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-Missing- IC Thread: RP Cast Filled

ReedRGale

Inkling Commander
Joined
Jun 18, 2015
Messages
331
Location
probably my room?
@Aykorn DE Points: 1
Wade continues to sleep.

@xCoCo 2 DE Points

Lili ==> Search for Library (or something like that)

Making sure not to wake Brutus, Lili tiptoed away. Instead, she decided to look for some sort of library... the base was kind of fancy. Maybe they had an information hub if they had a communications room?

> Searching for Library...
> Dice Pool 3
> 3 Successes on Search
> Huh... there wasn't a library before but now I guess I kinda...


Lili exited the hall which seemed to connect all the living quarters, figuring that wouldn't really be a place for a library. Logically, anyway. Instead, she backtracked through the hallway which her groggy mind felt was the way back to the comm center. Then, when she got to the end of the hall, where they'd called up Felix the day prior, she looked through a doorway to the right.

The door was already open when she got there and inside was Germana, sitting at a cozy-looking armrest, absorbed in a book she held in her lap. The room itself changed thematically, from the simple, neutral grays of the hallway to tiled floors with a faux-fireplace and cozy rugs. The room was more textured than it was decorated, as many rugs added to the warm nature of the room.

The walls were impossible to see, as they were littered with bookshelves filled with books. All of them, however, were written in the Octarian dialect. Not impossible to read, but even from afar, Lili could tell they would take time to sit down and understand.

It seemed that Germana hasn't noticed Lili. What now?

@Banshee 1 DE Point

Alga ==> Search for Someone

Groggy from just getting up, Alga decided to shake the sleep off by taking a walk and looking for someone.
Maybe they'd know where the bathroom is...

> Searching for... someone.
> Dice Pool 3
> 1 Success on Search
> Well... you'll find someone.

Alga left the room and immediately she was hit by a buzzing sound. But... that was familiar... something about it... as she got closer, she could make out that it was... snoring. Well, she was in the living quarters and it only made sense that someone might still be sleeping.

As it turned out, this "someone" happened to be Brutus. The sign outside the door in crude handwriting with subpar spelling made that horridly clear.

So... do you wake him up? Or keep looking?


Damn it, I forgot this is a quick action. If you do one this time, I'll respond within a day... this was my bad.

@Rustic 1 DE Point

Canchi ==> Yes, this is a Telltale game.

"So..." Canchi began, drawing out the 'oh,' "how long have you two been living here?"

"Umm..." One began to stop and think. "I think... w-we've," he began to look to the door his mother had disappeared into. "we've, um, been here? Uh..."

"Two months," came Beth's voice, confidence where One's was stuttering.

"Two months?" Canchi echoed. "And I haven't seen either of you during that time? Someone's packing a ton of Zekko Hoodies or something..." he quietly mumbled.

"...what's a Zekko? Wh-what's a hoodie?" One asked, legitimately curious.

Cross Radar ears as one of One's powers. Canchi thought in response. What's next? Telepathy?

"Zekko is a clothing brand and a hoodie is a shirt or sweater with an addition for your head, which is a little... thingy for it. Keeps out the cold and rain too." He explained as best as he could.

"I see..." One mumbled. "But yeah. I'm not, uh, s-supposed to talk about coming here."

"I'll explain in a little bit," Beth noted, from the other room. "Do you prefer sugar with your tea? I don't, but I can get it out if you do.”

"I like sugar with my tea. Just a bit though, it'll become sugary water otherwise." Canchi replied.

"Got it, I'll bring out the cubes and you can choose how many you want."

"Okay."

Canchi waited for her return from the other room.

It wasn’t much longer before Beth returned with a teapot covered in a cozy and a cute, Judd-themed ceramic filled with sugar cubes. She didn’t hesitate to set the cubes or the pot down on the table, which made Canchi think it would stain the table in passing… before realizing the cozy would prevent that.

An odd thing to note as the mother set down coasters followed by teacups.

That was when they heard a knock on the door and Magabelle was invited in. Everyone has arrived. What now?

@VeryButter 1 DE Point

Magabelle ==> Go To: One's House

Well, things were at least a little cleaner now. With that out of her mind, Mag worked her way out of the house--over the sound of the vacuum cleaner, it wasn't hard to slip out quietly. She didn't want to interrupt her dad, after all.

The outside was looked a little neater, with the largest obstructions out of the way. Trees and power lines were picked back up quite efficiently and sorted off to who knows where or repropped up. There was still plenty of wreckage, mind, but it made the short walk to her neighbor's less alien than before.

Mag knocked on the door and, in time, Beth opened up. "Come on in," she said, warmly. "I just made tea."

@Hesoca 1 DE Point

Max ==> Examine Mental Map

The sewers were as rancid as he remembered them. Max had been down here once before, considering a plan on attacking the monsters that lurked beneath... but it had never gotten far. As such, Max had no idea as to where he would be going.

The sewer, as he'd entered it, had a maintenance bridge that allowed him to walk in one of two directions... neither of which led geographically in the direction of Inkopolis Tower.

So close, but so far. He'd entered in through the sewer grate nearest the Tower, making sure no one was looking as he did. He'd hoped that it would be clear which way to go but... no dice. There had to be something... anything he knew that would make this clearer...

...but nothing came to mind. He'd just have to keep in mind the direction of Inkopolis Tower and search from there.

If you start searching, let me know. I'll respond within a day if you poke me.

((Have any questions? Did I misrepresent your character? Contact me via PM or Discord. Otherwise, please mind the deadline.))

Reminders:

Posts are Due: August 2nd at Midnight PST
Gm Post will (hopefully) be Made: August 3rd


Will be Responded to in GM Post:
Do Nothing [sit back and let the story happen; useful when it would be dangerous to do things]
Talk [use on people you want to start a conversation with]
Shadow [use this to try to stealthily follow a target. I'll make rolls on whether you succeed or not]
Ink / Go To ______ [use this to travel from one place to another relatively quickly; ink if it's something specific, like a kettle, Go To if it's a general area]
Call [use on a person that you want to call (talk, but when not in the area)--or a item that has a number on it to contact someone you don't know]
Research [some topic; need to be in a library or have access to a computer--shellphones don't count]
Sleep [use this when there's nothing left you can do, logically, in the day]
Follow [use this to just keep together with a party member or let an NPC take the lead]

Will be Responded to Immediately:
Conceal [use this action on something you intend to hide on your person]
Pick Up [use this action on something you want to hold onto]
Examine/Observe [use on things that you want more details on]
Use [use on things that you intend to use in some way--please specify how you're using it]
Attack [use on people or objects you intend to hurt or break, specify any weapons you might be using]
Search For [use like examine but for things that may or may not be there]
Hide [Insert Applicable Preposition] [use to conceal oneself, usually for a short amount of time]
 
Last edited:

Banshee

Full Squid
Joined
Jun 20, 2015
Messages
44
NNID
Laddy-Daddy
Alga fidgeted and pulled at her fingers, frowning as she looked Brutus over and feeling uncertain of herself. It wouldn't hurt, right? She could just coax a small answer out of him and he could go back to sleep, simple as that.

So, with a deep breath, she spoke quietly. "Hey, Brutus?"

Hopefully he would wake up with the first try.

Talk: Brutus
 

Hesoca

Full Squid
Joined
Jul 15, 2015
Messages
51
Frick if this wasn't the most disgusting route into Inkopolis Tower Max could have chosen. The sewage reeked, the air was stale, the stench clung to anything that happened to be in its path, and the tunnels broke off into two pieces that didn't head in the direction of the Tower despite being right next to the dang place, forcing him to try his luck wandering around looking for the entrance and breathing in this fryin' ugly air.

He glared angrily between the sections of the bridge, his lower face tucked behind the collar of his jacket. A large part of him didn't want to decide between the two. If the smell down here didn't do him in, then losing himself in enemy territory certainly would.

Still, a larger part of him knew he needed to make progress. He'd only just made it to the sewers without being caught. Going back up to the surface at this point just gave the black-suits another chance at noticing the sleek-stepping superhero infiltrating their base.

Inching towards the edge of the bridge, he stared down at flurry of sludge licking against the canal walls. Caught in the overturning water were... nothing he knew nor wanted to know about. What he really needed was a clue. Something that would lead him in the right direction.

Shifting the bag on his shoulder, he ran through his thoughts. A clue... ah, well, the plumbing in the locker room would feed water to both the bathrooms and the showers. Both of those locations would dump into the sewers, meaning that the flow of the sewage coming from them would be in the direction away from the tower. Those drains would also carry with them anything from the locker rooms that happened to fall into the pipes - the usual refuse, sure, but also things like tentaclebands or misplaced tools. If he saw anything like that in the water, he could use it to readjust his path if he lost track of the direction of the Tower.

