ic Digital Hex

[Dracostern]

Cerebral and Cerebellum

 

What a moron. Cerebral thought to herself, ignoring General Spark's screeching. Right now she needed to sneak out of here. The lifts were a bit too risky, so maybe the stairs. The young woman nodded for a moment then crept down the stairs to see if it was heavily guarded or not. Even the wrong move could get her in a whole lot of trouble after all! 

Meanwhile Cerebellum would nod his head, sneaking in might not be the best idea. He did also notice Michael's wounds and did not want him to go anywhere alone right now. Instead a direct assault would indeed be needed. "I can wait for you, after all your health is just as important as ours. We need to all get out of here together."

Edited April 3 by Dracostern

[Poncho]

"Alright. Together then. As soon as I catch my breath." he said, watching the tower carefully as he tried to let the grogginess fade; he didn't need to be completely better, just better enough to pretend he wasn't hurt. He closed his eyes for a moment and focused on getting better; could he make himself heal faster as well as being stronger and faster? Maybe. He wasn't sure. He was getting a better handle on his powers but he wasn't perfect with them yet.

 

"...So...this is the first time you and Iris have been split up like this, huh?" he asked Daniel, looking at him carefully. "It's gotta be hard for both of you."

[Dracostern]

Cerebellum

 

Daniel did indeed wait for Michael, as the other young man healed. The twin would speak. "It's not the first per say but...we don't get split up too often. At least forcefully like this...it's quite hard, hell it's hard not having her with me in my Academy room but we're adjusting a little heh." 

 

There was a pause.

 

"You know, we grew up on the streets of Emerald City together. It was just the two of us against the world in our early lives until one day it all changed..." He didn't seem to want to say more as he looked back at the tower. 

"...anyway how are you feeling?"

[Supercape]

GM

 

In the tower of bolts...

 

Everything here was concrete and blocky. Suspiciously blocky, as if someone had constructed it out of building blocks. Or it was designed to be run on an old gaming system...

 

Blocks that served no purpose other than for stealthy characters to hide, needless passageways, always ninety degree angles to everything. Patrols of quasi-nasi's with rifles marching, goosestep, in entirely predictable patterns, and barking occasional but repetitive statements. 

 

There were lots of them, but the predictable patrol patterns and blocky blocks were a great aide as Cortex slowly went down the tower. 

 

One oddity thought, it seemed to be designed for players to go up, rather than down. 

 

Halfway up/down the tower, she came to a laboratory. Evil nazi scientists with scraps of grey hair protuding from shiny bald scalps, white coats with flecks of blood, thick glasses. Four of them, milling around an engineering station that had "WEAPON RESEARCH" on its door. 

[Poncho]

With a quick breath, Michael rolled his shoulders and cracked his knuckles.

 

"I'm good now." he declared strongly. He definitely felt good enough; this really was a game, he had healed a lot faster than he figured he woud. Or maybe he had some sort of regeneration? He wasn't sure. He brushed back his hair and as he ran his fingers through it it turned bright red, his eyes following suite as he reached deep into his battery. 

 

"Alright! I'm ready to charge! Let's get you back with your sister!" He grinned with confidence at Daniel. "After all, you know you should only play a couple of hours of video games a day; too much and you get lazy, and you won't finish your school work!" he said as he started heading directly towards the tower.

[Supercape]

GM

 

The tower was a mile away, and was half that in height. Anyone with even a smattering of architectural or engineering training would have laughed at the structure; it would have - normally - fallen over with a light breeze. Perhaps there was no breeze in this digital world, or perhaps it was held together with magic. 

 

But it still looked precarious. 

 

Golden Star and Cortex had two problems with the approach;

 

Firstly, there were tanks and patrols milling about. On close study, they looked predictable in route, but they still represented eyes and bullets. There were plenty of ruined buildings to sneak about in, but a misstep might bring an army on them. 

 

Secondly, the tower itself was bristling with machine guns and observation posts. And at the very tip, they could seem so outlandish science-fiction weapon on a turret. 

