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- Happy New Year! The SpaceBattles 2024 Year in Review features highlights from an especially eventful year.
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- Thread starter Stewart92
- Start date Oct 20, 2021
- Tags yugioh short story
Do you want offical duels to be common or not happen at all?
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Keep duels
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Reduce them
- Statistics (64 threadmarks, 230k words)
Threadmarks Hide awards Reader modeUser Total Stewart92 64 - Turn 1: To The Heart
- Turn 2: Gone but not Forgotten
- Turn 61: Darker Yet Darker
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- Turn 62: Dark Village
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- 63: Dark Eyes
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Stewart92
What a year.
Award Recipient Gotham City had one of the highest crime rates per state. It wasn't really hard to see when the local news was filled with things like 'Batman stops killer plant' or 'Scarecrow's toxin only killed four people.' Gotham City was kind of a shithole with a shiny hat on it. But the thing is people sort of becoming adapted to it. Not in a 'stronger for it' means, but actually declaring that when it was quiet, Gotham City was really 'quite lovely'. It was insane and I guess I was insane because I didn't leave the city either. Mine was more of a spite thing than a pride thing, which was arguably worse. "Roger, do the last stack and you can get out of here," my boss called from the doorway as he smoked inside. It was his business, so who was I to tell him where to smoke? "Sure thing," I called back, my arms aching like a fire had been injected into them. The transport of fish was a stinking, back-breaking, terrible job. Once it left the boat, it was on a timer to get to a cooler or storage unit to be kept fresh for the morning markets. That meant a lot of boxes if all of Gotham was to get their fish fingers. Sure, some boxes rattled or didn't sound like 'fish', but I didn't look. I remember when a guy looked and made a fuss. He left due to 'workplace accidents' and a small compensation. Only the rich or well-off had the privilege to stick to morals and the high ground. No work meant no pay and dying to be 'moral' didn't sound like a great idea. My Mom needed help. I was only seventeen, but she was already working two jobs and my younger siblings needed cash for lunches, pens, field trip funds... it just didn't end really. I left the building stinking of fish and a far too small paycheck. The crime rate I mentioned before? It came at me not even ten feet away from the front door. "Empty your pockets," the man snarled and I looked him over as he pointed a knife at me. It pissed me off to no end. He looked like he had both better clothes than me and more cash... "Alright," I said slowly, reaching into my coat for things. In one hand, I held the paycheck, my sweat and blood that would keep us going one more night. In the other were keys that had a small knuckle blade on them. I was between two choices. Acceptance or rebellion. I looked into his eyes. He looked coked out of his mind... I think that was what decided it. Anyone who needed money this badly to blow on drugs wasn't someone I could just bend my knee to. I lashed out, getting him the arm with my black metal knife, but he just grunted, eyes bloodshot as he didn't seem to feel it right away. His knife slid under my ribs with motioned practise. "I gave you a choice, now live with the consequences," he hissed close to my ear. The snow below began to turn red like someone was dripping raspberry sauce from an ice-cream cone on it. I fell to my knees and pain was all I knew for that moment. My heartbeat oddly, like something was in its way... oh right... a knife. He took my money and a few moments later, he took my life. I fell backward, the snow cushioning my fall as I stared up at the dirty sky, the snow drifting down like cool kisses on my face. The man simply walked off, scoffing at my paycheck. Disrespect to the end... it looked like. What a... an unfair hand. I want... a redo... I want a rematch with life. --- Scales tipped one way before the chains wobbled. "Just one? Hardly fair considering your number." "I thought you'd always win... why are you so concerned? I even picked your champion for you. "The scales are weighed unfairly." "You're lucky they are weighed at all given your circumstance. This world shall be the purest test we have... only us and the game. It will be bloody and dark... but your 'light' will have its chance to shine." "Fight with my hands tied or die with my head held high? What a cruel choice..." "Why... thank you." --- As I inhaled as my heart beat faster, the pain in my chest felt almost unbearable. I moaned as I rolled, snow and blood turning the ground pink. I saw my mugger walking away... was he whistling? In that moment, I felt sparks of fury race up within me and I reached out with a snarl. I think I tried to Force-choke him, but instead... something else happened. Things flashed through my mind, shuffling, the sound of flesh, water. Wind, fire... until finally in my hands, silver light formed, illuminating the alley and causing my mugger to turn, his unkempt hair wild. "Wha-" he began but I was too busy holding a gleaming bow with blue and red wrappings before a glowing arrow formed in the string. It was so light and holding it made my body glow. "Silver Bow and Arrow..." I intoned, the name coming from deep within me. I had no clue what was happening... only knowing things had become very different. "L-listen... just... I'm desperate," the man began, backing away and I fired, the thing almost natural to my hands as it pinned him to the brickwall behind him by his collar. A new arrow formed and I felt the bow... become less real. Like it wouldn't last too long. I felt weirdly high and it took everything I had not to simply marvel at what I was doing. I fired three more times and the man was utterly pinned by the arrows. The bow shattered moments later but the arrows remained behind, as real as me or the ground under my feet. "Please don't kill me," he said and the only reason I didn't was that I didn't want to go to jail and leave my family behind and... he offered me a choice. A crappy choice between food and my life, but he didn't have to do that... I leaned in. "You made your choice, now live with the consequences," I repeated his words back to him before snatching my paycheck back and walking off, leaving him pinned there by his clothes. He could enjoy a brisk Gotham night until someone found him... The only thing I could think once my adrenaline began to wear off was how much pain I was in. I walked down the street, ducking into a doorway, examining my bloody stab wound that looked more like a barely healed flesh wound. That had gone to my heart... I should be dead. But I wasn't. Instead, I had gone all... Silver Arrow on that guy. "Holy crap. I'm an archer," I announced. I mean, it wasn't like being Superman or the Flash or whatever, but it was a massive step up in my life prospects! I held my hand out and tried to focus around the pain. "Bow! Uh... Bow and Arrow? Go Go Arrow!" I flicked my wrist. I could feel something inside my chest, a sort of warmth but it was sluggish and loose. I don't think I'd be 'go go'ing anything. I looked out in the dark city of Gotham, thoughts chaotic. -- "Roger, you're late! I almost put your food in a container," my Mom said as I finally made it through the door. I kept my jacket zipped up to hide the bloody traces of my... incident. Until I knew what was going on? My family would just have to wait for the details. Besides... Mom was a chronic worrier. I could hear Liam and Gabby in the living room, discussing their show. Identical twins that were both on the outgoing brash side. That 'shy twin' stuff was utter crap. They were both terrors. "Thanks, I'll just get cleaned up," I called as I saw my Mom, a petite woman with slightly dusky skin that I got but skipped the twins, bustling around the kitchen, preparing to go out and get to her night shift at the hotel over on Marksons. I tensed as I imagined my Mother being mugged... would she magically awaken bow powers? I didn't think so, but we had that argument before. In the end, she was always right. We needed the money or we'd be a lot worse off. I shut the door to my room, the small second bedroom in the apartment. The twins had their own room and Mom converted the living room into her bed at night. Pulling off the bloody shirt I grimaced at it. "No redeeming you," I muttered as I balled it up and threw it out the nearby window to flutter four floors down and out of sight. The act stretched my wound and I bit back a curse that would get the twins giggling as I got my mouth washed out with soap. I sat on my bed, trying to make myself accept that I both died tonight... and I did something weird. Like Meta weird. Most freaks in Gotham tended to be more 'he fell into acid, she injected herself with mantis DNA, and he invented some portal gun and now robs candy stores'. This was a bit weirder since I was sure I didn't do anything in particular to get powers. I didn't want to explode my apartment or hurt my family in my sleep, so I frowned, searching inside myself again. The energy flickered, ready to do something. There was that feeling again, of shuffling cards and this time, since I was looking for it, I could see almost a selection of blurs and colours before one appeared stronger and became clear. A smiling woman with blue skin... she radiated a sort of peacefulness that made me feel like I couldn't go wrong with her. Instead of using it, I held it... sort of just there for a moment in my mind. I could hold these cards back? That was good to know since I didn't want to draw some nuke and... well, play it. "Mystical Elf," I mused as I turned the card over. I tried to resist... really, I did. But when Mom left, I wondered what the card was. It was a person, so did that mean I made them? I created them or became them? I had a burning desire that outburned the pain in my chest. Once I heard the twins snoring, I locked my bedroom door and held my hand out. A moment later... a brilliant shining circle appeared, the form of the Mystical Elf rising from it, arms crossed over her chest as her flowing green dress seemed to be made of such a fine material it looked unreal. "Holy... crap," I whispered as the light died down. The elf opened her eyes and I gulped as something beyond my understanding was before me. A being far older than me but with a sense of retained purity that made me a little guilty about summoning her in my dingy bedroom. "Uh... hi?" I tried and she smiled, uttering not a word as she floated closer... yeah, she was floating like that was a casual thing. I didn't really resist when she came near. One, she radiated such a peaceful aura I couldn't feel scared... and two... she was really attractive. "Welcome to Earth, or to my side of it. I have soda in the fridge or snacks in the-" I rambled before she put one delicate finger against my lips. When her finger touched my skin, a tingling sensation spread out like little static electricity. I went quiet and we just looked into each other's eyes before she gave me a sad look as if she knew who I was from that short glance. It was a pitying look, but the elf seemed to be conveying an understanding of hardship, as if saying to me that 'she got me'. I was not an emotional guy, not much, but I wanted to tear up a little at the look. She slowly put a hand against my chest and closed her eyes. I felt a flash in my mind, more shuffling and weirdly a purple card showed up with her image on it before relief from my pain washed over me like cool water. I barely had time to read the card name before it vanished. Gift of the Mystical Elf... and why was it called a trap? Was I now sealed into some elven slave contract with this really pretty elf lady? I'd gripe, but she seemed nice and servitude was a lifestyle I could adapt to... She smiled as if hearing my thoughts. She sat at my desk and from nowhere, pulled out one of those fancy harp instruments. It was more... curly than a harp, but she began to pluck at the strings with ease. "I have so many questions," I told her and she simply gave me a smile that said 'nothing is stopping you from asking, but nothing is making me answer'. I opened my mouth and began to yawn, the tune she played reaching inside me and massaging my stress away. "That's cheap," I muttered as I felt myself fall backwards, eyes closing. The last thing I heard was a small chuckle like musical bells. --- As I worked nights, I didn't do the school thing anymore. I was technically a dropout with a cause. Usually I lounged about the house, being lazy or doing chores as quietly as I could as Mom slept, but today was different. Mystical Elf was back in my hand, but she seemed fainter than before. Like the bow, I think I could only use her 'so many times' before she went away. The strange thing, she was both floating about and in another part of this power, her card in some grid. It was like if I used her card again in that spot... it would be easier or just instant? I didn't know yet. I could hardly just summon her in Gotham's streets when the sun was out. I didn't want to be kicked by the Bat for doing something weird in his city. I grimaced at the thought. His city? His city was a shithole and some people really did deserve an arrow in the eye. I kept my head low, moving quickly through the meatpacking ports. Gotham was a mix of import business and high-tech companies. What Gotham had a lot of was port side places that were kept quiet. As the Mafia was pushed back and around by the new freaks in town, their business took a hit. By the time you aired one warehouse of Joker gas, another had Bane setting up, Ivy crushing it for spilling chemicals, or one could stumble into any number of people setting up camp, but there were places so shitty that no one wanted. One of the places I knew about came from an old coworker who liked to share stories of the 'good old days' when all you had to worry about was not paying protection fees or being from the wrong family in the wrong part of the city. A water treatment site was a common sight along the shores of Gotham and its one of the very old models that I slipped into. It had been hollowed out for anything useful a long time ago, slowly flooding as global warming occurred. The walls had historical gang tags and names everywhere. I whistled at the sight of the slightly large dingy room that once held a single machine designed to 'clean' Gotham's rivers. Poor things never stood a chance. According to my old buddy... the Mafia liked to use sites like these to dump old...trouble into the river and have them torn to shreds by the machine. Of course, Wayne Enterprises long had 'new' expensive robots trawling the river and fancy dam stuff that everyone knew the police used to catch smugglers... I managed to close the door behind me, needing to put my shoulder into it. I was lucky I didn't make it collapse into a pile of rust and metal to be honest. I turned to my... base? If I had powers and a secret place to go, did that automatically make it a base? I shrugged and focused inwards. My power, whatever it was, was based on cards. Strange cards that came in Booster Packs. I hadn't seen these things since that Pocket Monster fad came about. I breathed slowly, pulling them closer. I saw two of them, each with a different symbol and name. One had a shadow of some huge dragon on it, that was the one I drew Silver Bow and Mystical Elf. It was called 'The Legend of Blue Eyes White Dragon'. I didn't know what that was, but anything with 'dragon' in its name was automatically 'neat' in my opinion. The other was called 'Metal Raiders' and the shadow on that one seemed to be some towering creature made of three 'bodies'. I felt I could 'choose' what to open. So far, I knew the first gave me bow and Mystical elf, I had little idea on the other. In the end, I went with more Blue Eyes, simply to see if I could find a limit of sorts to what each pack contained. Hopefully they weren't unlimited or never ending... It would make finding Mystical Elf again a pain and I really liked her so far. This time when the pack opened, I saw the cards... and they were fucking weird. I think I lucked out in the pretty elf lady department because one of these suckers was