Hallucinogen_NA

Radiation poured out of Hallucinogen, strengthening all those gathered there for the coming battle, and cloaking them all from the Consumed's view.

((That's both Accelerate Metabolism and Group Invisibility.))

". . . Essex. . . careful. . ." he muttered, glancing at her invisible, as the Phantasm advanced, firing beams of light born of pure hope, and Schizo yelled "ALL RIGHT! We got to the next stage!" and thorns burst from the ground under the Consumed's feet, which would likely make it have difficulty moving at all. . .

"Agh! E, Experiment!" Hal exclaimed. "She didn't go through, she's probably really confused! She might not even recognize us!"

". . . and how come you get to hug her?" he muttered under his breath.

((You're in some ship of Acid's.
Everyone who was at the university except Essex, Cyba and Midas was teleported there, and now they're there too.
And no I don't think she did.
That is all. ))

"Essex!" Hal exclaimed, completely forgetting everything else and running to her. He stopped abruptly in front of her.

". . . You okay?" he muttered tentatively, avoiding her gaze.

Dunno if I'd say THAT. But they're a mixture of villains and heroes, and Essex is the only thing that's holding some of them together.

S'tough love.

"Indeed there are," Moonscribe returned, regarding Vern calmly. "I command most of the Rebellion in Paragon City, but it is Rosalind who is fighting against the Overmagus in his own lands. However, she is having a certain amount of trouble at the moment. I have sent several of my associates to assist her, but I have not yet heard back. . ."

"That is the only major resistance movement other than my own that I know of. Since we have few other leads, we might do well to assist her personally."

"Rosalind?" Hal said, raising an eyebrow under his smoke. "Whaddya know."

Hal: Shut up and be blinded already! Stupid PBAoE, always missing. *grumbles*

((Hal like Essex's Adrenalin Boosts. XP))

Hal stopped rushing around so that Essex could reach him just as his Consumed attempted to intercept him.

His eyes flickered closed for a second as Essex touched him on the shoulder. Then they were open, and red flames burned inside them, his hands glowing brilliantly, the light almost blinding.

"Get AWAY," he said, his green smoke vanishing into a brilliant, pure glow spreading all over his body. Miniature wings were unfolding from the back of his head. "I don't have TIME for you!"

And he had leaped backwards into the air, and light shot from his hands as the Phantasm caught him, the air everywhere filled with blinding flashes.

"Showoff," Schizo muttered darkly, twiddling his thumbs.

((No, I haven't completely abandoned this, told ya! ))

PART FOUR

“Awaken, Hallucinogen.”

He was in a dark room, the cold air disturbed regularly by gouts of steam. A face concealed by a metal mask was peering into his. . . if there even was a face behind it, or any of the masks of Lord Nemesis.

Hal tried to move his arms and legs, but they were restrained. Unsurprising.

“What do you want with me?” he said in cold fury, attempting to summon his Phantasm, but something was stopping it. It was as though there was some sort of seal trapping it inside. . .

“Well, firstly, you may cease your futile efforts to escape,” Nemesis replied. Well, perhaps it was not really him. But Hal was convinced this time. . . there was something about this Nemesis that sent chills down his spine with every word. “I suppose you cannot see your forehead, can you.”

“. . . What about it?” Hal said, glaring at Nemesis, and trying to concentrate his radiation into some sort of attack, but it felt like it was all being sucked out of him. . .

“It bears a seal that acts upon your soul,” Nemesis returned, surveying him impassively. “A. . . gift from the Tsoo. Your spiritual strength you so foolishly rely on is now useless to you. And you are wondering how your radiation is being suppressed.” It was not a question. “Simple. That is indeed the reason you are here, Hallucinogen. You exude radiation constantly. And yet, it does not wear on you to do so. It strengthens you. Did you never wonder about this?”

“. . . Why would I?” Hal muttered, trying to think of a form of escape he had not yet tried.

“Why? Because you are curious, perhaps,” Nemesis said, pacing back and forth before him. “You thirst for knowledge, to understand the world that fails to understand you. For power, to show that world you are capable of making a difference. . .We are very much alike, Hallucinogen. There is much that we have in common, indeed.”

