Natty

Absolute Comics - Season Two: The Monster Within

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

@DocTachyon

Spoilers for Doom Patrol

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

He shook his head quickly, stopping her.

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

Rising to her feet, she interrupted.

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

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

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

Her voice grew coarse.

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

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

After what felt like an eternity he spoke.

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

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

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

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

Her words seemed to shake Strange to his senses.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“I’m sorry Illyana.”

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

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

C H A R A C T E R C O N C E P T P R O P O S A L

M I S T E R M I R A C L E

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C H A R A C T E R C O N C E P T:

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^{"Witty Quote"}

This is where you outline your vision for the character including any notable changes or differences from the regularly accepted canon. This should be a short summary that provides insight into where the character is in terms of their overall progress and development.

C H A R A C T E R M O T I V A T I O N S & G O A L S:

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Why do you want to play this character, what is the driving motivation behind both this desire and the character themselves. What do you hope to accomplish and where do you want the character's story/stories to go?

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Any additional notes you want to put either for yourself, the GM's or other players to help clarify your vision or continuity.

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A sample post that can be used in the IC if you so desire upon acceptance. This post should provide an example of your vision for the desired character. This sample post should meet all standards outline in the rules and additionally include dialogue, mannerisms and other actions representative of your intended portrayal.

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Absolute Comics - Season Two: The Monster Within

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

Absolute Comics - Season Two: The Monster Within

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

Absolute Comics - Season Two: The Monster Within

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

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

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

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

He took another bite of burrito before continuing.

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

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

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

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

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

She nodded.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Absolute Comics - Season Two: The Monster Within

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

Absolute Comics - Season Two: The Monster Within

@Natty The detail in your latest post was great, everything was described so vividly and I loved the banter between Magik and Ragman. Felt like a very fitting conclusion to that arc and I am definitely looking forward to watching you continue to build the Shadowpact.

@Lord Wraith

Thank you very much! I had a very clear idea in my head of what i wanted to happen when i started planning that post but was worried that i wouldn't be able to convey everything properly so i'm glad it seemed to work and you enjoyed it!

Absolute Comics - Season Two: The Monster Within

Rory Regan moved swiftly through the winding corridors of the apartment building, his patchwork cloak billowing out behind him. Shadows moved along the walls after him, like lions hunting their prey. Ragman had been playing this game of cat and mouse for some time now, having noticed the might of Marcossa's magic chasing him a few floors prior. They had been slowly closing in as the vigilante made his ascent of the building, however, every time Ragman found himself losing his energy and needing to catch his breath, he simply focused, summoning one of the souls of his suit to take the burden for him. Nearing the roof though, he felt his powers waning, with his captured souls growing weak from being forced to work overtime. All he could do was hope that Magik was nearly done with whatever crazy scheme she had cooked up.

Sprinting up the last remaining steps of the stairwell, Ragman found himself emerging from the fire escape and entering the night's sky. Around him, the building's flames flickered against the Gotham skyline, casting a scarlet glow. It would be almost beautiful if it wasn't so deadly.

Finding himself standing in the centre of the roof, he turned to face the oncoming threat from the door, balling his hands into fists as he prepared for a fight. However, the shadows that had previously been chasing him were nowhere to be seen. What was even more worrying was that the door seemed to have been shut, locking him outside. Trapped.

A cold laugh rang out behind as an opulent male scent met his nose.

"Shit."

Turning, he found Master Belaric Marcosa standing before him; his hulking figure towering above the rag covered man. He smiled gleefully like a cannibal about to feast, the red of his jeweled incisors flashing into view. Before Ragman could even move, a clawed hand reached towards his furiously, grabbing at his suit. Rory cried out in pain as the claws dug into his chest, tempting to pierce the rags of his suit. The suit held strong, however, he found himself hoisted into the air by Marcosa's supernatural strength, his legs dangling wildly below him.

"I'm glad I finally caught up to you Regan." His voice was elegant and seductive, but inhuman in nature. Rory found himself wincing in pain as the man spoke his name, with Marcosa tightening his grip with his claws as he did so. "I couldn't have you disrupting my plans like that."

Marcosa raised his spare hand up, wiggling his claws before Rory in an act of intimidation. He wanted his victim to fear him. To beg for mercy. But Rory wasn't going to do that. Moving his legs, Ragman planted them onto his attacker's chest, and with every last bit of energy he had, he willed the souls within his suit to give him their strength. Reinvigorated with energy, he pulled back as far as he could, propelling himself away from Marcosa with a push of his feet. The sound of bones cracking and flesh being torn apart was all that could be heard as Ragman found himself moving away, viciously tearing Marcosa's arm from its socket, as blood and sprayed around them. He tumbled to the floor, the severed arm in his grasp, as the being before him roared out in pain.

"Holy shit... This is disgusting." Rory wheezed as he attempting to catch his breath, his eyes fixated on the gruesome mess before him.

