AtomicNut

Royal Rumble!

So... I am back. on Reduced time tho.

Metroid: Final Protocol

Atomic is quitting due to RL. Sorry.

Kurai Majoko: Dark Magical Girls

@Noxx

Don't mind KoL. They're just making sure things fit into the world of the RP, that's all.

@AtomicNut

I see. Does this mean you'll be on hiatus or dropping the RP completely?

@TheWindel

Permanent.

Kurai Majoko: Dark Magical Girls

I will be brief. I am going to stay away from internet due to RL circumstances. Thanks for having me.

Metroid: Final Protocol

@AtomicNut Ben the ninja, huh?

Okay, I actually have only one real question here: How did he acquire Star Talon? The reason I ask, of course, is that gaining access to Chozo anything is all rather tricky, because it's been locked away in Chozo statues. The reason Samus gets at 'em and nobody else is because other people - including the Space Pirates and ALL of their bosses - have the devil's own time trying to crack one open, while Samus is like "Hi, I'm in a Chozo powersuit and I'm the only human on record to have one." and it just works for her.

@FalloutJack

He bought it on e-bay. Actually rumours can be false too. I will cook up some explanation tomorrow. Or just remove the polemic sentence.

Metroid: Final Protocol

We need a ninja.

Name: Benjamin Meer
Alias: Ratel, Ben, Dodgy Bastard
Age: 25
Gender: Male
Species: Human
Occupation: Bounty Hunter- Reformed Thief
Residence: Some Flat in one of Earth's metropolis.

Physical Description: At first glance, Ben appears to be a bit of an unimposing, somewhat lanky kind of guy. He does not look very heroic or buff, standing merely at 5'9". Further inspections reveals that for his build, he's actually a slab of sinewy and lean muscle, not unlike martial artists. His eyes are a vivid blue, and he keeps his dark hair almost cleanly shaven of his scalp. Whenever he is out of his suit, he is fond of loose shirts and baggy trousers, that allow freedom of movement.

Personality: Benjamin is a scoundrel and a thrill-seeker, and he makes no effort in hiding it. Always trying to get rich bounties in creative ways, he prefers the exploration, infiltration and extraction parts of his missions rather than the actual combat. He is very much a reluctant fighter, and prefers himself not to resort to violence. Which is kind of ironic, given his ludicrous lack of fear towards other hazards, such as lethal environments or difficult places to squeeze through. However, when cornered, Ben lives up to his nickname. Utterly fearless and driven, he will relentlessly fight back and keep finding ways of causing damage to his opponents, no matter how underhanded those are.

Equipment/Cabilities:

Nimble:

Benjamin's talent is his near inhumane reflexes and kinetic vision. Benjamin is the sort of the guy who could catch an arrow in one of those martial arts movies. Similarly, his style of fighting reflects this, instead of protection he relies on his evasion to not get hit at all. His fast reflexes aren't the whole package though. His body is trained and flexible, and is able to perform equally impressive sleight-of hand, contortionism and stealth feats.

MRA Suit mk III - "Adderskin"

The MRA suit is an infiltration suit designed to offer a very modest protection (little more than basic environmental hazards), but the suit incorporates a network of superconducting pathways that supplement the nervous action of a subject as well as woven artificial muscle fibres, allowing an skilled individual to be even faster and stronger in their disposition. The trade off is that such a flexible configuration is incompatible with armour plates of any kind. It has also a rather basic HUD, with snapshot features.

The suit also incorporates an optical camouflage device (Although being hit will cancel out this ability for a short period of time) that also operates in frequencies beyond the visible.

Star Talon

A mysterious alien relic blade made from an unknown metal alloy. Ridiculously durable and with a mono-molecular edge, the device incorporates a plasma generating feature that can make the blade hot enough to melt anything but the most durable substances from enlightened races. Rumoured to be a Chozo artifact by some.

Electro-Grapple

A extendable-but durable energy-coated cable that shoots from one of Ratel's wrists. Can fetch stuff, can bridge the distances between enemies, can make the user behave like a certain spider guy from a certain comic series.

Federation Plasma Pistol

A backup peashooter Ben keeps for little reason. He will probably pinch a weapon from someone else if he has to do ranged combat. He's a good shot on moving targets, however and an acceptable sniper.

History: Ratel was one of many street rats that grew up in the oversaturated metropolis of the homeworld of the Human race, Earth. Even from an early age, Benjamin showed signs of not being quite right in the head, engaging in industrial spionage and theft by crawling up the ventilation shafts of the towering skyscrapper behemoths that dominated his city.

