wind picked up that threatened the immediate area around the chaotic fight. Waves coalesced together and floated upward, taking many of the crocodiles with it, as if all were being pulled upward by a giant invisible fist. Raw power seemed to ebb and flow in the air, all of it forming around a young boy in the crowd of faces.

The boy held his hand out toward the levitating sphere of objects, as if he was the one controlling it. He turned his head to the Life-Guard, one of the few he had spared.

"Where is my brother?" he asked. "I want to go home. Now."
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"No can do, compadre." A distinctively non-inflatable being pushed his way through the sea of deflating crocodiles. Hobbling upon a golden cane, the aging credit tipped a few, wailing, winging reptiles out of his path on his way to the bar. He picked up a large, abandoned Ouka Cola and started to slurp. "He can't send to someplace you already are. You're a part of this city, kid..."
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"And I'm willing to bet a pretty stack of credits that this city is a part of you, too," An aging Arcade chuckled dryly. "Just like its a part o' me. And a part o' Yash. And a part o' Ouka. And a part of everyone else who tried to blow this dump up... oh... how long has it been since CotA, Life-Guard Croc?"

"I don't know, Boss. It's been either... 20 minutes, or 20 years."

"Sounds about right." The Madman shrugged, slurping some more cola. "Not that it really matters. You know when you reach my age... Thirty... Eighty... Hundred... Something, you gain a thrilling new perspective on things. That's why I built this charming little facility... You see, 15 minutes ago, I decided to turn over a new leaf. I'm one of the good guys now. Arcade the Nutbar is dead and gone. I'm Mr.Cade, the totally legitimate businessman now. Funder of Holiday Resorts by day, Player of Bingo by night!"

"Sir... Sir... I may have mentioned Killer-Bee-Fridays."

"Fine." 'Mr.Cade' sighed. "Fine. Maybe I'm not totally legit. Maybe mail bees to pensioners once a week, every week.... But a guy has gotta stay sane somehow! I promise you this- I heal their wounds and wipe their minds of any trauma as soon as I've had my fun. But that's beside the point. What I'm trying to say is... stop trashing my resort, pretty please..."

"A-a-and..." The Croc sniffed. "And stop killing my inflatable brothers..."

"Yeah, whatever. That too."

Atomic Knight said:
Phi nodded at what Zora said. "In fact, a first and second arena were mentioned, the implication being that the third is underway." She crossed her arms and looked pensive. She had her own thoughts on what the arena meant, though had no interest in sharing at the moment. "However, we apparently have been involuntarily placed in this resort with no idea how those two elements connect. It doesn't make any damn sense so far."

@Capri @Jeremi @Ver
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"Run a third arena? No... that doesn't sound like something I'd do." Mr.Cade grinned softly. "I would never pull the same trick twice. That doesn't sound like 'me' at all!"

"Sir..." The Croc whimpered. "I might have mentioned something about... the… uh... tournament..."

"Hm?" Arcade chirped. "A tournament? Oh... you must be talking about my retirement party! Hush hush now, my inflatable friend. It's supposed to be a surprise! I don't want you spoiling anything before tonight, okay? You know how the saying goes: every time you ruin a retirement surprise, a random citizen of Planet Malice dies! Wait a minutes... that's not how it goes... oh, it's not worth losing anymore hair over!"

Atomic Knight said:
"My name?" Phi questioned, eyeing Zora. She pointedly ignored Fushimi's glance, instead once again eyeing the chaos occurring nearby. With a hand placed on her chin in a quizzical manner, the young woman seemed to be processing what she was seeing. "You can at least call me unimpressed. There doesn't seem to be much in the way of proper security in this place."

After a moment, she shrugged. At least she was uninvolved for now.

bBTSVRI.png


"We may be fish out of water," she said to Fushimi. "But I have a feeling few here are used to being caught."

@Capri @Jeremi @Ver
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Capri said:
ZORA SALAZAR
@Sark @Atomic Knight @Ver @Jeremi

"Ah have tah agree wit' dat" Zora said in response to Phi, "One o' dem gaters, or crocs or whutev'r, said sumthin' bout an "Arena" or sumthin'. Dat an' dem gaters recognized one o' dem boys,"
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Jeremi said:
"Yes, that is certainly how the situation seems right now," the old wizard remarked to Fushimi. He didn't have much else to say. Not even about the revelation about this being a continuous thing. Once again he stroked his beard with interest. Seems like a lot of revelations were already falling into place.

