Flux

Hukuna As Viktor waits in the sewers, he is startled by a methodical tapping noise, like that of footsteps. A man in a white lab coat rounded the bend in the sewers, turning to face Viktor. He had long black hair that reached over his shoulders, with loose strands hanging untamed over his face. He was of average height, and bore a wild grin. He spoke in a voice tinged with insanity. "Ah, so you must be the one I'm here for. Viktor, right? You sure weren't hard to find." He began giggling uncontrollably. When he finally calmed down, he spoke again, suddenly serious. "I'm here with an offer for you. I really just wanted to kill you, but they said I need to at least give you the offer first." He frowned, looking thoughtful. "However... They wouldn't need to know that I didn't give it to you... I could just say you rejected.... Yes, that would be fun..." He appeared to think this over for several seconds before coming to a decision. "No, no. They watch us all very closely. I'll just give you the offer." He focused his gaze back on Viktor. "How would you like... to work in the government!" His face broke into a childish smile. "It's really fun! I get to do my research, kill people, and get paid for it!" His smile faded as he appeared to remember something. "Though sometimes they don't want us to kill the people. That's not really any fun..." He was silent for a while before speaking again. "They need more people with abilities like us. They don't tie us down and probe us like everyone seems to think. No sir, they don't. They offer us positions like mine, to help hunt down the more dangerous people with abilities." A rat scurried past, as the man spoke. He reached out and quickly snatched it with his left hand. He began to speak again as it squirmed in his hand. "You see, we're the ones with real power. They need us, if they hope to have any "power" for themselves." His hand began to glow a dark purple, casting an eerie glow over the walls of the sewer. The rat stopped squirming, obviously dead. He smiled widely. "And there are benefits for us as well. Paid wages, safety for ourselves and our families, and I get to do what I enjoy." He paused, the wicked grin still evident on his face as he waved around the dead rat in his hand. "So, how 'bout it?" -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- K_H The police ran to the area that the projectile seemed to come from. There was no sight of their target. The leading officer of the group walked up. "He's tricked us. Send out search parties. Do not let him get away, whatever it takes. Shoot on sight." The officers scattered. Five men began approaching Kenny's location, though they still could not see him. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- typhlosionrulez As Ace waited in the sewer, he could hear the footsteps of the police overhead. A while later, the sound of the patrol cars driving away could be heard. It seemed safe to leave the sewer. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jory Lux rounded the corner into the alleyway, Only to be face-to-face with a tall, thin man. He had a cleanly shaven face and baby blue eyes that showed no emotion. His short hair appeared to be dyed the same blue color as his eyes. He placed a hand on Lux's shoulder. There was a bright flash of blue light around both of them before they disappeared. They reappeared on the rooftop of a building many miles away. They were many stories in the air, far too high to jump. The rooftop was completely empty, save for a chair that the man was now sitting in. There was apparently no way off of or onto the roof except for this man. His hands folded with his elbows resting on his lap. He was leaning forward, resting his chin on his folded hands. He wore a blue Hawaiian T-shirt, khaki shorts, and tennis shoes. He sighed and then spoke in a calm voice, that of a gentle man. "I'm sure you have plenty of questions for me. I assure you, I mean no harm to you. I am here to help." -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Supernovae After a long while, the police gave up the search for now, heading to other areas. A few minutes later, there was a knock on the trunk of the vehicle, followed by a strong, commanding voice. "Come out. I know you're in there." The voice paused. "I assure you, I do not work with the government. I represent an entirely different organization. I am here with an offer that I believe you will find perfectly suited to your own goals." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Snap Crackle Pop A small bug flew in front of Alice's face. She could see that it was a box elder as it landed on her arm. It looked up at her before flying around her head again. It flew forward a few feet before turning to look at her again. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Arkhidon As Keaton appeared on the rooftop, he was greeted by two men. The one on the left wore a white suit and white shoes. He had a muscular build that was clearly evident by the tight fit of his suit. His skin was slightly tanned, offsetting his golden hair that cascaded over his shoulder. He had a shortly trimmed beard, with no mustache. His eyes were a bright blue. He was very handsome, and he had a friendly look on his face. The man on the right wore a navy blue suit and black shoes. His brown hair was short and slicked back. He wore glasses over his brown eyes, and his face bore a serious expression. He spoke to the man in white. "Zeus, if you would, please?" The other man nodded, walking over to the door that had led to the rooftop. He placed a hand on the knob. Electricity crackled around his hand, and the electric lock on the door activated. He returned to the other man's side. Zeus turned to face Keaton, the friendly smile returning. "Hello there, Keaton. We've heard reports of your superior intellect and problem solving skills. As such, we're here with an offer for you." There was a banging on the door as the police reached it. Zeus glanced at it before returning his gaze to Keaton. "I'll try to make this quick, just in case they do manage to open that. We belong to a small group called Olympus." He chuckled. "It consists of three people. Myself -- codename Zeus," he motioned to the man in blue. "codename Poseidon here, and another -- codename Hades. We are the first three documented cases of Awakened. Our codenames were derived from the powers we were gifted with. It seems convenient that they should represent the gods of Mount Olympus -- hence the group name. We work alongside the government of our own free will." He sighed. "The government has garnered a lot of unnecessary hate in the past year. Fellow Awakened seem to be of the opinion that they hunt down those with powers and lock them up, performing cruel experiments on them. This is not the case. It is true that they send men after those deemed dangerous, but many who have been captured have already been returned to their families after questioning. They are watched discreetly, but that is to be expected if the government truly wishes to ensure the safety of all. Most in the government would rather work with us than against us, hence our position." He waved his hand. "But I'm getting distracted from the main point. We are here to offer you a job. Your safety will be ensured, as well as that of your family. You will be given a paid wage, and your talents can be put to good use protecting the innocent." His face became more serious. "I know you feel the same urge that all of us do. You want to go to the Pillar. You may not know why, but the urge is there. What better way to get there than to earn the trust of those controlling it?" He paused. "So... What do you think?" ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Stratos (((I'm going to let you continue on your own. There not a whole lot to follow up with for now.)))

