ePocalypse Now

December 11, 2014:

ePocalypse shows up in Gotham

Gotham University

A seat of higher learning

Characters

NPCs: None.

Mentions:

Mood Music: None.


Fade In…

Gotham. So of course it is nighttime.

Alarm goes off at Gotham University. Computer Science Research labs, the sort of public private partnership building where PHDs work on grants from the goverment and partner with private companies.

The initial campus security call claims the building is being choked off vines with dagger sharp thorns and who knows if there are any late night researchers or students inside!

Oracle is in the Clocktower, directing and liaising with the team on ground. Tonight, Charlie has actually checked in and told Oracle she'll be patrolling. Maybe Oracle will be able to keep Charlie out of too much trouble.

As the alarm at the University sounds, Oracle intercepts the campus security call and frowns "OK Charlie, here's your chance. Head over to the Computer Science Research lab at the University, there's vines strangling the building… Just don't bounce in too close please." As she despatches Charlie, the CCTV feeds from the area are bought up and the redhead watches the action.

Misfit was sitting on a rooftop, playing a videogame on her phone. She had already prowled around The Narrows and stopped one minor mugging. She is actually getting pretty good at muggings. She looks up and tilts her head listening to the comms "Vines…." she gets wide eyed and stands up. As she kips up to her feet she vanishes in a flash of purple and pink smoke and reappears on the roof of the engineering building across from the Computer Science labs. "Woah… it is like sleeping beauty." she cants her head then remembers to activate her comm.

The building is indeed choked with vines with dagger like thorns. It doesn't look like they are crushing the building though. They seem focused on barring the windows and doors. They are all sorts of unusual colors though, definitely not a normal vine grown up to be more dangerous.

Surprisingly, the campus security can't confirm if there's anyone inside the building and Oracle is getting weird signals from the internal cameras. "Charlie, keep your comm on please. We can't confirm if there is anyone in the building, can you bounce in, take a look and give me a report?"

Meanwhile, Oracle starts searching for who can provide assistance and is in the general area.

Charlie nods, then remembers she has to say Roger or something "Righto…" she isn't too worried about teleporting onto thorns. It isn't how it works. She bounces vanishing from the engineering building roof and ending up in one of the labs.

The comm and visuals from Charlie go black for an instant everytime she bounces. They do come back though when she is inside and reveal a very trashed computer lab. The heavy thorns have pierced and rended every computer in the lab and seem to be coming out of the walls. "Wow.. this is super creepy." she murmurs for Oracle and starts to head further into the place "I think I hear something .. it sounds like a juicer running.. one of those high end juicer shop ones that make the wierd noises…" masicating juicers Carlie.

Rowan is not on rooftop. He's walking, as sensible people do at night. No one bothers him even in this part of Gotham because sensible people also do not try to mug people who can make crossbows made of light spring into existance over their wrists. He's unaware of the havoc being wreaked a block away.

Rowans signal appears on Oracles screen and she activates her app on his phone "Rowan, it's Oracle… Charlie may need help with a problem, are you able to assist?"

Watching the visuals from Charlies comms unit, Oracle cants her head and her eyes narrow. "Careful Charlie… I'm trying to organise assistance for you… don't do anything rash please, but we do need to find out more." Gothams Information Goddess looks extremely worried for her young charge.

Charlie eases around the corner and peeks, and flinches. The visuals are a bit distubing it is true. Oracle would have seen on the door to this room was a designation /AI Lab/ though inside the room is anything but an AI or threat. Those same thorn vines lace the room and seem to radiate outwards from a lanky individual. Not Poison Ivy no, it seems to be a young man in a hoodie. The back of which is to the door and reads "Earth Force" a very radical eco-terrorism movement globally. This one seems to be a meta as the vines radiate in fanciful patterns from where he stands, though not connected to him. There is one professory looking man strung up still alive on the vines. Which is good. The not good part is the .. security guards.. who are being mulched, literally masciated by the vines and turned into mulch.

