A Game of Superheroes ~ Prologue
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		<h2 id="linktree">Play-By-Post: Bondage, D/s, S&amp;M =&gt; Bondage: Human Small Groups =&gt; Topic started by: Primarch on 10-10-2011, 00:10:49</h2>
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				Title: <strong>A Game of Superheroes ~ Prologue </strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Primarch</strong> on <strong>10-10-2011, 00:10:49</strong>
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				It was winter in Paris and raining incredibly hard. The sort of rain that obscured vision for the most part. If it wasn't for the area being so well lit by the military force present. They were watching, knowing there was absolutely nothing they could do. The Iron General had proved long ago that traditional means of combat could do nothing against him. There was only one person who could fight the Mad Genius. <em>Starman</em>. The military wasn't alone in watching as the two iconic titans traded blows. Everyone was out. How could they not be? It was a unique occurrence to watch such a thing in person. Even more unique was how it was going. Starman was <em>losing</em>. It world famous costume, the white body suit and cape with a golden star on the chest were torn and burned. It was harder to tell from a distance, nevermind the rain, but his face was already visibly bruised. He could barely see through his left eye it due to swelling and his nose and lip were bleeding. The Iron General on the other hand, normally a man of quite humble weight and narrow in size, was like a giant in his power armour. Ten feet tall it made him and armed with more weaponry then you could put on a tank and fifty years ahead of what the top Government's weren't telling people they had. <br><br>The boom was like thunder as their fists collided with one another, beams and lights exploded as the armour's defense systems did their work to get in cheap shots and resist as much as they could. It wasn't like a fight from a movie or a comicbook, it was two people roughly trying to get the advantage, tumbling and wrestling. Their different trainings and experience was competing as they both drew into reserves of willpower they didn't even know they had. But it was easier for the General. He had machinated events to lead up to this. Starman had been worn down by the deathray cannon that floated in space, pushed further by the General's deadly robots and then the proverbial line of defense was shattered when The Iron General unveiled his latest suit of whole sail destruction. <br><br>As they continued their exhausted dance of hate, The General revealed another hidden weapon. One large fist glowed for a moment before swinging up and striking Starman in the ribs, an underhanded strike. But when it landed there was an explosion, shocked citizens were about to flee from his mushroom cloud before they started to notice it was so localized. When it settled many eyes fell on the sight of Starman having fallen to his knees. As strong and mighty as he was, even he had his limits. It was a testament of his fortitude and will to protect that he had lasted so long. His body had tolerated such forces.....more pain then any man had endured! Even though he was out there, fighting one on one. He wasn't alone. Because in the crowd was a woman he had promised to protect always, and to love always. She wouldn't let him die alone. <br><br>Grabbing her camera boy she pulled away from the crowd, rang the nearest Television station and asked to be broadcast as far and wide as they could. They didn't argue. Her camera boy set up the web broadcast and she gave the message that would be remember as something that defined a moment in history. <br><br><div align="center"><em>"Help him!"</em></div><br>Some would claim that she herself was a being of super power, and her desire to save her love empowered those who listened. Others would claim that an entire planet wanting something in unison caused a psychic phenomena that it changed something. Some would claim the <em>planet<em> itself responded to her plea. Either way, something happened. Everyone wanted to help. But suddenly......eight could. <br><br>The Iron General stood above Starman and raised a fist, taking his time to charge his next attack to full power. If that fist struck it was all over. But it wouldn't.</em></em>
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				Title: <strong>Re: A Game of Superheroes ~ Prologue </strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>MissFire</strong> on <strong>10-10-2011, 01:59:28</strong>
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				<span style="font-family: comic sans ms;" class="bbc_font"><strong><span style="font-size: 10pt;" class="bbc_size">Monica Yen, Le Royal Monceau Hotel<br>Issue #1: On Wings Of Destiny!</span></strong></span><br><br>Le Royal Monceau. A five-star luxury hotel located mere minutes from the Arc de Triomphe and Champse Elysees. The home away from home of Monica Yen for the last month while she investigated a pharmaceutical company in Paris. Business, however, never stopped. She always had to manage the day-to-day operations of Yen Securities, even from France. Her room was tailored to her needs, the hotel staff had set her up with excellent high-speed internet and two phone lines so she could take calls. As far as the staff and her company knew, she was here looking at smaller security companies with the prospects of buying one of them out and opening up a branch of Yen Securities in France. And for all she knew, she just might do that as well. She also had numerous prototypes to look over; a few small security gadgets from the boys in her tech lab that she was supposed to check out and approve for production. Security as a business was always growing and evolving. Every time those on the right side of the law took a step forward the criminals did as well. <br><br>Monica had been thrown into this position without much warning. In a short time she'd learned about business, finance, security equipment, electronics, penal law, and firearms. Thankfully, she could handle it. She had always been a brilliant woman and learning and adapting to new tasks came easy to her. It was no surprise that she'd come up with a few gadgets of her own. Gadgets that she'd been hanging on to for some reason. The vision goggles and the EMP discs. She didn't know why she'd kept them from her tech department. Monica had meant to, to introduce them and make them a part of her High Security line. But a nagging voice kept her from doing so, made her hold on to these things. She also had another little object; stun batons. Collapsible tonfa with rubber grips that could deliver a little shock with each hit. <br><br>She had been busy all day, her phone (cell or otherwise) was ringing off the hook and there was always paperwork to do. It made it hard to find time to sift through the documents she'd dug up on the corrupt pharmaceutical conglomerate she'd been investigating. But something suddenly happened that trumped all of that. <br><br><em>"Help him!"</em><br><br>Monica heard the plea for help on her TV and she looked over. Something inside of her snapped at that exact moment. She wasn't given any special powers, any extraordinary abilities. She was given the will, the burning desire to do more. To do more than push paper around and work within the confines of the law. As she watched Starman and the Iron General engage in their fateful duel she knew she had to do something more, to become something more. Starman was losing. If he was going to survive this battle, he'd need divine intervention.<br><br>"..Divine intervention.." Monica murmured. She stood up from her desk and swept her papers aside, revealing a book on Japanese folklore she'd been reading on the plane and in her free time here in Paris. It was still marked at the last page she'd read. One about the Yatagarasu, the three-legged crow that signaled divine intervention in human affairs. That's what she needed to be. Not just divine intervention, but a symbol. Even if only to herself. The business woman sprinted around her room, propelled by a sudden need to help save Starman. She grabbed a few articles of clothing and threw them into a bag. Before she left, she grabbed those gadgets she'd brought. She was going to put them to use.<br><em><strong><br>"Stop at once!"</strong></em><br><br>Monica shouted at the Iron General just as he reared his fist back and prepared to deliver the killing blow. Except now, she wasn't Monica Yen. She was the Yatagarasu. She didn't have a costume yet, but she did have the time to dress up in her disguise after she'd left the hotel. Monica was now dressed all in black from head to toe; a pair of tight-fitting black pants, black boots, fingerless gloves and a close-fitting black shirt. She had thrown a black scarf around her neck and used it to cover the lower half of her face while the high-tech goggles she'd invented helped to conceal her identity further. Right after her verbal warning Monica threw the little EMP disc, frisbee-ing it at the Iron General. The prototype hit his raised fist and stuck to it firmly. With her other hand, Monica fingered a remote she'd been palming and detonated the device, sending an EMP wave through the General's armor, shutting it down completely.<br><br>For about three seconds.<br><br>The blast was small, it was only going to stop the General for those few seconds, and that little disc was the only prototype she had. It was gone now. But it would give Starman the time to get out of the way and, God willing, for more help to arrive. Because now Monica was out of ideas. She had not thought this 'savior' idea through. 
