The Jade Arenas of Heaven: Shock the Monkey [IC]

[trollthumper]

Cannonade, noticing Myrmidon's silence around Windtracer, decided to step in. "Hey, nice set of tricks today," he said to both. "Like I was saying earlier, Myr, you really know how to put my 'hit them and hope they fall down' style to shame. And that was some great use of speed, too, Windtracer."

"Thank you for the flattery," she said. "To be honest, I viewed this as a learning experience from the start. I mostly stick to natural disaster work in the Outback, and that's not the most action packed of work -- occasionally you've got some would-be villain taking a mining town hostage, a brushfire, or maybe something hideous waking from below Uluru. Mum and Dad were both superheroes, but they decided to get out of the game and settle back in Anangu with Mum's family when she had me. I'm still trying to learn the ropes -- which was why the invite came as such a surprise."

"Yeah, I kinda know what it's like to come from the background. Gets a lot easier a lot faster, if you ask me."

"Hope so. Sometimes I think I should just run to Sydney and undertake an internship."

"Hello. I'm Jessica Parker." She gave a small bow, no entirely sure of the social ritual here. "I saw your match, and if I may say your augmentations are stunning. Are they a government job, or from a private benefactor?"

"A combination of the two, in fact." Silent Vigil flexed his arms -- not as a show of strength, but more as a demonstration of flexibility and range. "Namkung Technologies made the hardware, the government provided the funding and brought in research aids. Mine was... a somewhat public incident. An attempt to all out dismantle the DMZ by some of those 'rogue super-elements' they keep talking about. A lot of Korea's heroes - Whisper, Golden Claw, Vortex - came out to fight. I was simply a guardsman at the time, but I did what I could... and it cost me my arms. My case got national recognition, and someone at the National Assembly reminded Namkung about that promising cybernetics research."

"Silent Vigil, good to see you're okay," she greeted with a warm smile. Extending her hand to shake his metallic one, she added, "Excellent fight, you sir, are a worthy opponent. Now then, you said you wished to speak, and now seems as good a time as any. Sup?"

Silent Vigil took her hand. "Thank you very much," he said. "I noticed that you managed to respond quickly to a sudden change in surroundings. I take it that would come quickly to someone of your talents. But I do notice that your eyes occasionally track, as if it takes half a second to reestablish contact with a target. Tell me, have you had any formal training in triangulation and spotting?"

Meanwhile, as Ironclad and Wisp turned their attention to Silent Vigil, Crow could hear someone approaching from behind. "I see you've already got a trophy," said Sun Wukong. "Such exemplary speed. Bres has always been something of an ass, and has managed to win this tournament on a few of its darker days. It was... amusing to see someone put him down so quickly. Especially one whom he has reason to loathe."

"Yes." Another set of voices came from behind Sun Wukong. The speakers stepped out from behind his shadow - the three ladies in black, from the audience at the match. "To see him fall is always a good sight," said the Morrigan. "But this made it so much the sweeter. Well done."

[Quinn]

To anyone sitting nearby Morgan, it felt as if the temperature dropped several degrees centigrade. Literally. Morgan turned in his chair slowly, then stood and made sure he was between the three figures in black, and his friends. To Sun Wukong he politely nodded his head, murmuring thanks. Turning back to his...mothers...he assumed a very impassive mean, keeping his hand well away from the pocket with the Eye. Inwardly, he was starting to suffer a serious case of the screaming meemies.

My mother is here. Why is my mother here. Why on God's green earth is my mother here?!

He tried to form a coherent sentence in his head, looking between the two of them as light began to dawn. She came here to see my dad. She came to watch Red Hand fight. And then she got me. And she asked that I stay. What in the... Crow stood ramrod-straight at that point, speaking in as neutral and flat a tone as he could muster.

"Onóracha a thabhairt duit, agus mo bhuíochas, Mhuire Mór-Ríoghain. Pardon my rudeness, I did not expect to see you at such a gathering."

