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16th Rankings Tournament – Day 0 – 7:40 PM BGM He could’ve gotten there himself with his powers, that was already apparent, but at the same time Energex really wanted to enjoy the “lap of luxury” as he called it. After all, one couldn’t just turn down any chance to be driven in a limousine and directed to where he wanted to go. Life couldn’t be better, one could say. Looking out the window, he could see himself in the reflection, taking a moment to really appreciate the outfit that HypePro provided him. It really felt like it was tailor made for him… which is when he remembered… oh yeah it was. This revelation made him smirk, shaking his head as he couldn’t believe he missed that small detail… like it was a huge one. Like, where else would he have gotten an outfit like this for a red carpet appearance. Even if the past ten years gave him plenty of chances to have this happen, even him just turning thirty, Energex still could never get used to it. He glanced down at his watch, before nodding. It seemed like it was time for him to start the show… Putting his mask on, Energex tapped on his phone and soon… “What’s up everybody? Energex comin’ at ya live and bringin’ that energy!” Energex flashed a smile, giving a two fingered salute. “We are moments away from the red carpet of the 16th Rankings Tournament! Where yours truly is aiming for that top dog spot… X!” He watched as the comments started pouring in, the love and hype felt in each one. “You’ll be gettin’ a front row seat to the festivities tonight. So let’s get the Energy Pumpin’!!” An immediate wave of various emotes and emojis came across various comments on the stream, definitely pumping the energy up as it were. The vehicle seemed to slow it's momentum, pulling up to the event… meaning it was truly showtime. “Showtime folks… let’s get to it.” The door handle was pulled and the door opened, and the lights and flashes from the paparazzi were seen. He adjusted his outfit, exiting the vehicle as he started giving the adoring fans out there another two fingered salute. From what he could see, there were only a handful of heroes ahead of him: Riot Canon, Red Light, Étoile Prima, and Absolution. It sounded about right that these were the ones in front… though it was apparent Match wasn’t there yet. There went conversing with his Ranking Neighbor and self-made rival. But it's not like he could deal with all that right now… especially with the countless amounts of paparazzi and questions being rapidly fired at him. Ah the life of a hero… “Energex! What are the chances of you actually slowing down with your movements during the tournament to where we can actually follow the action?” “I doubt it. You can't just slow a moving object that easily when it's in motion, ya know.” he laughed, waving his hand dismissively. “But with the Rankings Tournament and how the Hero Commission is, I'd wager they'd have something to slow down the footage. Just have to wait and see.” “Are the rumors of you dating a reporter true?” “I'd LOVE to know where you guys are getting your information there.” Energex laughed. “Nah, those rumors are false. Still single as they come…” He paused, winking at his phone and the stream. “And the ladies know I'm always down to mingle.” This was obviously met with many comments with various hearts and other love like emotes. “What are your thoughts on your rumbles with villains that have caused more damage around the city than you anticipated? Are you setting a good example for your fans like this?” “I'm fully aware of what my dealings with various villains cause…” Energex stated. “Don't forget, I do try to fix whatever damages I can, without trying to put others out of a job. But I believe I'm still a good role model for any of my fans. After all, I'm showing them that anyone can help out whenever someone needs it.” “Do you have any words of wisdom to give to your adoring fans?” A small pause came to Energex when he heard this question. Of course, he knew the best words of wisdom to give them. “Words of wisdom, eh? I got just the ones for you… pay it forward, help however you can. Everyone has the ability to help those around them, I truly believe. It just takes people to take action and do what needs to be done.” 16th Rankings Tournament – Day 0 – 7:57 PM It seemed like the Gala was truly springing to life, as the last hero before the head honcho of the Top Ten, the Brave, showed. And all the while, while Energex mingled as best he could, the HypePro livestream he had going on was still in full swing. He was true to his word, they were getting a front row seat to the Gala, and he enjoyed giving them that immediate view. Though it was strange… where was Maestro's limousine? The Hero X was never late, least not that he ever saw. Energex simply tapped his phone, setting up a poll to engage with his fans on stream. “Poll time, everyone. Is X stuck in traffic or did he sleep in? Poll will be up for a couple min-...” he paused, noticing Jesticar arriving on the center stage. Now this was truly unorthodox… “Esteemed heroes and guests, the commission has an emergency announcement. We regret that we were not able to release this information sooner, as things have developed quickly and information has been incredibly limited…” What was this jester on about at this moment? What could have happened within just a few moments like this? Was there an immediate and surprise attack that occurred? Normally something like that would've been brought up to him immediately, so Energex did doubt it was something like that. So what was the issue then? The amount of scenarios that could've been ran through his mind… but not one of them could've been what was brought forth by this clown. “X, the hero Maestro, was found dead in his penthouse in Hero Tower earlier today. While we cannot release further information at this time, we feel obligated to inform you all that our forensic experts suggest foul play was involved. There are a handful of suspects, but it has been decided that the investigation will not proceed until the rankings tournament has concluded.” Energex stood there, hearing the crowd erupt in confusion around him, and yet, he fell silent. His eyes fixated on this clown hero, then he glanced at the ones that were here. Each hero seemed to have their own methods of dealing with this tragic news… especially Bahamut, who seemed to want to go all grandiose with his little stunt there. Though he couldn't blame the dragon hero… he was trying to quell the confusion and the like. However, for him… Energex for the first time, simply cut his livestream off with no warning, letting his moderator team deal with everything. Right now, he felt…