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				Title: <strong>The Moment of Truth</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>DomShark</strong> on <strong>10-10-2011, 11:56:57</strong>
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				"How many times do I have to fucking tell you? I don't give a damn about no Star-Boy." Ty barked, leaning back in the seat of the low flying Blackhawk Helicopter. "I don't even want to fucking be here."<br><br>"Tough." The clean cut man in sunglasses replied from his seat next to the pilot. "It doesn't matter what you want, and it's Star <em>Man</em>. I know you know this."<br><br>"Yeah, yeah. I got the homework packet." Ty answered disgruntled, tossing a manila folder into the seat beside him. "Why do you care about this Star Child anyway? What's it to you if he get's wasted? Shit, one less psycho in spandex ought to be a good thing, given all the shit that ya'll got going on behind the scenes."<br><br>At this, the man in the front of the helicopter turned in his seat, sliding his sunglasses from his face to show his stern, piercing blue eyes. The man who operated under the code name Jim Crowe, at least when dealing with young Tyler, had no sense of humor. Least of all when dealing with the sanctity of the secrets of Hunter Corps., and their more taboo enterprises.<br><br>"Believe it or not, Tyler, there are things in this world that are more important than you. Things even more important than the Corporation, or even Mr. Hunter himself. The fate of the entire world is hanging in the balance." Jim seethed, clearly having trouble containing his rage at Tyler's arrogance and cavalier attitude. "What happens today will determine the fate of the world. Not just today, but for generations. Mr. Hunter has spared no expense to ensure that you are a part of that future,"<br><br>"I don't care about any of that shit." Tyler scoffed, swatting the folder off the seat and sending papers scattering. "Fuck the world and fuck Mr. Hunter too. I don't give a-"<br><br>-SMACK!-<br><br>Jim struck in a flash, slapping Tyler across his face and silencing him mid sentence.<br><br>"What about your family? Do you give a shit about them?" Jim sneered, glaring daggers back at his young and impetuous apprentice. "It would be a shame if a pipe started leaking tonight, and that brand new four bedroom town home went up in a huge ball of fire, with little Kylie, Kara and your momma still inside. Would you care then? Disparaging your generous benefactor who is trying to make you a global hero is a good way to get them hurt. You never know when an accident could happen."<br><br>"Watch it <em>Jim Crowe</em>." Tyler warned through clenched teeth. "That house is what's got me out here in the middle of a fucking French typhoon. It'll take a lot more than a house and some cash to own me, though. I didn't think ya'll could just buy niggas anymore."<br><br>"Shut up." Jim said dismissively, slipping his glasses back on and turning to face forward. "We're here."<br><br>The chopper kicked up mud and rain as it hovered down amongst the vehicles of the military blockade. When the landing gear settled in the mud, Jim was already out of the chopper. He was conversing in French with one of the soldiers, showing him paperwork that authorized the Hunter Corps. chopper to land in this restricted space.<br><br>Still seated in the back of the helicopter, Tyler was getting ready. He cocked his .12 Gauge Mossberg, loading a shell into the chamber before slinging the spray gun over his back. Next, Ty spun the chambers of his .44 Magnum pistol clear of the frame, making sure each of the six chambers was loaded with a uniquely large bullet. With the pistol checked and stored, Ty began loading the AR-15 that Jim had provided for this event. The clip made a loud "Clack" as it was slapped into place and another loud, metallic sound as Ty pulled back the breech and loaded the first long rifle round into the chamber.<br><br>By now, Coach, the honey colored Pit was barking and lunging at the door of his kennel. The trans-Atlantic flight to France had been difficult enough for the animal, but flying through a rain storm in a helicopter was sheer torture. Now Coach wanted out, wanted it badly.<br><br>Jim was on his way back to the helicopter, the blades finally beginning to slow and the engine cool. Tyler tried to compose himself. Through all his bluster and bravado, he was scared. Months ago he was just another college jock, whose biggest concern was making sure his sisters were fed and his mom was staying sober. Now he had to ponder questions like what sort of ammunition would be most effective against a steel-framed Power Suit.<br><br>In that moment, with his eyes closed, Tyler saw it: The Iron General swinging forth with a five-finger death punch to Starman's midsection and a bright flash of light. In a that flash, Ty saw Coach, bloodied and yelping as he flew through the air. A moment later, Starman was dead, staring up into the rain through sightless, unblinking, dead eyes.<br><br>Ty gasped out loud when Jim slid open the door to the chopper.<br><br>"It's time." Jim said gravely, the heavy rain dripping down his bald head and from the rims of his dark glasses.<br><br>"Jim, listen! It's no use. There's nothing I can do, man! This shit's all fucked up and Starman is going to eat it! It doesn't matter what I do." Tyler shouted over the sound of the rain, his eyes wild and panicked. "I can't save him! I'm not good enough, I'm not... I'm not like him! I'm no Starman!"<br><br>"Get it together, Kid." Jim said, his voice as stern and unemotional as ever, though a smirk tugged at his lips for the first time. "This isn't about him anymore, can't you see that? This is about you, Truth. This is your moment. This is where you write the first chapter of <em>your</em> story. This is the moment of Truth."<br><br>Tyler took a deep breath and nodded solemnly. He gripped the handle of his assault rifle tightly, stepping out of the chopper and into the rain. Just as he did so, the flash lit up the night. It wasn't lightning, it was an attack. The death blow Tyler had foreseen landed and the impact wave knocked everyone past the blockade down. Everyone but Truth, who had foreseen and braced for the impact wave.<br><br>"Moment of Truth." Tyler repeated stoically, opening Coach's cage. "You're right... I'm ready. My moment. My time!"<br><br>Jim pulled himself back to his feet, trying in vain to remove the mud from his immaculately tailored suit. It took him a moment to compose himself after being knocked down by an attack that took place so far away. In the end, he just nodded in response, reaching into the chopper to hand Tyler a black, wrap-around face mask.<br><br>"Wear this. Keep the mystery alive for now."<br><br>Coach charged first, barking and pumping his pudgy little Pit Bull legs as fast as he could. Ty just nodded and strapped the mask over his face below his black, knit beanie. Black, cargo khakis and a black tank top made up the rest of The Truth's "costume". Tyler had been quite adamant about his refusal to incorporate spandex into his ensemble.<br><br>The Truth gripped his rifle in both hands, charging after his faithful dog in a full sprint, covering forty yards every 2.8 seconds. One long legged stride from Ty's powerful legs was equivalent to three strides of an average runner's.<br><br>Before even Coach reached the Iron General, there was another. A woman! She was dressed in tight black clothing and a mask as well, though her equipment seemed much more advanced than Tyler's. Even through the rain and disguise, Tyler had to admire her body. Honey had it goin' on!<br><br>"Finally, something to fight for..." Ty smirked to himself as he drew close.<br><br>Before either Coach or Truth reached the Iron General, the Woman In Black had thrown some sort of disk at the power suit's fist and detonated it, in a kind of electric blast. The suit shut down and went motionless for a moment, in that moment the Woman In Black just stood and stared. Seemingly dumbfounded by the efficacy of her own attack.<br><br>Was she really waiting for that thing to hit her back?