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.
”Gary?” the giant shook his head as he dodged a spear blow and then then another this time snapping his chain to the side to wrap around the spear hand. Neither of the spears were going to work well in close distance. It was a flaw with the weapon. They were only effective with a thrust or a slash. The shields were meant to protect and guard the thrusts. This man was no Spartan.
The thrill of the fight and the enthusiasm from the crowd. This was what he missed. A fight in front of an audience who could appreciate two men trying to best each other. However there was too many calls for death and blood. Something the god wasn’t a fan of but kept his thoughts to himself as he yanked the chain and brought his club around to the two shields denting one in the process.
Gary was strong. Hercules was the strongest though and would not let a mortal best him. There was a slash at his midsection and Hercules felt his side open slightly as he stepped back tugging his chain and bringing a spear back with him. ”Excellent form! Very few mortals are capable of cutting me! Ha! Yes!” dropping his club and taking a moment Hercules looked down to his side and wiped the cut with his free hand. Hefting the bloodied hand into the air he showed everyone the blood they wanted. In doing so he smeared what was left of the blood over the now closing wound.
>>> Watch yourself, toots, I’d hate to have to kill you too,”
>>> “Funny, I was thinking the same thing,”
The prince of powers brows came to a point as he looked to his challenger. ”You will do no such thing! For she falls under my protection!” with his sword pointed at his favorite mortal Hercules took two steps forward grabbed his club and slowed when he spotted the device Elizabeth was handing. While it was against the rules of battle, his rules he waited. After all they did kidnap her.
Posted by Liz Sundance on Aug 8, 2022 18:28:34 GMT -6
X-Men
Metazoa
Chartreuse
Straight
949
9
Mar 27, 2024 19:59:20 GMT -6
Zek
The pepper spray blasted out and plastered Gary’s rearmost face. He immediately shut his eyes and began howling. The second head caught a large chunk of the spray as well, especially since Liz kept spraying. She had excellent aim - she’d practiced this and many other forms of self defense extensively. It also helped how Gary had so many convenient targets!
The spray engulfed Gary’s heads entirely and the man started going nuts. Two of his heads were blinded and screaming as hot tears rolled down his face. He whirled around and swiped at her with spears and sword, which proved to be foolish indeed as it brought his third head right into the cloud of lingering pepper spray. Liz jerked herself backward and ducked down as she worked to ensure she could get as far away from the wildly swinging giant monster as she could.
Her foot hit one of Gary’s dogs and she immediately froze and hunkered down beside it, laying a hand on the dog’s head and giving it a mental push to move to the other end of the cage. None of the hypersensitive dogs needed to be anywhere near the pepper spray. As it was, even Liz’s eyes were starting to water a bit.
Boos began to mix in with the crowd’s roars, but somehow it just made them stronger. It was a cheap move, sure, but effective, and honestly, who at the illegal fight club cared about rules anyways? What they cared about was seeing pain.
“Kill them!” Gary roared in agony. “Kill them all!” he shouted as he lashed out with his spears. The broad head of the blade came within feet of Elizabeth so she dropped flat to the floor just in case. “Adrian! Marcus! You heard me!”
The two assistants dropped their various assistant tools and leaped into action, charging each of the cage doors. Marcus ripped off his white button down to reveal gleaming brownish armor underneath. He picked up a sword and shield seemingly out of nowhere and came in through the door Zorro had been thrust. Adrian didn’t both disrobing. He simply jumped through the gate at the other end and his body violently warped and spasmed, shredding all his clothes, until seconds later a nine foot tall ant creature stood there. His black chitin armor gleamed in the harsh lights and his massive mandibles snapped at the air, even as he brought his four clawed arms to bear. He leaped at Hercules even as Marcus beelined toward Elizabeth.
With the three heads occupied by the small device Hercules moved towards Elizabeth as the three headed blinded giant swung his sword. ”Excellent ELizabeth!” the god shouted revealing his position to behind Gary. The prince of power would have been devastated if he wasn’t able to save her. If only she was capable of magic. Then she’d truly be under his protection.
>>> “Adrian! Marcus! You heard me!”
