Gothic City [CVnU: Living Location]

@pyrogram:

A red, white and blue blur cuts the air like lightning; thunderous is the crack of a shield bouncing off two skulls. Liberty jogs into view, snatches up the AK, pops the bolt cover open, flips the bolt spring into a storm drain- and catches her shield as it rebounds off an overturned garbage truck and back to her grasp.

@lady_liberty:

The hero watched in admiration yet slightly scared at this show of heroic murder. It would have been hypocritical to deem these killings unjust, for he was only a moments notice away from spilling crimson blood across of the ground himself. Hopping over the car his voice raised up grabbing Liberty's attention waving his hands in the air "Hey!" He approached with caution "What's going on in Gothic? Dark Vengeance is nowhere to be seen...and" Gunshots in the distance broke his words causing him to duck instinctively for a second "Is a war or something going down?"

Freaktown

Cars smoldered in the streets; the stench of burning rubber billowing into the sky with the choking black smoke of tires. Flies swarmed over decomposing bodies; the remnants of anti-mutant rioters.

Dantagon worked like a piston in an engine; legs went into the leg bag, arms went into the arm bag, and torsos were left for the torso crew. Behind them came the children, their little faces covered with paper masks and cans of kitchen disinfectant in their hands. There was no water; the city shut that off weeks ago- Now they just sprayed the pools of blood with Lysol to keep the bacteria away.

Occasionally the crack of a rifle would echo down the empty streets. Marksmen keeping the scavengers at bay. They wouldn't attack in daylight, a fact Dantagon was forever thankful for. If he worked quickly he could sleep at least two hours before the nightly push.

@pyrogram:

She turned and surveyed the green clad hero. What was it with archers and green? Robin Hood had a lot to answer for. "Hey yourself."

Liberty glanced down both sides of the street at the gunshots, then turned her attention back to the archer. "In his absence the bosses of Grimm have made a push to seize control of the city. 'War' is about right. They've brought in a company of mercenaries, bought several of the local gangs, and assassinated enough of Gothic's leadership that the city is in chaos, and unable to defend itself."

@lady_liberty:

Leaning on a dark car beside the pair of heroes his emerald bow rested upon the black bonnet, scratching his head confused "Tsk..." Sighing, he grasped his bow tightly once more "Then I guess it's up to us to defend it..." Nodding he slung his prized green bow across of his back "Care to join me in checking out those gunshots?"

@pyrogram:

Kelly waves a gloved hand in his direction. "Certainly. Lead the way." She slipped her other hand into the straps on her shield. "I'm Kelly, by the way. You?"

@lady_liberty:

Nodding agreeably towards of Kelly he raised his green hood prior to turning his head, flashing a cheeky grin his right emerald eye sparkled momentarily contrasting the darkness of the city "Pyro" Quickly taking off in an explosive run he hopped over a car pressing his palms upon the roof landing on the other side with an elegant roll before cascading down the street with an athletic sprint assuming Kelly would catch up, or even overtake him.

@pyrogram: [ Your writing has improved by leaps and bounds. ]

Liberty waited for a ten count and then burst into action; powerful legs driving her down the street after the acrobatic archer. She cleared the car with a single leap and fell in, maintaining a ten yard separation between herself and Pyro at all times. If he was ambushed or triggered an IED she intended to give herself time to react.

@lady_liberty: (Thanks ^__^)

Running through the streets thoroughly enjoying his new-found weakened state for a brief while feeling like life was not all about the "Power" anymore. Having hope he'd be a viable hero even without his previous abilities being fully usable. People like Kelly and Vengeance all served a testament to his new thoughts - And then reality struck.

An unnatural metal sound clang towards the bottom of his foot, staring downwards in a terrified state his breathing grew faster and faster. His emerald gaze looked at Kelly then back to his left foot. A stagnant IED had been stepped on.

A feeling of dread came about the hero as his face turned deathly pale "I've..stepped on" he started to shake, then saw a shadow move in the distance, withdrawing his bow a gunshot ricocheted behind of him like somebody had fired upon him and missed, ducking nearly removing his foot his hand shot outwards directing Kelly to the side where he'd seen the ghostly figure "THIS IS AN AMBUSH!" It was evident. He'd stepped on top of an IED, and then was ambushed. Was the IED inactive?