<br><br>Truth knew a chance when he saw one, and fired a volley of five rapid rounds into the glass display of the Power Suit, cracking the glass but not piercing the cabin. Coach was also trying to press the advantage, lunging and biting at the metal casing between the piston powered legs with little to no effect.<br><br>The Iron General's power suit hummed back to life, little by little. First it took a step forward, toward the Woman In Black, but that step exposed a network of hydraulic cables. Though Coach didn't comprehend the importance or value of those fragile, rubber tubes; he did recognize that they were not metal. After slipping off the steel shell of the Power Suit, Coach charged the back of the machine's knee this time, locking his jaw around the cables and violently wrenching his head from side to side, bringing down a shower of strong smelling hydraulic fluid that mixed with the driving rain.<br><br>"Good boy, Coach!" The Truth shouted after his dog, firing another five shot volley at the window of the Power Suit. "Fuck that nigga up!"<br><br>Truth slid to a stop next to the Woman In Black, keeping his weapon aimed at the hulking behemoth, now struggling to lift its leg.<br><br>"You gotta keep movin', Boo." Truth warned her. "I'll cover you. Ya got any more sweet fucking toys in that bag of tricks?"<br><br>Before Truth had even finished asking his question, The Iron General had reached down and grasped Coach by the throat. A sickening yelp rang out as the robotic arm tossed the dog effortlessly ten feet through the air. Coach tumbled limply through the mud as The Iron General took aim at the black-clad duo with weapons of his own.<br><br>Truth saw it in a flash, Gatling guns mowing them both down, blasting their bodies into misshapen wads of torn flesh. Blasting skin and bone into a wide mud puddle of gore.<br><br>"Shit! Run!" Truth shouted, firing a steady stream of automatic fire to cover both of their escape. "You killed my dog, you fucking asshole!"
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				Title: <strong>Re: A Game of Superheroes ~ Prologue </strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>rocknrolla</strong> on <strong>10-10-2011, 15:36:22</strong>
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				<div class="floatright">(http://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/e/e7/Roger1.jpg)</div><br><strong>Name:</strong> Roger Dean/The Cowboy<br><strong>Age:</strong> 32<br><strong>Affiliation:</strong> Hero<br><strong>Tagged:</strong> Iron General, Starman, Monica, Tyler, and the rest of the 8.<br><br><em>“A little bit of bacon, a little bit of beans, a little bit of you lovin’ up on me…<br>… A little bit of how it’s supposed to be, a little bit of life!</em><br><br>Those were the words that rang in the store Roger – or Rancher Dean as his friends called him – found himself in, how many times had he been asked to visit the store? Counting this trip, it was almost his fourth visit to Paris… and the man frankly hated places where it rained and got cold at the same time. Of course, when the song stopped playing and therein played a news broadcast about the Starman’s imminent defeat, even in his moment of rebuke Roger couldn’t help but look at the screen, and for a moment – just a moment alone – felt a chill run through his spine. <br><br>The reason why Roger was even in Paris in the first place was due to Senors Smith, Wesson, Remington and their lost art. The man read about six shooters in an article in <em>Colts – Ride ‘Em and Shoot ‘Em!</em> a few months back which said how a several six shooters, when disassembled, can be assembled back again into weapons with no recoil, smooth bore semi-automatic, with all the whistles of a nineteenth century six shooter. The article mentioned how the likes of Wild Bill and John Wes carried such weapons, making them swiftest draws of the West without the weapons jamming or disintegrating even after having shot more than a hundred rounds. Roger was able to find all the parts, except for an 1875 Remington chamber that would complete the weapon for him... and this was available at a Wild West store in downtown Paris.<br><br><em>“Come later! Take one week to find!”</em> Said the man behind the counter.<br><br><strong>“No can do, hoss...”</strong> Said the man on the front, his eyes still fixed on the telly, chewing on sunflower seeds and a twelve gallon hat that spoke how he was the most displaced foreigner in Paris... and then the words flashed – they would change his life forever. <br><br>Taking one look at the man behind the counter he grabbed the six shooters, a rifle and a gun belt. <em>“This is madness! Polizei! Appelez la police!”</em> The man shouted and Roger ignored him, there were some things in life that were better left unaddressed in the moment, such as a grown man’s plea for help when somebody else clearly needed assistance. <br><br>The moment Roger had stepped out of the building he can see the carnage breaking loose not too far from him. Taking a deep breath, the man straightened his hat as he put the shooters in each holster... the rifle in his hand. He had stolen a few boxes of armour piercing rounds from the store and now began to run as he loaded the rifle... also custom made according to the specifics. <br><br>Of course the man came to a standstill as he saw all that took place in front of him; one of the girl dressed in black had sent a shockwave through the ground, or how it seemed to him and that had stopped the Iron General momentarily. <strong>“Hell yeah!”</strong> Roger grinned, but the smile died on his face when the Iron General started moving again. In that moment Roger had forgotten how he had run more than ten miles from the Wild West store to where this was taking place in less than a minute – the man didn’t find himself awakened, for all that took place around him was in slow motion. <br><br>Of course, the girl in black was not alone – she was now joined by another guy and he knew how to handle himself. This man also relied on guns, but seemed to be accompanied by mutts... and Roger grit his teeth when he saw one of the dogs tossed aside. The nice, black lad seemed to be exposed and in that moment – Roger felt it was his cue. <br><br>Once again flashing from one corner to another Roger felt people almost stop moving around him, as he was the one who was in movement... his foot touched one of the ramps and he jumped to another until he found himself at the Iron General’s flank. Whilst in air, gritting his teeth he began pouring rounds into the villain and wondered how many actually hit home. By the time he had landed on the ground his guns and belts were empty. His back was turned to the Iron General, and for the second time in the day, it seemed the man’s suit had powered off. Roger’s eyes on the lad who had shown moments before, he spoke; <strong>“you alright, son?”</strong> <br><br>He smiled at the man’s response, and turned his eyes to the girl and offered his hand; of course before he can speak or she can respond to his reach, the Iron General began to function once more. <strong>“Nobody fucks with the Jesus, pal.”</strong> Roger said; he turned around and for a moment registered Starman’s frame – the man was alive from the way his chest rose and fell. <strong>“Can really use you guys’ help here... fire and hit him with stuff again!”</strong> Roger shouted at the guy and the girl, as he began to dodge the Iron General’s attacks, it was easy for him to slow time down and allow each punch, stab and thrust to pass away inches from him only to hit the villain back with his own fists – which of course, hurt like all hell. <br><br>Pulling his pistols out, Roger flashed on top of Iron General’s head and pistol whipped him several times with the six shooters, before disappearing again and hitting him on the side. <strong>“Yeehaws! Do you feel them grits click?!”</strong> He howled, before flashing away from the Iron General and found himself standing between the guy and the first girl. <strong>“Now... what?”</strong> He bit his lower lip... strength draining from his body as quickly as it had surfaced, the rain drops splattering over him.