"Honors to you, and my thanks, Lady Morrigan"

[Azuth65]

Wisp nodded, "Some. I can't go into much detail, secrets and confidences that aren't mine to break. But if there's one thing I've learned since pulling on the mask, there's always more to learn. I know, not something you hear come out of the mouth of either an American or a teenager, even more rarely from a girl who's both but having a 21st century Guy Fawkes try and eviscerate you after rigging mall doors to blow up while on one's first date tends to push pride and bullheadedness aside quickly."

"But, again, yes I've had the basics. My mentor went a less asskicking and more stealth and subtlety with his own teleportation. Probably because he lacked the enhanced strength."

[Semi-Autogyro]

John was happy that Mister Macayle had interceded on his behalf. It gave him the opportunity to slip away unnoticed after a short time, until he almost ran into Miss Genardine who was by herself as well. "My apologies, I did not expect anyone else to be over here." He sat down a few chairs over from her, before thinking to himself he might as well try polite conversation. All he needed was a subject, some common ground. Aha! "Your swordsmanship is excellent, that much I could tell in the match. How long did it take you to learn?"

[Raveled]

Jessica gave a nod to Silent Vigil and Wisp, excusing herself from the conversation and drifting away into the crowd again. Her eyes lighted on one of the attendants, garbed to stand out in the crowd. She made a beeline for him. "Excuse me. Is there a workshop or artificing room I could use? I want to check on my armor before the next match."

[trollthumper]

Cannonade, meanwhile, had ended up talking to Sentinel. "Didn't know Vancouver was such a hothouse," he said.

"Well, it's not Toronto or Ottawa, but we get our share of traffic. I've dealt with stuff that washed our way from Kaiju Island, giant robots from our homegrown inventors, time-lost Japanese superweapons from World War II... you know, stuff like that. Plus, with all the filming from the US, we've got the occasional media-mad supercrook who works their way up. There was this angry Japanese teenager who took the cast of Battlestar Galactica hostage one time --"

"Wait, you mean Doc Otaku?"

"You've dealt with him?"

"Yeah, once. He tried to steal a tank."

"Huh. I'd say that's a few steps up."

"Onóracha a thabhairt duit, agus mo bhuíochas, Mhuire Mór-Ríoghain. Pardon my rudeness, I did not expect to see you at such a gathering."

"Honors to you, and my thanks, Lady Morrigan"

"Guan Yu and I are colleagues in arms... of a sort," said the trio. "He does not embrace the glory of war with such fervor as my other comrades, but he often sits the table when the lords of war gather. Such occasions are rare, but when they come..." The Morrigan seemed lost in thought for a second... or at least, one of her did. Another woman turned to Crow, while the last turned to Sun Wukong. "You should see Ares and Athena at the table. It is like a matron trying to control a bawling child."

"But, again, yes I've had the basics. My mentor went a less asskicking and more stealth and subtlety with his own teleportation. Probably because he lacked the enhanced strength."

"That's good," Silent Vigil said. "Stealth is always an essential element on the field of battle, especially if your enemy knows how to launch a concentrated attack. It's somewhat less useful to focus all your firepower on one location in the target's slipped away to somewhere else." He adjusted his arms. "But, if there is some time between matches, I could possibly offer you a lesson in the use of exemplary strength in close combat. If you would be open to such a thing."

"Your swordsmanship is excellent, that much I could tell in the match. How long did it take you to learn?"

"Centuries, in truth," said Genardine, "but time is... easier, in Avalon. Not like here. it might be best to say 'as long as was necessary.' Being a part of the Queen's Solstice Guard means knowing the ways to strike at a man's skin with your blade and tug at his heart with your glamour. It requires practice of body and mind, without one tripping up the other." She looked over to Cannonade, who was still trading words with Sentinel. "Then again, perhaps 'as long as was necessary; just wasn't long enough."

