With Great Power is an animanga superhero roleplay set in an original universe featuring a freeform and easy to learn system. We are inspired by the likes of DC Comics, Marvel Comics, My Hero Academia, One Punch Man, Tiger and Bunny and much more. The possibilities for characters and powers are almost endless and players are free to let their imaginations run wild! With such great power, what will you become?
SKYFATHER
Owner
BRAVEO
Admin
NACHOS
Moderator
STAFFER NAME
POSITION
FEATURED
Anti-Heroes and Vigilantes are our most desired member groups at the moment! Do consider making one!
As the stranger approached, the cheeky punk stood her ground unflinching. Despite being trapped between a dangerous criminal and a solid brick wall, she showed no fear. Rather, she had the nerve to sneer at his woes. “That sounds like a you problem. Ain’t my fault that you’re a shitty crook.” She stuck out her pierced tongue to underline the insult. Unfortunately, the threat was clearly lost on her. When the guy poked her soft chest, she glanced down at the spark and then lifted her unimpressed stare back up again. “Cute trick. You do fireworks too?” Being the ignorant and indifferent sort, she obviously didn’t know or understand the man’s powers. Or maybe she was simply reckless enough to not care about the danger.
When presented with a counter-proposal, the thuggish teen rolled her eyes. “Tch, fine. As long as I get my smokes...” She didn’t seem too bothered to be working with a known criminal. And for a good reason... Her sharp teeth twisted into a sly smile. “But don’t think I’ll be seen around you. Heh heh heh...” With the mischievous laugh, a strange shimmer crept across her skin and clothes again. Slowly her whole body turned transparent before fading from sight completely. Not even a shadow remained.
However, the sneaky girl hadn’t actually gone anywhere. If the man bothered to check, he would find her soft figure right where it had been before. Likewise, her disembodied voice soon came from the same spot. “Automatic doors don’t work when I’m doing my thing, so you’re gonna be my doorman.” Well, duh. Obviously, motion sensors couldn’t detect what they couldn’t see. If the man listened very carefully, he might hear quiet footsteps circling around him. Shortly afterwards, an unseen hand gave him a shove towards the convenience store. “Well? What are we waiting for?” She was going to follow his lead for now at least.
Turns out, the rest of the teen was just as solid as the finger that had poked the man. So, instead of walking through her, the unimpressed man bumped right into her and pretty much shoved her aside like a big jerk. With such a huge size and weight difference, it was pretty effortless. She stumbled with an irritated growl. “Oi, watch it, jackass!” Staying tangible was an important part of playing a mortal girl. She wasn’t going to make any amateur mistakes while hunting for fun. The old ‘you’re just imagining things’ excuse worked only so many times, you know.
Despite the explosive demonstration, the punk girl didn’t seem the slightest bit worried. Only annoyed. Marching after the selfish prisoner, she clarified her demand. “I want a pack of Mild Maltys.” She glanced towards a nearby convenience store, its bright signs peeking from the far side of the street. “The shopkeeper has a stick up his ass and won’t sell them to me or my friends. Like, what does he care how old I am? It’s none of his goddamn business. Tch...” She finished venting her frustration with a click of tongue. This was one role she had practiced plenty during her colorful, albeit brief, life.
The trickster quirked a brow when the escapee asked about a quiet place. “I know plenty of places. Doesn’t mean I’m gonna show them to you, jackass.” Folding her arms, she leaned lazily against the brick wall. “Get me my smokes and I’ll think about it.” She cast a sideways glance at him. That sharp smile slowly crept back onto her features. “Unless you want me to scream for help right now.” In the distance, the telltale song of police sirens was getting closer. “All I gotta do is tell the cops that you groped me and they’ll taze you on the spot.” She wasn’t bluffing, she had done it before. Never got old~!
People... So focused on their tangled lives, so afraid of the inevitable end... They often forgot that there were things worse than death... Like boredom! Ugggh... There were no words for the mind-numbing pain of having nothing fun to do. One soul felt that pain particularly badly today. A wisp invisible to mortal eyes drifted lazily above the downtown buildings, watching the ants scurry below. She needed something new! Something exciting! Something like... Her attention stopped onto what looked like a towering pile of muscle and trouble hiding behind a dumpster. And was that the ugly uniform of the local maximum security superhotel...?
