A Game Of Skill (But Mostly Luck) (IC)

[Aoiroo]

She smiled as she started down the way,

"Ones that don't make me queasy, but those are few and between. Which is why it's good to space this out, I should be able to hold up since there's nothing in my stomach, for now at least."

She stretched and they headed over to the first roller coaster. It was fine, she wasn't that fond of them, but they shared a car and she imagined they were flying, and trying to shake a homicidal robot that couldn't make impossible turns. Weird how she justified, but he seemed to enjoy it. Next was the spinner which had them up against the wall and moving along, which was like she was being spun by a speedster at high speed (which has happened, freaking zoom users), though she needed a minute after that one, she was laughing when it was over, even if she was a little green around the gills.

[Quinn]

He was somewhat disappointed when she didn't take the offered hand, but hindsight it made sense - and it was her call anyway. He smiled and followed along behind her, laughing about the prizes on that small wagon. As for the rides - the roller coaster was definitley everything it was cracked up to be, although the spinner was a tiny bit slow for his tastes. Call it speedster bias. He was laughing along with her as they hopped down, leaning on a handy bench to get his orientation back; which direction was straight again?

"Oofa...man, those things always make my head spin. And the blood rush to my feeeet..." He hopped up and down for a sec, then grinned at her. "No offense, but you look like you swallowed something and it moved - need a minute or two?"

[Aoiroo]

"Yeah,"

Taking a seat at the nearest bench she looked at their prize tally. Counting it off she smiled,

"You want to make a quick run to the car with this stuff? We're gonna want a clear wagon for round two I'm sure."

She let out a breath and hung her hand back. It was, nice, doing this sort of thing with someone who more her age, and more, well not related to her and available. Bumbling through, it had been a lot of fun, she was glad she didn't just let her pass her by, she was glad, her thoughts were interupted by the sound of popping and breaking glass.

[Quinn]

Zeke looked up at the sound of the popping, and noted with clinical detachment...wait, no, strike that. He noted with no small irritation the popping lights. And the sounds of gunshots. Gunshots. At a packed carnival. Sonofa...

He started thinking quick. No costume, no mask...he'd have to improvise. At least long enough for more heroes to arrive - the problem was that while his skin was tough, he wasn't exactly bulletproof. Daaaaammmmnnnniiiiiitttt... First priority, get Carrie out of danger.

Overclock started to feel a bit of adrenaline pump into his system, and he moved fairly quickly over to her; a worried expression on his face.

"I know those sounds...gunshots. Bollocks - can you find a place to hide? I'll...go call the police."

[Aoiroo]

"Don't bother."

Her voice was flat as she pointed a thumb to her left, or really any direction, people already had their phones out, not that it would help with them doing it all at once. Another shot went out and Carrie ducked down behind the bench looking in the direction of the shot. Around her people were running, but several vans were blocking the way to the parking lot, and about four dozen guys who looked like they were picked out of a Mooks R Us catalog moved armed pushing the crowd to keep them in the park. Carrie was still looking from the directions the shot game from, in this case from the top of the ferris wheel which had stopped. Her face blank and hard as she saw the movement through the window and then another shot cracked out this was time it shot directly into the sign for the tilt a whirl, cracking and sizzling the neon. She looked to the side and started counting the mooks,

"Warning shots, whoever's shooting aiming for pin targets instead of people."

When the next shot sound she grabbed Zeke's arm and pulled him down behind the bench as the shooting continued, she was trying to figure out what the heck was going on. But she knew it in the back of the world, the irony gods personally sent the flying finger of fate to #*@% them again.

[Aoiroo]

GM

A smile curved as the crowds were backed up by the hired help. Good, it just wouldn't do if they left too soon. It had taken forever to get in position, but it was work the ride as the window slid open. Looking out into the far below, she couldn't help but smile in her brightly colored overalls. One foot up, two, then rip. The parashute came out and down from the ferris wheel, armed from the gills with a rainbow colored parachute came Madam Marvelous, who for the occasion had put on on fitted clown clothing and make up to match. Her hair was in pigtails, and she was grinning through the thick red lip paint, but in her hands was a desert eagle and on her back, a sniper rifle she was likely using to hit the lights. She landed about six yards top of the booth for skeeball. She yelled up,

"Is everybody having fun!"

