The X-men run missions and work together with the NYPD, striving to maintain a peaceful balance between humans and mutants. When it comes to a fight, they won't back down from protecting those who need their help.
Haven presents itself as a humanitarian organization for activists, leaders, and high society, yet mutants are the secret leaders working to protect and serve their kind. Behind the scenes they bring their goals into reality.
From the time when mutants became known to the world, SUPER was founded as a black-ops division of the CIA in an attempt to classify, observe, and learn more about this new and rising threat.
The Syndicate works to help bring mutantkind to the forefront of the world. They work from the shadows, a beacon of hope for mutants, but a bane to mankind. With their guiding hand, humanity will finally find extinction.
Since the existence of mutants was first revealed in the nineties, the world has become a changed place. Whether they're genetic misfits or the next stage in humanity's evolution, there's no denying their growing numbers, especially in hubs like New York City. The NYPD has a division devoted to mutant related crimes. Super-powered vigilantes help to maintain the peace. Those who style themselves as Homo Superior work to tear society apart for rebuilding in their own image.
MRO is an intermediate to advanced writing level original character, original plot X-Men RPG. We've been open and active since October of 2005. You can play as a mutant, human, or Adapted— one of the rare humans who nullify mutant powers by their very existence. Goodies, baddies, and neutrals are all welcome.
Short Term Plots:Are They Coming for You?
There have been whispers on the streets lately of a boogeyman... mutant and humans, young and old, all have been targets of trafficking.
The Fountain of Youth
A chemical serum has been released that's shaving a few years off of the population. In some cases, found to be temporary, and in others...?
MRO MOVES WITH CURRENT TIME: What month and year it is now in real life, it's the same for MRO, too.
Fuegogrande: "Fuegogrande" player of The Ranger, Ion, Rhia, and Null
Neopolitan: "Aly" player of Rebecca Grey, Stephanie Graves, Marisol Cervantes, Vanessa Bookman, Chrysanthemum Van Hart, Sabine Sang, Eupraxia
Ongoing Plots
Magic and Mystics
After the events of the 2020 Harvest Moon and the following Winter Solstice, magic has started manifesting in the MROvere! With the efforts of the Welldrinker Cult, people are being converted into Mystics, a species of people genetically disposed to be great conduits for magical energy.
The Welldrinker Cult
A shadowy group is gaining power, drawing in people who are curious, vulnerable, or malicious, and turning them into Mystics. They are recruiting people into their ranks to spread the influence of magic in the world, but for what end goal?
Are They Coming for You?
There have been whispers on the streets lately of a boogeyman... mutant and humans, young and old, all have been targets of trafficking.
Adapteds
What if the human race began to adapt to the mutant threat? What if the human race changed ever so subtly... without the x-gene.
Atlanteans
The lost city of Atlantis has been found! Refugees from this undersea mutant dystopia have started to filter in to New York as citizens and businessfolk. You may make one as a player character of run into one on the street.
Got a plot in mind?
MRO plots are player-created the Mods facilitate and organize the big ones, but we get the ideas from you. Do you have a plot in mind, and want to know whether it needs Mod approval? Check out our plot guidelines.
Posted by Liz Sundance on Jun 16, 2022 7:49:40 GMT -6
X-Men
Metazoa
Chartreuse
Straight
949
9
Mar 27, 2024 19:59:20 GMT -6
Zek
Liz quirked a corner of her mouth at Hercules’s odd choice of words. Fortunately, nobody else was around to hear any potential innuendo so she let it drop. She patted Shadow on the head again and walked over to the tree. “Here, boy!” she said to Zorro as she sat down at the base of the plant.
Zorro bounded over to her, his tail wagging fiercely and the stick proudly held inside his mouth, forcing him into a permanent Cheshire grin. “Good boy,” Liz smiled as she placed a hand on Zorro’s head. “We’ll be sure to avoid any law enforcement!” she said.
Almost instantly, her head slumped back and a bit to the side and her hand fell limply to the ground as her body slackened.
Zorro dropped the stick and as Hercules threw the other one, Elizabeth hopped over to him, licked at his face once, and then streaked away after the stick as fast as the exuberant Zorro could manage!
