Double Pink (IC)

[Tiffany Korta]

Branson's Plaza, City Centre

16th December 2011, around 1pm

GM

Rosemary was in a good mood, mainly because she just spent a good hour in the bar celebrating the last day at work. Ms. Hawthorne had insisted that she take the afternoon off, but she wanted to make sure everything was okay before she went home for the holidays. Ms. Hawthorne and her company, the Roseus Corporation, had been very good to her this last year.

She was in such a good mood she had given away her half-finished soda to one of the woman in the little tented city that had grown up in the plaza. Some (i.e. Roseus) had leaked the fact that the investment firm that they shared the plaza with, McDermott’s were engaged in very unethical practices, and a tented city had grown up almost overnight. As Roseus owned the plaza only they had the authority to move them on, so here they stayed.

So intent was she on fishing out her cell from her purse she didn’t see the person she collided with. Looking up to apologize she was in for a shook because staring back was her. This person was her exactly double; she was so shocked she dropped her bag.

By the time she had looked up the doppelganger had gone, but she had another problem to deal with. Towards her were running two security guards.

“Wait! Stop her! She’s just shot the CEO; she’s just shot Ms. Hawthorn.â€

[Supercape]

Synth was dressed almost respectably today: in Jeans, and a hooded sweatshirt. Her hair still looked like she had been dragged through a hedge backwards however, a short scruffy mop. Still, today she was dressed well enough that that synthetic good looks was evident, and she had some attention.

She didn't really want it. What she was interested in was McDermott's and the protest group. She had brought some coffee and had just, well, "hung out" with the protest group.

She drew the line at singing protest songs however. She doubted she could sing. Well, properly sing.

She turned around when the hue and cry went out.

With an frightful turn of heel and speed, she launched herself at full pace towards the commotion.

[Raveled]

Liz Moya sat on a stone bench on the edge of the plaza, watching the tent city with interest. She was dressed in an ankle-length, wine-red skirt, a bright green sweater, and a white button-down shirt underneath that. A styrofoam container with the remains of a gyro lunch sat next to her. She had been following the Occupy Wading Way group with interest. In her life as a heroine, she'd assisted oppressed populations in overthrowing their rulers before, but it had always been a bloody, violent affair. Now she was seeing people angry at their leaders going about things in a peaceful way and it intrigued her. It seemed like they were fighting for everything she tried to embody, and they were doing it peaceably. It was forcing her to really reconsider how she approached things.

And then a shot of 'Stop, police' interrupted her thoughts. She looked around and noticed security guards bearing down on a woman, not one of the protesters from the looks of things. Liz gathered herself up to teleport over -- and cursed as she remembered that she wasn't wearing her game face and would only blow her cover. Instead she crossed the plaza as fast as she dared, her eyes firmly fixed on the accused woman.

[Tiffany Korta]

The two heroes had managed to get close to the little throng of people who had gathered around the woman. Her response to being called an assassin was rather unusual in any case.

“Oh you mustn’t call the paramedic for Ms Hawthorn; she has allergies to most modern medicines and needs specialist care.†He voice was a little slurred from the alcohol she had recently consumed.

The two security guards looked a little embarrassed, the eldest a short little man who looked scruffy despite being in uniform put a hand gently on her shoulder.

“Look Mrs Thorn we’re going to have to take you back inside.â€

Whilst he was speaking the other guard carefully picked up a rather large calibre pistol that had been lying at her feet. The combination of the two seemed to shock the poor woman back to her senses.

“But it wasn’t me there was another… another me, I bumped into her and well she… she disappeared. I was returning from the bar someone must have seen me.â€

She scanned the crowd and caught the distinctive features of Synth.

“You were there at the camp you must tell them that it wasn’t me. I would never dream of hurting poor Ms Hawthorn.â€

[Supercape]

Synth felt for the poor woman. But, unfortunately, she hadn't been looking in that direction.

"I'm sorry" she replied. "I can't say, I..well, I was not looking that way.." her voice was soft an apologetic.

"But what you say is certainly plausible. Somebody mimicking your appearance that is. I know that."

On that matter Synth was quite certain. She could do it herself.

[Raveled]

Liz Moya frowned and stepped back from the gathering crowd. A face-swapping killer on the loose? An assassin that could change shape at will? That bode ill for the Grue warrior; she needed to find out who was responsible for this and fast, before another hero started scanning the crowd -- or the city! -- for shapeshifters. She broke free from the crowd and circled the perimeter of the plaza quickly, her head on a swivel. If she could find someone else with Mrs. Thorn's face, she'd be on the right trail.

[Tiffany Korta]

The poor confused woman looked a little downbeat her last chance at freedom snatched away from her.

“Okay Pat you right. But at least allow me to contact Ms. Hawthorn’s doctor. “

The two security guards, looking a little relieved that there wasn’t going to be a scene, gentle began to guide Rosemary back toward the Branson building home of the Roseus Corporation. Without thinking about the relevance they all carefully stepped over a blob of strange pink matter lying in front of them.

