What Happened in Corvallis

[Voidus]

Cornucopia smiled serenely at Atrophy before replying.

"Unless you want the offending limb to be removed from the rest of your body, I'd suggest you avoid cutting any of my plants." She said, retaining her smile. "I need to oversee their treatment in any event, but I'm sure you won't object to an hour of my company."

The captain scurried backwards from the two Epics, unwilling it seemed to get in the middle of any potential arguments.

A wise man then, perhaps he should be promoted. She thought idly before returning her icy stare to Atrophy.

Given that the offenders attacked one of my fields I'd really like to begin their... interrogation as soon as possible.
One hand reached idly into a pocket, thumbing the collection of seeds she held there.

Rose bushes should give a nice effect, and the bodies nitrogen levels should give them some lovely coloring. And I have been in the mood to add some a splash of blood red into the garden somewhere.

She lifted one arm lightly into the air, arching an eyebrow along with it.

"You may escort me now, Mr. Atrophy."
 

[Blackhoof]

 

 

"Unless you want the offending limb to be removed from the rest of your body, I'd suggest you avoid cutting any of my plants." Her smile never wavered- what an impressive woman! Atrophy thought to himself. "I need to oversee their treatment in any event, but I'm sure you won't object to an hour of my company."

 

Atrophy smiled back. He would object to any amount of time with anyone, but that was a thought best kept to himself.

 

"You may escort me now, Mr. Atrophy."

 

"Excellent, let us be off." He bowed, and walked off, leaving her arm hanging. She followed soon afterwards, a soldier at her arm.

 

Atrophy gestured to the captain and several nearby officers, "Lead us to the nearest creature. I am quite thrilled to discover the nature of these things." Although his tone of voice betrayed little emotion or excitement.

The officers obeyed, and the captain replied, "Well sir, they appear to be-"

Atrophy weakened his tongue, and the officer sputtered in surprise as his words died on his lips. "Don't.... don't spoil the surprise, you rube. Lead us in silence." The captain solemnly nodded, his mouth clamped shut. 

 

The captain lead the pair of Epics through the field, many of the plants damaged and ruffled, several bodies scattered around. Many were in body bags and in the process of being taken away, but others had not been attended to yet. They bore terrible wounds, as if they had been clawed and mauled by some ferocious beast. Or beasts. Atrophy 'hmmmed' in interest.

 

A few minutes later, they reached the first creature. One officer pulled back a plant, and Atrophy stepped through the gap to behold the object of his conscription.

 

Thick vines sprouted out of the ground and held it still, pinning its arms and legs together like an asylum resident in a straight jacket. It looked human, in shape at least. But its face, and its eyes..... The man, if it was still a man, twisted in his restraints. Its head whipped back and forth, snarling in rage and hatred, wild eyes glaring at everyone around it as it tried to free itself. His black hair was matted with blood, and his face was covered in scratches, bruises, and more blood. Particularly his mouth.

Atrophy smiled. "I can see why my assistance was required. You chose the right Epic." With that, he raised both his hands, and reached out with his power. He weakened its arms, hands, legs, and neck. And then its mouth- especially its hungry, blood-stained mouth. Its muscles failing, the creature slumped. But its eyes were as alert and as hateful as ever.

Edited November 4, 2015 by Blackhoof

[Voidus]

Atrophy had, somewhat rudely, declined her offer to allow him to escort her. Narrowing her eyes at his back she called another of the officers over to escort her through the battered fields.

Atrophy did at least prove some usefulness by silencing one of the other officers with his power when the man was about to start babbling.

That could come in handy, and he doesn't talk much. I wonder what it would take to get him in a butlers uniform. She idly imagined as they strode along, her hands occasionally brushing a plant that had been badly damaged to restore them.

They finally came upon one of the creatures that was still alive, thrashing about inside of its restraints, up close it looked more like a beast than a man, mouth frothing slightly as it snarled at them.
 

"I can see why my assistance was required. You chose the right Epic." Atrophy remarked as he deadened the limbs of the creature with little effort.

Well a little confidence isn't a bad thing either. Cornucopia mused before reaching into a pocket.

She pulled out a small seed, striding forward so that she was next to Atrophy she held her hand out, a tiny piece of the vine separated and gripped onto the seed tightly before springing for the creatures mouth, it wasn't large enough to cause suffocation but she doubted it would be pleasant as the vine surged forwards, moving rapidly down the creatures throat and esophagus before depositing the seed in its stomach and withdrawing back the way it came.

Slow and steady does it.

A small trickle of her power was all that was needed, she could feel the seed begin to sprout, roots coursing not through the soil they should be but a mix of partially digested food and human flesh that resided it the creatures belly. She was careful to avoid causing too much damage but the sudden growth should be providing a few discomforts of its own, displacing the bile in its stomach with pulpy vines and roots, if the creature had the use of its muscles still it would likely be retching.

"This won't take a moment." She said, it wouldn't do for Atrophy to try to take matters into his hands quite yet.

The plants growth sped now, having reached a stable size and having avoided doing too much damage. she now proceeded more recklessly. Roots twined together and dug into the soft tissue of the stomach, anchoring it and causing a few lacerations along the way.

Next the vines began to grow in earnest, sprouting thorns along their length before separating into three groups.

The first began to slowly climb back up the esophagus, not so smoothly as they went down the scratched and tore tissue the entire way, making their way slowly back out.
The second dug down, entering the creatures intestines, ripping chunks out of the digestive tract, the creature would likely go into sepsis in a short amount of time. Cornucopia had heard that that was an incredibly painful experience but it still wasn't enough.
The third and final group of vines were smaller than the others, they dove in through the gap the roots had made in the stomach lining, venturing outside before they wrapped around a group of blood vessels. They began to tighten ever so slowly, cutting off the blood supply to its lower body.

"Well it should be feeling that." Cornucopia said flatly as a small tendril of green made its way out of the creatures mouth before beginning to sprout a rose bud.
"There are a few more and I'd like to see how they react to pain before we try to interrogate one so you can do what you want with this one, it doesn't have long to live in any event." She said, offering the creature to Atrophy, its eyes still glaring in hatred.

Hmm. It doesn't seem to feel any of the pain, that's hardly satisfying. Perhaps I should just destroy them instead, there's something to be said for that kind of instant, visceral satisfaction.

[Blackhoof]

 

Atrophy watched in fascination as Cornucopia worked her powers on the creature. From the moment she put what appeared to be a seed into the man's mouth, he knew that something delightfully creative was going to occur. Painfully creative.

 

But the creature... simply did not react. Even when a rosebud popped out of its mouth, and surely roots and vines were doing Calamity-knows-what to its insides, it simply didn't react. "Interesting...." He mumbled to himself, stroking his chin.

 

"There are a few more and I'd like to see how they react to pain before we try to interrogate one so you can do what you want with this one, it doesn't have long to live in any event."

