GranspearZX

Internet is down here at home, and I won't have a new connection until Tuesday. Gonna try to post from school on Friday and Monday, but this weekend is a bust, unfortunately.

"I'm alive." He rubbed at his chin, stretching a little. It wasn't quite the workout he was expecting, but he had reliable teammates to thank for that one. He smiled, glancing over his shoulder at the three. "That always counts for somethin'. Nice job." He flexed his fingers and the Storm Rune faded from the back of his hands, flickering into silence in a handful of violet sparks. He didn't really do much, but he suspected that the room would have compensated accordingly if he had--no sense in putting the other three in unnecessary danger, and there was no telling how they'd react when they saw him take an animal form. He blinked at Net Fly as he apologized, looking genuinely confused. "Sorry for what?" He knew exactly to what he was referring, of course, but it was probably better not to say anything. He figured he could afford to be a little more forgiving in a closed environment, after all.

Aw, thought I'd rolled and posted already. BUT! Attack Roll (1d20+11+2=15) Ew. Hero point! Attack Roll (HP Reroll): (1d20+11+2=22) +10 for 33.

"I think I know why." Arcturus frowned as he explained; he wasn't exactly thrilled about what he was reading. "I don't get what language this is... but it's necromancy, mixed in with music. It's pretty typical for someone to learn magic through something they're already good at. Makes things a lot easier. He could've done a lot of damage with this..." He thought about burning it. His second thought, though, was a lot more productive. "...he didn't write this. He's just a student; whoever wanted the zombie powder put him up to this... I wanna know who this joker is." Leroy had to die for this little scheme... Somebody's gonna hurt for it. A LOT. Arcturus kept his thoughts to himself, but the glow in his eyes betrayed his intentions.

The girl's change wasn't lost on him, and he found her actions incredibly reckless--coming from him, that was certainly saying something. With her in the way, he wasn't sure if he'd be able to attack Gauntlet--but then, instinct took over. "You're not chainin' ANYBODY," Arcturus snarled. It felt like a barrier had suddenly shattered in his mind; outwardly, he stopped cold and the Earth Rune flared to life across the back of his right hand with a deep green glow. Lines of eldritch power trailed up his arm and surrounded the Beast Rune as he catapulted forward. Rock and stone surrounded his entire forearm and hand, forming a claw more vicious than his natural ones, and he tried to drive it right through Gauntlet's exposed breastplate while both his arms were occupied with the girl.

How the heck did I miss this?! Sorry, Rav. Knowledge (arcane lore): (1d20+14=34)

Lightning attack on #4. :)

Things happened rather quickly, as they often did in a combat situation. One second, he got nailed in the face; he had just enough time to bring his arms up to avoid the worst of a blow to the chest. Still, it was a testament to everything that he'd been to before then that he didn't even so much as flinch at being struck. When an entire cult and a two-ton magical suit of armor were out to get you, robots this size weren't exactly intimidating. Still, he actually smiled when Kristen threw one robot into the other. Part of his forward rush was him wondering if he could trust them to back him up, and they were definitely carrying their own weight, earning them a great deal more respect from him. He figured now, though, wasn't the time to dwell on it; Marcus bull rushed forward and took another lightning-charged swing at the robot that hit him.

Arcturus Playing to a Packed House Run! The Gauntlet Two's Company, Four's a Party Crusader Nothin'. -.-

Invisible Castle was down this morning. :/

Toughness Check: (1d20+9=28)

And Arc brings the thunder... literally! Attack Roll (Thunder): (1d20+11=29)

Marcus nearly laughed when Subito spoke. Full power to bear... heh. Instead, he crouched, settling into a stance as the robots appeared. He knew that they weren't real in the strictest sense of the word, but he refused to let that stop him from doing his absolute best. His hands relaxed, then clenched tightly into fists as a violet symbol branded itself onto the back of both hands--a pair of lightning bolts. They were only in view for a few moments as electrical energy shot up and down his hands and half his forearm. He shot forward, surprisingly fast for someone Marcus's size, making a direct path for the nearest hologram and taking a heavy swing at it.

Arcturus chased after, inwardly annoyed at being ignored. Of course, he knew why... and he had a fairly good idea of how to fix it. Outwardly, he only paused for a second, closing his eyes as he tapped more deeply into the Beast Rune. It pulsed in his ears like a heartbeat when he concentrated hard enough, and the pace gradually increased as he mentally reached out to his inherent magical powers. His eyes snapped open, a violent and angry red glow in them as he shot forward, taking a hard and vicious swing at the back of Gauntlet's legs, unaided by the elemental magic he was using before.

Attack Roll (1d20+12=32) Whoo!

