Open RP It's Showtime [NYC Event]

[Lodestar]

CENTRAL PARK​

Central Park was abuzz with activity. Tourists and locals alike jockeyed for spots in lines, looking to snag souvenir t-shirts, boxed action figures, and other memorabilia. News crews had come with vans and cameras, along with representatives from City Hall, the fire department, and the NYPD. Countless booths displayed newly-minted superhero merchandise, some authentic and some bootleg. Licensed music played from speakers, keeping the energy level high.

The Power Company was throwing a party.

For the low cost of $9.99 a person, visitors could get to know their new heroes up close and personal before their routine patrols started in earnest. Sure, there were an array of critics and worriers, people who were afraid of metahumans - but these metahumans were on cereal boxes. They smiled for the cameras, rather than skulking in the shadows. And to be sure, they looked impressive.

LODESTAR's chromelike skin gleamed in the afternoon sun. He wore a custom designer gilet emblazoned with "The Power Company" on the front and his own superheroic alias on the back. Underneath was his iconic battlesuit, a sleek piece inspired by fictional superheroes that matched his chrome coloration. He was standing in front of a large stylized backdrop, taking photographs with anyone who wanted one. In a little while, he'd go over to a booth for some Q&A, and then sign some autographs.

It wasn't his favorite part of the job, but it was mission-essential. And the tickets were for charity. So he kept professional, and kept smiling.

At least there were no angry mobs. People generally seemed glad to see him.

Hornet might not hold up as well with the crowds, he thought. Lodestar was the more social of the two by far. And the clouds of bees that occasionally followed Hornet around sometimes upset kids.

Better not be any stings.

There was a lot riding on today. Their debut had to be just right. Hopefully they wouldn't have to put out any fires.

 

[Hornet]

Among the tents and tables dotting the grassy expanse of Central Park's famous Great Lawn, one stood a noticeable distance away from the rest. The Hornet's black-and-yellow tent was some fifty yards from the rest of the event, a safety precaution insisted upon by the Power Company's lawyers, just in case there were any accidents with the wasps.

Not many people had yet arrived to investigate the Hornet's tent, perhaps because of the persistent buzzing sound surrounding it, as an entire nest of wasps was the centerpiece of the science-hero's display for the festival. It was contained within a protective mesh, to keep the aggressive insects away from escaping, but merely being in the presence of so many of the creatures and their notorious stingers was a deal-breaker for many of the event's attendees. Besides, Lodestar's powers were quite a bit more photogenic.

Nonetheless, a small crowd had gathered beneath the tent, where the Hornet was currently delivering a lecture on the nature of the creatures after which he'd named himself. Most of the onlookers were students, as the Power Company had distributed comped tickets to several schools around the city for the purpose of this lesson. Naturally, most of the kids were paying little attention, sneaking glances at their phones while their teachers weren't looking, or scheming to slip away from the group and sample the free food, or get a selfie with Lodestar. Nevertheless, the Hornet continued with his presentation, hoping that at least some of the knowledge was being absorbed by the students, perhaps unconsciously.

"Hornets don't just look like wasps- they're actually members of the same genus, known as the Vespa. That's where the name of the Italian moped comes from, if anybody is curious."

They were, in fact, not particularly curious. Harrison pressed on.

"Another interesting Hornet Fact is that they're what's known as eusocial creatures, which is a term that refers to the organization of an animal species' society. Eusocial creatures divide labor within their colony into reproductive and non-reproductive groups, which results in specialized biological groups that we call castes."

Introducing technical jargon likely hadn't been the smartest decision. He was losing them. Adjusting his red-lensed goggles where they sat on his forehead, the Hornet wracked his brain for something that might recapture the students' attention.

"You've all heard of the term 'Queen Bee,' right? Well, hornet colonies have queens too! In fact, within each nest, only the queen is capable of laying eggs, even though many of the other hornets are genetically female. Female hornets are the deadlier of the species, as male hornets don't even have a stinger!" Harrison paused, a thought occurring. It was a dangerous gambit, but it might just be his best chance to win back the crowd. "Well, except for me, that is."

