15590/Kobra Smashes the Statue

Kobra Smashes the Statue
Date of Scene:	17 August 2023
Location:	Liberty Island
Synopsis:	A group of heroes fight off an attack on Lady Liberty!
Cast of Characters:	Mary Jane Watson, Mark Grayson, Hercules, Belinda Gutierrez, Bunny Macleod

---

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
It's a bright evening over at Liberty Island. There's a special event going on and the atmosphere is bright and cheerful. Children are spread out over with balloons, fireworks are being setup, and there are large numbers of entertainers all around. The tourists are out, as are the news crews. Everything looks ready for a lovely night of celebration, of happiness, and of engagement for those who want to see the country at it's best.

Mark Grayson has posed:
"The thing is, Mark, you need to see the world. You'll never be a true protector of the world if you never see the world." Nolan had told Mark a few days ago. "So, we're going to let you go to school in New York and you can figure out what it is you're going to do. Debbie's already completed your financial aid, even if I thought it was better if you got a job and worked your way through school."

That was a few days ago. Now, amongst the celebrations and balloons, Mark Grayson is sipping on a lemonade, enjoying the pleasant New York weather and cooling breeze from the harbor -- if the smell isn't /great/ as he takes in the sites and just soaks it in. Even heroes need some zen and happy time, right?

Hercules has posed:
Hercules is on a boat! A ferry, in fact. He wanted to see this great statue for himself, after all. An impressive feat of the modern age, it seems, and something of actual artistic merit. Their culture was so weak and pathetic, he almost felt sorry for it sometimes.

He's also visibly Hercules, which is probably causing a bit of a stir, with the golden headband, the bare chest, the bulging biceps. The winning smile. The endless appetite for cheap beer.

"Greetings to you, great lady. I salute you in the name of the mighty brewer, Bud Light! To you, Bud!"

Belinda Gutierrez has posed:
Bright eyes stare in quiet reverence, gazing up as Belinda Gutierrez stares at metal, steel, stone. Balloons flutter in the breeze; banners wave and fireworks burst from the tiny hand-helds-- pop caps and sparklers, a pale fraction of the full sized devices being readied by professionals. The waters wash at the shore, and the sound of the city, the murmuring throng of people far and near are themselves a distant, faint memory--- all so much less 'real', than an unfeeling statue of verdegris and steel and copper.

A symbol of so many things. And yet, so much more. Greater than the sum of her parts.

"Hello, Seniora Libertad," Belinda murmurs to herself, quiet as she drinks in the air. "I am grateful to meet you." The mood should be like a celebration full of cheer, like a baseball game or soccer event-- for her, like a shrine, holy grond, a place of respect and wonder and...

Feelings. So many feelings.

"...am talking to a statue."

Bunny Macleod has posed:
    And who doesn't want to see New York City at its best?

    (It is totally weird enough for its own country, shush!)

    Bernice "Bunny" Macleod was in her typical kit, a pair of roller skates to make her taller, faded pink hair pulled back in a pair of low ponytails to allow for her helmet as she zips around the island, entirely against the rules but enjoying her time. She sweeps backwards at the back end of a crowd of people, today's helmet a neon blue and sporting a pair of Bunny Ears as she hums along with music on her earbuds, until she spots Belinda, overhearing the statement about the statue.

    So she backs her skates up, and leans next to Belinda.

    "Eh, you can talk to the statue, the only problem becomes when the statue starts talkin' BACK to you." she pauses.

    "In a non-metaphorical, non-arts-speaking way I mean. First time to the Island?"

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
As some bask in the moment, others speak to the Statue, and many are caught up in the celebration and the revelry.. There are sounds of engines. Many, many engines. Rockets. Large numbers of.. Aircraft? No, speedboats. Speedboats adn.. Jetpacks? Dozens upon dozens of individuals over wearing white outfits and green ones. Coming along motorboats that are painted with large green snake symbols.
    The men wearing white are yelling as they would skim along on jetpacks, "DOWN WITH THE DREAM!" It's the type of nightmare that has one quake.

Mark Grayson has posed:
*sippppslurpcrackle* Just as Mark was finishing the last of his lemonade, he hears the drone of aircraft?? and speedboats in the air -- "Oh hey, they didn't mention there was going to be an air show!" Now this is something that he could get behind, right?