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				Title: <strong>Re: A Game of Superheroes ~ Prologue </strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Maelyn</strong> on <strong>10-10-2011, 16:23:04</strong>
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				&nbsp;<strong>Name:&nbsp; </strong>Emma Hawthorne<br><strong>Affiliation:&nbsp; </strong>Hero<br><strong>Location:&nbsp; </strong>Paris, France<br><strong>Tagged:&nbsp; </strong>Starman, The Iron General, The Eight<br>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<br>After a long semester spent at University in the States, Emma had been glad to return to London with her family for the holidays.&nbsp; She didn’t get to visit as much as she’d like, so when she did, she tried to spend her time with her friends and family there.&nbsp; The Internet kept them from growing too far apart, but there was nothing like face to face interaction.<br>&nbsp;<br>When her cousin, Lucy, asked her to go to Paris with her, she’d jumped on it.&nbsp; She hadn’t been since the summer before last and she’d always loved it there.&nbsp; Lucy was competing in a fencing tournament which Emma was eager to attend and cheer her cousin on.<br>&nbsp;<br>They had arrived a few days ago and the tournament had been last night.&nbsp; Lucy hadn’t won, but she did come second, which she was ecstatic about.&nbsp; She’d hoped, but had her doubts, so placing at all was celebration worthy – which they did.&nbsp; Celebrate, that is.&nbsp; <br>&nbsp; <br>After a pit stop at the hotel to clean up and change, they went clubbing in the Pigalle with some friends of Lucy’s and a few others from the tournament.&nbsp; It had been a very fun night, but they hadn’t gotten home till almost dawn.&nbsp; Emma had fallen right into the bed completely clothed and passed out as soon as her eyes closed.<br>&nbsp; <br>The next day was so dreary that neither of the girls stirred until much later.&nbsp; Lucy rose first, showering and puttering about the room.&nbsp; Sitting on her bed, she flicked on the television then grabbed at her lotion, smoothing it onto her skin as she watched.&nbsp; It was the news and she blinked in surprise when she heard what was happening and where.<br>&nbsp;<br>Tossing the lotion aside, she reached across the stand between the beds and nudged Emma hard.&nbsp; “Emma, get up.&nbsp; Look!”<br>&nbsp;<br>Emma groaned and turned her head to glare at her cousin.&nbsp; “What?”&nbsp; She sniped, not pleased at having been woken up.&nbsp; She then winced as the headache started pounding.&nbsp; “I knew I shouldn’t have had those last two shots.”<br>&nbsp;<br>“No, Emma, look.”&nbsp; Lucy pointed at the television then grabbed the control and turned it up.&nbsp; They were showing the battle taking place not far from their hotel.<br>&nbsp;<br>Rolling over, Emma pushed her think mass of hair back off her face.&nbsp; It was a mix of colors from brown to blonde that she quite loved and went well with her now tanned complexion since living in Texas the last few years.&nbsp; She’d never have pulled it off with as pale as she’d been living in England before that.<br>&nbsp;<br>Propping a pillow behind her, she rubbed her eyes, removing the sleep from them and blinking as she tried to focus.&nbsp; Thankfully the room was darker than usual, due to the rainy day outside, so when she lifted her lids, her golden brown eyes were able to take things in without feeling blinded.<br>&nbsp;<br>Lips still pouting a little, she grabbed the bottle of water on the stand next to her and took a long drink.&nbsp; She looked to the television and, like Lucy, was surprised to see the footage of Starman and The Iron General battling it out so close to them.&nbsp; Based on the landmarks, she guessed they were in the next <em>arrondissment</em> from their hotel.&nbsp; Looking over at Lucy, she noted her cousin was staring at her with a wicked little grin on her lips.&nbsp; Emma returned the grin with one of her own and raised a brow.<br>&nbsp;<br>“Oh, you know it!” Lucy said.<br>&nbsp;<br>They scrambled out of the beds.&nbsp; Lucy threw on the first thing she could find – her crumpled dress from the night before.&nbsp; Emma was still in hers, so she took the time to use the bathroom and clean up a little, smoothing what wrinkles she could from the skirt of the dress.&nbsp; There were advantages to passing out drunk after all.<br>&nbsp;<br>She’d worn a tight, fitted dark blue dress with a corset top and mini-skirt.&nbsp; The color looked amazing on her – and it didn’t hurt that it emphasized her <em>assets</em> by pushing her breasts up and together, giving her a generous cleavage.&nbsp; Then there were her long legs encased in black stockings and tucked into a pair of knee-high black lace up boots with a chunky three inch heel that extended her 5’7” frame that much more.&nbsp; She’d just bought the dress their first day in Paris and had been eager to wear it.&nbsp; The boots were old and a little worn, but they were her favorites and still in great condition.<br>&nbsp;<br>Stepping out of the bathroom, Emma thought about brushing her hair, but Lucy was ready and waiting and it was raining out, so she decided against it.&nbsp; She’d end up looking like a drowned rat regardless in this downpour.&nbsp; She grabbed her long coat from the floor where it must have landed last night, tucked the room key in the inside pocket where her ID, credit card and some cash resided, then followed Lucy out the door.<br>&nbsp;<br>They were only a block away when the blast hit them.&nbsp; Already soaking wet, Emma and Lucy flew through the air and hit the wall of a building.&nbsp; She sat immobile for a moment, stunned by the blast, when she first felt it – a stirring, deep within her, as if her veins coursed with…<em>something</em>.