Unseen by all a shadowy figure had formed by the door of the Branson building. After a few second it shaped itself into a new form it clothing for an instance becoming a kaleidoscope of colors, before it formed itself into the shape of the curly haired security guard.

[Supercape]

Synth crouched down on her haunches, again moving with that slightly unerring precision and confidence, and looked at the pink matter.

She had grown up in a biological laboratory. She wasn't about to touch it, even if her synthetic nature made her highly resistant to biological effects, that precaution had been drummed into her good.

Her next action was odd - leaning down, she sniffed the goo.

Unpleasant...she concluded. Highly unpleasant...

Organic, but not human...at least not anything human I have smelled... she added to herself, acknowledging her limited experience.

She looked away to the Branson building. A faint odour lingered there.

Pulling her hoody over her head, she tried to slip away to the building, walking casually but briskly in that direction.

Something she told herself is most definitely afoot!

[Raveled]

Liz followed the duplicate Mrs. Thorn through the crowds, not blinking as the woman's form filled out and her conservative office wear became a rumpled security uniform. She quickened her pace as the shapeshifter slipped through a door, catching it at the last moment. As she stepped through she rearranged her own body, gaining a full foot and bleaching her skin to alabaster white. Golden armor appeared and grew over her and her facial features became a mere sketch on her head.

Starlight reached out and grabbed the extra security guard, shoving him roughly to get his attention. "You," she hissed, "have quite a lot of explaining to do."

[Tiffany Korta]

The guard looked up into the visage of Starlight with a blank stare; it didn’t seem to actually understand any of words that were being said. He held the hero’s gaze for a few seconds seeming unsure how to react. It did seem to understand the tone of the question and finally decided to react in a suitable manner.

It form again seemed to shift as it lost the form of the security guard and began to form into a blob of pink matter which began to writhe pseudopods of matter as it tried to retreat from Starlight.

[Supercape]

As she strode towards the commotion, Synth saw Starlight apprehend the guard, and the shifting form.

"A shapechanger?" she blurted out, in an uncharacteristic jolt of surprise. It seemed to be something different from herself, more amorphous, plastic, even inhuman. She didn't recognise Starlight - she hardly recognised anyone in this city - but she could hazard a guess that the heroine was trying to help.

Her pace quickened to a run, and then a sprint as she pulled up beside Starlight.

"What was that?" she asked, staring at the thing. "The answer to the riddle?"

[Raveled]

"Oh, no," Starlight breathed, stepping forward. "You are not going to get away that easily." She reached out with one hand, and at the same time light seemed to compress around the creature, squeezing it and attempting to trap it. "You are going to answer for your crimes, whatever you are."

Synth's arrival and appearance startled the heroine, but she took her interest to mean that she was also working for the side of good. "I don't know if it's an answer," she replied, "but I'm pretty sure this is our killer."

[Tiffany Korta]

The shifter struggled against Starlight grasp for a few seconds, but her hold was solid and the thing soon gave up. The creature seemed to relax slightly into a vaguely humanoid form. The creature gave Starlight a defiant look with it cold eyes, giving away nothing with its glare.

Meanwhile whilst all the attention was on the conflict between Starlight and the shifter a ambulance rolled up and the two paramedics rushed into the building to help the injured CEO. Poor Rosemary would of course have be appalled by such turned of events, if she wasn’t watching in a mix or awe and horror at the fight between Starlight and the creature.

[Raveled]

Starlight glanced around, suddenly uneasy at the crowd of people gathering around her and the other heroine. Still, best to forge on regardless. She brought the trapped blob-thing closer, letting it hover a few feet away, it's eyes roughly at a level with her own. "I think," she said to Synth, her voice intentionally carrying, "that if someone were to check the video surveillance for the attack, they'd find that their suspect was out of the building at the time. In fact, I'm just about certain that this thing is responsible for it all." She drew it closer, glaring directly into the amorphous beast's eyes. "Now the only question," she hissed at it, quieter now, "is what exactly are you?"

[Tiffany Korta]

The creature formed itself a face, a cruel mockery of Starlight’s masked visage. It voice was croaky as if it was unused to speaking.

“What I am is unimportant. The task is in hand the target will be killed.â€

The creature then seemed to lose all cohesion, flowing through Starlight’s fingers to form an inert puddle of pink goo at her feet. The creature seemed dead as much as it could be said to have been alive.

On the wind Synth caught the barest hint of a scent from nearer the building, like the ex-creature before them but subtly different.

[Supercape]

"There's something...else..." said Synth at nobody at particular.

She looked down at the pool of pink goo on the floor, lolling around her and Starlights feet. "Just one of many, it seems. Disposable life forms perhaps, it's revolting..."

She shook herself, although it was half a shudder at the thought.

"We have to put a stop to this..." she said in a raised voice verging on anger.

She looked directly at Starlight.

"Come on, there's something else inside. I don't know where, but I can smell it!"

