Realistic or Modern heroes and villains, two sides of the same coin. ic

[wigi]

Do you feel it, the clump building up in the back of your throat?
The jackal, the leader of the world's strongest superhero team has fallen, nobody could believe it, with his set of powers and intellect who could believe that he is dead.
With his speed and his foresight, how could he die from a damned gunshot.
He and his team were supposed to usher in a new age of heroes with their sidekicks and prodigies, and now the public seems to be split.
If the jackal can die from a gunshot, what makes any hero different from regular humans.
What if someone figured out the jackals' weakness, perhaps he figured out the weaknesses of everyone from the sentinels.
The jackals' funeral will be held in front of the heroes' hall, a building dedicated to the memories and trophies of the heroes. Many heroes from all over the world will attend, the public too.
The jackal has fallen, and maybe the age of heroes has fallen with it.​

 

[wigi]

The students of Laijutsu have gathered in the main room of the dojo, some of them were crammed and others sat outside on the wooden deck, the place was fuller than usual.
The man walked back and forth, he kept one hand on the hilt of his sword and the other on his face as he wiped away what seemed like sweat, maybe it was a tear, but he wasn't the type to cry. Just the stress that seemed to be coming off of him was the most emotion most of his students have seen from him.

On the wall of the dojo was a picture of the jackal, it was strange seeing him without his mask, as his identity was revealed after his death.
Around his framed picture were multiple candles, flowers and sense being burned.

Laijutsu would walk over to the picture, he paid his respect and made another prayer. He had done this multiple times already.

He turned around to his students, trying to keep his stern expression that his students were used to seeing.

"We lost a great man..." his words seemed stuck in his throat. "A hero so great, any one of us standing here would be proud to have known him or even to have seen him." his tongue moved around his mouth. He took a deep, shaky breath.

"We must all pay our respect, move in groups of three, move silently and do not hesitate to protect any civilians on your way. Do not arrive too late. void, come with me"
Crow15572

 

[wigi]

Supernova sat crying in her chair, the first time any of her trainees have seen her wearing so little color.
She wasn't like Laijutsu, everyone had seen her cry and laugh and get angry, but this was different. This loss was greater than anything anyone could expect. A couple of her trainees were trying to comfort her as her crying was interrupted every now in them with her saying "he was never supposed to die, not like that", "he was so young", "he was my friend".

Outside the room, in the hall leading to her office, stood at least 30 kids and teenagers who were under her mentorship, some of them knew jackal and the older ones had even helped in missions he was part of.

Supernova stepped out of her office, the two kids holding her up as she cried, the funeral was starting in a few minutes, and supernova is the first person making a speech right after the mayor of the city (red port, is the name of the city, yes I just decided that). She seemed unstoppable before.
The star of red port, the earth's shining beacon of hope, the golden girl. All names that the press used to describe her. No one could blame her, everyone in the sentinel was basically a giant family.
the kids followed her outside.

PlusUltra

 

[wigi]

"weredog speaking, as you may have heard, jackal, the leader of the sentinels, has kicked the bucket. Let's pray to god it wasn't one of you shitheads because if it is, I will find you. It probably wasn't, we all know what happened to the last guy who killed a hero, brutal." he can be heard taking a swig of something, probably alcohol, "now I know most of you don't like the sentinels, god knows I wasn't on great terms with most of them. And I ain't forcing any of you to attend his funeral, I won't be going there myself. Too drunk to do that. Just go easy on some of the guys these next few weeks. Message over"
He leans over the table he's sitting in, "so quill, you and fancy pants going?"

@lost_martian

 

[Jackson123]

Ayame Amano
Location: a local izakaya

The dimly lit izakaya was filled with the soft murmur of conversations and the clinking of glasses, the warm glow of paper lanterns casting a soft light on the wooden interior. Ayame sat alone at the corner table, her katana Muramasa resting within easy reach. She took a delicate sip of Daiginjo sake from her ochoko cup, savoring the smooth, rich flavor. The television mounted on the wall played the evening news, but Ayame paid it little mind until the anchor's somber voice caught her attention.

"Breaking news: Jackal, the greatest superhero and leader of the Sentinels, is dead. Details are still emerging, but this loss will undoubtedly have a significant impact on our city's safety and morale.""

