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[Flex Fiction]

IC: NPC CoTC

"This is Nightblade," I'm engaging one of the X-Men." The assassin said. He watched as his blades were intercepted by the stone, which they bit into. He tore the blade in his hand back as the blades in the stone twisted as it exploded into rubble. The blades then flew forward again; though slowed greatly.

The Scorpion cried out in pain as needles of energy burst through its armored tail, throwing its tails trajectory of course. Dark purple blood squirted out of the wound as the mutant stumbled forward. It then stabbed its claw into the earth. Suddenly a hundred scorpions burst from the dirt and began to scuttle towards Alec.

IC: Feral

Once upon a time I thought I knew pain. That was five minutes ago. Before I felt this. The torrent of agony that tears through my neurons is indescribable. Worse then hot adamantium pumping through your body, bathing your insides in liquid metal. No this made that feel like it tickled.

John felt his bones crush and crumble. His tendons and ligaments began to tear as he tried to step. His metal skeleton literally began to tear his body apart.

John looked down as metal bone portended from his body and rivers of blood poured down into the ground as his flesh was torn into shreds. John howled as his face tore apart revealing a metal skull beneath.

No, this wasn't real. It wasn't happening. The world seems to turn white around John. Then he saw a figure before him. It was his brother Daken. No, John saw Daken die. Daken approached John slowly.

"Snap out of it little brother, you have to be stronger then this. You have to master pain," Daken said. "Or it will master you. Wake the **** up!" He yelled now. John felt something sharp pierce his chest. He looked down to see Daken's blade in his chest.

Then John saw again. He saw the world as it was before as the illusion ended for a moment. John let out a roar as he leapt at the building digging his claws into its side as he began to scale upwards, he had to move fast before the illusions kicked in again.

IC: Novocain

"Robocain!" He roared in anger. "I told you to never call me that!" He screamed as his hand melted into a canon. "Do you think I enjoy being half of Darth Vaders secret fantasy?" He yelled.

IC: Nitroids

The optic blast snapped the monster's neck from the force of the blow. It fell to the ground next to Zack as it started to shift back into a human size.

Edited by Sir Flex Nardius, Feb 10 2013 - 04:02 AM.

[Legolover-361]

IC:
 
Errr...
 
I was kind of caught off guard as Corin spoke, because of all the shenanigans that went on with my pet fox, the thunderbird, hyped up Ashley, and...cute hipster girl beside me who just wanted to get away from all the crazy.
 
Wasn't the reason I left the X-Men to get away from all the crazy?
 
"Well, I mean...if you have to go, I don't wanna keep you..."
 
"It's not a bother! Like, really -- I mean -- if you want to come with, I don't mind."
 
A slow glance at Corin, then at the people currently settled down in Starbucks. Corin again.
 
"Okay, uh...I'm with you, then."
 
-Tyler

IC: Corinthia
Afternoon
Starbucks; Alameda, CA

"Cool." The last of her papers was stuffed into the haphazard arrangement of books in her backpack; she slung the pack over her shoulder and smiled at Dallas as she stood up. "So, uh... where d'you want to go? Like, a park? We could walk or something..."

[The Zytrix]

IC: Zack, Jordan, Malus, Shaw

"Woah," Zack breathed. He just sat there for a moment, stunned that the thing was actually dead.
"Can I get some medical help over here?" he asked over his communicator.
He was suddenly thrust upwards into the air, then flew, no, more like fell in the direction of the downed blackbird; where he slowed to a gradual stop. He gently drifted to the ground next to a grinning Jordan.
"Not ****ing funny."
"Ash," Jordan called, "your bro's got a busted foot."

Malus chuckled.
"Try it," he dared, "I'm much more powerful than I was at Weapon-X."
Shaw stepped between the furious cyborg and the demonic precognitive.
"Now, now," he said, "you no the rules: no tearing each other apart unless I tell you to."
"Ah," Malus said as if greeting an old friend, "Sebastian Shaw. Just the man I wanted to speak to."
He held out a hand.
"I'm Malus Munroe. And before you ask, I do not, in fact, know an Ororo."
Shaw took the hand and shook it slowly.
"And what is your business here?" he asked.
"Well, I suppose I should get straight to the point," Malus replied, "I don't expect to be here for very long, so don't bother inducting me into your inner circle. I need your help to track down a certain individual."
"And who would that be?"
"Phillip MacMarr."

[Flex Fiction]

IC: Songbird (Las Vegas)

 

Ashlynn heard Jordan’s voice crack over the com. “Zack!” she cried out. She then flapped her wings and turned and soared out of the shop. It was chaos outside, pure chaos. Bullets flew everywhere, beam blasts bombarded the area. People were dying. It was almost an overload for Ashlynn; her telepathy was on high alert. All these thoughts, these voices were flowing through her head.  

 

She touched down next to Zack and Jordan. “Oh my god your foot,” she said when she saw the shape Zack’s foot was in. She pressed her hand to his foot and activated her healing powers.

 

IC: Novocain (Hellfire Mansion)

 

“And should we know who that is…?” Novocain said.

