#A.R.C. System Works

[gear-project]

Happy 36th Anniversary, A.R.C. System Works.

[avidrawsthings]

Seeing how the final battle against R played out in the game how will it go in your au? How would it actually go with your version of Peregrine being an actual threat?

While I haven't seen actual game footage, I have seen enough of the posts in the tags talking about it that gave me a good picture of it. Pretty much expected, if I'm being honest lol No hate or anything. It just felt lacking and more like an early draft.

As for my stuff, I've been slowly working on things behind the scenes cuz I've been doing a lot of telling and not a lot of showing lol Long post below! Potential spoilers so I'll tag accordingly.

The final battle for my au would have a lot more happening. My expectation was that there were going to be at least over two dozen R members, which would require the aid of several members of Hogwarts staff and a few Aurors to hold things off, so that's what I'll be going with. Ricardo would also be present with Duncan and Olivia (the latter two being Ghosts but still more than capable of fighting).

All the vaults had reactivated, but not the curses. Each one released a pillar of light that converged to a single point, revealing 6th vault that had actually been the real one. The other 5 were fakes, and the curses were just security measures. The 6th one contained a relic imbued with powerful magic that would make the wearer nearly unstoppable. Peregrine wanted to get his hands on it and was so certain he'd get it that he brought R's strongest hitters.

Since my au incorporates a lot of stuff from the magic system I created, part of that includes Reina and the other practitioners having access to alternate realms known as Scapes. With Peregrine being such a powerful threat, Ricardo has him moved into one of these dimensions along with the entirety of the A.R.C. (the Anti-R Coven - the stand-in for the Circle of Khanna).

So while the Hogwarts Staff and Aurors fight Verucca and the group of R members near the school grounds, the ARC is focused solely on fighting Peregrine in that other realm. Dumbledore and other staff members would defend the 6th vault from any goons that managed to get past.

Verucca and a few others felt that Peregrine was far too powerful and posed a threat, so she secretly intended to take that relic for herself to run R as they saw fit.

[astonishinglegends]

Ep 202: The Scrying Game

“The scryer does not seek reflections, but visions.”

– Donald Tyson, author of "Scrying for Beginners: Use Your Unconscious Mind to See Beyond the Senses

Description:

Who among us hasn't wanted to know the future or have insight into the hidden, at least in passing? From the first instance a human had a premonition that came true, it seems likely that the adventurous who were shocked and astounded wondered how those without the "gift" could duplicate this impossible experience. Then, when someone stared too intently into a reflective pool of liquid, a glowing ember, or even the night sky, and experienced an extrasensory perception, a technique and its medium are discovered to tap into a sixth sense. Practiced now for millennia, this procedure for obtaining occult information has become known as scrying. One interesting observation is that although there are general guidelines for preparing oneself and performing a scrying session, many mediums can facilitate the phenomenon. It appears that any object can be used that can capture the light and dazzle the eye, or a reflective surface that can offer deep introspection or a dark void that focuses the senses. But then the burning question becomes, how does this process work, and from where does the information come? Does this "second sight" materialize from deep within ourselves, external omniscience, or some combination of both? In tonight's episode, we'll look at the elements, the history, and the concepts behind this ancient and mysterious means of knowing the unknowable.

Reference Links:

Scrying on Wikipedia

The 1992 motion picture, The Crying Game

Samhain

Lori Williams’ Controlled Remote Viewing website IntuitiveSpecialists.com

Russell Targ

Crystal Gazing – Its History and Practice, with a Discussion of the Evidence for Telepathic Scrying, by Northcote W. Thomas, M.A.

Benjamin, from the Old Testament or “Hebrew Bible”

“The Forgotten Art of Scrying” by Fernando S. Gallegos on ExploringTraditions.com

Bernardino de Sahagún

Moctezuma II

Nostradamus

John Dee

Edward Kelley

“Notes on John Dee’s Aztec Mirror” by Ed Simon on NorthernRenaissance.org

Horace Walpole

“Making a Sigilum Dei Aemeth out of Wax [Esoteric Saturdays]” on YouTube

Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn

Thelema

“Joseph Smith's "Magic" Glasses and Other Bizarre Objects from Mormonism” on ranker.com

Related Books:

SPECIAL OFFERS FROM OUR SPECIAL SPONSORS:

FIND OTHER GREAT DEALS FROM OUR SHOW’S SPONSORS BY CLICKING HERE!

