Log:Enemy Revealed

The Regent Legacy 2014/07/19 Chen Ghost Dog Paragon Porter

10

It's just after 11pm at night, and the temperature's finally cooled from the summer heat. The neighborhood is quiet. Blissfully quiet, much to the relief of neighbors. And Paragon's house is dark and empty. This rare peace couldn't last long.

A dark silohuette crosses the night sky, seen only by the stars it blocks out. It's plummeting fast as it descends, but lands with only a quiet thump in a crouch on the edge of Paragon's driveway. The city street lights now reflect off of the armor as Paragon rises to her full height and lets out a soft, metallic sigh that makes a hissing noise. She's been relieved of Arion's shift long enough to grab some food and maybe get a change of clothes. She starts walking up the driveway, heading for the front door.

Nothing seems amiss with Paragon's house. There are no doors left hanging open, nor lights shining through the windows. Maybe the armored heroine will be able to get that change of clothes and be on her way. Maybe...

PS: she totally won't.

Paragon gets to the door and reaches out for the handle. A signal transmits from her systems to the wireless smartlock on the door, and the deadbolt clicks open on its own just as her hand grips the door knob and pushes it open.

The door swings open and...nothing happens. The entry way is dark and still. All is quiet aside from the low thrum of the washing machine as it clicks over into spin cycle.

The TV is off, everything seems to be in its place...

Wait, washing machine?

Paragon's eyes narrow to thin lines as she hears the washing machine running when it shouldn't be. Her right hand slides along the wall and flips the light switch on, finally illuminating the main entryway and living room. No one's supposed to be here. Another sigh escapes from the seams of her helm, hissing metallicaly through the seams. It's a sigh of someone trying to muster their patience. She leaves the front door open as she strides further into the house, checking on the living room with a sweeping gaze before casting a glance towards the laundry room down the hall on her right, past the kitchen.

All seems clear. The washing machine is definitely running, but there are no soap containers left out, and whatever was moved to start the machine has been put back exactly in its place. It is almost as if the machine just spontaneously switched itself on. That, or someone incredibly methodical has just been moving things, then putting them back exactly the way they were found.

Maybe Paragon left the machine running before she left? For, uh, several hours. Hopefully there weren't any delicates in there.

Paragon definitely didn't find time to do laundry. She hits more light switches as she heads to the laundry room, peering around inside and seeing nothing amiss, save the overworking washing machine. She scratches at the back of her helm curiously, her fingers scrapping along its surface ineffectually, trying to remember. No...no expected house guests or promises for certain. She leans forward and pushes in the starting knob to halt the machine, then opens the lid and checks inside. The spinner has stopped and the water is still slashing its contents as she looks within.

A wad of midnight blue and white cloth is wadded up in the water. A little prodding and experimentation would reveal it to be a nearly black pair of suit trousers, and a similarly dark suit jacket. The now blue-tented white item is a long-sleeved under shirt.

There is a soft Crunching sound from behind Paragon as Ghost Dog bites into a sandwich, apparently piled high with all sorts of things that may or may not belong between two slices of bred. The spectral warrior stands in the hallway she just passed through, monster sandwich held in both hands as he chews thoughtfully.

Ghost Dog's dirty clothes have been replaced by a baggy black muscle shirt and an oversized pair of black sweat pants. His long hair hangs unbound down his back. The light from the washing room reflects off of his uncovered eyes, making them gleam red like a wild animal's. Aside from that he seems completely at ease, and proves it by taking another crunching bite of his sandwich.

Did DD have tattoos? GD does, one each on his upper arms, but it's hard to make out the dark pictures on his dark skin.

Paragon's head turns to look over her shoulder, viewing Ghost Dog from the corner of her eye. "I'm glad you accepted my offer to clean yourself up and have some food, Anthony," she says in polite, quiet tones, for now not mentioning or bringing up how he ignored her other directives about advanced notice. She turns about mechanically, her head training on Anthony first, then her body following until her head and body are aligned again. It has been a long time since she's seen Ghost Dog in 'off' mode. That's a bit of a mistake, though. That was when he was still Devil Dog, life times ago for the warrior standing before her.

Ghost Dog's initial reply is quiet crunching as he slowly chews his mouth full of sandwich, somehow managing not to get bread crumbs on himself or the floor. Apparently if you've lived almost forever you can learn the ancient secret of clean sandwich consumption.

"Friends." Ghost Dog responds in his usual quiet way once he has swallowed. "Never have learned how. Am trying harder." The light still reflects red off of his eyes, the effect becoming more pronounced as he takes a couple of casual steps backward so that he is standing in the dark doorway of the kitchen. He does not take another bite of food for the moment.

When compared to how Anthony used to look, ghost Dog seems, older. There are faint lines etched into his face despite the lack of wrinkles, and his hair is less glossy, more coarse and wild. It's as if before he were some sort of cosmic joke, all that evil trying to make him beautiful. Without it, all that's left is the person he used to be, showing the ware and tear of years.

Paragon's eyes follow his casual retreat. "A suit? I wasn't aware you owned any," she comments in an amused, wry tone. Her foot lightly kicks back and taps the washing machine, and the lid falls shut with a hollow ringing noise and the slosh of water. She reaches back and takes her eyes off of Ghost Dog for only a moment to hit pull out the starting knob. The heavier sloshing of water and the hum of the machine's motor start up again.

"You'd think after several life times and several worlds, you'd have learned to make a few friends," Paragon intones in a light manner as her attention returns to Anthony. "Maybe that was your mistake in all those other dimensions," she suggests noncommitally. She starts padding forward, her footsteps light along the tile instead of the usual heavy footfalls. As she nears, her head moves as she scans along Anthony's arms. She never noticed the tattoos before. But she knew so little of Devil Dog in the past. "Are those new? Or have you always had them?" she asks conversationally. She's tired. Her stance and movement doesn't betray it, but her voice does. Not nearly as tired or weary as Ghost Dog, but she's not looking for a fight either.