"I apologize to step into the conversation," Shang Tsung casually pointed towards the crocodiles. "How will we solve this situation so that we can continue this riveting discussion?"
Click to expand...
"Riveting discussions?" Mr.Cade threw his frail arms around Fushimi and Shang's shoulders and presented them with a dentured grin. "Oh, how I love a good old fashioned riveting discussion! What are we discussing today, friends? The Works of Richard Connell? The current state of the United Nations? The results of that hip new Talent Show all the kids are talking about? Go on! Fill me in! I heard someone mention something to do with fish?"

Takumi said:
"Ah, no you misunderstood, I wasn't in one, my partner was the one dragged into the first one." Shion corrected. He didn't bother responding to Fushimi's friend comment, clicking his tongue softly.

"Basically a bunch of teens and kids were put on an island and into teams then were told to kill each other while the whole thing was being broadcasted. They had a week, and if someone wasn't trying to kill you, then the island was. Only one person was supposed to leave the island alive, but in the end ten people ended up going home...after killing the guy who took them and being stuck on the island for five years." He explained. While a general gist of what he'd been told, before he could say anymore something else was brought to his attention.

"Hn." When Shang Tsung mentioned the situation with the crocodiles, Shion glanced over with a thoughtful hum. It seemed like a good portion of the others had it handled for the time being, but there was the part about supposedly having paid someone for being placed here. Wordlessly, he took a glance at the surroundings for anything out of the ordinary--outside of the inflatable crocs, anyway.
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"Killing the guy who took them..." Arcade muttered to himself. "Now, that sounds awfully familiar. You see, I remember COTA1 as if it were yesterday. Oh, what a show! Casting was a nightmare, but once we found the right crew, directing it was as easy as pie! My guest-writers submitted some incredible scripts! But I don't remember my character dying in any of them! Are you sure you're not getting things muddled? I think the protagonist of COTA2 ended up dying in the Season 1 Finale. His name was... Toro? Tomo? Something like that? Are you sure you're not thinking of him?

@Jeremi @Ver @Atomic Knight @Yun Lee @Takumi @Capri @Lucky @Minerva @Crunch​
 
It was probably for the best that Zora kept Eren from actually attacking the inflatable crocodiles, or else he would've missed another face joining in. Someone who apparently arranged all of this. He needed to get to the bottom of this now. Lowering his blade but keeping a tight grip with one hand, he moved his way angrily over to Arcade.

❝ I don't really know what you're getting at here, but you better give me a good reason on why I should stick around to begin with. ❞ Eren made his demand clear, and only spared a moment to think about his next words before continuing. ❝ Make it quick too, because I'm pretty keen on trashing your resort right about now. ❞ He was practically staring daggers at the older man, his free hand raised near mouth, steam continuing to come out of the now bruised wrist as if it was never cut at all.

Mato mentally hoped that there wasn't any further violence, but was starting to doubt it with the loss of life already with the crocodiles. Distancing herself away from the rising tensions, she heard bits and pieces about how this wasn't the first occurrence of this kind of event according to Shion.

❝ U-um... does that mean that there's more we have to be prepared for? ❞ She asks with a nervous tone.

@Jeremi @Ver @Atomic Knight @Yun Lee @Takumi @Capri @Lucky @Minerva @Crunch @Sark @Everyone​
 
"Sorc Tormo was no protagonist."

From off in the corner of the room, a young man dressed in samurai armor spoke, having stayed out of the way of the...whatever had just happened. He'd been ready to aid Daniel and Ouka when they'd stepped in, but the two handled themselves well so there was no need. "So long, but it feels like no time at all has passed...for me, at least." He tpuched his face, just to make sure he wasn't aging like his former colleague had been. "Has it been a while, Arcade?" He can't really remember much of what happened after Prudence, whether that's by design, because of that simulation, or something else entirely.

In the meantime, another person was staying away from the rest of the group, quietly keeping to herself. No one here she recognized...she hoped that didn't mean what she thought it meant.

