Log:A World in Despair

Hope Must Die 2015/05/15 Grimm Porter 9

It has been a long number of days wearing Paragon's skin. A number of crimes have been stopped in some very un-paragonish ways, but still, they were stopped. Yet, the desire for Despair to be drawn out remains a pipedream, because there has been no sign of him...its around 8pm, and its been dark for less than a full hour...

Third, or rather, Porter as Third, seems to have managed to draw EVERY OTHER person/place/thing in the world to h..er these last few days EXCEPT Despair. Eighth tried to disassemble her. Again. Kittens are lost or stuck in trees in record numbers. A long, suspicious, police questioning about... Porter can't even remember.

On the bright side? Third now has several new outfits, a few new fans, and about twenty new phone numbers from flirting men... and a few women.

For the luckiest man alive, there has been no luck, and he idea that he is the unluckiest man alive can come to mind. In the sky, a meteor storm can be seen overhead, there was some mention of it for the last couple of days on the news that a spectacular one would be seen tonight..

Porter's always had luck. It's just which type it decides to be at any given time. And, really, it's just easier to call it luck, and save a few words. The sight of the falling stars/meteor shower overhead draws Pseudo-Third's eyes upwards. And provokes a sigh. "Well, it is pretty..." A storm of rocks, some hundreds of tons in mass, hurtling at the earth at ridiculous velocities. Hopefully to evaporate to nothing before impacting with the force of fusion detonations.

Yep. Pretty.

As he watches, a few in particular have been coming, with extraordinary effect, into the atmosphere, none of them significantly, or dangerously close to the earths surface...well, except for maybe one. Of course that one is headed right at Colonial Bay..wait, not just colonial bay, but the area Porter is currently in..well, to be exact..right at Porter. Of course.

Of course. It doesn't take a supercomputer to calculate that the odds of one meteorite having the proper mass, trajectory, and speed to survive, reach the surface, and show up near Porter are roughly 1:1. Third's brows quirk up as one seems to glow brighter, and there's no streak behind it. And seems to be getting bigger. Quickly. Then brows lower.

"Crap." She takes two steps backwards. Just in case. And looks around for other people who could get hurt. "Watch out!"

The people who walk the sidewalks look at Third then see what she is talking about, and as usual around Porter, chaos reigns..people start to scream and run. As the meteorite streaks at Porter..the flaming stone is definitely loosing mass as it continues to streak right at Porter..

People running around screaming isn't a new thing. Especially when they're running away from Porter. Even when they don't know he's Porter.

But, anyway, there's still the flaming falling rock heading his.. er, her way. So she does what any selfless hero would do. With people running away and hopefully safe, she ducks.

The sound of the meteorite is heard well before it makes impact..the sonic booms break windows as it approaches, and by the time it reaches Porter, it is the size of a pebble..moving at about mach 9..

Ducking is heroic, right? But there are also others around, and they are important. Because chaos and running around may not put them far enough away. With Porter's luck, they're run right into something, instead. So Porter tries to tweak fate just a smidge, help balance out the absurd odds that brought this (which is his/her fault, of course). All he really wants is no one to get hurt. That's all he's ever wanted. And so, just before impact (he hopes), there's a field of warped probability. Different from the usual warping, this is intentional and guided. To protect.

You know how you hear about people being hit by something so hard it disintegrates them? Well...To everyone around Porter/Third, So it certainly seems that way..Have you also heard about those comments about being hit into next week, or being hit into the next dimension? Well with Porter's luck..it seems that both things have sort of happened. The meteorite streaks right into Porter's doohickey. The downside? Its probably better names a doodoohickey because it just went to crap, the upside? Porter is alive..and sort of well, he's not disintegrated, and he's doesn't have a hole in his body..

Hey, after overcoming the improbability of everything else, the chance of the hypersonic space marble ricocheting off of a couple of buttons in a particular sequence... is probably really simple.

Thorter blinks slowly after... that. And sits up, looking around to see... a completely empty street. "Wow. How long was I out?" He's not a rocket scientist, but he's pretty sure the meteorite didn't evaporate everyone and leave everything else fine.

"Hello?! Uh... I think it's safe now..." She gets to her feet, and brushes off her brand new designer skinny jeans.

There is no sound. There are lights on in the buildings where people are living..but no answers. Definitely no one on the streets.