&nbsp; She couldn’t describe it, but when she went to stand, she saw her hands shimmer with a bright light for just a moment.&nbsp; She scrambled up and stood, staring at her hands as they flashed again.&nbsp; This time she noticed what it was – arcs of electricity shot around her hands and up her arms.<br>&nbsp;<br>And then she heard it.&nbsp; A face on the television through a window coupled with a number of people inside listening in silent, rapt attention to the newscast.&nbsp; Emma stared as she saw the woman’s plea for help.<br>&nbsp;<br>Turning her head, she saw Lucy standing next to her, holding the back of her head and wincing a little as she, too, watched the broadcast. <br>&nbsp;<br>“You okay?” Emma asked, worried about her cousin.<br>&nbsp;<br>“Yeah, just a bump,” Lucy said, turning to Emma.&nbsp; Then she saw her cousin’s hands and gasped.&nbsp; “Emma!&nbsp; You’re glowing.”<br>&nbsp;<br>Emma looked again to the television where they were repeating the woman’s plea for help.&nbsp; “I’m sorry, Lucy.&nbsp; I have to.”<br>&nbsp;<br>With that, Emma turned and ran the last block, leaving her cousin staring after her in shock.&nbsp; As she ran, Emma shot bolts from hand to hand, testing what she could do, if anything.&nbsp; She’d played enough video games to have an idea what she might be able to do if she could just figure out how.&nbsp; But there wasn’t much time.<br>&nbsp;<br>By the time she reached the military barricade, the bolts had grown.&nbsp; They were clearly visible to the few men whose attention wasn’t on the battle beyond.&nbsp; But Emma ignored them.&nbsp; She didn’t pause in her run as she looked around, briefly noting The Iron General was now engaged with three others, Starman seemingly forgotten as a new threat loomed.&nbsp; She saw her chance and took it.<br>&nbsp;<br>Pushing off with her legs, she leapt up, one boot slamming onto part of the barricade and pushing off as she easily passed over it, landing on a run on the other side.&nbsp; She wasn’t sure if what she planned would work, or what kind of range she’d have, so she made sure to get close.&nbsp; <br>&nbsp;<br>She saw a man, a cowboy, flash onto the villain’s back and pistol whip him a few times before flashing again and disappearing.&nbsp; Seeing her chance, she took it.<br>&nbsp;<br>Circling her hands around the ball of electricity she had contained, she pulled back, twisting to one side and then hurling the mass at The Iron General.&nbsp; It shot through the air in one fluid motion, an arc of lightning ripping through the air and exploding on impact, the bolts zinging through the suit he wore to the man beneath.&nbsp; It should wreck havoc on his suit, but she didn’t know his capabilities and she’d seen enough movies where the villain was thought dead but came back to life, so Emma didn’t want to take any chances.&nbsp; <br>&nbsp;<br>She ducked back behind a large piece of rubble and started on another bolt as she peaked around the mass of concrete, blinking through the rain as she tried to see what was happening now.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: A Game of Superheroes ~ Prologue </strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>MissFire</strong> on <strong>12-10-2011, 00:37:25</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Monica watched as backup seemingly showed up out of nowhere. She watched as the dark-skinned man began firing upon the Iron General and his attack dog went to work. For some reason, she didn't think firepower of that sort would make much of a difference. If it did, she reasoned, then the police and military could've ended this stand-off themselves and Starman wouldn't have had such a problem. She sighed softly and closed her eyes a moment, opening them again and glancing over as the man spoke to her.<br><br>"That was my last EMP. It was a prototype. It was all I could do to save Starman's life.. but I'm pretty much out of tricks now." The woman looked back at the Iron General and reached up, tapping a discreete button on the side of her goggles. They came to life, flashing green and analyzing everything around her. They stored profiles on everyone she looked at, automatically taking data like height, weight, apparent age, and snapping a facial photo. They also analyze the Iron General's armor for any weakness. One became apparent as the thug's dog gnawed at the suit's joints. She continued to watch as a gung-ho cowboy lept into the fray, teleporting around the area and making an ass of himself. If bullets didn't work, she certainly didn't think pistol whipping an enormous suit of powered armor would.<br><br>Monica groaned audibly. She wanted backup, but perhaps she could've been more specific. The woman tilted her head slightly as her goggles found something and an idea sprang to mind, "It's a suit of armor.. not a solid block of metal," she mused, mostly to herself, "so it's got joints, otherwise he wouldn't be able to move. I'd wager if we attack the joints at the back of the knees, elbows, and neck, then we could do some damage. Maybe immobilize it. I'll bet he's not quite as tough without that powered armor." <br><br>Just then, another pair of would-be heroes showed up. Two women, the first one extremely impressive; both in physical beauty and display of power. "Now THAT.. is what I wanted to see." She murmured with a smile. Monica slipped deftly through the crowd and noiselessly came up beside Emma, crouching near the other woman. She sat still for a moment, studying the battle. When she spoke up, it was in a whispered voice, "..You should keep attacking the Iron General. Hit him with everything you've got. Maybe you can overload his suit." Monica spoke in short sentences, trying to disguise her voice. She didn't need anyone recognizing her. 
