Forward, and Into the Future...

Our aged heroes have saved the Secrets, stopped mad-men, and defeated gods. But as their engery is sapped away with age, many dark entities see a chance to defeat our heroes of old and have taken the chance to join together to achive their evil plans. Many heroes will still fight to their last breath, but they may need some help from the new generation of heroes!

But, can they overcome the rivals of their parents and thrust the universe into a newer, brighter era?

This takes place just half a decade forward into the future (from the Playpen).

Hello everyone! This story is open to all users, but this story is in need of some classic wikian villains! Post below if you would like to add your own villain to the mix, and collaberate with your fellow evil-doers and create your plans and stratigies! Feel free add new villains as well to oppose our new heroes.

Heroes used in other stories may still parpicate, but remember that you're older than usual in this story and that may have a postive or negative effect on your character. Also, remember that this story is about the rising of the next generation of heroes, and possibly even villains...

Cast:
These are the 'factions' who will play a part in this story. This could petentially become a rather large story, so this is how we'll combat the clutter.

The Destroyers are anyone devoted to creating chaos and destruction. The Conquerors are those who want to gain absolute control of the universe. The misguided are those few villains who think they are doing right, but are actually doing much harm.

The Protectors will oppose the Destroyers, the Rebels will fight the Conquerors, and the Teachers will fight (or attempt to convert) the Misguided.

If your character is one of these, but roped into another group, then add them to the class that fits the group they are a part of (and not the faction that the individual fits).

The Destroyers:
Trench, Betwixt, The Artist, Nova, Pietus

The Conquerors:
Morpheus, Malacoda

The Misguided:
Malovus, Taryn

The Protectors:
Issac Redwood, Arbiter, Katana

The Rebels:
Opal, Lucas, Viro, Nuva

The Teachers:
Karma, Starlight

Prolouge:
-le gasp!- This part is left blank?!? What madness is this?

This is the madness created by my tired and lazy brain of mine. I will post here soon-ish... Oh, damn it all, I'm saying that more and more lately. D:

What I have planned isn't much anyways, so we can jump forward to Trench starting his recuitment so we can actually start this story without waiting on my lazy self.

The Destroyers:
[Sadly I haven't even started the story where Trench is released from Tulwar (which is the bounty hunter's final story). All you need to know for this story is that the other heroes on the wiki do triumph over Trench, and almost completely destroy him.]

Trench's eyes shot open. He had finally recovered from his last battle against the heroes, almost two decades ago. Anger rushed through his shapeless form.

"Those... bastards!"

Just when everything was falling in place, his planned was ruined by those pesky do-gooders and then he was torn to bits. He just couldn't understand how they had become trimphant against the impossible odds.

They weren't stonger, t hey weren't faster, t hey weren't smarter. How did t hey do it? Every single time?!?

He was tired of it!

Trench remembered from during his imprisonment inside Tulwar the many other villains he had witnessed being defeated. They were Gods!! How did groups mortal men and women overcome them, time and time again. It seemed that everytime you had one's fate sealed, another pesky hero seemed to appear to save the day!

He was tired of it! He would destory them all! Or... maybe not, considering that he had been defeated before. He may be powerful, but he could not stand against the army of heroes that were bound to band together as soon as a challenge was made.

He wanted vengance on those pure souls, but he couldn't do it alone. "But maybe... I don't have... too."

Recuitment: Betwixt
It all began in a black and white dimension forgotten by the majority of the world, resembling a barren wasteland filled with literal mountains of junk as well as a large amusement park - a twisted parody of childhood innocence, tainted by something sinister and strange.

Sitting atop a mountain of junk was a monochrome rabbit of humanoid design, wearing an outfit not unlike those found on stereotypical 1920s vagrants - looking up at the sky he frowned slightly: the large tear in the sky once again reminding him of a world beyond his own.. one that had largely forgotten him despite his best efforts to stay relevant.

"..what will it take?" he wonders aloud "..I've tried everything.. still.. nothing.. well.. I'm not going to give up.. I mean it.. I'm not going away.. there has to be something I haven't tried..".

The black and white scenery flickered, then faded to black. A voice spoke out the rabbit, seeming to come from all directions.

"You could strike fear... into their hearts." a eerie voice rasped. "I have done so... to many, and have been immortalized... by their nightmares."

Betwixt frowned and stood up, "..fear? ..ha.. I'll pass.." - he turned away and began walking when another figure appeared, forming from the shadows.

"..if I was you I'd listen to what the stranger has to say - if only for the good of Suzie.." another dark voice noted as a shadowy figure stood in place, almost covered by the darkness around it.

