Pandaemonium
Posts 381
Power Level 31
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Post by Aurora Disicio on May 29, 2016 20:44:11 GMT -7
Aurora was surprised that she managed to reach the point where she was legitimately starting to get more money than she knew what to do with. If asked last week whether or not that was even possible she would have said no, but even after covering basic expenses, more lavish expenses, and everything else she could think of, she still found herself with over 10 million dollars to spare. While Aurora fully expected to be wildly successful in everything she did, even she was a bit surprised in how quickly she managed to pull all this together. The amount of success she's had in the last few months managed to surprise even her. This was a sign that she would be able to expand soon, but she hadn't completely decided on how. In the mean time, it would be safe to have a little bit of fun with some of that extra money. With a mischievous smirk on her face, she grabbed about two million dollars in various kinds of bills and made her way to one of the most crowded areas in the city.
The Central Market was the obvious choice for this sort of thing. It was either that or the mall, but the mall was both indoors and parts of it were closed off right now for repairs thanks to another super fight. Most of the shopping was happening here now, so the people here would likely have a greater interest in money than usual. As usual, Aurora herself was taking the back streets and alleys to get to somewhere useful. Her aurora was condensed next to her as tight as she could make it rather than in the sky. Even with it condensed this much, with each particle touching each other, the ball was about the size of her head due to the sheer amount of stuff in it. There were a lot of bills, and she needed some things to jump on to get to the top of the a building, and potential weapons if someone decided it would be a good idea to fight her here. Getting to the tops of buildings by spawning large objects or chunks of rubble under her feet was routine at this point. It didn't even take her long to get up to one of the taller buildings in the area. From there, she let her aurora fill the sky and started to speak before she could cause a mass panic again.
"Listen up peons! You've all been stolen from! While you all work hard for a meager salary, there are people out there hoarding their unearned wealth. I have liberated it from them and now will graciously be returning it to you all!"
With that, she started reforming the money contained with in her aurora and let it flutter down onto the city below. At first, people panicked as she expected. However, once the first few hundred dollar bills were low enough that people could tell what they were, they stopped. A few people grabbed them out of the air, then started frantically trying to grab more. Before long, people were pushing each other to grab the falling money, or trying to rip it out of other peoples' hands. The cars on the street stopped moving abruptly as the money drifted onto their windshields, causing some of the other cars to hit them from being. Before long, the entire market was filled with so much chaos and fighting that it could only be called a full on riot. Aurora herself just sat on the edge of the roof of the building she was on, resting her head on her hand with her elbow on her thigh as she watched the whole thing unfold. It was amazing how easy it was to turn people into complete animals.
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It's a brand new me, I got no remorse
Posts 272
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Post by Gilgamesh on Jun 2, 2016 21:18:44 GMT -7
By the time that the crowd below had become a full on riot Gilgamesh had changed into his costume down a dark alleyway, away from the money that was falling from the sky. He was not tempted by the dangling wealth that had been caused to rain from the sky. You could not buy what he desired and strove for. Money was a means to an end, and the end was simple survival. He did not need or desire lavish luxury, nor did he intend to buy his way into power and prestige. Something bought and sold can be bought and sold again. And people that were for sale were only as reliable as your pockets were deep. Strength and fear were far more secure avenues for what he sought.
His own path to the rooftops was far more straight forward than Aurora Disco's was. He simply leaped up into the air, kicking off of the wall of one side of the alleyway to push himself to the top. And from there it was a hop, skip, and a jump away to the source of the commotion. In a manner of speaking at least. When he landed on the rooftop behind her he would remain motionless other than folding his arms over his chest as he silently judged her for her actions. If she noticed him it would be up to her to speak first for now. For he was content to watch for now and see if there was more to this little display other than just making a scene and wasting time.
Because as far as he could see this was nothing but a waste of time and energy. That or bait for one of the self proclaimed heroes to come to save the day. Though he wondered how much of a hero they would be seen as by the population should they cut off the rain of free money drifting down from the sky.
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Pandaemonium
Posts 381
Power Level 31
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Post by Aurora Disicio on Jun 4, 2016 18:47:55 GMT -7
It didn't take long for her to hear the tale tell signs of someone jumping up the side of the building. Aurora's lips curled into a smug smile as they touched down on the roof behind her. She turned around, and her smile turned into a frown the second she saw who it was. It was impossible to hide her disappointment. Here she was expecting some idiot hero to come and try to stop her oh so terrible scheme as usual, and it turned out to be someone else from Pandaemonium. One of the more boring ones too; one of the ones that thought fighting people weaker than him, people he who clearly had no hope of winning, was a good use of his time. She couldn't be more disappointed if she tried.
"Oh," the disappointment in her voice was obvious.
Aurora turned back to the show going on in the streets below, but if this was all she was going to get it would be a lot less interesting than she was hoping. Regardless, this situation would definitely make the news and Aurora was pretty sure that the Bulwark at least watched that. At least some of them. She was content to sit in silence for quite some time, expecting the other super to take his leave whenever he got what he wanted. When that didn't happen, without turning away from the view of the frenzied crowd she opted to address him.