@Sark @Jeremi @Atomic Knight @Takumi @Ver @Capri @Gummi Bunnies @Everyone​
 
Sark said:

The Cyborg's heat vision ignited the pockets of air that animated the crocodiles in his path. Clouds of melted rubber were blown sky high. White flames soared high above the resort, burning a ghostly afterimage onto the eyes of any onlookers.

"OH THE CROCMANITY! THE CROCMANITY!!"



"OH CROC OH MAN OH CROC OH MAN OH CROC OH MAN OH CROC OH MAN!!" The Life Guard squeaked over the of bursting rubber sacks and spluttering, spluttering rubber. "WHAT MERCIFUL GOD WOULD ALLOW SOMETHING LIKE THIS TO HAPPEN??!! OH CROC! OH CROC ITS A MASSACRE!!"

The Life-Guard fell to his knees, clutching his head.

"CURSE, YOU DAMN, DIRTY HUMANS! DAMN YOU ALL TO CROCODILE HELL!"


"No can do, compadre." A distinctively non-inflatable being pushed his way through the sea of deflating crocodiles. Hobbling upon a golden cane, the aging credit tipped a few, wailing, winging reptiles out of his path on his way to the bar. He picked up a large, abandoned Ouka Cola and started to slurp. "He can't send to someplace you already are. You're a part of this city, kid..."
View attachment 8991
"And I'm willing to bet a pretty stack of credits that this city is a part of you, too," An aging Arcade chuckled dryly. "Just like its a part o' me. And a part o' Yash. And a part o' Ouka. And a part of everyone else who tried to blow this dump up... oh... how long has it been since CotA, Life-Guard Croc?"

"I don't know, Boss. It's been either... 20 minutes, or 20 years."

"Sounds about right." The Madman shrugged, slurping some more cola. "Not that it really matters. You know when you reach my age... Thirty... Eighty... Hundred... Something, you gain a thrilling new perspective on things. That's why I built this charming little facility... You see, 15 minutes ago, I decided to turn over a new leaf. I'm one of the good guys now. Arcade the Nutbar is dead and gone. I'm Mr.Cade, the totally legitimate businessman now. Funder of Holiday Resorts by day, Player of Bingo by night!"

"Sir... Sir... I may have mentioned Killer-Bee-Fridays."

"Fine." 'Mr.Cade' sighed. "Fine. Maybe I'm not totally legit. Maybe mail bees to pensioners once a week, every week.... But a guy has gotta stay sane somehow! I promise you this- I heal their wounds and wipe their minds of any trauma as soon as I've had my fun. But that's beside the point. What I'm trying to say is... stop trashing my resort, pretty please..."

"A-a-and..." The Croc sniffed. "And stop killing my inflatable brothers..."

"Yeah, whatever. That too."


"Run a third arena? No... that doesn't sound like something I'd do." Mr.Cade grinned softly. "I would never pull the same trick twice. That doesn't sound like 'me' at all!"

"Sir..." The Croc whimpered. "I might have mentioned something about... the… uh... tournament..."

"Hm?" Arcade chirped. "A tournament? Oh... you must be talking about my retirement party! Hush hush now, my inflatable friend. It's supposed to be a surprise! I don't want you spoiling anything before tonight, okay? You know how the saying goes: every time you ruin a retirement surprise, a random citizen of Planet Malice dies! Wait a minutes... that's not how it goes... oh, it's not worth losing anymore hair over!"




"Riveting discussions?" Mr.Cade threw his frail arms around Fushimi and Shang's shoulders and presented them with a dentured grin. "Oh, how I love a good old fashioned riveting discussion! What are we discussing today, friends? The Works of Richard Connell? The current state of the United Nations? The results of that hip new Talent Show all the kids are talking about? Go on! Fill me in! I heard someone mention something to do with fish?"


"Killing the guy who took them..." Arcade muttered to himself. "Now, that sounds awfully familiar. You see, I remember COTA1 as if it were yesterday. Oh, what a show! Casting was a nightmare, but once we found the right crew, directing it was as easy as pie! My guest-writers submitted some incredible scripts! But I don't remember my character dying in any of them! Are you sure you're not getting things muddled? I think the protagonist of COTA2 ended up dying in the Season 1 Finale. His name was... Toro? Tomo? Something like that? Are you sure you're not thinking of him?

