The Paling nods to the plan of HIT IT and continue to do so until it stops. Looking around she sees the biggest rock she can manage to lift, straining to life a chunk of brick and steel. With a tearing of her image she is suddenly above the Tietê and drops the rock on the creature's head.
A surge of anger floods Vitoria's mind, and she's moving before she consciously knows it. As Beatriz's rock crashes through the river monster, the Saint of Swords bounds up, using it as a stepping stone to fling herself higher, unsheathing Inokiri in a whirlwind of accursed steel as she severs a tendril sneaking up behind the Paling, allowing that rage to pass into her sword.
"Careful. You might only get to die twice."
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Seeing the Saint of Swords, Paling, and well everyone else jump in at the monster the acrobatic luchadora tries to draw the attention of Tieté.
How does one distract a rampaging river when it's getting pummeled exactly?
"Oi Gigante!" She lept from the van her and the Saint had been on a moment ago, sprung from a limber tree branch on the side of the road, sailing through the air across Tieté's 'face'.
"Can't have righteous vengence on what you can't hit!"
Phylax throws a car at Tietê with such force that the elemental disperses for a moment, merging back with the flood, debris and trash scattering. With a new wave, it begins to reform, creating a whirlpool in the middle of the patio. The current mashes cars together and even uproots a large tree as it breaks the environment.
The dislodged tree exposes a rather large rock. The Pailing gets a hold at it and tries to throw it at Tietê, but it is just too heavy for her. Instead, she blinks out of existence and reappears above the thing, dropping it on its core. It does almost nothing, as the stone vanishes amid the water, but it does draw its attention and further enrages it! Tietê retaliates at the Pailing, but the Sword Saint is there to protect her.
Arèspina talks to Tietê and draws her attention and, against all odds it works and it goes after her with mighty rage! It waves forward, grabbing the uprooted tree as if it was a massive club!
The luchadora jumps from car to car as she drags the entity away from the street, leading it towards a large park nearby, but as she crosses the iron fences around the park, Tietê rushes forward to slam her with its makeshift club!
What do you do?
Her rock was like a ping pong ball against a rhino, so the hovering ghost looks around quickly trying to find something she can help with.
"Power lines" she notes, as her eyes sparkle in the chaos of it. "If we can lure the creature into them, Zap!" yes, the collateral damage to the city's infrastructure would be great, but damage vs death is never something she will consider.
Her form shifts in front of the creature, like an annoying fly, chucking a hand sized rock at its face. The shuddering crash of Arèspina's body distracts her at the last moment when she should zip away though.
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"Power lines! Good idea!" Phylax confirms, then sloshes toward the nearest pole. Figuring that it'd be easier to bring the power lines to the monster than the monster to the power lines, he wraps his arms around the wooden pole and yanks it upwards! Then he uses it like a massive club, bringing it down on Tietê!
Oz sees what Phylax is doing and rushes in to help, using his massive caiman body to check the river monster in the way of the club swung out on it!
The creature hisses in triumph, unable to communicate effectively otherwise. Perhaps a hybrid form might be better?
Arèspina flies with Tietê's swing and swiftly disappears into the flooded streets. With some luck she'll wash up in a safe place and won't drown.
While Paling is frozen by the violence against the luchadora, Phylax and Ozcoyo team together to tackle the river entity. Flanking it, the massive caiman circles Tietê while Phylax disperses its form into nothing! The swing was impressive, but it seemed it dispersed more than before. Perhaps electricity actually did work, despite it not having a physical body.
Silence. The rain keeps falling and the waters are still everywhere. The seconds stretch as tension builds up as you can't be sure if it will reform. As seconds become minutes, Phylax and Ozcoyo notice a figure atop a nearby building: a skinny humanoid over 3 meters tall.
What do you do?
What is this, an audition?
Flinging a line upwards, the Saint of Swords ascends towards the Titan, habitually running through anti-height drills in her head and the flexion of her wrists.
"The deluge still falls. Do you know anything that could help?"
The paling rolls into a ball, clutching her ears, and settles silently and slow down from the air to the ground. Her body reacts as it does to most horrors, with anger, and while that pose of fetal kneeness screams fear or helplessness, it is truly an attempt to hold in the RAGE burning in her.
Phylax is about to start looking for where Arèspina washed off to when he spots the tall humanoid on a far building. When the pale girl rolls into a ball, he moves over to her and puts a reassuring hand lightly on her shoulder while keeping an eye on the strange figure. "Hey B, it's all right. I think we won, but we've got an audience. Plus, we got to find Arèspina before she drowns in all this. I could really use some help," he offers, hoping that giving the Paling a purpose will cut short her breakdown.
Bea looks up, the fire in her eyes blanking back. "I... heard it screaming..." she shakes a little, then sighs "Okay, more to do, thank you Phylax" genuine gratitude lacing her voice.
