Mr_Grey

Oh God! It's 1995! Look at the Internet as it is now!

So bleak...

Hey, there's me at age 11. Excuse me, I have to dispense some advice.

Me: "Hey! When you meet Entropy Aegis, kick him in the nuts. You'll understand what I mean when you get there."

Me at Age 11: "Uh..."

Me: *Time warps back home after doing many unspeakable things that no man should have to do to get the money to make the time machine.*

Much Older Me: "Entropy... I'm going to hurt you badly, but first..."

*Other Me appears.*

Other Me: "I get it now!"

*Other Me kicks Entropy Aegis in the groin before merging with Older Me, reverting back to Normal Me.*

You made me relive portions of my life and experience whole new levels of hatred...

*Kicks Entropy Aegis in the groin.*

*Gets a golf club and swings it into Entropy's clavicle.*

And now, le coup de gras...

*Swings sledge hammer into Aegis's ribcage.*

*Rez!*

Sonova...

I got blended and kicked in the face.

That's just ebil.

Burns like Hellfire...

Godammit, now I gotta shoot someone...

*Loads double-barreled shotgun and aims at flying skull of Chaotic96*

Hey look! Trap!

*Fires. Skull splits apart.*

((I'm easily distracted...))

*REZ!*

Damn you, Shinji!

*Constructs a giant robotic death machine to slaughter Himonu. Vehicle's power usage means it only goes five minutes without constant power input...*

What? [Frig] that!

*takes a lead pipe and bonks Shinji over the head*

Mreh. So much easier...

And yet... Unsatisfying...

*Gets in (who am I kidding?) EVA and commands it to stomp on the corpse.*

Ah... Satisfying. I don't see why people had problems with these things.

Wow... I didn't realize how many diverse people we brought into this thread...

Whelp, when in Rome...

*Whips out shotgun and blasts Entropy Aegis in the head*

Rezzin' dead threads isn't all bad...

No. However, the why of it still bothers many. Not me so much, because existence never irked me. Not even at my most ridiculous and dark (some would call it "emo"; but this was before the term "emo" existed) did I feel I would have been better off dead.

Since we're here, I feel we may as well do something with the time alloted us. One never really knows when life is going to end.

I still have doubts about that theory.

In our version of Real Life, the "Hero" doesn't always win, and nobody ever truly sees him or herself as "the Villain." Everybody is their own hero.

Well, that is interesting.

If such a thing were true, however, what does that say about us as gods, or of the metaphysical caretakers of those dimensions? Heroes go through some terrible strife, whether they're in dramas or action roles. Most fictional literature puts people through some very intense problems that they have to overcome.

If our writing makes us gods, then we are terrible caretakers of our worlds. If we're merely glimpsing into their lives, should we pity the subjects of our observations?

I take the inspiration where I get it. The source isn't necessarily that important, the phrase and its use is.

Ugh, now if only I could find the inspiration to write the real Kingdale story that's rattling around in my head.

We've been over and over that point Charlie. I'm not entirely sure what we eventually settled on, but we've moved past the issue. Welcome to the debate, though.

Now, for those of us who don't wish to spend a few hours clicking with fascination in Wikipedia, would you please provide a quick synopsis of what Eschatological Patheistic Multiple-Ego Solopsism is?

Please tell me you're not just stringing 10-dollar words together. With a name like that, it has to be interesting!

I agree with you, Masonic, on the profound changes which have been occurring in our world at a relatively breakneck pace (with all of history considered; indeed, sometimes so fast that it takes humanity as a whole a chaotic moment to process it), and that they have had a tremendous impact on our world, but that doesn't change my point. Each and every one of those moments has required some form of moment, some kind of inspiration, someone telling the masses that it was okay to stand up and fight for their equality... or for anything.

I'm not going to argue that racism and bigotry are still rampant. There's enough evidence and debate on that elsewhere, and it's an issue outside the scope of this thread at the moment. Here, it doesn't really have a place. We can't see one another's faces, and the most we can judge each other on are the few ideas we present to this forum.

However, I still stand firm that we need something to inspire us to make a new future for ourselves, and not just grind this planet into dust. Once, there was a time we could have turned to faith, but that has become so mired in politics that it only really works in local situations (and sometimes not even then). Perhaps in another generation or so we'll have an answer.

Some among humanity feel we have a destiny. Most can't see past their next paycheck. Many still can't see their next meal.

We can't even come to equilibrium with ourselves. We never have. Even with the knowledge at our fingertips, many still refuse to even look at or utilize it.

For instance, Evolution is considered the antithesis to Creationism rather than the process of it, by both practitioners of Science and Judeo-Christian faiths. This is a non-issue (in that, whether right or wrong, it doesn't really change ANYTHING in any practical way) that was long-before resolved by Nature and God (if such a thing, in any concept or use of the word, exists), and yet this is a major point of contention long after it was even conceived. Nobody looks outside their respective texts for inspiration or even to humor the possibility that they may be wrong.