That is until the jetpacked people start to swarm and the boats are rather... gaudy looking. "Yeah, that's totally not patriotic..." he mentions and shakes his head. He'll owe Eve five bucks later. Can't go a week without some crisis he's part of. As the ferry police and local authorities start to herd people to safety, Mark looks around. Where... where... the gift shop? Already crowded. Behind a booth? Nope, people already hiding there.

A glance across the way to... "Oh gross." he mutters, but he runs, opening a door and closing it...

The knob on the Port-a-Potty turns from 'VACANT' to OCCUPIED'.

Hercules has posed:
The sudden emergence of the speedboats and their armed cadres doesn't alarm Hercules in the least. If anything, he's thrilled at the prospect. He hands the remainder of his beer to a happy tourist and casually leaps into the water, massive strokes of his superpowerful arms carrying him quickly towards one of the boats. They begin to pelt him with weapons fire. He barely notices. "Ah, the crisp ocean's salt in my beard once more. Greetings, uncle Neptune!"

Belinda Gutierrez has posed:
Belinda grins as Bunny appears, blinking over with a start as she smiles. "Si," she answers absently, sighing wistfully to herself. She leans over to the pink-haired popnyt ails, a friendly nudge of her shoulder as she gazes up at the Statue. "Yes. I caught sight of it once, when first flying into the city. Know what she looks like por supuesto, of course..." Her smile fades, a dreamy softness as she watches the great green Lady. "Who does not? But seeing in person--" She trails off, biting her lip. "It is like--"

Her words are cut off, stopped by sounds far different than normal. Dull thrum of motors, of great boats, helicopters, the ferry behind. Scent of people, food (for once, not distracting!), of the sea.

The high pitched scream of motorboats. The hiss of personal jets. And that battle cry, that challenge to everything good and dear... Belinda jerks her head around as if stung. Eyes flash, fingers quiver and--

"Dios," she growls, glancing for a place to hide, to shift out of sight. Eyes scan swiflty, pausing to focus on....

A booth. An honest-to-goodness, old fashioned telephone booth.

Belinda stares for a heartbeat, the releasing a most giggly squeal before she lunges towards the smokey glass and plastic of the slender cube. "Spirits of Superhombre, watch over me!"

Bunny Macleod has posed:
    "Still think she's the classiest New Yorker--" Bunny begins, and she's cut off by the sound of motorboats and -- jetpacks?

    "I don't think that's part of the show." she states, her shoulders tensing a moment as she sees the oncoming tripps, and she switches out her airpods for her comm unit, powering it up as she clips it over her left ear, looking to Belinda a moment, and she gives a shake of her head and a mutter of "I am supposed to *play* at Rainbow Brite's tonight!" in a whine, before she digs her pink goggles out and applies eye protection as she dashes out low, building up speed.

    "This is PRISMA - of the Young Avengers --" she squawks on the local heroic bands, "I dont' suppose anyone else is--" she flashes, the gasoline-on-water rainbow of her powers activating as she 'bubbles' in an orb, still speeding quickly towards some gunmen and being a very good distraction

    "Enjoying a REFRESHING night--"

    and she uses her bubble to knock into several gunmen, sending them in different directions -- the ground, the water, a garbage bin!

    "On Liberty Island today?"

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Things are going sparkly over as the fireworks go off! Balloons go up to the air in the hundreds as a band has started playing. An upbeat, peppy tune. It's like a low end Fourth of July. For now, the civilians and tourists present seem to think it's part of the show. But they're also not in the way of the coming attack as the terrorists in jet packs rocket through the air, launching along and moving to start to spray Hercules over with machinegun fire to about as much effectiveness as talking down Hera when Zeus had been sleeping around!

The groups over in the speedboats are rushing forwards, all of them chanting, "KOOOO-BRRAAALALALALA!" If one could listen closely, they w ould be using a K.

Mark Grayson has posed:
The knob goes from 'OCCUPIED' to 'VACANT' and the blue and yellow clad hero launches forth as he takes flight.

