This is something that I'm working on that I wanted a general opinion of. It's not particularly anime-inspired, but given all the talk of heroes on this forum, I thought it a good place to show it.
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His name was Champion, and he was the first to fall.
There is not a person on Earth who doesnt know about Champion. His first appearance was in North Texas, in Carrollton, a small suburb of Dallas, where he spent his early years working in cooperation with the Carrollton Police Department. His relationship with the police was so favorable that he went so far as to pattern his uniform during the 1980s after the coloration of their patrol cars: white and blue with a stylized C. Although he was dubbed Captain Carrollton by some of the more waggish members of the press, Champion proved himself time and again during the 80s as a hero.
For the early part of his career, Champion spent most of his efforts in the southwestern part of the United States. The rest of the country acknowledged his fame, but he was rarely seen in the large cities of the Northeast or the West Coast. That is, until the Branch Davidians incident.
Mount Carmel had already been surrounded by members of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms when Champion arrived. The superhero, already well known among the local law enforcement, wisely chose to push for a nonviolent resolution to the siege. Unfortunately, members of the command staff saw the hero as little more than a man-sized siege weapon. After trying several times to convince those agents interested in forced entry that he would not serve as their battering ram, he finally lost his temper and went out on his own to talk to the Branch Davidians. Being effectively bulletproof, Champion could get closer to the compound than any other negotiator.
The Davidians were extremely surprised to see the white-and-blue-clad figure walking up to their compound. They were doubly surprised when he reacted not at all to being fired upon. But they were surprised most of all when he knocked politely on the front door, and asked to speak with Koresh. The members of the church were understandably paranoid, but after Champion pointed out that he could enter by force that he had been given that ability by God and he chose not to, they let him in.
Champion later related that he had spent most of the time in the company of Koresh, who had explained to him why he had not surrendered, that he was waiting for a sign from God. Koresh explained to him that the FBI and BATF agents were denying his requests to speak with experts on the Bible. He explained that he was trying to find out what God wanted from him. Champion, who himself was a pious man (although of a different denomination of Christianity), promised that he would try to help. In a show of good faith, Koresh allowed Champion to see the public areas of the compound, to assure the hero that no one was being mistreated.
Champion spent the next weeks serving as the primary liaison between Mount Carmel and the outside world. He served as a voice of mediation between the federal agents and church members. It was at his urging that Bible experts were brought to speak with Koresh. It was at his urging that moderation and patience were the watchwords. It was through his reputation in the Southwest that most of the agents, who were natives to the area, listened to him. In the end, the Branch Davidians surrendered the siege. Several were jailed for assaulting federal agents and on firearms charges, including Koresh, but what might have been a massacre was avoided.
It was out of this event, and the resulting media exposure, that Champion became a national hero. The federal government became acquainted with him intimately over the next years, and his moderate and sensible manner made him an excellent hero for all sides of the political spectrum to rely on. Champion took his popularity cautiously, not giving in on his principles but still helping people when he could. He became, in the years after Waco, a public hero that everyone could believe in.
Through the 90s, Champion was the hero of the people. He was everywhere, providing his voice of reason when he could, and his strength and invulnerability when he could not. He was instrumental in developing relations with Aquus, bringing the strange elemental being into the public eye and helping it voice its concerns over oceanic pollution. He helped the FBI with militias several times during the 90s, preventing or minimizing the damage from domestic terrorism committed in revenge for Ruby Ridge or Waco. He was active overseas, aiding United Nations troops in Somalia and the Balkans. Again, in those tense and violent places, his voice of reason was just as powerful as his physical abilities. It was Champion who led the task force to arrest Milosovec, delivering the dictator to the steps of The Hague himself for the trial.
Moreover, Champion was the defender of the planet from outside threats. When the Fureons pursued Zhail (commonly known to the public The Starman) to Earth, it was Champion who stood next to his friend at Lagrange Point 6 and stopped the advance invasion force. When Nocturnes reconnaissance of the Carlsbad Deeps found an army of trolls, it was Champion who held them at a standstill until the Night Warrior could evacuate the State Park and summon help. And when the insidious Mad Doctor Jonathan Jacob Walker attacked Silicon Valley with his army of giant robots, Champion was there to turn back the foe.
