Grinning as the metal splinters and caves underneath his foot, Shadowboxer shakes at the sudden activation of the rocket arm, twisting to the side to avoid catching a fist that outweighed him to the face.
Watching the arm careen away, Shadowboxer grinds his teeth. Excellent move Lee, why not demolish what the robot already missed. He turns away, barely catching Wingblade out of the corner of his eye. Hopefully she can fix this. Looking up at the robot, Shadowboxer gives an angry scream before leaping up, assisted by his shadowy double, before punching the robot in face. Roaring, Shadowboxer uses his free hand to pound at the face. "WHY...WON'T...YOU...GO...DOWN!
Apex goggled for a moment, holding his hand in surprise. They're not... here? real? What's happening? Is there a projector or something?
He began to look around but a loud crash from outside brought him back to focus. I don't have the expertise for that right now. I can't stop the game... but maybe I can predict it.
Disregarding the room, Apex peered over the boys' shoulders at their hands. He ignored the game's mechanics and focused on the card names.
As the voice of the police consultant reached him, Apex cringed slightly.
Ninja-boy, really? I may not be widely known yet, but that's just... guh. And the Silver Shadows were supposed to pride themselves on their deduction. At least she should be able to pass on the info to the rest of them.
Pulling away from the game he made his way to the window to call down the next moves.
Skuld staggers under the force of the beams that slam into her.
As Skuld was point blank in front of the Robot's face, the kinetic force of the beams is most concentrated, sending her shooting through the atmosphere. As she goes flying off, she panics for a moment, which summons incredibly powerful winds, which send her flying out beyond the horizon, before anyone can even react (including Skuld herself).
By the time she reoriented herself and flew back, the fight was over.
The Silver Shadow keeps analyzing the situation. There had to be a puzzle piece that fit the situation, that turned everything around. If you knew the rules of this game, and had access to both hands of cards, predicting the flow would be immensely helpful. On the ground, knowledge only helps when those who can affect the situation have it. Geometry, probability, you can be a conduit to preventing as much damage as possible if you set your mind to it.
Bran dives straight into the power core of the large robot. The energy is unreal as you feel what Deputy Atoms must be feeling at a constant rate, a mass of powerful energy writhing around you chaotically.
Whatever Bran did seems to have had an effect on the Gaint Robot, as the colossal hunk of a machine stops moving. Instead, It's body begins to pulse a glowing mix of red and yellow.
Apex, you hear one boy say,
"Reckless Strike? F@@$ you that's low."
"Game over I-."
"Don't forget about Mutually Assured Destruction. It's my guy's last ability. I get a slim chance that he takes out your guy too in a draw.."
Apex, you can tell from the other kid's expression that he's planning on taking the gamble to end this in a draw. And you see him reaching for a dice next to him.
With the endgame playing out on the street level, it doesn't make anything less intense for Wingblade as she wrangles the rocket arm skyward. It's thrusters are burning the grass, trees, and pavement badly, but slowly it begins to move in a generally "up" direction.
Juskar, as you fire another blast of energy at the Robot's head, it inexplicably seems to be absorbed with the unstable core that Bran had smashed open, the glowing seems to get brighter, more vibrant, and dangerous as if your actions have increased the chances of it going explosive.
Thankfully, Shadowboxer rushes in right after, jumping on the head and smashing the face in, completely destroying the eye blasters and caving in the face as fist after fist concaves the face in with heavy blows that his frame should not be able to muster.
Skuld is now a speck on the horizon as the potent blast of the robot has sent her careening out beyond the reach of the battle, and perhaps to safety?
The hatches the repair drones had used ripped open. Still wreathed in coruscating energies, Bran burst out like a comet, the giant robot's power trailing behind him as he cratered the ground beneath him.
His face a rictus of agony, he reached out to reclaim his spear, his roars speaking of pain that somehow didn't touch his eyes.
Please. Give me the strength to stand, and I will guard these people as I can.
The energies that enveloped Bran the Blessed began to drain into Gae-Dearg, slowly, as, using the haft of his spear as a crutch, he rose. Slowly.
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Okay, marginal success. What now? races through Wingblade's thoughts as she hangs on to the arm that is now blasting its way skyward. She uses her own wings to fight against the natural inclination of the arm to pivot back towards the ground. A fleeting idea of her trying to steer it back to the robot for a spectacular impact is quickly dismissed -- the heroes are still around it and she's trying to lessen collateral damage, not increase it.