Betwixt spun around and growled "..you.. this is you're work..".

"..wrong, Betwixt.. I'm not the one doing this.. listen.." the dark figure said, pointing towards the darkness all around them.

"This... is my work." the first shadow rasped as the shadows disappeared revealing them to be in the real world. The figure grinned evilly, "I can take you out... of here, whether they remember you... or not." The world faded to black again. "Join me. The world will never forget... us after we do... what I set out... to do."

Betwixt frowned as he thought on this, "..why should I trust you? either of you? I may be a criminal but that doesn't mean I'm going to start destroying things randomly - I want to be remembered.. what good is being remembered if everyone is dead?".

"..who said we were killing anyone, Betwixt? besides, this figure will help you to help me and I in turn will help you with Suzie.." the second figure noted.

"..you stay away from Suzie!" Betwixt growled.

"..I will.. in fact.. I'm sure this figure can make sure of that.. all you have to do is man up and stop being a crybaby.. that is unless you want me and my new friend to simply take Suzie along instead.." the second figure continued.

Betwixt growled again, clenching his hands into fists - clearly not happy with the situation but he sighed deeply as he finally backed down, "..alright.. fine.. you guys win.. for now.. I'll play along.. so.. you got a name? he said, looking at Trench.

"I have... many names." the shadow told Betixt. "But you can... call me Trench. I'm glad... you were bright enough... to join me. We will do... great things... together." The demon extended his hand to the cartoon and waited for the bunny to officially accept their partnership.

Betwixt frowns some more as he reluctantly reaches a gloved hand out towards Trench, taking it in his own and shaking it - the secondary figure keeping a close eye on the two as he chuckled to himself:

"..just you wait, Betwixt.. Trench is preparing a show and we're going to be the stars.. just like you always wanted..".

Trench grinned at the cartoon. The darkness around him grew and and shot down the rabbit's arm, warping down around Betwixt's body to his shadow. "To make this magic... work... we'll have be... connected. If you separate too... far from me... then you'll be brought back to this world." the demon said. The blackness faded from around them, revealing a large and crowded city on Earth. "What we will do... is simple. Cause enough chaos... for these mortals." he gestured to the many humans who were continuing on with their daily lives, "And soon... after that... we will accomplish great things."

[end recuitment]

Recruitment: Nova & Pietus
In a state of suspended time and space sleeps the small figure of a girl. Her entire body is of a green coloration and she glows like a gentle flame.

Suddenly, she stirs. Her eyes flick open- white pupils and irises surrounded by a field of black, and gleaming with madness.

"...somethings happening... they're starting a party without me... no, no, that won't do... It's not a party until I'm there..."

"...did you have a good sleep, goddess of magic?" asks the voice of a nearby figure, who materializes suddenly in a burst of crimson flames. This new figure had an unearthly appearance- he had slanted, silver cat-like eyes that glowed, thin lips, and a gaunt face. His hair was cropped short, and his body was thin, but slouched casually.

"Hi Morphy!" Nova exclaims.

The figure frowns. "It's Morpheus."

"Okay dokay lokay, Morphy!" Nova grinned. "So how did your deal with the Balance-Keeper go?"

Morpheus' frown became more prominent. "It could've gone better."

"Aww... did Morphy get spanked by Arbiter and company?" Nova asks in mock pity, reaching over and patting Morpheus gently on the head. Morpheus remained in place, looking irritated.

"You're one to talk, goddess."

"Oh, please. I let them win." Nova said. "It all a game, but it's no fun if I keep winning, now is there? No, as long as they win, there'll be more opportunities to spread further chaos... and misery... and that's when it gets delicious..."

Nova then frowned. "But perhaps, it's about time I siezed victory for myself..."

"...I heard you devoured Eclipse in the war against Ebonscale."

"Ah yes." Nova said disdainfully. "So much power, but he tasted yucky! Which reminds me..."

Nova's eyes flash for a moment, and a portal appears, floating just outside of Earth.

"...I'm hungry." Nova finished, heading through the portal.

<p style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial;">Morpheus sighed and followed.

<p style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial;">"...my offer still stands, by the way." he said.

<p style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial;">"What?" Nova asks, confused at first. Then she remembered. "Oh yeah... nope, sorry Morphy, but I'm not a team player...

<p style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial;">"Be reasonable, Nova! As allies, we can accomplish so much more!"

<p style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial;">"...accomplish?" Nova asks. "I don't need to accomplish anything! I need- hey, what's that on your face?"

