ic Chipping In, or, I Know a Guy who Knows a Prince(IC)

[Ari]

Chipping In, or, I Know a Guy who Knows a Prince

June 1st, Saturday, 11.13 AM, 2013. Southside, Jordan International Airport, nearby Gate 8

The sun beat down happily on a panting Freedom City, the inhabitants of the most super city in the world going about their lives with a renewed vigor as summer seemed to send a jolt through every heart. Even the normally frantically dull airport terminals thrummed with energy, none of the usual lethargy to be found anywhere in the glossy gold terminals or the shining blue stores.

For Elias Silvestri and Cerys Pfer, the two students of Claremont Academy sent with Tony Pao, a member of the junior staff there to welcome a new arrival, it was mostly unseen. The airport employees rushing by with baggage carts did seem to be whistling more than normal, however. The trio were standing just off the airstip, watching as the silvery glint of an oncoming plane came roaring into view. "Almost ten minutes early, good going..." murmured Tony to himself, the Laotion-American smiling in relief as the small plane, emblazoned on its tail and hull with the white and red symbol of a white lion, announcing it as a craft from the mysterious and powerful African nation of Dakana.  

Leading the way over as the airport technicians moved the standalone staircase up against the door of the plane, Tony resumed his earlier explanation at an even, rapid clip: "Aidah Sesay's light powers only recently developed, but from what Dakana's scientists can determine they seem to be some kind of natural mutation. King M'Balla wants her to get a good education on her powers, and asked the Freedom League to set her up here for couple of years. She's grown up surrounded by people who deeply admire her family and gave her the same deference, so...keep a level head. Be nice" he added with a concerned look.

With a metallic rattle the stairs clicked into place, the door slid open and a small troupe of Dakanans marched out, seemingly unfazed by the American noonday sun in summertime and dressed to the nines in their nation's finery, mostly neat and colorful robes marked with intricate geometric symbols, their shoulders bearing the royal seal and slim jewelry around their necks. All of them carried themselves with stately dignity, politely thanking the airport technicians as they passed down the steps. Their leader, a grave-faced woman with graying hair, nodded and smiled at the two students before turning to Tony, shaking his hand and beginning "Hello Mr. Pao, thank you for arranging to meet us at such short notice." "Oh, it wasn't any trouble Mz. Okoro. On behalf of Claremont Academy, allow me to welcome you to Freedom City!" the former diplomat said cheerily, beaming at the reserved band "Is Ms. Sesay-"

"HELLLLOOOOOOO FREEDOOOOOOM!" resounded a gleeful shout from the plane, announcing the emergence of a slender teenaged Dakanan girl dressed in much less subdued colors than the rest, wearing a large blue flowered hat over a beehive hairdo and sunglasses that looked slightly more expensive than what Cerys and Elias were wearing put together.

 

Leaping onto the railing with a click of her high-heeled sandals she slid down it, leaping off just in time to land with a flair next to the two Claremonters. "Your new goddess has arrived, and brought the sun with her!" Lowering her sunglasses a little she raised an immaculate eyebrow as she looked the odd duo up and down. "And you two are...?" she asked with a barely-concealed smirk "Aidah! Behave, we are guests and each represent the nation." the older woman said crisply, getting a flinch and resentful look from the young woman, who nonetheless nodded, turned back and sulkily offered her impeccable hand "Greetings to you from the Land of the White Lion, I'm Aidah Sesay, I believe you are to be my schoolmates?" her voice was a little more heavily accented than that of the older Dakanans, and unlike the rest her robe reached only to her knees while her arms were bare.

Edited June 22, 2013 by Arichamus

[Tiffany Korta]

In the year and a half since Blodeuwedd had come to Freedom City hadn’t changed noticeable at casual glance, but to the few that knew she had . She was still quiet but it was a confident confidence of someone who was comfortable with who she was.

Today she’d had decided to dress somewhat casually, she wanted to make sure the newcomer was comfortable, she was dressed in a Manic Street Preacher’s t-shirt and a pair of loose comfortable combat’s. Or at least her body suit was currently in that form.

Unconcerned with the newcomer’s appearance or her rather breezy personality Blodeuwedd stepped forwards and offered her hand.

