Main Event Fighting of the Spirit

[Lucky]

Wade Wilson/ Deadpool

Wade looked over at at Mason. " Well, let me see, off the top of my head, I'd say that I have a battle with cancer that I can't win or lose, a horrible coping mechanism of using jokes to deflect reality and an urge to kill just because it helps to avoid the fact that I physically can't be the ones I love ever again. Oh, and I'm in a love triangle with a crazy guy and Death..... so there is also that. I tend to keep my attitude by pushing off all my problems away and just not addressing..... and may or may not have a urge to kill myself. It works out just fine...... and totally doesn't have anything to do with the fact that I know what I am."

" No soy un payaso, soy un mercenario. Tampoco soy estúpido, honestamente no me importa tu historia," he would look say in response to the man, calling him stupid. He just honestly wasn't interested in another world's history.

@HealThyWounds @Alex Azure @Crow

 

[Crow]

"... Uh-huh."

Alonso was no superhero, yet he knew he was surrounded by them. In Spain, the people knew him after the Ministry of Time came out from hiding to help the United Universes. Here, he would be different, and would have to explain himself. Alonso, again, bows even shorter for Ben, and tips his hat down, and then up. "Alonso de Entrerrios. Captain of the Tercios of Flanders... Back in my time, they invaded Italy, home of General Spinosa.. the French would go to war with us for anything... The Eighty Years War, the Franco-Spanish War, the Thirty Years War... I was but a captain, leading a squadron of Tercios in Flanders against the Dutch, who were by far formidable foes.. And history shows..." Alonso makes a bit of a frustrated hand gesture, speaking of the losses of his actions during the grand war. "We lost to them, even with our most formidable army. Had we more help, we could have kept the Netherlands to ourselves, and driven to French and the English back to their Hell.. One day, I hope to see it true. But while they remain our allies, I serve at the pleasure of the King and won't harm them. We are allies, after all, no?"



"A clown in red clothing. An ungodly sight, and yet perfect to make His Majesty laugh nonetheless." He dismissed his comments and looked forward to Deadpool leaving the conversation anyways. Alonso could only grunt and mutter "Estupido.."

@Crow @Lucky ​

Ben took a mental note to hide Astolfo if this guy ever paid a visit to his house.

"Name's Ben, Ben Tennyson. I'm a full-fledged American teenager. We can count on each other to be allies," Ben reaches out for his handshake, a greeting from his culture. "at the time I'm from, humanity should be pretty close to properly living among aliens... visitors from the stars. Pretty amazing what the future holds."

Ben looks up to the supposed stars in the ashen sky.

"Definitely not those stars. I can't even see 'em."

He then looks towards the merc with a mouth running his mouth. "Hooo boy. This is not going to end well," Ben utters to himself, understanding those words very well.

@HealThyWounds @Lucky​

 

[Crunch]

"You know, every time I try to be independent, the universe insists that I'll always need help from someone out there, partners, frenemies, truced enemies... even when I'm away from all my classic partners - Grandpa, Gwen, Kevin, Rook - I still have you all. I mean, I still get solo-time, but thinking about it..."

Ben turns to Deoxys.

"... lots of people can be independent to a good extent, but I don't know if anyone can be truly independent. Humans are the way they are today because they huddled into packs, tribes and eventually civilizations, so I guess you are right to call it a human thing, but it's also a thing with lots of the aliens I can turn into. At some point, I felt that cooperation was a... well... universal thing at its core. How do you do it, Deoxys?"

@CrunchyCHEEZIT @Ver @Lucky @York @Crimson Spartan @Yun Lee @HealThyWounds​

"Simple; I abstain from attachment. I don't rely on other organisms for any of my needs. It is natural for pokemon to form a bond with others, be it a human or other pokemon; a symbiotic relationship that offers mutual benefits for both participants."

"I don't require such symbiosis to accomplish my goals. You and everyone else here are my allies, but I need none of you to function at my strongest."

"I do not need a... 'partner', or a 'trainer'" the creature dejectedly muttered, as if it was unsure of its own statements for a moment. "That is why my mind is best fit to navigate this place. There is nothing - or, rather, no one - they can threaten me with. No one that I have not already... closed off from my mind, anyway."

Deoxys paused. "I... I have 'friends' to some extent, yes. But if they were to expire, I would not be any weaker."

"You, Benjamin Tennyson, have people that you depend on and even more people that depend on you. Harming them would be like harming you. I understand this as a universal weakness of those claiming to be 'heroes'."

@Crow

​

 

[HealThyWounds]

Wade Wilson/ Deadpool

Wade looked over at at Mason. " Well, let me see, off the top of my head, I'd say that I have a battle with cancer that I can't win or lose, a horrible coping mechanism of using jokes to deflect reality and an urge to kill just because it helps to avoid the fact that I physically can't be the ones I love ever again. Oh, and I'm in a love triangle with a crazy guy and Death..... so there is also that. I tend to keep my attitude by pushing off all my problems away and just not addressing..... and may or may not have a urge to kill myself. It works out just fine...... and totally doesn't have anything to do with the fact that I know what I am."

" No soy un payaso, soy un mercenario. Tampoco soy estúpido, honestamente no me importa tu historia," he would look say in response to the man, calling him stupid. He just honestly wasn't interested in another world's history.

@HealThyWounds @Alex Azure @Crow

Alonso's mood would simply lighten up. He smiled and laughed at the "mercenary," and shrugged. It all sounded more like a comic he cared nothing about, yet made him laugh. "Sounds like the tale of an ungodly clown, too." Alonso rested his arm over the handle of his sword, and nodded at Deadpool. "Your death then will mean no importance to me. For that, my mind will be at ease."​

"Name's Ben, Ben Tennyson. I'm a full-fledged American teenager. We can count on each other to be allies," Ben reaches out for his handshake, a greeting from his culture. "at the time I'm from, humanity should be pretty close to properly living among aliens... visitors from the stars. Pretty amazing what the future holds."

Ben looks up to the supposed stars in the ashen sky.

