Newtons Apple sat on top of the Two-Six, looking across Kings Row up towards where the Police Headquarters was. He could see the helicopter from Warburg flying away from the building. The fat man sighed, took the metal helmet off his head and ran chubby fingers through his green hair.
It had been an odd year. Heroes always coming and going, never really sure who was going to be around, or if the building was going to be in this dimension from one moment to another.
Newtons Apple was also in a position he had never thought hed find himself. He had found a home in this run down old police station. True, it was tougher than it looked, but so was he. He took a big gulp of Mountain Dew. His community service for Contempt of Court was long over, but he stayed on. He was still a bit insubordinate, but that was his irreverent nature.
The gravity controller rose up and floated towards the roof door. He was anxious to see what today would bring.
((Heeey, I remember this. 
So it's actually back? Awesomesauce!))
"If I had Force powers, vacuum or not my cape/clothes/hair would always be blowing in the Dramatic Wind." - Tenzhi
Characters
She stands an impressive six foot five, "two hands above her father." Clad in piecework leather armor, it covers most of her torso and stretches down to mid thigh, with a few fine pieces of leather mesh where the armor has been crudely patched. Grey metal plates armor her shoulders and heavy sinister armor cover her forearms and shins. Her look is usually fierce, a bronze tiara keeps her long hair out of the narrow gaze of her green eyes. Armed with the sword of her father and an indomitable will to live, she is Quex.
Crouched near an alleyway across from the old building Quex eyed the structure warily. Lo, on the side were the icons of the 'two six' the building she had been instructed to make her territory for the time being.
Taking an experimental sniff of the air, she stifled a cough. The tall brunette didn't like King's Row, all the tall buildings of brick and mortar kept reminding her of just how out of her element she was. After failing in Steel Canyon and lukewarm receptions elsewhere, the graceful savage was terribly aware of the city-chief's stern gaze. If she couldn't fit in here, they'd take her sword and armor and let the pokers and prodders hunt her.
Touching the bronze hilt of her sword that she securely strapped to her back, Quex, last daughter of the Skullplains tribes, warrior, and woman out of time stepped up to the door.
(Once a day? I should be able to handle that. Never coordinated via PM before so that's fresh for me.)
*edit to add description
Infinity
Sam Varden 50 MA/Reg Scrap
Doomtastic 50 SS/Inv Brute
Ceus 50 Eng/Kin Corr
Cinderstorm 50 Fire/Fire Blaster
SLAM!
Martial Gloom forced Brian Wincotts body into the hallway wall of the Kings Row Bank. Brian slumped to the floor; the wind had been knocked out of him. A 5 6 man dressed in a black sleeveless robe and matching pants that were tattered at the hem stood over Brian as he tried to control his breathing.
Freedom Corps scum! Martial Gloom nearly spat the words through his black cloth mask that wrapped around his entire head save his eyes. He looked like something out of a ninja comic book.
Freedom Corps
they dont even acknowledge me, Brian responded through gasps of air.
All the more reason to erase you from existence, dog of justice! Martial Glooms eyes went wide as he raised his leg into the air and held it there while a flash of light like a stars twinkle displayed just before he brought it down on top of Brians head.
Brian immediately shifted his weight to his right and rolled over, just missing the enemys attack. The kick had landed firmly into the ground and left and sizeable indentation in the banks emerald green carpet. Brian didnt even have time to think about what could have happened before he reacted to Martial Glooms second of incapacitation and shot his foot out at the knee of Glooms support leg.
Auuuuuugh, Martial Gloom folds under the pressure of his body against a now broken kneecap and writhes in pain, I will destroy you
and the Freedom Corps
, he said through what sounded like gritted teeth and held his knee close to his chest.
Brian popped himself up and felt the power of his emerald necklace flare up. His body sensed a danger, but wasnt sure where it was. He dashed to the entrance of the lobby, careful not to step on any of the fallen skulls who had hired Martial Gloom as a Heavy for the robbery. The former cop had just reached the entrance to the lobby when he tilted his head slightly to the left and watched a shruiken stick into the wall. Brian kept walking toward the front door while his hands started to envelop in a black ball of smoke. Martial Gloom looked above him to find a cinderous haze fall over his face. The coughs and screams were enough for Brian to know it worked. The hero reached for the pull handle on the banks glass double doors when he heard Martials voice.
Pyra, phase two!
Pyra? What? Since when was this a two-man operation. Case file said nothing about her being here.
Brian touched the button on the comm device in his ear that switched the already red LED light to green, Where the hell is anybody, he said as an explosion rocked the foundation of the bank. Brian steadied himself on the door handle and went outside. Civilians and officers alike were running around crazily. Some werent running at all. Never had the chance.
Brian activated his comm again, Pyras here. Theyre gonna blow this bloody bank to kingdom come. We need to make moves.
((This will go quickly. Ill see how much involvement I get over the next day or so. Welcome all newcomers!!! And welcome back Av and Zeta))
[ QUOTE ]
Brian touched the button on the comm device in his ear that switched the already red LED light to green, Where the hell is anybody, he said as an explosion rocked the foundation of the bank. Brian steadied himself on the door handle and went outside. Civilians and officers alike were running around crazily. Some werent running at all. Never had the chance.