Hero. Celebrity. Times Man of the Year. A&Es Biography of the Year. Winner of the Presidential Medal of Freedom and an Honorary OBE from the Queen of England. Champion was respected and loved by many. Even his long-time foes, both in government and crime, expressed respect for his moderation and reasonable nature. There were those who hated him not the least of which was the noted metaterrorist known only as Schreck but all who knew him, knew him to be a man of honor and good.
The details of Champions death are hazy at best. If the American government knows what happened, they arent talking. What is known is that, on January 6, 2000, an explosion ripped through downtown Little Rock, Arkansas, leveling four square blocks. Emergency workers, paramedics, and police all rushed to the scene, and were cut down by unknown enemies. Anyone entering the area of the disaster was killed, and no one could see what or who was doing the killing. With little choice in the matter, the police cordoned off the area and called for help.
Champion beat the National Guard to the command post set up by the Little Rock PD by about thirty seconds. He spent forty-five minutes discussing the situation with the police commander, the Mayor of Little Rock, and the Guard Commander. He spent fifteen minutes talking to the press. And then, at approximately four oclock in the afternoon on January 6, he crossed the cordon and entered the disaster area.
What happened next is a matter of public record; the news footage was run on CNN for several weeks, and has been analyzed was almost as much detail as the Zapruder footage of the Kennedy Assassination. Champion flew into the crisis area. He hovered through it slowly, at about the pace of a quick walk, scanning for survivors or indications of the cause of the explosion. Twice he retrieved the remains of a downed police officer or emergency technician and returned them to the barricades. His radio contact with the command post was clear and understandable. Champions tone of voice was calm, but concerned. At no point does he appear or sound to be panicked or unsettled.
Champions final conversation is also on public record, and has been analyzed as much as the video. Upon nearing the intersection at the center of the damaged area, he descended to the ground and began to look for some indication of the cause of the explosion. The following conversation occurred:
Champion: Command, I am approaching the intersection. Am descending to the street. Over.
Captain Thomas Veitch, Little Rock PD: Roger that, Champion. We can see you. Let us know if you see anything that looks like an explosive. Over.
Champion: Roger, Command. The street looks melted. Mustve been a high-temperature blast. Theres little charring, though. No device apparent at first glance. Over.
Captain Veitch: Roger, Champion. Keep looking. Over.
Champion: Roger, Command. Command?
Captain Veitch: This is Command, Champion. We read you. Over.
Champion: No sign of explosive or incendiary device in immediate vicinity of intersection. At least, not to me. Maybe the crime scene guys can find something.
Captain Veitch: Dont worry about it, Champion. Focus on securing the area. Over.
Champion: Roger, Command. Ill start with the bank. Looks like the windows were vaporized, rather than shattered. Interior is seared clean, Command. All wooden furniture has been charred into ash. Marble floors are covered in soot probably furniture and
carpet. No sign of any bodies. Just thats funny .
Captain Veitch: Say again, Champion. Whats funny? Over.
Champion: Footprints. In the marble. They lead towards the vault. Im going to see where they go. Over.
Captain Veitch: Roger, Champion. Be careful.
Champion: UNH!
Captain Veitch: Say again, Champion?
Captain Veitch: Champion, this is Command. Respond.
Captain Veitch: Champion, this is Command. Please respond.
Captain Veitch: Champion, this is Captain Veitch at Command. Please respond.
Captain Veitch: Where is he? Champion, if you can hear us, please indicate.
Captain Veitch: Shit. Hes not responding. Now what?
Approximately twenty minutes after the command post lost contact with Champion, the vigilante known as Nocturne (sometimes called the Night Warrior) appeared in the command post. No one had seen him pass any checkpoints and there is no indication of his presence in any media record until he exited the command post and entered the disaster zone, accompanied by four National Guardsmen carrying assault rifles. It took the five of them ten minutes to reach the intersection, and they were unhindered. It took them another ten minutes to enter the bank and find Champions body. Preliminary examinations showed that Champion was not breathing and had no pulse.
