“Hey, I got a question.”
Octane is bored, scrolling his phone in one hand and tapping curiously with his other on the plexiglass surface of his little ant farm. It’s a “gift” from Caustic, one Octane is certain serves as some kind of test, and he’s had a hell of a time keeping it in one piece. It’s a point of pride for him, one he wordlessly shows off to the chemist by bringing it along every time he stops by to pester him. Today he has commandeered the non-business side of Caustic’s quarters, lying on his belly on the simple cot in the corner, metal legs kicking the air idly.
“You know how Loba mentioned somethin’ about innocence and crimes and whatever? I wasn’t really paying attention. Anyway, I do remember reading this article about you. Allegedly you.”
He flashes his phone at Caustic and doesn’t stop to see if he looks.
“Big guy in black and gold-- real sick vibes-- crashes the prison party and lets everyone loose. It don’t sound much like you, except for like. You know. The giant clouds of toxic green gas?” He flips over so he’s upside down, half his body hanging off the side of the cot from all his restless rolling about. Still he holds the phone in Caustic’s direction, practically vibrating while he waits for any indication he’s bothering to listen. “Interviewer said somethin’ about an Alexander Nox. Well, I looked that up too.”
Finally he pauses and wiggles the phone, this time pointing it like a news reel’s microphone. “Soooooo-- care to comment on Noxgate, Doctor Caustic?”
Hi Pybun! I'm a long time fan of your art and I run a Caustic roleplay blog! I love one of your most recent Caustic works (186190569415/ive-been-trying-to-draw-semi-realistic-and-from) and I was wondering if I could use your art in my tumblr theme background? I'd absolutely provide credit on the page and link back to you. If you're not comfortable, I totally understand and appreciate your time in any case.
thank you so much!
i appreciate that youve asked permission first and you have my permission to use it :)
Among the current legends and past champions, which of them would you select to join your squad as a permanent ally, given the opportunity?
➤ HONEST ANSWERS || ACCEPT. ( 1 / 10 )
There’s a contemplative hum as she reclines back in her seat.
“Well, I can tell you right off the back who I wouldn’t choose, and, uh, no offence but I don’t think I could work with Cardiac or Caustic twenty-four seven like that. Real swell guys the both of them - scary smart too - but I’d be too worried about them stabbin’ me in the back to really focus the the people I’m supposed to be shootin’. I dunno, mad-scientist types are some people’s kinda person and I can respect that they’re dangerous as hell in the ring, but I’ll pass.” (Already she could see the ‘WELL’s and ‘BUT ACTUALLY’s from the corner of her eyes in the scrolling chat that was going a touch faster than she had expected it to be).
“Mmmm. Give me a sec to think… ‘Cause I don’t really mind the others so much, honestly. We do our thing, we get out, doesn’t make a difference to me ‘sides if I gotta watch my back more than usual or not.
“Bangalore’s got a good head on her shoulders, and it’s almost scary how efficient she can be. Almost. Dunno how I feel about military types since my old man was one, and that didn’t get him anywhere, but now I’m just ramblin’; The fact that she’s handy with all sorts of weapons, and can call in that pain in the ass artillery is a plus though, but if we’re workin’ together all the time? Just hope she doesn’t expect me to be another soldier out there and takin’ every order to heart. ‘Cause I won’t. Not out of disrespect, but because I got my own way of doin’ things that doesn’t need a military touch to it.
“Bloodhound maybe? For one of them at least. It’s always handy to have someone who knows if people’ve been through a place or not. Makes it easier to loot if you got a good watcher (a free tip for you guys today). And they seem pretty nice compared to others I’ve had the pleasure of workin’ with before. Yeah, weird thing to say for a fucking bloodsport, but there are some sore losers and cocky motherfuckers out there who’s all bark and no bite, but Bloodhound seems more like a teacher to me than a rub it in your face because you lost kind of person.
