Hyperia

Problematic Proliferations Preceded by a Pretty Patsy Palmer

By Swordsman | March 4, 2019 | Comments 3 comments

April 9th, 2024 – Tuesday: 9 AM

Garrick’s Pearphone X began to buzz as he was waiting at the Vault Coffee Shop to get Katherine’s 6x Espresso Americano. Kitty Kat had been distant since the day before and Garrick couldn’t read her mind. He figured hitting her up with her favorite drink might help smooth over a conversation. Maybe he had done something wrong and he could at least find out what to he could make amends if needed.

Coming in just as he sent off updates to Amanda regarding his testing progress on the new gel-matrix brains for replacement of core CPU’s in various models of robotic / A.I. and T.I. processing modules. After the third buzz he checked the notifications and was surprised to see whom had sent him a text message. He almost chided himself over how his face lit up. He was not sure he should even respond since she had wanted to be left alone. He remembered the pained look he had seen on Patsy’s face at the Church of Reflections. There was something about her situation he had not understood. He knew he’d seen that look before on a number of people going through a stressful choice. He knew if he didn’t go he’d regret it forever.

Heading back after his single word reply he found Miss Amazing and handed her the drink she loved and asked her to let him know what’s up because mind reading only goes one way. He smiles at her and she smiles back commenting how he got her favorite drink. She remarked to him that he had to much on his plate to worry about her. When he took her hand he told her he would always worry about her. Miss Amazing nodded mentioning he worries about all them. Garrick chuckled at the idea that maybe that was his true super power. She told him it was just one of many as her phone buzzed.

He stopped her from answering it briefly and tried to explain that Patsy had reached out to him. Miss Amazing stunned Garrick when she told him to go see her and walked away to answer the call she was receiving. It almost seemed like that might have been the most unexpected answer he would get that day as storm clouds began to form and rain heavily over the city. Soon he would realize it wasn’t a strange answer but a herald of weird events beginning to unfold.

April 9th, 2024 – Tuesday: Around 11 AM

The continuing growth of the clouds and rain into a torrential downpour from the morning have managed to keep much of the citizenry complacent. Seems not all criminals seek bad weather to perform their nefarious deeds. Gryphon was contacted by the Centurions’ A.I.: S.T.E.V.E. about an individual waiting in the elevator on the 20th floor trying to meet S.A.V.I.O.R. Gryphon waited for his team to meet him on the lobby of the 20th floor to greet a strange guest with an even stranger tale.

Sasha, Black Phantom, Gryphon, Quazi the Serpent, Hank, and Rubber Band Man all arrived on the lobby at roughly the same time to greet their unexpected guest. At Gryphon’s command the doors to elevator “A” opened and a man walked out wearing strange fashion. Gryphon noticed the male-looking individual had wrist blasters nearly identical to Miss Amazing’s. When he queried their bearer he was informed he was from the future!

Having been to the future in an alternate dimension he decided that he needed to find out what was going to hit them so hard a time traveler had shown up. He put Ashmadiel away in a flash of golden light. As Black Phantom seemed to be eye-balling their guest in a manner that suggested a mental scan while Hank was asking his name. Frac-Tal Hrix was wearing a similar belt to what B.P. and M.A. used to create force fields around each of them. It was Sasha that noticed he had Jake’s Injection Gun. Hrix explained that he didn’t know the complete history of how he came to be in possession of the items that had belonged to the aforementioned heroes and heroines. Just that each item had belonged to one of the heroes of S.A.V.I.O.R. It turns out he had come back with a partner that had been given Jake’s Portal Gun. However, something had gone wrong in transit and they did not arrive together.

During all this timey-wimey stuff, the storm outside raged on as Hank was trying to get help from Black Phantom and S.T.E.V.E. in locating the leader of the mages from the Antarctica mission: Arcana. Hank said he had been tasked with keeping her alive so he wanted to find the fountain of youth and have her drink from it. Gryphon mentioned he’d last seen her in Antarctica. He wondered if this out of left field idea was the “favor” the dealer would propose to him. That short Chinese man scarred him in a away he could not easily put into words.

