Strafe: Dictator/Series

Strafe: Dictator is a Fantendo - Drive mini-series announced at Toroko's Spooky Scary Fantendo Showcase. The series follows Strafe as he wages war against a clone of himself named Listless Strafe, who took over Noah with the help of his father Lock, who Strafe is stunned to learn is still alive. Enlisting the help of some of his friends, Strafe attempts to take back Noah, while also becoming wrapped in the Winter Pact, who want him for some mysterious reason.

Cast

Heroes

• Strafe - The main character of the series. He didn't want to return to Noah, but when he finds himself in a grave with no idea what happened and learning that Noah is under a dictatorship, a dictatorship under his name, he has no choice but to set things right.
• Sakeena - One of Strafe's closer friends. She likes to write fanfictions and can bend metal. Strafe watches out for Sakeena and she does the same when possible.
• Leah - A foul-mouthed, unpleasant person who refuses to call Strafe by his real name because it's "stupid". She has a girlfriend named X-Ray who she has a loving relationship with. Strafe just wanted to borrow her plane but she came along for the ride.
• DragonMan - PalmMan's boyfriend, who decided to come along in the absence of PalmMan, who was busy getting repairs and upgrades the weekend they decided to go. He's fairly serious and doesn't actually get the concept of metaphors or jokes for that matter. However, he is an excellent fighter.
• Reese - A catalyst with limited time powers. He has a crush on Leah but knows it's hopeless. He's kind of a wreck and falls for any woman with a bad bone in her body, which can get the group in a lot of trouble. He's got a great singing talent that miraculously gets them out of some situations.
• Rose Reaper - Strafe's half-sister who he wasn't even aware had tagged-along. She is somewhat remorseful of her past actions and wishes to be part of some kind of family again, but her cold interior masks her true intentions.
• Vespa Agalma and Adam Ulysses - A worldly street fighter in a romantic relationship with her robotic backpack, which has the mind of a guy named Adam Ulysses. The two are a great duo, but their desires are different. Adam wants to become human again, while Vespa would rather keep his mind inside of a robotic backpack, which isn't known by Adam.
• ??? - To be revealed soon.
• ??? - To be revealed soon.

Villains

• Listless Strafe - A Strafe clone that believes Strafe is the fake. He's being puppeteered by his father, who turned into a young adult in Warzones.
• Lock - After being turned into a young adult, Lock looked into cloning. With a successful puppet ruling over Noah with an iron fist, Lock wants to see his son again.
• Kireth - A mysterious woman that's part of the Winter Pact.

Issues

Issue 1: Buried Alive

Strafe awakens in a dark and cramped area. He can hardly move as he lays on his back. His eyes attempt to adjust to the pitch black. He feels the surface of the ceiling, a wooden feel to it. He comes to the realization he may be in his own grave. He puts his hands down to his side.

Strafe: Shit.

Strafe pounds on the ceiling.

Strafe: HEY!

An outside shot reveals that yes, he's buried alive.

Strafe: HEY!!!

Strafe applies some kicks to the "ceiling". It nudges slightly.

Strafe: Alright, I can do this...

Strafe emerges from the ground. A bright spotlight shines down on him as the scene shows him at a desert at night. He's at the outskirts of Noah.

Strafe: When did Noah get spotlights?

Strafe notices a woman in the distance.

Strafe: Can... you tell me what's going on?

The woman gets closer to him, a knife visible in her hands. She has a tattoo of a snowflake on her bare shoulder.

Woman: Name?

Strafe: ...Jack.

Woman: Bullshit.

Strafe: Look, if it's because I paused for a second-

Woman: My name is Kireth and I know who you are. Strafe, the dictator of Noah.

Strafe: Dictator? Woah, woah. Hold up, what?

Kireth pulls the knife close to his neck.

Strafe: Uh... look, you must have me confused.

Kireth: Do I?

Kireth pulls out a propaganda poster. The figure on it is unmistakably Strafe with an red eyepatch.

