The Guard

[Sliver]

Chapter 1

Spore

Day 0

"Sorry to keep you waiting" A man who appears to be 40-ish years old walks into the waiting room. He is a bit short, compared to most people you have seen so far in the building, and he looks far more formal then them as well. He wears a black suit and his black slicked hair has it's fair streaks of gray, although his skin is smooth and his eyes look sharply at each of you. You could have sworn he was much younger, if you didn't know any better.

You all got the same letter, some didn't even get it to their own mailbox, but got it through places they frequently visit. You got to the office building in the middle of New York at around 8PM and escorted to the waiting room, where you waited for nearly half an hour.

"Come with me" The man smiles and turns around, glancing back to see if you are following. He orders a lift and as the doors open, you notice it's small size. Half a dozen of people would fit here, but you were more then double that amount. The man motions for you to get in, and it appears that the lift had more room than it looked like. Without pressing a button, the lift starts to move quickly down, and mere seconds afterwards the doors open to a long hall that is barely lighted.

"Thank you for accepting our request and joining Batman Inc's super team." The man starts to move into the hall "You might be wondering why the team is so large. Due to incompetent teams, we have found earth's defenses lacking, and our teams are few and lack the ability to cover large areas effectively. As such, I was assigned the duty to gather a team that will be able to protect the entire world. This is your role. Currently, we find our strongest teams are needed to cover far larger areas, and those areas are only expanding" The hall doesn't seem to end "so as you get stronger and prove your strength, you will be advancing through rankings and the funding of your team will increase. You will have a team under you that will supply you with transportation, information, medication and anything else that you will be in need of, but do not count on them too much, because they aren't as powerful as you. If they were, they would have been serving under the higher ranking teams. We have many facilities around the world, and the teleportation team will install a teleportation device in your own headquarters as soon as you call in to allow them to work, so you will be able to teleport here whenever you wish. Until then, you will have to contact them to create a portal for you." he finally stops and turns left, where a door appears from nowhere.

The man walks through the door and you follow into a room which walls are made of glass. Through it you can see the night and the city hundreds of miles below. You have been teleported.

"You are free to choose how your team will work, we will not meddle unless you screw up badly. You can be a heroic team with us backing you publicly, with legal power and the police on your side. Your public image will be important in that case and you will be limited in options. On the other hand, if you wish to act from the shadows, you will be free to act how you wish, but we won't recognize you as our team publicly. Well there are still limits, we don't want you to go around killing civilians and becoming villains, but you get the point. If you have any questions, you are free to call any time. In the morning you will be teleported to the main base the get to know each other and the place. Good night" he smiles at you as the place around you fades away, and you find yourselves at your individual residences.

Day 1, 10AM.

A small portal opens up in front of you. As you step through, you find yourself in the same building you were teleported out of last night, but in a lower floor. There are far less windows than up there, and the place looks like it is actually ment to serve a purpose rather then just look impressive and offer a view of the city.

Large monitors are mounted on the wall and what looks like a small legion of geeks are working around. There is a young female in the kitchen preparing coffee and asks if you would like some as well. The room is hardly lit, but the geek troops seem to like it. There are

A kid, probably only 12 years old, approaches you quietly. "I'm Psy" he says.

"You're not called Psy!" a woman in her twenties speaks up without looking away from the computers.

"I want to be Psy!" he replies and looks at you "Well, I have some psychic powers and my mom is a superhero, so they keep me around because I'm useful!" he puffs his chest proudly. "You can watch the news in the big monitors, train in one of the gyms or the danger room, or just eat and hang out until someone tells you there is trouble. You can do other stuff too! I could show you around more if you want, but it's so much more fun to explore for yourself! I see stuff from the future sometimes, and I think your first gig is today, so I hope you're ready" he smiles "One of the teams got demoted a while ago because they kept screwing up... Sparrow, he is the old young looking guy that talked to you yesterday, he hates his code name for some reason and... Oh yes, Sparrow, he had to call down the galactic team because of these guys, and you know what? It was against a normal villain, not a superpowered one! Just a villain that liked to riddle! Sparrow was so humiliated..." Psy laughs and jumps on a couch, and it appears as if he turned on the cartoons, without touching anything.

The woman that spoke up before leaves the monitors and walks over to you "Hey, I'm Haily, the head of team portal around here. We will be monitoring you as much as possible to open up portals whenever you want to. Also, any devices, vehicles, information or other stuff that you need are going through us to be delivered to you super quickly! You should get busy somehow to make good impression on Sparrow, he is still annoyed about that last team..."

[Green Bean]

Day 1, 8:20AM

Rhea had just got back from dropping Jake off at school. She sighed as she realized that she had another hour and a half before her job started. She hadn't told her son about her powers, or the offer from Batman Inc. As much as it pained her to lie to him, until she got a handle on the situation, knowing abou it would do nothing but put him in danger. She looked around her cramped apartment, then put on a cup of tea and flipped on the television. She had a feeling it was going to be an interesting day.

10AM

Rhea listened bemusedly to 'Psy's' speech, and wondered who his mom was. When Haily introduced herself, she shook the woman's hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm, ah, Aegis." She glances over at the assembled multitude of heroes. "Before anything else, we should probably get to know each other. I'm Aegis. I'm new to the hero thing, and I've got enhanced strength and speed."

[Limos]

"Hey short stuff!" The colorful elastic clown shouts exuberantly to Psy as he bounds across the room to plop down on the couch. He watches the cartoon intently and chuckles along with the laugh track. "Sweet, Jim and Larry is on. I love this show!" His massive manic grin splits even wider in his pale stretchy face and his three pronged fuzzy red hair-do wobbles with each laugh. He suddenly looks back to the rest of the group.

"Oh yeah. I'm Slapstick... I bounce..." He feels a little awkward describing his powers. They don't sound very good on paper. "Yeah I guess I'm kind of new too. I haven't fought any supervillains or nuthin'. Just bank robbers and muggers and stuff."

[Last1]

Day 0, 8:00 AM

Dressed all in red, Delusion of Grandeur sat in the corner of the waiting room. She wore a tattered red t-shirt and old jeans that were once a vivid red, but now faded almost to gray. Her voluminous greatcoat was folded neatly in the chair beside. Her face was invisible, hidden behind a a newspaper.

It was clear to anyone that she had been reading for a while. After reading a page, that piece of newspaper was dropping into one of several piles that had formed a near fort around her. Pure science articles formed one pile, technology articles another. Politics and current events were sorted by country, and for countries with a number of articles about them, by providence or state. The sheer size of the piles implied that she had come in with at least half a dozen different papers.

When the man stepped into the waiting room, Delusion stood and stretched, her bones popping in a way that invited sympathetic pain to anyone who heard it. She fished a ball of yarn and a pair a scissors out of her coat, and them… did something. One moment the piles were loose messes of slowly toppling paper, the next they were neat stacks tightly bound together with twine. She moved again, and all the stacks were piled into her oversized traveling bag.

Her reveled face was nothing special. A slightly fine bone structure and overly large eyes put her firmly in the ‘cute’ category, but not really outside the norm for her apparent age. Her hair was a mess, oily and lanky, with tattered uneven ends, and still slightly wet from a shower. Clearly in had just met shampoo for the first in ages, but while damaged by the unfamiliar attention, it had emerged victorious. Her one truly distinguishing trait was her eyes - her irises were a slate gray, as if the color had been eaten away.

She followed along with the rest of the group, her eye attention fixed on every detail of that could be seen.

Day 1, 10:00 AM

Psy, huh, Alice thought to herself as she watched the kid do his spiel, so he can see a bit around the corners of time? Maybe… She shook the thought off. It wouldn’t do any good, she reminded herself. She had asked undoubtedly stronger seers for help before.

She look at her now comrades with interest. She had seen them all before in the waiting room yesterday. But seeing them now it seemed somehow more real. She was really there, really signing up. It was an unreal feeling.

She looked at the women, Aegis, and the clown, Slapstick. With a thoughtful smile. Names tell so much about a person - the names they choose, that is. “And I am Delusion of Grandeur. I’m… a speedester, as people measure such things.” She stepped forwards… and suddenly was right in fount of Aegis, where she had been on the other side of the grouping moments before. She stuck out her hand with a smile on her face. “Pleased to met you.”

[ChronicLunacy]

http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/5232/nomadicon.jpg Nomad

Day 1, 10AM

"I am called Nomad." said a tall man, broad-shouldered man with light blue, slightly fish-scaled skin and black hair that seemed to float in the air above his head as if he was still underwater. He also had pointed ears and gill slits on his neck below them, as if the blue skin wasn't enough to mark him as something other than human. He wore a navy blue, skin-tight jumpsuit that seemed much like the material that human swimmers wore in the olympics. It left a "V" of his chest free as well as his head and both arms. Golden bracers adorned his lower arms and a belt of the same metal encircled his waist. His right arm was marked with an intricate design that might have been some kind of serpent or dragon. Finally, he seemed to be quite damp, like he'd just hopped out of the ocean. He carried a water-bottle with him everywhere he went and alternated between taking sips of it and dunking it over his head.

Nomad was pretty easily recognizable, since he'd been a public "superhero" for nearly the entirety of the last decade. He'd come out of the water in his late teens and the news still updated the public from time to time on his latest sea rescue or environmentalist campaign. He was really into the whole Green Peace, save the ocean, save the world thing, but didn't have the same kind of hippy, Mother Earth attitude that most of the loudest environmentalists had. In fact, he seemed more like an old soldier than a Green Peace volunteer. He held himself proudly, crossing his muscled arms in front of his chest, and gave the others a polite ghost of a smile.

"I can fly, though I swim faster, and I am strong. I may talk to sea animals, though they do not always listen." he explained briefly. "Human languages are much more complicated." he added, taking on a pensive tone.

[Last1]

Delusion nodded at Nomads statement. "Yeah, I get what you mean there. Not the talk to all life thing, cause I can't do that, but the complexity thing. There are so many cocepts that you just can't really express through language." She made a pensive frown.

"Well, you're suposed to be able to discribe some of them with math. I keep meaning to learn math, but it's hard to understand some of it on your own."

[Limos]

"You people..." Slapstick says with a sudden pensive frown as he points at them, "Are taking this way too seriously."

He backflips off the couch and bounces over to Nomad, "The world's a joke Fishlips. You're a joke. She's a joke. I'm a joke too, but I'm the only one to realize it yet. You just gotta learn when to laugh."

"Or do Fish not have a sense of humor? Now wouldn't that be sad." He cartwheels away from the Merman and back to the couch where he goes immediately back to laughing at cartoons.

[Unkabear]

Lorenzo sat back with a news paper. He was reading it via an electronic reader. An i-nockoff. He could not bring himself to purchase an i-product knowing the secret history of the companies founder and a more than intimate knowledge of their long term goals. But the devices certainly encouraged innovation from competitors.

The joy of this device was that it was automatically sent to him no matter his physical location, so sitting in a subway train in New York he was not bereft the local news.

Finding Adam waiting for them was a treat, though it had been decades since they had worked together, time had been good to him if not the media. Lorenzo took the tour with a grain of salt, technology was catching up to the magical wonders of old Atlantis.

The following morning he found himself out and about early, picking up a decent coffee from a non chain shop and sitting down just to watch the people of the city. So different they were from those that had settled in Denver intensity and pressing matters thickened the very air. One could absorb the nervous energy of others just from breathing.

He found himself in the lobby early, early enough to be offered a cup of coffee. “Would you care for a cup Mr?”

“Mr. E.”

“Mystery?”

“That is correct.” He said as he got a whiff of the coffee in hand, the smell burning his nostrils. “No thank you, I have already had some on my way here.” Others began to appear in short order, and Lorenzo found a nice place to lean against and just watched the group gather and begin to introduce themselves. Lorenzo really had no care for such pleasantries, but did not take away from the excitement of the others. Though he did offer a curt nod to Stalker when he appeared, not having the chance to keep up with him as of late.

http://www.swanshadow.com/images/ViggoMortensen_SAG2008.jpg

[ChronicLunacy]

http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/5232/nomadicon.jpg Nomad

"Actually, fish have shrewd senses of humor. It comes from the chance of finding fishing hooks in your food." Nomad replied. He seemed to be a patient in the face of Slapstick's strange behavior, almost amused by it. Still, Slapstick wasn't going to get the kind of belly laugh that he might be hoping for.

[Sliver]

Mr. E

The newspaper is filled with random news.

It was reported that the giant crab's population is dangerously low, but it seems that some have started migrating to space. We all hope that they will find a new home and reproduce in peace.

A big time drug dealer had gotten out of jail a couple of days ago after sitting almost twenty years. He apparently got a job at a local school, working at the cafeteria. There was a show earlier this morning discussing letting the criminal work with kids, or anywhere near his food. The story was well all over the news when he was arrested. Johnny Greens controlled the market and was found in a greenhouse with giant amounts of his merchandise, growing it himself. It was believed that he had super powers, but the theory was never approved.

Batman Inc started a large archaeological project in Egypt lately. Exact reasons unknown. Conspiracy theorists believe it has something to do with an alien race of bunny shaped donuts building the pyramids.

The president of USA seems to have a disagreement with Adam West on an unknown topic. The police withholds information from the public, reassuring it's only a friendly dispute.

There will be a press conference later this evening in honor of Dr Astren Flain that made a huge breakthrough and possibly found a solution to starvation, a way to grow large amounts of food cheaply.

A giant humpback whale was found a couple of hours ago in the middle of Rome, in the middle of the road in one of the busiest hours. Drivers were cursing, the government confused, we suspect it was a prank of some teenage superhumans.

[TheDarkDM]

The average looking man at the back of the group of heroes seemed almost out of place. Clad in a ragged black suit and red tie that might once long ago have been called fashionable, he looks more like a bum than a metahuman. However, when he steps forward for introductions, the rest of the group notices his eyes. Shadowed under unkempt black locks, they nevertheless glow with a crimson flame that seems to dance in his iris, at times flitting into the black of the pupil before returning to their stationary storm. He nods to the assembled team.

"Good to meet you everyone. I am called Daemon, and I can produce this," he holds out his open palm and it is suddenly wreathed in the same crimson flame that dances in his eyes. Even from the back of the room, the assembled heroes could feel its heat, and the water in Nomad's bottle began to bubble, until the flame disappeared just as quickly as it had sparked, "And launch beams of it from my hands. I am also capable of flight, more than twice as fast as the fastest performance supercar. As for my final power, well," he looks to Aegis "A demonstration is more effective. Ma'am, would you mind slapping my face as hard as you possibly can?"

[Demons_eye]

Day 1

Janus walked slowly with everyone, he was not impressed with the entire 'git up' they had here. He was quite, cold, and withdrawn during the entire trip, not speaking a word to anyone. He threw his pack to the ground as they where greeted by the child, taking in the entire place. Janus smiled when he heard the back and forth of mother and son, remembering his own family as they were.

Janus winced when the girl in red snaps like a crunched pop bottle and let a cat call out when she zipped around the room. Janus waved when Slapstick introduced himself and bowed to the flying fish-man known as Nomad.

Janus looks at Daemon and said with a smile that rivaled the Cheshire Cat's "Isn't that the line from Hellboy?" He walks over to to Daemon and pats him on the back "They call me 'The quick Death' but it looks like my title has been wrenched from me by red over there. I am a Jack of all Trades and Master of few. I can speak Mandarin Chinese, Spanish, English, Arabic, Latin, Russian, Japanese, German, French, Romanian, and Greek. Last but not last I can do this!"

