We Are Our Avatars IV (Uh, closed for real now)
- Thread starter Outisakanobody
- Start date
"Here I am, standing amongst the lives of good people, looking over how they talked, how they fought, how they became close.
And how some of those lives ended in pain.
People that did great things together, but were brought low on their own, falling prey to vice, insanity, loneliness. Those that managed to continue happy lives never crossed that line. They should consider themselves lucky.
But perhaps, in the next cycle, we can revist these people. Both the ones that carry on living happilly, and their less fortunate comrades. The former can spread their good fortune, and a bittersweet ending is not too much to ask for the latter...
...if harmony wills it."
OoC: Thanks guys. I just wanted to make sure I still could do the whole "mentor" thing. And the character that was talking? Well, I know I said I was gonna reprise an exsiting one for thread 5, but I had an idea... maybe save it for the chat group or something?
Jacques's conclusive ending, reposted as requested.
When Jacques Leveque returned to his own world, he found himself back on the country road in the light snow that he had unknowingly crossed over from so many months ago, and his heart was lightened with joy all the way from that obscure wood to the centre of Paris. Here he was amazed to learn that for all the time that had passed in that dead, foreign world, only a few days had gone by in his own, not even enough for him to be missed. It was close, but the day after he arrived back in the city that he loved so dearly, he made it to the meeting that he had set out from Normandy to keep.
He had been there a number of times before, but the sight of the great throne room of Henri-Quatre, Divine ruler of France, always took his breath away and replaced it with patriotic pride. His pirate-like rags done away with, a fresh deep blue doublet and gleaming steel cuirass in their place, he swept off his plumed hat and went to one knee in front of the man on the throne. This fellow was dressed in even finer clothing, and his black hair was swept back and streaked with grey at the temples. He regarded Jacques with an intelligent, amused gaze.
?Capitan Leveque, welcome back to Paris once again, and congratulations on your victory in the channel. I hear it was one of your greatest to date.? He leaned forward on the throne with a slight grin on his face.
?I also heard that you were somewhat late on the road. Ran into some trouble, did you my boy? I hope no bandits waylaid you on the way here. How terrible that would be!? Jacques chuckled. He was fond of the King as well as loyal, but the old man had a strange sense of humour.
?No bandits, Mon liege. There were some... unforeseen circumstances, that slowed me down, but it was nothing that I could not manage in short order.? He replied in a low, confident voice that carried well in the cavernous chamber.
?And now here you are. Well, the day is cold, and this great ice cave is no place to be spending it, so let us get straight to the matter at hand. I believe before you left, you expressed an interest in sailing with some ships of the line for the New World? Hoping to see it for yourself?? At this, Jacques glanced up at the King, and his old devilish grin lit up his face.
?Actually, Mon Liege, I have a new destination for the Craquer in mind...?
He had been there a number of times before, but the sight of the great throne room of Henri-Quatre, Divine ruler of France, always took his breath away and replaced it with patriotic pride. His pirate-like rags done away with, a fresh deep blue doublet and gleaming steel cuirass in their place, he swept off his plumed hat and went to one knee in front of the man on the throne. This fellow was dressed in even finer clothing, and his black hair was swept back and streaked with grey at the temples. He regarded Jacques with an intelligent, amused gaze.
?Capitan Leveque, welcome back to Paris once again, and congratulations on your victory in the channel. I hear it was one of your greatest to date.? He leaned forward on the throne with a slight grin on his face.
?I also heard that you were somewhat late on the road. Ran into some trouble, did you my boy? I hope no bandits waylaid you on the way here. How terrible that would be!? Jacques chuckled. He was fond of the King as well as loyal, but the old man had a strange sense of humour.
?No bandits, Mon liege. There were some... unforeseen circumstances, that slowed me down, but it was nothing that I could not manage in short order.? He replied in a low, confident voice that carried well in the cavernous chamber.
?And now here you are. Well, the day is cold, and this great ice cave is no place to be spending it, so let us get straight to the matter at hand. I believe before you left, you expressed an interest in sailing with some ships of the line for the New World? Hoping to see it for yourself?? At this, Jacques glanced up at the King, and his old devilish grin lit up his face.
?Actually, Mon Liege, I have a new destination for the Craquer in mind...?
Jacques stood at the bowsprit of his Galleon as the bow lanced through the water far below, and enjoyed the fine sea spray on his face and the sun beating down on his neck. Leaning forward, he glanced down into blue waters even more beautiful than those of the Caribbean.