 

“Hi there I’m Cerys. Welcome to Freedom City.â€

[TheAbsurdist]

In the few shorts months that Elias had been there he was viewed alternately as a diligent student, or a sullen malcontent.  There seemed to be little middle ground in the opinions the faculty had on him.  It didn't help he had a black mark on his record shortly after showing up, and it didn't help that most of the faculty was aware of his history.  Fortunately he went along with whatever the faculty asked, or voluntold, him to do to help socialize, so unless he was a true mastermind waiting to happen, which was unlikely, he was at least showing a willingness to socialize and engage people.

 

And that was why he was here.

 

Elias had dressed as casually, wearing on his omnipresent hooded sweatshirts, charcoal gray, with a red flannel button up underneath, a band t-shirt for Titus Andronicus under that, and a pair of dark jeans, and red converse.  The only concession he was making was not to have to hood pulled up right now.

 

The only bit of expression his showed was his eyes widening slightly as the Dakana girl, which Cerys would probably get as Elias's understated way of showing his bemusement.

 

"I am Elias." There was a second, as he glanced at Cerys, and realized his faux pas, and stepped forward, keeping to the back and right of Cerys, and extending his hand out to Aidah.

[Ari]

GM

 

"Cerys and Elias, huh? Glad to know ya!" Aidah deftly removed her sunglasses, perching them on top of her shady hat as she scrutinized them after the handshakes. Biting back a grin of amusement at their wardrobes, and glancing at her own finery, she began "You know, Cerys and & Elias, maybe we should start the grand tour of Freedom City with a visit to the Banana Repub-" "We shall start it" said the older woman coming up behind her and drawing Aidah curtly but respectfully to her side, a strong hand on the girl's shoulder "by proceeding directly to the Claremont Academy to move you into your new dormitory. Mr. Jao, if you will be so kind as to lead the way to the transport? And it is Mrs. Okoro" her lips tightened.

 

"Sure thing Mrs. Okoro" Tony caught her glance that said in all eyes 'teenagers', smiled warmly and set off for the parking lot "Follow me, everybody! It's a minivan, so it might be a little tight a fit," he added with an apologetic look at the stoic gaggle behind him.

 

---

 

"...So no, I'm pretty sure I can't get much more out of this model" he explained to Aso, one of the older Dakanans beside him, she looking supremely disappointed to hear it. They were just driving up the west side of Bayview hill, Southside surrounding them and Freedom City spread out on their left with the sun beaming down on the South River, the fragrant summer air rushing through the windows opened in a vain attempt to stop the temperature in the van from reaching hazardous levels. The six attendants and Mrs. Okoro had crammed themselves gamely into the first two rows and were busy discussing the view, recent political events and whatever snippets of technology Tony could manage to keep up with. All of them had showed a profound curiosity about seemingly everything in America, and once or twice Tony had managed to truly surprise them with something about Asian influences on American architecture.

 

Meanwhile, in the back, Aidah was eagerly quizzing her two new friends(as she insisted they were) on what Claremont was like, who was who, who could do what, if the Star of Africa had really been there once. In contrast to the impeccably neat older men and women, the young light controller somehow found ways to take up at least twice as much space as looked possible. Her arms spread comfortably across the back of the seat when she wasn't gesturing grandly while describing the most delicious thing she and her friends had overheard, legs propped up on the seat ahead, crossed or gleefully nudging theirs to punctuate an especially biting insight into the heart of some rival of Aidah's at court. The heat and rushing air made sure they experienced every whiff of her apparently shockingly rare and exotic perfume, the tale of which consumed at least ten minutes.

 

At length, there was a pause enough to get a word in edgewise, while she lolled against her seat and pouted at the mostly clear and quiet streets. "Ugh!" she made a face "Whenever shall we see one of those supervillains your city is so famed for? I have not seen a single one! Must my whole day be clear of dashing, exotic strangers and derring-do?"

[Tiffany Korta]

Blodeuwedd let the young woman’s chatter flow over her giving the suitable nod’s and un-hums when necessary. She was quite use to “putting up†with such chatter for all his positive qualities Subuito could probably waffle for Puerto Rico. It was thanks to such practice that she could spot the time when she needed to pitch in.

 

“Well we’re not personally from this City, I’m from Wales in the UK for instance. But I wouldn’t worry there’s bound to be some villain plotting something somewhere in this city. Through it possible if you're lucky to go a whole day without seeing a villain...†she managed to bite down most of her sarcasm.

