ic Initiation Night

[Brown Dynamite]

GM

Harvest Supermarket/Alleyway directly across from Harvest Supermarket
The Fens, Freedom City, New Jersey
Friday, May 15th, 2015
8:17 PM

Foreshadow had been driving through the Fens when all of a sudden a vision took hold.  Dozens of gangsters breaking into a Harvest Supermarket in the Fens.  Men and women armed with serrated knives.  Each stabbing a victim three times.  All wearing a bright red cap on their head and smiling sadistically.  Everyone was dying around him.  Foreshadow had to act, sprinting forward to the nearest gang member...Foreshadow was stabbed in the chest.

Looking up at his reflection in one of those robotic claw games he saw his reflection.  Or more specifically, that of the store's managers.  One of many victims of the night.  If Foreshadow couldn't put a stop to it before it was too late.  With a quick swerve into oncoming traffic, Foreshadow set course for the Harvest Supermarket

Terrifica had a different sort of forewarning.  She had been tracking the activity of a new gang to the city for the past month.  Unlike Foreshadow she knew for a fact there would be some undertaking tonight.  It was a massive initiation night for this new gang.  She hadn't been able to piece together the gang's name.  Or their active leadership.  Just that their habits were comparative to that of a cult.

But, she knew just where to be if she wanted to get answers.  The Supergenius just had to make it to the Harvest Supermarket in the Fens.  Well before the three vans holding wannabe gangsters wanting to butcher multiple people.  

As for the hero with absolutely no warning of what would be transpiring?  Danny was walking by an alleyway when he heard a woman scream.  Seeing as a scream never meant anything good in the Fens of all places, Danny peered around the corner.  She was surrounded by three men.  Each wearing a Red Cap and holding a serrated knife.  

[EternalPhoenix]

Terrifica has left rubber marks on the asphalt on the way to the supermarket. Ordinarily, she obeyed the posted speed limits or only exceeded them but so much. This time, she cranked the Terrifi-cycle’s throttle up as high as it would go. If they were planning what they thought she was…no. Best not to think of it. Best to simply, well…haul ass, as crude as the idiom may be. Aside from turns, her odometer hadn’t dipped below 100 MPH all trip. Ah, there the supermarket was now. From what she’d gathered, these weren’t the type to listen to reason. She’d most likely have to fight off a crowd of crazed cultists. That wasn’t necessarily without its own merits, however she would try to talk them down. It was who she was, and that would never change. Terrifica roared into the parking lot. She braked to a stop by the doors, noted any vehicles in the lot, and vaulted off her cycle more or less simultaneously. Time to go to work.

[Brown Dynamite]

Foreshadow wasn't too far behind Terrifica in making his way to the supermarket.  Arriving from the opposite direction, the prescient hero had an equally liberal adherence to posted speed limits.  The difference being that he rarely kept in line with said speed limits to begin with.  Not that traffic laws were designed with gravbikes hovering over traffic in mind.  

At least not to his knowledge.  Okay, for a second It feels like being back in the UK.  Guys with knives instead of guns.  At least they don't look particularly skilled.  It was tough to say if that was actually a positive quality.  When it came down to it.  You didn't have to be that good with a knife to cause a lot of damage to an Ordinary Joe.

Unfortunately for them, they were about to pick a fight with a not so ordinary Joe.  Pulling into the parking lot Foreshadow scanned the area.  Making sure there wasn't anything to miss before heading into the store.  The goal was after all catching the other guys off guard.  That was when he caught sight of the worst possible thing.

With all due to respect to Terrifica.  But, if she was out in the parking lot.  It meant one of three things.  Either they got past her in his vision.  They came in from another/multiple entrances.  Or the most annoying.  There were a lot of crazies to look forward to tonight.  "Yep, just another night on the job."

[JediDalek]

Danny actually felt a little guilty about how excited he was to hear someone screaming for help on this dark, empty night. Reflexively dropping his bag of groceries and sprinting off towards the sound. He then remembered the carton of eggs and loaf of bread in said bag and hoped in his mind that they landed on something soft. Ah, well. On to more important things now. "Go! Stinger!" he called out once he was sure nobody was around. The call was completely unnecessary to his transformation, but it was good way to get into the "hero mood". Also he just thought (perhaps misguidedly) that it felt cool. He slid around the alleyway corner as a blue costume assembled itself around him. "Let's Rock."