legit called 'Terra the Terrible'. One of them did seem more interesting than the rest. A green card that showed a strange void of purpleness. It was called 'Yami' so I picked it. It appeared in my mind and curiously I pushed it to my field and the ground underneath my feet began to flash slowly, I looked around and the flashing light moved from the floor to the door and when I looked at my hand, my body began to flash. Was this some selecting tool? I selected the floor to be safe and slowly, like spreading ink, darkness crawled along the concrete surface. It climbed the walls until it was completely surrounding me. I stared around and as I did so, the walls began faintly visible as if the Yami card let me see even though I shouldn't. I also felt... a little more intense. Like my senses were sharpened and perhaps like being a little buzzed, I had an easier time to find things more amazing or amusing. I flexed my hand, enjoying the sensation. So, I had a bow, a magic elf, and a field of darkness. Was I perhaps not a magic archer, chosen to wear tights... but perhaps a LARPer? I think I'd feel better once I got a dragon. Dragons made everything better. --- "Sorry, it's not one of mine," Green Arrow said as Batman showed him the scans of the arrow. "Huntress said the same," he said darkly. Green Arrow leaned in, trying not to look amused. "Batman... arrows are used by lots of people. They've been around a long time since people decided they really wanted to stab someone... from far away," he explained slowly as if Batman were a dim-witted child. After a moment of staring at each other, Green Arrow blew out a sigh on his side of the video link. "Okay, the arrows are atomically perfect and they glow. That's weird," he admitted finally. "If they could do this with arrows, what else can they do... the only good thing is that the user didn't kill the criminal. It means I might not have a psychopath on the loose," Batman said as he slowly moved the scans of the arrow to be in front of him, the energy coming off it similar to the energy released by Zatara, but... more fluid. "To be fair, a shaft and simple metal isn't that hard to get almost perfect in most labs anyway. The feathers are more complex, but once you mail down the blueprint and build a printer, you could pop them out like paper," Green Arrow suggested as he began to sketch the arrow on pen and paper. "The question is why bother?" he added and Batman admitted it was a good question. Why bother making flawless basic arrows? Was it key to the energy they possessed? "How's Robin?" Arrow asked abruptly. Batman paused in his work at the change in subject before continuing. Robin was... complicated. The boy clearly felt he was outgrowing his boy wonder of being Robin, looking for new ways to excel at his abilities. Too eager, his success and experience under Batman made him a more brazen version of Batman. There was also the single issue that Robin had no clue on how to work with anyone that didn't think and act like himself. A flaw that Batman himself had to work through with the Justice League many times. "Progressing," he finally said before he could feel Alfred's eyes on his back, parental pressure heavy. "How is... Speedy?" he finally asked and the look vanished. Only Alfred could make him be social. "Angsty, wanting to surpass me, ready to take down the big names with spunk and attitude," Green Arrow sighed dramatically. Batman smirked. It was nice to see he was not the only one with apprentice issues. "Which reminds me..." Green Arrow said, leaning towards the camera with a grin. Batman eyed the 'disconnect' button for a second too long to be casual. "Did you hear Manhunter wants to bring his niece to Earth for... education?" he asked slyly. Batman shot him an annoyed look. "I have a hand in all Earth security measures involving the Justice League," he reminded Green Arrow, who waved him off. "I got a kid, you got a kid, Manhunter's got a kid..." he led on. "Three isn't a team," Batman said bluntly. "We'll ask Aquaman to send some little guppy and maybe Diana knows a bored girl on that amazing lovely island. I even heard Blood's an apprentice," the archer pushed and Batman sighed, knowing this was not going to go away, even if he hung up. "Blood's apprentice causes tables to run off like horses and Blood to drink. He won't let the boy come into any team until he gets his magic under control," he said before raising a hand. "If… if viable members appear, we'll consider it, but for now? We continue to train them as we have done. A few more months won't harm their chances," he said, more diplomatic than he had been in a while. "Tell that to Flash. The man looks ready to give Kid to the first reasonable adult he finds," Green Arrow joked before he hung up. Batman remembered how the boy once devoured an entire buffet in one of those many parties Bruce Wayne held over the years. It was... a sight. Flash's food bill was insane, the man sometimes sent it to the tower in a plea for help. He shook his head and got back to work. "Do your homework," he said to the silent cave before a small shadow above darted away, muttering to himself. Batman let him have two mistakes for free, Robin would need to get a lot better to sneak up on him. --- I was looking at the notepad I had on hand. I only had one diagram so far. The page read as 'Magic cards>???>profit?' I was also tracking down what card was and also what power they displayed. I was using a basic cipher to make it look like gibberish, but I got used to writing in it if I didn't use big words. The dark field was still around and I was pretty sure it wasn't going anywhere since it had lost almost no power since it clung to the treatment building. If a monster or spell used the energy inside for something, it would diminish, but with just me here? It was content to be fucking spooky to anyone that walked in. I felt a slight pulse in my mind and I turned off the timer on my phone. I counted a rough hour for the ability to open one of the two booster packs. If I kept counting the time between these rises in energy, I should be able to get an idea of what to expect... maybe. I once again had the massive choice between blue eyes or metal raiders. I decided to go all in until I got a dragon. The cards revealed themselves and I nearly gasped when I saw a purple card with a wyrm-like dragon and a knight, but while I could select it, I was also able to read the fact it needed two other monsters first in my hand or field... that was a bit of a bummer, but there was Lesser Dragon. It was... well, it had 'dragon' in the name. I called on it and there was a rush of wind as another glowing circle formed, forming upwards until a hunched scaled form was revealed. The silence was broken by the slow rumblings of a growl. I think I just summoned something I had no idea if I could control. I think I may be an idiot. The dragon looked around sniffing before it landed on me, those red eyes glowing in the gloom. It didn't seem able to 'see' me, but it could smell me. It roared and charged, a big lizard the size of a cow was not something you could quite avoid in a tiny room. I had no idea what to do but Mystical Elf pulsed so I called upon her, she appeared before me in a shimmering green barrier, arms crossed. The dragon pressed into the barrier with annoyance. "What's your problem?!" I demanded of the dragon and it snorted, prowling back and forth. Mystical Elf gave me a look that was unamused. 'Dragons... big pride, little logic' she seemed to say with her face alone. "So, what? I need to beat it down to make it listen?" I asked as the dragon sniffed again, its armoured body looking around for a way out. I sensed the two monsters, but my power was 'telling' me that Mystical Elf couldn't lay the smack down, even with the passive power she was drawing from the Yami field. Mystical Elf thought for a moment then I felt her card begin to resonate with another card I had set, the Yami spell. It was like she was asking for permission to do something. I eyed the Lesser Dragon, getting close to the door to the outside. I nodded and she began to draw in the Yami field, draining almost all of power as she was covered in it. In my mind I could see the process more smoothly, the Yami field and Mystical Elf seemed to be combining in a whirl of light. A wind picked up and I had to cover my face before it died down and my pretty elf lady stood there with a scowl and a prominent Adam's apple. I checked my field and saw a new card on the field. Ancient Elf: Yami It showed the monster before me and seemed to be glowing slightly with power as she flexed the darkness inside her. The card shifted to grow more text. 'An ancient elf born from consuming a dark energy field bigger than their head. The result is an ancient elf that seems stronger than its brethren everywhere. 1650/1500.' The wizard and dragon faced off and weirdly... I think they seemed to enjoy the idea of the fight. It was over in a single blaze of Ancient's staff and the Lesser Dragon laid there before it seemed to calm. It nodded to me and I looked between them, my gender-changing elf dark-eater and my rude lesser dragon. What the hell were my powers?!- Stewart92
- Oct 20, 2021
- Reader mode
Stewart92
What a year.
Award Recipient On the way home, I spent time examining the cards. On closer inspection revealed symbols and other things bordering their images. Ancient Elf: Yami has 'Spellcaster' while Lesser Dragon had, oddly enough, 'Dragon' as its species. I think they were either classifications or jobs, but it was hard to know off the bat. Returning them to wherever I pulled my power from, I saw Ancient Elf was now back to full form unlike before when he was Mystical Elf and on the verge of vanishing. I didn't know why monsters or the other cards vanished. I had a lot of questions and it turned out that while Lesser Dragon was chatty, he didn't speak English. I returned home to find my Mom in a distressed state, whispering furiously over the phone while gripping a letter. I didn't hesitate before I walked up and took it from her. Her eyes were wide and... afraid. The letter was one of those official ones the landlord issues to make sure he was covered by the law by giving warning. "Dear Mrs Klein... regret to inform you of a rent increase?" I read, my stomach dropping into the center of the planet. Our rent was going up by $300. "This can't be legal," I said as Mom put the phone down. "It is... I just got off the phone with the city council. The build is privately owned... it's the landowner's right to change the rent as long as he gives proper warning," she said, voice defeated. I read the letter, seething at the heartless 'two weeks generous' warning the letter said. I put the letter down and went over to my Mom, pulling her in. Seventeen and I was already much taller than my Mom. "We'll figure something out," I promised, trying to be confident and strong for her. Inside, I thought about what downgrading from this apartment meant. A potentially worse school for the twins, a much rougher neighbourhood... Or worse, homeless. You did not want to be homeless in Gotham. It was basically asking to die. "We might need to take a loan or sell some of your father's war medals," she said, pulling away and her words were like a punch to my gut. My Dad was a hero and he died one... all we had to remember him were old pictures and those medals. My power rose and I just blindly picked Metal Raiders to make it go away, getting some winged aerobics instructor lady in return. "Mom, you can't!" I began but she turned, face serious. "Roger, your father would sell them in a heartbeat if he thought it kept us safe. Memories aren't worth losing what we have now," she lectured before taking a deep breath. "I'll try asking for raises, but you might... Oh Roger, I'm sorry, but you might need a second job," she said and I could see it killing her that she had to ask. Not evening moving out would save Mom cash. I already gave all but a small amount of my earnings to her. "We'll figure something out," I repeated the words, like they were some sort of magic spell I knew didn't work. At night, I laid in my bed, turning things over. I had power, but what did this mean? Could I offer my services as some thug? A mercenary with no actual combat experience? My monsters weren't 'real'. Even if I was utterly depraved and tried to sell their organs or something, they didn't have insides. It was like I made hard-light illusions and the monster's soul took them over. I looked over my cards and each of them had an opinion on my problem. Ancient Elf suggested that there were always more options to any given problem than first seemed. Lesser Dragon suggested I tear the landlord's head off and take the building for myself... but it was the new monster that was offering the most interesting idea. Her name was Harpy Lady and she said that the best way to make one respect her hunting ground was to instill fear. Fear kept the mice at bay when the hawk was away. Fear was a tireless worker. It took some time to convert her 'predator' wisdom into usable advice. If the landlord abruptly saw the error of his ways, the rent wouldn't go up. It didn't sound heroic, but just like working a shady fish market job, a high horse didn't put meat on the table. I turned on my side to face the window across the room. I mused that it had to be great to be so well-off you could be a good person and still have three meals and a warm bed at the end of the night. I asked my monsters if I was an evil person for using my powers this way. The elf, dragon, and bird-lady all shared a look. The overall answer seemed to be that if you asked an angel? They said the landlord was using greed. If you asked a demon? They would laugh and ask if an evil person would even care. Well, Lesser Dragon mostly just growled dismissively. He was a dragon, good and evil were mostly just snack flavours to him. --- "Is something wrong?" Gabby asked as we ate breakfast. Mom was already gone, which was a bad sign. She always tried to make time to eat with the twins between work shifts. I hesitated and Liam pointed to my single slice of toast. "Mom looks sick and you're trying to save on food. It's money," he accused as if revealing the criminal would put them away. "Maybe skipping breakfast is the new cool thing?" I said with a smile and Gabby leaned in. "So, if I wanted to not eat my cereal before a long day of education..." she mused and I shot her a look, unamused. "I'll chase you down the street until you finish every drop," I admitted before deciding to come a little clean. "Money's tight, but that's for us to worry about," I said and they shared a look. "We could like get cheap bread and we can just get black pens, not the coloured ones," Gabby offered. I gave her a warm look, wincing inside that she had to care about these things when she should be getting candy, stupid gizmos, and toys, enjoying her childhood along with Liam. "We'll watch less TV! We could save the channels for when we're together!" Liam added. I didn't have the heart to tell him that the tv company didn't care if the TV was on or off. I thought about canceling it entirely, but we needed a way to know if some street was blown up or if a service was running. I didn't want to walk into a field of Joker Gas because I didn't get the city warning. I'd look into a radio or something. "It's fine, now eat. You're going to be late," I insisted, the twins shared a look, but wolfed down the food with serious expressions. When I was alone, I got ready and left the apartment behind. I didn't have work until later so I was going to be spending time figuring out who owned my building. Then I'd pay them a visit. As I left the apartment, my power flared again, giving me a choice of booster packs, but I saw a new one appeared. I nearly missed the steps outside the building, catching myself before I landed face first on the concrete. The new one was called 'Spell Ruler' and the monster on the front looked monstrous but like the others was shrouded in darkness, except the glowing weird eye symbol on its 'head' that glowed green. I was beginning to think I may soon be overwhelmed with choices if new boosters appeared every few days...I walked on, trying to think which booster I wanted for now. I tried the new booster, simply to see what might come of it and the results were... Was that a nuclear explosion?! I stared at the card 'Final Destiny' with some horror before I swallowed and moved on. I was slightly drawn to the spell card, Magical Labyrinth. It said it needed another card, but Ancient Elf said that only applied in a 'duel'. Most cards were far less restrictive when unchallenged by 'rules'. I eyed the ghostly form of Ancient Elf, wondering why he was so much chattier than the Mystical Elf. 