Living problems very ammusing from this side. After-Image smiled as she floated by Reginald. What destiney seek?
Pinnacle
Heroes
When in danger, or in doubt; Run in circles, scream and shout.
Darkvaor suddenly realized something.
They had a ghost in their midsts.
He slowed down and let his henchmen keep moving down the sewers and slowly hovered back towards After-Image.
"Tell me, are you 100% ghost?"
Ryuji had been moving towards the back of the group, essentially as a rear guard to ensure nothing tried to sneak up on him.
"I don't think you can be half ghost," he commented.
"Heh," Xander chuckled, his dwarf form undulating softly. "I'm half ghost on my father's side."
Darkvapor smiled.
"How little some of you know of the world..."
He turned his attention back to After-Image.
"I ask, because I have been doing research into ghosts, and I think I may have found a way to transform them into a human form."
After-Image raised an eyebrow.
Violence hangs on you like cloth. No deals will be made. Not interested in living. Time came and past.
Pinnacle
Heroes
When in danger, or in doubt; Run in circles, scream and shout.
"Hey if you wanna research somethin worthwhile find a way to kill me. It's been a few centuries and I still haven't figured out how," Ryuji said in his typical tone.
"I do not know what my destiny is," Reginald said to After-Image. "The Oracle knows the future, but she cannot tell me, because. . ."
"Because telling the future changes it," Reginald and the Oracle said in unison.
"But don't worry, dear!" the Oracle continued. "I can assure you, she's pretty."
"Oracle!" Reginald complained. "I do not need to hear about THAT aspect of the future!"
When Darkvapor mentioned his research, Reginald glared at him. "And do you ask the dead if they wish to return to life? How do you know there is not a life after death? And would you tear them away from it, oblivious?"
The Oracle smiled and clapped politely.
"Personally I think our translucent companion's presence here is more than enough evidence that there's something after death," Ryuji commented.
Starfall's form collaped in on itself, condensing into the shape of the young hero.
"I'm kinda actually gonna have to agree with Mr. Cranky-pants on this one. Ghosts kinda make a pretty good case for death not being the big bad life-ending thing we thought it was. On the other hand, that does kinda screw you outta a satisfying death, doesn't it kid?"
Xander was very aware of Ryuji's age, and was just trying to get a rise out of him by calling him 'kid.'
((Deleted. Somehow it got posted twice. =/ ))
"Y'know, physically speaking, I am a kid. This...happened to me when I was oh...fifteen or so. I'm not 100% clear, since our calendar was a little different. A lot of people point out I'm angsty. You would be too if you were perpetually a teenager," Ryuji added at the kid comment, "So yeah, call me 'kid' if you feel like it. Just don't call me 'old man'."
"Way to dodge the question," Xander said amiably, "Let's try to focus on the giant blob-men who like to eat people for the time being. We can worry about finding a suitable name for your chronological predicament later, k?"
"It has a name. Immortality. Makes being a hero easier at least. I know that no matter what happens, I'm walking out of this alive. The only question is in how many pieces," Ryuji replied grimly, "I can tell you don't like me by the way. That's good, you won't be attached enough to try something stupid like trying to save me."
After-Image's form wavered slightly, she really didn't like her nature being the topic of conversations, it tended to make others more aware of death. In most minds that tended to bring their own mortality into uncomfortible focus and they, inevitibly, blamed her.
Final destination unclear. Not seen or been there. Feel other dead passing Beyond but not know where. Have been bound to land following my murder.
Pinnacle
Heroes
When in danger, or in doubt; Run in circles, scream and shout.
"Fascinating." Pariku murmured, adjusting his glasses.
"Less talkie, more swordie." Nena complained, hefting the Heart Render over her head.
Japancakes.
Art - Theme 005 - Seeking Solace
((Haha, isn't anyone going to do the stereotypical "An' who are youse supposed ta be?" to Hotaka? He is classified as a villain, after all. 
))
Svetlana's electron haze hit its mark, sending 'Pariah' sprawling backwards and causing him to lose his grip on his goodie-bag, which spilled its contents onto a walkway.
Cell phones, pagers, and PDAs?
This wasn't going well. Now he had to deal with two heroes - and he'd spilled his objective all over the place.
Thankfully, there were many more gathering these things as well, so the loss wasn't too great.
'Pariah' stood back up, sending a paralyzing wave of mental energies at both heroes, then rushed inot one of the all-too-familiar open doors one finds in Paragon's sewer system...
---------------------
"They're right, you know." Hotaka smiled knowingly to Darkvapor, "The world's got a way of doing things. Been that way for a long, long time. SHouldn;t be changed. No, not at all..."
The last part was more of a ramble to no one in particular.
"That's the spirit." he laughed at Ryuji's commentary, "Everything's good for something..."
"If I had Force powers, vacuum or not my cape/clothes/hair would always be blowing in the Dramatic Wind." - Tenzhi
Characters
Xander rolled his eyes at Ryuji.
"Alright, first off; Liking you has nothing to do with anything right now. And just for your own reference; Half of me watched as the nebula of hydrogen and helium that would eventually form the centerpiece of this little planetary system started to rotate in on itself, and marveled at the influence of galactic gravity that caused the sun to coalesce. Average that with my 16 year old half and I still got you beat by a couple dozen geological epochs. So, when I said "No it wouldn't," I meant, in fact, "No, it didn't." So just due me a favor and pawn your ennui off on somebody else. K? Thanks.
"And secondly," Xander wheeled around on Hotaka, "What exactly are you ninja-types doing in Paragon? I thought killers-for-hire were generally frowned upon in these parts."
Ryuji shrugged, "I guess age really does make people crabby."
"Oh yeah!" Nena said, turning towards Hotaka. "Why are you evil folks helpin' us out?"
"I'm sure there's a perfectly logical explanation for everything." Pariku said, as he attempted to do a surface scan of the ninja master's mind. It was relatively non-invasive, just the equivalent of reading the back cover of a novel.
The young man tended to neutrality, himself....but he was also quite suspicious.
Japancakes.
Art - Theme 005 - Seeking Solace
"Ph." Hotaka huffed, "I may kill when I deem it deserved, but I'm certainly not for hire. What others do with what I teach is entirely up to them. And I do resent being called evil. Just because I think your laws are in desperate need of a change doesn't mean I'm some sort of big bad thug."
Ryuu didn't notice Pariku's probing. But the mage probably didn't find what he was looking for - if it really was compared to a book, the binding sprang upon Pariku as a wall of fire, stirring shadows beaneath it. One was large and long, the other smaller and more human. And the smaller shadow constantly stabbed something at the larger, seeming only to make it madder and madder.
Then the fire swallowed the picture up entirely...
"If I had Force powers, vacuum or not my cape/clothes/hair would always be blowing in the Dramatic Wind." - Tenzhi
Characters
"Actually, I think that's the definition of a big bad thug," Xander countered sarcastically, "And why does nobody have a straight answer for anything? It's like 'Is your pork fried rice any good?' and the answer comes like 'In the land I come from I am far superior to the concept of right and wrong, and you are a pitiful fool for lumping things into such narrow categories.' And I'm sitting here like 'Oooooh-kay, but is the fried rice any good?' I mean, really people! Come on! We're all speaking the same language, right?"
Ryuji smiled and mimicked the voice of an old man, "Sometimes the answer you seek can be found veiled within a thousand more."
Nena just blinked.
"Less talkie, more swordie." she repeated, shouldering her blade again.
Pariku facepalmed silently.
Japancakes.
Art - Theme 005 - Seeking Solace
"Don't let it bug you," Starfall said to Reginald, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder as they walked further down the passage, "My mother is the same way."