 

Atrophy's sunken eyes twinkled. "It would be a pleasure, my Queen. I would very much like to have a look inside, and inspect their anatomy" Cornucopia released the creature from its restraints, and it slumped to the ground like a puppet with severed strings. Kneeling down, Atrophy moved the creature until it lay on its back, angry eyes fixed on him. He placed a hand on its chest. "Hmmm... its heart rate is incredibly high, and he is breathing rapidly. I expected as much. Captain, is the identity of this thing known?" 

"A survivor identified him... it, as Adam Lambert. Before today, a completely normal and contented citizen, at least outwardly."

 

Atrophy nodded as he felt around Lambert's body, inspecting it by touch and removing its torn and bloody shirt. "Indeed.... knife, Captain. And your gloves." The officer drew his combat knife and took off his gloves, and handed them to the skeletal Epic.  With a deft hand, Atrophy eviscerated the still form of the former worker in three strokes, forming a Y shape over his naked torso. Atrophy tossed the knife to the side and put on the gloves, peeling away the skin and revealing the internal organs. Several minutes of quiet and deliberate inspection followed, as blood pooled around Lambert, and the hateful light began fading in his eyes. 

 

Atrophy emerged from his grisly and macabre adventure, throwing the gloves aside as he rose to his feet. "It seems as though, internally, there is nothing wrong with it. Whatever happens to these things, the change seems entirely psychological. I wish to study others further, but to open the skull and excise the brain I will require more effective implements, and a less... dirty setting. And certainly, more gloves. Perhaps several could be transported to Skinsaver's clinic? This whole exercise has become much more interesting than I had anticipated. First of course, my work here must be completed. Captain- if you would?" The Captain nodded, and lead them through the rows of plants to then next restrained monster.

Edited November 4, 2015 by Blackhoof

[Mailliw73 he/him]

 

Hypno awoke and saw the messages from Rainmaker, concerning this new threat, brutal beasts running rampant in the roads. After having one of his servants dress him, he ate the meal they had prepared for him. He never worried about poison or sabotage; all his servants had the underlying Command to protect him at any cost. A chime rang in the house and his door servant brought in the two new slaves Rainmaker gave him for his help at the bridge last night. Hypno smiled wide. These two would replace the one he had used up yesterday just fine. He started the process, giving them the basic Commands that bound them to himself. 

 

Hypno hesitated for a moment as he considered composing a message to Rainmaker. He could ask where he'd be most needed today, or he could take the day off until she asked him to do something. Another relaxing refuge today sounded nice, but Rainmaker was never in much of a good mood and with the recent instability of the city, she was bound to be more bothersome than normal. High Queen, any duties for me? Interrogating any captured creeps or calming some of the crazed citizens? He fired off the text and waited for a reply, watching a servant contort herself in the most painful ways he could think of until then.

[Comatose he/him]

 

The Princess sighed despondently upon discovering that the epic Kenshin apparently had no place for her to nap.  She was about to turn and go, hopefully to find a more agreeable home owner, when her host mentioned refreshments.  

 

"Oh, some refreshments would be positively lovely!" The Princess felt her expression brighten as her smile returned.  If Kenshin's treats were good enough, perhaps she could even forgive her for not offering up her bed.  Taking Kenshin's offer as an invitation to enter farther into the home, The Princess swept passed the other epic, taking in her surroundings.  The floor where she stepped began to gleam as if freshly polished.

 

"I adore your decore," The Princess said, aiming to be polite as she tapped a pair of ornamental weapons mounted on the wall.  At her touch, the sturdy leather grips became more ornate, with intricate embroidery.  The blades themselves remained unchanged, though they did begin to sparkle slightly.  "And as for tea, I don't suppose you have any Pumpkin Spice Loose Leaf?  It's my favourite!"  As she sang the last sentence, her two birds flitted into the kitchen, no doubt to study their new host's tea collection.  

 

 

Thunder rumbled in the distance for what seemed like the hundredth time that day.  Who did this insignificant cretin of an epic think he was, to challenge her this way, in the seat of her power?  Rainmaker resolved to ensure whoever was causing her so much trouble would meet a particularly unpleasant end.  

 

"Have the ashes secured yourself.  I want no scrap of him left behind."  Rainmaker had unconsciously floated backwards a ways as Buttercup related what had happened.  "When you are certain they are secure, I want you working to track whoever this is down.  Don't bother me with any reports until you have some real results."  Not waiting for a reply, Rainmaker took off into the sky, hoping that Buttercup would get to work and do her job.  

 

Her mobile buzzed on the flight back into the city.  Groaning inwardly, Rainmaker stopped in midair to check her messages.  The most recent one was from Hypno, while there were a couple older ones that she had missed from the guards at the energy epic's prison.  

 

Stay safe for now, and enjoy your new pets.  I'll be in touch with my orders.  Though she was upset with Hypno for failing to bring Insight to heel, his command had seemed to effect the elusive epic.  If she could find a way to draw Insight into the open again, Hypno would be her best chance of capturing him and locating Euphoria.  Insight likely knew that as well as she did, which meant Hypno could be his next target.  

 

Scrolling through her messages, Rainmaker sent off a short text to Buttercup, instructing her to station some of her best epics at Hypno's house, to ensure he was properly protected.  Then, she moved on to the messages she had missed, only then remembering she had arranged to have the energy epic's prison properly insulated that day.  

 

Setting course for the Sports Field, Rainmaker sped through the sky, eager to get this one last duty over with so she could get on with enjoying her afternoon.  

 

She arrived a few minutes later, finding the epic Gelliton sitting in a chair fashioned out of one of the strange substances she could create at will.  

 

"Let's get this over with quickly, shall we?"  Rainmaker waived a hand, cancelling the winds directly in front of Gelliton.  "That should do it.  Proceed straight forwards, and be cautious.  We still don't know the extent of this one's powers."  Rainmaker had hoped to have recieved a report from the guards by now that the epic was dead of hypothermia, but apparently her powers were strong enough to resist the constant cold.  Let's see if she can stave off suffocation.

 

"Well, get on it.  I haven't got all day."

[Mashadar Mistborn he/him]

Rainmaker spoke, waving her hand and making a passage through her gale.

"Well get on it, I haven't got all day."

Fuming, Gelliton rose from her seat, which collapsed without her weight keeping it solid, and strode through the gap, silently resolving to take her time. When she reached the giant cage of snow and ice, she started to draft some of her fire-resistant gel, more fluid than her other gels.

Drafting at only a fraction of her normal pace, she created the necessary amount of gel within six minutes. She than applied the gel, drafting it over the prison to create a shiny shell. Walking around the cell, she pretended to inspect it, adding bands of gel at random.

Gelliton turned around and walked back, concealing a smirk at the sight of a frowning Rainmaker.

Sparking woman. I'd better get quite a prize for this. The witch was late to her own appointment, not that Gelliton had expected any differently.

