Chapter 5
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Topic:
In: Boards ► Brockton Bay ► Heroes ►Independents ► Godiva
(Showing Page 1 of 4)
► Judge (Original Poster) (Moderator)
Posted on April 14, 2011:
Okay, about time to start this one up. I've been delaying because of having to put the same flags and filters on it as was done with Narwhal's thread. I will be keeping a close eye here with my hand on the ban hammer, two strike policy is in effect. You have been warned. Otherwise usual rules apply with regard to identities and so forth.
► Ekul
Replied on April 14, 2011:
Yay, first post! There's been a lot speculation on what it took for her to take down Oni Lee. Now we have the first clues. She saved my store from being held up, appeared out of nowhere with long prehensile hair that neatly stopped and held the crook up in the air. So Stranger and Changer.
► Lolitup
Replied on April 14,2011:
Hmmm, Stranger? that would fit, since one of the big things to get over with Oni Lee is that he always had the initiative in a fight. So Godiva probably turned the tables on him there.
► Ekul
Replied on April 14, 2011:
Yeah, the prehensile hair power seems tailor made for non-lethal takedowns.
► Quansiko (Law Enforcement)(BBPD)
Replied on April 14, 2011:
Did me and the Bay a big favor the other night. She stopped a potential high speed GTA which could've turned nasty.
► Guitarist
Replied on April 14, 2011:
What did she do? Stop the car with her hair? That's some mighty strong locks she got there, if that's the case.
► Quansiko (Law Enforcement)(BBPD)
Replied on April 14, 2011:
Nope. Somehow got a fully functioning Spike Strip in front of the car before it got on the highway. Took her statement afterward, usual red tape, then went to look for the Strip... vanished, not a trace of it.
► Guitarist
Replied on April 14, 2011:
Oh, perhaps a pocket dimension like Myrddin. Though how would she get a spike strip in the first place? Do you guys buy from some sort of supplier...
► Quansiko (Law Enforcement)(BBPD)
Replied on April 14, 2011:
There's a few companies that makes em, but they only sell to Law Enforcement.
► AverageAlesandros (Cape Husband)
Replied on April 14, 2011:
Compared to Tinkertech stuff, a spike strip is medieval and easy to make, even found a how to guide here [LINK]. So she builds it, carries it in a pocket dimension to whip out at a moments notice.
End of Page.1,2,3,4
(Showing Page 2 of 4)
► XxVoid_CowboyxX
Replied on April 14, 2011:
Quansiko: Any guesses as to her measurements?
► FantasyWillow (Cape Wife)
Replied on April 14, 2011
I'm impressed, one whole page on a female cape's forum page before the objectifying starts.
► Quansiko (Law Enforcement)(BBPD)
Replied on April 14, 2011:
XxVoid_CowboyxX: Not going there. Considering she's seen me and will be keeping an eye on her bio forum. She's a hero, so she won't kill me, but there's a whole lot a person can do before it gets to that level. She's a high level Stranger and those kinds of capes could be standing next to you and you wouldn't know. Think about that.
► Bagrat (Veteran Member)(The Guy in the Know)
Replied on April 14, 2011:
Yeah, Strangers can screw your life up, in oh so many ways – and they don't even need to lay a finger, power or in Godiva's case, hair, on you. I've got a contact who let me in on her Provisional PRT rating on that power – Stranger 10, boys and girls. She's the first cape ever to get a Stranger rating that high, and even beats out the late unlamented, Slaughterhouse 9 member Miasma, who was an 8,(he only died because the PRT sprayed lead everywhere and prayed), so even that won't help against her seemingly.
► Godiva (Verified Cape)(Independent)
Replied on April 15, 2011:
Greetings everyone. Might as well post here to get my say in before you all go on a million different tangents. Given activity on other threads and my experiences thus far in field, I'm going to get this out there so I don't feel like a broken record every time I go out.
My Stranger power works on me only, but nothing artificial on me. Therefore my costume is the one I was born in and a mask – which I can carry using a loophole in my power. I'm used to it by now and I might as well be a naturist at this point. I find people's reaction hilarious and oddly heartening, its like I'm constantly in one of those Prank shows on TV. Measurements: keep guessing... though I will say I'm an A cup, lets leave it at that.
