Sharkguard: The Sea-Roaring Defender IC

[ripleycat]

"Heheh... eh" Megastar chuckles nervously, trying, and failing miserably, to not stare at your teeth. "I, uh, I'll take your word for it." He calms down as you change the subject.

"You're right, of course. The job's about keeping people safe. Doesn't matter that it's usually really fun, or any of that. It's more satisfying to help people, in the long run." He falls silent for a moment. When he starts again, it's in a more reflective tone than the enthusiastic teen usually uses. "I wish I could get all worked up about the press like you do. Something like this, where there's time to prepare, it's different, but when a bunch of reporters rush up and start yelling questions, I'm always afraid I'm gonna blurt something out and and give away my identity, and then everything'll go to hell. Can't wait till I'm officially an adult, man. Couple more years and I'll be able to do it! Be a full time hero!"

From outside, you hear the PA crackle, what sounds like someone smacking a speaker a feedback hiss, then Joseph's voice. "Piece of junk, come on... Ah, there we go! Ladies and gentlemen, if you'll turn your attention to the centerpiece, the first of our intrepid heroes is about to make his way through our obstacle course!"

"Hey! Come on! Let's go see Johnny do his thing!" Megastar jumps up at the announcement. From the outside, at least, he looks none the worse for wear. To be young again, and bounce back like a rubber band...

[Starsign]

Sharkguard keeps with helping Chris's injuries as the kid explains. The shark-man cleans the bruises of any possible infections before placing another bag of ice over it. The bruises weren't anywhere near as bad as the cut on the nose or the eye, but some attention was still needed regardless. As he worked, Sharkguard responded to the teen, "It is great to help others. I also, enjoy the thrills of battle and fame of course. You can probably understand the former of the two now." He chuckles quietly before explaining the deal about the press. "It comes naturally when you've had decades of talking with the press. I like putting up a show for them as much as I can without making it too overblown."

Sharkguard removes the ice from the bruises to see how they are doing, then laughs at the kid's comment about age. "Hah, don't think I've ever met someone who was excited about growing older. Keep what ya got now; it always lasts shorter than you think it does." Once Joseph gets on the PA about the next coming event, Sharkguard keeps Chris from leaving in his human state. "Aye, aren't yarr forgettin' something Megastar?" He gives a friendly wink to Chris. As enjoyable energetic as the teen was, he needed to watch himself out there.

[ripleycat]

"What? Oh. OH... The silver skin re-activates in record time, flowing around Chris and reforming into the familiar visage of the Megastar the public was familiar with.

"That was close. OK, now let's go!" With identity properly guarded, Megastar heads for the tent entrance.

Outside, Joseph continues his introduction. "The courses our heroes will face are not all the same, and will be tailored to their own unique skills to a degree. First up today is the lightning-fast Johnny Rocket!" There's a break in his announcement and loud applause for what you assume is Johnny mugging for the crowd before his run. "Though Johnny's proven himself to literally be faster than a speeding bullet today, the course will require quick thinking to match those quick reflexes. Will he be up to the task? Let's find out, shall we? The engineers are giving the course a final once-over, and the Rocket will begin when the starting gun sounds!"

Inside the colossal, sprawling structure, you can hear the rattle of machinery and hydraulics that were most certainly not active when you arrived earlier this morning. Several CC cameras have been placed in areas the audience may not have a good view of, their images being broadcast on screens near the bleachers. Megastar has found himself a spot near Dr. Chase and some of the other organizers. He waves you over eagerly. "Hurry up, man, it's Johnny. He'll probably be done before the gun goes off."

[Starsign]

Sharkguard follows Megastar in a slower pace than the kid did. The shark-man was over forty now, rushing became something he doesn't do unless there was something in dire need. Exiting the tent, he smiles to see Johnny ready to go. While he loved the fame, Sharkguard wasn't one to steal the spotlight when it was someone else's time for it. And for such an occasion like this, agility wasn't something Sharkguard was known for, so he was glad Johnny was doing the obstacle course and not the shark-man.

Sharkguard finds a spot beside Megastar and near Dr. Chase as he does his best to get comfortable. It was likely that he wouldn't be sitting for long, but he might as well while here. "Well, time to see what this Rocket can really do in that course, aye?" He asks Megastar, easily obvious that the shark-man was excited to see Johnny in action.

[ripleycat]

The gun sounds, and just like Megastar predicted, Johnny is up and moving before the smoke stops drifting from the barrel. On one of the screens you can see his entrance to the course, a broad ramp that quickly narrows to a precipitous, almost tightrope-like path above a 20-foot drop. He takes it with ease, sprinting across the gap and leaving the narrow bridge shaking behind him.

There's a metallic clang as Johnny reaches the far side of the bridge, ultra-slo-mo replays helpfully showing the pressure plate in the concrete floor triggering as the speedster passes by overhead. In something out of an Indiana Jones movie, long spears shoot out of the walls of the hallway, creating an impassible hedge of spikes. Well, impassable for a regular person. Johnny, despite a couple of breathtakingly close calls, manages to bend out of the way and simply run along the wall, staying above the spears and even using a couple of the for footholds.