The lanky young terrorist "Doctor Faulkner, just … write down your colleagues names and I will be merciful. I .. refuse to touch your computers and taint myself .. so .. write." the vines thrust the man towards a pen and pad.

"Oracle? CHarlie? Oh, the dragon rider from the other day. She was really enthusiastic. I'm on my way." And he is… He leaps into the air, sprouting wings as he does. He doesn't bother with the spear or the draconic enhancements. Not yet at any rate. "Now what am I looking…" Vines come into view. "… for…"

"The university, Rowan… the computer sciences building to be exact, it's covered in vines." Oracle is concerned for Charlie and the people inside. "Charlie's inside and there's a terrorist harming people." Oracle pauses and conferences the comms "Charlie, Rowans outside the building, can you bring him in?" Time to test Charlies abilities, it seems.

Charlie eases back around the corner she is peaking into and then bounces outside to Rowan before answering Oracle "No. If I take someone with me.. " she hesitates "It is really really bad for them…" which, would be why she couldn't save her mom from the fire. She shakes her head "The guy in the lab doesn't look to big… um.. maybe Falcor can bust in and save the Doctor guy?"

Rowan regards the vines. "Er… well… this is new…" He could go draconic on this thing… but that might be a bit much in the collateral damage department. Not for the first time he wishes he remembered how to do fire. Still… lightning might work. Suddenly the outside of the building lights up as Rowan becomes a living tesla coil, arcing continuously into the plants in his way.

Oracle nods at Charlies words. "Good to know, Charlie." and sits back to watch the results of Rowans efforts. "Charlie, if this works… bounce back in and give us eyes on the terroist." There's little for Oracle to do now but wait and observe.

Lightning and vegetation does not really mix well. Of course there is some damage from this, less then going Godzilla of course. The lightning rakes the front of the building, probably the doors themselves which block entrance to the Labs. There is pretty short work of those vines (at least concentrated there).

Charlie nods "Right." watching closely and then she bounces gone in the flash of purple and pink smoke. Camera goes dark. Then it is back a heartbeat later as she appears ducked down behind one of the tables in the computer lab the terrorist was in.

Correct statement is definitely was in, as he is walking out back still to Charlie "Hold that thought Professor Faulkner… write if you want to make it easier on yourself.. otherwise hold that thought. Someone is knocking on the door I think." heading to meet whoever is chewing up his vines.

A bit stranger perhaps than lightning selectively raking the vines is the fact that the thing that comes in through the window where they were is a man with four feathered wings and a glowing light-crossbow over his wrist. He glances around for the source of the problem… or for Charlie. "I'm in Oracle… what exactly am I looking for?"

Oracle nods to herself, good call sending Charlie ahead. "One male, middling height, coming your way Rowan," and Oracle relays the directions to head towards the terroist. "Charlie, keep out of sight but try to keep eyes on this guy. Rowans heading your way. Unless absolutely necessary, maintain radio silence, I'll use your comm and see what you see." The wheelchair bound redhead, sits forward intent on the video feed from Charlies comm.

Charlie carefully eases forward and moves herself around to peek out the door now. At the back of the individual heading down the main hall. Well if nothing else the lithe figure strolls with a preternatural smoothness. Charlie carefully shadows him, she actually seems pretty good at this.

As Rowan looks around, well he notices the young man come around the corner. It isn't like he is being stealthy. He is very androgynous, almost a feylike cast to him. Unearthly blue eyes which are surrounded by either some form of tattoing or a natural pigmet expression. He doesn't seem to be wearing anything under that hoodie either, no sir. On his bare chest, smooth by the by, is a large tattoo easily depicting the four elements, the interactions between them, and all It is intricate and militant and glowing many sparkling colors. "A dragon… " he cocks his head "I think.. or sort… though tainted with technology.. an abomination…. what is your name abomination. You… You may call me ePocalypse since you lot seem so fond of names" oh, his ears are a smidge pointed as well.