With a dramatic flourish, the Hornet pulled his signature Stinger from the holster at his hip. It couldn't be mistaken for an ordinary weapon, the casing bearing no small resemblance to classic 1950s sci-fi blaster guns. The Power Company's PR people had insisted on making it look as nonthreatening as possible, so they could make toys modeled after it.

Grabbing one of the bundles of balloons tied to his tent, Harrison turned back to the students, who suddenly seemed much more interested now that weapons were involved.

"So, who's up for some target practice?"

 

[Despire]

Central Park

The smell of popcorn danced through the air to the joyous tunes of New York's residents enjoying the festivities. A young boy and his father moved through the park. His small hand completely consumed by the iron grip of an arm doing double duty as a leash. He pulled against his dad towards a balloon cart.

"Daddy, please can I get a balloon please please please!?" The childs eyes stayed locked on the cart while he spoke. His head slowly spinning like a bobber in a pond as they passed. "You already have 3 balloons Theo. Anymore and you might float away." The man laughed.

"Daddy, please can I have a cotton candy please please please!?"
"How about we split one after lunch?"

The pair moved between tents and tables. They were late for The Hornets first seminar of the day but, there was still a chance to catch the tail end of it.

"Daddy, please can I get my face painted like The Hornet please please please!?"
The child pulled and this time he felt his father's grip relent. It only took a few steps for his mind to catch up. In the mind of a child the hand wasn't supposed to be strong enough to escape a fathers grasp. The young boy turned. His dad stood there gazing up at the sky. Words tried to escape his lips but, all that he could muster were faint groans.

Towering behind his father was an old man in a pressed purple three piece suit and a long charcoal peacoat with a thin silver toile pattern stitched into it. The figure approached. The child shrunk away.

"Don't fear me child..." The sound of ice cracking rose up from his fathers throat. The man began to shake violently. He stumbled towards a woman who recoiled away from him in fear. "...hate me." Long jagged crystals burst out from the front and back of his torso. The screams came next. People running in every direction away from the well dressed assailant. He could see the fear spreading through the crowd but, from the boy weeping at the side of his fathers corpse he could taste pure hatred.

​

 

[Ira]

Special Agent Benjamin Carver pressed the little red phone button and placed the large touchscreen 'droid' into her pocket. As she made a face in the direction of the glass brick, Ben put her black leather gloves back on. Mobile devices were a menace. To always be able to be reached, touched, or accessed at all times from anywhere in the world? When Ben thought about it too long, her mind made far too many comparisons to the dystopias of her childhood.

Sighing, she continued her way through the central park 'party' grounds. This wasn't the type of place she enjoyed. In all honesty, she wished Val was around if only to have her incessant conversation overtake the background of all these humans talking. Humans... While Ben's face was the picture of professionalism, internally, she just couldn't understand them.

But understanding the human condition was not on the agenda today. Looking at a little display of toys, Benjamin managed a smile and refocused herself. Today was about observing the professional heroes on their debut. The first, real, professional hero agency in the United States had opened right here in New York City. The legality of it was questionable, but the mayor of NYC officially approved of them. Therefore, the government didn't need to make 'new laws' a priority just yet. Good for Metas, good for humans, Benjamin supposed.

Spotting the gleam of LODESTAR's skin, Benjamin slowly began making her way toward him. Not to talk, not yet, just to look. She had even paid the $9.99 entrance ticket price. Sure, flashing a badge might've gotten her in for free. But that wasn't the vibe she wanted to start her day off with. Then, before she could get to LODESTAR, Benjamin heard screams.

"Ah, unfortunate timing..."

She murmured, stepping aside from the main throng of people. She could barely make out the area where people were fleeing from, but couldn't see exactly what had happened yet. Had Hornet stung a group of civilians? That'd be a bad look. Or had something worse cropped up? If it was something worse, well... Benjamin smiled,

"Or perhaps, fortunate?"

