Billy Pumpkins VS The New Year

Billy Pumpkins
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Posts: 4

Billy Pumpkins VS The New Year Dec 8, 2021 3:08:06 GMT Ghostly likes this

Post by Billy Pumpkins on Dec 8, 2021 3:08:06 GMT

The Captain Millennium Emporium & Christmas Wonderland - December

Just outside Millennium City was one of the most extravagant holiday sites on the East Coast: The Captain Millennium Holiday Emporium & Christmas Wonderland.

Designed with an Alpine architecture and operating year-round, the building is 7.35 acres (2.97 ha) in size with landscaped grounds covering 27 acres. Outside the entrance are three 17-foot-tall outdoor caped Santas and a 15-foot-tall snowman known as Snowmanman. Inside, there are approximately 800 animated figurines at various locations throughout the store. Captain Millennium's parking lot can accommodate up to 1,080 cars and 50 buses.

Today it was host to the astonishing TedX-Men, an initiative designed to promote ideas about superhuman topics. A lecture room situated in the Christmas store and emporium had been briefly converted into a stage with an expansive array of chairs surrounding the middle area for visitors to sit down in.

In the center of the stage stood an unassuming man in his mid-to-late thirties, bundled up in a wonderfully tacky green and red holiday sweater and khakis. He'd chosen to dress nicely, because he was going to be giving a very important talk. The man's name was William L. Potter, and he had what he considered to be a great honor - to be a TedX-man for the day and share his metahuman story.

Next to him, hanging on a display rack, was a large silver discus, not unlike a UFO without the bubble; that was his glider, deactivated and put on show for all to see. A nearby pole held his famous pumpkin helmet, now extinguished; on a table were a collection of replica pumpkin-themed explosives, his purple gloves, and some of the dark green scale mail that made up his costume. Behind him was a large screen that played a "Happy Holidays" gif on standby while he waited to begin his presentation. He knew it was being livestreamed, too, but he didn't think about that. He just let his nerves wash away.

"Hey y'all. It's a real pleasure to be here today to share my story. Especially as Christmas draws so near, a time that's very dear to my heart," he said, prompting a wave of approval noises to sound off from the crowd.

"I love to be close to my family. My ex-wife, her husband, and her boyfriend have all been very welcoming. It's always wonderful to see my kids, too." He waved to the crowd. His kids didn't really wave back. One was playing with a Switch. The other sank in her seat and tried not to be seen.

"But there was a time when something took me away from that very same family. And that, you see, was Billy Pumpkins."

The slideshow behind him switched. It now displayed images of a fiery pumpkin-headed wraith dressed head-to-toe in battle armor blasting through a wall dragging Daddy Long Legs from a lasso.

"Like nearly point one percent of people worldwide, I suffered from what my doctors have been calling 'supercriminal psychosis.' I invented a rideable hovercraft, lit a pumpkin-shaped helmet on fire, and went on a three-year long crime spree, which usually intensified around October."

He bowed his head and laced his fingers together in front of his stomach, letting a short, nervous laugh escape from his gullet.

"And I'm not going to lie. It was a lot of fun. I felt invincible! No, I mean, I really didn't feel pain. I was beating Dreadboy half to death with a two-by-four once, and I didn't even realize he'd broken my arms until five whole minutes after he'd done it. They were just flopping around," he laughed, rubbing his hands through his hair. One of the TedX-Men handlers shook his head and gestured to William wildly from the back of the room, crossing his hands over each other.

Oops.

"Sorry. I, uh...anyway. I went to jail, and that's when I started therapy. I learned to look at Billy Pumpkins differently. Y'see, I think that everyone has a Billy Pumpkins, right? A little guy who, who is like, uh, the Id. He's a little scoundrel, always out for himself. And that's why I love Christmas. Because it's...not...that."

He's off script, one of the attendants in the back realized. This is way beyond baseline.

The silence from the crowd was deafening. Everyone just wanted to go back to the store and it showed.

Sweat beaded on William's forehead. Oh, how awkward. Billy would know what to do. He should ask him.

Oh dear, he thought.

"And that's the thing about Billy Pumpkins!" he continued, mouth moving faster than his mind. "I mean, he's a rat, but he's like, survival instinct. He's a nice guy, but a bad guy too. He looked out for me, but he was bad for other people. I mean, thank God he never killed anyone. Because that's, uh, that's it. My point. He's not dangerous. Not really. I mean, nobody freak out, right? These things here on the stage with me are replicas! Except the glider, I mean. But it's not fueled, haha."

He patted the glider on the engine tank. It sloshed a bit.

OK, there's definitely fuel in here. Did I do that? When did I do that?

Well, nobody would ever know. It'd be his little secret.

Uh-oh, everyone was looking at him. Better turn this around quick. He could make out a "Mom, I'm scared" being whispered in the front row. Oof.

"Anyway. Christmas. Christmas is great. It's my favorite holiday, not Halloween. Because Christmas is about telling your own little Billy Pumpkins 'no!' It's about being better than that little Scrooge voice that says 'Bah, humbug! Hands in the air, coppers, or I blow up this schoolbus!'"

One of the elves put a finger to his earpiece. Some people were leaving through the back of the auditorium. There were a lot of dislikes pouring in from across the internet, or there would have been, if the button hadn't just been removed.

"Billy Pumpkins hated Christmas more than anything. That's why I love it more than anything. I love it, and my family, and my job working as a special effects tech in movies. And I still get to do my pyrotechnics thing, so it's like Christmas every day," he laughed. "That's my real passion. I mean, B.P. and I had that in common. I invented this special fire - I mean, hey, check this out - "

The elf was radioing in help now.

Potter had dropped the pumpkin helmet onto his head and flipped the switch on the back.

It exploded.

"CHECK IT OUT! I'M FINE IN HERE! WARM, BUT FINE!" he shouted as an inferno consumed the jack o' lantern headgear. Children in the front row screamed.

Oh, that was music to his ears. It was like Hark the Herald Angels Sing and Carol of the Bells put together.

Huh. Well.

"WAIT. BEFORE I START, DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY ABILIFY? I DIDN'T TAKE MY ANTI-EVIL PILLS THIS MORNING!"

