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[james5-doe]

Defenders Chronicles: Highlander -- Fan-Fan Fiction

IUA Base -- 10:20 am

Janet eyed the screen that was sprawled on a wall, both arms quivering along her chest. The feed relayed a view of a faraway cave. Thirty ice robots were kneeling within. All of them were dormant, but not for long. Each would awaken in around five minutes. Then they'd march out and strike a town nearby, shooting the civilians who had yet to escape.

"We're estimating hundreds of casualties, leader," a male agent said as he eyed a computer. "The townspeople simply didn't flee soon enough."

Janet made a grumble, tightening her fists. From what she'd learned, Ming had set a bit of insurance in place: in the event that he was thwarted somehow, satellites would beam certain signals to Earth -- one at a time, gradually.

Each of the beams would reach one of his forts, bases that he'd hidden quite carefully. Then his robots would start targeting people.

Once the Gordon family had learned of this plan, they'd scurried to destroy all the space satellites, and rushed to bombard all the bases too.

This base was shielded by a mountain of rock. An aerial assault wasn't likely to work. An army wouldn't have proper space to attack.

The only solution was to send one person -- more specifically, a particular woman.

Janet's niece Sara popped up from a chair. She was on loan from a different team. "Leader!" she said, keeping it formal. "I've just received word from our agent on-site. She'll make her assault in 5...4...3...2..."

Janet eyed the screen. Nothing occurred. The agent that she'd hired hadn't shown up yet. "Where is she?" she asked, turning to Sara.

Sara sat down. She tapped her headpiece. "Agent?" she called. "Are you at the location?"

The robots awakened, rising as one. All of their eyes bore a crimson glow. Each was equipped with a small sidearm -- which they would use against the people in town.

Sara faced her aunt. "Sorry..." She squirmed. "She tends to be late."

The male worker scoffed. "Then why do people send her on jobs like this?"

Just as the robots were leaving the cave, a caped girl swung from a cable above, bowling several down like a white line of pins.

Sara grinned a bit. "You're about to find out."

The caped girl landed, taking a breath, brushing back a lock of her long black hair.

Two of the machines started shooting at her.

With very little effort, she leaned to the left -- and then to the right. The robots hit a pair of their partners instead.

She pulled twin blasters, then twirled in place, downing many robots with a bevy of shots.

Janet's jaw lowered as she studied the scene.

The girl stopped spinning, then threw her guns down. She tucked both hands deep inside of her cape, crossing her arms as she crouched just a tad. Then she whipped them out, and little spheres flew, each of them shining as they fell to the dirt.

The girl reached upward, and squeezed a small tool. A long grappling rope shot forth from her hands. The point hit the ceiling. She rose from the ground.

Moments later, her spheres exploded, frying all the robots that were still intact.

Janet and the others watched the scene in awe. It was clear now that the town was safe.

As the smoke cleared, the girl remained hanging, using her free hand to speak on a phone. "Walker to base. Mission completed." She noticed the camera, and made a little wink.

Sara cleared her throat. "Thanks a lot, Rachel."

Rachel gave a nod, then lowered herself. "I've got to go pick my kid up from school."

-----------

Based on Defenders Chronicles: Highlander, by @amanda-multifandom.

[james5-doe]

Defenders Chronicles: Highlander -- Fan-Fan Fiction

Several Years Ago

A loud clap of thunder echoed over the grounds. Tori cuddled up right beneath her sheets. She was relieved to be where she belonged -- back amongst the people whom she'd grown up with.

This wasn't exactly what the courts decreed. The law said she had to give Janet a chance -- that she had to live with her mother a while.

All of that had lasted for around two weeks. Then she'd snuck away so she could come back here. This was her family. This was her home.

Her younger cousin April came and snuggled her close.

"I was simply losing my mind in there, A."

April made a chuckle. "I'm not surprised."

Tori frowned a tad, then heaved a soft sigh. April didn't have a high opinion of Janet. None of her relatives did, it seemed. Tori had attempted to bond with her mom, but found they didn't have a lot in common at all.

A very loud knock sounded off downstairs. Someone was pounding on the home's front door.

It had to be Janet. This wouldn't end well.

Tori rose a bit, and April followed suit. Both of them swore, which Tori regretted. They had been very much raised not to.

Tori heard the sound of the door swinging open.

"All right, where is she?" Janet inquired.

"Where is who, Jan?" her aunt Dale replied. Tori could tell Dale was prepped for a fight. Her aunt and her mother never got along well.

