As the boat whirrs to Paragon, the giant monster can already be seen. From behind him, Apollon hears the order.
"CHARGE!"
And every villain in the city rushes forward, flinging all ammunition available into the beast...
Apollon charges forward, then pauses to assess the situation. He sees the heroes, as injured as they are, and starts firing the Council's rifle to try and pull the beast off of them.
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Orloc rushes forward to darkgun, pulling out a syringe of clear fluid.
"This isn't ment for your physiology, you might feel a bit sick."
He sinks the large needle straight into darkgun's breastplate, injecting his system with pure Vampyr adrenalin, far stronger than anything found in a normal ER room for stabilizing patients.
"Thanks, im feelin better allready, lets fry this [censored]." replied darkgun as he got up, feeling renewed "I just hope that there is enough firepower to take it out now."
OOC: This is taking place in another part of the city involving 2 of my characters from different servers. I'll find someone to join the Kraken/Hydra hunt eventually.
Eastgate was a riot. Even more than most of the time. Jen Morse watched as mortally wounded heroes were brought in. None of the Medivacs were working. Jen ran back and forth trying to do triage as best she could. "Damnit wheres Carli when you need her." She griped to a young blaster.
"Who?" The girl replied coughing up blood.
"No one try not to talk." Jen said placing a bandage on her.
"But I am powerful. I got beat up by a weakling Gardvord." She said.
Jen nodded, "Things are out of control." She said moving on and bumping right into her partner. "Damn about time you showed up. Is it bad out there?"
"Worse than you think. Even the Carnival is powerless. Margo is dead." the woman responded looking stunned.
Jen looked up. "Carli snap out of it! A lot of people are dead and we're doctors. To Quote the immortal Henry Blake, "Rule 1 is people are going to die. Rule 2 is doctors can't change rule 1. Now we've got work to do. The medivacs are out. Do you have any of your powers left?"
Carli reacted as if she'd been slapped. "You're right Jen. No I don't have any powers left. Not even my inherant healing powers. How come you're still functioning?"
"Because I'm not a hero." Jen said. "I'm relying on my skills."
Carli nodded. "Lets get started." SHe muttered ignoring a tear streaking down her cheek. The loss of her protegee had hit her hard. "Cry later Dr Higgins." She muttered. The 2 women were paired up with any other medical personnel both heroes and civilians. 2 hours later they had barely made a dent in the wounded when a call came over the PA speakers that Lt Wincott had managed to scrounge up.
"Attention any medical personnel with triage and combat training you are needed in Perez Park on the double."
A high level hero approached them. "We've got Eastgate under control. Crash Cart can take care of this. You two are needed in steel canyon. We've got a truck to transport you to the yellow line. Or whats left of it. Go time is of the essence."
The two women ran to the truck and joined several other exhausted heroes and medics. 15 minutes later they were in perez park in what looked like a combination slaughterhouse and bombsite. They saw what looked to be a makeshift hospital set up and ran over. "OK how can we help?" Jen asked the harried hero working the area. "We're both licensed MD's and I'm a certified SAR lt."
OOC: I thought we may need some medical assistance.
Mrrah'chkkt had allowed the human heroes, better suited physiologically to handle weapons made on a human scale, to take the fight to the monsters. It stuck in her craw like a week-old hairball, but there was no choice, really. Her "fractal box" steadfastly refused to function, and even if it had, she had no confidence the catgirl-scaled pulse rifle it contained would function. Something had hit the higher technology of Paragon City hard, along with suppressing several manifestations of paranormal capabilities.
Whatever it was hadn't seemed to harm the monsters, though, and they were taking a terrible toll on the heroes. Several were down, and badly hurt. Someone has set up a makeshift triage and treatment center...someone familiar.
Mrrah'chkkt "Technokitty" Hssihn's tail twitched in excitement as she scampered towards the little MASH unit. She recognized the Carnival of Light "healing harlequin" Dr. Carli Higgins, with whom she had established a cordial (if completely clandestine) relationship while developing a time-dilating incubator to save one of Carli's troupe's premature kittens...er...babies. Technokitty had learned a great deal about human anatomy and biology in developing the technology...maybe it would be useful here.
