ic Mind And Matter

[Dracostern]

Cerebral and Cerebellum 

 

Cerebral shuddered as she felt so far away from everyone. The young woman took a few short breaths. She knew that she was fine, but the feeling of loneliness threatened to overtake her. Iris would finally take a deep breath once her powers came back and she would speak. "Umm...yes...yes I'm fine. What did you find?" 

It seemed as if Iris a different brain wave pattern to most normal humans. Likely due to psychic abilities.  

[RocketLord]

GM

 

The machine continues to run. 

 

"Still running... sorry, it's taking a bit, but yeah, I'm getting some great readings here. Looks real different." Tracy sounds excited, with a large number of text running over her screens, while the image of Iris' mind continue to light up in different areas.

 

Suddenly, Iris has a distinct feeling that something is wrong. There is a whisper at the back of her head, a voice that cannot quite make out, with a slight echo. A voice in her mind, one that the others cannot hear. 

 

As the machine continues the scan, the voice slowly begins to rise in volume, and finally, Iris begins to make out the words.

 

found you

 

Almost as soon as she can make out the words, sparks fly from the helmet and Tracy screams.

[Dracostern]

 

Cerebral and Cerebellum 

 

Iris took a deep breath and concentrated. It seems as though things were going fine for a little bit...then she felt it, a tugging on her mind. She had a feeling that this was not the machine...then she heard it. A voice, a familiar voice, as soon as she heard it. Her heartrate began to increase, her breathing too. Iris began to struggle. "TURN IT OFF! TURN IT OFF!" 

As the machine sparked. Daniel grew concerned and tried to push his way into the room to take the helmet off his sister. "What are you doing?! Help her!" He snapped at Tracy, fear overtaking him. He had a feeling that he knew what had caused his sister to react this way. After all they did share a past.

[Poncho]

"Hey, what in the world!?" Michael was quickly whipped around from trying to understand this figures to the sparks flying from the helmet and Tracy screaming. "What's happening!?" he wasn't expecting an answer, really, he was just going to have to take an action. Parker would protect his sister right? That's what siblings do. And Daniel was yelling, moving to take his helmet off his sister, so what was he going to do?

 

He moved towards Daniel to try and help get the helmet off, not sure what else to do in this situation.

 

"Parker, what's up with your sister? Some kind of bug in the machine? Seems bad!?"

[RocketLord]

Spaceman

 

Everything is fine, until it isn't. Iris is screaming, the machine is sparking. Daniel and Michael immediately spring into action, moving to Iris. 

 

Parker is instantly by Tracy's side. She is still screaming, still struggling. The helmet continues to spark, even as the other two pull it off Iris.

 

"Tracy! What's happening?" There is no response, she is flailing and screaming still, entirely unresponsive.

 

"Michael! Daniel! What's going on with Iris?"

[RocketLord]

GM

 

The charts on the screens are lighting up, showing immense psychic energies.

 

ran away

 

Even as Daniel pulls the helmet off, Iris continues to hear the faint voice, in the back of her head, whispering.

 

thought you could hide

 

Tracy is flailing and screaming in Parker's arms and then, she goes completely still, like she is unconscious.

 

no one can hide from me

 

As the voice grows louder, Daniel begins to hear it, alongside Iris. A voice from the past. A voice that the twins had hoped to have left behind.

 

i am everywhere

 

The helmet sparks once more and starts to smoke. A sickly, pale blue smoke.

 

my agents are everywhere

 

By now, Parker and Michael are starting to hear the voice, no longer a whisper. 

 

you will be mine again

 

The sickly green smoke begins to take a shape, twisting and turning, a dark body with a glowing blue skeleton visible inside the shape. 

 

you belong to me

 

Behind the skeleton, a massive head appears, a large dark pink face, with its features twisted into an angry snarl. But what is far more apparent is the massive brain that has spilled from its skull, easily as large as the rest of the head.

 

you belong to the Big Brain

[RocketLord]

GM

 

get them

 

The Big Brain's mouth moves as he gives the command, but they all hear his voice in their heads. It is obviously much more for the intimidation factor than it is to actually give the order, as the Apparation moves directly towards Cerebellum, moving with a purpose guided by the Big Brain's will.

 

Blue lightning crackles behind the silent being as it moves. It's movements are erratic and stuttering, like it skips several steps with each movement it makes. Is it quite there or not? It is difficult to say. 

 

It reaches out, placing a hand on Daniel's shoulder, and it feels like lightning courses through his body.

