The Reapers: Under New Management

Ophelia looked at the pile of rubble that covered the entrance to the Reaper's hideout. This would be a simple fix. this ability drained my power severely, but the Tears would get the job done... I concentrated, and storm clouds gathered. Citizens gathered around me, recognizing me. "it's her!" one shouted. "Why don't you go and drown yourself, or something?" shouted another. such a pity. they didn't know I already drowned, was still drowning, in an ocean of pure Sorrow. Speaking of Sorrow... I willed Tears to fall from the sky, bathing citizens. Already, they started to be affected, falling to the ground, writhing. I stop after about eight citizens fall in this manner. I was weakened, and If someone was to attack now, I'd be somewhat more vulnerable. then again, I had eight new servants. that had to count for something. I looked at them as they stood up. they looked rather dead, but hell, I was BLUE. that couldn't have been the worst thing to happen. the newly created drinkers of my Tears grabbed shovels, and awaited orders. I pointed at the rubble. "Clear out that depressing mess, will you?" The Tear Drinkers obeyed without Comment, and started digging.

OOC-practicing for HBH.

Maximus sat on his throne deep in the Reaper HQ, thinking about the recent troubles between the Reapers and Dustmen. The gangs had had many battles, each one becoming bloodier and bloodier as they went on. Not that Max had to worry about them at all, he was well concealed inside the sealed Reaper base with the gang's higher-ups. Technically, Maximus was the head of these bozos, but he was actually just a general. These people were the brains, Max just got things done. He sat listening to a terrified citizen try to show how to defeat the Dustmen. "S-s-so...ya-you jus-s-s-t ga-ga-ga-go..." The citizen fell to the ground, a bullet through his head. The gunshot echoed around the suddenly quiet room. Heads turned and looked at the smoking barrel of Max's AK-47. He stood up and overlooked the crowd of strategists that inherited the room. Of all these people, all of them were allowed to wear whatever they wanted. Of course, in fear of being identified, all of the higher-ups wore the same uniform as the foot soldiers...except for Maximus. He wore the oil stained rain cost that most Reapers wore, although his was lightning blue. He didn't wear his hood, but instead simply wore a silver skull mask covering his facial features. The rest of his head was covered in black tattoos. As he stood up he looked over the crowd of wimps, "Alright, this isn't working if you haven't noticed. Ideas other than abducting civilians?" The Reaper leaders murmured amongst themselves. One of them stood up, "Well...Maximus, use logic. Civilians are the easiest to make talk, and they can be wonderful strategists. Max sighed, these fools would never understand. He raised his gun and shot it in the air a few times, causing silence amongst the leaders who had commented in agreement. "No," Maximus responded, "Any other ideas?" Max waited a few seconds, "Anyone? Nobody? This is most depressing. You were all promoted to this spot to make desicisions...so do that. NOW!" Then the strangest thing happened. There was a sound from above, near the entrance. Maximus waited a few seconds, signaling silence amongst the crowd. The sound happened again, a slow screeching sound. The sound of metal on metal...someone was breaking through the thick walls of the base. Max pointed at his special operations team that followed him wherever he went. "Reaper Squad 1, follow me, we're checking this out...right now."

Ophelia watched as the Grave Diggers carved a path in the rock. it was just big enough for one when I told them to stop. "This is good enough. Fall back and await further indtructions." My servants fell back. she looked into the opening in the rock, and slipped in, leaving a black, Teary slick where Ophelia touched the rock. Ophelia then glided around, looking for someone to show up, and was not dissapointed. A small army of Reapers came, all armed. they generally were hooded, and their faces were covered in this black tar substance, but that was fine. Ophelia herself had no ranged weopon other than the Tears. Ophelia needed no other weopon but the Tears. one of them had a blue jacket, as opposed to the reddish oarange ones the others favored, and his face was covered by a mask instead of Tar. this one looked useful. "greetings, Reapers, formerly under the command of the Conduit Sasha! I am Ophelia, Queen of the Sea of Black Tears, Mistress of the Drowning Doom, and Maiden of Infinite Sorrows!" Ophelia new that Reapers tended to like fancy titles. just try toppig those.