She dismissed the remains of her old chair, and drafted another, making sure to work somewhat slowly. She faced Rainmaker and spoke.

"There. I doubt even she can set fire to this prison now."

[Comatose he/him]

 

Rainmaker frowned as Gelliton worked.  Certainly the epic could work faster than the snails pace she was currently moving at!  After what seemed like an eternity, the epic stepped away from the prison, and recreated a foam chair to sit in.  

 

"There. I doubt even she can set fire to this prison now."  The Epic's tone and obvious attitude made Rainmaker want to wipe her off the face of the earth like the insignificant speck she was.  Instead of flying off the handle, she resisted.  Attitude or not, Gelliton was a useful servant, as she had just shown, a unique tool that should not be wasted.  

 

"And the airflow in and out of the prison?  Will she be able to breathe now?"  All reports from the guards said the epic was still alive in there.  Rainmaker hoped that sealing the prison with Gelliton's substance might be enough to finish her off.  

[Mashadar Mistborn he/him]

"And the airflow in and out of the prison? Will she be able to breathe now?"

So Rainmaker did have a plan for the epic. Maybe she was smarter than Gelliton had thought. Not that that was a difficult task.

"The gel is still permeable to air, but not as permeable as the snow was. Let me seal the edges, and the cell should fill with carbon dioxide within a few hours."

Gelliton walked around the edge of the prison, pulling any of the gel that remained on the ground around the cell, sealing it off.

"It's sealed as well as it can be now. If suffocation can kill her, then you'll know within three hours."

[Comatose he/him]

 

The thought of the energy epic suffocating made Rainmaker so happy she had to resist the urge to bring back the sun for a moment of triumph.  "Thank-you Gelliton, that's the best thing I've heard all day!  Guards, notify me if there are any changes."  Without waiting for a reply, Rainmaker reset her winds and took off into the air, texting her masseuse as she made her way towards her second home. 

 

It was time for a relaxing afternoon.  Corvallis could figure out its own problems while it's Queen enjoyed the treatment she was due.  

[mail-mi he/him]

 

The pretty ballet dancer barely moved. She spun around and tapped a gruff-looking guy on the shoulder. After a few mumbled words, she pointed at Gregory. Nervously, he waved. 

 

The gruff guy--which was indeed Vaughn Tremblay--turned around and... smiled? I thought he never smiled.... It definitely did not help Gregory’s mood. He tried to calm himself down, tried to find The Void like Rand al’Thor, but as always, he completely failed. He only made himself more nervous. 

 

“Signup sheets are in the front hall,” Vaughn said, “but you can’t join ‘til the show’s over.” 

 

Gregory scrunched up his eyebrows. Signup sheets... oh! “Oh, no, I’m not here to sign up. I, uh, just needed to talk to you. Somewhere in private. Like, uh, not on this big dance floor. Is there...is there somewhere we could go?” 

[Edgedancer he/him]

It seems that the princess had accepted the hospitality Kenshin had offered. It did not surprise Kenshin that from there she stormed into her living space proper. Restraint was no longer among the traits she expected from her guest. In her wake the princess left patches of unnaturally polished floor, standing out of the remaining floor like pox. Filing away the fact that she would have to make her floorboards harmonious again, Kenshin quietly followed her.

 

In the living room itself her guest was admiring the weapons she had decorated her home with. Naturally, she didn’t leave her fingers from them either. There was a reason Kenshin didn’t bother to ornate her weapons in any significant way, even if she had made them of elegant design. They were simple tools with a simple purpose and even in the best case fancy details only distracted from said purpose or at worst actually detracted from their durability. At least they weren’t a great loss, given that she could replace them in a matter of seconds.

 

Ignoring the request for… whatever kind of tea used pumpkin and the little birds that seemed to react to Oprah's singsong, Kenshin procured a bowl of sweets from her cupboard and placed it on her table. “Thank you for the compliment,” Kenshin said, “these weapons are all self-made, in case you care. As for the tea, I’m afraid I only have green tea at hand.” A kitchen knife appeared in Kenshin’s hand and she tossed it lightly into the air, giving it a slight spin, and caught it again by the blade. “However, I could fix you something more substantial to eat.”

[Blaze1616 he/him]

 

Blossom stared out the window of the building, watching the rain silently fall to the ground some stories below. She imagined the pattering sound in her mind, attempting to drown out the noisy room behind her.

 

And the man trying to talk to her.

 

"Look, Broadcast, I don't care if Obliteration himself was staged to appear as a guest. Rainmaker wants this message broadcast across the city every hour." He wasn't being as annoying as usual, which she was thankful for, but he certainly seemed unhappy about the change in his scheduled programming. The Epic had opened his mouth to object once more, but Blossom had had enough.

 

She whipped around to face him, her hand raising to stop him from speaking. "Look, Hell had broken loose in the city today. From Gunsmoke to these attacks against our populace, many vanillas have died. Epics have died. Now, you've got two options. First, you can do as I'm telling you so I can get on with my business. Second, you can continue to argue with me, and tomorrow, when this very station will be broadcasting the names of the dead, yours will be first on the list. Now choose."

 

Her eyes bore holes through him. His still open mouth slowly closed, a small nod emanating from his neck. "Good decision," she said, "the message offers the locations of the attacks, informing people to avoid those areas if possible, a reminder to keep checking back for updates, and a second reminder regarding how the vanillas can still convince Euphoria to return if they continue to behave. Now get to it."

 

"Yes my Queen," was his response, clearly defeated. Good.

 

Blossom turned back to the window, pulling her mobile out. It was time to leave. Grabbing her umbrella, she walked outside, unfurled her protection from the rain, and softly lifted off the ground. She'd have to fly fairly fast to reach Bubbles in a decent time, but she'd reach the fields before long, and with it sweet release from the rain.

 

 

Buttercup did not flinch at the thunder rumbling in the distance. She could see how upset Rainmaker was with the happenings of the day, no doubt somewhat blaming her for the lack of a secure city. She felt as though she should feel guilty, but really she only felt angry. Angry at the renegade Epics, both the one from last night and this morning, and angry at Rainmaker for hiding the Iron Ogress from her.

 

"Have the ashes secured yourself.  I want no scrap of him left behind."  Rainmaker said, floating away from Buttercup.  "When you are certain they are secure, I want you working to track whoever this is down.  Don't bother me with any reports until you have some real results." 

 

Buttercup nodded, but Rainmaker began to rise into the sky. "Yes, my Queen!" Buttercup shouted, watching Rainmaker fly away. She quickly blasted into flight as well, weaving in and out of the crop fields until she found an area growing glass jars. Grabbing one, she whipped back to the scene of the crash, collecting the ashes in the jar. She made sure she hadn't missed any, too, ripping pieces of the car off to get every last speck. Placing the lid back onto the jar, tightening it, she stared at the ashes. Could he really use them to rejuvenate? Well, if he could, the glass breaking would let her know, even if she placed the jar down near her.

