Jacks

OOC: </ENDQUOTE>Two things that should be noted:1. There is really no evidence to suggest that super-spicy-tongue-melting-jail-cell-door-opening-hot-pizzas even existed prior to 2010. The first time it was ever mentioned in any medium at all was in this very RPG.2. I don't recall when it was decided that the super-spicy-tongue-melting-jail-cell-door-opening-hot-pizza was created by the Brickolinis -- though I can see why the assumption makes sense, given that they are the planet's finest pizzasmiths, and it was they who inspired PeaSam to make up the super-spicy-tongue-melting-jail-cell-door-opening-hot-pizza -- but upon review, this is actually incorrect. The super-spicy-tongue-melting-jail-cell-door-opening-hot-pizza was discovered by Vladek and the Brickster in a pizzaria in LEGO City.

OOC: </ENDQUOTE>I was about to throw my support onto this interpretation, given that we've never once seen anyone react that badly to a uper-spicy-tongue-melting-jail-cell-door-opening-hot pizza, but it looks like Atton nixed that. I guess Pierce just has an extremely sensitive mouth.I do have to say, though, that considering the sort of atmosphere that LEGO Island has, it makes very little sense for Nick to arrest Papa Brickolini. Seems to me he'd be more likely to simply tell him to stop sending the Brickster super-spicy-tongue-melting-jail-cell-door-opening-hot pizzas.

OOC: That sort of misunderstanding is what I was referencing, though. That is a feel that I know. I figured that was the case based on things you've said in the past.I guess my remark about triangles might have skewed my intended meaning. That was meant to be tongue-in-cheek. I suppose I should have included a smilie to make that more apparent.Sorry if I wasn't as clear as I ought to have been.(Honestly, I just needed an excuse to post memes here. Also, this is looking a bit like a Real Life example of Don't You Dare Pity Me. )

OOC: avmatoran,Those triangle things are pretty rough.I've got just the thing to take everyone's mind off of Romantic Plot Tumours: another funeral.OOC: Sunset, 22 December 2010A small crowd was gathered on one of the docks in LEGO City Harbour. Osprey glanced around at those present -- Zachary Virchaus, Desdemona, Hugh Yena, Raine Dashworthy, and Jinx, along with many of the other Agents who had been present in the recent battle; a good number of Dino Attack agents, most of whom he did not know, though he was able to pick out Helm, Giles, Kat, and Hotwire, who appeared to be in a wheelchair. He raised the torch in his hand, turned, and walked to the end of the dock. Before him, bobbing on the tide, lay the lifeless bodies of Winston and Matthias Grendelwulf -- the former clutching his sword, and the latter his dual SMGs (unloaded, of course) -- atop a wooden pyre built on an old wooden dinghy.He paused, recalling Epic Winston's last moments in the infirmary that morning. He'd argued at length over the warrior's choice to refuse treatment for his wounds. "Half a two-man army is no army at all," Winston had said with finality, and Osprey had, in the end, little choice but to accept the man's decision, and to ask for the specifics of the rites Winston wished for himself and his brother. "Say nothing," he had instructed, "only think of us."Taking a deep breath, Osprey cast the torch onto the pyre, then bent as the wood began to catch and unmoored the boat. He gave it a shove, and was joined by Dashworthy and Jinx. The dinghy was soon caught by the waves and began to drift towards the darkening horizon. Those gathered watched solemnly as, in the golden rays of the setting sun, the boat and its valiant passengers lit up like a dying star.OOC: Apologies for borrowing others' ADO characters without permission. I will change that if there are any objections, but for now it seemed fitting.

OOC: Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that. The Iron Hammer looked pretty fantastic, though I have to admit that I always kinda imagined the airships as looking more like the airships from Legend of Metru-Nui. See, since none of the people I picked are actors (Wagner is a film student, though that's not quite the same), I focused solely on voice and appearance. I didn't really bother taking acting ability into account, especially since this is all hypothetical anyway :PBasically, what I'm saying is, you're not gonna find Laina Walker on IMDB.

