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[Location: Gotham City, New Jersey,
[Kairo Oyama]
Kairo stared up at the 10? 11? Maybe a 12-foot man looming above him. Kairo was a tall boy for his age but he highly doubted he would ever reach that level of size. His plant form probably didn't reach up any taller than around 6 feet flat and the scaled monster above him.
"Hey there mister you wouldn't happen to know where the exit is would you?" Kairo chuckled. Why? Although he was nervous to face the massive predatory crocodile villain, he was also fairly certain he could take him in a fight.
"Grrrr." Was his very eliminating response. Kairo smiled and chuckled nervously as Waylon stepped forward. The two were nearly face-to-face now as the killer crocodile leaned down closer to meet Kairo's glowing green eyes through the darkness.
"I asked you who you are?" The reptile growled, flashing teeth that were fascinatingly sharp and clean for a sewer dweller, if not a little yellow.
"Who me? Just you friendly neighborhood house plant." Kairo reached up a hand to scratch the back of his head. Subconscious vines began to grow out of the back of his wooden head like hair.
[image here]
"I hate plants." Waylon's eyes narrowed as each word slipped between his jaws with venom, though half of Kairo thought that might just be the guy's voice.
"Nonsense plants are great," Kai said stamping a foot into the water and giving a faint glow. Then vines swirled along the floor and the walls and lights began to blossom all along the area.
In an instant, the dark damp stinky shadows of the sewer were suddenly replaced by a bioluminescent garden in only a couple of seconds. The smell of sewage and waste was suddenly replaced by the scent of citrus, lavender, and mint of course.
Now eliminated Kai could see the full form of Kilker croc standing above him.
Kai figured awkwardly as the reptile stood above him starring with glaring yellow-orange eyes. Then the massive man stepped back slightly lifting his gaze to watch the falling glowing flowers filling the air. The particular inspiration for that part came from Groot in the Guardians movie.
Waylon's eyes traced the walls then the ceiling then looked back to Kairo's antlered form.
"Why are you here?" Croc growled eyes locking back onto the boy.
"Well uhh my house burnt down, well technically it wasn't a house it was an orphanage but you get the point. Anyways I ended up needing to run and well I thought escaping into the sewers was my best bet." Kairo explained rambling faster and faster as he continued his story until he abruptly stopped.
"Wait orphanage?" Waylon questions with a scaled brow. The expression alone was enough to make Kairo chuckle with mirth.
"Uhh yeah." Kai smiled looking away slightly as the super villain looked at him strangely.
"How old are you?" Waylon questioned his posture relaxing slightly but still guarded.
"Um five," Kai said awkwardly looking away.
"Don't mess with me." Croc snarled moving closer again hands clawing into fists.
"I'm not really." Kai put up his hands in surrender before shifting back into his human form. Well, mostly human he was still covered in silver dragon scales something which caught Waylon's attention more than anything.
"See." Kairo smiled brightly before taking a loud and noticeable sniff of the air and grimacing slightly. Well, it definitely didn't smell as bad as before but it wasn't the best either.
Croc stared for a silent moment Kai's awkward smile growing stiffer by the second.
"You said your orphanage burned down?"
"Yeah!" Kairo responded with forced cheer. The scaled giant turned with a growl starting to walk away.
"Where are you going?" Kairo asked skipping forward on quickly manifested lily pads.
"Follow," Croc said not turning back or slowing his pace. Kai shrugged before manifesting this armor and looking back over his shoulder.
"Come on."
Mimi, still in her crocodile form manifested from the dark water and shifted back over to the sides of the tunnel.
Kai got a notification from the system but decided to ignore it for now. Following after the massive crocodile man the trio traveled in silence for a while before Kai couldn't stand it any longer.
"So it's uhh it's Waylon right?"
The crocodile man stopped moving for a while before continuing.
"Yes. Most people just call me Croc these days." He growled, jaw twitching with something unspoken.
"Okay, then what would you like me to call you?" Kai asked.
"It doesn't matter."
"Alright, how about Friend?"
"Were not friends." Croc snorted stopping as they neared a strange gate. Croc didn't try to open the door the normal way just lifting it and moving it with one hand. Croc stepped through without hesitation and it was clear to Kai that Croc had done this countless times.
"Sure we are! You didn't try to kill me and I didn't kill you. Plus you were kind enough to be our guide." Kai said shrugging casually as he happily followed.
"Our?" Waylon questioned.
"Yeah, Mimi and I."
"Mimi? You mean that crocodile." Waylon threw a glance at the shapeshifter.