INVINCIBLE

As Mark races through the sky, he comes up behind a pair of the flightpack capable KOBRAs and grabs their packs from behind. "I doubt you have licenses for these things." With that, he rips them off and throws both of the Vypers towards the water so that at least they will have a cushioned fall.

That is when a rocket flies up from one of the speedboats and slams into Mark, exploding in mid-air, and as the smoke clears, the Viltrumite is still floating in the air. "Rude." he intones, turning his attention to the makeshift navy.

Hercules has posed:
Hercules grips a passing speedboat and it just stops dead. The engine blows right out in a shower of sparks and fluids spray out. Hercules uses one arm to casually leverage himself up and into the boat. The agents of evil within do continue to shoot him uselessly. Maybe they just want to feel like they tried.

"Goodbye, boys!" Herc says, grabbing each of them and casually tossing them back over his shoulder and out into the open ocean. About a mile or two. They'll probably survive.

Hercules leaps now, jumping from boat to boat as if playing a game of Mario, leaping from safe island to safe island and smashing the little mushroom people he lands on.

Kind of also invincible! But not in a trademarked way.

Belinda Gutierrez has posed:
Belinda dives into the telephone booth, slapping the door shut as she stares at the ancient pay phone. It wants quarters. Has a thick Yellow Pages phone book. It even has *rotary dial*!

"...Dios!"

Small but serviceable-- yet as the age-shaded booth proves adept at hiding from sight, it proves to be somewhat less when it comes to containing eight foot beast. Three and three and seven-- enough to hide from sight for a few precious moments, as muscle flows and skin warps, bones crack and grow and change. The booth holds for as long as it can, finally giving way as the entry door is shoved back open, the creature within emerging to finish her change, stepping from the enclosure with a last crackle of bones, a sudden, lusty howl!

Watch for moment, for chance. Meanwhile-- traffic control! Like the famous Green Lantern!

Bunny Macleod has posed:
    Oh, hi Mark.

    "Okay, so we know Invincible's here --" Bunny takes stock, "Pretty sure that's Silverdane joining the party and --" she looks over to Hercules as he gets pummeled by gunfire.

    "... a really buff guy." she comments dryly, and has to duck behind the garbage bin when another burst of gunfire breaks out in her direction.

    "Plus side, I'm pretty sure I'm the most vulnerable to guns here, so that's a plus! /Why/ is that a plus?!" she whispers to herself, and then she comes out swinging, fast on her skates as she bubbles herself again briefly, and then unbubbles to pop a few gunmen in the Special No No Area with the weight of her steel-toe skates behind it as she turns this way and that, picking up a broomstick and using it to sweep a guy off his feet via the broom being behind his ankles as she skates off!

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
It's a once in a lifetime thing. It's the sort of instinctive event that happens that most superheroes will perhaps just -feel- is right. A draw to jump in. Do a change. Jump out. it's something that has a draw to it. Like the stars and stripes are to Captain America. Like non-OHSA compliant labs condcuting dangerous experiments make supervillains. It's just something natural to the business as Belinda explodes out!

Hercules goes to charge on in, moving to catch the speedboat going over at him! While some of the Kobra troopers are startled - seeming to be lost at their sudden lack of forward momentum, going to fire into Hercules! .. Right as he goes to leap along with heavy SPROINGAS and moves to sink each of them in tow as above in the sky dozens of jet packed ULTIMATUM troopers fly through the air! They go to try and swarm over towards Invincible, moving to fire at him with bullets spraying, rockets, and bad Cold War era chants! "DOWN WITH THE SYSTEM! DOWN WIHT THE CAPITALISTS! DOWN WITH NATIONS! DOWN WITH THE WORLD!" It's a very eclectic mix of motivations.

Bunny makes like a Rabbit, moving to start folks dropping left and right as she goes to skate her way through them! There's almost a series of 'bings' as she slides through each of them that don't normally accompany her use of powers

Hercules has posed:
"I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE YELLING ABOUT!"

Hercules has at least correctly interpreted that these people mean ill to the fine people of the New York Parks Service and their guests and he just wasn't going to have it. Bad soup, all around. "Tremble, cretins! You've picked a fool's fight today, for the Prince of Power strides amongst you, along with all of these other noble heroes, none of whose names I currently know, but they have been of great assistance to me today. Liberty Islanders, you may give your thanks to Hercules!"

