3659/Zodiac Rising: Collecting the Crown (2 of 3)

Zodiac Rising: Collecting the Crown (2 of 3)
Date of Scene:	04 October 2020
Location:	Metropolitan Museum of History
Synopsis:	The Avatars of the Zodiac strike again, this time in Metropolis. Less damage is done. More people die. The heroes go home frustrated.
Cast of Characters:	Amanda Sefton, Michael Hannigan, Hank Pym, Jean Grey
Tinyplot:	Zodiac Rising

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Amanda Sefton has posed:
Metropolis in the wee hours of the morning is quieter than New York. Though, not necessarily by much. Even still, there is a preternatural silence around the Metropolis Museum of Natural History, this night. A tension in the air that is nearly palpable.

Though, really, that could just be because of the cold autumn rain that sluices down, denying the city its traditional warmth and dampening its optimism.

Then again, it could be because of the dark violet and green cloud of energy that coalesces in front of the museum's main entrance. The cloud swirls itself into a portal that disgorges three figures, none of whom are entirely human. One has wings and soars above the others. The next, the upper body of a beautiful, if bald, woman... with the lower body and tail of a scorpion and a wicked looking scimitar blade on a pike. The third, a slender man in the garb of an Ancient Greek, a bladed staff in his hand and a chitinous creature wrapped around his torso to give him both wings and armour. The last is... well... half-woman, half-crab... all attitude.

As before, the moment he emerges from the portal, the Greek-garbed mage begins conjuring demonic creatures, all of them goblin-sized and sporting viscious fang, claws, and stinging tails. A pack of a dozen or more, they swarm towards the front door. The glass explodes inward as they hit it and just keep going, deep into the darkness of the classically ornate building.

The race for the next piece of the Crown of Ophiuchus, a twisted semi-circle of gold displayed in the Classical Antiquities Exhibit on the second floor, has begun.

Michael Hannigan has posed:
Well, it was mentioned the previous evening and turned down but with power being at a premium for Amanda, it seemed a bit better that Mike makes for the travel arrangements for the evening. Upon the trio converging at an in-between location in New York, a brief explanation is given to how dream travel works and why letting go is bad. The three make their way over.

They come from what appears to be nothing, Mike holding Amanda's hand and Hank in contact via pocket taxi. They're not too far away. They lucked out in the dream they caught on to was provided by a dreamer located within an easy jogging distance of the museum. Lucky for Hank. He doesn't have to run at all.

The flippant remarks from earlier are gone for the time being as memories of the failure from last night comes to mind. And yet the stubborness has him coming up once again.

Hank Pym has posed:
Hank Pym climbs out of Mike's pocket with a harrumph. "I said your shoulder was fine, Mike. I have experience at this size. Come Baudelaire." Bo extricates himself and wiggles his wings, a bit miffed at such treatment. Pym mounts up and they fly off. "I'll reconnoiter and report back here. Hang on."

Needless to say Hank outsources -a lot- when reconnoitering the insects infesting the museum come to heel and start reporting in, being told to locate and observe the intruders.

Pym casts a worried look at Amanda. He's dealt with Wanda before and magic spells carry a price. he wonders how she'll hold up. Enough of that though, Henry, you're the oldest courtesan on the block. Show the youngers how it's done and push that gut wrenching pain far away. The tiny scientist, pops an Advil unseen.

Amanda Sefton has posed:
Every moment of delay -- the precious minutes to the rendezvous spot and the run from wherever they emerged to the museum itself -- rankles Amanda. She is tempted (sorely tempted!) to just pop open a portal and be done with it. But, after last night? She can't. Not if she wants enough power to face whatever new horrors the Avatars throw at them, tonight.

And she can't help but look at the universe in askance: Any other night, a threat to Metropolis would see at least one hero or another in blue and red, sporting a big red 'S' turn up. But... not tonight. No, tonight, other world-ending crises occupy their attention. The universe is just not willing to give the beleaguered sorceress a break.

But, she is in good shape physically, despite her mystical exhaustion, and reaches the museum on quick feet, only to slow as she sees the destruction wrought by the Avatars who have clearly fled within.

A look of determination steels in her eyes. She reaches into a satchel she's brought with her this night, once more in the protective leathers that are Daytripper's signature, and draws out an ornate, 18" oak rod surmounted with a firey crystal. Yes. She brought the big guns tonight. Because without it... she's not good for much more than parlour tricks.

As Hank flies forward on his winged ant, she follows, driven by the urgency to stop the avatars *before* they complete their mission.


