groovygamers.com

The final bell is like a signal to release to dogs of war.  The main doors burst open only seconds after it rings and bodies begin to move about in a desperate attempt to escape the institution.  People walk out of prison slower.

Buses load in the loop of the back parking lot, and most students that drive also go out that way.  Those that walk usually take the front door, except for the boys who are going steady with girls that ride the bus, they make the trek all the way to the back in the hopes of getting a kiss before they make their way off campus.

Today's exodus is like pretty much every other.  Most of the Usual Suspects find themselves out back, in the throngs of people.  Some of you are headed to practice, some for their buss, some to catch a ride with Dave.  Lights in the building flicker, and there it the hum if high voltage for a second.  The loud report of the exploding transformer on the corner shocked most people like a gunshot. 

Colin felt his tattoo begin to itch, and his hand was on it's way to scratch it when he realized the implications.

Alicia heard the faint sound of someone saying 'Cooool.' from somewhere upstairs.  Then the sound of electric motors whirring and gears meshing.  Then that same voice yell 'OH SHIT!"

A second later someone comes flying out of a window on the fourth floor.  They sail in a gently downward arc towards the pavement.

OOC: Initiatives please.

{Rhys: 1d20+1=19 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1849308/)}

Sorry, posted here by mistake. See the new guy just f@#$s everything up...

Colin reaches for the cell phone in his pocket. He planned ahead, and he has all the usual suspects on a quick list, to text them all at once. Of course, it would work better if he knew Rhys' number, or if he remembered to give Alicia back the phone Dave gave her. She... distracted him the day before and he forgot. Anyway, Dave, Greg, Rob, Sarah, Sylvia, Donnie, Sammy, John and Jacob all get the same message at once.

Trouble. Parking lot.


Initiative (1d20+1=2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1849315/)

Init (1d20+4=21) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1849410/)

Alicia's reaction is instinctive. If she can get there before the body becomes street pizza, she'll race out of the crowd, use a convenient bench as a launching point to try and catch it in mid-air, and land the two of them on the ground safely. Considering her chances of succeeding in the last one, hopefully there'll be someone to catch her.  ;D

OOC:
Alicia's action

At full out running she'd be at X4 move which would be 120', no obstacle penalties, so she could get there.  She will need to make an Acrobatics roll DC 14 to catch him and another at DC 20 to safely land.  I'm making a presumption no one left to give me an initiative is likely to exceed Alicia's 21.  If anyone does we can adjust the situation depending on success/failure and I will allow last minute retro actions to accommodate any initiative bumping.

[Initiative 19]
Rhys' action.

Acrobatics rolls (1d20+14=15, 1d20+14=25) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1849457/)

Alicia weaves through the crowd, up on the bench, and up into the air, barely intersecting the falling body as it nears the pavement. Using their combined momentum, she spins the two of them so that she catches the brunt of the impact as they bounce off the roof of a parked car and land with a roll on the parking lot.

Rhys hunkers down in the middle of the crowd of randomly milling people, quickly shedding his coat and scarf, hoping to go unnoticed in the general chaos. "Typical day for you guys?" he asks Sammy, grinning like a maniac. He then begins shifting into angel form as he jumps upward, spreading his wings as they form and throwing his bundled-up coat far off to one side where they will be out of the way of the milling crowd. His goal is to reach the window the person was thrown from to investigate the possible cause.

It might be the panic.  It might be that a guy with a fifteen foot wingspan just unfolded them and took flight, but people scatter.

Rhys takes to the air with ease and heads up towards the window, you are easily able to reach it in a move.

OOC: Make a Fate Roll Rhys.

{Fate: 1d20=12 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1849523/)}

It wasn't that he was trying to avoid being noticed - he knew that with this form that would be inevitable - it was that he was trying to prevent anyone from seeing that it was him that changed into it...

Rhys gets some height and can see in the classroom where the kid came from.  The light isn't very good, but he does see a pair of red glowing dots.  And he thinks, maybe, they see him too.

OOC: You have a move action left if you'd like to ...... move.  Or hold it or?

[Initiative 11]
Sammy's Action

For now, he's going to hover outside of the window (and hopefully out of reach of whatever's in there) and see what it's going to do.

Alicia caught the boy and landed safely, so Sammy goes airborne, following Rhys aka Angel Cheeks?  Angel Britches? up to the window.  She sets up a force field just outside the window in the event something or someone else is tossed through.

The red glowing dots shift, and then the sound of whirring motors can be heard by the pair as it moves closer.

(http://www.kfaq.net/marvels/2011/Game/robot.jpg)

Once it steps into the light it's eyes flare up and a sound like the same key being hit repeatedly on a piano can be heard as it fires red beams from it's eyes.


OOC: Sammy needs to make a Toughness Save DC 21 (She rolls 1d20+6)

Rhys' eyebrows shoot up. "Cool," he says, the word sounding odd in that deep voice he has in this form. He pulls his sword and readies to attack. {Next round, of course.}

That's one shape I gotta remember...

Am I tough enough?(1d20+6=17) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1849703/)

Sammy lets out a little shriek as the beams fire in her direction.

The forcefield takes the hits but collapses under the strain, and a fraction of a second later the robot leaps through the hole to the pavement below.

Then the panic really starts.

OOC:
[Initiative 6]
Dinnie's Action
Rhys still has a partial action remaining.

Rhys, after making sure Sammy is okay, drops down behind the robot. "Back here, metalhead." He brings the sword down across the back of its neck, hoping to sever its head.

Attack: 1d20+3=19 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1849749/)

The sword crashes against the robot, and sparks fly.  It spins it's head to look at you.

OOC: Still Donnie's action

Donnie pushes back through the crowd, struggling past panicked students. He reaches out towards the robot, sigils flowing across his hand in the same direction. "Gravity's a bitch."

ooc: Magic Spell: Gravity's a Bitch (Gravity Control) It's a 'general effect' so it should just occur; target gets no saving throw. Effectively the robot becomes 800 lbs heavier.

OOC:

[Initiative 5]
Sylvia's Action

Sylvia gives the metal whatever-it-is a pained look.  Robots.  Well, she can go home.  But first--

Where are you?  Who's steering this Tonka toy?  She takes her time and scans for whatever miscreant is behind this.

Sylvia feels the kid that Alicia caught.  Stupid, stupid, stupid.  No, it's probably perfectly harmless.  Owe, owe, owe.  She gets flashes of it, before they jump started it.  It's a sort of folded up wheel thing.  Then they zap it, and it unfolds and attacks. 

OOC:
[Initiative 2]
Colin's Action

Jakob is a few minutes late leaving school.  He steps outside to the sound of mayhem, takes one look around, drops his backpack, and goes metal.  OOC: His initiative is 14, posted in the Action thread

Ugh, a robot. Uhmm...

Colin looks around, and notices the giant metal form of Jacob.

I wonder if...


He closes his eyes and begins to breathe deeply, slowly, isolating himself by all the chaos around him. He reaches for his connection to the ground, the trees, the wind, the clouds above, and asks for their energy. When he feels it start to flow in his body, he opens his eyes, and walks towards Jacob. He tries to concentrate the flow in his arms, then his hands, then his fingertips. When he reaches his friend, he touches him, and gives it to him. Jacob is already tough, but a little extra can't help. He asks the spirits to make him faster and stronger, and with his glowing fingers he scribbles an arcane symbol on Jacob's arm so that it might strike true.

