Superhero Antics

[cannot_flinch]

WHO: Everyone!
WHERE: The City
WHAT: Some prompts for superhero shenanigans. These are three general prompts you can customize to suit your superhero or supervillain needs.
WHEN: May
WARNINGS: Fighting. Violence. Blood. Injury. Bad language.



[ 1 ] A Bank Robbery

The sun was just setting over the horizon. There weren't many people in the bank. Everything was quiet, peaceful, and almost lazy. No one even looked up when an AC repair van pulled into the parking lot of the First National Loan Savings & Bank.

They did look up when six armed men burst through the door. They started shouting. One raised his assault rifle and fired a few shots breaking a florescent light. People screamed and quickly cowered under the nearest table or simply dropped to the floor and covered their heads.

One man rushed the bank teller and hopped onto the smooth wooden counter. His demands were simple. All the money in every register and no dye packs. If he saw anything suspicious they would all start shooting.

---

[ 2 ] Supervillain Showdown


In an unassuming little brick building just off of downtown a woman answered the phone. "Thank you for calling Total Nation Insurance, my name is Hazel. Before I can assist you, can I please have your policy number?"

Her fingers flew across the keyboard as the person on the other end of the call rattled off numbers. The computer pinged merrily when it found the right policy. "Ah, Mr. West, what can I help you with today?"

"An auto insurance claim? A robot cat took your side mirror clean off?... And then a giant robot lion picked the whole car up and threw it at a spaceship? Yes, sir I can help you with that claim."

More typing and then Hazel frowned at the screen. "Mr. West, I see you live on 57th street. That wouldn't happen to be around 57th and 11th, would it? Uh-huh. And when did this happen?"

Hazel leaned back in her chair and looked out the window. Judging by the smoke clouds in the distance...

"Right now? Yup. Okay. I'm going to put you on a brief hold while I get this in order..." Hazel pressed the button on her headset and yanked it off. "Janice, take my call I need to move my car! This is the second time this week the heroes and villains have thrown down. I swear as soon as a transfer opens in the Phoenix office, I'm moving!"

---

[ 3 ] They Came from Outer Space

The first sign something was coming was a brief disruption to cellphone signals and GPS but service was restored quickly and no one really thought of it.

Not until the first ship appeared out of hyperspace. A few people went 'huh' before the Armed Forces tried to rally. They did not fair well. The first landing ship touched down hours later and the aliens appeared.

They were strange looking. Their space suits were green with a silver collar for the large helmet that showed the massive size of their brains and gaunt faces. One at the head of the group wore a red cape and it began issuing orders.

"Ack, ack, ack!" It called out, gesturing left and right. Groups of aliens broke away with blasters in hand, ready to wreak havoc on the city. Their cries echoed down the streets over the screams and sirens.

"Ack, ack, ack! Ack! Ack!"

"Ack, ack, ack!"

Comments

1

[doubled_speed]

Nothing like getting out of work early for once, heading by the bank to deposit some cash and... Well, this. Come on, couldn't things be simple for a single evening. He had a date.

He was gone in a flash into the bathroom the second the first gunman came through the door. He even waited until they were actually stopping the tellers before he came back out, taking a position in his red and silver uniform on top of a table, kicking his legs.

"Yanno, the problem with all of this is that you're trying to rob a bank in the most hero dense city in the world," Speed said. "Idiots."

2

[plate_builder]

Okay, in Meowchanist's defense beyond defending his name because he hadn't given himself one and he hated the press but it had stuck, it wasn't HIS fault that Cait took the car's window off. The bot, built like a black panther but with white paws and belly, had been thrown. But Cait had gotten himself back up and thrown himself back into the fray, and Reeve was proud of him.

As for the Meowchanist himself, he watched as the far larger lion grabbed a car in its mouth, winding up and flinging it at a spaceship.

"This wasn't what I signed up for," he grumbled from where he stood on top of a car Hazel's unfortunately, a herd of smaller cat bots around him while he tried to direct the fight with his magic.