[Dracostern]

Cerebral and Cerebellum

 

Cerebral would slowly creeping down the stairsm avoiding the henchmen as she did. This place was strange, though she quickly figured out that she was in some kind of video game? It was obvious from the way the Tower was built. 
As soon as she saw the Weapon's Research room. She would creep over to see what weapons they had there.

 

Meanwhile.

 

Cerebellum nodded towards Michael and then looked out from their cover towards the Tower and noticed how many guards there were. "Er....I think we should wait until there is a free space for us to run through, I...don't think we can take all of them at once..."

[Supercape]

GM

 

In the tower laboratory

 

Rack upon rack of weapons, row upon row of test tubes, all (possibly predictably) filled with bright coloured liquids. Reds, yellows, blues, but especially greens. Lurid, poisonous, toxic greens that look like they could turn normal Nazi soldiers into raging mutant Nazi super soldiers. 

 

Fortunately, none of the scientists noted the stealthy Cerebral. There were just so many corners and tables to hide behind!

 

The weapons rack was full of all sorts of strange devices that all looked like they had come from a 70s sci fi serial. Clearly, General Sparks was developing lightning bolt weapons; of this, there were plenty from small handguns to large gatling guns, and everything in between. But there were other weapons, of bizzare look and no doubt bizzare function... plenty for a stealthy hero to nab!

[Poncho]

"I got it, Daniel." Michael said with a grin. "Look, this is just like football or hockey; we're launching an offensive. So all you need to do is follow me, alright? I can see it!"

 

Then he took off at a sprint, but not a super-speed sprint; just fast enough that him and Daniel were moving at speed. He was using his powers on something else, after all, on the mental focus of keeping them just a second ahead of the switching and moving guards. He was mentally quite fast when he needed to be, processing information as quick as he possibly could, and keeping Daniel with him as he moved. Behind some crates! Throwing a tool box off to the side and sneaking around a turbine! Climbing a ladder and sneaking over a pair of guards, underneath a truck! Together they made their way across the area, heading directly for the spire and it's weird weapon on the top.

 

Somehow, the quarterback's knowledge of defensive patterns lead to an excellent blitz, and the two teens were soon at the base of the tower, hidden under a pair of cardboard boxes.

[Dracostern]

Cerebral and Cerebellum

 

Daniel blinked and nodded, he had never played Sports before so had little idea as to what Michael meant so he would just follow the other student. Together then ran through open spots, ducked behind crates, making sure they were not spotted. 
Cerebellum would not be as fast as Michael was however, so they would be going slower then he might have liked. Still they would make it!

 

Meanwhile....

 

Cerebral would sneak towards the Weapons area. She could go for some chemicals but the young hero knew better then to drink mysterious and probably dangerous liquid. No she would look through the weapons first. 

[Supercape]

GM

 

The pathway to the tower was dangerous - Cerebellum and Golden Star could see that. But there was also a path through. Many patrols, but predictable controls. In the end, they had managed to get to the base of the tower unseen, either by the patrols or the sentries above them. 

 

The tower itself was made of reinforced concrete. Quite enough to repel any small arms fire, and resilient enough to stand up to the odd shell. Both Golden Star and Cerebellum could punch they way through - but that would be noisy, slow. 

 

And possibly dangerous. The tower was architecturally flawed, that was for sure. An explosive in the wrong place might well bring the whole thing crashing down. 

 

The door to the tower was Iron. With a large lock. A possibly pickable lock. 

 

Every 15 minutes, the door opened from the inside to let out another patrol of ten men or a tank (it alternated). A regimented routine, almost as if it was computerised!

[Dracostern]

Cerebral 

 

While her brother and Michael were outside, Iris took her chance! She had no idea if this would work but she was getting desperate! So she focused as hard as she could at that moment. Pulling the guns from their cases with her Telekinesis. She picked up as much as she could!

They were floating in the air just in front of her so she could keep an eye on them, before she went out into the open, pointed them at the Scientists and pulled the tirggers with her powers! She hoped to take them out and destory the lab in the process!

