ic Massive Attack (IC)

[Tiffany Korta]

Freedom City University, North End

 

11th March 2013, around 10 am

 

The Library

 

 

Whilst the FCU library was a spacious modern structure taking up around a half dozen floors there were still, if you wanted, nooks and crannies where one could have yourself away.

 

One such area was where the library storied the myriad of periodicals and thesis’s belonging to the Physics department. Whilst the depart itself had some of the most prodigious scientists in the world it wasn't the held in such large esteem as some of the other departments. So there more esoteric, scientifically speaking, documents were tucked away in one corner of the library.

Edited March 26, 2013 by TiffanyKorta

[Tiffany Korta]

Nicki had tracked it down on her first day as hardly anyone came up here it allowed her to carry one her other activities, or even just study in peace, without interruption. Today she was catching up with some homework she’d missed over the weekend, being a hero took far more time than just being a "villain" did, whilst Merge helped her out by finding the books she needed for her studies.

 

Today Merge was dressed somewhat conservatively; she was wearing a Bomber jacket over a plain white T-Shirt, cycling shorts and Doc Marten’s boots. Even her hair was tied up in a conservative ponytail.

 

Everything seemed to be set for a quiet day of studying, unfortunately Freedom City rarely worked that way…

[Supercape]

Professor Quill strolled the Library, trying to find the latest publication of Journal of Observer Entanglement which he always tried to catch. That backstabbing Liebniz had wangled another article in there, and the word was, to his irritation, it was rather good. 

 

Kids today he sighed as he spotted Nicki and her outrageous attire. 

 

He walked up to her and peeped over her shoulder. 

 

"Very nice to see such a love of print in students today" he said softly and laced with approval as he gazed at her boots. "Very...ah...conservative...of you..." he said "...relatively speaking..." he bumbled. 

[Tiffany Korta]

Who is this idiot?

He’s one of the Professor’s here, do you not pay attention to all those picture’s posted around the campus?

If he thought her get-up was outrageous he should have seen what Merge was wearing...

Nicki smiled and opened her mouth reply but didn’t get a chance, coming up the stair was another of the Professors a rather triumphant sneer on his face as he spied Professor Quill.

“Ah come to see another of my article’s publish in Journal of Observer Entanglement? A rather fine piece if I say so myself. It’s been a whilst since you had an article published isn’t it?†he spoke with a hint of a German accent.

Edited March 9, 2013 by TiffanyKorta

[Tiffany Korta]

Professor Liebniz stood a distance from the pair of them and for the first time seemed to notice Nicki

“What is this... student doing here?†managing to look haunty and down on her at the same time

I can be up there in a second and show him the error of his ways.

No I don’t need the trouble, I’ll just leave the scientists to argue about things that a sorta kinda exists.

Though she could help muttering under her breath so only Quentin could hear

“Jerk.†the she stood up and began gathering her thing “I was just up her studying Professor, but I don’t want to get you way...â€

Edited March 9, 2013 by TiffanyKorta

[Supercape]

"Liebniz" hissed Quill, his eyes furrowing. The man, for all his personal and self-induced tragedy, was insufferable. 

 

"Libraries are for studying. We work in a university. The building, contrary to the belief you seem to have built for yourself, was built for that purpose, not as a testament and temple to your own ego!" he huffed. Perhaps he was a bit more irritated than normal that the academic prestiges had swung towards Liebniz the last month. 

 

Damn, he hasn't got the responsibilities of being a Superhero to juggle! oh for a quiet life!

 

Quentin turned back to Nicki. "Don't go. The Library is yours to use. No matter what Professor Liebniz may think!"

[Tiffany Korta]

Meanwhile in the Library Lobby

The librarian didn't even look up as the two figure’s entered the library, it was a quite day and she using the time to update her Facebook status. She did notice however when one of the figure loomed above her. As a citizen of Freedom CIty she was use to any number of unusual thing’s, but she unprepared for the figure’s appearance.

Glancing up she save what looked like some kind of a form fitting white spacesuit, not scary in itself, but through the glass of the mask was a human skull bathed in a eerie blue light.

At this point she may have screamed.

From a nearby rack Merge peered out at the trouble strolling into the library.

