Log:Return of the Sword Dancer

2010/11/16 	 Conviction Crystal Dark Horse Devil Dog Diamond Gatekeeper Jolt Kihzra Lady Warp Mystique Paragon Sword Dancer Triple Sec Vector 1

''Hero Lane: North of the industrial park urbanized Colonial Bay comes to a stop. Here are roads winding through countryside, complete with a couple of farms, though human habitation is scarce. One road, however, though as rural and as winding as the others, is better made up and more travelled: Hero Lane itself. It twists under shady oak and laurel trees, leading up a small hill to a domed building with golden double door bearing a large red P - decades ago home to the Protectors, Colonial Bay's first organized superhero team, and now a superhero museum.''

A MagLev line leads cross-country from the industrial park to the Hall of Heroes, then turns sharply to head for the arena and Transport Nexus.

It's a stormy day in Colonial Bay. It's not raining - at least much, but there's some drizzle - but a gale is blowing in off the ocean. Otherwise, it has been quiet - till news breaks, first on police radio and then in the wider media, of a fight between metahumans on Hero Lane.

Devil Dog explodes onto the scene in a small burst of fire, hovering in the air about 200 feet over the road. His red eyes sweep the area, searching for villains. He heard about something in this area over the radio someone had playing on the beach, he didn't pay attention to see what exactly was being reported, but metas fighting is never something he wants to let fly.

A report of a meta fight? The musical meta is off dashing through the rain, shielding himself with his fedora against the rain. He darts through the stormy weather on his way. He approachs the scene as fast as he can, running quickly but not instantly joining a ways off he skids to a stop, guitar on his back to see what is going down.

For whatever reason, Mika the Magnificent was out and about. Who needs instant change when one can just vanish home and change clothes before coming to the fight? She saw a report on a TV in a window as she was heading out of a store she made a purchase in. After all, she needed supplies for her next show. (Damn!) O O o o. . she thinks before she steps around a corner out of sight and vanishes. At home she drops her bags and yanks her wig, mask, and costume out of her closet. That done, she dresses -really- quickly before poofing to the area. Hero Lane is a busy area, and she hopes she got her targeting right. Aiming for a rooftop where she can get a good view of things down below.

Dark Horse weaves through traffic on his motorcycle, heedless of the weather. The drizzle spatters lightly on his helmet as the bike zips between vehicles. He leaves the main road, and turns onto Hero Lane...the bike skids slightly, but not enough to be a problem. He heads up the hill toward the museum, still keeping the throttle down. . o O (What am I doing here? I can't imagine I'll be much help if Mauler is fighting Titan or some such nonsense.)

Mystique detects a strong magical incident and hurries to the scene, mist walking through the elemental planes to speed her arrival.

Paragon takes huge leaps across the rural landscape upon hearing the news of a metahuman disturbance. At the apex of each leap, she tries to get her bearings, unsure if she hasn't gone way off the beaten path. Luck and some directions she got from a local a little while back finally leads her to Hero Lane. As she lands, she bleeds off her momentum with a few smaller hops, trying to scan the area for signs of the disturbance as she comes in for the landing.

Olivia was visiting the museum so when the news breaks she really isn't that far. The teen looking model steps out of the museum and glances around for things before heading towards the fighting her skin oozing and shimmering as her diamond carapace slides into place around her form.

Leaping. Leap, leap, leap. With the report of a new fight, Michael had swapped to his identity of Triple Sec and gone to the rooftops. Now here he was baring down on the apparent meta fight. He might not know much about the city, but he's aware that Hero Lane has some significance to older heroes in Colonial Bay. The occasional click of his arms stretching to pull him to a rooftop is heard before he gets closer to land and take a look at the scene.

Kuroko rolls up in late model Lincoln sedan, pulls off to the shoulder and gets out, slinging her carrying case over her shoulder. . o O (Trouble. This is a city of trouble. Always at the center of a storm, a breath away from being swept into the sea of chaos. It is down these streets I drive, a cruel justice in my hands. Hmm. They would make a good opening narration I think. Now to see what the problem is here.)

Oh snap... There's some sort of metahuman throwdown going on. Jolt gathers from one of the police radio frequencies heroes tend to listen to. She is totally there! Busting out from the sewers and underground part of the city into the sky. The familiar electric heroine ready to fry a few bad guys in the name of kicking ass and taking names... or just saving the city.

The heroes can see several people in costume as they arrive. Two are standng in the street, a man in a long black cloak with gold tracery and a woman who looks like she's made of glass. One woman is flying, high above the road. And one man in black is up on the maglev line, toe to toe with a swordswoman in a chain mail bikini!

''Gatekeeper: A man with prematurely white hair and a haunted look to his eyes, wearing a deep green costume and a long black cloak, both with ornate gold tracery. Unmistakeably a magician of some variety.''

''Crystal: A tall woman of Nordic features who appears to be made entirely from glass or crystal: she is entirely translucent. Her glass-fibre hair falls past her waist. She wears no costume.''

''Vector: Vector is a slimmish woman wearing a green bodysuit adorned with straight blue lines (or as straight as is practical) which likely make her look still slimmer. Her costume also includes a helmet and goggles.''

''Conviction: This man doesn't seem to have put much thought into his costume: it's simply a black bodysuit and mask. Still, his powerful build is evident beneath it, and there's perhaps a hint of vanity in the way his mask covers neither his blond hair nor his ice-blue eyes.''