“. . . Are you going to answer my question?” Hal muttered angrily.

“Very well,” Nemesis said. “I am siphoning off the energy you emit. You see, you emit radiation as long as you are alive, and you will never die because it keeps you living. It is a paradox, and one which I can put to good use. Do you not realize, Hallucinogen, that you are a perpetual motion machine? The very first I have ever encountered.”

“. . . I’m not a MACHINE!” Hal yelled, the restraints shaking as he struggled with them, but they were hardly strained at all. “What the hell are these things made of?!?”

“Well, it is only your spirit that gives you any significant physical strength at all, of course,” Nemesis said, stopping to look at him again. “But there is no sense in poor preparation when such a very elegant solution is possible. I am using the very energy you release to strengthen your restraints. However. . . you are simply attempting to buy time. There is little use in further conversation.”

“. . . Someone will find me,” Hal growled as Nemesis turned to leave.

“Of course they will,” Nemesis answered as he approached a wall and part of it lifted to allow him to pass. “Perhaps you will be rescued, reunited with your friends, and your precious mechanical angel. Keep that hope burning in your heart. You are little use to me without it.”
And the door shut behind him, and Hallucinogen was alone.

The Phantasm had now recovered, and hovered in midair, hands glowing, searching for the Consumed.

"It's gotta be there somewhere," Hal muttered to himself, dashing at incredible speed along the ground, invisible.

He began to project his radiation into the ground. It would weaken the Consumed greatly when it hit, although it would also give away his position. But that was why the Phantasm was now watching his master carefully, ready to blast away at the Consumed should it appear next to him. . .

[ QUOTE ]
Oh, and get word to Dr. Phillis as well. Please ask if we should pick him up or if he'd like to come of his own accord..."


[/ QUOTE ]

". . And Essex!" Hal exclaimed, panicking a little. "Agh! We're not leaving her behind! I'm not going. . . after all these years. . ." His hands were glowing brilliantly.

"Do calm down, Pharaoh," Moonscribe said from behind him.

"Stop it, Moonscribe, I can't help it!" Hal complained. "I mean, just because you. . . wait a minute. . . HOW THE HELL ARE YOU HERE?!?"

"Oh, I am not," Moonscribe said calmly. "This is a Disciple of mine. But it is good to see you again too, Hallucinogen."

Hal's figure seemed to blur as his Consumed brought its arms down at him. The attack sent the Phantasm to the ground, but Hal was somewhere else. . . and it was difficult to see where, as there now appeared to be another Essex, Toy and Alpha, and they all rushed at the Consumed, the illusionary Alpha yelling "BOOM! Headshot!"

And the Consumed's strike seemed to do little to the being of light, though it seemed stunned by the attack and unable to counter. . .

"Ow!" Schizo yelled as he was hit on the head. However, Schizo's body was a mere convenience, and his head was no more vulnerable than anywhere else.

"Aw, you want a hug, snookums?" Schizo said in mock adoration, and his arms shot around the Consumed. Shortly after that they were coverd in thorns.

Moonscribe was suddenly sitting next to Truefeather. . . or was he? Suddenly, it was hard to tell if he had just been there all along, and no one had noticed him.

"I would tell you what I am thankful for," he said, smiling enigmatically, "but it is really of no importance."

"YAY!" Super Roby yelled as he crashed through the wall and tore into the turkey. "DIE, VILLAINOUS TURKEY!"

"You are supposed to say what you are thankful for, you know," Gabriel said as he appeared at the table in a rush of darkness. "And I am thankful for all that which was, is, and will be, for all things have a place."

"Fat chance," Pyewacket said, floating into the room levitated by his jetpack. "Roby and I are cats. We aren't thankful for ANYTHING. We just expect it. Now gimme food."

((I like the idea of everyone being at the same table. ))

Hallucinogen appeared out of nowhere in another chair, causing the random family to jump, and they jumped again when Schizophrenias appeared in the chair beside him.

"Uh. . ." Hallucinogen said, looking around nervously. "I'm, uh. . . thankful for. . ."