Many of his comrades died, but he didn't He was quick. Very, very quick on his feet. His ill-gotten gains allowed him to grow to teenage age, warped and bitter, but very much alive. By then, he had quite a sizeable bounty on his head by the corporations, so he had to make himself scarce and sneaked up on a ship towards the colonies.

New life, new start. Or so he thought. Colonies weren't well-defended against Space pirate attacks, he found out. He could've run away once more, but that time Benjamin put down his foot. He lured the first of them to improvised traps, then used their stolen weaponry to assault their ship, finally sabotaging the engines and blowing up the damn thing sky high.

A new career path opened besides him... given that after the event, the Federation decided to pardon him for his misgivings and offer him another career choice.

That of a bounty hunter.

Metroid: Final Protocol

@AtomicNut This is getting more and more interesting by the minute.

{1} I can certainly try.

{2] Is that a pissed-off morning coffee Shinji?

@FalloutJack

1-Thank you
2-Indeed it is.

Metroid: Final Protocol

Hmm... Fusion and Zero-Mission are two games I particularly like. Room for more, chief?@FalloutJack

Royal Rumble!

Meredith, Ria & Diana

A team is made

Meredith tilted her head upon hearing the new voice. Ria. That was troublesome. Usually she would just try to avoid her, as her lashings were vicious and she had those eerie eyes. But she was tired of that kind of sentiment to be fair. This time, she would approach her. The fact she already picked up on the changes unnerved Meredith to a degree, and she couldn’t ignore the fact.

“You’re so silly, Ria. Been a while, isn’t it?” She added, putting her most fake smile to avoid triggering any kind of suspicion on the others as she leant closer. “If you must know, it was Blackgate’s special training. I am a bit different now… I guess.” She said in a hushed voice, almost meeting face to face with Ria, before withdrawing once again.

At least the illusion seems holding up. Good. She thought to herself. “I suppose… you’re not interested in joining your school? I am in dire need of teammates.” She said, cutting to the chase. If Ria had found out about the change, the best way to shut her up was putting her in a place where she could see her.

That smile was breathtaking in its deceptiveness. Ria glanced over her shoulder at the gathered Vigilantes. She was, after all, only a reserve member. Besides, she had to know what this was. For the sake of her own curiosity if not for Wolf himself. “Yeah, sure. I think I’d like to see how far this goes. Problem is, even if I join up we’re still one down and, lets be real here, you’re not doing yourself any favors having me on the team if you want to attract somebody else from St. Laurel’s.”

Meredith furrowed her brow as she raised her head, just like she would have done in the past. She used to not like thinking in complicated things, but these days, some devious thoughts alarmingly were easy to produce. “Let’s go and see. I am pretty sure the third member of the team doesn’t need to be a Saint Laurel…” She added, indicating Ria to come with her.

Outside, near the Saint Laurel’s gathering, a trio of oddly-dressed boys were talking back and forth with a girl. Their uniforms were all of the same school, one of the myriads of smaller fry that would flock to the tournament to get a one in a million chance.

For all the outrageous comments of the boys, it seemed that the girl hadn’t broken her composture. Yet. She was dressed in a dark dress and was fairly petite, with rather long silken hair, and a joyless expression. If she hadn’t seen move and talk, Mer could have easily confuse her for a life-sized doll.

“I gather you are serious about this.” She said, making minimal inflections.

It was the turn for one of the boys to reply. The most striking of them with a manly figure and a prominent chin, started addressing her in a deep voice.

“Grant Handsome has decided that YOLOman and Reapper are going to be his teammates.” He added, indicating first to an oddly dressed guy who moved his head around like an overexcited bird, and finally a hooded figure with a skull mask. “If you do not like it, you can always start your own, my little flatbread.”

Diana sighed. “You know that Rhean Technical does not have money for two teams, Grant. And YOLOman tried to fly by strapping himself to a lot of electrical fans and then jumped out of the window.”

“Bitches go whistle, yo.” said the unholy union between a rapper imitator and gothic wannabe called Reapper.

“...so be it.” Diana said to herself. She mentally noted herself to haunt Grant’s sleep with reanimated snakes.

Meredith, who had been witness to the scene, looked at the other girl, then Ria. “Perfect timing, don’t you agree, Riri?”