In any case, I think mankind is waiting for a major catalytic (or perhaps cataclysmic) event to spur them on a better (or worse) path. Otherwise, we seem content to stay locked in the same cycle we've always locked ourselves in.

Nester is Kip's older brother. In fact, he's actually been in Paragon City longer than anybody else in the Grey's Army roster (not including Rhode Island natives). After high school, he started going to college in Salamanca for courses in writing and American History. He didn't really have a major or a career path in mind, and was working as a clerk in the local hospital when the Rikti War broke out.

Though he wasn't actually training in the medical field, he learned quickly how to help the strained hospital staff and even went out into the beleaguered city to help police, military and even a few heroes with experimental medical technology and medicines.

After the war, he returned to his studies and assisted with the reconstruction effort as best he could. Sometimes, to get a little extra cash, he tested new equipment for the hospital. However, he couldn't shake the feeling of restlessness he'd developed.

Then he heard his brother was both in the city and dying of Obsidian Blight. In what seemed like a blur (considering the help he was getting from his inventor friend, Sheldon Wallace, it probably was), he whipped up some of the new medical technology he was still testing into a powerful combat suit and registered as an Empathy Defender that utilizes radiation blasts to defend himself. Initially, the idea was to use the suit to try to cure his brother, but even when that proved impossible, the Healing Wave Generator and the Medical Nanite Projector proved too useful for Nester to just quit hero work, so he kept at it.

During the course of his career, he's made new friends, caught up with old ones, and even got a new girlfriend. This is quite the contrast to his high school years of being an often-ignored nobody and social outcast.

Basic Field Medic

Nester's outfit doesn't have to be complete in order for him to gain the benefits of it. He just needs to have specific parts. With the help he's been getting from his girlfriend, Mindy Jakobsen, those parts become smaller and smaller every couple of months. This enables him to experiment with outfits that go outside the "hardsuit" parameters and always be ready to provide a helping hand.

This is his general outfit. It has his chest plate (which converts his body's BTUs into the energy required for the HWG and the MNP), gloves (the working portion of the Projector), and his specially designed boots and sneakers, which are his flight system (the belt provides a hover field; the sneakers have force emitters installed in the soles, enabling much faster flight). The glasses he wears are also wired into the outfit, enabling him to fire X-ray beams from them.

Green Trench Coat

Nester wears this outfit when he feels he's in a "cool" mood. Unlike his brother, the rocket boots he wears here actually help his flight. The interior of the trench coat is specially treated to withstand the jets, but to stay on the safe side, Nester uses a slow-burning/low-heat fuel gel and a pressure system to provide the necessary bursts of speed. The same "Hover Belt" provides the basic flight necessary to make this system work.

Formal Wear

Unlike his brother and boss, Nester prefers more color in his formal wear. This is also a good example of Nester's proficiency as an innovator, rather than an inventor. Again, with the necessity to always be ready, he applies as few parts to this outfit as possible, but is still capable of healing and boosting his allies.

Hardsuit

Suits like this have been popping up a lot recently, and Nester adopted the appearance to his own hardsuit, seeing as how he wasn't really a fan of the rounded one he'd been using. This is what he utilizes when he feels he's about to get into some dangerous situations.

Hm.

My older brother is of the mindset that the only way for mankind to return to equilibrium with the world is for a very large portion of humanity to be wiped out.

It gets even more disturbing when he says he has aspirations of becoming a political figure.

Fortunately... He doesn't seem to be too ambitious in his professional life anyway... We're talking about a guy who's going on 30 and is still delivering pizza.

Still, he could get a big boost if he joins the Peace Corps...

Hm... I have a future scenario to think about. It doesn't end well.

In any case, I do believe that humanity can return to to equilibrium with the world, but we need to get over one hangup.

Profit.

Not money, we still need that as a token for services rendered. There are a lot of issues made simple by having a currency system in place. However, the greed associated with accumulating vast amounts of wealth for no reason other than to expand a company and acquire more wealth (as opposed to hoarding it for unforeseeable future generations) is certainly holding the human race back.

As it stands, we seem locked in in a self-perpetuating cycle, with the little people feeding themselves to the bloated giant running the controls of a rusting, rotting, self-destructing machine, if only to keep it running for a little while longer...

Honestly, I'm not a fan of capitalism. Too many major businesses are making the government's decisions. We truly do seem to have traded one God for another, golder one. Sadly, knowing my fellow humans, if/when somebody finally notices, we'll just shift back to the other, comfortable familiar choice. I'm not saying that's so bad, but we've been down that road before, and it's still remembered as a dark and dangerous time.

There has to be another path for the human race to walk, for this one is far too treacherous, and all I see at the end of it is a gaping maw, full of fire.

