xariori
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@TheFrugalWizard Swordfish jolted back as the bullet struck him, but regained his footing. He nearly lost grip of his hostage, but managed to hold onto the kid. The shot was painful, and he knew under his shirt a bruise would be growing. But he couldn't show weakness. He tried to ignore the sting, clenching his teeth. Whoever had shot had proven they were a real threat. And it only furthered his suspicion that they were the one who'd taken out Mesmerize. He had a location, but he still needed Mesmerize, whatever had happened to him. And he also needed more information on what exactly was going on. Whether the assailant was another Epic with gun powers, or a Reckoner was what he had to determine next. His hostage would be useful here. A child used as a shield - no Epic assailant would blink an eye at disposing of the meatbag, but a Reckoner on the other hand... "I'd recommend not doing that again," he continued forward, sword point at his hostage's throat as a few drops of blood started to trickle down, "You wouldn't want this little guy to get hurt now would we. Of course, you'd be next but we could keep the pointless killing to a minumum, no?" He continued forward at a leisurely pace, the boy's body positioned in front of him as a shield, as this protected most of his torso while the child continued to flail in his grip. "You see, I've been asking around and I've heard that a certain friend of mine was spotted being attacked and brought to this location. The fact that you were foolhardy enough to try and shoot me makes me even more convinced this is exactly where I'll find out what happened." He looks around, trying to see if he can spot anyone in the shadows in the hallway. "I'd recommend you step out from whatever corner you're hiding in, and we can have a chat."
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Swordfish walked slowly, his footsteps heavy in the quiet dark of the small alleyway. It had taken a few choices threats and couple blades to the throats of loved ones to get some of the non Epic witnesses to open up about the missing minor illusionist, Mesmerize. The story he'd extracted was a strange one. Apparently Mesmerize had been doing his robbery, as planned, when a couple of assailants started attacking him, shooting at the Epic, something unheard of in the streets of Buffalo. At least, unheard of by him. The battle had gone on for a bit before they'd managed to shoot down Mesmerize. Apparently once they'd managed to bring him down, they'd tied him up and carried him through streets, sticking to the shadows before their trail went cold in the alleyway he was walking down right now. He looked ahead - it was a dead end. There were piles of old world refuse stacked along the sides, a couple of boarded up windows, a few flimsy looking doors and a set of stairs, heavy metal, leading down to a cellar door. Swordfish moved in slowly, his guard up, hands itching to be turned to blades. It was probably another Epic, maybe a small street gang of minor Epics, that wanted to send a message to Fish. Nobodies, just refuse to clean up. If they'd jumped Mesmerize, he'd have to be careful though. But there was something else too. The one thing that the stories all the witnesses he'd "encouraged" to talk had in common was that the assailants only used guns. No powers. That was strange for Epics. Why wouldn't they use their powers? It was an expectation, almost. Something they flaunted, a mark of pride. Yet these individuals hadn't. Perhaps their powers were related to firearms. He'd heard of such cases before, firearm related Epic powers. But there were two assailants. And that was the part that stuck out to him...what were the odds that two Epics would use firearms. Possible, but not high. There was another possibility that tickled his brain. Reckoners. He'd heard the rumors about the Epic hunters, non Epics bold enough to take on their betters. Epics bickered and quarreled amongst each other, even sacrificed their own - but all differences were tossed aside against these lesser creatures that managed to kill gods. The hair on the back of his neck stood up, his arms itching in anticipation. If there were Reckoners here in Buffalo... Still, he had to be careful. Whoever they were, Epic or Reckoner, they'd taken out Mesmerize. He knew Fish thought he was reckless sometimes. His desires...his ambition pushing him towards danger. But he knew his limits. Yes, you coward. You definitely do. He could still be hurt by bullets, though it would take a fair bit to actually kill him. He could be ganged up on. For all his talk, he was small fry in the grand scheme of things. So what if he'd killed droves of non Epics and even helped on teams taking out some minor Epics? He was vulnerable. Even a small gravity epic like Aries could cause him problems. The idea appeals to you doesn't it. The Reckoners. The powerless killing those with power. Your own little power fantasy. Key word - fantasy. A movement in the alleyway broke him from his thoughts. Eyes peeked from behind an old, rusted dumpster. It darted away, but it couldn't match the Epics enhanced endurance. He broke into a sprint and slammed the individual into a wall. A child. An arm turned to a blade, pressed to his throat. But the child's eyes were defiant. Fiery. As if challenging him. This wasn't normal. This was what happened when a child sees an Epic killed. And believes that there are heroes to save him. Unacceptable. Can't even scare a pitiful whelp? Worthless. "Where are they?" Swordfish's voice was calm. The adrenaline pumped through him, his senses feeling honed as the world seeming to slow around him. More oxygen filled his lungs as his cells optimized their metabolic processes. This calm, this rush. This was what he lived for. The child's eyes darted. It