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Summary: Ahab slips through time, acquires himself two new Hounds re-writing the future.
Date: June 10, 2010.
Log Title Privileged to Serve
Rating: R (LV)
NYC - Central Park
Central Park is a large public park in upper Manhattan, largest areas of green with people reading, having a picnic, or playing Frisbee. Walking paths can be found all around the park. In-between the large area's of grass, the park is shadier with many trees. A large road circles the park where joggers, bicyclists, and inline skaters are commonly found.
Evening. Central Park. It's quiet. However, all of that is about to change. A tall man, nearly as much metal as human, strides into the area. He smiles darkly. "I hope you're right, Hound." He says into a small communicator. "If I can find them all here at once, it will make everything even easier for us all." He laughs, darkly as he simply waits. He was told to wait… near a particular fountain.
Cameron Phillips is enjoying a quiet evening in the park. He's gotten leave to go visit, since he almost never requests time away from the school. Being a non-combat mutant, he just tries to avoid any and all trouble if at all possible. He's got his cellphone out as he walks slowly down a path. "No, ma, everything's good."
After weeks of saving up his allowance money from Barnes, Jeremy has finally gotten enough to buy that violin he wanted. He now has it in hand as he heads back to Barnes. It's been a while since Jeremy just spent time in Central Park, he's been so wrapped up in things at Barnes he hasn't has a chance to really explore. So tonight he's taking his time and just walking. He's smoking a cigarette as he walks along, remembering all the nights he slept out here and it seems so long ago.
Some groups don't take things like curfew and transportation as seriously as others. Proof in this is under one of the jogging underpasses of the park, there's a point of light that appears in the middle of the air, followed by some shifts as things are drawn towards it. The single point spins and expands outwards into a six foot tall disc of azure-green light, creating a watery pool of energy. Through it first steps James and Jinx, both in image inducer disguises, followed by Connor who looks tired as the gate collapses behind him. Panting a bit, he looks at the pair and straightens up, "Whew… got it right this time. Thanks for being so forgiving on the last one guys."
Tony gets out of his Audi in the small parking lot. With a quick flick of his wrist the security system in the car activates and he takes off down the nearest path to enjoy a break from the madness off the office, the mansion, pretty much Earth. He pulls his shades from hanging on his shirt collar, places them on, then takes a look around scanning nearby people getting a read out on those around him that scrolls across one lens.
Jinx walks through looking mostly human, and annoyed. She sweeps down her skirt with long swatting strokes of her hands and breathes a long sigh through her teeth. Her hair is flipped up with her fingertip and she casts a look back towards Connor and James. "That was better, but it still sorta sucked. What's with that weird naked chicken that keeps chasing me in there?"
James shrugs pff the teleporting and looks over to his 'ride,' "Thanks Connor. I appreciate this. The mall worked out well. This should help even more." He gives his the boy a shoulderbump and looks over at Jinx, "See, it's not so bad. And what chicken?" He frowns a little, "I just don't get it, I never see a thing."
Another Xavier student signed out above the board, Elizabeth cuts through Central park on the way meet up with the car she's hired for the evening. Having desperately needed to collect some paints you just can't get hold of outside New York proper. Tucked under one arm is a large sketchbook, the kind she usually reserves for more intricate and /larger/ drawings. She's largely unaware of her surroundings, already being late thanks to some really pretty art supplies she had to stop and admire.
Ahab has been here for quite some time. A few weeks even, but he's been laying low, establishing his base of operations in the past. That, and preparing a few… special harpoons. Sometimes, his conversions take time. But with the right accessories, he can advance the conversion to a much faster pace. He has a pair of such harpoons on his person, along with a standard few. He's come with a few goals in mind.
Walking along, Cam looks about, and sees a few people, though he doesn't recognize their image induced forms. He looks… like he always does. STylishly coiffed, dressed to suit his frame without looking overdone, and just… nice for a young man of his size. "Mom, I'm gonna let you go for a bit, ok?" He says with a sigh.
One crummy failed job after another since his re-visit into New York, he had stolen goods and lost targets. How'd this become a trend? Deadpool right now looking very much like a Ryan Reynolds was sporting a sweater, pair of tattered jeans and a ballcap, sunglasses high up on his nose, his mouth open while he chewed a hotdog. The image inducer working wonders right now as it kept him masked from the public around him, his episodes on a low as well, able to keep himself behaved at least for now. Why was he standing here though? Sight-seeing of course, this was Central Park.
