[OOC: I ran into a character called "Birch Rain" on Virtue tonight, with what I felt was a genuinely unique background, leaving me inspired]
I just spent all of yesterday tromping through the stomach of Paragon City chasing down some wierdo by the name of Harvester, and where do I find myself today, trying to rescue some surgeon from another pack of zombies in Skyway City.
Another poison coated crossbow bolt grazes my arm, I'm quick enough, but hatchet-man over there's spoiled my shot
I gotta wonder how the cops let "Night of the Living Dead" run wild and kidnap people without at least trying to stop em.
But then, that's why you have stupid guys like me.
This big meaty b@s#@rd has a punch like a twelve pound sledge, my jaw pops and there are those annoying spots in my eyes again. These guys are faster than they look...another crossbow bolt zings past my ear...wait a second, what's that smell...Then I see it, the fuel tank that shoulda been strapped to this big fella's backside. Why do they always gotta explode?? I feel a dull pain in my shoulder this time as a crossbow bolt manages to make it through the kevlar padding. Distracted, I miss the big hammy hand as it lays upside my head.
"You wanna dance?"
I level my bow and draw, lookin like Babe Ruth, about to belt one outta the park. This would be my SI cover shot, the babes'll love it. There's a split second's pause, and that's all I need to take aim at the explosive in the corner and fire.
"Let's dance!"
I hear the broadhead puncture the tank, imagine metal on metal creating a spark as I score my home run hit. In another second I hear the explosion...Good Night Gracie...then my world goes white
I remember the first time I met "The 'Man" or Statesman, as everybody calls him. I didn't actually meet him, more like I saw him, at some Founder's Day parade in my hometown in Boston, some of the other Freedom Phalanx were there too, I remeber actually talking to Hero #1, when he asked a bunch of us kids what we wanted to be when we grew up. Some of the kids said they wanted to be firemen, or policemen, me, dazzled by the superheroes' presence, I opened my mouth and blurted out. "I wanna be like you guys, a superhero."
The other kids laughed, I remember Joey saying "You can't be a superhero Ray, you don't got no super-powers." The other kids laughed even harder then, and I could feel myself getting hot, probably even turning red. But then Hero #1 put his hand on my head and said:
"I'll let you in on a secret Ray, you don't have to have powers to be a hero."
Its been a long time, and I hear that Hero #1 and Omega Team disappeared a while ago. But I still remember those words as if he said them to me yesterday. It was like my defining moment. From then on, I did everything I could to make myself "super," Track and Field to increase my strength and stamina, Boxing and Martial Arts to teach me how to fight, and always there was my dad's old bowhunting gear, to teach me patience.
I never knew my dad, and my mom never really talked about him all that much. Still she didn't seem upset when I asked if I could have his old stuff. Guess she thought I was gonna follow in his footsteps and become an avid archer.
Yeah, something like that.
I got older, I got stronger, and I got better. While my childhood friends were busy with school and college plans, I worked odd jobs, saving up money to set up shop in Paragon City after high school. My sports record being what it was, I attracted the attention of the scouts, all of 'em asking me what I was gonna do after high school, and telling me how their college was hoping to offer me a place on whatever team I would like.
"There's more to life than sports." I'd tell them, even though my C+ average told them that I felt there was more to life than academics also. Whatever, all roads led me to Paragon City.
I didn't get there as soon as I would have liked, I missed the fighting in the Rikti War, but there was still plenty to do. I remember the first time I stepped off the Paragon Transit Rail in Atlas Park, and got my first look at the giant Atlas statue in front of City Hall.
I couldn't help thinking, "This is me, in the big time." and also, "I wonder what my dad would say?" And then, while I was gawking, I got blindsided by some flyboy and knocked on my can.
"Sorry Citizen, didn't see you there."
I start to shout that I'm not just a citizen, that I'm a superhero. But my words are lost in a low level sonic boom as the guy takes off.
I find myself clenching my fist, remembering all of the kids who used to laugh at me. But I did it, I'm here in Paragon, taking up arms in the fight for justice, and I intend to win.
I imagine my dad would be proud if he could see me now...as a Hero of Paragon City, not being knocked on my keyster by some superpowered knucklehead...
On the outside, my lips twitch into a smile, one of my eyes slowly opens to a harsh neon light, and my face feels like somebody drummed a red velvet tattoo on it with a meat tenderizer. I hear a beeping noise, my Hospital locator...I must've hit the activator on something in that explosion. Heh, lucky me. Looks like I live to fight another day...and then I remember, there's still a surgeon that needs rescuing.
[OOC: I ran into a character called "Birch Rain" on Virtue tonight, with what I felt was a genuinely unique background, leaving me inspired]
I just spent all of yesterday tromping through the stomach of Paragon City chasing down some wierdo by the name of Harvester, and where do I find myself today, trying to rescue some surgeon from another pack of zombies in Skyway City.
