Mao Mao's Test & Stash Zone

[Mao Mao]

_{Gateway City, Rhode Island}

Present Day

---

^{1.00 // New Year, Same Dilemma}

𝗗𝗜𝗔𝗡𝗔 𝗣𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗖𝗘

Diana Prince examined her former armor during the New Years' Eve celebrations across the city. It was one, if not the, roughest years in recent memory. She saw the near-collapse of her entire reputation due to allegations of working beside a terrorist. Stryfe's last defying act was for him to kill public trust in the world's first superhero. Admittedly, it was a cunning plan. Only if there was something to work on that. FBI, CIA, and even Interpol raided everything tied to Stryfe and his terrorist organization. They also searched Diane's home and business for any signs. And in addition, Diana was interrogated for months by the Senate committee for the second time. She knew that they were hoping that the claim for an insane terrorist was right. Instead, she was proven innocent; but, it didn't mean the end of her trouble.

Diana might not have worked with Stryfe, but she was responsible for so much devastation in New York City. Including the partial destruction of the iconic Empire State Building. As a result, the courts ordered her to pay 80 billion USD for the damages and compensation towards the victims' loved ones and survivors. And then demanded an official public announcement of Wonder Woman's retirement. Along with weekly check-ins with SHIELD until deemed safe. If she refused to accept their offer, then she was going to spend life in prison without parole. There was a moment of hesitation. Was she able to live a normal life after this mess? Will the world be safer if she retired or worse off? Maybe not. She had been spending a hundred years fighting humanity's wars. It was the only chance to live an honest life. Diana accepted the court's offer.

The armor at the party was a replica, even if it looked convincing. Diana knew since it was the real one was at her home. But there was a sense of nostalgia. That armor kept her safe for a hundred years and was a significant part of her. It still felt weird to not wear it out in public. Suddenly, a familiar voice greeted her.

"Of course, you are here."

"Nice to see you too." Diana turned to shake the hand of Veronica Cale, CEO of Empire Enterprises. Empire was an American diversified multinational mass media that saw growth in the decade. This year alone saw it expanding into the European market. It was somewhat surprising to see her in the states than celebrating in Spain. "I thought that you'd be with your board in Europe?"

"Grew tired of them." Cale casually replied. "Besides, my daughter wanted to spend the New Year with her friends in the states. There's only so much you can do in Ibiza. Though I do miss the warmth..."

Cale stood beside Diana and took a look at the armor. "It's not surprising to see you here, admiring the past."

Diana's smile instantly disappeared and started getting defensive. "I'm only here to make sure it's ready for the charity auction tonight."

"Sure, you're." Cale grinned. She knew the truth and went in for the attack. "I get it. A person of your status being forced into retirement after that mess in New York."

"Actually, it's been relatively easy."

"Really now? You are the strongest woman in the world, playing pretend with the billionaires. All because you were doing what heroes do best—bringing death and destruction wherever they go."

Diana sharply turned towards Cale and frustratingly called out her bullshit. "Don't you get tired of playing these games?"

"You can't, Diana, or else you'd be eaten alive." Cale laughed. "It's one of the first lessons that I ever learned being an elite. You should've known that."

"Tell me why you are really here or leave."

Cale wasn't able to contain her smile after witnessing Wonder Woman getting frustrated so easily. "It's been a year since Stryfe and his terrorist front attacked America. Since the partial collapse of the Empire State Building. I was wondering if you want to be interviewed by WHIH World News. We have an interviewee on standby. Just say the word, and we can start next Monday."

"Why the hell would I want to be interviewed by one of your companies? I am not stupid enough to talk into a trap." Diana immediately rejected the offer.

"I might hate your guts. But, I am also not stupid to jeopardize my business for a smear campaign." Cale pointed out while pulling out her phone. "The interview will be honest and brutal but factual and fair. No conspiracies. No bullshit. Everything will be made clear. What do you have to say?"

Diana paused for a moment to reconsider the offer. Was she ready to talk about the whole ordeal? It may have been a year, but it was still a painful memory. Her therapist might have the answer. And with that mind, Diana looked away from her and sighed. "Look, I-I am not sure about it. I don't know if everybody is ready to hear my side of the story. Hell, I don't even know. I'd assume that you carry your business card with you. Could I have it to call you with an answer?"

"Of course." Cale put away her phone, pulled out the card, and handed it to Diana. It was an animation of the Empire Enterprises logo transforming into the WHIH World News logo. Below it was the name and phone number of Cale. Suddenly, the noise from the crowd counting down caught both of their attentions. Cale made her way back to the party but stopped for a moment to bid farewell. "Have a happy New Year, Diana."

Diana acknowledged it for a moment and then looked at the card again as it replayed the animation. She didn't notice that Etta Candy had entered the room. "What did she want?"

"An interview."

Candy laughed at the answer but saw her friend's curiosity. "Are you actually going to do it? You know that she's baiting you into a trap, right?"

"Well..."

"Diana-" Candy tried to talk to her, but the crowd started to get louder in their countdown. "Look, we can talk about this later with everyone else. For now, let's just celebrate."

---

The auction began after the Times Square Ball dropped, making the new decade. Several rare paintings of Wonder Woman and additional replicas were brought from a few hundred thousand dollars. The full armor set sold for two million dollars to a businessman from Silicon Valley. Tonight's charity event raised about five million dollars. Every dollar will be going to various charities and programs across the world. But even with the auction over, people still stayed a few extra hours to celebrate and chat with Diana.

Only when most of the guests left that Candy decided to bring up the interview. She walked over towards Diana, who was cleaning up from the party. "I want to talk about earlier and how accepting it is a bad idea."

"What's a bad idea?" Alana Dominguez asked as she approached both of them.

"Being interviewed by WHIH, which I haven't accepted yet."

Peter Garibaldi looked up from his at the mention of the news channel. "Why not?"

Diana looked away and explained her reason. "I just don't know if everyone is ready. If I am ready to talk about New York City."

"It could be a necessary step for you to move on with your life." Rachel Keast joined in the discussion.

Candy looked at everyone in disbelief. "Are you guys forgetting that WHIH is owned by Empire Enterprises, which is run by Veronica Cale. The woman with a dangerous grudge for Diana."

Garibaldi started taking down some notes on his phone. "It just means that we have to prepare her for any unfortunates."

"You can't be serious."

"I am."

"Both of you stop." Diana intervened before things got ugly. "I didn't give her an answer. And I have until next Monday to make my mind up."

Keast put her hand on Diana's shoulder. "Whatever happens, we'll stand by your side. And if you need to talk to us, we're all ears."

"Of course, we will."

"Yeah."

"Even if I disagree, I will support whatever you decide."

"Thanks, guys." Diana smiled at the support from her friends. The same ones that stood beside her after New York. It wasn't easy at first. Despite having two sons to care, Garibaldi worked endlessly to maintain Diana's vision for the World Veterans Federation as the public support declined. Keast defended her during the investigations and built a case for her innocence. Dominguez took temporary control of the organization while Diana was dealing with the aftermath. And Candy risked her safety to defend her from the countless threats.

For those things alone, Diana was forever grateful for their support.

---

Sleep wasn't a requirement for someone that was made out of clay by the Gods. But she did enjoy it because it was one of the few times where her mind was quiet. For the most part. Ever since Stryfe, her dreams were a constant reminder of the destruction she carried out on that day.

However, this dream was completely different.

“Wonder Woman was part of the Metahuman Supremacy Front. All this was a show, it was her plan in the first place.”

Everyone was caught off guard by the news, especially Diana. And the press ate it up without care. Journalists and news reporters were yelling out questions at her. She had to put an end to this before it was too late. "I was never part of his group! He's lying!"

There was a moment of silence to consider the possibility. Then, a journalist walked towards Diana with a look of hatred. He pointed at the partially collapsed Empire State Building. "Then, explain this. I saw both of you flying inside before the upper levels collapsed. Why should we trust you?"

"Not to mention that there are reports that you stormed out of the hearings."

"And with your questionable actions in Transia, is it too much not to take your word. Especially when your sword's covered in blood."

"No!" Diana cried out. "All of you are falling for his lies."

Stryfe watched in glee while the media tore her apart. Now, it was time to strike the final bow. He knew what he was about to say next was going to get him killed. But it was for a greater good. With that in mind, he turned towards Diana and interjected. “Colonel Trevor would be so ashamed of you. I doubt he could even look you in the eyes after the atrocities you’ve committed today.”

