LHC Official Unofficial CF Archival Thing

[Sariel of Tevet]

Bartholemew leaps back from the burning corpse, and sighs- sheathing his blades back in to Shadow. The guns he conjured also fade, as he looks around, cracking his shoulders ever so slightly.

"Right. Well. Now that that's over and no longer being much too silly, how about we get to know each other?" He suggests, turning to face the group as a Whole. "Cus- Haley? I think you.. are missing the whole story, and that we likely have more in common than you'd think. How about hearing me out /before/ you decide to shoot me full of holes?"

[Sariel of Tevet]

It was good that Bartholemew had spoken when he did because Haley already had her guns loaded with the SSS+ anti-demon rounds. Both of them were trained on him, too. "I really don't much care for what you've got to say," she admitted through clenched teeth. "I'm just after some kind of catharsis in my life, you know?"

"Haley..." Dorian warned.

"Not now," she growled.

"At least listen to him."

"Dorian..."

"You aren't even really mad at him anyway."

She wavered like that a moment, then dropped her weapons with a huff. "Fine," she snapped. "Talk."

[Sariel of Tevet]

Bartholemew nods. "One- I bet we have this in common; had no say in being a killer, had shit done to use that was horribly painful, lives ruined by supernatural bullshit?" He opens with, arms held out wide and non threatening- showing his heavily scarred chest, and a part of the rose-chain-skull tatoo. He's wearing a leather coat, but no shirt under it, it seems.

"Two- I /specifically/ hunt down and /kill/ groups like the one you mentioned. Actually- yeah! THey've fuck- HEY! THAT WAS THE GROUP THAT WAS CHASIN SCAR! MIDNIGHT WHATEVER!" He says, a lightbulb expression on his face for a moment before he shakes his head.

"Three- my Current Profession, is killing shit even worse than myself until one of the various monsters is bigger than me. So I figure you get to see me die eventually /anyway/ if instead of shooting me now, you team up with me, and we go hunt fuckin horrific monsters together. You, me, Scar, and whoever the fuck else thinks they've got big enough brass ones to come along. Hows that sound?"

[Sariel of Tevet]

Scarlet had been the epitome of "chillin'" until she heard her name shouted.

Oh yeah. Stuff I can't remember.

"I never did get my cookie back," she mumbled. She tipped her head back to look at the sky. Finally, it seemed like it wasn't going to start storming. That was a relief. Her reactions to thunderstorms were downright embarrassing. She tuned out the conversation, not really interested, and ran her gaze over her impromptu companions again... Weren't there more than before? She stared curiously at the Water Elemental, then found the lizardman sulking in the shadows. He seemed injured. Not that she cared.

"... So I figure you get to see me die eventually /anyway/ if instead of shooting me now, you team up with me, and we go hunt fuckin horrific monsters together. You, me, Scar, and whoever the fuck else thinks they've got big enough brass ones to come along. Hows that sound?"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Scarlet yelped, sinking into her shadow and reappearing out of Bartholemew's, facing him with a stern/bewildered/somewhat irritated expression, "Why the hell are you dragging ME into this?! I don't recall signing up for Monster Academy Janitorial Services! I'm not interested in your ghoulish easter-egg hunt, so I'm just gonna-" an unsurprising crack of thunder boomed overhead, earning a startled and distressed cry from the shadow demon. She jumped violently, clutching onto Bartholemew's coat, ducking her head. A moment passed and she managed a weary chuckle, slowly letting go of the coat; her nails had left crescent shaped marks in the leather, "Right now, my main objective is getting out of- eep!" she cringed a bit at the next roll of thunder and clenched and unclenched her hands (a nervous gesture), "I just want out of this town. I'm going that way," she pointed in a random direction, "if you are too, then fine, but don't think I'm joining in on the monster hunt... From what I gather, I think I'd be classified as one of the monsters," she added under her breath, "So yeah. See ya." She slipped into the shadows and reappeared walking on a bit of sidewalk that hadn't been obliterated, hands stuffed in her pockets.

[Sariel of Tevet]

The Water Elemental
She had to think about what the girl had said... quickly then noting the thunder making noise, her "head" tilted up.

"Poor girl, I don't understand the young demon girls attitude towards the flashing of the thunder, it is a beautiful thing in my opinion... really." The wrapped up girls question leaving her mind. Then she faced each of the peoples. All but the demon girl that had left.

