Blackjack smears a bit of mascara in a place or two, and some bit of string to give the impression of hanging flesh, and then when you're not looking, he jabs you right in the place you indicated. It snaps your head back, and he grins.
"Just remember we're friends after this."
You've set off running, and clear the corner. Blackjack is following behind yelling.
The thugs grin as you come their way, and you get the expected beating. However one of them breaks his hand on your skull.
"Guys got a skull like a rock." The thug moans. Blackjack distract them by walloping you right behind the knee so that you pitch to the ground again. Despite the nanoweave iit hurts.
"Did we kill him?" One asks.
"I think he's alive." Another says.
"Maybe we oughta take him to the bosses. Show them what those Irish scum are up to."
They pick you up, and toss you into the back of a truckbed. An ordinary guy would be dead or on the way to the hospital for a long stay about now. But thanks to your head armor, your subdermal armor, your nanoweave, and general conditioning, you feel like you've been in a severe sparring match.
Blackjack volunteers to ride in back with you.
"Stop healing." He hisses. "You can't look primrose fresh for this."
*Groans a bit from the punch*
"Yeah friends"
============
*You forgot the RiF rib wiring too :P*
============
*Nods my head and work on turning the healing factor off, motioning for him to give me another punch or two*
Jhiaxus
He punches you again in the face, and then smears mascara on it.
They take you into the garage below the hotel, and show you to Mr. M, the leader of the black criminal gangs. You can tell from his voice that he's a man of considerable charisma.
He pulls open your eyelid.
"Impressive, Irish. You're tough." He's got a deep, rolling voice. "Most men would be dead by now. My father said that a man who believed in God couldn't be stopped. Well, he was half right. A stupid goon shot him dead. Its a man who believes in himself, that man, my friends, he cannot be stopped. This Irish arsonist, he's a strong man. You learn from him, so that when you kill him, you take his magic into you. Make you strong. Unstoppable."
Mr. M is preaching to his congregation of thugs in the hotel garage....
*grinning*
"Very bold, killing me out here instead of in front of the others, looking to be Mr Big yourself? I wonder will it do anything unless you shame the Irish by doing it in front of them. It is no concern to me, I have accomplished what I wanted."
*waiting to see what his and Blackjack's next move are*
Jhiaxus
He jerks, a bit surprised you're so coherent.
Then he nods at two of his guys, who grab you, and hoist you into a sitting position while restraining you.
"Okay, tough guy, why don't you tell us what you've accomplished?" He gives you a welcoming smile, and there's a sense of respect about him, although glancing at his compadres you're reminded of a wolfpack.
Blackjack just gives you a tiny shrug. Evidently we're now in 'play it by ear' zone.
*I turn my healing factor back on*
"Well, why don't we start with my performance getting here, do you know how hard is it to predict human emotion and decision making? From the mook chasing me, to your other men taking me to you, do you have any concept of how many steps ahead someone has to think, how many variables you have to take into account to nudge events just how you want them? Statistics, body language, inflections of voice, fear, terror, all are tools to bend beings to your will without lifting a finger.
*smiles*
"Even in this moment, you all think you are still predator, and I am prey. That you are in the position of power, and me weakness. Mortals, you have no idea, what a feat it is for a being of my power to "allow" themselves in this situation. The level of manipulation is unearthly. I give you three options. You will release me, shut your traps, and speak nothing of this event. The second, is you try to kill me, and I flay the flesh from your bones, after I roast you alive, searing every nerve ending at the same time before the actual flames roast your flesh and strip it from your bones. The third, is the same as the second, but then I raise your skeletons up to do my bidding, and never give your souls peace."
*Laughs evilly*
"Did you really think The Arsonist was just a man who threw gasoline on something and used a lighter to watch it go up? You humans are funny, naive creatures."
*If they give me a hint they will not go for the intimidation, I will throw up a P7@4 Pyrogenesis Fire Shield, lethal for any who attack me, or touch me, to drum the point home*
Jhiaxus
"Oh no, oh no..." Blackjack starts whimpering, and it runs through the crowd like a spark through gunpowder. The leader is not wholly convinced, but he can see that you've sold his guys.