"You got something to say, or are you just going to stand there and stare at me all afternoon?"
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It's a brand new me, I got no remorse
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Post by Gilgamesh on Jun 4, 2016 18:56:11 GMT -7
The hood obscured the rolling of his eyes when she turned to face him, the disappointment in her tone rolling off of his shoulders like water off a duck's back. He wasn't here to impress her, that was for sure. He sided with Pandemonium for his own reasons, and handing out millions of dollars and looking to see his face on television wasn't the point either. But some people just couldn't rise above their own petty vanity. A weakness, but who said it wasn't important to know the weaknesses of your so called allies. If you could even call them that.
"Just waiting to see if this is more than a waste of time, or if you just want to hear your name on the Tele again."
His tone was obviously chiding, bordering on that of lecturing. Though his posture other than that folded arms screamed boredom and apathy. Truth was he would rather be watching something more interesting than people clawing for money.
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Pandaemonium
Posts 381
Power Level 31
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Post by Aurora Disicio on Jun 6, 2016 19:51:25 GMT -7
"If you were paying the slightest bit of attention, not that it sounds like you are, you would know that the media doesn't even use my name. They always call me Aurora Disco instead of Aurora Disicio. And considering that I can garner media attention by sitting in a lawn chair on the roof now, you can imagine that it's lost some of its charm."
Aurora waved her hand dismissively without even turning around to look at the other Pandaemonium member. Her eyes were still fixated on the chaos below. Some people were outright starting to attack others, some even going as far as to find improvised weapons laying around the market. Others were looting the market itself in all the chaos. More money continued to rain down from her aurora and didn't show any signs of stopping any time soon.
"No, I just think it's important that certain people see exactly what it is they're trying to protect. People are truly monstrous."
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It's a brand new me, I got no remorse
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Post by Gilgamesh on Jun 7, 2016 19:41:37 GMT -7
"You seem to care enough to care that they get your name wrong."
He didn't think he had made any of the papers or the nightly news. But that was just fine with him. He didn't need his name in spotlights and in print. IF he wanted that he wouldn't be using a fake name. He also wasn't out to prove some moral point to the people that are trying to protect the weak and the helpless. Which funnily enough, just continued to allow them to remain helpless leeches. Holding out for a hero to come and save them rather than learning to save themselves. It was funny in a way, the more they protected people from humanities base instincts the more helpless they made them. The more dependent they made them. And the more empowered they made every man and woman with ill intent in their heart.
"They will see exactly what they want to see to fit their world view. Just like most people do."
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Pandaemonium
Posts 381
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Post by Aurora Disicio on Jun 9, 2016 19:54:37 GMT -7
"I suppose you can attest to that personally given your attitude towards me," Aurora yawned. "First off, that has very little to do with your implied question, but regardless, of course I care. A reputation, a name, is important. It tells you how much you can get away with, how big the waves you can expect to make are. It can pull people behind you, or set them against you. It's the only way you can possibly hope to move anything beyond yourself, not that I'd expect you to understand any of that either. The fact that they continue to call me that absurd nickname is infuriating."
Aurora rubbed her forehead. At this point it seemed likely that she would never be able to shake that name. She'd be more irritated, but it didn't seem to affect her reputation as much as she feared it would. Given she was able to garner the kind of fear and respect she had with a ridiculous superpower that turned things into sparkly rainbow particles, she had little doubt that she could at least work with something as ridiculous as Disco.
"But I digress. Shoving the truth in peoples' faces can be useful at times. They may deny it at first, but every time it happens it'll get harder and harder. I figure I'm just doing them a favor."
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It's a brand new me, I got no remorse
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Post by Gilgamesh on Jun 9, 2016 20:33:52 GMT -7
He clicked his tongue at her response. Typical. And with a lecture to boot. It was a shame, but it appeared his suspicions were confirmed. There would be nothing of value for him here today. Disappointed he'd turn his back to Aurora as she started talking about truth and how she was doing people a favor to shove it into their face so that they could not deny it. But it rang hollow to him.
"Perhaps. But you underestimate people's ability to dig in their heels and reinforce their opinions."
Everyone. The two of them included. Because despite their abilities they were still people. People with bias and pasts that colored their outlooks. What made them better than the rabble down below wasn't some hidden insight. It was the willingness to take power and wield it. The power that they had within themselves.
"We will have to disagree with your attitude on reputation as well. Reputation means nothing without direction. Not if you really hope to move anything."
Other than fleetingly of course. But if she had nothing else or interesting to add to this little interlude then he would casually make his way to the edge of the building and leap away from her and the scene that she had crafted.
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Pandaemonium
Posts 381
Power Level 31
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Post by Aurora Disicio on Jun 11, 2016 16:47:55 GMT -7
"I'm fully aware of how stubborn people can be. That's exactly why it's important to make a concentrated effort. Dismissing it as impossible is exactly what lets people keep their head in the sand. Repetition is the most important part; hearing something enough can even get people to believe something that isn't true."
