Oskmey: Adventurous Tales

[Oskmey]

Here is everything that I wrote for my main:

Story, the First:

Once again I find myself back on the streets, stalking my prey. They are few and far between these days, those who are actually worthy of my time and effort. Even with the challenge that some can present, in the end they are nothing more than the dregs of society. They feed from the efforts of others with little to no thought on the consequences of their actions. The fear that the victims are forced to live through each time they leave their home.

I have heard that Paragon City is the place to be for those such as myself. Those who wish to be part of the divine hand of Justice; to punish the guilty so that the City may once again thrive. I have ignored the urge to follow this path fora very long time, perhaps it is time for me to move on and meet a greater challenge.

A scream shakes me out of my thoughts and I focus my hearing in on the sound. The adrenaline starts to kick in at the same time I start to move. Even though I can claim no superpowers,I become a blur of motion when it is time. In a matter of moments I am between the thugs and their intended victims. In one motion I sweep my leg, taking down one thug before any of them can react. before he hits the ground I am already moving to next one. The blades of my knives sing as I draw them from their hidden sheaths. These thugs are not worthy of the blades but the hilts are an excellent implement to use.The thug collapses after I strike four pressure points. The last of the group has realised what is happening and is clumsily moving in on me. I pause in my whirlwind of motion to give him time to try and strike me.His left shoulder moves before he starts his swing. I easily block his strike and give his elbow a shock before twisting into a backfist that finds his jaw. He folds instantly and joins the second thug on the ground. The first has recovered and is staring at me wild eyed. I take a step in his direction and he finds his feet and flees into the night.

The intended victims, a man and woman, look up and stare at me. I am sure that I appear to be some sort of deranged psycho who runs around in the night looking for people to beat up. Yet this world knows its heroes and they find their voices enough to thank me for saving them. The woman looks to be especially relieved and as I start heading back into the night I hear her say, "She was a wish come true, our guardian angel."

Yes, I am Oskmey and it is the wish of this world to have justice that keeps me going night after night.

[Oskmey]

Story, the Second:

Oskmey, newest Superhero to join in the fight to clean up the once grand city; to join with the forces of good and battle against those who would see the city destroyed. Granted the city had come a long way since the Invasion but the pictures never capture certain aspects of a bustling city. Things such as the noise of the living and the smell. All larges cities have a strong smell associated with them. In time she would be able to identify where she was in the city just by the smells.

But for now her mind needed to focus on more important matters, specifically registering her presence and finding a place to live. Paragon helped out her "Heroes" so that they could dedicate their time to serving the public trust but it would not make apartment hunting that much easier. The online site showed at least 35 eligible places to stay and each had very nice looking photos. Then it will be on to finding work. While Paragon was quick to offer a place to live there were still other items that had to be attended to such as food, clothing, and a social life. For all of that she would need some sort of steady income and at a place that would not mind her rushing off when needed.

With all of these thoughts, and more, she stepped out of the train station and out into her new life in Paragon.

********************

"Getting around can be chore unless you have been gifted with some sort of flying ability. I mean, I was passed by four taxis and ended up walking most of the way to registration," Oskmey said into her small cellphone. "Mom, I do not want to hear thatagain. I may not have superpowers but I can do a lot of good here, far more than I could at home beating up on would be muggers.
Mom...."

The argument was an old one and it was never helped when she had to show up for family functions sporting new bruises and, on occasion, a cast. True she was not like most of the heroes but she was far from being alone. She had found out earlier in the day that her official classification was Natural Scrapper. The Natural part of the classification seemed appropriate but she was not really that sure about Scrapper. Sure she would mostly fight things out to help others but she was just as good at sneaking around and all out intimidation. Still she most definitely was not a Tanker, Blaster, Controller, or Defender. The Registry had very specific definitions for each class of Hero and it took her over an hour just to read it all and fill out the forms. In the end she was given an ID card and temporary housing. None of it in her birth name which made things a bit surreal after things being so much different in her old life. In the old life the Hero identity was protected and barely known but here, she was told, it is best to live as the Hero and hide the original. Just in case you ever became important enough for villains to target. Having that bit of information given to her really drove home the importance of the work to be done.

"Mom, I need to go. I literally just dropped my bags on the floor before calling you and I need to unpack. I will be sure to call. Love you too."

