Avenger Assembled Posted January 3, 2011 Author Posted January 3, 2011 Growling, the flying yeti formed a flying circle around Miss Americana and Dragonfly, sinister intentions in their giant lolling eyes! "We're going to put you on ice!" shouted one, earning applause from the others. "Good one, Gary! Miss D loves that stuff. "Yeah, and I'm going to CHILL you out!" yelled another, shaking a giant furry fist. "That one's not so great..." "Hey, he's trying his best! What you should have said is that the chill of the North Pole will leave us COLD to your pleas for mercy!" said another one wearing glasses and growling with a definite British accent. "And I'm going to ICICLE YOU!" shouted the last one, his fur a little more matted. The others were skeptical of that one, shaking their heads, before he added, "With my ICICLE GUN!" "Oh yeah!" And with that they all whipped out their weapons, opening fire on Dragonfly. The majority missed, but did throw her off as she tried to dodge, balanced on Miss Americana: the last freezing cone smacked her right in the face!
JackgarPrime Posted January 3, 2011 Posted January 3, 2011 After the foes give their little bit of banter, Victory put his big heroic face on, and clenched his fist, readying his attack "Well then, we'll have to melt your frigid hearts...." His boosters kicked into high gear, and in a flash, his fist collided with one of the yeti creatures, sending him flying clear off into the distance. The sound of the blow was mighty indeed, and the sheer speed of the impact shook the air around it. When he can be seen by normal eyes again, he looked at the other enemies, raising his fist in front of him where they could get a good look at it. "....with our BURNING JUSTICE!"
Gizmo Posted January 3, 2011 Posted January 3, 2011 Dropping down from her cyborg ride before Victory blasted forward, Jill O'Cure landed nimbly in the snow below in a three point crouch. Rubbing her hands together to work some warmth into them, she spread them before her and exhaled, the visible breath carrying with it a translucent blue tingle of bioelectricity and mystic power. A wave of light rolled forth from her fingertips to solidify in a shimmering, seamless partial dome between the assembled heroines and their hirsute opponents. "The ugly one clearly knows his puns are abominable," she called out loudy, "yeti still put his bigfoot in his mouth." With a broad smirk she shrugged in the jetpack equipped sasquatches' direction. "I kid, I kid. You're all ugly."
Avenger Assembled Posted January 3, 2011 Author Posted January 3, 2011 The Nutcracker paused in his ranting, seeming to sniff the air, and suddenly focused his beady wooden eyes right on Jack of all Blades. "I can smell you!" he spat, drawing his ridiculously blunt wooden sword that was hardly even anatomically matched to the rest of his tubby, over-sized body as he shoved Ms. Claus aside. "I'll run you through, you Slinky-sworded buffoon!" Being evil, the Nutcracker was unaware that Slinkys are actually awesome toys, and his insult had no effect on Jack of all Blades. He did, however, catch the attention of both the costumed swordsman and his candy-cane wielding ally when he suddenly leapt into the air, did a spinning backflip that belied his massive bulk, and smashed his sword right into Jack of all Blades' midsection, over and over again with near-blinding speed! "You won't sell me to the Rat King!" he gloated. - Desparia faced the shimmering blue wall with a look of furious grief on her pinched-up face. "You think your candy-coated dream wall can stop me! I have the power of all the winters of the world!" With a shriek, she hurled a ball of flaming black ice at Jill's force fields, and somewhat ominously they exploded, sending showers of energy somehow frozen by the Snow Queen's terrible winter magic into shards of glimmering blue. It was a sight to remember, assuming they all survived. "You'll never have Christmas, you hear me!" she screamed again, flying into the middle of her crowd of Bumbles and preparing another spell. "No one will!"