Hercules grabbed one of the shield arms as the three-headed man swung his other weapons hoping to hit something. The crowd continued to feed the demi-god's ego making him relive his time in the coliseum. His skin flickered green under the power of his masters. Wretching the sehild away he managed to get to Gary’s back and jump into a suplex. The crowd cheered more no longer booing him. It mattered not. These were not the mortals he wished to impress.
Gary rolled and groaned dropping his weapons for a moment. It was enough to allow the son of Zeus to see the other two competitors enter the ring. ”Shadow! Protect Elizabeth!” he shouted again repeating a former command. It wasn’t his summon to control so he was hoping the hell hound would acoomidate. ”Please!” he added.
The hellhound vanished into one of the shadows of the ring and appeared next to Elizabeth. Hercules turned to see the massive ant before him. ”It seems I am meant to relive the past! What a fortuitous day!” ”Club!” the god roared as he jumped into the air and swung while the rattling of the chains wailed behind him. If it wasn’t for the dogs and Elizabeth being in the ring Hercules would have been having the time of his life.
Posted by Liz Sundance on Aug 11, 2022 16:33:47 GMT -6
X-Men
Metazoa
Chartreuse
Straight
949
9
Mar 27, 2024 19:59:20 GMT -6
Zek
Zorro stepped up beside his mistress and snarled at Marcus, Elizabeth’s power no longer hitting him as strongly. On her other side, Shadow appeared. As across the small ring, Hercules took battle to the ant-man and the blinded Gary, who had now dropped all of his weapons, Marcus initiated combat.
<<Back away!>> Liz commanded Zorro. The dog was loyal and good, but even his training was no match against a sword. The shepherd immediately retreated. Liz should’ve done the same thing, but there was no place to go. From the looks of the cage doors, they were only opened from the exterior. She’d have to go through Marcus.
Fortunately, she wasn’t alone.
Jst before Marcus could get within reach, Othelio the giant, three-headed wolf-dog smashed into him from the side and sent him rolling. Orphan and Orion emerged from the flanks and waited for their opening.
Liz let out a breath of relief and backed up, keeping her focus on the three dogs. She had dropped her calming miasma once Gary called for backup. As soon as she’d seen the opposition, she’d called for allies. “Thanks for the new friends, Gary,” she said, knowingly and not caring that he wouldn’t be able to hear her over the fighting and the crowds.
The dogs were growling and barking as Othelio scrabbled at the downed man and tried to rake him with claws or chew on him. Unfortunately, the man’s armor served him well, and it wasn’t just a breastplate. Grieves, kneepads, gauntlets, and even a helmet appeared on his body and Othelio’s assault quickly lost momentum. Then a cry of pain lanced through the wolf-dog and into Liz as they felt Marcus sink a knife into the wolf-dog’s side.
<<Retreat!>> she commanded the dog, filling his mind with thoughts of safety and a compulsion to nurse his wounds. She flicked her mental focus to Orphan and Orion. <<Attack!>> she thought, refilling their heads with aggression and a mental image of Marcus.
It wasn’t difficult to get the dogs to do her bidding, sad as it was. Quick scans and triggering images in their heads brought up heaps of memories of Gary, Marcus, Adrian, and others continually abusing and mistreating them, all in the name of fighting. And it worked, too. The three dogs knew how to fight, alone and in a group. They were very, very good at their jobs. And now Liz was pointing them right at a man who’d inflicted so much pain on them in the past. And now, they weren’t so little.
Orphan rushed in and grabbed Marcus’s forearm with one set of bone-crushing jaws and got his upper arm in his second head. He started thrashing with his head. Orion, the pitbull, charged over and snagged a boot-covered foot and started yanking the armored man in the other direction. Their snarls filled the cage and momentarily drowned out the crowd, who was now pushing close to the cage. Some of them even had their hands on the bars, their hands reaching in in the hopes of grabbing onto someone or something.
The manic laughter of the woman in red leather could be heard clearly and many of the crowd began responding with similar laughs, their eyes starting to glow a faint red like her own. Liz didn’t have the spare mental facilities to note that, other than to ensure Zorro wasn’t in reach of the grasping crowd, but others in the room did.
They could feel it, that smoldering bloodlust beginning to boil in their veins. That desire to recklessness and rampages. The need to see blood and inflict pain and break things because oh, how fun that would be!
The man with the wolf felt it first, because it was so familiar to him, but he knew how to deal with such things, at least at the beginning. Yet he also knew what was about to happen.