As he reaches the end of the hallway, Johnny vanishes from normal view and the view on the TVs above the bleachers becomes a split-screen, one half following the speedster like the camera of a video game, and the other half becoming a bird's-eye view, showing that Rocket had just entered a large, twisting maze. He hits a dead end quickly, then backtracks, and runs into another just as fast. Having figured out what he's gotten himself into, Johnny stops and wags a finger at the hovering camera drone behind him. "Very clever, guys." He methodically (for him, which still means moving at hundreds of miles an hour) begins working his way through the maze. A couple of times he seems to get turned around and disoriented, but his sheer speed allows him to eliminate all the false endings. It's a brute force solution to a puzzle supposed to test quick thinking, and by the end he's gone through the whole maze twice, but he does reach the end. He grins and speeds back up as he exits, which proves to be a mistake.

There's a loud *SNAP* and faster than any of you can blink, a section of the walkway lifts up like a drawbridge, catching even the speedster by surprise and tossing him back into the maze with a yelp. The camera helpfully zooms in to show the hair-thin tripwire that Johnny had just broken. The walkway lowers back down, only to ratchet back up the moment the speedster re-emerges from the maze. He steps back, and it lowers again. After a couple of steps back and forth to confirm his theory, Johnny throws himself forward, accelerating to his full speed almost instantly. The walkway springs up again, but this time the mechanism is simply too slow, as Johnny springs over the rising edge like it was something he did every day.

Back in view of the crowd, the irrepressible hero waves to you all before dashing into the final part of his course, which initially seems to just be a winding, corkscrew path, twisty, but straightforward, less an obstacle and more just getting the most out of the remaining space. That is, until the walls smash together a hairsbreadth in front of the Rocket's nose. Johnny jumps away, then rushes through as they open back up again, only to be confronted by the section's floor and ceiling crushing together. Diving through, he meets another section of wall determined to make him into a pancake. Squeezing past at the last second, he gets into a rhythm, zipping under, over, or through an array of increasingly devious and complex devices in a demonstration that's as much acrobatics as it is pure speed.

With a roar from the crowd, Johnny literally vaults over the last piece of machinery, tumbling and popping up in a grand bow to the audience. "There you have it, ladies and gentlemen! The first of our runs has concluded, and in spectacular fashion! Let's hear it again for Johnny Rocket!" Johnny grins and waves, absorbing the cheers for a minute before joining you and Megastar. He looks ragged and a little stiff, but unharmed. "I'm too old for this stuff. Slowing down." He says with a wink.

[Starsign]

Sharkguard practically stood with the crowd as he gave a standing ovation to Johnny's performance. The shark-man would probably have just smashed his way through the place instead of maneuvering around at light speed. It really went to show how different the two heroes were in abilities and tactics, yet the same in heart and spirit. As Johnny Rocket came over to him and Megastar, Sharkguard put his hand on the speedster's shoulder. "Naw, yarr still as fast as I've seen ya been," he says to comfort Johnny. "That course was just demonic, something ta dreaded hydra would flee in terror of if he had feet, haha!"

By the hydra he had meant the one from Greek mythology; over seventy feet tall; a monstrous multi-headed aquatic snake abomination that once terrorized the seas many years ago. Of course mythologies don't make it to modern day, at least as far as Sharkguard knows. The shark-man turns to Megastar, who he expected to be undoubtably amazed at the performance. "Think this ol' Rocket needs a bite ta eat Megastar? I'm pretty sure ta next event's all mine, aye?"

[ripleycat]

"I'm good for the moment, but thanks." Johnny grins at your support.

There's a brief lull as the docs look Johnny over and declare him fit to continue without any treatment, and the obstacle course is shut down to refit and move things around for Megastar's run after lunch.

Joseph emerges from the PA booth to grab a water bottle, looking a little sweaty, but rather self-satisfied. "This is fun! I haven't gotten to be an announcer since college. Normally this job is all running around and getting people to sign things. Hey guys, as long as I've got you here, the last event before lunch is just about ready."

"The breaking demo is a little more informal, since it's built on you guys getting to show off as much as it is us demonstrating your skills. We've got pieces of just about any material you can imagine, from wooden boards to... well, I couldn't pronounce it, but it's some kind of alloy from ASTRO Labs. '50 times stronger than steel!' to hear them tell it. We'll see. Honestly, I think both of you big strong guys could put a fist right through the stuff. Between you and me, if you could, that'd be great. Their rep's a real jackass. Be nice to see him get taken down a peg or two."

Even the normally serene Dr Chase, sitting a few rows over, nods her agreement. "I have no idea how that man ended up in public relations, but he makes me want to slap him with a hand full of hypodermic needles."

