Aro

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@Carlsberg That is why I'm pushing for just a time skip.

@Parfex You just quoted the entire post and added nothing new?

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You've got a deep understanding for character development and you've been able to predict my original story almost perfectly.
So, here's the challenges that I'm facing, and maybe you can help me with these:
1. Due to the similarities in powers and the fact that Dissonance was thought up first, Vega has to lose to her. Almost always.
2. Vega Learns new abilities by trying to overcome disadvantages when fighting Dissonance.

@Parfex

1/2. Of course, that's a given from what I can gleam on your CS. You'll have to discuss this between the two of you but what I would do is during the first fight Vega has his ass handed to him by Dissonance. She's had the last 3 years to use and develop her powers whereas your character had a short amount of time to develop his own before being transported by the black hole. The second fight would take place after some time and you've developed your powers against other characters, in this fight Dissonance would still win but you would develop your ability more and be able to deliver stronger punches and kicks like you state in your CS. More time will pass and you'll develop your character further and be able to punch and kick as hard as Dissonance's own punches and kicks with her ability. During your 3rd fight with Dissonance is where I would develop you gravity pull ability, but not realizing that the ability works in a sphere around you, you mistakenly pull in rubble from the fight knocks you unconscious. After this fight you develop that power more learning the range of the sphere around you and learning to focus it. The 4th fight you use all of your abilities that you have been developing and this fight ends in more of a draw for the two of you than an outright loss for you. All future battle between the two of you I would talk about and determine who would win or if they would end in more draws.

3. Dissonance (unfortunately) got her powers 3 years after Vega in our universe, which throws out a simple time jump. Thus Vega comes from a universe where they both got their abilities at the same time and their stories unfold similar to what you said.

@Parfex

3. Dissonance didn't get her powers three years after your character, she got her powers 3 years ago meaning she got them at around 22 year old while still a member of SAS.

BRIEF Bio: Jen led a quiet life for her first 18 years. When she left school, instead of attending university, she joined up with the armed forces, determined to do good in the world. After a year of service, she was assigned to a special operations division, the SAS. She carried out missions for several years, seeing things that would make normal people break down and go insane. This led to her becoming withdrawn, often appearing emotionless to deal with what she had seen. After a particularly brutal mission, Jen refused the orders of her commanding officer when ordered to gun down some civilians. When threatened at gunpoint, Jen's powers awoke. She killed the rest of her squadron with them, partly due to their out of control nature, and partly because she wanted to. After that, she went on the run, dying her hair to help obscure her identity. She moved to New Athens, determined to change the world to a vision she wanted, one free from the governments and corruption she viewed as responsible for the atrocities she had to commit. There is nothing she won't do to see this happen.

@Carlsberg

That's why I recommended just a time jump. You received your powers at 17/18 and went missing shortly after. While at the same time Dissonance's character was completely normal until at about 22 when her powers manifested, that makes her receiving her powers 4/5 years after your character received his.

4. I cannot time jump without pulling everyone into the future, therefore I can only jump from the past.

@Parfex

4. I'm not quite sure what you mean here.

5. If this is an alternate universe, what happened to the original Adrian Hunter? (I'm thinking that he's dead too, like his mother) but Vega believes that the grave is an empty tomb made due to his disappearance, when in reality, it's not empty.

@Parfex

5. You keep talking alternate universes and I'm trying my best to find a compromise to keep us away from that because I think it would just be a lot of work on everyone's part. Because let's say that in our universe (The current one where the RP is taking place) Adrian Hunter found the meteorite that gave you your powers but in our universe it killed him. In your alternate universe your character and Carlsberg's went to school together and gained powers around the same time, that create a whole new history for an already established character that Carlsberg may or may not want to create. For instance, my character Reaper is a former member of STRIKE that faked his death and became a mercenary. In your universe he could very well still be a member of STRIKE. This is why I keep pushing the time jump, so we don't have to make secondary histories for characters in a universe that only your character is aware of.

If we do the time jump for the most part his grave would probably just be an empty plot with a grave marker or a coffin filled with mementos that others placed in the coffin.

6. If this is an alternate universe, Vega believes that is is only a time jump for now.

@Parfex

6. What I would maybe do is instead have him believe that it's an alternate universe, when in actuality it's only a time jump. That way he believes he can return to his own universe to save his mother from dying. This could also lead to how he treats others and until he learns that this is his universe and he was simply flung forward in time by six years he would then just try to find ways back in time while adjusting to the time he was found himself in, maybe trying to become a more civilian friendly hero coming to the realization that these people have their own lives that actions affect.