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http://fc02.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2012/075/3/1/elemental_tattoo_by_revelationink-d4sylp4.jpg

"ePocalypse?" If Rowan were more pop culture savvy he might note that this sounds like an indie metal band. A bad one. But since he's not… "I'm called Rowan…" The Omni-Bow stays right centered on the man's chest. "You the one doing the landscaping out there?"

"Charlie, " Oracle speaks "be ready for when Rowan acts. The two of you can act in concert, but Rowan has the lead." Still watching and listening, Oracle waits…

Charlie makes a thumbs up gesture on the camera but stays back and crouched. Cause well she can be there in a bounce really if she needs to be.

ePocalypse, does perhaps need to work on the name he picked, but then again it is nothing like his real name so it will do for now. "Mmmm yes I needed to keep distractions away while I worked. You abomination are keeping me from my work. Did they send you!?" he does not really explain who They might be but he goes from Zero to Sixty in no time flat there. Cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs. The tattoo on ePocalypse's chest flares, the purple sword, red sun, and then a wall of fire just roars floor to ceiling and races down the hall at Rowan hot and fast as a backdraft.

Rowan dives for cover. If Charlie's in arms reach he'll grab her too. This is Not Okay (tm) and he's already growing scales to compensate for the heat. The moment the heat wave passes he's up and hurling bolts of charged coral and bolts of lighting down the hallway at the clearly insane person. Who may have just set the building on fire.

Charlie currently is way down the hall behind the guy, having followed him down from the lab. She does gasp when the wall of fire roars down at Rowan, and ePocalypse looks at her. Thankfully Rowan hurls lightning bolts and charged Coral at him.

This gets ePocalypse's attention and he turns back and lifts both hands sending a wall of thorns and earth up. The barrage decimates it as fast as it rises, but for the moment there may be a bit of a stalemate. ePoc is on the defensive though under that Assault.

Rowan's eyes narrow and he stops hurling crossbow bolts, concentrating now on lightning. He's not hurling them at ePocalypse anymore either. He's concentrating on taking down those thorny growths as fast as they surface. Sparing a single glance behind him he tilts his head toward the one he's dueling. They're balanced. Now if only there were someone to tip the scales…

With that amount of mayhem obvious, Oracle hacks into the Emergency Services systems and despatches fire, ambulance and police. "Emergency Services are despatched. They'll be there in 17 minutes." She informs the two on the ground.

ePoc leans forward and pours on the vines. They may actually be solidifying a bit faster than they are shattered by the lightning. Marginal. Inch by Inch now. "Abomination. Techno-vermin. Bliiight!" just pouring it on.

Misfit finally takes an action and bounces /purple/pink/ and is above the guy from behind "Dark Vengeance!" she hsssses out and jsut latches onto his back. Wrapping her arm around his neck in a choke hold and her other arm around his face trying to cut off his line of sight.

ePoc unbalances and topples to the ground "what is this … afront!" he shouts as they tangle on the floor there.

The moment ePocalypse goes down Rowan surges forward, snapping his spear out and cutting at any vines in the way with a strength that is way beyond human. Not bothering with seeing if Misfit's choke is working, he drives the butt of the haft into the elf's gut and follows that up with a sharp strike downward right on the man's head. Stop. Struggling. And go with the nice girl.

Well no, Misfit is definitely not bouncing with ePoc, and she can't seem to get a really good grip. "He is…. slippery!"

Right Slippery. Rowan does manage to get through the vines. He manages to dash forward. He even connects with to the gut. As the breath leaves him the tattoo flares purple, the quadrant of AIR and all of him flows out with the knocked out breath. Him. His clothes. Everything into a rush of purple clouds. Not entirely different from the pink/purple smoke Charlie leaves when she teleport, though this is flowing down up the walls…

Rowan looks after the the dissolving villian. "I don't suppose." He says as he reaches down to help Charlie up, "That there's a way to make this building airtight now."