Nobody on the planet would blame you, doc. Hey Johnny, you can sit it out if you want, you look bushed."

"Nah, I wouldn't miss this one. You two lazybones ready?" He smiles at you and Megastar. "Or do you just want to watch this one too?"

[Starsign]

Sharkguard helps with examining Johnny after the obstacle course. He had skill in treatment after all; he was glad to make use of it where he can. "Just give me a holler and I'll come about to yarr aid mate," he tells Johnny right before turning to Joseph, seeing that the guy had already worked up a sweat. "Aye. Ta breaking demo. Fine time to test 'em materials." He folds his arms in confidence. While his arms weren't strong enough to do things like pierce the Earth's core, he was sure nothing man-made that he couldn't break down.

"Now Doctor," he says to Chase. "No need for violence in this kind 'o place. Yarr want to teach an egoist a lesson," he beats his own chest, "Yarr got's to beat 'em past their pride!" After that display of confidence. Sharkguard looks down at Megastar. "Think ya can match me youngling? Don't want yarr to fall short now." Though competitive, Sharkguard clearly spoke in a friendly tone meant to rouse the teen up after the sparring the two had. From there, he turned to Johnny. "Well I sure as hell ain't gonna step back from a challenge I excel at! Yarr just watch and cheer us on, aye?" The shark-man was glad that Johnny Rocket had finished his most notable challenge of the fundraiser. Sharkguard wasn't too familiar about the obstacle course he'd be doing, but could imagine it being something well-tailored to him; same for Megastar, who would likely get a more aerial challenge.

[ripleycat]

"If you're not gonna be trying to pound my face in, I could do this all day!" Megastar hops to his feet.

"He's right. I may not be as strong as you guys, but that doesn't mean I can't tear stuff up. Lead the way!"

The breaking demonstration turns out to be set up on a wide stage facing the audience, back near where the boxing ring had been set up. There's a tent set up behind it to serve double duty as a stage curtain and a storage area. On the stage, you can see they've set up an initial "test" just to get things started, a trio of wood-and-brick walls, close to what a real building would have.

"OK guys, have fun, and try not to bust up the stage itself too badly if you can help it. It's a rental." Joseph returns to the PA shack, and a minute later you hear his voice crackle through the speakers again. "All right, ladies and gentlemen, if you'll direct your attention to the east end of the park, you'll see our heroes get a chance to show you their strength the old-fashioned way- by breaking boards and busting down walls!"

As you take your spots, the assistants wheel out some plexiglass screens to keep you shielded from debris from each others demos. No need to have someone get brained by a flying brick, after all.

Spoiler

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For these initial rounds, you can take 10 on the attack, or actually roll, which guarantees a crit if you hit, but of course runs the risk of missing entirely.

[Starsign]

Sharkguard smirks quietly at the two other heroes and their energy, then follows Joseph to where the boxing ring was. The showing of brick and wood walls didn't seem to challenging to Sharkguard, it was pretty much like cardboard to a normal human. As he takes up his position, he turns to the other two who were hopefully prepared as well. "Yarr now watch how it's done!" He rouses the two heroes again as he reels back and throws a hard punch at the wall, not going to make a crazy showing of moves and instead go for quick yet powerful strikes, just like he's always done, both as human and as a shark-man. Once done he'd check to see how Megastar and Johnny held up.

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Gonna take 10 for this one. BTW is there any sort of option that allows me to 'borrow' the Power Attack feat for this part? IIRC there was something in the rules about it.

[ripleycat]

As the organizers intended, these materials can't stand up to your staggering strength, and your wall collapses in brick dust and splinters to cheers from the audience.

Megastar throws a pair of huge roundhouse punches that do to his wall what you did to yours, demolishing it handily, if somewhat more violently. While Johnny lacks the strength of the powerhouses, he's plenty strong for a regular person, and with some focus and concentration, he manages to crack his wall with a pair of well-placed kicks. A third breaks it clean in half.

After the opening round, the assistants huddle and bring out materials better suited for your individual talents. Johnny gets a circle of boards, like he's in a karate movie, and is challenged to break them all in two seconds or less. Megastar is presented with another wall, a more formidable one, bricks a good foot thick. Your challenge is upped as well, but instead of just making it bigger, they change the material, as a slab of granite is wheeled out in place of the shattered brick wall.

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You can spend a HP to gain an advantage for a scene. I'd let a "scene" count as the whole breaking exercise if you want to "buy" Power Attack. The wall can't make the same against your damage and is destroyed.

The Take 10 or roll option will be there for anything you hit during the demo. Bending or pulling something apart requires a strength check instead.

[Starsign]

Sharkguard turns just in time to see Megastar and Johnny Rocket break their walls. He respected how Johnny was surprisingly strong despite his powers being more focused around speed. He could probably land some punishing bruises on the shark-man if they ever went at it sometime; however Sharkguard would rather avoid that. He's strong enough to take down Megastar in a few strikes, he couldn't imagine how long Johnny might last.