"Yeah, yeah, you're thankful for your little pink robot girlfriend, we KNOW already!" Schizo said dismissively. "Bah. What a stupid holiday. And you're way too predictable, Hal-chan."

"Hmmph," Hal grumbled, crossing his arms. "Like you aren't."

"Well, it's not like I'm going to say something soppy like you," Schizo said, leering at the green smokey illusionist. "Although, uh, she IS cute."

After the uncomfortable silence that followed in which Hal glared pointedly at his other self, Schizo cleared his throat.

"Ahem. I'm just thankful that it will all be over soon."

". . . Oh God," Hal groaned, facepalming. "Nobody listen!"

"You see, every day more people die, crime rates increase, tension between countries worsens, and gas prices rise," Schizo said sagely. "It's all getting worse and worse. Nothing will ever get better. The human race is doomed to wipe itself off the face of the Earth. And THAT is what I am thankful for, because for the first time. . . they will FINALLY have done something right!"

". . . Dangit, I TOLD you not to listen," Hal muttered at the random family mother, who was whimpering slightly.

"Agh!" Hal yelled as his version of the Consumed came at him. He flipped backwards into the air right into the arms of his Phantasm as it appeared, and beams of light tore at the copy from both the illusionist and his pet.

"Awesome!" Schizo cackled, floating around in a bizarre, slightly dizzying pattern, if it even WAS a pattern. Thorns shot at his Consumed as it swung at him, and purple miasma poured over it from his hands, tearing at whatever consciousness the thing had. . . "We're all going to die! YAY DEBT FARMING!"

"Ow!" Hal exclaimed as the ball hit him in the forehead, and he was suddenly back in the domed room, the vision clearing. "Uh, huh? Who the heck are you?" he said, blinking at Cobalt. "And if I knew either of those things, I assure you, I'd tell you. . ."

Well, yeah. Far as I can tell it's not even a very hard suspension of disbelief. . . the ones I worry about are those that affect existing storylines, fictional worlds, etc. that other people will have different versions of. Not that I've never messed with those too. <_<

But anyway, the only problem with having female minions is that it could be abused by sickos. I doubt those sickos RP, and if they do, I dunno why you're enduring their company.

Hallucinogen was walking down a long hall, filled with pictures. People he knew and had resolved to protect lined the walls everywhere. A few pictures were of himself. He did, after all, have to stay alive for her. . .

And there at the very end was a portrait of a little girl with long blonde hair, the same little girl who was waiting outside with Midas, the same that he had been searching for all this time.

"Hey, loser," Schizo said casually, walking into the hall from a doorway partially eaten away by thorns. "There's no one else here, is there?"

"No," Hal answered, smiling. "I suppose. . . that when you do not exist. . . having your existence rewritten does not really work, does it."

Hehe. Hi, Emry! You should--

*TERRIBLE MIND CONTROL VOICE* JOIIIIN A THRRRREAD.

*normal voice* Y'know, if you have the time. <_<

A blast of light shot through the Blightlord projection as it disappeared, and Hallucinogen dropped to the ground, looking at Essex over his shoulder, red flames burning in his eyes.

"We don't want any!" Schizo yelled after Blightlord. "We're PERFECTLY happy with our current insurance company, thank you!"

". . . All right, Essex," Hal said, walking into the closet without further hesitation. ". . . I, I'm so glad to see you again. . . even if you hardly know who I am. . ."

. . . Glad to see her again? Hal thought to himself as he waited for something to happen. He'd been searching this miserable place for her for years. . . that was quite the understatement. . .

((Well, I haven't really been following anyone but Vern, Midas, Essex and company too closely. . . but Vern is doing some thing that will let them connect with their "real" selves, and they've been worrying over whether they should ever since. Also Hal was teleported along with them. I think they're in some random supply closet. But I've been distracted. :P))

". . . Wow. . . I see your point," Hal muttered in Midas's direction. "Your other self is one HECK of a hypocrite. . ."

" . . . Essex," he said nervously. "You remember me. . .?"

". . .Look," he said, turning to Midas again. "I have no idea who you are, but it's clear to me that you're dedicated to protecting her. . . as I am. So. . . why don't we just get along until this is over."