Gizmo Posted January 3, 2011 Posted January 3, 2011 "Rat King...?" Jack wondered aloud, raising one eyebrow as he managed to trace a line in the air with the lighter that appeared in his gloved hand, the line of flame solidifying into a blazing rapier just in time to parry the surprisingly agile wooden swordsman's attack. "It that a thing I'm not getting?" Inwardly, Jack was more concerned about the reference to 'smelling' him; could his bizarre creature having something akin to his energy sense? That complicated things more than a little. Better take him down hard, then, he decided. A brutal overhand slash connected solidly but left only a slightly blackened singe across the nutcracker's torso. "Yikes. Pretty tough for walking phallic joke," he mused. The swashbuckler shrugged to the Christmas Crusader. "He's a nutcracker made of hardwood. What do you want from me? Sit tight, ma'am, this should take long," he called reassuringly to Mrs. Claus.
Electra Posted January 7, 2011 Posted January 7, 2011 Suddenly, from the middle of the Bumble-scrum, a voice began to sing, in the dulcet tones of a classic torch singer. "I'm dreaming of a White Christmas...." Depositing Dragonfly on the ground near Jill, Miss A rose into the air, holding her candy-colored microphone as all eyes were irresistably drawn her way. "Just like the ones I used to know, Where the treetops glisten, and children listen, to hear sleighbells in the snow..." For a moment the fight stopped, for who could keep on fighting when faced with that sort of force of personality when it demanded attention? "I know you know what I mean," she crooned to the Bumbles, and even to the Snow Queen. "It's so beautiful, isn't it, all the white?" She waved to all the snow around them. "It makes you want to lay down and have a few dreams of your own. May your days be merry and bright, And may all your Christmases be white...."
Avenger Assembled Posted January 7, 2011 Author Posted January 7, 2011 The flying yetis immediately began sinking down towards the snow, lulled to rest by Miss Americana's beautiful voice. They didn't actually sleep, but they did lay there with passive looks on their faces, watching the show. Desparia looked briefly tempted by the beautiful heroine's advice herself, but she rallied, firmly shaking her head. "No! No, I'm not going to go to sleep! You can't make me!" She looked a poor image of the icy-cold sorceress she was trying to project, snowflake tears in her eyes as she screamed at the heroes. "I'll freeze you all, and then I'll freeze all of Christmas!" - Across the yard in the workshop, Jack of all Blades' swordsmanship made the Nutcracker's eyes widen. "Why....no one so skilled with a blade could ever be in the service of the Rat King! Perhaps I was wrong about you...and wrong about a lot of things!" he said, his wooden cheeks developing bright red circles as he looked at Mrs. Claus. "I think I owe you an apology, madam! And you as well, good sirs!" he added to Jack and the Crusader, the elfin champion giving him a suspicious look at his rapid transformation. "Feh! Toys!" Down the hall, in a cascade of Tinkertoys, Avenger gave a triumphant shout as he liberated the prisoners! There was a melee in the hall for a moment as the prisoners spilled out; a reindeer with a nose of shimmering red, a red cloak falling down behind him, a formidable-looking woman in armor made of ice, and then finally...The Man. He was tall for an elf, bulking as big as Avenger or Jack of all Blades, his long white beard cascading down his chest as he took in the scene in an instant, his eyes twinkling. He quickly embraced his wife, then turned to the assembled heroes. "Come, my friends! We must stop a certain lady from making a mistake she'll come to regret more than any of us!" He eyed the Freedom heroes as well before adding, "I owe you both a special debt of gratitude. We shall talk later. I am surprised to see you here, Mr. Faretti." "...You know me?" "Oh yes. We have quite a file on you." Avenger winced at that, but said nothing as he followed the Christmas champions out to join the battle outside!
Fox Posted January 7, 2011 Posted January 7, 2011 As soon as her feet touched the ground, Dragonfly had covered her ears - or, at least, put her hands over the ear mounts her visor was held up by. She knew full well what Miss Americana had planned, and while the precaution deprived her of an excellent singing voice, it did keep her from succumbing to a nice rest in the snow herself. When it was safe, and when the protective group of yetis had fallen to expose their icy leader, Dragonfly removed her hands and aimed a charging gauntlet at the villainess...and paused. She wasn't entirely sure why - goodness knows it wasn't the most tactically-sound choice when faced with a powerful and angry villain - but there was something in the tears and the voice and the hopeless rage that was entirely too familiar. She lowered her hand, frowning. going to regret asking - don't know if I should even - mmh "....why?"