Edited June 29, 2013 by TiffanyKorta

[TheAbsurdist]

Elias had significantly less practice than Cerys, of course it was a bit comical where one could say that the quiet Welsh girl was the more socialized of two people.  But here she was.  The joke of this not lost on Elias.  As he was wedged up against the door, not looking like the caged animal he felt like he was.  His expression was as detached and 'mild' as ever.  It was how he was, it did make things easier to cope with, especially in this scenario.

 

"I am not from the City either."  Of course Cerys might figure out what Elias was more focused on, with his short, and sparse answers for things, not really elaborating, but he was watching the Dakana, watching her very intently and carefully.

[Ari]

GM

 

"Both of you aren't from around here? This is rather...unexpected" Aidah commented blandly, putting her arms behind her head. Eying the passing streets she added grumpily "If not having adventures is considered lucky around here, then I will study what Americans think gives you bad luck as hard as I can."

 

As they passed a few beggars near a stoplight at the intersection of McCulloh and O'Donnel, rolling to a halt for a fresh wave of heat to stream through the windows, she raised an eyebrow in surprise "Are there many people in the city with so little?" she asked, fumbling on the floor for her purse, only to drop it with a mutter of disappointment as the minivan rumbled on past them. "Mr. Jao, we should have stopped!" the Dakanan girl called up angrily "They needed help, did they not?" "We're on a schedule Ms. Sesay, sorry. Maybe we'll come back" Tony replied quickly, looking into the rear view mirror "Don't worry, Freedom City has a lot of services set up forOH MY GOD!"

 

Swerving just in time to dodge a tanker truck, Tony swung the minivan onto the shoulder, eyes wide and panting, leaning on the wheel. To their credit, the Dakanans hadn't said a word, and even Aidah had bit back a shriek as they raced for the truck. Looking up Tony glanced at the truck, which was marked with the symbol of a young woman dressed up in Musketeer garb and wielding a sword made of chocolate, simply parked in the middle of the road, and began in confusion "What in even the Hell?"

 

He was answered as the freight struck suddenly burst open, revealing a massive chocolate bar on cartoony legs! With eerie silence it jumped out of its old container, then spun around, swung down and smashed the truck!

 

Without pausing for a moment it then proceeded calmly towards the other cars behind them, the drivers and passengers already fleeing in terror!

 

"Yes! Aha! We shall have bad luck today my friends!" Aidah laughed triumphantly, wrestling with the buckle of her seat "Let us go and stop this force of evil!"

Edited June 29, 2013 by Arichamus

[Tiffany Korta]

Blodeuwedd gave a little sigh, this city never did fail to surprise her at every opportunity.

I knew I should have bought Dyrnwyn with me, but it generally considered rude to bring a sword to a meet and greet.

“Elias see if you can do something about bystander. You stay in the car, this isn’t safe for you to get involved.†she pointed to Aidah to emphasise the point, it was considered bad form to kill you guest on the first day.

She jumped out of the cars sunroof and began to bounce along the still intact car and other vehicle’s her cloak billowing out behind her as she made her way acrobatically towards the chocolate monster.

 

With the distance and height made up for she launched herself towards the monster catching the beast in it’s “faceâ€.

[TheAbsurdist]

Oh.  Crap.

 

And whatever thing he had prepared to say, whatever response he had died away then, and he moved, nodding at Blod's words, and pushed up as he was against the door, it was easy for him to open and whip out.  Immediately starting to move towards the people that were still gathered around, as pulled up the large hood of his sweatshirt, obscuring the top part of his face.  "Everyone!  Leave now!"  Roaring out in his deep voice as he waved his hands.  "You need to go!"

 

 While this was happening he reached out, and sought to attack it's mind, and then he felt... nothing there...  Stopping abruptly to yell at Blod, "Blodeuwedd!" he swiveled his head to look at Blod.  "It's under someone else's control!  It's just animated chocolate!"  