Everyone takes a step or two or even three back.
You throw up the fire shield. The boss jumps back, thoroughly frightened himself.
*smiles*
"Wise move, now that I think about it, why not give you a forth option, one that is mutually beneficial to us both. I have no desire for earthy power or money, but what I do desire is an end to your stupid petty bloodshed. You guys killing each other is bad for my business."
*considers*
"I didn't quite know if I was going to go into the meeting room of the hotel and fireball all of you straight to hell, filling my ranks personally, or see if there is another way. I think you all want the other way, so here it is. You all report to him, (point to mooks and then to boss) and he reports to me. No stupid killing, no shaking down businesses, nothing but bringing real money in. Everytime one of you mooks shake down a business, you have that damn Blackjack, or Midnight, or Mechanoman, puts their nose into your business, and I have to burn something or someone down."
*Looks at all of them carefully, like I am looking into their soul*
"This Mr. Big, doesn't understand human nature. He doesn't give the gangs enough incentive to keep you in line. In fact, there is no option number 1 anymore. To make a human make the right choice, you need to introduce the right amount of fear of mortality, with enough chance of profit. You do things my way, leave the petty crimes to the unaffiliated, and just stick to the big things, with my hand directing you. I don't care about color, nationality, male, female, you all burn the same color black when it boils down to it."
*I put on an evil twisted smile*
"I don't even have to guess what option you all will take, so the question is, who wants to live and get what is theirs? Of course this means, making peace with the others, but it is a small price to pay for living and prospering, don't you think?"
*Insert maniacal laugh here*
Jhiaxus
"How is it bad for your business? One would think you liked corruption, Demon?" The boss asks, his eyes a bit sharper.
"Hey, you're talking about cutting out Mr. Big ain'tcha? How you gonna square that with him?" One of the mooks asked a bit whiny.
*smiles wide*
"Just like in the mortal world, there are layers of, let's call them beings. Some want the world to end in hellfire and brimstone, others want to seduce and use guile to obtain their goals. My motivations are too alien to describe fully, but I will break them down. Order is what I desire. I want all of you to be productive, healthy people, so that you do your crimes, and rack up points, so when you die, you have fully given yourselves over. To lure someone with promises of power and glory is the easy way, to nudge and influence without getting directly involved, is the long road. Which brings us back to you fighting each other, the more you fight, the more you die, and the more of you go to my hellfire and brimstone compatriots. I don't want that, since it makes keeping order harder, and you don't want that, since it means you died and didn't get to enjoy the fruits of your labor.
*pauses and makes a sniffing motion to the flames*
"I burn to keep order, burn out the infection save the whole. Right now this city is the whole, and your petty, backbiting is the infection. The sooner that gets dealt with, the sooner, you all get back to being productive humans."
*To the Peon*
"Who gave you permission to speak worm-food? However disrespectful the interruption, the question and answer had to be asked. What about Mr. Big, the mortal with delusions of grander. He can't stop the heroes, they are getting closer and closer to taking you all down everyday. He can't control the villains, you give human beings that kind of power, and your ability to control or point them in the right direction, only works for so long. Evil has the nasty habit of not working well with others. So we have seen Mr. Big, is about to get all of you dead, or in jail or worse, and doesn't see the big picture. Why will these villains continue to work with regular humans? They can and will eventually, cut out the infection so to speak."
*smiles wide and laughs*
"That leaves the criminal organizations between a rock and a hard place. Do you let the heroes take you down *looks to his right hand*, or use the villains to save yourselves, but be killed, since you can't stop them *looks to his left hand*. The answer gentleman, and I use that term loosely is me. I can't be seduced, can't be bought off, can't be manipulated. I am honest in what I want, for you to do what you want the best way, so after your mortal lives are over, I get you. In return for that, I show Mr Big the door with your and the other bosses help. When I mean door, I mean flaming inferno of hellfire.
*Grins*
"Again it is either that, or I walk into that room and roast you all to cinders and let the next generation of street thugs take your places, and I can guide them properly. Choose, but choose wisely and quickly, I am starting to tire of this. When you refer to me, you cannot hope to pronounce my given name, nor would I give it, so The Arsonist is an apt moniker."
