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19 days ago
Current Now running: World of Light: The Tale of the Dark Itself
4 mos ago
Forever and ever, amen
8 mos ago
Calling out from Scatman's world
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10 mos ago
Called into action - by threats that seem harmonized
1 yr ago
Tomorrow comes

Bio

Current GM of World of Light. When it comes to writing, there's nothing I love more than imagination, engagement, and commitment. I'm always open to talk, suggestion, criticism, and collaboration. While I try to be as obliging, helpful, and courteous as possible, I have very little sympathy for ghosts, and anyone who'd like to string me along. Straightforwardness is all I ask for.

Looking for more personal details? I'm just some dude from the American south; software development is my job but games, writing, and trying to help others enjoy life are my passions. Been RPing for over a decade, starting waaaay back with humble beginnings on the Spore forum, so I know a thing or two, though I won't pretend to be an expert. If you're down for some fun, let's make something spectacular together.

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No, actually. I have a different Capcom character in mind...

Do tell me if there's anything that needs changing.



EDIT 1: Added Johnny Cage as a Kindred Spirit. Got all three now.


A good sheet, but there are two things I should point out.

The first of them isn't in the way of his acceptance, so you don't need to change it, but I feel like you would benefit from it. Having single moves as Powers is very limiting because it is a single thing you can do instead of a suite and the rate at which you get new special moves is slow. Rather than have Ball Buster as his Power, I would instead make it 'The God Hand" and describe what it allows him to do, including super strength. Then, I would say replace the Strength "God Hand" with something like "Move Master" or "Quick Learner" and have it say something along the lines of 'Gene is always adding to his arsenal of techniques, picking up new ones or remembering ones forgotten. Every level-up, his style gains three new techniques. He begins with just Ball Buster, a groin shot that leaves foes stunned.' I think that would be a better way to go around it.

The more pivotal thing is the end of his backstory. In the New World, all characters (pretty much) start out under Galeem's influence, oblivious to Galeem's presence and with altered behavior. While he might still wander around in search of a fight, and that wandering could very well bring him to Peach's Castle and the rest of the group, he wouldn't be able to oppose Galeem in any way until freed.
Hey everyone. I'm interested in joining, if you'll have me. Got a CS whipped up and ready to go too.


I think I speak for all of us when I say I'd be ecstatic to have you. Looking forward to that sheet.
you guys think so? i was under the impression that it was off limits, and by "take care of it" @Lugubrious meant destroy it.

I mean if The Centurion was a flying fire person with dragon wins that would be great. But it might be too dangerous, right? or is it just Bowser who cannot excepet Evil Bowser's spirit because...well, then we would just get evil bowser again, lol. But if any of us could become evil I'm not sure. If anyone had the will to resist the allure of personal power it would be a borderline brainwashed egalitarian, honor-bound fascist.

but yeah mechanically it would be pretty neato. but also...potentially evil.

Am I just making this up, DM? OOC will any of us turn evil if we take the spirit of MDB? Or is it just a risk reward type thing


As it happens the spirit cannot be destroyed, but Bowser is the only one it would flat-out corrupt. The Centurion could very well take it; he may will be changed a little, but not turned evil. Plus, it would be just the sort of interesting power boost that could make combat as Agoston more dynamic for you. I'd say go for it, personally.
Megadragonbowser

Location: Peach’s Castle – Throne Room


Eager to watch his foes go squish, Megadragonbowser watched his throne fly with bated breath. However, his breath caught in his throat as it was caught midair, not just by the real Bowser, but by a giant real Bowser. He must have used a super mushroom. Growling, he turned ahead once again to make himself feel better by scorching the incoming heroes alive, but they proved far more proactive in their assault.

When he let out his fireball at a strangely-elongated Ratchet, the Lombax vanished in the explosion. Megadragonbowser chuckled as he wiped one more off the ol' mental list, only to go slack-jawed in surprise when the fire subsided and Ratchet stood there still, swinging his wrench around until he vanished with an electronic static. By that time, the real Ratchet and his partner made their way around to the backside of the throne's plinth, below and a little behind where the tyrant hovered. There, the pair discovered an axe-shaped lever next to a crudely-drawn pictrograph depicting the ground in front of the throne opening up into a lava pit. Considering the position of his allies, pulling the lever might not be the greatest idea, but breaking it off to use it as an axe could work.