"Forgive me for interrupting, but I wanted to ask this, So basically you hunt and kill things that cause harm to other creatures that are innocent? or do you just kill things you think are monsters when they are not?" the water elemental walked up a step towards this, Bartholemew.

"I am genuinely curious about your thoughts on this, such as... I may not look very dangerous with this little water, though I can be much more dangerous I assure you... so would I be classified as a monster?" Herself sounding genuinely thoughtful on the question. For she had not really had the chance to encounter much creatures besides these folk and the one human she has saved the first day she can remember existing. Let alone meet monsters, still hoping for a response from what she assumed was the Bartholemew, she also asked Haley. Not turning to her, just staying faced to Bartholemew.

"Haley, what do you classify as a monster? and would it benefit others who know Monsters to be in the business of hunting "Monsters" as what you call it?"

[Sariel of Tevet]

"One- I bet we have this in common; had no say in being a killer, had shit done to use that was horribly painful, lives ruined by supernatural bullshit?" He opens with, arms held out wide and non threatening- showing his heavily scarred chest, and a part of the rose-chain-skull tatoo. He's wearing a leather coat, but no shirt under it, it seems.

"Two- I /specifically/ hunt down and /kill/ groups like the one you mentioned. Actually- yeah! They've fuck- HEY! THAT WAS THE GROUP THAT WAS CHASIN SCAR! MIDNIGHT WHATEVER!" He says, a light-bulb expression on his face for a moment before he shakes his head.

"Three- my Current Profession, is killing shit even worse than myself until one of the various monsters is bigger than me. So I figure you get to see me die eventually /anyway/ if instead of shooting me now, you team up with me, and we go hunt fucking horrific monsters together. You, me, Scar, and whoever the fuck else thinks they've got big enough brass ones to come along. Hows that sound?"

He turned to Bartholomew, a big grin forming on his face with, flashing his sharp canines a little in the process while trying not to chuckle so much. It seemed to be working... For now. "Seems we have the same field of expertise then... Bartholomew." Blake said, his accent coming at long last, making the man sound relaxed and slightly witty. "I would hope you would not mind me tagging along... I don't mean to brag but... There are a couple of people and beasts who've forgotten my name is carved on their asses." He said, letting out a slight laugh from his lips. In any case, Blake saw nothing in travelling with these two or anyone here, to be honest. They were all in some aspect... Unique. Nobody could stand out like a sore thumb too much, if at all.

"Seems my Master has made up his mind... And at that point, who am I to argue?" Said Armaros, who if one were to look into his helmet would see that he was blushing from a little embarrassment.

[Sariel of Tevet]

He sighs, looking to Scar. "Scar, you are /not/ a monster. You don't go around /eating/ people, indiscriminately murdering, or in general, fucking up peoples lives for the fun of it. In fact, you are one of the few motherfucking people in this motherfucking shitstain of a world, that I give more than the casual two fucks of human decency for- which is funny, because I aint human by a longshot. In fact, I myself, consider, myself, a Monster." He says in a brief splurge to her before she get's away- hoping to give her pause, as he directs his attention to the questioner's one by one.

First, to the Water Elemental. "I would call you a being, not a monster- unless you go around choking people with water for the fun of it, or alternatively are in relation /at all/ to the Court of the Laughing dead." As he looks from her, to the third man.

"And do we now?"

[Sariel of Tevet]

Ephantus decided not to point out that he had done everything that Bartholomew had listed at one point or another...within the past year. But mentioning that would be counterproductive.

He was mildly....annoyed? Yes, annoyed, that his most promising servitor had not panned out. Ah well.

"Pardon me a moment..." he rumbled no one on particular...then his warform dissolved into a cloud on nanomachines that drifted in the air for a moment...then swarmed out and latched onto a random person who had been gaping at the assmebled group from afar. Like a great many people were doing. Because seriously, what the hell is up iwht this sudden gathering superpowered freaks?

Ephantus walked back up in his new body and coughed, stretching the man's limbs experimentally. "Cozy." he mused.

At this point, he wanted to stick around just to see how this group of....people performed. At least one had been the result of the now defuct Project Midnight. A project that Ephantus had lent much of his own insight into biological manipulation and aetheric transference. When Midnight had fallen through, the machine consciousness had experienced a good bit of disappointment. He'd never get to see how all of those fascinating experiments turned out.

Until now, it seemed.

"I hope you don't mind, but I believe I will be tagging along for the time being."

[Sariel of Tevet]

"See?" Dorian whispered to Haley. "We aren't the only ones."