It was odd, Hercules couldn’t tell what to make of Elizabeth controlling the dog that licked his face. Was it her licking him or was it Zorro? It did not matter. Both Shadow and Zorro with Elizabeth behind the wheel in Zorro’s body was off while her body went limp at a tree. The god stood. Walked over to Elizabeth and brushed a little hair out from in front of her face and adjusted her neck a little so it wasn’t in such an awkward position then sat back down next to her waiting for the ‘dogs.’
The wind blew a little and the trees they were surrounded by waved at them and anyone passing by. The sunlight peaked out from the leaves and Hercules closed his eyes and took a deep breath taking everything it. It was a bit smoggier than he would had liked, (they were in the city) but the fresh air made him feel invincible.
---
Shadow jumped from the nearest point to the stick (still covered by shade) startling a couple walking by. They both jumped but were ignored as the hellhound bounded in the direction of the stick seeing the other dog running for it. Shadow leapt forward, scooped the stick and did a victory lap in front of Liz who was inhabiting Zorro’s body. Taunting her, it was a close race but where the stick landed it was near some trees and a lamp post casting a heavy shadows near where the stick landed.
Posted by Liz Sundance on Jun 28, 2022 19:19:43 GMT -6
X-Men
Metazoa
Chartreuse
Straight
949
9
Mar 27, 2024 19:59:20 GMT -6
Zek
It was a blast!
Pure, unadulterated joy!
Zorro’s mind was synced so tightly with Elizabeth’s that where one ended and the other began was barely perceptible, even to the mutant psychic. They raced as one, chasing Shadow and the stick, sometimes getting it, but usually not. They knew Shadow probably was holding back, as bigger dogs did so often around smaller dogs, but they didn’t care.
Zorrabeth was having the time of their lives.
The crispness of the air offset the heat in their limbs as they ran over the fields, basking in the wide open park that attracted so few visitors this time of year. Through shadows dark and pools of sunlight bright, they made their way far from Elizabeth’s, every sense alive with the wonders of the world around them and the joy of fun, pure fun, playing with another who was a challenge for Zorrabeth to even keep up with.
It was stimulating even for the woman, intellectually-speaking. This was a creature she could not sense, could not control, could only attempt to predict. Her intellect and observations flowed into Zorro’s mind and they enacted split second improvisations with canine speed and agility that would’ve left any other dog in the world in the dust.
But finally, they needed a rest.
They flopped down in a patch of brownish grass that was relatively snow-free and rolled around a couple of times. The cold was the only reason they hadn’t overheated long before. Their tongue lolled out of their mouth and they sprawled, basking in the sunlight, their sense focused on the simple relief of a lot of hard running and the workout they’d undergone.
Which was why they didn’t notice the approaching people, or their hushed, urgent voices. They didn’t smell the polished metal or chemicals and didn’t hear the sound of the dart leaving the gun’s chamber. They did feel the sting, however, as it pierced their side.
That was the last thing they knew for a long time as the people gathered up their limp body and loaded them into a van before driving away in haste.
Some time had passed, much more than the giant of Greece would had liked when he was spending his time with Elizabeth in silence. She was so inquisitive it was odd to be near her and not thinking of a response to some complex question about his history, or magic. It was... different.
A fly approached Elizabeth and Hercules stood up and took two giant steps towards one of his favorite mortals and swatted the fly away. It was a slow swat, he never knew with Elizabeth if she could be in control of any living creature meaning when he was around her, he’d do his best not to squish or crush anything.
Time went as it does and there was no return of Zorro. The god grew impatient, it was unlike Elizabeth to keep him waiting like this. She knew how he could get. ”ZORRO!” the god finally roared his voice bellowing out over the lush green landscape. There was no response. Even Shadow was gone. Finally Hercules called his master concerned.
-------
”Are you sure this is the place that has Zorro?” the god asked cradling his mortal girlfriend in his burly arms. The tattoo’s moved but weren’t glowing not since he landed in front of the warehouse. Looking back over his shoulder the god noted the amount of cars and wondered why and how Zorro got all the way out here. Why did Elizabeth come out this way? Today was a park day.