"Yep, she's not a crocodile though." Kai nodded.
Waylon stopped and looked at the beast. If there was one person in Gotham City who could recognise a crocodile it was him.
"Sure kid," Waylon grumbled stalking through the dark and leading them into a much more open space with several ladders and a few lamps.
"Go up that ladder it'll place you right next to the botanical gardens," Waylon grumbled pointing to a ladder before turning to walk away.
"Oh okay," Kai said surprised at the villain suddenly deciding to leave.
"Thank you for guiding me Mr Waylon!" Kai called out cupping his hands around his mouth before turning to climb up the ladder. He still had so many more questions and so many much more anticipation for what was going to happen but it seemed that was no longer meant to be. Croc stopped suddenly before glancing over his shoulder.
"You're really not scared of me are you?" Lifting a brow as he looked at the odd boy in his wooden suit of armor.
"Why would I be?"
"If I attacked I would kill you," Croc said standing taller stretching up to his full height. His scaled muscles flexed with power and
"Nah I'd Win." Kai smiled and turned to start climbing.
Croc watched the boy go not stopping him or saying anything as he did.
"Goodbye Waylon it was nice meeting you!" Was the last thing Waylon heard from the boy before the sliding of a manhole cover could be heard?
"What a strange kid. Hell fit right in." He chuckled, shaking his head Croc moved on. He had a job to do tonight. Black Mask was paying and Waylon was going to try his damnedest to get to that cash.
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[Gotham City, New Jersey, The Sewer]
[Waylon Jones / Killer Croc]
He was sick of this damn city, sick of how its people treated him for how he looked. He was sick of being called a monster or a freak because of something he couldn't control. But with that money, he could go anywhere, become anyone.
The goal was simple all he had to do was something he had been trying to do for years. To finally achieve the one thing nearly every super in Gotham had been trying and failing to do for years now as well.
He'd been training for it, bulking as well as cutting and redefining his entire fighting style. But more than that Waylon had managed to obtain something that might prove vital in making the difference between victory and defeat.
He ground his teeth with a rumbling growl filled with the animalistic hunger for the power that his latest purchase would grant him.
Continuing forward the water got deeper and deeper as Waylon submerged and began to swim. Staying at a consistent pace, time flowed like water, and eventually Waylon reached another new area.
Returning to his underground lair, Waylon waited out of the water and walked towards his belongings. There were all sorts of things in the tunnel but most importantly there was an exit tunnel that fed right out into the Atlantic Ocean.
Brushing past a giant red punching bag Croc approached a desk covered in different things. It wasn't anything super advanced or anything like that but all of it was helpful. Beside it was an old black jacket that used to be his favorite but was now too small to fit. Off to the side a massive white bed cot that managed to somehow support Croc's weight and not get wet despite the water dripping from the ceiling.
Dripping water everywhere Croc turned to look out the main exit tunnel, his own way of checking the time. The moon was rising and Waylon knew it was only a matter of time before the major events of tonight began.
Croc had always been a rather stoic individual and these days the only things that seemed to get a visceral reaction out of him were his anger and bloodlust. But today he was in a rather good mood and more than that he was eager for combat.
Croc was in quite literally the best shape of his life and he had completely brushed the rust of his old martial arts skills. He'd been born a young black boy living out near the swamps with a quirk. It was rare in America and the treatment of heteromorphs was bad basically everywhere.
Mainly due to their resemblance to the average mutant who wasn't exactly as pretty as the members of the egg head school teacher and his little soldiers in blue and yellow tights. No. Croc had been struggling with the consequences of his looks his whole life and he had only managed to find a splice in his own looks a few times. He'd been more places than he ever thought he would be and more.
Fighting for survival was a given but Waylon had always been strong and surprisingly fast. Plus it turns out a childhood of frequent swimming in swamp water had also made him more than just a strong swimmer. He had once worked as a circus freak traveling all around the states. That was where he'd picked up the Nic name Croc in the first place.
He'd been all over and had made friends and foes all over the place and had almost gotten skinned for his hide more times than he could count. Still, he lived, he fought, and he performed, and he was very good at his act, or at least that's what he told himself.
He thought he'd finally escaped Gotham, escaped the city, escaped his looks when they had done their last show with him in the dark city. Their circus either couldn't or wouldn't pay the protection fees for one of the local gangs there and their main act the flying Graysons ended up dead.
