Spacefurry

Chimera blinked at the trio. By the time they had finished their rather ‘impressive’ mental and verbal gymnastics, she was standing there rubbing the covered bridge of her nose. “Okay, okay.” Maybe she was coming at this from the wrong angle. “So you didn’t see the body-“ She started, trying to think. “So then, have you seen… Max?” She asked unsurely.

It seemed the trio left standing were pooling their collective functioning brain cells. It was understandable that they didn’t know who she was, she wasn’t exactly an A-list hero. She had met a few other heroes here and there. She was more focused on her studies and didn’t exactly do interviews. She kinda preferred it that way. Chimera kept her guard up, watching them as she rolled the question over in her mind. Boost and Zoom were highly illegal and her only exposure to them was briefly in a classroom setting. The thought of anything like one of those substances mixing with the symbiote wasn’t something she wanted to consider. “I’m not here about drugs or anything like that.” She tried not to sound too disgusted. Were it can be seen, the techno-organic tendrils growing out of her skin shifted and twisted around her arms and legs. The blood was already slowing, but the wound on her arm was still an ugly gash. “I’m just here about the body that was taken from the morgue earlier this evening.”

Okay

As she stood there, recovering from the last blow she was expecting them to press the advantage. But it appeared she was giving them too much credit. They started bickering and rambling amongst themselves. They came to their senses just in time for Chimera to catch her breath. She debated taking a moment to heal but be used against it. Four of the Yardies were surrounding her and she did not like those odds. Her arm was still sore so she changed her stance. “If you want souvenir, I’m afraid the gift shop is closed. But I’m happy to inform you that the dance hall is open.” Chimera spun, stepped and the sound of her skirt tearing as she swung a kick at one of the gang members was immediately followed by the sound of her foot connecting with his waist. Aiming for center mass was always a good strategy. She followed the spin, albeit a little clumsily, and can to stand with her latest target behind her.

Taking 10 to melee attack. Can’t remember, is that a collected -2 to Toughness saves?

Chimera’s dazed for she loses her action for the round but can still defend herself.

Chimera cursed as the machete slipped from her fingers and slid back up her arm. The blade slashed through her sleeve and found the unprotected flesh of her bicep. Chimera let out a cry of surprise and pain as the shock hit. She staggered for a moment as she grit her teeth and glared at the men, too busy congratulating their lucky strike. It had bit deep and hurt like hell, but the pain helped clear her head enough that she could still focus. She just need a second to catch her breath. She could feel the symbiote stirring as blood ran down her arm, highlighting the minute imperfections of the techno-organic surfaces and staining her torn sleeve.

You just loving flaunting those nat 20's Toughness save DC18: 12 Well, I don't want to use my last HP already So that's a bruise and dazed.

Disarm attempt melee attack: 19 melee disarm opposed roll: 16 so Strength check from the Yardie DC16 to keep the machete. And my luck with rolling continues. you’ll notice the RNGods do not tend to favor me.

Chimera was still fairly inexperienced when it came to hero-ing (she wasn’t about to mess up her chances in college), and when she did she tried to avoid groups of crooks. They came at her nearly altogether, luckily she planned for that and only two of the came within arm’s reach. They flailed at her with their blades and she barely had to shift her stance for one to swing wide. But even as she felt good about that a second Yardie already in mid swing at her. It was flash in the comer of her vision and in her mind she could see it sinking into the flesh of her arm. The machete spraying blood as it’s yanked free. She could imagine the searing jolt of pain from it. This imagery must have spook her, because as she reacted she could feel the symbiote wanting to… do, something? Chimera could feel the itch under her skin covered by the mask of alien matter. She pushed it back though, she didn’t have the time for some new surprise. The machete caught her raised elbow and its sharp edge skated along the hardened techno-organic material, down towards her hand. She tried to grab for the edged blade when it reached her hand, to wrench it out of the man’s grip.

Toughness save vs DC18: 10 ick… That’s more then 5, and I don’t wanna be left dazed already, so reroll. Technically, with her +8 she can’t fail the reroll. But I’ll roll if you want. Had a 55% chance to succeed without a scratch, and an 80% chance to pass with just a bruise. And rolled a 2.