'She...I... was more in tune with the souls. Since consuming power, I have become more self-absorbed. The sound of my voice is pleasing,' he smirked, twirling his staff. "She had humility," I muttered and he vanished with a scoff. 'Humility for an elf? Perish the thought.' I had asked him last night about my powers, but he danced around every question like it was a game. It was... annoying. I went to the city's records, looking for the official record of ownership that covered my building. I had done something similar when I needed to find my birth certificate for my job. The difference here was the exact system was like if a drunk monkey threw files any which way. The assistant merely wished me luck as I dived into the public records of landlords and holding companies that worked on behalf of a landlord. By the time I had one system down, a new financial year began and the system jumbled itself as workers over the year dumped files 'vaguely' close to where they should be. "Should be damn computerized by now," I grunted as I moved another folder over. The only good news between paper cuts and dust so thick it was grimy was that my power flared again. There weren't any new boosters so I moved past holdings for a Mr Jack White. The guy owned a dozen or so random buildings, it was insane I never heard of his company. I went spell ruler again and saw my selection was a bit intense. I had a way to draw a card by paying lifeforce to my enemy? I had enemies? The other was Gravekeeper's servant which I picked. Curiously, I played it after ensuring I was alone. A small dark shadow floated about me, the sound of metal being grinded against stone filling the air before it went quiet. I could feel the magic around me, but I couldn't see it. I shivered, but the magic said it would cost an attacker to lose something to make it land. I wonder what that meant exactly? I was distracted as my address came up under a company's name. I pulled the folder out of the drawer and into the light. The name was 'Little Bell Holdings'. The name meant nothing, but I got their address down in my old flip phone, making a note of it before I left the building. I had a strange feeling things wouldn't be so simple. -- I stared at the parking lot where the company should be. I noticed there was a selection of mail slots nearby in a nook. A bunch of PO boxes really. I ran my finger over the little boxes until I found one for Little Bell. 'Deception is for those with something to hide,' Ancient said. "Your wisdom is hard to argue with," I muttered, looking around and wondering if I could bust it open and get a peek inside. 'Perhaps if you had a powerful sorcerer with over a thousand years of experience to cast a simple unlocking cantrip for you... this might go smoother,' Ancient added dryly. "You're a bit obnoxious," I pointed out to the spirit. 'More importantly, I'm not wrong,' he countered. I summoned him inside the nook, mostly concealing him from the street. His card dimmed and I sensed I could use him a few more times, a little less than Mystical elf. I wonder if that had something to do with those orange stars on their card? He snapped his fingers and the box popped open without a sound. "Don't suppose you could bless me with immortality or eternal youth?" I asked, joking. He considered it, making me blink. "How do you feel about being a tree or a jellyfish?" he said finally. "Pass, but thanks," I muttered. I fished in the mail, sending Ancient back to 'inactive' where he floated about as a ghost. The slot was full, mostly with complaint letters from tenants over the rent rise. Little Bell owned about four apartment buildings like the one I lived in and it was clear they were increasing the rent across the board. Two letters were more interesting. One was a bank statement for the business, and the other was a letter approving the yearly rental of a storage building downtown. I took both of them and shut the box where the magic wore off and the lock snapped shut again. It was almost criminal how easy that was... --- I was on my break when I found a quiet corner of the warehouse to read them. I stank of fish and sweat, but I was too into this to be distracted. The bank statement was pretty straightforward. Every month, a really big amount of money came in from the renters and the next day it was set up to autopay into another account. The other account was just a number so it didn't help me too much, but there was almost no deviation from the monthly payments. The money going into the buildings was laughable at what came out. The rental space was more telling. It was a two floor complex that the letter listed as 'company supplies'. It didn't make sense, but who'd look into this stuff unless it personally affected them? If I could get evidence this company was a sham then all I had to do was take it to some official or splash it over some magazine and let the cogs do the work. Gotham was corrupt, but it didn't like its corruption being so visible. "Something as at that rental space," I mused and Lesser Dragon huffed like a dog. His mood came off as 'burn it to the ground'. I had a slightly better idea. --- "My talents are wasted," Ancient sighed as he made the lock pop open. I shot him a long look as I made sure my hood was pulled up. The rental space wasn't deeply hard to get into. I think being unassuming was one of it's appeals so having tons of security and lights kind of defeated the purpose. I slipped inside, intending to get any dirt to throw the business into chaos. Chaos meant I could stall for time on the rent increase or if everything went to shit, I'd just invite some other asshole who'd do the same thing to take over. Inside was a sparse hallway and my initial thought was panic that perhaps I had been led on a wild goose chase, but as I headed in, I saw there was more to the place than could be seen outside. The bottom floor was mostly empty offices with signs of people spending time there; discarded soda cans, fast-food containers, and small portable tvs. As I headed deeper, Ancient Elf muttered something and my footsteps went quieter. I shot him a curious look as I felt it took a little of his energy to do so. "I can return, we monsters have many means of returning, but you are likely going to stay dead. It's in my self-interest," he said simply and I wasn't sure if I liked it if my powers had 'self-interests'. I might summon one that had desires that clashed against every decent human moral. The dark and cold hallway was dull and uninteresting and I could see why it was rented out. Trying to actually use this place as a workplace would drive its employees to insanity faster than an accident visit to Arkham. Finding the stairwell, a smell hit my nostrils as I began to climb, my steps muffled by magic of all things. It smelled like unwashed bodies and something had gone ripe. Ancient Elf wrinkled his nose, but kept silent as we moved up to the next floor. There was a low light peeking through the open door of the second floor. I peered through, trying to see if I could see where the rotten corpse I was smelling was without actually walking in. I nearly jumped when my power began to hum. I pulled back for a moment, choosing Blue-Eyes quickly. I was looking over my options which involved a mermaid, a golem, and some moon? I shook my head and I looked at King Fog, a monster that seemed interesting. I heard voices suddenly as a door opened somewhere deeper in the building. I pressed my back against the concrete wall of the stairwell, pulling Ancient with me in case he thought stealth was 'beneath' him. "-place stinks. Some of these people are fucking animals," a man grunted, his voice low like he smoked too much. "They might as well be. They're locked up and get fed when we remember. I always remember, but Vince is a real psycho, I think he likes making them suffer," the other guy sighed as their voices drew closer before veering off to talk about the Gotham Knights. Like any true fan, they were betting on how much the team would lose the next match. "Did they say they have people locked up here?" I asked quietly to the Ancient Elf who nodded in return. "The strong can suppress the weak until they are mere cattle. It happens whenever too many people gather. Someone will eventually be murdered, someone will eventually be robbed, and someone will eventually be collared," the elf said without any emotion as if well aware of the faults of sentient beings. I swallowed. "Batman... he hasn't stopped this?" I asked, despite knowing full well how the man either stopped five major crimes a night or was off being in the Justice League. But... even then, what about Huntress or the other heroes? Could I really be the only one to notice this? "I only knew because it affected me," I said slowly and looked between the two paths open to me, the stairs back down or the door leading onwards. I closed my eyes before I thought of my mother... then I imagined her in a cell, starving and begging to see her kids. Hesitation turned to resolve. --- Lenny wasn't happy about being on 'property watch', he detested the job. It was bad enough that he was a modern slave warden, but he was also paid shit cash for it. Still, if he didn't want to join the people in one of the guest rooms, he'd keep his complaints to himself. "Another round?" ask Jeff as he pulled out a cold one and handed another to Lenny. Lenny glared at the well-used deck of cards. "I'd rather gnaw my hand off than play one more game of poker or go-fish," he said sourly and Jeff sat down, grunting at the terrible metal chairs. The 'hotel' as it was called around other people didn't have anything comfortable in it. It was designed to be set up and dismantled within the hour if need be. He was reaching for the small portable TV when he noticed something a little odd. "Are you smoking here?" Lenny turned to glare at Jeff, the other man's slightly overweight form hunched over a magazine about celebrity gossip. He looked up, beard thick and eyes dark. "I want to, but no," he grunted back at Lenny. That... was weird since there was a low curling of white smoke travelling along the floor. "Jeff, the fuck is that?" he said, pulling his gun from the waist of his pants. Jeff went from lumbering idiot to dangerous gunman in an instant, eyes trained on the only door in. "A fire?" Jeff asked quickly and Lenny hesitated. "No heat, I don't smell burning stuff either," he pointed out and now the mist was in the room, moving around their ankles. It felt cold and curling, but even as they kicked the mist away, it just drifted lazily back around to normal. "This feels freakish," Jeff warned, the slang for a super making Lenny groan. At least it wasn't Batman, they'd be laying down unconscious by now. The TV nearby began to flicker, squealing and turning to static before the channel abruptly changed. Cheerfully and obnoxious music began to play as a strange scene caught their eyes. "Once, there was a beautiful kingdom where everyone lived happily!" a child announced and the TV seemed to make the rest of the room dark. "What the hell..." Lenny muttered, still aiming his gun around carefully. "If this Joker, I'm bailing. I don't want to die with a grin on my face," Jeff warned as he neared the door. "One day, however, the king got very sick and was scared he would die. He used all the medicine and all the magic, but he remained very sick," the child went on, strange puppets appearing to show a sickly king with a red and gold crown in bed. "One day, a small spark from his fireplace spoke up and said he could make the king all better, but he would have to give up everything in return. The king agreed, because he was the most important person in the kingdom," the show went on to show a grinning face in the fire then the TV began to smoke. "The fire burned down everything... all the people... all the homes... all the light. In the end, the king inhaled their ashes... and became healthy. He decided it was not enough and went on to burn another town then another... and then finally, he came here... to burn you!" the child giggled before the sound transformed into a ghastly laugh. A demonic face appeared out of the smoke and rushed forward, slamming both men into the wall. Lenny fired off round after round, but the face kept moving and dancing. "You'll make such good kindling," the demon promised and rushed at them. Lenny screamed, praying for the first time in his life. --- "He's... um dramatic," I said as I lingered outside. Ancient Elf snorted, twirling his staff. "Fiends are either dumb as a door nail, sadastic as viper, or both. Very few Fiends tend to wander out of that niche," he said. I gingerly eyed the King Fog card I summoned. It seemed to be a weaker monster than Ancient, but where Ancient was physical and obvious... King Fog had the ability to be immaterial and even interfere with electronics it seemed. "Did he really burn towns?" I asked after a moment. "I wouldn't know. King Fog barely makes an appearance outside of weather decks and that's only to fill out the theme," Ancient Elf said easily as the screaming stopped. Decks... like a whole set of monsters? My power was seriously weirding me out. King Fog emerged back under the door, grinning. "They'll need therapy," he announced in his dark and echoey voice. King Fog was basically a sentient cloud of smoke with glowing eyes. I assumed there was a physical form inside, but I didn't know what it looked like or why he kept it obscured. "Thanks, keep yourself hidden and warn me if anyone moves about," I said and the Fiend sank down onto the floor and began to spread out, shifting around corners and under doors. I went inside to find both men trembling and avoiding their eyes from looking at anything. I took their guns to be safe and eyed the slashed walls and floor, wondering where Fog got swords... The next thing was a set of keys which I went about using on any door I could find. My hood kept my face obscured and when I thought it wasn't enough, some of Fog's smoke curled up around my form, making me shadowy to the scared prisoners. "Why are you here?" I asked one of the men who looked to be in his early 50's and one of the more recent people to be moved here. "We refused to move... they took me when I was out shopping and told me my wife would get me back when she was out of Gotham. Damn monsters," the man spat before eyeing me with wary caution. "You some hero or something?" he asked and his clothes looked stained and dirty. "Or something," I agreed and threw him the keys. "Get everyone else out. Sticking around is a bad idea," I warned and left the hallway to get out of the building ASAP. I used one of the crook's phones to dial the police and gave the address to the man who answered. "Sir, we don't appreciate prank calls," the dispatcher said with a sigh. I narrowed my eyes and fired a warning shot into the nearby TV, making it explode in shards. The recoil nearly shot the pistol back into my nose with the recoil. I had never fired a gun before... they made it look so easy in the movies. "Sir! Was that a gunshot?" the man asked in alarm and I put the phone down near the still terrified men, their mumbles and moans the perfect background to make them take this seriously. I was back home within the hour, heart pounding. I kind of wished I stuck around to see what happened, but that was just asking to be spotted or caught. I had changed the city... just a little tonight. I didn't expect that to be so exciting. --- Batman moved through the crime scene as the police left. Most of the vitla evidence was muddled by a few dozen escaped prisoners and inept police work in securing the scene. The only solid lead was the testimony of the two crooks belonging to Cobblepot. Their words made his heart pause for a moment. They were attacked by someone using smoke and fog with leering demonic features... the wall was cut up with thin needle-like scrapes. Batman didn't jump to conclusions, but he looked about the rundown building that was her MO. "Andrea... are you back?" he whispered aloud before he turned, cape fluttering, to leave as well. There was only bad memories and ideas here now.- Stewart92
- Oct 20, 2021
- Reader mode
Stewart92
What a year.