Edited March 10, 2013 by TiffanyKorta

[Tiffany Korta]

Nicki had once described how she saw through both her’s and all the Merge’s senses at the same time as watching multiple TV screens at the same time, but it was more than that. She was able to perceive all of the senses at the same time and yet still keep each one separate.

So the instant that Merge was aware that trouble had entered the library so did Nicki, of cause Merge didn’t have to worry about two Professor who could get drawn into this trouble. Luckily she had did a little reading around multiple subjects when research. Pouring on the charm she gave Professor Quill’s one of her most charming smiles.

“Thank you Professor I think I will. I was wonder if you could help me find the article you wrote on Quantum entanglement?â€

She picked something she was sure was towards the other end’s of the stack’s, and Professor Liebniz wouldn’t be able to stand his rival being the center of attention.

[Supercape]

"Why certainly!" replied the Professor, arching an eyebrow. He tried to recall if he had met this student. He tried to wonder how genuine she was. 

 

Of course, he reasoned, it was impossible to tell. 

 

He was about to try some suitably neutral, passive reply about how to find any article in the library through the normal means, when his ear's pricked up at the scream. 

 

"My my! what was that!" he mumbled, distracted from Nicki. 

 

"Libraries are meant to be a place of sanctuary and quiet!" he said, as he strode, full pace towards the source of the cry. 

 

Perhaps, on another day, he would have dived away to change into his splendid costume. But it was not today. People yelped and screamed for all sorts of reasons. It could have been a mouse, for all he knew...

[Tiffany Korta]

Library Lobby

The spacesuited figure was joined by another figure who looked mostly human, but was surrounded by an aura of darkness that seemed to writhe and twist around him as if made of millions of little life forms.

“Why did you have to scare her off Cerenkov? We could have needed her help.†he had the slight trace of an accent

“Do not worry...Orda...We know where they keep the book...They do not... know what... they posses...It is with...the lesser...occult... books.†his, or her voice  it was impossible to tell, had a strange flow to it as if made up of many different voices.

[Tiffany Korta]

In the Stacks

Nicki couldn’t help but swear inwardly at the Professor’s decision to see if he could help, it was basically what she was about to do, but it meant she’d have to keep two lot’s of people safe.

Plan B?

We’re still on B? Well that’s a bonus. Yes do your stuff.

“Professor... Liebniz wasn’t it? As the other professor seemed unable to help me if you would be so kind?â€

It took a few seconds to answer, as if he was distracted by something, but with nothing more than a tut he went.

On the Stairs

Meanwhile Quentin was met by the sight of Merge sat on the stairs clutching at her ankle. She was dressed in a brightly colored crop top and pair of shorts, and wearing she ridiculous heels which was probably why she fell down.

“Oh hi there I just stumbled on the stairs.â€

[Supercape]

I know kids today dress...strange...but this is...

 

"Excuse me madam" he said, a trace of stiffness in his voice, but with words laced with politeness. "Are you well? did you fall? I heard a scream...." he turned his head this way and that puzzled. Perhaps it had just been that outrageously dressed woman, although she didn't look the screaming type - and given her footwear falling over was probably a daily occurance. 

 

"I...don't recognise you madam, are you a student here?" he asked politely. She looked like a student, he conceded, just a very studenty-student. He would have recognised someone like her, he reasoned - although new students arrived and the occasional outrageous makeover was part of university life. 

[Tiffany Korta]

With a lumbering gait Cerenkov made a move towards one of stairways that lead towards the upper levels of the library, behind him Orda seemed to float slightly above the ground.

From her viewing point the Merge on the ground floor could she exactly which way they were heading, and it didn’t look good for them.

Guess luck isn’t on our side, they’ve just happened to pick the one set of stair that leads to all of you.

Okay in that case you get Quentin out of the way and I’ll deal with Liebniz.

On the Stairs

The young woman on the stair gave a little sigh, and suddenly there was two identical versions of the woman. The new one standing there helped the other to her feet.

“No I’m not a student her Doc, the names Merge Trois. And despite what you might have heard about me I’m actually the good guy here. There are some very bad people on the way up the stairs, so the me here...†the Merge on the left indicated to the other her on the right “Will lead you up and away from danger.â€

In the Stack’s

As Nicki tried to lead Liebniz subtly away he paused and looked slightly spaced out for a minute.