Megadragonbowser did not catch wind of Ratchet's activities, his attention instead occupied by the sudden burning feeling hammering his chest. An unprecedented roar shook the castle as the painful acid melted armor and seared scaly flesh, sputtering and bubbling all the while. A second later, Michael's last sniper round hit home, blasting straight through his chest and lodging in his shell on the wrong side. Fiery ichor poured from the wound, and the shock caused the tyrant's wings to seize up. He landed with a crash on the plinth where his throne stood moments before, where the dark haze of Henry’s Nosferatu surrounded him and leeched his health into its caster, leaving him totally unprepared for Mario and Bowser's charge.

A huge fireball exploded in the boss's ruined face, blinding him to the threat that followed. A moment later the four legs of the throne impaled the tyrant, and the larger of the koopas pushed him back into the wall behind him, nearly trampling Ratchet on the way. Even if the throne legs could have penetrated the shell on Megadragonbowser's back, they were not long enough to do so; nevertheless, the real Bowser held him there until the heat inside the tyrant melted the legs and dropped him to the ground. Megadragonbowser landed feet-first, but his feet did not hold him; instead, he slumped forward and landed on his belly on the black-and-white tile. His bright orange ichor pooled around him, and his burning wings turned to ash.

He cracked open his mouth, but rather than cinders all that issued forth was a groan. ”Ohhhhh.....”. Somehow, his shell seemed to be burning up. His very body smoked, in fact, suggesting that it was burning away. Feebly, yet with some sense of urgency, the stupid overlord clutched at Bowser's foot. ”You...” he moaned. ”You...want this. I know it...'cause I'm you. Kingdom...power...fear...respect...loving wife and son...old rivals ruined, destroyed...” His gruesome features, twisted by so much punishment, manifested a ghastly smile. ”Fuse...with me. Take my...my spirit. It can all be yours...only yours...everything...as it should be...” He cracked his mouth open wider, and from between his fangs drifted a tiny mote. It was small, but it burned brilliantly. Purest, deepest, most wonderful orange...tantalizing in its incredible power. Megadragonbowser's body was burning away, but his pleading eyes locked with his other self's. The Koopa King had a choice to make.

Bowser reached down and took the sprite in one hand. He raised it up before him, the seductive flame reflected in his eyes as he beheld its power. He glanced between it and the rapidly fading form of his double. It seemed like they really had been him in the end, not some doppelganger or mimic. It was a sorry thing, watching yourself die while pleading that someone continue your legacy, and Bowser was definitely one of self pity.

“FINE. BUT THIS TIME WE TAKE... WE EARN THOSE THINGS.”

A look came over the fallen tyrant’s face, one masked partially by the state of his features but otherwise very poorly disguised. It was one of unbridled, malicious glee. ”Put my spirit...into your heart,” he instructed, his mirth diluting his pain. Even if it did cost him the fight, the typical Bowser stupidity would be the real one’s undoing. In a few moments, the reign of the blazing tyrant would begin anew, rising from the ashes of the old. His flames would consume this oaf’s spirit, twisting it into a mirror image of his own. With his burning power plus the strength of this new Bowser, the so-called heroes would be crushed like gnats and his rightful kingdom restored.

“I KNOW HOW THIS WORKS” Bowser responded, his enrapturement with the sprite’s power blinding him to the poorly veiled deception. He moved to absorb the sprite.

“Bowsypon, noooooooooo…!” Tora cried as he rocketed upward toward the very tall Koopa’s head, carried by Poppi. The pair was aiming for the burning spirit in Bowser’s hand, but their terrible aim and slapdash flight mechanism carried them into their comrade’s head instead. A noise rang through the throne room, bi-doop-doop-doop, as Bowser shrank back to normal size, distracted from his fixation by the impact and sent off-balance. Tora plopped down flat on his face beside him, and Poppi landed on him a second later. The Nopon both cushioned her fall and bounced her back to her feet, but she didn’t have time to worry about her masterpon.

