Log:On the Warpath

Open Season 2015/05/26 Bullet Enforcer Matt Praetoria 2

Crimson Towers

Three huge modern interconnected buildings, the highest fifty stories tall.

It's late, and even though the Towers is the cleanest, most modernly builty part of the city with shopping malls, hovercar lanes, holo-billboards, and restaurants, it's not as crowded as it could be due to it being a week night. Even in the nicest parts of towns, crime can happen. Just more of the type that hurts people's retirement plans.

Enforcer steps out of the roof access atop the Crimson Towers after having snooped around corporate files for incriminating evidence. He's not very satisfied with what he found, which was exactly nothing. What a waste of a breaking and entering.

Matt flies from above, watching the scene. He's making sure that Enforcer wasn't made on his infiltration of the office. ((What news?)) he asks over the com.

Also flying high in the sky out on Patrol is Praetoria. Rather than the other heroes who are dressed more somberly, Praetoria's white and blue costume doesn't blend into the night-time sky very well. She's looking around the area below as she flies, keeping a sharp eye out for any trouble. And catching a glimpse of a flying man dressed in black is definately noteworthy. Still, wearing black doesn't mean that he's up to no good, so Praetoria stays back a bit, monitoring his movements but not exactly hidden to any observers.

Enforcer radios back to Matt ((Nothing useful. But there's a few other offices we could check. I -know- this guy is dirty. Just need the proof. I think I got past the alarms, but best not to stay here long. We should hit the next place before someone notices this place has been searched. Is it clear out here?)) Matt was on lookout from above.

Matt looks around..and sees, not very far away, girl in Blue and White. ((Negative, there's a meta out here, looks like a 'Ro, check your 7 and up 20 degrees)) he flies towards the girl..trying to feel her out. He flies towards her, but not at her..so to speak, and he doesn't fly quickly. "Out for some fresh air?"

"Just out on patrol," Praetoria replies with a freindly smile. "I noticed you and wanted to make sure things are crash. Staying back and observing seemed better than just rushing in." She's not smug about this, but there is a definate feel of triumphant 'female logic' as she speaks. "So, who's your partner that you're talking to?"

Matt raises an arched eyebrow, "Well..that's for me to know and for you to NEVER find out I suppose..at least until I know what your deal is."

White and blue is easy enough to spot in the sky, especially if you know where to look. Enforcer's hooded head tilts up, eyes shadowed by the hood itself. He whispers back to Matt, ((That's Praetoria. The one Rei mentioned was on her team with Timewarp. Funny. I thought Praetoria had a good head on her shoulders. But if they're following Timewarp...?)) He leaves it on a doubtful note.

"Well, my name is Praetoria." She remains hovring at the same distance that the black-clad youth stopped at, willing to maintain what he feels as a comfort zone. "I'm a newer hero, so I'm not surprised if you don't know about me yet. And who might you be?"

Matt listens to Enforcer's Report. "Praetoria..I've heard of you, You're friends with Bluejay? My name is Matthew. You can call me Matt...I find it more Heroic." his tone is dry..in his mind though he can't help but notice how pretty she is...((Focus Matt..focus)).

Enforcer lowers his hooded head and smirks for a moment. He can already guess where Matt's mind is going. He sidesteps into the shadows and disappears. ((She's also pretty green.))

Praetoria nods as Matt introduces himself. She pulls out a smartphone and quickly pulls up HeroNet. "Hang on," she says with a smile. "Got a message that I need to answer." She doesn't like lying to someone she just met like this, but Praetoria doubts that saying 'I need to verify that you're a good guy' is very diplomatic. After a bit of typing, she puts the phone back in her pouch. "Anyways, nice to meet you, Matt. Anything going down tonight?"

Matt shakes his head, "Nothing too important. I had a lead on something, but its not panning out. How about you?" ..((How about you?..she said she was patrolling..smooth Matt..smooth.))

Enforcer leans against the shadowed side of the roof access. ((Are you flirting up there? Because we have other places to hit.))

Praetoria shrugs at the question. "Not much, really. Just patroling, getting used to Colonial Bay. I'm a new resident as well." She smiles a bit self-conciously, shrugging agian. "Anyways, what's your lead? Maybe I can help you out with it?"

