Neoshade Force

**Neoshade Force** (ネオシェードフォース *Neoshēdo Fōsu*) is an evil-turned-good circle of characters assembled by Meringue Vajra. Discounting their mastermind, the organization was originally comprised of 8 members who saw to it that their leader would achieve her goal -- obliterate Fusionbuster and the humans and other living creatures residing there. While Hector and Meringue DID show up during the tail end of Season 1, it wasn't until Season 2 when they and the rest of Neoshade Force factored heavily into the plot. The first half of the second season boiled down to Spirit Cross battling Neoshade's major contributors (except Meringue and Hector), with the SC members reigning triumphant over their respective targets. Once the latter half went underway, NF's leading woman enlisted the help of the newly-revived Revenant Band trio, culminating with Meringue unveiling a new contraption she called **Incubus Ball**. This object was said to help further Fusionbuster's destruction, though what Meringue's underlings didn't know was that she was actually using them for her own gain. By securing the Ball, the lady's sanity began slipping, and she had Blast killed. She permitted Mira to utilize her brainwashing expertise on the remaining members (Hector notwithstanding) of the team.

At some point during the heated match between Vivi and Meringue, the narrator from the first season appeared in physical form to undo Mira's mind control on the surviving Neoshade figures. He would later assist Vivi in taking down a now tyrannical, overconfident Meringue. Through the power of bending reality juxtaposed with karate, Meringue was bested. Her last words prior to passing away were essentially her cursing Spirit Cross and every other person that wronged her.

Ten years after Meringue's death, Neoshade Force had overall turned over a new leaf -- just like Kaleb did between the events of Season 1 and 2. The group is currently down to four: Gaz, Niles, Jellybelly and the newly-appointed brains behind the operation Hector Fibonacci! They now work to keep the peace in Fusionbuster akin to Spirit Cross, who decided to branch off.

## Lineup

* Gaz Jenerik – An adolescent-looking boy with a limited arsenal. Not an imaginative fellow by any stretch, though his skills in battle are precise. He has an odd manner of speaking that gives away the late 1980s-early 90s as his prime; he was cryogenically frozen in that very same period! His attack pool revolves around techniques borrowed from capoeira and judo. Following Meringue's death, Gaz becomes a part of the new, stripped down Neoshade Force alongside Jellybelly, Niles and Hector.
* Desmond Scull – A large man that was in the yakuza prior to Meringue recruiting him. Though on the side of villainy, he's actually a gregarious fellow who vows to live his life to the fullest even after having left his old syndicate. A school of fish are stored in his stomach with muddy water, which he is capable of either spitting out towards the opponents or using as a makeshift surfboard. Ten years after Meringue died, Desmond now travels the world with Spirit Cross alumnus Liam in search of finding methods to ceasing meaningless conflict.
* Crack Heartshroud – A shameless woman in her mid-20s who bears an attraction to the same gender. While normally cheerful, her attitude goes sour whenever men ask her out, whom she wished were all dead as she was afraid of them "taking the babes away from her." In battle she fights with a violin that can undergo different forms of offense and defense depending on Crack's behavior. In her spare time she plays said instrument, too. Ten years following Meringue's passing, she has joined a musical ensemble; unlike Carmine who is currently the vocalist for a shock rock troupe, Crack's specifically one half of a jazz band.
* Niles Blazefang – He's a musclebound lad who is every bit over the top as he is vehement; given that he has taken up pro wrestling as a sport, this shouldn't be surprising. He likes peppering his speech with "Engrish" words or short phrases. Speaking of like, he's very appreciative of those who hold a strong sense of resolve. In battle Niles puts what he's learned from PW into action, being able to use a diverse set of moves such as the inverted frankensteiner or the dreaded airplane spin. Of course he will resort to dirty tactics in order to catch his foes off ground (e.g. celebrity impersonations). After the Neoshade Force mastermind died, Blazefang himself stayed to contribute to the newly stripped down NF for good deeds.
* Blast Riviera – A lone murderer-turned-team member of the Neoshade Force. He spoke with a very patronizing (albeit calm) tone, loved flashing deranged expressions and had a tendency to refer to himself in third person that only served to highlight his superiority complex. Responsible for the death of Trent Adamclaw, Jed's father. So long as the texture was metallic or rock-like, Blast could absorb an object's properties, utilizing the attributes to his advantage when fighting. During the events of #29, he was killed by his master Meringue who had just revealed her real motives.
* Opus Kingsley – She is a young girl who has a "dynamic duo" thing going on with fellow member Jellybelly. Though she appears gloomy and unkempt, she's kindhearted in disposition and cherishes her poetry to a point where she'll burst in tears when somebody criticizes her writing skills (more so if the critic comes off as insensitive). When fighting, she's capable of using the ink in her various pens to summon up to five colored fluid minions; while unable to talk, they're not without a conscious. Ten years after Meringue was slain, Opus has moved on from poems to graphic novels. She managed to grow thicker skin when dealing with feedback, and she's become Nicolas' cell buddy.
* Jellybelly Ironmask – A ghost who is never seen without Opus, considering their super strong bond and all. At least on the surface, he's the most placid member of Neoshade Force next to Hector. He snarks at his teammates often -- and sporadically Meringue. Though stone faced, Jellybelly hides a desire to be human and doesn't care much for what he can do in battle, oblivious to the fact that Opus thinks he's fine the way he is. When in the midst of a tussle, he can transform himself from his ghostly look to a form dubbed ***Semisolid Engine***, which allows him to use venomous attacks and harden his body in case of incoming blows. Ten years following Meringue's demise, he is more accepting of himself and has joined the more compact, smaller version of the Neoshade Force entourage.
* Hector Fibonacci – Specified to be 19 during the events of Season 2. While he exhibits an ostentatious air, his temperament suggests otherwise. He maintains a very serious attitude when carrying out duties and doesn't waste much time in interacting with his fellow peers. That being said, Hector is not an inherently evil guy; for starters, he holds a soft spot for cats, letting them rest atop his wild cut on the off chance he's allowed to relax. He was the first to figure out Meringue's nature when she introduced the Revenant Band to Neoshade. When fighting, he can manipulate his prehensile hairstyle and unleash the ability's full power so long as the 'do is spruced up proper. Ten years succeeding Meringue's passing, he is the new leader of the stripped down Neoshade Force squad, filling the void Spirit Cross left after the latter disbanded.
* Meringue Vajra  – The founder of Neoshade Force, and the central antagonist in *2nd Blood*. In spite of her small stature, she was 30 and spoke with an adult timbre that betrayed her childish shell. A frequent smoker, Meringue was usually shown onscreen holding a cigarette in her mouth. Though pragmatic at first, once she obtained the Incubus Ball and turned on her own phalanx, she acted increasingly sadistic towards Neoshade themselves or anybody who would dare challenge her ideology, not to mention cocksure regarding her plan for Fusionbuster's destruction. In battle Meringue employed two swords made from a jelly substance, and when she attacked opposers with them, they didn't feel pain so much as they felt their life force waning; when all vital energy was depleted, enemies would die in an instant. Out of desperation in the middle of her fight with Vivi and the narrator (of all people), she swallowed the Ball whole, transferring her gray matter to a kaiju. The narrator and Vivi combined their moves to take Meringue out, thus saving Fusionbuster City from total annihilation.