[thelonewander]

IC:

 

(Scott)

 

with the scorpion injured and distracted, Scott pulled his sword all the way through the things claw, cutting it off all the way. Scott then rushed the Scorpion, with the intent to yank it's tail right off of it.  

[A billion cats]

IC: Ashley - Starbucks - 

 

As much as Ashley enjoyed standing out in the rain on a roof with a legendary Thunderbird, she decided it was high time to go back inside the Starbucks. "Well, I'll see you later Miss Thunderbird!" Ashley said suddenly as she began to climb down the building the way she came up, using the overgrowth of ivy she'd created on the wall. About halfway down she decided to jump off, landing feet first on the pavement and then rushing toward the Starbucks at a reckless speed. 

 

When she got inside she went toward Corin and Dallas, water was dripping down off her green hair and her clothing, she shivered a bit, the Starbucks was air conditioned and since she was soaked it was rather noticeable. "Did I hear something about the park?" She said with obvious interest. 

[Lord of Adders Black]

I'd just like to point out that Julia has new claws since her imprisonment at Weapon-X that are constructed of Adamantium, not bone. Think X-23

OOC: Sorry, could have sworn one of your posts had said bone claws. Clearly I'm just going mad

 

IC: Tyrone flung himself to the ground. Since the swords were being aimed at an upright man, a prone one should be able to avoid the onslaught. Same went for Fauna and the hostage. As he fell he threw a chunk of the recently shattered rubble at the assassin, aiming for the head to try and stun him or knock off his control over the swords. Since he was diving while he was throwing though, his aim probably wasn't too great

 

 

IC: Alec had been sniping at the scorpion, so was a good distance away. Enough that the mini-scorpions posed no threat for now. They only had little legs, it would take them a while to cover the ground. Nevertheless he changed his arm into a grappling hook, using it to rell himself up to higher ground

 

 

IC: Anton handed Will a sheet of paper and a pen, "Write down what she hit you with."

 

 

NPC: In the time Julia had taken to tear through the coat, the assassin had pulled out a side-arm and taken aim. Admittedly, she could heal from bullet wounds, even from the Desert Eagle he was packing, but just killing her wasn't the idea. He'd recognised the claws as a signature trait of the various Wolverine spin-offs around these days, so guessed she had a healing factor. Thats why he was opening fire at her stomach: no metal bones around their to deflect the bullets. So they should punch all the way through, hopefully incapacitating her for a time as she healed properly, and the impact should throw her back and prevent any surprise lunge

 

 

NPC: Trip seemed alarmed that John was shaking off this degree of hallucination. He turned and ran, trying to put more distance between himself and Feral before trying something different

[Varren Rehn]

IC:

 

Will nodded, taking the pen and paper. After hastily scribbling something down, he showed the paper to Anton.

 

It read; She said she would help me.

[Constructman: Black Knight]

IC: Hei

As Kristy's bullet wounds closed up, the umbra kinetic got to her feet. "Ugh," she groaned. "Need to learn how to play support." She looked around. "This is getting bad, she muttered.
 

[Flex Fiction]

IC: CoTC (Las Vegas)

 

Scorpion didn’t allow Scott to clutch its tail however. It jumped backwards spitting more acid at him as it aimed its barbed spine on its tail when suddenly the poisoned spike was blasted out towards Scott’s shoulder.

 

The piece of rubble stopped inches away from Nightblade’s head as he used his telekinesis to levitate it. He then launched it back at Tyrone as the blades then changed their angle slicing towards the ground and Tyrone.

 

IC: Feral (Las Vegas)

 

John continued to climb up the building, his claws sinking into the cement. Soon he reached the edge of the building and raised a hand up as he slowly pulled himself up to the rooftop. He saw the figure running in the opposite direction. John let out a growl as he pursued the assassin.

 

IC: Triblade (Las Vegas)

 

Matt sat in the wrecked store quietly. He had orders from Ashlynn to stay inside for now since he’d only made things worse. Matt inwardly kicked himself for taking the potshot at the mech’s. He wondered why Alex hadn’t responded to Ash, perhaps he was busy fighting or was injured.

[Varren Rehn]

IC:

 

"Stick with me," Christopher said to Kristy, "We'll help out anyone in need of assistance."

[Constructman: Black Knight]

IC: Hei

"Okay," Kristy nodded, staying nearby Christopher.

[Judge Alex Humva]

IC [Luz/Alameda]

 

Luz remained silent for a moment, then swiftly followed the girl. Perhaps, by spending more time with her, she could learn why exactly this was happening. It felt as though it was something Luz had forgotten long ago, lost in her decades of roaming the land. She had over a century's worth of experiences from before the Great Sleep to sort through, and that most certainly wasn't the easiest thing to do. Near immortality was not without its downsides.

 

So she ended up standing silently behind the girl in the Starbucks, her arms crossed behind her back. She was relatively uneffected by the air conditioning; her cloak was a superb insulator and protector. Whatever cold she felt from her hair, she didn't tell. That was going be a pain to comb later.

[Flex Fiction]

OOC: Zyke gave me permission and to do this with Zack.