A maglev train is approaching rapidly from the direction of the transport nexus.

Sword Dancer is shouting something, but it's hard to make out over the gale.

There are signs of past fighting on the ground, including some battered cars.

Conviction attempts several blows at Sword Dancer, but the swordswoman somehow manages to dodge his blows, despite looking over her shoulder on the advancing train.

Dark Horse skids his bike to a stop by the side of the road, and gets off. He pulls his helmet off and surveys the scene, trying to figure out who's on which side.

Dark Horse makes a quick note, "Ok...Kihzra...fighting...the other folks. Got it. So...that makes my likely best target..."

The flying woman shouts, just about loud enough to be heard, "Look out - the locals are here!"

Folding arms under the bustline of her leather jacket, Lady Warp narrows her eyes as she studies the situation carefully. She takes a moment to try to time the speed of the Maglev train and figure out maybe how long it'll be till it impacts the fighting folks on the tracks.

Diamond takes stock of the situation and keeps going, deciding to move a bit closer and she leaps through the air to get closer, cutting the distance in about half.

Bard runs forward but is conscious of the fight. "Everyone stop! We need to get them off the track! The train is coming! We need to get them off the track!" He calls out as best he can trying to get the otehr meta's to stop fighting and stop the two on the tracks from being hit by the train or worse...

Bard manages at least to get the attention of the combatants. Which, mind, might not be such a good idea when they're about to be hit by a train.

Jolt charges forward, realizing the danger of the maglev outstrips most of the other dangers. She immediately decides the best course of action is to slow or stop the train. The good thing is this is right down her alley, the bad thing is, it's a freaking train! So she enlists some help by using her magnetic prowess to activate any breaking system which is likely reversing the polarity of the electromagnets that keep it moving forwards as well as using whatever is left to basically drag the train to a stop if she can.

To the howling of the wind is added the screech of train on track as, maglev no longer, it slowers, juddering, along the rails.

Devil Dog spots the flying woman and sstarts to head in her direction with his wings and hands flaming, other parts of him just starting to burst into flames as well. His red eyes lock on to her and he growls out as he gets close as he moves into hearing distence, "Your about to have a baaad day."

Devil Dog may not have been at his scariest, but he scares Vector enough for her to fire on him!

Devil Dog is blasted back as far as he flew in!

"There are too many of these fools!" says Gatekeeper to Crystal. "Time to do your thing!" and saying so he raises his hands and opens a portal to beside Dark Horse.

Crystal steps through the portal and attempts to touch Dark Horse

Dark Horse is just...fortunate. The portal appears, and his foot slips on the wet pavement, causing Crystal to miss as she steps through. Had he still been completely upright, she would have hit him.

Dark Horse chuckles, "If you're attacking me, you really don't know anything about the people showing up here...I'm the least of your worries, I think."

Crystal is taken by surprise by Dark Horse's mishap and misses. So she tries talking. "We're trying to stop an alien invasion!"

Triple Sec hops a rooftop closer, bracing himself as he draws back a fist and a clicking sound comes from the cocked back arm. Too much noise. He's got to get the combatants off those tracks, though, in case the sparky one can't stop the train fully. Best way? Knock 'em off! Throwing his arm forward in a punch, the forearm literally extends incredibly fast as the fist connected to it spins.

Triple Sec misses with his arm, cursing a bit as he watches, preparing to manipulate the extended arm again.

Mystique sees the first priority has to be bring the train to a halt before it slams into the combatants on the track and becomes derailed. Jolt's efforts are praiseworthy but probably not sufficient on their own. Just in case her actions are either misunderstood or disliked by Crystal and her companions, she casts a protective spell first and then summons up misty hands in a large area in front of the train. Mystique is actually smiling, this weather is simply perfect for using her magic. The wind and rain in a very large region forms into many hundreds of misty arms and hands gripping everything in their reach. Their strength is not great but each one that takes hold of the train slows the oncoming mass a little more before the hand is torn apart.

Mystique concentrates on the spell, seeing the train heading into the forest of misty arms and hands and being brought halt by the cumulated effect of Jolt's effort and the drag imposed by literally hundreds of hands grabbing onto the train.

Paragon runs with long strides towards the Maglev, her eyes looking from Train, to combatants, to train again. They keep flickering back and forth as she tries to calculate the risks. What would the Captain do..? Trying to stop the train at its speed with her strength could put the numerous commuters at risk of injury. If the train hits the two combatants, it could possibly kill them outright and cause the train to derail. She ducks her head down as she makes her decision and leaps up and lands on the top of the front Maglev car in a crouch. Checking her balance and raising a hand in front of her face against the whipping wind, she stands up carefully and takes the few remaining steps to the edge of the front of the train and looks at the tracks racing underneath. "Hope the train or I don't break from this," she says hopefully as she drops down and braces herself against the front of the train, lightly applying pressure to the track as she tries to slow the train gradually.

Paragon continues bracing her back against the train with her feet skimming along the rails. She glances at all the misty appendages grabbing the train around her and digs in a little more. Smoke starts to rise from the bottom of her feet from the friction and the train starts to slow down at a safe speed with the combined efforts of the three heroes.

