Side Story Champions of the Arena III: Cursed Company

Sark

Im-im-impossible!!
EVERYTHING IS FINE.
WORDS ONLY SPOKEN WHEN EVERYTHING IS NOT FINE.
This is the life, isn't it? Retirement. Very few get to enjoy it anymore. They're living out their twilight years-- No, 'living' isn't the right word. Scrounging by on a fixed income? That's not living. They're existing out their twilight years in some crappy bungalow, knitting or baking their days away. But you? You're spending your 67th birthday at the salon. A masseuses is nursing your aching back to health after that bowls accident last week. The resort life is hard work. Not everyone can appreciate that. Just last week, you were sitting on the peace, reading the latest James Patterson novel, only for disaster to strike! You forgot you glasses! What a bother!
View attachment 8934
Oh, but nothing's going to go wrong today! Your schedule is packed full of relaxation. A morning at the spa. Lunch at the Compendium Grill. And in the afternoon? Your nephew is coming to visit! Oh! They grow up so fast. It's going to be a splendid day. The waves applaud you. A gull sings overhead. The Sun kisses your cheek. Its paradise. Every day is paradis---

***
"GET DOWN! EVERYONE GET DOWN!"
BAANG! BOOOM! AAGGGHHH!
"IN THE DIRT! THEY'RE SHELLING THE CITY! OH GOD! THEY'RE SHELLING THE CITY!"

***

Oh, that was funny. For a moment you could have sworn you were someone far less perfect. You must have nodded off whilst reading again. It happens when you get to your age. You start nodding off here, there and everywhere. They say your memory starts to play tricks on you too. I mean, shelling? Prudence hasn't seen shelling since the Arena Wars of 2425! Goddess, that was a lifetime and a half ago! Nothing like that happens now! Exciting things don't happen on Prudence.
View attachment 8940
Planet Prudence is a place of Relaxation! It's a place of floral shirts, paper necklaces and inflatable crocodiles. It's a place of cordial invites and non-alcoholic cordial cocktails. One of the resort attendants hands you all of the above when you reach the Compendium Bar and Grill. You pay him with an 'oh, thank you, young man' and a friendly smile. You offer him a mint from your bag, and he politely declines. He offers you his arm, and he guides you to your seat. Goddess, everyone's a gentleman nowadays!!

***
"CONCTRIPT! ON YOUR FEET! GET ON YOUR FUCKING FEET!"
BOOM!! BOOM!! AAAAGHH!! AAAGGHH!! GODDESS!!
"WIPE THE BLOOD OUTTA YOUR EYES! STAY WITH ME! STAY WITH ME!!!"

***

The chef clears his throat, and you snap out of that silly little daydream of yours. You apologize profusely. You don't want to be known as the 'rude patron'. You're here forever, after all. The last thing you want is a bad reputation. You promise the chef a nice, fat tip to make up for your lazy gaze. He laughs it off and points to a large, blurry chalk-board menu. You lift your glasses up off of your chain and fumble them onto your face. You squint at the menu for far too long. When did seeing things get so difficult? You'll have the... uhhh.... The Marianne Ribs sound pretty good about now? Maybe a side of Narancia sauce... maybe with an Ouka-Cola?
View attachment 8942
The waiter brings your meal out to the dining area a few minutes later. You follow him out and slowly lower yourself down onto one of the couches. Aghh! Your back! You know its just another old people thing, it feels like---

***
"--MAN DOWN! WE'VE GOT ANOTHER MAN DOWN! THE BLOOD! IT'S NEVER GONNA---THE BLOOD!"
AAGGHHH!! AAGGHH!!
"WE CAN'T HOLD IT! WE'RE CAN'T HOLD THE LOWER CITY! IT'S A MASSACRE! IT'S A---AGHHH!"

***

You adjust one of the cushions. Ah, now you're feeling much better. You thought back pain was a old-old person problem. You weren't that old. Not yet anyway. You take a nice long sip of you Ouka-Cola. You feel the ice rattle around your glass. When you're old- but not old-old- you learn to appreciate little things like that. Little things like.

***
"YOU'LL NEVER TAKE US ALIVE! YOU'VE CAN'T HAVE US! YOU HEAR ME?"
...

"YOU CAN'T HAVE US! YOU CAN'T HAVE US!!"

***

Your straw makes a strange, gurgling sound. Have you finished your drink already? Oh, that's funny. Well, might as well make a start on your ribs. Before you know it, your nephew will be here, and he'll no doubt want a bite of--
"Uncle," A young boy singsongs. "Aunty. I can't remember which you prefer."
He tugs at your sleeve. Ah. It's him. Your nephew.
"What's my name, Uncle-Aunty?"
Oh, that's an easy question. It's... ah... um... This is awkward. He's called.... Oh... it must be an old people thing...
"It's not an old people thing. The memory loss. The day-dreams. They're real."
No. No they're not. Your a resident of the Prudence Resort. You're--
"What's my name, Uncle-Aunty?" The boy breathes. "What's my name?"
View attachment 8945
"What's my name?"
A switch is flicked. You squint. It's still so blurry. You slip those horrible glasses from your face. You tear your paper necklace. You tear that hideous church from your chest. Oh, it's all coming back to you now. Or, at least, it's starting to. The pieces are slowly clicking together. This isn't right. This isn't real.
You watch your reflection change in the bottom of your glass. The years wash away. You're you again. At long, fucking last.
You looking around, searching for your 'nephew'. He's gone. The rest of the Compendium Bar and Grill's patrons are standing up now. They're tearing their necklaces too. They're just as dazed as you are. But they're themselves again too. Things are... normalizing. Your weapons. Powers. Clothes. They're back. They're all working.
****
View attachment 8948
"Are we going to talk about what just happened, or..." Superboy finished the last of his Ouka-Cola and set it down on your table. "Because... Because my head is filled with old-people images I'd rather not talk about--"
View attachment 8949
"Shhh..." Forge hissed in response. "Just shhh..."
"Dude, 5 minutes ago, I was an sexagenarian bus driver." Superboy scoffed. "I think I've earned some freaking-out-time."
"You're freaking, I get it, but shhh..." Forge's eyes widened. "You guys hear that?"
"Hear what?"
Skkkkrrrrrrrr Skkrkrrrrr
"That."
Forge muttered grimly. "That..."
"Sounds like... It sounds like someone rubbing two balloons together? Does this resort have a... a roaming clown, or something?"
Gggggrrrr....
"Do you think I'd be reacting like this if I thought we were dealing with---"

"SSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAA!!!!"


Two large, green jaws emerged from the pool behind Conner. A flash of white. The squeaking of rubber. An inflatable crocodile with very real crocodile teeth tossed the Kryptonian like a rag doll. He passed through a table, a post, the bar and the shack behind it before finally coming to a sudden, scraping stop at the foot of a trash can a city-block away. Forge didn't flinch. He pulled a strange, mechanical weapon from his hip-holster and unleashed a few swift shots into the croc's stomach. They bounced off in all directions.

"Well... This is... interesting."

"SSSHHHHHHRRRRAAAAAA!!!!!"


Two more rubber crocodiles emerged from the pools. The bartender poked his head up from behind the bar. He was a crocodile too. The patrons. The cleaners. More and more crocodiles were shedding their human guises by the second.
View attachment 8950
"Listen here, you little shits..."
A life-guard crocodile cracked his knuckles. "You're gonna sit down. You're going to shut up. You're going to enjoy your drinks. You're going to leave us a great review online... or we're gonna have a problem! The last two arenas might have been all 'whacky-zany-fun times'... but believe me when I say COTA 3 is gonna be dead fucking serious!"