Ozcoyo flows from one form into the next with speed that requires him to forego grace. The harpy eagle flies up towards the building and the strange figure to determine what they were and who they are.
The Titan is a being like no other in São Paulo. Over three meters high, four arms ending in four fingers each, skinny frame but somehow giving the impression of great strength, dermal plates covering parts of his limbs. His head is pointy and elongated, with few prominent features as he has no ears or nose, but small slits or holes instead.
"No'kt sto'kp figh'kt." He answers Vitória, turning to her for a moment before looking back at the flood. His voice is just above a whisper, with a distinct sucking and popping sound with every word. He seems to struggle with the local language still. "It'k re'kturn. Imor'ktal." He shakes his head. "Wea'kt poin'kt no'kt found'k."
Ozcoyo's understanding of animal's instinct flare close to the alien as he gives the impression of a predator ready to pounce, even if his posture is relaxed.
"You were doing quite well. Congratulations." A feminine voice says as a woman with angelic wings reaches the rooftop. The woman is almost entirely covered in magical-looking tattoos and is around her thirties. Victória recognizes the Cage instantly. "I could not find the masked girl, sorry."
=====
The rain is finally loosing strength. You notice the rushing waters slowing and then changing directions, until if starts to form another whirlpool and gaining speed again.
What do you do?
Paling floats next to Phylax, a look of concern on her face. "Unless the water monster made everything wonky, that shouldn't be happening. Right?" while confident in her own thoughts she respects Rhys' scientific knowledge.
"Do we attempt to disrupt the whirlpool, stopping it from forming again?" she sees plenty of debris they could use to plop into the whirling water, but she is unsure if that would stop it.
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The flood is fast moving and in a couple minutes of struggle to keep yourself from drowning or hitting against something, you find yourself a couple streets down from the cat café.
You are drenched and bruised, and it will not be easy to get back to the café until the waters get shallower. Nearby, on an elevated flowerbed, you see a poor teen sleeping and smiling. Aside from him, no one is really paying attention to you.
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Using anything she can get ahold of to right herself in the flood, Arèspina climbs up a light post and jumps to one of the nearby buildings heading up the outside edge. Eventually hopping across roofs to get back to the Café. She winces at the pain between her shoulders from where Tieté smacked her with the signage, but otherwise does her best to simply power through.
Just like when you get hurt in the ring
It'd take a bit till she could dress down and get inti the back, but she wouldn't wait too long.
Ozcoyo lands and with fluidity, returns to humanoid form. The pattern of the feathers still stick to his skin as he addresses the two heroes.
"Will it return in minutes? Hours? Days? What is it, that easily shrugs off blows from the might of my battle forms?" Ozcoyo inquires. "How do you contain the river itself?"
"Is there anything you've ruled out at least? I don't know how long we have before it reforms."
Sudden the Paling is hovering next to where the others are holding a conversation "It is reforming now. We need to disrupt it!" she points to the whirlpool
"Disrupt a whirlpool? That can't be easy. Maybe if we put something big enough in it?"
Phylax tries to shove waterlogged vehicles into the current, hoping they'll disrupt the water formation.
"Minutes." The Cage says. "It is a battle of attrition. Left alone, it'll run rampage on the streets until the rain stops and the flood dissipates. We know nothing about it, as it doesn't talk. So far, what we've been doing and the same as you did, fighting it over and over again."
The Titan nods, but then corrects, just as Pailing appears on the rooftop "Sec'konts."
As Phylax shoves the vehicle, the whirlpool indeed disrupts and disperses, but then a minute later it once more reforms.
"Zyra'kar k'joins." The Titan proclaims with little emotion and he jumps from the rooftop in the middle of the whirlpool, disrupting it again. "And I'll help you find it." Cage says, as she flies and looks where the whirlpool is reforming.
When you push beyond your limits to disrupt Tietê's ire, roll + Savior. On a hit, you gain 1 Attrition. On a 10+, you also choose 1. On a 7-9, mark a condition of your choice. On a miss, you lose 1 Attrition. Tietê will reform by the end of the panel if you have 0 or less Attrition.
- You rally your allies. Add 1 Team to the pool.
- You impress the Guard. Gain Influence over the Titan or the Cage.
- You fight the good fight. Clear a condition.
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By the time you return to the cat café, you see the water has flooded in, not enough to endanger anyone, but enough to cause some damage and to have people balancing on top of chairs, tables and the counter. Amanda is wild eyed. "Oh, thanks God! Where have you been?"
"I had hoped for something more... insightful" the Paling frowns. She looks around, frowns again and then is suddenly over a crashed car. She reaches down and TRIES to shift to above the whirlpool.
She knows she is not strong enough to lift the car, but she moves through space with objects all the time, so she thinks this might work.
