FloatingFatMan

I am coming.
Ghost is coming with me.

We both will eat most things if it's not moving... And if it IS, pass me a mallet!

The shifts of Fortune - Part One

By

FloatingFatMan



“The shifts of Fortune test the reliability of friends” (Di Amicitta Cicero, 106BC-43BC)


As Ellie watched the so called ‘hero’ vampire and his friends leave, the distaste clear on her face, she stiffened, sensing something. Concentrating, she narrowed her eyes as she tried to focus on her senses, trying to make sense of the growing unease deep inside.

Noticing something was wrong, Jess looked sharply at her, “Ellie? What is it?”

Ellie ignored Jess, concentrating all her attention on her senses, then it clicked; Jo… Something was very wrong with Jo!

Without a word, Ellie immediately jumped into the air and flew as fast as she could towards the station, leaving a startled Jess and Inago behind her. Barrelling through the air, she swooped on to the station platform and jumped on to the tram just as the doors were closing.

As the tram rumbled towards its destination, Ellie reached out with her mind to Jess, “I’m sorry honey… There’s no time to explain properly. Bring Kyo and get to Steel Canyon as fast as you can!”

Not waiting for a reply, she closed her mind and again focused her senses on what she was sensing; Jo, in trouble.

************************************************** **************

As the tram pulled into the station, Ellie pushed past the waiting people and exited first. Stepping out on to the platform, she instantly caught a whiff of Jo’s scent; she’d been here, only moments before!

Stretching out her senses she also began to sense something else, a lingering trace of radiation that made her feel a little nauseous. Eye’s widening, she realised what it was; quantum radiation. Someone had fired a quantum array weapon here recently, several times.

As she stretched out her senses, there was a flash of light behind her and Jess and Inago materialised. Just as Jess was about to speak, Ellie held up her hand to quiet her as she focused further on the energy traces on the platform. Crouching on her haunches, she crept forwards to the edge of the platform and stopped as she spotted something. Reaching down, she picked up the object fallen from the edge of the platform and lifted it into view. It was a PDA, Jo’s PDA.

Jess’s eyes widened as she saw the PDA in Ellie’s hand, “Ellie? What’s going on?”

Ellie’s head snapped up from examining the PDA, her face wet as tears slowly fell from her eyes, “Its Jo’s… Something’s happened to Jo…”

Jess walked up to Ellie to reach out and clasp her by the shoulders, “Ellie, focus. Tell me what you sense; you’re better at this than me… What happened?”

Ellie looked Jess in the eyes for a moment and then nodded. “I can smell her scent; she was here just a short time ago. There’s also a trace of quantum radiation here... She was shot, several times…”

At Ellie’s words, Jess’s eyes widen and Inago began to fidget, looking around for any other clues.

“Jess, there’s something else… I… I can feel the energy field of a Kheldian… An unbound Kheldian… I… I think something terrible has happened.”

Slipping the PDA into her pocket, Ellie gently pushed Jess away and wiped her eyes, “We need to find her, fast. Kyo, where was that base Jo had identified?”

Inago looked up from his wanderings around, “Founders, south side.”

Ellie nodded and closed her eyes for a moment and then with a bright burst of light and rippling of energy, her armour formed itself around her slender figure. “We need to go… NOW.”

At that, she leapt into the sky and sped off in the direction of the green line station, and a tram to Talos Island, Jess and Inago right behind her.

************************************************** **************

As the trio approached the south side of Founders Falls, they slowed their approach. Ellie dropped down from the sky to land next to Inago just as Jess teleported in.

Looking at Inago, concern for Jo clear on her face, Ellie said, “Where’s the entrance?”

Checking his notes, and a wrinkled map of the area, Inago looked around carefully, then pointed to a manhole cover a dozen yards away, “Over there, my source said it’s an old Council base that got cleared out a few months ago.”

With a nod, Ellie checked the area surrounding the manhole, then approached carefully, the others trailing behind. Just as Ellie reached for the manhole cover, Jess reached a hand out to stop her, “Ellie, wait. Let me check that its clear first.”

