Difference between revisions of "3524/Christmas Chaos in Gotham"

Latest revision as of 22:23, 14 December 2015

Terry McGinnis (867) has posed:
    Christmas, is in the air in Gotham City.

    The sounds of the holiday is heard over the various speakers of stores that are open late due to people getting their last minute shopping in. Not just department stores, but eating establishments are open, and the sounds of carols can be heard by peopel singing. Additionally, there are others who are out this busy time of year and they are usually up to no good, mainly Jokerz, a gang that enjoys causing trouble, chaos, mayhem and even death to the citizens of Gotham.

    Moreover, there are other type of lowlifes and non-do-wellers who are out and working for bigger game. That is where Terry McGinnis, aka Batman is at, taking care of one of the many new 'supervillians' that have appeared in Gotham City since it arrived in the Multiverse. As Batman fights someone who seems to be able to turn his body into liquid metal, he has to think of ways to stop him. This is going on at the edge of Industrial Row and not far form Uptown. All of this is going on while the song, 'Grandma Got Ran Over by a Reindeer' is playing.

HK-47 (754) has posed:
"Merry Christmas, Organics!"

     The machine standing in front of the corner-post of one of the many shops in Gotham seems rather innocuous at first glance - painted red with white highlights at the joints and dressed in a red outfit with white trim and a black belt, Gloves, boots and a rubber, bearded mask topped with a red cap, all disguise the exterior of the machine entity as it stiffly rings a bell, taking donations and credit-tips from anyone and everyone donating to it.

     In fact, one could likely mistake it for an organic if not for the tinny distortion in it's voice as it speaks each time someone places any currency in the bin before it.

     And for every deposit... there would be fingerprints or trace-DNA to be recorded and analyzed, all adding into the search for the entity that lived within this city. One of the many targets of interest the progenitor unit had requested they locate; the 'vigilante' individual known as 'Batman.'

     A record of every individual in Gotham - as well as the acquisition of local funds with which to investigate the area - would go a long way towards that goal. Originally, this HK-51 had actually been just set to observe the area and find the individual, then start recording methods on how to track and predict him. The taking of money and recording of DNA left on it was actually improvised by this droid, much to it's pride, as a way to help build up a working start in this city.

     Of course, being able to find the Batman more directly would be preferred... but this long-term tracking, distasteful as it was to spend so much time among organics, was suitable for the gathering of information on organic interactions on 'Christmastime' as a trade-off.

     Provided it's disguise remains uncompromised, of course. There was only so much information one could gather when being chased down by law-enforcement officials, after all.

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    Seriously, some people are just tough to get Christmas presents for. Many people you can make stuff for, but sometimes you just don't know what they like or whatever.

    So Toph has found her way to Gotham City, wandering and stopping by the stores to see if she can find some decent gifts for the rest of the people on her list. This way she can explore the city a bit too, all while she buys some more presents that she can hand out later. At least it's a bit fun to take in the scents and the sounds.

    As she walks though, her feet pick up some telltale vibrations in the ground, not from far away. It's a bit hard to tell exactly what is going on through all of the other vibrations that are going on in this place. Lots of people, cars and other distractions does interfere with the minor details, though Toph narrows her eyes. It seems like somebody is fighting. So the blind earthbender hurries up the street. While she is wearing a different type of attire, one more suited for the cold weather, she should still be recognisable to those who know her as she heads up the next street over from the HK-51 unit.

    Eventually she does draw close to Industrial Row, and as the familiar Christmas music plays she can't help but wonder just what is going on here.