Deciding that any sort of showing off wouldn't be rewarding for simply breaking a brick wall, Sharkguard watches the granite wall come up now. It was a material more fitting for him, but he figured Megastar could break through it just fine too. Sharkguard went for a more dramatic way of breaking the wall, quickly leaning back and then delivering a brutally hard headbutt to the wall, coming out without a mark from hitting it.

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Gonna roll for attack this time for the crit, All Out Attack in full play: (1d20+12)[32]

[ripleycat]

Perhaps the headbutt hit a weak spot in the rock, or maybe Sharkguard is simply that strong, but the big chunk of granite comes apart like it was hit with dynamite. When the dust clears, all that's left are a few fist-sized pieces of rock and a lot of rubble. The crowd, the organizers, and your fellow heroes cheer loudly and somewhat disbelievingly.

It takes Megastar three hits to dismantle his wall, eventually just picking it up and shattering it over his knee. Johnny has less trouble with his challenge. Speed is what he does best, and the boards are matchwood with almost a second to spare.

After the war crime you committed against the granite, the assistants switch over to metal without a second thought. A bulky slab of iron, what looks to be an actual railroad tie they picked up from somewhere, replaces the stone. With a hint of irony, one of the helpers advises you try try bending it, rather than "risk hurting those big hands of yours." You're not sure if he's teasing or serious.

Megastar huddles with two of the assistants, who nod and return with a baseball bat and a crowbar. Whether it's bravado or having seen too many kung fu movies, the silver-skinned teen challenges them to hit him as hard as they can.

Johnny rolls his eyes, but doesn't say anything to Megastar, as he's got something similar planned, a pair of helpers ready to fling clay pigeons at him. He announces to the audience that he will break every one before they can hit the ground.

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Like I said, you demolished it. No roll needed.

If you've got a stunt you think would be fun to try, lemme know, and I'll work it in.

[Starsign]

Sharkguard's face gave a rather sinister and extremely confident smile as he sees the granite wall shatter to practically nothing. It was a real testament to his strength, as frightening as it can be. It was also something he'd unlikely repeat for awhile too, but hell if it wasn't satisfying. Sharkguard turns to see how Megastar and Johnny Rocket were doing. The former's slight difficulty showed that he was still young, though with extreme potential. The latter's speed always did dazzle the shark-man, and this was no exception. How one can focus at such speed, Sharkguard had no clue, and he likely never will.

Sharkguard's attention is then turned to the iron wall he has to deal with now. The advice to "bend" it didn't seem to faze the shark-man, who had different plans. "HAH! I eat iron for breakfast!" Whether he meant literal iron, or the kind found in food, is up to the interpretation of those listening. Sharkguard backed up from the wall a bit, going to give some space in preparation. Then he quickly dashes forward and charges forth, smashing shoulder and arm-first into the wall in an attempt to break past through it. Hopefully he would at least break through some part of the wall instead of some part of himself.

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Charging the wall, going for a Slam. Rolling for crit, All-Out Attack: (1d20+14)[15] Will reroll if I roll 1. Super Strength of +12 may also apply.

[ripleycat]

Sharkguard's bull-rush hits the iron slab with a resounding *CLANG!* and the unmistakable (and unpleasant) sound of metal shearing. The re-purposed railroad tie bends and breaks at the point of impact, sending one piece sailing over the plexiglass barrier. Megastar catches it and tosses it back with a thumbs up. "Nice!"

Johnny has little trouble keeping up with his challenge. The most difficult part is actually breaking the targets when he gets to them, and that's what eventually lets him down, as 23 targets in, he hits one, and the stubborn thing just ricochets into the barrier instead, shattering there. There are mixed cheers and groans from the audience, and he smiles and shrugs. "So close!"

Megastar takes the blow from the baseball bat easily, and the handle snaps on impact, as you might expect. The crowbar is a different story, and more impressive. The silver skin flows to meet the strike, and the bar bends around the teen's arm as the armored shell disperses the blow's energy across his body. He takes a few steps back, looking rather impressed with himself and the superweapon. You see him muttering under his breath to "Meg," the alien AI that helps control the weapon.

Having failed to really challenge any of you, the organizers up the ante, bringing out three hefty pieces of sheet steel. "Things are getting serious, now, folks! These targets are made of sterner stuff, let's see how the heroes fare!" Joseph intones over the PA.

Spoiler

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The iron fails by more than 15, and is destroyed.

[Starsign]

As Sharkguard sees the sheet of iron shear apart and caught by Megastar before it flies to somewhere inconvenient or unpleasant, Sharkguard could only shrug his arms in slight embarrassment with a semi over-the-top "Avast!" Taking down iron in one blow was something, now sending it flying was more of a mistake than anything. Still, it ended for the best, and Megastar was rather impressed. He frowns for a moment as he sees Johnny miss one of the clay pigeons. Seeing that the speedster lack the strength to break such objects was rather unfortunate, especially after being able to break down a brick wall in three blows. Still, it couldn't get worse from here, could it?

