ic Braving the Lair (IC)

[Ari]

GM

 

8.25 PM, March 4, Tuesday, 2014.

Waterside Bayview, corner of McCulloh & Grant

 

Freedom City's three-hundred and eighty-third year had slid into its third month without much incident. The few rumbles in January and February had been largely relegated to within the super-set, the first anniversary of 2013's tragic event had come and gone with somber remembrances, and the world's far-off turmoils seemed especially distant as snow blasted through New Jersey, few things seeming as important as the by now much-loathed storm. 

 

But there were always those looking to exploit the misfortune of the innocent, and the icy march of winter did little to deter them. Luckily, there were also those willing to step forward and defend the guiltless, and a little snow didn't stop them either.

 

Polarity, Solvrytter and Nevermore had found a good waiting place on their roof, between two mighty fans whose housing blocked the howling north wind and stood tall enough to catch most of the snow that didn't blow over it, leaving a more or less bare and windless spot. The rooftop business wasn't particularly necessary, most Freedonians and foreigners huddling by without the customary glances up, but tonight was their first one out as a group. That and the area along the river had become a bit of a trouble-spot.

 

Rumors had spread about a gang with unusually advanced technology on the edge of Bayview. There weren't many of them, but their mark, a sleek stylized silver dragon, was spreading quickly, and the scorches on walls and loss of power on streets during their most recent fights with the encroaching Los Diabolos Rojos were making them an increasingly dangerous nuisance. That would have been reason enough for the new generation of supers to be there, but it wasn't the only reason.

 

Headmaster Summers had mentioned at his and Aleksander's last meeting that while self-sufficiency was important, every crime-fighter needed allies. He'd dropped a casual hint about two students Nevermore might want to get to know, and while he didn't openly condone them testing themselves in the real world he did say it would be a shame if evil went unchallenged...

 

They had been waiting almost an hour, and there was still no sign of the Dragons.

[KnightDisciple]

Nevermore was crouched on one of the more shadowy portions of the rooftop, his gaze slowly scanning back and forth, his eyes covered by reflective white lenses. He was an inscrutable figure, a living shadow, a soon-to-be-legend that walked the base earth...
 
"So you're telling me that you are my mysterious roommate who's always up at 5 in the morning? What are you doing that early, dude? Polishing every rivet in your armor?"

 

There's no malice in his words, though. Just friendly teasing, and a ghost of a smirk on his face.

 

Apparently the eventual legend was still a teenager.

[Thunder King]

Solvrytter looked at Nevermore with a curious look on his face. "Where I come from, it was just second nature. Everyone else was generally up with the sun every morning." He said, before qualifying his statement. "Of course, night watchmen and the like weren't usually asked to be up that early. However, it's nice to meet you too, finally."

[GooseInduced]

Polarity had her arms wrapped tight around her, palms rubbing against the outside of her arms. She breaths out a slow steady stream of air, watching it turn to steam and float up between their little group. Her outfit was thin and skin tight, and didn't do much to keep her comfortable in situations like this. Even her goggles were a little fogged.

 

She smiles at the two guys. "Part of me wonders when he sleeps. We've been on patrol a few times and out pretty late... then from the sounds of it he's up at the crack of dawn. No rest for the wicked right?" Polarity leans in, bumping shoulders with the armor clad teen. "Seriously though, when do you sleep?" She laughs.

[KnightDisciple]

"He power-naps. In the afternoons. I get my homework done pretty quick, so I've never been in the room while he's awake and I'm awake. I usually try to do any and all workouts in the gym and homework in the lounge or library, so that I don't throw off his sleep patterns. Bad enough mine are probably going to be off-kilter for life, no need to pass that on to him."

 

The young man was quiet, but...despite stating he worked with the Raven, he had none of the terse gruffness they might have heard the dark heroine had. Nervermore was focused, but he seemed almost at ease in the midst of that focus. 

[Ari]

GM

At that moment, it happened.

A shot rang out!

A door slammed!

A man screamed, desperate and terrified!

