Prodiguy

Oh, about that... I don't mind my characters getting hurt. It gives me even more motivation to let them try harder. Hell, if anyone knows Experiment, they will also know he tends to either hurt himself a lot, or just get hurt a lot usually.

Game of Cosmic Chess, for instance, had Experiment die within his first half-hour of being there due to sniper-shot. Second death... I believe that was Khell with the stabifying and 2.0 trying to mutate. Third death was usually harmless pink robot mentioned earlier going all homocidal and cutting the throat of said hero. I just think of it as a way for the character to develop. For instance, if you are fighting somebody and they get a hit, analyze how they did so. Were they faster? Did they hit harder? Fix it!

...Which usually ends up in either a messed up experiment or a lot of explosions.

...Spikes.

More explanation? Okay.

Experiment 2.0's 'weapons' are spikes created from the same type of experiment, although slightly more 'prototype-y,' of the Paragon Protector project. His main nemesis can be blamed for that. Genius doctor, loves robotics and science, very shiny, yadda yadda. His dark powers kept the formula from taking over his body, but it gave him powers.

The spines themselves are pretty much super strong. They can be altered at will, able to be tipped with poison, acidic substances, or just be very pointy. Experiment prefers the pointy-poison tipped ones. They are definately not indestructible, but they are durable. For instance, they can be used in a sword fight, but they would eventually break.

For example, in the City of Zombies thread, the fact that the zombies are stiff and strong causes the spines to break quickly while battling them. However, he has an infinite supply of the things since they are organic.

A nice feature of the spines is the organic strands that can attach to 2.0's arms to create on-the-spot grapple hooks or auto-tier-uppers. Let's take Leogunner's thread for instance. As Experiment fell, he fired a spine at one of the overlooking ninja. Granted, of course, the thing isn't fullproof, as his miss and following buried-by-rubble state showed, but still...

[Edit] Oh, and since I just read we can use signature attacks...

You know the Tech's origin power, the Taser? Think of that, but then supercharge it and have it take a while to power up. Experiment pulls two wires from his belt, and slides them in and out of his fingers. It only works in the red armoured suit, as it causes static when the tips collide and hit the metal surface.

Once thrown, and if they hit, they send jolts of electricity coursing through the target. Every limb will be paralyzed and the target will be unable to move for almost five seconds if fully powerful.[/Edit]



And, because I want to reveal it because whenever I use Shimmer, either the story dies or he doesn't come out in person, Dr. Shimmer's weapon; An advanced Black Scorpion Mace!

No, he doesn't work for Arachnos. Think of it as a highly advanced technological weapon similar to the one you get from Black Scorpion's PPPs. However, the mace is able to continuously fire beams of energy, smash with energy-powered strength, and use all of the functions that the Robot Mastermind's blaster does.

His faithful servant, the Assault Prototype III, uses said blaster rifle. However, it has a sniper scope, and is known for its amazing ability to... Overheat very quickly.

I will probably think of more later.

((I think I know who it would be, but... Well, I don't wanna guess, because if I'm wrong, I will sound stupid. If I am right, I will be a spoiler. Lose-lose situation.))

Kevin grinned to see the black trench coat clearly through the wall's dust and debris. It was clear it was slouched over, along with its owner. Kevin aimed his right hand, glowing with blue energy. "Goodbye, Ballard."

The blast released, sending the trenchcoat and the rocks it was laying on into oblivion. A fist connected with Kevin's face, sending him into the main base once again.

He sat up on his elbows, trying to see straight. When his eyesight returned, he was face to face with his old mentor.

"...Why did you do it, Kevin?" Experiment asked, bringing him closer. "Why did you kill my sister? Your FIANCE!?"

Kevin simply shrugged in return. "I'unno. She was boring me. Her annoying voice, annoying personality, annoying... Well, actually, that was all kind of false. I didn't mind her so much. I just hated you, so I decided to get payback. Is it really that big of a deal?"

John looked at Liquid-Burst with incredibly confused eyes. "...For what?"

"Being a jackass."

"...You killed my sister because I was a jackass... When?"