The woman who watched the show from her perch on the crates saw the man and wolf slip out of the room and that’s when she, too, realized what was happening. Gracelly, she swooped down off the crate and blew a kiss at the woman in red leather before she, too, exited the fight hall.
Other people picked up on what was happening, but they either didn’t know what it was or didn’t care. Some welcomed it, some were naturally immune, as were all the people who stood near them, and some didn’t need it to feel those things.
The desire for blood was in the air, let it flow like wine and be merry.
The ant collapsed under the weight of the Greek bulwark landing on the beast smashing the club into the jet black exterior of the giant creepy crawly. He had battled beast like this before, saved hundreds from collecting and harvesting for their queens. It was sad when he thought they were gone for good. It was for humanity. The god never liked killing creatures but he couldn’t stand by as lives were lost.
Gary was on the ground. Hercules could see it from across the battle as he wrestled with the ant as it pushed back from the initial blow of the club. Hercules felt himself rise up and he leapt off raising the chain again bringing it down on the beast as it skittered forward trying to push the prince of power into a corner. No corner was big enough.
Hercules’s attention shifted as a the three headed wolf let out a pained cry and backed away. Hercules launched his club at the armor dancing in between the other three headed creatures. They were now his allies and he didn’t know what the pain did to Elizabeth. She was precious and needed to be protected. His bloodlust grew, he was enjoying this too much. Far too much. He could not be killed but he could feel pain, the pincers clipped onto his throwing arm and he let out a roar as blood dropped from his arm.
”No beast can best me! Mortal or immortal!” despite the pain he could power threw it. He knew he could. He had done so countless times before. It was why he was known as the strongest ancient god. He could be stabbed, burned and beaten and crushed and he’d still rise up. Still fight back. His eyes now glowing, not the typical green but red matching the crowd. He was angry. How could they harm man’s best friend so? The chain flicked forward under the power of his free hand as his feet lifted all the ground.
The ant shook, flailing Hercules around. The chain however was already in movement around the ant’s neck it hung low on the other side and Hercules started to roar his red glowing eyes matching some of the crowd as they started to turn on those next to them. Swinging and flailing themselves out for blood.
Hercules brought his head down hard on the Ant’s forehead to no effect. Then again, and again. His glowing skin getting brighter as he did so, ignoring the blood that was already dripping from his forehead from hitting such a hard surface until the giant Ant released his other arm. The free arm was all he needed to grab the other end of the chain, that was wrapped around the neck of the ant. That was when Hercules started to pull.
Posted by Liz Sundance on Aug 18, 2022 16:59:51 GMT -6
X-Men
Metazoa
Chartreuse
Straight
949
9
Mar 27, 2024 19:59:20 GMT -6
Zek
There was a flash of alarm from Orphan and Liz caught the feeling of being slashed. Marcus swung his free arm again and managed to score another cut on one of Orphan’s heads. The head released Marcus’s forearm just enough to savagely bite at the arm, but Marcus used the moment of limited freedom to twist his body in mid-air and wrangle his arm out of Orphan’s other mouth.
Falling to his back, the armor clanking against the concrete, his crownish metal boots flickered for a moment and then Orion was howling and releasing the boot, which now had a vicious spur coming out of it.
Liz sent out a few psychic commands, but she didn’t need to do much. The dogs knew how to fight. Othelio leaped back into the fray and lumbered into Marcus before the man could get to his feet. A second dagger appeared in his hand and he brandished both blades at the beast, but the wolf-dog was already dancing away.
Orphan slammed into Marcus from behind, knocking him flat, and Orion came in to try to snag Marcus’s arm again. Marcus yelled in frustration and slashed wildly at Orion’s muzzle before the dagger vanished in order to be replaced by a spiked round shield. Orion howled and as he and Orphan began circling, Orthelio tried to leap over the shield.
But Marcus was waiting. He had his sword held high and….
Liz screamed as the connection severed. The wave of pain vanished and she fought the urge to sink to her knees. No no, that wouldn’t do.
Undaunted, Orphan and Orion continued circling and feiting at Marcus, snapping at the man’s heels and prancing away when he stabbed at them. The dogs crossed paths and Marcus lunged, his dagger now a spear.
Liz stabbed Gary’s fallen cattle prod into Marcus’s exposed neck and activated it.