"Great, just Great..." mutters Lady Warp as she times things and sees everything trying to stop the train. She takes a single step forward and that step ends right beside Conviction and the Sword Dancer. "Hey kids. You think you might wanna use the school parking lot and not a spot about to get run over by a -train- for your bully on bully crap?" she asks with a southern accent in her voice. Her hands are placed on her hips as she prepares to defend herself against both, having no idea who either of them are. The only people she really understands here are the ones trying to stop the train.

Sword Dancer says, "Is not my faurrt! Was attacked! Vis is Corroniarr Bay, yes?"

Dark Horse chuckles, looking to Crystal, "Alien invasion, huh? Funny way of telling us...by attacking. I do actually know the amazonian woman up there on the track...and I don't know you. Excuse me a moment." He jumps through the gateway that's been thoughtfully left still open, ending up next to Gatekeeper. He quickly says, "Thanks, by the way," and lashes out with a side kick at the mage.

The mage, taken by surprise, is knocked clean up the street and lands unceremoniously on his behind.

Dark Horse clearly puts his full force into it, striking about as strongly as he ever has. "BAM!" He grins as he watches the mage tumble away from him. "As I told your friend...if you're here to 'stop an invasion', talking first is the way to go."

"We know the heroes of Colonial Bay are alien lovers!" he returns. "You fools! If you had seen a fraction of what I have seen...!"

Sword Dancer keeps up her supreme dodging, though she's clearly tiring.

Conviction realises he can't hit Sword Dancer while she keeps this up. So instead he address Lady Warp. "That creature there is an invader from another Earth. We're here to stop her."

Crystal dodges back through the portal again and once more tries to tag Dark Horse - the only hero in range.

Gesturing over her shoulder behind her, Lady Warp remarks... "Do you see the train? Get... off... the... tracks... now! If you guys have to see who has the biggest... ego, do it on the streets, but there's passengers on the train and you guys need to move... or I'll -move- you both, understood?" she asks, preparing to flicker out of the way of attacks if they're incoming. (Also, is the train's arrival time extending? Or is it still hitting this phase?)

She comes within a whisker of him but doesn't quite make contact.

Dark Horse is again fortunate, still bouncing up and down a little bit on his toes. He happens to shift forward to taunt the mage and Crystal just misses him. He looks back at her. "So..let me guess, you're anti-alien, too? You know...the woman up there isn't an 'alien invader."

Diamond hmms a moment and does see the ones fighting Dark Horse and decides that is where she needs to be so she leaps the rest of the way to land there, next to Dark Horse and Crystal, giving another target.

Crystal says, "She doesn't belong in this world, and is clearly dangerous."

Dark Horse chuckles. "She's a traveller. Like so many of us are. I'm not from around here either...difference is, I moved from Vegas."

Bard moves forward slightly unslining the guitar. . o O (Please be human) He prays. His guitar begins to play a soothing melody. if this doesn't work the beats about to get a lot more powerful. His mind extends through the 8m between him and crystal. He tries to get into her head to deliver the command he bellows forth. "She has not attacked, her blade has drawn no blood. she is not a threat, and we are not your enemy Stop attacking."

Crystal pauses, but it's not clear how she'll react.

With the maglev screeching to a halt. That leaves Jolt there looking for targets to inflict her wrath on! "Alright, whoever's smart idea it was to start a fight on the maglev tracks needs to have their head examined" she floats over and lands on the train "Not only are you standing next to a rail that contains several thousand volts of electricity but you got a huge mass moving at rediculous speeds along it. Now can you stop trying to kill each other while we sort this crap out or so help me I'll start throwing lightning bolts and letting the authorities sort things out"

Standing beside the combatants, Lady Warp snorts, "I did just say something to that effect Jolt... but I do appreciate the backup sentiment."

Sword Dancer looks at Jolt, annoyed. "Was going to jump on train, untirr you stopped it!"

Gatekeeper scrambles to his feet and opens a new portal, this time up onto the tracks, close by Lady Warp. "You fools! The others said the city's 'heroes' would interfere! Why are you fighting us? We're trying to defend the world!"

Jolt shrugs at Lady Warp "Yeah... but you gotta threaten to do something too. Otherwise people tend not to pay attention... When in doubt just use MORE VOLUME" she laughs at the last bit "Maybe some of us should carry megaphones around for emphasis"

Gatekeeper goes on, with a half-mad look in his eyes, "If you but knew the things that live in other dimensions, scratching to get into ours...!

Triple Sec moves his hand, grabbing on to the rails and yanking himself up to the tracks in a crouch a good distance behind Conviction as his hands retract. "I'm aware of honor fights, but this is stupid! You don't fight on the tracks of a high-speed train! Now what in the world is going on here!?"

"If you were lurking and trying to get into -my- home, I'd be afraid too." says Lady Warp towards Gatekeeper, "but no, you're squandering your cool portal ability on isolationist, paranoid delusions. Now, if everyone would just stop fighting, we could sit down and discuss this. If you persist, then I'm going to warp your head through a brick wall, understood?" she asks as she folds her arms under that bustline and glances towards Jolt as if to ask, 'how's that?'

"But you can't let *that* roam free!" Gatekeeper yells.

Dark Horse shakes his head. "The guy's delusional. There may be other dimensional beings like that...but Kihzra isn't one of them."

Paragon grunts as she digs her feet in more, the train slowly inching to a stop near the combatants. She says with a little exertion, "And what exactly are you intended to do to her for 'trespassing'? Arrest her? Kill her?"

