The Republic of Raltvee is a member of the United Planets and an important economic power. They are most well known for the production of textiles and role in the spice trade. Their major rival is the Kingdom of Nasger, and there have been wars between the two in the past.
Fortunately, the two powers have recently signed a peace treaty so both merchants and tourists can travel in Raltvee in relative safely.
Travel Safety Advice: It is not wise to play cards on Sundays, because you can be criticized by natives. Recently there have been witch-trials, which are supported by the current Stadtholder of Raltvee who is terrified of being killed by a witch.
Piracy: Some places in the Republic of Raltvee have been raided by pirates. Precautions should especially be taken along the border between Raltveech and Nasgerian space.
Epidemics: The throat pox epidemic is gone and the main port on Raltvee proper has been reopened to trade. Please check the spaceports for updates. ~~~~
Sebastian stood in the spaceport with Emily. They were waiting for their luggage to arrive so they could leave. This was the first time the both of them had been to Raltvee. Sebastian was looking forward to seeing the markets and doing some business in the diamond exchange. Emily was happy to get away from the office and spend time with him.
Emily waved to a group of people entering the area, "I think I see Blaze and Invisible Brainiac."
Posted by Invisible Brainiac on :
"Told you you should have used a backpack," IB said cheekily. He was wearing shorts and a form-fitting light green shirt which showed off his chest and arms.
Blaze grunted as he shifted his gym bag. He was dressed in a light brown shirt, and if its fit hadn't highlighted his arms, his flexing now certainly did. "I don't have any large backpacks! And aren't we going to stow our luggage while we're out?"
IB shrugged. "I'm not totally clear on our itinerary yet. I expect we'll have a good hotel, or maybe even one of Emily's or Sebastian's friends has a place we could stay, but don't you want to do some exploring too?" IB winked as he said that last word, and Blaze grinned back. They loved to "explore" each new place they visited, and that often led to a very in-depth exploration of their relationship too.
"Oh, there they are!" IB called, tapping Blaze on the shoulder. "Come on, I'm sure you'll love hanging with them."
Posted by Emily Sivana on :
Emily said, "I am glad everyone found their luggage! One of my friends is waiting for us outside the terminal." The four of them followed the crowd to the exit, which was filled with people holding signs, flowers, and other objects. They stood for a minute while Emily looked for the person they were meeting.
She spotted a woman holding a sign that said, "Legion World." Sure enough, it was her friend. Her family had sided with previous regime on Earth, and decided to live in Raltvee after they lost. She was dressed in a dark red skirt with a matching blouse.
Emily's friend said, "I am so glad you all could make it! My name is Ruth Craig and you'll be staying in my family's hotel. You can tell me some things you would be interested in seeing and doing on the way."
Posted by Invisible Brainiac on :
"Anything adventurous!" Blaze grinned as he shook Ruth's hand.
"What he means," IB grinned as he also took Ruth's hand, "is we'd love to see the natural side of Raltvee. Go diving, or water sports. But I'm also interested in history - any ancient ruins, temples and the like."
"And the food, of course," Blaze grinned. The two boys looked at each other and smiled. They were really planning on enjoying themselves.
"How about you, Emily, Sebastian?"
Posted by Emily Sivana on :
Excerpt from Raltvee: The Travel Guide
The capital city of Raltvee is New Church. This city was founded by a religious sect over three hundred years ago. The people did not have much money, so the settlement originally consisted of a small town and a church, so it was named 'New Church'. The actual church is open to the general public and performs services every Sunday. ~~~~
The four of them made their way towards a bus and discussed further travel plans. Ruth informed them that they would be traveling by bus to one of the canals, and from there they would go to the hotel. As they traveled to the canals, they saw many fine buildings.
Ruth said, "I was thinking we could go to the beach..."
"Wouldn't it be a better idea to go to the historical sights before? The guide says they are close," Sebastian interrupted. Emily thought he was being a bit rude. Blaze and Invisible Brainiac decided to stay out of the conversation.
Ruth replied, "Actually, it the beaches are not far at all. We could go to the beach today and see the sights tomorrow..."
"No, I--" Sebastian saw the look Emily was giving him and decided it was best to be quiet. Maybe he would get lucky and it would start to rain. He continued, "I think that would be fine."
Ruth asked the other two guests, "What do you think?"
Invisible Brainiac replied tactfully, "I think we should see how we feel after dinner. We are all very hungry."
Ruth gasped, "I completely forgot about dinner! Please don't worry, we have plenty of fine restaurants. In fact, the best restaurant in this sector is on Raltvee!" Emily and Sebastian exchanged a look, because they were not sure if this was true or merely a rumor.
The five of them got off the boss and preceded to the boats in the canals. They were able to view a beautiful sunset over New Church. Some of the shops were coming alive, while residential areas were covered in darkness. The five of them looked forward to dinner.
[ July 19, 2012, 08:39 AM: Message edited by: Emily Sivana ]
Posted by Invisible Brainiac on :
As the sun set, Invisible Brainiac used his light powers to enhance the show. He loved using his powers for non-violent purposes.
He slowly highlighted the orange glow, while blocking some of the city lights so they wouldn't spoil nature's own.
Blaze gasped in amazement. "That's wonderful, hon. You're so good with your powers!"
IB smiled back at him. "And so are you. Why don't you come here and help me? You can lend your fiery glow as the sun gets darker."
And Blaze did. The two of them together produced a breathtaking sunset. Invisible Brainiac even got pictures on some of the film he carried. He also took a few with Emily, Sebastian and Ruth. The 5 all nodded approvingly as they looked at the proof that they had been to New Church.
As they settled down, Emily spoke up. "What type of cuisine does Raltvee specialize in, Ruth? I heard that it's very hearty, and that Raltvee also draws on culinary influences from nearby planets."
Ruth smiled. "You'll see soon enough, my dears."
Posted by Emily Sivana on :
The boats landed on the shore of a busy street. Ruth paid the boatmen and they proceeded to the restaurant. The outside of the building had black and white designs. Sebastian admired the architecture as they walked towards the door. They entered the restaurant and were promptly seated. This was a little surprising to the guests because this was supposed to be a very popular place.
"Why are there so few people here?" Emily asked.
Ruth replied, "We are eating later than usual in Raltvee. We usually eat dinner at 6:00 P.M." The server came and handed them menus. After ten minutes of trying to decipher the ingredients, they decided to let Ruth order for them.
The first dish that was ordered was a potato soup served in a Centaurian potato. Centaurian potatoes are about the size of an eggplant and were brought to Raltveech in the last century. This was followed by a chicory salad which was served with a Xudarian dressing.
Ruth commented, "Have you ever seen the New Xudarians in concert?"
Sebastian replied, "I wish I could."
"I'll see what I can do," Ruth replied. Just as she finished that sentence, the waiter reappeared with plates of meatballs for everyone. The next dish was spring rolls, which was a little surprising to the guests. The meal was finished with a slice of apple tart.
Ruth asked, "So what do we want to do now?"
Posted by Invisible Brainiac on :
Invisible Brainiac rubbed his tummy, while Blaze tried to burp discreetly. Both politely thanked Ruth for the great meal, with Invisible Brainiac noting that he'd try to remake the potato soup and meatballs back on Legion World.
In response to Ruth's question, Blaze asked - "Are there any good bars or pubs around here? I'd like to try the local alcohol."
IB piped up. "Of course, if not all of you drink, Blaze and I understand. We could go ourselves later on after we've checked into our hotel."
Posted by Emily Sivana on :
Sebastian thought to himself. I really shouldn't, my memory is terrible enough without drinking. I don't want Emily to think I am lame though. He said, "I have a meeting tomorrow morning with the diamond exchange. Emily, why don't you go with Blaze and Invisible Brainiac to the Indigo Zone?"
Emily asked, "What is the Indigo Zone?"
"It's where all the night-clubs are. They have an agreement with the government to host all sorts of events everyday that are sometimes restricted under our laws," Ruth explained.
"What kind of laws?" Blaze asked.
Ruth replied, "Our planet was originally founded by extremely religious people. Many people here are still religious, but tolerance has grown as trade has increased. Our laws are different from many other places; and some places in Raltvee have different laws. The most important thing you have to know is not to be caught drinking alcohol outside of the Indigo Zone after midnight. Tomorrow is Sunday and the law is very restrictive on that day. It is also inadvisable to play cards after midgnight; it isn't illegal but everyone will gossip about your behavior."
Everyone nodded their heads in agreement. Emily didn't go to clubs often, and wondered what they would be like in Raltvee. She hoped it would be fun. As a member of the Security Office she did not party a lot, and as a civilian the parties she went were usually family gatherings. The five of them settled the bill after a bit of wrangling, and then left the restaurant. They were fortunate enough to find a boat. Unfortunately, it began to rain as they journeyed to the hotel. I am glad we did not go to the beach, Emily thought.
They walked into the hotel to see several men working on the lobby floor. Ruth blushed and quickly summoned staff members to take their luggage. Ruth was able to confirm their reservations and get their keys from the receptionist.
[ July 22, 2012, 08:51 PM: Message edited by: Emily Sivana ]
Posted by Invisible Brainiac on :
As they went up to their rooms, Invisible Brainiac asked Emily. "It's raining pretty hard tonight. Do you want to visit the Indigo Zone tomorrow instead?"
Emily thought for a moment. She was curious about what it would be like, but alcohol and rain weren't that good an idea. "Maybe we should wait a couple of hours and see what happenes with the weather. Anyway, we can consume alcohol within the Indigo Zone after midnight, and it is still early."
Blaze looked at the elevator menu as they went up. "There are quite a few amenities here. Look, they have traditional Raltvee baths! Maybe we can try those out too."
IB thought for a moment. "Maybe we should go to the baths AFTER we go drinking, if we do. So we don't have to get dressed after that."
"Why don't we all check in and get settled in our rooms first, and THEN we can decide how to spend the night?" Sebastian suggested. "We can discuss in 30 minutes."
All four agreed before parting ways. Blaze and Invisible Brainiac went off to the room they shared.
Posted by Emily Sivana on :
Sebastian Sage closed the door to his room and sat on the bed. He was happy to be with his friends, but was a bit nervous about the meeting tomorrow. The Raltveech and Nasgerians were rivals since before he was born, and he wasn't sure if any peace treaty would change that. He was beginning to regret bringing his work with him, but he was just so used to it. Back at the office, Sam would sometimes joke that Sebastian had a "Hunger Games" adolescence but he had no idea what that meant. He earned enough money to buy a company and earn a place in society. Of course he still wasn't happy with that, so he joined the LMB. He wouldn't be the first Nasgerian business owner to spend a lot of time abroad.
His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. He opened the door to find Ruth standing there. Sebastian asked, "Hello. Is something wrong?"
Ruth paused, "No. I mean yes...can I come in?" He nodded the door and she closed it behind them. He sat on the desk chair and she sat on the bed. She looked very troubled.
Ruth said, "My family is trying to rebuild it's fortunes after the troubles, so I'm starting to look for a suitable husband. I can't marry a Raltveech because it makes it look like my family will never return to Earth. I am looking for someone rich, maybe connected to the Tournaments. Do you know anybody that is currently available?"
Sebastian had to restrain himself from laughing. It was strange to here a Raltveech talk of marrying a Nasgerian! There were so many differences between the two nations that the question of intermarriage rarely arises. He finally managed to answer, "Unfortunately, I only know of two single men who are currently available that fit that description. One of them is embroiled in a terrible scandal, and the other one has a lot of problems."
"Oh," Ruth said. "Do you ever miss it?"
"No...I only miss people sometimes. I feel bad for my former friends who ruined their contracts and whose lives are not very good. I guess you are a fan?" Sebastian asked. He had not competed in Tournaments for almost four years and was rarely asked these questions nowadays. In all honesty, they felt like a dream of a dream.
"Yes, I watched them a lot when I was in high school too. Sousa Telecom was big where I lived until...until..." She closed her eyes and refrained from continuing the conversation. "Anyways, there is a legitimate Tournament Arena underneath the Indigo Zone." She left the conversation at that and decided to take her leave, citing "pressing matters at the front desk". Sebastian thought the conversation was very weird, but it made him feel nostalgic. It felt strange to feel nostalgic for such a difficult part of his life, but in a way it was simpler than life was right now.
Posted by Invisible Brainiac on :
Invisible Brainiac and Blaze greeted Emily as she stepped out of the elevator. Emily walked a little self-consciously. "Am I dressed appropriately for the Indigo Zone?" she asked.
Blaze nodded. "No need to be too formal. We were thinking of hitting a dance club for a while, then spending the rest of the night just sitting down and drinking."
"Not even the rest of the night," smiled IB. "We don't want to spend most of tomorrow with a hangover. Although if we did have the time, a pub crawl would be nice."
Emily looked curious. "That's an interesting term. What does it mean?"
"It's when you move from pub to pub in a single night," grinned Blaze. "I guess it's best for those who really can hold their alcohol."
"I'd rather spend tonight just enjoying the feel of the city though," IB replied. "Are you okay with that, Emily?"
"More than," Emily smiled. She didn't want to get drunk, either.
The three exited the hotel, chatting casually along the way.
Posted by Emily Sivana on :
Emily was amazed at how quiet the streets near the hotel were. It was pretty dark right in this area, and only a few lights were in this part of the city. They got on a boat to the Indigo Zone, and they were not alone. The sailors knew that young people liked to go their on the weekends, so the trio would not have to worry about getting home.
They approached the Indigo Zone which was a bunch of buildings and shops located on a couple of blocks inside the city. There almost seemed to be a force field preventing the brightness from blinding the surrounding area from the lights. The area surrounding the Indigo Zone was mixed housing, probably owing to the fact that inside the zone things were legal that normally were not.
They got off the boat and walked over to the first night club. The three of them decide to check in their belongings to a club that was less crowded before going to the ones they were interested in. The smell of cigarette smoke was in the air a few people already looked intoxicated.
Posted by Invisible Brainiac on :
IB sighed as he downed his second cocktail, a Venturan mojito. His first had been a Black Xanthian; IB had a taste for chocolate.
"This feels good," he said, leaning against Blaze. "I can't remember the last time I was able to drink like this."
Blaze, who was nursing a pluberry-flavored vodka, smiled. "I can, and it ended very nicely for both of us." IB laughed and gave Blaze a high-five.
Across them, Emily was sipping a very light martini. IB had helped her choose a much weaker drink. IB noticed her silence, and leaned over. "I hope our flirting isn't making you uncomfortable, Emily. Even now that we're in a committed relationship, Blaze and I like to continue flirting to keep the fire alive, so to speak." Turning towards Blaze, IB winked. "Not that I need to do anything else to light your fire, right?"
"You know you make me really HOT, IB," Blaze replied with a big grin.
"No, not at all," Emily replied. It wasn't the flirting that made her quiet, but the club scene.
She had actually expected much worse, and was relieved to see that the club's guests weren't as raucous as she'd thought. There was some mild flirting going on all around, but everyone was more or less discreet - no wild dancing, nobody stripping. She wasn't worried that things would get out of hand though; she could take care of herself, but she preferred to relax on this trip.
"I'm just glad we don't need to raise our voices, thanks to the telepathic earplugs we have," Blaze smiled. "This way we can enjoy the music AND have a nice chat at the same time."
As they sat sipping their drinks, a few attractive young sentients approached their table...
Posted by Emily Sivana on :
Excerpt from Raltvee the Travel Guide: Raltveech clubs are fairly free, but occasionally the authorities come in to prevent what they consider the "worst moral offenses." The more popular clubs get more police visits. The less popular establishments can sometimes have more riskier behavior, and can appeal to a specific set of clientele. Foreigners should be careful as to where to meet people they meet in clubs outside of the Indigo Zone, because all laws are in effect.
On a more positive note, many celebrities and officials are said to visit the Indigo Zone. There is a rumor that Stadtholder William of Raltvee and Prince of Tangello participates in Tournaments in the Indigo Zone. ~~~~
They were holding drinks and greeted the four. All of them spoke with accents; it was clear they were neither Nasgerian or Raltveech. One of them explained that they were from Ikgaline, which sounded a vaguely familiar. Emily and the main Ikgaline exchanged greetings a few times, before they started drinking. She wanted to stay with them, but Blaze pulled her away.
"They seem very drunk," He whispered as they headed towards another table.
