The Wild Masks

[Ghid]

This is a story written by me starring several TTV Boards members, who all signed up for being included in this topic.

Chapters will be posted when I have the time.

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CHAPTER LIST

Young Nights
Festering Sores
The Kettle Is Set
Fireworks
Nerve
Near The Knuckle
Closer To Home
Scars
Scabs
Open Wounds
Hope Tends To Glimmer
Parallel
The Calm
Symptoms
Diagnosis
Prognosis
Treatment
Recovery
Warm Blooded
Thermoregulated
Blood Bank
Coy Blood
Eyewall
Idiosyncrasy

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The Wild Masks

–

Chapter One
Young Nights

–

“Pickles aren’t meant for dumpsters.”

The young man turned back, slowly, with a look of the utmost disgust mingled into his sharpened glare. “How in the world do you think that is a valid excuse for swiping pickles out of a dumpster?”

“I’unno.” The other man shrugged, his hand still very much holding the brand-new jar of pickles. “What I do know is that, since they’ve still got the seal, they aren’t contaminated, which means they’re just as good as all the other preservative-laced pickles wasting away on store shelves.”

“You’re even more of an utter disappointment right now than you usually are.” The younger man scowled, his sharp eyebrows angling down to show his clearly-displayed annoyance. “If you’re so desperate for pickles as to rummage through garbage-”

“It,” The other man retorted, straightening himself as he did so, “Is about making the world a better place by not wasting perfectly good resources. Isn’t that part of what we do anyways?”

“Um, boys?” A chipper voice mumbled from behind the other man. “You’re, um, kind of clogging the path for the rest of us. Perhaps have your squabbles five feet outside of the alleyway? Thank you.”

“One to talk.” The younger man mumbled in a completely audible whisper, slowly clearing the way for the rest of his team. The other man nodded as he passed with a smile, his height making his six-foot-one superior feel ever bit less so. Shortly after him, although wisdom compelled one not to verbally make such a statement, came the only female member of the team, glaring up at her leader with a toothpick in her mouth. The young man avoided direct eye contact lest it spark a confrontation.

“It’s been a while since we’ve been able to pull off a caper like this!” The chipper voice resumed, floating on past the young man’s unamused eyebrows. “Finally back on the field like we were meant to be. It’s good to feel the air again, you know?”

“You’re literally not even here right now.” The young man frowned.

“No, but I got that standing fan repaired, and wow the difference it makes in here!” The machine chipped and whirred, the small cameras embedded around its durable exterior hissing as they adjusted their focus. “It helps me pretend that a breeze can actually be felt down there, and that I’m doing something way cooler than just typing on a massive keyboard doing boring security stuff while everybody else gets to go and have fun.”

Everyone had turned towards the device as the voice on the other end trailed off in depression. The awkward moment seemed to triple and quadruple in awkwardness as the seconds passed, ending only when the last person in line snatched the tiny machine out of the air and kept on walking.

“Save it for the autobiography, kid.” He muttered, looking up with a sigh at the massive building before him. “Do you think they’ll get suspicious if we keep showing up wearing matching suits and being this out of the ordinary?”

“I hope you’re not questioning our suits, Tone.” The young man glared as he strode past, gesturing with a snap for the rest of his team to follow his lead. “Now you all know the drill: We hit security and we hit them hard. If we can get into the fountain controls we can stop the automatic shutoff, and from there it’ll be eggs.”

“NO.” The fellow called Tone backpedaled. “I know what’s coming. It’s another one of your atrocious puns. They’re the reason we keep having bad luck with these endeavors. I don’t want-”

“Over-easy.” The young man fought back a snarky grin and ascended the minimal steps to reach the front door, pausing just inside as security eyed the entire group with a suspicious air. Tone was visibly groaning as he entered, gripping the bridge of his nose all the way.

“Remember, team - this is for him.”

“WILD MASKS!!” The young man bellowed, unveiling an angular, grey mask resembling a wolf. The rest of his team revealed additional masks, causing the security guards to fly into a panic and rush at the group. “On our blood - we avenge this day!!”

Before the guards could reach him, a sonic pulse echoed outwards, rattling their teeth and giving the young man plenty of opportunity to don his mask. In an instant his silver hair flared, adrenaline rushed through his veins, and his arm swung out, launching the metal baseball bat hidden in his sleeve directly into his palm.

“Now, Race!” He bellowed, the short girl casually walking forwards with her hands in her pockets. Across the room, more of the security personnel drew their weapons and fired. Race became a blur for a moment, tearing up the glamorous carpet as she went, not having to act for long before Tone let off another sonic pulse, vibrating the internal mechanisms of the guns and forcing them to jam.