It would be foolish right now to even contemplate finding out.

@pyrogram:

Liberty dropped like a rock as she heard the gunshot and snatched her pistol from its holster. She tapped into her mutant powers and infused every round with a transfinite number of tachyon particles. In effect each round became a negative mass singularity and the surface of every round was the event horizon. They would punch through anything without infinite hardness, such as true adamantium.

She leveled the pistol at the explosive device and squeezed; five rounds in a second. The bullets punched through the IED like it was tissue paper, obliterating the atomic structure of the trigger mechanism. "You're good. Now duck!" Yelling as she rolled under the burned out husk of a car.

@lady_liberty:

Thinking she was about to shoot him his heart paced, closing his eyes a verdant glow shone through his eyelids like a nuclear reactor was going overdrive inside of his body.

Yet nothing happened. The bomb did not go off, he did not explode. He was safe. Diving to the side scratching both of his elbows as a bombardment of bullets sent up tarmac and dirt flying into the air missing him by mere inches, shouting to Liberty with a chuckle "The heck was that? Magic gun!!" Laughing to himself he peeked over a car he'd hid behind, pulling out his Bow...thin air...his eyes snapped to the side his bow idly resting upon the deactivated IED "Sh!t" Withdrawing a single arrow attaching a smoke bomb onto the end of his arrow he threw it in the opposite direction of where he was situated, the instance the smoke went off a barrage of deadly bullets tore through the smoke revealing the location of the attacker - simultaneously diving for his bow still skidding backwards in unison to his movements he loaded the bow, clipped an arrow onto the string and fired - The arrow tore through the air embedding itself into the attackers solar plexus causing for crimson blood to gush out, the man fired his AK wildly into the air prior to simply dropping.

Sighing tiredly he crawled over to another car and hid behind it calling over to Liberty "You good?" Not daring to peak over if another wild attacker appeared.

@pyrogram:

She winks. "Magic bullets. And I'm good. Nice shooting, by the way." Kelly shoved her pistol back into its holster and then slipped her shield onto her back once more. She crawled to the passenger side of the car, and placed her palms against the pavement. Then she pushed; just like a push-up Metal groaned as her shield bent the sheet metal body of the car, then stopped as it encountered the frame. Liberty grunted. The hulk of metal shifted.. then lifted, inch after inch until her arms were locked out. Then Liberty pulled on of her knees up to her chest, and drove her foot into the ground, sweat breaking out on her forehead as she slowly, laboriously flipped the car onto it side; creating a makeshift barricade without exposing herself to enemy fire. "Alright, Pyro was it? We can't stay here forever- if someone else is out there eventually they'll work their way in behind us. I've created some cover for you-" She pats the upended car. "-and I need you to stay here and cover the street while I clear these storefronts."

There is a war?! Can I join? Pretty pleeeaseee?

@violet_kitten: I don't think so little Kitten, you and I however? I have an offer for you.

@violet_kitten: [ Sure lol. ]

@_venture_: Listening...

@violet_kitten: You and me, a partnership, not sidekick or any of that crap, you got too much talent for that. I offer you that as well as an offer into an inner circle of vigilantes who operate much like you and I. You in?

@lady_liberty:

Watching the woman's almighty strength he suddenly felt a sense of inadequacy once again. Rolling his eyes yet admiring the woman's tenacity he raised his eyebrows upon listening to her plan, swiftly taking up a position his back resting upon the makeshift barricade withdrawing and placing some arrows down before him for quick access "Sweet plan" Smiling he grabbed another arrow attaching an impact dependent semtex onto the end, ready to upon impact explode "I'll cover the streets" He gestured his head up allowing Kelly to know he was ready to cover her, testified as he sprung up aiming his bow trying to find any aggressors who'd endanger her life.

@_venture_: You have a cool mask. So, I'm in.

@pyrogram: [ I'll pick this back up tomorrow. ]

@lady_liberty: ( Cool cool :)

Were it not for Tombstone's fame Liberty would have assumed the corpse-like combatant was another villain. His ominous air, death themed apparel and skull-head was not the visage of typical hero. He was, however, quite famous.

