Timechangers...I hate those guys...(Krious)

They moved to Europe to further plans under the banner of the Alistair Organisation. As simple as that.

Or was it? One could argue those two superhumans weren't ones who could do with normal work. Knowing Krious, he'd go back to being an information broker. Knowing Emblem, he's probably end up throwing fireballs again. Probably in a circus of some sorts. The latter wasn't that hard to figure out.

The plan they had wasn't all that hard too. Meet up with Gregory Karkarov (A seriously mad but seriously genius superhuman, with a fondness for blowing things up), get hooked up, and do some serious fighting. Everything had gone according to plan. The Alistair Foundation was a special kind of operation. Emblem and Krious would (against proper fee, or mostly for free) protect those who were being threathened by corporate greed. Krious was one to protect the suspect. Emblem was there for the fighting. They had a perfect balance in that regard, with both knowing what to do in which situation, and both specialising in their own aspects.

Krious, as the architect of plans, extractor of information and extremely stealthy protector, or assassin. Emblem, combat specialist, a walking diversion, social specialist, extraction specialist. However, something was going wrong here...

''I'm telling you man, something does not feel right.''

''If you're sure it's not that snack you had to get on the way in, then I'm with you. I have a bad feeling about this.''

Withing almost no time, Krious gained fame for his professionalism, his high rate of success, impeccable use of powers, whilst Emblem was known for his white hair and empathic nature. Their last assignment came in the form of a weird distorted message recorded on tape. It directed them to the nearby electric power plant.

''I say we bolt, there's nobody 'ere.''

''Shhh...''

Krious moved through shadows, unseen by anyone, whilst Emblem had jumped up some stacked crates, planning to get to some high ground. The air was thick, it was dark all over, well after closing hours. The systems were running, and a faint buzz was all one could hear.

''Thud...thud...bang!!!''

Krious turned around, armblades ready. For a moment, even Emblem could see his shadow move.

''You moron!''

''Oops...''

Emblem hadn't noticed, in all the darkness, that one crate wasn't really tied up right.

''Did you locate the camera's?''

''Yeah....3....2....1...''

Emblem clapped his hands together, and a blinding flash fizzled out most cameras, and those who still functioned were shot down by a tiny orb of fire, covered by blinding light. Krious looked at the ground for the best part of it, not wanting to damage his eyesight.

''Now...what have we here?''

Krious beckoned Emblem, and both moved up to the main reactor. It was a wide open space, almost stolen from a science fiction scene, with big tesla-like object scattered around the place.

''So...what do we do next Kri?''

The reactor core was huge, far larger then he expected and filled with different kinds of coils and conduits. The whole room didn't exactly look state of the art either, more like a mad scientists lab, all that was missing was some furniture and tools of the trade. Both Emblem and Krious moved forwards into the room, inspecting it's strange contents. The further they entered the more he got the feeling this wasn't a normal power plant reactor.

"Tesla coils, in a power plant. Not even the russians use these things in a complex like this and they designed the damn things."

Tesla coils had the ability to wirelessly transport electricity between one and another. A far better place to put them would be outside, unhindered by anything that could mess up the link. Those in favour of the technology claimed it was harmless, but he wasn't so thrilled to try that out.

"I'm repeating words here but this ain't right at all. Let's find that console mentioned in the message or anything else interesting, and don't touch any buttons."

"I'd never do that."

Krious spotted some doubt in Emblem's own voice. They had known each other for ages and Emblem had previously shown a fixation for unknown buttons. A huge circular pillar in the center of the room was riddled with cables connecting various panels to whatever was above. All sort of lights flickered on and off yet the rest of the facility didn't show much signs of activity, even Emblem's blunder just now didn't set anything in motion. One of the panels in particular looked like the master console, just the one they needed.

"I think it's that one. Why don't you check out the rest of the room while I see what it has in store."

Quickly he made his way over to the console, and Emblem, after a non-verbal affirmation, started to inspect the rest of the room for things that stood out. Upon coming closer to the console it showed links to several other stations, all named with one number and one letter each, almost like the hexadecimal system. Krious put his hands on the keyboard and entered the most basic sequences he knew. The word help and the characters '/?' returned a syntax error, but the third attempt with the word info brought some information to the screen. The name of the console, the manufacturer, model type and a lot more trivial information. The interesting part was the command list that followed, yet to his surprise it only had one entry. Sequence1 was it's name, just as mentioned in the anonymous recording.

