The Path Less Trodden (RP Adventure)

This is the ressurection of the RP Adventure that has gripped the harts and minds of so many readers: "The Path Less Trodden"

This Adventure was interrupted by events in the dreaded RL world. But this will mearly delay us. The show must go on!


-----------------------
As was the norm before the board whipe, leave this thread to the official broadcasts.
If you have anything to say, please do so in this Thread in the Roleplay section

(( I'm going to add the original posts so, please bare with me ))

Silver Weasel's opening post:
[ QUOTE ]

(( OK people, I'm going to start running this game for Grav as of this thread[was a link]. People are welcome to join in, but please can you PM me your details first so I can bring you into the story when it's relevant. Can I also please ask that comments in here are kept to a minimum or are placed in the Roleplaying Thread. Thanks ))

[/ QUOTE ]

Silver_Weasel begins:
[ QUOTE ]

It was early morning when Grav woke from a fitful dream.
The traffic past the window hadn't started yet, but a thin beam of sunshine was trying to pull apart the curtains.
.
Her dressing gown was left neatly at the end of her bed, and a simple gesture was enough to carry it over to her.
.
She slipped her arms into the comforting clothing and rubbed her eyes wearily.
.
Through sleep-deprived eyes, she squinted at the alarm clock. In painfully bright red numbers, it flashed 12:00 at her; and something about that was odd. How, she wasn't quite sure at the moment, but it was strange.
.
Another simple gesture and the bar of Crey Chocolate Delight slipped out of her purse and walked over to her waiting hand. Chewing on it, she wondered what had happened. Everything looked in it's place, the Skuls were playing Death Metal Music outside as usual...
.
Hold on....now that's weird, she thought.
.
Skul's usually didn't advertise their presence, as it brought all the hero's in on them. Possibly something to investigate later, but for now a quick wash and then into the spandex.
.
As she came out of the shower with a towel wrapped around her midriff, her costume hung sadly over the back of the chair.
.
((Your turn Grav ))


[/ QUOTE ]

ShadowGhost responds:
[ QUOTE ]

(( Oke, here goes... ))

With a quick look to make sure the curtains are closed, Grav puts on her hazmat suit, waiting to put on the helmet. The towel is quickly cleaned with a spell and placed back in the closet.

With her glasses on, she checks once more that the alarm clock is flashing 12:00.
"I had better set it back to the right time, before I forget." Grav thinks to herself.
Grav picks up her cell phone, and looks at the display to get the time.
.
(( that was fast, back to Weasel ))


[/ QUOTE ]

And so our gratious host continues:
[ QUOTE ]

'My glasses seem a little funny', Grav thought as she squinted closer at the clock. Then, as her fingers grasped the phone, she turned in horror. This wasn't her phone. At least, it hadn't been for about two years. This was the old tinny one she'd dumped because it's ring-tone drove her up the wall.
.
Placing it carefully down after memorising the time, she turned back to the clock. Resting beside it was a small coin and a note.
.
The note simply said 'Something to help you for helping me.' and was signed 'R'. The coin itself seemed to be a shiny dollar but the head had been replaced by a figure in a long overcoat, silhouetted against the burning remains of Paragon City. Turning it over, the same image was on the reverse, and along the outer rim was the following motto 'In den Flammen des Paragons stehe ich, lachend'.
.
The clock flashed 12:00 once more and then started counting forward.


[/ QUOTE ]

ShadowGhost quickly responds: ((is it weird that I speak of myself in the third person? ))
[ QUOTE ]

The clock is counting again, that is strange in it's self. The coin, the image on it, the inscription: In the flames of Paragon I stand, laughing'' this is even more ominous.
.
The note... Who was this R? 'Something to help you for helping me' she reread. Who was I helping... Was the note even ment for me?
Grav looked at her phone again, "this does appear to be mine"
.
The coin, the old phone... this reaks of dimensional travel.
"But I have not cast such a spell." she was thinking out load. "No, I went to sleep. This hapened while I was sleeping. I hope Yoko is alright..."
"Get yourself together, let's check what we can."
Grav opened her bag of holding, and checked it's contents. "Nothing wrong with that, but then it wouldn't the other end is fixed in an other dimension."
.
"What's next? Check the appartment for anything out of the ordinary, check the mail, look for signs of Yoko, then the new paper, but perhaps I should start with looking out the window?"
Grav pondered but a moment before acting: Searching the appartment.


[/ QUOTE ]

(( I thought the entrance of Agent Sapphire deserved a new post ))

Silver_Weasel:
[ QUOTE ]

Meanwhile....
.
In Brickstown Tube Station, a figure slumped against the doors of the toilets. Vile smelling liquid poured from Agent Saphire's mouth, forming a pool of noxious sludge.
.
Saphire's 'human' mind blinked and railed after the minimal amount of sleep she'd had.
'What's wrong?', she thought to herself.
'.....feel bad...', her Kheldian half informed her.
.
This was strange; since the joining she'd never known her Kheldian to even get a sniffle; but this felt like it was suffering from a fully blown flu attack.
.
Her sleepy mind tried to regain control of the body and it smashed heavily against the door, spreading the puddle across the floor.
.
Slowly she stood and looked around, people were looking at her. Shocked expressions on everyone as her Kheldian mind sat at the back of her head and shivered.
.
What was happening?


[/ QUOTE ]

Silver_Weasel:
[ QUOTE ]

In Kings Row...
.
Grav looked out of the window and it seemed quiet, apart from the thumping Death Metal of the Skuls music. Though looking closer, they weren't normal Skuls; in fact they seemed normal. No real masks or anything, just painted faces. The Police strode past, the civilians chatted, everything seemed normal. Almost too normal.
.
Next she walked around the apartment, paying close attention to everything and the more she looked, through her faulty glasses, the more she spotted things 'just' out of place. The remote control for the TV wasn't where she left it, the fridge had apple juice instead of orange; just little things, but each made her skin crawl that little bit more.
.
The two items of mail; one junk mail promising 'Eternal Salvation' and the other saying she could have already won a million dollars; were both adressed to a Mrs K. Beecham.
.
Then it hit her like a Freak Show Hammerblow, there wasn't any crime outside the window. This time of day you could always rely on some Vahzilok scrounging or Skul bag snatching; but there wasn't anything. Something was terribly wrong, but in a good way....... wasn't it?