With that Janus Teleported to everyone in turn saying hello in each language he named. He finally lands next to Slapstick grabs a remote and starts to look at the channels. Janus looked at Slapstick with a straight face, then to everyone else,and said "Do you like the Three Stooges?..... Oh by the way I am Janus Hill."

[Limos]

"I only like the Stooges when they're on Scooby Doo! And I was watching that!" Slapstick says indignantly to the teleporting interloper. Despite his tone he only smiles an even wider smile. He capers about the couch trying to seize the remote once again and switch back to his beloved cartoons. "The Mega Action Squad is on in five minutes and I don't want to miss it!"

Slapstick goes into a boxing poses and mimes several jabs at Janus. "Put up your dukes! I'll tussle you for it! Winner is King of the Television!"

[smuchmuch]

A tall woman has been hanging around for a while in the back of the lobby, keeping mostly for herself. She looks nervous and doesn't engage conversation by herself, although she will answers is adressed too.
Stalker didn't like to hang to much around metahumans, too much bad blood, to much guilt. And many of them had senses that could easily pierce the disguises and saw it for what it was.

"She" looks thin and in her mid thirties, Her face is about as average as you can get with rather short black hair and blue eyes. Wich is odd because you could swear not a moment ago "she" looked older.
An attentive observer would realise after a while that, while it looks alway like the same person, somme of her feature, age, height eyes and hair color sems to keep shifting subtly around. Looking at her, you wouldn't identify any famous superhero, although those versed in he art of the occult may see in the part of her face that doesn't change, a very good likeness to "The Purple Shade", a mystical type supehero who had diseapered about three years ago. But while the physical apparence is a pretty good match, the manierism and shy atitude sems to have nothing to do with what you may have heard of her.
/Stalker/ itself isn't sure why it had a tendency to shift to that form when it had to look human. Maybe part of her personality had imprinted on it during the change, maybe it felt than given how much she had given to it, he owed it to her to somehow to let her exist in a way.

After a short while, it's feature finaly fixed in a late twenty apparence it feels confortable with for the moment, it moves to follow a familiar scent it caught on earlir, giving him a nervous waves as she approaches. Mr E, who knew the full storry, would recognize "her" for what it is.
"Hi. Haven't seen you in a while, Mr E.
It certainly look like an.. " It nods in the dirrection of the other metas, with particular emphasis to the clown in the couch, the altlantean (/stalker/ didn't think it had met that species before so it he has caught its nostrils.) and the one who just aked to be punched hard? "interesting team in the making, no ?"

[Last1]

Delusion of Grandeur looked thoughtful as people who knew each other started grouping up, while others grouped by habits and hobbies. It seemed a bit rude to just tune everyone out, but if they were going to wait awhile for their ‘coming out’ disaster, then she needed to use her time effectively. An effective hero, after all, was a well informed hero. Plus, she was having her reading withdrawals.

She flicked over to her dropped travel bag, and walked over to an abandoned desk – one clearly not currently ‘belonging’ to anyone do to it’s lack of a computer. She set her bag down, pulled up a chair, and started piling new newspapers from her bag onto the desk. There were American papers, British papers, Australian papers, Canadian papers, and more beside. There were financial papers, technical papers, and trade papers. It seemed improbably that such a slight girl could have even lifted a bag that stuffed with paper. She set her scissors on the edge of the desk to cut out any particularly interesting articles, set a highlighter and a pen next to it, and started reading.

[Sliver]

Delusion 10chars

The newspaper is filled with random news.

It was reported that the giant crab's population is reaching dangerously low levels, but it seems that some have started migrating to space. We all hope that they will find a new home and reproduce in peace.

A big time drug dealer had gotten out of jail a couple of days ago after sitting almost twenty years. He apparently got a job at a local school, working at the cafeteria. There was a show earlier this morning discussing letting the criminal work with kids, or anywhere near his food. The story was well all over the news when he was arrested. Johnny Greens controlled the market and was found in a greenhouse with giant amounts of his merchandise, growing it himself. It was believed that he had super powers, but the theory was never approved.

Batman Inc started a large archaeological project in Egypt lately. Exact reasons unknown. Conspiracy theorists believe it has something to do with an alien race of bunny shaped donuts building the pyramids.

The president of USA seems to have a disagreement with Adam West on an unknown topic. The police withholds information from the public, reassuring it's only a friendly dispute.

There will be a press conference later this evening in honor of Dr Astren Flain that made a huge breakthrough and possibly found a solution to starvation, a way to grow large amounts of food cheaply.

A giant humpback whale was found a couple of hours ago in the middle of Rome, in the middle of the road in one of the busiest hours. Drivers were cursing, the government confused, we suspect it was a prank of some teenage superhumans.

[Last1]

Delusion quietly cut the piece about the stranded whale out and put it in a small pile. It was a sadistic little crime, and if she had an opportunity she would look into it. That kind of casual cruelty… it wasn’t unusual, no different really then dropping a puppy in the middle of a pool, really. But it required a great deal of power, and a kind of reckless disregard for others to use such great power so blatantly and viciously. Not a good combination.

[ChronicLunacy]

http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/5232/nomadicon.jpg Nomad

Suddenly a blue, webbed hand reached down and picked up the cut out from the newspaper about the stranded whale in front of Delusion. Nomad, standing over the girl at the desk, looked calm except for the way his brows furrowed together. Looking closely, there was a slight tension to his hand, as if it wanted to curl into a fist and crush the piece of paper into a tiny ball, but Nomad restrained himself. He calmly read the story and examined the picture that went with it, then put it back down on the desk. "If you would do me a favor, miss. Assuming that we will be working together, would you please keep an eye out for anything pertaining to this story?"

[Last1]

Delusion looked up at the altlantean, "I was going to do that anyway. It requires both a great deal of power to do... that," she stated with distast, gesturing at the piece, "And a stunted sense of moralilty. It they same kind of thing lead to people..."

She shook her head. "I was planning on staying on top of this awayway."

[ChronicLunacy]

http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/5232/nomadicon.jpg Nomad

The Atlantean nodded and laid his hand on her shoulder briefly. "You have my thanks. I will see if young Psy wants to help us as well. He seems to have enough time on his hands." he said, motioning with his head to where Slapstick, Janus, and the young telepath/technopath were watching cartoons. Then he walked over to Haily, the...portal technician.

"Excuse me, Haily, but if we are not going to be given a mission today then I would very much like to explore this 'danger room' I heard mentioned. I would also like to hear more about what is entailed in installing one of these teleporter devices in my home." Nomad said once he had caught her attention.

[Unkabear]

"Hi. Haven't seen you in a while, Mr E.
It certainly look like an.. " It nods in the dirrection of the other metas, with particular emphasis to the clown in the couch, the altlantean (/stalker/ didn't think it had met that species before so it he has caught its nostrils.) and the one who just aked to be punched hard? "interesting team in the making, no ?"

Mr. E nods, there was always a reaction within him when he looked upon /Stalker/ as The Purple Shade, there was much emotion behind what happened, though it was a sacrifice that perhaps saved the world. But then, it would not be the first, nor the last.

"That it would be, I wonder for what reason Adam really gathered this group together myself, but I was getting bored, retirement is never as relaxing as it should be." Mr. E looks over the gathering again, taking in the group, some silent, some boisterous, some..."If nothing else this will allow me to keep an eye on things." Though what he would be keeping his eye on seemed to grow by the moment.

[smuchmuch]

"Retirement ?" asks a midly amused /Satlker/. For all it owed to Mr E and all the admiration it had for the man, it had to admit Lorenzo was pretty much this specie's archetype of the overworking control freak. Even to /Stalker/, for wich notion such as free time and personal leisure were rather new, it was obvious there was nothing spare about the man, you just couldn't imagine him enjoying himself in his spare time.

Even now he was scaning the other, probaly taking on him resposability that hasn't been asked off him. and that short remark about the real purpose of this gathering was a tad worrying"do you honnestly believe there are ulterior motives ? You have gathered teams yourself in the past, no ? It simply posible Mr west saw talents wich he believed would nicely complement each other in a tight situation and decided to give an opportunity ot work together ?
While speaking softly, it points at Nomad and Delusions of Grandeur, it can't hear what they are talking about but it seems work relates, judging by the blue one serious expression. "See ? It seems a much efficient way to team up that fighting eah other or waiting for the last moment like you people seems to do so often. No offense meant of course."

[Tichrondrius]

"Greetings, team. It is a pleasure to meet you all." Zedekiel said, smiling graciously and making sure to go over and try to shake all the guys hands and kiss all the girls hands. "I hope we will have a pleasant working experience and do some good in this world." The man said. He was tall and muscled, pretty much a perfect specimen of a human who'd been doing hard work all his life. His hands were rough but also looked like they could handle delicate work, and his face was mildly attractive, more like average, with his hair in a normal haircut. He had on some sort of mostly blue costume and a cape. He was sort of recognizable, he'd stopped a few crimes before but nothing major before he was called here.

[Unkabear]

Chuckling Mr. E replied “You are correct; most of that time was spent pouring over tomes trying to figure out what happened when...” When The Purple Shade, “I have been trying to figure out how to repeat a certain success in case the Earth faces another...” One of you, “But for the life of me I have no idea what the hell happened. There has been nothing but dead ends.” Shaking his head slightly he then looks away and out toward the others gathered. “And besides, when you have been around as long as myself any time spent away from actively muddling with the world can honestly be considered retirement, or at least down time.”

“As for Mr. West. He may have good intentions, as far as I have been able to see so far they have been, but good intentions are not always in the best interest of others.” I should know. He then turned and looked at /Stalker/ again. “Even so, it is about time to get the blood flowing again.” He said as a wry smile touched the edges of his lips.

[Sliver]

"Excuse me, Haily, but if we are not going to be given a mission today then I would very much like to explore this 'danger room' I heard mentioned. I would also like to hear more about what is entailed in installing one of these teleporter devices in my home." Nomad said once he had caught her attention.

Haily looks away from the monitor, which shows a 3D model of what looks like a hybrid of a human and a roach. "The danger room is 2 floors above us, just take the lift and Casper there will hook you up... It is basically virtual reality, a real combat simulation... As your mind exercises, your muscles will get some stimulations as well, so you might come out tired if you overexert yourself, but pure physical training isn't as useful in the danger room as in the gym... The teleportation device is quite small and quick to install, it's just our policy to ask before doing it. It will allow you to open portals to different places, but you need coordinates of them so it's not as useful for spontanious visits. We install the coordinations of the base right away, but other places are installed on demand. Note that the portal takes a minute to open. You could increase the speed so it will take only half the time, but the machine will overheat and Casper will need to fix it. It takes time and he will hate you for it, so don't do it. Much."

[ChronicLunacy]

http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/5232/nomadicon.jpg Nomad

Understood. However, I must ask: Will this device function underwater? And if so, is there any way that I could possibly just bring it back home with me? I value my privacy and I'm not exactly listed in the phone book. If you could set it to function underwater I could connect it to the power system myself." Nomad said. He didn't want Batman Inc. technicians running rampant through his underwater sanctum. When he was there he simply wanted to be left alone, which was why there was only one airtight room for land-dwelling guests on the premesis. The rest of the cave system was completely filled with seawater from floor to ceiling.

[Sliver]

"I guess we can do some adjustments... We will have to change the teleportation mechanism a bit to make sure that the place won't get flooded every time you come here. But you should know that the device is linked with our system all the time so it's not like we won't know it's location, if that is your concern."

[ChronicLunacy]

http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/5232/nomadicon.jpg Nomad

"Is there any way to lock the teleporter against someone using it to come into my home? I also trust that my location, known to you and your division, would not be made public knowledge? It would not be pleasant to find that my privacy has been invaded." Nomad said, his brow furrowing. Maybe he would just have to swim to headquarters the old fashioned way instead of using their technology. It would be too easy for someone to drop in uninvited.

[Unkabear]

Mr. E shook his head. If Adam West could not offer secrecy who could. All the fishman was doing was insulting his hoste.

Ah well, at least he felt big doing it.

"Why did you accept the invitation /Stalker/?"

[Last1]

With a flurish, Delusion started packing away her now demolished pile of newspapers.

"Hey, who would I talk to if I wanted to look into this," she asked, holding the article about the whale aloft. "This kind of stunt bothers me, and since we don't have an emergency, I might as well be productive."

[smuchmuch]

/Stalker/ look thoughfull before answering mr E. "I've tried to visit, meet people, enjoying things for myself a bit. Did. Would maybe had done a bit longer. But..."

/Stalker / puts a finger on it's temple then move it await, shrugging to indicate the absence the formerly omnipresent Hive's voice."I dont miss it." That's the absolute truth, there's no doubt about that "But I feel ..." it struggle a bit, searching for the right word "empty ? Alone ? Lost ? " it seems amlost nervous as it conclude "I Thought maybe, I need to find myself a purpose.

[Sliver]

"Is there any way to lock the teleporter against someone using it to come into my home? I also trust that my location, known to you and your division, would not be made public knowledge? It would not be pleasant to find that my privacy has been invaded."

"The teleporter is a one way device. That's why you still need our monitoring if you want a portal to open when you are outside. Don't worry, Batman Inc knows how to keep their employees' privacy, well, private."


"Hey, who would I talk to if I wanted to look into this," she asked, holding the article about the whale aloft. "This kind of stunt bothers me, and since we don't have an emergency, I might as well be productive."

Haily turns it's chair "We could open a portal for you to the scene itself. There might be something on the internet or the TV, more then they can say at the newspaper... You could check our archives, we keep this sort of stuff. I recall something similar last month... A little settlement was totally destroyed, but the people were left unharmed. There was left a note, claiming the place was built on the sacred land of the space zorgs. We checked, it ment nothing. Some sort of weird prank."

Without looking away from the cartoons, Psy exclaims "Check under the whale this time. Probably nothing tho..."

[Last1]

"I don't trust television, but I'll cheek out whatever archives you have," Delusion stated thoughtfully. "How would I get started on that?"

[Limos]

"No more talking!" Slapstick screams as he jumps to his feet. He bounces his way around the room and then to the group of very very serious people. "If you want to do something then lets go do it! We're superheroes! Isn't that kind of our thing?!" He looks at them with both hands on his hips and one floppy red shoe tapping impatiently. His massive stretchy smile turns upside down into an equally massive frown.

[Sliver]

"The archives are on the eleventh floor, that's one floor down. A lot of books there, but we are transferring it to the computer for easier search. Only part of them are converted at this point. All the news are all on the computer though, so it shouldn't be too hard to find something..."

[Last1]

"Um... I'm not really that good with computers. I can get by, but since there IS still a physical archive I'll stick with that."

For a moment, Delusion seemed to shiver without actually moving. There was a brief impression that she was falling, and then she was gone.

[Sliver]

You find yourself on a stack of books, which aren't as balanced as you first thought and they all crash under you. You could have swore that there was someone here a moment ago, but now the room is totally empty. It's also quite dark for what is supposed to be the library. You see the computers are by a wall. Some are turned on with books thrown randomly around. The place is really disorganized at the moment. You can see on top of one of the computers stacks of newspapers covering it, some are turning yellow from age.