 

CHAOS!

 

She would start shooting, she didn’t need to aim, she just needed a distraction! BAM BAM BAM! Ammunition went flying, smashing bottles, destroying lab equipment and finally hitting the scientists!

Edited April 8 by Dracostern

[Supercape]

GM

 

In the tower of bolts...

 

PYEOW! PYEOW PYEOW!

 

Electric bolts streamed from the levitating guns like a rapid river. Computers exploded in a shower of sparks, lab coats were set on fire, and Nazi Scientists trembled from electrocution until they fell to the floor, out cold. 

 

All in all, it was mayhem!

 

One strange looking levitating weapon hit the lead scientist with a gaudy purple ray. He shrieked in alarm, his voice getting higher and higher in pitch as his body shrunk!

 

Low, behold, he was now only six inches high. 

 

"What have you done! What have you done!" he squeaked in alarm. 

 

But his voice was nearly drowned out by an alarm, and flashing red lights. 

 

"INTRUDER ALERT! INTRUDER ALERT!" blared a repetitive message throughout the tower. 

[Poncho]

From under his cardboard box, safely past the patroling sentries, the sound of the alarm alerted Michael that the time for silence was over, and the time for action was now!

He stood up dramatically and throw off his cardboard box as he stood to his full height, pointing directly towards the tower.

"Let's go Daniel! Time for an offensive!" he yelled, before charging at the tower's entrance, ready to start beating down whoever was in the path between them and Iris, his fists clenched and his head down, like he was charging directly into an opposing defensive line!

[Dracostern]

Cerebral and Cerebellum

As soon as the alarm started going, all the guns would drop and clatter onto the ground, aide from one which Iris would hold in her hands, one of the ray guns. She rushed forward and kicked the small scientist to a wall, hopefully knocking him out, as she made a break for the stairs.
 

Meanwhile…

As soon as the alarm went off, Daniel smirked. He knew exactly what that meant. His sister had made her move! He knew she could do it! As soon as Michael started to charge, Daniel followed suit and made sure to keep his Rocket Launcher at the ready!

[Supercape]

GM

 

The might hands of Golden Star crunched into the steel door. Each finger gouged a finger-sized hole. The whole door buckled, crumpled, disorted. The huge reingforced hinges coughes up masonry dust, rattling as they battled the force of Golden Star. 

 

But the door, for now, held. In bad shape, it was, but held, it did. 

 

And a nearby tank took notice, swivelling its rather long cannon towards the door. 

 

The blazing "INTRUDER ALERT" didn't help much, either...

[Dracostern]

Cerebellum

 

Daniel was about to rush into danger as well! But then he heard the blazing 'INTRUDER ALERT!' from the tower, it seems as though his sister was causing chaos in there...but they had to focus on what was going on out here! 
Speaking of that, a tank was slowly taking aim at Michael! Cerebellum would move to the side of the tank, with a clear view of the door and Michael...with it having just shot it's shell towards him!

 

Daniel would raise his hand towards his friend. "WATCH OUT!" he screamed in the other's mind as extremely faint purple energy wrapped around Golden Star and he was yanked out of the way, his feet hovering a little off the ground to make this easier!

Edited April 10 by Dracostern

[Poncho]

As Michael hammered into the door with his glowing fists, he felt it buckle under his repeated blows. He was so close to getting in that it just was gonna take one more swing! He gritted his teeth, pulled back, then as he swung forward, Daniel grabbed him and pulled him out of the way of an exploding tank shell. Though it exploded all over him, he wasn't harmed, thanks to Daniel's quick actions, and as the door was split open between the efforts of Michael and the tank, he grunted as he floated.

"Alright, there we are! Let's get this tank down and get into the building proper!" he said, aiming towards the Tank.

[Supercape]

GM

 

The door was a splintered wreck of metal. The force of its destruction had even sent cracks through the concrete walls of the tower and had coated both superheroes with a fine layer of dust. 

 

INTRUDER ALERT! INTRUDER ALERT! 