[/ QUOTE ]

ShadowGhost:
[ QUOTE ]

"Mrs. K. Beecham?"
"Who is this person, and is there a Mr.? No, most mail would be adressed to the Mr... but then again, why wouldn't that be diferent aswell?"
Grav started pacing in the appartment, not sure if it was 'her's' anymore.
Grav looked arround again. "No photo's, just like my place... no magic book, but I've moved those to the library when Yoko moved in... The Library!"
.
Grav paced some more, thinking about what to do next.
Grav ordered things in her mind: "The things I need to find out are:
1. Am I this Mrs. K. Beecham.
2. What is this dimension used to: get a newspaper.
3. Can I still get to my library, and will it be mine?
4. How did I get here.
5. Who is this R.? And what does his note mean?
6. What happened to Yoko and my friends.
7. What is it I'm supposed to do here, assuming I need to do something.
8. How to get back."
.
"What do I know of this world?
1. It is similar, but not the same
2. The note was in english, sugesting the comon language.
3. The coin, the German incription. That suggests the Germans won WWII, and ocupy America... and The Netherlands... and the rest of the world.
4. The presumable police state would sacrifice freedom for controle. - the lack of crime suports this theory."
.
Getting frustrated with her glasses being grogy, she returned them where she found them, and created a new pair from thin air.
Inspecting the glasses, Grav was well pleased, and put them on. Finally she saw things clearly again... literaly speaking, not figurativly.
"I can't find out anything else by just sitting here."
Walking towards the door, she changed her mind and returned to the bedroom. Inspecting the coin more closely, she tried to make a few copies.
After five attempts she finally produced a copy she was satisfied with, near perfect. But the imperfection could easily be explained as wear and tear.
Returning the original to it's place, and disapating the bad copies, Grav pocketed a few of the good copies. "This might be the standard currency."
.
Thinking a moment, Grav placed her helmet in her bag of holding.
With that Grav cast her normal illusion image, hiding her green skin and hero uniform. (( conservative business suit ))
.
Grav opened the door, meaning to check if her key still works and if the spare key is still behind the illusionary brick.
.
(( There, I think this will do... ))


[/ QUOTE ]

Captain_Cliche makes his/her first appearance:
[ QUOTE ]

Saphire rose slowly, stumbling sightly as she pulled herself up. She slowly walked towards one of the benches in the station, stumbling slightly as she did so, and sat down slowly, breathing heavily.
.
She thought to herself about what to do next. The hospital? Perhaps, but might be a long journey or a dangerous one depending on which one she went to, and she didn't feel up for either of those things. She thought again for a moment, wiping some of the dirt and vomit that had colected on her onto the floor. What about Sunstorm? He would probably know what to do next, she thought, and moved her hand to retrieve her phone...


[/ QUOTE ]

Silver_Weasel:
[ QUOTE ]

Saphire's hand started to shake as she gripped her phone.
.
"I'm dying.". The plaintive Kheldian voice struck her like a razor blade across the eyeball.
.
Her inner monologue continued.
.
"Something's very wrong."
"But, we're joined; how can you be dying?"
"I'm not sure, but I'm losing contact with you."
.
Saphire stabbed the numbers into her phone rapidly, but the only response she got was an unavailalbe tone.
.
A brightly dressed harlequin strode into the station, looked over at Saphire, sniffed and walked towards the train.
.
"A Carnie?"


[/ QUOTE ]

Our host explains:
[ QUOTE ]

(( Quick rules for combat. If you want to attack anyone, please tell me what you're 'aiming' to do and which two of your powers you will use in the brief time before they re-attack. Once I get your turn, they will react again until they're defeated. ))


[/ QUOTE ]

And turns his gaze upon Grav:
[ QUOTE ]

Grav struggled with the tumultuos thoughts running through her mind.
It didn't make sense that she was Mrs. Beecham because she still had her own memories; but then who was she?
A newspaper sounded like a good idea though, and she slipped out of the front door.
.
A pekinese japped up at her and she leapt slightly, almost dropping into a combat stance until the owner reassured her.
"It's alright Mrs. Beecham, he's quite harmless you know.", said the old lady, wrapped in a shawl.
.
Mrs. Beecham?
.
She continued. "You shouldn't be going out on a night like this though. I've heard tell of the Fifth Column picking up recruits on nights like this; and those awful Skul boys are always clogging up the station; drinking and swearing and Lord knows what."
.
From across the square, a Skul belched loudly and his gang members broke into laughter.
.
The old woman shivered slightly and pushed Grav to one side as she hurried in.


[/ QUOTE ]

ShadowGhost:
[ QUOTE ]

Analysing recent info in her mind:
"I'm Mrs. Beecham... did I take her place, is she out here still?
Fifth Column, sounds familiar... Need to find out more. They're recruiting... best avoid them for now."
.
Grav looked arround, determining the best course of action: invicibility, or not...
.
Grav noticed the information terminal she had not noticed for weeks: it was just an obstruction. Now she thought it might just be usefull.
.
"Assuming the worst, this is a dictatorial state. The Old Lady seemed frightened of these Fifth Column, but spoke of them as though they were a part of live...
If I was a dictator... I would controle the information flow, and also moniter who requests what information..."
.
Grav cast her invisibility spell on her self, and proceded to the public information terminal.


[/ QUOTE ]

Captain_Cliche:
[ QUOTE ]

"How did he get past the drones?" Saphire murmured and slowly rose, coming up behind the carnie, a bubble of kheldian energy forming around her ((Shining shield +res(Smashing, Lethal) )) as she waited to strike. She already had it worked out - she'd hit him into the train as it came past. she slowly brought energy into her fist, knowing it would leave her weakened in her tired state, and began to draw her arm back... ((Radiant Strike - Melee, superior DMG (energy/smashing) Foe - DEF, Knockback, -fly ))


[/ QUOTE ]

(( stay tuned for an other re-run ))

Silver_Weasel:
[ QUOTE ]

Grav tapped away on the Public Information Terminal.
.
Dateline ++ May 21st, 2002 ++
.
Dr. Science warns the destruction of Portal Industries a decade ago did not lead to the end of Extra-Dimensional Activity. He has warned that one of his brightest children has been using the 'Jericho Field' to investigate strange infrasonic readings in the area of Peregrine Island.
.
Statesman today issued a statement saying that the Freedom Phalanx will be joined by Hero 1 (A British Superhero of some repute) in studying the area.
.
+++ Message Ends ++


[/ QUOTE ]

Silver_Weasel:
[ QUOTE ]

The bubble formed around Saphire and she thought she heard an exhalation of breath before she pulled her arm back.
.
The Radiant Strike smashed down into the side of the Train, shattering one of the windows as the Carnie leapt high in the air and released a knife from her grasp. Saphire smiled as the knife clipped the side of her costume; and brought her hand back for another punch; before realising that the knife had done it's intended job: pinning her sleeve to the wall, immobilising her for a brief second.
.
As she looked back, the Carnie whipped her leg round and in a devastating scissor kick, smashed Saphire across the facem sending her spawling back.
.
Saphire wiped the blood from her mouth as she looked back up. The Carnie was obviously shocked as she stammered 'B.B.B.B.But YOU shouldn't be here; he promised us alone!"; before hissing and leaping into attack once more.
.
( Round 2 )


[/ QUOTE ]

Captain_Cliche
[ QUOTE ]

Saphire stared into the carnies eyes, a rage flowing through her, building up to her attack. She rose slowly from the ground, energy flowing into her fists. Then, she smashed down upon the carnie... (Incadecant strike extreme DMG (Energy/Smashing) -Fly, -Foe Def, Hold))


[/ QUOTE ]

ShadowGhost
[ QUOTE ]

Grav stared at the information. "2002? Great, there's also a time variable. This will bake it even more difficult to get back."
.
Grav went over the message again. "Statesman is here, so is Hero 1. The Nazi didn't win WWII. Then what's hit the coin?... Or... maybe this Statesman and Hero1 are different than mine. They are worried about extra-dimensional activity, I had better keep my eyes open. If they have the kind of equipment Portal Corp. back home has, they'll find me within a day, if they're looking."
.
"I had better find out what I can. First things first: who is this Mrs. K. Beecham, and where is her husband. Then this Fifth Column."
.
Grav aproached the information terminal while still under her invisiblity spell.
While standing at the side of the screen, Grav started to access the terminal.