?Ah, now this truly is living!? He laughed to himself. Under his breath, he continued- ?If I am to live forever, this may well be the way I would choose to spend eternity.? At that moment he was brought out of his ruminations by the call from a mate up in the crow?s nest.
?Land ho!? The words sent a thrill through Jacques, both of excitement, and a little greed. He was a privateer after all. Within 20 minutes, the first sight of land could be seen from the deck as well, and Jacques scrutinised the red soil on the coast with interest.
?So this is it then. This is where I may win fortune and glory to keep me amused for my long years.? He muttered to himself. ?What was it that Scout called this land... ah, yes. Australia.?
?Ah, now this truly is living!? He laughed to himself. Under his breath, he continued- ?If I am to live forever, this may well be the way I would choose to spend eternity.? At that moment he was brought out of his ruminations by the call from a mate up in the crow?s nest.
?Land ho!? The words sent a thrill through Jacques, both of excitement, and a little greed. He was a privateer after all. Within 20 minutes, the first sight of land could be seen from the deck as well, and Jacques scrutinised the red soil on the coast with interest.
?So this is it then. This is where I may win fortune and glory to keep me amused for my long years.? He muttered to himself. ?What was it that Scout called this land... ah, yes. Australia.?
Jacques rode at a leisurely pace through the gardens of his fine estate. It was early in the morning, and a fine mist shrouded the great manor that he had built for himself near the harbour, as well as the ships bobbing in the sheltered cove. He could hear their bells chiming idly in the breeze, and the sound lulled him. Couleuvrine, stiff kneed and dull coated now, nibbled at the carefully cultivated grass on the expansive lawn that was made damp by the morning dew and spray from a large marble fountain as Jacques planned the day ahead, he had to inspect some of the most lucrative mines in his operation that had hit a lull in their production. At that moment, however, his stomach clenched and his sinuses began to burn, a sensation that he had only felt a small number of times throughout history, but one that he knew only too well. His eyes narrowed and he peered into the mist, looking for what he already knew to be there. He didn?t have long to wait, as a hulking figure materialised out of the mist, swaggering towards him. The man had long black hair, was dressed in a black leather jerkin and chainmail that didn?t fit with the custom of the time, either for nobles or peasants. An enormous, ugly scar stretched right across his throat, and his black eyes blazed with malice. A zweihander with a spiked handgrip hung loosely in his right hand.
?Good to see one of our own doing so well for himself.? The figure laughed, in a deep, rasping voice, as though he had had his vocal cords severely damaged at one point. ?Maybe I?ll see about taking a share of your riches, after I?ve taken your head of course.? Jacques gritted his teeth.
?I know you.? He hissed. ?You were the one who killed the Spaniard back in 1543! The barbarian spawn of the Kurgan tribe!? The Kurgan grinned, showing a mouthful of pointed teeth.
?The very same.? Jacques drew his gleaming rapier with a flourish and spurred Couleuvrine onwards.
?You?ll not defile this place as you did the highlands! Hya!? He and his loyal charger bore down on their enemy, but before Jacques could swing, the Kurgan sprang to one side, lashing out with his zweihander as he did so. The heavy blade tore through Couleuvrine?s right foreleg and deep into his flank, and would have taken Jacques? leg if he hadn?t whipped it from the stirrup in the nick of time. The noble horse crashed to the ground screaming and thrashing in agony, and Jacques was thrown clear. He immediately came to his feet, his eyes blazing.
?Good to see one of our own doing so well for himself.? The figure laughed, in a deep, rasping voice, as though he had had his vocal cords severely damaged at one point. ?Maybe I?ll see about taking a share of your riches, after I?ve taken your head of course.? Jacques gritted his teeth.
?I know you.? He hissed. ?You were the one who killed the Spaniard back in 1543! The barbarian spawn of the Kurgan tribe!? The Kurgan grinned, showing a mouthful of pointed teeth.
?The very same.? Jacques drew his gleaming rapier with a flourish and spurred Couleuvrine onwards.
?You?ll not defile this place as you did the highlands! Hya!? He and his loyal charger bore down on their enemy, but before Jacques could swing, the Kurgan sprang to one side, lashing out with his zweihander as he did so. The heavy blade tore through Couleuvrine?s right foreleg and deep into his flank, and would have taken Jacques? leg if he hadn?t whipped it from the stirrup in the nick of time. The noble horse crashed to the ground screaming and thrashing in agony, and Jacques was thrown clear. He immediately came to his feet, his eyes blazing.