Diana went numb at the mention of her beloved's name coming out of the monster's mouth. Anger filled her mind. She wasn't able to think clearly at the moment and lunged at him. "Don't ever mention his fucking name you bastard!"

By the time she tossed him towards the fountain, she had realized that everyone's expressions were the same: fear. They were afraid of her. Even her old best friend, Steve, looked disturbed at her response. That was when she realized that Stryfe had won. He got what he wanted, and everyone would see superheroes the same way he did: abominations. It was already too late for Diana to back away. Then, she saw the gun on Steve's sidearm and knew what to do.

Sacrifice herself for a better tomorrow.

Captain America, dealing with two monsters at once, would be celebrated across the country. His return will mark a new chapter for the world. He would know what to protect the innocent. And he will make sure to inspire the new generation of heroes. He was going to be better than she ever was. So with that in mind, Diana walked towards Stryfe with the intent to kill. He closed his eyes and began to lift his arms wide open. Both of them were at peace. But that didn't happen.

Instead, Diana was knocked to the ground and immediately knew who did it. Steve. Her plan was about to fall apart. And there was nothing she could to stop it. Rogers pulled out the gun from his sidearm and pointed it squarely at Stryfe. Before he fired the shot, however, time froze in place. She was able to get up from the ground and approached him. There were so many feelings during that moment: angry, sadness, regret. Then suddenly, a familiar voice appeared behind her.

"So he was the one that dealt the killing blow. Incredible."

Diana turned towards the fountain and saw that Stryfe vanished. The next thing she knew was that he was standing beside her. "Our plan went so unexpectedly well."

"Our? No, it was your fault."

"You're not lying. But, you were planning on killing me after all. And that caused your friend to intervened."

Diana started to get defensive and glanced at Captain America. "So he could've become the hero that I once was."

Stryfe walked over towards the man and examined him at the moment. Emotionless for a man intended to kill another man. "How did that wonderful plan work out? Instead of one, two beloved heroes died on this day... God works in mysterious ways."

"He wasn't supposed to kill him! I was! I wanted to murder you for what you did!"

"And now, you will never get your chance ever again." Stryfe couldn't help but laugh at Wonder Woman's failure. It took a moment for him to calm down so he could resume talking. "But thank you again for the assist. You should know that it warms my heart, seeing both Wonder Woman and Captain America dead."

Diana was about to respond when a bell rang loud enough that everything shook. She was confused at what it meant. However, Stryfe clapped his hands together and chirped. "It's time!"

"What-"

"Get back to your place before the scene resumes." Stryfe gestured with his hand towards her spot on the ground. Then, he got back to the fountain, closed his eyes, and stretched his arms wide. "See you soon, Diana."

Before she could have reacted, Diana found herself on the ground and staring at Rogers. There was nothing she could have done at the moment. And history forever changed because of him—for better and worse. The scene slowly resumed as Captain America pointed the gun between Stryfe's eyes and-

~ BANG ~

---

[Mao Mao]

_{Gateway City, Rhode Island}

Present Day

---

^{1.01 // Routine}

𝗗𝗜𝗔𝗡𝗔 𝗣𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗖𝗘

Diana immediately awoke to the sound of her alarm going off instead of the gunshot. Her breathing was out of control for the nightmare. It was the first time in a while that she thought of Stryfe. The monster that changed her entire life. She got out of bed and rushed straight to the bathroom sink. After a few splashes of water to her face, she calmed down a little. But reliving that horrible event again was unpleasant. With a quick shower and a change of outfit, she was feeling more better. The phone went off as a reminder to take her antidepressant. New York City worsened everything that she was able to control. Her doctor and therapist recommended fifty milligrams of Zoloft along with weekly therapy visits. So far, it helped a little.

After taking it, Diana gathered her things for the day in the office and left her home. World Veterans Federation established a national headquarters in Gateway City shortly after its foundation in London. It was designed as a mixture of Greek and American architecture to make it not stand out of place. And it also reflected Wonder Woman's place of origin: Greece. However, it saw its fair share of protests after Stryfe's death and a hotbed of false threats. Recent months saw things calming down and returning to some form of normality. Diana drove to the office and entered inside, where Candy and Dominguez were waiting for her in the lobby.

"Good morning, Diana." Dominguez greeted her boss.

"Morning." Diana shook her and Candy's hands. "I assume it's going to be another busy day."

"Yeah. You got a conference call with the team in London about Transia. And the team in Egypt regarding the crisis in the Middle East." Dominguez listed off the schedule for the day as the three of them got inside the elevator. "Pete wants to talk to you about the possible interview with WHIH."

"Also, Clint is coming up for the routine checkup." Candy added.

"Well, let's get started then. Tell the team that I'm on my way."

Diana made her way to the meeting room with Dominguez, who was explaining the team's recent developments. It wasn't good news. In the aftermath of Wonder Woman's presence, Yuri Petrovich's resistance spread across the East European country. The country's government banned all foreign presence except for SHIELD to gather any necessary evidence and cleanup. Several charities and humanities organizations, including the World Veterans Federation, recently applied for entry into the country. Today was when they find out if it was approved or declined. Upon entering the room, the team was set up to showcase their progress to their boss via hologram.

"Good morning!" The team greeted Diana.

"Any progress?" Diana asked the team's leader, William.

"We're still waiting for a response along with the Red Cross." William responded and then waved his hand to bring up the hologram map of the country. "As for the revolt in Transia, its getting worse as Petrovich's militia clashed with the local military near the capital. Several dozen were reported to be injured, but that's from an unofficial report. Rural areas have been hit the hardest with both sides raiding villages to either set up camp, steal for the population, or both. The government is suppressing any information that makes them look weak to their neighbors."

Then, one of the team members whispered something to his ear. "Unfortunately, everyone's appeals were denied just moments ago. Maybe it's time to reconsider Transia-"

"We can't abandon the people yet. We just have to persuade the government with something worthwhile."

"I know that it has been hard moving on from the incident in Velinsky. But interfering isn't going to help anyone." Another member of William's team pulled up national polls from Transia, showing the population's thoughts on Wonder Woman. "Fifty-eight percent of the population still view you as a war criminal. Sixty-five think you should've been thrown in prison for life. The numbers don't lie, ma'am. It's one of the reasons why we concluded that the government keeps rejecting the appeals because of us. And if we focus on other matters in Europe, they will start accepting aid. That's why I am proposing that we reshift to the veterans' protests in France. It will be good for our organization."

Diana hesitated to accept the hard truth coming from William. She owned Transia for what she did to her people. It had been a significant reason why WVF remained determined to help out. Yet, the damage was already done. "Alright... Your team's proposal has been approved. Notify the other charities to push on without us. And send in a report before next Thursday."

"Thank you, Diana. We won't disappoint you." The hologram of the London team disappeared as the lights came back on. Dominguez heard the whole transaction and felt sorry for her friend. She understood how important making up to the people that Wonder Woman hurt was to her. After placing down her notepad, she extended a hand to her shoulder and said with remorse.

"I am sorry that happened to you. But there will be other opportunities in the future."

"I know." Diana acknowledged her friend's attempt with a weak smile. It was time to let go of her efforts to fix every mistake that she made. Even if it was painful. Then, her phone buzzed with a message from Candy.

"Clint's waiting for you in the office."

---

After taking the elevator, Diana entered her office to see that Clint Barton, known to the world as Hawkeye, scrutinizing her computer. He was essentially her probation officer working with SHIELD. It was part of the arrangement with the American government that she was required by law to compel with routine checkups to ensure that Wonder Woman remained retired. Hawkeye had been assigned to her as the government's first countermeasure. And with her weakness to piercing weapons, he was the perfect person to neutralize the former hero.

Clint greeted Diana while examining her schedule for the coming months. "Nice to see your foundation has bounced back. The first time that I see a month filled."

"Aren't you supposed to be only checking for anything 'suspicious' since your last visit?" Diana crossed her arms.

"That includes your schedule. And yes, I wasn't checking before because it was always empty. It made writing reports bearable. Speaking of which, thanks for ruining it for me."

Diana smiled and walked over to see what he was doing on her computer. There was a notepad next to him that contained notes for the report. And on the computer, he was finishing up with scanning through the calendar to see for anything strange. There wasn't. Next, he asked for her phone, which always bothered her. But she trusted Clint enough with it. And then came the inspection of Wonder Woman's armory, located between two bookshelves, which housed everything that the hero wore and used. It was built shortly after her retirement as a way of remembering that former life. An hour and a half later, the visit was done until the next one in a few weeks.

Clint looked around the room for the last time before biding Diana farewell. "Everything looks good."