She walked over to an old couch that served as part of the "pre-furnished" portion of the living quarters and sat down heavily.

Just out the window she could see tall buildings and a statue that must be near Atlas Park. She was tired from the long train ride to Paragon but at the same time she had a lot of nervous energy eating away at her. Finally she stood and headed towards her bags. Her garment bag was quickly unzipped and she slowly pulled out her "hunting" outfit. No matter how many times she has put it on, she always felt exhilarated when she took it out for the next outing. It was as if the outfit had a life of its own,
one that offered something beyond the ordinary. An important piece of her soul that cried out for justice in a very crazy world.

"Later," she told herself. "First I need to get everything unpacked and do some grocery shopping."

********************

It was three days later before she had time to actually put on her outfit and strike out into the city. There were so many little details to cover but it had all been worth it. She had met a few others like herself and was given a referral for a nice gym that catered to the special training needs of the Scrappers. Not all of them were Naturals such as herself but that did not matter, sharing the title of Scrapper seemed to be enough to generate a certain amount of camaraderie. After showing her ID and
getting set up at them gym she met someone else who had given her a lead on a possible job with the local Hospital systems. She never thought she would end up working in a hospital since she was not a healer but she had learned that there was an overwhelming need for people to do odd chores, work on systems, and help herd both staff and patients in the right direction.

"Need to focus," she chided herself. "Shouldn't let everything else crowd the mind right now."

Right now she was poised on the roof of a very tall building, watching for thugs in the streets below. She was shocked that there were so many non-powered goons in Atlas Park. Purse snatching seemed to be the way for the scum to make a quick buck or two. Just today alone she had logged in seven would be muggers. The police did not pay much but what little she made would help with the bills. She yearned to do more. It was as if the city was calling out to her; asking her to pick up the pace and do what she could to save it.

Suddenly to her right she heard something. It was not terribly close but it was close enough for her to easily check out. She carefully jogged to the far end of the roof and peered into a darkened alley. At first she did not see what had made the sound but then something moved just beyond the dumpster. Seeing no reason to go rushing into the situation blindly she slowly slid down the roof until she hung by her fingertips and then she let go. She landed in near silence and quickly went down into a crouch. She could hear a scraping sound, as if a bit of metal was dragging briefly on the concrete. Then the smell hit and nearly caused her to gag.

"What in the world could smell so bad?" she thought to herself. Glancing around the dumpster she had landed next to she saw her answer.

The monster stood seven feet tall and looked like it belonged in a movie about Frankenstein. Scars zigzagged across the enormous body of the beast. It was human-like in appearance but only because it looked like it had been made out of various body parts. The name of it escaped her at the moment but she had heard about these things coming up from the sewers, the product of some mad doctor. It looked strong, really strong and for a moment she thought about heading out into the street and back home. The thought went through her mind and was then gone. She was here and this thing could just as easily have stumbled across some poor person on their way home for the night.

As the thing turned away from her direction she started to move. She was quicker than most and stronger than she looked. Hopefully it will be enough. The first punch landed where a kidney should be for most people. Her foot flashed out, targeting the knee of the monster. Before it landed she was hit by something very hard and it threw her off balance. As the concrete rushed up to greet her she twisted and rolled, barely feeling the hit on the ground. Back in a crouch she looked at her opponent, sizing up the next strike zone. Far too quickly of something that size, it moved towards her. Flinging herself to the right she felt the mass of the monster come within centimeters of her head. Instinctively her foot flashed out and found the pressure point in the upper thigh. The creature howled in pain and swung around to face her again.

She was already up and moving. A flurry of blows landed on the monster, connecting from the groin to the jaw. It slowed a bit but mostly seemed to shrug off her attack. Just as she started moving in again the monster started to smash down at her with two huge fists. It was the perfect opportunity to finish this once and for all. With an amazing amount of grace she slipped to the side and, at the same time, grasped one of the arms and helped it through its natural arc. The monster was quick and strong but
off balance. The momentum that it had put behind the attack, now helped along, was enough to send it flipping in the air and landing on its back. Immediately she fell upon the thing, landing blow after blow. After a few minutes she realized it was no longer fighting her.

Carefully she stood up and examined her surroundings. No others had come along during the fight, she was safe for the moment.

Her hand dipped down into her waistband and she withdrew her phone to call the police.