Haley looked from Bartholemew to Scarlet. "Project: Midnight..." she muttered, then glanced at Ephantus. "It's...good to know I'm not the only one left. That we aren't the only ones left. When they shut it down, they tried to...get rid of everything they could. They forgot about Dorian - and I...well..." she indicated her still uncovered and invisible foot. "I can hide."

She paused and fingered her guns a moment before holstering them. "So many of gathered in one place - it must mean something. I don't like believing in things like fate and destiny, but...maybe we can make it mean something." She realized she was talking a lot and quickly clamped her mouth shut, suddenly self-conscious.

"What I mean is...I feel like destroying what's left of Project: Midnight. Nothing they've created it worth letting continue to exist." She deliberately avoided considering the irony. "So. Who's up for it?"

-

Meanwhile, out in the Storm Plains...there came a low rumble, deeper than thunder, as if a thousand motorcycle engines revved up all at once. It sounded like that because that's exactly what it was! The Storm Riders had returned to Stormfront, eager to reclaim their ancestral home city from the iron-grip of the Blade Emperor.

Leading the pack was Vespi, the Lighting Atmosfaerie.

"You saw the commotion," she called to her allies. "You saw the destruction! the Crosswind's city turns against him! His city...no, Our city! Stormfront belongs to the Storm Landers!" A chorus of cries filled the air with the sounds of wind and rain and thunder. A thousand beings of the weather all cheered together, confident that this would be the day they emerged victorious.

"Ride!"

Once they reached the gates of the city, lighting and fire and wind stirred up and knocked the iron bars aside. Creations of man were nothing to the raw force of nature. Most of her Riders spread out when they were inside, searching for any City Guard or Imperial Soldier they could harass and await Vespi's command. Vespi herself directed a team of four other Riders to where she had seen the most destruction...

...and found Haley's group recovering from the Dow Jones battle. The five Storm Riders circled the assembled Protagonists like wolves readying for the kill and stopped, grinning madly.

"And who," she asked, her voice like a hundred cracks of lightning, "are you Outlanders and what are you doing in my city?"

[Sariel of Tevet]

The Dayman, who was still looking over his head for his power level number. It was quite disconcerting for him, of course. Most of these vagrants do not know how to truly respect a man in a codpiece you know. They are too uncultured to be aware of what it means for one's social status and overall manliness. He was saddened by the fact that people could no longer be immediately aware of his greatness anymore. So he resolved to retrieve his own hovering power level board. He reached into his infinity belt and....oddly enough found nothing.

"Hmmm. It would seem as if those no longer exist. I guess Dow Jones is was the only one fiscally competent enough to create such a thing. No matter! One call home and I shall...hmmm. What's this?"

His hands wrapped around an odd shape and he pulled it from his belt. It was a cookie! Such a dazzling cookie. Baked with candies and chocolates, and nuts, but no bolts. Oh happy day! The Dayman was quite excited and......wait? Oh..oh my. Raisins? Oh goodness sire I am so sorry that you almost bit into that! Yes, yes the universe is quite cruel for gifting you a perfect cookie, tarnished my raisins. No matter my lord, it can be dealt with.

So he dealt with it, by tossing the cookie right at Scarlet's face, with no warning of course. Royalty need no warning at all, for they are nearly omnipotent. After that fiasco had been dealt with, and caught the end bit of Haley's speech about Project Midnight and something about monsters.

"Do clones count as monsters? Because I may know of one. The Nightman was cloned in some facility I managed to stumble upon in the Land of Obsidian. Which reminds me...can we go back there some day? I need another shard of obsidian for my wife."

That last bit probably wasn't heard, as a loud roaring overwhelmed his gloriously royal voice and they began to be circled by biker hoodlums.

"Your city? You do not even possess codpieces! Your city...how can one possess land without a proper codpiece? And you aren't even that loud!"

It is quite true, The Dayman only had to use 70% royal volume to speak over the calamity.

"I will show you noise!"

The Dayman took off his infinity belt, and shook it at the ground. A large garage plopped onto the ground next to the group and he took the back door (as is the royal way you see). He emerged a mere three moments later, with an entirely new attire. He was decked out in leather, with a royal sparkly crossbow on his back (with codpiece tipped bolts of course). His shoulders possessed tattered old football pads and his gleaming royal face was now covered in oil and black face paint. He swaggered over to the garage door and lifted it up. Revealing a large go-kart, which was essentially an upside down codpiece on wheels. It had monstrous pipes in the back for exhaust and a massive blower on the front (ironically of course for such a thing named 'blower' to be nestled onto a housing for genitalia you see).