[Last1]

Delusion frowned - it would be a pain to look through everything when it was in this kind of disarray. No help for it, she would have to clean. Oh well, it should only take a moment, and then she could dig into the body of her search.

With a though, she redirected her reality bending powers back towards allowing her to accomplish many things quickly, and then she was off in a blur.

[Sliver]

As she started quickly working on organizing the books, a pale man wearing white, white haired, white everything actually, storms into the room and starts panicking. "NO! No! What are you doing! You are ruining everything! The perfect organization! You realize what you have done?! It will take me days to fix this!"

[smuchmuch]

Once it's done taling to Mr E and reading the news to keep itself informed, and since there seemes to be sometime before they would be called into action (it has nothing pressing it wishes to do or say. the atlantean might be interesting to talk to but he is occupied arguing with the teleport technician.), /Stalker/ decides to explore the base. It isn't searching for anything in particular, it's just walking at random to satisfy it's curiosity.

[Last1]

Delusion flickered to a stop with a frown. "How is this perfect? Perfect would have everything carefully indexed, with articals and papers grouped by topic, and with a master index that would let you quickly figure out where everything is. This... This is just a mess."

[ChronicLunacy]

http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/5232/nomadicon.jpg Nomad

Satisfied for the moment about the transporter and left with much to think about, Nomad was left with either indulging in the training areas in the Batman Inc headquarters or heading to Italy. The crime scene was only hours old, but he didn't speak that particular human language. So, looking to the group he asked in a raised voice, "Excuse me, but does anyone speak Italian?"

[Sliver]

"NO! It was organized by the amount of material we transferred into our electronic database!" the man looks pissed at Delusion.

Stalker finds that the floor they are on contained mostly more computers and the server room. He also finds the lift and the stairs and goes up. He finds the gym, which is currently unoccupied. The entrance to the floor above is blocked by a locked door with a cardboard sign with "danger room" written all over it.

[Limos]

Slapstick tags along with Stalker on her way to the Danger Room. "How's it shaking tall, dark, and mysterious? You up for a tussle?" He keeps pace with the woman as she moves through the base. "Don't think we've been introduced. I'm Slapstick, in case you haven't heard."

"So what do you do?" He says then shakes his head, "Wait no don't tell me, let me guess! Duplicator? Meatvision? Magnet? Psychic? Storm control? Breathe in Space? Inventing gizmos? Turn into Animals? Kill with a touch? Summon Chimps from the Chimp dimension?!"

[Unkabear]

Lorenzo thought for a moment about letting the Atlantian go about on his own, cleaning up whales was not exactly hero work. But it was a distraction until they were needed for more than an orientation. "si!! parlo italiano!! anche ho un accento come la pausini sono canadense e parlo come se abitò nella regione di Emilia-Romagna"

[Last1]

Delusion gave a small distainful look at the man. "Computers, computers, why is everyone so obsessed with computers. It's much better to hold what you're reading in you own hand."

[ChronicLunacy]

http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/5232/nomadicon.jpg Nomad

Nomad didn't quite catch all of that, but he figured he could safely assume that was a firm "yes". "I'm heading to the spot where the whale was left on the street in order to see if I can find anything about who was responsible. Your help as a translator would be most appreciated, Mr...E, was it?" he said. "Anyone else who wants to come along is more than welcome to, as well. I just need to see if Ms. Delusion has turned up anything before we go."

[Sliver]

"Not everybody around here can search through that many books in a second. Computers are neater. Anyway, you only wanted to find about the pranksters, didn't you? No books about them, only the newspapers." The man motions at the stacks that cover one of the computers.

Haily turns to Lorenzo "I'm sure your accent will impress everybody... It seems that the whale is at the modern center... The tourists seem to enjoy the show and the locals are trying to get as much money as possible from the event. They already want to change the name to Balena Strada... Via Veneto and Balena Strada, what are they thinking? It's like everything is turning into a joke these days... I'm opening a portal, it will take a minute... Anywhere specific you want to be dropped off, or just next to the whale?"

[Last1]

With a muttered of philistine under her breath, Delusion quickly moved over to the pile of papers and started digging through it, trying to find out if there was anything more to add to what she already knew.

[Unkabear]

Lorenzo smiles and tips a hat that he is not wearing to Haily glad to see someone did understand the joke. "Drop us off a few blocks away in the direction of Termini Station, opening a portal into a mob could be dangerous in many other ways aside from the usual hero worship, and it will let us gauge the feel of the mob before we are neck deep in them."

[Sliver]

Delusion It seems like the pranks have started about half a year ago. They were always distructive and disrespectful, but always random and far, with nothing that could give a clue as to pattern or source. Notes cover the newspapers as to results of superinvestigations, all blank. The pranksters left criptic messages that were meaningless and lead to a dead end. At the bottom of the news of the destroyed settlement there is a note in childish handwriting, "sea ya later"

Haily nods and you notice the portal starts forming up in the room. A minute later, the portal is large enough for you to pass through.

[ChronicLunacy]

http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/5232/nomadicon.jpg Nomad

Nomad looked back behind him, then at everyone ready to go with the portal. "I suppose it won't take Delusion very long to do what she needs to do and get back to us. Haily, would you let her know where we have gone and extend her an invitation to join us whenever she's ready?" he asked as he walked over to the portal. He'd never been transported before...it was sure to be an odd sensation.

[smuchmuch]

/Stalker/ takes a long look at the clown then smile, apparently amused. "Glad to meet you. I go by the name of Stalker. Not a very good name,I know." "she" shrugs "I'm thinking about changing but I can't think of a better one. as for what I can do. Little of everything eventualy. Turns into animal sums it pretty well. All kind off animals"
The woman suddenly turn around, her feature seems to diseapear and her whole seems to fade intot he background until there's nothing to see in the corridor "I can do also do this. But since you seem to like jokes, I'll show you a better one"
/Stalker/ suddenly grabs Slapstick arm from behind. Her grip seems extremly strong for her frame. "Don't worry. Just stay still for a minute if you want to see the trick." Assuling slapstick doesn't shake himself off, there is, for a moment, a terribly weird sensation as if it's Slapstick arm was fully immersed into cold water and yet felt still warm at the same time. Then for a short moment it seems to generalize to it's whole body, it's quite indescriptable and not particulary pleasant.

When it turns over, Slapstick will find a familiar form in front of him, himself grnning madly.
"How about that one ?!" /Stalker/ jumps a few time around while shouting "I bounce !" then returns, sudenly it's form seems to disolve into nothingness to it's previous apparence "Sorry about that. I gues I could just have said I'm a shapeshifter and a mimic" it seems apologic but partly amused "But were would be the fun in that ? I guess that does answer your question, no ?"

[Last1]

Delusion frowned, the information they had was mostly unhelpful, though the news of a destroyed settlement made the whole issue even more pressing. No help for it but to get her feet on the ground over there.

She looked at the ceiling. Since she couldn't manifest both great strength and her incoporality (such as it was) at the same time, so she couldn't just jump up a floor. There was no help for it, she would have to find the elevators.

With a sigh, she wondered off to find her way up.

[Sliver]

Delusion finds the lift and returns to the others as Nomad walks through the portal with Mr. E behind. "Off to check the whale, you can join them if you want" Haily informs you.

Rome

You come out to the streets of Rome. Many people seem to be headed in the same direction, while only a few seem to actually go towards the train station, which is kinda odd for this time, as most of the movement shouldn't be towards the hotels... The traffic is jammed and drivers seem really angry, not sharing the excitement of the people that roam the streets on foot. The public seems to not notice you at the moment.

But as the time passes, people seem to pay more attention to Nomad, some even recognize him by name. You see large helicopters high in the sky.

[Limos]

"That's awesome! Do you do impressions?" Slapstick finds the whole affair immensely entertaining. "Do you think we should be doing something about that whole Whale situation? Fishlips seems kind of hot and bothered over that."

[Last1]

Delusion stepped through the portal, and did a quick dash, at normal speeds this time, to catch up with everyone else. No need to draw MORE attention "So what the plan? I'm not pertcular experenced with these team-ups."

[ChronicLunacy]

http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/5232/nomadicon.jpg Nomad

Nomad looked to the others that had come with him once they'd come out the other end of the portal. "I'm not going to be able to blend in here, so I'll just head straight to the scene. It might be better for one of you to keep a low profile and ask around to see if anyone saw something significant. Once we're done having our look around I'll see if I can go about removing the dead whale...it's been enough of spectacle." he suggested quietly before starting his walk toward where the whale was supposed to be.

[smuchmuch]

/Stalker/ look sudenly uneasy at the mnetion of impresions. It composes itself quickly and shrugs at the mention of the whale thingas it start walking back to the portal room."Why not. I don't really see what the deal is all about but they did told us to get busy and I have nothing better to do. But I expect eveyone else is already gone there by now, so we might as well check that simulation room. IUt's up to you"

If they go to the potal, /stalker/ will change apparence , taking the apparence of a perfectly ordinary tourist before steeping in.

[Last1]

"I don't speak the language, so I doubt I can discritly ask much of anything."

[Limos]

Slapstick skips merrily through the portal and to the other side. He windmills both arms once he lands and comically flails to regain his balance. He calls back through the portal to Stalker. "C'mon in! The water's fine!"

[Sliver]

It seems like up until this point, people didn't notice the portal. Now that they did, some even take pictures on their phones, some of them even catch Stalker's current appearance as he walks through.

"chi sono? Forse sono super eroi? Che strano ... Forse è circa la balena. Quanto pensi che la foto vale più?"

As Nomad continues through the people, he sees that the large whale is being strapped in attempt to start moving it. On the other side drivers seem to curse as the police forces them to clear the way for an exceptionally large truck with a tank on top of it.

[smuchmuch]

/Stalker/ sighs inwardly. that's disguise #43 compromied. Shame, it was a perfectly good apparence. Just to be sure to avoiud futher disagreament, when it's sure nobody is paying attention to it it will shift it's feature a bit agin and change te color of it's clothes.

As it moves to the whale site, it looks around curiously as a tourist would. But it's actualy pretty genuinly intersted, having never ben to this place before. It doesn't care too much about the whole whale thing, so it figures it might as well take it's time to get there and do somme sightseing.


Due to the way shapeshift works, IK have decided to keep a track of points alloted at a given time. As long as were not in combat I guess it's not tio important since it's just a move action to switch point but it's still usefful to keep tracks. That way, sliver can tell me if he feels my character couldn't possibly possess one of the abilities it's currently having (since my character can mùostly only shapeshift abilities it has currently assimilited"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
SHAPESHIFT (40 pp)

-Accurate accute vision
(3 pp)

+8 Wisdom (->16/ +4
+8 Dex (->18/+4)
(16 pp)

+10 bluff (->20)
+10 notice (->20)
+6 search (->14)
+10 sense motive (->18)
+8 stealth (in a blend in the crowd kind of way) (->20)
(11 pp)
+12 Information gathering (->14)
(14 pp)
-language: Italian.

6 pp unused
------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Sliver]

As you all (or most) reach the whale site, you see the straps are almost secured and 5 identical shirtless muscular fabulous looking men approach the whale.

http://media.giantbomb.com/uploads/1/19815/691150-9gj255_large.jpg

"Be ready to lift" a man tells them, in English. He wears a brown flat hat and an old looking brown coat, and looks kinda familiar, maybe from TV? But he is too far to examine closely and the police is forcing the crowd away. It seems that they don't pay attention to Nomad.

Stalker: After some time you feel you are being followed. As you turn around, you see one of the locals snaps a picture of you on the phone, but he turns around trying to look innocent

[Demons_eye]

After awhile of T.V. Janus got board and started to notice everyone leaving. He teleported next to Haily and whispered, as if trying to scare her, "Where did everyone go?"

[Sliver]

"Italy, Rome, Whale" She answers without turning from a 3D model of a human cockroach thingie on the monitor. "Please, I can see all Batman Inc employees from all over the world, you can't surprise me from the base itself. Don't try that on Casper tho... He won't be surprised, but he might suck your soul just to teach you a lesson."

[ChronicLunacy]

http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/5232/nomadicon.jpg Nomad

"Atlantis risen! The whale is still alive! Still, it could eventually expire without access to water." Nomad exclaimed, suddenly taking to the air. "Excuse me, gentlemen, but I believe I can handle giving this one a ride back to sea." he said to the five shirtless musclebuilders as he hovered down and took a hold of the harness that had been wrapped around the whale.

"Your survival is miraculous, friend. Would you like to go home, now?" Nomad said, this time speaking to the whale itself as he laid a reassuring hand flat upon its back. His words came out in a jarbled mess undecipherable to the human ear, but perfectly understandable to the giant sea creature.

[Demons_eye]

Janus frowned as he thought on her words. "How much do whales weigh?" He asked rather moody.

[smuchmuch]

With a small sheepish gin, /Stalker/ sends a thelepatic communication to Splastick. I believe we are being followed. I'd like to find discretly why, so if you'll excuse me...

Finding a nice view point /stalker/ moves to a nerby group of japaneese tourist and push it way through quite visibly. After a little while, the occasional morph and somme swaping into the crowd around later, an angry looking local man shove it's way up the street while mutering something along the line of <"stupid tourists"> and walks to the place where the man with the camera was a few moment ago.

The target is probaly gone by now but that's not much of a problem for /Stalker/ who had free access to a world only a few human had. Gases, sweat, exitement, ocasioal fear... The odors and tastes lingers around perceptible for /Stalker/ smell oh so clearly, in a way wich would reminescent of colored trails for human vision. Of course in a big dity, the crowd made it hard to distinguish on particuilar trail among the hundreds of others. Huming the air a bit, /Stalker/ tries to distinguish the one trail that interest him and folow it.



Actions: [roll0] stealth to blnd in the crowd an loose any eventual watcher
[roll1] search to track by scent the would be observer.



Curently shapeshifted:
40 pp total

-Accurate accute vision
(3 pp)

+8 Wisdom (->16/ +4
+8 Dex (->18/+4)
(16 pp)

+10 bluff (->20)
+10 notice (->20)
+6 search (->14)
+10 sense motive (->18)
+8 stealth (in a blend in the crowd kind of way) (->20)
(11 pp)
+12 Information gathering (->14)
(14 pp)
-language: Italian.

6 pp unused
--------------------------------------------------------------

[Unkabear]

"I'm not going to be able to blend in here, so I'll just head straight to the scene. It might be better for one of you to keep a low profile and ask around to see if anyone saw something significant. Once we're done having our look around I'll see if I can go about removing the dead whale...it's been enough of spectacle." he suggested quietly before starting his walk toward where the whale was supposed to be.

Lorenzo was already gone by the time Nomad made his proclamation. He was not invisible, but he did look like a local. By the time he had reached the square he had moved through two businesses and changed his looks three times. Then he went about just talking, gawking, snapping pictures of whatever was catching attention of the masses at the time.

Before he goes through the portal he allocates his variable into skills. 10 points each into Bluff, Diplomacy, Disguise, Notice, Sense Motive & Slight of Hand to bring the totals to


Bluff - 23
Diplomacy - 23
Disguise - 20
Notice - 23
Sense Motive - 23
Slight of Hand - 16


Actively paying attention to my surroundings, willing to make any checks as necessary, but wanting to look like everyone else.

Looks attributed to Morph - Humanoids, not looking to look like anyone in particular, but just Italian. Should bring the disguise check to 25 with Morph. Using 2 ranks of Comprehend to speak like a native.

