ic Golden Dead

[Supercape]

GM

 

"Oh Thank the Gods! You! I nearly had a heart attack!"

 

Beanpole looked down to his stomach. His hands covered the gunshot wound, and his hands were wet with blood. A small puddle of claret oozed between his legs. Even amidst the purple smoke, Chimera could see that Beanpole looked white as a ghost, with clammy skin. 

 

"I got shot... in the belly..." said Beanpole, weakly. 

 

"I mean, do you like have any healing powers, or something? or can you magnetise the bullet out? Perhaps after I feint, so I dont feel the pain?"

 

His eyelids started to droop. 

 

"I do feel sleepy. I think I might just have a nap... that would be alright, wouldn't it? Just have a little nap nap... oh and be careful, Blowfish gave me some explosives. Might have dropped them somewhere. Dont light a fire or anything..."

 

 

[Spacefurry]

Chimera 

 

“Nonono!”

Chimera demanded as she quickly torn open Beanpole’s shirt to get a better look at the wound. The mention of explosives dismissed as not important and forgotten for now.

“Stay with me.”

She wiped at the blood. He was able to talk and react, that was good. She reached around in search of an exit but found none. That complicated matters, but only a little more. As long as the bullet hadn’t punctured the intestines she gave him better odds of surviving. Peritonitis would kill the poor man before she could get him to safety.

“Not so bad.”

Chimera tried to sound confident. She couldn’t chance digging around for the bullet blindly. For now, she focused on getting pressure on the wound. She tore long strips from his shirt for a makeshift bandage.

 

“Beanpole!”

She tried to get a response.

“Still with me?”

Chimera scooped Beanpole into a princess carry.

“We really need to stop meeting like this.”

She tried to joke, but she was glad the symbiote covered half her face.

Edited September 25, 2023 by Spacefurry

[Nerdzul]

Nightscale grinned as he inspected the scene, with most goons running away it would hopefully be easier preventing the ship from blowing up.

 

Although, there was some remaining holdouts, a couple of guys that didn't get the message, apparently, he did not expect that they would stay for long. He swooped in closer to the scene, giving the remaining mercenaries a clear sign that he was coming from them and again letting the glow off his internal flames escape from his lips for show. "Haven't given up already?" He grinned. 

 

"Beanpole?" Now if the guy hadn't just been shot, the teenage dragon would have proably teased the gangster with the origin of that nickname. Given the situation though, however, he restrained himself. 

 

"Need a hand?" He offered to the two figures. Now, he wasn't exactly certain if Chimera was still an enemy, in truth, but he was definitely not gonna let a guy bleed out on his watch. Even someone working for Blowfish.

[Supercape]

GM

 

"I'm gonna die... I'm gonna die, aren't I?"

 

"Wait, are you a dragon?" gasped Beanpole. Blood loss had already made his face pale, but now it was as white as snow. 

 

"Wait... maybe I won't die..." he said, trying to muster courage. "But it hurts... like some one has a pair of pliers and is twisting my guts like a string of sausages... say, if you are a superhero don't you have some morphine in your utility belt. That would be great, mmm... sweet morphine, that would do me great. Get yourself a proper utility belt with dragon-morphine... wait... I'm gabbling aren't I? Thats probably because I am hysterical. Hysterical people tend to gabble, you know. I saw it on a documentary once. Or wait, was that about sub saharan avian mating rituals? No, it was about hysteria. Anyway, please excuse me, I think I need to pass out..."

 

The purple smoke from the merc's grenade started wafting their way. It was mildly irritating to the nostrils but at least not noxious or toxic. The merc's voice called out...

 

"What the hell are you guys doing here? I wasn't expecting a dragon! And a ... what are you? the Metal hawk?"

[Spacefurry]

Chimera

 

“You’re not going to die.”

Chimera reassured Beanpole. He was rambling, but she was beginning to think it was a normal reaction for the man. At least she was sure that meant he was in better shape than he looked. Pale was not a good color for him.