Ayame's eyes flicked to the screen, her expression remaining impassive. Ayame's crimson eyes narrowed as she processed the information. Jackal, dead? The news was shocking, but she maintained her composure. Her thoughts were interrupted by the crackling voice from her Monster Alliance communication device.

"Weredog speaking. As you may have heard, Jackal, the leader of the Sentinels, has kicked the bucket. Let's pray to god it wasn't one of you shitheads because if it is, I will find you. It probably wasn't, we all know what happened to the last guy who killed a hero. Brutal."

She could hear Weredog take a swig of something, likely alcohol. His voice continued, slightly slurred. "Now I know most of you don't like the Sentinels. God knows I wasn't on great terms with most of them. And I ain't forcing any of you to attend his funeral. I won't be going myself. Too drunk to do that. Just go easy on some of the guys these next few weeks. Message over."

Ayame's eyes narrowed. She set her cup down gently, her fingers brushing the hilt of Muramasa. The door to the izakaya slid open, and a group of rough-looking men in dark suits entered. Mafia, she noted, their eyes fixed on her with murderous intent.

The leader, a burly man with a scar running down his cheek, his hand resting conspicuously inside his jacket. "Amano Ayame," he said, his voice low and threatening. "You've interfered with our business for the last time."

Ayame didn't move, her eyes fixed on the reflection of the television screen in her sake. "Leave," she said softly, her voice carrying a dangerous edge. "You're ruining the taste of the sake."

The man sneered and pulled out a gun, aiming it at her head. The bar fell silent.

In a blur of motion too fast for the eye to follow, Ayame's hand flashed to her katana. The blade flashed in the low light as she performed a flawless iaijutsu draw from her sitting position, it was an arc of steel cut through the air with a sound like tearing silk. The gunman had no time to react; his weapon fell to the floor in pieces, neatly sliced apart. Ayame's left hand guided the blade back towards the scabbard, the katana slid home into its saya with a quiet, metallic click of the tsuba before anyone could comprehend what had happened, her gaze never leaving the men.

"Be careful." Ayame said coldly, "I'm in a bad mood."

The mafioso stumbled back, fear replacing his bravado. He turned and bolted for the door, his men scrambling to follow. Ayame returned to her calm demeanor, picking up her ochoko cup once more.

The izakaya returned to its previous state of quiet conversation, the patrons whispering among themselves about the display of skill they had just witnessed. Ayame took another sip of her sake, her eyes flicked back to the television screen, where images of Jackal played in memoriam. She sighed softly, feeling the world is about to change.

 

[Crow15572]

Void
The Laijutsu Dojo

Shiro sat on her knees in the dojo, back straight and hands at rest on her lap. Her head held straight but her eyes followed Laijutsu as he moved. She wasn’t particularly empathetic, after all too much empathy could be a dangerous trigger for what dwelled inside of her - or whatever space said being actually inhabited. That said, she’d worked closely enough with the man to know something was off. She could feel it radiate off of him like a clammy heat.

Her eyes half-lidded as she refused to lower her chin, but acknowledged her mentor in his prayer. As his breath shook, she pulled in one of her own - taking notice of how easy it still was for her. She could hear the unsteady breaths from other students, her peers, some even respectfully holding back sniffles or sobs as they listened. She often wondered if something as simple as that made her a bad person. That she could identify what she should be feeling, but not actually feel it. Or if she could, it wasn’t to the extent others around her did.

In fact, whatever it was that communed with her seemed almost elated. It usually did during tragedy. It wasn’t that she heard it’s voice, in fact she was relishing in its quiet, but she could feel that elation much more strongly than the dour ambiance of the room.

"We must all pay our respect, move in groups of three, move silently and do not hesitate to protect any civilians on your way. Do not arrive too late. void, come with me." Laijutsu spoke, facing the room.

“Yes, Sensei.” She spoke up slightly, making sure her voice wasn’t muffled by the cloth mask she currently wore but also with less force than she might usually use to respond to her mentor. She got to her feet fluidly and fell in line behind Laijutsu.

 

[wigi]

laijutsu jumped from one rooftop to the next, dove from the side of a wall before leaping down to the ground. The movement of so many civilians and heroes making their way to the funeral made it almost easy to blend in with the crowds.
This jump that laijutsu used to preform fairly easily seemed, almost, challenging to him this time. It looked perfect to the untrained eye. Yet his landing was rougher than usual. No damage sustained, but it looked strange to watch his make a minute mistake.

laijutsu looked back at void, "you are holding up well, all the training has helped you control your emotion." he nodded, he thought she felt the grief. He was only trying to distract himself of his own grief. It wasn't helping.