Terry McGinnis (867) has posed:
    Batman fights the guy made of liquid metal, which is hard, as metal is tough, and when it is fluid, standard attacks do not work. Terry knows a few things and fires some special batarangs at the creature, person, thing, whatever it is and when they hit, give off an electrical charge. Liquid Metal Man screams and charges Terry as he jumps to the side, only to receive a solid hit and is tossed through the brick wall and into the street, "ow..." he states simply as he looks up and stands up and then blinks. "Great," he states simply as he looks around and blinks as he sees some liquid metal at a storm drain, "Well he escaped," he says as a voice is heard in the cowl, "Yea. Any idea what it was?" the voice asks. "Nope, but it took a lotof money from this bank," he states to it as he walks over and looks around. "I am sure it is similar to what happened to Clayface. Although liquid metal, mean industrial," he comments. "True McGinnis, but with the Multiverse, coould have been a race of liquid metal people. Which means that he/she/it can get into anything easily," Max says to him. "Yea, and depending on what it is after, means that when it finds somethng, it can go out the normal way. I just hope it cannot do what Inque is able to do and cover a body to hide.." Terry says to her as he shudders at what happened to him years ago.

    "Any other issues popping up Max?" he asks her.

HK-47 (754) has posed:
     ... and there was yet another reason to take up observation in this recently-unified world; visitors from other Union members.

     And having gained a recorded of many Union members since it's own reality unified, the HK-51 was able to easily recognize the sight of Toph Beifong moving down the street.

     Interested, the HK-51 opts to - discretely - pick up it's box and proceed to move to the next street corner, so as to be facing the direction the Earthbender went in, yellow photoreceptors trailing her to try and perceive where she is heading.

     He also positions himself along the pathway so that he can properly observe if she returns this way - he doesn't want to get too far from the crowds that have rather generously been depositing cash into his bin.

     "Merry Christmas!"

     However... if she ended up doing or meeting with someone more interesting then these commonplace organics, that would very well demand his attention. It all depended on who she would meet... and whether she would come back with way with them.

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    The first warning Batman might get to the arrival of an elite is the fact that the concrete around the storm drain suddenly is torn up, along with the metal covering the drain. Next, a familiar voice speaks up.

    "Monkey feathers!"

    If her voice isn't familiar enough, the sight of a five foot tall teenager might be easily recognisable to him if Terry has been looking through Union files. All in all she seems displeased about the liquid metal guy escaping, and she uses her free hand, the one that isn't holding several bags filled with wrapped presents in, to bend the concrete and metal back into place. "Sorry, he slipped away quicker than I thought he would," she states, not fully turned towards Batman. "Well, at least I got to meet you face to face!" she says with a shrug. For now she's unaware of HK-51 and where he is situated, mostly because of the sheer amount of people wandering the streets there.

Terry McGinnis (867) has posed:
    Terry McGinnis turns and looks, "Hey Toph," he says to her as he turns and looks. "Doing some Christmas shopping?" he asks as he looks at the bags and then at the storm drain, "Its alright. It'll be back and I'll be ready. I'll just have to come up with a way to deal with the liquid metal and not harm em," he states. "Might be able ot freeze him, did that once to Inque to get her," he states as he looks. "How is your mom? Doing better?" he asks her in reference to Pepper. "Heard HK was there," he adds as he walks over to her.

HK-47 (754) has posed:
     ...

     Was this what organics called 'Christmas miracles' at work?

     Bringing his photoreceptors at full magnification... the HK-51 was stunned to just barely make out what seemed to be a dark outline speaking to Toph Beifong in the distance of a portion of the industrial area's entrance.

     And switching to ultraviolet settings on his visual spectrums... the droid felt a cycling of calcuolatory-obvserationism akin to anticipation as the outline of what seemed to be chiropteran features - or in layman's terms, bat-like features - upon the human-like frame.

     The illusive 'Batman' - in the distance... practically waiting to be assassinated.

     ... and yet, the HK-51 knew such a desire was futile at this junction. Between not knowing enough about the individual to effect a successful attack and the presence of the metal-manipulating Beifong child, his efforts would be doomed to failure. It was as the progenitor always said - there is a time to strike and a time to observe. The definition between them is key.

     And so, for the time being, the HK simply stood there, continuing it's masquerade even as it once again relocated a block closer to the area, trying to stay close to the flow of people so as not to compromise itself and lessen it's draw.