"Go and stop it." he says to his friend.

Jakob 'feels' Colin's finger trace the mark, and it glows a soft pale color and then fades, but the feeling of it being there remains.

OOC:
[End of Round 1]
[Beginning of Round 2]
All Actions get a Bonus of +1 (except Toughness/Damage Saves)

The robot has leapt from the window and landed.  People were knocked down and are trying to get away from it.  Rhys has drawn it's attention by using it as a gong.  Everyone who can see the area sees peoplebeing swept out of harms way by a blue blur.

OOC:
[Initiative 21]
Alicia's Action

OOC: Does Alicia see Jakob change and move into combat? If so, could she use her Acrobatic Bluff feat to hopefully distract the robot so that it's flat-footed against Jakob's attack? ZOMG, teamwork? Who'd'a thunk?  ;)

OOC: he does see that.  You could do that.  Move action to get there and then the maneuver.  Make any necessary rolls.

Alicia functions entirely on instinct. Later, her mind will be suitably flabbergasted. What the...? A robot? And... an angel fighting it? Is someone spiking the water in this school?

But for now, it's all reaction. She sees Jakob's shiny body moving up to the mechanical monster, and the plan springs full-grown before her eyes.

Rising without effort from the ground, she speeds to the robot and proceeds to weave a path around it, shouting, "Hey! Tik-Tok Man! Want a piece of me? Yo' mama was a toaster!"

OOC: Acrobatics Bluff (1d20+14=20) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1850092/)  According to the rules, if successful, the robot will lose its dodge bonus against my attack. What I'm going for is that it will lose it against Jakob's attack. Go Jakob! And frack! I probably can't go Total Defense since I've done both a move and a standard action! Hopefully this won't hurt... too much.

Alicia slips through the masses of frightened students, onto the park bench, into the air, off the side of the bus and lands on the robot's shoulders for only a second before she's off into a roll and landing on the awning over the doors, facing back towards the machine in a squat.


OOC:
Correct, no Total Defense for you.

[Initiative 19]
Rhys' Action

Need a rules clarification.  Does it explicitly say that the target looses it's dodge bonus for the whole round?  I have the feeling it's until the next action of the person that used the maneuver so they can take advantage of it.  Until we know otherwise (and maybe even after that) the robot will have no dodge bonus until AFTER Alicia's next action.

OOC: According to the book, it just says the target loses its dodge bonus against her next attack. So I guess normally it would still have its dodge bonus against anyone else. My goal was to have Jakob be the recipient of the bonus, rather than Alicia. And yes, I have a copy of the rulebook here at work with me. What's your point? ;)

OOC: In the spirit of teamwork I'm sticking with my ruling. 

"Okay, let's try hitting a little harder, then," says Rhys as he shifts one rank of Flying (2pp) into two more ranks of Damage (2pp - bringing his damage total to +8).

{Attack: 1d20+3=6 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1850162/). Or not...}

Rhys pulls back and swings again, The robot had been looking at him, and then up at Alicia.  The blade connected and more sparks fly, a chunk of it's armored casing coming loose from the blow.

OOC:
[Initiative 14]
Jakob's action.

[Jeff asked me to post and roll on his behalf.]

Jakob, a gleaming, looming wall of metal, charges into the fray and tries to wallop the other gleaming, looming wall of metal in the jaw as if it were a barnyard brawl.

[Invisible Castle seems to be down.  He has an Attack (Unarmed) + 5.  If you have a die to roll, please do so.  If you don't, I'm rolling and get . . .

(19) + 5 = 24]

Jakob lays into the robot with a blow that sends it flying several yards, crashing into a hedge and knocking down some light posts.  The sound is like a gun shot heard from a distance, a long ringing in the ears afterward.  The machine's outer shell is buckled where Jakob struck it, and it begins to make itself upright by a series of motions that prove it's joints are not as limited as those of a human body.

OOC:
[Initiative 11]
Sammy's Action

"Lasers and bearings and gears, oh my!"  Sammy decides to gum up the works, make it impossible for the lasers to work, and jam up all the joints so the dang thing can't move easily.  She sets up a whirling vortex of wind immediately around the robot, sucking up dust and small debris, grinding it into the mechanical monster's joints and blinding it's "eyes" (or at the very least scratching up the lenses).  "What's that? Oh!  Oy-ill can!  Oil can!" she croaks mockingly.  Or crows, depending on your perspective.

(OOC: roll for me, please?)

A whirlwind of dirt and debris begins to rise up around the machine, and a grinding sound can be heard as it works it's way upright.  It's moving with far less fluidity than it did when it leaped from the window, the whir of motors now the churning and grinding of motors as it begins to move toward Jakob at a shuffle.  Openings in it's plating letting the dirt find it's way inside.  It leaves deep footprints in the soil as it moves, finally stepping onto pavement with a clank of metal on the cement.  Each step it seems to move more slowly.  It's eyes flare bright red and it's head begins to spin, unleashing a barrage of beams into the area.

OOC:
All the players need to make a Damage Save DC 18 except Jakob.  Sammy did not specifically say she put her force field back up after the robot popped it, if I'm mistaken let me know and if she did then she is also immune to the damage from the eye beams.

Remember the Bonus of +1 for this round DOES NOT apply to Damage saves.

[Initiative 6]
Donnie's Action

{Save: 1d20+5=19 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1850283/)}

OOC: Yikes! Cat on a hot tin roof! Damage Save (1d20+4=11) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1850286/)

Wait! Alicia has the Evasion feat, which allows her to avoid area effect attacks. Does the robot's attack qualify?

{OOC: Nope, Sammy's driver forgot.  Oh well.}  Ow! That's gonna hurt! (1d20=8) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1850278/)

The spirit is willing; the flesh is weak. (1d20=1) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1850294/)

Frickin Laser Beams! (1d20+3=7) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1850305/)

Donnie is struck by one of the red beams and spins with the force of the blow. He tumbles back, bouncing across the green sward and the sidewalk. He shakily pushes himself to his knees, head down. The sigils are gone from his hand, which he raises in front of him. Uther shimmers into existance and roars a challange at the mechanical man.

ooc: Failed by 11= Staggered and Stunned. Does his stunned condition at the beginning of the round make him lose the Gravity's a Bitch Spell? I assume so. If not I ill edit to reflect the spell still in place. Recover from Stun condition automatically since it is Donnie's turn, but still staggered. Single action: Summon Minion to call Uther.

The beams flare out in all directions and several people are struck by them.  Rhys is hit but remains standing.  Alicia seems to bend in an almost inhuman way to shift her body out of the way, twisting and bending to avoid several beams.  Sammy, Sylvia, and Donnie are struck and go down.  Donnie staggers up to his knees and summons Uther, the dragon's roar shaking the pavement and blowing out a few windows.  There are screams from nearby as other people are struck and fall.

The whirlwind around the robot subsides as Sammy falls, her power slipping away from her as she sees stars and heads towards the pavement.

Sylvia feels the burn as several of the robots eye beams find her.  It's a searing hot pain that drives her to the ground with a shriek.  Unconscious and maybe worse.

OOC:
Alicia has the option to spend a hero point and loose her next regular action to catch Sammy before she hits the pavement.  Rhys and Jakob can't see her falling at this point so are not eligible, but Alicia is on the awning and has a chance.  This will require an acrobatics roll of DC 12 to make the catch and another of DC 16 to land without hurting either of you.  Or you can let her fall.  Your choice.

