BungeeBall

Just curious, why before i17 hits?

I have a dream and in that dream I'm wearing a tutu and eating ice cream....

But enough about my therapy issues.

On Sunday May 2 at 3:30EST I am holding a walking tour of the Eden trial. Even though I love that trial I can't think of anyone that has run the thing without flying past all the mobs on the way down to the Wall.

So I will be running the trial with no travel powers. We will fall through the holes, fight the mobs and make our way through the incredible expanse as one.

I'm curious to see if one team working smartly can finish Eden in the time allowed.

We will of course be using shivs and nukes on the Titan at the end but if you don't have either please still feel free to come since there will be more than enough already.

Was orginally going to run it this Sunday but something else has come up to agro my time.

Hope to see you all there, make sure to pack a picnic lunch and resole your shoes. Its going to be quite the hike.

Happy Birthday!

They came on the mornings first light. That last first light.

I saw the second of them fall from the stars into my City. Crashing into a mountain that had withstood the ravages of time up until that moment.

The First of the Three had woken me from the arms of my lover. I staggered to the balcony overlooking my City in time for the second.

I never found out who they were or what they wanted. Though I didn’t have much time to ask them at the moment I have spent my exile wondering where they are now.

Wondering if they know what they stole from me.

I wonder if they could hear the screams of my people, my planet perish. Locked in stasis I could only imagine it. Although some nights I wake in a sweat thinking I can.

I pray each time it was quick for them and vow again that I shall make it linger for their killers.

As I came upon the Second of the Three in that crater that was a mountain I thought it had to be some rock from above. Something that had made it past our early warning systems. Some horrible accident that was unavoidable.

Then I saw him. Standing in the centre of the rubble. Unscathed by the destruction. Even his white suit seemed to glisten in the sun. I stood there for a moment, my last of peace and called out to him. Some stranger from afar. Perhaps he had been hurt.

At that moment he turned to me and seemed to truly notice me for the first time.

I never saw the blow that hit me. It was as if the wind itself had blasted me away from the crater into the City proper.

Crashing through buildings I had sworn to protect I heard the first of many screams that day.

It was that moment the Third of the Three descended. Crashing into the City itself, creating a crater like the mountain before it.

As my world’s protector I had faced many threats before. Always managing to find a way to win.

Some could be reasoned with, some could be threatened, some could be destroyed.

When the third one struck me I bled. I recall that clearly even now. I felt the blow without seeing and tasted the bitter tang of my blood in my mouth.
Such a curious sensation.

Through rubble that was moments ago my beautiful City I rushed at them. Blocking out cries for help and despair at what had already been lost that day.

I struck out at the third, blind rage consuming me. Turning me more animal than man.

Again and again, blow after blow I attacked him.

The ground itself shook as I wailed down on him. Pounding him further and further into the dirt.

My arms grew weary and my fist ached and I stopped to look down at what I had done.

He gazed back up at me. Not fazed. Not even angry.

It was one of my last clear memories of that day.

His face was the one of perfect serenity. At peace with everything even as he lay there before me with not a scratch on him. Or his glistening white suit.

Then it was his turn.

The first hit broke my arm. Something I had not experience since a child climbing in the orchards that once lay just outside my fathers farm.

The next broke my right leg, snapping it like kindling.

After that the assault turned viscous. The First of the Three had arrived in the City and joined the others in attacking me.

Try as I might I couldn’t even hit one again.

I finally collapsed before them, I welcomed the blackness that swallowed me. If only to blot out the screams from the dieing around me. The screams shouting for a saviour.

Shouting for me.

………………………….

The light woke me. It was a light that was off somehow.

For a moment I thought it was nothing but a bad dream, some horrible nightmare that caused everything to feel off.

I kept my eyes closed and went to feel beside me for my love.

The pain was my answer.

I was in space. In perfect orbit over my world. My lovely green.

The Three were up there with me.

Working as one they attached me to a massive rock in orbit around my world. Bolting me onto it with manacles at every joint.

The last one they attached was the broken arm. Snapping it again to get it into place.

I tried to shout out at them, to defy them even now.

That was when they did the most horrible thing they had yet. They made me watch.

They turned the rock to face my world, to watch its destruction.

Leaving me in space on my makeshift tomb they descended again and again.

Over and over they pounded my world from orbit.

I could see tiny explosions play out beneath me. Each a moment of chaos and destruction.

When I could bare to watch no more they rose as one.

Each taking position over the ruins of my planet. Forming a triangle around it.

They dove once more, the final surge of an evil day.

My worlds last.

I saw the explosions where they impacted, the ripple effect cascading throughout oceans and land.

If a scream could travel through space they would have heard it. Heard what I would do to them one day.

But it can’t. The emptiness of space swallowed my anguish.