"Gasp!" said Schizo's voice out of nowhere. "Hal-chan is being MATURE! I do not believe my ears! And a good thing too as they're purely decorative and currently nonexistent!"

"Ow! Shut up, Schizo!" Hal muttered, looking selfconsciously around at everyone else. Some impression he was making. As usual. . .

". . . Look, it's all your own decision to make, okay?" Hal muttered. "But I've made mine. . . though it's not really fair. . . because honestly, I don't think I've changed. I think I'll be just the same after, but. . . I'm not going leave until I'm sure."

"W, wha, agh!" Hal exclaimed, and then clapped his hand over his mouth, looking around nervously.

"S, sorry," he muttered. "Wait. . . Vern? Do you remember too? Wait, you don't live on this world, so. . ."

Hal looked around at the others assembled there. . . "Experiment? You too? Uh, I don't think we've met," he continued, glancing at Damien and Darean. "And you," He continued, turning to Tam, then Midas. "No, I don't recognize. . . ugh, sorry. . . I bet not all of you remember. Heck, maybe none of you do, I'm amazed I do. . ."

". . . E, Essex!" he exclaimed suddenly, his eyes finally resting on the little girl holding Midas's hand.

"Uh, I mean, uh. . ." he muttered, forcing his voice to drop again, "h, hi, uh. . . do you, uh. . . remember me. . .at all? I'm Hallucinogen. . . remember?"

His face fell as he spoke, though. It looked to him like Essex had been changed considerably. . .

"Yay for lack of creativity!" Schizo cackled, floating in random directions every which way and sending thorns into zombies as they came. "But my giant laser to destroy the universe was MORE cliche, thank you."

"Agh! Essex, watch out!" Hal yelled, and a being formed of light appeared in front of her with a brief flash.

"Oh dear," the Phantasm said, beaming at Essex. "I really need to contact Heaven, as I believe they're missing an--"

"Can it," Hal muttered, grinning despite himself, as he blasted a nearby zombie with rays of light, placing himself in between Essex and the zombie hordes.

"You spoilsport," the Phantasm said cheerfully, shielding Essex from the other side and sending zombies flying with waves of light.

((Gah, I know, I'm posting too much, I'll stop now! T_T))

"Hey, loser," Schizo said amicably to Hazthri. "You suck. So, do you stay in that idiot's head and torment him constantly?" He still managed to continue floating in Toy's path and leer at the mastermind, but another mouth formed on the side of his head and grinned at Hazthri as well.

". . .Well, uh. . ." Hal muttered. "You can't just walk up to her and hug her, dangit!"

"Why not?" Schizo cackled through both his mouths at once. "You do all the time."

"W, well, but. . ." Hal muttered, looking desperately in Essex's direction, hoping to be rescued. "But, I know her!"

"Oh yes," Schizo cackled. "And clearly this Dorkstorm guy has never seen her before, but just MAGICALLY knew her name."

"B, but, it's different!" Hal muttered frantically. "She likes me!"

"She likes you!" Schizo declared as though that were such a brilliant argument he could not possibly counter it. "Yes, because of course, she doesn't like anyone ELSE she meets! I can say no more to such blisteringly potent logic, Hal-chan, to be sure."

He laughed manically, Hal muttering darkly, until they were both cut short unceremoniously by being hit in the face with goo.

((Poor Hal is so bad at arguing. ))

((EDIT: Good Lord. Sorry, didn't think two people would post in the time I was writing that. . . I only saw Devious. XP))

". . .Uh. . ." Hal muttered as he followed the others, though Darkstorm could somehow hear him perfectly. "You know, I have no idea who you are, but I can sense emotions. And you're feeling unhappy and left out. So look. I'm Hallucinogen, okay? Just. . . keep your hands off Essex and we'll get along fine."

"Oh REALLY," Schizo said, leering at Darkstorm now as he floated along. "What's wrong with being miserable? It's the way of the world! Agony makes the world go round! Everyone hates you, just kick the bucket already so we can be--"

". . .SCHIZO," Hal muttered through clenched teeth.

"Aw, you never let me do ANYTHING," Schizo pouted, contenting himself with floating in front of Toy and grinning so hard his grin seemed to extend off his face.