Post by Roth O'Roak on Feb 23, 2011 20:53:54 GMT -8
(ooc: This thread takes place AFTER all current threads. Segwayed from Hey PUNK, and takes place immediately after Open Invitation.
This will change Roth in many ways mentally, and emotionally. But most of all this thread will lead to a change in Roth's Qi. These changes will be in his Bio to be approved.)
"Yo Marcus, get us two tickets to Boston."
He said that about a week ago to Marcus on the phone. It was right after he had signed a little piece of paper for the silver haired man, Unfettered. That was also the day he remembered what had happened over a year ago. The death of his little sister Rita O'Roak. He remembered the news, he remembered exactly where he was when he had received it. Back in Chula Vista.
It stung him right in the heart. He was on the Collective Shuttle bus when the letter was delivered. It came with a few magazines and a series of letters. The first two letters were from his two sisters. The last letter was from his mother. That last letter had told Roth that Rita had died. She was fighting with a student when a teacher got involved. The man went too far and ended her life.
Roth remembered the tears. There was too many too count. After that last letter he dropped them all in an uncontrollable rage. then he noticed on the back of Rita's letter was a poem she had written entitled 'Together They Stand'.
Together they stand for peace and love,
To extinguish evil, pain, and blood,
They want to live together in peace,
but will be violent if they enemies won't cease.
Protecting the good and defeating the bad,
they aim to make everyone happy and glad.
They're peacemakers in world of corruption,
and forever fight to reverse it by action.
They are warriors for the world above,
Together they stand for peace and love.
-Rita O'Roak
That little poem written in rainbow crayon was framed on the wall in his room. He couldn't believe he had yet to bring himself to go visit her grave. He hated himself for it. But he was going to do it now. Marcus had booked the tickets and in a few hours they would be on a plane heading for Boston.
It had been a while since his encounter with the Nova and Lighting Dragon. Two men who held power Roth could barley fathom. Power that Roth once believed to be out of reach, but since meeting both of them he had mission to not only become that powerful, but to exceed that power. To be better than both of them.
"Yo Roth! You ready!?"
Marcus would be at the edge of the stairs calling up to Roth in his room. He sat in there shirtless examining the wounds on his back. Leon's 7 Point Palm Strike had done it's damage quite well. Roth counted about 150 or so blackening welts on his back. It had felt like a Tommy Gun ripping through him at the time. Roth would thrown on a shirt and make his way back down stairs.
"Yea! Hold on."
He almost forgot something, or rather someone. Roth would turn around and grab his other best friend. Carlos. The Boson Terrier he had befriended back in San Diego. After his climactic fight with J.T. in Death Valley it seemed the dog had tracked him back all the way to Long Beach. Now he was coming with Roth and Marcus to relive the past.
Roth brought along his dog carrier, but wouldn't put Carlos in it yet. He was good enough to walk and stay in the car alone. Roth, Marcus, and Carlos all made their way to Marcus's car since Roth's had been put out of commission.
"You sure you want to do this man?"
Marcus looked at Roth through his shades with the two planes tickets and pet pass in his hand.
"Yea. Yea I'm sure."
Roth knew exactly what Marcus meant. Esau had refused Roth's right to leave Long Beach after his near death experience in Death Valley. Roth remembered the Red Sky. That was what awaited him in death. He didn't know if it was one of the pits of hell, or perhaps the Warriors Heaven of Mars as described in Dante's Inferno.
All three got into Marcus's Honda NSX and drove out to the airport. At first they were a bit worried about getting through clearance, but Marcus and Roth got in fine without a word. They assumed Esau would have done something to prevent them from air travel, but apparently not. Roth and Marcus dropped Carlos off at pet boarding. Initially Roth protested, but gave in promising the loader that he'd punish him if something happened to Carlos.
Soon enough the two men were on the plane. Like little children they played Rock Paper Siscors for the window seat. Roth won. They sat around for about 10 minutes before take off. Marcus started jamming out to some music on his iPod. Roth however was caught up in his own thoughts to focus on that. He just stared out the window mind wandering.
In only a few hours Roth and Marcus had fallen asleep. The flight was about 10 hours and they were told they would come to Boston sometime in the mid afternoon. Perfect. Roth and Marcus awoke to one of the waitresses nudging them awake telling them they were about to land soon. Long sleep. Within an hour or so they were on the ground and out of the airport with Carlos by their side.
"So. I never actually asked. What's in Boston?"
"A year ago my sister was killed. I hadn't seen her in years and I have yet to visit her grave. Taxi!"