The strange woman introduced herself as Ophelia and a bunch of other stuff after that. Maximus glared at the woman from behind his mask, clearly she wanted power from the Reapers, "I'm not into big titles, but I am Maximus, new leader of the Reapers, I have skated Conduits like you for breakfast. I know your kind well, Ophelia. What do you want from the Reapers." Maximus said fiercely. He looked back at his soldiers, they were all good men for the Reapers. They never questioned orders from Max, and they obeyed only him. Yet even these men Max didn't trust completely. Maximus was a harsh man, there was no doubting that. He wasn't afraid to kill for any reason. Although, he was above killing people for fun. If this conduit wanted that...then she would recieve no help at all. With Max's help, the Reapers had turned into a well oiled gang. A border line army with strict discipline and high expectations. Any one who showed weakness would be killed quickly.

"I can Help you," Ophelia countered. "I am aware of your constant battlesd with the Dust Men. Your losses are rather embarassing." Ophelia gave a small chuckle that darkened the shadows in the room. She also would be getting under the Leader's skin by bringing up the failings of his own men. "and why is that? you don't have the proper protection. a well oiled machine you may be, but enemy conduits put a wrench in the whole system, doesn't it? Witness Cole, Conduit of Electricity, Alden, Conduit of Metal, Thomas, Conduit of Sound, Kessler... All these people sure do pose problems, don't they?" As Ophelia watched, she could tell she was starting to sway some of the Reapers without use of the Tears. "and then you have me. I'm different. I don't want anything other than to be respected. Before, I never was. Now..." Ophelia grinned.

"Come, come..." Maximus said, ushering Ophelia down the long tunnel that lead deeper into the Reapers headquarters, "Indeed you are right about our battles with the Dust Men. The ignorant as ever higher-ups in our ranks have decided it best to not do anything. I believe you could change that." Max stopped by the door to the room and gave a nasty grin to Ophelia, "Be on your best behavior, conduit, these people are still very...er...lethal." He laughed like a maniac and proceeded into the room, aware of all of the generals of the Reapers staring at him.

Ophelia didn't struggle as she was ushered down into the underground network of tunnels that made up the Reaper headquarters. "Indeed you are right about our battles with the Dust Men," the apparent leader said. "The ignorant as ever higher-ups in our ranks have decided it best to not do anything. I believe you could change that."

Indeed I could, Ophelia thought to herself. already, she was sending a mental note to her gravediggers to silently follow, but not to attack. at the same time, she sent out the Tears' influence to her surroundings, silently "Drowning" some of the Reapers. they still walked, they would still talk, but they obeyed her now. Ophelia relished meeting the leaders of the Reapers. if they tried to kill her, their own men would cut them down where they stood. Delicious pain would ensue, as the Reapers would fall into dissaray, her Teardrunken Grave diggers would bury anyone who resisted. but Ophelia was sure it wouldn't come to that. She left Max alone. he seemed tougher than the others, and she didn't want to risk exposure. Finally, Max stopped next to a door, and grinned evilly. "Be on your best behavior, conduit, these people are still very...er...lethal. Laughing, Max strode into the room, and I followed. the egotist would think the generals would be staring at him under those hoods, but Ophelia knew where the general's eyes were really staring at. the conduit outsider, of course. I strode in, and gave my customary greeting. "greetings, Reaper Generals, formerly under the command of the Conduit Sasha! I am the Conduit Ophelia, Queen of the Sea of Black Tears, Mistress of the Drowning Doom, and Maiden of Infinite Sorrows! I come to bring Change, for your foes' detriment!"

The conduit introduced herself in the same way as she had introduced herself to Maximus, with a long, boring, summary of her life accomplishments. Maximus frowned behind his silver mask and gripped his AK-47 closer to his body. Every muscle tensed...something was about to happen, and it was not good. He knew it like a dog knew a storm was coming, it wasn't a definite answer, just a sense of something being wrong. Max moved closer to the entrance, ready to make a break for it if something went wrong. Of course, he would turn and fight first.