► XxVoid_CowboyxX
Replied on April 15, 2011:
Awww. So do you have a pocket dimension?
► Godiva (Verified Cape)(Independent)
Replied on April 15, 2011:
What do you guys think? :-)
► Bagrat (Veteran Member)(The Guy in the Know)
Replied on April 15, 2011:
Keep these jokers guessing, Godiva. Good policy to not advertise and keep aces up your sleeve.
► Mirangro
Replied on April 15, 2011
POST DELETED - 1st Warning. No direct personal insults. No shoving your beliefs down people's throat either. So take a time out while you're at it.
► Bagrat (Veteran Member)(The Guy in the Know)
Replied on April 15, 2011
Grief, the crazies are here already. Mirangro fails reading comprehension. Her Stranger power is useless if she wears clothes, and now she's decided to go without, it is now a personal lifestyle choice. She wouldn't deny you your own lifestyle choices, so why are you attacking her for hers?
End of Page.1,2,3,4
(Showing Page 3 of 4)
► Godiva (Verified Cape)(Independent)
Replied on April 15, 2011:
You could say my powers forced me into this path, but it is one I have researched, investigated and went into with eyes wide open. I don't need to justify myself to him or anyone, there is one exception, to that, bonus points for guessing who it is.
► Quansiko (Law Enforcement)(BBPD)
Replied on April 15, 2011:
Technically, she's also not breaking the law, (at least in this State and locally). Simple nudity is perfectly legal. If there is evidence of intent to shock, arouse or offend other persons, then it falls under lewd conduct, which is prohibited. Godiva showed none of that – she appeared out of her invisibility, gave her statement, and conducted herself perfectly normally as if it was an everyday thing. Then vanished again.
► Godiva (Verified Cape)(Independent)
Replied on April 15, 2011:
Thanks for clearing that up. I knew about the law of course, but there's a difference between what's written on paper and what's actually applied on the street. I could run into another officer, who could decide that I was 'lewd', and next thing I know I'm in the slammer.
► Quansiko (Law Enforcement)(BBPD)
Replied on April 15, 2011:
It could happen, but not from local or State law enforcement, memo went round BBPD from our Captain regarding you, and it was forwarded to State. Be careful though if you're ever out of State.
► Godiva (Verified Cape)(Independent)
Replied on April 15, 2011:
*Blushes*
► XxVoid_CowboyxX
Replied on April 15, 2011:
You're kidding me. So I could just strip down and walk out of my apartment right now.
► Quansiko (Law Enforcement)(BBPD)
Replied on April 15, 2011:
*Sigh, yes. Hope you have the courage for it and understanding neighbours, and not run into anyone who doesn't fancy seeing your junk. They raise a stink and you'll be arrested to calm things down. Godiva can go invisible if she runs into trouble, can you? Again it's a matter of intent. You're not going out there because its what you believe in.
► XxVoid_CowboyxX
Replied on April 15, 2011:
Aaah, yeah, think I'll pass. :-/
► Bagrat (Veteran Member)(The Guy in the Know)
Replied on April 15, 2011:
Thought so, LOL. :-)
► GstringGirl (Veteran Member)
Replied on April 15, 2011:
Its amazing. You go and be who you are, Godiva. Don't let any of the haters, jackasses and perverts get you down. (Eager new fan here!)
End of Page.1,2,3,4
(Showing Page 4 of 4)
► Godiva (Verified Cape) (Independent)
Replied on April 16, 2011:
Bagged a bunch of bad guys today. Cash in transit heist and bank robbery rolled very neatly into one, done by the same crew, led by a villain called Hourglass. First time I was ever shot at, not a nice feeling.
► Vista (Verified Cape) (Wards ENE)
Replied on April 16, 2011:
Damn. It's barely your second week and you've seen more action that I do in a month. Go girl!
