Serious Plots 8: Rawr serisaurus!

[bc56]

Commercial District -> Insider Credit Union

A short run across rooftops, a dash down another fire escape, and the pair of heroes are outside the bank. Its doors hang open, and a pair of burly security guards are lying flat on the floor just inside. The stream of panicked civilians from the entrance has slowed considerably by now. "Whoever did this is probably still inside, but we need to make sure they're okay." Jade motions at the fallen guards.

[Purple Eagle]

[Insider Credit Union]

Chidi runs over to a guard and feels for a pulse, checking for vital signs that'd indicate how much damage they've sustained. He turns back to look at all the entrances to the building. "Go in and do your thing, I'll be with you shortly. I'll sneak in through another entrance, provide the element of surprise."

[bc56]

Insider Credit Union

Jade nods and slips into the building.
In the meantime, the guards are alive, but unconscious. They seem to have been drugged. It's probably not safe to leave them lying in the middle of the floor, but they don't seem to be in any immediate danger.

[Purple Eagle]

Insider Credit Union

Chidi spends some time carrying each guard away to the sides of the entrance. He'll try waving some smelling salts in front of their noses to see if that rouses them so he can get some quick information.

Regardless of what happens, he'll tell them to stay put and find a door or window he can sneak into the building from.

[bc56]

Insider Credit Union

The guards can't give much useful information. Both were hit with some sort of darts before they knew anything was wrong. They're not well enough to move, so they stay put as Chidi heads into the building.

Inside, Chidi can see Jade creeping towards the teller's window, where a heavyset man wearing a ridiculous blue and white costume is threatening a frightened employee. "If you don't give me the cash, I'll fry every computer in this place. All your records, gone in an instant." Maybe Chidi notices the fourth person, however, another man taking cover behind a toppled bench, and taking aim at Jade with a heavy, highly modified rifle. Unlike the other criminal here, he's dressed more sensibly in urban camouflage garb.

[Purple Eagle]

Insider Credit Union

Chidi sweeps the area with both his eyes and echolocation, then sneaks towards the man in cover, nullifying his footsteps. He looks for a spot where he can get a clean shot at the man, aiming to tranquilize him. If he has no exposed skin, however, he'll use his powers instead to generate a loud high-pitched noise close to both men's ears, aiming to stun them so he can take out the sniper, leaving Jade to rush the costumed man.

[bc56]

Insider Credit Union

The sniper is fully covered by clothing, so the sound it is. The shooter winces, but still fires, his weapon discharging with the soft thump of compressed air and embedding a razor-sharp flechette into the wall next to Jade's head. Jade turns, spots Chidi and the gunman, and makes a snap decision to target the supervillain at the counter, who is cursing angrily. She points her fist at him, and a beam of light flies from her wrist and strikes him in the chest, knocking him over. "Who dares challenge Deadlock!?" he shouts as he rights himself.
Meanwhile, the sniper silently chambers another round and takes aim at Chidi, preparing to fire again.

[Purple Eagle]

Insider Credit Union

At least, Jade's now aware of the sniper. Chidi charges at the sniper with a yell, using the sound energy to generate an amplified shockwave strong enough to repel the flechette. He snaps his fingers behind him and propels himself forward with sound energy, for it's faster than running, and aims a powerful punch at the sniper's face. Of course, it's no ordinary punch, for it's augmented by sound energy, a sonic boom effect intended to knock him out or at least temporarily paralyze him.

If he finds himself missing the head, however, he'll amplify the power guiding the punch. Aimed at the head, this power could possibly kill the sniper, but since it's not (assuming he misses, that is), possible internal rupturing should be fixable. Right?

"Pistol Shrimp Punch!"

[bc56]

Insider Credit Union

Chidi might be surprised to find that his charge doesn't end where he expected, as space seems to twist to send him back in the direction he came. At the same time, a third figure steps out of nowhere into the bank, a masked woman in a purple spandex costume, wearing complex metal gloves and similar high-heeled shoes. She looks scornfully at the other villains. "Get up, both of you. You can't even try to stop these two measly heroes without my help?" Jade whispers through the headset, "I knew those two couldn't have come up with a plan this clever on their own. Careful, she's tricky." A shield of light springs from her wrist in time to block a punch from a recovered Deadlock, which she responds to with one of her own.