Ellie nodded and stepped back as Jess knelt down at the manhole. Placing her hands over the cover, Jess stretched out her magic senses, reaching out to see if there was any life the other side of the cover. After a few moments, she relaxed and lowered her hands to lift the manhole cover clear, “It’s clear.”

With a nod, Ellie stepped forward and dropped into the hole.

Happy spawning day Doc!!

(( Apologies for the delay, this should have been posted Thursday morning but I've been otherwise engaged, it will read as if that's when it was posted. And Oops! Posting it to the wrong section to moved it here where it belongs! Fiction coming SOON™ ))

As the music faded, the newsreader shuffled the papers on his desk and looked intently into the camera, "Good morning, news reports are coming in of a large explosion which occured in the early hours of this morning in Hutchinson Park, Founders Falls."

"Emergency services where quick to respond, only to find a large crater deep amongst the hills and the remains of a network of tunnels."

As the newsreader continued, the scene shifts to an ariel view of a smoking crater deep within the hills, nearby trees were knocked aside and some smoke was still rising, obscuring the center of the crater. A large number of PCPD vehicles could be seen dotted about the site.

"Eyewitnesses reported seeing a bright flash in the hills and a huge cloud of oily smoke rising from the site of the explosion; tremors from the shockwave were felt as far away as Williams Square."

"As yet, the cause of the explosion remains a mystery but some reports indicate than an abandoned Council installation was known to be in the area involved. Anti-Council protesters have already begin to congregate near the site of the explosion bearing placards denouncing the Council."

As he spoke, the camera scene shifted to a ground view of a small group of protesters holding placard and chanting, "The Council are no good, the Council are no good."

After a moment, the scene shifted back to the newsreader, "Investigations are continuing and we hope to have more information as it becomes available. We now return you to your regular programming, this is Mark Hanson, for Paragon News."

Gratz to both of you!

I was demorecording for prosterity, but I managed to miss BOTH dings in the heat of battle!

Second part of the story.


As the heroes exiting the building, Inago was already standing to one side, throwing up in the corner. Ellie moved away from the others, to one side, and slumped to the ground, her eyes closed as she cried silently.

Next, Lyn stepped from the building, her helmet under her arm, looking drained and far paler than usual. Wiping her mouth she moved to one side and collapsed in a heap on the ground, away from the others. Jess was close behind and moved towards Ellie as she exited.

As Magenta left the warehouse, Remedi alongside her, she walked over towards Inago, "Inny... It's OK." He merely shook his head and wiped his mouth with his sleeve, muttering in Japanese. "Shinpai da.... Acchi ni ike..."

Cain frowned and looked around as he exitted the building, seemingly disturbed by the reactions of his teammates. A moment later, Jester followed, his hands now empty. "Cain, what they did, is not what they do. What they did, they did for the Cirque, be proud of them all tonight."

Cain frowned, "Hrm... It must be a human thing..."

Magenta turned from Inago, looking at the others reactions, a puzzled look on her face. "Really though... The Cirque has had to do things like this before.. Because it NEEDED doing... Can't we all just.. I dunno.. cope?"

Ellie sighed and without opening her eyes, replied. "What was done... had to be done. But that doesn't mean we have to LIKE it Mags..."

Mags turned to face Ellie, "I never said we had to... But this hasn't been the first time, has it?"

Inago straightened up, a frown upon his face. "Cope? Kuso o taberu na! That's what I'm doing? I did what I was told! I went in and commited a massacre!"

Jester looked towards Inago, "You went in and saved souls, Inago. You let daughters return to their fathers, mothers to their children."

Jess nodded, "Doesn't mean it's easy Jester, but still..."

Inago interrupted, the anger clear on his face, "That's what we may have been doing but... look... to some of us, they looked like normal people. I just beat loads of them to death and you expect me to stand here and joke about it?"

Magenta sighed, "No one said joke Inny... At all."

with his ever present frown, Jester turned back to look towards Inago, "There are no jokes here. We must all take a moment to realise, we are not the monsters here."