Days since last Billy Pumpkins incident: ~~552~~ 0.

With one gargantuan pull, he tore off his Christmas sweater, revealing his signature scale mail. Strength enhancers appeared fully charged.

When did I put this on? Holy crap.

He picked up some of the bombs while people fled the room. Ooh, armed. Nice.

Already, panic was spreading to the rest of the Emporium. Christmas was very much in danger now.

He hopped on the glider, kicked off the stage, and tore into the main room. Three stories of snowy terror. Santas fled in panic.

He thrust both arms over his burning head as smoke curled through the air behind his glider, tripping the fire alarms and dousing the customers, already doing what they could to avoid a complete panic situation. The water never touched his head, though, curling into steam as it touched the flickering flames on his skull.

"I'M BILLY PUMPKINS, BABY! FUCK CHRISTMAS! IT'S HALLOWEEN FOREVER!"

Last Edit: Jan 2, 2022 4:19:54 GMT by Billy Pumpkins

Katpride
Senior Member

Where's your sense of whimsy?

Posts: 655

Billy Pumpkins VS The New Year Dec 8, 2021 5:49:50 GMT

Post by Katpride on Dec 8, 2021 5:49:50 GMT

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Man, does Venus love Christmas. The snow, the lights, the holiday cheer in the air. It makes her all warm and fuzzy inside. Like drinking a nice warm cup of hot chocolate.

...Or maybe that’s the hot coco she’s drinking right now. That could definitely be a contributor, but she’s pretty sure it’s mostly Christmas cheer. 90%. Ok, maybe 80%. It’s pretty good coco. Rich and chocolatey with just a hint of spice and cinnamon.

One thing she can say for sure is that this speech is not contributing to her holiday cheer. She’s seated near the back of the crowd, enjoying her coco and vaguely planning out the rest of her trip, only half paying attention to the speaker up on stage waaaaay up in front of her. How did they get this many people to sit down and watch this, anyways? Isn’t everyone here to shop?

Oh, she still needs to buy Christmas presents. Maybe she can hit up the store while everyone is distracted. A strategy Annabelle would approve of, for sure. She glances over at her friend, exchanging a dubious look with the blonde. Then she tilts her head slightly, in the universal ‘let’s get out of here’ gesture.

A few people in the same row as the college student gather their things and stand up, and she takes that as her cue to do the same. She leads the way out of their row and out the door, messenger bag securely over her shoulder. She can always rewatch the recording if anything interesting happens.

Of course, as soon as she thinks that, many interesting things start to happen. She first notices the unease of the security guards as she slips out of the door, and then from within the auditorium she hears screams. And not the delighted oh-what-a-nice-surprise kind. The something-bad-is-happening kind.

Venus tugs Annabelle to the side as a growing crowd starts to push for the exits, but loosens her grip after a moment. As much as she’d like to get her friend out safely, she can’t just wait around outside and do nothing. “Meet at the big Nutcracker statue, ok? Don’t dally.”

She smiles, and they reenter the crowd, where she slips away through the chaos. She watches the progression of a familiar head of blonde hair for a moment before turning away.

She should really start wearing her Griffonage outfit whenever she leaves the house, shouldn’t she? At least she has it with her. Venus ducks into the ladies’ room to get changed, gulping down the last of her hot coco and tossing the empty cup into a nearby trash can.

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“Hey, Stooge McDuck!” Griffonage calls, tossing a purple balloon in her hand to test its weight. “Didn’t you hear? Halloween was so two months ago.”

Beneath her mask, the hero grins. The water from the sprinklers rolls right off her costume, and she can breathe just fine despite the smoke thanks to her gas mask. She’s poised near the railing on the second level of the building, standing beside an animated figurine of a smiling elf wrapping presents. It’s cute, but she’s absolutely ready to duck behind it should he throw one of those pumpkin bombs her way. Some cover is better than none, right?

But first, she slots the balloon into her slingshot and fires it at him, aiming for the floating disk he’s riding on. Wherever it hits, foam will rapidly expand and then harden - hopefully blocking the exhaust pipes or something useful like that. Honestly, she’ll be happy if her shot lands anywhere near where she wants it to. He’s moving pretty fast, and her aim is nowhere near supernaturally perfect.

Last Edit: Dec 10, 2021 17:57:55 GMT by Katpride: Annabelle cameo

Lark | Spork | Adelyn | Venus

Cassidy
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Posts: 516

Billy Pumpkins VS The New Year Dec 8, 2021 7:18:59 GMT

Post by Cassidy on Dec 8, 2021 7:18:59 GMT

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(Un)Merry Christmas!

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[attr="style","display:inline;font-size:110%;font-weight:700;-webkit-text-stroke: 0.7px;"]Location: The Captain Millennium Emporium

Music: Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! by Frank Sinatra

Spider-Bite

[attr="style","font-family:'Impact';font-size:20px;text-shadow:2px 2px 1px #40cbde;margin-bottom:1%;"]Let's Jingle Bell Rock This Guy

A Christmas miracle happened.

Cassidy DeWitt. King spaz and lord of nerds and geeks everywhere.

I finally got myself a date.

A real, actual date.

Like a girl is with me and maybe-sort-of-likes-me-for-me kind of a date.

And I was bringing back a pair of drinks--that I paid for, no less!--both perfectly hot and able to warm up even the coldest of persons.

I passed the drink to a girl, her dark complexion framed with dark hair that gave special attention to a pair of dark brown eyes to meet my own. Her name was Annalise. She went by Anna.

"Thank you."

I smiled.

"Not at all a problem. You want to check out the snow globes over there or you want to see something else?"

Maybe I could find her a souvenir. Something nice. Yeah, that would make this better for her, right?

This is a waste of time, the alien mentally grumbled. It's feeling on the matter were part boredom and part apathy. It even advised against the matter, if only because it thought we could do more by doing something productive like crimefighting, catching up on assignments, or getting actual sleep with the winter break coming up.

Yeah, well, there's two of us, and we've been doing good this year, right? Maybe this can work. I can have a little more of what life offers. Besides, with the beat downs and all the crazy fights this year, can't I have one mental break? One good thing to come from this year?

