Side Story Champions of the Arena III: Cursed Company

[Jeremi]

Always the same thing when you try to stick your neck out for someone, but perhaps this could be used to his advantage. As the old wizard stumbled to the ground he let his hands break his fall as he chanted a small incantation.

Before the sword could hit him it would be grasped by a number of skeletal hands that shot out from the ground. "Such an eager slave to your master," Shang Tsung grunted. "Always ready to please Arcade and his whims." He looked up at Zora the strain to do so was clear. "But what if I told you there was an easier way for us to get through this?"

@Space_Candy @Gummi Bunnies @Lucky @Capri @Atomic Knight @Minerva @Takumi @Ver @Sark @Crunch @Capri

 

[Capri]

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

The skeletal hands crumbled under Sundial’s pressure, and Zora moved to make another blow when Shang Tsung spoke...

...and the words cut through her like a knife.

"Such an eager slave to your master. Always ready to please Arcade and his whims. But what if I told you there was an easier way for us to get through this?"

Zora did not back down from her stance, but she made no attempt to strike Shang Tsung. Maybe he could tell, maybe he couldn’t, but Zora’s mind was racing a million miles per hour.

View attachment 9211

What was she doing? Why was she doing this? She almost killed a little boy! Why was she doing this? What is she even fighting for?

This isn’t what she would have wanted.

Zora’s arms dropped, the stone cold face of a killer she wore before completely gone, looking more human than she did at the resort.

“Tell me,” she said, “Tell me anothuh way,”​

 

[Jeremi]

Good. It seemed he got through to her. "Three lives to free us, but what if you kill one with many lifetimes inside of them?" Shang Tsung continued. "To save us all, you only need to kill one. Doesn't this sound far better to your ears as it does mine?"

@Space_Candy @Gummi Bunnies @Lucky @Capri @Atomic Knight @Minerva @Takumi @Ver @Sark @Crunch @Capri

 

[Space_Candy]

Aizawa frowned as the crimson man rambled angrily at him as if he weren't just hanging on for his life off this stupid train. Aizawa opened his mouth to retort- annoyed, but the man held his hand up as a noise pulsed. He stood on guard, his goggles pulled down onto his neck, Aizawa turned his head back to the man just as a blade came through his throat. His eyes widened as a small spray of the other's blood hit his face causing him to flinch slightly.

The conductor was playing phony. Aizawa's brows furrowed, anger setting in- shocked as he grabbed a child, one he hadn't noticed. The heat was rising they needed to move. He moved quickly towards the child but the three vanished quickly. He turned his head as the fire melted the front of the train in mere seconds.

View attachment 9212

He pulled his scarf out, using it to grab Thaal and a few others, running quickly.

"Let's move!"

@Sark @Yun Lee @Jeremi @Atomic Knight @Lucky @TeamTrain
-----------------------------------------------------------------

Bricks and debris crashed down as the tank attacked, causing Suigetsu to jump back- coughing through the puff of dust. He flickered his eyes in different directions, searching for the hunk of metal. Dodging as it found him instead, Suigestu blinked, narrowing his eyes were its legs always like that? It's mechanical eyes met his before it screeched out its siren and warnings. Suigetsu pulled out his sword, preparing to fight.

View attachment 9213

But then the thing launched a rocket.

"Fuck..." He muttered before making a run for it.

@Sark​

 

[Atomic Knight]

Planet Prudence. The City of the Dead.

It all came flooding into Daniel's consciousness, feeling a bit like whiplash. He should have been feeling a rush of emotions at what he was seeing... but still Daniel just felt dead. He clenched his hands into fists and looked away from the others. Daniel just didn't know what to feel anymore.

@Takumi @Yun Lee @Lucky @Jeremi @Gummi Bunnies @Sark @Prudence​

 

[Takumi]

Team OBLIVION/Team PRUDENCE
"In this race, we all hold a stake!" Temsar pleased softly. "Please! You need to focus on Henshaw! The Children shan't be safe until---"

The Spirit's voice was drowned out by Ramuda's verses. His words seemed to pierce the minds of the children, bringing them under his thrall. Their psychic defenses had been weakened by many an exhausting hour spent down bellow. They did not need to be told twice. They abandoned their posts at the drop of a hat. The pounding of a hundred desperate feet echoed around the furnace chamber as the workers fled in all directions.

But they weren't fast enough. Even as 'Onee-San' joined the free, using her advanced speed to usher the children to safety, the sewers were too long, and their legs were too short. Ramuda had given them hope. But what they had really needed was time... and the Cyborg's eyes were already burning crimson.

"Easy now..." The Master hummed, approaching his 'ally'. He raised an open palm and approached the shifting carts. "Easy now!" He repeated, firmer than before. "Are you mad? We can't detonate that whilst we're still down here! We need to fall back! Prepare a trigger! We need to--- You're going to kill us a---!!!!!!!"

BOOOOOOOM

***

***

Team TRAIN
"What have you missed?" Sinestro hissed, raising the conductor up into the recovery position. "We were almost liquefied by the nose of this here train, that's what! Unless we can get this conductor to start talking, the reason why such a tragedy almost befell us will never be uncovered. Half of our party were just seduced by some mysterious light and are yet to return. An old man tried to blow as all to Hell, and giant tried to crush us beneath his giant fist. In short, it's been a decidedly miserable affair, characterized only by our continued only by our prolonged suffering and---"

The Yellow Lantern ceased his rambling. His eyes widened. He slowly raised his head.

"Can you feel that?"

A beat.

The air was growing warmer. The tunnel was lightly trembling. Both grew more sever with each passing heartbeat.
"We need to go." Thaal lifted the conductors arm up over his shoulder. "Everybody, on your feet! We need to---ggh---"
Sinestro's next words were lost on their way to his lips, having been disrupted by the jagged shank that now protruded his throat. He pressed his palm to his neck to quash the bloody spray, but its was no use. His strength was fading by the second. He dropped the conductor and slumped down against the sewer fall.
Laughter.
The Conductor, conscious and right as rain, pushed himself out from underneath the dying Korugarian. He plucked his knife from Thaal's neck and wiped its clean with a embroidered, silk handkerchief.

"Forgive the deception. But this is my que..." The rumbling grew louder. The hair grew hotter. Hotter. Hotter! "By the sound of things, my comrades have failed in their mission. Shame. Oh... I think I can feel another fluctuation coming on, can't you? Oh. I doubt you'll be around to witness it. Enjoy your fiery deaths, dear friends. Toodle-oo!"

The Conductor lunged forth. One hand clutched Yashamaru's shoulder. The other took hold of Daniel.
"No you, though... No... We still need you!"
In a flash of blue, the three figures vanished.
From his place on the floor, Sinestro waved his free hand, waving for his Team to flee.
"Go!" He gurgled. "Just go!"
View attachment 9196
Fire. Out of the corner of your eye. It raced around the bend of the sewers, consuming the far end of the train and liquefying it in the blink of an eye. It didn't stop. The explosion, triggered in the all-too-close furnace chamber, charged towards Team Train, unyielding, unrelenting.
"RUN!"