No answer. Ok, that's ...weird. And weird enough to actually make Porter-as-Third concerned. "Hello?" Because repeating yourself always makes things different. Like talking louder when someone can't understand you. She walks further up the street, looking for a recognizable, public place. A mall, a store, a coffee shop, something.

Everything is where it is supposed to be. Its very familiar, except for the lack of any human presence out in public places. The stores though seem strange, the fashions different, drab. The coffee shops are all closed, everything is closed, and the colors of everything seem muted.

"What the..." No coffee? Drab? No people? No coffee? This is terrible! Third's confused look get more pronounced, and even turns into a frown. A confused frown. "Where is everybody? What happened? Where am I?" Or maybe when? It's all really, well, weird. Of course. So she keeps walking.

No answers, it is obvious that there are signs of life, tv's are on, although no sound, just the flickering of light from inside some rooms in buildings that are around. People walking around can be noted as shadows pass over closed and shuttered windows. A dog barks from somewhere nearby only to be silenced after a high pitched yelp..

Thorter. That sounds so much better than Pord. So we can go with that. Pseudo-Third continues to look around the bleak landscape. "Hello?! What's going on?" She can see that there's others inside. And there's the dog. Then the yelp. That doesn't make things any less ...weird. "Who's there?"

Open windows close..then there is silence. There is suddenly a flood of lights, from above, a silent running air ship descends, it is about the size of a car, but it is outfitted with obvioius weaponry. The technology is pretty techy as it seems to run of of some kind of inobvious means of flight. 8 drones fly off the outside of the vehicle, each armed and each with its own blinding light, they circle Thorter, and from the vehicle, there is a voice that says, "HELLO CITIZEN! YOU ARE REQUIRED TO FOLLOW CURFEW. RETURN TO YOUR HOME OR YOU SHALL BE ARRESTED"

'Third' blinks, looks up. "Um... sorry... Yes, I'll head home. I didn't realize... it was curfew time..." Which isn't an exagerration. So she turns to get her bearings and starts heading for Third's place. Because she's Third. Honest.

"CITIZEN! HALT! DNA TESTING SHALL BE CONDUCTED DUE TO ABBERANT BEHAVIOR." the vehicle blares out..

Ok. Now Third halts. "Ok..." Didn't it just tell her to go home?! Make up your mind! She turns back around to face the demanding piece of electronics. Ok, that explains it. Electronics hate him...er, her.

The vehicle Blares out "SUBJECT IDENTIFIED: SUBJECT DECEASED INVALID RETURN. SUBJECT IS TO BE DETAINED FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION." The drones drop down to Thorter's level and surround him "YOU WILL BE DETAINED"

Third blinks. "I'm dead?" Wait. "Of course I am. Sort of." She is! Right? Everyone keeps saying that. "

Third blinks. "I'm dead?" Wait. "Of course I am. Sort of." She is! Right? Everyone keeps saying that. "Why am I being detained? By who?"

"INVALID RETURN: COMPLY OR FACE LITIGATION" say the drones in unison.

"Ok...." Third is confused, and thought she was complying. Wait. Litigation? What kind of a threat is that? Stop or I'll sue! doesn't sound like something cops would say...

"Look, you asked me to go home, so I'll go home. Thanks for the reminder..." She lowers her hands, aiming one for the button on her doohickey. The quick and easy way home, even if it's not that far from here.

When in doubt, jump somewhere else. Porter's convinced machines don't like him, and he's still trying to figure out what's going on. So him, as her, punches the button to take her home. Well, to Para's house. Assuming it's still there, with everything else that seems.. off.

You are on the beach..the home...isn't there, what is there is what is left of the home. It is destroyed, just rubble. blackened, and by the looks of it, it has been destroyed for a long time

Home, sweet -the hell?! Ok, now she knows something's definitely not right. "What the... Where the hell am I?" Though maybe that's not the entirety of the quesiton she should be asking. There's enough left to be a little familiar... and leave a terrible weight settling in the pit of his stomach. Strangely, it's the age of things that is some comfort. This can't be the same place and time he left. Everything was standing hours ago. She sighs. "Great..."

Lights begin to flood the darkened neighborhood, in fact all the streets that can be seen are flooded with light. Sirens are screaming everywhere

and yet..no one comes from their homes.

Third blinks again. "Well, that can't be good... but I'm home, at least. Sort of..." Which sparks more frowning. She doesn't know what else to do, so starts poking around the rubble. Maybe this is one of those what-ifs? Like what if Allison didn't rebuild the place?"