Award Recipient 8 more chapters to post over the coming day. Threadmarks Turn 3: Twisty Plots Stewart92
What a year.
Award Recipient I opened my eyes with crust and sleep doing its best to keep them glued shut. I managed to roll over, the feeling of rough sheets making my groggy mind latch on to the abrupt idea that I needed to change my sheets soon. My hand brushed the old brick of an alarm clock I had nearby. It cheerfully read back that it was 9 in the morning to me with black symbols on black. "How can people stay up all night being heroes... and get up?" I said bleakly as I saw the day was well on its way outside my thin curtains. "Get black out curtains... or black paint," I added, trying to suffocate myself into unconsciousness by using my pillow. King Fog suggested a healthy meal of screaming souls to get me going. Ancient Elf, who was looking more faded than before, simply said to walk under the trees and bask in the glory of the world. Lesser Dragon huffed and sent the strong idea of meat. I agreed with the dragon. Shuffling about the empty apartment, annoyed I didn't get to see the twins off, I managed to salvage what looked like a tin of pork and bean out the cupboard. The twin's sugary cereal taunted me but I would resist. Me, the Elf, the Demon in smoke, and the dragon all crowded around the tiny microwave to watch the sticky mess turn slowly. Thank God they had these 'Card Spirit' forms or I'd feel claustrophobic. It pinged and the monsters looked down at the small meal with concern. "A meal... of kings?" Ancient said, voice doubtful. "That's sadder than missing paradise by a single sin," Demon rumbled. Lesser just turned away in shame. "It's all I have," I snapped at them, spooning the tomato covered beans and tiny pork sausages into my mouth. "For now," King Fog promised darkly and vanished with a chuckle, returning to... wherever cards went when I didn't need them. "What are you guys? I know I asked Mystical Elf, but she was..." I waved my fork about vaguely and Ancient twirled his staff as if mirroring me. "We are forms of your power. We exist inside your soul. We are your tools, your symbols, your ka," the elf said simply. I didn't think any of those words were 'simple' but I was getting an idea. "You lot aren't going to just tell me anything, are you?" I asked abruptly and Ancient shared a look with Lesser. "I think you can gain precious information if you simply phrase your questions right," the elf said and also vanished. I looked at Lesser Dragon who stared back, unimpressed. "Anything?" I asked him and he made a strange huffing noise which I took as a laugh. He gave me a long look and it was something deep with intent, the lizard eyes holding mine for a long moment as if trying to say 'be ready'... then he too vanished. "Damn cryptic monsters," I frowned as I shovelled more food into my mouth, sipping tap water as my drink. A quick shower later and I was almost ready for the day. I had work later, but my time was my own until then. Before I even left the apartment, my power pulsed, indicating it was ready to show me another selection of cards. I didn't see anything new booster pack wise, so I stared at my options of Blue-Eyes, Metal Raiders, or Spell Ruler. Blue Eyes had gotten me Mystical Elf, Lesser, and King Fog. Spell Ruler had gotten me the magical labyrinth I still hadn't used and Gravekeeper servant which still seemed active if I searched with my power. Metal Raiders I only used once and that got me the Harpy Lady. I tried Spell Ruler, just to flesh it out and got the options of things like Penguin Knight or Rising Air Current, but what interested me most was this card called 'Mystic Tomato'. It let me search the 'deck' if it was destroyed. It was pretty strong as it was, even out powering Lesser Dragon in sheer power, but I had a feeling that Lesser Dragon had a slight edge if the Tomato didn't pull its tricks out in time. It slid into the 'hand' next to Harpy Lady, who ignored it steadfastly. Despite how close last got to being out of control, I couldn't let it stay idle or die under Gotham's police department's care. Last night, that man said they were being forced out of their homes and those that resisted ended up kidnapped. I frowned as I locked the door behind me, feeling the oppressive aura of the building seemed to tingle over my skin. I... never noticed that before. 'You're sensing the spirit of things, the soul. But even then... this is more manifested than I would expect,' King Fog breathed near my ear, making me try not to squirm in discomfort. "I need to make sure everyone that was taken last night got home, but also if others are still missing. I doubt there was only one of those prison camps..." I said before I had a long think about how exactly I was going to do that. It wasn't like I could just knock on doors with my exposed face and casually ask about any missing relatives. Most people would assume I was on the kidnapper's team, testing them to make sure they don't squeal... 'I can help, but it will take everything I have,' King said, voice amused and I felt suddenly nervous, but not... totally unwilling to listen. His plan was simple. That should have clued me in that it was bound to go wrong. --- The woman flushed as I smiled. Well, I said 'me', but what the woman 'saw' versus what I actually looked like was a bit different. To her, I was a six foot, slightly grizzled, but charming man with a nice suit and the convincing tones of a smooth demon. What the woman saw was a King Fog surrounding me in his smoke and shapeshifting a shell around me. I moved a little too fast with my hands and my real fingers poked out of the 'image' for a split second, making her look down in confusion. "So, you say your neighbour hasn't come back in awhile?" I asked, my voice coming out deeper and with a slight accent that felt unironically husky. She looked up, her shirt slightly rumpled from sleep, but she looked more open to me. I think the form shifted ever so slightly to match what she found reassuring... "Y-yeah, some guys came by last week to take her stuff so I thought she moved out," she said and leaned in. "You remind me of someone. Are you sure we haven't met?" she asked coyly and I wasn't blind to see the way she twirled her hair. I just couldn't get excited because she was attracted to a demon smoke shell and not the gawky boy underneath. I bet no other hero had this stupid issue of feeling like a kid on the inside... Thanking her, I slunk off, looking macho and lean as I moved, but honestly I was trying not to move so fast I broke the spell. 'I've used everything I had for this little act so you better offer me a small sacrifice when I'm gone. Not every Fiend is so nice and helpful,' Fog huffed and I mentally had to hold back a snort. This coming from the monster who traumatised two men with a tv and a story. "I'll get you a hamburger or something," I offered and King Fog was quiet for a moment. 'No pickles. I'll accept it since I've seen how sad you live and what you eat. A burger will be a king's ransom!' he mused and I scowled at the dig. There was nothing wrong with cheap tin food! Well, since he was a Fiend, he would understand that I never specified when I'd get the burger to him... or in what state. But he was being useful so I'd probably get him the burger before he left or ask another monster to take it to him if that was possible. If nothing else, I'd redraw him eventually. He was super useful to be honest. Possession of tech, shapeshifting, and smoke abilities. I was about to knock on the next door when something very strange happened. It was the spell card I used the day before, it suddenly flared and around my body, a tiny little winged demon hissed and slashed the air. I spun to see what set Gravekeeper's Servant off and the guy that had been waiting near the stairwell gave a strangled cry as his holstered gun flew out its hiding place and smashed through a nearby window to the parking lot below. It didn't quite slow the baseball bat he was swinging at my leg down, but the smoky form of Fog gave one last surge, gathering to stop the attack before he abruptly shattered into pieces. 'Run, meatbag. I need you alive to collect on my... debt...' Fog whispered before fading. I pulled my hood up before the smoke cleared totally. I don't know what exactly possessed me to kick the stunned guy in the balls, but he bent forward, air leaving his lungs. There was another guy behind him and he was drawing his gun in surprise or anger. I reached to summon Lesser on these guys when I saw doors opening and wary eyes seeing the fight. I turned and ran, turning the corner as I heard my attackers give chase. If I summoned Ancient, he would be weak from the dwindling energy he had... Harpy could be an option, but she had a distinct 'feral' edge to her which I felt meant she wouldn't restrain herself even if I ordered her to. I was running as fast as I could, using the building's opposite stairwell to crash down to the back exit where the garbage was dumped. My heart sank when I saw the smoking guy dressed in the similar suit style as the other attacks, leaning against a van that had dark windows. 'Your questioning stirred the beehive,' Ancient said calmly before carrying on. 'A good sign if you wish to find the honey of answers,' he added and went quiet. I did not think if I got superpowers, they'd include a free fortune cookie dispenser in my head. Ancient sighed. 'The men know more about the operation going on than the tenants. If you were to snag one for a conversation, you'd make progress on your quest,' he stressed before mumbling about something to do with poets and no one to 'elven banter' with. The van blocked the way to the street and I had a bad feeling the other direction might have a watcher... but before I could think to panic... I had a slight 'idea'. It was a lot like King Fog's idea. It was simple really. --- Bursting out the building, massaging his bruised jewels with a snarl, the man with the baseball bat pointed at the kid running around the corner. "Get him and break his legs," he yelled to the driver and the bored guy in the back. He knew his man at the far end would stop the little bitch from getting far. Then he could return the kick to the balls with interest. Hobbling after the others, he grinned with the images of the kid beginning for mercy when he was done with him. His footsteps were loud on the concrete and the looming buildings filled the alley with shadows. He turned the corner and frowned as the alley stretched onwards into a split path. Shit... did he read the map wrong? He was sure there were streets on either side of this building. He moved onwards, turning another corner and stared as he came to another intersection of three paths. Ahead was a sharp turn to the right with more dumpsters, but all the windows looked... boarded up and none of the fire escapes were even close to reach for. Swallowing, he looked left and right. "Where are you lot?" he barked, expecting responses, but the only reply was a mournful moan of the wind travelling down another path. He backed up, thinking the kid had some weird ass smoke and shapeshifting smoke power, but he ran so he must... not have been strong! Strong people didn't fucking run! He turned, holding the bat close as he retraced his steps to get back to the van and the street. He stopped cold as his simple two-turn way back was now a dead end. Reaching down, he tried to get his phone, but the ground shook and the ground opened up beneath him until he felt he was tumbling. He could hear the screams of his men and he saw that he was screaming as well. The walls rose and the sky became stairs. His reality was turns and twists and he screamed in terror. --- "Too much?" I mused and Lesser merely snorted in disdain. My new monster grinded slowly in a series of noises that I think was communication. I walked over and bent down, picking up the solid stone cube that fitted in one of my hands, the corners and edges occasionally shifted and if I put the thing to my ear, I could hear tiny voices screaming or yelling in anger. My Magical Labyrinth was cool enough, but when I actually drew a monster called 'Labyrinth wall'? I had to summon it. It turned out there was a system to the stars on the card. It needed a tribute. Labyrinth was a five-star so it needed a single monster to be offered to cement itself properly. Ancient Elf offered himself up with a single smirk. 'Terrifying humans in a confounding unfair maze? I can't see a better way to rest,'" he gushed. I don't think Labyrinth could do this neat size trap thing on its own without massive power consumption, but since I had the spell card that made it a 'Magical' maze? Well, that did the heavy lifting. But I still needed answers and just as I was pondering on how to ask my trapped attackers when Labyrinth shifted its power and my left eye seemed to go black before I was now seeing a new scene of upside down stairs, shifting walls, and a massive hall. I looked down to see my hand was made of solid rock. "This is so cool..." I muttered, speaking both in the real world and in the maze at the same time. The message was clear. I was the master of the maze and its secrets were mine. A power like this could go to a guy's head. 