Crow15572

 

[LatinKnightz]

"Breaking news: Jackal, the greatest superhero and leader of the Sentinels, is dead."

"Son of a-"

A tall figure with messy hair wearing a strange lab coat and a rather inconvenient set of glasses smashed his coffee mug down on the floor "Jack you bastard. This better be one of your stupid false reporting's I swear. . ." The strange individual marched towards his computer for more info.

". . .No *unintelligible* way. . ."
A gun. The Jackal died because of a gun. He actually laughed at that, he was still furious about it but he couldn't deny how ironically funny it was. And stupid.
"A GUN?!? Out of all the ways you could've gone?!?" He slapped his forehead, barely breathing due his laughter. "Oh my days. . . Jack you stupid IDIOT. . ."
He then sat in silence for some time.

". . .Who will play with me now?" He asked no one in particular. He took off his glasses and massaged his forehead. He was very visibly upset by this.
Some could even say he was, sad. . .
He would never admit that though. "There goes my plans for the day. . ." He whispered.
"Well," He stood decidedly. "I looks like I have a funeral to attend."

 

[Scatterbrain]

Steel Shark

Steel Shark, known as Dr. John Morton to his colleagues, stood in the operations room of the orbiting Space Force base, surrounded by screens displaying data from across the galaxy. The hum of machinery and the quiet murmur of scientists and officers provided a familiar backdrop to his daily routine. As he reviewed the latest reports, a sudden silence fell over the room, as Commander Bolton, the leader of Space Force, appeared on the main monitor. "Attention, all personnel," The Commander looked visibly shaken as he spoke. "We have received tragic news. The Jackal, leader of the Sentinels, has been killed in action. Details are still emerging, but initial reports indicate he was taken down by a gunshot."

John froze, the words hitting him like a punch to the gut. He exchanged shocked glances with his colleagues. The Jackal, invincible and unassailable, dead from something as mundane as a gunshot? It seemed impossible. A fellow officer broke the silence. "This can't be real. The Jackal was... he was unstoppable." John's titanium-reinforced jaws tightened as he absorbed the gravity of the news. Memories of fighting alongside The Jackal against the Draxx flashed through his mind. There's more to this, John thought to himself. The man survived a Draxx plasma missile. A simple gunshot wouldn't be enough to take him down. Someone must have found a way to exploit his weaknesses.

Commander Bolton directed his gaze at John. "Dr. Morton, if they could take out The Jackal, they might come after you next. You need to be prepared for anything." John nodded in agreement. "We need to investigate this immediately." The Commander ordered. "Leave no asteroid unturned, people!" The room buzzed with renewed energy as officers and scientists began to mobilize.

John turned to his communication console and contacted Dr. Lena Mack, his assistant and friend. "Lena, The Jackal is dead." He said, his voice a shark-like growl. "I'm heading planet side for the funeral. Can you send me anything you find? We need to ensure this doesn't happen to anyone else."

Her voice came through, steady and determined. "I'm on it, John. If I find out anything, you'll be the first to know. Be careful out there."

 

[wigi]

The crowds of heroes and civilians gathered. Giant screens cast the image of the wooden stand that had the mayor standing on the side of it with many heroes, mostly members of the sentinels, standing behind him on the stage. Supernova stepped into the screen as the many helicopters holding cameramen pointed their equipment at her. Her grief could felt even across the screens that had covered the building and skyscrapers of red port.

Supernova is quickly embraced by another woman, another member of the sentinels. She was the mummy, a hero who dressed like an ancient Egyptian and had the power to control dark matter. The hero is pulled to the side by the mummy, where she was quickly brought a chair to sit on.

The sound of sobbing could be heard from a number of heroes standing behind the mayor, roundhouse, a hero who could expand his mass and roll around like a giant ball, the bat, a hero with two bat wings wearing a full black outfit with black goggles, steel, a hero known for his super strength and flight powers who was another founding member of the sentinels.

the mayor walked towards the mic after saying a couple of words to supernova.

