Hero Academy #2: Whodunit

[sun_tzu]

Powerhouse laughs and looks towards Knack "I'm not really that much of a Hero...I'm really just a long string of movie references-crap..." he says being hurtled towards the other end of the room. He is phased for a moment feeling water begin to enter his helmet

Crap...stuck in a water bubble...nothing to get me out...nothing to make myself bounce off of....think....Newtons laws...buoyancy...if I could increase my weight, I'd sink to the bottom...no way to do that...wait...that weird science stuff...the hypermass balls he thought grabbing two of the metallic balls, increasing his weight to sink down to the bottom. At which point he'd use all of the might in his legs to jump out of the water bubble, and towards Tsunami if he could to bash her in the face

Tsunami seems surprised by Powerhouse's unexpected tactic, and flinches back as he rushes in her direction. Before you reach her, though, a wall of water appears between you; it exerts enough force to change your trajectory, and you end up a few feet to Tsunami's side.

((Still need FX's action...And, Powerhouse's action for this round, I guess.))

[Mick_the_Rogue]

Powerhouse grumbles as he lays on the round briefly "This isn't fun..." he muttered getting up from where he was, growling and going to try and bash Tsunami, if possible aiming her for Combustion Man

[Zarthrax]

"If it's anything remotely resembling my 'to-do' list, pardon if I don't hold my breath..." FX's mind starts working overtime. Bank shot? Maybe later. They're more than a match for us, so time to think outside the box.......Rain of fish? Doubtful. But might just be unpredictable enough to work. Have to be the dock on Hatteras Street. The other ships won't be in for another three weeks...

FX starts tinkering with his gloves as fast as he can....


(Blowing as many hero points as you think is fair to overcharge the portal generator to dump the contents of a fishing vessel on, well....everybody. However this resolves, I think it's fair to say FX won't be doing anymore teleporting 'til he takes his gloves to the shop.)

[sun_tzu]

(Blowing as many hero points as you think is fair to overcharge the portal generator to dump the contents of a fishing vessel on, well....everybody. However this resolves, I think it's fair to say FX won't be doing anymore teleporting 'til he takes his gloves to the shop.)

((Honestly, the part I'm most dubious about is his being able to aim the portal right at the spot where all the fish are...but, all right.))

"Heh." Drain grins like a predator in Sekhmet's direction, then grabs her wrist. You feel some strength draining out of you - were you still Mary Jackson, you have little doubt you'd be unconscious right now.
Leshii's attempt to disarm Ammunition fails when the villainess flips in the air around her arm. "Technophiliac? I just use the right tools." The next instant, she shoots Leshii in the torso. This time around, however, the gun shoots some kind of ray that freezes Leshii solid; the elastic heroine quickly loses consciousness.
Tsunami gives Powerhouse a look of utter contempt before launching another stream at him. Once again, it amazes you that water could possibly hit so hard - the entire front of your body feels like one huge bruise ((Bruised, fittingly)). This time, however, you manage to retain your footing and throw your strongest punch at the water villainess; the water quickly forms a shield in front of her, and by the time your punch reaches her, it only has a fraction of its strength. A fraction is still enough to send her flying to the other end of the room and splat on the wall. You think she's out.
Improv pulls out his sonic blast device, and aims it at Stretch. The villain shakes a bit, and you think he might have gotten a bloody lip, but that's it. The next instant, his fist shoots across the room and lands on FX's force-field, breaking through it and crushing the hero's nose ((Bruised)). It is then that FX opens a large portal above the room, causing several metric tons of fish to fall in, probably doubling the amount of chaos and mayhem. Graviton, who had hovered a few feet away from Sekhmet and was about to blast her again, loses his balance from the heavy mass of sea life, and ends up hitting Combustion Man instead; the latter screams in pain, losing his grip on Sekhmet. The latter then unleashes a powerful fireball, and the smell of charred fish fills the air. Once the flash of light is gone, the ceiling seems charred, Drain is running around screaming on fire, and Graviton's suit is smoking a bit...though it still seems functional. "All right. I think I'm through toying with you." Right when he says it, Combustion Man jumps at Sekhmet again, this time using both hands to lay a powerful smack on her head. You're seeing stars. ((Bruised and Stunned for the next round.))

[Green Bean]

((Can I use a Hero Point to reroll that save?))