Brian activated his comm again, Pyras here. Theyre gonna blow this bloody bank to kingdom come. We need to make moves.
[/ QUOTE ]
Newton stopped his slow descent into the Two Six. He touched the button for his comm piece. Boy, Brian, we cant leave you alone for three minutes before you start getting into to trouble, the chubby man said into the mike. Mustard, you catch that?
An nasally voice came over the unit. Of course I did, you moron. Im sending out an all call now. And its Colonel Mustard, not just Mustard.
Of course, Musty, Newton said as he cleared the outside. Brian, Im on my way! With a quick thought, he threw one his singularities out ahead of him, and then threw himself through it. He reappeared a hundred yards away, and then quickly through himself through another one, all the time, getting closer to thebank.
Just down the road a ways, a girl carrying a suitcase was walking towards the Two Six. Had she not been wearing what was very obviously a superhero costume, one might have assumed the girl was just another citizen. She seemed slightly preoccupied, faint flashes of blackish energy coming from her eyes the only evidence of the heated discussion taking place within.
This is all your fault, you know.
What? You were so busy screaming at me to do something, so I did something. How was I supposed to know that barrel was explosive?
Because it's a barrel! Have you never played computer games, barrels ALWAYS explode if you shoot them!
I wasn't even aiming for the stupid barrel. Can't you just accept it was an accident and leave it be?
No, I can't. Because now I'm stuck doing community service out in the [censored] end of King's Row for something I didn't even do.
And it doesn't occur to you that I'm just as stuck and just as unhappy about it?
Abbie had no answer for that one. Yeah it was only a week ago and it would take some time to get used to but she still wasn't sure letting Lakara merge with her had been the best idea, life-threatening situation or not. Since then she'd registered as a hero, gotten dumped for it by her boyfriend, saved a few people and beat up a few villains before the incident. Afterwards she'd been found to be negligent and given a choice of a relatively short prison sentence or a few months of community service. Knowing what typically happened to heroes in prison she'd opted for the community service, but she was starting to wish she hadn't.
She was interrupted from her thoughts by movement ahead. Looking up, she noticed a significantly larger than usual hero appear out of thin air, then disappear again and reappear further away. She didn't recognise him, but he did seem to be in something of a hurry so she decided she should follow him. The suitcase was abruptly shoved through a hole Lakara opened for her into a pocket dimension she sometimes used to store stuff, and a purple flash lit up the area as she followed the teleporting hero with her own brand of teleport. Reporting at the Two Six could wait, there was work to be done.
[Admin] Emperor Marcus Cole: STOP!
[Admin] Emperor Marcus Cole: WAIT ONE SECOND!
[Admin] Emperor Marcus Cole: WHAT IS A SEAGULL DOING ON MY THRONE!?!?
A mail courier stepped into the sergeant's desk room and crossed to where Col. Mustard was sitting.
"Whaddaya got fer me this time?"
"A light one, just some documents feels like." He said, handing a full-sized manilla envelope to Mustard. "Sign here, please."
The package was addressed to the precinct proper, so Mustard opened it. Two documents, and a few photos. "Ah, who's the filly in the shades, I wonder?" he thought as he looked at the photos and began reading the first document.
[ QUOTE ]
To: precinct 26
From: Dir. Personnel PPD
Re: personnel transfer
Subject: Van, Angela "Insangel"
Encl: subject photos, x3
Subject: Angela Van is hereby transferred to precinct 26 effective this date. Subject is operating with the PPD as part of the vigilante assistance clauses currently employed. This is her initial assignment. More in-processing at HQ is required, expect Miss Van to arrive within the next two days, after processing is complete.
Additional Information:
Vigilante reference file: none
Arrest record: none
Current address: none
Last three addresses: no file
Contact numbers: home: none, cell: none.
Most recent affiliation/duty: St. John-Smythe Institute/test subject, 1 mo.
Next previous affiliation/duty: Crowne Memorial Hospital/patient, 3 mo.
Next previous affiliation/duty: Vanguard/extended wasteland reconnaisance, 10 mo.
Next previous affiliation/duty: State Abnormal Psychiatric Ward/patient, 3 mo.
Next previous affiliation/duty: St. John-Smythe Institute/test subject, 1 mo.
[/ QUOTE ]
The next document was handwritten on notebook paper.
[ QUOTE ]
This is a strange one, lots of holes in the info. As far as Paragon City, Rhode Island, and the United States is concerned, she didn't even EXIST until two years ago. Seems she was shot by her supervising officer in the Vanguard after ten months of duty, hiding out in the Wasteland on individual recon, gathering intel and supporting ops. The bullet missed her heart by a hair. Witnesses prevented him from landing any more shots. The officer in question still serves Vanguard in the same supervisory capacity, and has had NO punitive actions taken against him nor letters of reprimand assigned. I don't know what to make of this one, guys. We don't know what she can "do" as far as metahuman abilities. She's playin' it close to the vest on that one, and she's not required to tell us. St. John-Smythe's people have gotten the request from the City and from us for a writeup on her abilities, so when they hand in their writeup we'll forward that to you as well. (don't hold your breath, you know how inter-agency paperwork shuffling is.) Being that she'll be working in the field with you all, maybe she'll be more forthcoming about describing her abilities to you. We snapped a couple of photos of her while she's been here, we'll put 'em in the package.
