Metropolis Angry Mob
Laura growled and slammed her fist on the handlebars on her motorcycle. This was... not where she was from.How did she get here?
Hell if she knew. An evil mutant extremist opening a portal to some other dimension? An evil anti-mutant crusader trying to shove them all into another reality? She didn't know, and if she was being honest here, she didn't really care. The world was always going to hell one way or another, and crazy stuff was a given. What she did care about right now was the crowd that was right in front of her, blocking the road so that she couldn't go forward. It was bad enough that she had been taken to who-knows-where by who-knows-who for who-knows-what, like hell was she gonna be stuck idling while waiting for the street to clear while she did it.
Still, this was America, wasn't it? And there were few things more American than a stiff drink.
Parking her bike next to the sidewalk, she hopped off of it and stomped forward with terrible purpose - wondering where the hell the closest bar was.
King of Lame-Style
Social, foraging through the offices, had found what she needed. A brown overcoat, and a matching trilby hat with a yellow stripe for style points. Sure it wasn't a complete outfit overhaul but it kept her conspicuous S.H.I.E.L.D. gear out of sight. She then shortened her hair to keep it from fluttering below her hat. She considered a face change as she looked at herself in a bathroom's mirror. She ended up going for it, mixing the plainer features of a feminine looking office clerk she'd seen in passing with her own for a cute if slightly androgynous effect and shifting her shorter hair into a red tone. Satisfied she headed out of the bathroom and the building.
Her current orders were to wait for new orders, and that was fine by Social, however, she always liked to be proactive about it. She blended into the crowd and began looking for some sign of S.H.I.E.L.D. There was a floating city/ship/object up high that had all the marks of being a weird city-sized helicarrier to her. She filed the possibility of getting onto one of the shuttle ships away as a 'maybe' plan. At the moment though she kept on wandering around, looking for other places she could contact any agents. A bar, to Social, was as good as any place to start.
The graceless warrior, wielder of the edgeless blade, prophet of the old religions, writer of fluent nonsense, saviour of soul and song.
The young man wasn't sure what to make of this girl who was in turns meek and mighty, but he felt obliged tell her what he knew. "Well, it all started about eight months ago, and since then as many kids have been snatched away and dismembered, all of them little grunschule girls. A lot of fingers are being pointed everywhere. Some people think killer appeared with the migrants from Heaven a couple months prior. They're all grown in tubes up there, you know. More women than men, and most of them half-animal-"
"Oh, they're not so bad, surely," said the kindly old man. "That leader of theirs- what's her name -Diana, she seems a very nice sort."
"Well, in any case, nine children gone, and there's a reward of 10,000 Marks on that creature's head, whoever they are. The police say they're doing everything, but they don't seem to be much help, and all they've said is that it could be any crazy on the street-"
As if on cue, a crazy in orange and black stepped onto the street, talking to the air. The two citizens stared, mute and incredulous.
You might think the interior of a police station would be a hive of bustling activity, especially in such a state of emergency. Yet the dismal sight that greeted Mari and Jennifer just inside the station was of officers draped about the benches asleep. Not the contented napping of lazy officers, but the troubled respite of the overworked and overwrought. A group of officers were hanging up their own hats and coats, and prodded some of the sleepers awake. Stiff and tired, the other policemen got up to begin their own shifts.
Elsewhere, in alcoves and office cubicles, men sat hunched over their tables, pouring over yards of paperwork, with cigarettes and drink besides. A tense hush loomed over the environment, broken by the occasional ringing of a phone, and by a great commotion occurring behind the closed doors of Commissar Stacy.
"You know nothing!" shouted one voice.
"I know more than you, sir!" another retorted.
"Gentlemen, gentlemen!" sighed a third. "Can't you at least agree what colour of hat the little girl wore when you saw her?"
"Of course, commissar! It was red."
"Mister commissar, it was green."
"It was a red hat!"
"It was a green hat!"
"Red!"
"Green!"
"RED!"
"GREEN!"
"Red!"
"Green!"
"Red!"
"Green!"
"Red!"
"Gre-"
"Stop, stop, stop! It's hopeless. Thank you, gentlemen."
"You're welcome!"
"Yes, of course, commissar, if you want to listen to a colour-blind man."
Two men bustled out of the office, angrily elbowing each other as they left the building.
Look down the right dark streets and in the right dark spot, and you might find a woozy customer stumbling out the entrance to the Green Goblin Inn. Through the door and down the curving staircase tunnel, you'd find a great big room with all sorts drinking at their tables, and a matronly woman running the bar over in the corner.