[Brown Dynamite]

GM

Three red vans pulled up into the parking lot of the of the supermarket, much like Terrifica had predicted.  What was a bit different than expected.  One of the vans split off immediately heading towards the back entrance  Apparently some of them were meaning to come in from the store's loading docks.

Altogether six men and four women exited from the van.  Each of them wearing red caps on their head.  Their black and red clothing was akin to tactical gear.  Swat inspired.  With ballistic resistant vests, gray combat gloves, and a holster housing a pistol.  Matching grey kneepads and boots made it abundantly clear their gear was definitely designed for combat.

The drivers of each of the vans exited the vehicles.  They were outfitted in the same tactical gear as the 10 gangmembers in the middle of the parking lot.  Both Terrifica and Foreshadow could easily reason that the driver's features were similar enough that the pair of men were likely related.   "Give us a show.  Three stabs for the kill to count.  Come on Redcaps"  One of the pair barked out.

Across the street the three holding the woman at knife point turned.  Somewhat confused by the appearance of Blue Stinger the one holding the knife near the woman barked.  "Just who the heck are you?  We're busy here.  Don't worry, the boys and I'll get to you next.  Wait your turn"

[Brown Dynamite]

Man, gotta clean up here quickly or run to the back.  Bah, not like I have time to decide.   As Foreshadow preferred to remain in motion, he jumped ontop of the nearest cars.  Runing from trunk to trunk until he cleared the distance to the Gangmembers.  Completely catching them off guard the acrobat sommersaulted into the frey.  Punching the nearest gangster in the jaw.  The man's head flew to the side in response.

Perhaps on instinct or through a drilled in training the gangster actually rolled his shoulders with the blow.  Spitting out blood and smiling wildly he eagerly pushed forward towards Foreshadow.  The gangmember laughed.  "Found me first kill!"   There was a haphazard swing which Foreshadow easily ducked out of the way.  "Alright boys, clean up in aisle stupid.  I don't suppose any of you would think twice about your stabby plans tonight?  Hate to have to order oh about twelve ambulances to clean up here."

Edited June 2, 2015 by HG Morrison

[Brown Dynamite]

GM

One of the drivers cockily responded to Foreshadow.  "Tell you what cape, just for you.  No stabbing."  With that the man quickly drew a 9mm handgun from its holsters.  Squeezing the trigger three times in the aim of shooting the prescient acrobat.  Foreshadow easily leaned out of the way between each trigger pull.

"The hell?"  The man shouted in disbelief.  "What are you waiting for?  Kill him!  Whoever bags a Cape's head will get all three of your kills of the night."  If it was supposed to be some sort enticement, the gangsters didn't need it.  Despite their boss's hurried shooting failing to hit its target.  They were apparently confident they could take on Foreshadow.  All of them laughing gleefully after the offer was thrown out.

Or perhaps the fact that one of them had withstood his flashy entrance gave them little cause to fear.

[EternalPhoenix]

Terrifica took her staff off her belt and shook it open. She causally took aim and pressed a hidden stud on her staff. A orange beam seemed to leap from the other rank and file Red Caps group, and into the end of her staff. An instant later one of them was encased in ice. “Gentlemen. Now would be a good time to remember how poor of an idea fighting heroes is.” She rested this business end (well, the ranged one anyway) on her shoulder. “For the record, my staff just absorbed a large amount of the heat around your friend. Freezes water vapor, clothing, and a few things in the air. Technology is a wonderful thing, isn’t it?”

[JediDalek]

Back in the alley, Danny slowly approached the thugs. "Come on, now, guys. It's clear you have no idea how to treat the lady here, but now you're just being rude."  He struck a fighting pose. "Now let's introduce ourselves like civilized people. My name is Blue Stinger, and I'm the guy who's about to make you wish you'd chosen that 9-5 tech support job instead of knifing defenseless ladies as a career." 

With that, Danny lunged at the first Redcap, attempting a jump kick right to his stomach. Unfortuantely, this thug seemed hardier than most. Heck, he almost looked like he enjoyed it. As he rebounded back into his fighting stance, Danny started to wonder what he'd gotten himself into tonight. His attack did give the woman an opening to escape the alley, at least. "Some heroic rescue. I at least make bronze by getting her out, right?". 