After a moment, the unseen lips twisted into a devilish grin. The vague blob of ectoplasm started morphing, quickly taking a more feminine shape. It formed a lithe teen, no older than sixteen. An imaginary barber styled the hair into a side buzz cut, with the long fringe swept to the side. ...Was her hair pink back then? Eh, it was pink now. Numerous piercings decorated her ears and one stud even appeared on her tongue. Messy, rebellious makeup painted her features. Torn jeans, a band shirt and a dark leather vest completed the punk look. Defying several laws of physics, the invisible trickster dropped down and landed without a sound.
Showtime~!
Suddenly, a cheeky voice demanded the escapee’s attention. “Gee, mister, you look lost.” Something shimmered against the brick wall right next to him. Slowly the transparent figure turned visible, reminiscent of a chameleon changing colors. “Are you hiding from someone? Maybe from all those cops sniffing around, hm~?” The pink-haired punk girl measured the muscular man with her gaze, utterly unafraid. For someone several heads shorter and visibly weaker, she sure didn’t lack any confidence. “Be a reeeeal shame if someone screamed right now~” She stuck out her tongue to underline the bratty threat. If snark had been a substance, her words would’ve dripped with it.
The trickster gave the mysterious man only a moment to consider, before stepping in front of him. Her golden eyes gleamed with an idea. “Tell you what...” She raised a finger, wanting to poke him on the chest to punctuate her words. “If you get me smokes, I won’t make your day worse.” Her teasing grin widened, revealing a row of sharp teeth. “Good deal? Great deal.” She left the comment floating in the air.
Seeing the bullets bounce off shook the corrupted guard’s resolve. Losing his comrade was the last straw. “Oh, fuck this...” Throwing his empty guns at the hero for good measure, he turned tail and ran as fast as his legs could carry him. Along the way, he bumped into the display cases and even tipped one over in effort to slow down any pursuit. His panicked dash took him directly towards the statue exhibit...
Meanwhile in the statue hall, the ghost was busy re-decorating the interior. Several exhibit items were floating around eerily. The feng shui of the room didn’t please her. For example, all these ugly vases worked much better standing in a row like the world’s most expensive dominoes. Likewise, all the statues that were too heavy to float looked much better teetering unsteadily on the edge of their pedestal. One after another, every expensive item found a new place. Unseen forces made the work quick. She paused to admire her handiwork with a pleased snicker. There, perfect~! Now she just needed a bait.
Right on cue, the fleeing criminal rushed right into the exhibition hall. The ghost’s lips curled into a devilish smile. She sunk into a nearby shadow like it was a deep puddle of ink and vanished again. On the other end of the room, the security shutters above the doorway started trembling ominously. Just as the running rat reached the exit, all the latches and locks failed with a series of loud cracks. The shutters came crashing down right in front of the criminal’s nose. Half a step faster and things would have come to a messy end for him.
The ghost’s playful voice echoed through the hall. “Aw, leaving so soon? I don’t think so. I’m not done with you yet...” The guard rattled the blocked exit with a frustrated growl. “Crazy bitch! You almost killed me! Ah!!” He recoiled with a yelp when the pale woman suddenly reappeared in front of him. Her crescent grin sharpened, growing just a little too wide for human features. “That’s the idea. Nyeh heh heh... Ahahahahaha~!” The hero may have been careful to simply knock out the crooks, but the villain had no such restrictions. She shoved the criminal backwards.
“Now stand around and look stupid. Yes, just like that~!”
Taking flight, the mischievous spirit zipped up to the ceiling. She watched the entrance of the room closely. Her trap was ready. The moment the dummy stepped inside, she would give all the unsteady statues in the room a little push... And let gravity handle the rest. It would be a gauntlet of collapsing art! She could hardly wait... Any second now... Oh, the anticipation was making her soul tingle~!
