[justify]【 Earlier That Evening… 】

[color=ed1c24]“Your challenge is accepted, Toymaster!”[/color] On his journey to find worthy competitors for the Battle Toyale, the Toymaster had invaded the dreams of one Nudara Fah only to find that the dreaded [color=000000][b]Black Prince[/b][/color] was more lucid than originally anticipated. Staring him down from behind the effigy of a one-eyed wolf and wearing a suit of bladed armor. Standing amid what he could only were the bodies of those who had earned the prince’s ire—and there were many—as he listened to the evil god's proposal. [color=ed1c24]“I am already the reigning King of Earth, it is only fitting that I crown myself the King of Toys and bring joy to the children of the land.”[/color]

For a moment the avatar's hinged jaw swung open and then thought better of arguing the small details. Its wooden mouth snapping shut with an equally wooden clack and splintering into a smile of mutual understanding as it replied with an out-of-date voice box:

[i]Excellent, just close your eyes and open your mind, our master awaits you.[/i]

【 The Present 】

[b]*RIIIIIIIIP*[/b]

Somewhere in the back shelves where unwanted toys were kept after their season had passed an action figure’s right hand knifed its way through the front of its plastic prison cell, its left hand joined it soon after, and together the two tore a great gaping hole in the cardboard through which he could step. About six inches tall. Wearing the black leather dress uniform of a military man as if it were a part of his body--because it was--with a felt coat that draped behind his calves and a head full of luxurious long black hair. His plastic face was a perfect mold of the handsome mug shown on television during the Empyrean award ceremony including the eyepatch covering up that wound he’d received from a certain Mayathine demigod that had tried to dig his brain out with a stiletto made of ice. The memory of it brought a smile to his face. Beneath the sleeve of his felt coat one hand seemed perfectly natural (for an action figure) while the left was distinctly silver with coarse fingers that stroked along his chin in loving admiration for all of the handiwork that must have gone into making it so accurate—right before he ruined reached straight through the remaining plastic to grab the six inch metal sword that came included and swung it over his back.

[color=ed1c24]“Alright, let’s do this!”[/color][/justify]

[center][b]Nudara Fah
The One-Eyed Wolf[/b][/center]

[justify]Only to find naught but dusty shelves and dim lighting awaited him.

[color=ed1c24]“Bah, what kind of filthy store is this, I can barely see a thing.”[/color]

“That’s because you’re in the back, young wolf.”

A familiar voice graced his ears, spoken as if through a gaping maw and writhing mandibles, Nudara whirled around to find the one-and-a-half-foot tall transforming stickbug towering over him with its telltale haunch. A familiar face then. And a welcome one at that…[/justify]

[center][b]I WILL KILL YOU OR DIE TRYING
Always Shouted, Never Whispered[/b][/center]

[justify][color=ed1c24]“What do you mean I’m in the back of the store, old man, don’t you see the advertising  on my toybox. I won the tournament, I should be in the front, where adults and children alike can fight for the opportunity to bask in my glory—"[/color]

“Well as it turns out, being rude to all of your opponents and using dirty tactics didn’t win fans over.” The old bug murmured, as if reluctant to reveal the truth, but compelled nonetheless. “Killing the hometown hero and burning his body to a crisp probably didn’t help either…”

Nudara winced but respected the old one too much to argue, [color=ed1c24]“And you?”[/color]

“Aaaah… my debut was overshadowed by a man from the past. And alas. The Tesseract required to mimic my body’s functions was not included in the packaging.” Even the act of speaking was causing the cosmic bug’s body to begin breaking down one flake of plastic at a time, “If you can find one then I’ll gladly support your cause.”

[color=ed1c24]“That might be difficult, old one, I don’t think this planets technology has advanced that far.”[/color]

“Oh well, good luck, and may you reclaim your lost honor—oh look, here comes your first challenge.”

Nudara was just about to say something in response when the sound of honking filled the air.

[color=00aeef][sub][b]“Serves you right, cocky little punk.”[/b][/sub][/color] [color=00aeef][sup][b]“Trapped back here with the rest of the losers.”[/b][/sup][/color] [color=00aeef][sub][b]“Your hair makes you look like a girl.”[/b][/sub][/color]

Three voices, honk-honk-hoking their way down the shelf bowling over other toys in the process, divine guardians of the Kingdom of Dawn where the so-called New Gods made their thrones all very much looking like giant white gooses. Because that’s what they were. Whatever idiot had decided to make the heralds of the gods geese surely regretted every day they woke up to the sound of…[/justify]

[center][b]THE JERRYS
Divine Malefactors[/b][/center]

[justify]Before they could loose another honk, the Black Prince’s right hand snapped out, his fingers collapsing the orange plastic beak and trapping its obnoxious voice somewhere in that hollow chest. Immediately the plastic began to boil underhand much to the lead Jerry’s dismay, eyes bulging, heat building up inside of its mouth until a moment later the whole thing exploded in a shower of plastic. Some of the wet loose stuff that was used to cover the harder skeletons of larger toys and some of that harder stuff previously mentioned transformed into little bullets that dented the metal and pierced an unfortunate Action Man straight through the chest before he went tumbling.

[color=ed1c24]“Listen close you buzzards, I’m going to win this thing, and when I do there will be another one of me under every tree and in every stocking every year until they learn to love me. And if you want any hope of escaping your place in the landfill then you’ll stay out of my way. But if you help me out, well, maybe I can find a place for a couple of oversized ducks in my merry band of misfits…”[/color][/justify]