Meanwhile, Ironclad was pointed down the hall towards one of the outer rooms of the Net. After traversing the halls, she got a glimpse of a wondrous workshop - forges, anvils, soldering equipment, everything for a swordsman, armorer, even a painter, if they so wished. As she approached the workshop, however, she could hear whispering coming from down a nearby hall, towards where some of the guest quarters were.

[Semi-Autogyro]

"Then again, perhaps 'as long as was necessary; just wasn't long enough."

"You might think that now, Miss Genardine, but you should know as well that luck plays a major part on the battlefield same as skill or tactics. Plus, now that you have the experience of fighting someone with Mister Cannonades' abilities, you have an edge if someone like him were to threaten your Queen. Experience is gained by both the victor and the defeated." John said sincerely. "In fact, if you have the time to spare would you do me the honor of helping me learn more of the sword? I have to admit, it is one of my weapon skills that I believe needs the most improvement. I did not exactly have what you would call proper instruction or guidance in my training." He looked at Miss Genardine hopefully.

[Raveled]

Jessica was dazzled by the workshop before her -- literally, due to the number of bright lights shining on polished steel or other metals. She backed up into the hallway and leaned against the wall, rubbing her eyes. While she was still blinking the spots out of her eyes, she heard the whispering around the corner. She frowned and padded down the way, trying to stay as stealthy as possible -- though that wasn't saying much.

[Azuth65]

Wisp nodded and giving a small bow, "If there is time, I'd like that, thank you. Please excuse me, I need to get back to my friends. And probably have a third plate, that fight was one heck of a workout."

Halfway back to the buffet she felt a small square object with round edges in her pocket. Pulling it out and opening the ringbox she held, she saw the gift she'd been planning on giving to Morgan during their trip. Puzzled at how the ring had gotten into her pocket she changed directions and headed back to her table. Just in time to see the people her boyfriend was talking to. She moved towards the table but remained off to the side and silent, though within everyone there's sight.

[Quinn]

Crow nodded, somewhat stiffly, while inwardly he was racking his brains trying to figure the Morrigan's angle. She'd never been this amiable or willing to make small-talk before...he switched to English, having fulfilled propriety already by greeting her in old Gaelic.

"Well. I am...pleased I didn't disappoint you, either way. A mortal beating Bres the Beautiful; his minions won't be pleased at that."

He placed a bit of emphasis on the term mortal, whether consciously or unconsciously. Taking his eyes off his mother for a moment, he caught sight of Wisp and his gaze turned warmer; he was immensely pleased she was there to see that victory, and her own was a definite pleasure to watch as well.

"I guess Dad'd say hi, but I haven't seen him for a few months. Been in Freedom City myself, picking up where he left off." The second the words came out of his mouth, he was tempted to facepalm; no doubt she already knew that.

[trollthumper]

Cannonade worked his way towards Sun Wukong. "What did you think of the matches?" he asked.

"A bit quick," he said, "but the preliminary rounds always go fast. It is... strange. It has been something of a while since I have been in Tian -- something of a necessity, given what happened the first time around."

"And that would be...?"

"I played everyone for a fool and proved myself great equals to the Jade Emperor himself," Sun Wukong said. "Entering Tian after that is a bit like going back to Hong Kong after taking a Triad boss for his fortunes and his mistress. Which I have done, but I would not recommend to the average man. I remember the days of the earlier tournaments -- days of gods, dragons, wandering swordsman, and maybe the occasional extraterrestrial visitor." He took a sip of some peach brandy. "The world has gotten so rather strange these days... and I must say, it's quite enjoyable."

"In fact, if you have the time to spare would you do me the honor of helping me learn more of the sword? I have to admit, it is one of my weapon skills that I believe needs the most improvement. I did not exactly have what you would call proper instruction or guidance in my training." He looked at Miss Genardine hopefully.

"Hmm," Genardine said. "I am afraid it is a matter of practicality. Swords of the children of Adam make free use of the bane, and Tian makes much use of the same blades. However... I am certain that Guan Yu's armory has at least one wooden practice sword within its stocks. Perhaps I can call the concierge to arrange for such a thing."

