Arthur took up a defensive stance as five more men in yellow began to surround him. He took stock of his options, and upon realizing they were unarmed, immediately felt better about his odds. Not by much though. He was ready to make his move when, to his own chagrin, he felt the familiar pain of an arrow slamming into his left shoulder blade. Turning to find the source of the arrow he was stunned to find the man in yellow, whom he'd just healed, had shot him with his own bow, and had removed the arrow from his own knee to use as a second strike. Was this where he would fall? Was he truly so inapt, that he would die here to a man whose primary weapon, was sand? Thankfully, and much to his surprise, a massive blur of fur came crashing down upon him, drawing the attention of his would-be attackers. Arthur watched in astonishment as a massive wolf scooped up his bow and barreled through his aggressors, heading straight at him.

Arthur was ready to fend off the beast when, shockingly it knelt down beside him as if urging him to mount it. Sparing a glance at his attackers, he turned his attention back to the wolf beside him. Placing a hand gently on it he smiled saying "Noble creature, I thank thee for thine assistance, but I cannot in good conscience flee this battle knowing there are innocents in danger. I beseech thee, assist me in stopping these men They are of vile intent and must be stopped." Looking into its eye's Arthur could sense not only a noble heart, but also an intelligence that rivaled his own. Stepping away from his new companion Arthur swirled his sword behind his back, severing the arrow shaft a few inches from his shoulder blade, before pointing it at the crowd of yellow clad men who had finally collected themselves off the ground. His left arm would be practically useless until he could remove the arrow from his back, but he was a warrior. He could handle these untrained ruffians with only one arm. Not only that, but he had the assistance of a truly impressive beast, nay companion. That's when he noticed. There were only five of them now. Where had the sixth one gone? NO time to worry about that.

"I've got the two on the right. I leave the others to you."

Without warning Arthur broke his stance, erupting into a dash straight at his targets. As he approached, he noticed the men reaching into their pockets. Having already seen this trick, Arthur was prepared. Just as they flung their hands out, he turned his head and closed his eyes, the feeling of sand blasting against his sweaty shoulder and sticking before a solid collision. Eyes open to the stunned face of one of the men as he watched his double go flying to the pavement. The one left standing tried to throw a punch, but Arthur was faster, Side stepping out of the way he brought his blade up into the man's elbow. Keeping the blades momentum going, he spun and dropped low slashing horizontally towards the second man as he began to climb back up, only to catch a blade across his face.

Finishing his twirl he thrusted his blade directly into the first man's ribs, right where his heart should be, only to watch the man dissipate before his very eyes. Arthur didn't have time to dwell on the man's demise however, instead turning his attention to the remaining man who was now on the ground holding his face in both hands, screaming about how he was blind. He wouldn't be screaming for long however as Arthur's blade plunged into his chest, causing him to dissipate as well. Standing back up, he turned to spot his savior, who had easily dispatched the other three. All of which had dissipated into nothing as well. A quick scan of the surroundings revealed a number of civilians staring in astonishment, looking at him through tiny metal rectangles? But no sign of the sixth man. He must have slipped away in the scuffle. Turning to face his savior wolf Arthur offered a faint smile as his vision began to blur. Arthur, sheathing his sword, began to approach his new companion only for his legs to give out beneath him, dropping to one knee instead.

'Lord above, if this is my end, please protect my people'

Arkin
You didn't think much of it at first when he said 'thine' back by the pond, but 'beseech' is the straw breaks any shadow of a doubt. This guy always talks like this. Your first thought is that he's a roleplayer desperately trying to live out his fantasy even though he's in way over his head, (is he homeless?) but then you remember that he's been talking to a dog. Alone, in the middle of the woods, while recovering from a gunshot wound, no less. Either he's an extremely committed method actor, in which case you would expect him to have enough adoring fans to buy a run-down apartment and/or medical care, or this is just the way he talks all the time. That's... kind of cute, you guess?

In any case, the man who you still haven't learned the name of has made his choice. Seems he's definitely a hero, or at least trying to be one. You're not sure why anyone in such dire straits as to have to cauterize a bullet wound with a stick would be going out of their way to play the vigilante, but you've already committed to helping him out and you're going to finish what you started. You hesitate, of course, because this man is really planning on fighting people with a sword while an arrow is sticking out of his back. You worry about his well-being until you see him plunge his sword through a man with no hesitation, whereupon he vanishes in a puff of sparkly particles. You start to see things differently then.

These men, all dressed in yellow, are evidently more than just a group of visually similar people, and some super villain bullshittery is likely afoot. You're amazed he could see through it so easily, and then your eyes wander to his chiseled body and the glowing blue handprint still emblazoned on his left pectoral.

...Does he know? About you? Is that why he's been talking to a wild animal like some kind of crazy person? He was doing it even before you followed him back and very clearly took a stand as his ally. He still seems to think of you as a wolf, but it's clear that he can see the humanity inside of you. You decide you need to follow this guy for a while more, because whatever magic spirit vision he must have, it may be your best bet of returning to human society as an individual with human rights.

...You're not reading into this too much, are you?

Well, only one way to find out, but first, the battle. The three men he set aside for you have started trying to sneak off while you were distracted, and your gaze makes them break out into a panicked sprint. Of course, being a giant wolf, you easily catch up to them and begin perpetrating some utter carnage. You start by biting into the arm of the first one, pushing down on him with as you do so and using the leverage to rip the arm off completely, leaving him screaming on the ground, then you grab another one by the leg and swing him off the ground, into the third man, knocking him down as well. You keep the second man between your teeth as you spin around, swiping at the first man to finish him off in a burst of clone particles before going back to beating the third man with the second man. The sand falls out of his pocket as he is forcefully used as a human flail before eventually dissolving into clone particles from the head trauma or something. As you loom over the third, brutally beaten man with your paw on his chest and your claws digging ever so slightly into his neck, you realize that if one of these wasn't a clone, you could have easily killed them, and you didn't even consider the possibility. You start to worry over whether it's ok to actually kill the third man, since you can't identify the real one among the clones like the shirtless man can. Your first thought is, 'yes, they're a bad guy, superheroes get away with murder in broad daylight all the time, even when they're not fighting crime.' Still, you have a nagging doubt that you're not thinking the same as you normally would. Would the human 'you' be able to kill so nonchalantly? Would the human 'you' have murdered an entire pack of wolves in the name of trial-and-error science and a petty grudge?

Luckily, you think up an excuse to avoid thinking too deeply on the matter, or even at all. The shirtless man told you to handle them, and he can definitely identify which ones the clones are, so you should be good to do as a wolf does and kill them all. With that solved, you silence the begging you weren't paying attention to with a light press, and sure enough, they burst into clone particles.

Still, doesn't that mean the first man, who should be unconscious right now, is the original? You look back to where you left him, but he's gone, leaving only a bloodstain and the unused second arrow behind. You run over and put your dog nose to good use trying to catch his scent in the direction of the woods you came from, but he's surprisingly not nearby. He can't have gotten that far if he just crawled away, but it seems as though some others dragged him away. You could probably track them down, but right now the shirtless man takes priority.