"Tombstone." The right side of her face lifted in a half smile, the dead left side turning the partial smile into a half grimace. "What brings you to Gothic?"

@lady_liberty: "I go wherever justice is needed. Texas has long grown pacified under my shadow, so I've had to branch out. I'm here to not only clean up this city, but find someone to be it's Tombstone." He responded, voice as cold and chill as the grave itself, long devoid of any warmth or comfort. He drew his cloak around himself, sometimes seeming to float rather than walk as he turned to face the woman.

Kelly exploded from behind the makeshift barricade, tearing across the street in a blur. Powerful legs hurled her skyward, body tucked behind her shield, targeting a boarded up window on the second floor of a store front. She expected to find a few looters with stolen rifles, opportunistic killers just looking for an easy score.

Liberty's shield smashed through the boards and her body flew through the window in a spray of wooden splinters. Directly into a clan of vampires. "Shi-"

A dozen undead flickered toward her; so quick the air -cracked- every-time they moved. Liberty's free hand flashed and fire spewed from her pistol; twelve rounds blistering through the air before Kelly's feet touched the ground.

The vampires dodged them all.

Then they were on her. Eleven supernatural predators, limbs moving quicker than the human eye could follow, fists and feet like sledgehammers, driven with decades of tireless practice. Liberty's blurred through a series of defensive maneuvers, superhuman skill and athleticism alone sparing her from a grisly death.

Until their leader leapt, flipping upside down to crouch upon the roof then exploding down; twisting into a flying superman punch that slammed into Kelly's sternum like a freight train. The punch folded her in half like a napkin and knocked her diagonally through the floor, then through the outside wall of the storefront. She hit the pavement with bone crunching force, her head whipping back into asphalt with a deafening crack.

Kelly bounced nearly eight feet in the air. Black blood pored from her mouth, nose and ears.

She tucked a knee up in mid air and landed in a perfect crouch. "Incoming." She said as she spit a mouthful of blood and several teeth onto the pavement.

OOC: Vampires are one ton bullet timers, leader is two tons. You can control them in your post if you like, its fine with me :-)

@the_undying_tombstone:

"Mm. Well you will find no shortage of targets here. Gothic City's criminal classes have been weakened by the efforts of the now absent Dark Vengeance, so much so that Grimm City's bosses have begin a push to seize the city. I don't know who is backing them in Grimm but they have more firepower, tactics and money than I have EVER seen from a criminal organization. This is less a gang scuffle over turf and more of a small war. So I'm glad you've arrived Tombstone, we could use your help."

@lady_liberty: "Once we end this push. We will need a counter offensive to make them know that they are not safe no matter where they hide, if they flee overseas, we pursue them, we hound them until at the end they are begging for the Grave's mercy, then we bring them in. Afterwards, I believe my old Freedom Force friends can make sure they stay put in Prison." Graves said, seeming to analyze the city with his empty eye sockets, listening for the signs of hauntings before refocusing.

"Now, where do we begin?" He asked, narrowing his eyes somewhat.

@the_undying_tombstone:

"Well the city is about 468 square miles, or 1,213 km^2 if you don't like the imperial system." She waves a hand toward the east. "Right now only a few square miles of that is safe; the area around city hall and the wealthier part of town. The police and fire department are focusing on those areas." Kelly points toward the ground. "Water and electricity have been cut off in most parts of the city. There are about eight million people in Gothic, and many of them are in real danger of dehydration, starvation, and a loss of basic medical care." A sigh. "That isn't even beginning to cover the various gangs fighting house to house battles, the company of mercenaries that has taken over the entire port area, and the riots and looters."

"In terms of helping the most people the best thing we can do right now is to clear the I-156 bridge. It is an important exit from Gothic, and one of the police precincts has taken it over. They're charging a toll, which is basically every dollar you have and anything that looks valuable. They're well armed, with plenty of automatic weaponry and several armored vehicles, plus they have the advantage of a defensive position. But if we can clear them off the bridge then people could flee without interference."

I need to catch up on this, and other things. I haven't forgotten.

@arquitenens: [ No rush!

@lady_liberty: I know! But part of me wants to try and get a nap in before class (if I can); another says I want to get caught up on things.