OOC: 1. You could always just put it on That Video Site -- either under your current account or a new one -- and then put the link to it on the wiki.2. I always figured the final poster would be a moderator closing the thread :PIn all seriousness, though, I think perhaps PeaSam should be the one to decide who posts last, if he does not claim it for himself, which he certainly has every right to do. As for myself, I suppose it doesn't really matter to me.3. *Raises virtual hand*Hmm...if that guy's IMDB account is his real name, then PeaSam, crazy, and TC01 are the only ones left whose names are a total mystery.

OOC: Oh znap no, Robert Pattinson is not playing Hotwire. And I'm not just saying that because of any negative opinions towards Mr. Pattinson. And I'm also vetoing Scarlet Johansson as Kat.See, when I picture my characters -- particularly Hotwire and Kat -- as human, I see them as being fairly plain-looking. Not unattractive, just...ordinary. Like if you saw them on the street you'd hardly notice. This is why I can't choose mainstream actors to hypothetically portray any of them.So, if you still want to know who I'd pick, here are some people who are not mainstream actors.- Troy Wagner -- Jay from "Marble Hornets" -- as Tracer- Laina Walker -- the lady behind the Overly Attached Girlfriend meme -- as Kat. This would be a case of Reverse Dawson Casting unless we wait 5-7 years, however.- Logan Kroeber (the one in plaid) -- percussionist for The Dodos -- as Hotwire...That's actually all I could come up with for now, but if someone more suitably bearded is found for Semick, I suppose Jude Law could play Osprey in a pinch.IC: The streets were almost pitch-black without streetlights, so Helm and Giles jumped in surprise when a massive figure loomed suddenly in the glow of their Fire Hammer's headlights. Helm stomped on the brakes and reached for the communicator as Giles jumped down from the cab."Good lord, Winston, what happened to you?" he asked. The huge Agent was stumbling, blood soaking his uniform's right shoulder and left side. The body of his brother was slung over his uninjured shoulder.Epic Winston grunted. "Caught...in the crossfire between Darkling...and Virchaus and his friends. When I awoke they had all vanished, so I found Matthias. I'd meant to give him the rites of our ancestors...but now...someone else may soon need to perform them for me as well.""Nonsense," said Giles, leading him back towards the Fire Hammer. "You're gonna make it. You'll be fine."The giant's only response was something between a smile and a grimace.------------------------"Hey guys, HQ mess hall or Iron Hammer mess hall?"Osprey? This is Helm. We found him.""Seriously? There's no way I'm eating Alpha Team rations again. Not even for old time's sake.""Okay, can someone PLEASE tell me whether or not Hotwire and Kat are an item?""Affirmative, Helm. Thanks. We've recovered his sword. I imagine he'll be wanting that.""That's a false dichotomy. Also, define 'item.' ""I'm actually heading out for LEGO Island right now, if anyone wants to join me."

OOC: Well...your name is already visible in the picture of Cyrista's Bane...it might be too late for secrecy, my friend.

OOC: I really need to get a move on or I'll end up leaving a bunch of loose ends untied. Too bad I have an essay due tomorrow.avmatoran, if the site that got eaten by hashtags is the one I'm assuming it is, it was probably because it's kinda cool to see what all of us are up to on other parts of the interwebs. PeaSam is subscribed to me too, and not so much as one of my 26 videos are Lego-related

OOC: It's not that these things have to happen, it's that you're negating us. (Yes, I'm breaking out the Improv terminology again. Sorry.) To be perfectly honest, I don't care if Firecracker and Snake are on the loose. The reason I have a problem with it is in the execution. If you want to write a series of posts detailing their harrowing escape, I couldn't care less. But when you bang out two paragraphs in which they saunter out of captivity with virtually no effort, it contradicts the posts of those who captured them. Not in a literal sense, of course -- more of a figurative, metaphorical contradiction. It's like you're saying, "Yeah, that happened, but it doesn't matter." It devalues the work of your fellow writers.