You run back to him, bow still strapped around your abdomen, but as you reach him he falls to one knee and you panic a bit. You don't exactly have the dexterity to get him on your back gently in this form, and there's certainly a lot of watchers. You could always wrap him in silk and gently hoist him up, but if they find out you're a shape-shifting dog, you won't be able to use your moth form to rob a pharmacy and then escape the legal consequences down the line. You're about to try to get Arthur onto your back when another man comes near. You turn to him with an icy glare that comes natural to you, once more trying your hand at gauging intent via mind reading. He's not wearing yellow rubber, but you don't have any context for what's going on here in the first place, and his shirt is soaked in a frankly alarming amount of blood. You hope this isn't the part where you take your first human life.

The greatest trick the devil has ever pulled was convincing the world he doesn't exist..

However.. this is not the case.

Flauros could have sworn that his scrying has been felt by one particular individual, the guy who can change himself into a ferocious raptor.

How could he sense it? Seeing the unknown and supernatural is considered a lost art. It died down a long time ago since the era of innovation and technology arrived. It must be just pure animalistic instincts given his ability to transform. Flauros thought to himself.

"Interesting, and such affinity to violence..." Flauros grinned from ear to ear, licking his lips watching the fight at the museum unfold. So much blood. So much pent-up aggression.

It's time for Grailham's resident demon to join in the fun.

Time to release the hounds.

---

Flauros' Hellhounds vs Sinister Six's Mr. Orange
Location: Museum Backdoor

Like in any cliche horror flick, the one that got separated from the group usually gets the boot in the worst way possible. And by someone. I mean the individual known as Mr. Orange, A brutish fellow clad in orange that can divide his 5 senses (sight,smell,touch, taste, and hearing) and bestow it to each of his clones, amplifying each to tenfold. But distributing his brain cells in the process as well. A weird ability but an ability nevertheless.

He is sinister six's designated lookout - and quite frankly he's not doing a good job.

"The jig is up boys, there are heroes in the area.. one of them is Dynamo, so if he's here, that would mean there's the media!"

"You had ONE JOB, sight!..you're supposed to be on the lookout"

"shut up,clone! i'm not taking orders from you"

"No, you shut up!"

"Knock it off you morons, who cares who's the original.. if one of us is in handcuffs, then all of us will be in handcuffs!"

As the manifestation of Mr. Orange clone's continues to pointlessly argue and bicker, the air becomes eerily humid. The stretch of sulfur becomes stronger with each passing second. An angry snarl was heard not far from where they stood. Darkness consumes their area.

"Shh.. everyone quiet, did anyone hear that?"

"Yeah, and what's that overcooked smell?"

From the shadows, two hellish creatures emerge from the darkness and begin to circle their prey. Their fur is black as the night and its physiology is similar to a mutated dog. Their fangs are sharp and ready sink in to any mortal flesh. Their eyes glow in red, almost petrifying those who stares back and has their sight set towards the group of sinners who wears bright orange spandex in the middle of the night.

"What are those?"

"Who cares! i'm not staying here to find out, everyone get in the van!"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!"

They began to escape but to no avail. The hellhounds are too quick to pounce and too hungry.

All that follows was faint screams echoed through the museum. The sound of struggle and trampling footsteps completely vanished without a trace.

Music to Flauros' ear. The only thing He enjoys other than malice and a 5-star rating in his cafe, is fear instilled upon others.

What happened to Mr. orange is to anyone's guesses. One thing is for sure, they won't be participating in this hero vs villain brawl anymore.

@Lurking Shadow @Unkown58 - @The Forgotten@Ryik

---

‘You did good’, an echoing statement repeated within. Did he? Skylar’s glimmering gaze lowered towards that gold star placed in his hand, starlit sapphire blood now dried upon his pale skin. Why did something so extremely mundane, something so incredibly juvenile as a gold star and a pat on his shoulder bring forth such emotion? ‘You saved people’, the boy raised his attention to a now fading crowd. They had filmed him, they had taken pictures. His battle with Ember was likely already streaming on HeroTube, but he had never cared enough to check, to read the comments, or watch any of the uploads including him.

Gently, spindly fingers clenched around that sticker, a breath escaping the lad’s lips. Ember was willing to let countless people die for what was in that museum, Skylar’s attention confiscated by its impressive presence. Was a battle still raging within? Was he going to help? The idea was rather foolish. Not because of the life threatening injury he had previously suffered, but because he’d do more harm than good. Skylar’s powers in small spaces, or indoors for that matter, had a tendency of destroying far more than his opponents. If Star Scourge took it upon him to join a battle inside a museum, his involvement would cost more than the thieves were looking to steal. Not to mention those who’d be caught in the crossfire; the other heroes.

Abandoning the thought, Skylar turned to Fiadh, the dragon. It was likely safe to discard the notion of another mutant. She certainly wasn’t like him, and further explanation would have attested to that, had the woman not burst from the spot at James’ orders. A gold sticker was enough to warrant such action? With a small shake of his head, Skylar leaned against a lamppost, fingers still grasping that gold star, eyes occasionally landing on its polished surface. ’The dude actually gave me a fucking sticker..,’ the boy raised a brow, slipping that priceless reward into his pocket. ‘You did good’, a statement he never thought he’d hear, and it felt.., odd. Was this validation?

The Hero's pondering was cut short, soon following Fiadh’s return. There was more conflict? Outside the museum, no less. Narrowing his starlit gaze, an azure force erupted, framing the lad as his feet rose from the ground. Heeding a doctor’s suggestions was clearly not on the table, and with a flamboyant tempest of Starlight bursting from the boy’s flight, he was off, like a projectile rippling through the air.

Making it to the other side of the museum was an easy task, and as Fiadh had reported, Skylar witnessed conflict. ’M̷͖̔õ̵̼r̷̬̈e̴̮̔ ̶̲͛t̷̗̀o̸̹̍ ̵̙̽d̵͇͌ḙ̸̇s̸̢̈t̵̘̓ȑ̶͉o̵͚͑ý̶̥.̷͓̄.̵̘̈,̷̬̽ ̶̏ͅm̸͖̽ọ̶̀r̸͍͆ẽ̶̹ ̸̟̚t̷̪̾o̶̰̊ ̵̰̊k̶̠̑i̶̙̓l̵̂͜l̷̹̆.̷̣̓.̷̛͇,̷̤͝ ̷̖̀m̵̗̅o̸̲̒r̷̡͗ę̶̇ ̷͓͝t̸̨͝ơ̵̙ ̴͉͝ë̶̹n̷̯̂d̶̖̃.̶̗͑.̸̫̀’ Star Scourge clenched his teeth, hands rising to his forehead where the lad’s body felt a shiver running down its spine. ’Shut up, shut up, shut up..!’ Skylar tried, a desperate attempt, but luck was on his side. Their battle had reached a conclusion, and with it, Skylar’s inner conflict dimmed. Exhaling a faint breath, Star Scourge abandoned the skies, lowering himself towards the ground where he confronted two new actors.

Helplessness came in situations like these, where all the destructive power in the world couldn’t help a single person when medical aid was required. Hopefully, the doctor was on his way, but from what Skylar recalled, the man had already used his abilities to rob Star Scourge of a life-threatening wound. Doing it again seemed risky.

Meeting the ground with his feet, Skylar’s coat of Starlight gently faded, as if a crystalline breeze cradled by wind, leaving only his softly glowing skin beneath the moonlight. Crossing his arms, the boy kept a short if healthy distance. The only thing he could do now was stand guard until more capable hands arrived. Destruction couldn’t help anyone, in the end, and that was all Skylar was.