Avenger Assembled Posted January 8, 2011 Author Posted January 8, 2011 "Because...because if I can't have Christmas, no one else can!" She seemed to shrink in on herself, losing the already-shaky image of the haughty Snow Queen and becoming a sad-faced young girl with a tear-streaked face, her diaphanous white gown hanging loose now that she looked closer to 14 than 24, and skinny and gawky to boot. "Why did my mom and dad have to die? Why?" Suddenly, behind her, a dapper fellow in a pitch-black suit appeared, a sardonic look on his face as he surveyed the crowd. Walking on air as if it was the ground, he said, "Because, my dear Lupita, life isn't fair. Not for you, anyway, so why should it be for anyone else? If these heroes are so powerful, why couldn't _they_ save your parents?" The wicked tempter's words seemed to be having an effect, but the girl's mind was definitely not made up.
Electra Posted January 8, 2011 Posted January 8, 2011 Miss Americana's eyes narrowed as she lowered the microphone, studying the man in black. "Mister Infamy," she intoned, her voice carrying across the snow. "Torturing children isn't usually your style. Slumming in the off-season?" Rather than engaging with the villain any further, Miss A approached the girl, stopping at eye level and only a few feet away. "Lupita, you know this is wrong, don't you," she began, her voice warm with sympathy. "It hurts so much, you want other people to hurt as well, but you know it isn't right. Causing other people pain and misery won't make you feel better. It's time to stop before someone gets hurt."
Gizmo Posted January 8, 2011 Posted January 8, 2011 Stumbling back a bit from the shattering of her forcefield, Jill regained her footing as Miss Americana set Dragonfly down and reassessed the situation. When the apparent Ice Queen's true form was revealed and the well dressed manipulator appeared, she gritted her teeth, virulent green energy slowly sifting into being around her clenched fist as indignation temporarily overrode her concern at the obvious disparity in power level. "Back off, grease stain. He's trying to play you, niña," she insisted, the anger in her voice giving way to empathy with an edge of urgency. "You're never really alone until you start hurting people and pushing them away. Trust me. You don't want to go that way."
Fox Posted January 8, 2011 Posted January 8, 2011 The grinding of Dragonfly's teeth was practically audible as she glanced back and forth between the girl and the man in black, and it was something of a miracle of self-control that she didn't go ahead and try to shoot the man out of the sky right then and there. girl comes first - then worry about other things "Why can't you have a Christmas?" she asked, trying to keep her voice calm. "Didn't really have one myself until recently. Don't...really have parents myself, but did it anyway - friends, coworkers. Friendly strangers. Could certainly find that here of all places." She tilted her head, scowling at Mr. Infamy and running some calculations on the Ice Queen's location. "Can't have much Christmas without this place, I suppose, regardless. Destroying your own hopes. Have to ask: how much of this was your idea? Highly suspect that the only thing between you and Christmas right now...is him."
JackgarPrime Posted January 8, 2011 Posted January 8, 2011 Amongst the confusion (and some sadness) surrounding the "Desparia's" true nature being revealed, Victory had stopped in mid-air. He was expecting a lot of things, but for this "Ice Queen" of theirs to be just a sad little girl was not one of them. As his systems begin to cool themselves down while he assess the situation, the new arrival puts him back on alert. Especially when Miss Americana lets out that name. "Wait...Infamy?!" Immediately, an alert flashes in Victory's visor. The rumored Mr Infamy was considered an extremely high-level threat, even with the enigmatic information they have obtained about him. Rumors surrounding him have been linked with very real threats in the past, and even so much as hearing the name is considered a serious issue. Immediately, his jets begin to kick back in, and quite strongly, melting a wide area of the snow below him, his entire body tensed and ready to strike. But the girl was too close. He wasn't about to risk colliding with her by accident. "Stay where you are, Infamy! You've clearly caused enough trouble as is!"