So far everything turned out easy enough, he only had to run the command and they would find what their contracter wanted. He typed in the command and pressed enter. The screen showed a command recognition and turned to a boot up sequence. A noise formed below them, at first it was a soft hum but it steadily grew louder, as if something big was powering up. As he sound reached it's peak light shot into the pillar and all the consoles showed a warning screen. Whatever this thing was, it wasn't going to be nice.

''I knew there was something wrong when that message came on TAPE! Who uses tape these days! TAPE! We have these fancy flash drives but nooooo let's go for plain old tape...Damnit!''

Emblem's claims were not only a bit far off, he didn't like this one bit. If one huge machine was starting to make noise one could expect it to either attack those close by or activate something that is going to. If the machine however, starts flickering, making noise and showing all kinds of warnings, then you were in deep shit. The bad feeling both shared reeked of a trap.

''Krious, get out of there!''

At that moment, Kriosu appeared behind Emblem. Emblem raised his hands and raised a protective barrier of fiery essence, shielding them from whatever it was that was going to activate.

''...Already ahead of ya.''

''...Should we go?''

Unfortunately, both knew they had to stay. Whatever this was, they activated it. If it was a bomb, they would probably survive the blow. Either Krious would teleport them fast enough to safety or Emblem's fiery shield would cover both.

''Eh, Kri, not to be a bastard or something, but I'm gonna blast this problem.''

''Don't. Knowing you, that'll cause more problems then it'd solve. Remember how this happens like half of the time?''

''Mpfh...So we await this shitstorm.''

The Tesla coils started to glow, and suddenly, magically clear lightning shot from one coil to another...back and forth, a play of thunder enveloped in front of our heroes. For good measure, both got down low to make sure it wouldn't hit them. That thunder did not look harmless, and the crackle it produced even less.

The crackling became deafening, but suddenly, all the electricity gathered towards a central point, about 30 feet away from Krious and Emblem. The lightning was bundled into some unstable oval orb of power. It must have been a lot of energy going through.

''Oh now what?!''

Slowly but steadily, the oval orb rooted to the ground, and twisted into a more meterial form. As if lightning and thunder would become solid matter, weirdly enough. Much to the fear of recognition, both heroes identified the object as a portal of some kind.

''I've had it!'' responded a brazen Emblem, who from behind his shield, charged a fireball. He hated portals that machines make, he hated the shit they were in, and he still hated tapes. If he would ever find the one responsible he'd want to kick their asses. Krious very well knew that if something like this angered Emblem, it was with good reason.

He didn't try to stop his comrade, for he knew that would be futile.

The fireball was the size of a large basketball, but before Emblem could fire it, he was stunned. The portal was opening, and before he knew it...Emblem wasn't holding his fireball anymore. It was enveloped in darkness before evaporating. As if the fiery essence just died down. The work of another skilled pyromancer. Emblem lowered his shield, trying to get a good look at the portal. As the barrier was lifted, he saw the portal had opened...and somebody was coming through. To make things worse, the silhouette stepped out, and another one followed suit. The fact that both heroes had eventually aided in this, added to the nauseous feeling already present. The machine had completely shut off, indicating his process was complete. A machinated summoning from another place, world or maybe even dimension.

…

Emblem Trailblazer and Krious Alistair stood next to each other, facing the two silhouettes. An eerie feeling crept down Emblem's spine as he was hesitant but eventually threw up a small fireball that exploded in the air, revealing who these two newcomers were. Other then the crackling light of the portal, all they had been able to discern were humanoid silhouettes...Until the fireball exploded.

Both heroes' eyes widened as they stared at the two others. The first thing to say was coming out of the mouth of Emblem. He seemed stricken at what he had seen, and was already powering up to torch this damned place.

''Aww..**** me. You have got to be joking!''

One of the silhouettes laughed menacingly, flexing his muscles as he did. The other one was the silent type...like Krious Alistair looking into a mirror. But this time..no mirrors...

The larger the gateway became the more Krious couldn't believe his eyes. Just like Emblem his eyes were deadlocked towards the two men standing on the other side, now illuminated by the fireball. Emblem cursed out loud and enflamed himself after realizing what they were looking at. Those weren't just two men, they were looking at themselves. An alternate Emblem and Krious, the differences were abound yet the similarities were undeniable, yet they didn't looked as friendly as he'd like them to be.