The world mourned the passing of Champion. His death prompted a massive crackdown on crime, with heroes like Nocturne and The Hunter exposing every criminal organization to light while Doctor Tomorrow and The Starman examined Ground Zero. Champions invulnerability made a regular postmortem examination impossible, but Tomorrows superscience allowed for something approximating an autopsy (although Champions body was not actually cut open). The scans of the corpse showed no apparent cause of death. There was no tissue trauma, no broken bones, no sign of organ failure, there wasnt even hydrostatic shock. Champion just stopped living.
The funeral was the largest that anyone had ever seen. Larger than Princess Dianas, larger than President Kennedys, it included celebrities and statesmen from every country. People made pilgrimages to the grave during the month surrounding the funeral. Champions family came forward, revealing his identity to the world, and the world helped them with their grief. Even the paparazzi were silent; such was the love the world had for their fallen hero.
Forty-seven super-powered villains surrendered to law enforcement in honor of Champion, including Dr. Megaton, who turned himself in to the Director of the FBI at the funeral. The Maniac arrived at the doors to Bellevue three days after Champions funeral, coherent for once, and managed to stay inside for a record 73 days, before his meta-insanity overcame the drugs he was on and he tore a hole in the wall and escaped. Over the next three months, 578 members of various crime syndicates across the world, from the Mafia to the Columbian cartels to the tongs of Hong Kong, were arrested, convicted, and imprisoned due to the efforts of heroes and police alike. The FBI unraveled no fewer than four plots to commit acts of terrorism against American citizens. Interpol found another three in Europe. But no one, not even Nocturne, found anything that led them to Champions killer or the parties responsible for what became known as the Little Rock Disaster.
As time passed, the investigators still forged ever on, searching for new clues. The public at large, however, mourned for Champion, and then moved on with their lives. The other superheroes of the world continued as they had, believing the tragedy to be an isolated event.
A belief that would soon be proven to be terribly, horribly wrong.
Ebony the Black Dragon
Senior Editor, Living Room Games
http://www.lrgames.com
Ebony the Black Dragon
http://ebony14.livejournal.com
"Good night, and may the Good Lord take a Viking to you."
---------------------
His name was Champion, and he was the first to fall.
There is not a person on Earth who doesnt know about Champion. His first appearance was in North Texas, in Carrollton, a small suburb of Dallas, where he spent his early years working in cooperation with the Carrollton Police Department. His relationship with the police was so favorable that he went so far as to pattern his uniform during the 1980s after the coloration of their patrol cars: white and blue with a stylized C. Although he was dubbed Captain Carrollton by some of the more waggish members of the press, Champion proved himself time and again during the 80s as a hero.
For the early part of his career, Champion spent most of his efforts in the southwestern part of the United States. The rest of the country acknowledged his fame, but he was rarely seen in the large cities of the Northeast or the West Coast. That is, until the Branch Davidians incident.
Mount Carmel had already been surrounded by members of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms when Champion arrived. The superhero, already well known among the local law enforcement, wisely chose to push for a nonviolent resolution to the siege. Unfortunately, members of the command staff saw the hero as little more than a man-sized siege weapon. After trying several times to convince those agents interested in forced entry that he would not serve as their battering ram, he finally lost his temper and went out on his own to talk to the Branch Davidians. Being effectively bulletproof, Champion could get closer to the compound than any other negotiator.
The Davidians were extremely surprised to see the white-and-blue-clad figure walking up to their compound. They were doubly surprised when he reacted not at all to being fired upon. But they were surprised most of all when he knocked politely on the front door, and asked to speak with Koresh. The members of the church were understandably paranoid, but after Champion pointed out that he could enter by force that he had been given that ability by God and he chose not to, they let him in.
Champion later related that he had spent most of the time in the company of Koresh, who had explained to him why he had not surrendered, that he was waiting for a sign from God. Koresh explained to him that the FBI and BATF agents were denying his requests to speak with experts on the Bible. He explained that he was trying to find out what God wanted from him. Champion, who himself was a pious man (although of a different denomination of Christianity), promised that he would try to help. In a show of good faith, Koresh allowed Champion to see the public areas of the compound, to assure the hero that no one was being mistreated.
