Heroes: Shadows over Millenium

[Cynical Cat]

"Sure I could sit on my ass and wait around. Or I could take my phone with me and do some good. The cops can't do everything. They are merely human." Blackheart stretched. "The good fight isn't just about super villians and meta terrorists. Its always going on. And I enlisted for life."

[SirNitram]

Gravitas smiled softly. "The police are, you will find, always overworked. They will rarely be upset that you step in and help lighten the load." He shrugged a bit. "Ultima is for Meta problems. But they do not own me, at least." He adjusted the three peice suit that was his 'costume'.

"The mythology that the world has built for Metas to live in is full of this. The downtrodden, the common man and woman, need heros as much as anyone else."

[LadyTevar]

Lei's head bowed briefly, deep in thought for a long moment. The air was nearly buzzing with her confusion, although she was trying to keep it 'private'.

"... Perhaps Kyosuke-san is right ..." she finally said. "Perhaps... I need to reflect upon this..." She slowly faded to her dragon form, a clear sign she was going to be leaving them. Yet, she paused. ".... Blackheart? When you're ... boyscouting.." the silver eyes were worried as they locked with his. "Please ... stay away from Little Asia? ... Just ... for now."

Before she'd have to give him more of an explanation, she fled to the shadows, teleporting herself out of Ultima to Saibot's apartment. A brief look around confirmed he was not yet back, so without even leaving the shadow she was gone again... appearing in her safehouse in Little Asia's Chinatown.

Over the restuarant that many dectectives on the Millinium police force would love to raid, as it housed not just a (suspected) safehouse for Chinese meta, but the (supposed) Grandfather of Chinatown.

[Cynical Cat]

Blackheart hesitated. "Fuck it. Whatever's going down is probably secret and I won't find it until she tells me." He flew out the window and into the sky.

[frigidmagi]

Getting to church had been a trial. He needed a car or something... Tobin had a breif vision of jetting around on a motorcycle and almost broke down laughing. Well he was deep enough with this stuff whenever mom found out. Man he could kill that drunk driver somedays...

It was the same church as last time. It was a weekday and early as far as most were concerned. So the church was pretty empty. He sat quietly in the back and prayed.

A Demon. A honest to God Demon. From Hell. Human monsters were almost to much for him to think about let alone fallen angels from the outer darkness.

Demons. God help them all what if Demons were behind this uprise in evil meta actitivity? Or were a major part in it? Could Ultima fight the forces of hell itself? Could he?

"God what am I suppose to do?" He asked.

[Hotfoot]

The priest came up behind Blast, light on his feet, but not making an effort to hide himself from the young man. "I thought I heard someone come in. I'll have to admit, I didn't expect someone like you in here and asking for help. I am Father Ellison. What should I call you, my son?" Father Ellison carried himself in an open fashion. The way he carried himself would indicate that he was the kind of man who would always be smiling, but instead he was somber, yet not depressed.

[frigidmagi]

Blast turnned and looked at the priest. He was silent for a couple breaths.

"Blast. They call me Blast, Father." He answered.

[Hotfoot]

Father Ellison managed a small chuckle as Blast introduced himself. "I'm sorry my son, but even in times like this, I must be allowed some level of brevity. Please, Blast, tell me, what brings you here? How can I help you, my son?"

[frigidmagi]

"I don't know if anyone can, Father. I just found something that's left me... Afraid. I have to admit that's not all that unusual. I'm very new at this and I'm afraid more often then not, but this time is... different. Do you believe in demons Father?" Blast whispered.

[Hotfoot]

Father Ellison simply nods. "Yes, I do. As sure as Angels watch over us, I do. I have not seen them myself, by the grace of God, but I have seen the evil they have worked in men and women. Of course, I doubt you would come here with those eyes had they seen the sorts of demons I face in my duties. I will try to help you as much as I can, Blast, but in the end, it will fall to you to do what needs to be done, I think."

[frigidmagi]

"It's a bit worse then that father. There was this...man, I guess we'll call him. He fought us in the park a bit back, he was trying to kill anti-meta protestors among other things. We just found out, he was bound to a demon. That's where he got his powers. Thing is... We think there could be more. Alot more Father." Blast said.

[Cynical Cat]

Blackheart flew through the air, revelling in the freedom as he soard between buildings. He lowered his gaze as he swept foreward. Somewhere out here there were people who needed his help. He was going to find them.