Hrix began to lay out why he had come back. Modulus and Synistry were getting ready to launch an army to take over Century Station and then later the world. They did so by cloning the body of the hero known as the Ultramarine! The world’s first publicly recognized hero from World War II! Apparently that was the body taken from Inbur Enterprises, and likely the blood samples from Dr. Wendell Moore. It was mentioned that they were hiding right under C.H.I.M.E.R.A.’s noses and that he came back using a piece of technology once owned by Korashi Technics. The group realized that the armored car heist earlier that year was thwarted and Korashi got to keep their equipment. Had they not done that likely they would not be getting this warning! Talk about full circle. Hrix began working with some members of the team and S.T.E.V.E. to pinpoint the location of Synistry in the city while Sasha, now transformed into the Beast, was going to take Rubberband Man to look for Arcana. Gryphon left to try and also look for Arcana by meeting Patsy and hopefully find Arcana through another mage in the city he had seen from earlier.

Gryphon was convinced it was all connected, and began to call both Director Balisong and Richard regarding his plan for trying to stop it. This included a chance trip to Antarctica for two of the team members. He was hoping they could inform those necessary and get the clearances before Beast arrived. Everyone was in a race against the clock to stop a clone army of supermen from wrecking the world! He promised to keep the information loop open and they would work on whatever needed to be done to prevent political snafus as the team went about trying to stop the city from being destroyed.

April 9th, 2024 – Tuesday: Around 1:30 PM

Speeding through the rain and wind to make sure he did not miss a chance to see her perhaps for the last time. He landed upon the roof of the building as a woman with an umbrella was bent over reading the inscription on the utility box he left.

Hey “P”,
All of my secrets are out in the open.
Big changes are coming and
I realize we both need to grow.
You may never see or read this,
but I am letting go for now.
I’m trusting in my faith that if
we are meant to be together.
The universe will find a way,
as it did with the church next
to my home.
Be happy wherever you are.
Goodbye “P”
Love,
“G”

Gryphon looks upon Patsy Palmer, “I want to believe the universe is being kind to me bringing us back together. However, today’s event don’t suggest that to be true.”

Patsy turns and her face lights up as they make eye contact, then she controls her emotions visibly, “Oh Garrick, I’m glad you came.”

“I want to hug you but I am afraid you’re going to disappear.”

Her brow furrows, “No I… I’m not going to disappear, I never disappeared. Oh, uh, you’re so kind I… got your voicemail and read your messages, and I know should have my powers back. I just don’t know if I deserve it? I really saw into myself when that sword took me over and I was at my low. I, I just need to be out of all of this and get my head straight. And you have moved on, you have all of those women around you and they all love you very much.”

“They absolutely do.”

She continues, “I thought I could try and still do a little bit when I was at the church there. Even that is just ehmmm. I need to step, I need to stay out of this.”

“I have to ask you a question?”

She continues, “It’s like an addiction and I need to quit cold turkey.”

“If you want to stay out of this then you need to leave Century Station. A situation very similar to your Murder Master is about to happen by the end of the month. I need to know you’re safe. Hopefully we can stop it, but if we fail you’re going to want to find Wyatt and flee to another dimension because its going to get that bad. I was hoping you might have been coming to me with information about some of this stuff, or even about some lady named Arcana. I’m a giant mix of emotions right now, but if you want out then you need to run.”

A quizzical look comes over her, “Uh, Arcana?”

“Last time I saw you there was a mage from Antarctica not horribly far from you.”

She nods, “Yeah Charlie has talked about her, she came into the shop a few days ago trying to get him to join her. I stayed out of it.”

“Okay, since you’re from another world I am going to lay some stuff at your feet. We have run into a person from this dimension’s future. Arcana needs to be found and kept alive, she is vitally important to that. I would be grateful if you could help with that, otherwise flee the city now. I’m sure you’ve been here long enough to know about the Ultramarine?”

“I’ve heard of him,” she replied.

“Well, they have his body and are cloning him so they can release an army of Ultramarines on the city. So leave or woman up and know you are worthy and this is that redemptive moment you’ve been waiting for. Because I don’t have time for anything else and it breaks my heart to say that to you.” Gryphon was soaked in the rain having this conversation and yet she saw the kind paragon that had saved her that fateful day.

She looked down for a second, “Wow I knew this would be tough. Redemption, I dunno, but I can take you to Charlie if you want?”

He smiled, “That would help certainly.”

She walked up to him and asked if he knew of a book store in Midtown called the ‘Magic of Books’ located there. He knew of it but asked her to direct him as they went. He scooped her up, umbrella and all, and the flew to the bookstore. Gryphon lamented he had no opportunity to enjoy being this close to her again inside his head. She was always the woman he was hoping would be one of the women in his life. He was just happy in a small way right now she was.