Avenger Assembled Posted January 9, 2011 Author Posted January 9, 2011 Avenger arrived late, just in time to see the weeping girl and hear the speeches of the heroes towards the grieving Snow Queen and the smugly smirking demon. He didn't recognize the first, but he certainly knew the second. Not for the first time, he wished his wife was there: fighting a being widely suspected to be the most powerful demon in Freedom City, perhaps the entire mortal plane, wasn't something he wanted to do. Ever! But if what he'd heard was right, maybe they didn't have to. "Lupita..." Avenger fearlessly walked up beneath the girl, pulling away his mask to reveal the man underneath. "I don't know you. I don't know your parents. But I know what it's like to be a father, and to lose family of my own. Hurting other people is fun, it's easy, it's satisfying, but at the end of the day, all you've done is build a pile of ash that's no place for you to live in. Living is hard. Building is hard. But if you hurt these people, and destroy this place, you won't have a kingdom, you won't have followers. You'll just be you, except you really will be all alone. Is that what you want?"
Gizmo Posted January 9, 2011 Posted January 9, 2011 Jack blinked once at the Nutcracker's abrupt change in attitude, running his free hand through the back of his black wig. "Uh, don't worry about it, man. Pretty quick for such a big guy yourself, there." It was always a little hard to tell with the warped logic of alternate realms, but the fencer was beginning to get feeling that the opposing forces were being played against each other. Jogging after the Crusader toward the freed prisoners, he joined Avenger at the head of the group as they regrouped with the others in front of the workshop. It didn't take the energy manipulator long to parse the situation of a devastated girl and the slyly manipulative towering inferno of power that seared across all of his mystically sensitive sense unintelligibly. While the paternal vampire addressed the former, Jack hopped nimbly up from the snow to perch lightly on the Nutcracker's shoulder, achieving some notable height over the crowd of freed elves, before pointing his fiery rapier in Mr. Infamy's direction. "Overplayed your hand, Slick," the swashbuckler called with convincing bravado, his voice carrying to the assembled heroes as well. "You've got about as much chance in Christmasland as a snowball back at your summer home. So take a hike and go count your coal." After a beat Jack grinned infuriatingly and winked broadly. "Maybe if you're good, next year the Nick here'll bring you a suit that doesn't make you look like un completo perdedor, huh?"
Avenger Assembled Posted January 9, 2011 Author Posted January 9, 2011 "I...I...no, I won't do it!" Lupita exclaimed, her shimmering ice robes falling off her entirely to reveal a skinny, dark-eyed girl in a loosely-hanging Freedom City University T-shirt and jeans, obvious charity castoffs on a castoff girl. She pointed her finger at Mr. Infamy, exclaiming, "All you can give me is the power to hurt other people, and I'm tired of hurting people! I reject you, Mr. Infamy, and all your empty promises!" Infamy had focused all his attentions on the girl, so he looked decidedly put-out at her refusal. Casting an angry glance at all the heroes, he exclaimed, "Feh! This is your fault with your goody-two-shoes ways! Look at us, we're the big heroes coming to rescue Santy Claus!" He spat brimstone in the snow, his form smoldering slightly. "Make no mistake, I'll get you! And you! And you!" he said, pointing to all the heroes in turn before finally pointing to Jack of all Blades and adding, "And as for you, you may be the ruler of swords, but you know _nothing_ of fashion. Fools, all of you!" And with that, the devil vanished in a puff of brimstone, leaving behind one sad-faced girl who Ms. Claus immediately bustled into her arms for a hug that was the very essence of matronly. Santa Clause himself, big as life and bustling with energy, had been consulting with his allies during Infamy's rant, and turned to the heroes with concern on his face. "My friends, I fear our job is not yet done," he said gravely, pulling out his long pipe and puffing it with worry. "My sleigh was damaged during that poor little girl's time ruling the Workshop, and several of the reindeer had their power drained by the cold spirit of that devil. As for poor Rudolph, his nose took a terrible pounding, which means someone needs to light our way! Will you all join me to save Christmas tonight?"