Connor walks out into the evening air, and breathes in a moment, looking around and then nodding once more, "Looks like it's clear… you've got your X-com and cells, right? I mean… just in case." Sighing once more before he sticks his hands in his pockets and smiles a bit at the taste of freedom, muttering to himself, "Wish Robyn was here… he's been spending too much time in the art lab… but he's having Jordan night… I hope he remembers to keep him off my bed."
James does a double take at the hot dog eating guy, "Dude…that looks like Ryan Reynolds over there. The guy that single handily ruined the Amityville franchise!" The hyena-in-disguise looks at Connor, "Yeah, I do. And something is up with Robyn I think. Dunno what…but I plan to find out. He's awful at speaking about his needs." James looks over at Jinx, "Hey…burro toes while we're out?"
Jinx looks back to Connor. "Why's that, Connor? Does Jordan shed?" she walks the path, loosening her stride as she gets farther away from the "other". She pats her hip, where there must be a pocket. Hopefully. "Yup.. got it right here…" and her eyes happen to brows the park. Lots of nice eye candy tonight for the teen gal. She peruses with a sorta casual glance. Mostly. "Hey, he does look like Ryan Reynolds. Never thought he was cool after he went romantic comedy. Hey Ryan!" She waves to the man, apparently having few inhibitions on disturbing hot dog eating. "Burritos are good anytime, James, as long as you're buyin'."
Tony grows tired of the endless stream of information being ran on his specs. wanting to relax he pulls them off pocketing them into his jacket. Nearby he spots a hot dog vendor. Having forgotten to eat for over a day, least that's the last time he remembered eating a donut, he wanders over nonchalantly and asks the cart keep for a dog, heavy on the condiments. "Nothing beats a loaded dog," Tony says mostly to himself but offers a brief smile to those around the cart.
Munchmunchandmunch. Wade continues his meal while the vendor snaps his fingers a few time,"Hey hey, you underpaid me!" A glare over the food before he was flicking out a handful of pennies,nickels and dimes"There you go stingy meat handler." Unaware or apparently unaware he was being even commented at, little did anyone know this was actually close to his face before he underwent his happy fun time adventure with Department K and Weapon X. "Liars, someone said She-Hulk was down here in a bikini." Teaches me to trust the interwebs.
Finishing up his cigarette, Jeremy takes a deep breath and rests the violin case on the ground so he can take it out. Taking off is gloves he touches the violin, letting it's past flash through his head. After five minutes and the visions are over, Jeremy takes a deep breath and starts to tune the instrument, after all it's almost impossible to play in gloves. He then starts to play for anyone here to listen. It's slow and rough at first but after a while, Jeremy gets into it, years of violin lessons showing through.
Catching sight of a tree which looks /just/ right Elizabeth pauses to make a quick addition to her sketchbook. The firm hiring car & driver would charge her extra anyway, so why not indulge herself properly? Sketchbook and pencils come out and the artist begins drawing.
Tony says, "She-Hulks down here in a bikini," Tony sounds surprised as he yanks out several napkins from a nearby dispenser. Taking a decent sized bite of his hot dog he looks around the general area noticing no tall green lookers, let alone anyone in a bikini. "Whomever gives you you're intel is a bit off man," he says looking over at the sweater wearing guy nearby."
Remembering his list, Ahab smiles. "Cameron Phillips. Jeremy Inada. James Palmer. I never trusted him anyway." He says, as he reaches to his side, feeling for the harpoon handle in his leg. It will expand when pulled. He raises a metal arm, and a panel raises. He sees quite a few mutants in the vicinity. He cannot help but laugh. AS his eyes scan, they land upon one of the three. "The tracker first." He states, making sure he's got a clear view first. Then, with a loud buzz of energy, he pulls the harpoon and hurls it straight at the paused Cam.
"I'm sure, Mom." Cam says, "Bye." He starts to click the phone closed, not seeing the energy weapon hurling through the air at himself. The handle is surrounded by energy, which lands forcefully in his chest. A loud scream comes from the New Mutant as his body tenses up, eyes looking skyward, rigid.
Connor chuckles a bit and pats James on the arm as he moves after Jinx, and then shrugs once, "Hot dog trumps Mexican any time… and one of these times, I'm going to get you into a Japanese steakhou-…" Stopping as the scream piercing air makes his head turn. Looking at the others, he takes off at a run towards the sound, moving instinctively and saying over his shoulder, "Better see if we need to ditch…" A slightly resigned tone, possibly a hope that this time ISN'T another weirdness-related scream, and just what's been told to expect as the norm in New York.