A basic response. Roth was still too tired and emotionally struck to give a long winded answer. He would call for a cab that pulled up for people at the airport. The driver looked at the dog, and then at Roth. The Arrogant Warrior would just shoot back a look of fury. The cabbie didn't say a word as all three entered the cab.
"Saint Augustine Burying Ground. Southie."
"Ey, fuck head. Your in East fucking Boston, do you know how far Southie is from here?"
Roth rolled his eyes in a pissed mood throwing two hundred dollar bills up front.
"Never mind."
The Boston Cabbie shut his mouth and drove off. Roth would look out the window against his thoughts occupied with various musings. His past, his present, his future. All these things were driving him mad in his head. He could feel something coming. Something big and he knew he had to prepare for it. But now he had to focus on something else.
Within the hour the cab had reached the cemetery. The three stepped out of the cab. Before it could drive off Roth would throw another Benjamin in the window informing the cabbie to stick around.
"Stay here, make sure he doesn't run off."
Roth spoke to Marcus in a stern voice. Marcus looked down at Carlos in confusion as the dog looked up to him in the same manner. Roth shook his head and gestured to the cab. And with that Roth walked out to the cemetery. It's winding paths and filled with dead trees slowly recovering as the weather slowly morphed into Spring.
This graveyard was one of the nations oldest. Then again anything in this city could be consider one of the nations oldest. The graves changed in order from oldest to newest. The oldest ones were now illegible forgotten to time. The newest ones had the most upkeep and the smoothest cuts. It didn't take long for Roth to find the grave of his beloved sister.
It was very basic as his family didn't have much money. He came from a poor, now lower middle class family in Southie. It was a basic stone that read simple things.
It didn't take long for the tears to crawl out of Roth's eyes. He hadn't been back in Boston for a long, long time. Now that he was home he was standing over the corpse oh his sister. One of the only people he had lived for since the days he left Boston. All at once he collapsed onto his knees weeping in front of the grave.
"I'm sorry Rita. I'm so sorry. I should've seen you more. Hell I should have never left. I'm sorry."
Roth slammed his fists down on the ground where his sister laid buried. Tears fell to the ground where she rested and on Roth's fists. There was still snow covering the ground and Roth would bury his head into it at the base of Rita's headstone. He would stay there for a few minutes before lifting his head back up. Then he noticed something odd.
He looked over to his right as saw something that caught his eye. Roth would rise to his feet. He couldn't comprehend what he saw. Four other gravestones around Rita's own.
Roth's jaw dropped at the sight. He couldn't comprehend what he was looking at. Tis wasn't just the resting place of his lost sister, this was the resting place of his entire family. Roth dropped down to his soaked knees once more. All he could do is read the headstones over and over again. This was the resting place of his family, including himself.
Now he began to shake. His whole body trembling at the sight. According to that gravestone he was dead. The last time Roth checked he was still alive. His ID cards still worked, after all he was still able to board the plane as Roth O'Roak. What the fuck was this?
"I remember when I first found out too."
Roth had a small spasm and he fell on his ass turning around to the source of the noise. It was Marcus with Carlos at his side. Roth wasn't sure what he had even said. His mind was gone at the realization that he was dead. All the energy inside of him and the fire in his eyes were gone.
"I've been working for Esau am long time now. Long enough to know his methods. When Esau finds someone he wants to use he gives them a trial period. If they pass he integrates them into his employment. Part of this process is to erase the person. Kill them off to the rest of the world.
At the same time he creates forgeries. Birth Certificates, ID's, anything he can to validate the new life. According to the world you are Roth O'Roak. Born and raised in Sacramento California then transfered to PHS: 259.
I mean did you really think you'd be accepted into 259 if they knew you where from the Collective? If they knew you were a murder suspect and made an escape attempt? Esau made reports of your death. His hands run deep enough to kill you and create a new life taking only your name.
It happened to me too. In reality I was born in New Mexico in a family of six. Once Esau got a hold of me I was Marcus Killings, single child raised in Oakland. He finds you, tries you, takes everything you love, and corrupts you."
Roth took every bit of that information in. The assimilation of himself into Esau's forces. It destroyed all hope. Your family is dead, and you are dead. Even if you fight back theres nothing to return to. It's an utter sense of hopelessness where you break down to where nothing is left but obedience. That's where Roth was now.
He didn't have any hope. He didn't have anything. He wanted to fight back before but now, now there was no point. No point to the Blacksmoke persona he was living. All he saw in his future was obeying Esau and fighting against the students of 259 like a mindless soldier. That was his path he had to accept it just as Marcus had.
"Okay. I'm ready to go."