Inago moved towards Lyn and brushed her hair from her eyes before putting an arm around her shoulders.

Ellie looked up at Inago and finally opened her eyes, her face glistening with tears. "Do I look like I'm laughing Kyo? It had to be done, but..."

Magenta scowled at Ellie as she interrupted, "It had to be done Ellie, yes... So we did it, and it's sorted."

Lyn looked at Inago, but rather than speak, she moved her hand to pat his. Cain walked over to both of them and placed a hand on their shoulders.

Jester pulled back his hood, "Inago, every time we free one, I die inside. Only Magenta knew that. Each time it hurts me so much I wish I were mortal. Yet I do what is needed, and I'm proud of you all for doing it with me. But this is not the end, and we will be better prepared next time."

Lyn placed her hand on Inago's shoulder, and slowly stood up, shakily. At that moment, energy rippled around Ellie's still sitting form as she transformed her armour back to her casual clothes. Pulling the Cirque badge from her jacket lapel, she sat staring at it silently, lost in thought.

Inago glanced at her, they turned back to Jester, a disheartened expression on his face, "What now?"

Jester smiled, "My clowns, the night is yours."

Lyn nodded and turned her back to the group, walking slowly away. As she did, Ellie rose to her feet and slipped the Cirque badge into her jacket pocket. Jess hugged her close, "I'll see you later?"

Ellie nodded before rising slowly into the night sky, "Yeah... Cya in a bit love..." As she rose into the sky, she looked back at those remaining, her mind in a turmoil, then headed towards the tram station. The words of a comic she'd once read flitted through her mind, "With great power comes great responsibility"; silly words for a silly childs comic she'd thought at the time, but now she realised the truth in them. She'd always done her best to be responsible with her powers, never to use too much force; but her actions tonight, and those of her friends, had sickened her. The more she thought about it, the more angry and upset she began to feel; they were supposed to be heroes, not killers! What gave them the right to be judge, jury and executioner? And what gave people the right to expect them to behave that way? At best, they were police; authorised only to arrest wrong doers and bring them in for the legal system to deal with. Acting as they had tonight, they were little better than the dregs of society they were meant to arrest.

As she approached the tram station, she paused for a moment, wondering where she could go. She didn't want to go home just yet, Jess might eb there and she couldn't face her just now. Atlas? No, Sunstorm would be there, poking his big nose in as usual. Galaxy? The statue would likely be crowded this time of night and she really didn't want to see anyone just now. Still, Galaxy... The place usually had a calming effect on her, made her feel safer than anywhere else in this hellhole of a city.

Finally coming to a decision, she floated slowly down to the platform and entered the tram waiting there. A few seconds later, the doors slid shut and the tram rumbled off to it's destination.


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

As she stepped from the tram, Ellie almost stumbled, so lost in her own thoughts was she. Stopping herself in time, she walked from the station and rose slowly into the sky. Drifting in the direction of the Galaxy Girl statue for a moment, from habit more than anything; she hovered for a while, watching the assembled heroes. How could she possibly face her friends after what she'd just taken part in? After a few moments hovering, Ellie gave those below a final glance, and floated to the top of the statue to land; sitting down to think where the others wouldn't disturb her.

As she sat there, staring into the night sky, she considered everything she'd been through since becoming a Peacebringer. She thought back to her old life, before the powers, and the names, and the fear, and remembered how much simpler her life had been when her only worry was getting a job. Back when she hadn't spent every waking moment in constant fear, both of what people wanted to do to her, and what she could do to them.


After short while, she spotted a small green form leaping through the air; seconds later, Inago landed beside her. "Ellie-chan.. Are you okay? Wait... That's a stupid question..."

Ellie looked up and tried to smile, "Hi Kyo.. How are you doing?"

Inago looked at Ellie and sighed, "You mind if I sit? I don't wanna be alone..."

"Go ahead..."