[/ QUOTE ]

Silver_Weasel
[ QUOTE ]

"YYeeearrrrrrr......rghhhh", screamed the Carnie as Saphire's strike struck right into her undefended back, smashing her against the floor, leaving cracked tiles around her point of impact. Staggering to her feet, she made 3 swift jabs at Saphire, but each was deflected away by the bubble around her.
She stood, dazed at the fury of the attack and a small coin fell to her feet from out of her pockets.
.
By this point, the crowds had started to split in each and every direction.


[/ QUOTE ]

Silver_Weasel
[ QUOTE ]

Something burrowed in the back of Grav's mind. Something she had missed, but her fingers moved nimbly across the pad.
.
"Mrs. Karen Beecham nee Krichovski", she mumbled to herself, repeating the words that glowed green on the screen in front of her. "A woman that lives in my apartment; but I don't, I live....Oh!..", her inner monologue stumbled as her original address from 2002 pinged onto the screen helpfully.
.
A brief time elapsed before the fingers started typing again, and her husband wasn't registering as living in Paragon.
.
Further keypresses brought up a list of information on the Fifth Column and it was exactly as if the Council had been built with German names. She even recognised the descriptions of some of the Archons she had put in jail.
.
It was all adding up; now she only had to find what the question was....


[/ QUOTE ]

ShadowGhost:
[ QUOTE ]

"No husband, that saves me world of trouble." Grav thought as she read the screen.
.
"Right now I remember, the Council absorbed most of the Fifth Column a while back... which would mean in a while."
.
Despite the time Grav decided to head down to Atlas Park to see what's going on at City Hall. Remaining comfortable in her invisibility she walked to the station.


[/ QUOTE ]

Captain_Cliche
[ QUOTE ]

Saphire Panted heavily, out of breath, ducking quickly to pick up the coin. Wich she slotted between her fingers for an extra punch, bringing her arm back for one last radiant strike


[/ QUOTE ]

Silver_Weasel:
[ QUOTE ]

The Carnie shook her head vigorously to shake the cobwebs clear, just in time for Saphire's punch to catch her on the chin. Her ragdoll body was whipped up into the ceiling, spraying the area with the remnants of a photon tube and she collapsed to the floor.
.
And stayed there...
.
There was no scream, no blue light and no teleporation to the Zig, just a thin trickle of blood from her once masked face.
.
She was dying. This wasn't supposed to happen.


[/ QUOTE ]

Silver_Weasel:
[ QUOTE ]

As she approached the station, there was a more worrying thing though. Not a single Police Drone guarded the steps.
.
Mulling it over in her mind as she stepped onto the train; someone bumped into her, looked straight through her; mumbled and walked on.
.
Before long, Atlas Park rolled up, and Grav peered out into a reasonably empty part of the city...
.
Then it struck her...
.
No War Walls
No Zeppelin
No new Heroes
and something else...something was trying to break through her psyche.
.
Looking down, she noticed no drones here as well. The City Hall stood in front of her; and at least the Stars & Stripes still flew over the building, welcoming her home.


[/ QUOTE ]

Captain_Cliche:
[ QUOTE ]

Pocketing the coin, saphire crouched down and looked at the carnie, removing its mask to look at its face...


[/ QUOTE ]

ShadowGhost:
[ QUOTE ]

Internal monologue:
The Rikti! The warwalls, the drones, those are Rikti technology... If the invasion never happened here, houndreds of heroes didn't die... those wouldn't need replacing. The cities of the world wouldn't lie in ruin, draining restoration funds... It all makes sense. But that also means that the teleportatin grid is offline, or rather doesn't excist: No hospital teleport, no Zig teleports eighter.
But then, what am I doing here? Maybe I've spend too much time around Doc MacAlister ((Doctor Temporis)).
I still need to find out who or what brought me here.
.
Keeping an eye out Grav walked to city hall, looking for anything that might give her answers, or raise more questions.
.
Worrying about her friends Grav walked. "When I return, will time have passed? What if I can return, but not to my time... What will Yoko do when she finds out I'm missing...
Yoko..." Grav sighs, and returns her attention to the strange world around her.


[/ QUOTE ]

Our, ellusive to anyone without Stasis powers, host Silver_Weasel continues:
[ QUOTE ]

Dribbles of blood soak into the tiles as Saphire pulls the mask away from the Carnie's face gently. Behind it was once the face of a beautiful woman, but her nose was crushed; and you can see that makeup has been applied to make her look uglier. As the sweat and blood peels the false look off her face though, there is a woman behind it who could easily have been a model. She coughs violently and more blood spills from the side of her mouth. Her lifeline is slowly disappearing.


[/ QUOTE ]

And for Grav the Silvermained Weasel had the following in store:
[ QUOTE ]

Four Hellions were stood round a car, trying to boost it.
.
One swore loudly in a strange Latin dialect and threw a wrench over his shoulder in disgust. It caught Grav's leg on the way past and disappeared into her invisibility field.
.
The Skull-faced Hellion swore and yelled "Spread out, we've got a cape nearby.". Each drew a small machine pistol and aimed them wildly.


[/ QUOTE ]

ShadowGhost:
[ QUOTE ]

Thinking to herself: "I guess somethings are universally constants..."
.
Taking the time granted by her invisibility, Grav assesed the situation. Standing ready to drop her invisibility and lay down a Gravity Distortion Field ((Mass hold, no dmg)) should the Hellions start shooting blindly.
Only four here, any more in sight?
Any pedestrians that might get hurt?
Getting a feel of there energy, Grav determined their treath level.


[/ QUOTE ]

Silver_Weasel:
[ QUOTE ]

The four Hellions roam around the car-park, guns drawn. After a while, on gets bored and decides that he's gonna do a bit of bag snatching. A shrill woman's voice echoes across the Park, whilst a brief flash of flight signifies a hero flying past.
.
Apart from this action, there's no-one really present; and the Hellions seem to have just started shaving; to give you an idea of their 'Insecurity' Level.


[/ QUOTE ]

Captain_Cliche:
[ QUOTE ]

Saphire looked the carnie in the eye, and stepped out the station to look out towards the Zig...


[/ QUOTE ]

ShadowGhost:
[ QUOTE ]

Grav sighed. She dropped her desguise and her invisibility.
Grav opened multiple wormholes ((teleportation, knockback on exit and disorientation)), one for each Hellion, but set the the exit points so that they would be launched into the car. Thinking: "I'll repair that car after this."


[/ QUOTE ]

Silver_Weasel:
[ QUOTE ]

The massive expanse of Brickstown catches Saphire's eyes; and weariness floods into her. Her Kheldian half was still lying foetal inside of her, shivering; whilst her human half had already done a night's work and had had only an hour's sleep. The sun's light bore down on her like God's flashlight, asking why she was still awake.
.
A muffled cough and splutter came from behind her and a civilian screamed as he saw the wreckage of the Carnie.
"My God! You're not gonna just leave her there?"
.
The Police Drones were nowhere in sight; and by picking out little differences, she could see buildings that had been destroyed in the Rikti Invasion. The one thing she couldn't see were other heroes, and also, surprisingly, there were no Paragon Protectors guarding the area.
.
Puzzled, she looked at the coin the Carnie had held. The coin itself seemed to be a shiny dollar but the head had been replaced by a figure in a long overcoat, silhouetted against the burning remains of Paragon City. Turning it over, the same image was on the reverse, and along the outer rim was the following motto 'In den Flammen des Paragons stehe ich, lachend'.
.
Whilst she was involved in this, a cop ran up, stammering and hold a gun like it had been dipped in sewage.
"F.f.f.f.f.f.reeze!", he challenged...