'Fear me, I will make you lose your mind in my maze for I am Labyrinth Lad!' After a moment of testing, I found it was easier to control my maze-avatar like a game, sort of pretending I was using a controller or something. I found one of the men easily, the same guy who I kicked in the nuts. He stared at me and he was upside down on another stairway. No wait... his clothes were normal. I was upside down. Gravity? Never heard of her. He punched me and I stared incredulously as he howled, his hand sounding like something broke inside. "You're kind of an idiot," I said, my voice distorted with a rumble and deepness of a cold tomb. I reached and pulled him down or lifted him up. Labyrinth physics made exact wording hard at times. "We need to talk about why you're making people move out," I said and he struggled, trying to pry at my hands with his weedy fingers. He looked like a weasel now he was in some light. "I ain't talking to no freak!" he screamed, eyes wild. "Oh, okay," I said casually, making his defiant expression of pain and fear turn confused for a moment as I turned off the path and suspended him over the edge with a hum. The center of the Labyrinth was mostly empty, giving it a massive hollow feeling that people went around and around in. You couldn't see the top or the bottom. Well, I could and I gave a mental command to my monster. "We'll talk when you feel up to it," I said and dropped him. My attacker-turned-prisoner fell out of sight and after a moment reappeared, shooting down back into the void. Since the Labyrinth was in a contained space of magic. He couldn't actually 'go' far so he just circled back around eventually. I reached out before he could start hitting terminal velocity. I had no idea how I'd stop him when he went that fast. He grunted, screaming and waving his hands. I saw another of his friends run through a door and reappear back out the same door without even noticing. "Wanna talk?" I continued casually, looking around with my real vision to make sure I was safe as I listened in the maze. "Stop, let me out! I'll talk! Just get me out!" he pleaded, his bravado gone. "Hmm... talk first then I'll let you out," I offered, giving him a deal that he had no choice but to accept really. I did in King Fog's honor, may he rest in smoky cackling peace. --- The front desk officer stared as five men walked into the station, white as ghosts. They were trouble in motion, given their suits and expensive watches, but their attitudes... "We... assaulted people and have guns on us with no permits. Please... may we be arrested?" one asked, putting a baseball bat on the desk, eyes wide and voice that of someone in shock. "Just hug the corners," another hissed as one didn't let go of the front door as if the sky would vanish if he went inside fully. The officer reached for his phone. "Commissioner? I have a... I need back up," he finally settled on, scratching his head. The voice on the other line sounded annoyed, but when he explained what was happening to his boss, he backed up very quickly. It was a good thing too because three of the men were complimenting how the walls didn't move and it was quite refreshing. It was spooky. --- Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot. Cobblepot. Penguin. I circled these names over and over in my mind as I cooked a basic pasta meal for the twins and I looked up as my Mom came in. She looked surprised and looked over her shoulder back into the corridor. "I swear I only climbed one flight of stairs," she said, amused as if she was either getting really fit or going insane. I put on a pleasant puzzled expression and reached into a drawer for a spoon. Inside the drawer was the fridge. 'Lab... I need my house to be stable in reality, not playing musical rooms,' I thought hard as our bedrooms had already switched and Liam had exited the bathroom to find himself directly in his bedroom. Everyone was playing it off as being on autopilot, but if Lab kept this up, my Mom would walk into her bedroom and find herself on the roof... I think Lab was bored, of all things. So, deciding as long as he didn't harm anyone or get spotted... he could mess with the other tenants playfully. It was when I was taking the garbage out I overhead Mrs Muller of the floor above compliment the elevator for being so quick. "I was barely in there for a moment and I was on the ground floor. So efficient technology is getting," she said to the elderly man on the first floor who was collecting stuff from the nearby deli. I turned inwards. "You made me walk all the way down, but you gave her a lift?" I asked, annoyed and Labyrinth merely returned a 'the walk is good for you' vibe. --- "I can't be sure, Jim... but this could be Jarvis Tetch up to his tricks. Hypnotising or drugging people into thinking they're lost in a maze would tickle his funny bone and be in theme," Batman said as he looked up from the report on the man's desk. "He's been presumed dead since his great 'rabbit chase' ended him going off the Gotham Bridge into the depths," Jim Gordon responded, leaning back in his chair, nursing a scotch. "Presumed isn't what I do. No body means unaccounted for. He's survived worse, Tetch, and he could be frustrated without a suitable victim to focus on," Batman reminded as he pulled his cape around him. "The 'man' knocking on doors, asking about missing relatives?" Jim asked, wary and Batman nodded slowly. "Could be him using a subtle hat to make him appear more handsome or alluring. One woman mentioned the man being... almost too good to be true. He could have been looking for his next victim and Cobblepot's men thought he was looking into their operation," the bat said with a frown. "You don't like the theory?" Jim asked, leaning forward to pour himself another small drink. "Not completely. It lacks the Mad Hatter's usual chaos. It feels... organised for Jarvis. Along with last night's smoke-phantom, and the arrow attack before that? I feel like I'm being thrown red herrings and I'm not seeing something," Batman admitted before he reached and pulled the bottle away as Jim finished his drink. "You're not my mother," Jim warned and Batman smirked. "If you were my son, you'd be running laps for drinking on the job, so you're lucky," he replied and Jim sat back with a huff. "Be honest with me, Batman... is a storm coming?" he asked and Batman was quiet for a moment. "Perhaps, but we're not alone. My pride already nearly doomed Gotham once before and it won't happen again. If things turn bad, I have my team on my side. You don't have just me anymore. The Justice League is... I trust them, as much as I can anyone," Batman said firmly. "Even the Flash?" Jim said with amusement. Batman's face didn;t change. "Even him, but tell anyone and I'll tell Barbara that you're cheating on your diet with those ribs when she isn't around," he warned and Jim audibly gulped before scowling. "You play dirty," he said, surrendering without saying it. "I'm Batman; I skulk and I break the rules," he said and stared at Jim. "I'm not looking away for you to vanish," the commissioner said grouchy. His desk lamp abruptly began to flicker in the few moments between light and dark, the dark knight was gone, the window open. "Son of a..."- Stewart92
- Oct 20, 2021
- Reader mode
OGbacon
Stewart92 said: Go Go Arrow! Click to expand... Click to shrink...Yes bro that actually made me laugh out loud. N
Ngamer11
I loved this story on your snippet thread. I can't wait to see it continue after it catches up to what's there.
TorrentAB
This is amazing! How do you always manage to make stories that are so good I can't stop reading? You've definitely got another hit on your hands, one im happy to follow. I really enjoy the mc's personality and situation, someone who's trying to do good but who is in a situation where society may push back. Honestly, if his landlord didn't turn out to be a criminal, I could easily see him being hunted down by supers and police as he Robin Hood's his way through the city. Also, just as a sidebar, fuck landlords. Anyways, looking forward to seeing where this goes next!
emelian65
The one In-Between Light and Dark.
Ok, can I post, I hope so.Stewart92 said: "They'll need therapy," he announced in his dark and echoey voice. Click to expand... Click to shrink...He sounds so proud of himself, he needs a pat on his head. The simple fact that Batman doesn't figure this out from the get-go is so nice, I know you choose Gotham (That's so cliche, so cliche but passable) but I seriously hope that doesn't join The Team as a kind of Batman protege, or maybe not join at all we have to see. Like always very high expectations from your fics, and you hardly disappoint, waiting to read more of you Stew! Last edited: Oct 20, 2021
Ripper264
Imagine Lab watching The Labyrinth and becoming a David Bowie fan.
clonezero
whargarrbl
Whargarrbl You write so many good stories and this another one!
bluestarcat
This one is definitely getting watched by me its funny and serious at the same time! I saw it on your snippet thread and let me tell you there's not many crossovers of this particular combination so it should be a hoot
RHJunior
I need more of this. Threadmarks Turn 4: Looney Tunes Stewart92
What a year.
Award Recipient I would have never guessed that having a sentient space warping friend could make moving crates so easy. I was so done with my work that night that the boss paid me and let me go four hours early, confusingly counting the crates as if something didn't add up. That suited me just fine since I was going to scope out my next target. It had only been a few hours, but the men handing themselves in and the discovery of what seemed like a slave ring didn't even breach the evening news, and was barely worth a note in the newspapers. Instead, I stared in disgust at the report of vandalism of the Gotham Knight football field by some punk, and a piece about giant crabs in the sewer. Gotham Media was trash outside of Jack Ryder's radio show or Vicky Vale's show. I had a bad feeling that they either had their bail paid or no one had come forth to testify. The few buildings I could check looked emptier by the hour... As I moved about the dark streets of Gotham, away from the glitz and glam, I pondered how I'd go about spying or looking at the criminal known as the Penguin. Everyone knew that when he wasn't spending time in Blackgate Penitentiary, he was one of Gotham's high risers with a dozen businesses under his belt... He could be anywhere at any time. I paused outside an old shop with old style TV sets in the window behind a metal cage. It showed Gotham about forty years ago, the geography not looking too different except the people and the fashion. Lab didn't really offer wisdom, but sent the image of twisty paths abruptly becoming narrow and straight. The advice of 'just keep moving' was wise for what were basically sentient walls. I knew the Penguin's most infamous business was the Iceberg Lounge, but I was pretty sure you needed a minimal income of about much higher than what I was earning to simply be considered let into the building, let alone to the VIP areas. Moving onwards under a pool of light from a streetlight, I had another thought. If Batman couldn't scare the Penguin into stopping being a dick... what hope did I have? I had scary monsters, but the Penguin was just this side of insane to not really give a shit. How did you stop an ugly squat rich guy who didn't fear being dangled off roofs or having his bones broken? The unwanted thought of simply killing him entered my mind and I entertained it for a moment, everything in my world slowing as if waiting for my choice. It would be easy... So easy to just set everything he loved and owned alight, ending with the bird himself and I did want to almost take the simple route. But I couldn't hug my mother, help my brother and sister with their homework... look myself in the eye with blood on my hands. I was angry, I had to admit that... And trapping the Penguin's goons in a mindfuck of a Labyrinth was something I wasn't apologetic about, but killing seemed like a line I wasn't sure I was ready to tackle yet. If they made me choose between them and my family? I'd make that choice, but until then, I wanted to sleep soundly at night... "Sorry, guys... I'm kind of a wimp," I said to my monsters. Lesser Dragon was asleep and Lab shifted a nearby drain to catch trash. Smiling slightly, I shook my head as I felt my power shine. To my surprise, a new pack was available for me to choose. The image showed a shadow image of some warrior with a massive sword. The pack was called 'Pharaoh's Servant'. I decided to give the new pack a whirl and I stared at all the options to burn things down or freeze them over or blow them away. Burning land... World Suppression, and even Cold Wave? This booster pack had a punch to it... I think cards could work as their descriptions said, in their own rules... or weirdly conceptional in ways that didn't conform to the text. Like this 'Type Zero Magic Crusher' could use my spell cards or maybe real magic? Magic had to be real otherwise my powers really didn't make sense. So many options... and I had a lot of time to experiment with. For now I took Gust. It wasn't a great 'card' but if I could just use it to unleash wind? It was a great tornado in a can tactic! I was squeamish about setting people on fire or giving Captain Cold or Mr Freeze a run for their money in turning people into frozen giblets...sue me. As I grew closer to the Iceberg Lounge, the city around me began to get a facelift, the graffiti thinned until actual clean walls were seen. The wary people turned into laughing couples out on the town. Cars were parked and new without too much fear of them being stolen. It felt brighter here. It felt dishonest. The Iceberg Lounge itself was set on the east side of Gotham close enough to the water it could safely pull off its most famous theme. Large protruding metal structures of blue metal that were, everynight, covered in water and inside the metal something worked to freeze the whole thing, causing massive icebergs to loom over the building like it had floated in from the sea. It was obstantaious and gaudy with stylized men in penguin tuxes and cold lettering declaring its name above a door. A massive line was orderly maintained as far back as the car park. I walked a fair distance away, just another gawking teen looking at 'Mr Cobblepot's' famous lounge. If I hadn't gotten my powers, I'd be homeless or working to death because of the man who can afford to fucking freeze his club every night for a theme. The display of wealth sickened me somewhat, but I maintained vigilance. The building had patrolling men on the roof and around all sides of the building. At least five men roamed up and down the line, looking for trouble makers. No window let