7. Due to the time jump (New universe or not) Vega believes that this timeline is "false" and that all (or most) of these events happened because he was absent in the time jump. He develops an unhealthy detachment for life because he believes that he's simply going to go back in time and "correct" any grievances that happened as a result of accidental or intentional misgivings.

@Parfex

7. Personally, I would stick with this idea as it's pretty much what every time traveler goes through.

"I missed the last 6 years of my life, and while the world continued moving I wasn't there to make any changes. What if I had been around? Would my mother still be alive? Would I be a better known hero? Blah, blah, blah."

Unless a better idea comes around this is basically every storyline any time traveler goes through. Take a look at DC's Flashpoint. Flash runs back in time and saves his mother, but the outcome of that changes the world that he knew. Friends become enemies, enemies are allies. So on and so forth.

8. This detachment from reality (and possibly humanity) sometimes causes people to perceive him as a villain even though he's not and still believes himself to be the hero of the past (That people either don't remember because this is a new universe or that people scorn for abandoning them if it's the same universe).
9. Vega still believes himself to be good and so he won't compromise his morals even in a "false" timeline however, it's hard to care about something (or someone) that may never happen in his "true" timeline (His outlook on his current life).

@Parfex

8/9. I would have him just come off as cold when dealing with civilians. He wouldn't do news interview or anything like that and he would just kinda push people out of his way so he can continue on with his mission. Like, let's say he's chasing my character down on foot and Reaper takes a hostage. I would imagine your character would just keep coming at me as if I didn't have a civilian at gunpoint. For the most part concerning your hero's identity from the past I would have it that he was just not a well known hero. Consider this, if in Spider-man's early days (when he didn't have his suit and ran around in a hoodie) he suddenly went missing no one would really have noticed. If he then reappeared after 6 years unless your hero was a well known hero no one would connect the dots that you and the hero from the past are the same.

As for what you posted in the spoiler in one of your latest posts. Reading it, while it's mostly just highlights, pushes into the God-mode territory which is a major no-no. If you went with something like that I would instead recommend that you can Carlsberg get together and exchange PMs or go into the titanpad to create a collaboration that way Carlsberg can control her own character and preform reactions appropriate for her.

@The Kid Lantern I may not be online but I'll be around. Just text me if you need me for something.

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@Parfex
I'm working on a reply to each of the challenges your facing so I will post that later today once I return home this evening. Also, please don't post any further in the IC with your character. KL nor myself have officially approved your character, and until we get all this situated we don't want you to create a post only to have you rewrite it later. The post you have already posted is perfectly fine as it just drops your character into the current timeline or reality or whatever we'll end up going with. For the meantime if there are any other concerns you're (or any of the other players still here) having with your character don't be afraid to post them here in the OOC or PM myself or KL.

U N I V E R S A L ™ (Accepting New Players!)

@Parfex What if, and I'm just spitballing here, Yours and Carlsberg's characters went to the same school but personally didn't know each other. She's a few years older but at a high school campus you would have still seen each other around, between the two of you y'all can decide on some kind of activity that the two of you would've taken part of during school that would've started the rivalry.

You then receive your powers from the fallen meteorite, learn about your powers and start to develop and nurture your powers while taking on the growing crime in the city and trying to start making a name for yourself as a hero, maybe something other than Vega as you decide after the time lapse to use Vega as your name. Maybe in the early days it's like Spider-man where your character doesn't have a 'superuit' and just runs around with a mask and a hoodie to hide your identity. Eventually you'll one day be using your powers when you open a black hole for the first time and are sucked into it, and then Interteller-esque your flung through time and arrive back in New Athens aged to 24 (maybe even 23 with a month or so before turning 24 to give your character time to adjust to the sudden change and time to acclimate), the black hole closing as soon as it sucks you in. Once out you learn your mother is dead, you read news articles on the black hole that you opened up and maybe learn that it caused some new science division (something that possibly was headed by STRIKE?) to be created in New Athens, that you were pronounced dead after going missing around the same time you created the black hole, and catch up on what's happened in the world that last however many years.

Then you get to the present day, I'd probably make it a few days after what's going on currently between Carlsberg and Jotunn's characters so your own character can learn about it through the newspaper or news channel. you see Dissonance from security camera footage or what have you and realize that she look familiar. Aha moment, it's her from school, she's evil using powers similar to your own, so in your righteous mind you're obligated to stop her (maybe thinking she gained her powers like you did).