[/ QUOTE ]

Silver_Weasel:
[ QUOTE ]

Wormholes scattered across the carpark, seemingly out of control and *Vamph* one Hellion after another got thrown into the car; stunning them until they finally collapsed in a heap on top of each other. Grav allowed herself a little smile at this, but the smile dropped as they didn't finish and one appeared just over the car.
.
With a roar of triumph, one of the Rikti leapt through and more began to follow.


[/ QUOTE ]

ShadowGhost:
[ QUOTE ]

With only a second to analyse the situation, Grav summoned her Singularity at the exit of her hacked wormhole, hoping that the the repelling effect would knock anything comming through back throught the portal to where it came from.
Activating her Dispersion Bubble Grav began to think on how to close the wormhole. Keeping an eye on those Rikti that came through, determining wether or not a priority target had come through. (( sensing lvl, minion/lt/boss status and such. Lookin out for Com officers, Mentalists and Guardians ))


[/ QUOTE ]

Captain_Cliche:
[ QUOTE ]

"What?!" Saphire spluttered, stepping back away from the cop and raising her hands in the air slowly, dropping the coin.


[/ QUOTE ]

Silver_Weasel:
[ QUOTE ]

((Actually, I find the next bit deserving of it's own post, and it's a nice and linear point (not to mention I get to buff my post count...)

[/ QUOTE ]

Silver_Weasel:
[ QUOTE ]


**TWANG**
.
The sound rolled across Atlas Park like a giant rubber band.
.
Grav staggers slightly as a memory jumps to her forehead; her dispersion bubble collapsing as she remembers the Saphire Act that called for the installation of Police Drones at every station.
.
The humming singularity flicks one of the Communication Officers into a car; which crumples under it's hefty weight; whilst the five Infantry charging at Grav get frozen in mid-drawing of their weapons.


[/ QUOTE ]

Silver_Weasel:
[ QUOTE ]

The coin drops to the floor and wobbles slowly to a stop, whilst all around try desperately not to watch it. Both Kheldian and Policeman watching the gun carefully.
.
**TWANG**
.
The rippling sound runs through Brickstown.
.
A cry of triumph sounds from inside Agent Saphire's chest and her Kheldian mind re-emerges; suddenly better.
"I remember...something...The Old Ones talked of the leader of the invasion. The one that started the Rikti Invasion. The Invasion that is soon to happen. Her name was Grav."
.
One of the Crey Researchers pushes through the crowd and runs up the far set of stairs towards where the body of the Carnie lies.
"Let me through, dammit! I'm a Doctor!"
.
In a Mexican standoff, both Policeman and Kheldian look at the gun between them. The Policeman can't be very old, perhaps early 20's and sweat is running down his face. Sweat, or perhaps tears?


[/ QUOTE ]

Captain_Cliche:
[ QUOTE ]

Saphire stood there for a moment, assertaining the situation. She was silent for a minute, perhaps two, before she acted. Light poured out her eyes as her body started to become transparent, seperated from the rest of reality somehow.((Qauntum flight, Maximum flight speed & intangibility)) Then, she moved with impossible speed. In a few moments she was in the air, speeding towards the hospital. And the Carnie was with her.


[/ QUOTE ]

Silver_Weasel:
[ QUOTE ]

The Cop staggered back, firing blindly into the air as it parted in front of the hot lead.
.
In front of the Researcher, the Carnie's body disappeared and he swore loudly.
.
*Twa.....*. The sound built up, but then died away.
.
"I believe I've interpreted what is happening. Our actions are changing our future. Before we arrived, I couldn't have existed; therefore I felt detached. Something has changed though."
.
Reforming outside the door to the hospital, Saphire pushed the door open and bundled the still-coughing Carnie towards the recuperation chambers on the second floor, past the shocked faces of the doctors.
.
The problem would now be that Crey and the Carnies would be coming for her. What could Saphire do, considering that she still was unaware on who was causing this; and...the coin... still lay on the floor to the station?


[/ QUOTE ]

ShadowGhost:
[ QUOTE ]

Grav rolled to the side, out of the way of the Infantery, to get a clear view of the Com Officer. Grav recognized them, and their threat.
With a muttered word and a gesture of her hand, she cast a Gravity Distortion ((hold+knockback resistance)) at the Com Officer. That should hold him for 15 minutes or so, but to be sure, Grav pulled a lead filled crate from her bag of holding and launched it with massive force to the held Rikti Officer ((Propel, high dmg (double?) + knockback ))


[/ QUOTE ]

Captain_Cliche:
[ QUOTE ]

Saphire layed the carnie on a bed and walked back out the hospital. There was one more thing she had to see. She thought "If Crey's Folly is Venice... then I can be sure I've gone back through time..." Laying low from anything that might be out to get her, she walked to the Crey's Folly entrance...


[/ QUOTE ]

Silver_Weasel:
[ QUOTE ]

From the back of a truck nearby, ( details, details ) a hefty crate wobbles and then darts in the direction of the Comms Officer. His eyes widen almost comically before the crate smashes into him and punches him through the car he landed on. The car seems to decide that it doesn't like this and promptly detonates with a roaring flame; the Rikti's body dropping limply outside.
.
The infantry, incensed by this, open fire at the Singularity and Grav hears it's squeals as it takes a serious barrage of fire-power straight in the....body.
.
A Chief Mentalist steps through and barks an order at the Infantry and they, as one, turn their guns to point at Grav.


[/ QUOTE ]

Silver_Weasel:
[ QUOTE ]

No security guards.
.
No Crey's Folly.
.
A quiet and tranquil place called Venice.
.
2 days left, if Saphire's memory serves you correctly.
.
Agent Saphire turns away before the emotion of the place causes her to cry.


[/ QUOTE ]

Captain_Cliche:
[ QUOTE ]

Saphire knew now she had no choice, she had to warn everyone. But how? It seemed as if everyone was out to get her.


[/ QUOTE ]

ShadowGhost:
[ QUOTE ]

With slightly widened eyes, Grav cast a Gravity Distorion Field ((Mas Hold)) at the Infantery closest to the mentalist ((Hoping it's a Lt, so he'll get held 2)).
As Grav re-fired her Dispertion Bubble she noticed the debree left by the containts of the crate and the explosion of the car.
Grav was both hoping and dreading that the explotion would get a lot of attention.


[/ QUOTE ]

Silver_Weasel:
[ QUOTE ]

With her heart racing, Grav thrusts out her hands and a Gravity Field encases the Rikti's...but not before 5 shots have been let off.
.
Each slam into Grav with the force of a small car and she's belted off her feet to land...in someone's arms.
.
The voice behind her is strong and commanding, with a touch of compassion.
.
"Positron, if you would." and a robotic figure leaps into the centre of the held mass before a eye-shattering explosion of light blasts the Rikti unconscious.
.
Her eyes shift round to see a small female in red, white and blue; standing next to the huge guy with a metal helmet.
.
Statesman frowns at Positron and carefully returns Grav to her feet.


[/ QUOTE ]

Silver_Weasel:
[ QUOTE ]

Saphire's mind raced, there'd be an ambush coming for her soon and she would be trapped if there was two coming at once, she had to get somewhere safe and fast.
.
Then another thought struck her, maybe it wasn't just the enemies that were coming....maybe this time it would be a hero..
.
She needed to get somewhere safe and find someone to help...fast.