[Dracostern]

Cerebral and Cerebellum 

 

The twins both froze as soon as they heard the voice in their head. They knew exactly who this was. Both were shaking. Even the stoic Iris looked extremely pale. "No, no no..." She muttered before the construct and more importantly, to them, the projection appeared in front of everyone. Daniel had to resist bolting right then and there, and Iris held back a scream of terror. Both looked extremely out of it, so it was easy for the skeleton being to touch Daniel, though he resisted it's attack and stared up at it, terror in his eyes. 

 

---
Cerebral 

Iris took a deep breath, she too felt panic well up within her, but she had to protect her brother, she had to do something! So she got out of the creature's way before sending a purple mind blast at it. "LEAVE US ALONE!" She cried out.

[Poncho]

(Golden Star)

 

Michael frowned. He took in the apparition, the big blue Skeleton, the big pink head and the giant brain attached to it. He could hear it, through his brain and into his teeth and rattling around his skull. 

 

"that's LOUD!" he complained, taking a step back as the creature touched Daniel. His brain was still going through it, but he could see that thing might not be entirely sized. He took a glance around, abusing how fast his brain worked.

 

He dashed over to Parker instead of staying close to the apparition, pointing at Parker's sister.

 

"Here, let's trade. I'll take her out of here, you help them with that thing, whatever it is. I'm not exactly sure what it is and you're more likely to have some way to affect it without something bad happening; if it's not real or purely a brain thing I can't punch it but you can probably stop it or something. I'll be back as soon as she's safe." he said, reaching for Parker's sister. "We're smart enough to know how to work together, right, my Bash Brother?" he grinned.

[RocketLord]

Spaceman

 

Everything goes too fast. And Tracy is there, and she's in danger. What should Parker do? Save her? Help his friends?

 

Michael takes care of that issue, at least, when he speeds off Tracy.

 

Alright. Everyone is still in danger, but now everyone here can fight, at least.

 

Can he even touch that thing? He isn't sure. Instead, he focuses and tries to freeze it in place... and it doesn't work. It's too damn quick. He'll have to punch it, then.

[RocketLord]

GM

 

"Hey!" Tracy does not sound happy about being taken away like that, but at least she understands why. "You better get back there as soon as you can and help out! If that big brain thing is a psychic, then try to break the connection or something!"

 

Back in the laboratory, the Big Brain stares intensely at Iris and Daniel. It seems like he doesn't even care about Tracy, Michael or Parker. He seems to radiate pure hatred, as the Apparation moves towards Iris. One moment it is by Daniel, and the next it is by Iris. Teleportation? Or just fast? It doesn't matter.

 

It reaches out for her, but before it can touch her, Parker is between them. The creature's touch sends shocks through his body, but he can take it, at least for now.

[Dracostern]

Cerebral and Cerebellum 

 

Iris seemed prepared to attack the Big Brain, but needed some help. Daniel looked over at her and nodded. The two had been through a lot together, had worked for this thing together. They may have run away now but now they could stand up to him. So both young psychics would focus a Combined Attack at the Big Brain, hoping to overpower him together a large wave of purple energy shot out from both their heads and struck the Big Brain...but nothing happened, both looked doubtful then scared once more as their brave front faltered slightly...though Daniel recovered before Iris and glared at the Apparation. 

 

It was only then that they heard Tracy and nodded, ready to try something different next time...

Edited November 25 by Dracostern

[Poncho]

(Golden Star Post)

 

"That's a little vague, but got it. I'll just need to think for a second on how to actually do that!" Michael said before turning back to speed back into the fray. "So how do we break the connection?" he asked Parker and the Twins. "Cut the power? Blow something up? I'm not exaxctly sure right now." he said to them as he looked between the Apparition and the Big Brain projection. His eyes glowed for a bit, then blasted a bolt of red-yellow light from them, directly at the Apparition. He wasn't even sure if it was going to work or not, but he figured he could at least give it a chance while thinking of his next idea.

[RocketLord]

Spaceman

 

"Distance doesn't seem to matter to them," Parker says, responding to Michael's question. This isn't anything he knows how to do. He's not some super genius like Tracy. He can be creative with his powers, but that's about it, but the big brain doesn't seem like they can hurt it, and the damn apparation doesn't seem like they're hurting it either.

 

"I'll try to keep that thing busy. I don't know anything about psychics or anything, so, I don't know, break the helmet or something?"

 

He moves forward, tackling the apparation to the ground. It doesn't seem hurt. What is it made of?