*Waits for them to decide*
Jhiaxus
They mostly agree, but one runs off screaming for 'Lord Jesus protect me.' The Boss pulls out his gun to shoot the guy in the back.
*smiles and puts the hand on the gun, as long the guy is going off screaming in a direction that is not inside, if he is I will tk pull him into an object to knock him unconscious*
"Firing off a gun in here with the whole cities crime lords in the hotel, is like throwing a match on a powderkeg. No that one can go, he will strike terror in others, or they will think he is crazy, either way he is a non factor."
*smiles*
"Let's go inside and see how things are shaping up."
Jhiaxus
Blackjack gives you one stealthy eyebrow raise, and he follows with the rest as you walk next to the crime lord. He conducts you to talk to the Chinese.
There's some quick whispering, and then one of the Chinese looks up at you from behind his desk with a skeptical, but charming smile. The other Han in the room look on quietly, although one in the corner seems to keep sharpening his short daggers.
"You are an oni of dark order? That's an interesting claim."
*smiles a wide smile*
"Looks them all up and down, like I am sizing up a meal*
"One does not claim to be something, they either are, or they are not mortal."
*grins*
"I am what I am, I am immortal, I do not fear death, you are studying me for truth, I have spoken nothing but truth. I have lived more than any mortal ever could, and have experienced things that can ever imagine. Would you like a demonstration? I have already set myself on fire to prove who I was to the men behind me. Would you feel better if you shot me in the head?"
*Looking whimsical*
"My patience is tiring, believe me, or don't. The only difference is how you wish to serve and die. I await your decision."
Jhiaxus
There is some looking back and forth between the Han, and then the oldest man speaks up.
"Hai." He gives you a small bow. "You have our respect, dark oni."
*I give him a slight bow*
"Very good, now to have a heart to heart with the Irish. You have full autonomy over your holdings and men, I just want you all to stop killing each other, leave the businesses alone, and work your efforts to profitable ventures. A bloodbath in the streets, is bad for business, as well as shortens life. I don't expect you all to work together, because this we are all friends. I expect you to respect that profit and prospering the fruits of your labor while on this earth, is enough."
*Smiles*
"I am a hands off type of being, unless someone makes me get hands on, and no one in this city wants to see that. You are men who value respect and honor, and as a being who sees the value in both, we can work together for mutual benefit. I bid you prosperity, as I have others here that need my guidance. I need a representative that can back up that I have your support, as well as get a status report on what is going on. I do not wish to have people ruffle feathers. Unlike previous leaders, I keep a watch on what everyone is doing."
*Gives him a small bow and leaves once he arranges who will be coming with*
Jhiaxus
You step out into the hall, and are driven to stagger back by the massive pain in your head.
"Do you know, Mr. Brain, I think, Mr. Big will be buying you a new car. Your danger sense has been most helpful."
Standing, surrounded by auras of pink, and purple, the ground heaving and rippling, you see a bald man in a suit, staring intently at you. In front of him, you see the nicely suited Mr. Little who has a gun of uncertain origin out.
OOC: Would Mr. Little recognize you?
OOC: He shouldn't all he ever saw me was as Midnight
OOC: Speaking of Danger Sense, something that never seems to be up for me, also my Thought Concealment, Barred Mind and my Healing Factor, are up unless I put them down for some reason as a reminder.
*I am going to learn a P2@7 Psychological Barrier, should be +113 just from the difference and ride the carrier wave of pain as he is giving me a direct link to his mind with a P8@8 Brain Force/Mental Shock, this one will not be automatic, seeing a +52 for difference with my 2@9 BRA, and whatever 2x the bias of this place is, should make it close*
*Smiles wide*
"I was worried I would have to flay your bones while working over Mr. Big, I'm glad you fell into my trap."
*To Blackjack*
"Please take care of the little one with the gun."
*The Brain Force/Mental Shock should be both Lethal Damage, and a stun, the Lethal should be RS/5, the stun should be rs/10*
Jhiaxus
OOC: Oops.
OOC: They are up. He's just punching through them.