Suddenly, he remembered their last conversation and his first date with Linda. "I forgot to mention that the date went well. Thank you for suggesting that sushi restaurant. Their maki futomaki was some of the best that I had in a while. It was..."

That was when Clint noticed that a young person was floating towards them. They appeared to look more like a man than a woman, but that didn't matter to him. What mattered was protecting Diana and himself from the possible threat. He spun around Diana and aimed his bow at the intruder. Diana was impressed at the quick response time for Hawkeye but more concerned about the person that struggled to land on the balcony. They reached the door and torn it open without a problem. Clint yelled out the first and final warning.

"Leave. Unless you want to be shot."

The stranger wasn't unable to respond and fell to their knees before going unconscious. "Please... help me."

---

[Mao Mao]

Playlist ver. 1

_{diana prince: marching forward - playlist}

_{marina - to be human warriors - 2wel ft. edda hayes}

_{rag'n'bone man - human the champion - carrie underwood}

_{wildwood kin - warrior daughter skyfall - adele}

_{taylor swift - eyes open survivor - artist}

_{bob dylan - the times they are a changin' i lived - onerepublic}

_{credit song v.1 - Little Talks - Of Monsters And Men}

_{credit song v.2 - Pete Seeger - Which Side Are You On?}

_{credit song v.3 - Chris Cornell - You Know My Name}

[Mao Mao]

_{Gateway City, Rhode Island}

Present Day

---

^{1.02 // Revelation}

𝗗𝗜𝗔𝗡𝗔 𝗣𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗖𝗘

Despite Clint's concerns about the stranger, Diana rushed over to check if the person was fine. She called out for Candy's help as she was carrying them to the nearest table. There wasn't time for the security guard to ask questions. Instead, she complied and ran to the security room since it housed a first aid kit. Clint, on the other hand, was still cautious about the mutant and approached Diana with bow at the ready. "Are you sure that caring for... them is a good idea? For all that we know, we could be in danger."

"What was I supposed to do? Leave them to die?" Diana snapped. "Besides, I am still strong enough to protect you and everyone else in this building."

Clint wasn't in the mood to argue about it, and she still had her strength. Then, Candy returned with the first aid kit and bottled water in hand, placing them on the table. Then, she looked at the broken door and turned towards Clint, clearly irritated.

"What happened?"

"The kid probably wanted an autograph." Clint responded sarcastically. Candy grunted under her breath in disgust. And Diana was still focused on the individual, hoping that they will wake up. Based on observation, however, they looked fine except for a few faded bruises and cuts. She then thought of a plan. Getting them back to their home was an obvious one. And if they were abandoned by their loved ones, there was always Professor Xavier's school in New York. For now, though, they needed care.

"It doesn't matter why they showed up. I'll make a call to my good friend. He will know what to do-"

"Please don't turn me in!" the stranger cried out loud, which caught everyone off guard. Clint quickly aimed his bow at the kid again, willing to let go if given no choice. While Candy placed her hand of the holster, ready to draw to protect her friend. However, Diana turned towards them and held her hand out to calm them. She was capable of taking on the kid with ease, but it wasn't necessary. Instead, she looked at the guest and began talking calmly.

"I only want to keep you safe. What's your name?"

"I... I can't remember..." the stranger kept on thinking as hard as they could until. "I think it's Dominic."

"Are you hurt? Can you stand up, Dominic?" Diana asked sincerely, offering to help them up. Dominic managed to get up from the table with help but collapsed when they tried to walk on their own. Candy ran towards them and, with support from Diana, carefully walked them over to the nearest chair. Meanwhile, Clint lowered his bow again and noticed something on the ground: bright pink flower petals. It wasn't the kind that you would typically see. Something was mystifying about them. Soft to the touch, but it remained intact.

Diana turned towards Clint and noticed the petals. Her eyes widen with surprise, and it left her speechless. She walked towards him and slowly picked one of them off of his hand. "Where did you get them?"

"Found them near the table."

Diana made her way to Dominic and showed them the petals. "Do you remember where you were?"

Dominic struggled to answer the question as if they couldn't remember. Yet, they kept trying to come up with some answers. Instead, they bowed their head in shame. "... I can't remember. Sorry."

"Just get some rest. Maybe you will remember later." Diana reassured them and turned to Clint, asking him to come with her. Candy stepped in to help out the kid while both of them went out of the room. And without the kid watching, Diana picked up the petals and started playing around with them in her hand. It had been so long, but she never forgot its softness and texture. Then, it clicked. There was only one place in the entire universe where the flower could have existed.

"These petals are from Themyscira."

"Are you sure, Diana?" queried Clint. "If you're positive, then that means-"

"Nothing." Diana interjected. "Zeus is many things, but he won't risk his heaven for war against mankind... I need to investigate this at once."

Diana started to head for her office to begin planning for the trip. However, Clint grabbed her arm with a look of regret. "I'm sorry, but you can't do this without approval for SHIELD. They have to be informed and decide the next step."

"But Clint-"

"No. When your Gods were discovered to be living among us, you assured SHIELD that they won't be a problem." Clint affirmed. "But with that kid's arrival and those flower petals, I am required to inform my superiors, or I risk my livelihood."

"I..." Diana looked away for Clint and then sighed. "Alright, go ahead and tell them. Just remember that it's only a theory, not fact."

Clint nodded his head and thanked her for understanding his position. He assured Diana that he will come back in a day or two. And that SHIELD will contact her in half of a day. Then, he left to report back. Diana tried to process what was going to happen, but Dominguez showed up, clearly upset for some... That was when she remembered her schedule. With Dominic's unexpected arrival and the petals, she completely forgot about it and most likely missed the meeting with the Middle East team. Thus, Dominguez wanted answers.

"Where were you?!" questioned Dominguez as her arms folded in annoyance.

Diana sighed again and turned to her secretary. "It's been a long day. Come, and I will explain everything to you."

---

[Mao Mao]

_{1.03 // Panoptes}

Present Day

---

^{Gateway City, Rhode Island}

𝗗𝗜𝗔𝗡𝗔 𝗣𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗖𝗘

Upon entering the office, Diana explained the entire situation to Dominguez and introduced her to Dominic. They were looking better than their last talk but still appeared tried. It was one of the reasons why she didn't resume questioning them. And when the introductions over, the group was left to think about the future. What were they going to do about Dominic? Diana suggested that they could live in the guest bedroom of her studio until a place is found for them. Candy was hesitant about allowing a stranger access to her boss' home, but her concerns were pushed aside.

"I will be fine. Besides, where else could the kid go?"

"I could bring them to my house." answered Candy.

"No, that isn't going to happen." Diana insisted and began talking at a lower voice, so Dominic wasn't able to listen in. "Besides, we still don't know about their abilities. I don't want you or anyone else to get hurt. It will be okay."

Then, all of a sudden, a television screen slowly set up as the windows were being covered by black sheets. Diana went over to her computer and knew that SHIELD was contracting her. It meant that everyone in the room—even Candy—wasn't allowed here due to sensitive information. She turned and gave out the order, "Take Dominic to my place. I will meet you guys there after the meeting."

Candy nodded at the request and walked over towards Dominic, who was still struggling to maintain balance. With help from Dominguez, both of them were able to carefully escort the kid out of the room. Once she was alone, Diana stood in front of her desk and watched the SHIELD logo on the screen. Agent Gabriela Doyle then appeared on the screen, glancing at something before turning her attention to Diana. Doyle had received Clint's report and was clearly troubled by it. Even if she did a poor job at hiding it.

Soon enough, Doyle was able to say something about the matter. "I'm rarely left speechless... but your assumption of the strange petals appears to be right. So far, our team hasn't been able to trace their origins even after analyzing rare plants. Regardless, we will keep on looking into the matter."

"Well, if I may-"

"I'm not done." Doyle interrupted. "You mentioned that the petals came from Themyscira. Clint wrote in the report about finding them in the area that Dominic was resting. Do you know what it means?"

"No." answered Diana.

Doyle sighed and rubbed her eyes, clearly frustrated at the answer. "But I think that you do. You were quick to defeat the Pantheon while they were pretending to be humans. And even told us that they were leaving us alone. Yet, the encounter with Dominic was... something."

Now frustrated, Diana rebuked in irritated. "I will tell you the same thing that I said to Clint. Zeus isn't planning for war against humanity. He wouldn't have sent Dominic if that was the case. You can do whatever to me, but leave the kid alone. They are just a scared kid with powers. You should know because you deal with them all the time!"