 

IC: Songbird, Darkfang, Mimic (Las Vegas)

 

As Ash finished up tending to Zack's foot suddenly an assassin appeared literally out of nowhere. One minute he was invisible the next he was standing near them. He laughed manically as he aimed his machine-gun towards Zack's chest and fired; pumping several rounds into the downed X-Man.

 

Ashlynn's head whipped around. "No! You ******!" she yelled out as her hands balled into fists. He'd hurt her brother. Someone she'd loved. Now he would pay for it. Suddenly green flames swirled around Ashlynn as she lifted higher into the air; her wings literally becoming covered in the billowing flames. Her eyes seemed to glow pure white as he hand shot forward.

 

"Burn!" Ashlynn exclaimed, her voice sounding distorted and underlined with some other powerful voice. Whatever shard of the Phoenix Force within her had awakened once again. She closed her fist, tearing the gun out of the scared assassin's hand with her telekinesis. He cowered in awe and fear, unable to move since she was assaulting his mind mentally now. A pillar of flames shot forward flying right at the assassin.

 

Jeremy was on a rooftop, he'd just placed a few more hostages there safely. Suddenly he heard gunshots and turned to see Ashlynn as she lifted into the air green flames billowing. He knew what would happen next. He couldn't let Ashlynn turn herself into a murderer, even if she was being controlled by something inside of her. Jeremy's father had been killed by flames similar to those, by Ashlynn's mother. But still he knew her, he knew this would destroy her, he had to do something, he had to stop her. Without another thought he vanished in a flash of blue light. BAMF.

 

Teleporting had always been quick for Jeremy. It was as if he blinked his eyes and he was somewhere else.

BAMF. "Ashlynn stop this no!" he yelled as he appeared before her. But it was too late. The flames washed over Jeremy instead, bathing half of his body in the incredibly hot Phoenix fire. Jeremy felt incredible, terrible pain. He flew backwards from the force of the blast, hitting the ground as most of his body turned to ash and lifted into the air. There wasn't much of Jeremy left now, he was little more then a badly burned torso with a head. He would die soon, he could feel it. He could feel his heart beat slowing down. The skin and muscle had been burned away from his chest and face.

 

Suddenly Ashlynn fell to the ground as the flames vanished. She looked up to see Jeremy laying on the ground his burned chest slowly rising and falling. "Jeremy!! No! God no!" Ashlynn screamed when she saw him. Tears began to fall from her eyes as she stumbled towards him. "Oh god, oh god. What have I done. Jeremy please don't die, not like this." but deep down she knew it was futile. Jeremy was too far gone, his body too destroyed for any healer. She lowered her head as sobs began to shake her form.

 

"I'm... I'm sorry," Darkfang said softly. "I didn't want you to kill... but I've only made it worse." he said each; word was a labor. A tear rolled down his burned, blue cheek. "You have to control it Ashlynn... you can't let it control you, to turn you into something you're not. Promise me."

 

"I... I promise."

 

Christine had watched the entire scene with sad, knowing emerald eyes. She turned to Aleks and nodded, telling him to take care of the assassin they'd been hunting while she dealt with something. She jumped onto one of the pillars and used Aleks power to lower it to the ground. She then slowly walked towards Jeremy and Ashlynn. The when whistled at her green hood but Mimic ignored it. She'd done this before. Perserved a dying persons memories and personality inside her. If she absorbed them until their final breath they would be there forever. They would live on inside Christine's mind, through her.

 

She knelt by Jeremy. "I can make the pain stop Jeremy," Christine said softly. "I can make sure you won't be forgotten, that your legacy will love on." she told him as she pulled off her glove.

 

Jeremy slowly nodded. "Please." was all he could get out.

 

Without another hesitation Christine placed her hand on Jeremy's cheek and closed her eyes. She felt a million things start to rush into her body. She saw images of Jeremy's mind flash through her own. She saw a young blue furred mutant laughing as he teleported around the church that was his home. She could feel his joy and his merriment. She watched as he knelt before the alter and prayed. Then she saw him attacking muggers in the street as a lone vigilante. Then she saw Weapon-X, and Jeremy's defeat at the hands of Scorcher. Finally she saw Jeremy as an X-Man, training alongside the other X-Men, cracking jokes and trying to lighten the mood.

 

She felt like she was absorbing Jeremy's very soul as everything he was flowed into her. His quirks, what made him happy, what he stood for. She could feel the love Jeremy felt for the institute and the rest of the X-Men. She opened her eyes and her lips parted. She could almost see his essence flowing into her. Like a blue smoke that her body was absorbing, maybe it was all in her head.

 

As Mimic held her hand to Darkfang's face she could feel him dying. His heartbeat slowed suddenly and gave a final beat as Darkfang sighed and was still. Christine drew her hand away as the last of Jeremy flowed into her mind. She placed her hands underneath his body and began to carry him away towards the Blackbird. He would get a proper burial, he was an X-Man. She wasn't about to let any of the assassins desecrate his body.

Edited by Sir Flex Nardius, Feb 11 2013 - 05:29 PM.

[Varren Rehn]

IC:

 

Christopher had watched the spectacle, eyes open, mouth agape. It was nothing short of horrifying.