Then my world exploded before me.

Hurtling me away attached still to my granite slab.

…………………………..

I’m not sure how long I drifted like that.

The devices attaching me to the rock denied me even the sweet release of death.

I watched as I hurtled through the stars. Past planets and moons, through asteroid belts and all the wonders of the cosmos.

Through it all I felt the pain. My bones stayed in permanent broken limbo, my bruises and cuts refusing to close.

And throughout all of it I tasted my own blood on my lips.

The tang of it choking me. Reminding me of my failure.

…………………….


It was another dawn that woke me. Coming into range of another planet, one of many I had passed since that last day.

This time though I was caught in its orbit, spinning slowly closer and closer to its atmosphere.

Finally falling towards this new blue planet.

Impacting on a frozen wasteland I managed a silent thanks that at least I hadn’t destroyed anyone in my impact.

If I was to remain a prisoner forever at least I was to do so here in this land of ice rather than hurtling though space.

I drifted off into unconsciousness amid the howling winds.

…………………..

I awoke this time to the sound of voices, people rushing about this way and that.

Dressed in gear to keep out the cold these people that dwarfed my size circled around me. One gasped in a language I didn’t understand. I repeated the words said over and over in my mind.

Trying to hold onto something, anything to keep me sane.

They looked at my makeshift chains and started to work on cutting them.

I do not know what this world is.

Who these people are that will free me.

They will know me though, as their defender.

Each light from now to the end I shall help to ensure they see.

Where once I failed I shall succeed.

I shall be their protector!

Thanks guys.

Was thinking of writing more stories from the various members of The Off Shoots, my version of the JLA.

Some are darker than others, some have horrible origin stories while others just do this for the kicks.

I usually don't name them in the stories but I'm curious if you can figure out who is who. I don't want to be too obvious when I write about them, just enough for those that know my heroes to get an extra inside glimpse into their psyche.

And if you don't then hopefully the stories stand on their own legs.

He’s out there, in the darkness watching.

Studying my every move. Looking for weaknesses.

I can feel his eyes on me even now perched atop this roof analyzing the scene playing out below. I can hear his silent comments playing in his head. Critiquing my form or my manner of approach.

Below me in the alley several of the Outcasts are nearly finished their deal. The portable mic built into my suit picks up every word below as if I was standing next to them

Have to say this about my “Protector” he does somehow manage to always have the latest in gadgets at his disposal. Have to ask him someday how he does it.

The meeting below is about to break up. That’s my cue.

“Always have a plan”

That rule has been beaten into me for over a year now. Sometimes literally.

When I first told him I was going to follow in his steps. Wear the mask. Avenge those that had fallen he hit me.

Not light and gentle. Not like scolding a child. He hit me as hard as I had ever been hit before.

His hands moved like lightening and struck three times that I could count and a fourth that I didn’t even feel from the shock.

As I lay there on the ground crying he walk away and said, “We are not made of ice or stone. We do not have the luxury of rebooting like a machine. We are flesh and so much blood. What you feel right now, the pain, the fear will happen so much more if you choose to follow me.”

Then he tossed me a towel to wipe my face with and helped me to my feet.

“Still. The choice is yours”

I haven’t had a decent nights sleep since then.

Each night from then to now has been preparation.

Making my body stronger. My mind quicker.

It wasn’t until I was 8 months into the martial arts training that I managed to block a blow of his. Ten until I was able to counter with an attack of my own that landed.
I thought he would be proud when I tagged him finally. Like the father he wasn’t.

He never once said a word of approval though. Just went back to training harder and longer.

Its funny that I learned more about the use of makeup from him than I had from my own mother. Early on he taught me how to hide the bruises.

It was something he had to do each day as well.

I caught him once before he headed out to the world at large. Dressed in his shiny Armani, gold star affixed at the hip. He was trying to cover up a massive blue welt on the cheek. No matter what amount of concealer he applied it still showed.

Finally he wiped it off and asked me to step into the room. I hated how he always knew I was there.

He told me to scratch his face on the side that wasn’t already hit. The look on my face told him the silent question.

“Your cover is everything. Details are never to be missed.”

I ran my nails across his face and winced at the blood each drew.

As I left him there I overhead him going over his story about the wild girl with the temper he had met last night.

…………..

Back in the alley I hear the final details of the plot. The last bit of information I was sent to retrieve.

I could go back to the Cave now but I want to show these hooligans that there is a new crime fighter in the city.

I take out my bow and carefully nock an arrow into place.

Just as I’m about to let fly a copter circles overhead nearly giving away my position. I freeze in place. Studying the faces looking up below.

Can they see me? No, if they did they would have run or opened fire by now.

I remain unmoving. The bow held taut. I can stay like this for 37 minutes….