The last two things we know at this point:
1) She asked to work with the PPD. Prof. St. John-Smythe greased the wheels with folks over my head to make it happen. I assigned her to you. It's a little odd, that she wanted to do this even before she joined the City's Vigilante program. The City's processing her into the Vigilante program now, it's part of what's slowing her in-processing. What that means is that as far as "super-heroing" here, she's fresh outta the gate. She doesn't know the City, it's obvious she didn't live here before she arrived here 18 or so months ago.
2) She's got no place to stay, she's been sleeping in the waiting room.
Do what you can, guys.
[/ QUOTE ]
photo 1 photo 2 photo 3
Mustard put the documents into a file folder, and put a yellow stick-note on the outside labelled: Attn. Newton.
This, he put into Newton's in-box. "He can tell the other capes what's goin' on with the fruit-loop new-fish." He thought as he returned to his chair.
((Anyone else want to provide screenshots here, but don't have a photo-website? PM me and i'll give you my email. You can email me pics, and I'll put them up on my photobucket, Then email you the addys so you can splice them into your post(s).))
((warning: shameless self-promotion attempt: if any of you fancy a short bit of CoH fan-fiction, try my first attempt at creative writing here . And post, telling me what you think! I wanna know if writing is something that I can do.))
__________________
whiny woman: "don't you know that hundreds of people are killed by guns every year?!"
"would it make ya feel better, little girl, if they was pushed outta windows?" -- Archie Bunker
3 men sat in large leather roller chairs in front of a wide computer station that spanned about 20 feet across a black rock wall. There were various screens that monitored different aspects of the world. Directly in front of each worker was a different viewpoint of the Kings Row Bank robbery. The station was full of levers, buttons, switches, and three keyboards. They were all wearing black dress shirts, pants, belts, and shoes. The men were all the same height and weight with brown eyes and no hair. Each of them also wore a large black device on their right wrists that were numbered roman style from one to three.. A small lamp light hung from the cave ceiling in the middle of the room and shined on a central area that left everything else in the dark. There was nothing else in the room. No doors. No holes. No windows.
Master, the hero still lives. The subject, Martial Gloom, failed to detain him, the man with the device labeled I spoke as if more than one person resided in him and spoke all at the same time.
Behind the terminal and the lamp stood a figure on a raised platform that was 3 feet above the ground level. His body was a vague silhouette of a human. His breathing was slow and paced. When the figure exhaled, his breath came out like harsh whisper of voices that flew around his being like an aura. There were slits where his eyes would be the color of royal purple.
And the other, its mouth opened slightly, but did not formulate any words. Instead, the harsh whispers took on a louder form of the words it wished to speak
The other subject is still acting in accordance to the plan. The bank should fall soon. Looking over these specs, theres an 80/20% success probability. I feel good about this, sir.
Did I ask how you felt?
Number I panicked, No, your Imminence, you didnt. I just thought since theres only one hero that-
Is words were cut short as if his larynx were cut off. Choking sounds tore from his mouth in desperation for air. I grabbed and scratched at his throat as his vocal cords tightened inside. The chair fell backwards as he abruptly stood to his feet to look back at his master with eyes full of pain and fear. Red tears streamed down his face from bloodshot eyes as if his tear ducts filled up to the point of bursting. Number I dropped to the ground, one hand on his throat and the other out-stretched to the figure slowly taking his life. Blood poured from the lackeys ears and everything went silent as the leaders power surged through Is body and crushed his neck like a piece of discarded paper. He slumped lifelessly to the floor like a rag doll. His eyes, although still attached, had popped out of the sockets and swung down the side of his face.
Number III watched in quiet detail everything that happened. His face more shock at the power of their boss that shifted into something fearful.
The dark mass of voices spoke directly into the heart of III, You will do well to remember what you saw, the words hung in the air as its body dematerialized into a misty haze that was gone sooner than it appeared.
Insangel was skyskipping. That was how she described, it, anyway. Land, lunge, lunge, and, leap! She could go for ten, eleven seconds on a leap, a little more if she really ran full out before jumping. "Back and forth, over and over. Not much more now Insangel, but we need you to go back to... God, who knew in-processing could take as long as physical therapy? Oh well. At least the City is good scenery. Even here, in Kings Row, it looked good. She'd heard the way people talked about it, heard some complaints. Was the rest of the City really that much better? The Row looked a hell of a lot better than--"
She was about to take a couple of running steps again for her next leap, but just before she touched down she had seen something interesting, so she stopped and kneeled on a rooftop to watch. She had just seen a large man blink in a bright flash, then reappear farther down the street, and do it again a few times. "Wow, he can do what the gunslingers do." She thought. "Wonder if he uses their tech, or does it... some other way. So, there really are "caped crusaders" running around the place. I wonder if the people around feel better for it? Like her, for instance?" Her gaze fell on a woman, who had craned her neck around and watched the blinking man go. "Wait, she's in costume, and is that a... suitcase?" Just then, the woman seemed to stuff the case into... vaporous dark energy... where have I seen something like those energy trails before?"
