Ballroom Bonanza (Ch. 2: Day 9)

psikeout · Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2011 4:14 am

"Hhheew!" shivered Juke from the other side of Mako, still gripping the shark by the shoulders from behind. Apparently, he did not enjoy her comment about eating him, and was unnerved by it to such a degree that he writhed and squirmed in place as if being devoured by a swarm of invisible spiders. He rather suddenly found himself possessed to shove Mako at the not-walrus tapir and run like the wind in the other direction.

Stompstompstomp.

His boots tromped, his arms swung, and his legs kicked high as he made tracks outta Dodge, squinting and frowning.

Kazz · Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2011 4:47 am

A thousand thoughts crossed Mako's mind as he stumbled forward. Among them were aw, crap, I let the guy get away, why is it always ME, and this is gonna hurt. Unable to stop himself, Mako fell, and wound up on his belly on the ground, staring at Suzy's feet.

Rubbing his nose gingerly, Mako peered up, though not moving his head, and gave a sheepish, sharky smile. "Hi," he ventured. He paused, and only after some consideration did the fish respond to the tapir's previous question:
"Uhhh, I'm supposed to... rally the citizens while he's inside," he explained as he sat up, but remained sitting on the ground. "But I don't see many citizens, y'know?"

He wanted absolutely nothing more than to be somewhere that was not where he was.
This thought crossed his mind, and a perplexed expression crossed his face as he tried to work that sentence out. Satisfied, he fake-coughed once or twice into his hand, and looked up scrutinizingly at the purple woman that stood before him.

goomzz · Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2011 5:13 am

"Well I'm rallied!" She responded, helping him up much the same way she did for Juke, though this time she kept him suspended off the ground at eye level with her.

"Tell ya what! We can go in there and take care of things, find out what all the fuss is and find out where your friend went! It will be awesome! We'll be total bros and stuff! Kicking ass and taking names!" She smiled at him, looking far more friendly then she had looked to Juke.

Rachel · Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2011 9:31 am

Archers alone time with his coveted prize was short lived as Jack dropped from the air onto the stage beside him, pulling the weapon from her holster as she hit the floor. "Drop it, Varmint!" Jack roared in a commanding tone that was so very characteristic of the police.

BBZZZZZZTTTT! BBZZZZZZTTTT! BBZZZZZZTTTT!

Some ungodly noise suddenly erupted from all around the party goers and crashers alike. The fire Ember had started finally triggered the fire alarm system. The noise it made was hideous and needless to say; deafening. But something was missing, Jack removed her eyes from the deer just before the hotels sprinkler system sprung to life, and torrents of water fell down on the parties in the ball room.

Now everything is wet and slick.

And slowly getting darker as Embers fire was snuffed out.

Water poured over the Llama in furious waves from the ceiling, a grin spread across her features as things went from complicated to dicey. If not for the deafening cry of the fire alarm, someone might of heard Tracer chuckling as she turned to face the security that finally reached her, light fading away into darkness she ran into a group of guards, the first of which had his gun raised but struggled to get a shot as the fires where put out. Tracer smacked his gun aside and slammed her foot down on the side of his knee. With a wail the rent-a-cop hit the floor.

Maren · Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2011 6:17 pm

Mary opened the door and set out. The situation was nothing short of a disaster; people screaming, flames and unconcious bodyguards decorating the floor -- Her kind of party, smiled the lamb with an .. eerie sort of amusement. And just when she was starting to worry that the tournament was starting to get boring. Reaching for her cell again, the lamb snapped it open, thumbing down her contacts for Jack before thinking better of it and taking a detour to camera mode. The job first. God knew she'd need the extra allowance after all the money she blew this tournament. Mary snapped some pictures, making sure her lens avoided anything graphic, then sent them off to some unknown user on her list.

And that's when she saw them.