► Godiva (Verified Cape) (Independent)
Replied on April 16, 2011:
Its amazing what people get up to when they don't think they're being watched or that they leave around when they think they're alone :-
End of Page.1,2,3,4
It was a stone fixture six stories tall, with crenelations on the roof and balconies, stone gargoyles at the corners and iron grilles on the windows. The entryway had wide stone stairs like a courthouse, with statues of rearing horses with wild manes on either side. The only clue of anything wrong with this scene of normality outside Brockton Bay Central Bank was parked awkwardly on those stairs; an armoured transport car, armed men in balaclavas rushing in and out of the bank to dump even more money bags into the open rear. Seems Lisa was right on the money with the delivery schedule.
I walked up those steps, taking in everything about the robbery crew. These were no mere off-the-street thugs, there was definitely a preciseness and efficiency with which they did things – either they had practised this a lot, or they were former military. Their weapons certainly added credence to the latter; assault rifles, submachine guns, tactical vests with canister grenades...
"All tear gas grenades," Cheshire whispered as she followed a step or two behind me. "They're mercenaries, former military mostly. Take em down as quickly as you can."
I nodded and began preparing my hair, numerous whip like tendrils appeared and snaked into the air, two large volumes coalesced on either side of me forming giant forearms ending in clenched fists.
Rushing forward I shot two tendrils to each merc that was currently outside, roughly four in total; one to wrap around the guns, and another around the neck. I pulled and constricted. Rifles abruptly pointed into the sky and each merc naturally let go of the weapons to try and free their necks. Since their weapons were also clipped to their tactical vests this meant I had four bad guys hanging in the air by their own weapons. Their own body weight would strain the clips so badly that it would be all but impossible to de-clip the weapons.
Cheshire was now next to me and squinting at the dangling mercs who were still being effectively strangled. She tapped me on the shoulder and pointed at a specific thug and I immediately let go. He fell to the stairs unconscious.
"All of them, now."
I dropped the remaining mercs and had hair tendrils relieve them of all their tear gas grenades.
Then the gunfire started.
Bullets started buzz angrily from the interior of the bank towards the armored car.
I grabbed Cheshire by the arm and focused on keeping us intangible.
Slugs sparked and dug holes into the car as I hurried us to the solid wall just to the left of the banks main entrance. Cheshire keeping a firm grip on my hand leaned over to see inside.
"Ok, good news!" she shouted over the noise of the gunfire, "only three more bad guys remain. Bad news is one of them is a villain and the two mercs in there have heavy machine guns, plus the hostages!"
"How many?!"
"Fifty four!"
"Any idea who the villain is?"
"Never seen him before! Out of towner!"
I sighed, that would make this twice as dangerous if not foolhardy to attempt alone. The more powersets on field the more likely there would be something on hand to counteract an unknown villain.
"PRT response?"
"Tooooo looooongggggg..."
I whirled around at the odd sound and saw Cheshire... moving and talking slowly? It was as if someone had pressed the slow-mo button...on the Universe? Her head was now starting to move at an utter snail-pace from left to right. I could now also see the bullets standing almost still in mid-air. Time manipulation?
Then the villain trotted out of the bank, cheerfully skipping, and weaving between the bullets, seemingly totally unaffected by the time slow. He was rather short, wearing a black suit not out of place in any board room, with a rather garish neon green tie, and a sad face mask. He carried a silenced pistol and thoughtfully looked around the area.
"Hmmm, now where could the annoying hero be?" he sing songed.
He pulled out an old fashioned fob watch on a chain, flicked it open, snapped it closed and hurried back into the bank.
"... thhheeee clllloooosseest responsssee will be from the Wards." Cheshire finished her sentence at last.
The gunfire stopped.
"Oh heroes!" the villain's voice shouted. "Do come out or the little lady in the pink top gets something she really doesn't want to! It's roughly nine millimeters in size!"
My mind was racing... it was amazing... it was like someone who previously could only move their arms up and down, suddenly found that they could move left and right...
"Shit," Cheshire shook her head, "this guy plays for keeps. He'll really kill."
"No time. He's a time manipulator. I've got a plan."
Cheshire blinked opened and closed her mouth, but I was already inside the bank.
The lobby had seen better days. The floor was littered with spent shell casings, dropped handbags, and other handheld things. The bank customers were all seated to the left side on the floor in clump with their hands covering their ears. I noticed on quite a few that there was blood leaking from their ears... most likely busted eardrums from the gunfire concussion in the enclosed space.