Mark Grayson has posed:
But are they DOWN WITH THE SICKNESS? 90s kid is gonna 90s.

Seeing Bunny, Invincible tosses a wave. "Prisma! You alright?" he doesn't remember her saying she's invulnerable to gunfire, so there's a moment of worry there.

When he catches sight of Silverdine's arrival and her lusty roar, he pauses and takes a closer look. Maybe if he had seen her before she went in the phone booth, he'd recognized her from school, even if he's graduated.

But before he could get anything else out, he finds himself swarmed by jetpacked dudes and he falls to the ground in a clump of green and shouted 'DOWN WITH THE *' shouts and there's punches and kicks and then the ground beneath them and around them rumbles.

The pile of snakes is suddenly sent flying in every direction as Invincible rises into the air. "I thought the super-aging aliens were annoying!" he grunts, before he hears Hercules and his boast.

"I really need to work on my networking skills..."

Belinda Gutierrez has posed:
In quieter aftermaths, Silverdane will surely giggle in relish; 'phone booth change', marked from Superhero Checklist! Meanwhile-- focus!

The werewolf charges from the booth into action, springing across the ground; eyes catch Invincible as the jetpackers swarm him, drawing him close to earth. Quick steps, redirecting charge-- she lunges for the gathering of villain and superhero, tensing and springing-- just as he bursts free from the dogpile, one hero rising as another piles in with gusto!

"ARRIBA!"

Bunny Macleod has posed:
    "Prince of Power? Isn't that *technicaly* He-Man?" Bunny asks, taking a deep breath as she skates backwards, and she breathes out as she looks up to Invincible!

    In so many ways. Boy's taller than her.

    "Run some interferance, we need to get any civvies still on the island into the fortress -- gonna be the safest place for them!" she calls out to Invincible and Silverdane, "I'll clear a path!"

    And she bubbles again. At this point, she's gonna hafta switch from PRISMA to PINBALL. And she begins to skate in the colorful hamster ball of solidified energy, knocking others out of the way.

    "YOU get run over, and YOU get run over -- FREE RUN OVERS FOR BAD GUYS! Step Right /UP/!" she calls out, purposefully running over everyone who might be dressed in White and Green and shouting DOWN WITH THE --

    "Down with Homework! Down with Bad Guys!"

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Hercules is just posing and flexing over like he's Ahnuld in the 80's as bullets fly, impacting over him and not doing a thing! Then one of the Ultimatum troopers goes to charge over at him wielding a flamethrower! He moves to spray out with it going towards Hercules rather pronounced chin. It's a direct attack on the stash. This may escalate things.

Mark goes to smash his way through attackers, even as they go tos warm him and bullets, explosions, and other things bounce off him! Then, standing over on top of one of the still functional speedboats is a Kobra assassin, wielding a giant javelin coated over in venom and goes to launch it through the air! "HAIL KOBRAAAAA!" The javelin flung through at him even as she's helpful enough to announce it!

Belinda goes to smash and grab and bonk her way into the melee, landing atop several of the enemies as the beat-down starts! IT's an old fashioned tornado whirl with claws, bludgeons, blades, and the occasional jet pack flashing out of it in a series of $#*#!'ings!

The civilians have still not managed to be aware that the attack is real and ont part of the festivities. Even as Bunny goes to charge through the men over like she's a video game star, smashing them off their feet and down to the ground in every directiona as she would pinball! It's possibly even quite fun!

Hercules has posed:
Hercules finally reaches the shore and, yes, he seems to have decided everyone else has it handled and he can pose with a few of the tourists for selfies, flexing, hanging off his arms, that sort of thing. He will swat any of the miscreants who threaten near him and may occasionally throw an antenna or a small vehicle towards any remaining boats should they be in tossing range.

"You remind me of some of the weaker armies that once fell before the Spartans. Awful bastards, Spartans, but they really could fight. Now, who can point me in the direction of one of your fine sausage carts?"

Mark Grayson has posed:
"Lead the way!" Mark calls down the Bunny as she goes Pinballing off. As she handles the ground, he glances back to where Silverdane is -- she appears to be having the time of her life down there and he really doesn't want to interrupt.