Shadow growled and breathed heavily and pointed it’s massive nose at the door. A few onlookers started to notice the god and the massive dog. “Whoa! What breed is that?” “Must be some kind of mastiff.” “It fighting tonight?” another asked the men all started to gather around but Hercules drew their attention before they could get any closer. ”It’s a hellhound and I’m looking for my... dog...” he technically had his girlfriend in his arms. Just not her mind.
“No dogs here.”
Shadow growled and bared it’s teeth. Hercules took the cue, ”I am a patient god but not when it comes to those I hold dear. Now I shall ask once more... and do not lie to me.”
Posted by Liz Sundance on Jul 19, 2022 12:26:27 GMT -6
X-Men
Metazoa
Chartreuse
Straight
949
9
Mar 27, 2024 19:59:20 GMT -6
Zek
They came to slowly but surely. There was darkness at first, but then they remembered they could open their eyes. <<Wha…?>> The woman mumbled aimlessly as her mind danced drunkenly through the dog. Why couldn’t she stand? Oh right, she had four legs now. Why did she ever think she had two legs? Wait, of course she had two legs! Zorro was the one with four legs.
ZORRO!
Awareness flooded the mutant as Zorro’s brain began picking up. Liz used the time to get as good an analysis of Zorro’s wellbeing as she could. She wasn’t exactly a tricorder. She could only know what Zorro felt and sensed himself.
There was pain in his side, a sharp stabbing, like a mishandled needle. Liz metaphorically frowned. They’d been tranquilized. So where were they now?
Zorro inhaled and was instantly assaulted by thousands of odors.
Sweat, urine, and the reek of fear and aggression flooded his nostrils to the point Liz nearly disconnected herself from the olfactory center of his mind. Not that it would’ve done any good, because her mind had caught on to others.
There were dozens of animals around her. Filled with rage and wrath and fear and sickening glee that kept calling up images of blood and metal. They were dogs. Dogs of all kinds. In her wakening state, Elizabeth’s mind had not the floodwalls she normally kept raised, and so all the dogs poured into her.
Dozens of dogs began howling and growling, battering themselves against cages and making every bit of racket they could as they all began to drown in the psychic miasma of the backstage kennel of an underground dogfighting ring.
The man leaning on the door stiffened up, he was about a head and a half shorter than the god and in different circumstances ideal for a wrestling match. Now however, was not the time to test strength while his patience was being tested so. “There are....” a few more men stood upright from the corner of the god’s eye, “no dogs he-grhh!!!” the lie never finished Hercules backhanded the giant of a man away from the door.
“Whoa!” someone from behind the god said, ”Shadow.... find Zorro please. Protect.” the dog took another step and then stepped into a shadow on the wall of the building. The last thing everyone heard around them was the echoing of the phantom’s barks. Two men ran the others stayed. ”WHERE IS MY DOG!” Hercules body flickered in green for a moment as he kicked down the giant metallic door clearing it off the hinges.
“WHOA!” another shouted “You see what he did to Micky!?!” “I’m on parole man, I can’t be caught here!” ”Yes! Flee, cowards! For my wrath shall not be quenched till I have found Zorro!” and ELizabeth. He didn’t verbalize it. It was none of their business.
The sound of cheering and dogs barking echoed out from the hall way now that the door was caved in. Clearly there were dogs here. ‘Mickey’ seemed to recover his wits as Hercules strut past. “Hey! Get back here!” there was some sound behind him and a chain zipped past his face over his shoulder. The god’s reflexes enhanced by his magical might caught it before it could hit the woman he was cradling in one of his arm.
The chain pulled taught Hercules bellowed, ”I no longer have the patience for you mortal.” Hercules tugged the chain and heard a yell behind him. The chain flung forward while ‘Mickey’ dropped to his knees screaming over his now bloodied hands.
”ZORRO!” the prince of power shouted over the commotion. The cheering continued, the barking continued. The god started to glow drawing power from his masters. ”I will find you Elizabeth. I promise.” he said brushing a strand of hair from the woman’s face holding her close while having flashbacks to other promises the god couldn’t keep.