SimpliSafe – Every night, local police departments across America receive hundreds of calls from burglar alarms. The vast majority of the time, they have no idea whether the alarm is real – Is there really a crime going on or not? All the alarm company can tell them is “the motion sensor went off.” SimpliSafe Home Security is different. If there’s a break-in, SimpliSafe uses real, video evidence, to give police an eye-witness account of the crime. That means police dispatch up to 350% faster than for a normal burglar alarm. You get comprehensive protection for your entire home. Outdoor cameras and doorbells alert you to anyone approaching your home. Entry, motion, and glass break sensors guard inside. Plus, SimpliSafe protects your home from fires, water damage, and carbon monoxide poisoning. It’s 24/7 monitoring by live security professionals. You can set up your system yourself, no tools needed – or SimpliSafe can do it for you. All this starts at just $15 a month, with no contracts, no pushy sales guys, no hidden fees, and no fine print! The Verge calls SimpliSafe “the best home security,” it’s a two-time winner of CNET’s “Editor’s Choice,” it’s won “Reader’s Choice” from PC Magazine and it’s a Wirecutter top pick. Right now, our listeners can get a FREE HD home security camera when they purchase a SimpliSafe system at SimpliSafe.com/AL. You’ll also get a 60-day Risk-Free Trial so there’s nothing to lose! Order now from SimpliSafe.com/AL and within a week you’ll give your home and family the protection and peace of mind they deserve, plus a FREE HD CAMERA!

Squarespace – Have something you need to sell or share with the world but don't have a website? Or maybe that old website of yours could use a serious style and functionality update but you don't think you have the time or money to pay someone to do it? Well, now you can do it yourself, stylishly and cost-effectively in very little time with Squarespace! With their large gallery of beautifully designed templates, eCommerce functionality, built-in Search Engine Optimization, free and secure hosting, and award-winning 24/7 Customer Support to guide you along the way, you'll be up and running on the Web in no time, with flair, ease and a choice of over 200 URL extensions to make you stand out! So what are you waiting for? Go to Squarespace.com/LEGENDS for a free trial and when you’re ready to launch, use the Offer Code "LEGENDS" to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

The Great Courses Plus – There are so many benefits to lifelong learning, which is why we love The Great Courses Plus! Learn about virtually anything, now with over 11,000 lectures on almost any subject you can think of – from history and science to learning a new language, how to play an instrument, learn magic tricks, train your dog, or explore topics like food, the arts, travel, business, and self-improvement. And all taught by world-leading professors and experts in their field. Their app lets you download and listen to only the audio from the courses or watch the videos, just like a podcast. Switch between all your devices and pick up right where you left off. Available for iOS and Android. So what is your purpose this year? What new things will you learn? Sign up for The Great Courses Plus and find out! And RIGHT NOW, our listeners can get this exclusive offer: A FREE TRIAL, PLUS get $30 OFF when you sign up for an annual plan! That comes out to just $10 a month! But this limited-time offer won’t last long, and it’s only available through our special URL and you don’t want to pass this up, so go NOW to: TheGreatCoursesPlus.com/LEGENDS

Purple – Throw some bedding on a bunch of different mattresses and sure, they all look alike. The same goes for pillows. But peel away the layers, look at what’s inside, and you’ll see they aren’t all created equal. And that’s what makes every Purple pillow and mattress, unlike anything you’ve ever slept on! “The Purple Grid” sets the Purple mattress apart from every other mattress. It’s a patented comfort technology that instantly adapts to your body’s natural shape and sleep style. With over 1,800 open-air channels designed to neutralize body heat, Purple provides a cooling effect other mattresses can’t replicate. And this cutting-edge technology doesn’t stop with the mattresses. Every Purple Pillow is engineered with The Grid for total head and neck support and absolute airflow, so you’re always on the cool side of the pillow. Purple’s proprietary technology has been innovating comfort for over 15 years. And now you can try every Purple product risk-free with FREE SHIPPING and returns. And Purple has financing available as low as 0% APR for qualified customers! Experience The Purple Grid and you’ll sleep like never before! Go to purple.com/AL10 and use promo code AL10. For a limited time, you’ll get 10% OFF any order of $200 or more! Terms apply.

Mint Mobile – After the year we’ve all been through, saving money should be at the top of everyone’s resolution list… So if you’re still paying insane amounts of money every month for wireless, what are you doing? Switching to Mint Mobile is the easiest way to save this year. As the first company to sell premium wireless service online-only, Mint Mobile lets you maximize your savings with plans starting at JUST $15 a month. By going online-only and eliminating the traditional costs of retail, Mint Mobile passes significant savings on to YOU. All plans come with unlimited talk and text + high-speed data delivered on the nation’s largest 5G network. Use your own phone with any Mint Mobile plan and keep your same phone number along with all your existing contacts. And if you’re not 100% satisfied, Mint Mobile has you covered with their 7-day money-back guarantee. To get your new wireless plan for just $15 bucks a month, and get the plan shipped to your door for FREE, go to MintMobile.com/AL !

Credits:

Episode 202: The Scrying Game. Produced by Scott Philbrook & Forrest Burgess; Audio Editing by Sarah Vorhees Wendel. Sound Design by Ryan McCullough; Tess Pfeifle, Producer, and Lead Researcher; Research Support from the astonishing League of Astonishing Researchers, a.k.a. The Astonishing Research Corps, or "A.R.C." for short. Copyright 2021 Astonishing Legends Productions, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

[cytusimagines]

!!!!! bro could u pls give us some ivynessa headcanons

While I personally see the two as sisters cause it’s stated in both Ivy and Vanessa’s backlogs, I can see the appeal in people putting them in a romantic relationship, so...