"Definitely not those stars. I can't even see 'em."

He then looks towards the merc with a mouth running his mouth. "Hooo boy. This is not going to end well," Ben utters to himself, understanding those words very well.

@HealThyWounds @Lucky
​

"Ah, yes, the Americans. I fought against them." Alonso remembered suddenly the vast difference of the modern world and his passed. Alonso sucked his tooth and shook Ben's hand, remembering how his patrol in the Ministry fought against the Darrow corporation, who seeked to changed Spain's history so the company could profit off the "what-if" scenarios of its history. "Though, not in my timeline. The America's were ours though.. A proud dominion of Spain's fortitude. But I fought against them in the... Future. Or present, however it works.. 2016. Your people they are.. Opportunistic. Capitalistic." Alonso was blunt, to say the least, but it was not meant to disrespect at all, rather, he simply said things the way it should.

@Lucky @Crow ​

 

[Lucky]

Wade Wilson/Deadpool
​

Wade would look over at him and he really, really wanted to shoot the spainard, his hand reaching for something. " Don't worry about me dying, I regenerate," he replied, making a look at him. " Some of the others like Will and Corrin can attest to that, I had to cut my leg off while we were in the House of Mystery, it was not fun... so where were you during all of that?" He asked.

@HealThyWounds @Crow @Alex Azure @Minerva @Hahli Nuva

 

[Hahli Nuva]

Will could overhear the others talking about their histories and trying to keep the impending darkness at bay.

The Keeper herself could afford a small smile, if only for the thoughts of what she used to have. Ben talked about friendship, and the alien warrior had said he would be stronger even if he didn't have friends. This brought up a serious question for Will, one she had yet to answer.

Did she still need friends?

Perhaps the alien was telling the truth. Maybe she didn't need her friends or any new ones, at least. Will herself knew she was powerful. But this power was not inherently hers. The Heart of Kandrakar offerd her many privleges not even her fellow Guardians could possess. Aether Manipulation was a powerful and very deadly art only a few have proven capable of mastering. If she put her effort into it, Will had no doubt she could avoid problems like Origin's death for good.

And yet....

She had done many heroic deeds either with her former friends or The Coalition. She had saved countless worlds and pacified entire armies with but a simple gesture of peace. alongside her friends she had toppled an evil tyrant, battled her mentally unstable predecesor and had even gone face to face with gods and spirits.

So here she stood, walking in a dead city, lost and confused just like everyone else. She would continue to light the way, walking and listening.

Nobody was going to die on her watch. Not a single soul.

@Lucky @Atomic Knight @Jeremi @Everyone

 

[Macy Moretti]

Wade Wilson/ Deadpool

Wade looked over at at Mason. " Well, let me see, off the top of my head, I'd say that I have a battle with cancer that I can't win or lose, a horrible coping mechanism of using jokes to deflect reality and an urge to kill just because it helps to avoid the fact that I physically can't be the ones I love ever again. Oh, and I'm in a love triangle with a crazy guy and Death..... so there is also that. I tend to keep my attitude by pushing off all my problems away and just not addressing..... and may or may not have a urge to kill myself. It works out just fine...... and totally doesn't have anything to do with the fact that I know what I am."

" No soy un payaso, soy un mercenario. Tampoco soy estúpido, honestamente no me importa tu historia," he would look say in response to the man, calling him stupid. He just honestly wasn't interested in another world's history.

@HealThyWounds @Alex Azure @Crow

"So... the same thing I do sometimes, just full throttle? Tell yourself you an fit the role of a hero and shove everything down that denies that? Yeah, saying that out loud, it doesn't seem to work so well."

Mason put his hands behind his head and looked up at the dreary sky as they walked. Every few seconds, he'd look around the group, tuning into the other conversations and making sure he doesn't lose sight of Corrin, Severa, and Keaton. He wanted to talk with Ben and Schala a bit more as well, but found himself at a loss for what to say. Eventually he returned to his conversation with Wade.


View attachment 3876
"Talking about it helps. Corrin's taught me a bit on how to keep focused. That keeps emotions down in a bit healthier of a way. Losing one Great Spirit kinda set me on edge though."

"Things that I've got going on off the top of my head? Got torn away from my family at eighteen, told I could be some great hero of destiny. Turned out that was a load of shit. Couple of deities just using me for their own devices. After that, went through basically this universe except kinda not and got a nice mental breakdown. My brother shot me in the head once. I think your partner Death must've been out to lunch though, because I kinda just went from one hellhole to another instead of, y'know, being dead. Haven't seen any female I've been interested in in a long time. Found out I had a sister and got her back from the dead, only for the multiverse to be in danger. Thanks, Othinus. How many times did she end up killing me?" Mason said all this, forgetting that there was an open comms channel directly to HQ.

With one hand, he opened up his locket and took out a small, purple spherical earring. He held it tightly as he sighed, "I think I saw my sister tending to the wounded from the Asgard mission back at HQ. So I know she's fine. And I don't need to worry but I know she's been through a lot."
​

Wade Wilson/Deadpool
​

Wade would look over at him and he really, really wanted to shoot the spainard, his hand reaching for something. " Don't worry about me dying, I regenerate," he replied, making a look at him. " Some of the others like Will and Corrin can attest to that, I had to cut my leg off while we were in the House of Mystery, it was not fun... so where were you during all of that?" He asked.

@HealThyWounds @Crow @Alex Azure @Minerva @Hahli Nuva

"Easy there, tiger," Mason said. With his other hand, he gently nudged Wade's wrist. "Not worth it."

@Lucky @Ver​

 

[Lucky]

Wade Wilson/Deadpool

" Yup, it sounds like we do the exact same thing... expect you didn't factory reset yourself when the hero thing work and shove down everything that doesn't work... oh and kill yourself or the actor who plays you... oops, getting slightly off topic."