The other group continued to enjoy themselves. Just then the music changed and girls began walking down a runway like area. However, there was a small group of police men walking through the room. A few of them wanted the place where Blaze and Emily were standing, so they were forced to move again. She was a little nervous that there were some trouble, so Blaze decided to call Invisible Brainiac and suggest they make their way towards the next club.
[ July 31, 2012, 06:50 PM: Message edited by: Emily Sivana ]
Posted by Invisible Brainiac on :
As the three exited the club, IB used his powers to shield them from the rain and from sight.
"That was a rather exciting and dangerous experience," IB said. He was red all over, not just from their quick escape but also from the alcohol.
Blaze was rather unsteady himself. He was talking in a fairly loud voice, which IB sssshed gently so they would not be noticed. "Almost too much excitement for the day!"
Emily still seemed slightly shaken. It was one thing to go into a situation expecting trouble, and another entirely to have trouble dumped in your lap. "Where else can we go here in the Indigo Zone?"
IB took out his omnicom and began tapping. "Let me pull the research Blaze and I did... Raltvee's specialty drinks are a mix of coffee and alcohol. They can be tasty, but also a shock to the system at first. Mixing an upper and a downer, after all..."
"I think we should try them while we're here," Blaze said. "When in Raltvee..."
Emily nodded. "I think those types of drinks are more likely to be found in pubs or coffee shops, right? Those should have a more savory crowd."
"Maybe not necessarily more savory, but at least less flashy and aggressive," IB agreed. "Says here one good one is the The Coffeehouse. Shall we?"
The three hurried along. It was only 10PM, and they could spare another hour or so.
Posted by Emily Sivana on :
The three of them walked away from the clubs towards a row of restaurants. They walked until they saw a sign for a coffee shop called, The Huguenot. They entered a busy scene that felt like a combination of a bar and a breakfast restaurant. One could see two rows of tables with lights hanging over them.
Underneath one of the counters was a pie-safe. The top rows contained pastries, but the bottom rows contained more unusual fare. Emily could recognize soma, which was illegal on Legion World. It was a controversial substance because it can be used to treat depression, but it also makes people lethargic. There were a few other substances, but the script was in a language she did not recognize. Her thoughts were interrupted when the owner approached them with a greeting.
"Welcome to The Huguenot! I am excited that you are here for our grand opening!" He smiled. This explained why there were only a few other customers present so far. He led them to a booth next to a window, which looked out towards one of the canals. The water reflected the lights of the Indigo Zone. Despite being almost completely artificial, it was beautiful.
He handed them the menus, and they were a bit surprised to see a picture of pancakes on the cover. Invisible Brainiac asked, "Can we have the drink menu?"
"The drinks are towards the back of the menu. We serve pancakes during the day. By the way, free beers until 12:00 A.M because it is the grand opening," He explained.
Posted by Invisible Brainiac on :
"Free beer!" Invisible Brainiac rubbed his hands in glee. "One of my favorite phrases!" He quickly looked over the drinks menu.
"I'm hungry," said Blaze. "Let's order some food too. I know that on Raltvee, food and alcohol make a good taste combination."
Emily pored over her menu. "I've read about their rice pudding, I think it's one of their specialties. Let's try the one with almonds and pluberries?" She then turned to the owner. "Would you be able to recommend some beers?"
With the owner's kindly assistance, they soon had their orders - besides the rice pudding, they asked for the pancakes with various fruit jams, and a sandwich platter which included open-faced sandwiches with various fishes and meats, topped with pickled cabbage, spiced mayonnaise, cheeses and liver pate.
For beer, IB suggested they order 6 bottles and 3 glasses. That way, they could taste 6 different flavors. They ordered two beer-and-coffee combinations, one a mocha and one a vanilla. Another was a peppermint-and-pluberry spiced drink; a fourth was a very sweet-tasting beer from the southern provinces of Raltvee, and the fifth was an Earth Asian-style beer made from rice. The last was the beer from Raltvee's flagship beer producer, Carlsburg.
As they settled down to wait for their orders, the trio marveled at the canal lights outside. Emily checked her watch. "I think Sebastian is probably asleep by now. He has an early start tomorrow."
Posted by Emily Sivana on :
Excerpt From Raltvee: The Travel Guide
The diamond district is one of the oldest commercial centers in Raltvee. It became important as a transportation center between Nasger and worlds which had a demand for metals and gemstones. Rough gemstones are often bought by jewelers in Raltvee, which has given rise to a vibrant trade. The Fourth Tower is the home to famous diamantaires, whose numbers have increased due to recent immigration. ~~~~~
Sebastian woke up at 6:00 A.M and made his way to the diamond district. There were a total of four towers in New Chuch's diamond district. He walked into the Third Tower and and got off on the fourth floor. He opened the elevator to be surprised that he was in the hallway of a swimming pool. Sebastian was confused and decided to ask a maid for help.
She said, "You took the wrong door. This is a combination of apartment and office space." He then proceeded to go to the other side of the building. He arrived in the right office and sat down. The Raltveech looked surprised to find he was on time. After exchanging greetings, everyone sat down to discuss the trade.
"I think that this is a very good start. The gentlemen we were supposed to see yesterday never showed up," One of the Raltveech said. After he said that, another man projected a map and they began to discuss the major pitfall to diamond trade between Raltveech and Nasger: piracy. The two powers had periodically been at war; Raltvee would pay privateers to rob Nasgerian trade and vice versa. The result was the growth of actual piracy, which threatens all ships.
"I am sorry I am late!" A voice shouted. Sebastian turned his head towers his door to see his neighbor, Carlos Aguirre, contractor to the Crown. He was the government's representative where he lived.
"Your appointment was yesterday," One of the Raltveech said. A few of the men looked at Carlos with judging eyes. As for his part, Sebastian wished he was invisible.
"I know...but please listen to me...I have finally found El Dorado," He exclaimed.
All the Raltveech laughed. One of them asked, "Now where would this be?"
"It is a planet called Legion World," Carlos answered. Everyone looked at each other in confusion. A few of the Raltveech had never heard of Legion World; they had devoted their lives to the diamond trade and Legion World was not a known source of diamonds. Those that knew of Legion World were perplexed by this statement, as it was a real place and El Dorado was a myth.
"With all due respect to the Crown," Sebastian stated slowly. "Legion World is an inhabited world with it's own government. Nasger does not own the soil."
"No," Carlos smiled. "But Nasgerian businesses (and Raltveech businesses too) can set up offices on that world. You have already got an import office established there. I am sure there is a way." Carlos made it sound easy. In truth, Sebastian knew that there would be laws, permits, and interest groups to deal with. He was not sure if it would be worth the effort.
A few of the Raltveech seemed to agree; as one of them said, "Why should we begin production on Legion World? There are plenty of mines in Nasgerian and Raltveech territory."
"Legion World is far away from the Raltveech-Nasgerian border, which means it can circumvent piracy," Carlos replied. This statement got the interest of Sebastian. Countless ships have lost lives and cargo from the pirates; could this be a good alternative?
"That is an intriguing solution, but you did not answer my question. I will try to speaker clearer. Why should we put more diamonds into circulation and thus risk lowering the value?" The Raltveech repeated.
Sebastian said, "The price of the diamonds could be valued higher than diamonds from Nasger because they are from further away. We may also find diamonds of higher grade and quality."
"Hmm...you pointed out a key question. Do you have any examples present?" The Raltveech asked.
"Of course I do," Carlos Aguirre said. He took out a small box in his coat pocket, laid it on the table, and slowly opened it. Everyone gathered closer to see if this was a real diamond or a fraud.
[ August 07, 2012, 05:04 PM: Message edited by: Emily Sivana ]
Posted by Invisible Brainiac on :
Invisible Brainiac and Blaze lounged lazily in the hotel baths.
"Mmmm, I could fall asleep here," Blaze said as he sank deeper into the hot water in the tub.
"Careful, don't enjoy it too much," IB winked. "You don't want to turn into a prune."
"Hah, and I suppose I shouldn't show off too much either. We've already gotten quite a few stares since we've been in here," Blaze winked.
"We are famous Legionnaires, after all, and unlike on some other planets, homosexuality is quite accepted here on Raltvee," IB said. He scooted over closer to Blaze. "You know, this would be a great place to have a wedding..."
"Hmm, you read my mind. Maybe we should talk about it more..." Blaze said as he leaned in for a kiss.
"Excuse me... you are Legionnaires, are you not?"
IB and Blaze stared crossly at their interruptor. He was a fairly young Raltveech native, about their age. He was fairly good-looking, though certainly not quite in as good shape as the two. "Yes, do you need something?" IB tried to keep his tone pleasant.
"I am Ian Tanada, and it is a distinct pleasure to meet you," the man said as he extended a hand. He also made a show of looking IB and Blaze over from head to foot.
IB pointedly looked back at Ian, who was now appearing quite excited. "Listen, Ian, Blaze and I were hoping for some private time. If you need an autograph, perhaps we could sign it now so we can relax? And if you need non-urgent help, perhaps we could discuss it later. It doesn't appear as though you're in trouble right now."
"Of course, if you are merely enjoying the view, that's something else entirely," Blaze winked. IB elbowed Blaze playfully.
"My apologies, gentlemen. My purpose was twofold - first, I have long admired you both as magnificent specimens of masculinity and heroism, and second, I am connected with the Tournaments and believe I may have an interesting proposition for you," Ian said. "Perhaps later, then, I could take you out to dinner?"
IB and Blaze looked at each other, and the twinkle in Blaze's eye told IB all he knew. Smiling, he turned back to Ian. "Ian, looks like this is your lucky day. We'd like to hear more..."
Posted by Emily Sivana on :
It was a genuine diamond, Sebastian thought as he walked out of the meeting room. He walked past rows of identical office doors as he exited the building. The prospect of mining on Legion World is exciting, but I do not know if Legion Worlders have the same mind as Nasgerian and Raltveech businessmen. We are economic powers, but Legion World is entirely different.
As he took the elevator to the first floor he thought about the results of the meeting. I was only able to get an agreement for the industrial diamonds. Aguirre reminded them of how dangerous the border is, so they did not want to risk losing gemstone quality diamonds to pirates.
He walked to the First Tower, which displays some of the most beautiful and valuable diamonds on this side of the galaxy. One can hear the hum of security devices as one enters the area they are kept. There is a rumor in the industry that this place hires elite mercenaries as guards, because it is rare to see security personnel in this area. Sebastian stopped by a diamond whose description read, Replica of the Florentine Diamond, Lost after Terran World War I. It reminded him of the time Aguirre thought he found the Florentine Diamond, and it turned out to be a restaurant. Aguirre was not a bad man, just one that wanted dreams to be real.
"It is beautiful, isn't it?" A man said. Sebastian turned to see a stranger standing behind him. He was a Raltveech native, young, and he wore a smile.
"It's not real, it is worthless," Sebastian replied. He was a bit suspicious of this person and hoped that if he was unfriendly he would go away.
"It's still beautiful though," The man replied. "My name is Ian Tanada and I remember you from the Sousa Telecom Tournaments. I'm starting up an entertainment company and would like you to compete in the next Tournament."
"No, I quit when my contract came up three years ago. I made a fortune and decided to use the money to buy a company," Sebastian replied. He worked at Sousa Telecom for five years, that was more than enough. He didn't feel like fighting for money anymore.
"I understand," Ian replied. "But will you at least accept two free tickets to the match? Hal Ferris and Miguel Aligheri are going to be there."
Sebastian paused for a moment. One on hand, these people had their own problems and probably should not be a Tournament. On the other hand, it would be strange for him not to show up and would probably be brought up the next time he was on Nasger.
He said, "I will watch the Tournament." Sebastian accepted the tickets and walked out of the tower. After that, his cell phone rang because Emily wanted to know why he was late to lunch.
Posted by Invisible Brainiac on :
Invisible Brainiac and Blaze pulled away from their kiss. "We'd better hurry," IB admonished. "Lunch starts in ten minutes."
"Aw, but your powers can get us there in no time at all," Blaze said with a naughty grin.
"Now, now. We can continue this later on," IB smiled as he waved his finger. "Besides, I would have thought our breakfast session with Ian was enough for you."
"Well... It certainly got me interested in having dinner with him like he invited..."
"At the very least, our breakfast meeting frees us of any obligations for dinner. We just have to meet him at the Tournament. Although I think you'd like to challenge him to some wrestling again, no?"
Blaze licked his lips. "Only me? You seem to have enjoyed his company a lot, too."
IB smirked. "What can I say? Ian certainly knew how to make us feel welcome. I think he really enjoyed playing around with the two of us. Now get, we don't want to be late!" IB swatted Blaze playfully as he turned to dress. He noticed a message on his phone. "Emily's looking for us. We'd better scoot."
Posted by Emily Sivana on :
Outside a small restaurant in New Church, Emily was waiting by herself at a table for five. Her friend Ruth said she would come late because she was ordering tickets for a Tournament. Emily thought this was a little odd, but did not say anything that could hurt her friends feelings.
"Would you like something to drink, madam?" The waiter asked.
"Yes, I will have a cherry limeade," She replied. It was her favorite summertime beverage.
She did not think anything of it until thirty minutes passed and none of the men shown up. Emily decided to text her friends, and was prepared to order lunch if they did not show up in twenty minutes. She didn't know Invisible Brainiac and Blaze very well, but it was extremely unusual for Sebastian to late.
She saw a taxi pull up next to the restaurant. Out of the taxi came six people, which seemed like a bad (and possibly illegal) idea. She softened her gaze when she realized that two of those people were Invisible Brainiac and Blaze. They quickly ran to Emily's table and apologized for being late. The three of them looked through the menu, which had a variety of fried seafood and sausages served with French fries. The waiter was about to take their orders when they heard the sound of someone running.
Emily turned her head to see Sebastian, and did not know how to react. He looked cute in his suit, though the white color made him look a bit like a marshmallow.
"I apologize for being late," He said. His expression was plain, and Emily could not tell if he was genuinely sorry. However, the waiter was standing right behind her so she did not want to start an argument. She simply nodded and gestured for him to sit down.
"Would you like a couple of minutes, sir?" The waiter asked.
"No,no, I will have this," Sebastian answered. He randomly pointed to an item on the menu and hoped it was something good.
Posted by Invisible Brainiac on :
As they waited for their orders, Invisible Brainiac again turned to Emily. "I'm really sorry for the delay, Emily. I hope you didn't wait too long. Blaze and I got held up by a local who wanted to invite us to a Tournament."
Sebastian stiffened slightly at that statement.
Emily leaned forward, curiously. "Do you know much about that Tournament? Did you say you'd go watch?"
Blaze looked slightly excited and worried at the same time. "We actually didn't understand his explanation all that much. And he didn't invite us to watch - he invited us to compete!"
"To compete?" Sebastian blurted out, unable to help himself. "I hope you didn't say yes right away. It might be better to watch one of these things first."
"Yes, that's exactly what Blaze and I thought," IB replied. "We told him so, without making any firm commitment. We also asked if we could bring some friends along. Would you like to watch? Do you know anything about these things?"
Posted by Emily Sivana on :
Sebastian did not know how to respond to this question. He was not often asked this question, because most Legion Worlders had no knowledge of the Tournaments. If they did they might mention something about Hal Ferris, and think that is all they need to know about the Tournaments. Most people didn't ask where he got his wealth and assumed he inherited all of it from a relative, like most young people with money. He took a deep breath and was ready to begin the explanation. Sebastian does not like telling about his life before the LMB because most of it rumor at best because he started using his powers as soon as he got them.
"I never knew my father, and my mother died of yellow fever when I was five years old. She had the foresight of sending me to a school for boys. She wanted me to be an accountant or engineer, a career that would mean I would not have to worry about money. It was nice place to grow up, but that changed when I turned thirteen," He explained.
"So are your powers inherited? What are your powers anyways?" Blaze asked. He had never seen Sebastian use his powers and assumed he was a street-leveler since he was dating Emily.
Sebastian shrugged, "I can adsorb powers, skills, and memories by touch. I think I inherited my powers from my father. He was a soldier so he could have been in contact with a lot of radiation."
"Radiation does not work that way," Emily said. She did not understand how radiation could give superpowers. It was against conventional physics.
"Do you have any other ideas?" Sebastian asked.