 

Through the glass she could see a flare of pink in the sky. Looking around the jar, she saw her sister flying through the air, having no doubt increased her speed once getting out of the rain. Buttercup looked at the time on her mobile. At least she didn't forget. 

 

The mobile buzzed in her hand. A message from Rainmaker. Protect Hypno? That Epic from last night? Ugh, why is she trusting him? Buttercup sped off to gather the guards she had in mind.

 

 

Blossom entered Tangent softly. It was a fairly quite town, having been very small prior to her sister's bubble cutting it in half. In fact, one could say that Tangent was tangent to the sphere. Blossom chuckled at her own joke as she touched ground, her umbrella back out and in use as she walked over to her sister's canopy. As usual, Bubbles was lounging with her drawing pad.

 

Must be nice, not having to earn your keep. The thought flashed through her mind before she could stop it. She understood, though, that Bubble's was in as much risk as Euphoria should the town be attacked. Without Euphoria the vanillas aren't kept in check in a peaceful manner. Without Bubbles, the town wasn't protected from any and all exterior threats. Interfering with either system could send the town into chaos. Bubble's was lucky that this Insight had chosen to go after Euphoria instead of her.

 

"I'd like to say I'm surprised to find you drawing out here, but we both know that would be a lie." Blossom smiled at her sister. Looking to the side, a pile of three bodies lay on the street, blood from their bodies mixing with the water coursing towards the storm drain.

 

Her sister nodded. "You know me, I always need to draw." She began to pack up, passing Blossom the drawing once she'd gotten under the canopy. It wasn't Corvallis, so much as some wasteland, with the three corpses acting as a focus for the disturbing backdrop. A storm seemed to be brewing in the distance, with a light rain falling around the corpses. Blossom handed the picture back.

 

"Top quality, as usual. Ready to go back? I assume there's a car of some sort so we don't have to fly in the rain?" Blossom looked to GasMask, who nodded and went into the bunker, returning with the keys and SparkPlug. Blossom offered a smile. She could stay out of the rain.

 

 

The car ride was fairly quiet. Blossom was busy lost in thought. Apparently she had been tasked with trying to find Insight. Bubbles had read the message from Jumpdrive, and Blossom had filled her in on some other details. Blossom had an idea of how to catch him too, but Bubbles wasn't so sure it would work. Hopefully, after working out the kinks today, they might be able to try and catch this Epic tomorrow.

 

Exiting the vehicle, Bubbles walked out of the car and entered the building they had parked in front of. She knew her way in by now. Weaving through the hall ways, her sister and bodyguards close behind, she threw open the doors to a large room. Some of the walls had been knocked down, making it larger than the room likely was back when the University was operational. 

 

The room's perimeter was filled with security officers, all armed to the teeth. The middle of the room was left empty, various weapons lying on a table placed atop a mat. She glanced at the clock on the wall. "Two minutes. We all ready?"

 

The officer that was clearly in charge nodded, closing the doors behind Blossom, who had just walked in, and locking them. Bubbles looked to her sister. "So what exactly am I practicing?"

 

Blossom adjusted her glasses. "Well, this Insight is apparently incorporeal, but it's very possible that your bubble might still affect him. If you can rapidly create bubbles of increasing sizes, it's possible that you might manage to pierce him with one, locking him in place and, assuming you don't allow water to pass through, cutting the blood flow through his body. The pain could theoretically be enough to get him to stop using his powers, allowing us to attack and maybe subdue him. It might even release Euphoria from whatever prison he's holding her in."

 

Bubbles nodded. "Wouldn't that require us to know where he is, though?"

 

Blossom made an agreeable sound with her throat. "Yes, it's all very hit or miss. I don't even know if your bubble can affect him, or where we should even attempt to use the technique. Perhaps we could lure him out somehow. But right now that doesn't matter, it's time for the drop. I need you to practice rapidly making bubbles of different sizes while you can."

 

Bubbles nodded, an alarm ringing through a PA system in the building. Moving over to the mat, Bubbles felt a tingle in her body as she removed the bubble. She couldn't see it from inside the drop point, but she knew that, were it a clear day, anyone outside would see a slight shimmer of the air as the bubble pulled away, disappearing. Those near the bubble's walls would definitely see it, if they were paying attention.

 

For the next forty-five minutes, Bubbles worked hard using her powers. She was constantly placing and dropping bubbles, slowly increasing in size by 1 centimeter increments. Slowly being a relative term, of course, as the action was very rapid.

 

Blossom was there helping too. She was keeping time, checking Bubbles's speed, making sure it was fast enough that Insight would have no hope of escaping by running. She also randomly threw glasses of water onto the bubble, ensuring that Bubbles was keeping water from passing through. She'd also occasionally shout, prompting Bubbles to stop the action, holding the last bubble she had raised before the shout. Should this work and Insight cry out in pain, Bubbles would have him trapped.

 

With fifteen minutes left before raising the bubble, they stopped. Bubbles eyed the clock, itching to get out of there. Blossom walked over, patting her on the shoulder. Bubbles pulled away from the touch.

 

"That was a good job. You should be fast enough to catch him. Now we just need to find a way of locating him, and hope that this works. Leave that to me though." Blossom smiled.

 

Bubbles frowned. "Yeah whatever, just let me know when you need me."

 

Blossom's smile turned to a frown as well. "Yeah..." her sister trailed off.

 

Bubble's began pacing across the mat. I just want to leave. I always get so worked up at these practice sessions. It feels uncomfortable...Oh who cares, I just want to leave. She glanced at the clock. Ugh, why is time so slow! I wish I had time powers too. Stupid Calamity.

 

 

Buttercup's mobile rang. She had just finished setting up a perimeter around Hypno's house. Flipping the thing open, she lifted it to her ear. "This is Queen Buttercup."

 

"My Queen, this is lieutenant Donaldson from the Adair Village Checkpoint. We've found something you'll likely want to see." 

 

Buttercup allowed a sigh to escape her lips. "Lieutenant, I don't have time for this. You've no doubt heard the news." Buttercup herself had heard the broadcast over the radio while she was gather personnel for Hypno. "I'm sure you can handle it."

 

"Ma'am, you'll really want to see this. I think a High Epic just entered town."

 

Buttercup stopped. Another High Epic? Here? An hour ago? Have we become some High Epic magnet recently? "I'll be there shortly, lieutenant. Thank you for calling me." She hung up the phone, all her mental power channeled into not crushing the tech in her hand.

 

She took to the sky, bee lining for Checkpoint Adair, landing mere minutes after take off. Moving towards the surveliance office, she took not of the bubble going back up, a slight shimmer to the air giving it away. Right on time.

 

She burst into the surveillance building, the lieutenant and some kid staring at a computer. The lieutenant saluted, prompting everyone else in the room to do so. He then pulled up some footage on a larger screen. He began playback, and Buttercup witnessed a particularly brutal fight.