 

[Hornet]

Harrison's gambit had worked. If the Power Company's lawyers found out he'd let a group of schoolkids mess around with his Stinger, he'd probably catch hell, but as long as nobody tattled, it was just a bit of harmless fun. They'd run out of balloons to pop, so he'd resorted to letting the kids take potshots at a tennis ball. He'd locked the weapon to its lowest possible setting, so even if one of them got zapped by mistake, it would hurt less than an actual hornet's sting.

Hearing the excited grade schoolers' laughter and cheers brought a smile to the science-hero's face. This wasn't exactly how he'd envisioned the day of educational seminars going, but at least the kids were having fun.

A piercing wail cut through the merriment like a shard of ice between the ribs. Heads swung around to seek out the source of the sound- a child, knelt over the eviscerated body of his father, and an unmistakably evil figure looming over both. There was no getting around it- the party was over.

"Kids, get out of here. Now."

The Hornet's stern tone brooked no argument. Shepherded by their equally-frightened schoolteachers the class fled the scene, following evacuation protocol as the Power Company's team had outlined it before the event started. All, that was, except one boy, who stared up at Harrison with wide eyes and a trembling lip. In his hands, he held the Stinger- but he hadn't had a turn to fire it yet.

"Son, I'm afraid I'm going to need that back now."

Weapon safely back in his hands, the Hornet immediately turned the dial up to the maximum setting. There was no time to mess around. Lives were in danger. He'd designed the Stinger as a completely nonlethal weapon, but that didn't mean it was harmless. A bullet through the brain was lethal, but at least the pain was over once you were dead. A full-power blast from the Stinger would leave the target in agony for hours.

"Lodestar, we've got a situation," Harrison reported, pulling his goggles on. As he scanned the scene, the civilians lit up green, identifying them as harmless, while the mysterious murderer was surrounded by a bright red aura, indicating his hostility. In the background, the hero noticed another figure, a woman dressed in black, who was highlighted blue, marking them neutral, but noteworthy. Maybe an ally, or potentially another enemy, but right now, the Hornet's focus was on the man he would come to know as Despire.

"We need to hit this guy hard and fast, take him down before anybody else dies. Let's go with Maneuver 7-A. The ol' Nic Cage."

Without another word, the Hornet activated his suit's size-circuitry, shrinking down to the height of an insect in a matter of seconds. The first time he'd tried this, the nausea of seeing his surroundings magnify in size had caused him to empty the contents of his stomach all over the floor of his lab. By now, he had plenty of experience, but that didn't mean the process wasn't still awesome.

There was no time to get caught up in seeing Central Park from a bug's-eye-view, though. Harrison turned his Stinger, and fired- not at the murderer, but in the direction of the nest of hornets he'd brought as part of his science demonstration. With a sweeping beam, he cut open the protective mesh, and allowed the vespinae to swarm free. As soon as he did so, however, the Hornet released the pheromone capsules in his suit, dispersing a scent irresistible to the creatures after which he'd taken his name.

Soon, an entire army of fierce, stinging insects were flying towards Despire, with the Hornet leading the charge. The colors of his costume made it almost impossible to pick him out of the swarm- at least, until he started firing the Stinger, sending tiny blasts of energy at the villain. Though they were small, the energy bursts were no less potent than at their regular size. If any of them struck true, Despire would feel a sharp, persistent stinging pain, not unlike that which the insects Harrison was herding towards him were about to inflict.

Flying in a deliberately erratic pattern, in order to make it harder to knock him out of the sky, Harrison aimed to swoop in towards Despire's face, where he would begin his part of Maneuver 7-A, one of the many combination attacks he and Lodestar had developed after forming the Power Company. Rather than a direct attack, he simply launched a pheromone capsule straight at the killer's eyes, aiming to coat them in a substance that would attract the entire, massive cloud of wasps he'd led into battle. Though he'd been stung by his namesake many times in the course of his research, the Hornet had never been unlucky enough to receive a sting directly in the eye.