Kaede's assault could only go on for so long. One would not expect a teenagee to par with six fully grown adults.

One would guess right.

Kaede was beginning to get piled on my the Pink ones.

"We got 'im!" the pinkos said in unison.

Or so they thought.

Bright pink light emerged from the seams of the pink ones, before a pillar of light blasted them in all directions, causing them to collide with their other-coloured counterparts.

"HENSHIN!"



At the centre of it, a bright glowing humanoid figure appeared, wearing Kaede's clothes. These clothes gradually disintegrated, as the figure shifted from an androgynous-looking lad to to a feminine shape.

Kaede's hair extended into a hime-cut before being tied into a ponytail, all the while turning pink. New clothes began to form, these ones sporting a pink-white motif and a heart at the back decorated with angel wings. As a last step, boots adorned his-or rather- her feet.

"Magical Girl Miracle Maple - Arcane Stance!"

It seems like the sheer heat and power of being too close to a magical girl transformation knocked our perpetrators out. Why do you think villains always waited for it to be over?

Miracle Maple struck a pose, before looking around to see her enemies fallen.

"Too easy," Maple shrugs her shoulders.

"Before that it was too difficult," Trinity sighs.

@Vega7285 @Crimson Flame
(VS the Pink Menace)

James Harris

Just as he slung the first-aid bag across his shoulder, movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. Turning, he was just in time to witness the return of their draconic friend as she leaped off of the roof and landed near them. Her voice contained urgency as she relayed the information he asked for. “Man with the helmet, whatever your name is. I see two more groups of villains, one to the north and one inside the museum. There is also a man with a sword fighting the villains in the north with a wound, I do not know how bad but I sensed bleeding. I hope you and the buachaill, are doing all right but I think it best we go help the others. Ní neart go cur le chéile. I don’t normally do this but if its urgent to get to the wounded man you can… get on me. I can take you there fast.”

Nodding, his the picture of seriousness underneath the helmet, he nodded in agreement “Got it. Hey kid, you think you’ll be alri-” turning to where the boy was previously standing, he was only in time to see the kid disappear in a streak of light. Blinking the afterimage of the light out of his eyes, he moved on, quickly climbing onto his bike before turning back to address the dragon, giving a slight smile. “I’m James. Thank you for the information, and for your offer, but at full speed this baby nearly flies, so it isn’t necessary for you to do anything that makes you uncomfortable, please just lead the way.”

Sparing a glance back at the tied up villain, he spotted one of the civilians who helped tie him up still loitering nearby. “You! Keep an eye on him. Yell if he tries to escape.” And then he was off. Going as fast as possible, he closely followed after Fiadh as she led the way – his wheels nearly leaving the ground. It didn’t take more than a minute, before he was screeching to a stop outside the museum’s north, where he saw a blond boy – late teens if he had to guess – kneeling on the ground. Obviously, he was the injured one. Standing protectively next to him, was what had to be the biggest freaking wolf he had ever seen and a little ways away from them was the other boy. The random civilians loitering around, were obviously fine, so he didn’t spare them as much as a second glance before he was off his bike and approaching the small group – doing his best to ignore the stabbing (hah, get it?) pain in his chest.

He only slowed long enough to stick a gold star against Fiadh’s front arm(?) “You’ve earned this.” as he passed her. He only stopped when he was a few steps away from the injured boy because of the wolf’s icy glare directed at him. Meeting the predator’s piercing gaze, James slowly held up his first-aid bag and stated as calmly as he could “I just want to help, if you’ll let me?” Once it seemed that the two of them have reached an understanding, he was in front of the boy, gently manoeuvring him into a more comfortable position. “Hey kiddo, still with me? Don’t worry about a thing, you’re in good hands, I’ll have you patched up in no time.”

Hands gentle, he first inspected the wound on the lad’s left shoulder. There are a lot of arteries in that area – not to mention the close proximity to his heart – and it could be really bad if any of them were nicked. The boy seems to have a luck on his side though, so far, he’s not exhibiting any of the signs to indicate that anything vital had been hit – other than being a little pale, but that could just be from the shock of actually being hit by an arrow – so, once the arrow is removed, he should be fine with just a couple of stitches, it might not even be necessary for James to use his abilities.

That happy thought flew out the window once he saw the bullet wound in the kid’s side. It wasn’t a fresh wound, already showing signs of healing. It doesn’t even appear to have been a fatal wound at one point. What it was, was a freshly cauterized wound, the burn marks on the skin not even an hour old and there was what looked like a splinter on it. What did he do? Burn himself with a stick!?! Looking up to meet the kid’s eyes from behind his lens, he couldn’t help but ask astonished, “Did you do this to yourself?” James even looked at the wolf questioningly, so shocked was he by the discovery. Yeah, nope. Obviously this kid couldn’t be trusted to properly take care of his own wounds properly and James was not about to risk him going off and giving himself an infection.

Grumbling under his breath, he zipped open the bag and pulled out a roll of bandages – making a mental note to replace it as soon as possible. “You and I are going to have a long chat about proper wound care later, young man. Here bite on this.” Stuffing the roll in the lad’s mouth, he moved behind the kid and gripped the arrow firmly. “I mean, really? Do you want an infection? Because an infection is what you’ll get if you continue on like this. Brace yourself.” With a swift, careful pull, the arrow was out and discarded as James took a closer look at the injury wanting to make certain of his initial assessment now that there was no longer an obstruction in the way. It still looked good. “You know that people can die from infection, right? How do you think you’re loved-ones would feel if you died – not from an injury, but because you didn’t seek out professional medical help.”

Taking a deep breath, after his rant, James gently placed his hands next to the kid’s wound. His chest throbbed painfully in warning, but he pushed that thought away. If he was still alive after that pile-up a few months back – and he really came close to kicking it, that time – he’ll be fine now. This amount of injuries aren’t nearly as bad as the ones back then and this kid’s isn’t even fatal. He’ll be fine…probably. Closing his eyes, he made the connection and felt pain bloom in his shoulder and side as the boy’s injuries became his. Thankfully, he was right about them being non-fatal and there weren’t any nasty surprises waiting for him once he finished. He did experience a throbbing headache as well as a brief dizzy-spell, where he had to take a minute to ground himself – marking that he had officially reached his limits and that he’ll need at least a few hours of rest before attempting anything with his powers again.

Orienting himself, James breathed through it and checked on his patient, pulling another star loose from the dwindling packet of stickers and – hoping to encourage good behaviour – stuck it to the lad’s forehead. “There you go, all patched up. See, professional medical help aint that bad now is it?” A he looked the boy over though, a frown crossed his face. While the kid did look better, that did not mean he looked fine. The kid was still a little too pale for his liking and his eyes was still a little unfocused. James knew that the kid didn’t have any more injuries, so the true problem was probably something a little more mundane. He can’t even count how many times he had to respond to calls about people collapsing because they weren’t properly taking care of their own needs. This kid was probably one of them (if the self-cauterizing was anything to go by) too busy pushing himself to take care of himself. Snapping his fingers in front of the boy’s face to get him to focus, James addressed him, keeping his voice gentle but firm, leaving no doubt that this was a serious matter. “Kid look at me. When was the last time you had a proper meal or rest? Don’t lie to me either, I’ll know.”