Champion spent the next weeks serving as the primary liaison between Mount Carmel and the outside world. He served as a voice of mediation between the federal agents and church members. It was at his urging that Bible experts were brought to speak with Koresh. It was at his urging that moderation and patience were the watchwords. It was through his reputation in the Southwest that most of the agents, who were natives to the area, listened to him. In the end, the Branch Davidians surrendered the siege. Several were jailed for assaulting federal agents and on firearms charges, including Koresh, but what might have been a massacre was avoided.
It was out of this event, and the resulting media exposure, that Champion became a national hero. The federal government became acquainted with him intimately over the next years, and his moderate and sensible manner made him an excellent hero for all sides of the political spectrum to rely on. Champion took his popularity cautiously, not giving in on his principles but still helping people when he could. He became, in the years after Waco, a public hero that everyone could believe in.
Through the 90s, Champion was the hero of the people. He was everywhere, providing his voice of reason when he could, and his strength and invulnerability when he could not. He was instrumental in developing relations with Aquus, bringing the strange elemental being into the public eye and helping it voice its concerns over oceanic pollution. He helped the FBI with militias several times during the 90s, preventing or minimizing the damage from domestic terrorism committed in revenge for Ruby Ridge or Waco. He was active overseas, aiding United Nations troops in Somalia and the Balkans. Again, in those tense and violent places, his voice of reason was just as powerful as his physical abilities. It was Champion who led the task force to arrest Milosovec, delivering the dictator to the steps of The Hague himself for the trial.
Moreover, Champion was the defender of the planet from outside threats. When the Fureons pursued Zhail (commonly known to the public The Starman) to Earth, it was Champion who stood next to his friend at Lagrange Point 6 and stopped the advance invasion force. When Nocturnes reconnaissance of the Carlsbad Deeps found an army of trolls, it was Champion who held them at a standstill until the Night Warrior could evacuate the State Park and summon help. And when the insidious Mad Doctor Jonathan Jacob Walker attacked Silicon Valley with his army of giant robots, Champion was there to turn back the foe.
Hero. Celebrity. Times Man of the Year. A&Es Biography of the Year. Winner of the Presidential Medal of Freedom and an Honorary OBE from the Queen of England. Champion was respected and loved by many. Even his long-time foes, both in government and crime, expressed respect for his moderation and reasonable nature. There were those who hated him not the least of which was the noted metaterrorist known only as Schreck but all who knew him, knew him to be a man of honor and good.
The details of Champions death are hazy at best. If the American government knows what happened, they arent talking. What is known is that, on January 6, 2000, an explosion ripped through downtown Little Rock, Arkansas, leveling four square blocks. Emergency workers, paramedics, and police all rushed to the scene, and were cut down by unknown enemies. Anyone entering the area of the disaster was killed, and no one could see what or who was doing the killing. With little choice in the matter, the police cordoned off the area and called for help.
Champion beat the National Guard to the command post set up by the Little Rock PD by about thirty seconds. He spent forty-five minutes discussing the situation with the police commander, the Mayor of Little Rock, and the Guard Commander. He spent fifteen minutes talking to the press. And then, at approximately four oclock in the afternoon on January 6, he crossed the cordon and entered the disaster area.
What happened next is a matter of public record; the news footage was run on CNN for several weeks, and has been analyzed was almost as much detail as the Zapruder footage of the Kennedy Assassination. Champion flew into the crisis area. He hovered through it slowly, at about the pace of a quick walk, scanning for survivors or indications of the cause of the explosion. Twice he retrieved the remains of a downed police officer or emergency technician and returned them to the barricades. His radio contact with the command post was clear and understandable. Champions tone of voice was calm, but concerned. At no point does he appear or sound to be panicked or unsettled.
Champions final conversation is also on public record, and has been analyzed as much as the video. Upon nearing the intersection at the center of the damaged area, he descended to the ground and began to look for some indication of the cause of the explosion. The following conversation occurred:
Champion: Command, I am approaching the intersection. Am descending to the street. Over.