No, for the time being, she was doing the right thing by keeping the rocket arm airborne and pointed in the direction where it'll do the least harm. Which meant, for the moment, up.
Well, maybe it's time for a teaching moment, she thinks. With one hand clinging tenaciously to the arm, she spares a moment to activate her communicator. "Um, Whippoorwill? Promise you won't get mad...?"
I hate being useless! Alexandra screams internally. externally, she starts taking video of the fight. after getting a good 15 seconds, focusing on everyone she can, she closes the camera, and looks at her companion ninja boy?... He has to be named something... I would swear I saw him... the Reaver Building?... whatever
Hey... You're with them, right? she gestures to the superheroes outside You have anything worth having out there? or are you benched like me, until these kids rejoin reality. she guages his reactions. He looked a bit like an agility super, but he didn't even try to engage the big guys... probably doesn't have incredible powers, like me. lets see if that's a sore spot
[b]I've heared of escapist gaming, but this is something else
Feeling slightly better after reducing the robot's face to a heap of scrap metal, Shadowboxer watched the large spear warrior burst out like a shooting stars. Watching the pulsing colors of the robot, Shadowboxer grits his teeth. [i]Kuso, if this thing blows I don't know if he can withstand it.[/i]
Glancing at the tattered condition of the robot, he pulls his shadow over him like a cloak. Sliding down into the hole Bran left, Shadowboxer looks for the power core to rip it out. Can't go nuclear without the fuel. Aloud he mutters, "If this goes Chernobyl Nat will kill me.
Energy still pulsed through his skin with every heartbeat, but Bran stood ready, striding forward to the largest hole in the robot, bracing his spear to trap as much of the potential cataclysm as he can.
"If it is going to explode, do what you can to funnel it towards me. It will not pass while I draw breath."
Fear gripped Apex's chest as he heard the dice rolling behind him. Swinging out the window, he began scrambling down the side of the building calling out to the girl below him.
"We have to stop the robot, it's going to blow first! Where's Thor Girl maybe she can set up a wind wall to contain it?"
Returning to the ground, he scanned the battle trying to reorient himself. Shoot, she's not here, that must be why her card disappeared. I need to get a communicator as soon as possible. Alright the Shadow guy is tearing stuff apart, good, Bran is... well if that doesn't kill him it may save all of us. Who else? The flying guy, hopefully he can sub in for Skuld.
"HEY! Flying Amulet Guy! Can you create some type of barrier? We need to contain anything around that robot real fast!"
Turning to Silver Shadow, he continued issuing orders at a more reasonable volume. "Shadow, you need to get in contact with emergency services. If they'll listen to you, we need to make sure they're aware there are multiple major explosives here and keep them at an appropriate perimeter. Think you can do that?" While it was a relatively subtle change in tone, it was clear to anyone paying attention that the arrogance in Apex's voice was now matched by the venom.
Barely waiting for a response, he stalked forward looking for a large piece of shrapnel that could be used to damage vulnerable electronic components.
Flying Amulet Guy? Eh, whatever. "Maybe. If Spear Guy is ready to take that..."
Jusker flies around to put the robot between Bran and himself. "Okay. I've never tried it against something this big before, but here goes." He holds out his hands in front of him, fingers splayed, palms forward. "Giant barrier!" Pink force energy pours out of his hands and coalesces into a large rectangle.
The sudden wall of pink looked like an impregnable bastion, flat and even, but Bran was surprised to see countless whorls of magic underpinning its basic structure, visible to his spellwise gaze. But the shape this sorcerer had dreamed up didn't allow those twisting spirals to work as one to drain away energy across the whole of the barrier.
It was fragile. If the force arrayed against it was too strong, Bran could already see where the breaches would form. They were too far apart. He wouldn't be able to guard them all. Unless...
"Ho! Sorcerer with the amulet! Your ward is well wrought, but its few vulnerabilities are too far spread in such a plane. Embrace the flows of your power, allow your wall to funnel and direct this automaton's force rather than simply oppose it. Together we can turn back this tide."
