Power Girl, fists raised in preparation for decking another incoming supercharged mutant, suddenly found a a bright light obscure her vision. She instinctively raised her arms further to shield her eyes, expecting something horrible to happen... instead, after a moment of nothing apparently happening (well, except for the force that, while powerful, merely pushed her back a few feet), she opened them again, finding a middle-aged woman in front of her flopping to the pavement, coming to a stop at her feet. Thoroughly confused, she glanced around, seeing not rioting creatures, but completely normal humans, give or take a few bruises and cuts.
"......Bwuh?" was the only sound that came out of her mouth as she lowered her fists, her brow twisted in confusion.
edited 22nd Sep '12 3:13:58 PM by Demovere
Creeper looked down at the stain on his chest and, worse his precious feather boa.
"Oh! That. Is. It!" {OOC: Imagine this in the gayest voice possible although noone in the tank will be able to hear him anyway). Still braced against the hatch opening with three of his limbs he reached for Riddler with his free arm. If succesful he would grab the Riddler by his tie and collar, lift him up and pop out of the hatch still holding the criminal mastermind. Then, unless Riddler wriggles out of his grasp (which would leave him topless he would throw him over his shoulder and run off with him.
Trump delenda estAs the Creeper yanked him off the floor, Riddler grabbed a hand grenade off Ernie (who was currently face down in a pool of his own blood.)
"Let me go," the Riddler said when he was in the Creeper's grasp, "or I'll kill us both," he showed the grenade. "I'll do it! I'll deprive the world of my genius if it means I can stamp out one more costumed scum too!"
Rogue covered her own eyes from the blinding flash. Once regaining her sight she felt... funny. Not ha-ha funny, but... how she felt three years ago before her kiss with Cody Robbins. Her mind actually felt... clear. After seeing some of the others comment about how they felt, Rogue took off her glove and poked Jean Grey's cheek with her bare finger.
Poke. Poke Poke. Poke Poke Poke.
Rogue's eyes went ecstatic, her mouth in a wide grin.
"I'm cured!" Rogue looked like she was going to cry tears of joy. "I'm—"
Rogue looked at the others and then saw the disappointed faces of her allies. Rogue coughed a bit at the realization that the mutant powers of half of Manhattan and a part of Queens were turned off.
"Err, sorry," Rogue apologized, embarrassed, and looked up in the sky, "You're just toyin' with me now, ain't ya?"
edited 22nd Sep '12 10:30:06 PM by GameGuruGG
Wizard Needs Food BadlyCreeper dropped riddler but snatched the grenade out of his hand, inadvertantly pulling the pin as he did so. He looked at it.
"Uh-oh," He said then tossed it straight up into the air where it exploded harmlessly. He stuck his head into the tank and said, "Fine! You're no fun anyway Mister Stupidsuit. The he slammed down the hatch and jumped up and down on it. He wasn't strong enough to break through the turret but he did wreck the jam the hatch down ebnough to make it impossible for anyone without super strength to open it. Then he scootched down the barrel of the cannon stuck his head in front of it, then pounded the opening several time with both his fists making it impossible to shoot out of it after which he put his head in front and blew a razzberry at the men inside.
Trump delenda estMegan was only partially paying attention to the Man-bat and his conversation with Rogue, seeing as how a large horde of super mutants was baring down on them. She instinctively drew up higher into the air, fight or flight instincts taking over. She saw the Man-bat and super woman leap into the fray to try and fend them off. She was even further distracted from that, due to her higher vantage point allowing her to see the dome coming. She wasn't even able to get away before becoming enveloped in the light. She didn't even have time to try and figure out what happened as gravity took over. With a surprised scream the girl fell to the earth and hit the ground with a painful thud.
She hissed in pain, rolling on to her side and gripping her shoulder, where she landed. "What just happened?" She asked, trying to sit up. It was then that she noticed something, she couldn't feel her wings anymore. She tried to look over her uninjured shoulder to look behind her. She wasn't able to get a good look, but from the look of things, her wings were just gone.
Tony was still hopping from crowd to crowd of rioting people, blasting them apart with repulsors, trying to do a minimum of damage, while JARVIS was still working on the water detector, when the pulse went off. Tony had only enough time to see it coming, and JARVIS started to say something about it, before it moved along with them. For just a second he was covering his face with his arms, expecting to be knocked loopy in the air, before he raised his head, looking around, a touch confused, checking himself. "JARVIS, systems check?"