Triple Sec looks to Gatekeeper as he overhears, "Technically, /I/ shouldn't exist on this world either. Are you going to throw me in jail as well? Are you going to throw all of us, including yourselves, with powers beyond the normal into a jail cell simply because you think we might be from beyond this dimension?"

Bard looks to Darkhorse, unable to make out the conversation over the distance. "what's going on?" He asks, unsure of what is being said.

Gatekeeper turns frightened eyes on Triple Sec at that statement and starts saying things in some unknown language.

Dark Horse can hear some of the conversation through hte portal made by Gatekeeper. "The mage thinks that Kihzra..the woman in the chain mail, is some kind of interdimensional thing wanting to eat our heads. Or something."

Conviction keeps an eye on Sword Dancer, waiting for her to slip up. He seems unfazed by the conversation.

Triple Sec tilts his head, "Speak a language from this planet, already."

Bard looks to Dark horse. "Like Sth... tentacle faced thing... Lovecraft I think." He shrugs. "She looks like a girl, I don't see how that can be overly dangerous, or in need of people killing.

Jolt gives Lady Warp a thumbs up and speaks towards Gatekeeper "Hey I didnt stop anyone yet...I only stopped a train full of commuters" the electrical heroine points out "Which just so happened to save your buddy over there in the process" pointing at Conviction "From likely becoming a smear on the tracks"

"What part of... sit down and discuss this did you not understand?" asks Lady Warp. "And what part of the brick wall are you too stupid to figure out?" she adds. Glancing towards Sword Dancer, she grins behind the mask that really won't reveal her mouth and adds, "Welcome to the Melting Pot of the world." before she just looks back to Gatekeeper. "Something tells me you're not going to wise up, so... you leave me only one alternative." That said, she literally just vanishes and reappears at a position where in a straight line it's her, Gatekeeper, and Conviction, so any knockback done to Gatey there might his Conviction. She lashes out with a warp powered punch at Gatekeeper and tries to knock one into another.

Paragon holds up her hands to make a calming gesture. "If we could all just talk about this like reasonable people--hey, I got my eye on you," she says to Conviction in warning, then talks to him and Gatekeeper. "Just stop with the finger pointing and put your hands down, and we can just..talk..."

And when she does re-appear back where she started, Lady Warp offers up towards Paragon, "No luck, I tried that whole.. let's talk angle.. twice now."

Gatekeeper is knocked off the track and falls to the ground!

Paragon, upon seeing Conviction not letting up on his attempts to do bodily harm to Sword Dancer, reaches out to tap him on the shoulder. Her eyes are narrow glowing slits. "I think the lady's tired of this dance. Mind if I cut in?" she quips as tries to get a grasp on Conviction so she can maneuver him into a hold.

Conviction is faster than he looks: he evades the grab. And looks about. "Are you all so determined to protect this alien?"

Paragon shoots back, "Hey, if it were attacking you with uneven odds, I'd probably be protecting you!"

Triple Sec calls out to Paragon, "Wait he's--!" Too late. He calls out again, "He's too fast and too skilled for you, Paragon! Sword Dancer and myself are the only ones that can touch him up here!"

Vector meanwhile knock Devil Dog so far from the battle he declares she's not worth his time and vanishes in a burst of hellfire.

Dark Horse turns to face Crystal, keeping in a fighting stance. He looks to her, "Seriously...what makes you think this woman is here to invade? What proof do you have? We don't actually have to fight here...we have people here you may be able to confirm your statements. IF you can all talk about it."//Holding full action...trying Persuasion.

Paragon cringes a little, her pride a little wounded. . o O (Is it that obvious..? I guess I've got to train triply hard!)

Conviction replies calmly, "The odds are against us. How many dimensions are set against our one?"

"You never know what aliens can do!" responds Crystal. "Looks what they did to me...."

Triple Sec turns his head to Conviction, "We aren't against you!"

"And what am I, chopped liver?" calls down Lady Warp with her southern accent as she rolls her neck and eyes Conviction now. "We're not protecting her so much as stopping you from runnin' amok with your whole paranoia... But if you really want a fight, I'll take you on." Then she calls up towards Paragon, "You are aweome. I know I couldn't catch a blasted train!" Lastly towards Crystal, "What, they made you as stupid as you are ineffectual?!"

Dark Horse shakes his head, looking to Crystal, "Just because one alien did that, that doesn't make all aliens bad. We can look for independent verification of your claims...and deal with this peacefully."

"Then," says Conviction calmly, "You would lose. But I don't see that our fighting is helpful."

Triple Sec shakes his head, "I'm opposed to your paranoia, whoever you are! Like I told your friend, I'm not fully human! I shouldn't be here either! If you want to take her out, then you can take me out as well!"

Crystal's anger shakes off the influence of BArd's music.

Conviction says to Triple Sec, "If you insist."

[To Lady Warp] Sword Dancer says, "Why you try for start fight again?"

Sword Dancer grins, "Qhah, is no matter. Is not four against one now!"

"Because they're not -going- to talk. I figured they only thing they'd understand was getting the butt kicked. But apparently... that's not the general outlook everyone here wants. So I'll take my gunboat diplomacy elsewhere and let you all handle this. You can call me Lady Warp." offers the masked and blue haired woman towards Sword Dancer before she simply... vanishes

Sword Dancer stops dodging about so much and stands ready.

Triple Sec brings his hands into a ready position from where he is, "Just try it, goldie locks!" He says towards Conviction.

