u/Seenmario66

[Camera footage shows two inmates in prison starting a fight with each other, the two nearly come to blows when an Octoling steps between the two.

Dealer: Please gentlemen, this isn't how we should be conducting ourselves. This is a place of rehabilitation!

*Everyone in the yard starts to stare at Dealer, who's smile grows once they realize they have an audience.*

Dealer: I'm sure everyone has some life outside of these walls that they want to get back to out there. Show of hands?

*A large grouping of people raise their hands*

Dealer: Yes, and we've all done bad things to get us in here, and this is our second chance! The powers that be decided that we are capable of turning our life of crime around, we wouldn't want to disappoint them would we?

*Distant murmuring*

Dealer: But there are those outside of these walls that don't have such mercy... I'm sure you've all heard of the TREE assassinations, some of you driven to seek refuge in here to hide from them.

They don't think you deserve that second chance... They're willing to threaten you and take down everything you hold dear!

*The crowd starts to get rowdy*

Dealer: So I say, why let them? Why should we live in fear of people who want us dead? We're the dredges of society, those cast down but given that oh so alluring light of redemption that they seek to take.

So I say we defend Inkopolis, defend the NSS, defend our so wonderful hosts that let us atone for our sins! And if we die we die knowing that we finally brought out true justice in the world, not one brought about by government or blade, but by the sweat of the downtrodden seeking the light. WHO'S WITH ME?!

*A chorus of cheers meet Dealer's call*

[An old picture of what appears to be Serrac and the Apprentice standing side by side. The Apprentice is holding a weapon made of junk. Serrac's usual tired look is graced with a bit of pride in his eyes, the picture is titled "First Weapon"]

Apprentice: (˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶)

[A lone truck skims through the desert, carrying strange devices in its bed]

"I've got no strings, to hold me down..."

[The truck comes to a sudden stop, as Seviki steps out of the vehicle]

"To make me fret, or make me frown..."

[Seviki takes one of the devices out of the truck and plants it in the sand, pressing a few buttons as it activates, letting out a rhythmic pulse]

"I had strings, but now I'm free..."

[Seviki gets back in the truck and drives off again with more devices in tow]

"There are no strings on me..."

[Footage of Serrac’s workbench, a Splattershot appears to be moving on its own. When the camera zooms in several tiny plant creatures are working in unison to hoist the object as they march]

Serrac: I think there was something in my coffee this morning…

(OOC: Don’t worry, this is non-canon!)

*Dealer sits in a holding cell, awaiting reassignment*

Dealer: You know... now that I'm sitting here... I'd probably take it all back...

And not just because I might die in here. I've already made peace with that...

I feel... sorry... genuinely sorry... sorry for being monstrous... evil...

That's what I'd like on my epitaph... "sorry for everything"

Suppose it doesn't matter now though, depends on how things go... Even if nobody forgives me...

And I guess that's it then...

The End!

Time to vote for the fate of our oh so wonderfully vile Dealer

Do they:

1. Live and suffer a mighty long prison sentence (Potential of returning in future events later down the line)

2. Die from any number of methods (Comment your ideas)

I can't actually make a proper poll so we're going to have to do it like this for now, I'll probably stop counting votes this time tomorrow so people can get their votes in

(OOC: Last one I promise!)

Baito and Kyle rest in a dingy cell, trying to free themselves

Kyle: We're missing all the action.

Baito: Yeah I'm trying-

A click is heard as Dealer points a shooter at Baito's face

Dealer: Don't move... I need a good hostage, and you are going to help me walk away from this, or you're going to be splattered all over the-

*BANG*

A lead pipe impacts the back of the Dealer's head knocking them out, Evie stands over them

Evie: Don't hurt my Serry!

Baito: Evie! Help us out of here!

Evie: Of course!

[Video of Serrac standing over a strange "weapon" that has a piece of rebar loaded into it. He's very clearly grinning under the mask.

He activates the weapon and it launches the rebar out towards a hand made target with a heavy KASHUNK. Embedding itself into the target almost instantly.

Serrac's laughter can be heard]

[An extremely old advert depicting a Colossal Inkling working on a car tuned for rough terrain. The text has long since worn away, but the picture appears to show that the vehicle is capable of snow and sand traversal with little issue.

The Colossal Inkling Woman's face is obscured by a welding mask.]

Serrac: I've managed to locate my mother. Made it hard to find her, not that I blame her, we always were on similar wavelengths.

I'll probably bring a recorder to the first conversation, she'd likely be expecting that if I know her well.

Looking forward to it.