The robot is now 800 pounds lighter since the spell did fail. 

[Initiative 5]
Sylvia tries not to die.

[Initiative 2]
Colin's Action

OOC: As if. Consider a Hero point spent, assuming sh eactually has one. Acrobatics (1d20+14=31, 1d20+14=20) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1850427/)

Alicia yowls as the beams criss-cross around her writhing body. She sees Sammy begin her fall and screams, "No!"

Using the awning as a springboard, she leaps over to a lamppost, swings around to get some speed, then arrows straight to Sammy and catches her in mid-air. Once again, she uses the combined momentum to spin herself and land on her feet, her friend's body cradled in her arms.

She gently places her burden on the ground, breathing heavily from the exertion.

Toughness save (1d20+3=20) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1850477/)

Colin instinctively crosses his arms in front of his face, unable to think of anything to defend himself fast enough. A symbol on his left arm has a sudden flare, though, and a couple of giant black wings flicker into existence for an instant, wrapped around the boy, and harmlessly deflect the ray.

Colin looks around in surprise so he notices the unconscious body of Sylvia lying on the pavement. He runs at her side, lifts her with some difficulty in his arms, and tries to get her to cover.

"Jacob!" he shouts over his shoulder "Its eyes! Try to smash its eyes!!"

Once they're behind the safest cover he can find, he examines Sylvia's wounds.

Jakob nods his acknowledgment as he prepares to engage the laser-armed robot, waiting for the opportune moment to strike.  He tries to block out what he's seen of his injured friends and concentrate on the task at hand.

Colin ha moved Sylvia to safety, and Alicia has caught a falling Sammy.  The robot's head has stopped spinning and it's sizing Uther, Jakob and Rhys up.

Colin looks Sylvia over.  She's got a few serious burns from where the beams penetrated her body.  He can also hear the moans of the others who have been hit and are laying around.

OOC:

[Initiative 21]
Alicia dropped her action to effect the Sammy catch

[Initiative 19]
Rhys' Action

Rhys hears Colin's cry and tries to smash the robot's head in.

{Attack: 1d20+3=23 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1850508/) Rock!}

Rhys delivers a massive blow to the robot's head, and the light show of sparks is spectacular.  The resounding clang leaved a dent, but doesn't seem to do any significant damage to the machine.

OOC:
[Initiative 14]
Jakob's Action

I need a Notice check from Colin,Alicia, Donnie, Rhys, and Jakob.  Just put the notice in with your next posts.

Uther will share his initiative with Donnie until the end of the turn and then can roll his own initiative unless there is a specific rule about the initiative of summoned buddies.

OOC: I'll be AFK for 3 hours or so, so I'll go ahead and do my roll now. Notice (1d20+10=28) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1850618/)

Notice Roll - 1d20+9=12

Jakob rears back and throws a huge punch at the robot's head, jumping into the punch if needed to reach it's eyes.

Attack Roll 1d20+5=20

Jakob moves with remarkable agility for a man made of solid steel.  Two steps and a hop and his fist connects with the machine's head, throwing sparks and shattered glass in all directions.  The robot staggers back a step, almost loosing it's balance, then catches itself in a precarious balance.

[Initiative 11]
Sammy shakes of the daze and finds herself not road pizza as she feared when she felt her focus slip.

[Initiative 6]
Donnie's Action

"I said DOWN, muther**cker!"  Donnie clenches his fist from his kneeling position as Uther charges. Light flares from his hand and once again the robot is 800 lbs heavier. Then a ton of angry dragon slams into the mechanical killer, fury making Uther's eyes look like flickering emerald flame.

Uther SMASH puny metal man! (1d20+3=22) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1850787/)

ooc: Strike: Damage is +5 (DC 20)

Donnie's bleary focus is solely for the robot. Notice Check (1d20+3=6) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1850802/)

Uther slams into the robot and sends it crashing into the brick front of the building, leaving a dent in the stonework.  More of it's armor plating is ruptured and bent, and it begins to peel itself from the wall.

[Initiative 5]
Sylvia looks down and sees Colin holding her wounded body.  The world is a bit pale, all the colors washed out and the light a soft blue.

[Initiative 2]
Colin's Action

Um... could we be more specific here?   :scared:  (Just kidding, big guy)

lol. Uther knows better.



I think.

Uh-huh. Yeah, right. I just wish the damn lizard would stop looking at me like I'm his next entree. I'd make sure to cause him excrutiating rectal distress.

 ;) ;D

OOC: TMI!!!

IC: Sarah closes the door to the fridge at her house.  She was starving!  Sandwich materials and the Edy's ice cream lined the counter.  She bopped around to the music on the radio turned up loud because no one else was home.  Her backpack with her books and cell were draped over the chair.  She'd catch up with Colin after a snack.  "If he asks me out for dinner or something I can act all dainty!  Oh no Colin, thanks, I'll just have the salad."  With a snort she plops two scoops of Strawberry in a bowl and finishes up the pastrami sandwich.  The lettuce, tomato, cheese and meat all tucked back away she closes up the fridge. 

She plunks her treasure down at the table and starts munching.  The blinking red light on her phone next to her goes unanswered.  The world could survive for ten minutes while the Amazing Sarah scarfed some calories. 

"Get back here, you silly girl." Colin says, gently caressing her face. His voice sounds desperate for a moment, then he swallows and concentrates. His fear won't help her. He's got to be strong for her. He closes his eyes, and focuses on their constant bickering, which is their way to balance each other, and keep them from going too crazy in a world that keeps getting crazier each day. He focuses on the best part of her, the part that keeps her a good person despite having to swim through the dirtiest side of the world every day, and channels his friendship and his never admitted admiration into her, hoping it'll open the door for the spirits to do their healing work. There is much healing to do, he hears the laments all around him.

These people are innocent. Please let me help them. he asks the spirits, laying his hands on Sylvia's burns.

He open his eyes, praying his powers to work, no matter the cost to himself.

Notice check (1d20+12=21) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1851468/)

The overcast of a January day begins to part and shafts of sunlight make their way to the world.  Motes of dust swim in them giving them an erie impression of individuality in the chill air.  The shafts find their way to people, easing their pain, slowing their decent into oblivion.  Help from the mortal world is on the way, the world just needs to give it time to get there.  Colin's ghost site sees the silver thread, running from Sylvia's body, to the pale shimmering Sylvia standing nearby, and she's looking around.  She's not a ghost, they have a solidity to Colin that she lacks.  It's almost as though her aura has taken a step outside her body.

Sylvia sees Colin looking at her.  She can see the world around her, slightly out of focus.  Everything has a shadow made of light, and she can't hear the thoughts of the people around her.  Then she looses her balance, falling forward into herself.

Sylvia's eyes snap open.  She feels like she's had hot pokers run through her shoulder, stomach, and chest.  And Colin is holding her.

Sylvia sees John over Colin's shoulder.  "How is she?"  She can feel the palpable concern from him, rolling off like waves hitting the ocean.

[Initiative 21]
Alicia's Action

Alicia is crouched over Sammy, a snarl twisting her mouth as she looks at the battle.

As soon as she hears Sammy coming out of her daze, she looks down, concern written plainly on her face. "You all right?"