Follow the current, follow the sewage. That was the plan. Max buried his place further into his jacket, and, with a spur in pace, stepped along the bridge following the current, checking the sewage for any signs of the Tower along the way.

Examine Sewers / Search for Tower
 

VeryButter

Semi-Pro Squid
Joined
Aug 1, 2015
Messages
92
Location
Auckland, New Zealand
NNID
EatALLTehCereal
Magabelle smiled and entered the house, following Bethany to what she assumed was a dining room. Noting that Canchi was already there, she walked to the nearest empty seat and gave him a quick and quiet "hey" before sitting down.

Mag looked at Bethany, "So, why'd you invite us over?"

Talk: Bethany, Canchi and One
 

Rustic

Inkling Commander
Joined
Jul 5, 2015
Messages
481
Location
Canada, ON
Canchi slightly nodded to Magabelle when she greeted him, responding with a quiet "hello" while she sat down.

The tea was good, he thought, taking a sip, with new, but friendly company. And his feet didn't hurt because it wasn't a long walk. He noted that the tea could use some sugar, so he took sugar cubes and put them into the cup. Taking extra care to avoid it splashing.

Looking between their two hosts, he was about ask them something but frowned a little when Magabelle spoke up and asked them one of her own. Simmering, he took another sip of tea, ignoring the fact it actually burnt his tongue, he stopped himself from grimacing from the still-hot tea. His tongue hurt now. A lot in fact.

"Yeah, honestly I'm thinking the same thing." He added, before thinking that she might just have invited them both to thank them over a cup of tea or coffee.

[Action: Talk with Magster, One and only, and McBeth]
 

xCoCo

Inkling Commander
Joined
May 5, 2015
Messages
315
Location
Canada!
NNID
xCelsiusS
The last thing Lili wanted was to wake up Brutus - he probably need his sleep. Besides, some people didn't react to kindly to having their sleep interrupted. She didn't know how he would react so it was best to stay safe. The pink inkling then found herself wandering about - maybe there was library of some sort? She exited the hall which seemed to connect all the living quarters, backtracked through the hallway, after reaching where they called up Felix the day prior, she looked through a doorway to the right.

Inching closer- she could see that it was open - inside Germana was sitting at an armrest, absorbed in a book. The room was full of textures and many rugs filled the floors. The walls were littered with bookshelves filled with books. Squinting - she could tell the books were in an Octarian dialect - it wouldn't be impossible to read but it would take some time to sit down and understand -

Approaching Germana she peaked over her shoulder, "Oi! Good morning! What'cha reading?! Also thanks for letting me sleep in a bed, it was super fluffy and super comfy!"

>talk to Germana
 

ReedRGale

Inkling Commander
Joined
Jun 18, 2015
Messages
331
Location
probably my room?
@Aykorn DE Points: 1
Wade ==> Wake

It was 11 when Wade woke up. That in itself wasn't unusual; he usually got up late. What was unusual was the fact that he had officially slept 11 hours.

He vaguely remembered checking his phone before sleeping--which was probably true considering it was still in his hand--and that it read something like midnight when he had fallen asleep. His phone was low on power now, but still was able to tell him that it was way too late... was Jax worried?

Leaping out of bed with the exhilaration of someone who had been hit with morning haste, Wade landed gracefully on the floor. Feet first, he stepped on something sharp, prodding him into taking another leap in the air. When he landed again, it was chest first, which was much less dignified. At least it hurt a lot less.

He checked his foot for any bleeding, and Wade was pleased to find that it was just a quick prodding. Still, it was a sharp reminder that his room needed cleaning desperately.

Cleaning was important but... he had a quest. Annie's absence loomed over Wade like a poor headwear purchase. What should he do?

@xCoCo 1 DE Points

Lili ==> Talk to Germana

"Oi! Good morning!" Lili called out. "What'cha reading?! Also thanks for letting me sleep in a bed, it was super fluffy and super comfy!"

Germana's first reaction was to "eep!" Something about being snuck up on probably didn't jive with her, because, once again, she was glaring at the Inkling. "I's none a yer business."

"Gah!" Lili couldn't help but let out a startled sound herself. "S-sorry. Didn't mean to scare." That hadn't been her intentions at all. She just didn't want her wandering to possible wake anyone up.

"You're up early Germana. Alga and Brutus are still sleeping."

Quickly the Octoling closed what she was reading, and sat on it. Lili couldn't help but tilt her head when she closed the book. Was she hiding something? "What're ya doin' 'ere?” Germana demanded. “'o said ya could roam 'round?"

The inkling defended. "Oh. Well. The door was unlocked so I figured I could just walk around until everyone else woke up. I haven't been messing with anything if you're worried about that. I just wanted to walk. That's all."

"Oy'm not up early," Germana hissed, "Brutus n' yer friend n' you fer that matter 'r' jus' late wakers."

"Really? That might be true." After all she hadn't looked at the time yet. "Well, at least I'm not still sleeping." She shrugged.

Ignoring Lili and shifting a bit under the oddity under her butt, Germana continued, "n' this is none a' yers!" She looked away for a moment before turning back and muttering, just loudly enough to hear, "...oy'm jus' busy practicin'."

"Practicing? For what?" The young inkling sat on the floor, crossing her legs.

"...readin'," Germa whispered.

Lili seemed a bit confused, "You mean like reading books in the Octarian Language?" She questioned, "Well, it is sort of hard. I guess." She admitted. "You can keep reading you know you don't need to stop because of me."

The Octoling did not continue. Instead, she glared at Lili, a huffy look on her face. "...fine." She said, after a long moment. "but don' bother me okay?"

"I won't bother you. Just pretend I'm not here." Lili stated resisting the urge to laugh at Germana's expression.

She pulled out the book and, even without fully grasping the Octarian dialect, Lili could tell it was a children's book.

"...That's a children's book, isn't it?" She was not being judgemental about it.... just curious. She may not be able to make out everything but that much was clear. It was okay for the Octoling before her to be having some difficulty reading. It was not as if learning the inkling language was any easier.

Germana closed the book. "Nope. Oy'm done. Leave me alone. Do whatever ya were gonna do." The Octoling stormed out, but not before replacing the book on the shelf.

@Banshee 1 DE Point

Alga ==> Talk to Brutus

Soon...

@Rustic @VeryButter 2 DE Points

Canchi ==> Talk
Mag ==> Talk


With tea ready for all the participants, in the oddly homely residence, the air was almost casual. However, for both Mag and Canchi, there was still the burning question at the back of both of their minds.

Mag spoke first, asking "so, why'd you invite us over?" Straight to the punch.

"Yeah, honestly, I'm thinking the same thing." Canchi's words echoed the same sentiment and to them both, Beth smiled.

"Well, first and foremost, I'm here to thank you for finding my lost boy," her arms wrapped around One as she spoke. Unlike most kids his age who might have shied away, the Inkling instead nuzzled into the embrace of his mother.

"But, sadly, I'm here to answer a few questions that may have risen from being around him for so long," Beth continued, her tone changing to be more serious. "One tells me that he destroyed a drill in the subway; is this correct?"

Canchi sighed, trying to think up the right way to explain it to Beth. "He blew himself up and did something to it. My guess, he jammed it good."

"I was... afraid of that," Beth sighed. "I knew that he'd done something of the sort, but I'd honestly hoped he hadn't. Unfortunately, he's always been a truthful kid, if loyal."

She separated from One, opting to take her own seat as she began to explain the situation. One just blew at his tea. "Allow me to explain, first of all, that though this seems fantastical, it is complete reality and I tell you because you are at risk."

Leaving that ominous note in the air, Beth asked, "what do either of you know about your essence?"

"Yeah... it's that little ghost thing, right? I see it--well, used to see it in Turf Wars." Canchi corrected himself, since he didn't play any of it yesterday. "I didn't really pay much attention to it though." He admitted about his not caring of the little 'ghosty squid.'

Magabelle took a moment to think. "...our essences are us, right? Or something like that."

"You've got it about right," Beth explained. "In fact, that's about all most people know about essences. They are us. But what people don't know is that the essence has plenty of metaphysical properties that can alter our surroundings when subjected to the proper stimuli."

Beth walked up to One and said, "sorry dear," as she pinched his ear. Apparently, it was a hard pinch because One cried out. As he did, the temperature in the room kicked up a few notches. In fact, before everyone knew it, they were sweating. The effect was devastating.