 

"Okay, which one do you think is the High Epic? The sound one? She didn't seem to show any kind of invincibilities." 

 

"No ma'am. It's this one," lieutenant Davidson pointed out a man standing off to the side, eating some kind of pastry, it looked like. "My Queen, he doesn't flinch at the fight at all. In fact, he keeps on eating. It doesn't bother him one bit. He doesn't feel like he's in any real danger."

 

Buttercup stood closer to the screen. "Play it again, please." The playback resumed once more. The lieutenant was right.

 

Sparks.

Edited November 6, 2015 by Blaze1616

[Blackhoof]

 

Atrophy watched intently as he applied the whirring saw to the dead creature's skullcap. Blood leaked out in stead of spraying, due to the lack of blood pressure- the creature being dead and all. Much less messy.

 

Not that Atrophy minded mess, of course.

 

It wasn't long before the small surgical saw had completed its rotation and Atrophy had gently removed the top of the skull, exposing the brain. Atrophy handed the skull fragment and saw to an attending nurse, and gently removed the brain from its protective shell. A small smile was the only sign that he was quite contented. The skeletal Epic placed the brain on a separate table and began gently cutting into it, recalling the passing interest he had had in psychology and neuroscience in high school and university. Hmmm... how curious. Atrophy thought to himself as he examined the frontal lobe. It seems.... altered in some fashion. I cannot quite ascertain the cause of my unease, but this lobe appears almost withered. Too withered to just be from its actual death. The creatures could not feel pain either, I will check their insular cortex....

Atrophy cut into the brain further, peeling back layers of brain matter, and exposing the insular cortex- centre of pain reception. He pursed his lips at what he saw. Completely shrivelled. Whatever power did this caused internal chemical changes that shut off these sections of the brain completely. They were not quite killed, but certainly damaged.

 

One sample though, of course would not do. "Bring in the next specimen, and dispose of this one." The nurse obliged, and Atrophy continued his grisly examination.

[Blackhoof]

 

 

 

Iconoclast opened his eyes. Pain had awoken him.

 

He found himself in the sewer, exactly as he had expected. A pack of rats watched him from nearby, likely confused as to where their meal had gone. His whole body tingled, random stabbing pains and aches coming and going as if he was being attacked by a hundred knife-wielding assassins. He gritted his teeth, but even altering his body to temporarily dull his nerves would be fruitless- he had tried. No, this was a pain he would always feel upon full regeneration. At least, he thought to himself through grunts, its the only pain I feel. 

 

Minutes passed, and the pain slowly subsided. He groaned, and heaved himself towards the sunlight. He crawled out of the dark, filthy place of his pain, and into the midday sun. Looking around, he saw that no-one was around. "A pity," He growled to himself. "All this dying has made me quite hungry." He looked down at his filthy body, and grimaced. "And I am naked. Hmm... need clothes." Iconoclast Abruptly turned around, and stalked towards the front door of the nearest house. He knocked loudly. 

 

"Open up! This is the Corvallis Police Force!" He heard movement from inside, and a few seconds later, the door opened.

"What can I do for you Offic-" The servant gasped as he saw his jagged smile, and in a burst of action he bowled inside, knocking the servant out of the way and slamming the door behind him.

 

The servant cried out, and he punched him in the throat, an audible crack resulting. The servant gasped for breath, and Iconoclast turned around, seeing another servant holding a laundry basket. The laundry maid screamed and tried to run, but he was too fast. In seconds, he had broken her leg over his knee. 

 

Suddenly a tall woman dressed in an immaculate dress emerged from a doorway, rage and arrogance in her face. "You DARE attack me!?" The woman raised her arms and lightning shot towards him. He barely felt his body burn and blacken as the bolts of electricity coursed through him. He stood his ground, and as her attack ended, her arrogance turning to confusion, he healed.

 

"I'm sorry dear," He said, charred skin regaining its colour and knitting back together. "But I DO dare... very much so." He strolled towards her purposefully, and she started backing away, throwing more lightning at him. Despite the damage it wrought, he ignored it and grabbed her throat, lifting her off of the ground. Her eyes were wide discs of fear, and she gasped for breath. "Now, you are going to help me, my friend." Her face began turning red as she suffocated. "I will not kill you, because I have determined that I have need of you. Gather your servants, and will someone GET ME SOME CLOTHES." With that, he threw her to the ground.

 

Turning, he strode back to the two injured servants, gifting them both some healing. The suffocating servant, face purple and on the edge of death, gasped as breath returned to his lungs. Iconoclast crouched in front of him. "Now, I have an extra special job in mind for you." The servant regarded him with terror. "I am going to give you some of my power. And then, you are going to go to some populated place, I don't care which, and use it on people. You following me, my friend?"

 

The servant's eyes were wide, and he nodded slowly. "Excellent," Iconoclast grinned. "Now, I'm sure you'll want a demonstration about what this power does. Let me show you." With that, he reached out and grabbed the leg of the fallen laundry maid. She jerked and tried to escape but her struggled ceased quickly. Then they began again. Iconoclast let her go, and she climbed to her feet, rage in her eyes. She stared hungrily at her former colleague, and began staggering towards him, arms outstretched. Just before she reached him, Iconoclast stilled her with his mind, wild eyes losing focus. The male servant, still on the ground, looked sickened, horrified and shocked all in one. 

 

Iconoclast turned back to him. "See? That is what you will do to people. Looks fun, doesn't it? Don't worry though, they won't attack you- you set them free, after all. If you are stronger willed than you look you might be able to give them some suggestions, too." The servant looked sick. Iconoclast tussled his hair. "Now don't worry, just free people until you run out of power. Then get away and you are free to go! I won't trouble you any more. You have my word." Iconoclast sharpened a nail and scratched a bloody tear into his palm, holding it out to shake. "Do we have a deal?" The servant looked like he was about to throw up. But eventually, he took the Epic's hand and shook it.

 

Iconoclast smiled to put a crocodile to shame.

 

"Perfect."

Edited November 15, 2015 by Blackhoof

[Voidus]

Reaching to one side, Cornucopia caught a water bottle that was dropped into her waiting hand. A tendril from a vine retreated back out the window, it's job now done. She undid the lid and used the bottles contents to wash the blood that had managed to get in her hands.

Her dress was already hopelessly stained with blood, dust and pieces of viscera but that would have to wait til later.

But this was not the time or place for a woman of her standing to change.

She'd separated from Atrophy some time ago, the man had seemed to have a morbid fascination with dissecting the creatures. Cornucopia enjoyed tearing the things to pieces but she did not enjoy looking at the finished product.

The creatures had been infuriatingly tight-lipped, neither reacting in obvious pain nor divulging any kind of information whatsoever. It seemed all they were good for was killing and dissecting as Atrophy was doing.