" Yeah, talking about it with someone is a good thing as well. Well, yeah, I think it's probably healthy to help and talk about it. I honestly don't know what happened in there- too bus destroying people here. So, you mentioned that there hasn't been any female you have been interested in a long time, any men you are interested in? I mean, I swing all over the place. I mean, the Quentin kid is cute, but he's like ten years younger or so- not actually sure on my age."

Wade smiled. " Yeah, I need to save the bullets for actual bad guys and not Bastardos," he replied with a smile.

@Alex Azure @Space_Candy @Ver @HealThyWounds

 

[Crow]

Alonso's mood would simply lighten up. He smiled and laughed at the "mercenary," and shrugged. It all sounded more like a comic he cared nothing about, yet made him laugh. "Sounds like the tale of an ungodly clown, too." Alonso rested his arm over the handle of his sword, and nodded at Deadpool. "Your death then will mean no importance to me. For that, my mind will be at ease."​

"Ah, yes, the Americans. I fought against them." Alonso remembered suddenly the vast difference of the modern world and his passed. Alonso sucked his tooth and shook Ben's hand, remembering how his patrol in the Ministry fought against the Darrow corporation, who seeked to changed Spain's history so the company could profit off the "what-if" scenarios of its history. "Though, not in my timeline. The America's were ours though.. A proud dominion of Spain's fortitude. But I fought against them in the... Future. Or present, however it works.. 2016. Your people they are.. Opportunistic. Capitalistic." Alonso was blunt, to say the least, but it was not meant to disrespect at all, rather, he simply said things the way it should.

@Lucky @Crow ​

Wade Wilson/Deadpool
​

Wade would look over at him and he really, really wanted to shoot the spainard, his hand reaching for something. " Don't worry about me dying, I regenerate," he replied, making a look at him. " Some of the others like Will and Corrin can attest to that, I had to cut my leg off while we were in the House of Mystery, it was not fun... so where were you during all of that?" He asked.

@HealThyWounds @Crow @Alex Azure @Minerva @Hahli Nuva

"You can say that again," Ben laughs a bit, "sometimes it helps, sometimes it bites us in the butt."​

"Simple; I abstain from attachment. I don't rely on other organisms for any of my needs. It is natural for pokemon to form a bond with others, be it a human or other pokemon; a symbiotic relationship that offers mutual benefits for both participants."

"I don't require such symbiosis to accomplish my goals. You and everyone else here are my allies, but I need none of you to function at my strongest."

"I do not need a... 'partner', or a 'trainer'" the creature dejectedly muttered, as if it was unsure of its own statements for a moment. "That is why my mind is best fit to navigate this place. There is nothing - or, rather, no one - they can threaten me with. No one that I have not already... closed off from my mind, anyway."

Deoxys paused. "I... I have 'friends' to some extent, yes. But if they were to expire, I would not be any weaker."

"You, Benjamin Tennyson, have people that you depend on and even more people that depend on you. Harming them would be like harming you. I understand this as a universal weakness of those claiming to be 'heroes'."

@Crow​

Ben thinks about this. He's seen such a future - a future where he was just that, or at least, almost.

Yet this future had enough hope in himself to open his heart to change, becoming the more cheerful heart that Ben Tennyson in known for.

This future Ben Tennyson - Ben 10000 - was but one of many futures, which meant that it could happen, and possibly would. Ben knew that at some point, he could possibly become. That was a Ben that seperated himself from friends and family and focused on being a full-time hero with cold words to repel others.

Ben 10000, however, still had an attachment to his hero duties - a duty to the people of Earth and the universe. That was something Ben Tennyson could never truly abandon as long as he possessed the will and instincts that a human naturally had within them.

Ben looks towards his Omnitrix, popping the faceplate as it revaled the Deoxys-shaped hologram. Ben looks at it for a bit, then deactivates the dial, causing the hologram to disappear.

"Looks like different individuals have different ways of dealing with attachments... or lack thereof," Ben turns to Deoxys, "you have your ways and I have mine, even if it isn't always easy."

@Lucky @Alex Azure @HealThyWounds @CrunchyCHEEZIT​

 

[Macy Moretti]

Wade Wilson/Deadpool

" Yup, it sounds like we do the exact same thing... expect you didn't factory reset yourself when the hero thing work and shove down everything that doesn't work... oh and kill yourself or the actor who plays you... oops, getting slightly off topic."


" Yeah, talking about it with someone is a good thing as well. Well, yeah, I think it's probably healthy to help and talk about it. I honestly don't know what happened in there- too bus destroying people here. So, you mentioned that there hasn't been any female you have been interested in a long time, any men you are interested in? I mean, I swing all over the place. I mean, the Quentin kid is cute, but he's like ten years younger or so- not actually sure on my age."

Wade smiled. " Yeah, I need to save the bullets for actual bad guys and not Bastardos," he replied with a smile.

@Alex Azure @Space_Candy @Ver @HealThyWounds

"Well, there was one guy. I think I was eighteen when I met him? He's a whole universe way and I was kind of ordered to kill his family so that kind of killed the romance. Aside from that, I haven't met a guy who has caught my fancy."

@Lucky​

 

[HealThyWounds]

Wade Wilson/Deadpool
​

Wade would look over at him and he really, really wanted to shoot the spainard, his hand reaching for something. " Don't worry about me dying, I regenerate," he replied, making a look at him. " Some of the others like Will and Corrin can attest to that, I had to cut my leg off while we were in the House of Mystery, it was not fun... so where were you during all of that?" He asked.