Floating above the Crimson Tower, Matt and Praetoria are in a mid-air conversation, She's being nice, he's being...Matt, probably putting his foot in his mouth. Enforcer on the other hand is being Enforcer. Quiet, Sneaky, shady...and complaining about Matt from a darkened window..or someplace that no one can see...

Matt shakes his head, "You seem to be a nice girl, I don't think you want in on this." he means that in a good way..some how, "So..you're obviously a 'ro, what powers do you have? I mean other than flight and super hearing?" he doesn't mention his superhearing..

Some people just can't sit still long. They can't just meander on down the street. Ever since she moved in with Rose and got her new costume, complete with cape and goggles to protect her ID, Bullet has been out and about in the skies far more often. Of course, she's also cheerleading at CBSU, having graduated Colonial Heights last year. And tonight, she's something of a blur... whooshing past the tower in a streak of blue and gold. She does however, notice that she just passed some floating folks.. and she banks, decelerating down and hovering about a hundred meters past all of you. "Hey there!" she announces from over there at the top of her lungs. Then.. she's suddenly a lot closer... almost skidding to a stop in the air.

"I am a nice girl," Praetoria replies with a smirk. "That does't mean that I don't realize that there's a lot of bad stuff in the world. Part of why I'm a hero, you know? And I'm not so nice that I don't accept the way others fight evil, either. As long as there's no killing involved, I can deal with anything." When Matt asks the questions about her powerset, Praetoria smiles some, almost feeling embarassed. "Flight, super-strength, near-invulnerability, energy blasts, regeneration, and enhanced senses." Her smile turns from embarassed to wry. "Yeah, I know. i won the lottery here..."

And then this blur comes wizzing up to them and Praetoria virtually jumps while hovering. "Whoa! Ummm...hey there...."

Matt nods, "Yup..you did. I just get to play with rocks and stuff." he says, and then Bullet arrives, Flames jump up around his hands, and He's ready for action...until he realizes its another superfriendly Meta he doesn't know. "Uh..who are you..." he says creating distance between the two. "Your friend?" he asks Praetoria.

The others fail to notice what Enforcer does. He steps out of the shadows and radios up to Matt ((Matt, we've got a hostile on your six. He's probably not alone either. He's a mercenary with--UHN!)) And that's when the other hidden person Enforcer didn't spot fires off an arrow from another hidden spot on the roof. The arrow strikes him on the shoulder and sends him in a half spin off the roof. Thankfully this building is very tall and gives him plenty of time to do something about the freefall he's in. He calmly replies to Matt as he drops below and reaches for his linegun. ((Two hostiles. I'm fine. Armor took the hit.))

Hovering above the group silently hidden in the dark sky is Warhead in sleeo armor. Navy blue and some gold accents, with a jetpack and wrist-mounted rocket launchers. He's lining up a shot on the others and has gone unnoticed, save for Enforcer's warning to Matt...

Matt says outloud as he turns "Bogey! Bogey!" he flies at the man at his six, as he does, a large plume of dirt forms in his wake and follows him, slapping his hands together, the dirt flies at the man, looking to encase him before hardening to stone.

You can't go that way.

The dirt flies at the man as it hardens midair into stone, but Matt's aim is off and the stone comes together behind the man crashing into each other, and shattering back into dirt falling harmlessly to the ground below. Well harmless except for some people needing a bath and dry cleaning...

Warpath down below reaches for another arrow from her quiver after taking down Enforcer. "Watch this next one, Warhead. Right between the eyes." She draws back the string after notching an arrow and aims for Bullet.

Warpath tracks Bullet as she tries to dodge, but she anticipates where Bullet is going to be and lets the knockout gas arrow fly!

And, Bullet points down towards Warpath, "Archer on the low ground!" she calls even as her form begins to blur just a bit, "Incoming!" And she twists to try evading the incoming shot. She thinks she has it evaded and grins, "Is that the best you can..." and the arrowhead explodes in her face with gas. It interrupts her speech and she just waves a hand before her face, "Hey!" she announces, coughing, "God it's gonna take hours to get that smell out of my cape!"