"Victoria, Dale. Where is my daughter?"

"What are you saying?" Dale sounded surprised. She didn't know that Tori was here just yet. "You're telling me you don't know where Tori is?" Dale was getting angry. That was quite clear. The women would probably come to blows in a moment.

Tori and April both ran downstairs.

"Aunt Dale," Tori called. "I snuck in here."

Dale looked stunned. She touched Tori's cheek. "Hon?" she said, eyeing her closely. "What are you doing? Why'd you sneak off?"

Tori hesitated. "I know that I'm supposed to be living with Mom..." She looked at her mother. "But this is where I feel most comfortable."

April wrapped her arms around Tori's chest.

Flash walked up. "What's going on?"

Janet heaved a moan, then met Tori's gaze. "Get in the car."

"No," she answered, perhaps too sharply. "Mom..." she muttered. "I want to stay here."

"Tori..." Janet mumbled.

Flash stepped forth. "Jan," he said. "Why don't you go home? Let us talk to Tor. We'll sort this out."

Janet shook a bit. "The law says that Tori- -"

"I know that, Jan. We'll sort things out."

Janet stared a moment, then turned and left.

Tori eyed the carpet as she heard the door close.

-------------

The Present

Tori stared downward, eyeing the ground. The sound of a grunt snapped her out of her trance. Then she noticed something very strange up ahead.

"What in the world..." she uttered in awe. She'd walked to a wide open spot in the woods.

A bloodied man was kneeling. Another guy stood. The latter was armed with a glistening sword. A faint wind lifted his black ponytail.

The standing man slashed. The former's head rolled.

Tori gasped loudly. She hid behind a tree.

Then she heard what sounded like a crackle of thunder, not unlike the thunder that she'd heard long ago. It wasn't raining then, and it wasn't raining now.

She peeked outward. The armed man knelt. It looked as though lightning was surrounding him now.

Tori pulled her phone and dialed the IUA up. The agency needed to know about this.

She glanced at the screen for a moment or two. When she looked up, the man was gone.

-------------

Based on Defenders Chronicles: Highlander, by @amanda-multifandom.

[james5-doe]

Favorite Image

I loved them all. This was the one that I chose as wallpaper. Which did you like most?

[james5-doe]

The New Tori Article

From DoE Database. Info on her parents, Ian and Janet, has been added as well. Thank you to all creators of Tori for the contributions. This is their presentation. Like the artists, I'm taking a little break now.

PLATINUM Race: Human Skills: Genius-level intellect, strategy, mechanics, supernatural abilities

Family: Gordons

Victoria "Tori" Gordon (née Elisonne) is a character created by AmandaDoE, featured in tales set on Earth S and Earth N.

A brilliant girl born into a family of adventurers, she is initially undecided with regard to her path in life. When two of her relatives are victimized by an alien tyrant, Tori lends her aid in battle, deals with other personal matters, and unravels certain mysteries concerning her past and her future.

The Original Defenders

Accounts of Tori's history vary, with different tales told across different worlds.

In at least one dimension, Victoria was born to Ian and Janet Elisonne while both were working as secret agents in America. Two years later, Earth made its first contact with a planet called Mongo, and Janet's brother Flash Gordon, alongside his fiancé Dale, discovered that Mongo's ruler Ming was planning to invade.

As a result, Tori's uncle Flash and aunt Dale fought to sabotage Ming's plans in space, while Tori's parents, Ian and Janet, provided backup at a defense agency on the ground.

This team remained intact for a couple of years, during which time Dale took a break to birth twins, April and Rick.

The Day That Changed Everything

Weary of conflict, Janet concluded — without proof — that the famed magician Mandrake and other mystical beings were making Earth a target for Ming. Against the wishes of teammates, she donned a soldier's uniform, collected a rifle, and snuck off to assassinate Mandrake — all while Dale and the Defenders rushed to stop her.

Mandrake was saved from harm when Ian arrived at the last moment and took the shot for him. Moments later, Ian bled in the arms of a remorseful Janet — who grew highly resentful toward all aliens and supernatural humans, blaming them for her mistake.

Ultimately, this event changed several things. It left Janet incarcerated, ended Ian's career, and weakened Earth's most successful defense team. It also rendered Ian unfit mentally to care for his child, costing them several moments that they would have shared.

An enraged Dale confronted Janet in captivity and had to be restrained from beating her to death. Dale filed for custody of Tori immediately, gaining the right to raise her with Flash and their children for several years. However, she made it clear that the situation wasn't motivated by hatred for Janet, but by love for Tori, whom she wanted to ensure would be brought up properly. She allowed the girl's surname to remain Elisonne, in honor of Ian.