Edited July 1, 2013 by TheAbsurdist

[Ari]

GM

 

By now the Freedonians were making double-time away from the giant candy monstrosity, hampered by the crush of cars and everyone else struggling to get to safety, not to mention all the now-screaming children and babies being desperately lugged out of trapped cars, their parents managing to keep vast swathes of the road better blocked-off than all the wedged vans and trucks. The rest were either leaping over the cars in an adrenaline-filled rush of terror at the massive figure swaying above them, or taking pictures as they slowly retreated. At the young Order Agent's attack, her first smashed a divot out of the thing's chocolaty head and sent it reeling backwards until it slammed against a hastily-parked pickup with a crunch of metal.

 

With an eerie silence, the impossible creature swung towards Blodeuwedd and started its ponderous way for her...

 

"Not a chance Cerys!" Aidah sang out defiantly, tiring of the struggle at last and all but pulling the seatbelt out of the van and jumping out onto the shoulder. Kicking her heeled sandals back into the vehicle, she signaled to Mrs. Okoro, waving at the candy monster. The dignitary pursed her lips and glanced at Tony, who shrugged helplessly and took out his phone.

 

"Okay, time for Sunbeam to brighten Freedom City's day!" With a brilliant flash the young Dakanan suddenly had a roaring corona of light surrounding her, and her clothes had turned into a simple sheer white and gold robe emblazoned with a fiery yellow circle.

 

Shooting up into the air with a flash of light, the young superhuman raised her left hand, sighted down it as her palm began to glow and hum as her solar energy concentrated, and let out a short "KyyyAH!" as a ray of searing power flashed across the road, missing the giant chocolate man by inches and blasting half a branch off a nearby tree. "That's not normal!" Sunbeam called down to her schoolmates "I'll get him for sure, that was just a practice shot!"

[Tiffany Korta]

Blodeuwedd dance around the chocolate monster trying to stay out of it’s way whilst trying to land a blow on the creature. Whilst she was focused on the creature she was also aware of everything going on around her, she shouted over to Elias on his reveluation.

“I’ll keep it busy see if you can find the controller or at least jam the signal.â€

To there ward she rolled her eye, still the girl wanted to help and she couldn’t deny her enthusasm. And she knew a little enthuasm could go a long way.

 

“If you want to help just be careful there are a lot of people about that could get hurt, Just stay calm and focus on the creature.â€

[TheAbsurdist]

He didn't voice his assent, that was wasted effort.  Instead he moved from cover to cover on the way to the truck, intent on doing just what Blod said, when he got there.  He would be trying to seek out a mind while this much panic was going on, and that would be... stupid at best.  Elias pulled the hood up of his sweater, as he zipped it up and tried to keep line of sight broken where possible.  

[Ari]

GM

 

The flow of minds around him was as confusing and raucous as Errant had expected it to be, but still nagging and snapping at the back of the young psychic's focus. A quick check into the smashed truck the monstrous giant chocolate bar had emerged from revealed nothing at first...until Errant's eyes caught sight of a lump of electronics and machinery at the far end near the junction between the bed and the cab. It was dark and motionless, but sinister for all that.

 

Meanwhile, Sunbeam nodded firmly at Blodeuwedd's suggestion, swooping in a flare of golden light to a new angle, eyes watching for the perfect chance, the perfect opening as the monster swung its mighty chocolate fist through a pickup. Then the Welsh agent's sword struck home, sending a spray of candy shavings through the air and causing the monster to whirl around and look eyelessly at its attacker, following Blodeuwedd despite her agile leaps between the cars, drawing back for a mighty delicacy of a fist and lunging just as Sunbeam let loose with a far better shot, shouting in joy as the white-hot laser slammed into the foe!

 

The area around the truck was covered by a thin mist of melted confection...only for the towering chocolate construct to emerge unscathed, frozen in mid-punch for only a moment before following-through, plowing straight into the car several feet to the left of the Order ninja in an explosion of metal and wires and glass.

[Tiffany Korta]

Whilst keeping an eye out on everything going on around her she spent time watching the movement’s of the chocolate monsters. Whilst it might be made of chocolate it was still roughly humanoid and might have some of the same weaknesses. Dancing around the creature bouncing from car to car, to keep some height to be able to reach the possibly more vulnerable part of the beast.

 

Seeing a open opportunity she spun round and delivered a blow to the creature's face with her booted foot contacting it with what at least to her felt like a solid blow, though it was hard to tell with a creature made of chocolate.