Marcosa stumbled backwards in visible pain, giving Ragman the perfect chance to strike again. He jumped to his feet and charged forward, however a blast of energy knocked him back down, with Marcosa managing to regain his focus. Rory watched as, before his eyes, Marcosa's arm seemed to reappear back on his body, piece by piece.

Ragman moaned loudly in frustration.

"Oh, come on!"

As Master Marcosa's arm seemed to finish its restoration, he began to smile.

"Oh you'll have to do better than that to stop me Ragman. Thanks to the souls of every insolent whelp in this building, I'm unstoppable!"

"I can't believe you actually said vhat!"

The two turned their gaze's to the sky, as a glowing disc of yellow exploded into view, cutting through the sky. Atop it stood Magik, her obsidian staff in hand, her blonde hair flowing madly in the wind behind her. A crafty smile was painted across her face as she looked down on the two fighting on the rooftop. She stood tall and firm, her eyes alive in a fire of determination. This was the endgame.

"Because everything you've done here is about to come crashing down."

As the words left her mouth, she thrust her arms upwards violently, her eyes closing as she did so.

She breathed deeply, focussing.

And then, just like magic, the Gotham skyline found itself lighting up in an aurora of lights and energies. Yellow stepping discs, much like the one she was standing on, erupted into existence all around them, hovering over the rooves of the neighboring buildings, a meter or two off the ground. For a second, things remained silent, until the cries and shouting of people met their ears, as hoards of people began appearing from the discs. By the dozens, they fell from the portals to the rooftops below them, groaning in pain and shouting in bewilderment. There were all kinds of people here; men and women of all ages and ethnicities. One man found himself stark naked, crying out in disappointment as if he had just lost out on the opportunity of a lifetime. Another was a young boy, wearing an impromptu Supergirl costume, who upon seeing that he wasn't flying above the sky, began to cry his eyes out.

All of them had a different story. All of them from the very same apartment building. All of them victims of Master Belaric Marcosa.

Former victims anyway. And Marcosa was feeling the loss.

The monstrous man fell to his knees in pain, as the blood vessels across his face seemed to grow and pulsate.

"You... You fuckingbitch!" The flamboyant and seductive flair to his voice was gone now, replaced only with that of hatred.

He swiped his hand towards her in anger, a ball of flaming hellfire bursting from his palm as he did so. It rocketed towards Magik, prompting her to propel herself down to the side in order to avoid it. She fell through the air, her arm colliding abruptly against the bricks of the roof. Her body tumbled around as she landed, rolling down next to Ragman, who immediately made an effort to reach down in order to help her up.

"You may... may have stopped me from draining their souls, but i've still got enough power to obliverate the two of you fools."

He moved slowly towards the two as he spoke. He was different now; more enraged. His mane of hair a mess atop his head, his eyes two balls of glowing fire. He looked dangerous; like a caged animal that had just been set free. This was certainly not going to go well. The fall had hurt Illyana greatly. The cracking sound she had heard when she had landed told her that something was broken, which meant she wouldn't be great right now in a fight. And given the look of Ragman next to her, who seemed to be staggering in exhaustion, she could see that he wasn't in the best shape either.

And just to make matters worse, Marcosa rocketed another fireball in her direction. This time she was ready for it, however. She swung her Soul Staff in front of her, and as she did so, a shield of glowing astral energy appeared before her, shielding the two heroes from the blast.

"How are ve supposed to stop vhis guy?" Magik asked, trying her hardest to keep her shield up, as Marcosa swiped against it once more with another ball of hellfire.

"I... I have something." Rory coughed painfully as he clutched his chest. "And it seemed to work well when I used it on you. I just need an opening."

Realizing what he was referring to, she nodded. Gripping her staff, she took a deep breath, before dropping the shield. At once another fireball soared in their direction, but Magik didn't stop. She darted to the side, moving around the rim of the rooftop, drawing Marcosa's attention. And then, just as she reached the edge of the roof, she turned and waved her staff.

"CRIMSON BANDS OF CYTTORAK"

Her voice roared over the sound of fire, as thick bands of red energies shot out the end of her staff towards Marcosa. The attack took him by surprise, with the crimson bands entangling his arms and legs. They overwhelmed him immediately despite his strength, forcing his arms and legs apart like a Vitruvian Man. He growled in pain, shouting obscenities into the night's sky. The bands kept him still, however, allowing the green figure of the Ragman to approach his prey.

"I wish I had had something humorous to say, but this part is never funny."

Rory Regan stood before the demonic soul stealer, his frail ragged body dwarfed by him. But no different in size and strength was going to help Belaric Marcosa today. Outstretching his hand, Rory placed it firming against the man's chest. Belaric screamed in pain and agony, as he felt his soul being ripped from his body. The crimson bands vanished, leaving Belaric Marcosa's body to fall to the ground, an empty husk.

The Ragman looked down at his palm, as a brand new rag of fabric appeared, weaving itself into his suit.

Absolute Comics - Season Two: The Monster Within

<Snipped quote by Lord Wraith>
Barry fucked up the timeline and removed my post. Sorry, chief.

@Hillan

That's how we're explaining the two different Batman players here right?