YASHAMARU// DANIEL DIAZ// CHASE DAVENPORT// HANK HENSHAW// THE MASTER// JAMES R. RHODES// IFRIT
^ @Takumi @Yun Lee @Atomic Knight @Lucky @Jeremi ^

MARRIANE VON EDMUND// JOSUKE HIGASHIKATA// DAN KUROTO// AIZAWA SHOTA// CONNER KENT// THAAL SINESTRO//
^ @Yun Lee @Capri @Space_Candy @Gummi Bunnies ^


Team PRUDENCE/LIGHT
An explosion. In the distance. An explosion that should have taken your lives. You could feel its distant, harmless heat tickling you skin. It was a sight you weren't going to forget anytime soon. It was an all too familiar sight. Another District gutted by flames. Death. Destruction. Unimaginable loss. You were its chosen audience, collected upon a rooftop to bare witness to its chilling beauty.
View attachment 9198
A Cyborg. A Samurai. A Child. A Student. A Superhero. A Rapper. A Time Lord.
A broken grandfather clock laid at their feet. It's creaking pendulum sent its second hand twitching. The same five seconds ticked over and over again. According to the clock, it would be precisely 10:01pm for the rest of time.
View attachment 9202
Dong
Dong
Dong
"I hope you're proud of yourself, Mr.Henshaw..." The Master snarled, his eyes fixed upon the distant explosion. He didn't honor the Cyborg with privilege that was eye contact with a Time Lord. He wiped his bloody hands upon his vest. "You've carelessly wasted another one of my lives! Another one! Regenerations don't grow on trees, you know! I vowed that I would not squander my additional lives... but look at me! Just look at me!"
View attachment 9199
"I'm old, Mr. Henshaw!" He pivoted on the spot, cutting Hank with a cruel glare. "You have aged me with your recklessness! At least I have hair again... as thin as it may be..." The Time Lord froze, his two hearts stopping for a beat. He rapidly patted down his jacket. "The Map. The Star Map. Henshaw. I had a map on my person, back at the cafe, you remember, don't you? Tell me... Tell me I gave it to you before the explosion! My regeneration has scrambled my memory... I need to focus... to remember!"

"Looking for this, stranger?" An elderly man cooed from the edge of the rooftop, a folded sheet of parchment pressed between his fingers. "Interesting piece, this is..."
"Give that back!" The Master howled, marching towards the stranger. "You have no right to rifle through my possessions--"
"No right?" The stranger scowled, inserting the map into his bloodstained robes. "You're walking through the City of the Dead now, dear guests. You're walking through my domain. Whilst I still draw breath, I have every right to live and fight as I see fit. I shall keep your map. I shall study it. I shall learn from it. I shall use its secrets to better protect my city. To make it a greater home for the living."
View attachment 9201
"Unless you object, Stranger? Would you rather keep your secrets from your comrades, your brothers?" The Assassin-General closed his jaw and tensed his brow. He let a long, silent second crawl by. "The Students of Gen bleed and die so that men like you might sleep soundly. Pray that I do not mistake your greed for counter-revolutionary thinking, Stranger... I know not how you came here. I know nothing of the flaming worlds beyond District Omega, but so long as you walk upon Planet Prudence, you will learned to respect your Brothers among the Living."

[Dimensional Shift Complete]
View attachment 9203
Welcome to Planet Prudence. Welcome to District Omega, City of the Dead.

Spoiler: Map 2

View attachment 9204

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

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

Team OBLIVION/NEXIUM
"Hm?" Evie hummed. Yes. Evie. It had always been Evie. "Yeah. Sure." The Assassin reached into her jacket and removed her kukri from her belt. She flipped it around in hand and offered its hilt to Shion. "The blade is curved. Might take a bit of getting used to, but it'll get the job done."
View attachment 9205
"Now, if you'll excuse me..." Evie reached down to her holster and removed her pistol. No. It wasn't her pistol. It was one of Zora's, a trophy stolen from the cowgirl during their last battle. No. That wasn't what happened. She hadn't stolen it. And yet she had it. She had always had it. Even since the scuffle at the fountain. If Zora stopped to check her own holsters, she would find her weapon strangely absent. New memories flooded the cowgirl's mind. Yes. She had lost the weapon during their last encounter... hadn't she? "I'd like to get the rest of my cane back..."

Evie pointed the Cowgirl's own gun back at her.

"The easy way. The hard way. You choose."

Team Oblivion Vs Team Nexium. Corporate Warfare.​

Team OBLIVION ​	Team NEXIUM​
Jacob Frye (NPC)​	Android 17 (NPC)​
The Eleven (NPC)​	Eren Jaeger @Gummi Bunnies ​
Mollymauk Tealeaf @Lucky ​	Zora Salazar @Capri​
Phi @Atomic Knight ​	Ciri @Minerva ​
Shion @Takumi ​	Saruhiko Fushimi @Ver ​
Shang Tsung @Jeremi​	Alexander Anderson @Crunch​

TANKS
The Tank's shell rattled over Suigetsu's head and struck a nearby storefront. Already gutted by an incendiary bomb, the building came crashing down in the ninja's path, showering him in a hail of broken bricks and chipped tiles. A smoky haze settled upon the street, obscuring the Suigetsu's path. For a second, there was silence. Footsteps. Heavy breathing. He could only hear his own--

BOOM

A Tank landed in Suigetsu's path, having been launched by its muscular, almost mammallike legs. It pivoted on the spot, walking upon the legs it definitely always possessed. It tilted its mechanical head, its mechanical senor 'eyes' spotting Suigetsu through the haze. It's side-mounted canons locked onto the ninja's possition.
View attachment 9206
[RRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO]
The Bipedal Tank's siren shook the street. It's NEXIUM Private Security Emblem flashed and glowed. With a final beep and a squeak, the machine launched a flurry rocket-propelled towards the ninja.
[VACATE THE STREETS//NON-OBLIVION PERSONEL TRESPASSING WITHIN THE DISTRICT WILL BE ERADICATED//NO FURTHER WARNINGS SHALL BE SHARED]
To think that a few moments ago, the Bipedal Tank had resembled a horse and carriage... Hadn't it? No... That couldn't have been right...
@Space_Candy​

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

View attachment 9207

“Yerr gunna regret makin’ dat miss-take ‘dere, pal,” Zora said, fury dancing in her eyes, “Ah swear, imma mayke yew pay”

Evie would recognize the feeling, gravity taking a toll on her knees once again.

Evie was once again immobilized by Sundial.