An alley just a dozen yards north of the trio was lit by the cold glare of lights mounted on the old brick walls of clustered stores, casting the shadows of several figures wearing jagged masks creeping up to a man in a tattered coat, his hands up in a futile gesture of defence. A puff of smoke rolled up over the roofs , and the white blaze was sharpened by a burst of orange.

Several passersby had stopped dead at the sounds, the ones closest looking at the alleyway in mingled dread and pity. A few pulled out cell phones and dialed the police. None of them were up for tangling with the Dragons, though!
 

[Thunder King]

Solvrytter took their gentle pokes in stride. Polarity was being her usual cheeky self, and he enjoyed that. Nevermore was someone he didn't know very well, but he respected him. He seemed like a good man, and had the kind of eyes that knew hardship. The kind of eyes that someone could only get if they had truly fought for something in their life.

 

"That looks like what we've been waiting for." He said, gazing down over the area. "One thing I do like about this city on this strange world. If I'm ever eager for battle, I never have far to go or long to wait." With that, he waited for the two of them to react. He admired their easy grace and swiftness of foot. While he was forced to plod along in steel. He preferred the protection, even if it meant being slower.

[GooseInduced]

Power naps. The thought makes Polarity smile, chin tucking in to help keep warmth around her neck. The idea of roommates never running into each other did boggle her mind a bit. She saw her room mate at least a couple of times a day and then sometimes when the two are just out and about.

Polarity's head snapped up. The cold forgotten as voices and sounds rang out into the chilled air of the night. She takes a few hurried steps toward the edge of the rooftop, eyes scanning over the alleyway and watching the scene unfold. She takes off after Nevermore even as her eyes fall upon a spot on a nearby roof just above the scene. It's a better vantage point and if she stays low.....

Polarity doesn't even stop walking, her form flickering out and reappearing on the other roof. She takes another step before stopping, staying low and quiet. She leans over the edge just enough to look down at the masked men and their victim. There are five of them, wearing silver dragon masks. Their victim is an unshaven man who is wearing a large backpack emblazoned with the American flag. There is a gun cast off to the side. Three of the men is masks are carrying short pieces of metal crackling with electricity from the tips. The other two have tanks on their backs that are attached to their masks. One of them still has wisps of smoke curling from the mouth.

Not good. Her gaze snaps across the rooftops to find her team, motioning for them to hurry.

Edited March 11, 2014 by GooseInduced

[KnightDisciple]

If Polarity and Solvrytter spared a moment's glance for Nevermore, they would see a radical shift. What had been a quiet but friendly young man transformed into a predator of the night, tense as a coiled spring. He took but a moment to consider the comparative lack of stealth that Solvrytter held, and Polarity's absurdly quiet movement to one of the alley rooftops, before making his decision.

 

Without a word to either of them, he took a couple of steps back, then took a short dash off the roof.

 

In mid-air, his cape suddenly snapped into a shape not unlike the spread wings of a bird, and he move smoothly through the air to land on the rooftop opposite Polarity.

 

Unfortunately, it was not his most graceful of moves, and his boots scrabbled a bit on the loose gravel scattered on the flat top of the building.

[Thunder King]

Gunnar watched his two allies sneak off into the shadows. With street lights shining off of his armor and the ever present sounds of moving metal coming off of him, he knew that such tactics were pointless to attempt.

 

So, as he was wont in his own world, he took a direct approach. He walked with deliberate, heavy steps towards the alley. He knew they could hear him. That was the intent. He drew forth Forsynstang, holding it casually in his right hand, a thinly veiled threat as the light sparked from the cold metal.

 

"It's a harsh life, is it not?" He said in a clear voice, before he rounded the corner. "Taking the path of banditry. Abandoning duty and responsibility, throwing your lot in with brigands and outlaws. It's a short life, and full of violence." He stepped into their view. "Which, of course, is why I am here. Trouble that poor man no more, and tomorrow may find you with all your limbs unbroken."

[Ari]

GM

 

The appearance of somebody with an uncanny resemblance to one of Freedom City's quietest and most feared crimefighters certainly had an effect. Almost as one the dragon masked men clumped together, trying not to be in front as the green-eyed icon of silent menace while pushing somebody else ahead. They weren't running yet, but that was just because it was pretty much guaranteed what would happen then.