Angela immediately concentrated on the woman's mind for a moment, then masked her presence to the woman. Odd things were afoot. She watched, amazed, as the woman then did the same thing that the large man had done moments before, but with the same vaporous, dark swirl energy trails. "Oh, no..." Now she remembered where she had seen that effect. Once while on recon, she had called in a report of large, hulking beasts doing the exact same thing into & out of a cave. Peacebringers in the area were alerted, and massed at the caves, and after a full-out fight had put them all down. Later, when back at her staging area, they had thanked her for the call. Nasty pieces of work, they had warned her. That they had struck with no mercy and taken no prisoners hit Angela hard that day. Obviously these were dangerous.
"I didn't know that they could make themselves look human too..." she thought, remembering that the Peacebringers could do so. "And now this one is tailing a City hero." Why would it risk exposure by emanating it's nictus powers? It was walking in the open, in costume... She didn't need to be at her appointment for an hour, so she took off after the woman, continuing to mask her presence using her talent. She wouldn't detect her unless Angela willed it. She pondered more. "The woman was as surprised as I was at seeing the man. She then changed her mind about whatever it was that she was doing, and took off after him. That means he has no idea she's behind him." She was definitely in recon mode now, but this time, she was under very few orders. "And if anything foul starts to happen, I'll shoot first and ask questions later." Heroes had enough to worry about without metahumans jumping them from behind.
__________________
whiny woman: "don't you know that hundreds of people are killed by guns every year?!"
"would it make ya feel better, little girl, if they was pushed outta windows?" -- Archie Bunker
After a deep breath, Quex pulled open the door to the two six building and strode inside, bumping shoulders with a man dressed as one of the city's messengers. The man half turned to glare and say something, but she ignored him.
She approached the desk where a man was stuffing a manilla folder into a basket. Reaching into her belt pouch, Quex retrieved the crumbled ball of paper that she had been given and told to hand over when reporting in. It wasn't so different from when her tribe would offer a warrior to warring tribe as a way of peacemaking. Though they usually sacrificed the offering to the Wolf mother.
Looking up, the blonde man snorted, "Another one? Nothing for weeks and now look at all you roaches springing up. Hey, FNG--" He snatched the wadded paper from her hand, "There's a situation at the Kings Row Bank. Get there, report to Newton."
Quex rose an eyebrow at the rude man, though she wasn't familiar with effingees she was sure she wasn't one. Still her previous caretakers who had attempted to isntruct in her the basics of this era had been most adamant that respect wasn't taught at the end of a sword anymore.
He was obviously in a position of power here, and it would not help her situation to offend the current chieftain's agents. She took a short sniff to capture this man's scent, and turned around to stride out the door.
She began to run, and jumped onto a parked car, and from there leapt to a windowsill, the old brick cracking under her weight. Quex leapt from the window to a streetlight, and back up the building. In a few seconds she was on the roof, leaping rooftop to rooftop, looking for the telltale signs of flashing lights that indicated the police tribe setting up a war party.
As she ran and leapt, she noticed that others were tracking their way across the city. They could be heroes, maybe even this 'Newton' she was supposed to find, but she had no way of knowing.
Well she'd know soon enough. Foes tried to kill you, friends did not.
Infinity
Sam Varden 50 MA/Reg Scrap
Doomtastic 50 SS/Inv Brute
Ceus 50 Eng/Kin Corr
Cinderstorm 50 Fire/Fire Blaster
Is it space, or time I am out of? Space, definitely space. Mystic reached out in both directions with his hands and pushed on the lens-like purple shimmer that separated him from stark white lightning bolts dancing around him as balls of noise that looked like fuzzy bubbling ponds, only nearly transparent and bubbling out in all directions as if without gravity, slowly closed in around him. Im sure its space, as things are still changing. I think those things are wondering why Im in their universe
or reality, or perhaps just a shift in the
Something began to beep. His com was flashing red on his arm.
It was the all call from the Two Six. This call was reserved for when someone was truly in trouble, but he hadnt been back in
this really did bring up an incredibly question to his head. Im still getting cell service in another dimension? That stupid company drops my call if I go under a bridge! Looking in all directions for some inkling of how this could be, Mystic spotted a shaft of light below him. The portal was still open. The radio waves were coming from there.