[Ari]

GM

 

With a crisp *snap* a narrow crack appeared across the creature's arm where the foot impacted, apparently Blodeuwedd had struck just in the right place to follow through on her earlier attack! It roared and flailed backwards, its sudden voice a surprise both because of its mouthless head and the very feminine timbre to it. As the massive slab of confectionery clutched at its arm, a figure shimmered into view standing on impractically-heeled boots on top of an abandoned SUV. She was dressed in what loosely resembled a 17th century French Musketeer outfit, albeit filled with far more ruffles, lace and a very flamboyant hat, with a red and brown checkered pattern on the tabard and an insignia of a chocolate bar.

 

Looking irritatedly up at the two young heroes through a domino mask that did nothing to hide her face and grey eyes, and clutching her arm in the same way the giant chocolate monster was, she called out angrily "Hey, what gives? That really hurt!"

Edited August 25, 2013 by Arichamus

[TheAbsurdist]

Elias snapped back, his attention drawn to the loud woman, realizing that the box was most likely a remote control for the truck itself.  No matter what caused it, Elias had to stop her.  So he reached out, he touched her mind.  Grasping her senses, and twisting them about, making connections and changes she would have never foreseen before.  Focusing down on her, he hoped to buy Cerys sometime, or at least give her an edge against their target, aware that there was likely more waiting for them.  He held off on drawing further attention to himself, at this point.

[Tiffany Korta]

Blodeuwedd allowed herself a little smile when the monster controller show herself, it should make thing easier. But the Choc monster needed to be kept busy.

“Okay take her down as quickly as you can, I’ll keep this thing busy.â€

 

She was beginning to get a feel for the creature’s movements and managed to dodge several of the creature's blow’s as she planted several blow’s of their own on it’s chocolate hide. But she was aware that her luck couldn’t hold out forever, let’s hope that Elias and Aidah could stop it controller quickly.

[Ari]

GM

 

"Will do, boss lady!" Sunbeam saluted Blodeuwedd smartly and spun in mid-air to point an accusing finger at their new opponent, the other arm swinging back and blazing with solar power "Stand down, villain! Or else you'll feel the might that Sunbeam and her comrades will visit upon your foolish hiney! I bet it seemed a pretty cool idea, letting a giant chocolate bar monster loose in a crowded street, it would let you grab people's cars and wallets as they ran from your weapon of terror!" the young Dakanan practically glowed with righteous indignation, dark eyes flaring as she pronounced "Yet you reckoned without Freedom City's new sun goddess and her stalwart allies! Surrender and we'll show you mercy, fight on and you'll have none!"

 

The older woman stopped reeling under Errant's psychic barbs long enough to hear what the girl had to say, and was visibly unsettled by the teenager's anger. Glancing nervously from Sunbeam to Errant, she adjusted her hat shakily with one hand(though it was clumsy work indeed) and called out "H-hey now! I don't want any trouble, I'm just..just a patsy! The big boss sent me down here to test out her new confectionery surprise, it's not supposed to attack people, just walk around. Here, Psyche-boy" she smiled hurriedly at Errant and offered her other hand with a series of jerks "From that kick in the neurons you just gave me, you're a psychic right? How about you check around in my mind and prove I'm telling the truth?"

[TheAbsurdist]

Errant said nothing.  He tended to not in these cases, his eyes narrowed.  She was lying to him, he knew it immediately.  Body language, tone, everything screamed that she was trying to trick him, and he knew he couldn't read her thoughts as well as try and stop what she was doing.  Still the moment of indecision was enough to cause his effort to fail, as he tried to bind up the Chocolateer's senses into a loop and prevent her from being able to do anything.

 

It irked him, and he gritted his teeth over the matter, but it meant he might have to change tactics.

[Ari]

GM

 

The woman staggered briefly under the mental assault, but Errant's second of uncertainty meant she managed to tear herself free, and glared down at the hunted psychic. "Hey, that really hurts!" she shouted "I don't think I'll trust you after all!"

 

"What?!" Sunbeam whirled on her schoolmate and gave him a glare from another angle in case the first wasn't enough "Comrade-at-arms, am I to understand you have breached trust? For shame Errant! Heroes should make friends of enemies, or we-" she was cut off at seeing the giant chocolate bar stumble past under Blodeuwedd's assault "-hold right there, just a second"

 

Raising a fist to eye level, a flare of golden fire tore from her hand, arcing and sizzling into the candy monster's chocolate hide, and exploding out the back! For the first time the creature made a sound, a bizarre glubbing noise as it sank partially to one knee, much to the sun girl's delight.

