maskormenace | [Video] TW: Violence

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[Video] TW: Violence

[Anastasya's just outside of her workplace, Tesladyne Industries, when she turns on her communicator. She looks much the same as her last post, though her attitude is perhaps a bit more formal, her gaze a bit more intense. She sets the communicator down on a little stand she had brought out. There's even a small crowd gathered around the base of the steps, mostly reporters from De Chima and Heropa, where the building is located.]

Hello everyone. As I'm sure you've all noticed by now, a number of our import friends and family have been behaving...strangely...for the last few days. It's difficult to even describe, really, as if they're themselves but...not. And this hardly the first time this sort of thing has happened, really. Almostly routinely we're subject to strange and otherwise inexplicable phenomenon. Being turned into children strikes as one of the more...obvious of the changes.

And we seem to just be expected to...live with it. [She frowns.] This is the norm we are find ourselves trapped beneath. But it can't stay that way, yes? We have to be able to prevent these...events.

[She turns so the camera can see the building and logo behind her.]

It's one of the reasons I began working here. This is Tesladyne Industries, it was created by a friend of mine, a...robot? I believe is the word. His research, our research, was initially into simply finding a way home. Which he seemed to have managed, since he vanished months ago. But lately I've been thinking more about, not so much leaving, as ensuring that our stay here is less traumatic then we all seemed to be resigned to. It's one of the reasons I've beginning for ambassador, also. To make things...easier. For all of us.

Other imports work here as well, and in other companies, doing much the same thing. Though we all claim to have different long-term purp-

[Ana is turning back to the camera as she speaks when there's an almost sub-audible crack, followed by a violent bang somewhere distantly behind the camera, and there's a brief second of shock before her small frame is lifted half a foot off the ground as a bullet catches her just below her collarbone and whirls her around and onto the ground, the sudden shift sending the communicator bouncing off it's perch. It hits the ground with a clatter, facing away from the building and catch the crowd as the reporters and onlookers scatter in a wave of panic and shouting, everyone ducking or just taking off down the street.]

[On one of the buildings across the street, a shadowed figure some might recognize as Bucky Barnes was hauling a rifle up off a stand before disappearing into the recesses of the building.]

[As the sound starts to subside, there's a faint, pain-filled moan from the woman herself, then the rush off footsteps and a male voice which some might recognize as Duncan.]

Fuck, get her inside! And someone call the fucking police! Did anyone see where-

[And a hand comes down to grab up her communicator, shutting off the feed.]

[Ooc: Responses from Anastasya will not come until late into the evening, nearly midnight. Duncan may respond to people also.]

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[Dooku is genuinely perturbed. He has plans for Anastasya- who dares interfere?]

This is an outrage. Can anyone confirm whether the Hierophant is still alive? Is anyone on the scene?

[Duncan's voice is rushed, maybe slightly frantic, but he's obviously in urgent "get shit done" mode and not useless panic mode.]

The what? Ana's alive, we got her inside, and hopefully-- [raised voice, obviously pointedly directed at someone across the room] hopefully someone's fucking calling 911 right now instead of standing around like a useless fucking asshole!

The authorities should already be on their way, Duncan. How serious are her injuries?

[Don't you dare die on him in the middle of a campaign, running mate.]

Fuck the authorities, I need EMS. Fucking blood everywhere and-- It missed her heart I think but it might've punctured a lung, fuck, I really wish my healing powers hadn't been stolen by this bullshit fucking universe.

I will do what I can to speed the paramedics. But you can help her even without powers.

Do you see an exit wound on her body? If the bullet is still within her, the situation is even more serious.

[ He sounds extremely weak when he addresses his opposing candidate and the fact that this is voice is telling. ]

An outrage indeed. But perhaps no mere coincidence. I was brutally attacked yesterday evening. While the situations may not be linked, they quite possibly are and I would exercise caution in your daily activities, Count Dooku.

[Anastasya might die but his opponent is still able to speak? This truly is an unpleasant situation. But Dooku's voice is warm and sympathetic as he replies, as though all differences of policy and interest were forgotten in the face of the present emergency.]

I thank you for your warning, Lord Baelish. My condolences on your assault- it is good to see that you are still with us.

I will be on my guard, and ensure that my security is on the highest alert. It is entirely plausible that co-ordinated assassination attempts are targeting imPort political figures. Did you have any chance to get a look at your assailant?