There is a sign of life...and a man, a normal looking man, about 5'10" of non-descript nature sneaks forward from shadow to shadow, where there is light there will always be shadows, and this man uses them well. At times he spins, others he crawls on all four, but he makes every effort to avoid the light...but he approaches Thorter quickly...

Its Porter. but with shorn hair, a scar across his face, and he is wearing...ninja like garb?

Third expects ...something. Cops? More drones? Something? What she doesn't expect are Porters. Well, not ninja POrters.Not unless they're tripping over tin cans, bells, or small yappy dogs...

So when she does spot him, and he's missing his hair?... she blinks. And stares.

Porja..or Ninter..hrm, anyway, the Other Porter runs up to the faux Third and attempts to cradle her face and kiss her. "It can't be you!..it cant! how is this possible?" he says incredulously.

Unsure of ninja Porters, Third starts to bring her hands up. And then startles when she's... touched? Kissed? Ok, she was not exactly expecting that. And, Ok, it's a little odd kissing Porter. Then again, she can't say much when Third... Nevermind.

"It's... a long story? Well, a short one, but weird." She smiles at him. "I'm sure you're used to that, though. What happened here? What is this place?"

Ninter shakes his head, tears in his eyes, "Not here...come with me." he says looking around furtively. He reaches for his belt...

Third knows this ploy. In fact, there's the doohickey on her hip, too. "Ok..." If she can't trust himself, who can she trust? Despair excluded.

A familiar feeling of relocation, and suddenly they are elsewhere...its a nice home, with wood flooring, a very austere asian feel to the home with all the modern creature comforts still available. There is a futon couch in the room and a beautiful low wood table on the floor.

This is Yutaka Yamaoka's home. If you've ever been there, that much is obvious, but instead of the normal almost professionally cleaned look, the place is ..normal. Ninter, as soon as they arrive smiles and says "Computer, clean the home, authorization Porter12345." in just one moment the computer speaks, "The home is clean. anti-bugging mode on."

Ninter smiles and tries to kiss her again "How is this possible?...You..." he pauses..."You died..."

Porter looks around the room, blinks. Hey, that's the same password he always uses! Oh. Right. She puts a hand on Ninter's shoulder to pause his smooching. "Died? How? Was it Despair?" Because why not bring yet another Porter into this. Can it really get much weirder?

Ninter nods.."Yes..Despair. For killing Kysmette..that was his excuse." he sighs. The ninja garb melts off of him in a nanite flow, leaving him normal ol' Porter..sorta.

Portaka looks her over, "Did you regenerate?..I don't understand how you're back? I've waited so long..I've been trying to chip away at his empire, but..it's like trying to dig out a desert you know?" He seems almost giddy, "Are you hungry?..you have to be hungry right?"

Third scowls. "Damnit. So he's going after ..all of her? Hers?" When Ninter melts, she decides that maybe she should do the same. It isn't melting, per se, but just a brief dim flash of green. Then, instead of Third, it's Porter. Normal ol' Porter. Mostly.

"Sorry... he's after her. Again. I was trying to bait him out... when something weird happened."

Portaka spits.."Oh geez!" and spits again..and again rubbing his mouth..then stops and look at..Porter. "Are you saying Third is still alive?"

Porter nods. "Yeah. My Third is. I'm... sorry about yours." And he is. He looks pained at the thought. "Is this as confusing to you as it is to me? Is this like... a different time? Different world? What is it?"

Portaka shrugs, "Isn't strange your middle name?..If you're me, then this is a different world from yours..because Third.." he clinches his fist, "Third was killed years ago. Despair destroyed her. Dismantled her, then vaporized all of the organic parts of her."

All the color drains from Porter's face. "Sonofa... Is he from here? Or did he come here from somewhere else? Do you know WHERE he is?"

Portaka shakes his head, "I think he's from the future...It wasn't Thirds fault that Kysmette died.." he slumps in the sofa, "She couldn't help it. It was a freak accident." he looks at Porter..."Wait..wait, if Third is alive in your world, is Kysmette still alive too?"

That is enough to spark a smile. "Yeah, she is." Porter nods, then goes back to a frown. "I'm sorry about her, too..." Not his fault, but he still feels bad. "So, the future... does that mean I'm in the future, now, too? What year is this?"