OOC Thread 16th Rankings Tournament – Day 0 – 7:35 PM Étoile Prima sat in the back of her limousine, her eyes closed and her body perfectly still. For a model with a thousand memorable poses, this was the one she had best mastered. Her body was like a statue, completely motionless yet without a single muscle tense. Stylists from Axis leaned before her, performing final touches to her hair and makeup. Her arms were held at full length, carefully woven around her associates so that a further two stylists could polish her nails and adjust her carefully-chosen jewelry. While several of the top ten heroes had managed to surpass her in popularity, and therefore strength, this was the one axis upon which she knew she could never be matched. After all, this beauty and serenity was innate to her, and she carried it even when the number hovering at her wrist was zero. She could remember the sound of the rain hitting the street, the pain of hunger in her stomach, dear god the hunger was intolerable. She remembered her eyes fixed firmly downward, as she could no longer bear to watch people walk by a beggar in the gutter. The downtrodden gaze is what allowed her to see for herself as her Trust Value went from 0 to 1. The visual indication was matched with a feeling she hadn’t felt in months, like she could do anything, be anything. She felt weightless. It was only a second later when she learned the source of trust, as a wealthy-appearing man approached her, told her she was beautiful, and offered her a job, telling her that she could be a hero. Yes. The factor that turned a girl from a stain on the tapestry of the city into one of the most recognized icons in history, what made her into X and gave her staying power in the top 10 even as her other contemporaries fell out of vogue went far beyond trust, far beyond the spring of power that greased the gears of society. Her beauty was her own, and it lifted her from the dreaded hunger of her youth. “...Six… Five… Four…” She could feel the countdown of her on-site director, as it pulled her out of the miasma of the past. It was time for her to show everyone what she could do when she was at her absolute strongest, in her home environment. “...Three… Two… One…” Liftoff Her eyes open in perfect unison with the door, just as had been rehearsed dozens – no, hundreds of times over the past weeks. Her strategy was perfect, to use her overwhelming presence to eek out every ounce of trust possible. While Axis had their doubts, she knew this was her opportunity to reattain her previous position, or at least to become second rank once again. As her body lifted off the seat, she could practically feel the muck from the pavement all those years ago, sticking to her dress and holding her back, but with a short breath the inhibition dissolved, as she lightly pushed off to glide out of the limo and onto the red carpet for the Rankings Tournament Gala. Center of Gravity Her outfit was constructed especially for this event, and deliberately called back to the costume that she debuted in over a decade ago. A frilled blue dress with matching bonnet, stuffed with cotton so that even if viewed from below as she glided through the air it would invoke a weightless cloud rather than demonstrate a shred of immodesty. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that the outfit was constructed to make her seem more youthful, as she crested the greater half of her thirties, but the regality with which she wore it dispelled any possible notion of immaturity. Given her current position of rank 8, two heroes had preceded Étoile Prima. The Rank 9 Hero and the Rank 10 Heroes were pretty famous for being rough, tumble, and unruly, to the point that they had both had conflict with their original agencies and defected to the Guild. “Pathetic,” she murmured under her breath as she glided forward, six inches above the ground, her lips not moving a micrometer as every photo flash, from every angle, miraculously managed to show her best side. She had been told before that her greatest strength as both a model and a hero was that she truly had no bad side, not a single impurity before the eye of the camera. Compared to the ranks nine and ten, who Étoile was sure had managed to track mud onto the beautiful red carpet, she knew she was leaving a breathtaking impression on the crowd. And so, without a sliver of doubt, she kept her eyes trained before her, never again to look down in shame. Similarly, she had no interest in looking back as the other heroes arrived. There were a handful of shakeups since the last rankings tournament, but they were not of her concern, not tonight. She would be briefed by her agents on whomever she was to face in the coming days. Tonight was her opportunity to be at her absolute most powerful, gliding through space and shining brilliantly as the press surrounded her, giving her increasingly provocative questions so that they could get the most favourable scoop of the evening. “Who designed your outfit tonight??” “The esteemed Gong Yaozu, of course. I will be debuting a consumer-level line in partnership with him in two weeks, to celebrate the results of this tournament.” “How do you feel about the high rankings of so many heroes from the Catalyst Forge?” “While I admire my contemporaries, I am concerned that the Forge values moldability over dedication.” “What do you have to say about rumors that you are dating another woman?” “My personal matters being just that, I assure you that my greatest focus will always be my career.” “Analysts predict that your rank will fall once again in this tournament, as it has in the past three. The gap between your trust value and that of the as-of-yet unaffiliated Rank 11 Hero Yi Chang is now less than 1 million. Do you have a plan to reclaim the greatness of your younger days?” This question was the first to make Étoile Prima falter. The reporter was right, Yi Chang was only a hair away from the Rank 10 Ruffians, and thus only a handful of hairs away from Prima's own level. The further one got from Maestro, The Brave, and Bahamut, the more competitive things were. After an agonizing half-second pause, Étoile Prima smiled gently, blinking her forest green eyes slowly before making eye contact with the journalist. “I feel that my beauty and grace have only increased with age, and I have every reason to believe that I am coming back into style.” It wasn’t long after this that Prima made use of her ability to free herself from the constraints of gravity to float above the rest of the crowd. She looked across the crowded floor to the edge, seeing The Brave enter the room with its stilted, annoyingly regal gait. It was the only hero whom Étoile Prima thought may have rehearsed something as simple as walking quite as much as she had. Even still, the dedication was something she admired in spite of her misgivings with its agency. And next up, should be… Nobody... Change in the Itinerary 16th Rankings Tournament – Day 0 – 7:57 PM As she began to descend back toward her red-carpeted domain to investigate the holdup, she heard the pop of a microphone being unceremoniously plugged into a live outlet. A graceful mid-air coupé dessus gave her the ounce of momentum needed to pivot in place, back toward the source of the noise. Of course. She should have assumed it would be the Commission’s retained clown, Jesticiar. Though Jesticiar was smiling, it hardly looked like a real one. The clown’s weight constantly shifted from foot to foot as her disgusting irises darted back and forth across the crowd. “Esteemed heroes and guests, the commission has an emergency announcement.” Prima narrowed her eyes gently, doing what she could to prevent her nostril flaring in revulsion at the clown, just in case a camera was pointed her way. In her station, she found that there nearly always was at least one. “We regret that we were not able to release this information sooner, as things have developed quickly and information has been incredibly limited…” Won’t this gross clown get to the point already? “X, the hero Maestro, was found dead in his penthouse in Hero Tower earlier today. While we cannot release further information at this time, we feel obligated to inform you all that our forensic experts suggest foul play was involved. There are a handful of suspects, but it has been decided that the investigation will not proceed until the rankings tournament has concluded.” Étoile Prima was silent as the crowd erupted in confusion, trying to make sense of the unbelievable news they had been given. For once, she was certain that not a single eye was on her, if only for a moment. She gently descended, her high-heeled shoes touching the floor for the first time in the event, betraying her startlingly average height. Despite the commotion around her, her shoulders slumped slightly, making her appear more relaxed than she managed for the entire event. Her eye twitched slightly as the clown stammered out one last sentence before sprinting off the stage and behind the curtains. “We apologize for any undue chaos!!”