Instead, as he flies through the air, he starts plucking jetpacks off of troopers - or flat out smashing them on their backs to allow them to fall to the ground. Surely the worst that will happen is a broken arm or leg? A pair of them that are firing at the civilians are caught from behind and Mark slams their helmeted heads together and lets them drop to the ground.

The call of HAIL KOBRALALALA grabs his attention and he turns just as the javelin slams into his chest. If she had launched it from a bazooka or thrown it with super-strength, that could have been some major damage.

He grabs the large shard of wood before it can fall to the ground and was preparing to throw it at the boat that it came from - but Hercules has beat him to it. He ends up throwing the javelin into the water and looks around for any more targets that remain.

"A hot dog sounds great!"

Belinda Gutierrez has posed:
Silverdane picks up the torch startred by Prisma, grinning with delight as she tosses punch and fist, offering one overly-eager trooper a headbutt for his troubles.

"Down with Nazis!" the werewolf sings out-- pausing helpfully as one particular unpleasant ULTIMATUM fellow unloads his submachine gun into her. Grimacing, she holds still, letting the fellow's chattergun spew a torrent of unpleasant bullets into her frame.

Pezzini Lesson #4: Innocent Bystander Clause: Remember that bullets may go beyond where they are first aimed, and hit someone else.

Silverdane Collary: Stop bullets first. Solid wall is best, but when needs must--

The werewolf growls at the soldier as he fires his gun, joined by a few of his braver fellows while screaming something about 'Capitalism' and 'Power to the Elite' or somesuch. Bullets hammer from the wild spray into Silverdane's torso, impacting like dozens of tiny killer weasps. Yet when his magazine runs out with a smoldering *click*...

The last bullet holes seal closed before staring eyes. Silverdane glares, grins, and reaches almost gently for the weapon-- wrenching it physically from the first ULTIMATUM gunner's hands.

"Drop them!" she snarls, fangs bared as she tosses the weapon aside. "Or I am no longer nice!"

Bunny Macleod has posed:
    "Aw man if you wanna HOT DOG you gotta get it from Dirty Gary's Dawgs in the Bowry!" calls Prisma as she skates through the drowd. Unbubble, trip up a guy with a gun, knock the gun outta his hands, turn the guy over and set him head-down in the recyling bin!

    "It is the BEST Street Dogs you're gonna *get* in New York City!" she calls out, turns, skaes backwards and flattens another guy right behind Hercules. "Also -- Hi, Prisma! How you doin'?" she asks of the flexing Greek before she trips, and goes top-under-teakettle over a park bench, where she forms one of her shields to slide down with --

    "Ow ow ow ow ow spinter in my back!"

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
All that Bunny needs now is a large mutatn shark yelling out 'JAWSOME' as she would charge along! She's managed to know pretty much everyone that's made laning over off their feet, driving them off to give herself a bit of breathing room! But she has a splinter and that's going to be painful if she keeps on moving the way she has so far!

Silverdane goes to charge in to the gunners where it turns into a case as to whether armed fanatics are willing to give thier lives to the cause that they cry for! ... Apparently these ones are,e ven as they run out of ammo, each of them going to draw a small knife to charge over in at her! Indoctrination ran thick - these lunatics possibly believed what they were saying!

Fortunately, the Kobra trooper attacking Invincible is all too willing to narrate their moves, which makes it easy to stop the attack before it hit. Whether or not it would have been nasty, best not ot risk it and find out when it comes to that sort of thing flung at him! The targets are starting to dry down as most of the aerial and water attackers have been taken out!

Hercules goes to get several of the tourists going to take pictures of him and for some reason a small child has decided that he is some sort of jungle gym, going to try and scramble up to land atop his head!

Mark Grayson has posed:
"We should totally get some dogs when this is over!" Mark agrees with Bunny, opening to the heroes at large without being all weird about it. "You alright?" that to Bunny as he goes back to the tasks of clearing the skies of the remaining troops.

"Kobra punch! Kobra kick! If you're going to narrate, at least be original in the narration!" he responds as he punches one in their masked face, breaking a nose (and possibly the eye socket) in the process. What he wouldn't give for a giant fly swatter to finish off the rest of these guys!