“My turn.” The young man lowered himself down, and bolting forwards darted across the room at high speed, somehow staying low to the ground even as his bat streaked behind him. A roll at the end planted his heel in the face of one guard, before kicking off and knocking a second one flat with his knee.

Swipes were dodged and replied in similar metallic fashion. Within thirty seconds the whole lot was a bruised, unconscious heap of poor, innocent security guards, just trying to make the next paycheck. “I’m getting old.” The young man groaned, feeling his ribs. “Couple of them actually got hits in there. You let him go to the top?”

“Let him out as soon as we reached the building.” Tone replied, sliding his hand out of his pocket long enough to gesture upwards with his thumb. “Before too long you should hear his all-clear over the speake-”

“Attention all personnel, please remain in your quarters.” A voice buzzed over the sound system. “There is an unidentified helicopter craft on the roof of the building, please remain in your rooms and remain calm. Thank you for staying with us.”

“Corey, can you confirm? We’ve got what appears to be a-”

“Calm down, boss, I just cooked up a distraction is all.” The cheery voice chimed in, back to being as chipper as previously. “I managed to shut off the fountain’s backup protocol just now, so go ahead and do your thing. All elevators are locked, and so are the emergency exits and restrooms. Only one door has a manual override, and that door’s on the 87th floor.”

“You’re wonderful, kid.” The young man replied. “I’ll give you the alert when we’re ready to clear out. Big man, you got me?”

The tall fellow responded by picking up the edge of the fountain and ripping it out of the ground. Water began to fly everywhere, and another pulse from Tone sent the pumps into overdrive, several inches of water coalescing within minutes.

“My shoes are getting soaked.” The young man grumbled. “All right, Rook, let’s do this. It would’ve been easy to bring something like a phone to do this with, but I think we need a little more power than that…”

The taller man wrapped one arm around the young one and suddenly moved upwards, the added weight not impacting his motion whatever. Abruptly pausing in midair, the young man climbed up onto Rook’s shoulders, reached out to the massive chandelier in the middle of the ceiling, and with a couple well-placed strikes, caused it to creak.

“Alright, Corey… HIT IT!!” He barked as the last swing impacted with its attachment, sending the chandelier tumbling downwards in a slow spin.

“Impact in three!” He bellowed out, although he was barely heard. Tone quickly ascended the furniture while Race simply stood, watching it fall with the utmost boredom. It hit home, the electrical fixture impacting the water and sending a massive shock into the walls and floor of the building, shorting out just about everything present.

Rook quickly descended with the young man on his shoulder. “Alright, we only have so much ti-”

He paused only momentarily, sending a glare at Race upon noticing her glowing stomach. “-Only so much time until the minimal amount that the alarms have been on draws the attention of someone other than room service. Get it, Rook.”

Rook nodded, lowering the young man down to admire his handiwork, the blast doors over the entrance frozen mid-way. He turned around to see Rook rocket towards the massive vault door at the back of the room, carefully place his hands on it, and suddenly disappear. In his place was an elaborate statue of a sphere floating alongside curved, draping rectangles, which flowed like water into the base.

Tone and Race splashed over, Race getting there just ahead of Tone, and wasted no time in dragging the statue out of the way. Making ticking noises with his mouth, the young man set an origami mask down right where the statue had been, and after nine clicks Rook returned to take its place.

“Perfect. Now if everything’s set, then let’s-”

All the glass at the entrance shattered suddenly. “TONE!” He turned with a snarl. “This is supposed to be somewhat stealthy, you know!”

Tone shrugged in response. “Your speeches take too long. Let’s bounce, fellas.”

Vaulting through the half-open entrance, with Rook carrying the statue, the group made their way to the same alleyway, disappearing into the darkness. Before the young man exited the scene he deliberately caused, he paused at the entrance to the alleyway and help up his hand, the distant robotic tool slowly returning to the earth.

“Gotta hand it to you, Corey, you pulled your part off masterfully. It’ll be an hour before anyone notices what’s happened.”

“You…” The chipper voice began irradiating awe in all directions. “You really mean that, Ren? I’m finally a real- a real Wild Mask?”

Ren smiled. “I can’t be the one to make that choice by myself. But in my book, you did good out there, kid. Now let’s do even better.”