 

She looked up at the dragon hesitantly, but after a moment nodded. She was in no position to fight and it could have easily caught her off guard, but it hadn’t. If fact, now that she thought about it, she hadn’t seen the creature actually attack anyone. Maybe she had jumped the gun and over reacted.

 

The purple smoke was drifting over the deck towards them and her nose started to itch even past her mask. But it was the voice calling to them from beyond it that really concerned her. It was too calm and menacing. Wait… Metal Hawk? Were they talking about her?

“Can you do anything about the smoke?”

She asked the dragon, taking a step away from the purple haze. She looked around quickly and spotted a good spot.

 

A length of flat ductwork about waist high, off to the side. Moving quickly she laid Beanpole down to get a better look at the injury. In the better light she grimaced.

“I’m sorry Beanpole.”

Said honestly.

“This is going to hurt.”

She took one of his hands to give him something to squeeze. With her other, long thin talons grew. As carefully as she could, two of the razor sharp claws reached into the bloody wound. It only took a few seconds, but it felt like minutes before she felt the small solid object in the softer flesh.

The material of the bullet was no match for the techno-organic symbiote. It extended from her claws and enveloped the foreign matter. Even as she carefully withdrew it the symbiote was already ‘digesting’. Luckily this meant she didn’t have to do more damage pulling it out.

 

Chimera breathed a sigh of relief and quickly set the makeshift bandage to to place. She had gotten lucky and she knew it.

 

The dragon! She had been so wrapped up in Beanpole it had slipped her mind.She turned around looking for it.

[Supercape]

GM

 

Beanpole clenched his teeth, neck running with cold sweat. 

 

He screamed. He giggled. He pleaded for mercy, and his life, and swore to several Gods that it was they, not the others, that were the one true God and could they please save his life. And then he passed out. 

 

Unconscious, but alive. Chimera had done the work that would make any surgeon proud. 

 

the Mercenary was still there, hidden in the pink smoke. Armed and, presumably dangerous. For one thing, the explosives were still unaccounted for. 

 

"What you doing here? Who are you? Blowfish hired you?"

 

There was a tiny click. 

 

"I ain't paid enough to fight off dragons. Or superheroes. I was just expecting a few of Blowfishe's clowns...."

[Nerdzul]

"Not without also tossing you two from the ship..." Nightscale shook his head, perhaps the wind from his wings could disperse the smoke, but somehow he didn't believe that the guy that the young shapeshifter had just rescued would enjoy it. 

 

"By the way... you...  You feel familiar you know?" Yep, they have met hadn't they? Luke landed on the deck, using his wings to improve his balance and hopefully not shatter the hull of the ship with the far from insignificant weight of a bus-sized lizard. 

 

When he heard the click the young dragon positioned himself to cut the path between the Mercenary and the place where Chimera and the wounded mobster were laying in wait. 

 

"No definitely I'm not working for him... And what about you? My bet is... People don't hire mercenaries to guard a ship if there isn't something interesting about the cargo..." Yep, it was worth investigating for sure. He wondered if his hacker 'friend' knew about it. We are definitely gonna have a chat after this is over...

 

"Well, you are still in time to not get eaten... For now..." The dragon grinned. "I'm gettin' pretty hungry, though."

[Supercape]

GM

 

"OK, OK, I'm not going to get in your teeth," said the Merc. "I'm gonna put down this rifle and you don't eat me, deal?"

 

Without waiting for a reply, he slowly bent over and placed his AK-47 on the Ship floor. The pink smoke was still wafting, but with a squint of the eye, one could make out the merc, a dozen feet away. 

 

"Names Brad. Folks call me the Gas Man. Private security, that kind of stuff. Here, have my card..."

 

A cheap introduction card skittled across the ship deck, landing by Beanpoles feet and soaking up some of the blood. 

 

"Still, I got to say. Looks like you two are breaking the law. What gives? You a pair of supervillains pretending to be superheroes? Or what. If you are, I got no qualms. Gas Man, at your service..."

[Nerdzul]

"Fair enough... you behave and I'll ignore that I haven't had dinner yet..." He grinned, using the occasion again to show his fangs. 

Gas Man? He shook his head. "Ook..." He replied.