"I would usually agree with you about them. It isn't wild to speculate that a kid would seek your aid. But I keep looking at the petals and... it isn't of this world, Diana." Doyle sighed and then typed out something on her desktop. "I can't promise that SHIELD won't leave the kid alone unless we find evidence that proves innocence. Until then, I will provide you with an update on this matter soon."

---

^{SHIELD Helicarrier, Unknown}

Doyle ended the call before Diana could thank her and finished typing her own report. She sent it to her own superiors and took a moment to breathe. Being assigned as leader of Panoptes was already a big deal within SHIELD. It was established shortly after allegations that Wonder Woman worked beside Stryfe. Initially, it was under the leadership of Tom Tresser, aka Nemesis. But after Diana was found innocent, SHIELD dramatically changed Panoptes' goal.

Instead of finding evidence of the hero's ties with MFS, they were tasked with surveillance and establishing routine check-ins with Diana. And that was when Doyle was brought in as its new leader. Nemesis remained on the team to pave the way for a smooth leadership transition. But she had to prove that she was the right choice for the team. During the brief period, Panoptes convened existing security systems inside Diana's charity and studio to their operation. But their greatest feat with stealing and replacing Wonder Woman's gear and weaponry with near-perfect replicas without anyone's notice.

That was how Doyle earned her spot as the leader and the nickname, Argus.

Doyle decided to take a moment to process everything before calling a meeting with the team.

---

When the call ended, Diana heaved a sigh of relief, knowing that things could have gone worst. Her relationship with Agent Doyle was better than Nemesis, but it was still unfriendly. And with the recent revelations, things seemed to worsen between them. For now, she needed a moment to focus on one thing: Dominic. Their sudden introduction brought questions that needed answering, and she needed to find them. Of course, however, something else came up when Garibaldi walked into the office.

"Are you still busy?" asked Garibaldi.

Diana chuckled at the question and sat on her desk. "Honestly, I have a lot on my plate... But I am available."

"Well, I was wondering if you are still planning on doing the interview." Garibaldi crossed his arms.

Diana had totally forgotten about the interview with WHIH until it was brought up. Her mind went back to the night that Cale offered the interview. She was unusually sincere compared to her ruthless attitude that she always had. That caught Diana off guard and made her question if the discussion was going to be genuinely honest. It was why she decided to take a few days to think about it. Then, she was distracted by everything. And now, on limited time, Diana tried to summarize the pros and cons of the interview.

There was the chance that Cale might have been deceiving Diana into a trap. Even if that was the case, it was foolish to immediately dismiss the interview. A chance to tell her side of the story to the whole world was a golden opportunity for someone like Wonder Woman. A chance to ask forgiveness to those that she had indirectly or directly harmed. It was clear that she had her answer.

"When do you think you can book the interview?"

---

[Mao Mao]

Saint Fayettemos is a sprawling town, known for its nightlife and world-famous bakery goods. Life is simple for the citizens of the ideal town. Everyone is perfect for their friends, loved ones, and even themselves. And everything is in black and white, a world where color is virtually nonexistent. To them, it's a fact. But, only a few individuals know the truth and decided to hide it for good. The idea that there could be colors would cause unforeseen consequences to society; however, nobody can control colors easily. And for the first time in Saint Fayettemos, the trees within Clifworth Meadows bloomed into a strange tone, and a young man witnessed the entire thing.

Saint Fayettemos

Three hours away from the bustling city of Karichham lies the growing town of Saint Fayettemos. It was founded in the late 1800s but only saw growth in recent years. And in a matter of weeks, everybody noticed how unique Fayettemos' nightlife was compared to places like Karichham. Now, thousands are setting up shop in both the new and old downtown to cash at the moment. And as a result, the population blew up from twenty thousand to fifty thousand in the last two years. That also brought forth a bloom into the bakery industry.

[Mao Mao]

---

𝗝𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝗞𝗻𝗮𝗽𝗽

---

^{Hallway // Stockbridge Academy}

Jaden cursed themselves when Fitz reminded them of the locked doors and unbreakable windows throughout the school. Yet, there had to be a way out. Because staying at school wasn't an option for them at all. Even if it was for a few nights. They listened to the cheerleader insinuating that the cafeteria was ideal. And then, most of the classmates in the lounge began to leave for the location. Jaden watched and reflected on their next decision: go on their own or catch up with the others. It was oblivious that staying any longer here would result in their death or worse. So, they headed for the door and left the lounge.

There was an immediate breeze of cold for the silent hallways that felt uncomfortable. Earlier, it was the scene of pure chaos and disorder. But now, there was a strange sense of tranquility that quickly got to Jaden. Then, there was the group heading for the cafeteria in the hope of surviving the day. Jaden knew that the food that he had in his bag wasn't going to be enough. However, it meant staying in this nightmare. Looking ahead at one of the main doors, they huffed at the fact that Fitz was most likely right. The only exits were locked for now. So, they quickly made their way towards the others, who were arguing over what to do.

Jaden was close enough to hear Xan suggesting to gather as much water as possible. They didn't know much about the new kid, but he seemed alright. That was until it was ruined the moment when he proposed killing their classmates. Surviving was one thing, but killing somebody was different. Even if they were zombies. That was when Jaden decided to make their presence known to everyone.

"Look, I am not going to murder someone to answer your hypothesis." Jaden responded to Xan's suggestion with disgust but then sighed and looked at the water fountain nearby. "However, getting water isn't a bad idea. Especially if we are planning on staying here."

They dug around their bag, pulled out the steel water bottle, and headed for the fountain. While Jaden was filling up the container with cold water, there was an awkward silence waiting for them to say something. Since they were opposed going to the cafeteria moments ago, it felt fair for Jaden to state their case even if it was unnecessary. "Before anyone says anything, I still plan on getting to my car and leaving when the opportunity. I... I have seen enough to know that being by myself right now is idiotic."

---

[Mao Mao]

---

_{"Take care of them, Steven."}

---

𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗳𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄

⨯ I don't mind playing both genders, but I tend to play as a male. And for romances, I don't care for them but it's fine if you want them. As long as it isn't too not safe for work.

⨯ I tend to write secondary and side characters because it makes the roleplay more fun. I don't expect you to do the same, but I would be grateful if you did.

⨯ I usually would write at least a few paragraphs or more per post. I don't want to deal with one-line and one paragraph posts.

⨯ With the shelter-in-home order in place, I really have nowhere to go and nothing to do. Of course, I won't be posting every day because I have other interests that I like to do.

⨯ I would like for my partners to be over the age of eighteen. Don't care if you are mature for your age. There's the chance graphic content in our writing and I want to be safe.

⨯ And communication is cool. Tell me if you are honestly bored or having a writer's block. I won't be mad with you for being honest. And I would like to post our roleplay in the thread than using the private message system because it's more organized. However, I might be convinced to allow a private message thread.

⨯ If you have a discord, you can poke me there since I am on it often.

---

𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗿𝗲𝘀
adventure
alternate history ✶
apocalyptic ✶
crime
cyberpunk ✶
historical fiction
horror
low fantasy ✶
magical realism
military fiction
mystery
political
post apocalyptic ✶
science fiction ✶
slasher
space opera
steampunk
superhero
survival horror
thriller
western ✶

---

𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼𝘀 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲
assassins creed
cyberpunk 2077 ✶
dragon age ✶
fallout ✶
homefront
mass effect ✶
overwatch ✶
red dead
the division ✶
the last of us
the outer worlds ✶
watch_dogs ✶

𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘀 & 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄𝘀
cloverfield ✶
godzilla
hunger games
planet of the apes ✶
red dawn ✶
resurrection ✶
steven universe ✶
the last ship ✶
the leftovers ✶
war of the planets
westworld ✶
zootopia

---

𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘀
𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖿𝗂𝗇𝖺𝗅 𝖿𝗋𝗈𝗇𝗍𝗂𝖾𝗋

↪ In the near future, Earth entered a state of emergency with its climate drastically changing at an alarming rate. And with the collapse of the European Union, everyone was on edge for a possible world-ending war for remaining resources. However, it didn't come. Instead, it only prolonged a new Cold War between both powers. This war was shifted towards the new frontier: space. One of humanity's first targets was the Moon. The United States of America established the first-ever colony with the aid of several European countries with Russia and China developing their own shortly after.

Now with six years passing since the founding of the Luna colonies, the superpowers were eager to expand further into the Solar System. Both America and Russia had their sights on the red planet, Mars.