@HealThyWounds @Crow @Alex Azure @Minerva @Hahli Nuva

Alonso laughed after a brief moment of attempting to keep himself serious. Truth or not, he found it amusing that Deadpool would try to kill him over an argument. His tone dropped in seriousness, his wounds could attest to that, for almost dying in the 17th century at the hands of a modern bullet. "Venga. What was I doing? I was saving the history of my country, and invariably the worlds history. I stopped the House of Austria from coming into the modern age and conquering all of the world, I stopped Francisco Franco from getting the support of the "Nazi's" and helping to invade Britain, I saved the Cid, Lope de Vega, Miguel de Cervantes, I held back the Nazi's in France from entering a door to my timelines Ministry and possibly conquering all of the modern world..." His voice trailed off for a moment as old wounds opened, pain now in his voice "I saw my friends die to save Miguel Hernandez at the Battle of Teruel... And yet I live. What have I done? I have done much. It is why I'm here now." Alonso sighed, shaking himself off of the feeling of remembering the death of one of his closest friends. "And while we are allies, I have no interests in fighting you. Albeit reluctantly, pazguato." Alonso scoffed at Deadpool, as he was a soldier, and the highest honour one could have, apart from God, is the brotherhood of soldiers... Albeit, not always was it a wanted honour. ​

"You can say that again," Ben laughs a bit, "sometimes it helps, sometimes it bites us in the butt."


Ben thinks about this. He's seen such a future - a future where he was just that, or at least, almost.

Yet this future had enough hope in himself to open his heart to change, becoming the more cheerful heart that Ben Tennyson in known for.

This future Ben Tennyson - Ben 10000 - was but one of many futures, which meant that it could happen, and possibly would. Ben knew that at some point, he could possibly become. That was a Ben that seperated himself from friends and family and focused on being a full-time hero with cold words to repel others.

Ben 10000, however, still had an attachment to his hero duties - a duty to the people of Earth and the universe. That was something Ben Tennyson could never truly abandon as long as he possessed the will and instincts that a human naturally had within them.

Ben looks towards his Omnitrix, popping the faceplate as it revaled the Deoxys-shaped hologram. Ben looks at it for a bit, then deactivates the dial, causing the hologram to disappear.

"Looks like different individuals have different ways of dealing with attachments... or lack thereof," Ben turns to Deoxys, "you have your ways and I have mine, even if it isn't always easy."

@Lucky @Alex Azure @HealThyWounds @CrunchyCHEEZIT
​

"No te incomodes. Do not fret. You, although young... You seem to be one of the good ones. Only when I see you in battle can I say you are an honourable one though."

@Crow @Lucky ​

 

[Lucky]

Wade Wilson/ Deadpool

" Oh, that sucks that you had to kill his whole family. If I have to ask though, what was the name of the guy? I mean- there is still a possibility of romance, stranger thing have happen with people," he replied with a smile on his face. He would ignore the other man. He didn't care about his history or his bragging. He just nod at him saying they would not fight.

@Alex Azure @HealThyWounds

 

[Macy Moretti]

Wade Wilson/ Deadpool

" Oh, that sucks that you had to kill his whole family. If I have to ask though, what was the name of the guy? I mean- there is still a possibility of romance, stranger thing have happen with people," he replied with a smile on his face. He would ignore the other man. He didn't care about his history or his bragging. He just nod at him saying they would not fight.

@Alex Azure @HealThyWounds

"Well, I was ordered to kill them but... I couldn't. I wasn't strong enough. Family name was Knight. That's all I can remember. The canonicity is debatable so..."

Suddenly Mason sneezed.

"What was I talking about?"

@Lucky​

 

[Lucky]

Wade Wilson/ Deadpool

Wade paused and looked over at him. " Huh- that name sounds fake and unfamiliar to me.... but yet I remember someone using it as a fake name at one point... ehh... whatever."

Deadpool looked over at him.

"Ex-boyfriend or guy you had a crush on."

@Alex Azure

 

[Crunch]

"You can say that again," Ben laughs a bit, "sometimes it helps, sometimes it bites us in the butt."​

Ben thinks about this. He's seen such a future - a future where he was just that, or at least, almost.

Yet this future had enough hope in himself to open his heart to change, becoming the more cheerful heart that Ben Tennyson in known for.

This future Ben Tennyson - Ben 10000 - was but one of many futures, which meant that it could happen, and possibly would. Ben knew that at some point, he could possibly become. That was a Ben that seperated himself from friends and family and focused on being a full-time hero with cold words to repel others.

Ben 10000, however, still had an attachment to his hero duties - a duty to the people of Earth and the universe. That was something Ben Tennyson could never truly abandon as long as he possessed the will and instincts that a human naturally had within them.

Ben looks towards his Omnitrix, popping the faceplate as it revaled the Deoxys-shaped hologram. Ben looks at it for a bit, then deactivates the dial, causing the hologram to disappear.

"Looks like different individuals have different ways of dealing with attachments... or lack thereof," Ben turns to Deoxys, "you have your ways and I have mine, even if it isn't always easy."

@Lucky @Alex Azure @HealThyWounds @CrunchyCHEEZIT
​

"Yes. That is true."

Deoxys seemed to give Ben a knowing look, aware of the anxious thought it conjured within the earnest hero's mind. Something compelled the alien to offer at least something resembling a comfort. "The alternative to my... 'nature' is no less effective beyond this context, you know."

"If it is any comfort, Ben... I don't see my way as any better than yours."

Deoxys looked up the desolate sky again. "I was taught 'friendship' by a human. That was an attachment to another individual I once had. My first. I only spurn such close relationships now because of that. It brought more weakness than strength to myself."

"Mental weakness. Emotional weakness. Emotional development that led to weakness. Now, no one depends on me, and I depend on no one. I am stronger for it. You... might not be."

"... Peering into your mind, you seem to know already the outcome of adopting my way of thinking, at least partially. If you were to keep those attachments you have now going forward - knowing full well what you will become if you choose to sever them as I have - do you believe that you would be stronger than that version of yourself? Would your ability to follow your nature - that being a hero - increase?

Deoxys swiftly raised a tentacle before Ben could respond. "Don't answer that question to me. That is a long-term choice you must make. I hope that your mind is at least somewhat fortified from this discussion because we will be moving out soon."

@Crow​

 

[York]

Spoiler: Replies

"I bet ten bucks his daughter's dressed like little red riding hood," Ben whispers into Deadpool's ears, sparking conversation to lighten the mood, "just one of those hunches..."

He looks to Will, noting her light a path, before pink sparks formed on his hand.