Emily thought for a moment. His mother didn't have any known super-powers so he couldn't have inherited it from her. She died of yellow fever, and yellow fever does not give superpowers either. She replied, "Not yet, your theory is as good as any."
"Anyways, I started noticing that students around me were getting sick, most often after playing sports. The staff just assumed it was another epidemic, but the other kids thought I was a demon and life was not fun. One day when we were playing outside, Mr. Granada was passing through and saw me knock someone out. He had lost a potential Tournament player to a drug cartel, and was desperate for another player. To shorten the story, I joined the old Sousa Telecom because I liked the idea of becoming rich like my mother wanted," He explained.
"Children are treated differently than adults under the contract, so I won't go much into detail on that. You are also not under contract with the old Sousa Telecom," Sebastian said.
Invisible Brainiac said, "So did you ever get a high school education?"
"Yes and no," Sebastian said. "We had classes sometimes, but the situation is similar to that of children in hologram films. Sousa Telecom makes sure we have a diploma after we graduate, but to be honest the work experience is more valuable than the pieces of paper."
"Do a lot of kids in the Tournaments end up turning to alcohol and drugs?" Invisible Brainiac asked. This was a very intriguing topic, though he knew it must be hard for Sebastian to talk about it. He was under contract at one point and may still feel affection for Sousa Telecom.
"Some of them do, but if they do a lot while under contract they end up poor and on the streets. If they do so afterwards, they usually end up either poor or working in the Tournaments again. I have never been fond of alcohol because of my powers, and I had no use for illegal drugs," Sebastian said. He was going to answer honestly, but he didn't want to scare them with horror stories. They were adults and he knew the contracts were different. "Children and adults compete at separate times. All children that compete are orphans, while the adults come from a variety of backgrounds. The most common reasons are for fun, money, and to gain a new life."
The waiter came back with four plates of food. Emily had ordered shrimp with French fries. She was very hungry and began eating right away. Blaze had ordered a sausage with French fries and decided to use his fire powers, so she took it he is not happy at the way it is cooked. Invisible Brainiac had ordered oysters with French fries, while she has no idea what Sebastian had ordered. It seemed like he didn't either.
"Did you sign a contract with Tanada?" Sebastian asked. He poked his fork at the odd looking meat. He never recalled seeing anything like it before. Maybe it was imported from a distant land.
"No, I think we do that at the Tournament," Invisible Brainiac replied.
Emily said, "Let me look at the contract before you sign it." She was a bit worried that her friends were getting over their heads. Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Ruth Craig's voice.
She said, "I got us two tickets to the Tournament tonight! Some new company is starting up, so the prices are low." She turned to Sebastian, "I am sorry I could not get you a ticket."
"That is alright, I got invited by Ian Tanada," He replied. Ruth was so happy she looked like she would give him a hug. She had fond memories of watching him in the Tournaments when she was a teenager. Emily on the other hand looked a bit frightened at this idea.
"After lunch, I need to take you all shopping. We can't go to the Tournaments dressed like this!" Ruth announced as she sat down.
Posted by Invisible Brainiac on :
Invisible Brainiac looked troubled. "You know, when I asked Ian if we could participate in the Tournament as guest fighters without signing any contract or committing to more than one battle, he seemed evasive."
Blaze frowned as he bit into his sausage. "And right after that, he began to undress y-"
IB quickly elbowed Blaze and whispered, "No need to tell them what we've been up to." Luckily, nobody seemed to notice.
"Well, you haven't signed anything yet so you can back out any time you want," Emily replied. "It really would be a good idea to watch and learn first."
"Oh yes, but I'm sure you'll all be happy to participate once you see what it's like," Ruth said brightly. "The Tournament crowd will be thrilled to see LMBers in the heat of battle!"
Ruth was so excited that she didn't see all 4 of her companions had varying degrees of apprehension about stepping into a Tournament.
Posted by Emily Sivana on :
Ruth took them to a store where they were forced to try new clothes. Sebastian simply bought a black shirt and black pants. Ruth thought that was kind of a depressive choice for a Tournament, but he ignored her. He didn't care what other people thought about him.
Emily on the other hand choose her outfit carefully. She decided to wear a red dress with a yellow belt, in case she had to go into action. She was grateful that they were going to a Tournament, so costume wouldn't seem out of the ordinary. Sebastian thought this was being a bit paranoid, but she rolled her eyes at him.
"I'm not the one that started wearing face-mask when he fights crime," She required.
He smiled, "You don't want this face recognized by a drug lord, do you?" Emily let the subject drop, and decided to look at some shoes. Sebastian went to check out and saw that Invisible Brainiac and Blaze got new outfits, and that Ruth was carrying a lot of fabric.
"I'm going to design them new outfits to wear after they get a contract," Ruth said. She was very optimistic about the the night's events. They were going to be there in style. ~~~~~ Indigo Zone Stadium, Underneath the Ground
Ian Tanada was surprised at the turnout. He was happy to see that the stadium was at least at seventy-five percent full. When he booked the stadium, they told him he would be lucky if ten people showed up. He decided to look over the events on the schedule:
1. The Stone Giant vs. Bethsheba Type: Pure Brick Type: Elemental (Ice) Statistical Base: 40 Statistical Base: 20 Intelligence Stat: 10 Intelligence Stat: 20 The Stone Giant was a former mercenary from Dormo. That planet was experiencing a lot of political turmoil, so she decided to journey to Raltvee in hopes of making a fortune. She was approaching middle-age, but had no thought of settling down. Bethsheba, on the other hand was an unknown but pressing circumstances forced his hand. It turned out that the two women he previously had scheduled were arrested for drug trafficking. That is why he would have to fill in the statistics by hand.
"Alcohol will be served until 9:00 P.M, and in accordance with Raltveech law it can not be consumed outside of the Indigo Zone... Please make note of all emergency exits at this time..." The announcer said. A few minutes later, Ian felt himself rise to the Raltveech national anthem. He was greeted by one of the next performers, called Five-Wing, who congratulated him on this feat. Ian thought is a bit odd, but brushed it away as he just saw Sebastian Sage a couple of ladies walk-by without any of his staff greeting him, and was about to reprimand them when he saw another influential person enter the arena.
"Miguel Aligheri, how is your father?" He asked. He greeted a man with dark hair and tanned skin. He was wearing a polo shirt with a little angel halo brand on it. Ian noticed the sword by his side and felt a bit uneasy.
"He's still a banker, if that is what you want to know," Miguel replied. He had gone through a lot recently and hoped the dark days were behind him. His recent marriage to Beatriz Lucca had brought much happiness to his life.
Ian was about to ask him where Hal Ferris was, when the match began. The Stone Giant walked in wearing a helmet and he wore gloves. He towered over Bethsheba, whose red and yellow uniform stood out amongst the darkened arena. Both of their faces were inexpressive. The bell rang and the fight began. The Stone Giant reached up to grab Bethsheba, who quickly dodged.
"Coward!" The Stone Giant shouted landed a right-hook on Blaze's chest. She picked up the other woman, but quickly dropped her out of pain. Blaze quickly realized that distance was the key in defeating a pure brick like The Stone Giant. He shot blasts at the Stone Giant who staggered, and knelt down. Bethsheba decided to come closer, but it was a trap because the Stone Giant quickly grabbed her. As the two struggled, Bethsheba grabbed the Stone Giant's hands and froze them in place.
"If she does not strike a blow in five minutes, Bethsheba will win," Sebastian Sage said. Bethsheba was taking no chances and was freezing the ground surrounding the Stone Giant. It was an effective strategy because she kept getting stuck in the ice.
"Three...two...one," The audience cheered. The bell rang again, and the match was over. There are two ways to win a normal Tournament match: one is to wait your opponent out, the other is remove him/her from the field, usually by knocking them out or teleporting them out of the arena. Teleportation of opponents raises many legal and technical issues, and thus the use of it is often banned in matches.
"The next match will be Five-Wing vs. Brainiac Five!" The announcer cheerfully shouted. The schedule showed that Five-Wing was listed as an Elemental (Sound).
Posted by Invisible Brainiac on :
"So... Someone can win a watch just by disabling their opponent?" Invisible Brainiac asked. "I mean, if I use my powers to turn invisible, then I can win?"
"It does look like Bethsheba won," Blaze mused. "And all she did was keep the Stone Giant stuck.
"Ssshhh... the next match is about to start!" Ruth said excitedly.
"I'll answer your questions later," Sebastian whispered. "Just watch and observe for now."
"If Brainiac Five uses a forcefield, Five-Wing will have a very hard time winning," Emily added.
The match began with Five-Wing hovering on iridescent wings that looked like they were made of energy. On the opposite side of the field, Brainiac Five's slim figure stood calmly and confidently. He wore loose-fitting clothes, but looked like he had a lot of gadgets.
As the buzzer sounded, Five-Wing quickly hovered backward while sending a large blast of energy at Brainiac Five, who put a shield up. The energy kept him from being knocked back, but apparently the field wasn't soundproof, as he crouched down in pain.
He retaliated by forming fists with his field and aiming them at Five-Wing, who was forced to dodge by flying through the air.
Posted by Emily Sivana on :
Sebastian felt a poke on his shoulder and saw his colleague Hal Ferris. It was the first time they had seen each other for awhile. He knew the rumors that Hal Ferris had overdosed on something last summer, and he knew enough about Hal Ferris to believe it might be true. He decided to say, "Hello Hal. Everyone, this is Hal Ferris..."
Ruth squealed, "The Hal Ferris aka Stareyes? You are the greatest Tournament winner in Sousa Telecom history! May I have an autograph?" Hal Ferris slightly smiled and gave her an autograph. The other three people were a bit confused as to who this person was.
"Five-Wing takes a major hit! I think this may be a done match...but what is going on? The floor of the arena is shaking?" The announcer quipped. The people in the audience grabbed onto each other and support structures, and everyone was glad when the shaking stopped. Five-Wing used the distraction to pin Brainiac Five to the ground.
"Cheater!" Brainiac five replied. Ian Tanada decided to declare the match a draw until they could look into the slow motion. It was not unheard of for people to cheat in Tournaments. Hal and Sebastian laughed at this, because it reminded them of old times.
"Forget what they say about drugs and alchohol, most people were fired from Sousa Telecom for cheating," Hal said.
Invisible Brainiac asked, "If you don't mind me asking, what are your powers?"
"I can tap into various types of power and create shapes out of this power," He stated. Hal demonstrated by creating a blue heart. He looked at the group and managed to pick out Blaze.
"It is a pleasure to meet my opponent. I hope you are worthy," Hal said. He extended his hand and Blaze shook it. For his part, he was a little confused because Tanada did not tell them who they would be facing.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, we are proud to present the Sousa Telecom Five Time Tournament Champion, Stareyes!" He is here as a special guest of honor!" The announcer said. The crowd grew wild as a blue aura grew around Stareyes, and he dramatically flew from the stands into the field.
Posted by Invisible Brainiac on :
"And our challenger, the new LMBer known as Blaze!"
"It's really MY turn now?" Blaze asked, half in anger and half in surprise. Both he and Invisible Brainiac were glaring at Ian, who spread his hands in apology.
"I apologize, but the tournament schedule for each day is normally fixed only two rounds before, so that competitors do not know who they will be facing. It helps keep things interesting. I must have forgotten to ask someone to inform you."
Blaze muttered under his breath. "If he didn't give such good blowj..."
Invisible Brainiac shushed him in case Emily and Sebastian could hear. "Yes, Ian is good with his tongue. He apologizes well. Now Blaze, I know you were caught by surprise but I'm confident you can handle this battle well. Okay? I believe in you."
Blaze brightened slightly. The couple shared a kiss before Blaze leapt off into the ring, to loud cheers from the crowd. Although his outfit was new, it emulated the color scheme of his LMB costume, and the crowd recognized both his name and the colors.
Stareyes nodded in respect to Blaze and reached out his hand to shake. The two then waited for the bell to ring.
Before Blaze could react, a battering ram struck him in the stomach. Thinking quickly, he used his natural flight powers to propel himself upward. Arching his back, he flew back down and thanked the stars his magical flame gave him heightened defenses. He blasted his flames at Stareyes, who formed a dome to block them.
Stareyes retaliated with a flurry of knives, which Blaze parried and evaded. Turning, he fired several more blasts.
"They look evenly matched," Ruth breathed.
"They are also quite a stunning sight to behold," Ian said approvingly.
"You should know just how stunning Blaze is," IB whispered to Ian.
"And I know how stunning you are too," Ian whispered back.
"This is the first time I've seen Blaze in action," Sebastian mused. "He has been trained well."
"But Hal Ferris' power is more versatile, and I think he has much more actual combat experience," Emily pointed out.
"There is one tactic Blaze and I have been working on that Hal might not have encountered yet, though," IB smiled.
On the arena, Hal Ferris suddenly collapsed to his knees underneath the huge dome he had created. He was sweating profusely and had begun to gasp for breath. Blaze grinned as he alit on top of it. "I don't need to actually create fire to radiate heat. That hot air isn't very pleasant, is it? Now if you'd like to take that down dome, I'll push you off the field. I don't want "
Hal Ferris glared angrily at Blaze and quickly released his blue dome. As Blaze swooped down to pick his opponent up, though, Hal Ferris suddenly created a large paddle to swat Blaze away.
"Oh no, can he react in time?" Ruth gasped.
Suddenly, Hal Ferris yelped in pain. The paddle dissipated just before it could hit Blaze. Blaze grinned. "Sorry I had to give you a hotfoot."
The crowd was going wild. The great Stareyes had not been stalmated in a very long time.
Posted by Emily Sivana on :
Stareyes winced in pain. He had not fought in a Tournament for a few years and was a little rusty. He didn't know too much about the LMB other than what his agent told him many years ago. He looked up and saw the shocked reactions of his fans. He felt a bit weakened by the attacks but insisted on fighting to the finish. He decided to focus all his energy into a blue crab form, which grabbed Blaze. The LMBer struggled with the shape before Blaze broke free and took to the air.
"Is Blaze a natural flyer or is it equipment? Oh we didn't exclude equipment in this round, nevermind" The announcer said. He sounded a bit bored. The crowd on the other hand was wild, and frankly in shock that such a champion could lose. Stareyes tried to form another object but could not, A shame my powers are so unstable,. He could not summon any more forms and was forced to concede.
"Well met," Stareyes congradulated. He calmly walked off the stage. Blaze was given a form and told to wait until the end of the night for the victory parade (and his first paycheck). He walked back to the seats, stunned at what just happened.
The announcer said, "The next contestants were sent from a distant world. Someone named Nrrev sent three opponents to Raltvee," Emily gasped at the mention of his name. He was the villain who was the reason she came to Legion World. He was released on a technicality and was sent to a refugee planet, apparently trying to rule it.
"May I introduce Metal Jaw, Immune Boy, and Bird Hunter!" The announcer shouted. The pamphlet showed that Metal Jaw's case statistic was 40, Immune Boy's was 30, and Bird Hunter was 20. The audience held there breath to see who would be named as their opponents.
Posted by Invisible Brainiac on :
Invisible Brainiac hugged Blaze as he rejoined them in the stands. "That was awesome! You really used your powers creatively!"
Blaze still appeared stunned. "I did, didn't I? But you were such a good teacher, that's why."
Emily, Sebastian, Ruth and Ian all gathered around to congratulate Blaze. "You certainly exerted yourself," Ian remarked as he eyed Blaze's heaving chest, much to IB's annoyance.
"That was some good flying, as well," Ruth said happily. "It's a good thing they allow your flight rings!"
Sebastian knew that Blaze was a natural flier, but he kept quiet - after all, Blaze might be able to use the advantage later on.
Emily turned to Ian. "We do understand that our participation here is not yet subject to contract, yes? This is on a trial basis only."
Ian smiled, a smile which Emily and IB tried hard to read. "Yes, you can all leave any time you want to leave."
As IB opened his mouth to speak, one of Ian's aides tapped his shoulder. "Uh, sir, I'm sorry but you're up next against the trio sent by Nrrev."
Blaze's eyes widened. "You mean he has to fight three opponents all by himself?!"
Ian stepped in front of the poor aide. "It appears your intended teammates failed to appear, Invisible Brainiac."
"Then just make the matches one on one, or at least pull two teammates up," Sebastian said. "Emily and I can suit up and join in."