Sharkguard now turned to the steel sheet. Indeed things have gotten interesting. Sharkguard paused slightly to think about what to do, then walked up to it and threw a quick but strong straight punch with his right arm. Once he got the hit in, whether it pierced straight through or not, he showed a different feat of strength by beginning to use both arms and tear the sheet of steel apart from the inside, hopefully leaving it as two torn and ruined steel pieces at the end.

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Okay, first going for crit: (1d20+12)[24]
And then a Strength check: (1d20+29)[46]

[ripleycat]

The sheet dents and tears where you struck it, leaving just enough of a gap for you to work your fingers into. The metal groans and twists, then gives way in a rush, tearing into two battered halves. Even the organizers seem impressed by the feat, and join in as the audience applauds.

Megastar tries a different tack, picking up the sheet and bending it in half, then flipping it over and bending it back the other way. It takes a few turns, but eventually the overworked metal simply shreds in his hands. He too gets applause, as people realize he did to a piece of sheet steel what normal people do to a paper clip when they're bored.

Johnny puzzles over the sheet for a moment. This wasn't something he could just bash his way past. With a grin, he begins to run around the sheet, faster and faster, until he's nothing but a blue-white blur. Debris starts getting pulled into the swirling downdraft created by the speedster, and the organizers duck behind the barrier to stay safe, until the suction breaks one of the bolts and starts pulling the whole pane of plexiglass in. Megastar grabs it, holding it back as some rather horrible metallic noises sound from Johnny's part of the stage. He comes to a stop, dispersing the impromptu windstorm with a rush, and showing off the utterly mangled piece of steel in the middle with a bow.

Spoiler

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The steel fails by more than 10 against the blow and is disabled. It cannot match the strength check, and is destroyed as you pull it apart.

[Starsign]

Sharkguard found himself amused once again at his own strength. The various tricks he had to take care of each material definitely gave some variety for the audience. However when it came down to it, he was beginning to run a bit short on ideas. His plans in combat usually ran down to "punch and take blows until foe goes down" and preferred not going with some of the more brutal tactics that included tearing material into two and another one he would introduce at the end.

For now he watches the other two heroes do their own skills. Bending it as is was something Sharkguard hadn't thought of. It was a clever showing of skill over brute force, where as the shark-man was quite the opposite. He then looked at Johnny, who blinked once or twice in disbelief at what the speedster did. He had no idea how that worked, like it was some master ability someone would take years of understanding their powers to learn. Sharkguard himself was old, but his own body had only been his for over a year now. Johnny probably had a decade or even longer to master whatever speed powers he had available.

...Just then Sharkguard had an idea. "Ay! Johnny!" He calls Rocket over to Sharkguard's area while the organizers were preparing for the next set of materials to come in play. "Got a challenge for yarr if up for it. Seeing that speed yarr had so much experience for..." He gives a friendly glare. "I want'a see how many blows ta Rocket can strike on me in a span of three seconds." Sharkguard folds his arms in confidence. "No need for holdin' back on me so long as yarr don't mess up the entire area."

[ripleycat]

"All right, but if I knock you out, remember, this was your idea." Johnny grins. "Can we get one of those slo-mo cameras on this? I'm gonna lose count halfway through." The assistants dutifully bring over a camera to monitor the stunt. "How many do you think I can get, folks? 50? 100?"

The crowd chuckles. Someone shouts out "150!" like they're at an auction, which gets an immediate response of "I say 175!" from some other wise-ass and more laughs. "200!" "225!" "250!" The two banter back and forth until Johnny stops them. "250? Eesh, no promises, but I'll see what I can do."

"All right, here we go, Jaws. This is going to feel... weird. I'll try not to actually hurt you. Not that I have to worry about it with that steel skin of yours." With that, Johnny points to an assistant with a stopwatch and throws a quick, sharp punch at your chest. You only feel that first strike as a distinct blow. The rest come as something between a tattoo needle and a jackhammer, a weird undulating sensation, too fast to register as single blows, or even see as single blows. It's uncomfortable, but not overly painful, at least for someone as tough as you. A regular person would be a senseless heap of bruises about a second in. The Rocket moves in a semicircle as he hammers at you in short, rapid motions, like he's working a speedbag.

After what feels like an eternity but is really just well, three seconds, the assistant with the stopwatch shouts "Time!" Johnny slows to a halt, taking a couple deep breaths. "Whew! How you feeling, Sharkguard? Didn't hurt you, did I?" He glances up at the screen as the slow-motion camera finishes up, several seconds behind real time, counting up the blows. It finishes with the counter flashing a staggering "312!" on the screen, more than a 100 strikes a second. "Woohoo!" Johnny cheers, enthused, but slightly winded. "I don't know how long I could have kept that pace up, but dang, you make one hell of a sparring partner, big guy!"

