Natty

Absolute Comics - Season Two: The Monster Within

@Natty as Magik - Last Post 10 Days Ago

@Lord Wraith

Been away from the laptop for the last week, but I get back tomorrow so should be able to whip something up!

Absolute Comics - Season Two: The Monster Within

Ooh The Wicked + The Divine would work pretty well in a DC/Marvel universe I feel. Would certainly be interesting to see how they cope with not being the only "Gods" that people worship

Absolute Comics - Season Two: The Monster Within

It was during the early hours of the morning that Illyana Rasputina found herself returning to the Sanctum Sanctorum. She had teleported to the street outside, not wishing to wake the other inhabitants of the Sanctum at such an hour. Closing the door on the already bustling sounds of New York, she crept across the entrance hall as silently as she could, awkwardly tiptoeing in her heavy boots. She eyed the stairs in front of her cautiously as she veered towards the back right of the room and towards the kitchen.

She passed the archway to the drawing room on her way, and upon hearing the soft crackle of a fire, poked her head through curiously. She smiled warmly at the sight of Bats' spectral body curled up comfortably before the fire. Normally Illyana wasn't a fan of pets, however, she held a soft spot for Strange's ghostly basset hound.

Blowing him a silent kiss, she continued on her way, moving into the kitchen. Despite the grand yet whimsical nature of the rest of the house, the kitchen was sleek and cool, with a large spotless countertop centering the room. The place would make the likes of Paula Deen jealous. It was no wonder that Wong referred to this room as his happy place.

Despite knowing that fact though, the sound of Wong's voice still took Illyana by surprise as she entered the room. Her eyes darting towards him in shock like a deer caught in headlights.

"Good morning, Miss Rasputina." He mused, before turning back to the pile of laundry that he had been tending to. "Or should I say good evening? I assume you'll be sleeping in today?"

Illyana made a noise and shrugged before striding into the room and grabbing a glass from the side. Wong in return simply chuckled in bemusement.

“Is Stephen about?” She questioned, filling her drink from the faucet.

Wong shook his head slowly as he turned, not turning his eyes away from the shirts he was folding with perfect precision.

"Much like you, he went out last night. Had to make a trip to the Himalayas I believe."

She nodded, before beginning to drum her fingers against the countertop in thought.

"I feel like you have another question Illyana."

The question threw Illyana somewhat. She had forgotten how close she and Wong had grown since she'd started living here. He had always been a somewhat perceptive person, however now he could read her like a book. She didn't know whether to be worried or touched that someone finally understood her.

"I've been doing some research and veading up on some of Stephen's old associates when he first started out." She did her best to keep her cool as she spoke. Technically it wasn't a lie.

"From his Shadowpact days?" Wong questioned, finally turning away from the clothes, a huge smile across his face. "Oh, I do miss them. Simpler times!"

"Shadowpact? Bit of a stupid name." Illyana rebuked, scrunching up her face slightly at the thought.

Wong let out a laugh, before raising his hand up towards the door. Within seconds, the sound of rushing wind met their ears as a small object rocketed out of the darkness of the hall towards them. It slowed dramatically as it neared them, with Illyana realizing that it was a book. Bound in dark green leather, the tome looked as if it were hundreds of years old. She held her breath slightly, a part of her feeling like the thing would crumble into dusk at a single touch. Wong had no such hesitation however and grabbed it from the air. Placing it on the counter before them, he brushed off a thick layer of dust before continuing.

"[color=steelblue]Maybe it is stupid, but that name has been used throughout history by champions of magic." Just to prove his point, he opened the front cover, revealing a drawing of an assorted group of men, all dressed in brightly coloured robes. He turned the page, revealing another group, this time dressed in loin clothes and dresses. Each page displayed an image of a different group, and as they went, the clothing changed as they leaped forward in time. The art style remained beautiful though, truly capturing the essence of each and every person.

"It's... It's a photo album."

"This is the complete roster of Shadowpact since the beginning of time, Illyana." Wong said sternly, before breaking out into a laugh. "But yes, it's essentially a magical photo album."

He turned the final page. This time, instead of a beautiful oil painting like the other rosters, there was a simple photograph. She gasped in amazement as she took it all in. She had spotted Strange immediately, his infamous goatee and flamboyant red cloak giving away his position instantly. While maybe not to the extent of Stephen's costume, the men around him were also all dressed somewhat bizarrely, from ill-colored suits to uncomfortable looking spandex. One individual took the cake though.

"Who the hell is that?" Illyana asked, thrusting her finger towards the bottom corner of the photo.

Wong smiled, taking in the horrifying visage of the all-so-familiar human-sized insect before him.

"That Illyana, is the Canterbury Cricket!"

Absolute Comics - Season Two: The Monster Within

So, in the interest of spurring OOC discussion (so we can get to the 2000th post and it can be used for something that isn't a GIF of Thanos dabbing), what is, all time, your favorite single piece of superhero media?