"One is the byproduct of an old military experiment called 'project Bellerophon,'" Beth explained. "The idea was to create Inkling supersoldiers to combat the Octoling's Great Octoweapons. Luckily it never got to that point. However...

"Well," Beth went on, "research is maintained and eventually picked back up by other groups with other intentions. I don't know why Deepview revived the project, but I was happy to take it on. I am a biologist, you see, with a specialization in the Essence. I jumped at the chance to study and manipulate such a curious part of the body..."

"But as I learned what they were doing to Type-One, our prototype... and how they treated him as an object, a subject to test on, I... grew sick of it all. I ran from the project.

"As you know, not many places can actually allow for Inkling or Octoling life--if there were more land, we wouldn't have fought so hard after the Flood. But leaving and hiding from Deepview isn't impossible, even closeby. I just needed to keep a low profile. But...

"Well, I want One to grow up as normally as possible. Which means he needs to get out and interact. Unfortunately, he doesn't always know when to tell me he's leaving so, well, he wanders off sometimes," she chuckled.

"And that's what brings us here," Beth finished. "Sorry for my longwindedness, I'm sure you have questions. I'll answer what I can before I get into why I'm worried for you all."

Canchi took a moment to take it all in, his gaze affixed to his tea. One's true name is Type-One? He thought, rapidly thinking about all the things Beth had just told him.

It all kept going back to that. Shaking his head to diffuse the trance he was in, he asked. "He was a... lab rat? Uh... Sorry, man, no offense."

One nodded, "yeah. They, um, called me Type-One and mother said that that's i-i-imp-personal. I-I like m-mother's name for me better though. Sh-she told me I-I'm number one, which means I-I'm a star." He grinned. "I like that."

"Yes," Beth smiled, though there was a little sadness to it. "He wasn't treated well to say the least. They poked and prodded him, doing whatever they could to evoke different feelings from him. But they did learn a lot."

"One's powers are linked to thermal energy, with some emotions being most linked to expelling heat and others to pulling it in. As time goes on, One gets better at maniulating those powers and, well, he tells me he froze the drill until it cracked. ...if that gives you any idea of why these powers were considered potential war weapons, there it is."

"I see," Canchi mumbled quietly, thinking about how the possibility of super powers could actually be doable. He played around with the idea in his head for several moments.

"Were there... others that were supposed to be like him? It couldn't have been just one 'prototype', could it?" He poked further, "research regarding our essence or whatever can't have been easy."

"I'd imagine at this point," Beth muttered. "One was, of course, the prototype, but they wanted to have powers that were more... well, easy to control. Further, they had to get One while he was a young child. They want a method of manipulation that allows them to awaken powers in adults. Political reasons, I'd presume...

"But to quickly answer your question," Beth continued, "yes, I'd presume there are more at this point, though none of them should be as developed as One unless they made some sort of breakthrough. I have been away for a while now."

"So a baby has to be inducted into this Project: Bellero-whatever to get these powers?" Canchi asked, he made a 'tsk' sound with his tongue. "Shoot, there goes my evil super villain plan then." He joking added, quietly laughing.

"Not a baby, per se. Actually you're still probably a qualifying age..." Beth pondered, before returning back to reality. "But I wouldn't recommend it. There are plenty of, well, failed prototypes you might say. Messing with the essence is dangerous and, well..."

Beth looked like she was seeing something from her past she would rather have not seen in the first place. Something changed in her though and when she spoke, she was completely composed. "Well. Many of them faded and without that, their bodies fell apart too."

Magabelle listened to Canchi and Beth exchange questions and answers while processing the information. And once she heard the opportunity, she asked a question of her own.

"Who is Deepview?"

"Ah, that's," Beth paused, looked to One, then looked back to Mag. "That's... they're an... organization. I believe they front themselves as a consultant agency but that's because... well...

"I can't really say, to be honest," Beth finally admitted. "I worked for them, knew they were doing some shady things, but they paid me well and I didn't ask questions. I did what they said, though…

"I did have to do some research to find out how to hide from them. They must have a wide net of information collectors and I could tell from the database my account had access to that they knew about a lot of people. However, mostly they track people in high profiles. Basically, they organize a large pool of data from a select few people and it's not like everyone's being watched or monitored.

"I feel safe enough knowing I don't leave an electronic footprint. They are a research organization with a shady background, but they don't have an all-knowing eye. They have trouble finding individuals but when they do, well...

"They research mostly about essence and its abilities and if you mess with certain parts of it, you can frazzle a person's memory. To very high detail, actually. Anyone that becomes their enemy... well I only knew one, but, well. They didn't remember what they hated when they walked out."

Beth seemed to shiver, before finally taking a sip of her own tea. "Deepview is dangerous, but not perfect. They study essence. I don't know why, but they seem to have a lot of funding. They track people of high profiles. That's what I know."

"The Squid Sisters?" Beth went, genuinely confused. "I'm afraid you're seeing coincidence where there is no correlation. Deepview may have an eye on high profiles, but I don't believe they've done anything to the cousins."

She sighed, “I can’t say the same for you two though. I understand that One is an important part of their research and they want him back. One said that you were seen by the police and, as far as I understand, some are under surveillance. It is probable that you’re being targeted by Deepview for what you know about One’s whereabouts.”

She glanced over to Canchi. “And though you may feel it’s dangerous that I led you here in the case that they’re looking for correlations to One, I would like to inform you that they would hunt you down and capture you for a correlation, not for useful knowledge you may have about the situation.”

Beth finished her tea and seemed to urge everyone to finish with her silent presence. The room, still homey, felt a little more stuffy, knowing that the people in it were being hunted.

Once everyone was done, One’s mother beckoned for the three to follow her. One got up first, followed by the others, and they made their way to a room in the center of the house. The door asked for Beth’s fingerprint, but in a moment, they were in what could only be called a weapons room.

She pulled two small arms, actual ink weapons, from the rack. These were the kind that licensed professionals were given to use. “I hope you’re familiar with ink battling. These are like Splattershots, but they fire at speeds that are higher than the legal limit in ink battles. Splatting someone with these can really ruin their essence’s revival system. You won’t kill but you can maim someone for life. Try to only use these if you’re in danger.”

She held out the weapons for the two to take.

@Hesoca 1 DE Point

Max ==> Examine Mental Map

Max wasn't sure where he needed to go exactly, but the logic behind his plan seemed sound. At the very least, it made the search less arbitrary and gave direction where there was none. Further, it made retracing his steps in an unknown territory much easier.

> Base Pool 3; Decent Plan +1; Dice Pool 4
> 4 Successes on Search Roll

Not only was Max's plan effective, it led him straight to the pipe that he needed to go. How did he know that? Well... it was a little luck but following the stream of sewage, he came across a pipe mostly expelling clean water. Using that as a basis to check it, he navigated the cracked sewer scaffolding to get closer.

Sure enough, there was a nameplate: "IKPLS TWR F." The first part was clear enough, so Max morphed then squirmed his way through the cracks. It was harder going up than coming down, but with some shimmying, he worked all the way up through the drain.

The moment he came up from the drain, Max knew something was wrong. Maybe it was the alignment of the showers. Maybe it was the bathroom stalls all lined up. Maybe it was the color of the room in near darkness. But something was... off. Deciding not to let his paranoia get the best of him, he slowly and stealthily made his way out of the room.

It was probably just the dark. It was probably just seeing things differently in the shade. It was probably...

...exiting the room he found he'd entered through the women's bathroom. Awkward, but nothing too disturbing.

Max didn't know why he was worried. He'd been in the Tower in the dark hundreds of times. Nothing had gone awry. This was routine--just a different entrance and a different time. Get the weapons and go.

He made his way to the men's locker room and found his storage unit. Working to make as little sound as possible, he unlocked the locker. He was proud of how things had gone this easily, gleefully picking through his various weapons, cycling through the compressed charms that, with a little ink, would become invaluable tools.

"Hey," came a voice from behind him. Max flinched. Of course things couldn't go perfectly. "You're here sooner than I thought you would be."

You've been compromised. What now?

((Have any questions? Did I misrepresent your character? Contact me via PM or Discord. Otherwise, please mind the deadline.))