OOC: Gahh, sorry I've been so inactive lately. It's gotten a bit harder for me to remember my online obligations due to some Things have been happening in real life. :rolleyes:And it seems that Epic Winston vanished a few posts into the fight. That's what I get, I guess. I'll come up with...something or other to explain it, I don't even know. I've got no problem with you guys knowing my real name. Heck, most of you probably do already. The only issue I have with your plan, PeaSam, is that on that site you just mentioned, as a self-imposed -- but strict nonetheless -- rule, I only add folks with whom I am acquainted in the Real World. I suppose it's possible that I could change my ways in this matter, but from where I'm standing those chances look a bit slim right now.And I can't log into the account I made on That Art Site anymore. They might have deleted it due to inactivity -- after all, I only commented twice or thrice, and I never uploaded anything. And I'm no gamer, so I'm not likely to join Steam.So that pretty much leaves the Video Site, which is rubbish for social networking, and this place. Unless, of course, we have some other forums in common, which doesn't seem all that likely.I'm sure we can come up with something, though.EDIT: Atton, it's starting to sound like you're using 'realism' as a code word for 'everything happening exactly how you want it to regardless of concerns raised by your fellow writers.' Just pointing that out.IC: Hotwire slept like a log in the infirmary of the Iron Hammer. According the medics, the only thing he was suffering from was exhaustion.Kat wasn't particularly surprised. As far as she could tell, the only rest he'd had in the past three days was a few hours' fitful dozing on a T-1 and several fainting spells; while plenty of other agents were doing just fine with similar experiences, the loss of his leg had undoubtedly exacerbated Hotwire's condition. It was due to those concerns that the medics had decided to keep him here for the time being.Leaving him to his hibernation, Kat picked herself up off the chair by Hotwire's bed and headed for the exit. She stopped when she spotted a familiar figure seated by one of the beds.Wright looked up as Kat walked over and sat down. Her eyes were bleary from fatigue -- or possibly tears; it was hard to tell; perhaps it was both -- but her expression was calm and somewhat hopeful. On the bed, Shiller would have appeared to be sleeping peacefully but for the heart monitor and oxygen tube."They're saying he'll be fine, thank goodness," she said."What about you, though?" Kat asked. "You look you got a bit knocked around. Have you let the medics check you over?"Wright paused. "I hadn't really given that much thought."Kat smirked "Too busy worrying about your boyfri--" Wright cut her off with a glare that could have frozen magma. Kat faltered and reconsidered her choice of words. "I guess that was a bit insensitive.""A bit?""I'm sorry," Kat said, hanging her head slightly. "I've just kinda lost touch with that whole...area of human experience.""You don't say?" inquired Wright, anger replaced by curiousity. "Hotwire says he's the same way.""Not entirely," said Kat. "He and I have talked about that too, and he's never been in touch. My case is a bit odd, though -- Katerina was married, so I'm guessing I'd be able to feel that range of emotion, at least hypothetically; I simply haven't.""But you're different people, right?""Separate -- yes; but different? Less so than you'd think.""Regardless, you and Hotwire make quite the pair," said Wright wit a shrug."If you can call us a pair," Kat replied. She stood and gave Wright an encouraging pat on the shoulder. "Best of health to the both of you, and don't ever forget how lucky you are," she said with a slight smile as she turned to leave. "Because sometimes, romantic love is the least complicated kind."

OOC: I'm not referring to him blowing things up. I'm referring to him constantly escaping in-universe consequences for his actions. For instance, when Pharisee arrested him and he broke out in one post via, basically, a handwave.

OOC: Firecracker needs to be reined in at the very least because some of the things you've had him do seem to verge on godmodding. Demoman should be reined in because, given that you aren't his creator, you've taken him out of character. Based on his wiki page and PeaSam's characterization, I don't think he's the type to murder a fellow DA agent. And of course there would have to be in-universe consequences for something like that -- to resist this now would be pretty hypocritical, given how worked up you got over the weekend about realism.

OOC: avmatoran, that sketch is fantastic. It's hard for me to pick a percentage, because in my mind, characters seem to exist in a quantum state of simultaneously being minifigs and humans. For instance, I generally picture Hotwire as a minifig unless I am describing or focusing on his missing leg, in which case he has knees. There's also a future scene I've planned which requires me to describe him as having a nose. And sketching him as a human came pretty naturally.PeaSam's and Brikman's characters are the same way in my head. Sommetimes I picture them as humans, sometimes as minfigs, and sometimes it varies within the same post. Atton's characters are all human. Andrewnuva's and avmatoran's characters are all minifigs.that guy's characters are split. I see Hertz as a minifig, Solomon as a humsn (because I can't help but picture one of my own philosophy professors in his place), Lutsky as a minifig, and Dust and Pharisee as humans.Of course, when I actively try to see this as a movie in my head, I force myself to picture everyone one way or another, but this best describes how I react when I'm just reading the posts.