might have been involuntary, but a quick movement, down and to the right. Towards the metal stairs, leading down to the cellar door. But for Swordfish, senses honed, it was enough. It might be the kid's parents, for all he knew. But if there was the possibility... "You're coming with me." The child struggled, about to scream, but a hand clamped over his mouth. The kid tried to bite, only to whimper as his teeth struck steel, and his lip was torn, blood rushing down his face. The blade turned to a hand as Swordfish carried the struggling, kicking boy - one hand grasping him by the head, arm clamped over his mouth, the other a blade to his throat. His small body flailing in front of him, protecting his abdomen. You need a hostage? Are you really that scared? He moved down the metal stairs, one at a time, each step clanging with heavy footfalls. Finally, reaching the ground level landing, the door in front of him, he raised a foot, hostage still in his hands, blade to the child's throat... And Swordfish kicked open the door to the Reckoners' hideout. @TheFrugalWizard @Lord Spirit
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Swordfish slows his pace as he hears Aries's reply. Not able to finish this? His arms itched, begging to be loosened on this other Epic who dared talk to him like that. You failure. You know you're weak. You're going to turn around and face him, are ya? He'll know he hit a nerve. A sign of weakness. He stopped and whirled around, arms forming into blades, face contorted with an ugly expression. Who was this...this underling? This peon. That dared to say he would fail. So what now that, after you've exposed yourself? You want to stab him? How cute. What, you think he wouldn't be able to toss you into a building before you laid a finger on him. You loser. No. Calm down. Blades reformed to hands. He took a breath. Calm down. As if. More like shut up and save your own skin. But go ahead, I want to see your rationalization for this one. This was just a lowly servant of Fish. It was laughable that this fool thought he wasn't Fish's lackey, doing his bidding. That he was his own master. Of course, every Epic had to think this way to maintain their sanity in this hierarchical world. Power was everything. Very few reached the level of accolade Swordfish had achieved. Bravo. A great performance. And now for the pièce de résistance. "Your loss Aries. When I find Mesmerize and do something worthwhile, I'll make sure to put a special note in to Fish for you, don't worry I won't forget. I'm sure you'll love your reward for all the help you provided." Swordfish turned and headed into the city, teeth gritted. No more waiting for him to reply, cajoling him to join in. This fool would pay. That's it. Turn and run away and then tattle on him. Who's the real lackey here? @Scars of Hathsin
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Where does Fish find these Epics? They lacked vision. That's why they remained lackeys. Maybe a little nudge in the right direction was all he needed. "You think Fish really cares about some plants? He didn't even know they existed before you reported to him from what I could tell. It's just busy work to keep you engaged. You'll clean up the plants, and then he'll send you to do more busy work. He's not gonna notice if those plants are gone today or a few days from now. But if you help me out, and we find Mesmerize and possibly even get a lead on Sundew, you might get some real credit. No risk, no reward." Swordfish slows his pace down a little, time for the finishing blow. "Look, I thought I'd offer you a piece of the pie. But I guess if you want to spend time whacking weeds, be my guest. You'd actually be doing me a favor, I can take credit for that too. I mean, between his protégé and a lackey, who is Fish really gonna believe anyway? I'm gonna head over and start investigating. See you round, lackey." He turns and starts jogging the other direction, with a smirk on his face. Either Aries joins him and they're implicated in this together, or the gravity Epic cleans up the plants and Swordfish takes credit for helping. @Scars of Hathsin
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Once they are out on the streets, Swordfish jogs alongside Aries. He considered giving the lackey the slip, but then it was likely word would travel back to Fish, if the gravity Epic's action of blindly reporting to Fish was any indication. Better to have him tag along. That way the other Epic would have skin in the game as well. "Hey. Aries right? Look, hear me out. I'm guessing you want to do more than act as a glorified weed whacker for these plants. I have a plan that could do some real damage to Sundew's operation. You heard me talk about that minor illusionist Epic that went AWOL, Mesmerize, right? I think he's working with Sundew, or at least that something else is going down. I say we head back to where Mesmerize was last located and investigate around a bit, find some leads." "And then," he added hastily, "we can go back and trim the weeds. It's not like they'll be going anywhere." @Scars of Hathsin
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Sparks. This was the worst possible turn of events. Now Swordfish was stuck on plant duty of all things. And that too with one of Fish's lackeys. Nothing more than a glorified weed whacker. But there was something bigger going on. Mesmerize had gone missing just when these plants came onto the scene. They had to be connected somehow. Maybe if he investigated the location where Mesmerize had vanished and took a closer look around the plants where Aries had seen them, he could figure out exactly how they were connected. But he kept that to himself. He knew better than to argue with Fish, especially when he gave an order. "Yes, sir." He gestured for Aries to follow as he let Fish be. But he wouldn't take this lying down. He wasn't going to be relegated to gardening. Not by a long shot. @Aeternum @Scars of Hathsin