"Illuminat-"

The spark stops, vanishing like a blown-out candlelight, as he reaches into his pockets to take a flashlight out, twirling it like a baton and lighting the way.

"Eh."​

"Literally, and metaphorically, I guess," Ben comments in response to Severa mentioning the term 'Skirt-Chaser'. "The term isn't exclusive to skirts, if you're wondering, it can talk about a lack thereof too. Language is pretty weird, thinking about it...

...which is why I occasionally wonder if the Universal Translator on my Omnitrix ever translates things out-of-context."

"Purgatory. Purr-gatory. Pur-gato-ry. Take your pick, Zorro," Ben says to the Spaniard, "I learned that one the hard way... sorta..."

Ben decides to do the oldest technique in the book to pass a bit of time and clear his mind of vulnerabilities.

"Breath in- HACK HACK HACK. Man, this place prepares for everything."

@York @Ver @Alex Azure @Lucky @Hahli Nuva @Crimson Spartan @Ver @Yun Lee @etcetcetc​

Deoxys noted Touma's musings seriously, despite Fiamma of the Right and Othinus using it as an opportunity to tease the boy. The alien incidentally joined him in gazing up at the black clouds hanging over their squad, speaking softly without breaking its stare with the desolate sky.

"I thought it was a wise statement, Touma Kamijou. Morality is never defined. Each set of eyes viewing them decides the ethics of our actions. Individual people. Groups of said individuals. Vulnerability is the desire to have those actions validated by someone else."

"Validation is... a desire. Desire is a mental weakness," Deoxys added, rather poignantly. "The only way to avoid it is to avoid attachment. To stay independent. That goes against human nature. Perhaps you, Touma, are 'too human' for true independence, which is why you question the idea of a strong mind."

"... Not that humanity is a bad thing."

@Crow @Yun Lee @Lucky @Ver @Jeremi @Alex Azure @Crimson Spartan @Anybody


​

"You know, every time I try to be independent, the universe insists that I'll always need help from someone out there, partners, frenemies, truced enemies... even when I'm away from all my classic partners - Grandpa, Gwen, Kevin, Rook - I still have you all. I mean, I still get solo-time, but thinking about it..."

Ben turns to Deoxys.

"... lots of people can be independent to a good extent, but I don't know if anyone can be truly independent. Humans are the way they are today because they huddled into packs, tribes and eventually civilizations, so I guess you are right to call it a human thing, but it's also a thing with lots of the aliens I can turn into. At some point, I felt that cooperation was a... well... universal thing at its core. How do you do it, Deoxys?"

@CrunchyCHEEZIT @Ver @Lucky @York @Crimson Spartan @Yun Lee @HealThyWounds​

Alonso simply nodded his head. He looked slightly confused. He understood though, in a way, what they were there to do, having been briefed before his arrival, and having received this brief explanation from the young lady. He was more so confused simply by just... everything. He'd never been in a scene like this and would soon know what it'd be like. Alonso nodded once again, this time to clear his mind. "Vale... Vale. Entiendo. I suppose, then our mission should be completed at once." Alonso was - is - a soldier, no matter his rank, and followed the orders of his leaders to further complete the mission. He was determined for this. Alonso straightened himself suddenly, bowed slightly, and spoke again "Alonso de Entrerríos, Capitan de los Tercios de Flandes, a vuestros servicios." Alonso then paused and relaxed for a moment, and shook his head, realising the mistake that not everybody spoke Castilian. "Ah... Sorry. Captain Alonso de Entrerrios, of the Tercios of Flanders. I am at your services... I admit, I am not too... great with English. Back in the Ministry, we were taught it when we were out on missions.. Pardon the confusion. Eventually I'll have to come out with it."

But then...




Ben would continue to learn the hard way. Alonso turned around, visibly annoyed for being called a bitch. "Vaya, y este personaje? Te deberia de meterte unas hostias, no pazguato?" Alonso refrained from speaking outloud, and in English to refrain from fighting Ben, and muttered under his breath before speaking to the boy. "And you, boy? You seem no younger than the peasants who'd be conscripted to fight for the Army." A case of mistaken communications, maybe, but to Alonso, he was always hot-headed.

@York @Crow ​

Wade Wilson/ Deadpool

" So, wow, just wow, it took you this long to realize that the world isn't so black and white and that everything is shades of grey. Yeah, there is no such thing as absolute good ro evil, good on you for figuring that out kid. But yeah, more people need to be proactive in saving themselves, sometimes there isn't a hero to save the day and you got to be the hero or whatever. Also, anyone have trouble with their translations on the French guy? He seems to be dipping between English and French."

@Ver @HealThyWounds @York @Crow @Everyone else

"Castellano, you fool, or as the rest of the universe calls it, Spanish." There was a more noticeable hint of annoyance in Alonso's voice, yet he simply darted his head toward Deadpool rather than move toward him. "I despise the French. They've meddled with Spain and her Kingdom for far too long. Don't confuse me for one of those.. Gaznapiros. I would kill one if in sight.. Except the modern ones. Distrustworthy yet... formidable allies, when necessary."

@Lucky ​

Ben's universal translator allowed him to understand even as he heard it in his native tongue. He figured that the Spaniard probably said it in his own language for reasons.

(Google Translate gives machine translations, pls help)

"To summarise a very long story, I'm sort of considered a hero back home, and it seems that I'm not the only one here," Ben's eyes shift to Touma, Severa and Schala. "In the past, heroes being adult role models were all the rage, but I guess all that inspiration gave rise to younger heroes who want to make a difference early. I've been in the biz since I was ten. It was a lucky accident, but it happened and here I am today.

Some people call it fate. Others call it the correct sequence of events. I just appreciate that it happened and use my powers properly...

... eventually."​

"Yep! Lots of trouble with understanding! I definitely do not have any means to understand or translate Spanish! Ahahaha..." Ben's eyes dart around, his eye twitching as he says this despite the fact that he mentioned a Universal Translator in the device he is always seen wearing a while ago.

At least he was consistent with keeping up the act with pretending to not understand the spaniard.