"Am trying friends now. Might be the key. Probably not." Ghost Dog offers...Timidly...Maybe? This might be the closest thing he gets to being timid, anyway. Another backward step takes him nearly out of the light entirely, retreating into the kitchen to clear the hallway for Paragon. He doesn't seem in the mood to start a fight himself, but he didn't seem that way last time he attacked her, either. Who knows what is going through his head at any given time.

"Tattoos are old. Before I died in the war." The warrior continues after a moment, though his new position in near darkness makes it impossible to see what they are. His eyes continue to stare out at her from the darkness, unblinking, tracking her every step. He does not explain why he is washing a suit, or indeed where he got the suit in the first place. Instead he takes another loud bite of sandwich.

It may be better that she doesn't know where he got it from. While piquing her curiousity, some things are better left unknown. "They have any meaning to you?" Paragon asks as she stops by the kitchen door, looking inside the darkness. Her eyes fade from white to a sickly green, switching to night vision. The hallway hurts her eyes in that mode, but as long as she focuses on the unlit kitchen, it's not too bad. But the edges of her vision burn with light on her corneas with headache inducing intensity.

"I hear most people pick something that means something to them when they get inked. Something special. Personal." Paragon doesn't know much about it, though. Her body donor didn't have any tattoos to give her hints on what it was that was special to her previous self. Her interactions, while attempting to be conversational as she starts with small talk, lack the energy or effort put towards most of her friends. They're reserved, but her tone is kinder than it has been since Ghost Dog returned. Not quite at the compassionate level they were when they first met, but it's improving.

More quiet crunching answers Paragon's question as the spectral warrior slowly chews. There isn't much left of his mystery sandwich. She might never learn what was in it. Switching to night vision reveals him standing calmly a short ways into the kitchen. All of the counter tops are spotless. There are no knives in the sink. Whatever was used to make the sandwich appear has long sense been cleaned and replaced. it's honestly a little eery how little sign there is that GD has been here. Would Paragon even have known he had broken in if he hadn't been here when she got home?

"Things," Ghost Dog says after he eventually swallows, "Important to a young patriot. Naive. Hopeful. Long dead. I have a hard time with things. I am, broken, mentally." Here the native pauses to flicker his gaze over the armored Heroine, before adding, "Obvious sometimes. How broken is hard to say. Hell is not a nice place. You don't come out right. Mostly we want to hurt people the way we were hurt. Everything else takes effort. After all this time I'm still learning."

With night vision, focusing on his arms reveals the tattoos, though it takes a moment to puzzle them out. The one on his right arm curls around the biceps from above the elbow and vanishes up the shoulder. It appears to be some sort of flowering vines, with sharp thorns poking through. The tattoo on his left arm is much easier to figure out. It's a skull with chains coming out of its mouth and eyes. Underneath it are blocky letters that read 'Semper fidelis.'

It's near impossible for Paragon to really imagine the man before her as naive and hopeful. "You? Broken?" She smiles slightly behind the faceplate, her head tilting down as she shakes her head. "You've managed a lot for someone whose broken. You still keep trying. I guess that says something about your resolve." She raises her head up again to meet his eyes. "I think you'd be surprised how much effort it takes to really stay mad. You're not in Hell anymore, you know." Some of her optimism has creeped into her voice.

It's about 11:30 PM at Paragon's house. Some of the downstairs lights are on, and the front door has been left open as Paragon dealt with a would-be intruder that turned out to be Ghost Dog. She stands by the kitchen door with her eyes glowing green. The kitchen itself dark and has no lights on. Only some light from the hallway filters in. Ghost Dog remains in the kitchen, talking calmly with the suit of armor.

"Scars." States the ancient warrior, just before pushing the rest of the mystery sandwich into his mouth.

Ghost Dog starts to crunch slowly away as he eyes Paragon up and down. He seems somewhat expectant, as if--

BZZZZZZZZT!

The washing machine slashes to a halt further down the hall and screams 'come get your crap!' in washing machine speak. or, that's what it sounds like. Washing machines are incredibly angry appliances.

Chen emerges from the shadows after another patrol around the house and environs. Seeing the open front door she morphs into turtle mode before trying to sneak inside and catch any intruder by surprise.

Nearly midnight is nearly prime time according to Porter time. With Paragon not needing to babysit at home, the odds are that she's babysitting elsewhere. But it can't hurt to check. When he sees lights on from up the block, that seems a good sign. As he gets closer and spies he wide open door (having just missed noticing Chen circling the house by seconds) ... that seems a less good sign. "Para, you home?"

Paragon just stands in the hallway, staring into the dark kitchen quietly. "Well. I'd say time heals all wounds, but I think you've had plenty," she says to someone unseen in the darkened kitchen. Her tone is calm, conversational, but it's not quite her usual warm, friendly way of talking. She doesn't notice Chen's stealthy entrance, but her head does turn towards the foyer at the sound of Porter's voice calling out, her eyes suddenly shrinking down to pinpoint lights as her nightvision mode gets overwhelmed by the hallway light. Her vision gets blinded by bright white burning light, and those pinpoints, if one could even look closely enough, flick from green to white as she winces against the piercing brightness "Yes. I'm home," she replies casually, sounding a bit...irrate? Pained? "Come on in." Why not? She didn't really need to take that shower tonight. Or get some food. There are more pressing matters. Her eyes have after-images of light dancing across her vision as she recovers from her nightvision blinding her through her forgetfulness.

Chen speaks from the shadows, "Everything okay, Paragon?" in a deep male voice with German accent. She's 'borrowed' Doctor Destroyer's voice.

"Oh, good!" If Porter catches the irritated part of her tone, he doesn't react much to it as he walks in. "I was wondering if I'd catch you here..." He heads for the hallway and her, since he can see her, at least. Then he blinks at the other, unfamiliar voice. "Uh... you alone?"