Portaka answers immediately 2084. "Has Yutaka given you his tech yet?" he asks non-chalantly. "Be careful..." he seems a little hesitant but says, "Third killed Kysmette..she fell on her..it wasn't her fault. it was my fault..our luck..you know.." there is deep guilt in his eyes as he says this. He has never forgiven himself..

Portaka sits up. "Is Yutaka still alive?"

Porter blinks, then sighs. "Yeah, I know all about our luck..." Then he blinks. "Um... as far I know? Wait. So if this is the future... and Despair got Para here... and you're me, but not Despair... does that mean he's from even farther in the future?" Yeah, Porter's trying to wrap his head around this. Which might stretch it past breaking. But he tries.

Portaka nods. "I guess so? I don't know when you're from..but if you're not from this time, then that would make sense. So...Is Yutaka Yamaoka still alive?..is he even in your universe?"

"I know a Yutaka that's Third's friend. Is that who you mean?" Porter can't remember a last name offhand. "Why? What happened to him here?" Though he thinks he might know the answer. Since it's the topic of the day.

Portaka sighs, "We were friends, After I married Third, he and I became close friends, he was the god father of Kysmette. Even after Kysmette died, he supported us..When Third died...I don't understand why..but it seemed to affect him..deeply. He and I went to Japan..there was little for us here, and he trained me. Told me we would go back and take Despair ourselves. He even extracted nanites from his own body and injected me with them. When we came back, he went on a infiltration mission to get some info.." he says, "Computer, show the last log of Shoro.."

The Holo comes on, and Shoro is shown running down a hall, machines seem to ignore him, and then..Despair appears..except..it's not Porter, it's Yutaka..sort of, a darker version of him. "Your tricks do not work on me Mr. Yamaoka. Unfortunately for you...mine do." Despair pulls his gun and says, "I've prepared a magic bullet for you.." pointing the gun, he fires it at Shoro..and it's the last thing that is seen.

Porter is a little confused by the switching names. But he watches. And frowns as he watches Despair appear. Damnit. The most ruthless, cruel, and BAD bad guy he's seen since EH, and... it's him. Or will be him. Could be him? "Sonofa... Damnit!" Why him? Ok, he knows why. It's a rhetorical question, fate, please don't answer that.

Ninter goes to the kitchen, and returns with a cup of tea for himself and a oversized cup of coffee..made just the way Porter likes it. "Coffee I assume?" he says sitting back on the futon. "So..you're here to help me right?"

He read his mind. Which maybe isn't so surprising. "Thanks." Porter takes the cup and a sip. "Well, I came here... hoping for some answers. Guess I kind of got that." He has some better theories, at least. "What help did you need? What's going on? Noticed the whole city was pretty... bleak?"

Ninter nods, "Full of Despair my friend, full of Despair. We need to end him." he sips his tea. "Yutaka thought I could do it alone, but I don't think I can. But two of us? We will be Legion."

Porter now takes a gulp. Then frowns. "I want to stop Despair, but... seems like there's more than one of him. Her. Whoever it is." HE stops. Blinks. "Wait. What? Despair did.. all of this?" Porter waves his cup around vaguely. "Why? How? And how're we going to stop him?"

Ninter nods, "Despair rules Colonial Bay. He has a number of meta's in his pocket, The city is not Meta-free, but the Meta's that are here..." he pauses..and rubs the bridge of his nose.."There are no heroes here. The only ones left are those who want order, but not justice. People exist here, but life..the excitement, the life of living..is gone. People are allowed to leave, but few do, people simply live under this martial law. The city prospers, but...it is also dying."

Porter frowns. More. "So living up to the name. Great." More caffeine is sucked down. "So.. how are you planning to take down Despair? Or is there a plan?"

Ninter continues..."well..you know we aren't that good at planning..at least I'm not, maybe you're better than I am. Here is what I have been doing. There are too many meta's to take down Despair directly..so I've been taking apart his network. Did you know Yutaka was a strong hacker as well? I've been able to use some of this programming to hack into Despair's information network. Despair, for all his power, doesn't know computers well it seems. Yutaka didn't just train me in fighting, he also trained me in his technical skills. I know where his metas live, work and who they are. I've been taking them down one by one."

Porter nods as he listens. A variant of Porter not good with electronics? Nope, no surprise there. "Ok. So getting all them, first. Then going after Despair. Got it." After a pause, and more coffee inhalation, he asks, "So, what do you need me for?"