It wasn't the best idea to be in such an obvious place, but sometimes you just had to put on your cat-mask and tail, and look ridiculous, and live with being a target because you had to see the fight that was going on.

"I hate it when the bad guys fly."

[no_applause]

Clouds darkened the sky and thunder boomed overhead. An armored woman landed near Meowchanist in a perfect superhero landing. Hearing his quip, she stands and smirks at him. "That's when you find an ally who can."

Looking up at the foreign object in the sky, that smile disappears. "What's going on here?"

[plate_builder]

Ah, an entrance by one of the bigger names.

"M'lady," he greeted, clearly thankful for her presence. He took a deep breath and gestured to the spaceship.

"Alien invasion. You know, a Thursday. Me and mine are better at small gang presences, mafias, sometimes the odd paramilitary. We're not meant for things from space."

[no_applause]

She smiled and nodded in response to his greeting. The Queen of Thunder did appreciate civility, after all.

She followed his gesture, looking up. "Well it looks like you're doing a fine job considering the circumstances." The thrown car exploded on impact, leaving a hole in the side of the ship. "Care for some assistance?"

[beepbeepmotherfucker]

Eddie had heard the commotion in the neighborhood and ran out of his office to move his car before anything could happen to it. He raced out into the street... Just in time to watch his car go soaring into the sky.

"What... My car!"

[plate_builder]

Someone was shouting. What? Reeve's attention turned toward the source and considered the stranger. And then the car that Regis had thrown. Oh dear.

"Um, sorry?" he called out.

[beepbeepmotherfucker]

Eddie groans, gesturing towards the, what, space ship?

"Sorry? Yeah, right. What am I supposed to tell my insurance company?!"

1 - The Marshal

[heypartner]

Two blocks over about to stop at his favorite Indian place for dinner Cobb paused and tilted his head. He heard the gunshots and then some screams. Dinner would have to wait.

Cobb moved quickly, ducked into an alley and behind a dumpster, yanking off his tie. He had some of his costume just under his suit and the rest hidden in his briefcase. He wrapped the signature red scarf around his eyes as the final touch of his costume and then ran.

There was no need to hide just how good his senses were as the Marshal. Cobb climbed up a fire escape and onto the rooftops, moving with agility around obstacles. The world was a blur of shapes and senses but in minutes he was on top of the bank and ready to head in. He wasn't bullet proof like other heroes but he couldn't ignore trouble.

THE SLEEP TALKER TO THE ASSISTANCE!

[mrsklover]

Richie, honestly, had just wanted to get some new checks. He liked ones with cartoon characters on them usually but rent was due in three days and he just needed any old check in order to not get evicted. And yeah, it had to be a check because right now his account didn't actually have enough cash in it. It would by the time it was cashed, though. Probably.

Whatever. He had a mission. And then this complete and utter asshole had to ruin it completely by shooting up the ceiling and demanding everyone on the floor. Richie rolled his eyes and tried his hardest to not groan as he debated his options.

On the one hand he could just go along with this until some hero came along and saved the day. On the other, he could probably end this real fast and maybe that would come with a reward. Maybe even a reward that could help with both rent and some new cartoon checks. It was worth a shot, at least. And, besides, he hadn't spoken in a few days, now. He was getting antsy.

"Woah, there, pal," Richie said loudly and focusing in on the robber. There was no guarantee that even with that focus he wouldn't put to sleep the people around him, but it sometimes minimized the effects. He'd been working on his power more and more in the hopes of one day having a conversation that didn't put the other person into nap mode. Work in progress. "This isn't the way to make withdrawals. For one, the gun is overkill. Second, what are we, in the wild west? Money is digital, pal. How are you gonna rob a computer account?"

[heypartner]

Cobb shouldered the locked door on the roof open and started to make his way down quietly. He wanted to get a sense of where the gunman was before he suddenly appeared. If he could surprise him and disarm him before the man did anything drastic it would be a success.

But then someone started talking and Cobb felt a wave of exhaustion sweep over him. His eyelids actually fluttered and he missed a step on the stairs. Luckily, his reflexes and muscle memory were enough to keep him from falling down.

