Mistress Dizzy

The Death Knight's Squire [A short D&D 5e RP]

I was going to go rouge myself.

The Death Knight's Squire [A short D&D 5e RP]

I've never done DnD on Rpg before. I didn't even know we had dice on here. If yall are willing to be patient and teach me how it works, I am down.

ᵀʰᵉ Last Avatar & ᵀʰᵉ Red Lotus.

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The Underground · The Core · |@Mistress Dizzy] & |@Exit] CollaborationThe Underground · The Core · @Mistress Dizzy & @Exit Collaboration ____________________________________________________________________________. Mistress Dizzy    Jin was mid-breath, about to continue with their worried ramble, when Nelu’s hand softly met theirs. The word 'beautiful' drifted to Jin’s ears. Between the low quality oxygen and the Captain's hand being so close to their heart he could have counted the beats, it was suddenly hard to breathe. "...Seriously?" Jin froze up, obviously confused. Like a computer with too many tasks to process, Jin’s mind ground to a screeching halt. Exit    Nelu gave Jin a carefully controlled nod, suddenly realizing what he was saying as his mind erupted into all out war. His mouth continued to move however, already satisfied with the way things were going. ”Not that yo-” ...STOP… Nelu very quickly pivoted. ”...ooou know, I should be surprised. It’s Doc Li’s work. Of course it’s going to work. Even on me.” He removed his hand from its place just below her neckline and tapped his chest. ”I’ll be fine. Besides, I’ve got you with me. If all that time training with you taught me only one thing, it’s that I’ve got nothing to worry about with you around.” Mistress Dizzy    After Nelu spoke, there was nothing from Jin but silence. As the length went from "thoughtful pause" to "incredibly awkward", their eyes fluttered shut. Jin inhaled slow, and exhaled deep. The Captain had lied. But that wasn’t the unusual part. He was an interrogation specialist, after all. The man could sell hot tea in midsummer. Nelu could smile, frown, stare you in the eye, and spin bullshit with so much detail it was like you were there too. There was a reason they called the best ones "con artists", after all. Whenever Jin got to watch him work, it was like watching Hokusai paint live while they tried to follow with fucking fingerpaint. It pissed Jin off, every time. The unusual part was that he had lied to Jin, directly in their face. Just as soon as they had figured out how to trust. Typical. Jin opened their eyes, as if nothing was wrong. "The dress could make anybody look hot. Even a scrawny lil Roach." They grinned, and lied in their Captain's face. "I'll always have your back, Cap." ... Exit    It only took the pair a few hours of digging through the Underground to find the information they needed. Given that the tunnels and ratways were bereft of RSF and there was no shortage of criminal activity, sensitive information was not exactly kept secret. A few had been wary of the ‘strangers’ wandering around asking questions but eventually, thanks in large part to Jin knowing where to go and who to ask, a man was kind enough to point them in the right direction. It was odd however. The attitudes they were given. The looks and responses. It almost seemed like pity. Like those in the know wanted to help. Like a curse such as theirs was a worse fate than being born into the darkness under the city. It was impossible to tell the time down here. According to Nelu’s watch, it was late approaching midnight but the energy almost felt as if it could be midday. If anything, it felt as though time didn’t pass. He and Jin simply moved from one place to another. Now, they were standing on a platform cut into a wall under an unusually tall ceiling. Down below them, the entrance to ‘The Core’ glowed in lights meant to draw in the moths of the sewers. Promises of sin and sleaze spilled from the mouth of the club as men and women of the dirt clambered about outside. Most of them cared little about prying eyes in the sewer streets and continued galavanting around practically naked. The rest were, again, dressed in extravagance. Like the market before, the trash of the world had been repurposed into something that could be called fashion and once again, Nelu found himself being treated to the lights and colors of another world. He was already beginning to acclimate. Mistress Dizzy    By the time the pair reached the Core, Jin was beginning to feel frayed. It had been a long time since they’d gone to the Underground for anything more than a quick visit or an off the books shopping trip. It was intoxicating, being back. And yet - it wasn’t quite a triumphant homecoming. Everything was different, and Jin couldn’t work out if the environment had changed, or they had. And then there was Nelu. It had taken Jin far longer than they had liked to work out the barest clue of his lies. If Captain Dermok had a consistent tell, Jin wasn’t good enough to spot it. But they had picked up a few things. Usually it was in his voice. Not what he said, but how he said it. The slightest little vocal hitch, as if he had to slip an untruth through his teeth. Jin knew for sure, now, that the Captain was not okay. That lie had been less of a hitch and more of a hiccup. Clear as neon at night. But they had the sense that there had been a second lie. Unfortunately, they had no clear way of telling what it was. Exit    ”Have you been inside before?” He had asked them as they watched the entrance. Mistress Dizzy    Blinking twice, Jin answered Nelu’s question as if they hadn’t been deep in thought. “Nah. Never had a reason. Couldn’t afford the cover price if I did.” They peered toward the club below. “I really hope we can get the info and just… bounce.” One