3/5. Not bad, nor particularly mind-blowing.Kitten Intro - They Might Be Giants

OOC: Hmmm, okay...My mental picture of Blaire has him muscular but still realistically proportioned, whereas I'd intended the Grendelwulf brothers to come off as explicitly unrealistic. If Blaire is, say, six inches shorter than Epic Winston but only slightly less brawny, he would be thickly built enough to appear stocky despite his height.Maybe that's how you intended Blaire to be, but I have my doubts. From the way you've described his actions during the battle, his greatest assets seem to be speed, grace -- not qualities that mesh particularly well with a man who's built like an oversized dwarf -- and cunning, with strength as an added bonus.Please note that I'm not trying to outclass Blaire -- I see him and Winston as an even match -- I'm simply trying to work through the consequences of my apparent failure to describe Winston with complete accuracy. I say we should call the current fight another case of Loose Timing and leave it suspended where it is until such a time as your Anti-Blaire Squad can arrive. You're crying already? But I haven't even posted my farewell speech/retrospective yet! Not necessarily. You could have just edited the idea out of your earlier post instead.

OOC: That's because this isn't about Mallory. Mallory's not in this RPG. I don't even know who the znap Mallory is.The point we are trying to get across here is that having a character who commits acts that -- especially during peacetime -- essentially amount to terrorism, and then expecting them to suffer no consequences in-universe is...rather unreasonable.Plus, making Firecracker a constant Karma Houdini is pretty much g-modding. G-modding isn't ever a good thing.Another note before I begin this IC -- Brikman, just how big is Blaire? I've been picturing him as being about 6'2" or 6'3", but in your last post, you described Winston as larger "by a small margin." Winston, though, is close to seven feet tall.IC: Epic Winston darted to the side as soon as he saw his opponent raise the handgun. The bullet still struck him in the shoulder, and he hit the ground with a grunt. He began to rise, but the white-haired man in the trenchcoat rammed a boot down on Winston's chest and pointed the gun at his face. A faint smile flickered across his face as he placed his finger on the trigger.Winston abruptly reached up and grabbed the man's arm with both hands and jerked him forward. The man went over face-first and landed heavily on his back as Winston sprang up. His attacker was between him and his sword, but the dead Space Marauder was laying right at his feet.The man rose from the ground, brushing mud from his coat, and turned to see Epic Winston pointing a rocket launcher directly at him.

OOC: Atton, sometimes bad things happen to our characters. I didn't want Hotwire to lose his leg; I didn't want Tracer and Swerve to die; heck, I didn't even really want Snaproll to die, and he only appeared in three posts. But when the narrative demands that these things happen, we kinda have to just accept it, lest our characters stray into Mary Sue territory.I have to confess, unlike Andrewnuva, I see little difference between Firecracker and Duke -- especially with that throwaway line about breaking out of a maximum-security prison. And the fact that he did murder a fellow DA agent. Playing it for laughs doesn't change the fact that he's a dangerous psychopath.

OOC: Victor Draven, wasn't it?I dunno, based on the descriptions of the Voltage, Saber, Iron Hammer, et al. from the early days of this RPG, I always pictured them as giant hovering things. IC: "What?" said Hotwire. "Oh, yeah, I guess so.""Excellent," said Scott. "Your name is...?""Hotwire. Er, that is, Dave O'Neal. Um. Elite agent Hotwire. Yeah."Kat snickered. "This isn't live, is it?" she asked.Scott glared at her. "And who would you be?" he asked."The answer to that is too complex for a soundbite."Scott rolled his eyes and returned his attention to Hotwire. "So how long have you been with the Dino Attack Team?""Um, pretty much since the beginning, really," Hotwire responded.The reporter nodded. "Is that when you lost your leg?" he asked, gesturing towards the prosthetic attached to Hotwire's left knee."No, that actually was just two days ago--""Which is why we have to be going now," Kat interrupted. "All that seems to be catching up with him, so we're headed to the infirmary in the Iron Hammer." She began to guide Hotwire away."Well, congratulations on the victory and best of luck for your recovery," said Scott with a nod. "Thanks for your time."