Another poison coated crossbow bolt grazes my arm, I'm quick enough, but hatchet-man over there's spoiled my shot
I gotta wonder how the cops let "Night of the Living Dead" run wild and kidnap people without at least trying to stop em.
But then, that's why you have stupid guys like me.
This big meaty b@s#@rd has a punch like a twelve pound sledge, my jaw pops and there are those annoying spots in my eyes again. These guys are faster than they look...another crossbow bolt zings past my ear...wait a second, what's that smell...Then I see it, the fuel tank that shoulda been strapped to this big fella's backside. Why do they always gotta explode?? I feel a dull pain in my shoulder this time as a crossbow bolt manages to make it through the kevlar padding. Distracted, I miss the big hammy hand as it lays upside my head.
"You wanna dance?"
I level my bow and draw, lookin like Babe Ruth, about to belt one outta the park. This would be my SI cover shot, the babes'll love it. There's a split second's pause, and that's all I need to take aim at the explosive in the corner and fire.
"Let's dance!"
I hear the broadhead puncture the tank, imagine metal on metal creating a spark as I score my home run hit. In another second I hear the explosion...Good Night Gracie...then my world goes white
I remember the first time I met "The 'Man" or Statesman, as everybody calls him. I didn't actually meet him, more like I saw him, at some Founder's Day parade in my hometown in Boston, some of the other Freedom Phalanx were there too, I remeber actually talking to Hero #1, when he asked a bunch of us kids what we wanted to be when we grew up. Some of the kids said they wanted to be firemen, or policemen, me, dazzled by the superheroes' presence, I opened my mouth and blurted out. "I wanna be like you guys, a superhero."
The other kids laughed, I remember Joey saying "You can't be a superhero Ray, you don't got no super-powers." The other kids laughed even harder then, and I could feel myself getting hot, probably even turning red. But then Hero #1 put his hand on my head and said:
"I'll let you in on a secret Ray, you don't have to have powers to be a hero."
Its been a long time, and I hear that Hero #1 and Omega Team disappeared a while ago. But I still remember those words as if he said them to me yesterday. It was like my defining moment. From then on, I did everything I could to make myself "super," Track and Field to increase my strength and stamina, Boxing and Martial Arts to teach me how to fight, and always there was my dad's old bowhunting gear, to teach me patience.
I never knew my dad, and my mom never really talked about him all that much. Still she didn't seem upset when I asked if I could have his old stuff. Guess she thought I was gonna follow in his footsteps and become an avid archer.
Yeah, something like that.
I got older, I got stronger, and I got better. While my childhood friends were busy with school and college plans, I worked odd jobs, saving up money to set up shop in Paragon City after high school. My sports record being what it was, I attracted the attention of the scouts, all of 'em asking me what I was gonna do after high school, and telling me how their college was hoping to offer me a place on whatever team I would like.
"There's more to life than sports." I'd tell them, even though my C+ average told them that I felt there was more to life than academics also. Whatever, all roads led me to Paragon City.
I didn't get there as soon as I would have liked, I missed the fighting in the Rikti War, but there was still plenty to do. I remember the first time I stepped off the Paragon Transit Rail in Atlas Park, and got my first look at the giant Atlas statue in front of City Hall.
I couldn't help thinking, "This is me, in the big time." and also, "I wonder what my dad would say?" And then, while I was gawking, I got blindsided by some flyboy and knocked on my can.
"Sorry Citizen, didn't see you there."
I start to shout that I'm not just a citizen, that I'm a superhero. But my words are lost in a low level sonic boom as the guy takes off.
I find myself clenching my fist, remembering all of the kids who used to laugh at me. But I did it, I'm here in Paragon, taking up arms in the fight for justice, and I intend to win.
I imagine my dad would be proud if he could see me now...as a Hero of Paragon City, not being knocked on my keyster by some superpowered knucklehead...
On the outside, my lips twitch into a smile, one of my eyes slowly opens to a harsh neon light, and my face feels like somebody drummed a red velvet tattoo on it with a meat tenderizer. I hear a beeping noise, my Hospital locator...I must've hit the activator on something in that explosion. Heh, lucky me. Looks like I live to fight another day...and then I remember, there's still a surgeon that needs rescuing.
"Once more into the breach..."
The mask hurts my face, but chicks dig the mask
"It's time for some payback."
-----------------------------------
Blinding Strike "Ray Rodgers" lv 11 Archery/Devices Natural Blaster
Train Wreck "Ronnie Ray Cygnus" lv 24 Earth Armor/Super Strength Mutation Tanker
Archimedes "No, that's really my name!" lv 14 Psychic/Empathy Magic Defender
All on Virtue Server