Edited by LizardOfAus on Aug 29th 2018 at 11:19:17 AM
An Ordinary Oddball
The Doctor whipped out her sonic wand, pointing it at the newcomer to scan him and protect the others if necessary.
"Wait—he's a newcomer like us! Therefore, he is't the child-killer we're looking for, but he may be a killer nonetheless..." the Doctor deduced, using the readings from her wand.
"Be on your guard, but do not attack..." she murmured, waiting to see what he would do.
I wear the skin of the Elder Things, having come unto my own.
I have a plan.
Elsewhere In Metropolis...
White Wolf stepped back from the black and orange-armored newcomer, but didn't make any overtly aggressive actions against him as the Doctor warned. "I don't even know how any of us ended up in this town, let alone where we are," he explained.
Wolf raised his eyebrow curiously. The man in the black and orange had some impressive gear on him, though his choice in color left a lot to be desired. Worse yet, he seemed to be able of carrying on conversations with himself. Was he disoriented? "Since you haven't heard, there's apparently a serial murderer in this city. Targeting children. Nobody has a clear suspect, and everyone's on edge. We probably shouldn't be out here in the open for too long."
"@[=g3,8d]&fbb=-q]/hk%fg"
Mari snorted to herself as she took in the police station's overburdened atmosphere. She channeled stealth and gracefully moved across the crowded room, glancing at various papers on the desks, but none seemed useful. it wasn't until she got halfway across that she noticed the other young woman standing in the lobby. Darting back, she asked, "Who are you? You look kind of lost too."
Edited by Booky on Aug 29th 2018 at 6:29:25 AM
King of Anime
Jennifer looked on in disappointment upon arriving at the police station. "No wonder they can't find the killer..." She took in the sight of sleeping officers and their coworkers trying to rouse them. Her frown only deepened when she witnessed two men elbowing each other, moving out of the way to let them pass. She didn't stew in her thoughts too long though as a woman dressed primarily in blacks approached her.
"Too?" She raised her eyebrows. " I wouldn't call myself lost, exactly. I know this is Metropolis. I just don't quite know how I got here. Name's Jennifer, you?"
The Green Goblin Inn
Imaginative name. They could call themselves whatever they wanted, though, as long as they were open.Laura went into the inn and sat down at a free barstool, calling out to the matronly lady.
"Whiskey, neat," she said sternly. She exhaled and rested her hands on the bartop. Hopefully whatever circus was going on outside wouldn't last too long.
As Booster walked around the streets of Metropolis, people stared him. He smiled and waved.
"I don't see why I have to carry you" he said to Skeets, who he had tucked under his left arm.
"Because I do not detect the presence of similar flying drones in the vecinity, it is likely they do not exist in this era. We must find some disguise for me as well. "
"Oh my God! Henry! Did you see how that man is dressed?" a woman gasped, looking at Booster's skintight costume.
"You! Indecent fellow! How dare you walk around in such attire!"
"Indecent, me!?" Booster gasped. "Why you-"
"Booster, ignore him and continue with the operation of finding suitable clothing."
Booster gumbled and walked away from the couple.
Then he saw a man sleeping in an alley. "Why is he doing that?" he asked the robot.
"I believe that is a what used to be known as a 'homeless person.' He probably has no place of his own to live."
"Huh" Booster said, then smiled. "Hey pal, wake up!"
"Hrmm, what?..."
"Its your lucky day! He said, then produced some of the ancient coins he'd taken from the Space Museum. "I'll give you a- a-"
"Silver dollar" Skeets whispered.
"-Silver dollar for your clothes!"
The guy gave him a very odd look.
"What? I just want the clothes, OK? you can use the money to buy more clothes. Or even (sniff) more alcohol if you want."
The hobo thought about it, then took off his hat, shirt and pants and gave them to Booster, who happily gave him the coin.
Booster quickly put them over his costume. Then he grabbed an empty sack also lying in the alley, stuffed Skeets inside, and wandered back into the city.
"*Sniff * "Man these clothes stink..."
Strongest In History
"Children? Now that's a step too far! We need to find this guy!"
"But you do have a point. We should hole up for now, maybe find some more info on this place."
That's odd. It seems almost like he got more serious for a second there.
Nevertheless, Slade steps out of the middle of the road.
"DIO is the ultimate being! The being of the future! Dare you not to rival me!"
An Ordinary Oddball
"Yes, that would be a good idea. Come and join our merry band, and maybe consider a change of clothes. I'm sorry to say that they make you look suspicious. I think I have some things that would fit you in this suitcase of mine," the Doctor said, relieved that the weirdo wasn't hostile.
