Blazion

What Hero Wants to Die? - An Inverted Isekai

Discomfort, at first, not from any physical sensation but a twisting sensation deep in the gut. Discomfort, an ache from a singing burn that was hastily covered in a cold gel, a tearing pain across the chest.

Fire.

Then there was nothing, at least for a little while. Only darkness, and a floating void. It wrapped around like a comforting blanket, cool and gentle with a reassuring feeling that everything was finally over-

Then it was nothing again, but different.

Since now, Claire could move again. Could sit up, blinking slowly at the familiar ceiling. She could feel the leaves brushing past her arms as she did so, but at the same time it was an almost phantom feeling, as though she couldn't really feel it.

Blink, blink. Finally the Dullahan twisted around at the waist to pick up her head that had been left behind, balancing it precariously on her neck before the swirling smoke curled around itself to attach firmly.

"... Huh," was the first word out of Claire's mouth, lips curled upwards in an ever present grin. All around her there were vines, leaves, trees. Even beneath her was a soft bed of moss and leaves, familiar and comforting. Yet strange.

There was not the usual scent of her "room" in the feywilds, brimming with magic and the leafy vegetation that bloomed all around. Instead it was only a faint presence, a phantom of the usual, like ... like the flavoring in a La Croix sparkling water. There were no birds happily chirping away, no sound of Morena's hound happily panting away as he dug holes nearby, not even the huffing breaths of her ever present protector-

"Thanatos!" Claire surged up, eyes flicking this way and that. There were plenty of shadows, in the forest-made room. It was one of her biggest requests, after all! Since if anyone would never leave her side, it would be her steed. "Thanatos!" The call was more urgent this time, but still no familiar presence. The shadows remained still and quiet, not even a wisp of shadows or a single clop of hooves.

The feel of a muscular body beneath her, the dark mane comforting against her fingers before she lifted her head high into the sky. Her own name, falling from her lips, then the sharp whistle of descending death and the fire, fire, fire...

Knock.

Claire paused, having been in the act of yanking her very head off to almost throw into the shadows looking for her mount. Slowly she tilted her neck to look in the direction of the sound, eyes nearly rolling in her head unnaturally.

"... Come in?" She finally tried, but when no response was forthcoming the brunette glanced side to side.

She shrugged.

Pushing away a wall of vine of leaves revealed the door, pristine white and clamly waiting.

"What a time to disappear, Thanatos." The girl muttered lowly before grasping onto the doorknob. The thought vaguely entered her head that if she had died, Thanatos might not have - being that he was already dead. "This better be you showing me you learned how to knock..."

It wasn't.

Heroes Reborn: Prime Earth (Superhero/Urban Fantasy: OPEN)

January 1st, 9:58 AM (Eastern USA)
Justice Station, Space

“...And that’s it for us! As always, I’m Kenny Beauford.”

“And I’m Amana Snow.”

“And this has been your Morning Show broadcast!”

”Welcome back, Operative Grim.”

”Morning shows, Matthias? I suppose it’s better than the dramas.” The deep, masculine voice of Grim permeated the room, the mechanical slide of the door behind him accompanying it. On the couch in one of the spacious rooms provided in the Justice Station, the masked man in his button up shirt and dark vest waved a hand, tilting his head to look at the new occupant.

”I’ll have you know that Savior of my Heart is a visual masterpiece. The acting, the passion, the drama!”

”I do like the catfights,” was the deadpan response from the taller hero. Placing his hands on either side of his helmet, Grim pulled it up and off. Immediately crimson bangs fell into Zoey’s eyes, being blown away as she tucked the wolf-styled helmet underneath her arm. ”What are you doing here so early, anyway?”

”Ah, coffee of course! Alfred brews it to perfection.”

”Thank you, Operative Masquerade.”

Zoey didn’t respond, merely quirking a perfectly sculpted eyebrow. Matthias seemed to stare right back, his white and black full face mask hiding his expression. Finally he coughed into his hand and looked away.

”... I also may have accidentally opened a portal here instead of home after last night. You do know how I feel about celebrations.”

A non-committal hum was his response.

”As long as you didn’t bring any stragglers along.”

”Perish the thought of me being so careless, Miss Kasimir! But it begs the question, why are you here?”