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: A Game of Superheroes ~ Prologue </strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Aybara</strong> on <strong>12-10-2011, 02:04:46</strong>
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				Julius shared some brief farewells with the remainder of his comrades Private Patrick O'Brien, Corporal Geraldine Sharpe and Private Owen Daily. They were all that was left and their job was done, it would be a small miracle if any of them survived but more than one... it was improbable. He choked back the tears and took a deep breath he had trained beside these men and women and so many more but in the end it hadn't been enough. They'd failed, but they had their orders and they reset their equipment for a jump well outside safety parameters which would hopefully take them outside of the blast zone. He didn't like the orders but he had been trained to follow. This was the end for them the last of the 175th Albion Light Infantry. The warning klaxons blared and he turned to the others before activating the controls he said his last words and smiled "It's been an honour."<br><br>He triggered the teleport likely scattering his molecules across the continent but he didn't by some twist of fate or hand of god that was not the last moment in his life. Pain seared through him agony rolling through his flesh and bones feeling as if he was being torn apart and then put back together by some mad man over and over again. He couldn't think, couldn't breath as the agony continued and then as unexpectedly as it began it ended.<br><br>The HUD on his goggles outlined rooftops dispositions of nearby individuals and other useful information but this wasn't what he noticed, pain shot into his eyes as he screamed grabbing at the goggles before darkness overtook him. For a moment he thought he had gone blind but then he could make out faint shapes. Lifting the goggles he could see, it was blurry but he could see. He looked through them but they were dead, clearly malfunctioning. He took a deep breath and felt the rain on his face... he was alive but where the hell was he. Briefly he looked for the others but he was on a balcony a few stories up. Without his goggles he couldn't pinpoint where he was and looked at the architecture, it looked European but he blinked trying to clear his vision. His hand fell onto a railing and he used it to steady himself. His whole body tingled and he vomited over the edge before falling to his knees.His hand still holding the railing above him he laughed, he Julius Heisenberg had beaten the odds and survived. He lifted his head to the sky as the cold drops landed on his face lost in his revelry for a few moments.<br><br>Soon enough he became aware of a commotion nearby, there was a fight taking place but he didn't recognize the uniforms and without his goggles the short range unit identifiers couldn't be picked up. He checked them again but they were dead. He'd have to get them fixed. Taking a deep breath he tried to asses the situation, checking over his other gear. He might want to go easy on the teleports for the moment, his shield system was working as was his Schrodinger Pattern Handgun as far as he could tell. A group of individuals was fighting some kind of armoured individual, a man or perhaps a robot possibly. Maybe this was the enemy, they might have found some way to remove whatever cloaking abilities the damn things had.<br><br>There was no need to jump to conclusions he knew, he needed more information. A crowd was watching the fight inside a crater as the eclectic band fought the armoured being. First thing is first he couldn't just jump in there without more information, he looked around and saw another building closer to the scene, a short jump and he could have a closer look at the combatants. Activating it he blinked when he found himself on the ground not in a building and he was in the middle of a crater... oh no- he closed his eyes before turning and saw a woman in black giving orders to some of the other unusually dressed individuals and looked at the armoured figure. He no longer had the luxury of making an assessment regarding the situation and he had to pick a side... in the end it was simple, the people around him fighting the armoured being were all apparently human, the being was possibly human. There would be no way to get out of this as an unknown force safely since his ability to jump could have him appear anywhere it seemed.<br><br>He drew his pistol and tipped his hat to the nearest one who appeared to be wearing a cowboy hat. "Alons-y!" He opened fire with the pistol yellow light given off as a byproduct of the unstable particles projected by the pistol disappearing into the armour of the armoured creature. He wasn't sure if it was doing any damage. The weapons capacity against this unknown armour pattern was uncertain, perhaps it bypassed it as it would do with basic physical material up to a point or perhaps it had internal force fields or was made out of some unknown material. Still he blasted away moving towards cover as he did before shouting over his shoulder to the Cowboy but really not caring who answered. "I say anyone able to tell me where I am?"
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: A Game of Superheroes ~ Prologue </strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Primarch</strong> on <strong>13-10-2011, 03:56:23</strong>
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				There was somebody else in the crowd, who had been standing in the rain despite being only adorned in a light white t-shirt and a pair of shorts all of which was now heavy with the moisture. He had been a fan of Starman growing up, hell who hadn't? The guy was a freaking Super hero, he could fly and lift anything he wanted. He changed the world....because if he could exist? What else could? The Iron General for one. Johann watched as the ten foot tall armoured goliath rained down brutal strikes on the white clad hero who had done so much for the world. His hands were balled into fists and he was muttering to himself as he hoped it would suddenly turn out, some deus ex would pop up and Starman would reveal some trick he had and win the night. But it wasn't happening.....it wasn't happening! <br><br>It was on a building mounted news screen that Johann saw it, the journalist who was almost as famous as Starman himself....mainly because she was the only one he ever dealt with. If he had a PR person, it was her. But this time she wasn't boasting about his latest epic moment......she was asking for help. He deserved to be helped, he had been helping the world for twenty years! Now he needed the world to help him back. It wasn't right that he had to face the unending waves of trouble makers, professional criminals, maniac despots and everything in between and beyond on his own. He didn't deserve to <em>die</em> like this. Thoughts like that kept running through his head. The German felt his throat closing up, something welling up in his chest and before he knew what was happened it all just exploded! He threw his head back and looked up to the rain, but it wasn't a voluntary thing. His whole body went into some kind of sudden spasm that threw his head back and his arms out. At first he screamed in frustration then roared in defiance. He wasn't aware of it at first, but the people around of him were certainly aware that his body was letting out light.....a brilliant golden light. His opened and he could see it himself, that light...and it was warm, comforting. But something was certainly happening. His body rose from the ground, floating up and then it was like he had always been able to do it. <br><br><em>Of course</em> that's how you fly! Obviously! But there was more......even though he had absolutely no evidence to support it....and he was quite the logical thinker, a man of science......he knew that he was stronger then any man but Starman had ever been! It was time for Johann Brannigan to step up and do his part. Golden glowing eyes returned downwards to oversee the scene, there were others who had joined the fray. Now it was his turn. Johann exploded forward, flying as it was something he had been doing all his life, he soared towards the power armoured mad man like a shining meteor and rammed into the wide chest with all the might he could muster. And all the time he yelled a rebel yell!<br><br><div align="center">*****</div><br>Victory was within in armoured grasp! He just had to reach out and take it. With Starman gone there would be nothing that would stop him from climbing to the top and stop humanity from its self-destructive livestyle that was going to see the planet incapable of providing resources to appease the masses and pollution crippling all that it can. While the arrival of individuals who showed interesting capabilities was an unexpected set back it was only a delay. The EMP device held him back for the merest of moments, but his systems had fully rebooted. Some of them even attempted to use <em>guns</em> against him. Harmless toys! And dogs! Mere dogs! He'd be in dire straits indeed if any thug with a gun and his pet Rottweiler could best his armour. Another arrived and made use of energy weaponry he had not calculated the rest of the world to have for at least ten years! It had even penetrated the armours exoskeleton. It would take forty five seconds for the nanobots and self-repairs systems to complete. It would be faster but the armour had to push itself so hard he was down to forty percent power! He didn't even have time for to respond before some Starman wannabe came crashing in and rammed him hard. The combined efforts managed to knock him over, but even as the ten foot tall and six foot wide power armour of red and grey went crashing down, its humanoid form was back on its feet in no time. The Iron General's mind operated fourteen times faster then a standard genius! It didn't take him long to get back on track and get over a little bump. <br><br>Re-routing some of that energy into the shield projectors in the tree-trunk sized left arm a octagonal shield of energy appeared.&nbsp; It hummed in place as the heavy rain bounced harmlessly. The armour shook for a moment before cooling emissions exploded out. Like a fighter cracking his knuckles and other joints before getting into a fray, if power armour did such a thing. Regardless, a hatch at the underside of the right arm opened up and what appeared to be two relatively thin cylinders soon started extending, with various components moving and telescopic parts coming to bear. Soon enough the two cylinders looked more like two-linked cannons. Something similar happened on his back but it was a singular even larger weapon. An experienced eye would recognize it as a 250mm cannon! <br><br>"You small minded fools may have gotten me once with you're unexpected attack!" The voice emanating from the armour was nothing short of an electric growl. "But we shall see just what kind of firepower you can handle.....now run!" he laughed as his computers took aim and he started to blast his payload. The under arm two barrel weapon aimed straight for the one with the particle gun. The familiar yellow glow revealing his weapon just may have been something similar. His weapons were't fast firing, but they had some serious BOOM power! 