********************

"Hey Osk!" greeted the cheerful woman at the front desk of the gym. "How's things going?"

Oskmey drew in a breath and released it as she approached the counter. Normally the every bubbly Samantha was a breath of fresh air but today everything seemed to grate against her nerves. It probably had a lot to do with the black and blue marks across both forearms and under one eye from the confrontation the week before.

"Hey Sam, things are about the same. I need to ask a question."

"Sure thing, shoot."

"Last week I ran into something that gave me a good scare. I have been thinking about picking up some kind of weapon but have no idea where to look or who to train with around here."

Sam quieted for a moment, looking thoughtful as she ticked through the possibilities. "You said that you studied some form of Kung Fu before, right?"

"Good memory, sure did. Why?"

"Ever do any sword forms?"

"A bit but not enough to say that I am really comfortable in slinging around a big broadsword or anything like that."

Sam laughed as she replied, "Oh no, not a broadsword. Definitely not for you. However, we do have someone here who could help you with something else. It will cost though, not part of the normal gym membership but you can train here."

With that Sam dug out a card from under the counter and passed it to Oskmey. It was a little battered around the edges and proudly exclaimed:

Master Greg Lee
Specialising in the way of the Japanese sword
#218 555 5532

"Hmmm, I'll give him a call, thanks."

********************

Two days later she stood in front of Master Greg Lee. He must have taken almost completely after his mother because with the blonde hair and blue eyes he did not look like a Lee. Then again, he couldhave had that all changed somewhere along the line or it could even be an alias. That did not matter though, what mattered is if he could help her out with a weapon.

"Glad you could make it Oskmey!" He quickly shook her hand and then stood back, allowing her some space. "Come back here to see what I have to offer and then we will go from there."

They walked to the back of the small shop. A large display case had been built into the wall and it housed several blades. Some were short while others were very long. A row of daggers and other various knives ran down the left side. It was very impressive to look upon. It was as if the blades had been angled to a very specific degree so that they would be on their best display for
whomever might come across them.

"You mentioned that you have worked with knives before but do not carry them that often?"

"That's right. I have not found the perfect way to carry them yet. Sometimes I nick myself drawing them out and other times they work themselves loose and have a tendency to fall out."

Master Greg Lee evaluated her. His eyes swept from her head to her toes and then back up again. Somehow he managed to make it completely business like, with no hint of anything else in his eyes.

"Chances are that the knives you are using weren't made for that sort of thing. I have several designs that will not only stay put but are very well balanced for throwing. But for now let me introduce you to the sword I think you will be using."

He then turned to a keypad located near the display and quickly punched in a code. There was a flash of blue and then he reached in to one of the medium sized swords that rested near a much smaller version of itself.

"This is a katana. Often paired with a shorter sword but your activities out in the streets you will probably be better off with just this sword. Katana have a very long history, extending back to the late 1300s in Japan. They were designed to be worn by warriors needing to draw a sword very quickly on the battlefield. It is worn with the blade facing down and I will teach you how to use it effectively. Even drawing this sword will result in a strike against an opponent."

The blade was very basic in looks and did not look like much on its own. "That sounds perfect Master Lee."

[Oskmey]

Story, the Third:

It was winter time in Paragon City, a far colder one than most remembered. It was on a particular nasty day that Oskmey found herself bundled up and outside of Master Lee's door. It had been more than three weeks since she started studying the way of the katana with him.He supplemented her training with knife fighting and throwing techniques plus daily meditation. The knife skills had come in handy the night before when she took on four gang members by herself. One had actually tried to run away from her after seeing his friends fall.Without thinking she drew the knife and quickly threw it at the fleeing man. Later, in her mind's eye, she could see it twirling slowly through the night air. She was just as surprised as the thug when the knife struck and bowled him over. She found out later that the hilt had hit him square in the head with just enough force to knock him out. She would have felt better about it if she had actually intended on hitting him with the hilt. Still it beat having to file papers due to a death.

Death was treated very seriously Paragon. Those who had decided to stand and fight against the rising tide of evil and injustice were under very strict codes and guidelines. The streets were not to run red with the blood of thugs and villains. Instead the heroes were to go above and beyond to make sure that life was preserved and that everyone brought in would have a day in court. Death did occur, on both sides, and when it did it meant paperwork. It meant reviews. It meant possibly having your identity card revoked and being incarcerated with the criminals you spent so long hunting down. Even though few of the criminals surrendered peacefully, Oskmey had yet to come close in killing someone. Plenty had been knocked out and even ended up being taken to the hospital but so far she had never even thought about the paperwork,reviews, and possible jail time. The incident hammered home the fact that she needed to continue to study; to find the "quiet mind" so that she would be able to protect all life.