The building is dark, but screams can be heard within, along with the occassional flash of light and fury. Aquarius' minions have spread out and are hunting down the guards -- herding and chasing those they can, bodily dragging others -- to present them to their master. He has plans for those his compatriots do not use for their own ends.

But he is not the only one. Scorpio has spared a few moments to hunt down at least two of the hapless humans, pouncing upon them and lodging her stinger deep within them. She now has two mumified minions of her own to use in the fight to come. And as they slink like sand after her along marbled corridors and panneled halls, she climbs the walls towards the wide central stairs that lead to the second floor.

Libra is ahead of her, however, his broad wings beating strongly as he flies up to the mezzanine and makes his way towards the maze that is the Antiquities Exhibit.

Jean Grey has posed:
Cancer, meanwhile, let the others ahead to have their fun. Because she knew the heroes would be coming, and has plans for her own, scuttling easily along the ceiling of the museum as she lurks in the shadows. Surprisingly stealthy for one as massive as she is, even with her cargo...

In this case, a poor janitor that definitely wasn't paid enough for this, his mouth fused shut so he can't scream, not that he's in a condition to do much of anything thanks to Cancer's abilities. Holding the janitor aloft in one hand, she doesn't shout out a challenge or anything. That's for amateurs.

Cancer has a job to do. And she's going to make sure that it gets done. And if it's over the mangled and mutilated corpses of a few would-be heroes... so much the better.

Michael Hannigan has posed:
"I'd rather not risk you over something so minor." Mike replies back to Hank as the elder tiny man does what the musician gathers to be the scientist's usual harumphs.

As Pym moves out of the pocket, Mike lets go of Amanda's hand. No longer having to focus on maintaining them, his form shifts, shrinking down to the form Amanda most knows the phantasm for. The purplish black corvid glances up, seeing Amanda move forward. Well, so much for waiting.

Despite what Hank said, people may already be dying with the headstart the extremely powered adversaries always seem to have on them. But last time they ran in blind and it cost them. Maybe taking a moment up front will pay off more in the end.

He looks to the departing magic user as a thought drifts to the woman who got speared. Amanda's decided for him. Waiting doesn't appear to be an option. He hops onto the woman's shoulder, determined not to let her go in alone. Damn it Hank. Hurry up.

Hank Pym has posed:
Hank Pym drops off Bo to land softly on the woman's arm. He grabs onto the rim of the armband with one hand. With his other he levels his gauntlet and fires a bio blast at her ear, simultaneously yanking hard on the band. Bo flies along, ready for an extraction. Good ant. Hank resizes as he fires to better grab the talisman, trying to stop at a foot tall. He ignores the flood of pain through his arms and legs.

Amanda Sefton has posed:
Amanda isn't so much running in pell-mell, hell-bent on destruction, as she is trying to get a bead on where the worst of the atrocities are happening. It's unfortunate, but she knows the trail of carnage will lead straight to where they need to be. "People are dying," she says as the corvid alights on her shoulder. "We need to hurry."

The head of the rod in her right hand begins to glow, casting amber light throughout the foyer. With with the addition of the light, the shambling of the mummies up the stairs can be discerned, as can the rattling click of Scorpio's chitinous legs on the stone walls cladding the mezzinene.

As Libra's form disappears toward the Antiquities Exhibit upstairs, visible as a silhoutte outlined by the cast of moon through a skylight, she swears. "Shiesse. The antiquities wing. There!" She points her rod and lets off a blast of light aimed at the flier.

Even as she does, Scorpio lets out startled hiss, slapping at the stinger in her upper arm. Her hand wraps around one portion of the talisman, while Hank grows and yanks on it. Between the effects of his sting and the shifting his growing weight creates in their fulcrum of balance, the Avatar looses her grip on the walls and tumbles towards the floor below. Her minions turn from their scuttle up the stairs, racing to rescue their mistress before the growing man can disarm her. They are much faster than zombies, and more agile, too. They also don't feel pain.

Aquarius directs his minions as they bring half a dozen guards and a couple of janitors before him. The demonic herdsmen drag the humans and push them down at his feet. His eyes glow a hypnotic green. One by one, the humans rise and march, seemingly of their own volition, further into the exhibit. They stop in groups of twos and threes along the way, accompanied by their demonic captors.

He is creating a series of human barriers the heroes will have to go through to get to the exhibit. All of them under his hypnotic control.

Jean Grey has posed:
There's a sudden laugh from above Amanda, "Now now... let's all be friends." Suddenly, with far more speed one could imagine from a creature so bulky, Cancer descends down from behind Amanda and Mike, holding up her pincer bearing the hostage, "Guess I don't need him with someone /more/ interesting!"