On it she says, choosing to ignore the venom in his voice I think I found a sore spot
Alexandra punches the number for the head of the Parahuman department of the HCPD Hey, Quinlan, it's The Shadow. You know that brawl in the middle of town... well either the junior supers have it under control, or it;s about to blow the nearest couple block to kingdom come. either way, I'd stay about 3 blocks away until you get an all clear, or this bot blows.. SHe hangs up before Quinlan can get a word in, or start asking questions
That said, she indulges in some curiosity... what does her card look like, and the others (spear guy and wingblade, maybe Ninja dude... frankly, curious about all of them)
The signal beep of Whippoorwill responding to the communicator.
"It's another rocket, isn't it?" her voice chirps back over the tech. After a quick info dump, Whippoorwill responds.
"We've run through scenarios just in case this ever happened again, to avoid... the worst outcome. Direct the rocket away from civilians and vulnerable areas, and eliminate it in a controlled way. Use every resource you can, and under no circumstances should you detonate it at close range. Are we clear?"
Shadowboxer moves into the robot and with a series of expertly placed strikes is able to sever several power conduits that are still feeding into the power core. As your hands grip the bottom of the core, you have to quickly back away as the heat of the core surges directly into your grip, melting away your shadow cover defense.
Bran takes a stance at the entrance of the ruptured robot, directly in front of the anticipated blast. He readies his body, his spear, and he waits.
Juskar focuses his power to shape a powerful defense, though the vibrant pink energy seems to brim with power as much as it sparks with instability.
You've dealt with Quinlan before. Enough information that they can't ignore it, but not enough to incriminate too much. The cards that represent the team seem artistic in a sense, each giving a sense of the person they represented.
The Nova - an image of a young man in normal clothing with blank features is pictured here. He is holding some sort of amulet blasting a large creature away, his shadow rising on the building behind him, observant eyes watching.
The Janus - this card's image is split in two, a young woman resting under a fruit tree, her bare feet with small wings attached to the back. In the reflection in the lake, there is a proud male warrior fighting many beasts, in his hand a mighty spear identical to the the smaller one adorned on the girl's bracelet.
Those are the only to you can see for the moment.
"It's a rocket arm, but, well, yeah," Wingblade interjects, then absorbs the lesson her mentor imparts.
All right; we're too far from the coast, so maybe the reservoir? Wingblade thinks while fighting with the ungainly missile. She was starting to get some real altitude with the thing, so she looks around for a big black area without any lights in the night-shrouded topography.
Is that it? Crap, I'm not sure. But if I'm wrong, there's no lights so hopefully still no people.
She tugs and pulls at the missile trying to get it to angle back down to the ground -- or water in this case.
Okay, now the tough part. Getting rid of its payload, she thinks while prying a panel loose from the rocket's forearm. She surveys the ordnance within and then used her mentor's training once more and starts disarming the explosives.
When Wingblade looks up from her work, the missile has crested and started flying back down to the earth. "Ha ha!" she whoops in triumph, opens her wings wide and stays in the air while watching the rocket arm splash harmlessly into the water.
Bran maintains his stance, ready for the worst to strike, but as the tension builds, curiosity impels him to look... deeper.
Okay, so these things popped out of nowhere. They're not any kind of magic I'm familiar with, but maybe if I look closer there's some kind of clue...
Pulling his hand back with lightning fast speed as his shadow recedes, the masked teen grits his teeth. "頑張って!" Taking a moment to cover himself in shadow, Shadowboxer starts yanking at the core. Better stop this before it levels a block, I can handle some burns.
Vulnerabilities? "Do you know what he's talking about?" Jusker pauses. "Whatever that means. People need to lay off, I've never done this before." Taking the spear-wielder's advice, he focused on the whorls of energy within his barrier, smoothing it out as if he were smoothing a wrinkled sheet. At the same time, he curves the edges toward the robot, hoping to keep the blast from spreading.
Okay... imminent explosion... unless the other supers stop it... I'll take cover. She thinks, as she moves through the room, knocking over a bookshelf full of shitty YA Fanasy and Sci-Fi , grabbing a couple pillows before taking shelter behind the bookshelf, pushing it toward the sturdiest looking part of the wall. Not shit I can do now... cause god knows I was useful this fight
Apex stuttered to a stop as a pink wall of force manifested in front of him. The arm holding a piece of rebar twitched briefly. No, no point in trying to break in. I am not best used here any way.
Looking back to the room with the kids, he began his rapid ascent. I still need to figure out what's happening in here and if Bran can't keep this contained it won't really matter.