There was one hostage front and center, on her knees, head bowed and shaking with sobs as she felt the end of the villain's silencer pressing against the back of her head. The two big mercs with the smoking machine guns were busy taking turns to reload their weapons, one covering the other.
I stopped about fifteen feet from the hostage, enough that the villain would have to spend time walking to me when he did his time slow or stop trick.
"You have ten seconds! Ten, nine..."
I re-entered the Real in my usual routine.
"Ah, there we go... heroes, so painfully predictable, and such an interesting one you are..."
Then again I felt it happen... the world slowed... stopped. I held my breath, trying my best to appear utterly still as a statue. The villain again skipped forward. "Oh what a sight for sore eyes you are. Could use a bit of a trim downstairs, but oh well..." He reached me and struck out a hand for fondling my left breast...
Fuck no. I flexed that new aspect of my power that I normally used to step into the Subrosa, that this villain had unwittingly revealed to me. It was something that had always been there... I just had never noticed it or known it was possible. Suddenly the world around me became tinged with purple to my eyes, I dodged the groping hand, and suddenly the time stopping villain was the one slowed to a crawl.
I was feeling vindictive for his groping attempt, reached out and broke his offending hand with a twist, stepped behind him, twisted the pistol out of his grip and grabbed his head, giving a quick forward and backward shove with the lightest possible touch of my strength, effectively giving him concussion. I could feel my own Time Stop becoming harder to maintain...as if my hold on Time was slipping through my fingers and I lost strength...
This ability was definitely not something I could maintain for long... I rushed forward to each merc and gave brutal punches to each's face and a hard shove that sent them slowly airborne... then let go... the purple tinge to the world vanished...
The villain screamed in pain, clutching his broken hand and swayed on his feet before collapsing to the ground, unable to maintain his balance. The two mercs flew through the air before crashing against the bars that protected the bank tellers.
There was screaming and more than one of the now former hostages looked ready to bolt for the door.
"Stay where you are!" I punctuated this with my hair rising up and above the bank customers in tentacle formation. "I don't want anyone getting trampled. Until the police and PRT arrives, stay seated!"
Cheshire, still in the Subrosa kept watch over the people so she could alert me to potential runners while I secured the bad guys. I eventually got help when I discovered all the Security guards and bank employees tied up in an adjoining conference room, and released them. Since they knew the bank procedures the best I let them get on with securing the money from the van outside.
The villain and mercs was secured with handcuffs and another set of cuffs around their ankles.
I took no chances with the villain and stood guard over him – even though he was very woozy and struggling to stay awake, and not in any condition to use his abilities, I wasn't take any chances.
"Did you have to break my hand?" he moaned.
"You were going to cop a feel. I don't walk around in the buff as an invitation, asshole."
It was at this point, that the Wards arrived. I glanced at the mounted clock above the door. Not bad considering that Arcadia High (where most Wards went to school) was a few blocks away, and its not like they could all rush out of class without drawing too much suspicion on themselves.
Gallant, Kid Win and Clockblocker.
Gallant was an empathic cape capable of generating concussive blasts of energy that could alter emotions in addition to packing a punch. He was also capable of inflicting specific emotions on his opponents. His silver and gunmetal powersuit was Tinker made and maintained and he cut quite the dashing figure in it. Kid Win was the Tinker of the Brockton Bay Wards, wearing red and gold body armor with a red visor – and was armed with some sort of laser weapon and stun gun, and an actual hoverboard mounted on his back.
Clockblocker wore a skintight white costume, with panels of glossy white armoring placed strategically to not inhibit his movement. The armor had grey clocks on it, some of which was moving, others were stationary. His helmet was a faceless, smooth expanse of white.
He stopped dead on seeing the villain, "Holy shit, you bagged Hourglass." Clockbloker rushed over and touched Hourglass on the head, who was promptly frozen as still as a statue. "How the hell did you catch him? This guy is by is almost by definition un-catchable..."
"Afternoon, Godiva," Gallant appoached me and we gently shook hands. "Though I'm sure you know, I'm Gallant, this is Kid Win and Clockblocker."
"Pleasure to meet you all."
