SCARY TOWER SIEGE #2

[capitalm]

Who: Downtown LA Rescuers/Captives
Where: That tower that just hatched from that office building.
When: Saturday March 15th, around 6PM for when they appear.
What: A creepy looking tower hatches out of a downtown office building and superheroes come to fight it and save its captives.
Warnings: Violence, body horror, mind control, fucking creepy bullshit.

A spiral tower looms ahead, the rubble of its shattered camouflage still littering the ground. Civilians panic, the streets crowding with an unexpected traffic jam. Cyborgs flood the streets, and defensive fire opens from above.

Eventually, you break into the inside of a vast tower, like a tall layered cylinder of steel and black metal. You can see a seemingly endless height above you, and an endless depth below. Each layer is lit by a ring of multi-hued light that seems to bleed into the black material below it, like veins into flesh. A circle is cut through each layer from the tower's top to bottom, and occasionally a vast black form will rise and fall between layers - a mass of black metal with lights like eyes and grasping mechanical hands. Sometimes it takes captives with it.

Cages line the exterior walls like an arena, with other restraints set up on the layered floors outside. There is a tone of clinical order and structure without, though the black metal leaks a substance almost like the sweat of an animal. Cages open and close themselves, and smaller machines and familiar looking cyborgs wander the floors. Entire cage sections can be removed mechanically and taken to lower levels. Muffled voices and the animal cries of captured strays can be heard around the shaft, as well as the rhythmic hum of vast machinery down below.

There is no natural light here, and the tower's shaft travels far beneath the earth.

[OOC: There will be specific mod NPC posts made within each rescue log for dealing with the central hub of the AI. Remember, if you want to fight one of the Nightforce, ask a mod.]

Comments

[crotcharrow]

[He manages to fight another one off from clambering into the shop, smacking and throwing it a ways away, and the others seem to get the idea as they hang back a little. He watches them, to make sure they aren't going to make any sudden movements, and then glances quickly back at the girl, frowning with concern.]

What're you doing out here? Are you nuts?

[nailsandglass]

[She watches him, amazed at how he is able to fend of the cyborgs with his own physical strength. At the question she just opens her mouth at a loss for how to explain what she was doing. Matilda had tried to be careful about when she used her powers since she did not want to reveal and get carted off. So saying she had wanted to do what she could to help was out of the question if she wanted to keep her secret, but what else could she do?

Say she got separated from her parents? Then he'd want to try and reunite them and then that would just get out of hand. No, trying to assert herself as capable was the best way to go.]

They caught me off guard. But I can fight! [She tried to sound serious and in control but she couldn't quite keep the quaver out of her voice.]

[crotcharrow]

[He doesn't look convinced at her argument, and raises an eyebrow questioningly at her trembling voice.]

Uh-huh. Because you were fighting them off pretty well, back there.

[He rolls his eyes and then crouches next to her, pushing his goggles up off of his face so he can properly look at her.] What're you, like five? You shouldn't be out here on your own. Your parents know where you are?

[Hell, he shouldn't be out here on his own, but that's another argument.]

[nailsandglass]

[Matilda's expression went from embarrassed to disgruntled, but she didn't really have much she could say to that.]

I'm six. [Which was a negligible difference, but now that she wasn't panicked Matilda saw an opening to lift one of the heavy shelves, whose merchandise was already strewn on the floor and set it against the window. That wouldn't last too long, but it was something.

That, and it would hopefully distract him from the fact that she had avoided his question about her parents.]

[crotcharrow]

[Six. Yeah, she definitely shouldn't be out here on her own. He's about to suggest taking her back to where ever she'd come from when she does manage to distract him, and he almost topples off his heels when he swivels a little to see where the noise was coming from, half expecting it to be another robo-dog.

He stares at the shelf as it lands, and then looks back at the kid, with a raised eyebrow.]

--Did you just...?

[nailsandglass]

[Matilda is a little proud at his reaction but she just nods and gets back up on wobbly and unsteady feet.]

I did. But I don't think it'll last very long.

[crotcharrow]

[he blinks at her and holds his hands up in defeat.]

Okay, so maybe you can fight. [he stands up too, looking from the door back down at her.]

But you seriously shouldn't be here on your own. It's pretty stupid.

[nailsandglass]

[That kind of hurt, but it was probably the first time anyone had said it justifiably scold her, and not just to insult or demean her. Matilda can understand that difference, so despite the hurt in a way she also appreciated it.]