"Well, I wouldn't mind giving the audience a show," Invisible Brainiac smiled confidently, much to Blaze's worry.
The group fell silent as Ian mused over his options. "Given Blaze's amazing show just now, I think it makes the most sense to have three more one-on-one battles so that each of you can showcase your skills. Therefore, Invisible Brainiac will battle Metal Jaw!"
IB grinned as he pecked Blaze on the cheek, then leapt forward into battle. He extended a hand to Metal Jaw, who just looked at him with contempt. IB frowned as he stepped back. Metal Jaw radiated malevolence. He was clearly a mean one.
As the buzzer rang, Metal Jaw ran forward, gaping jaws open. IB quickly turned invisible to confuse him. Launching himself into the air, he landed behind Metal Jaw and fired a small laser to test his strength.
Metal Jaw laughed IB hit the floor with a thud. "Fool! I may call myself Metal Jaw, but my entire body is made of reflective metal. Your light powers are useless!"
IB frowned. This would not be easy. He quickly faded again as Metal Jaw charged at him. "Come out and fight me, coward!"
"Hey, I'm called Invisible Brainiac. If I didn't hide, what use would my code name be?" IB taunted him back.
"Such an impolite boy. Let's see how you like this!" Metal Jaw yelled as his metallic foot slammed into the floor. The entire stage shook as IB thudded to the ground. He slowly shimmered into view as he gasped for breath, holding his head in his hands.
In the stands, his friends looked on in concern. "Oh no, get up, get up..."
Metal Jaw began rubbing his feet along the ground, like a rhinoceros about to charge. He lowered his jaw and fired a half dozen projectiles.
"Ugh!" IB screamed in pain as one sank itself into his leg. Another pinned his arm to the stage. He was trapped!
"No... he's too groggy to get up," Ruth gasped. Sebastian shook his head. "He can move as fast as light, he just needs to clear his head."
Blaze narrowed his eyes. "Something's not right... IB's too good for this." Emily nodded as well. She had fought alongside IB many times, and she had faith.
"Aha, the mighty hero is about to meet his downfall!" Metal Jaw laughed as he began to charge. The fallen IB could only try to unpin himself as Metal Jaw bore down on him....
And ran right off the stage!
The crowd gasped in surprise as Metal Jaw passed right through the struggling Invisible Brainiac and fell off the stage, eliminating himself! Even the announcer had to sit up and take notice! "Ladies and gentleman, what did I just see...?"
The pinned IB suddenly faded, and a smiling IB reappeared towards the side. "Light powers mean I can also create visual illusions, you know."
The crowd went wild.
Up in the stands, Ian smiled. "This just keeps getting better and better. Now, who should face Immune Boy?"
Posted by Emily Sivana on :
Question Lad was about to enter the arena, but Red Arrow tried to stop him. She was concerned that his years outside the arena meant he was out of practice. He thought this was a bit silly because she never participated in a Tournament before. She sighed, I think training since I was thirteen has to count for something.
Question Lad said, "I shall challenge him!"
The crowd became excited as he entered the arena. The announcer said, "Introducing the second place winner of a variety of events...first place in the Dual-Match Tournament of 3005, winner of the Grand Phoenix Tournament of 3009...now known as Question Lad!"
Immune Boy said, "Shall we begin?" They begrudgingly shook hands. Question Lad examined him with his eyes, because he had encountered quite a few cheaters during his Tournament career. He looked normal, a little pale and his face seemed to glow under the dim lights of the arena.
Question Lad opened with a jab to the right arm. Immune Boy dodged to the left, and followed that up with a half-nelson. The crowd gasped because they did not know what would happen as many were aware of Question Lad's powers. The two of them touched and Immune Boy's defenses were severely tried by Question Lad's parasitic nature. For his part, Question Lad could not absorb his powers only defend against them. He freed himself and stood up to face Immune Boy.
"Our powers cancel each other out," Question Lad said. Both of them looked tired from the event.
Immune Boy shook his head and grinned, "I have one last defense against you!" He then was enveloped in light and reappeared behind Question Lad. The two of briefly in hand-to-hand combat when the bell rang.
Emily asked, "Why did they stop the match? Immune Boy was winning."
Ruth said, "It says here that teleporters are banned from participating in standard tournaments, which I believe was started at Sousa Telecom. It gives an unfair advantage and creates problems."
Ian nodded, "It creates liability problems that even expert insurance agents cannot solve."
Posted by Invisible Brainiac on :
Invisible Brainiac scratched his head. "So, what if someone can teleport but chooses not to? And don't you screen for powersets before letting someone participate?"
"We do conduct a background check and, in cases where it's necessary, a physical examination," Ian said carefully. "But you must understand, it can be difficult to determine the powers of a sentient."
"Well, what about powers like super-speed or my own light powers? They can duplicate teleportation, somewhat."
"The wide variety of powers in the universe means we have to judge many matches on a case-to-case basis."
"So, uh... does that mean Sebastian wins by default?" Blaze asked.
Ian shook his head. "We'll have to wait for the judge's decision."
Red Arrow stood up. "I suppose I will be next. I'd better get ready before Sebastian tries to talk me out of it."
Posted by Emily Sivana on :
Red Arrow walked into stadium approached Bird Hunter. It was difficult to tell if Bird Hunter was male or female due to the appearance. Bird Hunter's height and weight were below average, its head is bald, and wore earrings. They shook each others hands, both trying to keep amicable expression. Red Arrow wondered if Nrrev ever told the people on that planet about her, and that she was the reason he was on that planet. Of course he did use a cosmic cube to send me to Legion World, but I doubt he would remember that, she said.
The bell rang and the two began to fight. Red Arrow shot an arrow, but the opponent dodged. She tried to get closer, when she felt her shoe hit metal. It was a trap and it caught her foot. She had to disable it before her opponent could come closer.
However, Bird Hunter did not want to get any closer. It took out a dart gun and began to fire, and hit Red Arrow in the shoulder. She shuddered from the pain, and the audience was dead silent.
"A perfect strategy! Too bad this isn't a blood-lust match," The announcer said.
Invisible Brainiac asked, "What is blood-lust?"
"It is a match to the death in which most rules do not apply," Ruth replied. They turned their attention back to the arena and saw that Red Arrow had somehow managed to get out of the trap. Since her shoulder was injured, she simply threw an arrow with the good arm instead of a bow. The contestant began to cough and Red Arrow used the chance to sneak behind her opponent. The two of them wrestled in hand-to-hand combat. The audience was split in two because both of the contestants were impressive.
Ruth whispered, "I should have told her to bring the death-ray."
Blaze asked, "How do you know Emily anyways?"
"We went to the same schools together...which reminds me that I really should send Carolyn a birthday card," Ruth replied. They both went to Smith Academy in elementary school and they both went to boarding school in Colorado afterwards.
"Ooh, I bet you have some good stories about her," Blaze teased. The two contestants were still wrestling and it seemed as if the dead-lock could last hours.
"Yes, I still think Red Arrow should be with Mockingbird..." She then noticed that Question Lad was returning to his seat and decided to shut up.
Invisible Brainiac said, "What did the judges say?"
"Immune Boy is going to fight all the way," Question Lad said. He seemed calm about it, as if it were a minor nuisance. His time in Tournaments may be over, but he still knew that he was a winner. A shout from the stands above them regained their attention to the current match.
Bird Hunter had Red Arrow in a position that could further damage her shoulder if moved any more. Red Arrow had no choice but to say, "I give up! You win!"
The bell rang again and Bird Hunter let go. Iron Jaw hugged his comrade as it left the arena with a piece of paper. Bird Hunter would be highly rewarded when they returned to Nrrev. This is a dream come true, Bird Hunter thought.
Red Arrow slowly exited the arena. She did not want to see the doctors, but the officials insisted citing the policies of Tanada's company. They did not want to be sued at a later date. Her friends in the stands were at a loss for words.
Posted by Invisible Brainiac on :
"Maybe we should go and check on her?" Blaze said worriedly.
"I'm sure Emily will want to know we're concerned, but we should also consider her pride," Invisible Brainiac cautioned him. "I'll send her a text message first." He got out his phone and tapped in, "Are you okay? Want us to visit?"
"I will go," Sebastian said. "I'll let her know you're all concerned."
"Here, please give her this ointment, from me," Ruth said.
As Sebastian walked off, Ruth muttered to herself. "Mockingbird would have been there by now..."
IB and Blaze sat back down glumly. "Emily was doing pretty well," IB said.
"I think she'd have won if it hadn't been for the trap. I didn't expect it either."
"Gentlemen," Ian said as he tapped both of them on their shoulders. IB noted with amusement that Ian's hand lingered just a little too long. "Would you wish to make Tournament history now?"
"Go on," Blaze said. "We're listening."
"Given how both of you complement (Blaze thought Ian accented this word a little too much) each other so well, would you like to show the audience how well you two work together in battle?"
IB and Blaze looked at each other for a second, then nodded. "We'll do it."
Scant minutes later, the announcer called out the next match. "Ladies, Gentlemen and other Sentients, we have a special treat for you. The two famous LMBers, Invisible Brainiac and Blaze, will fight as a team against our next two challengers - Stonewall and Octopussy!"
Posted by Emily Sivana on :
The crowd cheered as these two Ikgaline mercenaries entered the stage. The programmes noted that their resume included stints working for King H'ustav himself. He was known to be a particular employer, so that was a distinguishable variable. Stonewall was almost seven feet tall, while his companion was five feet ten, but he was cloaked in garments. The program noted that he also works with Earth Defense. Sebastian narrowed his eyes as he rushed to Emily's side, I wonder if he knows Doom? Or that blond telepath that Emily always talks about...what was his name again?
Invisible Brainiac and Blaze entered the stadium to many cheers and boos. The speculators in the audience were hedging bets on who would win this round. They reluctantly greeted each other, and then the bell rang. Stonewall immediately charged at Invisible Brainiac, who promptly turned invisible. Stonewall pounded on the floor, but Octopussy waved his hand, and Stonewall swung at Blaze who responded by throwing fireballs.
As Stonewall weaved through the fire, Octopussy ran towards the edge of the stadium where Invisible Brainiac stood and smirked, "I can see you. I have faced the Seven Warriors of Earth Defense, who are you?"
Invisible Brainiac said, "I am a member of the LMB!"
Octopussy replied, "You are nothing!" His eyes glowed red and Invisible Brainiac barely dodged the powerful blast.
The commentator noted, "This should be of no surprise to Tournament fans! Ocotopussy is said to have stood toe-to-toe with Gideon Albrecht--" His phone suddenly rang and he excused himself from the press room just as Stonewall and Blaze were wrestling on the far end of the stadium. Ian had to act quickly, so he decided to find a pretty girl in the audience to take the announcer's place. His eyes first met Ruth, so she was the one he chose.
"Hey! Would you like to commentate?" Ian asked.
Ruth replied, "Sure I can!" She quickly entered the press room and grabbed the microphone, "Toe-to-toe with Gideon Albrecht, a powerful telepath on the Earth Defense payroll." At the mention of the name, a group of Ikgalines shuddered. That name inspired courage from allies and fear from enemies.
Meanwhile, Emily was being tended by medics and Sebastian was holding her hand. She perked up at the mention of Gideon's name. He was the childhood acquaintance she disagreed with the most, yet at the same time she respected him. He was Doom's rival, which in a strange way made him a friend, "I wonder what is going to happen next."
Sebastian said, "We shall see. Is what he is saying about Gideon Albrecht true?"
"I guess we will have to ask him to find out. I think he's visiting the next place we are going to on this trip," Emily replied.
Posted by Invisible Brainiac on :
A curious Sebastian immediately listed down things he'd have to find out about their next destination, and about Gideon Albrecht, while at the same time continuing to comfort Emily.
Emily herself was making a mental list of contacts she could use, while at the same time keeping a ear tuned into Ruth's comments.
A struggling Blaze was vainly trying to blast Stonewall off him, but the rocky hide of his opponent was making it difficult.
On the opposite side of the arena, Invisible Brainiac was busy dodging blasts from Octopussy. "Blaze!" he called out. "Use your powers on the floor!"
Blaze's eyes lit up as he understood. With a little help from his flight ring, he flipped himself over so Stonewall was under him, then quickly burned the arena floor, causing it to rumble and sink. Stonewall gasped and lost his balance, sinking down. Taking advantage of the slow Stonewall's lack of reflexes, Blaze leaped away.
"Good, now I can make MY move," IB said. He turned to face Octopussy. "So you can see my invisible form huh? How does your eyesight like this? Blaze, [i]pikit![/b]"
Recognizing the Filipino word, Blaze closed his eyes as IB released a blinding flare. A dazed Octopussy screamed as he covered his eyes.
"And some masterful teamwork from the LMB partners throws their opponents off!" Ruth was really getting into the swing of things. "It's to be expected; these two knew each other well before Blaze joined the LMB and have often worked together. And their relationship is often in the public eye..."
IB and Blaze grinned as they shot each other glances. "Switch partners?" Blaze asked.
IB nodded as he flew towards Stonewall. But before he could reach, a massive tentacle grabbed his ankle and twisted it, sending him crashing down. As he tried to clear his head, an enraged Octopussy wrapped another tentacle around his other ankle, then two more gripped each arm. "That HURT, you little squaj!"
Blaze ran to helped IB, but was caught off-guard by a large stone hitting him in the side. He looked around to see Stonewall bearing down on him.
"No... Blaze, shield yourself... wait it UMPH!" IB was gagged by another tentacle.
An enraged Octopussy began whipping IB's back, and the hero shuddered in pain, tears streaming down his face. "Be quiet, you little... AHHH!"
A startled Octopussy dropped IB, who spit. "Ugh, I'm never gonna get that taste out of my mouth..."
"Over here, hon!" Blaze yelled as he cast a protective flame shield around them both. Stones bounced off it and were split by the searing heat. "What did you do besides bite him? He looks to be in pain."
"Gave him eight hotfeet - or hot-tentacles," IB said. "You want to switch now? We... Hey, up here, baby," IB said as he caught Blaze staring appreciatively at his middle.
"Can't help it, you look so sexy in that torn costume," Blaze smirked. "Okay, let's switch in 1... 2... 3!"
Blaze quickly released the fire dome, and IB blasted out in his laser form. He hit Stonewall right in the eyes, blinding the stone giant, who fell to his knees.
Blaze ran to Octopussy, who was gingerly holding his tentacles. The angry opponent saw Blaze and lashed out with his two remaining good tentacles. Blaze turned his flame powers on full blast, burning the two tentacles. Octopussy screamed again as Blaze threw fireballs at him, forcing him back.
Octopussy pressed a button on his armor, and yelled at Stonewall. "Stonewall, Tactic 3-B!"
Blaze and IB stopped in confusion as both their opponents began to glow...
... and the audience gasped as the stage erupted in a flash of energy.
"Oh my grife," Ruth breathed into her microphone. "It looks like Octopussy and Stonewall have used their near-mythical combination move..."
Emily and Sebastian stared in horror as they waited to see if their friends would emerge from the smoke.
[ September 16, 2012, 11:13 PM: Message edited by: Invisible Brainiac ]
Posted by Emily Sivana on :
"This is so exciting!" Ruth shouted. The smoke was as dense as fog, but strange figures could be seen along the outside rim of the stadium. It was bit peculiar because it was underground, though most people thought it was caused by the lighting. Emily and Sebastian were dealing with the medics, who were insisting that they stop watching the match for the sake of health. Sebastian sighed and ignored them. I hope our friends make it, he thought.
"May we have the zoom lenses please? Oh, and can we have instant replay ready in case of a dispute?" Ruth said. She had watched enough of these matches to know the outcome might be disputed. Controversy was a great way for Tournament players to become famous. Blaze and Invisible Brainiac were hit by the blast, but somehow the two opponents bounced backwards to the opposite end of the stadium.
"It appears the stadium is...ummm..." Ruth did not know what just happened. She never seen anything like this before. The crowd erupted in arguments over the event, as all four competitors lay on the ground. Blaze and Stonewall were holding their heads in pain.
Sebastian said, "This doesn't seem possible."
"It's one of Newton's laws," Emily weakly said. The referees were carefully watching to see if either group would surrender. Invisible Brainiac stood up and turned to Octopussy.