16th Rankings Tournament – Day 0 – 7:50 PM brave As the vehicle containing the #2 hero approached the venue, the person in question stared out of the window. The Brave's iconic helmet sat on the seat as its owner watched the night sky blankly, the lights reflected on flat eyes, while a sharply dressed man watched from across the vehicle. "You will be arriving shortly. I don't believe I need to inform you on how to behave. This should be old hat by now..." A silent nod in return. The man brushed a single strand of pitch-black bangs that had fallen across his brow with a huff. His hands idly fumbled with a schedule marked to hell and back in highlighter, scowling at the hero next to him. The Brave felt his gaze upon the skin, but did not respond. What was there to say? He had been around for so long, only still here due to the Brave being considered... difficult. But the man still looked at the hero with such disdain that the Brave could feel it without meeting his gaze. When had that begun...? "It's so droll," The handler muttered, leaning against the window opposite the Brave, resting his face upon his own fist, "All this pomp and circumstance, but it's so, so boring. Climbing the rankings, making a name for yourself, taking the world by storm, gaining believers..." His pose remained the same, but his gaze sharpened as he looked back towards his charge, "And you. Sad, miserable, loathsome you. It's a lot of trouble keeping this failed experiment going, you know. After I had such high hopes for you, all you can achieve is this." As the vehicle finally arrived at the venue, the handler turned back to the Brave, lifting the helmet and placing it upon the hero's head. A small jolt seemed to move through the hero, while the handler returned to his seat, making a dismissive hand gesture toward the door. "You'll do just fine. There's no doubt you'll come out on top this year. Give the believers the show they so desire, dearest qlip." At 7:54, the Brave stepped free from the vehicle with a wave to all of the believers and others gathered. The hero's gait was stiff, almost robotic. This quirk had proven oddly favorable with the masses, finding it to be a singular flaw within the overwhelming perfection that the Brave exhibited. With one foot in front of the other, the Brave headed down the carpet, nodding and waving the whole way. Singularly focused, as ever. Some reporters tried to ask questions, but the usual response was earned: A business card from the Brave, redirecting the questions to the handler. Strong and silent, no matter the pressure. By the time the Brave had settled in, it was time for X to arrive. The moments dragged on for eternity, confusion beginning to bubble up, twisting the energy of the gala... Then the dreadful answer was revealed. The clown woman gave her report before ducking away with a platitude. “We apologize for any undue chaos!!” For a moment, just a moment, no eyes on the Brave... with Étoile Prima standing directly in front as she floated to the ground, standing a few inches taller than the Brave... the hero let out a quiet sigh, like a breath long held in finally being set free, gentle voice barely mixing in...