@DocTachyon

Spoilers for Doom Patrol

Natty's place for storing character sheets because that seems like a good idea

It had been hours now, since the events at the library. Illyana and the so-called Green Arrow had made quick work of releasing the hostages taken by the Metahuman Liberation Front, immediately turning over their captors to a team of S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents that had stormed the building once the towers had gone down. She’d avoided their questions, of course, taking into the night before they ended up throwing her into custardy too. The Government and their rules were something Illyana did not care for. Instead, she spent her evening moving about the city, laying a hand wherever she could.

The bulk of the work may have been done, largely it would seem by a masked speedster from Central City, but there was still plenty to do; Disrupting the riots that had arisen during the chaos; putting out fires that had started throughout the city; reuniting families with their loved ones.

As the sun began to rise over Star City, Illyana found herself sat atop the marbled roof of the Grell Museum, the site of her first impact on this city, in an attempt to catch her breath. Her work had taken her through the night. Normally she’d be exhausted and liable to collapse, but she needed to keep going. She had to, otherwise, she’d crack.

She attempted to take her mind off of things; moving her eyes down onto the plaza below. Government officials worked tirelessly around the remains of the Obelisk. Groups of workmen moved the large metallic chunks into the backs of vans marked by the Bulldog that was the group’s insignia. All signs of her previous combat with the gunmen had been cleared too. You could almost not even tell that this had been the site of a massive catastrophe. That hundreds of people had died in this city tonight. Magik knew though, and the thoughts made her cold.

The sound of crackling energy pulled her from her brooding. Turned her head, she watched as an oh-so-familiar flare of orange light revealing the presence of her teacher.

Stephen looked just as he had done when Illyana had last seen him the day prior, except that now heavy bags hung from beneath his eyes. Creeping her fingers to her own face, she wondered whether she looked as tired as he did at this moment. She certainly felt it.

Strange’s eyes moved around him, taking in his surroundings. He managed a short smiling as he noticed where they were.

“I remember once saying that I'd bring you here one day.” His voice seemed almost solemn as he held his gaze over the museum’s roof for a few seconds.

Silence fell between the two, as Illyana’s eyes moved to the floor below.

“You did good work. You saved lives.” His voice seemed jovial. Almost proud.

“Not every life though.” Her words cut back sharply.

He shook his head quickly, stopping her.

“No, no, no. Those deaths are not your fault.” He sounded awfully confident for someone that hadn’t even been there. “You did everything within your power to stop the Metahuman Liber-”

Rising to her feet, she interrupted.

“Not them.” She stated, her eyes still at her feet.

Strange grew quiet, trying to wrap his head around what she was talking about. Before he could ask anything, Illyana continued.

“Yesterday morning. Before all this started, I went and saw your old friend. The Canterbury Cricket.” The words pained her as they came, but she had to tell him. He deserved to know. “I wanted to meet him. To recruit him. And… And we were attacked.”

Her voice grew coarse.

“And he was killed.” It took her some time, but the words finally came.

Stephen stood still before her. His eyes burrowed into her; his mouth slightly agape as he tried to take in everything she had said. In the silence that hung between them, Illyana swore she could hear the cogs churning slowly in his brain. That she could hear the disappointment in his breathing.

After what felt like an eternity he spoke.

“I thought I sensed something.” He ran his hand through the hairs of his goatee, unsure of what to say. “It’s a shame. He was a good man.”

He looked like he wanted to say more, but the news seemed to have overwhelmed him.

Illyana couldn’t handle the silence, so she broke it.

“I’m going to avenge him.” She spoke with determination. "I’m going to make them pay.”

Her words seemed to shake Strange to his senses.

“Avenge him?” He exclaimed, his voice filled with confusion. “By the Ageless Vishanti, what are you on about?”

She couldn’t stop herself. She had to tell him now. Tell him everything.

“I’m going back, Stephen. I’m going back to Limbo and I’m going to put an end to Belasco once and for all.”

It wasn’t an empty threat. It was a promise. A dark pact she’d just now made with herself in the morning light.

But a single raised finger from Strange stopped her in her tracks.

“Nope. I don’t believe this…” He shook his head disappointingly, his hand moving from his goatee to push back the curls of his hair in annoyance. “Just when I thought you’d started to understand. Understand that revenge isn’t the way.”

His voice had grown angry. A tone Illyana had rarely heard during her time with him. A tone that scared her.

“I was going to give you this.” He said, moving his hand into the confines of his blue robes.

From it, he pulled a striking piece of red fabric, which flowed elegantly as it moved as if a kite flowing through the perfect summer breeze. Tall and extravagant, it mirrored the exact same cloak that the Sorcerer Supreme was currently wearing himself. Illyana’s eye’s widened as she took in the fine piece of clothing, her mind full of questions.

“I made it myself.” Stephen began, running his hand along with the fabric. “It may not be as spectacular as my own, but there are protective enchantments woven all through the fabric.”

“However, I can see now that I was wrong about you being ready.”

