Rebel_Scum

Isabel almost had to laugh as the parade approached. "Not half ostentatious are they?", she asked no one in particular as she observed the various security forces standing around the area. She did have to wonder how secure this Dark Sovereign's rule really was, considering the number of soldiers he apparently felt were necessary just to protect a simple parade. Wouldn't matter, she thought. She hadn't met the soldier that stood up well to an energy blast down the throat, and she doubted she would today either. Though it was rather tempting to peg one of the choppers for kicks, she kept quiet with the others until someone gave the signal. "I'll distract the choppers while you guys get him, if you want", she informed the others.

Valerie merely stood with the rest of the rebel soldiers, absently checking and rechecking her equipment while she waited for the signal. Every now and then she glanced over to Isabel, who she'd not had a chance to talk to in all that had happened. A thousand questions went unanswered in her mind, but now was most definitely not the time.

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"You don't have to leave...but it would be easier to talk to you if we didn't have to tilt our heads so far back. There really are heroes everywhere here...I thought the reports were exaggerated."

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"Yeah well, they call it the City of Heroes for a reason", the woman grinned at them as she hopped down from her lofty perch, landing lightly on the pavement next to them. "Not exaggerated in the slightest, this is the only place in the world where metahumans outnumber normal humans. 'Course, half of those are villains." She held out a hand to shake. "Anyway, nice to meet you both. And yeah, I think you're wasting your time with the milk there."

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"You know, this might be the City of Heroes but that doesn't mean there is always one around."

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"It doesn't? Damn, I must be in the wrong place then", came a voice from above. Should either of them look up, they'd see a redheaded caucasian woman of indeterminate age sitting calmly on a windowsil above them. Strange, that, since she most definitely hadn't been there only a moment ago. Yet there had been no sound or other indication of her arrival. It was like she'd just popped into existence there. She was rather obviously a meta, not because of her outfit which being a simple white t-shirt and navy blue cargo pants was as ordinary as they came, but rather because of the blue-white glow in her eyes which identified her as a Peacebringer.

"Or the wrong time, maybe", she mused to herself. "Would you rather I just left? Because I can if you want me to."

(( Nope I'm still here. Was waiting for Khell. ))

Isabel sighed quietly to herself. "Should have been more specific. I meant from a specific dimension, namely the one we came from", she indicated Flashpoint, Egregore and herself, "But I guess I'm jumping to premature conclusions again. Ignore me, forget I said anything." She turned away and went to look out what remained of the train's windows, her face slightly red from embarrassment.

When Toy mentioned a plot to destroy her home dimension however, she looked back around at him. "And how do we know any of what you're telling us is accurate, that you're not just leading us all into a trap? Especially with the supposed traitor, it's your word against his and honestly I don't think anyone here would take yours."

Valerie simply listened, her hands absently fiddling with the rifle that lay across her knees as she watched events unfold around her.

And that's what I get for posting five minutes after waking up. I edited it out, sorry about that. Still, even though that's not an example of it, it's still a valid point. Like the guy before that was trying to say what happens, rather than simply giving the character's actions (In excruciating detail) which is all you're allowed to do.

Not wanting to crap on an otherwise awesome thread, but it really is amazing how many people seem to completely miss the point and try things that are obviously going to be impossible.

Note: there's a Character Descriptions Thread stickied at the top of the forum for just this kinda stuff.

Aside from that they're pretty good I think. Certainly better than some I've seen ingame.

Something I just saw ingame that might be worth noting. One of the headlines the newsie in Talos is selling mentions Ouroboros.

Isabel floated down from the ceiling, the energy around her hands disappearing as she decided no one was going to start shooting here. "Why do I get the feeling that if I was to take a wild guess and say you're not originally from this dimension either, I'd have a fairly decent chance of being right?", she asked the robot.

Valerie gave her an odd glance at that, but going over everything she knew it did seem a fairly likely possibility. She kept quiet, waiting to see what the robot's answer would be.

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"Besides, why attempt to wrest knowledge from my memory banks when I will be more than willing to answer any questions you might have?"

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"Perhaps it's because up until right now you were very clearly the enemy, and we made the logical assumption that you wouldn't talk?", Isabel replied suspiciously, having jumped into the air the moment the robot moved and now hovering near the ceiling, energy tendrils flowing around her hands as she'd almost blasted him in pure reflex. "Perfectly reasonable to think that an enemy robot would be unwilling to answer our questions, no? Anyway, if you're going to talk I suggest you start talking very quickly and very convincingly before the Kommandant over there pulls out that rocket launcher again."