Eventually in order to pay that money they had let him go and he had ended up stranded in the very city that had haunted his youth all over again. Needless to say, it wasn't a pleasant experience but Croc wasn't a little boy with a funny accent anymore. No, he was a brawler through and through.
He'd tried the straight and narrow first. He met an old hero named Wildcat. The two had ended up scrapping and when the fight was over the old man had offered him a hand. Croc took it and from there the two had explored Croc's talent for boxing and fighting.
He even ended up starting his own boxing gym and although it wasn't too popular he'd managed to make a name for himself with his looks and his skills. Things were starting to look up for Waylon for once in his life. Strangers still gave him looks on the streets and many ran away scared or called the cops on sight but that was the extent of the harassment.
When he was little or in the deep south for a show it looked much more like a classic witch hunt rather than the outright fear or trembling terror he had gotten during those days.
Still, his gym had started to blossom and he had gained a small following of loyal patrons. He was even in the process of being considered for an actual match. Super sports was a rather new industry and was restricted to special events mostly, the most famous being the UA sports festival which had probably done more for super rights than anything else ever had.
But everything changed when the Maronis attacked.
That same bastard who'd killed the Graysons and left their poor boy an orphan had shown up at his gym and asked for protection money. His gym which had also been his home had been burned down by them shortly after. Worse than that every single one of his companions at the gym had been murdered by them as well just to set an example. They'd even strung up their corpses outside his shop just to send a message. Lastly, they had come for him guns blazing but Waylon had finally snapped fully.
If the world wanted a blood thirsty monster instead of a man then he would give them one. So he fought and killed, claws and jaws fully unleashed for the first time all his strength and ferocity on display.
His claws tore through flesh like wet paper and his teeth had bitten the neck or head off of more people than he could count. When that was done and his episode of madness was over he started using his more brutal talents for his own good. He'd found work as muscle for hire which he'd found out was pretty common for mutants and Quirkies in the underworld and ended up mainly in the service of Carmine Falcone and the Falcone family. He did work for others but the boss's daughter Sophia had taken somewhat of a liking to him considering she had powers herself and often times uses him as her enforcer.
She'd shown him how to take full advantage of his gifts and indulge in his darker urges. By the time the bat had rolled around and taken down most of the family including him. Waylon had given up nearly all hope of living a normal life ever again and had simply decided to become the canabolistic monster known as the Killer Croc full-time.
His only regret was that he'd let Wildcat down but he did at least try to keep the killing of innocent bystanders to a minimum. Even so, he'd ended up in Arkham Asylum and with a very long sentence.
Then she came, the evil bitch, and she'd made him an offer he couldn't afford to refuse. On one hand, he'd gotten what he needed from the deal and managed to end up a free man. On the other hand, he had ended up back where he started. On the streets of Gotham City, with nothing to his name.
But he managed to gain a few connections during his time in her service and had become a much better fighter than ever before. Eventually, with a little help from Bronze Tiger of all people, he'd managed to form his own original martial arts style that incorporated his tail.
In the end, though it was all for nought as he'd lost the last time he fought the bat although by that time he had to deal with the dark knight himself and his little brats as well. Even though he'd lost the fight he ended up managing to escape into the bay and from there the waters and sewers of Gotham City belong to him.
He had lost his favorite boat though, damed bat had blown it straight to hell. That had actually hurt his spirit a little.
Waylon chased the memories of the past away, shedding them like the water on his body. He shook himself free of all the wet drops like some sort of massive scaled killer dog and carefully began to dry himself with a nearby towel.
Drying off some of the remaining water from his scales with a nearby towel and delicately took a shining golden key out from the jacket pocket.
Then opening a locked drawer in the desk to reveal a safe Waylon types in a code with far more care than anyone would expect from the green giant. Inside was yet another locked object. Pulling out a black suitcase and opening it the suitcase opens with a small puff of steam.
Inside several vials of bright red liquid lay still perfectly preserved and red as fresh blood. Croc smiled and it was a tradable thing filled with dozens of razor-sharp teeth.
[image]
Waylon Jones, also known as Killer Croc, is an alligator-wrestler and sideshow-freak turned Gotham City mobster, sewer-dwelling super-criminal, and enemy of Batman. Now all he wants is his revenge on the Bat and to get enough money to get out of this hellhole of a city forever.
He may seem like just a crazed brute of a monster but Waylon has been around the block for a while and has gained enough connections to obtain this.
Six whole vials of Trigger. More specifically three vials of Ideo Trigger and three vials of the regular illegal variant of Trigger. Though two of the normal doses had already been used as an experiment. He may not be a mad genius or a crazed scientist but Waylon wasn't stupid.