The man went down, hard, spasming and shrieking. She held the button down for seconds, long seconds longer, before backing away in wariness. She pulled his shield from his hand and kicked the spear away. Clearly he had an interdimensional armory, but depriving him of as many weapons as possible was a good start.
She left the dogs to watch him, both now deciding he’d be a great chew toy, albeit a metal-plated one, and turned to Hercules.
“HERCULES! NO!” she screamed, lunging across the small ring. She could’ve sworn she heard the sickening crunch of breaking chitin as Hercules bashed his head into the insectoid’s significantly less durable frame. And there was a chain! And his eyes, those hellish eyes she’d never seen before….
She dashed over, a barking Zorro dancing around her feet, then she thrust the butt of the spear down at her feet and used it to vault up and over, until she was flying toward Hercules’s neck, the cattle prod having fallen to the side.
“No no no!” she said as she scrabbled to latch on and try to hold him back.
It was a tenacious bloodlust that took him. His forehead was caked in blood and some other liquid from the beast he was grappling. It was a fearsome beast, but one he had bested before so he knew how to beat it. Flakes of chitlin covered his face as blood red eyes focused further as he pulled. It’s mandibles flexed as it tried to break free. It was a foolish attempt.
>>> “HERCULES! NO!”
The voice was faint, but it was familiar. It was his wife’s voice. Odd, he thought he had forgotten it so long ago. He'd seen her speak in his dreams but the voice was always faint blown away in a gust of wind. Something grabbed hold of his neck distracting him from his godly rage. He ignored it for a movement making sure the creature before him was under control or better yet, defeated.
”I will not be distracted! Not while this creature still draws breath!” his glowing intensified as he pulled the chains tighter. Any tighter the creatures head would have popped off caking the ground in the blood of the beast from his past. His bloodred eyes turned to see who had grabbed him. Why was Zorro barking at him? Why was Elizabeth on his neck, why was she so distraught?
He felt anger, they could wait. The crowds around them the ones who weren’t engaged in their own fights cheered for the Son of Zeus in all his glory. They demanded blood. Hercules was happy to oblige. The slack loosened around the neck of the goliath ant. The chains rattled and Hercules threw a punch slamming it back to the ground. He was going to finish this.
It was like talking to a rock, or even worse, Carrick. She would’ve preferred a rock. Rocks were not capable of viciously tearing someone apart.
The light beneath her grew brighter and now Liz recognized it as an indicator of an increased pull on magic to enhance his own strength and durability. She wasn’t getting through to him. Even as he let the chains go, he told her he refused to be distracted.
“And I won’t be ignored!” she roared in his ear.
<<Sentry duty! Watch the bug man!>> Liz commanded Zorro before flashing him an image of the ant. A brief glimpse through Zorro’s eyes as he ceased barking was all she needed to see the fight having drained from the bug with the last punch. All four arms were splayed out and a greenish liquid was starting to seep from a crack in his forehead.
She knew what she was doing was stupid, that it could end disatrously. She knew it was time to leave, to cut her losses, to know when she was outmatched.
She knew if she did, then she’d lose Hercules.
Liz let go of Hercules and slid down the side of his mountainous form. Her training with Serena kicked in and she smoothly landed and went straight into a roll that moved her in front of Hercules and she popped to her feet, directly between him and the ant, parallel to the chain still in Hercules’s hand. She shoved her hands at his chest, like a woman preparing to push back a brick wall, and shouted again. “He’s down! Hercules! Stop this! For me! Elizabeth! Don’t do anything you’ll regret! Please!”
Tears of panic filled her eyes but she didn’t turn from his horrible red eyes.
She pounded a hand against his tattooed chest, knowing the futility but hoping the message would get across. Her fist turned to a palm again and she braced it against him again, just over a symbol that had moved over his heart. It was the symbol he’d taught her earlier, the symbol for “bond,” among many other definitions that she had no way of knowing. Love. Imprisonment. More.
The ant’s arms and legs splayed out. It still drew breath however, something the Son of Zues couldn’t allow. They were here to harm Elizabeth and Zorro. A slight the god could not forgive. His glowing dimmed however as Elizabeth rolled out in front of him and jumped to her feet. The chain still in his hand rattled as he felt the urge to lash out with it onto the broken form of the ant. ”He still draws breath...”
