Monsters in the Streets! - Midtown (IC)

[Geez3r]

Every now and then people wake up with that feeling in their stomach that the day is going to suck. They’ve got no reason for that belief. As far as they know, this is just another ordinary day, and most of the time it really is just a normal day. Other times however... you wish you had stayed in bed.

Today will fall into the latter category. The early morning passes just like any other day. People get up, say good bye to their families and head off to work or to school or run some errands. But then, right before 11 o’clock things turned real sour, real fast. Monsters were lose in the streets, seemingly appearing out of no where. Heedless of the danger, the heroes sprang into action as the first explosion broke the early morning silence.

The scene before you was one of wanton destruction. It was a rampage, nothing but the after effects of brutal savagery. And judging from the roars and shockwaves, there was still something out there hell bent on destroying everything it came across. Smoke was already billowing high into the sky, and you could taste the ash in the air.

[Geez3r]

There were lots of monsters on the streets today, only unlike the rest of the city, some of these monsters were heroes. It was in this part of the city that the destruction was the most devastating. There is no heavy industry to stall the monsters, apartment buildings and businesses are folding like a house of cards under the assault.

A giant gorilla was scaling an apartment building for unknown reasons. What was known however is that all the shattering glass and falling rubble was dangerous to passersby, not to mention the fact that it he kept it up, the building would lose all structural integrity.

On the streets a giant spiky mole creature was burrowing through the streets, tearing up any electrical, water and gas lines it came across. Huge gouts of flames were springing up all over the place. One of which was focused on an abandoned taxi which would surely cause it to explode given a moment.

Lastly, another, smaller looking monkey is jumping from building to building as if they were trees. He keeps screaming, seemingly at random and the shockwave is tearing through all the glass in the surrounding area, flipping over cars and causing massive destruction.

[Dr Archeville]

Dead Head rarely came to Midtown, seeing as it was the central and thus busiest part of Freedom City, and he knew his appearance could set off panic in those who were too uptight (which, in his mind, was most everyone). However, there were frequently reasons for him to come into this part of the city: a number of churchyard cemeteries and crypts, including the one under St. George's Cathedral, as well as the morgue at McNider Memorial Hospital, all provided spirits in need of his unique services. He was at the latter, leaning back in a folding chair next to one of the morgue drawers, chatting with Michael Jensen. Michael, a man in his late 40s with an ex-wife and two kids (under her custody), had passed away of a heart attack two nights ago. However, he was so neurotic and obsessive-compulsive that he could not move on until he was sure a lengthy list of tasks had been done.

A very lengthy list.

[bg=#000000]... and rosebushes must be thoroughly watered, on Tuesdays and Fridays, precisely four hours after sunrise... [/bg]

"... Yes, Mr. Jensen, I'll be sure to water them..."

[bg=#000000]... with the special water reserve on the top shlef of the refrigerator in the garage. That contains my special formula, and to make more of it you... [/bg]

"... special water, yes, Mr. Jensen, I'll be sure to- whoa!"

Tremors began to shake the building, as a gigantic spiky mole-like creature tunneled past. Dead Head sprang to his feet.

"Sorry, Mr. Jensen, I've gotta see what's goin' on!"

[Avenger Assembled]

Jack Faretti was not, by the standards of most people, a smart man. But he was a cunning man, with the low, quick strategizing of a predator. And what he saw when he looked out his bedroom window that morning offended his predator's instincts to the very core. "They couldn't have come five hours ago?!" He swore, violently, and moved to change. "Honey, we've got to go," he said to Taylor. Despite himself, his eyes fell on her belly. "Why don't you go get the other Midnighters?" he suggested. "While I engage one of these?"

[alderwitch]

Taylor looked up from where she'd been curled up reading and halfway dozing. Morning was normally bedtime for her, but she came awake and too her feet with impressive rapidity that was probably helped with just a little bit of flight. She glanced out the window and paled as she looked at the gouts of fire popping up from the street. It was one of the few things that was dangerous to her, so she'd simply have to avoid them. She gave Jack a look and touched the amulet at her throat which buried her in the swaths of Phantom's cloak.