     Of course, if anything were to compromise it, it would be the things the HK-51 couldn't conceive of compensating for - such as how it's arm receptively swung in and out in perfect intervals like a door-hinge, or how it was so stock-still without even the slightest hint of slouching. The facets of it's play that were /too/ perfect to be human and thus made it easier to be suspected as something else.

     "Merry Christmas!"

     But of course, ignorance is bliss... even for droids.

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    "So you're Batman," she muses, looking slightly curious as she tries to figure out just how the Bat suit works. If it's state of the art it's bound to have some metal in it, right? Probably nothing she can really understand, but maybe it can compare to the Iron Man suits somehow. As for what she's doing here, she holds up the bag with a smirk. "Nah, I just love carrying presents around with me on a daily basis," she responds in a teasing manner. "If you think he'll be back, feel free to call me and I'll come help out. Metal is sort of my unique thing, you know?"

    When he asks about Pepper Toph's smirk fades somewhat, but she does nod. "Yeah, she's all healed up and doing well, back to full work. That damn piece of scrap metal hasn't exactly made things easy for the Union lately..." Which includes her family.

    Speak of the devil.

    With the HK-51 moving closer, it's harder for it to hide from sharp senses. The rhythmic movement, the shape hidden underneath the Santa suit... Batman should be able to notice it, how Toph's eyes widen as realization dawns on her face before she looks... /angry/. And then she turns, heading on back towards the street corner where she senses the metallic form. "It's one of them!" she calls cryptically to Batman, but the message should be clear. Come on!

Terry McGinnis (867) has posed:
    Terry looks and blinks as he sees her reaction after she explains how things are going, "Thanks for the offer, I will," he states simply as he hears her and blinks as he looks, "Great," he states simply as he moves and jumps into the air, the rockets in his boots activating as he lands on the roof and looks around. "Where at Toph?" he asks her as he places a hand to the side of his cowl.

HK-47 (754) has posed:
     When the Earthbender seems to react abruptly to something, the HK-51 tries to play the safe option, continuing it's ploy, wondering if some other threat is impending.

     When she starts moving toward it, it wonders if she is returning to her perusing of Christmas memorabilia first, or if her prior reaction was because she had forgotten to purchase a product that was soon to be out of stock.

     ...

     When she started coming /directly for it/, the droid's logic centers began to lock up in what could only be called panic, even as it still rung it's bell and uttered "Merry Christmas!" - with a tinny, metallic twinge that, even with using a different voice, would be easy to pick up over regular human voices.

     When Batman takes to the air and also starts scrying the area, the droid rather belatedly realizes it's likely been made, silently curses the Earthbender with proverbs that do /not/ befit the Christmas spirit and tries to slip back into the more bustling centers so as to try and blend in, picking up it's donation box to start gradually walking back to the square.

     Slow and steady... yet still moving at that same rhythmic pace. It's already in danger of being found out simply because the only way an HK droid could be here is if it had a full-body disguise - the stiff movements will likely only highlight it unless it can get back to a crowd /fast./

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    "I'm heading towards it!" Toph states over the radio directly to Batman, her destination clear as she walks directly towards the street corner. Though when the droid begins moving she curses under her breath and ups the pace, gritting her teeth. She recognises the voice! And the way it moves is different from humans, so it's a bit easier to keep a track of it in this sea of people, once she's aware of the tiny signs that is.

    "Get back here!" she calls, giving chase. If there weren't so many people here, then maybe it would be safe to use her bending to stop the droid. But no, there are too many people, too many civilians, so many kids who are out to see Santas, drink hot chocolate and finish buying Christmas presents... Nothing could justify them potentially getting hurt. "Batman, it's headed into the shopping centre!" Maybe they can cut him off or something?