Reminders:

Posts are Due: August 24th at Midnight PST
Gm Post will be Made: August 26th


Will be Responded to in GM Post:
Do Nothing [sit back and let the story happen; useful when it would be dangerous to do things]
Talk [use on people you want to start a conversation with]
Shadow [use this to try to stealthily follow a target. I'll make rolls on whether you succeed or not]
Ink / Go To ______ [use this to travel from one place to another relatively quickly; ink if it's something specific, like a kettle, Go To if it's a general area]
Call [use on a person that you want to call (talk, but when not in the area)--or a item that has a number on it to contact someone you don't know]
Research [some topic; need to be in a library or have access to a computer--shellphones don't count]
Sleep [use this when there's nothing left you can do, logically, in the day]
Follow [use this to just keep together with a party member or let an NPC take the lead]

Will be Responded to Immediately:
Conceal [use this action on something you intend to hide on your person]
Pick Up [use this action on something you want to hold onto]
Examine/Observe [use on things that you want more details on]
Use [use on things that you intend to use in some way--please specify how you're using it]
Attack [use on people or objects you intend to hurt or break, specify any weapons you might be using]
Search For [use like examine but for things that may or may not be there]
Hide [Insert Applicable Preposition] [use to conceal oneself, usually for a short amount of time]
 
Last edited:

VeryButter

Semi-Pro Squid
Joined
Aug 1, 2015
Messages
92
Location
Auckland, New Zealand
NNID
EatALLTehCereal
Mag stared at the weapons Beth had in her hands, more thoughts cycling through her head. Weapons? Is the situation we're in really that bad?

As she continued to look at the professional-looking weapons, a thought bubbled up in her head. And before she could stop herself, she started to speak.

"...you know what's better than two gun, Beth?"

Mag glanced at the other weapons on the rack, and then back at the ones Beth had.

"Four gun."

She stood there awkwardly for a moment before taking a gun.

Pick Up: Gun
 
Last edited:

Hesoca

Full Squid
Joined
Jul 15, 2015
Messages
51
Max stood with his gaze frozen toward the locker, his left hand still gripping the edge of the door. From his other hand spilled the charms he had just been carrying, each clinking as they hit the ground; on his shoulder balanced his trusty Dynamo; and to his side, the black duffel he had been carrying before laid open, partially filled with the weapons he had planned on bringing.

It wasn’t often that he found himself in such a compromised position, especially on something as mundane as a weapon run. Usually, he was the one appearing from the shadows, the silver rim of his tempered blade glistening in the cold grey moonlight.

Instinctively, he reached for the Dynamo, his thoughts rushing in a chaotic scramble.

The shell was this? – How’d he been spotted? – Frick, he should’ve realized this was too easy. -– Had he missed a camera? – Why hadn’t he trusted his instincts? – Like shell was he about to be-

… did they say “sooner than I thought”?

He froze, hand wrapped around the Dynamo’s handle. Sooner than they… wait, how the shell would a hired guard have known he was going to be here? He broke into the tower on a regular basis, sure, but there was no way they could’ve known what section of the locker room he would be breaking into unless they knew which locker… was… his...

The adrenaline coursing through Max’s veins shifted into panic. There… there wasn’t any way for a bunch of hired guards to know something like that, was there? But if it wasn’t a guard that had just spoke... then just who the *shell* was he dealing with?!

Between the voice speaking and Max’s thoughts, the silence was palpable; what heroic remark Max could’ve interjected with was lost by the mere fact that his assailant already knew who he was. Were they part of Deepview? Or some other party? One thing was certain: whoever it was that was talking to him...

… they weren’t going to let him leave quietly.

Without a sound, Max released his grip from the locker door, letting his arm fall slowly to his side. The motion was noticeable, but not without significance; while he moved, the rest of his posture shifted, feet slid and fingers edging along the handle of his weapon.

He paused, completely still, hand on the Dynamo. He waited. And finally, when the moment was just right, when the tension had reached its dramatic high, he struck. One swift motion of his Tempered Dynamo, cutting diagonally through the silence as though it were a blade, sent a flurry of ink flying in the direction of his assailant.

Before even his first attack was finished, he dashed forward, preparing another strike.

Attack Suspicious Figure with Tempered Dynamo
 

Aykorn

Inkling Commander
Joined
Jun 17, 2015
Messages
387
Location
WA
NNID
A_korn
Switch Friend Code
SW-5939-8938-2753
Wade pried himself off the floor to look back at what stabbed him. Oh look! His pair of Octoglases. On the floor like all the rest of his gear.

Snatching them off the ground, then shooting them an accusing glare, like it was their fault for being where his foot would be, (but not really. If anything, it was good they weren't broken) Wade staggered to his feet, intending to stay upright this time.

He needed to get out of his apartment pronto. ASAP. Stat.

Trying to focus through the daze of just waking up, Wade warily scanned his room for the best course of action.That, or some hint of what he'd done last night, because something felt unfinished. It just hadn't dawned on him "what" yet. The crazy dishevelment of his apartment wasn't helping in the slightest, but he was pretty sure most of the mess came from yesterday's earthquake.

Wade glanced down at his phone, starting to vaguely remember why he'd been holding it. Right, last night's conspiracy homework had been to call Cato at some point, because now there were octolings involved with Deepview and some super shady, behind-the-scenes stuff was happening, now effecting both species.

...Well, that didn't happen.

Sheepishly plugging his phone into the charger, he decided that 'better late than never' still applied, in fact, he'd call Cato as soon as he headed out the door.
The door that he was about to head out of iiiinn...

With a flurry of actions, Wade sped through morning rituals in a matter of minutes, popping something in the toaster, while brushing his teeth and simultaneously trying to throw a new shirt over his head. Wade kicked around his hats to find where his notebook ended up yesterday, thankfully not stabbing his feet again, but only agitating the catastrophe of headgear.

So what hat was he going to stuff the notebook under today? The choices were all laid out, in case he'd been wondering how much gear he'd accumulated. However, the contrast of white, tooth-y screen-printing caught his eye. Wade fished out the Skull Bandanna from under the mess, barely giving it a second glance before he whipped it straight and tied it around his neck.

Because, well, skulls. They were cool ...and dangerous. And in the weirdest way, a bit home-y, but in the macabre way that altars decorated with flowers and candles were. Wade felt like he'd need the boost of confidence from wearing one of his favorite gear pieces, plus the bandanna seemed appropriate for today's shenanigans.

In any case, that settled it. It made more sense to stuff his notebook in his bike panniers, then finally set them up on his bike since they were doing a whole load of nothing under his bed. Wade dragged the pre-packed bags out from under his bed, confused at why they were so difficult to tug out before noticing that one of the straps had lured out another box.

Wade froze cold for a moment. He knew what that box was and why he never opened it. It was an old shoebox, originally for a pair of shoes he'd never owned, filled with ticket stubs and old photos of the past. Not all of the photos, just the ones he could squirrel away before his parents started hiding them. That, and a pair of headphones that stopped working a while ago, but were too precious to throw away.

Gently touching the surface of the box, Wade simply shoved the box back under his bed. Not now, he thought. This wasn't the time.

He grabbed the panniers and stuck the notebook in pocket, bringing some granola bars and one last thing. -Wade flicked the spark wheel to make sure it still worked: A lighter. Who knows? Could be useful.

Having laced his shoes on snug and taken a bite out of his toaster-waffles, Wade went to examine his phone, last thing. However charged it was would have to do. Wade plucked the entire charging cable and started punching in Cato's number as he headed for the door.

Call: Cato
 

ReedRGale

Inkling Commander
Joined
Jun 18, 2015
Messages
331
Location
probably my room?
Posting for Lili:

A soft sigh escaped the pink inklings lips, Germana was fiesty as usual. Would they ever get along? Maybe one of these days.... The young inkling figured that she would only irritate Germana more if she stopped or followed her; so she chose to let her go.

Glancing around, it would seem she had been left alone in the library. Lili then stood up; dusting off her behind before choosing to roam around the library. Maybe there was some interesting books? Lili decided to walk around before seeing if there were any captivating books she could understand/read. She why not take the chance.

Research: Library/Shelves
 

ReedRGale

Inkling Commander
Joined
Jun 18, 2015
Messages
331
Location
probably my room?
Posting for Canchi (1 Strike):

What. In front of Canchi was a real weapon. A weapon that's only supposed to be given to people with training. Their pressure far greater than any shooter they could get for ink battles.

"...is the situation really that bad?" Canchi said, looking to the gun hesitantly. "And what about our friends and family? Won't they be targets as well?"

"As long as you don't give them good reason to target them, no, they shouldn't be," Beth said, handing Canchi his weapon. "I'd imagine even they have their hands full with this sudden earthquake. Maybe you slipped under the radar. I pray I'm being overly cautious, but if you wouldn't mind, I'd like to use this day to give you some actual combat training."