---

@Shard@Ryik@The Forgotten@Lurking Shadow

The pink speedster and the...Magical Girl Miracle Maple, had handled the six-pack of coincidentally pink villains just fine. Meanwhile, team green tried to escape with the loot. Another new challenger, some sort of dinosaur person, beat Miria to the interception, claiming the crate for himself.

"You're not with them," it was a statement, not a question, directed toward said dinosaur-man. "Stick around and help me deal with the rest of these guys."

Two of the men in green were clutching their arms in pain, but the other four had taken up a defensive position of their own, eyeing the two interlopers. "Almost thought we had them with that gambit. Damnit, who the hell brought Jurassic Park into this?" one of them complained. "You two," the ringleader of this team remarked to the two injured members, "take a break.". The pair of garishly costumed villains began to dissolve into so much shimmering dust. The remaining members of Sinister Green weighed their options between the goddamned dinosaur holding their loot, and the lady. "I knew we should've brought guns, but no..." one of them lamented, before all four of them rushed Miria.

Miria proved to be a brick wall. She didn't even make any flashy gestures, just a few feet in front of her, all four of the Green squad slammed into something. "I told you, you wouldn't get past me," Miria taunted them from the other side of her glowing barrier. The hexagonal lattice rapidly moved outward, knocking the villains flying. A second one formed above them, slamming them into the ground with enough force to knock the wind out of them.

"Stay down," Miria said as she walked past her captive villains, toward the others still standing. One speedster who probably just got a hell of a show if his drones were on point. One person who might be using some form of transcendent technology. And one person who was also a velociraptor. "Well. We have some time for introductions before the authorities arrive. You can call me Shield Maiden. I really hope that's the last of those guys."

@Spin The Wheel @Crow @Crimson Flame
(Now it's Team Watermelon, to tie up some loose ends. Might be a bit contrived, but now we can talk?)

Maple's eyes widened at the sight of Shield Maiden. To her, Shield Maiden's moves and tactics were awestruck-inducing.

"Shield Maiden, huh?" Maple scratched her head, "I'm the hope that everyone relies on, Magical Girl Miracle Maple~"

Maple blushed and scratched her head.

"I'm uh... working on a proper catchphrase," Maple reveals a plshie snake of some kind hovering beside her, "this is Trinity, my uh... mascot I guess? You know, every magical girl needs one of these, am I right?"

Maple glanced to the side to see one of the Sinister Six running away.

"ARCANA FINGER!"

With a single finger, she shot a beam of hearts that struck and fried the running mook, causing him to fall unconscious.

"Well, at least I can say I contributed, teehee..."

@Vega7285 @Crimson Flame @Spin the Wheel

@Crow@Vega7285

"Call me... Raptor." Danny said softly, though through his throat it sounded more like a growl.
He had never cared much about what others called him so he hadn't put much thought into an alias. There was probably some b-list hero who bore the name more fittingly, but the advantage of being an independent vigilante was that he didn't have to care about copyright infringement.

Danny surveyed the situation. While at first it seemed like the heroes had a significant advantage in numbers, the 6 members of the group split themselves further into another 6 members each, which immediately evened the playing field. Nevertheless, the clones didn't change the circumstances too much. Perhaps the enterprising heroes here were stronger than average.

The boy-dinosaur briefly glanced at the heroes closest to hand. He first directed a reptillian green eye towards the pink-clad magic-shooting being to his left, a girl(?) who had transformed through some kind of magic, with the ability to shoot beams. When they had first arrived and took to attacking the criminals with their fists, Danny had them pegged as a yonug lunatic, with the self assuredness of one who had just discovered their superpowers, convinced of some illusiory invulnerability. It was comforting to know that they had the means to back up their confidence, though the drastic pivot in personality and talking to their animal plushie didn't immediately quell his concerns of their mental wellbeing.

As for the girl (young woman perhaps), who seemingly had produced the forcefields, she had a strange smell that he had never encountered before. What was certain was that she was not human; some kind of construct, perhaps, but he couldn't tell. It wasn't very important right now, though. He gently put the crate down next to the futuristic girl.
"Please protect this as well, Shield Maiden." Danny asked her.

With that he began walking towards the rest of the criminal members. He seemed nonchalant but he was trying to keep the raptor's bloodlust in check. The 2 figures he had wounded were merely clones, but the sensation of cutting their false flesh stood fresh in his mind. Still, it looked like things were winding down. Half of the criminals had been taken care of, and the other half were nowhere to be seen. Though he could still smell their scent trails...
"I will give chase." He said to the two heroes nearby.
The scents of the villains split into two paths, and Danny instinctively chose the path with a heavier scent of blood. He rushed past the sword wielding stranger and the large wolf, into a forest clearing, only to see a yellow figure being carried away by 2 red figures into the distance. Danny stopped himself shortly after. They were too far away, and chasing them down wasn't a good idea. 3 of the 6 original criminals had been taken out, which left the 2 he could see running and 1 unaccounted for.

He seemed to remember there were 2 crates, and it wasn't with red and yellow men. The other criminal would have carried it farther than he could chase right now. The teenager sighed, turneing back towards the city. Perhaps they would be caught another day. Instead, Danny turned his attention to the 2 strange beings in front of him, one seemingly dressed in some kind of medieval outfit, complete with a sword, and an anomylously large wolf. They were quite unique, even by modern standards. The wolf seemed to be very intelligent, judging by his observations before, but he seemed to not be able to talk. He decided to talk to the young man instead.
"The enemies have escaped." He reported to them. "May I know who you are?

@The Forgotten@Ryik

Mentions - @Lurking Shadow @Unkown58 @The Forgotten@Ryik
Interactions - N/A.

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Crystalline eyes fell shut, Skylar’s spindly frame lowering towards the ground as a breath escaped his lips. These were it, the night’s endeavors. He had done what was possible of the boy, and reaching a hand into his pocket, he produced a phone where the screen rivaled his own nightly glow. ‘Got him?’’ A message stated, one earning a response as Star Scourge moved his thumb across a digital keyboard, ‘yes’. Exhaling a breath, Skylar felt rapid beats against his scrawny chest, akin to the motion of a jackhammer. It was still coursing through him, a willingness to abandon reason. A voice inside his head mimicking the lad’s very own, something hinting back at his nature. A star in the cosmos, a brightly burning celestial body amidst endless darkness. Researchers were not alone in finding this mutant odd and peculiar, his starlit eyes curiously peering ahead at what could further illuminate a hazy existence.

Moments of confined strife sang tunes akin to a caged animal, a beast clawing for freedom. An exploding star; a Supernova. The question lingered; the thought of losing control. How long could Skylar maintain it? What he feared wasn’t another’s influence, or falling into infinite blackness. What dragged its talons down his back was the intoxicating desire to unleash. It begged the question; how long did Skylar want to remain shackled by his own morality?

Embracing his legs, hugging them against his chest, the lad turned to gaze upon the group of misfits before him. A dragon, a massive wolf, a blonde boy whose clothes seemed woefully out of place, and finally, the medic. This was it, then. This was the outside world, the colorful explosion of people and personalities beyond the facility Skylar had known as his home. It was charming, in a way, and daunting in others. Where did he fit into this gathering?

Pushing himself off the ground, Skylar shifted his attention to a straggling crowd, those who remained following disaster and chaos. Talking amongst themselves, the boy noted their desire to approach the Heroes, but a sense of shyness halted their advance. It was still quite foreign to him, the word ‘Hero’. He recalled a saying trickling past his ears, that powers did not make a Hero. Actions did.