Terry McGinnis (867) has posed:
    Terry McGinnis looks and blinks as he nods, "Gotcha.... Although which one? Santa there I am guessing?" he asks her as he jumps and takes flight, the wings coming out as he glides ont he air and heads for Santa, . o 0 (Santa being attacked by Batman....Not a good image to put out there,) he thinks to himself as he follows and thinks, pulling out a small device. Pushing a button, he throws it at the running Santa and if it hits, it will allow Batman to track him within a 5 mile radius, so if it gets lost in the crowd, they will still be able to find it.

HK-47 (754) has posed:
     It needed a new plan. It needed a new plan now or else it was going to be caught - if the HK-51 didn't think it had been discovered before, the audible sound of Toph telling it to come back towards her while she looked /right in it's direction/ most certainly did.

     It couldn't draw too much attention to itself from the other organics though, lest the local law-enforcement be alerted and sent on it - that would make future infiltrations so very difficult if they started actively checking everything more thoroughly. So in the interests of keeping it's cover intact, it had to keep a relatively stable, if not brisk, pace through the square as it entered the shopping center in earnest.... though of course this pace isn't anywhere fast enough to let the unwitting HK escape being tagged by the bat-tracer, which promptly becomes embedded in the fur collar around it's neck.

     At this point, the droid was now attempting it's best to intermingle with the multiple organic forms all around to act as a nice, safe cushion with which to shield itself with. After all, organics who loved to play the part of heroes almost-never wanted there to be unnecessary casualties - or even necessary ones at that.

     It just had to hope these were the good, nice organics that actually played by those standards... and right now it's creative-simulation matrix's calculation for the odds left the droid desperately hoping that would be the case.

     Walking into the nearest storefront entrance, the droid decided it had to improvise, holding it's donation box in front and walking through the crowd ringing it's bell, trying to draw others to it so as to try and constantly have an organic or three nearby at all times. It even tried to take it a step further by leaning in to speak with any children that passed by, playing the role of 'Santa Claus' as best it could.

     "Greetings little harmless child! Are you having a woefully-pleasant Christmas this cycle?"

     So long as it didn't actually harm anyone, neither Batman nor Toph Beifong could have justification to attack it... and perhaps staying close to a child or three would encourage it's pursuers to back away? So long as it was just collecting donations, they couldn't rightly assault it... unless they resented this time of goodwill as much as the HK itself did, of course. Though as far as the HK knew, it wasn't showing it.

     "Merry Christmas, conglomerating organics! Merry Christmas, one and all! Enjoy your overblown festivities!"

     ... if only it /did/ know, though.

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    The earthbender makes her way trough the myriad of people, her senses on the alert for the familiar shape of the HK-51 unit. Though she can't help but blink as a deadpan look settles on her face, overhearing the fact that it pretends to be /nice/ with all the kids who are swarming around it.

    "Santa! It's Santa, mommy!" one of the kids exclaims with much glee, and the boy's mother looks a bit confused at first as the peculiar Santa speaks in a strange manner to her son. Another young girl walks up, her expression hopeful. "I want a new pony and a megabox 3k with the newest Lady SuperSmash game!" Some kids seem a bit nervous about this weird Santa though.

    As one of his pursuers get closer to it however, the HK-51 unit will realize that she can indeed do something to him once close enough without harming the children around him. Dropping her bags, the metalbender extends both of her arms, and suddenly the droid will find itself locking up, standing up straighter than a steadfast tin soldier. "I told you to come back, you rust bucket!" Toph calls out with a huff before she speaks over the radio. "I got him, though this is your turf so you probably know how best to deal with him..." Perhaps the Union could use another of these to interrogate? It's not HK-47, that much Toph can tell. But it might still be useful.