“Do you feel that it’s like... it’s like...†he then recovered his composure “Take your hand off me child, I’m not some kind of imbecile.â€

He began to move towards the rear of the stacks, but slower than Nicki would have really liked. he seemed to be dawdling like he was waiting for something to arrive.

[Supercape]

"Bad people? Merge Trois? Danger? Stairs?" spluttered Quentin, try to absorb all the vivid imagery of Merge Trois and the explanation she had given all at once. It didn't help having his brain so sensitive to disruptions and flows of energy, gravity, and the like - Merge Trois was gaudy to more than sight. 

 

He held onto his tweed jacket, contemplating a transformation into Supercape courtesy of the unstable psycho-reactive molecules he had patiently woven together. But he had no wish to reveal his secret I.D. 

 

"Well, madam, I have no idea who you are - who any of you are...errr...but you seem to have a remarkable gift for multiplication. I should enrol you in my maths class!" he quipped. 

 

Before the tumbleweed could roll, he carried on. 

 

"Getting out of danger doesn't seem your style, but it is certainly mine!" he said. "Allow me to follow you, and...errr...run away if there is trouble!"

[Tiffany Korta]

“I like you Doc but we really must work on your humor some. For now leave it all to me, including the joke’s.†Merge gently begun to lead Quentin up the stairs.

And not a moment to so as Supercape could now see the pair of villains making there way further up the stairs. Currently only a landing and two series of stair’s laided between the villains and himself.

This is going to end really badly.

Well to be honest yeah, but you only have to stall them whilst we squirrel away the two Professors, which is easier than it sound.

Professor Liebniz was now back at the edge of the floor, peering over the railing in a some kind of fascination at the lumbering form coming up the stair. Nicki had to gently nudge him back toward the rear of the floor, this time he didn’t complain. It was like he was almost in a trance.

[Tiffany Korta]

We should be fine, for a certain definition of fine, as long as no other villains turn up. And hey a hero might even turn up who doesn’t want to beat up and/or arrest us!

Still gonna hurt lot’s though.

Well you and me both, now concentrate.

In another rendering of mass and energy that would make most Physicists weep a wall of Merge’s appeared forming a barrier in front of Quentin. Whilst behind them came the Merge from downstair who put her finger’s too her lips and let out a loud whistle.

“Oi Spaceboy and Dusty I’m afraid I can’t let you get any further.â€

She struck a classic hand on hip pose that somehow made her look both defiant and strangely comical at the same time.

[Supercape]

Quentin stopped at the wall of Merge's. 

 

"Yes yes, I get your point!" he sighed, throwing his hands up in the air in desperation. 

 

What a ridiculous woman. I quite like her!

 

Merge looked, and acted, like a child - in his opinion. A petulant, stroppy, and immature child. With attitude. The contradiction was she also had the appeal of one. 

 

"This is *ahem* clearly beyond me. I shall have to leave all villain apprehension to Superheroes like yourself!" he said, backing down the stairs. His eyes scanned left and right to see where he could change into Supercape. 

 

"Although I confess I am still not precisely clear what felony has been commited, and by who!" he mentioned. It was true too - he guessed that Merge could handle herself against any regular thief or miscreant, but the world was full of supervillains as well as superheroes. 

 

At the back of his mind he hoped Liebniz would not...get into any trouble...

[Tiffany Korta]

“You deal with this blithering idiot Cerenkov, I’m make sure we have no witnesses.†he pointed up towards Quentin and his Merge guide.

Before waiting for an answer he form began to swirl around until he was nothing but a cloud of darkness, which still seemed bitty as if it was made of thousand of little part’s. The cloud began to flow around the wall of Merge’s and up the stair until it began to coalesce around Quentin.

The cloud was pitch black and felt as if it was made up of thousand’s of tiny creature’s that constantly swarmed around them.

[Tiffany Korta]

What’s that Orda guy doing I can’t see in or out of it, is the Professor still okay?

I can’t tell either, let’s just try and deal with the two of them.

With that the Merge’s swarmed around Cerenkov, whilst unseen Merge filled the cloud of Orda, but none of her attack’s seemed to have any effect on the two of them.

Whoop’s that didn’t seem to work we could be in a lot of trouble.