 

"Nah... Why I am here, is my own business. But I can say I did not expect mercenaries. But perhaps you can illuminate me about the reason?"

 

 "And you?" He turned toward Chimera. "Are you working for Blowfish?" 

[Spacefurry]

Chimera 

 

Chimera balked a little as she peered through the Smokey pink mist with a squint. Being accused of being a villain was ridiculous.

Sure she was technically trespassing on the boat… on the word of a known criminal element…

Okay, maybe it didn’t look good from her side. But she was there for a good reason.

 

She wanted to ease up when Gas Man. Set down his weapon, but she was to on edge already. When the card slid to a stop by her feet she quickly scooped it up. Beanpole’s blood was sticky on it, but she was already covered in it.

 

Chimera looked up at Nightscale.

“What? No!”

She said quickly.

“I mean, I know him. But I just… had a tip that criminal called Machete Max was possibly on board.”

[Supercape]

GM

 

The Gas Man gave a little chuckle at the name of Machete Max. 

 

"Machete Max? He's the guy who hired me. And yeah, he had a machete. Me, I prefer things a litle more high tech."

 

He fingered the large array of grenades around his waist and slung over his chest. There was probably a fragmentation grenade amongst the banquet of explosives, but most of them seemed to be gas and smoke grenades. Hence the name. 

 

"Paid well, too. But not that well. I ain't fighting to superheroes, even if..."

 

And he raised his eyebrows, studying them carefully. 

 

"They are technically pirates..."

 

He waited for the word to sink in. 

 

"Yeah, pirates. Boarding a vessel without permission. Of course, I might have been distracted and might not have noticed you two. Maybe my eyesight is a bit bad. Maybe I need it corrected. Maybe I need the money to get my eyesight corrected. Otherwise, my eyesight is fine and I saw both of you committing piracy."

 

[Nerdzul]

When Gas Man mentioned the idea of Piracy, the young dragon gave him a "don't push your luck" kind of glare.

 

"Machete max?" Luke chuckled as well. "I got a tip too, that Blowfish wanted to blow up the ship..." He would have scratched the hair on the back of his neck, well if he could at least, as a dragon it wasn't as easy as when wearing his human form. 

 

"Damn.... This sounds very much like a trap..." He mused. "Can your friend be moved?" Yeah... Beanpole... "It's better if we get off the ship, before it blows up with us on it or somethin'" Now himself, he could probably tank an explosion, albeit perhaps one of limited power, he could not guarantee for everyone else present though. "Fast... Then we can try to figure this out properly..." 

 

Maybe we can also find that scumbag. Blowfish... In truth the young dragon was eager to ask him a few questions as well.

Edited October 8, 2023 by Nerdzul

[Supercape]

GM

 

Beanpole was stabilised, but weak. Lying on the deck of the ship, blood on the floor, blood on his shirt-yes, anybody could see that he had lost a lot of blood. He was faint, but breathing. Maybe breathing a little fast, maybe his heart rate was high, maybe his blood pressure was low. But he was stable. 

 

The Gas Man coughed into his hand. A forced, effected cost. 

 

"I don't want an explosion. I got one of the plastics..." he said, tapping an-off white bundle of explosived by his foot. There was a small flashing red LED light bound to it, and a timer stuck at 5:00 minutes. But nobody had started the timer-it wasnt counted down. 

 

"Explosives are so inelegant. Gas is where it's at..." added the Gas Man, tapping his assortment of grenades. 

 

"But there are probably others. They go off on this ship, we are going to sink..."

[Spacefurry]

Chimera

 

Chimera narrowed her eyes at Gas Man.

“Don’t try to turn this around on us.”

She pointed an accusing finger at the man.

“We-“

She hesitated.

“I have no desire for whatever is on this ship.”

She gave the dragon a side-eyed look. Blowfish hadn’t mentioned anything about blowing up the boat. Of course, if he really thought Max has a vested interest in the ship she couldn’t deny the gangster might try something extreme.

 

“This whole night is starting to smell fishy.”

Chimera bit her lip behind her mask then looked back up at the dragon again.

“I think I can move him.”