With that, she tosses the janitor aside, the other pincer swinging out with surprising swiftness to snatch Amanda. Though that's not the danger...

Because once Amanda's skin meets Cancer's, the avatar's eyes glow as her biomanipulative powers can start to work, "You'd look so much prettier without your mouth, darling." And with that, Amanda's mouth seals shut, though... well, at least Cancer's feeling sporting about it, since her nose is still intact, so breathing is not a problem. "Now, are you going to do this the easy way?"

She pauses, then laughs, "Or the /real/ easy way?"

Michael Hannigan has posed:
The bird nods. Determining that Hank must have gotten otherwise engaged by now. "I'll do what I can for the p-" As Amanda is quite literally snatched out from under him, the bird's wings spread, body flipping in the air as the phantasm looks towards the direction of the new voice.

Oh HELL no. Other charges aside, the bird bolts forward in flight towards Cancer. Body twisting for the talons to aim at the exposed part of the face. Take his friend's mouth, he'll take hers.

Hank Pym has posed:
Hank Pym can't do the fast size changes but keeps forgetting that fact. His blast is low and has little effect grazing the arm. Still growing the scientist keeps pulling at Scorpio's talisman. He lashes out with a kick from his small but still growing leg at the avatar's face.

"How do you do. I'm Dr. Henry Jonathon Pym PhD, MS etc. I'll be your Ant-Man tonight and thwarting you!"

Amanda Sefton has posed:
Amanda lets out a yelp as she's yanked up into a giant pincer. She has no chance to say anything else, however, as her mouth is biokinetically sealed. Her nostrils flare and her eyes flash. She flips her rod around in her hands and jams the head against the soft joint of the pincer that holds her aloft. Her eyes glow white with eldritch power. The rod responds, blasting concussive arcane energy into the soft flesh between the hardened shell.

She'll worry about the mouth thing later... though she's effectively lost half her spellworking capability as a result. Being able to speak is important when it comes to certain spells -- mostly the ones that would save her draining her natural energies too quickly, of course.

She just hopes it's enough to make the monstrosity drop her.

Libra flies on over the heads of Aquarius' ragtag army, he snirks. He banks around a corner, tucking his wings tightly as the corridor narrows abruptly. His forward momentum carries him far enough forward that he rolls through the entry into the main exhibit and springs airborn again, hawk eyes scanning the displays for the artifact they seek. He will find it. And he will be the one praised by their master.

Let the others play their games with the heroes. His task is clear.

Scorpio has, it might be noted, a certain insectish nature, herself. Just as a matter of interest to the fellow who calls himself Ant-Man, among other things. Still, she lands on her back and rolls across the floor, still trying to dislodge him. Her head snaps back with his kick, but her eyes glow. She reaches out for him.

If she touches him, she will start draining his life-force. It will hurt. A lot.

Jean Grey has posed:
The good news, the blast from Amanda's rod causes Cancer to drop Amanda before the irked avatar can do something /truly/ horrible, like give the woman a fatal stroke.

The bad news, the blast already seems to be regenerating, as the avatar's flesh appears resilient on a level that certain sniktbubbing mutants might envy. Though she does grin at Mike's charge, "Ooh, you're perfectly BITE SIZED!" With that, her mouth splits into a shark-like maw, expanding in an unreal rate to try and swallow the raven whole, the teeth growing lamprey-like as she shouts to the other avatars, "GET THE ARTIFACT AND KILL THESE INTERLOPERS!"

Michael Hannigan has posed:
The agile bird's flight alters seemingly dancing around the snapping of the giant maw that produces. Awareness of Amanda being dropped is there but he continues on, flapping about.

It's a cute dance. Possibly a bit irritating as he dodges the teeth, talons grabbing on to the chain of the jewelry piece. He veers to the side, yanking with a force not typical to a bird to tug Cancer's arm behind her back hard.

Hank Pym has posed:
Hank Pym grins at Scorpio. "I don't just have an ant to fly on. I have jet boots." The foot he kicked with flares up directing a jet stream at Scorpio's face. It's not burning hot but it's certainly going to interfere with vision and might cause that hand to recoil. Hank keeps grabbing for that damned band. Come on stupid. Nadia would have this band off, analyzed, and hacked by now -magic or not.

Amanda Sefton has posed:
Have you ever stopped to consider just how much a role a mouth plays in breathing during heavy physical activity? Amanda hasn't. Until now.

When Cancer drops her, she curls into a ball and flips in the air before straightening to land on her feet and roll forward with her own momentum. Not so many years ago, she was a top flight trapeze artist. She's still a world-class acrobat.