Edited September 10, 2013 by Arichamus

[Tiffany Korta]

Blodeuwedd knew she was a more than capable fighter but she also know there was a time and place allow other people to fight if they could do a better job.

“Good job Sunbeam try to keep the creature contained we’ll stop the organ grinder.â€

 

She turned away from the creature and without breaking her stride released a brace of dagger towards the creatures controller, all the while closing towards her position. The best she could she kept the creature in the corner of her eye in case it didn’t want to stick to their plan.

[TheAbsurdist]

Elias was a lot of things.  Complicated.  A jerk.  Many, many things. "Don't lie to a telepath."  He said it softly, though it was more a low growl, his voice deep enough to carry it, and it was aimed at the exchange student as much as the enemy.  His eyes were locked onto the Chocolateer, as he moved toward her.  Then his anger, his rage fed into his telepathy, and it lashed out, ripping through synapse and neurons like wildfire.  Toxic from the pain and confusion he felt all around him.  "I don't monologue.  Fall down now."

 

Whatever the Chocolateer did or said, it was turned a switch over in Errant.  Just following orders.  Good soldier.  Good attack dog.

[Tiffany Korta]

She closed the final few feet with a series of flips shifting her position to make it more difficult to strike her with any kind of counter attack. She paused for just a second to deliver a declaration.

“It would be wise of you to shut down that walking chocolate bar and surrender to use. Before someone gets seriously hurt.â€

 

To help illustrate this point she swung a series of quick small blows on the women's, hopefully enough to get her attention and help her make up her mind to surrender.

[Ari]

GM

 

The psychic web reverberated with Errant's attack, and even before the bizarre chocolate-controlling woman started to reel Elias could sense the red-hot flash of pain as her synapses overloaded. Staggering backwards, the Chocolateer let out a strangled cry and nearly fell off the pickup she had unwisely chosen, just managing to catch herself in time and collapse onto one knee, clutching her behatted head with a whimper.

 

Sunbeam nearly burst with indignation as she glared at Errant "You catch more flies with honey than vinegar, we might have stopped this quite quickly!" waving the matter aside with one manicured hand, the Dakanan girl turned her irritated attention to the slowly recovering chocolate monster, aiming a fusillade of solar light and fire down on it that tore holes through the weakening confectionery beast! "What kind of chocolate is this?" she wondered aloud, bobbing lower to get a closer look at the bubbling, smoking Godiva golem "Some sort of high-density nanotubes?"

 

"It's filled with what every girl dreams of!" the Chocolateer answered, stumbling to her feet with a shaky grin just in time to evade Blodeuwedd's rapid series of blows. Taking a punch to the sternum she gasped in shock, winced and snapped at the Welsh agent "Alright, already, I give up!" raising her hands she looked up peevishly at the girl, then suddenly jumped forward in flash of red and steel, a sword seeming to fly into her hand and slice towards the Claremont student!

 

Sunbeam looked shocked, putting her hands on her hips and shouting furiously "But you said you were surrendering! You lying coward!"

 

The Chocolateer rolled her eyes "Yes your ladyship, scathing, I lied to you. What are you, five years old?"

 

"Sixteen!" came the Dakanan noblewoman's answer, Sunbeam practically aflame with rage "And you'll pay for this indolence! Errant, see if you can take control of that chocolate thing, turn her own weapon against her. Let us see how she deals with a true challenge!" she added, a cheeky grin spreading across her face.

Edited October 5, 2013 by Arichamus

[Tiffany Korta]

Blodeuwedd was a master of reading body language, and it wasn’t an idle boast she wasn’t the kind for such hyperbole. She did pause for a second just in case even though she knew the woman was probably about to reveal her hand. She was probably lucky that they hadn;t met a few months ago, she wouldn’t have waited incase the situation turned more serious.

So as it was as soon as she revealed her hand Blodeuwedd sprung again into action planting a well timed ick to the woman.

 

“There nothing stupid about treating your enemy with honour, it just a shame you were too stupid to grasp the chance when you could.â€