#NotAllSaints (IC)

[Blarghy]

Very slowly, Leviathan cast his eyes around the room, counting heads, counting guns, taking stock of the odds...the leader was easy to pick out, and--Oh my--she even had lieutenants.  The room, the scene before him, could've come straight out of the stories he followed as a child.  How often had the Raven found herself in places such as this?  Hundreds, thousands, of hours in the lab had let him step into a dream.

 

He fought to keep a stern frown, when inside he fluttered with delight.

 

This is going to be awesome.

 

His triangular head tilted to one side, then the other, cracking his neck each time.  And in his best scary voice, Leviathan roughly growled, "If anybody's smart enough to just surrender...now's the time."

[EternalPhoenix]

GM

 

Some of the gang members recoiled in fear, but a look back revealed the bald man just standing there, an…interesting…look on his face. He really looked like the kind of man who could go off at any second. And if Leviathan was scary, the thought of this guy being at their backs was…let’s go with motivating. The gang members spit verbal venom at Leviathan and followed it up with bullets. All the while the bald man looked to be chomping at the bit to have his turn. Right when he seemed like he’d join in the melee, a word from the woman stopped him cold. “Trevor.” She didn’t even have to look at him. He frowned, displeased, but stayed out of it.

[Blarghy]

In the deafening torrent of gunfire, Leviathan stood firm with only a few flinches, most bullets ricocheting off his strong scales and others drawing just a little blood.  When the blasts turned to empty trigger-clicks, those penetrations pushed out the squashed lumps of lead, pinging against the floor.  The wounds sealed for the whole room to see.

 

"Mmm...bad idea," Leviathan claimed.  His jaws opened wide, his shoulders dropped, and he charged at the thickest mob of Saints.  "BAD IDEA!"

 

He went through them like a bowling ball, arms swinging, knocking gangsters off their feet two or three at a time.  Here, he punched someone hard enough to crack the concrete wall they landed against.  There, he kicked a gunman straight up, all the way to the tall ceiling, and slapped him like a volleyball on the way back down.  Leviathan grabbed one woman by her weapon hand, enveloping flesh and firearm alike, and used her to bounce away several of her friends before tossing her up, catching in a renewed grip, and flinging her like a javelin. 

 

"MY CITY!" he roared as he football-kicked one Saint across the room. 

 

"MY STREET!" he shouted, backfisting another off her feet.

 

"MY GUN!" Leviathan grabbed said shotgun as it was leveled toward him, swung the stock up into the wielder's chin, and then back around himself in a circle, bringing two more Saints to the ground.

 

"SHOULD'A SURRENDERED!"

Edited March 3, 2016 by Blarghy

[EternalPhoenix]

GM

 

Leviathan’s attack had devastated the ranks of the gang members when the woman sighed and got up. “Aight, that’d enough of that. Trevor, do something. Pierce, get the wheels ready. If you can move, get out.” The bald man (Trevor) stepped forward, brandishing an assault rifle. The other man disappeared down a previously unseen side tunnel. The gang members that could still move fled after him. She rolled her neck, cracking it and then her knuckles. “Wondered when I’d have to deal with one of Freedom’s heroes.” She smiled. “So far, I’m not disappointed.”

[Blarghy]

"Wish I could say the same, punks," Leviathan snarled insultingly, hands spread wide.  One of them lifted and pointed an accusing finger at the exiting lieutenant.  "Coward!  You're gonna regret sending him off, lady, but maybe he can post your bail." 

 

Maybe the huge creature should've spent less time talking and more swinging; his little boasts cost him the chance to act quickly. 

[EternalPhoenix]

Kerri chuckled. “I like you.  Name’s Kerri, and the hero who can do more than annoy me hasn’t been born yet.“ Now that Leviathan got a good look at the both of them, Trevor wasn't wearing armor, yet he looked tougher than the thuggery did. And Kerri…while she seemed as human as the next person, her eyes were not. They were decidedly inhuman, almost…lizard like in some way.  “Trevor, lend a hand. I’m shooting this son of a b****.” They both opened up with assault rifles with a reckless disregard for personal defense. “How do you feel about that?”

[Blarghy]

As he did several times that night, Leviathan withstood the hail of bullets proudly; when the smoke cleared, he looked entirely unharmed.

 

"Kerri, I've never felt better IN MY LIFE!"