Posted by Liz Sundance on Jul 20, 2022 19:42:34 GMT -6
X-Men
Metazoa
Chartreuse
Straight
949
9
Mar 27, 2024 19:59:20 GMT -6
Zek
Elizabeth screamed long and hard into the void, her true mouth a hundred or so feet away by that point. Instead her words echoed throughout the dogs, blasting them with everything she was immersed with.
But slowly, Liz was able to pull herself together. The adrenaline rush of the fear actually helped clear Zorro’s mind and with his mind cleared, Liz started automatically reaching for her psychic shields. Then she painstakingly yanked them over her mind, cutting herself off from everything, one by one, until it was just her and Zorro.
She figuratively breathed a sigh of relief. Reflexively, she began pouring feelings of calmness and tranquility into Zorro, while flashing memories of them hugging and playing. <<I’m so sorry,>> she thought to him. <<You’ve been such a good boy. But now we have to figure a way out of this mess.>>
Her thoughts were interrupted as a door slammed open. The spikes of alarm and fear from all the caged dogs blasted through even her walls, but she was ready now. The fear did not consume her, instead she used it as a lifeline to reach back through to the other dogs.
Surface memories flashed across their minds as a towering man came into the dingy room.
He was huge, like an MMA fighter had taken up steroids and bodybuilding and regularly wrestled bears. He was dressed in a slick navy pinstripe suit with wingtip shoes and a fedora of all things, a vigar in his mouth, but his smell invaded Zorro’s nostrils and echoed in the minds of the other dogs. Images overlayed her mind’s eyes as the man’s appearance brought up memories.
Blood. Death. Fear. Breaking a bone with a single crushing hand. Hulking in size and disemboweling a man. Bursting out of the suit and shredding it, heads sprouting form his neck, and many other things. Liz didn’t understand them all, as there were so many flashes and the dogs themselves didn’t understand most of it. They just knew fear. And a name. Gary.
“Well aren’t you a brave one,” the man sneered into the room. It was a moment before Liz realized he was looking at her, or more accurately, at Zorro. She glanced around and then realized most of the dogs had quietened, other than whimpers and shakes. She and Zorro were the only ones who looked at ease.
“Every other dog we get in here is peeing themselves or chomping for blood,” the man continued as he drew nearer. Liz noticed he was holding something. A cattle prod? “But none of them ever look bored.” He crouched and put his face near their cage. “Boredom just won’t do. The crowds aren’t going to like that. So we’ll just put you out there first, then. Get you out of the way. The show starts in a few minutes anyways. But first…”
Gary stabbed the cattle prod through the bars of the cage and jabbed them in the side. Lights burst in their minds as the electricity coursed through them. They screamed/howled/wailed and collapsed into a heap as Gary roared with laughter. He grabbed the handle on top of the cage and picked them up effortlessly as he headed to the fight ring.
Lights flickered in the room where the dogs were held where ‘Gary’ was. Holding the four legged friend that she was searching for. Gary looked to the lights and let out a low curse. Wondering why he paid people to fix the lighting if it still wasn’t fixed. The other dogs filled with fear heard it first. The baying of the hellhound was low at first but then started to get louder as she circled her target. She was a hunter, one that never failed to find her target. All for the masters wishes and by extension the giant.
Gary hefted Zorro again and looked around to the other dogs wondering who was so thirsty for blood. Maybe they’d be a challenge for the beast he held in his hands. Taking a low slow drag he shook his head, none of the dogs around him were barking, howling or growling they all looked terrified which was what he trained them to do when they saw him. He was the master and they were nothing more than a way to make money.
“Must be in the other room.” he decided and exited unaware what was happening across the building.
-----
“Hey! You’re not supposed to be here!!! Oh ****” one of the guards duclked out of the way as a chain zipped past and destroyed the chair the eburly man was sitting on seconds before. It would have broken some bones for sure if the mortal didn’t move. Hercules however didn’t care for the moment he was there for one of his mortals. One that brought so much joy to this era. ”Where is Zorro!”
’Bang! Bang!’
