ic Freestyle!

[RocketLord]

GM

 

FCU Campus

3PM, January 6th, 2021

 

It had been a normal day for Jennifer. Which meant classes. Lots of classes. While leaving the final class of the day, she had been joined by the professor, one Martin Stillwell. He was a relatively new teacher at the campus, having taken over Jennifer's Computer Forensics class just a few months ago. He was somewhere in the early thirties, with short black hair. He was supposed to be something of a genius in his field. He pocketed his small round glasses as they left the building, heading out into the campus proper.

 

The afternoon sky was starting to grow darker, with grey clouds hanging overhead. The forecast had the possibility of snow, but nothing so far.

 

Stillwell was silent for a short while as they headed in the same direction, before finally speaking. "So, what do you want to do after your studies are finished? Any specific field you're hoping to enter?"

[Spacefurry]

The air was cool and crisp as Jennifer exited the building, classes over for the day. The clouds were a little darker then this morning but the promised snow still hadn’t arrived. Professor Stillwell walked with her as they started across the campus. She was enjoying his class as he really seemed to know his stuff.
 

6 hours ago, RocketLord said:

Stillwell was silent for a short while as they headed in the same direction, before finally speaking. "So, what do you want to do after your studies are finished? Any specific field you're hoping to enter?"

“Hmm?” Jennifer had been lost in thought for a moment, then she smiled. “Oh, honestly, I was hoping to get into criminal forensics. I really hope I can help people someday.” She sounded hopeful if not a little embarrassed. “I know, it sounds a little cheesy. But I love science, and it’s been my dream for years.” 

[RocketLord]

GM

 

Stillwell smiled, nodding at Jennifer. "A bit cheesy, maybe, but there's worse things than cheesy."

 

He paused for a moment while they continued to walk.

 

"You do know that all those CSI shows aren't how it really works, right? I mean, its all very exciting, but that's not quite how everything works."

 

He smiled again and shook his head. "If you knew how many disappointed students I've seen..."

[Spacefurry]

Jennifer chuckled. “I know, which is a good thing since I don’t think I can pull off the pigtailed goth look.”

Her smile turns a bit rueful. “Sometimes though, I wish it could be that simple. I think a lot more people would get the closure they deserve.”

Jennifer smiled again “If I can help bring that closure, this will all be would be worth it.”

[RocketLord]

GM

 

"The campus rules forbid me from answering that," Stillwell replied with a quick laugh in his voice. "And that's good. That's a good way of looking at things."

 

While they talked, Jennifer couldn't help but notice a hint of movement above. A slim figure moved across the rooftops of the buildings on campus. It was difficult to make out any colors or exact forms in the darkness, but it looked like a slim woman, who was almost dancing across the rooftops, like she was gliding along.

 

She found her goal, it seemed, slipping into an open window on a building housing scientific research.

 

"I'm sure you'll do just fine, but make sure to finish your studies. Trust me, the real world will teach a lot, but you'll need to figure out the basics first."

[Spacefurry]

Jennifer continued to smile as they walked. Movement caught her attention and she looked up towards the roofs as Professor Stillwell spoke.

“hmm?”

She tried to follow the figure without being obvious, but quickly turned her attention back to the professor.

”Ah ya, I plan on making the most of my studies. Besides, my mother would skin me if I wasted the track scholarship I was offered.” Jennifer said jokingly even as she noticed the figure slip into one of the science buildings. “Anyone entering a building through an upper story window probably shouldn’t be there.” She thought to herself. “I should probably check that out.”

Glancing at her watch Jennifer gave a quick excuse. “Oh shoot, I just remembered I’m suppose to meet my friend Sammie.” She gave Professor Stillwell a friendly smile. “I’m sorry Professor, thank you for walking with me. I’ll see you in class.” She gave him a quick wave and hurried off towards the science building.

[RocketLord]

GM

 

The professor looked after Jennifer as she left. "Have fun. Don't forget to read for the class tomorrow." He seemed completely used to the thought of students running away from him eventually, then turned and continued walking.

 

Reaching the science building, Jennifer would find it just as active as one would suspect at 3PM, with students and professors coming and going, doing whatever they did in there. The window was still open. So far, she had not seen anyone leaving by the window again.

[Spacefurry]

The lack of screams and panic was a good sign. Jennifer tried to judge the location of the window and threaded her way through the bustle of the student, heading for the elevators.

She tapped her foot as she waited patiently. Sure, she probably could run the stairs faster, but that could draw unwanted attention if she passed people. Once inside, she pressed the button for the floor of the open window. Mentally, doubt crept in for a moment.