"Call for backup!" an officer shouted. He was the captain of this particular case. "Send out search parties! He can't have gotten far!" He paused taking a look at the mayhem that had already been caused. "Your orders are to shoot on sight. Capturing this one is not a priority..." He got into the squad car, sending a call back to HQ. This suspect was much more dangerous and hostile than they had initially been told. He would see if HQ could send a call to the higher-ups for support. It seemed that they had underestimated the Awakened, even if they branched from civilians. ----------------------------------------------- The police begin to approach upon Viktor's location. The sound of screeching tires fades in the distance as reinforcements arrive. They cannot see Viktor yet, but he is massively outnumbered. Soon they will be upon him...

Lydia Archer looked the desk in her new office. She had recently acquired the workspace when promoted to be head of the new department. The desk was neatly kept and tidy, save for a small stack of papers sitting on top. She pushed a loose lock of her brown hair away from her green eyes as she flipped through them, taking a quick glance at the contents of each. They were all files on recently discovered Awakened, detailing everything that was known about them. There were ten of them. She sighed, taking a seat in her chair and preparing commit the files to memory. She had only just sat down when there was a knock at the door. "Ms. Archer?" She stood up, returning the papers to the neat stack they were in before. "Come in. The door's open." The door swung aside to reveal a tall and muscular man in a black suit. He was in his early thirties with a cleanly shaven face, and short-kept brown hair. "Ah, Mr. Taylor," she remarked. "Is everything prepared?" The man gave a short, crisp nod. "Yes, Ms. Archer. All preparations for BOA are complete." "Good. It seems my department is now in action." She motioned to the papers on the desk. "You've already sent members after these cases, correct?" He paused, seeming a little unnerved by the question. "...We're leaving these cases to the police for now. We don't expect much resistance." She gave a short nod. "I see. Thank you, Mr. Taylor. You are dismissed." The man gave a small bow and turned to leave. Just as he reached the doorway, Ms. Archer called out again. "One more thing, Mr. Taylor. What of Olympus?" He looked over his shoulder. "They're on standby. I believe we have their cooperation on the matter." She gave a small nod, appearing to return to her thoughts. "Good, good..." Mr. Taylor resumed his pace, leaving the room. There was a small sound as the door shut behind him. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sirens sound in the distance behind you as you run from the police. There are distant shouts of orders, and the faint sound of approaching footsteps. You turn the corner, only to find another regiment of police. There is nowhere left to run. It seems that you will be forced to use your power, whether you wanted to or not. The only other way leads you into custody. You prepare yourself as they approach. You can hear the sound of a voice being amplified from a short distance away. "Come out with your hands in the air! I repeat, come out with your hands in the air, and you will not be harmed! Resistance will only make things worse!" It seems the time is upon you. The time to act, and decide your course of action. The time that will ultimately decide your future. (((All characters are very far away from each other at this point, not in a group. You will not be meeting each other yet.)))

