Dedonus

Create-A-Hero: A Superhero RPG Season 2- New Horizons (Closed)

@Noco: Looks good to me, unless @nitemare shape has anything to say about it.

Create-A-Hero: A Superhero RPG Season 2- New Horizons (Closed)

@KaiserElectric: Riley is accepted (again).

Create-A-Hero: A Superhero RPG Season 2- New Horizons (Closed)

Aubrey Adkins

Pacific Point, California

late May (less than 1 Months Before IC Starts)

Tomorrow, Will was going to fly out of Pacific Point, which would end his short stay here while I was settling into this west coast city. Therefore, today we had made reservations for dinner as a sort of ‘good bye’ date. Since the forecast for the evening was supposed to be a clear, nice evening, we decided to walk there because of the weather, even though we would be dressed in some nice clothes. We even left a little bit earlier than we needed to so that we could window shop if there were any good shops on the way. And I of course had to pick up something cute (or tacky, mattering on who was judging) for my new apartment.

That night seemed to just fly by, just as it does whenever you’re having fun. The hostess seated us at our table. The waiter took our orders and delivered them to us. After we had finished our meals, we even dawdled just long enough before the staff could give us a subtle (or not so subtle) hint that we need to get going. However, when we exited out of the front doors, we were surprised by the downpour of rain that met us outside. Even if we had not checked the weather forecast, rain like this was untypical for Southern California during the summer. This definitely threw a wrench in our plans.

Will attempted to hail a cab for us, while at the same time dodging splashes that any oncoming traffic would produce when they would drive by. During that time, I stood close to the building, allowing the overhanging roof to shield me from the torrents of rain. Once he had finally gotten a cab to stop after a couple minutes of trying, Will opened the rear door to limit how wet I would get walking from where I was standing to the cab. However, once inside the cab, I slid to the far side so that Will did not have to walk all the way around to enter the cab. He had already been out in the rain long enough.

“Quite bizarre weather we’re having, aren’t we?” The cabbie greeted us, “I normally would offer you some bottled water, but I assume you two have had your fill of it.”

“Meteorologists sometimes get the forecast wrong, but never this wrong.” Will commented.

“It feels more like Ohio than Southern California.”

“So, you’re tourists?” The cabbie continued to pry.

“No.” I replied, not wanting to divulge any more information, like how I just moved here. “We just need to go down a few blocks and make a right.”

The cabbie just nodded after hearing what I said. As the cab drove down the street, I kept counting the number of blocks that we had passed. However, as the ride continued, I began to smell bubble gum, or at least a scent that mimicked that odor. I didn’t know whether it was a coincidence or I was just worn out by our date, but I started to feel drowsy at that same moment. I almost lost count of how many blocks that we had already passed. Only one block left. However, when we got to our turn, I was concerned when the cabbie continued straight instead.

“Hey, you missed our turn.” I expressed my concern to the cabbie. However, he ignored my plea, remaining silent.

I was horrified when I saw that the locking mechanic on the door was missing, preventing any backseat passenger from unlocking the door. I bet the child’s lock had also been activated. Panic had already set in and it only became worse when I realized that Will had somehow fallen asleep, or rather he was knocked out. I knew that bubblegum scent was out of place.

Not again. I was not going to allow myself get kidnapped for a third time. During the first time, that Doctor Diplodoc weirdo gave me my powers. Then, when that crazy bitch, who wanted to sell me into human trafficking, abducted me, I was left with a body that you would more likely see in a comic book instead of the real world. Since I was determined not to see these be repeated, I reached down and deactivated my power nullifier.

My costume crawled up my body as it replaced the dress that I had been wearing that evening. My lower body morphed back into what seemed like a giant widow spider. Once this transformation was complete, my entire body almost occupied the entire back seat. I even heard the cabbie utter a mumbled curse under his breath when he saw my appearance in his rearview mirror.

“Pull this car over right now or we’re going to have some problems.” I demanded. However, the cabbie instead began to fumble around in his glove compartment. When I felt a buzz in my head, I knew that whatever he was reaching for was bad news. I pressed all of my strength against the backseat door that was on Will’s side. Under the stress of my strength, the door popped off its hinges. With my extra spider legs taking hold of my unconscious boyfriend and my purse, I pulled us out of the backseat and onto the top of the cab.