One well-aimed sentence was enough to stop the hostage’s panicked flailing. Her fearful act deflated like a leaky balloon. Half-closed eyes directed an unimpressed stare at the hero. “Wow. No fun allowed, huh?” Despite the huge hand firmly clasped over her lips, her blunt words still drifted across the room. Suddenly she slipped free of the muscular mook’s grasp. Or slipped right through him rather. Her feet never quite reached the ground as she stopped to float weightlessly. Wearing a snide smile, she cocked her head. “Throw fun in jail while you’re at it, you fun cop. Nyeeeeeh.” A mocking tongue extended to underline her disapproval.
Meanwhile, the crooks were bewildered. Only the corrupt guard seemed to piece the puzzle together. “Already dead...? Shit, she’s-” His realization was, sadly, cut short by the lankier of his lackeys getting hoisted into the air. The slam against the wall knocked the poor fellow’s lights out. One down, two more to go. The leader immediately huddled closer to his meatshi-erm, valued comrade. “Watch your step, stay away from the shadows.” As the brains of the operation, he had no intention of letting all his planning and preparation go to waste. He could still salvage this... Yes... The thought brought a sly smile to his lips.
The ghost grinned at the hero’s threat. ...Was it a threat? Well, she was going to take it as a threat. “Psh, you couldn’t deal with a broken nail, much less me.” Capitalizing on the imminent chaos, she swooped in front of the criminals. “You boys keep her busy, while I go set up a trap, okay~? Okay!” She flew down the hallway, towards the statue exhibit. Gleeful giggling echoed in her wake. Her golden gaze scanned the area for promising targets... Ooh, that one looked big, heavy and expensive! “Nyeh heh heh...” With a haunting laugh, she vanished from mortal sight and moved to prepare some mischief.
Naturally, the big lunk was more than a little confused by all these sudden twists in the so-called simple plan. “I uhh what...?” The corrupt guard elbowed him in the gut. “Tch, forget it... Plan B!” Now that command cleared all the confusion. “I like plan B.” Both criminals dug out a second pistol. Trading accuracy for firepower, they unloaded a hail of lead at the hero while retreating backwards. If they could just pin her down, maybe they could make a run for it. And if that didn’t work... The leader glanced at the much bigger and slower target by his side. Success was built upon sacrifices, you know.
Even somewhere as big as the Wayport City, there were still places that could be described as small, quaint, cozy even. Uptown was certainly one such district. Skyscrapers faded into the background, as small businesses and apartment buildings filled the scene. Kids cycled down a narrow sidewalk, a jogger made her way towards the park and somewhere two excited dogs were barking up quite a conversation. On the surface, things seemed pretty serene.
However, lately the area had started suffering from peculiar misfortune... In the middle of the night windows got shattered, shops were messed up and crude graffiti appeared on the walls. Naturally, the curmudgeonly old folks were quick to blame it on misbehaving youth. Clearly some gang was targeting their peaceful home. This was what happened when parents didn’t spank their kids! Back in their day... Aaaand so forth. There was just one tiny problem with the theory. No one had seen any gangs.
Fed up with the situation, the local business owners hired professionals. A detective to find the culprit, guards to catch them and even an exorcist just to humor the one old hag who kept insisting this was the work of an evil spirit. However... All of them failed. The detective and the guards were scared senseless the very first night. They all bailed, babbling some nonsense about a laughing woman.
Only the exorcist stayed behind. He was a fearless, old man of stern dignity, with eyes like embers and a voice like thunder. Armed with a holy book and words fiery as brimstone, he challenged the specter. However, things took a tragic turn when the poor man got brutally pantsed in front of a crowd. There were even children present to witness the hairy horror. Some say his dignity might not recover and he may never preach again.
