The "World of Heroes" DC RPG Season III

[SuperFerret]

OOC: Not a problem. Glad to get away from them crazy power rings.

IC:

The Parasite was roaring in anger. He knew that Superman had grabbed him even with his eyes blindfolded. He could recognize the feel of Kent's energy anywhere.

...

Kent's... energy...

"Time to melt this ice cube around my head."

To Superman's surprise, the yellow blindfold around Rudy's head shattered as two red beams of concentrated heat erupted from the Parasite's eyes. Following up after the heat vision, Rudy broke free from Superman's grip and punched him in the face.

"At last! The main course has arrived!"

Damn it.

I wanted to get into orbit before the fight started, hoping the absolute cold of space would deter him.

I start pummelling him, much more viciously than I ever have before, not making contact for more than a millisecond, trying to maximize my damage whilst minimizing the amount of energy he steals. I doubt this'll work, but maybe I can pull it off.

 

[Red]

X struggled and tried to free himself, and then fell silent as he heard the last of batman’s question.

X staired down at the ground, and his voice lost the anger it had before “We all have a price… The unity can give me what I what, what i need...It can bring them back.”

Cross shaped blades shot out of X’s two fists, and began to spin furiously, as they did they clipped Bruce’s hand, taking his moment X kicked Batman against the wall, and positioned the two spinning blades at his throat

“And I aim to collect.”

 

[Spider-Man9X17]

"Kyle, in order for anyone to see, the light must pass through their eyes where they enter the nerves, and are never absorbed, other than by those nerves. Well, kiddo, that's at least SOME energy that Parasite hasn't absorbed."

I smile at Kyle, and then turn to Parasite, who has been taken by Superman.

"Guess what I'm doing inside his head right now?"

"The inside of your head scares me," Kyle said, looking up at the hole in the top of the Fortress. Kyle felt so helpless. He trusted Hal, but this wasn't making a sense. He watched the fight unfolding beneath them, and Hal was talking about biology. Still though, any plan was better than no plan. And far be it from Hal Jordon to not know what he was doing.

"So what, he can't absorb that energy. What're we gonna do, blind him?"

 

[rex26]

Deathstroke lowered his rifle and stepped back out of the battle scene. He took of running, backtracking through the tesseract to make his way out of there before everything went down.

Slade performed a number of expert aerial maneuvers as he dodged and flipped his way out of this maze. He blew past the alien life forms he had slaughtered and finally made his way to the main door.

"Idiots," he thought to himself. With all the commotion and brawling, they forgot to make sure the door was shut. Deathstroke slipped right out and made his way out into the Arctic cold.

 

[MaskedManJRK]

X struggled and tried to free himself, and then fell silent as he heard the last of batman’s question.

X staired down at the ground, and his voice lost the anger it had before “We all have a price… The unity can give me what I what, what i need...It can bring them back.”

Cross shaped blades shot out of X’s two fists, and began to spin furiously, as they did they clipped Bruce’s hand, taking his moment X kicked Batman against the wall, and positioned the two spinning blades at his throat

“And I aim to collect.”

"I take it you didn't listen to the 'fool me once' part said five seconds ago. So, you do intend on bringing someone back. It doesn't work like that, kid. Trust me, I know." I'm tempted to disarm him now, but if there's going to be a resolution to this, one of us is going to have to stop fighting.

"Would the ones you want to bring back--the one's you LOVE--would they want you to do this?"

 

[batnkevlar]

"The inside of your head scares me," Kyle said, looking up at the hole in the top of the Fortress. Kyle felt so helpless. He trusted Hal, but this wasn't making a sense. He watched the fight unfolding beneath them, and Hal was talking about biology. Still though, any plan was better than no plan. And far be it from Hal Jordon to not know what he was doing.

"So what, he can't absorb that energy. What're we gonna do, blind him?"

I looked at him and smiled. He was good. Provided, I could have ripped open a black hole inside Parasite's cranium, obviously I couldn't cross that line. But Kyle had caught on.

"Ring, initiate Vesuvius. Passcode: Katma"

~Affirmative~

And as I looked up in the sky, I felt the ring ripping away at whatever Parasite used as optic nerves.