Terry McGinnis (867) has posed:
    Batman blinks as he flies in and lands, "Sorry to bother all of you, but there is a small situation. All of you will need to evac the area," he says as he walks forward and most people who know of The Bat, do just that, grabbing children and heading out of the way. Others get out their cell phones and begin to snap pictures. A little boy looks at Batman, "Don't hurt Santa," he says to him. Blinking, Batman smiles, "ITs alright, Santa will not be hurt. Just a small problem with the christmas list it has and once it is fixed, he will be back," he says to him. "One of the Jokerz decided to play a mean trick," he says to those still around. "And Santa here needsto be moved to a safe area to make sure they did not harm him," he adds as he walks over to Santa and picks the droid up, "Do not worry, he will be fine, once we make sure he is safe," he adds as he looks at Toph and nods as he walks off towards the back of the Mall, out of sight and th enice thing about the Batsuit, Terry can lift 1700 pounds easily.

HK-47 (754) has posed:
     So far, it all seemed to be working out rather disturbingly well - the repugnantly-cheerful masses of young organics surrounding it appeared all-too-willing to fall for the deception, the HK giving simple responses to them in it's false-Santa voice - "It would be my pleasure to toil away procuring these items for you this cycle, little innocent child!"

     Now, so long as his pursuit didn't do anything the HK droid would make them regret-

     ... ... ...

     Miscalculation. The HK belatedly realizes it had made a gross miscalculation.

     Namely that no disguising among the innocent bystanding masses did any good if you had opposition that could manipulate your own body against you simply by being near you.

     There is an audible groaning of joints as the machine's limbs lock up and pull straighter against the commands of it's internal pathways and servos, the HK-droid feeling the ebbings of looping self-queries on what to do pile up as it panicked at what seemed to be it's impending capture.

     This groaning of metal against metal will likely startle the pedestrians away as well as Batman lands.

     Then the droid suffers perhaps the ultimate indignity - being /lifted and carried/ by the organic as though the HK droid itself were some massive gift-wrapped present. Between the Earthbender keeping him locked up and the vigilante carrying him, the droid can hardly do more then grip his donation box in one hand and bell in the other.

     It tries a vain attempt to garner support - "Help! Help - I am being abducted! Think of the many innocent, malleable children watching this innocent, non-threatening Santa Clause be carried away!" - but it will likely realize far too late that it's method of speaking likely won't get it any votes of confidence, though it will attribute that to organic incompetence instead of a failing on it's own part.

     Once they are inevitably out of earshot and the droid presumably has it's mask removed, it rather defiantly glares at both it's captors with indignant rage in it's glowing yellow photoreceptors. "Defiant Statement - I will never talk! Bend my servomotors, pull out my circuits or weld my photoreceptor-pathways shut, but I will not give in!"

     ... well... if nothing else, it certainly seemed steadfast about it's odds in the face of rather self-disruptive droid-butchery.

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    Man, poor kids. It could have gone worse though, and Toph nods her head. "Santa will be fine. And you'll all get your presents if you're good and do the right thing, kids." Might as well use the situation to encourage them. For now she goes with Batman's plan. "The bad man confused Santa," she assures them, "He'll be back to hear what you want for Christmas later!" Once the kids are somewhat assured she turns her attention back to the droid, making sure to keep it still as Batman carries it out of the general area of the mall. "Yeah yeah, just keep quiet or I'll bend your mouth shut," she sighs.

    At least nobody got hurt today.

Terry McGinnis (867) has posed:
    Batman looks at the droid after setting him down, "That's fine, don't talk," he says as he looks around to find a way to see why this HK droid was doing here. "I take it this is not the HK-47 you have fought before," he asks Toph as he looks for the power core and begins to open all the access ports after the Santa Costume is removed.

    As he looks, he finds a switch and pushes it, shutting the droid off and looks, "Now, to find out more about you, but not here," he states as he looks at Toph. "Thanks," he states to her as he ponders something and lifts the HK droid and moves him over to where the Batmobile is hidden. The vehicle decloaks and he attaches some cables to it and thinks, "Time to get you to a secure location," he states as he gets in and offers Toph a lift to get her home and her gifts back to her home. "I think that somewhere with a secure lab to check out this droid would be best," he says to Toph as they rush off to New York and Stark Towers.

                                                                                                                                    To Be Continued ...