"If you gents are done beating on each other, we've got a couple more things that might be able to withstand a beating themselves." Joseph's voice reminds you, as the assistants bring out sheets of something much tougher than the stuff you've powered through so far- titanium.

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Johnny will pull his punches, so there's no need for a toughness check.

[Starsign]

Sharkguard never really had an idea on how many punches Johnny Rocket could land on him. He figured that it could have very well went into the thousands if given more time, practice, and not public view as such. Still, he knew it was going to be a fun display to see. The auction-like calling from the audience amused him even further. They were quite excited to see the shark-man get pummeled hundreds of times, not that he expected to come out in a wreck of a mess. True to the speedster's word, the flurry of punches did feel weird, though not harmful. He lacked the quickness to tell exactly how fast Johnny was going. It probably was a tiring experience for Johnny if it lasted longer than Sharkguard said.

As the three seconds pass, Sharkguard watches Johnny Rocket take some deep breaths, showing a bit of wear from it to the shark-man's surprise. He did his best not to show it as he winked to the guy who used him as a speedbag. "Ain't got a bruise here Rocket!" He says in his graveled, gruff sailor/pirate accent. The time of 312 hits, of which was probably above what any of the audience expected, was certainly a heck of a performance "Yarr did an excellent job," he tells Johnny. "I can get in 10 o' ta hits at most in the same amount of time; really shows how we vary, Aye? I can definitely be there for sparring if yarr want to another time." While very friendly, Sharkguard wasn't too interested in anything past a friendship with Johnny.

With the titanium here, Sharkguard takes one look at it before setting his plan in motion. The shark-man first took the sheet from the top and began bending it down, or even snapping the piece off by hand. If it didn't break already, Sharkguard showed his scowling teeth and chomped on the titanium sheet once, now tearing the piece apart using his teeth and once that piece was gone, he throws his fist at the bent sheet, aiming to smash a hole right through the hopefully weakened sheet.

[ripleycat]

The titanium, made of sterner stuff than anything else so far, screeches and scrapes under your teeth, but even it can't withstand the enormous pressure your jaws can bring to bear for long. The top corner bends a bit before snapping with tremendous force, the more brittle metal unable to bend the way the steel did. Robbed of much of its strength, the center of the sheet bends and cracks under impact, which your teeth and fists quickly turn into a full-fledged hole.

The assistants allow the winded Johnny Rocket to sit this round out, but Megastar also gets a crack at a titanium sheet. After a great deal of effort, he gets fed up with wailing on the ultra-hard metal and begins focusing his blows in a different way. After a minute, he proudly holds up the mangled sheet to the audience. "Look! I made a bowl!"

Even Joseph chuckles at that as he comes on to announce the final challenge. "Titanium is one thing, but our heroes' final task is something truly remarkable. The generous researchers over at ASTRO Labs have donated several sheets of an experimental alloy that they claim is, and I quote, '50 times harder than steel.' Let's see if this super-material can actually hold up against super powers!"

Spoiler

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The titanium fails by more than 15, and is destroyed.

[Starsign]

Taking it's time to break, Sharkguard doesn't push himself as he tears out the titanium. Materials keep getting stronger, sure, but of course it can't compare to Sharkguard's own skin. He was better known for shrugging off attacks of increasing severity than crushing material of increasing severity. Still he had no quarrel with showing off his strength, in fact he loved it. Showed how organic is mightier than metal. He was glad Johnny got the chance to rest, especially since it was kind of Sharkguard's fault the speedster was winded out in the first place. Megastar's humorous metal-shifting of the titanium again showed how things differed from each of the heroes, and the shark-man could not help much chuckle to that.

...Now the super-alloy came. Sharkguard highly doubted that this material was fifty times greater than steel, however it was probable that it is well out of titanium's league in hardness. Sharkguard decided to try every strategy he had used on it. First blowing two punches at it, one for his two hands. After that he grabs a part of the alloy, possibly the dent that he made if he struck hard enough, and tries ripping a hole in it. Even if he couldn't really tear it into two like he did with the steel, a good tear in it would be enough to show that the alloy needs some more work. If it withstood all that, Sharkguard had more for it to come. He still had the charging slam, the teeth-tearing, and the headbutt to use.

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Going for a physical attack with that dual punches: (1d20+12)[15]
And strength check for attempting to tear it: (1d20+29)[44]

[ripleycat]

Unlike everything else you've tackled so far, the super-alloy doesn't crumple under your assault. Sure, a few small dents and cracks have shown up, and you can feel it straining under your grip, but it looks pretty solid, especially when you compare it to what you've done to all of the other "tough" materials. For a few seconds, at least, it looks like this stuff might actually live up to the hype.

Megastar has little luck with his slab as well. Several punches have done little more than leave him shaking his knuckles. He switches tactics, putting a foot down on the sheet and yanking back on the corner as hard as he can.

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The alloy takes 2 "bruised" conditions, but is still intact.