 

He looked back at Ashlynn, not seeing the kind person that for the past two months he'd worked with to rebuild the mansion. Instead, he saw a different Ashlynn. Like the one that was from his world... Combined with the single thing that wiped out the original X-Men... And other heroes too.

 

If the situation was less horrifying, he might have found it somewhat funny. Here he was. For so long, treated like a animal, and the true monster didn't look like anything he could ever dream up.

 

The real monster was only five feet away from him, crying over the fact that she had killed someone she called friend.

[The Snark Knight]

IC:

"Phoenix Force."

The words were uttered with an awestruck horror, as memories from his training days filtered back. Pages of notes suddenly fresh in his mind, the notes taken the day they learned about the end of the original X-Men.

"Ninety percent of all superpowered beings in the United States were killed exactly seventeen years ago." The instructor spoke with an unusual seriousness, one reserved for only the most dangerous of topics. In fact, in all the years since, Jayne had only ever hard him use that some tone once. "One of their own was possessed by a sentient energy now referred to as the Phoenix Force. Said mutant was empowered to a level we have never seen since."

"Said force is, as of now, classified as a threat of the highest level. Should you ever encounter it, or even think you might have encountered it, deal with it immediately. It is a threat to supersede all others."

 

The pilot had no doubt that the others had seen it as well, but he couldn't take any chances. He activated his comm link, only to find it full of music. Somehow, the less encrypted channels had been infiltrated, and the signal disrupted. Even the encrypted ones were having trouble, but he was reasonable confident his words could get through.

"Delta. One of the mutants just tapped into the Phoenix Force. Per regulation, halt operation until the target has been eliminated."

With a few deft movements, the targeting systems locked on to the redheaded mutant. So distracted by her grief, it was doubtful that she would notice anything amiss, especially considering how minute the change in weapon alignment was. 

"Full salvo. Firing."

 

Five beams lanced out, on a collision course with Ashlynn and the mutants surrounding her. The spacing made them difficult to dodge, but the round of missiles that followed certainly didn't help.

No sooner did the first round fire, Jayne was prepping the second.

[Dallas Winston]

IC:

 

"They're never gonna ###### make it."

 

The Russian spoke lowly, dangerously, and he knew instantly that Ashlynn and the mutants around her were dead. Worse than dead. Obliterated. Wiped away by the very Enforcers who they were, at heart, trying to help.

 

Christine.

 

They were never going to ###### make it.

 

Aleksandr dropped the Colt and drew his Magnum - laser sights, polished steel, a thing of beauty - as he sprinted forward, pulling and pulling and pulling with his powers at the cold, harsh metal and explosives that made up the missiles. Kissing the asphalt like nervous lovers, the mech's beams skimmed like hungry sharks and detonated on the ground near Aleks in one giant pile, sending the Russian thief flying with a concussive shockwave that picked him up like the caress of a cloud and dropped him onto the ground, hard, clothes tattered with flame and scrapes and splotches of color across his body.

 

A low, weak groan, barely able to escape through a shattered ribcage. Aleks attempted to lift himself up with his left arm, but the shoulder was completely in shambles; his right arm was still strong enough, barely, to lift up his Magnum and fire it off at the mech.

 

"Well, well, well, you piece of ######," he rasped through cracked and bloody lips, his lifeblood bubbling up inside his charred throat. "Looks like you're not all Michael Bay cracked you up to be."

 

-Tyler

Edited by Marlon Brando, Feb 11 2013 - 05:32 PM.

[The Fourteenth Doctor]

IC: The Thunder's targeting system locked on to Ashlynn, the gatling gun beginning to rotate. The comm clicked on in the other enforcers' cockpits. "Careful. She may be tapped into it, but that doesn't mean the rest are. If she goes nuts they might be our only hope." As he was speaking the gun started to fire, sending a steady stream of bullets toward Ashlynn's position. The rocket launcher, however, remained silent.

[thelonewander]

IC:

 

(Scott)

 

Seeing the thing reel up to spit more acid, Scott jumped back, dodging the acid, and having the spike land in his upper arm. Scott didn't feel it hit, but knew it did. Sheathing his katana, Scott yanked the spike out if his arm. Rerouting power into right arm, one moment.... rerouting complete. 

 

Scott lunged forward, using the spike like a sword, aiming to stab the scorpion as many times as possible, his arm going three times faster thanks to the extra energy from the other arm.

[Basilisk]

IC (Saphine. Timeskip!)

 

The bar burned. The structure, built to withstand the odd flood or tornado was no match for the concentrated fury that had been poured into it. It had happened quickly, two unmarked vehicles had screeched to a hlt in front the building and, at Saphine's insistence, another vehicle had been added to the plan, pulling up behind the building. Seconds later, men dressed in combat ops gear and the prototype vests poured out the vehicles, taking aim and firing their weapons in a single fluid movement. The mustard gas and flashbangs came first, crashing through the windows of the bar and sowing chaos inside the building. The late night chatter turned to screams of terror as the mutant patrons realized what was happening. Flashbangs blinded, the gas spread like wildfire, choking and killing as it went. Mustard gas was an interesting thing, in low doses, it took hours upon hours to take effect, but within such a close space and in such volume, the results spoke for themselves. Blood poured into the lungs of many of the patrons, the gas seared the skin, blinded the eyes....and still, some of the hardy mutant patrons struggled to rise, to fight back.