“OW. HAY WHAT’S THE BIG IDEA YOU OVERSIZED GERBIL!” Bowser complained while rubbing his bonked noggin.

As he wiggled around on the floor, Poppi straightened up, put a hand on her hip, and extended an accusatory index finger at Bowser with the other. Eyebrows furrowed, she declared, “Stop right there, biggypon! Has Bowser never heard famous idiom ‘power corrupts’? Not see very evil-looking grin on boss face? Is most obvious of obvious traps! Do not absorb!”

“POWER CORRUPTS? CORRUPT ME? GAHAHAHAHAHA.” Bowser slapped his knee and let out a raucous belly laugh at the very notion “CAN’T CORRUPT WHAT'S ALREADY AS EVIL AS CAN BE LITTLE MISSY. ALSO OF COURSE I’M SMILING EVILLY. HOW ELSE IS A VILLAIN SUPPOSED TO SMILE WHEN THERE ABOUT TO BE A PART OF THE GREATEST TEAM UP OF ALL TIME? WE’LL BE SUPER... MEGA... ULTRA DOUBLE DRAGON BOWSER AND IT WILL BE AWESOME!” Bowser retorted, flaunting the orange soul spark around as he did so.

Poppi shook her head emphatically. “While Poppi has only been with Bowser for short time, is easy to see that is not really evil, just sort of mean and loud.” Her finger turned on Megadragonbowser, who looked awfully frustrated all of a sudden. “But that one real evil. He kill good people just like that!” She snapped her metal fingers. Ting.

Beside her, Tora finally got to his feet and piped up, “Think about what big baddy do! Subjects enslaved and forced to fight to death. Wife and son probably only obey because of Galeem trance! Nothing earned, all taken. But Bow-Bow can do better! Can earn respect of others by being good bad guy.” He waved his wings imploringly. “Then everyone happy to have Bowser king, no need for evil power!”

Nearby, Megadragonbowser groaned. While his enemies bickered, he was wasting away. He reached out a feeble claw, but nobody seemed to notice. Fists against her waist, Poppi nodded solemnly to what her Masterpon said. “Plus, if Bow-Bow fuse with spirit, probably go crazy and attack us. Would have to fight, maybe destroy. But Bow-Bow not so weak he need power of Galeem to be king, right?”

Bowser crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes as he stared down the pair “OK ONE:” The fingers on bowser’s free hand counted out his points as he talked “I AM TOTALLY EVIL. I’VE BEEN A BAD GUY SINCE BEFORE YOU WERE EVEN BORN. OR BUILT.”

“TWO: YEAH OBVIOUSLY I’M GOING TO DO ALL THIS THE RIGHT WAY BECAUSE I’M NOT GALEEM’S DRUNK PUPPET LIKE THIS SCHMUCK DIEING ON THE FLOOR.”

“THREE: AND HERE IS THE KICKER. WHAT’S SO DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS ONE HUH? EVERYONE ELSE GOES AROUND STUFFING SPRITES IN THEMSELVES ALL WILLY NILLY AND YOU DON’T PIPE UP BUT AS SOON AS I GET A HOLD OF THE STRONGEST ONE WE’VE SEEN IT’S ALL ‘OH NOOO BOWSER, NON-PON DO THAT’ HERO MORALISING JUNK.”

“DON’T GO THINKING I DON’T SEE WHAT’S GOING ON HERE” Bowser said “I THINK YOU’RE JUST JEALOUS OF MY AWESOMENESS AND YOU WANT SOME OF IT FOR YOURSELF.” Bowser pinched the soul between his fingers and dangled it tauntingly just above and out of reach of the pair. “YOU WANT SOME OF THIS HUH? DO YA? WELL TOO BAD. IT’S MINE!”

A look of consternation took Tora’s face over--Bowser had hit the nail on the head. The Nopon’s partner, however, kept trying. “Wrong again! Poppi have plenty awesomeness, but now not time for that. Think with logic, Bow-Bow. Why would person who wanted kill you suddenly go and offer great power? Is all one big trick!” She fired her thrusters and hopped up to try and get at the boss spirit.

“WELL. UH. BECAUSE I WON AND PROVED I’M THE ONE TRUE KOOPA KING!” Bowser said as he pulled the sprite up and away from Poppi “SO I DESERVE THIS AND HE KNOWS IT.”