"I'm a bit rusty with my history. How'd the feud start?"

@Lucky @Ver @HealThyWounds @York @Yun Lee​

Wade Wilson/ Deadpool

" See, I would be uninsulted if I knew what any of those words meant, but it seems that the multiverse translation is being a little fickle for me, generally, I can see a literal star or something to see the translation, but it seems nobody has the decent nature to do that anymore though. Okay, good to know that you hate the French, I don't think we have anyone French in our group, I'm Canadian, aye, if you couldn't tell from my accent and stuff," he replied to him.

" So, it would be helpful if everyone stuck to like English, American English. For some reason that has become the universal internet language, but you probably have no clue what he was talking about," he replied, looking around to see if there was a way out of this conversation though.

He took a deep breath and wondering what he was about to... oh, god, he didn't want to be here .

" Oh look, anywhere but this conversation-" he darted over to Mason.

@Alex Azure @HealThyWounds @Crow

"... Uh-huh."

Alonso was no superhero, yet he knew he was surrounded by them. In Spain, the people knew him after the Ministry of Time came out from hiding to help the United Universes. Here, he would be different, and would have to explain himself. Alonso, again, bows even shorter for Ben, and tips his hat down, and then up. "Alonso de Entrerrios. Captain of the Tercios of Flanders... Back in my time, they invaded Italy, home of General Spinosa.. the French would go to war with us for anything... The Eighty Years War, the Franco-Spanish War, the Thirty Years War... I was but a captain, leading a squadron of Tercios in Flanders against the Dutch, who were by far formidable foes.. And history shows..." Alonso makes a bit of a frustrated hand gesture, speaking of the losses of his actions during the grand war. "We lost to them, even with our most formidable army. Had we more help, we could have kept the Netherlands to ourselves, and driven to French and the English back to their Hell.. One day, I hope to see it true. But while they remain our allies, I serve at the pleasure of the King and won't harm them. We are allies, after all, no?"



"A clown in red clothing. An ungodly sight, and yet perfect to make His Majesty laugh nonetheless." He dismissed his comments and looked forward to Deadpool leaving the conversation anyways. Alonso could only grunt and mutter "Estupido.."

@Crow @Lucky ​

Ben took a mental note to hide Astolfo if this guy ever paid a visit to his house.

"Name's Ben, Ben Tennyson. I'm a full-fledged American teenager. We can count on each other to be allies," Ben reaches out for his handshake, a greeting from his culture. "at the time I'm from, humanity should be pretty close to properly living among aliens... visitors from the stars. Pretty amazing what the future holds."

Ben looks up to the supposed stars in the ashen sky.

"Definitely not those stars. I can't even see 'em."

He then looks towards the merc with a mouth running his mouth. "Hooo boy. This is not going to end well," Ben utters to himself, understanding those words very well.

@HealThyWounds @Lucky​

"Simple; I abstain from attachment. I don't rely on other organisms for any of my needs. It is natural for pokemon to form a bond with others, be it a human or other pokemon; a symbiotic relationship that offers mutual benefits for both participants."

"I don't require such symbiosis to accomplish my goals. You and everyone else here are my allies, but I need none of you to function at my strongest."

"I do not need a... 'partner', or a 'trainer'" the creature dejectedly muttered, as if it was unsure of its own statements for a moment. "That is why my mind is best fit to navigate this place. There is nothing - or, rather, no one - they can threaten me with. No one that I have not already... closed off from my mind, anyway."

Deoxys paused. "I... I have 'friends' to some extent, yes. But if they were to expire, I would not be any weaker."

"You, Benjamin Tennyson, have people that you depend on and even more people that depend on you. Harming them would be like harming you. I understand this as a universal weakness of those claiming to be 'heroes'."

@Crow

​

Alonso's mood would simply lighten up. He smiled and laughed at the "mercenary," and shrugged. It all sounded more like a comic he cared nothing about, yet made him laugh. "Sounds like the tale of an ungodly clown, too." Alonso rested his arm over the handle of his sword, and nodded at Deadpool. "Your death then will mean no importance to me. For that, my mind will be at ease."​

"Ah, yes, the Americans. I fought against them." Alonso remembered suddenly the vast difference of the modern world and his passed. Alonso sucked his tooth and shook Ben's hand, remembering how his patrol in the Ministry fought against the Darrow corporation, who seeked to changed Spain's history so the company could profit off the "what-if" scenarios of its history. "Though, not in my timeline. The America's were ours though.. A proud dominion of Spain's fortitude. But I fought against them in the... Future. Or present, however it works.. 2016. Your people they are.. Opportunistic. Capitalistic." Alonso was blunt, to say the least, but it was not meant to disrespect at all, rather, he simply said things the way it should.

@Lucky @Crow ​

Will could overhear the others talking about their histories and trying to keep the impending darkness at bay.

The Keeper herself could afford a small smile, if only for the thoughts of what she used to have. Ben talked about friendship, and the alien warrior had said he would be stronger even if he didn't have friends. This brought up a serious question for Will, one she had yet to answer.

Did she still need friends?

Perhaps the alien was telling the truth. Maybe she didn't need her friends or any new ones, at least. Will herself knew she was powerful. But this power was not inherently hers. The Heart of Kandrakar offerd her many privleges not even her fellow Guardians could possess. Aether Manipulation was a powerful and very deadly art only a few have proven capable of mastering. If she put her effort into it, Will had no doubt she could avoid problems like Origin's death for good.

And yet....

She had done many heroic deeds either with her former friends or The Coalition. She had saved countless worlds and pacified entire armies with but a simple gesture of peace. alongside her friends she had toppled an evil tyrant, battled her mentally unstable predecesor and had even gone face to face with gods and spirits.

So here she stood, walking in a dead city, lost and confused just like everyone else. She would continue to light the way, walking and listening.

Nobody was going to die on her watch. Not a single soul.

@Lucky @Atomic Knight @Jeremi @Everyone

"You can say that again," Ben laughs a bit, "sometimes it helps, sometimes it bites us in the butt."​

Ben thinks about this. He's seen such a future - a future where he was just that, or at least, almost.