[Axelgear]

Sekhmet, having taken quite a clubbing to the head, spins quickly in place, attempting to right herself. When her claws scrape on the ceiling, she recovers and then looks at Combustion Man with an angry glare.

((That's the recovery for this round. For the next round...))

As soon as she does recover, Sekhmet's eyes fix instead on Drain. A soft pitter patter emerges from the battle as blood drips from around Sekhmet's eyes and onto the ground as they turn a deep, russet red. Summoning as much of the superhuman power as she can, even in her fatigued state, she comes close to burning herself out as she causes the ground itself to melt and twist like liquid, surrounding Combustion Man and Drain like a giant closing mouth and then slowly shrinking and filling until she knows they are trapped in a cell with walls at least four or five feet thick. However, this is not without its strain. Feeling her body quiver and shake, Sekhmet can barely keep herself aloft. Still, out of immediate danger, she need not do so, and she falls out of the air like a shot bird, landing gently on a pile of fish.

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Using Shape Matter to affect 1000 pounds of materials or so, drawing up large portions of the floor and walls to trap them them inside walls, as stated, of several feet in thickness. That should have an EXTREMELY high break DC. For the Extra Effort, Sekhmet is now exhausted

[sun_tzu]

((Can I use a Hero Point to reroll that save?))

((Waste of a perfectly good Hero Point, if you ask me. Even if you got a 20, remember that Cold is Leshii's kryptonite.
And in case you're wondering, I didn't have Ammunition switch to cold attack just because it's Leshii's weakness - I determined it was one of the more commonly used setting on that weapon long before our favorite shape-shifter joined the game. You can guess where that weapon comes from...

As for Sekhmet's action: Hm, you might not want to post actions in advance. Not only because the situation might completely change by then, but also because you don't know if your character will even still be standing by that point...))

[Green Bean]

"You know, that just makes it sound even wor-" Leshii is caught off guard by the frigid gut-shot, feeling herself turn brittle and breakable and quickly losing consciousness. Even frozen like this, without Leshii's conscious will to guide it, her body begins to morph back to its default.

Experimentation when her powers had first manifested had shown her that it seemed whatever had given her the ability to artificially change her shape had taken away her ability to do so naturally. Whenever she wasn't fully in control, she reverted to the last real, unchangeable shape she had; in this case, how she'd looked the day before her powers manifested. Leshii went from a frozen, multilimbed woman, to a frozen, Minnesotan teenager.

[Zarthrax]

"Ad leas' by dinner is well done...." FX grimaces in pain. "I dink I sood have dat doh..." He aims a disarming blast at Ammunition.

[Axelgear]

((... I know this belongs in the OOC, but can someone jab Mick?))

[Mick_the_Rogue]

((Hey sorry, school's been kicking my ass))

Powerhouse snorts a puff of air "Glorified squirtgun" he says looking back up at the situation This is hopeless he thinks looking around at the situation But...if we WERE to win, one thing to do would be to protect my allies first until they're back up he thinks Sorry about this Skehmet..you'll live, I hope he thnks trying to get himself positioned between Combustion man and Gravitron, raising his mighty arms and then slamming them together ((Shockwave baby))

[sun_tzu]

Drain grabs Sekhmet by the shoulders, grinning like a maniac. You feel more of your strength leaving you...but his smile fades. "You...Have a lot of energy. Huh."
Improv aims his sonic weapon at Stretch, but misses. Ammunition, on the other hand, nails Improv with another freezing shot; he falls to the ground. The next instant, her gun flies out of her hand under the effect of a kinetic shot from FX, whose force-field barely deflects another attack from Stretch.
"Let me show you what gravity can really do." Graviton hovers above Sekhmet, then aims a gravitic bolt at her. You're...pretty sure some of your bones are shattered as you find yourself embedded into the ground, and losing consciousness. The last thing Sekhmet sees before passing out is Powerhouse jumping between Graviton and Combustion Man. The next instant, the hero claps his hands, and a powerful shockwave rocks the building. Graviton appears to have gotten the worst of it; electric sparks are flying from his suit as he falls to the ground. Combustion Man, however, seems more angry than hurt, and begins wailing on Powerhouse with his flaming fists. He is easily the stronger of the two, and easily cracks one of Powerhouse's ribs, while simultaneously giving him a few burns. ((Bruised and Injured)) Drain, for himself, managed to jump away at the last instant, but was nevertheless staggered a bit by the shock.

