Masquerade {Formerly The Broccoli Gang}

[ashdenej]

Whilst you've reached the top of the columned face of the building, you haven't actually completed your climb. Rising out of the domed roof of the exhibit hall is a tower atopped by a clock face and viewing gallery. That is your target - and it's about time you got there. It's very nearly time to put the plan into action!

Luckily this part of the journey is not up a sheer surface - there are gullies and windows embedded in the walls, according to the conceit of the architect. As you rise past them, you look in on the tower. It's structured oddly, in that it is completely hollow and floorless. The tower is intended to be looked up, from the floor of the main showing room. At the very top is a famed mural, which you plan to desecrate tonight.

No time like the present! As you reach the top of the miniature tower, climbing over its crenelated walls, you can see the faint outline of a windswept and ancient trapdoor. Despite the museum's recent renovations, this area was deemed unsafe to repair, rather ironically.

[Thisuser]

==>Be the other guy

[ashdenej]

Leaving the Baker to her vexatious idling, the omniscient eye of the narrator decides to take up residence in the skull of a different member of the crew. In this case, you settle on THE PAINTER. You're piloting this airship quite well, if you say so yourself. All you need is your cue from the tower of the museum. Baker is taking an awfully long time! You've half a mind to send her to an early grave, using your patented stop-thrust technique. You decide to stop referencing sword-related methods of killing as that'd get old, after a time.

Luckily, at least one other part of the plan is progressing smoothly, as the entire area you're floating over has extinguished its lights simultaneously. Frowning, you notice - as the Baker did - that your targeted building has not been overloaded. Steps should be taken...

[Yamtaggler]

>Is that the getaway blimp or the distraction blimp? If it's the distraction blimp, crash it into whatever strikes your fancy.

[LinaLove]

==> Resist the urge to maneuver a barrel roll and radio the Baker

[ashdenej]

Hundredth Post

As this is merely your DISTRACTION BLIMP, and the REAL BLIMP is currently being assembled some distance away, you think that you might as well go off with a bang. Ponderously turning your machine, it flies, deceptively slowly, towards the tower. You spot the Baker, and decide to radio in your decision.

She doesn't seem very happy at this turn of events.

Vaulting off the tower, you see the miniature figure slide down the curved dome of the exhibit hall, coming to a rest at the top of the museum's front entrance. She appears ready to leap off at a moment's notice. Always one for theatrics, you spectacularly fail to resist pulling off a barrel roll. It's quite impressive!

The imposing tower looms closer, and from your downside-up vantage point you notice that something seems remiss. You realize it's the fact that about five trained snipers are drawing a bead on your mask. Luckily, their secure positions are all located on the building you're due to crash into shortly. Wild firing erupts as they realize this fact as well, but their luck isn't going to hold out under so much flammable hydrogen.

The large explosion is really quite impressive, especially when viewed from a distance. Those closer up are less lucky.

[LinaLove]

==> Find a way to make an appearance within approximately 15 meters of the Baker.

[ashdenej]

Because the blimp is filled with hydrogen, it provides a very showy distraction whilst actually failing to kill anybody watching the fireball below - this is absolutely fine with you, as you'd rather not roast your targets. As you do a flip from the burning skeleton of the blimp that is almost as ostentatious as the explosion you're jumping out of, you see the Baker taking out the gawking guards with cool efficiency.

Traipsing over to her, well aware of the fact that if you attempt to sweet-talk her you'll get your jaw punched off, you synchronize your watches - figuratively speaking - and begin part two of the plan. The fun part. From beneath your voluminous cloak you take out the two packages that were given to you earlier by the Reaper, and chuck one to the Baker.

Tearing open the wrapping, you look inside. Ensconced within is...

Also, check the character biography spoilers for new pictures.

[Thisuser]

==>Behold Reapers package

[ashdenej]

...your weapon. From inside the seemingly tiny string-tied package, you draw out your foil, the very weapon you were considering using to kill the Baker earlier. Luckily enough you didn't, as from her package she takes a rather deadly looking gun. Holding it at arm's length, as if disgusted by it, she nevertheless assembles the evil little weapon. Looking into the smashed roof, you see a fight occurring far below you, in the exhibit hall. It appears that none of the important pieces of art have been broken! It's your lucky day.

It is now FIVE MINUTES EARLIER, and you are the MAKER. You're being talked at by a small and bubbly woman who seems to think that you're the best thing since unsliced bread, despite the fact that you haven't uttered a word in return, and are wearing a yellow column-like robe for your clothing. It must have something to do with your strong and silent-type image.

Getting bored, you decide to liven things up a bit, and initiate phase one of your section of the plan.

[LinaLove]

Almost come close to considering adopting the female as your apprentice, but instead vanish from her sight whilst positioning yourself for phase one ==>

[enragedFingernail]

>Plan: Happen.