CHAMPIONS OF THE ARENA 3: CURSED COMPANY
PROLOGUE: CROCODILE TEARS

Cast List:
//Aizawa Shota, My Hero Academia, P44, @Space_Candy
//Alexander Anderson, Hellsing, P7, @Crunch
//Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon, The Witcher, P12, @Minerva
//Eren Jaeger, Attack on Titan, P13, @Gummi Bunnies
//Hank Henshaw/Cyborg Superman, DC Comics, P466, @Jeremi
//Josuke Higashikata, Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, P19, @Capri
//Mato Kuroi, Black Rock Shooter, P337, @Gummi Bunnies
//Mollymauk Tealeaf, Critical Roll, P26, @Lucky
//Phi, Zero Escape, P944, @Atomic Knight
//Saruhiko Fushimi, K, P4, @Ver
//Shang Tsung, Mortal Kombat, P108, @Jeremi
//Shion, No.6, P24, @Takumi
//Suigetsu Hozuki, Naruto, P414, @Space_Candy
//Zora Salazar, Epithet Erased P6, @Capri
///
//Chase Davenport, Lab Rats, P3, @Lucky
//Daniel Diaz, Life is Strange, P137, @Atomic Knight
//Ouka Namae, When a Magician's Pupil Smiles, P33, @Takumi
//Marianne von Edmund, Fire Emblem: Three Houses, P22, @Yun Lee
//Yashamaru Kurama, Samurai Shodown, P8, @Yun Lee
 
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EVERYTHING IS FINE.
WORDS ONLY SPOKEN WHEN EVERYTHING IS NOT FINE.
This is the life, isn't it? Retirement. Very few get to enjoy it anymore. They're living out their twilight years-- No, 'living' isn't the right word. Scrounging by on a fixed income? That's not living. They're existing out their twilight years in some crappy bungalow, knitting or baking their days away. But you? You're spending your 67th birthday at the salon. A masseuses is nursing your aching back to health after that bowls accident last week. The resort life is hard work. Not everyone can appreciate that. Just last week, you were sitting on the peace, reading the latest James Patterson novel, only for disaster to strike! You forgot you glasses! What a bother!
View attachment 8934
Oh, but nothing's going to go wrong today! Your schedule is packed full of relaxation. A morning at the spa. Lunch at the Compendium Grill. And in the afternoon? Your nephew is coming to visit! Oh! They grow up so fast. It's going to be a splendid day. The waves applaud you. A gull sings overhead. The Sun kisses your cheek. Its paradise. Every day is paradis---

***
"GET DOWN! EVERYONE GET DOWN!"
BAANG! BOOOM! AAGGGHHH!
"IN THE DIRT! THEY'RE SHELLING THE CITY! OH GOD! THEY'RE SHELLING THE CITY!"

***

Oh, that was funny. For a moment you could have sworn you were someone far less perfect. You must have nodded off whilst reading again. It happens when you get to your age. You start nodding off here, there and everywhere. They say your memory starts to play tricks on you too. I mean, shelling? Prudence hasn't seen shelling since the Arena Wars of 2425! Goddess, that was a lifetime and a half ago! Nothing like that happens now! Exciting things don't happen on Prudence.
View attachment 8940
Planet Prudence is a place of Relaxation! It's a place of floral shits, paper necklaces and inflatable crocodiles. It's a place of cordial invites and non-alcoholic cordial cocktails. One of the resort attendants hands you all of the above when you reach the Compendium Bar and Grill. You pay him with an 'oh, thank you, young man' and a friendly smile. You offer him a mint from your bag, and he politely declines. He offers you his arm, and he guides you to your seat. Goddess, everyone's a gentleman nowadays!!

***
"CONCTRIPT! ON YOUR FEET! GET ON YOUR FUCKING FEET!"
BOOM!! BOOM!! AAAAGHH!! AAAGGHH!! GODDESS!!
"WIPE THE BLOOD OUTTA YOUR EYES! STAY WITH ME! STAY WITH ME!!!"

***

The chef clears his throat, and you snap out of that silly little daydream of yours. You apologize profusely. You don't want to be known as the 'rude patron'. You're here forever, after all. The last thing you want is a bad reputation. You promise the chef a nice, fat tip to make up for your lazy gaze. He laughs it off and points to a large, blurry chalk-board menu. You lift your glasses up off of your chain and fumble them onto your face. You squint at the menu for far too long. When did seeing things get so difficult? You'll have the... uhhh.... The Marianne Ribs sound pretty good about now? Maybe a side of Narancia sauce... maybe with an Ouka-Cola?
View attachment 8942
The waiter brings your meal out to the dining area a few minutes later. You follow him out and slowly lower yourself down onto one of the couches. Aghh! Your back! You know its just another old people thing, it feels like---

***
"--MAN DOWN! WE'VE GOT ANOTHER MAN DOWN! THE BLOOD! IT'S NEVER GONNA---THE BLOOD!"
AAGGHHH!! AAGGHH!!
"WE CAN'T HOLD IT! WE'RE CAN'T HOLD THE LOWER CITY! IT'S A MASSACRE! IT'S A---AGHHH!"

***

You adjust one of the cushions. Ah, now you're feeling much better. You thought back pain was a old-old person problem. You weren't that old. Not yet anyway. You take a nice long sip of you Ouka-Cola. You feel the ice rattle around your glass. When you're old- but not old-old- you learn to appreciate little things like that. Little things like.

***
"YOU'LL NEVER TAKE US ALIVE! YOU'VE CAN'T HAVE US! YOU HEAR ME?"
...

"YOU CAN'T HAVE US! YOU CAN'T HAVE US!!"

***

Your straw makes a strange, gurgling sound. Have you finished your drink already? Oh, that's funny. Well, might as well make a start on your ribs. Before you know it, your nephew will be here, and he'll no doubt want a bite of--
"Uncle," A young boy singsongs. "Aunty. I can't remember which you prefer."
He tugs at your sleeve. Ah. It's him. Your nephew.
"What's my name, Uncle-Aunty?"
Oh, that's an easy question. It's... ah... um... This is awkward. He's called.... Oh... it must be an old people thing...
"It's not an old people thing. The memory loss. The day-dreams. They're real."
No. No they're not. Your a resident of the Prudence Resort. You're--
"What's my name, Uncle-Aunty?" The boy breathes. "What's my name?"
View attachment 8945
"What's my name?"
A switch is flicked. You squint. It's still so blurry. You slip those horrible glasses from your face. You tear your paper necklace. You tear that hideous church from your chest. Oh, it's all coming back to you now. Or, at least, it's starting to. The pieces are slowly clicking together. This isn't right. This isn't real.
You watch your reflection change in the bottom of your glass. The years wash away. You're you again. At long, fucking last.
You looking around, searching for your 'nephew'. He's gone. The rest of the Compendium Bar and Grill's patrons are standing up now. They're tearing their necklaces too. They're just as dazed as you are. But they're themselves again too. Things are... normalizing. Your weapons. Powers. Clothes. They're back. They're all working.
****
View attachment 8948
"Are we going to talk about what just happened, or..." Superboy finished the last of his Ouka-Cola and set it down on your table. "Because... Because my head is filled with old-people images I'd rather not talk about--"
View attachment 8949
"Shhh..." Forge hissed in response. "Just shhh..."
"Dude, 5 minutes ago, I was an sexagenarian bus driver." Superboy scoffed. "I think I've earned some freaking-out-time."
"You're freaking, I get it, but shhh..." Forge's eyes widened. "You guys hear that?"
"Hear what?"
Skkkkrrrrrrrr Skkrkrrrrr
"That."
Forge muttered grimly. "That..."
"Sounds like... It sounds like someone rubbing two balloons together? Does this resort have a... a roaming clown, or something?"
Gggggrrrr....
"Do you think I'd be reacting like this if I thought we were dealing with---"

"SSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAA!!!!"


Two large, green jaws emerged from the pool behind Conner. A flash of white. The squeaking of rubber. An inflatable crocodile with very real crocodile teeth tossed the Kryptonian like a rag doll. He passed through a table, a post, the bar and the shack behind it before finally coming to a sudden, scraping stop at the foot of a trash can a city-block away. Forge didn't flinch. He pulled a strange, mechanical weapon from his hip-holster and unleashed a few swift shots into the croc's stomach. They bounced off in all directions.

"Well... This is... interesting."

"SSSHHHHHHRRRRAAAAAA!!!!!"