As Inago sat next to Ellie, glancing over the side at those below, Ellie reached out and put her arm around his shoulders. Forgetting those beneath them, Inago leaned into Ellie and curled up slightly. "I think they're having a meeting..."

Ellie nodded, "Probably... One was scheduled for afterwards..."

With a nod, Inago replied, "I don't know if that was right or wrong... but I feel awful."

"It's never easy Inny.. but now you understand how I feel a lot of the time..."

Inago looked up at Ellie, the sorrow plain in his eyes, "I'd always thought I wouldn't kill again... But when the order came, I did. It's just the scale it was on..."

Ellie returned Inago's look with the turmoil clear on her face. "It's not quite killing Inny.. From what Jesters' told me, they're already dead... All we did was release their souls. Doesn't make it easier though, not really."

Inago shook his head, "I don't know what I'm gonna tell Carol-chan..."

"Then don't... Not just now anyway. Give yourself time first." Ellie sighed and looked over the statues edge, "I broke the rules Inny..."

Inago looked up at Ellie, worry flickering across his face, "The rules? The Peacebringer ones?"

Ellie nodded, "The ones they imposed on me... I didn't kill, but I aided in it..."

"Will you be punished?"

Ellie shook her head, "I don't know, probably not; they know I'll punish myself enough for this."

"If I knew... Did you have to come? You should have stayed behind!"

Ellie looked down again with a sad smile, "No, I had to come... To help protect Jess, and you. In a normal fight, a fair fight, it's not an issue. But that wasn't a fair fight Inny, that was a rout, a massacre... Those carnies never stood a chance against us."

Inago nodded in agreement, "Makes me wonder... What else would I do if I was ordered to? How far would I go?"

Ellie looked at Inago for a moment, then pulled her Cirque badge from her pocket, staring at it wordlessly. Inago glanced at the badge, his face showing disgust, then he looked at his hands in the same way. Still gazing at the badge, Ellie said, "I wish I could tell you it gets easier Kyo... But it doesn't, and that's a good thing, because if killing ever became easy, then we'd become the monsters we fight."

Inago nodded, "I know... As the masks broke, I saw their faces... I'll never forget them."

"Inny, do you know what I see, every time I see someone die?"

Inago shook his head, "No... What?"

"I... see the face of one of the children I killed..."

Inago winced and hugged Ellie tightly. After a moment, Ellie gently pushed Inago away and her face hardened as she reached the decision she'd been hiding from for so long. "No more... I will NOT be involved in killing again!" As she spoke, she reached into her inside jacket pocket and removed her ID card, her hero license, and gazed at it blankly. Then her eyes flared with light and energy streamed from them, pouring into the card and rendering it into it's component atoms.

"Tiger White... Is gone... She died tonight, in a warehouse in Skyway City. Now, there is only Ellie."

Inago glanced at the smoke rising from Ellie's fingertips, understanding clear on his face, "I considered doing the same... But, it's not the end of Inago's time yet."

Ellie nodded and half smiled at Inago, "Good... You've not been through all the horrors I have Inny... And I pray that you never do. But for me, my time is over... I want to live a normal life again, with Jess."

"Will you be leaving the Cirque as well? I'd say family, but today it doesn't feel like one."

Glancing one more at the badge in her hand, she slipped it back into her pocket. "I don't know... I still have until August as Jester's ward, until then I can't really leave the family. But after that... I just don't know..."

With a sigh, she rose to her feet and hugged Inago. "I'd best go and tell Jess... And the others..."

Inago nodded and clambered up, "Let's get down from this high place."

With a final nod to Inago, Ellie glanced up into the sky, at the bright moon as it worked it's way across the city skyline; then she stepped lightly into the air, her eyes flaring with light, and flew into the night.

Some of my logs are WAAAAY too big to post in there though...

Hey, Does Guinevere still play? Wondering if it's possible to get ahold of the source for this so I can add global chat facilities to it. Be a lot quicker than starting from scratch...

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And the Marilyn Manson version of Personal Jesus is better.

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Blasphemy! Or perhaps not. You are entiteld to your opinion. Even if it is wrong...

