Heroes: Shadows over Millenium

[frigidmagi]

"Is there really a point in it? Last thing we need is another teammate who doesn't want to be here and if her dad is that rich, he'll be able to fend off legal pretty easily or just take her somewhere else." Blast pointed out. If this kept up he was going to be the only volunteer in a team of conscirpted, resentful super powered manics. Not a good place to be. He shifted his books around, where else could he go however? And then there was the idea of leaving Blackheart high and dry, surrounded by egomanics and Tarrot. Not good at all.

[Cynical Cat]

"Kid," said Blackheart, "I'm going to pretend you didn't say that. No one walks from torture. She's off the team, that's not a question. Whether daddy's lawyers can get her community service or some other bullshit sentence instead of hard time is up to the lawyer maggots. She violated the terms of her deal so she deals with the lawyers. That's how it works."

[frigidmagi]

"I thought she was being mind controled on that?" Blast asked.

[Cynical Cat]

"And there's testimony that she was enjoying it an awful lot for being mind controlled. Doesn't matter. Not out problem anymore. The courts and the lawyers get to kick that ball around. We get to decide whether to visit Freakshow or the demon makers."

[frigidmagi]

"Who's closer if I may ask?" Blast said. Wouldn't a mindcontrol be able to fake enjoyment? Never mind ask about that topic later... How to determine if the enemy is mind controlled 101?

[Cynical Cat]

"Freakshow, if Saibot is to be believed."

[frigidmagi]

"Then we should nail him first, keep there from being nasty surprises when we get back from whereever Demonmaker Inc is."

[LadyTevar]

((Still in Mandarin, continuing the last post which was cut short by me leaving work for the day))

Zufu's eyebrows raised as Argent gave him Gravitas' message. So, his little Chi-Lung was working with -that- one? "Please tell him he is welcome in my house, and I look forward to our next game." A snap of his fingers, and paper was brought. He wrote quickly, the Chinese script flowing effortlessly. Another snap, and wax was brought to seal the expertly folded letter. "Give him this, as well. When you do return from your duty, I would enjoy dining with you both, as well as the one whom has stolen your heart."

Lei could only bow, stifling her embarrassment as much as possible. "Yes, Zufu." It was a clear dismissal.

Moments later, she was in her safehouse apartment above the restaurant, changing out of the fancy black dress. A knock at the door interrupted her, as one of the many young men who worked for Zufu brought two packages up to her. The first was identifable by the smell alone: Chinese takeout, in insulated self-heating containers. There was enough for herself and up to four others.

The next was a long flat box, similar to the one her black dress had arrived in. This time it opened upon more practical clothing; a form-fitting armored leotard in black leather, paired with a red leather bolero top and a matching wrap-skirt, also armored for slightly more protection. The front of the skirt was fastened by a large silver clasp, decorated with stylized dragons. Otherwise, the skirt was open to show hints of the leotard and thigh-high boots underneath.

There was no note, no warning to be careful. The mere fact the costume was crafted of material meant for both light armoring and freedom of movement said enough. She was under Zufu's protection, even when miles away.

When the shadowdragon reappeared at Blackheart's side and faded into human, Lei wore her new costume proudly. "Are you ready to leave, Blackheart?" She did not comment on Em's disappearance, feeling the tension in the air. "I can retrieve Gravitas and Saibot if you need a few more moments."

[Cynical Cat]

"Yeah," said Blackheart. "Let's grab Saibot and go give Freakshow a surprise visit."

[LadyTevar]

One elegant eyebrow raised. Freakshow was the one that Saibot wanted to kill... why was Blackheart wanting to go there, instead of to New Mexico?

"As you wish...," Argent answered, resuming her shadowdragon form and sweeping Blackheart and Blast up in her wings for the short jump into

Blackness, with only the light from Argent's silver eyes to guide them for that singular heartbeat it took to cross over

Into light, reappearing where Gravitas and Saibot where last left, only five to ten minutes gone by. Hopefully, Saibot wasn't fighting Gravitas.

[Dark Silver]

In the time that it took Argent to return, Saibot was looking broodingly over a board multilayered board filled with what looked like chess peices.

"Pawn to Queen's Rook two"


Apparently the two had spent the time in a more constructive way than fighting, "I still don't understand how you crossed dimensional boundries..." he said, not having noticed Argents arrival yet.

[SirNitram]

"Do you want the scientific or simplified version?" Gravitas said, as one of his peices moved. The chess board was more than just one; a truly three-dimensional battle.

"Simple version: I went to Olympus and gained insight into the workings of the universe. Not really much power, but then again, the Olympians weren't known for cosmic power levels."

[Dark Silver]

"Huh...so you met with Zeus, and Hera and Hephastus eh?"

Saibot's Knight moved over the three dimensional board, all constructed with the hardlight of Saibot's ring, "I always wondered if someone could tell me who made my ring...always figured it would be a god who could... Your move."

[SirNitram]

"Them's the ones. There's apparently whole timelines still venerating them, though they are a little split between the Roman and Greek versions of themselves.." Gravitas' peice moved without him so much as twitching a muscle.