OOC: I agree with that guy's sentiments regarding a Rex AI.So I'm thinking that the folks from the infirmary ought to relocate to the Iron Hammer, since that would be a much safer and more effective place to treat the wounded than what remains of the HQ's medical wing. He'd probably be able to escape, that's true, but should he really be allowed to do so? That's the question here.IC: Hotwire was shaken awake. Momentarily disoriented, he looked up to find himself sitting at a TALON-9 console. Kat was standing next to him."Wake up, you lump," she said. "There's mopping up to be done and fun to be had later." She handed him a crutch and pulled him up from the seat.He gaped momentarily. "They told me what happened...I was afraid you were dead."Kat snorted and shot him a good-natured smirk. "You should know by now how hard it is to get rid of me. Now c'mon. We--" She paused as Hotwire swayed dizzily for a moment. "Scratch that, new plan. We're headed for the Iron Hammer. They're setting up a fresh infirmary in there, and you don't look so good." Hotwire merely nodded and yawned as Kat helped him down from the deck to the ground. Leaning on her shoulder for support in the event of another dizzy spell, he allowed himself to be led towards the Alpha Team airship, sitting majestically amidst the urban wreckage.------------------------Epic Winston plodded through the broken streets of LEGO City, attempting to retrace his movements to the place where his brother Matthias had fallen.His attention was diverted by the sounds of a disturbance around a corner. He crept forward, unslinging his sword, and peered down the street just in time to see a white-haired man in a pale trenchcoat run a katana through the chest of a Space Marauder. The fresh corpses of three DA agents and two other Space Marauders lay behind him. The man stepped back and glanced around as a pair or T-1s passed overhead.Enraged, Winston charged at the white-haired man, who turned at the sound of quick footsteps. Momentarily startled by the giant Agent bearing down on him, the man regained his composure and raised his katana. With a hoarse, primal howl, Epic Winston struck.OOC: So Brikman, what exactly is Blaire's katana made of? I'm just wondering how well a thin sword of that variety could stand up to a blade that is six inches wide and an inch thick.Anyone, feel free to interact with Hotwire and Kat as they proceed towards the Iron Hammer. Hotwire's not exactly asleep on his feet foot, he's just a bit out of it right now.

OOC: Ah, then I misread you. It's a regular Misunderstanding Marathon whenever I post here! xDI believe PeaSam's tried to track him down before, but Kotua In Space seems to have simply dropped off the face of the internet.

OOC: Whoops, for some reason I thought that Atton was asking specifically about the dinos that were caught in the blast radius. I shouldn't post that late. We were 48 minutes apart. That's "pretty new?" I feel shortchanged now! :PI jest, of course. It's just that, almost seven years later, I'm still amused that we joined the same day and both stayed to the very end.

OOC: It has been nothing less than an absolute honor to write with all of you over the years. You should know that I count you all alongside my IRL friends. Ha! That's exactly what I did, although my interpretation of a Clinger was practically nonsentient -- possessing no real means of communication, almost no perception of the passage of time, and unable to think in the first person except while controlling a human -- so there was no call for it to have a name.Given those self-imposed constraints, I suppose it's no surprise that I only posted twice. It had to be tried, though. Maybe I'll go back so we can be Clinger buddies. I had to stop when I got to this point, because I was in the middle of listening to the theme from Beasts of the Southern Wild. xD Although epic, it's the joyous kind of epic, making it perfect to start listening to immediately after you finish reading PeaSam's post. As for the film itself, if it's playing anywhere near you, you all seriously should go see it.I'll have some more elaborate ICs coming soon.IC: A cheer went up, echoing off the buildings. Not one throat remained closed.----On board Rotor's T-1, Helm let out a whoop and Giles pumped his fist in the air.Kat heard Katerina's voice inside her head. Good riddance to bad rubbish."Oh, shut up, you," said Kat, laughing to herself.----Osprey and Desdemona hauled themselves out of the damaged ADU, shaken by the rough landing and the PTerosaurs' lighting attacks. To Osprey's surpise, Desdemona hugged him suddenly, and they joined in the cheer.----The concrete sealing the sub-basements of the DAHQ could not block the ripple of Imagination. Wright, sitting with her head in her hands, suddenly felt invigorated. She looked up as Shiller gasped, and then began breathing with greater strength and steadiness than he had been earlier. Wright squeezed Shiller's hand as the medics celebrated."We won," she whispered. ----On Zenna's T-1, Hotwire high-fived Andrew, Dr. Cyborg, Hertz, and Zach as well, before collapsing to the deck, sound asleep and still grinning to himself.----Inside the swaying DAHQ, Mort heard a cough in the stairwell. He peered into the shadows and saw a form move. A step closer revealed it to be a DA agent."Need a hand?" he offered. The agent nodded, and Mort hauled him up. "AT agent Mort. And you are?"The man coughed again, leaning on Mort for support. "DA agent Larson. Thanks for the hand."OOC: EDIT: PeaSam specified that the Einstein Device killed them.