As he pulled himself through the window, Apex paused in concern at the disarray until he caught sight of the Silver Shadow. "No. You're doing it wrong. If the explosion reaches us, no barricade we can make will stop it. Our concern has to be shrapnel. Deflect, don't block."
Grabbing a nearby chair, he began to rearrange the basic fortification to direct incoming projectiles away. I hate to admit it, but she has the right of this. Hopefully, we can investigate after this, but not if we're dead.
Thanks, Ninja Boy. She says I don't suppose that's actually your name.
Apex cocked his head and turned to look at the Silver Shadow.
It's Apex actually. But I'll take your... suggestion under advisement.
Sorry, still figuring out all the players on the stage. so many these days. I'm the silver Shadow. the Third, if that wasn't obvious from me been a teenage girl instead of an older guy she extender her hand
Apex turned away to examine the room.
"I'm aware, that's why I called you Shadow. It's not that hard to keep up with the supers on the scene if you know where to look. Bran, Thor Girl and Wingblade are pretty high profile. The flying guy was seen at that orphanage fire recently. Rumors say the shadow guy is somehow tied to organized crime. Heck I was in the police blotter at least four times last month, though generally as 'unnamed assailant in a white mask'. Introductions aren't important right now, WE need to figure out what's going on." He turned back to her to indicate the two of them. "Something has either tied those kids to this location, or phased them out of it."
Keeping to the barricaded area, Apex began to check the walls for signs of technology or magic.
Right, sorry. guesse the insignia gave it away. Alexandra says found an infected nerve, right there
So, I'm taking bets. do you think we find the super-phenomena, or the porn-stash in this room first? She asks Apex, looking through the spilled contents of the booksace, and the area behind it, for something that looks like real super-tech or magic
Bran, just from the bits you've heard being yelled back and forth, it seems that the kids and their card game is the source, but how that translates to actual monsters is currently unfathomable.
Lee, not one to be deterred, keeps pulling at the core, severing more and more power feeds which works to lessen the inevitable blast. But the searing heat does a number on him.
Juskar doubles down on his conjured defenses, drawing on the power of his amulet to do so. It seems to hold together well, though his nerves are fraying from the stress of concentration.
The Silver Shadow does her best to ready herself for the impending blast, but with not much time and a situation she doesn't fully understand, its hard to prepare for the worst. But with a quick word from Apex, and some hastily arranged furniture, it seems that potential damage has been minimized.
And then....
There is a large burst of sound, light, heat, and air as the explosion goes off. Bran channels a great deal of it into his spear, and the wall of energy Juskar puts up does well to curb the blast from radially emitting completely. Lee is less fortunate, being knocked back so powerfully that he is sent flying back, only to be caught by the Silver Shadow and Apex. His shadow covering is somewhat tattered in pieces, writhing slightly as if trying to reknit itself.
Skuld and Wingblade arrive back on site at roughly the same time. They find a park that looks like it hosted a monster truck rally, Bran leaning against his spear, one knee to the ground, Juskar on his backside his legs giving out from the channeled force, Apex and Silver Shadow trying to calm down two kids who are freaking out, and Shadowboxer steadily getting to his feet.
Both the lava monster and giant robot are gone, though the carnage they've caused has definitely remained. And there are sirens in the distance closing in.
"Ow." Sitting painfully on the grass, Jusker notices that he was thrown dozens of yards by the blast. Despite his barrier, the explosion had knocked him backward so fast he hadn't had time to react. He didn't even know if his efforts had helped. If this is what it feels like to be a hero, I could do with less of it. "Yeah, thanks." He lies flat on his back. "Man that thing was big. Any idea where it--"
He cuts off mid-sentence upon hearing sirens, and curses. "Time to go." He doesn't know for sure if they're coming this way or what they would do when they got here, but it doesn't matter. Life spent being poor and desperate teaches a kid to avoid sirens. Gritting his teeth, he pushes himself to his feet.
I'll explain in a sec, Kids... or rather, you guys will, I hope. She tells the kids, before moving for the group of supers, tipping her hat to them as she arrives.
So, I'm, like, Licensed to be doing costumed Hijinks,,, but I think Maybe you should leave the explaining to the police to me. but, on a personal note, it's really cool to meet you guys She says extending her hand. I'm the Silver Shadow, in case any of you didn't know. I know Thor girl, Wingblade, and Apex. But The rest of you... I feel bad calling you Shadow boy, Amulet Guy, and Spear guy.