The lens picked up a deer flailing in the air and Jack starting after him. Then her eyes flicked to the trophy in the middle of the room. Excited features dissolved to a frown. Her mind went back to the things Vince said earlier about , and there was something about it that rubbed her the wrong way. It was obviously too big to be legit, just by looking at it, but what if it was some kind of trap? Mary crouched and picked a gun up from an unconcious guard next to her foot. She leveled it at the trophy, preparing to fire a shot it just in case, but took extra care to keep her space from the thing. Worst case scenario, the device mucked up, but at least she wouldn't get caught in the mess. Best circumstance would be that nothing happened; that Vince was just an overconfident idiot, and she could continue to shoot at the buck without being seen until it was too late.

But Archer landed faster than Mary hoped to expect he would. Right by the trophy on the stage no less. Then she saw that cat bodyguard of Vince's rush to beat him to it, Archer drawing his bow back, to shoot at her. Mary found it odd though how he didn't stop to see if the thing hit or missed. Instead, he just dismissed the girl as though she weren't even there. Mary had a bad feeling about how that would end up, but kept it to herself. She wasn't about to risk cover getting involved for someone else's sake, she had work to do. If his suspicious disinterest in the cat didn't give her a clue, that would her problem. Mary shifted the trigger to Archer's shoulder and fired a shot while he was still in her sights.

Greens · Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2011 7:38 pm

Among the chaos and fire and gunshots, it would be easy to lose track of things in the room of Vince's prized hotel. And while he, being the cunning devil he was could have been prepared for all those things above, there was one variable tossed into the mix that nobody could have expected. The sudden, and timely arrival of the one and only Power Mask.

CRASH.

With only his bulky arms and the purple gloves around them as his cover, shattered glass quickly littered the scene as the giant tortoise's mighty form broke through in a big, meaty ball of muscles and tights. When he landed on the scene, things changed.

...But maybe not the way everyone expected.

Since he his foot slipped on the wet floor, and he lurched and tumbled his way back out through another window, on the opposite side of the room, leaving him to fall harmlessly away from the action. And that was it.

Rachel · Posted: Sun Feb 27, 2011 9:33 am

Marys approach was not lost on Jack, and nor was the weapon in her hand. Terror gripped Jack the moment she realized the reporter was trying to take things into her own hands. Jack moved immediately, shoving herself into Mary, forcing the lambs shot to go wild and miss the deer by a few miles.

"ARE YOU INSANE!?" She screamed at the reporter, the griffins expression was nothing shy of rage. "He breaks that gem open this whole city goes up!" Jack was sure to yell over the still blaring fire alarm even though the last of whatever Embers make-shift molotov had set fire was long since out, and water was starting to pool. Jack was likely to have yelled even without the alarm. Jack didn't wait for a reaction or response, she just took the gun from the lamb, and turned to face the deer, putting her own away.

"We ain't gotta fight if you surrender the rock."

BBZZZZZZTTTT! BBZZZZZZTTTT! BBZZZZZZTTTT!

Seafarinhare · Posted: Sun Feb 27, 2011 10:39 am

The deer's attention was thrown off by the griffon landing next to him, gun drawn. Little did he know, someone out of sight was also drawing her gun. And then the alarm went off, and the griffon moved. His bow was gripped, and ready to swing like a stick, but a shot blared through the fire alarms.

He backed away from the two as Jack offered her ultimatum, holding the emerald out as he back up, making sure to keep an eye on Terra as well.

"See, that's a bit of a problem. I have plans for this rock." He said with a coy grin. He held the rock between himself and the gun-totting women, holding it hostage, essentially.

MuffinUnsane · Posted: Sun Feb 27, 2011 10:23 pm

Now that her magnificent work of art was nothing more than ashes, Ember found herself a bit lost. She couldn't just leave, no matter how much she wanted too, without her newfound friends. Staying a bit away from the hectic action she watched as Jack screamed at Mary. Oh right. Shiny thing could blow up. Was that a bad thing?

Deciding that it was, the bird set in motion a plan. While the deer was focused on the other three ladies she slowly made her way through the darkened room. The water had reached her ankles and once or twice she slipped around in those heeled shoes. Careful to stray away from the fighting llama she sneaked around the room to the other side of the stage facing the back of the deer. Kicking off the clunky shoes she hoisted herself up. She hoped that the loud noise of the alarm covered up any noise she made as she attempted to sneak behind the deer.