The two on the other side proceeded to move through the portal and Emblem, in disbelief, charged at their counterparts. Krious readied his blades as the other Krious teleported out of the charge's way. Emblem kept on rushing, but the man in front of him grinned and firmly placed himself on the ground and started to engulf himself in flames just the same. The two fiery Emblems collided as the second Krious reappeared next to the first. A blackened fist connected before he could react and he was sent flying through the room from the blast impact. In the meantime, the two Emblems hadn't moved an inch from their impact location. Their hands locked together, struggling to overpower one another. One Emblem, blind with rage, putting all of his energy into his arms and the other, returning the favor with a big smile forming on his face.

Krious collided into the wall after being airborne for about 20 meters. Before he could recover his counterpart had already appeared standing over him. The metallic arm grabbed his neck and clenched it so hard he almost suffocated. Without realizing it they already stood next to the two fiery mages that were having a power struggle. He felt his body drop and while gasping for air he could just make out the other side of the portal, the one he just came from.

"Play time's over, chump."

One of the fires fiercely grew larger and as if it was nothing his friend was flung across the back of his adversary and through the portal as well. The Krious on the other side moved to the console and quickly pressed a series of buttons. Right after, the gateway closed and the whole facility began to shut down.


"Well that wasn't as fun as I'd hoped."

Emblem, still ablaze, sounded disappointed at the performance of his mirror as he gazed at the location the portal just was. Krious didn't share his enthusiasm, they managed to switch places with their mirrors much faster then he anticipated.

"Stop your whining. The plan worked and you get to have all the fun you want right here."

He snapped at Emblem. Krious was aching to see this version of Jump and imagined Emblem shared that feeling. Why the guy always had to keep going after he warmed up was a mystery to him, but he was thankful that he had him on his side.

"Why don't we have a look at our little playground?"

''Come back here you!''

Emblem bounced off hard rock, rolled over and charged straight back to where he was, only to leap through thin air...where the portal used to be. Krious stood up, feeling his throat, and looked around him.

''Em..''

Emblem seized his makeshift attempt to get back and looked at Krious, who in turn, was checking out the environment they were in. Both heroes continued to look around. It was a dreadful experience. Emblem's eyes could not believe what he saw.

''This cannot be...''

Emblem sank on his knees in defeat, lowering his head. Whilst a normal foreigner would have been confused at what just transpired and where they would currently be, it was crystal clear to both Krious Alistair and Emblem Trailblazer. It was Krious who said what both were thinking.

''We're in Jump.''

But this was not the Jump from their dimension. This Jump City was exactly what they had always tried to prevent from happening. Roads were broken, building were crooked, everything was deserted. An eerie omen hung in the air, and a silence just a pressing.

''Get up. I sense trouble.''

Emblem did as he was asked, but questioned Krious' senses silently. They were knee deep in trouble from the moment that portal opened, so this was a bit...logical right? But his doubt was parried almost instantly as a slow noise was heard in the distance.

''Krious. we need a plan. Find a way to get back to our world. We need to find a way...If they could get in our world, then so can we.''

''Easily formulated, but correct. But think about it...if they are us, and this world is as it is...a destroyed Jump...''

Krious had to talk no more. Before they knew it, drill like objects spurred from the ground, seemingly unmanned vehicles. They sprouted a package...no...a briefcase.

''Oh &%!@, that's...!''

Emblem charged up an eruption to match the briefcase but Krious grabbed him by the shoulder and both were teleported away from harm. Their world they had entered was apparently not so friendly against the entities called Emblem and Krious. In this world, they had ravaged Jump, tortured it endlessly with unthinkable actions. The Emblem and Krious those people knew were not protectors, they were not saints. They were demons, hellspawn and twisted minds. They terrorized the people, broke their faith, their morale...and their bones.

Krious and Emblem disappeared, running from this mustered up mechanical counterforce. From the looks of it, they knew it was a human effort, weak but all they could do against the two governing tyrants. The chances the heroes would have to walk up and say their peace, was low. They had no idea how long this had been going on. They needed to find their way back into their own Jump, before the same evil would befall it. The briefcase popped out into a minigun-turret, the invention of none other then doctor Gregory Karkarov, who also roamed the dimension the heroes left. If he was hunting them, then either he would notice they changed...or he would make sure they were hunted down.

They were alone in a dimension who in unison was completely against them. Their appearance was slightly different, but their genetic material, as well as their identity and faces, were still very much the same.

--End of Thread--