savetheearth | PLOT: Refined Shell battle!

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PLOT: Refined Shell battle!

Who: Open!
What: Crustacean commotion. CRAB BATTLE.
When: 26th September, daytime
Where: Las Vegas, flooded area and surroundings
Warnings: Violence. If your thread requires more warnings, please note them in your comment header!

[ At eleven AM, a pulsing shockwave resonates throughout Las Vegas. Seemingly coming from somewhere deep underground, the ripple of force doesn't last long - but that doesn't mean that it isn't strong enough to make any nearby reincarnates stumble or fall.

The quake that happens soon afterwards is much stronger. Unlike the last, it seems to rumble on and on... until it reaches its crescendo with the emergence of a monstrous pink crabster from beneath the recently-flooded area of the city. A miniature tsunami accompanies the 300-foot behemoth, further damaging the surroundings not already levelled by the flooding and the quakes.

It doesn't take long for Refined Shell to get its bearings and begin its rampage. Everything within range can expect to be swiped at, stamped on or crushed between its pincers in its mindless rage.

You might say it seems to be feeling a touch... crabby. ]

((Helpful links - Refined Shell information! Last minute plotting roll call! Inspirational visual aid!))

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[ The enormous crab seems content to rampage in/near to the shallows of the flooding, for now. It will attack anything that comes within range of it - its tail and legs both pack a hell of a punch, but watch out for the claws in particular! Getting squeezed in their grip is a swift route to being crushed to a pulp, no matter how strongly-armoured you are...

People reliant on supernatural powers should also watch out. They might notice a slight sheen to the creature's stonelike shell as the light catches it - anything but a mundane physical attack will be reflected back off the shell. If you have magical punches, for instance, expect them to rebound and smack you in your own face. Dedicated mages might want to team up with a more physically-inclined character who can wear cracks into the carapace for them! ]

[ A collection of people are drawn to the site of the battle - mostly cultists, but a few tourists and journalists are mixed in there too. The urge to worship/gawk at the giant crustacean is a strong one. Perhaps some reincarnates decided to hang back and watch, too?

Unfortunately for them, a ground-shaking blow from Refined Shell opens up a huge crack in the ground, sending them plummeting down into it. It's a long way down, but anyone who investigates might be able to hear some calls for help. It seems there are at least a few survivors, if anyone feels like assisting!

Watch out for more falling debris, though. And the chasm seems to be gradually filling with water as the battle rages on above. ]

[ There's more to the attack than battling Refined Shell. Perhaps you're caring for the wounded? Helping to evacuate civilians? Looting during the chaos? Literally caught with your pants down as the crabster rears its ugly carapaced head?

Whatever you're up to: if it's not beating down Refined Shell or rescuing people from the chasm, it goes here. ]

[ After what seems an incredibly long time, the sustained attack takes its toll. Refined Shell's movement slows, the irridescence on what remains of its shell fades, and it crumples.

Those who saw Wise Snake's demise will recognise the effect as a great number of bubbles rise up from the body and into the air, dissipating as the crab's corpse turns into ordinary stone. The immediate danger, it seems, has passed.

As if sensing that it would be dramatically appropriate, the clouds open and it begins to rain. As civilians, journalists and police begin to trickle their way back into the area there's no sense of relief or jubilation. People recognised as numbered might find themselves the recipients of some cold looks, or given orders to move on. There's gratitude for you... ]

((hello this is a placeholder TWO SUB-SUBTHREADS INCOMING I'm so cool))

[ After news of the GARGANTUAN FUCKING CRAB THING breaks, it doesn't take long for Octavia and Alan to teleport their allegedly-perfect butts to Vegas. It's then a simple matter of her flying them from the hotel straight to the site of the battle, which isn't exactly difficult to find.

What with the screaming.

And the chaos.

And the giant crabster.

She sets Alan down on the ground and gazes at the thing from a safe-ish distance, pulling her dice from her pocket. Holy shit that thing is weird looking. ]

Alan... We've encountered some kind of cave demon.

[ She tears her gaze from the thing and looks at him, fangs gnawing on her lower lip. ]

I... I don't think I'll be leaving this place alive.