I wear the skin of the Elder Things, having come unto my own.
Mari raised an eye brow at the young lady's reply. "This isn't Metropolis. Not as I know it. The Metropolis I remember didn't have a huge bloody tower in it, or a police station like this, and it certainly didn't have a child-killer running around it yesterday. Not least because anyone that nuts belongs in Gotham. No one's crazy enough to pull it in Superman's town. Which suggests to me that either he's not around or he doesn't care."
She paused. "Did you find a weird ugly bracelet and the next thing you knew you were dropped on your butt in a dirty alley?"
King of Anime
"I don't know what to tell you, but we're definitely in Metropolis." She took the newspaper from under her arm and held it out to Mari. "It is weird that something like this hasn't made national news though. Nor the building of the tower for that matter. Superman could possibly be busy helping out Supergirl and just doesn't know about the murders? But then you'd think something like that would make the national news as well."
She let her words sink it, ignoring Mari's question for the moment. "You never did introduce youself."
"Sorry, my name's Mari. Mari Mc Cabe. And you're wrong. This doesn't smell like the Metropolis I know. Maybe it's an illusion, or a mind-control thingy, or some weird time travel bit."
She shook her head. "It doesn't matter. That crowd outside was enraged enough that someone's going to get hurt eventually. I want to find that killer." She started walking out of the station. "I don't know what you're doing here, but you're clearly not a local. If you decide to stick with me, I hope you can protect yourself. I never earned any money as a babysitter."
"So Skeets, have you found anything yet?" the disguised Booster Gold asked, as he sat in a park bench and pretended to read a newspaper he had picked up from a garbage can.
"Possibly" the robot answered from within its sack. "My scanners detect advenced levels of technology from that floating city in the sky. Certainly higher than in any historical records of Metropolis during the 1920's, which is where we appear to be."
"So the best chances of finding a time machine would be in there?"
"Not garanteed, but yes."
"OK, then! Let's get go-"
It was then that the paper's headline grabbed him:
Child Killer still uncaught
"Child... Killer?" he gasped. "CHILD KILLER? Why would anyone kill children!!"
"Unknown" Skeets responded. "25th century psychologists believe it might have been due to everything from brain mutations to traumatic-"
RIIIIP!! Booster tore the paper to pieces!
"We are going to catch that monster!!" he snorted furiously, getting off the bench and yanking the sack along.
"What about the sky cit-"
"THAT CAN WAIT!" he storms off the park.
Once he calmed, he realized he had no idea how to even begin such an investigation.
So naturally, he asked Skeets.
"Perhaps if I scanned the victims' bodies I might find a clue."
"Where could they be?"
"Presumably, at the city morgue."
"Can you find it?"
"If its located in the same place as the one in the 1927 Metropolis of our timeline, yes."
Edited by Sijo on Aug 30th 2018 at 12:58:25 PM
"Well, I should be getting on," said the older gentlemen. "Thank you again for helping me, and good luck to you fine folk."
As the older man bustled on, the younger one looked back up at Supergirl. "Just as a quick tip. I still don't know if what you say is true or not, but if you keep flying about dressed like that, you're probably going to catch the Superman's attention."
As the two girls talked, they were approached by one of the weary officers. "Can I help you two?"
"Here you are," said the innkeeper, serving her up a glass of German whiskey. "Not every day we get new customers. You drop in from Heaven?"
She asked this far too casually for it to be a pick-up line.
The homeless derelict examined his coin with an enchanted smile as Booster flew away. Still, it didn't take long for him to have buyer's remorse. He couldn't very well sit out in his unmentionables, in this kind of a chill. Besides, the bosses were counting on him to keep his vigil, and it could be very awkward if anyone were watching him in this kind of a state. The silver coin could probably get him something better than he had, but in the meantime... Quickly the homeless man rushed into the alleyway, and started rummaging around for a bin bag, or something else expansive enough to cover himself. In his absence, a stranger strolled casually past his alleyway, with a smile on his face, and a tune
on his lips.
Some time later, Booster reached the Metropolis hospital of this world. It was a different design and was two blocks further down from the one he was familiar with, but there it was all the same. A man was sat at the receptionist area when he arrived. "Can I help you...sir?" he asked, wrinkling his nose at the pungent scent Booster's coat was giving of.
Green Goblin Inn
Laura glared at the innkeeper as she picked up her glass, and downed it all at once.Drop in from Heaven? Was she serious? Actually... she was serious. Not the type of serious where one was flirting, but the type of serious where someone actually thought they were asking a real question.