IvyNessa Headcanons!

-Alright let’s do this! -When they were first able to roam freely, Ivy would pull Vanessa away from her job so they could talk for at least a few minutes a day

It helped Ivy get through her work with as an architect and as a Blessed

Ivy loved showing her nature while they were together

If they could even get outside of the big cold building they worked in

She also loved recounting human history with Vanessa

Seeing as they’re a walking talking database, they would hold some sort of information on humans

-Vanessa was concerned when Ivy first told her about “The Blessed” and their plan to destroy the remainder of humanity

Ivy was conflicted. Does she protect Vanessa and the humans or does she go with “The Blessed?”

Vanessa would always tell her she couldn’t answer that question

Ivy wished she chose for her

-During “The Decommission,” the last thing Ivy thought of before she fell into her slumber was Ivy

The flower in her hair, the way it would glow just a little brighter-

They had to cross the river when they woke back up

She had to find Vanessa

What would humanity be like if they ever woke back up?

-Ivy felt lonely when she first woke up

She thought she would be back with Vanessa and they can try to live among humans

A lot can happen in 500 years

Including her Vanessa being taken away

-Vanessa in her captivity only thought about Ivy

A million thoughts ran through her mind

Vanessa didn’t know how the humans could manipulate her system so easily

Then again humans always seemed to surprise her

The one thing they could never manipulate? Her love for Ivy

If she was even awake

-When they met again, it felt like whatever deity watched over humans was watching over the architects

But Ivy knew

This wasn’t her Vanessa

Vanessa had slowly grown a cold and dark heart, only wishing for humans to die

But she had no power

And Ivy wished she never gave her back that power

-Their final moments together during the attack on A.R.C. were nothing but bittersweet

Ivy recounted every memory they shared together

From the moment they met to the time she gave her the flower

Vanessa cried

She regretted ever turning on humans, but something in her protocol stopped her from ending the pain she caused on this world

All Ivy could do was promise everything would be okay

Even at the cost of her own life

[tinycartridge]

Code Shifter is a weird crossover that works in a weird way ⊟

I like a lot of the franchises Arc System Works has collected over the years, like the Kunio-kun crew, Double Dragon, and my dude Jake Hunter, but I’ve blazed very few blues, and my gears’ reputation is unassailable. Many of the characters in the crossover platformer Code Shifter: Developed by A.R.C. don’t resonate with me at all, their names weirdly punctuated gibberish. On top of that, they’re rendered in a Kunio/River City-esque pixel style that makes them extra unrecognizable to my eyes.

Even without deep connections to all the people with equal signs in their names, I was surprised to find it easy to stick with Code Shifter to the end. Whether I knew the references or not, I liked the retro artwork and the weird way it meshed into its 3D Kim-Possible-Tron backdrop, I liked discovering new characters and trying out their abilities. I also liked the way customization and depth slowly showed itself in an otherwise simple platformer.

I even liked the other entire game in there!

Code Shifter brings together characters from various franchises including Arc’s big names and… a lot of characters I can’t even recognize, and who the game doesn’t give me enough information about. But look! I found this in the digital manual! Now I know to be excited about the guy from Inferno Climber!

The characters are all supposed to be data from a game, Colorful Fighters, designed by a company named A.R.C. You play a programmer named Stella, who uses a virtual environment of her design to debug the code -- and that’s Code Shifter. It’s a 2D platforming UI for debugging. I’m no software engineer, but this seems both reasonable and efficient. Between levels, you can stroll the A.R.C. office and meet the rest of the Colorful Fighters team. Then you go into Code Shifter and debug their issues.

Inside Code Shifter, you default to Stella’s avatar, Sera, who can double jump, do some neat sword combos, and who is the only person who can destroy “virus” icons. Other characters are located in “hero” icon stations around the level. They all have different abilities: some are fast, some can jump higher or fly, some have elemental properties, and Jake Hunter smokes constantly. (That’s not beneficial in any way, but I thought I’d mention it.) These attributes and abilities are used for… I don’t want to say puzzles, since they’re obvious and the right character is usually right next to the obstacle. But it’s a good motivator to encourage use of different characters.

That knowledge of the different characters can then be used in Colorful Fighters, a multiplayer fighter I can only describe as “Smash Bros. but River City Ransom.” It’s uneven, unbalanced, shallow… everyone only has a few moves, and the visual chaos makes it hard to distinguish what’s going on. But despite all of the good reasons Colorful Fighters shouldn’t work, I’m into it. Also, I just realized this video game is who you’re trying to rescue in Code Shifter. I’m into that too, as a weird take on the treasure at the end of the quest.

You unlock new characters for Colorful Fighters by completing levels in Code Shifter. You can also earn equippable skills for Code Shifter both by performing well in levels and by finding them around the A.R.C. office. These skills increase speed, strength, jump distance, and, most excitingly, the number of heroes you can switch between.

