ic Sting in the Tail

[Supercape]

GM

 

"Ah may have told Mr. Abdul here about the Mesa" admitted Mr. Sting, cautious and on the alert. He was sweating, and it clogged his thinning hair to his damp brow. Then again, by the looks of it, Mr. Sting was always sweating. It was hot here, even in the tunnel. 

 

"He looked like a mighty fine gentleman, if you so please. And he paid me, too!" he added, getting to the heart of the explanation. 

 

Now that the danger was ramping up, he had changed his tone from contemptuous to corteous in a mercurial moment. 

 

Abdul whispered softly, his voice and breath smoke, directly to the Dust Devil. "Here is a snake...a low life murderer. A master of poisons and venoms, except every poison is also an medicine. Its all a matter of doses!" he said quietly. 

[RocketLord]

"Shut up." Cassidy's reply to Abdul was short and to the point. He might be telling the truth, but the man of smoke had already shown that his version of the truth was distorted at best. The bit about poisons was backed up by Venomax's introduction. Cassidy looked at him. He was not a local, that much was true. But if Abdul was telling the truth, and the old man was really the Snake, then having an ally in this might be his best option.

 

"I'm the Dust Devil. I found the leaves in Freedom City, they're some kind of drug that has given him a small army of followers. I'm supposed to protect the Mesa, and people like him," he motioned with his head towards Abdul, before turning to the old man again, "are not supposed to be here or be travelling through the Mesa." The man of sand walked closer to the old man, until he stood right in front of him. He ignored the big woman for now. He was still sand, and so far he had found that few things could affect him like this. "I'm only going to ask once more, old man: Did you give Abdul the leaves?"

[Supercape]

GM

 

"Old man? Im fourty!" protested Mr. Sting. 

 

This might be true. Mr. Sting looked like he was fifty. But he had a wiry, weathered appearance that could be due to sun and dust rather than age. Whatever the case, whilst small and thin he had a fast, wiry strength to him, it seemed. 

 

"I didn't sell Abdul no leaf. I don't deal in leaves. Not unless they got poison in 'em, and as far as I know, no damn leaf got any poison in 'em - at least, not any poison worth talking about" he protested. "Toads, snakes, insects. Maybe even a jellyfish. That's where the real juice lies!" he says, eyes glinting when discussing his specialist topic. 

 

"Thats what he would say!" hissed Abdul, still smoke, into the Dust-Devil's ear. "Look at him...does he sound right in the head?"

 

"Abdul...you lying pig!" grunted Mr. Sting. "I'm going to slice you open and make you squeal...."

 

Mr. Sting was angry now, drawing out a small knife from his belt, not much more than a table knife really. It did, however, look like it was coated with something very unpleasant. And toxic...

[Exaccus]

Ah...everything had been going so well when of course people had to happen!

 

What frustrating things people were, Infinitely varied obstacles he had little talent and even less patience to navigate on most occasions, so much work to get them to do anything at all, Mister sting and abdul were going at each other like a cat and dog, accusing and counter accusing, making reasons and excuses and he imagined this was something like how his father was, The Despicable maggot.

 

"Now now... no need to be getting upset, wouldn't wanna risk any accidental poisonings or....abressions?" he hazarded a guess, if he was honest he was fairly tired of all this talking and trying to convince people not to make him poison them but it was always worth giving it the good old college try now, wasn't it?

[RocketLord]

"Shut up, Abdul." Cassidy was getting tired of this. Abdul was annoying enough on his own, and now the old man had to join in as well. At least he wasn't raving about the cosmos or being one with everything like Abdul. Venomax tried to defuse the situation, at least. With a threat of accidental poisoining. 

 

Taking a step back from the old man, Cassidy finally took his physical form again. On one side, a know it all college kid high on drugs. On the other, someone that seemed way too into poison, and a guy in a costume that also dealt in poison. He made sure to harden the sand that made up his body, just in case he tried to come close with that knife. 

 

Pulling one of the leaves from his pocket, Cassidy held it up, making sure that everyone in the cave could see it. "This is one of Abdul's leaves. Smoking it seems to be highly addictive. According to Abdul, he can see the cosmos and just about everything when high on this thing. I need to find his dealer, someone that he called the Snake." He put emphasis on the word dealer, while shooting a glance at Abdul. "You live by the Mesa." He was looking at the man now. "You know he can't be allowed to abuse it." Going for the old man's morality was a long shot, but hopefully one worth taking.

[Supercape]

GM

 

"Ain't seen no leaf like that before" said Mr. Sting. He kept his knife in his hand and advanced towards the Dust Devil and the still-smokey Abdul. "I ain't no botanist either. And It ain't really my business about who smokes what or gets high on whatever. 'Sfar as as I can tell, everybody can do what the hell they damn please" 

 

He grinned the grin of an anarchist. Which was, evidently, precisely what he was. 