 

[PlusUltra]

Fragile stood slightly off to the side casting fleeting glances across to Supernova as she finally emerged from her office. She was dressed in her usual almost casual costume but with the small addition of a black jackal scarf tied around her bicep.

The Atmosphere around her was saturated with grief and loss that the hero community as a whole felt, but for her, it was instead a mix of guilt and uncertainty. Several times now as her head turned to the Hero that for her had been a beacon of fortitude and resilience to her, lips parting slightly and hand raising up only to return to Fragiles side with a furrowed brow. She should say something, should do something, but try as she might, she could find neither the words nor the gesture that felt right.

It wasn't that she had never lost a friend, though with how Supernova was grieving perhaps family member was more accurate, but the entire situation and how all those reacted here was just so....alien to her. Perhaps it was simply the way she was raised that put her views and experiences at odds with the one she found herself in the moment. To her funerals were celebrating life and a temporary goodbye, something she believed full-heartedly but here? it was feeling like the opposite. It was frustrating and confusing, she didn't really know the man that well, but surely he couldn't have wanted all this despair given he lived his life trying to bring the opposite?.

She thought back to her grandfather's funeral, with music playing, stories shared and drinks flowing in celebration, with laughter all around the simple casket. It just made the situation feel wrong to her, but that didn't matter in the end did it? After all today wasn't about that.

---

She followed along with the procession of her group to gather amongst the rest of the funeral attendees, keeping her head down as she tried to recall all the things Supernova had mentioned about the Jackal, and while trying to come up with something she could do or say that could bring that smile she knew so well back to their face.

 

[TwoFacedTim]

The wall thudded slightly as Hyde roughly pushed the door open to his apartment. He flopped down onto the sofa, muscles sore from his daily parkour run. Reaching around with his hand, he searched for the remote, and turned the TV on, pushing himself slightly upright to see. He flipped through the channels, as he grabbed some painkillers from the table next to him, not bothering to count how many and just downing a few. The TV landed on the news and he was about to click past when he saw what was on the TV. The death of Jackal, legendary hero.

He shot up in his seat, as he watched the news reporter talk about his death, slack-jawed in shock. He shook his head, this was unreal. The "Jackal", dead? and by a gunshot no less, no super bullet, or some genetically engineered serum to weaken him, just a normal gunshot. He couldn't help but break into laughter, the entire situation was so surreal, and hard to believe. He groaned as he sauntered over to the kitchen, and grabbed a bottle of whiskey, and downed a couple of gulps, before shaking his head, trying to decide whether he should show up the funeral. He never really knew Jackal well other than the stories. Then again, dozens of other heroes and civilians were there so it seemed to be open to anyone. And he didn't have much plans so he didn't really have an excuse not to attend the funeral

"Guess I have a funeral to attend then" he groaned.

He went to his room, as he considered going as a civilian for a second before deciding against it. He put on his suit, and grabbed his helmet, placing it on his head, and securing it tightly. He couldn't help but remember the last time he felt this surreal feeling, when he was on the space mission. Shaking his head, he tried not to think about it as he grabbed the bottle of whiskey before heading out

He leaped across rooftops, lowering his gravity to allow him to jump much farther. A couple of people on the street pointed as they saw him, so he returned a salute to them, almost hitting a pole as he did so. He probably shouldn't be drunk and leaping rooftops but he'd done this under worse conditions. As he continued to leap between rooftops, he finally saw the funeral procession. He took another sip from the bottle, swaying slightly from the alcohol, as he made one final leap down to the funeral procession. Before he knew it, he was hurtling towards a person. He tried to change his course by changing the gravity to be heavier, and as he landed, roughly bumped into a large woman. He tried to shake his head as he stumbled backwards a bit, speaking in a hushed tone

"Oh my God I am sooo sorry I swear I'm usually more graceful than that . . . This is Jackals funeral right?"

He downed another sip from the battle, wiping his mouth on his sleeve before offering the bottle to the woman

"Drink?"
PlusUltra

 

[Crow15572]

Void
The Jackal's Funeral Procession

Void followed Laijutsu through the streets, well, above the streets. She kept up but left just a slight distance between the two of them. There had been a time when she couldn’t keep up, when she’d stumble on slanted rooftops or couldn’t propel herself far enough to reach the next. There had been plenty of scuffed knees and elbows, and some times when she was worried what might happen if she managed to slam her face into the side of a building after launching herself full speed off of the last. But now she hardly had to think. She just had to move.