Something about the dragon gave her the feeling she could trust it.

”Don’t let him ‘accidentally’ sink the ship.”

 

Maybe she can have a word with Blowfish while she was at it, she thought as she turned to carefully scoop up Beanpole. She looked back at Gas Man. She wanted to say something but she couldn’t think of a sound argument.

Instead, her wings grew and spread. A tail grew again.

Seriously, where did that come from? 

A few steps, a powerful sweep of the wings and she was soaring over the dock, Beanpole clutched to her chest… again.

 

She banked and angled down into a spiral, aiming for Blowfish’s collected cars.

Edited October 12, 2023 by Spacefurry

[Nerdzul]

"Great." Nightscale nodded. At least it didn't look like anyone was seriously hurt. For now. Which was a start.

 

"Oh... He is definitely not gonna stay alone on this ship." The dragon turned to face Gasman. "Now is it enough for me to ask nicely? Or do I have to be a bit more persuasive?" His eyes glowed, a bit more intensely as he faced, the mercenary. He didn't seem a threat, but there was definitely no need to get him out of their sight. For now. 

 

"By the way... You must know what's so precious about this ship, don't you? I'd love for you to share it with us on the way and no more semantics about piracy if you can, or gas... definitely none about gas..." He continued in a no-nonsense tone, in truth, this was beginning to sound a bit too weird. 

 

He waited for everything to be settled and then unfolded his wings. "I can carry you if you like... but don't even think for a moment that you can ride on my back." He offered the Mercenary a ride... in his claws... 

[Supercape]

GM

 

"Relax, Gandalf," said the Gasman, holding his hands up to Luke. "Wait, not Gandalf... whats that film, the one for the nerds, with all the wizards and stuff. Wait! Smaugolas, that was the name, wasn't it? Relax, Smaugolas! I got paid to keep this ship afloat, not fight dragons! Ain't no money worth getting roasted alive. I know when I'm outgunned..."

 

He put his assault rifle to the floor and kept his hands up, neglecting to dispense with his knife, sidearm, or multitude of grenades. 

 

"Seems to me this ship is still afloat. No explosives going off. All thanks to the heroic heroes of Freedom City. Thanks, capes! Although I still aim to get paid!"

 

Meanwhile...

 

Blowfish waved to Chimera as she circled about his car. 

 

"Hey, what's happening! Can't see with all that pink smoke! Did you find what Max was transporting? I think we better sink this boat, only way to be sure!"

[Nerdzul]

"Gandalf?" Luke tilted his head a little, growling as the man teased him. In truth, despite being a creature of myth himself, he didn't really know much about the whole Lord of the Rings thing. After all, he was too young to appreciate the first series of movies and the second trilogy, well, he had only watched a pirated copy (perhaps Gas Man was at least a tiny bit right about him after all) it half-asleep with Gabriel, his little brother, finding it quite of a slog.

 

"Great... Whatever..." He waited for the man to drop his weapons and then 'gently' tried to catch him with one of his claws. "Don't worry, I am just helping you out of the ship..." He 'reassured' the man.

 

"Maybe we can use the occasion to talk about the cargo though? I mean unless your intention is to keep evading my questions." He let a bit of smoke escape his lips as he carried the man unceremoniously toward Chimera's position. "I mean, it must be worth protecting, if your boss went all the way to hire a renowned mercenary" Yeah ... sure... "Such as yourself."

[Supercape]

GM

 

The Gas Man chewed his lip at the offer of a claw, but ultimately decided to accept the ride. 

 

"Hey, something to tell my grandchildren right? I went on a dragon ride! Once in a lifetime opportunity. Not that I have kids. Not that I want kids. But its still a fun story. As long as you don't rip me in half."

 

"My lips are sealed with the finest dollar Machete Max can afford. That said, screw him, he didn't tell me about no dragons. He's got something shifty in the bottom of this ship."

 

He frowned, chewing the problem. 

 

"Tell the truth I don't know whats in the ship. I don't get paid to ask questions. Gotta say, I am pretty curious. Machete Max is one spooky guy. All I know is there a lot of wooden crates that smell like old dust..."

