ic Pitching In

[Jack]

Jack hung back a little so as not to frighten the woman with his size. "Please Melady, we mean you and your no harm." He said in his thick accent.

[BlazingCoconut]

GM

The imposing woman shook a thick finger at them that looked like she could crack walnuts with, "my baby don't leave the house long enough to be bullied!  I don't think..."

 

She was interrupted by a quiet voice, "it's okay mom, I know them."

 

With a last disdainful look at the pair, she harumphed and walked towards the kitchen, "fine baby, but I'll be in the kitchen making cookies.  You holla if these... I don't even know what they are bother you."

 

"Thanks mom..." he said, "I'll be fine, they'll just be a while."

 

As the two entered the house, they got a better look at the boy who was playing some kind of video game.  He was about 14 and looked about as unathletic as could be.  His unkempt afro seemed almost comical on his head as if he just didn't care about his appearance.  He never stopped playing the video game, which was some kind of fighting affair.

[BlazingCoconut]

GM

While it was not immediately obvious, but a glance confirmed, that the characters fighting on the screen were small representations of Rev and Jack as a bear.  A second glance showed that the background appeared to be the bowling alley that they had just left.  Their opponent were the thugs and even some of the background people were faces that the pair could recognize from the alley.

 

"I hope your friend is okay," the teen said without looking away from the TV.

[Supercape]

Rev

 

"Now that is seriously spooky!" muttered Rev, not quite believing what she was seeing. 

 

"Who are you? What are you? What is that? Who are they?" she said, garbled, pointing at the various things on the video game. 

 

"I mean, that's us, and that's them. And I never seen a video game like this before. Trust me, I know my video games" she explained, having recently got addicted. 

 

"Oh, and yeah, our friend is alright. Probably. I think you hit her to hard when you where playing your fighting game..."

[Jack]

Jack's eyebrow raised in suspicion and he felt his anger rising. Had this kid caused the fight somehow? He held on to reason, but barely. He tried to focus on the thugs, they had been the ones who had harmed Alexa...and they had been dealt with.

 

"Lil'one is tough...she will be fine." He said in a curtain tone, trying to keep any anger from his voice. The beast inside was still on a warpath, still hungry.

[BlazingCoconut]

The boy didn't bother to look up from his game, "no, I don't control anything.  I just can see thing through my games... but you both make sweet characters.  You should come around more often.  But, that's a video game, I'm Damien, they're bangers, and... um... oh I'm in Junior High."

 

The cartoon Jack performed some kind of moving knocking a thug down before the bright words FATALITY flashed on the screen and bear Jack ripped the spine out of one of the thugs, holding up the grisly trophy and grinning at the trio watching.  Rev's arms were flashing across the screen ala Street Fighter style and was battering the thugs all over the place and juggling them in the air.  15 HIT COMBO!  Flashed on the screen as another one went down.

 

From the kitchen they could hear his mother cooking something and the aroma of something sweet baking floated through the small house.

 

"Usually the characters I get lose pretty badly.  It doesn't make for a very good game.  The bangers seem to always be better than anyone they fight and I hate it when that happens."

Edited February 13, 2018 by BlazingCoconut

[Supercape]

Rev

 

Rev thoroughly approved of the ultra violence. At least if digital. 

 

"I'm not sure I approve of the level of violence in this game" she said, sternly, peering at the screen. "In my opinion, there isn't enough violence in it. You need to play Ultra-spinal-gut-blade instead" she said, trying to be serious an not succeeding very well. 

 

"Who made this game anyway? Did you programme it? I mean, I know we are famous and awesome, but I didn't know we where that awesome and famous" she said, confused. 

 

"And who are the bangers?"

Edited February 15, 2018 by Supercape

[BlazingCoconut]

GM

"Well..." the boy said, "there's been more violence in my games lately.  I mean you know a banger is someone that rolls with his crew on the street, right?"

 

He spared a very brief look at Rev as her character's arms whipped about one of the thugs head and apparently reached down his throat and pulled out several very vital looking bits of internal organs. 

 

FLAWLESS VICTORY.  EXTREME CARNAGE!  Prompted the game as she held up her grizzly trophy.

 

"Anyway, the one's in the game are Leon's boys.  They're called the Denim Mammoths and they've set up around the alley.  Leon is tight with lots of people, but he's started to shake down anyone he can."

 

Suddenly, the game shifted, there was a larger thug, decked out in a very cartoonish leather outfit squaring up against what looked like a very ordinary middle aged woman who would lot have looked out of place in an office.  The boy sighed, "yeah, I'm going to lose this fight no matter what I do.  I hate them... stupid OP characters."