 

"That is, unless they get in my way. Sounds like Abdul here, he gettin' in my way...." he said menacingly. "You gonna find yourself eating or drinking something one day, boy, and then its gonna feel like a little twang in your belly first. Then you gonna be lettin' loose your insides, one end or another. And then both. Then, yer gonna find yerself drowning in yer own blood. And I'll make sure it ain't quick, and it ain't pretty...."

[Exaccus]

Things were definetely heating up now, threats of poisonings and all manner of things.

 

"Perhaps now is good time to take a small walk and calm ourselves down before things turn violent hmm? I'd rather not get this stuff kicked off if im honest."

[RocketLord]

The old man was a dead end, then, and he didn't care about the rules of the Mesa and keeping it safe. Just as well, it sounded like Abdul had led him on another detour. And Abdul had screwed the old man over in some way, from the sounds of it, and now the threats were flying. Great. Caught between two crazy people now.

 

At least Venomax was talking sense. 

 

Cassidy stuffed the leaf back into his body before putting himself in between Abdul and the old man, holding his hands up between them. "Ya know, that sounds like a great idea. How about you take this guy," he paused to motion at the old man, "and then I'll take care of Abdul?" He continued to stand between them. His body was harder than rock now, and if the old man tried anything, the blade would most likely shatter. He hoped so, at least. He didn't like all that talk of poisons. 

[Exaccus]

"Sounds grand, i do have some buisness with mr sting still i owe him a sample of my own." he didn't like the idea of giving this man his most potent venom anymore but his word was his bond, surely such a small ammount couldn't do any real harm....

 

"I will require a glass and some time to prepare a coating to prevent it from melting through...nasty stuff it is mr sting,  a small demonstration may also be in order." he said trying to make his offer far more appealing that coming to blows with abdul over whatever had come down between them, at least untill things were more clear!

 

"I use it primarily for fighting those superhumans who think their regenerative powers are indefatigable you understand? it slows them down a little...being stripped of their feelings of invincibility brings them to quick surrender in exchange for the antidote most times...though a few harder heads have tried to wait out the effects and felt some of the longer term effects."

[RocketLord]

At least Venomax was reasonable, and hopefully he could be trusted to keep an eye on "Mr. Sting". To be honest, Cassidy was not sure if that was his real name, a nickname or his idea of a super villain name, but this was the Mesa, so it could all fit.

 

He turned to Abdul instead, staring into the eyes in the smoke. He still had his one trick that could maybe effect Abdul and pull his smoke form along if necessary, but he wasn't too fond of using it, if he didn't have to. Not yet, at least. No reason to tip his hand before necessary. Let Abdul think himself untouchable. 

 

"Sounds like Sting over there ain't the Snake. I'm gonna ask just once more now: Where is the Snake?"

[Supercape]

GM

 

"Glass?" spluttered Mr. Sting. "Ain't no time to be talking about glass. Abdul here is a snitch, a toerag. I got business to attend to. And by business, I mean gutting him and lettin' him boil in my own special juice!" said Mr. Sting, his face a grin of pleasure and a contortion of anger at the same time. 

 

"Ill take you all to the Snake then! Woe betide you all!" said Abdul, melodramatically. 

 

He turned from smoke into flesh again, and proceeded to run - with fair athlectisism, down the tunnel. 

 

Mr. Sting paused a moment. "I don't like whats down there...but I ain't got no choice! its a matter of honour!" he declared, and so determined, he gripped his poison knife and ran after Abdul into the near darkness...

[RocketLord]

No talking sense into Mr. Sting, then. And Abdul was still out of his mind, but at least it sounded like he would finally bring Cassidy to the snake. He was moving surprisingly quickly down the tunnel, and moved with purpose. And Mr. Sting followed. Because of course he did. Cassidy scoffed the sight, turning his head slightly to look at Venomax. 

 

"Judging from that outfit you're either a super hero or a villain. Stick close if you're coming, the Mesa can get plenty confusing." He honestly didn't care if Venomax was a hero or villain right now, but it seemed like he had a stake in what was going on with Mr. Sting, at least. Part of him hoped for the former option, it would be nice with someone watching his back in here, but he wasn't about to trust him without reason.

 

After a short moment of waiting for a reply, Cassidy set off from the ground, flying after the pair of madmen.

[Exaccus]

"Seems the same with you, ill keep close but my powers don't come with rocket skates!"

 

Now there was an idea...combustion engine skates! he'd have to learn how to make a fuel and practise secreting it from his calfs but it could work!

 

"Whats up with you and smokey?" He called as he carried on down the tunnel behind the lot.