While there was no conflict in agreement, a single glance towards his digits glowing a bright blue beneath the moonshine brought the lad’s thoughts back to where they had previously dwelled. How could an engine of destruction maintain this mantle? Ember was alive because Skylar fought against himself as much as he did the villain.

An itch was beginning to intrude, tugging at his skin where dried, cosmic blood made its mark. He needed to go home and take a shower. He needed to buy new clothes, and he felt like hugging Cosmos tightly against a tired frame. Rising into the night sky akin to an azure specter, the lad gave his fellow Heroes a final glance before taking his leave.

When Arthur had first came to this world, he had no clue what to expect, but he had most certainly not expected a land fraught with magic. Had he not known better, he might have believed many of this lands people to be direct descendants of Merlin himself. But he knew that to be a falsehood as Merlin himself proclaimed he could never sire an heir. Thus, the magic of this land had to be coming from a new source, one that still remained unknown to him. As he knelt there on the ground, seemingly protected by his newfound companion, he noticed a faint streak of cosmic blue out of the corner of his eye. Turning to see the source, he saw yet another magician. At this distance however, with his vision failing him, he was unable to make out any details. Thankfully the figure didn't approach, keeping a safe distance, perhaps assessing whether or not Arthur was a threat. Arthur was preparing himself to stand and face this newcomer, when a cacophonous roar pulled his attention elsewhere. What he saw both confused and amazed him. A man riding what he could only describe as a metal horse following a dragon of all things. Arthur watched in astonishment as the Dragon landed several paces away, and as the mystery rider dismounted his steed, he placed something that shimmered in the light against its arm. He barely had time to process what he was witnessing when the man began to approach. Arthur could feel the rumbling growl that emanated from his companion.

"I just want to help, if you'll let me?" Hearing the sincerity in his voice, Arthur placed a gentle hand on the wolf's side, assuring it that it was ok. Once the man was assured of his intentions the man approached, dropping low to the ground in front of him. "Hy kiddo, still with me?" The man spoke, clearly worried for Arthur's health, which he could not blame him for. As to why he called him a kid, Arthur was uncertain. Did the people of this land not consider you a man once you turned twelve? How odd. "Don't worry about a thing, you're in good hands, I'll have you patched up in no time."

'So, this was a medicine man. It would explain his urge to help Arthur in his time of need. Arthur was prepared to explain, all he needed was a meal, some sleep, and a good poultice. But the man was already checking him over. Feeling no need to argue, he decided it best to simply let the man do his work. He would pay him for the service afterword. The man helped Arthur into a more comfortable position as he checked over his wounds, fully expecting the man to admire Arthur's knowledge of the medical craft, and his tolerance for pain. "Did you do this?" Asked the man. Arthur nodded in acknowledgment, and instead, the man seemed to admonish him for cauterizing his wound with a stick. Certainly, he could have prepared a better tool given the proper time, but still he had done as he was taught. After all, Arthur simply needed consume a decent meal to recharge his mana and he could easily finish healing his wound. Arthur didn't have time to come up with a response before the man was stuffing a sterile cloth in his mouth and instructing him to bite down. He knew what would come next after such and instruction.

The pain was intense, but brief. Leaving behind it a stinging burn that Arthur knew all too well. Arthur's mind grew foggy for a moment, remembering all the times he had been injured during training. Remembering how Merlin would use such incidents to teach Arthur the ways of the physicians, before using his magic to finish healing him. He was quickly snapped from his reminiscing at the mention of family. Arthur's chest tightened at the mention of family. Arthur had stopped paying attention to the man's administrations, as he spoke in a low tone, seemingly to no one.

"Where it I still had family. Sadly, me Ma passed long ago, and me da was never present."

Arthur's mind had been hazy before as he muddled through the pain, but almost as quick as his injuries had been received, the pain had dwindled to that of a minor inconvenience. Looking down at his chest he realized his wounds had closed. This man, much to Arthur's surprise, was also a magician? Arthur turned to look at this medicine man, noticing he now seemed shaky on his feet. In response Arthur himself stood up, fighting his own dizziness in the process, and offered a hand for stability. Thankfully the man didn't seem to need it, as he quickly regained his composure, Unlike Arthur who could swear the earth was moving beneath his very feet. Struggling to focus his vision, he did his best to maintain composure, even as his stomach let out a most embarrassing noise. That's when this mystery man pulled something glimmering like gold from his trousers and pressed it to his forehead as he said something that slipped Arthur's ears.

He had no clue how much time passed as his mind began to muddle with his hunger and fatigue. It wasn't until the man began snapping his fingers in Arthur's face that he came back to his senses, if not only partly. The man spoke with all the authority of a father. "Kid, look at me." Again, he was calling Arthur a kid? Had he not realized that Arthur was a fully grown man? "When was the last time you had a proper meal or rest? Don't lie to me either, I'll know." This man's words were almost insulting, but his tone softened the harshness of his words.

"It hath been, a few days shy of a fortnight hence I last ate a true meal, and longer still sense I hath felt the comfort of a warm bed. But worry not magic man, for I have freshly hunted for venison with success. Thou art welcome to join me in supper if thine wishes, but alas I have no bedding or shelter to share."

Arthur was struck with yet another moment of awe as a young boy who appeared to be part reptilian of some sort rushed past following behind the blood trail left by Mr Yellow. Arthur was so stunned by such a sight that all he could do was watch as he disappeared into the tree line, only to return shortly thereafter, proclaiming that the enemies had escaped, before asking for his name. With a practiced poise, Arthur straightened his back, standing tall and proud.

"I am Arthur Pendragon, one true king of the holy land of Britania. Protector of the weak and downtrodden. It is my sworn oath to protect this land and its people." Splitting his gaze between this lizard man and his healer. "Might I inquire as to the name of my savior, and to you, who art noble enough to aid in our fight without request?"

The refugee from another universe was still getting used to his new home. While this Grailham City was similar to the one he had grown up in, there were still several differences. The history here was just different enough from his home dimension. It had been quite a few times that Jasper had made a faux pas in a conversation related to aspects of this world, passing it off with a joke about the Mandela effect. So he had done his best to try and learn about this new dimension, just so that he had an easier time fitting in.

A quick glance on social media had shown that several people that Jasper had known did exist in this world, but conversely many didn’t seem to exist here. Jasper had also thought of looking himself and his family up online, but it caused a massive feeling of anxiety, so he had not searched it.

But while Internet search engines were always decently useful for finding information, Jasper had always valued actual physical books. And while there were plenty of online book selling sites, Jasper was kind of strapped for cash at the moment. But luckily for him, Grailham was a massive city and as such had an extensive library system. And while there weren’t any in the neighborhood Jasper lived in, he could reach the nearest branch by one bus, granted it was a long bus ride across the city.

But Jasper didn’t mind, as something as mundane as a bus ride was calming to him. He had spent far too long living underground, burning the dead, and fleeing from monsters. So Jasper sat calmly on the bench at the bus stop a few blocks from his apartment building. Within a few minutes the bus arrived at just the same time as the app on his phone said it would. Swiping his bus pass, one of the first things he bought in this universe, Jasper took a seat in the middle of the bus.