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Swordfish hesitated for a second. He probably should have given the scene of the job a better look around in retrospect. But Mesmerize was an illusionist for Calamity's sake. It's not like he'd have found anything. Now he'd have to go back and investigate. Sparks. He'd wanted to join Fish on whatever he had planned, not go back on clean up duty. Before he's able to respond, another of Fish's lackeys - a gravity Epic named Mars or something like that - came over and started blabbering something about plants growing on the island... Wait that was it! Plants! That reeked of Sundew, the other major high Epic in the city. That had to be the big thing that was going on - or at least it'd turn into one now. He had to get in on this action, battling THE Sundew and possibly even getting a hit on her would skyrocket his rep. He could imagine it now - he blasted through plants left and right, and then skewered Sundew herself in the heart. Old Fish to the side would nod approvingly, knowing he'd made the right choice for his protege, as all of Buffalo came under their control...and eventually, Swordfish's control. He needed to get in on this, and fast. He thought quickly and came up with a ploy. He snapped his fingers, "Boss, that's it! Plants has gotta mean Sundew's back in town. Mesmerize probably defected over to her side, no way he'd just up and vanish like that knowing what would happen to him if he went AWOL on us unless he had some serious muscle backing him up. You gotta let me help you versus Sundew and Mesmerize. If she's recruited him that means she's got an illusionist on her side too. We can deal with them together!" He gave a sidelong glance over at the other gravity Epic. He'd probably want in on the action too, and it wouldn't hurt to have a meatshield to toss at the plant Epic while Swordfish and Fish took her out, "Oh, and uh...I guess we can have Mars here tag along too. Three against two and all."
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Swordfish looked over at Fish, his smirk gone, and he straightened up. He hadn't figured the Fish was out of the office. Damn that secretary. His arms itched to turn to blades and skewer her, but he knew better than to do that with Fish watching him. He would deal with her later. If there was one thing he knew, it was that Fish didn't like to be kept waiting. "Reporting in, boss. Minor Illusionist Mesmerize went missing, not responding on comms. Was on a job and just vanished. Didn't report back. Think he went AWOL, or something got him. Maybe defected to Ignis's faction or something." He paused, considering if he should push his luck. But the secretary had still been given orders to turn him away. Something big had to be going down, otherwise Fish wouldn't turn away his top brass, after all. "Something big's going down, right boss? Let me in on it. I can help out. Backup, you know?" And you need all the help you can get old man, he thought to himself. @Aeternum
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Swordfish stopped in front of the desk that sat before the door to Fish’s office. There were still the nondescript wooden chairs laid opposite of the desk. A suitably uncomfortable setting to wait for the boss. At the desk sat the secretary. Swordfish looked at her. He didn’t keep track of Fish’s servants, there were far too many and most beneath his notice. But this one seemed particularly stressed, shaking and trembling as she attempted to do her work. Fish must be in a bad mood. And he knew not to knock on that door when he was in a bad mood. At least, not directly. He approached the desk and she looked up, and took a breath. “Fish isn’t seeing any visitors sir. He has important matters to attend to. I could pencil you in for tomorrow.” One of his arms turned into a blade, and her breathing got quicker, but she shakily shook her head. “N-no visitors. No exceptions…” Her voice was almost a whisper but she said it. Clearly a newer secretary. Either that or something really big was going down, if she was daring to turn him away. But Swordfish held his tongue. He wanted to have some fun with this one. And it would also put him out of the direct line of Fish’s fire, just in case. “Alright. Yeah pencil that in.” She seemed surprised, blinking, but nodded. “Of course sir. Have a good day.” He turned as if to leave, then turned back, “By the way, how’s the family?” “Excuse me s-sir?” “Oh nothing. I figure since I had the time anyways, I’d make a visit.” He looked back, as her face blanched, “Wh-what was that sir?” Of course Swordfish didn’t know who she was. He didn’t even know if she had a family. But her reaction was what he’d hoped for. He’d hooked her. “Oh, just what I said. Have to do something to fill my free time. Though of course if there was something…say a meeting with Fish…then I might forget to pay that visit. I’m a busy person you know.” She was pale as a ghost, and trembling much more than earlier. Time for the finisher. “Well then. See you around.” He headed down the hall and was about to turn the corner when he heard her call. “S-sir wait. I’ll…I’ll check with Mr. Fish and h-he might be able to squeeze you in.” He turned and walked back, proceeding to lean against the wall. He gestured his head towards to the door. The secretary shakily stood up, breathing in and out deeply, trembling as she leant against the desk for support for a few seconds. She gathered herself enough to finally stand up straight, and hesitantly knocked at the door, three soft knocks. Knock, knock, knock. Swordfish watched, a hint of a smile on his face, as he waited leaning against the wall. He should really stop playing with his food, he thought.