Yet this future had enough hope in himself to open his heart to change, becoming the more cheerful heart that Ben Tennyson in known for.

This future Ben Tennyson - Ben 10000 - was but one of many futures, which meant that it could happen, and possibly would. Ben knew that at some point, he could possibly become. That was a Ben that seperated himself from friends and family and focused on being a full-time hero with cold words to repel others.

Ben 10000, however, still had an attachment to his hero duties - a duty to the people of Earth and the universe. That was something Ben Tennyson could never truly abandon as long as he possessed the will and instincts that a human naturally had within them.

Ben looks towards his Omnitrix, popping the faceplate as it revaled the Deoxys-shaped hologram. Ben looks at it for a bit, then deactivates the dial, causing the hologram to disappear.

"Looks like different individuals have different ways of dealing with attachments... or lack thereof," Ben turns to Deoxys, "you have your ways and I have mine, even if it isn't always easy."

@Lucky @Alex Azure @HealThyWounds @CrunchyCHEEZIT​

Alonso laughed after a brief moment of attempting to keep himself serious. Truth or not, he found it amusing that Deadpool would try to kill him over an argument. His tone dropped in seriousness, his wounds could attest to that, for almost dying in the 17th century at the hands of a modern bullet. "Venga. What was I doing? I was saving the history of my country, and invariably the worlds history. I stopped the House of Austria from coming into the modern age and conquering all of the world, I stopped Francisco Franco from getting the support of the "Nazi's" and helping to invade Britain, I saved the Cid, Lope de Vega, Miguel de Cervantes, I held back the Nazi's in France from entering a door to my timelines Ministry and possibly conquering all of the modern world..." His voice trailed off for a moment as old wounds opened, pain now in his voice "I saw my friends die to save Miguel Hernandez at the Battle of Teruel... And yet I live. What have I done? I have done much. It is why I'm here now." Alonso sighed, shaking himself off of the feeling of remembering the death of one of his closest friends. "And while we are allies, I have no interests in fighting you. Albeit reluctantly, pazguato." Alonso scoffed at Deadpool, as he was a soldier, and the highest honour one could have, apart from God, is the brotherhood of soldiers... Albeit, not always was it a wanted honour. ​

"No te incomodes. Do not fret. You, although young... You seem to be one of the good ones. Only when I see you in battle can I say you are an honourable one though."

@Crow @Lucky ​

"Yes. That is true."

Deoxys seemed to give Ben a knowing look, aware of the anxious thought it conjured within the earnest hero's mind. Something compelled the alien to offer at least something resembling a comfort. "The alternative to my... 'nature' is no less effective beyond this context, you know."

"If it is any comfort, Ben... I don't see my way as any better than yours."

Deoxys looked up the desolate sky again. "I was taught 'friendship' by a human. That was an attachment to another individual I once had. My first. I only spurn such close relationships now because of that. It brought more weakness than strength to myself."

"Mental weakness. Emotional weakness. Emotional development that led to weakness. Now, no one depends on me, and I depend on no one. I am stronger for it. You... might not be."

"... Peering into your mind, you seem to know already the outcome of adopting my way of thinking, at least partially. If you were to keep those attachments you have now going forward - knowing full well what you will become if you choose to sever them as I have - do you believe that you would be stronger than that version of yourself? Would your ability to follow your nature - that being a hero - increase?

Deoxys swiftly raised a tentacle before Ben could respond. "Don't answer that question to me. That is a long-term choice you must make. I hope that your mind is at least somewhat fortified from this discussion because we will be moving out soon."

@Crow​

Schala Zeal
@Lucky @Ver @HealThyWounds @Crow @Yun Lee

Schala frowned, the notion of morality, or lack thereof troubling her a little. Perhaps it was a topic better suited for a place outside the Silent Earth, where her worries and fear could not take physical form.

Listening to Alonso's explanation of his past though made her smile somewhat, giving her a little more confidence as she turned back to Ben and Deoxys, having paid rather close attention to their conversation.

Thinking carefully, she retrieved that dreamstone she had been handed back sometime before they arrived at the Silent Earth, grasping it tightly in one hand... As if it could provide her some form of comfort.

And then, looking between Ben, and Deoxys, she cleared her throat and spoke, breaking her short period of silence.

"Whatever you choose. It is not too late to change if you no longer wish to follow that path. It is not a luxury everyone has, but, it is one of the liberties we have, right now." She paused for a moment, turning her gaze towards Will for amoment.

"All of us." She said.

Turning back to the others, she closed her eyes for a moment, managing a smile despite the nature of their conversation.

"If my fights with Jiren tought me anything. It is that choice is something every being should have. For the better or worse... It is what brings color to our lives."

While the smile remained, Schala looked a little embarassed now, realizing she had begun to ramble a little. On the other hand, at least she wasn't feeling scared or anything anymore. For now anyways.​

 

[Jeremi]

"Yes. That is true."

Deoxys seemed to give Ben a knowing look, aware of the anxious thought it conjured within the earnest hero's mind. Something compelled the alien to offer at least something resembling a comfort. "The alternative to my... 'nature' is no less effective beyond this context, you know."

"If it is any comfort, Ben... I don't see my way as any better than yours."

Deoxys looked up the desolate sky again. "I was taught 'friendship' by a human. That was an attachment to another individual I once had. My first. I only spurn such close relationships now because of that. It brought more weakness than strength to myself."

"Mental weakness. Emotional weakness. Emotional development that led to weakness. Now, no one depends on me, and I depend on no one. I am stronger for it. You... might not be."

"... Peering into your mind, you seem to know already the outcome of adopting my way of thinking, at least partially. If you were to keep those attachments you have now going forward - knowing full well what you will become if you choose to sever them as I have - do you believe that you would be stronger than that version of yourself? Would your ability to follow your nature - that being a hero - increase?

Deoxys swiftly raised a tentacle before Ben could respond. "Don't answer that question to me. That is a long-term choice you must make. I hope that your mind is at least somewhat fortified from this discussion because we will be moving out soon."