...

I feel weird...

Power Breaker's origins lie with the Family. Specifically, a young courier thug named Raymond Harris, who was simply doing his best to keep his head low in a rough world. During a brief spat between the Tsoo and the Outcasts (which seems to happen every couple of months), he came across the murder of a Tsoo courier by an Outcast Initiate. He was then arrested by Randall Grey, who found him trying to resuscitate his competition.

Despite the arresting hero trying to speak on the young man's behalf, Harris' juvenile record (mostly petty stuff, but a few recorded public acts of violence) as well as a damning psychological profile, and the fact that the public was just plain fed up with super-powered crime, Harris was consigned to spend the bulk of the rest of his life in the Ziggursky Penitentiary. Unfortunately, the Tsoo (who believed that Harris was responsible for the death of an influential member's nephew) decided that would not be a very long sentence. Their assassin, using a customized shiv constructed from plastic flatware from the cafeteria, tore out Ray's right eye and much of his abdomen in a daring mid-shift assault.

However, Harris had just the right genetic makeup for an experiment Crey industries wanted to conduct. With an offer to save his life dangling in front of him, Raymond was quick to give permission for the operation that would turn him into a technical supervillain.

After a few days in the infamous "Super Block," the rogue now dubbed Power Breaker got another lucky break. Arachnos staged a daring night-time breakout to free numerous super-powered criminals as part of the ubiquitous "Project D.E.S.T.I.N.Y."

What followed was a very long and arduous trek through the Etoile "Rogue" Isles. Power Breaker did many things he's not proud of, but also helped a lot of people who were really deserving of it. He tried his best to stay off the radar of Arachnos, but that just doesn't happen in that community.

When he arrived in Grandville for the first time, he was immediately shunted to Lord Recluse's lieutenants. The one he decided to work with was Scirocco. Breaker really bought in to the sorcerer's take on "not being a monster" and worked quickly on the first assignment he was tasked.

He was hoping it would be quick and he could duck under the organization's radar after it was over. After having to fight off Serafina (which is apparently a fairly common occurrence for the Desert Wind), Harris was tasked with locating the Malleus Mundi (another frequent request of Scirocco's).

This (possibly) proved to be an error in the sorcerer's judgment. Power Breaker is a cyborg. The operation Crey put him through has turned his body into a nanotechnology monstrosity. Though the nanites themselves were based off recovered Nictus implants, they behave very differently.

First off, they altered his physique from an average 5'7" frame to the bulked out 8 foot death machine it now is. Then, they charged Power Breaker's attacks with a kind of energy that is as potent as any incandescent blast. Furthermore, they wrapped his body in an energy field that deflects most incoming blows and resists the impact when they do prove to be potent enough to break through. This seems to be payment for turning his body into a walking nanite factory.

Perhaps most jarring of all is that the nanites themselves have developed some form of rudimentary intelligence. So far it has not warred with Power Breaker for dominance, but it has done something independently of his orders.

They memorized the most complete version of the Malleus Mundi yet gathered before Harris returned the book. He just flipped through the pages, curious as to what was inside before delivering it to Scirocco, and they flash-memorized it. Before that point, breaker had never lamented his new idytic memory. Now, he has strange dreams, and the nanites refuse to stop trying to translate the ever-shifting text.

The percentage they have complete stays a low number, roughly anywhere between 0.02% and a full 2%. It's just enough to keep Breaker's injected Mu Blood potent, granting the Brute access to the same electrical blasts as Scirocco's Mu Mystics.

Raymond Harris isn't necessarily a member of Grey's Army. He's a free agent, at best, and a moderate rogue at worst. Many times, however, he sells information he has on Arachnos operations going on in Paragon City and a few in the Etoile Isles for technology or money, and almost always to a member of Randall's crew. His mentor, Scirocco, seems to know about it, and tends to feed information to the Brute that hurts his competitors within the organization.

Recently, Raymond received pardons for some of his crimes. His work in the Rikti War Zone as an agent of Vanguard was instrumental to this, and Power Breaker continues to this day to work for the Rikti resistance force. What little credit that has earned him, Harris used to reconcile with his estranged father (who is dying from lung cancer, though he was put in the hospital by a Rikti Bomb). Now, he simply does odd jobs for close friends or the aforementioned work for vanguard.

Basic Outfit

Power Breaker's current basic outfit. It shows off the extent of the circuit channel scarring (or, as much as he's willing to show off) coursed throughout his body. It is also a quiet suit. This doesn't necessarily make him perfectly silent (as some Stalker-Class rogues), but it does help his stealth capabilities.

Civilian Attire

It's just hard to dress like a normal person when you're eight feet tall and covered in circuit channels. About the only thing normal about this get-up is the sneakers.