As she ran up, the sorrow and strain on Carli's face registered. Her ears went flat. Something was wrong, something that there obviously wouldn't be time to try to help Carli with. She forced her ears up and smiled a greeting as Carli looked up.
"How can I help?" was all she said.
"And in this moment, I will not run.
It is my place to stand.
We few shall carry hope
Within our bloodied hands."
Carli looked up from where she was patching up a tank with severe burns from the Hydra. She smiled despite her sadness. "Mrrah'chkkt [Cough], Its good to see you. We'll talk more after this crisis. We need someone to do triage. No other medical personnel have arrived yet. Meet my partner Jen Morse from Paragon City FD Search and Rescue.
Jen looked up a moment and nodded, "Nice to meet you. Unlike Carli there I can't wrap my tongue around your name without concentrating. Are you a doctor?"
Carli suppressed a grin. "Not really Jen but thats a topic for a bit later. Come on we've got lives to save."
Mrrah'chkkt "Technokitty" Hssihn smiled a polite, close-mouthed smile as the three set to work. She glanced towards Dr. Morse and murmured, "Not a medical doctor...or officially any other sort. But I know primate anatomy and basic biology. And I'm what you might cal la quick study..."
"And in this moment, I will not run.
It is my place to stand.
We few shall carry hope
Within our bloodied hands."
Jen smiled, "Good enough. I'm alright over here. I'm leaving the severe trauma for Carli. I think she'll need backup."
Carli knew Jen well and knew that this was Jens way of keeping her from feeling alone. She smiled in her direction and whispered an unspoken thank you. "Come on Techie we've got stuff to do before that Hydra breaks free. I only wish that other medical personnel would get here. We're going to start running ragged. Oh by the way how was that Salmon I gave you?"
Stell would have sighed in relief once others showed up to help with the Kraken, but the instant they did, she shifted into her nova form for the greater power it provided.
---
As Jen entered the ward for those without serious wounds, as tired but still smiling face greated her.
"Hiya Doc, sweet to see you." Tam Khat started to wave from her position seated on a makeshift bed, but quickly winced as the aborted motion reminded her of her broken arm. "Dangest thing today, isn't it? For some odd reason, my regeneration seems.... broken." The catgirl smiled even thought her ears were flat against her head.
Pinnacle
Heroes
When in danger, or in doubt; Run in circles, scream and shout.
Experiment, while trying to shoot the Hydra, was hit by one of the attacks of the Kraken.
Normally, with his body armour, not much would happen.
Now, he was hurt. He got up, but found himself bleeding in the side. He pulled out his healing device... And saw the power out.
"Damn," he muttered, "I have to remember that this thing's energy supply is of no use."
However, the second he said that, he got an idea. Sure, it was a crazy idea, and it probably would not work, but hell, if these Hydra creatures were still powered, then maybe...
He turned to the battle, and shouted "Hey, anyone here have something that can get some sort of sample from the Kraken?!"
"Yeah!" Langley shouted, taking cover behind a tree. A second later, he realized that hadn't been too wise, as the tree was uprooted and flung away by a tentacle.
Cursing, he stormed by Experiment, dropping a gun in his hands - a very odd gun. Shaped like a pistol, it ended in a needle, and Experiment could clearly see a wire and a vial attached to said needle.
"Fire it, let it sit for about five seconds, then pull it back!" Langley instructed him, firing bursts at random intervals to keep the attention on himself and away from the obviously injured Experiment, "I'll cover ya!"
"If I had Force powers, vacuum or not my cape/clothes/hair would always be blowing in the Dramatic Wind." - Tenzhi
Characters
Experiment nodded, jumping behind a rock for some cover. He aimed over the rock, making sure he aimed correctly, and shot the needle and vial at the huge green Kraken. As the needle sailed through the air, he could hear the whistle of it.
The needle struck the Kraken directly where a human heart would be. It implanted, and Experiment 2.0 waited. The Kraken looked down at the small needle, and started to swipe it away. At which, a burst of rifle hit it's arm, from the rifle Experiment held.
As the needle filled, Experiment pulled it back, catching the vial. He pulled open the top, pulled out his Medical device, and opened the battery pack. The pulse was gone, but he dropped a slight drip of the Kraken's sludge inside. The small device lit up green, and Experiment tried it on himself.
His wound healed almost instantly.