Art by: AZ_Artisan
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Now And Forever

By Swordsman | November 26, 2018 | Comments 5 comments

March 29th, 2024 – Friday: 12:07 PM

Garrick sent two text messages to Patsy, and an audio message:

[Patsy, I wanted to ask your forgiveness for this intrusion into your private life, but I won’t. When you showed up at the Church of Reflections. I knew fate was weaving us back together for some reason. It was as though we are players in a drama unhappy that we had lost each other. Besides, I’ve not finished saving you from the first time. Hahahaha!]

[Back before Valentine’s Day, my team had been whisked off to Antarctica! Yeah the South Pole. It was there all of us including Jake, put the end to Aaziakel’s efforts to seal this dimension off from a realm called by many among the arcane: the Nightlands. I acquired one of their magic wands and wanted to give it to you. I’ve kept it hidden from everyone all this time. Watching and reading about different magic systems authors use to craft their tales I wondered if the wand was magical on its own but would not risk its discovery to find out. I know it came from a legitimate magic user.]

[Now, at the Church of Reflections, I was able to break the code and hack the ‘First Reflector’s’ laptop. Now I made a document that is helping law enforcement break the Ishtarian cult being run by devilish origins from the Nightlands by what I believe mortals came to understand as Devils, they are aptly named: Nightlords. I left out the supernatural origins of the Ishtarian cults though. I off loaded all of their mystical documentation on to a thumb drive I possess.]

[You’re the only magical scholar I know. Since the only other one I came to know is dead now, God rest his soul. Now, as you study this just be aware of voices like Aaziakel trying to creep in. Because the purpose of this ritual was to open a large gateway between this Earth and the Nightlands. I believe with study you could use it to find a way home. With the Wayfarer off on his unknown mission in some reality. This may be the best shot at giving you a way home.]

[If you still want to go home? I meant every text I sent to you.]

[I recently allowed for what I believe was a character defining moment in Ashmadiel’s redemption. I feel strongly if I can help her rehabilitation then I can eventually find a way to release her from the sword. From what I know of the prison she and Aaziakel were shackled in suggests thousands of years of imprisonment! She has described herself as one of the Celestials, also known as the Athanatos. Two other words I need to know more about are Luciphim and Obscuruphim. However, that is actually not the important part here.]

[I willingly let her use my body to convey information and took her place within the sword!]

[I alone, know what you experienced inside Aaziakel’s prison. I have shared this knowledge with no one. Know this, from now on what happens, the knowledge we share of these Athanatos will be a core facet of our friendship! As my friend I will go to any means to help and see you flourish. Patsy, it’s never a crime to exist. All of my pain has taught me this. I can say you are among the chief lights in my life that re-ignite mine. Allow me the chance now to re-ignite yours. Hyperia is a hero, and in the paraphrased words of Eiichiro Oda I would remind you:]

[Through action, a person becomes a Hero]

[Through death, a Hero becomes a Legend]

[Through time, a Legend becomes a Myth]

[And by learning from the Myth, a person takes action]

[Your birth-world has the legend about the last stand of the Heroes of Millennium Station. You’ve survived your own Ragnarök! You have a chance at a new life here. No ghosts of the past haunting you for doing your best. It’s never a crime to exist. That prison was meant for Aaziakel, whom has not learned his lesson, it is not now and never was YOUR prison! As long as you’re alive, there will be better things that await.]

[I’d rather die than give up on you! You are among the few people that could remind me no matter how deep the night, it will always turn to day. So I say to you Patsy, whom is Hyperia’s core, before the heart of truth, there is no more needs for words. If you must prove yourself then do so and RISE!]

[RISE PATSY PALMER!]

[RISE HYPERIA!]

[Now and Forever. I will love and support you.]

[Be your own soul. RISE and light the torch of your future!]

Garrick finished the recording and sent it. As usual, the messages showed as neither delivered or read. He sat back and hit his playlist, thinking about her while listening to Legends Never Die.

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Art either created or photo manipulated by: AZ_Artisan

Heldamm! Is That Patsy?