<p style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial;">"...what?" Morpheus asks, confused, before Nebula slapped him across the head with enough cosmic force to send him hurtling through space.

<p style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial;">"PSYCHE!" Nova cries out, cackling madly and speeding toward Earth.

<p style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial;">Several miles away, Morpheus manages to catch himself. Sighing irritably, he opens a portal to Earth and disappears within it.

<p style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial;">

<p style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial;">Nova lands in the middle of a city. Looking around a manic grin spreads across her face.

<p style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial;">"Ah, humans... among the most violent, uncivilized, and chaotic of races... I adore them!" Nova exclaims. "They are the most delicious of snacks!"

<p style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial;">Upon seeing a young boy no older than six and carrying an ice-cream cone, Nova leered in the child's face. Snatching the ice-cream cone out of his grasp, she proceeded to drop it on the boy's head, who ran off crying. Nova chuckled. ''"Delicious misery... those of younglings are particularly tasty." Nova thought to herself. "But that was too childish... it was barely a morsel! I need to set my sights bigger... much bigger... perhaps I can blow up a building, or something..."''

<p style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial;">Trench, who was had just appeared in the city with Betwixt, was explaining his plan to the toon. "... Now... I want to see your... true power. Start with something... simple... like this." the demon extended his hand toward a large building. Half of the building was covered with its own shadow, which was begining to flicker and grow darker. A loud hiss could be heard and the shadow turned absolute black before disappearing entirely.

<p style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial;">Loosing half of its structure in an instant, the whole building collapsed.

<p style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial;">"...speak of the devil..." Nova grinned, heading for Trench.

<p style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial;">Betwixt just kept frowning, still not happy with this situation - finally he looks to Trench "..so you broke it.. big deal.. here.. this is how a toon gets things done..".

<p style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial;">Betwixt walks over to the ruins of the building and suddenly becomes a blur of movement, a large cloud covering the area as Betwixt works impossibly fast: once the cloud disappears a large statue of Betwixt stands where the building once stood.

<p style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial;">Trench grinned. "Very... interesting. You certainly want... to be remembered." The demon turned to face Nova. "Ah... Good evening... m'lady." he said as politely as a creature from hell could.

<p style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial;">"No need for politeness." Nova grinned. "I'm just hungry." Waving her hands through the air, she brings the statue of Betwixt to life, and watches as it begins to stomp it's way through a nearby city. Nova giggled with child-like glee, watching the carnage unfold.

<p style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial;">"And such an... appatite you must... have." said the demon as he watched the statue run amuck through the town. "Forgive me... for not introducing... ourselves. I am... Trench. And this is... my associate... Betwixt."

<p style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial;">"I'm the goddess of magic!" Nova said cheerfully. "My name's Nova!"

<p style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial;">"It's a... pleasure to meet... you." Trench said. "Care to join... us... in some... chaos?" his shadow shot outwards and constricted around several buildings.

<p style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial;">Suddenly and without warning a vortex appears high in the sky, casting a ray of light down over the area - the sound of heavenly singing and harps accompany as little cherubs flutter down, however each cherub is deformed and rotten: a parody of the divine and grotesque in appearance and mannerism.

<p style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial;">A larger figure descends from the vortex, playing a harp which soon shatters as he floats down - landing on the ground and resembling a court-jester with large wings: the vortex soon vanishing along with the cherubs and music as the figure dusts himself off:

<p style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial;">"..did someone use my name in vain?" Pietus says, referring to Trench's use of the word "chaos".

<p style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial;">"Hm... maybe..." Nova giggled. "Anyway, I'm still hungry! Let's go cause some more grief!"

<p style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial;">A short distance away, Morpheus stands and watches, before turning away and muttering "worthless destroyers" and fading into thin air like a blurry dream.

<p style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial;">[Destroyers intro: finished!] (Now we need to wait on the Protector's to start/finish their part, and mayhem can break loose. Feel free to edit here more anyway, if you wish our characters to cause more mayhem before the heroes arrive!)

Recruitment: Dark SIM
In the depths of the V-Net, locked inside a Server surrounded by massive walls of glowing green flame and bond in heavy shackles that surged with virtual-energy a dark-furred figure sat in wait: resembling in many ways a humanoid mouse dressed in a revealing outfit.

"..hickory dickory dock.. the mouse ran up the clock.. the clock struck one.. the mouse ran down.. hickory dickory dock.. tick tock.. tick tock.." the figure said, forming a clock face above her head like a projection - the clock hands moving in time with her words.