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I've become Death, the destroyer of worlds.

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Seeing as I'm not the person who quotes Hindu scripture incorrectly, we shall be taking my opinion on this as gospel.

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I believe he means this:

"If the radiance of a thousand suns
Were to burst at once into the sky
That would be like the splendor of the Mighty one...
I am become Death,
The shatterer of Worlds."

Or you could go with Robert Oppenheimers misquote when he realised what he'd done after watching the first a-bomb test.

"...now I am become Death [Shiva], the destroyer of worlds..."

Now there's a man who never had a good nights sleep again...

Well.. Miss Ellie's had to pick up up a few times!

This is a fictionalised version of a mission which took place several weeks ago, involving several members of the Cirque de la Lune. All events portrayed in this story actually took place in-character.

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"Tiger, tiger, burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

In what distant deeps or skies
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand dare seize the fire?

And what shoulder and what art
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And when thy heart began to beat,
What dread hand and what dread feet?

What the hammer? what the chain?
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? What dread grasp
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?

When the stars threw down their spears,
And water'd heaven with their tears,
Did He smile His work to see?
Did He who made the lamb make thee?

Tiger, tiger, burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry? "

The Tiger - William Blake. 1757–1827

******************************************

Ellie swooped in from the sky and landed lightly in front of the warehouse doors, amongst her fellow members of the Cirque; Jester, Magenta, Zero Cain, Dark Remedi, Legend, Inago, and her fiancé, Jess. This was to be Inny's first mission as team leader, she hoped it went well. The Madame of Mystery was back again, and Ellie doubted she'd go down without a fight.

With a nod to the others, Inago opened the warehouse door, and they entered silently. Inside, the strains of carnival music could be heard in the distance, this was the place alright. Jester turned to the group and began his usual speech to inspire the troops. When he reached the part about destroying their enemies, Legend looked at Ellie, her worried expression hidden by her helmet, unsure of what Jester implied.

"Kill?" she asked.

Ellie returned Lyn's look with a worried one of her own. "It's... The only way... to set them free..."

Lyn hesitated for a moment, pondering this. "How about... No."

Jester glanced from Ellie to Lyn, a frown evident on his face. "Make her understand, Tiger White." Then, calling the others to arms, he turned and entered deeper into the warehouse. Ellie waited until the others had gone, then turned to look at her friend. "Lyn... They're already dead,

once they put on those masks they can't be saved. All we can do is free their souls."

Lyn looked down at Ellie, unreadable in her helmet. "You have proof of this?"

Ellie looked down at her feet, trying to think of a way to make Lyn realise the truth. "No tangible proof no, but Jester explained it to me... and I trust him."

Lyn looked down at Ellie from her impressive height, and reaching up, unclasped and removed her helmet. "Ellie, look into my eyes, straight into my eyes, and tell me we are doing the right thing."

Ellie sighed as she looked into Lyn's pale face, "We ARE doing the thing Lyn. Someone has to..."

Lyn stared down at Ellie, her expression harsh. Then, without breaking her gaze, she lifted her helmet and placed it back on her head.

With a nod, Ellie turned and, charging her shields, headed towards the sounds of battle, Lyn close behind her.

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

As they rounded the corner, they were just in time to see the last of a group of Carnies, an iron strongman by the look of him, fall to the floor; Magenta's mace buried in his helmet. As she pulled the mace free, gore dripping from it, she looked up at the late comers.

Ellie looked at the mess on the floor with a grimace, "Sorry guys"

Magenta grinned at Ellie, her face flushed from the combat, "No probs Ellie, you two all set now?"

With a smile, Jester nods to Lyn, "We having fun yet?"

Ellie frowned and shot Jester a look. "Jest... This is NOT fun... Let's just get this over with so we can go home."

Jester nodded, and wiping the blood from his ears, called out the battle cry of the Cirque. "Send in the clowns!"

With a roar, the assembled clowns charged. Ellie held back a moment and with a massive surge of power, transformed into the form of Kurukt, the white dwarf, before entering the fray.