"This is not good for any of us. Would you accept a draw?" He asked. Blaze was clearly unable to continue battling, and Invisible Brainiac did not want him to get injured. The opponent remained silent as he slowly got up from the ground. Invisible Brainiac walked towards Octopussy, while Stonewall began to sneak up to Invisible Brainiac on the left side.
Ocotopussy said, "You tend to fall into traps."
"Like the one you are in now?" Invisible Brainiac replied. As Stonewall came closer, he decided to target blasts of light at the giant's eyes, which caused his sight to be distorted. Invisible Brainiac dodged, and led Stonewall into Ocotpussy, who was too weak to do anything but protest. Through endurance and quick thinking, Invisible Brainiac was able to win the battle. ~~~~ Four Hours Later
"Are you going to be alright?" Sebastian asked. The five of them were traveling to the city of Nineburg. He was concerned about Emily's arm. The doctor told her not to over assert herself, but he tended to ignore doctors and wondered if Emily was the same. He didn't want anything bad to happen to her.
Emily replied, "I need to stay away from archery until this arm heals. I think I will borrow a shrink ray from my uncle."
Blaze asked, "Wouldn't that be against LMB rules?"
"I don't know," She laughed. "I could always use a star-rod, I have the right to it because my mother was a Knight. If both those weapons are banned, I think I would have no choice but to join Earth Defense." There was something about her tone of voice that made the rest of the group think she was serious.
Invisible Brainiac said, "What is there to see in Nineburg?"
Ruth replied, "There is a famous botanical festival occurring right now. Emily also said a couple of her friends..." Emily's eyes narrowed at that word, because Doom was not a friend at all. He gave her a love potion, so she despised him. "...a couple of her friends that work for Earth Defense are going to be there. Apparently there is a bit of a recruitment drive, a kind of diplomatic hope to convince exiles to return."
[ September 17, 2012, 10:30 PM: Message edited by: Emily Sivana ]
Posted by Invisible Brainiac on :
Invisible Brainiac heaved a sigh as he and Blaze stored their baggage in their room. He looked around; the hotel Ruth had booked for them was wonderfully furnished in the traditional Raltvee style.
He plopped his bags on the floor then grabbed the list of hotel amenities. "Hey baby, there's another sauna here. What say we give our muscles a rest?"
Blaze smiled. "Sure... but you think maybe we can get a workout in first?"
IB cocked his head. Blaze had his "I'm-upset-at-something" expression. He gently took Blaze's hands in his and sat down. "What is it, baby?"
"I... just think I need to get better at this whole battling thing. When we fought together I messed up a lot with tactics. A lot of the time you had to tell me what to do..."
"Hey hon... how long have I been with the LMB?"
"8 years..."
"And how long have YOU been with the team?"
"... a little over half a year..."
"There you go," IB smiled. "I'm just more experienced. But you're a really fast learner. Trust me on that."
"But I want to learn faster!"
"And you will, IF you don't push yourself too hard. You have to rest too, you know. Remember what happened when you were hospitalized a while back, and you tried to go back to the gym before the doc said you should?"
Blaze twisted his lips, then sighed. "Yeah, I injured myself all over again."
"And weren't you the one who told me that when I got injured fighting the Dark Oval?"
Blaze smiled. "And I had to strap you to the bed to make you listen."
"There we go. Now let's relax tonight, and we can sneak in a workout tomorrow before we have breakfast. Fair enough?"
"Okay, baby," Blaze smiled as he pulled IB in for a kiss.
Posted by Emily Sivana on :
Emily asked, "There is no way to refund the tickets?" She stood in a room whose walls were painted black with white trim. Some very beautiful holo-pictures of fruit hanged on the walls as if by magic. The bedsheets were a lush orange color, one of the national colors of Raltvee.
"This is a interplanetary convention. You did not express any concern when we talked--" Ruth said. She had planned their schedule for the next few days. Some of these events required a lot of time and price haggling to obtain tickets for.
"That was before I knew Earth Defense would be there! Gideon Albrecht is one thing, but what if Kristoff is there..." Emily said. She was genuinely afraid that he still wanted to marry her.
Ruth rolled her eyes, "Yes, because having men worship at your feet is such a curse! And I can't even date anyone I want because of the matchmaker." There was a knock at the door, and the conversation was abruptly ended. Ruth opened the door to see Sebastian present.
"What is it that you want?" Emily asked.
Sebastian replied, "To talk to you about tomorrow...now I have heard that Urraca and Kristoff still love each other. Maybe he won't be a problem."
"I hope you are right," Emily sighed. The three of them stood in awkward silence until Ruth excused herself from the room. As soon as she left, the couple embraced as close as they could. Sebastian's powers made things a bit difficult at times, but often they could find a way around that issue.
Sebastian asked, "Do you feel alright? I know an injury like that can--"
"Shh...go get the small box in my luggage...I inherited a power inhibitor ring from a distant relative..." She said sleepily. Sebastian locked the door and the two of them had pleasant night together.
Posted by Invisible Brainiac on :
Blaze squinted as he lined up his targets. Three ogres were charging towards him, mouths opened fiercely.
Closer... closer...
Than he burned the floor out from under them.
With surprised howls, the three crashed onto the floor below.
Blaze bent over,breathing heavily. This wasn't easy.
Say, were things getting darker....
He quickly rolled forward as something heavy crashed into the ground. Crouching, he faced where he'd been and blasted.
A species he didn't recognize screamed in pain as flames blasted it back. It was wearinga spacesuit and carried an ugly looking long-handled ax.
Blaze wuped his brow as reality shifted, to be replaced by Invisible Brainiac clapping his hands and smiling. Blaze admiringly noticed that the walls of the VR room were already repairing themselves.
"See, you don't really need me to help with your tactics at all," IB smiled.
Blaze smiled back as he leaned in for a kiss. "You're right, thanks hon. Now, you wamt to help me get even more sweaty?"
IB grinned as reality shifted yet again. "Not that kind yet. Now you have to outwit ME in battle."
Blaze grinned as IB turned invisible. This was going to be very interesting.
[ September 22, 2012, 08:31 PM: Message edited by: Invisible Brainiac ]
Posted by Emily Sivana on :
"So let it be written, so let it be done," Nrrev said. His harsh voice echoed through the speakers of the convention. The organizers had struck a hard bargain, but they were able to get one Tears of Ishtar plant to display. They hoped nobody in the newspapers would discover how much they had to pay.
An average-sized Terran walked into the room. He had short blond hair and wore a grey uniform. This outfit made him stand out from the beautiful plants present at the convention. Why do you wish to deal with Nrrev?, he telepathically relayed to the nearest assistant. This startled an assistant, who dropped a potted plant.
The manager winced, "You really should wear a Saturn sign. Some people get intimidated by such an ability."
The young man smiled, "That is because I'm not from Saturn."
"If you say so," The manager said. There were rumors that most of this generation of Earth's super-heroes were the product of experimentation by their major corporations. The level of power displayed by them did not help.
"Anyways, my name is Gideon Albrecht of Earth Defense," He said. The woman cleaning up the shards of pottery turned her head in disbelief. It had been a long time since she last heard that name. She decided to finish up the task and go to the next assignment.
The manager said, "It is a pleasure to meet you. My assistants are setting up a small room for your operations. I think one of your colleagues has arrived before you." The young man nodded his head and followed the signs to a room which contained some Terran flowers and two long tables in an L-shape. They were here to promote Earth's interests and maybe recruit new employees.
As he walked towards the table he saw a note, I, Kristoff von Doom, have arrived first. If Gideon Albrecht gets here, tell him to be on the lookout. I suspect a wanted person is going to be at this event ~~~~~ Ruth had decided to take them to a pancake house for breakfast this morning. She was looking forward to the delicious taste of pancakes, followed by peaceful day at the botanical convention. The only problem was that she was the only one ready to leave. She didn't want to disturb anyone, so she walked towards the recreational facilities. Ruth thought about using the treadmill to take her mind off her problems. She walked passed Blaze and Invisible Brainiac working out.
"Legion World really needs a Tournament Arena," Ruth sighed.
[ September 22, 2012, 05:36 PM: Message edited by: Emily Sivana ]
Posted by Invisible Brainiac on :
Invisible Brainiac nudged Blaze and pointed towards Ruth. "Uh oh, I think we're running a bit late."
IB quickly jogged up to where Ruth was. "Hi Ruth, you treadmill often?"
Ruth tried to smile while keeping up with her workout. She settled for a quick nod of her head.
"Blaze and I just wanted to thank you for making us feel so welcome here, and taking care of everything."
Ruth smiled and nodded again. She was starting to get into her good pace and didn't want to stop.
"Well, Blaze and I are wrapping up. We don't want to keep you waiting for breakfast. Don't worry though, we plan to soak in the tub for a bit so please don't feel you need to rush. Is an hour okay for you?"
At Ruth's next nod, IB signaled Blaze and the two trotted towards the men's lockers.
Posted by Emily Sivana on :
A young man dressed in a polo shirt and black pants walked through the halls of the convention. He saw a face that matched that of a criminal wanted on Earth. The current government was interested in apprehending wanted criminals that escaped to other systems. It was a move to show the strength of the government.
As he paused before the botanical resources section, he paused before the Tear of Ishtar plant. This was the plant that was a key ingredient in an antidote for love potions. It also had a number of more mundane uses for the pharmaceutical companies, which is why Nrrev was slowly gaining power in his exile.I must get revenge on Sebastian and all those others for making a fool of me! Since Urraca will only marry me if I become rich, there is no harm in still pursuing Emily as the perfect bride. I must remember to invite her to the Halloween party, he thought.
An assistant smiled weakly, "May I help you with something?" The metallic mask the young man wore was a little unsettling to the assistant. It reminded him of a character from a play.
"Yes," He answered. He took out a Magnicom and displayed the holographic image of a woman. He asked, "Have you seen this woman?"
The assistant said, "She has been on lunch break for half-an-hour. Is something wrong?"
He thought for a moment. They had no authority on this planet unless she was truly the wanted person. Besides, he was only technically an officer. He spent most of his time in the laboratory designing and testing Earth's new defense systems. It was bad enough that he had to appear today with Gideon Albrecht...the one who ruined his face...the one he knew in his heart was really a Richards.
"Nothing is wrong," He replied. He walked past the plants and into the room where the manager stood talking with a number of Ikgaline officials. The manager waved him over and introduced him to a number of them.
"I would like you to meet Kristoff von Doom, one of Earth's greatest prodigies," The manager beamed. ~~~~ Blaze said, "This should be a really nice time. The commercial for this convention ran almost every few minutes this morning."
"The government has invested a lot of time and energy into this event," Ruth explained. They were riding a bus to the botanical convention. Ruth's research skills allowed them to share a bus with a tour from Nasger. Sebastian was really surprised because trade just opened up between Nasger and Raltvee. One of the men was really friendly and asked them where they were from.
"We are from Earth," Invisible Brainiac said. He pointed to Blaze and Emily when he said this.
The man turned to Sebastian, "And you?"
"Salvador," Sebastian said.
The man said, "I'm from Salvador too! It is a truly great place in Nasger." He then switched to the Nasgerian language, which has the most in common with Brazilian Portuguese. The two of them talked for most of the bus trip until they reached the convention, where the Nasgerian tour group was greeted by a guide. The air outside the convention was cool and the wind was picking up so the group quickly went inside.
Posted by Invisible Brainiac on :
"We so have to try that!"
Invisible Brainiac pointed to an attraction at the park that involved the rider being tied to a new rubber tree species from Simballi. The elastic properties not only duplicated, but improved on, Earth bungee jumping. The tree would lasso the rider around instead of merely bouncing them up and down vertically.
Blaze excitedly pointed at a picture beside the one IB saw. "And after that, let's try the Parachute Tree! Oh my gosh, it's like skydiving only crazier!"
"The specially-treated deluxe Parachute Tree ride is intensely sensitive to breezes, which is why all riders have to wear a fully bodysuit of armor and a backup flight pack," read IB. "Whoa, this will be awesome!" He turned to Ruth, Emily and Sebastian. "Do you guys wanna?"
Sebastian quickly shook his head, as did Ruth, who had come here to relax. Emily thought for a moment, then decided against - she didn't want to be anywhere that Kristoff Von Doom might spot and corner her.
The 5 friends parted ways, promising to meet up again for lunch.
Posted by Emily Sivana on :
Sebastian turned the exhibit on resources, while Emily decided to look at native Raltveech plants. She admired a row of plants that were becoming rare because of an invasive species of beetle. As she read the sign she thought aloud, "That is a shame."
Some people on Earth are seeing it as a metaphor, A random thought came into her mind. She wanted to compare the beetles to telepathy, but knew that this person could hear every thought in her head. Emily turned her head to see Gideon Albrecht. It had been over two years since the two last saw each other and they left on a sour note.
"What is it that you want?" Emily asked.
Gideon said, "I would like you to return to Earth, but I know you already won't do that. However, I do know you would be willing to help with an investigation."
Emily replied, "Really? If you haven't noticed we not on Legion World. I have no authority here."
Gideon smiled, "Yes, I know that. However, there may be a wanted female at this convention." He pulled out his Magnicom and showed her the photograph. Emily took a mental note of the woman's appearance. ~~~~
Sebastian walked through the exotic plants. There were some flowering bushes brought from Saint Maarten, better known in Nasger as Orellana. This disputed territory had many exotic plants because it was in an earlier stage of development that bore similarities to prehistoric Earth. The photographs by the plants featured giant lizards that would be considered dinosaurs.
His attention was turned when a group of Ikgaline officials entered the room. They were talking with a man Sebastian instantly recognized as Kristoff von Doom. He hoped that the group would walk from one room to the next and that he would not be noticed.
Kristoff on the other hand saw an opportunity to humiliate a rival. He excused himself for a minute in order to get "one of the most interesting men in Nasger" and introduce him to the officials. He knew this would make Sebastian feel uncomfortable. As he went to get Sebastian he thought he saw the wanted woman, but that would be impossible because the manager said he would stop her when she returned from lunch. Nobody can be in multiple places at once, Kristoff thought.
"Ladies and gentlemen, may I present Sebastian Sage, the owner of Sage Minerals," Kristoff said.
Sebastian whispered, "Let us not cause a scene."
"This is not a scene," Kristoff's mask made it impossible to read his expression. "This is the beginning of a cold war."
None of the Ikgalines heard that word, and they quickly went into conversation. "The two of you aren't very different. I can see why the two of you are friends."
Doom said, "The main difference is that I earn my money--"
"I earned my money in the Tournament Arena," Sebastian interrupted. The officials were impressed by his tact. The conversation turned to the topic of the convention itself.
"I find it ridiculous the amount of money Nrrev charged for that flower," One of them laughed. However, the statement perked the interest of both Sebastian and Kristoff. They knew how powerful that plant was, and both of them would like to have it.
"How much will he sell it for?" Sebastian asked. All the officials paused at this question. They could not believe anyone would want to buy this plant.
"Probably more than you can afford," Kristoff said. He would take any opportunity to make an enemy look like a fool.
"How much would you be willing to pay?" Sebastian asked. This started a discussion that became heated until an assistant manager was pulled in to seriously discuss purchasing the flower. They were about to put a call in to Nrrev, when an announcer was heard on the speakers.
"Earth Defense trials will begin shortly! Also the main security room is closed for maintenance, all Earth Defense members and any other authorities are asked to meet in the Earth Defense room for further debriefing in thirty minutes," The loudspeaker announced.
That must be the work of the criminal we are after! This is a chance for me to prove I am a better suitor for Emily than Sebastian. At the very least it will make it easier to invite her to my Halloween party, Kristoff thought.
I wonder why the security room of all places is "closed for maintenance". The thief just conveniently ignored the most valuable item at the convention? I fear we are walking into a distraction. However, I can't let Kristoff know what I am thinking because I know he would not hesitate to lead me to a trap Sebastian thought.
"Are you two boys alright?" The assistant manager asked. The two of them were standing quietly in front of her for several minutes, and it made her feel awkward.
"Nothing is wrong at all," Doom replied.
Posted by Invisible Brainiac on :
"Yahoooooooooooooo!" Invisible Brainiac couldn't get over the feeling. He was jumping from a 300-metre tall platform with only vines tied to his ankles, and was having the time of his life!
He still couldn't get over the rush, and even while he was hanging upside down he felt giddy.