The alien gave a psychic sigh through our mental link.

It would keep an eye on her and see if she paid any special attention to anything that was not too far outside my budget.

Thanks, bud. I owe you one. A tone. You had my back another whole year.

If aliens could scoff inside a mindscape, this one would take the cake. It would always have my back and anyone else I considered close. After all, I was its host and it was my partner, even if the fact I acted like a boy scout half the time always annoyed it.

Besides, its pride would not allow either of us to lose any fight thrown our way.

Did you just make a jo-?

"Earth to Cassidy, are you there? Hellooo?"

I blinked. Did I space out? That hadn't happened in a long time ever since the alien and I got attached. I'm slipping a little today.

"Oh, sorry. I was . . . reading the advertisement over there. Something about a metahuman Ted Talk?"

Why did the name William Potter seem so similar? The alien pondered on that while I returned my focus to my date.

Ann squinted before giving up entirely on trying to read it from this distance after I pointed it out.

"You can read it all the over way over there?"

"Well, you know, I eat my veggies and-."

I stopped. Screaming. I looked around in case anyone else could hear it. A few people were giving odd looks towards the area where the TedX-men Talk was being held before the worst situation that could happen on date happened.

A supervillain tore through the doors and out into the open space, flying around on a disk while his pumpkin head was lit on fire. Either it was very fancy special effects or it had a system in place developed to create actual fire. Why anyone would develop such a thing was anyone's guess.

I had to get Ann out of here and . . . disappear.

I had to get her far enough to the exit before I did that. Enough to think I left or got swept in the crowd. Maybe I was okay. Make her panic less. Something.

I don't know.

As everyone went for the exits, I made sure to muscle my way through and stay on my feet while keeping Ann steady. I pushed her ahead as I began noticing another vigilante begging to engage the super villain.

Billy Pumpkin, the symbiote reminded me. We read an article about his reintroduction into society and how he was making a life for himself after being caught and sent to jail. Whatever had put him on the straight and narrow had only lasted for so long.

My heart sunk just a fraction more than it had already dropped upon the revelation.

I took one last look at Ann as she looked back at me before looking forward again.

"I'm right behind you."

And then I disappeared.

Neat thing about an alien suit? It saves time on the suit ups. I could instantly switch between civilian clothes and the suit at will in a fraction of a second if need be. As long as I had a place to change or hide for the briefest moment, I was good to go.

I leapt onto the railing of the second floor before getting a good look and observing the angle and direction my opponent was traveling. Hoverboard, check. Rainbow vigilante girl with slingshot, check. Strange thing lobbed into the air, check.

Strategy?

Double check.

"Hey! New girl! I got this! Keep everyone safe!"

The alien and I were ready as my body tensed and lowered it entirely before leaping from it.

And heading straight towards the hoverboard with arms stretched out to grabbed ahold of it or attach my sticky fingers to its underside.

If I attached to it, I would then draw a fist back before letting it impact against the underside. And, if that did nothing, I'd render another blow. This time, a small white-blade would form from the white-diamonds on the back of my suit's hands and the second blow would try to impale this thing and its circuitry.

If somehow, the madman and his flying tech were faster or more agile than me mid-air, I would simply seek to aim to fire web-line at the hover-board and let myself go along with the ride.

And wait for when he made a turn and I could find purchase on something with my feet to stop him suddenly.

Whatever happened, my next thoughts were focused on Billy Pumpkin himself.

"Hey! Mr. Potter! William! William Potter! This isn't you! You have to stop this!"

My lenses narrowed.

"You're going to throw your life away if you keep doing this! Stop before you or anyone else gets hurt!"

Last Edit: Dec 8, 2021 9:53:05 GMT by Cassidy

Memento Mori
Junior Member

Spooky Azra?

Posts: 91

Billy Pumpkins VS The New Year Dec 10, 2021 3:43:14 GMT

Post by Memento Mori on Dec 10, 2021 3:43:14 GMT

Morgan had come here just to try and find gifts for people. She knew some friends would also be around and she liked the idea of meeting up with them later but at the start of her day she wanted gifts. Largely this had proven a difficult venture she thought something bird like for Dapple and something nudibranche for Cory came to mind. She was drawing blanks on everyone else though, her failing ventures of shopping had her eventually feel the need for a pick me up. And the TedX-men seemed perfect for that the witchbreed thought.

It seemed a presentation built largely around reformed villains. The idea of the system working and a once criminal coming back into the fold. She could listen to them and dwell on what they said and imagine what could have been. The pale skinned teen imagined her sister perhaps being able to be converted. A dream of making the necromancer become decent, or maybe even saving the day. At the very least she wanted to think then if a villain could return decent here, then perhaps in the afterlife one would. Then came on Billy Pumpkins.

Talk of family came a long and stumbled some. Morgan thought that good though, families were not perfect. Hell she couldn't even judge given her predicament. Mention of who he turned out to be, and why. The ghost talker was mixed on this. Apart of her didn't believe it so simple as a psychosis. Another side of her though wanted to hope, what if her sister had that. If they got people the right medication could they have prevented some of the worst of possible outcomes. The talk started going down hill but she didn't hate it.

Maybe she had a Pumpkins. That little side of her that pondered on skulls. Sure she wanted to be a hero, but she also wanted to flay the skin off the face of a killer. Her sister did need to be stopped, but apart of Morgan did crave vengeance for the death of her sister.

And then it was all down hill. Quickly turning to costumes and panic, to fire coated masks and imposing gliders. Morgan tucked the few things she had baught under her chair. It'd hopefully be safe there given everyone running away. Taking a moment she would rummage through her backpack. Just to switch out her comfy coat for the cloak of Memento Mori. Wasn't a full wardrobe change by any means but she hardly was secretive to who she was.

Others arrived on scene as well. A familiar spider and someone who sounded kind of familiar. She also had balloons? And the arachnid was giving orders. None were sent to her though yet and she also just didn't want to wait. Best way to prevent injuries from a villain was to stop him here. There were courses about getting away all the time. Fair bit of staff likely taught all the time of procedures. Morgan wanted to trust people could handle going out of a store without handholding. So she would instead raise a hand and reach out.