A glance into the dark kitchen by any of the heroes, recently arrived or otherwise, reveals nothing.The place is spotless, with nothing out of order. There are no open windows, no shifted soap bottles. It's as if no one were there.

"No, I have a guest," Paragon says calmly. The pinpoint lights recessed in her helm grow in diameter experimentally. No, still too bright. They shrink down again to limit the amount of light filtering in. "You just caught me, actually. I just left Lightray and Guardian to deal with watching Arion at Starguard long enough for me to make a quick trip home to freshen up." She still has hope for that plan working out based on sheer optimism. Her head turns back to the kitchen as she opens her mouth, but then she realizes Ghost Dog has vanished. "Huh...maybe I was wrong about the guest," she self-corrects with a weak chuckle.

Chen steps out into view. "Guest? Paragon, you do realise the assassins might still come here. If they can sense Arion's essence directly they'll go to Starguard. But if they have to follow a trail, like bloodhounds, they'll be coming here first."

Porter is glad that he caught her, though now feels a little guilty about it.He also swore he heard someone else. "Sorry. Want me to make you some food or something while you get freshened? And I thought I heard somebod-" Then Chen shows herself and he first tenses, then relaxes when she registers. "Oh, hey Chen." Wait. Someone else is worried and Porter isn't? That's not a good sign, is it?

Paragon's eyes start to adjust to the brightness, expanding in diameter until they reach normal size. "I'm aware of that, Chen. I did not invite people over for a dinner party, and I didn't leave Arion alone. I was hoping to be only a half hour max. And if they come here first, good. I can get out a warning and keep them here while others move Arion or bolster defenses." She looks to Porter after his offer, opening her mouth in preparation to accept, but then she hesitates, then closes her mouth. From the outside, it just appears like a slow processing pause. Her chin lifts up to look past Porter to study Chen. "No, thank you, Porter. I should probably just head back to Starguard now. I've lost enough time here."

Chen shakes her head. "Starguard is going to be secure. They're held off alien invasions by the score. Paragon, you need to eat, get freshened up. It won't take long if Porter and I help.

"Yeah," Porter nods with Chen. "Get cleaned up and whatnot. I can make you something to eat." He's not as good a cook as she, but it's probably difficult to whip up food while freshening up. Then you might end up with fresh food and whipping yourself. He turns from her to head for the kitchen. "What are you hungry for?" he calls back.

Chen grins, "I'll take care of the washing. I think your washing machine is beeping for attention." she says and heads to the basement to deal with that.

Chen gets to the door she thought led to the basement, pulls it open and finds a understairs closet. "Nope. Let's follow the beeping." she says. Targeting hearing is useful for more than punching people it seems, as she tracks down the errant washing machine.

Paragon rubs the back of her head as she looks at her friends offering to help. "Alright, I guess it will hurry things along so I can get back." It doesn't much matter, as they've already sprung into action before she could accept or decline the offer. She smiles to herself as she looks back and forth to the two of them. "Thanks. And whatever you feel like making, Porter. I'm not picky. Use whatever you want."

Paragon doesn't walk off immediately. She looks around curiously, as if expecting to find someone else, but she doesn't see Ghost Dog. Maybe he snuck out again. She shrugs to herself and turns to head upstairs, closing the door to her bedroom behind her.

Chen calls to Porter, "While you're making food, any chance of a bacon roll? I'm famished." She's taking the cleaned clothes from the washing machine and transferring them to the hot air dryer.

The clothes Chen transfers are a pair of rather nice men's suit pants, a nice suit jacket, and a white dress shirt. The midnight blue of the suit and pants have bled into the white shirt, and they were clearly supposed to be dry-cleaned. But, for whatever reason they were put in a washing machine.

Porter hmms. What to make, what to make. "What's that? Bacon? Sure!" Hey, that solves his dilemma. It's never too late, or too early, for bacon. So he grabs out a skillet, the bacon, and ... why not eggs, too, since he's going that route? Breakfast for dinner it is. He gets to frying.

Chen shakes her head. "Oh, dear, Paragon. You must be more tired that I thought." She separates the suit and pants and then puts the not so white shirt back into the washing machine, setting it for hot temperature and extra wash cycle in the hope she can salvage it.

While Chen deals with laundry, Porter works on food in the kitchen. He's frying bacon and then eggs. After that, probably some toast. All hearty, tasty, and simple. Odds are even in his favor that he won't cause a grease fire in someone else's kitchen tonight.

Sounds of the shower running upstairs shut off. Shortly afterwards, Paragon finally emerges from her bedroom in armor, feeling refreshed and woken up by the chance to shower and change into a black bodysuit with combat boots. She may as well dress the part of the hero underneath the armor. Given the current crisis, it may be a while before she can go back to a normal life, so there's no need to ruin her plain clothes. Beneath the helm, her hair is merely towel dried and pulled back into a ponytail. Her footsteps can be heard along the upstairs landing and heading down the stairs.

The waves are big tonight, a summer swell seems to have rolled in, the waves have been breaking at least 10 ft. over but mushy. the crashing of waves can be heard clearly even from the road and in the homes. The sound of the ocean seems louder and nearer in the last 20 minutes.

The moon is at half mast its pall glow only barely giving any light...shadows seem deeper with the light, not diminished, and when looking at the ocean some whitewash is seen, but the salty air forms something of a haze near shore obscuring the view almost completely

Porter is just plating the eggs when he hears the footsteps... and then the toaster pops up. "Perfect timing," he chuckles and grabs the toast. It goes on the plate, a fork is added, and he holds it out for the Para he expects to come around the corner.