As another night rolled in and the clock ticked towards midnight, the streets of Uptown were deathly quiet. ...Except for one distinct sound. Someone was humming. “~𝅘𝅥 ♫ 𝅘𝅥~” The eerie tune drifted in the cold breeze. As the sound trailed down the street, it slowly evolved into a song. “~And maybe it's a dream, maybe nothing else is real... Hm~ heh he he he~” Before devolving into a haunting giggle. Suddenly a lonely light flickered on inside a small record shop. Disks and vinyls started flying around, smashing against the walls and windows. Observing the ensuing chaos, it was almost like... A shadow was violently rummaging through the shelves?
Soon, the haunting laughter faded away, much like the elusive woman herself. She hadn’t gone far though... In fact, she was standing right behind the nearest corner, invisible to most, struggling to stifle her laughter. These dummies were exactly the kind of entertainment she had been craving. Ah, but how should she toy with them? Tag? Hide and seek? Slowly drive them to madness through horrific illusions? So many choices, so little time~ And speaking of choices, tonight’s cast suddenly grew even bigger. The invisible trickster peeked from behind her hiding spot to find a hero taunting the villains. Spying the little exchange gave her an idea... An awful, wonderful idea~!
Every good hero story needed a fair maiden, you know...
When the hero entered the scene, the fake guard wasted no time venting his frustration with toxic muttering. “Just my luck... When I get my hands on that bi-” ...And so on. His swift hand reached for a satchel hanging by his waist and dug out a suspicious canister. It clattered against the floor, accompanied by an ominous hiss. Suddenly a massive cloud of gray haze filled the hall, as the smoke grenade detonated. Vision dropped to zero. His angry shouting echoed loud and clear though. “Find that hostage! NOW!” He wasn’t dumb enough to face a hero without a bargaining chip.
Meanwhile, a deep voice rumbled an awkward response. “Uh... I already got her, boss.” Even through the smoke, the silhouette of the burlier burglar was vaguely visible. He had chased after the blonde woman and... evidently found her, much to the leader’s disbelief. “Wha-?” Under his thick arm he clutched a shape that was struggling like a cat near a bathtub. A huge hand covered her face, muffling any sounds. “Yeah, she was hiding behind a statue.” Another awkward pause punctuated the back and forth chatter. “Oh... Well. That’s... convenient.” A little too convenient, his paranoia insisted. However, he didn’t have the luxury to ponder it any further. He had to capitalize on this. Fast.
The corrupt guard kept close to his two henchmen and eyed his surroundings suspiciously. “Stay right where you are!” His command was sharp. “You try anything and this nosy girl is dead. Got that?!” To underline his threat, he nudged his companion, who released his hand from the hostage’s features. Immediately a panicked cry echoed through the hazy darkness. “Nngh, no, let me go!” No amount of feeble wriggling and kicking could get her free.
Beneath the fearful mask, the spirit was really getting into her helpless role. Every good scare needed preparation, you know. Like basting a turkey. A very big and dumb turkey. Her golden gaze swept the hazy surroundings, as if looking for a way out. Upon spotting the hero and her tentacles, however, the poor hostage’s terror and wiggling intensified tenfold. “Eeeek, a monster!” The shrill scream shook the glass cabinets and made the crooks wince. “Shut up.” She wasn’t done yet though. Tonight, she didn’t just have three targets... But four. “Nonono. don’t come any closer! I’ve seen enough horror movies to know where this is going!” Just as planned, the criminals were losing their patience. “Shut UP!” Another quick nudge and the burly burglar clasped the hostage’s mouth shut again.
Finally Lily failed her fight against the bubbling laughter. Seeing the dummy bonk against a mirror was met with a stifled giggle that trickled past the fingers covering her mouth. She fought against it with every strand of her soul. However, the reflection and the following reaction really broke the dam. “Pffft hee he haw haw haa~! AaahahahahaHAHAHAA!” Her howling laughter bounced between the mirrors, twisting into a ghastly echo along the way. It was hard to believe such a haunting sound was coming from a little girl squirming on the floor and clutching her stomach. Old habits tended to die hard. It was a good thing she didn’t have lungs anymore, or she would’ve been breathless pretty quick.