Kireth: I buried you alive to prevent blood on my hands, but since that didn't work out...

Strafe slams his arms into Kireth's stomach, allowing him to get free. He runs off as Kireth chases after him. He slides down a sand dune and lays on his back. He can hear Kireth slowing down as he attempts to get up.

Kireth: Time to end this.

Strafe explodes into light, vanishing. Kireth stops as light particles fizzle out into the air. She pauses before slowly heading in the opposite direction.

---

Strafe teleports to a city, not sure where he is. He gets his bearings straight, and wonders how the hell he did that. He comes across a man on a bench near a phone booth.

Strafe: Hi... where am I?

Man: Jonethr. Where the hell did you come from?

Strafe: Outside of Noah, but I guess that's not too important.

Strafe enters the phone booth and goes to call Sakeena... before considering that Leah would probably be a lot more helpful.

Strafe: Hi.

Leah: What's up Jack?

Strafe: Please stop calling me Jack.

Leah: Look, I'm not calling you Strafe, that's a dumb name.

Strafe: When did you decide this?

Leah: About like... just now. Come on, why don't you like Jack?

Strafe: It's a dumb nickname and it doesn't even make sense.

Leah: Whatever Jack. What do you want?

Strafe: You've got a plane right?

Leah: Yeah, I might. What about it?

Strafe: I need you to pick me up in Jonethr.

Leah: And go halfway around the world for that shit? Fuck off.

Strafe: Please.

Leah: I might consider it if you do something for me.

Strafe: Alright, what is it?

Leah: My monthly anniversary with X-Ray is coming up.

Strafe: ...yes?

Leah: I'm not asking too much here but can I use your jeep to...

Strafe: To what?

Leah: Come on Jack, I know you ain't stupid.

Strafe: You wanna do... that in my jeep?

Leah: I would nod but you wouldn't hear it. So yeah.

Strafe: Why?

Leah: It's a special place. Come on, Jack. You know something about nostalgia right?

Strafe: Whatever. As long as you don't get the seats dirty.

Leah: I'll get them extra dirty for you.

Strafe: Look, will you just fly over here?

Leah: Fiiiiine.

---

Strafe sits back on the couch in his apartment, wondering what the hell to do. Unten walks around aimlessly.

Strafe: What's got you all riled up?

Unten: Look, can we not talk about this right now?

Strafe: You never wanna talk.

Unten: Ugh.

Strafe: Look... I'm dealing with some weird shit too. There's... another me in Noah and he means trouble. He's taken over Noah and I think I might have been kidnapped in the night or something? Yeah, I dunno. I took a dirt nap and woke up buried alive.

Unten: Okay, actually our situations are pretty similar.

Knocking is heard at the door.

Strafe: Coming.

Strafe opens it to see Sakeena who hugs him. He pats her on the back and she walks into his apartment.

Sakeena; What's Unten doing here?

Strafe: Wait, what are you doing here?

Unten: I didn't wanna be at my apartment.

Strafe: Ah.

Sakeena: Unten seems pretty unnerved about something...

Strafe: He'll be fine. Look... I have to deal with some shit in Noah and I can't do it alone. Do you mind tagging along?

Sakeena: Me tag along?

Strafe: Yes, you tag along. We're gonna borrow Leah's plane and fly to Noah to confront an evil clone of me.

Sakeena: Just us two?

Strafe: Shit, you're right. We probably need more than just that.

Sakeena: I... was fine with that actually...

Strafe: Right, we need Reese and PalmMan to come along too. Not a huge group, just a bunch of useful people.

Sakeena: Alright...

Strafe: I'll ask them and we'll head off in the morning. We're gonna get shit done!

The issue ends as Strafe leaves his apartment. Sakeen sits down to talk with Unten.

Issue 2: Okay Fine Whatever

Strafe knocks on the door of PalmMan's apartment. DragonMan answers the door.

Strafe: DragonMan?

DragonMan: Yeah, what do you want?

Strafe: Where's PalmMan?

DragonMan: He's in for repairs and upgrades. It'll probably take up the next week or so? I miss him too.