"In broad daylight? Alone? Are you kidding?" She held out a gloved hand for him, "I'll stay out of the way. I work better from range anyways. Where am I dropping you?"

[Cyroa]

Derek had actually been 'Derek' when things went wrong. Stesha was visiting her family, a much needed break for her he agreed. But he still missed her quite a bit. He'd been helping out his sister-in-law, watching the kids for the morning. He had only left their home a few minutes ago.

Stepping into an alley, he concentrated, focusing past the need to rush and vanished a moment later to be replaced by Dark Star. He wasted no time, arriving in Midtown which was the nearest problem in the blink of an eye. He quickly recognized the other heroes present. It was good to have help but blinked at Phantom's presence for a moment. He hoped she would be alright in her...delicate condition.

[Dr Archeville]

"Holee...."

Dead Head had seen much in his time, but the utter devastation being done by these creatures was unlike anything he had seen. He'd never even dealt with anything this big before, and was at a loss as to what he could do to stop them.

A wailing toddler snapped him out of his fugue. When he saw exactly why it was screaming -- it lay next to an woman sprawled out on the sidewalk, unconscious from being struck by errant debris, and a large telephone pole was about to fall on them both -- he sprang to action. He ran to them, scooping the baby up in his right hand and hefting the woman over his left shoulder, just in time to narrowly avoid being struck by the collapsing pole.

"There, there, kid, yer safe now," he soothed as he laid them both next to a fire hydrant. "Firefighters'll come here first, so they'll find ya both, an- oh, look, yer mommy's wakin' up!"

She was indeed coming to, but as soon as she saw the revolting revenant, she let out a high-pitched shriek, and madly clutched at her baby.

He did not pause to give any sort of deadpanned response, he just ran off after the creature, pushing or scooping up and re-depositing those he could out of harm's way. Several people beat him with purses and umbrellas, and a few snapped out of their momentary paralysis and ran once they got a glimpse of him, which did at least get them out of the immediate danger.

"Man, what the heck am I gonna do against that thing?! I cain't- oh!" He suddenly got an idea of just what he could do against the beast, but he'd have to hustle and get ahead of it.

[Avenger Assembled]

"Drop me behind the monkey," said Avenger without hesitation. "I'll give him something to scream about," he added ominously, feeling especially protective of Phantom in her condition. "See if you can find Hellion or Atlas when you're done."

[Cyroa]

Dark Star looked up at the huge ape climbng the building and doing significant destruction and then to the rhino-like creature. And then all the hordes of innocent people in danger and the destruction that raged around them. He started drifting towards the burrower as he pointed upwards and let loose a powerful energy blast, holding little back. He doubted he'd knock it out, but hopefully he'd annoy it enough to come after him.

Still, he didn't even wait to see the results of the attack. He quickly turned and ignore everything around him as he focused a second blast at the armored creature. He needed to get their attention and make them focus on hurting him and not the good people of Freedom City.

[Geez3r]

Dark Star's attack hits home on both targets. The giant gorilla is blasted clear off the side of the building and falls a good 50 or 60 feet into the side of an apartment complex, crushing the north side of the structure utterly. The water tower is knocked off the roof and makes for a very wet monkey. The thud of the impact causes most cars in the area to jump about a foot in the air. The gorilla is struggling to its feet, but the impact definitely sent it for a loop.

Dark Star's attack also hits home on the rampaging Rhino monster. However this attack is less effective, and merely causes the monster to change course. This course is aimed directly at Dead Head. It catches Dead Head in the stomach, lifting him off his feet. The creature plows into and out of again Madam Moxie's pottery barn, 2 cars in the parking lot, through a fire engine, straight through the corner deli, and tramples a street lamp, before running through a parked oil tanker causing it to explode before toss Dead Head aside into another street lamp which bends right over from the force of the impact. The creature looks down at the strangely unharmed Dead Head as the pair are surrounded by flame and smoke.