She led them out of the room and into another nearby, locked in a similar manner as the weapon's room. This one was filled with targets. "I know it's a lot to take in, so if you have any more questtons, feel free to ask. Otherwise, let me know when you're ready to begin training."
 

ReedRGale

Inkling Commander
Joined
Jun 18, 2015
Messages
331
Location
probably my room?
@Aykorn DE Points: 1
Wade ==> Call: Cato

Wade pulled out the number card--what was with all those lately?--that Cato had provided. Then, tentatively, he punched in the number. It only run one time before a synthesized voice asked, "who would you like to speak to?"

An automation? Wow, fancy.

Wade skeptically spoke." Uhm, Cato? ...please?"

Once a second passed, seeming to indicate the voice data had been accepted and processed, the automaton replied, "could you say that again?"

Wade groaned. Of course a machine wouldn't recognize "uhmcatoplease" as a name. In a more assertive voice, he asked again. "Cato," he said.

"Redirecting, please hold." With that, Wade was brought to some Squid Sister jams as the waiting music. Not calming in the least, but it was definitely nostalgic.

It was about five minutes before the music ended and, almost abruptly a gruff voice that Wade recognized as 'Periwinkle' began, "state yer name and purpose."

Phew, looks like they were actually here. This would be an actual conversation and not an automation on repeat.

"Hey, this Wade from yesterday," he replied. "You wanted a call back right?"

"Yes," he replied briefly "Oy've prepared a few questions for you in this event." His tone was formal, his words terse. He seemed hurried. "Are you ready?"

This was sudden. Wasn't the interview supposed to happen later?

Wade was baffled, but agreed. "I gue--Yeah?" he stuttered.

"Good," Cato responded, pleased things were going his way. "First, what do you know about Deepview that you're willin' to share? What 'appened in the transation between them and the other party yesterday?"

"What happened yesterday?" Wade asked. Hmm…

Trying to remember back to yesterday, (and sort of wishing he wrote it down) the scene from yesterday, between the Deepview agent and the Octoling, played out in Wade's mind.

"It was some sort of buisness transaction," he recalled. "They were discussing... dropping off 'pieces' at 'designated drop-off points.'"

Wade thougt hard for another moment. "Oh! It also sounded like this was some monthly routine. Something about this being the 'fifth' time this has happened."

Wade heard Cato scratching down notes on the other end. "Oy see. Thank you--Oy was supposed to be observing that very transaction, however, your presence compromised my mission. Oy'm glad to 'ave gotten the necessary information."

"Next," he continued, "Oy'd like ta ask what'cha know about the disappearances. Are there any patterns? Do you know 'o's been taken? Or should Oy talk to yer compatriot fer that?"

"Ha," Wade lamented. "Yeah, you should probably ask 'my compatriot' for that. He's been following this for longer than me."

"I'm only aware of the ones he mentioned yestereday," he admitted. "So the Squid Sisters," Wade frowned momentatirly before listing the next, "....Annie.... and then the Squid Force president."

Listing them out got gears turning in Wade's head. "However, there is a really obvious pattern from just those," he realized. "Since Deepview disguises themself as a 'buisness consulting firm,' the people they can get away with dissapearing and replacing all belong to some buisness or... commercial enterprise."

"Good to know," Cato said, writing things down as he went. "This is a lot to work from. Up until now we 'adn't known who we were even up against. Now, we 'ave a name and occupation. Do you happen to know their location as well? Is it hidden or is it something a little research could find?"

"Uuuuh, yeeee-maybe," Wade replied, indecisively. "There is a Deepview building in Inkopolis, but it could be a decoy or just... be really heavily fortified."

In a grimmer tone, he explained. "People who enter the building apparently get thier minds wiped. Totally forget why they stormed up to the building in the first place, and then get kinda.... confused. About everything, afterwards."

Wade went quiet for a moment. RIP Simone. He took deep a breath. "But you can find where they are. I've got the address if you still want it."

"No need. If Oy can research it, it should be fine," Cato replied. "Finally, and most importantly, do ya 'ave any info on the disappearance of the Squid Sisters?"

Wade frowned. "No, nothing." he replied. "It's probably Deepview related, since thier replacement flunkies fill in for the rotation newcast now, but... I'm kind of new to the scene. And this happened over a month ago."

"...Oy see," Cato replied, sadly. "That's all Oy 'ave for you at the moment. Now, I'm sure you 'ave questions. Go ahead. Ask. I'll tell you if Oy can answer or not."

Wade cracked a smile, already with a few questions in mind. ...But they all paled in comparison to the first thing he decided to blurt out.

"Okay," Wade began. "What's with the Squid Sisters?"

"Seriously, I thought the phone holding music was a weird choice, but that last question seemed reeeally specific," Wade pointed out. "Are you in some really intense fanclub? Or is this some constant 'beat Deepview' reminder?"

Cato was silent for a moment before finally saying, "the Squid Sisters are our benefactors. Then they disappeared with no notice. Oy'd imagine you can understand our concern."

"Benefactors?" Wade blinked quizzically. What exactly did the Squid Sisters do with thier spare time? Well, this was different.

Alright, time to take this slightly more serious. Wade continued. "You keep mentioning 'we' and 'our'. Are you part of some group? ...What are you doing that the Sisters would want to fund?"

"Oy am part of a group," Cato said. "Oy can't say who though; Oy didn't 'ave time to get permission to give out such information. Oy can say that we are essentially a charity founded by the Squid Sister's, though."

"So ...there's someone in charge you have to run things by first, and they also 'assigned you' to watch the transaction?" Wade quirked an eyebrow. This sounded like some organization, not a charity. Especially with that base. But uh, real question here was:

"Uhm...." Wade hesitated; there really was no way to word this carefully. "...what were the squid sisters doing in octovalley to begin with...? Nevertheless setting up a charity."

"Setting up a better situation for the needy, namely, orphaned Octarians," Cato explained. "Mostly, however, the people that have taken the offer have been Octolings--probably has to do with the feeling of kinship the two races have had historically. We get a better place to live, reeducation, etcetera. As such, most of us owe them a great debt. Some of us see them as family."

Oh!" Wade exclaimed, amazed at the turn of revelations. The Squid Sisters were doing this?

"Wow, that's so--" ....So kind, and so generous, and yet so unexpected. Of course, it wasn't like they could broadcast about this effort since it involved Octarians, but... suddenly, Wade had a whole new respect for the sisters.

"...That was so great of them," he finished, a little despondent. This group they had cultivated was now without them, looking for them.

Orphaned octolings? Wade asked a question out of the blue. "...Cato, how old are you?"

"Sixteen; younger than you'd expect, but older than most there," Cato went on. "The first phase of the plan was to take in older orphans to build up a base to have staff for the future. Oy am part of that group."

"Huh. Well, you're older than me," Wade smirked. He thought for a moment, before arriving to another question. "So you've clearly been trying to figure out whats happened to the Sisters. What's that involved so far?"

"Oy'm not at liberty to share that," Cato began, before finally sighing and adding, "but it 'asn't been going well."

Darn. Wade gave a sad sounding, "mm", but at least he was starting to get the full picture of things. He really couldn't think of too much to ask anymore anymore, unless there was something else from yesterday that was extremely perlexing and out of plac--

Wade was suddenly hit with a question. Immediately he asked, "What's with your ink?"

"What do you mean?" Cato (Periwinkle) asked.

"Yesterday, you also went through the kettle, which should have turned your ink color yellow," Wade explained, "But it didn't and you were 'Periwinkle' the entire time. How do you just avoid a respawn pad?"

"Ah, that," Cato replied. "Simple enough; the pads are calibrated to only work for Inklings. They were installed when the Octoling Army stole the Great Zapfish and were used by the individuals who took it back and captured DJ Octavio. Basically... it doesn't work for me. Nothing is wrong with my ink."

Wade blinked, now severely confused. "You can do that with respawn pads?" he asked, incredulously.

"No, wait. Hold on, hold on, hold on." Wade rubbed his temples and sputtered out a clarification."...Captured 'DJ Octavio'? How many DJ Octavios do you know??"

"DJ Octavio, former DJ of Octo Valley, former leader of the Octarians," Cato said, simple as that. "'E was captured by an Agent of Captain Cuttlefish; 'is whereabouts are unknown at this time."

Wade glanced around his apartment room like the walls had turned upside down. "Really? Like... actually?" he squeaked.

"Did he happen to also release the hit single, creatively titled, 'I am Octavio' for Squid Beatz?" Wade asked. "Is this the same guy?"