Paragon follows the scent of bacon and cooking back into the kitchen, stopping by the doorway and leaning against the frame and crossing her ankles. It leaves her out of the kitchen and gives Porter full range on the kitchen itself. "Thanks again for taking care of the cooking," she says as she smiles behind the faceplate, folding her arms over her chest. Aside from the sizzling and cooking noises in the kitchen, most of the house seems quiet, save for the sound of the waves. She glances around the hallway towards the living room and back the way she came, as though expecting someone to pop out at some point. She can't shake the feeling that Ghost Dog may still be lurking around, as is his tendency.

Paragon finally looks back to Porter once she's checked the coast is clear, accepting the plate from her friend. "Mmmm. Looks good," she comments kindly, still sounded guarded in a way.

A loud crash is heard from the direction of the ocean, more a boom like muffled dynamite...

Paragon hears Porter's voice inside her head: << Something wrong? You Ok- What was that?! >>

Porter quirks a brow at her glancing, then quirks a brow at Para's tone in unspoken question. It's good he doesn't have the plate anymore, though, as he jumps with the sudden boom. Muffled or not.

Paragon's eyes flicker and she walks over to the living room while carrying her plate. The waves aren't usually -that- loud. As she passes the coffee table, she leans down and sets her plate down, but doesn't slow her stride. It's not until she's at the glass double doors leading to the beach that she stops and looks outside.

Telepathic message to Porter from Paragon: << Ghost Dog was here earlier just before you arrived, then disappeared. >>

Whales at play? Even through the haze the shape of a large creature..as big as a whale seems to jump into the air and land on its side, like a breaching whale...except the shape is wrong...

BOOM....it's heard again as another creature does the same while Paragon watches.

"Hmmm...surf's up kind of high tonight," Paragon comments curiously. "I don't think I saw anything about summer storms for to...night...?" Paragon's eyes shift in hue to a bright green as her nightvision mode engages. "What the heck was -that-?" she breathes quietly as she watches. She unlocks the latch and opens the double doors, stepping outside. "Something's going on," she mutters, now finally alert.

The sounds of neighbors shouting and vehicles speeding away are heard throughout the neighborhood...

Paragon hears Porter's voice inside her head: << "What?! He better have left when he saw me. I told him to stay the hell away... and of course something's happening. I stopped by." The flash of anger is strong at the beginning. >>

Porter sighs and nods. "Yeah, that sounds like... something alright." At least he got the plate in her hand. For a few seconds. "C'mon. We better go see what's up." Weird things happening in Porter's vicinity? It's almost expected. Heck, more than almost. He wipes his hands off on the kitchen towel and heads for the door.

Telepathic message to Porter from Paragon: << There's something big out there. Some sort of creature in the water. >>

Ghost Dog falls from the kitchen ceiling and lands in a slight crouch on the tile floor. The spectral warrior flexes his bare toes as he stares through the door after Porter, then straightens and pads silently after him. His long black hair is currently free of the typical warrior's knot and hangs loose down his back, while his typical clothes have been replaced by a black muscle shirt and a pair of baggy black sweat pants. It might be a comical mall-ninja look if not for the fact he can kill people with his bare hands.

Paragon looks to her neighbors as they start to shout and flee. "The neighbors are evacuating. I think we're skipping dinner," Paragon says in her serious, crisis-mode voice, her gaze going back to the surf as she tries to scan the waters for the large creature. With her nightvision, she can see more clearly into the darkness.

Suddenly the two creatures, as one seem to rise from the waves, their forms sinuous, their eyes glowing in the salty mist, above them floats a figure which glows faintly. it is a female form, slim of build. she seems to come forward and with her comes the ocean...

Telepathic message to Porter from Paragon: << Paragon seems a bit surprised by the strong anger she's reading off of Porter. But she is calm and focused right now as she scans the waters. "You may have scared him off. It's alright. I had...well, not quite a productive talk with him, but at least we didn't fight." >>

"And you just got the place all nice and fixed up. Mostly..." Porter hopes the neighbors evacuation is just precautionary. Because a whale-belly-flop-induced rogue wave probably isn't covered on Paragon's insurance. He stops an looks out the glass doors with her. "Oh, is that... wait, that's not Himi-lava, is it..."

Paragon hears Porter's voice inside her head: << Good. That he left. And he was smart enough not to pick another fight. And can I yell 'It's water!' now? >>

"Too skinny." Ghost Dog states calmly as he steps past Porter. The spectral warrior doesn't even slow as he weaves his way through the open doors, around Paragon, and hunches briefly into a crouch. From there his springs straight up and back, landing lightly on the peak of the roof. His attention drifts slowly from the sea monsters to the woman floating above them. He seems, unimpressed.

Paragon's eyes expand in diameter as her hands curls into fists. "I can't make out who it is. I'm not sure if it's Himinglaeva," she comments to Porter, looking down at him for a moment. Her head shoots back up to the female figure guiding the ocean to them. Suddenly she senses a remnant of Regent. "Porter, you can say it now. It's definitely water. I think you should make sure the neighbors are safe. Maybe I can lure her away to Windswept Point and away from civilians." She's already starting to step away from her friend in the direction of the empty, undeveloped parts of the beach beyond her house to the south.

Telepathic message to Porter from Paragon: << I feel it. It's her. You can yell it. >>

"I thought you left..." Porter blinks as Ghost Dog walks past. And he doesn't sound happy about it. But now isn't the time. "I'm sure he can scare away the neighbors." He waves a hand at the passing Ghost Dog. "I'm not letting you run off by yourself."

Paragon hears Porter's voice inside her head: << No need to yell, now. And I know you're worried about everybody... but I can't believe you just asked me to do that. >>

Inside, Chen is unaware of the chaos outside due to the noise of the washing machine in the laundry room, which is set pretty far from the rear doors and has no windows itself. When she finally comes out to the kitchen to find it empty, the heads to the others to see them gathered and staring at the sea.