He didn’t though.
The push was what was needed to distract him. It was a futile attempt to move him but the tenacity she was showing the sincerity, the love. It brought tears to his eyes. The red in his eyes seemed to wash away with each tear. The rage was there, he still wanted to end the mortals that threatened his loved ones but it was quelled by the look on Elizabeth’s face. One that was usually so full of joy and compassion was not frantic and scared.
The hand over his heart brought him back.
>>> “Remember who you are!”
His glowing faded, eyes that were once red returned to their normal green hue that was so vibrant with life. His body relaxed, tears streaked down his face. Releasing the chain Hercules looked down to Elizabeth as if it was the first time he had seen her. One arm reached up and pulled her in close for a hug. ”Apologies. Thank you Elizabeth...” the god didn’t wipe his tears. He let them fall on their own.
Releasing her from the hug he looked over to the ant and hung his head in shame. It was a painful reminder that even gods could go to far. He was a protector of humanity, mortals. For all their flaws Hercules still adored them. It had been a long time since he had intentionally taken a life. Thankfully it would be longer still. He’d cut no one’s life short today.
”I remember.” a voice echoed out in the back of his mind, the same words that Elizabeth had used the voice was from a different woman and a different time. The chain dropped from his hand and the god wept.
Posted by Liz Sundance on Aug 26, 2022 6:37:43 GMT -6
X-Men
Metazoa
Chartreuse
Straight
949
9
Mar 27, 2024 19:59:20 GMT -6
Zek
Elizabeth bit her lip and the world grew smaller as she stared into Herc’s eyes, desperately waiting for some form of recognition. This wasn’t her Hercules. This was someone else, something else.
Then came the tears.
“Thank God,” she said as the light in his eyes changed back to green. Her smile erupted fiercely like sunlight blazing through a stormcloud, determined to burn away the gloom. “Thank God you’re back,” she said as she hugged him back as tightly as she could. A tear or two fell down her own face.
The roaring brought her back to reality.
“Hercules, we have to get out of here,” Liz said urgently, glancing around the crying god at the bloodhungry crowd. They were banging on the ring’s iron bars and scratching and clawing the air. Then Liz noticed their eyes.
“Hercules, there’s a mutant whipping this crowd into a frenzy,” she realized. “We have to get out of here now before this ends in a bloodbath. We need to get the animals in the back, too. This place is a dog-fighting ring, we can’t let the animals stay. Okay?”
---------
In the sea of raging people, the effect was homogenous. Those who were weak or embraced the battlelust seethed and writhed around the cage. They were moving toward the gates, now that all battle in the cage had ended. It just wouldn’t do to have a blood match without any more blood, after all. Everyone else had left the event, able to see the signs.
All but three.
Three people stood halfway toward the back, a comfortable enough spot that gave them a good view of the ring without being hemmed in. The girl, who couldn’t have been old enough to drive, was singing something upbeat and perky but without intelligible lyrics. The old woman was humming and mainly focused on her knitting, and the middle aged woman absently tapped out a staccato beat on her slacks as she stared at the display before them.
There was an invisible ring around them of about a twenty foot diameter. There was no way to see it, unless you realized that all the berserkers in the crowd didn’t go anywhere near the women. Everyone seemed to find better places to be. None of the women were caught up in the madness either.
“It is done,” the middle woman said with a decisive nod. “Three times he was named, three times he is claimed. By witness of three, I agree. So say I.”
“And I,” the girl sang merrily.
“And I,” the elderly woman croaked.
“Then by the seal of three, I decree: the son of Zeus again walks mortal lands, a champion, a savior, a friend of dog and man. Come, let us return. She will want to know this immediately.”
“Aye,” said the girl. Her song pitched up and sped up.
“Aye,” said the crone whose humming intensified as she pulled a strand of yarn out of her knitting.
“Then so be it,” the matron said as she clapped her hands.
It was hard to say what happened next. It was hard to focus, to understand what anyone could’ve seen or witnessed, and the few that saw it clearly said afterward that they couldn’t remember it. The woman were just no longer there.
All that was left was the red-eyed woman and her horde.
“RAAAAAURRRRRR!” they screamed as they broke into the ring.