The robber also swayed but he swung his gun around and pointed it right at Richie as well. "Shut up! Lay down before I put you down!"

Things were getting more tense downstairs. Cobb shook his head trying to block out the strange tired sensation trying to overtake him. There were people in danger and one idiot trying to talk his way out of it. He had to get down there.

[mrsklover]

"How about you lay down?" Richie kept saying, keeping his eyes on the gun and where it was pointed. Outside there was no sign of cops and one of the younger tellers had already collapsed. Could be from fright or his voice. Impossible to tell but that was one less person to hit the silent alarm.

Assuming they even had one.

"Look. Everyone here just wants to get out in one piece. You can take all the electronic dollars here and none of us give a shit. You hear me? Just listen to me, alright?"

The guy had already swayed. This shouldn't take long.

[on_repeat]

Fifteen minutes late.

Due to an accident on one of the main throughways, traffic was backed up and still in the midst of recovery once paramedics were on the scene. Nothing fatal, thankfully – just something Echo didn't account for on the way.

Having a motorcycle paid off in terms of lane-splitting when he shouldn't have, the engine shutting off and the kickstand locked into place the moment he stopped in the somewhere around the back. He practically leapt off of the bike, helmet still on as he quietly moved to assess the situation from where he was.

There were other entry points. As much as he wanted to wait for the police to arrive, the potential headline stitched to the scenario was the thing that bothered him.

Time to check the back door.

[heypartner]

Cobb hesitated, head tilting. He heard a motorcycle pull up. Was someone about to walk into a bad situation or were they part of this bank robbery? He moved to the edge of the roof and looked down. It was one guy and one motorcycle. Didn't exactly feel like a threat but...

He vaulted the edge of the roof and landed somewhat heavily behind the man. "You don't want to go in there. It's not safe."

Cobb would get his answer about whether this guy was safe with how he responded right now. He braced himself to get punched.

[on_repeat]

He whirled around, arms up in a defensive stance as he quickly parsed out where the man had come from. Glancing between the man and at a few points above them both didn't connect very well, but he remained calm.

In the middle of this, he did accidentally throw a punch because of the surprise. He made a face shortly after he did.

"Not my first rodeo, mate," Echo then said under a muffled breath, still trying to gauge Cobb as he pulled back. Friend? Foe?

3 - The Vanguard

[cannot_flinch]

As a group of aliens rounded a corner Ikora stood to meet them. She channeled her magic into a cloud of dark energy and hurled it forward before the alien's could raise their energy weapons. It crashed at their feet and exploded in cloudy purple blackness and the aliens vaporized away.

Ikora, trained in magical arts since she was a child, continued through the city. Her familiar, a black cat with red glowing eyes, trailed along behind her.

"Where do you think they came from?" Ophiuchus asked as he jumped onto her shoulder.

"Not our galaxy." She peeked around the corner at a larger group and drew in a breath. This would start quite the fight. "But it doesn't really matter. We need to drive them off."

"We need to reach the mothership," her familiar jumped down again and transformed into shadow to hide.

"Exactly." Ikora channeled more energy, calling on the most power she could muster then sprinted around the corner and hurled the darkness at the large group of aliens. They screamed as they disintegrated into the void.

Maybe a cameo

[deal_me_in]

A couple blocks down, Cayde leaned out from the roof of a building, hand flying to his metal forehead. "Ooh! Ooh! I know that-" he started babbling to himself the moment he caught the wash of dark violet wisps flaring out from behind a building. He grinned as he saw a figure dash out to confront another group of aliens head on, leaving nothing but already evaporating trails in her wake.

"Iko-" he started to say, in his excitement forgetting where he was. At least The Vanguard would be too busy to see his rather embarrassing fall off the roof. Naturally there was a dumpster there to break his fall.

[beepbeepmotherfucker]

It had been a long day. Work was exhausting. His car was thrown at a space ship. His insurance company almost didn't give him a rental car... Ugh.