“I seen this before.” Ria said, covering her face with one hand and grinning. “The school doesn't think it can win, so the only people interested in trying are weirdos like that who just want to have fun with it. It’s endearingly self-aware. I dig it.” Her eye though, which peeked out from between her fingers, locked in on the girl in black. “Not that one though. I don’t know why she’s here, but she’s serious about this. Hey! Depressed girl! Come over here, we’ve got a proposition for you.”

“Depressed girl. Hm. Could have been a little more polite.” Diana added as she eyed the two figures, turning her back to their former team and eyeing the two girls. She remained calm and composed even though one of them seemed to be oozing in dark power and the other had an unnerving quality in her eyes. She eyed both of their uniforms, resting perhaps a bit too much in how those hugged certain parts of the female anatomy. Parts that she lacked.

“Hm, what is it, ma’am?” She said in her best business tone.

“Oh, look at it, our corpse-humper is now turning a bun bun hunter. Rejection doesn’t settle well with her. Eh? Eh?” Grant said, winking at Reapper while trying to nudge him with his elbow.

“YOLO!” said wisely Yoloman.

Diana didn’t even bother turning her gaze onto their jeerings.

Meredith’s eyes were on the new girl, just like Ria’s. That perception of hers is scary. She paused as she took a better look at the girl. She… gave her a dark, occult vibe. In other circumstances that would have been bad, but not this time.
Ria, for her part, didn’t get any vibes of the mythical persuasion. What she did get was that this person was actually taking this seriously. It was like she’d seen in Meredith, something in the way she held herself. “I’m gonna cut right to the chase here.” Ria said. “There’s an old provision in the rulebook that lets students fight in a team from a school that’s not theirs so long as they make up the “vast minority” of that team. In practice that means that if a school team is one woman short, they can pick up a free agent to round out the numbers. Me and Meredith here are in that position and you have just fallen into our laps, so what do you say? You want to be in our team?”

Diana folded her arms, she was obviously thinking the pros and cons, before setting her arms aside in a shrugging motion. “I am aware of said rule. It’s exceedingly rare because schools usually have their teams fairly set before the tournament proper and last minute entries are very few.” Her eyes rested on Meredith’s for a moment, as if about to say something.

“I usually ask for fees for my time, but this is tournament day, and your timing was impeccable. I shall waive any fee for my time and just share the prize and glory should they come to us instead.” She eyed Ria, offering a rather antiquated but elegant curtsy.

“Call me Diana. Diana Graeca. I am a specialist of the occult fare.” She added. “Just like Meredith.” Truth to be told Diana was ecstatic. Saint Laurel students had a lot of money usually, and being in their hub, even for a few hours, was bound to produce wealthy connections.

“Well look at that, easy peasey.” Ria said, slapping the both of them on the shoulder. “You guys even have something in common.” She extended her hand to Diana. “Thanks for the help, I’m Ria. Full disclosure, you’re probably going to hate me by the end of the night.”

How many people are going to pick up on the demonic magic today? Mer fumed internally, barely reacting at all at the shoulder clap.

Diana, however, seemed startled like a baby deer for a fraction of second, before her restraint kicked in. She was not used to being touched, or having her personal space invaded. She brushed the shoulder gently afterwards.

“Feelings are irrelevant. It is results that are relevant.” Diana just added, before lowering her voice. “In a sense. She has demonic energies… and I happen to be a necromancer.” Diana admitted in a low voice.

Meredith eyed Diana with mild surprise. She had never expected to get a catch this good. It seemed like the third member would be useful and not an add on in name only. “I’m half-demon” She said, pouting. “And I’m Meredith Blackgate… nice to meet you Dee.”

“Dee?” Diana raised an eyebrow.

“Oh you know, Diana. Dee.” Mer replied to Diana’s surprise. “Oh… just forget it. Let’s go inside.”

“Spooky team I ended up on.” Ria said, shaking her head. “So, a businesswoman, huh? I can respect that.” She said to Diana as they walked back inside, probing disguised as small talk. There was something this one as hiding too, she bet. Nothing to do but try and see.

Royal Rumble!

Celestine Lightbringer

The day had come. The muffled noise of crowds could be heard outside the dressing room. Very much like a stage performance. Celestine eyed his own self in the mirror. He was a man... yet his face, bone structure were delicate, much closer to a woman. He would never be a dashing stud. He would be always be tiny and unintimidating. A girly boy. Perhaps if things had been different, he could have lived his life with the cheers of crowds as he danced. He reviewed his mental images. Both him and mother... dancing together, making dreams... Those days were long past.