16th Rankings Tournament – Day 0 – 7:50 PM Bahamut sat in the back of his limousine, nervously fidgeting his thumbs together. The outfit that the agency had put him into tonight was rather stuffy, and tight. He hated the feeling of the collar wrapped around his neck. He was no stranger to the public eye by now. As a matter of fact, he tried his best to keep their attention focused on him 24/7. However a crater in his stomach formed every time he stepped up to a press conference or photo shoot. Was it nerves, or the weight of all the responsibility he now held gathering in his gut. This wasn't the lifestyle he ever imagined for himself...he really didn't seem fit for this hero business. Yet here he was, having been carefully molded by Catalyst Foundry into the Number Three hero in the rankings. He wasn't ungrateful, and he never had been. Quite the opposite actually. He'd taken every opportunity to give back to Catalyst Foundry for taking a risk on him, making sure that the trust that was carefully given to him wasn't wasted. It might've been the youthful naivety of his speaking, but he truly believed in his mission. And in return, the public believed in him. He took a deep breath, and smiled. This was the path he chose to walk, and now he had to walk down a little red carpet. This was the bare minimum he could do! He had arrived. The sound of his door handle unlatching might as well have been a nuclear bomb going off with the commotion it had set off. The flashing lights of the paparazzi rained down upon him, and the questions followed immediately after. With his studies in public relations, he would do his best to keep up that heroic image forged onto him. "For such a young hero, you've ascended the ranks rather quickly! What's your secret?" "Well it's no secret that I've been blessed with powers beyond anything dreamed of! However, sometimes its too much for even me to try and control...that's why I've done my very best to make sure it's used for the good of the public! My vow to them was this; Those who are sheltered in the shadows of my wings shall never be harmed! Those wings, that were built on your trust, have to be the strongest to live up to your expectations. And I think that's why I've gotten to where I am today." He bowed his head to the reporter questioning him, "I also am very grateful to Catalyst Forge, for giving me this opportunity to prove my heroism." "Your last encounter with a villain caused massive damage to the city. Do the repairs to infrastructure come out of your pay?" "With the power I hold, structural damage normally occurs. My last opponent was dreadfully strong, so I might've let loose a little too much. However, my vow remains unbroken. No civilian lives were taken during that encounter. I think the worth of their lives is priceless, compared to the lifeless concrete and steel that may get battered and bruised during my battles." He bowed to this reporter as well, "As I'm sure you are aware, the Hero Affairs Commission and Catalyst Forge are entrusted to handle the costs of infrastructure repair. However, I have asked for them to take part of my salary as well, in recompence. It is my fault for losing control of myself, after all." "Are your goals in this tournament to surpass The Brave?" The particular question struck a strange chord with him. The thought never occurred to him that someday he might overtake THE Brave. "I believe anyone who partakes in the tournament is looking to make some progress in the rankings, right? The Brave is a valued member of Catalyst Forge, and the Number 2 hero in the rankings, so I would be lying if I said I didn't see myself as having a bit of a rivalry with them!" Bahamut waved his hand and laughed slightly, "All I will say is they better take me seriously! I don't plan on throwing in the towel easily!" 16th Rankings Tournament – Day 0 – 7:57 PM The Gala stirred with the arrival of the Brave shortly after him. He waved to the armor clad hero, hoping that they would just ignore him as they always had. Keeping up friendly appearances between those in the same Agency was good press after all. Maestro was to follow suit, but his car never came around. It was strange for the Hero X to be late. That's when Jesticar had come out onto center stage. Her demeanor did not show any sign of pleasantries, besides that silly little smile she wore. “Esteemed heroes and guests, the commission has an emergency announcement. We regret that we were not able to release this information sooner, as things have developed quickly and information has been incredibly limited…” Whatever she was about to announce would surely be no good...was the tournament going to be postponed because of a villain attack??? “X, the hero Maestro, was found dead in his penthouse in Hero Tower earlier today. While we cannot release further information at this time, we feel obligated to inform you all that our forensic experts suggest foul play was involved. There are a handful of suspects, but it has been decided that the investigation will not proceed until the rankings tournament has concluded.” The shocking revelation almost made Bahamut throw up on the spot. X...Maestro....DEAD?! How could that be possible...the strongest of all of them and he was dead. Bahamut grabbed the stomach of his suit, and snarled in anger. Maestro was someone all heroes looked up to...and now he was gone. He had lost his composure in the stirring and chaotic conversation in the room. He gathered himself quickly, and made sure he hadn't destroyed his suit with claws he didn't mean to unsheathe. “We apologize for any undue chaos!!” He almost burst into laughter at that last statement. How careless of the Commission! What could they be thinking with an announcement like this? And crazier still, the tournament was still going to take place despite this shocking development. He gazed among the rest of the heroes in attendance, all of them taking in this information in their own ways. A thought grazed the back of his mind. He shoved it back to the depths of his conscious. Now was not the time for such thinking. Instead, his thoughts dwelled on the public. His wings burst out from his back, tearing through his clothes in the process. The pit in his stomach was sinking into the earth by now, but he felt he had to say something before panic erupted. He flew into the air and filled his diaphragm to the brink, booming his voice to address those in the room. "Citizens, friends, and colleagues, I humbly ask that we all remain calm. I realize that the news we have received is rather shocking...and sad. But know this! Maestro was a hero, and the best of all of us! It is our duty as heroes to put our lives on the line for you, the people. And I'm sure I speak for everyone when I say we all admired Hero X deeply. Let us not think of his death as something to be saddened by...but instead...let us think of how he shall be entered into legend! The Legendary Hero X, who saved countless lives before his ended. Let us use this time to celebrate Maestro, instead of mourn him!" Bahamut swooped down to grab a glass from one of the many servers in the room, before raising it into the air. "A toast...to Hero X. To Maestro! You will forever be remembered as one of the greatest heroes of all time!" With that, Bahamut downed the drink in one gulp, hoping it would calm him. He descended down back towards the ground, hoping he hadn't come off as too pretentious. However, he had meant every word.