Taking Evie’s “cane”, she attempted to plunge it between the assassin’s eyes.

---

JOSUKE HIGASHIKATA
@Sark @Jeremi @Takumi @Gummi Bunnies @PRUDENCE/LIGHT

Josuke couldn’t resist it, the light. He became overtaken. He was thrust into the mission to kill Hank Henshaw.

Ramuda asked them about a plan, he had no clue what to do at this point. He was so confused... but anything to get her back.

View attachment 9208

“If I recall, Hank Henshaw is a cyborg,” he began, “My Stand, Soft & Wet, can steal things with bubbles. Hank Henshaw must have a power source if he is a cyborg, I can... make an attempt at stealing i-”

[BOOOM]

The explosion rang out, the clock rang barren in front of them.

The man appeared and stole The Master’s map. Now... Josuke is completely confused.

View attachment 9209

“What the... what’s happening?”​

"I can't do much about him myself, since I don't know if he have more brainwaves than computer coding in that thick skull of his, but if you're willing to try and deal with him then--" Ramuda started, before both he and Josuke had been cut off by the resulting explosion. Shame, guess he'd meet death here in this stinky sewer.

...

Or not, apparently. Ramuda took a look at their surroundings quietly, before looking himself over. Well, they weren't dead. As the Master raged and ranted at Hank, the pink haired rapper huffed softly in irritation. At least that man had more lives than a cat! The rest likely would've been dead for good.

"I stopped asking that a while ago, Mr. Sailor. I mean, nothing's made sense since we were dropped in that town....what, yesterday? A lots going on at once, so might as well go with the flow for now." The rapper spoke to Josuke with a shrug, unwrapping a lollipop and shoving it into his mouth to keep from lighting a smoke. Not like he had any cigarettes or his lighter on him anyway. Oh, how he wanted to smoke right now.

@Sark @Jeremi @Atomic Knight @Capri @Gummi Bunnies

Evie...right. Shion took the blade from her with a small smile and a nod, inspecting it in his hands.

It was a bit of an odd blade, but in a way it was also...what's the word? Pretty? No, that wasn't right. At Evie's words about it taking some getting used to he tested a swing with it.

"Yeah, I'll keep that in mind." He replied, before watching as she and Shang almost instantly engaged with Zora. Luckily it seemed that the fight was over before it really started. In the meantime, he stuck by Phi in case any of the other memebers of Team Nexium tried attacking her or him.


@Sark @Atomic Knight @Capri @Jeremi @Ver @Minerva @Gummi Bunnies @Crunch @Lucky @Team Oblivion v. Nexium

 

[Capri]

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

"...huh..." Zora said, suddenly putting two and two together as to why his name is The Eleven.

She agreed, but not with words. First, Evie and Shang both did not feel the effects of Sundial. Second, Zora dropped the cane in front of Evie, her sword available to take.

Now she stands their, waiting for Evie to give her her gun back.​

 

[Ver]

View attachment 9221

"You sure know how to think outside the box, old man. It's a shame you aren't on my team," Fushimi said flatly to Shang Tsung. Despite his unwavering tone and voice, the bespectacled man really did mean what he said. A mind like his would have surely been a credit to the organization. Of course, as seen with before, Fushimi never saw much logical need to kill each other, when they could simply coordinate with each other. Not that Fushimi was afraid to kill if he had to.

It was all cut and dry for him. The others could allow themselves to be of use to him, or they could get in his way and suffer the consequences. And Fushimi decided to be the courteous one and give others the chance to be useful. That said...

"I think he's telling the truth, so we should at least consider it," the young man said to Zora, before diverting his gaze back to Shang Tsung. "I'd be willing to do it... but there's a lot of ifs attached to that."

Fushimi folded one arm around himself, while raising his index finger in the other. "One, would such a loophole fly under the purview of our dear Prime Minister? And two, would our dear friend, the Eleven, truly be magnanimous enough to offer himself up for that? And three... Does the answer to the previous question even matter?"

@Jeremi @Capri

@Sark @Minerva @Crunch @Gummi Bunnies @Takumi @Lucky @Atomic Knight @Oblivion vs. Nexium​

 

[Sark]

The explosion rang out, the clock rang barren in front of them.

The man appeared and stole The Master’s map. Now... Josuke is completely confused.

“What the... what’s happening?”

"I can't do much about him myself, since I don't know if he have more brainwaves than computer coding in that thick skull of his, but if you're willing to try and deal with him then--" Ramuda started, before both he and Josuke had been cut off by the resulting explosion. Shame, guess he'd meet death here in this stinky sewer.

...

Or not, apparently. Ramuda took a look at their surroundings quietly, before looking himself over. Well, they weren't dead. As the Master raged and ranted at Hank, the pink haired rapper huffed softly in irritation. At least that man had more lives than a cat! The rest likely would've been dead for good.

"I stopped asking that a while ago, Mr. Sailor. I mean, nothing's made sense since we were dropped in that town....what, yesterday? A lots going on at once, so might as well go with the flow for now." The rapper spoke to Josuke with a shrug, unwrapping a lollipop and shoving it into his mouth to keep from lighting a smoke. Not like he had any cigarettes or his lighter on him anyway. Oh, how he wanted to smoke right now.

Planet Prudence. The City of the Dead.

It all came flooding into Daniel's consciousness, feeling a bit like whiplash. He should have been feeling a rush of emotions at what he was seeing... but still Daniel just felt dead. He clenched his hands into fists and looked away from the others. Daniel just didn't know what to feel anymore.

Team PRUDENCE/LIGHT
"Hm, so the Monster Under the Bed asks questions, does he?" Gen murmured, stroking his beard. His fingers pinched the pale tips of his moustache, dragging his cheeks down into a frown. "Yes. I recognise you from the Tapestries. From the Pulp Novels. From the Propaganda Shows. Yes. You are unmistakably him. You are unmistakably they." The Devil turned his back on the boy. He shuffled towards the edge of the rooftop, observing the mad streets bellow. Fire jumped from the storefront to storefront. Men, their skin discolored as marble, washed from alley to alley, like a putrid, septic wave. Soldiers, clad in tattered, makeshift uniforms, held down their barricades the best they could. Seasoned and hardened, the Devils of Prudence endured better than most. Would they win their war? Who could say? Certainly, however, tonight would not be their last night. They were holding on, barely, under the lead of a short, reptilian figure. "I'll answer your question, boy... It's an answer I've rehearsed for some time. I've been anticipating our meeting for far too long. It was inevitable as death itself. Everything is happening, and it's all your fault. History damns you, 'Champions'. Welcome to the World-Void-Of-All-Sense."

Whatever the Master was going on about Henshaw seemed to be a thousand miles away. Had death finally claimed him? No how could that be? Death was silence, the eternal void of nothingness. This was another failure. Another disappointment in a long line of disappointments.