Roaring as his skin begins to sear, Lee is unprepared when the explosion goes off. Spinning haphazardly through the air and right through the window, the asian fighter lands sloppily, his recovery roll a mess of limbs that slams into the wall with a meaty thump.
Lifting himself up slowly onto his knees, Shadowboxer gives the room a once over, his ballistic mask covering the disapproving frown. "Good to see you two were being productive." Shifting himself into a seiza, the disapproval radiating from the tattooed youth as his shadow twists and shifts, before climbing up him like a lordly cloak.
Standing up slowly to conceal his weakness at the moment, Shadowboxer takes a moment to pop his knuckles, giving Bran and Juskar a respective nod, one warrior to another."Shadowboxer." Turning to face the two who he landed near, Shadowboxer snorts. "They must give licenses out to anybody then. You didn't seem to make much of a difference, though the little hidey hole had a nice touch like home."
At the sound of siren, the black figure groans. "And this gets better and better." Making sure his skin is covered, Lee takes a moment to relax and attempt to calm down.
Bran spends a long moment looking at Gae-Dearg. The blast had been absorbed, but something still didn't feel quite right...
Check it out later. You've got more on your plate.
He already knew Shayera wasn't badly hurt, and had assumed that Skuld's invincibility remained intact, but his heart was still lightened to see both of them return.
Silver Shadow's hand is almost entirely engulfed in his own massive one as he greets her, "Well met. I am Bran the Blessed." His words are slightly rushed as he tries to make his introduction before Shayera can 'correct' his nickname to Cute Spear Guy.
He frowns at Shadowboxer's words, and rumbles a response, though his voice is more chiding than aggrieved, "Apex and the Silver Shadow stopped a volcano from erupting in our midst. Or had you already discovered that by focusing on one monster it would prevent the other from unleashing destruction upon us? Do not allow bruised pride to blind you to the worth of others."
"Do we yet know the source of these monsters? Knowledge to help us thwart a similar summoning would seem worth the trouble of a dalliance with the law's guardians." He looks towards Jusker, an earnest look on his broad features, "Can you help us, whatever means were used are beyond me. I will make certain that you are not entangled by the guards." Worst comes to worst, I'm just a quick transformation around a corner away from avoiding the cops
Skuld, racing back towards the fight, catches up to Wingblade on the way.
"So, were you also smashed by lights from the metal man's eyes?" she asked, feeling some sympathy.
Arriving back at the scene of the battle, Skuld surveyed the damage and asked "Do you know these others Wingblade?"
Wingblade felt elated after successfully disabling the missile arm, even though her body still trembled. She flies back at her best speed, worried that her friends would be harmed by the mysterious behemoths fighting each other. Then, there's a tremendous explosion that blows her back.
Oh, NO she thinks as she recovers from the shockwave, reorients herself, and heads back to ground zero. She meets Skuld streaking back to the battleground. "No, I just took a rocket arm for a ride! Big missile, but this time, I took care of it!"
She drops down and lands on the ground hard. She looks at the other new heroes who had arrived. "Hey. Everyone okay?"
At Thor Girl's question, she points at Apex. "That's, um, well, I don't know what he calls himself. But he fought Scythe, I've heard."
She looks at the others, then furrows her brow at the girl in the cloak. "Wait. You're a Silver Shadow! Right? You're part of a great legacy of heroes!"
As the others stare at her, she folds her metallic wings behind her. "Umm, hi. I'm Wingblade. I work with Whippoorwill, and I think it's great that you've come out to help fight a giant robot and lava monster. Seriously. You want to talk? Hey, don't leave! I won't let the authorities get you into trouble!" she shouts when the amulet guy and shadow guy seem ready to bolt.
Well met She returns the giant's greeting, a smirk upon her lips. Damn, He looked big from afar.
Thank you. She says to Wingblade That might be the nicest way I've ever heard it put Certainly better than Quinlan put it. Oh Christ give me patience, there's another one!. Though, gotta say, Thought you'd have learned your lesson about grabbing Rockets
Did that go beyond ribbing... Into hurtful. I hope not, Dad said ribbing
She takes a thermos out from an interior pocket of her coat, and pours herself a small cup of coffee from it, taking a hip flask and emptying a good amount of it into the coffee, turning it fro black as midnight to a nice inviting brown. You guys did the heavy lifting She says, as Bran starts talking about getting to the bottom of it And at least 3 of you might get arrested. So, why don't you guys let me debrief the kids, figure out what the hell kind of card game does that. Afterwards, i can pass along anything worth knowing, maybe organize another outing, if necessary. She pauses to drain half the cup, and gestures with the thermos, offering it to anyone else in the mood for caffeine. how many of you have means to get into contact with others?