@Jeremi @Ver @Atomic Knight @Yun Lee @Takumi @Capri @Lucky @Minerva @Crunch​
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The white haired man pursed his lips as Arcade appeared. He watched him wearily for a moment, thinking on what to do to keep from trying to shoot him in the face. Instead, he narrowed his eyes.

tumblr_inline_p8qocpnyes1svbhms_100.jpg


Change of heart? Really now? That was hard to believe, and even if that was the case wouldn't Arcade have simply let them leave?

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"No, I'm not. I don't even know who that is." Shion responded, eyeing Arcade skeptically. One of the good guys? Bullshit.

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"You? I remember your 'character' dying, and let me tell you, it'd have been better if you stayed dead." Shion mumbled under his breath.


"Tormo wasn't really human." Ouka spoke up from where he stood, weapon still in hand as he watched the other's talk.

@Sark @Atomic Knight @Yun Lee @Capri @Jeremi @Minerva @Ver @Everyone
 
As Daniel let go of the crocodiles, he gave Ouka a small glance. His heart was still racing but he managed a brief smile. It didn't last for long though as he squared his gaze on Arcade, now looking furious. Water crashed around him and he reached out toward the man. "What kind of trick are you playing now?!" Daniel demanded of him. His age and his words made no sense to the boy. "You're a bully! Why don't you just go away?!"

The air tensed once again. Daniel had yet to use his telekinesis again but he was ready to strike at a moment's notice.

Phi was observing casually. She did not at all like her initial impression of the old man. Even less so once he made clear who he was. Considering what everyone was saying, this was definitely a puzzle box kind of situation.

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"Cut the crap," she said to Arcade. "We don't need surprises. And it looks like that kid will go nuclear on you if you don't start being more helpful. I think everyone should be frank and just state what they know."

@Sark @Jeremi @Ver @Yun Lee @Takumi @Capri @Lucky @Minerva @Crunch​
 
Sark said:

The Cyborg's heat vision ignited the pockets of air that animated the crocodiles in his path. Clouds of melted rubber were blown sky high. White flames soared high above the resort, burning a ghostly afterimage onto the eyes of any onlookers.

"OH THE CROCMANITY! THE CROCMANITY!!"



"OH CROC OH MAN OH CROC OH MAN OH CROC OH MAN OH CROC OH MAN!!" The Life Guard squeaked over the of bursting rubber sacks and spluttering, spluttering rubber. "WHAT MERCIFUL GOD WOULD ALLOW SOMETHING LIKE THIS TO HAPPEN??!! OH CROC! OH CROC ITS A MASSACRE!!"

The Life-Guard fell to his knees, clutching his head.

"CURSE, YOU DAMN, DIRTY HUMANS! DAMN YOU ALL TO CROCODILE HELL!"


"No can do, compadre." A distinctively non-inflatable being pushed his way through the sea of deflating crocodiles. Hobbling upon a golden cane, the aging credit tipped a few, wailing, winging reptiles out of his path on his way to the bar. He picked up a large, abandoned Ouka Cola and started to slurp. "He can't send to someplace you already are. You're a part of this city, kid..."
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"And I'm willing to bet a pretty stack of credits that this city is a part of you, too," An aging Arcade chuckled dryly. "Just like its a part o' me. And a part o' Yash. And a part o' Ouka. And a part of everyone else who tried to blow this dump up... oh... how long has it been since CotA, Life-Guard Croc?"

"I don't know, Boss. It's been either... 20 minutes, or 20 years."

"Sounds about right." The Madman shrugged, slurping some more cola. "Not that it really matters. You know when you reach my age... Thirty... Eighty... Hundred... Something, you gain a thrilling new perspective on things. That's why I built this charming little facility... You see, 15 minutes ago, I decided to turn over a new leaf. I'm one of the good guys now. Arcade the Nutbar is dead and gone. I'm Mr.Cade, the totally legitimate businessman now. Funder of Holiday Resorts by day, Player of Bingo by night!"

"Sir... Sir... I may have mentioned Killer-Bee-Fridays."