Crystal shakes her head, and realises what Bard was up to! "You! You tried to control me!" She charges at him, trying to touch him.

Where Crystal tagged Bard, his skin glitters like glass....

Triple Sec remains in his crouched position for a moment, slowly moving to stand before he sends a punch at Conviction as he leaps backwards.

"As I knew, you have not the strenth of will to the task," says Conviction, and hits back.

Dark Horse grimaces, "Not sure if this will work, since she's crystalline. We'll see." He pulls out a small flash bomb, and flicks his wrist, hurling it at Crystal.

Triple Sec lands in a mini-crater on the ground from his fall, looking up at Conviction as he starts to move slowly back towards his feet. "Oh, I've got the strength of will alright! What the hell are you? Titan?" His arm begins it's retraction back to him from where it was moved from his own throw. "Now I have to get back up there /again/! Come on down here and fight like a man!"

The light of the flashes bomb is refracted into rainbow hues and dispersed by Crystal's body.

"Oh, those *idiots*!" says Vector. "I suppose they're going to want to fight it out to the end now!" Flying downwards she aims her orange beam - at the track below Conviction's feet.

The beam bounces off the track and knocks Conviction straight up into the air! "Now isn't the time!" says Vector. "We can come back for the alien later! But for now we're outnumbered and on their home turf."

Diamond shakes her head and watches Crystal go after Bard and sighs, "Shouldn't turn your back, when you have proven you aren't willing to talk." she says and moves over there and pulls back her fist throwing it at Crystal, looking to take her out before she can try to turn anyone else to glass, maybe even stop the process on Bard. She doesn't know what is going on up above yet.

Diamond can't even seem to hit the air today though as her blow completely misses Crystal.

Bard looks to crystal, showing the glittering skin as some great battle scar. "To judge all by the actions of one is wrong." He states sincerely and serenely. But if your path is violence, then so be it." He says. "I didn't want to do this, trust me. a beauty like yours should not be enraged such. Don't think this is a race war, but a stand for my belief, a belief that everyone deserves a chance." There is the sound of a bass pulse as a blast of white flies forth towards Crystal from his non glassy arm. "You need to stop blind hatred, I tried to make you not harm others mindlessly from xenophobic tendencies. However if this is your mindset... a shame really." He blows a kiss

The attack might have been ineffective, but Crystal seems to be quite startled by it.

Gatekeeper may be half insane, but he's not entirely stupid. On hearing Vector's call for a tactical withdrawal, he opens a gate and steps through. This one does close behind him.

Paragon frowns and looks up at her opponent is knocked away. She quickly scans for another target as the metahumans start to make their getaways. With a single bound with a twisting flip, she lands next to Crystal and flexes her hands, looking to redeem herself after failing to stop Conviction. "I'll go easy on you, because I can sympathize. Really, I can...having stuff done to you that you didn't ask for. I get it. But that doesn't justify what you're doing." She falls into a fighting stance a little different from her usual boxing-pose. Her hands are left open and she darts a few strikes and roundhouse kicks towards Crystal, trying to find an opening. "You could be using those abilities for so much more..." she laments as she tries to get an opening on her opponent.

It's hard to tell how much damage that did to Crystal. She turns angrily to Paragon. "Don't give me that! You don't know what you're talking about! For two years I was a "hero"! Till they all rejected me..."

Bard snaps. "who rejected you? People fear that which they can't understand. You wish to pass that fate onto another? Well? Look at what you're doing to me." He holds up the glistening arm.

Paragon holds off on her assault for a moment, hands up at the ready. Her reply is sympathetic, "So..does what other things matter when you're doing what's right? One of my teammates still doesn't trust me to this day, even though I've saved his life on several occasions. But you know what? What he thinks? It doesn't matter." She holds out a hand in a peace offering, hoping Crystal will take it. "It's not too late to try again, you know. Never too late for second chances."

Sword Dancer stays where she is. Mostly because she understand it might be regarding as escalating things if she joined the assault on Crystal. Besides, it's hardly good fight any more.

"Then you have a chance to be a hero again." says a voice from behind Crystal as Lady Warp reappears there. She places hands on her hips and says, "Seriously, think about what you're doing here. A hero does what's best for everyone, they defend those who can't defend themselves. They don't kill strangers just because they're from somewhere else. That'd be just as bad as saying, "Oh no! She's from New Jersey, kill'er!"

Vector meanwhile speeds off with Conviction.

Paragon waits with an open hand for Crystal to respond, letting her guard down as a peace-offering. Her voice holds no tones of judgement; just offerings of a hopeful alternative.

"You don't understand," says Crystal bitterly, and instead of taking Paragon's hand slaps it, smashing her own hand off in the process, leaving razor-sharp glass. "Once you've killed, heroes want nothing to do with you. I didn't mean to kill. It was just my powers...." She hold her wrist, sharper than any knife, out toward Paragon, as if offering to shake hands. "But they cast me out. All because of what that alien did to me....." She sounds as if she would cry, but she has no tears to cry.

"If it honestly wasn't your fault... and you were cleared of any charges, then I don't see how it should have you end up cast out." offers Lady Warp. "I know that there's times when there's only so much that anyone can do. Let's call this your second chance. If it helps... I accept you.." and she looks to the broken off hand and then asks softly, "Um, is that going to heal?"