[RocketLord]

GM

 

The Big Brain looks around, staring at the scene around him.

 

He is withstanding the twins' psychic attack with ease, but they know that he is more powerful than them, at least as they are now. Still, he does not strike back, instead focusing on the apparation.

 

It touches Spaceman, and he groans as it sends a shock through his body that stuns him, at least for the moment. 

 

Only, he is not really there, is he? He is somewhere far away, looking in.

[Dracostern]

Cerebral and Cerebellum 

 

"Parker!" Iris cried out when she noticed the Apparation attack him. Everyone would notice that Iris was being way more emotional then she normally acted. She would look around and spot that helmet she wore before this chaos started and got an idea. "Daniel, Michael, keep attacking the thing! I have an idea!" She would rush towards the helmet and put the thing on. It still seemed to work and her powers were boosted a little bit, she would look at the Big Brain projection and yell at it. "MY BROTHER AND I AREN'T GOING BACK!" With that she used her temporary applified powers to block his vision, attempting to obscure him and preventing him from peaking in. 

 

Meanwhile, Daniel nodded and turned to the Apparation and focused. Purple waves shot out from his mind towards the creature as he attempted to Mental Blast it!

Edited November 30 by Dracostern

[Poncho]

(Golden Star)

 

"Hah! I like it~ You tell 'em, Cerebral!" Michael called cheerfully as Iris yelled at the Big Brain. "I'd say we're not gonna let anyone take you two anywhere, but you don't need us to protect you." he said supportively as he turned his attention to the Apparition. If it could take his laser beams, he'd just have to give it an even more direct shot, so he clenched his fists and charged forward, turning into a streak of sunlight for an instant before he became solid again in front of the Apparition, reappearing in front of the creature with his knee explosively connecting with the creature's face with a sound like a cannon going off and a crack of air splitting the area.

[RocketLord]

GM

 

no

 

The Big Brain calls out, the anger in his voice almost a physical thing that they can touch. Iris spreads a blanket of psychic static across the area, blocking everyone from looking in from afar.

 

The Apparation stops for a moment. Already reeling from Daniels' psychic assault, it just seems lost for a moment, and then Michael is on it, a golden hero unleashing a barrage of hits. The moment his knee connects with the strange being's face, it almost seems like it starts breaking apart, part of it breaking into small cubes as it begins to fall backwards.

 

It is almost like it moves in slow motion as it begins to fall, before, as it hits the ground, it explodes into the small green cubes that fall all around them, before fading away.

 

The last of the Big Brain's link to the area broken, his projection begin to fade, but he has time for just one final threat...

 

freedom. you're in freedom. i will find you. you are mine.

 

And then, he is gone.

[RocketLord]

Spaceman

 

Parker has not felt pain like this for a long time. Not even before he got his powers, before he became tougher than, well, just about anyone he personally knows, if he is to tell the truth. The pain shoots through his entire body for a split second, like something is disrupting his body cohesion and then, he is just numb. Can't move. Can't talk. Can barely think. 

 

He tries to move. Tries to push it away. He hears Iris yelling for him. Part of him is happy about that, that they care enough about him being hurt, but he can't focus on that. Not right now.

 

Instead, while he faintly registers Michael taking down the weird grreen ghost being and the Big Brain issuing a final threat, he focuses inwards. Gather his body together. Push the disruption out. Can he do that? Is that how it works? Pushing a feeling out of his body...

 

Apparently, as a moment later, he falls forward, catching himself on the floor with both hands and breathes out heavily, before quickly looking up at Iris, Daniel and Michael. "Did you do it? Are they gone?"

[Dracostern]

Cerebral and Cerebellum 

 

The twins shivered as the Big Brain gave his last threat. They had a feeling that this was not the last time they would have to deal with that scumbag. Maybe they will be more ready next time...still they were both shaking in their boots, and breathing sighs of relief. Once the duo were sure he was gone. Iris would take off the helmet and move over to help Parker. Iris would speak up and look at everyone again. "Is everyone alright? We should get you some medical help Parker, Tracy call the hospital!"  She would call back to Parker's sister.

 

Daniel, meanwhile, looked down. He felt very guilty for pulling his friends into his family's issues, though it was not really his fault. He would sigh and look at Michael and Parker before speaking finally. "I'm sorry about that guys. I suppose I should explain..." Iris turned and looked at her brother, wanting to speak up, but was shushed by Daniel. "They need to know Iris..."