[Purple Eagle]

Insider Credit Union

Chidi finds himself back where he begun, and smiles behind his balacava. "Just like home." He says, pumped up and more ready for action than ever before. "So, Athena, here's where you tell me who these three are and what their powers are, exactly, so we can come up with a plan to defeat them." He says, eyeing the three and dropping a smoke bomb so he can disappear out of sight, activating suction pads hidden in his suit so he can climb the walls to the ceiling like Spider-Man and camouflage himself via the OctoCamo suit.

Hopefully, none of the three have the means to spot him while he waits to strike.

[Recaiden]

Plots involving Sekhmet tend to be serious plots, for some reason.

Honeysuckle has led the almost-fiend out of the GLoG, heading for the place she used to live, which everyone just calls 'Skullfort Town'. Perhaps one day it will graduate to 'Fort Skull', but for now, it's enough of a rustic farming village not to need to be called anything like that.
They are met along the road by a member of the town watch (who swoops down and hops off his pteranodon*) because when you feel two sources of great and evil power approaching, you go check that out.
"Hold there, a- oh, Honeysuckle. I should have guessed."
"Hey Bill. This my friend Sekhmet; visiting the temple."
'Bill' gives a bow. "Pleased to meet you, ma'am. Welcome to our humble village."

[bc56]

Insider C.U.

Jade steps back from her opponent, disengaging to buy time to talk. "They're second-rate villains. Sharp-Shooter, he's just good with guns. Warp, she can fold space. Her powers are natural, but she needs those gloves and shoes to control them. Deadlock, he can..." At the same time, Warp speaks disdainfully. "I tire of this. Deadlock, shut her down. Don't kill her. I want to know who she is." Deadlock gestures at Jade, and suddenly, she's recoiling in pain, her suit projecting random shapes and protrusions of light. "Sharp-Shooter, guard her. Keep an eye out for her friend. He isn't far." The camouflaged man steps forward, pressing the barrel of his rifle against the back of Jade's head. Warp bends down, moving to remove the superhero's helmet.

Sekhmet and Honeysuckle

"Thank you." Sekhmet gives a slight curtsy in reply. For a moment, she seems to take on the regal air of a lady of highly noble breeding, which is definitely something Honeysuckle hasn't seen from her before. But she's back to her normal self instants later, looking around the small town with undisguised curiosity in her deep black eyes.

[Recaiden]

Bill hops back on his pteranodon and resumes the patrol.

Huh. What a fancy Sekhmet. That's a surprise.

The town is surrounded by rings of farms. It has one pub, one library, two stores, some fancy outlying houses, a tower full of pterosaurs. On a hill to the north of town is the titular fortress in the shape of a giant black skull (if you're worried that maybe you're going to see an evil god, this is probably not the best sign). There's an observatory pointing its telescopes at the sky. There are a variety of clashing architectural styles, from wooden houses to corrugated tin half-cylinders to spires of solid shadow magic.
Similarly, there's all sorts of people: you got humans, you got white-skinned shark-faced aliens, you got a ten-foot tall ogre, centaurs, bull-people, rune-scribed brass robots, etc. Basically everyone is wearing a scarf. A couple of them are obviously afraid or at least startled by Sekhmet and her dead black eyes, but mostly the pair get greetings and waves.

Anyway, at the center of town is the temple: round, with rings of stone pillars, and a ramp spiraling around the outside suggesting that there's more of it underground. One can see through the columns a priest: completely concealed in white robes, a veil, an elaborate headdress, and a visible aura of holy power.
The consecrated ground that would normally reject people like Sekhmet starts maybe 20' out from it.
"Here we are."
Honeysuckle steps up under the roof.

If Sekhmet tries, she should be able to walk in as well. She'd still feel that holiness all around her, but it would be possible.
Hello there, Sekhmet.

[bc56]

Skullfort Sekhmet

Sekhmet can sense the holy ground from some distance away. She nervously approaches, hand outstretched to feel for that barrier she can't see with her eyes. Her face shows shock when she feels no resistance. She steps through, still expecting to be kept out, and when she's all the way inside, feeling holy power wash over her, she collapses to her knees, weeping tears of joy. "Thank you so much! You have no idea what this means to me!"

[Recaiden]

No, I think I have some idea.
You are welcome here.

Honeysuckle start at Sekhmet's emotional outburst, but smiles as she realizes what's up, that it did work.
"What'd I tell ya?"