𝗺𝗮𝘀𝘀 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿 ✶

↪ In 2183, evidence of Saren Arterius' contribution to the attack on the human colony of Eden Prime was brought forward by Commander Shepard. His Spectre status was revoked and became a wanted man on Citadel Space. But, it wasn't enough. C-Sec found out that an old contact of Saren's managed to intercept all of Shepard's reports. Further digging revealed that eight additional contacts were still working for the rouge Spectre. The realization that there was a leak within the Council terrified the councilors. That made them desperate.

In a classified location, the councilors met up with Venari Pallin, executor of C-Sec, to initialize Operation Kingslayer. It became clear that Saren was using his resources within the Citadel and C-Sec to undermine them and Shepard. The goal of Kingslayer was to ensure that both Saren's presence in the space station and the nine contacts' lives were terminated. However, it needed a lead contact. That was when the Council suggested a former CIA agent, Elliot Emerson.

𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 ✶

↪ Since the twentieth century, mankind has always made advancements in medicine and media to the internet and the nuclear weaponry. In 1964, the great minds of our planet met up in Paris to discuss the possibility of human augmentation. Plastic surgery and implants were becoming more common as the century was ending. The conference discussed the ethical and moral quandaries of human augmentation only being made available to wealthy, developed countries. It also talked about the "need" and "want" in human augmentation, and the potential for human augmentation over the next century. After the discussions, The Code of Ethics on Human Augmentation was shown to the world.

The world didn't take it seriously since it created standards for a form of technology that is still in its infancy. And soon after, world leaders at the time were too forced on the second significant period of globalization and scientist began their shift towards global warming. The world soon forgot about the code until the year 2025. The Digital Revolution was still going strong as holograms shifted into popularity as a form of entertainment. The Middle East finally saw peace for the first time in decades with the end of the civil war; however, ISIL remained on their minds. NATO-Russian relations became more strained than ever with the annexation and puppet of Ukraine. The gap between rich and poor nations got worse with third world countries being affected the most. And the European Union grew stronger after become independent from America.

However, the world has advanced technologically, and more countries are adopting liberal social politics. And suddenly, augmentation started to become popular in the world. It began with elf ears and then advanced into prosthesis. And the world witnessed cyberware growing into a fashion statement overnight. Transhumanism started to become popular with the youth. In response, Russia (along with several Central and Eastern European countries) made all of them illegal, citing concerns those things went against human nature. The augmented citizens are facing discrimination and brutality from both citizens and police every single day while living in separate districts. At the moment, several European countries are requesting for a United Nations investigation into the law and whether they are violating human rights or not.

𝗂𝗌𝗈𝗅𝖺𝗍𝖾

↪ Humanity has been living in their comfortable lifestyle in a world that has become overly dependent on technology for decades. As bacterias and viruses are adapting to antibiotics at an alarming rate, some people began to question this dependency. Then, a deadly virus infected millions of Africans and killed thousands in a matter of months. A few foreigners were affected but were contained before they could spread. It caused widespread panic among the populations of the world. After developing a treatment for the virus, the CDC designed and released a preparedness guide for combating outbreaks. It was adopted by the governments of the world shortly after the release.

The United States of America was worried about a possible outbreak hitting America, resulting in the collapse of their government. That was when a presidential directive was quietly signed into law as a response to the entire situation. It's known as Directive 18, a directive that puts forth several plans from the US government and military in case of an outbreak in the country. The public didn't know of the directive's existence and their plans for tomorrow. However, the CDC and the American government partnered up to issued preparedness messages to watch for the warning signs of any virus outbreak. And they also started a massive nationwide health campaign that is making positive changes to personal health and personal hygiene in America. Meanwhile, the United States Military also launched several programs of their own about health and maintaining control during an outbreak, becoming more strict as a result.

It had been seven years since the last major outbreak to occur in the world. The world handled itself during minor epidemics and illnesses, but what if the world was introduced to a different kind of virus? A new type of infection capable of killing its victims and reviving them within hours. No one has the answers or the cure to this question, but it will happen. Either in a small town or a large metropolis, the virus will spread and slowly wipe out its target. In doing so, the virus will cause fear and selfish intentions to take over the avenge person. Will the government be able to deal with the most potent virus that mankind ever face? Or will it be another chapter of mass extinction of man? Can people manage to save civilization?

Or will it be too late?

𝗌𝗉𝖾𝖼𝗍𝗋𝗎𝗆 𝗈𝖿 𝖻𝖾𝖺𝗎𝗍𝗒

↪ Saint Fayettemos is a sprawling town, known for its nightlife and world-famous bakery goods. Life is simple for the citizens of the ideal town. Everyone is perfect for their friends, loved ones, and even themselves. And everything is in black and white, a world where color is virtually nonexistent. To them, it's a fact. But, only a few individuals know the truth and decided to hide it for good. The idea that there could be colors would cause unforeseen consequences to society; however, nobody can control colors easily. And for the first time in Saint Fayettemos, the trees within Clifworth Meadows bloomed into a strange tone, and a young man witnessed the entire thing.

might add more

↪ Might add more

---

[Mao Mao]

---

𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘀 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁: 𝗞𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿

---

Synopsis

In 2183, evidence of Saren Arterius' contribution to the attack on the human colony of Eden Prime was brought forward by Commander Shepard to the Citadel Council. The councilors voted unanimously to revoke Arterius' Spectre status (along with its benefits) and issue an arrest warrant across Citadel Space. And when it became clear that he wasn't going to give himself up, the council made Shepard the first human Spectre in its history. Yet, it soon became apparent that Saren had been prepared.

After Shepard's visit to the colony world of Feros, the Network Division of C-Sec stumbled upon one of Saren's former contacts mentioning the planet and Shepard several times. Further digging revealed that insiders within the Council and C-Sec were giving them access to all of Shepard's reports. Additionally, there were two more former contacts still working for the rogue Spectre. The realization that there was a leak within both the law enforcement and governing body of the Citadel terrified the councilors, which made them desperate for a solution.

In a classified location, the councilors met up with Venari Pallin, executor of C-Sec, to initialize Operation Kingslayer. It became clear that Saren was using his resources within the Citadel and C-Sec to undermine them and Shepard. Kingslayer's purpose was to eradicate Saren's remaining influence for the space station by taking care of the two contacts. However, it needed a leader. That was when the Council suggested a former CIA agent, Elliot Emerson. Emerson agreed, but only if he personally handpicked the group for the operation. He understood that a group of questionable individuals capable of fighting tooth and nail to complete the objective was required to defeat a former Spectre.

With his supervisors' approval, Emerson sent out a cryptic message to four different specialists offering tons of credits for their aid and left for the Citadel.

Information

It has been a while since I was in a Mass Effect roleplay. And instead of waiting for one to show, I told myself to make one while I am stuck at home. So, Kingslayer was born. Influenced mainly by Ghost Recon: Wildlands and Narcos. I will admit that it has been forever since I played the Mass Effect trilogy, but I have the basics down. One of the things that bothered me was how the Council behaved in the games specifically the first one. They are supposed to wise and intelligent but instead, they sat on their hands and let Saren read all of Shepard's reports.

Kingslayer helps fix that by making small changes to the Council that make sense and act like the ultimate authority they are. And it allows the Council to get their hands dirty when no other options are available. Of course,

As for what I am looking for, as a GM, I want to keep things small. Only four characters will be accepted. The story will be rather short. And almost everything will take place in the Citadel. The reason why is because I tend to notice that roleplays die when there's too much everything. Plus, I don't trust myself as GM to keep up with everything spread out.

Rules

I am making some species off-limits because I don't want to see a Hanar or Elcor soldier raining hell. Or a Geth turned good boy. Or a Collector.

Follow all of the Guild’s rules and don’t metagame or powergame. Be kind to others. You know, standard stuff that one should know by now.

[Mao Mao]

---

IMAGE HERE
Name // Species // Age

---

Brief Background

Here

Psyche Profile

Here

---

Specialty

Here

Abilities/Powers

Here

Inventory

Here

---

[Mao Mao]

---

_{"Extremis malis extrema remedia."}

---

CLASSIFIED INFORMATION

Black Friday. November 23rd, 2019. The day that many analysts recognized as the beginning of the end of modern society. It started out as normally as the shopping holiday could have. Millions of consumers across the world rushed into stores, looking for the best deals. And even with a few reports of injuries and deaths, it seemed to be under control. That was until a few days after the holiday. Sudden spikes of hospital admissions occurred all over several countries, including the United States and Britain. Yet, health and government officials assumed it was the result of an early flu season. And they were kind of correct as symptoms in patients resembled the common cold (fever, sore throat, etc.).

Then, the first deaths occurred a day after the reported spikes.