James shutters a little shakes his head to one side as if hearing a high-pitched sound, "The hell…" Whatever it was, he shrugs off, and starts to say something, "So…bad news. Failed history. Summer schoOOOH!" The look is somewhat pained as he digs deep into his pocket and pulls out a bluetooth ear peace, the same one he's been seen off and on with, "Sec, guys. Phone. Umm…it's on vibrate." He shoves it in his ear, speaking in a strained voice as he walks off to sit on a rock by himself, becoming all but motionless, "Hi, what's up? And what the heck was that all about? Yeah…what do you mean you're nearby. How?" James shrugs off Connor, missing the scream, "Central Park. You? What? Where?"
"Well mister, worse has happ…" Wade pauses, turns away from Tony then looks back again. "Something familiar about you, where you in Home & Garden magazine?" No, is that Tony Stark? Can't be, sure it can. "So uhm," Lets ask him for his autograph! A laugh around a finished hotdog and he's almost now choking doubled over hands on his knees as hes coughing, glasses falling off and eyes watering. The scream having his head craning amidst this, eyes wiped by a hand. "They don't taste that bad." He raggedly chortles.
The hot dog cart looks to be prime territory just now. Jinx eyes the guy in the nice suit and the one with all the pennies and… what? "James, stop jabbing and c'mon," she shoves his shoulder as she moves past, her hand's touch impressing a sensation of urgency. She moves after Connor, skirt flipping around. Maybe someone's having a heart attack or lost their poodle in the lake or something.
The scream catches Tony in mid bite. He sees several people nearby take off at a run in the direction the cry came from. "Damn, never a moments reprieve." He sees the man nearby drop down to the ground. "Hey, you all right?" Tony tosses the remainder of his dinner in a nearby trash bin, then offers the man a hand up. "You got any water in this aluminum rust bucket?" Tony asks the cart keeper. A moment later he uncaps a small batter of water in the hand that isn't extended to help Deadpool up. "Here man, this might help." Tony looks off in the distance to where others are heading. "Trouble in the park? Go figure."
Elizabeth jolts back to alertness at the scream. "Perhaps the park isn't a very safe place to draw by myself," she murmurs, tucking the pencil away and beginning to walk again. Her shortest path out unfortunately close to the direction the commotion is coming from. "And I should remember to keep a personal shopper with me if I'm out late." The sketchbook makes a comforting purring noise, as if trying to calm the owner down.
At the scream, Jeremy puts down the violin and starts looking around to try to decide if he wants to run or try to help. For now he stays still, just kind of watching, slowly putting the gloves back on his hands. "Alright Jer…just stay calm." He says to himself as he knows he can get a bit skiddish in regards to combative situations. After all post-cognition is his only stchick
Ahab simply laughs as he watches the transformation ahead of him. He knows what's coming, and he's been waiting for it. One of the mutant's he's craved will be within his grasp in seconds. "Your master's name… is Ahab." He states, as he walks casually towards Cam.
Cam's body's change is rather quick. The energy of the harpoon causes a quick and painful mental rewrite on the youngman, as well as a genetic alteration, making him look to Ahab as owner/master/father/etc. Along with that, is the skinsuit. A black fabric flows out, surrounding Cam's body in jet black straps, with spikes and random bolts, making him look like something from a leather-fetish parade. Finally, his scream ends and he drops to his knees, a dark grin on his face as he bounds, almost like an animal, to Ahab's side.
Getting up on one of the hillocks, and then a hop down and over onto a bridge crossing one of the brooks in the park, Connor is in time to see the standing up of the fetishized form and his hyena-like run to Ahab's side. Neither figure is known to him but he stops as his eyes glow a faint blue-green, enough that were the night darker he might be making a bit of a spectacle of himself, "What… The…" A little taken back by this image, and tilting his head, "Okay, I knew it was liberal out here… but really…" Still, not realizing that's the threat, he looks around still for the person who was screaming.
Tony Stark just gave us a bottle of water and a helping hand, squee what a swell guy! We should take him hostage, lots of money in that. "Good idea, just let me reach my bootknife once I get ahold of his hand." Did I just say that part outloud? Don't know think you did. The screaming distracting him, making him forget his train of thought as he stands upright and follows the attention draw everyone else was having. As Bullseye said, Deadpool has the attention span of a gnat.
Tony says, "You're ok, dinners a bust apparently. Try not to choke on any more pre-processed meat." Tony ends his PSA for the day then takes off running toward the commotion. As he runs he flips his wrist again allowing his car to unlock and a window to roll down. 'Just in case this is more than just someone mugging a helpless old lady,' he thinks."