[bc56]

Skullfort Town Sekhmet

Message? Sekhmet doesn't look for a source of the voice. This isn't the first time she's spoken psychically.Even though I'm, uh... She thinks the concept of what she is, something dark, unholy, and unnatural, twisted and corrupted of body, always only a couple steps from darkness. A bit of her pedigree slips through as well. A child born of an archfiend and a fanatic, created to destroy and conquer. A heritage she longs to avoid.

[Recaiden]

That's me. Something dark and unnatural as well. A monster prowling through the night, a soul twisted into something great and terrible that it ought never have been.
It doesn't matter where you come from. What matters is how you live your life. As an example, the energy around now is rather different from that starting point that Message sent an impression on.

The priest calls Honeysuckle over; Sekhmet shouldn't be distracted right now.

[bc56]

Skullfort Town Sekhmet

Sekhmet asks the big question. "How do you believe a life should be lived?" It feels a little strange to her that she's the one judging a god based on this answer. But then again, she has to know whether she agrees with Message's views before she goes any further.

[Recaiden]

The presence is amused. Right to the point, ah? That's a difficult question, even for a deity.
Life should be lived as if you had nothing to be afraid of."
"Be as generous as if you knew you'd never run out, and as brave as if you knew you'd make it through."
"There are people who have no freedom to decide their lives, and people who suffer and die for no reason at all, and we ought to help them."
"And remember that the universe is full of wonders, and we ought to appreciate and enjoy them."

[bc56]

Skullfort Town Sekhmet

Sekhmet finds that answer satisfying. Difficult, but satisfying. She stands and begins to walk towards the entrance to the temple. You knew my name before I arrived. Not so much a question as an observation, but one which seems to ask for an answer. Sekhmet is curious about a great many things.

[Recaiden]

That one has an easy explanation.
Honeysuckle told me about you.

[bc56]

Skullfort Town Sekhmet

When I first arrived? Then another thought occurs to Sekhmet. Do you talk to everyone like this? It's not something most gods do where she comes from. Is it just that Sekhmet's increased sensitivity to divine (and diabolical) power makes it possible, or is it something normal around here?

[Recaiden]

Yep!

As for the other question,
Most people are harder to reach than you - and most don't need to talk to me this way either.

[bc56]

Skullfort Town Sekhmet

The mention of most people not needing to be spoken to this way prompts more questions from Sekhmet. Uh, what do you think of, uh, me? It's a bit awkward. Why speak to me?

[Recaiden]

Because of your position, it means so much to you just to come in here.
I should wish the temple is a relief and a cause of hope for everyone, but not quite in the same way it was just now.

You, well, you're hasty and naive, but you have a good heart.

[bc56]

Skullfort Town Sekhmet

If not, then, uh, in what way? Sekhmet asks. For her, it was a relief from a feeling of abandonment, that she was forever barred from the halls of the gods, and that her only possible fate was darkness. But here, she can bathe herself in holy energy and feel free of her worries about her heritage.

[Recaiden]

Anyone can come here and now that they have help, that they aren't alone, and that what they're doing matters.

But for you, well, you know how you feel.

Do you have any other questions for me?

[bc56]

Skullfort Town Sekhmet

So many, Sekhmet replies, What are your commandments? Do you have a holy book? An icon? If I'm somewhere else, could you still hear me? Do you know the future? How, uh, did you become a god? And doubtless many more. Sekhmet is nothing if not curious.

[Recaiden]

The thoughts intone,

• Give food to the hungry, care to the sick, and shelter to the lost.
• Be faithful to all your promises and agreements.
• You must never force a person into servitude
• Strive to make the world more beautiful and serene.

And there's other guidelines, but they're not on the same level of important.

There's some written materials, but there's not one book of everything about me.

Sekhmet is shown an image - a shooting star, possibly over a four-part black-and-white background, possibly surrounded by a fancy ring which possibly has three diamond shapes. Depending on how elaborate one is being.

As long as you mean for me to hear you.
I know things *about* the future. Not everything.
Message sounds pleased with her.
Becoming a goddess is a long story, and not something I can recommend you try to imitate!

[bc56]

Skullfort Town Sekhmet

"Uh, I wouldn't!.." Sekhmet starts to protest, but Message sounds pleased rather than angry, so she stops. She's somewhat afraid that pursuing any aspirations of power would be playing into her mother's hands. "I, uh, may I ask you for advice?"