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What Happened in Portland


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"Wha—but—Boss, you can't go!" Scorch knew he sounded like a petulant child, but he didn't care. If Altermind met the kitten conjurer alone, chances were good there would be a new favorite member of his security team. It had happened with Flashpoint. He raked a hand through his hair, pacing. "You can't go alone. He might poof up a tank or a T-Rex or something. You need someone there to burn 'em." 

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Altermind was frustrated. Scorch could never take orders. Altermind had just had his town bombed and infiltrated, someone was out in the city wreaking havoc, and Scorch wouldn't stop complaining. "Scorch. Fine. Come with me," Altermind said, exasperated. "Flashpoint. You leave one of the head scribes in charge and you go scan the perimeter to make sure all guards are on full alert. End of discussion," Altermind told his mobile. "Scorch, we're leaving now." Altermind got on his bullet bike and started it, speeding away from Thoughttown towards the last truck drop-off point. He would find this new Epic.

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Scorch was already speeding off on his bike. He longed to dart ahead of Altermind, reach downtown a good fifteen minutes before he did, and take care of that new Epic himself. Fifteen minutes was all he'd need. Storms, he could do it in ten, if he had surprise on his side. 

 

He savored the thought of roasting the new Epic for a moment before crushing it. He had to focus. Altermind was his ticket to the new Epic, and he wouldn't make it there without him. 

 

Wind whipped through his clothes as the bike carried him past the border. An Epic who could make kittens appear….what would he be like? Strong, probably, with that same dismissive air Altermind liked to carry. "Oh, a fire Epic? I've never had much trouble from them," he would say. 

 

I'll prove you wrong, buddy, Scorch thought with a smirk. 

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Nighthound sat down in the nicest place the residence had to offer and indeed the armchair was quite fine. “Do you know what getting my limbs severed reminds me of?” Nighthound asked the couple that owned the house, which where currently kneeling on the ground before him, clearly terrified. All the while Nighthound swung his wounded arm around, to reveal the still healing stump under the mist.

Neither of them answered. They just covered under Nighthound´s gaze, the hound standing behind them didn´t help their nerves, either.

“It´s a lot like having a hangover,” Nighthound continued, “sure, getting there is fun but afterwards… not good for one´s mood, let me tell you. Which brings us to why I´m here. Usually, I love meeting new people, especially the killing part.” The Epic chuckled and leaned back as he enjoyed his hosts flinching.

“However, as my lead up might have told you I´m not in the mood right now, that´s why I just crashed the first place that seemed suitable. You may consider yourself honored. Still, you´re not doing your job very well, not even offering a glass of wine.” He sighted and shook his head in fake disappointment.

The man jumped up and hurried over to a cabinet. “What kind of wine would you enjoy, Sir?”

“Anything red will do nicely.” Nighthound tilted his head and watched the woman. “Anything, really.”

The husband grabbed a bottle and a glass, scurried back to the Epic and presented both to him.

“Good, now if only would be kind enough to pour me a glass.” He gestured at the woman and she promptly did so with shaking hands.

Nighthound sipped on the wine and smiled. “I think we will get along just perfectly.”

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Ricochet winced as the female grabbed him in a flying takle/hug. She didn't seem hostile though so that was good........ Except that his coat was now confetti. Things were definitely odd here. But a bounce castle! Ricochet grinned to himself, he would be invincible here:)

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Doctor Funtimes was in the air only a moment, skirts flying and socks blinking in the fading light, but it was long enough to knock the new Epic to the floor. When she sat back, his coat was gone. Bits of confetti fell as he stood, and Funtimes didn't seem to notice the pieces in her hair. She jabbered on so quickly Nathan could barely understand her: 

 

"Hi! I'm Doctor Funtimes! I don't know who you are but that doesn't matter 'cause you're here and Doctor Awesomesauce is here and so is Jeffrey but he doesn't like Jeffrey so we all call him CorpseMaker but Jeffrey isn't so yucky so if you want to be yucky you can call him that but great noodly one it's a party!" Her hands flew to her cheeks. "It really is a party!" 

 

"I—I guess it is," Nathan said, adding "dear" as an afterthought. He moved toward her, trying to keep his balance and appear confident at the same time. The casino had given Epics precious few rules of conduct, but there were a few that most abided by: non-lethal force only, duels outside, don't get blood on the carpet. 

 

Funtimes' bouncy castle had no such rules, but he hoped "Don't kill the guy pretending to be an Epic" was one of them. 