If you do things this way we're not having to deal with multiple realities or universes but just a single universe where your character was flung several years into the future. No one has to change any of their plans, no storylines are affected, and no one is having to worry about two separate realities where Dissonance got her powers when you did and one where she didn't. Doing this your first fight with Dissonance will be just that, your first fight with Dissonance. This will strengthen the rivalry between you and cause you to try harder unlocking your other abilities.

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@The Kid Lantern My plans are taking place after our fight, I've been waiting on you.

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@Marik If you're looking for a hero to collab with I can't help, but if you're looking for another villain I'm down.

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Alright, well I've got my post up.

U N I V E R S A L ™ (Accepting New Players!)

May 3rd, 11:37 am...

The man stretched as a yawn escaped him as he stood out on the balcony of the penthouse hotel room he had rented looking out over the beach and boardwalk of New Athens. It took four days and nearly 6 million dollars but I've finally done it. I've finally gotten away from that psychopath. He let out a contented sigh as he leaned against the railing, looking out at all of the people along the beach enjoying the sun shining and those walking along the boardwalk wandering from shop to shop, a small smile spreading across his face as he did so.

A knock on the door to his room startled him from his daydreaming, bringing back memories of his constant running from the previous nights until he remembered the room service he had ordered. And finally a decent meal. "Just wheel it on inside." He yelled from the balcony, wanting to take in the sight a few moments longer before continuing on with his day. From across the room he could hear the lock of the hotel's door buzzing open and a set of footsteps and the wheels of the room service trolley on the polished marble floor. "Just leave it anywhere, thank you." He said as the footsteps and wheels stopped for a moment before the footsteps started again receding from the room followed by the sound of the door shutting with a thud. "I could really get use to it here." He said aloud as he took in another deep breath of the sea air.

"Unfortunately," A deep, synthesized voice spoke from inside the room. "You will not have the chance to."

The man's eyes went wide. No, no, no, no, no, no. He kept repeating in his head, hoping beyond hope that when he turned around it would've just been a figment of his imagination.

"You've kept me waiting for some time now, Mr. Fraywich." The footsteps started again heading deeper into the room.

When the voice spoke again he knew it wasn't a figment of his imagination, and as if to further push the point home the footsteps had started again heading deeper into the room, stopping once again close to where he imagined the trolley had been placed. "How in holy Hell did you find me all the way out here?" Sweat had started to bead on his forehead as he tried to think of some way out of his current predicament. "You followed me from Paris, to Moscow, to Hong Kong," Where I thought I had left enough mercenaries to deal with you. "All the way to here. New Athens, North Carolina." Fraywich turned now to face the one person he had been running from only to see an expressionless skull mask staring back at him.

In the center of the room stood the Reaper. While the man under the mask may not have been wearing the full suit of body armor that Fraywich had seen him in on that first night, he still had enough of it and his iconic mask on. Beside him, on the trolley, sat a black duffel bag instead of the silver plated meal he had been expecting moments earlier. Inside, he could only imagine what the Reaper had in store for him.

"At first," Reaper turned just slightly enough to reach into the bag beside him. "I was simply going to kill you quickly." He pulled a black bundle from the bag, setting it beside the duffel on the trolley. "A quick and painless bullet to the head," He began to unravel the bundle revealing a set of knives tucked into sleeves. "But you ran," He looked away from the knives and back towards Fraywich. "And then you left me a parting gift in Hong Kong." He wagged a finger at Fraywich. "Tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk."

"Now," He drew one of the black blades from a sleeve. "We do things the slow way. Can't take to long though," He said as he made his way over towards the balcony. "I've got another meeting later today, so you've got about ten minutes of my time." A smile spread across Reaper's face under the mask as he came to a stop in front of the cowering Fraywich. "But it'll feel like a lifetime to you." He grabbed one of Fraywich's arms and threw him back into the room causing him to slide to a stop on the marble floor. "We wouldn't want to disturb the rest of the hotel with your screaming now would we?"

"Oh, God! No!" Fraywich yelled as he tried to scramble away from the encroaching Reaper Only to have him slam the knife thru his hand embedding it down to the hilt, earning a pain filled scream from Fraywich until it faded into choking sobs as he tried not to move his hand.

"One down," Reaper stood over Fraywich, reaching to grab another blade from a sleeve. "Nine more to go. One for every minute that I get to spend with you." Reaper kicked Fraywich's unpinned hand away from he other. "That is if you don't die from blood loss," Reaper said as he looked at the growing puddle of blood. "Whichever comes first really." He shrugged as he slammed the second blade into Fraywich's other hand, eliciting another pain filled scream from Fraywich that once again faded to sobs as Fraywich tried his best not to move his hands. "This is going to be a real pleasure," Reaper said as he drew a third blade, watching the two blood puddles connect to one another thru one of the mortar lines in the marble.