Two more rubber crocodiles emerged from the pools. The bartender poked his head up from behind the bar. He was a crocodile too. The patrons. The cleaners. More and more crocodiles were shedding their human guises by the second.
View attachment 8950
"Listen here, you little shits..."
A life-guard crocodile cracked his knuckles. "You're gonna sit down. You're going to shut up. You're going to enjoy your drinks. You're going to leave us a great review online... or we're gonna have a problem! The last two arenas might have been all 'whacky-zany-fun times'... but believe me when I say COTA 3 is gonna be dead fucking serious!"

CHAMPIONS OF THE ARENA 3: CURSED COMPANY
PROLOGUE: CROCODILE TEARS

Cast List:
//Aizawa Shota, My Hero Academia, P44, @Space_Candy
//Alexander Anderson, Hellsing, P7, @Crunch
//Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon, The Witcher, P12, @Minerva
//Eren Jaeger, Attack on Titan, P13, @Gummi Bunnies
//Hank Henshaw/Cyborg Superman, DC Comics, P466, @Jeremi
//Josuke Higashikata, Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, P19, @Capri
//Mato Kuroi, Black Rock Shooter, P337, @Gummi Bunnies
//Mollymauk Tealeaf, Critical Roll, P26, @Lucky
//Phi, Zero Escape, P944, @Atomic Knight
//Saruhiko Fushimi, K, P4, @Ver
//Shang Tsung, Mortal Kombat, P108, @Jeremi
//Shion, No.6, P24, @Takumi
//Suigetsu Hozuki, Naruto, P414, @Space_Candy
//Zora Salazar, Epithet Erased P6, @Capri
///
//Chase Davenport, Lab Rats, P3, @Lucky
//Daniel Diaz, Life is Strange, P137, @Atomic Knight
//Ouka Namae, When a Magician's Pupil Smiles, P33, @Takumi
//Marianne von Edmund, Fire Emblem: Three Houses, P22, @Yun Lee
//Yashamaru Kurama, Samurai Shodown, P8, @Yun Lee

One of the patrons still looked like he was old enough to be someone's grandfather...or even great-grandfather.

185


"Calm yourself, we were not the cause of this." He stroked his beard in contemplation. "Is it the patron's fault when the hotel doesn't provide adequate service?"

Another of them stirred as well. His voice was cold. Mechanical. "You have already turned this into a farce," He replied glaring at the crocodile.

wZk8a63.png


"Remove yourself from my presence or will leave nothing but cinders."

@Sark @Everybody
 
ZORA SALAZAR & JOSUKE HIGASHIKATA
@Sark @Space_Candy @Crunch @Minerva @Gummi Bunnies @Jeremi @Lucky @Atomic Knight @Ver @Takumi @Yun Lee

One of the patrons was easily one of the tallest women you have ever seen. She wore an outfit that screams "cowgirl", down to the hat and poncho. You could practically hear the guitar twang and whistle.

With a loud bang, she placed one of her boots onto a chair, demanding your attention.

View attachment 8973

"Y'all ally-gaters best start makin' some damn sense. Ah don' even know how ah got 'ere," the woman said in the most stereotypical southern accent imaginable, her strangely marked eyes, burning with anger and confusion, glaring at the gators from underneath here wide-brimmed cowgirl hat.

4e9e30d7bbf16deab7ac438aa83319e9.jpg


"Wh-what are you?" another voice said to the gators, clearly just as confused as everyone else here.​
 
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@Sark @Anyone

The white haired woman turned around on her bar stool. "You must be a Vypper." She said in her highborn British-esque accent. "I didn't know they could speak. They're Much smarter than Geralt said. I'll have to note that down." There was a swift hand motion as a tiny umbrella was pulled down in her drink. She paused for a second.

"Now, I have no idea what you're talking about or where I am, Vypper." She said, putting the umbrella down on the counter.​
 
original.jpg


This can't be real... Yeah, Jean probably put something weird in the food last night... Eren remained extremely skeptical at the situation unfolding before him, grumbling under his breath. It had to be, right? There was no sign of his fellow friends and soldiers anywhere here, and this obviously wasn't the Survey Corps base in Wall Rose. Until he was supposedly awakened by either Mikasa or Captain Levi, he would just let this "hallucinated dream" play out.

Eren swiveled himself on his stool seat to make eye contact with the lifeguard crocodile, crossing his arms and then having a sensible chuckle as if humoring the absurdity of all this. ❝ Let me guess, we're your first bunch of ... foreign customers, huh? Definitely can't imagine being... ❞ He pauses, not exactly sure what to call them, since he had no idea what crocodiles were and the same went for rubber. He decides to borrow some vocabulary from that white haired woman, save himself the headache. ❝ ... being a Vypper like you guys. How the hell do you guys even function? And while we're at it, I bet you've served to weirder bunches before, like maybe some abnormal Titans... or whatever the hell isn't really human to begin with. ❞

@Sark @Minerva

Mato was just about confused as everyone else, wondering if she was imagining this as well. However, something about her Other Self's intuition in her head, it nudged her into thinking that this really was real in a way.

tumblr_inline_mtyeqccfhQ1qku79w.png


❝ Umm... what's this place called again? Just so... erm, we can leave a review of our experience here. ❞ Mato asked with great caution and curiosity.

@Sark
@Everyone
 
ZORA SALAZAR
@Sark @Minerva @Gummi Bunnies @AnyoneElse

View attachment 8974

"Whut n' tarnation are the two of yuz blabberin' 'bout?" the tall woman said to Eren and Ciri, "Whut they are don' matter right now. I jus' wanna know wah we're here, and wah ah was an ol' lady, and wah y'alls were ol' people too. That stuff really messin' up mah brain right now, I'm usually the one makin' people ol', y'know,"
 
Last edited:
Eren glanced over at the other woman who approached them, who spoke in an accent that was alike to that hunting village that Sasha came from. He was still extremely convinced that this was all a dream of some sort, but took note of how a good number of people were giving the impression that this was also not normal for them. Probably a part of the dream, he figured.

❝ Beats me. All I really care about right now is getting myself to wake up, because obviously, I've never met any one of you before in my life and none of this is real. So keep doing whatever it is that you do in my absurd dreams... ❞ He shrugged with a crude dismissive tone in response to the tall woman.

@Sark @Minerva @Capri
@Everybody
 
EVERYTHING IS FINE.
WORDS ONLY SPOKEN WHEN EVERYTHING IS NOT FINE.
This is the life, isn't it? Retirement. Very few get to enjoy it anymore. They're living out their twilight years-- No, 'living' isn't the right word. Scrounging by on a fixed income? That's not living. They're existing out their twilight years in some crappy bungalow, knitting or baking their days away. But you? You're spending your 67th birthday at the salon. A masseuses is nursing your aching back to health after that bowls accident last week. The resort life is hard work. Not everyone can appreciate that. Just last week, you were sitting on the peace, reading the latest James Patterson novel, only for disaster to strike! You forgot you glasses! What a bother!
View attachment 8934
Oh, but nothing's going to go wrong today! Your schedule is packed full of relaxation. A morning at the spa. Lunch at the Compendium Grill. And in the afternoon? Your nephew is coming to visit! Oh! They grow up so fast. It's going to be a splendid day. The waves applaud you. A gull sings overhead. The Sun kisses your cheek. Its paradise. Every day is paradis---

***
"GET DOWN! EVERYONE GET DOWN!"
BAANG! BOOOM! AAGGGHHH!
"IN THE DIRT! THEY'RE SHELLING THE CITY! OH GOD! THEY'RE SHELLING THE CITY!"

***

Oh, that was funny. For a moment you could have sworn you were someone far less perfect. You must have nodded off whilst reading again. It happens when you get to your age. You start nodding off here, there and everywhere. They say your memory starts to play tricks on you too. I mean, shelling? Prudence hasn't seen shelling since the Arena Wars of 2425! Goddess, that was a lifetime and a half ago! Nothing like that happens now! Exciting things don't happen on Prudence.
View attachment 8940
Planet Prudence is a place of Relaxation! It's a place of floral shits, paper necklaces and inflatable crocodiles. It's a place of cordial invites and non-alcoholic cordial cocktails. One of the resort attendants hands you all of the above when you reach the Compendium Bar and Grill. You pay him with an 'oh, thank you, young man' and a friendly smile. You offer him a mint from your bag, and he politely declines. He offers you his arm, and he guides you to your seat. Goddess, everyone's a gentleman nowadays!!