The ride was uneventful, which was perfect for Jasper. Just gazing out at the still peaceful Grailham City did a lot to help his mental health. In fact Jasper zoned out for most of the trip, only really snapping back to the moment when most of the passengers got off at the Museum Bus Terminal. Jasper remained seated as the library was a few more stops up the street.

In a few more minutes, Jasper was departing the bus as he was adjacent to the library’s parking lot. Jasper was filled with a feeling of content as he stared at the modernist architecture of the library. The last time he had been here in his home dimension, it had been badly damaged by the military as they tried to contain the Pandora Virus.

As soon as Jasper entered the building, he breathed in the scent of physical books, the same smell he was used to in this library before the virus. From there he went to the front desk to sign up for a library card. That only took a few minutes, then he was free to borrow to his heart’s content. Jasper immediately headed to the history section, finding a large hardcover book on the history of Grailham City.

After skimming over a few pages, Jasper decided that it was what he was looking for. But before he left, Jasper decided to go to the fiction section. He went straight to the K section, and was pleased to see that Stephen King had indeed related new books in this universe. But then an announcement came over the speakers, saying that the library was about to close.

Jasper had guessed that he had spent longer on the bus and then browsing then he thought. Jasper had picked this branch in part due to its really late closing times. But that time had arrived, so Jasper just grabbed the newest Stephen King novel and headed for the checkout. After having the two books processed and placed in his backpack, Jasper exited the library as the librarian began to lock the doors.

But as Jasper left the building, he saw the city bus whiz past him. He swore softly as that was the bus he had planned on getting on. Looking at his phone, Jasper saw that the next bus wasn’t for another forty minutes. Sighing, Jasper took a seat on the bunch next to the bus stop.

Jasper proceeded to pass the time by playing games on his phone. Before he knew it a half hour had passed. Anxious to get on the bus and get home Jasper was looking up the street for the bus. But as he turned his head, Jasper heard an explosion from behind him. Whipping his head around, Jasper saw that it had occurred at the Carlyle Museum.

“That does not look good,” muttered Jasper as he stood up.

Figuring that people could be in trouble, Jasper bolted to the nearest alleyway. Luckily he always kept his hero outfit in his bag, just in case something like this occurred. After two minutes of struggling in the dark to get on his outfit, Jasper emerged from the alleyway, wearing the garb of Crystalis.

Jasper then began to run down the several blocks from the library to the museum. By the time he reached the museum, Jasper was out of breath. He took a few seconds to calm his breathing so that he could effectively create gem shards if this situation called for it. But as Jasper barreled through the doors, he was met by several people in various outfits.

Jasper immediately wondered if they were villains, but then he recognized one as Dynamo, the celebrity superhero. And it seemed that they were not fighting now, even though the museum showed signs of a battle. Whatever had happened at the Carlyle Museum was now done.

Jasper raised his hands as not to appear as a villain, approaching the assembled assumed heroes, just as the knight looking one introduced himself as Arthur Pendragon. Jasper wondered why he would use his actual name, but then he though that Pendragon sounded like a pseudonym. But then he also said that he was the king of Britania.

“Well, I’m no king, but you can call me Crystalis,” said Jasper as he walked toward the other costumed folks, “And I guess I missed whatever happened here. Is anyone hurt?”

With a quick glance around the room, it didn’t seem that anyone was indeed injured, but they could easily just be putting on a brave face. The truth was that Jasper had no idea who these people were, and that nagging distrust in his brain made it so that he was prepared to shoot some gem shards at any second.

There were fights and explosions happening today. There always were, every single day in this city. And despite that, plenty of people loved here who were neither Heroes or Villains, relying on the business of one, the other, both or each other to make a live. Better-off people had long since moved away, scared of being caught in a crossfire. The working class people who stayed, or worse, moved her and put their lives on the line the low cost of housing and the abundance of vacant jobs and gaps in the market, were people that in Tobias' eyes were worth fighting for. He hoped that it was also the case for others, but a lot of Heroes he'd seen on the news and TV were in it for the fame and adoration, or saw it like a game. Tobias wondered if, behind the outward presentation, how many of them still kept in touch with the reason Heroes were needed here.

Ever since Tobias moved here, everyone had been incredibly nice to him. He had taken up a daytime job at a bakery in exchange for room and board in the vacant one-bedroom studio apartment above it. Having a whole living space to himself was a surreal, peaceful yet oddly lonely experience compared to the German orphanage he was used to, or the open-air camping he had been doing in the few months it had taken to hitchhike from Bremen to Grailham City. So, when he wasn't working, he tended to keep himself occupied with long walks, to familiarise himself with the city.

Tobias stopped, and pulled down the baseball cap. He could smell something odd. Six people. Or rather, six of the exact same person. They were nearby. He looked around him to check that nobody was looking, then ducked into an alley, before scurrying up a three storey high wall. Once on the roof, he crouched low to keep his balance and started to follow the scent, which was close by but getting further away. He then caught sight of them on a quiet street below. Six men, all dressed in blue, carrying a box between them. This was definitely some kind of Hero or Villain business, but Tobias was curious and didn't have any more pressing plans, so he tailed them from the rooftops, easily managing to keep up because despite their speed and fitness, they were still carrying a large box.

He'd never tailed somebody before, and had no experience, teaching or training. If he did, he'd have probably have kept a further distance, as he lost his footing on some loose tiles from a slanted roof and fell crashing to earth by way of several bags of garbage to break his fall. He was too close for them to not to notice, to not have seen this kid fall from the roof. Tobias slowly and gingerly got to his feet, Man, that hurt! The wind had been knocked out of him from that fall. He flashed the six blue strangers an awkward smile and a wave, before leaning against the brick wall, trying to get his breath back so that he could even talk to them.

@Lurking Shadow

James Harris

James almost couldn't believe what he was hearing when the kid responded.

"It hath been, a few days shy of a fortnight hence I last ate a true meal, and longer still sense I hath felt the comfort of a warm bed. But worry not magic man, for I have freshly hunted for venison with success. Thou art welcome to join me in supper if thine wishes, but alas I have no bedding or shelter to share."

Ignoring the medieval speech for now (James figured it was a part of the kid’s hero persona) – the kid had basically just admitted to being homeless. James couldn’t help but wonder if that was the reason the kid did something so reckless as to try to treat a bullet wound on his own. The boy was probably afraid of being found out by a social worker, or if he was eighteen, he probably didn’t have any assurance and wouldn’t be able to afford any over the top medical bills – that doesn’t explain why he didn’t at least make a stop at a free clinic, but James will shelve that particular lecture topic for now. Instead choosing to focus on the issue that was currently more pressing: The kid’s living situation. From the comment about venison, James could only assume the blond was living in the woods. That was not a good long-term plan, especially not if the kid was planning on making getting injured a habit…

Opening his mouth to relay exactly that to the boy in front of him, James was interrupted before he could even get the first syllable out. Instead, he watched, stunned silent as a literal freaking velociraptor straight out of a freaking Jurassic Garden movie went barrelling past them. Once his eyes could no longer track the speeding dinosaur after he/it/they(?) disappeared into the treeline, James closed them and brought both his hands up to his helmet – wishing desperately for a moment that they could melt through just so that he could rub his temples. In that moment all his slowly healing injuries just ached and he simply felt tired - desiring nothing more than to fall face first on his bed right now and to never get up. All he wanted was to grab some take-out from Wu’s before enjoying his first night off in ages…instead he got involved with a darned museum heist (even if his only role so far had been to supply first aid) met a dragon (who seemed to have gone off somewhere while he was occupied with the blond – currently homeless – boy) and was apparently turning into someone who gave gold star stickers out like they were candy on Halloween! How did his life become so weird in less than a night?!