Strafe: Shit- okay. Fine. Whatever.

DragonMan: I could go.

Strafe: ...wouldn't you rather be here?

DragonMan: PalmMan tells me all about your adventures and I'm pretty bummed that I'm not part of any of them. This time I wanna actually be part of this adventure.

Strafe: ...alright.

DragonMan: Wait, really?

Strafe: Yeah, why not? If we can't get PalmMan, I guess DragonMan's pretty suitable.

DragonMan: I didn't think I would get this far. I mean, I thought you guys didn't invite me because you didn't like me.

Strafe: No... we just kind of forgot you existed to be honest.

DragonMan: I guess that makes sense.

Strafe: So alright, we got Sakeena, DragonMan... Reese would be pretty hand with his time-based powers... Don't wanna drag too many people into this...

---

The next morning, Strafe goes to talk to Leah about taking the plane. He looks in the jeep to see it's utter mess.

Strafe: Did they have fucking dinner in here?

Leah appears out from a pile of cardboard boxes as X-Ray groggily wakes up.

Strafe: ...what did you guys do last night?

Leah: Wouldn't you like to know...

Strafe examines the seats and sees a half-eaten steak.

Leah: Yeah, we had dinner. I made it a point to wreck up your jeep interior, which was a bad idea because it was hard to sleep afterwards. So I just slept on the garage floor.

Leah cracks her back.

Leah: Yep, that's my spine crying... anyway, how are you?

Strafe: I wanna borrow the plane.

Leah: To fly back to Noah?

Strafe: Yeah.

Leah: Well, you can't do that without me.

Strafe: Why not?

Leah: It's my fucking plane! I'm the only person who should be piloting it!

Strafe: Look, we can't take the airport, we've got weapons we wanna use.

Leah: Guess I'm tagging along.

Strafe: What about X-Ray? Won't she miss you? Surely you're not crazy enough to bring her back to Noah again, right?

Leah: Mmm... that is true...

Strafe: So clearly you should just give me the plane.

Leah: Well hang on a minute, let me talk to her.

Leah goes over to a sleeping X-Ray and shakes her slightly.

X-Ray: Wuzzat?

Leah: Yo, is it cool if I go to Noah and stop a dictator?

X-Ray: Yeah, it's fine.

Leah: I dunno when I'll be back.

X-Ray: Don't be gone too long, alright?

The two kiss and Leah heads back to a disappointed Strafe.

Leah: So when do we leave?

---

They arrive at Viae, near the Noah border. Strafe exits the plane.

Strafe: We're here at Viae. They won't allow plans to get into Noah, but there's a marketplace that Noah and Viae share.

Leah: Whatever. We're allowed to do some shopping there, right?

Strafe: This... isn't a vacation, Leah.

Leah: Suuuuuure.

DragonMan: This is a very serious manner, we don't have time for shopping.

Leah: Fuck you guys, you don't tell me what to do. Metals, get my junk from the trunk.

Sakeena: Right away mam!

Sakeena opens the back to find a woman lying there.

Sakeena: Rose Reaper?

Rose Reaper: Hi.

Strafe: Rose, how the hell did you even get here?

Rose: That's not your concern.

Reese: So uh... are we going anywhere or...?

Leah: Man, shut up, Reese.

Reese: Noted.

Leah: Ooo, who's the cool person with the robot backpack?

Strafe: Look, whoever they are, they can't be that important-

Leah runs over to talk with them.

Strafe: Why the hell did I think I have any control?

Leah: Yo! Robo lady!

The woman turn around.

Woman: H-hello?

Leah: Sup?

Woman: Well, it's not everyday people come up to me.

Strafe: Don't mind her, she has no social skills.

Leah: Fuck you!

Woman: Haha, it's okay. Name's Vespa. Vespa Agalma.

The backpack extends two arms to shake Strafe and Leah's hands.

Backpack: And I am Adam Ulysses.

Strafe: Cool. Well, we better get going.

Vespa: Going where?