Captain Thomas Veitch, Little Rock PD: Roger that, Champion. We can see you. Let us know if you see anything that looks like an explosive. Over.
Champion: Roger, Command. The street looks melted. Mustve been a high-temperature blast. Theres little charring, though. No device apparent at first glance. Over.
Captain Veitch: Roger, Champion. Keep looking. Over.
Champion: Roger, Command. Command?
Captain Veitch: This is Command, Champion. We read you. Over.
Champion: No sign of explosive or incendiary device in immediate vicinity of intersection. At least, not to me. Maybe the crime scene guys can find something.
Captain Veitch: Dont worry about it, Champion. Focus on securing the area. Over.
Champion: Roger, Command. Ill start with the bank. Looks like the windows were vaporized, rather than shattered. Interior is seared clean, Command. All wooden furniture has been charred into ash. Marble floors are covered in soot probably furniture and
carpet. No sign of any bodies. Just thats funny .
Captain Veitch: Say again, Champion. Whats funny? Over.
Champion: Footprints. In the marble. They lead towards the vault. Im going to see where they go. Over.
Captain Veitch: Roger, Champion. Be careful.
Champion: UNH!
Captain Veitch: Say again, Champion?
Captain Veitch: Champion, this is Command. Respond.
Captain Veitch: Champion, this is Command. Please respond.
Captain Veitch: Champion, this is Captain Veitch at Command. Please respond.
Captain Veitch: Where is he? Champion, if you can hear us, please indicate.
Captain Veitch: Shit. Hes not responding. Now what?
Approximately twenty minutes after the command post lost contact with Champion, the vigilante known as Nocturne (sometimes called the Night Warrior) appeared in the command post. No one had seen him pass any checkpoints and there is no indication of his presence in any media record until he exited the command post and entered the disaster zone, accompanied by four National Guardsmen carrying assault rifles. It took the five of them ten minutes to reach the intersection, and they were unhindered. It took them another ten minutes to enter the bank and find Champions body. Preliminary examinations showed that Champion was not breathing and had no pulse.
The world mourned the passing of Champion. His death prompted a massive crackdown on crime, with heroes like Nocturne and The Hunter exposing every criminal organization to light while Doctor Tomorrow and The Starman examined Ground Zero. Champions invulnerability made a regular postmortem examination impossible, but Tomorrows superscience allowed for something approximating an autopsy (although Champions body was not actually cut open). The scans of the corpse showed no apparent cause of death. There was no tissue trauma, no broken bones, no sign of organ failure, there wasnt even hydrostatic shock. Champion just stopped living.
The funeral was the largest that anyone had ever seen. Larger than Princess Dianas, larger than President Kennedys, it included celebrities and statesmen from every country. People made pilgrimages to the grave during the month surrounding the funeral. Champions family came forward, revealing his identity to the world, and the world helped them with their grief. Even the paparazzi were silent; such was the love the world had for their fallen hero.
Forty-seven super-powered villains surrendered to law enforcement in honor of Champion, including Dr. Megaton, who turned himself in to the Director of the FBI at the funeral. The Maniac arrived at the doors to Bellevue three days after Champions funeral, coherent for once, and managed to stay inside for a record 73 days, before his meta-insanity overcame the drugs he was on and he tore a hole in the wall and escaped. Over the next three months, 578 members of various crime syndicates across the world, from the Mafia to the Columbian cartels to the tongs of Hong Kong, were arrested, convicted, and imprisoned due to the efforts of heroes and police alike. The FBI unraveled no fewer than four plots to commit acts of terrorism against American citizens. Interpol found another three in Europe. But no one, not even Nocturne, found anything that led them to Champions killer or the parties responsible for what became known as the Little Rock Disaster.
As time passed, the investigators still forged ever on, searching for new clues. The public at large, however, mourned for Champion, and then moved on with their lives. The other superheroes of the world continued as they had, believing the tragedy to be an isolated event.
A belief that would soon be proven to be terribly, horribly wrong.
Ebony the Black Dragon
Senior Editor, Living Room Games
http://www.lrgames.com
Ebony the Black Dragon
http://ebony14.livejournal.com
"Good night, and may the Good Lord take a Viking to you."