A Tale of Heroes (WIP) - 224k words. Updated 29/01/2025!

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Man, the… PCA? is the most toothless thing ever. It’s literally the epitome “then let them enforce it” thing. The League is the biggest known punch in the world, how is the US government going to force them to do anything?

The most likely result of the PCA passing:

  • Seeker immediately bails, because he literally can’t do his seeker’ing otherwise. That means Ignis bails, too.
  • Forlorn immediately bails because fuck you, that’s why. That means Aki bails, too. They’re not even American, either.
  • Nova immediately bails, because lol.
  • I’m DEFINITELY pre-immediately bailing, because double lol and I’m ALSO not even American anyway. That almost assuredly means Lat bails too.

So the US superteam is… checks notes Dark Star. Good luck with that.

Meanwhile, the rest of the world is gonna bend over backwards, thrice over, to get any of these people on the roster, let alone all of them.

Laws only apply to two types of people: the ones who let laws apply to them, and the ones who can be forced to have laws apply to them. The League aren’t the latter, and the moment governmental oversight becomes so onerous that they’re no longer the former either, well…

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1240

I’d be surprised if the Government haven’t found ways to contain the heros, ya know? When ya got a superman-like hero teamed up with ya, even if you know they won’t turn homocidal, ya atleast need something in case they get mind controlled.

We know the Government ain’t the most competent group but they should atleast have a magic rock that gives Seeker the flu or something

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1241

Doubtful. These people best attempts at understanding metahumanity at all got them a bunch of dead and Dark Star, who’s, well, Dark Star.

Seeker and Aki move at speeds that can’t actually be dealt with by anyone without super-speed. Nova can beat any technology you want to throw at him (and because he’s ALSO Taskmaster, he can also beat any non-powered person you want to throw at him). Lat can hit things with her mind. Forlorn is a barely-scratchable tank, even when hit with adrenaline-surging super-strength. Ignis can make energy shields that take bomb detonations at point-blank range and keep on trucking. Seeker can take those bomb detonations at point-blank range himself, with the result of “I need new clothes”.

Like, at the start of the game, Aki can move at over EIGHTEEN TIMES the speed of a bullet and then she stopped counting. Not “that’s my top speed,” but “eh, I got bored keeping track.” Unless you have enhanced speed yourself, you can’t even react to this sort of speeds, let alone do anything about people moving at them.*

The way to deal with supers is other supers, and the only super the US government would have available if the League decides to tell them to fuck off is (lol) Dark Star (you know, the dude who fires guns that shoot bullets that half the team can move faster than and the other half doesn’t care).

Also, no joke, if the US government had access to a “fuck your powers” method, Stratton would have used it just so he could laugh at the League. You know this is true.

*there’s a Flash story where the new Trickster kills Kid Flash (don’t worry, it doesn’t stick). The rest of the Rogues immediately go “what the fuck did you do?!”, much to Trickster’s confusion, because, well, isn’t that what they wanted, one less superhero to stop them? And then the Rogues point out that the only reason they can do ANYTHING AT ALL is that the Flash looks at it all as a game and wants to give them a sporting chance, because the exact moment things get serious is the moment the Flash beats twenty-three types of crap out of them before they even know he’s there.

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You’re correct, but the problem isn’t the US enforcing anything, it’s what the fallout of it passing will be. You’re right that the League would shatter if it ever did, Seeker wouldn’t wait a second, nor would Forlorn (both of which will also dip if open war against Crete ever becomes reality, fyi), but the worry isn’t that the US would be able to catch or stop anyone.

The problem is that with leaving, you- well, you leave. You lose access to the insane amount of bodies the US can throw at a problem, its extensive intelligence network, its long and complex list of allies (both militarily and otherwise), and the kind of pockets that can turn one of the poorest countries in Europe into the best equipped armed forces in a matter of, how long has it been… 8 months?

I suppose it would be too obvious a hint to say those are all things you’ll want to have on your side by the time Book 2 rolls around.

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1243

While those things are true, losing the League immediately makes the US a non-entity against anyone with access to supers. Including, y’know…

“We’re making the PCA a reality!”
“Then we’re leaving. Have fun dealing with the Cult that already managed to get its hands in one of your acting presidents and that dude you pissed off by sending an armed team to break into his wife’s tomb. I’m sure that dude that can shoot guns good is gonna handle it just fine.”
“We’re NOT making the PCA a reality!”

is a very feasible way that conversation is gonna go. Marvel’s Civil War arc only worked (and barely at that) because you had a number of powerhouses on both sides, instead of the entirety of the Avengers telling the government to fuck off and die and leaving them with the equivalent of Captain Fundie America USAgent to deal with Hydra invading Washington about every other month.