He took his seat, strapped in (because seatbelts are important children) and revved the engine. It was so disastrously loud that it even pushed the cookie that was now a mere inch from Scarlet's face, and exploded it. He pressed the gas and began to circle the circling bikers, laughing a royal laugh.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Nightman began to scheme. Yes, scheme. In quite an evil fashion. He was finally getting the hang of being evil. He had a codpiece shaped throne and everything right there in front of his laptop, which was still being used for manufacturing his robot clones. Well, and occasionally porn. But mostly clones, we swear. Just please...don't go to the search engine and type "asian" or "hobo"...he is going through a phase right now. He's...exploring. Just...oh hey! Look sir, some hideous...umm...actually sir I don't quite know what that is.

The Nightman got out of his chair and approached the....mass of...dead...and possibly somewhat alive...things that was approaching him with a zombie. He resisted the urge to vomit, although only partially, because a bit of it dribbled out anyway, but he managed a smile for his apparent guest regardless.

"What are you..doing.....here....sir? Thing? I...can't quite place you, I apologize. Are you one of those gender fluid creatures I keep reading about on the internet? I am The Nightman and this is my facility."

[Sariel of Tevet]

Scarlet had been stalking away when she caught a cookie to the face. She caught it before it hit the ground and she examined it a moment before shrugging and taking a bite off of it. If she'd known where it had come from, she might have thought twice about it. However, her mind was preoccupied with what Bartholemew had said. She wasn't a monster? A sardonic laugh escaped her; that was rich. A monster was all she'd been treated as for as long as she could remember... Which, in all honesty wasn't that long. The shadow demon walked through the city a few more minutes, pondering her options. Yes, she wanted to know her history. She'd been looking for it from the moment she'd woken up in that awful storm. Bartholemew did seem to know something about her past, and when she'd been near him, it all felt familiar. He, and the mention of the mysterious Project: Midnight, had triggered a resurfacing of memories that Scarlet hadn't even known she'd had. If she wanted to learn anything about who she was or where she came from, then she didn't have any other choice but to go with him and whomever else decided to tag along.

Being a demon, especially one attuned to the plane of shadows, meant it was a death sentence to trust easily. She didn't trust a single person, not now, not ever. Maybe. But the people just now had been so... Different. How could they have gone through life without facing the same ridicule and torment that Scarlet had? The answer was obvious: They hadn't. Save for the Dayman, perhaps, but she was really trying hard to NOT think about the lunatic royal and his strangeness.

She huffed, a growl sounding in her throat. This was not a situation she wanted to be a part of, but her options were otherwise nonexistent. Her groan was drowned out by a crack of thunder and a roar of motorcycles. On instinct, she hid herself (and her cookie) in the shadows.

What the hell is that?

Her eyes followed the lead rider, who seemed to crackle with lightning (Scarlet already didn't like her). What was more, the stranger was headed for her previous companions. She cursed her displeasure at the entire thing, then sank into the shadows and slunk back to where she'd been before. For now, she'd wait and see what this strange being wanted. If it (she?) appeared to be hostile, Scarlet was in a perfect position to remove her from the picture. An odd sensation flashed in the back of her mind, along with the revelation that assassination had always come easily to her.

[Sariel of Tevet]

The Water Elemental

The Elemental's very shape fluidly rippled just like when you run your hand through still water, and she peered down at her hands as they shook. Quickly sighting the creatures on the horizon. She was startled none the less, these creatures had not been one she had seen before. Though she could sense them. Hopefully they could sense her as well.

Stepping up, she put her "Palms" out in a submissive way, showing her want to stay peaceful. "For one, I am not an outlander, I come from the Land Of Storms. It is where I was born... where I first formed. These creatures near me are innocent, they were just trying to escape the city form the ones whom unlawfully rule here, then they were attacked by a giant robot bank, soon after planning on leaving again. They are innocent, all but I suspect that body stealing creature behind me known as Ephantus, though I do not recommend attacking him. It could prove a negative response for your presence, even I do not want to fight it, and I do not have a body for it to steal. Presumably anyway. In any case, please trust a fellow being from the Land Of Storms, please... these creatures will defend themselves, though I do not believe they will attack a force as great as yours and I believe this with all my own spirit, unless you attack first." She would have to humor these creatures to help the survival of the others, unless one of the other peoples behind her could help with this.