 

They never got the chance. The black-clad figures outside the bar raised their weapons once more, with slight clicks and clacks as they exchanged the loadouts. More gernades sailed through the air, landing on the hard wooden floor of the bars. For a moment, perhaps, some of the dazed and battered mutants thought it was another round of flashbangs and gas gernades. The explosions that tore through the bar disabused them of that notion. The gernades shredded flesh, broke bone and reaped an unholy harvest. For a few moments, there was silence. Then another wave of gernades slammed into the building. Then another. The interior was shredded, bits of wood, glass and other less mundane things were scattered across the floor, flames licked at the supports as fires spread throughout the structure. Without a word, the figures retreated back to their vehicles and vanished into the night.

 

A simple message would make it's way to Devlen, via the most secured channels that money could buy.

 

Objective Complete. No losses.

 

-S

Edited by Basilisk, Feb 11 2013 - 06:34 PM.

[A billion cats]

IC: Ashley - Starbucks - 

 

While Ashley waited for Dallas or Corin to respond, she got the strangest feeling that she was being watched. She spun around and nearly shrieked in surprise. 

 

Luz was standing right behind her, like right behind her! Not much personal space....not that Ashley really understood the concept. "Woah!" She wondered how on earth Luz had followed her without her noticing, it seemed Ashley's one track mind was working against her. "Oh, hi again! Ummmmm...you like the park too?" 

[The Phoenix]

IC: Fauna

 

It was a moment before Fauna realized that she was awake, looking at the sky. She was in shock, her limbs not wanting to work, and her mind was almost blank.

[Lord of Adders Black]

IC: "Yes but help you with what?" Anton asked, "Lets be honest, what could she offer you that your friends here cannot?"

 

 

IC: Ah so it was some sort of telekinetic power than. Tyrone had assumed the assassin just had psionic power over the swords, but it seemed his powers were more wide-reaching. He rolled aside from the swords, again hoping that they'd shatter on hitting the concrete, and started to run forward. The assassin clearly had finesse to wield multiple blades at a time, which suggested he might be lacking in sheer brute force. Charging at him could force him to try and stop Tyrone just with the power of his mind, and then it would be his strength of will against Tyrone's strength of strength

 

 

NPC: Trip decided to try some illusions again. Specifically the world turning upside down one. Up become down, left became right, in an attempt to mess up Feral's running and get him to inadvertently leap off the rooftop

[Judge Alex Humva]

IC [Lucas/Las Vegas]

 

The destruction was grand, to say the least.

 

Looking down from his vantage point high on one of the hotel's roofs, Lucas stared down at the burning city. Here he had thought moving away from NYC would keep him away from all the weirdos and weekly alien invasions but no. He didn't know what to make of it, being far enough up that the people below were distant and unrecognizable. The best he could make out was... ninjas? That couldn't be right. He reached out, seizing control of a roosting pigeon and swooping down into the chaos to see what was going on. Through the birds eyes he found basically what he thought he would; good guys fighting bad guys.

 

He stood up from his crouching position, closing his eyes and reaching out to the birds in the area. This time, he held out no stops. He stretched his powers to their furthest potential, every bird in the city capable of flight coming to him. A seething mass of crows, pigeons, common sparrow and house finch flocked to him, filling the sky above him so thick that the sky darkened. The birds numbered close to one thousand, and they had come to serve their master.

 

A few dozen birds dropped something in front of him that he had subconsciously sent out for. Bending down, he gripped two wooden poles. They were definitely of good make, capable of surviving abuse and having enough heft to withstand prolonged conflict.

 

He wasn't a hero, but people were dying. Something had to be done.

 

He took a deep breath, looking above him at the birds, then below him at the ground. He considered for a brief moment jumping, summoning feathers from the mass of birds to create wings.

 

He decided to take the elevator.

 

[Kenneth/New York City]

 

The escape from the burning building had been chaotic and now the duo of magic users were stunned by the sights around them, but that hadn't stopped the two from continuing to run. It must of been an odd sight, a wolf and a gibbering woman running down the twilight streets of New York City, but considering all the city had been through, it was doubtful to raise too many questions. Eventually they found themselves an isolated back alley, stopping to rest next to a few dumpsters. The wolf growled something, and a moment later Kenneth stood, thankfully still in his robe.

 

He took his staff back from the sorceress, looking around the alley, then decided it was safe. "What is this place? The air is foul, the stars are dim, and the buildings stretch to the heavens themselves!:

 

[Devlen/Virginia]

 

The car ride and subsequent airplane trip were mainly filled with some business discussion between the two partners and eventually Devlen had gone to sleep. They rode on his private supersonic jet, resulting in a transatlantic ride that didn't consume all that much time. Upon arriving in America and clearing customs, the two discussing the plans of the attack while heading to the meeting place, a small industrial warehouse that a proxy company of Scandium had purchased.

 

OOC

Curse the ninja posters!

 

IC [Devlen/Richmond]

 

An equally similar simple message followed. Understood.