James waves Jinx off, and does a quick spin, "Okay. Alone." He takes that motionless stance of his again, "Sorry, yah. I know. I will." His voice takes an apologetic edge as he shrugs with a sigh, "Much better." Then the scream, "Yes, I do. Wait…Hold on, something's going on. We can keep talking." He stands and starts to walk over towards where Connor and Jinx vanished to, "Gonna run, but I'll keep talking." James starts jogging up the hill towards Connor and Jinx, moving much faster than a normal person should. He gets up top and looks down, "Wait…is that Cam? Connor, that's Cam…that cook guy."
Seeing the change of Cam, Jeremy decides that it's best to get the hell outta dodge. So he packs up his violin and looks around, trying to determine the best course away from Ahab and his new hound Cam. He starts to run, heading in the direction of the trio of Connor, Jinx and James, but making to run by them.
Jinx reaches the top of the hill after Connor, and views the retreating form of Connor. Rule #1; question the spandex. She takes a step back, hands spread and her hair wafting in the wind. "Connor, this is a dangerous situation… That guy has way too much spandex to be safe." She glances to James as he arrives. "Cook guy? Like from our school?"
Her wandering bringer her towards the scene from the other side Elizabeth freezes at the sign of the pervert in the suit, hand already reaching for her cellphone. Surely police should be keeping people like that off the streets! The sketchbook, apparently more alert to danger than her, begins to snarl a warning.
" Yeah choking on meat… oh wait, haha I…" Both of Wade's eyes turn to slits as he watches Tony take off running, \\Well there goes our big break\\ Not quite, "Shouldn't you be running the other way?" He yells after the running playboy. \\This could be bad, or good if he gets himself in danger and we save him cha-ching!\\ "Mr.Stark wait up!" His hand waves in the air as he sprints after him.
Tony slows down a bit to glance over his shoulder and notices Deadpool trying to catch up with him. He calls back, "You should stay out of this, this whatever is going on." He's tempted to pull his glasses out of his coat to see what this guy comes up as but there isn't time. "No time to argue about you tagging along, just stay out of the way. Got no time to babysit."
Images are projected onto the wrist screen of Ahab. "Hound Cameron. Find these two. I need them both." He states, quickly. "And find them quickly. Before those who fashion themselves heroes of this time appear." He says, reaching his human hand down to stroke Cam's hair like a master would a prized pet.
Cam looks up at Ahab, adoringly for some reason, "I know that one. I can find him easily." He states, pointing at the picture of James. "The other… wait. He's close. Very…" He raises a finger and points straight at Jeremy. "There."
James nods, "Yeah, from school. He was in a few of my classes. He can make peoples heads explode! But, he's in trouble." The student reaches to tap his X-Comm security button, but realizes he left it behind, "Crap. Old fashioned way I guess." He reaches down and flips off the image inducer, the teen suddenly replaced by a 7' tall hyena. He shutters with a grin, "Yeah, I am. You wanna watch, fine by me. I'll give you the best seat int he house." That's seemingly fits neither of his friends. And with that, James loos over at Connor, "Cam's the priority. I'll distract, you teleport." Nothing to Jinx. And with that, Spotty races off, too busy with his phone to have heard that Cam's target is soon to be him.
The moment of shock that passes over him passes at the same moment as Connor's breathing quickens and then finally slows to a normal state, his eyes dilating and fading before his eyes brighten and then settle back to their normal hue, "Shit…" He turns to look at Jinx and James, "Hit the button. Wrong guy James, we need to get him out of here…" Pointing to Jeremy, "Out of here." With the pretense of being normal passing to nothing, the student's hands dive into his pocket and he hits the emergency button added to his cell phone, then holds out his hands and shoots off to either side, putting a 'grab' on a pair of rocks left by time and decoration in the park. They begin to glow, but he doesn't pull them up yet, growling to himself, "This is stupid… I can't even play hooky without some spandex jackass poking his head up like a goddamn cockroach…"
When Spandex man points a finger at the kid with the violin, Jinx's hair rises along the back of her neck. Her fingers flex, and she feels woefully underpowered. Though the adults are headed this way at great speed, she turns her head. She can't do much here but ooze smells like some oversized scene freshener. "James!" she yells, but for no good reason. Determined to do more than look decorous, she hits the panic button concealed beneath her pleated skirt. There. Purpose!
As Jeremy is running he sees James turn from human to giant Hyena and he screams and starts to back peddle a bit. He doesn't realize that James is one of the 'good guys" "I gotta get the fuck outta here." He mutters to himself as he notices the finger point at him a flood of fear rushes through the mutant as he looks around and just starts to run in random direction 'b'. Being skilled in track and field, he's running with everything he has.