Dominance acted on reflex, jumping back and forth frantically in order to dodge the Charmeleon's wild swings. Every now and then, it took a glancing blow from the claws. Lars could tell he was running out of time.The Bagon was rapidly approaching, but there wasn't much Lars could do. His Nidoran was already occupied with the Charmeleon, and he still had no idea what Sleepy was up to. The Bagon jumped into the air, looking as if it was going to tackle Dominance. Just before the hit connected, there was a flash of light from Sleepy's eyes, which appeared to be directed at the Bagon. The Bagon froze mid-tackle, suspended in the air by unseen forces. Lars broke into an incredulous smile. "Woohoo!" he shouted, nearly jumping in joy. "Thataway Sleepy! I knew you had some fight in you!" He was snapped out of his joy as Dominance took a hit from Charmeleon, sending him tumbling backwards across the ground. The rodent-like creature seemed to be on his last legs as he stood back up. Lars knew Sleepy wouldn't stand much of a chance on his own. However, Nathan's Charmeleon seemed to be getting weaker as well. An idea came into his mind. "Sleepy, throw that thing towards the Charmeleon! Dominance, follow up on Charmeleon with your horn!" There was a brief glow from the Abra's eyes and the Bagon was hurled towards Charmeleon. Dominance be a headlong charge in the same direction.

Woohoo! It can attack! (Kind of) Also, yeah, the forums are pretty wonky right now. I've been able to get in and out of certain threads, seemingly closing and opening at random. I did manage to get in the IC thread a few times though. The "As Gods Sleep" OOC thread has been the only one I haven't managed to get into yet.

Posting this here for Snap Crackle Pop, who couldn't seem to get on this thread earlier due to server problems. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Character Name: Alice Feinstein Gender: Female Age: 18 Ability of the character: Alice has the ability to absorb and manipulate energy, although, it is within a limited range, the farther away, the weaker and less accurate her powers are. She can solidify it so it's razor sharp or absorb it to heal minor scratches and nicks. She has a bit of difficulty regulating it and controlling it, however, and if she uses it, she is in risk of absorbing too much or running out of energy, both of which have pretty bad consequences so she is actively practising it so that she can effectively use it in a survival situation. Since she can solidify the energy, she can use it as a way to lift or move things or stop something from falling or moving. It's very taxing on her body though, and if she is extremely mad, worried or annoyed, her powers might go a bit hay wire and act out on small things around her. Appearance: Being short for her age, she stands at 5'2 and is generally small in size, so she's often mistaken to be much younger than she actually is. She's not particularly distinctive, she's slightly fox-faced with long black hair that is often tied back in a low ponytail. If not for her mismatched eyes she'd be pretty forgettable, her left eye being a very dark grey-blue and her right eye pale greyish green but it's hard to notice as she keeps her bangs covering her right eye. She wears a red shirt under a longish black jacket paired with blue jeans and medium length leather boots. She keeps a old pocket watch on a long silver chain around her neck and under her shirt. Personality: Alice is pretty quiet and is more inclined to watch and listen than participate in most things, despite this, she enjoys playing tricks on people like swapping the salt with the sugar. She finds it even more amusing as most people would not suspect it to be her doing. She is level headed and very smart, she also has a knack for seeing patterns, if something manages to shake her, however, she is often deeply effected. Alice has a tendency to avoid her own personal problems and often tries to help the people she knows and likes. She doesn't handle pressure very well and can make poor choices if she's emotionally high strung. She also has a lot of silly quirks and fears, and she often starts laughing out of the blue at a thought that occurs to her or as a compensation method. In a way, she is abnormally mature for her age and in another way, she is very immature and childish. Background: Alice had a pretty good life, had a good family and was financially wealthy, she also was very close to her identical twin, Elizabeth. About 3 days after the tower rose, she and her sister were caught up in a armed robbery at a jewelry shop and they, along with the others in the store at the time, were taken as hostages. The robber there was an Awakened and he had lost all sanity. Elizabeth provoked him and in response, the robber killed her with his electrical manipulation abilities and thus killed her. Alice, for understandable reasons, snapped and, without meaning to or knowing what she did at first, created a wall of energy gathered from the electricity and forced him against the wall on the far side of the room, knocking him out. She ran out of the store and did not look back, she's constantly on the run. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Right now, I'm still not exactly sure what you mean by "energy." When you say she can absorb it, what is she absorbing it from? Is it literally the life energy (or ATP?) of people and other life, or is it more like electrical power from machines? I would also recommend narrowing down your ability a little more, seeing as right now she seems to have telekinesis, minor healing, protection (like the barrier you mentioned), as well as another attack form (the razor sharp solidifying). I may change my opinion on this if you explain where exactly this "energy" is coming from, though. @rustytengo Looks good to me.