***
"CONCTRIPT! ON YOUR FEET! GET ON YOUR FUCKING FEET!"
BOOM!! BOOM!! AAAAGHH!! AAAGGHH!! GODDESS!!
"WIPE THE BLOOD OUTTA YOUR EYES! STAY WITH ME! STAY WITH ME!!!"

***

The chef clears his throat, and you snap out of that silly little daydream of yours. You apologize profusely. You don't want to be known as the 'rude patron'. You're here forever, after all. The last thing you want is a bad reputation. You promise the chef a nice, fat tip to make up for your lazy gaze. He laughs it off and points to a large, blurry chalk-board menu. You lift your glasses up off of your chain and fumble them onto your face. You squint at the menu for far too long. When did seeing things get so difficult? You'll have the... uhhh.... The Marianne Ribs sound pretty good about now? Maybe a side of Narancia sauce... maybe with an Ouka-Cola?
View attachment 8942
The waiter brings your meal out to the dining area a few minutes later. You follow him out and slowly lower yourself down onto one of the couches. Aghh! Your back! You know its just another old people thing, it feels like---

***
"--MAN DOWN! WE'VE GOT ANOTHER MAN DOWN! THE BLOOD! IT'S NEVER GONNA---THE BLOOD!"
AAGGHHH!! AAGGHH!!
"WE CAN'T HOLD IT! WE'RE CAN'T HOLD THE LOWER CITY! IT'S A MASSACRE! IT'S A---AGHHH!"

***

You adjust one of the cushions. Ah, now you're feeling much better. You thought back pain was a old-old person problem. You weren't that old. Not yet anyway. You take a nice long sip of you Ouka-Cola. You feel the ice rattle around your glass. When you're old- but not old-old- you learn to appreciate little things like that. Little things like.

***
"YOU'LL NEVER TAKE US ALIVE! YOU'VE CAN'T HAVE US! YOU HEAR ME?"
...
"YOU CAN'T HAVE US! YOU CAN'T HAVE US!!"

***

Your straw makes a strange, gurgling sound. Have you finished your drink already? Oh, that's funny. Well, might as well make a start on your ribs. Before you know it, your nephew will be here, and he'll no doubt want a bite of--
"Uncle," A young boy singsongs. "Aunty. I can't remember which you prefer."
He tugs at your sleeve. Ah. It's him. Your nephew.
"What's my name, Uncle-Aunty?"
Oh, that's an easy question. It's... ah... um... This is awkward. He's called.... Oh... it must be an old people thing...
"It's not an old people thing. The memory loss. The day-dreams. They're real."
No. No they're not. Your a resident of the Prudence Resort. You're--
"What's my name, Uncle-Aunty?" The boy breathes. "What's my name?"
View attachment 8945
"What's my name?"
A switch is flicked. You squint. It's still so blurry. You slip those horrible glasses from your face. You tear your paper necklace. You tear that hideous church from your chest. Oh, it's all coming back to you now. Or, at least, it's starting to. The pieces are slowly clicking together. This isn't right. This isn't real.
You watch your reflection change in the bottom of your glass. The years wash away. You're you again. At long, fucking last.
You looking around, searching for your 'nephew'. He's gone. The rest of the Compendium Bar and Grill's patrons are standing up now. They're tearing their necklaces too. They're just as dazed as you are. But they're themselves again too. Things are... normalizing. Your weapons. Powers. Clothes. They're back. They're all working.
****
View attachment 8948
"Are we going to talk about what just happened, or..." Superboy finished the last of his Ouka-Cola and set it down on your table. "Because... Because my head is filled with old-people images I'd rather not talk about--"
View attachment 8949
"Shhh..." Forge hissed in response. "Just shhh..."
"Dude, 5 minutes ago, I was an sexagenarian bus driver." Superboy scoffed. "I think I've earned some freaking-out-time."
"You're freaking, I get it, but shhh..." Forge's eyes widened. "You guys hear that?"
"Hear what?"
Skkkkrrrrrrrr Skkrkrrrrr
"That."
Forge muttered grimly. "That..."
"Sounds like... It sounds like someone rubbing two balloons together? Does this resort have a... a roaming clown, or something?"
Gggggrrrr....
"Do you think I'd be reacting like this if I thought we were dealing with---"


"SSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAA!!!!"

Two large, green jaws emerged from the pool behind Conner. A flash of white. The squeaking of rubber. An inflatable crocodile with very real crocodile teeth tossed the Kryptonian like a rag doll. He passed through a table, a post, the bar and the shack behind it before finally coming to a sudden, scraping stop at the foot of a trash can a city-block away. Forge didn't flinch. He pulled a strange, mechanical weapon from his hip-holster and unleashed a few swift shots into the croc's stomach. They bounced off in all directions.

"Well... This is... interesting."


"SSSHHHHHHRRRRAAAAAA!!!!!"


Two more rubber crocodiles emerged from the pools. The bartender poked his head up from behind the bar. He was a crocodile too. The patrons. The cleaners. More and more crocodiles were shedding their human guises by the second.
View attachment 8950
"Listen here, you little shits..."
A life-guard crocodile cracked his knuckles. "You're gonna sit down. You're going to shut up. You're going to enjoy your drinks. You're going to leave us a great review online... or we're gonna have a problem! The last two arenas might have been all 'whacky-zany-fun times'... but believe me when I say COTA 3 is gonna be dead fucking serious!"

CHAMPIONS OF THE ARENA 3: CURSED COMPANY
PROLOGUE: CROCODILE TEARS

Cast List:
//Aizawa Shota, My Hero Academia, P44, @Space_Candy
//Alexander Anderson, Hellsing, P7, @Crunch
//Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon, The Witcher, P12, @Minerva
//Eren Jaeger, Attack on Titan, P13, @Gummi Bunnies
//Hank Henshaw/Cyborg Superman, DC Comics, P466, @Jeremi
//Josuke Higashikata, Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, P19, @Capri
//Mato Kuroi, Black Rock Shooter, P337, @Gummi Bunnies
//Mollymauk Tealeaf, Critical Roll, P26, @Lucky
//Phi, Zero Escape, P944, @Atomic Knight
//Saruhiko Fushimi, K, P4, @Ver
//Shang Tsung, Mortal Kombat, P108, @Jeremi
//Shion, No.6, P24, @Takumi
//Suigetsu Hozuki, Naruto, P414, @Space_Candy
//Zora Salazar, Epithet Erased P6, @Capri
///
//Chase Davenport, Lab Rats, P3, @Lucky
//Daniel Diaz, Life is Strange, P137, @Atomic Knight
//Ouka Namae, When a Magician's Pupil Smiles, P33, @Takumi
//Marianne von Edmund, Fire Emblem: Three Houses, P22, @Yun Lee
//Yashamaru Kurama, Samurai Shodown, P8, @Yun Lee

Shion and Ouka Prologue: Questions and Answers

tumblr_inline_p8qghx8XdB1svbhms_100.jpg


"Wait...no way." Shion muttered under his breath. There was no way this was some dream, because most of his dreams involved Nezumi in some way.

tumblr_inline_p8qgijIq5D1svbhms_100.jpg


"What was that about a COTA 3? Hard to take something like that seriously with a talking inflatable crocodile." He asked then, glaring at the lifeguard crocodile as he stood from his seat. If bullets didn't work on these things, and they seemed rather strong, then he'd keep from trying to pop the beast in the meantime.

d6deb45c6699c924d31af9d4fd255f57debd2487.jpg


"..." Ouka tried to count how many of the inflatable crocs there were in their vicinity, creating his usual sword shaped weapon in case of anymore hostilities from the inflatable reptiles.