She is wrong
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By the time you return to the cat café, you see the water has flooded in, not enough to endanger anyone, but enough to cause some damage and to have people balancing on top of chairs, tables and the counter. Amanda is wild eyed. "Oh, thanks God! Where have you been?"
"I thought you ran outside, then I got trapped out the door it wouldn't open back up. I've been trying to get back in." She shows off her soaked self.
"Don't know why I thought you'd run outside in this.. I'm just glad you're safe Amanda. There were some heroes that fought off the water monster. I really doubt you'll have to go to your interview at this rate either."
The Saint takes a deep centering breath and plunges back into the water, her blade slicing fast enough to leave spray hanging in the air around her.
Phylax issues a weary sigh, but continues to chuck big objects into the whirlpool to keep if from forming while making sure he doesn't drop a sedan on Vitória as she's slicing the water.
"Watch your left!" he shouts before sending another that lands way too close to her. "Sorry!
Diving up above the whirlpool, Oz splashes down as a massive serpent to plunge and thrash, disrupting the waters.
The process is tiresome, specially because of the rain and water. By the time the rain finally stops and the flood begins to lower, you feel like your limbs are weighting a ton.
"You did good." Cage says, landing on top of a bench in the park. The Titan nods in agreement. From nearby windows and doors, many people start to clap, whistle and cheer to you.
"Perhaps you could apply to join the Guard." She offers, before grabbing one of the Titan's arms and flying him away.
In the next minutes, the police and ambulances arrive, starting to help the civilians. Many are desolate about the damage to their properties, mostly their cars.
What do you do?
=====
"Go outside! Jeez, why would you think that? You think I've a deathwish or something?" Amanda asks, then reaches for her phone and reads a message. "Oh, yeah, the interview is cancelled, but should happen in up to three days." She sighs.
"Oh, crap, I did not bring clothes enough for so many days, but going back home tomorrow and then returning a day or two later will also be a pain..." She trails off, obviously trying to bait you to invite her to stay with you for this period.
"Nap first," Phylax says in response to the idea of them going to apply to the Guard. He still marvels at the fact that he's capable of throwing cars around, and takes comfort in the fact that he can still get tired.
Offering a wet, tired smile to the others, he offers them a thumbs up. "Way to go team. That's one sewage monster, flushed."
The Paling looks to Phylax, the drained color of her face makes him think for a moment she is stunned by the horrid joke, but then she snorts out a giggle laugh straight from her belly and he remembers she always looks like that.
She settles on the ground for the first time on this encounter "Flushed... like a baby poo diaper." she manages to get control after another wave, probably stress being released
Wiping her eyes, she gets to a more sobering topic "The Guard is just another way for those in power to tell those with powers what to do, how and when they can help." she flashes another look at Phylax "We're WAAY too 'cool' for that." she uses the term with irony, but meaning is there.
Phylax meets the Paling's eyes as her spoken truth about the Guard spark a fear in him that the Master Spore would be targeting them or the Guard's handlers -- if it hasn't gotten to them already. Part of him wanted to get to know them better to find out if they could be a help, but if they were compromised keeping them at arm's length would most likely be wiser.
Looking at the enigmatic Beatriz, he pushes those worries aside and his tired smile gets a little more energy. He'd rather stick with his current mates. "Too right. Besides, we did all the heavy lifting and they stood there and they stood there and watched like a bludger."
Beatriz smiles back. For a moment, she is back to the pain of that scream, balled up, panicked, then a hand on her shoulder and a calm reassuring smile made it recede just enough.
His words now made her look to where the Guard had stood. "That is suspicious." the words still infused with the whispers of the dead make it sound very creepy.
Beatriz realizes and pulls it all back, settling the rest of the way on the ground and letting color come back to her cheeks... at least a little.
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"Go outside! Jeez, why would you think that? You think I've a deathwish or something?" Amanda asks, then reaches for her phone and reads a message. "Oh, yeah, the interview is cancelled, but should happen in up to three days." She sighs.
"Oh, crap, I did not bring clothes enough for so many days, but going back home tomorrow and then returning a day or two later will also be a pain..." She trails off, obviously trying to bait you to invite her to stay with you for this period.
"I don't know I just.. look I typically don't have to watch in the crowd and well.. I got worried and didn't think."
She sees and takes the obvious bait grabbing Amanda's hand, "You think we're gonna let you go back out all the way just because of a little mess like this? I'll talk with Rai and we'll sort something out." She then looked down at her own drenched outfit.
"Once we're good to head home though I'm going to introduce myself to a hot shower again..."
The horrific snapping of bones and squelch of flesh accompanying Ozcoyo's return to humanoid form occurs as he stands tall, looking around at the incoming emergency responders. Why the others known as the city's champions simply left after only observing them he could not know. The invitation would not be honorable for him. His duty still laid in his home for now.