Unless Sammy looks to be in any distress, Alicia tells her, "Just stay here." The snarl is back. "I have to go kick some can."

With an inarticulate cry, she's off like a shot.

OOC: Full move at the robot. Assuming she has enough to get there in a single move action, she'll use her standard action to trip the tin can as it's trying to stand up. For those without the book at hand, that involves an attack action. If successful, I make a Dexterity check opposed by the robot's Strength, Dexterity or Acrobatics check (whichever is better). If I beat that, the robot is down, -4 to melee attack rolls, -4 Defense against attacks from adjacent opponents (that being Jakob and Uther) but +4 Defense against ranged attacks for being prone. If not, the robot can trip me without having to do an attack roll.

OOC: And you didn't include an attack roll and Dex roll because.......

OOC: I didn't want to presume that it was a done deal without your say-so. ;)

Attack (1d20 4=14) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1851566/)

Dex (1d20 4=16) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1851568/)

Happy? ;D

Alicia moves in, dropping into a fluid slide and throwing a leg sweep against the robot.  It's precarious balance tilted it ells over backwards, arching it's back until it's hands hit the ground.

OOC: Partial success (for assorted reasons) Rhys and Jacob will be at +2 to hit with melee attacks.  Sammy will be at -2 to hit with a ranged attack.  It will recover before Uther/Donnie act so the penalties/bonuses wont apply after Initiative 10

[Initiative 19]
Rhys' Action

"Nice one, Alicia!" cries Rhys as he brings his sword down once more.

{Attack: 1d20+5=18 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1851604/), and if we still get the +1, that makes it a 19}

Rhys brings his sword down on the midsection of the machine, arched back, gleaming in the light of the sun it's a choice target.  The blade clashes with the robot's shell, and sparks fly.  There is a hiss, and a geyser of hot fluid goes shooting upwards.  The robot quivers, it's joints still grinding sand, and it collapses in the middle, looking somewhat like the letter M.  The hissing continues for a minute, and then stops.  the robot is still.

[END COMBAT]

You can hear the faint wail of sirens as police and emergency services approaches.

{Sorry, I missed the notice roll. If you still need it: Notice: 1d20=9 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1851652/)}

Rhys looks down at the twisted hunk of metal and wonders where it came from. Looking back up at the window from which the student was ejected, he decides to see if that will offer up any clues.

He turns to Alicia. "I'm going to check out that room it came from. Care to join me?" He holds out his hand.

Alicia looks up in consternation for a moment. The angel knows my name? Should I be worried?"

She jumps up and inspects the fallen robot. She addresses the winged man. "Nice shot, ah... whoever you are. I'm assuming you're one of the good guys?" Dios! He's practically naked! Damn, he's hot!

She hopes she can blame the exertion of combat for the blush blooming on her cheeks.

OOC: Heh. The perils of cross-posting.  ;D


Alicia stands dumbfounded for a second. "Um, " she ripostes intelligently.

She shakes her head. Focus, girl! Focus!

"Ah, the guy I grabbed seemed to have something to do with it. At least I heard him just before the s**t... er, I mean, stuff started happening."

Donnie is still on one hand and knees, fist upraised and clenched. Unreadable sigils written in golden light continue to drip off his clenched fist. Uther paces back and forth between Donnie and the collapsed robot, eyes glowing angrily.

The ground beneath the robot continues to buckle, cement cracking as Donnie piles on the gravity.

Head down, he seems unaware that the battle is over. In a daze of concentration and effort, he distractedly watches the blood drip from the burn across his cheek, it's cauterization broken open by the tumble across the concrete sidewalk.

The pain is so intense that Sylvia can't speak, and the fresh onslaught of it squeezes a keening whimper from her--like a scream when the screamer can't pause to draw breath.

He leans in and, in a quiet but unrecognizable voice, replies "It's me, Rhys. I'm a shapeshifter and this is one of the shapes I've been practicing. I call it my 'Angel-form.' What do you think?"


"Do you want to check him out while I head up to the classroom?"

Alicia gives an almost inaudible squeak, "Ree-is?"

Clearing her throat, she attempts to pass off her discomfort with humor. "Nice. Is it anatomically correct?"

She snaps her jaw shut. Mouth! You're supposed to clear all statements with the brain before releasing them! Didn't you read the memo?

The blush is unmistakeable now.


"Y-yeah, sounds like a plan. I'll check yo... I mean him out while you do the classroom." She stands there with a fixed smile, furiously concentrating on looking at his eyes.

He leans in closer and his voice drops another notch. "Maybe we can arrange for you to find out some time..."

And before she has a chance to react, his wings beat and he's flying back up to the open window.

"Not well. And neither is several of the people that way." Colin's voice seems strained, as if the effort of being a conduit for spiritual energy was taxing on him. "I'm trying to keep them here, but if help doesn't arrive soon they'll start slipping again. Can you get the paramedics here as soon as possible?"

Meanwhile Sylvia feel his hand throbbing to the pace of his heart, and sipping the pain out of her body into his. That, even more than his mind, seems to tell her Hey, I'm here with you. Don't worry, it's over. Now we'll patch you up.

OOC: what did we notice with our notice check?

Alicia does hesitate to watch him as he flies away. Dayum! What is it about fighting that gets me horny?

The sound of cement being crushed next to her draws her out of her reverie. She looks around and sees Donnie on the ground and out of it. She raises an eyebrow and heads in that direction.

OOC: Does Uther block her way?

"The paramedics will be here in a minute.  Does she need to get to the hospital?"

OOC: The notice roll is no longer relevant.  It had to do with leaking diesel fuel, but with the robot out of commission it's not an issue.

"John, you're the one who studies medicine. I only know she doesn't feel well at all. Yes, I think she should go to the hospital."

Sammy sees Sylvia on the ground with Colin and John huddled over her, and drags her sorry butt over there.  "Oh, god, Sylvia!"  Her eyes well up with tears.  "Is she d-?  No.  No!  She's breathing.  Oxygen.  I'll give her some air."  Sammy guides some sweet, clean, oxygen-rich air past Sylvia's nose and mouth, pushing it a little if necessary to make sure Sylvia breathes in the good stuff.  As she does, she says to Colin, "I don't know if it really helps or not, but I want to believe that our tattoos somehow link you and me.  If you need more power to help her, to help -- oh god, look at all of them, who did this? --  just take it. It's yours."  Then her attention turns back to Sylvia and the tears flow freely.  "Sylvia?  Dammit, I owe you an apology, or at least an explanation, and you need to stick around to hear it so I don't spend the rest of my life feeling like a jerk.  Do you hear me?  Be okay, Sylvia.  Please be okay."  A nervous, very unhappy giggle -- or is it a choking sound? -- escapes her.  "Somebody make a wish where I can hear it.  Wish for her, for all of them to get better.  Maybe it'll work.  And somebody call her moms."

As Alicia approaches Donnie, she hears the commotion over by Sylvia and hesitates, biting her lip in indecision.

No. Sylvia has her friends there, helping her out. No one's paying attention to Donnie.

Her mind made up, she continues on. Although I am sooo not the person to do this.

Three feet away from Donnie, she stops and squats, bringing her head down to his level.

She says softly, "Hey, Don, chill out, man. The fight's over. It's dead. You can relax now."