[Raveled]

Starlight frowned at the inert pile of pink goo sitting at her feet and for a moment it seemed like she hadn't heard Synth's comment. After a moment though, she snapped out of it and nodded to the other shapeshifter. "You'll have to lead," she said, floating into the air as the power of the Light buoyed her up. "The Light does much for me, but I cannot follow a scent like that." She moved forward, following Snyth closely as the heroines set off. "By the way, I am Starlight."

[Supercape]

Synth flashed back a smile.

"Synth" she replied evenly, by way of response. "I can't place it, but there I can smell something in there..." she pointed to the building "...and that's where we need to be..."

She took Starlight briefly by the elbow and then ran, lithely into the building, sniffing as she did. She could smell it...whatever it was, but had no idea where it was. That would need a careful search, or a stroke of luck catching something.

"Good to have your light along..." she added.

Her face, perfectly carved and beautiful by any standards (albeit hidden by a scruffy set of clothes) started distorting, her nose swelling and broadening, and her ears growing too, both to over double their normal size.

"Better chance of spotting something like this" said the monstrous face infront of Starlight. "Don't ask..." she said in anticipation of Starlight's questioning, holding up a hand and pricking her ears and nose.

[Tiffany Korta]

The plaza was full of people and hence full of smells but the strange smell of the creatures cut through everything. The trail got a little confused near the building itself but it was obvious that the thing had entered the building.

Passing pass the ambulance that had just arrived they entered into the Branson building home of Roseus Corporation just as the elevator door closed, and the smell started to fade slightly. The receptionist must be a long time residence of Freedom City as she seemed unconcerned by the entrance of the two hero instead she put on her best smile.

“Welcome to the Roseus Corporation how can I help you?â€

[Supercape]

“Welcome to the Roseus Corporation how can I help you?â€

Synth put on her friendliest smile as she approached the Roseus employee. Her scruffy clothes weren't going to help, she realised, the woman surely thought she was one of the campers outside. Which she had been. And still was.

"Quickly, we need to search the premises - we think something entered here, a shapeshifter...possibly a murderer..." she explained, putting her hands quickly but gently on the receptionists desk.

"If we don't act now, the thing may get away. Did you see anything? hear anything? It may have come through this way..." she pleaded.

[Tiffany Korta]

A slight raise of the eyebrow was the only sign that the Receptionist registered Synths unusual appearance.

“No today has been quiet, everyone been given a half day off. Except for a few volunteers who have stayed on to keep everything ticking along.â€

She looked thoughtful for a few seconds.

“The only visitor we’ve had were the paramedics that Rosemary… Mrs Thorn just called to treat poor Ms Hawthorn. They just went up to the CEO’s office on the top floor.â€

She looked a little concerned.

“You don’t think someone went up there with them do you?â€

[Supercape]

Synth turned to Starlight, wrinkling her grotesquely enlarged nose.

"That sound's like a very plausible suggestion" she commented, agreeing with the receptionist. "And a very dangerous one, too!"

She looked straight upwards, counting the floors.

"We need to get up there, now! Quickly..." she looked back at the Receptionist "How many floors? And is there anyone up there with him, who might give him at least some protection?"

Although, given the assassin could be anybody, a bodyguard might be more deadly by presence than by absence she thought to herself.

[Raveled]

Starlight listened to the receptionist and inhaled sharply at the news. If the EMTs were more shapeshifters, then they were very likely going up there to finish the job that the false Rosemary had started. Of course, there could be another target in mind and the attack was just to call attention away from some other area...

"Follow the elevator car up," Starlight said to Synth, her body suddenly glowing strongly. "Make sure they actually go to the top floor. I'm going to see about heading those EMTs off." There was a flash of light and Starlight was gone, discorporated into a cloud of tiny motes of light. The cloud circled the reception area once and then slipped into a vent, speeding up through the building to the very top floor.

[Tiffany Korta]

The receptionist looked rather panic at this revelation, but managed to keep her composure

“Only Brennan her PA, we sent security to find the shooter. Oh dear did we make everything worse?†She looked like she was about to panic, but managed to recover her composure “The Branson Building is 20 story’s tall if that’s any help. Please you have to keep her safe, if she got killed…â€

---

Starlight had the strangest feeling of vertigo and weirdly the smell of sulphur. Then the feeling subsided and she found herself standing beside a bank of elevators. A quick look behind her revealed a large but rather simple office and a rather concerned woman holding in her lap the bleeding form of what she guessed was the CEO.

Just then the elevator pig as the car arrived at its destination.

[Supercape]

Synth ran to the Elevator Shaft, and forced the doors open with her bare hands.

All six of them.

Four extra arms had grown out of her side, as her face resumed its normal proportions.

Looking up the shaft she had a brief dizzying feeling, but braced herself with her limbs. With a moments concentration, she focussed her cells, multiplying them and multiplying them again. Her arms stretched and grew, spinning up the shaft right up to the top floor.

It was two dark to see, but the hands soon found a hold, and with that, she flexed, pulling her entire body up the shaft as her arms contracted once more.