16th Rankings Tournament – Day 0 – 6:45 PM An impossible choice faced the great hero Match. The outcome of such a choice could affect his very future, nay, the very future of the world! Lives that had yet to be saved hinged on this grand choice. The weight of the future crushed his shoulders as he stared at his two impossible choices. "Tie or scarf...?" Match picked up both strips of cloth, looking over them with a critical eye. Both were a vibrate red, the classic color to stand out against his black formal wear. What would reassure people more? A formal tie, to show he meant business? Or a flowing scarf, to show everyone even at a party, he was here to be a hero? Even a simple detail like this mattered. "I wish they made tie scarves...," he muttered as he compared the two. His eyes drifted to the tie. It hung limply, as if it was being crushed by the formality it represented. On the other hand, the scarf's edge fluttered, as if beckoning to him. Under his mask, Match smiled. "Yeah, that's right. It shouldn't have even been a question," Tossing his tie on the bed, Match quickly wrapped the scarf around his neck. "Match, moving out!" He called out to no one as he posed in the middle of his room. After a second of silence, the man chuckled to himself, obviously pleased. The door to his room opened without a sound as his handler walked in. "You're chipper this morning," The young man stated emotionlessly. "And you're in need of a coffee, Ichigo," Match teased as he walked over, adjusting his helmet as he walked. unlike its usual colors, this mask was black to match his suit. "Let's get you one on the way to the gala, eh?" "It's way too late in the night for that," "Oh, don't be that way! We got a long night ahead of us! A coffee for you and two for me!" Match let out a hearty laugh as they left, ready to take on this gala. ══════════════ 16th Rankings Tournament – Day 0 – 7:45 PM P.A.R.T.Y. time The limo came to a halt as the door opened. A second passed. Two seconds. After three seconds, Match stepped out of the limo. He took a step forward, his scarf flowing in the wind behind him. He then stopped, planting his foot solidly into the ground. With a dramatic flourish, he pointed his right hand into the sky, a classic pose of victory. "Good evening, my fans!" Match called out before turning to point at the cameras pointed towards him. "Thank you for taking the time to see me!" he quickly turned, pointing to another camera at a different angle. "I hope you enjoy the show! I got dressed up just for all of you!" With that, he began to walk forward once again, letting the media swarm around him. "Match, what are your thoughts about the brackets this year?" "Seeded brackets are really tough!" Match answered without missing a beat, laughing as he did. "To face Grimalkin right off the bat, and then follow it up with either Maestro or someone who can beat Maestro? It's like they don't want me to have a break! However, I'll give it nothing less than my all!" "Speaking of brackets!" A clever reporter spring boarded off the last one's question. "Do you have anything you wish to say to your fellow heroes?" "Something to say, huh?" He stopped in his tracks. "As a matter of fact, I think I do," Once again, he pointed forwards, but this time, not to any camera or reporter. He pointed to the other heroes that went before him. "To the heroes who forge the path on this red carpet! I challenge you! Overcome us who follow behind!" He whipped around, pointing to the very start of the carpet. "To those who follow in my footsteps, know I'm coming after you! Especially you Maestro! This year is the year I'll overcome you! I won't just be a hero. I'll be your hero!" "Oh, is this yet another direct challenge to Maestro? Do you believe you can win this year?" "I've been studying and training for this moment ever since last year! Maestro will soon meet his Match!" He took another step forward, pausing slightly as he realized he stepped in something. Something sticky... did someone spit out gum on the red carpet? "Match, is there anyone you hope to avoid?" Another question made Match refocus on what was really important. "Hmmm. Can't say there is. Crossing fists with people is the easiest way to grow!" With this final question, Match reached the end. "I'll see you all later!" He waved to the crowd before taking his place. He watched as the others entered, some with immense grace, some with immense dignity. It seemed all was going well. Until it all came crumbling down. “Esteemed heroes and guests, the commission has an emergency announcement..." Everyone else sprung into action. Trying to calm down the crowd, trying to organize things, all sorts of heroic actions. Match was not among though. He stood still, staring at down the red carpet. It was almost as if he believed if he just kept staring, Maestro would appear. Like this was all just some sort of joke. They'd laugh, get scolded, and move on with life. But a limo never drove up, and nothing changed. Match could only stand there, clenching his fist as the world moved around him.