[/ QUOTE ]

ShadowGhost:
[ QUOTE ]

"The wormhole..." Grav said in a weak voice.
Her mind distracted by the pain of her wounds. "How to close a wormhole..." Grav's eyes widened as the answer came to her and said: "The singularity!"
Grav turned around to face the portal, but staggered and lost her balance.


[/ QUOTE ]

Silver_Weasel:
[ QUOTE ]

Bidden by Grav's mere thoughts, the humming singularity bobbed over to the wormhole and in a puff of gravity was gone...as was the wormhole.
.
Ms. Liberty takes a small device from her belt and runs the green beam over Grav, restoring her health.
.
"Now, I think you better explain what those things were, Miss.", Statesman said.
.
Positron rubs his sensors and mumbles something that Grav just can't hear; whilst Ms. Liberty obviously does as she turns and glares at him.


[/ QUOTE ]

Captain_Cliche:
[ QUOTE ]

Saphire knew that she needed to warn everyone, but who would trust a criminal? She thought: Perhaps she should find this 'Grav'? Perhaps that we, she could stop the invasion! But how? How would she find her? Still fearing an ambush, she climbed down into a sewer pipe, holding her head in her hands.


[/ QUOTE ]

Silver_Weasel:
[ QUOTE ]

The foulness of Paragon's finest dinner leftovers hung to Saphires shoes. Since no-one had actually taken over the sewers yet, it seemed logical they were being used for their original purpose.
.
And it stank...
.
She mused to herself about this Grav, it seemed odd that a single person would be able to cause a whole invasion, but stranger things have happened. The question to deal with now would be how to find her when she didn't know what she looked like or anything.
.
The question soon became mute though when around the next corner she heard voices...
.
"Our Leader's plan is coming to fruition then."
"Indeed, with these stupid heroes he's brought back; they should muck up the time-line enough to stop that Verdammt take-over; though I do not fully understand what he means by that coin of his."
"Be careful Archon Hanz, I hear his spies are everywhere."


[/ QUOTE ]

ShadowGhost:
[ QUOTE ]

Giving Ms. Liberty a thankfull nod, Grav steadied herself and composed her thoughts.
She looked Statesman in the eyes and began to explain:
"These beings belong to a race called the Rikti. They are from a diferent dimension, and as you can see, technologicaly advanced."


[/ QUOTE ]

Silver_Weasel:
[ QUOTE ]

Statesman listened to Grav carefully explain.
.
Positron pipes up. "Statesman, we've got an unconfirmed report from the police that a Villain has been seen in the sewers around Brickstown. Accodring to Crey Sources, he's already killed 5 hospital staff!"


[/ QUOTE ]

ShadowGhost:
[ QUOTE ]

Pauzes to consider what to say.
.
Hears Positron and raises a sceptical eyebrow.
.
Waits for Statesman's attention before continueing her explination.
"I used a multi-headed wormhole to gather a group of thugs. Somehow, these Rikti manages to hack it. I don't know how, but they used it to come here."
.
Taking a breath before stating the following:
"These Rikti are a warlike race, I think it likely to expect that they now have a fix on this dimension and could be plotting an attack."


[/ QUOTE ]

Captain_Cliche:
[ QUOTE ]

Saphire cautiously raises a head to take a look at the two men...


[/ QUOTE ]

Silver_Weasel:
[ QUOTE ]

Statesman looks down at Grav for a long time before speaking.
.
"There has been some weird happenings lately. Things that I'm not sure can be explained."
.
"Perhaps it would be best if we split up. Liberty, try and find Hero 1 and help him work out the probable area of attack. Positron, try and find that Villain and check what's happening. I need to contact the rest of the Team, they may be needed."
.
He then looks down at Grav.
.
"I don't think I've heard of you before. Is there any clues to what ...", and he stops mid sentence as a massed army of Fifth Column agents pile off the Station and open fire on everyone.


[/ QUOTE ]

Silver_Weasel:
[ QUOTE ]

In the dull light of the Sewer, Saphire thinks she can see 7 figures, all Fifth Column with the two that were talking near the front. The slow drips of sewage fall around them as they shuffle back and forth. The similarity to Council are very strange and then it hits Saphire like a bolt from the blue. They're not from this time; the uniforms are made of a much thicker material; something that would have been around LONG before this time.
.
They must be part of the group controlling these time-shifts.
.
One of them puts a cigarette in his mouth and lights it with a battered lighter.
.
"Did you feel that? That was another time-shift. Grav's no longer responsible for the Rikti War. Verdammt schweinhund."
.
"It's ok, Rupert.", the Archon says, "Once Crey catch up with Saphire, the Paragon Protectors will all be Kheldians, and then the Glorious Fifth Reich shall begin. Paragon City will be in flames."


[/ QUOTE ]

ShadowGhost:
[ QUOTE ]

(( Happy birthday Weasel! )) [01/10]
.
At the sound of gunfire, Grav cast her dispertion bubble.
.
Unable to cast the Singularity or Gravity Distortion Field so soon after the the previous battle, she instead resorted to Crushing Field (( Mass immob, minor DoT)).
.
Meanwhile she assesed the tactical situation: number; weapons; priority targets and getting a feel of the threat lvl


[/ QUOTE ]

Captain_Cliche:
[ QUOTE ]

((Happy growth-scraping day Weasel!))
.
Saphire sat for a moment to regain her energy, then lept up out the pipe.
Building up for an attack, she released a dawn strike ((Like an energy blaster nova)), hot white energy exploding all around her.


[/ QUOTE ]

Silver_Weasel:
[ QUOTE ]

(( Ta to you both ))
.
The Dispersion bubble glows outwards from Grav, whilst she positions herself to cast Crushing Field.
.
From behind, Stateman yells "Omega Delta" and the other three split up. Miss Liberty leaps into the air, Positron takes a breath and lets off an Neutron Bomb, whilst Statesman rises into the air; surveying the battle.
.
The Crushing field takes hold just as Positron's bolt explodes into them, decimating the front rank. Miss Liberty flies in and starts tearing through the ranks that are left.
.
From Grav's vantage point, she can see something very strange. There's not just several, there are hundreds of Fifth Column troops piling from the station. Corporals down to the lowly Privates; never has she seen such a mixture of levels.
.
Then the retaliation begins. Positron is entrapped in dark tentacles and twin grenades explode around him. Miss Liberty is engulfed in flame from 6 flame troopers and even Statesman take a few volleys of gunfire.
.
He lowers his eyes and calls down, "Positron. Find the League. Liberty. Get Hero-1. Grav. Find that Saphire Villain. These are mine...."
.
The sky cracks with an boom as he hurtles into the crowd, knocking Archons left and right like nine-pins.


[/ QUOTE ]

Silver_Weasel:
[ QUOTE ]

The breath came easily to Saphire.
.
She had been used. Time for a little payback.
.
Leaping into the fray, she had just enough time to hear "Gott In Himmel!" before all 7 were thrown against the walls.
.
They were down, but certainly not out as 5 clambered back to their feet.