 

So, sitting next to the window of the high rise hotel, Devlen Grimmson looked out at the city of Richmond. The historic city began to slow down, the twilight engulfing its streets as its people rested in their homes.

 

So it begins.

 

[Sarah Parker/New York City]

 

Invisibility certainly wasn't all it was cracked up to be.

 

By now, the woman had come to grips with the fact that she was in fact invisible. The fact that everyone ignored her presence and the numerous times people flat out ran into her had given that away. When she looked at her reflection in a shop window she found nothing but thin air and a strange straining sensation on her eyes. That was horrifying enough, but she knew she had to stay calm. Just stay calm, think things out. She could get help.

 

So she ran down the somewhat less busy streets of New York City, eventually happening upon a lone musician strumming on his guitar. Feeling a little ashamed of herself she nicked some quarters out of the hat he had laying down, noticing that he didn't notice. Maybe things around her turned invisible as well? She hurried on, finding herself a payphone and with trembling fingers called home.

 

After seconds of excruciating silence, the phone picked up. "Hello?"

 

"John, oh god John." She clenched her hand into a fist to keep from completely falling apart. "Something's... happened."

 

[Luz/Alameda]

 

"Park?" Luz raised an eyebrow. "They're nice places. If you're going to one I'll follow. You remind me of someone, so I'll follow you until I can remember exactly who."

 

[Prince of Ravens/New York City]

 

"Well, this is a bloody drag." With a flick of his wrist the feathers ailing the retreating armored soldiers halted and fell to the ground, the birds peeling away to roost on the high buildings all around. "Fifteen minutes of my time, wasted harassing armed soldiers. This isn't funny. At all."

[A billion cats]

IC: Ashley - Starbucks - 

 

"I remind you of someone?" Ashley asked, blinking. "You know someone else with green hair, has flowers growing all over her body, and controls plant-life?" 

 

Ashley was rather curious, this Thunderbird seemed to have an interest in her now, instead of the other way around, it felt weird. 

 

Though Ashley didn't mind, having a Thunderbird for a friend seemed pretty cool. 

Edited by Snelly, Feb 11 2013 - 07:31 PM.

[Judge Alex Humva]

IC [Luz/Alameda]

 

"I can't recall the green hair, but I have known plenty of herbologists." Luz shrugged. "Power emanates from the ground and thus from its offspring, those decorated with flowers were far more common in times past."

[A billion cats]

IC: Ashley - Starbucks - 

 

"Oh." Ashley said with wide eyes. "So you think I'm related to someone you used to know?" She put a hand in her drenched and now messy hair almost unconsciously, there were indeed several flowers in her hair, of course what most people didn't realize was that they literally had grown out of her hair. 

 

And of course there was her arms, they had a several flowers growing out of each. 

[Judge Alex Humva]

IC [Luz/Alameda]

 

"Doubtful. The centuries of interracial mixing would mean a drastically different appearance." Luz raised an eyebrow. "It's not your appearance. It is your actions, your personality, your... way of doing things."

[Varren Rehn]

IC:

 

Will sat the paper back in his lap, and returned it to Anton's view after scrawling a short phrase on it.

 

Enforcers after me.

[A billion cats]

IC: Ashley - Starbucks -

 

"My personality?" Ashley said, blinking. "I'm not really anything special, I just do what I think I should do." 

[The Snark Knight]

IC:

Alistair trailed behind Luz and Ashley, a bored expression on his face. Following a mutant teenager and a Thunderbird around town for an afternoon was hardly his idea of fun, but it was necessary. Partly to learn more about Luz, if possible, and partly to make sure the city didn't get toasted to a cinder.

[Toa Onarax]

IC: Dante (Starbucks)

 

This sucks, this sucks so freaking much. Once more the doors of the Starbucks opened to reveal Dante, soaked thoroughly from head to toe. Moving sucks, you have no idea where the heck anything is. Not to mention the people and I just so happened to be sicked in the middle of this madness. Shaking his head, Dante made his way over to where the others were standing. 

 

"Say, any of you know your way around? I'm sort of lost." Dante stated sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his head.

Edited by Toa Onarax, Feb 11 2013 - 10:30 PM.

[Flex Fiction]

IC: Mimic (Las Vegas)

 

“Aleks!” Christine yelled when she saw what happened. He’d saved them, but at his own cost. She could tell her was hurt, and probably bad. She sprinted for the Blackbird as fast as she could before laying Jeremy’s body on one of the seats. She then ran back outside as she charged for Aleks.

 

IC: Songbird (Las Vegas)

 

The exploding of the missiles and the beams snapped Ashlynn out of her depressed reverie. She heard the sound of gun fire and picked up thoughts about shooting her. She flapped her wings and took to the air as bullets slammed into the ground where she’d just been. She was thankful of Aleks for saving them and she made a mental note to fly over to him and heal him.

 

But first she had to save Zack. She swooped down near her fallen brother before she dragged him behind cover. She was silent as she pressed her hands to his wounds and watched as the bullets were closed up and they began to heal.