Soon, the gleeful ghost bounced back upright. “Hee, it’s no use fighting it. The Maniacal Maze attacks your insecurities. It knows what gets under your skin, Miss Pear Tree~!” She lied through her teeth as naturally as other people breathed. While chattering, she walked past a selection of mocking mirrors herself. One stretched her tall and sickly thin, another twisted her into waves. Neither got more than a chuckle out of her. The third, however, squished her form into a mischievous, little gremlin. She stopped to stare and the mirror image stared back equally offended. “...Psh, this is just a disguise anyway. I’m not that small.” She muttered to no one in particular, quietly reassuring herself.
The spirit shifted her attention back onto her blissfully ignorant target. More giggling followed the shower of glass shards scattering across the floor. “Nyeh heh hee~! Sure, you can just blast your way through...” Her smile sharpened. “If you’re too dumb to use the portals.” Having already cooked up her next lie, she approached a suitably large mirror. “Oh hey, here’s one!” Stepping back a couple of paces, she suddenly sprinted full-speed at the mirror. Instead of slamming against it, however, she slipped right into the reflection. Her very presence briefly vanished...
A couple of seconds later, the ghost popped out of another mirror much further down the maze. The exit door was hiding in a corner behind her. She and her army of reflections waved at Jubokko. “See? Easy!” Holding up a finger, she mimicked the tone her old teachers liked to employ when explaining things. “The secret is speed. If you take a running start, you’ll slip right through the magic barrier.” Another big, fat lie. Warping through mirrors was a little trick of her own, but she wasn’t going to mention that. Instead, she wanted to see if she could get the dummy to bash her nose a second time~!
Slowly the silver moon climbed to the sky, as if carefully peeking over the skyscrapers. It shone a pale light upon a huge building some would call grand, awe-inspiring even... Or so freaking boring, as some insisted. The Wayport Museum of Fine Arts was maybe the most famous and awe-inspiring art gallery in the city. At least its director liked to jam that description into every interview, slogan and advertising poster imaginable. Tall, ornate pillars supported a roof decorated with gargoyles. Huge windows lined the walls, meant to let in as much natural light as possible. Even the entrance was a set of two ridiculously large doors that swung open in a dramatic fashion when the museum was open for business. But tonight, like every night, they were tightly closed.
And so the focus shifted to the back of the building...
A lonely van sat at the back door labeled staff only. Two masked figures, pretty obviously not staff, were let in by a helpful security guard. Robbers working with a corrupt guard... A soul sitting on a nearby rooftop was pretty sure she had seen that plot in a movie before and it was killing her that she couldn’t remember the title. Well, it would have been killing her, if not for the itty-bitty tiny detail that she was already dead. A crescent grin spread below a pair of golden eyes. Hee, well, didn’t matter... Because she just figured out what she was doing tonight. A haunting laugh drifted in the wind as the mysterious figure vanished.
Inside, the art gallery was trying its hardest to live up to the slogan of awe-inspiring. Beautiful paintings from, like, a hundred years ago or something lined every single wall. Big ones, small ones and ones that looked like a monkey painted them. Few statues were included in the collection too. All of them nude for some reason. Some big and important person had borrowed their private collection for the museum to display. ...Or something like that. Look, Lily had never paid attention to that stuff before her untimely demise. She wasn’t about to start now. Even the name of said big and important person escaped her mind. There was something far more interesting occupying her attention anyway. Right... Over... There...
The two masked figures and the guard guiding them were busily removing select paintings from the walls. Only the ones that could be easily carried and hidden. Naturally, the alarms stayed silent. It paid off to have a man inside. The bigger and burlier of the masked burglars stopped to stare into the shadows. When his lanky friend asked what was wrong, a deep baritone told him that there was something... someone... out there.
True enough, a blonde woman in a dark jumpsuit soon walked into view. Snake tattoos coiled around her bare arms and a mischievous grin played on her features. “That’s a nice heist you’ve got going there...” Her voice chimed like a haunting silver bell. Light, ethereal and not quite there... “Would be a shame if somebody tripped the alarm.” Her finger reached out to poke one the paintings, tilting it ever so slightly. The muscular guard grinned right back with unwavering confidence. “Nice try, but I turned off-” Rrrrrriiiiiiinnnnggg!!! A loud noise of a hammer slamming against a metal bell echoed through the building. It spread into the neighborhood too, alerting anyone within two block radius.