?You?ll pay for that, bastarde abominable!? He spat. The Kurgan merely flourished his sword, opened his jaws and stuck his tongue out insultingly, trying to intimidate Jacques. The captain responded with a sudden lunge into range, sweeping his sword in a backhanded motion at his enemy?s throat. The Kurgan raised his sword and they met in a clash of metal and showering sparks. Deftly flicking his wide blade, he knocked the rapier aside and aimed a broad arc at Jacques, but he ducked it with ease and thrust his blade straight through the barbarian?s heart. The Kurgan stumbled back, gasping in pain, but rcovered quickly and parried yet another blow. Closing again and again, they traded strikes and chops, parries, feints and lunges, some maeuvres meant to trick or wound, others intended to kill. These lethal blows always sought the same target. It was clear that Jacques was the much faster, nimbler combatant, but the Kurgan was just as experienced and skilled with his weapon as Jacques was with his, and he was much stronger. This, combined with the weight of the zweihander, meant that Jacques found himself trying to duck, sidestep or leap back as often as actually trying to parry the heavy blade. Nonetheless, he darted in and out of the Kurgan?s reach with ease, avoiding the deadly steel beam and striking again and again. A flap of skin peeled away from the Kurgan?s cheek. A deep black hole lanced through his thigh. Another pierced his solar plexus. The big man was growing pale with rage and pain, and his swings were becoming more erratic every time.
As Jacques sprang back after delivering the stab to the lung, the Kurgan swung wildly at him. He missed cleanly and the zweihander went wide out to his right, leaving his chest and neck exposed. Jacques?s heart soared in triumph as he came down lightly on his back foot, just a few inches away from where Couleuvrine now lay still, his spreading blood staining the grass and his fur, before springing forward with his blade raised for the final decisive chop. As he brought it around, however, the Kurgan lashed out with his free left hand and seized his wrist before twisting it painfully. The rapier dropped from his fingers to the grass as the Kurgan headbutted him, making him see stars, before swinging him by the arm and hurling him into the side of the classically sculpted fountain, knocking the wind out of him. He shook his head to recover his vision and ignored the pain in his back as his eyes fixed on the rapier several feet away.
Before he could take a step however, the zweihander swung towards him in a horizontal arc and struck so hard that it?s blade bit deep into the marble. Jacques?s eyes bulged from their sockets.
The Kurgan chuckled throatily as he let go of the hilt, the blade lodged firmly enough in the rock that it would need several good tugs to pull it out. He watched as Jacques stood stiff, as though frozen in place. Then, as if in slow motion, his head lolled gradually to one side, before dropping loose with the wet slick of flesh coming unstuck from metal. A moment later, his knees buckled, and his body fell beside it. There was silence for a moment, then all hell broke loose. Thunder flashed from his decapitated stump and engulfed the Kurgan, who roared jubilantly. Couleuvrine?s body was hurled away across the lawn. The water in the fountain bubbled, and the fountain itself exploded in a shower of broken stonework and rubble. The zweihander flew through the air shortly before being seized on the fly by its owner, still roaring in triumph as lightning rippled across his body. Then, as quickly as it began, silence fell again. The Quickening was complete, and the Kurgan stared pitilessly down at the remains of the ship Captain who had once been a Crusader, who had visited another world, who had once been immortal.
?There can be only one.? He growled, then chuckled deeply and turned away, sauntering off into the mist of the dawn.
There can be only one.
Before he could take a step however, the zweihander swung towards him in a horizontal arc and struck so hard that it?s blade bit deep into the marble. Jacques?s eyes bulged from their sockets.
The Kurgan chuckled throatily as he let go of the hilt, the blade lodged firmly enough in the rock that it would need several good tugs to pull it out. He watched as Jacques stood stiff, as though frozen in place. Then, as if in slow motion, his head lolled gradually to one side, before dropping loose with the wet slick of flesh coming unstuck from metal. A moment later, his knees buckled, and his body fell beside it. There was silence for a moment, then all hell broke loose. Thunder flashed from his decapitated stump and engulfed the Kurgan, who roared jubilantly. Couleuvrine?s body was hurled away across the lawn. The water in the fountain bubbled, and the fountain itself exploded in a shower of broken stonework and rubble. The zweihander flew through the air shortly before being seized on the fly by its owner, still roaring in triumph as lightning rippled across his body. Then, as quickly as it began, silence fell again. The Quickening was complete, and the Kurgan stared pitilessly down at the remains of the ship Captain who had once been a Crusader, who had visited another world, who had once been immortal.