“Gibralter. Now, that’s someone I wouldn’t mind workin’ with either. Good guy. Tough. Can understand that there are a million ways to tackle things. My kinda guy. ‘Specially ‘cause I know he’ll have my back in a firefight, though he’s not the quickest on his feet, but can you really blame the guy? He carries a literal shield, and all that paddin’s gotta weigh a ton. But he’s good folk, and there’s not a lot of that (God knows there’s not a lot of that), so maybe him? It’s always nice to have a livin’ tank on your side.
“Lifeline’s also a good pick; Another kind of good folk, and I can respect her willingness to get things done and move on. Don’t see a lot of the two together. Usually only either the sappy gotta try and save everyone bullshit or move on and help no one ever but yourself which - don’t get me wrong - I can see both sides of it, but she makes them both work for her. Hell, I took a page from her book with my own help though it’s not as big as what she does. What can I say? I’m a little - what’s the word - distrustful of big organizations that want to do good; Too many people who could corrupt it from the inside, but I do trust my hands. Ugh, ramblin’ again, but I wouldn’t mind havin’ her on my perma-team either. Trust her to keep us up and goin’ but also fight for herself.
“I’m honestly not sure of Mirage just ‘cause he just doesn’t seem the type to do this sort of thing. Like, the whole murder for money sort of thing (especially if that datin’ profile that’s been goin’ around’s any clue to that), but hey, I’ve been wrong before, and I’m sure you could say that about other people here. Lemme think… Good guy, not bad on the field, amazing tech… He’s fun, and I can appreciate that, and bein’ able to talk to and hold a conversation with your team is pretty important too, like, can you really expect them to talk to you about your surroundings and things they find in the ring when you can barely talk outside of it? So, definitely a strong maybe for him.
“Octane also falls on that fun scale, but thinkin’ about it, I don’t think I could team up with him all the time. It’s good to have people who can dive head first into danger, and keep things goin’ and movin’, but he’s a flight risk; Who’s to say that he won’t think charging up his shields or healin’ himself is entertainin’, and goes lookin’ for those fights all the time, and keeps gettin’ himself or us killed all the time because of it? Might not happen now, but what about later?
“Pathfinder’s… Interestin’. But I don’t think I could work with him - it? them? - all the time either. Just… There’s too much that could go wrong with tech - trust me I know; I’ve broken enough of it to know - and I’m just surprised he hasn’t gone haywire by now ‘cause someone took over the controls. Like, he can act all sweet, but what do we really know? Ya know?
“Speakin’ of sweet, I wouldn’t mind workin’ with Wattson either; She knows the arena. Who wouldn’t want someone like that on their team? Plus, have you seen what she can do out there? Plus, what’s not to love about her? Everyone knows her, and hell she somehow even got Caustic to respect her- And now that’s some miracle work right there. Yeah, I wouldn’t mind workin’ with her all the time. Maybe her and Bloodhound? Gibraltar? Not sure.
“And finally, there’s Wraith. She’s got some stuff goin’ on, I’ll say that, but bein’ able to pop in and out of the world? Now that’s cool, and what’s even better than that would be to have someone who can do that on a team. I mean, we all saw the vid where she managed to pop out before a grenade set off and killed her squad before takin’ out another on her own. That’s the kind of thing I’d love to have on my perma-squad.
“But all and all, as you can tell from how much bullshit I’ve said about everyone, they all got their ups and downs (save for a few that were just flat no’s), and I’m fine with whoever so long as they got my back, and I’ll have theirs, and we get it done with a win. But, I guess if I really had to pick….” (She buzzes her lips together in thought as she draws her legs in under her as she adjusts herself in the chair; Her head bobbing as she considers the options before her).
“I’ll have to saaaay- Bloodhound and Wattson. We got a lot we can bring to the table, and I wouldn’t mind workin’ with them all the time, but again, I’m not sure partly ‘cause I’m kinda impartial to most of them ‘sides the flat no’s. Like, we’d have me and Bloodhound to get into fights, and Wattson to help watch our backs when we need to recharge or heal up, but keep up a kinda faster pace. Feels almost fool proof, but who knows; I’ll go to bed tonight and probably have a different answer tomorrow.”
You know how cats that have bell collars learn to hunt quietly despite this hindrance, and when you take off the collar they become scarily silent predators? That.