After corrected her course, Poppi made another futile grab at the spirit before she slowed down to hover. Frowning, she declared, “Despite age, Bow-Bow mindset very simple.”

Tora scratched his head. “That ironic coming from Poppi, but very true.”

Meanwhile, Megadragonbowser had been looking between the three in utter bewilderment, like a cat at a game of ping-pong. The argument was dragging on and on, with no end in sight, and finally the tyrant could take it no more. He unceremoniously gave up the ghost, slumping down and burning out. In only a few seconds the ruthless king was a pile of ash, upon which all eyes fell. Blinking twice, Tora asked, “Is over? Just like that?”

His question seemed to prompt a response. From the pile issued a great sigh that reverberated the air, and on its heels followed a wave of gentle darkness. It washed over Peach’s castle, putting out Galeem’s light wherever it shone.

The toads in the entry-way ceased their panic, eyes restored to normal. In her magnificent, immoderately-fancy bedroom on the second floor, Peach perked up from her sewing kit as though waking up from a dream. Bowser Jr. looked up from his toys in his great playroom, wondering where he was. Kamek, just now finishing off the last fire in his underground study, shook his head to clear his muddled thoughts and stared in wonderment as the burnt, useless artifacts littering his lab. Back in the throne room, the wave buffeted Bowser, Tora, Poppi, and the nearby Ratchet and Clank, not knocking them over but sending the spirit of Megadragonbowser skittering along the ground toward the rest of the group. Though mesmerizing in its power still, the spirit bore far less malevolence than it had when in Bowser’s grasp. To keep it out of the Koopa’s greedy hands, someone else would need to take care of it. Regardless, the battle with the incandescent tyrant had come to an end.





EXP gain is restored to normal.

Level 3 Tora: 40/30 EXP - Level up! Upgrade Points: 2
Level 2 Poppi: 20/20 EXP - Level up! Upgrade Points: 1

Zone Cleared:
Peach’s Castle


After a few moments, the clattering of heeled footsteps could be heard from one of the doorways adjacent to the throne room, leading to a stairwell. It grew louder and louder until the door burst open, and into the decimated throne room stepped the former monarch of the mushroom kingdom herself: Princess Peach. She cut a regal figure in her gown, but her face bore nothing but sadness. Yet, as her bright blue eyes swept over the scene, hope blossomed within them. She recognized that the Bowser still standing was not the one who lorded over her, and that the tyrant was no more.

She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, opened wide her eyes, and mustered a beautiful smile. “I can hardly express my gratitude. Even as I existed under the thumb of that monster, unable to object or disobey, I continued to believe that heroes would come. And here you are. Thank you.” She didn’t know about the fallen, yet tears sparkled in the corners of her eyes. She wiped them away and continued to smile. “Well then!” She clapped her hands. “You all must be hurt and exhausted. And hungry, I imagine. If everyone in this castle was freed along with me, then we’re well-equipped to cook up a grand feast worthy of heroes.” Without delay Peach began in the direction of the kitchen; she clearly intended to thank the heroes herself. Toads appeared, running into the room to crowd around their princess. A few stuck around her, babbling incoherently, but a number spread out to cheer for their saviors. In a couple moments their exultation filled the hall.

As Peach and her crowd disappeared into the kitchens, the wreckage of the throne room main doors pushed open to reveal the Master of Masters, Kirby, Linkle, Minako, and a freed Junpei. The cloaked man took in the whole scene at a glance and started to applaud. Kirby jumped from his head and started to dance, not quite as aware but even more overjoyed. “Bravo, bravo!” The Master of Masters declared. “That’s one boss down. Twelve more, and you can stick it to Galeem!” He took count of everyone here--and everyone not. A touch of sadness entered his voice. “Oh. I see. I figured that was why my eye never sees that girl, or why Zer0 doesn’t show up in the future. My sympathies.”