I guess so. I just wanted to help.

[crotcharrow]

[oh no, she looks so sad. Tommy frowns, rubbing the back of his neck. Her heart was in the right place, but she was way not experienced enough to be dealing with this kind of danger. Or, well. He presumed so. It wasn't like he'd seen her in action. He huffs a sigh.]

Leave the fighting to the experts, yeah? You can't help if you end up getting seriously hurt.

[he frowns again, eying the covered door cautiously, and then looks back down at the kid. He extends his hand out to her.]

I'm Tommy.

[nailsandglass]

[She looks down as he explains himself, before giving a small nod. She wasn't going to make promises that she wouldn't stay out of the fray, but she could at least acknowledge that was right in assessing she didn't have any experience. This and her fight with Airachnid were really the only nonhuman threats she had ever faced.

When he holds out his hand and introduces himself she looks at it for a moment, clearly surprised before finally taking it and giving him a small smile.]

I'm Matilda.

[crotcharrow]

[He gives her a small smile, shaking her hand briskly, and then letting go to ruffle her hair. ]

Nice t'meet yah, Matilda. [he glances back once more at the door, to make sure its holding.]

You got somewhere to go? I can give you a ride.

[nailsandglass]

Hey! [She doesn't really mind though, in fact the hair ruffle makes her smile widen a little. It falters a little at the question though. What exactly should she say? In all likelihood he wasn't go to leave her alone, and would probably want to ensure she got back to her family. It didn't really seem like she had any option other than the truth.

With some reluctance she shook her head.]

I don't have somewhere to go.

[crotcharrow]

[Well that gets her a frown. A really big one.]

Wait, what d'you mean? You run away from home, kiddo?

[nailsandglass]

[Matilda wished she had. It would have made her feel more in control of what was happening. She gave a shake of her head, pursing her lips and fidgeting her hands.]

My family did.

[crotcharrow]

[there's a pause. A significant one, like he's trying to process what she just said, but because he's a speedster, he already processed it about thirteen times.]

They left you? Who even does that?

[nailsandglass]

[Matilda isn't really sure how to answer that. In the end, it hadn't been all that surprising that they would do that. She just sort of gave a helpless little shrug.]

I think it's for the best.

[crotcharrow]

[he puts a hand up to stop her.]

So wait. Wait. Lemme get this straight. You have no where to go because your parents straight up just moved away without you? And on purpose? Not like a Home Alone whups-we-forgot-a-kid kind of deal?

[nailsandglass]

[Way to rub salt in the wound, Tommy. Matilda grimaces, but nods at him.]

They never liked me much. [Meaning that Tommy was right on the dot with his conclusion]

[crotcharrow]

[It takes a lot for him not swear. He takes in a deep breath and then runs a hand through his hair.]

Right.

[he stands up, and scowls at the door.]

So you're gonna come stay with me, okay? [he looks back down at her.] Because thats messed up and I'm sure as hell not leaving a little kid out here on her own.

[nailsandglass]

[Matilda looked at Tommy incredulously. She'd been expecting him to take her to some police or some orphanage, not take her in himself. Then again, maybe it was just her wishful thinking interpreting it that way. He might just mean it temporarily.]

Stay with you? With your family?

[crotcharrow]

[He laughs, shrugging.] I know what it's like to have a sucky family. But don't think we're living anything fancy. It's just me and my friend, Aña, living in an abandoned warehouse.

[You're not really selling it, Tommy.] But we eat cake for dinner and have room for someone small. At least until you figure out what you want to do. I'm not just gonna leave you here.

[nailsandglass]

[An abandoned warehouse was certainly a lot better than what she was used to, and when he mentioned cake she couldn't help but smile.]

I think I'd like that.

[crotcharrow]

[He rubs the back of his head and gives her a grin.]

Okay. Good. I gotta find our roommate, too. She's out here somewhere. [he grimaces a little.] But I want you safe. So we're gonna get you set up at home and then I'm gonna come back out here. That cool with you?

[nailsandglass]

[Matilda wants to argue and say that she can help, but this guy is fast. She would probably just slow him down so have a moment's hesitation she nods.]

It is.

[crotcharrow]

[He ruffles her hair again and then looks back to the door as the scrabbling starts. They'd need to move quickly--he's not sure how much longer that door will hold and isn't really willing to take many chances.]

Aaand, I think that's our cue. You ready to go, kiddo?