[Spacefurry]

Chimera

 

Chimera landed. Her wings closing, but not going away. Her tail flicking in agitation.

“No, I haven’t found out what’s on board.” She snapped angrily.

“Beanpole’s been shot. He’s stable but he’ll need proper attention.”

Chimera opens the back door of Blowfish’s car and carefully settles Beanpole inside. Closing the door she turns on the gangster.

“You didn’t tell me you had people up there with explosives. If you had sunk that ship and anyone died, we would be having a very different conversation.”

She said firmly.

[Supercape]

GM

 

Blowfished pressed to idignant hands to an fleshy chest. "Explosives?"

 

He raised an eyebrow. 

 

"I just sent some of my men in to stop a zombie apocalypse. I didn't tell em da details. But honestly, do you blame them? If there was a horde of zombies in the cargo, would you object to an explosive? Set the lot of em of fire, sink the ship? I don't take any pleasure in killing. Normally. Sometimes. But you can't kill what alreadys da dead, can ya?"

 

He crushed one cigarette underfoot and promptly whipped out another, lighting it with puffs that blew out his cheeks like balloons. 

 

"And dont you worry about Beanpole. I got...hffft...all expenses paid medical cover. Cant go lettin good men die, can I? Bad for...hffft... morale!"

 

He took a particularly theatrical puff of his cigar and then took it from his mouth, wagging it at Chimera. 

 

"But all dis yappin... the question is, what was Machete Max bringing to da goold old yu ess of ay?"

 

[Spacefurry]

Chimera

 

Chimera frowned at Blowfish. She really shouldn’t be surprised by this. He hadn’t become what he is by underestimating things, or being honest about his intentions.

 

She shook her head.

“Just see to him. I’m going back up to check for myself.”

Her wings spread again.

“After that, we’ll figure out the what to do. Which will most likely involve consoling the authorities.”

 

Chimera crouched for a moment, then with a strong flap, she surged back into the air. She twisted and turned towards the deck of the ship. Aiming for the cargo doors that would let her access the hold.

She had to admit, the tail did make it easier to maneuver in air.

[Nerdzul]

 

On 10/17/2023 at 3:50 AM, Supercape said:

"Hey, something to tell my grandchildren right? I went on a dragon ride! Once in a lifetime opportunity. Not that I have kids. Not that I want kids. But its still a fun story. As long as you don't rip me in half."

 

 

"Go ahead, I certainly won't mind..." Nightscale chuckled, in truth he had decided that he somewhat liked the mercenary and as long as he didn't turn on them, he seemed kinda ok.

 

"One spooky guy... and musty crates, not ominous...at all..." Luke nodded as the man explained that he didn't know much about the cargo. Maybe Gas Man was lying, perhaps he wasn't, but there was only a way to find out.

 

"I am gonna have to pay a visit to this Machete Max one of these days..." He mused as he deposited the mercenary on the pier, far enough from the ship that they would be out of range in case of an explosion.  "Do you happen to know where I can find him?" 

 

Speaking of mobsters he had to talk to, his golden eyes pierced the darkness of the port, seeking for the location where Chimera had flown away to meet Blowfish, unfortunately though she was already on the way back. 

 

"Hey..." He waved toward the flying shapeshifter. "Since it didn't go boom... You up for checking what's on board?" Speaking of which, there was no way he could navigate it in his current form. He focused his mind on his human self and quickly his draconic form melted away, like liquid obsidian flowing back into his human skin. "Let me lead the way..." He offered.

[Supercape]

GM

 

"Machete Max? Beats me. Guys as slippery as an eel coated in oil with a PhD in sliperriness," said the Gas Man, dusting himself off after the flight. He looked like a robust man, but being carried in dragon claws had turned him a ghastly shade of green. He spoke whilst simultaneously trying to keep his stomach bolted down to his diaphragm. 

 

"And if you don't mind, I'll leave you two to find out what Max is smuggling."

 

He took on a firmer, serious look. 