May 3rd, 11:51 am...

Reaper let out a disappointed sign as he returned the latest knife to it's sleeve. "Only made it thru eight." He said as he turned to look back at his handiwork. One knife thru each of Fraywich's hands, one thru each foot, another thru each of his knees and elbows. The pools of blood from each knife had gathered together under Fraywich and had spread throughout the room following the mortar lines to other parts of the room. All around Fraywich's body were bloody handprints and foot prints, that were slowly being covered from the puddle of blood, from when Reaper had walked around the man planning out the next placement of his knife. "I'm surprised he made it to that many, frankly."

He let out another disappointed sigh as he moved to clean his hands on the curtains of the balcony doors when another sight caught his eye, a young man walking up out of the sea. He couldn't make out much from where he was but the crowd of onlookers and the sun glinting off of the armored pieced he wore caused the young man to stand out a great deal. Reaper returned to the duffle bag, replacing the rest of knives to their place inside the bag and pulling out a rifle scope for a better look.

"Now, let's see what the new boy on the block is up to." He said returning to the balcony placing the scope up to the lens of his mask just in time to watch the young man enter into one of the shops of the Boardwalk and exit a few moments later dressed like many of the others on the beach carrying a bag with him, as he started to walk again this time heading towards Universal Ave. "Well, looks like I can keep tabs on the new guy and take care of my next target in one fell swoop." He turned back to Fraywich's body. "Looks like it's gonna be a good day after all, huh." Reaper said as he replaced the scope into the bag and pulling out a black coat putting it on and stuffing his mask into the inside pocket as he hoisted the duffel bag onto his shoulder and left the hotel room, slipping the 'do not disturb' sign on the door before shutting the door.

May 3rd, 2:04 pm...

Reaper had followed the young man from the Boardwalk up most of Universal Ave. It wasn't hard to keep track of him as the further they went up the street to more and more the young man became out of place wearing his Boardwalk bought shirt, shorts and flip flops. When the young man ventured into one of the many Silver Dollar Coffee shops, that seemed to be as numerous as the heroes and villains that inhabited it, Reaper took his chance to find a good vantage point to set up in.

He found on easily enough as many of the building in the part of town the young man had ventured into were no shorter than 5 stories. It seemed that luck was on his side even more than he had thought as it seemed that some commotion was taking place at the NABC around the same time. "I couldn't have picked a better day." He said as he pulled his mask from his jacket's inside pocket and placed it over his face again. "I guess I owe it to Fraywich in the end." He said as he finished setting up his SR-25 at the corner of one of the larger buildings on the block giving him a good view of the coffee shop he had left the young man in as well up and down the three blocks around him.

As he scanned the crown looking for his next target he caught a glimpse of the young man exiting the coffee shop only to stop at a nearby hotdog vendor, and after a few moments chatting up the older man behind the cart, he paid for the hotdog with three gold coins. Interesting. I wonder what else the new guy has up his sleeve. As another man in a suit stepped up in line behind the young man Reaper's scope rested on the newcomer and another smile spread across his face. "It sure is my lucky day." He murmured as he took in a breath, slowly exhaled thru his nose and pulled the trigger, dropping the man in the suit with a well placed shot just above his ear and splattering blood on those around him.

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@The Kid Lantern I'll take you and your little pet snake on.

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@Double Umm...I can't allow that power suit uniform. We already have one hero with a power suit, 2 with a power suit is to much. I would make a mix of two different suits and allow certain parts to be armored (i.e. gauntlets, boots, shoulders and head) but the rest I would use something similar to the space suit used in the film The Martian (i.e. slimmer, more form fitting, and slightly armored chest). Because as the only villain with any kind of armor (which is essentially just the Nolan Batsuit) I wouldn't want to come up against either you, let alone both of you, even as part of a team.

Also, your only weakness is 'Extremely cold environments'. That's it. The extreme cold. I mean, the cold is kind of a given being that you're a reptile. Because let's be honest here, we're placing this city in North Carolina. Their temperatures range from the 90's to 50's thru the year unless a cold front makes it past the mountains. Maybe instead of the extreme cold have it being that cold temperatures make him slow and sluggish to the point that he eventually needs to retreat to get warm again or falls into a hibernation like state. Maybe have bright lights blind you? And if you change the uniform to what I suggested a rupture in the suit could also be a weakness if the suit was keeping your core temperature from dropping to low while out in the cold.