He managed to get his bearings in time to take holos of Blaze as he did the jump too.
As the two fell in line for the skydiving attraction, IB turned to Blaze. "Don't you find it odd? We defy gravity all the time, yet here we are like a couple of schoolboys at their first amusement park."
Blaze shrugged. "Maybe it's because we've been psyching ourselves up for this for a while. Anyway, don't overthink too much, baby."
"I'm not," IB smiled as he grabbed a parachute made of gigantic leaves. "But this time, you go first!"
Posted by Emily Sivana on :
A woman with long-hair in braids walked past the parachute tree. She was wearing casual clothes and did not stick out from the crowd. She was holding something that could not be seen in her right hand, and was carefully scanning the area to find a place that would be suitable to place this object. She saw that there was a place where participants left their belongings. Her appearance was a familiar sight to the attendants.
"Are you still on break?" The man reported.
"No," She said. "I am her sister, a representative of the Raltveech Police Department. I am looking for a stolen item," The woman pulled out a badge. She had numerous identities because she was numerous by nature. The attendant said nothing more and let her look through the items, not guessing the morality of the decision. ~~~~
Meanwhile, Emily and Gideon were waiting for the others to arrive for the debriefing. She was very curious as to where he had gone and why he came back. She knew it could be difficult for him to re-adjust to the new Earth, considering his background.
I went on an exploration of the multi-verse. I have seen many things that would surprise you. After I defeated an enemy, I was able to use the Wood Between the Worlds---
"Narnia?" Emily asked in shock. She knew Gideon was a little strange, but she hoped he did not lose his mind after the tragic event that caused him to go on this trip in the first place.
Gideon laughed, "It is the best human term I can think of to describe the place. I saw the changes to this universe and wondered what had happened, and I worried about the innocents who may have suffered in recent events. I think it is important that Earth become a strong power again, and for natives of Earth to return home."
Emily said, "I can't disagree with that, but I think Legion World has a lot of opportunities that Earth does not."
Gideon replied, "Yes, like avoiding Kristoff von Doom. I don't blame you, I do not understand why Earth Defense would hire him."
"Maybe because they are having trouble finding experienced scientists? I know there has been a brain drain," Emily asked. As much as she questioned Gideon's morality, he appreciated that they shared a common enemy.
"Yes, and that is part of the reason we are here. This case of theft was totally unexpected," He said. At that moment the door opened and Ruth Craig walked in.
[ September 29, 2012, 08:40 AM: Message edited by: Emily Sivana ]
Posted by Invisible Brainiac on :
Invisible Brainiac and Blaze were lounging happily inside one of the gardens. "Ahhh, this is wonderful," Blaze said with a smile. "I love just hanging around with you."
IB gently and lovingly kissed Blaze's cheek. "I told you we'd see the galaxy one day."
Blaze leaned over and kissed him back. "How soon until we have to meet the others?"
"We don't have to meet them until the end of the day. So sssssssshhhh, and let's just enjoy the peace together..."
Suddenly, IB saw a flash of movement out of the corner of his eye. He looked to his right, but saw nothing, except a piece of paper fluttering to the ground.
He picked it up and frowned. "Hon, look."
It was an article cut out from the local Raltveech paper about his and Blaze's visit to Raltvee. Scrawled in big red angry letters were the words, "Earth traitors!"
Blaze paled. "What does this mean?"
IB made them invisible and got out his Omnicom. He quickly tapped a message and let Blaze read. "The Office of Security has received reports that some Earth natives consider those who fled Earth to be traitors to the planet. Now that Earth is slowly dismantling the system that allowed the Corporations to take over, it's not a big stretch that some of the more extreme ones might be trying to exact retribution."
"Should we be worried?"
"No... they could have attacked us here. Whoever did this is either a teleporter or a speedster. It's a warning."
"Then what should we do?"
"After our Raltvee trip ends... let's go to Earth."
Posted by Emily Sivana on :
Sebastian Sage said, "I wonder where Invisible Brainiac and Blaze are." He was concerned that they had been harmed in the theft. They still had not been given details about the theft. They were waiting for the arrival of the manager. Apparently there was an urgent matter almost overlooked in wake of the recent event.
"Who?" Kristoff von Doom asked. He loved knowledge as much as Sebastian, and wondered who these people were and if they could be of use to him.
"Nobody," Sebastian replied. He did not like having to work with something who actually told him face-to-face that they were enemies. It was a strange level of politeness. He disliked that they would have to pretend to get along.
Kristoff von Doom said, "I'll go look for them." He narrowed his eyes and smiled underneath the mask, for he could not be fooled. Before Sebastian could protest, the manager ran in the door with a local police officer.
"Where are you going?!" The manager demanded of Kristoff.
"I am going find our comrades," Kristoff von Doom said. The manager nodded, and Kristoff left in a hurry. There was nothing Sebastian could do but wait for the manager to speak.
The manager said, "It is terrible! The Stadtholder of Raltvee is actually going to show up today! We can't close the conference, it would be too embarrassing."
"It is the perfect time to catch a thieve," Sebastian said. The officer looked puzzled, so he explained further. "It will make the Raltveech justice system look good. It will help the Raltveech in their alliance with Earth."
The police officer asked, "Why would you care? You are a Nasgerian! Why should we not suspect you of sabotage? Why should we not bring you in on charges of witchcraft?"
"I was in the same room as the manager's assistant when the theft occurred," Sebastian said. A couple of phone calls were able to confirm that his story was true and that he is going to join Gideon and Emily in the debriefing room. ~~~~ Kristoff walked over to where the other people were. He thought it was odd that the conference was not cancelled. If he was the manager the entire place would be in a lock-down into the criminal is found. He used his Magnicom to look up Invisible Brainiac and Blaze, and sure enough he was able to access a LMB website that contained the roll-call of current members. Interestingly, Sebastian Sage was not on the list. It must be do to all those criminals he insists on battling, Doom mused. He got to the entries on Invisible Brainiac and Blaze, but they walked right past him just as he was reading their entries.
Kristoff shouted, "I command you to stop!"
Posted by Invisible Brainiac on :
Invisible Brainiac and Blaze looked at each other, puzzled.
"Is he talking to us?" IB asked.
"Hmph. He doesn't have the "k" to make us stop," Blaze replied, using a slang term from their home country.
The two kept walking to where Emily had asked them to meet. IB still had the paper clutched in his hand; he thought to warn Emily later on though he wasn't keen on adding ot her worries.
Kristoff Von Doom snarled to himself. Ignore him, will they?
He raised his hand. He was going to make them pay.
Posted by Emily Sivana on :
Invisible Brainiac and Blaze walked into the room. They quickly took their seats at a table where Sebastian was sitting next to Emily. An unfamiliar blond man sat to her left, while the manage and a police officer were seated at the ends of the table. The ceiling was covered with a giant screen that was reminiscent of science-fiction movies. It was clear that this convention hall was a bit behind the times in terms of technology. That may be why the recent events were occurring.
The manager said, "Where is Kristoff?" Everyone looked at each other in silence. Invisible Brainiac kept looking down to avoid the stern gaze of the blond. I don't like that look. It is if he can read minds, he thought.
Especially when you are shouting them, Invisible Brainiac heard in his head. He looked up to see the man smiling, which frightened the LMBer. The rest of the people were oblivious to this exchange of communication, and the manager began to speak.
"We have had a case of theft. Some of our surveillance equipment have been stolen," The manager said. "But we cannot close the conference. The Stadholder is arriving and we cannot make Raltvee look weak. So we would like it if you could solve this quietly in cooperation with Officer Smith." Officer Smith was a middle-aged man who had fought in the Cassopeian War against the Ikgalines. He had blue skin, as his father was a merchant who took a Talokian wife. He knew what the lMB and Earth Defense existed, but little more than that.
Gideon said, "We will, sir."
"You do not speak for all of us," Emily said.
Blaze pointed out, "In all honesty, none of us have authority here.I take it Gideon is representing Earth Defense," Gideon nodded his head. He was in charge of this group for the duration of the conference. "Since we are off-world, wouldn't the person with the most seniority be our leader?" Blaze turned to Invisible Brainiac.
Posted by Invisible Brainiac on :
Invisible Brainiac swallowed slightly. He'd had bad experiences with telepaths before and wasn't quite keen on tangling with some more.
At the nods of approval from both Emily and Sebastian, IB forced himself to look straight at Gideon, who was now smirking at him. IB clutched Blaze's hand for support, then remembered his psychic training. He cleared his mind and tried to strengthen the mental shields Spellbinder and Saturn Girl had taught him to develop. For good measure, he quickly turned himself to light and slipped telepathic earplugs into his ears and the ears of Emily, Sebastian and even Ruth.
Emily, please give us a quick debrief on what Kristoff and Gideon are capable of.
Silently giving thanks that he could move at the speed of light, IB then addressed the manager. "The LMB will assist in this investigation. I will take charge of our efforts. I believe it would be best if all of us, including our colleagues," he pointedly indicated both Gideon and Kristoff, "took the lead from Officer Smith."
Posted by Emily Sivana on :
Kristoff was careful because he suspected there might be a greater problem than mere theft. He decided to wait for the Stadtholder himself to arrive, Prince Wilheim of Tangello. The founders of Raltvee decided to follow the governmental system of the Dutch Republic, which led to some interesting developments. This prince was famous for two things: enjoying tournaments and throwing his uncle out the window in a bloody coup. There were riots for weeks in some Raltveech cities following this event.
However, those thoughts were far from everyone's mind that day. Wilheim greeted reporters and gave brief statements to the press, before he began walking through the conference center. The security guards struggled to keep a straight face because they knew this was not a good idea. One should not put pride before safety.
Kristoff von Doom decided to take pictures of the surrounding area for future reference. There were two women who looked very alike, which caused him some concern. He left the small cameras hover on the roof while he walked into the debriefing room. As he opened the door, everyone stared at him.
"You are late," Gideon said.
Kristoff replied, "You should know by now that I am always on time." The two of them briefly stared at each other, thinking about past battles they fought against each other. It was a bad idea to force them to work together under any circumstance.
Invisible Brainiac said, "We have decided to defer all decisions to Officer Smith."
"Very well," Kristoff said. He looked at Emily longingly. When this was all over and Gideon was dead, he would marry her. They would rule Earth together. He daydreamed about the future as Officer Smith broke down the plan.
Officer Smith said, "There are eight of us, so we will break into groups of two based on abilities. Emily and Blaze both have long-range powers, so I want them to patrol the perimeter of the building in case the thief tries to escape or is expecting back-up. I want Gideon and Invisible Brainiac to oversee the Earth Defense trials in case the offender appears--"
"He is not a member of Earth Defense," Gideon objected. He did not know Invisible Brainiac and was afraid this could end badly.
"That does not matter on Raltvee. In all honesty, the title means nothing when you aren't in your jurisdiction. Besides, he is a native of Earth," Officer Smith explained.
"Fine," Gideon nodded.
"I want Sebastian and Kristoff to investigate the place of theft. Everyone is dismissed!" He said. The two of them said nothing in response. Emily was a bit nervous that this could lead to disaster. Everyone quickly left the room to attend to their assigned task.
Gideon did not address Invisible Brainiac but simply followed everyone else out of the room. If one had to pin an expression on him, it would be boredom. He did not want to bail out an amateur.
Office of Security Files Name: Gideon Albrecht Codename: Mr.Magnificent Age: 25 Place of Origin: Earth? American? Swiss? Powers: Telepathy Weapons: Mysterious weapon that can kill anything, never uses it because thinks it is nothing ordinary, did not bring to Raltvee Statistical Base: 50 Intelligence Base: 10 Intelligence Report: Little is known of Gideon Albrecht before the World Youth Conference in Benn, Switzerland 3000 A.D in which he gained his powers. [CLASSIFIED EARTH DOCUMENTS, CURRENTLY CANNOT DECODE]
He is known to some as an enemy of Kristoff von Doom, who blames him for the destruction of his fact at that World Youth Conference. [SEE von DOOM, KRISTOFF]
Name: Kristoff von Doom Codename: N/A Age: 25 Place of Origin: Romania, Earth Powers: Mystic Powers, will not be used on Raltvee because they burn witches there, said to have the ability to transfer his mind into other bodies Weapons: suit which contains a number of weapons including pulsar beams from hands, also has small cameras to take blackmail photographs Statistical Base: 30 Intelligence Base: 30 Intelligence Report: Kristoff was born to a village of gypsies in Romania. These gypsies are said to have appeared out of nowhere by the locals, and believe that a legendary figure called Victor von Doom told them to come here for safety,and that he would return and leave his son to rule them and eventually the entire world. When a man fitting the description of a cloaked figure wearing armor arrived, they welcomed him as Dr.Doom. He left eight days later, but not before the local baron married his daughter Elektriana off to him.
Elektriana was skilled in the traditional mystical arts, and supported herself by telling fortunes and selling magical items to tourists. He grew up to be as intelligent as hoped, and went with the Romanian delegation to the World Youth Conference in 3000. It was there that his face was destroyed in the event that gave a few other individuals superpowers, and began the rivalry between Kristoff and Gideon Albrecht. Kristoff is convinced that Gideon is really a relation of Reed Richards, Victor von Doom's legendary enemy. At this time these are only rumors. He has committed and attempted many crimes according to Gideon Albrecht, but the records are sketchy as to whether or not he was ever charged with any crime. [CLASSIFIED EARTH DEFENSE DOCUMENTS, LMB CURRENTLY NOT AUTHORIZED]
[ October 04, 2012, 04:34 PM: Message edited by: Emily Sivana ]
Posted by Invisible Brainiac on :
Blaze's brows furrowed as he read the files shared by Emily. "These two don't seem very savory."
"You don't know how right you are," Emily muttered darkly. Before Blaze could ask, she turned to him. "Do you have much experience in patrolling and searching?"
Blaze admitted he did not, and Emily quickly whipped out her omnicom and drew a few diagrams for him. She gave him a few tips and reminders, and instructed him on their strategy.
"Is that all clear?" she finally asked.
Blaze, not wanting to appear slow, nodded. "Um, I just stick to my assigned area, watch out for anyone suspicious, signal you if there is, and restrain that person silently."
"Good," Emily nodded. "Let us begin."
***********************************************
"These trials involve battles?"
Gideon rolled his eyes at the question. He was still annoyed at being paired with Invisible Brainiac, who was leaning over the railing as the first trials went on.
A black-haired young man with stubble all over his chin was firing a laser at one of the Earth defense agents. The agent, an athletic and beautiful woman, simply stood there and blocked it with a wave of her hand. Then she ran forward and punched the man, sending him crumpling to the floor.
IB watched as the man was helped up and outside the ring. He would no doubt be rejected.
"He looks familiar," IB thought as he zipped down to get a closer look.
Gideon sighed. He didn't know Invisible Brainiac personally, but he did know the LMB. What a bunch of posturing amateurs! Hardly worth his time.
Although... since he doubted the thief would appear at the trials... A wicked grin formed itself over his face as he trooped down to speak with the recruiters.
IB sat down beside the failed applicant, who was nursing his hands. "These tests sure are tough, huh?"
"You can say that again. I'm Zach. Are you an applicant too?"
"Not exactly," IB smiled as he saw Zach's face light up in recognition. "You're Invisible Brainiac of the LMB! What are you doing here?"
"Just on vacation. So, you have your heart set on being a superhero?"
"Not really. Just tried out for the fun. I'm really a..."
"An actor! I recognize you now. I've seen some of your movies. My partner and I are fans."
"My partner and I are fans of you too! What you all did at Weber's World was amazing! He's a holographer and always wanted to get some holos of some of you. He has light powers too, though not nearly as powerful as you. And my own energy powers aren't either."
"Why not? I'll have to check with Quislet, Esq. on our legal provisions, but in the meantime Blaze and I would be happy to give you a quick training session. And your partner can take some candid photos. All you have to do are give us a copy with an autograph, and maybe show us around for an afternoon?"
"It's a deal," Zach smiled. "Matt will be so happy," he added with a wink.
"So will Blaze," IB smiled. They quickly traded numbers.
IB returned upstairs to a scowling Gideon. "Took you long enough. Did you think he knew anything about the theft?"
"Something like that," IB winked. "You been keeping busy?"
"Trying to telepathically radio you! How could you have been immune to my powers?"