Once we were on the roof, I placed Will behind my back. I wrapped some webs around our waists and around his wrists after I had draped his arms over my shoulders so that he would be safely secured to me. While I was trying to figure out what I should do not, I heard a gunshot go off from within the cab. The bullet barely missed one of my eight spider legs.

I could have easily just jumped off and ran back to my apartment with my boyfriend on my back, but that would leave this weirdo still on the streets. However, I could not just abruptly stop the cab because there were other cars behind it and I would have caused a pile up. I had to be creative to minimize any collateral damage.

After I had attached several weblines to the roof of the cab, I leapt off and onto the sidewalk on the right. While I was still in the air, I yanked on the webs, pulling the cab sideways and causing it to roll over off the street. Since I knew that this would draw a crowd, I hurried over to the cab and pulled the man out. Then, I wrapped him up in a thick coating of webbing, just like a spider would do to its prey, and left him for the police. Once he was immobilized, I began my trip back to my apartment in the rain. However, as I traversed over the rooftops back to my apartment, one thing haunted me. The man who tried to kidnap us said that he would remember my face.

Marvel - Dawn of Heroes

It was a bright and sunny day on Olympus, although this was not usual for the home of the Olympian gods. On that day, Hercules was training at the gymnasium. A god that embodies strength and masculinity must always keep himself at peak condition. Many minor deities would always come to challenge the son of Aegis-bearing Zeus. Yet all would leave disappointed and defeated. And this day was no different. Whether it was archery, discus-throwing, or wrestling, Hercules always came on top.

After a hard day’s toil on the competitive playing field, Hercules would hit the showers, or rather the gymnasium. After lathering oil onto his muscular frame, he used a strigil, a curved blade, to scrape off the excess along with the dirt and grime that he had accumulated during his athletic endeavors. The soothing waters cooled down the god’s body as he relaxed in the bathing pool. However, this refreshing post-victory bath was only to revitalize Hercules for his next struggle. Word had reached Hercules’ ears that some mortal has dared to claim himself to be Thor, the Norse god of Thunder. Stories of mortals claiming superiority over the gods fill the archives of Greek mythology and all those who have succumbed to hubris are swiftly crushed by the heels of the gods. And this would not be any different.

Once he had arrived home, Hercules began to brandish his war-gear. First, he covered his shins with his ever-enduring greaves, tied on by silver fastenings at his ankles. Then, on his strong chest, he placed his well-wrought breastplate, which has enduring countless battles. His bronze sword was next, which was strapped onto his belt along his waist. Hercules then crowded his head with the hide of the Nemean Lion, whose skin is entirely impenetrable. The head of the lion rested on his head, while the rest of the skin was draped down his back, just like a cape that certain caped crusaders would wear. Finally, Hercules lifted up his mighty club, his most trustworthy weapon in his arsenal besides his own raw strength.

Now that he was armed for battle, Hercules summoned his half-brother, Hermes.

“Carry this message to that doppelganger of Odin’s son.” Hercules instructed the swift-footed messenger of the gods, “I, Hercules, the Lion-Hearted son of Aegis-bearing Zeus, challenge you a contest of strength and endurance in order to prove that you are not some mortal pretending to be a god. For the gods do not take lightly at this sort of mockery, when a mere mortal compares himself to that of a god. Name whatever place you wish for this trial to take place at and I shall be there, waiting.”

After the son of Zeus had spoken, wing-footed Hermes sped off, soaring down to Earth in order to deliver this message to the so-called Thor. At his home on Olympus, Hercules awaited a response. He relished in this moment. For once more Hercules would be face a challenge worthy of his lineage and strength.

Create-A-Hero: A Superhero RPG Season 2- New Horizons (Closed)

Christopher Arthur III

Chris readjusted the button on his dress shirt’s cuff as he waited for the elevator to finally reach his destination. Considering how S.T.R.I.K.E. desires that its secrets remain, well, a secret, Chris was surprised that he was not blindfolded or something on his trip down to this hidden retention facility. He still thought this, despite the fact that Chris worked closely with this, until recently, secret organization. Apparently, they were not that worried that Chris would let the cat out of the bag on this one.

After the elevator bell rung, the doors slid open, revealing a narrow corridor that branched out to the left and to the right. In front of the elevator, a S.T.R.I.K.E. agent had been standing, waiting for Chris’ arrival.