[LadyTevar]

As always, the first thing Lei did upon arriving in her safehouse was turn on the stereo, setting up the pre-chosen songs that told the men guarding the building that she was there. Not only was it polite, but it was necessary: Lei did not want the building's protectors entering with guns and no few questions to ask anyone who might attempt to trespass.

Saibot was closed to her, somehow. Absently she wondered if it was whatever talisman Rita R Zedd was going to create for them, or if it was just the Ring answering Saibot's wishes again. The empty apartment, looking bare from where Ember's belongings had been removed, held no answers for her.

With barely a thought, a shadow touched the stereo, changing the music to 'request' dinner from the restaurant below. Payment would be taken out with the next month's rent, from the money she and Ember had long ago 'invested' with 'Grandfather'. He kept a 'bank' of sorts: after all, when a true bank could be so easily robbed, why would a thief have her money in one?

Grandfather owned the building, the restaurant, those protecting the building... and most of the ChinaTown area of Little Asia. The police would love to prove this, however. The 'Teflon Don' of the early 2000s was nothing compared to the Zu Fu (Grandfather), who the police accused of heading the 'Chinese Mafia'. Luckily(?) for Lei and Ember, Grandfather had taken a paternal interest in them, calling them his Dragon and Pheonix. Occassionally, they had done business for him.

Somehow... Lei knew he had heard about Ember's death. Grandfather had ears and eyes outside of Little Asia, as well as those within. Sooner or later, he would come asking about it.

A knock at the door, far too quickly to be dinner. Lei's shadows opened it cautiously, more of them swarming around her protectively. The young man bowed respectfully. "Zu Fu asks if Chi'Lung would honour him by joining him for a meal."

Chi'lung. Female dragon. This was not a request. Lei bowed back. "This one would be honoured. Allow me a moment to prepare myself." She turned and walked into her bedroom, thinking quickly and hoping she had not taken her best outfits to Saibot's apartment. The young man waited... an escort.

No ... this was not a request.

[Cynical Cat]

Smoke caught Blackheart's attention. The Ultima agent banked and flew toward it. While he wasn't a speedy flier, not having to deal with such encumberances as traffic meant he made good time in the city. The burning building came clearly into view. Six stories, smoke pouring out of the upper two. Fire trucks were already on sight, ladders and hoses were in the process of being deployed.

Blackheart approached. Smoke inhilation was a lot less hazardous to him than to ordinary humans, with his symbiote and regeneration, but it could still bring him down. He saw a crying child, maybe five or six, at a sixth story window. He darted over.

She flinched away and turned to run. "Fuck!" Maybe it was panic, maybe it was his be bad vibes, maybe it was just stupidity. He swept forward and managed to grab the kid's collar and yank her back. He wrapped his other arm around her stomach and took the kid down the street. She was wailing full blast when her socked feet his pavement.

Well, he didn't do this job for thank yous. The agent headed back up, looking for someone else to save.

[Dark Silver]

The ruins of Old New York surronded Millinium City, giving the shining jewel of the United States Upper East Coast a decidedly....dirty crust. Most of the "ruins" remained inhabittd by the otherwise homeless and drifters, while some of it was to damaged to be of use to even these dregs of society.

It was in one of these ruined sections, that Saibot had traveled to. This was the area where the lowest of the low sought refuge, away from even most of the law enforcements. It was also a place he came to, especially when he needed information, or to sell one of his recently liberated devices.

As it was, he was nearly a week late in reporting to the buyer for those prototype computer chips from the Alpha Building, he was surprised they didn't try to contact him.

He landed near one of the piles of rubble near a hallowed out building, and disappeared through a hidden tunnel.

Half a hour later, he left through the same tunnel, the meeting having been a dismal affair. He refunded the advance on the chips, settling or the fact that full paymentwould be obtained when he delivered them.
Delivery meant he would have to find the meta-punks who held up the building in the first place. He owed them anyway. It would be fun, and would take his mind off of Argent and the others.

Thankfully, his half hour in the Underground also gave him a clue to the possible location of the chips. A brief warmup would be required before he could make a raid....

Flying to a nearby rubble pile, Saibot went to work. He began with a slow kata, limbering his body. He progressed then, to martial training, solid energy constructs created by his ring, sparring opponents and energy turrents.

By the time Legacies found him, Saibot was focusing a series of sword strikes on a glowing blue energy form of a ten foot tall mutant with tenticles.