Following her release from jail, an ostracized Janet became an operative for the Intergalactic Union Agency (IUA), an alliance dedicated to interplanetary law enforcement.

Tori's Upbringing

In the midst of all of these conflicts around her, young Victoria Elisonne was beginning to display prodigy-like intelligence, excelling at all subjects in school. During a visit to the IUA, she surprised her mother by proposing a successful solution for a unit engaged in a training mission. She also took an interest in mechanics, gaining extensive knowledge of aircrafts, computer assembly, and computer science. Additionally, upon being taken in by Flash and Dale, she learned that her new home was protected by laser-proof glass, armored door frames, and video cameras that overlooked traps, all of which increased her fascination with security and gadgetry.

A key moment of Tori's upbringing occurred when her aunt Dale revealed that not all members of Mongo's royal family were like Ming, and that people should not be judged prematurely. Dale also explained that while Tori's intelligence was admirable, humility was important, because no one, no matter how wise, could be right all the time.

Janet tried to regain custody of Tori twice, but was denied by law. Following the second occasion, Dale vowed that Janet wouldn't be getting Tori back, and told the woman calmly to cease her efforts.

As was promised, Tori essentially grew up with Dale, Flash, April, and Rick. She also bonded with another cousin, Sara, the daughter of Flash's other sister, Abigail. While she visited Ian and Janet occasionally, she was not given the details of their separation, and remained closest to her household family members.

Though Dale and Flash never intended to relinquish custody, their busy schedules would eventually prompt a court to return Tori to her mother, who later became head of the IUA.

As she grew, Tori developed a fondness for surfing, which she used as a means of escape on occasion to avoid friction with Janet, issues with her crushes, and other personal matters. Though her friends commended her surf ability, they always stated that she was meant for something more, and suggested that she find a true calling in life.

With numerous avenues available to her, Tori was, at first, undecided about what she would do. Being a member of the Gordon family, she had often considered joining her relatives in interplanetary law enforcement. She ultimately opted not to following the Great Rebellion — a battle on Mongo that left Ming devastated — believing that victory for Earth was near. Upon learning that her cousin Rick and her aunt Dale had been captured and victimized by Ming, however, Tori chose to become a researcher and an occasional combatant with the Intergalactic Union Agency. In recognition of her family's legacy, she changed her last name from Elisonne to Gordon.

Within this dimension, she used research to learn the truth about what happened to her father, leading to a temporary rift between herself and Janet. She later replaced her mother, took control of the IUA, and engaged in diplomacy with alien worlds.

Earth S

Tori is featured in the Earth S story Sailor Moon Defenders and its related works. She is introduced as a compassionate and athletic researcher who has gained prominence at the Intergalactic Union Agency. Unlike her mother, she believes that not all supernatural beings deserve to be persecuted, and should instead be judged as individuals.

Earth N

Tori has a prominent role in the tales of Earth N, separate from those of Earth S, created by AmandaDoE. This series features characters appearing in DC Comics and related media, along with players from the Highlander works.

During this narrative, Tori ends up involved in a supernatural struggle, and uses her talents to unravel various mysteries — some concerning herself. As events unfold, she gains paranormal abilities, and develops unexpected bonds.

Skills and Demeanor

"That girl could rule this world, and probably will. She just doesn't know it yet."

— Abigail Gordon on her niece, Tori

Possibly the smartest girl on the planet, Victoria is a prodigy who possesses genius-level intelligence in numerous fields. Her mother, Janet, once compared her potential to that of the Necklace of Oros.

Tori has multiple certificates in psychology, and has earned the IUA Gold Medal in strategy. As a tactician who monitors combat teams, she is widely renowned for finding weaknesses in powerful opponents while devising clever ways of subduing them. She will typically use every psychological and technological technique available to her, from researching a target's personality and baiting them into draining their strength, to setting physical traps that negate an enemy's abilities. Her tactics enabled the IUA to capture a pre-heroic Veena Dark in Veena's earliest appearance, and she has also proven capable of outsmarting other magicians, along with units of soldiers. Tori's mind is so potent that government leaders of the highest rank, outside of the IUA, have expressed interest in recruiting her, though she has usually declined in order to keep an eye on the agency and her mother.