"What happened?" He asked, eyeing the lifeguard croc blankly.

@Sark @Gummi Bunnies @Minerva @Capri @Everyone
 
Shion and Ouka Prologue: Questions and Answers

tumblr_inline_p8qghx8XdB1svbhms_100.jpg


"Wait...no way." Shion muttered under his breath. There was no way this was some dream, because most of his dreams involved Nezumi in some way.

tumblr_inline_p8qgijIq5D1svbhms_100.jpg


"What was that about a COTA 3? Hard to take something like that seriously with a talking inflatable crocodile." He asked then, glaring at the lifeguard crocodile as he stood from his seat. If bullets didn't work on these things, and they seemed rather strong, then he'd keep from trying to pop the beast in the meantime.

d6deb45c6699c924d31af9d4fd255f57debd2487.jpg


"..." Ouka tried to count how many of the inflatable crocs there were in their vicinity, creating his usual sword shaped weapon in case of anymore hostilities from the inflatable reptiles.

"What happened?" He asked, eyeing the lifeguard croc blankly.

@Sark @Gummi Bunnies @Minerva @Capri @Everyone

"I believe we should all calm ourselves," The old man stepped between the group and the crocodiles with a calm look on his face. "The situation is dubious, but perhaps we shouldn't be hostile towards the only beings who seem like they know what is going on?"

The robotic figure was not impressed. "Explain yourselves then. Until I make my original threat a reality."

@Sark @Takumi @Gummi Bunnies @Minerva @Capri @Everyone
 
ZORA SALAZAR & JOSUKE HIGASHIKATA
@Sark @Space_Candy @Crunch @Minerva @Gummi Bunnies @Jeremi @Lucky @Atomic Knight @Ver @Takumi @Yun Lee

One of the patrons was easily one of the tallest women you have ever seen. She wore an outfit that screams "cowgirl", down to the hat and poncho. You could practically hear the guitar twang and whistle.

With a loud bang, she placed one of her boots onto a chair, demanding your attention.

View attachment 8951

"Y'all ally-gaters best start makin' some damn sense. Ah don' even know how ah got 'ere," the woman said in the most stereotypical southern accent imaginable, her strangely marked eyes, burning with anger and confusion, glaring at the gators from underneath here wide-brimmed cowgirl hat.
“Gator???” The Life Guard spat in disgust, it’s rubber leaks unleashing a horrid, squeaking screech. “Gator??? We’re crocodiles, you ignorant brat!”
The Croc’s tail- now a formless, green blur- struck the back of the Cowgirl’s legs and swept her off her feet. A scaled foot stomped down up on her airborne body and pelted it across the bar.
“C-R-O-C-O-D-I-L-E-S!!” The Life Guard snapped. “Crocs! Big-Green snappers! Call us ‘Sirs’ if you must! But gators? The Crocodylus Porosus are a proud and noble people! We object to you slurs!!”
ZORA SALAZAR & JOSUKE HIGASHIKATA
@Sark @Space_Candy @Crunch @Minerva @Gummi Bunnies @Jeremi @Lucky @Atomic Knight @Ver @Takumi @Yun Lee

One of the patrons was easily one of the tallest women you have ever seen. She wore an outfit that screams "cowgirl", down to the hat and poncho. You could practically hear the guitar twang and whistle.

With a loud bang, she placed one of her boots onto a chair, demanding your attention.

View attachment 8951

"Y'all ally-gaters best start makin' some damn sense. Ah don' even know how ah got 'ere," the woman said in the most stereotypical southern accent imaginable, her strangely marked eyes, burning with anger and confusion, glaring at the gators from underneath here wide-brimmed cowgirl hat.

4e9e30d7bbf16deab7ac438aa83319e9.jpg


"Wh-what are you?" another voice said to the gators, clearly just as confused as everyone else here.
“We’re Crocodiles, dumbass!” The Life Guard snarled. “Cro-co-diles! You need me to spell it out again? We’ve covered this! It was in the croc-damn brochures! You read them on your way in!!”
@Sark @Anyone

The white haired woman turned around on her bar stool. "You must be a Vypper." She said in her highborn British-esque accent. "I didn't know they could speak. They're Much smarter than Geralt said. I'll have to note that down." There was a swift hand motion as a tiny umbrella was pulled down in her drink. She paused for a second.

"Now, I have no idea what you're talking about or where I am, Vypper." She said, putting the umbrella down on the counter.
“Vypper? Do I look like a croc-damn Vypper to you?” The Life-Guard tool two slow, methodical steps towards the white haired-woman. “If I can TALK and WALK, and do this—“
Crack
The Croc’s head collided with the Stranger’s. The crocodile was inflatable. It’s headbutt shouldn’t have hurt at all. It shouldn’t have... but the stream of blood that trickled down the Stranger’s forehead was evidence to the contrary.
“—Then ye can presume that I’m higher up the evolutionary tree than some guy-crawling Vypper!”
original.jpg


This can't be real... Yeah, Jean probably put something weird in the food last night... Eren remained extremely skeptical at the situation unfolding before him, grumbling under his breath. It had to be, right? There was no sign of his fellow friends and soldiers anywhere here, and this obviously wasn't the Survey Corps base in Wall Rose. Until he was supposedly awakened by either Mikasa or Captain Levi, he would just let this "hallucinated dream" play out.

Eren swiveled himself on his stool seat to make eye contact with the lifeguard crocodile, crossing his arms and then having a sensible chuckle as if humoring the absurdity of all this. ❝ Let me guess, we're your first bunch of ... foreign customers, huh? Definitely can't imagine being... ❞ He pauses, not exactly sure what to call them, since he had no idea what crocodiles were and the same went for rubber. He decides to borrow some vocabulary from that white haired woman, save himself the headache. ❝ ... being a Vypper like you guys. How the hell do you guys even function? And while we're at it, I bet you've served to weirder bunches before, like maybe some abnormal Titans... or whatever the hell isn't really human to begin with. ❞

@Sark @Minerva

Mato was just about confused as everyone else, wondering if she was imagining this as well. However, something about her Other Self's intuition in her head, it nudged her into thinking that this really was real in a way.

tumblr_inline_mtyeqccfhQ1qku79w.png


❝ Umm... what's this place called again? Just so... erm, we can leave a review of our experience here. ❞ Mato asked with great caution and curiosity.

@Sark
@Everyone
“What was that, punk?” The Crocodile stretched it’s short, stubby arms towards its ‘ears’. “Did you just talk shit about the food? Well... did ya?? Oi! Bartender Croc!”
The Croc in question poked its head up from behind the bar.
“This pink-skin is talking smack about ye cooking! He didn’t like your ribs!”
The Bartender picked his knife up off of the chopping board and started waddling towards Eren.
“You ungrateful shit!” It snorted. “You want to complain about my ribs? I’ll make ye puke them back up again! Who’ll be laughing then, eh?”
Eren glanced over at the other woman who approached them, who spoke in an accent that was alike to that hunting village that Sasha came from. He was still extremely convinced that this was all a dream of some sort, but took note of how a good number of people were giving the impression that this was also not normal for them. Probably a part of the dream, he figured.

❝ Beats me. All I really care about right now is getting myself to wake up, because obviously, I've never met any one of you before in my life and none of this is real. So keep doing whatever it is that you do in my absurd dreams... ❞ He shrugged with a crude dismissive tone in response to the tall woman.

@Sark @Minerva @Capri
@Everybody
“Dreamin’, huh?” The Bartender yelled. “When was the last time ye had a dream like this!”
With a primal, belly-crawling cry, the Croc tossed his cleaver towards Eren. “This is as real as it gets, flesh-o!!”




