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Michale CS

Ignorance of grammar is not an excuse.
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Posting Speed
  1. Multiple posts per day
  2. 1-3 posts per day
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Evenings, Pacific Time
Writing Levels
  1. Intermediate
  2. Adept
  3. Advanced
  4. Prestige
  5. Adaptable
Preferred Character Gender
  1. Male
  2. Female
  3. Primarily Prefer Female
Genres
Urban Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Modern, Horror, Magical... pretty flexible.
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"Gotham City. Since everything changed, it went from being just another crime-infested pit of a city to being the capital of New Jersey - and still crime-infested. Only difference now, is some people get paid by the government to add to that infestation. Politicians. People who think that because people punched a piece of paper saying, I think you're right for this job, that gives them the right to do whatever it is they want, as long as their adoring public never finds out about it. Sometimes even after."

slums.jpg

"Not that Gotham doesn't still have it's share of trashy, slum-ridden neighborhoods. It does, even with that fancy new monorail zipping all around town like some demented theme park ride. I gotta admit though, a lot harder to dispose of a body via train 'accident' when you have to get 30 feet up in the air to do it. These are the neighborhoods that I cover. For some reason, I, and a select few other people, lucky or not, can remember how things were before. There were no Avengers, no SHIELD, no Daily Bugle or Spiderman. Or... and this is going to sound crazy, but there's these turtle guys who live in the sewers across the river. I swear, I saw one. Wearing a mask. Isn't that rich? As if a little swath of cloth across your face was going to hide you were some sort of mutant half human half turtle. People here, they need answers. Thankfully, I can answer them. Who am I? They call me..."

latest

"The Question."

[[ OOC - This will serve as the freeplay thread for Gotham City for members of the Epic Crossover clan. Interested in playing here? Join!

POST ANY AND ALL POSTS RELATED TO THE MOB WAR IN THE BODY PARTS THREAD NOT HERE ]]
 
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Raven turned hearing the sudden blast. She looked around and heard them as the fight definitely took a turn for the worst. "Ma'am I'm sorry but that's murder even if he's your husband." She stated in monotone. Raven knew reasoning with family never went well but it was worth a shot. Her hands soon glowed a black aura as if for a precaution to save her grandfather. "Which punishment is life in prison if that's a good enough reason." She wasn't sure really what to comment or what her mother might say. There was many things she could think of to say but most of them wouldn't be saving her grandfather's life more than likely killing both her grandparents instead if she really shared her thoughts and emotion on the situation.
"...eh." She looked over at the woman. Sure she had powers now. But this woman looked like she'd had powers for a long time and wasn't even telling her to stop, technically, just saying what her punishment would be. Which told her that she was entirely unphased by the fact she'd just caved in a whole wall of her now twice-broken home.

She leaned in close to her cowering spouse. "I only married you because you had money. Then you started working for Thorne. How you get your money disgusts me. He doesn't even have you on his rolls full time, because if he did, you wouldn't have time for your stupid, drunken binges and nearly pimping me out to your buddies. You never respected me, and you know what? I never respected you. You're a bully, and a coward, and..."

She walked over to where one of her husband's drunken buddies was just coming around and smiled. "...my husband's dick can fit, fully erect inside of an empty toilet paper roll. Big man has a little boy dick."

The woman, satisfied in her verbal punishment of her soon to be ex-husband, walked over to Raven. "You know of a women's shelter nearby? Cause I sure can't stay here. I'm Debrah Connors, by the way, lady." She turned to bark at her husband once more. "Paul Murphy, this woman just saved your fool life."

@Raven
 
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"...eh." She looked over at the woman. Sure she had powers now. But this woman looked like she'd had powers for a long time and wasn't even telling her to stop, technically, just saying what her punishment would be. Which told her that she was entirely unphased by the fact she'd just caved in a whole wall of her now twice-broken home.

She leaned in close to her cowering spouse. "I only married you because you had money. Then you started working for Thorne. How you get your money disgusts me. He doesn't even have you on his rolls full time, because if he did, you wouldn't have time for your stupid, drunken binges and nearly pimping me out to your buddies. You never respected me, and you know what? I never respected you. You're a bully, and a coward, and..."