16th Rankings Tournament – Day 0 – 6:50 PM As Alvin slipped the longer frock coat onto his shoulders, he sighed. Sleep had been unfortunately brief, interrupted as it was. Any attempts to rest further been upended by the radio interview he had been scheduled to do that day, Catalyst wouldn’t let him flake out of another opportunity to reach the public. Personally, he wasn’t quite sure why they still bothered, with their more recent hits they had landed. Sadly, no amount of stubbornness had managed to convince them to keep him on a shorter leash. Management was as fussy as ever, and while he wouldn’t take it out on anyone else… He could at least force the management to deal with his sour mood. “Absolution, are you ready?” The sound from outside the door made him groan gently, his arms propped against the bathroom sink as he looked into the mirror. The bags underneath his eyes were readily apparent, but he spoke firmly, “Of course. I know what time it is.” “Don’t know why you don’t just stay at the Hero Tower more often. I’m tired of fetching you from this dump.” The voice sounded a bit on edge, a little sigh escaping Alvin as he rubbed at the bridge of his nose lightly. Picking a fight this close to the event… Wasn’t worth the hassle. “I’ve already told you.” Alvin opened the door the grouchy looking young adult, stepping out into the main hall of the apartment. His hands adjusted the buttons on his jacket, fastening them into place as he walked past his manager. “Let’s go.” “Fine, fine. Not like I’ve got any reason to hold you back.” The two got into the small vehicle that Alvin used, well maintained, though nothing fancy. Given his role… He wouldn’t be driving it tonight, something that frustrated him to no end. He was tired. “Alright. You know how it goes.” The younger guy’s hand rose up as he held a finger into the air, “The cameras are gonna be on you, don’t make a scene.” Alvin had to stop a small snort at that, they gave him the same warning every time. Either they never caught on that he only give them a hard time, or they just had that little faith in him. He wouldn’t be surprised by either. “Two, the other Catalyst Top Ten are the stars of the show, as far as I’m concerned. You can look good all you want, but don’t do it at their expense.” He wasn’t sure if that was from the higher ups or just his manager. He usually assumed it was just this sad sack who was assigned to deal with him. He just nodded his head lightly, “Of course.” “And three. Don’t be a downer! This is a good night to try and lift people up a bit. Everyone assumes nothing is going to change with Number One, sure, but it’ll be a good time.” His eyes rolled a bit as he glanced out the window. They were getting closer already, a small sigh escaping him as his eyes closed a bit, “It will be an evening.” ══════════════ 16th Rankings Tournament – Day 0 – 7:39 PM Absolution stepped out of the modest vehicle, straightening his back after the ride. As he stood, he raised a hand in a brief wave to the crowd, taking a few steps forwards before the media swarm could really begin. “Absolution! Is there any truth to the rumors that you’re planning to retire within the year?” He laughed lightly, “If I was going to retire, it would have been before this tournament. I can’t afford to retire just yet.” “What do you have to say about the ongoing discussion about why you’re trailing behind the other Catalyst Forge heroes?” He ran his fingers along the sides of his beard, stroking at the trimmed hairs gently as he tilted his head, “Perhaps trailing behind at my age isn’t such a bad thing? That leaves the future in good hands, the way I see it. I hope more young Heroes surpass me, even tonight.” “Do you have anything to say to the folks who still see you as the villain who rampaged years ago?” That question never surprised him, there was always someone who asked it, hoping to get a rise out of him. It never worked, but they always tried. He just shook his head gently, “Those who remember it and hold it against me have fair cause to. I’ll continue as I have since I was released from prison and hope to change minds.” He’ll never mention that being dragged into the spotlight was enough for him to deal with, he couldn’t afford to think too heavily on what the people dragging his name had to say. He made his way down the carpet, acutely aware of the anticipation building with each heroes' arrival. After all, he was only Number 7. It was only a matter of time before they were over him, and he was more than ready to accept that. He finished his walk and found a quieter spot, watching the arrival of the others. Truthfully, he didn't have a close relationship with any of the other heroes. Riot Cannon and Energex were simply too much for him. He held no ill will towards them, but the idea of acting alongside them was simply headache inducing. He respected Étoile Prima and her venerable career, though he doubted that sentiment was returned with her attitude. And of course. The Brave and Bahamut. He couldn't imagine working with them. “Esteemed heroes and guests, the commission has an emergency announcement..." He paused, turning his attention towards the Commission messenger. The frown on his face turned into a full blown scowl at the admission. Well, he had to suppose this was a scandal of some kind. He watched as Bahamut rose up into the air, attempting to keep the crowd calm before things could get out of hand. He wasn't quite sure that would work himself... But he gave a small nod in response as he descended from the air back to the ground. He watched as the others found their own ways to occupy themselves, never quite moving from his spot as he glanced up towards the sky, contemplating the turn the evening had taken. He had no desire to step into the fray himself, not just yet. It was simpler to let the event... Most likely peter out now. He doubted things were going to continue for long on this note. Really, the most surprising part to him was that the tournament would continue. It hardly seemed appropriate now.