With one shift of his weight, he pushed against the foreign reality and thrust himself back through the portal. It snapped shut behind him as the Rikti Magus finished his sentence. Nuisance: Removed
Sorry chaps, no more time to play, my mates need me. You understand. The disbelief had almost worn off by the time Mystic finished his incantation and channeled all the magical energy he could muster into one solid bolt of flame that burned into the chest of the Magus. For a moment, Mystic was staring at the Chief Soldier behind the Magus through the sizzling hole in the Maguss chest, but then there was a heavy thud as the venerable Rikti fell to his knees, and another as he crashed over onto his face. Not that the Chief Soldier heard it over the sounds of the emergency teleporter taking him
anywhere but there.
Police had started opening the huge, rolling doors to the warehouse. He had wished to stay and explain to them what all the lab equipment was there for, but he had to respond to the beacon.
His black robes and cape, trimmed with a deep red, flowed like a flag as he cut through the air over the heads of the police and out into Kings Row. He climbed suddenly, then banked hard toward source of the beacon [saints forgive me for the pun]. He saw the familiar teleportation signature of Newton growing ever closer to the bank, but due to the urgency of the call, he didnt wait. He flew directly into the lobby and said in a loud booming voice that commanded respect and announced his authority, Brian? What
Newton stopped his slow descent into the Two Six. He touched the button for his comm piece. Boy, Brian, we cant leave you alone for three minutes before you start getting into to trouble, the chubby man said into the mike. Mustard, you catch that?
This was a simple op, Newton. Or it was supposed to be, Brian spoke as he jogged around the building to find the fiery menace, Pyra.
Brian, Im on my way! With a quick thought, he threw one his singularities out ahead of him, and then threw himself through it. He reappeared a hundred yards away, and then quickly through himself through another one, all the time, getting closer to the bank.
Just get here asap. Who knows what else might not be here. I just wanna know..., Brians pendant glowed fiercely as he cut himself off and jumped straight up into the air. He bent his body into a backwards swan dive and saw a massive fireball pass under his head. Beyond the attack was the 5five foot, petite framed villain Pyra. The fireball hit a small shop adjacent to the bank and engulfed the front half of the establishment in flames.
Burn! Burn! Burrrrn, Pyra jumped up and down, clapping her hands in excitement.
Brian landed on the cement and looked behind him to find Pyra nowhere in sight.
BOOM!
Brian fell backwards and scanned the area in front him. Most of the civilians and police evacuated. The rest of them would remember the sight of Pyras evil as the last vision of life. Brian took off around the buildings structure to chase her down, but stopped by a familair sound.
Woooo, the exclamation was followed by loud laughs and other various exclamations of the same kind. A group of five men with white paint on their faces and leather jackets with the symbol of a skull on the back walked out of an alley. They carried bats, chains, and lead pipes. Obviously, lackeys. Their leaders held powers.
HAHAHAHAHA! Brian looked behind him and saw the former beauty queen prancing about the bank lobby and tossing money in the air. As the money free-floated to the ground, Pyra touched what she could before it reached the ground and burnt it to a crisp.
Burn, Burn, Burn, burn burn burn, she kept pointing and pointing until she decided to save time and raised both hands, outstretched, into the air. In moments, there was a cackle of fire pops that ripped across the air. It was followed by small droplets of orange-colored rain. The lobby immediately started to set on fire. Martial Gloom was gone.
Mystic Inferno saw the familiar teleportation signature of Newton growing ever closer to the bank, but due to the urgency of the call, he didnt wait. He flew directly into the lobby and said in a loud booming voice that commanded respect and announced his authority, Brian? What
Mysitc! Brian dashed for the bank entrance and was blown back by an explosion from a molotov cocktail from a Skull. The doors blew off their hinges and laid broken and crushed on the street. Brian popped himself up and looked at the Skulls. The he looked at Pyra.
Someone is gonna pay for this great intel.
Another familiar sound sent Brians eyes to the sky.
Newton! Brian was still out of earshot so he pressed his comm device, Skulls just below you. I need containment. Pyras crazier than they rumored her to be. Im going after her with Mystic. If you see Martial Gloom limping around somewhere, port him to a cell or something, Brian finished and felt his reflexes quicken through his will and power of the Emerald as he ran top speed into the lobby.
There was a flash and pop of a generic incoming teleport within the Two Six building, and A Malta gunslinger materialized. Well, except that he wasn't a gunslinger. The duster hat was present, but the traditional gangster cloth around the face had been replaced with smooth metalic metal. He wore a trenchcoat instead of a military vest, with a bare cybernetic chest displayed beneath. The final accessory was an odd back-pack like device he wore, which bore some semblance to the port-packs used by the Sky Raiders, only it lacked the four balancing rods and torso clamps. His attire was a passive grey, the metalics of his body alternating between black and white.
"Would anyone 'ere happen to be called Mustard? Name is Egregore Device, checking in for security supplimentation."
Abbie kept following the teleporting hero until he reached the bank, where it appeared all hell was breaking loose. Reappearing at the edge of the roof of the building directly across the road from the bank, she stopped a moment to assess the situation. Some fire chick she didn't recognise throwing fire everywhere, a bunch of heroes who by the looks of things had just arrived and were still organising themselves, and a heap of civvies lying around either dead or unconscious, she couldn't tell which. Assuming the assembled heroes were capable of dealing with the fire chick, she turned her sights on the Skulls that had apparently crawled out of the woodwork to add to the mayhem.