Lastly, the screamer monkey makes another trademarked roar on the roof of a sky scraper, causing the corner of the roof to come down. Unfortunately some evacuees were trying to escape the carnage by using that side alley. Now they're in danger of being crushed.

[alderwitch]

Phantom didn't bother to reply, teleporting them both to behind the monkey as Avenger had requested. Instead of blinking back out of existence immediately, Phantom paused as she saw the building beginning its collapse. Her glowing eyes shifted to the group below and then back up to the rubble plummeting towards them. Inky shadows rippled into being between the people screaming for their lives and the rubble above them and bound them in a rippling net.

The cloaked figure behind Avenger didn't move except for the burning gaze that shifted back to the shrieking monkey. The fact that Phantom wasn't tossing off arcane gestures was a sign of just how aggravated she was with this scenario. Usually, she at least tried to act like a 'normal' mystic. The bands of shadow released, sending the rocks pelting towards Avenger's target.

[Geez3r]

The previously falling debris crash head long into the screaming monkey at high speed. However, the structure was so heavily damaged from the scream on top of the psychic toss, it breaks apart before it can do appreciable damage. The monkey is still very much on his feet.

[Avenger Assembled]

Avenger had watched a lot of movies with Taylor in the months they'd been together. One of his favorites, given that it was after all the story of a monster in love with a beautiful woman with a penchant for classy outfits, had been King Kong. Invisible even in the glaring, maddening sunlight above, Avenger tackled the monkey, plowing it right over the side of the building itself. Without hesitation, Avenger went right with it, only belatedly remembering he couldn't fly or grab the walls! Crap! I HATE the Sun! Stupid daylight! Why can't we blot out the Sun like civilized people! Hissing defiance as he went, he slammed his fist into the monkey's head even as they fell.

[Geez3r]

Avenger's feral midair assault is absolutely devestating. The monkey is reduced to a mere whimper instead of its screaming. The sudden smack into the pavement doesn't help matters much either. The fighting pair crash right through the damaged pavement and land with a thud on the platform of a subway station. The monkey ever so groggily tries to make it to his feet, but it really out of it, and can't seem to find up.

[Dr Archeville]

SNAP!

CRACKLE!

POP!

Just about every bone in Dead Head's body had been either wrenched out of its socket or broken. Fortunately for the Revoltin' Revenant, he healed fast. Well, not "healed," technically, but that was a close enough term.

Dead Head stood and looked up at the rhino-mole creature.

"Didn't hurt!"

Then he started jumping up and down and waving his arms.

"Wassamatter, beastie? Ain't I ripe enough for ya? Afraid a lil' spoiled meat'll turn yer tummy! C'mon, eat me! EAT ME!"

Okay, if this works, it swallows me, I start tearing it apart from the inside. It's gotta be soft & squishy in there, not touch and armored... right?

[Geez3r]

The creature cocks its head at Dead Head. It was clearly puzzled by the strange creature before it. It had no idea how this raggedy thing was still alive nor how to make it dead. It was in this state of confusion that Dead Head supplied his answer to the particular conundrum. As if a light bulb goes off in the back of the creature's thick skull, it suddenly lunches forward and chomps Dead Head, swallowing him whole before looking around for something else to break, looking strangely satisfied with itself.

[Cyroa]

This rubble was getting out of hand. Every time he shot one, they'd damage a building and endanger even more civilian lives. That just won't do, he thought to himself. Luckily Dark Star had an easy way to address that particular problem. He gestured, reversing the gravity of the stunned creature, sending it rocketing upwards. He quickly moved below it and unleashed a massive energy blast to slam into it, hopefully sending it up and out into orbit or out of the city at the very least. He'd have to go rescue it in a few moments if it did leave the atmosphere of course. He couldn't very well let it die out in space now could he? But, either way while it was gone it would give them time to deal with the other troublesome creatures.