By Swordsman | October 23, 2018 | Comments 4 comments

March 28th, 2024 – Thursday Night

The new guy, Rubberband Man, had proven he was great at infiltration, perhaps equally as good as Black Phantom. He got inside and had remained hidden with no reports of anyone dying to achieve his objective. “A plus” as far as the Gryphon was concerned. There was a brief moment as he entangled the “First Reflector” or Pope of the Reflectionist movement. That one or two of the team were worried they may have had the wrong person! The media nightmare for S.A.V.I.O.R. would be nigh catastrophic! Once his monstrous face was revealed and Covenant recognized him Gryphon felt far more sure of their plan.

Hopefully, there was incriminating evidence that could be presented or they were going to get raked over in the media from that Reflectionist Reporter on WCTV! Finding that information would be the only ‘religious experience’ Gryphon had been planning on having tonight. He had used his contact from the Giving Tree, Ramona, to front the reason for his being at the gathering this Thursday. Where the Church would welcome newcomers each week. So, when things started to get ‘active’ he had to remind himself to stay within normal parameters. He made use though of his supernatural, celestial-bestowed strength to grab innocent people trying to protect their religious leader and carry them to the door.

He was super thrilled Miss Amazing was not there that night. It was before the group had moved into action when he saw Carl talking to “her”. Patsy’s hair was much shorter and a different shade of brown with some small streaks of blond highlights. In the distance most people would miss such a small detail. Not Gryphon, he has drawn her over 37 times in class, even when the model was different he’d put her face on the drawing. He’d done it digital, charcoal, chalk, pencils, Copic colored markers, watercolor, acrylic and oils, etc.

In his head he was repeating February 7th, 6pm over and over. Verbally what Ramona and another member of the church had heard was, “Ha burb, uh, fe, burb, sveaaaa, burb…” When he overcame his complete surprise, he passed it off successfully as dehydration and they got some water. Gryphon was so off his rocker he made a self-degrading excuse that he had to check on a work thing as he sent Patsy a text.

[“You look great with short hair!”]

He had the presence of mind to not do anything more overt when he had also noticed a mage from Antarctica. Perhaps they were working together? He still had the wand, which was sitting in his glove box of his truck this very moment. His heart soared that she was alive and when he looked up to see if she saw the text he had lost visual on her in the crowd and Carl was beginning to change while Alex ducked under the table he was at to change into the Covenant.

Later, during the commotion to grab the “First Reflector” he saw her just standing there stunned by something he couldn’t pinpoint. Yelling out, seemingly randomly to everyone, but her, “HELDAMM!” Then without missing a beat to everyone else, “Please everyone that person has a gun.” She made eye contact with him, and in that moment Gryphon felt everything fade away to black with just a light on her and him. In this moment of shadow and two lights she held his gaze and then turned and she walked away. Blinking out of that moment back to the real world from his head she had turned and was walking out with a large group, ushering them to safety! The dimensional prison was over she should of had her powers back!?!? Where was Hyperia? Where was Heldamm’s Harbinger of Justice?

A piece of his heart broke in that moment. Oathbound. Promises were everything to Gryphon now. He’d learned it was a form of currency in prison. Patsy asked and he promised to respect her privacy and new life until she was ready to meet up with him once again. Never had he hated the last seven weeks more than this moment he had to let her walk out of his life once again. What’s worse is in the middle of everything “Carl” says he’s going away with someone that has answers about him. HE SPOKE TO HER! His departure was broadcast over comm units so no one on the team actually saw him leave.

Patsy,
Jake,
Granny,
Carl.

Even as dysfunctional as their relationships seemed at times. Aside from Constance, Brandon, and Janosh, these people were all he had to call actual friends and they were dropping like flies!

Like a mantra he repeated internally, “Stay on the mission!”

As a rare graduate of the Gramercy Penitentiary School of Emotion Control, Gryphon, got back to the job at hand while he felt the lights in his world begin shutting off. Dimmer, Darker, until only blackness was there to greet him.

A fiery ball of light blazed suddenly in front of him. “You think so little of the rest of them? Of me?” The voice of his sword, Ashmadiel, spoke to him from within the blazing fire. “You are surrounded by more lights than you realize, Garrick Faulkner.” One by one fiery images blazed around him – Constance, Brandon, Janosh, Ameera, Katherine, Shorty, Nicholas, Richard, Alex, Calvin, Ramona, and the form of Ashmadiel herself, golden and resplendent.