A window opened above her head, next to her clock.

"tick tock.."

A message loaded on the screen: Download Started... 1%

"tick tock.."

Download at: 22%

"tick tock.."

Download at: 86%

"tick tock.. 'tick tock.. '.hickory dickory dock'"

Download Complete.

Sparks of electricity surrounded the mouse and covered her completely. In a flash, she was gone.

"Downloads done, Adam... Told you that fire-wall would be a breeze for me! You made it seem like it'd be a challenge or something..." Taryn said a bit sarcastically. He ran a glove through his grey-ish blue hair and then tossed the flash drive with Dark SIM over to Adam, who was working on a machine.

Adam stood emotionless as ever, staring at Taryn as he grabbed the flash drive with surprising ease - "evolution has blessed mankind with some brilliance.. I do not deny that.. though such brilliance is outweighed by his many mistakes.. indeed the one thing mankind excels at is failing.." he replies.

Adam would pass as an average African-American male if not for his silver eyes and utter lack of emotion, his voice more mechanical than man - "..besides.. it is not the prison you should worry about..".

With that Adam stands back, having downloaded the data into the machine - which suddenly stirs to life: resembling a hulking humanoid made out of silver metal, the eyes glowing with blue energy.

<<..welcome to the V-Net.. how may I assist you?>> the mechanical voice droned out, causing Adam to frown ever so slightly - his first small sign of any emotion.

"..spare me the act.. I know you are aware of what has happened.. you are a SIM.. a Synthetic Interactive Mechanism.. not some cheap electronic toy.. this is not the V-Net and you are fully aware of this fact.." Adam notes.

"Maybe your machine broke it." Taryn said with a slight frown. "Want me to take a look at it?" He snapped his fingers, a small jolt of eletricity sparked and moved between his index finger and thumb. He waited for Adam's approval before attempting to connect to the machine.

Suddenly the machine moved forward, swinging a large arm towards Taryn - Adam quickly stopping said arm with one of his own: his grip sufficient to stop the machine in its tracks.

<<..what?! ..let go! ..I almost had him!>> the mechanical voice said, sounding like an angered child that has been denied some fun.

"..I can not allow you to break him.. he is still of use to me: for now" Adam replied.

Taryn took a step back from the machine. "Thanks for the save... I guess. She's seems kind of... hmmm, what's the word? Uncontrolable. Yeah that's it." he said with an annoyed expression. "I can always put ya' back where I found you, you ungreatful program."

"silence" Adam says, releasing the machine's arm - the machine seeming to register that Adam could crush it like a tin can and thus backing down "..one thing you will learn about me is there is nothing I can not control, it is my gift as the supreme being..".

<..oh I see.. you're the big scary Adam Man? ..since when did you ally with humans? ..I thought your whole deal was "converting" them into your own little fan club..>> Dark SIM growls, the voice becoming less mechanical now.

"that is none of your concern.." Adam replied - stepping over to a large screen and typing in a few commands: as he does so a large map appears showing major cities around the world.

"..humanity has its uses, which is why I had you brought from the V-Net.. you shall be the first of many Hunters.. your task shall be a simple one: the capture and conversion of humans no longer deemed useful to my cause.." Adam continues, most likely surprising Taryn as this was not part of their original deal.

''Shit... What have I gotten myself into? ''Taryn thought to himself bitterly. He walked over to where multiple other machines stood, but they were only empty shells... for now. ''I have a bad feeling about this. '' He turned to Adam "Err... So what's with the new plan? This... isn't even close to what we had discussed before."

Adam simply continues to type as he notes "..new plan? ..no.. this was always my plan.. however if I had told you the details your emotions would likely of got the better of you: one of mankind's greatest flaws - it is emotion which holds you back from achieving your full potential..".

<..that and limited life-span, squishy bodies and a total inability to accept limitations..>> Dark SIM adds, her tone somewhat mocking.

"..all of which shall be fixed with time.. however.. we still have work to do.." Adam says, the map finally homing in on Valley High Sanatorium.

<..hey, I know that place.. real classy.. corrupt.. rotten.. pretty much an embodiment of humanity..> Dark SIM notes.

No... That's a phyco-ward... Taryn thought to himself, having read an ariticle about it online before. "And you think that I'll go along with your plan now? You lied to me, you used me." he said bitterlly. Not trusting this to end well, the hacker was already coming up with lines of binary in his head incase he needed to flee.