Valerie simply stood just as stunned at this turn of events as the others. Her rifle was pointed squarely at Toy's chest, but in all likelihood if the robot was going to try something she wouldn't react anywhere near in time.

Isabel practically jumped as the robotic form of Toy Dispenser landed in the train with them. Very cautiously, she went over and kicked the inert robot a couple of times to make sure he really was inert before crouching down beside him and looking for a way to get at the systems inside to disconnect anything he could use to harm them upon waking up. "I'd imagine we don't want him waking up and immediately beating us all to a pulp, yes?", she said by way of explanation.

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Valerie like the others stared more than a little incredulously at the robot. If he was actually disabled and not merely playing dead to get past their defenses, this was a huge victory. Chances were though that Toy Dispenser was merely playing dead...

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Flashpoint Zeo glanced back and froze for a moment. Then one blazing eye twitched. "Yes, fine, okay, get it now. Are completely screwed beyond all reason, anything else need throwing, or can just die in peace now?" he yelled at the ceiling, shaking one huge fist.

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Isabel looked over at him, apparently trying very hard not to laugh. "Bet you ten bucks we're not quite that screwed yet", she said before leaping into the air, going from a standing start to top speed in a matter of moments just like the train had. Landing on the roof of the front car, she stared for a second at the... dragon?... just a bit further down the tunnel, working out where the best place to hit it might be. Again she settled into a sniper stance, sending a long-range blast straight into the creature's open mouth to detonate against the presumably weaker skin inside.

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As the train abruptly went from standing still to top speed, Valerie had to grab at the edge of the seat next to her to avoid falling over from the sudden change in momentum. "A little warning would've been nice...", she muttered in German before standing back up and looking out the back window at the steadily receeding battle behind them.

Suddenly getting an idea she went over to the door, opened a crack and dropped two grenades set to a proximity trigger out before closing it again. If the forces behind them moved to pursue and didn't notice the small devices they'd explode as soon as someone got close enough and probably collapse the tunnel on top of them. Since at least some of them were capable of teleportation it probably wouldn't stop them, but it'd at least slow them down a little, which might be all they needed to make a clean getaway.

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Flashpoint Zeo watched all this imperturbably. "Move when are finished killing one another?" he suggested, his flames lightly brushing the ceiling as a barrier to the mystic cold that was turning the area down-tunnel into a frozen hell.

[/ QUOTE ]

"Sounds like a plan to me", Isabel replied, doing as he suggested and not flying down the tunnel to give all the soldiers and Chinese guys a nice demonstration of how she earned her name. She did however settle into a sniper stance and charge up a long-range blast to peg a stray soldier while they were too busy fighting amongst themselves to notice. Even better was unlike some of the others, the Odcarovat had no effect on her as her powers weren't magic-based.

Valerie meanwhile was simply watching the events as they unfolded, moving to where the Unteroffizier commanded and continuing to watch until she received further orders or something demanded a reaction.

Isabel paid no attention to the momentary horrified stares of the soldiers around her, instead taking off after Flashpoint. "Always did like a challenge", she replied to the big Tanker as she landed next to him. "Lead the way." She again considered just blasting the tunnel roof to collapse it, but discarded the idea a second time since the Chinese mages would simply teleport past the blockage. No point in wasting the energy when there were so many better places to send it - like straight into the chest of the nearest enemy.

Behind her, Valerie chuckled quietly to herself as her mind dug up a memory of a much younger Isabel saying the exact same thing in the exact same tone. She hesitated, not sure if she was still meant to be in charge or if the reappearance of her commanding officer relieved her of that duty. Not only that, but the forces now arrayed against them were certainly formidable enough to cause a further moment of hesitation. Not so much that she didn't at least move out of sight of those snipers, though.

Ooh, I'm liking this so far. More please?

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"We turn it off, and the mages turn us into popsicles. No, it will not be turned off."

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"It's also causing that the blaster replied simply, gesturing out the window at Flashpoint's wall of flame. "And don't worry too much about the mages, they don't call me the Portable Apocalypse for nothing", she added as she located and push the power button, every bit the typical overconfident superhero.

Valerie raised an eyebrow at the name, but having seen the kind of destruction Isabel so casually threw around before in the sewers it did kind of make sense. She just hoped her sister was right about there being nothing to worry about.

