| Canon Story | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Once Was Swan | ||||||||
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| Artist | Writer | |||||||
| David Hopkins (et al) | David Hopkins | |||||||
| Previous | Next | |||||||
| Short XLVI: It's Not the Same | Short XLVII: The Untold Tale Of Herbie Nobody | |||||||
Plot[]
Jack, Lita and Cliff are spying on some cave entrances guarded by Vince's minions when Farrago shows up and threatens to give up their cover. Lita, still harboring negative feelings toward Farrago for breaking Jack's heart, continually berates and insults the angel. Cliff explains the caves are part of a tunnel system that feeds into Vince's Coliseum, and Jack sees them as an ideal target to dismantle Greed's empire. He plans to make a large show of force by freeing the denizens of Hell held as slaves in the tunnels to show them he's taking an active part in a rebellion against Hell's hierarchy, and that there is a way for them to leave Perdition.
After some arguments, they launch their assault on Vince's followers. After taking out the guards guarding the cave entrance, there is a sudden earthquake that shakes the grounds of Hell, and once it finishes, the characters forms have shifted (represented by a change in artstyle). Shocked by their new looks, the group decides to continue with their plans to free the slaves in the tunnels. Jack suggests the group to split up, Farrago going to Sloth to find out why Hell is shaking, and he continuing his assault on Vince's troops, Lita demands to go with Farrago so she can keep an eye on her, and Jack and Cliff stay behind to continue their assault.
Jack and Cliff mow through Vince's soldiers, and Cliff frees the prisoners and Jack tells them to join their rebellions. Further earthquakes continue shifts in reality, causing a collapse in the cave. Farrago lands in Sir Eric's Swamp, and their arguments continue. When Farrago asks what Lita's problem is with her, Lita launches a rant accusing her of being holier than thou, and for hurting Jack in the past and being a threat to do so again. Farrago of course can't remember Jack since she requested to have her mind wiped, and that Lita had seen that she only met Jack a few weeks ago. Lita tells Farrago to stay away from Jack, that he's hers. Farrago thinks Lita is misinterpeting her relationship with Jack, and that he sees her more like a daughter.
Their argument is interrupted by the sudden appearence of Sir Eric, who gets in a sword fight with Lita. Farrago stops him by explaining that they're friends, though Lita quietly disagrees. Eric promises to take them to Sloth. Back with Jack and Cliff, several of the prisoners were crushed by the collapsing tunnel. The remaining group continue forward as another reality warping earthquake hits.
Farrago, Lita and Eric make it to Sloth's tree, and they force him reveal the origin of the quakes, which he crytically says is a stone structure on the mountains. When Sloth also tells the group that Jack is having trouble in the caves, they rush back to help him. Lita and Farrago venture inside the tunnels to help Jack, who's fighting Vince's loyal minions who are slaughtering the remaining hostages Jack is escorting. Another earthquaking forces Jack, Cliff, Lita and Farrago to flee outside as the entire tunnel collapses.
Some grateful survivors are happy to see Farrago, but she insists Jack get credit for the rescue. He insists they join the fight and free themselves and others, and Farrago offers Heaven will assist them as well. Jack tells the group the stone structure is Vanity's Tower, and they soon arrive to find her angrily screaming at her own reflection in the mirror. Each time she angrily lashes out at her reflection, it causes the shifts in reality. She insists the image she sees it not her, and breaks down crying that she'll never be pretty again. Jack, Cliff and Lita decide to investigate the tower and see where all this power comes from. Farrago thinks about comforting Vanity as she weeps on the floor, but thinks better of it and leaves Hell.
Characters[]
Locations[]
- Hell
- Sir Eric's Swamp
- Vanity's Tower
Trivia[]
- This arc features numerous guest artists, each taking over scripting which each shift in reality. They include
- Tom Resnick
- Scythemouse
- Salkafar
- Albert Temple
- T.K. Dye
- Genesis W.
- Katie Hopkins