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Some time prior... "I don't get it." Swordfish looked up as he finished wiping the blood off his right blade. It figured that a minor Epic would have no appreciation for the artistry of the thing. Though he had expected better from an illusionist, minor they may be. Wasn't their whole deal making a show of things? "We just need to kill them right. We could do it on the street. It's not like anyone would question us." Swordfish continued to wipe the blade. In these sorts of conversations, it was often best to just wait it out. They eventually ran out of stream. "Look. You told me that I was picked for a big assignment and that I'd get a good word from you with the big man if I helped you on this. But the way you got this planned, no one's gonna see it, we're not getting any good intel, heck, I don't even know why we're killing the guy." "I suppose you'd like to express your doubts to Fish then?" The illusionist blanched, and a shook his head. "That's what I thought. Tell me what your role in the plan is again?" "Corner the man, and make a show like I'm robbing him. But really, I'm using my illusionist powers to guide him here, to his dwelling, if you can even call it that," he wrinkled his nose at the grime and filth that covered the small area. "And then he enters and sees that." He gestures above Swordfish's head, at the impaled corpses of the woman and two children, strung, still dripping blood. "And then you kill him with the blades." Swordfish nods. The illusionist shrugs, gives a nod, and leaves. Swordfish sits in the dwelling, left alone to his thoughts. Killing the man in the streets was an acceptable tactic. If anything, it was probably the most pragmatic one. But he hadn't gotten to where he was by taking the most pragmatic route. This was an art form, a canvas from which emotions were wrought. On the street, these non-Epics accepted their fates. They just bowed their heads and passed by. If they died, it was just part of their lot. There was no satisfaction in it. But if instead, a man was given hope, a fleeting moment where he felt elated that he'd survived another day, where he was allowed by his masters to return to his dwelling, to his family - and moreso, if he'd escaped an Epic trying to rob him while doing so - in this current world, there was no high greater for their pathetic lot. But say instead, he was to arrive home, and find his family, his loved ones severed in the neck, hung from stakes mounted on the wall. Oh the range of emotion that would provide, a man falling from the highest peak to the lowest valley, from him having the greatest day in his life to the worst. That symphony of expression would play on his mind as it snapped like a twig. That was when they were worth killing. Swordfish blinked. He must really be getting bored if he was orchestrating this. The early days had been great, back when there were other Epics who challenged him. Who had challenged his abilities. But the jobs as of late had been so...mundane. Such busywork. Things had calmed down too much, become too stable. Relatively. It was a calm brewing before a storm, he figured. But until the storm broke, he needed to tide himself over. The door clicked, and Swordfish raised his blades. A man walked in, wiping his brow. Immediately, he knew. This wasn't right. Where was the fear, the elation? If anything, this was mild relief. The man looked ahead, eyes widening in shock as he saw his family strung before him, impaled through their throats. He crumbled. This was all wrong. Swordfish loomed over him. Where had the illusionist Epic gone? What was this subpar outcome. He asked as much to the non-Epic, but the blubbering mass of organic waste was of no use to anyone anymore. One quick skewer and the creature was put out of its misery. Unsatisfying. Job completed, he supposed. He stepped out of the entrance of the dwelling. There was nothing there. For a minor epic to vanish from a job like this wasn't unusual. But it never happened with him. Everyone knew he had a direct line to Fish. Everyone knew desertion on a job with him was tantamount to death. Perhaps catching an Epic was on the docket after all. An AWOL illusionist sounded like a decent enough challenge. He licked his lips, the memory of the last kill fading. He grinned. He supposed things were about to get interesting after all. Time to go report to Fish.
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Awesome I'll try not to XD Right back atcha
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@Aeternum I think something like a protege could work, if Fish would have one of those. How does the modified backstory sound?
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Reading through the game so far and it's awesome! @Aeternum I have a character idea that jumped at me related with Fish, if you feel it would mesh with your concept. Essentially, it's a minor epic with the power to turn his arms into blades. The relation bit is he's the younger brother of Fish, and sort of revels in an elevated status. Imagine the cocky sibling/son of the big bad vibe essentially, who has a pseudo immunity because his brother is so powerful. If you don't think it fits, that's fine. I can have them as a separate entity too.
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Awesome, I’ll post a character concept once I’m off work. No worries about spoilers not a big deal.
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Hey, I recently read through Steelheart and am reading Firefight and found this looking online for rp. Is it too late to join?