hand went to the clasp, again. Instead of toying with it, they slipped a fingernail in the back, revealing a false back. Inside lay a nearly microscopic network of wires and the tiniest bit of glass Jin had ever seen. Carefully, they pressed a small button. A red light began to blink within, and then Jin closed it up, setting it back on their neck as if it was just another bauble like any woman would wear. “Say hi to the Doc, Captain.” Exit    Nelu turned to Jin at the mention of Doc Li and then looked down at the necklace. Of course it wasn’t the first time he’d seen it, but this was the first time he was being directed toward it for a reason and Immediately he understood what was going on. He felt a small piece of himself die inside. ”Are we sure that hasn’t been on the entire time?” Of course there would be eyes on them, even down here. And given Li’s skill, it wouldn’t be too much of a stretch to assume she’d managed a live feed despite them being separated by layers and layers of dirt and concrete. When it was her, nothing was entirely out of the realm of possibility. He had to wonder what she’d already seen if the camera had indeed been on. His blushing? His touching Jin’s chest? The stupid shit that was coming out of his mouth? Mistress Dizzy    Jin gave him a curious look. Either they were misunderstanding his tone, or the Captain was nervous. “Hm? Yeah. The battery’s limited.” They turned their body toward the club, lifting a hand between them. In the dim light, they made 3 separate military hand signals. -Commander- -All Clear- -Follow- And then they started heading down toward the club without further explanation. Maybe the Captain was just getting the subterflu or something. Whatever it was, Jin needed to be sharp and ready enough for them both. Exit    Nelu noted the hand signs and followed after Jin. They made their way down a sloping path that carved between stone and metal structures buttressed against bedrock. Stepping over wiring and loose stone and exiting into the open ‘street’ below: ‘The Bowl’ as it were or the very bottom of the known world. Here, a causeway of sorts kept feet dry and most out of the muck swimming along the sides. The trash and grim however was ignored. They were little more than embellishments in a place built around the filth. What was more pressing was the weight of the air. It was heavy and thick and somehow inebriating and as the pair approached the entrance to ‘The Core’, it only grew worse. Jin had already gotten used to it. Nelu was still… acclimating, but he was a quick learner. Despite never having been down this far and despite the lack of clean oxygen and the way Jin had been pulling at his attention all night, he was able to remain somewhat level headed and keep on mission. Like before, his eyes weren’t the only eyes sticking to Jin’s form. Although the disguise was made to blend in, it was almost working too well. Jin was standing out in a crowd they belonged in. People weren’t eyeing them in scrutiny but in awe. Nelu smiled. He wasn’t sure if it was the sound of the bass, the lack of air, the way Jin had been messing with him or if it was because he knew Doc Li would be watching, but suddenly, he knew what he had to do. Their mission was intelligence and they were entering ‘The Core’ through the front door. He could have told himself it was part of the disguise but he knew it wasn’t true. They had time and he had Jin. While onlookers were eyeing them both, some seeming like they wanted to move in and make a move on Jin themselves, Nelu stepped up first. He whispered into Jin’s ear as he approached them from behind. ”Hey.” He began, holding out his hand this time. ”Come on. It’s my turn and I have to make up for that ‘dance’ from earlier. Wanna give the doctor a good show?” Besides when they entered the Underground, Jin had been leading them the entire time. Nelu was almost sure they would have gotten here all on their own, and much faster if he hadn’t been around to slow them down. Mistress Dizzy    Jin was acutely aware of the eyes on them as they approached the Core. They let their gaze sweep the crowd, not making direct contact with anyone. This disguise was maybe too good. Everyone wanted the platinum lady, and no one could see that she was just a silver floater. Just another lie. Nelu’s voice caught them two steps from the front entrance. As he held out a hand, Jin hesitated. On one hand, they were supposed to stay under the radar as much as possible. On the other, what was life without a little dramatics? And besides, it wouldn't hurt to pretend to be someone worth Nelu’s attention for a few more hours, would it? Jin lay a hand in Nelu’s, grinning wide. "Whatcha got in mind?" Exit    “A date.” Nelu winked at Jin and pulled them a little closer as they both stepped under the glowing arches of the entrance. Light fell over them like a curtain; a ‘hot’ orange that clashed with the brilliance in Jin’s irises and the lights embedded in their dress. The walls and ceiling here were made to look like molten rock and would have been an eye catching visual if not for the very obvious distraction. He held Jin’s gaze as he led them further inside. ”How does that sound?” Around them both, the air began to vibrate to the sound of music pouring from inside. Mistress Dizzy    “A da-” Jin blinked as their brain shorted, shut down, and reset in the span of a second. The lights lit their face orange-red. “...Damn. You really do want to make the Doc squirm.” They had to work to tear their eyes away from Nelu’s. The longer he stared, the more Jin felt like diving into things headfirst, consequences and all. Jin had to fight back a wave of tremors, ones that had nothing to do with the bass starting to rattle their