”Work,” The response was dry as Zoey once more began to move, walking by with a straight back and a flick of the short red cape hanging off her shoulder.

”Of course, I should have guessed! You work too hard, Miss Kasimir - it’s still New Year’s!”

”And with the new year, a slew of new problems I have no doubt. I won’t be here long anyway, I was stuck at the mayor’s New Year’s party until one in the morning. Then there were a few incidents in Gotham with a group of drunk Terrans, and a metahuman with a gigantification ability nearly blew up a city block enlarging fireworks. Then there was the increased demon activity at the Shattered Scar border...”

”Ah yes, every year they get a little rowdy around this time, don’t they?”

”Indeed. With that in mind, if you’ll excuse me Matthias…” The Justice Leaguer known as Masquerade merely lifted his hat, tipping it towards his teammate. With a last nod of her own Zoey continued deeper into the Justice Station, leaving him behind.

”Alfred, have you already compiled the yearly reports?” Immediately the smooth voice of the Station’s A.I. sounded from the walls, following Zoey along with every step.

”Of course, Operative Grim. The reports of last years’ crime statistics, the obituaries of all heroes within the past twelve months, the-”

”Good, good.”

”And the quarterly review of Vanguard and the latest initiatives proposed.”

A low sigh escaped Zoey’s lips, still painted a deep red from the party she had attended earlier as her civilian persona. So much to do, always so much to do. Finally she reached her destination, the door sliding open at her approach. The room itself was spartan, if rather large, containing only a computer chair and a white desk.

Setting her helmet down on the desk, the Gotham Hero sunk into the seat with a tired groan. Immediately a screen appeared in front of her, glowing as the displays lit up ten feet across. A keyboard similarly lit to life, the light-construct seemingly hovering in front of her.

”Right then, Alfred, let’s start with… Vanguard’s initiatives with non-human Terran relocation.”

”Of course, Operative Grim. Since last quarter, views of non-humans have increased by nearly five percent in the public eye, however the majority of citizens in the USA and the Pacific Federation in particular are still largely against non-human rights. With that in mind, relocation by Agents of Vanguard has been heavily protested…”

Another huffing sight, and Zoey reached up to pinch the bridge of her nose.

”Alfred?” She interrupted.

”Yes, Operative Grim?”

”Please pour me a drink, and have one of the drones deliver it.”

”Of course, Operative Grim. Your blood pressure appears to be rising as well, would you like me to administer a sedative?”

”Why did I even program that in?”

Heroes Reborn: Prime Earth (Superhero/Urban Fantasy: OPEN)

Do it. Have an adventure. Explore the world.

Heroes Reborn: Prime Earth (Superhero/Urban Fantasy: OPEN)

Is there any semblance of civilization in the midwest?

Like, is the entire heart of the US just Mad Max meets The Mist, or are there now monster/demon cities with their own laws and culture?

@praxitilies

There are still towns and cities throughout the Shattered Scar, but they're under loose control of the Blackthorn Coven and must make regular sacrifices to them. It's a bleak and miserable existance.

What Hero Wants to Die? - An Inverted Isekai

Bruh, I did that with my first D&D character! My dragonborn fighter punched through a wall with a natural 20 to break into a fort.

What Hero Wants to Die? - An Inverted Isekai

Alright, thanks! I'm about to start playing D&D but I'll try and get a post up tonight.

What Hero Wants to Die? - An Inverted Isekai

Quick question, do their powers work in that world? As in, could Claire summon her horse?

Heroes Reborn: Prime Earth (Superhero/Urban Fantasy: OPEN)

Grim welcomes you with guns blazing.

Anomalous

N.O.V.A. Profile: Grim

Name |

Zoey Kasimir

Alias |

Grim

Age |

23

Gender |

Female

Appearance |

Standing at 6’3’’ Zoey is a surprisingly tall woman, but thankfully her active lifestyle leaves a fair amount of muscle packed onto her body to keep from appearing like a beanpole. Her red hair is such a light shade that it almost appears to be orange, the strands falling straight down to her mid back, though more often than not she has bangs falling into her face. Said face has rather elegant, if harsh looking features made up of sharp, hard lines with high cheekbones and brows near constantly furrowed above her grey-blue eyes. Sadly this all adds up to Zoey having a natural ‘resting bitch face’, often appearing to be judging everything about you with a single glance.