Shion and Ouka Prologue: Questions and Answers

tumblr_inline_p8qghx8XdB1svbhms_100.jpg


"Wait...no way." Shion muttered under his breath. There was no way this was some dream, because most of his dreams involved Nezumi in some way.

tumblr_inline_p8qgijIq5D1svbhms_100.jpg


"What was that about a COTA 3? Hard to take something like that seriously with a talking inflatable crocodile." He asked then, glaring at the lifeguard crocodile as he stood from his seat. If bullets didn't work on these things, and they seemed rather strong, then he'd keep from trying to pop the beast in the meantime.

d6deb45c6699c924d31af9d4fd255f57debd2487.jpg


"..." Ouka tried to count how many of the inflatable crocs there were in their vicinity, creating his usual sword shaped weapon in case of anymore hostilities from the inflatable reptiles.

"What happened?" He asked, eyeing the lifeguard croc blankly.

@Sark @Gummi Bunnies @Minerva @Capri @Everyone
“You think I chose to be an inflatable crocodile? Way to judge a fella by his appearance, creep!” The Croc planted a boisterous palm upon Shion’s shoulder, testing the kids strength like a middle-school bully. “You want to play dumb, huh? You think it’s funny to play dumb? You think taking the piss outta the crocs makes you a big man, huh? Huh? HUH?”

original.jpg


This can't be real... Yeah, Jean probably put something weird in the food last night... Eren remained extremely skeptical at the situation unfolding before him, grumbling under his breath. It had to be, right? There was no sign of his fellow friends and soldiers anywhere here, and this obviously wasn't the Survey Corps base in Wall Rose. Until he was supposedly awakened by either Mikasa or Captain Levi, he would just let this "hallucinated dream" play out.

Eren swiveled himself on his stool seat to make eye contact with the lifeguard crocodile, crossing his arms and then having a sensible chuckle as if humoring the absurdity of all this. ❝ Let me guess, we're your first bunch of ... foreign customers, huh? Definitely can't imagine being... ❞ He pauses, not exactly sure what to call them, since he had no idea what crocodiles were and the same went for rubber. He decides to borrow some vocabulary from that white haired woman, save himself the headache. ❝ ... being a Vypper like you guys. How the hell do you guys even function? And while we're at it, I bet you've served to weirder bunches before, like maybe some abnormal Titans... or whatever the hell isn't really human to begin with. ❞

@Sark @Minerva

Mato was just about confused as everyone else, wondering if she was imagining this as well. However, something about her Other Self's intuition in her head, it nudged her into thinking that this really was real in a way.

tumblr_inline_mtyeqccfhQ1qku79w.png


❝ Umm... what's this place called again? Just so... erm, we can leave a review of our experience here. ❞ Mato asked with great caution and curiosity.

@Sark
@Everyone
“You know full-well where you are, short-round!“ The Croc snapped its jaws and stomped its feet. “You’re the ones who brought to Croc-Damn tickets! You’re the ones who reserved your Cro-Damn rooms! You’re to ones who been playing bowls here every bloody morning! This is the Compendium Resort! Murder City? Planet Malice? What’s wrong? Got cottage cheese for a brain?”
Shion and Ouka Prologue: Questions and Answers

tumblr_inline_p8qghx8XdB1svbhms_100.jpg


"Wait...no way." Shion muttered under his breath. There was no way this was some dream, because most of his dreams involved Nezumi in some way.

tumblr_inline_p8qgijIq5D1svbhms_100.jpg


"What was that about a COTA 3? Hard to take something like that seriously with a talking inflatable crocodile." He asked then, glaring at the lifeguard crocodile as he stood from his seat. If bullets didn't work on these things, and they seemed rather strong, then he'd keep from trying to pop the beast in the meantime.

d6deb45c6699c924d31af9d4fd255f57debd2487.jpg


"..." Ouka tried to count how many of the inflatable crocs there were in their vicinity, creating his usual sword shaped weapon in case of anymore hostilities from the inflatable reptiles.

"What happened?" He asked, eyeing the lifeguard croc blankly.

@Sark @Gummi Bunnies @Minerva @Capri @Everyone
You happened, Namae Ouka,” The Croc replied bluntly. “You happened.”
ZORA SALAZAR
@Sark @Minerva @Gummi Bunnies @AnyoneElse

View attachment 8952

"Whut n' tarnation are the two of yuz blabberin' 'bout?" the tall woman said to Eren and Ciri, "Whut they are don' matter right now. I jus' wanna know wah we're here, and wah ah was an ol' lady, and wah y'alls were ol' people too. That stuff really messin' up mah brain right now, I'm usually the one makin' people ol', y'know,"
“Because that’s the package you paid for, you hide-wearing pot-head.” The Croc groaned. “Brochures! Read them! You’re all part of the Twilight Package! The Worry-Free Deal? Uhhh!” The Croc groaned. “You paid the Boss 2 Million Bucks to his Quantum Sphere to come here! You’d think you’d remember the terms of ya package!”
"I believe we should all calm ourselves," The old man stepped between the group and the crocodiles with a calm look on his face. "The situation is dubious, but perhaps we shouldn't be hostile towards the only beings who seem like they know what is going on?"

The robotic figure was not impressed. "Explain yourselves then. Until I make my original threat a reality."

@Sark @Takumi @Gummi Bunnies @Minerva @Capri @Everyone
“You know exactly what’s going! Did your dream retirement involve dementia or something?” The Croc thrashed. “The Compendium Resort is DreamScape Holiday! You pay the boss a maddening fee, and in return, he implants you with false memories of a life well-lived and blah blah blah you have a super relaxing retirement that may or may not involve killer-bee-Fridays. You all signed up for this! You don’t just ‘wake up’ here without signing the contracts! Now sit down before I knock you down! You’re ruining the illusion for everyone else!!”
"I believe we should all calm ourselves," The old man stepped between the group and the crocodiles with a calm look on his face. "The situation is dubious, but perhaps we shouldn't be hostile towards the only beings who seem like they know what is going on?"

The robotic figure was not impressed. "Explain yourselves then. Until I make my original threat a reality."

@Sark @Takumi @Gummi Bunnies @Minerva @Capri @Everyone
“Just try it, homomechanus.” The Life Guard wafted a wave of fish-smelling breath towards the Cyborg. “This City was built to contain freaks like you... or maybe ‘rebuilt’ is more accurate, I don’t know. They don’t pay me to think. Short answer is, I do the punching, you do the getting-punched, and the rest of our guests go back to playing croquet!”

@Jeremi @Takumi @Capri @Minerva @Gummi Bunnies
 

“Gator???” The Life Guard spat in disgust, it’s rubber leaks unleashing a horrid, squeaking screech. “Gator??? We’re crocodiles, you ignorant brat!”
The Croc’s tail- now a formless, green blur- struck the back of the Cowgirl’s legs and swept her off her feet. A scaled foot stomped down up on her airborne body and pelted it across the bar.
“C-R-O-C-O-D-I-L-E-S!!” The Life Guard snapped. “Crocs! Big-Green snappers! Call us ‘Sirs’ if you must! But gators? The Crocodylus Porosus are a proud and noble people! We object to you slurs!!”

“We’re Crocodiles, dumbass!” The Life Guard snarled. “Cro-co-diles! You need me to spell it out again? We’ve covered this! It was in the croc-damn brochures! You read them on your way in!!”

“Vypper? Do I look like a croc-damn Vypper to you?” The Life-Guard tool two slow, methodical steps towards the white haired-woman. “If I can TALK and WALK, and do this—“
Crack
The Croc’s head collided with the Stranger’s. The crocodile was inflatable. It’s headbutt shouldn’t have hurt at all. It shouldn’t have... but the stream of blood that trickled down the Stranger’s forehead was evidence to the contrary.
“—Then ye can presume that I’m higher up the evolutionary tree than some guy-crawling Vypper!”

“What was that, punk?” The Crocodile stretched it’s short, stubby arms towards its ‘ears’. “Did you just talk shit about the food? Well... did ya?? Oi! Bartender Croc!”
The Croc in question poked its head up from behind the bar.
“This pink-skin is talking smack about ye cooking! He didn’t like your ribs!”
The Bartender picked his knife up off of the chopping board and started waddling towards Eren.
“You ungrateful shit!” It snorted. “You want to complain about my ribs? I’ll make ye puke them back up again! Who’ll be laughing then, eh?”