With telkenesis, the psychic power colored by a shadowy overlay she would look to seize the explosives. And if successful tighten that black telkenetic sphere into something smaller. Ideally setting off bombs in the safe confines of a telkenetic barrier. Violet eyes would look to the closest staff in the room. As well as any other TedX men if possible. "Any of you have those meds? Not that drugging opponents is okay, but if it'll help I don't know..."

Memento Mori

Belle
Junior Member

Posts: 93

Billy Pumpkins VS The New Year Dec 14, 2021 12:12:34 GMT

Post by Belle on Dec 14, 2021 12:12:34 GMT

Venus had spent the last .. however long they'd been wandering around trying to feed a bunch of sweet treats to Annabelle ... not that Annabelle was opposed. She'd allowed Venus to buy her a small -SMALL- hot cocoa, but even then she was barely sipping it. It wasn't that she wasn't in the mood for Christmas, it was just that she ... kind of hated Christmas. The jolliest time of year, and you're being sour. Yup! Sour as I can be without ruining Venus' good time. The smallest improvement I could ask for...

Annabelle smirked to herself just a touch as she pulled her school jacket around herself a little tighter, still wearing the uniform of a private schoolgirl. She gave Venus a big warm smile as she lifted the cup of cocoa to her lips, acting as if she'd finished it, dropping it into a nearby bin, "Good cocoa! Really hits the spot," she nodded, feeling ... shame, about lying to her friend, but it'd be the guilt she'd feel if she ruined Venus' cheery mood.

It also beats explaining "I'm a paranoid nutbag and can't eat around crowds."
Well when you put it that way it almost sounds like I need professional help.
Every time I recommend it you inter-

Annabelle coughed as she tightened the straps on her backpack, ignoring what was going on towards the stage. One thing she hated as much as heroes? Supervillains. Heroes clad themselves in the cape of self righteousness while beating down those who had almost always been shunned by society. Supervillains? They just ... lacked class. Doing illegal things for the sake of it? How very like a toddler.

"Anyway, I was thinkin' while everyone was... was... hmn." She paused, watching a jolly ol' Santa run off in a not at all jolly fashion. In fact, his belly was slipping. "Pfft... and I thought the girls at school stuffed," she mused to herself, before she realised totally what was happening, thanks to Venus' sudden grip, pushing her out towards the exits, Annabelle stumbling as she ran along. Oooooh... we're in danger. Oooooh. YEAH, YOU THINK!?

"Yeah! Nutcracker statue... let's get the ... Venus? Venus!?" she called out, the crowd carrying her along towards the exits as she tried to break free of their jostling embrace. "Venus!?" she called louder, almost in a panic, as she felt a hand grab at her schoolbag, and drag her towards the exits. She dared look back... one of her school teachers, "Let... let go! I have to... Venus!?" she cried out, no longer able to see her friend.

Last Edit: Dec 14, 2021 12:12:50 GMT by Belle

Billy Pumpkins
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Posts: 4

Billy Pumpkins VS The New Year Dec 18, 2021 14:57:14 GMT

Post by Billy Pumpkins on Dec 18, 2021 14:57:14 GMT

"I need your boots, your clothes, and your motorcycle."

The cowering Santa Claus only managed to hand over his oversized red coat, the fluffy white trim now stained with smoke and soot as though he'd just had a trip down the chimney. Pumpkins slung the holiday garb around his shoulders and punched his muscular arms through the sleeves, now wearing the captured cloak of Christmas like the pelt of an animal he'd just slain. Pushing one of the pedals on his glider, he rose into the sky again, the fiery corona of his helmet singing the collar of the Santa suit. His vehicle made a noise like a chainsaw as it roared away, occasionally swooping low to terrify the crowd -

"Hey, Stooge McDuck!"

Finally, some action!

"HAH!" he whirled, facing the source of the taunt. A masked girl in a rainbow-splotched white tracksuit with a bandolier full of spray canisters had cried up at him from the lower level, a vocal assailant on Halloween, and packing a slingshot.

The balloon projectile soared through the air towards him and he executed a quick aileron roll, narrowly weaving around the balloon as it popped overhead. Versed enough in superhero fights to know that whatever that substance was would have an adverse effect on his reign of terror, Pumpkins pitched his glider to the side, crouching in low as it swerved through the air with a black smoke trail behind.

And in so doing, he also narrowly evaded the flying punch of Spider-Bite, though the back-up line of webbing he'd deployed found purchase on the underside of the glider, carrying them both into the air. The sudden jolt of extra weight added to his flying machine caused him to whirl his head around, the joyous smile of the pumpkin-head mask unchanging.

"DADDY LONG LEGS! WE MEET AGAIN!"

Rising into the atrium with the web-slinging hero dangling from the bottom of his machine, he crouched low, using one hand to balance as he instructed his craft to pull up, like a skateboarder executing an Ollie grab, the other hand reaching behind his back to nest three micro-bombs in his palm.

With a quick throw, he deployed the cluster of miniature explosives -

- only for them to freeze in mid-air, a black aura emanating from an unknown source to hold them in a gentle grip, an umbral sphere encasing each before they could detonate.

"Impressive," he muttered, scanning the crowd for the latest interloper.

Then he remembered something.

"I'M BILLY PUMPKINS, YOU FOOL," he cried back down to 'Bite, standing upright.

"IT'S YOU OR ME, LONG LEGS."

He paused, reveling in the atmosphere of chaos he'd created. One hand had tightened around something.

It was a Glock 19, stashed in a hidden compartment of his glider - he'd palmed it stealthily when he'd crouched on his craft, and it was now hidden in the long sleeve of his Santa coat

"WE CAN BE ALLIES, OR WE CAN JUST FIGHT TO THE DEATH."

Last Edit: Dec 18, 2021 14:58:15 GMT by Billy Pumpkins

Katpride
Senior Member

Where's your sense of whimsy?