The Redcaps were in no mood for rapport, though. "Let's show this punk what happens when he interferes, boys. Take him out!" Danny dodged the first thug, but didn't stop to realize that this put him right in the path of his pal with the iron stomach and his knife. He cursed his empty head as he felt the knife strike against his armor. "Really not my night, is it ..."

[Brown Dynamite]

GM

While Blue Stinger's armor easily deflected damage from the knife he could hear the sound of shots being fired and a commotion across the street.  In the throws of that commotion the gangsters had worked up a response to Terrifica's scientific demonstration.  Five gang members near Foreshadow actually sprinted away from the prescient acrobat towards Terrifica.  Three of them started cutting off potential routes of movements.  While one of the female gangsters brandished a knife.  Smiling like a maniac the woman made stabbing motions in the air.  

Coupled with three already acting as distractions, this allowed another one of the gangmembers to kick Terrifica square in the chest.  "Freeze this, cape!"  Motivated by what appeared to be them successfully holding back one hero (though appearances were quite deceiving) the other senior gang member fired a few pot shots at Foreshadow who seemed to continue to step away just before the trigger was pulled.

Motivated by their allies "brave" assault.  The remaining gang members (excluding the one that had been encased in ice) rushed for Foreshadow.  Each pulling out a knife beforehand.  Swinging and stabbing with reckles abandon they thought they could swarm him.  But, the repeated tactic failed to even scratch Foreshadow's clothing.  Easily maneuvering out of the way by using nearby cars and available gangster shoulders as acrobatic launching points.

[Brown Dynamite]

"Somehow I don't think they're appreciative in advances in technology."  Foreshadow called out jokingly towards Terrifica.  Casually bobbing out of the way of knife swings he cleared the distance towards the man encased in ice.  Foreshadow pulled out his twin Escrima sticks.  Twilring them around calmly.

Swinging as hard as he could, he attempted to simply knock out the dead weight upon seeing cracks being to form on the ice.  Instead all he managed to do was break off a chunk of ice himself.  A set of wide open eyes behind the ice, smugly taunting Foreshadow.  The gangsters were fearless.  Or high, if not both.

"Maybe, I should start with the guys who can actually run around."  He calmly addressed to no one in particular.  "Seriously though, textbook small unit tactics.  Military grade equipment.  When did the thugs stop being low rent.  Is this some sort of inverse criminal gentrification going on."

[Brown Dynamite]

GM

"Shut up already!"  The driver shouted to Foreshadow.  Taking another shot.  Only this one wasn't aimed at Foreshadow.  His 9mm was poised directly towards Terrifica.  Who had little trouble in getting out of dodge.  Whilst at the same time shoving away the Redcap gangsters near her.  Showing more concern for her foes than their own allies.  Seeing as a missed shot could have hit any one of them.

"Stop getting in our way.  This was supposed to be my-our night!  Just get out of our way or die."  The driver's shouts got a chorus of woos from the gangster recruits.  Appreciative of whatever purpose the many planned stabbings of the night were suppose to accomplish.  Whether through a sense of unified entitlement or otherwise, Foreshadow and Terrifica were gradually noticing that thus far even with Terrifica freezing a man in solid ice the heroes had been considered merely an inconvenience by the gang members.

[EternalPhoenix]

The nano-fibers absorbed the gangmember’s kick. Terrifica glanced down at the bootprint squarely between her breasts. Why does everyone assume the suit is miraculously easy to clean? I mean, of course it is, but one shouldn’t assume these things. It’s just so rude. Terrifica threw a comeback Foreshadow’s way. “Sadly, it’s true. The unsophisticated can only appreciate force.” She casually swung her staff around and tripped the gangmemer who kicked her. Before he could hit the ground, the other end of her staff slammed into the bridge of his nose, knocking him unconscious. “Proof enough? No? Then let’s continue.” The pattern for the remaining four was the same. A distracting shot with one end of the staff, then a KO blow to the skull. Scant seconds later, all five gangmembers who attempted to swarm her lay at her feet in need of medical attention. She made applying bone breaking blows look graceful and effortless. “Didn’t you know? The black arms market is ever growing. And thanks to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, there’s plenty of well trained and unscrupulous ex-military personnel around.” She addressed the gang lieutenants. “Move or die? Just those two? My apologies, but professional superheroes like us always prefer to take a third option. Go home, and you won’t need a hospital stay like these idiots.”