The bullets bounced off the gods flesh and ricochet in different directions as he turned his body illuminating the dark corridor revealing the filth and garbage that was imbedded in the walls and floors. The god was not pleased, he’d tear the world asunder again if he needed to. Elizabeth had such a bright future. “Call in the rest! Notify Big G!” he shouted to the door behind him where the cheers and roars for blood echoed. There was movement behind the door as the peep hole closed. Hercules flashed the chain again attacking the door narrowly missing the guard once more.
”Where is Zorro!”
“Who!?!?”
”Her dog!” his body glowed brighter as his eyes started to reflect the light he was producing. It had been so long since he was filled with such concern, such rage for a loved one. Even when William was being targeted he didn’t feel this way. The feeling made him feel so alive. So angry. They would know why he was known as the strongest of the gods, why he was sent to defeat the titans.
Posted by Liz Sundance on Jul 21, 2022 18:37:47 GMT -6
X-Men
Metazoa
Chartreuse
Straight
949
9
Mar 27, 2024 19:59:20 GMT -6
Zek
Gary shoved open the double doors and was greeted by a wash of applause and cheering. The room looked like it had been a boxing ring at some point, but the ropes had been replaced with steel bars ten feet high and covered with a chain net. There were two metal doors in the ring, each with a modified doggy door that locked. All around the ring were seets full of people from every walk of life, all unified in their desire for this particular vice.
The stench of various kinds of smoke and sweat and greed filled the air, almost as much as those placing last minute bets. Gary walked through the crowd until he reached one of the doors. A guy with a clipboard passed him a microphone.
“Let’s get this show started!” he crowed, his voice now booming from a dozen speakers. The crowd erupted into more cheers. Fortunately, the room was intensively soundproofed, so they didn’t have to worry about being overheard by any do-gooders. “We’ve got ourselves a new contender! He’s a German shepherd and a dog that knows no fear!” He paused for a moment to let his words sink in.
“But he’s never met my Orphan!”
The crowd cheered again, but this time their calls had a tinge of bloodlust to them.
“Come on out, Orphan!” Gary shouted into the mic.
A door at the other end of the room opened and a massive Rottweiler lurched out. IT was a massive specimen of its kind, easily looking like it had a wolf or something in its bloodlines. It was packed with muscles, covered in scars, and looked perpetually angry at everything. Orphan walked directly toward one of the doors in the ring and an assistant hurriedly opened the door to let the dog in, closing and locking it only once Orphan was out of arm’s reach. Even then, the guy backed up a half dozen steps.
By then, Liz could feel the dog’s mind, and it felt like poison. The pain, the rage, the abuse, and the joy inside of it were all tangled and twisted. It felt perverted somehow. Orphan caught sight of Zorro and Liz felt his thoughts. Blood and death and sensual joy.
Her hackles rose and then the cage moved forward. They were pressed up against the doggy door of the other metal door and unceremoniously shaken out of the cage and into the ring.
“Let the fight begin!” Gary shouted, raising the cattle prod in the air and letting the electricity crackle.
A few speakers in the hallway reverberated to life and the son of Zeus dropped one of the guards he was holding by the arms. He was struggling, it was futile. Even with one hand the god easily overpowered the mortal whose life was now hanging by the arms. ”Oh ho!?! What’s this?” Hercules asked still cradling his blonde in his other arm.
“Please....”
>>>“We’ve got ourselves a new contender! He’s a German shepherd and a dog that knows no fear!” “But he’s never met my Orphan!”
Hercules’s irritation was clear on his face, it was always hard to keep his emotions hidden. The cheers were even more aggravating. They were nothing like the those of the coliseum. No, the blood lust they were seeking was the same. Just less misguided mortals. There was a pop and Hercules looked back to the guard who was now screaming and howling to be released. The bulwark obliged. One wrist at least. ”Where is this arena!?! TELL ME NOW!”
>>>“Let the fight begin!”
Hercules looked to the nearest wall where the man pointed at and charged.