[/ QUOTE ]

ShadowGhost:
[ QUOTE ]

Find that Saphire Villain, right... Last seen in Bricktown, the sewers.
Turning towards Bricktown, she teleported away. She'd have to rest a moment before she got there, but it would be quicker than by train. At least there were no war walls in the way.
During the trail of teleportations she let her mind wander, like she ussually did when racing to a problem.
The sewers, those stretch out for miles... How would I track this Saphire?
She entered near the hospital, I assume, but where was he headed? (( not knowing gender, Grav assumes a "he" ))
I wish Ellie were here, she knows the sewers a lot better than I.
Killed 5 in the hospital, according to Crey, if he did I might get an energy signature I could follow. Worth a shot.
Should have spend more time at divination.
How did Statesman know my name?
What did positron say?
Will Statesman be able to fight that many?
Why would this Saphire attack a hospital?
Is this an other time, or a different dimension, or both?
Getting tired, must rest a moment.[/i]
.
While she was looking around for a place to land to catch her breath, she pondered if it would be better to hover for a while or not. Landing and walking for a bit would be faster.


[/ QUOTE ]

Captain_Cliche:
[ QUOTE ]

((Wow, what level where they?))
.
Saphire took a moment to catch her breath before conserving her power, firing off a pulsar ((AoE disorient, heavily slotted for ACC ))


[/ QUOTE ]

Silver_Weasel:
[ QUOTE ]

((Can't give you too low a challenge ))
.
Three of the five are stunned by the pulsar, wandering around like drunkards; but the Archon screams "Saphire! Requiem warned us of you!", and unbuckles a squat weapon from his belt, firing a purple beam into Saphire's side.
.
Your heart buckles as the spread of Void Energy rips through your body like a living hangover.
.
The fifth officer brings out a small device and starts fiddling with it.


[/ QUOTE ]

Silver_Weasel:
[ QUOTE ]

Now the walls were no longer there, Brickstown is a relatively short jaunt across Skyway. Landing in the Gruff, a stone's throw from her house, Grav stopped and rested. A gang of Trolls were playing some reggae beat at a loud volume over by the bus stop; but there were more important things to think of.
.
If Saphire did kill those doctors, then she'd most likely heading towards Steel Canyon, if she'd wanted to leave by sea, then Independence Port is just nearby; but she went into the sewers.
.
She remembered an earlier trip into the Sewers with Ellie, and a thought occured back to her. Now that the Rikti weren't hiding in the sewers, there would be far less people in there and a trace of energy signature would be far easier in there.
.
As for the Liberty League, who knows? As long as she hadn't altered the time-line...Grav searched her thoughts...She still remembered Positron, Statesman and Miss Liberty; so they must have survived the battle: IF she was still in her own time....
.
A choke caught her throat though as she still remembered Hero-1 dying though...
.
Had she actually caused it?


[/ QUOTE ]

ShadowGhost:
[ QUOTE ]

Focussing again on the task at hand, Grav continued her journey. Slowing down a little as she reached Bricktown to be in fighting condition when she arrived at the hospital, just incase.
.
Landing infront of the steps to the hospital, Grav looked around only briefly before entering the hospital.
Concentrating on sensing any energy that would indicate an attack or voilence. (( Ooh, the static of voilence victems in the hospital... ))
Grav went to the main desk to get some answers.


[/ QUOTE ]

Silver_Weasel:
[ QUOTE ]

Grav reached her mind out to sense the energy from anyone in the hospital, and for a brief moment, she thought she had actually missed it; as it was so minute in what she was used to. The lady on the first floor had a slight case of the sniffles (though she was convinced it was Super-flu); the only person in real pain was on the fourth floor and she was under anaesthetic.
.
The Receptionist, daintily supporting a badge naming her as 'Charlene', sat behind the desk, chatting to someone on the phone and pulling gum strands from her mouth.
.
As Grav approached though, the serious demeanour fell across her and she murmured brief apologies before putting the phone down.
.
"Cahn I hoilp you?"


[/ QUOTE ]

ShadowGhost:
[ QUOTE ]

With a deadly serious face (through which a sertain anoyance probably was visible) Grav looked to the receptionist.
"Was there an attack in the last.. 2 hours or so?"


[/ QUOTE ]

Silver_Weasel:
[ QUOTE ]

Charlene blinks up at you, pauses, looks at her notepad, nods and says
"No, but Dr. Sheridan will be available to see you in a moment if you'd like to take a seat?"
.
A pink bubble pops on the front of her lips.


[/ QUOTE ]

ShadowGhost:
[ QUOTE ]

Grav's annoyance level increases like the gum-bubble's volume.
Looking at the bubble briefly then back in her eyes, with a stern look:
"Anyone brought in, wounded in a fight, recently?"
.
.
(( Oh, and I've lost my sence of time for this story... is this still the same day? ))


[/ QUOTE ]

Captain_Cliche:
[ QUOTE ]

Saphire boosted her essence ((PB version of dull pain)), running up to the officer. She jumped into the air and prepared an incadesant strike.


[/ QUOTE ]

Silver_Weasel:
[ QUOTE ]

((It's just turning dusk on the 21st, the light's starting to fade))
.
Charlene looks at her notepad, oblivious to the tension.
"There was a Jane Doe brought in recently by this totally heroine-ical woman. I mean she had a cape and everything. Sort of like...oh... whoops."
She brings her hand up to her lips, catching the edge of the gum with her nail.
"I think Doctor Sheridan's looking over her now. Real Freak Clothes! I wish I knew where she got them from.", she says whilst shaking her finger free of the gum.


[/ QUOTE ]

ShadowGhost:
[ QUOTE ]

Grav gave a brief look down at her tight pink hazmat suit with cape and all before returning her gaze at the reseptionist. (( the business suit was an illusion, which she dropped before confronting the Hellions ))
"What room? I need to inspect her aswell."


[/ QUOTE ]

Silver_Weasel:
[ QUOTE ]

Charlene stammered "Uh, they're on floor 4, room 201, but you can't go up there with...ah hell, I'm gonna get so fired.". The lift pinged her sentence closed as it rose towards the 4th floor.


[/ QUOTE ]

ShadowGhost:
[ QUOTE ]

Arriving at room 201 on the 4th floor, Grav knocked on the door and opened it.
Staying outside she looked in the room.
.
Grav was suprised to see a Carnie outfit.
Looking up at the Doktor, Grav asked: "How does it look, doktor?"


[/ QUOTE ]

Silver_Weasel:
[ QUOTE ]

Dr. Sheridan looked round, surprised and rather shocked at the intrusion.
"Visiting hours are....Oh, a superhero. Don't think I've met your before.", and he walks over to shake your hand, carefully removing his gloves.
.
The Carnie is lying in a bed wrapped in a full plaster cast, with a monitor casually pinging to her left.
.
"Don't know what to make of this really. Her injuries should be improving by now; but her injuries are quite unlike anything I've ever seen. If I didn't know better, I'd think they were almost temporal injuries. I don't suppose you can shed some light on this?"


[/ QUOTE ]

ShadowGhost:
[ QUOTE ]

Grav shaked the doctor's hand (with her gloves still on) with a nod, then turns to the carnie.
"Temporal, you say? I'll see what I can find out."
Grav walked up to the bed and stood there for a moment, looking intently at the patient. She at the doctor, who was observing intently, and said "If you're still treating her, feel free to continue. It will not hamper my investigation."

Grav closed her eyes, and concentrated, trying to get a feel for the energies of the Carnie. Trying to make heads and tail on what she felt.
She felt multiple distintions in the energies:

One was Kheldian, probably Peacebringer, different from Ellie but Kheldian none the less. Probably the one that attacked her, probably this Sapphire character. But a peacebringer... that practicly excluded the possibility of being a villain, and the victim is a Carnie... Grav didn't know a lot about them, but had heard rumors. Jester seemed to respect them as a worthy foe.