Unfortunately for Laijutsu, Void’s eye was well trained…after all he had trained it. Landing beside him, her hand twitched at her side. She kept herself from reaching toward him, unwilling to test his pride in his moment of grief. There was a look in her eye though. She didn’t talk much unless she needed to on a mission or during training, and her mentor knew her well enough by now to read her silent gaze she was sure. She had noticed, and maybe she had even worried for him.

The look was fleeting though, her expression returning to impassivity as she moved her gaze about the area. “Yes. I can’t thank you enough.” And it was true. If he hadn’t been willing to take her under his wing it was likely she’d have lived her whole life locked away, being poked and prodded until there would be too many incidents and she would be put down. “I do wonder sometimes if people think I don’t feel anything.” She admitted. She had learned that being honest was best, even if she still held onto a tendency to withhold what exactly it was she did feel.

Void was not completely stoic though. From where they stood, she’d spotted a lanky man in a suit she recognized bounce off of a large woman and it took all of her effort to keep from giggling. She quickly moved her gaze up toward some of the screens on the surrounding skyscrapers.

 

[PlusUltra]

"Drink?"

Fragile was too focused on Supernova and her thoughts that she completely missed the incoming humanoid projectile, a soft thumpf resounding out at the impact. The relative giantess didn't shift at the collision, though to hide it felt more like impacting a firm mattress than the more solid wall of muscle like might have been expected, potentially even confusion at the slight difference in distance travelled between the impact and the rebounding.

Blinking to herself as she turned around to take notice, there was a brief look of surprise before she reached out a hand to steady the stumbling man. It was only now, however, that she recognized the strong scent of whiskey. It was certainly more fragrant than she was used to and the offered bottle certainly didn't look like a cheap brand, and still he was drinking it straight from the bottle? She was sure anyone who was really into there drinks would have been horrified.

Shaking her head slightly she refocused on the...Heroes? words before she gave a soft smile and responded, "Oh sore-ree are you ok? I guess this is pretty crowded and yes this is the Jackals funeral" she stopped to give another look over to where Supernova was sat up on the stage while waving off the bottle Hyde offered.

"Though....as much as id love to accept your offer, I guess i kinda have to decline for the moment. The states are a little more conservative on the whole drinking age thing and id rather not make anyone upset" she paused "More upset if i got caught breaking a law, today of all days. Thank you though"

 

[wigi]

Supernova was too deep in grief to get up, but she yelled at the gravity user from the stand, "don't you dare give that child booze." she instantly goes back to screaming. Mummy went back to comforting her.

The mayor walked over to his mic and took a deep breath. "Some of us are born with extraordinary power, some acquire them through accidents or surgeries or contact with beings beyond our power. And to that I say those powers don't matter, what matters is what you decide to use them for. We cannot deny the danger of the hero work, it is simply what comes with the job. But we cannot deny that the loss that stands in our hearts today is far too big to write off as a simple work accident. The man who saved this city and this planet multiple times throughout his life is no longer with us, hopefully in a better place. We all remember the many times he went out of his way and put himself in danger for us, and the idea of grave danger to him might have been the words of mortals like us, but he still did it. With that, we should not allow ourselves to drown in self-pity, we must follow what he preached in his life. We must follow in his footsteps, the heroes of tomorrow must walk his path and maybe some of them will become what he always dreamt off, perfect heroes... thank you, a minute of silence"

laijutsu had made it to the hall early enough to hear the speech, "void, go stand with the trainees, maybe even in worse times you can at least make friends, or comfort a hurting soul."

 

[LatinKnightz]

Walking through the large crowd of people who had come to attend The Jackal's funeral, he didn't need to use his powers to disguise himself, and he preferred it that way.
Even he, every now and then, craved the feeling of being a normal human being. A psychological effect commonly felt by super powered or ability enhanced individuals labeled a few years ago as "D.F.T.M." or "Desire. For.The. Mundane." Syndrome. He knew the psychologist. He was a good friend before they both died. Him figuratively and his friend. . .
Well. . .

Literally.

This funeral felt a little similar to his, he thought to himself. The budget of course was, extremely different. But the same air of utter dread still remained.
You could say the same of most funerals. But the professor attended a lot of happy funerals before so this was still relevant.

