Octo

Epithet Erased: Use Your Words

Jessica grinned her big shark grin, feeling accomplishment well up inside of her. She definitely didn't feel good because she helped a scared kid and it was the right thing to do. No, she felt good because she was AWESOME and now she could make that woman bow and apologize! She would order that lady to get down on her hands and knees and assume the dogeza stance just like in her anime!

"GAHAHA!" Jessica laughed loudly out of nowhere, to nobody but herself like an ABSOLUTE CHAD.

As if her massive accomplishment wasn't enough, the TV star Jensen Ackles of award-winning drama blah blah blah you get the point DIVULGED the nature of his epithet. He must've been pretty confident and, from the sounds of it, he had every reason to be. However, like that one cartoon said, "knowing is half the battle". Now that she knew what his epithet was, she could SCHEME ways to counter it just in case.

As Jessica turned to head back to the beach, her head HUGE from accomplishment, she quickly came face to face with a girl who looked like a PUNK. Dammit... PUNK was JESSICA'S aesthetic! At least when she wasn't a delinquent. It switched between the two depending. Jessica was about to tell the woman off for TOTALLY APING HER STYLE when she found herself being ABSOLUTELY FLATTERED.

"W-well," Jessica replied, blushing a bit, "I'm actually EVIL, you know? Definitely not a good person. But thank you for noticing how AWESOME I am. Actually, we were just... did I recently eat a candy?"

Jessica smacked her lips, paused a second, and then opened the bottle in order to sniff it.

She had combined a bottle and something that could be bottled, but had only assumed it was sap. Maybe it was syrup or something? She gave the contents a sniff.

"We were just, uh... going back to camp... with this kid... to make that teacher apologize," Jessica answered, a little distracted.

"You know... that busybody meganekko. I like your shirt, by the way. Do you think this TRACKSUIT looks cool on me?"

Epithet Erased: Use Your Words

"Ah... it's that WEIRD CELEBRITY that was harassing me," Jessica said as Mark came up to them, GAGGING a little for effect, "you know that you only get away with picking on LITTLE GIRLS because you're famous, right?"

Although... dunking on this WEIRDO kind of took a back seat to saving a kid at the moment. A task which, due to the child engaging in dialogue with them, became significantly easier. It took a while, but they were able to locate the girl. She was stuck up in a tree, like a cat in a cartoon.

...Not Jessica's favorite configuration. Only HEROES saved cats from trees, and Jessica was a VILLAIN through and through. Surely one of the others would be able to save this small child. Then again, she appeared to be stuck in some thick SAP. That might be difficult for the others to handle.

Jessica flip-flopped between wanting to RUB this rescue in that DUMB WOMAN'S face and MAINTAINING her VILLAINOUS PRESENCE, but then something that the little girl said tugged at Jessica's BLACK HEARTSTRINGS.

Jessica bit her lower lip, and looked up at the kid.

"I bet... your mommy misses you a whole lot. I guess... I can help get you down."

Jessica thought, for a moment, about how much her own mother probably didn't even know she was gone, much less missed her. Then again, that was just business. Her older sister was perfect. A genius. Why waste time on the runt that nobody needed? Nobody needed her... but at least she could do this.

Jessica took out her lighter, and flicked the switch. She touched the PLASTIC CARAPACE of the bubble machine, and combined PLASTIC with HEAT to create a different configuration of plastic: a bottle, to be precise. Then, holding the bottle, she touched a streak of sap that was running down the tree. By combining a BOTTLE with the SAP, she was able to make a BOTTLE of SAP.

One strength of her ability was that, by combining things, she used the components to create a new object. Thus, the sap had all but disappeared from the tree and was now inside her bottle. The girl would be released, but Jessica wasn't strong enough to reach her all the way up in that tree, much less help her down.

"Sap's taken care of. Can either of you help get that kid down? I skip school because I'm an EVIL DELINQUENT, but if I DIDN'T skip school, I would fail gym."

Jessica examined her bottle, and considered all the things she could do with sap. Depending on the sort of sap it was, it could be used to make syrup, lacquer, or, uh...

Probably other stuff too! Maybe the teacher could identify the type and uses, because it was not Jessica's area of expertise.

Epithet Erased: Use Your Words

Jessica laughed as Penny flung her sword into a tree a good couple of yards away. The girl had some pretty funny reactions. Getting mad at the 'Eyebrows' thing was a good time, but throwing her sword at the implication that she might be dating Jude was even funnier. It seemed like a pretty innocuous question, after all. The ensuing overreaction from her little summons was almost just icing on the cake.

But nope, that was hilarious too.

Jessica started up a surprisingly girlish giggle before clearing her throat and heading back into her VILLAINOUS "GAHAHA". As Jessica followed along, she felt herself wondering why she ever thought Penny was SCARY. That girl wasn't scary at all, only the sword was. Not to mention...