–

Ch 2

[Cordax]

@Ghid

Rook

where’s dolphus

I’m really liking this so far, it feels more like you fit the users into a story you wanted to tell and less like you built the story around the users

also your combat descriptions have improved a lot since BoR; I can imagine the scene so much more vividly than before

[Ghid]

@Cordax

where’s dolphus

@Cordax

it feels more like you fit the users into a story you wanted to tell and less like you built the story around the users

I will admit I prefer the previous approach, as it’s harder to make all the users feel like they belong here, but still a fun challenge nonetheless

@Cordax

your combat descriptions have improved a lot since BoR; I can imagine the scene so much more vividly than before

Let’s hope my fight scenes aren’t the only thing that’s improved since BoR

[Cordax]

also just a teensy weensy little tip, if you’re describing multiple characters interactions without revealing their name, it’s best to make how you refer to them more differentiated that “the young man” “the tall man” and “the other man”; otherwise it ends up a bit hard to understand and I found myself backtracking throughout the chapter to remember who was who

it’s also a little confusing how you keep using those descriptions after the characters names are revealed but maybe I’m just not literate

[ChubChub86]

I’m really loving chapter two so far.
Also, yes, I agree with Cordax on the names.

[Ghid]

@ChubChub86

I’m really loving chapter two so far.

GET OUT OF MY COMPUTER!!!!

@Cordax

it’s best to make how you refer to them more differentiated that “the young man” “the tall man” and “the other man”

Just the first chapter, don’t worry I hated it too

[Minethuselah]

Miney likey.

The descriptions you wrote are very convincing, I could see very clearly what you were intending with each one. Chapter 2 has to be my favorite part.

[N01InParticular]

Very nice first chapter, provided the second isn’t being typed as we speak I think a good place to improve is with the characters, giving some more characteristic descriptions to refer to them by besides what height they are would do wonder.

[Ghid]

Ch 1

–

Chapter Two
Festering Sores

–

“My point is, most apartments here are about the size of a wide hallway.” Ren explained as he ascended yet another flight of stairs, trying to act like his legs weren’t killing him. It was important to convey just how athletic and healthy he was, and how much he definitely didn’t rely on his mask to be acrobatic. “So comparatively, this is actually fairly sizeable, is all I’m saying.”

“That doesn’t help when you only have two side rooms and one of those is the toilet.” Tone grumbled, taking up the rear of the procession and acting like he was about to die from the exertion. “At least we have a shower, but there’s so many people living here that you can’t expect to get hot water for more than ten minutes every three or four hours.”

“You need hot water?” Ren smirked back playfully, knowing full well that he too wasted all the hot water he could manage to waste. Tone only groaned in reply, stopping to rub his calves before racing to catch back up.

“Alright Corey, if you would be so kind.” Ren motioned, the small mechanical device flying out of Tone’s pocket and busying itself in the rather complex lock for the door.

“All I’m saying is,” Tone resumed, pausing to pant in agony at the horrific experience of climbing stairs. “I’d like it if we didn’t all have to sleep in the same room when you get your own personal bedroom all to yourself, that so conveniently muffles the sound of Race’s obnoxious snoring.”

“I do NOT snore!” Race snapped, having been cradled in Rook’s arm after giving up climbing a few flights down. “That’s a rotten lie and you can’t prove it!”

“You can’t disprove it; you’re asleep when it happens, short stuff.” Tone tried to voice a grin but lurched forward once more as his muscles ached. Race crossed her arms and continued mumbling under her breath at the horrid accusation.

“I hate it when mom and dad fight.” Rook lamented, earning him a rough elbow from Race in the ribs, which did not move him at all. “Is Corey okay? He’s awfully quiet in there.”

“It’s soundproofed, remember?” Ren lazily rolled his head towards Rook with raised eyebrows.

As if on queue, the door suddenly sank an inch, and then rolled back into the wall with all the slow and methodical energy of a tank. Inside, sitting cross-legged on a rolling chair, was more hoodie than human, the tips of his fingers poking out from the excessive sleeves. Nestled atop the mountain of violet cloth was a ruddy face held aloft by an incredibly thin neck, a mop of almost golden hair hiding the dark brows underneath. He positively beamed at the appearance of his superior, and thrust his almost carpeted arms skywards in overdone salutation.

“Welcome back! I can’t believe that worked as well as it did.” Corey’s hands flopped back down to the front of the chair as he kept beaming, with only injured smiles and cold nods given in return. “I anticipated your timely arrival, and have prepared the appropriate measures for resuscitation.”