As Close to Formal Business Attire as Possible

Unlike a lot of super-powered individuals, defining aspects of Power Breaker's appearance can't be removed for the sake of an outfit. Chief of which are the crystalline spires jutting out of Harris' shoulders and collar bone (indeed, they protrude from an entire crystalline skeleton overlaid on his own natural frame). he can't just cut these off (they've proven incredibly resistant to damage), and he's had to tailor some outfits accordingly.

This is as close to formal attire as Power breaker can wear.

Explorer Outfit

Much like Randall Grey (whom Harris looks at as a second father in many ways), Power Breaker understands the need of a good outfit to withstand some of the more unusual elements. Those his energy fields provide a decent amount of protection, this outfit sure does make him feel warm on cold days.

Power Armor

Sometimes, Power Breaker just hates looking at himself. During these fairly frequent moments, he dons this suit of experimental custom power armor and goes wrecking. It doesn't matter who it is, usually, Arachnos, Malta Group, Crey, even Longbow and Freedom Corps if he feels like putting them through a test, he doesn't hold anything back when in this outfit.

Power Breaker employs a special Energy Cloak (another byproduct of his nanites, as their energy fields can be refracted to bend light at peculiar angles, rendering him nearly invisible) that masks most of these outfits from view. Regardless, they're there.

Tertiary powers not directly related to combat are a constant access to the Internet, "Analytical Eyes," a "Cranial Telephone" and a high tolerance to most chemical and biological agents (he usually uses this resistance against alcohol).

Commonly referred to as "Cory," this young man has the dubious profession of "Warlock." He also accepts terms like "Sorcerer," "Wizard," "Magician," and "Mage," though he's more than willing to point out his family's true designation in metaphysical affairs.

"My father explained our history after I got into an argument with some pixies. He explained that 'Oathbreaker' isn't always a bad term, and then he told me our history. I'm descended from demons, but that doesn't rule my nature. The Blood Pact we made with them is the oath we broke, as my ancestors learned the terrible cost they were being forced to pay for their knowledge and power. I would say that the blood spilled in the war it took to be free of those bonds was just as worthy a price."

Records of the war Simmons speaks of are difficult to find, though they may be buried somewhere in M.A.G.I.'s records on the war between the Oranbegans and the Mu. Lots of freaky things were happening in those days, and it's possible this war was just shuffled into the mix.

As a side note, it seems Cory Simmons' Praetorian, Cory Simmons (I can't make this stuff up, people), is descended from a line of people who tricked and slaughtered their fiendish overlords, later embraced their demonic heritage, and work to help Tyrant enslave the more mystically inclined creatures in Praetorian Earth. Where our Cory throws fire and wields ice, however, the other throws ice and wields fire. It's surprising how similar we are to our cousins on the other side of the wall, yet so very, very different.

In any case, Simmons has proven to be an adept "Blaster Class" hero, often charging into the fray alongside tanks and scrappers, laying waste to all villains in his view. That isn't to say he kills, mind you. As it stands, not a single human life has been credited as taken by this Warlock, and that includes the Devoured. He uses his magic to subdue the enemy, not to kill.

Though they do require a trip to the Zig infirmary when they arrive...

Cory works as the mystic adviser in Grey's Army. He was one of the ones who convinced Randall to start up the super group in the first place, explaining that if they're all working together, they have a better chance of surviving. As such, Randall has made Cory a Colonel in the G.A. This has had negative effects for us, since Simmons makes a more moderate leader than Randall or Kipland, and when we suspended the group for a few weeks before the Rikti War, the group's leadership basically defaulted to Ezekiel Durj...

Cory has been involved in a long-term relationship with Gertrude Youngs, a witch of the Cabal in Salamanca. Though Freedom Corps has been monitoring this dubious coupling, especially concerning the history of Croatoa/Salamanca, the two seem carefree about what the future may hold for them.

Basic Trench Coat

Cory's basic outfit, it is a red velvet-lined trench coat.

"I want to feel good when I'm putting bad guys away."

This is a similar design to the coat he wore in high school, which had cushioning pads to protect his rear from the hard desks. Why he was going to high school when his parents were both more than qualified to home school him is somethings till up to debate...

Relaxed Scholar

When the villainy dies down for a bit, Cory dons this ensemble of a sweater and loose-fit pants. He then lights some incense, turns on some music, and settles in for a night of quiet study.

Battle Wizard

Sometimes, a wizard needs to be ready for war. In this getup, Cortland demonstrates he's ready and willing to cut down whoever gets in the way between him and the goal.

Formal Attire

This is actually similar to the ceremonial robes his father, Kirkland Simmons, wore when visiting or receiving dignitaries of the deities or fae. He wears this outfit for much the same reason as Randall or Kip wearing their business suits, whenever formal attire is required for an event (such as when he's on a date...