"Let him do what he wants with the rest." She told a soldier who she'd been using as an attendant. "If they haven't said anything yet they're unlikely to do so. Just keep one aside in case one of the other Queens gets curious."

The soldier saluted and marched away to carry her instructions to the others nearby.

Ah what has the city gotten itself into now?

Cornucopia longed to return to her arboretum, her revenge had been unsatisfying to say the least, she would not feel true satisfaction until she caught the Epic responsible and showed him a few of the techniques she'd used on his underlings. Unfortunately it seemed they had failed on that front too, the Epic had slipped through their clutches, apparently having killed himself rather than be captured.

Between this new Epic's arrival and attacks and the disappearance of Euphoria the city was indeed in trouble. Luckily they still had the bubble to protect them and trap any Epics inside but they'd have to stop the daily influx of new citizens for that to truly be effective. A situation Rainmaker no doubt wanted to avoid.

"Caught between a rock and a hard place." She muttered to herself, shaking her head.

Well for now there was little to be done but wait around until any further developments happened, she could leave for the Arboretum but if anything happened in the city she'd be too far out to respond then.

"Why has no one set up appropriate refreshments yet?" She demanded loudly, sending the nearby civilians and soldiers into a flurry of activity.

[Blackhoof]

 

 

Roger Lyons shook visibly as he slowly made his way down the street, feeling the power of that insane Epic twitching within him, like a beast eager to be released. It was monstrous. He had been taught how to use it, forced to turn Lionel into some ravening beast, after watching Vanessa experience the same fate. What sort of power was this, to turn humans into beasts?

 

"A power an evil Epic expects me to use.." Roger thought to himself, wiping sweat from his pale face. "Can I really do this?"

But whenever he had doubts, he simply thought back to that Epic, its pointed teeth, its cruel grin, and the way its eyes shone with glee as it promised agony and pain should he shirk his orders. Once his thoughts returned there, he knew that he would never, could never disobey.

 

After some time, he finally reached an apartment complex, fellow servants crowding the entrance as they went about their business. "I..." He whispered, raising his hands, and grabbing an elderly woman, who looked at him in confusion. "I am sorry...." In seconds, just as before, the old woman lost her humanity. She roared, and tackled another man beside her. Reaching down, Roger grabbed the man's flailling hand, and turned him as well. "I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry!" People had begun noticing, turning to see an old woman and a young man rising from the ground, anger in their eyes. 

 

Then the screaming started.

[Mashadar Mistborn he/him]

"Thank you, Gelliton, that's the best thing I've heard all day." Rainmaker flew off before Gelliton had a chance to reply, but she was too happy to care. The best thing she had heard all day. Maybe she would finally get a real mansion instead of a large house with barely a dozen slaves. In their current mood, the slaves that she had were barely able too cook food suitable for her consumption, let alone go about the more delicate task of organizing her library. But that would change soon. With fifty vanillas to serve her every whim, she would never need to work again.

 

Humming to herself, Gelliton made her way back to her house, changing the color of her springboards to a triumphant onyx. The vanillas on the streets tried not to look at her, but their awe and fear was visible in their faces. Good. They should know who their masters were. She arrived at her house and smiled at the instant obedience that her servants displayed. It was good to know that not even such stupid creatures as the vanillas could be taught with the right encouragement.

 

She went into her library and tried to find a book suitable for her triumph. After spending more time than she should have needed to searching- how hard was it for the idiotic creatures to organize- she found what she was looking for, a book on the ten greatest battles in history. She settled down in her chair with the screams of nearby vanillas, no doubt servants who had sulked rather than worked, providing a harmonious accompaniment to her reading.

[Comatose he/him]

The Princess eyed the sweets as Kenshin set them down on the table, noting with displeasure a slight grumbling in her stomach. "Oh no need to trouble yourself; these candies should be fine. I'll only take a few anyways, us women need to watch our figures, after all." As she took a few from the bowl and began to nibble, the Princess tried her best to hide her disappointment as her birds returned empty-handed. A cup of steaming hot Pumpkin Spice Loose Leaf Tea (perhaps with cream and a shot of vanilla syrup) would have been lovely on a rainy day. Unfortunately, the Green Tea that Kenshin offered did not sound nearly as appetizing.

"What a marvelous ability," the Princess said, focusing on Kenshin's powers, rather than on her poor taste in tea. "Rainmaker must be very pleased to have acquired you. Have you been in the city long?"

[Edgedancer he/him]

 

The princess turned down Kenshin’s offer for a proper meal, even if her stomach appeared to disagree with her decision. Wanting to keep one’s body in proper condition was something Kenshin could sympathize with. Not that she got the impression from her guest that she did so for a proper reasoning, instead of some kind of fashion sense. Then again, what another person thought best for their body was none of her business.

 

As the flock of birds returned to the table the princess started up a conversation, "What a marvelous ability, Rainmaker must be very pleased to have acquired you. Have you been in the city long?"     

 

Flattery was it, or maybe simply good manners. One way or another, Kenshin seated herself at the table. She gave the knife in her hand another flourish and slipped it into another sheet she created for it during that motion, making both of them disappear again.

 

“Thank you, having one’s skill appreciated is always an honor,” Kenshin said. “I have only been in the city for two weeks, although, because of the recent events, I did receive a job offer just today. I take it that you yourself are in Rainmaker’s service to give the city a more… peaceful appearance?”

[Comatose he/him]

 

The Princess laughed delightedly at the compliment, taking a seat and continuing to beautify her surroundings with every movement. "Oh, I suppose you could say that.  I just spruce the place up a little, you know?   Not that I can do much in this dreadful weather.  To tell the truth, I thought one of the reasons we all choose to live in Rainmaker's lovely little city is to avoid... inconveniences like rain."  The Princess smiled prettily as she popped another candy in her mouth.  "I do hope you don't mind.  I fear I may have a bit of a sweet tooth.  Now where was I?  Ah yes!  City sanitation.  Rainmaker asked me if I could help out, you see, as a sort of... personal favour I guess, and I just couldn't say 'no'.  After all, she's given us such a delightful place to live, I felt it was the least I could do."  Another candy, almost unnoticed, vanished into her mouth after being plucked from the bowl.  "These really are delicious.  It really is a shame though, all this rain.   I suppose some punishment is warranted after last night, but really it seems cruel to deprive the poor things of their happiness and then force them to go about in the wet and cold all day.  I suppose Rainmaker's got to do what she can though, managing that lot.  It must be ever so hard to rule an entire city, and without a good man at her side too.  I don't think I could do it, personally, but then, I'm quite happy just bustling around keeping things nice and tidy."  

