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

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.

[heypartner]

This time Cobb went down to his knees as the way of exhaustion pulled at him. He gritted his teeth and tried to focus his senses away from his hearing. He focused on the smells around him instead and it helped him regain some control over himself.

It had to be the man talking. Not the gunman but the one talking about electronic dollars. The bank just happened to have another hero in it? Someone who could talk people to sleep? Cobb didn't know if he could go forward with him still talking.

But he did because he was a hero. One positive thing about the talker was the gunman was distracted. Cobb snuck the rest of the way down and eased the door open. He seemed to be in the employee breakroom.

[mrsklover]

The gunman was swaying and Richie was glad to see that the weapon was pointing to the ground, now. As long as it wasn't toward him, he could approach. "Yeah. Yeah, see the floor looks real comfy, doesn't it? Maybe it's time for you to get to the ground, huh?"

Other people in the bank were flopping over, falling asleep as they listened to him. More tellers passed out as he got closer to that area and the criminal himself seemed to be a few seconds from conking out. Richie walked closer, estimating if he could grab the gun, yet. One of his hands reached for it slowly as he kept talking.

"No more robbing. Just nap time. A good long nap and then you can wake up and be a criminal, okay? I think that's a solid plan, pal..."

[heypartner]

This time Cobb couldn't fight it. The man's voice rolled through him, heavy, soothing and he stumbled against the wall. He slumped down onto the stairs and dropped his head against the wall. He was out seconds later, his body too tired to fight against this anymore.

Cobb wouldn't wake up until he heard the blare of police sirens outside the bank, finally responding to the robbery.

The robbery the guy with a sleep inducing voice stopped and not The Marshal. Well that would be embarrassing but he was pretty sure no one knew he was here. He got up feeling... refreshed, actually. Very well rested. It was, without a doubt, the best sleep he'd ever gotten.

Huh.

[mrsklover]

Richie saved the day. He smiled as people thanked him and as his hand was shaken by everyone from police to other customers at the bank. He sighed and went back in for the check he'd needed only to be given a nice little bonus from the responders. It was enough for rent so that was nice. He tucked it away and waited off to the side with his notepad in case anyone else had questions.

All in all, he should be happy that the day ended up this way. But just like always, using his powers just emphasized how he was unable to really talk to anyone with his voice. This was as close as he could get. A few sentences here and there to take someone down.

Richie slumped himself against the brick wall and started doodling little cartoons of the people around the scene while he waited.

Another great day for the Sleep Talker.