[ashdenej]

You consider taking her in briefly, but dismiss it out of hand - after all, she's an integral part of the plan! It wouldn't do to get involved with those you are shortly due to brutally murder, after all.

Having thought this, you get out of her sight by twirling her around and pushing her towards the waiting Banker. He flicks out a blade from his cavernous sleeve and holds it to her throat. As you stalk towards her, providing the Banker some backup and waiting for his ultimatum, you rather inconveniently get shot above the collar bone. You look down, to see a needle of some sort sprouting from your neck. The world turns misty as you twist towards the floor, catching sight of an unusually shaped gun held by an unnerving woman as you black out.

MAKER is down for the count.

-------------------------------

As we are rudely ejected from the mind of our "hero", because of his incapacitation, it is perhaps wise to reassure you that it is very hard to kill the Broccoli Gang's members - indeed, the only way to do it permanently is by destroying their mask. One would think that this would mean all of the members would be wearing durable masks - this is, however, not the case. Maker is arrogant enough that he wears a mask of reflective glass, whilst the majority of others wear toughened materials. The Butcher is the only one who wears a mask of metal.

Whilst this means it's not easy to kill them, it is still quite possible to maim or disable them for varying periods of time - hence why the Maker's mysterious assailant did not shoot a normal bullet into him.

[enragedFingernail]

>MAKER: Rise up

[LinaLove]

Banker: react to situation, at the very least cripple the assailant ==>

[ashdenej]

You cannot RISE UP as you are too busy being PARALYZED and ASLEEP! We cannot be the BANKER, either, because NOBODY can be the Banker. Ever. We can, however, watch the Banker's reactions - and, perhaps, sway him a little.

The Banker quickly decides the best course of action. With a swift thrust into the hostage's neck, he takes out a potential liability. Swerving across the floor like a manic slug, his enormous target of a body manages not to be hit by the incoming needles that the WOMAN WITH NO EYES is firing at him, having swapped ammunition to a longer and more soporific variety of needle.

Picking up the prone Maker, he throws the unconscious body over his shoulder. Both wrist blades out, he begins his retalitation, all while staying perfectly silent.

[ThirdEmperor]

> Suggest that the Banker should throw something at the Woman With No Eyes, then rush at her and unleash choppy vengeance.

[enragedFingernail]

>Girl Without Eyes: Do something cute.

[ashdenej]

BIG M, otherwise known as the EYELESS WOMAN, CANNOT do something cute, because she is too busy being HORRIFYINGLY CREEPY. While she is thinking about this, the Banker veers of his course and does a surprisingly agile spring over her, and attepts to SHOW HER HIS STABS. Fortunately - at least for Big M - she has some peripheral awareness of the situation even whilst thinking about PUPPIES.

This results in her own zigzag around the Banker - his stabs hit nothing but air. Still completely calm, he picks up a nearby patron of the museum and throws him at Big M. This proves ineffective, but does provide some DISTRACTION. The Banker then unleashes a volley of terrified people at her.

[enragedFingernail]

>Be the patron

[ashdenej]

You are now JEREMIAH SCRUFFY. You're currently hurtling through the air at a HIGH VELOCITY, and you'd rather not be. Plummeting towards this insanely scary woman, you're snagged from your flight by someone hitting you crossways. Landing in a heap, you look up at your be-ruffed saviour. It's clearly SURSUS HILARE, and you want nothing to do with him, freak that he is.

Pulling out of Mr Scruffy's bigoted mind, we see that the Banker is still being fired on by Big M, whilst cartwheeling his arms bizarrely in order to continue the stream of high society being flung her way. There are few people left on his side of the room.

[enragedFingernail]

>Chop people up to make more throwable components

[ashdenej]

The Banker decides that it would be more effective if he was throwing smaller pieces, faster. It'd also add to the disgust value of his target. As he chops up the first of his victims, slicing her in half and then dicing the remaining bits, he looks over his shoulder to coldly regard an oldish man. He seems to accentuate his age, walking with a walking stick and a permanent frown affixed to his face.

Resolving to get the older man next, the Baker starts throwing the bits of person hard and fast at the desperate Big M. She attempts to retaliate, but her reloading speed is much slower than how much the Baker gets chucked at her. Backing up, Big M hits a wall. Still with the same expression, the rotund monstrosity flicks his blade clean and begins to advance on the blind gunwoman.

[zephyrkit]

Old man: Be the Don. Ride the pony.

[ashdenej]

Behind the Banker, the harmless old man draws his sword from within the cane. With only a whisper of metal against wood, it comes free. In a classic manoeuvre, he plunges his blade through the back of the Banker, embedding itself in the soft fat that encases him. The fiend topples forwards, narrowly avoiding crushing Big M.

BANKER is down for the count.

Smiling slightly, the blind woman helps DON HUEL, who is - of course - the old man, back towards the pile of stunned art appreciators. He turns his head to see Sursus being hit in the face by the man he had so recently saved. Nodding slightly, he knows that everything is under control.