Half-dressed, he pressed a button in one of his many cheap cellphones. A tool of the trade for shady deals, as he kept dressing up. He knew it, the body of his was more apt to wear feminine clothes than male ones. Female Mephisto uniforms were accomodating of his small shoulders, and tasteful legs and hips. He had decided to wear the colors of the school, albeit with a few modifications. Black underwear to hide his recognizable man features. Fishnet stockings with a garter. Boots. Fingerless gloves. Besides himself, an ornate brass mask with womanly features as well a long black-hair wig were the final pieces of his getup. He eyed the lipstick and miscellanous make-up he had at his disposition, and began to apply it liberally as the phone called.

"Big Man? How are you doing on the vacation trip? Listen, I have some sort of dilemma here. Do you prefer nice or spicy?"

"Aha"

"Okay, I will see to it." Celestine cut the connection. That...patron of his was working in such mysterious ways. Wouldn't it hurt for Mephisto to share with Celestine his thoughts sometimes? Maybe he wouldn't have to improvise as much. He finished applying the makeup and applied black lipstick as a finisher. It wasn't going to be readily evident with the bronze mask on, but... he figured the mask would fall off at some point.

He eyed the watch in his wrist. About time. He made a mental reminder of the things that were yet about to happen. He also reviewed his plan. He was the ever subtle individual, just like some of his powers. Sometimes, a nudge was needed. And he would provided it this time for the Mephisto team. He knew that for example, one of the most annoying consequences of extreme exercise were cramps. More than often caused by electrolyte depletion.

But what would happen if someone were to weaponize it? It would not be very effective, as it would produce headaches and minor disruption to physical abilities after some time. Safety and anti-cheating systems were designed to detect additions of substances, not subtractions. Granted, tampering with the water of other teams and switching them for distilled water (whose only difference was being even more tasteless than common water), as well as arranging so the energy packs and food were lesser quality counterfeits for other teams would probably do a very minor dent in their performance. But when stakes ran ever so high, even a 1% or a 2% would tip the scales towards Mephisto side. The best part? It wasn't even illegal. Since people could just compensate by eating more if they ever found out. But... he figured out no one would have both the nutritional knowledge and at the same time, the keen senses to pick up the change.

With a final adjustment, he placed the wig on his head, affixxing it so it wouldn't fall out easily, and he run a hand through his fake, but luxurious black hair. "Let's dance to the cheering of crowds. Let's pretend the days of glory were never gone, that the world is a beautiful place to live." He paused, as his finger drew closer to the mirror, a stream of information in his mind as he circled over the design of the surface. Apparently faultless, but full of cracks and impurities under his eye. He poked it lightly, just once. The right way.

Huge cracks shattered the image in a dozen of so fragments of Celestine.

"Let's see how much until the cracks appear and this filthy existence is revealed in all its ugliness. The show... must go on." He let a little chuckle as he affixed his brass mask, and picked up his designated tools for this fight. Blunt tonfas. He probably wouldn't be able to justify bringing a blade. Also a waistpack with medical supplies offered by the organization. He exited into the hub with elegance and pride, his steps firm and swaying like in a catwalk.

"Let's have fun, shall we?" He said, and giggled in a girlish voice to his teammates.

---

Meredith

Meredith twiddled her fingers as she bit her lip, trying to squeeze past other students. The few last past days have had... major changes in her. She almost considered not coming to the tournament, and instead just take Wolfie for herself, elope to somewhere and never look back. And yet... The tournament was where Wolfie would ever be. She had to look everywhere for new clothes, as her body shape had changed drastically (except in a couple of places), which made very hard to find an uniform that fit her in time. She had achieved a compromise, but the shirt of her new uniform was awfully tight. She almost gave up trying to button it up. However, this would have raised a lot of questions, so she had to enchant herself with illusion.

So that she looked the same, and nothing ever happened. She had even visited Wolfie in his dreams, once, when everyone was asleep. He had been worried. She had written it off as wanting to train, after Galbrek escaping and that both would meet in the tournament. She added that she gave the other halfbreed a good few wounds. Technically this much was true. She skipped the part about beating a guy in armour and blowing up an airship.

Still, she never had accounted for ... the other consequences of her absence. The students were all the same, there was that Andreim giving a spiel. She slipped back in her old persona. "Hiiii. Andy Rum is up to the usual, I see! She smiled in her best impersonation of her past self. Something made her stop in her tracks.

"Wait...where is my team? She said both in genuine and fake confusion. Surely they wouldn't skip her over just because a little more than two days had passed...

Oh.

Oh Bugger.

They just did. She needed a new team.