Like her cousins, she is a talented mechanic who knows a great deal about the assembly and functionality of weapons and vehicles, particularly combat vehicles. In addition, she has created advanced gadgetry that has been used both in and out of battle, including remote-controlled weaponry, observance devices, and tools to protect her mind from telepathic influence.

Though she has not engaged in combat as often as some of the other Gordons, she maintains an above-average level of skill as a fighter. Her creators, AmandaDoE and Neldorwen, introduced her as a kickboxer who appears to have basic Muay Thai training. In unarmed clashes, she typically uses her feet to attack an opponent, along with light grappling. Among her preferred strikes are outside crescent kicks, midsection kicks, axe kicks, and high side kicks. On most occasions, if her swings connect directly, she can subdue an enemy with one blow.

Rick, having trained with both women, once concluded that Jedda Walker kicked a tad faster than Tori, but that Tori's strikes were more powerful. He attributed this to the fact that Jedda was a sprinter during her childhood (as revealed in Sailor Moon Defenders), while Tori's training, handled by Dale and others, was focused more on strength.

In armed battle, notably on Earth N, Tori sometimes employs a sword for self-defense. This Tori also gains mystical abilities that heighten her physical potency. In addition, she has created powerful suits of armor, equipped with laser weaponry and other tools.

Tori is an expert in the field of computer science. She is particularly skilled at creating defensive programs, and at bypassing others, allowing her to gain the information that she needs on opponents and on additional subjects of interest. Some of the finest programmers employed by national governments have been outfoxed by her abilities. She is rumored to have viewed surveillance feeds — clandestinely — in several federal buildings across the world, obtaining knowledge of strengths and weaknesses.

Tori is fluent in multiple languages, including Mandarin, English, German, and Spanish. She was one of the first people on Earth to learn the language of an alien world, and has made several visits to other planets as a diplomat.

Tori's achievements have brought her recognition on a global scale. She also maintains a following among those who admire her allure. Because she is used to success, she tends to be hard on herself when she makes mistakes, though she tries to remember her aunt Dale's teachings with regard to humility. At other times, her dedication to work can affect her relationships.

While Tori is generally humble when it comes to her accomplishments and beauty, during a visit to Hadea's kingdom, she once noticed an admirer kneeling before her out of respect, and did not ask the young man to rise. Though she is sometimes compared to certain members of nobility, she ultimately avoids being vain, and simply considers herself proud.

Creation

AmandaDoE was looking to create one of the most memorable original characters in DoE storytelling. She wanted Tori to be alluring on the outside, but troubled within — a girl with a somewhat difficult home life, possessing sensibilities that divided her and her mother. She also envisioned Tori as very knowledgeable, with value similar to that of the computers Dynak and Octon, but with more versatility and actual reasoning ability. The character was to have a romantic life, and, ultimately, great potential.

In designing Tori, artist Neldorwen created a somewhat innocent and positive look, but made her appear confident and capable at times. Plustina, the second illustrator to draw her, maintained the same basic concepts.

Art:

Neldorwen and Plustina -- Images 1, 2, 3, 5, and 10

Neldorwen -- Images 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 11

Plustina, Neldorwen, Katzueki, and Zetarok -- Image 12

[james5-doe]

The Original Defenders, Preview 3

Dale grabbed a wrench and wiped the oil from her face. "She's really smart, babe."

Flash made a smirk. "It runs in the blood."

"No. Hon. Look at me for a minute. She's the kind of girl you hear about on TV -- smarter than a kid should be at her age."

Flash froze in place with the part in his hands. His jaw dropped a little as he stared at her. Janet and Ian never made that clear.

Dale eyed the clouds. "She's going to be hounded. She's going to have fame..." She shuddered a bit. "We'll have to make sure she can handle it well. We'll need to keep both of her feet on the ground."

[james5-doe]

The Original Defenders, Preview 2

Dale knelt down and touched the little girl's arms. "You know that me and Uncle Flash love you, right?"

Tori made a nod, licking her lips.

"And you realize that we would never be mean. You know that you're perfectly safe in here."

She made another nod, holding her tongue.

Dale took a breath. The moment had come. "There's something that we need to have a talk about, Tor." There wasn't any easy way to get this out. "You live here now. You're staying with us. You won't be going back to your house anymore."

The girl twitched a tad. "But why?" she asked.

Dale shook too, calming herself. "Do you understand what a mistake is, Tor?"

Tori paused a second. "When someone does something that they shouldn't have done?"