OOC-sorry, I'm on my iPod, I know its really short.

Ophelia looked at the Reaper Generals, wondering how they would react.

OOC-it's ok. you work on giving me reactions.

The generals remained seated, their faces masked in shadow. After a long moment one of them cleared his throat and asked in a gravely voice, "How can we defeat the Dust Men then, if you know so much?" A few of the Reapers generals mumbled in agreement. Maximus stood in the corner and began to understand how Ophelia could be a good leader. The conduit was not a fighter, but was able to sway people and get them to do stuff for her. The complete opposite of Mazimus. If the two of them were to work together...

ophelia grinned, and made a black table appear, making a fascimile of Empire City. She then laid out plans. infection as Plague spreads to the Warren. Conversion, annhilation. the same would happen to the first sons. "The Tears will rule all."

Maximus was slightly disturbed by the presentation, but he was eager to take over all of Empire City. "And how do we know that you won't just turn on us?" He wanted to believe Ophelia, but he simply couldn't. His warrior instinct wouldn't allow it. He walked over towards the middle of the room. "The only way we can trust this conduit is by confirming her as a Reaper!" Several of the generals shook their heads at this, but many nodded in agreement.

Ophelia grinned. She had expected as much. they wouyld want to dump her in their Tar. She would let them, but they didn't know she had already replaced the Tar in their systems with Tears. If she took a bath in this substance, she would come out stronger than ever. "Go ahead, and dump me in, then, if that will ease your mind."

The generals swarmed her, ready to dump her in the tar. Max stopped them with one solid word. "No." He said, "She's not valuable to us if we brainwash her in the tar. Keep her under close watch...very close watch, but listen to her too. This one has some decent ideas. It would be a shame to waste them." Abd with that, Max turned and walked out of the room, leaving the Reapers in a dead silence.

Ophelia waited tobe dumped, but as mildy humored by the reasoning behind Max's stopping them. "go ahead, let me keep my mind then. take me to whatever chamber you wish..." Ophelia laughed.

Max walked away. The Reapers knew how to do that kind of stuff. They weren't all that stupid...at least he didn't think they were.

Ophelia looked at the leaders. She could sense their contempt of her. She couldn't wait for them to be underneath her power. "I heard a rumour that if you don't drench yourselves in the Tar regularly, you start to lose it's power. is this true?" One leader banched. "Yes ma'am, that is true. I haven't taken a dip in forever. I need to refresh my power." Another leader rose, "I must as well!" soon, the entire contigent went to go and dip themselves in what they thought was Tar...

Only to Drown in her Tears.

Ophelia watched as the Generals left to go "bath". such loyal members of Sasha, such a pity they would no longer be working for her, and would be working for Ophelia instead. Ophelia had great plans for the Reapers. first off, a name change was in order. Reaper would be a rank, as opposed to an actual gang, but the gang itself would need a new name to reflect the change in leadership. Maybe the Drowning Doom would work. Her thoughts were interrupted by the voice of a Reaper."Who r' you?" she asked, a british accent showing in her voice. "I am Ophelia. and whom are you?"

Ophelia was mildly insulted. "Sasha fangirl? I am the Queen of the Sea of Black Tears! Do not insult me!" The waters around her threatened to become an entity of it's own, smashing this lilith into a puddle.

Ophelia bristled nonetheless. "These are Black Tears, the Tar of which you speak is only like to my Tears in Color, and the fact that thosse who get to much of it are destroyed." Then, Lilith put a hand on her cheek, telling her to calm her self. Ophelia backed up, and some grave diggers came into the area. "did you call, Mistress?" Ophelia looked at them in surprise; they must have come when they felt her anger. "No, my pets. becalm yourselves." The diggers walked away. "As for not hearing of me before, you must not have heard the sorrows of Citizens who've been found by me."

Ophelia decided not to get into it. the Leaders were returning, and she was certain Lillith wuold see the difference. The leaders all had a more sinister look to them, if possible, and the ones that had visible faces did not look happy.