"Yes," Cato sighed. "It was... embarrassing for 'is people to say the least. Doing anything in Inkling society is, shall we say it, unpopular. Oy'd imagine the same applies in Inkling society as the Squid Sisters are keeping on the down low about our organization."

"Yeeah. I mean, aside from public image thing, uhm, Octarians aren't always... popular," Wade articulated, "with some people." He peered away, suddenly thinking of the Octoglasses he had just stepped on this morning. "That is, when their images aren't used for commercial branding," he added.

...That probably wasn't necessary. It was just a thought that Wade had a lot, but he pursed up, suddenly looking for some way to steer the topic.

"So hey, can you still keep a lookout in Zone 1?" Wade asked. "Some informant should still be showing up today, unless something happened, or this was a total trap."

"We'll keep an oye out," Cato promised. "Call me if anything develops." And with that, he hung up. Surprised that he hung up so abruptly, Wade looked at his phone to be sure... only to see he had two missed messages from Jax. The first was a call. The second was a text.

Opening the text, it just read, "Recruiting someone. Meet tonight @7 PM?"

Included was an address that Wade hadn't seen before... or at least hadn't been enough times to recognize.

@xCoCo 1 DE Points

Lili ==> Research: Library Shelves

With no real goal in mind, Lili began to browse the shelves for something that looked interesting to read. Anything would really help pass the time.

> Dice Pool 3
> 1 Success on Research Roll

No direction really made it harder than it seemed to pick out something from the shelves. Some things looked interesting, but mostly the books looked foreign, even though the languages were technically the same.

Still, one thing did manage to catch her eye. It was mostly, however, because of its informal nature. Instead of a book tucked away in the shelves, she found a ringed journal. The cover had, scrawled on it, "Brootis" in similarly bad handwriting as on the namesake's doorway.

Lili smiled as she opened the pages to a number of stick doodles and symbols written over and over. Brutus must be learning to write right now, as his sloppy penmanship appears to have improved slightly near the middle of the book, where it stops.

Cute as it was, Lili returned the book to the shelf. She didn't want to make it harder for Brutus to study, after all.

@Banshee 1 DE Point 1 Strike

Alga ==> Talk to Brutus

"Hey, Brutus?" Alga began, quietly.

Snorting, Brutus rolled over in his sleep, then mumbled, "no Ail, Oy don' need that..." After the semi-coherent sentence, the Octoling rolled over again, snoring prevailing over anything else.

Alga chewed her lip in thought before trying again, this time a bit louder. She didn't want to tap him on the shoulder, not yet anyway. She had probably just been too quiet...

"Brutus?"

"Ail, Oy don' need the pillow..." he responded, on point. The timing made it clear he was responding to Alga--or Aelia, anyway. But the snoring continued; Brutus was just an instictual sleeptalker.

She sighed. Alright. With a little frown she reached out to tap him on the shoulder, speaking a little more louder than last time and trying to make her voice firm.

"Brutus. I-I got a question."

Hopefully he didn't smack her or something…

Jolting to attention at the lightest brush, Brutus woke up. "Oy'm 'ere! Brutus is ready! Oy--oh 'ey there Alga!"

In just moments, Brutus seemed alert. Definitely awake. His playful eyes gleamed with energy as he asked, "did'ja need something?"

...though for all that energy, it seemed he only really woke up to the touch and not her voice.

She jumped the barest bit, taking a small step back as she looked him over. Wide-eyed and ready to go like he hadn't even been asleep. How, exactly, did he do that? Huh...

"Um." She paused, mind going blank for all of a second. "I, uh. D-Do you know where the bathroom is..."

"'Uh? That all?" Brutus asked. "Jus' exit 'ere ya go..." he held up his hands to check the difference between left and right. "Ya go right outta my room. Then, ya go 'ntil ya reach the end. The room is on the... left?" Again, he checked, holding his hands out and said, "yeah. Yeah, left."

Brutus was all smiles. It was almost crazy how quickly he was awake... or how light a sleeper he was when it came to a light touch.

She listened to his instructions intently, nodding along as he spoke and repeating the directions over in her mind. Exit, end of the room at the right. One on the left... She could do that.

"A-Alright. Thanks... Can go back to steep."

That said, Alga made to leave. She could figure out the rest with what she had.

"Kay!" Brutus chimed. "Ah, but, um, make sure ya leave the toilet seat down! Aelia gets real pissy when i's left up..."

"Y-Yeah, sure." She could do that at least.

@Rustic @VeryButter 2 DE Points Canchi: 1 Strike

Canchi ==> Take Gun
Mag ==> Take Gun

Beth smiled at Mag, unsure of how to react to what she figured was a joke, she didn't understand then confronted Canchi about his worries.

"I'd imagine even they have their hands full with this sudden earthquake," Beth said about Deepview after handing the weapons to the kids. "Maybe you slipped under the radar. I pray I'm being overly cautious, but if you wouldn't mind, I'd like to use this day to give you some actual combat training."

She led them out of the room and into another nearby, locked in a similar manner as the weapon's room. This one was filled with targets. "I know it's a lot to take in, so if you have any more questtons, feel free to ask. Otherwise, let me know when you're ready to begin training."

The room was simple enough. The general layout made it clear to be a training room. Dummies were set up much like in Sheldon's store-back, with ample room dedicated to swimming around, markers to indicate distance, etcetera. It wasn't bland however. There were posters hanging up on both walls indicating proper form and shooting technique for each kind of weapon, as well as martial arts stances for using one's ink unarmed.

It was professional in nature and calming in its set-up.

"I am well-trained in combat; I can't give you more than the rudimentaries of actual surviving in combat, but the most important thing is that you can at least get used to the knockback of real weapons."

<Canchi: Obtained Ink Pistol>
<Mag: Obtained Ink Pistol>

((Have any questions? Did I misrepresent your character? Contact me via PM or Discord. Otherwise, please mind the deadline.))

Reminders:

Posts are Due: August 31st at Midnight PST
Gm Post will be Made: September 2nd


Will be Responded to in GM Post:
Do Nothing [sit back and let the story happen; useful when it would be dangerous to do things]
Talk [use on people you want to start a conversation with]
Shadow [use this to try to stealthily follow a target. I'll make rolls on whether you succeed or not]
Ink / Go To ______ [use this to travel from one place to another relatively quickly; ink if it's something specific, like a kettle, Go To if it's a general area]
Call [use on a person that you want to call (talk, but when not in the area)--or a item that has a number on it to contact someone you don't know]
Research [some topic; need to be in a library or have access to a computer--shellphones don't count]
Sleep [use this when there's nothing left you can do, logically, in the day]
Follow [use this to just keep together with a party member or let an NPC take the lead]

Will be Responded to Immediately:
Conceal [use this action on something you intend to hide on your person]
Pick Up [use this action on something you want to hold onto]
Examine/Observe [use on things that you want more details on]
Use [use on things that you intend to use in some way--please specify how you're using it]
Attack [use on people or objects you intend to hurt or break, specify any weapons you might be using]
Search For [use like examine but for things that may or may not be there]
Hide [Insert Applicable Preposition] [use to conceal oneself, usually for a short amount of time]
 
Last edited:

ReedRGale

Inkling Commander
Joined
Jun 18, 2015
Messages
331
Location
probably my room?
GM Post Continued...

@Hesoca 1 DE Point


Max ==> Attack Suspicious Figure

Max, waiting, contemplating the perfect moment, turned and struck with his dynamo roller.


> Dice Pool 3, +2 for surprise attack, -1 for Jax's Defense, Dice Pool 4
> 1 success; 1 damage to Jax


The figure reacted quickly. It helped that the dynamo was so large and, even though Max struck faster than most, the defendant dodged well. He sidestepped, taking only a splatter of ink, then adopted some sort of combat stance that was obvious even in the dim lighting. "I don't want to fight."


> Adopted defensive stance

Max scoffed and twisted the Dynamo into position, a burning scowl peeking out from underneath his mask.

"Yeah, sure," he sneered, his fingers shifting along the weapon's handle, "Then what, you come here to invite me to a tea party?"

Spinning his whole body to increase the weapon's momentum, he fired another wave of ink at the enemy, and, after recovering from the attack, shouted, "Why'd you follow me here?!"

> Base Pool 3; changing up patterns +1; -2 Jax on the Defensive; Dice Pool 2
> 1 Success; 1 Damage to Jax


The Inkling dodged dashing to the right taking only a splatter of Max's red ink, marring his leg.


Keeping stance, the figure said, "I didn't follow you here, I waited." Inbetween words, he reached into his pocket. Max expected a weapon, but when his hand came out, there was nothing. What kind of trick was he pulling?