eardrums. This whole mission was getting out of hand. There was a small part of them that wanted to leave Nelu and his pretty brown eyes outside the Core. It wasn’t as large a space as they’d thought. With the Flying Frog part of their mind back in play, Jin figured there would be plenty of ways to slip into Hunang’s little bender bash. But, even with his increasingly bizarre behavior, Nelu was still technically in charge of this whole operation. Jin would catch all kinds of heat for going out of bounds, even if it did work. Perhaps one of these days, they’d get to plan it their own way. That was if the two of them survived the night in one piece. Frankly, there wasn’t much to work with. Apparently they were going to put some skills into play that were downright rusty. Jin turned back to Nelu, flashing a charming smile. Their eyes peeked upward at Nelu through dark lashes. The expression was pure calculation; from the ever so slightly leaned posture, to the come-hither gaze. Lesser men would drop their last yuan, climb the walls of Omashu barehanded, commit a miracle or a murder - anything a lady asked when the move was used by a master practitioner of the bedroom arts. Jin was no master, but all they needed Nelu to do was follow. “It sounds fantastic. Let’s go!” Exit    It was always interesting to watch how someone might handle surprise; what’d they say or do or the faces they’d make. Nelu saw it all the time when he was doing interrogations. The best liars could mask their emotions, take the new information and turn it around to their advantage. The worst froze up, didn’t know how to react and would spend the next few minutes stumbling over their own words to try and dig themselves out of the hole they’d been put in. Jin was by no means an amateur… but even then, just like Nelu before, their body betrayed them. Nelu had frozen for far too long. Allowed himself to be enraptured in Doc Li’s work and let his eyes wander, giving Jin quite possibly the clearest picture ever to that part of him. When it was Jin’s turn, to their credit, they never actually froze, not like before. All Nelu was given was a stop mid sentence. Their pivot too was remarkably fast as if they’d sorted through what they were feeling and what they had to do in a matter of a second. It wasn’t a surprise really. Jin had always been good at calculations on their feet although recently it had become obvious that cracks appeared when they were around Nelu. Their small reset was not enough to tell him what he wanted to know. The blush, however, was. Despite orange stained cheeks, a slight red hue showed through… and would have been more than enough of an answer. But Jin didn’t stop there. The slight lean and the way they looked up at him. Movements familiar to him but unfamiliar on the person whose hands he was holding. The imitations of a woman enraptured that was reflected and then worn like so many faces before. It was the innate skill of the person beneath the visage of beauty and perfection before him and one of the many things about Jin that Nelu found… attractive. He resisted an urge but his eyes sparkled. Despite what he was hearing and seeing, the answer was in fact ‘yes’. ”No.” But the timing was all wrong. Nelu knew it as he turned to see a man standing in between him and the rest of the club. He was tall and wide, standing at over six feet and nearly blocking the entire path inside that was at least two people wide. The man himself was built like a mountain. His muscles flexed easily as he waved the others in and began to try and usher Jin inside. ”She can stay. You can leave.” Nelu audibly sighed. For one, he knew walking right in was going to be too easy. Not just that, but every time he suggested something for them to do, playful or otherwise, the universe seemed to throw something back to interrupt. For another, the man, like everyone else they’d run into, was wrong. He fought the urge to correct him as it was Jin’s disguise after all. Saying too much might reveal the Flying Frog’s homecoming. ”She and I are together.” ”Not tonight, unless you can pay the entrance fee.” Further behind the man, the light of the tunnel faded into darkness. Music continued to pour in from that direction but standing sentry were two more individuals. They were barely visible from the ambient orange glow that struggled to enter the dark. Those walking in were stealing glances at Nelu and Jin before continuing on inside. Each of them were similarly dressed up like Jin had been, though the look often paled in comparison. Mistress Dizzy    Jin pivoted calmly, ignoring the go-ahead from the massive bouncer. If Nelu was still paying attention, he might detect a shift in their behavior. Their posture and presentation flipped from sexy to sweetie, all in a three second turn. Subtle, strategic, well-executed. If it was a Chuiwan game, there would have been applause. They stared up (and up) at the man, sighing and pursing their lips. “Why can’t he come with me? He’s my date. A girl like me can’t go in a club like that all alone.” Back again was that high voice and prim speech. Exit    ”Oh don’t you worry. You won’t be alone, sweetheart.” The larger man gestured at one of the others and they peeled away from the shadows and began to approach Jin. ”You’ll have plenty of company tonight.” Nelu’s eyes snapped over to them. This was a headache. Yet another one in a long line of them. ”How much is the fee?” ”A thousand Yuan.” ”A thousand Yuan?” Mistress Dizzy    It was a testament to Jin’s talent, the way they managed to keep the sheer irritation from showing. There was no time for this game, but what could they do but play along? "A thousand? That's… a lot." They scowled and sighed, looking back at Nelu. "I guess