"Ever since I met you, 2.0. You have never helped me. To you, I have always been 'that kid that likes Jenny.' Hell, you probably don't even know my last name!"

Kevin was quickly swung into a table of chemicals, smashing the vials and beakers as he finally hit the wall. He jumped up, and fired a burst of energy. Experiment tried flying... And realized he had no jets. Hell, he had no ARMOUR.

Which he regretted instantly as he was sent careening into his computer terminal. It sparked and hissed, flames catching as the sparks hit the chemicals. Kevin eyed them, and smiled. He turned back to John, who was sort of busy... Laying face down.

"Hehehe... Isn't it sad, John? I managed to beat the almighty Experiment 2.0, and destroy your lab all at once. Hell, if I were to knock over that canister of flammable chemicals..." He fired a blast of energy, smashing the container and spilling it over the ground. The fire hit it quickly, sending it up in flames. It was only a matter of time, now. "...I would destroy the Paragon City Times. You know the best thing? I could say you caused it, and I tried to stop you. You know why? I am a hero of Paragon City. You, on the other hand, are now just some retired citizen with dangerous chemicals and a serious loss. Well, seeya, 'hero!"

"Not so fast."

Kevin raised an eyebrow, and turned. Right into a brick smashing into his stomach. He landed, or rather skidded, onto the closet holding three suits. He groaned, looking up.

Jason Ballard stood in the doorway to the base, his hands coated in a gravitational push, giving him not only strengthened attacks, but the ability to control the enviroment. Kevin scowled.

"Oh goody, J and J... Used to mean something else, you know."

"I realize this," Jason replied, aiming a hand at Kevin. His eyes were cold, almost violent. "But you stopped that. Therefore, you die now."

As if on cue, a blast of gravitational force pummeled into Kevin. He was stopped, however, by a red armoured hand. John had gotten into the closet.

"...You are going to regret what you've done, Kevin Stenton." he spoke coldly, and flung the 'hero' into the ground as fast as he could. A quick blast of energy sending him cartwheeling told him that it wasn't fast enough. Kevin stood, activating his own, advanced armour.

"Well then, Ballards... Shall we take this outside?"

He jetted out of the upward tube, and a smashing informed the brothers that Kevin had exited to the 100th floor.

((Heh, poor old Bear... Didn't realize he was such a Scrooge...))

"Aah!"

A Hellion Gunner's mask fell to the floor near his dead and bleeding comrades. He was held against a brick wall by a gloved hand as John brought their faces together instantly, his piercing blue eyes seeming to stab into the thug's terrified green.

"...Where is your leader, punk?" he muttered, his intent obvious as a spine ejected from his right arm. The thug started darting his eyes left and right, looking for some kind of way out.

A stab into his left arm stopped that. He glanced over, and saw his entire arm stuck to the wall due to a spike. It was even disconnected from the guy that was attacking him.

"Try again, you have four more chances." Experiment muttered, his spine going over the left leg.

"W... Warehouse thirteen... Just down the streeaaAAAGH!!"

Left leg; impaled.

"No warehouse thirteen in this district. Three more chances."

"No... Thirteen in GalaAAAGH!"

Right arm; impaled.

"Stop hiding your boss, idiot! Just tell me!"

"...[censored]."

Right leg; Impaled.

"One last chance, kid. If you don't tell me..."

"O- Okay! I... Aagh.... I heard the boss was in that rundown old house in the Hollows... The one that Frostfire used to own? Scorch took it over... Said it would do, and melted the ice slides... Loved those ice slides."

Experiment nodded, satisfied with the answer. "Good boy. Thanks."

He dropped the kid on his feet, although he still promptly fell to the floor (As much as you can when impaled to the wall), and walked away. The thug 'stood', sighing in relief. When he was sure the guy had gone, he flipped off the alley he had walked into with the small movement he still had in his right hand.

His head was quickly impaled to the wall like his limbs.

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

Scorch dashed through puddles of blood, setting every one alight as he ran. Sweat was dripping from his forehead, and not from the intense heat in the room.