"Please put down the roller," the defendant asked, calmly.


> Maintaining stance


"Tch, you think I'm that stupid?!" Max shifted the Dynamo in his hands again, this time into an underhanded position, though his gaze had moved from the figure's overall stance to his pocket.

He twitched as though firing, then paused; and, with noticeable hesitation, added, "... Waiting? What for?"


"I'm reasonable and figured we don't have to fight, I am here to try to recruit you, after all," the figure said. "My name is Jax. I'm a journalist, but I also work here in the Tower. Why I want to work with you though is a bit more personal."

All the while, he didn't drop his stance.


> Maintaining stance


"The shell is that supposed to mean?!" A faint waver of panic echoed in Max's response, and his grip on Dynamo tightened significantly. He eyed the so-called "Jax" with an intense scowl, noting his defensive stance. "Who sent you? How'd you know I was gonna be here?"


"I work here and you break in on a regular basis," he smiled a thin smile. "You didn't think I didn't notice, did you? I work night security and let you be on your merry way. Even overrode the tapes for you. I can appreciate some vigilante work. So... to conclude, I sent me."

Max froze, lowering his Dynamo slightly, noticeably terrified at the idea of him being regularly caught on camera during his break-ins.

Blinking from his stupor, he reverted back to his previous scowl. "Y-yeah, sure," he stammered, "You think I'm just going to believe something like that?"


"Well, I'm here," Jax said. "You're here. I'd say two and two come together."


With a careful eye still trained on Jax, Max lowered his Dynamo from its original stance. He stared at the other Inkling in tense silence, tracking every minute movement.

"Yeah, so... why me?" He spoke seriously, though the curiosity leaking from his voice was obvious to a trained ear.

"Are you familiar with the disappearances happening around town?" Jax asked, quickly, Max's ink fading from his skin. "The Squid Sisters? Alex, head of Squidforce? The CEO of Zekko? Annie and Moe from Cooler heads?"


A mixture of surprise and excitement flicked across Max's face. "Yeah, I was-" He stopped himself mid-sentence, noticing his choice of words, and with a flustered shuffle returned to his serious composure.

"Yeah." He muttered, much more warily, "I've heard about them."

"I figured you'd be interested, seeing as it's your line of work," Jax admitted, noting Max's initial response. "Do you know about the organization behind the disappearances?"


The question left Max in silence for a brief moment, and he twitched anxiously, twisting his Dynamo into position and re-shifting into a more viable combat stance.

"What's that matter to you?"


"I want to know about who I might be working with," Jax replied, dismissively. "You're in the first field, but I need to know if you're in the know or not."


Again, Max shifted nervously, his eyes flicking between Jax's face, his posture, and the pocket he had touched before. He opened his mouth to speak. And then he stopped, his eyes resting on the pocket and Jax's hands, a sudden spark of anger flashing in his vision.

"... This is a setup." His voice began quiet, then escalated with sudden ferocity, "You're fryin' with them, aren't you?!"

Immediately he shifted into a combat stance. "You've followed me, watched my movements..." his voice quivered as much as the Dynamo in his hands did, "And you just... showed up, out of nowhere, like those freaks did... you think I'm that stupid?! You think I'm going to believe that kind of crap?!"

"Like shell am I trusting you!"

Without a single hesitation he dipped the Dynamo over his shoulder and dashed into a horizontal strike.

> Base Pool 3; Jax's defensive position -2; Dice Pool 1
> 0 Successes
> Note; all of the ink on Jax has healed


"Suit yourself," Jax sighed, easily dodging the strike. For the first time, he began to make moves toward Max. He was unarmed, but somehow his steps were leaving puddles of ink as he moved.


> Base Pool 5; Unarmed against armed -1; Aiming for specific spot -1; Dice Pool 3
> 3 Successes; -1 Health (9/10)


With deft movements, Jax struck, first kicking Max's knee. The pain surged immediately as the kick passed through the Inkling's leg, leaving a spreading blue zone. Without missing a beat, he struck at Max's dominant hand, making him let go of the roller.


The twin blows, the staggered pain, loosened Max's grip on his roller and together brought him to the ground. Though he still gripped at his roller with his non-dominant, there was no way he was swinging it around.


"Still up for this?" Jax said, no emotion fluxing through his voice.



Max froze in his tracks, cringing at the pain coursing through his leg, staring blankly at the Inkling and the trails he left as he moved. Slowly, he stood, grabbing the roller in his undamaged hand, and, shifting his balance again, swung with a diagonal strike in the direction of his opponent.

> Base Pool 3; Encumbered -1; Defensive Stance -2; Luck Roll
>
Critical Fail


Max attampted a counterstrike but it mostly worked against him. As Jax was so close, and the strike so slow, the defendant simply plucked the roller midswing and went with the momentum, picking Max up with it.


> Base Pool 5; Unarmed against Armed -1; Lucky Counterstrike +2; Base Pool 7
> 6 Successes; 3 Damage (6/10); Disarmed


Jax stood over Max, the Dynamo now in his hands. The small pool of ink Jax'd left in his wake was now Max's resting place. He sat in there, in mild pain, stunned at what had just happened.


"Still up for this?" Jax repeated, standing over him.


> Defensive Stance


Max remained motionless on the ground, stunned by the strength of the blow. Once again, he struggled to his feet and turned to face Jax, his breathing heavy. He stared blankly; flickers of rage and fear clashed in his stare, unsure of what he should do next.

Without thinking, he threw a sluggish punch towards Jax, reaching at the same time to grab the weapon out of the Inkling's hand.


> Base Pool 3; Futility -2; Defensive Position -2; Luck Roll
> 1 Success


Jax sidestepped the punch easily, but Max's grab made its mark. And grab it he did, though he was off balance from the punch-grab combo, he found himself clutching with both hands desperately.


Jax didn't even try to knock him off. "So I take it you still want to fight? I can appreciate that tenacity; is there anything I can do to convince you to join me?"


> Defensive Stance


Max clung to the side of the roller feebly, cringing from his wounds, his head hung low.

"How..." he spoke between groans, "How did... you...?"

"I've trained in combat specifically against armed fighters," Jax explained, "if that's what you mean. I've got practice. It's all about knowing what moves or movements the user wants to make. You could learn; I don't mind teaching, if that sweetens the deal."

Struggling to his feet, Max turned to face Jax. "Like shell I'd-" he began, only to drop back to his knees in a bout of pain.

He waited for a moment before struggling to his feet again, and, still between breaths, muttered, "J-just... just give me back... my Dynamo..."


Jax sighed, setting down the Dynamo. "Does this mean you want to continue?"


Max fell to the ground still clinging to his weapon. For the third time, he struggled to his feet, this time using the Dynamo as a balance. "I-" He cut himself off with a groan and paused, trying to catch his breath.

Straightening, he picked up his head and glared at Jax with a weary stare.

"... Deepview." The words came out slowly, as though he were frustrated that he had to say them. "That's... that's the organization causing everyone to disappear. They were... ngh-" he groaned again, "the ones that... that kidnapped the raid before and wiped everyone's memories."

He let his head fall and leaned on the Dynamo, still trying to catch his breath.


"So you do know; you know about as much as me and my partner," Jax sighed. "We also noted an affiliate of theirs making a transaction of some sort yesterday. Pieces of something. Do you know anything about that?"


"N-no..." Max straightened slightly, surprised that Jax had shared the information so willingly, "I've just been following their goons and the people who lost their memories."

"Good to know," Jax said. Reaching into his pocket again, he pulled out a slip of paper with his number and an address.

"Call me if you want to work with me on this. I left my number there. I intend to meet with my partner in the evening; I included the meetup location as well. If you wish to continue working solo, do so, but I would recommend taking everything and not coming back--I won't be here to cover your tracks. In all the chaos, they won't notice anything gone... probably."

For the first time since they started talking, Jax let down his guard, turned away, and began to walk out of the room.


Silently, Max glanced at the paper in his hands, at Jax, then at the paper again. He slipped the piece of paper into his jacket pocket, all the while shifting the Dynamo over his shoulder and back into his damaged grip.

For a moment, he stared at the floor, as if contemplating what to do. Then, In a desperate attempt, he dashed towards Jax with an underhanded strike - and his feet, sticking to the alternately-colored ink, slipped and crumbled to the floor, causing the Dynamo to fall from his hands and slide a short distance away.


Jax turned back as the Dynamo clacked against his leg. The weight of it and risidual ink caught him by surprise, but seeing Max on the floor he just let out a sigh and left the room.