 

[The Question]

Well.


Here I am.


Bleeding on the floor of a trans dimensional arctic hide away while an epic battle rages around me, having acomplished nothing in terms of said battle.



Just a day in the life of Charles Victor Szasz.


I try and pick myself up, but my arm goes numb and I collaps all over again.

"Help?"

Suddenly, a golden hovering little robot comes out of somewehere, gracefully dodging the blasts around it, and comes over to me.

"Do you require assistance?"

"Yes."

It helps me up off the ground.

"Come with me."

I follow the robot through the fortress. All the while, we weav to avoid the fight around us. It takes me to a room off to the side of the main hall. Inside, Wonder Woman and the first Flash are lying on tables, still unconscious.

"What happened to them?"

"They were injured in battle by criminal database entry # 6: Raymond Jones A.K.A. 'The Parasite'. Take off your shirt and coat, please."

I do so, and the robot comes over with a tray of medical tools. It begins to inspect my shoulder.

"The bullet is rather deep. I will have to suspend nerve acticity in your arm while I operate. Lie down on the table."

I lie down on the table it motions to, and it comes over with the tools. It pricks my arm, and I loose all feeling in it. It then begins to operate.

"What is your name?"

"What?"

"I find that surgery goes faster when the patient and surgeon engage in conversation. What is your name?"

"Charles, bu...."

"Please, refrain from straining your voice. It is unnecesairy, and can cause long term throat damage."

"Uhh, sorry. As I was saying, my name is Charles. But most people call me Vic. What's your name?"

"My official designate is helper bot # 1. The master is fond of calling me Atticus."

"The master?"

"You may know him as 'Superman'."

"Oh. Him. So, what exactly do you do here?"

"I, aswell as my bretheren, do as the master wishes of me."

"Alright. What do you do in yout off houres?"

"Off houres?"

"When you're not working."

"My bretheren and I are always working. However, when the master is not around, we do find ourselves with little to do. During those periods, I do enjoy accesing the internet for periods of time."

"Really?"

"Yes. I am especially fond of the role playing games. However, I am unable to use the more complex ones due to my lack of funds."

"Well, why don't you ask for a raise?"

"Raise?"

"You know. Ask Superman for more money."

"My bretheren and I are unpaid."

"You're slaves?"

"No. We were created for a function, and carry out said function. We do not receive payment for doing what we were created to do."

"Don't you want something more?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, humans may or may not have been created for a certain function. But if we were, there's no doubt in my mind that we've grown beyond that function. We choose what we want our functions to be."

"You are saying that humans imbue their lives with their own meaning?"

"Yes."

"Interesting. A writer (and a bit of a philosopher) once wrote: 'If nothing we do matters, the only thing that matters is what we do.' I suppose that if one feels that they have no purpose, of feel unhappy with their purpose, then they may create a new purpose for themselves."

"There you...."

"However, I am quite content with my purpose at the moment."

"Whatever suits you."

"But I may speak with the master about a 'raise'."

"You've got to start somewhere."

"I am done."

He bandages my arm, and pricks it again. Feeling returns. I grab my shirt and coat, and put them back on. Atticus leaves, and soon returns with a few guns.

"Take these. You should be safe in here, but if something should do awry, you should have these to defend yourself."

"Thank you."

"You are welcome."

Atticus begins to float towards the door, but I call after him.

"Hey, Atticus, who was the person who wrote that quote?"

"Joss Whedon, I beleive."

He floats out the door, and it closes behind him.


Joss Whedon.


Heh.


I take a chair and sit beside Wonder Woman and The Flash.




"So. Either of you ever hear the one about the two guys who really liked baseball?"

 

[Red]

X fell silent, he pulled the blades away from Batman’s throat.

He heard the sound of two gun shots echo though his mind.

He’s right, what am I doing … I almost became that same monster… that killed them.

As his head arose and he looked over to Batman “Help the others.”

 

[Spike_x1]

The Parasite wiped a smear of dark purple blood from his lips. Not from the punches alone, he winced with pain as he began to feel a small digging in the back of his eyes. "Eh?" Something felt weird about it. He could recognize the taste, almost like recognizing an odor, but he couldn't drain it. It was... a lime taste.