“Whoopsie~!”
However, the guard’s confidence wasn’t all unwarranted. Any good crook had a back-up plan or two. His came in the form of a device that resembled a tv remote with way too many wires and a taped on battery. With a click of a button and a buzz that sounded like a fuse blowing, the alarm felt dead silent. His grin was gone though. “I don’t know how you did that... But your little trick won’t work anymore.” He motioned his pals towards the strange woman. “Catch her. I doubt anybody heard that... But if someone did, we’re gonna need a hostage.” There was just one minor problem... The woman was already gone. Playful laughter echoed through the empty hall.
When the proud Yokai accepted the challenge, the mischievous specter flashed a demonic smile. Her voice dropped several octaves lower, crawling across the ground with a haunting reverb. “The contract is sealed. If you lose... Your soul shall be mine.” ...She had always wanted to say that. No, she didn’t actually have any powers to make the threat binding, but that didn’t stop her from bluffing anyway. Sooner or later she would run into someone dumb enough to believe it, you know.
Discarding the devilish grin, the playful ghost suddenly shrank down to the size of a child. She kneaded her ectoplasmic body to really resemble one too. Her usual dark jumpsuit morphed into a cutesy sundress. Twintails almost long enough to sweep the ground completed the innocent look. “Usually it takes an eternity to get into the good rides, buuut I know a shortcut!” Her voice chimed lightly, matching the disguise. She reached out, trying to grab the tall woman by the hand. “This way~!” If the Yokai didn’t resist, she would’ve gotten dragged along like an exasperated adult with an excited kid.
Even with the shortened stature, the spirit was swift on her feet. She led the way deeper into the park, ducking and weaving past the lumbering adults. Soon enough, the path brought her to a large building. It resembled a twisted mansion splashed with all the colors of the rainbow and then some. Three stories high, filled with dozens of tricky rooms and ending with a long, spiral slide back outside, the fun house was one of the most popular rides of the park. Even now, there was a long, snaking line of people waiting their turn. It would be at least an hour before the last ones in the line would get their turn... But the trickster had a plan.
Alright, show time~!
Lily turned to the Yokai for a quick whisper. “Okay, follow my lead...” Her excited voice soon chimed past the background music. “Mommy, mommy! I wanna try that one!” Eager pointing underlined the enthusiasm. Donning the most innocent smile she could muster, she approached the attendant watching the entrance. “May we go in, mister? Please? I have this shiny thingy!” From a pocket that didn’t actually exist, she dug out a golden ticket. Three meaningful letters gleamed in the light. V.I.P. The attendant glanced up from his phone, only to hastily jerk into attention. “Oh, oh right, yes, of course, right this way, uh, valued visitors.” He opened a small VIP gate on the side, allowing the little girl and her, uh, parent to bypass the grumpling queue.
Inside, the mismatched duo was greeted with... madness. Floors that tilted beneath each step, mirrors that twisted one’s body and doors that led nowhere. No doubt stranger things awaited deeper in the mad maze. The spirit could barely contain her childlike glee. “Your first challenge is... dundundun... an obstacle course that distorts reality itself~!” She spread her arms with the dramatic declaration.
The realization came sneaking slyly, like a thief creeping through the night. It slowly dawned on Lily that this mysterious stranger was actually... a gullible dummy. The weirdo swallowed the whole story, hook, line and sinker. Through sheer effort, the ghost managed to snuff out the laughter bubbling inside her, struggling to break free. It was a good thing she had no real face anymore, or it would’ve been turning red from the amount of stifled giggling. Even now, her non-existent lips wanted to form a devilish grin. A force of habit, really.