“This way, Mr. Arthur.” The agent told him, waving down the right side passage. As the two individuals walked down this corridor, Chris saw dozens of containment cells, lined with near-invincible, one-way glass. Although many of them were empty, a few of them were occupied by some of the allies of Doctor Diplodoc. He saw the lion-man, Leo, who looked bizarre without his fierce feline appearance. The Silver Sorceress’ sister, Sumac, was also there, having just been transferred out of the medical bay after sustaining serious injuries from War-Pulse. The sorceress herself was there, too, although she had been loaded up with medical drugs in order to keep her unconscious so that she would not bring down the entire place down to the ground.

However, Chris was here for the ring-leader, Doctor Diplodoc. He, too, just like Leo, looked far less intimidating while his powers were suppressed. His unpowered appearance paled in comparison to the giant of a man he was with his powers. Over the last few months since the Pax Metahumana crisis had been resolved, Chris had been returning to this facility to try to pry answers out of the mad doctor, although these attempts have been for the most part done in vain.

“How can I help you today, Christopher.” The doctor asked even before Chris spoke. He, too, was already use to this routine.

“Why ask questions when you already know the answers?”

“I could tell you the same exact thing.” Doctor Diplodoc quipped back. “I assume you have seen last month’s issue of Viera, since you have been quite intimate with some of their models, if you catch my drift.”

“Read it, no. Heard about it, now that would be a yes. I was half surprised by it, to be honest. She rocks the look, but I would have lost a lot of money if I had bet on whether she would ever do something like that.”

“And I wonder who could have possibly pushed her in that direction.”

“So, I’m guessing that’s a confession that you orchestrated that with Effigy. But to what end?”

“It is quite elementary, if you think about it. I’m surprised someone of your intellect cannot see it.” Doctor Diplodoc taunted Chris. “Most heroes can keep a low profile by working jobs that don’t put themselves in the public spotlight. However, if they were to be pushed into the forefront, it becomes just a little bit more difficult to juggle identities and manage responsibilities.”

“I’m not here to learn how you conned that Spider-Girl into being a glorified Playboy model. I’m here to find out where are the rest of your allies.”

“You will soon see.” Doctor Diplodoc mentioned. Chris turned to head back the same way he came, knowing that he had gotten all that he could get out of the S.T.R.I.K.E. captive. However, when the doctor began talking again, Chris stopped and turned his head over his shoulder to listen to what the man had to say.

“You should be thanking me. If I had not handed over some juicy intel to S.T.R.I.K.E. about the Good Doctor, you heroes would have had yet another crisis on your hands.”

“Who?” Chris asked since he had never heard of that name before.

“Exactly. Although he might have called himself the Good Doctor, I will always be the best one.”

Create-A-Hero: A Superhero RPG Season 2- New Horizons (Closed)

@Shard: All go ahead and approve of this.

Create-A-Hero: A Superhero RPG Season 2- New Horizons (Closed)

BAD VATROU. BAD.

Create-A-Hero: A Superhero RPG Season 2- New Horizons (Closed)

Aubrey Adkins

Pacific Point, California

late May (less than 1 Months Before IC Starts)

It was a bright, sunny day in Pacific Point. After my boyfriend and I had finished moving myself into the apartment that Viera was providing for me, we decided that it was perfect weather for a trip to the beach. Will was the only one who had come down to help me get settled in. My old roommates were going to fly in later this month before they have to actually find a job. My parents were still trying to find a way to come to terms with what seemed like my decision (which I definitely did not make). I know that they still love me, since they were still supportive of me at my graduation. However, parents love to brag about their kids and saying that their daughter took off her clothes for a magazine is not quite the statement that they thought they would be telling their friends at this stage of my life.

Sometimes, I feel that it would be easier on me if I had told my parents about my metahuman status. It would have saved me from having to lie to them all the time. I could not say that someone impersonated me and signed me up for this job. Instead, I had to utter some bull about how this would be a good opportunity for me, even though I probably will be the oldest, shortest, least thin (and this is sad because I’m thinner than the average person), and least experienced model there. And when I had my little ‘extreme makeover’, instead of saying that my healing factor would make any breast reduction be pointless and a waste of money, I had to convince my parents that I was fine with how I was. And I doubt that these will be the last times.