Lantern!

Apparently Wonder Woman's endurance and resistance to injury wasn't enough to prevent Jordan from pulling this trick. But maybe Superman's invulnerability would be...

At speeds of perception stolen from Jay Garrick, Rudy concentrated and began to track Superman's fist as it came at him and caught the punch. He managed to drain just enough energy from Kent to stop the gnawing pain in his eyes before the big blue boyscout managed to break away.

For a moment almost frozen in time, the two opponents floated in front of one another. Finally the Parasite opened his mouth to speak.

"It all comes down to you and me, don't it, Kent? It's always been about us. I'm responsible for Lois' death. You brought the Unity to earth to bring her back. Now, after all the death and destruction, here we are."

A strange expression came over the Parasite's face. Almost grinning, but with a sad look in his shining yellow eyes.

"The Unity was right about us, ya know. We are opposites. We're like fire and ice. North and south. Black and white. Two freaks of nature fighting over the power of the Gods. You're power, actually. You use your power to help people all over the world, while I use your power to do whatever I bloody want. But what happens when both of us use your power for selfish reasons? Who is left to play the hero?"

With that, Rudy Jones charged at Superman with his massive fist ready with a punch.

 

[Red]

X looked over to Batman and nodded, he pulled his cape over his shoulders and approached the mightily sphere’s exit.

As he reached the outside he hiked through the snow to the nearby ledge. The light breeze gently stirred his caped as he stood arms crossed and looked out onto the horizon.

 

[SuperFerret]

The Parasite wiped a smear of dark purple blood from his lips. Not from the punches alone, he winced with pain as he began to feel a small digging in the back of his eyes. "Eh?" Something felt weird about it. He could recognize the taste, almost like recognizing an odor, but he couldn't drain it. It was... a lime taste.

Lantern!

Apparently Wonder Woman's endurance and resistance to injury wasn't enough to prevent Jordan from pulling this trick. But maybe Superman's invulnerability would be...

At speeds of perception stolen from Jay Garrick, Rudy concentrated and began to track Superman's fist as it came at him and caught the punch. He managed to drain just enough energy from Kent to stop the gnawing pain in his eyes before the big blue boyscout managed to break away.

For a moment almost frozen in time, the two opponents floated in front of one another. Finally the Parasite opened his mouth to speak.

"It all comes down to you and me, don't it, Kent? It's always been about us. I'm responsible for Lois' death. You brought the Unity to earth to bring her back. Now, after all the death and destruction, here we are."

A strange expression came over the Parasite's face. Almost grinning, but with a sad look in his shining yellow eyes.

"The Unity was right about us, ya know. We are opposites. We're like fire and ice. North and south. Black and white. Two freaks of nature fighting over the power of the Gods. You're power, actually. You use your power to help people all over the world, while I use your power to do whatever I bloody want. But what happens when both of us use your power for selfish reasons? Who is left to play the hero?"

With that, Rudy Jones charged at Superman with his massive fist ready with a punch.

He hits me across the face with the power of Wonder Woman and the speed of the Flash, but I barely feel it. His words have cut deeper.

"Who is left to play the hero?"

Not me. Ever since Lois died, I hadn't "played hero", I haven't been Superman. I've been Clark Kent, the angry, grieving husband, and look what it's done to the world. Look what I've done to the world.

I want to hit him. I want to turn all of my rage loose on him in one decisive blow. But I won't. That's Clark Kent.

I'm Superman.

"Rudy, stop this madness. We've been through this over and over again. Don't you want to get off this hellish merry-go-round? Talk to me, don't fight with me. We need to discuss the Unity."

 

[MaskedManJRK]

X fell silent, he pulled the blades away from Batman’s throat.

He heard the sound of two gun shots echo though his mind.

He’s right, what am I doing … I almost became that same monster… that killed them.

As his head arose and he looked over to Batman “Help the others.”

X ran out to the exitway after that, seemingly to leave. I was actually kind-of surprised that worked.