Warhead laughs over the speakers in his helmet. "Nice shot, Warpath. Let me have some fun." He aims his rocket launcher bracer at Matt. "Hey, superfreak! Catch!"

The rocket fires off at Matt and strikes him in the chest before exploding in a mass of high tensile cables that wrap around him.

Matt grunts as the cablebomb hits him in the chest, and now..he's not so happy, the cables twist and turn and wrap him up like a tube in toilet tissue...

Praetoria turns around as all of a sudden, there are blasts an gas arrows and exploding net rockets going off around her. "Huh? What?" She looks around, gettin her bearings, then nods as all the information the others shouted out sinks in. "Got it. On the rooftop..." She holds out an arm and fires off a blast of energy at the archer.

Warpath grunts slightly but keeps her footing. "Nice love tap."

Waving her hand faster before her face, Bullet narrows her eyes towards Warhead. She just snorts and just whooshes past Matt. Then she arrows in on Warpath. She hits the rooftop right before the archer and attempts to cartwheel over her... the plan is to stop the cartwheel three quarters of the way through it and kick her in the back.

Warpath's head tracks Bullet's movements, almost preempting her again before she gets kicked in the back and stumbles forward several steps. She manages to keep her footing. "You've got some moves on you."

Not -quite- landing there, Bullet rolls her neck, "You ain't seen nothing yet." she remarks. She looks up to Praetoria now, her face a bit of a blur. "Combine fire!" she calls out, pointing at Warpath.

Matt didn't necessarily tell the truth to Praetoria when he said he only got to play with dirt, because he can play with fire as well. Not happy with the entrapment, he flies at Warhead, heating up as he goes, and tries to explode the cables from his body...

The flying part worked, the exploding dramatically out of cablebonds..not so much, still, some of the cables are broken by his attempt..and he is even angrier now, his eyes bleed fire and he continues for Warhead.

Grinning, Warpath begins to run. "Don't worry your sweet little head. I can handle a little lovin'." She raises her arrow with the familiar canister on it and fires on Bullet again.

The arrow comes right in this time. Bullet attempts to bat it aside and.. it blows up on her hand, the gas surging towards her face. She coughs a bit and shakes her head to clear it. "I bet you don't have -enough- of these arrowheads." she statews.

Warhead swoops up and behind Matt, coming out above him and keeping Matt between him and the building. "Like shooting heroes in a barrel," he says as he levels his palm at Matt. A port in the center of his palm opens up, and an angry red glow starts to build up withing.

Praetoria hears the shout from Bullet and is about to respond when she sees the battle armored opponent build up an energy blast for Matt. "Hang on!" she shouts back to Bullet before diving towards Matt to try and take the blast...

And barely missing the energy beam.

Angry entangled firey Matt is blown headlong into the building, the upside, he's free, the downside..well, he's down, and a good ways blown into the building..

Matt flips to his feet and looks out the window, Hands free, He bursts into flames again, Too far to hit with his most effective attack, Matt, despite having powers of all sorts, has somehow, probably because of his training with Enforcer, become a close quarter fighter, and the closest hes going to get is in Warheads face...literally. Drawing from the power of air, he flies straight at Warhead, fists flaming..

Bullet mutters, "Oh god, I can't watch."

Warhead laughs. "Oh, this is way too easy. This'll be the easiest bounty I--" he doesn't get to finish. Because the massive fire ball that is Matt then strikes the overconfident Warhead and sends him flipping head over heels over a rooftop across the street, dazing him.

Warpath's eyes widen behind her visor as Matt bowls Warhead over. She murmurs something over the radio comm on her helm.

Holding her hand up, still waving at that gas, Bullet mutters, "Hold that thought. Be right back." And then she's off in a blue and gold blur. She flashes past Warhead, circling back about .. ending about halfway between him and Warpath, "I'm coming back!" she calls out, fully expecting to get shot again. Better her than others though.

And on the way past, Bullet's fist connects two or three times as she uses the guy's flying form and heavier weight to help her do a hairpin turn. At the end of that, she's drifting out there just over thirty meters from Warpath, grinning as Warhead starts to fall out of the sky. "Don't worry, I'll catch him before he hits the ground. If.. you quit fighting now." she says.