Code Shifter isn’t a Smash Bros. level crossover success, nor is it a perfect platformer. It is basically, in all respects, fine, with big empty levels that are easy enough to navigate and combat that’s challenging enough to be interesting. It’s a straight-down-the-line, mid-tier last-generation XBLA/PSN download game, to nail down the vibe. But the Kunio-inspired fighting, the game dev storyline, and the wacky Colorful Fighters mode made Code Shifter a good time for me. Even if I’m not a big Wizard’s Symphony guy yet.

JOIN CLUB TINY AND OUR DISCORD Support Tiny Cartridge!

[crayonurchin]

Who are some of your other OCs? I'm mostly just aware of the three I mentioned.

Oh my god I had way too many...

The ones I can currently find references for are the following:

Nutmeg, a woman from the 20s who opens an exotic bar that doubles as a home and rehabilitation centre for the abused

Simon and baby Shirley from Arc, a story about a world that will soon suffer a deadly plague that only those under 13 will survive by being frozen until the disease naturally dies out in 200 years, and Simon has to reach A.R.C (artificial rest chambers) before their 13th birthday, all while caring for his incredibly young baby sister and escaping those who want his pass into salvation

Poppy, Koek and Georgina from Scrap Lake, a world covered in water where the elites live in the sky in bubble domes that act like an artificial ozone layer, the peasants live on huge rafts on the ocean and fight mutated ocean life to survive, and the folk that run the world deep on the ocean floor.

Aaaaaaaaaand Poppy and Georgia are totally from a different dimension here on accident and have to help find out the mysterious of this world if they have any hope of getting the right tech to get back home

Sparkle Street, a story about a 56 year old mother who finally decides to take her passion of screen writing to hollywood, only to be shot down due to her age, her race, her gender and her autism. But through endless passion and determination she ends up with a different ending that’s JUST as satisfying.

She also LOVES glitter jars and always has at least one on her person :3

Reginald McLayer and Ozzy McLayer, an irish immigrant single father and his son with a hard to control super power to turn into a cloud, trying to survive with whatever work an illegal immigrant like him can get and to raise his son as well as he can, while his son deals with immense guilt over his own powers and how he feels he ruined his dads life, resulting in desperate attempts to have any control that manifested as a very serious eating disorder and perfectionist mindset that nearly killed him

They also have an INCREDIBLY healthy relationship as father and son and are open, loving and don’t care if they’re both men, they hug and hang out well into adulthood :)

Reg also has a super power but it’s... lame. He can turn his dandruff on and off and his ex-wife can make clovers grow

Lady, Annie and Gal from Raising Hell! A comedy about 2 ladies raising their demon child while remaining two of the most notorious criminals of all time :D

AND THEN THERE’S ALL THESE BASTARDS

Ima put all these folk under the cut ^^;

top left we have Alleyway Silvers, including Copper the defected Cop Bot, Abuela the leader, Nonna the techie, Oma the muscle, DaaDee Ma the nimble talker, and The Armchair who... likes things in their places. 

It’s a world where the FatCats rule and you need a gang to stay alive in the undergrove. Luckily this team of elderly ladies is fighting for the rights of the people, and with their new friend, the cop bot that has the flaw of curiosity, they’re closer than ever to bringing down the system.

Pat, the Indian dwarf. A 45 year old advertisement storyboard artist who’s haunted by the visions of her stories she never told... but is also sick to death of them haunting her and doesn’t give a crap anymore XD

Reg and Ozzy, already mentioned

Aaaaaaaaaand the Migration Squad.

From the bottom up, Mouse, Armadillo, Seal, Frog, Lizard, Peacock, Mole, Kitty, Meerkat, Vulture and Duck. Two groups of business folk and art graduates, battling for equality with their two largely different proffessions, only united over coffee

And at he very top, upside down, is Jerry.

Jerry is an intern.

Jerry doesn’t get paid.

[mrsindiesmothers-blog]

Exodus

Have you ever wanted to believe in something so badly that you were willing to lay your life on the line no matter how high the stakes? What kind of person agrees to such a thing? The question rang through Martin Fielding’s mind as he was being hurdled through space.  Martin was not so sure of all that had taken place, everything seemed so surreal. The gaping void that he gazed out into seemed like something in a dream. “Am I dead?” he asked half expecting an answer, his question absorbed in the padding that surrounded him. In order to fill the silence he spoke to himself, cursing his own decisions.

“What the hell was I thinking?”

“I must be out of my mind.”

“How the fuck did I get here?”

He began to think about all that lead up to that moment. What it had taken to make such a decision. It all began a month prior, when he had finally decided to stop running for his life.  To stop running for your life would denote a lack of courage or maybe an overwhelming death wish. Martin was tired, if stopping and resting meant death, then that was what it was going to be. The War had already taken 34 years of his life, why not go for broke? The echo of the news broadcast announcing the declaration of war rang through his head just as clear as it had when he was 4 years old.