The Demon Hybrid

Demon blood still runs strong in the veins of Simmons' heritage. Though the family has fought its way out of the curse that such a bonding normally invokes, their bloodline will be forever stained with the mark of that terrible time. However, Cory's ancestors were, if anything pragmatic. They learned how to harness and control the latent power left in their blood, becoming Magicians in their own right.

During Cory's duel with his Praetorian double last year, he unveiled his own deep connection to his demonic heritage. In this form, he was able to outmaneuver and defeat his foe.

Though I'd like to say that the Praetorian Cory Simmons is dead and gone, many, including me, have their doubts...

Kipland (also known as Kip, Kippers, and the Anomaly) is a Scrapper Class hero. He utilizes a brand of martial arts that is a blend of basic street brawling, Tai Kwon Do, Kick Boxing, and Muy Thai. He basically mixes and matches the maneuvers he likes best. He defensive set is that he has no defensive set, so his various armors over his career have been classified as "Invulnerability" despite his relative squishiness.

Kip does have super powers, however. In his high school years, he took the role of Kingdale Warden after Randall Grey (though he didn't know it at the time). His knowledge of and work with the Fae creatures in the woods surrounding the city and county, as well as the various intrusive deities, monsters, and other assorted trans-mundane individuals, gave him a heightened sense of confidence and honed his skills as a warrior.

Still, he had some to learn about fighting people. Fortunately, it was a bad year socially in Kingdale High. Many bullies and jocks learned to pick on people their own size in those years.

After Kip's senior year, the Rikti War broke out, and he found himself helping Randall and a few others to defend and shelter the civilian populace of Kingdale. After the war, distraught with the loss of his girlfriend, he buried himself in work. First, he assisted with the reconstruction of the small city, then, once such work proved to not be helping, he turned to the call for help in Paragon City.

Shortly after arriving, he got into a fight with a Void Stalker and was infected with the Obsidian Blight, a disease which has, so far, claimed him as its only victim. It was a peculiar condition in which Shadow Cyst Crystals seemed to be growing inside him, leeching off his body's nutrients, and slowly killing him. Despite several operations and amputations, he came near death in the middle of the summer of 2006.

After a dream sequence in which he described as a battle with the monster he would have become, however, he seemed cured. With a new outfit that is apparently composed of Nictus Crystals, and a protective aura that deflects and mitigates the assaults his enemies inflict upon him.

It also happens to be a physical manifestation of his soul. They argue sometimes, but usually they are in agreement. Before the recent revelation of Amy Taylor (Kip's high school sweetheart) as the Rikti Mesmerist Amyt'Allor, the soul was struggling to repair the mental and emotional damage incurred from the young man's years of dealing with stress no normal (and most abnormal) person should have to deal with. Oddly enough, meeting Allor on the battlefield proved to be more cathartic than expected (Kip's best friend, Sarah "Snuffy" Grey helping in the fight was useful, too), and he's been much better lately.

Football Pads

Kip first started patrolling in an outfit much like this. It's a modified version of the football pads he used to deflect assaults from a large snake-woman monster and her yuan-ti minions. Upon coming to Paragon, he got steel panels and, recently, an Enforcer chest plate.

He normally wears this outfit when he's in a "young" mood.

Formal Outfit

Kipland, being the Colonel of Grey's Army, has had to sit in for a few of the oversight committee meetings, if not be there in Randall's place. It's also been useful for other formal events.

Rocket Boot Punk

Kip's been flying lately. It was odd, the first couple times he did it, and he nearly crashed into a number of buildings, thinking he was simply on a long leap. He took a few lessons from his brother, Nester, and his friend, Cory Simmons, as they had far more experience with flight. He doesn't know many defensive maneuvers, and doesn't really have the patience to learn them, but he does enjoy the feeling of freedom that comes with flight.

The rocket boots don't really help his speed. He largely only wears them to further confuse his opponents. If they think the rockets have anything to do with his flight, they're sorely mistaken.

Altered Malta Group Fatigues

Kipland has been wearing a modified version of the Malta Group outfit his Praetorian, "Aaron" Durj, used to wear. Now that Aaron is an agent of the colorfully named super-spy duo, Indigo and Crimson, Kip has access to his old outfits and has tailored them to suit his personal take on life.

New Nictus Armor

The Nictus Armor is not simply a solid hardsuit. It is an ever-changing, constant-morphing outfit that changes to fit the needs and uses of its wearer.

Or whatever Kip's soul feels is appropriate.

After seeing Cory Simmons as a demon a few times, Kip's soul decided that a similar terrifying appearance was required to take on the evil people that plague the city. Thus, as flight became more and more the scrapper's capability, this appearance was adopted.

This is a hard armor used largely only for the few moments where Kip feels he needs that extra "Oomph!" to survive.

Oh, thank you.

((May as well finish this up....))

"NOOOOOOOOOO!"

Cedric body tackled the screaming Tanker in his way through the ice and snow doorway. It had been a long climb, and he was exhausted. Fortunately, he didn't have much further to go.