The arrow came too fast for Terra to dodge and made contact with her head. The bang knocked her to the floor and she landed with a slosh in the water. Though her mind was reeling she attempted to push herself up. Managing to get to her knees she tried to get her focus back. Everything was blurred and her head felt as though it was cracked open. A small trickle of blood ran down into her eye as she snarled several more profanities.

She didn't care about the llama anymore. She wanted that deer dead and skinned. Hoisting herself up she wobbled before falling to her knees. Finally Terra managed to stand. There were still three bow-wielding targets hovering around on the stage but that did little to discourage her. Though not as quick as before she headed for the stage again still trying to get her head straight.

Ember was closer now and inching around the trophy. Pausing for a moment to gather up what little courage she had, she then broke into a run for Archer. Using her wings for a quick boost of speed she attempted to tackle him.

Seafarinhare · Posted: Mon Feb 28, 2011 9:38 pm

What happened next would no doubt come as a serious blow to Archer's pride. Of all the dangers in the room, he was taken down from behind. How could he be so blind?

"Gyaah!" He let out as he experienced a sudden forward jolt from unidentified weight behind him. He was thrown forward, inadvertently throwing the emerald into the air while doing so.

Rachel · Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2011 10:14 am

Finally the emergency lights where starting to flicker to life around the exits, the effects of the deers first attack was beginning to subside. Jack's cell phone was still a worthless rock, but there wasn't anything to be done about that. Jack caught a glimpse of Ember and quickly put together what the girl was doing. She narrowed her eyes on the buck and decided to keep him occupied.

"Whats that? Going to go hold a city hostage? Bomb some government buildings or maybe just a school? Well?!" She demanded, still holding hte gun she'd confiscated from Mary. She could only hope the lamb would likewise distract the deer.

If the deer went down Jack would jump on him the moment he hit the floor, years of work on her fathers farm would kick in, she'd rip the pretty headband off her head, which was tied on with long strips of stretchy ribbion, and proceed to use it to tie his legs and his hands together, that's right, she'd hogtie the deer given half a chance.

BBZZZZZZTTTT! BBZZZZZZTTTT! BBZZZZZZTTTT!

The alarms kept ringing and more guards kept surging towards the angry llama, the flickering lights posed a new problem. now that they could (for the most part) see, she was in the very real danger of getting shot. Tracer desided it was time for some shock and awe. She started picking up tables and not only throwing but hitting secuirty with them, she was swinging the cocktail tables around like big uneven bats. Tracer shattered two before she looked down, and picked up a fire arm from the water at her feet, she shook the water out of it, checked the magazine and cleared the chamber. Now the table swinging amazon had a gun. Joy. So she immediately started shooting at the guards, and anyone else whom she happened upon. She honestly fired indiscriminately at shapes moving around the dim room, picking up ammo as she went along. The guards of course started firing back but the llama made it a point to keep moving towards the stage and archer.

Eventually the llama got pinned down behind one of the decorative support pillars. The guards where starting to fan out and where going to attempt to cut her off from the stage, at the moment she was behind the pillar, facing the stage with the guards putting holes in the reverse side.

Maren · Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2011 9:43 pm

"Ow, what the -- HEY!" Mary screamed. Something or someone had forced her on the ground before she could shoot.

"ARE YOU INSANE!?" A familiar voice screamed at the reporter. Mary recovered just in time to see the griffin's feirce expression; seething and nothing shy of rage. "He breaks that gem open this whole city goes up!"

Though admittingly, Mary was a little 'kooked. She often liked to think it was in a good way, but anyone who'd accept her kind of job had to be, somewhat. Still though, why validate Jack when she could save face at the griffon's expense? between missing her shot, getting shoved, yelled down at, and having her gun snatched when she thought she was justified -- Mary was too proud and pissed to admit she was wrong. "Let's get a few facts straight here, okay birdbrain?" She sneered. "First off, the rock aint glass. Robin Hood here couldn't have broken a damn thing without a good arm. And second? Don't lump me in with you. I WATCH the damned news to know what it does, and you runnin' into me riskin' a bead in it wouldn't have made us anymore --

..safer."