Adam doesn't even turn to face Taryn as he notes "..very well - SIM.. dispose of him.." - he continues typing away as the robot suddenly turns towards Taryn and moves forward, its eyes glowing brightly:

<<..finally.. some fun..>> Dark SIM says.

Recruitment: Malacoda
(Malacoda is a demon of Hell... so Trench could probably find him easily.)

(You do not have to wait on me to create any of the other sections, besides the ones my own characters fall under... This is more of a story for the whole wiki, so not all of these parts will be guided by me. Unless you want me too ^^ Though I'm glad you waited on me for Malacoda section though, as I've been very interested in how the two demons would interact. I figure that they both speak 'demon/evil/batshit-crazy', correct? ^^)

A pool of shadow appeared in the plains of Hell and Trench rose up from the darkness. The demon turned and called to his fellow ancient, speaking in the old, twisted tounge of demons.

"Malacoda. I have a proposition for you." Trench hissed into air.

A flaming portal opened up in midair, and Malacoda's voice rang forth: "Enter." As Trench stepped into the portal, he found himself in a dungeon lit only by red, flaming torches. In the middle of the stone chamber, chained to a table was one demon whose terrified, anxious breath came in thundering heaves, but was unable to move or shift at all. Standing above him was the tall, looming figure of Malacoda, whose talons curled like the legs of an insect, eyes glowed like orbs of flame, and rotting fangs twisted into a manic grin.

"Ah, Trench... just the demon I wanted to see..." Malacoda leered. "There's just so much to play with here and I don't know where to start!"

"You could always start with a personal favorite of mine." Trench hissed, grinning evilly. He extended his hand toward the captured demon and the darkness in the prisoner's pupil flickered for a instant then disappeared as it was portaled away, leaving two bloody and hollow eyeballs.

Trench found the creatures pupils in his hand and placed it on a table facing the two others. "Now he can watch as you have your fun." he laughed as he worked his magics to restore the functionality to the dismembered eye parts.

Malacoda grinned- not with maliciousness, but more like an artist who discovered some proper shade or technique to use in a painting after hours of thought. "Of course... How crude... yet so elegant!" he exclaimed. "Now, perhaps you can tell me this proposition of yours while I work on my art."

Trench nodded and his grin faded. "The heroes... They must be destroyed. They have meddled in our individual plans long enough!"

"Heroes... heroes... heroes..." Malacoda repeated, muttering in thought while digging into his victim's skin with a particularly nasty-looking knife. "Oh, do you possibly mean those miscreants who... yeah... of course... well... sounds like fun. Do you think any of them would look good as art?" he asks.

"With the hinderances they've been? They'd all be masterpeices!" Trench exclaimed. "But I'm not just talking about the ones who have thawrted me. That'd would be selfish! Of course I mean Deathwalker and his spawn too! Wouldn't they all be a lovely series of art?"

"Of course they would." Malacoda leered. "They would be my magnum opus, if you will... I take it you are recruiting allies?"

"Yes..." Trench admitted, sounding a bit disappointed. "I don't see any other way. Those damn beings flock to each other like vultures to a corpse, as soon as one little thing goes wrong. Wouldn't it be nice to finnally be unopposed?"

"Indeed." Malacoda responded.

Trench grinned once again. "Then I think that it's safe to safe we have an agreement here." He extended his hand to the other demon. "Will you join me? We could cause so much chaos together."

Malacoda extended a bony hand and grasped Trench's. "We have an accord." Malacoda said.

Trench shook the other's hand, sealing the deal. "When you are done here, go out and seek more. There are many others who will join our cause. You are one of the few asociates of mine that I know will stay true to their nature. When you are feel ready, or if you need my assistance, call upon me." he said. The demon turned to leave Malacoda to his art.

Malacoda looked down on the pitiable, bleeding victim chained to the table. He growled in frustration, stabbing his knife into the chained demon's flesh, splitting open his belly. Ignoring the unearthly roars of agony, Malacoda walked away.

"...I've lost inspiration for this piece." Malacoda said aloud. "The maggots can have you; I've got greater art ahead of me..."

Recruitment: Morpheus
Morpheus flew high above the technological city of Polaris, staring down upon it's inhabitants, who scurried about, busy with their daily lives.

"I'll start my own conquest..." Morpheus growled, his mind still on Nova and the other destroyers. Raising a hand into the air, he cast what appeared to be a great shadow over the entire city. Screams and sounds of violence began to echo forth from the metropolis, as Morpheus had, quite literally, trapped them within a living nightmare.

A puddle of darkness pooled behind Morpheus, and Trech appeared. "Well... that's certainly... an interesting trick." the demon said with a smug grin.