[ As usual, Octavia can be spotted fluttering haphazardly around the battlefield by following one of her glittery pixie-trails. She might be found hunting down a makeshift weapon, taking a breather behind some rubble, or clinging to one of the crabster's legs and attempting to hack into it with a piece of sharp rusty metal.

So far, so normal. There's a pretty glaring difference between her and her usual self, though. She's wearing a pair of glasses with one lens blacked out, and nothing remains of her left eye but a bloody mess.

She doesn't seem particularly bothered by her missing eye, though. Or the blood loss. What a trooper. ]

[Alan's feeling pretty pumped about this. Sure, the giant crabster is kind of terrible and it's doing a lot of rampaging, but it's a giant thing that he can fight. He can actually do something. And he's pretty sure this time he won't lose control and cause massive damages himself!

But now it seems his beloved girlfriend/semi-legal Vegas bride is not feeling quite as pumped? He gives Octavia a concerned look.]

Octavia, are you feeling alright?

Other than the gut-wrenching terror I feel at the moment, I'm fine!

[ HAHA THAT SURE WAS SARCASM. YEAH. She rolls her eyes, trying to settle back into her usual obnoxious overconfident demeanour. Wow, this is dumb. It's just a crab. Crabs are dumb. Dumb like a dumb... thing. That has a dumb face. DUMB.

Just gonna. Stare at the cave demon.

Crab.

Lobster.

Thing. ]

Calm down, Octavia. It's not a cave demon...

[Or is it? It's not like they know what the giant stone monsters are. Maybe they really are cave demons.

But staying that would not be conducive to calming down.]

...It's that lobster thing the cultists worship.

A--

[ She's about to retort with a snappy I AM CALM, YOUR FACE SHOULD CALM DOWN when the ~~cave demon~~ crab turns slightly towards them in the midst of its erratic movements. MOTHER OF FUCK. ]

OH MY GOD! ...It's looking right at me...

Julien woke up, confused. It was dark, and close, and water was dripping onto his face. When he moved, he realized that he hurt. He lay on... wet tile, he thought. He could feel all his remaining fingers and toes, and move them, though he regretted doing so. A tiny amount of light showed, and he was too dazed to stand but it didn't look like there was that kind of space.

Things had happened so quickly, he wasn't clear of everything that had happened. He could piece together some of it. The creature appearing. The electric realization that he knew someone who was in its path - then half-flying towards it, cringing under its shadow, being aware of the congestion of people fleeing beneath him. Being so aware of how close it was, ducking under a doorway... he couldn't remember past that. Did he get whoever that was out? Were they here now?

This all felt so unreal. Julien struggled to sit up, then fell back. He was bruised all over but he thought he could tell how he didn't get crushed - that was a menu board above him. It was propped up by the counter just to his left. No telling what the rest of the building was like.

He should... call for help. He doesn't want to be here, pressed under things like a butterfly. Julien shakes the water off his face and blinks frantically. In a minute. He'll call out, in a minute...

[Robyn had made her way to Vegas via the teleporter as soon as she could. Unfortunately even with her increased running speed that had taken her a little while as she had to bail out of school, go home and get her old superhero costume and the giant scythe out from under her bed, "borrow" a shopping cart because that scythe is still way too heavy for her to carry on her own, get to the teleporter and "borrow" a luggage cart from the hotel because apparently she can't take the shopping cart through the teleporter.

It was a long process, but soon she found herself on the scene. ...Or like twenty or so blocks away from the scene. There's a young superheroine running down the street with a scythe on a luggage cart, anyone want to help her get to where the bad things are happening?

[He'd let off a few arrows but when that did nothing, Killian promptly turned to "getting civilians the hell outta dodge". He focuses mostly on the kids and families, urging them to get out and get somewhere safe. When he finds injured, he makes sure to get them to someone who can help.

Help him?]

[Unlike Robyn, Emil is capable of carrying his heavy weapon like it weighs nothing at all. So even though he made it to Vegas later, he's running down the same path at about the same time.

He rounds a corner--that red figure ahead seems a little familiar, isn't it? Emil picks up the pace and yes, this sure looks like Robyn, wearing a costume and pushing a big weapon of death in... a shopping cart. Kind of ruins the whole ensemble.

He runs up to her and taps her shoulder from behind.]

Robyn, is that you? What the hell are you doing?