 

"What's your name, stranger?" he asked the new Epic. ​Stand up straight, hands in pockets—yes, that looks casual, confident—look him in the eye—there you go. 

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"I go by Ricochet, who are you, and what's with her?"

Ricochet looked around at the people. At least two epics, the girl or whatever, and that one called Jeffrey/Corpsemaker. This other one, he seemed normalish and didn't seem to have much confidence.

"I'm new in town here, and I decided I'd try and contact some of the other minor epics. This girl-" at this point he glanced behind him and nodded towards the quiet little street rat-" said this place was interesting. I thought that interesting epics were less likely to try and kill me without talking."

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Electro stepped out from his hiding place and Scrambled CorpseMaker. He didn't want a powerful Epic intervening too quickly. "My name's Electro. What can you tell me about this place, any of you? Don't even think about attacking me. You'll lose," Electro announced himself to the group. He waited for an answer from anyone, preferably anyone aside from the insane lady.

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Doctor Funtimes' hands fluttered as her grin widened. She straightened and bounced to where the new Epic—how many Epics can fit in one bouncy castle, anyway?—stood. "Attacking you? Why would we attack you at a party?" 

 

Despite his skittishness, Nathan couldn't help but smile. There was something comforting—charming, even—about an Epic who could remain cheerful in the face of multiple death threats. "This was his place," he said, nodding at CorpseMaker. "Now, I'm not sure. Whose would you say it is, Doctor?" 

 

She laughed. It was either the clearest answer yet or none at all. 

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Ricochet stiffened at this new Epic. He was more like the average run of the mill epic, which in some ways was more dangerous. A normal epic would attack soon, and this Doctor was probably really dangerous. He didn't want to hang around for that kind of fight, but he needed allies too. What to do... what to do.....

Finally Ricochet decided to stick with the doctor. Something about her seemed safer in a very strange way. Besides run of the mill epics were boring.

 

So he stepped up besides the doctor in a clear declaration of alliancement.

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"Now, now. I'm here to join the party as well. I don't want a fight, I was just letting you know that I'm not afraid of one," Electro reassured the Epics. CorpseMaker was still disoriented from the Scramble. "Ric, Doc, other person," Electro addressed the trio, "What do you think about an alliance? We could have parties all the time and be best friends. No one would dare mess with us."

 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Altermind arrived at the Xdrop off spot, the last on the list. Looking around for any Epics, Altermind didn't see anyone. What he did see was a huge bouncy castle. How in Calamity did that get there? It must've been that transforming Epic. Nodding at Scorch, they headed towards the castle. 

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CorpseMaker shook his head, what had happened? It was as if he had just woken up. He head to think hard to figure out what he had been doing. And now there were more people in his Bank, err, Castle. Sparking Doctor. Changing my Bank. One of them had done something to him. His best bet right now was to pretend to still be unaware. They were talking about forming an alliance. This could come in handy.

Edited by The Only Joe
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It took voidgaze a while to find the bank but she finally did it, maybe. She was certain that this was the right place but, well, the building was a bouncy castle, a huge one. That doesn´t seem practical for a bank. She could see two bikes infront of the castle, so it apperantly wasn´t deserted.

Anyway, no point in just standing out here. She entered the castle. Its interior looked like a bank, a bouncy one but a bank. The ground was as springy as one would expect. Voidgaze started jumping, while moving further in. Sadly, the bank wasn´t really designed to jump around in it and her foot stucked to some kind of bench. The ground just bounced her up again and her body was tossed around a bit until she came to a halt. She stood up, with a smile on her lips. Okay, that was fun.

By now Voidgaze could hear noise from further inside, so she started to move towards them. Keeping her movement to small jumps.

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It wasn't long before Scorch saw it nestled between the other buildings and the trees crowding the block: a bouncy castle. 

 

A storming bouncy castle. 

 

Daylight was fading behind the clouds, but Scorch knew the castle would still be brilliant even at night. Garish blue and red and yellow stood in cheerful contrast to the rundown apartment buildings and stately trees. 

 

Had the bike's handlebars not been heatproof, they would have melted. This new Epic, whoever he was, had to be the most disgusting show-off in the Fractured States. Turning a bank—CorpseMaker's bank, if he remembered correctly—into a bouncy castle. The ​hell was wrong with that guy? 

 

He's powerful, that niggling voice whispered. More powerful than you? 

 

No. 