You learn the barrier despite the -20 sitmod from headsplitting pain. 1@1.
He pushes through it, but just barely. You feel pain beginning to eat away at your mind.
"You're strong." He grunts.
"Flay my bones?" Mr. Little laughs coolly. "Do try." He points his odd gun at you, and Blackjack comes in with a high kick which Mr. Little ducks, and then he aims for you by Blackjack's side. Blackjack slaps the pistol aside and a deep thrumming noise shatteres glass windows behind you.
You try your killing carrier wave attack. 1@1 skill.
He blocks your attack with a short 'heh'.
"Not that skilled however."
*As he is talking the first time, get into style*
*As he is talking the second time and I see that gun about to go off, I am going to do a M4@9 Manipulate Blast, to intensify it and throw it at Mr. Brain. I shouldn't get any penalties for my mind being in pain. It allows you to manipulate kinetic, explosians, and heat blasts to be controlled, redirected, limited, intensified, or otherwise altered.*
Time factor for defense is instant with no penalty, going to throw it at Mr Brain, and intensify the damage. I figure he has psionic shields up, but magic are a different story.
Numbers should be 91-49+29+World Bias=71+World Bias.
I am going to follow it up getting into style and headbutting Mr Brain. With my head should be a dangerous weapons to start.
Jhiaxus
*As he is talking the first time, get into style*
*As he is talking the second time and I see that gun about to go off, I am going to do a M4@9 Manipulate Blast, to intensify it and throw it at Mr. Brain. I shouldn't get any penalties for my mind being in pain. It allows you to manipulate kinetic, explosians, and heat blasts to be controlled, redirected, limited, intensified, or otherwise altered.*
Time factor for defense is instant with no penalty, going to throw it at Mr Brain, and intensify the damage. I figure he has psionic shields up, but magic are a different story.
Numbers should be 91-49+29+World Bias=71+World Bias.
I am going to follow it with a flying headbutt to Mr Brain. With my head should be a dangerous weapons to start.
Jhiaxus
Doublepost.
Its a sonic weapon.
And distractions, like being in mind-splitting pain, are a good reason to sit-mod magic, and even more so, psionic. Hey, I think Body could be too.
After all, its hard to calmly and coolly shoot a sniper shot with a rifle while someone is pouring hydrochloric acid down your back.
Ok then, getting tired of being the nice guy anyway, I have no time to train psionic skills, and could get no one to teach me, so I will take them for myself.
Since there is no skill going to put it at a P8@10, which would be a Psionic Area Overload, instead going to be Steal Psionic Abilities. I want his abilities, and since he obviously is a danger to everyone, I have no problem letting him start from scratch. So looks like a +50-20 (The penality), +29 a 59+Area Bias chance of ripping it from him. I would say if he is actively attacking it should be a difficult willpower check to defend. He seems to be attacking, defending, and defending against new attacks, would only be fair. If it doesn't work will just beat him down hand to hand as I really have nothing else.
Jhiaxus
OOC: In true comic book fashion, this is an extended struggle you're engaging in as you try to steal his power. You win the first of three. You have 1@3 Power Theft Psionic aka Steal Psionic Abilities.
He drops his attack, and puts up full-on defense.
"Unbreakable Fortess." He yells, and glimmering in your mind, and perhaps more than your mind, you see a giant fortress made of huge blocks of stone, looming above you on a mountaintop, and the top of the fortress is in the clouds.
Your mind clears from the pain, and your eyes stop watering.
Mr. Little leans sideways to shoot at you, and Blackjack misjudges his intentions and tries to keep Mr. Little from sonic blasting Blackjack. Little's blast takes you right in the chest, and for a second you know what a cello feel like after someone took a hammer to its strings, and flung it across the room.
You fly backward down the short hall toward the shattered window, every bone and muscle vibrating, and facing a half-dozen Mr. Littles' smirking at you, and a half-dozen Blackjack's elbowsmashing Little's face, only to turn in helpless dismay back toward you. He yells something, but you can't hear it.