[Mick_the_Rogue]

Powerhouse breathes heavily, from the inside of his helmet his visor is fogging up Damnit...that one REALLY hurt...still... "Two down" he says aloud Take down the flamer...then a hypermass ball to the face of Drain-o....I can't take them all...but Ammo girl...use one of her allies as a human shield till I can get in close...first things first though he thought, looking back towards Combustion man "You remind me of my ex girlfriend....she was a bit of a flamer too" he says chuckling, before trying to land a punch square on the man's jaw, feeling his laughter actually hurting while he did it

[Zarthrax]

FX takes off at a sprint, trying to make it to Ammunition's gun before she can. "Dis looged easier in de moobies..."

[sun_tzu]

As FX rushes to grab Ammunition's gun, she reaches behind her back and pulls a smaller weapon. A quick shot explodes against his force-field and breaks it, knocking him out.
Meanwhile, Powerhouse attempts to punch Combustion Man, but the latter blocks with his left arm. "You remind me of a banana: squishy." The villain then hits you with a titanic right hook that sends you spinning across the room before finally hitting a wall and collapsing. The last thing you hear is Dr Knack's words: "Well, that was surprisingly long. You people are losing your edge."

((Everybody get a Hero Point for this setback.))

Some time later, you are all painfully awakened by a painful jolt. You find that you are all lined up in a row, held in place with metallic structures.
To the left, Leshii. You find that there are...probes, or whatever they are, sticking onto your body. Whatever they are, they're freezing. You're so cold, you're almost too solid to breath and blink.
To her right, Improv. Apparently the New Predators were worried about him hiding gadgets, because all but his briefs has been removed.
Next to him, Powerhouse. The structure holding you...You think it's pure omni-metal. Too strong for even you to break. It holds your wrists and ankles firmly. You notice you still have your belt with hypermass balls - in retrospect, none of these guys probably know what these are supposed to be.
Next to him, FX. In your case, they apparently thought steel cuffs would be enough - that is, after they took away your gadgets. Only the datalink inside your skull remains - and it allows you to notice that they're running interferences all over the place. No way to contact anything.
Finally, to the right, Sekhmat. In your case, it looks like they chose to forgo the metal and just stick you inside a forcefield.
Each one of you has some kind of omni-metal collar on your neck. In front of you stand the New Predators - some of them a bit bruised, but still in charge. Dr Knack is sitting with his machines behind them, smiling coyly.
"Looks like the capes have finally woken up" says Graviton, hovering in front of Powerhouse. His suit still has some marks from the damage, but it is apparently functional. "Now, we have questions...and you'd best have answers. Those collars on your necks? Courtesy of the good doctor. They interface with your nervous system, and can generate pain on levels going from "cigarette to the groin" all the way up to "brain shut down and heart stop beating from pain overload". And every time one of you gives us an answer we don't consider satisfying...The four others will pay for it.
I hope I've made your situation clear enough."

((All right - I'm eager to see how you handle this!
Also, posted another tidbit of History on the OOC thread.))

[Green Bean]

As she awoke, Leshii instinctively tries to morph back into a more appropriate shape, only to encounter a scream of protest from her body. She evaluates her situation; captured, hooked up to some sort of torture device, and too frozen to shapeshift. On the plus side, she still had her rather potent powers of deception.

In a voice obviously on the edge of panic, Leshii spoke up through chattering teeth. "Look, there's no need for torture. I'll tell you whatever you want. Really!"

((Bluff, bluff, bluff, bluff the evil scientist))

[Mick_the_Rogue]

Powerhouse

"Oh, so THAT'S what the suit's for, you're into S&M, good for you, looks like you got all sorts of practice too" he says laughing somewhat at the situation

"Sorry man but could you have the water girl do this? Or the chick with the gun fetish? I'm not really into dudes" he says, a wide smile hiding beneath his helmet

[sun_tzu]

In a voice obviously on the edge of panic, Leshii spoke up through chattering teeth. "Look, there's no need for torture. I'll tell you whatever you want. Really!"

"We'll be the judges of that" says Tsunami contemptuously.