I searched the Tesseract, looking at the status of the fight. Superman and Parasite were pummeling each other to the point if I even THOUGHT of heading that way, I'd be bashed to dust.

I walk into the infirmery and find Sage and one of Superman's robots inside. I walk over to them.

"Question," I nodded to Sage and turned to the robot. "Please tell me you're not the jive-speaking one."

 

[The Question]

As Atticus hovers back into the infirmary, Batman walks in.

"Question,"

"Hello."

He turns to Atticus.

"Please tell me you're not the jive-speaking one."

"What?"

 

[Spike_x1]

He hits me across the face with the power of Wonder Woman and the speed of the Flash, but I barely feel it. His words have cut deeper.

"Who is left to play the hero?"

Not me. Ever since Lois died, I hadn't "played hero", I haven't been Superman. I've been Clark Kent, the angry, grieving husband, and look what it's done to the world. Look what I've done to the world.

I want to hit him. I want to turn all of my rage loose on him in one decisive blow. But I won't. That's Clark Kent.

I'm Superman.

"Rudy, stop this madness. We've been through this over and over again. Don't you want to get off this hellish merry-go-round? Talk to me, don't fight with me. We need to discuss the Unity."

A green firecracker went off in the Parasite's brain.

"The Unity? The Unity's saved this world! You're a reporter, Smallville; take a look around you."

Rudy gestured below them, at the swirling clouds of planet earth as it rotated many miles beneath them, its countless cities glittering in the night.

"Do you see any war? Do you see any poverty? Any suffering? Any frowns at all? No. You don't. Unity has brought peace to Earth. Do you truly wish to deprive them of that peace?"

The Parasite's eyes suddenly erupted heatvision in Superman's direction.

 

[MaskedManJRK]

As Atticus hovers back into the infirmary, Batman walks in.

"Hello."

He turns to Atticus.

"What?"

"One of Superman's robots had an...interesting vocabulary, to say the least. Anyway, you look patched up, why are you still here?"

 

[The Question]

"Because the door weighs about 40 tons and we're in the middle of the north pole."

 

[Johnny Blaze]

It took a bit of time, but Garth finally made it back to the Fortress. His breath was clearly visible in the cold, crisp artic air, but his transuit kept him immune to the cold's bite.
Entering the Fortress the way he exited, Garth immediately surveyed the area. There were signs of battle all over the place. As he entered, he passed the bodies of dozens of alien animals who appeared to have been slaughtered visciously. There was no sign of the heroes or the misguided fools who sided with the Unity.
Misguided fools like Garth was. It was all his fault. Imra had tried to save him--she had saved him--but, it had cost her everything. Now, he was out for vengeance. The Unity would pay for what it did to him. For what it was doing to the planet. For what it did to her...Imra.

Garth made his way down the halls, seeing signs of battle every where, but seeing no other living creature. Then he heard voices. He was still too far away to make them out, but he quickly flew down the winding corridors, following the sounds of people talking.

"Please tell me you're not the jive-speaking one."

Coming near the entrance to the room where the unidentified people where in, Garth saw that it was the infirmary.
Well, it must be the good guys, since I don't think the Unity's boys would use the Fortress' hospital, thought Garth.

"What?"

Still, Garth peeked in the room stealthily to be safe. When he saw that it was the Batman and the guy called the Question, he lowered his guard.

"One of Superman's robots had an...interesting vocabulary, to say the least. Anyway, you look patched up, why are you still here?"

"Because the door weighs about 40 tons and we're in the middle of the north pole."

Garth entered the room, reaching into his Legion utility belt as he did.
"These will help against the cold", he said as he tossed a pair of transuits on a nearby table.
"As for the doors, you do know they're unlocked, right?"

 

[The Question]

"......of course I knew that."

I stand up and walk over to the kid.

"But, I'm still not leaving."

I look out the door with my back to the others.

"I want to see how this ends."

 

[Johnny Blaze]

"......of course I knew that."

I stand up and walk over to the kid.

"But, I'm still not leaving."

I look out the door with my back to the others.

"I want to see how this ends."