A strong wind brought her mind back to her current situation. That is standing out in the cold wearing workout clothes under a long leather jacket. When she saw the jacket in the store she thought that it would keep her warm no matter what the weather. While the jacket failed to live up to that she did have to admit that it did a reasonable job of keeping her warm most days, just not today.

Just when she thought that her chattering teeth would shatter, the door opened. Master Lee poked his head out of the door and grinned at her. His hair was its usual mess of blonde and his blue eyes shone brightly, even in the gray of the winter morning."Wow, you look really cold." With that he was already turning and heading back into the building and Oskmey quickly stepped through before the door could close all of the way. Master Lee could be a bit infuriating to deal with at times. Sometimes he appeared to be exactly what others said that he was, a skilled martial artist and weaponsmaster. Other times he appeared to be almost foolish and naive, stating the obvious and moving from one task to another without much thought in between. Talking with him could be the same way with rather sudden shifts in language and subject matter.

"Of course I am cold, it's freezing out there today and with that wind...."

The rest of her sentence died as she entered into the main training area.She was unsure how it was done but the inside looked bigger than the building from the outside. It was an optical illusion of course. One created from use of vaulted ceilings and equipment that appeared to have been made specifically for the space in which it was housed. Today most of that equipment was gone and instead a small area of the gym was lit with just a few lights that appeared to have been suspended from the ceiling. On the floor below the lights was a single, large training mat. It made the space look very foreboding and suddenly she did not feel as warm as she had when she first entered the building.

From the side, somewhere in the shadows, Master Lee spoke, "Oskmey, take off your jacket and grab your katana please. I will meet you on the mat."

"Very good, now let us begin."

Oskmey suddenly felt Master Lee behind her and then, in one quick motion, he tied a piece of cloth over her eyes.

"There are times in a fight where you will be blinded, a flare from a weapon or a sudden flood of lights or falling into dark pits. Why does not matter at this time. What does matter is how you react to the situation. Draw your sword."

Oskmey knew exactly where the tsuka of her katana was, the result of many months of training. Quickly she reached out with one hand while gripping the saya harder in the other,forcing the fuchi to rise. As her hand made contact with the tsuka she drew out the blade and it sang as it cleared the saya. Her first motion was also a strike, a move hammered into her so often that it was pure instinct. Had someone been standing in front of her, they would have been forced to move or else be blinded as the sword arced in the air.

The air itself felt like it was alive and talking to her. She probed outward with her senses, trying to judge where the threat may be or might be coming from. Around her body the air pulsed steadily, sending out ripples through her immediate space. Suddenly to her left she heard just the barest of movement. She was a blur as she dropped, twisted,and followed through the space with her katana.

It slashed through empty air.

Somewhere there was a buzzing. It was faint but was definitely there. It too pulsed and moved through the air around her. The buzzing noise and the air against her skin alternated with one coming to the front before the other had completely faded. Oskmey had always felt.... something when she trained but it was never this strong before. Was it because of her temporary blindness or was there more to it? She was still lost in this thought when her knees were driven out from her and she found herself falling to the mat.

Hitting the mat she immediately responded by rolling in the opposite direction from where the blow had come. Almost faster than most could track she was back on her feet, the next movement already in her thoughts and reflected in her body. That movement died as Master Lee came up from her side, locked his arm around her shoulder and drove her back into the mat. Oskmey felt the wind rush out of her lungs and felt her katana being sent across the floor as his follow up strike disarmed her. She knew what would come next and was quickly trying to find some kind of leverage to get out of his hold. She managed to twist her body enough to lash out with a kick just as his leg was descending upon her neck. Her arm, still locked within his hands, screamed as she maneuvered herself. It was worth the sacrifice as she felt her foot land against his chest. However, the small victory was only brief as Master Lee quickly let one hand leave her arm and trap her foot against his body.

"This is going to hurt," she thought as Master Lee started to move. Sure enough a second later a great amount of pain washed across her as Master Lee twisted her ankle and wrenched her shoulder.