"Another," she said, setting the glass down on the counter. "Just here to kill time and get a drink. No Heaven, no angels."
An Ordinary Oddball
The Doctor nods.
"It's nothing. You're welcome."
She opens her Temporal Briefcase and puts it on the ground. Inside, there is a ladder leading down into the TARDIS interior.
"I've got clothes in here."
I wear the skin of the Elder Things, having come unto my own.
Strongest In History
Deathpool peers into the briefcase.
"Whoa, your briefcase has a ladder? Sweet!"
Without a second thought, Slade hops in the Temporal Briefcase and slides down the ladder.
Edited by DefRevenge24601 on Aug 31st 2018 at 3:03:36 PM
"DIO is the ultimate being! The being of the future! Dare you not to rival me!"
King of Anime
"Well I've never been to Metropolis before now but this is their newspaper so I'm pretty sure that's where we are. Could be either of your ideas but since you seemed to have found the same bracelet maybe we were kidnapped by a Metahuman who uses those to teleport their victims. Could be a pocket dimension." She let her words hang in the air, chewing her bottom lip before answering Mari's unspoken question.
"Now that I think about it, Metropolis isn't the only thing that's weird. You didn't recognize me even though I'm pretty sure I've been on the news a lot. But yeah, I can handle a few killers. They don't call me The Flash for nothing after all." A pause as an officer came up to the pair.
Turning on a fake smile, she spoke to the officer. "Yes. I'm Black Lightning's daughter, Jennifer Pierce. I'm here on some official business and I saw in the news that there's a killer on the loose. Which is odd because you'd think it'd be on the national news but I haven't seen anything like that back home. The newspaper said you got a letter from the killer. Is there any way I could see it? I'd love to help."
The Ice Queen
There was a bright flash of light, and for a brief moment, she saw absolutely nothing...
Cait opened her eyes, slowly adjusting to her surroundings. She stood in a dark alley, a far cry from the quiet but spacious rest stop where she'd found that weird-looking bracelet.
What was this place?
Trying to makes sense of the layout of the place, she decided to search for a police station...
Edited by Spottedleaf on Sep 5th 2018 at 8:29:13 AM
Mari frowned slightly and raised an eyebrow at the young lady. You didn't recognize me even though I'm pretty sure I've been on the news a lot had been almost precisely what she'd been about to say to clinch the idea that this was a strange new world. And that name? The Flash? It was catchy, she had to admit. So she was a vigilante who was taught by her dad? Black Lightning sounded a lot cooler. Now I'm glad I shot down the idea of calling myself Black Vixen.''
Mari turned to the officer and unleashed her best supermodel smile, the one that was sure to melt any stoic heart. "Yes, we're very eager to do anything we can."
Edited by Booky on Aug 31st 2018 at 10:43:29 AM
Hospital
Jon might be greedy and impulsive, but he wasn't an idiot. He knew he could not just waltz into the morgue. Or even ask to see the bodies; it would be too suspicious.
"Umm, yeah. I'm not- feeling well. Could anyone give me a check up? Pleeease."
The receptioninst gave him the once-over. He concluded that the only thing wrong with Booster probably was alcoholism. Still, it was his duty. He sighed.
"Please sit in the waiting area. As far from anybody else as possible. A doctor will see you in a minute."
Booster nooded and obeyed.
As soon as he thought it convenient, he whispered to Skeets: "Is this close enough for the body scans? If not, sneak in. I'll cover for you."
Whoville
A young man with distinctive green hair appeared in the middle of Metropolis.
“Well this is certainly unexpected,” he thought with a strange sense of zen as he seemed to quickly accept his predicament.
Perhaps that bracelet he had touched moments before was some kind of magical artifact. In any case, he was no longer in China – possibly no longer on Earth for that matter. This didn’t look like any city he had ever heard of, at least. Dei walked until he came upon a most peculiar site. There were people in costumes, including a young girl in a weird looking coat, but that wasn’t the strange part. The man in the orange and black suit was climbing into a briefcase. How was that even possible? Just what was going on right now?
“...The ways of the people here are strange,” Dei said in an understated fashion. “But also intriguing. How are you doing that?”
"Metropolis City..." Jennifer mumbled to herself after opening the newspaper. Well at least she knew where she was now. Though the fact that there was a killer on the loose was worrying.
"You'd expect something like this to be on the news." She paused, skimming over the message from the killer. "The police got a letter huh? I need to get home but maybe I should check this out while I'm here. At the very least I can let the police back home know about this."
Folding up the newspaper, she set out to find a police station.