@Crow​

"You want me to play ya the worlds smallest violin fella?" Frank's fingers motioned to simulate the bow hitting the string. "You sound like the type of guy who got dumped by your ex and now you can 'never love again'. Give me a break. Even when I walked that rode you did I had...'work associates' and 'flings'. They're all dead too, been dead for about a million years. Actually can't really say that either cause I'm in my past right now dealing with shit."

Frank realized he was going on a tangent and tried to right his course. "What I'm trying to say is, the reason you probably don't have any friends is because you're a drag. Oh no people close to me make you weak! No, idiot. People close to you make you strong! That's the whole point of living! To have people close to you! If you weren't so far away I'd dope slap you! But don't you worry before this is done you're going to be crying for everyone that ends up dying or my name isn't Frank Castle!"

@CrunchyCHEEZIT @Crow @Anyone

 

[Crunch]

"You want me to play ya the worlds smallest violin fella?" Frank's fingers motioned to simulate the bow hitting the string. "You sound like the type of guy who got dumped by your ex and now you can 'never love again'. Give me a break. Even when I walked that rode you did I had...'work associates' and 'flings'. They're all dead too, been dead for about a million years. Actually can't really say that either cause I'm in my past right now dealing with shit."

Frank realized he was going on a tangent and tried to right his course. "What I'm trying to say is, the reason you probably don't have any friends is because you're a drag. Oh no people close to me make you weak! No, idiot. People close to you make you strong! That's the whole point of living! To have people close to you! If you weren't so far away I'd dope slap you! But don't you worry before this is done you're going to be crying for everyone that ends up dying or my name isn't Frank Castle!"

@CrunchyCHEEZIT @Crow @Anyone

Deoxys didn't seem amused by Frank's deconstruction, shaking its head. "Consider yourself an example of my point then, Frank Castle. My way of thinking is clearly not effective for you if your 'point of living' is to have close relationships. My 'point of living' is vastly different. I don't imagine a human - or whatever organism you are now - would see it as I would."

"That is why the way I choose to live is not the only path to strength. It is simply the most effective path for myself, is all, judging by the results I have had."

Deoxys looked down, beginning to dwell on one particular exception to his own claim. "... I have very basic attachments. Allies. Not friends. Not partners. Some mutual benefits between us, but no personal connection. There is less chance of any unforeseen issues. Simple."

"Also, I cannot cry. I do not have tear ducts."

@Jeremi @Crow @Whoever​

 

[Jeremi]

Deoxys didn't seem amused by Frank's deconstruction, shaking its head. "Consider yourself an example of my point then, Frank Castle. My way of thinking is clearly not effective for you if your 'point of living' is to have close relationships. My 'point of living' is vastly different. I don't imagine a human - or whatever organism you are now - would see it as I would."

"That is why the way I choose to live is not the only path to strength. It is simply the most effective path for myself, is all, judging by the results I have had."

Deoxys looked down, beginning to dwell on one particular exception to his own claim. "... I have very basic attachments. Allies. Not friends. Not partners. Some mutual benefits between us, but no personal connection. There is less chance of any unforeseen issues. Simple."

"Also, I cannot cry. I do not have tear ducts."

@Jeremi @Crow @Whoever​

Frank folded his arms and had the smuggest looking face that Deoxys had ever seen on anyone. "You keep tellin' yourself that, maybe at some point you'll start believing it too Mr I'm too Alien for things."

@CrunchyCHEEZIT

 

[York]

Spoiler: Replies

"You want me to play ya the worlds smallest violin fella?" Frank's fingers motioned to simulate the bow hitting the string. "You sound like the type of guy who got dumped by your ex and now you can 'never love again'. Give me a break. Even when I walked that rode you did I had...'work associates' and 'flings'. They're all dead too, been dead for about a million years. Actually can't really say that either cause I'm in my past right now dealing with shit."

Frank realized he was going on a tangent and tried to right his course. "What I'm trying to say is, the reason you probably don't have any friends is because you're a drag. Oh no people close to me make you weak! No, idiot. People close to you make you strong! That's the whole point of living! To have people close to you! If you weren't so far away I'd dope slap you! But don't you worry before this is done you're going to be crying for everyone that ends up dying or my name isn't Frank Castle!"

@CrunchyCHEEZIT @Crow @Anyone

Deoxys didn't seem amused by Frank's deconstruction, shaking its head. "Consider yourself an example of my point then, Frank Castle. My way of thinking is clearly not effective for you if your 'point of living' is to have close relationships. My 'point of living' is vastly different. I don't imagine a human - or whatever organism you are now - would see it as I would."

"That is why the way I choose to live is not the only path to strength. It is simply the most effective path for myself, is all, judging by the results I have had."

Deoxys looked down, beginning to dwell on one particular exception to his own claim. "... I have very basic attachments. Allies. Not friends. Not partners. Some mutual benefits between us, but no personal connection. There is less chance of any unforeseen issues. Simple."

"Also, I cannot cry. I do not have tear ducts."

@Jeremi @Crow @Whoever​

Frank folded his arms and had the smuggest looking face that Deoxys had ever seen on anyone. "You keep tellin' yourself that, maybe at some point you'll start believing it too Mr I'm too Alien for things."

@CrunchyCHEEZIT

Schala Zeal
@Jeremi @Crow @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Others?

There was a pained expression in Schala's face, as she once more recalled Jiren's words back when they had fought Othinus. It eventually contorted into a sad, but understanding smile as she spoke.

"Power isn't everything. But I cannot fault you for living your life that way."

She clasped her hands together, hesitating a little before she continued.

"Just know that I still consider you a friend. And, I hope you don't lose your way, on your path to... Power." She added.

Perhaps she had her own reservations about the approach Deoxys had. Mostly thanks to how her mother had turned out in the end. Maybe she wished to prevent history from repeating itself? Hard to say.

All that was certain, was that she was genuine with her words, and earnest in her actions.​