-----
Orphan lunged and before the massive hulking Rottweiler could land on Zorro and by extension Elizabeth the crowd of blood thirsty fans were hit with a psychic assault in the form of howling and barking. It was expected in this crowd to hear dogs barking. It was expected to hear howling of four legged beasts on the hunt. What wasn’t expected was everyone watching the spectacle to start panicking that there was a dog behind them.
Before Orphan landed Shadow erupted from the shadows underneath Zorro and batted the massive dog away with a paw. Shadow landed and stood in front of Zorro after materializing and sniffed the air. She had a mission. Find and protect Zorro. She found Zorro. Now she just needed to guard him.
“Oh?” Gary said after a long drag of his cigar and exhaling. “It seems we have another competitor. A tag team match?” he was ignoring the howling and baying around him. Immune to it’s effects. “Maybe we should even the odds?”
There was a sound of metal clanging as another two cages were brought to the doors leading to the pit.
There was a loud sound and Hercules erupted from one of the walls glowing bright green as he was channeling his master’s magic to enhance his strength, his rage and sadness all while protecting one of his favorite mortals. ”At last!” the god boomed as he cleared the crowd and landed in the pit wielding a blonde and a chain sturdy enough to tether a boat to an anchor.
Elizabeth had a plan. It wasn’t complicated by any means, and it really wasn’t meant to last. There were many unknown variables that she would have to deal with later, but for now, she and Zorro stood their ground as the larger dog began to soar through the air. They knew no fear because Elizabeth was wide awake and alert now. She was about to be attacked by an animal. She’d had to time things perfectly and…
The exploding shadow beast from below stunned her and Zorro both and they reflexively backpedaled as Shadow bounced Orphan into the wall of the cage.
The crowd silenced for just a moment in surprise, but then resurged with the thrill of violence in the air. Now things were starting to get interesting! A mutant dog? Or a dog mutant? THis wasn’t on the list for the night, but people were already laying and changing bets.
Two more dogs were brought out as Gary announced upping the ante. One was a grizzled pitbull and the other a ferocious wolf dog. They were being lined up to the fighting cage doors when Hercules made his entrance.
It was safe to say that Elizabeth’s plan had gone all to Hades.
“Well, well, well!” Gary cried in surprised delight, his voice booming from speakers as he smiled. “It looks like Fearless Fido has friends! A puppy pal and an overgrown brute with…is that a woman? Is that a meat shield? Well, we’ll certainly see about that!” Gary roared as he stepped up to the cage. Orphan was just getting to his feet and Gary managed to tap the dog’s side through the bars briefly before making a circuit and doing the same to the pitbull and the wolf dog before they were put into the ring.
“The blood sports are normally on Fridays, but this evening will be a preview! Orphan, Othelio, Orion, attack!”
The other two dogs were pushed into the cage, now cutting off both entrances and with Orphan taking up the side. It wasn’t a huge ring to begin with, and now it was so much smaller with all these bodies in it. Especially when three of those bodies were starting to get bigger.
Orphan, Othelio, and Orion were growing. Horrifying muscle growths developed on them as they spasmed and warped until they became muscle bound monstrous dogs easily five feet at the shoulder and built like brick houses. Then the other heads began to form. Orphan and Orion soon became two-headed but Othelio, the wolf dog, ended up with three heads.
The seven heads roared as one and plunged into the fray.
>>>“The blood sports are normally on Fridays, but this evening will be a preview! Orphan, Othelio, Orion, attack!”
Hercules was half listening as he looked around at the other dogs that entered the pit. There was a touch of nostalgia when he saw the now three headed dog. Hercules silently wondered if it was a true offspring of the guard dog of Hades or another watered down version like Shadow was.
”Zorro... Elizabeth... I hope I am not too late.” the god boomed as he gently set his set his favorite non-master mortal of the era down. ”I! Hercules! Have arrived! I do not know why you are pitting your dogs against mine but I know you will lose.” Standing upright and now glowing Hercules raised his now free hand into the air. ”Club!”
Halfway across the city his club hummed to life. William who was busy trying to concentrate on channeling his magic was distracted for a moment when the club shot through the back fence to rush to the god’s side.
Hercules stepped over Elizabeth in a defense position. Until she regained her senses and her body none shall tocuh her. ”Shadow. Defend Elizabeth. Zorro... good boy. I shall make sure all know the name of the best boy!”