…………………..

It was on my first year anniversary of training that he gave it to me. My first bow

He said that after watching me move I should stick to this. Gives me range. Gives me options in the field. Gives me an exit strategy.

My nightly sparing gave way to target practice. The ways a well placed arrow could disable or maim.

I was amazed to see how a precise shot could even take out a mech or escape vehicle.

In time I was even allowed to use arrows he had tricked out for me. His somehow endless funds and limitless access to weaponry let him outfit me with enough fire power to take on a Mothership if need be.

Not that he ever let me try in those early days. I never even got the chance to go on patrol with him. Always in the Cave. Always with the safety’s on the training systems.

It was in my 14 month of training that I snapped.

“I want to go out and fight crime now! Not waste away in this damp, ugly Cave forever!”

He didn’t even look up from his computer he was hunched over. Analyzing some new threat or case. He simply said, “Gear up.”

My moment of elation at those words became confusion when he was still sitting there 30 minutes later.

Finally I broke, “When are we going?”

“Now.” He stood up and strode across the room to the target range and up to a new item he had added. How did he manage to put that in without me noticing.

It was a bow exactly like mine. Only attached to its handle was a blinking device of some kind.

“Pick it up”

I did so with flourish, thinking it was some new toy he was giving me on my first night out.

In front of me three targets appeared. One directly in front, two on either side.

“Aim at the centre target and fire.”

Bulls eye!

“Do the same on the left target.”

I let go a smirk at him. All too easy I thought.

As I turned the bow to aim at the other target a sudden pain shot through my arm. Like I had been stabbed in the shoulder and hand. I let go of the bow and it clattered to the ground.

He simply picked up the bow, adjusted the device attached and handed it back to me.

“What you felt was a mild electrical jolt. Set at level 1 it merely causes a great deal of pain. Set at level 10 and it will incapacitate you for a great deal of time.”

I looked at the device on the handle. It read level 10.

“Take aim at the centre target again. Once you do if you move the bow an inch in any direction you will get the shock.”

I stared at him. Lost for words.

“Do it or quit.”

I did it out of pure spite I know now. I wasn’t going to let him cheat me out of what I had worked for this long.

I notched the arrow and pulled it back. Waiting for the order to fire.

That’s when he went and stood between me and the target.

Just as I was about to bring the arrow back to resting place he warned me.

“If you move the bow the shock will go off. If you don’t release the arrow the shock will go off. The only way it won’t is to hold it taut like that. Or fire it at me.”

With that he turned his back and took out a portable computer device he had in his pocket. Going to work again on the solution to whatever issue was troubling him before I had started this.

He never said a word to me as I yelled at him.

How this was unfair.

How he never believed in me or let me help in anything.

I thought about a lot of things as I held on.

My arm was tensing up. My face was white and sweaty from the pain and stress.

It was around the ten minute mark that I knew I was done.

I screamed at him to move.

I pleaded with him to help me.

He never even turned his head once during it all.

When I finally let go of the arrow I closed my eyes in fear of what I was doing. I collapsed on the floor afraid to look at what I had done.

As I opened them I saw him standing there. Arrow in his hand. Staring down at me.

To this day I have no idea how he managed to avoid it. Let alone catch it.

His voice wasn’t angry or scolding.

“Now you know your limits. Next we push them.”

…………….

Crouched on the roof top arm held stiffly I see the crowd below start to relax again and I think back to how he helped to push my limits after that night.

How he helped to prepare me for this night. My first solo assignment.

I look back now and realize that it was all to get me to this point.

All the pain and suffering he made me endure. All the training and rules.

All the lessons learned with bruises and blood.

Everything to get me to now.

I hope he’s still out there in the darkness watching me.

Its going to be one heck of a show!

I take aim at the leader and let go a flurry of arrows.

Time this Falcon flew!

I love Protector because of its people.

We may be smaller than some of the others but we have an amazing team here.

While it seems that some of the other servers tend to have alot of infighting Protector is one large (slightly dysfunctional) family.

We may not always agree with everything that everyone is saying but we always can come together to achieve some of the truly insane things that help to make this game great.

From New Player Welcome Nights to forum games we never miss a chance to help out each other and thats why I love Protector.

Other servers ask why do something, Protector says "LETS DO IT!"

And also " Can we do it in style"

Followed by, "Not the face! Not the face!"

And thats what makes Protector great.

Welcome to Protector!

Hope you enjoy your stay. If you need any inf I have low, low introductory rates and my leg benders are the finest this side of Grandville.

If you ever need a hand just send a tell to @Ishmael.

Hmmm..

So I enter a mission and I have to fight myself?

I can't see this ending well for either one of us.

Happy B-Day!!

Happy Birthday!!!

Very cool!