He sighed and let a few seconds pass, before composing himself again. “But hey, for us, life goes on. You bunch have more than earned some time to relax. Have some food, chat, explore, whatever you like. We’ll figure things out later, eh?”
There Souta stood, already breathing heavily, ready to wipe a bead of sweat of his forehead with a smirk and crack his first-ever demon-slaying one-liner, and the blasted thing started pulling itself together. The thought of swinging the really heavy Mountain Buster around a few more times, perhaps even more so than the peril of a regenerating demonic corpse-mass, forced a heavy sigh from his lungs. He went ahead and took care of that pesky sweat bead anyway as he stood up, his weapon de-summoning as he did. "Okay, time for something really cool." Either this would work and the threat would be over with, or it wouldn't and he'd have a pretty good excuse to let the actual superhuman warriors clean this mess up.

A Trawler appeared in his hand, and after swinging it a few times he let it fly. On a jet of water the hook sailed upward, flying higher and higher until it could securely lodge in the meat mountain's upper torso. After testing the line quickly -since the horrible thing would be yanking him off his feet any second now- the smith used another burst of water beneath him to burst him up as he yanked on the hook. A moment later Souta was flying upward, carefully watching to make sure a stray limb didn't make mincemeat of him as he ascended. With a final boost he shot up past the anchor point, and he sailed up until gravity started to work its magic. For a moment, he seemed to hang in midair, wind whipping around him. If he wasn't scared to death and regretting this decision immensely, he might have thought about how lovely the view was, but the fall a moment later pulled him back to reality. The Trawler vanished in a spray of water, and the Mountain Buster reappeared. "Rrrrrrrrraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" he half-bellowed, half-shrieked as he came down atop the enemy's head with the pile hammer, and the impact drove its spike in with explosive force. The same explosion sent Souta flying backward, the noise from him now 100% shriek, to try and resummon his Trawlers and save himself a quick date with the earth by hooking onto a tree.
If you've yet to post, please do so soon! I'll be updating in reasonably short order.
For as long as they'd been prowling the streets, the twins had heard and scoffed as threats, no matter how well-founded they proved to be. Neither allowed Llexe's taunt to ruffle them, and as the berserker launched herself into the air, they kept their heads. With the very goons they called to their sides barricading them in, and Naja barreling right toward them, Viper and Cobra needed to act fast. As one they thrust both their weapons upward in defensive formation, and a split second later Llexe's claws fell upon them. The weight of her heavy slash jolted their fingers and wrists, slapping their defenses downward. Llexe dropped on the twins the next instant, too fast for them to steel themselves and remain standing, and together the three women hit the dirt.

Stunned by Llexe's speed and ferocity, the thugs whirled to face their bosses, refusing to believe they went down in one strike. They saw the trio struggling on the ground, and watched as Viper sank a knife into her assailant's lower back. Pain shot through Llexe by lightning, and her pink eyes darkened to a light red. From the side came a kick from one of the thugs, who slammed his boot into Llexe's head, sending her tumbling off of the sisters. A number of his friends started toward her to lay on the pain, but at that moment her allies struck. Light took her pick of the litter, using her powers to strike at a few of the foes not focused on Llexe before abducting one to bring back to Sam, who thundered in the next moment to lay into the vagabonds using one of their own as a living bludgeon.

Meanwhile, the sisters -winded by their sudden, forceful introduction to the ground- struggled to their feet to face Kiyoshi alongside a few goons. As menacing as the samurai's slow walk was, they felt sure they could take him with the numbers advantage, never imagining he would turn the odds around the next moment. Suddenly a flood of Kiyoshis descended upon them. In confusion the thugs wildly at their targets, and from the mayhem a single clone surged forth to strike Viper's midsection with its blade's wooden edge. As the woman wilted from the blow, Cobra stepped up to cover for her against Naja and Chris, only for Llexe's claw to close around her ankle. With a vicious cry Llexe yanked Cobra off her feet and onto the ground once more. To her right, a handful of Tunnel Snakes recovering from Kiyoshi's assault rushed at Naja and Chris to help their boss out, but the pair were more than ready. Before the first could even get in range Chris lashed out with a straight kick that hurled the man through the air and into a trash can. One of the clones went out like a light after Kiyoshi took the place of a clone and struck his head. Then, Naja's let loose the machine-powered savate kicks she'd been planning to use on the sisters against their last two underlings. In only a couple seconds, the four thugs were writhing on the ground once more.