Telepathic message to Porter from Paragon: << I know you'd come help once innocents were safe. Okay...stay with me. >>

Paragon looks to Chen as she steps outside, pausing her stride. "Chen, please, go make sure the nearby neighbors are fully evacuated!" Chen nods and sprints off to the North to check that the houses are empty.

The mist seems to disappate with the wave of a hand, and the woman who floats between the two beasts can be clearly seen now by paragon and her night vision, the others may have difficulty seeing that far..

To Paragon, the woman can clearly be seen to be an heir of the Regent. Dark hair, high arched eyebrows, a lithe figure, beautiful features, gray eyes. She could be Arion's sister..and in fact, she basically is.

The two beasts are known as Naga, although these Naga seem different from any you may have read about, their bodies are thick and covered with large plates, their heads are armored with a helmet like carapace that covers all except for its glowing green eyes and large teeth filled maws. You cannot see how long their bodies are, but given their visible mass the rest of them must be extremely long.

Paragon looks to Porter, then Ghost Dog, then to the neighboring houses. She's conflicted. She looks to the woman and says to Porter, even with her eyes locked on Water. "We can end this. Tonight," she growls slightly. Justice for all the lives lost. The pain endured.

Paragon hears Porter's voice inside her head: << They're important. You're more. So what's the plan? Take you somewhere else? Draw them away? >>

Ghost Dog continues to perch silently on the edge of the roof, watching impassively as the mist clears and yet another beautiful woman makes her pretty face a target. Slowly he sinks into a squat, forearms braced on his knees, and watches the ocean roll toward Paragon's house. He doesn't seem concerned that the woman approaching is floating, and glowing, and controlling the ocean. He also seems not to care that the two giant beasts with her are armored plated.

Ghost Dog just looks tired of it all.

"How badly do you want to die?" Asks the spectral warrior to no one in particular, his voice drifting softly down toward those below.

Telepathic message to Porter from Paragon: << Draw them away from civilians and hopefully give the other heroes time to come. She came right to us. She knew to come here. Arion isn't safe if we don't stop her here. >>

In a lilting voice, the woman speaks, she is less than 25m away, the waves still crashing in ahead of her only 10m from the house... "Where is the Child of Air?" her question seems to be as if asking where are the flowers I sent you? Her tone is soft, yet reaches the home above the sound of crashing waves. "Does he hide like the Child of Shadows? There are none that shall escape and abscond with my destiny..."

Below the bay of Chesapeake, Himinglaeva was simply settling back into the crashed ship when she felt... things... get unusual up above. The sea, her friend and ally... was churning up above. Someone was... altering things. It's just... wrong, the way it is being forced to do so. She surges upward then... rising from the depths... not very deep. I mean the average depth of the bay is only 21 feet. Anyhow, she just... surfaces with only her hair and eyes breaking the water... and she raises a brow as she realizes that even above the surface... she can -feel- things up above right now the way she can feel them in the water. When she feels the presence of the creatures, her eyes narrow.

The sea... as she is wont to say... is not happy. And so she melds up out of the surf... exerting control to draw the waves back from the house. "The sea is.. unimpressed Roman." she remarks in ironically enough... accented English. "You truly should choose your targets better. This place is under the protection of the house of Aegir. You will depart, or suffer for your temerity."

Paragon hears Porter's voice inside her head: << Then that's exactly what we'll do. >>

Porter just nods, now that Water woman and her pet sea monsters come into clear view. When the moonlight reflects off a car whose driver panics and stops. A driver who really loves waxing his car. He looks at the sea-o trio and calls out. "Can't you people just flip a coin or something? He's not here, so go back to your pool." Oh, and there's Himing-lava! Porter just guessed a little early. And one water lady looks a whole lot like another in the dark.

"Paragon, bring Porter onto the roof." Ghost Dog says calmly, his quiet voice almost swallowed up by the sound of waves being sucked back into the sea.

The spectral warrior then falls silent, light reflecting off of his eyes and making them gleam red, like that of a cat or other creature. For the moment he seems content to crouch atop the roof himself, waiting.

Water-Heir turns to look at Himinglaeva "I seek to create a new age of aquarius for the Plane of water, Why do you seek to take my heritage from me?" She then flicks her wrist..

"I have no intention of dying, Ghost Dog," Paragon responds without taking her eyes off of Water. But Porter had said he wouldn't let her go off alone. It may be too late to lead her far away. She just has to hope Chen was able to get the neighbors away to safety if anyone got left behind. Her eyes narrow angrily, and the helm reflects it as the lit eyes projected outwards become thin lines as Water speaks. At Ghost Dog's suggestion, she snakes an arm around Porter's waist and hops up on the roof, placing him down gently before turning to face Water. "You won't get by us. I'm afraid you'll just have to make due with your life as you are," she taunts confidently as she draws up her fists.

Telepathic message to Porter from Paragon: << Paragon actually feels somewhat...relieved. Finally being able to face her opponent head on instead of having them work from the shadows. Part of her really did consider running off alone to protect the lives of others, hoping to draw Water away and buy people time. But now, she's planning on standing her ground and fighting this to its end. "I don't want her to get away. I want her to stay here and face us!" >>

Paragon hears Porter's voice inside her head: << He can't grab her hand or shoulder for a reassuring squeeze, and he isn't about to expect her to drop the armor. So he offers a mental hug of happy thoughts: solidarity, encouragement, and assurance. "She won't. We won't let her. Like you said, this ends now. That way we can get to those burgers at the beach." >>

Water-Heir

A beautiful woman, looks to be in her late teens, or perhaps early 20s. She is an immortal, so she is likely much older than that, Her dark hair floats around her head as if she is in water, but is long, perhaps to the middle of her back if it ever actually fell there. Her features are fine, with high arching brows, and high cheekbones, gray eyes, and and a long slim neck lead to a lithe body, covered in a golden scaled armor that follows her form, somehow making her seem more feminine than less. Her legs are long, and are in the same scaled armor, but to some, she might seem to be considered fair of ankle. (2d6striking appearance exotically beautiful.)