Posts: 655

Billy Pumpkins VS The New Year Dec 22, 2021 2:11:42 GMT

Post by Katpride on Dec 22, 2021 2:11:42 GMT

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New girl? Griffonage frowns, although it isn’t an entirely untrue moniker. Still, she’s been at this for a few months now. Maybe ‘moderately new girl’ would be better.

What would be best is if her balloon hadn’t been dodged. Luckily, most of it splatters against the top of one of the pillars and sticks there. Unluckily, some of it drips down into the crowd. The Spider-Dude is hanging onto the glider by a line of some unknown substance, but she can’t see that ending well if he gets flung into a wall or something. Still, she supposes he’ll just have to hold on for a minute while she goes and frees the two people she can see with bits of foam holding them in place. At least the bombs were caught before they could cause even more chaos.

“Nice catch!” She calls to the goth chick - hang on a second, is that Morgan? She’s a superhero? She doesn’t have time to dwell on it, but she shoots her a thumbs up regardless.

The colorful hero fires a line from her grappling hook and descends into the thinning crowd, but she’s distracted by a cry from near the exit. She tries not to look over too sharply, disguising it as a scan of the people still remaining, but her eyes are drawn to a familiar blonde nonetheless. Ah, shoot, Annabelle isn’t out yet? Well, she is supposed to be evacuating people, right?

Griffonage frees the two civilians from her mess with a pinch of gray powder from her utility belt, ushering them towards the exits once the foam has dissolved. “Sorry about that. Exit’s that way, try not to shove.”

Her voice is distorted by the mask, and it still sounds foreign to her ears. She wonders when you start getting used to that sort of thing. Probably a few years in, right? Well, regardless, she looks up again, tracking the flight of the pumpkin-headed man as she pulls a yellow balloon from her belt.

Yeah, yeah, evacuation, but maybe she can slow him down a bit. She aims and fires off the shot from her position on ground level, aiming high to avoid hitting the Spider-Guy still hanging under the glider. Wherever it hits, the yellow paint-like-substance will halve the speed of organic matter. Like humans. But it only lasts as long as it sticks, which might be a problem with the sprinklers still going.

Hang on. The guy is sticking to things …like a spider. Is that a line of silk? Spider goop? Hmm… maybe she can convince him to let her study it sometime. If, you know, they survive this supervillain encounter.

She tries her best to help up people that have fallen and coordinate the last of the crowd pushing for the exits while the other two heroes keep Pumpkins busy. It isn’t the flashiest job, but it’ll be easier to fight when they don’t have to worry about hitting people down below.

Lark | Spork | Adelyn | Venus

Memento Mori
Junior Member

Spooky Azra?

Posts: 91

Billy Pumpkins VS The New Year Dec 24, 2021 2:30:21 GMT

Post by Memento Mori on Dec 24, 2021 2:30:21 GMT

The pale figure flinched as the explosives went off in the spheres of shadowy telkenesis. Her strength with such abilities was while growing right now not the most impressive. Lifting a car or blocking a grenade that was doable, three however was a strain for her. At least those bombs couldn't be used however on civilians. If damage could be kept minimal and people spared harm maybe the villain could go back into rehab instead of the alternative. Maybe it was just that she didn't know his history much, but Morgan didn't see Billy as the kind of person who had to die or be locked up forever.

Or maybe it was just a sad attempt at hope. Wanting to believe they could cure Pumpkins, just because it selfishly let her believe someone else could have had a chance.

One of the staff ran up to her and handed over a syringe. Most the workers either booked it themselves or wanted to help others get free. Upon request though one of them did some digging. The dosage was small, more a poorly kept up security net then a proper dose. Morgan didn't know if the meds had a expiration date but she wouldn't put it past being times up if there was. If there was even a chance though the shot could work Morgan wanted to use it. Speaking of shots, it looked like the glider riding villain was pulling a gun.

Spider Bite was right there though, she wanted to believe he'd remove that danger. Even if the spider was an expert of dodging and Morgan had to and intangibility she didn't know the other heroes defenses. There was also just civilians, and a pistol could outrun any of them. Another balloon is launched towards Billy. No way for the Witchbreed to know what it'll do but she'll try and coordinate. Wait for it to find the mark or be dodged, reacting of either way hopefully creating an opening.

With flight in use Memento Mori would look to fly towards the glider. The needle in hand the ghost talker would launch a upper cut. It was a adequate one, those with more experience would tell her fighting ability in more hand to hand sense was a rusty thing. She'd look though to try and find the opening more likely around the neck to try and sink a syringe. With any luck delivering the medicative dose the villain needed."Who would call themselves Daddy Long Legs? Never got that." She didn't keep best track of heroes, she didn't remember DDL. Spider's were cool though and she did wonder why the rather wholesome one over any of the others.

Memento Mori

Cassidy
Senior Member

Posts: 516

Billy Pumpkins VS The New Year Dec 25, 2021 21:27:40 GMT

Post by Cassidy on Dec 25, 2021 21:27:40 GMT

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(Un)Merry Christmas!

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[attr="style","display:inline;font-size:110%;font-weight:700;-webkit-text-stroke: 0.7px;"]Location: The Captain Millennium Emporium

Music: Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! by Frank Sinatra

Spider-Bite

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My lenses narrowed.

"The only fool here is the guy willing to risk his family getting caught in the crossfire! Stop!"

I began climbing up the line towards the craft, much faster than most people could run. My alien partner alerting me to the explosions below that had been handled, the shockwaves reverberating across my body. Morgan had those covered, but the alien noted her creased brow and the sweat starting to bead up on her face.

It was putting a bit of a strain on her. If Billy Pumpkins--if William Potter--fired more of those into the crowd, neither the symbiote nor myself knew how many more of those Morgan could stop. He needed to go down now, before he grabbed any more gadgets or weapons to use against us or the escaping civilians.

And then there was Memento Mori. Magic girl extraordinaire. And helping me stop a bad guy once again.

Coincidence? Or something else? Either way, I can focus on the implications of another team-up later, when the chaos was over and done with.

I crawled upwards, almost reaching the craft before my sixth sense alerted me to a new danger. My symbiote told me it was a yellow projectile. One that I could not allow myself to be struck with if it could set off my sense like this.