you see inside and I bet the security inside was even tighter. It was a frozen fortress with a penguin as a king. I checked a nearby sign that was one of many posted along the street. I scowled at the sign that proudly proclaimed the Iceberg Lounge was open twenty four hours, every day. The Penguin kept food, drink, and his stupid ice machine going... permanently?! "Okay, so no sneaking in during down hours... which leads me to doing what?" I muttered, pulling back before I could be spotted as 'lurking'. The word 'King' stuck in my head over and over and Labyrinth sent a new image in my mind. His walls shifted so at his center was a rough penguin shape. Slowly, Lab began to close off paths to smaller penguin shapes, shifting until the major one was isolated then the bird began to fall apart. I liked Lab. He was the very idea of 'if these walls could talk'. I guess I was going to chip away at this ice empire until I had myself a broken king. It was like a sort of game, a board game where I had to take smaller nodes or castles to move up and capture the big one. So, if the Penguin wanted to be the king of money and wealth? I was going to be a different kind of king. And this was a whole new game, Mr Cobblepot. --- If there was one thing a fancy lounge needed? It was a constant influx of supplies. I watched for a while as trucks drove around the back of the Iceberg Lounge before driving over, almost every three hours, more if the night surged to a full house or big spenders. Also, he had a lot of raw deer legs and fish delivered. Those were separated from the other cargo from what I could see but I had no idea why. While I was waiting, I got another pull on my power. I eyed the selection and picked the card 'Monster Recovery' because I hadn't used a spell card since Gracekeeper's Servant' and I was curious. I could shuffle both Gust and Harpy back into my deck to draw 2 new cards... if I send Lesser Dragon back as well? I decided to do it as what I needed now while I was operating was more options. Labyrinth was an option. Harpy Lady was okay, but she and Lesser were a bit on the feral side for my liking. Lesser Dragon nodded in approval, deciding he'd rather go back than never quite be used, but he was alright with that. I moved into a discreet off street and wind rippled about me as my power surged twice. Prompting me to choose two packs this time. I grinned, I even got to choose which packs? Shuffle cards were awesome! I ended up with two odd cards. One was called Toon World and the other...Prohibition? I didn't get a chance to really ponder what they did as my moment arrived. A truck drove past, showing the company's logo and giving me the first avenue of attack against Cobblepot, the man who would see my family dead to get crumbs on his plate. I took off down the road, seeing that very company on my way to the lounge. It was my move! --- Happy Flipper Frozen Goods and Stock was a bit boring looking, but as Lab was trying to find me some path I could use or shift hallways about, I was pacing outside their massive fence, trying to figure out how to get inside. I had my hood up and even decided to bring an old ski mask that covered up to my nose just in case. I had never skied, but my Mom thought I might one day. Lab was good, but he didn't really change the size or dimensions of the paths, merely muddled which way was which to the walker... I eyed my new card, wondering if it could help me? Toon World had text I had never seen before. It wanted me to pay 1000 'LP'? What was LP? Some currency? A game mechanic that I wasn't aware of? It was odd and it didn't even tell me what it did. I shrugged and put the card on my field. Instantly, it felt like every nerve had needles shoved into it... muscles cramped and every tooth aches in rhythmic pulses before I fell to my knees heaving as it felt like my lungs were filled for a moment with water. Then it abruptly stopped, the only remaining sensation was noticeably... a lack of energy. Like a tiny piece of my will or fight was scooped out in a chunk. It was clear it was missing and it didn't feel 'nice' to have it gone. But I'd live. Pulling myself up by the fence, rattling it slightly as I crunched grass underfoot, I watched as a book floated before me. It was garish green and had pinkish text on the front that slowly morphed through a rainbow hue. Some grinning dragon with a shell on its head was the only other thing on the front. 'Toon World' the book proclaimed. I glared at it. "You better be worth a small stroke," I warned as I leaned on the fence, something strange occurred. My body fell through the fence in... 'chunks' like I was bisected by the fence into shocked human blocks that scrambled to put itself back together. "What hell was that?" I asked and the book flipped open to simply read 'You're a Toon!'. My eyes popped out of my skull, literally shooting forward and extending with bulging red veins and shocked elongated features before they slammed back into my skull with some force. I covered my face with my hands, horrified. That felt freaky... if painless. Toon World, I could feel it focusing on me, a sort of field was being projected from it to me, converting my body into some... Toon existence. I looked down at my hand... "Why am I wearing white gloves?" I asked quietly. I saw my hoodie sleeves were inky black, my jeans were ripped and colourfully popped. I did not want to know what my face looked like... I just knew. I turned, my torso corkscrewing before the rest of me caught up. If I sort of stopped panicking... it was a little fun to be able to do that. The field wasn't perfect, however. I could feel Toon World's magic not settling just right and I think I knew why. I put a gloved finger to my lips and eyed the book. "Shh... we're hunting penguins!" I winked dramatically and the magic grew stronger. The book sparkled in joy. Oh boy... What a night for a laugh. What a night for a joke... --- "Murph, The Lounge wants three beef and two special fish orders," Ivan called over to Murphy who grunted back. Special order was code for illegal arms. In this case, a set of assault rifles packed under a disguise of ice and fish. Murph hated fish. He breathed fish, he sweated fish, he stank of fish, he dreamed of stupid fish, but he'd never quit the job until he had a few years under his belt. Mr Cobblepot tended to have mean retirement plans for the weak. He turned, but paused as there was a knock at the door, he almost got his gun, but remembered that Curose was working tonight. "Told that asshole to stop delivering pizza to the backdoor," Murph sighed as he rubbed his sweaty forehead with his gloves, getting fish stench on his skin. Opening the door with a growl, he didn't see a nervous pizza kid, but a strangely wrapped box with a red bow. It had a label saying 'to my darling fish man who knows who he is'. Murph blinked before his reptile brain sent blood rushing south. Lily, the overseer was awfully sweet on Murph and he had been planning on asking her out for lunch soon... she had made the first move and she was bold. Murph liked a woman who could take what she wanted... He opened it to find... another box. "Alright," he chuckled, bemused. He opened that box. His chuckle slowed as he opened another box... then another, removing lid after lid until he was down to a box so small it could barely hold a ring. He opened that and something smashed into his face and his world went black. --- I stepped into the factory, whistling as I fist bumped the gloriously red boxing glove wibbling back and forward from an impossibly small box. "Well, I hope he was flattered..." I said before eyeing the unconscious man across the room. "Even better! He's flattened!" I beamed. I shuffled forward, making large steps in a 'sneaking' posture, each step making a musical note of low keyboard. "Don't be suspicious! Don't be suspicious!" I sang and stopped as a man walked through the door, ready with his next order. "Stop in the name of love!" I yelled, putting most of my faith in the power of gags and old reruns. The man reached for a pistol in the waist of his pants. "Or, stop for this Model 1928 Tommy Gun!" I added in and pulled out... from somewhere I have no clue about, a physical tommy gun with a big barrel that felt real and heavy. The man dove for cover and the end of my gun went off with a little flag that said 'bang'. "Classic," I announced before I pulled the trigger again and began firing a stream of these 'Bang' Flags like soft beanbags, hitting the man in the face and chest, knocking him down, and winded I raised the gun, blowing out white smoke. "I've heard of death flags, but gag flags are a new one for me," I chortled and threw the gun away without looking where it apparently shattered like china. I eyed the open door, inviting deeper into the factory of fish and guns. Toon World floated by as Lab began to rearrange the factory to be more suitable for my passage. The book opened with a new set of words. 'Ride in dressed as Valkyrie on a unicorn?' it asked, excited as it shook. "No, fair book of mischief and childhood fun! I believe this adventure calls for a more drastic approach," I began solemnly. The book turned to the next page. I smiled at my new friend. "Perfect." --- Batman stared up at the factory, he was on a nearby roof, but unable to quite look away. The call had come in about a disturbance and he feared the Joker had emerged once more on top of the current chaos in Gotham. It was the last thing anyone needed, but... Batman wasn't so sure it was him. This was far too mild and odd for the sadistic clown. "Alfred, is the suit sensors detecting any unusual drugs or chemicals in my system?" he asked, fingers to his ear. 'No, Master Bruce, but you sound uncertain," Alfred said over the communications line. "Alfred... it's raining fish," he said as a large salmon seemed to land with a splat on the roof. "A freak gust of wind off the coast?" Alfred suggested. "Not unless the freak cloud also has all of Cobblepot's men conga-lining out the front door with tropical flowers and drinks in hand," Batman said with confusion, zooming in on the scene. "Ah, perhaps the Music Meister is back?" Batman's most trusted companion announced. The top window abruptly exploded outwards, a strangely cartoonish man with undefined shading and flat features wore a bad blond wig and was riding a giant white horse that looked mechanical rather than real. "Follow your dreams! Be dentists! Be teachers! Maybe not you, Michael! Your dream of beating your father-in-law is illegal! Dream about therapy instead!" the cartoon man called down to the conga line. Batman raised a grappling hook but just as he was about to swing into the stranger, they moved leaving behind a perfect smoke outline of their form in their place. "And that's all folks!" the man yelled, a rainbow book leading the way, creating a rainbow bridge of all things for the man to ride away on. "Alfred I need visual tracking on-" Batman began, gliding down to the street to land, but before he could finish, the factory rippled, something making it also turn that same shade of cartoonish colour before it simply fell forward, missing Batman because of a perfectly timed cut-out window. The factory, which had been real moments before was now a giant 2D cardboard cut out stage prop... the land behind it perfectly flat besides dozens of crates of fish and weapons. Cobblepot's fish factory was just reduced to a visual gag and wasn't coming back. Batman was concerned... deeply concerned. --- Toon World vanished with a giggle and a sparkle as I was too busy throwing my guts up as the magic left me in a nearby dumpster. I dislodged three balloons, one sausage, two balls, and a rolled up paperback book of puns that was bright orange. Instead of bile, it all came up in beautiful rainbow hues. "If the world isn't ending... I'm never going Toon again," I whispered before returning emptying my stomach. Well, maybe if I needed it again and it was an option. It wasn't bad... just painful to use and painful to leave. The entire spell was gone after turning the Penguin's factory to nothing but a gag. For 1000... life points, the spell had some serious power. I hiccuped and a canary yellow feather left my mouth. "I'll just set his next factory on fire," I mumbled against the slimy dumpster, sweaty and exhausted. I had the sudden urge to eat cereal in front of a TV... I remembered it was Saturday now. Cereal and old reruns of good times. I smiled a little and nearby, one last toonish sparkle glinted before it faded away.- Stewart92
- Oct 20, 2021
- Reader mode
Eddard Grimnir
Always watching and ever waiting
RHJunior said: I need more of this. Click to expand... Click to shrink...Your in luck Stew finished writing chapter 10 earlier today, you just need to wait for them to be uploaded.
Ripper264
.....we have to fight The Joker as a Toon now, imagine the ridiculous levels of slapstick that would be at play and Batmans reaction of 'WTF' and 'oh dear God no'. Ssanemaniac
Toon stuff in fics are hilarious. Too bad there's not much of them.
Jpvo99
Stew is making another masterpiece!? Count me in! emelian65
The one In-Between Light and Dark.
We need Toon!Roger to meet up and have a drink with Mister Mxyzptlk. Xd Xd XD XD Please more and please, keep Batman borderline finding out but actually never doing it... unless YGORoger actually wants to join the League, please. Xd XD XD
Salty Doggo
Embrace the toons~~~~ Show the world your inner child~~~
KickInator
Tired asf
I need more of this fic to be injected straight into my veins.
Pingas Plight
This has a delightful degree of crack, and also manages to strike a balance of comedy and seriousness. what do i need to burn at an alter as a sacrifice? Correction: We have officially overdosed. Last edited: Oct 20, 2021
Cybresamurai
This is really good, I like how the cards don't stick to just there effects and can do some cool anime stuff, Like Mystical Elf using Yami to become a New Monster or Toon World. Threadmarks Turn 5: Penguin Tax Stewart92
What a year.