we'll just have to drink water, sweetie." Exit    ”God you are good…” Mistress Dizzy    A placating smile was flashed at the bouncer. "Fine. We have a formal agreement? One thousand Yuan and he can join me?" Exit    ”That’s right.” It was Nelu’s turn to sigh as he reached into the fold of his jacket and pulled out a small wad of cash. ”Really bleeding me dry, huh?” He shook his head as he thumbed through a few bills, counting up to the desired amount before the man’s larger hand clasped down over his and pulled the entire stack out of his hands. A total of 2000 yuans, plucked away as if he were taking candy from a child. Nelu feigned surprise. Mistress Dizzy    Jin also played indignant, face screwing up into a pout that was actually kind of adorable. Exit    ”That should cover it.” The man said, picking through his take and waving Nelu on dismissively. Not wanting to waste time with a door that could close on him at any moment. He simply nodded and moved to Jin. Behind the bouncer, the other individual had by now closed the distance between himself and Jin. They placed a hand over Jin’s wrist as if they meant to take them aside, but before they could, they were immediately interrupted by Nelu. Nelu’s fingers wormed their way under the man’s thumb and as he pulled back toward himself, he torqued the man’s wrist in the wrong direction eliciting a yelp of pain. Nelu didn’t say a word. Only stared him down, but even from the side Jin would notice a fire in his eyes. An anger they seldom saw or never have that seemed to vibrate the air around them. ”Let them through.” ”Agh! What? Why?! The bitch is mine!” Nelu applied more pressure and the man's face contorted as his breath caught in his chest and he dropped to a knee. ”He paid, yuh idiot. Let them through.” The bouncer waved the wad of cash in the air so everyone could see. Nelu released his grip on the man and allowed him to nurse his nearly broken wrist. When he could finally focus on something other than the pain burning through his arm, he looked up and gave them both a curt head nod toward the entrance. ”Get on then. You two have fun in there…” ”Thank you.” This time, Jin would feel Nelu’s arms slip around their back and his hand grip just above their hip. He kept them close to him as they both continued onward. ”Sorry. I hope you don’t mind me being a little selfish and keeping you to myself tonight.” Mistress Dizzy    Jin was so startled by what had happened a few seconds ago that they didn’t seem to notice Nelu’s closeness or his touch at first. They were looking back over their shoulder, watching the two bouncers with a wide gaze. It was over, but for how long? “I coulda helped.” They murmured quietly, refocusing with a mild sigh. Then the lack of space between Nelu’s body and theirs smacked Jin square in the base of their overworked brain. To Jin’s credit, they had been on high alert the moment that second bouncer had touched them. The Core was unknown territory - anyone could be an enemy. It was game on; neither of them could afford any more slip ups. They didn’t make a noise, and even managed to keep from blushing. The only reaction they couldn’t completely bury was a shiver that ran through them, from head to toe. It would be impossible for Nelu to miss the goosebumps, so Jin simply kept their eyes fixed ahead. If they registered anything else about the whole situation, they would not be able to complete the mission safely. “Hope that wasn’t your cash back there.” Their voice was back to their usual octave, too low to be heard by anyone else. “I’ll pay you back later. Loving the overprotective boyfriend bit, too. You really sell it.” Exit    ”Well considering I’m not…” Nelu shook his head and snorted, turning to Jin with a light in his eyes that seemed almost brighter than theirs. He could feel it. Feel them and their body reacting to his touch and their proximity. They were dancing on a cliff and Jin was skirting on the edge of it, anchored to safety only by Nelu’s whim. The mask they wore said they were fine even as they knew they could fall at any moment, but then so too did Nelu’s. ”Come on.” Jin would never know how he felt. How every time their hand was in his, electricity burned across his skin. How every time they looked up at him, he felt his chest tighten and the air leave the room. How right now, their warmth pressed into the crook of his arm and into his side was everything to him. They would never know, because the blush in his cheeks was colorless. Was colorless… Mistress Dizzy    “Yep. Lead on.” Jin glanced aside at their Captain, briefly, before facing toward the destination. A thief’s eyes had to be sharp. A sniper’s eyes, sharper. Jin knew what they’d had seen, even in just a second’s gaze. The Captain was… blushing. Although they didn’t flinch or falter, their mind was in a sudden free fall. A dozen data points from over the past several hours started to puzzle into place behind Jin’s false blue eyes. Things had been a little odd from the start, it was true. But the Captain was getting stranger and more erratic by the minute. The staring, the touching, the way he’d damn near ripped that bouncer’s hand off, and now the absolutely adorable anomaly of his blush… Understanding clicked behind their brain, from one step to the next. Suddenly, everything made complete sense. Except, of course, why it had taken Jin this long to work it out in the first place. As the two stepped into the Core’s interior, Jin could feel nothing but the overwhelming pulse of the bass, and the solidity of warmth of the man beside them. They let their hand slip into Nelu’s for the briefest of moments, and gave it a squeeze. A silent promise, to him, and themself. One way or another, they’d make it back out.