But then there was something else. Morgan was moving in, following up the projectile. She grabbed something from someone earlier. A syringe, my alien partner informed me.

Hesitance struck me, both from myself and the alien. Should we move in? Did Morgan have a plan?

Did it matter?

Time to stop this.

I grabbed the edge of the flying disc and swung myself up and over the villain, landing on the edge yet still attached, right behind Billy Pumpkins himself. I would reach for both arms and grab hold, try to restrain him.

And, if anything, he would find me to much stronger than Daddy Long Legs ever was.

"Merry Christmas! You're on the naughty list! Seriously, calling me 'Daddy'? There are children present, man! Besides, you'll give the girls the wrong idea!"

Yep. The fully annoying charm of the Spider-Bite was back and in action. It had been so long since I told a proper joke or witticism.

I almost forgot what it was like.

It was good.

Belle
Junior Member

Posts: 93

Billy Pumpkins VS The New Year Dec 26, 2021 11:16:28 GMT

Post by Belle on Dec 26, 2021 11:16:28 GMT

"Annabelle, hang on, do-" she heard her teachers voice behind her, as she wrestled herself free of her bag straps, ignoring the beckoning Cape trying to get everyone out of the way. .. She had to admit, maybe all Capes weren't awful, but combatting explosives, a flying Pumpkin asshole, and trying not to fly into each other at what seemed like the speed of sound meant they were missing the little things.

Fu-.. this is stupid! But.. left! Then right! Falling debris!

Annabelle could practically taste the annoyance of her friendly inside voice on her lips as she ran through the last of the thinning crowd, following what it said as she with an almost inhuman reaction, suddenly darted left... and then back right, and fell into a slide, collecting a child who was cowering completely out of view in the open, beneath the cover of a cardboard reindeer stable. Almost kid... wrong material, she thought to herself as she pulled the child out of the way of the debris, pushing her to safety.

ROLL RIGHT.

Another inhuman reaction exploded out of the blonde, as she threw herself to her right as hard as she could, dodging more falling debris, gasping with shock. Oh boy... this hero business -sucked-. She lifted herself up, dashing to the cover of a pillar, peering out from behind it as she looked at the trio of heroes doing their best... and proceeded to yell at them.

"Will you multi-coloured assholes PLEASE kill each other somewhere else!?" she demanded, before blinking at some poor old, and stupid woman making her best beeline towards the exit. .. The exit that ran right underneath the Quartet of cu- NO. No, you know how I feel about that word. ... The Quartet of ... Curiously dressed people, who were making a right mess of things.

She dashed back out of cover, blindingly fast! .. Relatively fast, she was just a plain old human, afterall. Well you do have some kind of impressive reactio- Totally ordinary and not at all like the assholes above her. She skidded to a stop beside the old woman. "Move it or lose it Grandma! You're really tempting death here, he's practically salivating looking at you!" The old woman was saying something about complaining to her Principle. .. Oh right, her private school uniform had the school symbol on it. Well too bad. She shoved the old lady into her cart, and quickly pushed her to the exit, rolling her outside to safety in the least dignified way she could manage.

.. She was in trouble, what the hell did it matter how much?

Moving back inside, she quickly grabbed a piece of cement that had fallen from earlier explosions, and hucked it as best she could at Mr. Billy Pumpkins. "CALM, DOWN, ASSHOLE."

Billy Pumpkins
New Member

Posts: 4

Billy Pumpkins VS The New Year Jan 2, 2022 19:41:03 GMT

Post by Billy Pumpkins on Jan 2, 2022 19:41:03 GMT

Pumpkins didn't quit.

One of his hands extended towards the yellow balloon launched in his direction. It slapped against his palm and erupted.

The santa suit he was wearing was suddenly covered in yellow goop. But that was the least of his worries. He felt his hand go numb, unresponsive - only the parts covered by the foreign substance as it seeped through the red fabric and even his armor. It was cold. When it touched his skin he lost sensation - or it was more like a delay. When he commanded his nerves to fire they only did so after a quick instant, rather than right away - twice as long to curl his fingers, twice as long to raise his arm.

She'd drugged him. The paint was full of drugs.

He hissed and leveled the glock on her, snapping off three quick shots at her torso before Memento Mori was on him, flying straight towards him.

Her first strike was caught in his fist, gloved fingers tightening around the girl's hand. The yellow paint on his fingers might've been all that stopped him from trying to crush it outright - that delayed reaction, the infuriating sense that his limb was going numb - was he going to wind up paralyzed from this? Stupid little -

"YOU'VE SPUN YOUR LAST WEB, SPIDER-BITE," he shouted as the intrepid webweaver perched on the back of his glider and wrapped him in his arms. Pumpkins hissed again as the ghost girl drove a needle into his neck, in the fleshy gap between the burning pumpkin and his scale mail - it stung horribly and he felt the liquid get pumped into a vein. That needle probably wasn't properly sterilized.

"GAH!" he grunted, throwing his burning head backwards, trying to slam the back of his skull into Spider-Bite's forehead, all while ripping himself free from his grasp.

And turning his attention in a snap-flash on the girl who'd called him an asshole.

Three bullets left in the gun - he aimed at her center of mass and fired, muzzle flash blinding, the gunshots roaring through the chaotic atrium.

"Fuck ME, will you? You wanna take some pot shots at my pumpkin patch, eh? YOU WANNA TAKE SOME POT SHOTS AT MY PUMPKIN PATCH?"

With that, he'd swoop towards her, syringe still stuck in his neck, serrated blades on the front of his glider unfolding as he tried to spear Annabelle through the midsection.

Cassidy
Senior Member

Posts: 516

Billy Pumpkins VS The New Year Jan 3, 2022 23:19:51 GMT

Post by Cassidy on Jan 3, 2022 23:19:51 GMT

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(Un)Merry Christmas!

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[attr="style","display:inline;font-size:110%;font-weight:700;-webkit-text-stroke: 0.7px;"]Location: The Captain Millennium Emporium

Music: None

Spider-Bite

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My head reeled back, snapping away from Billy Pumpkin as the headbutt connected. I let go, fixing my footing on this small hoverpad, trying not to fall off as the flames licked at my face and I tried getting my bearings for the few brief moments I lost them.