@lady_liberty: "I've faced down Wehrmacht and Imperial Japanese defensive posts, some of the guns may have changed in the intervening years, but the rules still remain the same. First, we get their attention, then flush them out, then we pick them off. I can get their attention, then some sonic grenades from my Tombcycle should get them scurrying from their cover. I can trust you and your allies to deal with them once they're out of their defensive positions, right?" He said, already visualizing how to best get their notice as he started setting some autopilot routines into his vehicle.

@arquitenens: [ Take a nap, class comes first. I'll still be here tomorrow :-)

@the_undying_tombstone:

"Mm. Well there are no allies. There is just me. But if you flush them out and provide me some cover, such as smoke, I can probably make a dent." Kelly considered the situation. She had seen footage of Tombstone in action before, and she knew he was immune to any weapon the renegade police units were likely to have. In theory, if Tombstone had enough time he could clear the entire bridge by himself. "Be careful with your weaponry; Gothic City hasn't kept the bridge in good repair, and it is going to be carrying thousands and thousands of vehicles every day now."

This is where Shogunate will be situated. I love Libs' die hard efforts at reviving a thread.

@assault: Our training shall continue later by the way. Just a lil busy recently.

@pyrogram: S'all good. I'm thinking unless we wanna completely fcking kill ourselves with boredom, after the water post I'm going to have Assault be real impressed and then halfway through the post there'll be a "Five Days Later" or something, where his training'll be done.

@assault: Only if you wanted, would be kinda fun to get character depth for a while before we skip :P

@pyrogram: We could do that, yeah. That's risky though, RPG could dry up. I was thinking of having them perform a trial run across the city before the 'PG closes too.

@assault: Gotta take risks :P

@pyrogram: OK cool man haha, it's on you ;)

@lady_liberty: (By the way that was a really good post - I'm waiting on my reply as I wanna try and get a good one myself as yours was so good, but not in the mood for a proper post right now :)

@lady_liberty: "Already on it. When you see a flare, get into position, I'll cut off their left escape, you their right" Graves said as he put his plan into motion, turning intangilable and flying over to the designated area, searching for and then finding the criminals enforcing the blockade, turning visible long enough to let out a fear wave to get their attention as he started his work, dropping to the ground.

He went to work, turning intangilable and tangilable as the situation demanded, making sure they didn't get a good shot at him as he weaved in and out like a practiced professional, taking those he could out with quick, efficient blows while his Tombcycle, now on autopilot, drove in after him, raised it's launchers at an angle, and began firing off a series of sonic grenades to start forcing them out of cover.

A flare was launched from the cycle as it began firing, bombarding the area like an automated automatic mortar.

((Also I have a new character who isn't an old account I rescued: http://www.comicvine.com/profile/bombardier_beetle/about-me/ ))

@pyrogram: [ Thanks and no worries, I know exactly how that is. Takes me a while to reply to Andres for that exact reason lol. ]

@the_undying_tombstone:

It took Kelly considerably longer to maneuver into position; although she was quick she had no vehicle nor any stealth abilities aside from her own skills. Both ends of the bridge were blocked, and it would take her far too long to dash down the bridge. Instead she slipped into the water, swam to a pylon under the fortified position, and utilized her superhuman strength to drag herself up the concrete. When the flare detonated she hurled a grapple up over the railing and yanked herself up- a mid-air front flip casting her over the wall and onto the bridge.

A red white and blue streak flashed through the air, thumping and clanging as it bounced off several skulls, interceptors, and various other inanimate objects. Kelly deliberately avoided any killing blows; eventually Gothic city would be at peace and she didn't need fifty years of heat for killing a bunch of cops.

[ Nice! I'll take a look. ]

@lady_liberty: With quick elbow strikes and blows from his fists with the occasional knee or kick, Tombstone moved like the spectre he was, phasing through obstacles, spreading fear and confusion in his wake as he had the grenade bombardment funnel the police into areas he wanted them in. He only occasionally unleashed his electrical and sonic abilities, making sure that no one died or suffered any truly life damaging injuries. They would heal in time, but they would remember the day they crossed paths with the morose marauder.