Slowly Roth stood up brushing the snow off himself. The sky was now dark and a dim light reflected off the snow in a Orange and purple glow. Carlos looked up at Roth with his big brown eyes. Roth looked down at him cold and emotionless, and then moved on. The three of them proceeded down the trail to the cab.
"Back to the airport. We're done here."
With that said they were back on the road headed for Logan airport. It took about an hour, but it felt like an instant. There was nothing going on in Roth's head anymore. Not even an internal clock to tell what was going on. He just knew that they were back in the airport.
Marcus took it upon himself to do the talking at the desks. As it turned out they're flight was canceled due to a problem with the plane. Now they had a series of stops to get to Long Beach by tomorrow.
"Hey man, we have a few stops on the way back now. There's like 3 hours on each stop too. Bullshit."
"What's the first stop?"
"Philly."
---------------------------------------------------------
Their plane landed at the Philadelphia airport. Now there were thoughts going through Roth's head. Thoughts trailing back to his time at Mugen Hall. At first he tried to suppress them, but eventually he would give in. As soon as they landed Roth was off with Carlos at his side and Marcus trailing behind.
"Yo Roth! Where you going!?"
"Mugen Hall."
At that Marcus stopped dead in his tracks. Roth however kept moving. His eyes were dead icy cold back in Boston, but now there was a small spark in them. Roth would find a cab as quick as he could making his way to his old stomping ground.
Mugen Hall. A collection of five schools in hopes of putting students together in unity. It did anything but. They five schools all rivaled each other. Students seemed to rebel against authority all the time. Roth being one of them. He had fought so many battles here. Blood shed all over this now condemned campus. From hard fought battles out of pure anger and hatred, to friendly sparring matches.
Roth wandered out to the courtyard with his trusty companion at his side. Then he noticed a large slab of concrete sidewalk with cracks all through it. It seemed his clash with the Elite Enforcer was never properly cleaned up. Put he remembered the Russian bitch. The Elite Enforcer that threw him off the roof. He had once conspired against her taking a medical file that revealed a series of drugs that kept up her abilities. Funny how things turned out.
He began to remember his friends here. Lynn Fordeen, Kurt Gordon, Taku Welteel, Gabriel Ember, and his mentor Kisuke. He remembered them all fondly and of course his eventual departure from this place that shaped him. The fire in Roth's eyes grew from a spark into an ember.
And with that Roth and his little buddy Carlos would make his way back to the cab and to the airport. Once back Roth would fins Marcus waiting at the gate. It seems as if the man and his dog made it just in time. They boarded the plane right on time with Carlos making his way into the pet cargo.
Roth was about to sit down when he remembered their little game. The pair played more rock paper siscors. Roth won again.
"So, you find anything at that old school of yours?"
"I'm not sure yet. What's our next stop?"
"You'll find out. Now get some shut eye."
Roth would obey sitting back in his first class leather chair turning to the window and falling asleep. He would dream that night. He would dream of the Red Sky. What he though would become his death. In that sky was a large yellow sun. It was warm, if felt good, soothing. Roth would reach for the sun, but it was too far out of reach. In the back of his head he could hear words. The words of his sister.
'Together they stand...'
The voice shook Roth awake. He looked outside to see the Rocky Mountains down below. In the very distance he could see the sun slowly peaked over what he assumed was California. He looked at the sun for a while before falling back to sleep. The next time Roth awoke they were once again about to land. Sleepily Roth snapped his seatbelt on and listened to the intercom overhead.
"Attention Passengers we are making the landing for San Diego. Please remain seated."
San Diego. Damn. This had to be a joke. Through use of air travel Roth was beginning to relive his past. First Boston, then Philly, and now of all places San Diego. Damn. Roth looked over to Marcus with an accusing look. There was no way this was all a coincidence.
"Hey man, I told ya you'd like it."
There was another smile on his face. That large arrogant grin that always appeared on Roth's face. Now he was on another mission. He was going to return once again to his past in San Diego and at the Chula Vista Collective. Roth basically leaped off the plain immediately getting Carlos and taking off for his old city.
San Diego was the same as Roth left it about a year and a half ago. But he knew exactly where to go. The place where he constantly fought the bloody fight. The San Diego Championship Fighters League. The place where the toughest men in San Diego went to fight. Nowadays Roth knew better. He knew the toughest ones were at PHS: 259 in Long Beach.
Roth broke the locks he knew was already busted and walked into the empty building. With on one around Roth climbed into the ring. It was here in this ring that he took down the Samoan Beast. It was here that he fought his arch rival Joshua Treborn in a blood-drenched Light Tube Death Match. He still was not sure if he won that fight or not. Just remembering the feats he preformed here heightened the ember in Roth's eyes into a fire.