 

He rushed at the pair, clarifying his trajectory at the last moment, so that he smashed against Trevor.  Leviathan came down from above, using his superior height, one massive fist crashing down on the man's bald head. 

 

"You annoyed yet, Kerri?  You should've kept your other goon around, 'cause once this one's down, it's just you an' me!"

[EternalPhoenix]

GM

 

Kerri grinned savagely, as Trevor shrugged off a blow that could punch holes in steel. “And when you can do that, lemme know. I’ll look forward to it. Trevor, I’m gonna do the thing.” Even this wild eyed lunatic showed respect for what she was about to do. “Don’t have to bother with more than guns that often, you know. You should feel special.” She spoke three words Leviathan didn’t know. However, the universe certainly did. The room shook slightly, and more raw force than the scaly biochemist had ever felt attempted to throw him off his feet and across the room. It wasn’t just him, either. Some of the unconscious gang member he’d left lying on the floor were caught in the effect and thrown to the other end of the basement. “Whoops, didn’t mean to do that.” Kerri laughed. “Well, whatever. Hospital bills come out of my money anyway.”

[Blarghy]

For a moment, Leviathan thought he could keep his balance against this strange force; he maintained his center of gravity, feeling himself lifted, riding it like a surfing wave...and then slipped, sprawling onto the floor.  He stared up at both the gangsters in surprise, and the beginnings of a little fear.  A titanium lieutenant and, what was she, magic?  He didn't come out here tonight to fight wizards.  The monster tried to prop himself up on his elbows, hurrying to rise, but Trevor was still faster--and now in a superior position. 

Edited March 10, 2016 by Blarghy

[EternalPhoenix]

GM

 

Leviathan could see Trevor’s face change. He was already unstable, but now he let out a roar of pure fury and his muscles visibly shuddered. The man was, quite simply, going berserk. And to prove it, he stepped forward and delivered a hell of a kick to Leviathan’s rib cage. It was as if not only was he berserk, but he didn’t care about return shots. Kerri whistled. “Trevoooor. Now that was a kick to remember.” Trevor turned halfway towards her and grinned savagely. This was what he did best, and by god he did love his work.

[Blarghy]

The force of the kick downright astonished Leviathan; he slid a foot along the floor, tucked his elbow down against his ribs by reflex, and visibly winced.  He could feel the burst blood vessels that would leave dark bruises on regular human skin--and, thankfully, the light buzz as his wondrous body immediately rushed to repair the damage.

 

This wasn't going at all like it should.  Leviathan fought through the upwelling helplessness, fed his anger, and rolled somewhat clumsily back to his feet.

 

You're just a couple of thugs!  Maybe you're strong, maybe you've got tricks, but you're not even wearing costumes and you've got regular names so this is going to end the same way it always does: me using your own phone to call the cops to come pick up what's left of you when I'm done!

 

He sucked in a deep breath, screamed back at Treavor, and lashed out first with one fist at the man's ear, then the second at the center of his chin.

[EternalPhoenix]

GM

 

Trevor’s head rocked back from the force of the blow. Leviathan had clearly hurt him this time, but the man only grinned harder and welcomed the opportunity to grapple with the big guy. Kerri just laughed. She was having a good ol’ time. “And for my next trick…” She spoke three more words in a language that didn’t seem to be within shouting distance of human and the room shook again. But this time Leviathan could actually see the frosty blue energy burst forth from Kerri’s mouth and rush towards the two of them. Trevor and the unconscious gang members who hadn’t been thrown across the room were encased in ice and rendered immobile. A wisp of frost drifted out as Kerri exhaled. “…you get to chill for a bit.”

[EternalPhoenix]

PC

 

Terrifica was on the third floor. She had not run into any real opposition up here, just the odd napping gang member. Easy enough to dispatch with the taser. She had found the documentation she had been searching for. It was enough to put the Dragon Saints out of business in Freedom, at least for a while. The building had vibrated earlier, but Terrifica hadn’t thought too much off it, lost in thought as she was. How many super battles were happening in this city that could cause such a thing, anyway? But the second time around, when the building actually shook, she found very alarming. She recalled a rumor about Kerri McDougal that had never been elevated to more than an outlandish bit of underworld gossip. In that case, I should hurry back. Leviathan may actually be in some trouble. She started out of the room and hustled towards the stairs.