 

IC: Triblade (Las Vegas)

 

Matt was suddenly next to Aleks, “When the heck did you get here?” he said. He then unleashed a pillar of plasma from his chest at the same mecha Aleks was shooting at. He then attempted to sling Aleks over his shoulder. “Let’s get you out of here.”

 

IC: NPC CoTC

 

The stinger was stabbed into the scorpion’s chest several times. He shook in agony and pain before he fell forward, dying from the stab wounds.

 

Nightblade’s swords hit the pavement, but failed the shatter. They must have been made out of a very powerful metal. The blades lifted up and flew at Tyrone’s back as he charged at Nightblade. He twirled the two blades in his hand as he readied himself for the assault.

 

IC: Feral (Las Vegas)

 

John didn’t leap off the rooftop, but he did fall onto the rooftop and hard as his senses of direction became perilous and the world turned upside-down again. He grunted and then got to his feet. He closed his eyes and began to step forward, using his nose to guide him towards where he thought the assassin was. Maybe the illusions couldn’t affect him with his eyes closed. He’d be blind, but he’d still have a chance.

[The Zytrix]

IC: Zack, Jordan, Julia

 

Zack coughed and sputtered as the bullets pushed themselves out of his chest cavity.

"Holy..." he mumbled, "Ash, I was barely conscious...I saw fire, and Jeremy...and Aleks. Wh...what happened?"

Jordan crouched near them. His face had hardened from a mischievous smile into a grim expression. Much contrary to his usual demeanor, he didn't say a word.

 

The best way to describe the noise Julia made was somewhere between a pained grunt and a surprised shriek. One of the bullets passed through her body entirely, but the other granted no such luck. Her legs went numb for a few brief seconds as she lie there, and she gasped in pain and shock. The second shot had entered her spinal column, and while it would heal, her legs would be useless for a second or two. And in battle, those seconds can be precious.

[Dallas Winston]

IC:

 

Aleksandr hit Matt's shoulder, and silence reined for a moment. Then the Russian screamed.

 

The sound was long, high and intense, garbled with the pickpocket's natural accented tones and stitched together with agony and surprise. When Matt had picked him up and tossed him, the poor kid had no idea that he was damaging his friend even more. His left shoulder wasn't exactly shattered, but it was close, held together by slivers of bone as thin as a fingernail in some places. His ribcage was totally destroyed, his organs left unprotected and filled with shrapnel from Aleks' own body. He was bleeding internally, and the places in which the damage was worst were covered in moderate to major burns from the explosions. The Russian Mafia's darling killer had maybe twenty minutes left, if he was lucky.

 

And instead of being here, making them memorable, making them worth it, here was Aleks, being killed faster by the person he was probably closest with in the entire world. So, deep in that scream, there may have been a nugget of fear, too. Fear of not helping. Fear of not being worth it.

 

Most importantly, fear of Matt slowing down to help him, then getting obliterated, too.

 

"Hold still," he growled, in his typical ballsy way. "Hold still so I can shoot you, you dumb ######."

 

-Tyler

Edited by Marlon Brando, Feb 12 2013 - 07:16 AM.

[The Snark Knight]

IC:

A loud crack echoed through the air of Las Vegas.

Over the din of battle, it was doubtful that anyone would notice. The air was filled with explosions, gunfire and the sounds of the dying. One sound, however, was clearly audible. A scream, a loud horrific sound. Aleksander was injured, dying. The only medic was too far way to help, and his rescuer was doing more harm than good, despite his best intentions.

Which is why it was so shocking when a hand jabbed into Matt's side, causing his muscles to spasm, and release the Russian. He started to fall, but his descent was halted after only an inch when fell back into a somehow familiar pair of arms. A pair of violet eyes glared at Matt, even as their owner took a step back.

"You bloody dunce!"

 

Were the only words, before she vanished in a blur. She was visible as a blurred shape moving through the battle, charging at full speed away from the fighting. Her arms were carefully positioned to shield Aleks from any further injury.

 

Once more, she could use her speed. The emotional requisite had been met.

Edited by Krayzikk Bieber, Feb 12 2013 - 07:54 AM.

[Flex Fiction]

IC: Songbird, Mimic, Triblade (Las Vegas)

 

“The Phoenix took over… I killed Jeremy,” she said as tears fell down her cheeks again. “The robots in the sky attacked us and Aleks saved us.”

 

She stood up then when Zack was fully healed. “I love you brother,” she said. “But I can’t be an X-Man anymore. I’m too dangerous, please don’t try to follow me.” she said. With that she flapped her wings into the air and took off into the sky as she flew away from the battle. Tears sparkled against her cheek as they fell and plummeted towards the earth below.

 

Mimic was close to Ashlynn and Zack when she saw her start to fly away. “No! What about Aleks!” she screamed. She jumped into the air her hand grasping Ashlynn’s ankle. Chrisitne was pulled into the air as she tore off Ashlynn’s shoe and placed her bare hand on her foot. Christine let go as Ashlynn’s memories poured into her, distracting her. But she didn’t hit the ground; instead she flapped two newly grown wings that had torn through the back of her suit.