Bard sighs. "Redemption doesn't lie in anger." He says. "I forgive you if it matters. But constant rage and bitterness gets no where. If an evil act caused a fall only good can raise you back. Kindness and warmth. Evil to defeat evil is meaningless as only evil will rise from the ruin." He says nursing his glass arm. "There are people who have killed, and lives we've seen lost. People are quick to blame, but no one can tell you what lies in your heart. your intentions are clear, but misguided. Punishing for no reason isn't the way. We hold no grudge against you and mean you no harm."

Paragon winces at Crystal breaks her hand off on her, feeling a wave of guilt at first. Then..it seems to be something that happens normally to Crystal based on her lack of reaction. "You poor thing...," she says softly as she takes a step forward with open arms, even with the threat of injury. "I'm so, so sorry...you can't help what they did to you. You're not to blame for something you couldn't control. You were just a victim, trying to make the best of a bad situation. No one can blame you for that.."

"Cleared on charges? Oh no. Why would they clear a 'hero gone bad' of charges? No, they wanted to make an example of me.... Only ACE understood, that it wasn't my fault, that I'd been *made* to be this way." Paragon's speech moves her. "Until now."

Already from the the jagged wrist a tiny hand can be seen to be growing.

Triple Sec drops down near the group, "ACE?" He asks, looking at Crystal, then looks to Bard, "Stop it, Bard. Before I kick your tail into the next city."

Bard looks to Triple sec. "What exactly am I supposed to stop doing?"

Diamond watches Paragon and nods, "Its where you go from here that is important." she says and then shakes her head a bit, not going to add other things she has had her own share of being misjudged in the past.

Triple Sec says, "Trying to persuade her of anything. She's been abandoned and while she could fight all of us... we don't know how that would turn out. Leave her be with the ladies."

Bard looks to triple sec. "So let someone who's good at something not do something they're good at... that seems logical."

"I'm doing what I can. I'm protecting the planet, still. It's harder now. ANd I have to be more... extreme than I would once have, because no one understands. But I'm still trying to help."

Watching Paragon move in, Lady Warp sighs softly, "Look, we've all made mistakes, even mistakes that we weren't to be blamed for. The world is harsh but there are those who can make it less so. You're among friends now." she looks towards Paragon as if to confirm that and moves in a little bit closer, hands held out to her side to indicate they're not in use for anything else. "Please just tell us, how can we help?"

Triple Sec turns his head to look at Bard, evenly it seems, "Do you see me kicking her across the street because I'm good at it?"

Bard smirks at Trip. "Would that be helping remove a possible enemy, and gain a possible friend?"

Triple Sec sighs, shaking his head, "Still just a pretty boy, I see. Learn something, Bard. Not every ability is needed every single second of the day. If you can't, then hang up the cape."

Sword Dancer calls down from the track, "Fighting is stopped?"

Triple Sec calls up to Sword Dancer, "It is." He looks to Crystal, tilting his head, "So which faction are you from?"

Bard shakes his head at trip. "If I wanted results I wouldn't be talking. If you can't see that then perhaps you need to follow your own advice." He's being sarcastic in the last part, he's not fond of able bodies stopping helping.

Crystal asks, "Faction? Oh, of ACE?"

Triple Sec says, "Yes."

Sword Dancer says "Is good!" and leaps down from the tracks.

"RACE. I protect Earth against her enemies wherever they are from," replies Crystal.

Triple Sec nods, "Thought so... /technically/ we should put you under arrest, but... I guess if you could turn music-boy's arm back to normal, we might be able to let you go?"

Paragon does't approach any closer to Crystal, seeing as the girl seems to have calmed down. The gesture was an offering of a hug to someone who seemed to be on the verge of tears that couldn't be shed. She measures Crystal's words and tries to formulate a response. . o O (Maaaybe I can put my arms down now?) "Well, I guess the question is..what do you want for yourself?"

"Are you sure they're enemies? Tell me, what was this woman doing to prove herself a threat?" asks Lady Warp. She shakes her head and steps around where Crystal can see her and adds, "I think you're being used, duped so to speak."

Bard smiles to Trip. In a nod he says thankyou non-verbally. He wasn't planning on detaining her anyways.

Diamond looks up towards the tracks, "Looks to be." she calls out and then nods her head, "some factions of ACE can be misguided." she shakes her head a bit, "Not everyone who seems a threat is." she shrugs a bit, "Can't remember how many times people tried to burn me at the stake, centuries ago." She does dip her head and then turns and makes her way back towards the museum, she wasn't done with her sightseeing.

Crystal's hand seems to be almost fully grown back now. "Oh, he'll recover in a day or so. He wasn't much changed, anyway. And why do you say I'm being duped?"

"What was the threat you responded to? Why were you attacking this woman?" Lady Warp asks towards Crystal as she gestures at Sword Dancer. "Was she cutting up babies? Robbing a candy factory?" she asks before adding deadpan, "Watching Little House on the Prairie reruns?"

Bard looks at the arm. "I hope so, not so thrilled Phoenix would enjoy a glass me..."

Bard looks to Kihzra. "Hello." He smiles. "I don't think we've had the pleasure of meeting." He offers the right arm despite the change. "Marcus."

"She doesn't belong here. Who knows how dangerous she is? Even if she doesn't mean it. She could bring a plague from her Earth or anything!"

Sword Dancer says, "Am not sick!"

Triple Sec says, "I think she may have been here for a while... Crystal, right?"