Almost smugly, he tapped a key on his keyboard, causing part of the perfectly white paneling which lined every surface in the room to flip down, revealing three plastic spheres with heavy condensation on the inside to the degree that it was impossible to tell what was hidden beneath the capsule’s inedible surface.

“Great. Gotta catch 'em all…” Tone mumbled, swiping one and cracking it open to receive a faceful of steam and a good look at some of the cheapest quality ramen noodles he had ever seen before. And he hadn’t seen many, because- well, never mind.

“And by 'em, I mean cancers apparently. Which one is this now? Ramen Royal? Or did you grow this from your scalp, like last week’s?” Tone glared, picking up a noodle with his fingers and sliding it directly into his mouth… from the top of his mask, inevitably letting it worm its way down into his open maw.

“I d- No. Look, if you hate it so much we could try soup again.”

“Absolutely not.” Tone sighed out a growl. “That’s the last time I’m having cream of broccoli and cheese and blood and pain. Not fun.”

“We could do a cold soup,” Offered Rook, settling himself down on the floor, back against the wall, his massive shoulders and ridiculous height offering little else. “Maybe that wouldn’t hurt as bad.”

“Sometimes half the things you say I can’t tell if they’re trying to be even meaner than me, or if you’re just that unaware.” Tone replied, sticking an additional five noodles down the inside of his mask at once. “Remind me never to invite you to any social gatherings.”

Seeing as Rook appeared genuinely hurt by this, Ren rolled his eyes and unslouched his posture, where he had been devouring the ramen at a ferocious pace with a plastic spoon. “Hey, I need you three to check on that party coming up in a week or two, see if that would be a good place to spring the next raid. It’d gonna be a rough one no matter what, but I need to make sure it’s worth it.”

Rook gale a cheery salute, implying that everything was smoothed over by the change in topic, at least for now. Tone gave a silent snort in reply before turning towards Corey. “Say kid, where’s your ramen? Thought you’d want to share in the poison same as the rest of us.”

“I was starving while you were out, and made mine in advance.” Corey looked crestfallen at the confession. “I needed brain food for all this work I’ve been doing.”

“Hey, look, if I’m not here, you don’t have to just eat this gunk.” Tone dug his gloved fingers around in the plastic bowl. “You should convince ol’ bossman to spend some of his rich living money to get you some snacks to survive off of.”

“Maybe…” Corey looked even more crestfallen, but still managed to turn in pleading fashion towards Ren, hoping his miserable plight of being hungry sometimes would inspire him to invest in a personal snack stash.

Ren rolled his eyes yet again and waved the pair off, heading towards one of the interior doors.

“So there’s a chance.” Corey whispered, his eyes glowing with delight.

“Yes, but don’t you worry. I’ll convince him it’s for the best.” Tone chuckled deviously, lightly punching Corey’s shoulder in affirmation.

“Sir! The kid and Tone are conspiring again!”

“SNITCH!!” Tone snarled at Rook with a grin, who recoiled in horror. Corey chortled at the artificial drama, but Ren had already left the room, standing in the restroom door for a moment before slowly closing it behind him. Race was silently standing, facing the wall, one foot on the shower tile, holding something in her hands.

“Hey.” Ren murmured, kicking slightly at a crooked tile in the floor. Race only murmured in response. “I know this isn’t the best time, but we need to talk.”

Race turned, her face flat, her hands holding a series of metal pipes, which curved and twisted all over the place, proceeding from and entering back under her shirt. “Yeah?”

“That-” Ren cleared his throat slightly. “That was stupid of you today. You knew the risks you were taking.”

“I appreciate your concern.” Race blandly replied, sniffing for a moment. “But I know what I’m doing and I don’t really need your ‘big brother’ protectiveness. And don’t bring him back up, either - everybody lost something that day. But you don’t offer the same kind of consolation to Tone, or the kid, or anybody else. So save the sympathies for someone who asks for it, okay?”

“It’s not about sympathy.” Ren sighed, straightening from the leaning position he had taken against the wall. “Going that fast nearly killed you before, Race. I can’t have you putting yourself in situations so blatantly dangerous again. I’m not willing to lose you the way-”

“Mm.” Ren pressed his curled fist against his mouth until his teeth hurt from the pressure. “I’ll stop. Before I do anything else stupid. But please be careful, Race.”

“Ren?” Race replied, cutting him off just as he turned to leave. As he looked back, she folded up the metal piping, which effortlessly twisted about in her hands, and compacted it back into the metallic hollow in her stomach.

“You do good.”

Ren didn’t smile in reply. He tried to, but nothing got out.