 

One luckless member of the club, his gas tank and gaping fangs slightly askew, found himself elected spokesman and placed in the fore, a generous distance away from the others. He opened and shut his mouth helplessly for a few seconds before Solvrytter helpfully entered the scene. The look the dragon-mask gave him of mingled surprise and relief quickly gave way to suspicion though. And soon grew tinged with contempt.

 

"Tough talk, Knight-Man!" he shot back, his voice(almost as young as Gunnar's own) trembling a little, but gaining strength as he went on "But there's two of you and five of us, and your buddy there, he sure ain't the real Raven, just some dude in a costume! So you just turn around, Knighty," he folded his arms and a smug grin spread behind his ghoulish mask, "'cause only a fool walks into the Dragon's lair!"

 

"Hell yeah!"

 

"Go back home, kids, momma's calling!"

 

A chorus of agreement rang out, and the gang in the alley hastily backed each other up, tensing for a fight they were pretty sure they could win. The ragged man behind them was paralyzed by obvious confusion, and started to carefully edge away when one of the shock-sticks grabbed him, slamming the man against the wall with a knee and holding the crackling end close to the man's head.

Edited March 15, 2014 by Arichamus

[GooseInduced]

Polarity keeps quiet on her perch, watching the masked men as their attentions fall on the others. They don't seem to notice her and the success makes her smile. The more she does this, the more she realises she might actually be suited for it. She's always been light on her feet when she wants to be and the changes since her illness have only improves that.

With the distraction she sees this as the perfect time to act. Let the enemy focus on her allies and come up behind. Especially with that poor man being held at voltage point.

Well, let's see how they like it.

In the span of a blink she reappears just behind the group.Polarity is closest to the man with the hostage. She reaches out, hand sparking when she touches the back of his neck. The shock jolts through the man's nervous system and when she lets go he falls to the ground, paralyzed.

"Oooh. That did not look fun." She looks up from the man at her feet, smirking. "Anyone else wanna crumple like a rag doll?" Her voice is light, cheeky and fades with a slight chuckle. Her hand comes up, fingers wiggling almost like a wave as sparks dance around them.

Edited April 7, 2014 by GooseInduced

[Ari]

GM

 

It was about that time when the Dragon-masked men, looking in horror at the super with the crackling hands, and their comrade twitching spasmodically on the ground realized that something had gone very wrong. Unfortunately for them, this just pushed them straight from 'confident' to 'desperate'.

 

"You shocked Teddy!" shouted one of them, his eyes wide and mouth agape "You bastard!"

 

"Let's get 'em!" hollered another, twisting the valve of his fuel tank and starting to run straight at Polarity with blood in his eyes.

 

The battle was joined, and the electric teen was the primary target, Gunnar and Alek apparently considered less of an immediate concern. Sliding to a halt mere feet away from her, the Dragon-mask with the fuel tank drew a lighter out of his pocket and flicked it open, a vicious grin all over his face as he held it before him, pulled the mask's jaw wide open...and a massive gout of flame roared towards Juno! The blistering wave was pierced by a blue light, and just as it began to die out the one who felt so badly about 'Teddy's being hurt launched himself at Polarity, swinging his electric rod in a wild arc aimed at her head, but instead whiffing harmlessly several inches over it as she ducked. The man staggered, cursing wildly as he struggled to regain his footing on the snow.

 

Meanwhile, the other one who'd taken the 'dragon' theme to suicidal extremes raced for Solvrytter, letting loose a blast of fire with a furious roar just before he was close enough to dodge, and maddeningly far enough away that the young knight would have to make good use of his armor's lightness and flexibility to evade the heat vaporising the snow as it cannoned at his face!

 

The last man conscious, also armed with a souped-up stun gun, looked briefly at Nevermore...and promptly took a step backwards, looking around the field of battle with a a pitiable air of indecision as he searched hastily for a way to make himself useful. Then he lighted on the young knight under siege from the flamethrower, and started hustling across the snow to help out, a determined look stamped on his face.