Once the death toll reached one hundred, the World Health Organization entered protocol and began their investigation into the outbreak along with the Central Disease Control. On the second day, quarantine zones were established, and cities went into lockdown. The military and local law enforcement cooperated in maintaining order until a vaccine was produced. Of course, their attempts were futile. Everything from the markets to international trade halted, causing the worldwide collapse of the economy. There was so much of the dead that mass graves became a common sight.

Panic set in on the fourth day once power and water failed for good. Everyone was a potential threat now, even the authorities. Dozens of quarantine zones began to fall apart in bloodbaths caused either by the people or the ones supposed to defend them for outside threats. In a matter of five days, the entire world entered its darkest period in history. The Dollar Flu brought everyone on their knees while those with the right equipment and might rose from the ashes. Militia groups and street gangs formed to restore order and push their own agenda against the innocent.

Yet, there was hope in the form of Directive 51.

Its existence was classified for years until recently when it was enacted. Thousands of sleeper cells and agents were awakened by a signal. And within hours of its activation, they were ready for duty and awaiting orders for command. Their objective was to ensure the continuity of government in the case of a catastrophic emergency. On the sixth day, since the Dollar Flu first appeared, The Division was ready to save what remained.

---

[Mao Mao]

---

_{"Because yesterday, we were ordinary citizens.
But today, we are The Division."}

---

AGENTS

Agent Nathan Bates // Firefly // Active

ALLIES

WIP

ENEMIES

WIP

CITIZENS

WIP

---

[Mao Mao]

---

_{"When society falls, we rise."}

---

LINCOLN TUNNEL // HUDSON YARDS

When it was announced that New York City was going to be under lockdown, thousands of people packed their belongings and tried to flee via the bridges and tunnels. One of the busiest tunnels was the Lincoln Tunnel, and it got bad enough that people ditched their cars to walk. The problem was that the tunnel was the primary supply line for food, medicines, and supplies from the outside world. So when the military had to turn away desperate people, a massive riot engulfed and overwhelmed the forces. It was one of the first cases where military personnel opened fire upon people, killing six.

Then, it became a frequent target for raids to obtain any remaining supplies. And once trade ceased for good, the Joint Task Force abandoned the checkpoint and retreated further into the city. Now, it was a reminder of their failure and of the past.

A lone soul exited out of the dark tunnel and quickly embraced the clear skies with a long breath. He was dressed like a soldier ready for a fight, carrying around his SCAR-L. But, he wasn't a soldier. Instead, Nathan Bates was an agent of the newly formed Strategic Homeland Division (SHD), and he came to the Big Apple with orders: scout out the Lincoln Tunnel checkpoint and retake it. It was significant from the SHD to maintain it if the city was to survive another day.

Unsurprisingly, there was no resistance or signs of anyone recently living in the area. Agent Bates felt relieved and disappointed that no one was in the area; but, the nearby building had one of its garage doors lifted slightly. He pulled out his pistol and a flashlight before carefully entering inside. There still was nothing to indicate trouble. And when he got in the empty office space, Bates put away the pistol and began his hunt for clues as to the whereabouts of the JTF. So far, it was picked clean; yet, there was a security camera above. It meant that ECHO could be able to provide valuable intel.

Agent Bates activated the system, and it started to download the cloud data and then surveillance data before analyzing it. Reconstruction was done in a matter of seconds. Bates was still impressed with how much-advanced tech the SHD had in their arsenal. From the seekers to ECHO and ISAC, they were prepared for every single scenario imaginable. But, there wasn't time to wonder. Bates had to complete his objective, and he only needed to sit back and watch the holograms in action:

There were two JTF soldiers in the office space. One of them was sitting in front of a computer while the other was on their phone. They were keeping to themselves until an alarm went off, causing them to stop in place. Then, a JTF officer ran in and yelled out. "Gather your things, we are leaving!"

"Leaving?!" one of the soldiers stood up from the chair and looked at the officer. "Where in the world are we going?"

"Regrouping with the remaining JTF forces at the James A. Farley Building." the officer answered while gathering some papers on a desk. "Destroy anything crucial to the JFT if it can't be taken. Another squad will come to help us with the generator in fifteen.

Once the officer left the room, both soldiers stopped what they were doing and made their way towards the barracks. But, one of the soldiers stopped in place, looked at the computer, and ran back towards it. The other soldier looked in disbelief and bluntly asked. "What the hell are you doing?!"

The soldier quickly typed something, sent it, and turned off the computer. "Saying goodbye."

Bates finished writing down the name of the building onto a torn piece of paper and shoved it into his pocket. It was good to know that JTF was still fighting tooth and nail for this city. Hopefully, they were still around at the postal service building. He stood up and looked around for any other clues, but anything useful was either taken or destroyed. Like what the officer wanted. So with nothing else, it was time for Bates to get in contact with Overlord about his findings.

"Overload, this is Firefly. Standby for report. Over." Bates grabbed ahold of the radio from his holster. There was a moment of silence before Overload responded.

"Firefly, send your traffic. Over."

"JTF forces regrouped at the James A. Farley Building. Lincoln checkpoint was left abandoned with no signs of life. Do you copy?"

"Solid copy, Firefly." Overload answered before going silent for a moment. "Firefly, standby at current location. Badger is making their way towards you. Over."

"Copy, Overload. Standing by for Bader. Over." Bates responded and shoved the radio back into its holster. He took a seat on a nearby desk, facing towards the entrance. Now, he needed to only wait.

---

[Mao Mao]

---

Agent Nathan Bates

^{Male // 30 // Firefly}

---

BRIEF SYNOPSIS

Nathan Bates (Call sign: Firefly) grew up in sunny South New Jersey in the heart of Camden with a crowded family. Forth child and third son of the family. Bates joined the military once he graduated from high school and spent two tours in the Middle East. Because of his leadership capabilities and checking all boxes within the set of criteria for Directive 51, the sergeant was trained at an undisclosed location and then allowed to live a normal life.

That was until the signal was activated.

Without any reason, Bates gathered his things and left his loved ones without reason (as instructed), heading out as an agent of The Division. Command appointed Nathan as leader of Wolverines, one of the dozens of squads being used for Operation Osiris.

BRIEF PSYCHE

Firefly had a reputation for playing loose with accepted strategy for military command. In several simulations, he gave up valuable fortifications and strategic locations to enemy forces. And when they were tried and weakened, Firefly attacked and won with few casualties than predicated. Cost him several promotions as a result before enrolling in Directive 51. That reputation meant that he had a problem with his emotions. Note that Firefly might disregard suggestions or advice for ISAC along with orders from Command.

Yet, Firefly is determined to the objective and willing to sacrifice everything to complete it. He's somewhat optimistic, even during these tough times.

---

INVENTORY

SCAR-L

- Suppressor
- Extended magazine

PF45
Contact Lenses
Smart Watch
SHD Issued Equipment

- Body Armor
- Masks
- Gloves
- Backpacks
- Knee Pads
- Holsters

SHD Tech

- Blinder Firefly
- Remote Pulse
- Airburst Seeker Mine

---

[Mao Mao]

G I L

---

^{G I L T O T O U N ◼ T W E N T Y T H R E E ◼ N O N B I N A R Y ◼ E X I L E D W A R D E N}

"𝖲𝗉𝗂𝗋𝗂𝗍𝗌, 𝗀𝗎𝗂𝖽𝖾 𝗆𝖾 𝗂𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗌𝖾 𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗈𝗍𝗂𝖼 𝗍𝗂𝗆𝖾𝗌."

▼ A P P E A R A N C E

---

One, if not the only, thing that people will immediately notice is the armor set. Gil was gifted it by the elders before he was forced to leave Eerum. According to them, it once belonged to protectors of Khemrin before giving them up to join the Wardens. This one was placed inside of a cave by the Elders to safeguard it for the next generation. Sadly, it had been waiting for decades, and most of its original color was lost except for the blue. It was given a cleanup and new material shortly before Gil's exile. The helmet was inspired by desert birds that were once worshipped.

Gil had tribal paintings all over their body as a plead for the spirits to be watching over them. Loose clothing was essential to perform excellently in battle and to withstand the harsh heat of the Sychan.

▼ B I O G R A P H Y

---

Gil Totoun was born an orphan when his parents sacrificed parenthood for the life of a Warden and raised by the elders. It wasn't ideal for children to be raised within the watchtowers and forts scattered throughout the Sychan Desert. But for the Khemrin, it was their only chance to survive. According to the elders, Khemrin remained undetected to the outside world for centuries. That was until Vassidia arrived with plans of their own for the natives. And soon enough, nearly all of the tribes within Eerum were successfully assimilated except for Khemrin.