Within the chamber, highlighted by the sun shining down on it, was his target, the snow statue of Statesman. The hole in the ceiling was also big enough for Cedric to get through, causing him to give a mild curse at realizing he could have just dropped in through there instead of crashing through a wall and fighting his way to this point.

"Ha!" Synapse shouted before his more witty quip was lost in the buzz his voice became as he started burying the young tanker in snowballs.

"Well done," Positron muttered as he started floating out of the chamber, "Looks like we're about to win this..."

----------

The fire blasters had more trouble getting to positions that would enable them to punch holes into the Ice Sprawl Fortress than Manticore had anticipated. Each time one got a good angle, he or she was barraged by a contending Rookie or would slip on the ice and slide down the slope to the street battle below. Then the process would start all over.

Eventually, the crimson-clad hero realized he had to maneuver the heroes into position and explain exactly where they should fire. The heroes complied and eventually there were several holes poked through the fortress walls.

Unfortunately, there was no sign of the last Rookie Snow Sculpture.

"Damn it," Sinclair growled as he skulked through the outskirts of the battle, "Where are they... No... It couldn't be that easy..."

He fired two arrows in succession. The first was a Sonic Disruption Arrow, and weakened the ice dome placed in the top of the central chamber. The second was a light explosive, and upon exploding, it shattered a small hole into the dome.

As Manticore sought out a proper vantage point, a black hole appeared in the sky. Some of the crowd gasped at the thought that perhaps it was another dimensional invader...

Then the snowballs started falling through, and raining down upon the combatants in the street below. Roland nodded curtly at the success of his friend's invention. If he could make a more lethal version, one utilizing the same "Arrow Space" pocket dimension his quiver was keyed to, he'd likely have a very effective weapon against the villainy that currently plagued the city... But such thoughts were outside his concern at the moment.

"Roland!" he heard from his communicator, "Manticore just blew a hole in the Main Dome! He's about a second from ending this!"

Turning, the backwoods hunter caught a glimpse of the red-clad Veteran commander sighting in on the Sculpture of Atlas. He didn't want to, but he knew the best chance he had of stopping his opponent.

As Manticore let another arrow fly, a second hole opened in the sky and a rain of snowballs descended. Justin Sinclair glared down at Roland Grey and growled. It was a little unsettling to see arrow tricks being used against him like that.

The arrow he fired streaked through the air, however, descending here, deflecting there, even piercing through a few intruding snowballs. The barrage wasn't enough, and anyone observing was surprised to see the arrow plunk into the ice dome surrounding Atlas.

-----

Cedric burst from the snow mound with a gasp and didn't stop charging toward the sculpture of Statesman. Suddenly, a blur was around him, and when it was gone, he was turned around and dizzy.

"Wuh-oh-woah..." he moaned as he stumbled to get his footing back, "I-"

There was another blur. When it cleared, Cedric was walking into an ice pillar.

"Ow!" he muttered as he rubbed his forehead while sitting on the icy floor, "That wasn't so nice..."

"Aw, here," Synapse said as he walked over and extended a hand to the tanker, "Let me help you up..."

As soon as Steven had Ced standing, he was a blur again. Despite the speed of the spin, Cedric's moan of disappointment was still clearly audible. When Synapse stopped this time, he wound up throwing the Tanker into the wall overlooking the street below. Thick cracks split across the ice and Grey landed hard on his back.

"Ow," he groaned, "Good lord, man..."

"Did I hurt you?" the tights-clad hero asked genuinely.

"Nah, I'm lyin'," Cedric chuckled as he started picking himself up, "Buddy, it doesn't matter what you do to me, I'm gonna..."

He looked up to see the blue blur ringing him again. This time, however, Synapse was keeping about a meter distance between them.

"I know what you said through all that buzzing you know," the tanker set himself for a charge, "You said that you're not gonna let me win this, that I don't have the cajones to do what I'm about to do, and that this is crazy, and-You know what, I've heard it all, and it doesn't matter who says it, I'm still gonna do what I'm about to do..."

With that, he charged into the blur, and he and Synapse collided. The two of them were sent sprawling into the corner of the chamber just as Manticore's explosive arrow tore open the dome on the Sprawl Fortress.

After a few seconds, Cedric started chuckling.

"What's so funny?" the super-speeder groaned, "I think I cracked a rib..."

"Oh, I know I cracked a rib," Cedric still chuckled, "Maybe two or three. It's just... I thought it was really funny, the look on your face as we hurtled through the air... You were all like 'NO!' and I was smiling and laughing... Then grimacing and groaning..."

He looked to see the Veteran glaring at him.

"And here we are," he finished.

"Buddy, things that are fun aren't supposed to hurt like this..."

"What? You've never played football?"