Her voice faltered the moment she caught something brown floating from the corner of her eye. They glanced up for a moment and she saw Ember, hovering full flight behind them, their terrorist without a clue. New game plan, Mary decided. If they argued now, he'd just take the chance to run off. She'd have to roast Jack a new one later. The lamb huffed disgruntledly, muttering as if to feign frustration -- which to an extent she still had. The abrupt stop in her rant-rave must have caught the sheriff's attention too, because then she looked up and started getting talkative. Mary faintly kept tabs on Jack's psuedo-negotiation with the buck, ready to make a run for it he lost his grip on the emerald making sure she kept him steady enough until Ember got the drop on him.

And then it happened.

"Gyaah!" The buck was thrown forward, inadvertently throwing the emerald into the air while doing so.

"Already on it!" Mary called out, and without another moment's hesitation, burst into a sprint for it.

Kazz · Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2011 12:37 am

Mako paused.
He blinked a couple times.
He thought he heard a crash somewhere in the distance, in the direction Tank had left in.
He blinked again.

And then he screamed bloody murder.

"AAAAAAUGH DON'TKILLME!" he said very quickly, and very loudly, wrenching himself with a tremendous burst of strength out of the tapir's grip, throwing his arms up. He stumbled backwards and landed with a thump on the ground, sitting on his bulky tail, obviously expecting to be murdered-- or at the least mugged. Mako was simply waiting for a disaster to happen -- it was Westside after all -- and it made just as much sense as anything that now, at the hands of a large purple tapir, would be that time.

Only after a moment did he seem to register what Suzy actually said to him. He managed an "... uhhhh?", peeking out from between his arms, before he coughed innocently.

"... sure. That sounds great," he said, still sounding as though he expected to be shanked at any moment.

goomzz · Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2011 1:39 am

"Dude chill out! Jeez! What do you think I'm going to do? Eat you? I'm a herbivore I don't eat fish." Suzy rolled her eyes, forgetting that the last person she had spoken too she told the exact opposite. The flicker of fire light seemed to have gone out, and more panicked guests ran out the doors.

"Well, we better get going before the parties over!" She ran past the shark, grabbing his arm along the way and dragging him with her toward the building. "Hell ya! This ain't no party crash until Suzy shows up!"

Several people had to dodge out of the way as the huge mass of woman charged through them toward the emergency exit stairs, which where now open as people spilled out of them. "Move it you asses!" She shouted as she ran at them.

MuffinUnsane · Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2011 10:55 am

Once connected with the deer, Ember wrapped her arms and legs around him as tight as she could to try and keep him down. She heard Mary call out that she had the emerald covered. Once Jack started binding up Archer the brown bird would loosen her grip to only her arms. The last thing she wanted was him getting loose and reaching that bow of his. Until he was double knotted and tied up like a present would she let go. While she wasn't the strongest by far it would at least be effective.

The sound of gunshots alerted her and she saw guards firing at a column which Tracer was taking cover behind. Mentally she heard the JAWS theme in her head as she realized that Tracer was now most likely headed over to them.

Head now clear, Terra realized that the deer was already being taken care of by some guests. That was unexpected and needed to be looked into. But for now there were bigger fish to fry. Specifically the female thief that was now taking cover behind a column. Realizing she was sitting out in the open, Terra rushed over to the wall where her gun was pinned. The deer for now was down for a few moments. But the last problem needed to be taken care of before more of the room was damaged. Reaching her destination the feline yanked the arrow out of the wall and freed her beloved gun. Mentally reminding herself to check for scratches later she took cover behind an upturned table. Taking only a moment to aim at the llama's legs she fired.

There was a good chance she was worth more alive. Perhaps a reward of some kind. Maybe that would make Vince less upset about the ruined ballroom.

Ballroom Bonanza (Ch. 2: Day 9)

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