"Don't worry Mr.Stark, I got your ruby scrubbed behind and I bet you'd make a great babysitter. We could stay up late watch the Tonight Show and i won't tell mom you were getting me drunk and parading around in her underwear, dibs on the frilly leopard thong." Wade stops deadrun to come up beside the other man, his head trained forward watching the commotion, "Whazzat,whats going on?"
Elizabeth blinks, finally spotting the others from the school. A little unsure exactly what's going on she ventures a wave, trying to dial the police while keeping a hold of an increasingly unruly sketchbook. "No I /can't/ let you out," she murmurs. "What would people think if they saw you running around the park? They'd be terrified that's what. Now behave."
The brief hope that this was going to be a run of the mill situation is long gone. He was about to shoot back a quip at Deadpool but his gaze is filled with chaos. Between running kids, a seven foot tall fuzzball and some rather interesting fashion challenged people, Tony pulls off his coat dropping it on the ground at his feet. "Hike up your garters, this shows about to get interesting."
Another smile from Ahab. "Heather is as good as her word. I love Time Manipulating Hounds. Ah, what I wouldn't give to have grabbed Heather in this timeline. But, no matter. I have one of her." He states. At Cam's point, he grins. "Jeremy Inada. You… are MINE." He says, throwing a second harpoon.
Looking up, Cam runs a hand through his hair as he turns to face the oncoming rush of a fellow student. "James! How nice of you to join us. Master Ahab wants to meet you." He says as he begins running towards they Hyena, heedless of any danger, leaping when he gets close enough. Very… unlike the gentle, calm Cam of the school.
"NOOO!" Connor screams as he tries to throw one the boulders he's grabbed in the way of the energy spear, the other rocketing off like a speeding truck right at Ahab. Released, he charges at Jeremy and yells out, "GET DOWN!" Panting as he pictures back down in the tunnel, forming it in his mind for a quick port with the target of the sudden and deadly-seeming threat.
Jinx comes to the rapid realization that this park is full of some really weird people, and not just the normal kind that come from New York. Being a pheromone disperser, she finds herself lacking serious oomph in this arena. "Oh shit! Did you see that?" she yelps, but Connor's throwing things. Now that is awesome. She ducks slightly, and watches the Hyena dance together with spandex man. Uhhh..
"How did you know I was wearing garters?" An over dramatic gasp was given and Wade pushes his finger against his belt, while one hand rose up and pulled at the ballcap which wavered from view be replaced by a red and black mask, drawing down over his head. The rest of him shimmering and changing. Body garbed up, decked out and armed with two swords, harness, two pistols and a knife strapped to one ankle. "Suited up o my captain my captain! Now to save you!"
When rocks begin flying and spears of /stuff/ are launched Elizabeth panics. The sketchbook drops and a /thing/ tears itself loose. A Manticore the size of a large truck, almost entirely composed of pencil shading lets out an ungodly roar. Claws rake the path beneath it, ripping up chunks of tarmac. Of course it's not clear what it should be after just yet, so instead it rears up. Keeping it's bulk between it's creator and the chaos.
James hears Connor's remark, but keeps running. He'll probably never understand why some hobo is worth more than one of Xavier's, but he does understand that it means he's probably alone battle field. At first he's glad to see Cam taking care of himeself…then the body language goes all wrong. Something's not right, Cam's attacking. He hear in his ear, "Jump you fool." And with that, James does the opposite and hits the deck, sliding under him. Spinning to a stop, he turns to face Cam—and the rock that Connor just threw at Ahab, "The Hell!" It impacts in his chest, throwing him a good 5-feet.
As Jeremy runs and dives to follow the 'get down' order, the harpoon seems to dive around the rock and down, hitting Jeremy, after all the harpoon is seeking for specific genetics. There's a scream from the Barnes Student before he stands up, and much like Cam, he's dressed head to toe in black vinyl, his hair turns red, long and spikish and there's a black vinyl mast covering most of his face. His dark lined eyes look up over at Ahab and start to walk over to his new master. "Master Ahab." He says completely obedient.
Tony glances over and watches an image inducer wink out leaving the spokesman for an army surplus store. Deadpool seems familiar but Tony can't quite place why having not met him before. No time to figure out this new turn of events he activates the inner layer of armor within his bones that shreds yet another pair of clothes. Inside his Audi a briefcase pops open and pieces of his body armor sail through the park at breakneck speed to start assembling. "Incoming, Shogun Assassin."