Uther's replitian gaze focuses on her for a moment before passing on. He keeps looking for possible threats, and it seems that Alicia is not considered a danger to Donnie at the moment. Perhaps because of the lack of glowing red eyes and metallic parts.
Uther moves of her way to let the teenager pass.

His voice rumbles, a mix of the deep sonorous voice that greeted her the other night and a growl.

"Master Donald, Mistress Alicia is here. The foe has been brought low."

Donnie raises his head, cheek awash with blood and hair burnt away in a strip along side his head. "A-Alicia?"

His clenched fist drops, and the golden symbols slither off his hand and into the ground. A short distance away, the tortured ground gives a groan as the remains of the robot cease their crushing force.

Donnie seems utterly out of it.

Sylvia slides between altered states, flickering between moments of wakeful agony and the dull, delirious wash of unconsciousness.  Colin's ministrations help with the worst, searing edge of pain, but whatever he's done keeps her from achieving escape velocity.  She had clarity and detachment, and now she's stuck in the mire of her flesh like every other human being on the planet.

Still, she can remember what she saw.  Donnie.  The words aren't coming out of her mouth.  She's not even sure they're coming out telepathically.

Sammy wonders where Donnie is.  She would have thought he'd have been right here.  If he was able.  She looks up, looks around.  "John, where's Donnie?  He should be here."  She tries to spot him, and calls loudly, perhaps even a little frantically.  "Donnie?!  DONNIE!"

Uther rumbles "Here, Mistress Samantha."

Sammy looks over to see Donnie, injured and kneeling on the ground, Alicia(!) beside him.  "Ohno,ohno, oh nooo".  Still weeping, she gets up and staggers over to where he is. "Donnie.  Donnie!  Sylvia's hurt, Donnie.  She needs you with her.  Come on."  She reaches around him to support half of his body.  "Alicia, help me get him over there."  Sammy looks at the other girl and mouths the words "Sylvia not good."

"Uther... Donnie might need Dylan.  He might need all of you."

Donnie staggers to his feet, helped by the girls. "Alicia, I'm sorry. I just, sorry.. I wish.. Why can't I see very good? Where's my glasses? Where's Sylvia? Did she get hurt? Sammy? Are you alright?"

Uther rumbles "Dylan knows. He will come if he needs to or if he can." Uther eyes the approaching sirens and sees the flashing lights of the quickly approaching lights. "Master Donald. The authorities are coming. If I am still here, they might find cause to use their weapons against me. It would be wise if you let me go. Your friends will keep you safe."

Donnie grimaces and Uther begins fading from view. The girls hear him say "Mistresses." as he bows his head, and is gone.

At the girl's silent message, Alicia mutters, "Crap."

She hooks one of Donnie's arms over her shoulder. She grunts as she straightens, "Up and at 'em, loverboy. True love waits for no man."


Looking at Sammy, she says gruffly, "Sit down, girl. You're not doing that great yourself."

At Donnie, she continues, speaking reassuringly as she guides his steps, "Relax, chico. It's all right. Sylvia got hit, but she's got Colin and John on the case, and soon you'll be there too to hold her hand and tell her you love her. Just think of the stories you'll be able to tell your kids." There is no doubt or fear in her voice; just soothing calmness. She can give him that much.


Alicia grumbles as she struggles with Donnie's weight. "Yeah, well that Dee-Lahn could come in real handy just about now."

And that's for the best.

For a moment, Colin's voice seems to reach her from behind, where she least expect it. She's too used to hear people through her mind, and he's bypassing it.

I don't know what you were doing out of your body, but that kind of stuff drains energy, and I need your energy here, now. Don't worry about Donnie, we're taking care of him as well.


"Sammy..."

Colin would actually really want some help at the moment, but he's not sure he can afford it. The people around hear his voice as if he was carrying half a ton on his shoulders.

"...she's not going anywhere. Oxygen is good. But... Lakisha over there needs it too." he points to an unconscious girl ten yards away. "And Jason... " he points to another boy, almost hidden behind a car. "... someone please make sure he doesn't bleed too much."

He hears the sirens getting nearer and that renews his struggle to keep the door open for that merciful energy. There seems to be little waves of steam coming from him.

Sammy tries to help Alicia get Donnie over to Sylvia's side.  She finally distantly notices the burn marks going down her own side, left there when she failed to spin out of the way of the lasers.  She does her best to ignore them, because there are more pressing needs.

When they reach Sylvia's side, she lets go of Donnie and wearily leans on John.  "John -- who needs air?  Show me.  Maybe I can help."

If she could, Sylvia would explain how good it was, how good the blue world was--where there was no pain and no worry, only a breezy sense that nothing really mattered all that much.

I see. I've felt like that sometimes. Once you're better, we'll try to figure out how you did it, and how to do it again. But I need you here at the moment. You matter here.

Alicia sets Donnie down next to Sylvia, and discharged from that duty, focuses on her next target, Sammy.

"I swear to God, chica, I will tie you down if I have to. Sit down. You're close to being in shock, if not already there."

She turns to John, all business. "Make yourself useful. People need help. Go. I've got them."

To Colin, in the same tone. "And you, pendejo, you look like week-old meatloaf. If Sylvia's out of the woods, sit down and take a breath or, so help me God, I will smack some sense into your pointy head."

She takes off her jacket and uses it to prop Donnie's legs up as he lies there. She looks around to see anything else she needs doing.

This is a different Alicia than anyone else has seen before. There's a sense of confidence without bluster in her actions; she's been here many times before, in combat and its aftermath.

Jakob switches back to normal form, rips off what's left of a once-beloved flannel shirt, and tosses it on the ground.

The winter air feels good against his bare skin.

He starts looking around for some way to be helpful and quickly find his wounded friends.

"How is everyone?" he asks, already knowing the answer but hoping for better news.

Alicia snaps, "Grab that shirt you just threw away. I need a pressure bandage for Donnie's head.

"And get some school bags or jackets or something to keep their legs elevated. We need to treat them for shock."

She bites her lip as she racks her brain for what little first aid she's picked up along the way.

Sammy grumbles at Alicia, "I'm fine.  Other people need help more than me.  Take care of them.  I'm fine."  One arm hooked over his shoulder, Sammy hangs off John like a slightly broken peppermint candy cane hangs from a Christmas tree, and aims some nice air at -- who did Colin say?  Lakisha.  Over there.

"Good... idea..."

It takes more than a stern reprimand to have Colin let go, or Sylvia would have an easier time with him, and Alicia still lacks her experience.

"Only, be careful with Janet." He points to yet another girl. "I... think she might have broken her wrist... when the ray hit her and she fell."

It's certain, now. He's definitely giving off steam.

Alicia raises her eyes and arms to the sky, and unleashes a spray of Spanish invective in frustration, too rapid to get the words but clear in their context.

Finally, with an exasperated sigh, she humphs. "Fine, be martyrs. See if I care."

She points at Jakob. "Hold Sammy up. John has work to do."

She turns to Colin, fuming. "OK, I overheard something that makes me think you can use people to... help with whatever you're doing. What do I do?"

"Can do."

In a manner that is surprisingly gentle for a kid that big he kneels down and shifts Sammy's weight onto his shoulder, freeing up John to do what he can to help the wounded.

He regards Alicia warily, willing to follow her lead as she seems to have a handle on how to deal with injured people - and for that reason only.

Sarah sits back and sighs.  "That was a pretty fine sandwich if I do say so myself.  Well done as always Edys," she says to the now empty ice-cream bowl.  "Now let's see about finding my boy and figuring out a way to waste some time this afternoon."