“NO, you idiot! That’s direcwuy into the guard’s wuestoom!” Tone sounded as Ren and Race returned to the main room, just in time for the inspiring visual of Tone holding a straw down his mask with a funnel in one hand and a beverage can in the other, trying to pour it down in non-chaotic fashion.

“Tone, be nice,” Ren scolded with mock weariness, marching across the room and leaning over the back of Corey’s chair. “What do we got, boys?”

“Front access,” Corey demonstrated with the cursor as he spoke. “Then spike the drinks, Tone releases a noise from outside which sets off the fire alarm, if enough of the drinks are spiked we’ll have absolute pandemonium inside. Rook then suggested we try taking the service elevator after that point, but yeah, that’s the guard station there, and they’d surely have someone behind for security. Can we guarantee taking him out before alarms are raised?”

“I thought it was a good idea…” Rook murmured, to which Tone laughed and guzzled more of his foul beverage.

“Fellas, you’re looking at it all wrong.” Ren smirked. “It’s an excellent plan-”

“Fhank you.” Tone replied with as smug a tone as possible.

“…Anyway, I think trying to get in at the base and find our way all seventeen stories up without detection is going to be a little difficult. Assuming I can confirm the level of tech access these things have, Corey, do you think you can fly a helicopter?”

“Whaaa?!” Corey’s eyes lit up with wonder and his mouth climbed into a massive smile, but fell back into disappointment and sadness a second later. “Oh. From in here.”

Tone began having a stifled laughing fit, causing him to choke on some of his drink, which prompted Race to slap him repeatedly on the back unhelpfully as he tried to ask her to stop. “If we can get in through the roof, and maybe had Tone enter through the front, perhaps we’d be able to secure our exit much easier that way. Security cameras on all sides don’t cover close to the building’s exterior until about halfway down, so we wouldn’t need to take them out of commission until we’re on our way out.”

“Excellent plan,” Commented Tone, in between coughing what sounded like five or six lungs out. “Race if you don’t stop I’m gonna have to sue you for malpractice.”

“And with that, I have to head to bed.” Ren slowly raised himself off of the back of Corey’s chair. “Don’t stay up too long now; we all have our places to be tomorrow and a long rest is necessary for all of us to recover.”

“Right.” Tone spat, finally extracting the straw from his face. “You all, anyhow.”

“I wish I could sleep.” Rook replied, even as Ren carefully lifted the silvery, spiked mask from off its faceless host, which slumped immediately afterwards. “Instead I just get to talk to the wall all night.”

“I’ll work on something to keep you busy at nights.” Ren gently smiled, gingerly placing the mask down on an ornate pillow. “The rest of you, have a good sleep. Lots of big events coming up soon; gotta stay at the top of our game.”

“Mm.” Race murmured, deftly unrolling her sleeping bag and clambering inside. “Rook, if you catch anyone snoring, it’s undoubtedly Tone. Got it?”

Rook awkwardly looked between her and the snickering Tone, who flattened the beverage can in between his palms like a marshmallow and missed a throw towards the trash can. “Uh, yeah. Sure. Whatever, I guess.”

“Works.” She mumbled, collapsing downwards and staring endlessly into the opposite wall.

Ren shook his head with a smile and exited into his narrow bedroom, more akin to the mental image he had of the local apartments. Standing still until the light from outside his door disappeared, and the chatter died into muffled whispers, he calmly turned off his light and lowered his bunk from the wall.

There, inset into the wall, was another ornate pillow, one with a different mask atop it. It was very tall, two narrow, darkened slits at the top serving as the eyes, leaving practically no room for scalp. The rest of the way down was massive, ivory teeth, which curved out just before both jaws met, somehow carved into a smile. It was devious and monstrous, and yet exhibited a commanding air, as if it would be improper to speak before this mask got the chance.

For a moment Ren was silent. Then, kneeling on his cot, he closed his eyes, keeping his back as straight as he could. A terrible coldness entered the room, which he fought back the urge to shiver at. It had not been so easy before.

“𝐻𝑒𝓎, 𝒽𝑜𝓂𝑒𝓈𝓁𝒾𝒸𝑒.”

Ren sighed, opening his eyes to the unfortunate sight he knew was waiting for him. A black trail spilled down to the floor, at once like both roots and leaves, elevating this wicked mask off the ground, as it looked about the room in an almost lost fashion.