"Y-yeah, I came here ALONE too... I'm not REAL GOOD with people. But I definitely would'a remembered those EYEBROWS if I'd ever seen you on the STREET," Jessica informed the girl, trying to TEASE her enough so that she wouldn't realize that Jessica was being REAL for once.

When they came across the bubble machine, Jessica inspected it. Notable components were a FAN, a POWER SOURCE, and a PLASTIC CARAPACE. Certainly she could get some use out of it eventually, depending on what they needed. Jessica nodded at the small men that stood astride it.

"Nothing IMMEDIATELY USEFUL, but I can think of a FEW things in the LONG TERM. Take it."

Then they heard a couple of different noises. If this was a VIDEO GAME or a CYOA BOOK, the ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT would probably be the correct choice, because it wasn't the IMMEDIATELY OBVIOUS one. But this was IRL, and some KID needed HELP. There wasn't a choice to be made. Jessica immediately set off with Penny to find whoever was calling out, spreading out a little to widen their search radius while remaining in visual contact with Penny.

Epithet Erased: Use Your Words

Instead of oohing and aahing about Jessica's AWESOME SECRET CLUB and BEGGING HER to be a part of her cool exclusive group, the sentiment was largely ignored as people started wandering off. Jessica PUFFED HER CHEEKS in annoyance as she followed after Penny, who seemed well equipped to get them through the foliage quickly.

Even Jessica's meager epithet had its advantages, but even if she had the materials to create a chainsaw, she doubted she was strong enough to clear the path ahead. Penny was much stronger than she was, and seemed to be practiced with her blade. For a few moments, Jessica took in Penny's movements.

Jessica was tiny and weak. She had always been tiny and weak. Thus, she had picked up the habit of looking at everyone else as if they were a potential threat. It was important to understand physical capabilities and epithet powers just in case things didn't go well for her. Assessing Penny's capabilities now could save her life later.

While she was fairly certain she knew most of what Penny was capable of, Jude's ability was a bit more ambiguous. He could make copies with augmented qualities, but he also displayed an odd ability to send the necklace she had confiscated from Lou back at the man at a high speed. Due to her eyesight at the time, she wasn't able to glean any more than that. She'd have to watch out for him.

Jessica looked at Penny, and then at Jude.

"Hey, Jude. You seem to get along pretty well with Penny. You two FRIENDS or somethin'? GOIN' OUT? If I'm gonna be with you two, I gotta know what the DEAL is. I have DIFFICULTY parsing SOCIAL DYNAMICS."

Good Day!

Thank you very much!

Good Day!

Hello, I am Octo. I really like octopuses and cuttlefishes! They're super cute!

I joined this site a while back, but haven't posted much. I've found myself with a bit more free time lately, though, so I'm back to have some fun! Be very nice to me, because I'm good and deserve the best!

I like playing as rich girls, because money solves everything. It's the strongest power there is.

My favorite color is green. Not because of money, but just because it's pretty. Also money.

I like video games and cooking, and I watch a lot of Japanese cartoons. I've seen every episode of Malcolm in the Middle at least 4 times. My favorite cartoon growing up was Invader Zim, and I was a goth in high school.

But I am a goth no more. I have left that life behind me.

Thanks for coming to my TED talk.

Epithet Erased: Use Your Words

"That's Hellmouth," Jessica answered Jude, indicating Haywood, "and he's SUPER COOL. We're both pretty experienced at evil stuff like LOITERING and NAME-CALLING. I'm pretty sure the skills transfer to WILDERNESS SURVIVAL."

Now that Jessica thought about it, her ability wasn't entirely useless in this context. It would be just like her video games, with CRAFTING MECHANICS. She looked around at everyone, and thought for the first time in her life that maybe she was needed by someone.

Or at least her epithet was. But that was fine too.

She drifted somewhere between gloom and joy, and then settled swiftly on joy when Penny kicked that asshole from earlier. Jessica snickered.

"SHIT, Eyeb- ah... Penny. That was ice cold! I could use someone with a sense of PETTY VENGEANCE like that," said Jessica, nodding, "keep up the EVIL WORK and I MAY just invite you to join my SECRET CLUB."

There was a wide grin on Jessica's face, but for once it wasn't particularly evil. She just happened to look like a happy little delinquent.

"Well, we should fan out a little to cover the most ground, but stay close enough in case we get into trouble. I'm sure if we all COLLECT STUFF on our way, we'll come back with enough for shelter and dinner."

Epithet Erased: Use Your Words

Jessica nodded at Jude as she started straightening her hair, carefully shaking out any sand that had taken up occupancy in her LONG, GOLDEN LOCKS. This wasn't Scooby Doo. This was real life, with WILD ANIMALS and INSURANCE SALESMEN. It wouldn't be safe to go alone, even though Jessica was totally a cool lone wolf.

"It's probably best we stick together, though I'm NOT HERE to MAKE FRIENDS," she said, making sure no one would want to be her friend because she DIDN'T NEED ANY. Except maybe Haywood, because he was a COOL BLASTER.