From there Roth, Marcus, and Carlos would make their way to the Chula Vista Collective. Yet another assembly of schools put together for the sake of unity. Another failed attempt. Roth could remember what happened here as well. Roth and Taku Welteel crossed paths here as well. There Conner Dwyre too. The blind kid who Roth became friends with immediately. There was of course more fights with J.T as well. Another match where J.T. had definitely beaten Roth. They both were knocked out, but Roth got up first. All because of the girl Aleece Fontecillia. Roth wasn't fully ready to remember her yet.
There was one last place to visit. The docks in Chula Vista. The place where it all started. What started as a small scuffle between Roth and Tiao Lei Shen ended in a a large Yakuza boat to be blown up to all hell. Tiao informed Roth that the Yakuza would be after him. Thats when Esau called Roth informing him of the drug the Yakuza had given him to warp his mind.
Now he knew the truth. The truth that the Yakuza were never after Roth. It was all Esau giving him the drugs that lead to him seeing his dead sister. The drugs that had corroded his heart to near death. All because of one man's goal to take Roth and make him a slave. To make him a personal gladiator. No. this wouldn;t happen. Not anymore.
Marcus and Carlos came up behind Rock as he stood at the docks.
"Marcus. You said all his 'subjects' have a trial period. What was mine?"
"Mugen Hall."
"He was watching me that long eh?"
Roth gave a heavy sigh and looked up at the sun.
"And during my time at Chula Vista he was administering the drug?"
"Yeah. He calls it the Incubation Period."
"Cute.
Back in Boston I had lost the will to fight. I was just going to give up there. I lost my fire. My power.
You rescheduled the destinations on purpose, didn't you?"
"I wasn't about to let you make the same mistakes I made."
Roth turned around with tears swelling in his eyes. He would step forward and hug Marcus close. He was the closest thing Roth had to family anymore. The only one who cared that much. The lonely who had set Roth free from his won torment.
"Thank you Marcus. Let's go home."
And with that the three of them were off again. The sun was beginning to set as the trio arrived at the airport for a short flight to Long Beach. They could have driven, but 45 minutes beats a three hour drive. Roth's head was once again spinning with thoughts. Not just the memories he had relived, but the future ahead of him. The disguise of Blacksmoke and what it was going mean in time.
The trio landed down in Long Beach once again. The sun was low in the sky as the made their way home in Marcus's car. In the short drive they were back home at the Jungle Cat. Roth told Marcus he was tired from their trip and headed up with Carlos to his room. Roth took the framed poem of his wall and stared at it for a while. Another tear was shed falling onto the frame. Roth would hang it back up, kissing it.
With the poem back on the wall Roth would make his way up to the roof. All he could think about was that poem. Together they stand? Together who stands? Roth questioned that over and over again as he made his way up to the roof. To extinguish evil, pain, and blood. Whose evil? A want to live together in piece, but will be violent if their enemies won't cease. Who was the enemy? Defeat that bad to make everyone glad. Peacemakers in a world of corruption, and to reverse it with action. Warriors for the world above fighting together for peace and love. The message was simple, but Roth began to find a deeper meaning.
Then it hit him like a truck. Staring at the Sun Roth began to piece it together. PHS: 259. Together they would stand against whatever would destroy them. All the students wanted was their own peace, but all of them were willing to fight for it. It was the job of the strong to protect the weak. Roth understood what his sister meant. As Roth watched the sun set the fire in his eyes burned into a raging inferno. His eyes burned brighter than ever before just like the setting Sun. There was a new power in him now. A renewed sense of self and judgment.
_______________________________________________
In Boston a small team of workers were at a local graveyard in South Boston. They were removing a series of basic headstones and replacing them with a large monument and a series of plaques. Centered around the five graves was a large obelisk with an imprint of the O'Roak Irish family Crest. Under that was the names and dates of all the deceased as well as a small arrangement of text.
(ooc: 4286 words. Damn.)
This will change Roth in many ways mentally, and emotionally. But most of all this thread will lead to a change in Roth's Qi. These changes will be in his Bio to be approved.)
"Yo Marcus, get us two tickets to Boston."
He said that about a week ago to Marcus on the phone. It was right after he had signed a little piece of paper for the silver haired man, Unfettered. That was also the day he remembered what had happened over a year ago. The death of his little sister Rita O'Roak. He remembered the news, he remembered exactly where he was when he had received it. Back in Chula Vista.
It stung him right in the heart. He was on the Collective Shuttle bus when the letter was delivered. It came with a few magazines and a series of letters. The first two letters were from his two sisters. The last letter was from his mother. That last letter had told Roth that Rita had died. She was fighting with a student when a teacher got involved. The man went too far and ended her life.