"The only living being that concerns us is Arcade," Henshaw seemed to have finally snapped back into reality as he turned to face the purple clad old man. "And we can only find him with that map," He pointed to Gen's hand and the map. "Keep it if you wish, but show it to me one final time so that it is etched into my memory banks."

"Impatience from an immortal man? You surprise me, Superman..." Gen chuckled dryly, strumming upon the breast of his robe. "Temper yourself, Cyborg. Time slays all foes. If you wish for Arcade to die, you merely need to meditate upon the topic for few decays. His body will crumble to dust, and yours will look as pristine as it did 300 years ago. Focus your spirit, and all you desire shall be yours. Alternatively..." Gen shuffled his toes over the edge of the tower. He closed his eyes, bathing in the breeze. "Alternatively, you can follow me... and meet the man himself. You desire something that my comrades and I possess. We keep the map. You can have dinner with our prisoner... our pet."

Unwilling to return the map without a fight, Gen leaped forward, in a flash of purple, the assassin vanished in the sea of smoke, carve a path through the chaos in the direction of the Compendium Hotel.

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

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

"...huh..." Zora said, suddenly putting two and two together as to why his name is The Eleven.

She agreed, but not with words. First, Evie and Shang both did not feel the effects of Sundial. Second, Zora dropped the cane in front of Evie, her sword available to take.

Now she stands their, waiting for Evie to give her her gun back.

Team OBLIVION/Team NEXIUM
Sundial... glitched. Rippled danced across the fabric of time. Like a stoke striking the surface of a lake, the waves dwarfed whatever event had caused the first disturbance. Zora's connection to Sundial granted her a certain awareness to the shift, an awareness none but the Eleven seemed to share. Something was wrong. Something was horribly wrong.

Taking hold of Evie and Shang proved harder than Zora had once anticipated. Whilst Arcade's colosseum drained part of the attack's strength, just as the Prime Minister had promised, part of Zora simply knew that another force was at play, leeching on her power like a parasite. Trying to keep hold of the pair was like trying to take hold of a wet bar of soap. It was far harder than it appeared, and perhaps, harder than it logically needed to be.
Still. The fight's conclusion was determined long before the ripple's effect could cause any further harm. Evie ejected the ammunition from Zora's gun, before tossing the weapon, and its bullets, at the cowgirl's feet.
"Parlay, then." She replied, bluntly, taking back her sword. "A moment of peace..."

Good. It seemed he got through to her. "Three lives to free us, but what if you kill one with many lifetimes inside of them?" Shang Tsung continued. "To save us all, you only need to kill one. Doesn't this sound far better to your ears as it does mine?"

"No... No." Evie muttered, clicking her sword back into it's sheathe. After a moment of thought, she turned back to face Shang. "You can't seriously be considering this! Is this the man you truly are, Shang? The Eleven is our ally! Our friend! He gave us shelter! He saved my life! And this is how you repay him? This is the fate you've chosen for him?"

"Evil is as evil does." The Elven retorted bluntly. He made no attempt to resist his foes. He simply folded his arms behind his back, preparing himself for the inevitable. "I've seen it a before. It's all too common. He's rotten to the core, Miss Frye. You shan't change his mind with words. He is god among men. He will do as he pleases. He'll wear the face of a friend, when it serves him... and when the time for frailty and friendliness has passed? He'll let the devil out..."

"You want to trade his life for hers? The life of one of our own for the life of an enemy?" Evie spat, her eyes wide with anger. "A killer, who not five seconds ago wished us both dead? No. I won't stand idle. It's not right!"

"You sure know how to think outside the box, old man. It's a shame you aren't on my team," Fushimi said flatly to Shang Tsung. Despite his unwavering tone and voice, the bespectacled man really did mean what he said. A mind like his would have surely been a credit to the organization. Of course, as seen with before, Fushimi never saw much logical need to kill each other, when they could simply coordinate with each other. Not that Fushimi was afraid to kill if he had to.

It was all cut and dry for him. The others could allow themselves to be of use to him, or they could get in his way and suffer the consequences. And Fushimi decided to be the courteous one and give others the chance to be useful. That said...

"I think he's telling the truth, so we should at least consider it," the young man said to Zora, before diverting his gaze back to Shang Tsung. "I'd be willing to do it... but there's a lot of ifs attached to that."

Fushimi folded one arm around himself, while raising his index finger in the other. "One, would such a loophole fly under the purview of our dear Prime Minister? And two, would our dear friend, the Eleven, truly be magnanimous enough to offer himself up for that? And three... Does the answer to the previous question even matter?"

"Believe me. I am far from suicidal..." The Eleven cawed with a defeated smile. "But I know better than to resist fate. I am in no position to oppose your collective will. If you bid me to die, then I will have no choice but to oblige... I simply hope that you are prepared for the fire works..."

The Prime Minister shifted in his seat. His fingers drifted to his chin.
"Interesting proposition, dear friends... interesting indeed..." Smarcade hummed. "To betray your shared teammate... to offer him up like a tribute to the gods... It will certainly make an entertaining scene. Then again... I did ask for three bodies, as well as free lives... hmmm..." The madman snapped his fingers. "Yes... that's how we'll do it. The Eleven's is now worth double points. You'll get one point for killing his final two regenerations. If you want to walk away from here... You'll still need to kill one more man..."

"Double points?" Android 17 grinned, crackling his knuckles. "You don't have to tell me twice..."
CRACK
The Eleven screamed out in pain as an iron foot shattered his right kneecap. The Time Lord feel to his knees, weeping and groaning. He was the first of his people to kneel in a generation. He would not be the last.

"So." The Android chirped smugly. "Who wants to do the honors?"

​

Team OBLIVION ​	Team NEXIUM​
Jacob Frye (NPC)​	Android 17 (NPC)​
The Eleven (NPC)​	Eren Jaeger @Gummi Bunnies​
Mollymauk Tealeaf @Lucky​	Zora Salazar @Capri​
Phi @Atomic Knight​	Ciri @Minerva​
Shion @Takumi​	Saruhiko Fushimi @Ver​
Shang Tsung @Jeremi​	Alexander Anderson @Crunch​

 

[Jeremi]

Shang Tsung stood quiet as accusations were being thrown at him. If the words reached him the old wizard didn't show it.

"Allow me," Shang Tsung remarked to the manic cyborg staring down at their former ally. "Get ready." Evie heard a small whisper from him as he walked past. Get ready for what?

Soon enough he stood over Eleven. "I am truly sorry it has come to this..." The wizard's arms shone bright green as he started to lean down towards Eleven before suddenly!