Jubokko, as the creature introduced herself, was regarded with an up and down sweep of a puzzled gaze. “A whatsit?” The weirdo sure didn’t look much like a tree... Not enough tree things, the ghost decided. Liiike leaves and branches and whatever else trees had. A couple of flowers and a wooden sense of humor didn’t count. She wasn’t even slightly surprised to hear a very familiar tone... Boredom. The kind that was worse than death. Yup, she knew the feeling too well. All this tired talk about desperation gave the trickster an idea... An awful, wonderful idea~!
Finally the playful spirit allowed herself that wicked smile, like a smoke after a long day. “Mundane, eh?” She savored the word idly. “Big words from someone who doesn’t know what a theme park is.” She took flight, spreading her arms in a dramatic declaration. “These are the proving grounds where your mettle gets tested! Skill, bravery, the ability to keep your lunch down~!” All the best lies had a spark of truth in them. “Can’t you hear the voices of all those being tested?” True enough, panicked screams and jubilant squeals echoed from all around them. Maybe it was more of the latter than the former, buuut she wasn’t going to let tiny details stop the show.
Lily floated back down and stopped to hover above Jubokko. She leaned in to stare the tree-spirit right in the eyes. “Dare you face my three tests, hm~?” There was a glint of peculiar madness in her gaze as she prattled with constantly growing fervor. “The mind-rending Maniacal Maze, the stomach-twisting Sky Drop and... the dreaded Tornado!” Of course, a good challenge demanded a nice and totally worthwhile reward. “If you survive, you can have the fabled Rights of Bragging.” A pause for effect. She quietly gauged how the mark would react. “Unless you’re scared, of course... It’s okay... I won’t judge you... Much~” And the trap was complete... The devious plan... To have fun!
The oddly serene reaction was to the ghost what a tiny needle was to a balloon. Her spirits deflated, quite literally. Shoulders sagging, she shrank down her usual size. “Sheesh, give away all my secrets, why don’t you?” The ghastly illusion faded away, leaving behind the woman’s usual, sly features. No point in keeping up a disguise now. It was like a magic trick that the audience already knew or a joke the other side had already heard. Instead, she simply donned a snide, slanted smile. “And you’re slightly less dumb than the heroes I’ve seen.” No wonder the stranger refused to run away screaming. Most folks didn’t meet many dead people, but this gal was clearly an exception.
However, the sudden bombardment of questions caught the trickster off-guard. She blinked. Once. Twice. Almost unsure what to even say to that. ...Almost. “Wow, just jumping right into it, huh? At least buy me dinner first.” Still, she didn’t get many chances to talk about herself. “You know, most people don’t ask how or who...” Her smile sharpened to the usual crescent grin. “They just ask why.” While one of them was dilly-dallying, the other didn’t seem to be in much hurry either. If chatter was the name of the game, then she was ready to play~
Suddenly the playful spirit lost her smile. “The night of my death has been carved into my mind with a crimson blade.” She lowered her gaze, reminiscing with a quiet murmur. “A horrible downpour... Flashes of lightning... I’m running through a dark alley, hurrying home after an evening shift...” Her body shifted ever so slightly, making it seem like she was dripping wet. “A filthy hand grabs my arm. The stench of alcohol chokes me. Money. He demands all my money. Something sharp shines in his grasp. I scream and try to pull away... Piercing pain steals my breath... ” Pausing for a brief moment, she clutched her chest near where her heart had once been.
“And everything goes dark.”
With a solemn sigh, Lily continued her gruesome story. “When I came to, I found myself staring at my own cold corpse.” Her body warped again, showing a single wound trickling with crimson. “So many regrets, so much hatred... It drowned me like a tidal wave. All my dreams were washed away. Only one thought remained... Until that man is dead, I will not rest.” Slowly a disturbing grin spread across her features. “I want revenge... I will have my revenge.” Where most smiles showed cheer, this one only showed teeth. “I have long since forgotten my name... But people call me... The Midnight Slasher.” Closing her eyes, she fell silent. ...Aaaaand struggled not to laugh. All of it was complete bull.