"Nothing is truly airtight" but Oracle cuts the airconditioning and cooling systems. Biting her bottom lip, she pauses a long moment. "But I've closed off the airconditioning systems… Would water help or hinder?" she can always turn the internal sprinkler system on…

Charlie looks up at Rowan from the ground and looks around "huh pinkurple" right, pinkurple. "What do we do?" she gets up to her feet and looks around slowly.

The clouds swirl all around up near the ceiling, near the AC Vents. There is a major HVAC system in this building. The wind bends and hissses deeply now "sssAbominaaationsss"

The vines all down edges of the hall leading to the exterior windows and doors suddenly SPIKE. Those daggerlike thorns spike out twice as far. Oddly it doesn't come anywhere near Charlie and Rowan though.

Rowan tenses for a moment… and then realizes they're not under attack… for once. "Um… Oracle? What's going on?" Cause he sure as hell doesn't know. He's seen some odd things but this…

"I've absolutely no idea… Try talking with it…" Oracle suggests, a frown marring her brow. Whilst she's talking, she reverses the airflow in the airconditioning system, it's now blowing not 'sucking' air. The frown deepens as she thinks.

The clouds were going to be drifting into the vents but now the airflow is blowing really hard and it isn't worth the effort. It collasces down onto the floor now by there feet and roils around. The hiss now of the wind "Too late heroessssss" and there is a flare of blue and the clouds collapse to water and begin to flow down the drains.

Misfit bounces away from the splash of water adding a confusion of pink and purple smoke as she squeeks in surprise. Very undignified.

Rowan's wings begin to evaporte into white smoke as he releases Air and calls Water to him instead. He advances toward that puddle of water going toward the drains as his scales go blue. Under water he uses this form navigate and fight. And the energy he uses? Sound. Fun fact. Submarine sonar puts enough energy into the water to boil the ocean in front of it. Rowan unleashes a sonic blast at the puddle, meaning to heat it to fine mist.

That was quite effective, it seems to shock the young gentleman right out of the water form and back into human form out on the floor past the water fountain. He looks injured too and unconscious there.

Charlie jumps a bit "Go Falcor!"

Rowan was going to sound-slam him into the wall but… that seems unnecessary. He smiles back at Charlie. "Target down, Oracle."

Oracle saw what Rowan did and smiles quietly to herself, the frown disappearing from her brow. "Nicely done you two… now you have to get out of there. Secure him for the police and depart… you don't want to be answering any questions." The red head sets about restoring the Air conditioning systems to its rightful state.

Charlie digs around in a pouch now and then turns to offer Rowan some zipties. She heads to peek into the computer lab and makes a really strained noise "oh… that poor professor…." Oracle can see from the comm camera that when the Thorns doubled in size, they really did a number on Professor Faulkner.

"Can you get out on your own Charlie? Er… Everything okay?" Rowan doesn't quite get the concept of zip ties. He interlinks them so that ePocalypse ends up hog tied. Ah well. Moving over he hacks a few thorns out of the way and pokes his head in.

Oracle can see and she blanches. "EMT's will be there momentarily… if you can, cut hime loose but I would prefer that neither of you had to answer questions, please, get out now." She feels for the poor Professor, but aid is on it's way.

Charlie looks to Rowan "You… have the .. um… spear.. can you…" she gestures a little uncomfortable into the AI lab now and then nods "I'm going to bounce away?" she steps back "We should totally go patrolling .. or dragon riding.. or something" a bright smile is flashed and then she bounces /pinkurple/

Rowan totally has a spear… but it's not as good as a sword, which is what it becomes next. he cuts the professor down, but doesn't linger, out the window and winging away a minute later. Patrol? Why patrol if there isn't a war? He'll have to ask Babs.

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