The building had been attacked by some mad guy, he had killed everyone! Legs, arms, heads, hands, feet, all seperate and all over the ground. It didn't matter who it was, he even killed the hostage!

A flame-covered spine slammed into Scorch, sending him flying back into a wall. He gasped in pain, pulling the spike from his stomach, only to be pushed against the wall by a rough hand.

"Why did you do it, huh? Why the HELL did you kill her!? WHY THE [censored] DID YOU [censored] HER?!" the man yelled, slamming his free fist into the villain's stomach over and over.

Scorch simply chuckled. "...Heh... What 'her' you talkin' 'bout? I do dat to a lot o' gir-"

A fist collided with his face, sending him reeling into one of his own fires. He began screaming in pain, his clothes and skin burning severely. His yells echoed through the dead building as a hand gripped him again, thrusting him onto a wall again.

"...You deserve only the worst." John spat, slamming spines into both the thug's hands. He screamed, but a punch sent his mind reeling. Then, sharp pains began working their way up his arms. It was like the spines were moving... He opened his eyes to see the retired hero firing rapidly, the sharp bones impaling themselves into his arms. The amount of blood rushing was sickening. Scorch fell into unconsciousness.

When he awoke. He could not feel anything. He opened his eyes to a lab, and saw a young man overlooking him. The stony look on his face signified that this was someone his latest victim had affected.

"...John... He's awake."

Oh crap.

Another punch. How strong WAS this guy?

"You know what, Scorch? I am gonna cut you a deal." Experiment muttered, staring right into his scared, red eyes, "You bring Jenny back, and I won't kill you."

"...I... I can't do dat, bo--"

"Too bad."

John's arm disappeared from view, and a sharp impalement in Scorch's stomach made it seem he had stabbed him again. However, he was able to look down. John's whole hand was inside the thug's stomach. Scorch's dead was swift, yet agonizingly painful. However, his body's end was not so swift.

Experiment ripped him from the table and flung him backward, into a pillar. He dashed over, stabbing into Scorch and impaling him on a wall before he hit the ground. He then pulled his arm back, covered it in shadow, and began rapidly assaulting his body. Each fist broke into his body, breaking several bones and destroying internal organs...

Let's skip the truly gory details.

Experiment pulled his arms back, which were coated in blood covered spines. No body was to be seen, but the whole room was pretty much coated in blood. The hero had finished by grinding Scorch's torso to sludge. Don't even ask what happened to his other limbs.

Experiment panted, his eyes watering heavily and his eyes twitching quickly.

Kevin simply looked on at the scene. He turned the television onto a recording.

"...And in latest news, a new development in the Jenny Ballard story. It is now known that the imprint on her face from a previous punch, which led to several broken bones, had the same imprint as her ring." Experiment turned to the screen. "However, her ring is still known to be intact in her hands. It can only be assumed that a fist with an identical ring could have hit her. More at ten."

John's eyes filled with sadness. This left only one suspect...

He turned to Kevin. The young man held up his hand. The engagement rings the two wore...

...Were exactly the same.

A sudden blast of energy sent Experiment into a nearby blood-covered wall, smashing it down. Kevin simply grinned, walking slowly toward his former mentor.

"...We've got new reports coming in now... Please stay tuned." the reporter finished as the news went to commercials.

Meanwhile, John Ballard, formally known as Experiment 2.0, now retired from heroing, gulped down another glass of some sort of unlabeled alcohol. Kevin, now the hero Liquid-Burst, covered his eyes with his hair to hide his emotional state as his former mentor had in his days.

The news had just announced a body found in Guiness Lake, and they said that it had not been identified. However, John and his parents had been called earlier, telling them who they had found. Even Jason, still rotting in his Ziggursky cell, had been told. Tears filled his eyes and he had been allowed to be let out and spend time with most of his family. Not only did he not try to escape, John didn't even dislike him for being there.

Now, you're probably wondering 'most of his family? But you said his parents and John..." You see now, don't you?