That was when the killings began.

Because of their devotion towards life in Sychan, Khemrin revered specifically desert birds as sacred, and their worship included the modeling of armor and clothes and tribal paint to emulate the birds. It resulted in outsiders mistaking them as bird/human hybrids and started murdering them. Men, women, and children had their lives taken without reason and cause. In a last-ditch effort, Khemrin's leaders sought out the Wardens to offer their services.

Given their knowledge of Sychan and its harsh conditions, as well as being centuries old, the Wardens agreed. But only if they renounced Khemrin. It was the ultimate sacrifice. The tribe survived the slaughter by letting their culture die instead. By doing so, they became the first generation of Wardens in the region and soon expanded across the desert, protecting the people that once feared them. When the Elders finished the story of Khemrin, they found Gil to be the only child genuinely interested.

As the years went, Gil started to adopt customs from the Khemrin with help from the Elders. Of course, it angered the Wardens. They didn't do anything beyond the usual punishments that teenagers got. That was until Gil found himself to be exiled for his homeland. With only a bag of coin and bread, they made the most of it and tried to live life in the place that he despised the most. Then, they heard rumors of an unusual illness that turned the ill into stone spreading at an alarming rate. It got bad enough that the High Lord sought out anyone capable of finding the cure.

Gil understood that such illness could spread beyond its borders and into Eerum, infecting their friends and loved ones. So, they signed up and revealed themselves to the High Lord.

▼ C H A R A C T E R G O A L S:

---

Gil doesn't care what happens to Vassidia and its people, but they aren't stupid either. Sooner or later, the Stone Blight will reach Eerum and infect everything it touches. That was why they answered the call. Even if their friends and loved ones hate them, Gil will do whatever to protect the Khemrin for a painful end.

▼ S K I L L S:

---

//SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

◼ Khemrini Warden | As a Warden, Gil developed their swordplay and shield stances over the years with patience and practice. Also, they were heavily taught about the core values of the Wardens from impartiality to solitary. In addition, the Elders incorporated Khemrini knowledge in secret, which included how to handle a bow and spear. And, more importantly, how to blend with their surroundings no matter their location. With these lessons in hand, Gil was prepared for almost anything shown to them.

◼ Naturalist | Being a Warden meant training in naturalism, which meant someone that examines nature. But living in the Sychan Desert made the profession a requirement from all Wardens. Furthermore, the elders also taught Gil forgotten knowledge of the wildlife from the tribe. It wasn't entirely useless beyond Eerum, but the lessons taught them to operate in desert and warmer climates.

◼ Perception | As a former Warden, Gil was already perceptive compared to everyone else. It wasn't improved until they were forced to live in Vassidia. Being mindful of their surroundings and the types of individuals in the area was necessary for them since he was an outsider. It was key to surviving at this stage of their life.

//FEARS AND WEAKNESSES:

◼ Failure | Out of all the fears, there was one that got to Gil the most: failure. Failure to his tribe, friends, and himself. He would rather die than fail again.

◼ Obtruder | Besides being a foreigner in Vassidia, Gil was utterly different to everyone else. There were moments where people were clearly disgusted or distraught whenever they went out. Other moments involved being mistaken as a hybrid creature (which happened often) and openly insulted because he was from Eerum. As a result, Gil kept to themselves and only came out during the night to get the basics.

◼ Awkward | As a result, Gil became awkward around people due to a lack of social skills. And the fact that people avoided them because of their appearance. It made them anxious to be around folks since Gil couldn't anticipate their response to see someone wearing a helmet shaped like a bird. It also didn't help that they never took it off because it would have violated his beliefs and values from the Khemrin.

▼ N O T E S:

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//PARAPHERNALIA

◼ Cooking | Out of everything that someone like Gil was talented at, nobody expected cooking to be one of them. If someone were to give them basic ingredients, they could turn it into a masterpiece worth taking time to eat. It was something that naturally came to them without any outside help other than advice here and there.

[Mao Mao]

LINCOLN TUNNEL // HUDSON YARDS

Bates took a moment to scan Badger as a way to make sure that he was the one command sent. The smartwatch was a safe bet that he was indeed a Division agent. While the civilian clothing was a questionable choice, there weren't many options that SHD had given the world is still on fire. Bates got up from the desk and responded, "Nice to see you, Badger. I am Firefly."

After the introductions, Bates got into contact with command to confirm the meetup and started heading outside. There were a few seconds of silence before Overload told both him and Badger their new objective. "Head for the Post Office and search for any remaining JTF survivors. If there are none, attempt to find out what happened. Over."

"Over." Bates answered before asking a question. "What about the checkpoint? Over."

"Another team is on route to get it back online. Focus on the new objectives. Over." Overload went dark shortly after giving the answer, leaving the pair on their own. Once outside, Bates pulled up the map to check out their current position. It was going to take them fifteen minutes of walking to get there, but there weren't any other alternatives. He noticed that the nearby bus terminal was safe to enter, while several adjacent buildings were marked as contamination zones (meaning they were infected with Green Flu). Bates took a moment to calibrate a route in his head and turned towards Badger.

"The best option is if we went on Forty Street and walked straight down Eighth Avenue to the post office. If we need to rest, the ideal places are either the bus terminal nearby or one of the buildings along the avenue. Just tell me whenever and we can visit there." Bates said to his new partner while the map disappeared and then started walking towards their destination. But, they were in for a wakeup call once they finally exited out of Interstate 495. Hundreds of vehicles were left abandoned by their owners as several dozen nearby buildings, including a church, were marked as contaminated with Dollar Flu.

However, the Port Authority Bus Terminal became one of many quarantine zones. Even then, it seemed like the truth was hidden from everyone, including the Division agents. Bates was horrified to see the city that he often visited in such disrepair. It was difficult to react to his first time seeing New York City in person other than video. He was about to say something when gunshots rang out and forced Bates to find cover behind a taxi. Several citizens were fleeing from the terminal as the gunshots kept ongoing for ten seconds. Two more (both men) ran out of the building, but they were gunned down.

One of them was dying on top of a car hood while the other tried to crawl towards him. But, two NYPD officers came outside and approached him. The man on the hood attempted to get up but was swiftly executed by one of the officers. The other cried out and desperately tried to escape for them; however, the officer placed his foot on his back. "We are going to ask the last time. Where are your friends hiding?"

"I won't want to upset Officer Mckinney, dude." the other officer said while searching the citizen's body for something. "She's a bitch if you go against her."

"Go.. to hell." the civilian mumbled and then spat on the officer. He received the boot to the face, breaking some of his teeth and nose.

"Well, it seems like you earned a spot in my to-kill list." Bates was still surprised to see the brutality of those officers. Even if they were in the right (which appeared to not be the case), they were breaking the oath made to protect and serve the city. He wasn't going to stand around and let them kill an incident. So, he came out of hiding and called out the NYPD officers. Both of them were quick to aim their pistols towards him.

"Freeze!"

Bates paused and slowly put his hands up as a sign of trust. "Listen, I am Agent Nathan Bates of the Strategic Homeland Division. I want to talk to you, but you have to leave the citizen alone."

The officers looked at each other and then started laughing. Mckinney avoided the offer and started arresting the citizen. She took a quick glance at Bates and said in a dismissive tone, "Pal, you realize I have heard dozens calming to be in the military. You aren't the first. Now, leave us be, or you'll regret it."

[Mao Mao]

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LINCOLN TUNNEL // HUDSON YARDS

Bates was thankful that his partner remained undetected, giving him a much-needed advantage over the officers. He had to come up with something to distract them on the spot. But, one of the officers grew impatience and fired three shots towards the car near him. "Those were the only warning shots you get." she said before turning her pistol towards him. The other officer got ready for a firefight and couldn't resist smiling at the thought. So, he opened fire and caused Bates to dive towards a nearby car for protection. Bates understood that talking with them was out of the question and had to defend himself. Hopefully, Badger was able to get into position.

With no warnings given, Bates took a moment to breathe, raised his rifle, and opened fire at the officers. The excited officer didn't have time to respond before being struck by several bullets, falling to the ground. Mckinney was horrified to see her friend getting shot and responded by firing back at the stranger. She went back to cover and tried to care for her dying friend. And in the last moments, the officer was trying to say something. Instead, he started coughing blood and then stopped breathing altogether. Enraged by her colleague's death, Mckinney rose from cover and started firing at the car where Bates hid behind. She didn't care about the criminal nor the reason for being here. All she cared about now was getting revenge.