 ‘What am I going to do if someone did break it? I should call the cops.’ Curiosity poked its nose into her thoughts. ‘What could anyone be after though? It’s a college science building, not Astrolabs or something.

Jennifer supposed she was just going to have to find out for herself.

[RocketLord]

GM

 

The elevator seemed to take forever to reach the sixth floor in the building. The kind of elevator that just barely seemed to move, endlessly, slowly, creeping along.

 

The, finally, the big 6 lit up on the display and the doors opened into a dark floor.

 

The lights were turned off. The floor seemed empty, with an open office plan, littered with desks and computers, some open spaces reserved for a number of larger projects, including what appeared to be some sort of virtual reality project, with goggles sitting on a stand in front of a screen, a threadmill and a large robotic arm. Each corner of the floor had a large room with the walls made of some shaded see through material, enough that you could see if someone was moving around inside, but without being able to make out any details. Each of these rooms had a large door that seemed to be unlocked with an access card.

 

One of the rooms, close to an open window, was open.

[Spacefurry]

Jennifer tried to creep quietly into the office space, her eyes squinting in the darkness as she peered around. Spotting the open window she had seen from below she took note of the door nearest to it standing open. Inside the walled off room Jennifer could see a silhouette moving around.

The hair bristled on the back of her neck and she licked her lips nervously. A familiar tingle crept over her skin, the symbiote responding to her tension began to spread over her flesh like creeping techno-organic vines. "Take it easy." She thought at it. "Maybe there's a perfectly sensible reason someone snuck in through the window... to rummage around an empty office... in the dark." She took the tingle of the symbiote on her cheek to mean it doubted her assumption. "Your objection is noted."

As the symbiote covered her nose and mouth Jennifer tried to slip up to the open door and peek inside.

[RocketLord]

GM

 

Jennifer peeked inside the door, into the open room and... the room seemed perfectly neat. A desk with a computer, with wires from the computer attached to what seemed to be a high tech arm. The kind of thing you would see on cyborgs in science fiction movies. It looked futuristic, made out of plastics of some kind, probably with parts built from the 3D printer on the desk in the corner.

 

A young African American woman in a skin tight costume kneeled by the computer. The costume was dark and light grey, with the main parts of the costume being cast in the darker color. The side sides of her abdomen, her thights and the inside and back of her legs were in the much lighter grey color. She wore orange inline skates with bright red wheels and fingerless gloves in the same dark grey as her costume. Her arms and shoulders were bare. She wore a helmet with an orange visor in front of her face, the rest cast in lighter greys, her hair hanging freely from the back of it. She seemed completely absorbed in the computer, rapidly clicking through the menus. 

[Spacefurry]

Jennifer didn’t... No, the symbiote was out, she was Chimera now... Was ever going to get use to this?

Chimera didn’t recognize the girl’s costume, not that she was all that well verse in the hero community. She was going to have to start checking the news more to try to keep up. If the girl was one of the good gals, there shouldn’t be any problem. If not, this could be trouble. Taking breath behind the techno-organic mask Chimera steeled her nerves and stepped into the office.

“Don’t suppose I could see your university ID?”

She tried to sound casual, but confident as she stood there and crossed her arms. The tendrils of silvery-gray wrapping and twining around her arms, legs and torso. Patches of her jeans and blouse visible underneath it all. Her mouth and nose were covered in a mask like covering, framed by her short black hair. The black of her irises seemed to blend in with her pupils in the dark of the room.

”Nailed it.”

[RocketLord]

GM

 

As she stepped into the office, she noticed a tripwire, managing to step over it without triggering it. 

 

"Huh?" The woman turned around casually, flashing a smile from beneath her helmet. "Really? That's what you're gonna lead with?" She turned around fully, moving away from the computer screen, her feet gliding into position on the floor. "That's a good look. Where'd you get tech like that?"

 

She stood in front of the screen, moving to make it difficult for Chimera to see it, but it seemed to be showing some sort of progress bar.

[Spacefurry]

Chimera’s eyes flickered to the glimpse of the screen she caught as the other woman turned to face her. She looked back at her and uncrossed herself arms.

”Found it.” She said with a tilt of her head. “Now, I’m going to have to ask you to step away for that computer. It’s university property.”

Chimera tried to sound authoritative as she took a step towards the woman.

[RocketLord]

GM

 

"That's cool." The woman moved a bit, closer in front of the screen.

 

"Really? You're just going to ask me? That's awfully nice of you." She reached out and touched the mouse, clicking away from whatever was happening on it, before sliding to the side.

 

"See, nothing's wrong. Just needed to borrow the computer for a sec."

 

She was grinning behind the helmet.