Ninter stands up, "Computer run holo program Operation Despair. Authorization Porter 12345." as he says that a Holovid begins from a hidden holoprojecter in the ceiling. "So..with Despair, the choke point has been his 2 liutenants. One's name is Shadowlass, the Other's name is Crazyhorse. They are his most powerful metas, and they control the others. The other metas are not like a cell, they are like..an ant colony, if we destroy one of the heads, they lose cohesion. I've tested this a few times. That being said, when I stop a higher level meta, those who report to him or her, tend to revert to their natural behavior. Most of them are actually villians, some of them are just regular people who didn't have direction, so we do have a couple of allies. I think that there is some kind of mind control taking place as well..and I think it has to do with the Liutenants."

Porter sighs. "Right. So they're controlling them. Or bullying them. Or giving them something to do. Probably by being bullies, too." He sucks down the last of the coffee. "So. Are we tag teaming one? Or going at both at the same time?"

Ninter nods slowly taking in Porter's question..."I think one at a time. I'm not sure we can take down both. Crazy horse seems to be a..well, there's no record of him being anything but Crazyhorse, but he seems to be a shaman..or something, I'm not sure. Shadowlass..she's got a secret ID though, and its in the records, Its Gabrielle Grimm."

Ninter says, "I think we should take down Shadowlass. I'm not sure if she has her powers when she isn't...in suit, but if not, then she should be an easy mark.""

Porter gurgles as he chokes on his coffee. "Gabrielle?!" He coughs out. "How..? No, nevermind. I really shouldn't be surprised..." Porter rubs his face. He supposes the next thing he'll learn is that... Ok, he could think of all kinds of weird things to find people he knows doing.

Ninter raises an eyebrow...too much time spent with Yutaka..."You know her?"

Ninter waves his hand and the coffee pot floats from the Kitchen to the living room, as does a towel. "Here...me.." he says as the towel floats over to Porter. "Refill?"

Porter shakes his head. "No, I'm Ok. Thanks. Yeah, I know her." He nods. Then stops. "Er, well, I know ..one of her, at least? Not sure how much that counts for. This place is... a whole lot different than what I'm used to."

Ninter nods, "Might be an advantage, what do you know about her?"

Porter eyes the floating coffee pot. "Nice trick, too..." Then he shrugs. "Um, well... all her stuff's darkness stuff. Tentacles, smacking stuff, stuff like that? One I know is a nice person, though. Not eil just because her powers are dark."

Ninter nods, "Its in the book you know.." he says regarding the coffee, "Ok, does she have any weaknesses? Like to light or anything?"

Porter smirks. "Yeah... I'm a little behind on my reading. Had a lot going on lately." He stops to think some, brow furrowing and face frowning. In a way, it's like betraying a friend. Or feels like it. But things must be different here. " Her shadow. She sent it away once, and she could hardly do anything without really wearing herself out. So I guess her shadows's a big part of things. But I don't think light has anything to do with anything. Not sure if that helps, either. Since her shadows barely listens to her sometimes. Not sure you could get them apart."

Ninter blinks, "Her Shadow?..could it be? She travels with a Dog..that transforms into a Dragon when she's in her suit mode. Its jet black.." he hrms as he thinks about it. "If that's true, this might be a lot easier than I thought. A double whammy might work too. I want you to hit me as hard as you can.." he says as he stands up.

"Yeah, could be-wha?" Porter sighs. "Why is it people ask me to do that?! You know I don't hit hard. Just... lucky."

Ninter nods, "You're such a newbie..You hit very hard, our luck makes it so...so hit me."

Ninter's armor forms around him, and now he looks just like Shoro. "Hit me."

Porter rubs his face. "Fine." He draws a fist back in his un-patented, has-no-combat-training manner and takes a swing.

Ninter doesn't know why he blinked when Porter hit him, but it came at just the wrong time, and he feels something..its not pleasant, but the darkness..did Shadowlass just attack him?..why does his cheek hurt so much, its like that one time that Third slapped him before they were married because she thought he was being fresh, when it was just his luck that his hand was in the wrong place at the wrong time and he touched her boob..that was when she was still married to Yutaka. Yutaka..strange that they should become friends, because Yutaka was a ninja..well he never said he was, but he was very ninja'y for a non-ninja ninja. Speaking of ninjas, Master Kaguro was a real ninja..he was stars..oh the stars..ow..."Ow..." he says blinking back to his senses. "Yes....that should do.." he says softly from the floor.