"Oh, so THAT'S what the suit's for, you're into S&M, good for you, looks like you got all sorts of practice too" he says laughing somewhat at the situation

"Sorry man but could you have the water girl do this? Or the chick with the gun fetish? I'm not really into dudes" he says, a wide smile hiding beneath his helmet

Graviton laughs. "Funny. Not what you said. The fact you don't seem to understand your situation."
He then presses the button on a remote.
Sekhmet, Leshii, FX: All of a sudden, it is as if your entire body is one fire. Outside and inside. In that moment, there is nothing but mind-splitting, world-shattering PAIN.
Then, after a few seconds that felt like an hour, it's gone.

[Green Bean]

Okay, they seem to have bought it. Hopefully I can keep this up. As Graviton activates the device, Leshii screams in genuine anguish. As the pain subsides, she manages to recover herself mentally enough to begin crying loudly. Deciding to use her now jammed youthful form to her advantage, she sobs, "Please...don't do this. I'm...I'm just a kid...please."

[Axelgear]

Sekhmet, however, is far less calm in her response. Her eyes bleed once more as she roars and smacks her full body weight against the bubble and, believing Leshii's words to be real herself, instantly yells at her team-mate. "Leshii, what the f*** are you saying!? You little traitor! As soon as I get out of here, I'm going to twist you like a knot and use you to strangle these guys! RRAGH!!" She yells, continually slamming against the forcefield, even as the pain causes her knees to quiver. Still, she manages to stay up. There is only one thing that is more powerful in Sekhmet's mind than anything else and that was a desire for justice. Even at the threats, she continues to pound away at the forcefield.

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I figure her constitution would let her manage to stay standing. HOpe that's alright.

[sun_tzu]

((Er...Improv's right there. Between Leshii and Powerhouse.))

[Zarthrax]

FX breathes heavily for a few moments after the induced pain. See? This is why I would suck at Supervilliany. I hate seeing people hurt. He looks to the retorting biker. "Are we taking turns insulting our hosts? 'Cause it's only fair if everyone has a turn." He turns back to the sadists. "I noticed the fact that you backed up your threat before actually asking anything. Well done. But what assurance do we have that we get to go free after this? Free and alive and unmaimed or hindered in any way? Supervillains are not particularly noted for their reliability or stability..."


Think, Francis, think. One of them can be brought inside the jamming field close enough for me to take control of anything even close to a cell phone. Which one? The only obvious tech users are Graviton and Ammunition. So, how do I get them inside the field?

[sun_tzu]

"I noticed the fact that you backed up your threat before actually asking anything. Well done. But what assurance do we have that we get to go free after this? Free and alive and unmaimed or hindered in any way? Supervillains are not particularly noted for their reliability or stability..."

Drain brings his hand to his forehead. "We supervillains really get a bad rap, don't we?
Well, let me tell you. Not all supervillains are monsters. I knew this mutant guy - normal person, really - who tried to rob a bank to pay for his wife's operation. The Marvelous Mintons rob museums for fun, but when they thought they'd gotten a guard killed, they almost sunk into depression. And I know for a fact that whatshisface has had several opportunities to kill superheroes that were after him, and was always careful not to.
Well, we're not any of those losers.
We're the New Predators. We're supervillains. The villains part? We don't forget it. Did anyone say you'd walk out of here in one piece if you cooperate? No, nobody did. What we are saying is that if you don't, what we'll do to you - what we will do to your friends, your little dog, and maybe some random guy nabbed from the street if we feel thorough, will be beyond your worst nightmares.
You guys are totally screwed. The only thing left to determine is how much."
"And people say I like hearing myself talk" mumbles Dr Knack.
"Enough." Tsunami cuts it short. "You people have been investigating recent events surrounding Brick. We happen to be curious, too." she turns to Leshii. "So, kid, tell me...What do you know?"

[Green Bean]

As Sekhmet slams against the forcefield, Leshii deliberately flinches, testing to see if any of the probes had any give, and then looks away from the goddess, obviously in fear.

The shapeshifter stops sobbing at Tsunami's question, but sniffles before she speaks. "They...they recruited me a few days ago, to find out what happened to Brick. They said they needed someone to meet with a someone close to Brick an' they chose me 'cause I couldn't be traced back to them an' I did what they asked an' I saw more than I should've an' they made me stay with them..." Leshii trails off and starts sobbing again. As she does, she does a systemic check of her body, trying to see if any part of her is far enough from the probes to retain its morphing abilities.