Clockblocker was now standing behind Hourglass, looking rather like he was a soldier in a parade line.
"How long is PRT due?" I asked Gallant.
"We have a bit of a problem there," he said. "They were responding to another emergency just outside of town, when this happened. They're wrapping up as quick as they can, the police will be here first."
"Good, I'm sure you have the fallout well in hand but I can't linger, too dangerous." I gave them a wave and stepped into the Subrosa.
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In: Boards ► Brockton Bay ► Heroes ►Independents ► Godiva
(Showing Page 4 of 6)
► Godiva (Verified Cape) (Independent)
Replied on April 16, 2011:
Bagged a bunch of bad guys today. Cash in transit heist and bank robbery rolled very neatly into one, done by the same crew, led by a villain called Hourglass. First time I was ever shot at, not a nice feeling.
► Vista (Verified Cape) (Wards ENE)
Replied on April 16, 2011:
Damn. It's barely your second week and you've seen more action that I do in a month. Go girl!
► Godiva (Verified Cape) (Independent)
Replied on April 16, 2011:
Its amazing what people get up to when they don't think they're being watched or that they leave around when they think they're alone :-
► Clockblocker (Verified Cape) (Wards ENE)
Replied on April 16, 2011
That ain't comforting at all, and slightly creepy. You heard it folks, she could be standing over your shoulder as you're typing, seeing all your dirty laundry.
► Vista (Verified Cape) (Wards ENE)
Replied on April 16, 2011
LOL, I've seen some of Clockie's dirty laundry folks, and it ain't pretty.
► Clockblocker (Verified Cape) (Wards ENE)
Replied on April 16, 2011
Vista! You traitor. In any case, I still want to know how you managed to catch Hourglass, and why did you leave the bank so abruptly?
► Godiva (Verified Cape) (Independent)
Replied on April 17, 2011
Sorry, Clockblocker. Gotta keep my aces. And I can't linger in one place too long, not with the ABB undoubtedly gunning for me.
► Bagrat (Veteran Member)(The Guy in the Know)
Replied on April 18, 2011
Holy crap. For a gal who's invisible, you're sure seeming to be everywhere and totally visible. Got multiple cellphone cam footage here [Link], [Link] and [Link], [NSFW warning] of Godiva hitting ABB stash houses; drugs, guns, illegal booze, all went up in flames. Those hair constructs of yours are badass.
► Clockblocker (Verified Cape) (Wards ENE)
Replied on April 18, 2011
Ouch, that totally kicked some ass. Especially that one dude that tried to unload his Uzi on your back. You hit him with a hair fist the size of a car.
► Godiva (Verified Cape) (Independent)
Replied on April 18, 2011
Yeah, that last house was pretty dicey. Got rather angry at what I saw in there. Found a bunch of girls, ranging from sixteen to nineteen, imprisoned in rooms and drugged up. Some were off the street, others straight up kidnapped. They were gonna be addicted and used in brothels here and shipped abroad.
End of Page.1,2,3,4,5,6
(Showing Page 5 of 6)
► Guitarist
Replied on April 19, 2011
What the f***? ABB into human trafficking now too.
► Lolitup
Replied on April 19, 2011
Ahh, s***. The ABB have gone insane. Bombs are going off everywhere...
► Bagrat (Veteran Member)(The Guy in the Know)
Replied on April 20, 2011
Cross posting this on numerous threads to get word out. Power restored to the majority of the Bay now, after a bomb hit a central distribution hub. Word is that its the villain Tinker Bakuda in Lung's employ is building and planting them. If its found under the category 'infrastructure' it's got some damage; police stations, utility hubs, fire brigades, major roadways. All schools closed. City curfew in effect. And if that's not bad enough, the Docks are smack in the middle of an open turf war at the moment. E88 have struck numerous ABB hangouts there. Protectorate, PRT, New Wave are fully deployed to stop the spillover. Not sure of the timeline, but it looks like E88 invaded first.
► Godiva (Verified Cape) (Independent)
Replied on April 21, 2011
Its insane out there! Do not go near any ABB line gang member. They've got charges implanted in their heads by Bakuda, and can be detonated remotely at any time. They near suicidally charge E88 positions and incursions into the Docks. If the fight doesn't go the ABB's way, the charges are set off and everyone dies. Any hero without ranged abilities of some kind should not engage, stick to supporting the PRT and learn to use a rifle.