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: A Game of Superheroes ~ Prologue </strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Maelyn</strong> on <strong>14-10-2011, 05:08:21</strong>
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				<strong>Name:&nbsp; </strong>Emma Hawthorne<br><strong>Affiliation:</strong>&nbsp; Hero<br><strong>Location: </strong> Paris, France<br><strong>Tagged:&nbsp; </strong>Starman, The Iron General, The Eight<br>&nbsp;<br>Her hair plastered to her face and rain soaking through her clothes, Emma stared at The Iron General, trying to see if there was an effect from her hit.&nbsp; She wasn’t able to tell because as she watched, a woman dressed in all black with a scarf obscuring her face knelt down beside her, urging Emma to continue her attacks.<br>&nbsp;<br>Emma nodded her agreement.&nbsp; “That’s the idea.&nbsp; Now if I can just figure out how I did this the first time…” she said, her voice an interesting mixture of accents –posh British from her London upbringing with a hint of a southern twang from living in Texas the last few years.<br>&nbsp;<br>She was trying to focus her mind on building the electricity between her hands again, but it was difficult.&nbsp; Usually, in her sparring matches, she was armed and armoured and there were rules for safety.&nbsp; But here, she was in a real life or death situation with who knows how many people watching both in person and on the dozens of televisions where the battle was being broadcast live around the world.&nbsp; Her hands shook and she cursed as her new-found power fizzled out.<br>&nbsp;<br>“Fuck!”&nbsp; She chanced a quick peek back at The Iron General just in time to see him hit with some sort of a weapon from a strangely dressed man who had just appeared out of nowhere.&nbsp; Not a moment later, a man bathed in golden light rammed The Iron General, knocking him down.<br>&nbsp;<br>Twirling back around, she looked at the woman before her.&nbsp; “Dude is seriously overcompensating for something.”<br>&nbsp;<br>Concentrating, Emma built another ball of electricity, feeding it power until it reached a reasonable mass, then stood and turned, tossing it at The Iron General just as he fired his weapons. 
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: A Game of Superheroes ~ Prologue </strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>DomShark</strong> on <strong>15-10-2011, 06:36:53</strong>
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				It seemed that "Ground Zero: Paris" was the place to be on this rainy night, as one super-charged gym-rat after another showed up on the scene. Tyler was glad to see each of them, though apparently the French couldn't defend a blockade for shit. There was the dark haired girl who looked like she thought this was a rave, and then provided her own laser light show. Then some guy who looked like he sang in a boy band, wearing the shoulder pads from Power Rangers showed up with some kind of flashlight gun, but didn't seem to know where exactly it was he arrived to.<br><br>"This is hell! And we're all about to get fucked by the big iron devil!" Tyler shouted from behind the large chunk of concrete he was hiding behi- using for cover.<br><br>All of these people seemed to be a lot more powerful than Ty, not to mention better equipped to fight the Iron General, yet none of them seemed to be making any progress at all. When the Iron General told them to run, Tyler did exactly that. Running across the battlefield in a dead sprint to pick up Coach, who whimpered when he was lifted. A good sign that the dog had survived, at least for now.<br><br>Tyler didn't want to be here in the first place. <em>I mean, shit! I gave it the good old college try, right?</em> He thought to himself as he hurdled back over the barrier into the military position. Jim was waiting to take the dog out of Tyler's arms, but the look on his soaking wet face was thoroughly less than pleased.<br><br>When Jim opened his mouth to scream at Tyler, no voice came out. Instead, Ty only heard squealing tires and the crunching of metal parts. More bending metal, shattering glass then an explosion! Truth fell backward, covering his ears as the percussive sound left them ringing as cells died off inside his inner ear.<br><br>"Don't be so fucking dramatic, Truth!" Jim shouted as the ringing slowly eased up. "I'm telling you, I'll take care of the dog, get back in there and fight!"<br><br>"Yeah... yeah, I think I will." Truth muttered faintly, rising back up to his feet. "I've been going about this all wrong... to beat a machine, you need to USE a machine!"<br><br>Before Jim could even ask what he was talking about, Truth was leaping over the side of a military Humvee and searching for a key. The nearest French officer rushed over, grabbing at Tyler's arms and shouting in French. The man was obviously quite adamant about something, he didn't need superhuman foresight to know that he didn't want Ty driving off in his truck, but by now the dash had already been cracked and wires stripped to copper. This wasn't the first vehicle Tyler had hotwired in a hurry.<br><br>As the wires sparked and the motor hummed, Truth gave the soldier a solid but not brutal face palm, imagining the Heismann Trophy. As the guard stumbled back for a moment, Tyler threw the Hummer into first and gave the French Officer the international sign language for <em>Fuck You!</em><br><br>The tires squealed for a long moment before Tyler and his new machine tore off into the mud and debris of the battlefield. It was tough to get enough traction to navigate around the overturned cars and pieces of rubble, but Truth moved quickly through the gears and settled for aiming the vehicle rather than steering.<br><br>"Get out of the fucking way!" Truth shouted as he skidded through the ranks of the other heroes who had joined the fight. "Take this you big, metal fucking bitch!"<br><br>When the hood of the truck crumpled against the hull of The Iron General's power suit- engine parts ground together, the windshield shattered and Truth smashed the bridge of his nose on the steering wheel. In a bright flash, Ty saw no visions, this flash wasn't related to his powers, it was related to a concussion.<br><br>While Tyler had heard the sounds of a car crash moments ago, in this moment of chaos and pain, Tyler didn't hear a wreck. Instead he heard Jim's voice, firm but supportive in his head.<br><br><em>"You can't run away from this Truth. You've got to fight, because it's your life too that you're fighting for. You're the only one who can save it!"</em>
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: A Game of Superheroes ~ Prologue </strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Aybara</strong> on <strong>15-10-2011, 13:28:54</strong>