"LMB trade secret," IB smiled. "If you ask nice, I"ll let you in."
Gideon's stare turned even angrier. "Since you're the expert hero, I don't think you'd mind testing the next batch of applicants?"
IB turned to face Gideon levelly. He was confident that his telepathic plugs, developed by some of the best LMB scientists, would not fail. "Bring it on."
Posted by Emily Sivana on :
Sebastian turned to Kristoff, "Let us keep it strictly business." The other man said nothing and simply smiled back at him. To him, all this business was personal. He could care less about the criminal as long as she was caught and his honor intact. His true goal would be to force Emily visit him in Romania.
The two of them looked at the evidence the police found. Sebastian poured over the documents to make sure nothing was overlooked while Kristoff watched the security tapes. At least that is what he wanted to find. There appeared to be no security tapes available. He double-checked the room out of surprise.
Sebastian asked, "Is something wrong?"
"Nothing is wrong," Kristoff said. He would only cooperate with Sebastian in so much as it would benefit his own goals. Kristoff decided to keep this information to himself for further use. Meanwhile, Sebastian was watching the live feeds and saw the Raltveech Stadtholder stand in front of a display case, when a woman with long black braids ran in front of him.
The security forces tried to grab her, but she shouted, "There is a witch at this conference! She stole a valuable object!" The guards tried to push her away from the Stadtholder, but he motioned for them to halt.
"I am listening woman," He said. William of Raltvee was said to have heard a prophecy that he would be killed by a witch. This is one of the reasons that witch-trials have increased over fifty-percent during his reign. He asked, "Who is it?"
"Ruth Craig of Earth," She replied.
~~~~ The next applicant entered the room. He had black hair and a strange scar on the right side of his face. Gideon was glad to see the man was not vain. He looked over at the applicant's sheet and asked the man questions to verify the accuracy of his answers. There were concerns about criminals re-entering Earth through the process.
"Name?" Gideon asked.
The man responded, "Lenny Kim."
"Any relation to Isaac Kim?" Gideon asked.
The man shook his head, "No. It is a common Korean last name." There was an awkward pause in the conversation until Gideon asked him where he was born, his level of education, and previous employment. After all this was confirmed as legitimate, the trial began.
Invisible Brainiac asked, "What is his superpower again?"
"You know..." Gideon looked over the resumes and other employment documents, "...Earth Defense has never explicitly required super-powers. Indeed, the Director and most of our superiors do not have super-powers."
Posted by Invisible Brainiac on :
"You know," Invisible Brainiac said as he warmed up, "you didn't exactly answer my question. So you're saying he doesn't have a super power?"
"That is exactly what I'm saying. At least, none that he has declared."
"Fair enough," IB said as he shimmered. Gideon gasped to see seven IBs standing where one had been just a microsecond earlier. "I figure our review of the applicants for a possible connection to the crime will go faster of six of me help you. We only need one to test the applicants."
Six of them quickly began rifling through the documents of past applicants. In short order, IB handed Gideon a stack. "Applicants from planets with high levels of smuggling, active oligarchies and a thriving black market. This second pile contains applicants with shady histories."
Gideon looked at IB in a considering manner. Perhaps he was wrong to have underestimated this LMBer. He handed Lenny Kim's papers to the IB dressed in orange. "Can you find anything wrong with this resume? You seem to be Earth Korean as well."
IB shrugged. "Earth Chinese, actually. But I'm familiar with Korea. I'll have a look."
The last IB, whom Gideon noticed had a all-green costume except for some black stripes, stepped into the ring. He shook hands with Lenny Kim, then IB quickly faded from sight.
Lenny Kim quickly slipped on his goggles and drew a gun.
Posted by Emily Sivana on :
Red Arrow said, "What just happened?" The TV screens outside of the arena were broadcasting the visit of the Stadtholder. A strange woman had just accused her friend of witchcraft! Ruth Craig, who had no super-powers and no training. Blaze said, "It does not make any sense. Didn't you see Ruth before the crime?"
Red Arrow paused, "Come to think of it, I did not. We all went our separate ways after we arrived, and I met Gideon in the section on native plants."
"How well do you know Ruth?" Blaze asked. He did not want to sound mean, but it could be possible she was a criminal and Emily did not know about it.
"We have known each other since high school. The only connection she has to superpowers is that fact that her great-grandfather was a Rice, but lots of people are descended from the Rices. I think Ruth and I are technically fourth cousins," Red Arrow replied. Her family made sure she knew the family tree back nine generations; as scientists they were afraid of too much inbreeding.
Blaze sighed, "That is not what I meant. Anyways, do you think we should be on guard in case another suspect--" His thoughts were interrupted by new footage of the Stadholder. The two LMbers held there breathe as he began to speak.
William said, "Your Prince has decided that we shall apprehend this witch at once, displaying to the world the efficiency of Raltveech justice." ~~~~
The first row of targets were hit squarely by the candidate. After this, two large pendulums swung out of the ceiling and almost hit Lenny Kim, but he managed to dodge out of the way. He took out a rope that had magnets on the ends in order to stick the pendulums to each other. The next test was a trapdoor in the floor, and Lenny Kim was able to quickly grab on a side and hoist himself back up. The man thought the trials were over and stood waiting for the results.
Instead, he felt the fury of invisible fists.
Posted by Invisible Brainiac on :
Lenny Kim struggled to reach his goggles. It was no use; Invisible Brainiac was punching too quickly. He tried to concentrate on where the punches were coming from, and the timing... ah.
He quickly dropped down and kicked his leg in the direction he had identified. He heard a grunt as his opponent presumably lost his balance. Lenny quickly set his goggles to infrared, and he saw IB rolling on the floor.
Lenny quickly grabbed a pistol and a set of throwing knives. He threw the knives in a wide arc. To his credit, IB stood his ground and parried the one knife aimed in his direction.
Gideon rubbed his chin. This was getting interestig. Suddenly, an agent whispered in his ear. Gideon looked down and raised his eyebrows at what he saw. It was a lead on Lenny Kim. Invisible Brainiac had found an inconsistency in his reference to Korea; he'd listed his birthtown as Chuncheon, 2975. But the name of the city had supposedly been changed to Sanshan in 2974.
Gideon turned back to look at the two battling opponents. Why would Lenny Kim lie about his birth town?
*************************************************
Red Arrow jogged along the fair grounds, looking for Ruth. She hated to think what would happen if William caught her first.
"I dont understand," Blaze said as he flew after her. "These telepathic plugs should allow us to find and talk to her, right?"
"She must have turned them off, discarded them, or worse. I think we need to split up."
"And... what will we do if we find her?"
Red Arrow turned to look at him pointedly. "Please, do not turn her in to the Prince. We must handle it ourselves."
"I don't like it. We don't have jurisdiction here."
"I'm not saying we aid and abet a fugitive. All I'm asking is we don't let the Prince handle this. You do not know the things he has done, or allowed to be done in his name."
Blaze finally nodded. "I understand."
He sped off in a blazing trail while Red Arrow began mentally listing the places Ruth had most wnated to visit. They didn't have much time.
Posted by Emily Sivana on :
Gideon was looking over the candidates and his mind began to wander. He was a bit concerned about the Stadtholder and decided to turn on his telepathic "radio". His mind filled with the static of thousands of conference attendants until he reached those around William of Raltvee, Prince of Tangello. The witch must be caught...William is right to be after these foul creatures...the Stadtholder is terrifying...all Hail William, down with the United Planets.... He decided to tap into the mind of William of Raltvee but could only come across a few thoughts, Ruth Craig will be captured shortly as she is a witch...and what can you do about it? You serve the Law and know the Laws. I am King here. He was then shut out of the Stadtholder's mind. The leader must have received some training in order to prevent a takeover of government in this fashion.
Invisible Brainiac dove to the side as Lenny Kim's gun fired laser after laser. He shouldn't have let him regain his balance.
He could have fried Lenny Kim with a laser rightaway, but he wanted to challenge himself. And he knew it was condescending, but he didn't feel comfortable overwhelming a non-powered opponent so.
He grabbed some rubble on the battlefield and threw it across the arena. Lenny Kim followed the sound for a split-second, then quickly realized his error. But the timing was enough; an invisible IB quickly approached from the other side and punched Lenny.
IB began raining punches, but his fifth punch was met with a Lenny's elbow and a taser in his side. Gasping for breath, IB fell and instinctively rolled away to safety. He staggered to his feet and stood, warily watching his opponent. Across him, Lenny did the same.
"Okay boys, enough!" Gideon said as he leaped into the ring. "Okay, Invisiboy, show yourself. I can't reach your mind, I admit it. We have to go."
IB grinned as he became visible again. "Since you asked so nicely, I'll drop the shields during our operation." He thought about telling Gideon that one of his other selves could have reached him, but decided against it.
Gideon fixed him with a stare. "It might mean the difference between life and death later on."
IB tried to keep a blank face as he followed Gideon out of the arena. He really didn't like the guy.
Gideon knew in his heart that they had to obey the law. He would even bow to Mearl Dox, though she was not his master. Gideon respected the law in a similar fashion to Red Arrow. In general there was a sense of dissatisfaction amongst the younger generation of Terrans. There was a sense that the government needed to become stronger in order for Earth to survive.
"What are we going to do?" Invisible Brainiac asked.
Gideon said, "We are going to find Ruth Craig and bring her to the King." He kept a stern even tone as they were walking.
Invisible Brainiac said, "That does not answer my question. What are the two of us going to do?"
Gideon paused and thought about the recent events. Doom, his greatest foe, and Question Lad, an obscure Legion World detective, were working together to retrieve evidence from the crimes scene. They would have to work together to solve this case. ~~~~ Kristoff and Question Lad stared at the pile of evidence. It would be difficult to pierce together without the Officer, who had not been seen since the debriefing. The two of them thought about leaving the room to find Ruth.
"As a sorcerer...can you sense that she is magical?" Question Lad asked.
Doom barely kept back a laugh. He replied, "I barely interacted with her so I do not know. Besides, would I admit to witchcraft on a planet that burns them?"
"Good point," Question Lad whispered. At that moment the door suddenly opened and Officer Smith fell in a dead heap on the floor!
Question Lad quickly jumped forward and turned him over, carefully not making any skin contact. "He's breathing," he said finally.
Kristoff just shrugged his shoulders. "Well, perhaps he can give us a clue as to what happened when he wakes up."
"... or maybe sooner..." Question Lad said as he plucked something from the officer's back.
********************
Blaze tried to stop fidgeting, but couldn't. All this waiting was making him anxious. He had no idea where Red Arrow nor Invisible Brainiac were, and he didn't like it one bit.
He tried to concentrate on scanning the area, but he was getting tense. He...
"Blaze, come in! Please, come here now!" Red Arrow's telepathic cry sounded urgent. Gritting his teeth, Blaze took off.
Posted by Invisible Brainiac on :
Emily's mind raced as she considered the possibilities. How did William become convinced that Ruth was a witch? Did anyone falsify any proof? Was it the real thief, and if so, why target Ruth?
She cursed silently as she dialed Ruth again. Emily hated her habit of not checking her phone more than ever! There was no way to warn her...
*************************************************
Invisible Brainiac stretched back in his chair as he looked at Gideon. "Of the applicants who weren't in the testing center at the time of the theft, none have the necessary powers to be our thief. And I assume Earth Defense had made sure none of them are lying?"
Gideon smirked. "We do have our ways. You're less naive than I thought."
IB pointedly ignored the comment. "Looks like we've hit a dead end, since none of the other applicants are speedsters, teleporters or illusionists. We do have one Carggite, but all her selves were present too."
Gideon tapped his hands on his desk. "That's one lead down... I'll touch base with the others." He closed his eyes for a second, then opened them in shock. He stood up abruptly and headed for the door, calling out as he walked, "We have to go. Now."
An irritated IB grumbled under his breath, but followed suit.
*************************************************
Ruth marveled at the flowers all around her. The botanical gardens were so nice, so peaceful... she was glad she'd turned her phone off. She could stay here and pretend everything in her life was going perfectly.
She laughed gaily as she leaned forward to smell an Imskian Violet. If only she could stay here forever...
*************************************************
"Shouldn't you turn that over to the police?" Kristoff asked Sebastian half-heartedly. He was torn between pretending it was insignificant, and wanting to inspect it himself.
Sebastian turned the substance over in his fingers. "It looks to be a thread soaked in a rare dye, one used only on certain outer worlds of the United Planets." He frowned carefully. "If I'm right, then this is called bahaghari..."
Kristoff tried very hard not to sound excited. "Maybe some of us can track it, then."
"Maybe..." Sebastian was cut off as his phone rang. "Emily?"
"Sebastian... I need your help now."
*************************************************
Blaze's heart was pounding. Where was Ruth? Emily had asked him to pick her up somewhere in the heart of the botanical gardens. He still wasn't sure they should obstruct justice on this world, but then the accusations against Ruth WERE absurd...
He circled around, his fire trailing behind him. He didn't care if people were pointing; he was hoping Ruth would notice. Damn. He couldn't see through some of the trees, but going lower would mean possibly burning the gardens down. Did he have enough control?
He had no choice. He swooped down.
************************************************
Ruth rounded the corner of the maze she was exploring. The maze walls were lined with so many beautiful flowers, and she took a picture of each one. She laughed as she remembered how Emily scoffed at her for not using her camera phone. Ruth liked taking pictures, and having a separate camera meant more memory space and a better lens.
She gasped as she saw a resplendent flower, each petal a different color. No, not quite; each petal shone in multi-colored hues, and the pattern changed in the light! She stepped back and marveled at it. "A Rainbow Dori," she breathed. She stepped back and focused, snapping some quick shots.
She smiled as she moved to check the picture... and just as she did, a hand grabbed her arm roughly.
Before she could speak, a rough voice speak. "Ruth Craig, you are under arrest."
Posted by Emily Sivana on :
Ruth Craig was marched in front of the building to where William of Raltvee stood with a portion of the guard. The crowd was jeering at her, as witch trials had become a source of entertainment in Raltvee. If people felt sympathy for the girl, they hid it for they feared William of Raltvee. The screens broadcasted the encounter for everyone present at the conference to see. As they shoved her in front of William, she resisted.
"This is a republic! I demand justice!" Ruth shouted. The crowd was moved towards silence. William did not know how to react. The awkward pause filled the conference center, as Ruth's companions raced to rescue her.
Sebastian raced to Emily's side. They stared at each other, not certain what to say. Emily reached out and the couple embraced in a hug. The two of them wanted to forget the whole affair and go home.
"I hope she doesn't get convicted. But there is nothing we can do..." Emily sighed.
Sebastian said, "We could go defend her character..."
"But this is William of Raltvee. A call to overturn the witchcraft laws has been brought up once a year since he came into power, and every year he rejects it," Emily replied. "What can we do?"
"We need to catch the real thief," Sebastian answered.
Meanwhile, Blaze was observing the garden when he spotted the figure of Kristoff von Doom. He could be the thief according to the LMB Files. He flew down to confront Kristoff, who did not acknowledge his presence.
Blaze said, "Kristoff von Doom, we know you are a witch--"
"Do not speak those words loudly here. I would trade the Infinity Gauntlet to be gone from this world," Kristoff replied. Blaze had no idea what he was talking about, and decided to continue questioning him.
"Did you come here for a reason besides Earth Defense business? Would you give your word that you would help us catch the thief?" Blaze asked.He remembered reading a comic book in which a character named Doom always kept his word.
Krisotff ringed his fingers, "No. Earth Defense pays well and allows me to keep watch over the arrogant and incompetent Gideon Albrecht. As for my word, it is no small thing to give to for such a great feat. Would you have something to give in return? Perhaps something that would help Emily accept a marriage request?"
[ November 11, 2012, 12:38 PM: Message edited by: Emily Sivana ]
Posted by Invisible Brainiac on :
"What are you talking about?" Blaze said angrily.
Kristoff gave a small sigh, then stared deeply into Blaze's eyes. "I will only explain this once, so listen very carefully..."
**********************
Invisible Brainiac and Gideon ran up to Emily and Sebastian. IB placed a comforting hand on the shoulders of his friends. "I'm sorry we're late..."
"We might not be too late yet," Sebastian said determinedly. "Gideon, I suppose your telepathy has detected nothing?"