Warpath motions for Bullet to come get some and prepares.

Praetoria blinks in shock at both the armored figure starting to fall and Bullet's seemignly cavalier attitude at letting him fall to secure a surrender. She doubts that she's fast enough to catch the armored guy, but hopefully BUllet isn't going to let the man fall to his death. "Go catch him!" she shouts at Bullet as she flies at the archer and attempts to grab her.

Rolling her eyes, Bullet mutters, "Okay then. I guarantee I could've caught him." she says as she sighs. She drops... her cape fluttering as she turns and aims downward. She accelerates downward, curling to pluck him from the air. "Seriously... spoiling my melodrama is so... boring." she states.

Having plucked Warhead from his fall, Bullet blasts up past the edge of the roof and lands there... dropping the unconscious guy there. "Okay... -now- give it up you D&D Ranger wannabe."

Matt having taken out Warhead, he turns to Warpath, He flies now at her, and as he does, he draws back, flames turning into balls of ice, he throws them at the woman archer, he means to end this.

Warpath draws a chisel-point arrow and draw back her bowstring. Her hand pans over to level off with Praetoria. "One of you is going down for what you did to Warhead," she vows before letting her arrow fly towards the heroine.

Praetoria looks down at the arrow that hits her square in the chest and then falls to the rooftop with a tiny clatter. "Yeah, the armored guy that got taken out? He was your best chance against me." And then she rushes in, throwing a punch at the archer.

Warpath dances around Praetoria's fist with a spin. "Really? That's not how it looks from here."

Matt closes and his fists are now encased in steel, the impurities of the earth fall away, "You dance well..lets see how you tango now.." His hand to hand fighting skills come to the forefront..

Warpath's tango skills could use some brushing up. When she's struck with a steel fist, she half spins and drops into a hand and knee. Stunned, she rubs her jaw.

Shaking her head, Bullet smirks. She mutters, "Looks like you never studied latin dances." she mutters as she sits down on Warhead's inert form... giving him a little kick to make sure he's not getting back up.

Matt seeks to end this, and strikes with ironfists again, the strike rapid and dangerous..

Warpath is a stubborn woman. She takes another hit to the back and side, but she's still struggling to get up and fight. "You're...weak. You're all weak!" she manages to force out the words, laughing a little.

Praetoria smiles a bit as the archer gets knocked around. "I may not be the best dancer, but I'm still on the pep squad. And you're going down." As she moves in to deliver the final blow, Praetoria silently prays that she'll actually hit this time...

Warpath tries to get her feet under her so she can lift her bow, but a final hit from Praetoria causes her head to snap to the side and she finally slumps to the ground, unconscious.

And, Bullet -is- a cheerleader in her secret ID. She jumps up and whoops happily, "Nice shot there!... whateveryournameis!" she calls out. "By the way, I'm Bullet... as in faster than a speeding.." she remarks.

Matt throws dirt on both Warpath and Warhead..and it hardens to Stone...encasing them. "We need to get them to the authorities...they were bounty hunters..and that's bad news. Oh crap.))

((Bro..are you ok?")) says Matt to empty air as he jumps off the building leaving the two behind..

"Wh..." and Bullet just blinks and dives off the rooftop, arrowing straight down. She waves to Matt on the way by too.

Enforcer's perched on a ledge about 5 stories below, holding the shaft of the arrow in his shoulder. ((Not splattered. But my movement's limited)) he radios back.

((Do you see me..give me your 20..I'll get you.))

"I'm Praetoria..." the girl starts to say. Then Matt jums off and Bullet goes zipping off, leaving her alone with the secured villains. "And apparently I'm talking to myself now..." Sighing, she takes ahold of the two villains, hefting one onto each shoulder before starting her own flight down. "I guess the new girl has to do the clean-up around here..."

"Oh hey there!" says Bullet with a grin as she buzzes past Enforcer. She pulls out of the dive and angles upwards... and out. She points at the ledge and says, "Over there."

Enforcer radios back, ((At your 4, down --just follow the brightly colored hero.))

Matt flies down and see's him offering a hand "Let go, I'll get your good arm."