She nodded a little. "When someone does something that they shouldn't have done." Her gaze drifted onto the carpeted floor. How was she going to explain this part? "Absolutely anyone can make a mistake -- and that means mommies and daddies too." She shifted her eyes up to Tori's again. "Your mother made...a big mistake. I can't really tell you just what she did. But when a parent makes that kind of mistake...the rules say they have to stop being a parent."

[james5-doe]

Oros Article

New article on the Necklace of Oros. I'm hoping that Blogger keeps it intact.

[james5-doe]

Article Delayed

I've spoken with Tori's creators all week (some are probably tired of hearing from me!), learning everything that I need to know -- but probably not everything that they know.

Anyway, we thought that we'd have the upgraded article ready now, but there's a bit more to add. DoE Database currently has four Tori images. The new article is supposed to have a whopping ten, with a few of the older ones tweaked. I'm not entirely sure of what the creators are doing right now, but I imagine that they'll contribute something special.

[james5-doe]

Flashback Preview

She steadied the rifle, taking a breath.

Then she heard a crackle on her radio. No one ever reached out before a hit. No one except for the head honcho.

"Elisonne!" he barked. "It's Captain Hill. Lower your weapon. Do not engage."

She had to pretend that she couldn't hear. "Sorry, commander. You're breaking up." Janet made a sigh as she studied the target. Why couldn't anybody see things her way? These mystical people simply couldn't be trusted.

Another crackle came on the radio. "Janet, it's Dale. Do. Not. Shoot! That man whom you're targeting is innocent."

"Too late to pull back," Janet replied.

"Jan!" she bellowed. "You pull that trigger, I'm taking your daughter. I'll file for custody immediately."

[james5-doe]

Reading DoE fan comics for fun in a moment of boredom. Looking a little closer now, I actually find that final kiss between Jedda and Hadea quite touching. So much love. ❤ They were totally meant to become mother and daughter.

[james5-doe]

Golden Badges

All Golden Articles on DoE Database -- pages with a bit of extra information -- now have badges. The first article that's due to reach Platinum status, Tori Gordon, will likely be upgraded on Saturday, thanks to the contributions of Tori's creator, @amanda-multifandom, and those of the artists who designed her look.

[james5-doe]

Team Tori

Just popping in to promote the work of the illustrator, whom I spoke with extensively last night. Basically, I'm learning a little more about Tori everyday. This is a character who's spent years conditioning her mind while trying to help make the world a better place. With that being said, she certainly isn't perfect; she wouldn't be interesting if she was. Tori has her share of familial matters, romantic issues, doubts, and other concerns, some of which can make her impulsive.

As we saw in the recent preview from @amanda-multifandom, she also has certain friends to worry about from time to time. And she engages in routine physical training, much like she's seen doing in one of the drawings that's already posted in the database. Overall, she's a pretty fascinating gal. Looking forward to seeing what the artist contributes next.

[james5-doe]

Tori Update

I've received confirmation that there will be four images added to Tori's database article: three new scenes and an altered one.

As mentioned, the goal is to create a 'Platinum Article' by week's end, which is an interesting challenge. There actually hasn't been a lot of fan fiction created for this character yet, but she remains a rather popular one, based on viewing numbers and the response here. So, I'm gathering what info I can via her creator, the artists who co-created her, and some of the lost tales out there.

[james5-doe]

Tori Week

First @amanda-multifandom revealed some of her plans for this character's future.

Then, the database page was upgraded to Golden Article.

And after that, we got a glimpse of new Tori artwork by Plustina. I've also learned that there's a bit more on the way.

We're basically in the middle of a big Tori party this week, with information and images pouring in. So far, it's been revealed that she's actually a genius, who might be destined to rule and lead one of the multiple Earths. Besides that, the artwork has shown me something else that I'd never considered. Overall, I can't wait to learn and report more about her. The goal is to have a super article by week's end, even bigger than the current one, filled with new content on the character's past, present, and possible future.

[james5-doe]

Jedda In Her Element

"The Real Jedda" -- By Plustina and Neldorwen

Yep, we're getting a look at who Jedda truly is. This is what she'd probably look like if someone met her in the jungle, as the guys did in the series premiere. I know that the show had to follow certain rules, but chances are she didn't grow up wearing a black outfit and purple shoes.

[james5-doe]

Golden Article 10

April Gordon.

It's a love/hate relationship with Blogger, which can't seem to keep the formatting straight. Here's hoping that this one works out for now.

[james5-doe]

Blade of an Immortal

The second part of our "Tori week" coverage, featuring @amanda-multifandom's character Tori Gordon. Along with the new article, there's a new image in progress, dedicated to her transformation.