 

The alarm was blaring throughout the tower still, but midway up the tower, Cerebral could hear the explosion. 

 

As a boon - or bane - or perhaps both, the shell had covered the entrance with a fine layer of dust that obscured vision. Neither Golden Star or Cerebellum could see more than six inches in front of them. 

 

On a positive note, neither could any of the swarming soldiers, nor the tank!

[Dracostern]

Cerebral and Cerebellum

 

As soon as the door exploded, Cerebellum would cover his eyes for a moment, but not before putting Michael back down. After a few seconds he uncovered his eyes. "GO GO GO!" He would yell out over the dust. He could not see much for the moment but would head towards the door slowly, trying to feel his way through the dust...not the most heroic charge but it was all he could do.

Meanwhile

Cerebral would have been heading down the stairs, raygun in hand, when she heard the explosion! Without thinking, she would rush down even faster before pausing. She would look down to see how the stairs were layered. Maybe she could figure out a way to float down if the stairs were arranged in a spiral pattern. 

[Poncho]

Michael couldn't see Daniel, but he couldn't see the tank either. But he was pretty sure he knew where the tank was. And he didn't feel like getting shot in the back as he tried to go into the tower. So he turned his attention back to where the tank was and charged at it, intending to try and break it before it could do any damage to either of them. He had already eaten quite a few tank shells today and he was not interested in eating any more.

 

"Got it! Let me knock this thing over and I'm right behind you!" he yelled to wherever Daniel was as he went to try and grab the thing.

Edited April 12 by Poncho

[Supercape]

GM

 

Golden Star blindly charged through the dust until his outstretched hands collided with the tank. In a flash, his mighty fingers had crunched the outer plating. 

 

The virtual tank must have weighed about fifty virtual tons. Virtual, maybe, but they felt real. With heaving biceps and sweaty neck, Golden Star lifted the tank into the air. 

 

He could hear the sounds of panicked soldiers and nonsensical barked orders coming from the inside. 

 

"Steady the [insert random technology here]!" yelled the Tank captain. "Fire up the [insert random weapon here]!" he added, seemingly sure that his orders would somehow save the day. 

 

They didn't. 

 

With a burst of effort, the tank was flipped onto its turret. For a moment, Golden Star could hear the sound of grinding metal collapsing. 

 

The dust was settling, covering both Golden Star and Cerebral in a fine powder. The tank was clearly disabled, but the dust cloud was thinning - and they would both soon lose their cover!

[Dracostern]

Cerebellum

 

Cerebellum knew they had to hurry! So he would rush towards the door, or at least where he figured the door was. Now that the tank was cleared, it should be easier to enter. As he rushed in, he would put up his Forcefield. 

[Poncho]

Michael was honestly surprised that he could even lift the tank. It was heavy, taking every ounce of his effort and every cell of his body working in tandem, but with a heave that crunched the ground beneath his feet and left a small crater, he tipped it over with a primal roar, as if it was revenge for how thoroughly he had been embarassed by the first tank the pair had gotten into.

 

"Alright! In we go!" Michael yelled, not sure where exactly Daniel was in the smoke, but knowing it was time to get into the building before the smoke finished clearing and everyone opened fire on them. He was burning bright and glowing gold as he rushed into the building, his fists clenched and ready to go; if he saw a bad guy, he was ready to deliver some two fisted justice to these fake video game not exactly Nazis!

[Supercape]

GM

 

Inside...

 

Cerebral could hear commotion several levels below her. 

 

Golden Star and Cerebellum could hear commotion several level aboves. 

 

The clock was ticking...

 

The soldiers of General Sparks were shocked, disorganised - no one had ever dared a full frontal assault on the General before! 

 

Armed with submachine guns and clean uniforms, they would no doubt be little challenge to the heroes one on one, but amassed might be a different matter!

 

The heroes had but a minute - any longer, and the defences would be marshalled, and the running guards would organise into something resembling a defence!

 

But for now - for sixty seconds or thereabouts, the guards were running amok, screaming shouting, running in and out of corridors, barking orders and ignoring orders...