"I've played football," Steven grunted as he pushed himself up, "Oh.. Good... Nothing's broken, just hurt... In any case, when I was able to play the game to any appreciable capability, I, well, thought it might raise a few eyebrows... you know, someone who could clear the field a hundred times over before the ball even left the kickstand..."

"God, I wish I could see that," Grey replied, "Can you imagine it? Super powered professional sports..."

"Look, the thing is, this isn't how things are supposed to be done. Having fun isn't supposed to hurt, and super heroes aren't supposed to be having impromptu snowball fights... Regardless of how spectacular it may be... You think this is happening in the Rogue Isles?"

"Yes?"

"Well it's not! They're plotting every day of their lives how to make innocent people's lives miserable, and it's our job to keep that from happening!"

"Dude," Cedric was unconvinced, "I've run into a lot of those guys, and aside from a few truly disturbed freaks, most of them are like me and a lot of the heroes down there, just trying to get by in a mad world... Wait-a-minute... you're just distracting me, aren't you!?"

"Well..." Synapse scratched the back of his head.

"GAH!" Cedric started charging for the sculpture of Statesman, but the electric blaster was on his back in a flash.

They were spinning again, but the tanker had enough of that game two seconds into the first time. He'd been working on a way to counteract it, and he thought he finally had it. Crouching slightly, he grabbed Synapse's left hand, kicked one leg behind himself for the other hero to trip over, and gave him a light-but-sharp elbow to the ribs with his right arm to release the other hand.

At that speed, the Veteran was sent flying through the air. Steven Berry crashed into the same snow pile he'd barraged onto Cedric only minutes earlier. The explosion of snow blanketed much of the room, and Grey got back to trying to smash through the sculpture.

Synapse wasn't beaten, however, and, yelling a heroic "NOOOOOO!", attempted to tackle the tanker away from his task. Unfortunately, that was exactly what Cedric intended. As Steve got close enough, Grey planted his feet, crouched and slammed his shoulder into his oncoming opponent, deflecting the blaster into the snow sculpture with a triumphant whoop.

-----

At the same time as Synapse's crash into the Statesman sculpture, however, Manticore was pushing the button on his remote detonator, which caused the small explosive on the arrow he'd just fired to do the work it was meant to do. The protective dome and the sculpture were shattered in an instant, and the news cameras covering the event clocked it as happening at the same time as the Statesman crash.

With a draw, the snowball war was over, except for one thing...

Positron was on the ground, congratulating the heroes and civilians on the event, and organizing a detail to start melting down the more intrusive structures so business could get back to normal. He was hoping his worthy adversaries would forget the last detail for victory so the event could end.

His hopes were dashed. Cedric came swinging into the center of the battlefield, shouting "WAIT! WAAAAAAAAAIT!"

"What is it?" the armored defender asked nervously.

"We're not done here!" the tanker shouted, "We've still got one more thing!"

He reached into his armor's collar and produced a bright red rag. The Rookie flag.

"We've still got these to get! And good luck getting... it off... me... Where's everybody going?"

"Ah jeez," Positron slapped his forehead, "Look, Cedric, this has taken nearly all day to deal with... It's been fun, yeah, but we really need to clear things up now."

"But..." the tanker was disheartened, but he couldn't ignore the fact that everybody seemed to be packing up and heading home or wherever it was they wanted to go at that moment, "The ice slide..."

"Yeah, I know," Positron commiserated, "I wanted to go on it, too."

"Really?"

"Yeah. But it's out here in the middle of everything, so it's gotta go..."

"Well," Nor'Easter piped up, "It's not exactly in the middle of everything... With some careful and crafty engineering, we could probably clear the roads and leave a lot of these slides up... At least for a few days..."

"Well?" Cedric turned hopefully to Positron, "Can we?"

"Well, on one condition..."

"You get to slide first?"

Positron tapped the portion of his visor where his nose was underneath.

"If you beat me there!" Cedric shouted as he leapt into the sky and started making his way for the entrance to the Big Slide that Ashen Roast still hadn't recovered from.

And so ended the Snowball War. Nothing was accomplished, and many things went right back to where they'd left off, but everybody seemed to have a lighter heart. Perhaps that made it worth all the trouble.

As a side note, Positron beat Cedric to the Big Slide. He simply buried the brash younger man with the excess snow he had stored in his suit on the way to the entrance.

((I'd suggest "Existence."

It's an Existence.))

Randall Grey

The founding member and General of Grey's Army, Randall is the gruff and grim leader of the small super group. He's classified as a Stone Armor and Super Strength Tanker. Though his powers have been studied and found to be some form of mystical blessing, he maintains a Natural origin.

This is largely due to the fact that his powers are a gift of the Earth itself. His role as Kingdale's Warden, and his battles with all manner of nightmarish monsters from a twisted ecology earned him a chance at attempting to live a new life. However, the planet vastly misjudged what a normal life truly was. Randall spent his later years wondering why nothing seemed to hurt him anymore, not even the Rikti blasts that leveled his hometown. Now, at age 51, he's still as healthy as when he was in his mid-20s.