[Blarghy]

Initial relief and satisfaction turned to dust as Leviathan got his powerful hands on Trevor, only to find that the grip wasn't his choice any longer.  He wasn't remotely nimble enough to avoid the ice; it coated him until he stood trapped in a large block, little beside his face free.  Panic set in again, along with another wave of frustration.  He came so close; it was a mistake to not go for Kerri from the start.  Not a mistake he'd make again, if he had the chance. 

 

With another roar, he flexed every muscle in his enormous body, heard the cracks, but couldn't finish the job.  In that delay, what else could Kerri do?  Leviathan's imagination and ignorance both worked against him, stripping his nerves raw.

 

"What are you?!" he demanded, fear in his deep voice.

[EternalPhoenix]

GM

 

“Who, me?” Kerri laughed and grinning, spoke three more words in that inhuman language. This time, however, the room did not shake. Instead Kerri glowed, spectral echoes of her clothing forming around her. “I’m the Dragon Saint. Didn’t you know? Also, I’m outta here. See ya!” Faster than Leviathan could’ve thought possible, she blurred past him to the stairs. “Trevor, we’ll bust you out later. Need some gear and the crew first.” And then, with a jaunty wave, she was gone.

Edited April 2, 2016 by EternalPhoenix

[EternalPhoenix]

PC

 

Terrifica came down the last flight of stairs just as Kerri blurred past her. Of course, Terrifica’s quick perception saw her perfectly fine. Not that Terrifica’s significantly less quick body could do anything about it. A quick glance after her showed the gang leader hopping on a Japanese styled sportbike amid  what was left of the Dragon Saints. Terrifica sprinted to the basement and Leviathan’s side. “Ah, good. You’re uninjured. I was starting to get concerned after the building shook like that. There’s a quite frankly ridiculous rumor that Kerri McDougal is a dragon in human form and as durable as you are, I doubt even you could handle a dragon on your own.” She whipped out her staff and blasted away the remaining ice. Unfortunately for Trevor, the pure cold had overwhelmed his resources and he was out like a light. “Kerri is leaving, but if we’re quick we can follow them. I’ve seen you move. Carry me outside?”

[Blarghy]

"...What?" Leviathan asked Kerri, almost stupefied.  He felt relief, and hated himself for it, when she used her next spell to flee instead of finishing him off; unharmed though he remained, this style of combat had the huge monster more frightened than any of his gang-busting adventures thus far. 

 

He noticed Terrifica's reappearance with even more relief.  And then confusion, again, when she voiced a theory that he honestly considered pretty plausible in the back of his overwhelmed mind.

 

"...What?"

 

But by the time she cleared away the ice, Leviathan somewhat gathered his wits.  Get it together!  Kerri is not escaping!  He grabbed Trevor in one massive hand--that lieutenant wasn't falling through the cracks, and perhaps Kerri really would come back for him, making the man good bait if they couldn't catch his boss on foot--and squatted down so that Terrifica could climb onto his back.  A better position from which to navigate and attack, Leviathan figured, than if he had to hold her in his other arm, and this way he could keep one hand free too.

 

"You haven't seen anything yet!" he shouted, using volume to try reinforcing his nerves.  He shoved off with both feet, crossing over thirty yards in the air before he landed again, by which time his legs were spinning to the tune of two hundred miles per hour.

[EternalPhoenix]

PC

 

Impressed, Terrifica let out a whispered. “Hi-ho Silver, away…” as Leviathan started sprinting. As he rumbled out the front door (smashing it to pieces entirely by accident), Terrifica took a small jump and let momentum carry over towards the Terrifi-cycle. “As fun as that was, I do have a ride of my own. And she’s just a little faster.” She keyed the engine and it roared to life. “Now, let’s chase down some criminals, hmm?” She roared off after them.

[EternalPhoenix]

GM

 

As the visually unlikely twosome burst outside, Kerri grinned again. “Ooh, somebody had a friend hiding. C’mon, Saints. Let’s blow this town. Too heroic for my tastes. Hey Pierce! Call Johnny. I want some ordinance delivered en route.” Her engine, and that of easily a dozen other vehicles, roared together as they sped down the street. Soon enough, the passengers in cars were indiscriminately firing guns at the biggest target, Leviathan. The fact that he looked like the most dangerous of the two didn’t hurt, either, and neither did the fact that he was the only one seen taking out their comrades.