And because of that, Mckinney wasn't paying attention to her surroundings.

Click, a single trigger pull towards the woman's belly came from Badger, the stationary target leaving herself open to being little more than practice. After the bullet hit Don stood up, making sure the officer was out of action and wouldn't be able to shoot back. He started making his way over to her, while calling out to Firefly. "You alright?" he probably was, but it never hurt to check.

"Yeah..." Bates responded while getting out of hiding and making his way towards Badger. He turned to the woman, who was leaning against the pickup truck and looking at her dead friend. There was regret that things ended badly, but he understood that he had no choice. Life or death. Mckinney looked up and gave a weak smile at Bates.

"You weren't lying..."

Bates caught her before she collapsed and carefully placed her against the truck. He took a brief moment to look at her uniform and saw her badge. A little dirty, but it contained her last name along with the shield number. It confirmed the ugly truth: she was an NYPD officer that killed innocents. That was when he realized that the situation here was worse than ever expected. There was a sense that something was wrong upon exiting the tunnel. But he never imagined police officers breaking their oath to the city.

Then, he realized that her friend was most likely also an officer, but Bates wanted to be sure. So, he ordered Badger to check the badge. There were many questions, but Mckinney was losing blood. So, he started with a simple question. "Why did you kill that innocent civilian?"

"Innocent?" Mckinney tried to laugh, but it was too painful. "He was a criminal with blood on his hands."

Bates looked at the body and turned towards her. "Explain."

"He and the degenerates murdered this great city-our home-with their poison! Of course, they weren't content with the city. Oh no, they went after the real innocents!" Mckinney looked down, and tears started to flow down her cheeks. "My own family... taken because of the filth! Now, it's our job to cleanse the scum from our city. To do that, we need to be severe."

Bates was speechless after listening to her answer and said, "Good lord..."

---

[Mao Mao]

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LINCOLN TUNNEL // HUDSON YARDS

Bates sighed and then turned towards Badger. He was disappointed that his partner actually thought those people spread the virus. "She meant it figuratively. And as for the lost civilian, leave them be. They have already suffered enough."

"Our politicians failed us when we needed them the most. Now, it's up to us to fix their mistake." Mckinney tried to crack a smile but lost consciousness. At first, Bates thought that she had lost too much blood for the wounds; however, after examining her, she was barely alive. So, he grabbed a nearby stick and shoved it into her wound, causing her to awake with a bloodcurdling scream. Quite frankly, she deserved worse but he needed to know about the NYPD's fate. There was no way that the entire department became corrupt.

Bates stood over her. "What happened to the rest of the force?"

Mckinney looked up at the agent and tried once more to laugh. "My brothers in blue are working to restore what was taken for us. You will see them soon enough."

Firefly had enough of the disgraced officer and crouched down. "By going back against what your brothers stand for, you have failed this city and your badge. No amount of loss can justify killing innocents becaus-"

"Failed?!" Tears were rolling down Mckinney's face as she looked up at the agent. "I was on duty when the city was falling apart! When the degenerates were bitching about every little thing we did! When... my family died from the virus. I have been loyal to this badge and my friends! Everyone that betrayed us warrants a painful death. Just like the ones you and your friend will get."

Suddenly, police sirens were heard near as several gunshots rang out in quick succession. The missing citizen fell to the ground on the intersection, bleeding to death. Mckinney tried to say something else, but she collapsed for the blood loss. Bates got his weapon ready for a possible fight, but he preferred to not kill any more police officers. He scanned the area for an escape route and found one. It was an alleyway filled with trash bags and other garbage, but it was an ideal hiding spot. He ran towards it to make sure the path was clear and then called out his partner.

"Over here before they spot you!"

---

[Mao Mao]

Kaijosh Frakjess

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Name

Kaijosh Frakjess

Race

Human

Faction

New Republic

Character Alignment

Neutral Good

Background

Kaijosh Frakjess knew how life was before the Clone Wars and the rise of the Galactic Empire. Being born four years before the start of the Clone Wars, Corellia never saw the brutal fighting between droids and clones since it was inside Republic territory. His father was an author and wrote many historical books about the politics and battles of past wars. His mother died after giving birth to Frakjess due to the amount of blood lost. At a young age, Frakjess was interested in becoming a writer like his father. His father allowed him to watch him write anytime that he felt like to watch.

When the Great Jedi Purge began, and the Republic became the Galactic Empire, his father was one of the first that spoke against Palpatine. The Empire spied on him for several months until they decided to arrest him for working against the newly established Empire. Frakjess, on the other hand, was busy studying to become a writer while his father was arrested. He was also spied on for a year until the Empire moved on with other cases. After the spying ended, he became tired of the Empire's presence in Corellia. However, he couldn't do anything about it besides writing about his thoughts.

Under an anonymous name, he began to publish his written works on the HoloNet. People thought that he was a part of the Corellian Resistance movement; however, Frakjess never originally planned on joining the movement. Once the Declaration of Rebellion was released to the entire galaxy, Frakjess decided to join the Rebel Alliance after reading the crimes against Emperor Palpatine. That was also when he became interested in politics and wanted to make a difference from his homeworld.

After the destruction of the first Death Star, the people of Corellia tired to stage an uprising against the Empire. It was crushed. During the year, Frakjess was nearly killed by a bounty hunter hired by the Empire after he published his famous work about the Emperor. Fearing for his life, Frakjess was taught how to use a blaster and the different types of combat moves with help from the Corellian rebel cell. Once news reached Corellia that the second Death and both Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine were destroyed, the rebel cell decided that it was time to rise up against the Empire now.

A couple of hours after the Battle of Yavin, the citizens in the major cities rebelled against the Empire. Frakjess joined in the fighting and then became its governor. However, when the Provisional Senate was formed, he resigned for the position and sworn to the Senate. He joined the other Senators on Yavin 4, where his work began.

Personality

Being a politician had helped Frakjess prove that he was more than able to assist the Rebel Alliance during its fight with the Galactic Empire. Thanks to his charismatic leadership, he was able to fight the Empire head-on at his homeworld of Corellia. With additional connections in the black markets for off-world and members of the former Senate (before the Empire shut it down), he had the technologic advantage over the Empire. And unlike many politicians, he got his hand dirty and joined in the Rebellion. Killing stormtroopers with a lot of fun for Frakjess, but it also made him into a good shooter. He wasn't a great public speaker but his written works had been successful among the Rebels. It made him focused on improving his writing skills to make more books and articles.

Character Class

Bureaucrat

Items

DH-17 blaster pistol

Supporting Characters

Razref Treselang - General that openly supports Frakjess' position on the war
TBD

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[Mao Mao]

Razref Treselang

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Name

Razref Treselang

Race

Human

Faction

New Republic

Character Alignment

Lawful Good

Background

Razref remembered the first months of the Empire's rule over Lothal as being prosperous for them. Every Lothalites that weren't valuable were discarded and left to survive. Razref was one of them that the Empire forced into Tarkintown, one of many refugee settlements across the planet. Instead of admitting defeat, he became the settlement's unofficial leader and began several trade agreement with the other nearby settlements. Eventually, he got the attention of the Spectre cell (Lothal's only hope to defeating the Empire) and befriended its members. Razref provided assist and aid whenever possible in exchange for goods from the settlement.

But, it was a big risk of getting caught by the Empire. And that's what happened.

Without warning, the Empire raided the settlement and started massacring the locals. Luckily for Razref, the Spectre cell arrived in time to save the remaining survivors from death. That was how he unofficially joined the Rebellion. Eventually, Spectre joined up with the Phoenix Cell with Razref rising rank within the cell's command. It seemed like he found some form of peace until the Siege of Atollon, which was the nail in the coffin for Phoenix Cell. Razref joined the Massassi Group shortly after and achieved the rank of General.

Once the second Death Star was destroyed, Razref was ready to end the Empire for good. Instead, politics ended up in the way. Because of his time spent in the Lothal campaign, the general was well-known and respected within the New Republic.

Personality

Razref spent several recent years of his life struggling to survive one battle after another, almost getting killed a few times. As a result, he became paranoia to the point that rest often becomes a challenge to achieve. But with help and counsel (along with work keeping him busy), he was able to reduce it dramatically. Other than that, he truly cared for everyone and everybody that has a good cause. He especially treated soldiers under his rank with respect and care.

Character Class

General

Items

DL-22 Blaster pistol

Supporting Characters

Kaijosh Frakjess - Senator that Razref expressed supported for regarding assaulting Coruscant
TBD