Edited 2014-09-26 20:56 (UTC)

[Robyn practically jumps out of her skin when Emil taps her on the shoulder. She looks back to him and just sighs. She really has to work on this whole secret identity thing. She'll raise finger up to her mouth and make a loud shushing noise.]

Emil! You'll ruin my secret identity! It's Red Rose, right now!

[You know, like the tea.

She'll point toward the destruction in the distance.]

I-I was going to go help.

[It's a good thing Emil had known Russel, who called himself Cure Love and was a big fan of dramatic speeches. After that, Robyn's hero name looks almost tame, which is why Emil simply raises an eyebrow instead of cracking up.]

Right. Me too.

[He points at the cart.]

What kinda superhero puts their weapon in a shopping cart? It makes you look unprofessional.

[Not that Emil has any room to talk about proper appearance. With his baseball cap, hoodie and the double-bass case hanging on his back, he looks more like a kid ditching band practice, rather than a hero about to fight a monster.]

He didn't have to. Part of trying to keep having a huge harpy around was keeping tabs on him. She saw the whole thing go down.

Isabela knocked at the rubble.
"Blue? Blue, you OK? Damn it, Blue, you'd better not be dead in there!"

Julien had wondered about how little he could hear, but when he turned his head for a while water ran hot from his ear. That would do it, he thought vaguely. Everything sounded distant. There were sirens...

And Isabela's voice, after a moment. There was a relief, but it was cut short as something shifted and a brick fell, somewhere past his head. The board or whatever could break or collapse, he'd get killed! Julien tried to say something, coughed, and cleared the two branches to his syrinx.

"H-hey. Stop!" he managed. His throat was dry, but he really didn't want to try drinking whatever had him soaked. "It's gonna cave in! Isabela!"

Oh. good, then we can go together!

[She glances at the cart, then back over to Emil and smiles sheepishly from underneath her mask.]

Well... The kind that can't really lift their weapon above their head without it toppling them over? It's kind of heavy but it's got a gun on it. I thought it would be useful.

[Okay, NOW he's cracking up.]

Pfft—you got ripped off! But it sounds cool even if you can't lift it.

[As he speaks, Emil gives Robyn and the cart a critical look. It's going to take forever with her lugging that thing, but he doesn't feel like carrying it himself either…

Then again, there are other ways to use super strength.]

Get in the cart, I'll push you and your scythe-gun of doom.

[Robyn gives him an annoyed look. Why did all of her echoes have to embarrass her like this?]

Yeah-I know-as cool as it is it kind of sucks at the same time.

[She lifts a brow at that, she looks at him and then over to her weapon. She sighs... This day just keeps getting more and more awkward.]

...Really? I mean, right! On it!

[And she'll climb in and sit down beside her scythe gun.]

[He grabs the handle, face breaking into a mischievous grin.]

Ready, Red Rose? Let's go!

[For someone who can throw a car across the street, it takes little effort to wheel a teenage girl and a big gun. The cart doesn't roll as much as it flies down the street, but Emil has a firm grip on it. Don't worry, Robyn, he's a pro. It's going to be a smooth ride.

As long as there aren't too many turns, that is.]

Ready!

[At least she looks ready and confident right up until the part where they take off down the street. She let's out a yelp of surprise and holds onto the cart as if her life depended on it. ...And for all she knows it might.

Please don't let there be any turns, please don't let there be any turns.]

Edited 2014-09-27 00:13 (UTC)

[After being informed of the situation by Eugen, Xander used the teleporter to arrive in Las Vegas. This time, he was prepared and brought a mask with him to obscure any traces of being recognized.

When he arrived on the scene, he was hit with a pulse and overwhelmed with sudden information about the species of those around him. His blue eyes were completely black, but he was unaware of that change. He was trying to focus and evaluate the situation, but his new ability was distracting as much as it was being helpful.

With a plan figured out, he moved to assist those who were trapped in buildings with his shadow mimicry. He could be spotted in either his shadow form or partially physical form.]

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PLOT: Refined Shell battle!

CRAB BATTLE

CIVILIAN RESCUE

ASSORTED MAYHEM AND CHAOS CATCH-ALL

AFTERMATH

(MOSTLY) OPEN

CLOSED, cw: eventual eye trauma

OPEN, cw: mentions of eye trauma

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