Back to the laboratory, the news was just coming back on. "We finally have an I.D. on the woman who was found in the lake. Her name was Jenny Ballard, formerly Shadow-Robin of Paragon City and a member of a family known for their super-hero history. She was found with her neck slit open, and was presumed to have been [censored]. Let's go to our guy on the scene, and--"

The screen was shut off as Kevin began sobbing quietly. He wiped his eyes with a hand addorned with a single ring. It seemed to be an engagement ring. John, however, was not sobbing, nor crying, nor fuming. His face was blank, but a look in his eyes was filled with hatred. Hatred for whoever had done this. Now, however, that made him turn on the television once again.

Kevin began shouting. "What the hell is wrong with you, Ballard?! Can't you just believe that she is dead?! Why the hell do you keep tortu--"

"Shut up." John replied, holding his hand up.

They sat through another fifteen minutes of reporters getting their airtime and such, before they finally gave a name.

"Intense burn-marks on her body--" Kevin sobbed slightly again, turning his face, "lead our teams to believe that the Hellions, most likely their leader, Scorch, from the fact that this was a super-heroine, are to blame. A group of heroes were sent in a Task Force to retrie--"

*BLIP*

"...No." John muttered quietly, standing, "Those heroes will not only probably fail, but even if they succeed, they will simply arrest him. He will be free in a matter of days, if not hours... I can't let them do that."

He turned from his chair and grabbed his trench coat. A layer of light flashed over him, showing his current state.

Over recent years, his family and himself had gone through amazing stress, battling supervillains, themselves, other heroes, all types of hardships, and it showed. His hair, previously a boyish blond, even in his forties, was now tinted with grey, and even the blonde was dark. His eyes were weary, tired, old, his skin much the same. He had not aged well in the short time between forty and fifty.

Yes, he was now fifty. He had been heroing since his teens, all the way to the age of forty nine. Most people claimed that heroing kept him young. Now, age was catching up to him, and it was beginning to outrun him.

Kevin came up behind him, tears still rolling down his face. "..W...What are ya gonna do, J?"

John simply turned, a slightly evil smirk over his face. "...I'm going to make sure he never hurts another person again." On his way out the door, slipping on his fingerless gloves, a hand slapped on his shoulder. He stopped, readying to slam his elbow back and run, thinking Kevin was going to stop him. However, three quiet words surprised him.

"...Go get him."

((This is a slight jump in the future, allowing people to see the differences in these people's lives. Woohoo for John!

...Oh, by the way, the reason for his unemotionalness? ...You will find out. Also note, this is a dark story, especially for Experiment. Just imagine how gory things can get with his spines... And then multiply that by ten when he finds Scorch.))

>.>
<.<

*White flag*

I did nothing.

All your base are belong to us.

Strangely enough, I feel as if my characters are part of me, especially Experiment. If something happens to Experiment, or even one of his friends, it seems my mind will make it appear to happen to me, or one of my own friends.

For example, say Blightlord kidnapped Essex. Now, my mind will make it appear that some guy that I don't know/like kidnapped a friend of mine. Hence, why Experiment goes all mad cow disease or something and begins stabifying randomly until said little pink android is safe.

I suppose it is less that I am attached to my character as I AM my character, except without the super powers... And the ability to make things. I mean, the blowing up I can do, but the working/fixing? No. Don't let me near anything you want fixed unless you want it 'fixed' all over the room is all I can say.

Jenny almost replied, had it not been for the hand instantly covering her mouth. She struggled, but compared to John, she didn't have much physical strength. "Nope, no songs at all." he answered in her stead. Jenny's eyes turned to a frown as he let go.

"I wasn't going to say anything sick. That's your job."

"Yes, you were. You have a weird look when you're about to say something like that."

"...Hmph."

"Are you in position?" the voice spoke over the comm. link to Jason, who was aimed directly at the Paragon City Times entrance.

"Yes sir." he muttered back, eye through the sight. The door opened and his finger strained on the trigger, only to have a couple of workers walk out. He sighed, aiming yet again.

The door opened, and Kevin was hand in hand with Jenny. They were talking and laughing almost at the same time as the exited the doorway.

"...Fire."

A searing bolt of energy hit Kevin in the leg, sending him toppling to the floor. Jenny screamed in distress, falling to her knees.