An other one had a "fleshy" feel to it, probably the young women's own natural energie.

Then there was an other one. It was familiar, but Grav could not figure out from where. She had not felt anything like this, and yet, it was familiar.

There was also a... "mental" signature, perhaps some form of psychic latancy, or residual energy from an attack, or some form of domination... it was hard to tell.
.
Having concluded her examination she turned to the doctor: "How and when was she brought in?"


[/ QUOTE ]

Silver_Weasel proves he's not _that_ allseeing:
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Saphire boosted her essence ((PB version of dull pain)), running up to the officer. She jumped into the air and prepared an incadesant strike.

[/ QUOTE ]
((Crapola....missed this one. ))
.
Saphire felt her head spin as the strange feeling gripped hold of her brain and shook it. She staggered towards the officer, ignoring the other attacks that rained down upon her as the officer furiously stabbed buttons. Finally, she managed to breakfree of the confusion; and the officer disappeared into a world of hurt as the strike hit.
.
Another beam struck her in the back and she felt tired....so obscenely tired.
.
Across the floor, the little device skipped until it landed in the sludge and began to sink.
.
She was vaguely aware of some screams from the others and the hellish attacks ceased for a moment; though the room span like a roulette table.


[/ QUOTE ]

Silver_Weasel:
[ QUOTE ]

Grav also picked up something, a feeling of innocence from the Carnie. She had been guilty of anger but it was misplaced; almost distant. She had known what she was getting into, but there had been some sort of double cross. In fact, as she looked deeper, this was a very 'young' Carnie; barely out of her teens and surely not someone who would be out alone; unless it was a trap of some kind...
.
Dr. Sheridan's voice interruped her thoughts.
"Well, that's the strange thing. A Heroine brought her in about twenty minutes ago. Quite shook up. Never seen her before either; and within a minute of her being here; we received an APB from Crey Security stating she had been responsible for the deaths of 5 Crey Medical Support Staff. Personally, I don't trust Crey at all, because the woman didn't seem capable of doing that much damage; though I guess that's often the case with capes like yourself."
"She left in a bit of a hurry and I don't exactly know where she went, but I think she might be needing a bit of help."
.
The Carnie coughed at that point, and both of you looked over to see something very strange indeed. Her body was glowing gently and starting to fade...


[/ QUOTE ]

ShadowGhost:
[ QUOTE ]

As the Carnie faded, the strangely familiar feeling became stronger for a moment.
After the Carnie fade, there was a slight 'echo' that fades quickly. What the echo was, she had no idea.
After a moment thinking this over, she returned to the business at hand.
"Thank you for your time, doctor."
With those words and a worried face, Grav left the room to head for the nearest sewer access point in search of her Kheldian 'prey', so to speak.
.
(( On the elevator, Grav would take out her helmet and finish her hazmat suit, making the sewers less... revolting ))


[/ QUOTE ]

Captain_Cliche:
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
though the room span like a roulette table.

[/ QUOTE ]
((Room, what room?))
.
Saphire struggled to stand, but attemped to transformn into her light form as a last gambit...


[/ QUOTE ]

Stay tuned for the next episode of: "The Path Less Trodden"!

Welcome back. We continue our story:

Silver_Weasel:
[ QUOTE ]

((Figure of speech ))
.
Saphire's head started to groan under the pain of thinking, but the transformation was usually easy.
.
This wasn't so on the poor Fifth Column whose eyes had adjusted to the darkness.
.
A myriad of shots rained forth at Saphire, each one spectacularly missing their target; and the squat weapon that the Archon carried made one of his men into a head-clutching nobody.
.
Saphire shook her head to remove the cobwebs and looked across at the 2 stunned threats remaining....


[/ QUOTE ]

Silver_Weasel:
[ QUOTE ]

As Grav rounded on the sewer entrance, a hooded figure popped out, holding his hand over his eyes to protect him from the moon's glare. His eyes caught Grav's hazmat suit though and he stepped back slightly.
.
Crying out "Hexen Grav, Volksschädlinge!", he drew up his machine gun to fire.


[/ QUOTE ]

ShadowGhost:
[ QUOTE ]

Adjusting to the new light level in the sewers, Grav cautiously entered them. Her senses searching for Kheldian energy traces.
.
Upon hearing the cry out of "Hexen Grav" took a combat stance and activated her Dispersion Bubble.
.
The muzzle fire from the machinegun revealed the assailant’s location, and Grav summoned a Singularity ((with the repel effect)) at his feet.


[/ QUOTE ]

Captain_Cliche:
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Saphire shook her head to remove the cobwebs and looked across at the 2 stunned threats remaining....

[/ QUOTE ]
((Head, what head? She's in light form, a glowing ball of light that keeps her human form powers and has the same benfits as unstoppable from invunerability. Sorry, I should have said that in my last post.))
.
Three Photon Seekers emerged from the throbbing ball of light that was Saphire, ready to hunt down their targets...


[/ QUOTE ]

Silver_Weasel:
[ QUOTE ]

((Heh, can't you tell I haven't got a Kheldian yet...There's not an easy way to distinguish coming round from disorienting))
.
Two of the balls of white light leapt towards the cowering Columnites, engulfing them with power so that they're skin almost turned transparent; and then they dropped to the floor, unconscious.
.
The third seemed to speed off though; one had got away; and it was following.


[/ QUOTE ]

Silver_Weasel:
[ QUOTE ]

Bullets traced towards Grav before being flicked aside like buzzing wasps. The gentle hum of her singularity increased and the Germanic victim was held above the ground, body slowly being crushed when a white burst struck him from behind, and he fell from the Singularity's grasp.
.
The Singularity bobbed back over to Grav; with the faint look of a puppy wanting a treat for a good job done.


[/ QUOTE ]

ShadowGhost:
[ QUOTE ]

If Grav was surprised by the white ball, she was even more surprised to find such a strong Kheldian energy signature so close.
It did give her something to trace back.
.
After a quick "well done, but remain allert" mental message, Grav send out her senses to see if there was anything else nearby. (( like a sonic echo, but then magical energy 'bubble' ))
.
What ever the outcome would be, Grav couldn't wait for it. Grav slowly and cautiosly started to follow the energy trail, which was fading fast...


[/ QUOTE ]

Captain_Cliche:
[ QUOTE ]

Saphire, content that the last columnite was preoccupied with the Seeker, made a run for it, back down the sewers, dodging and ducking through the mass of enormous pipes.


[/ QUOTE ]

Silver_Weasel:
[ QUOTE ]

As Saphire started off down the corridor, her foot clipped the small device that had fallen below the sewage. A burst of purple light was followed by a portal opening up in the side of the wall. Through the portal, Saphire saw flashes of time; The Rikti Invasion, her first mission, and others that she couldn't recall.
.
The portal stood there, humming, whilst her feet seemed to slide towards it; almost as if there was a gravitational pull there.


[/ QUOTE ]

Silver_Weasel:
[ QUOTE ]

The energy trail faded fast as Grav cautiously walked down the corridor. A body lying in the sewage caught her attention; but as she approached it, it started to glow in a purple light and fade out.
.
At that very moment; the darkness of the sewer was bathed in a host of voices, sounds and images of the Rikti War.