 

"I seen some dark crap in my time," he confessed. "But Machete Max? He gives me the creeps. Like, I heard a rumour he resurrected the dead only a few months ago. Had an army of zombies crawling over Freedom City graveyard. He paid me well enough, but truth is something about this job sent a chill down my spine. And my spine don't often get chilled."

 

He was interrupted by Blowfish, who came huffing and puffing down the tier in a jog. Blowfish could clearly handle a tommy gun, and looked like he had thrown a few knuckledusting punches in his life. But he wasn't the most fit mobster in Freedom City. 

 

"Hey! Hey! Whats happening?" he yelled. "Dragons? Machete Max hiring dragons now? I can pay! I can pay better!!!"

 

The Gas Man raised an eyebrow. "Hmmm.... potential customer! Can you put in a good word?" he asked Luke and Chimera. 

[Spacefurry]

Chimera

 

As she approached the sea vessel the dragon cast a shadow over her as it headed towards the dock. In one hand it held the mercenary, Gasman, and with its other it seemed to be waving her down.

 

20 hours ago, Nerdzul said:

"Hey..." He waved toward the flying shapeshifter. "Since it didn't go boom... You up for checking what's on board?" Speaking of which, there was no way he could navigate it in his current form. He focused his mind on his human self and quickly his draconic form melted away, like liquid obsidian flowing back into his human skin. "Let me lead the way..." He offered.

 

She pulled up as it pasted her, turned and followed it back down. Landing, it released Gasman and its body melted in on itself until a young man stood where the giant creature once had.

 

20 hours ago, Supercape said:

GM

 

"I seen some dark crap in my time," he confessed. "But Machete Max? He gives me the creeps. Like, I heard a rumour he resurrected the dead only a few months ago. Had an army of zombies crawling over Freedom City graveyard. He paid me well enough, but truth is something about this job sent a chill down my spine. And my spine don't often get chilled."

“That he is.”

Chimera agreed, she gave a small shiver at the memory of the night in the graveyard.

 

Something about the young man was familiar, but she was distracted as Blowfish ran up totting what she was beginning to suspect was his signature sub-machine gun.

 

20 hours ago, Supercape said:

GM

 

"Hey! Hey! Whats happening?" he yelled. "Dragons? Machete Max hiring dragons now? I can pay! I can pay better!!!"

 

The Gas Man raised an eyebrow. "Hmmm.... potential customer! Can you put in a good word?" he asked Luke and Chimera. 

 

She rolled her eyes.

“I want nothing to do with this conversation.”

She said dismissively to Gasman and Blowfish before turning her attention to the young man that had been a dragon only moments ago.

“We’ll…”

She suddenly realized she had no idea how to address him.

“…ah, you.”

Nailed it, she mentally facepalmed.

“If you’re still up for it. I say we find out just what is so important about this ship’s cargo.”

[Nerdzul]

 

"Zombies... great..." He has had his fair share of scraps with the walking dead, both regular and of the German (but not Nazi) soldier kind. 

 

On 10/22/2023 at 11:05 PM, Supercape said:

"Hey! Hey! Whats happening?" he yelled. "Dragons? Machete Max hiring dragons now? I can pay! I can pay better!!!"

 

"Machete Max Hiring me? No... I am definitely not working for the mob." Luke growled, although he had regained his human form, the creatures were certainly still there. "And I have never heard of this Machete Max, at least before tonight. I am just generally opposed to people blowing up ships. You know... It's unpolite." He gave the mobster a disapproving glare. "Although, I won't mind sharing a few words with you, once we are done with... this... I have questions..." 

 

The young man tilted his head slightly and ruffled the hair on the back of his neck, as he studied Chimera. "By the way... I think I know you... Yeah... now I remember." He smiled "We fought together once... it was like... small army of monsters in a basement, creepy masked guy?" He wanted to add something like 'how the hell did you end up working with Blowfish' but that could certainly wait.

 

"You can call me L- Nightscale, by the way." He introduced himself "And yeah, sure, by now, I am just curious..."

 

"Don't go anywhere though, ok?" He turned to Blowfish. Yeah like if he was gonna listen... 

Edited October 25, 2023 by Nerdzul