The other wing fared no better. Sam, both unstoppable force and immovable object, demolished any attempt as resistance with his makeshift weapon, who soon fell unconscious himself. Light hardly needed to intervene again, but her ally's three victims remained unhugged, so she blitzed into the fray once more. Between them, they left nobody standing.

At the same time, Llexe was following up on her promise. Even on the ground, Cobra made a valiant attempt at defense with her fans, but a terrifying strength possessed her attacker. In a matter of seconds Llexe grabbed and tore up her fans, leaving Cobra on her back beneath the berserker with only her fists at her disposal. The Tunnel Snakes' boss landed punch after punch on her, but while each hit physically moved her, Llexe didn't flinch. She loomed over Cobra, eyes growing ever darker and redder with every blow, until she let out an inhuman snarl and brought both fists down on Cobra's sternum. She screamed as her ribs cracked, thrashing desperately to try and throw the berserker off. Instead of budging, Llexe pinned her down before slashing her face again and again, covering her features in bloody gashes. Oblivious to Cobra's howling, Llexe pushed her talons through her prey's cheeks, then with a final punch broke her nose. The twins would never be identical again.

Viper's horrified gaze flickered between her brutalized peons and her sister. The last of the mooks had fallen. In the span of only a few moments, the six fighters had effectively separated the sisters, laid waste to their subordinates, and taken one down. Llexe's eyes were lightening as her shoulders heaved from the exertion, her wounds starting to catch up to her now that revenge was dulling her rage. Someone else would need to deal with Viper, but she figured it wouldn't be a problem.
will get a post up tomorow. i will have cent...i don't know. i'll have to think about it. stab him in the toe?


If you like, though you could aim higher. With the throne sticking out of Megadragonbowser, there's a pretty good foothold to climb up and attack his upper body. Or, you could ask a fellow player to boost Centurion up.
The purr of motorcycle engines roused Llexe from her current activity—repeatedly slamming the shop's door on the head of the foe left winded by Kyoshi moments before. A couple of chicks rolled to a stop a moment later, the sight sending a few of the goons scrambling to join them as they dismounted. Somewhat interested by the spectacle, Llexe pushed open the door and let go of her victim's jacket, allowing him to slump, senseless, to the ground. She stepped out of the shop, coldly stomping on the man's back as she moved over him, and gave the revived thugs a scathing glare. None of the enemies she'd attended personally had gotten up again, and for good reason; if they possessed even the slightest bit of consciousness, it was better spent trying to staunch their badly-bleeding wounds. A few drops fell from Llexe's talons onto the pavement as came to a stop and got a better look at the twins.

Just a glance at them confirmed that the sisters shared everything they had: the same prissy dyed hair, the same ugly jacket, the same stupid face, and -as it turned out- the same terrible judgment. One held two knives and the other two...fans? Was that girl joking? Not like it mattered. They had pointed their weapons at Llexe, wordlessly making a declaration that they thought they could hurt her. In reply, the woman raised her hand, sweeping a talon across the group of goons. Her eyes, burning pink, promised anyone who lifted a finger a world of hurt. “Dead idiots. Don't get up this time.” Crouching low enough to place her claws on the ground, Llexe twisted her lips into a derisive sneer at Cobra and Viper. What were they doing with bubblegum, like little kids? “Little girls. Put away your toys.” The smirk became a snarl. “Cut me and I'll carve up those pretty faces!” Still essentially lucid, Llexe made a quick judgment. With their henchmen fanned out on either side of them, the sisters couldn't dodge to the side. That made things easy.

Like a bolt of lightning shot through her, Llexe rocketed upward with her special technique, Roll Over. She pulled her arms and legs in and span like a dragster tire as she flew in an arc toward her prey. Once in rage, she straightened out again to execute a savage double overhead slash. One arm, propelled by spinning and muscle power, fell upon each sister. Even if the blows didn't connect fully, Llexe's weight carried her onto her targets. If all went to plan, she'd take both to the ground beneath her, where things could get really ugly. Her reckless, merciless stunt would leave her open to attack from everyone at once, but so what? These thugs were nothing. Any of them who struck her would be signing his own death sentence. And she had everything to prove.
Introductions ended in short order, despite the best attempts of that Naja woman to pad her resume out. What was all that blather about herself supposed to accomplish, since she was already on the job? Plus, to look at her, Naja needed very little in the way of padding. Metal limbs spoke for themselves.