Are you thinking what I'm thinking?
I believe I am.
She jumped off the roof, falling at an alarming rate towards the ground. However, before she hit there was a burst of that same purple-black energy and she slowed dramatically, the Dark Nova form's natural flight abilities bringing her to a hover roughly two stories from the ground. Turning towards the unsuspecting Skulls, she let fly with an explosive energy blast right into the middle of the group. Several Skulls were flung back by the detonation, but those who weren't turned and fired their various weapons at her. Abbie returned fire with a barrage of smaller, more directed blasts.
[Admin] Emperor Marcus Cole: STOP!
[Admin] Emperor Marcus Cole: WAIT ONE SECOND!
[Admin] Emperor Marcus Cole: WHAT IS A SEAGULL DOING ON MY THRONE!?!?
Insangel arrived at a scene of utter mayhem. Landing on a rooftop about 20 yards away from the apparent nictus-user, she tried to comprehend just what the hell was going on.
Many injured, most of them burned. Several who were obviously too far gone to be alive. A maniacal woman, displaying frightening powers over fire. She has to be these poor victims' "smoking gun."
Mixing it up with anything they could nearby...
"Skulls." She had thought it interesting that the PPD had an informative file on them, she thought they were trying to have a most comprehensive database. "No, they don't have a file on them because they're a gang from where I used to live... They have a file on them because the Skulls are here, too."
There were three in costume down there now, two of them moving to engage the fire-wielder. The one that had just arrived in teleportational flashes, looked to be surveying the scene, and is he... she glanced to the other two in costume. "Yes, they're all communicating to each other by comm devices."
Insangel concentrated for a moment on everyone down in the bedlam below, and masked her presence from them. "Well, they won't see me. Starting to get close to my limit on how many I can fool. Still, long as nobody I haven't spotted sees me, I'll be unseen."
Then, her attention returned to the woman who had just arrived. "You don't have a comm device... what are you going to do? What, what, what... and what the hell am I going to do? Nothing makes sense down there!"
Then she noticed: none of the Skulls had burns. That means Fire-woman is in league with them, and all the costumes down there are fighting for the good.
Just then, the woman across the way dove off of the building top, and just before hitting the ground, slowed her descent in a display of dark, purplish energy. Insangel tightend up, ready to dump her concentration on hiding and be revealed. She would have to, to wield her attack powers.
The woman then immediately opened up on the Skulls, first with a wide, explosive blast of energy, and then more singular attacks on individuals. "Whooooo," She breathed in relief. As crazy as it seemed to Insangel, this woman was a City Hero, wanting to help when she saw a fellow Hero pass by. "I guess she isn't using Nictus powers, just something that looks like them. Amazing. Well, it's two on one against the fire woman, dark woman engaging the Skulls, and the levitating one still yet to join in the fray."
She looked toward where several police cruisers were blocking the road, lights on, and a little ways beyond them, emergency services men waiting. "The paramedics can't go to the victims, because it's still a combat zone!"
Angela went down to street level in the midst of the injured people, continuing to mask her presence to those she had seen. She let the ones moving of their own volition be, and started checking the non-moving for signs of life. The first three were gone. Then, she got to one still with a pulse, but obviously in critical need. "OK, now it's gonna get tricky." Concentrating even further, she then made her victim invisible to all those that she had been keeping fooled as to her own presence. "And we'll just hope that in all of this chaos, nobody noticed you winking out, so that I can carry you to the medics."
She hoofed it to where the medics were waiting, their mouths agape at having just witnessed a woman jump down from rooftop, run around in the warzone, pick up a victim, and run carrying him to them. After all, she had not tricked them as she had the others. However, time was of the essence, so she just put him on a stretcher and ran back into the fracas, to check the rest of the insensate.
"Stan, did... did you just see..."
"The woman in the leather jacket and bellbottoms? Yeah. Yeah, she's gotta be a Superhero, there's no WAY a non-meta would run around in there like that, frickin' nuts!"
"Did you see the amount of fire from that woman, and all of those gang-bangers? It's frickin' nuts for the supes to be in there!"
"Hopefully, there are more survivors," Insangel thought, "and everyone else will be too busy fighting to worry about the disappearing victims." She passed by a horribly mutilated corpse, and her stomach turned inside her. "Firewoman, you're lucky there's a bunch of others on top of you, because taking down hard targets like you is my specialty. You deserve pain for what you've done here today." Angela continued to search and rescue the nearby victims.
__________________
whiny woman: "don't you know that hundreds of people are killed by guns every year?!"
"would it make ya feel better, little girl, if they was pushed outta windows?" -- Archie Bunker
Explosions and gunfire punctured the air, leading Quex right to the heart of combat. It was well underway as she arrived, the downside of not being a god among mortals.
Frowning, Quex drew her sword as she examined the scene. Everyone looked scattered, chaos ruining the lines. Still she recognized the Skull tribe--she'd routed them before, and after a couple of seconds of observation she was able to conclude where the others lay.