“You are surrounded by lights, and you encounter more almost every day. But the most important light… is you.” She pointed at him and a glow emanated from him, banishing the darkness away from all around him. “Shine, Garrick Faulkner. Shine.” The vision ended, and Garrick was back where he started, in the Church of Reflections with the rest of S.A.V.I.O.R..

And after that beautiful vision, he’s greeted with a vision of Cai’s ugly mug screaming at him, “WHO THE @#!^ING @#($ &@#!BALLS ARE JOHN AND SHERYL? STERYL? STELLA? WHOEVER?

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Art by: AZ_Artisan

Did You Hear That?

By Glistam | February 15, 2018 | Comments 6 comments

Security footage from Tuesday night, January 30, 2024

Security Footage – Camera #2

Alex knocks on the door. Patsy answers. They talk briefly. Patsy closes the door and Alex then leaves. He seems to notice something off-camera but does not react further. A couple minutes pass. Katherine walks up from the direction Alex was looking. She enters the house using her card.

Security Footage – Camera #8

Katherine enters the main floor. There is no-one else there. She looks around briefly then walks over to the stairs with purpose. She walks up the stairs to the second floor.

Security Footage – Camera #5

Patsy is on this floor. She is in the kitchen area pouring a mug of coffee. A book with some loose papers sticking out of it sits on the island behind her. The door to her room is open. Her room has a series of connected newspaper articles and notes hung up on all the visible walls. Katherine startles Patsy as she appears while ascending the stairway. Katherine and Patsy talk. Katherine moves and looks around while they talk. She gets to be in front of Patsy’s open door and looks inside. She reacts with some surprise and says more things.

Patsy is talking more excitedly. Katherine walks over to the kitchen island. Whatever Patsy was rambling about is cut off as Katherine asks a question which makes Patsy obviously surprised and embarrassed. Patsy looks away while stammering out a response. Katherine lets her talk and stares at her with concentration. Once Patsy finishes Katherine keeps staring and asking other questions. Patsy responds to them while also pouring a second mug of coffee. She sets it down in front of Katherine and starts asking her questions. Katherine reacts with some surprise. The two go back and forth talking to each other. Time passes.

Eventually Katherine reaches for the book. Patsy goes to stop her but isn’t quick enough. Katherine begins flipping through it questioningly. There’s notes and diagrams and pictures and lists and more. Katherine turns the pages casually. Patsy looks uncomfortable as she does this. Once Katherine closes the book Patsy grabs it from her quickly. She starts talking again, this time not as friendly or casual. Katherine responds confidently and playfully. Each of them eventually starts getting flustered and very animated as they talk. Their talking turns into shouting as their conversation gradually turns into an argument.

Security Footage – Camera #10

In the basement the eight Shorty‘s are all gathered around their computers. They are wearing headsets and playing Worlds Online. They seem completely unaware of the escalating situation upstairs.

Security Footage – Camera #5

The fight looks like it’s about to get physical. Katherine looks as if she ready to start fighting (Garrick knows this look and attitude well), when she suddenly stops. She asks Patsy a question and Patsy also stops, surprised. Katherine asks again and Patsy almost looks relieved. Katherine looks her up and down curiously. She says something quick and walks past her. Patsy yells after her as she leaves down the stairs. Patsy seems very frustrated but stays upstairs. She is holding the book tightly to her.

Security Footage – Camera #8

Katherine comes down the stairs and goes straight to the door. She leaves the building.

Security Footage – Camera #2

Katherine walks out the door and looks around to see if there’s anyone in sight. There doesn’t appear to be. She leaps away.

Security Footage – Camera #5

Patsy has set the book down on the table. It’s open in front of her. There are two pictures on the page. She looks at them and then looks over towards Garrick‘s bedroom. One picture is clearly Garrick’s sword on a nice display. The second picture is obscured by Patsy. She puts her hand on it and says something softly to herself. She then removes her hand and closes the book with determination. She goes into her room with the book and the door closes.

Time passes. Patsy leaves her room dressed to go out. Her book is with her. She stops and seems to take a moment to compose or steel herself. She heads to the stairs and goes down.

Security Footage – Camera #8

Patsy comes down the stairs. She pauses at the bottom to yell down into the basement. Without waiting she then walks to the door and leaves.

Security Footage – Camera #2

Patsy walks away, determined.

Security Footage – Camera #10

In the basement the eight Shorty’s are still completely absorbed in Worlds Online. Nothing has changed with them during any of the other events.