Morpheus regarded Trench with deep, piercing eyes. "What do you want, demon?" he asked coldly.

"Allies." the demon said quite simply. "Tell me... what good is... your future conqest... if you're destined... to be... defeated... by the heroes?"

"Destiny is never set in stone, demon. I WILL succeed in my... endeavors."

"All you will... succeed... is your demise. Neither of us... want that... for you." the demon hissed. "You could control... everything in... the whole universe... if we removed... a few... individuals though."

"Do you take me for a fool? I already know that... everytime I knock someone down, another stands in his place. It irks me..."

Recruitment: Ignis
The halls of Valley High Sanatorium were a place few dared tread, the home of madmen and demons - perhaps few as feared as the recently arrived "Patient 186".

Although a machine the authorities classed Ignis as a human due to his complex A.I. and as such he became one of very few machines to be put on trial as criminally insane - public outrage still raged over the controversy of a machine being put into a psychiatric ward: many wishing for him to be destroyed completely.

Yet even as a small band of protestors marched outside "Patient 186" was locked away in his cell, many wires attached to his dark form as he was strapped to an upright table - armed guards constantly standing either side of the machine: who was kept active 24/7 in an attempt to avoid his escape via the V-Net.

A flaming portal opened on the ceiling in Ignis' cell, and out dropped the demonic figure of Malacoda, surrounded with fire. "SURPRISE!" he shouted, cackling madly.

Ignis does not respond as he remains motionless - the armed guards open fire on the demon and charge forward.

Malacoda's shadow spreads out and rises up, forming a black, cocoon-like structure around him that the bullets sink into.

The guards continue to attack as alarms go off and red lights flash on and off, more guards swarming into the room - as this occurs Ignis suddenly awakens as an image projects next to the table in the form of Adam Man:

<<..I have worked too hard to allow my plans to be jeopardized now.. free yourself, Ignis.. then come to me.. we have work to do.. the time draws near.. do not delay..>>.

The Protectors
[This occurs at the same time as 'The Destroyers' intro.]

Katana took a fighting stance. Shattered sticks lay all around him and his enemy, the last of many. He charged forward and swung his sword at his foe, too fast for the human eye to see.

The wooden practice dummy cut into two clean halves. Katana re-sheathed his blade just as the remains of the dummy diced into dozens of smaller peices.

He grinned, proud that all of his hard work and practice had finally paid off. Very few swordsmen could pull off that many strikes as fast as that, and even fewer could block as fast.

He picked up his backpack and donned his black coat, the very same that his father once wore. He turned to leave the forest he had been practicing in and began to head toward the city that lay a few miles off in the distance.

[open for edits]

A new figure appeared next to Katana so fast that he seemed to have teleported. Katana recognized this newcomer as Issac Redwood, son of the current Vagabond Alliance leader Raven Redwood. Issac pushed his black sunglasses back up to his face.

"Hey Katana." he said.

"Hey, Robin Jr." Katana joked, as he contiuned his walk toward town. "How's it been going?"

"Stop calling me Robin! It's Issac!" Issac exclaimed. "And it's been going quite well, thank you very much."

"It's Robin!" Katana insisted, laughing a good bit. "Or I bet I could get Viro to start calling you the Flash. We could get you that red outfit to go with it and everything." he added, prodding a bit more fun at his friend.

"Cut it out, you bonehead!" Issac laughed, throwing a friendly punch at Katana's arm. "How's Viro doing, anyway?"

"How the hell should I know how the mut is doing?" Katana shrugged, not really caring.

Suddenly, an emerald-haired man with gleaming golden eyes that seemed to radiate pure power walked by, heading in the direction that Katana and Issac came from. His traveler's cloak fluttered in the wind as he passed the two teenagers.

Katana's mind rushed for a moment. He reconized the man from his father's records. "Wait! I know you! You're-"

"Just a passing stranger..." the man said, not even looking back.

"No... you're..." Katana sighed and figured it was best not to argue with the being. "Why are you here?"

The man stopped walking. He was silent for a moment before he spoke, without turning around: "I sense that the Balance is disturbed even further."

"Meaning?"

Suddenly a highly obnoxious beeping sound fills the area as a small device rolls in - looking like a bomb-removal robot with a large flat-screen perched on top of its form: the device beeps madly as it comes to a halt and the screen flickers on to reveal a humanoid mouse:

"..hello? ..is this thing on? ..hello? ..goddamnit.. stupid cleaning-bot..".