"Anyways, I think Eyebrows said that her WEIRD LITTLE MEN could make a shelter. If they can do that unsupervised, then the King of Knights here can join us on our quest for the Grail. Sans Mordred, I guess. You need to make him cooler."

She looked from Penny to Haywood, sighing in relief as the healing really began to take effect.

"I can get us drinkable water just fine. Cross it off the list. We should find those kids ASAP, though, and look for food while we're at it."

Jessica grinned her EVIL shark grin.

"If we get to those kids first... think how thankful that OLD HAG will be. GAHAHA! She'll probably THROW MONEY AT US while CRYING and KISSING MY FEET and APOLOGIZING for being a DICK earlier."

Epithet Erased: Use Your Words

As Jessica was blinded once again while Jude hurtled towards the enemy, she couldn't help but think (while cursing VERY LOUDLY) that her first real fight didn't go exactly to plan. Jessica stumbled as the bling flared up, face-planted in the sand, and began whimpering like a puppy again. Her two pairs of glasses fell off just in time to see that old teacher lady ram into Lou like a truck (or a train?) and send the man hurtling to the ground.

Some guy she'd never seen told them they did a good job, which made that sentiment from a complete stranger one more time than she'd ever gotten from her actual parents, and she gave him a half-hearted thumbs up.

"He was a BITCH," Jessica added intelligently.

She took a couple more seconds on the ground before getting up, dusting off, and hanging her pairs of glasses from the collar of her track suit. She could finally see Gawain, who looked just as punchable as she had first imagined, and cringed.

"Could you get Mordred next time? He's WAY COOLER and SUPER EVIL, and if you watch a lot of anime, probably a woman," Jessica suggested sagely, because as everyone knew, evil was not only cooler... but STRONGER and LESS OBNOXIOUS.

Jessica then began removing all of Lou's bling, which would not only disarm him just in case, but probably give her some SWEET BLASTER CRED. She tossed the necklace, which was already on the ground, to Haywood.

"You alright, Hellmouth? You earned it," she said, beckoning the man who claimed to have a healing epithet over, "hey, doc, I got a headache to beat the band. But check on Hellmouth and them first. They were closer to the guy and didn't have glasses."

Epithet Erased: Use Your Words

Jessica couldn't see shit except for the annoying light of Lou's cheap-ass jewelry, but she was able to HEAR the distinct sound of pocket sand. Already memorized the handbook... Hellmouth was a heck of a Blaster alright. Lou's shouting and the violent splash that followed, however, were more concerning. Did that asshole hurt Haywood?

"Hey, SHITHEAD! Nobody screws with MAD DOG'S crew!" Jessica shouted blindly into the light.

Just as Jessica was getting ready to KICK SOME ASS, the multiple glows faded and condensed into one singular brightness that shone like a nova. A nova that hurtled right towards her!

If Jessica hadn't been wearing two layers of glasses that acted like eclipse shades, she might have zonked out quick. Even with the glasses, the brightness was too much. She didn't have long. The distinct clink of metal hitting metal gave it away, though: her magnet had managed to attract whatever object he had put all of his epithet into.

Acting quickly, Jessica jammed the rod into the sand! It was still glowing underneath, but Jessica had one advantage over most epithet users that might be able to put this matter to bed...

She wasn't a showboating asshole with her epithet, and Lou had no idea what she could do.

Jessica slammed her foot into the sand, and used her epithet to combine that pressure with the sand surrounding the rod, creating a small area of DENSELY-PACKED SAND that the light could no longer get through.

Jessica massaged her forehead, stumbling, trying to assuage the massive headache that all the immensely bright light had caused, but something was still grating... Jessica could feel something IMMENSELY ANNOYING on the horizon...

The most gratingly over-acted Saturday morning cartoon hero voice she had ever heard started screaming about villainy and knighthood. It would have been annoying even if Jessica WASN'T evil, but as an evildoer herself, she couldn't help but find Gawain's words vaguely offensive. She couldn't even SEE the guy, but she knew somehow that his face was INCREDIBLY SMACKABLE. She rubbed her forehead harder and growled.

"Eyebrows, light neutralized! End it quick, and tell that Gawain asshole to shut up because I hate him!"

Jessica had already seen how Penny withdrew her sword. That, combined with Gawain, made it obvious that whatever her epithet was it was a reference to Arthurian legend. If she had to guess, it was probably 'King' because that's how Penny was referred to despite her gender. How an epithet could be so cool but at the same time so annoying Jessica had no idea, but couldn't she have gotten someone less... extra?

"Jude, right?" Jessica asked, turning in the direction the emo-lookin' kid was probably in, "Eyebrows said you duplicate shit. Could you copy my electromagnet? I think that Hawaiian shirt ASSHOLE needs bling for his ability, and it's CHEAP GARBO. Get close enough, and you can completely disarm him! Just don't nab the sword."