Her voice boomed, through the speakers since, which on closer inspection was because of a headset microphone she had on her face. Most people just stared at her dumbfounded. After a few seconds she scowled,

"I said, is everyone having FUN!"

On the last bit she shot up in the air causing massive screaming through the crowds who were clinging to each other not sure where to run, the exits block and the crazy clown woman in the center who started going,

"Do do, do do do do, do do do do. Don't you just LOVE a carnival. Come on people, smile!"

[Quinn]

Oh, double bollocks.

He hit the ground behind the bench and cursed. Madame Marvelous, he'd heard of. Paraphrasing one of his favorite shows - seven pounds of crazy with about five pounds of weaponry. At the repeated shots, and the screaming crowd - he could feel the blood pumping in his ears and the adrenaline start to sing; if Carrie had a pair of eyes, she could probably see him twitching slightly. His movements catlike, but kicked up just a bit - his hand movements were almost too fast to notice. First thought - Carrie had to get out of here. Same with the civvies. Then he could deal with the bandits.

Though he was surprised Carrie knew the plans of the gunshots right off the bat - he almost smiled. She was definitley no fool. And...well, you knew something was going to come up sooner or later.

He felt around his back pocket for his emergency costume - a bandanna. Good, it was there. He'd need it shortly. The speedster started to rack his brains on how to get her out of the danger zone right then.

"Carrie...ah...okay, listen - I'm going to try and...di-distract 'em, okay? Can you grab some of the c-...people and leg it for the car?"

Smooth.

[Aoiroo]

Carrie narrowed her eyes at Madam Marvelous, her mind racing, trying to piece together a plan so much so that she forgot he was there. When he spoke she nearly jumped. He was, jittery, nerves again, that wasn't surprising, but him a distraction. Her eyebrows went up, no way, no freaking way, they had guns, he was a civilain. She could handle it, being shot at, being shot, no way she was letting him, geez, but how in the world was she going to stop him. She couldn't knock him out, okay she could knock him out, one hit to the throat and he's down, but she didn't want too, plus it would leave him to be trampled or shot. But how, arggh, why did it have to be so hard. Why did this have to happen, why couldn't things be normal for once, she'd settle for corny even like a movie or.... Her eyes hardened and she looked at him and before he could move pulled him close and kissed him, hard and fast, but with enough vigor to make him stop for a little bit.

Truth be told, she'd of prefer if it lasted longer, but she let go of him, let the moment of shock distract him and ran, right past him, right through the crowd, right up the side of the booth before catching the edge of her fingers and gracefully flipping onto the adjacent roof at level with Madam Marvelous,

"HEY ANGELA!"

Madam Marvelous stopped and turn,

"MY NAME IS NOT.... YOU!"

She took the desert eagle and lined for the shot but Sil was already moving like all hell, running from top to top of the attractions with Madam Marvelous following her in hot pursuit,

"YOU RUINED MY DEBATE AT THE KIRBY!"

[Quinn]

Blink.

Blink blink blink.

Program overclock.exe has suffered an error and must reboot.

His arms windmilled for about all of three seconds before she went over, and a goofy, very lopsided smile crossed his features. That lasted about all of five seconds. Then he heard the gunshot. And he practically leapt up to stop her...and his jaw dropped. That girl was just...he couldn't believe that she just...talk about guts, but...

Overclock blinked again. And then his face just lit up like a Christmas tree. Hand to the back of the jeans, bandanna out and around his face, listen up, turn it up and rock it out - party on, he's gonna hear 'em scream and shout! The souped-up adrenaline, the Woosh, shot through him and he fairly roared as he just took off. And thugs started to fly. Elbow strike to gut-knee to high kick to low kick to toe kick to back kick to left fist to right fist to leaping kick tobackstriketoclotheslinetosomersaultupperkicktodropkicktoelbowtosstoleftpuntto-

There was a sound akin to forty-eight various body parts being struck at once. Followed by the sound of forty-eight individuals hitting the ground all at once, seeing stars in the process. A figure in brown dreads, with a bandanna around his face, in a dusty blue waistcoat, white shirt, and slacks screeched to a halt where the cement bench was. He just started laughin'. Big-time. And gestured to the crowd.