Award Recipient "-sources say there is no one claiming the apparent vanishing of the factory yet. No one knows where the real factory has gone but there have been many theories such as teleportation, alien camouflage, and even it was never there at all. I'm Vicky Vale signing-off," "What is this town turning into," my Mom sighed, looking dead on her feet. "Gotham's been weird for a while," I recalled as Liam and Gabby chatted excitedly about the event. Meta, aliens, Batman, and even trading cards were all hot topics for recess gossip. Returning to my room, I waited until everyone was out of the apartment before I asked Lab to shift around under my bed, bringing forth the suitcase. Lab was still going strong on energy, I hadn't asked him to do too much and unlike my other monsters he existed in a slightly different dimension and would bleed over if I stayed in one spot too long. The suitcase was thick and made of metal and when I flipped it open, stacks of cash were laid in front of me. Dozens of bills still with that weird white band around them. I remember grabbing it and stuffing it into Lab before I turned the entire factory into a prop, but... I was hoping for documents or some big evil stamped with a penguin mark. The bills were all in 100 dollar notes which meant exchanging them casually was out of the damn question... "I could just go about donating all of it to random different charities or leaving the case near an orphanage or something," I mused. Thinking hard, what I managed to do last night was noticeable, but it hardly caused the plan to drive the rent up across these buildings to stop. No, the Penguin was still safe and I didn't have too long before we were screwed. Putting the money away, I felt my power flex, presenting more packs as I thought about what to do. The Giant Rat sounded great, but I didn't feel like summoning a monster, hoping it gets destroyed soon rather than later. The spell card Toll was interesting and I eyed the other card in my hand. Prohibition. Tax and ban. I was pretty sure those two things were terms Mr Cobblepot didn't like. "You know, I'll hitch a ride to the outskirts be that ass who uses $100 to pay for a can of coke and quit my job. That case has enough cash per night to last me months," I said and nearby, Lab turned some of my bedroom wall into mosaic colours resembling a smiling face. I think I was going to visit the Iceberg Lounge tonight, check if their pipes were up to code... --- Oswald Cobblepot leaned back in his office chair, his unobstructed view of his lounge behind bulletproof and one-way glass windows let him feel rather big over all the idiots flocking to his club to buy overpriced vodka. He chuckled around a fat cigar as the girl on the arm of the chair giggled as he pinched her thigh. Her black and white suit mixed with fishnets was the uniform for the ladies here and Oswald loved it. His office was a round affair with an expensive aquarium and massive sitting area for guests. He has two different emergency exits and no air vent bigger than his fist going in and out. Tonight, he had a collection of potential buyers from Italy and even a Korean interested in setting up a 'fish market' with the Cobblepot name. It was always good to see the market was healthy if nothing else. He was just bringing the subject around to sales and items of interest when a light flashed on his desk, unseen by the men. "Help yourself to the drinks, gentlemen. I'm going to check on the club before we get down to business. Ensure no undesirables are lurking," he smiled at them and no one smiled back, some avoiding his face. Oswald had that effect on people. Barely restraining a snarl at their disrespect, he shuffled out of the office and down to the team he hired to watch all purchases and goings of the club. "What?" he demanded of the team of ten in shirts and headsets. Their office was at the back of the club and had nothing in it but pure tech and screens to monitor the club. Oswald poured a pretty penny into giving them all the fastest updating numbers and security tech. "Sir, in the last thirty minutes, every purchase done electronically has been exactly 50% lower than it should be. Every card, machine, or swipe device to any account is registering only half of the cash we're supposed to have earned," a man said briskly and Oswald stared for a moment. "Sir, we're getting close to losing almost six thousand dollars already," the man said and another jumped up. "Its affecting food orders now!" he added. Oswald thought quickly. "Make it happy hour, free drinks then raise the price once we cut this little thief out of our system," he commanded them. A woman near the back, a sallow faced woman with a somber expression looked confused as she touched her headset then her face drained of all colour. "Mister Cobblepot, s-sir," she began and Oswald turned, hands gripping his umbrella tightly, the inner mechanism for firing a pistol like round rather tempting right now, but he resisted since it wasn't his people fucking him over. "The supplies, anything that's not on the bars... it's all empty," she whispered. He felt dizzy, his mind trying to make the words form. "That's nearly 100 grand worth of stockpiled drinks. Crates of imported beer, crafts, expensive wines... what do you mean it's all gone?!" he screamed. "Find the thief! Find them and bring them to me so I can play hopscotch in his fucking ribs!" The penguin screamed, squawking in rage. "I found the alcohol!" another of the security team said in surprise. Oswald inhaled, trying his best not to shoot someone. "Good work, where?" he asked, forcing calm. The answer made him shoot the screens in rage. --- I was just another face in the crowd, watching with awe as dozens of bottles, crates, wine bottles, and more just floated out to sea. A few brave souls were diving for them, coming back with either cheap beer or a bottle of wine worth a small house. I looked around, finding people clapping and cheering somewhat... but it felt different than the usual antics of the meta community or such. The people who could only watch the Iceberg Lounge from a distance were all excited, laughing and pointing at the gobsmacked upper class waiting in line as the 'peasants' stole their nightcaps. It could be so easy to get addicted to this feeling but I remembered that nutjob a while back. Anarky. I tried not to curl a lip in disgust. He was the one who tried to force a business on the port to shut down by threat of terrorist bombing... Yeah, I didn't want to go that far either. To be fair, I have options Anarky very likely didn't. Moving away from the crowd, I wanted to go home and shower. I had to use Lab to get me close enough in the damn sewers to the basement of the Iceberg Lounge. Not an easy feat without flooding the tunnel, but I eventually found one of the building's foundations to tap into for my cards. Sirens were incoming and I smiled as I vanished into the darkness of Gotham. I kind of liked watching things go to hell for the Penguin from the shadows. Made me feel all sneaky. --- "It's closer to magic than is not," the aged man said, putting his top hat back on after a moment of feeling about. Batman didn't exactly feel comfortable standing about, but the invisibility spell Giovanni cast ensured some privacy. "Closer? Should it not be either or?" Batman asked, raising a brow and Giovanni Zatara gave a small scoff. "Just as accurate as saying green is closer to blue than red, technically it's true, but the difference is quite important," the magician explained before he pulled his cape around him. "The 'magic' has flavours of magi, but it doesn't. It has feelings of hell, but it's far less aggressive, it has feelings of shadow, but lacks corruption. I'm sensing nature, techno, and more. The only distinction is the formations the curses are taking now," Giovanni admitted before he gestured Batman to retreat with him. The Penguin's shrill voice could be heard from around the building demanding heads for his stolen stock. Batman would send Cobblepot a $100 check in sympathy. "Conditional curses and magic. It's a sort of hard magic to work since very rarely do you have time to make strong enough magic to suit the conditions on the fly. Most common application is protection on ancient tombs or old secrets. The sort of 'touch and get a boulder chasing you' idea," the resident magic expert explained as they entered Giovanni's car and drove off. Batman left the Batmobile parked outside the Zatara home. "As much as I would like to place Penguin in a museum or in a box in a warehouse, he's hardly a treasure worth cursing," Batman said evenly. "The magic is odd, more a sort of... peel and apply from what I sense. Very much a copy and paste job, so the caster likely didn't need to work very hard once the original spell was crafted," Giovanni admitted, stroking his goatee. "Just what I need... every bank and criminal being robbed blind," Batman sighed, but even as he said this, he was sure that wouldn't be happening. This grudge? This battle? The 'almost' magician had a debt to settle with Cobblepot. Not that the idea of disliking Cobblepot reduced the number of suspects, but it was a start. --- I was back in my secret base later that night, too energized to go home and chill. The crappy rundown place I first summoned my monsters. The water pump building was a bit odd since Lab kept changing its insides to be spherical, rectangle, and more. I looked down at the map I bought of Gotham. It was one of those proper ones that didn't bother treating you like a tourist. It was printed last year so I was pretty confident in its reliability. "I forget how big this city is," I admitted to Lab who was nearby. I reached over and tapped once of the bricks and Lab flipped it to reveal a white circle, after a moment, his choice of a white cross appeared in another corner. It turned out Lab really liked Tic-Tac-Toe. I scratched my chin, trying to recall what I remember about the city from old Mrs Chamber's class, but beyond recalling Judge Solomon Wayne and his partner... Pinkney, I didn't really know why Gotham City was so gothic and dark. I tapped the map, deciding to see if I could see any places that Penguin might own or have a hand in. At the very north of the map was Crest Hill, across Kane Bridge. I heard money grew on trees there apparently. Downwards, Kane Bridge neared and emptied out basically into Amusement Mile. I heard it wasn't a half-bad place to go now that the rides didn't kill you anymore and the Clown was... Well, the less said, the better. Down there was Gotham Village. "Go to the village and you're lucky to come back with just your kidneys missing," I told Lab who grinded another game up. Then was the Narrows. I found my building on the thinning line between the Narrows and Gotham Heights. The Narrows were the poor folk and the Heights were the poor folk who inherited nice houses. I didn't see the Penguin having anything obvious about these places. Sure, he was involved in the building rents, but that was never going to be clear unless you saw it for yourself. No, I was more interested in the west of Heights, towards the Coral District. It was a massive import and export off the Gotham River... which may or may not be currently filled with drifting booze. As I waited, I felt my power surge. Another day, another card! I drew, looking over his selections. Another Labyrinth Wall? I could feel it was selectable as another card or as... energy? Yeah, energy to fed into my current Lab to restore its power. "So, that's how I keep you all around," I mused aloud, but Lab was still above half. He hadn't done too much strenuous work beyond shifting a few walls. When I actually used him to trap foes or transform a building, then I'd worry. I selected the Black Pendant, a bit curious at what it meant by increasing attack power. One I had it, I used it, the thing appearing with a ripple of dark shadows before I plucked it. Turning it over, showed a massive black gemstone set into a golden frame. "Something else I wish I could sell, but I'd get ripped off," I admitted and tried it on, feeling a bit weird as I wasn't a necklace or ring kind of person. Who'd want to wear heavy gold jewelry while playing with cards? It was a neck killer. The moment the necklace was on, flashes of energy filled my body and my eyes opened wide as I felt not only amazing... I felt incredible. I flex a hand open and closed for a moment, feeling power I had never possessed before course through my veins. I felt like I could run a marathon and when I held out a hand, tiny flickers of black fire appeared in my palm, flickering. Did... I just make magic?" I could feel the pendant dip ever so slightly in energy as I made a fireball then put it out. "Right, don't let it go to my head. I'm on a strict magic budget," I muttered to myself. I asked Lab to help and a moment later, my map was on the wall, slightly absorbed by the wall to avoid me needing nails. The pendant felt cool against my skin as I left. --- "They're somewhere in Gotham," he said, leaning against his bike as it was parked across the river, keeping Bristol and Gotham separated. The city ahead was like a crouched demon, waiting for him to come closer. The voice on the phone asked something. "No, I'm not mistaking it for another two-bit hedge mage," he growled, pulling off his sunglasses to stare at the city. There was a pause and another question. "No... not exactly. The city kind of has this tar aura about it. It's like looking through a grimy window. He chose well to hide here," he admitted, unzipping his jacket to reveal a sprawling tattoo across his barrel chest. A plunging sword with two wings coming off its pommel. He put the phone on speaker and a woman's voice came through. "Logain... make it simple. I don't want this being a spectacle," she warned and he scoffed as he patted his bike, the illusion of the normal metal shifting. The visage shifted to a demonic skull bike with glowing red eyes that seemed snarl. "Yeah, yeah, behave. Dokurorider already gave me permission, you hunk of junk," Logain growled back. "Don't fail," the woman said and disconnected. "You think she spent her afternoons listening to shitty cartoon villains talking," Logain sighed as he kicked the demonic bike into throttle and drove off, the faintest whiff of sulphur in the air. --- Two of them faced each other, a simplest table between them. He was relaxed and calm, she was tense and in chains. He moved a black piece forward, it was a piece depicting a skull wearing a helmet. The woman's only white piece remained as it was, its image unformed. "Why is it always chess? What's wrong with a good match of poker? Or perhaps dice?" the black being mused and she narrowed her eyes before looking down at her only piece. "Mortals consider the game to be a symbol of advance planning and tactics," she finally said and the man snorted with derision "They have created far more interesting games; but alas... your move," he offered and she raised her hands, the chains pulling tightly, her fingers missing the piece by inches. "You are frustrated, but not afraid, odd," the being said as he watched her. This time, she smiled a cold smile. "You are bored but agitated. It must be sad to be forced to play by the very rules you detest, no? You may bind me, but I have already given my piece what he needs..." she said, sweeping her eyes across him. "Freewill." The white piece wobbled all by itself.- Stewart92
- Oct 20, 2021
- Reader mode
Stewart92
What a year.