Tiny and the Terminator [Mistress Dizzy & Shifter_Master]

Jinny made the faintest squeaking noise as her father plucked her out of her final strike. She struggled for a moment before realizing who it was. Slowly, she made eye contact, her fear obvious to anyone who was looking. When she realized that he was not upset at all, she relaxed mentally, dangling in the open air like a very small, very lethal kitten. It was a surprise that her father wasn’t angry. She had lost her temper. Showed her hand, or at least some of it.

Maybe he was saving the punishment for later.

When Gizmo finally struggled to his feet, Jinny simply watched. He didn’t look all that bad; she’d had worse. As he shot her a look, she raised her chin with pride, meeting his eyes. There wasn’t need for revenge anymore. Gizmo wouldn’t dare laugh at her again.

The moment she was set down, Jinny smoothed her shirt and stowed her blade. Slowly, she let her eyes drift over the stares of her classmates. Confusion was evident in her face. What was the big deal? Wasn’t this a school for people like her? It wasn’t like Gizmo was dead, or anything. She had planned to stop, just before the killing blow. As the classroom started to change around the students, Jinny stood still, barely paying attention. While she didn’t outwardly show it, real fear started to twist her stomach. What if she didn’t belong here either? What if she didn’t belong anywhere?

She shoved the anxiety down deep as best she could, before it took over her mind. Classes weren’t over, after all. She tuned back in just in time to hear Slade explain what was to be done, and she wasted little time in approaching the weapons. As she was weighing her options for low tech weapons, one of her new classmates approached.

“Oh. Yeah, I guess he’s fast.” She rubbed the back of her neck. “Didn’t even know he was coming.” That was true, actually. Jinny had been so focused that her environment had practically ceased to exist.

Young Justice

Mirage watched calmly as the knife blurred from Rain’s hand and scattered the Kobra scientists. Her eyes watched each one as they darted past, but none of them dared attack. That was one way to get the job done. She was about to simply walk on, and then Rain opened his mouth.

His comment was one of the type that usually would have slid past her skin. She had heard worse, so much worse, all her life. More potent, harsh, and far cleverer barbs than that. But that was before Atlantis. Now Rain’s choice to bloody the water when there was no reason to, simply made her want to react in kind.

Her voice could have frozen ocean water. “The absence of intelligence is buried deep as well. A wall of stone may yet be made of sand and shark piss.” She carried on, just at his heel, watching his back as if she just hadn’t called him an idiot and a fraud in a very fancy way.

The two seemed to hear the groan at the same time, as they sped up as one. While Rain stopped to look around, Mirage went straight to Metamorph. “Metamorph?!” She took his pulse and checked his breathing swiftly. He was very much alive, but something was still wrong.

Then instinct spoke to her – predator! - and she whipped around to face the door.

“Shark!” It was the wrong word, sure, but the intent was right. Horror flitted across her face as she saw the bulking mass – and then recognized the boy within it. “Oh no.”

When Rain gave the order, she hesitated. It wasn’t that the order was bad. It was just that her instinct was still screaming in the base of her brain, that they were being circled…

“Understood.” Mirage shrunk her staff and lifted Metamorph as if he were made of glass. “Come on, my friend.” She started to carry him out of the room.

Pokémon: Rust

Idk... I doubt it, honestly. If it gets redone I would love a second try.

ᵀʰᵉ Last Avatar & ᵀʰᵉ Red Lotus.