“𝒜𝒽, 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉’𝓈 𝓌𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑒 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓅𝓊𝓉 𝒾𝓉.” The apparition drifted overtop him, the ethereal substance splitting to cling to the walls of the tiny room, using its teeth to grasp an ornate Japanese pipe in its massive teeth. The slim face turned back towards Renner with an even more devious nature than before, the jaw somehow moving despite being made of inanimate materials. “𝐿𝑒𝓉’𝓈 𝒽𝑒𝒶𝓇 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓈𝓌𝑒𝑒𝓉, 𝒿𝓊𝒾𝒸𝓎 𝒹𝑒𝓉𝒶𝒾𝓁𝓈.”

“I told you what to expect.” Ren coldly replied, turning just enough to eye the creature with a healthy dose of disgust. “The statue is in the storage unit, sixth one I’ve had to open to avoid suspicion. Rook doesn’t like having to move everything around like that all the time.”

“𝒫𝑜𝑜𝒽 𝓅𝑜𝑜𝒽.” The mask sarcastically spat. “𝐻𝑜𝓌 𝓂𝓎 𝒽𝑒𝒶𝓇𝓉 𝒷𝓁𝑒𝑒𝒹𝓈 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝓅𝑜𝑜𝓇 𝒦𝒶𝒽𝓃, 𝓉𝓇𝓎𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒽𝒾𝓈 𝒷𝑒𝓈𝓉 𝓉𝑜 𝒾𝓂𝒾𝓉𝒶𝓉𝑒 𝓂𝑒. 𝑀𝓎 𝒶𝓅𝑜𝓁𝑜𝑔𝒾𝑒𝓈 𝒾𝒻 𝓂𝓎 𝓈𝓎𝓂𝓅𝒶𝓉𝒽𝒾𝑒𝓈 𝒶𝓇𝑒 𝓃𝑜𝓉 𝒶𝓈 𝒹𝑒𝓁𝒾𝒸𝒶𝓉𝑒 𝑜𝓇 𝑔𝑒𝓃𝓊𝒾𝓃𝑒 𝒶𝓈 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓌𝑜𝓊𝓁𝒹 𝒹𝑒𝓂𝒶𝓃𝒹, 𝒷𝑜𝓎.” Its ivory incisors clicked against the mouthpiece of the pipe. “𝐼 𝓌𝒶𝓃𝓉 𝓂𝓎 𝑒𝓎𝑒𝓈, 𝑅𝑒𝓃. 𝐼 𝓂𝓊𝓈𝓉 𝒽𝒶𝓋𝑒 𝓂𝓎 𝑒𝓎𝑒𝓈. 𝐸𝓋𝑒𝓇𝓎𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒾𝓈 𝓈𝑒𝒸𝑜𝓃𝒹𝒶𝓇𝓎 𝓉𝑜 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉, 𝑒𝓈𝓅𝑒𝒸𝒾𝒶𝓁𝓁𝓎 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒹𝑒𝓁𝒾𝒸𝒶𝓉𝑒 𝑒𝑔𝑜𝓈 𝑜𝒻 𝓎𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝒶𝓈𝓈𝑜𝒸𝒾𝒶𝓉𝑒𝓈.”

“You’ll respect them - All of them, creature.” Ren replied with a sudden dangerous tone as he turned his head back towards the ornate pillow. “Or you’ll never get your eyes back at all.”

“𝒜𝓃𝒹 𝒷𝓎 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓈𝒶𝓂𝑒 𝓈𝓉𝓇𝑜𝓀𝑒, 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓌𝒾𝓁𝓁 𝓃𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓇 𝑔𝑒𝓉 𝒴𝒪𝒰𝑅 𝑒𝓃𝒹 𝑜𝒻 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒷𝒶𝓇𝑔𝒶𝒾𝓃.” The spirit flicked a theoretical tongue inches from Renner’s face, its voice producing a cruel hissing sound as it spoke. “𝐵𝓊𝓉 𝐼 𝓌𝒾𝓁𝓁 𝒷𝑒 𝑔𝓇𝒶𝒸𝒾𝑜𝓊𝓈 𝓉𝑜 𝓂𝓎 𝒽𝑜𝓈𝓉 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓇𝑒𝓈𝓅𝑒𝒸𝓉 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓇𝒶𝒷𝒷𝓁𝑒 𝒽𝑒 𝓀𝑒𝑒𝓅𝓈 𝒶𝓇𝑜𝓊𝓃𝒹 𝒽𝒾𝓂. 𝐼 𝒶𝓂 𝒶 𝓂𝒶𝓃 𝑜𝒻 𝓂𝓎 𝓌𝑜𝓇𝒹, 𝒾𝒻 𝓁𝒾𝓉𝓉𝓁𝑒 𝑒𝓁𝓈𝑒.”