16th Rankings Tournament – Day 0 – 7:33 PM Today had been an unprecedented day in the Modern Heroics Guild. It was a day in which the Rank 9 Hero, Red Light, did something she had never done before. Not in her past career with Catalyst, and certainly not during her time with the Guild. Today, for the first time in her life, she had called out from her usual duties. Instead, she had spent the entire day preparing for the Rankings Tournament Gala. Hair trimmed by a professional, tied into a single ponytail instead of her usual twintails, and the excess brushed out of her face. A fine suit, which she purchased and had tailored four months ago in preparation for this day. Rest and makeup to... at least lessen the bags under her eyes. That rest was also meant to let her face the red carpet fully awake and alert; there was no way she'd be able to manage that after one of her usual hardcore work days. Overall, she looked the best she'd looked since first becoming a hero. She knew some heroes were no doubt practicing and rehearsing their walk down the red carpet. Red Light made it clear from the onset that she would do no such thing. She could pretty herself up, sure, but walking was one of the first skills people acquired in life. She didn't have to practice it and dress up her steps behind a layer of finely honed artifice, just for an event that only lasted one night out of every two years. Of course, it was easy to casually dismiss the gravity of the gala when it was off on the horizon. Now that it was here, and a limousine was bearing the Rank 9 Hero to the red carpet, it was a different story. "You look nervous, Jie." The only other person in the back of the limo was an elderly man. In his prime, he was a B-list hero a few decades ago, but these days he was just a crippled old man enjoying the retired life. More importantly, he was the father of one Hong Jie, who was now on her fourth cup of decaf since getting into the limo. "Of course I'm nervous. The gala's a big deal, even if I wish it wasn't." "You'll be fine! Just act natural, and show 'em who's boss!" "Easy for you to say; you've never been." "Hah! Didn't leave your attitude at home, at least." The limo came to a halt. It was time to get this show on the road. Or off the road and onto the carpet, as it were. The old man picked up his cane, and prodded Jie's foot with it. "Showtime. Break a leg, young lady." "Very funny." She wasn't laughing. The hardest part for her was getting to the limo door. Not because of a size issue - she was always rather short for her age - or because of any obstacles in the limo. It was because each step was one step closer to something she'd never done before. Press conferences? Sure. Subdue a villain? Piece of cake. But pulling up to a big swanky party that all of the Top 10 Heroes were attending? That was new, and more than a bit nerve-wracking. All she could do was hope she didn't screw it all up. That, and start walking. Because once the limousine door opened... The real work began. "Best" was a word often rooted in opinion, but Red Light's opinion was that she was best suited to press conferences out of the Guild's top heroes. And as their third-highest hero, she was no stranger to them either. What this all meant was she was very used to the flashing lights, the overlapping questions from the crowd, so on and so forth. Being used to that environment was practically a requirement in order to survive the walk down the red carpet. Each step was confident and deliberate, but clearly lacked the practiced flair some other heroes would surely bring to the carpet. That sort of natural, intentional stride suited her perfectly. As was answering a swarm of questions precisely and directly, making every word count just as much as each step down the carpet. "Any comments on your recent encounter with the villain Nighthowl in which you allowed him to escape!?" "Chasing him would have meant abandoning the civilians he put in danger. Anyone who would chase one villain instead of defending innocent lives has no right to call themselves a hero." "Having formerly been one of Catalyst Foundry's first heroes, do you believe their methods are responsible for The Brave and Bahamut achieving their ranks!?" "Anyone can follow a script. Both of them - and Absolution, for that matter - got where they are by their own merits." "Lately, some of your older fans have observed that your fighting style and overall branding is very similar to the retired hero Prisman. What do you say to that?" "...no comment." The gala wasn't her element. She mostly kept herself occupied watching the other heroes make their entrances. She didn't have much of an opinion of them one way or the other, for the most part. It was rare for Red Light to even speak to her peers in the Modern Heroics Guild, if it didn't involve work on at least some level, let alone the heroes from other agencies. Étoile Prima was a standout exception who she held in high regard. The other major exception was the two heroes from HypePro. Red Light made a point to avoid them. Not because of any misgivings about them as people, but rather because the last thing she wanted was to get tangled up in streamer culture, and she'd heard that it was all too easy to get dragged in if you put so much as a toe over their little event horizon. Of course, there was also the hero who ranked above all others... The one who wasn't here. 16th Rankings Tournament – Day 0 – 7:57 PM Red Light valued punctuality. As a person, yes, but even more so as a hero. Being late to a disaster could have horrible consequences. Keeping people waiting for a public appearance without good reason might harm that hero's image. That being said, if anyone in the Guild's board of directors was ever late to a meeting, it was considered a given that she'd comment on it and sternly encourage the late arrival to work on that in the future. She certainly would have given Maestro the same treatment at the gala when the time had come for him to make his entrance, and both he and the limousine bringing him here were nowhere to be seen. She certainly would have, except... “Esteemed heroes and guests, the commission has an emergency announcement. We regret that we were not able to release this information sooner, as things have developed quickly and information has been incredibly limited…” Red Light's attention shifted away from the carpet, to the biggest clown in the Commission's little circus. Whatever she was doing here, if an emergency announcement was being made while Maestro was conspicuously absent, it couldn't have been good news. “X, the hero Maestro, was found dead in his penthouse in Hero Tower earlier today. While we cannot release further information at this time, we feel obligated to inform you all that our forensic experts suggest foul play was involved. There are a handful of suspects, but it has been decided that the investigation will not proceed until the rankings tournament has concluded. We apologize for any undue chaos!!” The crowd erupted into general confusion. Red Light, more than anything, couldn't help but see the irony in it. The one time in her entire hero career she'd taken a day off, and what should circumstance throw her way but what was certainly going to be the most difficult task she'd been met with so far. Not the task of finding the killer or even avenging Maestro's death. The even more hellish task of handling the media response to this sudden development. Where there were journalists, there were bound to be errors. Misinterpretations. Factually incorrect statements. Baseless accusations. Given the situation's weight for the Guild especially, they wouldn't be able to just sit back and twiddle their thumbs while the world marched on. There would have to be an official statement of some kind, and she didn't believe anyone was a better fit for that job than herself. Red Light procured her phone from her suit. For the most part, she had various numbers for the Guild on speed dial, depending on what kind of job needed doing. Numbers for paperwork. For scheduling. For legal proceedings. For complaining directly to Maestro whenever she felt like he wasn't doing his job hard enough, which was most of the time. Red Light held down the button to speed dial the right number for the job. She didn't like calling at night, but she also didn't like the present situation, so now was unfortunately as good a time as any. "It's Red Light. Don't know if you heard, but--... yes, she did say dead. Contact the rest of the board of directors; we need to discuss this tomorrow morning at the latest. Tell them they're allowed to skip the meeting, but won't get a say on this very time-sensitive emergency matter if they do. No, don't worry about contacting Match or Riot Canon; I'll tell them myself. Yes, that's all. Thank you." That just left the matter of informing her two peers.