She was thanking her god, what he had to do with anything in the given situation he didn’t know but he didn’t think too much on the subject. It was something mortals did when something good happened and it was good, no great that he had regained control of his senses. It be hard to live with himself if he hurt Elizabeth during one of his rages. The effects of his first rage were still being felt.
The cage surrounding them bent inward as people started pushing against it. Clamoring to enter. They wanted blood, it could be seen in there eyes. Moments ago he was like them. Maybe Elizabeth could move them to remember who they all were the same she had done him? No... there wasn’t time for that.
The god still openly wept, though his voice boomed and echoed throughout the ring. ”No harm shall come to you or the other dogs as long as I am here!” he gave Elizabeth one last hug calling his club to his hand and tossing it towards the entrance that burst open seconds before the club took to the air. A handful of blood seeking patrons toppled over to the side as the club continued to move through the gate clearing a path.
The ring lit up as the god glowed. ”Such a pity, that they would do this to man’s best friend. Pitting them against each other....” he would have liked to stop the mutant causing all this chaos but knew he didn’t have time. Once Elizabeth and the other dogs were in a safe location... then he could return to help out everyone else.
”Shadow!” Hercules felt something in the stands, a presence that unsettled him more than anything he had felt in centuries. Shadow it seemed felt it as well for the beast was staring in the direction he was. ”Protect Elizabeth!” he ignored the uneasy feeling and would address it later. Now was the time to escape.
Men and women alike jumped at Hercules, the god caught and tossed members of the crowd aside as he strut past making sure Elizabeth and Zorro were close behind. ”Can you control the other dogs? Bring them with us! No harm shall come to you!” someone jumped at Elizabeth but then was caught in midair and tossed to the side like a rag doll. Conveniently at Gary as he and his other heads were just starting to come to.
”Pitting man’s best friend against each other. You should all be ashamed of yourselves!” Hercules howled while still very much in control. His eyes glowing green along with the rest of his body as he passed.
Posted by Liz Sundance on Aug 29, 2022 15:20:07 GMT -6
X-Men
Metazoa
Chartreuse
Straight
949
9
Mar 27, 2024 19:59:20 GMT -6
Zek
Their moment of peace and healing shattered all too soon.
As Hercules began to clear a path, Liz shifted focus. She was decent with martial arts, but she knew that wouldn’t be effective against a horde, not when there were far better options for her. She could see the madness in the eyes of the throngs and could practically smell it. It was a berserker state. No sense in bothering to find the cattle prod or pull out the pepper spray - only brute force would get them through the crowd.
Fortunately, Gary had provided just that.
“I’ll do my best,” Liz said when Herc seemed to have the same idea as she. As Shadow darted over, she and Zorro danced behind Hercules, staying close by but still giving him room to work and move. For once it actually worked out in their favor that he was a full foot and half taller than she - she didn’t have to duck very far in case he overswung.
<<Zorro! Orion! Othello! Orphan!>> she thought to the dogs. <<Come to me!>> She flashed images of herself, lifted from Zorro’s memories, and shoved a sense of burning loyalty and love into the multi-headed dogs, attempting to hodge-podge a bond in seconds. <<Guard! Protect! Growl!>> She filled their minds with impressions and feelings, trying her best to convey as many nuances as possible. It was not perfect, but it was the best she could do. THe dogs wouldn’t be following her order (only Zorro was trained for that) but she could at least nudge them toward a goal or a target and play upon their natures.
For now, she needed allies.
“Let’s go!” she shouted as she scooped up a spear and flipped it around so the blunt end was out. She jabbed a man’s head with it. Orion and Othello took positions at her flanks and Orphan brought up the rear. The four dogs she could sense prowled and bit and feinted at the crowd that was now leaking into the ring from two directions. Orphan bodyslammed a person and the bear-sized dog sent the man flying across the ring. “We’re sitting ducks in here!”
A single backhand and half of dozen furious men were batted away with ease. Someone even jumped from the top of the cage to land on his back scratching as if stuck by madness. The glowing body of the hulk from ancient Greek felt little as he grabbed the hand of the man and tossed him back into the crowd.
”It’s like they were stricken with madness! I haven’t seen men and women like this since...” no his brother couldn’t be here. While he played his pranks even Dionyses would greet his brother. Last he heard he was still on good terms with a few of his brothers and sisters.