She cleans up her plate and bowl, rinsing them and adding them to the already mostly full dishwasher.  She adds the detergent, closes the door and spins the dial letting technology do it's magic.  

She brushes a few crumbs off the table before picking up her coat and her pack.  She fishes out her cell phone and notices a cheery blinking red light.  She flips open the phone and sees it's from Colin!  Maybe he read my mind and has a plan for the afternoon.


It was dated just after the school bell rang.  Probably only a minute after she ported out.  Whatever "Trouble" was it had happened.  

She dropped everything but her phone, closing it and shoving it in her pocket as she *wibble* pops to the top of the school and sees... mayhem.  She spots Colin and the rest and *ports*
"What happened!  What can I do?"

Sammy weakly protests, "I'm okay, really, I just had the wind knocked out of me a little bit."

Alicia jerks in surprise when Sarah appears. Gonna have to get used to that, she chides herself mentally.

Aloud, she says, "Good, you're here. Keep your boyfriend from killing himself trying to save the world. I got other stuff to deal with."

She hands the torn shirt to Donnie and orders him to press it against his head injury to help staunch the bleeding and makes sure he's within reach of Sylvia.

She stands up and looks around, trying to catch sight of the person she'd first rescued from painting the sidewalk. Now for the fun part. Where is that pendejo?

OOC: Added just in case the intent isn't clear. Alicia is trying to find the guy she caught when the whole thing started; he has some 'splainin' to do.

 Donnie finds himself staring at the sky, half listening to all the people talking around him when something Sammy said finally sinks in. His head jerks up from the frost-fragile grass and despite the searing surge of pain, looks around. He realizes he's holding onto Sylvia's small hand.

Her small, cold hand.

"Colin! Is Sylvia? Is she..?"  Tears well up in his eyes. "You're here. I know you won't let that happen to her. I have faith in you."

OOC: Is there anyone with obvious hospitalization required injury that needs a fast ride to a hospital?  NPC's?  Sylvia?  (second only because Dr. Crow is seeing her now)

OOC: Sorry for my delay.  Out of office meeting claimed half my day, and I will never see those hours again.

John gladly gives Sammy's weight to Jakob and starts moving to help other people.  He's pointing out very badly injured to Sarah for evac to the hospital.  The paramedics have begun to arrive, and teachers are doing what they can as well.  Disaster drills do have a value, and the things learned from them get applied here.  First Aid is given, people not hurt are cleared out of the way and a head count is taken.  The fire department makes sure to secure the leaking diesel fuel, and the police drop the robot in a bomb barrel and weld the lid on it.

It's only a few minutes before Sammy and Colin can stop using their powers to help the others.  Sarah has gotten the badly injured away.  Alicia has badgered paramedics to the seriously injured, and managed to find the boy she caught.  He's on a gurney pretty out of it.

Sylvia and Donnie are loaded into ambulances to transport.  By that time they're both recovered enough to see and speak, if only weakly.  Sammy's injuries look worse than they are, and they sting.  She's loaded into an ambulance too.

Once the ambulance door is closed John puts a hand on Jakob's shoulder.  "I need your help."  he says, waving the other boy over out of site of most of the people.  "I need you to help me get something cleared up."  he turns lowering his jacket.  Just to the right of John's spine, between his shoulder blades is a blood stain on his shirt.  "I can just feel the tip of it, but can't get a grip on it."  Jakob can feel the tip of a piece of metal, maybe about as big around as his little finger.  "Just pull it out, in as straight a line as possible."

OOC: Alicia can make a Notice check, DC 18.  No one else is probably close enough, but Rhys, Colin, and Sarah can make Fate Rolls for me to see if they're in a position to see it.

Sarah ports and ports and ports... holding hands and smiling and telling any that can hear that they'll be getting help soon.  The first time she shows up at the hospital she yells for help.  As soon as someone arrives she tells them more are coming soon and to keep this spot clear.  She makes good on her promise. 


OOC:  Fate Roll (1d20=5) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1852026/)

I don't wanna see!  Ewwie! 

Also - Does Sarah recognize any of the kids who got hurt?  She'll make quick mental notes of any faces to contact their families right away. 

{Well, Rhys had gone back to the classroom to make sure they weren't going to get trounced by anything else while tending to the wounded, or to see if there was any clue as to what the hell was going on, which is why he wasn't helping out down below. But, perhaps his investigation is finished and he is back at the window...

Fate: 1d20=16 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1852081/)}

As the ambulance doors close, Sammy says "Hey - you're paramedic Chris.  You took me in the last time.  I'm okay, really.  Honest.  It just stings some.  You're not going to let me use my cell this time either, are you? Aw maaaan!  Could you call-" the heavy door closes.


OOC:  Ha!  Bum was afraid I'd rat him out to his mother!   :scared:  Or force him to get in the ambulance instead of me.   :rant:

OOC: Notice (1d20+10=27) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1852102/)

Alicia's ears perk up and she turns towards the two boys. She moves surreptitiously to keep the two in sight.

When she realizes what's going on, her face goes pale. Dios mio! No!

She closes the distance as fast as she can but stops short of joining them. Her heart clenches; she doesn't know what to do. All she can do is watch, her fists pressed against her chest.

"If you're gonna stand there, come close and be a look out."  John says.  Sarah has gotten the last of the critical ones to the hospital and when she arrives she's facing the little gathering of Jakob, John, and Alicia.  She can see the blood stain on John's shirt.

Rhys arrives in the room and begins to look around.  In the corner, under a collapsed storage rack he finds another boy, obviously tossed there by the robot.  He's unconscious, and bleeding from the head.

Rhys quickly moves over to the corner and moves the storage rack to get at the boy. He gingerly lifts him and then makes for the window. He leaps into the air and heads for the nearest ambulance, calling out for any paramedics not busy to come quickly.

The paramedics are there when Rhys lands.  They go to work immediately on the boy, and load him in the ambulance.  The police begin to take statements, and are giving the Usual Suspects a wide berth, but they've done this before.  The reports will read 'Anonymous Heroes' and they can continue to pretend that everything is normal.

Rhys shifts back to his normal form, again wearing different clothes than he had earlier, and retrieves his coat and scarf from where he threw them. Brushing off the stray dirt, he puts them back on before returning to the knot of the remaining Usual Suspects.

He glances at Jakob. Okay, maybe it's more than just a glance...  ;)

"I'd offer you my coat to cover up with, but I really don't think it would fit." And I really don't want you to cover up, anyway.

If Alicia still looks stressed out, he'll put his arms around her. If she's taller than he is (which is likely), he'll put on a little more height so that she has something to lean into.

{sometime later at the hospital, Sammy begs an orderly to call Elrod for her; she knows her mom has already been contacted}

Sammy is still in the emergency room when Elrod storms in.  There is a moment when the nurse tries to explain they can't tell him if she's there, and he sees her.  There is another moment when the same nurse tries to tell him only family is allowed in the exam area.  "Your mom called me, she's in traffic but she'll be here as soon as she can."  He looks over her wounds.  "You've looked better, can I get you anything?"

"Nah.  I'm just glad you're here.  I don't know why they brought me in; it looks worse than it is, it just stings some."  she pauses.  "Actually, I take that back.  There is something.  Sylvia and Donnie are here too, and Sylvia was in really bad shape.  Could you try to find out about her, or see if you can find one of her moms to ask?"