 

Scorch abandoned his bike at the curb and dashed into the bouncy castle, leaving Altermind in the dust. It wouldn't take the illusionist more than a minute to catch up, but a minute was all he needed. He tore off his shoes, recalling a particularly nasty fight on a Slip-N-Slide two summers back, and tossed them against a wall. 

 

There were voices in the next room—questions, answers, accusations, and giggles. Storming showoff, making more than one room, who even needs more than that for a bouncy castle? 

 

He longed to run, but he walked instead, a fireball glowing in each palm. After a few steps he reached the next room—and there he stopped to get his bearings. 

 

There were a few Epics he recognized. CorpseMaker was there—unmistakable, though Scorch had only seen him in passing—and a bouncing Epic whose name Scorch had never heard. He surveyed the others gathered there, looking for the one who looked the guiltiest, the one who seemed most pleased with himself. When Scorch found him, he was wearing a suit and duster, topped off with a tie so bright it might've been radioactive. 

 

He intended to surprise him. 

 

But Scorch was spotted first. 

 

The young man snapped his head toward the entryway. 

 

Their eyes locked. 

 

For a moment, Scorch thought he saw fear—but then the man smirked. 

 

"You!" 

 

He pointed to himself in a gesture of mock humility. "Me?" 

 

Scorch answered with a stream of fireballs and violent profanity. 

 

---------------------------------------------------

Back in Newcago, Nathan had never given much thought to being mistaken for an Epic. 

 

He had thought about Epics, sure. Given his profession, he had to guess at what they wanted and provide it before they asked, had to know what they might be thinking and be prepared to agree. But the idea that he might be mistaken for one of them had never crossed his mind. Thus, he had never prepared for it. 

 

When the sour-faced Epic with a flattened mohawk accused him of….of something, he thought it best to smirk. Epics did a lot of smirking. And when the fireballs began, he ducked. Epics didn't do a lot of ducking, but that was the best response to fire. 

 

"Do you—mind—telling me—what—I—did?" He dodged and rolled, fireballs striking the floor inches away. The holes repaired themselves, but he coughed at the smell of burning rubber. 

 

The Epic swore again. "You know!" 

 

Nathan pressed his back to the mesh, breathing hard. "Pretend I don't." 

 

Another fireball struck the wall above his head. He felt the heat even as he ducked. "You're doing it now!" 

 

Doing what? Running for my life? He crawled toward the emergency exit, but a wall of flame blocked his path. "If you tell me what I did, I might stop." 

 

The Epic growled, and another wall of flame blocked his path. "Doctor? Do you mind?" 

 

Doctor Funtimes giggled. "Okie dokie lokie!" 

 

The new Epic yelped as his clothes dissolved into water. He swore, steam rising from his skin, and his hand blazed with fire. 

 

Funtimes giggled again. "You're still wearing underwear." 

 

It took a moment for the threat to sink in, but when it did, his eyes widened. "You wouldn't." 

 

Her giggle became a laugh. 

Edited by TwiLyghtSansSparkles
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Voidgaze further hopped towards the sound, the tassels on her cloak whipping up and down with her. As she came closer she could make out the sound of laughter, which was good. Laughter usually means someone is in a Good mood, doesn´t it? Cutting the final corner she started intruducing herself early. "Hello, I´m Voidgaze or Rita Blue, can´t say I care either way, and wanted..." After she could see what exactly was going on in the room, asking suddenly seemed like a bad idea.

The laughter came from a woman, whose clothes where so full of random colors it made her own cloak seem ordinary. Not that she was the only one dressed so... bizarre, no there where also two men that could need a redress, although the one crawling on the ground was halfway acceptable.

Then again, at the very least they wore clothes. Nothing that could be said for the poor fire-wielding fellow standing on the other part of the room, with hot steam rising from his body. Not even the good kind of steaming hot, just the throwing a bucket of water at a fire kind of steaming hot. Overall he seemed reasonably mad for being laughted at.

Two more men where standing in the room, dressed absolutely normal. Good.

After overcoming her initial suprise she spoke again. "This is a horrible moment to ask for some information, isn´t it?"

She was still hopping in place.

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Posting by proxy for Mailliw. 

 

Idiot. Scorch was an idiot. Speeding off like that? Who would keep him from insulting a powerful Epic and use their brain for him?
 
Altermind was annoyed. He knew he shouldn't have brought the fire Epic along. He would just mess things up. Altermind sped up and got to the bouncy castle. When he went inside, cautiously, he saw the flash of fireballs being thrown and knew Scorch was mad for some reason or another. He saw a woman standing right in front of him asking questions. "So, you're a new arrival here too? You probably shouldn't interfere. Let them work it out," Altermind told the woman in white. He saw Corpsemaker in the castle as well. He was one of the most powerful Epics in Portland. This had been his bank. Whoever changed it must've annoyed the rust out of him. 
 