Not well. It was dark. But I could tell it was male. Young. Shorter than myself, but strong. He plunged a knife into my vitals and I only narrowly escaped. So the attacks themselves are different. I am not certain if that would be indicative of a versatile assassin or simply a sign that they are unrelated events.

But I can tell you this. My belongings were not stolen. They had the opportunity as I had dropped my pouch of gold in the tussle. [ And the rest of his clothing as well during his transformation. ] So this was not done with the intent of theft.

I would suspect the same assassin... or perhaps a team of attackers. Whatever the source of this menace, it must be stopped.

But first we must see to the wounded. Has a healer assisted you with your injuries, Lord Baelish? I can arrange for one of my friends to help you if need be.

[Dooku is sure that Baelish has already been helped- he wouldn't be talking otherwise. But he has a courteous, caring image to maintain.]

I have had someone aiding me, yes. I would not have lived if it were not for her. But I do appreciate your generosity. Even as we are opponents in this election, we are imPorts fighting on the same side. Any threat to our person is a threat we should be united against.

I couldn't agree more, m'lord. We are both participating in the great opportunity that is democracy. And I believe it is the right of imPorts to democracy that our shared assailants are targeting. This assassin menaces our freedoms as much as they do our bodies.

[Dooku speaks with warmth and earnestness, as though he and Littlefinger are not going to be swinging away verbally at each other in the Debate Hall in a few days.]

I have to wonder if this was planned well before the bizarre events from this week, or if it was a result of whatever has happened to some of our fellow imPorts. Someone acting against their typical character. It will not neutralize the threat to know one way or the other, but it could provide valuable insight into motivations.

If this event is the cause, than the threat will dissipate when the effect does. But if this is an unrelated aggression, we may face a prolonged campaign of attacks before our enemy is brought to heel.

Perhaps we should consult with whichever heroes have been investigating these mysteries. They may know more about the source of this danger- and what we can expect next.

I will do what I can, where I can. But as I am still in recovery, I will be limited. I do hope whatever you learn, you will pass along to me. And I shall do the same for you.

[ One shot and she's down. His next movements are smooth and efficient as he breaks down his rifle, puts it back in its portable case, and walks swiftly across the rooftop of his bird's nest.

His attention is on the fire exit at the opposite end of the building. It's only five stories, but Bucky is careful to move with the urgency of the frightened, not the guilty. All he needs to do is make it to the street and blend in with the rest of the crowd.

At nineteen and scrawny, with a ballcap and unassuming clothes, no one should really suspect a punk like him of this assassination. ]

[Barnaby wasn't on the scene, but it isn't long before a notification pops up on his communicator, alerting him of the incident. Tearing himself away from his photo shoot, he combs through the footage, pausing when the perpetrator is spotted on top of the building. After zooming in on the man's face, there's no question of who it is. And after trying to contact him himself and getting no answer, he has no choice but to warn the network]

The man seen carrying a rifle is Bucky Barnes. Assuming this isn't some sort of set-up, anyone who engages him must exert extreme caution. His powers are not to be trifled with, and he's most likely carrying explosives.

((OOC: This is just a note that I've retconned Barnaby's road-not-taken plotline after talking to the players involved. Sorry for any confusion.))

[Daryl had no real love for the woman that got shot. After his one, very short conversation with her, he thought she was a stuck up bitch. But that didn't mean she deserved to get shot over it.

If the guy hadn't said the shooter was probably carrying explosives, Daryl probably wouldn't have responded. But blowing shit up was a whole 'nother story than shooting someone you didn't like. He wasn't sure what sort of powers the shooter had, but if he was anything like snipers were trained to be back in his world, back before, the guy probably knew how to disappear. And that would likely take him into a crowd.]

You got a better picture of him to go with that name?

Yes.

[He sends a screencap from one of their video conversations, in which Bucky is wearing Barnaby's powersuit with the faceplate up.]

We swapped abilities for a short time last year after the Cain Cabal attack.

Weren't here last year. Don't know what that is.

[Or who. Cain Cabal could be a name of a person and not an organization.]

But Thanks. That's enough to find this asshole.

[Barnaby switches the feed to private for obvious reasons.]

...What is it that you aim to do, exactly?

Stop him.

How?

Anyway I can. What's it matter to you?

Apprehending dangerous people is what I did for a living back home, and it's something I've continued doing since I came to this world. On top of that, Mr. Barnes is an acquaintance of mine. If you're going to get involved, we may as well coordinate our efforts so we don't get in each other's way.