[Spacefurry]

“Riiight.” Chimera drawled as she stepped forward towards the computer. Trying to keep an eye on the girl she added. “I suppose all the ones in the computer lab were taken. And you came in through the window because you don’t like elevators?”

Mentally she facepalmed. “Why didn’t I call campus security before I came up here? I am such an idiot.” Chimera tried her best to keep calm.

”Why don’t we just wait for campus security to come, we can sort this all out.” She tried to bluff hopefully. 

[RocketLord]

GM

 

"No, obviously not, but I kind of needed this one." The woman's grin only grew as she looked at Chimera. She moved a bit, stretched her legs, then her arms above her head.

 

"Alright, I think that's enough foreplay. So, how do you wanna do this? Get the room all messed up and ruin the tech? Fight my way out past you? Rooftop chase? I mean, if you just wanna let me go, I'm good, but I'm kind of one a schedule here."

[Spacefurry]

Chimera eyes the woman and manages a small smirk. “I guess quiet surrender is off the table. You can run, but I think I can catch you.” She added, some confidence in her running abilities.

”First things, first though.” She thought and lunged for the computer’s power cord, hoping to pull it and stop whatever the girl was attempting.

[RocketLord]

GM

 

The moment Chimera lunged, the woman moved too. While Chimera went low, heading for the power cord, the woman went high, planting a hand on the table, pulling an USB key out of the computer with the other, and then vaulted over Chimera, landing behind her, front facing her.

 

Already skating backwards away from Chimera and into the larger room, she blew the hero a kiss on the way.

 

"Come on, then. Show me a good time!"

[Spacefurry]

Chimera cursed under her breath. She hadn’t even noticed the USB. Scrambling, she gets her feet back under her.

On 1/26/2021 at 5:30 AM, RocketLord said:

"Come on, then. Show me a good time!"

”Don’t make this harder for yourself.”

’Wow, that sound lame even to me.’ She thought, mentally wincing at what she just said. She was going to need to work on her hero speak.
The woman was rolling back already, obviously easy to make run... skate?... for it. Chimera rushes after the other girl, trying to be careful of the tripwire by the door. She tries to grab for her.

[RocketLord]

GM

 

With Chimera reaching out and grabbing hold, the woman smiled behind her helmet.

 

"Maybe I like to make things harder on myself, yeah?"

 

She pulled away quickly, slipping out of Chimera's grip and spinning around, her wheels running at full speed as she sprinted towards the opposite end of the floor, dodging and weaving between desks and chairs almost like they weren't there at all.

[Spacefurry]

Chimera had closed the distance between them and grabbed hold of the women before she could back up further. She smiled back confidently only to have the her easily twist and slip away.

“Hey! Come back here.”

She called after the escaping woman. Chimera ran to catch up, doing her best to avoid the desks, chairs and other obstacles.

’How is she so nimble on those things?’ She thought both impressed and annoyed. She tried to judge the woman’s movements. When she thought she had the chance Chimera vaults one of the desks and tries to tackle the would be thief. 

[RocketLord]

GM

 

"Nah, that wouldn't be any fun."

 

She was actually laughing now, as she moved away from Chimera, further away, towards the opposite side of the building. The moment Chimera leapt across a desk to grab her, the woman slid down into a split, while throwing a small disk up right in front of Chimera's face.

 

It promptly exploded, filling the floor with black smoke.

 

"Gotta be faster than that to catch Freestyle, kid!"

 

Chimera could hear the sounds of skates, then the sound of a window being smashed.

Edited February 2, 2021 by RocketLord

[Spacefurry]

Chimera did her best to roll with her failed tackle, only to find herself face to face with a smoke bomb.

the smoke filled her vision and somewhere she heard glass break. Climbing to her feet she scrambled towards where she had heard what she assumed was a window.

‘We’re on the 6th floor, is she crazy?... Think about Jen, if she jumped out the window she must be confident she can escape. After all, it is how she got in.’

Stumbling around furniture, Chimera followed the feel of the colder breeze from outside to find the window. She couldn’t let... ‘Freestyle, is that what she called herself?’... She couldn’t let Freestyle get away. Not after making a complete fool of herself so far.

Once she can find the window, Chimera tries to locate Freestyle, looking around below. Then chides herself and scans the nearby rooftops, listen for the other’s escape.

[RocketLord]

GM

 

"Yo! Up here, slowpoke!"

 

The shout came from the roof on the building above the shattered window. When Chimera looked up after the sound, she saw Freestyle up there, happily waving at her.

 

"C'mon, that's the last chance you get to keep up. Make this fun for me, yeah?"

 

Then she pulled back, out of view.