Triple Sec says, "Thus, if she had a plague, it would've set in by now."

Crystal nods. "According to Gatekeeper, she's just arrived."

"So... you're saying you were attacking her because... she -might- be dangerous?" asks Lady Warp as she inclines her head, "Are you hearing yourself?" she adds, "That's a little thin, isn't it? I mean... that's like saying... oh, Bobby down the street took Karate lessons. He might beat someone up, let's arrest him for assault."

Paragon rubs her chin thoughtfully. "I can see that being a valid concern, but just like with actual criminals, there's better ways to go about things."

Diamond snorts as she walks further away, "And Gatekeeper was the sane one." she says sarcastically as she keeps going and then into the museum in the distance.

Crystal scowls. "Maybe. But those ways were closed to me."

Paragon lowers her hand from her chin. "And if those ways were opened to you again? What would you want to do? What is it you want for yourself?"

"Indeed, they -are- open. How you handle things like this, is -your- choice, not Gatekeeper." says Lady Warp. "But maybe we should take this conversation somewhere else not quite so... open?" she asks as she gestures about the street, and she looks for things like cops and observers approaching and the like.

"What do I want for myself? I want none of this to have happened. But it has happened. So I want some good to come out of it all. I want it all to *mean* something."

Triple Sec nods. "Paragon... umm..." He looks to Lady Warp, "Who are you again?"

Hero Lane is largely quiet, but the police are indeed arriving.

Bard nods his hat to those assembled. "Take care, be safe. And fond wishes." HE mutters the little part at the end before darting off.

Sword Dancer doesn't seem keen on the approaching police either. In any case, no one seems to be paying any attention to her. "I go now," she says, "Tjasivju." And she turns to walk south.

Triple Sec nods, waves at Sword Dancer, "Be careful." He looks to Crystal, Paragon, and Lady Warp. "Ladies, let's get out of here... Crystal, it's up to you... I can offer a new life and identity here, but it's up to you to take it."

Shaking her head, Lady Warp remarks, "I think you got this covered.." towards Paragon, and then she looks towards Triple Sec. "Moniker's Lady Warp." and then she demonstrates... vanishing and reappearing beside Sword Dancer and walking at the same pace as the warrior woman, "Why don't you let me buy you a cup of coffee or some such."

Crystal stares at Triple Sec. "How can you offer me that?"

Sword Dancer grins. "Qhah, coffee is good! Is no coffee on my earff."

Paragon nods back to Triple Sec in greeting. She glances back at Crystal and offers in an encouraging tone, "It seems pretty clear you have good intentions. And not all's lost. Who knows, maybe there's a cure out there somewhere?" She looks back to Triple Sec. "You're right, the cops may be showing up soon..." she murmurs. It's not like her to want to avoid the police, but this seems to be a special case.

Triple Sec looks at Paragon, then at Crystal. "Because, at one time... I was in the same boat as you to a degree. If you have a human form of some sort, it can be done."

"No one has found a cure yet. It's not that no one's tried."

Triple Sec snorts, "Not everyone... you got a sample of some sort? I can take it to a friend who's studying my own unique condition."

Paragon says, "Well, that doesn't mean there isn't one out there. And who knows what discoveries will be made in the future?"

Crystal waves at the broken parts of her hand all over the ground. "There are plenty of samples."

Triple Sec nods, picking up a couple. "I'll get back to you on it, then... for now... I don't know what to tell you. You've got the police, or... you can go back to where you were? It's up to you. Just do yourself a favor if you do go to the police. Be honest with them. Plead insanity at least. That'll keep you out of jail a bit."

Sword Dancer says, "Cha, where are heroes? Have seen onry one vat I know."

"Not sure myself. I generally operate alone." offers Lady Warp. "It's difficult for me to accept some of how they do things here. I mean I don't understand half of it at times but..." she shrugs, "I'm Lady Warp, or just Warp if you like, and you are?" she asks as she walks alongside the Warrior Woman

Crystal glares at Triple Sec. "I am *not* insane."

Triple Sec shrugs, "No, but would you rather sit in a jail cell if you said you were?"

Sword Dancer says, "Am Kihzra daughter of Pfarok and Jungre from city of Jhorbagh in Land of Brun and descendant of Brun King and Sorcerer-Srayer and am corred Sword Dancer. Tjasivju."

"I will not go to jail again."

Triple Sec sighs, "In any case, it's your choice. Look up Triple Security if you need help." He turns to go, hopping up towards the rooftops.

Paragon stares at the cloudy sky for a few moments as she struggles with the what she's been taught. Her mentor never told her what to do in this scenario. This is one of the few occasions where Paragon doesn't have the answers filed away in her mental "Super Heroing" rulebook. Settling on her own path, she looks at Crystal. "..Forget about jail. I'm not turning you in. This time. But...if we end up meeting again as adversaries, I'm going to have to stop you, and I can't let you go a second time. But, if you do want to change your ways...start things anew as a hero, I'll be happy to offer my help anytime." She nods once as she makes her promise, but is unsure if she made the right choice.

Paragon thinks. o O (If she ends up going back to those people...if she hurts anyone...that's all on me. Do I have the right to put others at potential risk like that?)

"And how can I change? You say I have a choice, but what choice is there?"

Paragon smile softly behind her helm, hoping that her choice is the right one. "Well, that guy offered you a new identity. Maybe you can use that to help you get a start on being a regular hero again. You can still protect the earth from evil alien threats, and use your powers to battle terrestial ones as well."