Quickly, she was confronted by a group of iron strongmen, smashing their hammers into her armoured form for all they were worth. It was futile, their blows barely felt. With a wave of her massive arm, she knocked them aside, and headed for the group of harlequin jugglers menacing Jess.

With a roar, she slammed her powerfull hoofed foot into the ground, sending a massive surge of power through the very earth and knocking the carnies away from her lover. Then, yelling to leave Jess alone, she laid into them, knocking several unconcious in a single blow.

Behind her, Cain saw the carnies fall and extending his dark powers, ripped the life essence from those fallen, forming them into dark servants to do his bidding. with a grin, he lept into the fray, killing carnie after carnie in his ferocity.

Jester was busy facing down one of Madeleine's dark ring mistresses. Extending his powers he fired a massive blast straight into the carnies head, burning straight through the mask and enveloping hear head in a ball of shadows. Seconds later, she fell with a piercing scream as the dark energy consumed the life within.

Meanwhile, Inago was busy fighting alongside Magenta. As she crushed foe after foe with her mace, blood splattering in all directions, Inago was busy, delivering crippling kicks to the bodies of those before him. One carnie, a strongman, slammed his hammer into Inago's back, knocking him to the ground. Inago was quicky back on his feet and leapt at his assailant, his powerfull legs propelling him with such force that his knee smashed through the strongman's armoured helmet and crushed the skull inside, shattering the mask inside in the process.

Lyn looked back from her fight with another strongman, her sword parrying a blow from his hammer, just in time to see Inago make his first kill. Pulling her sword free from the hammer, she delivered a punishing kick to the strongmans groin and turned to help her little brother up from the ground.

Remedi, meanwhile, was watching the fight, ready to heal her comrades should they be harmed. So far, there was no sign of ayone getting injured.

Suddenly, in a blur of purple and yellow, Grav appeared by Remedi's side. Positioning her shield to block a blow from the fencer Remedi hadn't seen, After giving her a fast nod, Grav raised her hands to cast a spell at the carnie, who instantly dropped to the ground, her soul freed painlessly from it's torment.

As the battle progressed through the dark corridors, it quickly became plain the carnies were no match for the combined power of the heroes. They cut through the opposition as if they weren't even there, neither stopping for pause, nor slowing down, as they ripped through their enemy. Ellie used her bulk to block blow after blow intended for her compatriots, virtually immune to the blows raining down upon her. As each carnie fell before her blows, knocked senseless, Cain or Jester were quick to destroy the masks, and end the tortured life within.

Finally, amidst the confusion, Inago called out. "Madame of Mystery! Nante kouun nano!"

Despatching the last of the opposition, Jester turned to face his nemesis. Madeleine Casey, the Madame of Mystery.

She turned towards Jester and cast her imperious gaze upon the assembled heros. "So, you have learned the truth! Fool! You will never recover your precious friend Madeleine! I am part of the Carnival now!"

Inago glared at the Madame, his face flushed from the fight and his breathing heavy. "Tanoshimou ne!"

Jess looked towards Jester, concern evident in her voice, "I don't think she's in a mood to talk, Jester..."

Jester turned to look towards Magenta, who was snarling at the Madame, her bloody mace at the ready. "Hold her Magenta, I will try and get past the mask."

With a nod, Magenta released a blood chilling yell and leapt at the Madame, closely followed by all but Jester, as he used his mind to try to batter through Madeleines' psychic defenses.

Bursts of light and energy coruscated all around the battle, making it almost impossible to see. Ellie took several punishing psychic blasts but her mental shields held, glad that she and Magenta were taking the brunt of the Madames barrage of psionic power. More and more power surged from the heroes, blasting into Madeleines' body, concentrating on the mask and the malevolent spirit within.

Finally, with a titanic blow from Jester's mind, the Madame of Mystery fell, and with a quiet whisper, she muttered, "Free. Yes. You have freed me.", before fading into nothing. With a muffled clatter, the mask fell to the ground and lay there, it's empty eyes glaring blankly at the heroes who had defeated it.