Garth stared off at the floor, as if looking through it. He went back to his thoughts of Imra, and how she risked everything for him. He would not let her down. He would see this through to the end as well. No matter what.
"So do I", he said in a far away voice.

 

[The Question]

"Wait."

I go rigged, turn towards the kid, and clutch the gun in my hand tighter.

"Didn't you betray us?"

 

[MaskedManJRK]

"Wait."

I go rigged, turn towards the kid, and clutch the gun in my hand tighter.

"Didn't you betray us?"

"Sage, the half of us that DIDN'T betray us is currently sitting on his paranoid ass, not doing anything. Would you like to do more than just 'watching how this ends?' EIther of you?"

 

[SuperFerret]

A green firecracker went off in the Parasite's brain.

"The Unity? The Unity's saved this world! You're a reporter, Smallville; take a look around you."

Rudy gestured below them, at the swirling clouds of planet earth as it rotated many miles beneath them, its countless cities glittering in the night.

"Do you see any war? Do you see any poverty? Any suffering? Any frowns at all? No. You don't. Unity has brought peace to Earth. Do you truly wish to deprive them of that peace?"

The Parasite's eyes suddenly erupted heatvision in Superman's direction.

"No, Parasite, I don't see any war. Nor do I see suffering or poverty. And you know what else I don't see? Freedom. You know what else is missing? True happiness, not this artificial kind the Unity has forced upon them."

"Rudy, you said earlier that we were like gods. We're not. It is not our place to make these types of decisions. Humanity must make their own choices, not have those choices made for them. Deep down, you know this. I know you do."

"We've made an awesome team before, you and I. Join me again, this time against the Unity. Please. The world depends on you."

 

[Johnny Blaze]

"Wait."

I go rigged, turn towards the kid, and clutch the gun in my hand tighter.

"Didn't you betray us?"

"Sage, the half of us that DIDN'T betray us is currently sitting on his paranoid ass, not doing anything. Would you like to do more than just 'watching how this ends?' Either of you?"

Garth sets his jaw and raises his head. He knew this was coming, and he was not going to shy away from it.
"Yes, I did join the Unity. It messed with my head, showed me images of the "peace" it brought to other worlds. I thought it was a force for good. I was wrong."
Garth felt his eyes watering as he continued, but he remained firm, "And my mistake might have cost the woman I love her very life. She risked everything to save me. She freed me from the Unity's grasp, and I'll be damned if I let her sacrifice be in vain."

Garth wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and turned to the Batman, the tears in his eyes replaced by a look of revenge. Revenge against the Unity and all who defend it.
"And, yes...I would like nothing better than to get back into the fight."

 

[The Question]

"Fine."

I walk over to Batman.

"And you. You want to do something? What? What do you suggest we do. Jones could reduce us to dust with a touch. He could peel the flesh from our bones in a second. He could collaps our skulls in with a flick of his finfer. The two of us, we're anti social crackpost who can fight well. So tell me. What exactly do you expect us to do?"

 

[Spike_x1]

"No, Parasite, I don't see any war. Nor do I see suffering or poverty. And you know what else I don't see? Freedom. You know what else is missing? True happiness, not this artificial kind the Unity has forced upon them."

"Rudy, you said earlier that we were like gods. We're not. It is not our place to make these types of decisions. Humanity must make their own choices, not have those choices made for them. Deep down, you know this. I know you do."

"We've made an awesome team before, you and I. Join me again, this time against the Unity. Please. The world depends on you."

The Parasite stopped firing heatvision to think. Something was wrong.

"I-I-I can't think... Unity? Are you in my head?"

Then it dawned on Rudy Jones- The Unity was always in his mind. Ever since the Parasite was first recruited into the rogue faction of the Suicide Squad, the Unity was there. Pushing him. Pulling just the right strings so that Rudy wouldn't notice. The Unity lied to him. It told him that his choices were his own. But then the Parasite remembered something else that the Unity had once told him; the power of the Speed Force could free his mind. As the Parasite remembered the information, he also prayed that it wasn't just another lie. Rudy Jones clutched his head in pain as the Unity caught on to what he was trying to do and punished him.

"Get out."

"GET OUT!"