[Unkabear]

Heck, here are my rolls anyway.

Bluff
[roll0]
Diplomacy
[roll1]
Disguise
[roll2]
Notice
[roll3]
Sense Motive
[roll4]
Slight of Hand
[roll5]
Notice
[roll6]
Notice
[roll7]
Notice
[roll8]

The slight of hand would be if I believed that someone had something that I would like to take a closer look at later. :smallcool: The main goal here is not to be noticed as someone out of place while I make my inquiries.

[TheDarkDM]

Meeting Aegis' blank stare at his request for a demonstration, Daemon sighs. "I'm sorry if I took you unawares. I am...out of practice when it comes to dealing with other people. A demonstration can wait until our first combat." Turning, he walks towards Haily, and leans next to her ear, "I'm sorry to bother you miss, but I'd very much like the use of a shower, and perhaps a fresh set of clothes."

[Sliver]

"Sixth floor" Haily responds as she draws a second keyboard to her seat. Soon enough, on one of the larger, higher positioned monitors, what looks like an advanced version of wikipedia is loaded.

Stalker finds the man as he holds the camera phone in front of him and scans the crowd through it. As the man turns towards you, he doesn't seem to notice at first, but suddenly the phone beeps. The man looks up, lets out a weak scream and starts running into the crowd.

The police seems reluctant to let Nomad pass, but they finally do. As Nomad starts patting the whale, Sherlock steps angrily next to him "Don't do that!"

The man that was familiar is apparently a TV star in a show about catching and defeating super villains. More like super goons, but that is not the point. His weekly show is broadcast all over the world and glorifies Sherlock as the best detective and crime fighter alive. Nomad was once captured by the cameras on a show that was never aired when he caught a robber. He later found out that the robber was a shapeshifter working for Sherlock so there will be plot for the show. Although the fake show, Sherlock appeared to be a decent detective...

"The pranksters left the whale of sustaining magic and we don't want any direct powers that will interfere with it! The magic isn't going to hold much longer, that is why we called in the armstrong clones, but we can use the magic to track it back to the source, and that is the first possible lead we had in months!"

The armstrongs crab the whale and start lifting it. You notice something red, probably writing, is scribbled on the bottom side of the whale.

[ChronicLunacy]

http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/5232/nomadicon.jpg Nomad

Nomad looked at Sherlock as if he was something particularly loathesome that he just happened to find on the bottom of his shoe. He had no approval or respect for the gloryhound TV star and considered him to be only a couple of steps higher on the morality scale than the scum he filmed himself apprehending. "Sherlock..." Nomad said, his lip curling in distaste. "Don't you think we should give him some choice in the matter?" he asked, meaning the whale. No one had bothered to ask for its cooperation in this matter, after all. "I'd be inclined to let you perform your tracking, but the moment the magic starts to fail I'm flying the whale back to water. The Armstrongs aren't required in that capacity."

Catching the sight of the writing, Nomad glanced at the underside of the whale to determine what it was.

[Last1]

Delusion watched the standoff between the TV detective and the Atlantain curously. Probably nothing important. The writing one the other hand...

She drifted closer to get a better look.

[Sliver]

As Delusion approached the whale, some of the policemen approach. "What do you think you're doing? This is a restricted area!"

Both Delusion and Nomad manage to read what is written there. "Sea ya later"

It appears that Sherlock didn't notice the writing, as he continues to command the Armstrongs and the helicopter to move the whale to the water tank.

OOC: Seriously, I never get email updates about ChronicLunacy's posts IC!

[Last1]

"Sea ya later... that doesn't give me much to work with really... beyond a really bad pun..."

I'm going to use quickness to take take twenty on an Investigation roll, sooo

10 + 20 is 30

[Sliver]

Indeed, there seems to be nothing else there besides a bad pun and a taunt.

Sherlock finally notices you taking a closer look and reads it "Sea, that's your area, fishman. They keep leaving these stupid messages, but it is always meaningless. If we ever find them, they will probably be somewhere that should have been obvious and we kept missing it. Well, hopefully my guys will be able to get something from the magic and track them down. Is there anything you wanted, besides wasting my time with your disapproval?"

[Last1]

With a slight raised eyebrow at the rudenss, and a shake of her head, Delusion turned to Nomad, "While I would put it as some flavor of pointless, we really should go and cheek out whatever part of the occan this guy came from."

"We can't cheek the whole sea of course, I'm sure you have a much better grasp of it's vastness then I do, but we need to at least make the guesture. Maybe the ass who did this screwed up somehow."

[TheDarkDM]

Daemon proceeds to the sixth floor, where he takes a long overdue shower. Stepping out and examining himself in the mirror, he takes a long hard look at his hair before a good deal of it seems simply to evaporate into a red mist that quickly falls back onto his head. Taking an old silver comb out of his pocket, he carefully parts and secures his hair. Moving to a communal closet, he takes out a plain black suit and dress shirt and quickly dresses himself. After a period of twenty minutes, he reappears in the command room, looking less a hobo and more a government agent. Smiling, he says to no one in particular, "Ah, now that's better."

[ChronicLunacy]

http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/5232/nomadicon.jpg Nomad

Trying to determine in which waters one might find a humpback exactly like the one in the street this time of year in order to help narrow any potential searches.
Knowledge (Life Sciences): [roll0]
Knowledge (Earth Sciences): [roll1]

"I'll need to know where you're taking the whale. If I cannot find it I will pay you a visit. Should I find that it has been mistreated I will not be a very pleasant guest." Nomad said before he turned to discuss the matter with Delusion.

"The whale is silent, most likely struck speechless by the same magic that sustains it on land. Once the magic wears off I'll be able to ask it about who did this, but until then a search of the likely waters it was taken from wouldn't be completely pointless. We'll also have to track down Mr. E and see if he's learned anything from the locals." he replied. "Will you be able to help me search the water? I'm unfamiliar with exactly how your power works."

[smuchmuch]

He wants to run ? Well, maybe it's because it has spoke with Slapstick but /Stalker/ is feeling as playfull as it is curious. Finding a isolated corner, it turns into one of the numerous pigeons that plague the streets of Rome and many other capitals. It's eyes are different, though much more closer to one of a hawk.
Stalker takes off and in the air scan it's close environs for the movement of someone running way, then follow it from a certain altitude. If the man manage to shake him of, stalker will follow the scent (although that would force him to fly much closer than he's comfortable with in this form)

Depite it's many limitation, /Stalker/ has to admit it likes this form, the feeling of freedom flying grants you feels just right.
As it moves, It wonder what gave it away previously. That phone is obviously somme kind of detector. A supepower detector or something much more specific ? Whatever the case, Batman.inc or Mr E at least would probaly be intersted in frinding about it, so that's worth a try to grab that guy or a few questions. As it flies closer to it's target, /Stalker/ activates it's hidng power, wondering if that will enough to fool the detector and plunges closer to it's target.


------------------------------------------------------------------
Curently shapeshifted:
40 pp total

-Extended (2) Accurate accute vision.
Tracking (movement)
Detect movement
(9 pp)

-Fly (3)
(6 pp)

-Shrinking (8)

+4 Wisdom (->14/ +2)
+4 Dex (->18/+4)
(8 pp)

+10 notice (->18)
+12 search (->14)
+4 sense motive (->10)
+6 stealth (in a blend in the crowd kind of way) (->18)
-language: Italian.
(9 pp)

1 pp left
---------------------------------------------------------------------

Concealement (10) total. is a not a shapeshifitng dependent abilities of stalker, but an AP to it's natural form.

-Notice[roll0] to detect the movement of the man running away into the crowd.

-Since it is hot pursuit (kinda), I guess a search isn't necescary to follow him ? Just in case: Search [roll1]

[Sliver]

The base

Haily turns for a moment from the screens to those who didn't leave the base yet. "Be ready guys, there is some dangerous activity I'm detecting... Once I get the exact coordinates the portal will open."

The whale

"We don't have a place designed to hold whales, it's not something that happens daily... We will improv-" As you are yet examining the whale to narrow down it's origin, it is being lifted above the tank, but as they prepare to lower it, it vanishes, causing the helicopter to lose balance and the Armstrong clones to fall into the water.

Sherlock looks somewhat like this at the moment:

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff174/herculesshaaman/fuuuuuuuuuuuu.jpg

He turns to Nomad, his face is red from rage "I SWEAR, IF THIS IS ONE OF YOUR TRICKS!" he turns to the policemen, shouting "Anybody got a teleportation tracker here?!"

The chase

Stalker easily finds the man as he runs through the crowd, shoving people away from his path. The man turns and runs into a building. Through the windows you see him going up, and then he climbs to the roof.

[smuchmuch]

Stalker waits above the the man and waits for him to take a few steps on the roof before diving in his back. Mid air /Stalker/ body inflates and change rapidly. For anyone who ould see though it's invisiblity it would see a large feline form, similar as a pather or a lion, in a leaping position, eady to pin it's prey.

When (if) the man suddenly fall on the ground, he will hear a low growl as a voice echoes in it's head
"It's not that I'm not enjoying this but i'm needed somewhere else.
you made loose a lot of time already. so how about you stop strugling and tell me what you were trying to do just here ? "



------------------------------------------------------------------
Curently shapeshifted:
40 pp total

-Accurate accute vision.
Detect movement
(4 pp)

-Speed (1)
-Leap (2)
(3 pp)

-Feat:
Improved initiative
Improved grapple
Improved pin
Improved Grab
Grapling finesse
(5)

+4 Wisdom (->14/ +2)
+4 Dex (->18/+4)
+10 Strength (->20)
(16 pp)

+10 notice (->18)
+4 search (->10)
+4 sense motive (->10)
+6 stealth (->18)
+12 intimidate (14)
-language: Italian.
(9 pp)

-Drawback: can't use hand in this form. (-2)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Using move action to shapeshift about a meter above the man back and letting gavity do it's work. if I get the surpise round, I guess it could count as a charge.
despite grapling finesse, I'm still using my force bonus for the pinning, just making sure he won't get an attack of opportunity.

If I don't get the jump on him and we need to roll Init 120+8

Mellee attack roll to grab [roll0], count +2 if it get him by suprise (attack specialisation on sneak attacks)

Then starting to pin with force bonus (grapling finese s just here top make sure he doesn't get a attack of opportinity) and a -4 to any roll to escape thanks to impoved pin.

And finaly Intimidate roll [roll1] it's not a partculary threatening growl but ...

....

[Sliver]

As you reach within a couple of feet from the man, you hear a beep from his phone. He panics and looks around, but doesn't react quickly enough. You pin him down as he peeps "Sono solo una giornalista" (I'm only a journalist)

The cellphone falls from his hands and slides towards the edge of the roof.

[smuchmuch]

The man will feel it's arm grabbed by hands and holded in the clasic position, arms stuck behing back and made to get up stongly but no violently.
"Uh uh suuuure. And that device of yours wich warns you every time I get close, is standart issue, I suppose ?" Stalker doesn't try to hide the irony from it's voice as it turns into a more human form, a big muscular squared man in a black suit, and visible again.

It is still holding the man but release it's grip a little, enough to be sure he won't hurt the guy while still making sure he can't shake free, and face the man. It's expression only shows a certain kind annoyed patience a journalist would be quite used ot deal with. It sighs
<"Look, I'm a nice guy." For a given value of nice. "If I wanted to hurt you I'd have alredy done. So I won't harm you, understood ?
I just want to ask you a few questions and I'd like you to be honnest with me. Who are you, are you alone ? Where did you get that device and why were you following me ?">



Curently shapeshifted:
40 pp total

-Accurate accute vision.
(3 pp)

-Feat:
Improved initiative
Improved grapple
Improved pin
Improved Grab
Graplin finesse
Mellee focuss (2)
(5)

+4 Wisdom (->14/ +2)
+12 Strength (->22/+6)
+6 charisma (->20/+5)
(20 pp)

+8 notice (->18)
+8 sense motive (->16)
+8 intimidate (->13)
+12 diplomacy (17)
-Language: Italian.
(9 pp)

2 pp left
--------------------------------------------------------
[roll0] in case I need another attack roll to regrab him after shifting

[roll1] Diplomacy
[roll2] Sense motive
[roll3] intimidate if he doesn't seem to cooperate.

[Sliver]

The man closes his eyes, whimpers for a moment and then calms down. "Hai ucciso mio fratello" (You killed my brother)

You suddenly feel his body heat disappearing, the sweat on his forehead from the intimidation and running starts to freeze.

[Unkabear]

Assuming that one of my notices were enough to catch the man running, Mr. E would be not too far behind the chase (though going slower as to not attract as much attention, seeing who is in charge of the whale, and more than slightly amused that Sherlock was denied his prize.

[smuchmuch]

Stalker/ suddenly release it's grip with a yelp as it's feels the cold burning it fingers. As a reflex if feels it's finger start allonging turning onto claws, the old stalker would have dealt with the problem in a very eficient manner, it would be simple to simply stab the man before he could becomme cold enough and absorb him, but the new one resists the urge.

Instead it's figure seems to decrease in size as it's get thinner smaller as it moves backward to the edge of the roof and grabs the phone. Taking a moment to look at his oponent it mutters <"I'm sorry I wish I could undo."> piss poor excuse of an appology for the amplitude of the crime but it didn't know what to say more. Excuses no matter how sincere, (and it was sincere), wouldn't revive the dead. Then it leapt from the building, rolled over and and dashed into the crowd before plunging to hide into the first opening it finds.
It knew reckoning would hapen, sooner or later as it was only natural. But it just wasn't ready to deal with that just yet.


Curently shapeshifted:
40 pp total

-Accurate accute vision.
(3 pp)

-Speed (3)
-Leap (3)
(6 pp)

Feat:
Ninja run
Evasion (2)
Defensive roll
(3 pp)

-Reflex save +14

+2 Wisdom (->14/+2)
+4 Dex (->14/+2)
(6 pp)

+10 diplomacy (->12)
+6 stealth (->18)
-language: Italian.
(5 pp)

3pp left
----------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm pretty sure this take more than one round to do all this(due to the nature of PBP I tend to write a lot, by post to make the game flow soother) , so if attacked betwen acrtions, Stalker will try to dodge but not attack back. If persued, it will just flee as fast as it can until it looses it's oponent, using shapeshift as time to confuse.

Diplomacy
Reflex roll if necessary (for evasion (2)) [1d20+16
Hide: Stealth [roll1]

[Last1]

"My power? It's... not an accurate discribtion, but saying I manipulate time is something of a useful misunderstanding - manipulating time would be more intuitive, and it accoplishs almost the same thing, though in a very different direction."

"I have no perticular problem searching an area quickly, but I can't breath underwater. I can, however, share my ability to do things... well quickly for lack of a better word, with anyone nearby. I'm not -quite- clear on how nearby, since the effect is centered on me, but if you stay within something like fifty feet of me, you'll be as capible of seaching quickly under the water as I would be. Not a very large area, I know."

[Sliver]

As Stalker looks up to the phone, he sees it missing. The sound of metal sliding is heard from the edge, quickly followed by what would sound like a man going down a ladder. As you hurry to the edge, you see the same man hurry down to the street and into the crowd.

Mr. EYou have seen the man going into the building, but soon enough, before you go in, you see the same man climbing down a ladder to the street and disappearing into the crowd.