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Entering the Underground · Afternoon · |@Exit] & |@Mistress Dizzy] CollaborationEntering the Underground · Afternoon · @Mistress Dizzy & @Exit Collaboration ____________________________________________________________________________. Mistress Dizzy    Jin approached the meeting coordinates, eyes sweeping left to right as they strolled through the city. It was an overcast, smoggy day. On any other day, they’d probably feel pretty low. But for a stealth mission, it couldn’t be better. That was good. They were going to need all the extra help they could get. There had been a sense of unease they couldn’t shake since they’d learned what this mission was about. Hunang. Any Roach worth their yuans knew that name, and to fear it. Someone who had been operating for years, who ran certain parts of the Underground. Word was, he could get you anything for a price. Drugs, guns, illegal supplies, people… nothing was out of his reach. And yet – no one knew who he was. That was the scariest part of all. To be an unknown factor in this city was impressive beyond reasoning. Even the Flying Frog had only managed to stay anonymous for half a year. Either his pockets were deep enough to make the RSF blind, or his people were so loyal, or so terrified that they obeyed him without fault. They exhaled a shuddering breath, before shutting their eyes as long as they dared. Every ounce of their focus would be needed to get the two of them down to the Underground, and up again in one shot. As the man in the black coat waited, various people strolled by on the street below and paid him no mind. A haggard looking mother corralled a trio of energetic, skinny children. A slim woman in black strolled by and headed down the stairs before vanishing into the dark. A young couple held hands as they walked down the street, having no eyes for anything but each other. The smog, the dirt, and the crowds didn’t seem to exist to them at all. The meeting time approached, and passed. Evidently, there was no sign of Jin. Then the man’s phone buzzed once, with a new message. Exit    ”Hm…?” Nelu reached into the fold of his jacket and pulled out his device, quickly unlocking the screen and seeing the notification for a new message… from Jin. Light from his phone danced along the edges of his face, highlighting the slightest hint of concern as his eyes drifted from the still closed message to the time read out in the corner. Then, for the briefest of moments, his eyes shifted over the crowd before they returned to the phone and he tapped the notification. ”Where are yo-” Mistress Dizzy    The message simply read: “Coulda shot ya by now.” From the near pitch darkness of the stairs, the woman in black that had passed by not ten minutes ago approached. At that distance, she was another stranger. But she got closer, and peculiar details slowly appeared. The dress that was black suddenly glittered with brilliant blue light. Sharp angles and circles marked the pattern of a motherboard. The dress was long, nearly brushing the ground, but the other side was cut high, showing a generous amount of lean brown skin wrapped in a translucent stocking. Chestnut hair tumbled in waves down the woman’s back, framing a slender face. Their eyes were a stark bright, almost inhuman blue – but the intensity of focus behind them would be quite familiar to the man in the coat. Exit    ”A-...” Nelu’s breath caught in his throat and whatever worry or words or thoughts he meant to express were lost. Instead, everything became Jin. Jin unfolding from the crowd. Jin pulling away from the shadows. Jin stepping toward him in glittering patterned blue and silver lights. Before he’d even realized what he was doing, before he could stop himself, his eyes had begun to betray him. They traced Jin’s frame and gleaned the shape of their approach, following closely the shifting curves in their silhouette and allowing imagination to color in the secrets he wasn’t allowed to know. When Jin stopped only a few feet away from him, the hem flourished slightly, parting just enough to reveal a slender, stocking wrapped leg guiding him eagerly toward the high cut in the dress. Mistress Dizzy    With a wicked little grin, Jin pointed their finger at his heart, and said: “Bang.” Exit    It was enough to pull him back from that far off place Jin had sent him to against his will, and it was only then that he realized what he’d been doing. Where he was. Where his eyes had lingered to. By the time he felt the heat in his cheeks, it was already too late. His eyes snapped to Jin’s just as the slightest shade of red drained unnaturally from his cheeks. He flashed an almost shy smile at them, playing at his defeat, the brief lapse in his composure having lasted for only a moment before disappearing completely. He was again Nelu, he hoped. ”You got me.” He raised an eyebrow, somehow maintaining his poise despite the brilliant blue in Jin’s eyes. This was all new to him. ”Did you get lost on the way to the gala?” Mistress Dizzy    Jin chuckled softly, as if amused at their own silly joke. Their eerie blue eyes didn’t linger long on Nelu’s. They flicked aside, left and right, reading the area in seconds. Then they refocused on Nelu without missing a beat, as if their heart weren’t trying to escape their chest. Exit    Nelu noticed too that his weren’t the only eyes lingering on Jin’s body. The Lower Ring was not the place to draw attention and whether or not Jin was aware, their stunt had done just that. Eager, interested parties were eyeing Jin like an object they meant to devour. They couldn’t linger. At least not on the surface. Underground however, a couple of idiots disappearing was just another day in the life. Carefully, Nelu reached for Jin’s outstretched hand. His fingers wrapped around theirs and his thumb pressed gently into their palm before sliding down across their wrist. He guided Jin toward the stairs. ”Looks like you got someone else too.” He turned to face them as they continued down the steps. ”I can’t get you to the palace tonight but, how do you feel about a dance?” Mistress Dizzy    His hand was warm. “Who needs the palace? All the fun is down here.” Jin let him lead, as they stepped down the stairs side by side. Stepping even closer, they slid a slender hand into Nelu’s. Their index finger tapped a count of four against his palm, as together, they descended into the dark. Exit    Behind them, four men were following.

ᵀʰᵉ Last Avatar & ᵀʰᵉ Red Lotus.