Strafe pauses.

Leah: We're gonna take a dictator down that is currently ruling Noah. You wanna tag along?

Vespa: Eh, why not? Might be good training for the tournament in a few days, hm?

Adam: Alright, fine.

Leah: How about that Strafe? Got some more people to fight with us.

Strafe: I didn't... I didn't want a large army. I didn't want a bunch of casualties.

Leah shrugs.

Leah: Everyone dies.

Strafe rolls his eyes as he heads into the marketplace with the group. The issue ends with them stepping into the marketplace as two mysterious figures can be blurrily seen in the background.

Issue 3: The Marketplace

Strafe picks up a orange and tosses it up in the air. Sakeena grabs the orange and puts it back.

Sakeena: Let's not drop back into old habits, alright?

Strafe: What, did you think I was gonna steal it?

Sakeena: Mmm... yeah.

Sakeena sets the orange down as she walks over to Vespa.

Sakeena: So uh... Vespa?

Vespa: Hmm?

Sakeena: Why do you wear a backpack? It doesn't really seem like it holds anything.

Vespa: Well it does hold something. Adam.

Adam: Ha... about that.

Vespa: I suppose I can tell her, right?

Adam: Yeah, I see no issue with it.

Vespa: It began a long time at a factory-

Leah swings in drunkenly.

Leah: Oh god, are we doing a flashback? Fuck, even I ain't got time for this shit.

Sakeena: Shut up, Leah...

Leah: Woah there, calm down Metals.

Vespa: Haha, it's fine. Adam basically got his mind put into this backpack and we were dating beforehand. We still are. He helps he out during my fighting.

Sakeena: Fighting?

Vespa: Yeah, we go around the world and do fighting tournaments. Quite fun, you meet a lot of people. Like you guys!

Adam: Eh, yeah, I guess so.

Leah burps.

Leah: Sorry about that.

Leah burps again.

Leah: Actually, no fuck it, I'm not.

Vespa: She's not very nice is she?

Sakeena: Eh, you gotta know her.

Vespa nods. Strafe walks over, eating a orange.

Strafe: Sup.

Leah: Hey, what's up, Jack.

Strafe: Would you please stop calling me Jack?

Leah: Mmm... well do I really have to? It's easier than saying Strife or whatever the hell your name is.

Reese: Uh... you remember my name right?

Leah: Yeah, whatever, Royce.

Strafe: Bleh. I knew there was a reason I didn't want you around.

Vespa: Is she usually this entertaining?

Sakeena: Mm... that's hard to answer.

Strafe: ...has anyone seen DragonMan? Or Rose? We need to get going.

Rose hangs upside down from the roof of one of the shops, awakening.

Rose: Sorry, was sleeping.

Strafe: Well, wait, where's DragonMan?

Strafe takes off to find him.

---

We see a black kid in a white jacket named Plato and a pale skinned woman in skimpy red clothing named Mara in the marketplace.

Plato: I suppose this place would be okay to settle down but it is rather hot...

Mara: Maybe if you didn't wear that jacket...

Plato: T-true.

Mara: You alright?

Plato: I'm f-fine!

Mara: ...a-alright.

Plato: J-just gonna take off my jacket...

Plato wraps the jacket around his waist.

---

Strafe finds DragonMan at a jewelry stand.

Strafe: There you are. Jeez, I'm starting to lose track of how many fucking people we have.

DragonMan: I can personally tell you that we only have eight people in our group, which should be a manageable number to anyone with average intelligence.

Strafe: You trying to say I'm dumb or-?

DragonMan: No, I'm not saying that, I'm just struggling to understand why you are possibly loosing track.

Strafe: Look, that's not important. What are you doing at a jewelry store?

DragonMan: I'm buying an aesthetic item for PalmMan that he requested me to buy.

Strafe: Here...?

DragonMan: I can talk to him via a heavily distorted signal due to how bad the reception is here.

Strafe: Well, hurry up. We're gonna start moving forward real soon.