[/ QUOTE ]

ShadowGhost:
[ QUOTE ]

Grav paused and took in the strange anomaly.
“Seems like a temporal dissolution or something… much more crude then when Doctor MacAlister died… but it could still be something else… No time now, the trail is cold.”

Because she sensed no other possible threads Grav picked up the pace, just activated her Personal Force Field as a precaution. (( The singularity following a few steps behind her ))

Running through the sewers, following a minute trail of energy, Grav had to stop at an intersection. Where to now?
Grav stood still, concentrating on finding a trace of Kheldian energy.

The trail of the Seeker had died, but maybe she was close enough to pick up on the main trail?


[/ QUOTE ]

Captain_Cliche:
[ QUOTE ]

Saphire clung to the moss on the wall, resisting the pull as much as her strength would let her, trying hard to walk away from the portal...


[/ QUOTE ]

Silver_Weasel:
[ QUOTE ]

Grav rounded the corner to see two figures. The first was fleeing through an open wall in the sewer; whilst the other was a Kheldian trapped in the pull of a portal. She felt the tug on her chest as it whispered to her as well; of where she should be.
.
The Kheldian, probably Saphire, was being drawn towards it at a serious rate of speed.
.
Saphire could feel the portal calling to her of things she should be, places she should be at, the warmth of her early morning drink; but out of the corner of her eye she spotted the hooded figure curse and disappear. His invisibility must have dropped from being too close.


[/ QUOTE ]

ShadowGhost:
[ QUOTE ]

Dropping her PFF, Grav used her magic to maniplate the gravitational pull off the portal. Trying her best to free the Kheldian from it's pull, not to mention prefenting herself from being pulled in.
Her job here wasn't finished, the hooded man might have some answers.


[/ QUOTE ]

And this is where we conclude this season of "The Path Less Trodden"

Home is beconning beyond the portal, but will it lead our heroes home?
And what of the mysterious cloacked figure?
What of our heroes, will they clash or work together?
And what of the portal, who knows what will happen while it's still active? Dare our heroes close this one way to get home?

Stay tuned for the next season of: "The Path Less Trodden"

While we all wait for the continuence, we accept Fan Mail here

Grav reached out her magic tendrils towards the portal. A shivering took her as an equally powerful force drew the tendrils away from Saphire and into the sucking hole. The feeling was akin to her very essence being nullified. Her mind railed as Saphire was drawn closer and closer to the hole, a shrill scream forming silently in her throat, waiting to be freed.

To make matters worse, the unmistakable sound of a Crey Power Tank powering up rang through the sewers. And it was close.

Taken by surprise by the force she was encountering, she concentrated on it, quickly varying farious aspects of her magic: strength, direction, intent.

With a little effort she banned the sound of the Power Tank, confident that the singularity behind her would distract it, if not defeat it. Focussing fully on the portal, and trying to learn what she could, and needed.

Not knowing the intentions of the stranger who had approached her, Saphire made a last gamble for freedom: She went into Qauntum Flight, knowing that if the portal somehow overcame the intangibility it provided, she would no longer be able o grip the walls of the sewer...

Switching this way and that, Grav varied her powers but at each instant, almost as she did it, the power varied back at her.

The low squeel and buzz from the Singularity noted that the Power Tank was in range, and a thundering crash was heard as it was thrown against the ceiling. More shouts of Crey soldiers could be heard though above the heavy panting of her own breath.

Her own breath....

Fiddling with something for a moment, she mimicked Ellie's face within the tendrils; and the opposing tendrils reacted as if stung. She was right....the reason it was so hard was that it was the other her...The Grav from the Future, trying to get her back. Now, how did she let her know what was going on?

Concentrating hard, Saphire shifted into Quantum mode, just as a series of rattling shots ricocheted off the wall around her.

"I understand now.", said her Kheldian voice, "We were afraid we'd be hurt so we tried to rescue us. I have talked to us and we are no longer trying to rescue ourselves."

5 Crey silhoettes appeared in the Singularity's glow as the strange woman who tried to rescue you battled with unseen forces. Now was a time for action, but which direction first?

Saphire flew over to the stranger to see exactly what enemy she faced, dropping qauntum flight so she could ask the woman if she knew what was going on...

As the sound of her own heavy breathing echoed through her helmet, Grav thought furiously on a way to let her other self know she had unfinished business here... unfinished business... That's it!
Sending the image of a dest with a large stack of papers on the left, and a small stack on the right in as many ways as she thought she could, she began to slowly retreat her own tendrils of magic.

From the corner of her helmet's visor, she saw the peacebringer comming her way, and hoped she'd be true to the Peacebringer code of conduct. Through the only instance of a PB going rogue she'd heard of proved false (thank the heavens).
She was in no possition to fight, and Sig was preoccupied...

Saphire whispered to Grav "Do you know whats going on? Because I sure as hell don't."

A voice crackled over the air, amplified to deafening proportions by the echoey tunnel.

"SAPHIRE! BY ORDER OF COUNTESS CREY, YOU WILL BE NEUTRALISED. LADY, BACK AWAY FROM THE KHELDIAN."

Saphire swiftly turned to face the voice, she knew it was a Paragon Protector, but had it brought friends? She squinted through the darkness to see.

The darkness replied with 4 guns powering up.

"Time's up. TOAST 'EM!"

From within the miasma, Grav thought she heard her own voice. "If you're sure..." and the pressure was released.

She turned and saw the Sig visibly squeal with pain as it's gravitational body gave out, and it collapsed in on itself.

Released from her struggle, Grav turned to [censored] the situation, just in time to see the collapse of Sig.

Just as she cast her Dispersion Bubble she heard several guns powering up.

She remembered the order that had made it through her distracted mind: Countess Crey wanted the Kheldian. That alone would be reason enough to help her.

In this brief moment before the battle, Grav looked around, trying to map the tactical situation.
Whispering to Saphire: "I hope you're ready for a fight"

Grav and Saphire stood side-by-side, looking over at the oncoming Crey. Two of the soldiers were emptying machine guns into the collapsing corpse of Sig; whilst the dazed Power Tank struggled to see the right way. A medic was running over to the tank whilst the Paragon Protector at the back was aiming his left fist at them both.

As Grav cast a Gravity Distortion Field (Mass hold) on the Paragon Protector, Grav said to Saphire:
"I'll deal with the Protector, and distract the Tank, can you take out the rest quickly?"
and followed up with a Gravity Distortion (Hold) (( hold + hold = boss permaheld ))

Saphire nodded. Running into the center of the Crey, saphire used a Dawn Strike, sending out Photon Seekers to deal with any suvivors.

An energy beam struck Grav in the chest as the first hold focussed on the Protector, pitching her back into the wall. The medic focussed a small device on the Tank and a green glow surrounded him. He bellowed out a warning before running at Grav, preparing to smash her into Grav dust.

Saphire leapt into the middle as all 3 machine guns focussed in on her. Clips were emptied as bullets struck into her, but the thunderous strike that was released seemed to fling them aside. One gun scattered away into the sewage as the three fell against the walls.

As the Photon Seekers were released, the medic aimed his tricorder at Saphire whilst Grav struggled to her feet, focussing on the Tank and rooted him to the spot.

As the seekers sped to their targets, Saphire saw a shadow appear over her and the crushing blow to the back of the head made the walls swim.

((PP/Medic Active, Tank Held : Grav/Saphire on 2/3 health : Saphire disoriented))