► Clockblocker (Verified Cape) (Wards ENE)
Replied on April 22, 2011
You want us to start killing people!?
► Godiva (Verified Cape) (Independent)
Replied on April 22, 2011
Talk to me again when you've seen an ABB Suicider (these guys also wear explosive vests) blow up ten innocent people because I sucked with the sniper rifle I appropriated.
► Bagrat (Veteran Member)(The Guy in the Know)
Replied on April 22, 2011
National guard and Protectorate reinforcements are being deployed, just saw APCs rolling into Downtown. Independent heroes from out of town are also answering the call.
► XxVoidCowboyxX
Replied on April 22, 2011
That is... where is the ABB and Bakuda getting all these people!
► Godiva (Verified Cape) (Independent)
Replied on April 21, 2011
She 'recruited' by orchestrating raids of people's homes while they slept, subduing them, and implanting bombs in their heads. She then used those bombs to coerce her victims into kidnapping more. No less than three hundred in total, now. Every single ABB soldier knows that if they don't obey, Bakuda can detonate the bombs. All of them are willing to put their lives on the line, because the alternatives are either certain death or watching their loved ones die for their failure. There are no happy save everyone endings here. And if that isn't bad enough I'd bet she's rigged all the bombs to go off at once in the event her heart rate flatlines.
I crouched at the lip of a warehouse roof, looking out over a section of the Docks that included the old Trainyard, which was barely in service any more (trains only passed through) , and a bunch of industrial real estate. Rain poured down onto Brockton Bay for the second day now, but it didn't bother me. The rain had forced the fighting to die down somewhat, either side only occasionally sending out a raiding party wearing raincoats. There was no military or police presence fighting in the Docks, as they were just too bogged down defending Downtown and the western sectors. Columns of smoke still rose across the city and I could hear the occasional distant rattle of weapons fire.
Then I heard the characteristic thumb-boom of an explosive going off, not a block away from my perch. A new column of smoke rose into the air. Another explosion, then another, whoever was doing this was going down Morville street.
I took off at a sprint, jumping off the roof and rolled with the landing to preserve my momentum before heading straight towards the explosions.
I crouched beside a building and poked my head around it to get my first look at the problem. I was in the Subrosa, but I treated it as if I wasn't, to practice moving in the Real.
There were two of them. Both were wearing identical costumes; blue man-leotards with broad belts cinched around their waists, skintight white sleeve and leggings. Their hoods were elastic, clinging to their heads so they left only a window for the face, and each sported a single white antenna. Of all colors, their gloves, boots and the balls at the top of their antennae were bubblegum pink. Their faces were obscured by oversize goggles with dark lenses. Other than their costumes, though, they couldn't have been more different. One of the figures was scrawny, with a weak chin and a bad slouch. The other had a sculpted physique, broad shouldered and tall, the lines of his muscles clearly visible through his skintight costume.
They looked like they were straight out of the 8 bit era Bomberman game, and it allowed me to know who I was dealing with. Über and Leet.
Über's power allowed him to develop an ultra high skill with anything he tried his hand at. If he decided to learn Parkour today, he could watch a few vids off the Internet, and by tomorrow he would be outrunning people who had devoted their lives to mastering it. The skills also stayed with him, and it was reflected in his near Olympic physique.
Leet on the other hand was considered to be both the best and the worst Tinker in the world, it depended who you asked. He had access to all Tinker tech trees and specialities, he could build anything he put his mind to, something not even Dragon could do. His flaw though was the closer a project was to something he'd made before, the higher the chances of a spectacular misfire or failure. So he could build anything, once, and then never again.
Their whole modus was to imitate video games in real life, streaming their antics for their Youtube audience and subscriber base. With every escapade, they picked a different video game or series, designing their costumes and crimes around it. One day it would be Leet in a Mario costume throwing fireballs while Über was dressed up as Bowser, the two of them breaking into a mint to collect 'coins'. Then a week later, they would have a Grand Theft Auto theme, and they would be driving through the city in a souped up car, ripping off the ABB and beating up hookers.