But now, they were victorious. As he finishes his shift, the shadow patterns of reptilian scales on his skin, he gives out a shrill bark, pumping his fists into the air. "Victory is ours!"
He gestures to Arespina, before clapping her on the shoulders in a friendly gesture. "You were magnificent! Strong and vicious! All of us were defenders of this city!"
He grins, which shows off his bright smile - and how it seems that he has more teeth than you would normally see...
The Saint of Swords reemerges from the shadows, the layers of her robes keeping white from being a horrendous choice, even when thoroughly soaked. "God provides to his faithful; perhaps we were all that was needed. Or perhaps this was simply a test by the Guard. The Kensei have long believed in unspoken tests."
It still takes about half an hour for the water to drop low enough for people to safely walk the streets without getting their shoes drenched. It then becomes an annoying puzzle of trying to find a good route away from the flooded area.
The interview postponed, Amanda seems a bit more relaxed and chatty, talking mostly about funny and embarrassing situations Rai had been through when he was younger. Among those, are stories of previous girlfriends where she points out how bad they were in comparison to Mara.
Phylax picks his way out of the worst of the waterlogged areas, assisting people struggling with the receding waters as needed. Once in a less flood-struck area, he wrings out his hoodie and looks to Beatriz, Ozcoyo, and Vitória. "So, I don't know about you mates, but I want to go someplace dry for a breather. Anyone want to come with?"
Bea thinks about work, which she is supposed to be at. But the day has been long and she is already worn, so she says "Yes" her voice back to normal now that she is not the Paling. "Someplace with something to eat would be great."
Rhys wrinkles his nose when Beatriz mentions food. "That rules out my lab, then. But that's fine; I could eat too."
Bea notices the wrinkle, so backpedals "We can grab something on the way, and that makes your lab a place with something to eat... unless we can't eat there? A greasy burger and many many fries can make a mess."
Vitória smiles within the shadows of her sword. "A burger's good; recharging's good, but I've got more business today, or rather, tonight. I've got a lead on the Fruit Club, PCC connects with something strange enough about their hideout to register on Godmother's radar. Recon's the only plan for tonight, but you're welcome if you want to put in a full day's work."
Bea frowns and gives out a small moan of "I have actual work tomorrow, since I've already missed the rest of today." she worries her lip a bit, thinking "This life we live does not allow for much normal does it.' she sighs and then nods "But it is what we need to do." she knows when it comes to recon, her abilities for entering and nudging are an asset.
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It still takes about half an hour for the water to drop low enough for people to safely walk the streets without getting their shoes drenched. It then becomes an annoying puzzle of trying to find a good route away from the flooded area.
The interview postponed, Amanda seems a bit more relaxed and chatty, talking mostly about funny and embarrassing situations Rai had been through when he was younger. Among those, are stories of previous girlfriends where she points out how bad they were in comparison to Mara.
Mara does her best to stay engaged with Amanda, but between the stress of being drenched and wondering about the team of heroes she's a bit distant. She does however smile having been handed facts about Rei that she could use to tease him later.
Sending a text to Rei she lets him know the situation with Amanda and the interview, and how she'd need to stay a while longer.
Lastly she shot an anonymous text to the strange 'alien' Ozcoyo.
Anonymous: Your Luchadora is safe, asked me to text you for her sake, something about damaged equipment. Went off to look for more trouble or something I guess?
Rhys thinks about the logistics of grabbing a few burgers and making their way to his underwater lab. "Yeah, we can do takeaway and go to the lab, as long as the tucker is wrapped up watertight."
He debates inwardly about choosing between inviting Beatriz to join him in his lab or following Vitória's lead. "...Or we could check out the Fruit Club. Sounds like they got food."
"Vitoria, now is the time to rejoice, not plan the next operation!" Ozcoyo says to her. "I require biomass to restock what I have used up in this fight. It is...very tiring to change so swiftly from one battle form to another."
He flexes his broad shoulders, looking down at Phylax. "We feast first, then we can consider new orders. In my home, a military victory is followed with plenty of food."
"Biomass does not sound appetizing." Bea objects but with a laugh. She looks to Phylax "What's a tucker btw"?
"Biomass does not sound appetizing." Bea objects but with a laugh. She looks to Phylax "What's a tucker btw"?
Rhys gives Beatriz a lopsided grin. "Tucker! You know, a sanga; snag; brekkie; chook; bikkie! We could run to Maccas if you like. For food."
Eyes spark in amusement as even more bizarre words come out, and then finally she gets it with Maccas! "Finally one I know! Okay a tucker snag for all!" she looks to their Sword "We do need to eat. Afterward for recon?"
Her smirk hidden by shadows, the Saint of Swords gently corrects, "Not that kind of fruit. Better to go by dark anyways. Dress for the favelas or the shadows."