She regains her feet and lifts her rod again, fires at the crab, fire in her eye. Her nostrils flare and her chest heaves with each breath.

Scorpio's band is solid. It will need to be dragged off the arm -- particularly since these talismans *don't break*. They were god-forged and breaking would defeat their purpose. So, the bigger Hank grows, the more of a target he makes. Scorpio's hand may jerk back to protect her face, but her tail whips forward, aiming to skewer him and begin the mumification minion process.

Meanwhile, Libra finally lands in front of a display that subtly tugs at him. If his beak were more flexible, he'd smile. As it is, his avian cry of victory echoes down the hallways. Guess who found the artifact?

Jean Grey has posed:
Cancer recognizes the cry, then laughs, even as she gets blasted again by Amanda's rod. The chitinous hide seems mostly unfazed, though definitely scorched since this is the outer armor and not the more sensitive flesh. "Darling, I'm going to give you that mouth back, just to hear you scream..."

Then her head /swivels/ around to look at Mike with a wicked smirk, "You're not going to make me eat crow, are you?" With that, she stampedes quickly towards Libra's position, even as inhuman arms grow with unearthly speed out of Cancer's back, hands pivoting to grasp up at Mike as...

Wait, are those fanged mouths in the palms of those hands? Why yes... yes there are.

And they look HUNGRY.

Michael Hannigan has posed:
Crow?

CROW?!

Oh heck no. Corvid or not, the very idea of being mistaken for the smaller cousin of the raven is quite insulting. Or it would be if Mike was actually a raven and not just assuming the form of one.

Now he could GO over the different features of the raven to explain how she COMPLETELY missed the mark on that. But, there is the matter of the mouths coming his way. Okay! Flying the other way now, the chain is let go.

Hank Pym has posed:
Hank Pym grows slowly. To human size, shooting for giant size. He notes the stinger of course. He dealt with scorpions and hates the damned things but, his suit has micromesh steel to protect him from mandibles and stingers. As he gets bigger, Hank gets stronger, till he can pull the band with one hand and aim an energy blast at that damned tail. None of it is the swift, effortless growth and shrinking of the Wasps. Past his prime? Sure. But he has a daughter to live for. That's something new. Before he might give up and consider this a good death, but now? Screw it, he's going to live for her.

Not endangering himself would make him a better role model perhaps but... the girl will already march into Hell for a Heavenly cause. Not dying is the next best thing.

Amanda Sefton has posed:
Amanda, too, recoginzes what that cry must mean. She would swear, but... well... yeah. No mouth. Again, her nostrils flare. She springs, using her acrobatic skill to let her scale to the second floor quickly and efficently -- keeping out of Cancer's way .oO(Verdammtes Bidh.)

She skids to a stop, however, as the people Aquarius lined the hallway move towards her. There are security guards with guns. Their eyes glow green. They raise those guns and start firing at her immediately upon seeing her.

She raises her rod and creates a shield that keeps her from being hit, retreating back to the stairs as she does. Could she scream, right now, it would be with pure frustration.

Back in the Antiquities wing, a crackling green and violet portal opens once more. Libra steps through it. Aquarius is not far behind. Cancer will need to be quick to make it before it snaps closed, but that won't likely be a problem.

When the portal does finally close, however, Aquarius' magic fades. The demons dissolve into shadow and the human beings are released from his control. They look around in confusion.

On the main floor, Scorpio is left behind. And as Pym snakes that band from her powerful arm, she collapses... a young woman in goth clothing who can't be more than twenty. Unconscious.

Her mummies stop abruptly and then collapse, nothing more than dissicated corpses. Two men gone.

Jean Grey has posed:
Cancer cackles, "Don't worry darling, when we complete our plans, I'll give you that mouth back!" Her eyes glimmer with merry wickedness as she launches herself through the portal before it closes, the portal slamming shut behind her as she blows a taunting kiss to Amanda as she goes.

Hank Pym has posed:
Hank Pym should feel worse about the two people who died. he's still on the high of cheating the Reaper. Every costumed type gets it. Everyone lies about it. He stands shakily, checks to see the goth girl is breathing then goes as quickly as he can in the direction of the Antiquities. Again pain in his limbs, his chest.

Wen he gets there and spots Amanda, he feels like screaming himself.

He doesn't, but the concern, the sympathy is evident in his eyes as he removes his helmet to take a closer look. Is it a covering? Is it reshaped flesh? How deep, can it be corrected surgically. He head tilts and moves for a closer look, his own pain forgotten. The dead people are forgotten for the moment. You tend to the living first.