All seems well, sir. The field of energy appears to be the result of a mutant, though I cannot tell exactly what the effect was.
"Are we okay?"
Your heart rate has risen drastically.
"No kidding." Tony glanced around, then shifted his gaze to the progress bar in the upper corner of his HUD. "JARVIS, I see that you're getting pretty close to done on that."
88% compatibility completed, sir.
Tony raised his head, putting a hand to the side of his helmet, switching on his communicator. "Two things. First, is everyone okay, second, this water poison Dragonball radar thing is almost integrated into my armor and I'll be able to use it. So what the hell do I do with it once it's ready?"
Easing back into life one step at a timeRogue's sudden cry of joy caused Power Girl to glance in her direction; she saw Pixie land on the pavement rather painfully, wincing in reflex. She looked around again, observing the large crowd of disoriented people (many of which were now trying to find ways to cover themselves up - thank you Joker), before finally putting two and two together.
Our powers... are gone? Curious - and a bit worried - she headed over to the wreckage of a nearby car. She grabbed hold of the rear bumper, intending to try and lift it -
- and effortlessly did so, lifting the car's rear end above her head.
"..............................Huh," she muttered, holding it at that position for a moment, as if to double and triple-check, before lowering it again, her curiosity now clearly written across her face. "Did that... whatever it was target specific genes or something?"
edited 22nd Sep '12 6:33:58 PM by Demovere
Rogue looked over at Power Girl, surprised the blond bombshell still had her powers. Well, at least they had someone else here who wasn't defenseless. Unfortunately, it was the gloryhound Power Girl. She was so perfect a mutant, she didn't even get her power taken away.
"Um, maybe your thick skin protected ya, again?" Rogue guessed, arms crossed and in a mocking tone. "I mean, ya do seem more resistant to blows, after all."
Then Rocket Raccoon and Iron Man contacted her communicator, and Rogue sighed and contacted back to all the communicators.
"Ya want the good news or the bad news first?" Rogue asked the others. "The good news is that the mutants mutated by the Joker's mutant supercharger in District X have been brought down to normal."
"The bad news is that all the mutants in this part of Manhattan save for Power Girl are baseline human, includin' me and your other allies," Rogue sighed, shaking her head. "We do have a sample of the mutant supercharger and one of the Joker's thugs in custody."
"I'd much prefer that Blue Beetle show up here and possibly help out, since he could at least scan us to see if this cure is for keeps or not," Rogue said, blushing. After all, she realized that she could now have physical contact with Jaime.
edited 22nd Sep '12 10:32:10 PM by GameGuruGG
Wizard Needs Food BadlyShe-Bat watched Man-Bat run into an alley, scared out of his mind as he had the chance to temporarily turn back into a human. "I hope you are happy, Langstorm." she said, stepping out of the shadows. "Some of us aren't that lucky." Her entire body had turned into a mix of a human and a bat- she still had wings, parts of her body were still covered with fur, one of her hands was still a claw, but her feet and parts of her face were now human.
"Oh, but don't worry." she said, grinning. "This is only temporary. You see, I have your blood, Langstorm. And with the mind Man-Bat gave to me, I can experiment on it. I can become smarter. I'll fix this... little problem, and I'll become She-Bat permanently. And then..." she pointed at Man-Bat, parts of her finger still covered in fur. "I'll make you see the light."
The Joker stared at the ground from the Empire State Building's observatory deck. "You know, all you ask for is your chance to do the final bow before they throw you in prison, and what do you get? A really tall building and no audience! No audience at all! I'll take anything! I'll even take the Boy Blunder, or Bats' ascended sidekick! I'll take the Dork Beetle, anyone! What do I have to do to get a public? Kill people?!... no, already did that tonight, and a good comedian never repeats the same jokes!"
"Harleen... We have to stop this madness."
Langstrom wasn't lucky either. He still had his wings, pointed ears, and fangs as a human, but unlike She-Bat, he had no fur to cover his sickly body. He was frail and bony, deathly pale, his skin cold to the touch.
"Look at me. If you keep continuing what I've been doing, it'll kill you! Please... Snap out if it. You're the last person on Earth who I want to see suffering..."