"What.. FOOL! You were supposed to hit the girl!"

"She is my sister, you maniac. I am not heartless." Jason replied with a cold voice dripping with hatred.

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

John was out in seconds, green handheld device in hand as he attempted to heal Kevin's leg. The wound, however, would not close. Whatever the energy that the blast was made from was apparently resistant to his devices. "Crap... Jen, call 911. Get them over here NOW."

"...Okay..." she stammered in response, running inside. John looked down at his sidekick, who now had his eyes closed. It seemed the shock of the blast sent him into unconsciousness.

"...Damnit..."

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

"...Then at least kill your brother." the voice responded, a slight sense of humor in the sound.

"...No," was Jason's response, "I am not going to kill my brother, or my sister. Or my parents, before you say anything."

"...Fine... Then I will just have to do it myself."

The communication went dead. Jason's eyes widened. "...Do it himself?"

Like anyone is going to say no? Permission to use any character of mine you would want to is obviously given.

Can't wait for the story!

Random beeps and clicks in the underground base obviously signified someone at work. A.K.A., John Ballard. He tapped incessantly on the keyboard, the picture altering and scanning. The video feed showed the Paragon City Rep. in all his corrupt glory, but with red dots covering him.

Kevin raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing?"

"Scanning the Representative's suit for anything suspicious." Experiment replied, smacking the desk as it glitched slightly.

"...And why is the compy malfunctioning?"

"Don't know... I just recently installed a repair program to fix this too..."

"...Hm. Odd. Well, me and Jen are going out to dinner. Seeya!"

"Halt!"

John spun in his chair to face Kevin, smirking. "So, you two are going out, eh?"

"W- What? No, no, of course not! Are you insane? We're just friends." Kevin stuttered, walking backwards slowly. John stood, walking toward him at the same pace.

"Right... So, that little letter that I found in your drawer was completely coincidental?" he said, pulling an open envelope with a heart attach from his pocket. He began reading aloud. "'Dear Kevin... Idiot. You know if you keep telling my brother that we are going somewhere, he is gonna figure something out! Just... Don't...' ...What the hell? 'Let him touch the couch?' I didn't see that be-- GET THE [censored] BACK HERE!"

Kevin was already halfway up the entry tube, a slight dent at the mouth showing his speed.

"...Ew..." was John's reply, walking back to the computer and ripping up the letter. He cleared his throat, returning to work. "Aaaaanyway... What the hell?"

The screen, previously showing the PCR, now showed the Rep. with a reflective head. "Ugh... Damn prankster... Don't know how he managed to alter it that fast, but still..."

*Delete*

"Okay, time to start over!"

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

"...Did I ever mention how I loved the fact that your brother was ignorant?"

*Peers toward the Essex-cam.*

"...PERV--"

*SMACK*

Yeah, we're pretty nice around here... Just don't get in the way of the Ess-stalking and you'll be fine. Oh, and yes, I am insane and communicate with my characters in posts. Don't we all?

"Nope. You're just crazy."

Mhm.

((Hehe, pure awesome in a yellow kickass can right there.

"But... I didn't get a part..."

"Silence, John. You are ruining the true awesomness of the story." *Smack.*

Da coolness is pungent!))

Blind's look of shock was... Well, pretty much the same as his looks of other emotions, but from the fact that he wasn't moving, it was pretty clear he was shocked.

After the kiss and comment, the necromancer simply stood there, dumbfounded as never before. He checked himself over quickly, making sure A. He wasn't dreaming, and B. That the were-human had not somehow fooled him and sabotaged his life or plans...

...But after a few seconds, his voice finally spoke, but the first words were squeaks. He cleared his throat and tried again. "Heh... It isn't my fault that humans do not have clean fingers after death. Blame the dead..."

Of course, he then turned around and summoned a minion. It pulled a bowl full of freezing cold water from its robes and the necromancer shoved his skull into the water. He sat there for about 30 seconds before destroying the zombie and the water in a single blast, twisting his hood to free it from soakage. "*Ahem*... Now then..." He removed the mistletoe, placing it inside his robes. "When I take over the world, I will ensure every female being on Earth and beyond kisses like that. Anyway, back to the party!"