Randall isn't necessarily immortal, however, and the very day after his daughter's wedding in mid-October, his hair started turning gray. Whether or not the two events have anything to do with each other is still up to debate. He still maintains his definitive physical attributes, however.

Relaxed Outfit

This is Randall's outfit when it's a lazy Sunday or he just doesn't feel the enemy's going to be enough of a challenge to warrant something more dignified.

It's a sweat suit, size extra extra extra extra large husky.

Normal Outfit

This was Randall's first outfit. Simple green jeans and a T-shirt. Here, you can see him enjoying his base television.

This is the same type of outfit he wore when helping to rebuild his hometown after the Rikti Invasion. While the actual colors of the clothes change often, this is the "generalized" appearance of such outfits.

Explorer Outfit

When venturing into unknown territories, such as the Shard, Ouroboros, and the Hive, as well as wild or fractured areas, such as the Hollows, Crey's Folly, Eden and Boomtown, this is Randall Grey's outfit of choice. He's most often in this outfit, in fact, as it also works for general purpose use.

Formal Business Suit

Grey's Army has had some pretty nasty incidents over the couple years they've been active in Paragon City. Every moment has required members of the group to be called up to various oversight committees, some hero-run, others government-affiliated. Then there's the random celebrations, meetings between super groups or other nick-nack events that require something more formal than just "jeans and a T-shirt."

For these moments, Randall turns to an Icon designed suit and hairstyle. He tends to dislike such outfits, but understands that one has to look professional at times.

On the Warpath

Randall's "I'm here to kick butt and chew bubble gum" outfit. It has armor plates for his shoulders, piston boots, and a utility harness to carry the equipment he would otherwise have stuffed into pockets on his other outfits (such as his communicator, his police drone beacon dispenser, and the Defender and Focus Nanite Emitters).

He usually wears this outfit in the Rikti War Zone, some of the more dangerous zones, such as Bloody Bay, Siren's Call, or Warburg, and in the Hive if he really means business.

((Side Note: Just like the last time I started this thread, the Simpsons Episode: Who Shot Mr. Burns pt. 1 was playing in the background. That just seems odd.))

With a year of story building completed, and the various individuals involved with Grey's Army brought up to speed on the workings of the world (not to mention my own familiarity with the story vastly improving), I feel it's time to update my characters list. As such, I will be placing here a new thread to detail my characters, explain some background storylines, and showcase new outfits.

I know I could apply these things to the characters thread, but that seems so... Official...

As this is the new course of affairs, the old Characters List is now defunct. I even deleted the pictures in there. Granted, some of them got replaced here, but the old links still won't work.

So, without further ado, I present to you, Grey's Army: 2008.

((My supposed displeasure should be none of your concern, Masonic.

Besides, considering your prior posts, someone such as you should be more than capable of researching and roleplaying whatever historical individual you wish with accuracy. Albeit, historical accuracy.

That's my major problem with roleplaying historical figures. Though we know what they eventually did, do we truly know the reasons why?

Considering the vagaries inherent in this setting, I'm afraid I'm going to need to see some of this played out before I consider presenting one of my characters (if I do intend to join this). If I can't produce a reasonable character, it would be a shame. It's good to finally see this concept get fleshed out after a couple false starts.))

ARGH! My EYES! The Cast List... IT'S TERRIBLE!

TARE-IH-BULL!

The pain...

So much pain...

Lucy Lawless as Goldmoon!? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Got nothin' against Rosenbaum. He's a good "neutral" actor (Neutral in the way that he would make sense in just about any role.).

And Michelle Trachtenberg is still getting work. All is wrong in the world.

It can only be fixed with bullets.

This news has driven me over an edge... How distressing.

((This setting reminds me of something I once read...

Thinking about it is making my brain hurt... Or maybe that's just disappointment because I can't think of a character that matches these parameters at the moment.

My own personal way of life is a type of basic morality coupled with aspects of Buddhism and Humanism, and it's hard to think of how to embody that.))

((I would prefer NOT using actual historical figures, because nobody truly knows what those individuals were really thinking, or how they would react to opposing opinions. Certainly, they would debate, but how aggressive would such debate be? Would they maintain a sense of civility? Or would Machiavelli rain fists upon Confuscious? How does one roleplay Jesus? Or, to push the envelope further, Yawheh?

Of course, one could play characters that are the embodiment of particular philosphies. It would be intriguing to see how one would portray the physical embodiment of Buddhism. Though, considering how diverse some theologies and philosophies have become, some concepts would be excessively difficult to portray.

Still, as I said before, our take on particualr characters to apply is relatively moot at the moment, for we still lack a setting.))