"Ladies and gentlemen, presenting for one day only in the biggest upstage in history - my name's Overclock, and I'll be your hero today. Kindly evacuate the carnival as quickly and orderly as possible - I've got to go find my date and help her kick Marvelous's arse up between her ears." Thumbs-up. "Thank you, I'll be here all week!"

[Aoiroo]

GM

The mooks didn't know what hit them and pretty much fell like dominos. The civilians were, speechless honestly, if anybody recognized the clothes they didn't say anything. Instead they complied with the speedster running away in a orderly fashion, though still running of course. They weren't stupid.

Meanwhile, Madam Marvelous was seeing red as she gave chase to the women who stole her thunder at the muesum. It was such a perfect act, she had the chereography all set and that girl took the crowd with some simple flips. Honestly the nerve, she got a shot lined up and shot straight at her, but the bullet while hitting the mark only grazed her shoulders and she kept up her pursuit, she wasn't getting away this time.

[Aoiroo]

Run like hell, was Carrie's internal mantra as she lured away Madam Marvelous. She was surprised it worked. She had gotten the name Angela from the police report from the last incident, she was surprised the woman remembered her, but then that was good. No shooting civilians just shooting, pain ahh. She nearly stopped as a bullet grazed her shoulder, but she got her footing as she looked back at Madam Mental as she was preparing for another shot. She was angry, but so was Carrie,

"What the hell is your problem, appearing here in the middle of the day, scaring people, aren't you famous enough at the freaking penitentary."

She let out a breath and jumped down inbetween two of the lower buildings turning flat as soon as the building covered her back.

Madam Marvelous followed while yelling,

"IT WAS MY SHOW, MY MOMENT, YOU RUI..."

Getting back hard wasn't hard at all, and when the villain came to the edge gun in hand Carrie striked leaving her breathless. She gave the witch her best screw you kick knee in the chest before hitting the back of her head with her combined closed fist. The villain dropped gasping and Carrie reappeared behind her,

"Will you shut the hell up, first real date I've had in a year, and you have to come make a spectacle of yourself."

[Quinn]

Overclock watched the crowd go with some satisfaction, when a second gunshot rang out. He spun on his heel, scanning the booth-line...THERE - Carrie'd just...whoa, did she just put Marvelous on her ass? Damn.

Then there was the glint of the Desert Eagle in the villain's hands - Zeke gritted his teeth, and just took off again. Dust from the old Boardwalk boards kicked up as the blur what was him went screaming across the distance, bounded up the sides of the booth with near-impossible speed. Time seemed to move glacially slow for Overclock as he screeched to a halt in front of her. Then it was all like training.

Step forward to the right side of the gun. Single hand blow directly above the wrist with maximum force. Hand goes down, reflexively opens. Seize weapon. Maintain speed, leap off the side, scramble down midway until out of sight and drop gun into wastebasket. Note location of wastebasket. Picture face on villain.

Smile. And pray you moved fast enough that Carrie only saw a blur.

[Aoiroo]

The gun disappeared with Zeke and Madam Marvelous gasp looking up at Carrie,

"You!"

Carrie's eyebrows raised,

"Don't look at me cause you can't hold onto a gun."

The woman looked angry and then cracked into a smile before reaching into her pocket, there was a click as she pulled a denonator out of her pocket,

"I kept this, now the show will go out with a big bag, as the boardwalk has one like final glorious blaze of glory,"

Carrie paniked and kicked Madam Marvelous in the face quickly but she had pushed the detonator when she grabbed it, and the clock was ticking. Carrie starting booking it to the exit, cursing and hoping that the civilians had cleared out, and that Zeke was okay.

[Quinn]

Zeke was also booking it, but not quite in the same direction. He'd been hurrying back to back-up Carrie when he'd spotted the detonator in Marvelous's hands, and the words bomb on her lips.

Not. Good.