[Sariel of Tevet]

After Dow Jones fell, the Efrun twins had taken a position near where the others were, with Kayla listening in on the conversation while Cale paid half-attention.

"They certainly are a dramatic bunch, aren't they?" Kayla noted.

Cale nodded. "I like 'em. I think it would be fun to hang around with them for a bit- at least until we get our memories back."

"That might be for the best," Kayla agreed. Looking around, she added, "there's not really a reason for us to stay here, at least."

The motorcyclists arrived, and the twins took a few steps closer to the others. Cale grabbed the hilts of his swords, but didn't draw them yet. They both decided to wait and see what happened next.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><>


Before Horror could respond to the Nightman's question, a Holy Wubstorm blasted in from all directions, shaking the walls of the Project: Midnight facility and causing various laboratory instruments to fall and break.

"Your facility?" demanded a voice, audible even above the storm. The voice laughed. "I leave for but a few hours and return to find this place under new management?"

Fleshy mass began to pour from a nearby vent. Upon reaching the ground, the mass began to take shape- that of an enormous man, one who wore naught but a loincloth and a headwrap. He folded his arms, striking a fierce pose which emanated radiance which would blind a normal human.

With a grin, the newcomer said, "Greetings, Nightman. I am Sark."

[Sariel of Tevet]

With the motorcyclists' arrival, Armaros grabbed the hilt of his sword, his grip light as to not accidentally draw it by mistake. Blake reached out for his sword, but his arm inched lower to his satchel.. Grabbing the edge of something made of bronze, but was waiting for the right moment to draw it out.

"For one, I am not an out-lander, I come from the Land Of Storms. It is where I was born... where I first formed. These creatures near me are innocent, they were just trying to escape the city from the ones whom unlawfully rule here, then they were attacked by a giant robot bank, soon after planning on leaving again. They are innocent, all but I suspect that body stealing creature behind me known as Ephantus, though I do not recommend attacking him. It could prove a negative response for your presence, even I do not want to fight it, and I do not have a body for it to steal. Presumably anyway. In any case, please trust a fellow being from the Land Of Storms, please... these creatures will defend themselves, though I do not believe they will attack a force as great as yours and I believe this with all my own spirit, unless you attack first."

As the Water Elemental spoke out, Blake motioned for Armaros to follow. While she had given the gist of the group, it might be a good move at least try and help her... In case, they were not convinced. The two held their hands out, showing they were quite peaceful and not wishing for a fight.

"She speaks the truth... We want no trouble in any way..." Said Armaros, standing to the Water Elemental's left and Blake took her right. " actions in your city were not acts of destruction and prejudice... But of self defense as my elemental companion has mentioned..."

[Sariel of Tevet]

"Well, well," Vespi mused. "An Elemental. You're a long way from the swamp." Lighting crackled from within her as she and he cohorts snickered. "No trouble? Perhaps you should have considered that before you wandered into our city!"

A chorus of engine revs went up, accompanied by a cry of "Stormfront is for the Storms!"

Haley raised her hands in an effort to be genial (although not before loading some cloud seeding rounds into her guns) and said, "Hey. Whoa easy. We don't like the Blade Occupation anymore than you do, right guys?"

She gave a pointed look at Ephantus (We really need to do something about him) and the Dayman.

"Do you now..." Vespi scratched her chin. "Perhaps you'd like to prove it." It wasn't a question.

"Uh. What."

"Follow us to the forward operating base for the Rebellion and maybe we'll talk about your cooperation. Ride!" The Storm Riders circled the assembled once more before riding off into the city.

"There's nothing stopping us from leaving," Dorian muttered.

"But they're fighting Opheia," Haley said. "Which means we at least want the same thing..."

…

Meanwhile in the Nightman's base...

Horror looked from the Nightman to Sark.

"Look. I've been imprisoned a few times in my life. So just...are you Project: Midnight or not?"

[Sariel of Tevet]

Bartholemew sighs, looking around- and decides to let others talk for him, as he goes along with the group, humming- and slips closer to Scarlet.

"So... Uh. Hey. I've finallyy gotten it through my Thick Skull that your an Amnesiac- so.. uh.. sorry."

[Sariel of Tevet]

Scarlet gazed at him, confusion in her eyes, "I don't understand what you have to be sorry for. It's not as though the loss of my memories was your fault." She turned her eyes ahead, frowning at the new developments, "Whether I have amnesia or not, it doesn't make any difference in the way we make our plans now."