He cheered, then started running, putting the vial away. He saw where Coldfire had been thrown through the wall, and ran up. He hoped he could still help him.
The heroes looked up as the began to hear thundering cracks.
"Second volley...." Roars a Master Sergeant of Nemesis as his Armigers fire storm rifle barrages into the Kraken, making it scream in agony.
"FIRE!" And another crackle of explosive gunfire.
((I'll let the Kraken power slide, but you guys seem to be getting the monsters mixed up. KRAKEN is the giant seaweed monster that is fighting Blade and Stella. HYDRA is the giant monster in the center of the lake flinging tentacles at random trying to kill the others. BTW, Coldfire is about on the 4th floor of the building.))
(( Wow, I DIDN'T type it... I thought about the limitations in my head, to make sure it didn't seem overpowered, but I must have kept them in my head. I will post them now. Oh, and that is why I said "Ran up". I really should clarify more. Plus, the Kraken is easier to get stuff from because, well, he isn't nearly as deadly as the Hydra. ))
As Experiment ran up the steps, he thought to himself, over and over, "3 uses for technology, two drops worth. 3 uses for technology, 2 drops worth."
Experiment had been studying for a while different energy supplies for his equipment. He found it was very limited, but there were about 2 sources. The radioactive batteries he currently used, which had been burned out by the power outage, and the Kraken's outer layer, which he had only been able to test once.
He found that, whatever vial he used, he always seemed to only have enough Kraken Power for maybe two uses. Each use, he found, gave his items 3 uses. He used one use on himself.
"I suppose, really, I have 2 uses left. OK, 2 uses, one drop left. 2 uses, one drop left."
He eventually found the fourth floor, and the amazing amount of debris he found was... odd, to say the least. He could have sworn that this was not made by someone being thrown through. This looked deliberate.
"No time to think about that now," Experiment said to himself. "Have to find the wounded he-"
He was interrupted by the volley of gunfire outside. He ran to a shattered window, and saw what appeared to be the villain group, Nemesis, firing into the lake.
But, unlike normally, they did not seem to be firing at the heroes. They were attacking the Hydra.
However, soon enough, Experiment got back into his mind, and continued looking for Coldfire.
"Hey, hero! If you are here, could you please do something to tell me where you are?"
Coldfire heard the man yelling for him and managed to cough a response, "L-Look for the...ciggarette butts..." Coldfire said. He had crawled out of the wreckage and into another room so as to get away from the hole that might have grown bigger, "I...I'm stable for now...need medical help, need...need a hospital." Cold said looking down at his shattered ribs and bloodied right arm.
OOC: *looks around* Seems as good a chance as any to try my hand at RPing a hero. Good thing he's an AR blaster!
BIC: Error. Error. Power levels at 60% and holding. Controlled electric discharge unusable at this time.
"This is not good," stated Solid Shot as he looked down at his armored hands.
The woman leaning wearily up against the wall next to him nodded.
"Yeah. Something screwy's happened all over the city. Normally I should have been eight feet tall and covered in rocks when those Hellions decided to mess with me. Thanks for the back-up, by the way," she said.
"Not a problem," replied Solid as he hefted his rifle. "Higher levels of technology seem to be disabled as well but at least my weapon still works. Now, are you quite sure you can get to somewhere safe?"
"Yeah," she said. "I know a place I can hunker down at until this blows over."
"Good," nodded the combat droid. "Now I need to make my way to Perez Park. I heard that something was going on down there."
The tanker lifted a hand in farewell and then walked down the street. Solid checked his GPS to see which way was the fastest route to Perez from his current location in Galaxy City. To his dismay, that bit of technology refused to work. Calling up his much less efficient memory, curses be to WinBot 3.0, Solid managed to recall the streets he needed to follow. Shouldering his rifle, the hero stepped out of the alley way and onto the main street.
Ahead of him was an ambulance, a pair of bodybags layed out behind it, one of which had an orange-clad arm hanging out of the edge. Solid Shot shook his head at the senselessness of what had occured and kept walking.
Quite a few citizens seemed glad to see a hero still on patrol and Solid recieved many more friendly greetings than he usually got. Of course, he also got more pitying stares and apoligetic comments as well. It seemed as though some people were looking upon their former protectors with less favor than they had before and not even a day had gone by yet. Things did not look well in the long run.