In the 34 years of war, nothing had improved; in fact, they had gotten so much worse.  The call to arms meant that there were no longer schools with lofty pursuits. Knowledge had become a luxury few could afford.  Any engineers, doctors, scientists, and technological geniuses of any kind were being approached to create weapons. If anyone objected, they disappeared. Martin was sought after for his expertise in engineering, but he did not want to create weapons.  In fear for his life, Martin disappeared.

For months, Martin travelled on foot from encampment to encampment all over the west coast. He took odd jobs fixing generators, microwaves, toasters, or whatever anyone needed in exchange for food. Finally once he caught sight of the Ashland encampment, he started to relax a little. Well he relaxed as much as a person who was being hunted could relax.

The encampment there was the first he stayed in as a child. His family had taken up residence in an abandoned warehouse not far from the encampment. Martin was surprised to see the structure still stood. He set himself up where his family once was feeling almost like it was a homecoming. He ran his fingers over deep groves he and his little sister carved into the wooden door jamb, his shoulders slumped, and he began to cry.

It is amazing how a single memory can be both comforting and overwhelmingly sad. Emily was his first and only real friend in this life, a large piece of Martin died with her. Their parents had died when Martin was 12 and Emily was ten. Martin looked after his sister, making sure she got fed before he did. Where ever they went, he made sure they learned all they could to survive. It was that knowledge that kept them alive, but it made them staying together more dangerous. When Emily left for the Colorado encampments, Martin had no idea he would never see her again.  Not more than three weeks apart and word had reached Martin that the encampment where Emily had settled in had been bombed. The sunlight was no longer warm on Martin’s skin. He had lost all feeling.

After being at the Ashland encampment for three weeks, Martin sat down and took a deep breath. His lungs took in crisp air then exhaled all the pent up uncertainty and fear that was eating away at his insides.  What is left of me? Can I make a life from what remains? He asked those questions of himself, but dared not speak them knowing deep down he didn’t want to answer them.

The relief only lasted for mere moments as word was spreading that someone was asking about Martin in neighboring camps. It seemed strange to Martin that it was only one man, but he had no time to think over what that meant.  Martin knew that he had to leave, so he packed up intending to leave in the early hours of the next morning.  Maybe rest was not the best option.

When Martin woke that day it was still pitch black outside.  He travelled on the grassy areas so as not to make much noise. He must not have been very quiet or maybe someone was watching him, but shortly after Martin left town he was approached by a man on the road.

“Martin? Martin Fielding?” the stranger asked.

“I’m sorry I do not know who that is.” Martin replied. The hair on the back of his neck stood up and he was sweating really badly. Martin was never a good liar.

The stranger, who kept his hood over his face at first, lowered it for Martin to see.

“Bullshit!” he said with a smile.

“Oliver? Oliver Noah? I thought you were dead!” The shock struck Martin dumb for a moment. Oliver Noah, well-renown physicist, had gone missing 6 months prior to Martin. It was presumed that he had been killed.

Oliver filled Martin in on where he had been. When he was first approached about the weapons program, he ran for his life, just like Martin and Emily. Shortly after he had taken off, Oliver was approached by a man who said he was in need of a repairman for his generator. Oliver offered as much help as he could give. When he arrived at the building that held the generator, he was taken down to the basement of the building. He said that there was an aeronautics lab there beyond anything he had ever seen outside of pre-war photographs. There he met Dr. Atticus Masters who has sheltered him and given him hope.

Oliver wanted Martin to come with him to hear what Dr. Masters had to say. Martin was running out of ideas and any hope of escaping the men who were looking for him. If Oliver was being sheltered, then maybe he could have shelter too. He decided to go along with Oliver, figuring that he did not have much left to lose.

Oliver was not lying when he described the building that contained the lab. It looked like any of the other abandoned office buildings in the area, windows broken out, and graffiti done in big letters “THE END IS NOW!” across the front door. It must have seemed rather ominous as they walked through the door. The elevator was old and shook the men a little as it descended into the basement. It took a long time for the elevator to arrive on the basement floor.  Oliver told Martin that the “basement” was actually five floors down from the first. The laboratory was for a program called Aeronautic Relocation Collective or A.R.C. for short.

A tall man wearing a lab coat walked into the room with Oliver and Martin. This man was noticeably taller than both men. Being that Martin was 6’4” meant that this man had to be upward of seven feet.

“Martin Fielding, this is Atticus Masters.”

“Hello, Martin! I have been hearing so many good things about you from Oliver here. I am so pleased to meet you.” Atticus Masters held out his hand, taking Martin’s into a strong hand shake.

It was then that Martin got a good look at Dr. Master’s face. His face was very long and his skin looked almost like it was stretched over his skull. His skin was a shade of orange unlike any person Martin had ever seen. Atticus noticed Martin’s stare so he started to explain.