“Dreamin’, huh?” The Bartender yelled. “When was the last time ye had a dream like this!”
With a primal, belly-crawling cry, the Croc tossed his cleaver towards Eren. “This is as real as it gets, flesh-o!!”





“You think I chose to be an inflatable crocodile? Way to judge a fella by his appearance, creep!” The Croc planted a boisterous palm upon Shion’s shoulder, testing the kids strength like a middle-school bully. “You want to play dumb, huh? You think it’s funny to play dumb? You think taking the piss outta the crocs makes you a big man, huh? Huh? HUH?”


“You know full-well where you are, short-round!“ The Croc snapped its jaws and stomped its feet. “You’re the ones who brought to Croc-Damn tickets! You’re the ones who reserved your Cro-Damn rooms! You’re to ones who been playing bowls here every bloody morning! This is the Compendium Resort! Murder City? Planet Malice? What’s wrong? Got cottage cheese for a brain?”

You happened, Namae Ouka,” The Croc replied bluntly. “You happened.”

“Because that’s the package you paid for, you hide-wearing pot-head.” The Croc groaned. “Brochures! Read them! You’re all part of the Twilight Package! The Worry-Free Deal? Uhhh!” The Croc groaned. “You paid the Boss 2 Million Bucks to his Quantum Sphere to come here! You’d think you’d remember the terms of ya package!”

“You know exactly what’s going! Did your dream retirement involve dementia or something?” The Croc thrashed. “The Compendium Resort is DreamScape Holiday! You pay the boss a maddening fee, and in return, he implants you with false memories of a life well-lived and blah blah blah you have a super relaxing retirement that may or may not involve killer-bee-Fridays. You all signed up for this! You don’t just ‘wake up’ here without signing the contracts! Now sit down before I knock you down! You’re ruining the illusion for everyone else!!”

“Just try it, homomechanus.” The Life Guard wafted a wave of fish-smelling breath towards the Cyborg. “This City was built to contain freaks like you... or maybe ‘rebuilt’ is more accurate, I don’t know. They don’t pay me to think. Short answer is, I do the punching, you do the getting-punched, and the rest of our guests go back to playing croquet!”

@Jeremi @Takumi @Capri @Minerva @Gummi Bunnies

The man stroked his beard in contemplation. "Interesting...you will have to excuse a foolish old man. Because I have no recollection of any sort of transaction that you speak of."

The cyborg continued to glare at the crocodile. "From one construct to another then," The beast was right. He felt off somewhat. Even though running a diagnostic didn't seem to remark anything irregular in his systems. "How mechanical are you?"

@Sark @Jeremi @Takumi @Capri @Minerva @Gummi Bunnies
 
None of that was ringing a bell. Not at all. Even her Other Self was clueless judging from what she was hearing in her head. Mato didn't like how things were turning out...

❝ Huh... I don't remember ever signing up for this... I mean, a vacation is always welcome but I'm not sure why there's an illusion included with it. ❞ She tilted her head, still trying to make sense of this. A paradise vacation that makes use of illusions, her Other Self mentally suggests that there's some catch to this. Before Mato could ask more, she overheard another conversation that sounded very hostile from the get-go.

❝ I didn't say shit about YOUR food, and I don't really care for it. It's not like it matters in a dream. ❞ Eren snapped back, not caring at all that he was escalating this confrontation with the bartender croc. Dreams aren't supposed to make much sense anyways, like how he didn't exactly understand the earlier scenario being an old man for some reason. So with a cleaver incoming towards him, he'll just... jot up awake at his quarters like nothing ever happened.

... right?

Cleaver blade tearing through the skin around his left wrist, it was only natural that the pain enticed the instant reaction to guide his body away from more possible injury. And with such pain roaring through his nervous system, he... wasn't supposedly waking up from this "dream."

That's when Eren realized that he wasn't dreaming.

This was all real... somehow.

tumblr_inline_p7ggv4AtB61rhri0x_100.jpg


❝ Okay... okay... it's all real... alright... ❞ He repeated to convince himself about this discovery. Staring down at where the pain was radiating from, he saw that his wrist was clearly cut, and deep too. Steam started to come out of that flesh wound. Yeah, that was evidence enough that he wasn't dreaming, and it was very much real.

He then stared at the bartender croc, staring straight into what were the other's eyes. Whatever the hell it was, it attacked him, or rather trying to kill him. Oh he wasn't going to let that slide.

❝ If that's how you're going to be, then let me return the favor right back, asshole!! ❞ Eren grabbed a hold of his blade, removing it from his gear. Wanting to get back at the bartender croc for that cleaver throw, he ferociously charged at him with a blade swing incoming.

❝ W-wah! Hold on a sec, please don't fight! Fighting like this isn't allowed here, right?! Even if the vacation is surrounded by an illusion, violence isn't a part of it, right?!! ❞ Mato audibly freaked out once tensions spiked immediately into a fight.

@Sark @Jeremi @Takumi @Capri @Minerva
@Everyone
 
ZORA SALAZAR & JOSUKE HIGASHIKATA
@Sark @Minerva @Gummi Bunnies @Jeremi @Takumi @Everyone

"To-may-to, to-mah-to, don’t getcha panties ‘n uh twis’,” the woman dismissively spoke, “‘Sides, not like ah evah would ‘ave giv’n ya uh review or whutevuh. Ah’m not dat good whit them techno-doohickeys anyways,”

And then the croc flung a cleaver at Eren, and Eren moved to slash the croc.

The woman approached the croc and suddenly, when the time was right, the boy was pushed back.

View attachment 8975

“Boys, do you two know how tah use ya big-boy words? Yah see what that ally-gater did tah dat guy in thuh shirt?” She said, a mocking smirk on her face which quickly turned into irritation, “Ah had tah use mah epithet, ah hate usin’ mah epithet, too ovuh-powahd. That ain’t even the worst uhv it, so unless yah wanna be ol’ uh-gain then ah reccomend standin’ do-”

[POP]
[fzzzz]


The croc next to the woman began to deflate, as there were holes lining the side of it.

View attachment 8960

“Whoops”
 
Last edited:

“Gator???” The Life Guard spat in disgust, it’s rubber leaks unleashing a horrid, squeaking screech. “Gator??? We’re crocodiles, you ignorant brat!”
The Croc’s tail- now a formless, green blur- struck the back of the Cowgirl’s legs and swept her off her feet. A scaled foot stomped down up on her airborne body and pelted it across the bar.
“C-R-O-C-O-D-I-L-E-S!!” The Life Guard snapped. “Crocs! Big-Green snappers! Call us ‘Sirs’ if you must! But gators? The Crocodylus Porosus are a proud and noble people! We object to you slurs!!”

“We’re Crocodiles, dumbass!” The Life Guard snarled. “Cro-co-diles! You need me to spell it out again? We’ve covered this! It was in the croc-damn brochures! You read them on your way in!!”

“Vypper? Do I look like a croc-damn Vypper to you?” The Life-Guard tool two slow, methodical steps towards the white haired-woman. “If I can TALK and WALK, and do this—“
Crack
The Croc’s head collided with the Stranger’s. The crocodile was inflatable. It’s headbutt shouldn’t have hurt at all. It shouldn’t have... but the stream of blood that trickled down the Stranger’s forehead was evidence to the contrary.
“—Then ye can presume that I’m higher up the evolutionary tree than some guy-crawling Vypper!”

“What was that, punk?” The Crocodile stretched it’s short, stubby arms towards its ‘ears’. “Did you just talk shit about the food? Well... did ya?? Oi! Bartender Croc!”
The Croc in question poked its head up from behind the bar.
“This pink-skin is talking smack about ye cooking! He didn’t like your ribs!”
The Bartender picked his knife up off of the chopping board and started waddling towards Eren.
“You ungrateful shit!” It snorted. “You want to complain about my ribs? I’ll make ye puke them back up again! Who’ll be laughing then, eh?”

“Dreamin’, huh?” The Bartender yelled. “When was the last time ye had a dream like this!”
With a primal, belly-crawling cry, the Croc tossed his cleaver towards Eren. “This is as real as it gets, flesh-o!!”