[ChronicLunacy]

http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/5232/nomadicon.jpg Nomad

Nomad completely ignored Sherlock as he tried to process what was going on. Had the humpback been set to teleport at a preset time, or had there been someone in the crowd responsible? Furthermore, what were they going to do now? He couldn't even begin to guess where the whale might have come from after having such a short look at it. Humpback whales were such a far-ranging species anyway that it might have taken detailed analysis in a lab to find that out. All that they were left with now was a message that was basically just a taunt and a bad pun, and a TV star throwing a hissy fit.

"I don't think we have time to search the entire ocean anyway. It could have been from or now be anywhere. I can swim very fast, but it would be pointless to just dive in and hope we get lucky." Nomad said as he dumped his water bottle over his head and threw it in a nearby recycling can. "Maybe Haily can help us track the whale if it was teleported away." Nomad said to Delusion. "Any suggestions?"

[Last1]

"Well, we did learn SOMETHING here - the the ones responcible for this use magic. While there are those who have some innate or semi-innate magical powers, it is not the norm. Magic usually implies either high levels of education or dedicated research."

"A long time dedecated reasercher probable not do this kind of thing. Out of that group, the chaos warshipers are the only ones who do things LIKE this that I can think of off hand, and this... prank I guess you could call it... no one was hurt. The whale was probably sent back where it came from, and the whale wasn't dropped on top of anything that it would would of caused chaos and destruction. I could be making a bad call here, though."

"To me, this whole thing seems... frat boy. I've run into a few examples of college students learning magic. College students tend to be undisipled, but that level of education also selects for intellegence, which is important for magic. It takes some kind of deternination and a lot of hard work to do magic, but those are the same things you need to sit down and learn anything hard."

"So I would start will colleges, really. But still, I'm kind of shooting blind here."

[Sliver]

"I'm sorry" Haily's voice is heard through the commlink to Delusion and Nomad "I can easily track locations of Batman Inc employees, but to do the same for others I need to set a link first. So it's pretty much lost. Anyway, I'm getting some readings of destruction back in the states, I'm sending the others but be ready in case something comes up."

Base

As Haily finishes speaking through the commlink, the portal opens in the base.

(those who go through, roll initiative)

[Limos]

[roll0] - Initiative

[smuchmuch]

/Stalker/ watches as the man diseapears in the crowd. It's insticts screams to pursue the hunt, to deal witht he proble now, swiftly, quickly, definitively but it has stop listieing to those a while ago. For a while it can't help but wonder if the man said the truth, a surge of guilt passes as it's memory remembers all those that could possivbly be the dead brother. probaly better not to press the whole thing further.

It shrugs. Tempting as it would to brood on that roof for a bit, that would achieve nothing. After a while, stalker changes back into a pigeon and fly to the site of the whale. it is a little suprised to see nothing but will probaly easily spot noamd (how many blue people could there be around ?) and land near. Changing back to it's usual human form, the one it had in the base, it approaches delusion and the Atlanthean.
"Sorry. Did I miss much ? Wasn't there supposed to be a whale here ?"



----------------------------------
SHAPESHIFT (40 pp)

-Accurate accute vision
(3 pp)

+8 Wisdom (->16/ +4
+8 Dex (->18/+4)
(16 pp)

+10 bluff (->20)
+10 notice (->20)
+6 search (->14)
+10 sense motive (->18)
+8 stealth (in a blend in the crowd kind of way) (->20)
(11 pp)
+12 Information gathering (->14)
(14 pp)
-language: Italian.

Feat:
-Attractive (not stunning, but cute in a certain way)

5 pp unused

[TheDarkDM]

Slipping a black earpiece onto his right ear, Daemon pauses outside the portal. "Do you have any specifics about what's going on on the other side Miss?" he asks. When Hailey answers, he steps through the portal.

Initiative: [roll0]

[Sliver]

"Looks like grass. And a raging tree, perhaps..."

[Last1]

"Hmm, so we might not have much more time to work on this now." Delusion stated, getting out her cell phone, "Best to be productive. Let me make a few calls."

[roll0] + 11 gather information cheek, Contacts feat lets me make it in one minite. I'm asking about magical mishaps, going back a year

[ChronicLunacy]

http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/5232/nomadicon.jpg Nomad


"Sorry. Did I miss much ? Wasn't there supposed to be a whale here ?"

"It magically disappeared. And no, I'm not kidding when I say that." Nomad replied. This was going to be another one of those days, wasn't it? He could tell already that he wasn't going to be going to sleep happy tonight, that is if he went to sleep at all. "I'll be honest. I'm not sure what to do at this point. I'm more of a hands-on problem solver, not a researcher." he admitted.

[smuchmuch]

stalker shrugs "I dunno. maybe ake another look at the scene ? wait a minute". it moves out of the scene and commes back a few secvod later under the form of a dog (although a close investigation would show this is no dogs, unless they suddely evolved a set of infra bug red eyes on teir head). it's more the sake of apparence than anthing, since stalker senses are for the most beter than any canine alive but the accident with the guy witht he phone reminded it would be a good idea not to show it's power pubicaly too much.
Under this form, /Stalker/ start sniffing around, picking up scents and trails. it starts at the place the whale used to be (easy to find, the stink of sea is even worst than around fishboy) and interest itself mostly to old trails (before the crowd and all the investigator commed in)

SHAPESHIFT:

Accurate accute vision
(3pp)
Subtle Accurate accute heatvion/infrared/ultraviolet (my character will subtly sift from one to another depending on what it deems necesary)
+track (heat)
(6 pp)

Wisdom +10 (->20/+5)
inteligence +4 (->18/+4)

Search +15 (->122)
[Notice] +11 (->22)
perform (bringing back the ball) +2 (->4)
(7pp)

rest isn't too important right now, use normal stat for a dog with 10 pp left, I guess.

-----------------------------------------------------------
seaching scene with senses the other probably couldn't use.

[roll0] search
[roll1] notice

[Sliver]

Stalker:[spoiler]It appears as there are no traces. The whale wasn't brought in any way other then air or teleportation. Apart from the people already there, you don't find suspicious traces or anything that could give a clue. It's a dead end.[spoiler]

[smuchmuch]

/Stalker/ goes to the side to change back to human once again. "Well. That was disapointing. Guess I can only onfirm what you already knew. Probably magic, no one was her before. Oh and Mr detective, you should really change aftershave. I know it supposed to be spring Lilac but honestly urg.."
Getting back tot he subject at hand "So if we dodn't have anything more to do here, I guess we could retun to base ?"

[Sliver]

"The name is Sherlock!" he almost yells, flips you the finger and walks off angrily.

[Unkabear]

Mr. E hearing the chatter goes into a small coffee shop and using the universal language of the pee pee dance asks "I' m. spiacente" before running to the rest room, inside "Haily, I could use a portal at my location." Lorenzo makes sure to unlock the rest room door before stepping through the portal asking that it be closed with haste once he has returned. Pondering the message...Sea...both messages have that one word...was this a taunt, or a clue?

[Green Bean]

Aegis' powers were new to her, and she felt somewhat intimidated at the sudden flurry of super-powered or just plain super-weird activity and decided to stay quiet. By the time she remembered that, yes, she was a people person, half the team had run off to Italy and the other half had vanished to who knows where.


The base

Haily turns for a moment from the screens to those who didn't leave the base yet. "Be ready guys, there is some dangerous activity I'm detecting... Once I get the exact coordinates the portal will open."

As the portal opens, Aegis rises into the air and flies through it, following Daemon.

Initiative: [roll0]

[ChronicLunacy]

http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/5232/nomadicon.jpg Nomad

Nomad sighed as he dunked his head in the cool waters of a nearby fountain. Damn these dead ends, he thought to himself as the manmade waterfall rushed over the gills hidden just under his jawline. Fresh water "tasted" different than salt water for the purpose of breathing, but Atlanteans could exist in both. There was an overwhelming comfort and preference for ocean water, but the choice between fresh water or no water was no choice at all. "Let's return to base for now. We'll at least be in position to teleport to the next emergency." he said when he returned to where Delusion and Stalker waited.

"Haily, when you have a moment we could use a return portal. Any new information on what is happening in America?" he asked over his communication device.

[Demons_eye]

Janus heads for the portal after everyone else still annoyed he did not get an answer from Haily. He cheeked his pocket for change and grabbed his bag of marbles before he left.

[roll0]

[Sliver]

Demon Eye - You were linked to wikipedia.

The scene

As you pass through the portal you come into a park in the middle of a town. The large buildings tower around you and you can hear the cars in the distance, but here, only screams. Some people are scattering, running for their lives. Others are being grappled by the living grass, or screaming as their car is lifted by a giant living tree, with them still inside. In the middle of all this mess stands a man in green body armor, with 2 tanks on his back and a hose attached. He stands with his back to you, the screams covering for your arrival.

Italy

"It will take a minute" Haily answers Nomad "I'm not sure, I don't see any humans besides the civilians or the group"

To Mr. E "I'm opening a portal for the group back there, you can join them, or I could open a portal for you in a couple of minutes if you prefer that"

[TheDarkDM]

Quickly surmising the green suited man to be the source of the monstrous flora, Daemon reacts swiftly. Focusing in on one of the great tanks on the villain's back, he sends a bolt of unimaginably hot flame through an outstretched arm, hoping to end the disaster swiftly.


Specifically targeting one or both of the tanks on the unidentified villain's back with a full power Hellfire blast.

Attack: [roll0]
Damage Modifier: 12

I assume the -4 from a called shot applies, otherwise the attack is 4 higher

[Demons_eye]

"I get the people then?" Janus says after seeing Daemon throwing fire around like child's play. He teleports to the car and tells the man hes here to help. Janus grabs his and teleports back to the group putting the man down. He sighs, only 9 more to go...

[Unkabear]

"I would be willing to wait." He said casually. It gave him a few more minutes to ponder the clue, and the Guard.

[Green Bean]

Instantly, Aegis is next to the green-armored man. Her hands snake out and grab his arms, gently but incredibly firmly moving them away from the device. "Now, what do we have here?"

Grappling the man.

Attack Roll: [roll0]

Grapple Check: [roll1]

[Limos]

Slapstick bounces in front of the villain and pulls his stretchy facial figures into a massive smile. He sticks out his tongue and goes crosseyed then blows a wet raspberry at him all the while jeering, "Hey green and mean! Look over here! Look at me! Hey Hey Hey!"

Trying to Distract him.

[roll0] vs. Sense Motive, or Will, or Bluff. Whicheve of his is highest. (Nat 1? Seriously? It's probably still enough to beat him though. If necessary can I spend my Hero point to make it not a Failure?)

If I win he is dazed.

[Sliver]

As Slapstick leaps in front of the armored man, the man steps back but doesn't seem to react. Almost instantly, Aegis catches the man and forces him to drop the hose. Followed the grappling, Aegis feels a blast of heat nearby, as one of the tanks on the man's back explodes, with green liquid flowing out along with pink gas filling the air.

Slapstick and Aegis, Fortitude DC20 vs Stun (the power). A reflex save DC20 reduces the fort DC to 15.

As the liquid touches the ground, the grass suddenly grows and seems to spring to life, trying to catch Slapstick and Aegis while ignoring the armored man.

Slapstick and Aegis, Reflex DC18 vs Snare. Reflex of the same save halves the first one.

The tree turns to face Daemon and hurls the now empty car at him.

[roll0], 8 damage (DC23)

Initiative order: Tree (acted) - next turn will be delayed to act with armored man
Slapstick
Aegis
Armor man
Daemon
Janus

Slapstick and Aegis act now, then after the armored man acts everybody else can post actions again.

[Limos]

Stun
Reflex Save - [roll0] vs. 20
Fort Save - [roll1] vs. 20(15 if Ref)

Snare
Reflex Save - [roll2] vs. 18

EDIT: Snared. Give me a minute

[Sliver]

Characters at the fight:

Slapstick
Aegis
Daemon
Janus

No Nomad.

[Limos]

[roll0] - Escape artist check to slip out of the snare. DC 28.

Slapstick struggles to escape his bonds but is unable to get himself free. "Could someone give me a hand over here?!"

[Green Bean]

Stun
Reflex vs. DC 20 (No Fortitude Save if successful due to evasion, halve DC if failed)
Fortitude [roll1] vs. DC 15

Snare
Reflex[roll2] vs. DC 18

Edit: Her legs tangled up in the suddenly growing grass, Aegis holds on tight to the man in green armor. Seeing he had no problem surviving the exploding tank, she reapplies pressure to his arms before bringing her forehead down on his with a thunderous *crack*.

Grapple Check: [roll]1d20+30

If successful, will apply unarmed damage at DC 29

[Green Bean]

Okay, here's the roll again;

Grapple Check: [roll0]

If successful, will apply unarmed damage at DC 29

[Sliver]

The helmet cracks from the blow and reveals the face. Or what should have been the face. The creature within the armor appears to be a bundled group of vines, with the head being a separate lump. You notice in the inner side what looks like a small speaker, which you guess would have been used to fool you into thinking that this was an actual man.

The head departs from the armored body, vines starting to cover Aegis entirely, as other vines come through the armor and grab the hose and pulling the lever, causing it to free a powerful blast of orange liquid that spills into the grassy park.

DC23 reflex vs Snare for Aegis.

[TheDarkDM]

As the car hurtles through the air, Daemon only just has time to bring his arms up over his face. On impact, the car indents around him before the two halves go flying in separate directions, cut through by his flames. Seeing the mass of vines explode from the armor, Daemon leaves the ground in a blast of brimstone and circles over the combat, sending a stream of Hellfire directly into the mass of vines inside the armor.


Toughness Save: [roll0]

Attack: [roll1]
Damage: 12 (DC 27)

[TheDarkDM]

Critical Threat!


Attack: [roll0]

If successful, the DC to resist the damage becomes 32

[Demons_eye]

Janus teleports next to the tree and hides waiting for his moment.



[roll0]

stealth

[Sliver]

The blast causes half the vines on the body to burn away and drop the hose again, and half the last tank burns and more of the liquid starts to spill to the ground.

Need to act:
Slapstick
Aegis

Then the OpFor.

[ChronicLunacy]

http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/5232/nomadicon.jpg Nomad

Nomad waited patiently for the return portal as he thought more about the situation. He wondered where Mr. E had gone to.

[smuchmuch]

/Stalker/ take a curious glance at Nomad. since they were both waiting for that portal to ope, it might as well satisfy it's curiosity.
"So.. I don't think I've met blue people before..." oph yeah that's a great wy to start conersation, noit awkward at all. "If it'sd not rude of me to ask, why are you called Nomad ?"

[ChronicLunacy]

http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/5232/nomadicon.jpg Nomad

"Not rude at all. I took the name because it was appropriate. It means 'wanderer', which I am." Nomad smiled, though it came across as sad. "And it sounded better than 'Exile'..." he added quietly. "And you? Why do you call yourself 'Stalker'?"

[smuchmuch]

"Uh... That's how I've alway been called." Or at least it's the human concept that commes the closer to describe how the Sentient mind used to call it. Hunter would work pretty well too. " I guess you could consider it more of a job description, really. I'm thinking off getting a name, but I can't choose a good one."

[ChronicLunacy]

http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/5232/nomadicon.jpg Nomad

"It's certainly descriptive." Nomad said, looking sidelong at Stalker. "I just hope it doesn't say too much about your leisure activities." he smiled faintly, joking.