Telepathic message to Porter from Paragon: << She returns the mental hug. "Together, we're unstoppable, and we have help. You're right. Soon...soon Arion will be safe, and we can finally relax and have that party I've been promising." The possibility of losing is far from Paragon's mind right now. There's just duty and the need to do what needs to be done. >>

Telepathic message to Porter from Paragon: << Let's learn from our fights with Event Horizon. Focus on her instead of her pets. If we can knock her out, maybe the others will retreat. >>

Water-Heir cocks her head to the side, and says, "Who are you?..." then she smiles a beautiful and evil smile, "Ah..you are a Regent...but, not like us.." the waves recede a bit, and she looks at Himinglaeva, "Aegir has no jurisdiction over me!" and she motions, a large wave hits the house...

Paragon hears Porter's voice inside her head: << Got it... but maybe the pets can distract each other for us. So we can worry about her. >>

Telepathic message to Porter from Paragon: << If only they'd turn on her. We can't be -that- lucky though, can we? >>

The wave rolls through the house, but only the windows break in, the walls withstand the damage for now...but breakfast is definitely ruined..

Hands held up to try to restrain the water, Himinglaeva narrows her eyes as she looks to the Naga. "Your power is not your own, is it?" And she struggles... not sweating so much as... trembling before the water breaks from her control and surges forward. "You have no place here Roman. As I said, Aegir protects these mortals...."

Water-Heir laughs a beautiful lilting laugh, "You are but a child with only an inkling of what power is. Water? is that what you have? Perhaps you should try a taste of other elements. Perhaps you would be less quick to judge."

Water-Heir seems to pull something up, and this time the sand rises and pummels the home "I shall bring the home down on the head of the Air-child!"

The home..after all of the abuse Paragon and her friends have put it through starts to collapse...

As the house starts to collapse out from under them, Ghost Dog leans back, almost casually, and hooks his hand through the back of Porter's pants. Dragging the smaller man in close he stands from his crouch and takes one step to the side. Abruptly the roof slants and the section of wall they are standing on breaks free. Rather than crumbling inward, the flat section slides down a ramp of rubble, not unlike a snow board, as the spectral warrior steadies his lucky victim by the grip on the back of his pants.

The board of roofing thunks end-first into the sand, Ghost dog steps calmly off of it, and the rest of the house crumbles behind him. Calmly he removes his steadying hand from Porter's rear.

Did he just grope Porter to safety?

Paragon braces as the wave hits the building, a misty ocean spray coating her armor. The building shudders from the earthwave attack from the Water Heir. The poor house, already damaged structurally from Arion's powers, and Porter's teleport mishap that took out part of the second floor landing, begins to collapse and gave inwards. With Paragon's weighty armor, she seems about to shout out a challenge to the Water Heir when the part of the roof she's standing on gives way and she falls down below with a surprised sound. She goes right through the second floor to the bottom floor, landing on her back. Parts of the wall, ceiling and upstairs raining on top of her and bury her from sight. Darkness encloses her for a moment, and she's vaguely certain she's probably laying in about a foot or so of ocean water that's filtered into the house and through the rubble from the first wave strike.

Chen runs back through the water, "You bitch!" she spits at the Water-Heir. Then she gets close enough, and her arms stretch out to grab Paragon and pull her up out from under that part of the collapsed house that was on top of her. "Paragon, meet target. Target, meet Paragon!" she shouts, and lifts Paragon up in her elongated arms to a convenient punching distance from the hovering Water-Heir.

Porter was about to slide off the roof... though the collapsing wall did just happen to leave a pile of fluffy insulation just below. But no! Instead he gets lifted up to be surfer-parkoured down to the ground. With one hell of a wedgie. It's high school all over again. At least the water that the heir doused him with wasn't out of a toilet bowl.

Shaking her head in almost sorrowful disapproval, Himinglaeva says sadly, "The sea provides for those who befriend it. Those like you, who -demand- more and more power... are consumed by it. I am content with being one with the sea. Your creatures there... they are feeding you power, aren't they? How will you continue when I have crushed the life from them?" Yep, she's trying to make a nuisance of herself.

"There are creatures in the shadows. Watch your back." Ghost Dog advises Porter, their moment of male bonding over.

The spectral warrior's eyes shift, taking in the leftmost (his left, the Water-heir's right) Naga. There is a moment in which he just stares at the thing, then, abruptly, he is moving. Sand sprays up behind him from his bare feet as he goes from 0 to really fast in no time at all. His arms and legs pump and he runs toward the left Naga in an arc that will take him away from it, then circle him back in.

Once Ghost Dog is right on top of the beast he swings a hard left hook, attempting to smash his fist into the side of the big snake's jaw as he skids past it to a halt within easy crushing distance.

The Naga takes a hit, and actually falls to its side, into the water, but it doesn't seem hurt so much as annoyed and angry...

The Naga GD hit thrashes its way back to a striking position, It was going to go after Himinglaeva, but has a new target, and he's angry...

The other Naga turns towards Himinglaeva, clearly understanding that he was threatened by her, and he did not take well to that...

The Naga attempts to ram a hole in Himinglaeva, but misses completely...perhaps anger clouding its vision....

Weaving as if she were simply another wave, Himinglaeva easily evades the creature, "You are too greedy to value -quality- in your minions..." she says towards the Heiress.

And then.. she just drops below the surface... racing forward and emerging basically opposite the heiress from Paragon. "Truly, you are blinded by your own stupidity." she says.

Porter will have to worry about his wedgie later. First, he's more worried about Paragon... until she comes sproinging out on -Hey! It's Chen! Good. Now he can focus his worry back on the heiry lady and her pet monsters. Are they really just forced servants like Himinglaeva mentioned? Maybe that one decides he doesn't like that? Maybe it's just trying to snap at Himinglaeva or Ghost Dog and has bad aim? Maybe it thinks Himinglaeva would make a better watery queen? Maybe it's just sick of being Naga #2 and wants top billing?