With a flick of his wrist, the red of the cloak vanished. Illyana held still, her words stuck at the back of her throat.

Strange couldn’t meet her eye and instead turned his attention to creating a portal home. Creating a circular motion with his index fingers, an amber light cut a hole through the air, revealing what looked like a doorway to a warmly lit entry hall. He took a single step before pausing and turning back towards his ward.

“I’m sorry Illyana.”

With that he disappeared through the doorway, leaving Illyana alone once more.

Natty's place for storing character sheets because that seems like a good idea

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Absolute Comics - Season Two: The Monster Within

So do every member of the corps still have the rings? As I was under the belief that there were only 7 rings in total and that the corps as a result were non existent.

Absolute Comics - Season Two: The Monster Within

@Saint Maxx I really enjoyed that last post of yours! I called him being Magneto from the start, and was waiting in anticipation for the reveal and boy was I not disappointed. The dialog gave me real Fassbender vibes, especially that bar scene in First Class. Looking forward to seeing more of this Magneto!

Absolute Comics - Season Two: The Monster Within

“How are you feeling?” Illyana asked, moving her burrito away from her mouth, and turning her body slightly towards the green-clad man next to her.

It had been a couple of hours since the conflict atop the apartment building. They sat on the edge of the same roof that they had first met upon earlier that night, their legs dangling precariously off the side and over the street below. From their position, they had a perfect view of the apartment building, which now matched the rest of the dark red hues of the Gotham skyline. Now that Marcosa had been taken care of, his magic had faded and all had returned to normal. The building's residents had no clue as to what had happened. Many theories had echoed around them regarding how they'd found themselves atop the neighboring roofs; some blamed a gas leak in the basement that had caused them to all hallucinate, while others even went so far as to blame the Scarecrow, the psychotic villain of old. Never did it occur to them that magic had been in play here. Despite the capes and the cowls that protected the Earth, the people of Gotham kept their eyes to the ground, never thinking of just opening their eyes to the impossible.

That didn't matter too much to Illyana though. It gave both her and Ragman the chance to get out of there without having to answer too many questions. As well as ample time for the pair to find something greasy and disgustingly unhealthy to dig into.

“I'll be honest; I feel like shit. But then that's how I always feel after adding another soul to the suit." It was clear to see that Ragman was absolutely exhausted. His mask was pulled up to the top of his head, revealing his five o'clock shadow and large bag under each eye. His eyes seemed to be dropping slightly, as if he were about to stumble into a deep sleep, however with each bite of his burrito he seemed to find himself slightly more rejuvenated. "I know it's hard to believe, but contrary to popular belief, people don't like having their souls sucked out their bodies and trapped in a suit of rags for all eternity. So they kick up a bit of a fuss when they first get in there.”

He took another bite of burrito before continuing.

"This though... This is definitely helping."

Illyana let out a chuckle. It was good to laugh after everything that had happened tonight. She admired that about Ragman. However, his jokes could only temporarily distract her from thoughts rocketing through her head right now. The things she had seen within her "room" continued to shake her to her core. The red of Belasco's face still haunted her. The eyes. His teeth. At that moment, Illyana realised just how scared she was of him.

"Rags... About Vhat you saw vin the room..." She began slowly, her voice almost a whisper. Talking about things like this was tough. It always had been for her. It made her feel like the small child she has been in her dream. Like she had been ever since she was taken from her home.

Rory stopped to look at her as she spoke. There was a kindness in his tired eyes. Despite how clearly he was struggling right now, he was there for her.

"That's who your hunting right? The person you were seeing me as."

She nodded.

"His name is Belasco. That was around vhen he... vhen he took me. He took me down to Limbo and tortured me for years." Her throat grew dry as the words came pouring out, yet she powered through, taking something out of her she didn't know she had left to give. "Since escaping I've tried to ignore it. Push the pain avay. Strange's training vas a good distraction... But sometimes it all comes back and I just..."

She broke. Tears began to stream down her face, blackening as they hit her mascara. Her hands shook, nearly dropping her food onto the street below. Once more she felt like that little girl, her entire body trembling. Like a helpless child calling for her mother.

A brief feeling of warmth told her that Rory had embraced her, however, that did nothing to curb the emotions pouring out of her. She sobbed into her chest unceasingly, hands clutching at the rags of his suit. He held her in silence, the two rocking back and forth slowly as her tears and mascara soaked his chest. A tiny lapse let him pull away, allowing Illyana to see his face.

He was smiling. The same smile he had given Illyana during her dream when trying to calm her down. The smile of a friend.

"Looks like you have your first recruit. Let's go burn Limbo to the ground." He mused, before smirking. "Just please promise me that we're not asking that Constantine asshole."

Her laughter cut through the tears slightly. "I promise."

Absolute Comics - Season Two: The Monster Within

Really enjoyed that last post @webboysurf, the references to other events in the IC was a nice touch, and totally makes sense for Fury to be monitoring!