 

Today had so far proven intresting.

[Supercape]

GM

 

Abdul was tearing down the darkness like he was born to it. Mr Sting, a little less so, although he seemed as comfortable as any man in the darkness. He was living right next to a tunnel leading into the Mesa. That did strange things to a man's mind, for better and for worse. 

 

Although it Mr. Stings unkempt and insane case, it was probably largely for the worse. 

 

The tunnel bent and twisted, and like everything around here, in more than four dimensions. But it was less twisted than one might fear, and less bent than one might anticipate. 

 

They ended up in a large cavern, dimly lit by diffuse grey light. In the middle a throne of stone, around them carvings and engravings from forgotten times, full of snakes and ancient mad Gods....

 

"Here he is!" said Abdul triumphently, although no-one was there to be seen...

[RocketLord]

"Fine, then. Sorry about this, but it's faster." It might not be the most dignified thing to do, but Cassidy decided to go for it anyway, and picked Venomax up from the ground, carrying him with his hands under the other man's shoulders. He was plenty strong to carry someone like Venomax.

 

"His name's Abdul. He's been spreading those leaves I brought around Southside in Freedom City, and they are somehow connected to the Mesa." He paused for a short moment, taking a certain turn to follow Abdul. "I won't allow him to use the Mesa for something like that, and there's plenty of drugs in Southside as it is. He sees himself as some kind of messiah, the leaves connect him with the cosmos or something like that." Another turn. "It might be nonsense, or it might not. If he got the leaves through the Mesa, it could be true. What brings you out here, to someone like Mr. Sting?"

 

Soon after, they caught up with Abdul in the large cavern. Cassidy let go of Venomax again, quickly scanning the room. Stone throne, carvings of snakes and mad Gods. Everything about this place screamed trouble. They were still in the Mesa, and Snake to be seen or not, that didn't mean nothing was here. He shot a glare at Abdul, doing his best to keep track of Mr. Sting at the same time. He doubted it would be smart to let either out of his sight right now. His body instinctively hardened, becoming as solid as rock. He knew he probably shouldn't ask, but he couldn't help himself. "Where is he, then?"

[Exaccus]

At least its not fart jokes Venomax thought to himself as he was hoisted from the ground and carried by the armpits

 

"I heard that there were some remarkably large and aggressive scorpions around these parts from a contact in my....professional life, i came to study them and potentially learn how to add their particular concoctions to my repitoire." he explained simply "My gifts work well when i have a wide variety of options to choose from, in case someone wises up and starts carrying antivenom....that and it'd make a interesting journal to submit to national geographic." a short, sweet and simple answer perhaps but it fulfilled his purposes nicely.

 

"Mr Sting is purported to be the local expert on such things so i came to see him about potentially getting a sample...Im sure you noticed the rather large scorpion he had in the pen, i offered him a concoction of my own design in exchange. as he appears to be a toxicologist when well....you and Abdul blew in." he explained "rather fascinating! usually the larger the insect the less deadly the poison but it would seem to be the reverse of that particular specimen." he marveled a little at what might've caused such a mutation...what could require such a gargantuan dose of neurotoxin to make prey or deter predators?

 

when they arrived in the room he spared a curious glance around at the walls "we''re here...but it seems we're a few millenia late."

[Supercape]

GM

 

"Blind you are" laughed Abdul, quite haughty in manner. "Time is not a straight line. Not here. It neither straight, nor even a line" he proclaimed, quite confident with the visions the leaf had shown him. One might think his eyes rather glazed and his mind rather frazzled, but perhaps he did have some twisted insight into the place. 

 

"The snake is here. And he has seen you coming!"

 

There was a hissing sound. A slithering sound. 

 

From the four sides of the cavern, the glint of reptillian eyes. The flicking of forked tongues. 

 

And then, into the dim view, came four gargantuan snakes! Twenty feet long, ancient, extinct, but it appeared still very much here. 

 

"What a feast! a feast!" whispered Mr. Sting, quite entranced with the venom that dripped from fangs...

[RocketLord]

Yeah. He really shouldn't have asked. Abdul went on more about all his revealations and all that he knew. Couldn't just talk like a normal person. Cassidy wasn't sure yet if it was because of the leaf or just because of Abdul being a pretentious piece of sh!t. Either way, of course this was a trap. Giant snakes all around them, coming closer than he would prefer. Of course there were giant snakes, when someone called the Snake was holed up inside the Mesa. He would have to flush him out somehow, anyway. Destroy this whole cavern if necessary. 

 

Without a word, and ignoring Mr. Sting's comments, Cassidy threw himself through the air towards the nearest giant snake. He was already forming a blade of sand in his hand, not quite sure where the weapon ended and he began, before swinging it directly towards the neck of the snake. Cut off the head, take down the snake.