?There can be only one.? He growled, then chuckled deeply and turned away, sauntering off into the mist of the dawn.
There can be only one.
OOC: @All: Going to reopen the thread for a general free-for-all type thing. You wanna hang around and RP in a more casual manner? Go ahead. And have fun.
The blastoise turned towards Rex, and Began spewing water in his direction. Unfortunately at that point several Digletts popped out to attack his group, and they took the shot for Rex. The other pokemon began attacking Cohen, pelting him with rocks and messing with his sense of direction. several of the flying types dive bombed in, trying to shake him up.
-----
Lyra had her 3 short claws ejected, and pointed at the man. "Our buddy was captured during one of our hunts. You let us have him, and we'll happily leave you and your town alone."
The man chuckled. "So team Rocket is back in action after all. You'll have to beat my team if you want your buddies. Go Raichu!" A huge electric rat sprang from the ball he tossed in the air, jumping out and getting ready to fire off a thunderbolt.
OoC: Hey everybody, just going to drag this over from the impromptu RP in our OOC group chat. If you weren't participating in that event, just ask away and I'll do my best to explain what's happened so far. So go ahead, join in, lets get this going!
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Lyra had her 3 short claws ejected, and pointed at the man. "Our buddy was captured during one of our hunts. You let us have him, and we'll happily leave you and your town alone."
The man chuckled. "So team Rocket is back in action after all. You'll have to beat my team if you want your buddies. Go Raichu!" A huge electric rat sprang from the ball he tossed in the air, jumping out and getting ready to fire off a thunderbolt.
OoC: Hey everybody, just going to drag this over from the impromptu RP in our OOC group chat. If you weren't participating in that event, just ask away and I'll do my best to explain what's happened so far. So go ahead, join in, lets get this going!
The Blastoise tracks Rex as he flies through the air, but stopped when it became obviously futile. It then pulled itself into the shell and began spinning rapidly, tossing out clods of earth. It began tracking after Rex, swinging in to hit him.
The pokemon began to pull back from Cohen, switching more and more to a rock based attack. some of the psychic types began using their minds to pull at his shield, doing their best to remove it from his arm and leave him open for strikes.
----
Lyra held up her hands. "I really don't want this to get violent buddy. We won't bother you again. I don't know who the hell that team rocket crew you mentioned are, but I promise that we'll leave this country alone once we have him."
The pokemon began to pull back from Cohen, switching more and more to a rock based attack. some of the psychic types began using their minds to pull at his shield, doing their best to remove it from his arm and leave him open for strikes.
----
Lyra held up her hands. "I really don't want this to get violent buddy. We won't bother you again. I don't know who the hell that team rocket crew you mentioned are, but I promise that we'll leave this country alone once we have him."
At this point, the trainers wisely pull back, not wanting to lose anymore of their teammates to the homicidal maniac that was Cohen. The only group left was the Blastoise, who pumped several shots of Hydro Pump after him, missing each time. Eventually, he concentrated the fire, spewing a constant stream that connected him with Rex. Dex meanwhile was holding fire with his tranq rifle, and looking for anymore targets that might decide they want to get involved. None were forthcoming.
Surge chuckled again. "You aren't getting away that easily Rocket. Raichu, Use thunderbolt!" The Raichu sent out a flash of thunder, crackling forward to catch Lyra.
Ooc: Good god that is a bright yellow. Any suggestions on other colors?
Surge chuckled again. "You aren't getting away that easily Rocket. Raichu, Use thunderbolt!" The Raichu sent out a flash of thunder, crackling forward to catch Lyra.
Ooc: Good god that is a bright yellow. Any suggestions on other colors?
Rex is pushed back by the huge stream of water surging towards him.
His chain begins to rattle wildly.
As if in response to it, Rex quietly says [sub] "Shut up... I don't need you right now..."[/sub]
Rex calms himself as the stream of water shoves him where it may.
OoC: Try "GoldenRod"?
His chain begins to rattle wildly.
As if in response to it, Rex quietly says [sub] "Shut up... I don't need you right now..."[/sub]
Rex calms himself as the stream of water shoves him where it may.
OoC: Try "GoldenRod"?
OoC: @Demon Nice call.
The blastoise turns to the new combatant, its spewing water forgotten, and Rex falls the rest of the way down to the ground, which is thankfully the harbor. It swings out with one fist, catching his shield in a brick break attack.
The blastoise turns to the new combatant, its spewing water forgotten, and Rex falls the rest of the way down to the ground, which is thankfully the harbor. It swings out with one fist, catching his shield in a brick break attack.