Is it justified being able to know Telekinesis then? It is stated here after all: (Yes, I still have this book from my childhood.) As well as this entry from the anime: Pokédex entries Episode Pokémon Source Entry EP022 Abra Ash's Pokédex Abra, a Psychic Power Pokémon. It sleeps eighteen hours a day, but employs telekinesis even while sleeping. And this entry from Pokemon Sapphire: Abra needs to sleep for eighteen hours a day. If it doesn't, this Pokémon loses its ability to use telekinetic powers. If it is attacked, Abra escapes using Teleport while it is still sleeping.

TM moves are allowed, right? At least if they make sense for our GAOs to know at this point?

Honestly, it doesn't bother me to have two characters with similar abilities, since it is likely that such a thing would occur if a situation like this were ever to happen. (Yes, obviously it can't.) However, as someone who has participated in RPs before, I can understand that it might be bothersome for someone to have their ability "copied." (Even though you thought of it on your own.) If you can go into more detail about how exactly you wanted the power to work, I can give you a definite answer.

Lars grimaced as the headbutt connected with Dominance. The Nidoran was sent flying a few feet before skidding to a stop. It shook as it stood up. Lars couldn't help but notice how battered it looked after the last hit. But still... "I'm going to try to win this..." he thought. He glanced over at Sleepy, still in the same sitting position. His eyes were glowing brighter than before, but Lars wasn't exactly sure what that meant. "Dominance, you just need to last until Sleepy finishes whatever he's doing... Just a little more." He turned his attention back to the battle. He was more than a little surprised by his own desire to win. It was unusual for him. On most occasions, he would present himself to the event with the same bored face and attitude, but something was different with these GAOs. He found himself wanting to win not for his own sake, but for theirs. "All right Dominance, I know it hurts, but we have to push on! Hit that fire-breathing lizard with another set of kicks!" The Nidoran met his eyes briefly, seeming almost to give a small nod. It ran towards the Charmeleon, jumping and delivering the same set of kicks from its hind legs.

Didn't really hit me too hard, but then again, I was late to the party on that one and read about it here first.

A little Chainfire, eh? I'd be fine if he went that route. If not, perhaps you could pull a little Code Geass and only use it once per person. (Still probably shouldn't be able to delete their whole memory, but maybe memories of recent events. If you go this route, I'd probably even allow a little memory restructuring, like making them remember something different than what actually happened. It probably wouldn't need any other costs since you can only use it once on a person anyway.) @Ark Character looks good. I'll move back the IC thread until rusty's character is posted and confirmed.