"@[=g3,8d]&fbb=-q]/hk%fg""Your words mean nothing to me, Langstorm. You're not the one I love. In fact, for me, you're just another pile of meat in this cesspool of a city." she smiled. "But do not worry. I will disappear for a while. But once I return, I'll be stronger... faster... smarter... I'll enlighten myself even more. I'll become the perfect creature... and Man-Bat will join me. And together, we'll turn this world into our own nest."
She chuckled, retreating into the darkness. "Farewell, Langstorm." was all she said before she ran into another alley, disappearing into the night.
Tony listened to Rogue's response, frowning a little. "Well that's not good. All right, listen...I don't know what else to do, I'm going to head to high ground and try to figure out if this waterpick will show me anything, if you can find Rocket, tell him to tell me more! For right now, you guys find one of my safehouses and get inside, it'll protect you."
He nodded a bit. "JARVIS, take us up."
Anywhere in particular, sir?
"Pick a tall building. And get the suit's sensors ready to go. I wanna be sure we have a good clean shot at everything."
Without a word, the suit started moving up, heading for the nearest tall building...the Empire State.
edited 22nd Sep '12 10:35:45 PM by MystyGlyttyr
Easing back into life one step at a timeJaime tried his best to save the three injured teens by giving them first aid. After he did all he could do, he began to fly around town, stopping as much violence as he could. As he fought through the streets of New York, he heard the conversation between Rogue and Tony and began to fly to Rogues location.
"On my way."
He said through the communicators just as he was approaching the Empire State building.
edited 22nd Sep '12 10:17:34 PM by luckybreak91
Tv Tropes Powers. Activate!!!!!Langstrom was too weak to stop She-Bat. As he watched his former lover retreat, he felt like crying again. But here were no tears. Streams of cold blood leaked from Langstrom's ducts, and when he realized what was happening, he feared the worst. Langstrom wrapped his wings around his naked body and closed his eyes. As he slowly died, e felt pain unlike anything describable. A pain equal to the suffering he had inflicted upon New York and Harleen Quinzel.
Langstrom was slowly dying, but he accepted it. Man-Bat was who he was now, and Man-Bat had to be stopped. His own death was the only way to make sure Man-Bat died, too. More than anything, he thought about Harleen as he passed. Somewhere, deep down inside, she was alive in She-Bat's sick heart. He hated the thought of her dying along with She-Bat, but if her hatred towards all life continued, she too would find herself slowly withering away. Langstrom wished a superhero were there, so he could tell them to save her from his fate.
"@[=g3,8d]&fbb=-q]/hk%fg""Iron Man's right, we oughta get to one of the safe houses," Rogue said to the others, and looked at the mutants in front of her who, being mostly from District X, likely knew of her reputation as the Rogue.
"Y'all oughta go back to your homes and stay there until we have more information of if this depowerin' is permanent or not," Rogue glanced at Power Girl, crossing her arms and frowning at her. "And anyone here lookin' to cause trouble intentionally will have to take it up with Power Girl, got it?"
She hated to leave the situation to Power Girl, but she felt she had to... She spotted in the corner of her eye Langstrom in an alley near death and ran over to him.
"Dr. Langstrom!" Rogue said, bending down to try to face him. "Well, I guess I got my cure, but I'm sorry it had to be this with all these people losin' their powers and you—"
Rogue choked up on the word she was about to say.
"It was very brave for ya to try to defend us from the mutated mutants," Rogue smiled and held the dying man's hand to try to comfort him in his final moments. "I'm proud of ya."
edited 22nd Sep '12 10:50:01 PM by GameGuruGG
Wizard Needs Food Badly"Is that you, Rebbecca...? No... You're Rogue... But you're still the world to me... You don't have to thank me, Rogue. I just..."
He silently quivered in pain as his heart failed him, then continued.
"I just did the right thing, after all those decades... So much of this happen because of me. It was my fault that I became Man-Bat, not Milo. It was my fault they all died... Listen, Rogue. You have to find her. Harleen Frances Quinzel. Joker and I have abused that poor, innocent woman, and now she is alone out there... If she finds out that I... You have to find her, stop her from destroying this city, turn her back to normal."
His grip on Rogue's hand tightened.