"I guess Dad'd say hi, but I haven't seen him for a few months. Been in Freedom City myself, picking up where he left off." The second the words came out of his mouth, he was tempted to facepalm; no doubt she already knew that.

"Yes, your father," said the Morrigan, her three faces now turned back towards Crow. "We keep an eye on him on occasion. Despite his... complications, we still hold some fondness for him. We have watched your career with interest as well. The birthright may be latent, if it lies at all, but you have made outstanding use of what is afforded to you thus far. A victory against the Fomorians at your point in life is something to appreciate... but not something to rest on. There shall be worse, child."

She frowned and padded down the way, trying to stay as stealthy as possible -- though that wasn't saying much.

Coming down the hallway, Ironclad could hear two voices. One was high-pitched, almost on the outer fields of hearing, whereas the other was rough like gravel.

"It is set."

"But will it hold? This is not the first time --"

"This time, we are prepared. This time, we are closest to the source. The Pure Ones sit in the skies above Heaven, and weave the structure of the world. It is like standing directly under the sun."

"But what if he learns? This is the very heart of Heaven, and there are ears everywhere."

"We have kept ourselves concealed thus far. And as for ears..."

The pace of the two speakers quickened as they barreled down the hall.

"We shall take care of a pair shortly."

[Raveled]

Jessica's heart leapt as she listened to the two voices -- two conspirators, it seemed -- started towards her location. She felt a surge of adrenaline and triggered the suit with her mind, stepping out around the corner as the green and gold plate enveloped her. She saw two ugly humanoids coming towards her and switched around her suit's systems, rerouting power to the servos and raising her fists in a boxing stance. "Don't forget," she said to them, "Guan Yu picked me from all across the cosmos to come fight here. Don't expect me to go down easy."

[Semi-Autogyro]

Swords of the children of Adam make free use of the bane, and Tian makes much use of the same blades. However... I am certain that Guan Yu's armory has at least one wooden practice sword within its stocks. Perhaps I can call the concierge to arrange for such a thing."

He gave her a wan smile at that statement. "I do not believe that would be necessary, Miss Genardine." John held up his hands palm-up and called forth a wooden sword with a leather hilt that was a good approximation of the one currently by her side. "One of the benefits of my abilities is that I am never at the mercy of finding myself unequipped for battle." He concentrated a bit more a gestured for her to take it, the weapon now as solid to her as it was to him. "If you would do me the honor of your instruction, Miss Genardine."

[Azuth65]

"Pardon my Lady Morrigan," Wisp said, not entirely sure how to address the three forms of the Celtic goddess, "On the subject of Crow's victory, there was something I was going to give him while we were back in Boston but this seems a much better time for it." Pulling the ring box out from behind her back she stepped over and handed it to her boyfriend.

When he opened the box, he was greeted with the sight of a steel band with a Celtic knotwork design around it. "I saw it on one of the street stands on the way to pick up my weekly pull at the comic shop, it looked cool and I figured you'd like it. Plus, hey only ten bucks."

[trollthumper]

"Don't forget," she said to them, "Guan Yu picked me from all across the cosmos to come fight here. Don't expect me to go down easy."

"Oh, I hardly expect such a thing," said one of the figures. He bore down on Ironclad with great speed, surging from the shadows. He looked mostly human, clad in the robes of the other servitors of Heaven... but that was where the "mostly" came in. His skin was covered in red chitin, like an arthropod, and his hands narrowed into mighty pincers. The pincers grabbed hold of Ironclad's armor, but not hard enough to dent the steel. "I have dealt with swordsmen and holy men many times over the years. They were short work on Earth, but here, so close to the heart of the Pure Ones --"

"Can you save the gospel for later?" cried his companion. She flew out of the darkness on the wings of a bat, with similar ears protruding from under snow white hair. "Or if you're going to talk so loudly..." Her mouth opened, and a piercing cry washed over Ironclad, going directly for the sound system of her armor.

"...wait until she's deaf."