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LSF HQ · Late Afternoon · In collaboration with [&.Exit]LSF HQ · Late Afternoon · In collaboration with @Exit _ Jin silently strode down the cold halls of the LSF headquarters. Their feet knew the path well, leaving their brain far too much time to think. What’s Mr. Sato’s mission? When will I know? And… why me? I mean, yeah I got the skills, but, you can’t teach experience, everyone says that. I ain’t been running solo long enough. I don’t fuckin get it. Unless. Maybe. If what Sato said is actually true, maybe Cap stuck his neck out for me? But what the hell would he do that for? There’s nothing in it for him. Jin’s mind spun in circles, and they pressed their thumb just above their left eye where a little pain was starting to throb. It was all a puzzle, and they couldn’t make any headway in figuring it out. They stopped short, realizing they had reached their destination already. After they scanned their badge, the door opened with a whoosh of even colder air. “Knock knock, Doc.” Jin rapped on the doorframe to announce their presence. ”Yes, Jin. Do come in.” ”Just who I was hoping to see.” Came a familiar, somewhat tired female voice from inside the workshop. Stepping through iron doors transported any and all into the mind of a woman that very few could understand. Concrete walls became cold steel, every inch of which was lined with ‘innovation’... or destruction. It was often hard to tell the difference for anyone but one. To Doctor Sylara Li, each piece of metal, every screw and spring and stripped wire were the pieces of painting she could see clearly in her mind’s eye. The pieces of a puzzle that only her hands knew how to put together. As they were now and to the untrained eye, they were like bones and carcasses of science and physics hung on walls and shelves. Like slices of meat and fish. The woman’s library of work, a record of her accomplishments, were strewn in haphazard piles in the room. Steel frames given life and then just as quickly forgotten and dismissed as older models. Technology outdated as soon as it was discovered. She was ever looking toward the future, even as she approached her fifties and the years ahead of her began to dwindle. Even as the hairs on her head began to gray, the spark in her eyes never left and it was that same spark that regarded Jin as they entered the room. Eyes that pulled apart everything in front of them to understand the individual pieces only saw the body and soul of a person they had helped to create. A mind like hers, yearning to see and understand the unknown and explore the darker corners that others did not. Today, ‘last year’s model’ was non other than a miniscule piece of technology. A marvel, even when compared to the latest Xuoshi model drones. Jin’s tadpole had become one of their closest companions when on the field. A brain already able to dissect the world around them into basic law may not have needed assistance in any form, but Doctor Li understood that a mind could only do so much. That rules meant to be unbreakable could only be bent so much before they broke you instead. Machines could go beyond that and it was through Jin’s tadpole that they could achieve as much. ”I think you’ll find the updates to your friend here more than beneficial.” She began, tapping the small device with a long and thin metallic pointer. On the table in front of her and the approaching Jin was a small metallic shape that seemed to start cuboidal and shape itself into a point. Almost like an elongated teardrop about four inches long. Once coaxed, a small light blinked at the ‘nose’ and the shape suddenly split down the middle. A line appeared along the center and the two halves unfolded like wings, folding horizontal and parallel to the table top as if it were flexing or stretching. Once the wings had folded back into itself, the main body lifted itself off the surface on six miniature legs and the head popped free. The orange light swiveled up to look at Jin as they approached, ‘blinking’ at them and walking around itself in a small circle as if elated to see them again. It chirped something high-pitched and pleasant at them. ”The slight damage to its communicator has been fixed and improved for range as well as the visual link.” She placed the peripheral contact lens in its case next to the Tadpole. ”And that was just what you asked me to look at.” Jin grinned huge as their friend came to life. “Hey, buddy! Good to see ya!” They reached out with a fingertip and stroked the bot’s ‘head’ as if it was a pet. The bot made a noise very similar to a purr. “Tad looks good as new, Doc.” They picked up the bot with care, turning it 360 and looking with a sharp eye. “Alright. What else did you do?” Practically every time Tadpole was left in the Doctor’s loving care, it came out with at least one fun new upgrade. Some were innocuous and fun. Others were far more useful. Most of the time, the upgrades were things that were at a skill level that was so far above Jin’s own, it was almost depressing. Almost. If anything, it made them want to work even harder to get to the Doctor’s level. The Tadpole began to disappear in the palm of Jin’s hand, slowly becoming translucent until it was entirely transparent after less than a minute. ”I managed to finally fully integrate visual camouflage. It's most effective when it’s standing still and will become visible once it starts to move again. Also…” Jin let out a little gasp, green eyes glittering as their little robot friend completely disappeared from view. “Doc. You finally did it!” Jin had a camouflage suit of their own, one that they had trained for hours in but had not yet put into active use. Dr. Li had been trying to get the visual camo to function for months for the AI spotter bot, but there had been setbacks aplenty. It seemed that the smartest woman they knew had finally cracked the code. Experimentally, Jin wiggled their fingers behind the space where they knew Tadpole sat. There was some visual distortion, but it was subtle, and would likely need another sniper to spot it in the first place. “Aw, shit! Me and my buddy are gonna be the sexiest duo no one will ever see comin’! Wait, did you say ‘also?’” Jin’s head whipped toward the Doctor, a childish glee in their gaze. “What else did you do?” Sylara reached under the table with her right arm and grasped a heavy steel plate that was several inches thick. What would have been impossible for some was only a slight inconvenience to a woman who had done work on herself as well. The servos in the metal of her arm chewed audibly at the air as she carefully placed the heavy slab on its side standing up. She then tapped around its center and waited. The tadpole, still invisible, leapt out of Jin’s hand and onto the spot Sylara had directed it to. Its smaller shape seemed to warp the air around it as its camouflage struggled to keep it obscured, only letting up once it had landed. Now corporeal again, it wiggled its tail a few times before forming a sharp point and aiming the tip at the steel plate. The tail then began to rapidly spin and dig into the surface, filling the air with the sound of grating metal. Despite the noise, Tadpole burrowed through with ease and after only a few moments, it had crawled completely through the fresh hole. It appeared on the other side of the plate, the edges of its wings glowing bright red and its head shaking free some of the swarf that had collected on it. ”Heat is absorbed through its wings and stored as energy. The metal casing has been improved to resist abrasion. It's impossible to make it quiet when cutting through steel but through softer materials, stealth can be maintained.” “Oooh!” Jin applauded a bit, impressed. “That’s a game changer. Add that to the visual link and suddenly I can see through walls. Nasty.” They let out a little whistle, and Tadpole, done dusting itself off, sprung from floor to table, then to Jin’s shoulder. Jin gave it another fond rub on the head chassis before returning their gaze to Dr. Li. “You’re the best, Doc.” “Oh yes, I know.” Sylara didn’t even blush at the praise. It wasn’t ego stroking bullshit, it was factual truth. “Alright, one last thing.” She gestured for Jin to follow, and they walked through the lab together. There was always so much to view in Dr. Li’s lab. Blueprints, models, and even things that were still in idea form. Jin knew better than to ask about any specific thing. The Doctor was very protective about her unfinished work. Any prodding about it would get the curt answer ‘you don’t eat bread while it’s still dough’. “Here.” The Doctor stopped in front of a tall display case. “Don’t tell Dermok, but I’ve got a bit of a preview for your next mission.” Jin frowned slightly, confused. “Next mission? We just got back.” The Doctor waved her hand, dismissing the question. “They’ll chew my ass off if I give you any more detail.” She fished a remote from a lab coat pocket.“Feast your eyes on this!” With a little flourish, the case opened. Jin stared, looking between the contents of the case, and the expression of glee on the Doctor’s face. “Heh. You’re kidding, right Doc? …Doc?”