His moment of mourning must’ve lasted longer than he thought, as the velociraptor soon returned. Reporting in a raspy voice that "The enemies have escaped." before inquiring "May I know who you are? The kid immediately struck a pose, standing tall and proud as he introduced himself. "I am Arthur Pendragon, one true king of the holy land of Britania. Protector of the weak and downtrodden. It is my sworn oath to protect this land and its people." Well, alright then. He based his heroic persona off of the legend of King Arthur…explains his medieval vibe.

Looking between both James and the raptor, Arthur then proceeded to follow up his introduction with the following question. "Might I inquire as to the name of my saviour, and to you, who art noble enough to aid in our fight without request?" After giving their new arrival a chance to respond, James gave him a polite nod in greeting before opening his mouth to answer as well, only to notice that their little group had been joined by more heroes as one of them approached, hands in the air – probably trying to show that he meant no harm. “Well, I’m no king, but you can call me Crystalis, and I guess I missed whatever happened here. Is anyone hurt?”

Subconsciously, James pulled his leather jacket closed to try to hide the bloodstains – wincing as the movement pulled against his wounds. He’ll be fine after a shower and a good night’s sleep, so it’d be pointless to bring attention to it. Instead, he kept his voice light as he answered Crystalis’ question. “None I know of that can’t be fixed by a good night’s sleep and some food.” As he said that, he gave the new arrivals a critical look, scanning them for any injuries. Upon not finding any, though, he gave a satisfied nod before introducing himself as well. “I’m…uh…call me…Medic.” He would have used his real name, but the last thing he wants is for someone to trace what he did here back to him. If his family were to find out about his powers from the media and not him, they’ll tear him apart. “And the rest of you are?” Turning back to Arthur after the others finished introducing themselves, James put a hand on the boy’s shoulder to help steady the blond if he needed it, disguising it as a simple friendly gesture (making sure to keep his touch light and easily shaken off if unwelcome). His next words were said quietly, meant only for Arthur and the wolf that was still right next to the boy.

“I know that isn’t a name, like you requested, but I’ll be happy to tell you once we’re back at my place. Because that is where we’re going after this and while there you will eat a proper meal and get at least twelve hours of sleep. I did not fix you up only for you to die because you didn’t have a safe place to go to.” Giving a nod to the wolf, James also addressed him in that same quiet voice, “You’re welcome to join your friend too, of course.” That settled (and it was. James will drag the boy there by the ear if he had to) James turned back to the other gathered heroes, clearing his throat slightly. “So, is the rest of the museum secure then? No more troublemakers?”

---

[@everyone currently assembled at the current location]

Fiadh jumped into action, running on all fours, faster that way than running bipedally. She was told to lead the way and lead the way she did, the fastest way. Which went through the occasional tree but all it leaves her with is a little soreness and she is intent on taking the shortest distance possible for that gold star.

About a minute and a few uprooted trees and shrubs later, she led James to the north side where the injured man and the very large wolf was. The man seemed to be in a rough shape, but still fine, though the Wolf tried it’s best to be intimidating. It was being very defensive, but why? A wolf that big would have no problem making a meal out of this man, there must be some sort of bond between the two, but she did not give it much further thought.

Fiadh waited for her reward patiently, resting her lower body on the ground and propping her upper body with her arms so she is ready to go at a moments notice. James immediately set for the wounded man, but thankfully remembered to peel the shiny thing and stick it to her arm. She…She did not feel the greed go away like it normally does. Inspecting her arm, she realized the problem. The shiny was a worthless shiny, worth not more than a few cents. But on the other hand… sometimes things can have a sentimental value greater than a monetary … She did feel a little better, for doing a good deed and having physical proof of it. She was unsatisfied, but maybe with enough gold stars it will fill the emptiness in her….

Fiadh, failing to find a reason to delay further, set off to attend to the museum thieves. A sort of criminal she especially despises, and if they would steal from a prestigious public building like the museum, then they could steal from her! A reassure hoard is not a hoard if it could be pilfered, and eliminating would-be thieves is one of the ways to ensure its security. And if something valuable happened to be lost in the commotion, why that would be a shame.

Fiadh then felt a sensation, a sort of ‘gut instinct’ that gave her pause. Since the costumed individuals split off into separate groups…who is to say that they all are occupied? It is plausible, probable even, that another group managed to sneak away with a crate in a different direction. She could not prove this other than off of assumptions, it could just as easily be that all the thieves are occupied with heroes. But the possibility of another group slinking away undetected is enough of a basis for her paranoia. By utilizing detective skills that she seems to only possess when objects of value are involved, she deduced a probable direction an unknown party could have gone. That was enough to set Fiadh off with a new course, around the many alleyways nearby.

Shortly after, a sound alerted Fiadh, a particular one that usually indicates someone forcefully coming in contact with the garbage that line the buildings out of view from the street. Turning the corner, she saw the noise came from some kid impacting some garbage bags, a fall by the looks of it. Fiadh needed to shift her gaze only slightly to find the object of her desire, one of the crates from the museum. Something particularly valuable was inside. Whatever it was, its value dwarfed anything she ever possessed. She. Must. Have. It. But first, she will have to deal with the six people carrying it.

”Gadaithe!” Fiadh roared. ”Thought you could steal without notice? I’ll give you thieves one chance to drop that crate or there will be consequences. Fiadh stood to her full height and brandished her claws and teeth, hopefully they will be intimidated and back off saving her the effort. If not, well she does experience pleasure in taking care of thieves.

”You, kid! Either lend me a hand or get out of here, I don’t like worrying about someone getting in the way.” Fiadh said to the kid resting amongst the trash. She did not want someone uninvolved to get hurt, but her greed was blinding her to only focus on the treasure. She won’t be able to guarantee his safety.

@Silver Carrot

I am Arthur Pendragon, one true king of the holy land of Britania. Protector of the weak and downtrodden. It is my sworn oath to protect this land and its people.

Arkin
It seems you were mistaken. Arthur, as he calls himself, is a penniless, unemployed method actor desperate to live out his fantasies, who will forego health and happiness in his attempt to make a career out of his ability to summon ye olden plate mail. Maybe show business was too tough for him? You're astounded that one man could make so many consecutive poor decisions that he would come to the point of that scene back by the pond, but as ridiculous and stupid as he may be, the dedication is impressive. Almost as impressive as the blood-soaked healer man's invitation of not only the insane homeless roleplayer, but the insanely large and ostensibly dangerous wild animal; you. He really just invited these strangers into his house based on nothing but the perceived need to help.

Maybe you should be glad he wasn't around to see you beat a man to death with another man.

It seems you are now the property of one Mr. Arthur Pendragon in the eyes of the bloody guy, and if it gets him to let you crash at his place, maybe even get a proper shower and real human food, then you're all for going along with it. You're surprised no one has made mention of your supernatural size, but maybe they just assume you're a hero in a transformation like that talking velociraptor?