Jester walked slowly to the mask and picked it up. Looking up at the others, blood flowing from his ears and his eyes as black as coal, he spoke.

"Well done, all of you."

Lyn threw down her sword and started to fumble at the clasp of her helmet franticly as she started to retch, unused to what had happened. Inago's pale face looked franticly around as he started to back away, "I.. I'm gonna have to go outside..."

As Inago brushed past the others, Ellie glowed brightly as she returned to her human form, her expression unreadable.

Jester closed his eyes for a moment, "Magenta, can you lead them out?"

Magenta nodded and turned, ushering the others away to leave Jester alone, holding the mask. As they trooped through the now quiet building, signs of the battle were everywhere... Smashed boxes and equipment, holes torn in the walls, and blood everywhere... The walls... the floor... in some cases, even the ceiling; but of the carnies, no trace could be found... The bodies were gone.

Happy birthday to you!
Happy birthday to you!
Happy BIIIIIIIRRRRTHHHHDAAAAAAAYYYYYYYY dear ZOOOOOOORRRTEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLL
Happy birthday to you!




Have a really great day Z!! Lots of cake on it's way to you (if I can figure out how to get it into an email! )

It's likely down to the immense number of tools we get from time to time that speak nothing but leet gibberish and throw smilies all over the place... Generally annoying the hell out of us all.

TBH, I dislike smilies when RPing as well, and just ignore that they were there. If someone wants my characters to see them winking, they can either emote a wink properly, or not get it seen. If people think that's elitist, that's up to them, but it's not!

Indeed, mucho gratz to you RM for doing it again... Before I managed it too, you total <bleep!>

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Unless it's Jess. She could talk about the merits of potatoes all day long.

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Yes, well... There's an exception to EVERY rule ever made, and Jess is that exception!

You do realise Z, that if they should ever pick Jess to appear in a CoH comic, you're actually the ONLY one who could write her part? Anyone else who tried would probably go mad in seconds...

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Nah, he's always been this bad

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Oi!! I resemble that remark!

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he gets to read my typing way to often, which is possably the most typo and spelling mistake riddled garbadge anywere, apart from leet speakers, as they aren't even speaking English.


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I've seen worse mate... Trust me on that...

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I wouldn't hurt dear, sweet little MaXy. Instead, I'm going to be patronising and condescending towards him until he apologises. Aren't I MaXy-WaXy?

By the way FFM, there are two l's in "really"

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You're cruel woman, so cruel....fine, I apologise

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Shouldn't that be "You're a cruel woman"?

Ninja editing? Me? I would never do such a thing!!

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By the way FFM, there are two l's in "really"

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Indeed there are... And your point being?

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*Phew*, good thing I never do that, don't want Statis to get angry at me...


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Hmmm.. And typing her name deliberately wrong is a REALLY good way of avoiding that, right? Right?






You're soooooo dead!

(( I can see potential for this getting a little ugly, so may I suggest those that the two respective threads are allowed to continue IC? ))

There have been no redname comments in months, despite repeated appeals, and the general consensus is that the competition is dead.

TBH, 99% of us don't post in here for prizes anyway, we do it for fun.

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Seriously, Issue 5 and Issue 6 will be up "Soon"

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OK.... Who kidnapped Hikari and replaced her with Bridger in drag?

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PS: The improvements are a result of Floating's feedback. (Thanks again man, I like the new pages sooo much better, and I'd like to know if you do too.)


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Looking much better so far! I'm not too sure about the regular emphasis on certain words by emboldening them, but that's more a style thing than anything, otherwise, the narrative panels are MUCH easier to read now.

Oh, one thought occurs. You describe your hero as being tied to Overbrook as if he can never leave, yet later in the story he does. Might be worth just adding a bit so the reader knows he can leave for short periods?

Well... I'm not sure about a favourite page as such, but I did prefer the first chapter over the others, even with it's slight story faults.

And of course I don't mind if you quote any of my feedback. Glad you found it usefull!