[Green Bean]

Aegis struggles valiantly against the vines.
Reflex Save: [roll0] vs DC 23

To her dismay, they envelop her, covering her entire body and restraining her. Of course, they couldn't anticipate just how strong she really was. With a mighty heave, she tried to tear the vines apart from the inside.

Taking a full round action to break the Snare. My bonus is 22 (14 Strength Bonus + 8 Super Strength). If this is 5 greater than its Toughness, I destroy it automatically.

[Unkabear]

Sea ya later

This had to mean something, or perhaps it was its own clue. The culprit could be someone aquatic trying to gain infamy...but perhaps what stands out more is...a child. A super powered child who quite frankly doesn't know how to spell, and has outrageous power with little idea of control or discipline.

It still was not much to go on at the moment, but there were leads opening up. Mr. E would take the time later to gather all incidents of similar nature and sea if there is something in common, or a pattern that has yet to be noticed.

[Sliver]

Slapstick's turn will be delayed.

Aegis manages to rip the vines apart, and it seems there aren't enough to continue and control the armored suit, as it falls to the ground. The tree charges Daemon and attempts to grab him.

Daemon[roll0] - attack. If hit save vs Strike 9 and it attempts to start a grapple.

[roll1] grapple.

Around Aegis and Slapstick the liquid that was just spilled seems to get soaked into the ground as [roll2] humanoid shaped grass beings seem to spring to life.

The people that are grappled by the vines seem to be struggling, trying hard to breath.

[Sliver]

Italy, Rome

"Guys, I'm redirecting the portal. You will be dropped out at a park. It seems like there is another attack, plants gone berserk." As Haily speaks, the portal opens in front of you. It's formation seems kinda unsteady, but she promises it's safe. Those who pass through, initiative.

Mr. E

"I'm gonna have to speed up the portal creation for the team here. It will take only a few seconds but if you don't take the portal you will have to return yourself or wait a hour. There is an attack they need to take care of. I can keep the portal open for a minute if you decide to go." Haily informs through the commlinks..

[Limos]

Couldn't give me one day to post? I was out all yesterday, couldn't check these threads.

Slapstick struggles to free himself from the choking vines once more.

[roll0] - vs. DC 28 to escape vines

http://images.encyclopediadramatica.com/images/8/8e/Picard_Facepalm.jpg

[TheDarkDM]

Grapple: [roll0]
Toughness: [roll1]

With Daemon's attention focused on the construct in the suit, he does not notice the monstrous tree bearing down on him. The things iron branches entangle him, and below Aegis and Slapstick can hear the cracking of ribs. Moments later though, a light appears from underneath Daemon's clothing, and the indentations of the tree's grip are pushed back into place. Turning, Daemon's flames shoot through the heart of the tree, trying to bring it down.

[TheDarkDM]

Forgot you couldn't post rolls in an edit...


Attack: [roll0]
Damage: 12 (DC 27)

[ChronicLunacy]

http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/5232/nomadicon.jpg Nomad

Nomad lifted off of the ground and flew straight into the portal. He continued out onto the other side and hovered a moment to get his bearings. Once he figured out what the hell was going on he'd act, so his mind raced to process everything he saw.

Initiative: [roll0]

[Demons_eye]

Janus mutters "Damn it" as he teleports to one of the people and grabs him teleporting back.

[Unkabear]

"Understood." Mr. E enters the portal when it opens and steps into the park...taking in the situation.

[Sliver]

"Understood." Mr. E enters the portal when it opens and steps into the park...taking in the situation.

It will take some time getting there... You will miss the first [roll0] turns. (unless you have a faster way of moving then running.. More if you just walk)

[Limos]

[roll0]

Slapstick struggles weakly for perhaps the final time to escape his cruel chlorophyllic captor. He knew that he would surely never again snack upon salad without this disastrous dispute destroying his delectation. Oh what a cruel world it is where pernicious plants pummel pranksters over paralyzed prisoners.

In a turn of sudden luck Slapstick finds himself free of his clinging vines. He stops trying to think of new Alliterations now that he has something to do other than slowly suffocate.

[smuchmuch]

It will take some time getting there... You will miss the first [roll0] turns. (unless you have a faster way of moving then running.. More if you just walk)

As soon as /Stalker/, who has been hesitating to enter the portal not sure what form to assume, recognizes* the running figure of Mr E thanks to it's supernatural senses, it turns invisible. Barely a second later an ultra extended, superflexible, superstong tentacle slithers quickly it's way among the crowd and grabs gently Mr E, joined with a mental communication.
"Hey. It's me. You don't mind if I help you with that, right ?"
If Mr E in fact doesn't mind, the tentacle will snap back to Stalker's body, carrying Mr E and posing him delicatly near the portal.

Shapeshift:
Enhanced strentgth 10, enhanced Dex (10)
Superspeed (3),
Extended limb, (5) subtle
For 40 power points.

*I suppose I should make somme notice checks and the like but I'm not sure. It's not really serious anyway, it's part a joke, part a way to help another player so it only work if the Dm wants it to work.


/Stakler/ changes form one last time, turning into a big bunky carapaced form with razor sharp appendages and jumps through the portal and start tearing it's way through the vines.



SHAPESHIFTING:

- +14 Enhanced strentgh (24) (10 pp)
- Super speed, Extra: Rapid Attack (6 pp)
- Strike (10), mighty (6) penetrating (6) (22 pp)
- +2 (imprevious) (->8) (2pp)


With all that shapeshifting I'm pretty sure /Stalker/ wasted at least one round, still better than four though.

Initiative: [roll0]

[Green Bean]

Aegis stands with slapstick, ready to fight the oncoming grass beings when she notices the bystanders trapped within the vines. Moving with incredible speed, she flies over to them, ripping the vines out by the root as fast as she can.

Trying to free as many as I can as fast as I can; not sure what this counts as mechanically, though.

[Sliver]

Daemon burns a hole in the middle of the tree, causing it to burst into flames, but it doesn't seem to go down, swinging it's burning hands.

[roll0] attack, Strike 11 (strike 9 if immune to fire)

[roll1] (was a mistake at the first roll)

Janus manages to free one of the civilians.

As Aegis moves to grab the grass catching one of the civilians, the grass grows from under Aegis and attempts to grab her.

[roll2] attack

[roll3] grapple

The grass creatures look at the abandoned Slapstick and charge, while the grass under him tries to grip him again.

[roll4] - each not nat 1 gives a +2 to the next roll.

[roll5]+4 from aid attack. Damage 7.

Save vs Snare 7 too.

[Unkabear]

It will take some time getting there... You will miss the first [roll0] turns. (unless you have a faster way of moving then running.. More if you just walk)

That is just fine, though he will change personages before going into the portal. When he does finally pass through he will look like Sherlock, and make sure that several people see him enter the portal, with a wink and a smile :smallbiggrin:

[Green Bean]

Grapple Check: [roll0]

Aegis casually slaps the intrusive vines away, and continues to head for the entrapped civilians.

[Sliver]

Nomad is the first to move through the portal. As he passes through, he finds himself in the middle of a small park in the zoo, where an elephant is raging nearby and people round around panicking. It is easy to notice the green vines that grow around the elephant's head, and you see a man in green armor and a rifle standing there. He turns to look at Nomad entering the scene, but Nomad gets a chance to act first.

Nomad, then man and elephant, then Stalker and Mr. E enter the scene.

----------

Aegis rips apart one of the thick looking vines which seems to cause others to die and 4 of the civilians are freed, running away.

[Demons_eye]

I need to take care of the tree but there are too many people Janus thinks. He yells as he teleports to grab another civilian and teleports back taking the civilian away from the plants "Haily we need back up here." but as he said this he looks up and says in surprise "Good job, thanks."

[Sliver]

"There is a situation at the zoo, the rest are sent there and the teleportation system is overheated!" Haily informs you as Janus saves another one of the civilians, only 3 left now, but it seems Aegis' actions weakened the remaining vines so they are not in an immediate danger.

[Green Bean]

Finishing up with the main vine, and seeing that the other civilians were in no immediate danger, Aegis dashes back to help Slapstick. Lining herself up carefully to avoid friendly fire, she brings her hands together with the force of a locomotive. The sudden shockwave of air pressure rippled through the air, blasting into the grass creatures.

Using Shockwave. +14 Damage effect, and a DC 24 Reflex Save to halve the effective rank.

[Sliver]

The grass creatures spread and blown away by the blast, no longer held together the grass is carried by the wind. The living vines that tried to continue and grab Slapstick are blown flat and stop moving as well.

[ChronicLunacy]

Nomad
Defense: 22
Damage Condition: Unharmed

"Ah, an elephant." Nomad said as he sized up the situation. The man riding the elephant must think it to be a terribly big and intimidating creature, but Nomad had just been looking at a whale. This land-creature was the size of a small terrier compared to a humpback. Still, he hoped that it would forgive him for knocking it unconscious after he got those vines off of its head and dropped it back into its enclosure. "First order of business is that rifleman, however." he decided.

Moving at around 733 feet per second, Nomad whipped toward the man on the elephant's back like a shot from a firearm. The armored figure would notice the Atlantean hovering over him with his fist cocked back for a brief fraction of a second before Nomad's fist descended on his armored helmet with a resounding boom. If the fist connected, Nomad's arm would immediately snake around the helmeted head and grab its weapon with his other hand, pulling it into a grapple.

Unarmed Attack +12: [roll0]
Improved Grab for Grapple: [roll1]

[Sliver]

The green armored man is standing around there, not on the elephant.

As Nomad swings, the man fails to raise his hands in defense quickly enough, but a vine comes from under the armor and deflects the attack.

"Fool! No one can stop the green's power!" the man speaks, but it sounds as if it is twisted by a voice disguise device.

The man steps back from Nomad and aims his rifle. Shooting wide to the left, Nomad notices a caged lion was hit straight in the head. Then, vines start growing on it's head, vines that also crush the bars and let the lion loose.

In the meanwhile, the elephant trashes a lion cart and picks it up.

Enter Mr E and Stalker. Acting together with Nomad.

OOC: This time I got the notification...

[ChronicLunacy]

Nomad
Defense: 22
Damage Condition: Unharmed

"What are you doing to these animals, you monster!?" Nomad asked, this time going for the green man's gun. He swiped at the weapon, hoping to tear it out of the creature's clutches so that he couldn't use it against any more innocent animals. "Who are you?!"

Unarmed Attack +12: [roll0]
Disarm (Opposed by Strength): [roll1]

[Sliver]

Nomad manages to get a grip and pulls the rifle. Looking down into it, he sees the green gauntlet still holding it, ripped from the man. Vines are falling from it and from the man's ripped arm others are visible. They immediately regrow into a whole vine made hand like thing. "I am nature's will!" he shouts at you.

[TheDarkDM]

Toughness: [roll0]

Daemon slumps in the Tree's grasp, seemingly overcome by the crushing branches. As the flame licks his face, the flesh blackens and liquefies, and just as swiftly dissipates into red particles and reforms into an unmarked visage.

[Unkabear]

Mr. E steps through the portal (still looking like Sherlock) and begins to get an idea of what was happening. He eyed the Elephant and began to run over to it, hoping that he would not also have to face a lion at the same time.


Changing up VP to the following feats {Improved Block, Improved
Critical, Improved Sunder, Improved Trip, Instant Up, Power Attack,
Startle} and using the remaining points into skills with the end result of

Acrobatics - 23
Bluff - 23
Notice - 23
Sense Motive -19

And rolling a notice check while I am at it.

[roll0]

[smuchmuch]

/Stalker/ runs to the "man" and slashes with it's currently sharp appendages.

Attack roll 13 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=8326637&postcount=72)
Strike (10), mighty (6) penetrating (6)

[ChronicLunacy]

Nomad
Defense: 22
Damage Condition: Unharmed

"Wrong," Nomad replied, "you're merely dangerous and misguided." He flexed his hand and tons upon tons of pressure was exerted upon the weapon he held. He bore down with enough force to snap high-tensile steel or crunch up a car into a ball. Unless the weapon happened to be more than it appeared, it would break into splinters like so much dead wood.

+12 Strength and +12 Super-Strength bonus for a +24 toward breaking objects.

[Sliver]

The weapon is crushed in Nomad's hands as Stalker's attack is deflected by more vines from under the man's armor.

The elephant turns to Mr. E and swings the ice cream cart with force far greater then an average elephant should have.

[roll0] Damage 14.

The lion, far faster then it should, leaps towards Stalker.

[roll1] Damage 7.

The man howls in rage at Nomad, a moment before you hear something odd, as if a microphone was hit and makes that high pitched annoying sound... Then it goes silent, as the man raises it's arm at Nomad, and the vines come out to grapple him.

[roll2] attack.
[roll3] grapple. If he wins, he starts to choke you.

[Unkabear]

Perhaps I should rethink my target. Ouch. [roll0]

Edit: Bruise, I can handle that.

Mr. E was not ready for the elephant to hit him with an icecream cart, but luck was on his side as he was able to roll with the blow and remain on his feet, if a little sore, but no worse for wear. Mr. E decided that he no longer wished to be in front of the animal and ran up the icecream cart to land on the creatures back, turning around quickly and striking at the vines wrapped around the creatures head.

[Unkabear]

Rolls for previous post as I cannot post new rolls in an edit.

Acrobatics to run up the icecream cart to the elephants back [roll0]

Attack [roll1]

DC 27

[ChronicLunacy]

Nomad
Defense: 22
Damage Condition: Unharmed

Opposed Grapple: [roll0]
Grapple rules are always a little iffy. By winning, can I choose to apply my own pin instead of escape?

At first it looked like Nomad was going to let the vines strangle him, but then his hand shot out and grabbed the green man by the neck with a steel grip. He lifted the green man off of the ground, pulled his helmet close and frowned at him disapprovingly. "Like I said, dangerous...and misguided. I think you need some air." he said low and dangerously. Then Nomad reared back and tossed his enemy straight up into the air. It was a light throw, which meant that it was possible the green man would only reach the Mesosphere before he started to fall back to earth. The return trip would take several minutes, which was more than enough time to deal with the elephant and the lion before the green man...got back.

Assuming I don't need another grapple check for this, Nomad will throw the green man straight up into the air. Assuming he weighs 400 pounds or less, Nomad has enough strength to toss him up 500,000 feet, which means a DC30 toughness save when the green man eventually falls back to earth.

[smuchmuch]

/Stalker/ feels the pouncing lion learning that when your owly weapon are clawsz and fangs, no matter how sharp they may be, you attack a heavily caracpeced oponent at your own risk. With a minor It tunrs it's chitinous blades into blunt insturments, after all the poor thing is probaly controled, no point in hurting more than necessary, and slam hard on the feline's head.

attack mellee [roll0]
Strike (10), mighty (6) penetrating (6) (non lethal damage this time)

[Demons_eye]

Janus, still next to the tree, grabs it and teleports 500 feet into the air then comes back yelling "Watch out"



Reflex 22

If possible he teleports it away from everyone to above a open field.

[Last1]

With a flickering step, Delusion flashed through the door, and tryed to get her barrings.

[roll0] I'm also setting my array to my rapid fire power

[Last1]

Wha... it's +22, not plus 14, so my roll should be 30. I don't know how I did that.

[Sliver]

The tree vanishes and as you look up, it's not there, where it was supposed to be teleported to. You hear the police in the distance.