You're surprised he can enunciate as well as he can, which is terribly. You've practiced to yourself before, but it always ends up sounding even more horrible than the raptor, in your humble opinion. Your speech in wolf form is like a series of barks that vaguely resemble the vowels of a syllable. Maybe you could do better if you practiced more, and maybe you could communicate verbally with them if you really tried, but sitting around and trying to get everyone to patiently interpret your speech just for a 'hello' sounds like a hassle. You don't really see any need to volunteer your linguistic abilities just yet, and it's enough that the crazy blond thinks you're at least somewhat sapient. If he didn't, he wouldn't be crazy, after all.

You follow the bloody man as he leads Arthur and you back to his home.

The teen was still sore but had gotten his breath back. This girl definitely wasn't human either, She looked semi-reptilian in nature, but wasn't dressed like a Hero. The six identical blue men weren't exactly acting heroically either, sneaking around carrying a large box that was apparently stolen. So this girl was trying to get it back. Was it stolen from her? No, there was a more pressing issue here.

"I am definitely not leaving if you're going to kill them," he replied in accented English. By now, the blue men realised they wouldn't be able to outrun them *and* lift the crate, so were stepping away from it, towards the two of them. Tobias didn't want to fight. He'd never been in an actual serious fight in his life, but if he was going to help people out in this city, he should probably get some experience fighting bad guys.

"Sure, I'll help. I'll take the three on the right," he stated, before running at the right flank of the group, veering off path, and using his momentum to do a wall run to gain some height before pushing off from it and delivering a kick to the nearest blue-barged thief that sent him sprawling. It hadn't taken him out of the fight, but for the immediate present, he only had to fight two of them. Well, it was time to see how everything he'd worked for so far helped in in a real fight.

The two foes had an advantage in both skill and experience, but Tobias's reflexes helped him dodge and weave most of their attacks, and the speed and force of his punches helped him get in some good, powerful shots before they were able to take protective measures. By the time the third re-joined the fight, Tobias was stinging in a few bruised areas but both of his foes were looking worse for wear and wobbly on their feet. One of them was even bleeding from a forehead wound. They were cautiously circling him. Tobias used this very brief respite to glance at how Fiadh was doing. Hopefully, nobody had died yet.

@Lurking Shadow

"Well done, heroes.. I expect nothing less from the valiant protectors of Grailham. Alas, this little display no longer intrigues me.." Flauros scoffs and waves his hand, dismissing the visions made from his scrying projected around him.

"Something else caught my attention," Flauros's eyes flare up, seeing visions of an event happening not far from the heist.A draconic creature generating an ample amount of malice.

Unlike the bloodlusted velociraptor he saw way before, this young girl bares the sin of greed; and along with her is an agile young boy; who appears to be an innocent soul that seems to be at the wrong place at the wrong time.

"This should be worth my time.." Flauros smiled and snapped his fingers, Curious to see what's so damn important about that crate as well.

A Demonic circle appeared beneath his feet.

He muttered a short otherworldly incantation.

A ritual takes place between him and his hellhound.

He cast a spell that lets him swap places with his summon, sacrificing one of his hellhounds in the process.

One hell hound bursts into flames, sacrificing its own life as Flauros takes its place.

The demon manager from hell arrived just in time to make his entrance and intervened.

"Greetings, gentlemen. I think you should listen and hand over whatever she is asking.. I'm sure whatever inside of that thing isn't worth your insignificant lives." A man dressed in a black suit and a mutated dog appeared from the distance.

Flauros gains speed as he begins to levitate; tackling and slamming one of the guys surrounding Tobias into a wall. Grabbing the poor sap by the throat with his one arm, lifting him up and choking him in the process.

"My, you're a bit green working in the superhero biz, allow me to aid you," He said to the agile young boy, not letting his grip loose on one of the blue guy's neck. Flauros can tell that this youngling is very cautious with his actions and has no intent to take one's life out. An admirable, noble and laughable act, Flauros thought to himself.

"Go on, dear. take whatever is in that create, let your avarice drive you to get what you want." Flauros said to the draconic girl with a mischievous grin.

[redacted]

---

”I just want that crate, whether they live or not is up to them.” Fiadh responded to the kid, before charging in to the group on the left. While Fiadh had the strength and mass to bowl them over, they proved more dexterous and dodged out of the way before Fiadh broke through a wall with a crash. Exposed, as she was partially buried under rubble from the torso up, the three villains tried to get a hit at whatever they could hit.

Fiadh responded by thrashing her tail around wildly and knocking the three aside while she got out of the rubble and stood back up, turning to face them. The three figures in blue surrounded her, attempting to exploit their numbers over her as they unleashed a barrage of kicks and punches… which bothered Fiadh little. Are…are they unarmed? Fiadh thought, momentarily distracted from the object of her desire. Fiadh looked at how the kid was doing, as the blue clad figures seemed to ignore how little effect they had on Fiadh.

He seems to be doing all right, a little worn as are his thieves… I am glad I am so much more capable than that now, than how I once was. Fiadh thought, glancing down at herself, appreciating this aspect of her curse. and yet I could be so much more… Fiadh thought, glancing at the crate, remembering her greed and the benefit it brings. These thieves….fools were little more than an annoyance to her. She wants the crate, and she wants it now. She is done entertaining these gnats as she grabbed one by the arm and dug her claws in…. deep. The unfortunate victim yelped in pain as Fiadh held onto the other arm as well and lifted him off the ground. Fiadh held the foe in front of her as she begun spinning around, using him as an improvised weapon to hit the other two as Fiadh spun in place a few times.

On the fifth revolution, Fiadh let go and watched the unfortunate victim get tossed in the air and out of sight from the momentum, screaming all the way to an unknown fate. Fiadh bent down to inspect the other two that were knocked to the ground, annoyed to find them still conscious. ”I am done entertaining. I am taking that crate and you are to leave me alone. Do either of you have a problem with that?” Fiadh growled, poking them both with a claw, with enough force to pierce the skin a little but not life threateningly so.

“uhhhh…n..n..NO MA'AM!” stammered one of them, before getting up and bolting. Before the other could react, another figure announced his presence. Someone who did not look like they belonged here, or this dimension… She was generally distrusting of others, but she was especially keen on not trusting whoever this stranger was. Fiadh turned to the last blue clad figure, but he was gone. Perhaps the last ounce of courage he had was removed by the arrival of this stranger.

Fiadh then saw the man speed over and choke out one of the villains assaulting the kid…. Oh yeah, she was so caught up in the crate she forgot the kid was there. Well, he seems to be fine still which is good.

"Go on, dear. take whatever is in that create, let your avarice drive you to get what you want." Flauros said to the draconic girl with a mischievous grin.

”I was going to get what I wanted regardless of you being around or not….whoever the hell you are.” Fiadh responded. Unsure of what to make of this stranger yet. He supported her greed…. Why? What did he have to gain from it, what selfish reason is driving him?

Fiadh did not dwell on it, with her prize in reach. What took the six of them to carry, took her but an arm to lift. She’ll take this back home, and hoard it like the rest of her stuff, it’s all but assured now. Fiadh turned to address the remaining blue villains.

”Your prize is now mine, now fuck off! scram!” Fiadh shouted, baring her teeth to illustrate her point. Two, one three. Those were not good odds for them, she hoped they would notice because she really did not feel like having to delay expanding her hoard much longer. All she would need to do was add….whatever was in the box, to the pile and it will be hers… maybe strengthen her powers a little too.

@Silver Carrot @Silverstein