*With Mr Brain, worried about his own well being and going defensive, means I don't have that -20 anymore, so I will do my Bonuses Short Hop Teleport to behind Mr Little and Headbut him in style, if I can't get the teleport to work, I will learn a P4@10 TK Fly, I might go through the window, but I can slow my speed, and not go down, I have not learned that yet, but being it is a 4@10, and I have a 140, that's +90 without any other bonuses, at that point I will yank the gun out of Mr Little's hand with a Heavy TK 4@3, meaning that he has to deal with just Blackjack, and I can work on Mr Brain alone again.*
*Assuming Blackjack or myself can disarm Mr Little, I will work on resuming my stealing of Mr Brain's skills, and basically I see a fortress in the clouds, good, I will imagine myself turning into water vapor, as we all know as strong as stone is, it cannot stop water for long, and punch my way through*
Jhiaxus
You trick space-time into duplicating itself, and find yourself behind Mr. Little. He hears you coming, but its really a choice of getting clobbered by Blackjack or you. You both manage to get him, but not perfectly.
He drops between you two, moaning.
You turn to Mr. Brain who is backing up down the corridor. You hit his fortress, and rock it. He grimaces. You hit it again. He's getting close to the corner.
*To Blackjack*
"Please secure the weapon and utility belt of Mr Little, and make sure he is docile. I have to make sure our meeting of the minds goes well."
*Pulls Mr Brain to me with a Heavy TK*
"Oh no, no, no, you started this, you are going to see it through to the end."
*I look at him with my eye, I'm sure that will weaken his resolve even more*
*Continue hitting the fortress in unexpected places, making sure Mr Brain cannot mount a defense against any one spot, I am going to crack open his fortress like a egg*
Jhiaxus
"Got it." Blackjack snaps.
He resists, and he's hard to lock on to, but you drag him to you. He flinches when he sees your eye.
"Why aren't you attacking him? He's a superhero." Mr. Brain wails as you pound his shields. You hear the rustle of feet behind you from the other criminals.
OOC: I never called Blackjack by name, now if he called me a superhero from what he read from my mind, that's all good. As an aside, I have no moral issues, making sure Mr Brain doesn't have these abilities. He can always relearn them, but for right now, a telepath is too dangerous to let go without rendering him....neutered mentally :P
*Smiles*
"Now Mr Brain, what kind of superhero do you know that would go inside your mind, and ripping your abilities from you? No you wronged me, tried to kill me, you called me unskilled, for that, I want you broken, an example to the rest of why you don't *#$% with an immortal."
*To the rest*
"Let these two be an example of what happens when you cross me. There are fates worse than death."
*Let the words sink in when he sees the rest do nothing and then go in for the kill, and collapse his defenses, and make sure he is not a threat anymore*
Jhiaxus
Mr. Brain has not heard your spiel about being an order demon, but he can feel to some degree your mind that it is human. He assumes anyone attacking him is a superhero.
You rip open his mind, and take his abilties away from him.
I'm going to need to ask MJ about how long this process should last. I know you're aiming for a total destruction.
OOC: Nods, I am aiming for ripping the SAL's for Psionic Abilities he has and making them my own. With the end result having him have to relearn them, or at worst suppress them. I am not looking to hurt him, I just want this to be a lesson. If he wants to train himself back up to a certain point, fine, I am not looking to permanently mess with him. I will take as much time as is needed, as right now, I likely have their complete loyalty after this. Just to clarify, you can only do this with psionic skills, it won't work with anything else.
*Looks down at Mr Brain*
"Pride is the worst of the seven deadly sins."
*Takes the utility belt and sonic gun from Blackjack and puts them around his waist*
"You thought you were springing the trap, when you were the prey the whole time."
*To the rest*
"Order begets change."
*When I am done with Brain*
*Grins*
"I want them alive, bound, blindfolded and gagged, they are examples, and we still need to get the Irish and Italians on board, then we deal with Mr Big and his clown council."
Jhiaxus
With their help, you're able to get the Irish and the Italians on board. You're in a large room with the leaders of the gangs, and their goons. You have to shut down your danger sense cause its pinging all the time.
And then the door to the large conference room opens, and a butler stands there.
"Mr. Big would like to invite the invader to his private penthouse atop this structure."