Paragon wondered if they could be so lucky. Maybe they can.

Paragon remains held by Chen just in front of the Water Heir, smirking behind her faceplate as she brushes off some debris from her left shoulder. In her defiant heroic voice, she finally answers the Water Heir's question. "You asked who I am? I am Paragon of the Guardians, and I plan to make sure you never forget the name, or the lives you've destroyed. You'll never get to the Child of Air as long as we still stand!" Her voice rises in a challenge as she draws back her right fist, her knuckles cracking from how hard her hand is clenched.

"If you surrender to face the justice of your peers, we can end this and no further harm will come to you," she offers formally. Despite all the death and pain caused by or for the Water Heir, Paragon still offers her the chance to surrender once the would-be heir's had enough. There must always be an offer for mercy extended for those who would ask for it. But for now, she intends to try and make the Water Heir reconsider all that she's done to get this far in the name of 'destiny'.

Water-Heir watches the heavily armored guardian strike, but it is as if it is moving in slow motion, she languidly moves her head to one side, careful to avoid the large armored fist that misses by a less than narrow margin, "Surrender? To you rabble? You are slow like a sea urchin, and only slightly less attractive. The Air-child shall be mine...or at least his life shall. I suggest you think twice about your commitment to this. You are given a morsel of the soul of the Regent, and you think yourself worthy of making threats to me?" she laughs at Paragon..

Shaking her head, Himinglaeva just... sighs, "You really should focus. You are missing your true target." she remarks as she turns and points at one of the Naga. Well, she's not really -looking- so much as just pointing. Water sluices from her hand and rushes towards the beast...

The Naga is taken off balance again, its large upper body crashes into the water again, despite the attack, it still seems largely unphased, its slow, its big, but its heavily armored.

And angrier still...

Water-Heir shakes her head, "I think you miss the point Child of Aegir...let me show you whom you should fear." a gout of flame erupts from her hand...

With the fire whooshing her way, Himinglaeva just shrugs her shoulders. "Fear? You miss the point 'child'... I am not afraid to die. I am of a sea goddess of the Northmen..." And the fire washes over her... leaving her... steaming. She grins a bit as she flops back into the water, heating it up around her. "As the locals have said, now I am steamed."

Chen holds Paragon in place, holding her action to try and coordinate with her best buddy.

Paragon hears Porter's voice inside her head: << Porter shares a thought that causes fear in the hearts of... everyone. "I've got an idea. Get ready to punch her again. Hard. I know you want to anyways. I'll let you know when!" >>

Ghost Dog stands waste-deep in the ocean, waves breaking over the giant snake monster looming before him and crashing down to either side. He has already squared off with it after knocking the big thing flat, and now he stares up at it with tired, feline eyes. It isn't the look of a man about to fight for his life. it's the look of something much older about to remove a tiresome obstacle. The look manages to convey, 'I'm about to kill you' with much more certainty than a glare ever could.

Abruptly a column of water smashes into the Naga and it is sent crashing into the water. This, doesn't seem to phase GD at all. The ghost simply slogs forward after it, shouldering his way through a wave.

Once he reaches the monster, Ghost Dog steps up to It's head and rears up, right fist held above him, then throws himself down to a knee and brings his fist arcing down with all his strength. The blow is aimed for the other side of the scaly monster's jaw from his previous strike, attempting to dislocate the damned thing and or drive the monster's head into the center of the Earth.

Telepathic message to Porter from Paragon: << Alright. I'm ready for it. Give me the signal when it's time. >>

The Naga is knocked out, its serpentine eyes roll back into its head but instead of it remaining there, it disappaits, the magic holding it to this plane broken..

Simply... righting herself effortlessly, Himinglaeva shakes her head. "You really should mind your surroundings." she remarks. "You are losing augmenting minions... child of the Romans." That said, she drops into the water, re-emerging near the other Naga, facing towards the Heiress. Again, water surges around her, slamming towards the thing.

And.. the Naga is launched. At an upward angle... whoosh. Water trails after it and Himinglaeva is left feeling satisfied as it aims towards the flying Heiress... but, it doesn't make it high enough... and arcs back to splash into the water. Likely closer to the Revenant sort named Ghost Dog.

Chen keeps Paragon up and positioned in front of the Water-heir. Third and fourth arms grow out from her flanks, extending out and curling around to behind the hovering Water-heir. Morphing into Stinger mode, thickening her nerves for faster reactions Chen punches with a martial styled blow at the rear of the black-heart aiming to knock her into Paragon's grip.

The blow from behind is more a nuisance than an injury, but it has her headed into paragon...

Chen slams a fist into the middle of the Water-heir's back and sends her hurling through the air to impact against Paragon.

Water-Heir looks behind her as the impact hits her, sending her careening into Paragons armored chest, her face smooshed...

Watching Chen do that, Himinglaeva murmurs in old Norse, "I did advise her to mind her surroundings..."

The Naga does not care to even try to get up after being thrown through the air with the greatest of ease, and instead opts to whip its tail at the one who seems hell bent on actually killing it, and is also conveniently slowed by the water.

Porter is watching the Heir for any opportunity. And when Chen smacks her from behind... he could kiss her. Maybe the impact knocks her scaled armor off-kilter. Maybe it plants her fine cheekbones right in the perfect spot for Para's armored fist. Maybe her greaves are knocked loose exposing those delicate ankles. In any case, as soon as he spots something, he's pointing it out to Paragon, yelling in her head.

Yes, the world is doomed. Porter actually came up with a plan.

Paragon hears Porter's voice inside her head: << Right there! Now! Now! >>

Paragon looks down at the Heir as her face slams against her chestplate, grinning a little to herself at the opportunity provided by Chen. Porter transmits a signal to her network as the plan falls into place. She just has to manage to get ahold of the slippery heiress. She tries to welcome the heir with open arms, which are poised to clamp down on her in a restraining, vice-like hug.