(room in the forest? Ummmmm.... -makes a quick edit- ... That's better. ^^ Friscoal 20:03, November 29, 2011 (UTC))

"It's rude to interupt, machine." Katana said calmly. "Do you have a response, Arbiter? Are we in danger here?"

"...possibly so, Cyrus." Arbiter retorted.

"I haven't gone by that name in a long time." Katana grinned. "What can we do to help?"

Arbiter turned around, glaring at Issac and Katana with his piercing, golden eyes. "This isn't a war for ones as... young, as you are."

Katana laughed, having read much of his father's files on Arbiter, as well as many other super-humans. "You fought with many people as old as I am now, back in the day. Or are you having a hard time remembering that, old man?" he joked. He faced the machine. "You seem pretty smart. Isn't there sense in my logic?"

"..oh so now I'm "smart" am I?" the mouse growls "..what happened to "it's rude to interupt, machine"?.. also for your information.. I am SIM.. as in *the* SIM.." - the device she was possessing bobs up and down with each word she says.

"We are talking about something important, it was rude to interupt..." Katana explained, "I don't think you were trying to be rude though, though it inadvertantly was. Please don't take offense." He thought for a moment. "And SIM? The name seems familiar, but doesn't seem to ring any bells." he added, not being one to use any high tech devices of his generation.

Katana glaced back at the silent Issac. "You're being awfully quiet... You know we could be of use."

"Hm? Oh, sorry... mind wandering off again..." Issac muttered.

The Rebels
[Deathwalker, you may start if you wish. Since you control a majority of the characters in this group.]

A crash sounded in Blade HQ's apartment 666, followed by the sound of angry curses.

"Dammit!" Lucas roared, hurling a lamp across the room and watching it shatter against the wall. His demon eyes burned with rage as he proceeded to his next victim- a V-Net terminal- and sent it crashing to the floor. Lucas' younger, angelic twin sister Opal merely stood in a doorway, silently watching Lucas.

"Dammit..." Lucas groaned, throwing himself onto the bed once there were no more objects to destroy, lying on his back with his wings spread and his hands over his face.

Opal finally spoke up, in a delicate voice that was barely louder than a whisper: "I'm sure they'll be back soon..."

"It's not that..." Lucas said. "It's that they are always gone... they always leave us alone..."

"I'm sure they are worried about us..." Opal said.

"Mom and Dad don't care about us!" Lucas snarled. "They don't give one single fuck about how we are doing!"

Lucas' eyes widened as he saw that his outburst toward his twin sister had caused her to become teary-eyed.

"Crap... Opal, I'm sorry!" Lucas said, quickly getting up and running over to her and hugging her protectively. "I didn't mean to yell... I'm just stressed..."

They stood there for several moments, holding each other and sharing a moment as brother and sister. "Listen, sis... you might be right, but either way, we've always got each other, okay?" Lucas explained. Opal nodded.

"Well then... c'mon, sis," Lucas said, "let's get out of this room and go somewhere..."

[Other Rebels enter here]

Nuva was once again in the training facility, working on his skill with the gauntlet/shield/blade.

(It's actually just called a sheild gauntlet... I think yours just happens a sheild with a sharp point. :) Friscoal 01:21, November 29, 2011 (UTC))

Viro stood not to far away, observing Nuva trying to perfect his weapon. "No, no, no... You are using that weapon all wrong." the wolf explained to the human.

The werewolf was older now and grew much wiser in his age, but instead of becoming frail like most others do with age, he seemed to instead to keep his same appearance from decades past whie still growing larger.

"That weapon of yours. A 'sheild gauntlet'. You can't use it offensively. To use it properly you need to block and counter your oppenents." Viro explained. "You need an opponent to practice that properly." he added, as he moved in front of the other, and took a fighting stance.

Suddenly a strange figure appears in the form of a young dragon - although Murk had grown up a little over the years his was a long-lived species and as such was still pretty small for a dragon and looked to be in a foul mood as he swished his tail back and forth irritably.

Nuva turned and nodded at the dragon, then turned to face Viro, "So, your gonna help me I take it?"

"Yes." The wolf said simply. "Prepare yourself, and don't hold back!" he added, right before striking at the youth.

Nuva raises the gauntlet and blocks the hit, but is staggered back a bit at the force of the hit. Nuva then uses his backwards movement to help him turn and he then quickly throws a very powerful hit with his left hand.

Viro caught the fist with ease. "Good reaction time... but strength is not your strong suit. I doubt your punches will do you much good against other super-humans." He released Nuva's fist, and added. "You had the right idea though, to use your oppents force to steer your own blow. Your sheild will be taking most of your enemy's attack, so why not try using that to retailiate? That blade there is not just for looks."