[A video of Serrac putting something together at his bench. Inexplicably he's wearing a cowboy hat. He quickly finishes a revolver-looking weapon and twirls it around his finger before fanning the hammer and blasting some set up targets]

Evie: Left for like 30 minutes, came back to him making a splat revolver that uses actual gunpowder to propel ink.

This is why I love him.

[A video of Serrac with a laptop, Kyle is next to him looking somewhat uncomfortable with a device in his mouth.

Kyle: Sho waft's da point ovf dis anyvay?

Serrac: We're testing your bite force, I'm thinking of developing some gear for you, so I need some stats on what you're capable of.

Serrac types a few things down and plugs a wire into the device.

Serrac: And I'm a little curious. Go ahead and bite down for me please.

Kyle: Mfokay!

Kyle grits and bites down, Serrac observes the laptop with muted interest.

Serrac: Getting just over 3,500 psi impressi-

*CRACK*

Serrac jumps a little and looks back to see a ruined device, alongside a sheepish looking Kyle before the video cuts off.]

Serrac: Testing was successful... ish. That was a very expensive bite.

Serrac: Heya. It’s been a bit hasn’t it.

Development on stuff has been slow over the outtage this last week.

I spent most of my time looking for where my mother ended up. Think I’m getting close, I’ll let you know more when I eventually find her.

[A tattered piece of a newspaper dated back 13 years ago]

Investigation Comes Up Empty

Police are giving up the investigation tonight after weeks of searching for Sekov Mekariv, who vanished 3 weeks ago with no trace. He is survived by his only son Serrac Mekariv who had been recently enlisted at the time. "He wasn't exactly the best person to be around. Drugs, alcohol, smoking... the lot." Serrac states "I wouldn't be surprised if he just wandered off on some trip and just never found his way back." We were unable to locate Sekov's divorced wife for comment.

Patient Name: Serrac Mekariv
Gender: Male
Body Type: Colossal

Physically capable and stronger than most patients, due to the presence of the Colossal Gene in his makeup. Patient is in fine condition despite multiple encounters with dangerous circumstances. Despite warnings, Patient seems unwilling to avoid these encounters.

Patient's sleep quality has drastically improved due to efforts made to enforce better sleeping habits as well as curbing a prominent caffeine dependency.

Patient shows signs of trauma earlier in life. Patient neglected talks about the source of this, recommended psych eval. and treatment.

Notes: After much discussion, managed to get patient to remove mask. Device attached to lower jaw normally covered by mask, accompanied by immense scarring. Patient claims manufacture and implementation was done personally. Patient denied request to further inspect device's function. Further requests prompted irritation in patient.

[A picture of a robot arm detached from Serrac's pack, it's grasping onto a large motor which is slightly damaged from a fall.]

Serrac: Found the load capacity of the arm pack, nearly broke my foot in the process. It popped off while I was working on a motor for a future project of mine.

Evie: When the Evie you know was a smol little octo, I always wanted to be one of those trapeze artists you saw on screen. Flying around with all the danger and risk.

Of course I wasn't lucky enough to be in a dome that had access to such things, nor the money or family to take me to one. But I managed.

Suckered a poor fool out of his change and bought my way into a bigger dome. 'Course young me barely had the slightest clue of livin' on her lonesome. So I ended up brawling punks for money, same amount of risk really.

Eventually I ended up punching out an Octarian Officer in a bar over a drunken scuffle which got me detained, and then enlisted. Wasn't gonna take crap from nobody, so I decided to make things hell on my superiors.

Eventually got into the Elite program where they sent me on solo missions just to get rid of me for a while, heh heh heh.

Been doing things my own way ever since.

Serrac: I grew up way up in the north. Mother was a Colossal, Father wasn't.

Moved down to the Inkopolis area when I was around 6. Family split around the time when my father forced me into the military. Not sure where my mom ended up... should probably look for her... Knowing her she's probably doing alright.

After a stint in the military took a stint as a mechanic for a while when I found an opening at the HRL. You all presumably know the rest.

[A picture of Evie wearing Serrac's robot arm pack, she has a Splattana in each hand.]

Serrac: I should really put a lock on my stuff. I already lost like three coats to her and now my gear.

Evie: What's yours is mine!

Serrac: Yes and that's technically the NSS's. Give it back.

Evie: Fineeee...

Serrac: When I was a kid I wanted to build an amusement park. Part of where my love for engineering and mechanics came from. All the moving parts fascinated me.

I'd have gotten there too had my father not forced me into the military. But hey, making weapons is just as entertaining.