“I am from another planet in a different system. Our planet is much like yours, it is called Targus. We have been watching your planet for centuries, as fellow humanoids we wanted to see if making contact with you would be a good idea. Sadly, we saw your world collapse in on itself as everyone started fighting. In response we created a program in an effort to rescue the people who were the brightest and best from your planet.”

“Rescue? What do you mean rescue?” Martin did his best to take everything in. Atticus explained how they only wanted to rescue those who opposed violence and rejected war.  The people they chose would be sent into space to meet up with their ship. Then they could live on Targus and be peaceful. It was hard to believe everything. This is where a rational person would have turned tail and ran. Martin thought to himself while recalling the hushed moments in the laboratory. Now he was in a pod as it jettisoned away from a Russian supply ship. Martin and Oliver were on their own now. If this was a plan to kill them for refusing, it likely worked. Martin’s heart started to pound in his chest rising in a crescendo he could feel in his ears.  There was nothing to see, only the darkness of space. Martin had lost track of time, Oliver was placed too far away so they had no way to communicate with each other.  It was a two-sided pod, each side providing life support for one person.

Martin started to feel like he had signed his death certificate. Doubt creeped up into the forefront of his mind. What have I done? The silence was beginning to wear away at Martin again. Atticus warned that it had a tendency to bother a person, so much silence.

“We search for people we can send to our planet, there is no war there. We want to rescue as many of the people who are worth saving. We found Oliver who recommended that we find you. Our plan is to send you both onboard a Russian supply ship headed to their space station. Before they reach the station, your pod will jettison away and make contact with our ship. For security purposes we have hidden our ship behind Pluto. With our technology, once you have jettisoned, it will only take you four hours to get to our ship. Of course those four hours will feel like an eternity and the silence unnerves some people.”

At some point in Atticus’ explanation, Martin began to stare at a spot on the wall. Somehow it became the most interesting spot in the entire world. There was nothing left on Earth for Martin, he knew that much. Martin was alone in the world. Why not? I am as good as dead either way. Imagine what a world without war would be like! That was it! Martin smacked his head. That was the moment Martin decided to believe. He was travelling through space all because he wanted to believe. Fool!

The rest of his journey to now went rather quickly. He had everything he owned in his pack so he was ready to go. Oliver Noah and Martin were the two who were going to go this time. In order to not be discovered by the Russians, they hid the pod in an unused cargo hold. Oliver and Martin were smuggled onboard inside the pod, made to look like a box of replacement parts for the ship. Only after Martin was on the ship and it was getting ready to launch did he start to have second thoughts. The excitement was giving way to caution, Martin’s own self-preservation instinct. By then it was too late.

Resigned to his fate, Martin began to think about what death would be like. It was his hope that he would fall asleep and never wake up. The idea started to look really good to him when a light flashed in his eyes. He turned to look at where the light was coming from. A large C passed by his window. It was the A.R.C ship! It was all true. Once the pod was brought onto the ship, the men were removed from the pod. As Martin climbed out of the pod, a voice from behind him said,

“Welcome Mr. Fielding, we have been expecting you.”

An all too familiar voice caused Martin to whip around, searching with desperate eyes for its source. His heart pounded in his chest as he caught sight of what he had only dreamed of until now.

“Emily.”

[tinycartridge]

I don’t know how I feel about Arc System Works’ crossover game ⊟

Code Shifter Developed by A.R.C.* is part pixel-style Smash Bros. crossover fighter featuring characters from Blazblue, Guilty Gear, River City Ransom, River City Girls, Birthdays the Beginning, my dude Jake Hunter, and more... but mostly it’s a 2.5D platformer in which you play a programmer who goes into these games’ worlds to debug them, gaining the appearance and abilities of these characters.

While I love seeing Jake Hunter drive a tiny car in a fighting game, this thing came out of nowhere and I haven’t made up my mind about the Kim Possible look mixing with these pixels! I’ll find out later in Q1 of this year, when the game comes out on Switch, PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

JOIN CLUB TINY AND OUR DISCORD Support Tiny Cartridge!

*”Developed by A.R.C.” is part of the title. While the name of the actual developer does include the word “Arc,” it’s not an abbreviation for anything. “A.R.C.” is the fictional in-world game company, “Awesome Rainbow Corp.” I had to stare at the logo for a minute to figure out why it had those periods in it, so I’m saving you the work.

[gear-project]

Guilty Gear Pop Quiz VII

30 Questions, Only 30 Answers. Test your GG Knowledge, and maybe, just maybe, you'll Rock.

01.Which Villain is the most active in the Guilty Gear Series? A."That Man" (Asuka R. Kreutz) B.Justice C.I-No D.Crow Kuruwaba

02.Where does Johnny get his sense of "style" from? A.Unchou Hirufumi B.Zorro C.His Father D.May

03.Frederick wields an Axe because: A.It feels comfortable to him for some reason. B.It was the weapon he had before he build the Junkyard Dog. C.It was from a Fire Emergency Glass Case. D.It was the sharpest thing he could find to kill Asuka with.