Come get this Commish! [ and Art Dump ]

Hey! Alright, rent is paid and so is the CC.

I want some art!

PM me with your price list and rules, if you wouldn't mind.

Young Justice

As the fight continued, Mirage moved to back up her teammates. She’d gotten a decent look after the light of her staff faded to a reasonable glow. Cybergirl seemed to be doing quite well for herself. Despite looking like she had been shot more than once – a fact which scared Mirage quite a bit – she looked to be in high spirits. She flashed her a thumbs up before flinging a Kobra goon like a frisbee.

Kassy returned the gesture with a toothy grin. She hadn’t laid eyes on Metamorph since they’d entered. But frankly, she wasn’t worried about him. He could handle himself in battle better than the rest of the team. He’d be fine.

No, the one that most worried her most was Zatara. Between slobbering over Mateo, and all but blowing the team’s cover in the cafe, he’d been off the whole mission. Sure, they all mis-stepped sometimes. This time seemed so much worse. Was he unwell, she wondered? Knowing his talents weren’t made for this kind of fight, she searched for him in the battle the best she could. But between fighting off opponents, the still dim lighting, and Zach’s black uniform, she simply couldn’t locate him amid the chaos.

“Team, I'm pursuing one of the large ones. Mirage, on me! Everyone else, continue taking out the others.”

She turned at Rain’s call, very surprised to hear her name coming from his mouth. They had not spoken a word since Atlantis. There was a large part of her that really wanted to ignore him. He could pick someone else, right? But she could already see his back disappearing. Scowling faintly, Mirage took off after him.

She could hear Rain’s footsteps ahead, and she followed. The stairs led to a lab similar to the one back at home. Just bigger and much more equipped. The Kobra agents seemed to be ignoring the two heroes outright, far more focused on getting everything they could gone.

Her orange eyes darted from person to person. “Unless they’re hiding magic, I don’t think they’re dangerous.” But then again, with everything they had there, Kobra could start fresh in a new city. There would be more missing boys.

“What do you think we should do with them?”