Gillem nodded at Eleriese and Kozuto. "Both of you have confirmed my suspicions. I agree that we should pick up the pace. We've made good progress so far, and if we hurry, we should be able to make it to Sakiiri by nightfall." **** ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gillem held up a hand, signaling the others to stop. It had been about an hour of walking, and they had made good distance. He could just see the outline of the city on the horizon. They had reached the final checkpoint of the desert before entering the "safe area." Most stone pillars stretched into the sky, as large as twenty to thirty yards wide and taller than you could see from this close to them. This section was known by human travelers as the Pillars of Cre. Believed to be erected by the god of balance himself, the massive stones stood as a reminder that they were close to their goal. Gillem paused before entering the stone "forest." He turned to face the group. "This is the last place we need to cross before we reach the city." He paused, the wind whispering between the pillars in the silence. "However..." he trailed off and turned to face the Pillars as if expecting something. He pointed at the ground a short distance into the area. They were difficult to see, but easily recognizable once your eyes found them -- the footprints. He turned back to the group again. "I do not expect this to be easy crossing. Whatever has scared off the wildlife most likely lurks inside the Pillars. Be on guard, and keep your eyes open. There are many places it could hide here, and we have no idea what "it" may be." He sighed, giving them a hopeful look. "For all we know, it could be harmless; some new species of herbivore perhaps." He tapped his sword with his fingers. "I believe it's safest for us to expect the worst though." With that, he took the first step into the Pillars of Cre. ------------------------------------------------------------- They were nearly halfway into the Pillars now, with no sign of conflict. The hoofprints had disappeared, leaving them all at least a little more at ease. Gillem pushed ahead, eager to reach the safety of the city. Thump. His heart skipped a beat. One of the pillars ahead shook. The massive column of stone vibrated as the impact happened again. Gillem quickly spun to the others. "Draw your weapons!" he shouted. "It's h-!" The earth shook as the creature landed behind Gillem. It had jumped from the top of the shaking pillar, and it towered over the group as it stood to it's full height. It walked on two legs, each shaped like that of a bull, covered in dark brown fur with two massive hooves at the bottom. It bore the chest and arms of a humanoid, completely covered in the same dark fur. It's hands ended in sharp claws. Around the creatures neck was a mane of lighter brown fur, forming a collar upon that which led to the creature's head. It's face resembled a ram, surrounded by the mane of fur and bearing a menacing gaze. Four curled horns were mounted on its head, two on each side. Flames sputtered from its mouth, as its glowing eyes locked on the group. It was easily 4 or 5 times the height of Gillem, and it stood slightly hunched. Gillem turned as the ground shook, taking his first look at the creature. He drew his sword and unclipped his shield, raising them for whatever defense they may provide against such a foe.

Don't feel like you can't join just because you can't think of anything. I'm sure we could help with some suggestions. Memory erasing might actually be viable and interesting, though as long as it required direct contact and had some drawbacks. (Such as a way that they could get their memory back, or the effects not being permanent.) Don't be afraid to throw something out there or ask for some help. Looks good to me. I'll get to work on writing up the IC thread.

Time skip complete. Also group 2, you do realize you can post now, right?

Gillem raised a hand over his eyes to block the sun. The previous night had gone well. The group was mostly well-rested, and nothing had occured during watches. They had been traveling for a few hours now, and they seemed to be getting closer to the capital. The group had passed the windblown tracks of a trading caravan earlier, but the fact that they were still visible showed that they had happened no more than a day before. However, there was something troubling him. Things didn't seem right in the desert. Yesterday they had seen a large horde of scraeth in the daytime. They normally hunted in small groups and only during the night. Furthermore, there were no Sand Vultures in sight. They were almost always visible circling in the sky, looking for something to scavenge. Finally there were the tracks they had passed only a few minutes ago. They were giant hoofprints, as large as Gillem's shield, and he could think of no creature they could possibly belong to. He had alerted the group and they had all taken a look, but none could name a possible creature. These were the reasons that Gillem was worried. He dropped back next to Koz. "Can you sense any wildlife nearby?" he asked. "The desert seems unusually... deserted." He ran a hand through his untamed hair. "Those hoofprints from before have me worried. Judging by their size and depth, whatever left them was big. And they seemed fairly fresh as well."