She walked over to where one of her husband's drunken buddies was just coming around and smiled. "...my husband's dick can fit, fully erect inside of an empty toilet paper roll. Big man has a little boy dick."

The woman, satisfied in her verbal punishment of her soon to be ex-husband, walked over to Raven. "You know of a women's shelter nearby? Cause I sure can't stay here. I'm Debrah Connors, by the way, lady." She turned to bark at her husband once more. "Paul Murphy, this woman just saved your fool life."

@Raven

Raven hearing the woman was silent and waited she said nothing knowing all she had found on the two's past. Well or at least she thought hearing how the man's name wasn't Roth in anyway she stared a moment. Before answering she allowed her hands to stop their glow. "Um yes I would be passing it on my way to help a friend." She replied resting all her thoughts to ask about the Roths her mind trying to recall about if perhaps Roth was also to hide who her mother was. Raven glanced at the man who the woman had been talking to. Yet she said nothing toward him. "I could escort you um their if you like and make sure they'll do their job." Raven added knowing how sometimes those kind of places weren't the safest or did exactly as they were described to.

@Michale CS
 
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"Donc, c'est la grande ville américaine."

rvLNc0x.png


She was not impressed. The trashy littering despoiling the streets, the more vile of its citizenry walking the streets. Even the air itself felt...wrong. Smoky and harsh. Why Outlaw saw fit to suggest this city as one of the ones she should check out was beyond--

"Because he knowssssssssss."

She scowled, looking over her shoulder at the blade. "Could I not go five minutes without your incessant hissing? Merde."

"This city is one rife with crime, corruption and confusion. Many of its denizens would not be missed. The full power of the blade can not be unlocked without blood price."

"No."

"But--"

"J'ai dit non."
 
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"I could escort you um their if you like and make sure they'll do their job." Raven added knowing how sometimes those kind of places weren't the safest or did exactly as they were described to.
"I guess... if things get rough, I guess I could get rough too, though." The glow around her arm faded and she fell in line to follow Raven. "Uh... you been... well, like that... long? Does it get easier?"

Sirens. GCPD would be here shortly. Leave the scene or stay?

@Raven
 
"I guess... if things get rough, I guess I could get rough too, though." The glow around her arm faded and she fell in line to follow Raven. "Uh... you been... well, like that... long? Does it get easier?"

Sirens. GCPD would be here shortly. Leave the scene or stay?

@Raven
Raven heard the woman's question. "No I'm afraid it doesn't..." She replied a bit quietly. "But that can depend on what activates your powers..." She added knowing it seemed for some of her friends it had gotten easier for them to use their powers. Her it seemed to become harder to keep them in check. After replying she heard the sirens and turned back to the man and glanced at the woman. "By the sound of that I may have to explain later... But for now. Sir if you wouldn't mind just tell them one of the Teen Titans plans to fix the damages and nothing other than a small incident occurred. If you try to give any different details than that well we may have problems understood?" Raven asked him and waited for his reply before leading the way to the shelter.

@Michale CS
 
Raven heard the woman's question. "No I'm afraid it doesn't..." She replied a bit quietly. "But that can depend on what activates your powers..." She added knowing it seemed for some of her friends it had gotten easier for them to use their powers.
"I see. Well, it is what it is." She replied, sighing.
"By the sound of that I may have to explain later... But for now. Sir if you wouldn't mind just tell them one of the Teen Titans plans to fix the damages and nothing other than a small incident occurred. If you try to give any different details than that well we may have problems understood?" Raven asked him and waited for his reply before leading the way to the shelter.
"Are you sure that was the best thing to do? My soon to be ex-husband is likely to press charges. He's one of those guys who is sort of... racist against people with powers. He's likely to tell them that you threatened him... we should go back and tell the cops the truth. I didn't hit anyone, I just slugged the wall and it... exploded."

@Raven
 
"I see. Well, it is what it is." She replied, sighing.

"Are you sure that was the best thing to do? My soon to be ex-husband is likely to press charges. He's one of those guys who is sort of... racist against people with powers. He's likely to tell them that you threatened him... we should go back and tell the cops the truth. I didn't hit anyone, I just slugged the wall and it... exploded."