This time, they were dressed up as Bomberman, each with a large bag slung on their backs. They took from each other's bag two black baseball sized bombs and threw it into a nearby building. There was a dull thump and rumble through the earth and all the windows shattered before a blast wave of flame followed.
They shook their fists with shouts of excitement.
I looked around for what I thought of as the snitch. I finally spotted it as a small round shadow against the backdrop of the cloudy sky. It was a camera, mounted in a golden sphere the size of a tennis ball. It was capable of moving like a hummingbird, staying safe, always recording. I was pretty sure they had a time delay, so events that the camera recorded would play out online in a half hour to an hour.
I could admit I had watched myself, a couple of times, which was how I knew about the 'snitch'. Each time I'd tuned in, I had been surprised to see there were thousands of viewers. I'd stopped because it wasn't feel-good watching. They were real underdogs, struggling to succeed, which made you feel sorry for them, made you want to root for them, until they did something despicable. Then you found yourself looking at them in a negative light, looking down on them, cheering whenever they failed. It felt a little too much like I'd been looking at them in the same way Emma, Madison and Sophia had looked at me, and that had been a major turn-off.
Now they were playing Bomberman, when people were dying everyday to Bakuda's bombs. It was in the worst taste possible, but that was par for the course with these two, and the Internet, being what it was, would watch eagerly.
I was entirely tempted to go out there and give these two a piece of my mind, but something...
I rushed back and put a building between me and the bomberman duo, before emerging into the Real and conjuring my Uplink Mask, the one that had a Heads Up camera feed straight to Cheshire in our Loft HQ.
'Ah, at last, spotted something Godiva?' I returned to the street and peeked out to give her a view. 'Über and Leet. Hmmm.'
"While this fits their MO, they're doing this in the middle of a warzone," I whispered. "If either an ABB or E88 attack was to hit, they'd be screwed."
'Let me take a look at their body language... they're liking what they're doing but are definitely not happy about doing it in the middle of a rainstorm, they were hired, by the ABB.'
"Why not the E88?"
'Low chance, those bombs are Tinkertech and are too numerous to be the work of Leet, and he wouldn't chance working on bombs and explosives, given what would happen when he inevitably screws up. No... this is fat, juicy bait for heroes – who would be upset at their poor taste of theme. I'm also looking at their website as well, there's no stream of this and nothing scheduled. Show me the rest of the street.'
I looked up and down the street as requested.
'Godiva, go invisible, the whole thing is a trap. ABB hiding in buildings and sewers. Its' time.'
"Hurry."
I dismissed the mask and fell into the Subrosa. Then started climbing the gutter pipe of a nearby building to get to the roof. I couldn't approach on the street because of the water puddles, as making my feet intangible was a very bad idea. I flared my hair, forming numerous limbs that took over the job of my legs and lifted me up into the air by a foot. I was far from mastering this trick but it was serviceable. More importantly, gaps between buildings, whether higher or lower were no longer obstacles.
I got ahead of the villain duo and briefly let my feet touch down on the lip of a building, and jumped, using my hair to provide a further upward boost. As I arced through the air I debated whether or not to just hit them both immediately and take them out... but that would assuredly bring the ABB immediately into the picture as well, which wasn't ideal.
So I landed ten feet in front of them, the splash of water from my feet immediately drawing their attention. I turned so that my sideways profile was facing them and emerged into Real, my hair flailing, whipping and even orbiting me in various threatening forms. My Uplink Mask was on and I allowed my the hair covering my face to dissipate somewhat.
I expected a variety of reactions but they immediately got big smiles on their faces and clapped earnestly, nodding their heads in appreciation.
"Awesome entrance," Über's voice made him sound like the guy who narrated trailers for action movies or late night commercials. A skill his power had also allowed him to learn. He was the sort of person who proclaimed, announced, broadcasted and declared. Overdramatic, intense about everything he said, no matter how mundane.
"Perfect angle of presentation," Leet declared holding his fingers up as if he was a film director trying to visualize the borders of a camera shot. "Even the rain now is perfect, wet skin, damn that's hot, ecchi anime made real..."