You a cop?

My powers here are the same abilities I had back home, and I cooperated with the police force as one of several professional heroes authorized by the Justice Bureau.

Bounty Hunter?

Not quite. We worked set hours and our salaries were based off of our performance.

You in De Chima?

I changed into my powersuit and am on my way to the Porter now.

How fast can you get to that Tesladyne place where it happened? The longer we wait, the more damage he can do.

If I use my powers, less than 10 minutes. The trade-off is I can't use them again for another hour if I do that. Do you have reason to believe he's still at the scene of the crime?

Most people'll be rubber-necking. Leaving the area fast'll look out of place. He'll need to do it slow. He'll still probably be gone in ten minutes, but he might not be as far as he would otherwise.

He won't be bolting anywhere, true, but I imagine he didn't waste much time slipping in with a larger crowd of people intent on making their way out of there.

My helmet is equipped with an HUD that lets me see across large distances, so I can certainly try looking. Without a larger team assisting me, though, I can't guarantee success. We'll likely have to determine where he may strike next and go from there.

Nah. We'll just follow the daisies. They're growing for him.

What is that supposed to mean?

It means we're gonna track his ass down and there ain't gonna be no guess work involved.

[That message reads as though he's awfully sure of himself.]

You have experience with this sort of thing, I take it.

Yeah. So if you want to catch his ass without it getting an arrow through it, you better be able to handle whatever he's throwing around. I don't know what he can do, and I can only do so much myself.

Rest assured, I'm capable of apprehending him as long as we get him in a position where he can't use his powers to slip away. We'll need a few more hands and a suitable way to lure him out into the open. With ambassador candidates openly campaigning, though, I'm confident we can set an effective trap.

You do that. I'm gonna go find him.

[Priority one is getting the wounded Anastasya inside the building and somewhere safe. Maybe it's paranoid to yell at the interns carrying her not to set her down in the lobby, but if someone was willing to shoot her in broad daylight out front, who's to say they won't try to finish the job through the front windows?

He's not helping carry her because come on, she probably weighs more than he does, but he does feel kind of guilty about that and tries to make up for it by grabbing her phone and setting up his own to let him keep the commenters on her post updated.

The interns set her down on the tile in the first floor breakroom and Duncan shoos them away to kneel at her side and take over. He hesitates there though, because his first inclination is to start casting a healing spell and he has to consciously remember that he can't do that anymore, recall the process of basic first aid, and then figure out what he has handy to staunch the bleeding with.

Which is...nothing, honestly?

Wait, no. The realization hits him suddenly and he tears off his T-shirt, leaving on just the white long-sleeved undershirt he's wearing beneath it. Suddenly glad for his idiosyncratic habit of always wearing long sleeves, he balls up the T-shirt and presses it against the wound both to soak up the blood and to apply pressure to lessen the bleeding. Those white sleeves, probably not gonna stay white very long, but he's a little preoccupied right now with shouting at people to call 911 and trying to keep Ana from bleeding out while also trying to hold an audio conversation with Dooku to let him know what's going on.]

[Anastasya was unconscious from before the feed shut off, and she was limp and still as she was carried inside and set down in one of the break rooms. The pain itself, at that point, was covered over in surprise and shock, and she might've remained unconscious if not for the sudden wave of pain brought on by the pressure of Duncan's hand and shirt pressing into her chest and shoulder.]

[She awoke with a gasp of pain, back arching, her hands scrabbling against the tile floor for purchase, just for a second, before she slumped back down with a groan. Her vision was tinted with red and white, and she couldn't remember anything close to this, not since...well. Not since her brother had murdered her.]

[Murdered her. She'd been through this. She had been through this twice before and the second time, the second...]

[Her befuddled brain finally latched onto the word, the name, vampire, and instinctively she reached out, feeling the transformation come over her. A wave of death and cold, neither one strong enough to do anything against the pain lancing through her.]

[But with it now was the hunger, the need to save herself the way a vampire could, and with a burst of strength her hand shot up, grabbing Duncan in a vice-like grip and yanking him down, sinking his fangs into his neck the second he was within reach.]

[Her immediate reaction to the pressure takes him by surprise. But it's...a good thing, he thinks? It means she's feeling pain normally, that seems like what you want in this situation.]

Whoa--hey, it's okay, it's okay.