"It could be. You'd be amazed how many are about. From little ones like me, to the big names, to, well, ghastly things beyond time itself."

[LadyTevar]

As Lei set Blackheart and Blast down gently, she was amazed to find the two playing chess. She didn't even know Saibot knew how. It did explain why he seemed so calm thru the link.

[Cynical Cat]

"Okay people," said Blackheart, "here's things as they stand. Little Miss Torture decided to runaway home and daddy's lawyers get to kung fu fight The System over where her ass is going to reside for the next few decades. Not our problem.

"We have a local on Freakshow. We have one on our demon growers. The demon growers are out of town and not likely to move in the short term. Anyone have any reasonable objections to making Freakshow pay for a some of the murders that he has committed?"

[SirNitram]

"I'm for taking down Freakshow." Gravitas said, gliding a peice down a level. Chess in true 3D was certainly something to watch. "Check." He said absently. "I'd rather have a touch more prep time when going against folks skilled in the bindings we saw."

[LadyTevar]

As Blackheart and Gravitas spoke, more items were appearing out of the Shadowdragon's wings. First, a small table formed of naught but solid shadows, meant only to hold the next surprise: large takeout boxes smelling enticingly of high-quality Chinese cuisine. Recyclable bowls and chopsticks were provided as well as spoons for the wonton and hot&sour soups.

"Perhaps we should rebuild our strength as we plan our attack, gentlemen." Lei said. She was curious to hear more about Em and why she left, but Blackheart was clearly not in a mood to discuss it further. Perhaps Blast knew more... she'd ask him later.

"And Gravitas... this was given for me to deliever when next I saw you." She held out the crisply folded letter, the wax seal untouched.

[Dark Silver]

Saibot pushed his King over, muttering a congratulations, "Mate. I still prefer 2d Chess..."

The hardlight construct faded out as Saibot turned to Blackheart Blast and Argent. "The Freak Legion is out in the other end of the city, and they won't be a cakewalk. Each of them have weird powers, plus that hallucinagenic gas they hit the Alpha Building with...and I can only surrond all of you with life support forcefields while in close proximity."

[Cynical Cat]

"We don't hit them and its more innocent people in body bags. We suit up in chem suits and hit them. It takes massive doses of that gas to do have much effect on me, thanks to super tumour and I'm betting Gravitas's system is also pretty resilient, from what he's said. That leaves one immune forcefielder and two guys who can keep going if breeched and I have no fucking clue to how Legacies will react to it."

[SirNitram]

"I was, admittably, brought out of the fight by their last gassing. Or did no one know I was present for that shindig?" Gravitas grinned, then shrugged. "Of course, I wasn't expecting chemical warfare. Trust me, keeping out aerosaled poison and drugs is nothing compared to deep space swimming. I can probably maintain a cocoon around a few others, but it'll drop time I'm able to store oxygen for."

[Cynical Cat]

"I only saw you at the end when you decided to play gravity god," said Blackheart. "Didn't see how much gas you took. So, its settled. We have multiple resistants, two people capable of protecting themselves and those nearby, and chem suits for all. We gear up and drop the hammer on those murderous bastards."

[LadyTevar]

"I do not think Legacies will be able to join us," Lei said softly, filling a bowl with spicy pepper-steak over rice. "His injuries from the building's collapse were severe," she explained as she handed the bowl to Blast. "I could feel them when I transported him to Ultima."

Absently, she filled a second bowl with rice and Suezuan stir-fry, and seemingly without thought a shadow-tendril carried it over to hover in front of Saibot. "What I do know is that I missed dinner rescuing Legacies from the building." A third bowl was filled, this time with what looked like seafood and vegetables in a light sauce, and the tendril presented this to Gravitas. "I can only assume the rest of you have not eaten either."

The last bowl was shadow-carried over to Blackheart, chunks of battered chicken in a spicy/sweet sticky red sauce. "Empty bellies mean sluggish minds," she said, as if quoting a proverb, filling her own bowl with the Suezuan, hot & spicy for a native Chinese taste. "Thus, we eat, and plan what to do if our chemsuits fail, or if those resistant are taken down."

She and Ember had robbed countless banks, jewelry stores, and art galleries. They had planned many of their strikes just like this, eating as they worked out the timing and placement. It was past time she started bringing that experience to this team.

[Cynical Cat]

Blackheart picked up a pair of chopsticks and dug in. Whatever mystical energy super tumour fed off of, his super charged body had a hell of an appetite at the end of the day. And after helping save people from a fire and digging through rubble.

"Good stuff," he said. "Gangster's always know the best restraunts."

[Dark Silver]

Saibot took the bowl of food from the shadow tendril, the faceplate slide off to the side, and he began to eat.

"My lifesupport field won't go down unless I do... So if stop glowing, it's because I'm already dead, or unconcious."

He took another bite of the chicken and rice, before adding, "I'll need to recharge my ring before we go, i was intending to make it a evening raid when I was going alone..."