"Don't let her end up like Francine, and Rebbecca... or me. But don't let any of this happen to you, either. There are people out there who love you. For their sakes, consider them first..."
Langstrom's grip on Rogue's hand grew rigid as he finally passed away.
"@[=g3,8d]&fbb=-q]/hk%fg""I will," Rogue said to Langstrom, still holding his hand. "I promise."
When Langstrom died, Rogue freed her hand from his grip and shut his eyes. She stood up, obviously mourning the fallen figure. Rogue looked crestfallen and returned to the other depowered mutants, completely in silence.
Wizard Needs Food Badly"Help! Is there anyone there? Help!" the Riddler tried to calm himself down as claustrophobia set in.
At that moment, the entire tank was slowly lifted upwards. Riddler could hear the telltale noises of a heavy lifting crane.
"Looks like one of those costumed vigilantes left us a present. It was easy to find you, we just followed the trail of green paint."
Riddler recognised the voice as that of the detective from the hostage situation earlier that day.
"Edward Nigma, you are under arrest for murder, attempted murder, conspiring with the wanted criminal Man-Bat, attempted kidnapping and extensive property damage. You do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court."
In front of the Chameleon and his henchmen, Edward Nigma threw the biggest temper tantrum of his life.
"IT'S NOT FAIR! THEY CHEATED! IT'S NOT MY FAULT!"
The detective smiled to himself. "We got you, you son of a bitch."
Karma put a sympathetic hand on Rogues shoulder, and Cannonball gave his own condolences. Jean was presently phoning up the institute and telling them all that was happening, trying to compose herself from the alarm of losing her powers.
Chameleon had just recovered from the ear-piercing cackling when he and the others were promptly accosted by the police. If they took him into custody too, he'd probably be found guilty of multiple counts of identity theft. Bails didn't come cheap these days.
He pinched his temples. "This isn't my week."
And a Strange Figure Emerges.Megan picked herself up off of the ground, rubbing her sore shoulder. She might have to get that looked at. As she took her hand off of her shoulder she saw a couple of pink sparks arc between her fingers. Her eyes widened in surprise as she looked at her hands. This was something new. The best she could figure, she still had her magic, but maybe not as controlled? She didn't exactly want to figure it out. She turned back to the others and tried to smile a bit, though it was kind of awkward. "Ummm...if we still want to get back to the safe house I think I might be able to help with that. Everyones going to need to crowd together though." She said.
Creeper had squatted on top of the tank until the police showed up then stood erect and thrown a precise military salute at them. Then yelled "Top of the world Ma!," bent over and mooned them then capered away before they could respond.
Somwhere in the clashing chaos that passed for his mind, the term "Top of the world" stuck and he decided to make for the Empire State Building. Maybe he could see Clownie from there.
Trump delenda estPower Girl remained silent as Rogue stayed beside Langstrom during his final minutes. Even she knew when to just shut up and let someone pass on in peace... herself, perhaps moreso than others. Her thoughts wandered to two people in particular, the look on her face becoming sullen as her gaze wandered to the ground, the bright blue of her eyes seemingly fading. If only I......
The sound of Jean's slightly-frantic conversation with her phone snapped Power Girl out of her thoughts; she shook her head to clear it, the casual, somewhat-indifferent expression quickly returning to her bright-blue-eyed face. "Think you can take the Lady Mook with you?" she asked Megan, pointing to Jenna-in-a-garbage-can that she had handed to Spider-Man earlier. "We still need to find the Joker, and find out if this is the last of whatever the hell else he's planning. Spider and I should stay here and keep some semblance of order."
Rogue cried a few tears over Langstrom's death, but soon looked at Karma and Cannonball who comforted her, and smiled meekly. "Thanks."
She then spotted Pixie, who had obviously been depowered since her wings are gone, but she had pink sparks coming between her hands. Rogue raised an eyebrow. How weird that Pixie would still have powers. Heck, it was weird Power Girl still had her powers as well.
"I'll come," Rogue said walking over to where Pixie and Joker's trashed mook was, and waited for the others.
Wizard Needs Food Badly

Man-Bat felt a chill, then gasped in horror as he saw his arms. His fur was slowly shrinking back into his body somehow. He quickly left before he was completley exposed.
"@[=g3,8d]&fbb=-q]/hk%fg"