Android 17 suddenly felt his head engulfed in the hands of Shang Tsung. "Now, assassin!" He shouted to Eevie as Android 17 was engulfed in a green fiery inferno as Shang Tsung poured almost all his power into their true foe. What little soul this being had would be sucked dry and the rest of it scattered into the wind. The soulnado blocked the others from breaking at least long enough to allow Shang Tsung to do what needed to be done. For a split second before 17s eyes were engulfed in magical flame he saw a man in his prime with a sneer on his face.

This was his true plan. Eliminate those who gladly wished to play Arcades game of murder. With fewer of them. Civility would win.

@Sark

---

"There is no point in chasing him," Henshaw remarked to the group. "I had only wished to destroy the map so that the old fool would've had no use for it." He pointed to his head. "The knowledge was already stored the first time I saw it, but if you insist..." He looked at the others. "I suppose we could humor the man...before I break his neck."

 

[Gummi Bunnies]

Eren knew that their greatest enemy was overseeing this battle as is, and they weren't going to get anywhere until three of them out of the two teams were dead. The Eleven was considered an easy ticket out of this, considering some key details. If it was a clear option, he might as well take it! Deal with this now, handle the others right after. Focusing on his target despite the situation that Shang Tsung had started, Eren made a break for it towards the Eleven, blade drawn and ready for swinging. At the same time, he had his free hand raised near his mouth, prepared to use his transformation ability as a last resort.

@Sark @Jeremi @Capri @Ver @TeamOBLIVIONvsTeamNexium
​

 

[Capri]

JOSUKE HIGASHIKATA
@Sark @Gummi Bunnies @Takumi @Jeremi @Yun Lee @Atomic Knight

“I don’t understand... nor do I think I will understand... but I know one thing...”

Josuke raised his hand, a bubble coming out of it.

View attachment 9227

“I need to do something... something I don’t wanna do... but I have to do it... we have to do it”

Josuke didn’t want to kill anyone... but... he must. Henshaw is a threat... and he must be stopped.

The bubble burst, and it attempted to steal Henshaw’s power.

---

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

Zora took her gun, loaded it, and placed it in her holster.

“Ahm uh kill’r... yeah... ‘n ah wawnnuh stawp...” she said to Evie, “Ah hafta’ ‘old ontuh uh praw-miss ah made... uh praw-miss ah’ve browken awl-ready,”

But even with that... she couldn’t shake the feeling Zora had. It was something with her epithet... she knows that but... it had never acted up like this before.

“Sumthins rawng...” Zora said. “ah cayn feel it... it’s lahk... ripples... somethins leechin’ awf uhv me... n’ ah don’ know wah...”

As for them... Eleven and Seventeen can die... she doesn’t care. All she cares about is her promise.​

 

[Jeremi]

The bubble popped but to Josuke's dismay and possible horror, the only one standing near it was the Master as something cold wrapped around the sailor suit-clad young man's throat.

“What did you hope to accomplish?" Henshaw tossed Josuke aside landing among the members of his group. Realizing the bubble had been more than meets the eye Henshaw had decided on not allowing this sailor any attempt to incapacitate him. He then turned to the rest of Josuke’s team. “Keep your dullard in check, unless you wish to lose him. The only death we all should be seeking is that fool Arcade.”​

@Sark @Gummi Bunnies @Takumi @Jeremi @Yun Lee @Atomic Knight @Capri

 

[Sark]

Shang Tsung stood quiet as accusations were being thrown at him. If the words reached him the old wizard didn't show it.

"Allow me," Shang Tsung remarked to the manic cyborg staring down at their former ally. "Get ready." Evie heard a small whisper from him as he walked past. Get ready for what?

Soon enough he stood over Eleven. "I am truly sorry it has come to this..." The wizard's arms shone bright green as he started to lean down towards Eleven before suddenly!

Android 17 suddenly felt his head engulfed in the hands of Shang Tsung. "Now, assassin!" He shouted to Eevie as Android 17 was engulfed in a green fiery inferno as Shang Tsung poured almost all his power into their true foe. What little soul this being had would be sucked dry and the rest of it scattered into the wind. The soulnado blocked the others from breaking at least long enough to allow Shang Tsung to do what needed to be done. For a split second before 17s eyes were engulfed in magical flame he saw a man in his prime with a sneer on his face.

This was his true plan. Eliminate those who gladly wished to play Arcades game of murder. With fewer of them. Civility would win.

Bricks and debris crashed down as the tank attacked, causing Suigetsu to jump back- coughing through the puff of dust. He flickered his eyes in different directions, searching for the hunk of metal. Dodging as it found him instead, Suigestu blinked, narrowing his eyes were its legs always like that? It's mechanical eyes met his before it screeched out its siren and warnings. Suigetsu pulled out his sword, preparing to fight.

But then the thing launched a rocket.

"Fuck..." He muttered before making a run for it.

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

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

TEAM NEXIUM: 6/8 MEMBERS REMAINING!

Eren knew that their greatest enemy was overseeing this battle as is, and they weren't going to get anywhere until three of them out of the two teams were dead. The Eleven was considered an easy ticket out of this, considering some key details. If it was a clear option, he might as well take it! Deal with this now, handle the others right after. Focusing on his target despite the situation that Shang Tsung had started, Eren made a break for it towards the Eleven, blade drawn and ready for swinging. At the same time, he had his free hand raised near his mouth, prepared to use his transformation ability as a last resort.

@Sark @Jeremi @Capri @Ver @TeamOBLIVIONvsTeamNexium

Zora took her gun, loaded it, and placed it in her holster.

“Ahm uh kill’r... yeah... ‘n ah wawnnuh stawp...” she said to Evie, “Ah hafta’ ‘old ontuh uh praw-miss ah made... uh praw-miss ah’ve browken awl-ready,”

But even with that... she couldn’t shake the feeling Zora had. It was something with her epithet... she knows that but... it had never acted up like this before.

“Sumthins rawng...” Zora said. “ah cayn feel it... it’s lahk... ripples... somethins leechin’ awf uhv me... n’ ah don’ know wah...”

As for them... Eleven and Seventeen can die... she doesn’t care. All she cares about is her promise.

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

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

TEAM NEXIUM: 5/8 TEAM MEMBERS REMAINING!

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

"TEAM OBLIVION!"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"There is no point in chasing him," Henshaw remarked to the group. "I had only wished to destroy the map so that the old fool would've had no use for it." He pointed to his head. "The knowledge was already stored the first time I saw it, but if you insist..." He looked at the others. "I suppose we could humor the man...before I break his neck."

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

“I don’t understand... nor do I think I will understand... but I know one thing...”

Josuke raised his hand, a bubble coming out of it.

“I need to do something... something I don’t wanna do... but I have to do it... we have to do it”

Josuke didn’t want to kill anyone... but... he must. Henshaw is a threat... and he must be stopped.

The bubble burst, and it attempted to steal Henshaw’s power.

The bubble popped but to Josuke's dismay and possible horror, the only one standing near it was the Master as something cold wrapped around the sailor suit-clad young man's throat.