DragonMan: Unfortunately at the rate of transaction-

Strafe: AGH!!!

Strafe kicks sand, which gets in Plato's and Mara's eyes. Strafe looks ashamed.

Plato: A-argh....

Plato drops to his knees.

Plato: Get away!

Strafe grabs DragonMan and starts running towards the group.

Strafe: We need to get moving!

Sakeena: Why?

A loud inverted blast can be heard in the distance. Plato can be seen angrily walking towards the group.

Sakeena: What the hell do you do?

Strafe: I kicked the sand!

Sakeena: You... you idiot!

Plato's eyes appear dilated as he has a wicked smile on his face.

Leah: Hop in!

Leah emerges out of a left corner with a jeep. Strafe gets in, followed by the rest of the group.

Leah: Don't ask where I got it.

Strafe looks back as he sees a furious Plato chasing after them with a maniacal expression on his face. The jeep swerves wildly.

Strafe: Wait, are you drunk?

Leah: J-just a little.

Leha burps.

Strafe: Fuck no, give me the wheel!

Leah: Get your damn paws off me, Jack.

Strafe: I'm not gonna let you endanger everyone!

Leah and Strafe wrestle over the wheel as they go through a pile of boxes, splattering Mana fruits everywhere. Plato runs through the boxes an they soar up into the air, as if their gravity was inverted.

Reese: Why is he chasing us anyway?

Strafe: He doesn't seem to be under control of it, he said to get away before he went crazy-

Strafe is nearly flung out of the vehicle by Leah.

Leah: Everybody dies...

Strafe: Are you crazy?!

Sakeena looks around frantically.

Sakeena: Leah!

Leah: Shut up Metals!

Sakeena stops the jeep by bending the metal around the tires.

Sakeena: You need to calm down, right now.

Leah: Aren't we worried about the kid chasing us right now?

Leah looks back to see that he's moving in slow motion thanks to a focusing Reese.

Leah: Why didn't we do that shit before?

Strafe: Were... were you trying to kill us?

Leah: Why would I do that?

Everyone looks nervously around except for DragonMan.

DragonMan: You can be self-destructive at times, which is why it would have been expected for you to kill us in some kind of suicidal pact nobody agreed to.

Leah sits in silence for a moment and then gets out of the jeep. Strafe takes the driver seat as she takes the passenger seat.

Leah: Sorry.

Strafe: ...I guess not everyone can control themselves.

Reese: Speaking of control... I'm not gonna be able to keep him for much longer.

Strafe: Let him go.

Strafe revs up the engine.

Strafe: I got this.

Strafe leaves the marketplace, speeding away as the metal is put back by Sakeena. The issue ends with Plato short on breath and fainting as Mara grabs him.

Issue 4: Break Me

Strafe parks the car for a minute as it's clear they're out of danger.

Strafe: Leah, what the hell?

Leah: Jack, I can...

Strafe: Enough of this Jack shit! If you're gonna try and kill us all, you might want to address me by my proper name.

Leah: Okay, "Strafe", I don't really know what was going on when I did all that.

Strafe: Leah...

Strafe sighs.

Strafe: Leah, Leah, Leah...

Leah: What?

Strafe: Do you honestly think you can just get scot-free with the events that just transpired?

Leah: Oh, you think I'm that bad?

Strafe: I have yet to see you apologize!

Sakeena: Could we not fight right now... like we have things to do right now that are a bit more important...

Strafe: Oh, so you're just gonna let it happen.

Sakeena: No... Strafe, what's your problem?

Strafe: Am I seriously the only one who's sick of her shenanigans?

Vespa: We're fine now... she was drunk and not thinking clearly...

Strafe gets out of the car angrily.

Strafe: I'm gonna walk off for a minute, cool my nerves. I'll be back in 20, if I'm not, find me.

Sakeena: Mhmm.

---

Strafe trudges through the desert when suddenly Reese runs behind him, catching up.

Strafe: The hell are you doing out here?

Reese: Maybe I need to get out too. You don't know me.