"Jeremy Inada. Your master's name… is Ahab. Protect your Master." Ahab calls as he stands, tall and waiting. He has one more harpoon. This one is not an instant set. It's just the starter. It's designed to lock genetics to prep them for the change. With the one that can read the past, and the one that can find what he wants, Ahab can take his time on the third. Turning his face to the Boulder aimed at the spear, Ahab finds it a little too close for comfort as he leaps and fires an energy blast with his cyborg arm. The other reaches for the final harpoon. "James Palmer!" He says, with almost sadistic glee. "You will NOT be a Hunter. I will make you MINE." He says, ignoring the humans. (Well, Deadpool, Tony, Elizabeth, and Jinx… for now)
Cam laughs at James's response. "You're one of the Master's chosen. You should feel privileged to serve." He says, nose wrinkling as he leaps for the hyena again. "Go peacefully. Do not make me concentrate." He laughs, since as far as he knows, James still believes the lie.
Connor cannot change his tackle-velocity, nor can he change his attack angle. What he can change however is the tackle into a flying shoulder block into the center of Jeremy's back, on impact ramming his elbow hard into the nerve cluster close to the kidneys. Having seen the fast change, and everything else he suddenly screams out, "JAMES! RUN AT ME! NOW!" A sense of panic settling into his voice as he rebalances from the strike onto his feet, the incoming blasts making him duck and dodge, and then… in something perhaps familiar to Ahab's file… there's a pop in the air as he ports out of the way of the salvo trying to get closer to his friend. Seen from the side is the single eye, the mouth locked in a rictus of purposeful movement. Stepping and not there a moment later, closer and closer by feet in movement and footfalls as he port-hops three times in rapid succession.
Seeing the transformation undergoing Tony, Deadpool grumbles "Show off." while he draws out both of his sub-machine pistols. "Hey you think you can hook me up after this?" His question tossed out there while he was already aiming one weapon in Jeremy's and Connor's direction the other at Ahab . "Who to shoot innie minie…"
Now that Ahab has attacked someone Elizabeth recognizes the Manticore has a target. With great bounding leaps it begins to advance upon the spear throwing fiend, tail thrashing in a killing frenzy. Meanwhile Elizabeth begins to make a shaky retreat, more scared by her own creation running amok than anything else.
Jinx hops up and down. Two minions now to the big bad guy. Double the spandex and Ryan Reynolds has been consumed by red and black.. oh, that guy she recognizes. There's a paper mache' manticore running around and she still has her human form. The smell of the combat is overwhelming, and she is pretty useless except by direct contact. But, she can be a roadblock. She sprints towards James to try and get his attention, or at least try and get him on his feet so he can make it to the portal that Connor's gonna muster. Presumably.
James lays still for a moment, unsure about much more that the grass is unusually close. Has he fallen asleep outside again. But the screaming in his ear reminds him of the impact, "I'm up, I'm up…" He rolls to his side and onto his knees. But with his chest screaming in pain he doesn't manage to get to his feet. James shakes his head, "No…I'm not." Blackness starts to set in, "Help…please." Then blackness takes over, but not the unconscious type. The type that keeps the hyena awake at nights, worrying about what happens if he lets go. Suddenly, he snaps his head towards his Ahab, "I think NOT, Roderick Campbell. This one is mine!" And with that, the Hyena, aims a hand at Ahab, exerting some unseen force.
"What the hell…." Tony gasps seeing a manticore running through the park toward the apparent bad guy dou jour. The suit is now fully assembled. Each target on the field of play is scanned. Things get more and more confusing with each pass. "You do whatever you want," comes a machine like voice. "I'm going to try and clean up the rubbish." With a brief glance over at Deadpool, Tony runs across the clearing toward the center of the fighting.
Jeremy lets out a growl of frustration and pain as Connor slams into him and he stumbles forward and has to rest a hand on the ground. His master says to protect him, so that's just what Jeremy is going to do as he goes to attack Connor but he ports out of the way before he can get the chance. He runs towards Elizabeth, removing his glove en route, and diving to tackle her. He tries to get his hand to touch her skin anywhere and if he makes the connection he starts pouring memories into her mind, Things that he's seen, horrors that he's seen, trying to over load her mind with images of the past in such rapid fashion that it'd be hard to focus on them.
Elizabeth isn't a trained fighter and grabbing her isn't hard at all. Nor is her mind well equipped to handle such a barrage and she drops screaming at the attack. The manticore, linked on some basic level to it's creator, goes utterly berserk. The tail lashing at anything within reach, still charging roughly towards Ahab, but swiping at anyone and anything in it's path. Benches and trash cans are demolished, even a small tree comes crashing down under a vicious slam from the things tail.
"No deal then? Not even a special bromance at the hotdog stand special? Rich people, such snobs." Deadpool's hand stops as one weapon jabbed the air towards the Manticore, " Mo. " With that he began opening fire on it. Running towards it with both guns now aimed, shot after shot bursting from it's barrel, " DIED DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE!"