@Raven
As they walked she paused when she some mentioned charges knowing Nightwing wouldn't approve of it. "If your confidence with him telling a lie. Then I dont see why we shouldn't keep the cops straighted out." She replied after a moment in her monotone voice. "I'm just not sure how they would take your explanation or believe me being Gotham isnt always nice to anyone acoiated to Batman." She replied that we the real reason she didn't know about staying. The wall looked more like something she was known to do at that not making the siuation any better.

@Michale CS
 
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"I'm just not sure how they would take your explanation or believe me being Gotham isnt always nice to anyone acoiated to Batman." She replied that we the real reason she didn't know about staying. The wall looked more like something she was known to do at that not making the siuation any better.
"Look I appreciate you trying to keep me out of trouble, but what I did was literally an accident. I don't want to start my life with... abilities with a lie and running from the cops, if it's all the same to you. If you wanna bail I'll explain on my own. But I'm through with backing down. To anyone."

@Raven
 
<----HELLRUNNER---->
The squad car heard by the pair was a block away, when the driver saw a line of fire cross right in front of them. The officer cursed as he came screeching to a stop and back away to avoid the knee-high flames. He got out with pistol drawn, but found the only people around were citizens coming out to investigate the flame trail. And that the air was thick with the stench of the tar melting. He got on his radio only to find the trail had already been called in, and there were cars following it already, so he had to drive through it to his original assignment.

Meanwhile...

Joe saw his target come into view. It was a run-down building that used to be a low-cost apartment complex, but now housed a criminal enterprise he'd been tracing from the West Coast to here in Gotham. His trail would lead GCPD right to it, but he had work to do before they did theirs. With what was left, at least.

He stopped just short of the front door, kicked it open, and stepped into a hallway with a bunch of men coming out of their apartments with guns ready. Their rage melted into terror and confusion when they looked to the front at a leather-clad figure with a flaming skull for a head, and fire coming out of its hands and feet. The jaw opened, and out came a voice that was deep and rumbled like the flames that consumed him. "Tell my friends down below, Hellrunner sent you."

That prompted a barrage of bullets. They only penetrated his clothing and crumpled harmlessly against his body. When the rattling of gunfire stopped, the thugs stood dumbfounded as Joe stood unharmed. He spit out a couple bullets that he'd caught between his teeth. Then he put his flaming fists up. "My turn."

In the next ten minutes, Joe ripped through the apartment complex. The low lives with guns saw flashes of fire before blacking out from a single punch to their gut. The ones without just ran scared. Three floors of goons were down before he found what he had come for in the basement; a stockpile of cheap over-the-counter medicine, empty pill capsules, and printed labels and boxes to package it all as a number of life-saving medicines. Everything one needed to profit from the sick and desperate. And an apartment complex was a good cover. Who would think every tenant was in on such a thing?

By the time GCPD reached the end of his trail, the complex was an inferno and Joe watched from the flat rooftop of another apartment complex nearby. He took out a cellphone taken from one of the goons, and dialed Mr. Red.

"Gotham station is down. I'd say.....eighty percent sent South." He said in his smooth, nonchalant voice as he watched the fire department extinguish his trail on their way to the complex. At this rate there was no saving the building or the thugs he'd left in there unconscious.

"Good. Sit tight and keep a low profile until you hear from me. There might be more operations in Gotham than anywhere." said Mr. Red on the other side of the phone. "And I mean low profile. The guardians of Gotham frown on our approach."

"I'll be on my toes, Mr. Red." Joe ended the call, crushed the phone and burned the pieces into nothing. "Speaking of keeping on my toes..." He looked around Gotham, rubbing his chin. "Wonder where a guy can get a good brew and a hot dance in this city?"


 
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By the time GCPD reached the end of his trail, the complex was an inferno
There was someone else who followed a trail. And not everyone in that building perished.

A few blocks away, in an abandoned building, one very burned but still alive thanks to a little first aid and protection from a gnomex-lined trenchcoat thug sat.

He wasn't terribly comfortable. Being tied to a chair that's not exactly touching the floor tends to do that to someone.