4/5. That is not music I would listen to by choice, but I give it points for the fact that the lyrics were actually intelligible despite being screamed, and because I thought the tempo changes were cool.Once There Was a Hushpuppy - Benh Zeitlin

OOC: Because I'd intended Swerve's end to happen immediately before PeaSam's post, I've moved the IC yet again. I hope nobody minds. It's just that I don't think the whole fight with Darkling/Nazareno death could've happened in the minute I hesitantly specified.IC: "That Einstein Device ready yet?"Hotwire looked up as the voice burst from the radio. It was Swerve. He glanced at Hertz and Dr. Cyborg, and said, "Another minute, at best?" They nodded in agreement."Not sure you've got that long. Dr. Rex shook off Semick's kamikaze maneuver in no time flat, and it looks like Doc Cyborg's little stunt made him even madder." There was a pause. "Tell Frozeen it's been great knowing him, and Rex...well, that's nothing short of an honor. Oh, and Hotwire?""Yes?""You did good, kid. You did real good."------------------------Swerve turned to Mort. "Get out of here."The pale man's brow furrowed. "Excuse me?""Get out," Swerve repeated. "You're too smart to die here. Get to HQ.""The headquarters is hardly safer than this. Dr. Rex is likely to raze the place.""Not if the guys on the roof have the time they need!" Swerve cried. "And that's what I'm gonna get them.""You'll die.""Already dead. Or something. Y'know, all these years we've been fightin' 'em, and I still dunno how that works for drones." Swerve chuckled. "Guess I'll find out. Now GO!" For the first time almost any living mind could remember, Mort's face showed emotion. Grudgingly, he climbed down from the turret. He looked back at the man who, he had to admit, was his only true friend. Swerve was fiddling with the maintainence panels at the base of the cannon.Mort dropped to the ground. Sappy lines like 'I'll never forget you' did not occur to him, as words would have been rather trivial. He hurried towards the base behind another group of agents, including a giant swordsman in an ADO uniform. As they reached the doors of DAHQ, Mort stopped and glanced back again.For the first and only time, Swerve's Iron Predator broke from the defensive line and shot towards Dr. Rex. The armored beast was closing in quickly, blowing clouds of purple flame to clear his path. It was little more than a second before the tank-like vehicle struck him in the legs. Dr. Rex, too startled to dodge, stumbled, but before he could hit the ground, the IP exploded.It was larger than expected for such a vehicle. If he had to guess, Mort would say Swerve had plugged the power cells for the Cryothermic Cannon into themselves, creating a massive short circuit. Dr. Rex's Maelstrom flames could only have exacerbated the reaction. He spared a small smile.Dr. Rex himself had been knocked back nearly twenty feet, and was struggling to rise. The Maelstrom bands around his body seemed to squeeze tighter yet, and hauled the T-Rex upward. Wobbling slightly, he charged once again.Not willing to wait any longer, Mort ducked inside. "Well, you've got your minute," he muttered, glancing upwards. "I certainly hope it's enough."OOC: As far as Swerve is concerned, he was always meant to die. I'd been planning a scene like that ever since I decided to bring Septimus into At War's End. I realize that it looks a bit more improvised after Semick's exit, but I suppose that can't be helped.And I'm not sure he really counts as an "important character."