The Water heiress is indeed slippery. Before Paragon's arms can close about her, she slides down and away from her. Paragon's arms close on thin air.

Telepathic message to Porter from Paragon: << She's fast! Damn! >>

Paragon hears Porter's voice inside her head: << He's disappointed, but the Heiress is still there. "We'll get her!" >>

Ariel does not like this. Too many annoyances, especially the slow fat one with the Regent smell on her. I thought he was here, but I shall find him." Come Flotsom, we will rejoin Jetsam!" then she flicks her wrist again, "Your target is not here..." she says aloud, and the Shadows that were all but forgotten gibber and rejoin the natural shadows whence they came.

Ariel smiles sweetly, "Don't worry, we will meet again I am sure..." she says and a bubble of darkness surrounds her and Flotsom before they wink out of existance, the ocean immediately recedes back to its normal boundaries, the surface placid...

Chen lowers Paragon to the ground and offers a hug, "Your poor house... I'll help you rebuild it." she tells Paragon.

When the heiress retreats, Himinglaeva shakes her head. "She chose the wise option of departing." she remarks as she flows forward, the surf carrying her aloft effortlessly. She eyes Ghost Dog and inclines her head. "You are familiar.... to a degree." she adds, "But, for those who wish to pursue... my father has told me that he can send us to -her- home. We simply need you to travel with me, to my home first."

"NO! Damnit!" Porter didn't want her to choose wisely. He wanted her to choose poorly, get the brine beat out of her. He'd even root for Ghost Dog if he did that. End this. Stop this. The waiting, the worrying, the wondering.

Paragon almost growls out as Ariel vanishes. She almost had her and she missed. It takes a moment for her to control emotions over her failure with her end of the plan. She stands immobile with her fists clenched at her sides, even as she's hugged. The loss of the house hasn't even registered until Chen says something about the ruined and water damaged building behind her. It had lasted admirably considering what it had gone through, but at least now it's been put out of its misery. Once her emotions are controlled, she says in a calm, disappointed voice, "The house doesn't matter. She got away..."

Nothing left to hurt. A short time after the Heir vanishes, Ghost Dog's black-clad figure comes slogging out of the ocean, his clothes and hair bogged down with salty water. Without a word he pads barefoot across the sand to join the assembling hero's, water draining from his nostrils to patter across his chest. His only response to Himinglaeva noticing him is a sidelong glance in her direction, dark brown cat's eyes solemn.

Paragon hears Porter's voice inside her head: << But we're going to HER. She can't escape from that. You kept people safe. You kept Arion safe. Don't forget that. >>

Telepathic message to Porter from Paragon: << Thanks. I'll keep that in mind. I'm sorry I failed. We need to get back to Arion. >>

Chen smiles, "No, Paragon. She -ran- away. Just think what that has done to her confidence. What second thoughts must be springing up among those who are backing her."

Paragon's hands finally unclench as she tears her gaze from where Ariel was and looks down at Chen. She finally smiles, softly, as she gets encouragement from her little sister, and some mental encouragement from Porter. "You're right. We'll get her next time. And thanks to Himinglaeva, we have a choice to take the fight to her so she can't just run away again."

Porter regains his composure and nods to Para, echoing Chen's smile. "And she won't be able to run away the next time." He turns the smile to Himinglaeva. "Thanks to you."

Telepathic message to Porter from Paragon: << I'm sorry that I tried to send you away and lead Water elsewhere. >>

"Thanks to Aegir, the god of the sea. I am his messenger and the transportation to his realm. Those of you who are prepared to visit Asgard... take some time and make ready. This be a battle that all may not return from. I suggest a day to... make peace just in case. And then we shall go to find victory or glorious death." says Himinglaeva. "I will be waiting here...." she says, gesturing out into the bay.

Ghost Dog pads right past the huddle of heroes without comment. His dark eyes fixed on the collapsed pile of rubble that used to be Paragons' house, the spectral warrior crunches some broken glass underfoot as he walks up to a section of tilted roof. Hammering his fist through, he tears open a hole big enough to walk through without stooping and vanishes into the wreckage. He has a safe to find.

Paragon looks over to Himinglaeva solemnly. "Hm. Make final arrangements? I'll have to make sure there's a guard team to protect Arion should we fall." That's all on her mind as far as final arrangements needed.

Chen nods to Himinglaeva. "I'll want to speak to my grandfather. After that I'll be ready. Paragon, when do you want me back by?"

Telepathic message to Porter from Paragon: << There's a flash of guilt and worry as Paragon hears Himinglaeva's talk of making peace, aimed at Porter and those he'd leave behind. "If you still want, it's not too late to back out." >>

"I'll be here." Porter lets Himinglaeva know before heading to Paragon and Chen. He knows Para's in good (and stretchy) hands, but he'll help anyhow. With fishing things out of the house, offering up his place for temporary again, or whatever he can do.

Paragon hears Porter's voice inside her head: << I'm here now. I'll be there then. I'm not leaving you. >>

Nodding, Himinglaeva turns and simply flows out to sea. To her shipwreck she uses as a bed....

Paragon looks over Chen and Porter, her eyes dimming as she worries about her friends. "I won't feel bad if you choose to stay behind," she offers a way out, trying to reassure them that there will be no hard feelings if they don't want to come. But then she gets Porter's answer mentally already.

Chen thinks a little more, "I think it would be a good idea if I visited the Golden Dragon Tea Room too. I'll be back as soon as I can."

Chen smiles, "Let you go on your own? Not a chance, Paragon."

Paragon smiles warmly at Chen's encouragement. But she is really hard to kill, so she's not -as- worried about her as she is about those without the ability to survive death. "Go ahead and take care of what you need to. We'll gather again soon."