"Fine." 'Mr.Cade' sighed. "Fine. Maybe I'm not totally legit. Maybe mail bees to pensioners once a week, every week.... But a guy has gotta stay sane somehow! I promise you this- I heal their wounds and wipe their minds of any trauma as soon as I've had my fun. But that's beside the point. What I'm trying to say is... stop trashing my resort, pretty please..."

"A-a-and..." The Croc sniffed. "And stop killing my inflatable brothers..."

"Yeah, whatever. That too."


"Run a third arena? No... that doesn't sound like something I'd do." Mr.Cade grinned softly. "I would never pull the same trick twice. That doesn't sound like 'me' at all!"

"Sir..." The Croc whimpered. "I might have mentioned something about... the… uh... tournament..."

"Hm?" Arcade chirped. "A tournament? Oh... you must be talking about my retirement party! Hush hush now, my inflatable friend. It's supposed to be a surprise! I don't want you spoiling anything before tonight, okay? You know how the saying goes: every time you ruin a retirement surprise, a random citizen of Planet Malice dies! Wait a minutes... that's not how it goes... oh, it's not worth losing anymore hair over!"




"Riveting discussions?" Mr.Cade threw his frail arms around Fushimi and Shang's shoulders and presented them with a dentured grin. "Oh, how I love a good old fashioned riveting discussion! What are we discussing today, friends? The Works of Richard Connell? The current state of the United Nations? The results of that hip new Talent Show all the kids are talking about? Go on! Fill me in! I heard someone mention something to do with fish?"


"Killing the guy who took them..." Arcade muttered to himself. "Now, that sounds awfully familiar. You see, I remember COTA1 as if it were yesterday. Oh, what a show! Casting was a nightmare, but once we found the right crew, directing it was as easy as pie! My guest-writers submitted some incredible scripts! But I don't remember my character dying in any of them! Are you sure you're not getting things muddled? I think the protagonist of COTA2 ended up dying in the Season 1 Finale. His name was... Toro? Tomo? Something like that? Are you sure you're not thinking of him?

@Jeremi @Ver @Atomic Knight @Yun Lee @Takumi @Capri @Lucky @Minerva @Crunch​
Click to expand...

As Arcade made his presence felt Cyborg Superman subsided with his assault.

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"I do not much care for tricksters and half-truths." The glare he gave the old man would have ignited a lesser man. "Tell us why we are here and what you are forcing us to do."

Shang Tsung in turn gave Arcade a polite smile for his question. "Oh, it had more to do with the predicament we had been forced in with your...guards." A small look of disdain escaped from his face as he looked at the carnage around him before looking back at Arcade. "If you are the proprietor of this establishment then I would hope we'll be compensated...well the ones that didn't provoke these creatures after all. Otherwise well...I could even write a poor review."​

@Jeremi @Ver @Atomic Knight @Yun Lee @Takumi @Capri @Lucky @Minerva @Crunch
 
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"..."

Fushimi only silently looked at the so-called "Mr. Cade" as he walked into the scene, his gaze progressively glaring daggers as the aged man slid into Fushimi's exchange with the others.

The younger man would have been lying if he said he wasn't tempted in some part to push Arcade around and demand answers in a show of power, but that wouldn't change that Fushimi was fundamentally at a disadvantage in just about every sense of the word. Thus, he initially said nothing as Arcade butt into the conversation, letting his eyes do the talking for him. Usually, he had no problem keeping his contempt for his various circumstances under wraps, but being drawn so close to the older man tempted him so.

In conjunction with Shang Tsung's own response, Fushimi adjusted his glasses, the lens shimmering through the light. "Yes, something like what the old man said. It would be a shame if this business took a dive... and its owners ended up sleeping with the fishes," he only said, letting Shang Tsung be the voice of diplomacy, for better or for worse.

@Jeremi @Sark @Atomic Knight @Capri @Gummi Bunnies @Takumi @Minerva @Lucky @Everybody​
 
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❝ Excuse me... um, are you doing okay? I mean, you've been quiet during all of... this, I guess. Ah, sorry if I'm jumping to conclusions, it's just really... a lot for me to take in... ❞ Mato awkwardly tried to bring some conversation to Ciri, getting a bit intimidated with how things were going once again. Just a bit of something to help her reassess the situation without being overwhelmed by the large amount of people seemingly dragged into this mess.

@Minerva @Anybody​
 
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