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				The firepower that the armoured man was preparing to bring to bear was something Julius didn't want to test against his gear, he kept firing unsure of how much of an impact it was making but now started moving in irregular directions, trying to change direction and pace as best he could. He doubted this was hell as he had been told but he'd be there soon enough if he wasn't careful. He dived behind a broken piece of masonry as he began to reload, the depleted energy cell would need time to recharge itself from the ambient energies.<br><br>He saw the large rumbling machine rolling towards the "Iron Devil", it was large and that was about all he knew about it but he could see by the direction where he was going next and he wouldn't mind it landing on target. Rolling out of cover before bouncing to his feet he leveled the handgun at the Iron Devil's head and began firing. He didn't know how much serious damage he was inflicting but he was guessing their attacks were causing frustration for it and if only for a few seconds he had to grab its attention and a few rounds to the head even if they didn't hurt would always be distracting, after all who knew when you'd hit a weak point?<br><br>Amber light darted forward striking around the Iron Generals head and shoulders, he was a competent shot but he was still trying to move about which wasn't helping with his shot.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: A Game of Superheroes ~ Prologue </strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Scarie187</strong> on <strong>31-10-2011, 08:55:18</strong>
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				James or “The Amazing Callahan.” had just finished his last show of the day. It was a hell of a show and the debut of his newest trick “The Disassembled Man” went over better than he hoped. Now he sat in his penthouse suite on top the Vegas Casino he made so much money for with his magic act. <br><br>He hadn’t bothered to change from the traditional stage magicians clothes that he wore for his show tuxedo, cape, bow tie, and dress shoes. He actually found them quite comfortable and found himself doing what he was doing tonight, many a night wearing them as he “wound down” for the evening and got ready for bed. Sitting in front of the TV James ate his dinner and watched one of his favorite movies on one of the local TV networks. <br><br>Of course his movie would come to a stop when the news interrupted his program to go to a live feed from Paris of the battle between Starman and the Iron General. At least it was entertaining these things always were. Even if the end was predictable, the Iron General was toast. Yet it would provide a good show while he ate. <br><br>“Damn, time for another drink.” James said as he got up and set his plate down and made his way to the kitchen. Walking by a lavish dining room table James tried to remember the last time he used that damn thing; maybe he could replace it with a work station for his magic act. He poured himself a drink of water and returned to the living room. On his way back however he noticed that now on top of the dining room table sat a book with an ancient inscription on it. To the untrained eye it would look like a bunch of squiggle lines but to James it read “The Book of Ages.” He stood there staring at the book trying to figure out where the hell it had come from. Finally he set down his drink and took the book to the living room and sat down with it in front of the TV. <br><br>Half watching the battle between the two legends James found he more interested in this ancient book. It was a book of magic unlike any he had ever read. His eyes darted from left to right only pausing to glance up at the TV or when he turned the page. The book had pictures and descriptions of things that couldn’t be true. Yet the book claimed it was and unlike many books of its type it felt real he could feel the truth in the words he read. Glancing up at the TV, James froze when he saw Iron General strike Starman down and move in for a killing blow. Putting the book aside James watched as what seemed impossible was about to happen but it didn’t happen. Before it could she arrived, and then another, and another, and another. Soon six were battling the Iron General. James turned his attention toward the book. The battle ensued while James read. <br><br>“This is interesting.” He said pausing as he looked at the book, and then the TV. “Vox Claix Don Sarni.” <br><br>The world felt as if it melted around him and then suddenly rose up around him. It was wet, he was no longer in Vegas but James knew where he was the land marks made it apparent. He was in Paris. Why Paris? Not only that but James now stood among the crowd watching the battle of the six versus the Iron General. Then a voice called out.<br><br>“He’s one of them!” <br><br>It took him an instant to realize they were talking about him. James could understand their confusion after all he was dressed kind of different for this kind of thing. The crowd gathered around him and he was shook his head.<br><br>“No, no.. I’m not a hero…” he said “Just your average magician. Want to see a trick?”<br><br>A nearby child stood out from the crowd and pointed at him “Then why the mask on your face? All heroes wear masks!”<br><br>James didn’t know what they were talking about. He reached his white gloved hands up to his face and to his surprise he had one on. It was only when he touched the mask did he realize what the magic words he said back as his apartment had done. They gave him power, magic power, and in an instant it all made sense. He looked at the crowd and bowed to them tipping his top hat.<br><br>“Ladies and Gentlemen… for I The Magnificent…” he paused knowing he couldn’t use his real name. So he used the first name that popped into his head “Xantos.” He said and then added “For I the Magnificent Xantos, have come to join the fray and to destroy the evil that is the Iron General!”<br><br>He parted the crowd and walked toward the battleground. The police and military parting for him as he made his way toward his destiny toward the six and the Iron General. Xantos walked by the two ladies the first he saw used some device earlier on the TV, the other was trying to generate some energy. He tipped his top hat to them “Ladies.” He said as he continued on his path. Now he stood a great deal between two of the many men holding weapons and before him the Iron General. The man was far more fearsome in real life then on TV. Even now after all this battling his suit still looked like a walking tank and though it was damaged it was dangerous. Perhaps more dangerous than ever before and he intended to help put an end to that.<br><br>He took hold of his wand and held it up high in the sky. Not sure what to do he thought for a moment and then Xantos had an idea. He began to twirl the wand in the air and as he did the rain seemed to&nbsp; follow his lead twirling in the air with him. <br><br>“Good but we can do so much better.” He said aloud <br><br>With a flick of his wand the torrent of water took the shape of a Chinese Dragon, growing and growling, until it was taller than any of the nearby buildings. <br><br>“Now…”<br><br>He summoned the dragon to attack the creature turned on the Iron General and hissed. Than the torrent of water crashed with the force of a typhoon into the man’s armor driving him down to the ground. Though it was only water the sheer force of it seemed to hit the suit nearly as hard as anything else.<br><br>Xantos was tempted to take a bow to the crowd who watched in awe as he lowered his wand. For a few seconds his attack seemed to work. Iron General was down his armor looked like it had got hit with a very powerful pressure hose, and even looked like he wasn’t getting up. That was the problem though, he was getting up. When Xantos heard this he began to summon up another torrent of water but the Iron General took aim on him and opened fire.<br><br>“CRAP!” <br><br>He said and waved his wand just in time to deflect the shot. He kept waving his wand deflecting all that was thrown at him. With a tip of his wand Xantos teleported to nearby cover behind one of the many vehicles that littered the battlefield.<br><br>“Perhaps its time for a new strategy.” He said as he tried to think something up.<br>
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