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That’s true. It’s very much a mutually beneficial relationship, which is why Gloria takes a more… diplomatic tact with the team than Stratton ever did. It’s not really that he ‘likes’ the guy at fault for almost ruining the atomic bombings, for example, but he much prefers his biggest worry about him being “is he going to marry into the Coltellos or not?” than having to watch over his shoulder for any morally gray action he might end up doing.

Still, let’s just say the League could very much use a governmental apparatus and popular support for what’s coming next.

…Well, at least until someone reclaims what is rightfully hers…

Sidenote, one has to wonder how much having the League on side will help if the King ever rolls around. Just saying, but you’ll have a character bring up what that existence is like, and he’s… not exactly wrong when he says it’d be the equivalent of the Cold War ever going hot.

Sidenote to the sidenote, I mentioned a little while ago that I’m getting a few more commissions done (by Erineas, of course). She’s been somewhat busy lately, but she ended up really loving one of the characters, and cleared some time up to get her specifically done, so…Behold!

So, so loony.

Latooni Kitamura. The Heart, the Soul, the second abomination…

And, perhaps, the chance at redemption.

Latooni 3
Latooni 32700×3665 731 KB

Latooni 2
Latooni 21920×2606 780 KB

Latooni 1
Latooni 12700×3665 1.14 MB

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I love that Lat.

It’s almost enough to make me make a Lat-rom playthrough, but my experience with previous playthroughs has shown that those immediately get derailed by the realisation that they’re not Aki-rom playthroughs. Maybe when you need beta testers and I do her path for professionalism’s sake? :grimacing:

I am fated to have to find a way to talk Forlorn out of ripping my arms off and beating me to death with them, it seems. :pensive:

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1246

Two words: ghost arms

Also, I’d imagine that the same reason why Jerkface Prez wouldn’t abuse the anti-hero rock is the same reason why he can’t pass anti-hero laws: the government, yo. Think a little toddler crying cause their big bro won’t give em a gun.

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Even if these were a thing, irrelevant: it doesn’t matter what the bullets could do if they hit, when Dark Star isn’t fast enough to not get curbstomped before he even knows, e.g., Seeker’s there (incidentally, going up against Seeker would mean Dark Star would, in fact, need ghost arms, because he’s definitely not keeping the ones he was born with), let alone actually aim at him.

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I should confirm that there are ways to incapacitate powered people, btw. Seeker’s a bit of a special case, but he mentions in Chapter 4 that he got sick.

That wasn’t really the point of the scene (it’ll be built up on in the future), but it confirms that powered people can get illnesses. They are as affected by the flu or any other diseases.

The German Empire actually made use of this fact during WWI, as they could not actually spare the 300 men needed to put down a single super. So… spare the men, and spoil the mustard gas.

The US “may” have done the same with Agent Orange in Vietnam, and the less said about, uh, Imperial Japan the better.

Biological/chemical warfare is a possible avenue to fight powered people, the problem is that such a thing is a very slippery slope, and most of them aren’t an immediate fight-stopper.

…And, of course, there’s also collateral damage to consider…

I think Doors meant that the Akimancers could use some ghost arms, tbf. :stuck_out_tongue:

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You mean at least two, right? Maxwell may have a vision that is a bit different from Stratton, but both ultimately want the League as a government controlled unit and in Maxwell’s case probably integrated into the military too.

Uh, oh,…that’s not giving me any confidence in the true nature of other! MC and the origin of our powers. :worried:

Well in the case of the mc and Lat it would affect the meat-puppet shells…but would it really affect the aliens inside? Or would they be free to move onto the next most compatible hosts? :thinking:
And Lat could probably shield herself if she knew an attack was coming, so they’d have to get her in her sleep or something.

Assuming we ever grow powerful enough my mc is ready to have that rematch with Forlorn. Like 80% of his issues with his new life come from the constant annoyance that is Forlorn…15% is caused by uncertainty about the entity possessing him and imposter syndrome and only 5% is the kind of minor annoyances just about anybody has with their job and life.