 

VeryButter

Semi-Pro Squid
Joined
Aug 1, 2015
Messages
92
Location
Auckland, New Zealand
NNID
EatALLTehCereal
Mag blinked as they entered the training room, fidgeting with the pistol while keeping her hand off the trigger. She reflected back on a few moments before, with the joke. ...I was actually kind of hoping to get more gun...s...

Shaking that slight disappointment aside, her eyes started drifting from thing to thing--the posters, weapons, squid dummies, but eventually, they settled on Beth.

"...how do we get started?" she asked, adjusting the grip she had on her pistol.

Start Training
 

Rustic

Inkling Commander
Joined
Jul 5, 2015
Messages
481
Location
Canada, ON
Combat Mom was probably the best Mom a kid could ask for. Canchi's jaw dropped as he looked around the room. Holy... she has all this within her house? Dang, I wish my Mom was like this, he mentally lamented, brainlessly holding the trigger of the gun as he looked around.

Finally, he fixated his attention on Beth. "Sure let's get started, but do I need a permission form? My parents might get bent outta shape about this." He joked, chuckling.

Start the training with Combat-Momma

(( :0 ))
 

xCoCo

Inkling Commander
Joined
May 5, 2015
Messages
315
Location
Canada!
NNID
xCelsiusS
There was really nothing much for her to do here. The young inkling had browsed through the elves before spotting Brutus' diary. Of course she wasn't aware of what it was untill she had pulled it out. It was filled with stick doodles abd the such. Really. It brought a smile to her face.

Putting the book bsck gently to its proper face she decided to leave the library; Maybe Alga or Brutus was up by now? Or if she was lucky she'd bump into one of them on the way back...?

Go to: Alga
 

Banshee

Full Squid
Joined
Jun 20, 2015
Messages
44
NNID
Laddy-Daddy
Alga rubbed her arm as she set off down the halls, looking this way and that as she repeated the instructions in her head. The directions weren't complex of course, but she had an awful memory of things sometimes. If she kept repeating it over and over, as least she wouldn't get distracted.

This place felt big though... Big and not at all like back home.

...Home. Oh, squid, home.

Alga stopped dead in her tracks and stared at the far wall vacantly, her mind spinning. She's forgotten about home. What were her grandparents doing? They were worried more than likely, and among all the hubbub of the earthquake, they could have assumed anything-

Why was she here? What reason did she have to tag along with everyone? Why did she even think for one second that following people into an empty house would result in anything good? She should have just stayed home. At least there it was safe.

Alga glared down at the ground, her previous mission utterly forgotten. She wanted to go home. This wasn't her fight. She wanted to leave and just forget anything had happened.

Everything sucked.

Do: Nothing
 

Hesoca

Full Squid
Joined
Jul 15, 2015
Messages
51
It went without saying that Max often found himself in dangerous situations. He’d been led into traps, ambushed by swarms of street criminals… heck, he’d even been captured and locked in the school at night, forced to navigate its moonlit hallways with nothing but a few bobby pins and a splitting headache. Yet despite everything, Max had been through – despite all the beatings, battles, and tricks - there was still one part of him that had never been so badly damaged: his pride.

Lying motionless in a pool of enemy ink, Max stared blankly at the remnants of the battle scattered around him. Brief splatters of blue and red ink lined the floor, and the occasional metallic scrape – a remnant of his weapon clambering against the tile - shimmered in the dim lighting. Somewhere in all the chaos were his locker, still open, and his black backpack, waiting to be filled, the charms and tools he had been collecting still strewn around the spot where he’d been interrupted.

He rose first to his knees, then to his feet. His hand throbbed, and the pain in his leg, while certainly not unbearable, grabbed at his attention every time he moved. Cringing, he glanced at it, and, noticing the blue spot left where he’d been struck, swore under his breath, stomping down and immediately regretting his decision and the consequential bout of pain.

With a grumble he glanced around the room, his eyes following the destruction to where his dynamo rested on the floor a few paces away. Wide-eyed, he dashed over to it, haphazardly shaking off the enemy ink clinging to his person, snatched it off the floor and brought it close to his face, turning it in his hands for any signs of damage. Besides a few scratches, the base was sound, and Max dropped the weapon to his side with a sigh of relief.

He stood there for a moment with the roller in his hand, the significance of what had just occurred catching up to him, the rage about his shattered pride building exponentially until he couldn’t take it and, shouting at the top of his lungs, slammed the blunt edge of the roller into the floor of the locker room.

The ring of the weapon echoed across the room. And it was with that ring that Max, finally realizing where he was standing and the words Jax had left with him, remembered what he needed to do.

He needed to run.

He dashed over to the open locker. There were a few items still sitting inside; in a frantic rush he grabbed what was left, snatched the remaining charms off the floor, stuffed everything into his backpack and threw the whole load over his shoulder.

He had just zipped the bag closed when he looked up, and, staring at the now-empty locker, stopped in his tracks. Shell, the thought hit him a flash of panic, they’ll know why I was here. Looking to the locker, then to the Dynamo in his hands, he went with his first instinct and smashed the door clean off its handle, sending it flying a few feet away. In the same motion, he turned to an adjacent locker and slammed at the lock until it cracked, then flicked a small puddle of ink at the ground nearby.

There, Stepping back, he surveyed the damage, that’ll make it look like some random robbery. With that thought in mind, he turned and fled, racing through the tower to the closest exit he could think of.

Move to: Away from Tower Grounds
 

Aykorn

Inkling Commander
Joined
Jun 17, 2015
Messages
387
Location
WA
NNID
A_korn
Switch Friend Code
SW-5939-8938-2753
Wade looked over the text from Jax, briefly wondering what "recruiting someone" could would mean, but texted back immediately before he got lost in any thoughts.

"Sounds good. called Cato btw," he sent, holding his phone for a moment to comprehend the new schedule. If it was almost noon and they were meeting at 7pm...

Wade threw himself onto his bed and rolled himself up in one of his blankets.

Psssh
, he wasn't going to be late. Shell, he had time to kill. Seven hours of it, in fact. Never mind the fact that he had just hyper-sped through getting ready in a matter of minutes, Wade now had hours before he had to be anywhere. Maybe he even had time to get something to eat before he went hunting conspiracies. Imagine that.

After a moment of blissfully returning to his bed, Wade sat up, still cocooned in a blanket. He started absentmindedly looking through his phone. Man, what did he usually do on these types of days? Before the conspiracies. Definitely not lounge around in bed all day, although he was guilty of oversleeping pretty often. Ink Battle? A hunch told him that the Tower was still probably out of commission from yesterday's earthquake, but he wasn't feeling particularly motivated anyway.

Lately, he'd been going to turf wars by himself on account of his friends getting "called home" by parents suddenly. Thumbing through other text threads, Wade quirked an eyebrow at old messages from a friend. Weird that a leave of some unknown amount of time happens now, huh? Wade thought.

Ehhhh.
Logically, he should be worried about his Squid Sisters-obsessed buddy, except that they were still making a big deal about being away from Inkopolis. The last string of complaints they sent was from a week ago, and they seemed way too salty to be mindwiped. Sure, they'd been upset about leaving before the Sisters 'healed', but it dawned on Wade that perhaps being at home was somehow... safer for them.

Wade frowned. No best friend to ink battle with had somehow become a norm. Wade groaned and flopped onto his back again. Besides going to the tower without friends, it seemed like a waste of time with all of these other concerns. What was the point of biking to the tower, then trying to waste 7 hours before going on some daring spelunking mission through octovalley again?

Wait, hold on...

Wade pulled up Jax's text again, scanning over the address. He definitely would have recognized it if it were the Tower. So where was this....?

Trying to exert the least amount of effort into walking and unraveling his blanket-cocoon, Wade stretched over to the floor, pulling out his laptop from his bike bags. It couldn't hurt to scout out where this was before leaving.

Despite the overheating hazards, Wade sat up in his bed and started booting up his computer, realizing that he was actually curious about a lot. Certain things in his conversation with Cato had piqued his curiosity. He had to wonder how the Sisters set up such an organization in the valley in the first place. Like, weren't there rules or laws about that? ...Maybe?

And that DJ Octavio thing. Wade was still miffed that this one-hit wonder was actually the leader of the octarians. ...What was this about them being captured? By the "Agents"?

He blinked. The urban legend kind of Agents? The ones from the Replica gear, that dressed like bikers and/or cross-guards? Or secret Agents? Like Deepview.

He probably wouldn't find the whereabouts of Octavio online, but Wade decided to search up a little bit about all of these things anyway.

Research: Address, Octavio, Agents, OctoValley
 

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