As the hero walked through the villain’s intangible body and flew off, the latter turned to follow close behind. “A what now?” She questioned the weird word briefly. Where one wielded actual wings, the other just sort of drifted weightlessly like a balloon. Unseen force propelled the trickster along, allowing her to keep up easily enough. The wind didn’t caress her skin or ruffle her hair. It only passed right through... Like everything else. She watched the results of her show with a smug smile, occasionally letting out a pleased hum. Shadows stained the darkened part of the park like an inkstain on an otherwise colorful paper. Even dead she could make a bigger impression that these dullards did while alive.
Soon enough, the unfriendly duo landed near the food court. Lily plopped down to sit on the roof of a corn dog stand. She watched with keen interest as her opponent... cut her own palm? If the strategy was meant to confuse her, it was definitely working. She sloooowly cocked her head, trying to make sense of the words being thrown around. Was it a spell? A prayer? A call to some sort of demonic customer service line? Well, whatever it was, it sure seemed bright. Sheesh. Once the transformation was over, the ghost was... underwhelmed at best. “...Soooo you finally hit puberty? Hooray for you.” The teasing comment was flat and blunt like getting bopped with a rolled-up newspaper.
As the new figure spoke up, the ghost immediately got hung up in a certain detail. “There’s that word again. I swear it’s something you just made up.” She hopped down from her perch and circled the pale stranger with lazy steps. Her inquisitive gaze swept up and down. No fur... Weird horns... Hm. She had expected something bigger and hairier from a trump card. Like a werewolf. Or would that be a wereraccoon? Eh, whatever.
Upon completing the circle, the cocky specter stopped right in front of the foe. There was a spark of realization in those golden eyes. “Waaaait, are you the thing that’s supposed to handle me?” Her smile slowly widened. Ominous laughter crept from her lips. “Heh heh heh... Well...” Her entire body started growing, stretching to resemble a twisted parody of a mannequin. Taller... Ever taller... Until she towered twice as tall as the mysterious stranger. With a nasty, fleshy sound her fingers warped into scythe-like claws. The golden shrunk into glowing pinpricks. Finally that slowly widening smile split apart to reveal a row of monstrous teeth. A grim rumble crawled from the depths of her throat to mock the opponent.
The question was met with, of course, a cheeky grin. “Yup. D-e-a-d. Dead.” The ghost enjoyed watching people try to puzzle together how a dead woman could still be walking. She would never tell~! It was all just willpower, she didn’t need to explain a thing! Ah, and then there was the million dollar question... What did she want, hm? Well, she just smiled. They both knew the answer already. In fact, she was far more interested in poking the metaphorical beehive. “Psh, what’s the big deal? Worst case they die and turn into ghosts. It did wonders for me~!” Living was overrated anyway.
However, the hero managed to wipe the smug smile off of the trickster’s face. Her brow quirked, unsure whether it wanted to be at quizzical or intrigued height. Was... that a challenge...? “Oh~? Oh hohoho...” Because it sure sounded like a challenge. The accusation of cowardice hit somewhere deep, into a place she figured had been buried a good while ago. Her features twisted and darkened. “I know you’re playing me...” A pause for effect, before the cheery, chiming tone returned. “...And I can’t wait to see how you screw this up~!” Yup, this was totally a trap. But who was trapping whom, now that was the fun question.
Lily cast a devious glance at the gawking crowd around them. “Ho hum, alright, it’s a deal. Just you and me...” Her smile sharpened into a crescent grin. “So let me clear some space.” Suddenly the lights around them started popping, one after another, like they were bashed by invisible fists. Broken glass showered the unsuspecting civilians. Startled, they started screaming and quickly fled the scene. Within a short moment, the area near the bumper cars was empty. It was silly how many so-called grown-ups were still afraid of the dark. Though to be fair, you never knew what lurked in the shadows...
With the one last prank played, the trickster directed her undivided attention to the posturing hero before her. Leaning closer, she looked down on the puffed up teen. “Nyeh hee, lead the way, lil’ trash panda.” Sure, height was a vague concept for someone without an actual body, buuut at the moment she simply enjoyed looming over the shorter girl. Enticed by the promise of fun, she was willing to follow the hero pretty much anywhere. Even into an obvious trap. There weren’t many traps that could hold her after all.