He'd stopped to get some takeout on his way home. As he stepped out of the restaurant, he saw the aliens. "Oh what now?" Sighing, he moved towards his car. However, before he could get to it, some kind of magic disintegrated the aliens... And half of his rental car with them. "Oh you've got to be kidding me!"

[cannot_flinch]

"Are you alright?" Ikora walked towards the man with a concerned frown. "You weren't hit, were you?"

It didn't look like the aliens had done him any harm but it certainly wasn't safe for him to stay in the area. It was unclear from street level just how far the aliens had gotten into the city.

"Come with me, I'll get you to a safe place." It was hard to say exactly where that would be but Ikora had faith she'd find something. Or the alien invasion would end. There were other heroes in the city fighting back, she was certain of that.

[beepbeepmotherfucker]

He sighs, shaking his head. "No, no, I'm fine. More than I can say for my car..."

At least this hero is being nice to him. More than he can say about the guy with the big cat thing. He nods, "Yeah, okay. Fine." Lead on, hero. His plans have been screwed, so he might as well follow her.

2-ish - some not-so impressive sort-of villainy - FOR SCIENCE!

[beholding_archivist]

The Archivist sighs, looking up at the massive, mostly white mothcat sitting patiently before him, occupying the better part of a supermarket parking lot and unknowingly pushing originally parked cars back and forth with its idly swishing tail feathers. The cars squashed by the large feline landing on them may still be worse off. About a dozen more mothcats, these ones in their regular size, are scattered around the parking lot as well as its proximity, watchful of potential heroic interventions. They are all as white as their large counterpart, with light green tails, wings and eyes.

Scowling, the Archivist flips through the book in his hands, wearing black leather gloves that contrast with his otherwise white suit to refrain from directly touching the relic.

"Commander." The man addresses the creature sternly without looking up from the book and the feline's ears perk up with a little flutter of his translucent wings that creates enough of a blast to send a couple of left behind shopping carts skittering away. The large cat makes an unfittingly small meowing noise in response. "Yes, I know, this went remarkably off the scale we were aiming for, but I'm trying to see if this is the limit. You really shouldn't have flown off, however. The park was fine. Next time just pull your paw out of the lake and set it down next to it!"

[beepbeepmotherfucker]

All Eddie wanted to do was get his groceries and get home. Was that too much to ask?!

He walks out of the grocery store, bags in hand, and stops dead. "Holy cow!" That sure is a giant weird cat thing in the middle of the parking lot swishing it's... Tail... His eyes widen and he runs over. "My car! Hey, what the heck do you think you're doing?!"

[beholding_archivist]

The mothcat’s only reaction is a quick flick of an ear and a glance down at the upset little human.

As for the Archivist, he appears a little more irritated and frowns over at this bothersome person. “It’s hardly any of your business.” He remarks and returns to his book. “You will leave now.”

[beepbeepmotherfucker]

"Hardly any of my... What?" Eddie steps closer, though he flicks a nervous glance up at the cat thing. "How am I supposed to leave when your pet totalled my car?!"

3 OTA

[rage_on]

"If it isn't giant alien brains, it's aliens with giant brains," the helmeted figure muttered as he watched from a rooftop as the invaders ambled about on the streets down below. "...wait, alien brains? When have I ever..." He shook his head, grunting as he turned to make for the ledge above the alley he'd left his motorcycle.

Although stocky, the darkly clad form made his way swift and smooth along the fire-escape before he landed down on the streets below. He adjusted his gloves and then revved up his bike before speeding out into the street. It wasn't hard to track where the nearest group of alien invaders was, what between the awful noise they made and the screams of panicked humans.

Once they were within sight, the Nightwatcher pulled his kusarigama from behind him, whipping it in a tight circle as he made his approach. He threw it outwards as he zoomed past one of the aliens, hooking one of their blasters and flinging it away from them. As another started barking out orders, so he assumed, the Nightwatcher gave the chained weapon an upwards flick, snagging one to swing around and bowl over the rest.