The wolf paused for a moment, and took a fighting stance once more. "Again." he said sternly, as he threw another fist toward the youth.

This time Nuva stepped tp the side and stuck his gauntlet out for Viro to hit, the hit caused that arm to fly back and Nuva kept turning adding his force to that of the hit and aimed the gauntlet at Viro. "How about this?" He asks while he completes the move.

Viro let the counter-attack land. The blade buried itself into the side of his torso, dying the fur red. "Not bad at all!" he said happily, unfazed by the attack. "Few attacks are able to peice my skin!" Viro grabbed Nuva's arm and pulled the metal out of himself, the wound healing almost instantly.

A short distance away stood Lucas and Opal. "Hey, look- it's Nuva and ol' Viro. Why don't we go over and say hi? Opal?"

Not one of Lucas' words registered with Opal; her hands covered her mouth and her eyes were widened at the sight of Nuva stabbing Viro. When Viro pulled out the blade, Opal fainted.

Hearing the sound of a body drop, Nuva turned to see who fell and if they were okay. "Hey!" He said as he noticed Lucas and laughed when he saw Opal. "So she's the one that fainted huh?"

The wolf chuckled to himself. Blood was a normal thing, no reason to faint. "Kids..." Viro sighed to himself.

"...Don't laugh at my sister!" Lucas snarled, kneeling down next to her unmoving body. "Sis? Opal? Are you ok?" he asked worriedly, shaking her a little.

"Oh, she's just being overdramatic, Lucas. She'll be fine. It's not like she was the once with a blade thrusted in her." Viro said, still chuckling slightly.

Nuva nodded in agreement. "She's fine, I would never laugh at someone who was hurt, you know that." THhen Nuva turns to Viro. "Why is it that you can heal so fast?"

"You're the first person to ask me that before asking why I'm a freakin' wolf." Viro said with a laugh. He paused his laughter for a moment. "I'm not really sure why though... I've always healed pretty fast."

Lucas glares at Viro and Nuva before returning to his sister. "Dammit... I forgot she hates blood..." he mutters.

"Well...I don't know what to do about that. Maybe I can wake her up..." Nuva sticks out his left hand a a very miniscul explosion take place about a foot from her ear making a loud CRACK!

Opal does not flinch. Lucas growls. "What the hell are you doing?" he questions angrily. "Are you trying to burst her eardrums?!"

Nuva shrugs. "It wasn't that loud, I was being careful!"

"Children... please stop all the bickering." Viro said, his ear flickering slightly in annoyance. "You humans can be so loud."

[we'll get this show on the road once Murk actually joins in. I wounldn't want to leave the quiet dragon behind... xD]

Nuva quiets down. "Sorry."

"No reason to appolgise..." Viro said, "You meant no harm. Lucas, I'm sure if your sister was concious she'd want you to calm down. She's going to be fine."

Lucas looks ready to argue, but then sighs irritably and makes no other outburst.

Murk just sits down and crosses his arms, flicking his tail back and forth as he snorts a cloud of smoke which gradually gets more and more oppressive until the young dragon disappears under a thick covering of smoke - which spreads across the area: if anyone had any doubts as to whether the dragon was in a bad mood they had now recieved a pretty clear sign he was indeed in a really bad mood.

The Teachers
Karma sat alone on a park bench, with a sketchbook in hand. She quickly gazed over the decreppit park, which had long since fallen into disrepair in an age of technological wonders such as the V-Net, then returned to her sketchbook, quickly scribbling down what she had seen with intricate and precise detail. She brushed her long, golden hair from over her face, revealing her eyes, which were also a shining gold hue.

Her pen danced over the paper, copying down what Karma's eyes had seen; it twirled, creating lines, then shapes, then dimension. For a girl who was not even ten, she had unbelieveable talent.

Starlight saw the fast motion of the pen and went to see what the girl was drawing. "Wow, your really good." She says upon seeing the picture.

"No no... go back to where you were standing." Karma says dismissively, continuing to sketch and only glancing up for one moment.

Starlight frowns and walks back to the tree she was leaning against and then studied everything around her, trying to understand her surroundings, just for fun.

Finally, with one final penstroke, Karma finished her sketch- a vividly realistic depiction of the park before her. She set her pen down and lifted her sketchbook up, analyzing her handiwork, before snapping it shut an sighing in frustration. Sure, her drawing was perfect, but she felt like something was missing from it...