“What did you hope to accomplish?" Henshaw tossed Josuke aside landing among the members of his group. Realizing the bubble had been more than meets the eye Henshaw had decided on not allowing this sailor any attempt to incapacitate him. He then turned to the rest of Josuke’s team. “Keep your dullard in check, unless you wish to lose him. The only death we all should be seeking is that fool Arcade.”

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

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

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

Aizawa frowned as the crimson man rambled angrily at him as if he weren't just hanging on for his life off this stupid train. Aizawa opened his mouth to retort- annoyed, but the man held his hand up as a noise pulsed. He stood on guard, his goggles pulled down onto his neck, Aizawa turned his head back to the man just as a blade came through his throat. His eyes widened as a small spray of the other's blood hit his face causing him to flinch slightly.

The conductor was playing phony. Aizawa's brows furrowed, anger setting in- shocked as he grabbed a child, one he hadn't noticed. The heat was rising they needed to move. He moved quickly towards the child but the three vanished quickly. He turned his head as the fire melted the front of the train in mere seconds.

He pulled his scarf out, using it to grab Thaal and a few others, running quickly.

"Let's move!"

She had been too hopefull, so much so that she had neglected to read the metaphorical room. They were out of food, and low on morale. Whoever the enemy was, they had long since taken it.

And so, by her strange logic, she thought it was best to take it back, somehow.

"Hmph... Then we're all in the same boat, aren't we?!" She shouted, seemingly ignoring what Hank and the master were up to, even as they slipped into the sewers.

"Your enemy's got supplies, right?! Then let's take em for all they got! I've got some fire in me yet! It's all or nothing!!! Just tell me what to burn!"

The odds seemed insurmountable, but Ifrit was ready to burn through an army or two if it meant she could finally fill her belly with food. And then, she remembered something.

"By the way. Anyone got a flamethrower? Fuel? Helps this go a bit further, you know?!" She practically declared forming a distinct, white hot ball of fire in her hand as demonstration.

Rather than being discouraged by the lack of food on the front lines, Ifrit had the 'bright' idea to double down! Though, if things did get too bad, she might find herself making a mad dash to the sewers. Oh well, yet another bridge to cross when she came to, or so she thought.

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

BOOM

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

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

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

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

 

[Capri]

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

It should be obvious by the look on Zora’s face that she’s not intending to give up her secrets that easily.

“Yew wawnna know wah ahm here, ain’t that raht. Y’all know that ahm here to get outta death row. But that ain’t whutcha wawnna hear, raht?”

She glared at Arcade.

“Ahm uh bounty hunt’r. Ain’t that crazy. Too many deaths tah count. Now... there r’ way tew many sins tah cownt whit dat job. Ah can sit ‘ere for hours. Buht... ahmmuh spare ye. Ah cayn’t re-call who’s death brawt me here. Sorry yah cayn’t get thuh juicy dee-tales, sum-tahms lahf’s jus’ lahk thayt,”

SmArcade is... well... smart, so he could probably deduce she was withholding information, and that she was lying about not knowing which death caused her to be here.

But... she did not speak following those words, just a death glare.​

 

[Takumi]

JOSUKE HIGASHIKATA
@Sark @Gummi Bunnies @Takumi @Jeremi @Yun Lee @Atomic Knight

“I don’t understand... nor do I think I will understand... but I know one thing...”

Josuke raised his hand, a bubble coming out of it.

View attachment 9227

“I need to do something... something I don’t wanna do... but I have to do it... we have to do it”

Josuke didn’t want to kill anyone... but... he must. Henshaw is a threat... and he must be stopped.

The bubble burst, and it attempted to steal Henshaw’s power.

---

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

Zora took her gun, loaded it, and placed it in her holster.

“Ahm uh kill’r... yeah... ‘n ah wawnnuh stawp...” she said to Evie, “Ah hafta’ ‘old ontuh uh praw-miss ah made... uh praw-miss ah’ve browken awl-ready,”

But even with that... she couldn’t shake the feeling Zora had. It was something with her epithet... she knows that but... it had never acted up like this before.

“Sumthins rawng...” Zora said. “ah cayn feel it... it’s lahk... ripples... somethins leechin’ awf uhv me... n’ ah don’ know wah...”

As for them... Eleven and Seventeen can die... she doesn’t care. All she cares about is her promise.​

The bubble popped but to Josuke's dismay and possible horror, the only one standing near it was the Master as something cold wrapped around the sailor suit-clad young man's throat.

“What did you hope to accomplish?" Henshaw tossed Josuke aside landing among the members of his group. Realizing the bubble had been more than meets the eye Henshaw had decided on not allowing this sailor any attempt to incapacitate him. He then turned to the rest of Josuke’s team. “Keep your dullard in check, unless you wish to lose him. The only death we all should be seeking is that fool Arcade.”​

@Sark @Gummi Bunnies @Takumi @Jeremi @Yun Lee @Atomic Knight @Capri

"Okay Tin Man, why don't you stop throwing threats and wasting our time since you've made it clear, repeatedly, that we should be axing Arcade? We get it, you're following your objective and endangering everyone else in the process." Ramuda rolled his eyes with a huff.

Honestly, Josuke tried. Ramuda wasn't going to try and get himself killed like that though. No, if Hank had to go at least he could help them get rid of Arcade first.

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

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

TEAM NEXIUM: 6/8 MEMBERS REMAINING!



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

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

TEAM NEXIUM: 5/8 TEAM MEMBERS REMAINING!

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

"TEAM OBLIVION!"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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



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

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

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


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

BOOM

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

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

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

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

"Uh huh. Aaanyway, how do you plan on following the ninja that kinda stranded us here and left us to our own devices? There's gotta be a quick way to do it..." Ramuda spoke up, deciding not to address the Master's glee at the suggestion of being part of the city's fall. He glanced over the edge of the rooftop they were on and clicked his tongue.

"Ya know, without going splat or being shot." He added nonchalantly with a slight wave of his hand.

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

It was over rather quickly, and Shion felt some of the tension in his shoulders lift. He scowled at Smarcade however, as he declared Team Oblivion the winners. If you asked him the only one to really 'win' was Arcade.

For a moment, he considered turning to leave so they could get the 'task' over with. For now he decided against it and stuck with his teammates.

@Sark @Gummi Bunnies @Jeremi @Atomic Knight @Capri @Space_Candy @Ver @Lucky @Team Oblivion & Nexium

 

[Jeremi]

As the flames subsided there was no old man standing in front of them. The powers he had used up in eliminating 17 had weakened him considerably. The wizard didn't even have his strength to keep a simple glamor up. He stood up and a final look at what seemed to be the face of 17 emerged on his hand before being swallowed.