But at the same time, how am I going to tell my parents that I’m a superhero? The argument that keeping your loved ones in the dark about your activities in order to keep them safe is not stopping me. In fact, I don’t really buy that because your family and friends will always be in danger while you go around playing superhero, whether they know it or not. The true obstruction is that I’m not like the other heroes. I’m not like Icon or Lyger or even those kids from Albany. Icon and Lyger can just pull off their costumes and look like everyone else. I, on the other hand, have to hide what I truly am. While the Albany kids probably also have to conceal their powers, at least they are all still bipedal. How am I supposed to tell my parents that I’m a octopedal metahuman (is that even a word)? How do I tell my mom and dad that I practically have a giant spider where my lower body would be?

However, this conversation is for another time. Right now, all I need to worry about is soaking in some sun. I cannot believe I am saying this, but I’m pleasantly surprised that my healing factor doesn’t instantly remove my tan. While I’m not expert, I’m guessing that my powers are only healing the actual damage caused by the sun while leaving the melanin behind. Which is great for me. God knows how much skin damage I had accumulated up til I got my powers. Now I can get all the Vitamin D and tan to my heart can desire without worrying about dying from skin cancer.

It is just such a soothing experience when you’re lying down on a beach towel, basking in the sun while you listen to the ocean’s waves billow onto the shore. With a book at your side, before you know it, an hour or two have already flown by. After I had finished the chapter that I was on in my book, I sat up and turned my attention towards my boyfriend. While I had been enjoying the warm rays of the sun, Will had been reclining in a beach chair under an umbrella, reading through a book that was probably for school. He really needed that shade, or else the sun would have burn his pale skin to a crisp. Unfortunately, WIll does not have the same luxury as I do with my healing factor.

“Want to go for a walk?” I asked as I peered over my sunglasses.

Will saved his spot in his book with his bookmark and stored it away in a drawstring backpack under his chair. Then, he rubbed on some sunscreen on his skin that was not already covered by his t-shirt and baseball cap. After he had wiped off any excess sunscreen from his hands, Will stood up from his seat and walked over to where I was lying down on the ground, offering a hand to help me up to my feet.

“I thought the plan was that whenever we stand together, my overall paleness would make you look ever tanner?” Will joked as we walked towards the water. I just rolled my eyes as we got closer to the water’s edge.

The Pacific Ocean’s cold water felt refreshing on my feet as we walked in. We stayed at the edge so that we would not have to walk on the hot sand. Hand-in-hand, we strolled down the shore. Besides the seagulls making a racket, everything seemed peaceful. On our way back, however, I felt something slimy grazed my leg.

“Will, I think something touched my leg.” However, when we looked down, there was nothing there, although there was some sort of residue on my foot.

Freaked out by this, we both immediately started to head out of the water. Nevertheless, whatever had first touched me finally burst out of the water again, wrapping what seemed like a tentacle around my leg, digging its suction cups into my calf. It then yanked back, pulling me down to the ground and into the ocean’s waves. I tried resisting, but my fingers just slide through the moist sand. As I was dragged further and further into the darkness of the ocean, I discovered that whenever I tried to keep my head above the water, I would almost always get a face full of an incoming wave.

Then, all of the sudden, whatever had grabbed a hold of me released me. As I treaded water, I could feel my calf burning as the salt water came into contact with the wounds left by the suction cups. My heart almost skipped a heartbeat when I realized that I could barely see the shore from where I was. Below me, the ocean’s dark waters shrouded the seafloor far below. I tried swimming back to shore, although I knew that my chances for reaching land were slim. Even if I turned off my power nullifier, my spider-like anatomy would not help at all.

Almost as soon as I began moving, whatever had first attacked me momentarily dragged me under the water. I struggled to keep my head above the surface, but all of my efforts were in vain. As I was pulled deeper and deeper into the depths of the ocean, I finally came face to face with what had taken me to what seemed like my watery grave. The irony that the girl with the healing factor was going to drown.

I saw the silhouette of a woman as I descended into the dark ocean waters. Her hair was billowing about in the water. Below her waist, it appeared as if there were several snapping dog heads attached to the woman. And below those, eight octopus legs were where a human’s lower body would have been. One of these appendages had wrapped around my leg, while several others began to rush towards me, holding me down under the water. This woman, if I could even call her that, when she had pulled me closer towards her where I could actually discern her face, placed a finger over her mouth, as if she was trying to tell me that I shouldn’t screw lest I want the seawater to rush into my lungs. Then, she proceeded to to constrict her tentacles around my body, choking the life out of me. I tried to reach down to deactivate my power-nullifier, but my arms were both pinned to my sides.