[Axelgear]

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Well, since it has been hinted and it's the only thing I can think of, I'm going to have to expend my hero point to get some gratuitous luck, have the shield collapse from intense bashing, and have Sekhmet's anger boil over to the point where she hurls a fireball at Leshii to destroy the cold-inducing... Things, warm her up, and set her free (Though Sekhmet is actually just doing it out of anger at the turncoat bluff). I'll let you handle this, Sun. As soon as she is, Sekhmet's next shot is heading straight for Tsunami

Edit: Okay, making it an action

Sekhmet continues to slam her fists on the shield until, finally, she musters up enough strength in her rage and, with one hard punch, smashes through it and drops clear of where its radius was. As the field sputters and dies, she raises a fireball and hurls it at Leshii, bathing the rubbery girl in flames and disintegrating the bonds holding her and the cold field generators. Without even looking to see the result, Sekhmet's eyes then turn on the villains across the room as her arms ignite once more and she snarls, baring her fangs.

"You are all so DEAD!" She yells, brimming with anger, and then readies another fireball and looses it, aiming it straight for Tsunami before she can raise her shields.

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So two attacks, one aimed at Leshii and her restraints and the other at Tsunami.

[sun_tzu]

((You don't really get two attacks per round, you know.
As for actually getting out of the force-field...We're gonna see about that.
But FX? Powerhouse? What do you do?))

[Zarthrax]

Francis concentrates on his datalink, probing for any junction with a tech item, no matter how split-second...

((Attempting to use my datalink to establish control over any tech item I can reach, if any.))

[Mick_the_Rogue]

Powerhouse

"Funny...we were going to ask you what you knew" he says shrugging, then closing his eyes, trying to pull the omni metal out of the wall... realizing he couldn't he looked down towards the belt. Taking a deep breath, and looking towards Skehmet, "BBQ" he says, before making a motion of his hips up, hopefully detaching one of the hypermass balls to go towards his hand. He then batted the ball from his hand, to his head, attempting to headbutt the hypermass ball directly at the thing containing Skehmet

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Hero point maybe?

[sun_tzu]

Francis concentrates on his datalink, probing for any junction with a tech item, no matter how split-second...

((Attempting to use my datalink to establish control over any tech item I can reach, if any.))

Try as you might, you can't access anything - the jamming within the room is just too strong.

"Not trying to get another pain jolt" says Improv, "but I'd have thought that if anything, you guys would know more than us about Brick.
We haven't really found out much. We asked the Triad, but all we learned was that he'd been having a lot to do with Dr Knack here. We were working on the assumption that he had been responsible for the whole mess."
"Truth be told," Tsunami turns toward the mad scientist, "that has seemed like the obvious answer for a while now, doctor."
"I already told you," Knack calmly answers, "I was trying to figure out a way to boost Brick's mutant super-strength, but ever really got anywhere. I have no idea where his power-up came from. Now, would I lie to you?"
"Oh yes you would."
"Got me there. But that's my story and I'm sticking to it."
"You smug little...Oh, whatever." She turns back to Improv. "So what..."

That's when Powerhouse throws up one of his hypermass balls and headbutts it to his left. The super-heavy object flies past FX and hits the force-field holding Sekhmet, causing just enough of a disturbance for the feline demigoddess to bust her way out of it ((Hero Point expenditure for both of you)).
The next instant, a fireball strikes Leshii. You feel a bit disoriented from the sudden temperature change ((Bruised)), but you regain just enough mobility to pry yourself free of your restraints...and all eyes are currently on Sekhmet.
"LeshiigetFXoutoftheroom" mutters Improv, using one hand to gesture toward FX and one to indicate a door to the far left.

[Green Bean]

Now free from the sub-zero restraints, Leshii easily flows out of her collar (and into the shape of Stretch, just for kicks). Moving quickly, she elongates her arm, wrapping it around the structure holding FX. She quickly snaps her arm back to normal proportions, propelling her toward the device, banking that the momentum and the omni-metal collar she was using as an improvised set of brass knuckles would let her break the structure.

"FX, let's go."

She grabs FX and then reaches her arm as far through the door as she can and reels them both through.

((I'm using Extra Effort and a Hero Point to get an extra action. So, it's Move action to stretch over to FX, Standard Action to break the structure, and another Move Action to get as far as she can from the room))