Due to her upbringing nothing she wears makes her more approachable either, her casual wear often consisting of slacks and button up shirts or high brand skirts and dresses, and sunglasses she probably spent too much on. Her outfits are never below the triple digits, if not more.

Notoriety |

Unknown

Variant Type/Danger Level |

Red Architect

Abilities |

Class 4
Atom Manipulation
In a broad sense, Zoey can manipulate all atoms both on herself and things around her. In reality this is an incredibly hard power to control, even for someone using it all their life, and she hasn't come close to unlocking its potential.

Deconstruction: The destructive power of her abilities is honestly what Zoey excels at. She's capable of dissolving anything non-living within five feet of her, up to the size of a semi-truck. Plants, despite being living, are somewhat affected by this and will fall apart at a slower pace. Animals and humans she can only do so with touch and only small areas of humans - for example an arm.

Reconstruction: After deconstructing a material Zoey can put it right back together again as long as she still has control of the atoms. Should she have let the material "drop" it would be far more difficult to piece them back together, and if she had never dissolved them in the first place but rather was trying to manipute atoms to something new or unfamiliar it requires her full concentration and can take up to five minutes for the smallest items.

Control: Last, Zoey can stop or move any non-energy based object, including people. For an object she can hold it up to thirty seconds, a person would only be for a split second - rather like hitting an invisible barrier and losing all momentum.

[Gear]
Attire |

Zoey is rather paranoid about her identity, and as such her outfit as Grim is made to hide as much as possible. Everything is in black, from the non-descript hoodie, to the full-head mask beneath it, from the cargo pants to the boots. She even wears a voice changer and chest compressor to hide her gender. The only item of note (excluding the mask, which the hoodie helps hide) is a silver canine head insignia on the belt.

Armament/Equipment |

Mace – Yep, a bottle of ordinary mace. Zoey tends to forget about it since she’s so reliant upon her powers however.

Kevlar Vest - A concealed bulletproof vest underneath Grim’s hoodie, along with being practical it also adds to the chest bindings to give a more solidly masculine build.

Goggles - The best money can buy, and with a little bit of custom tinkering, these are top of the line crime fighters. Capable of night vision, zoom, and a basic infared.

Voice Changer - Top of the line, it wraps snugly around the lower face and comes out as a deep, masculine voice with only a slight, unnoticeable amount of roboticism.

First Aid Kit. Safety first, kids!

[Temperament & Lifestyle]
Affiliation |

Independent

Alignment |

Altruist (Social Good)

Personality/Habits |

Zoey’s initial impressions often end up with her coming off as cold, aloof, and perhaps even a bitch. Despite trying to appear more elegant than she probably is, she has a bit of bite to her words that’s not helped by an impassive visage. Yet even with her efforts to put off a certain bearing, she can be quick to fluster or anger if the right buttons are pressed. When it all comes together Zoey can come off as a bit of a bully, but truth be told it’s rather accidental, as Zoey is too preoccupied with her own problems to care about harassing others.

It’s difficult for Zoey to shed the mask she’s built, too. While she may go as far as being a touch flirty, getting a real crack at it can be difficult - usually though it’s from getting her to geek out about her current projects, be it cars, tech, or her research (read: fangirling) over heroes. Further, she has a real passion for helping others even if it’s difficult to show - but, Zoey’s a bit dull and doesn’t have a great grasp of real world economics. To her, helping others in the mask she dons is the best use of her resources. Last, Zoey just plain isn't the sharpest knife in the crayon box; the only exception to this is that she handles cars and tech like putty in her hands - at least as much as a normal person can!

In-costume Grim is a vicious thing, and an equally dirty fighter. Since he’s often in mid to close combat he doesn’t hesitate to use cheap tricks to seal a victory, and often relies on surprise and brute strength to end a confrontation before it can truly begin. He strikes hard, fast, leaving little opportunity for someone to respond… at least criminals. It’s rather common to have Grim stop and drop a compliment or flirty line - due to often feeling like she has to be something she’s not, and being quite in the closet as she’s her family’s only child, Zoey takes the anonymity of being behind Grim’s mask to ‘let loose’ in more ways than just flexing her abilities. She has quite the repertoire of cheesy one-liners, actually. Further, due to cultivating the image of Grim being a man Zoey’s quite talented at switching her mannerisms and actions to be masculine, down to her very walk.