 

"Scorch, what in Calamity are you doing?" Altermind yelled at the crazed fire Epic as he rounded the corner and saw Scorch's clothes evaporate into steam. What was going on?
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The bouncy castle was now in chaos. CorpseMaker was on the floor. Scorch—the fire Epic, if the latest addition to their party was to be believed—was trying to explain himself: 

 

"She's a nut and he's worse! Look what she did to me! Look!" 

 

Before Nathan could argue, a woman in white politely introduced herself as Voidgaze, or Rita Blue. He hadn't time to register his shock before Funtimes bounced over and wrapped her arms around her neck. 

 

"You're neat," she said, smiling up into her eyes. "Like a blueberry." 

 

​Like a—? Nathan's fear rose. Insulting an Epic named CorpseMaker was bad enough, threatening a fire Epic with a bad temper was worse, but if Funtimes alienated the only Epic in Portland sane enough to remember her old name, he'd be dead before dawn. 

 

Running was not an option. Epics didn't run—but no one said they couldn't show a little common sense, either. Taking a deep breath, he shouted at the top of his lungs. 

 

"EVERYBODY QUIET!

Edited by TwiLyghtSansSparkles
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Not waiting for the silly man's command, Ricochet grabbed the doctor(?) around the waist and started taking evasive bounces through the castle. As he passed the alley rat girl he grabbed her too, knocking the breath out of her and continued bouncing. The Doctor was laughing hysterically making him question her sanity even more. Still he needed allies and she seemed trustworthy for some crazy reason.

Ricochet aimed carefully and knocked down the fire epic with a well placed bounce to the back. As flames started to wush towards him, they suddenly flared close to the Epic, melting the plastic where he stood.

 

"Time to go now ladies." He said with a grim smile and a bounce aimed towards one of the castle's windows.

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The newcomer had a point. "Guess I´ll do that." Voidgaze looked back to the gathering, trying to figure out just what exactly was going on. Apperently the angry fellow called himself Scorch and was with the one barcking orders the others-

She was hugged, by the colorful woman, who was smiling up into her eyes, making hopping imposible "You're neat. Like a blueberry."

So much for staying out of this. At least she seems amicable, just a bit to close. Voigaze awkwardly raised her arms and softly tried to push of her hugger, even going as far as to use her tassels, careful not to hurt her. "Yes, blueberries are nice fruits, so thank you for the compliment, but could you maybe give me a bit more space?" Voidgaze pressed the words out, while wrestling with her.

"EVERYBODY QUIET!" A scream came from inside the hall. Looking towards the origin she saw the medium bizarre dressed guy, who was no longer crawling on the ground. Before anyone could react in anyway the smiling hug woman was snatched away by some kind of flubber-man and they bounced across the castle. Voidgaze didn´t really konw how to react so she just waved after smiles and and said the first think that came to mind "It was nice to make your acquaintance." The bluberry was meant as a compliment, wasn´t it. "I... like your hair-glitter." She added. This time not only my lacking social skills are at fault, what an achievement.

All the while the flubber-man also picked up an uncomfortable looking women and ramed into poor Scorch and now making for the window. Now, that guy seems a lot more malicious.

Voidgaze looked to the not crawling man. "Is it okay if he just drags Smiles around... and from your clothes shouldn´t they take you with them? I´m kinda lost here."

Voidgaze started to hop in place again.

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Posted by proxy for Mailliw. 

 

Electro had been trying to blend into the background since the bouncy castle had exploded into a flurry of action. He had come to scope out a new Epic, not be transformed or burned. 

Most of these Epics seemed to have alliances of some sort and he had no idea if any of them could pay him. He had planned to negotiate and talk about that, but then the fire Epic had shown up and decided to freak out. Now the bouncy Epic was flying around the castle with the insane lady and a regular. 

Electro wanted to stop the bouncy one so he wasn't smashed. The next time he passed near Electro, he Scrambled him. The man had been heading for a window, but now couldn't remember why. Electro loved Scrambling people.

--–—------------–------------—---------

Altermind wanted to stop this madness. He had no idea what was going on, and he didn't like it. Wanting to get people's attention, but not revealing his powers to these new Epics, Altermind created a hallucination of a flare shooting from his body and exploding in the center of the castle. He boomed, using an auditory hallucination to increase the sound of his voice in the others' ears, "Everyone, shut the rust up!"