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

Experiment raised an eyebrow while Jenny shrieked in joy. "THATWASSOTOTALLYAWESOME!" was her reply to the bike. With his free hand, John rubbed his ears slightly.

"Right, well, at least you impressed someone, eh?"

"Impressed someone? John, you don't have an awesome bike. Yours is about as cool as dad's 1940... Whatever it is. You two are losers. Cool, awesome android on the other hand..."

"...Could be deadly, now calm down." 2.0 finished, shaking his head.

"Eh, Seven days and one hour. I was stupid enough to let myself run outta food and attack a bunch of Zeds with a flashing shovel..." Experiment muttered, cursing as the spine he was swinging with cracked in half. He seathed in pain, retracting the spine and causing a new one to eject.

"Damnit... These damn walking corpses hit rigor mortis. My spines keep breaking..."

"Of COURSE I am!" Experiment chuckled, firing a spine into the stomach of an undead, pinning it to a wall, "I just got, like, 800 PP in these last five seconds! ...Would be worth more if I had a shower head or two..."

"AAH! KILL IT! KILL IT!" Jenny screamed, jumping on Kevin, arms around his neck and face.

"...Mmphmrmph."

"What? Oh, sorry!" She backed off quickly, chuckling and blushing at the same time. Kevin simply smirked and looked at the man knocking on the cockpit.

"Well, I would invite you guys in, but I don't think they would appreciate their molecules being crushed and spliced into ours, so that is a no-go. The only other survivor I know is down there, the one..."

He checked a viewscreen to see spines flying in all different directions, the zombies hardly even able to move an inch closer at the time.

"...Exploding in spikey things. Though, that isn't exactly the safest place to be... Friend or foe of either side..."

"Really?" Blind muttered, sighing in depression. "Damn. The suicidal ones always give the best blade users... Well, if they cut themselves."

He skulked into the party area, 'frowning.' "Though, if they hang themselves, they are almost impossible to decapitate..."

*Chik*
*Chik*
*Kerchik*

"Okay... Shotgun; Check. Pistol; Check. Sister..." John turned his head backward, Jenny raising an eyebrow. "...Check. Rations; Check. PDA..."

"Check." the voice spoke into the base, a small wrist device driving toward Experiment quickly, popping onto his wrist and attaching itself around the wrist, activating the armour.

"Sidekick?"

"Check." Kevin muttered, picking up a few destroyed pieces of tech. "You know, I don't get why we're leaving the base. They can't even get in here, what with the security defenses outside."

As if in response, moaning and bashing on the doors of the base rang out.

"Maybe not, but come on, we're heroes! We need to get in there and save people!"

"No, technically, only you are a hero. I am your unofficial aid, and Jenny isn't even registered. You go on alone, we will stay here."

"...Do you guys really want to see me dead?"

"Nope," Jenny cut in, "Which is why we aren't coming."

"What, you think I can't handle this? Come on, I have beaten all the Resident Evils so far, and I even lasted seven days on Dead Rising's infinity mode! I am, like, the official expert on zombies!" Experiment whined, slamming his shotgun onto his shoulder. It fired, the recoil smacking him in the head and the shells utterly destroying a security panel.

"...Oh crap."

"Great job, zombie-mastah! You managed to give those damned cannibals a way in!" Jenny yelled, the base door slowly sliding upward.

"Not cannibals. Zombies."

"Whatever! Get us out! Now!"

"...I have an idea. Follow me."

Experiment dashed off, grabbing Kevin's and Jenny's arms respectively and dragging them to the hangar bay as the door opened entirely. The Longbow Chaser activated remotely. "There is enough room in there for the two of you to get out. The fuel should last you a few days, just fly out of reach of even rooftops and you will be fine."

"...What about you?" Kevin quietly asked, checking behind his mentor in a scared fashion.

"Hey, seven-day survivor achievment is nothin' to laugh at." Experiment chuckled, but he lost his demeanor as soon as Jenny's hug encompassed him.