It would enhance the effects of his quirk and more than that his ferocity would reach brand new heights. He'd have to thank his time in Japan with Katana for that particular connection. Giran had been particularly helpful in that aspect. It was one of the few times Croc felt like he belonged. He didn't get as many fearful stares and woman didnt screaming in terror just seeing him.
The vials had been particularly helpful so far in growing his strength during his training. His first use hadn't just been a temporary boost, though it did do that too, but somehow it had also managed to permanently grow his size.
He'd never felt so powerful in his entire life less like a Killer Crocodile and more like a dragon in human skin. So when the time came Batman would finally know his bite.
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[Gotham City, New Jersey, The Siren Club]
[Dinah Laurel Lance / Black Canary 2]
Dinah had never been the type for stage fright. She'd gotten nervous her first few times performing, sure. The Siren club was the second biggest of its kind in Gotham City after all. It was a hit spot for corrupt billionaires, mobsters, and criminals of all kinds after all.
So a large crowd wasn't anything strange to her and she'd even performed in front of other supers a few times.
Still, the majority of her confidence came from her training under Wildcat. The old man had been a dear friend of her mother's and had taken her under his wing when she was young. More than that he'd helped turn her into one of the best fighters the city had ever seen. Wildcat claimed she wasn't his best student which she highly doubted.
It was probably just a tactic to keep her humble. When other girls were applying to college, she was mastering the ancient arts of judo and jiu-jitsu—which means she doesn't even need to use her superpowers to kick ass.
She'd even defeated Killer Croc in the ring once way before Waylon had become the giant crazed cereal killer he was today. He was the better boxer but boxing wasn't the only martial art Ted had taught her and she'd made great use of them all over the years.
She'd also spent some of her youth learning to fight from a few others though and as a young adult, she began living in the dojo of Desmond Lamar. When he discovered that he had terminal cancer, he left the care of the dojo to Dinah in his will, and she took up instructing his classes. Unfortunately, he had been keeping the local gangs from muscling in on the dojo for protection money.
She'd found another way to make money though and started fighting underground with her meta powers. She needed to come up with a name and part of her knew exactly which one she wanted to take but at the time she hadn't felt worthy of it, not that having the simple alias of DD had stopped her from kicking ass thank you very much.
But she'd wanted to pursue more than just combat though because Dinah had a gift. It was the same gift her mother had. A voice so powerful that she could shatter glass, blow down brick walls, shatter concrete, and blast a whole straight through steel with a single screech.
That gift also came with the side effect of having a beautiful voice and being an excellent singer. She wasn't riding on pure talent though Dinah had put in the work and the hours as well and she'd released a few signals that had done quite well. But going solo in the industry was tough and expensive and studio time was not cheap.
In the end, she'd landed up being caught in a contract with Black Mask and had been performing for him for a few years now. She'd done plenty of shows for plenty of important people she was the crown gem in the crown of Roman's ego.
That didn't seem all that helpful now though. Mainly because the crowd she was about to perform for was filled with some of the most dangerous men and women on the planet.
She'd been advised to bring her all to this performance and not a single mistake would be tolerated. She understood why though, during her time in the underworld she's learned a thing or two about a thing or two. The people in that crowd are far worse than your average mobster or criminal from Gotham City.
So she'd dressed to the nines and practiced her heart out for the few days beforehand. She wore a brand new dress provided for her by Roman himself that probably cost more than her entire salary. Dazzling silver makeup covered her eyes and a light blush combined with suculent rose red lipstick that emphasized her beauty and the fullness of her lips.
Staring into her mirror and gave it a smile full of pretty white teeth. Dinah was beautiful there was no doubt about it and that same beauty had caused her trouble more times than she could count. Even so, she'd done all she could and perhaps it was best to get out of her own way and just start.
"I'm ready!" Turning from the mirror in her dressing room Dinah called out. Quickly enough the crew came and went the finishing touches and adjustments already made.
The time had come and there was nothing she could do but hope she and her backup dancers would rise to the challenge.
The ballroom quieted in pieces as lights began to dim into darkness. First, the dealers stopped talking. Then the laughter near the bar softened into silence. Music from jazz players on smaller stages all around the club floor lowered with the light. Suddenly there she was, with a silver microphone in hand. Still in the dark analyzing the crowd of crooks.
Dinah adjusted the microphone on one long grey glove with deliberate care. No spotlight touched her yet, but every eye in the room had already found her anyway.
Some people commanded attention through fear.