[JediDalek]

Danny stepped away from the knife as it struck harmlessly against the armored logo on his chest. "Seriously, bro? The whole human anatomy to pick from and you go for possibly the most heavily armored part of my suit? You're the kind of guy who would shoot RoboCop in the chest, too, aren't you?" As he bantered, Danny looked around the alley for something, anything, that could help him. Not a whole lot going on. "Crap..." Just then, he picked up the sound of gunshots ringing out from across the way. If these guys were wearing uniforms, there was a pretty high chance that they had friends perpetrating more mischef in the area. "Crap, crap, crap, crap, crap..." 

He had to take these guys out fast or this was going to get really ugly. He looked around once more. There it was! It wasn't much, but it was something. He swept up the lid off a nearby trashcan and wielded it toward his foes. "Alright, kids. You want a fight? I'll give you a freakin' fight! Time for a Stinger Smackdown! Kiiiiyaaaaaa!!!" And with that, Danny leaped at them once again, swinging the trashcan lid like some kind of wrathful ghetto Spartan.     

[JediDalek]

That extra motivation seemed to be just what Danny needed. He flipped and spun through the center of the 3 thugs, swinging at each man in turn. There was an audible metallic "thung" as it struck each of their heads, putting them each down for the count.

Looking up from the now unconscious bodies, Danny noticed that the woman had stayed to watch from around the alley corner. He quickly glanced at, then discarded the now bent and misshapen hunk of tin in his hand before approaching her, attempting to give the stressed citizen a friendly demeanor. "Um... hey. You okay and everything? Those guys didn't seem like they were interested in just snatching a purse." 

The woman began to respond, still a little shellshocked from her near death experience, but before she could speak, Danny noticed up something. Putting his hand to his ear, he could make out a metallic thumping sound from... the supermarket! The same general direction those gunshots had come from! "FffffffffffffffRICK!" Danny immediately started off toward the commotion. He stopped and looked back for a moment. "Uhhh.... you should... probably get home or something. Looks like things could get a little crazy around here. Um... stay safe." And with that, he was off.

"Stay safe? What the heck, Danny? You beat up the bad guys, save the damsel, and have the perfect chance to make this cool impression and what do we come up with? "Oh, I have to go risk life and limb fighting more psychopaths, so you just be cool..."" He sighed. "Miachel Douglas we ain't..." Danny looked around as he neared the parking lot. He could see a few more redcaps, thankfully being engaged by two figures, one in a dark hood and cape, the other in a dark blue bodysuit. It did look like they could benefit from another hero, though. Taking advantage of the confusion, Danny bounded off the hood of a nearby station wagon with a leaping punch directed at the most outlying thug. "Hey, raspberry beret! You should really think about picking a fight with us heroes. City's practically infested with us!"

Edited July 6, 2015 by JediDalek

[Brown Dynamite]

GM

The thugs rushed Foreshadow in a bid of desperation.  With a parked vehicle near his back and all avenues of retreat cut off.  The hero was forced to deflect the oncoming knives.  Two were knocked away, but the third stabbed directly into his abdomen.  Tearing through the acrobat's costume with ease as blood slowly came to the surface.  It was at this point that Blue Stinger had mowed his way through this swarm of thugs.  One by one they were knocked out.

At this point they were left with simply the two drivers.  Aghast at yet another cape showing up to ruin their plans.  One of the drivers re-entered his vehicle, "More of youse guys.  That's it!  That's it!  Bro, I'm taking these guys out.  They've gottat go.  All my boys taken out it ain't right.  Who do they think they are?"

The van's engine roared to life.  Speeding full force and running over the leg of one of his gang recruits, the driver slammed directly into Terrifica before the genius could act.

Foreshadow could tell that the serrated blade had failed to hit any vital points.  It wasn't fatal yet, assuming the blood loss didn't get bad.  Still he needed a moment to compose himself.  Especially if people were going to start using vans as weapons.  Not to mention the loud banging noise he heard in the distance.  

I think the third van is trying to break in through the store's loading area or whatever they have in the back.  Can't imagine it'll take too long.  Controlling his breathing Foreshadow examined the new arrival.  Most of the people who would be caught dead in the Fens in such a get up preferred a bird theme.  Not that Foreshadow was one to talk on that end.  Grateful for any help when the fight wasn't exactly going smoothly.  "Welcome to the party.  Careful the GI Nos are pretty coordinated for wannabes."