[Raveled]

The armor's sensors automatically cut out her audio pick up when the bat... thing's screech went past a certain decibel level. Inside the armor, Jessica tried to flip them back on with no success. One more thing on the repair list. Ironclad backed up, putting her fists up in a defensive posture as she considered her options. They were frankly bleak in a two-on-one fight -- but of course, this didn't have to be two-on-one, did it? The inventor reached out with her odd brain and searched the ether for any device belonging to the four heroes she'd met this morning. The first she found was Cannonade's, and she triggered it.

The buffet room was suddenly filled with the sound a bugle sounding a cavalry charge, and then Jessica's voice. "Cannonade to the rescue! By the workshop! Hurry!"

[trollthumper]

"Yeah, well, lots of people say the world seems more normal when you're younger," Cannonade said. "Then again, I've dealt with Nazi zombies, creepy cosmic nutcases, and talking dinosaurs, so it's not like 'normal' is something I know --"

The buffet room was suddenly filled with the sound a bugle sounding a cavalry charge, and then Jessica's voice. "Cannonade to the rescue! By the workshop! Hurry!"

Cannonade could feel the eyes of the entire banquet hall on him. Quickly, he turned to Sun Wukong. "Workshop. Where is it?"

"Just down the hall." Sun Wukong was already drawing his staff from out of his jacket; in the space of a few seconds, it went from the size of a baton to a quarterstaff. By that time, however, Cannonade was already dashing down the hallway at full speed. Should've known this wasn't gonna be peaceful...

In the hallway, meanwhile, the crab man's claws struck hard against Ironclad's armor, driving into the plating. "You can feel it, can't you?" he said to his companions. "Even being in the same plane as them bolsters us. With enlightenment --"

"With enlightenment, maybe you'll learn to keep quiet." The bat woman bombarded Ironclad with a screech that would paralyze her nervous system -- had it not hit the wall instead. "We're so close, and I won't have you screw this up. And they will find this one when we're finished. What shall we do then?"

"My advice?" The two assailants turned to see Cannonade, standing at the head of the hallway. Sun Wukong stood by his side, his staff almost touching the ceiling. 'Pray."

[Semi-Autogyro]

John started at the sudden sound of bugles. "What?" He said turning as the automated distress call sounded. "Miss Ironclad?!?"

He saw Mister Macayle and Sun Wunkong heading off down one of the corridors and John followed after them hot on their heels. While he was sure that they probably didn't need the backup, his main concern was that Miss Ironclad having to resort to such methods to call for help. John skidded to a stop behind them in the hallway, and saw the two bestial humanoids. He quickly dropped into a combat stance, ready to engage the duo.

[Raveled]

Ironclad gasped as the crab-thing's claws caught and crushed her mid-section. She pounded on it futilely, but the suit's massive strength wasn't any use when she couldn't aim it properly; the blows just slid off the crab's armor. She was still aware enough to be grateful that the bat-creature's sonic blast missed her -- and to smile under her mask when the cavalry showed up. "Gonna get your ass kicked," she gasped at the crab. "So. Frickin'. Hard."

[Quinn]

Crow's jaw dropped behind his bandanna as he looked at the ring, and he picked it up somewhat gingerly. It might've been cheap at ten bucks, but he was flattered and warmed by the fact that she'd got it for him. The slack-jawed look turned to a grin, and he flipped the ring into his other hand before sliding it onto his finger. With a polite bow to his mother, he then took his girlfriend by the arm.

"Eh, I do what I can, and I've got friends to help me."

With a smile at his girlfriend, he began making a distinct head motion towards the exit when they both heard the alarm from Cannonade's cellphone. The rune of wind walking began to smoke and burn, and he released Wisp's arm to head out and help...then he realized just who was heading out to help. And who all was in the building. Then he smiled.

"Up for dinner and a show, love?"