04.What did Justice inherit from Aria? A.Her emotions. B.Her intelligence. C.Her memories. D.Her personality.

05.What exactly are the Phalanx Nine? A.Swiss Guards who became Opus Gears under Ariels. B.Loyal Knights of Illyria C.Valentines D.Japanese

06.Which name references the Greek God of the Sun? A.Sol Badguy B.Amaterasu Unit C.Tyrant Rave D.Sinusoidal Helios

07.Valkyrie A.R.C. is 'what' exactly? A.A reference to ARC System Works. B.A trap attack Justice uses. C.An OutRage D.Only A and B.

08.I-No's "Treasured Item" is a Candle with a Question mark, why? A.She's a masochist. B.It's a deliberate mystery and secret. C.It's a reference to her voice actress who is "Forever 17". D.No one knows.

09.What is Answer's worst Nightmare? A.Being put on hold. B.Chasing after Chipp when he runs away. C.Stealing to survive to provide for his family. D.Paperwork.

10.What is Johnny's "codename" on Airship Radio frequencies? A.Bravo B.The J C.Perfect D.Sexy

11.Who is not guilty of eating "the pudding"!? A.Daryl B.Alexis C.Zappa D.Ellsworth

12.2Cave couldn't outsmart Robo-Ky because: A.His acting was poor. B.His subordinates gave his intentions away. C.Venom figured out his goal. D.Robo-Ky could read his heartrate.

13.What is Ky Kiske most afraid of? A.Sol becoming his Father-in-Law. B.Being ousted as King to leave his royal position. C.Losing his friends and family to War. D.Breaking his priceless Teacup collection.

14.What's the heaviest thing Potemkin has ever thrown? A.Himself B.Leopaldon C.A building D.An Anti-matter Gear

15.What was Jack-O's complaint about Johnny's airship? A.It wasn't moving fast enough. B.They didn't serve Candy on the flight. C.The Rocket Boosters were old technology. D.It wasn't her favorite color.

16.What is it that Anji knows that Baiken doesn't? A.The real person who destroyed Japan. B.The real person who raided their old village. C.The real person who started the Crusades. D.The real person who attacked Baiken.

17.There is another Jack-O'... who are they? A.Ramlethal Valentine B.Happy Chaos C.Elphelt Valentine D.Aria

18.Which attacks do the most damage? A.Instant Kills B.Blitz Attacks C.Burst Overdrives D.Mortal Counters

19.What attack types are there? A.Normal, Special, Overdrives, Projectiles B.Physical, Elemental Projectiles, Slash Attacks, Ground, and Aerial Attacks C.Levels 1, 2, 3, 4, etc. D.The kind that hit and the kind that miss.

20.What is Bedman's ultimate goal? A.Restore the world back to the way it was. B.Rescue his Sister Delilah from the Backyard. C.Go back in time to save his Girlfriend. D.Use the Absolute World to change this world's rules and obtain a normal life for himself and his sister.

21.What is Answer's hobby between missions and travelling? A.Buying gifts for co-workers. B.Memorizing good Tourist spots. C.Reading more books. D.Learning Japanese to outwit Chipp.

22.What character design aesthetics most resemble that of Guilty Gear? A.Darkstalkers/Vampire Savior B.Warzard/Red Earth C.Samurai Showdown D.Bloody Roar/Beastorizer

23.When is the best time to use your Instant Kill? A.When an opponent is mashing buttons. B.When you have Full Tension during the last round of a match and can Gold IK Cancel. C.When an opponent is dizzy from consecutive stun attacks. D.During a Ground Dust Combo.

24.When is the best time to use your Blue Psyche Burst "defensively"? A.When your Health is very low. B.When your opponent knocks you in the air. C.On wakeup when you're in the corner. D.After your opponent uses a Roman Cancel to extend their combo.

25.When is the best time to use your Gold Psyche Burst "offensively"? A.In the middle of a combo. B.Right before your opponent can reach and hit you. C.At the beginning of a match. D.When your Health is very low.

26.Blitz Shield is best used: A.When you have Full Tension. B.When you're cornered by projectiles. C.When your opponent doesn't have Tension. D.At the end of a match.

27.What is the oldest name for Guilty Gear's Meter Gauge? A.Tension Gauge B.KCATTATTACK C.Chaos Gauge D.SHOWTIME!

28.Dizzy's Grove stage is a reference to what Anime? A.Saint Seiya B.Phoenix C.Vampire Hunter D D.Guyver

29.What Hero in Guilty Gear is most famous for quelling an Uprising? A.Chimaki B.Slayer C.Chipp Zanuff D.Kliff Undersn

30.ON A GOOD GROOVE, TENSION'S SO HIGH, ASK NO MORE QUESTIONS, HEY! A.Woh-Oh we are PAIN BITERS! B.Yippee-Ki-Yay, there's no SAFE INTOXICATION! C.Don't miss the Bus, it's the Last Ride outta Town! D.I wanna Breathe...