[Starsign]

Sharkguard was impressed in one sense, and at the same time, not too surprised that the super-alloy was holding up. He figured that the hype had meant something, and it was rather showing here. Still, it wasn't going to bring down the shark-man's spirit. Sharkguard takes a moment to gain distance before charging and smashing into the alloy material elbow-first. If there was a dent made there, he'd then go and bring his teeth down on it as if to try and tear the material apart. Even if there wasn't a dent made, Sharkguard would grip an area of the material with his teeth and tear it apart as best as he could.

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Attack for Slam: (1d20+14)[17]
Strength: (1d20+29)[37]

[ripleycat]

The sheer amount of force behind that charge does what your fists alone could not, and the alloy buckles, gaping cracks and an elbow-shaped hole in its center. The crowd cheer loudly, impressed by your having done what the maker said was impossible. In the VIP section, you catch a glimpse of both King and Beaumont collecting bets from a very disgruntled-looking man in a shirt with ASTRO Labs' logo printed on it.

In the meantime, Megastar has managed to bend his piece slightly. Fed up, and inspired by your performance, he flies up and comes barreling down on the sheet from above. Though not damaged to the extent yours is, when the dust clears, the supposedly impervious sheet is nowhere near as flat as it was to start. He also gets a loud ovation.

"Weeeelll, there you have it, ladies and gentlemen! If there's anything our heroes can't handle, we haven't seen it here today! Maybe we'll see something new next year." Joseph is doing a remarkably poor job of hiding his smugness over your destruction of the alloy. "And with that spectacular showing, it's time for us to take a little break. Grab some lunch, stretch your legs and come on back, folks, because we've saved the best for last! But first, let's give our mighty heroes one more round of applause." The crowd responds to the suggestion with gusto, cheering the demonstration of power that's been put on this morning.

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The alloy fails by more than 10, and is disabled.

[Starsign]

With the super-alloy material broken right from his almighty charge, Sharkguard bellows out in triumph at his success. "Yarharharharhar!" It was a very "pirate-y" laugh, something he wasn't ashamed of doing during moments such as this. He raised a fist into the air before watching Megastar crash down like a comet onto the alloy. Sharkguard joins in with the crowd in the standing ovation, the shark-man being quite very surprised and very impressed that Megastar could damage the alloy greatly, even if not to the extent Sharkguard did. The shark-man could have destroyed the alloy, but there wasn't much point when the damage to AEGIS Labs has already been done to an irreparable degree.

With the event winding down to lunch now, Sharkguard walked over to Megastar and Johnny. "Aye. Yarr both did a heck of a show out there," He says in an extremely pleased fashion. "Was a little worried I'd be ta star of that. I'm amazed yarr even did that kind of damage to that alloy, youngling." Chris' parents should be extremely proud of him now if they know about his superhero life. "So yarr both hungry by this point? I could devour a whale after all that!" Whether Sharkguard could eat a whale or not was up to interpretation, but everyone did know that the shark-man believed that he definitely can if given a good reason to.

[ripleycat]

"Aw, thanks. What can I say, I'm just that good." Megastar smirks, but his body language betrays his embarrassment at the praise. He's probably blushing under the alien shell.

"I don't know about a whale, but I'm famished. Let's eat!" Johnny replies. Or rather, the space where Johnny used to be. The speedster reappears in a blur on the other side of you, munching on a hot dog. "OK, I'm set. When do the next events start?"

"What? Oh, right, slowpokes gotta eat too, I guess." He grins. "Well, they've got some food tents set up over thataway. Burgers and dogs, that sort of high-class fare. Or we could hit one of those little places downtown if you fellas aren't in the mood for grilled grease. Sure they'd appreciate the business, with this shindig shutting down traffic for most of the day."

"Hey, I'm not slow! I'm just... not as fast as you." Megastar grumbles. "I'm good with a burger or two. 'Sides, what's-his-name, Joseph, will probably have a fit if we go missing in the middle of the event. Better stay here for lunch. Plus, I'm broke." he adds under his breath.

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Lunchtime! Free-form RP break here. You have about an hour, give or take. Whatever strikes your fancy, I'm good with. I have no plans for the lunch break except giving you a chance to chat with the other heroes if you want.

[Starsign]

Sharkguard was about to take a seat down when he came off-guard at how fast Johnny managed to get something to eat for himself. Seeing as how they were in a private area, he decided to cut the accent for now. "Ha. Johnny I sometimes wonder how you manage your free time when waiting for the next big thing to happen in the day." He goes to look in the direction of where the tents were set up for lunch. Fried foods weren't any good on his body, even less so than a human. "Well now I don't really like those kind of foods by the tents; but Megastar is right, we probably shouldn't leave for now." He turns to the teen, hearing the mumbling had the shark-man raise an eyebrow.