Then I saw it. I sensed it.

The gun.

Whatever the paint had done, it had slowed the villain down long enough for me to do this.

I moved past Billy.

Bang. Bang. Bang!

Three gunshots. They went nowhere. Nowhere near where he aimed or intended them for go. In front of the psychopath, I clutched my chest and stomach and before my feet stepped back and felt nothing but air.

I fell.

I snapped out one hand, to try and grab hold of the edge. My sixth sense rang once more as blades snapped forth from the front, nearly skewering my one grip on the circular transport as I let go a moment before that could happen.

Falling again. All I could see was the madman rocketing away. I spared a glance at where Billy was heading.

No.

Nonononono.

No.

Annabelle.

How could I be this stupid?

Only one shot. I can't miss. I aimed. The symbiote adjusted for me. I fired a web-line. It soared. It impaled itself into the floor right between Annabelle's feet, shattering and cracking the ground.

A black blur would move in front of her.

SCHLCK!

The blade did not go through Annabelle. The found purchase in someone else. Something else too.

Me.

I grabbed hold of the hovercircle.

The suit hardened and some of those blades would find it difficult, if not impossible, to dig through the alien skin. Others closer to the front and longer in length, due to the close proximity and force as well as the sudden stop, had begun piercing through the suit.

And into me.

Not far. Possibly less than inch. Maybe more.

New pangs of pain throbbed through my body.

More.

An animalistic growl echoed throughout the store.

One move. Something I should have done from the beginning.

Not letting this contraption escape under my sticky prowess, this little disc would find itself snapping into two under my strength, completely into two pieces under my grip by the time I was done with it.

Even if it meant the blades already sinking past my flesh tore through more of me as I did it. No more holding back.

Because, once it was done, with one hand I motioned for him to come forward to me.

And fight.

Last Edit: Jan 3, 2022 23:22:23 GMT by Cassidy

Memento Mori
Junior Member

Spooky Azra?

Posts: 91

Billy Pumpkins VS The New Year Jan 5, 2022 14:19:30 GMT

Post by Memento Mori on Jan 5, 2022 14:19:30 GMT

Spider Bite seemed like one of those kind of heroes. The ones to try and catch or stop everything. To try and endure all the hits. He seemed to catch the bullets. He moved to take the impaling efforts as well. Didn't leave much room for Morgan to offer aid to others but on the opposite end it also meant she had more room to run offense. Initially her strike was blocked but she did manage to get the needle in. Might not be the most sterile or best dosage but hopefully it's medication would help to snap the villain out of his rampage.

There wasn't many attacks sent her way though and a attempted upper cut put her on the glider almost right in front of him. While the glider was held by Spider Bite by the paint coated pumpkin head the witchbreed would make her next move. Held in place, drugged by the needle and paint that seemed to slow him down Morgan doubted his defenses. Morgan wasn't to practiced in hand to hand or grappling but someone moving in slow motion probably wasn't good at it either.

So the cloaked figure would move. Looking to use flight to help move into a arm bar. To take the arm with pistol in hand and twist it behind his back. She'd try and apply not just enough force to cause the gun to drop but to Ideally break the arm and prevent trying any such moves again.

He was to armored for her to probably try a necrotic touch. Maybe if she phased some but that took more control then she had at the time. So sense she hadn't practiced enough for that idea an arm break was her move of choice. She'd reach out though with her telkenesis for one further move. An effort to hold the glider from moving forward. It would almost look like black glass had spawned in front of the glider. Memento figured if she used telkenesis to much it might oppose Spider Bite's rending efforts. She figured though she could at least prevent it from trying to impale the arachnid further. "Your a little one track minded aren't you?" Maybe now wasn't best time for banter. It kept her mind off worrying how deep the blades had or hadn't gone in though. Morgan didn't want to lose focus on her abilities, wait was that Anabelle?

No had to stay level headed. She should be a hero, possibly harming a friend and fellow hero shouldn't send her over the edge. Much as that was starting to get under her skin she didn't want to lose her way.

Memento Mori

Katpride
Senior Member

Where's your sense of whimsy?

Posts: 655

Billy Pumpkins VS The New Year Jan 6, 2022 8:37:28 GMT

Post by Katpride on Jan 6, 2022 8:37:28 GMT

[attr="Style","background-image:url(https://www.desktopbackground.org/download/o/2015/05/21/951738_rainbow-paint-splatter-wallpaper-images_900x675_h.png);background-size:100%;background-repeat:repeat-y;padding:20px;"]

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Evacuation efforts seem to be going well. Most people are out of the range of danger, thanks to herself and… Annabelle, surprisingly. Griffonage winces as the blonde loudly voices her complaints with the whole situation. She really hates heroes, doesn’t she? At least she’s helping, in her own way.

Griffonage watches as her balloon hits its target, most of her attention on the glider as she gently but firmly pushes a teenager towards the exit. They’re filming on their phone, reluctant to leave. She spares them a glance, “I know, very cool, but it’s time to get out of he-”

A flicker of silver in the corner of her eye. Gunshots. The hero tackles the kid she’d been trying to persuade, the both of them rolling through the open doors in an ungraceful tumble. Hot pain sears through her calf, and she chokes back a sound that’s somewhere between a scream and a whimper. God, she hates guns. Why does everyone use guns?

The hero pulls herself to her feet and nearly drops back to the ground again. Somehow, she ends up halfway-kneeling but upright. Gritting her teeth, she twists her head around to see the damage. A line - neat, absurdly straight - across the back of her calf, where the bullet cut straight through her costume and across her skin. Red mixes with the yellow and green, beading and rolling down her costume like all other liquids do. Wonderful. Lovely.

The teenager is staring at her with wide eyes, phone miraculously lowered for once. She fixes them with a serious look rendered unreadable by her mask. “Are you alright?”

“Yeah, I’m-”

“Cool. Stay out here, try to find your family.” Sage advice delivered, Griffonage limps back into the building. She isn’t worried about anything as long-term as an infection, but right now she does have to stop the bleeding, even if she can’t really do anything about the pain.