Tagging the last of them with a taser shot, Tombstone put in commands through his belt to have more vehicles at the ready, this time calling up a Graverunner which began driving in from the nearest auxillary Crypt. His perimeter clear, he waited at the mid point until his car came crashing through the blockade, his motorcycle driving up while the Graverunner's engine roared.

When Kelly was ready he would tell her "Take the motorcycle for the time being, you'll need to keep up."

@lady_liberty: (I feel ashamed, sorry for making you wait so long! XD )

Astutely keeping his emerald eyes locked upon Kelly during her show of acrobatic elitism, so freely flowing through the Gothic battlefield like a fish through water, serenely flying upwards in a blur of white and blue the battlefield beauty landed with regal presence atop of the second floor. The Paragon of once Power trained his sturdy bow in the same window liberty had landed in assuming she'd simply jump out holding some beaten up thugs slung across of her shoulder. But he was wrong...

...Almost like time had sped up bullets crackled through the air sending a rippling sound through the streets shaking the pebbles on the dark ground, the emerald archer tried to look in closer leaning in slightly his bow still poised in position yet nothing, he could not see liberty.

To his stark horror Kelly was flung out of the building like a rag-doll smashing onto the tough ground bouncing like a beach ball, midair posture alignment took place allowing for this formidable heroine of battle to simply land back down crouching, her face looking like she'd just gone ten rounds with the superior sapien.

No time was wasted to converse with his ally as he immediately flung his sights up away from the crouching commando back towards the deviously deceptive building, drawing back his bow the tension tightened his index and middle finger released the arrow and its energy from its imprisoned state upon the bow sending the carbon-fiber trident-pronged arrow blitzing through the air still having an impact dependent explosive attached.

The arrow traversed through the air smashing into the already decaying and abandoned building through the open window, before the Paragon even heard the ecstatic explosion his organs rattled upwards, one of the vampires utilizing astoundingly superior speeds to the heroic archer had left the confines of this building (possibly, they all had?) and smacked directly into his stomach with a devastating punch sending him flying backwards onto the asphalt ground with a huff of pain. Quickly rolling towards the side avoiding the vampires jumped attack trying to reign down his foot upon the Paragon, rolling once more avoiding the same type of attack, he withdrew his military grade steel dagger pointing it at the vampire "F*ck you" Swiftly flicking his wrist the knife was thrown through the air with deadly precision than all but a sudden - It was stuck inside of his thigh with a shearing pain.

The vampire's speed was too fast for this humble archer, his leg bleeding profoundly his heart racing like never before his emerald glowing eyes locked onto the vampire who pressed on, lifting up a metal pole a sinister smirk crept upon the villainous vampires features its pale hands positioning upwards the metal pole being extended ready to be brought down, smashing into the Paragons heart ending his life.

And then magic happened, as the metallic instrument of death was swung down the heroic archers eyes flickered into life sending a buzzing ball of verdantly glowing light flickering outwards colliding with the vampires chest sending it flying backwards into an opposing car.

The hero gripped his forehead having felt a hot sensation come about his face, yet not knowing what had even happened as usual - His body subconsciously yet again averting him from a horrific death.

Shaking aware that this vampire was not yet slain he dived for his downed bow, gripping it with his feet performing what looked like a foot to hand abdominal exercise transferring the bow to his palms an arrow was picked up from the ground having previously been placed there - The vampire shook its head confused as an arrow departed the bow once more viciously penetrating it's murderous skin vanishing into dust. He sighed and dropped the bow to the ground assuming it was over.

He then remembered Kelly.

@the_undying_tombstone:

Kelly arched her right eyebrow. "For what, exactly?" The street was still covered in debris, which Kelly intended to clean up, along with various vehicles, and the Gothic PD traffic spikes. "

@lady_liberty: "For speed. Unless you intend to ride shotgun in a graverunner." He answered flatly, looking out in front of him as the Graverunner's engine went silent, now running solely on electricity.

@pyrogram: @the_undying_tombstone: [ Gotta do some other things then I'll get back to these interactions :-)

"I still have work to do here Tombstone. This bridge has to be cleaned up. If you want to hit another target today, perhaps I can assist you but it will have to wait until I finish here."

@lady_liberty: "If you wish for it, I will assist." He said with a slight bow.