The chair was kicked, and it swirled around. "Stop it... I'm gonna hurl."

"I don't care. What I do care about is... who did this?" The man in the trenchcoat asked. It should also be noted that the man wore a hat and a mask with no face on it.

"I tell ya. I don't know. One of... them. He was like on fire man, his head was a freakin skull!"

Kick. "Wrong answer. That's not his style. Who was it?"

He did throw up then, gasping. "It's the truth! The god's honest truth!"

"So, what else can you tell me? Did he wear a motocycle jacket? Use flaming chains?"

"What? No. Maybe the jacket but this dude his hands were on fire man, and he was strong... scary strong."

"Great. Two of them running around, and one is murderous." He called 911 with the man's phone then looked at the guy, cutting the rope and walking out. "Say anything about me and I'll find you. And trust me, next time... I won't be saving you."


After a short walk away he sighed. "Why do these things end with a Question? Who is this guy? Looks like I've got to call out the muster again..."

@Sir Kaltao @ whomever wants to be a merc/vigilante/hero dragged into this.
 
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"Look I appreciate you trying to keep me out of trouble, but what I did was literally an accident. I don't want to start my life with... abilities with a lie and running from the cops, if it's all the same to you. If you wanna bail I'll explain on my own. But I'm through with backing down. To anyone."

@Raven
Raven gave a simple sigh. "Alright we can wait and I'll let you do what you wish." She replied not seeing a point to argue with the woman grandmother or not. She pulled out her communicator and brought up Nightwing. "Hey let the Bat know I may be a bit late ran into something unexpected I need to deal with." She said to Dicky once his masked face appeared. "Alright Rae" He replied and the connection cut off. She sighed and waited for the cops to show up.

@Michale CS
 
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Grady was still worked up about the attack he managed to stop.
Miss Thorne was not exactly much help, but this much he knew now. Penguin was up to his nose in it somehow.


He was on the border of Thorne territory when he saw the firetrucks speed by. He followed them in curious.

He sent a verbal fed text to April.

Firetrucks heading into Thorne territory, going to check it out. Turn on my tracking unit, just in case. I'll keep you updated. Out.

And then, he saw Question and he quickly stopped the truck and rushed that way.


@Michale CS
 
And then, he saw Question and he quickly stopped the truck and rushed that way.
"You're like... a trouble magnet, Grady." Question started. "Let's get somewhere private and I'll clue you in."

It wasn't long before they were sitting at a place called Sal's Pizza and Bagelry, with coffee and bagels in front of them.
"So, you ever heard of Ghost Rider before, Grady? The Spirit of Vengeance? Well, we got a copycat I think. Cause the Ghost Rider I heard of doesn't burn down drug smugglers' buildings with everyone inside."

@Gands
 
You've got to be kidding me Question ! I just got through being sliced and diced by some pajama wearing Asian guys trying to burn out my dry cleaner.

Now you tell me things are actually going to hell !

Did he leave anything behind to help us track him ?

@Michale CS
 
"You've got to be kidding me Question ! I just got through being sliced and diced by some pajama wearing Asian guys trying to burn out my dry cleaner. Now you tell me things are actually going to hell! Did he leave anything behind to help us track him?"

@Michale CS
"Not unless a fiery trail a quarter mile long is a way to track him. I followed it to the end, but that just means that this homicidal guy with a flaming skull and fists lit his pilot at the end of it. I've never heard of this guy at all, and the one guy I managed to save from the fire was mainly babbling so no, not really. I mean, unless he decided to run a red light before he flamed on, any red light camera pics we get will just have more lens flare than a J.J. Abrams movie." Question responded.

He shrugged and rolled his mask up enough to be able to eat. "One thing we do have going for us. If he's shown up before somewhere, should be easy to find reports of it. And if he shows up again, equally easy to notice. What I do know is that place wasn't even dealing in anything illegal on it's own. It made empty capsules and bottles and packaging. Now, granted they were likely used for... undocumented prescriptions if you follow, but... a standard Spirit of Vengeance would consider that a low priority target. This guy, he has a hate on for drug dealers at a primal level."