Leaping from the rooftop onto a large SWAT van, Quex ignored the buckling of her knees as she collapsed the roof the vehicle in. Another short leap put her on the ground next to a couple of Skulls. One had a small axe, the other a gun. Cute toy, those guns. Makes everyone a warrior.
A two handed hack severed the Skull from his weapon hand, and she delfected the axe with her gauntlet. A kick to the other man's knee brought him down and she gave him a slow gut wound. It pained her to not give these warriors an honorable death, but her instructions were clear.
She picked up the severed warrior's hand and dipped her fingers in the blood. Quex smeared the blood across her eyes in a large X and raised her bloodied sword.
Quex bellowed the fierce battlecry of her ancestors, Though no man alive had ever heard the language spoken, its intent was clear enough.
Gunfire grazed her arm and she looked at another group of Skulls shooting wildly. Her face grim, Quex snarled and leapt like a pouncing tiger into the group, rising to the challenge they offered.
Infinity
Sam Varden 50 MA/Reg Scrap
Doomtastic 50 SS/Inv Brute
Ceus 50 Eng/Kin Corr
Cinderstorm 50 Fire/Fire Blaster
Back in the black cave, numbers II and III watched intently as more heroes arrived to the bank. The situation went from 80% in their favor to 20 in a matter of minutes. II slid his chair to the far left side of the vast machine of screens and proceeded to turn several gray knobs back and forth under a label marked "Portal Frequency". Above each of the knobs were metter that danced along a red-green scale.
"This is not a good look," III started to type in several coordinates on his keyboard that opened up a position in Croatoa. Several creatures with twigs for bodies and pumpkins for heads, like something out of a Halloween special, marched into a forest. III clicked the mouse and a bar gauge popped onto the screen with the foggy and barely lit visual of the near-ghost town of Croatoa in the background. It became deserted due to the invasion of monsters, witches, and gnomes. It became a territorial war for power and greed. Their arrival had brought forth a dimensional barrier that proved to be a vulnerable doorway for crosses between worlds. That was over two years ago. Since the, the barrier had become nothing more than a small slice of interdimensional time and space that could only be felt if someone were to pass right through it. It felt similar to the way wind smacks you directly in the face as it rushed past you. it would only last for a second and if you weren't looking for it, you wouldn't know.
The meter, which ran from 0-100, was filled up to eight percent capacity.
"The rift is still too small. And getting smaller," III just stared at the screen as if something would change if he kept looking.
II stopped turning the knobs and placed his attention on the bar,"It was 12% yesterday," he responded in disbelief.
"Nope, this is not a good look at all," III shook his head and pressed a button on the keyboard that reverted back to another vantage point of the robbery.
"He won't be happy about this," II spoke of the turn of events iat the robbery.
III turned completely in his chair to face II, "So what do we do?"
II sighed heavily and turned in his chair also, "Keep your opinions to yourself and let him do the thinking for us."
Both men nodded in unison and shifted their attention to the floor on the example that was made to them earlier that day.
Mystic was able to absorb most of the blast that hit him, as his shields were all he was concentrating on, and the flame was easier to absorb for him. He was no less confused and disoriented as the shockwave pushed him into a large planter. He hovered above and spotted Pyra. Oh, dear Pyra. Such a tragedy for you to come to this. Id hoped you would have learned from the last time.
What? Pyra turned to face mystic. Didnt you used to be blue? Whats with the dark colors? Nevermind, a change of costume wont help you. You know fire isnt very effective on me. She waved him away with a shooing motion.
Mystic drew his wand from under his cloak, oh yes, I know youre resistant to fire, but Ive been branching out. Pyras eyes widened as he leveled the wand at her and tip began to glow with black and purple energy. Just then Quexs battlecry ripped through the air. Though it didnt sound exactly like him, it did enough that Mystic turned his head to see if it was his old friend come back from the dead. Picker?
It was then that the Skull jumped him from a nearby table. They toppled to the ground and the Skulls mask grinned at him as he wrestled for control of the wand. More than just his costume had changed, though. There was something darker about Mystic on the inside as well. More than just his sense of humor. He stared up into the eyes of the Skull and smirked, this isnt a very good place for you, chap.
Fire erupted in a circle out from the mage, and the Skull began to scream. He immediately let go of the wand and began running out of the bank, on fire. Mystic stood and let loose a bolt directly into Pyras back, causing her to stumble as the black energy drained her, weakening her defenses and slowing her reactions so Brian would be able to subdue her more quickly. They traded shots of flame back and forth, Pyra trying to roast Mystic, and Mystic melding and welding things around her, trying to block her escape routes, and collapse things on her for physical damage. He ended with one shot from his bow and arrow, the shaft penetrating her right thigh just before Brian finally closed with her, preventing Mystic from launching any more flame, for fear of injuring his friend.