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CorpseMaker gave up. There were too many people in here to feign Weakness. He negated the power of the Epic who had blanked him, And stood up, Just in time to see a new Epic Shoot a fireball from his chest and yell an attempt to silence the Room. It didn't work. CorpseMaker stood up, and roared. A bestial Animal roar, that would have crashed cars and sent wolves running. That shut up most of the Epics in the room. Other than the Rusting Dr. and her Boyfriend.

 

These Epics, did not belong in his Bank. Some of them did show promise though. He might be able to recruit some of them. "This is my Bank. Anyone still in here in one minute, better be swearing their allegiance to me, or a Corpse."

 

Everyone froze, than someone said, "And why should we?"

 

CorpseMaker grinned, and gestured around him. I own this Bank. Every dollar here is mine, And I can't be killed. so choose your side. 30 seconds people."

 

Electro, you can't scramble anyone until I say so.

Edited by The Only Joe
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Posted by proxy for Mailliw. 

 

Electro liked the sound of Corpsemaker. He would be a powerful ally. "How much can you pay me?" Electro asked boldly. He wouldn't be afraid to sever the Death Epic's neck from his spine. But all of a sudden, he felt that he couldn't Scramble anyone anymore. He had no idea what has happened. He could still feel his Electric Field surrounding him so it wasn't his weakness canceling out his powers. Confused, he just waited for an answer from Corpsemaker. He couldn't be killed? Doubtful. Every Epic could be. The ones that forgot that were the ones that got killed. 

 

 

-------------------------------------

Altermind didn't like being ordered around. Putting up a hallucination of a force field around his standard illusion, he waited for Corpsemaker. 

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"I….uh…." Nathan looked around the bouncy castle, trying to get his bearings. He couldn't summarize what was happening, let alone explain it. No one had listened to him, and he was growing close to panic. 

 

And then CorpseMaker roared. It took every ounce of self-control Nathan possessed to not cover his ears. 

 

"Anyone still in here in one minute better be swearing their allegiance to me, or a Corpse." 

 

Time to fake bravado. Nathan cleared his throat. "And why should we?" 

 

He grinned. He had a terrifying grin. "I own this Bank. Every dollar here is mine, And I can't be killed. so choose your side. 30 seconds people."

 

"Allegiance?" Doctor Funtimes was on the floor now, having teleported out of the bouncing man's arms. Her hair stuck out every which way, scattering bits of glitter as she pranced over to him. She stood on tiptoe, cupped her hands around her mouth, and said at normal volume: "I think we should be friends.

 

She giggled. A second later, her hand was around Nathan's, and they were gone from the bouncy castle. 

Edited by TwiLyghtSansSparkles
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Apparently Voidgaze wasn´t the only one not being up to speed with everything going on. Although, everyone screaming at everyone to shut up wasn´t a very good way to actually get anyone to be quiet. Then again when did she ever meet another Epic that wasn´t an arrogant Slontze? Apart from maybe Smiles, who was possibly insane and now gone, so she´s most likely alone in a room full of jerks, great.

 

Lets try to look on the bright side of things. if this was the bank of MC Hammer over there, then he must be that Corpsmaker guy the man told her about. Time to finally get some answers. She tried to keep her voice calm, making him more angry then he already was wouldn´t be conductive to getting any information from him. The tone she ultimately produced was more of a forced monotone. "Not messing with you, understood. I´m only here for a quick inquiry. We can do that in 30 seconds."

 

Wait, continuing to hop around isn´t a good idea. Voidgaze blinked and stopped to jump in place. With some luck the damage isn´t to bad. Calamity, who am I kidding?

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CorpseMaker scowled. He'd really wanted to kill the Traveller. He had been a Teleporting Epic, possibly the one who had trapped him. He'd have to track him down, and Level him. As for the others.

 

"How much can I pay you?  I can give you money, power, information, and a place in my Empire. I plan to take Portland, and then expand. Join me know, And I'll give you a choice of your own private city, as well as aid in destroying anyone who's ever harmed you." He turned to the Epic with the Forcefield. "No shield can stop me, I can kill you now if I wanted. I've killed hundreds of Epics. I killed GigaJump, FiredIce, and Arcadius. The Twins, Vigilante, and IronEyes tried to stop me. I made them Corpses. Stand against me now, And it'll be the last thing you do, but join with me, and you'll be kings. 5 seconds. Take a knee."

Edited by The Only Joe
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