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Ah sorry, I was talking about your limbs. Can’t rip off what isn’t corpeal. Granted, unless ghosts can hug people, this wouldn’t work

Can ghosts even touch people in this game? I know they don’t exist but hypothetically, can Bento snuggle with Aki in the afterlife while flipping off Forlorn??

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1251

Doesn’t this basically confirm that Lat is the second coming of the Queen or no?

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Did you mean Marcus here? Though, to be fair, Gloria DOES give me Maxwell vibes. Specifically, THIS Maxwell:
image

I find this to be ‘meh’, honestly. “Where I got my powers” is irrelevant. The important things are “I have them” and “What I’m going to do with them.”

My response to the common trope of the villain going “Fool! I was the one who made you, mwahahaha” is never not going to be “Yeah, and how is that working out for you?” right before I curbstomp them nine ways from Sunday.

Man, what ARE you doing to egg Forlorn on? Cos I’m dating Aki and he’s only an annoyance like four times throughout.

Pffft, ghosts are for suckers. Best boy Nova can probably whip up an artiifical body to upload my consciousness into.

Regardless of what jjcb says the anwer is “yes”, because I would find a way.

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Sure, but in this case we’re not a superman clone with all his intrinsic powers or something…we do have an annoying presence in our heads that is indicative of either a pretty severe mental illness or actual alien possession.

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Depends on your beliefs, I suppose.

According to Aki, yes, he could. Once they die, they’ll get a room in one of Heaven’s infinite floors, and be able to spend eternity together just doing what they wish, without duty, or responsibility, or the crushing weight of a family name and legacy.

According to the Broken King, no. He doesn’t think there’s anything after death. That’s it, you die, there’s nothing after that. It’s why he’s spent so long looking for a way to revive the Queen, and why he’s never (well, besides me really not liking the trope) considered trying to find a way to die to join her. He thinks death is the end, and the King doesn’t want his story/adventure with the Queen to ever end.

It’s slightly different motivations, I suppose, though the end result is more or less the same. Chapter 1 hints at this slightly, but Maxwell’s policy stems from ‘fear’. He doesn’t trust powered people, and he really doesn’t want to die. So the way to get over the fear is to ‘control them’, in his mind.

As opposed to Stratton, who wants the League shackled because (in no order) A) Ignis sucks B) Seeker is an asshole C) He’s the President stop questioning him D) The League is far too free and can too easily turn around to threaten America E) Ignis really sucks

What makes you think that? :smile:

No comment on if they are parasites or aliens or a fallen angel sent by Satan or just the MC having a really bad case of delusions, but the Other Yous are completely tied to the MC and Latooni.

It’s why they are so insistent on you two growing strong. If you’re not, you’ll die, and they’ll die with you.

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Wowza, I kinda meant just haunting Aki around the house but instead of jumpscares, ya get ghost cuddles. Ask for a cookie and ya get a ice cream cake with cookies ontop. Thanks, mate!

Just now realized that MC can go “Heaven? Nah, we be in hell cause ya make me wanna sin.” That would just kill me

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One of us! One of us! One of us!

One of us! One of us! One of us!

Oooof, the poor hotel staff. Imagine having to clean infinite rooms.

This is amateur-level shit. I distrust everyone about 10 times before breakfast, just to get my morning started.

I mean, I got an excellent track record with 6 of the 7 deadly sins (I’m terrible at feeling envy, so I don’t have the full collection :pensive: ). Hell has warmer weather and better people, anyway.

EDIT: Completely unrelated, but also complete lol, so I thought I’d share:

image
image1920×1080 76.9 KB

…
Look, if you want to make it on topic, pretend I said “The MC, when Dark Star inevitably tries to shoot them.”

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I aim to please. :grin:

Oh, no, that one would go very poorly. Aki really dislikes Hell.

According to the Heavenly Kingdom religion, Hell is the opposite of Heaven. It’s not infinite (it only has 106 floors), and it can be filled up. Once it has no more room, it’s believed that it’ll burst open and all its demons and monsters will come to the world and see it taken over. It’s basically their Ragnarok, except they don’t have assurances that the ‘good’ will win at the end.

To Aki (and Forlorn, though less so, after all he’s been forced to see), Hell is much more ‘apocalyptic’.

This is, word for word, something that’ll be said in one of your fights.

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F) He really hates the new kid too now, eh? :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

I get that, so does my mc actually…powered himself or no he doesn’t really trust most powered people either…case in point Forlorn.

Envy is easy…it’s gluttony that often fails to be draw to my mc’s.

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