Stalker's attack causes some of the vines to tear and the lion seems to be stunned and almost down by the attack. E's attack seems to cause a similar effect as the elephant is shocked by the blow, but seems to still have enough power to fight.

The armored vine man goes up.

(everybody can act now)

[Last1]

Delusions arm pulled back, her hand suddenly gripping a number of odd things. An old coin, a bit of glass, a balled up coupon, and then she snapped her arm forward. Again. Again. It was as if her next throw began before her last finished.

The assult was almost painful to watch, bits of debris drifting along... except that they were already slashing through the space the armorred man occupied. They seemed to correct their aim in mid-air, or had they alwasys been moving that way? The angles, the velocities... it was all wrong.

[roll0], If it misses, it will attack again on it's own for the next three rounds (homing 3). By every 2 points it overcomes defence, it will add one to it's one save (autofire). It's a level 12 power.

Sorry if I've written something down wrong. I'm away from my books at the moment.

[Sliver]

As the random items hit the armor, it rips apart, pieces of green metal and vines fall to the ground, the vines now motionless, but no human occupying the armor.

[Last1]

Hardly waiting for her first assult to land, Delusion of Granduer wheeled around, and shot towards the elephant, a wicked looking metal shaft with one end lovingly worked down to a point gripped lossing in her left hand.

With a bound, she lept up the elephant, and began lashing out with carefully aimmed stricks designed to tear away the vines covering it's head.

In all likelyhood, another player is going to down the elephant before my turn comes again, but no need to hold up the action if it IS still standing when my turn comes around.

I think I shouldn't have any problems getting up the elephant, climbing is part of a move action, isn't it? And I can climb anything less then half my move as acrobatics. If not... Sorry, don't have my books at the moment.

I've swiched to my 'physical' power in my array.
Str 34
Stike 0, Mighty - Penetrating 4, Accurate, Extended Reach 4, Affects insubstantial 2, Dimensional (Preternatual) 2.
[roll0]

[smuchmuch]

With a quick bump on the head, /Stalker/ finishes the lion before turning i's attention to the vines man. Seeing the armor unocupied it's prepare itself for anything.

[SPOILer][roll0] (same strike, non lethal damage)[/SOILER]

[Sliver]

Stalker strikes the lion again, ripping some of the vines and causing the creature to fall to the ground. The vines still on it's head wither and die.

[Unkabear]

Mr. E continues to balance on the Elephants back while attempting to damage the vines around its head.

Acrobatics [roll0]
Attack [roll1]
DC 27

[ChronicLunacy]

Nomad
Defense: 22
Damage Condition: Unharmed

Nomad didn't wait for the armored "man" to fall back to earth. Instead, he took off in a burst of grass and dirt and shot straight at the elephant. He aimed a titanic blow of his fist directly at the side of the elephant's head, holding back enough that he wouldn't permanently damage the creature. If he could knock it out, they could get the vines off of it at their leisure.

Strike 14 (Power Attack for 2): [roll0]

[Sliver]

Already hurt, the attack knocks the elephant to the ground and he stays down, with E almost caught under him but managing to dodge at the last moment. The vines on it's head wither and die as you see in the distance little zoo guard carts slowly making their way through the still running crowd.

*pokes* The other team.. There are still citizens trapped by the vines and stuff...

[TheDarkDM]

Falling to the ground as the tree disappears, Daemon looks around groggily. Standing, he pops a shoulder back into place and gives Janus a weak smile.

"Have I mentioned how much I hate theme villains?" He asks, before turning away to survey the remaining threats. Taking to the air, he fires a stream of Hellfire at the roots of one of the grasping strands of grass while talking into his headset.

"Hailey, do we have eyes on where that tree disappeared to?"


Attack: [roll0]
Damage: 12 (DC 27)

[Sliver]

The vines start to burn and die off, but the fire spreads quickly towards the now not grappled but still covered in vines civilians.

"Give me a sec..." Haily informs and follows "It seems that the tree is now somehow orbiting the moon."

[TheDarkDM]

It probably won't matter, but crit...


Attack: [roll0]

[Sliver]

It's not D&D. Crits don't work like that in M&M.


critical hit (crit): An attack inflicting additional damage. To score a critical hit, an attacker must first score a threat (usually a natural 20 on an attack roll, depending on the attack being used) and the attack total must exceed the target’s Defense. A critical hit does +5 damage.

If the first roll is a nat 20 and would have hit, it's a crit. If it wouldn't have hit due to really high defense, it's still a hit but not a crit.

[Last1]

With another flicker step, Delusion was suddenly by one of the carts of the zoo guards.

"Hey, could you help get these people back, we aren't sure it's safe yet! And could you call in a bio-hazard. I'm not sure how infectus those growths are, but we saw them take over a couple of the larger animals quite quickly. There's no need to take chances."

[Unkabear]

Mr. E looks around to make sure the others are unhurt or if they may need any aid shifting from Sherlock to little boy, who looks a great deal like the Lorenzo from earlier, without the height or beard.

[Demons_eye]

Seeing nothing better teleports to the still covered civilians and helps them escape.

[smuchmuch]

Seeing as there is apparently no one else to attack, stalker turns invisible and shift back to a more human form, a middle aged woman in a zoo employee uniform before returning to visible somewhere not far from Mr E

"Hello there little guy. Are you alright ? Lost ? your parent must be looking for you"
The disguise didn't fool it's scent and /Stalker/ just loves to poke fun at Lorezo paranoid habit to morph around for no reasons.

Situation is abit confused for me.
I assume the fight is over and there are no enemies left around .If there still are, none of this hapens. Stalker stays in armored form and on its guard.

[ChronicLunacy]

Nomad
Defense: 22
Damage Condition: Unharmed

Nomad looked up into the air and waited for the armored vine man to fall back down. The fall would probably take whatever fight was left in him right on out, but he wasn't going to take any chances. As he waited, he dunked himself in any nearby marine enclosure to stay wet, apologizing to whatever marine animal he may find there for the intrusion.

[Sliver]

Nomad
Defense: 22
Damage Condition: Unharmed

Nomad looked up into the air and waited for the armored vine man to fall back down. The fall would probably take whatever fight was left in him right on out, but he wasn't going to take any chances. As he waited, he dunked himself in any nearby marine enclosure to stay wet, apologizing to whatever marine animal he may find there for the intrusion.

As the vined man was going up, he was attacked.


As the random items hit the armor, it rips apart, pieces of green metal and vines fall to the ground, the vines now motionless, but no human occupying the armor.

[ChronicLunacy]

Nomad
Defense: 22
Damage Condition: Unharmed

Since it didn't look like the sliced and diced collection of vines was going to be getting up anytime soon, Nomad flew over to where he'd punched out the elephant. Getting under it, he lifted it over his head and managed to awkwardly perch the massive animal on his shoulders. Then he flew it back into its enclosure and gently set it down in as comfortable a position as he could leave it in. Nomad then attempted to seal any breaches in the enclosure's fence to make sure it stayed put by twisting metal fences back into place or parking something large in front of the hole like a big rock or a trailer.

[Last1]

"Hey, Hally?" Delusion spoke to the air, "Could you get a bio-hazzard team down here. That vine stuff, it was at least a bit infectus. I don't think a crown of vines would make that great of a fasion statement."

[Sliver]

The zoo guards start clearing out the zoo and call in experts to inspect the animals for any long lasting effects. Nomad returns the animals and somewhat fixes the bars, but better maintainable will be required.

"I'll see what I can do" Haily informs you.

The other team meanwhile manages to rescue the civilians before they burn to death.

Anything you want to do while the teleportation device is being cooled off?

[Last1]

Delusion flickered over to where Nomad was with a smile, "Well, that was nasty. I hate mind control, you end up fighting the innocent." She frowned, looking at the reminence of the Green Man.

"I doubt we've seen the last of whatever he represents," she muttered, looking around. Then, with a shake of her head, she was smiling again.

"Oh, you know, I've never been to the zoo before," she said, "take me to the aquarium. You can tell me all about the differnent sea-life and what they're like in the wild. Pleasssse."

Usually, she seemd older then she probably was, but somehow she seemed younger all of sudden, maybe even younger then she really was.

[smuchmuch]

Once it's done with bugging the unresponsive Mr E, he was never much fun, alway had important things on it's mind, /Stalker/, still disguised as one of the zoo keepers, find itself with nothing to do, in an almost empty zoo.

/Stalker/ had been to zoos before, at night, when there were no visitors and only a few lonely guards patroled the empty aisles. Places filled with caged defenless animals and almost no witnesses. Kinda like now.
Be strong

It's not that stalker didn't feed, it still had to sustain itself , but in oder to quell its predatory instncts, it restained itself to a diet of dead meat products and chopped vegetal derivatives. Mostly. And you could live by that, sure, but there was something missing, it just wasn't the same.
...

/Stalker/ takes a look around as it"s wandering, somme might say there a certain prowling quality to it, got him into adeserted part of the evacuated zoo. Surely no one would miss a few of those small animals over there...

[Unkabear]

Mr. E was thinking. Though at this time he really did not mean to be off in his own little world. By the time he could respond to /Stalker/ she was already gone. He shrugged and allowed himself to be shepherded along with the others outside of the zoo.

[Sliver]

It is almost noon when our heroes are finally stepping through the portal back into the headquarters. The place looks far emptier then before, only Haily now sitting there.

[Last1]

"Hey, Hally," Delusion said, steping through, "What can you tell us about hte Green Man we fought? Do you have anything on 'him,'" she made little air signs, "yet?"

[Sliver]

Haily shakes her head "The rest left to do some research. So far, some suspect that drug dealer that was released from prison a while ago, but there is nothing to actually support it. I think they were just influenced by all those foolish talkshows. Psy goes to that school where the guy was hired at and Agent isn't worried at all."

[ChronicLunacy]

Nomad

Nomad had gladly shown Delusion around the water exhibits after helping with the cleanup, talking to the animals and conferring to them any questions that she had. When they were done he dunked himself in the nearest large tank again and followed her through the portal back to base. Then he'd went to get something to eat before coming back to the control room carrying another bottle of water. "Where else are we needed, Haily?" he asked as he came back in. "I know we just got back, but there is always something going on. I'll go myself if the others need a break."

[Sliver]

"Agent asked for someone to babysit Psy, if you're interested." Haily says "Joke, for now the lower ranked teams are handling things, nothing major came up again. You could investigate or follow any leads you want on those pranksters or the green man." Haily scratches her head "Oh, and I got something for you Nomad, something that Psy said helped me... I actually don't remember what he said, he has that effect sometimes. But anyway, we found that whale right next to your base."

[ChronicLunacy]

Nomad

"Then they know where I sleep." Nomad said, his brows furrowing together. "Then I'll be going there to talk to it. I'll contact you later when I have new information. Do you have a specific location or shall I begin a search spiraling out from my home?" he asked as he lifted off from the ground.

[Last1]

"If you find any good leads call me Nomad. I really don't like what those 'pranksters' have been doing, but I can't breath under water so I don't think I'll be useful for our current leads."

"That drug dealer," Delusion of Grandeur said, turning her attention to Hally, "I'd like to investigate him, if for no other reason then to establish his innocence. We don't have time to keep barking up the wrong tree, peole will get hurt if there is another attack like the last one - so I'll go an establish once and for all if we need to pay attention to this guy."

[Sliver]

Haily frowns "You said some of your base is filled with water, right?"

She turns to Delusion "Well, he is working in the school cafiteria... I can teleport you to outside the school so you can talk to him while the kids are in class..."

[Last1]

"School," Delusion shivered, "I'd rather wait for him to get out, first. If he does start something I don't want it to be in a school."

And I don't want to be in a school, she finished mentally.

[smuchmuch]

"You don't like schools ?" asks /Stalker/ made curious by the slight shiver it noticed.

"Well I could help in both. if anyone needs me I'll be taking a nap in the couch here."
It would take someoen really observantA certain zoo may notice a lack of Koalas. And monkeys. And in fact a lot of things. It really went a bit overboard in retrospect. but that's okay, it can stop anytime it wants. Meanwhile , nothing like a bit of rest for digestion.

[Last1]

"I have nothing against education - I've been teaching myself math and science, and I've been studying current events. I'm going to put myself through college when I have the money. But kids school," she shook her head, "You don't have any say in what you do, and you can't... move. I've seen them, all the people, trapped like sardines."

[smuchmuch]

"Don't like to be bossed around ? I can get behing that feeling." the voice from a Purple shade in her middle teens commes from the couch "Never been in a school personnaly but i can't say it ounds much fun." Well it did once but it was at night and the 'greatest league' was patroling so it never made it higher than the beasement. In retrospect it's probably better for everyone that way.

"If you don't mind me asking: Why are you called Delusions of grandeur ? That's kind of a mouthfull for a name ain't it ?"

[Unkabear]

Mr. E had a flit of memories, sitting at the foot of Socrates while he spoke, and drank his poison, talking with Newton and discussing how universal his theories could be, drinking and carousing with Franklin. Ah, the good old days. It was one thing to read something, most of the time falsely, but that was what propaganda was for after all, and living it.

"I will make use of the computer lab, I want to go and check up on a few things."

[Sliver]

"Right below the archive, two floors down. Don't step on the turtles."

[Last1]

"Well, I have... I guess you could call it a weird perception of events." She started, speaking slowly. "To me, the past is a thing thats always there, stable and unchanging. I don't mean memory, I mean the past. I can percive the past."

"Not the events that make up the past," she quickly clarified, "but the past as a thing into and of itself."

"The future is this liquid thing, without value or character. I... see... it - for lack of a better term - but it has no meaning - I cannot see future events, just the future as a thing of possibilities. What I cannot see is the present, it doesn't really exist. There is the future, and it is devoured by the past, but none of my super-normal sense detect any kind of 'present.'"

"If you've noticed, I seem to manifest control over events in the present, but that's wrong. I manipulate the bits of the future that are being devoured by the past. Think of it as shaping wax as it cools. I don't have 'real' power in the present, I have powe over a moment before such a small time ago that to you it might seem like the present, but it is not. A window of operunitiy of a planck second to change what was."

"The only space I percive the 'now' in is through my limited human senses. It's an illusion, unreal. It's also grand and big and uncontrolable, free enough to change, defined enough that those change matter. I would argue that the present is all that matters, what was, was, what could be, might be, but the now is, even if it's unreal."

"I suppose I could have named myself The Now, or something, but that sounds silly to me."

[Unkabear]

Mr. E was about to ask after the turtles but decided against it. There are some things that one just didn't want to know.

[Last1]

"Hally, what's the convicts home address? I'll wait for him there."

[Sliver]

"He lives in a small apartment near Hero Park, he works at the Building Blocks Montessori School and the manager apparently pays for the apartment. Want a portal?"

Mr. E really finds turtles in front of the computer lab entrance. Lots of them, some really small, some almost twice as large as him. Super turtles actually, as he finds out while dodging a laser or two. He notices two spider turtles on the ceiling with their prey, a moth turtle. It's not a challenge for Mr. E to get to the computer lab, but it is still quite weird.

[Last1]

"Yes, please," Delusion said, fading to invisiblilty.

Using my stealth array

[Sliver]

A portal starts opening, and a minute later it is fully formed, leading into a hall inside an apartment building. You are also informed you will probably wait around 2 hours, and that is if he goes straight home after school.