“You’ll be able to bring him back when you’re at full power, just like you promised?” Ren tried to keep up his own personal mask of indifference, but he could feel his own enthusiasm causing it to slip.

“𝒪𝒽, 𝒸𝒽𝒾𝓁𝒹.” The mask settled back in its alcove, nibbling on the end of the illustrious pipe with whimsy seeping out of its blackened sockets. “𝐻𝑒’𝓁𝓁 𝒷𝑒 𝓈𝑜 𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓅𝓎 𝓉𝑜 𝓈𝑒𝑒 𝓎𝑜𝓊.”

–

Ch 3

[Ghid]

Finally, the backstory for these losers is out of the way, and we can begin the shenaniganizing

@N01InParticular

provided the second isn’t being typed as we speak

Too late

@N01InParticular

would do wonder.

Wonder has now been do

[DuneToa]

@Ghid

The mask settled back in its alcove, nibbling on the end of the illustrious pipe

Let the smoky smoker smoke his vapor device… wonder what this guy is anyhow.

[Cordax]

@Ghid

𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑒

wrong hear

@Ghid

sitting cross-legged on a rolling chair

crazy that I read this sitting cross-legged on my rolling chair

also what is rook

and why does race have some sort of fnaf contraption in her stomach

nota we need your help none of us are literate

[Ghid]

@Cordax

wrong hear

you’re definitely seeing things, um, I definitely didn’t edit it… read it again.

@Cordax

crazy that I read this sitting cross-legged on my rolling chair

@Cordax

what is rook

@Atobe_Brick

Name: Rook Andreas (Alias: “Count Coal”)

Appearance:
Andreas has heavily sun-tanned skin, dark hair, and sharp facial features. He was once was a handsome fellow, but has let himself go a bit. He has a frail bony face framed by a shaggy beard and shoulder-length a hair mottled with dirt. Something like a mix between Rasputin and Morbius, I suppose.

Edit- forgot to include this: whilst in prison, he got a large tattoo of a dragon that starts on his lower back, wraps around his torso, with the head ending just past his left wrist. The dragon was “decapitated” upon the loss of his hands.

His height is aproximatley 5"5’(~165 cm.), and he’s 38 years old.

Personality: Andreas is typically quite bitter and cynical to others, though deep down he hopes that his comrades succeed in life. He is a natural leader, and often feels the need to be the one calling the shots-- he’s not selfish, he’s just the only competent person around.

Weapons: Both of Andreas’s hands were sawed off due to his higher rank amongst those who were captured. Later, while in prison, he was able to have a blade painfully bound to each arm, thanks to some friendships and connections he had forged in captivity. The blade connected to his left arm is essentially a short sword, whereas the blade on his right side moreso resembles a machete or axehead.

Additionally, he carries three viles in a sachel. The first, a scarlet potion, allows him to breath fire temporarily after being ingested. The second, a black gum-like substance generates a flurry of flames when it absorbs a lot of kinetic energy. Lastly, he owns a vile of liquor (with an extremely detailed piece of sugar cane floating in it), gifted to him by a colonel, which supposedly had been aged for 1,000 years. It is very dear to him.

Armour: Andreas doesn’t wear much traditional armor, besides an irregularly shaped metal plate strapped directly onto his belly. He wears a jacket over a prison Uniform (which he has been wearing for the last decade or so). He also wears a sachel.

Job on a ship: Due to his lack of hands, Andreas has difficulty performing tasks that require dexterity. He is, however, a pretty good strategist and navigator. He is also exceptional in close-quater combat, a skill he acquired through years of military service in addition to a need to constantly defend himself when he was inprisoned.

Backstory: Rook Andreas was a young, stern, respectable captain of the Armada. 20 years ago, he led a small expedition to examine a faraway island. Shockingly, his voyage was cut short when Northern ships began to close in on them. He later learned that his good friend, Pyotr “Petey” Gorov had previously sold details pertaining to the mission to the North in exchange for a generous sum of money. Andreas and the eight others who accompanied him were taken back to the North, where they were imprisoned and tortured extensively. Inmates there quickly learned to always watch their backs; over time Andreas became increasingly unsympathetic as he gained a reputation of being one of the most powerful inmates there, earning the nickname, “Count Coal.” He spend 16 years in jail before he managed to escape with two if his partners by stealing a boat. Currently he lives as discreet outcast, having few friends and no permanent home, remembering his glorious life as a captain fondly.