[Supercape]

GM

 

The Dust Devils sword of sand, his scimetar of silicon, his dagger of dust, smacked most elegantly and with magnifdicent force into the snake. 

 

The snake was big, the snake was scaled, but neither size nor scale was match for the fury of desert! The blast of sand hit with such prostigious might that the snake was sent into a spin, rolling over and over until it lay, smacked and dazed and then quite clearly out cold against the mysterious stone walls of the mysterious stone cavern....

 

Not that this act of might deterred the other three snakes, that kept on slithering!

[Exaccus]

Venomax for his part shoulder rolled out of the enterance of the cave and against a wall,  slapping his left gauntlets chambers into the correct figuration he loosed a fine mist of stinging liquid, the kind of cytotoxin that jellyfish of the carukia genus.

 

Doing his best to hose the room with the concoction, not concentrated enough to do more than cause a great deal of pain.

[Supercape]

GM

 

The liquid mist was particularly effective on such a large surface area. Perhaps particularly so as the snakes wheeled their heads around to look at Venomax, and elected to open their mouths and hiss at precisely the time the mist hit them. This fortitously meant the stinging liquid hit the bulk of their inner mucous membranes. 

 

Whatever sound snakes make when flooded with pain, they made that sound. And being giant snakes, the sound was suitably giant. 

 

With Venomax and the Dust Devil suitably engrossed, Mr. Sting - with a lithe burst of speed, leapt forward and thrust his blade into Abdul's belly. 

 

"What...what....you stabbed me!" gasped a shocked Abdul, holding his hands to his stomach which was slowly leaking blood. 

 

"You turn on me, you gonna get stung!" grinned Mr. Sting. 

 

"Ohhh....I don't....feel....so...good...." muttered Abdul, turning white. 

 

"It won't be pretty, but you wont be feeling anything soon...." replied Mr. Sting. 

[RocketLord]

One snake down, and Venomax stopped them too. And then Mr. Sting went and made his move. Cassidy cursed at himself. He should have thought of it. The old man had sworn to get at Abdul, and even if he had little love for the drug dealer, he wasn't about to just let him die. Mr. Sting had made it more than clear that the blade was coated in poison, and Abdul's reaction showed the truth in his words.

 

Venomax had said he knew poison, right? Hopefully he could help. With the Sandblade disappearing from his hand, Cassidy threw himself straight towards Mr. Sting, shouting as he went. "Venomax! Keep that bastard alive and I'll watch your back!" Bravado. He hoped he could back it up, as he let a punch fly towards Mr. Sting. 

[Supercape]

GM

 

Mr. Sting was faster than he looked, and no fool despite his appearance. He oozed cunning despite his missing teeth and squinting eyes. He slipped back from the punch and brought his knife up. 

 

"Don't get in the way of justice, mister!" he said, defiantly. "This here is desert justice. I ain't about stabbing any old belly. Just the ones that deserve it. You gonna just let him get away with what he done? You got your own beef with him, aint ya? And I ain't gonna let him jus' talk lies with that there forked tongue. I had an honest deal with him, and he went and stabbed me in the back. Well, I ain't lettin' that lie. He stabs me, I stab him. Thing is, I stab better!" he said proudly. 

[Exaccus]

Ah consarn it all

 

With not another thought and little more than a curt nod of acknowledgement  he flung himself from his cave wall and dropped to a slide on his knees to dodge beneath the remaining striking serpent and right to abduls side.

 

The balistic weave of his costume saving him from the worst grazing he set himself to work, rippinh abduls shirt away and examing the wound, the quicker he acted the better it would be for all involved so after a bit of deductive reasoning he applied the antivenom he'd made sure to memorize before comin out to giant scorpion country.

[Supercape]

GM

 

"What are you doing?" demanded Mr. Sting, taking a step back from Venomax doing his best to neutralise the poison in Abdul. "He deserved it!" he protested, wiping sweat from his brow and cautiously holding up his knife. 

 

Whatever cruelty possessed him, it was blended with some rogue sense of justice. Venomax hadn't stabbed him, and he wasn't - quite - ready to stab Venomax in the back. Besides, it was a step more foolhardy a course of action than his stabbing of Abdul had been. 

 

"Behold!!!"

 

The voice was reptilian and bold. 

 

On the stone throne in the centre of the cave, a man now sat. Tall and robed, his skin scaled, his head that of a snake. His eyes glinted in the pale light, his mouth a serpentine grin. He sat regal and intelligent, surveying the chaos around him. 

 

"What brings you to this place?" he demanded. 

 

"The snake! the snake!" whispered Abdul, still holding his bleeding belly. "I told you he was here!"