Paragon says, "I just hope, whether human or alien, you think to give them the chance that we're giving you. I know there's some terrible stuff out there. But an evil human scientist could have just as easily done this to you as alien. And if that were the case, would you blame all humanity? All scientists? Or just the mad scientists who are out to hurt people and experiment on them no matter the cost?"

Crystal shakes he head. "But anyone could tell who I am - how many glass women are there? And how long before my breaking kills someone again? I'd I'd be back where I started." To Paragon she says, "I do not blame *all* aliens. BUt I do know that it's ecologically dangerous to let them run free on Earth. Adding any unknown element to a system is a high risk."

"Wow, that's a long name. We tend to use shorter ones here." offers Lady Warp as she wanders off with the swordswoman. "Seriously though... you speak excellent English for someone not -from- here. So how -did- you get here by the way?" She's trying to get that side of the story, so to speak.

Sword Dancer says, "Was sent by sorcerer, again. Cha, but vis time because of, cha, truce, is word, yes? He goes away from my rand if I go away from my earff."

Paragon suggests, "Well, there was that other glassy looking hero who was here. I don't know her name, that's proof that there's others. And maybe there's a scientist in the city who can make a special bodysuit to keep all your pieces together in case you should break? Or...something. I'm afraid I wouldn't know much about that."

Paragon says, "Perhaps it would be best to find out how to safely use your abilities before anything else.."

Crystal hesitates. Clearly it's a better offer than she's heard in a while. The trouble is, it seems too good to be true. "Wahat makes you think it can be done?"

"So you were exiled, to bring peace to your land?" Lady Warp rolls her eyes, "And they wanted to send you back, yeesh. That's it, no matter that it would be countless lives in a war resumed in all likelihood." And by this time, Warp and Sword Dancer are likely turning a corner out of sight from the group as a whole.

Sword Dancer says, "Is for peace I came back! Ice-fox goed away and rand has peace." She sighs. "Vough I can't see rand. And I broked, cha, swearing."

Paragon hesistates for a moment as she weighs whether to answer. "Because I did it myself," she admits quietly. "I was able to do it because someone special was there to help me do it. He was with me every step of the way. He could've turned me over to the police, or dimantled me, but...he didn't. He gave me a chance, which is the same chance I'm giving you."

Crystal nods, and shakes her head slowly. "Very well. I'll try." And after a pause, "Thank you."

Although she doesn't realize it, as Paragon talks of this special someone, her voices takes on tones of admiration. It's obvious she's very fond of this person.

"Wait what?" asks Lady Warp, "I don't follow exactly. You left your world so that this Sorcerer would leave your land? You wanted him to leave? Or is it..." She shakes her head, "I'm sorry, I don't really understand.." And she actually seems frustrated that she's not following this.

Sword Dancer says, "Am sorry, is rong time since I spoked Engrish! Is hard. Cha..."

Paragon smiles softly and says encouragingly, "You're welcome. I'm sure you'll find a way. Maybe we can even find someone to rig a holographic projector to help out." She looks off towards the distant city. "And if you ever need help or just someone to talk to, you can find me at (rattles of her address). I have an open door policy most of the time, unless I'm out on patrol or something."

Sword Dancer says, "Ice-fox is evirr sorcerer, yes? He invaded rand. He kirred tribe, he fough in, cha, bigger rand."

Paragon chuckles. "And if you need someone to safely practice on while you get used to not breaking, you can always train with me," she says as she raps her knuckles on her head, causing a metal clanging sound. "I'm pretty durable."

"It might be because I just don't quite understand your -world-." Offers Lady Warp, "But yes, he's the evil sorcerer, he killed... what is cha?" she asks then as she inclines her head to the left.

Sword Dancer says, "Cha - cha is what say when can't fink of word to say, is, cha, in Engrish, um?"

"Hrm, okay." offers Lady Warp, "Just making sure it's not something I should be trying to translate." She grins behind that mask that never shows even her mouth and shakes her head, "So, he invaded, and then... he killed your tribe, and... fought in? fell in something?"

Sword Dancer says, "He made me come here for make me not kirr him. Is, cha, what is word? When someone says somefing wirr happen in future?"

"Prophecy?" asks Lady Warp in a bit of a smaller voice. "Is that the word you're looking for? A prediction of future events?"

Sword Dancer says, "Qhah, yes, prophecy! Is prophecy I kirr him, or somefing. So he made me go away. But I goed back. And peopre heard of prophecy, and is big war, and many peopre dying."

Slowing her pace, Lady Warp shakes her head, "It is always sad when so many have to die. Tell me, did you fulfill this prophecy?" she asks softly.

Sword Dancer says, "No. Have made dearr. Truce. He goes from rand of Brun, and I go from my earff to vis earff and is no more war."

"So you came here, to -end- the war, to stop people from being killed. I could think of no more heroic action than that, and yet they wanted to send you back or arrest you for that?" asks Lady Warp, shaking her head, "That's barbaric."

Sword Dancer says, "Vey? Oh, *here* vey? Peopre here? Virrains, yes?"

"Yes, those who were attacking you.. that's who I refer to." offers Lady Warp. "But tell me, and this is the important question. Do you take cream or sugar in your coffee?"

Sword Dancer shakes her head. "No - brack! Brack coffee is drink for warrior."