"How...disappointing." Once again Shang Tsung ignored the Arcade's grandstanding. Even so. "Are games the only thing you can play?" He remarked to the Arcade. "Is there perhaps a reason why you can't kill your brethren? Why use us?"​

@Sark @Atomic Knight @Takumi @Lucky @Space_Candy

@Minerva @Ver @Capri @Gummi Bunnies @Crunch

---

Yes, that did sound like it could end up becoming a nuisance. "Then we must hasten the old man into the grave." To Ramuda he only had one thing to say. "Your deaths are pointless and will not come by my hand." With that, he started to make his way towards where Gen had vanished.

@Takumi @Yun Lee @Atomic Knight @Lucky @Jeremi
@Takumi @Gummi Bunnies @Sark

 

[Sark]

It was over rather quickly, and Shion felt some of the tension in his shoulders lift. He scowled at Smarcade however, as he declared Team Oblivion the winners. If you asked him the only one to really 'win' was Arcade.

For a moment, he considered turning to leave so they could get the 'task' over with. For now he decided against it and stuck with his teammates.

It should be obvious by the look on Zora’s face that she’s not intending to give up her secrets that easily.

“Yew wawnna know wah ahm here, ain’t that raht. Y’all know that ahm here to get outta death row. But that ain’t whutcha wawnna hear, raht?”

She glared at Arcade.

“Ahm uh bounty hunt’r. Ain’t that crazy. Too many deaths tah count. Now... there r’ way tew many sins tah cownt whit dat job. Ah can sit ‘ere for hours. Buht... ahmmuh spare ye. Ah cayn’t re-call who’s death brawt me here. Sorry yah cayn’t get thuh juicy dee-tales, sum-tahms lahf’s jus’ lahk thayt,”

SmArcade is... well... smart, so he could probably deduce she was withholding information, and that she was lying about not knowing which death caused her to be here.

But... she did not speak following those words, just a death glare.

Team OBLIVION/NEXIUM
Arcade looked Zora up and down. He didn't react to Zora's 'confession'. He simply rested his hands inside his pockets. He leaned forward. He opened his mouth. He spoke.
"Tell them about Howie."
He raised an eyebrow and waited for her response.
"Go on. That's a story I'm sure we'd all love to hear."

As the flames subsided there was no old man standing in front of them. The powers he had used up in eliminating 17 had weakened him considerably. The wizard didn't even have his strength to keep a simple glamor up. He stood up and a final look at what seemed to be the face of 17 emerged on his hand before being swallowed.
"How...disappointing." Once again Shang Tsung ignored the Arcade's grandstanding. Even so. "Are games the only thing you can play?" He remarked to the Arcade. "Is there perhaps a reason why you can't kill your brethren? Why use us?"

"Not that it matters, but I'm also quite good at playing the piano." Arcade scoffed. "What else would you have me play, Shang? Games bring us together. They grant us common-cause. They forge friendships. Rivalries. Alliances. To be human is to play games. That is our condition... and I wouldn't have it any other way."

"As for my... contemporaries..." Arcade muttered grimly, his smile fading. He stepped over the glowing Time Lord and kicked aside the remains of the Android. "Killing them isn't the challenge. The challenge is killing them in a fashion that leaves a mark on the other Arcades. You saw how we all reacted to Grandfather's death. They were apathetic. Unaffected. If we want to convince the Arcades that 'business as usual' is tired tripe, then we need to turn their toys against them. We need to rediscover the joys of ironic torture, and do away with cookie-cutter murder-cities. If a Champion in an Arena starts killing Arcades, that's going to bring back some nasty memories. It might be the wake up call my 'brothers' need. It might get us back on track."

"We may have different motives, but we share a goal, Shang Tsung. Like it or not, you need me. With the Eleven dead, who else going to guide your hand? Who else can provide you with the information you need?"

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

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

Yes, that did sound like it could end up becoming a nuisance. "Then we must hasten the old man into the grave." To Ramuda he only had one thing to say. "Your deaths are pointless and will not come by my hand." With that, he started to make his way towards where Gen had vanished.

"Okay Tin Man, why don't you stop throwing threats and wasting our time since you've made it clear, repeatedly, that we should be axing Arcade? We get it, you're following your objective and endangering everyone else in the process." Ramuda rolled his eyes with a huff.

Honestly, Josuke tried. Ramuda wasn't going to try and get himself killed like that though. No, if Hank had to go at least he could help them get rid of Arcade first.

"Uh huh. Aaanyway, how do you plan on following the ninja that kinda stranded us here and left us to our own devices? There's gotta be a quick way to do it..." Ramuda spoke up, deciding not to address the Master's glee at the suggestion of being part of the city's fall. He glanced over the edge of the rooftop they were on and clicked his tongue.

"Ya know, without going splat or being shot." He added nonchalantly with a slight wave of his hand.

Team OBLIVION/LIGHT
"Always the charmer... Always the Team Player..." The Master remarked as the cyborg soared after the Assassin. "I should have I should have killed him years ago. Still. Hind sight is 2020, I suppose..."
After a moment of silence, the Time Lord chirped in response to the Rapper.
"Wires." He replied bluntly, approaching one of the tick, rubber-lined wire that connected their skyscraper to its nearest neighbor. "This is a city under siege. It's rulers will have no doubt diverted power from frivolous buildings such as this and redirected it towards their hospitals and fortifications. Judging by the technological prowess of this once great city, the now charge-less wires should be able to--"
The Master set his foot down upon the wire. He didn't die. That was a good sign. Without fear, the Time Lord set himself down upon the wire. It supported his weight without any signs of stress or tension. He still wasn't dead. Another good sign.
"There are metal beams supporting each of the wires. They'll safely transport us from one end of the city to the next, provided we have the courage to make the trip. Dangerous as it may be, it's no doubt safer than a dip in the corpse sea bellow us..."
Foolishly, the Time Lord had anticipated assistance from the Cyborg in transporting their allies. But, alas, his heart was set on distant shore. With a swing of his arm, the Master beckoned for the remaining Teams to follow him.
To follow him across the City of the Dead.
To follow him, above the wailing corpses and the necropolis' damned defenders.
To follow him, above the soot and the smoke and the shit.
To follow him, across a Prudence turned mad.
***
DISTRICT OMEGA
THE COMPENDIUM HOTEL
View attachment 9246
Gen's destination was unmistakable. Even without the purple blur to guide their way, the plethora of crimson flags and the unmistakable absence of the undead was enough to mark the tower's significance. Barricades sealed it off from the rest of the district. A small army of soldiers of ever creed, color and species waited on its doorstep, ready to patch the holes in the Hotel's defenses. Their generals summoned them. They marched over the slain, the deserters, the cowards and counter-revolutionaries than threatened the living's new order. In order to withstand the forces of the Undead, the Living required total, unquestioning obedience. Those who resisted the order were felled before they could drag their brothers down with them.
Gen was waiting for them, his arms folded into his sleeves. Looming in the jaws of a shattered window, the Devil of Hong Kong waited for the Conscripts to make their approached. Whether they entered via the wires or via flight, their destination was the same. Gen beckoned them with a face of his hand.
"Two halls," The Assassin hummed, gesturing towards the heart of the hotel. "Down one, lies Truth. Down the other, lies Vengeance. The path is for you to decide."
View attachment 9247
"I will be waiting for you down the Crimson Path." Gen hummed. "Follow, if you wish to meet our mutual friend..."
Without another word, the Master broke away from the pack and ventured down the path of Truth.