Porter winces, and shakes his hand. Because it hurts both ways. "Ok. Sure you're Ok? Don't want to do this if you're not."

Ninter slowly lifts himself from the floor. "we're going to take her out..." he says readjusting his jaw, his hand glowing as it clicks back into place with a painful crack. His eyes close "Oh..that hurt." after testing his jaw, he opens his eyes and nods, "We're good. I can hit even harder than you can..Yutaka showed me how, "Remember how we always think its better to be lucky than good?...Yu showed me how to be both good and lucky."

Porter nods. Twice. "Yeah, I've been trying to work on that, with the book and stuff. Didn't get around to practicing hitting people." Pause. "Ok. So we're going after Gabrielle. Where and when?" Then another thought hits him. "Hey... are you any better with your doohickey? I still have to figure out how to get back..."

Ninter nods, "Yeah..for sure Yutaka had some contacts in Shin-sony's applied sciences department that helped with that..I'll show you when we're done with Shadowlass." he cracks his neck once more, "Good hit." then he says, "Computer, I need the location of Shadowlass. Authorization Porter 12345"

Porter lets out a breath in a sigh. Of the relieved kind. Because he has no idea how long it'd take him just hitting buttons, even with his luck. He looks to the computer display holo thingamablobber.

The computer responds, "Object #148 is located at her domicile, her current designation is Gabrielle Grimm. Location is at 2246 Edgars Road, Apartment 2334."

Ninter nods, "Great..so we get her at home. You attack her, I will attack her shadow. Sound like a plan?"

Porter nods, frowning a little at the name reminder. "Yeah, I can do that." He just doesn't sound all that thrilled about it.

Ninter frowns back, "Are you sure? I can't have you getting cold feet..I know how I was before Yutaka came."

Porter rubs his face3 again. "Yeah, I can do this. I can use all the practice I can get stopping Despair. Even if it's just stopping someone helping him. Let's do this. I got -" He stops, then finishes vaguely, "...stuff to get back to."

Ninter nods, "Ok..she's at home. I know you don't know how to sneak, so take this, put it on the doohickey, its going to give you a temporary electron cloak, don't do anything too crazy or it will fail. So here's the plan, we get to her apartment, you will knock on the door, You can shapeshift right?"

Porter listens, nods, takes. "Er, wait. I can be sneaky. Sort of. Well, better than I could... and, yeah, I can shapeshift. With the book."

Ninter nods, "So..shapeshift into Yutaka..or maybe..Silver Legacy...yeah Silver Legacy will be better."

Porter nods more. "Ok. Guess I can do Yutaka... Wait. Who's Silver Legacy?"

Ninter "Grimm's ex-husband." he calls out, "Computer image for Silver Legacy." and as he says that an image of Forge shows up. "Do you think you can shapeshift into him?"

The only person he thinks that might drop Grimm's guard would be... "Right. Of course." He guessed right. "...and why is everyone divorced? Doesn't anyone stay married around here?" He sighs. "Yeah, I can do M-Silver Legacy." Even if he knows he's going to feel like crap aafterwards. Alternate world or no alternate world.

Ninter nods, "Hey..divorce rate of 85%, what do you expect. Its the age of the throw away relationship.." he pulls a 5 yen piece that hung under his shirt, "Well..for most people." he drops it back into his shirt, "Ok..change your clothes, and we'll head out."

Porter cringes at that. "Holy moly..." Then he stiffens at a reminder. Clothes. "Oh, crap. You have any clothes that'll fit this Silver Legacy guy? My changing doesn't do clothes. Weird thing about the magic." Then he stops again. "Wait. Crap. It won't work. Not on Grimm. She can pick up on magic stuff." Sure, NOW he remembers that.

Ninter blinks, "She can see Magic?"

"Yeah. See it, smell it, something," Porter nods apologetically. "Sorry."

Ninter nods.."Ok..well, no shapeshifting..we'll just have to do it the old fashioned way....Sit down."

Ninter heads to the bathroom and returns with a large satchel..

Porter quirks a brow. "Sit down? How's that the old-fashion-Oh!" He catches on and sits down. Which makes more sense that stopping villains by sitting down.

Ninter nods, "I knew you'd get it...eventually." he opens the satchel and gets to work.

When he's done, Porter looks just like Malcolm from the neck up. "Wear a trench and this might just work. Turn the Doohickey off until you're at the door."