Enforcer cringes a little and reaches up with his good arm, gloved fingers outstretched for Matt. "I assume you avenged me."

And then back up top, Bullet crests the edge. "Sorry, had to go make sure that first guy didn't go splat. You said.. Praetoria?" she asks, reaching to take one of the villains.

Matt grabs the hand..and flies up, not down, to a safe ledge. "Yeah bro..hurt a little, but I took them both out. They said they had a bounty out on me."

Enforcer nods slightly. "I recognized one of them as a merc. Didn't really see the one that tagged me with the arrow," he mutters as he touches down on the safe ledge. He grunts a little as he shifts, grasping the arrow shaft again. "It's deep. I need to get this out. You're going to have to push the arrow through to the other side and break off the arrow head before it can be pulled out."

Matt nods, "I know bro. I don't want to do this, but..it has to be done. Let me know when you're ready."

Enforcer grips the arrow shafter tighter. "I can do it on my own, then. Go check on the villains and make sure they're not going anywhere."

Matt shakes his head, "Don't be daft bro, I've already taken care of the Vils, just let me know when you're ready and I'll do it."

"Don't want to force you to do something you don't want, bro. But if you're sure, I'm ready." Enforcer gives a nod and sets his jaw in anticipation.

Matt grabs the arrow and shoves it through with a squiching sound. He immediately breaks the end off and withdraws the arrow..."Bro..."

Enforcer tries his best not to make a noise. He grunts when it's shoved through, winces at the jostling from breaking it, and then lets out a pained sound as the arrow's drawn out. He's left panting from the pain and disoriented, with beads of sweat on his forehead. "Buh...better...thanks..." he manages to say as he sways a little. Blood starts to run from the wound. With his good arm, he reaches to his utility belt and pulls out what looks like a small glue gun. He presses it against the wound and pulls the trigger, dispensing a medi-gel that expands and seals the wound. He hten uses it again on the exit-sound. It doesn't heal it, but it does stop the bleeding.

Matt nods, "Alright Enforcer...lets get you home so Sasha can really take care of you."

"I will never heard the end of it from him after this," Enforcer mutters as he puts the medi-gel dispenser back in a belt pocket. "This is nothing."

Matt sighs, "Mate, its not nothing, its something that will only slow you down in the future. Get Sasha to fix it. We fight, we get hurt, I'm hurt right now, Im going to get some rest, and get back out there."

Enforcer grumbles a little. "Alright, alright. One of these days, though, he's going to stop healing me just to teach me a lesson, probably."

Matt shakes his head. "No he wont bro. He loves you."

Enforcer smirks slightly. "Well...maybe. But he did threaten it once."

Matt grins, "lets go bro.." He offers a hand to Enforcer. "Lets get you home."

Enforcer takes Matt's hand with his good one. "Alright. Thanks, Bro. I'm sure that wasn't easy for you to do."

Matt nods, "It sucked...I hated putting you through that." He grabs Enforcer's forearm, and slowly lifts off. "Tell me if you want me to put you down."

"Really? I thought after all the times we've teased each other, you'd have enjoyed it a little," Enforcer grins a little. His jaw tenses a little as they left off. He holds his injured arm close to his body. "I'm...I'm good. I'll let you know."

Matt nods, and flies smoothly and at speed to the Church, "You're my best friend, I do not enjoy seeing you in pain..at least pain caused by someone else.." he says a laugh in his voice.

Enforcer lets out a hoarse laugh in kind, which he has to cut off because it's causing him to move his shoulder to much. "Same here," he returns the sentiment with a wry grin.

Matt grins, and they're at the church in short order. Landing lightly, he places more than land's Enforcer on the ground. "Alright bro, get some rest, some healing, and I'll see you tomorow at school. Crash?"

"Crash," Enforcer responds as he steps lightly on the ground. "Thanks for the help, and getting me here. I'll see you tomorrow and good as new, bro," he extends his good hand for a fistbump.

You have already voted for that character today.

Matt nods and fistbumps. "Those mofo's were up to something..and I have a bad feeling."

Enforcer nods thoughtfully. "I'll look into it. See if I can dig anything up."