Apex glared briefly at the Silver Shadow as she left to greet the other heroes. The job's not done yet, especially not ours.
Turning quickly back to the scared boys, he crouched down to be closer to eye level with them. "Hey guys, don't worry, everything will be okay. We're superheroes! We'll make sure everyone is safe!"
He punctuated his statement by popping up into a goofy, Kamen Rider-esque pose. Smiling to help project kindness into his voice even if they can't see it, Apex continued comforting them. "Hey, while they're busy wrapping things up, why don't you guys tell me about your game?" As he gestured down at the cards, he eyed them quickly, looking for any of the new cards him and his companions represented.
Wingblade folds her arms and scowls when Silver Shadow throws out the rocket jibe. Though a major part of her wants to take offense (especially the part of her that was planning to freak out as soon as no one was around), she forces that aside. "Uh, yeah. This time I didn't die," she snipes back still more caustic than she consciously intended.
The taste of metal filled Bran's mouth, and his great heart began to pound.
Grabbing rockets? She's fine. She's fine. Keep it together, okay?
A bit of sweat beaded on his brow, but it probably blended in with what was already there from his exertions, he hoped.
Hail Mary, full of grace...
Hail Mary, full of grace...
"Is that the task that held you as well, Skuld?"
Hail Mary, full of grace...
The sudden wave of anxiety and fearful sweat radiating off of Bran catches Wingblade's attention. "What?!?" she shouts.
She looks around at everyone, incredulous. Is this how everyone's going to be from now on? Like I'm some sort of fragile butterfly?
"Okay, yeah. It was a frigging rocket, and I chased it down and I stopped it from blowing up! So don't-- don't get all weird on me."
Jusker pauses when the winged girl promises to keep him out of trouble. "I guess I could stick around." Worst case scenario, I bet I could get away if I needed to. "My name's Jusker. I don't have a made-up name; I'm honestly pretty new to the whole scene. And, uh... no, I don't really have a way of contacting people." He left the rest unspoken. He could probably afford a phone now-- he's never tried buying one-- but he's made it this far without one and didn't see the point in starting now. Who would he call or text? "He mentioned a license," Jusker adds, indicating Shadowboxer. "Do I, uh, need one of those?"
She lied to me
Bran shakes his head to clear it. "Wingblade, do you possess any additional - 'communicators?' I believe that would be the simplest way of remaining in contact."
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Wingblade wipes her face, feeling an odd sense of deja-vu. "Uh, yeah. I do, actually."
She digs into the one of the pockets of her cargo pants where she keeps a number of useful little items with her. The Whetstone-designed earbuds were one of those things she still carried with her, though more for sentimental reasons. The ones her old teammates used to wear. Hashtag. Ghost Dragon. Imagine. North Star. Eldritch. Tectonic. Atoms (though his stayed with this containment suit).
She swallows hard as she looks at them in her hand. Part of her wanted to keep them to herself. I'm the only one left. I like having these with me; they felt close by. Should I give these out again?
"Okay," she says reluctantly. "Um, here. They, uh, belonged to the old team. So, you know, just take good care of them?"
Bran wanted to say something inspiring about "new generations taking up the torch" or "following in the footsteps of legends," but he wasn't quite up to it. He just gave an encouraging smile instead, hoping that would carry enough of what he meant without having to make sure his idioms weren't obviously anachronistic.
You're overreacting. She broke her promise. Just look at her! She's not even hurt. She lied to me.
Focus on something else. What if she had d- No!
He turned away to look at the building Apex still lurked in. If there were signs of the foe to come, so be it, but if not... He needed to get out of here.
As Bran begins to react to Wingblade's almost flippant disregard for his emotions, Skuld puts her hand reassuringly on his shoulder. When he looks up, she gives him the full weight of her most Goddess-like smile of serenity.
Turning to the newcomers, she said "Greetings mortal heroes. It is my pleasure to meet each of you. Together, I am sure that we will perform feats worth of the gods themselves. For now, however, we should work to insure that none of our charges have been injured."
Without another word, Skuld begins checking through the wreckage for survivors or injured.