--------------------- Okay, folks!  Here are the Answers!

1>B, 2>C, 3>C, 4>C, 5>A, 6>D, 7>D, 8>C, 9>C, 10>B 11>C, 12>D, 13>C, 14>D, 15>C, 16>B, 17>B, 18>C, 19>B, 20>D 21>B, 22>C, 23>B, 24>D, 25>B, 26>C, 27>D, 28>C, 29>A, 30>D

If you scored: 5/30: Let's just say you need to listen to the Music more. 10/30: Better read the Music score and study up! 15/30: Halfway there, you have a "beat" going at least! 20/30: Not bad, could use some Tuning though. 25/30: Now you're starting to sound like METAL. \m/ 30/30: Heaven or Hell, YOU ROCK!

[gear-project]

Things you didn't know about Justice!

---Like Ramlethal, Justice' favorite subject was Herself, and she frequently loved to brag about her creation, much to Kliff's annoyance.  She was the opposite of Aria, who was more concerned about her friends.

---Anatomically, Justice had the ability to transform her limbs in to different shapes, creating weapons like Michael Sword, but also additional digits, meaning she could turn her feet in to an extra pair of hands!

---Although it's true we haven't seen her armored form in quite some time, it's implied that Justice' shoulders in Xrd could either generate or obsorb a lot of power.  This makes more sense if you recall Gamma Ray was fired from her shoulders.

---The Gamma Ray that destroyed Japan and left a 100-mile Trench was Maximum Output + 40 with the OutRage armor disengaged, imagine what it would have done WITH the Armor equipped!  By comparison, Dizzy's regular Gamma Ray could destroy 2/3rds of an aiship fleet, to say nothing of Dizzy's "Emotional Gamma Ray" which is practically a Nuke!

---Justice has gone through at least 2 Design revisions.  More recent art resembles Jehuty from Zone of the Enders, but her original design was more organic and spiky in appearance, somewhere between a Xenomorph and a Dragon.

---Despite all the technology at her disposal, Justice was neither able to analyze or defeat Axl Low in the two instances she fought him.  He technically ran away, but she still couldn't figure him out. ��Still, as Jack-O', she was optimistic he'd return to his own time someday!  Axl also fought the Justice Copy too, so that's technically a third time he survived.

---I-No once called Justice a "failure" and a "hunk of junk", but the irony is, I-No wouldn't have EXISTED if Justice didn't start her war with humans.  Talk about ingratitude!  Jack-O' still thinks of her as a friend, however!

---Speaking of Jack-O', she supposedly has specs higher than Normal Humans in order to be compatible with Justice.  She gave Sol, Sin, Ramlethal, Bedman, Raven, and I-No the run around, and yet she somehow managed to fight Kuradoberi Jam to a draw!  Either Jack-O' was holding back, or Jam has gotten stronger!  Jam fought a Justice Copy before too, so she's no slouch, despite this development.

---LIittle known fact, the Blue Chestplate Armor opens up to reveal a Hollow Chest Cavity with something inside resembling a hole in her chest.  At first this may not make much sense given her armorless female anatomy, until you watch a show like Guyver and then rewatch her Imperial Ray animation!   The Chest plates open almost identically to the Mega Smasher!

---Justice was originally voiced by a male voice actor and given animal grunts and howls but was later voiced by April of the Jellyfish, Dizzy, and the original voice of Valentine, though Jack-O's VA also counts as Justice, it's suspected Jack-O's VA will voice Happy Chaos in the Future.  The only spoken line her original Male Voice (Chipp's original VA) says is "DELETE YOU!"

---Bedman's Bedframe design more than resembles parts of Justice' original design, especially the spiky tail-like limbs, but Bedman's voice has just as many inhuman screetches and roars as Justice originally had courtesy of Bedman's VA warped through a Vocoder voice filter!

---As the very first Valentine had the ability to transform in to an Airship Combat mode, you'd think Justice would be able to as well.  Technically we've already SEEN Justice in "Airship Form" as the Cradle that appears above Babylon in Xrd Sign!  Do Ram and El have Airship modes too?  Can they travel back and forth to the Backyard via mass displacement too?

---Assuming for a moment that the Flame of Corruption and Scales of Juno were identical counterparts, it's more than likely that if Sol were to be completed "as a Gear", his design might resemble that of Justice as well.  The implication is a heavily implied Evangelion Reference in his GG2 Overture Dragon Install design.  If Justice was Gear Unit 01, Sol would be "Unit 00", like Rei's EVA Prototype, though Justice resembles "Unit 02" (Asuka's Unit) while Sol resembles "Unit 01" (Shinji's Unit in Berserker form).  Perhaps Sol's "awakened form" will resemble EVA Unit 13?

---Valkyrie A.R.C., is literally a play on the developers' company name A.ction R.evolution C.hallenge A.R.C. System Works!