Gideon grudgingly answered. He did not like admitting defeat. "Yes. The thief must have a psi-screen on. I can tell from Ruth's thoughts that she's innocent, but William would hardly accept that as proof for the innocence of a witch."
"Then we have to investigate another route. IB, do you recognize this?" Sebastian asked as he handed IB the dye he had collected.
IB's eyes lighted up. "Bahaghari. Yes, and I think I see what you're getting at..."
IB flew up into the air as he clutched the sample of dye.
*****************************
"I see her," IB whispered. His light powers made the bahaghari dye in the vicinity shine like a beacon to his eyes. And only one sentient in the entire park was glowing.
He watched her like a hawk, planning his move. As he was about to swoop, a voice rang in his ear."
"Stop!" Emily yelled via Gideon's telepathic link. "We don't have proof she's the thief!"
"What? Why not?" IB demanded.
Uncharacteristically, Emily's voice trembled - and a shocked IB realized, it was because she was afraid. "Because the Tear of Ishtar has just been stolen."
Posted by Emily Sivana on :
The awkward silence was broke when a messenger whispered something in William of Raltvee's ear. The prince's eyebrow rose, and he quietly waved the messenger away. He had distantly heard of Nrrev the Outsider, who had troubled Earth with a threat of conquest. William was not skeptical that a twenty-one year old man could take over a nation, after all that is what he did. He had overthrew Ulrich "the Strong" who had killed his father and married his mother. Nothing was impossible in his eyes.
He said, "Ruth Craig of Earth...you are indeed a witch. You are responsible for the theft of the Tear of Ishtar!"
Ruth said, "But I am standing here in front of you. How could I be in two places at one time?"
"You could freeze time!" William answered. "You have stolen property belonging to a foreign leader."
"I would hardly call a planet of refugees a country," Ruth spat. She knew she was playing with fire, but this exchange was growing tedious. Why does he not simply arrest me? ~~~~ "We could try to bargain with him," Sebastian suggested. Everyone had met up behind one of the storage areas in the conference center. The bleak grey walls were fairly sound-proof, the perfect place for a private meeting. There was also an unspoken hope that the thief would arrive and save them some trouble.
Doom scoffed, "He is already leader of one of the wealthiest nations in the galaxy. There is nothing that we can offer that he does not already have."
"I think you misunderstood me," Sebastian whispered. It would make him happy to be rid of Kristoff. It was rather strange to have a romantic rival. He did not think this could end well for either of them. In a Cold War, doesn't everyone lose?
Emily said, "What do you think Invisible Brainiac?" The silence of those three minutes made everyone realize that he was gone, and they had to make a decision on their own.
Sebastian said, "I think that our suspect has to be a Carggite. It is the only way she could be at three places at once."
Doom said, "Come to think of it, I did believe I saw the same person in multiple locations. We can pull up the security tapes as evidence."
Sebastian said, "Blaze, can you pull the security tapes and meet us at the location?"
Blaze raised an eyebrow, "What location?"
"The location where we apprehend the thief," Sebastian said. "I believe that a combination of both Gideon's telepathy and my absorption abilities can subdue the villain."
[ November 18, 2012, 06:02 PM: Message edited by: Emily Sivana ]
Posted by Invisible Brainiac on :
"But where will we catch the thief?" Blaze stammered.
"You'll know soon enough!" Emily called over her shoulder as she ran of with Sebastian, Kristoff and Gideon.
Blaze frowned as he stalked off to find the security tapes. Where was IB? He didn't like being left alone like this...
"Hey baby."
Blaze nearly jumped as IB's voice rang in his head via Gideon's telepathy. "Sorry about that. Are you ok there by your lonesome? I had to keep tabs on the thief, but wanted to check in on you."
"I'm fine," Blaze said, intentionally making his voice harsher to show he was a little upset. "Can you tell me where to go after I get the tapes?"
IB paused for a moment. "I know you're not, and I'm sorry. I'll make it up to you. It's just that we can't let the thief go... but I really am sorry. Here, I'll beam the map to everyone."
Blaze smiled a little. "How can I not forgive you when you sound like that? Okay, I know where to go."
*************************************************
Invisible Brainiac waited patiently above the warehouse where he'd tracked the thief. "Ah, there you are," he finally said as Emily, Sebastian, Kristoff and Gideon came trotting up. "I was beginning to worry."
"We just had to make a few preparations," Emily replied. "Is the thief inside?"
"Should still be," IB replied. "One of her, anyway. I didn't bother to see if any other selves were running around."
"Sounds wise," Sebastian said. "If our plan works, we'll only need one of her selves. Now Gideon, if you please?"
Gideon frowned. "I'm not comfortable with this. What makes you think that you using my telepathic powers would enable us to break through the thief's psi-screen?"
"Because," Sebastian said with a hint of exasperation, "from experience most psi-screens can be shattered by a strong enough attack. And since we know where to attack, we should be able to catch the thief by surprise. You agree that psi-screens are generally most effective when the telepath is unaware of the who their target is, and what their location is, right?"
Kristoff snickered, then caught himself. He didn't like Gideon, but it wouldn't do him much good if Gideon's status were lowered only for Sebastian's status to be raised.
Kristoff jerked as Emily turned to him. "While the others apprehend the thief, we should discuss how exactly we will force the thief to reintegrate. I know it will be a simple matter for your magic, but we have to do it in such a way that William cannot deny the proof."
Kristoff's heart thumped as he stared at Emily. "I... If we can disguise my magic so it appears to be science..."
Invisible Brainiac stepped up to them. "Sorry to interrupt, but we're about to go in. Just wanted to let you know. Blaze will join us in the assault..."
"Ready," Blaze smiled as he flew up. He handed the tapes over to Emily. "Got everything I could from the guards at the event. Luckily, all the videos are timestamped. Didn't have time to review them, though."
"That should do," Emily replied. "Good luck!"
Posted by Emily Sivana on :
One of the Prince's men were whispering to him. He said, "If Nrrev finds out that the Tear of Ishtar is stolen there will be a war? Should we not keep this silent"
William whispered back, "Do we wait for when the blue wave rolls nightly on deep Galilee*? We shall interrogate this witch until she gives us the Tear of Ishtar."
"This woman should be treated equally under your laws," A loud voice rang. A man with blond hair, blue eyes, and a grey uniform appeared. The crowd was filled with mixed emotions. Some people had no idea who he was, while others knew his name all too well.
"Who is it?" One Raltveech woman asked.
An Ikgaline merchant replied, "It is Gideon Albrecht. He and three other Terrans helped stop the Cassiopeian Wars!"
William of Tangello said, "You know the law must be obeyed. I have ultimate authority over this planet."
"I acknowledge your authority on this planet. However, your nation has a constitution and a legislature. This woman is an Earth citizen and entitled to equal treatment with your citizens. If you do not desist in this harassment and begin to follow normal police procedure, I will notify the ambassador," Gideon replied. Many of the Raltveech in the crowd were in agreement with him.
"Half of the Terran upper-class has fled to the Republic of Raltvee.What could Earth do to threaten us?" William asked.
"We could refuse to trade with you. Hasn't the focus of your reign as Stadtholder been to destroy all embargoes against trade with Earth?" Gideon rhetorically asked. William narrowed his eyes and refused to be baited by Gideon. ~~~~~ "Thank you for providing us with a distraction," Invisible Brainiac said. He turned to Sebastian, whose eyes were glowing with psionic energy. Invisible Brainiac and Blaze were following him deep into the basement level of the conference center, where extra furniture and equipment were stored.
Blaze asked, "Is it just me, or is it hot in here?"
Sebastian laughed, "The boiler room is off to the side. A few workers have just gotten off their shift..." Then he realized that was subconsciously reading thoughts.
Invisible Brainiac asked, "Are you feeling alright?"
"I have absorbed telepathy before so I can control the power fairly well," Sebastian thought. He remembered the time he fought the psychotic telepath Tertullian Chavez.
"Control this!" A voice shouted from the next room. A second latter, the three of them were surrounded by a trio of women who looked exactly alike. It was the thief they were looking for, and she was going to attempt to take them out. ~~~~ "It is too bad he did not bring it," Kristoff mused. He was waiting with Emily Sivana at the other entrance to the basement. The plan was to lure the Carggite to this place, Emily would trap them with a few trick arrows, and then they would drag her to William.
Emily replied, "What exactly do you mean?"
"He owns the Ultimate Nullifier," Kristoff replied. He did not want to hold back secrets from Emily. Something deep inside his core wanted to trust Emily. It was a symptom of his unrequited love.
Posted by Invisible Brainiac on :
"So, we were right," IB said with his hands over his chest. "Your psi-screen was geared specifically towards Gideon, and you weren't able to reconfigure it to account for Sebastian."
"Then hadn't you best surrender?" Blaze added. "What can you do against the three of us?"
The woman didn't even bother to smile. She just raised her hand, a gun appearing in it instantly. "This."
She fired, and both Blaze and IB were thrown back.
Blaze quickly turned IB over; he was unconscious. "Damn! You'll pay for this," he raised his hand to burn the gun... and nothing happened.
"She's nullified our powers somehow!" Sebastian yelled as he blocked a punch from one of the thief's selves.
Blaze stared in horror as two of the thief's selves came at him.
***********************************************
Emily stared speechless at Kristoff for a moment. The Ultimate Nullifier? How...
Then suddenly, she noticed that something was absent. "Something's wrong. Sebastian's telepathy is gone."
Posted by Emily Sivana on :
The thief was fighting expertly. It was clear that the woman had been trained. Question Lad would later report that he had a feeling that this woman had much better training than a majority of Verde's enforcers. At the time though, he was barely able to keep up with the speed of the attacks. Invisible Brainiac could not be seen, and the two other selves of the thief had Blaze trapped.
"This is taking far too long!" One of the selves said. "Activate the canisters!" Question Lad looked up to see a couple of containers begin to emit a strange fume. Blaze and he coughed at the fumes, and the thief began to ran in the direction of Kristoff and Emily. ~~~ Red Arrow was continuously firing volleys of arrows, two sets of three every ten minutes in an effort to pin down the thief. The thief was simply too fast to apprehend with a net-arrow alone, and Red Arrow had used nine out of the ten net-arrows she possessed.
"Kristoff, why don't you do something?" Red Arrow yelled.
He replied, "I'm sorry, I did not sign up to be a super-hero. I'm not even a super-villain for that matter, your society forced the title upon me."
He noticed that one of the thieves' selves was in front of his face with a nullifier pistol. One could not make out his expression behind the mask, so the thieve was curious.
She asked, "Why are you not afraid?"
"You do not need super-powers to rule Earth. Araneae Cado Shang Tou!" Kristoff whispered. Immediately, spiders appeared from out of nowhere and descended upon that self's head.
Emily sighed as she placed handcuffs on that self, "I thought you were afraid to call upon such power here?"
"My dear princess, we are power," He said.
Posted by Invisible Brainiac on :
Blaze staggered, trying to catch his balance. The fumes were strong, and his powers hadn't returned yet. Good that they hadn't though, as he had no idea if the fumes were flammable.
He quickly found the unconscious IB and lifted under his armpits, trying hard to breathe only through the cloth he'd tied around his mouth and nose. He looked around for Question Lad, who was also shakily on his feet. Question Lad ran over to help him, and the two pulled IB up. "He's already regaining consciousness," Blaze pointed out.
Question Lad nodded, and the three made their way towards the door.
Posted by Emily Sivana on :
The crowd stood tense where William of Tangello, Ruth Craig, and Gideon Albrect stood. He could feel their thoughts at this point, it had the force of a gentle tide. Their resignation helped to quiet his own fears.
William finally said,"You have stalled us for far too long, Albrecht. Regardless of your case, this is my nation and I will rule it--"
"Stop!" Invisible Brainiac shouted. The crowd turned in anticipation, only to be disappointed. They were confused until a boy said, "Look, up in the sky!"
Doom, Red Arrow, Question Lad, Blaze, and Invisible Brainiac soared past the crowd to where William of Tangello stood. They landed and presented three people trapped in nets. Blaze used his powers to quickly get the nets off of the bodies.
"What is the meaning of this?" William asked.
Question Lad answered, "This is the true thief."
"Thief? I count three women," William continued.
Emily interjected, "She is actually a Carggite. Kristoff here will use this 'reset ray gun' to force her multiple selves into one being." She handed the fake weapon to Doom who used a silent incantation to force the selves together. The crowd gasped as a silver aura covered their bodies, and moments later one woman emerged from the struggle. An unfortunate side-effect of the spell is that she became fully conscious.
"Where am I?" She looked around at the people present and shook her head. She knew perfectly well what was going on as soon as she recognized Ruth's face. "Why is she still alive?"
William replied, "She is alive for the same reason you still are: due process under the law. I have reason to suspect I made a mistake and you are the real thief.
Posted by Invisible Brainiac on :
The woman feigned a look of confusion. "Me? How could I be the thief? I'm no witch!"
"No, you aren't," Emily said firmly. She wanted the thief punished, but she wouldn't see her put to death under Raltvee's laws. Besides, she still needed to find out why she targeted Ruth. "You are a Carggite and s killed thief, Muronu Luongo."
The thief reacted almost imperceptibly to her real name, though Gideon could tell her thoughts were racing. He began to open his mouth to say so, but Sebastian placed a hand on his arm and shook his head. Bringing telepathy into this would only complicate matters.
"If you are not the thief," Blaze said, "then how come this was found in your hideout?" He opened the pack he was carrying and pulled out the Tear of Ishtar. He also pulled out a number of other stolen plants.
"You planted those, to free your friend," came the level answer.
Sebastian came forward, bringing Officer Smith with him. "If you are not the thief, then why," Sebastian said, "does the dye on your clothes match the dye on Officer Smith's neck, right in this spot where someone hit him to knock him out?"
And the crowd gasped as Invisible Brainiac shone his light on both the thief and the policeman, making them both glow in the same color.
Posted by Emily Sivana on :
One of Williams' advisers whispered in his ear. The Prince waved him away and and addressed the group assembled there. He said, "I have seen enough. Guards, arrest this woman!"
The guards moved to take her into custody. The woman shouted, "You have no right! The Tear of Ishtar is not even yours!"
"I actually I do have right, and I believe you would want to be prosecuted under our law rather than that of Nrrevs' World. Am I correct?" William of Tangello explained. The woman stopped resisting arrest and went along with the guards.
William of Tangello announced to the crowd, "It has been done. There is nothing more to see here." The crowd was a bit ambivalent towards leaving, but a few people remembered they had things to do and others followed their lead. In the end it was only the LMBers, Earth Defense members, and William of Tangello's retinue that remained.
William of Tangello turned to Ruth, "I am dreadfully sorry for this comedy of errors. I want to formally apologize to you and your family."
Ruth raised an eyebrow. I didn't think this was funny. She diplomatically replied, "I am honored by your humility."
William of Tangello turned to the other people present. He said, "I look forward to hearing about you further adventures. I think both of your teams are capable of a great amount of good in the world."
Gideon Albrecth nodded, "Earth Defense would be pleased to aid the Republic of Raltvee."
"I agree as well," Invisible Brainiac said. "The rights of sentients and the rule of law shall not perish as long as we uphold it."
A great while ago the world begun, With hey, ho, &c. But that's all one, our play is done, we'll strive to please you every day.- William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night, Act V Scene 1 Lines 411-414
The End
[ December 14, 2012, 07:20 AM: Message edited by: Emily Sivana ]
Posted by Invisible Brainiac on :
Epilogue 1
Blaze frowned as they walked back to the hotel. "I thought we'd be staying here longer," he complained.
Invisible Brainiac smiled. "After all that happened to Ruth, and with Gideon and Kristoff suddenly showing up, I don't think our companions really want to stay any longer. Is there anything else YOU want to see, though?"
Blaze shrugged. "I think we already saw most of it, but I don't quite feel ready to leave yet."
"Well... I made a new friend a while go, and he's willing to show us around for a couple of days. Wanna see what he looks like?"
Blaze's eyes lit up when he saw IB's holo with Zach. "Oooohh. You make such good friends."
"And he has a partner."
Blaze playfully spanked IB. "And I bet you want to see them right away, huh?"
IB grinned. "I've already told Emily we'll be extending our stay a couple of days."
*************************************************
And so, IB and Blaze met up with Zach and his partner Matt... and their adventure went as well as could be expected. But that is a tale for another time.