'Easy Godiva, they're just trying to get under you skin, so to speak, and stall for the ABB to reposition,' Cheshire advised.
"Über and Leet, I'm Godiva, and the Docks are getting fucked up enough without you two playing your games. Bomberman? Really?"
"You know your old school games, I'm impressed," Leet grinned.
"So which way is this going to go?" I raised both hands palms up as if I was weighing something in them. "The hard way or the high way."
"No, no, no, that's not how the movie goes," Über protested. "Switch says 'It's our way or the highway.'"
"I think she means the hard way is her kicking our ass, Über, the highway referring to us leaving."
I shrugged, "Pretty much."
Über snorted, "As if a newbie was going to kick our ass by herself."
"Yeah, all it'll take is one little bomb and your naked ass is toast," Leet held up a black bomb and brandished it threateningly at me.
I smiled behind my mask and settled easily into the Mountain stance and gave a come hither gesture straight out of the Matrix to Über.
He took the invitation and charged me. There was no way I was actually going to allow it to come to a martial arts contest, sure I could Brute him, but on a pure skill level he was way out of my league. I let him get close... then brought together four human sized arms out of hair that blocked his first strike, then the follow up with the kick, allowing the third and fourth arms to slam into Über's kidney and face.
The villain rolled with both hits, tumbling to get out of my range. That would have worked normally.
Über got to his feet only to meet a two palm strikes to the face and abdomen that sent him sprawling. Leet was discovering the problem with an explosive as a close quarter weapon, he didn't dare throw one for risk of Über getting caught in the explosion. Then he somehow drew sword from his back out of nowhere and charged me.
He was met with another two pairs of arms that evaded the sword slash, got under his guard to delivered multiple palm strikes that had the Tinker reeling back in retreat.
'Keep stringing them along, we want to milk this for every second,' Cheshire advised.
Über charged again doing some fancy evasion moves straight out of a Hollywood action movie. It was awesome skill to look at, but this wasn't hollywood, and a hair tentacle plucked at him as he was twirling through the air to make him land horribly, eliciting a yelp of pain.
Leet tried again with the sword and that it actually managed to partially cut into one of the hair arms attacking him made me raise an eyebrow... that was most certainly not a normal sword.
'It's a hard light holographic sword with molecular sharpness.'
Any triumph Leet felt at damaging my hair evaporated as soon as the 'injured' arm retreated and merely regen'd its 'wound'. "Awww, come on, that's bullshit," he gasped.
I merely stood with weight on my right hip, giving me a casual lean, and pretended to examine my nails. Yeah, I was probably hamming it up a bit for the duo's camera – though they weren't live streaming, there's no way there weren't recording.
They next tried attacking me together, coming from opposite sides, then retreated with a new set of bruises for their trouble.
We kept up this dance for nearly two minutes and by that point Leet's swings of his sword were very clumsy and he was huffing and puffing for breath. Über had no problems in terms of stamina at all, but he was wincing with pain of his numerous bruises.
'First mark, Godiva.'
That was my queue and I sighed theatrically, shook my head, "Boring." Abruptly the arms battling the villain duo split apart into numerous tentacles that snaked around limbs and lifted them into the air and reeled them in to me. I flicked my fingers and was holding four pairs of handcuffs. A few seconds later and they were hog tied, arms behind their back and legs cuffed together.
"Perhaps we can better entertain you then."
From a nearby doorway a woman emerged, in the same outfit Über and Leet were wearing. The difference was that she wore a gas-mask style fixture over her lower face, and the lenses of her goggles were red, not black. The woman's mask seemed to take what she said and replay everything in a robotic, monotone hiss, "I didn't have much hope that these two were going to achieve anything, but was hoping Über could at least injure you. How disappointing."
'Fuck me. That's Bakuda... what is she doing here... oh crap, Godiva...'
Following the Tinker was a man, he was a little over six feet, though, which put him head and shoulders above Bakuda. He had an ornate metal mask over his face, and wasn't wearing a shirt, despite the chill and rain. Sprawling tattoos covered his body from the neck down, all depicting dragons from Eastern mythology. An awful current of dread snaked its way up and down my spine and settled in my stomach.
"Lung."
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