[Thunder King]

Solvrytter sidestepped the flame easily, moving left. As he shifted, he brought Forsynstang around to slam the staff into his attacker's abdomen, sending the man sprawling. Then, he shifted forward and slammed the flat of the blade against the side of another man's head.

 

These men were not as well trained as he was used to fighting. They were awkward, somewhat slow, even easy. After their failure to notice Polarity and the speed at which they broke formation, he decided their threat level was probably minimal. Still, no point in taking unnecessary risks.

[KnightDisciple]

Nevermore's mask lenses couldn't properly emote (yet), but somehow, the thug who called them all "kids" simply knew the young crime fighter was scowling at him. His voice, now bearing a menacing edge that carried all sorts of menace, carried down into the alleyway.

 

"Children, are we?"

 

Then Polarity and Solvrytter had sprung into action and frozen or downed several of the criminals. In that moment of confusion, Nevermore suddenly descended from the rooftop, a flurry of cape and shadow and glowing eyes rustling in the damp dark of the alleyway.

 

He landed in front of the dragon-masked man who had asked if they were going to run home, going into a crouch for just a moment.

 

"Let's see who cries for their mother first."

 

Like lightning, a leg swept up into a knee, producing a sound that wasn't exactly healthy, causing the man to begin bending over in reflex to the pain. A rising fist met his masked jaw, delivering bone-cracking force likely to render him unconscious.

 

No time to gloat, there was another combatant to neutralize. Nevermore was in his "zone", his place where he saw, breathed, lived a fight.

 

Polarity and Solvrytter saw in that moment that for this young man, fighting wasn't just a sport.

 

His left hand lashed out in a knife strike that made the stun gun user gasp in pain.

 

This wasn't a dance.

 

Another strike, this time to the solar plexus, leaving the criminal gasping for breath.

 

This wasn't even art.

 

Finally, a hit to the side of the neck dropped the criminal to the ground insensate and quickly unconscious.

 

No, what Nevermore did? It was math. It was cold, calm calculation. The assessing of distance and mass and reach and force and leverage, all for the maximum possible benefit for minimum possible risk in a fight. There were rough edges; Aleksander wasn't even a legal adult yet. But what was already there was definitely a dangerous man.

 

As the attention was on the heroes for just a moment, the last criminal standing suddenly was freed from the strange paralysis that had overcome him. But it didn't really matter. Before he could do more than consider his situation, he was grasped by the front of his shirt, lifted bodily off the ground, and shoved up against the alley wall.

 

And there in his face was something that seemed man-like, but couldn't possibly be a mortal, could it? Those cold, soulless things that made a mockery of eyes, the shadows it wore like a cape...This was a creature of the night that had him in its grasp. It spoke with a voice that promised terrible things.

 

"Your gear. Where did you get it? Are there more of you? Why are you out here tonight? Talk."

[Ari]

GM

Coughing and spluttering in fear, the young man's mask fell off to reveal a scrawny and shaky guy obviously unused to this kind of experience. He nervously met Nevermore's eyes in a way he evidently hoped was imploring. Most crooks in Freedom soon knew better than to try that.

"H-hey, we-look, we're, it's just us five, man." He said pleadingly "Me, Benny, Teddy, Sturge and Pierce. We weren't gonna hurt anybody, just scare this guy, we wanted to be like those Dragons! They said...er...they said if we got somethin' from that dude they'd let us...I-I found some of their stuff in a dumpster after they had a fight with the C's and...um..." he slowly withered under the green stare stabbing through his head, looking as far away as he could(not far enough) while his voice dropped to a mumble "I'm...sorry I said you were a kid..."

 

"Jesus. Had no idea anyone'd actually help." said the ragged man with the backpack, tentatively getting up and alternating a savage glare at his tormentors and admiring glances at his rescuers "I'm Jacob, call me Jake" he added to the three teens "Just got into town after getting kicked out of the Army base up north, was on my way to my folks down in North Carol' when these guys showed up. Thanks for the assist, pretty sure they didn't know enough not to kill me with those crazy things. And my pistol misfired at just the right moment." Jake glowered at the lump of metal lying a few feet away. Half the muzzle was broken cleanly off.