Edited February 16, 2018 by BlazingCoconut

[Supercape]

Rev

 

"Yikes! You know I don't actually do that, yeah?" said Rev. Even she was shocked at the level of ultra-violence in the computer game. Flattered as she was, she didn't really feel uncomfortable with the fountain of internal organs bobbing around the screen. 

 

"So, ah...how come Leon and the Denim guys, how come they are suddenly super strong and can toss my friend around like a feather? I mean, I guess its not super powered Denim. Or super powered Mammoths either? Something's got them souped up like a V12 engine running on raw plutonium" she ventured. 

[BlazingCoconut]

GM

The boy shrugged, "there's supers all over.  Enough of them aren't interested in helping people and they end up with people like Leon.  Most of his crew are just guns and knives, but you met Mike and there are others.  They keep a low profile most of the time.  I think you must have just gotten unlucky.  Although, best game that I've ever had so I guess that's good for me, right?"

 

His mother bustled her way back into the small family room, he carried a plate of cookies which was matched with a look that could have melted ice, "I brought you cookies baby.  For you and your... friends."

 

"Thanks mom," he said not even looking away as the woman was beat down on the screen.

 

"Baby, I don't know why you play that stupid game all the time," she said shaking her head and then turning to the pair, "it's people like you that brought my baby to this!"

Edited February 18, 2018 by BlazingCoconut

[Supercape]

Rev

 

Rev was not one to turn down a cookie. Or two. A cookie was a good way to win her over. 

 

"I don't really know what this is, ma'am" she replied. This was a bit of a lie, for she barely had a clue. 

 

"We certainly don't want to get your...urrr....baby....into any kind of trouble". Well hell, except for the kind of trouble which involves having some sun on your face rather than your face glued to a video screen. "In fact, we want to get him right out of trouble!" she added. 

 

"Thing is, we don't quite know what the trouble is! Could you explain it to us?"

[Jack]

Jack understood most of what the boy had said, and the beast had finally begin to calm down as he listened to the boy try and explain things. It seemed clear to Jack that the local thugs had simply gotten ahold of people with abilities. It saddens Jack to think that anyone would turn to street crime when they had the power to help. But everyone was not like him.

 

The mother returned with Cookies, and Jack was beginning to get hungry, he stomach rumbling at the thought of food. He hadn't eaten anything in a long time, which for him was abnormal. He gently took a cookie to quiet his stomach.

 

"Da, we do not want Innocents in trouble melady." Jack said, agreeing with Rev. "But Innocents will be in trouble if we do nothing..."

[BlazingCoconut]

GM

"Video games!  That's the trouble.  Boys should be playing football and baseball not sitting collectin dust on my couch!" she shook her head and walked back out to the kitchen while giving all of them a distinct huff.

 

On screen the round had finished and the game read, PAUSED, while stats flowed across the screen.  The number of 'games' he had played were staggering as well as the sheer number of losses.  If the stats were anything to be believed, it was well into the hundreds.  With the game categories listed as; muggings, murder, theft, and other conflicts it certainly wasn't any game they had ever seen before.

 

Once his mother was back in the kitchen, the boy sighed, "I just want to give them a chance.  Sometimes I can manage an escape... but not often.  It's the Denim Mammoths... you have to stop them.  I've played you, you're good enough to do it.  Would you?"

[Supercape]

Rev

 

"Maybe girls should be doing  that too!" said Rev, sparking up her feisty engine. She was a tomboy by anybodies measure, although she didn't approve of the term. 

 

"Yeah we are good enough to do it!" she continued confidently. 

 

"Just point us in the right direction. Where do we go?" she asked.

 

And what exactly do we do when we get there? We aren't vigilantes....

 

But one step at at time...

 

...unfortunately....

[Jack]

Jack cracked his knuckles and smiled at the boy. "Da, we can handle them." An anger burned behind his eyes as he pictured all the ones this group had harmed... especially Alexa. He looked to Rev, he knew they were strong enough to handle them...but short of killing every one of them, he wasn't sure how to keep them from coming back.

[BlazingCoconut]

GM

The boy shrugged, "well, if it were me, I'd go down behind the potters row shopping center.  I hate that level, there's never any cover.  But, that's why they hang out there, especially at night."

 

His eyes glanced over at Rev, "if they get a look at you... well... you best be ready that's all.  I don't like talking about stuff like that.  It's bad enough on the screen."

 

He sighed and turned back to his game.  What looked like an 80 year old man was squaring off against a guy that looked like a professional wrestler, "aw, come on... that's not even fair."