If all went well, Despire was about to find out exactly how painful that would be- a hundred times over.

 

[Lodestar]

Hopefully they wouldn't have to put out any fires.

Just as that thought crossed his mind, Lodestar saw people running. In most people, that would activate an automatic response of a certain kind - to move with the crowd. Watching a group of people move in unison, clearly disturbed, was enough to get most to get up and join. Danger in the American public square had reached heights heretofore unknown. Fears of air raids during the World Wars, or terror attacks in the days after 9/11, or even mass shootings - none of those things compared, truly, to the formidable horror of the metahuman phenomenon. Anyone could be superpowered, and they had the power to level entire city blocks. Such attacks had increased in frequency worldwide.

And the unspoken truth? That was what the Power Company was for. They weren't vigilantes, out busting drug-users or fighting mafias. Nor were they firefighters. No, they were an entirely new category of emergency responder.

That was why Lodestar did not lament the categorical loss of the Power Company's launch. He did not grind his teeth and curse what it would mean for their reputation, that in the future, whenever people thought of them, they'd think of this. All he thought of was what needed to be done now.

Without hesitation, Lodestar broke away from the photo groups, pointing an arresting finger at the group waiting in line.

"Follow the men in the orange vests," he barked as his earbud buzzed. Hornet had said -

"- before anyone else dies."

He clenched his fists and set off in the direction everyone was running from, into the havoc.

People were panicking all around him, moving every which way. They had evacuation plans in place, and the NYPD and their own security team were doing their best. But no plan could fully survive contact with the superhuman element. Frightened civilians seemed to choke his path. How far away had whatever had happened, happened?

Not far at all, it turned out. The dead body of a man, who'd been impaled on some kind of crystalline purple blade, lay motionless on the ground.

His path had cleared. No more civilians. That meant he could hit top speed, or near enough as would make no matter.

"7-A," he confirmed.

Then he was gone, a patch of dirt flung up behind his afterimage as he accelerated with brutal force. He trusted Hornet's take on the situation. He trusted they were at condition red, even absent a verbal confirmation, due to civilian loss of life. A metahuman so brazen as to attack here was either insane, or durable enough to survive the full force of SWAT. And that meant he'd be resilient enough to take what Lodestar was about to give.

He didn't go for any kind of flying punch. He made no move that would sacrifice his momentum or leave him exposed to a counter. Instead, he charged ahead with the speed more like that of a bullet train than a man, and with twice the force. Just as the old man (impeccably dressed) in front of him would be forced to react to the insect swarm, Lodestar would approach from the opposite direction, little more than a chrome blur -

- and duck in low, aiming to wrap both of his massive steel arms around the man's midsection and hoist him off his feet, spinning as he did so to forcefully slam him into the ground at inhuman speeds, asserting complete dominance over the terrorist attacker in one destructive swoop. It was a super-suplex, delivered at by a man who could crush diamonds in his very hands.

 

[Despire]

As people ran he began selecting his targets. Individuals, single people, and large groups of friends were spared this day. Killing them wouldn't get him what he wanted. For that he would instead focus on parents to inspire hatred amongst their children, romantic partners to attract the loathing of the other half, & pets to foster hostility among their owners.

He slammed his cane into the ground. A hollow thud rang out over the screams of the crowd. Jagged spines of hatred raced forward along the ground. Twisting in and out of the earth. Three separate structures weaving together towards a single point that sought to skewer a small pomeranian in the moments right before its owner could scoop it up.

bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz The artificial stalagmites stopped right before they would have butchered the barking pup. The owner didn't waste the chance to scoop up their companion and escape. Renoire's focus had been stolen. Like a volley of arrows the swarm rose up into the sky.