Roth remembered the tears. There was too many too count. After that last letter he dropped them all in an uncontrollable rage. then he noticed on the back of Rita's letter was a poem she had written entitled 'Together They Stand'.
Together they stand for peace and love,
To extinguish evil, pain, and blood,
They want to live together in peace,
but will be violent if they enemies won't cease.
Protecting the good and defeating the bad,
they aim to make everyone happy and glad.
They're peacemakers in world of corruption,
and forever fight to reverse it by action.
They are warriors for the world above,
Together they stand for peace and love.
-Rita O'Roak
That little poem written in rainbow crayon was framed on the wall in his room. He couldn't believe he had yet to bring himself to go visit her grave. He hated himself for it. But he was going to do it now. Marcus had booked the tickets and in a few hours they would be on a plane heading for Boston.
It had been a while since his encounter with the Nova and Lighting Dragon. Two men who held power Roth could barley fathom. Power that Roth once believed to be out of reach, but since meeting both of them he had mission to not only become that powerful, but to exceed that power. To be better than both of them.
"Yo Roth! You ready!?"
Marcus would be at the edge of the stairs calling up to Roth in his room. He sat in there shirtless examining the wounds on his back. Leon's 7 Point Palm Strike had done it's damage quite well. Roth counted about 150 or so blackening welts on his back. It had felt like a Tommy Gun ripping through him at the time. Roth would thrown on a shirt and make his way back down stairs.
"Yea! Hold on."
He almost forgot something, or rather someone. Roth would turn around and grab his other best friend. Carlos. The Boson Terrier he had befriended back in San Diego. After his climactic fight with J.T. in Death Valley it seemed the dog had tracked him back all the way to Long Beach. Now he was coming with Roth and Marcus to relive the past.
Roth brought along his dog carrier, but wouldn't put Carlos in it yet. He was good enough to walk and stay in the car alone. Roth, Marcus, and Carlos all made their way to Marcus's car since Roth's had been put out of commission.
"You sure you want to do this man?"
Marcus looked at Roth through his shades with the two planes tickets and pet pass in his hand.
"Yea. Yea I'm sure."
Roth knew exactly what Marcus meant. Esau had refused Roth's right to leave Long Beach after his near death experience in Death Valley. Roth remembered the Red Sky. That was what awaited him in death. He didn't know if it was one of the pits of hell, or perhaps the Warriors Heaven of Mars as described in Dante's Inferno.
All three got into Marcus's Honda NSX and drove out to the airport. At first they were a bit worried about getting through clearance, but Marcus and Roth got in fine without a word. They assumed Esau would have done something to prevent them from air travel, but apparently not. Roth and Marcus dropped Carlos off at pet boarding. Initially Roth protested, but gave in promising the loader that he'd punish him if something happened to Carlos.
Soon enough the two men were on the plane. Like little children they played Rock Paper Siscors for the window seat. Roth won. They sat around for about 10 minutes before take off. Marcus started jamming out to some music on his iPod. Roth however was caught up in his own thoughts to focus on that. He just stared out the window mind wandering.
In only a few hours Roth and Marcus had fallen asleep. The flight was about 10 hours and they were told they would come to Boston sometime in the mid afternoon. Perfect. Roth and Marcus awoke to one of the waitresses nudging them awake telling them they were about to land soon. Long sleep. Within an hour or so they were on the ground and out of the airport with Carlos by their side.
"So. I never actually asked. What's in Boston?"
"A year ago my sister was killed. I hadn't seen her in years and I have yet to visit her grave. Taxi!"
A basic response. Roth was still too tired and emotionally struck to give a long winded answer. He would call for a cab that pulled up for people at the airport. The driver looked at the dog, and then at Roth. The Arrogant Warrior would just shoot back a look of fury. The cabbie didn't say a word as all three entered the cab.
"Saint Augustine Burying Ground. Southie."
"Ey, fuck head. Your in East fucking Boston, do you know how far Southie is from here?"
Roth rolled his eyes in a pissed mood throwing two hundred dollar bills up front.
"Never mind."
The Boston Cabbie shut his mouth and drove off. Roth would look out the window against his thoughts occupied with various musings. His past, his present, his future. All these things were driving him mad in his head. He could feel something coming. Something big and he knew he had to prepare for it. But now he had to focus on something else.
Within the hour the cab had reached the cemetery. The three stepped out of the cab. Before it could drive off Roth would throw another Benjamin in the window informing the cabbie to stick around.
"Stay here, make sure he doesn't run off."