He shook his head at the shark headed buffoon and made a note to put that. Thing. On his murder list. It wasn't anything to worry about though.
He often procrastinated with his murder list. The Jackal himself being on it at one point.
But that was before he discovered The Jackal was fun. Wait, was this. . . nostalgia?

He looked around cautiously before sneaking into the room where a superhero he was less fond of was temporarily staying in.
"Supernova could have picked a better name." He said to no one before picking open the door. Sometimes, the classic crimes were best.

 

[TwoFacedTim]

Hyde withdrew the drink as she declined his offer, and as SuperNova yelled at him, he raised his hands defensively, as he yelled back "Alright alright finee". He took another swig from the bottle as he muttered under his breath "Buzzkill". Eventually the speeches started, he watched as the mayor took the stand, and gave his little spiel. As he eventually finished and started the moment of silence, he looked around the crowd. Heroes and civilians alike from all around were gathered, all of them looked so somber. He turned to the back to the large woman as he asked her question that hadn't left his mind since he heard the news
"Do ya believe he was actually killed by a bullet?"

PlusUltra

 

[PlusUltra]

Fragile tilts her head and goes silent for a while after the question is asked. It would be fairly obvious that the large woman didn't have the same sombre expression as those around her, at least not the same sense of loss that the others did. Still, the question was a distraction from her troubles so she let her curious nature turn it over in her head.

The Jackal being shot was the official story and she hadn't heard anything different in the halls of the Headquarters or from other heroes, sure there was disbelief but nobody had voiced an alternative that she knew. Though villainous tricks were not unheard of, they were part and parcel of the profession. Turning to glance at Supernova once more she discounted the chance she knew any different or she was almost certain they would have not slept until they uncovered the truth.

The Sentinels would have had the body looked over well, but there was the chance the official story was true and not the full picture as well. While he was killed by the bullet, there was any number of things that could have preceded that, combined with the possibility the gun, its wielder or the bullet itself was using some sort of power, super sciencey thingy or magic. There was also a darker possibility that crossed her mind for an instant before she quickly disregarded it, less she consider it further or give voice to it.

"I believe....he or a version of him was killed by a bullet, but at the same time there is a lot of context missing. There are any ways it could have gone down with the number of strange gadgets and powers around. For it to be a normal person with a normal gun and bullet....in a normal situation? Occam's razor is all well and good, and crazy things like that can happen but still...It doesn't feel right" she shakes her head "They didn't even find who did it though, that alone means it wasn't someone normal or at least a normal person working alone. Even if they were that unnaturally lucky, they would need someone skilled or powerful to let them disappear without a trace. It doesn't feel right, but i think...it wont be until after the shock of all this passes that people will start considering that or looking into it more its too raw at the moment, that is If one of the Conspiracy theory heroes don't figure it out before." However that leads to the issue of if anyone believes them on whats otherwise going to be a very sensitive topic.

TwoFacedTim

 

[Scatterbrain]

Steel Shark

Steel Shark stood amongst the assembled heroes and civilians, his enhanced senses picking up every detail, every tear, and every laboured breath. The giant screens displayed the solemn scene, with the mayor flanked by the grieving members of the Sentinels. He watched as Supernova, her sorrow palpable even through the screens, was embraced by The Mummy and gently led to a chair. Roundhouse, The Bat, and Steel, stalwart members of the Sentinels, all appeared visibly shaken. It was obvious that the loss of The Jackal had left a void in their hearts as vast as outer space.

As the mayor approached the podium, John steeled himself, feeling the need to pay tribute to his fallen comrade. The weight of the mayor's words pressed down on him like the depths of the ocean and, as his speech drew to a close, a profound silence fell over the crowd. John closed his eyes, his mind drifting to the battles they had fought together against the Draxx. The Jackal had been more than a leader; he had been a beacon of hope, a symbol of what it meant to be a hero, especially during those dark days.

John took a deep breath, feeling the resolve harden within him. The Jackal's legacy would not be forgotten. As long as he drew breath, he would fight to protect the world they both loved. The minute of silence seemed to stretch on forever, but as it ended, John felt a renewed sense of purpose. He opened his eyes, glancing at the heroes around him, some lost in their own thoughts and memories, others comforting those near them, and a few talking amongst themselves in hushed whispers.