 

The ex-soldier jerked his head at the conscious and un wanna-be Dragons "What are you gonna do with these dumbasses?" Startled out of his terror, Nevermore's captive squirmed futilely to try and get in a better position, babbling "W-wait! Don't let it out we wanted into the Drags, they'll..." his eyes flickered at the surrounding rooftops  "They won't like it." he finished lamely.

[Thunder King]

"Glad to be of help." Solvrytter said with a nod. "However, that begs the question. What did these men want with you? When they assaulted you, did they ask for something? Anything you can tell us can help us prevent future attacks, or even learn a way to take their band of brigands down."

 

He did not know what, if anything, the man might know, but anything could be of serious help.

[Ari]

GM

 

"Well...uh..." for a second Jake's eyes flitted from his rescuers to a dark, tempting alley just a few yards away. They quickly went back to the three teens. the young man shifting and fiddling with his hands.

 

"See...it's really cold, you know? I was just passin' through Dragon turf, they don't bother you if you look like a bum, and one dude dropped his glove" reaching into a grubby pocket Jake sheepishly produced a sleek, padded winter glove marked with a silver dragon "I could barely feel my fingers, and I didn't want to have somebody jump me with numb hands, so...I grabbed it." Rolling it over in his hand, he looked at the glove like he hated it.

 

Raising his head he shrugged and offered it to the trio "Here, it's got some kind of receiver in the back, I was gonna sell it, but this is waaay too much trouble to put up with so I can keep my hands out of my pockets."

 

Nevermore's captive stared at Jake incredulously "Dude...that's the 'dangerous secret' you had? What a gyp!"

Edited April 2, 2014 by Arichamus

[KnightDisciple]

"You didn't mention a "dangerous secret" before. Who said it was dangerous?"

 

Nevermore's inhuman eyes loomed closer as he pushed the punk a bit harder against the wall.

 

"If you think the Dragons are scarier than me, perhaps we need to have a few more lessons to correct your misunderstanding. So. Who told you to come after this man? What did they promise you as a reward?"

[GooseInduced]

Polarity's smirk barely faltered as the two men came after her. Neither was much of a threat. The fire did little to disguise the arc of the baton and Polarity's natural grace was more than enough to let her duck and turn well out of harm’s way. Her distraction was a success. The enemy was scattered, distracted by her and within moments picked apart by her comrades. Score one for them. 

It's easy enough to stay out of the way as people drop and Polarity looks down at the Dragons and makes a soft clicking noise with her tongue. "Cocky little jerks." She laughs, toeing at one of them with her boot. It makes him shift, head turning so his mask scrapes softly against the pavement. Polarity crouches, finding how the mask is held on and slipping it free. She listens to what the guys around her are saying but her focus is on their gear. On how the mask opens up to spit fire, the hose leading to the tank on his back. She reads the label there before her eyes squint and her attention falls to one of the stun sticks. The weight of it in her hand, the ease of activation and the apparent voltage as sparks fly from the tip of it. This isn’t your average off the street gear.
 
The others are busy for the moment, so she doesn’t interrupt. She wouldn’t be much use interrogating those men anyway. So she waits, holding one of the sparking clubs in her hand as she watches the ex-soldier get a little…. Antsy. If he tries anything she can be on him in a moment’s notice.

Edited April 7, 2014 by GooseInduced

[Ari]

GM

 

Struggling uselessly to lean his head away, the would-be gangster spluttered "Wait, hold on! It's...different. Than this," he clarified unnecessarily "and I just figured you were gonna kick us and tie us to a streetlamp or something, but if you're scarier than the Dragons, then I guess you already know where Suse works and what kind of car Dad takes to the mill." By now he was quivering like a leaf, his moment's outrage forgotten thanks to the sheer terror that had fallen into his life like a bowling ball hitting a paper teapot.