Roth spoke to Marcus in a stern voice. Marcus looked down at Carlos in confusion as the dog looked up to him in the same manner. Roth shook his head and gestured to the cab. And with that Roth walked out to the cemetery. It's winding paths and filled with dead trees slowly recovering as the weather slowly morphed into Spring.
This graveyard was one of the nations oldest. Then again anything in this city could be consider one of the nations oldest. The graves changed in order from oldest to newest. The oldest ones were now illegible forgotten to time. The newest ones had the most upkeep and the smoothest cuts. It didn't take long for Roth to find the grave of his beloved sister.
It was very basic as his family didn't have much money. He came from a poor, now lower middle class family in Southie. It was a basic stone that read simple things.
Rita O'Roak
1998-2008
Beloved Daughter of Mary and Jack O'Roak
Sister to Roth and Jesse O'Roak
1998-2008
Beloved Daughter of Mary and Jack O'Roak
Sister to Roth and Jesse O'Roak
It didn't take long for the tears to crawl out of Roth's eyes. He hadn't been back in Boston for a long, long time. Now that he was home he was standing over the corpse oh his sister. One of the only people he had lived for since the days he left Boston. All at once he collapsed onto his knees weeping in front of the grave.
"I'm sorry Rita. I'm so sorry. I should've seen you more. Hell I should have never left. I'm sorry."
Roth slammed his fists down on the ground where his sister laid buried. Tears fell to the ground where she rested and on Roth's fists. There was still snow covering the ground and Roth would bury his head into it at the base of Rita's headstone. He would stay there for a few minutes before lifting his head back up. Then he noticed something odd.
He looked over to his right as saw something that caught his eye. Roth would rise to his feet. He couldn't comprehend what he saw. Four other gravestones around Rita's own.
Mary O'Roak
1977 - 2009
Jack O'Roak
1976 - 2009
Jesse O'Roak
1998 - 2009
1977 - 2009
Jack O'Roak
1976 - 2009
Jesse O'Roak
1998 - 2009
Roth's jaw dropped at the sight. He couldn't comprehend what he was looking at. Tis wasn't just the resting place of his lost sister, this was the resting place of his entire family. Roth dropped down to his soaked knees once more. All he could do is read the headstones over and over again. This was the resting place of his family, including himself.
Roth O'Roak
1991 - 2009
1991 - 2009
Now he began to shake. His whole body trembling at the sight. According to that gravestone he was dead. The last time Roth checked he was still alive. His ID cards still worked, after all he was still able to board the plane as Roth O'Roak. What the fuck was this?
"I remember when I first found out too."
Roth had a small spasm and he fell on his ass turning around to the source of the noise. It was Marcus with Carlos at his side. Roth wasn't sure what he had even said. His mind was gone at the realization that he was dead. All the energy inside of him and the fire in his eyes were gone.
"I've been working for Esau am long time now. Long enough to know his methods. When Esau finds someone he wants to use he gives them a trial period. If they pass he integrates them into his employment. Part of this process is to erase the person. Kill them off to the rest of the world.
At the same time he creates forgeries. Birth Certificates, ID's, anything he can to validate the new life. According to the world you are Roth O'Roak. Born and raised in Sacramento California then transfered to PHS: 259.
I mean did you really think you'd be accepted into 259 if they knew you where from the Collective? If they knew you were a murder suspect and made an escape attempt? Esau made reports of your death. His hands run deep enough to kill you and create a new life taking only your name.
It happened to me too. In reality I was born in New Mexico in a family of six. Once Esau got a hold of me I was Marcus Killings, single child raised in Oakland. He finds you, tries you, takes everything you love, and corrupts you."
Roth took every bit of that information in. The assimilation of himself into Esau's forces. It destroyed all hope. Your family is dead, and you are dead. Even if you fight back theres nothing to return to. It's an utter sense of hopelessness where you break down to where nothing is left but obedience. That's where Roth was now.
He didn't have any hope. He didn't have anything. He wanted to fight back before but now, now there was no point. No point to the Blacksmoke persona he was living. All he saw in his future was obeying Esau and fighting against the students of 259 like a mindless soldier. That was his path he had to accept it just as Marcus had.
"Okay. I'm ready to go."
Slowly Roth stood up brushing the snow off himself. The sky was now dark and a dim light reflected off the snow in a Orange and purple glow. Carlos looked up at Roth with his big brown eyes. Roth looked down at him cold and emotionless, and then moved on. The three of them proceeded down the trail to the cab.
"Back to the airport. We're done here."