"Some times I wish I had never been created," Solid muttered as he kicked an advanced looking piece of tech out of his way.
Statesman said let there be heroes, and there were heroes.
Lord Recluse said let there be villains, and there were villains.
NCsoft said let there be nothing, and there was nothing.
Experiment did as he was told, and followed the cigarrete butts, and found a man, lying on the floor, bleeding from his ribs and his right arm. Experiment looked at his healing device, then at the hurt hero.
"Well, I have two charges left, and two injuries. Better make it count."
He walks over, kneeling, and puts the device right above the man's right arm. "This will sting for a second, and you will be numb for about 2 seconds." informed 2.0, as he used the device to mend and stop the bleeding of the hero's arm.
Then, he went to the rib. This would be trickier. The rib cage protected the heart, the lungs, and other organs, which if hit with the healing beam when uninjured, would cause them to accelerate so fast, it might cause death.
"This may take a while." Experiment 2.0 muttered to himself, and slowly, carefully, started the healing process.
Because he had to be careful, he couldn't just shoot a ray of healing. He had to lightly click it, so as to let out a slow, but controllable beam. This would probably take a minute or so.
(( I have to ask, has the same thing happened to villains in the Rogue Isles? If so, I can add a villain. ))
"hey, if the kraken lets you get some power back, lets finish it off so we can harvest it. then we can kill the Hydra at full strength." suggested darkgun.
((Villians have their powers, just not here in Paragon. The Rogue Isles are normal...))
Coldfire looked down at the process. He had seen it before, and knew how they worked quite well. After he was done, the hero stood up and asked him, "Are you alright, can you move?"
Coldfire stood up a little unsteady and said, "I have to get out of here...I'm not strong enough to keep fight now, I have to get to a medical area."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Becky and Carlos stood over the charred remains of the many heroes in Dark Astoria. Becky hadn't stopped crying, the only sound in the entire area. The odd thing was, not all the bodies were heroes. Circle of Thorns and the Pantheon must have lost control of their abominations. "We should move on. I heard of more trouble in Perez Park..." Carlos said sadly. "Ok..." Becky said wiping the tears from her eyes.
Experiment 2.0 nodded to Coldfire in reply to him going to a medical facility, and then called to Darkgun in reply.
"Unfortunately, in my research, the Kraken's power only lasts for 3 uses, then the device can not be used by Kraken power again. Which is why I now can not heal, or use my armour," Then, Experiment recalled something, "I might also want to add, it only works on devices. However, I have heard of other villain groups with other types of powers."
Experiment checked his P.D.A. that used to give him his armour and opened the panels of his armour. It was still inactive, but still had Kraken remnants on the inside, meaning if another dose were mixed in, it would cause a mutation, and create another creature, like the Kraken, but much smaller.
And Experiment definately did not want another Kraken.
"Uh.. Anyone here have a device that in 3 shots, could help us hurt the Hydra?" Experiment said, on his way back to battle, as a tentacle barely missed him, and he took cover behind another rock.
"Here!" Coldfire yelled as he threw the Crey Pistol he had to Experiment, "It can freeze it long enough to do serious damage!"
Experiment caught the pistol, and opened the cartridge.
"Yep, just as I thought. The power cell is out. Well, last drop..." As Experiment dropped the last Kraken Power Drop into the power cell, the whole gun became active again. Experiment put the empty vial away, probably needing it later, and aimed carefully at the Hydra's head.
However, the tentacles were in the way. If he hit a tentacle, he would have wasted one shot, and he needed all three.
"Ok guys, you will need to distract the Hydra so I can get a clear shot at the head. Then, we can pound on it, but I will need to keep freezing it so it does not thaw." Experiment informed the group, a tentacle smashing away part of the rock he was behind.
He would need all three shots of the Crey Pistol to be able to keep the creature frozen, so as to keep people from dying, which meant he could not waste a single shot.
"Tell me when I can shoot!"
Darkgun fired at the beasts tentacles, singing them. It tried to hit him with a few of them, but he dogged out of the way. "FIRE NOW!!" yelled drakgun as he kept hitting the tentacles with flames.
Apollon smiles behind the Council mask he sports. "Alright, lead the way" he says to his over-Supe'd compatriot. He follows the Troll down the tunnel to the awaiting boat.