With a small plan in mind, Sharkguard speaks up, "Actually earlier today a couple sailors have talked with me about trying something different, something more... complex than raw fish." It wasn't a secret that Sharkguard often found himself by the bay or docks with the other sailors. "Johnny, there was some sort of exquisite place nearby; I recall that restaurant had one of those exotic fish-like delicacies there. Is it possible you might be able to check it out, or if you might have the cash, pay a dish for me? I can pay ya back of course."

Sharkguard waits for Johnny's response and hopefully for the speedster to take off, then turns to the teen. "You're broke?" Sharkguard asks in a quiet tone; this was the first he heard of that, figuring Chris' family had a good profit due to his success at the Acadamy.

[ripleycat]

"Generally, by going and finding the next big thing." Johnny finishes the dog in a few bites and smiles wryly. "You mean like a sushi joint? Oh! By the docks! Wait, yeah, duh, I think I know the place. I'll get you a party platter, big guy. Best of everything. Back in a few. You can pay me back whenever, I know you're good for it." With that, the speedster flashes away out of sight, into town.

"You're broke?"

"Hmm? What? Oh! I-I didn't mean it like that. I mean, my folks aren't like, Headmaster Summers rich or anything, but we-we're not poor. I guess it does make us look kind of like big spenders, with me going to Claremont and all, but we could never afford that on our own. They're just not trying to make ends meet, that's all." Megastar seems genuinely taken aback at your concern and moreover, your tone. The embarrassment in the air is so thick you could cut it with a knife and spread it on toast.

"I-I'm on a scholarship, you know, because of Meg here." He waves at himself, indicating the silver alien weapon. "You know that spooky crimefighter who shows up at night? The Raven? She found out who I am underneath this, back when I first came up with the idea of being a superhero, and was just kind of crashing into things and trying not to get killed. She just said she pulled some strings. Never got anything more out of her, but the full ride to Claremont showed up a couple days later."

Chris rubs the back of his head and stares at his shoes in the universal sign of awkward confessions. "I, um, I just meant me. I'm broke. I am all the time. My folks don't give me an allowance or anything like that anymore, and I can't find a job, and even if I could, I couldn't hold one down, 'cause of school and... this. Bein' a hero. I mean, don't get me wrong, I love it, it really is the best thing ever, but it sure would be nice to have a buck or two in my pocket, not have to scrounge for weeks to afford a couple movie tickets." He mumbles something under his breath again. You catch a snippet that sounds like "Not that she'd go with me anyway..."

"How do you do it, Sharkguard? I mean, you're a full-time hero, 'always on duty' and all that. I can't wait until I get that chance, but... how do you balance it all out? Where do you get money and clothes and food and all that, and how do you find free time? I'd go nuts if I couldn't unwind at least every once in a while."

[Starsign]

As much as Sharkguard wanted to thank Johnny before he took off, the shark-man didn't get the chance. Compared to speedsters, Sharkguard was a snail; then again, pretty much everyone else is too. He shrugged slightly before taking a seat to listen to Megastar, taking care also to avoid breaking any chairs he sits in. "Ah, right," Sharkguard responds to the teen's initial comment. The shark-man tries to keep any sort of embarrassment or soft, kind tone to a reasonable level for himself. "Well not all of us have the resources of millionaires. Believe me, you'd find my salary a bit below what you'd be expecting of me." He gives off a quiet chuckle. Often Sharkguard would do construction work or something down by the docks for needed cash in order to have the food and clothing, among other essentials, for himself and, more importantly, Alyssa. He did his best not to publicize his side-work however. It wasn't quite as interesting as his superhero work.

At the question of his own life, Sharkguard let out one brave "Hah!" He sometimes wonders how he can keep up with being a full-time hero while maintaining his time with his adopted daughter. He did do his best to explain everything else to Chris though. "Well it really is all a matter of planning youngling. I do find a bit of work to do when things aren't on the verge of getting destroyed. Usually comes off as a nice change of pace." He looks at his body and clothes now. "As for this body, well, I need minimal to eat believe it or not." He pounds his whatever-is-greater-than-adamantite chest again, expressing his healthy body. "I've also got a few sets of these pants, jeans, however you might like to call 'em." He folds his arms and fishes for his toothy smile. Most villains were more interested in targeting the chest (due to it's size) or the head than the legs, (which aren't really easy to hit or very crippling for the person if they are hit anyway) so he hadn't much worry about damage to any sort of clothing he wears to his work. "You'd be surprised at how free time can be given to you without notice."

After waiting for the teen's response to all that, Sharkguard took a good look at the alien superweapon that bonded to Chris. "Hey... I was wondering, how did ya end up finding and bonding to Meg here?" Sharkguard didn't use the actual name out in public, just to be safe. Here though, in private, there wasn't any worry of using the actual name. "I'm amazed how an alien superweapon could easily agree to bonding with a human, to be honest." For a moment, Sharkguard tried to imagine himself bonded to the weapon... Then threw the mental image out, finding the idea too weird for his liking.