The paint hero pulls one of the canisters off her sash, spraying a small amount of purple foam onto her leg and patting it in place. The makeshift bandage holds, and she does her best to just… forget about it. Yeah.

She takes another step, and realizes she cannot just forget about it. One hand against a nearby pillar, she catches herself before she can go down again. No. No. She’s a hero. She’s supposed to help, not be the one needing the help.

Griffonage watches as the spider-themed hero falls from the hoverboard, apparently also on the receiving end of a few bullets. She prepares to throw something out to catch him, but he’s rocketing away before he can hit the ground or she can do anything.

Where’s he going? She tracks the trajectory in an instant, eyes settling on… oh. Oh, no.

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Annabelle. She’d forgotten about her friend in her moment of distraction, even knowing she was making a target of herself, with all the insults she’d been spouting.

With a feeling similar to being doused in ice water, Venus watches with wide eyes as the spider-hero moves to block the hoverboard, putting himself between the villain and the civilian. Just like a hero is supposed to do. What is- She can’t just-

That has to hurt. Much more than one little bullet wound. Venus hardly even feels her own injury as she runs forward, approaching from behind as the other hero acts as a shield to the other side of her friend. It’s probably the adrenaline, and she’s going to be in for one hell of an awkward recovery trying to hide it, but those are worries for later.

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Right now, Griffonage reaches for Annabelle’s hand, hastily readjusting at the last moment to aim for her arm instead as she sees her own gloved hand and realizes she’s… not recognizable, at the moment.

Her free hand pulls a green balloon from her utility belt, a wicked grin on her face that’s completely hidden by her mask as she throws it on the ground at their feet. The green paint bursts in a cloud, enveloping herself and hopefully her companions. With the angle, spider-dude is between herself and the villain, so Mr. Pumpkins-Are-A-Fashion-Choice won’t receive any of the speed-boosting paint that settles on their skin.

It’s a shame she can’t include Morgan in the radius, but she seems to be holding her own, from the brief glance Griffonage sends her way before moving to tug Annabelle away from the melee, as quickly as she can.

“You should be faster now, so run,” she instructs the blonde, hoping to appeal to that instinctual urge to escape that she knows all-too-well. She points at the exit.

Lark | Spork | Adelyn | Venus

Belle
Junior Member

Posts: 93

Billy Pumpkins VS The New Year Jan 8, 2022 12:56:07 GMT

Post by Belle on Jan 8, 2022 12:56:07 GMT

God did it feel good calling assholes assholes, especially when some of those assholes were heroes. It was dangerous as hell here, no doubt, but it was totally worth it to see the look on ... some of their ... uh, some of their...

He's... looking at us.
... Yeah, he's... oh no.
That's a gun.
OH NO.

Really, people in New York were normally receptive to being called assholes. This fella however, went and raised the stakes by pulling a gun. .. And taking a shot at Annabelle. "JESUS, STOP IT!" she cried out, diving out of the way of the first shot, before stopping herself short as another shot ricocheted of the ground in front of her. "You're such an assho- OW! ASSHOLE." She cried out, as the third and final bullet he fired at her managed to graze her arm, her hand snapping up to grasp at the new bleeding wound.

Why MUST you run your mouth?
It's complicated!

Undoubtedly, he'd probably feel quite proud of himself for actually clipping the mouthy young woman, but even more so would he perhaps feel giddy about distracting her long enough to line her up. For a brief few moments, Annabelle looked like a deer in the headlights, as the very angry looking flying machine came careening for her. .. Oh bother.

For a moment, Annabelle thought they'd make terrible final words to think, and kind of wished she'd had a do over. Her body was already tipping back however, her muscles reacting before she'd even had a full chance to think it over, as her future flashed before her eyes... this was going to ... hurt?

WOOSH.

Overhead, a black blur moved in front, and above her, getting in the way of the awful, bladed flying machine, undoubtedly ~~saving her life~~ reducing any risk of her being harmed. She had this, totally! It was just a moment of doubt...

"God, DAMN IT. I had that you eight legged dickhead! .. But thank you!" she snapped out at the figure who had 'saved' her, before grimacing at how much it looked like that hurt. She rolled away, moving into cover, and came alongside one of the other heroes. The Hippogriff, or something.

She kept a tight grip on her arm as she sneered at the multicoloured Hippogriff, "Don't you buzzards have like... a super-asshole line to call each other on? Beat up a mentally ill man until he has no bowel control?" she half snapped, unable to fully contain her clear distaste for heroes. The venom in her voice was hard to miss.

She pulled her hand away from the bleeding wound on her arm, studying it for a moment and gave a shrug of disregard, Annabelle showing Venus just how little she seemed to care for her own personal safety. She was completely distracted as Griffonage grabbed her arm however, and pulled her nearer the exit, Annabelle hissing her disapproval as the air around their feet filled with a bright green paint, Annabelle suddenly feeling ... lighter on her feet!

She's right, we're... really not meant to be here Annabelle. You're going to get hurt.
And leave them with some psycho, to beat until he can only drink soup the rest of his life?.. Fucking capes.

There was another moment of pause, as Annabelle's internal thoughts ran, her eyes scanning Griffonage as she was urged to run for the exit... before she pulled herself out of the woman's grasp roughly. "Don't touch me, cape."

As if just to spite Griffonage for telling her to run, she took off towards the flying Pumpkin asshole, her feet dancing off the ground effortlessly as she leaped rubble and tables, sliding and twisting so naturally it was almost mesmerising. Giving -Annabelle- of all people that kind of speed, while meant with the best of intentions... didn't seem to have the desired effect.

Annabelle however, was tearing through the shopping mall to catch up, climbing an escalator that had stopped moving to reach the right height... before with a leap, launched herself off one of the ledges, towards Pumpkin boy, hoping to land on his glider with him. "Don't worry bud, you've got -miles- to go before you even REACH mediocre," she beamed at him, before trying to snap away his bag of bombs from him.

Gottem! .. I think!
I kind of hope not, you didn't think about a way down!!