Tony says, "Jesus!" Tony gets struck by the tail of the rampaging Manticore. Knocked off balance he ducks another wild flail. "Go to the park Tony, enjoy the fresh air, it'll do you a world of good she says." Lifting a single gauntlet he lets loose a low powered repulsor blast to see if that's enough to knock the wierd beast down. "I'm going to kill Pepper.""
Jinx pulls up short as James goes from Okay to Freaky in seconds. Her eyes widen, and suddenly things are less okay than they were a few moments before. "Woah," she whispers, and looks to see what this unseen force might do to Captain Spandex. Then she'll tackle the hyena.
The final spear is released, "James Palmer… Your master's name is Aha… WHAT?" He calls. The spear is tuned to James's genetics. But that… whatever that voice was could be trouble. He shakes his head. Maybe the spear will work properly. Instead, he turns to focus on Connor. He sees the stopstephopstep. He opens his eyes and laughs. "Oh, Volk! How nice! You would not be stopping me if you realize the atrocities that this one you seek to protect has caused. I seek to save some of them from happening. Death. Murder. I simply want to take him under my wing." However, he hasn't noticed the manticore… who's thrashings hit him and send him flying… only to be crushed down suddenly by the force of 'James's' power.
Cam moves away from James suddenly as the spear is aimed. After all, he wouldn't want to be in the way of that one. He's already one of the chosen. Why would he need to be chosen AGAIN? It makes absolutely no sense. "Oh, Xavier children. I wouldn't stay if I were you. The master may want you as well." He laughs, a glimmer and glow in his eye. "But know this. I can find you."
Seeing Ahab, his master, get hit, Jeremy feels an imense sense of failure as his master gave him an order to protect him and he failed. "Master!" He yells as he runs over to Ahab and actually lets out a growl at the flying mantacore and then James's blast. He goes to help Ahab up and try to stand protectively in front of his master, anyone who tries to attack Ahab will have to attack Jeremy first.
The Manticore stumbles, bits of the wings simply vanishing under the onslaught, then with another howl it springs forward and makes a very concerted effort to rip Deadpools arms off with a set of teeth that would make a lion consider getting dental implants…. Elizabeth meanwhile twitches, blood dripping from her nose and eyes.
James never gets to see what happens with his hand, his world going askew as he's tackled by the skunk, "What are you doing?! Get off me now!" He makes an effort to throw off Jinx, but only manages to paint a big bullseye on his chest again. The spear embeds and goes off in a flash of blue brillianceand then nothing more. James' eyes roll backwards as he collapses, spear sticking out of his chest as he stops movingor breathing.
"AIIIEEE my remote control hand, arm… " One gone, this thing just devoured it chewed it right off and bit again, a second limb gone. "Ouch ick that was my favorite arm - you really don't want to know what that ones for. " Standing there, both of his arms now gone he swallows, blood loss instantly a factor. " Whoah dizzy, bad Dino. Bad!" A roundhouse kick being fired out at the Manticore before wobbly legged he stands there a second then as if realization dawns he runs in a circle blood squirting from a shoulder socket while the other was a flailing stumpy forearm. " RUN Where is Godzilla Squad!? Save me save me!" His feet slapping cement as he rushes away from the animated monster.
Okay. Jinx hits the image inducer and her body washes with black fur, a tail whipping out behind her like a furled curtain of black and white. The fur rises along her spine line a rippling wave. "Everyone needs to chill out," she growls, and with a deep concentration, sprays the general vicinity down with a heaping dose of Chillax pheromones. She bends to grab James, despite this horrific thing in his chest. "Connor!" She yells, ears folded back.
Another scream rips from Connor as the spear strikes and in his anger he throws a bolt of pure crushing force right at Ahab, the familiar cry of anger and despair ripping free of his chest as he counters those blasts with one of his own, energy flying at the man in black with the speed and force of a professional fastball. Not waiting to see if it strikes, there's another dive-tackle, so much power emanating from the young man his entire body glows, some of the loose material on the ground beginning to shift and shiver as it moves towards him, "HOLD ON!" As his hands hit James' body and Jinx's back and suddenly all three of the youngest here are just GONE! The air where they all were shimmering and them seeming to fold in on itself… followed by a rush-pop of air before finally it settles back to normalcy, and all the loose litter and detritus within ten feet of that spot falls back to earth.
Tony looks quickly away from the Manticore to watch the hyena be struck by some sort of tech he's never seen before. The images of the spear start compiling on the HUD in his helmet. Deadpool's string of insanity catches his attention and he turns to see the poor guy running around like an extra from a Kill Bill flick. "Damn!" Too many things to choose from Tony opts to try and help what's left of Pool by firing a few shots between Pool and the manticore to try and steer it off the bleeding man.