Someone jumped at Elizabeth again and Hercules caught them with a single grip and used the attacker as a weapon throwing him into a crowd of the berserkers. Would Tyr do this? No... the Norse god believed in justice. This wasn’t it.
”How are you fairing Elizabeth?” Hercules roared summoning his club and tossing it again clearing a path for them. One that Hercules slowly made his way through so he could protect his favorite mortal. There were many and even with Elizabeth’s help controlling the dogs he knew that he couldn't get them out safely unless he could control the flow of battle.
”Ha! I got it!” Hercules roared in laughter catching someone else who was flying through the air stepping on the backs of the fellow berserkers to reach him. ”Just like Thermopylae!” he wasn’t there at the end of the battle but it was a very similar situation.
One by one men and women were tossed to one gate quickly creating a bottle neck of people trying to climb into the ring with them. The flow of aggressors started to favor one side as the other entrance was quickly becoming too crowded for anyone else to enter. Now they just needed to focus on the other exit.
Posted by Liz Sundance on Aug 30, 2022 7:05:23 GMT -6
X-Men
Metazoa
Chartreuse
Straight
949
9
Mar 27, 2024 19:59:20 GMT -6
Zek
Liz didn’t allow herself to be distracted by rolling her eyes, for she needed to supervise the dogs, but she couldn’t stop herself from retorting in the midst of battle. “Madness? Please, this is nothing. Just a bit of aggression-stimulation. Someone’s triggering the fight portion of the flight-or-flight response,” she rattled off. “And they’re doing a very amateurish job, too!”
The crowd seemed to get a little angrier and fightier at that comment but Liz didn’t regret her words. The giant dogs kept a clear outer ring around her and SHadow and Zorro handled stragglers, meaning Liz was able to dance in the circle, stabbing out with the blunt end of the spear to pick off people one at a time to support the bear-like dogs.
“Can’t keep this up forever,” she yelled by way of response. A glance told her all she needed to know about how well Hercules was doing. Her side was the only side letting people in.
“Enough defense, I’m making a hole!” she said. “Bring up the rear!”
Elizabeth opened her mind and blasted an idea to the dogs until her sway. <<Get to the cages, let nobody stop you or get in the way.>> It wasn’t perfect, but it would do.
Immediately the three beast-dogs lunged forward and barreled through the press of people at the other gate. They plowed through them with bestial fury, overwhelming them, knocking them back, and trampling them beneath their feet and they powered through. It was like a trio of multi-headed bears blasting through a field of wheat. Liz and Zorro were right on their tails, with Liz paying most attention to keeping Zorro out of reach of the horde by smacking heads and hands with her spear. There were still dozens of people on this side of the ring, but only a small group could assail them at any time, and Liz had the advantage of brute force and momentum. As long as they didn’t stop, they were untouchable.
Of course Elizabeth knew what had happened to make the mortals have such an insatiable bloodlust. As expected of his favorite mortal! She could effect the minds of other living beings, clearly she had some insight on what has happened. ”As expected! Let’s give them something to fly from then!” Hercules roared in support launching another man to the pile that was quickly blocking off the other exit. Fewer and fewer climbed around or over and fought their way to the other side where he was holding the line.
”What a shame! I’m starting to work up a sweat!” it had been a while since he had been in fight with someone he was romantically connected to. Hercules caught a glimpse of Elizabeth dancing around her pack brandishing the butt end of the spear taking down angry patrons. Everything seemed to go in slow-motion for a moment as he watched her hair flow from the movement. ”What a time to be alive! Ha ha!”
”Understood! It will be an honor to protect your rear! Club!” the glowing behemoth called his weapon to him and disrupting the people that were in the way between him and his weapon.
Stepping out of the way the three headed dogs burst forward running over anyone who was foolish enough to stay in the way. Then came Elizabeth and Zorro, Hercules brought up the rear so he could keep an eye on Elizabeth’s. Her head was turned in one direction she jabbed the butt of the spear oblivious to another attacker who was diving towards her blind side and even Zorro. The club was launched and knocked the man off to the side like a rag doll as Hercules leapt forward catching another who was leaping towards them.
”They fall under my protection! Hercules! SON OF ZEUS!” the would-be attacker continued his path after being launched by Hercules. ”Keep moving!” the club hummed back to life and stopped it’s trajectory and reversed course as the prince of power called to it.