 

[Jackson123]

Ayame Amano
Location: Jackal's funeral
CS link

The air was heavy with mourning as Ayame stood at the back of the gathered crowd, her katana, Muramasa, respectfully concealed beneath her long, dark coat. The city's heroes, officials, and citizens had come to pay their respects to the fallen leader of the Sentinels, Jackal.

The mayor, a solemn figure clad in a black suit, approached the microphone, his expression one of deep sorrow. He took a deep breath before addressing the assembled mourners.

"Some of us are born with extraordinary power; some acquire them through accidents, surgeries, or contact with beings beyond our understanding. To that, I say those powers don't matter. What matters is what you decide to use them for. We cannot deny the danger of hero work; it is simply what comes with the job. But the loss we feel in our hearts today is far too great to write off as a simple work accident. The man who saved this city and this planet multiple times throughout his life is no longer with us. Hopefully, he is in a better place now."

The crowd listened in respectful silence, many with heads bowed and eyes closed. Ayame's crimson eyes remained fixed on the mayor, her thoughts a storm of conflicting emotions.

"We all remember the many times he went out of his way and put himself in danger for us. The idea of grave danger to him might have been the words of mortals like us, but he still faced it. With that, we should not allow ourselves to drown in self-pity. We must follow what he preached in his life. We must follow in his footsteps. The heroes of tomorrow must walk his path, and maybe some of them will become what he always dreamt of—perfect heroes. Thank you. Now, let us observe a minute of silence."

As the crowd bowed their heads, Ayame stood still amidst the sea of mourners. Her thoughts drifted back to the few times she had encountered Jackal. Their interactions had been brief and often tense, marked by mutual respect but also a clear understanding of their differing methods and philosophies. He had always been the shining beacon, the paragon of virtue, while she navigated in the shadows, dealing with threats in ways the public would never approve of.

She looked around and saw Steel Shark, fellow member of the monster alliance, his massive shark head and high-tech armour unmistakable. The space force hero that single handedly dealt with the Draxx invasion of 2022, and even took the fight to the aliens' home planet.

She remembered that time vividly. While Steel Shark had taken the fight to the planet of Draxian, engaged their mega-sized leader in combat and effectively wiped the threat of the Draxx from the face of the universe, Ayame had been dealing with the invasion's immediate effects on Earth. During those desperate times, she fought the Draxx on the ground, and the Yakuza gumi that she's in used their gains from the black market to provide for the starving, helpless population. The Draxx crisis had inadvertently boosted the yakuza's numbers and solidified their influence in several areas of the city.

Ayame approached Steel Shark, knowing his electronic sensors would likely be alerting him to her presence before she made a sound.

"Steel Shark," she gave a small nod, her expression somber. "Didn't expect to see you here."

---

Interaction: Scatterbrain as Steel Shark

 

[Crow15572]

Void
The Jackal's Funeral

Void blinked at Laijutsu. This had been his plan all along, hadn’t it? She sucked in a breath, her lips sticking to her teeth behind her mask. Sure, right, friends. How hard could it be? She began wading through the crowd, dodging strangers as well as she could without disrupting them.

The big girl was a good landmark, an island in the middle of this ocean of bodies and she did recognize her from…well from something. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it. Fragile was her name, right? She was certainly anything but, but that was probably the point.

Void had almost reached them when suddenly The Entity that bonded with her started screaming in her head. Luckily the only sounds it made out loud were quiet and disgruntled whispers of layered voices, mostly drowned out by the crowd. She moved a hand up to her head and looked around - spotting Steel Shark long behind her in the crowd. Whatever this thing was, it did not like him and it was letting her know.

She didn’t feel just rage from The Entity, she felt something like fear. If not explicitly fear, it was a fight or flight response that made her tremble and sweat. But she didn’t know him, and he didn’t know her. She was just a part of the crowd, and she was making her way to an island.

The small girl didn’t speak as she approached Fragile and Hyde in mid-conversation. But she did slide in perhaps uncomfortably close. Maybe she planned to use the woman as a wall. Another feeling fell over her then, dread and…hunger? The Entity knew something she didn’t, and though she would never speak aloud what it had said to her in that moment, she did look up at Fragile, wide-eyed with shock, before shaking her head. She was busy though, no way she’d notice.

This was fine. Making friends was going great!

Mention: Steel Shark
Interaction (sorta): Fragile and Hyde