Occupation/Trade |

The richest bitch.

Skills/Talents |

Money, always money. Beyond that she has some medical knowledge, beyond basic first aid but certainly less than anyone in the profession. Zoey also has training in some fighting styles, favoring boxing and grapples. She also has some experience with rifles, hunting ones specifically.

Family |

Zaden Kasimir (father); Aurora Larkin (mother, deceased).

Background |

As the first and only child to the Kasimir family, Zoey was the pride of her parents’ life - and with their social status never had to want for anything. While both her parents came from upper class families, her father in particular had made a name for himself outside his family name. He was a talented surgeon that was highly sought after, having an incredibly high survivability on his performances due to the least kept secret in his medical ward - Dr. Kasimir wasn’t a normal human.

It was within days after her birth that it became apparent Zoey took after her father. Zaden Kasimir was of course overjoyed his little girl received this gift as well, and Zoey started learning even before she could walk how to use her powers, identical to his. Her mother was often concerned, considering what a power it was, but as a child there was very little the small girl could do at first. It was only when Zoey started school did she start to realize her life wasn’t as perfect as she thought. She was seven when the exasperation was no longer playful, and the affectionate whispers her parents shared with upturned lips turned to harsh accusations and clenched teeth. Though they held on as long as they could to their marriage, at least for the sake of their daughter, the escalating disgust was coming to its very inevitable conclusion.

Yet it never came.

It was around when the ‘divorce’ word was finally being vocalized that the route was violently derailed. Zoey’s mother had been out shopping when an accident occurred - a trip, a fall, a speeding bus. She didn’t even make it to her husband’s operating table. While Dr. Kasimir was briefly looked at due to their known impending divorce, it was obvious he wasn’t a part of it - it was just an accident.

Following her mother’s subsequent funeral Zoey withdrew into herself, much to her father’s concern. It’s what prompted him to reduce his hours to fall back on their fortune in order to spend more time at home with his little joy, his work no longer centerfold to his day. Zoey learned more about her powers with her father’s guiding hand, and was filled with stories of those who used what was special about them to help humanity. Just like when she was younger, there was always an underlying note of caution however; even a family as influential as theirs couldn’t let anyone else know, not with the world as it was.

When it came time for her to start high school Dr. Kasimir and hired a personal bodyguard to teach Zoey various methods on how to defend herself. His worry knew no bounds, he wanted his little girl to be able to take care of herself. He even got her to carry mace – something she let him know she found useless. They had powers, Dad. But he insisted, and she relented.

There was always the temptation, for Zoey. Maybe it was all the stories, latched onto after her mother’s death. Maybe it was in her blood to help. Maybe it was just pure idealism that wanted to burst out everytime she had to muffle her excitement behind an aloof facade. Hell, maybe it was even that Zoey wasn't very smart. Yet everytime another person ended up on the news clad in a colorful costume, others like her with powers that should have only been home to the inside of a comic book, the temptation to finally use these abilities and help others just like her blood sang to her to do was overwhelming. Everyday there was more and more news on those who began showing these powers, and Zoey soaked it up like a sponge.

It started off merely as fangirling over those who began appearing, but It took very little time for Zoey to start venturing out from the Vines, drawn to the conflict like a moth to flame. In her eyes, those who were granted these precious abilities and chose to use them for selfish gain and destruction had to be shown there’s always bigger fish in the sea. For three years she’s been donning the mask of Grim, through rough patches and losing some of the spark in her eyes. With her family’s high profile Zoey has been very careful to beat a hasty trail away from keeping the spotlight. It was obvious she couldn’t be found out, after all - just like anyone else who did this. On top of that University has been keeping her busy of course, so her escapades have been on and off, and yet … Zoey can’t help but find her mind constantly drawn back to how she could be out there doing more. Should be doing more.

And that maybe it was time for Grim to step out of the shadows.

Anomalous

Chants ominously about the RPs sins.