[Last1]

Invisiblly, delusion walked through the portal, and then equally ghostlike, through the door to his appartment. Not physically touching anything, she began a through seach of his place. She made sure to ghost her head through walls, and through peices of the floor, just to make sure he wasn't being clever.

Making a search cheek, since I'm staying invisible I don't have my quickness. Can I Take 20, or do I not have enough time.

[Unkabear]

A certain part of him wanted to take a few of the turtles and dissect them, find out WTF, but another part of him, the part that has kept him alive for as long as it has told him to just enter the computer room and close the door.

Inside he took a place by a computer careful not to disturb any stack of papers and began to search for any reference to the phrase "Sea you later"

Moving points into Investigate, gather information, computer and sense motive.
[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]

[Unkabear]

I have a few more points to spend, so for the moment I will also bump my ranks in Knowledge Turtles and Perform Interpretive Dance.

[roll0]
[roll1]

[Green Bean]

The Green Man successfully vanquished, Aegis turns her attention towards the cleanup. While is not the most glamorous use of her time, it had to be done. With her strength and speed, by the time the return portal opens, all of the mutated plants have been pulled up by the roots and deposited in a single enormous pile, which she carries to a more isolated area for eventual pickup. While the damaged park will need repairs, it looks almost normal.

When she returns to base, she visits Haily again. "So, anything on the board now?"

[Sliver]

Delusion finds that the apartment is mostly empty. Beyond the nessesseties there isn't much here. But she finds one room to have a board with lots of articles about Greens' and his capture, dating to more than 20 years back. There are also tapes with dates on them, going back to around the same time as the first, but stopping a few years ago and replaced by disks.

Mr. E finds that the top referance is "See You Later Alligator", following that lead he finds out that it is a name of a novel written by William F. Buckley, Jr, who was not a communist. E starts to believe that it is pointless and the only possible meaning to the phrase besides the pun and taunt was in reference to the whale found in Nomad's base. On the other hand, he remembers a villain that's theme was random themes. The villain wasn't very popular, a fact supported by E not being able to recall his name, but people tried to guess how he chooses his theme, and the most supported claim was that he clicks random on wikipedia. His dance impressed no one, because no one is able to see him there. Probably.

Haily shakes her head "We don't have anything... You can investigate yourself or just wait for him to do his next move, I donno... Maybe he will turn up himself next time."

[TheDarkDM]

When Daemon re-enters the base, he is suitable singed, his clothes seeming to have suffered from the manifestation of his powers. Between his lips dangles a fresh cigarette, quietly liberate from a destroyed supermarket. pulling it from his mouth and inhaling, he turns to Hailey, "Are these allowed up here?"

[smuchmuch]

"Haily, if we're going to investigate on that dealer guy... I guess there'd be not hurt in tailing him for a while. could you open me a portal to that school ? if noit today, tomorow then. Somewehre not to visible if possible."

-Accurate accute vision
(3 pp)
Danger sense (1 pp)

+8 Wisdom (->16/ +4
+8 Dex (->18/+4)
(16 pp)

+10 bluff (->20)
+10 notice (->20)
+6 search (->14)
+10 sense motive (->18)
+8 stealth (in a blend in the crowd kind of way) (->20)
+12 Information gathering (->14)
(14 pp)

6 pp unused

[ChronicLunacy]

Nomad


Haily frowns "You said some of your base is filled with water, right?"

"All of it except for the guest quarters, which can be filled with air, yes. If that's a problem then teleporting me into the air above the ocean would be fine. I can make my way from there." Nomad replied.

[Sliver]

Haily nods at Daemon "Only Casper really cares, and he is good at dodging that, so knock yourself out."

While opening a portal to the school, she speaks to Nomad "Oh, I can open the portal, I was just implying that the whale was actually inside one of the flooded chambers."

[ChronicLunacy]

Nomad

"Well, that saves me the effort of finding it. I'm going to have a serious talk with this prankster when I find him." Nomad said darkly as he crossed his muscled arms in front of his chest. "Whales can hold their breath a long time, but it might be best to get it out of there as soon as possible."

[Sliver]

"I could open a large enough portal, but it will take a while and the machine will overheat again. Do you have some security cameras in the base? It might give us a clue..."

[smuchmuch]

Turning invisible for now,/Stalker/ steps through the portal with a "thanks" and a slight chuckle as the mention of the whale stuck into Nomad living space.

Once on the oter side of the portal it just take a look around curiously. It didn't really lie whan it said it never went into a schoopl before so there's a bit of curiosity here. The novelty will probably wear off rather fast.

Still invisible if there aren't a lot of people walking around, taking the apparence of someone and changing a few details such as hair color and skin tone, if it's recess and there is a lot of people in the corridors (less suspicious that way if it accidenaly bump into someone), it start making it's way to the cafeteria by folowing the scent it assumes to be cooking.*



*Wich prooves without a doubt that /Stalker/ really has never been in a school cafeteria before. I'm not saying calling it 'cooking' is generous but....
Then again /stalker/ is an alien so maybe he would actualy find that good

[ChronicLunacy]

Nomad

I have a Security System (DC25) but it makes no mention of cameras. I'm going to just assume that they come with the system since there is no specific feature for cameras.

"I hope you won't be insulted if I change the passcode after giving you access this time." Nomad said earnestly. "I haven't been working here long enough to give everyone at Batman Inc. an eye and an ear into my private life." he said as he leaned over Hailey's shoulder. "If you can connect remotely I'll input the code for the security system. We might also be able to check if it has been disabled or bypassed, but I'm not tech-wizard. To be honest, a friend who owed me a favor set everything up down there."

[Sliver]

Haily nods and slides her chair towards a different computer where she lets you input the code. Knowing around what time the whale was teleported, you find that it happened immediately after it left the streets of Rome, so it probably wasn't anywhere else between the trip. You don't find out the exact method of transportation tho, as the camera seems to switch to showing a clown for the single second it took the whale to get there. Trying different cameras yields the same results. The clown (http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii294/5BizzyBs/SadClown.jpg)is not really special and gives out nothing, just a random picture found from google images. An instant after the whale shows up, you notice a blur and suddenly the entire lair is covered in paint, with writings like "LEAVE BRITNEY ALONE" and "GTFO" and random threats. Some look less serious then others. Haily tries to slow down the footage but it the few frames that caught something are still showing just a purple blur.

Stalker finds that the kids are in classes at the moment and the halls are mostly empty and decides to not show up. Following the smell, he finds himself in a large empty hall where an old woman is cleaning and a man that appears to be in his thirties is cleaning up the dishes. If this is the man that just got of jail, and he was sitting there for around twenty years, something is messed up...

[Unkabear]

Lorenzo let a frown touch his face. No one appreciated good art.

He decided to do a few more searches, this time focusing on Nomad and his media coverage, looking for anyone that may have a grudge on him, though he did keep the wiki-guy in the back of his head.

[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]
[roll4]
[roll5]

Thats right, he has not given up on his dance yet

[ChronicLunacy]

Nomad

Nomad was quietly furious when he saw the desecration and damage done to his home. How had they found his headquarters, how had they gotten past his security system, how had they gotten so deep underwater in the first place, how had they even managed to find a paint that wouldn't instantly dissolve underwater...? It was an impressive, albeit infuriating display of power from the prankster(s). "Well, he or they sure is a dedicated trickster...and he knows that I'm on his trail. Is the whale underwater? Is it still breathing air or is it still holding its breath? I have to get it out of there if it's in any dnager of suffocating. How long until you can open a portal? And sorry about all the questions, I have a lot on my mind at the moment." he said through clenched teeth.

[Last1]

Still invisible, Delusion of Grandeur quietly made her way out to the hall, then she looked around for some unnoticed cornner. She doubted the man had hidden secruity in his own home... but no need to be careless.

"Hally," she whispered quiety, hoping the system would be able to catch her words, "I found some possibly suspect disks, but I don't want to alart him that I found them. Is there a way to read them without moving them?"

[Sliver]

While Mr. E searches for more information, a video pop-up comes up and shows him the security recording that Nomad just saw. He believes he got the privilege because of his dance. The biggest clue was "here is a video, stop dancing" that was at the beginning of the footage. Someone doesn't appreciate the Dance.

Mr. E finds searches something about speedsters and Nomad, he gets a feeling it might involve some high tech. At least not someone totally unaware of it, as they did cut off the cameras. He finds out that some low grade devices had been stolen only a little while before these pranks started from the Little Daisy Institution. It's an institution that is devoted to super weapons and nuclear warfare, and all that. While it was classified as low grade, it is only by their standards, so it's quite possible that someone with enough mechanical promptitude could have improved the devices greatly.

He also finds reports of strange phenomenons such as small volcanic actives, dangerous waves unusual for the area and the sea life going berserk sometimes. The reports were kept in secret, even from supers like Nomad.

Haily switches to a different camera, showing the whale underwater and safe, although with little place to move. He seems to be uncreative at the moment, maybe the spell is still active. If it will wear off soon, there is a high chance that the whale will go berserk inside your base.

Haily speaks into the commlinks "Afraid not. We could work on something but it will be ready in a couple of days or so... But you still have a couple of hours, if you snap a picture of the disks and return them to the same position later, I'm sure he won't check for fingerprints or anything."

[smuchmuch]

It takes a little time for /Stalker/ to catch on, we are talking about a shapeshiftiong abomination whose closest aquaintance is an ageless imortal here, but after a while it vaguely dawn on it than most humans go though this aging thing and that the number dodn't realy check. /Stalker/ takes out the relevant newspaper clip in case there is a photo to compare, and approaches prudently of the man doing the dishes. While it's moving around the kitchen, it hums around the room to see if there are lingering trails of other regular presence.

searching around.1d20+14

[Sliver]

The man looks identical to the one in the week old photo you have from the newspaper. The large hall lacks any additional presence.

[Last1]

"Very well," Delusion murmured throught the comlink, "if you could open a portal here, I could quickly grab them, and bring them to you. Someone will have to show me how to copy them, though. I really don't no much about computers."

Delusion mentally prepted herself. If Hally said said she could open a portal, Delusion was going to dash over as quick as she could, and then dash back the the portal with the lifted goods. It was important to perform your crimes as quickly as possible, after all.

[Sliver]

A minute later, a portal open. Delusion zaps through with the disks and tapes and Haily shoves some into the computer. As they load, they apparently contain recordings of news and documentary shows about Greens. All of them. Besides one of the disks.

It's porn. Of him. In prison. You don't want to see more. You did note that it was recorded about 10 years ago, and the photo in the newspaper that was taken a week ago is the same. He looks to be in his thirties in both the disk and the newer photo.

Haily takes out the disk, trying to not hold it as much as possible without dropping it. "That was... Something..."

[ChronicLunacy]

Nomad

Depending on how long it would take for Haily to open a portal to his headquarters, Nomad either waited or took off under his own power to get there as quickly as possible.

[Sliver]

It will take another minute.

[Unkabear]

Mr. E finds searches something about speedsters and Nomad, he gets a feeling it might involve some high tech. At least not someone totally unaware of it, as they did cut off the cameras. He finds out that some low grade devices had been stolen only a little while before these pranks started from the Little Daisy Institution. It's an institution that is devoted to super weapons and nuclear warfare, and all that. While it was classified as low grade, it is only by their standards, so it's quite possible that someone with enough mechanical promptitude could have improved the devices greatly.

He also finds reports of strange phenomenons such as small volcanic actives, dangerous waves unusual for the area and the sea life going berserk sometimes. The reports were kept in secret, even from supers like Nomad.



Lorenzo was glad that someone in fact was watching his dance. He was able to stop, and now he began to focus on the task at hand now that he had a lead. He began to search out any information about speedsters both old and new on the scene as well as tracking info down about these strange oceanic disturbances up to and including hacking systems to get to sensitive files about the subject.

[roll0] Nat 20!
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]
[roll4] Nat 20!
[roll5]

Also I understand that I may very well have spent a few hours down here doing this search

[Last1]

"Thanks Haily. When you're ready to send me back tell me, I'll put the disks back right where I found them." She frowned, "It's clear we need to talk to him, what with him not aging."

[smuchmuch]

Well age disconance or not it seemed to be him alright. so maybe he did have supêrpowers. wich wasn't a crime last time /Stalker/ checked, and he was working in the cafeteria where he was supposed to be, doing what he was supposed to do. so it pretty much seemed like a dead end. Why was /Stalker/ observing that guy ?
Somme vague plant based supicions., nothing really serious. On the other hand there is a reason, /Stalker/ got it's name. It could be really patient, it's not like it minded observing people going through their everyday lives, found it kind of fun in fact. And it's not like it had any other real lead or anything better to do.

Occasionaly if it's get really borred it might indulge in a bit wandering osome looking around or hunting the occasional wandering pigeon in the playground But it will comme back regulary in the cafeteria to check on the guy. Mostly it will just follow and observe iot's target for the rest of the day, until something interesting happens or it's recalled to base for somme reason.


If necessary:
Stealth [roll0]
Notice [roll1]

[TheDarkDM]

Not receiving a reply, Daemon assumed that smoking was not frowned upon in the Batman Inc. carrier. Wandering out of the control room and meandered through the facility, eventually making his way to the R&D department. Stepping through, he catches the eye of the first available person.

"Hello, yes, I'm one of the new meta-human hires. Do you have any material available that won't react quite so badly to heat?"

Daemon motions to the scorched shirt and suit as he speaks.

[Sliver]

A portal opens for Nomad, it seems to contain the water inside. After Nomad passes inside, the portal is redirected into the apartment.

A dark skinned man, around sixty years old, looks up at Daemon. The man looked confused at first, and his clothing was confusing as well. Why would a man wear full plate armor and have a large sword strapped to his back at the R&D department?

"Oh, of course! How would you like it done? We can modify your current clothing, or create something new... What would you like? Cloth? Rubber? Metal? Latex!"

[Last1]

"Hally, I hadn't given it much thought, because the whole rummor lacked credulence, but what got people thinking he had superpowers in the first place?"

[Sliver]

"Growing really large weed and being ageless kinda tipped us off" she replies.

[smuchmuch]

Still watching on it's the target, /Stalker/ just sprouted 8 pairs of arms and is playing thumbwar with itself. It's a long and hard battle.


If it doesn't bother you, when my character will find itself locked in long activities or with nothing particular to do, I'll just post once a while one of those little pointless post. They won't really influence the game and don't have to be answered, it's just to remind I'm still in the game wihout cluttering the OOC.. I Might occasionaly use them for jokes or small charater devellopement( though little flshback or charcter reflections, when I feel like it.

[Demons_eye]

Janus after getting bored with his return looks for Slapstick or Daemon.

[Limos]

Slapstick is lying on one of the couches, or maybe it's a computer, who can tell? But anyway he was currently draped across it like a ragdoll with his feet in the air and his long red clown hair brushing the floor. "Boooooooooooooored. I'm bored." he whines.

"Soooooooooo booooooooooreeeeeeed."

[Demons_eye]

"Want to go some where?" Janus ask Slapstick as he walks up behind the couch.

[Limos]

"Dear god yes!" Slapstick shouts. His sudden movement throws off his precarious perch on the couch and he tumbles into a heap on the ground. He quickly sorts himself out through and springs to his feet. "I want to punch something! Something that isn't made of plants this time!"

[Demons_eye]

Janus looks for Haily and after finding her he asks "Anything me and slapstick can handle. Something he can punch that is not plant?"