Belinda Gutierrez has posed:
The last of bullets plink out from Silverdane's torso; with a rumble suspiciously like laughter, she just walks towards the knife-wielding troopers, grinning with joyous cheer after giving each knife a quick glance, a quick sniff. Steel, carbon fiber, blade oil-- with the threat of bystanders no longer a risk, Silverdane lunges in with relish, fighting with... less than professionalism. Careful, fearless asshe grabs one free hand, tugging the knife-wielder forward, twisting his arm to the sound to relieve him of weapon-- and one case, a distinctly sharp *crack* as a bone breaks.

"Sorry," the wolf manages gruffly, wincing. Ignoring the second and third and-- more, renewed dogpiling! --more knifemen with their cutting blades, she snaps down with practiced, more confident assuredness for her waist. Zipties, in a compartment hiudden beneath her sash-- she tugs one out, deft as she wraps one around the wounded trooper's wrists-- another for ankles for good measure. And then one particularly eager (Brave? Crazy?) trooper lunges from behind-- snarling himself as he buries the knife in her face!

Silverdane freezes, stills. Quick motions finish hogtying hands and feet, then the wolf woman rises, turning to face the lucky trooper.

Knife sticking from her eyesocket, she positively glares down at him, reaching up to pluck the blade from her skull, wincing briefly as it gives a soft 'shlurp' noise.

"....Rude."

Bunny Macleod has posed:
    "I'm good!" Bunny calls back to Mark, righting herself in the bubble and then she drops the shield, looking AGHAST as Silverdane gets a knife in the face.

    Her mouth hangs open. Her eyes are wide, her shoulders slack as she reaches and is about to yell something useless when the wolf pulls the blade.

    "Oh. Awesome... but freaking gross -- your hotdogs are on me tonight Silverdane!" she calls out to the werewolf, and then she alights a couple of platforms, one - two - three and she flying kicks one guy in the face with her skates!

    "Bad Bad Guy! No cookies!" she calls out!

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
The brwal seems to be endign as jet packs explode, boats sink, and the various thugs, terrorists, and flunkies that have come in the assault have been mostly beat up or are retreating. Now the full fireworks are going on, the band is playing, and the tourists haven't seemed to notice any sort of actual attack going on at all as the blaloons go up and over into the air as Lady Liberty's torch shines bright in the night!

Mark Grayson has posed:
As Mark clears out the last of the jetpack villains, he makes one last pass and notices something on the ground. Scooping it up, he rises high into the air and eventually lands on the edge of the crown of Lady Liberte...

...which is where he hoists the flag that he found on the ground that was shot down by one of the troops early in the fight.

America!

Belinda Gutierrez has posed:
Silverdane snarls, growling with anger as she steps forward menacingly; the troopers take one look-- yanked knife OUT, and eye-- healing, glittering beneath her ruined mask --and finally decide on the better part of valour! Most of the troopers gets away from her, sadly. Most of them. But the two that do not? Lunged at, pounced on, ziptied with fierce glee!

"For crime against Los Es--United States and public and fashion," she rumbles, dusting off her hands with smug satisfaction. "You are under arrest. Have right to be silent. Anything said can result in eating finger foods!" She grins cheerfully (and toothily), leaning down with a wink of free eye. "Or free-toes. But if lucky, may just--"

Quirk! Hot dogs! Sausages! Food distraction. YES.

She grins as she steps back, eyes rising, following a beam of searchlight up to the sky. Flag waving, Statue saved, balloons all things flying as her heart fills with joy-- her blood sings as she leans her head back, howling to Invincible and Prisma and the heavens. Victory!

(And hot dogs!)

Bunny Macleod has posed:
    "Los Estados Unidos y nuestra senorita Libertad, esos pendejos blah blah blah -- stay down an' shut up, bozos." Bunny states in a pretty good Puerto Rican Spanish accent (they're the ones she edals with the most in her other line of work), and though she can't howl, or fly up with the flag, she leans against a handy light post and pushes her goggles up, releases the tension in her shoulders, and looks up at Lady Liberty.

    "Yeah, we did all right." she jokes.