Award Recipient I woke up to feel the last wisps of Gravekeeper Servant spell card finally exhausting itself. Since disarming that guy of his gun, it had been dwindling over the last few days, but I guess it finally ran out of juice. Thinking about last night made me smile and I even whistled a little tune as I showered in the tiny bathroom, Lab even making the shower head turn into interesting spray patterns like a dice or an elephant. With the cash from the factory and no intention of stopping until Penguin was as broke as the average Bowery payphone? I was in a pretty good mood. As I showered, I got to select another card, blinking as I saw a new pack emerge. "Labyrinth of Nightmares?" I mused as I stood under the spray for a moment. I tried giving it a shot and got a mixed bag. I got a monster that couldn't be summoned unless I had a water monster in the graveyard... some fairy that did something if my spells were challenged? A ritual spell... Like, 'summon satan with three virgins' ritual? That sounded... my eyes lingered over the other card. I was torn between getting a monster called 'Grand Tiki Elder' or getting another spell that would combo with my black pendant... I could become a dragon! I mean... I was a warrior, right? Lab made the shower tiles turn into a doubtful expression as I flexed. I gave him a long hard look before smearing the tiles with shampoo. "Pervert wall," I grumbled as the titles seemed to rattle in panic, trying to dislodge the shampoo. I took the Tiki Elder, deciding if nothing else? I could curse Cobblepot to have terrible bowel movements or to kick everything with his pinkie toe for a day. Those were curses right? As I walked out of my room a while later in a shirt and shorts, I stopped cold as I saw my Mom leaning on the table sobbing her eyes out as she put the phone down. "Mom, what's wrong?!" I asked, voice alarmed as I rushed over. She looked like she was wobbling and her breathing was erratic. "R-Roger... it's all gone to crap," she choked out and I was beyond shocked at her. My Mom never cursed. "I was talking to one of the renter's about being moved to another apartment complex. I didn't want to worry you kids, so I was dealing with it," she said, wiping at her face. I loved my Mom, but honestly? Our family were kind of ugly criers. "It was cheaper rent and the moving costs were going to be covered. They were so eager to get us to move and..." she trailed off, bursting into tears again. "T-They said due to a series of attacks on their businesses, they can't afford to help us now. We have to pay up or move out," she hunched over as if trying to hug herself. I stared, mouth open but no sounds coming out. No! They were kidnapping people who were in the buildings! 'People who refused to move... the stubborn ones. What about the ones who would take the cheaper option and leave?' a horrible accusing tone in my mind hissed. I shook my head slightly. T-That didn't make it right. I couldn't trust that Cobblepot wouldn't just fuck us over and raise the rents again. What I did might have stopped us being offered a 'cheap' apartment elsewhere, but that didn't make it right or better. But looking at my Mom, she had been working so hard and handling this... legally on her own. My guts twisted. "So, it doesn't change anything," I tried and took her hand. "I got cash and we'll work through this," I encouraged, but my Mom's eyes looked distant and her erratic breathing wasn't settling. "Mom?" I said quietly and she looked up, the side of her face going slack and she looked both confused and terrified before she slurred something, a collection of just noises that didn't make sense. She began to fall and I caught her as she shook. "M-Mom!" I yelled, panicking. I summoned the damn Voodoo Elder. He knew medicine right?! In the dark corner of the room, away from the sunlight, a round mask appeared, followed by two disembodied hands. "Heal her!" I told it and it tilted its head as its robes billowed, the masks on its waist rattling as the temperature in the room dropped. It raised a finger and shook it. I was beginning to feel... no, understand monsters as they existed. It wasn't so much reading their mind as much as sensing the emotions or ideas they sent at me. It could heal her. If I was to give it a healthy person to transfer energy over from... or a skull of a powerful shaman. Irrationally, my mind snapped to Cobblepot, despite the fact he was across the city and behind a lot of guns. Tiki shook his finger again. Incompatible. Sick for sick, kind for kind... mother for mother. My mother was getting worse, shaking violently. "What about me? I have lifepoints right? Could that cover it?" I asked in desperation as I fell to the kitchen floor, cradling her body. Finally, the Elder raised his hand up, palm first. Possible, but it would be extremely unpleasant. "I don't care!" I snapped at the monster, knowing I was being an utter dick to it despite all it could do and was doing. It held out a hand and a dark aura surrounded it, the monster beginning to speak in a dark language I didn't know. I began to feel immense pain instantly... I thought I might scream, but around my neck, the black pendant began to glow. The Tiki Elder fixed on with a macabre rattling laugh and flexed its hand and the necklace snapped off my neck, glowing the same colour as the elder. I felt instantly as weak as a kid without the necklace, but I endured. The necklace cracked and shattered, releasing a violent specter with fiendish claws, reaching and hissing, but the Tiki Elder took it to him, trapping into a mask at his side which began to glow. After a moment, the Tiki Elder tilted its head at me. This wouldn't hurt as much as it was going to... but still... this was going to be most displeasing to my soul. As I began to glow again and my mother began to slowly stop shaking and breathing again... I knew I'd do this a hundred times over. --- I was only listening to the doctor as he rattled off causes and effects. A stroke, a major once brought on by pre-existing chances, rapidly made worse by lack of sleep, lack of eating, massive stress, and a trigger event of some massive shock. I must have looked in shock myself or massively indifferent and a prick. The ambulance ride over, the noise, the entire event was... glancing off me. I was emotionally, or spiritually numb, from the transfer. "She's not well, son," the doctor said and he looked like he enjoyed a good life, a decent tan, a fancy watch, and well-groomed... I didn't trust well-groomed doctors. It told me they had time to spare and go golfing. "What does she need?" I asked limply and he jumped about this treatment or that, but he eventually circled back to something that made him sigh. "Her insurance won't cover it and the Wayne Medical Aid Foundation has a waiting list. How is this going to be paid for?" he asked in a tone that I suspected was supposed to be sympathetic. For the first time since my soul was used as currency to pay for my mother's life? I felt something. I felt a spot of absolute loathing for the man before me who was waiting with his hand stretched out before he would get the chemicals or liquids that would help my mother. My hard-working, well-mannered, kind mother. The loathing flamed inside me and right above the doctor, Grand Tiki's mask slowly phased through the ceiling, smiling at the doctor, hands ready to perform unspeakable magic on his person. I stood up, thinking of my Mother being by my side, watching me. What would she think if I allowed the Elder to curse the man so his insides crawled with leeches? She would hate me and that was enough to make me inhale once. "Cash," I began and inside my, Tiki and Lab seemed to collect in my soul, kindling some emotion back to me. The doctor blinked and seemed to shrink back for a moment as I eyed him. "Begin treatment, I'll return shortly," I instructed, with a tone of a wiseman who would not be argued with. "M-Mr Klein, that's not proper-" he began, smoothing his hair back like a bad habit. I looked him in the eye and just for a moment, the lights flickered, the walls creaking, and I spoke very calmly. "Doctor, I'll be back with the cash. Please begin... the treatment. I know strokes aren't exactly cureable... but do whatever is needed to ensure she is looked after," I said and began to walk off. "I didn't tell you the rough payment or costs," the man protested. "It's covered," I said and went home. --- "So, does that mean you have to cook for us now?" Liam asked quietly. It was a strange question but I knew kids dealt with trouble and fear differently. "No, cause Mom's going to come back and be fine," Gabby snapped, pushing away from the table to storm to her room. Liam sat there before he hurried after his twin without looking back. Tiki appeared a moment later, holding horrific looking dolls with strings around their necks and pins in their heart. "They're a bit old... for dolls," I said finally and Tiki looked at me as though I said something idotic. One was never too old for dolls. "Thanks... for helping," I said finally as I went to my room to fetch the case. The Elder was quiet as he watched me and Lab get the suitcase. Finally, he sent an idea that perhaps he hadn't done so much as a favour but delayed my pain. I was quiet for a moment before shaking my head. "I'll help her. Some monster or spell has to be strong enough to help my Mom if she needs it. She's not going to be living some... broken life," I declared. Tiki faded to the shadows with the ringing idea that there was always a deal to be made in the dark worlds... if one had nothing to lose. As I eyed the money, trying to calculate how many months it might cover in payments, I had a distinct feeling of something snapping, like an elastic band stretched too far. I arched back, surprised. I think Toll and Prohibition just ran out... I frowned as something fluttered down in front of me. I grabbed it. It was a rumpled $10 bill. A second later three more fluttered down from a tiny tear in my ceiling. A few moments later, my eyes went wide as a pile of money began to fall towards me. --- Liam returned from the kitchen, sad... and scared, but he had Roger and Gabby, so he had to be a brave boy. He was even growing! He struggled to reach the glasses in the cabinet but now he could easily reach them. He was getting big! Gabby said that Liam must have levitated or jumped because they were the same height and she couldn't reach them. But Gabby could also jump to the top bunk and that was way too high! Liam wondered if space was feeling ill in the apartment? As he walked past Roger's bedroom, a $20 slipped out from under the crack and Liam burst into a smile as he picked it up. Roger was so shy about being emotional, but he really did care. He stifled a giggle as he could almost hear Roger pressed to the door, muttering about something. Another twenty came and Liam took that one for Gabby. "Love you!" Liam called before running to show Gabby their gains. --- I was pressed to the door, waist deep in cash. I was pulling damn coins out of my hair and there were dollar bills stuffed into my pants due to the overflow. The cash was still coming in and I was in actual danger of drowning in money. "Lab!" I hissed and there came the sound of something akin to a plug being pulled out. The cash began to slowly sink away with some help on my end to shove it all in the middle of the floor where a round hole had opened up. I kept shoving money in and my room still looked like I had a bunch of $1 strippers hurled about by a tornado. Money was on everything and most of it looked crunched. After a few moments, I got most of it into Lab and he began to grind like a casino slot machine. Something odd began to happen and I watched as Lab's card shined. It reminded oddly a lot like when Mystical Elf consumed Yami to- I had to cover my eyes as a bright flash overcame the room. I slowly looked down to see that in my hand was a golden key. I quickly checked my field to see that Lab and his magic-addon were gone to reveal a strange new card. It was a weird purple card, sort of like those 'fusion' cards I saw in other packs. The image showed a massive set of red and gold doors and a slight angled view of a golden labyrinth beyond. Cretan Labyrinth Monster/Fusion 1900/3200 Labyrinth Wall+Battle Ox or Labyrinth Wall+Magical Labyrinth The card can be summoned by discarding your entire hand and using the above materials for fusion. Once per turn, can redirect the enemy's attack to itself. If successfully blocked an attack, draw one card. "Woah... you're all shiny," I said to the golden bricks that appeared on my wall. The emoticon was a smile and my closet door opened on its own to show a massive amount of neat stacks of notes and coins in spare shoe boxes. I think I had lost over half the cash to his new transformation but... that was so much cash that every inch of my closet was stretched thin. I was glad I didn't curse the doctor. Honestly... shoving cash at him would be far better. If he had to count it? Even better. I went and tried to cook some dinner for the twins and myself and after watching the water burn at the bottom of the pot after three minutes, I went to my closet and grabbed some cash to order pizza. Like any problem in my life recently? It could be solved by summoning the answer from some unknown place and location to my doorstep. Once, that was on the way, our nice neighbour, Mrs Landry, offered to babysit. She and my Mom were pretty close as far as neighbours went. Then I was off to pay for my Mom's treatments, case in hand and zero fucks to give. But... I guess there was a thing called Murphy because as I made my way towards the hospital set off Gotham Heights? I was cut off. I froze as a massive sword buried itself before me, leaking familiar energy. "Finally... If I have to drive around this shithole any longer I was going to burn it to the ground," a man said as he walked forward, the bike at his side apparently driving itself. He was massive and looked like he crushed steel barrels for fun. His expression looked annoyed and his exposed open jacket showed a scary body with muscles for days. I'm sure if I swung that way, I might be happy, but I was only staring because of the massive tattoo across his torso. At his side, a massive monster appeared, pulling the sword out of the ground. It looked like a proper demon, grinning and leering as it pointed its sword at me. Tiki whispered to me that it was actually a Warrior type and called 'Swordstalker'. I gave up, these monster types made no sense. Demons were Warriors, fairies were angels, and robots were also angels. "I'm in a hurry, and while I have a lot of questions... you're not the most important thing right now," I warned and made to step around him. He actually stared at me as if I wasn't real. "Oi, don't blow me off," he warned and I tried to keep walking past. The Swordstalker went for me but Lab emerged, sending it crashing back. The golden bricks around me acted like the street had come alive and turned to gold. "The hell is that thing?" the man grunted as he shoved his monster off him. "Back off," I warned, not getting what the hell was this brickhouse's issue. I had the power to draw a card, but I was distracted as the man rolled his neck. "It's fine... you don't want to play? I'll make you play," he promised darkly. "You seem in a hurry, so how about you hang about for a while so we can play the game properly. I am Logain and I am here to kill the last hope," he announced. I stared at him. "Medication is available for crazy you know?" I said and he glared as he flexed his hand. Abruptly, his tattoo glowed a dark red, pulsing like crazy as it leaked some dark shadows. I backed up as it flooded the streets, causing a thin dome to appear. Lights of nearby buildings went out and I could only barely see Gotham outside. The shadows came for me, rustling past and through me, trying to take any inch of me it could, devouring me like a snack. I fell to my knees, shocked, but just as Logain began to smirk, I stood back up, with a scoff, dismissing the shadows and the pain. "Shadow Games aren't easy, but you're still standing," the man mused. I thought back to the Tiki ritual and my Mom. "I felt worse," I said with a low angry tone. The man grinned as if this was perfect. "Very well, let's play! I don't want anyone interfering and that Labyrinth card you got there is... well, I think I can just make it a non-factor by forcing a duel... or you can stay here and wait for me to run out of energy, might take a few hours... more if some people come along and be nosy," he mused. I eyed his monsters. I didn't have anything that beat his Swordstalker, but I could draw something... but if a battle broke out... I'd be delayed by Batman or the police. "What kind of duel?" I asked finally and he grinned, holding out his arm as some... strange bondage... thing appeared. It looked like a blade connected to a glaring eye, but the top of the blade looked flat... and perfect size for cards. "I'm sorry, but I'm really not into men," I began, hoping I hadn't read this all wrong. Logain closed his eyes for a moment. "It's a Duel Disk, kid. It's meant to play the cards we both use casually, but in the strictest sense. My deck against your deck," he promised. "Stop saying deck," I commanded, arms crossed as I wondered if Lab could protect me from predators. Also... I didn't have a deck did I? Before I could quite think about that, three forms appeared before me. Formed by light, I had to blink as Ancient Elf, a section of Lab's wall, and the guard from the Toll spell appeared before me. Each of them had a massive pile of cards held out, waiting for me to take one. "We three are deemed to be of greatest help to you thus far... so, we may aid you by giving you a theme. Spellcasters," Ancient pointed to himself, then to the guard. "Consequences," he went on and finally to Lab. "Path to Victory," he concluded. After a moment, I turned to Lab. "You and me buddy," I said and the other two smiled. "Hurry up and win, my summoner can't be seen with a lout like him," Ancient said as the Toll Guard bowed, they both vanished. Lab came closer and my form glowed before I saw I was wearing a completely different outfit. A ruffled white shirt, a tie that looked like two doors with a line down the middle, a suit pair of dark gloves...and dress slacks white white lines in the design of bricks. On my head, rested a slightly tilted fedora of all things. On my arm was a chunky looking Duel Disk that looked to be made from solid stone and mortar with interlocking bricks and cracks, more a relic than a device, but it had a smooth surface for the deck and cards as well. I felt like I was the very essence of Lab. "Twists and turns, take a left or a right," I began looking at Logain and his shocked expression. I stepped forward and a gust emanated from all around me, outwards in a ring motion. "Take any path you desire, but there's no loot here," I warned and smiled as the Duel Disks glowed in sync. "Only the consequences of not letting me walk the fuck away," I promised and the shadow game began.- Stewart92
- Oct 20, 2021
- Reader mode
wanderingmind
Is this in the same dc universe as stew's other fics or is it a new one with some of the stories characters blended in?- 1
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12 Game YugiOh Trên PC, Mobile Hay Nhất 2022 Mà Bạn Nên Chơi