Well. It's not okay. But, you know, it's not completely fucked. [what does Duncan do when he's nervous? ramble. he keeps pressure on the wound while letting his words and his attention drift, looking up from her toward the door where he can see one of the interns nervously pacing back and forth in the hallway while on the phone with a 911 operator] Jesus fucking Christ I really wish I hadn't lost my healing powers in this universe. I forgot how fucking nervewracking it is being at the mercy of EMS.

[there's something else he was starting to say, but honestly, it's not important. what's important is that, because he's distracted and rambling, he is completely oblivious to any pending danger until she's already pounced. There's a startled yelp when she yanks him down, but everything's so quick that by the time he registers what's happening, she's already got her fangs in him.

hello scream in an octave only dogs can hear.

and hello lots of futile struggling, swearing, and probably pounding his fist against her chest a couple times as a combined "JESUS FUCKING CHRIST THAT HURTS"/"STOP". look, she might be injured, but it's hard to fight instinct when you're panicking in the middle of a vampire bite.]

[This lasted fifteen, maybe twenty seconds, until her grip slackened and she dropped away from him and down limply onto her back with a little grunt. Unlike usual, the color didn't immediately fade back into her skin, she remained in her deathly palor, staring at the ceiling, frowning faintly.]

[Whatever he did, she would ignore it for a good thirty seconds, until the color finally flooded back into her face and she let out another soft groan of pain. But it was much easier than before. And she didn't feel like she had to cough up blood.]

[Speaking of.]

Your blood tastes very strange.

[Hickory smoked? Could blood be hickory smoked?]

[She'd apologize for biting him eventually. Probably. After the shock wore off.]

[meanwhile that intern peeks his head around the doorframe, sees what Duncan is screaming about, and quietly decides he has somewhere else to be right now.]

[it might only be 15~20 seconds, but it is the longest 15~20 seconds of Duncan's life. the instant Ana lets up her hold, he rips himself out of it and scurries himself well out of arm's reach with one hand pressed tightly against his neck. and while she is busy letting the blood sink in, he is busy trying to remember how the fuck to heal himself. IT DOESN'T WORK LIKE IT'S SUPPOSED TO ANYMORE, HOW THE FUCK DO YOU CONTROL A HEALING FACTOR???]

[it's not a problem he's managed to solve by the time she speaks up.] Fuck you!!!!

[that's probably the shrillest pitch Ana has ever heard his voice hit, but the good news is he sounds much more incredulous than hateful and the look he's giving her backs that up.]

Don't fucking bite me and then tell me I taste weird, what the fuck is wrong with you!

And you could've fucking asked first, Christ.

Sorry.

[The word was a bit more pained than the last ones had been. She could revert to being a vampire, which would stop it, but also prevent it from healing any more without drinking more blood. Or she could stay human and let whatever emergency services had been called tend to her.]

It was...instinctual, I think. Wrong neck, wrong time.

[Was that a little joke?]

[uuuugh he's still mad but she apologized so he'd be an asshole to keep yelling at her about it. so all that gets is a forcefully muttered "Fuck" that's more directed at the pain than at her.

Give him a few seconds to breathe and get his science brain back on. it hurts but he doesn't feel cold or lightheaded or anything so he's probably okay in terms of blood volume. how long does it take to restore lost blood volume? shit, he doesn't fuckin' remember, he can only tell you that in terms of mana. is his body even drawing on his mana to heal this right now? it kind of feels like it, but he's a little too worked up to be able to sit down and dissect that whole process analytically right now.]

Is it still bleeding? [he lifts his hand away from the wound slightly so she can see it. the answer: mostly not. it looks like it's had about 30 minutes to clot up instead of, like, 1.] I have a healing factor but I don't know how fast that shit supposedly works.

[pause, and then with some very obvious reluctance: ] ...Do you. Need...more...?

[serious offer. the ambulance is on its way anyway, and worst case scenario, a blood transfusion's a lot simpler than treatment for a gunshot wound to the chest.]

[She was just processing her choices as she lay there, half-listening to him. She could transform again, try to heal it, but risk her vampirism becoming more public, or remain as she was and allow the doctors to treat her as if she were simply human. Hm.]

Not really. [She said, turning her head slightly to peer at his neck. It would be so easy...she drew in a long breath and closed her eyes.]

I will wait for the ambulance. [She managed to say.] Allowing them to treat me will be easier to explain.

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[Video] TW: Violence

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