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

 

[Capri]

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

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

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

How does he know that name?

More than that... how does he know?

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

View attachment 9248

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

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

 

[Takumi]

Team OBLIVION/NEXIUM
Arcade looked Zora up and down. He didn't react to Zora's 'confession'. He simply rested his hands inside his pockets. He leaned forward. He opened his mouth. He spoke.
"Tell them about Howie."
He raised an eyebrow and waited for her response.
"Go on. That's a story I'm sure we'd all love to hear."


"Not that it matters, but I'm also quite good at playing the piano." Arcade scoffed. "What else would you have me play, Shang? Games bring us together. They grant us common-cause. They forge friendships. Rivalries. Alliances. To be human is to play games. That is our condition... and I wouldn't have it any other way."

"As for my... contemporaries..." Arcade muttered grimly, his smile fading. He stepped over the glowing Time Lord and kicked aside the remains of the Android. "Killing them isn't the challenge. The challenge is killing them in a fashion that leaves a mark on the other Arcades. You saw how we all reacted to Grandfather's death. They were apathetic. Unaffected. If we want to convince the Arcades that 'business as usual' is tired tripe, then we need to turn their toys against them. We need to rediscover the joys of ironic torture, and do away with cookie-cutter murder-cities. If a Champion in an Arena starts killing Arcades, that's going to bring back some nasty memories. It might be the wake up call my 'brothers' need. It might get us back on track."

"We may have different motives, but we share a goal, Shang Tsung. Like it or not, you need me. With the Eleven dead, who else going to guide your hand? Who else can provide you with the information you need?"

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

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



Team OBLIVION/LIGHT
"Always the charmer... Always the Team Player..." The Master remarked as the cyborg soared after the Assassin. "I should have I should have killed him years ago. Still. Hind sight is 2020, I suppose..."
After a moment of silence, the Time Lord chirped in response to the Rapper.
"Wires." He replied bluntly, approaching one of the tick, rubber-lined wire that connected their skyscraper to its nearest neighbor. "This is a city under siege. It's rulers will have no doubt diverted power from frivolous buildings such as this and redirected it towards their hospitals and fortifications. Judging by the technological prowess of this once great city, the now charge-less wires should be able to--"
The Master set his foot down upon the wire. He didn't die. That was a good sign. Without fear, the Time Lord set himself down upon the wire. It supported his weight without any signs of stress or tension. He still wasn't dead. Another good sign.
"There are metal beams supporting each of the wires. They'll safely transport us from one end of the city to the next, provided we have the courage to make the trip. Dangerous as it may be, it's no doubt safer than a dip in the corpse sea bellow us..."
Foolishly, the Time Lord had anticipated assistance from the Cyborg in transporting their allies. But, alas, his heart was set on distant shore. With a swing of his arm, the Master beckoned for the remaining Teams to follow him.
To follow him across the City of the Dead.
To follow him, above the wailing corpses and the necropolis' damned defenders.
To follow him, above the soot and the smoke and the shit.
To follow him, across a Prudence turned mad.
***
DISTRICT OMEGA
THE COMPENDIUM HOTEL
View attachment 9246
Gen's destination was unmistakable. Even without the purple blur to guide their way, the plethora of crimson flags and the unmistakable absence of the undead was enough to mark the tower's significance. Barricades sealed it off from the rest of the district. A small army of soldiers of ever creed, color and species waited on its doorstep, ready to patch the holes in the Hotel's defenses. Their generals summoned them. They marched over the slain, the deserters, the cowards and counter-revolutionaries than threatened the living's new order. In order to withstand the forces of the Undead, the Living required total, unquestioning obedience. Those who resisted the order were felled before they could drag their brothers down with them.
Gen was waiting for them, his arms folded into his sleeves. Looming in the jaws of a shattered window, the Devil of Hong Kong waited for the Conscripts to make their approached. Whether they entered via the wires or via flight, their destination was the same. Gen beckoned them with a face of his hand.
"Two halls," The Assassin hummed, gesturing towards the heart of the hotel. "Down one, lies Truth. Down the other, lies Vengeance. The path is for you to decide."
View attachment 9247
"I will be waiting for you down the Crimson Path." Gen hummed. "Follow, if you wish to meet our mutual friend..."
Without another word, the Master broke away from the pack and ventured down the path of Truth.

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

As the flames subsided there was no old man standing in front of them. The powers he had used up in eliminating 17 had weakened him considerably. The wizard didn't even have his strength to keep a simple glamor up. He stood up and a final look at what seemed to be the face of 17 emerged on his hand before being swallowed.

"How...disappointing." Once again Shang Tsung ignored the Arcade's grandstanding. Even so. "Are games the only thing you can play?" He remarked to the Arcade. "Is there perhaps a reason why you can't kill your brethren? Why use us?"​

@Sark @Atomic Knight @Takumi @Lucky @Space_Candy

@Minerva @Ver @Capri @Gummi Bunnies @Crunch

---

Yes, that did sound like it could end up becoming a nuisance. "Then we must hasten the old man into the grave." To Ramuda he only had one thing to say. "Your deaths are pointless and will not come by my hand." With that, he started to make his way towards where Gen had vanished.

@Takumi @Yun Lee @Atomic Knight @Lucky @Jeremi
@Takumi @Gummi Bunnies @Sark

Ramuda didn't say a word to Hank as he said his piece and left. The Rapper of Kuujaku Posse continued to stare at the chaos below for a moment as he let the words sink in.

'Our deaths are pointless, huh?' The pinkette thought.

"Tell me something I don't already know scrap for brains." He muttered to himself, agitated, angry, seconds away from pulling out this dumb knockoff mic and testing it's effects on cyborgs. Jakurai once said that he had seen the real him, but there was no real Ramuda. No, he was just something to be used until he wasn't useful anymore and could be thrown away like trash.

"!!" With the Master talking to him pulling him from his brief trance-like state, he smiled as he turned and nodded along despite wanting to scowl and make Hank fall out of the sky like a bird that got hit by an arrow. He didn't think twice about following along on the wires once the Master demonstrated that it was almost like walking on a tightrope that wouldn't fry them on the spot.

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

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

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

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