A resigned sigh escaped her, "You know who and what I used to be. I... would like to remember. So I'll go with you. But ONLY until I have my memories back."

[Sariel of Tevet]

He nods. "Though, having those memories back /may/ make you reconsider that statement. Oh- and uh.. It kinda might be.. because if you got traumatized enough to lose em, from what I know, it's because I failed to stop midnight from catching you... which, honestly, freaks me out. I like... ate a city, or some shit, over that fight- I don't know, I woke up on an island of corpses in the middle of a small lake of blood, y'know? My Sword likes it when I give it con- Oh I swear to fucking god.."

As he has a Lightbulb expression and engages his sword in rapid fire telepathic conversation.

[Sariel of Tevet]

Scarlet frowned at him, "You ate a city? That can't have been good for your digestion. Look, it doesn't matter who's fault it is or isn't. It just is. I don't even know if Project: Midnight is the reason I don't have any memories. The name just seems familiar. I may not have had any contact with them at all. I don't know."

She raises an eyebrow at him, instinctively knowing that he and the sword, Giovani, are having a telepathic conversation. That seemed familiar too, now that she thought on it. The demon shakes her head at the two, then focuses her attention on the newest member of this group. She was pretty snippy, in Scarlet's opinion, and a bit too full of herself. But she seemed to be serious about taking her own home back for her people, which Scarlet would consider to be a fairly noble notion. She only hoped that the battle with the Blade Occupation in Stormfront would go more smoothly than the battle with Dow Jones had. That had been a nightmare.

[Sariel of Tevet]

The Nightman...looked...painstakingly so...at Horror.

"No. I am not Project Midnight, and frankly, they were short sighted. I was born here a few days ago and," snapping a look towards Sark, "I have taken control of this facility and have already done far more than anything I have read in the archives. Project Midnight relied on testing and quality. Creating the perfect specimens and concocting soldier hybrids. Filth. Purity is what was needed. And it is what I have provided. I am perfection, and have cloned myself. Unfortunately, it seems as if humans are...unruly. Having brains and...well thinking and what not."

He paused and glanced at his narrator, who quickly turned his eyes to the ground.

"They become annoying and disobedient when they can think. That is why I used my perfection as a base for robot clones of myself. They only lack a hive mind or means of control."

He took a deep breath and rolled his eyes at the now zombified clone.

"A means of control that won't...tarnish their abilities of course. However I have quite the assortment of broken clones if you wish to have your own toys. But no, I am not Project Midnight. Me and my Obsidian Nights are far greater than they could have ever hoped to have been. Once I obtain my means of controlling them...Storm City will be my new playground. Where I can build perfection from the ground up."

He beckoned to the camera feed which was fixed on The Dayman, doing circles in some sort of kart around a bunch of roughians.

"This man holds the key to my....possibly our success."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Dayman watched as the Storm Riders took off towards their base inside the city and he came to a screeching halt.

"Well all, I don't quite care for following orders...but it won't be following if I can beat them there!"

He started to rev the engine and heard a fit of laughter behind him. He turned to find a blonde teenager, standing atop of a large and somewhat clunky motorcycle, arms folded and head tilted back in laughter. He pointed a finger at The Dayman, which was quite shocking, as no one had ever done that to him before, and began to laugh even harder.

"You....beat ME to the operating base? I haven't even been told where it is and I could STILL beat you there! They aren't leaving me out or anything, it's just that they are probably worried that if their biggest and strongest member were at the base, then the enemy would strike and not pass up a chance to challenge me. Too many other members would get hurt in the process."

The Dayman looked the not very impressive looking kid up and down, deciding on if he would even take his challenge seriously or not. They can be quite self assured at that age you know, and egotistical tendencies are not very becoming of course. The Dayman would never act in such a way. The thought made him chuckle a little.

Stratus raged at the laughter, which he of course thought was related to his person.

"How dare you laugh at me, Stratus, biggest and baddest member of the Storm Riders! I practically founded this group. They would be nothing without me! You hear that codpiece guy? I am the biggest thing here and don't you forget that! If you are man enough, you can beat me to the base!"

He hopped down onto the seat of his bike and took off in a cloud of dust.

The Dayman fastened his seatbelt, and then fastened his codpieces seatbelt, and put his kart into gear.

"Challenging my manhood...HA! HE doesn't even have a codpiece. I suppose I will have to teach this kid a lesson."

The Dayman stomped his foot down onto the codpiece shaped gas pedal and tore off after Stratus and the rest of the Storm Riders.