As if in response Cerenkov gave a massive burst of blue energy towards the crowd of Merge’s, sending a radiation spike so large that even through the cloud Quentin could “see†it’s effect.

[Supercape]

What a bothersome day!

 

Uh oh...

 

The Radiation spike flowing from Cereknov did not worry him overtly - it was powerful enough, surely. Something that might seriously harm Merge, if not himself. But there was a deeper concern...

 

I hope Liebniz isn't on the receiving end of any of that. If he is...then we have a serious problem...

 

Heavy Metal hadn't shown his face in a year. But if he did, things would go bad very quick. Supercape was confident enough these days to handle some heavy super villianry, but he was practically useless against the alter ego of Liebniz. 

 

He elevated himself, and flew backwards, out of the cloud. It was still easy enough for him to lock on to Cereknov, and, with a nudge of several atoms, bathe the man in a pretty shade of green radiation. 

[Tiffany Korta]

The dark cloud that surrounded Orda wasn’t just gas, but it was instead a clouds of billions of tiny creature that existed only to bite and eat and grow. Through unfortunate circumstance Orda was now bounded to these creature, indeed his body was now composed of nothing but them. Not that Merge knew any of this, but she could feel millions of little mouths over all of herselves in cloud trying to get through her toughened skin.

The sensation at the moment no more dangerous than an all body massage was however quite distracting and Merge failed to score a strike on either of the two.

[Supercape]

Supercape whirled around from left to right, his brain trying to absorb what was happening. For all his plethroa of exotic senses were threatening to overwhelm his senses. 

 

"What on earth is going on here? Multiplying rap stars? Clouds of living gas? Radioactive men? All at once?" he shouted, vexed at the explosion of strange that was going on. 

 

He could only guess that Merge, at least, was - despite appearances - possessed of some decency the way she expressed what he hoped was concern for his alter ego. Strange and peculiar - and alien - she might be, but that act inclined him to protect her, as best he could. 

 

His mind delved and zoomed into the subatomic plane, shifting around subtle events and destroying almost non-existent particles, releasing a cascade of energy that poured into the Orda cloud, lighting it up a pretty shade of purple. 

[Tiffany Korta]

The burst of energy flooded the area of the landing illuminating the various Merge’s, harmlessly, though it was hard to tell if Orda was harmed. Cerenkov on the other hand was rather easier to read, he collapse to the stair obviously harmed by the burst.

“Who turned out the lights?†he managed before collapsing.

The suit he wore began to show rents and tears leaking wisps of blue glowing energy. Supercape could feel the level of radiation spike suddenly and begun to raise rapidly.

“I think we really should go now Professor, this does not look good.â€

Nicki tried to pull Professor Liebniz but found herself unable to move him, as if he suddenly weighed a couple of tons.

[Tiffany Korta]

Merge come help me with Professor Liebniz, he weigh a ton.

It unusual you use such hyperbole

Same to you, no I mean he weighs a lot more than he should, I think something is wrong.

Well Orda is just floating around and Cerenkov is down and leaking blue light.

Cherenkov blue, oh dear that really bad

No it’s Cere...

They both mean the same thing, it’s the blue glow radiation gives off in water. Okay we need to get the Professor out of here, come help me move Liebniz and start looking for Quentin.

On my way, how exactly do you know so much about radiation.

The power station did tours a couple of years ago to allay fears, seems they had a couple of super attack’s in a row.

As they two talked to what amounted to themselves A horde of Merge’s appeared around Professor Liebniz and with some effort began to carry him away from the action. The remaining Merge’s around the cloud of Orda appeared to be searching for something.

“The suited guy I think he’s going to blow, it might be best if we leave the scene.â€

[Supercape]

"Oh no..." said Supercape as his super senses pinged in alarm. 

 

Radiation leek...and...

 

Liebniz is here....

 

He could feel the anxiety hitting him. He was confident enough to handle most minor supervillains these days. But Heavy Metal could tear the place...and him...apart and there would be precious little he could do about it. Heavy Metal could soak up...could eat all the energy he could throw at him. 

 

His mind focussed like a razor blade. If there was any chance of stopping that happening, he would have to shut down Cherenkov, and shut him down now.

 

Frantically, he reached into the atoms and quantum events of Cherenkov, flipping them to stable states, stabilising their structure, like a virus, spreading the effect in a cascade...