As he let loose the blast, he saw the other massive creature run down and _eat_ Dead Head! "NO! Phantom, save DH!"

[Avenger Assembled]

People were running and screaming in terror, and flakes of dust and cement were falling; what on Earth had just happened? The realization would have taken Avenger's breath away, if he breathed at all. Shaking off a moment of shock at what he'd just done, and how successful he'd been, Avenger grabbed the great beast by the back of the head and slammed it into the ground, again and again. "STOP! MOVING!"

[Geez3r]

Apparently, the creature found Avenger's arguments quite persuasive as it promptly stopped moving after the 3rd thwack of its head against the concrete. The force of the blows have absolutely sundered the station in every concievable way. It likely won't have a ceiling for much longer. The road above is probably going to collapse down into the station, however, fortune has smiled today and the citizens had mostly cleared out of here.

[Dr Archeville]

"... wow. I'm both pleased and freaked out by the fact that worked."

Dead Head looked around inside the belly of the Rhino-Mole. It was not nearly as spacious as he'd thought it might be -- he could barely move, in fact -- but that's what he got for expecting its interior to be like those absurdly spacious ones seen in assorted sci-fi movies.

But, he still had enough room to do what he'd set out to do.

"Jes imagine it's a pie-eatin' contest."

He was none too thrilled with what he was doing; he didn't expect he'd have enough room to swing his shovel, but he had hoped there'd be enough to swing his arms and claw at the beast. This was one instance he regretted still having his senses of smell or taste.

But he was very glad no one could see him right now.

[Geez3r]

Dead Head felt the beast stop its rampage. Also, the rough musculature of the creature reacts quite violently to Dead Head provovation, as one might suspect. The other heroes see the creature stop running, and start sort of curling into a fetal position. It staggers from side to side, as if it were going to be sick. Apparently, Dead Head isn't exactly easy to swallow.

[Cyroa]

Knocking the giant ape down and away with his blast, Dark Star quickly turned to the monster that had swallowed DH whole. He wasn't sure what to do for a moment...he didn't want to kill the creature, nor did he want to risk the zombified hero by blasting him out...

He reached and lifted the creature in a telekinetic gravity grip. He started squeezing and shaking, trying to force the creature to expel Dark Star's fellow hero. He band it repeated against the ground, trying not to kill it though knocking it out and even more senseless was ok.

[Geez3r]

After a particularly heavy thwap against the ground, the creature threw up Dead Head, along with what appeared to be the shorn remains of a Hot Dog stand. The experience did not appear to be a pleasant one. The creature wobbles back and forth on its legs as more of its meals decide to make a second pass. The creature appears to have no idea where it is in the slightest, let alone having any desire to continue the fight. However, having a drunken super-powered rhino loose in the city is likely a bad idea.

[Avenger Assembled]

When he was sure the beast was down, Avenger picked up a fallen piece of rebar and headed for the steps. Between his own fearsome reputation, the fallen beast, and the danger to the structural integrity of the station, he was pretty sure the civilians around here would get out while the getting was good. Rebar over his shoulder, he walked out onto the street, blinking against the bright day, as he studied the situation. "Hm." Rebar in hand, he walked up to the monster, ready to hit it as hard as he could if it made a move his way.

[Dr Archeville]

Dark Star saw that Dead Head was covered in an assortment of unpleasant fluids after being hacked up by the Rhino Mole. Oddly, it appeared there was a particular concentration of stains on the bottom half of the Revoltin' Revenant's face.

Man, that tasted nasty!

Dead Head spat something out onto the ground in front of the beast as he unslung his shovel and ran towards it. "Aint' so easy when we bite back, is it?"

He leaped up and swung his shovel in a high arc, bringing it crashing down almost right between the beast's eyes, then quickly whirled around and boxed one of its ears.

"Bad! Doggie! Sit! Stay! Play dead!"