TZZEW TZZEW TZZEW He raised an arm to intercept the miniaturized blasts. He was used to the stings of arrows snapping against his skin. He knew the technology of the time had long since progressed beyond that however, he still estimated that most bullets would be little more than an inconvenience. Those blasts on the other hand hurt. The amount of battle experience a life as long as his gave made it an unlikely feat to catch him off guard. Yet The Hornet would be one of the few who had been capable of such a feat.

As he recoiled from the pain it left his guard open. He could see the tiny capsule flying his way. A spike rose up to block a bullet. Instead it popped it. The pheromones sprayed across his face and the wasps followed. Stingers and mandibles struggled to pierce his skin. His eyes weren't so lucky. Pain. His vision went blurry. Pain. His right eye went dark. Pain. His left followed suit. The bugs gorged themselves on the jelly like fluid that poured from his eyes.

Blinded and disoriented he was left wide open for the follow up of their combo attack. Bones crunched under the speed of the impact. Splinter like fractures that turned into wet snaps when he was driven into the ground. Less pain. He could no longer feel his legs.

Police began to setup a perimeter. Beneath their calm exterior simmered a rage that someone would dare to do this in their city. News crews were already on the scene to cover the event. It wouldn't take long for that coverage to switch. Eyes watched around the proud city. A brazen attack. Witnesses already giving statements to reporters that they saw a father murdered in the park in front of their child. It would make blood boil. Hatred for him was growing within the city and it tasted sweet like fresh honey.

His one hand went for his own face. Fingers digging into skin and physically ripping it off before tossing it to the side; the wasps followed suit. His bones snapped once more. This time it was the sound of them moving back into place. The hero would feel the man's muscles weaving themselves back together within him. His skin on his face grew back, facial hair and all. It was an expensive regeneration.

"Aren't you hero types....supposed to.....keep your hands free."

He managed to tap his cane against the ground. This time three rows of spikes shot out towards three different groups. The first was the crowd that had fled from Lodestars' meet & greet. The second was aimed at the female half of a couple who had tripped in their attempt to flee. The third was heading towards a teenager who had foolishly sprinted back to grab their phone. The spikes were fast. It would take a hero to save all three.

 

[Ira]

Benjamin did not initially interfere as the fighting began between the professionals of The Power Company and this-

What the hell was this guy?

Someone like this, the strength of his ability, the flamboyance of his power, Benjamin should’ve known something. It was her job to know and stop people like this. The fact that she not only had no idea who this was, but that he was also causing generalized chaos and hurting people, grated on her nerves enough to cause her face to twinge in annoyance. A slight crack to the usually perfect veneer, a wrinkle she could not afford.

But, assuming LODESTAR and Hornet could handle this, it would provide for good publicity for metas everywhere. Having a semi-supersoldier on standby, if they were pure of heart and all that glittery bullshit, was a boon beyond measure. And as Ben, standing off to the side among the fleeing crowd, observed Hornet interrupt a dog from being eviscerated, she smiled internally. That was good publicity. LODESTAR body slamming into the man in a shower of dirt and the sound of cracking bones wouldn’t be too bad either.

But it was not enough, as Ben observed. The man was saying something to LODESTAR before tapping his cane once more. The tapping seemed to elicit a crystalline response as an attack. Is the tapping connected to his ability or just a measure of pride? Ben wondered. She started to attempt to analyze his meta factor, his choice of targets, what might be fueling his strength. But her analysis was interrupted by her mind snapping into place by the movement of the new crystalline attacks. Particularly, one that came her way.

Not -her way- exactly, it was clearly aimed for a stupid teenager who had returned for a dropped mobile device. Those useless glass bricks again… Her body moved with surprising, though not necessarily ‘superhuman,’ speed toward the kid. Snatching his collar, she ripped him away from the phone and the encroaching spike. Simultaneously, she positioned her body between the kid and the chasing row of spikes. If the attack was homing and continued on despite Ben displacing the target then it would surely hit her fragile body.

If Benjamin Carver was pierced by the crystalline spines, that would be extremely bad.

For Despire.