Suddenly, a bright, blinding light pierced through the dark waters, descending down from above the surface of the ocean. The burst of light caused this monstrous woman to shrink back further into the depths of the sea. However, instead of dragging me down with her, her tentacles loosened her grip on me. As soon as I was free, I began swimming back up to the surface, hoping that whatever was up there was better than the woman down here.

Once I reached the surface, I desperately gasped for air. I’m not quite sure how much longer I could have held my breath under there, if whoever or whatever had not intervened. But I still had one big problem. How was I going to get back to the shore before becoming exhausted and drowning? And what would stop that monster from attacking me again?

“Give me some cover, ‘Siris.” A robotic sounding voice commanded from above. God, if that’s that Christopher Arthur jerk, I would rather deal with Ms. Tentacles down there instead. However, when the figure had finally descended down into the water next to me, I saw that it was not Arthur. Instead, it was another robotic looking hero. However, this one had a sleek look to his armor, almost as if it was molded to fit his body. Once in the water, he picked me up in his arms and took off into the air again.

“So, what’s such a voluptuous woman doing all the way out here?” He told me as we ascended above the water. I was going to give him a piece of my mind, but my pursuer had returned, sending for her octopus-like appendages forth towards the two of us.

“I’ll take care of this, Talus.” I heard a second voice say. But what was weird about this voice was that I did not hear it through my ears, but directly in my head. Then, when I turned my head, I saw a second figure floating above the water. This man was wearing a white, flowing robe with golden ancient Egyptian-styled armor on top of it. In his hands, he held a long staff with an ankh attached at the end. However, the most bizarre feature of this man was that he had what seemed like either an eagle or falcon’s head instead of a human’s.

This man then pointed his staff down towards where the tentacles were arising from the water. A beam of light, similar to the one that had freed me from my watery grave, fired from the ankh that was attached to the staff. Once the light slammed into the water, the tentacles began to retreat once again. At that moment, my rescuers took the opportunity to retreat from the open sea, where this woman had the upper hand, and returned back to the shore.

When we had finally reached solid land, the superhuman, who was supposedly code-named Talus, set me down safely on the sandy beach. At that same moment, Will rushed over to me, checking to make sure I was alright. While I did not sustain any injuries that my natural healing factor could not heal, the only real problem was that I could not just deactivate my power-nullifier and allow everyone to see that I have the lower body of a spider. The only thing that was really bothering me, besides a near-death experience, was the burning pain from where the tentacles’ suction cups had left behind circular bruises.

Then, the man with the eagle’s head placed his hand on top of my head. Although his mouth (or rather beak, because of the avian head) was not moving, I could still hear his voice mumbling in my head. And as I heard his voice, I saw the circular bruises that had covered my body slowly began to shrink until there were no traces of them left on my skin. The pain, too, had also disappeared.

“We have alerted the Coast Guard about this incident and we will be remaining in the area for a little while just in case anything else might happen. But please, remain calm and don’t panic.” The bird-headed man said, or rather communicated via telepathy. I don’t know about you, but I think telling people not to freak out via talking in their minds might not be the most efficient way to do that. After he ‘spoke’, the bird-headed man raised his staff up towards the sky. The ankh on the staff began to glow. Then, he pushed off from the ground and jumped into the air. However, instead of landing back on the ground, he continued floating in the air, as if he were flying.

“I’ll rescue you any day, Vol.” Talus joked as he pointed his fingers at me as if they were two pistols and he pressed down his thumbs as if they were part of a flintlock mechanism. Then, he ascending into the sky, flying after his avian-headed ally.

“I hate iron men.” I said as my two rescuers departed.

“Spider-Men are way better, anyways.” Will tried to complement me. However, I rammed my elbow into his stomach, giving him a clue that he should not be casually making references that I’m a spider-themed superheroine. Then, after I had calmed down, we packed our stuff up and headed back to my new apartment. I had enough excitement for a single day.

Create-A-Hero: A Superhero RPG Season 2- New Horizons (Closed)

I also should have an Arachne post up today.

Create-A-Hero: A Superhero RPG (Closed)

@Demonic Angel

We are now in a new thread, located here.