With the three headed and two, two headed dogs now before him he shouted, ”What sorcery have you forced upon these poor creatures!?! You shall pay for your this.”
“Oh? No, I think you are gonna pay. They are gonna pay.” Gary gestured to the crowd then turned back to the other massive man sizing him up. “In fact you are the only ones going to pay and when I’m done making you pay and we cleaned the ring I’m gonna put those two in the ring.” he said pointing to Zorro and Shadow. Shadow was now being surrounded by the two headed dogs as the three headed dog approached Hercules.
”Very well... if that is what you wish than pay for it I shall!” Hercules roared as he started to glow green and bright. ”You challenge a god! Come then!” and before the prince of power could do anything else the three headed wolf dog was already in the air all three heads snarling down at him as they landed on his arm causing several lacerations along his brawny arm wrapped in chain.
Posted by Liz Sundance on Jul 26, 2022 6:14:54 GMT -6
X-Men
Metazoa
Chartreuse
Straight
949
9
Mar 27, 2024 19:59:20 GMT -6
Zek
Things unraveled quickly. Liz was just regaining her composure over Hercules’s arrival when the gigantification and mutation of the dogs occured. Hercules immediately challenged the man with the microphone and escalated everything!
<<Sometimes I hate not being able to talk to people,>> Liz thought aloud. Only the dogs could hear her and only Zorro partially cared. As the wolf dog clamped down on the chain around Hercules’s arm, Elizabeth rolled Zorro’s eyes as best she could and stepped up.
A psychic wave crashed over the ring, one only detectable by the dogs, Shadow notwithstanding. Orphan, Othelio, and Orion were swept away by sudden apathy, tranquility, and an intense serenity. Their snarling heads let out a few more growls that quickly faded to whimpers and confused grunts as Liz drowned out their aggression and fear.
She stepped over her body and barked once at Hercules. She didn’t know if he would realize the dogs were no longer a threat and did not need attacking. The dogs had stopped their assault and just sorta meandered. The pitbull flopped over on his side as he contemplated a nap. The half-starved wolf dog tried to nuzzle Hercules for some food he could smell on him. Orphan just stared around aimlessly as Liz continued to quell all thoughts of violence with overwhelming nonviolence.
That irritated Gary to no end.
“What. The. F--” The microphone screeched painfully in the ears of all the dogs as Gary overwhelmed it.
Many in the crowd covered their ears as well and overall the clamor died down as the multiheaded caged canines just stopped and stood there. Then the crowd started booing.
“Enough!” Gary yelled. He pointed at Hercules. “What did you do to my dogs? Nevermind, I don’t care. You’re going to pay for this and it looks like I”m gonna have to come collect, myself! Adrian! Marcus! Fetch my arms!”
Two guys vanished into a back room and reappeared holding a number of bundles. Gary approached the cage and as he did so, began stripping off his suit jacket and his shirt, revealing an intensely ripped body covered in scars and muscles.
Now the crowd began to cheer.
Gary glared at Hercules as he walked toward the ring. A door was opened by an assistant and he grabbed the bundles from Adrian and Marcus. That was the point when any observant person would notice the changes in Gary.
He started growing. He bulged and bulked and warped and changed until by the time he was inside the cage ring as well, he was ten feet tall and as muscled as a world-class bodybuilder. What was more was the same thing that had happened to the dogs. Gary had grown two more heads, each staring in a different direction, but having the same savage smille. He’d also grown an extra four arms and now he spread out the bundles.
Soon he was holding three round shields in his left hands and in his right, he held two spears and a sword.
He banged the sword on one of his shields. “Come at me, brute!”
Drops of blood dropped to the ground where the spawn of Cerberus had clamped down. If it wasn’t for the chain, there would have been more blood. Not that it mattered to the god too much, it just meant he’d be wasting more energy from his masters on healing.