Intimidate check: 9 reroll: 15 not very intimidating

Maybe they were under the influence of enough drugs that her insult actually touched a nerve, or maybe they were just getting tired of her. Either way one of the Yardies decide to step up to the challenge, as it were. The bigger man gave her what she was sure was suppose to be a nasty smirk and raised a chipped, though still very sharp looking, machete over his head to swing down on her. He wasn’t expecting her speed. As the chop came down it met empty air, the gang member didn’t have time to contemplate this as Chimera’s fist struck up to connect with his chin. The force of the blow snapped his head back, his feet actually leaving the floor before he landed on his back with a resounding thud. Chimera stood posed for a moment, her fist still in the air, the larger man laid out before her, his eyes rolled back and his jaw skewed in an unnatural way. “Oops.” Che pulled his fist back and resumed a digging stance. “Guess I hit hit a little harder than I meant to. So? Who’s next.” She taunted with a little more confidence.

They way they were mangling the English language would have had her freshman year ENG 101 professor driving a screwdriver into his ears, she thought with a smirk. Damn jerk kept trying to look down the blouse of every girl in his class. Chimera shook her head. She wasn’t so much worried about the machetes, but if they smartened up and decided to use the pistols it was going to be a slightly different fight. She had to get them to act without using the two or three brain cells they had left between them. She needed to- Chimera sighed. She needed to channel her inner Jamie. “What’s the matter boys? Don’t think you can handle one little lady. Or are the…” ‘Crap, what did they just call themselves again?’ “The… Max… Machete… gang?” That didn’t sound right, but she didn’t really care. “You, all, a bunch of little, ah, babies?” That was bad. So bad. Thank god Jamie wasn’t actually there to hear it.

“I have the distinction impression you know exactly what body I’m talking about.” Chimera looked around at the men. It was obvious they weren’t going to cooperate. The symbiote around her forearms and hands shifted and stiffened in anticipation. The tips of her fingers were claws now, but she balled her hands into fists. She had a couple advantages; she was stronger, faster, armored, and you know… not half-stoned. She just had to subdue them, locate the body and call the authorities. Easy peasy. She hoped. “I didn’t want to hurt you. But if you leave me no choice.” Raising her fists to fight she eyed each of them. If she rushed in, they’d surround her. If she let one of them start, the rest would follow and she might be able to bottleneck them. Extending one hand she made the universal ‘Come at me’ gesture.

Chimera winced at the loudness of the door. ‘So much for being sneaky.’ She thought ironically then looked around at the Yardies as they stared back at her in some confusion. When one of them finally spoke up she tilted her head to catch what he said. Between the music and the accent I t told her a moment to figure out what he had said. “I’m not looking for trouble.” She said, pulling herself up to her full height. All 5’ 6” of it… “I’m here for the body.” Chimera tried to sound authoritative, when at least she tried. She still wasn’t fully confident in her hero persona.

The door wasn’t locked and apparently no one noticed the door rattle over the music… and other distractions. Chimera steeled herself then hesitated for a moment, realizing silver-grey techno-organic tendrils twisted around her limbs and chest but she was still wearing her blouse and skirt. At least she remembered to ditch her lab coat after class ended. ‘Too late to turn back now.’ She thought and firmly opened the door, bracing herself for what awaited on the other side. She winced at the heavy thrumming of music, and had to physically keep from coughing uncontrollably from the stench of illicit substances. Finally she managed to focus and look around the interior.

The trail wasn’t hard to follow. It looked like a single individual had dragged the headless body alone. “Why would someone go through all this trouble for a body?” Chimera wondered out loud as she followed the trail through another back alley. “Was there something that was missed in the autopsy? Maybe something in the lab work that was still being processed?” She shook her head. Idle speculation wasn’t going to help. When she reached the metal steps leading down to loud music and questionable smells she made a face under the mask. For a moment she contemplated just calling at he police with another anonymous tip. But something itched inside her and before she realized it she was halfway down the rusty steps. With each step the stairs creaked a little and another wave of musical pressure washed over her and the smell leaked through the techno-organic mask. ‘Why am I doing this?’ She thought even as she placed her hand on the door. Her nose wrinkled and she screwed up her courage as she tested the door.