 

One of her birds, the Meadow Lark, chirruped, temporarily interrupting the Princess's monologue.  "Now, now," she said sternly to the bird, "There's no need to be rude.  You know I appreciate your help.  But now you've gone and ruined my mood."  The Princess hummed briefly to herself, finding her pitch, and then sang a few lines, ordering the bird to fly home and think about it's bad behaviour.  "So sorry about that, Lady Kenshin."  The Princess said in her normal voice once the bird had departed.  "Normally I wouldn't tolerate such behaviour from my little critter friends, but Meadow Larks are one of my favourites.  And, I cannot get enough these tasty little treats!  You must share where you got them  Tell you what, you can give Sebastien instructions once he returns to collect me.  I haven't a head for such details anyways."

[Edgedancer he/him]

Kenshin had to acknowledge that the princess had a talent for carrying a conversation. In fact she was so good at it that Kenshin wouldn’t be surprised if she could have a conversation entirely on her own. It was certainly a useful skill in what one may consider noble society. Having the discipline to stay polite was easy enough for Kenshin but she wasn’t quite sure how long she would be capable of holding small talk at the princess’ level.

 

One of the birds that have taken place around her guest gave a small chirp. An action that was apparently enough to break up the royal monologue and cause the princess to chide the bird and chase it off with a song. It seems that she really was quite intend on being the driving force of this talk, at least until she willingly gave the word to someone else.

 

“I’m afraid that acquiring more of those sweets may be a problem,” Kenshin said after the princess directed a question at her. “Those were among the few things I brought with me into the city, meaning that I don’t exactly have an address to get more of them but please help yourself to as many as you like and do not worry about your feathery friend. I am rather fond of birds singing myself.

 

“As for the current situation in the city, I am quite sure Rainmaker is doing her best, even if I can’t exactly see how having a man at her side would help much. It is only natural that a god would do honor to their name, once a demonstration of power is in place, truly call to mind what the people gain from her. From what I have seen the officers actually putting down the unrests are quite capable. All things considered a bit of rain is a rather lenient punishment,” and possibly the most some of the people here could possibly endure, Kenshin thought. After a barely noticeable pause she added, “It is a shame however that someone like you has to endure it as well.”

[Comatose he/him]

 

"Dr. Skinsaver, there's a Roger, from accounting, on the line for you.  He was wondering about authorization for some expenditures?"  Skinsaver cursed, looking up from the chart he was studying.  Apparently, Rainmaker had spread word of his appointment quickly, for he hadn't found a moment of peace since returning to the Hospital.  Trying to contain his anger, he spun to face the nurse he had charged with manning his mobile.  

 

"Tell Roger he is supposed to be reporting to his normal superior, and that whoever that is has free reign to make their own sparking decisions."  

 

"But Dr. . . ."

 

"No 'buts'!  I think I've made myself perfectly clear, Brian.  These people need to understand that my job is just to fill in for Euphoria by coordinating between departments.  I don't have time to give my authorization every time some pencil pusher needs to buy a new eraser!"  

 

Brian paused, obviously at a loss for what to say.  Skinsaver resisted the urge to strap him to an empty bed and use him for a mass healing.  As a rule, Skinsaver liked to avoid overly abusing his nursing staff without cause, but today his earlier avoidance was beginning to seem painfully restrictive.  

 

"Fine, Brian.  Spit it out.  What is so terribly confusing for your insignificant brain to figure out?"

 

"I'm sorry Dr. Skinsaver, it's just, Roger was wondering about hospital expenditures?  He's just calling to check we aren't short on any supplies before drawing up a new budget."  

 

Wordlessly, Skinsaver held out his hand to take the mobile, waving Brian away.  "Hello, Roger.  We're actually short on..."

 

SKINSAVER!  I HAVE COME!  PREPARE YOURSELF TO SERVE AT MY PLEASURE!

 

"Roger, I'm going to have to call you back."  Skinsaver hung up the phone without waiting for a response.  There was no point in running; he knew from experience that his newest guest would find him wherever he tried to hide.  

 

A few minutes later, Ethereaon glided into one of the hospitals' private examination rooms.  The impossibly handsome epic wore an extravagant crimson cloak draped stylishly around his shoulders, and rings glittered on his perfectly manicured fingers.  As much as Skinsaver hated the man, levitation and being able to project words into others minds were two of Ethereaon's less useful powers.  On top of his general value, the epic had done an excellent job of acquiring friends and allies among the elite of Corvallis.  With all of the current chaos, Rainmaker would not be pleased if Skinsaver alienated someone with Ethereaon's level of political influence.  

 

"Is everything prepared, Doctor?  You know I would have called ahead, but it is so hard to find the time for such things these days."  Ethereaon floated over to a comfortable chair, landed, and sat down, crossing one leg over the other.  "I assure you, it shouldn't take more than a few minutes, and it is a matter of grave importance."  

 

"A nurse is on her way with a host.  What seems to be the matter?"  

 

"A few things."  Ethereaon removed a pair of designer sunglasses and began to rhythmically tap his stylish shoes against the tiled floor.  "First of all, I have an excruciating headache.  It's been bothering me all morning.  Slaughterine is worse off, of course, but she's quite the lush.  Also, the rest that goes along with a night of fun and frolic - slight nausea, sore throat, general aches and pains, you know the drill.  Also, you can target ailments that only might be there, right?"  Skinsaver nodded, counting the seconds it was taking the nurse to arrive.  "Excellent!  Well, Slaughterine and I had a bit of fun with her slaves last night, and I'm not sure how, shall we say, hygienic they are, if you know what I mean.  So if you could clean up any inconvenient after effects, that would be appreciated.  Oh, and I think there's a pimple coming in on my chin."  

 

Skinsaver nodded, not trusting himself to speak without displaying his disgust for men like Ethereaon.  The vain epic hadn't been the first to realize he could use Skinsaver's abilities for trivial or cosmetic purposes, but he was certainly one of the ones who did it the most.  He was saved by having to stand in silence by the Nurse's arrival.  

 

"Patient 2358R, here as requested.  Will you need anything else Dr. Skinsaver?"  The nurse stepped away from the gurney, revealing an emaciated-looking twelve year old boy.  

 

"No, that will be all.  This will only take a moment."  The boy was sedated; the patients Skinsaver used to heal others tended to make unreasonable noises at the most inconvenient of times, and it wouldn't do to upset an important epic like Ethereaon with such ruckus. Tranferring damage from an epic multiplied its severity.  The subtle blemish on Ethereaon's chin could become red and enflamed, the irritating headache would intensify, and the beginnings of any venereal disease Ethereaon had managed to contract in his night of revelry could result in a full outbreak.  Skinsaver placed a hand gently on the boy's temple, and then offered his other hand to Ethereaon to take.  "Let's get this over with."

 

Ethereaon smiled and took Skinsaver's outstretched hand.  Skinsaver closed his eyes for a moment, focusing on the ailments Ethereaon had mentioned, and then performed a general healing to avoid any future complaints. When he had finished  transferring everything to the boy, he gave Ethereaon a quick once-over with his x-ray vision, to check for any remaining defects that might have been missed.