Electra Posted January 9, 2011 Posted January 9, 2011 "Of course we will, Santa," MIss A said graciously, descending from where she'd been hovering. "We'd be- oof!" Avenger, who had stepped right underneath her during his appeal to Lupita, suddenly found himself with one-hundred-eighty pounds of stunningly beautiful paragon landing right in his arms! And on his head, and halfway over his back, as Miss A dropped into him in a startled and graceless belly flop. She pushed herself away, but seemed almost to be shoving blindly at his shoulders and face as she attempted to extricate herself. "What were you doing down there?" she demanded with annoyance.
Fox Posted January 9, 2011 Posted January 9, 2011 Dragonfly tilted her head at the girl, but figured that if she couldn't find comfort in the arms of Mrs. Claus, of all people, she couldn't find it anywhere. note to self - research 'Mr. Infamy' - keep tabs on the girl - appears to be local "Could certainly help with the sleigh," she offered, turning her attention back to the rest of the group...and raising an eyebrow at Miss Americana's antics. very odd - mmh - didn't show up on my visor either.... "Or try. Will get it up and running, certainly, between myself and Miss Americana...when...she's able. Might not hurt to have a third set of hands to help, even. Unless it's too 'sidekick-y'." That last bit was directed at Jill, along with something that almost - almost, in the right light - looked like a flicker of a grin.
Avenger Assembled Posted January 9, 2011 Author Posted January 9, 2011 "Why don't you watch where you're going yourself?" Avenger shot back, working his way out from under the crazy lady who'd fallen out of the sky. "What are you, blind?" He folded his arms and gave her a hard look, one that was ameilorated quickly when Santa Claus (Santa Claus!) patted him on the arm and gave him a fatherly look. "Jack, why don't you help Mrs. Claus with Lupita," he suggested, pointing to that grand lady and the tear-streaked little girl. "You're a father yourself, and an orphan too, who better to comfort a weeping child?" Swept along by the moment, Avenger agreed, and soon was following Ms. Claus and Lupita into the big bulk of the Workshop.
Gizmo Posted January 9, 2011 Posted January 9, 2011 "Oh ho, look who's mixing some sass in with her science," Jill noted with a broad, lopsided smirk, giving Dragonfly a light shove in the shoulder as the sickly energy disappeared from around the masked girl's other hand. "Let's go, Powergloves." Hopping back down from the Nutcracker, Jack gave the wooden swordsman and appreciative slap on the back. "'Ruler of Swords', he says. I'ma get new business cards." Turning to Miss Americana as the jolly elf sent Avenger off to deal with the disheveled girl, he shook his head wryly as he offered the disoriented beauty queen a steadying hand. "The good gals always fall for the bad boys, huh? Or is that 'fall on'?" With a sloppy salute, he grinned to Santa Claus. "You need the way lit, sir, I know a thing or two about 'glowy'. Got some Christmas magic hanging around I could borrow?"
JackgarPrime Posted January 9, 2011 Posted January 9, 2011 With Infamy dealt with, Victory cools his jets (both literally and figuratively) once again, and floats down to the ground. Although that accursed Infamy was able to escape (not that Victory had the means to bring such a being in anyway, but he was certainly going to try!), the day had been saved all the same. At least part of it. While the discussion about repairing the sleigh went on, Victory realized what might be needed. And it made him blush just the slightest bit. He scratched his cheek, and took a big sigh. He can't believe he's about to do this. Putting his game face back on, he approached the very spirit of giving himself. "Excuse me, sir. But if you need someone capable of filling in for missing members of your flight team, I...I believe I may be able to help. I...I was assigned as one of the pilots to monitor your progress one year, and believe I should be able to reach the speeds required as I am now." His face was getting to be a bright red at this point, although he tried not to change his expression. "Although I don't have many ways of illuminating forward, I do have the ability to easily see through all manner of harsh conditions. And I can work very late hours."