Blackjack stands.
"Alone, sir." The butler says. All the eyes in the room track on you, waiting on your decision.
*I nod and grab a paper and a pen and write down directions for Blackjack to call the Captain, and get the police over here, and that the Mayor is likely in Mr Big's pocket. All these goons aside from their other crimes, are accessories for attempted murder. He wanted to clean the streets up, the smaller criminals will still be out, but everyone in town will learn not to trust anyone else, and thus, cooperation like this won't happen again.*
*Hands it to Blackjack*
"While I entertain Mr Big, here are my measurements. I want a black silk suit, red silk shirt, black silk tie, and snakeskin boots. You are to take care of this now and alone. Call it your penance for laying your hands on me. Got it?"
*Grins*
"It would be dishonorable to be disinclined to acquiesce to Mr Big's invitation. Besides, I have no fear of anything that might happen."
Jhiaxus
You leave the room after Blackjack bows and apologizes to you and rushes off.
The butler takes you up to a private elevator that takes just a bit longer than you think it should to get to the next floor.
"Sir." He holds his hand over the open door button, but does not push it. "While I have some small ability to deal with ordinary ruffians, I have no strength for this collossal struggle. But, may I say that whoever wins, I will be glad to serve?"
He gives you a short Germanic style bow, and presses the button. The door opens into a thousand square foot open space of silken couches, golden cupid statues, and mirrored walls (except for the left wall which is glass and overlooks the city).
On the far side of the room is a massive cherrywood desk, and behind it, and its piles of books is a huge man, composed of outsized bone, and muscle, and layered over with another large man's weight of suet.
Just behind him to his right is your lady in a very skimpy cocktail dress of glittering blue. Around her neck is a necklace that glitters with gems.
"Well, at last, some real competition. I heard some of your spiel downstairs on a strategically placed intercom. How the supers could not be dominated by the kingpin and his boys. Problem with that is most supers are amateurs. I'm a pro. My father was a boss. My grandfather a boss of bosses. His father worked for the Tzar's secret police doing pretty much what I do now. I'm a boss of bosses, and soon enough even the supers will bow to me. I've got a scheme see..."
He smiles cruelly.
*To the Butler*
"The only struggle will be, if I allow myself to remained shackled or if I will use more than 1% of my abilities."
*Gives him a nod as I walk out*
*I listen to his monologue, and stifle a yawn, when he is done I put my finger to my mouth in a shhhh motion*
"The ant doesn't appeal to the man to not step on it, it goes about its business, oblivious to the fact of its existence. The ant does what it is told, not through voice, but by instinct. There is no reason behind it, it just is. Until the moment the man pays attention to the annoying insect that is is bothering him, it isn't a even a thought in the man's head about the ant. When the man's foot goes to crush the ant, he doesn't dwell on it's life, it's existence, it is forgotten in but a moment."
*pauses*
"If you are laboring over the fact that I "struggled" against your men, don't. When all you do is kill, maim and torture, it is hard, so very hard to resolve things in a non lethal way. That sad part is, I had to learn not to kill. I told you to be quiet, since I have had a trying day, and my annoyance level is fairly high. The more you yammer, the more I want to roast your cells, starting with the nerve endings all at the same time, or boil the water inside you, to broil you from the inside out. Of course, that would still give you hope that I was still just a human with powers. No, I think you want a grand demonstration of just how below me you really are. There really are only three choices. Would you rather freeze, burn, or be stuck in time for eternity?
*Smiles*
"Oh I'm sorry you were in the middle of your monologue, I forget the manners that this form sometimes calls for. Please continue, if you make me laugh, I might allow you to live. Oops once again, I forgot these manners of yours, you may call me The Arsonist, it is but a fraction of what I do, but it seems to have a certain stigma to it. Okay, curiosity is getting the best of me, what is the deal with the cliche girl in skimpy clothing. Why does every human male have to have a gorgeous woman at his side? But I digress, you were saying something about plans and probably your world domination speach."
*I will try to read his mind, with my newly enhanced abilities, which can you give me a list of when things quiet down?*
Jhiaxus
Bump
bump again
bump again
bump for the forth time.