 

"It's...the big guy, their boss, I think. Called Devin. He found us with some other Drags when me and those guys," the impromptu informant managed a vague wave of his head at the unconscious bodies nearby "were trying on their stuff they'd stashed in a dumpster, just outside a run-down place near that old pier on Adams and Grant. He was super-mad about something, guess it must have been that glove, and it looked like we were dead..." For just a second the man in Nevermore's grip paled.

 

Then, out of nowhere, an almost awestruck look crept into his averted eyes "...but then he gets this look like he's seen the future and asks if we want to join. Says there's this guy who stole a 'dangerous secret' that could 'threaten everything I've built...'" seeing the incredulous look on the teen's faces he added defiantly "His words! Straight outta his mouth! Told us to look for some bum with an army jacket and rough him up, search him for something belongin' to the Drags, and haul him back if we found it. Let us keep the stuff we'd stolen, too. Nice guy."

 

The last was said with a preposterously admiring half-smile on the gangster's unshaven face.

Edited April 4, 2014 by Arichamus

[KnightDisciple]

"He might be a Nice Guy. I'm not. Where did you find the dumpster full of gear?"

 

He suddenly turned, swinging the would-be Dragon gang member around and slamming him onto the ground. It was a calculated move; hard enough to bring some pain and knock a bit of wind out of him, but not so hard he would prevent him from speaking or seriously injure him. The young crime-fighter also ensured the man's head didn't bounce off the concrete. Had to keep the suspect conscious to interrogate him.

 

"Where were you supposed to deliver your target? Where is Devin! Where!"

 

When the thug finished giving him the last piece of the puzzle, Nevermore grinned.

 

And proceeded to deliver a punch that would knock the punk senseless, followed by a nerve strike to send him to the land of dreams for a while.

[Ari]

GM

 

A short time and one streetlamp-arrest later...

 

The description given by Timothy Guest had been short but, as it turned out, accurate and evocative. The 'place' by the pier a stone's-throw from Adams and Grant was roughly squarish, had the look of a warehouse abandoned since the turn of the century(the one before this), with enough battered walls, vacant windows, empty doorways and paling roof tiles merited no truer words than 'rundown'. A dumpster smashed awkwardly against the back wall was the only departure from the everpresent decay, oddly clean and empty for something in such a neglected corner of Freedom City. As they got closer, they saw the most likely reason: a silver dragon on the wall next to the(artfully grubby) rear door. Scattered along the street and nearby corners were young men and a few women loitering and watching Freedonians go by like hawks. The glare of street lights made it hard to miss how many were wearing white and silver.

 

Lights were on inside. Dim, harsh white lights invisible from the ground, and for a moment as the young heroes watched there was a shadow of a massive body surmounted by a monstrous head. It was gone in an instant, but impossible to miss.

 

Getting there had taken the trio only a little while, Jake agreeing to sit tight in the alley and wait for the cops to explain what had happened and volunteer as witness, leaving them plenty of time to scout out the area and form something resembling a plan of action...

[GooseInduced]

After making sure those wannabe Dragons had no way of hurting anyone and their crew took some time to stake out the Dragon’s lair, Polarity took a few moments to explain to Nevermore and Solvrytter what she saw in their equipment. “It definitely isn't street level. The tech is too advanced. You’d expect these guys to wield maybe modified versions of what you can get off the street right? That stuff was too sophisticated. The flame throwers looked almost like modified scuba gear but I’m not familiar with one of the compounds they are using. And the tazers… the voltage seems a little high for your average tazer. They should be blowing through those batteries like they are nothing. The shafts are too small for any normal battery with that kind of capacity. Wherever their gear came from, it’s not your average stuff. We need to be careful in there. Who knows what else they have.†She looks down from the rooftop they have claimed as their new vantage point, watching the entrance with uncertainty.

Edited April 11, 2014 by GooseInduced

[Thunder King]

Solvrytter couldn't even pretend to understand what it was she just said. But, he trusted both of them well enough to know what they were talking about. "So the brigands have armed themselves with weapons above the norm for such as they." He said. "Means they are potentially more dangerous than your average brigand. Well, I suppose this means we should be more careful and circumspect."