Avenger Assembled Posted January 10, 2011 Author Posted January 10, 2011 What followed was the work of hours, perhaps days, but under the merry influence of the North Pole it seemed to pass by in minutes. Miss Americana and Dragonfly worked their magic with Santa's sleigh, drawing on the most advanced Christmas technology to repair the damaged contraption, while Santa's hard-working elves fastened Victory and Miss America into harness as the two leading chargers in Santa's team! The other reindeer were cordial enough to the two flying heroes, Donner and Blitzen greeting them both by name. "We're big fans!" expostulated Donner, his German accent heavy. "Especially you, Miss Americana!" said Blitzen. "We've got friends who-" "Shut up, man!" said Donner, head-butting his buddy. "Don't tell superheroes' secret identities!" Across the way, Rudolph's crimson nose was transformed into a spectacular sword of pure Christmas magic in the hands of Jack of all Blades, the brilliant red light shining like a beacon as the awesome power of Christmas poured through the mighty swordsman, the taste of sugar and candy and the awesome light of the holidays infusing his every pore. Soon they were all arranged, flying heroes in front, glowing heroes aboard the stage, with Dragonfly appointed Santa's assistant, complete with keen little hat, and they were off! "On Victory and Miss Americana, on Prancer and Vixen, on Comet, on Cupid, on Donner and Blitzen!" Far below in the Claus house, Avenger watched through a snow-dappled window as Santa's sleigh took off over the horizon, then turned back to Lupita and Mrs. Claus. "So, uh...let's talk about adoption..."
Fox Posted January 10, 2011 Posted January 10, 2011 If it was anyone else, trying to put an elf hat on Dragonfly's head would be an invitation to spend quality time in the void of her dimensional pocket. If it were any other day of the year, an invitation to ride in the sleigh would have been met with a snort and a muttered excuse. She wasn't even convinced she'd have accepted if she hadn't just spent the last while in a place that may as well have been built out of concentrated Christmas cheer; all she knew was that this was the happiest and most care-free she'd felt in...well, in ever, really. Probably since she could walk upright. For one night she let herself relax, if only just a little. For however long it took to help Santa do his Santa thing across the world, her day-to-day worries and longstanding concerns were pushed so far into the back of her mind they were barely even there; even her migraines gave her a Christmas break. After all, she observed to herself as she wryly bantered with Jill in the back of the sleigh, she - they, all of them - deserved a little piece of mind. They'd just helped save Christmas!
Gizmo Posted January 10, 2011 Posted January 10, 2011 Jack stood at the front of the rocketing sleigh, leaning forward with one boot placed atop the front guard and his sword arm extended. The rapier blazed in candy cane stripes of red and white while green motes of unbridled energy sparked all down its width in a wreath-like spiral and a beacon of warm, cranberry red light poured forth from its tip, lighting the way. The crackling energy seemed to flow up into the madly grinning swashbuckler as well, as he continued to laugh loudly into the brisk night air, a more resonant, booming sound than his usual wry tone. Behind him, Jill kept a small forcefield anchoring her brother's rear foot to the sleigh floor as she gleefully retrieved wrapped parcels from the massive sack with Dragonfly, joking cheerfully as the world flew past below them.
JackgarPrime Posted January 10, 2011 Posted January 10, 2011 While the preparations were underway, Victory took the chance to look over the sleigh's flight plan. Examining it carefully, he sees a few places where changes could be made. He spoke with the elf assigned to charting the plan, and they discussed possible changes. "Ah, you see here? If you do it a bit more like this...." His hands work at the chart, there are some very slight shifts in the lines showing the flight pattern. "...you could save as much as half a second per household." The elf thought it over, then decided that his changes would work quite well, and they would use that. All the while he was talking, he had a funnel hooked up to his fuel tanks. Like a previous occassion, he decided he would use colored fuel to add a little flavor. Red and white, of course, with some bits of gold mixed in for that extra touch. ------------------------------ When the time came to lift off, Victory couldn't help but grin as he walks to the sleigh. Thinking about a particular battle he had the other day, he had to admit that the real thing was much more impressive up close. That toy wasn't even close. Getting himself strapped in to the harness, Victory chuckled at the flight team's comments. "Indeed. It's not good form to blurt out that sort of information." When they were about to go, Victory got into a runner's stance, and called back to the others. "Hope you boys can keep up!" When Big Red gave the signal, Victory rocketed off, a red, white, and gold trail blasting behind him, being careful not to blast the reindeer behind him with it, of course!
Recommended Posts