[Supercape]

Rev

 

"Potters row shopping centre, you say? Yeah, its a really tricky level. I find using my awesome triple-mega-spinal-whirlwind-organ-grinder move works pretty well there" said Rev, lost in thought. 

 

"Well Jack, whenever you are ready. I got enough fuel to get us there easy, and some more in reserve. What do you say?"

 

"Thanks for everything ma'am, and kid!" she gave a wave to them both.

 

It was time to go to Potters Row. And maybe stop off for a refuel on the way...

[Jack]

Jack nodded at Rev. "Da, I am ready melady." He nodded to the boy and his mother. "Please take care, ma'am." He gave them a wave as he and Rev set off. Jack wondered what they were getting themselves into with this...

[BlazingCoconut]

GM

The young man barely waved at them as they left, although the super powered duo did notice his mother watching them through the window.  The fact that she was waving a rolling pin in their general direction was only vaguely worrying.  However, as Rev blasted off carrying Jack more than a few people were surprised at the very strange sight!  Thankfully, it was Freedom City and such things didn't elicit the same kind of attention as they might in other cities.

 

With a pause for some high octane, and perhaps a burger or so, the duo found themselves back in the air and traveling to the Potters Row shopping center.  While the surrounding area was generally decent, the shopping center was both dated and partially abandoned.  Yet the Savers mart which anchored it meant that there was always some, but never enough traffic to make it really safe.  Several of the stores had been boarded up from broken windows and while the management fought a decent battle against the ever present graffiti, it was obvious that they were losing that fight.

 

It was late afternoon and a trickle of people came in and out of the Saver Mart as well as a slightly more seedy group that found the small liquor store anchoring the other end more to their liking.  Both of them could see some people that might fit the description of the Denim Mammoths, but apparently they didn't have anything so easy to spot as a brown elephant on their clothing.

[Supercape]

Rev

 

"Right! This is the place! And this is the time! Lets go!" said Rev, cheerfully, pointing at the centre of the Mall. 

 

Then she stopped, and drummed her fingers together. 

 

She was a bit of a state at this point. The gel skin had pretty much peeled off all her limbs, bar the odd ragged patch here and there. Even a casual glance in her direction would lead to wide eyes. And Rev, despite all appearances, was somewhat self conscious. All the pep talk in the world wouldn't ablate that. She kept it under wraps, but Zhu knew. And the mall, well, the mall was a trigger for those feelings. 

 

"Let go and...errr....well. We need to find them. Hmmm, do you have any bear senses or something?" she asked Jack. "Failing that, I'll take a cunning plan..."

[Jack]

"Da, I can have sense of smell and can track. Perhaps if I had sample of something I could track them..." He said softly. He noticed what looked like a self conscious look on her face and he put a hand on her metal shoulder. "Do not fear Rev, I will stand out as much as you here. You look beautiful with your metal showing." He gave her a small smile. "Perhaps if I concentrated I could remember a scent from those thugs we could use...?"

[Supercape]

Rev

 

"Scent, yeah! that sounds good. I mean...eau de thug! I can see it now. There might even be a market for it? Ever thought of being a perfumer? asked Rev casually, looking this way and that". 

 

She ignored the beautiful comment. No matter how many times she was told, it didn't ring true. She didn't feel ugly, either. She just felt...like she stood out. Which nine times out of ten didn't bother her. But that tenth time really stung. 

 

"In any case, keep your eyes peeled as well as your nose....this is going to be more difficult than I thought..."

[Jack]

Jack breathed out as the change over took him. His skin writhed and his muscles snapped and twisted as his body transformed. Within seconds he stood on all fours, a white Polar Bear in shorts.

 

He sniffed the air to try and pick up a scent.

[BlazingCoconut]

GM

While the pair landing in the parking lot had garnered some attention, Jack turning into a giant bear and snuffling around the parking lot certainly did!  There were some startled cries and more than a couple of people raced for the safety of their cars.  One even went so far as to leave her groceries in the parking lot as she hastily locked all of the doors on her Prius.  

 

More promising, was that Jack could indeed recall the scent of the thugs they had encountered before and more important they had been here.  After meandering around the lot a bit, he got the impression that they had been here multiple times, but that it appeared that they tended to be towards the back of the shopping center.    Looking past the building, there were a few larger apartment complexes which had seen some better days along with what appeared to be parking for those facilities.

[Jack]

Jack had picked up the familiar scent of the thugs. His head raised as he inhalled the scent. A translucent haze of colors filled his mind as his sorted out the myriad of scents around him. He latched on to the scent of the thugs and focused his attention on it. A hazey trail of what looked like smoke filled his vision, a construct of his imagination mixed with his olfactory senses. He bounded off in the direction of the thugs.