Elrod nods, "I'll be back."  and he moves off in the mill of the bodies crowded in the ER.

Sylvia and Donnie are checked out.  The moms arrive not long after, and the three of them are like a force of nature when it comes to finding their kids.  Donnie's mother seems calmer than he expected.  Carolyn glares down two nurses and a cop when she gets funny looks about being the 'other' mom.  Mitzi is in next to Sylvia stroking her hair back while insurance issues are sorted out.

Back at campus the mess is getting cleared up.

OOC: I will leave this thread to let Jedd reply.  If you'd like threads at the hospital, let me know and I'll put them together.

When the paramedics finally arrive with a gurney for Sylvia, and all the most critically injured people are taken care of, Colin finally lets go. The rays of light disappear, the clouds cover the sky, and the cold of January  sets in again. The world for a moment seems brittler and more mundane in comparison. Colin is visibly shivering. He tries to stand up, but his eyes roll back and he has to sit down again not to faint. Despite the cold, he looks almost sunburned, like a person who just spent a week crawling across a desert.
"Sarah..." he calls when she comes back to check on him, but his parched lips crack and start to bleed.
"Water... I'm in... serious need of water..."

At the Hospital, post Sylvia & Mitzi thread

Donnie is releived his mom is there so quickly. It seems his own journey and growth into power is affecting his mother as well. Perhaps for the better.

When he walks into Sylvia's room, he was greeted with several shocked stares.

Donnie is sporting a mohawk. He smiles painfully. "Hey. You're looking a lot better." He shrugs. "Well, the beam singed off quite a bit, so I said just take the other half."

The red burn line across the side of his head is covered in gauze. "I got seven stitches."

OOC: Sorry, I forgot -> Fate roll (1d20=13) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1852556/)

Alicia tenses for a second when he feels Rhys' touch, then leans back into the embrace with a sigh. She looks concerned, but not to the point of panic.

She looks at Sarah as the one who's known John the longest. "He's gonna be all right, right?"

After a bit, Rhys can feel her trembling. She stammers a bit, apologetically. "S-sorry. I s-sometimes g-get the shakes after a f-fight."

"It's a Nor-Adrenaline response."  John says as Jakob looks for a purchase on the metal bit.  "Perfectly normal.  Body temp drops suddenly, fatigue toxins start to deposit in muscles.  Happens to most people.  And I'll be fine."  John smiles at her.  "It only hurts when I breath."

A bit of the steel that laced her voice earlier struggles to assert itself through the shakiness.

"D-dammit, John. I w-was ordering you around, and you were j-just as hurt. You sh-should have said something."

"OK."  He puts one hand on John's left shoulder, applying enough pressure to hold him firmly in place, and takes a good look at the injury.  "I guess you won't believe me if I said that this'll hurt me just as much as it will you?  Didn't think so."

He gets a good grip on the piece of metal.

"On three...  one... "

He pinches down hard and yanks the piece of metal out of John's back.

"Three!"

If there is bleeding he will apply direct pressure on the wound until some sort of bandage can be found.  He also takes a good look at the metal.  He shows it to whichever of the others is around.

"Any idea where it came from?"

The moment the metal is out Alicia is there, with a cloth ready to use as a pressure bandage.

She too is curious to inspect the shrapnel and determine its source.

John grits his teeth as Jakob pulls the metal out, and then falls to his knees.  The strangled sound he makes might have been a scream if it had been louder.  "Bus I thought."  he chokes out.  Alicia can hear a sound, too quiet for the others.  She's pressed the cloth to John's back, and there is a sound, coming from inside him.  She's never heard anything like it before.  She can feel the unnatural warmth of John radiating into the chill air.  "I caught a glimpse of it when the robot hit the bus."  His voice is less strained.  "Got in the way of it before it hit a girl."  He takes a deep breath, and Alicia hears the sound grow fainter, and then it's gone.  "I felt it go in."  he says standing.  He pulls on his shirt, peeling it off in a single motion.  There is no wound on his back.  Just a scar, fading away.  He turns to Jakob, "Thanks."  Then looks around, "Thanks everyone."  He pulls his jacket back up to cover his lack of shirt.  "Anyway, I felt it go in, and went to get my jacket to cover the wound so the paramedics didn't try to treat me."

Looking at the metal it's obviously stainless steel, and certainly didn't come from a bus.  It's roughly four inches long, and essentially a triangle of metal, milled to be pointy on one end and rounded on the other.  Alicia recognizes it as a throwing spike.

Alicia frowns. Without asking, she plucks the spike from Jakob's grasp, ignoring the sheen of blood still clinging to it.

"This isn't shrapnel," she announces in a grim tone. She holds it in a throwing position. "It's a weapon."

She inspects it thoughtfully. "Either the robot threw this as part of its attacks, or someone else decided to join in."

She looks at John. "Could you recognize the girl who would've gotten hit by it?"

John squints for a second.  "Sure.  I have History with her.  Gena Balestra."  John looks at the spike for a second longer.  "That's stainless.  The robot was something else.  Chromed Nickle or something.  I think it was also an antique.  It looked like the old War Bots the German's used to drop on the US during WWII.  I've seen pictures of them before."

"Seven whole stitches, huh?"  Sylvia smiles up at him from the bed.  Her burns are so heavily bandaged that it looks like she's gained twenty pounds and three bra sizes in gauze.  "I'm glad you're okay.  I'll miss the hair, though."

OOC: evening posts and pain relievers don't mix.  Left my post half finiZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz....

IC:
Sarah pops in and out in just a few seconds and rips a bottle of water out of a case.  She drops the case and twists open the bottle handing it to Colin.  "Are... are you okay? Do you need a ride to the hospital?"

"The other thing to think about," chimes in Rhys, "is who could have thrown it with enough force to go into John's back as far as it did. Was it maybe shot from some sort of weapon?"

Colin drinks almost half the bottle before answering.

"Probably not. I feel a bit as if I just tried to run a marathon through the Death Valley. Stupid, that is. And I wouldn't mind sleeping for a week."

He drinks again, until the bottle is over.

"As soon as my pressure goes back to normal I should be fine. I'll probably be quite weak for a while, though. These energies don't come from me, so I don't have to eat a couple cows like John after over-exerting myself, but the human body, at least my body, isn't really suited to keep the doors open more than a while, so to speak. It was so... hot. White hot. Like I had the sun trapped in my chest. I could feel everyone's heart beating, and how they felt, and how they were in pain and scared and I tried to...warm them up. I hope it was enough."

He reaches for another bottle, his hands a bit steadier now.

Donnie smiles. "You had me worried. If Colin hadn't been there.. I don't know. Anyway, the hair will grow back. You getting out of here today or are they keeping you for observation?" He walks over to the bed next to Mitzi, patting her hand before resting his on Sylvia.

"I don't know.  I'm sure I was in the room when they were talking about that, but all I remember are the pink elephants.

"Mom?"  Sylvia looks at Mitzi, who's closer.  "When are we going home?"

"They want you to stay overnight.  So probably tomorrow afternoon."  She looks at Carolyn, "We'll get you some cloths and one of us can stay the night."  Carolyn just nods. 

Alicia grunts distractedly, deep in thought as she wipes the spike clean with the cloth she's holding.