@Cordax

and why does race have some sort of fnaf contraption in her stomach

Was that the tripe of '87?!

[Hawkflight]

I thought it was Rukah but that works too

[N01InParticular]

Me and the boys waiting for Nota to get to theorizing

[Ghid]

@N01InParticular

Me and the boys waiting for Nota to get to theorizing

@Cordax

nota we need your help none of us are literate

Now fellas, is that any way to approach this? By making Nota do all the work while you sit back and relax?

There’s no reason why you can’t just as easily theorize about the contents and end up equally as wrong as he is, so get theorizing ya goobers

[Cordax]

ok fine

who's the hf fan now

@Ghid

The statue

my current theory is that ghid mask wants this statue to gain a physical form that isn’t a smoke cloud; it could be its old body or maybe just a new one

I honestly don’t know what’s going on with race (I will try to come up with an explanation later), but I think Rook may be some sort of puppet who gains life or at least mobility when his mask is applied

speaking of the masks, I’m wondering how they were made/what they really do. they seem to give members of the team increased mobility and other powers. we know that Rook needs his to move, Tone can make those sonic pulses with his (or maybe he can do that anyway?), Race’s allows her to go fast (or at least that’s what I can gather from this)

@Ghid

Race became a blur for a moment, tearing up the glamorous carpet as she went

knowing that the ghid mask houses some sort of spirit, the other probably do to which is what gives the team their abilities but I wonder whose spirits are in them

there is a chance that ghid mask and the other masks are completely separate entities too

@Ghid

in the ribs

okokok so this implies that rook has ribs which only makes sense if he is organic and likely human but then why would he have no face and also not be able to move without the mask hmmmmmm

@Ghid

I’m not willing to lose you the way

ok so the masks do let all of the members go fast, but also let Tone do his sonic boom thing. if the dead team member died by going too fast, I think that means that they all have the ability.

also, does the team know why they’re going on the missions? ren seems to be in charge of the group but he’s getting orders from funny ghid mask, which means that the group is left in the dark on why they’re doing what they’re doing. are they getting paid? how did they meet?

even though there’s a lot I don’t understand I really like this so far. keep up the good work ghid

[Ghid]

Now we’re talking

Yeah I'm a hero (nota) factory (hffan) fan

@Cordax

I honestly don’t know what’s going on

Same

@Cordax

I’m wondering how they were made/what they really do. they seem to give members of the team increased mobility and other powers. we know that Rook needs his to move, Tone can make those sonic pulses with his (or maybe he can do that anyway?), Race’s allows her to go fast (or at least that’s what I can gather from this)

Unfortunately the next chapter won’t provide many extra details in regards to the sources of their masks and powers…

…but the next next might

@Cordax

knowing that the ghid mask houses some sort of spirit, the other probably do to which is what gives the team their abilities but I wonder whose spirits are in them

the TTV users who double posted over the years

@Cordax

okokok so this implies that rook has ribs which only makes sense if he is organic and likely human but then why would he have no face and also not be able to move without the mask hmmmmmm

Now there’s the brainrot we like to see falling to pieces over trying to figure out why Ghid wrote something is what we’ve been waiting for that’s what it’s all about woooo

and it’s also what I’ll be doing in two months when I regret everything

@Cordax

if the dead team member died by going too fast,

now that’s interesting. I wonder where I said that?

@Cordax

keep up the good work ghid

you better be real happy I’m confining laptop smash gif to the Bo_ series

[Cordax]

@Ghid

…but the next next might

get writing

hero factory hotline please state the nature of your crisis

@Ghid

falling to pieces over trying to figure out why Ghid wrote something is what we’ve been waiting for that’s what it’s all about woooo

hahaha yeah so funny hahaha I am never going to recover from this

@Ghid

I wonder where I said that?

ok so my logic is that race went fast here

@Ghid

Race became a blur for a moment, tearing up the glamorous carpet as she went

and then later on ren was mad at her for this because its apparently dangerous (maybe the glowing stomach is some kind of warning mechanism for when people go too fast? either that or its related to her industrial intestines) and then says this after race mentions “him” (the previous member who died and ren is trying to bring back)

@Ghid

I’m not willing to lose you the way-

one would assume that he would go on to say “I’m not willing to lose you the way that he died” or something along those lines

therefore, going fast killed ren’s friend

@Ghid

I’m confining laptop smash gif to the Bo_ series

[ChubChub86]

@Ghid

Race’s obnoxious snoring

I don’t have time to read this now but seems good