Aurora continued talking without bothering to turn around to look at him. It sounded like he was turning to leave. She didn't particularly care either way given how uninteresting of a conversational partner he'd been so far. At this point answering him was academic and likely pointless, but she wasn't one to just let a point hang like that.
"Where exactly do we disagree? Reputation is merely a tool, it has no power on its own. What else would you use it for besides pushing the world in the direction you want?"
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It's a brand new me, I got no remorse
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Post by Gilgamesh on Jun 14, 2016 20:48:35 GMT -7
"It's a benchmark."
Words could move people. Actions could as well. Appealing to emotions like pride, fear, envy. But reputation on it's own was only good for measuring the self. But going out to actively build a reputation was a shallow use of ones time. Those that were deserving of being known would become known in their own time.
"So we disagree on the value of actively cultivating it."
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Pandaemonium
Posts 381
Power Level 31
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Post by Aurora Disicio on Jun 18, 2016 14:53:48 GMT -7
Aurora's face flattened as he talked. At this point she was starting to think that she could just replace the word 'people' with 'Gilgamesh' any time he said something about society or humanity as a whole and it would still be accurate. She raised one knee, rested her elbow on it, and then rested her head on that hand. He was intent on making her wrong even though they clearly agreed on most of the topics here, probably just because he didn't like her. She was used to that though. She just wished he had the decency to get flustered or irritated when he was clearly losing like most people did. Changing the subject while keeping it tangentially related was such a boring tactic. Everything about this was boring. Trite even.
"You know it's no fun when your opponent surrenders on their first move. You should at least take a few seconds to make sure you're not contradicting yourself before disagreeing with someone for the sake of it. It just makes you look stupid," she sighed. "If you agree that reputation can be a tool to move the world, something that when combined with a goal and the will to achieve it can move the world, then it is obviously far more than a benchmark. Though oddly enough, even in your attempts to disagree with me, you continue to agree with me. Cultivating your reputation for the sake of it is completely pointless. I don't care for the egotistical people that do things for the sake of their own ego, they're even worse than the morons that have no particular goals if only because they tend to be the same way and their worthlessness is shoved in my face. But with a little extra effort, you can make all your actions have a lot of extra punch behind them. I would have thought you would have understood that given how you operate, but I guess you just lack discipline and self control then. Ironic given your power. Oh well," she paused for a moment. "Oh, and stop projecting your own weaknesses onto humanity at large. It's unbecoming."
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It's a brand new me, I got no remorse
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Post by Gilgamesh on Jun 18, 2016 20:47:38 GMT -7
"The only thing you know is how to run your mouth. You don't know a damn thing about me, or what I seek. I'm not one of the sycophants that fall over themselves to impress you. There are plenty of ways to move the world, reputation is probably the least valuable. Connections, leverage, brute force, manipulation. Reputation is such a small part of changing anything that listing it as a viable tool to change anything is just naive."
He let out a bored exhale. He didn't really expect to change her mind though, and he didn't really care. This was someone who thought the best use of her time was to cause a riot to show some pompous heroes that humanity was beyond saving. Or the real monsters. Or whatever cliche Joker message that she was trying to convey.
"But that's the beauty of Pandemonium. I don't have to give a fuck what you do, and you don't have to care about what I do. So you can go back to your little message for the Bulwark. I'm sure that this will totally change their minds on protecting people."
And with that he'd just continue off the edge of the roof. His interest in this event, and it's creator exhausted. He had better things to do.
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Pandaemonium
Posts 381
Power Level 31
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Post by Aurora Disicio on Jun 20, 2016 19:18:28 GMT -7
Ah, there it was. It wasn't as strong an outburst as she was used to, but it was still enough to seal her victory in put her in a good mood. He even used that old cliche about how she didn't even know him. It was true, much like he didn't know her and yet kept talking about her. Very few in Pandaemonium knew much at all despite how they treated her. The way he also listed off things that supposedly accomplished things that reputation couldn't was especially amusing given reputation bolstered all of them and made it so much easier to get those connections and leverage. A nameless person would not have nearly the toolset someone who was well known did, which was why so many people went out of their way to have certain things associated with their name in the first place. Overall, she still got the impression he agreed with her, but didn't want to admit it. A shame really. The entire situation was just so amusing that moments after he started turning around she just burst out laughing.
"Is that what this is about? You thing I tried to make that happen? Or even wanted it to happen? That's the power of a reputation. Love me or hate me, you'll have an opinion on me. Even you apparently!"
She called after him, raising her voice as she moved away. Aurora didn't expect him to come back. She didn't really care either way if he did or not. The situation was just amusing all around. The way a lot of the other people in Pandaemonium was not something she wanted to happen, and it bordered on creepy. She didn't care about what they were doing, or even what they thought of her. She figured most people would dislike her like everyone else, so imagine her surprise when suddenly she became an overnight celebrity. Overall, it was inconvenient and not something she knew how to handle at this point. The fact that some people actually thought she enjoyed people falling over her like she was the second coming of Jesus, or people trying too hard to be like her, or people clinging to her like a lost puppy or a ducking following its mother was just absurd. Clearly it was just because they didn't have to deal with it.
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