 

His sister nodded and kept quiet as he spoke. "...I suppose you want to know who that is. That was The Big Brain. He's a powerful psychic and crime lord from Emerald City..and the reason we have our powers. You see Iris and I were orphans from Emerald. One day some people picked up off the street. They were thugs of the Big Brain, and he did experiments on us...that is how we got our powers..." Iris moves and rubs Daniel's back encouragingly. "...he wanted us to be super criminals under his control, and we were for a bit...but we didn't want to be bad guys, so when a local Emerald Hero broke up one of our heists we fled to Freedom City and well...that's why we are here. We're probably still wanted in Emerald City under the names Stem and Corpex...and the Big Brain definitely wants us back."

 

The twins looked down. "We are sorry for dragging you all into our mess." 

[Poncho]

(Golden Star)

 

"Yeah I got him." Michael said, stretching his arms above his head and interlacing his fingers to crack them as he bled off excess light, going back to normal instead of a shiny searchlight. He rolled his shoulders and looked around, then focused in on Iris and Daniel as they talked.

 

"Huh." he said finally when they finished, thinking about it.

 

"That's pretty heavy. I feel bad for you two, having to deal with that. It's not something I have any experience with, really." he had his own way that he got his powers, but it wasn't anything near as bad as that, and he wanted to be supportive of the twins, so he just smiled at them. "I'm sorry that you had to deal with someone like that, or do things you didn't want to. That you didn't have a family besides each other, that you didn't have a choice in how you wanted to live your life. None of that is fair to you." he declared.

 

"...I'm not gonna pretend I can make it all better or anything, that's not in my power. But don't apologize for bringing this around to us. Parker and I decided awhile ago that our job was sticking up for others, no matter who they were. So I'm the kind of busybody that's going to get in your business and help you with it if you need it, especially because you two are my friends. That's what people like me do when someone needs help, you know?" he smiled.

 

"So if you're ever in danger, just let us know. And if you ever need someone to listen, that's what we're here for. Never apologize for needing help."

[RocketLord]

Spaceman

 

"No, I'm fine. I don't need a hospital. It just stunned me." He stands up fully, with Iris' help, even if he is still wobbling a bit. He wasn't sure that he could use his powers like that. "It's been a while since I felt something like that. Thank you."

 

Parker listens to their explanation, while Tracy slowly moves back into the room. She looks around at mess, with a heavy sigh.

 

"Yeah. We're with you." He feels like he could be more eloquent, like Michael, but his head is still buzzing from that hit. "I'm sorry you had to go through all that, but you're not alone anymore. We're right here, and we're sticking around. Just tell us what you need, and we'll help you. I won't let him take you."

 

If he can even do something about it. Psychic powers are not really the kind of thing that he has much experience with.

 

Looking at the destroyed helmet, Tracy sighs. "I'm really sorry about this, guys. I had no idea anything like this could happen. If I knew someone was looking for you like that I would have put in better safeguards, or figured out how to make that or... or anything. I never meant for this to happen."

[Dracostern]

Cerebral and Cerebellum 

 

The twins looked at everyone and Daniel teared up a little bit before rubbing his eyes. Iris, meanwhile, would simply look down for a little bit to process what the others were saying. Still both siblings felt relieved to hear that they had the support of their classmates...no...their friends. 

 

Daniel would move over to Parker and Michael before wrapping them in a brief hug before pulling away. "Thank you...that means so much to me, to us...you two are amazing people, you know that." He wiped more tears away as the hug broke. Iris would smile and nod in agreement, yes this time it was no small smile, they all got to see a fill bright smile from the normally stoic Iris. It seemed as though there was a weight lifted from their shoulders.

 

Iris then turned to Tracy. "It's not your fault. You didn't know...in fact no one else aside from the Headmistress actually knows about this. You are fine." 

[Poncho]

(Golden Star)

 

Michael gave Daniel a brief hug and a pat on the back with a smile, and nodded at Iris. 

 

"We're just doing what we think we should." He explained, inclining his head to Parker. "If anything, Parker's the bigger softie here." Then he shrugged a little.

 

"Yeah...the headmistress doesn't always tell everyone everything. I mean there is the whole thing about keeping other people's secrets and all that, but at the same time it could be kinda dangerous to not...ugh, just never a good answer when it comes to stuff like that I suppose." Michael agreed, resting his hands behind his head as he looked around the lab. 

 

"At least I didn't end up blowing anything up trying to shut down the projection, so maaaybe repairs won't be that bad?"