------------
Later on, Skuld would ask to speak with Wingblade privately.
"Shayera, I feel that I must say something to you, and ask that you let me finish. Your words, though unintended, have harmed Bran greatly, and I fear that he still grieves for your death, though he is loath to admit so.
The circumstances of the battle this evening were not your fault, and should any claim otherwise, I would cleave to your defense; what is your fault, however, is how you react to the EXACT situation that cost you your life earlier, and how your rather ill-timed and careless remarks have hurt our boon companion.
While you may feel that you are untouched by your experience, remember that you are not alone, and those who care for you were sorely vexed, as my Grandfather might say.
Please take greater care with your words in the future."
Thank you, I really mean that. Alexandra says. then she extends the communicator back to Wingblade But, This feels like a team sorta thing. That would be... well, it would just be moving too fast for me.
She fishes through her coat, pulling out a burner phone and proffering it to Bran, before saying. Look, I asked because you guys saved my ass out here, and it's basic courtesy to keep you guys in the loop for this one. plus, if there's about to be a repeat performance, I'd be happier knowing I can get in contact with 5 Capes who can deal with shit like giant monsters. But that. She indicates the communicator. Is a commitment I'm not ready to make. Nothing personal.
The large spear mans words prick at something in the back of Lee's mind. "There are people meant to engage in battle, and there those not fit to fight." Grabbing a handful of metal, Shadowboxer crumples it as he continues speaking. "In a world of beasts and massive robots, a more normal human is at significant risk compared to those of us who can walk through the flames unmarked." There is a gravitas to his words, some sort of fundamental aspect of his mental image.
Flaring his shadow, the temperamental brawler guffaws. "They can try." They could not stop Father, they could hold me back as well as a village stops a tsunami. Folding his arms, he adds, "You may wish to know someone better before you defy the authorities for their sake."
At the mention of handling the rocket arm, Shadowboxer thanks the kami his night outfit included a rather redundant ballistic mask, to hide his grimace. "It was going to explode?" Damn it, I very well could have leveled more than the robot itself.
It would be helpful, but that implies a need for action on my part. Giving Silver a side eye, he states, "I don't make a habit of this. I just happened to be wandering through during that preteen boy's fantasy cage match."
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First the jab about the rocket, and now she doesn't want the communicator? What's up with her? Wingblade stares briefly at the device in Silver Shadow's hand and then glares at her.
"It's damn communication device, not a marriage proposal. Hang on to it. Nobody's talking team, here, but it makes sense to stay in touch. Or don't. I don't freaking care."
She turns to Shadowboxer when he asks about the rocket arm exploding. She throws up her hands. "But it didn't! It was an arm, but it had a big payload of missiles and things. I disarmed them before letting it fall into the drink like I was trained to do!" She gives Bran a pointed glance.
She waves at the devices in everyone's hands. "Well, now you've got them. Next time a big robot or giant monster shows up, give me a call."
===========================
Later on, Skuld would ask to speak with Wingblade privately.
"Shayera, I feel that I must say something to you, and ask that you let me finish. Your words, though unintended, have harmed Bran greatly, and I fear that he still grieves for your death, though he is loath to admit so.
The circumstances of the battle this evening were not your fault, and should any claim otherwise, I would cleave to your defense; what is your fault, however, is how you react to the EXACT situation that cost you your life earlier, and how your rather ill-timed and careless remarks have hurt our boon companion.
While you may feel that you are untouched by your experience, remember that you are not alone, and those who care for you were sorely vexed, as my Grandfather might say.
Please take greater care with your words in the future."
Shayera looks at Skuld incredulously. "My words?!? I hurt Bran?" Her whole body trembles, and her lower lip quivers.
"Skuld, I didn't hesitate. I saw that rocket going toward the apartments and I just acted. I was on it before I realized what I was doing. I was so scared."
She looks away, hoping the goddess doesn't see the tears beginning to well in her eyes. "I wasn't scared for myself. I was afraid for everyone else. That I was going to die again."
She turns back to face her. "Whip had been training me. What to do if I ever faced that situation again. The training took over, and I did what I had to do. I made it safe, and forced it down where it couldn't hurt anyone.
"So, what am I supposed to say to you? To Bran? To Bronwyn? I don't know. You're all going to be furious with me, and I can't blame you! So tell me, Skuld Tordottir, what do I say?"