With that said they were back on the road headed for Logan airport. It took about an hour, but it felt like an instant. There was nothing going on in Roth's head anymore. Not even an internal clock to tell what was going on. He just knew that they were back in the airport.
Marcus took it upon himself to do the talking at the desks. As it turned out they're flight was canceled due to a problem with the plane. Now they had a series of stops to get to Long Beach by tomorrow.
"Hey man, we have a few stops on the way back now. There's like 3 hours on each stop too. Bullshit."
"What's the first stop?"
"Philly."
---------------------------------------------------------
Their plane landed at the Philadelphia airport. Now there were thoughts going through Roth's head. Thoughts trailing back to his time at Mugen Hall. At first he tried to suppress them, but eventually he would give in. As soon as they landed Roth was off with Carlos at his side and Marcus trailing behind.
"Yo Roth! Where you going!?"
"Mugen Hall."
At that Marcus stopped dead in his tracks. Roth however kept moving. His eyes were dead icy cold back in Boston, but now there was a small spark in them. Roth would find a cab as quick as he could making his way to his old stomping ground.
Mugen Hall. A collection of five schools in hopes of putting students together in unity. It did anything but. They five schools all rivaled each other. Students seemed to rebel against authority all the time. Roth being one of them. He had fought so many battles here. Blood shed all over this now condemned campus. From hard fought battles out of pure anger and hatred, to friendly sparring matches.
Roth wandered out to the courtyard with his trusty companion at his side. Then he noticed a large slab of concrete sidewalk with cracks all through it. It seemed his clash with the Elite Enforcer was never properly cleaned up. Put he remembered the Russian bitch. The Elite Enforcer that threw him off the roof. He had once conspired against her taking a medical file that revealed a series of drugs that kept up her abilities. Funny how things turned out.
He began to remember his friends here. Lynn Fordeen, Kurt Gordon, Taku Welteel, Gabriel Ember, and his mentor Kisuke. He remembered them all fondly and of course his eventual departure from this place that shaped him. The fire in Roth's eyes grew from a spark into an ember.
And with that Roth and his little buddy Carlos would make his way back to the cab and to the airport. Once back Roth would fins Marcus waiting at the gate. It seems as if the man and his dog made it just in time. They boarded the plane right on time with Carlos making his way into the pet cargo.
Roth was about to sit down when he remembered their little game. The pair played more rock paper siscors. Roth won again.
"So, you find anything at that old school of yours?"
"I'm not sure yet. What's our next stop?"
"You'll find out. Now get some shut eye."
Roth would obey sitting back in his first class leather chair turning to the window and falling asleep. He would dream that night. He would dream of the Red Sky. What he though would become his death. In that sky was a large yellow sun. It was warm, if felt good, soothing. Roth would reach for the sun, but it was too far out of reach. In the back of his head he could hear words. The words of his sister.
'Together they stand...'
The voice shook Roth awake. He looked outside to see the Rocky Mountains down below. In the very distance he could see the sun slowly peaked over what he assumed was California. He looked at the sun for a while before falling back to sleep. The next time Roth awoke they were once again about to land. Sleepily Roth snapped his seatbelt on and listened to the intercom overhead.
"Attention Passengers we are making the landing for San Diego. Please remain seated."
San Diego. Damn. This had to be a joke. Through use of air travel Roth was beginning to relive his past. First Boston, then Philly, and now of all places San Diego. Damn. Roth looked over to Marcus with an accusing look. There was no way this was all a coincidence.
"Hey man, I told ya you'd like it."
There was another smile on his face. That large arrogant grin that always appeared on Roth's face. Now he was on another mission. He was going to return once again to his past in San Diego and at the Chula Vista Collective. Roth basically leaped off the plain immediately getting Carlos and taking off for his old city.
San Diego was the same as Roth left it about a year and a half ago. But he knew exactly where to go. The place where he constantly fought the bloody fight. The San Diego Championship Fighters League. The place where the toughest men in San Diego went to fight. Nowadays Roth knew better. He knew the toughest ones were at PHS: 259 in Long Beach.
Roth broke the locks he knew was already busted and walked into the empty building. With on one around Roth climbed into the ring. It was here in this ring that he took down the Samoan Beast. It was here that he fought his arch rival Joshua Treborn in a blood-drenched Light Tube Death Match. He still was not sure if he won that fight or not. Just remembering the feats he preformed here heightened the ember in Roth's eyes into a fire.
From there Roth, Marcus, and Carlos would make their way to the Chula Vista Collective. Yet another assembly of schools put together for the sake of unity. Another failed attempt. Roth could remember what happened here as well. Roth and Taku Welteel crossed paths here as well. There Conner Dwyre too. The blind kid who Roth became friends with immediately. There was of course more fights with J.T as well. Another match where J.T. had definitely beaten Roth. They both were knocked out, but Roth got up first. All because of the girl Aleece Fontecillia. Roth wasn't fully ready to remember her yet.