Search check: 19

The door clicked open and Chimera smiled in satisfaction. She slipped into the morgue and carefully closed the door behind her. No one would know she was there at this rate and that was fine with her she thought as she turned around to survey the room. She looked at the empty table and froze, her eyes darted around. The head was on the floor not too far from the discarded sheet. Dirty prints littered the area around the examination table, leading back to a broken window. Chimera frowned and carefully approached the head. Picking it up she eyed it a moment, looking for any sign of movement. Satisfied it was lifeless she set it back on the floor. She crouched and regarded the prints, boots from the look of the shape and tread marks. Standing up she moved to the broken window and looked out. It was unlikely she’d luck out and see them loading the body into an unmarked white van like some b-movie cliché. Pulling out her phone she took a couple pictures of the clearer boot prints around the window. She glanced back around at the table and sighed. “Someone needs to talk to the building manager about the lapse of security.” She looked back out the window. “Jamie is going to be mad. I was suppose to bring back dinner this time.” Techno-organic matter spread over the lower half of her face and a pair of wings grew out of her back. Chimera leapt and her wings spread to lift her up enough to clear the soft earth near the broken window. Silver-grey spread over her feet as she landed a short distance away and the wings shrank. She had been practicing with the wings when she could ever since that surprised her that one time. Every time she thought she had a handle on the symbiote, it would do something new and have her scrambling to figure out how to control it. Maybe someday she get it to stop eating things. She looked around for the trail the thieves took to and from the scene of the crime. As she did, she also dialed the non-emergency police number to report the break in.

Leon did his best to hide his surprise at the enormity of the North Pole operation. He was still having trouble believing all of it. How could something like this exist and not be common knowledge? But then again, it was wasn’t it. Just so unbelievable as to hide in plain sight. He kinda had to respect that, he thought as they toured. When presented with the gift for Neko he grinned mischievously. “Oh, I am getting so many brownie points for this. All your cuddle are belong to me. Mwah-ha-ha!” The boy gave a mock villainous laugh. Back at the portal gave their guides a mock salute and a smile. Remembering part of Luke’s conversation with Percy he had overheard, Leon chuckled. “Okay, the Krampus sounds like a party waiting to happen. But are you seriously having a beef with Frosty?” Leon snickered and elbowed Luke and smirks. “Either way, I hope get invited to next throw down Santa Claws. He glances at Eira and gives her a nod.

Dex check DC 10: 16 yay!

Jennifer walked purposefully through the halls to the morgue. Sometimes the easiest way into a place was just walk it like you belonged there. It was made easier since she wasn’t a stranger and knew exactly where she was going. No one paid the student a second glance as she came to the metal double doors. The forward approach seemed the best idea. As Jamie liked to remind her, fast food and late night studies did not a skinny butt make. That had ruled out any of the ‘sneakier’ entrances she might have tried. But that was neither here nor there, she was outside the morgue and everything sounded quiet. No moaning hoard had greeted her at the building’s entrance. No screaming civilians running out of the building. No police barricades surrounding the block. [i]’All in all, a good sign.’[/i] She thought to herself. She reached out for the handle and silvery-grey techno-organic matter formed a second protective layer over her hand. The door was locked and Jen cursed under her breath. She glance at her watch only to find it missing. “Really? Again.” She scolded the symbiote and pulled out her phone to check the time. “This is why I’ll never buy a smartwatch.” It was technically after hours and her student ID wasn’t going to get her in now. She frowned, she didn’t want to do anything to damage the doors. She wondered for a moment, looked around to make sure no one was about to witness what she did. A thin tendril of silvery-grey snaked off her hand to slide between the doors. Jennifer could remember the inside handle of the door if she pictured it. The tendril spread out in search of the inner handle and she tried to open the door.

Jennifer did her best to maintain a visage of merely annoyed, as opposed to the absolute loathing she felt. She ignored Blowfish’s repeated attempts to scare her. Even if they managed to get the jump on her, she thought she could take care of herself. As long as no one was around to see it and reveal her identity. But then, who would believe little ol’ her could handle whatever goons tried to hurt her. Jennifer nodded absently at Dr Gwib’s comment. “One of these days, someone is finally going to find the evidence to put the little bastard away.” Being a part-time hero was well and fine, but it took real solid evidence to put the crooks behind bars. “I can only I’m the lucky one to find it.”

Jennifer looked between Dr. Gwib and Mr. Blowfish, the man’s tone doing nothing to alleviate she scowl. When the short wanna-be Goodfella turned his attention on her she could feel her hackles raise. His beady little eyes made her feel more icky than anything she might run across in the morgue… ‘Oh ya, I needed to check on that tonight.’ She wrinkled her nose at the cigar smell and gave the mobster a disapproving glare. “All inquiries should be directed to the Freedom City Police Department.” Jennifer said coldly as she crossed her arms. She could feel an itch just under her skin. The symbiote was restless, especially after what happen earlier.