Ninter gives Porter an ear piece. "put this on, we'll be able to communicate."

Porter looks down at himself. "Maybe. No going to buy us much time, though... Unless she falls down laughing or something..." He gets a trenchcoat, turns his doohickey off and turns the collar up. Way up. "Ok. Lets do this."

Ninter nods, assuming the earpiece is in "You're going in the front I'm going to take out the dog, you're going to need to strike first...and strike hard."

Ninter puts a hand on Porter's shoulder, "Lets go." he says with a tone of finality. He then touches the Doohickey, and they are transported to a block from Low town. "Turn on your cloak.." he points a building in the distance, "Thats the building. I'll meet you there..." he releases Porter's shoulder and melts into the shadows, the armor forming around him as he disappears from sight.

Porter nods and turns on the cloakamajigger. He then heads for the building and, assuming nothing explodes, collapses, or tries to kill him, the apartment in question. After asking Ninter quietly throught he comms what the number was. Again. Twice. Then to the door, where he'll rise up on his tiptoes when he knocks.

<>

There's footsteps heard on the other side of the door that stop for a moment. There's hesistation before the door unlocks and opens. Gabrielle looks mostly like she usually does, at least how she's dressed. She looks a little older. And rather than staring daggers and looking angry, she looks surprised, maybe even a little hopeful and glad to see him. "M-mal...? You...you came back..." she states in awe. "Where have you been all this time?"

As if Porter wasn't feeling bad enough, not only does he manage to get surprise, but... Awe? Hope? That just makes things that much more painful. But it isn't her-her. He's pretty sure of that. This isn't his world. Still...

"Mal" can't stop from looking apologetic, but he brings a fist up quick, anyhow. Knock her out quick is the idea, at least that's what he knows as taking out. If not, well, too bad.

As Grimm goes down, Ninter teleports in with a blue flash, and goes to take the dog down...

It's a lucky hit, because Gabrielle didn't see it coming. Not from Malcolm. Not even after he left her for chosing order over justice. She didn't even have time to register the incongruences of the disguise before Porter's fist comes up and clocks her under the jaw with a sucker punch. Her head snaps back as she takes a step backwards for balance, and hits the edge of the open door with a loud crack. She slumps to the ground, her body blocking the door from closing as she lays there in a heap.

There's a large black dog curled up on the couch in front of the entertainment center. Its head suddenly perks up and turns towards Porter with a growl and then a sudden yelp from the coordinated surprise attack by Ninter. It collapses and rolls off the couch onto the ground and starts to melt into the ground like some dark stain.

Ninter leaps at Grimm and picks her body up, and sees if she's dead or just Knocked out..feeling a pulse, he draws a fist back to strike her again...

Porter is immediately struck with regret. "Sorry, Gabby..." Yeah, she told him to never call her that. So maybe it's a good thing she can't hear him. He startles at the dog, and the yelp. Even if he knew about it, he's not used to it. But Ninter took care of that side. He sighs and goes to pick her up, but Ninter gets there first. And draws back his fist again.

"What the hell?!" It registers, and Porter's reaching for his alter ego. "She's out, man!"

Ninter snarls, "Not enough!"

Porter didn't come here to kill anybody, and sure as hell not anyone he knows! He grabs at Ninter's pulled back arm. "Yes it is! You don't kill people!"

Ninter turns to Porter, "She is the one who Captured Paragon, she dunked her in the acid bath..alive. Paragon was Alive when she was put in the acid bath, Shadowlass kept her there immmobilized until Third's body melted away...all that was left was metal..just Metal.." tears start to stream down his cheeks. "She's going to pay for it...If she doesn't die, she just goes back to work for Despair!.."

Ok. That was a mental image that Porter could have lived without. To put it simply. That much is pretty clear by the look of horror on his face. But he doesn't let go. "It won't ... It won't bring her back. And you'd be just as bad. She can't go back to working for Despair if you take him down! And I mean knock him down and lock him up or something. Not break him into pieces!"

Ninter drops Grimm, her head thumps loudly as it hits the hardwood floor, and turns to Porter, "Go back to your rose colored world..you don't have the balls to do what needs to be done." And there you have it..the last hope..gone for this reality. Despair wins again. Porter reaches out with a quickness that Porter doesn't have, and both swipes the cloaking device, and taps the doohickey. "Go home hero." the tones dripping with sarcasm.

THWAPOPUMP! And Porter is back home...