[Charon]

Legacies spotted Saibot as he was faking a fight with some tentacled mutant. The silver figure allowed his form to be seen as he crashed down on top of the rocks ten meters away from Saibot. The silver figure said nothing, it simply stood there and stared at Saibot. The face was completely blank once again, no small almost human eyes that watched him. No mouth at all to move as he spoke. But Saibot could tell he was being stared at.

[LadyTevar]

Every woman should own a little black dress. Lei's was jacard silk, cut mandarin-style, with a subtle blue trim along the buttoned panel. The faint design woven into the fabric was like a watermark that rippled as she walked, flashing hints at what it could be without revealing it all. Her long hair was pulled up on the back of her head and pinned in place with decorated hairsticks, a gift from ZuFu after she and Ember had successfully completed a difficult task his normal agents could not.

It was to remind both of them of her usefulness to him.

Lei was escorted to his private table, on a dias in the back alcove that allowed a view of the restaurant while giving him privacy. The emporer upon his throne, Ember had said once. Lei could not deny it, nor could she deny that this meeting worried her. ZuFu worked hard to remain untouchable by the police and federal authorities. Unlike many, he even paid his taxes on all his visible assets. ZuFu did not want anything to topple the empire he had built. ZuFu was not a man that you crossed lightly.

As Lei stood at the foot of the table and bowed to the silver-haired man in the fine Armani suit at its head, she worried about the reason behind the invitation. She feared what ZuFu may have heard, what he surely knew. She wondered if she would be alive the next morning.

With a silent prayer for Saibot to stay well away, Lei took all her emotions and locked them up tightly inside her. "Good evening, Grandfather. Thank you for inviting this humble granddaughter to your table this night."*

* All conversations with Grandfather are assumed to be translated from Mandarin. The name 'ZuFu' is Mandarin for paternal grandfather, and not his real name.

[Dark Silver]

Saibot heard the impact of Legacies landing, and even felt the eyeless stare. He let his friend watch him for a few more minutes, before the monster disappeared.

Sheathing his sword, Saibot turned towards the two-in-one and walked towards him, the faceplate sliding into the helmet with a small barely heard whine of servos, "what's up?" he asked qithout preamble.

[Charon]

The silver figure did not respond. It did not even seem to be moving. The stare turned from a harmless one to accusation as the eyes that were not there dug under Saibot's skin. It was obvious that Legacies had not come here for friendly banter.

[Dark Silver]

The faceplate closed with a twitch of Saibot's eye, and the black faceplate stared into the blank silver suit. With the closed helmet, came the voice modulation which was as much trademark for him as the suit and sword, "Are you going to say something, or just try to look pretty? Cause I have to say, your ailing pretty badly on that front."

Saibot's arms crossed his chest, as he seemed to move into a move relaxing pose infront of the symbiote.

[Charon]

The silver figure continued it's silence for a few more moments before finally it moved again. There was no mouth to speak the words, the mask of Legacies was as impersonal as Saibot's.

"Running like a coward again?"

[Dark Silver]

"I never run" he said coldly, behind the mask, his eyes were fixed on Legacies.

"But there are extinuating circumstances. I still have a mission to complete that Ultima sidetracked me on. I have obligations which have to be met, and besides, It's not like the lot of you couldn't find me if you wanted. Look at you."

Saibot turned his back on Legacies, walking over to a waist high pile of concrete and steel. In the same step which brought him to the pile, his foot swung out, catching a peice of concrete with reebar sticking out the size of Saibot's head, and flung it back into a still standing wall.

"What use will I be to the rest of you? There's nothing for me there."

[Charon]

Legacies did not move an inch. "Ah, former obligations. The coward's excuse. You'll just disappear? Leave that nuisance Argent on her own? She'd die on the first mission. And it will be your fault."

[Dark Silver]

"It would not be the first death on my concious." he replied.

"She could die even if I was there, all of you could. And the blood would be on my hands again."

The pile of concrete and steel remained infront of him. With a flick of his wrist, the entire pile was spread by a blast of blue energy. Debris bounced off his life support field, as he began to hover. Slowly, he turned to Legacies, "I've got a bunch of punk meta's to track down, and some microchips to get back. Come with me, and I'll split the profits from the sale 50-50. Wha'd ya say?"

[Charon]

Legacies looked at Saibot for a few more moments before he turned his back on him.

"No. Unlike you, we know what to use our powers for."

Legacies did not look back, he simply kneeled down and picked up a piece of debris.

"So we could kill her, for all you care?"