There was a calm over the arena, suddenly all the animals seemed lethargic, tired... content. The jaws around his arm loosened and he shook the beast off with ease. Another bark behind him and Zorro was by his side. ”Excellent work Zorro and Elizabeth! Good... friends.” he wasn’t sure what to call his mortal in the form of man’s best friend but he’d discuss it later what he should call her. The prince of power was easily becoming distracted with the yelling and ‘boos’ from the crowd who wanted blood.
They shall have it! The challenger started stripping his clothing and shifting, sprouting two heads and a half dozen more arms to heft each weapon. When the challenger stepped into the arena Hercules had a sense of wonderment. ”The cattle shepherd?” he had bested this man before in combat. Over the centruies it had gotten harder and harder to remember minute details of faces and bodies to friends and foe. This one however was easier to remember.
>>>“Come at me, brute!”
”Geryon?!?” there was a moment that Hercules wasn’t sure if it was the man he had bested centuries ago. Which was odd, Hercules prided himself on remembering all of his labors pretty well. Two spears, three shields and a sword. It was ringing a bell. Before he could ask any more questions his club answered his summons and burst through one of the walls leading outside. There was a loud crash and Hercules was already in the air catching it and flinging the chain at one at the man.
Another ‘clang’ as the chain bounced off of one of the shields followed up by Hercules slamming down on two more as the three headed man tried to block the god’s might. He might have been bigger but the prince of power was stronger.
“That it?” one of the heads asked as the other two started to laugh. It seemed a club sized dent wasn’t that impressive. ”HA! No! Allow me to help demonstrate!”
Posted by Liz Sundance on Aug 5, 2022 8:35:36 GMT -6
X-Men
Metazoa
Chartreuse
Straight
949
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Mar 27, 2024 19:59:20 GMT -6
Zek
“It’s pronounced Gary!” Gary snarled with a third head as he shoved forward with his shield in an effort to force the brute back. The brute was powerful for sure, and had a much lower center of gravity, but Gary had reach on him and far more hands. With his shield arms focused on blocking, he jabbed at the man with his spears, one aimed at the face and the other at the legs in the effort to trip him or force him to clumsily dodge.
“I don’t know who you are,” he said with one head while another snapped at the air like a dog. “But I’m going to spill your blood all over this arena,” he continued from a third head.
The crowd ate it up.
“Break his head, Gary!” an excited woman in what looked like red leather armor and shining bright eyes shouted. Her voice immediately elicited a howl of bloodlust that seemed to ripple through the crowd around her.
“Tear him apart, Gary!” shouted one of the assistants, Marcus, as he pumped the clipboard in the air.
Other audience members began joining in as their bloodsport amped up. A smiling woman perched high on a stack of crates, leaned her head back and uttered a piercing screech, somewhere between a hawk’s cry and a lion’s roar. A man with long black hair and what seemed to be an actual wolf began stalking around the edges of the crowd, staring at the fight with interest. Others began pressing closer to the ring, warring to be closer to the spectacle.
Meanwhile Liz decided it was best to get out of the way. As the two combatants clashed, she stepped onto her body and then flowed back into her right mind. An eyeblink later, she was rolling to her feet and lunging away from the fight, thanking God she was still warmed up from her morning Aikido lesson with Serena. Not that Aikido, or Judo, or any of the martial arts she was learning from the X-Men were going to be of any help here, not against Hercules and a multi-armed giant.
She backed off to the side of the ring, by a steel bar wall and took scope of the surroundings. She caught a glimpse of herself through the eyes of a…a wolf?....and then focused on the ring. Surrounded by a crowd of people who were paying and baying for blood, trapped in an enclosure with two brawlers, and now having to look out for a number of innocent dogs?
Well, it was time to start reducing some of these variables and simplify the equation.
Liz ran a circuit around the ring until she was roughly behind Gary, sending mental commands to the dogs to head in the other direction, as far from him as possible. One of his heads locked onto her and grinned. “Watch yourself, toots, I’d hate to have to kill you too,” he said lecherously.
“Funny, I was thinking the same thing,” she said as she stepped forward and pulled her hand out of her purse which was miraculously still with her (on a side note, Hercules really was an incredible boyfriend) and even as he pointed a sword at her, she aimed the pepper spray at his heads and squeezed the trigger.