Initiative: (1d20+5=18)

Yeah, he can't speak either. Nertz. :

Marcus took several steps out of the pod, shuddering involuntarily at the disorienting nature of the pod. He looked around the mostly bare room, one eyebrow slightly raised. It reminded him vaguely of the Lab and the tour he'd taken... and having to test his bear form in extreme weather. Other than the annoying vision problems from sandstorms and blizzards, he didn't really feel anything. It was definitely good to know. Weightlessness, on the other hand, he could do without. "Right then. Show time." Marcus held up one hand in front of his face, middle and index fingers extended and hovering near the bridge of his nose. A dark green circle of light formed at his feet, slowly working its way up his body, changing his clothing from his everyday wear to his blue and gold Claremont uniform--almost. The beast-like mask definitely wasn't standard issue. With his back turned to the rest of the group, the Beast Rune was in full view, its edges giving off a faint red pulse through his shirt.

"Oh wait. That was you?" He blinked at Kristen several times, recalling the story he'd been watching on the news. Marcus was actually on campus that night; both he and his roommate had seen it. He hadn't been paying much attention, though, as he rarely really looked at the news when he was working on his art projects. Still, he could absolutely relate--short of the cameras, he'd discovered his magical ability in a similar way. Just thinking about it made it uncomfortable. "I guess the important thing is just to stay calm. This is just a training exercise anyway. No pressure." He offered an encouraging smile, glancing between Serge and Subito. "Super-villain, huh? ...hm." Marcus decided it best not to compare notes. It really wasn't a competition, though the fact that he'd helped rout an entire army immediately surfaced. He stuffed his hands into his pockets and looked up at the ceiling. "No sense in dwelling on past mistakes. I've definitely made some... nearly got myself and my friends hurt more than once. You live and you learn, though, right?"

Arcturus remained in his bear form as the police arrived. His identity, he felt, was better protected that way, even though he did have a mask. He had calmed down considerably in the time between Starlight's intervention and the arrival of the authorities, and he watched in relative silence as they did their usual investigatory thing. He never was quite sure what to do with himself once the police showed up, and to avoid thinking more about his fallen friend, he headed over in Starlight's direction. He tilted his head at the book as she spoke, scratching his head. "Zombie Powder? ...huh. That sounds familiar, but... nah. I've never seen it before." Arcturus knew exactly one necromancer--Nick Cimitere. He was actually a nice guy considering his particular magical discipline, and Arc could swear he'd heard Nick mention it before. The context of why and what it was used for, however, escaped him. "Mind if I look at that book?" All the studying and practicing he'd done in the last year and a half had to be good for something, after all.

Attack Roll (claws, fire): (1d20+12=13) Ouch. :(

Arcturus was still very much aware of the presence of the girl. He sort of had to be; he couldn't be sure what she would do. The worst thing that could happen was that she'd get in his way; barring that, he didn't want to risk accidentally doing something that would cause her even accidental harm. Teeth bared, he snarled and catapulted himself forward, the Flame Rune burning across the back of both hands hissing violently as they focused the flames on Arcturus's claws. He didn't waste any words, rushing forward and taking a broad, vicious swipe at the golem's chestplate, fully intending to tear right through him.

Initiative Roll: (1d20+5=18)

Arcturus felt something. What, though, he couldn't exactly be certain. He was certainly aware that he wasn't alone with Gauntlet, and the scruffy head of the young girl made him pause. The red eyes erased any thought that she was entirely incapable of defending herself, but that didn't mean he was about to let Gauntlet go after her. He was going to have to make a stand. Here and now, it had to end. The golem slowing down allowed him plenty of time to catch up. "Aww. Poor tin man. Can't 'tame' me so he's going after little girls... and you've got the nerve to call me weak? I didn't know the soul of a Spanish warrior could be such a coward." The space around him illuminated as both his hands ignited, activating the Flame Rune as it appeared across the back of each hand. [b]"I'll end you and that sewing circle you call a cult once and for all." Arc was still vaguely aware of the dog that had been following him, fairly certain Rene was watching through its eyes. Despite its presence, he was very much alone in the wilderness fighting something that could possibly be out of his league alone. It wasn't his only option--running away certainly was on the table. The Beast Rune, however, wouldn't let him back down, and for once he was inclined to back its instinctive draw to confrontation. It was obvious that there were others with similar powers to his. That was a little surprising, and he wanted to know how and why. No better way than to eliminate the mutual threat.

Combat. Problem-solving. Escape. Marcus wasn't too terribly worried about the first and last, but he wasn't always the most efficient person when it came to critical thinking. Most times, he could use his magic to find creative ways around problems, but even then, that didn't always work out in his favor. He really was going to have to trust them... He sighed and stood up, stepping into the pod. "So... ah... how much have you guys used your abilities? Just for reference... I don't really know if it'll matter or not. And before anyone asks..." He glanced specifically at Kristen with a wry grin, anticipating her being the one to ask him the same, "I've studied magic ever since my shapeshifting started, so... about a year and a half, maybe two. Still got a good ways to go, but... I can use what I do know pretty well." He patted his pocket; he often carried a small box of sidewalk chalk, and it wasn't simply because he was an artist. He was more interested in knowing if anyone had control issues similar to those he had before he'd started martial arts training. Having one's powers run away with them was a truly terrifying experience, and he wanted to avoid asking something impossible of anyone.