“I wonder,” Quinn said. “Not being good with stairs would be the expectation, after all. There is precedent for traumatic experiences producing negative reactions even when temporally separated from the event. Even subconsciously, memories could start boiling up, encoded within the physical body until the worst possible moment. Then again, of course, I imagine my form is less and less physical by the day.” Fae took a first step up the lighthouse staircase. “Well, that is one down, and no ill effects at all.” The lighthouse did not seem so tall compared to the rest of the city, and indeed, on the times that Quinn did look down, the ground did not seem so far away. Quinn had learned from experience how short it would take to reach the ground from seemingly high places when he had fallen out of a tree later in her life. Still, Quinn figured it would do good to keep further thoughts at bay by forcing itself to the front of the two-person expedition (to dampen the flight impulse) and to instead focus on further expositing to Bridget behind them. “This is my first time seeing a lighthouse up close,” Quinn said. “I believe I mentioned my hometown of Eterna City to you before. It is not waterless -- there is a spring where Water-type Pokémon occasionally congregate -- but it is nevertheless landlocked on all sides, and certainly more known for the mountain it neighbors. I have seen depictions of lighthouses, of course. Many of them in documentary form in preparation for this adventure we are now on, though some fictional as well. I remember one rather vivid filmic depiction of a lighthouse that seemed to erode its keepers’ sanity, just as waves might erode a shoreline.” All at once, Quinn burst into an old mariner's hymn: Doodle let me go, me girls! Doodle let me go! Hurrah! Me yaller girls, doodle let me go! But two things prevented the young ghost from continuing past the refrain. The first was simple memory – they did not remember any more, and Quinn considered hirself polite enough to not drill it into eir companion’s head. The second was a shift in focus, back to the lighthouse they were ascending. The continuous close proximity had only amplified Quinn’s feelings towards the thing, an intense curiosity that could not be sated. Even as their other hand gripped the outer railing of the staircase tight enough to whiten Quinn’s already quite-pale knuckles, ae still reached out with its other hand to touch -- almost caress -- the lighthouse exterior. It felt cool to the touch. Quinn felt a touch on his shoulder and turned around. “Hm? Did you need something, Bridget?” Bridget, for her part, also seemed to have been relying on Quinn’s one-sided discussion to keep her attention off of stair-climbing. Quinn watched her eyes refocus back onto Quinn’s person. “What? No, I didn’t-” Before Quinn could react, Bridget was pointing at her. “Oi, there’s a hand on you!” Quinn’s eyes snapped to zir shoulder, only just catching the hand before it faded from view. “A fellow!” Quinn said, eyes growing even wider with each passing word. “Hello! Well, it is good to find something empirical, especially in the light. Perhaps I should point any future nonbelievers of my condition in the region this way. And here I was worried that we might have to wait around until nightfall to encounter anything ethereal or astral in nature.” The best part was, the apparition was not immediately hostile or preventative. Nothing stopped Quinn from taking a further step up the lighthouse. Whatever fear Quinn might have had was gone. “Just think, perhaps we might find this hand’s owner at the top! Come!” And despite their size, Quinn started taking the stairs two at a time.

on this, the 1st anniversary of the assassination of ycmaker, i unfortunately find myself banned and unable to commemorate the occasion on his website may he rest in piss

while availing of one of the many casino games available within this forum i noticed a strange instance of our local tyrant ash winning 10k points in a singular game and never wagering anything before or since, in what i can only describe as a flagrantly obvious case of points laundering which should result in his demotion, if not execution i also noticed that while we retain the option to gamble away our hard-earned points, the shop in which we are theoretically to spend them lists every item as "currently unavailable", another consequence of the communist dictatorship enacted upon our populace by the woke marxist brit fashley i am on these grounds demanding a full independent investigation into the finances of ncm post-haste, and i expect the full support of all with integrity who find themselves here we must stand up and fight, lest another great forum fall

In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat--- for he grants sleep to those he loves. -Psalm 127:2 (NIV)The most fight Melissa put into avoiding getting swept up over Kasayee’s shoulder was an, “Oh! Um, okay.” But she also wasn’t about to fall asleep in all the jostling, especially when it became clear that Kasayee didn’t know how to leave. “I think we passed that scrambler already,” Melissa said the fourth time it happened. Of course, given the state of the rides elsewhere in the park, it was entirely likely that there could be four of the same attraction, perhaps even all causally linked in some way to provide maximum nausea across all instances, but, for her own sanity, Melissa chose to believe the simpler option that they were just lost. She couldn’t fall asleep being carried as she was; if Melissa wanted to get home to a proper bed, she had to be the one to get them both there. It took some finagling to pull up a map of the park on her watch. Some of that was, again, the physical position Melissa was in, and how Kasayee wasn’t receptive to any meek “Hold on…” protestations; and some of the finagling was because it seemed deliberately obtuse, like the map (and park it represented) wanted you in the park for as long as possible. Thankfully, both Melissa and Kasayee were so determined. “Oh, I see,” Melissa said. “If you take a left here, and then- no, your other left.” She kicked a foot across Kasayee’s vision. “That way, and then another one past the drop tower, and then another one, that should get us out of here, I think.” Thankfully, she thought correctly. Once they were out of the amusement park, things were a lot easier to navigate. Prana was much more sensible than whatever was going on in there, and the return back to their apartment building was one they had already made in reverse, right? Melissa still had to keep Kasayee honest, but she didn’t have to redirect or reverse after an errant direction anymore, at least. Finally, perhaps because they had finally reached their destination, or perhaps she was supposed to have all along, Melissa wriggled out of Kasayee’s grasp, less-than-gracefully picked herself back up, and brushed herself off. “I should probably check on Bartleby,” she said. She wondered if Kasayee still expected her to take a nap, even though they were the only two in the building -- not that Kasayee likely cared, but now it just felt like bad manners. “Um, if you also need to sleep off all that excitement, you’re welcome to do it here? I imagine one of the sofas pulls out, or I guess you can doze on the steps again if you want.”

the only problem i have with gambling is i keep losing all my points if i had more points this would take much longer and i would simply give up, disheartened by my string of defeats, rather than persist in bankrupting myself

they need to learn eventually they need to learn eventually

i'm not going to grovel for a charity that clearly isn't within your nature i'll let the children know there'll be no shelter from the biting winter cold

From what I gather: -Rewas kind of is to Enguin what Hina is to Dae. -When everybody is super, nobody will be, and it is 15 years too late. -We need enough power for somebody to become the Joker so that a Batman can come out because it might not be boring. Very omoshiroi desu ne.

#4 - PRETTY STRIKER GRIMALKIN

Number 5 - Match