For some reason, the hulking man who followed her sounded somewhat nervous. What could he possibly have to fear, aside from overheating in all that excessive, stuffy clothing of his? If he, like Light, used their garb to hide something, he might as well unmask. The void creature presented a hard act to follow in terms of strangeness.

Llexe spared little thought for Chris, other than to grimace at his closing assurance. What possible pleasure was there to be found in her, or Sam? The other practitioners of honeyed, overpolite words she'd met turned out to be scum hiding their real, rotten selves. Unless he wanted those prissy features clawed up, he'd better not turn out the same.

However, Llexe felt far more inclined to use her claws on herself when she heard Eve's next suggestion. Uncontrolled bleeding and additional scars sounded a lot less painful than this ridiculous twaddle. Her talon-capped fingers dug into the arm of her couch before she hauled herself to her feet. What she was going to do next she had no idea, but a knock on the door put a sudden stop to the impending catastrophe. One brief comedy skit later, the crew had its first mission: exterminate a few rats gnawing holes in a nearby store. Llexe moved with a sudden energy completely at odds to the irritable lethargy she'd shown so far, bolting to the door with gusto.




Though if she really thought about it she would have guessed that she'd arrive first, with her unrestrained low running stance, Llexe kept pace with the group as it rushed to the scene of the crime. Unlike Naja, Llexe didn't register any of the finer details about what was going on in the store as she approached; also unlike her, she lacked any fancy chi maneuver to send her shooting ahead of the others into the fray. So, she did it herself. Completely silent but for a grunt of exertion, she hurled herself into the store like a wild animal, flying past the punch-happy thug on his way out as she did. The closest target, preoccupied by the appearance of Naja and her metal sluggers, didn't notice Llexe incoming until a rather inhuman snarl bade him turn, and by that it was too late.

Llexe struck him with her full weight, sending both to the floor in an instant. After landing on top of him and crushing him against the floor, she rose by pushing down on the heavier thug with both arms, shoving him against the floor again. As she bounced back up, she used his head as a stringboard to launch herself forward into his stunned companions. Slashing recklessly with her outstretched claws as she ran forward, she barreled through the whole line, taking down none but knocking them about and inflicting a few nasty cuts. Scarcely even noticing the couple of blow that struck her as she carved past, she came to a stop at the end of the crowd.

The last man, a huge brute, swung a tremendous left hook at her as she went to claw him. Not flinching in the slightest, Llexe powered though. Her talons struck the biceps on his other arm, drawing blood, just before the vagrant's hook hit her jaw. The force lifted her off her feet, spinning horizontally in the air, but when he caught a glimpse of her eyes he could see only a murderous rage. Her limp body when taught midair, and she recovered with a whirling kick that used her centripetal force, ramming her heel into his ear. With a cry of pain he staggered backward, and Llexe landed on her feet before him. In a flash she drew close and executed a sweep, toppling the off-balance giant where he stood. Continuing to revolve as she fell, Llexe went in a full circle before dropping her elbow on his forehead. In the span of only a couple seconds the brute was out like a light.

Some of the goons flinched, astounded and frightened. One, seeing the madwoman's back turned as she got up, pulled out a knife and lunged at her. Llexe heard him moving and hurried to intercept even before rising fully, targeting not his weak point but his wrist. A clawed hand closed around it, stopping the stab before it reached her. Leaning back, Llexe yanked on the wrist, pulling the man past her. For a split second, he could see her face: one eye, filled with hateful pink fire, and faintly-glowing marks on her cheek. Then her fist slammed into his nose, spraying blood everywhere. The next instant her other hand swatted his head sideways into the side of an ancient television set, and the goon dropped like a bag of bricks.

Llexe turned her twisted face on the remaining thugs, hunched over with claws extended, and spat out a wad of blood. “Run,” she snarled, “Or die!” Not waiting to see whether they took her first choice, she tensed her muscles to begin enacting the second.

(3 KO's)
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