 

Matt heard Aleks scream and he knew that it wasn’t good. “Christ,” he said. He was probably only making things worse. “You can shoot me after I get you to safety.” He sprinted across the battle-field; jumping over dying assassins and civilians, dodging beam blasts as they flew into the ground melting the earth and causing small explosions of energy. As he ran he felt a bullet tear through his shoulder-blade, punching all the way through him as it burst through the other side of him along with a spit of blood.

 

Matt flinched but continued to run now. Suddenly he felt a hand impact his side as his muscles began to spasm, but he was suddenly caught by a familiar face. “Victoria?” he said weakly. He watched as she raced off with Aleks.

 

“Shadow no!” Matt yelled. “He needs to be healed! He will die!” he roared, but she was too fast.  

 

There was a ruffle of feathers as Christine landed near Matt. “Where is Aleks?”

 

“She took him.”

 

“Who?”

 

“Shadow, and she’s moving fast, very fast.” He said as he pointed in the direction she’d gone.

 

Christine didn’t say another word as she flapped her new wings and took to the sky.

Edited by Sir Flex Nardius, Feb 12 2013 - 12:42 PM.

[The Snark Knight]

IC:

I'm aware of that, fool. Rebekah though viciously, her feet slamming into the ground viciously, propelling her forward like a bolt of lightning. But seeing as your only real healer just flew the coop, that healing isn't going to come from any of you.

 

IC:

 

Alex, noting the gas surrounding him, threw himself to the side, where the gas was thinnest. In an open air environment, it would disperse soon. Moments after impact, he remained still. The technopath was down for the count.

 

The Grenadier turned to engage Julia, knocking her down with a single shot. One foe was down for the moment, another for the fight.

 

At least, that is what he believed. In truth, the stillness had merely been a ruse, a distraction to disguise his arm as it reached for  underneath his coat, shielded from view by his own torso. Not that it truly mattered, Grenadier had been forced to turn around to deal with Julia's assault anyway. 

 

The only sign Grenadier would receive was a gunshot, moments before a bullet tore toward his back.

 

Alex stood once more, eyes darting around the battle. What he saw was far from heartening.

Nathan has been incapacitated, and even if he hadn't been, he's guarding Jesika. Zach is dead. Jeremy is dead. Matt is too wounded to be of much use. Aleks is severely, perhaps mortally, wounded. Mimic is pursuing him, and Ashlynn has departed. Permanently.

 

The Blackbird is destroyed, and without Jeremy, we have no way of withdrawing. Our healer is gone, and our auxiliary healer has limited capabilities. Our most destructive allies have been incapacitated or worse. 

In contrast, our enemies are numerous. We did not expect the assassins to be so numerous, nor did we expect them to be so prepared. They're skilled, too, something an unfortunate number of the newer X-Men lack. Their number is uncertain, but they clearly have more than enough people to deal with us permanently. His eyes briefly flicked to the sky, where the mechs still towered over the battlefield. And Matt's foolish behavior has turned a potential ally into an enemy. One far better equipped than we are.

 

Withdrawal is not possible, but attack is futile. 

 

"Hard pressed on my right. My center is yielding. Maneuvering impossible. Situation... Excellent."

 

far louder, "X-Men! Rally with your teammates! Prepare to withdraw!"

 

Somehow.

[.:Advent Aeternale:.]

IC: Nero's much intensified hearing had picked up on most of what had gone on, dismaying the currently wolf-form mutant. The thing his brain managed to hold on to through the raging wolf-mind was "Rally with your teammates!"

 

Soon enough, Nero had dropped from the roof of a building adjacent to Alex's position to regroup as planned.

 

---

 

As soon as the red-headed girl had began lighting things on fire, Catapult made it his business not to be nearby anymore. Signalling to his partner to retreat and regroup, the soldier began retreating further into the building that had become his safehouse for the time being.

Edited by .:Advent Aeternale:., Feb 12 2013 - 02:10 PM.

[A billion cats]

IC: Nathan - Las Vegas -

 

"X-Men! Rally with your teammates! Prepare to withdraw!"

 

So, it comes to this. I had been laying low with Jesika inside the Blackbird. My right wing far too damaged to allow flight, at least not without agonizing pain. Of course I could still use my powers, but my focus had been largely on protecting Jesika. Bullet proof or not, she needed protection. 

 

I shouldn't have gone after Novocain. Thinking back, it might have been wiser to have just taken Jesika and flown away from here as fast as I could. Too late for that now. 

 

I looked at the little girl, the fear still in her eyes, though largely she seemed to be more afraid for me than anything else. She was a rather brave kid, braver than me even. "Jesika, I know you're a good runner, cause that's what we're going to be doing, fairly soon..." 

 

I wasn't gonna try to sugarcoat anything, not this time. "...cause if we don't, we're as good as dead." Jesika seemed to understand, her head nodding. Breathlessly she got up and exited the upturned remains of the Blackbird, her hand latched on to mine and forcing me to run with her at a faster speed than my wing wanted to go. I ignored the pain, making sure we came out of this alive first was more important. 

 

We came out of the Blackbird and met up with our remaining teammates outside. "Alex...if you have a plan on how we make our withdrawal...now is a good time to tell..." I said through pained breaths.