@Gands
 
" I've got it, to find him, we need to figure out his target. What or who is connected to this drug lab. I can start asking questions, but this is Thorne's territory and I don't know just how talkative anyone will be".

" More than that, This has just ratcheted up the tension all through the city. It will be perceived perhaps correctly as part of the potential gang war that is revving up".

It's clear that I am worked up. "Question, I spoke with Miss Thorne, she had to be careful talking to me but she did confirm something is up, and Cobblepot is up to his long nose in it ".

@Michale CS
 
" More than that, This has just ratcheted up the tension all through the city. It will be perceived perhaps correctly as part of the potential gang war that is revving up".
"I have a feeling that we've got someone doing the revving. Someone new, or someone old who has fallen off the radar. I'll see what I can dig up. Meloncholy owes me a favor, and she's in good with Thorne. Maybe you or your sister can track the electronic trail. Stuff that was sent to that building that got torched had to come from somewhere." Question shrugged.

"It's not like we have a lot of leads yet. I'll do the legwork as far as priors for this guy. While this could be the first time he's shown up, I wouldn't put money on it. Anyone else you can bring in on this would help too. Maybe that G.I. Jane from last time. I ain't seen hide nor hair from our Nosferatu nor Constantine since that crap at the docks went down."

@Gands @york
 
" You've got a point Q "

(( For the record, it's been a couple of months since Argent and Grady went on a date. She has since been hired by Grady's company and has been training with him in hand to hand styles and tactics. ))

I pull out a phone and send Argent a text.
"" I could use your help, have had some troubles tonight, expecting more. Can you meet me at Sal's Pizza on 5th at Malvern ? ""

Then I call Nosferatu's pager that I gave him, the first time we've used that. This has also been several weeks since that exchange. I give him my number to call.

Sending April an update text.
"" Sending word to Argent and Nosferatu, will be at Sals""

@Michale CS @york @Ringmaster
 
Then I call Nosferatu's pager that I gave him, the first time we've used that. This has also been several weeks since that exchange. I give him my number to call.

Sending April an update text.
"" Sending word to Argent and Nosferatu, will be at Sals""
The outside world was of little interest, to Nosferatu.

The only times he left was to rob blood banks, as well as buy Croc's fish. All in the name of his own security and comfort as he continued to work on his research. Magic, he'd disdain. He had no need nor love of anything with a hidden price and if he was to find a cure, he would do so under his own power. Still....There was obligation in turn.

And he would glance at the pager, suddenly ringing as he answered it and glanced over the message.

Hmm...

Work would have to wait. And with that, he grabbed his costume and slunk out of his lair.

Time to see what was going on.

@Gands @Michale CS @york
 
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(----(Hellrunner)----)
Since his speed was tied in with Amado, Joe had to hoof it all the way to downtown Gotham in keeping with his need to keep a low profile. Which he actually didn't mind. He liked having to slow down and take everything in. Which for this city meant taking in a lot of grime with equal parts glitz as he passed through neighborhoods. He had liked Metropolis and National City, which is why he felt kinda bad messing up their roads while working. Gotham and New York across the river, not so much.

Joe was looking up at the sky, checking out the degree of light pollution, when he saw strands of webs dangling from the sides of buildings, and a lamp post he happened to be standing under. He didn't make the same mistake of trying to touch one this time.

An old man with big glasses took notice of his interest, and said to him "They all got a gimmick. Least this 'Spider-man' brings a better attitude." He laughed and went about his way. Joe watched him turn, and glimpsed the Iceburg Lounge. "Looks like a happening place." He said with a shrug and walked that way.

The bouncer gave him some grief, but a friendly fifty let him in. The instant he walked in, he felt very under-dressed for the place and almost turned back, but remembered he'd paid already. And a waitress passed him with a tray of delicious grilled salmon that got his belly rumbling.

He took a table, ordered the salmon with a nice scotch on rocks, and took out a pack of cigarettes he'd bought on his walk. He put one between his lips, looked around to be sure nobody was watching, and lit it with his thumb. He did his best to smoke, lean back, and enjoy the jazz music playing to appear more sophisticated than the leather jacket and torn jeans would suggest.

@ Michale CS
 
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