The teen grabbed a platter of nearby crabcakes, tossing one back with a chuckle before vanishing. To Cannonade's and Sun Wukong's no-doubt immense amusement, he promptly appeared in the thick of the fighting, still holding the platter. Noting Wisp's simultaneous arrival, he then brought down the platter onto the head of the nearest foe, coincidentally the crab-clawed one.

[Azuth65]

Vicky felt a smile spread on her own face seeing Morgan's response to the ring. As he tactfully got them away from his mother to go to Jessica's aid, she nodded, "Sounds like an excellent way to spend the night."

After they landed she found herself inwardly enjoy seeing her boyfriend bring down the platter on the crab-monster's head, she slipped over to the 'elbow' of the pincer-ended arm holding Ironclad. Bringing her fist down on the limb. With a sickening crunch, she saw the exoskeleton crack in spiderwebs from the impact. "Let her go Zoidberg. Back to Decapod 10 with you."

[Raveled]

Reinvigorated by the appearance of her allies, Ironclad lashed out with a one-two punch at her captor. She didn't aim for the heavily-armored claw this time, instead choosing to target the crab-thing's midsection. Her gauntleted fists smashed into the creature's body and she felt the claw around her midsection loosen. "Anyone bring some boiling water," she asked. "I think this guy's about done."

[Semi-Autogyro]

Seeing the Crab Demon taking a series of punishing attacks, he knew that there was another target still unaccounted here as well. John launched into a series of savage blows aimed at the Bat Demon, giving Sun Wukong a wide opening the blindside the creature. He grinned briefly as the creature fell for his plan, not knowing the intent of his maneuverings. He still was however wondering why these things had attacked Miss Ironclad and what their goal was. It seemed outright inane that someone would try something of this nature while not seemingly affiliated with the tournament.

[trollthumper]

The bat creature dodged Myrmidon's blows... but again, that was entirely the point. Sun Wukong brought his staff on the upside of the thing's head, knocking it back against the wall. "It is true what they say," said the Great Sage. "You really are bllind."

"Insouciance fits you well," said the bat woman as she struggled for control. "When our mistress takes hot knives to your flesh, we'll see how well your armor protects you."

"Man, I really don't care what you get up to in the privacy of your own home," Cannonade said, "but show a little goddamn courtesy here." He drove a mighty blow towards the stunned crab, but he managed to scuttle out of the way of the lumbering punch. "So, what did the monkey ever do to you guys?"

"More than you can imagine," said the crab. "But you will find out soon enough." Before Cannonade's eyes, the crab began to fall to pieces of chitin and empty legs, looking like the remnants of a seafood buffet. The bat, likewise, seemed to shrivel within her robes, until nothing but tufts of fur and shreds of leathery wings were left. Two shadows raced across the floor of the hallway, disappearing into the depths of the Extended Net.

Cannonade turned to check on Ironclad. He took a look over the metal to ensure that it wasn't bent back in a way that might pierce or crush the flesh, while he looked up to Sun Wukong. "So, what the hell were those things?"

"Yaoguai," said Sun Wukong. "I... may have had reasons to return to Heaven beyond a favor to Guan Yu."

Before he could explain, the caws of a hundred crows descended down the hallway. The massive murder swept through and settled on the floor, reforming into the Morrigan. The three ladies wore black armor and carried swords of the sharpest steel, and fire was in their eyes. "Who dares?" they cried. "Let us rend them, bleed them, and leave them tied to the walls as a warning to --"

When they noticed there was no one else in the hall beside the heroes, they settled down, sheathing their swords. "Ah," they said. "The cowards have taken flight. That is unfortunate."

[Raveled]

Ironclad made a face behind her mask as the crab thing broke down into a thousand bits and swept off into the twisting hallways of the mansion. She brushed her armor off and turned to address Sun Wukong. "Sun Wukong -- er, Great Sage. Before they attacked me, I heard this two creatures talking and plotting between themselves." The young genius closed her eyes and recited the recent conversation from memory. Sometimes having perfect recall was an invaluable help. After a minute she opened her eyes and asked, "Just who are these Pure Ones that they were referring to?"