Overclock's eyes went wide as the villainness took her thumb off the trigger, and time just slowed. Shades of Johnny Rocket filled his mind as he just took off, images of the Boardwalk in flames and Carrie in the middle filling his head. His feet moved faster and faster and faster, his eyes looking everywhere at once as a black-and-white blur raced down the midway of the carnival. The blur stopped and started by stalls and booths, looking for anything vaguely explosive. Halfway down a series of stairs, his hat finally gave up the ghost and flew off his head. He didn't notice.

Finally, when he'd started searching the underside of the Boardwalk, he found it. His slacks were caked with sand and soaked with water, but he didn't care; the stack of C4 and fireworks were enough to set off a Chinese New Year's display. And blow up half the boardwalk before Carrie could even make the exit. The overly-large red-number timer clicked down; a theatrical gesture that if Marvelous were around, he'd have punched her for. Overclock gritted his teeth, and muscles bunched under the shirt again. Thank God she tied it all together...

It was a trick he'd never tried before, but physics said it would work, right? He took a deep breath, the huge bomb clasped in his enhanced arms, and just charged out over the water in front of him. He could make it. Speed was his thing. He could do this!

Three.

He was fast, faster than anything, the Fastest Fighter Alive.

Two.

Just a bit further, just a bit further.

One.

Throw it, throw it, throw it and RUN!

Zero.

...Not your time yet, Car.

BOOM

[Aoiroo]

Carrie was running, but truth was, she wasn't very fast. She was sneaky, she was agile, she wasn't fast, she was maybe ten feet from where she started, the concrete bench where Madam Marvelous first arrived. There was still broken glass on the ground from where she shot out the lights. In the distance, she could see the cart of goodies that Zeke had abandoned to come back. Where was he she wondered? Hopefully with the others, hopefully he made his way out of the carnival when she ran off to distract Madam Marvelous. It wasn't terribly romantic, but it was practical, she tried to keep running but heard a boom, and threw herself under the bench and closed her eyes. It wasn't too terrible a day to die, she just wished it was a better villain.

One second passed,

Nothing was happening,

Two seconds was passed,

She heard something in the distance and looked up,

Three seconds,

The fireworks were exploding and she winced until she saw they were way too far away to be at the beach. Getting out from under the bench she saw the fireworks display in the distance, in the middle of the ocean.

"What?"

[Quinn]

Carrie's confusion was interrupted a few moments after that. A steady squish-squish-squish sound came from nearby, along with a low grumble - not loud enough to pick up specifics, though. If she turned to look, she would have spotted Zeke, his waistcoat and shirt somewhat charred, rummaging about a pile of discarded midway equipment, before standing back up straight with an 'aha!'. The newsboy cap was a bit out of shape, but a quick shake and he slapped it back on his head with a satisfied nod. He pulled down the bandanna around his neck and stretched.

Oddly, though it was a bit hard to make out, he didn't seem to be wearing shoes. Oh, wait - yes he was. Well, half of them. It looked like the bottom of the shoes had either burned or melted off, and he was walking around in very soggy socks. In the distance, she could see him grab the handle of the cart of goodies, before starting in the direction of the bench...and then he stopped cold. He looked at Carrie by the bench. She could almost see the hamster-wheels in his head turning.

Then he just waved.

[Aoiroo]

Carrie looked at him for a few seconds and just stared taking the whole thing in. It was quite the thing, at a more reasonable time, she could probably puzzle together it's meaning. Instead she just walked forward and looked him over, then the cart and said,

"So, dinner?"

She scratched her head a little bit,

"Sixish, at the Maddens, umm, bring the stuff after you're cleaned up, maybe we can drop it off at my brothers?"

[Quinn]

He nodded. Scratched the back of his head. That was...pretty much all he could do. His stomach growled. He looked down at it. Then back up. His expression was slightly abashed.

"...yeah, dinner sounds good. My treat."

Beat. Then he looked over at the unconscious figure on top of the booth. Then back at Carrie. He didn't say anything either. He seemed to mull something over in his head. Pondering...pondering...pondering...after a few seconds, he just shrugged and offered his arm.

"Thanks for the date - I had a great time."