"Well, the kid I grabbed got taken to the hospital. We need to make sure the cops know he was involved so that they can figure out how the robot ended up in school."

She gestures and the spike disappears. "As for this, maybe we need to visit Gena and see if she has anything to tell."

She pauses and her hand reaches out as if to touch John. "You are all right, John? I'm sorry for snapping at you. I thought you'd froze and there was stuff that needed doing and..." She trails off, embarrassed.

Alicia shrugs. "Not chemically, I think. I don't smell any residue on it."

OOC: Making an assumption here. The GM can smack me if I'm guessing wrong.

"Don't give it another thought.  you haven't known me long, if you had you'd have started worrying sooner."  he smiles.  "And I'll be perfectly fine by dinner time, promise.  You did really well out there.  Don't take this the wrong way, but disaster suits you." 

Alicia shrugs. "Been in enough scrapes. You kinda learn how to get through it."

After an awkward silence, she says, "I've better get going. Mom's probably heard about this in the news and'll be freakin' out until I get home."

"Send her a text message."  John says, handing her his phone.  "Or call her.  Let her know you're ok.  Moms worry."

Rhys harrumphs.

Sarah nods solemnly and then wraps her arms around Colin and hugs him tight.  "Good.  You take a break or I'm porting you to the hospital too and making them put you on an IV."

Sammy fidgets impatiently on the table in the exam room.  She decides she has to visit the restroom, so she eases herself off the table and wanders through the ER in search of the common toilet.  That's the excuse anyhow.  She really wants to know what's going on, and how her friends are faring.

Alicia, in the act of taking the offered phone, cocks an eye in Rhys's direction questioningly.

Either he doesn't notice or he's really good at pretending he doesn't notice.

Alicia mentally shrugs and continues on.

Taking the phone, she turns slightly to maintain the appearance of privacy as she dials the number.

Alicia's side of the conversation is audible. "Hola, mami. I'm all right... Yes, I was... I'm still at the schoo... No, Mom, I didn't... Nobody saw me... Mooom!"

She gives an exasperated sigh as she pinches the bridge of her nose while talking. "Mom, I'm fine. I'm calling from a friend's phone so I need to hang up. I'll head straight home. Will you be there or are you heading out? ... Oh... No, no, go ahead, really. I. am. fine. OK? ... I love you, too. Bye."

She closes the phone with a gesture of relief, then hands it back to John. "Thanks," she says, in a subdued voice.

"Anytime.  Actually, if you want I'd bet Dave is around.  He probably still has that phone he gave you.  you're probably going to end up needing it."  John uses his phone to send a text message.

The school administrators make sure that everyone still around campus is ok and they encourage people to contact their families to let them know they're well.  The excitement over the police and emergency crews eventually leave the scene.

OOC: Last chance for new threads before I close this day.  Unless there are serious objections I might just take us through to the next week with a transition.  I know that you guys will want to talk to some people, including the girl who might have been the target of the metal throwing spike.  I can handle those next week.

Let me know if we need to leave this chapter open.  If not let me know in the next chapter header anything you want to accomplish.

As they get away from the scene, Alicia passes near a still a bit unsteady Colin who's being helped by  Sarah, and he calls her out.

"Alicia! Wait a moment, please."

OOC:  Does Sammy find Sylvia or Donnie, or is she sent home w/o finding out anything about them?  Are you skipping straight to next week, or just to the weekend?

When everything has quieted down a little more Sarah asks Colin again, "So uh... what happened?  Where did that big hunk of metal come from and why?"

Alicia detours to meet up with the two.

She eyes Colin with a critical eye. "You're looking better. Next time, pay attention or I'll have to sic Sarah on you again."

She smiles awkwardly, still uncertain as to the social niceties of the situation.

Colin chuckles, though it's still a bit painful for his lips. He rummages through his pockets and hands her her cellphone.

"Yesterday you ran away too fast and I couldn't give this back to you. Good job today, Allie. How does it feel?"



"I'm not certain. It looks like someone went all frankenstein on an old robot, and the robot didn't like it. I got just a few seconds of advance warning, and then someone was shoved out of that window on the fourth floor. And then came the robot. It was crazy, and had laser eyes shooting everywhere. We couldn't stop it fast enough, unfortunately. As to the whys, we'd have to ask to the people involved, but they're all at the hospital in the moment, and I'm honestly too tired for anything else today."

He looks up at her.

"But I promised to help you with homework. Would you come, later?"

OOC: I can probably move to the weekend.  That makes more sense.  I can use the chapter header to explain a few things.  so as per normal the next chapter would be the weekend.

Alicia takes the cellphone and, with an absent-minded gesture, it disappears from her hand. "Thanks."

She tilts her head a bit and cocks an eyebrow at Colin's question. "S'not like I did much. Jakob and Ree-is..."

She pauses as she tries to still assimilate that last bit. "Well, they took the thing down. Sammy and you were the ones doing the 'use my body to keep them alive' bit."

She pauses again as she frowns. "I hope Sylvia's all right. She got hurt bad."

"Nice try. The guy falling from the window, that was all you." He says with a tired grin.


"She'll be fine soon, don't worry. She's tougher than she looks."

About then Sammy comes wandering in with Mom on one side and El on the other, both thinking she's pushing it, but she knows she's fine.

"Sylvia!  You're awake! and ohmigawd Donnie, your hair..."  Sammy comes up close by the bed and whispers "I owe you an apology, and I'll make sure to say it again after the painkillers wear off so you know it wasn't a hallucination.  You're nothing at all like Torrance, ok?  I never believed that.  I needed to get your full attention, and those words were the fastest way to do it.  But, it was mean, and I'm sorry."

Sylvia isn't quite as high as she was--they must have ratcheted down her dosage--but she's still a little befuddled.  "It's okay," is her kneejerk response.  "It doesn't bother me too much, being compared to her.  I haven't killed anyone, so it's like comparing, uh, Justice from Eagle Force and her crazy brother, Jack.  They have the same powers, but only one of them is psycho."  She doesn't specify which one.  "And, hey, Torrance doesn't even have the powers anymore."

Alicia grimaces, then gives a Cheshire grin as she shrugs theatrically. "What can I say? I missed lunch and I see something flying by and I thought it was a low-flying bird, so I did what comes naturally."


Alicia nods in agreement, her mood shifting to somber in a second.

She looks at the two of them and says, "I don't need mind powers to know you too need some alone time, so I'm booking. C-ya!"

She skips off, swinging by the front of the school long enough to grab her school bag and running off, jumping over a bench with ease.

"Yeah.  Well, can you blame her?  Justice I mean.  Not Torrance.  Her I totally... never mind."  Sammy is smart enough not to try to give Sylvia a hug, so she squeezes her hand.  "My nannies are getting anxious, so I have to go.  Get better."

She turns to Donnie and winces in sympathy.  "Um... huh.  It'll grow back and until then... um... Chicks dig scars?  Take care of yourself, ok?"  Sammy steps back next to Elrod, who, with Sammy's mom, is making nice with Sylvia's moms.

Once the injured are evacuated and there's no one else to help Jakob sits down on the curb and just stares out into space for a few minutes, re-living the afternoon's events in his mind.  He looks down at his fist and back out at the debris in the parking lot.  He looks even harder at the places where his wounded friends had been lying. 

His face is unreadable as he stands up and heads back into the school to grab a sweatshirt from his gym locker.