She did it through anticipation.
A spotlight struck her gloriously.
Pale golden locks dripping down her shoulders and the light sparkling of her dress like countless stars. She leaned forward to the microphone, took in a breath, and swayed a step back leaning up to her face and between her chest while exposing one of her exquisite thighs.
Then her mouth opened.
The first note rolled through the room like velvet over a knife edge.
Crystal rattled softly across the tables.
A man near the stage, white-haired and with one eye covered by a black eyepatch, set down his glass as his mouth opened slightly. The world's most famous mercenary was enraptured by her voice.
In the back towards the left Carmine Falcone himself stopped talking to his companions and started to watch her. The head of one of Gotham's oldest and most powerful mobs was stunned silent.
Off to the right, a dark-haired asian woman with an air of mystique and violence folded her arms and crossed her legs leaning forward slightly paying full attention. The mysterious madame of martial arts focused with all her will.
She had them.
[image here]
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[image here]
[Gotham City, New Jersey, The Botanical Gardens]
[Kairo Oyama]
Meanwhile, Kairo checked his system once again and he was a little surprised but probably not as much as he could be.
Of course, encountering a giant crocodile man and walking away intact was an achievement for sure but the extra I for he gleamed from the system notifications was much more interesting to him.
[New Achievement! You got a friend in me!]
[Congratulations! You have made a favorable impression on Killer Croc!]
[Reward: x1 Random Bronze Gacha Ticket!]
That was the least interesting of the two notifications though as the second one made him much more curious.
[New Achievement A Quirky Character!]
[Congratulations! You have met another Quirk user for the first time!]
[Reward: x1 Random Bronze Gacha Ticket!]
Kairo looked around at the garden, which was empty. He decided that was too good to be true and he decided to check with the plants. Stamping his wooden foot down, the glowing green light in his eyes intensified, and he waited for a while there was nothing.
Shrugging he took out both bronze tickets.
"Better to get it over with quickly before I go on the move right Mimi?" The white-haired boy asked glancing over at Mimi who was now back in cat form.
"Yes, Meowster!" The little white cat said in her excited high-pitched voice.
Kai chuckled and smiled, if he didn't know any better he'd think Mimi was the one being rewarded.
"All right let's see what we get."
With a swift pull, Kairo pulled both tickets at once. The wheel spun and Kairo crossed his arms as the twin tickets dissipated into the air.
Then the wheel stopped and Kairo raised a brow while reading the screen. Before he could finish though he was consumed by white light. The white light disappeared and Kairo shook his head blinking a few times before reading the screen and smirking slightly.
[Pretty Up]
|Common Trait|
[You receive a cosmetic alteration to your physique and form, making you more attractive, at least by your own standards. Perhaps longer prettier hair, a few inches, different eye color. etc. Cannot completely change your looks, only enhances what is already there, it would take an ordinary person to a fairly attractive person, but still at a level where anyone who knows you would still be able to recognise you.]
Then he moved his gaze to the second panel reading the skill.
[Scales]
|Uncommon Ability|
[Allows you to grow scales over your body that are very resistant to damage and can serve as flexible armour over your skin. It's toughness scales with your physical stats.]
For a moment he frowned, the power wasn't very useful to him since he'd already gotten what appeared to be a far superior version of the ability.
"Damn it what a trash pull. Let's just get out of here Mimi and maybe find a mirror while we are at it." He looked towards the small cat who shuffled on her paws before nodding as the two started walking towards what they could only hope was the exit.
"Which way is home though?" Kairo sighed putting a hand up to his chin. He had no idea what direction they were going and he had really paid attention to how to get home from a random park somewhere in the city.
"Well, I suppose we could just start walking until we meet someone and ask for directions. Oh who am I kidding, we'll probably have to threaten the poor bastard." Kairo shook his head then he kept walking but before he made it three more steps something appeared in his vision.
[System Alert!]
[Congratulations you have obtained synchronisable abilities! Scales and Dragon scales!]
[You have unlocked the Ability Sync Feature! Would you like to sync your abilities for a new ability? (Two Sync abilities available!) ]
[YES] | [NO]
Kairo stared and hummed at the system window in curiosity. He glanced over at the curious Mimi who had stopped walking and looked at him curiously over her shoulder. Then he looked back to the system window.
"Eh fuck it why not?"
He pressed yes.
[Chapter image]
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Hey everyone how did you all like the chapter remember to comment and drop some powerstones.
Also didn't see any recommendations for gender swaps so I'll just add them randomly as I go along.