"...Be careful, John." she said, a tear sliding down her face.

"H... Hey... Quit it... You're gonna make me soft before I get to the stabby-stabby..." he said, returning the hug nevertheless. His sister began sobbing into his chest, and he pushed her away slightly, pulling her face up. "Hey... Stop. You're gonna be fine."

"You aren't! I just know it!" she yelled, sobbing harder.

"Are you saying I am useless? That isn't very sisterly of you." he chuckled, pulling her into another hug. The hangar door now had bashing on it.

"...Jen, we better get going." Kevin said, turning his face away from the siblings, sniffing slightly. Experiment hugged him just as tightly.

"Aw, is Kevin gettin' soft? You better be, because if you bring this Chaser back and the seat has a foreign substance..."

"JOHN!" Jenny yelled, punching his arm hard. Her brother stuck his tongue out at her, and stepped away from the jet.

"You guys had better get going." He said, waving them off. He turned toward the hangar door, now dented. The two nodded, jumping into the Chaser. It was a tight fit, but they still fit nonetheless. The jets ignited and the Chaser rose to the roof, the doors sliding open. John waved up at his sidekick and sister as the flyer exited the area. He turned back to the door yet again, growling. "Now then... Ready PDA?"

"Ready as ever, Johnny-boy."

"...Don't call me that. Call me... Frank West."

"...Dork."

[ QUOTE ]
...
A ghost-killing gun...
How does that affect an android?
Especially since we've determined she's not actually Selene, but an android built to look like her.
Man, it makes me wish I knew you guys before this...
You wouldn't want my characters there, though...
They'd be sitting back and eating popcorn, maybe cheering Solid on to end some lives...

[/ QUOTE ]

((It is... Well, not so complicated as...

...Hm. Complicated is the best I can come up with right now. Yes, it is complicated, and therefore, I will leave it to t3h smarty people to explain.

Talking of which...

Experiment: "...I sense a disturbance... As if a million voices cried out in drama, and were suddenly silenced... By some kind of were-human... Thing..."))

"...Hmph..." Experiment grunted, and he began tapping his 'watch.' It brightened for a moment before what seemed to be a small hankerchief emitted from his shirt. He pulled on it, and it seemed to grow into a pink blanket. He smiled as he pulled, but then began frowning. It wasn't stopping.

He pulled more and more, and he grew more confused by the second. It seemed never ending!...

...Until he realized it was tied in a circle, and it had continued to flow back in and out. His face was slightly indecipherable, but if anyone knew the look, they would know he was smacking himself in the head in his mind.

He untied the knot, and it released into an Ess-sized blanket.

"Do not ask why I carry things like this around. I say it is because I know you are going to lose your tablecloth at some point. This is used about as much as my silly string function..." he muttered, throwing the blanket. If Essex didn't move, it would probably cover her.

Although, inside his mind, the post-Archie John had his eyebrow raised so far up, it was hidden by his hair.

"...You carry around a pink blanket? Freeeeak..."

"Heh, chirpy little thing, isn't she?" Jenny giggled, walking beside Experiment.

"We are doing very well Ess! And... Well, Jen, we don't have anything to do anyway, right? Let's do some carolling!" he chuckled in turn, his trench flowing absently in the wind, seemingly from a lack of weight.

"Yeah, you do that a lot." a voice spoke from behind Hal's spot in space, Jenny Ballard walking behind her older brother, who was decked out in a red and white trench coat, santa hat, furry gloves and boots, as well as earmuffs. Jenny wore a warm jacket, baggy trousers, and yellow earmuffs, as well as the same kind of boots.

"Oh leave him alone, Jen. Let their love blossom this lovely snowy season!"

"...It hardly ever snows in Paragon, and you know that John."

"Perhaps so." Experiment chuckled, bowing toward Essex and where he assumed Hal stood. "Evening, children! And how would you be this fine evening?"

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

A shadow snaked its way toward the doorway that Moonscribe stood at, materializing to form the skeletal Blind Messenger...

...Who wore his usual black and red, but with a small piece of mistletoe hanging over his head. "...You look boring and weak. Mind if I zombify you?"