> search computer for electronic version of registration form

Post deleted by Rebel_Scum

(( Never good to be too predictable, hmm? ))

Isabel tried to duck under the coil of flame that smashed her aside, but she wasn't anywhere near fast enough. Hitting the side of the train with an audible crack, she knew immediately that she'd broken something. Hopefully not something vital, she thought to herself as she struggled back to her feet.

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Another unearthly roar that managed to somehow include almost-words "Mmmmmmmgiiiiiccc bllllllllckkker... stttttttttpppp iiiiiittttt...." the tank managed.

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"Huh?", she replied, still a little dazed. ...Magic blocker? Such a thing would be inside the train, she assumed. Lifting somewhat more slowly back into the air, she made her way back inside the train, through the convenient hole the spirits had ripped in the end carriage. Looking around, she spotted the device Kruger had been messing with earlier. Going over to it, she almost laughed as she noted it was clearly labelled as being exactly what she was looking for. Though she did hesitate somewhat as she realised the writing on the device was in German, yet she could still read it. She didn't know German... did she? Regardless, while she knew what it was, turning it off was another matter entirely. "How the hell do you turn this thing off?", she asked whoever was close enough to hear.

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"Trrrnnn... ooooofff..." came a scream from the flames. If one had exceptionally good vision, one could perhaps make out Flashpoint Zeo in the heart of the flames... although the figure was distinctly smaller and slimmer than the massive Tanker.

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Isabel stopped dead in midair, the ghosts all but forgotten as flames raged around the fallen tanker. All that punishment he laughed off before, and now he just drops for no apparent reason? Not good, very not good... Isabel flew into the maelstrom of flames, desperately hoping that her personal forcefield would hold them off long enough for her to get in, grab the now not so massive tanker and get out again.

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Kruger may have had confidence in her, but Valerie had little confidence in her own leadership. There was a very good reason why there was someone else commanding her squad, and it had little to do with the other woman having been there longer. Hanging back and barking orders wasn't her thing, fighting was her thing. Thus that was what she continued doing, leading by example as it were.

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"Isabel, with me. Must break shields before arms effective against ghosts; positive energy seems adequate for task." the big tank announced, then hopped out of the traincar and blurred forwards, bombs in hand.

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"Right", the blaster agreed as she lifted off the ground and flew after Flashpoint as best she could, since he was after all faster than she was. Not to mention she had to stop every few seconds to fling destruction at the various ghosts assaulting the train. She shivered slightly in the unnatural cold, hoping they could get away before she caught frostbite or some magical varient thereof.

Valerie meanwhile had switched rounds like the others and was, to put it bluntly, giving them hell. She followed after her extradimensional sister, though via more conventional running rather than through the air, stopping every few paces just like Isabel was to silence the now unshielded ghosts (The ones that the others inside the train hadn't already got, at least) with a burst of gunfire.

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"Guessing China not fully pacified by Dark Sovereign."

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"I'd be more inclined to think they're on his side, since they're attacking us...", Isabel commented. Regardless, they were unquestionably hostile either to the rebels or to those from Primal Earth, so she raised both hands and blasted them. The Tsoo Ancestor Spirits of her dimension she knew to be somewhat weak to energy-based attacks, and these things bore more than a passing resemblance so it stood to reason they would share that weakness.

Valerie meanwhile aimed her rifle at the.... whatever they were..., but didn't fire until the commanding officers gave the order.

((I'm pretty sure the Ancestor Spirits ingame actually are weak to energy, correct me if I'm wrong.))

((Actually Devious, no I didn't until you mentioned it.))

Sighing quietly to herself, Isabel got up and came back over to the others. "Somehow I think if they were going to catch us they would have done so", she commented by way of explanation. She seemed almost disappointed, as if she'd been hoping for a fight. Be more interesting than this endless discussion of the cyborg at least.

As she sat down, she realised something. "Why are we slowing down?", she asked with a small hint of alarm. "We're not there yet are we?" If one was to look outside, they would notice that the tunnel wall was indeed passing by the windows more slowly.

((Just a small post containing nothing much of anything, to prove I'm still here ))

Isabel just kept quiet while the others discussed the cyborg's future, or possible lack thereof. Were it up to her he'd be a smoking corpse already, but it wasn't up to her and thus she had nothing much to add to the discussion that hadn't already been said. She did however keep one eye on Egregore while continuing to watch the tracks behind them, just in case. She was also aware of the soldier's continued stare. "What?", she finally demanded.

Valerie almost jumped, she hadn't thought Isabel was aware of her what with being focused on the tracks and all. "You... look like someone I knew, once...", she replied, though it was fairly clear she'd originally intended to say something else.