There was one last place to visit. The docks in Chula Vista. The place where it all started. What started as a small scuffle between Roth and Tiao Lei Shen ended in a a large Yakuza boat to be blown up to all hell. Tiao informed Roth that the Yakuza would be after him. Thats when Esau called Roth informing him of the drug the Yakuza had given him to warp his mind.
Now he knew the truth. The truth that the Yakuza were never after Roth. It was all Esau giving him the drugs that lead to him seeing his dead sister. The drugs that had corroded his heart to near death. All because of one man's goal to take Roth and make him a slave. To make him a personal gladiator. No. this wouldn;t happen. Not anymore.
Marcus and Carlos came up behind Rock as he stood at the docks.
"Marcus. You said all his 'subjects' have a trial period. What was mine?"
"Mugen Hall."
"He was watching me that long eh?"
Roth gave a heavy sigh and looked up at the sun.
"And during my time at Chula Vista he was administering the drug?"
"Yeah. He calls it the Incubation Period."
"Cute.
Back in Boston I had lost the will to fight. I was just going to give up there. I lost my fire. My power.
You rescheduled the destinations on purpose, didn't you?"
"I wasn't about to let you make the same mistakes I made."
Roth turned around with tears swelling in his eyes. He would step forward and hug Marcus close. He was the closest thing Roth had to family anymore. The only one who cared that much. The lonely who had set Roth free from his won torment.
"Thank you Marcus. Let's go home."
And with that the three of them were off again. The sun was beginning to set as the trio arrived at the airport for a short flight to Long Beach. They could have driven, but 45 minutes beats a three hour drive. Roth's head was once again spinning with thoughts. Not just the memories he had relived, but the future ahead of him. The disguise of Blacksmoke and what it was going mean in time.
The trio landed down in Long Beach once again. The sun was low in the sky as the made their way home in Marcus's car. In the short drive they were back home at the Jungle Cat. Roth told Marcus he was tired from their trip and headed up with Carlos to his room. Roth took the framed poem of his wall and stared at it for a while. Another tear was shed falling onto the frame. Roth would hang it back up, kissing it.
With the poem back on the wall Roth would make his way up to the roof. All he could think about was that poem. Together they stand? Together who stands? Roth questioned that over and over again as he made his way up to the roof. To extinguish evil, pain, and blood. Whose evil? A want to live together in piece, but will be violent if their enemies won't cease. Who was the enemy? Defeat that bad to make everyone glad. Peacemakers in a world of corruption, and to reverse it with action. Warriors for the world above fighting together for peace and love. The message was simple, but Roth began to find a deeper meaning.
Then it hit him like a truck. Staring at the Sun Roth began to piece it together. PHS: 259. Together they would stand against whatever would destroy them. All the students wanted was their own peace, but all of them were willing to fight for it. It was the job of the strong to protect the weak. Roth understood what his sister meant. As Roth watched the sun set the fire in his eyes burned into a raging inferno. His eyes burned brighter than ever before just like the setting Sun. There was a new power in him now. A renewed sense of self and judgment.
_______________________________________________
In Boston a small team of workers were at a local graveyard in South Boston. They were removing a series of basic headstones and replacing them with a large monument and a series of plaques. Centered around the five graves was a large obelisk with an imprint of the O'Roak Irish family Crest. Under that was the names and dates of all the deceased as well as a small arrangement of text.
Rita
1998 - 2008
Jesse
1998 - 2009
Mary
1977 - 2009
Jack
1976 - 2009
Roth
1991 - *blank*
Together they stand for peace and love,
To extinguish evil, pain, and blood,
They want to live together in peace,
but will be violent if they enemies won't cease.
Protecting the good and defeating the bad,
they aim to make everyone happy and glad.
They're peacemakers in world of corruption,
and forever fight to reverse it by action.
They are warriors for the world above,
Together they stand for peace and love.
1998 - 2008
Jesse
1998 - 2009
Mary
1977 - 2009
Jack
1976 - 2009
Roth
1991 - *blank*
Together they stand for peace and love,
To extinguish evil, pain, and blood,
They want to live together in peace,
but will be violent if they enemies won't cease.
Protecting the good and defeating the bad,
they aim to make everyone happy and glad.
They're peacemakers in world of corruption,
and forever fight to reverse it by action.
They are warriors for the world above,
Together they stand for peace and love.
(ooc: 4286 words. Damn.)