Lars gave a cheer as the kicks connected, but his joy faded as the shockwave sent Dominance flying out of the air. As the Nidoran hit the ground, Lars could see the blue lizard's head begin to glow as it charged. He turned to Sleepy, saying a silent prayer in his head. Please be awake, please be awake... "Sleepy, get him out of there quickly!" The Abra's body began to glow along with the Nidoran. There was a small flash around each of them as they teleported behind the one Nathan called Charmeleon. Lars grinned at the small success. "All right, Dominance, shoot your needles like we worked on! Sleepy, you know what to do!" The Nidoran crouched into a small ball, before needles exploded outwards towards the Charmeleon's back. Sleepy stayed in place, but there was a faint red glow in its eyes...

Time control oculd be a viable power as long as you balance it well, which you seem to have done. The fact that people can realize what happened, and the effect of the character's body freezing up make this okay. However, I would recommend only being able to rewind time a few seconds at a time when you do this (Maybe 30 at most) in order to keep it balanced, as well as having a cooldown time. As for gravity... Let's just say that there is a very important character planned with that ability, so use it if you wish, but realize that there will be someone else who has it, and that he will most definitely be better at controlling it than your character... @Stratos Yes, you did give me that consent. I don't plan to use it a whole lot, but will in the case of plot progression.

"Don't you think we should be trying to defeat the living dead intent on devouring everyone in this town rather than risking the lives of our valuable combatants in a duel over pride?" ---------------------------------------------------- Nero nodded, in agreement with the elf, not just because he wanted this done quickly, but because the Templar spoke sensibly. He stepped forward, arms crossed over his chest. He spoke in a bored, yet annoyed tone. "Enough of your foolish squabbles. You can test each other's mettle on the battlefield. There is no point in receiving injuries before the battle has even begun." He met the eye of the golden Victonari. "This, you of all people should be enforcing, as the leader of this group. Try to play a better role model, and let not insults distract your attention from where it should be."

Lars called out to his partners. "Dominance, dodge that fire and use that kicking move we've worked on on the blue one! Don't let him hit Sleepy!" Lars grinned as the Nidoran jumped out of the flames and ran to intercept the other GAO. The Nidoran jumped it the air, spinning around so it's back leg came out in a kick, quickly followed by the other leg. (((Double-kick)))

Phantom could feel a rush of emotion from his place in the other plane. It was a mixture of surprise and fear. There were four sources of this fear, but after a few seconds, one of them faded away. He opened a portal into the middle of the chaos, looking through to see what was taking place. -------------------------------------------------------- A portal opened inside the glass prison, and Phantom stepped out. Glass shards were flying everywhere. He quickly grabbed the boy on the ground and the other man before casting a glance at the final character in the prison. It was the killer he had encountered before. The glowing eyes behind his mask met the other man's gaze for a short while, but he broke contact as shards of glass pierced his left should and both legs. He quickly pulled the two he had a hold of into the portal, closing it behind him, leaving the final man trapped in the vortex. ---------------------------------------------------------- Phantom pulled the other two behind him forcefully while in the other dimension. He knew that they were not used to existing in such a plane, and it rejected their bodies. When he reached a point that he was sure would be outside the glass walls, he opened another portal and thrust them out ahead of him, following behind. They entered the familiar world facing the outside of the glass walls. Phantom took a quick glance at the boy, who seemed okay, before focusing on the other man he had brought with him. He spoke slowly in a quiet and deep voice that seemed to resonate in their minds. "Don't... trust..." Phantom quickly turned without waiting for a reaction, opening another portal with which he disappeared. (((He grabbed Ethic and Ixidor in case there's any confusion.)))

Everyone who has posted so far looks good. I'll try to get the IC thread up soon so we can start.

"Tie them up and move on; there's no way we're doing this quietly after that." ----------------------------------------------- Flux gave a nod. "Whatever you all think is best." He reached into his lab coat and retrieved Ogre's heavy ball. He let out the metal behemoth before turning back to the group. "This is Ogre, my Aggron, for those who haven't met him yet. He's pretty cocky, but also very strong, so we can climb on him to reach the hole to the next floor." Ogre swiveled his head towards Flux upon hearing this, giving him a mocking look. Flux merely smiled in return before awaiting the rest of the group.

Not since the server went down, but she was on the day before that.

Cool, cool. I'm hoping group 2 will get going on its own, but as for group 1, due to the limited amounts of time Acquiescence has to get on, does anybody mind a short time skip past the rest of the watches for the sake of keeping things moving?