“You think I chose to be an inflatable crocodile? Way to judge a fella by his appearance, creep!” The Croc planted a boisterous palm upon Shion’s shoulder, testing the kids strength like a middle-school bully. “You want to play dumb, huh? You think it’s funny to play dumb? You think taking the piss outta the crocs makes you a big man, huh? Huh? HUH?”


“You know full-well where you are, short-round!“ The Croc snapped its jaws and stomped its feet. “You’re the ones who brought to Croc-Damn tickets! You’re the ones who reserved your Cro-Damn rooms! You’re to ones who been playing bowls here every bloody morning! This is the Compendium Resort! Murder City? Planet Malice? What’s wrong? Got cottage cheese for a brain?”

You happened, Namae Ouka,” The Croc replied bluntly. “You happened.”

“Because that’s the package you paid for, you hide-wearing pot-head.” The Croc groaned. “Brochures! Read them! You’re all part of the Twilight Package! The Worry-Free Deal? Uhhh!” The Croc groaned. “You paid the Boss 2 Million Bucks to his Quantum Sphere to come here! You’d think you’d remember the terms of ya package!”

“You know exactly what’s going! Did your dream retirement involve dementia or something?” The Croc thrashed. “The Compendium Resort is DreamScape Holiday! You pay the boss a maddening fee, and in return, he implants you with false memories of a life well-lived and blah blah blah you have a super relaxing retirement that may or may not involve killer-bee-Fridays. You all signed up for this! You don’t just ‘wake up’ here without signing the contracts! Now sit down before I knock you down! You’re ruining the illusion for everyone else!!”

“Just try it, homomechanus.” The Life Guard wafted a wave of fish-smelling breath towards the Cyborg. “This City was built to contain freaks like you... or maybe ‘rebuilt’ is more accurate, I don’t know. They don’t pay me to think. Short answer is, I do the punching, you do the getting-punched, and the rest of our guests go back to playing croquet!”

@Jeremi @Takumi @Capri @Minerva @Gummi Bunnies

"Creep?" Shion grumbled in confusion. Then focused on what other nonsense the croc was spewing. Signing up for this? This whole thing sounded ridiculous, especially paying some amount of money he didn't have to do so.

"Okay, how about just telling me who's running this Cota 3? Last I heard, the guy who started this sick trend was dead, and I haven't heard anything about a second arena." He replied, eyes drifting down to where the croc had placed his hand a moment. While Shion didn't look like much, and could be considered an average man in his twenties other than the scar and his hair and eyes color, he could at least defend himself if need be.

Ouka tilted his head at the croc's blunt response. If Arcade was able to 'rebuild' district A and start a new arena so soon, how had they come to this situation?

@Sark @Capri @Jeremi @Minerva @Gummi Bunnies @Everyone
 
The man stroked his beard in contemplation. "Interesting...you will have to excuse a foolish old man. Because I have no recollection of any sort of transaction that you speak of."
None of that was ringing a bell. Not at all. Even her Other Self was clueless judging from what she was hearing in her head. Mato didn't like how things were turning out...

❝ Huh... I don't remember ever signing up for this... I mean, a vacation is always welcome but I'm not sure why there's an illusion included with it. ❞ She tilted her head, still trying to make sense of this. A paradise vacation that makes use of illusions, her Other Self mentally suggests that there's some catch to this. Before Mato could ask more, she overheard another conversation that sounded very hostile from the get-go.


"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."
"Okay, how about just telling me who's running this Cota 3? Last I heard, the guy who started this sick trend was dead, and I haven't heard anything about a second arena." He replied, eyes drifting down to where the croc had placed his hand a moment. While Shion didn't look like much, and could be considered an average man in his twenties other than the scar and his hair and eyes color, he could at least defend himself if need be.

Ouka tilted his head at the croc's blunt response. If Arcade was able to 'rebuild' district A and start a new arena so soon, how had they come to this situation?
"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."
The cyborg continued to glare at the crocodile. "From one construct to another then," The beast was right. He felt off somewhat. Even though running a diagnostic didn't seem to remark anything irregular in his systems. "How mechanical are you?"
"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
[POP]
[fzzzz]


The croc next to the woman began to deflate, as there were holes lining the side of it.

View attachment 8960

“Whoops”
❝ I didn't say shit about YOUR food, and I don't really care for it. It's not like it matters in a dream. ❞ Eren snapped back, not caring at all that he was escalating this confrontation with the bartender croc. Dreams aren't supposed to make much sense anyways, like how he didn't exactly understand the earlier scenario being an old man for some reason. So with a cleaver incoming towards him, he'll just... jot up awake at his quarters like nothing ever happened.

... right?

Cleaver blade tearing through the skin around his left wrist, it was only natural that the pain enticed the instant reaction to guide his body away from more possible injury. And with such pain roaring through his nervous system, he... wasn't supposedly waking up from this "dream."

That's when Eren realized that he wasn't dreaming.

This was all real... somehow.

❝ Okay... okay... it's all real... alright... ❞ He repeated to convince himself about this discovery. Staring down at where the pain was radiating from, he saw that his wrist was clearly cut, and deep too. Steam started to come out of that flesh wound. Yeah, that was evidence enough that he wasn't dreaming, and it was very much real.

He then stared at the bartender croc, staring straight into what were the other's eyes. Whatever the hell it was, it attacked him, or rather trying to kill him. Oh he wasn't going to let that slide.

❝ If that's how you're going to be, then let me return the favor right back, asshole!! ❞ Eren grabbed a hold of his blade, removing it from his gear. Wanting to get back at the bartender croc for that cleaver throw, he ferociously charged at him with a blade swing incoming.
"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..."
View attachment 8963
"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
 


"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..."
View attachment 8963
"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

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.

@Sark @Lucky @Atomic Knight @Takumi @Capri @Yun Lee @Jeremi @Gummi Bunnies @Crunch @Minerva
 
ZORA SALAZAR & JOSUKE HIGASHIKATA
@Sark @Lucky @Atomic Knight @Takumi @Yun Lee @Jeremi @Crunch @Minerva @Space_Candy

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

The boy simply shrugged.

"Soft and Wet"

Out of the boy came...

Layer_0.png


It floated upwards and began to punch the crocs!

30b.gif


ORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORA!!!!!!!!!

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

View attachment 8976

"This is cert’nly interestin’..."
 
Last edited:
View attachment 8970

"... I have no idea what's going on."

It was hardly the strangest thing Fushimi had ever found himself bumping into, which in of itself was probably strange, but he still found it inconveniencing all the same. Unfamiliar faces, waking up to a bar fight with crocodiles. Whereas other people might have felt aghast and shocked, Saruhiko Fushimi only felt boredom. At times, it almost seemed like there were no limits to what disinterested him, and this was probably pushing it, but here he was all the same.

The young man looked down at himself, eyeing up his own outfit. Still had his saber on him. That was all he needed. Adjusting his glasses, rather than partaking in the fight, Fushimi merely stood back alongside Shang Tsung and Zora. He had no personal quarrel with these... things. It would be a different story if one of them would make the mistake of rolling up to him, but it wasn't like Fushimi had any bond with anyone here yet, so alas. Everyone for themselves. Law of the jungle.

That's the way his life had always been. If you were weak, you deserved to be weeded out.

Crossing his arms, he lazily gestured over to the old man and the taller woman. "So, you two come here often?" He asked in a lackadaisical manner; his words would have implied he was making a joke, but his tone was so deadpan and flat, on top of his narrow, unchanging gaze, it was difficult to get a good grasp on him.

May as well get properly situated here while he had the opportunity.

@Capri @Jeremi @Anybody
 
"I'm afraid this is my first time," The old man replied to the bespectacled boy. "The service has not been up to par." A wry smirk crept upon his face at the remark before he gave the boy courteous bow. "In all of the excitement I have forgotten to introduce myself. I am Shang Tsung. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

The words seemed sincere but there was something off about the old man. Like you were having a wolf over for supper.

@Ver @Capri
 
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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