[ QUOTE ]
Newton! Brian was still out of earshot so he pressed his comm device, Skulls just below you. I need containment. Pyras crazier than they rumored her to be. Im going after her with Mystic. If you see Martial Gloom limping around somewhere, port him to a cell or something, Brian finished and felt his reflexes quicken through his will and power of the Emerald as he ran top speed into the lobby.
[/ QUOTE ]
Containment is something Ive gotten really good at, Newton said as he threw himself through one last singularity.
[ QUOTE ]
She jumped off the roof, falling at an alarming rate towards the ground. However, before she hit there was a burst of that same purple-black energy and she slowed dramatically, the Dark Nova form's natural flight abilities bringing her to a hover roughly two stories from the ground. Turning towards the unsuspecting Skulls, she let fly with an explosive energy blast right into the middle of the group. Several Skulls were flung back by the detonation, but those who weren't turned and fired their various weapons at her. Abbie returned fire with a barrage of smaller, more directed blasts.
[/ QUOTE ]
Newton pulled up short as all sorts of violence exploded on the street below him. Explosions, then a sword flashing, and a leather jacketed woman fading in and out as she dragged victims away.
Well, whole bunches of people have joined the par-tay, Newton said as he spread his hands out in front of him. A group of Skulls rose into the air. The minions looked down at their feet in amazement. Choosing one randomly, Newton flicked him far up into the sky, and then dropped him. The Skull fell to the ground hard and did not move. Lets try to keep the casualties to a minimum, the green-haired mutant called out to the sword-wielder. The paperwork for death is such a pain in the neck.
A bolt of dark energy erupted past him. He turned and saw one of the Bone Daddies powering up another dark blast. Would someone care to take that one? he asked as he threw a couple of forcefield bubbles around the warshade.
History
The Two Six is an old police precinct building in the roughest part of King's Row. It was abandoned by the police in the early 80's, and has been used as a gang hangout by the Skulls, the Hellions, the Lost, and, most recently, the Trolls.
The police system chose to reactivate the station, but rather than sending in their own people, they arranged for super heroes in trouble with the law to re-open the station.
The Two Six Building
The Two Six is a three story building with a basement.
The outside of the building is brown brick. There numbers '2' and '6' are attached to the outside of the wall, although the 2 is quite crooked. A wide set of steps lead up to a pair of double doors.
Directly inside the front entrance is the main lobby. The lobby is one of the largest rooms in the Two Six. It is all hardwood floors. The various doorways are also dark wood. It is two stories tall.
Benches and decorative plants line the sides of the room.
Centrally located in the lobby is the large sergeant's desk. It stands 6 feet tall with bullet proof glass windows shielding the sergeant's chair. To get into the desk area, it is a three foot step up into the desk. The sergeant's chair is overstuffed and very comfortable.
There are four exits out of the lobby. To the right are stairs leading down to the basement. To the left are stairs leading up to the second level balcony. Behind the sergeant's desk is a narrow hallway to the first floor offices.
The offices on the first floor are used for various purposes. One is the room for the desk sergeant. One is the room of the police liason. One is used for a kitchen, and another is a storeroom. There are also two observation rooms with one way mirrors and two holding rooms. At the very back of the building is a large garage that can hold up four full sized cars. The garage doors are heavy duty and resistant to damage.
On the second floor there are ta few secure holding rooms. In addition, other rooms have been turned into residences by 'volunteers.' Newton's Apple's room is on the second floor.
On the third floor, there are medical facilities, storage rooms, a few quarters for the volunteers. There is a heavy duty roof access door.
In the basement is the machinery and boiler room. Ten heavy duty jail cells are available in the basement. In addition, there is warwall technology installed in the basement that has strengthed the walls of the whole building and made them nearly invulnerable to destruction. This machinery is in one of the ten jail cells. There is an entrance to the sewer in the basement as well.
The Desk Sergeant
The current Desk Sergeant is Julius Mustard, who prefers to be called Colonel. He is a short, rude little man. He has no real sense of humor, and does hold a grudge. He is blond, fat, has a mustache, and will mutter not-so-nice things under his breath. He feels this job is beneath him, and lets the heroes know it.
Introducing Yourself and Interracting With Others
The characters who come to the Two Six frequently are those who have had some trouble with the law. For many of them, the Two Six is their last chance. Alternatively, it is a place of community service, and those who wish to help reclaim King's Row from the gangs who inhabit it. Or the character could have connections to the police who want to keep an eye on these marginal heroes.
Suggestions: introduce yourself slowly. Let people get a feel for who your character is, how you write, and how often you are committed to posting. Many of the writers here can only post about once a day. Don't force an intro right off the bat. Coordinate with private messages (PMs) when you do start interacting. Almost everyone will respond positively to PMs for advice, and coordinate with you as you make an effort to fit in.
The Old Thread
While not necessary to read, the old thread does introduce the characters and building, and there will be some references back to it.
The Two Six, season 1
One last thing
The three of us who are restarting this all have lives outside of the computer realms we dearly love. This will be a slow posting thread, designed for working individuals who get to post once, maybe twice a day, so please be patient as we go along.
So, welcome to the Two Six, Season 2