 

"All done, you can go."  

 

"Thank-you Skinsaver.  I don't know what I'd do without you.  Without sparing a glance for the child, Ethereaon straightened and lifted off the ground.  Skinsaver forced himself to smile as he waved until the door closed behind the Epic.  

 

Finally, I can get back to work.  

 

"Sir," instead of Brian, it was the nurse who had wheeled the boy in who interrupted his moment of solitude.  "Brian stopped by while you were in with Ethereaon.  He told me to let you know that Roger from accounting had called again?"

[Mestiv he/him]

 

After half an hour of walking south from Adair Village, Argon thought he knew everything there is to be known about Corvallis, local politics, local epics even about local flora and fauna. Rick, as his travel companion introduced himself, was a bottomless well of information about the city. Most of those informations were mare gossips, but still, it was nice to hear someone talk after long days of solitude in the forests. 

 

Argon still didn't reveal his nature, preferring not to ruin Vanillas good mood. It was important to keep low profile and avoid upsetting anyone, even a simple gossiping delivery boy.

 

"...and there I was, standing above the dead Epic, with this beautiful lady crying in my shoulder. Too bad I had to wake up the next second. What about you? Can you tell any interesting stories to kill the time on our way?" Rick asked.

 

"Well... I'm not really a storyteller type, but I can tell you a rumour I've heard about what's going on in Europe, or rather what was going on soon after Calamity rose." Argon answered, making up a story. He was always good at making up stories. "You see, a peculiar thing happened in Poland. The president and most of millitary command became Epics. Typically, that would lead to huge power struggle and civil war, however the president managed to convince everyone to work together. There were always a lot of nationalists there, many of them became Epics. It wasn't that hard for him to channel their lust for power with a couple of very well made speeches, reminding them of the events of World War II."

 

"Polish military managed to stay organized, reinforced by Epics, driven by their hunger for revenge against Germans and Russians. Poland stayed united, by creating two big enemies for itself. White Eagle, as the president named himself after becoming a very powerful Epic, led the assault on Berlin himself. Couple month later, Moscow crumbled beneath organized Epic and military attacks, not able to mount any decent resistance. As far as I know, the middle and eastern Europe is still ruled by White Eagle and the Husars, a squad of well trained high Epics... So, how was that for a story?"

 

"You're making this up man. There's no way an entire country survived the Calamity."

 

"I'm not lying to you, those are the stories I've heard. But sure, they might be made up, think of them as you please. There's no way you'll get to Europe to check it out yourself anyway..."

 

And so they walked, 8 kilometers left before they reach the Corvallis city itself.

Edited December 1, 2015 by Mestiv

[18th Shard he/him]

Phoenix woke to the screaming of a demonic figure. Holding out a hand, he grabbed onto its throat and melted its flesh away. He ducked back into the living room of the apartment, incinerating the demon's partner, and grabbed a Coke from the fridge. Those had looked like the couple next door. Downing the Coke in one gulp, he tossed the other sodas into his bag and rummaged for some canned food in the pantry. Tossing some canned fruit and a back of tortilla chips alongside the Cokes and shouldered the pack. He'd been ready to leave for a few hours, but he needed to ensure he wasn't tracked. As safe as he was here, he was still traceable. He needed to hide, find a hideout that he couldn't be found in, and these demons provided the confusion he would need to lose any pursuers. Burning into the next apartment over, he opened the door and ran into the streets, determined not to use his powers unless there was no option. He kept running until he found an abandoned house, owners apparently ripped apart by the ghouls. As good a place as any, he decided, and headed to the back bedroom, dumping his pack onto the bed. He pushed the bed to the side, then carefully burnt a hole into the crawl space below. Sticking a spare mattress from the master bedroom, some food, lights, and a couple of other things, he was then crawled down, pulling the bed back over the hole. He'd hide out here for a few days, then see what to do. Rainmaker would pay for killing him.

Jumpdrive picked up another camera handing it to Michael, who was perched on the first floor windowsill of the two story building. "Over there, on top of the drain. No, a little to the left... Perfect." Jumpdrive looked in the box. Two cameras left, plus the tracers he was going to give the Queens. It was hard enough trying to keep track of them in peace times - with all of these attacking Epics, he wanted GPS locators on all of them. A growling noise sounded behind Jumpdrive. Michael climbed up on the roof as if scared. Then Jumpdrive recognized the noise. He turned to see a charging demon trying to rip a vanilla to pieces. It clawed out the man's throat, then ran for Jumpdrive, face grotesque, growling horrifyingly. Suddenly, a green shield sprang up, knocking back the ghoul. Jumpdrive stood unconcerned, secure in his shield. Then a clatter banged the roof, and Michael and another ghoul stepped into sight. The ghoul clawed at Michael's face, pushing him off the building. Jumpdrive stepped beneath Michael, shield pulsing brightly, Michael stopping at once. The ghoul on the roof jumped for Jumpdrive with an inhuman scream, missing by just enough to miss his Firewall. The demon's back snapped with a loud, nauseating crack. Jumpdrive finally found his voice, and yanked out his phone.

"We've got ghouls on SW 3rd Street! We need help! Come on, Broadcast! Answer!" Michael ran away from the ghouls down the street, but the two started after him. Jumpdrive fumbled for the gun in his coat pocket - it was a great pistol, but he had no idea how to hit anything with it. He stood firmly in their way, but they seemed to want to go after the easier target.

"Internet tips say: Hold the gun firmly with your proper grip [an image popping up from Locator], Align the sights on the target, Place the center of the first pad of your trigger finger on the trigger, Begin pressing the trigger rearward, smoothly, without moving anything else (or while moving everything else as little as possible), Once you have created enough pressure on the trigger, it will move (sometimes imperceptibly) until the striker, firing pin or hammer in the gun is activated and starts the ignition process, firing the gun. Okay, Jumpdrive, you can do this." He lifted his arm and pointed at one of the ghouls, then pulled the trigger. BANG! The bullet exploded from the end of the gun. And missed, striking the ground twenty feet behind the ghoul and five feet to the left. He looked at the gun. It was semi automatic, so he lifted it up once more and fired again. Bang. Bang. Bang. Three more bullets clanged uselessly into the asphalt, walls, street signs. Jumpdrive looked at the magazine - only three bullets left. He held the gun like he'd seen in first person shooters, hoping for better results. It was harder than expected - he'd been good at Black Ops, but he never had actually had to hold the gun. Bang! That one was much further off. He noted a tip in his database that said to hold it steady on some surface to keep it straight. He rested the barrel on his nearly empty box, then pulled the trigger, careful to hold it still. The bullet sped out, finally hitting the ghoul.

 

"Headshot!" Jumpdrive cheered. Then the other ghoul attacked, bouncing of the shield over and over. Jumpdrive grasped for his phone. "Broadcast, I need help here!"

Edited December 8, 2015 by 18th Shard