Strafe: Shit, you're kind of right, I don't really know you.

Reese: Haha... yeah.

Reese sighs.

Reese: So where are we walking out to?

Strafe: Hopefully death.

Reese: Ah, you're such a kidder.

Strafe: I dunno, I just feel so bad for Leah... we grew up kind of the same, we're both fucked up kids that never really grew up...

Strafe sits down for a second.

Strafe: When we both really need to.

Reese: You're the most mature person I know though-

Strafe: No, I'm not. Ugh- Rachel doesn't want anything to do with me these days and I keep seeing her because...?

Reese: Huh?

Strafe: You're kind of young but me and her saw each other every once in a while... we weren't in love, at least I don't think so...

Strafe sighs.

Strafe: And I knew Unten would be upset but-

Reese: Look, just tell me straight instead of tiptoeing around whatever you're trying to say-

Strafe: I can't, because that would be admitting I fucked up and I can't do that if you're here.

Reese: Do you want me just to go then?

Strafe: I don't know what I want. I just thought this would be simple and easy, get in and out of here quickly- but it's not. Leah's all messed up. I'm all messed up. I can't even get the crew I wanted for this; I have to deal with all the extra group members that tagged along and it's not worth risking lives over...

Strafe sighs.

Reese: You're stressed.

Strafe: I suppose so, yeah.

---

Sakeena and the group sit in the jeep.

Leah: God. Damn. It.

Sakeena: Leah, don't stress yourself out about it- nobody got hurt, you do stuff like this all the time-

Leah: No, Strafe's right... I need more control of myself and what I put everyone else through...

Sakeena: Leah, he's fine, he's just stressed.

Leah: Why are you so forgiving, Metals? Haven't I done so much shitty things to you? What about to Reese? To Strafe? Anyone in this fucking jeep aside from that girl with the robot backpack I'm sure hates me.

Leah starts crying.

Sakeena: Is everything okay...?

Leah: No, it's not. I should be the happiest I've ever been but I know it can all be taken away from me and I don't try to improve as a person. I've never done anything nice that wasn't in my benefit and now I'm trying to take you all down with me in some kind of drunken stupor or something-

Sakeena: Leah, calm down.

Leah: STOP TELLING ME TO CALM DOWN!

Leah starts sobbing again.

Leah: I'm sorry... I'm sorry...

Leah tries to collect herself.

Leah: I'm so sorry.

Sakeena: Do... you want me to get X-Ray to set up an appointment for therapy?

Leah: Yeah, that would probably be best... I've been trying to hold on so long for a rock, something, anything to just keep myself from being this mess and... I guess everyone else suffered for it...

Sakeena tentatively hugs her.

Leah: Why do you keep helping me, Metals?

Sakeena: Because we're friends. I used to write all these crazy fanfictions about you and I liked you for who you were and I know that comes with a lot of negative qualities but... you're not as toxic as you think you are. I think you could improve as a person but I think you want to as well and... well, that's all I can ask for.

Leah: T-thanks.

Rose Reaper: It's been 20 minutes.

Leah: G-god, I'm so sorry you had to deal with that for 20 minutes. Anyway, what were we supposed to do when 20 hit?

Sakeena: We're supposed to find Strafe... and now Reese.

Rose: I'll go look for Strafe and Reese... you guys head to Noah, I'll find some way over there.

Vespa: We're going without three whole members of our group?

Rose: Eh, there's three extra that he didn't plan on anyway! You'll be fine, right?

Vespa: That is true... Alright.

The jeep roars to life as Rose heads out in the dunes to look for Strafe and Reese.

Issue 5: Suicide Pact

Strafe is kidnapped by Kireth. Rose Reaper attempts to dig up information about this other Strafe.

Issue 6: Leah Does Actual Doctor Work For Once

Leah has to save a unexpected patient.

Issue 8: Half Brother and Half Sister

Strafe and Rose Reaper talk while heading towards Noah's capital.

Issue 10: The Dictator

The final confrontation.

Issue 11: Seal Your Fate

Final issue.