Down in the tunnel where they came in, all three reappear in a flash of light and distortion of air as reality rips free once more, and the velocity from the tackle causes all three to roll away in different directions. Connor, Jinx, and James out of sight, but the hyena still with the spear jutting from him…
"Hounds. To me." Ahab calls. "I don't know what is going on inside James… but we haven't the time. Not with all of this… ruckus. Come. We will prepare." He says, placing an arm on Jeremy and… when Cam gets near, an arm on him, to take them all away with a teleportation device. Very similar to one used by another person from an alternate future. The shockwave from Volk… no… Connor's energy blast hits in the wake. Somehow, temporality is still a little off with Ahab.
Cam comes running at the words, but for some reason, he's smiley and happy. Probably a dose of happytime relaxing pheromones. He can't refuse Ahab's call, but he can still be dulled.
At Ahab's call Jeremy stands next to him and just stares out, and it's hard to see his face underneath that mask, just his eyes, but he looks content with serving Ahab. "Yes Master Ahab." Jeremy says as he is taken away with Ahab.
The Manticore, having tasted blood, tries to pursue Deadpool. The swallowed arms can actually be seen through the opaque sides of the monster and a few drops of blood drip out from bullet holes. But it's charge brings it right into the line of Iron Mans fire, the shots slamming into the psionic construct and snapping it's wing like a kindling. Broken and bloody it limps back towards it's creator, sprawled helplessly on the floor and stands guard.
How'd that work out, he was fully intent on saving Tony Stark and the guy ends up saving him in that tacky colored fart coffin. The blasting behind him had him taking a peek the evil vicious overgrown iguana was tucking tail, turning around Deadpool flails one arm and his shoulder in jerky twitches at it, blood splattering in it's general direction. " Take that! Thats right run to your… whoah… your egg… oo.. eep. " His body suddenly wobbled looking jiggling on it's feet before he faceplanted. Backside in the air tucked in on himself, shoulders and head seeming to make neck vanish in their new closeness. Unconscious.
Watching the manticore finally calm and wander away from the ongoing battle, Tony is able to catch up on the rest of the madness. "A wormhole? Where in the hell did that come from?" It was of no importance now that it was gone. Surveying the goings on he spies the group of trouble makers. Walking with purpose towards them his gauntlets begin to glow with power.
Connor pants out as he stands up, "Jinx keep him stable, I'll get the portal up. Call ahead, and have the med ward prepped. Speed-dial Star Nine." Taking a moment to catch his breath, and then pointing his hand towards the empty air before him. The portal begins to coalesce itself very slowly this time, the young man pushing the power out now with gritting teeth, and squinted eyes, "C'mon… C'mon… C'mon… DAMMIT… FUCKING…" And then with a burst and a powerful outward blast of energy that brightens the entire tunnel into blue-green light, "OPEN!" Collapsing to his knees, he puts the last of his power into a grav-grab with just enough strength to negate the gravitic effect of James' weight, "G-go…" He croaks.
Jinx eyes Connor and loops a shoulder under James. "Connor, deep breaths man or you're gonna crush us all in chicken-land," she says to the boy, oozing her calm mojo as she goes. It's what she does, after all. There is a javelin sticking out of James and it's not hunting season for hyenas in this state. "Take it easy. I have part of him and you don't have to do this alone," she eyes the tunnel, and hefts the hyena to drag him away into the abyss of doom and being grounded for at least a month.
Elizabeth wakes from one nightmare to see another, somewhat different nightmare. In the form of one of her creations complete with severed human arms inside it's chest. She screams, snatches her sketchbook, and runs for the car which she hopes is still waiting. Leaving the Manticore to prowl around Central Park howling until she's too far away for it to be maintained, at which point it simply vanishes. Causing the arms to flop onto the ground with a wet sticky thwump.
Wondering what the hell just happened Tony takes a look around him where people used to stand and now nothing remains but a fastly closing wormhole ala Deep Space Nine, busted scenery and two dismembered arms. He makes his way back to where he dropped his coat, picks it up and heads over to incinerate the arms so no poor person stumbles upon the horror. With a quickly placed call he calls the NYPD and will remain in the park until things have calmed down.
Pushing to his feet, Connor is last through the concealed portal, the murmured word, "Volk…?" Before he too vanishes, to reappear on Xavier School grounds, to help his friend… to make up for the crushing guilt of being the reason James was here… the reason he's wounded… "Wolf…"
