ng_underworld (ng_underworld) wrote in marvel_nextgen,
@ 2013-02-25 20:42:00

Entry tags:

adrienne batroc, anya stark, armadillo jr., bea dayspring, crosshairs, guardian, martin baum, plot - "lightning strikes", team - thunderbolts

Lightning Strikes
Stephen Remus sat in the office of his penthouse, smoking a cigarette as he looked out the window.

"You have your team. You ready for your first outing?" Remus asked the figure behind him.

"Yes," came the audibly distorted voice. "We know where they'll all be."

Remus takes another drag of his cigarette before responding. "Good. You've all been practicing, let's see how you do against the real thing. Good hunting."

The sound of metallic boots are heard leaving as the figure goes to announce the mission's start.

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magic_hands
2013-02-27 01:37 am UTC (link)

Anyone trying to track Martin would've had a hard time doing so, let alone pinning down a schedule for him. He teleported to places on a whim and was generally at the Sanctum or the HQ, the ratio of which was subject to change upon his moods. After that whole end of the world bit, he'd been spending more and more time at the Sanctum, but still showed up to HQ here and there. But these places were home territory for him, not good for an ambush.

But while he never did so with a schedule, Martin could still be found to teleport for casual flights around Boston at random times. He just liked looking down at the city really. Which was where he was now, sitting on his magic disc and floating past downtown while sipping a coke he'd gotten from HQ. Today he was in a pretty good mood.

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	lightningsquad 2013-02-27 01:46 am UTC (link)
	As Martin floated by he'll see a strange slightly older man with facepaint, casually sitting on a nearby balcony. "Evening," he said casually, getting out a pack of Menthols. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	magic_hands 2013-02-27 01:48 am UTC (link)
	Martin frowned at the man, confused. Not by the facepaint, or that this guy was talking to him, but by the magic he could sense. He was positive he'd never run into this guy before. "Hello..." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	lightningsquad 2013-02-27 01:52 am UTC (link)
	The man's index finger lights up with a small flame as he lights the cigarette. "Man, they said you were young but this is ridiculous." He blows out some smoke. "Almost makes me feel guilty." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

magic_hands
2013-02-27 01:56 am UTC (link)

His frown deepens. Wasn't the first time he'd been called young, but given that he was even younger than he actually looked...

Besides! He'd been growing lately, Dr. Strange said his growth spurt had just been late. Hmph.

But the words are more than enough to put him on high alert and he can feel the magic build up in his hands as he mentally prepares to conjure up a few discs should he need. "I'm not that young," he insisted with a suspicious glance.

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	lightningsquad 2013-02-27 02:02 am UTC (link)
	The man looks over at Martin, putting his cigarette in an ashtray. "too young to be getting mixed up in a group like the Thunderbolts. If you were smart you would have lied low and used your gifts for your own benefit. Instead you end up running into guys like me." He stands up. "Freaking waste." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	magic_hands 2013-02-27 02:05 am UTC (link)
	"What's wrong with the Thunderbolts? And anyway, I use my gifts how I want to," he frowned as his disc hovered on the spot. What was this guy's deal anyway? He hadn't met him before or done anything to piss him off, that he knew of, so what was up with this? (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	lightningsquad 2013-02-27 02:13 am UTC (link)
	The man just shrugs. "You're right. It is your choice. Oh well." His eyes suddenly went steely as he fingers moved in a quick series of gestures, conjuring a fireball right between them. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	magic_hands 2013-02-27 02:20 am UTC (link)
	Martin's eyes went wide out of shock. Not cool. Dr. Strange had told him you did not pick fights with other magic people, it wasn't nice. And this guy was breaking that rule! In a flash, Martin has teleported himself some distance away, still in visual range and conjured up discs to work on swatting the fireball away should he need to. "Hey! What's that for?!" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	lightningsquad 2013-02-27 02:23 am UTC (link)
	The wizard levitated off the balcony, looking over at Martin. "Nothing personal, kid. Just business." Fireballs form in both of the other wizard's hands and he flings one and then the other at martin. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

magic_hands
2013-02-27 02:40 am UTC (link)

"What kind of weird business is this?" Oh great, magic fight he wasn't expecting. He had his own fireball spell, but his was much larger and took longer to set up. Not ideal for the moment.

The real problem here was that this wouldn't be like fighting a demon or a non-magic person, far from it in fact. And it wasn't something he was experienced with. Because right off the bat he knew his time freeze spells were off the table. Time freezing or even slowing down objects, people, and demons was one thing, and yes he did need extra power to do it for people and even more for demons, but power was never a problem for him and the level of control needed was still reasonable. But other sorcerers? No. They were too steeped in magic to be affected by spells so easily. The amount of power needed was substantially higher, not a problem still, but in addition it needed the spells to be far more precise and controlled. That he couldn't do. So as far as it went, Martin could no more time freeze the mystery man than he could turn him purple or to goo. For sorcerer fights this guy had it right, you needed something to send out as an attack, or effect the environment, casting anything on your opponent was a waste of effort.

But still, Martin knew that time freezing an area was pointless too. The guy could just fly, or maybe teleport, out of the way when he realized. He'd need to think of something, but first he conjures up two discs to act as shields and fly forward to smash into the fire balls. It'd likely dissipate or deflect them, but the discs themselves would shatter on impact too and he'd need to make new ones.

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	lightningsquad 2013-02-27 02:50 am UTC (link)
	"Somebody doesn't much care for your team. They'd much rather see the lot of you disappear." Gerald decides on a different tactic, both hands making a series of intricate signs. When finished a small portal opens between them, with a series of baseball-sized, red, spiked bees fly out at Martin. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	magic_hands 2013-02-27 03:39 am UTC (link)
	"That's stupid, we haven't done anything," Martin frowns as the red spiked bees come. Shoot. His discs fly forward and wrap around small groups of them before teleporting the groups he catches in front and behind Gerald. The remainder still come at him though and he narrowly flies out of the way and manages to free himself to start zapping them with mystic bolts. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	lightningsquad 2013-02-27 03:49 am UTC (link)
	Another shrug. "Maybe, maybe not. Don't know and don't care." The bees move at their summoner but suddenly fly around him and back at Martin as the few of the brethren not teleported are singed with magic. "Infernal animals are really easy for their summoner to control. Probably the least of all demon types, but when you have enough of them, they can be deadly." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

magic_hands
2013-02-27 03:58 am UTC (link)

"So why bother then?" Martin grumbles, he should have expected them to just fly around. Fine. He focuses on flying around and occasionally teleporting to get out of the bees' way while zapping them and now starting to teleport the bubbles of bees not to their master, but out of this dimension. Still, it's not getting him anywhere. Had to hit the source.

So once again the young mage teleports away, only to appear behind Gerald and send a massive blue disc barreling right at him in close range.

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lightningsquad
2013-02-27 04:07 am UTC (link)

"Because I'm getting p[aid, that's why." Gerald manages to keep track of most of Martin's teleports, but did not expect him to get up close and blindside him with that disk. Gerald stumbled in mid-air, launched back, but manages to right himself. Still, his focus on keeping the infernal bees in this dimension was broken as they faded out of sync with this reality. "Not bad, but I guess I shouldn't be surprised by someone trained by Dr. Strange."

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magic_hands
2013-02-27 04:26 am UTC (link)

Sometimes the recklessness of youth helped out. "Thank you. But you never said who you're supposed to be." See? He could be polite, the guy did after all acknowledge Dr. Strange was great, and that he was doing well. Magic fights could be civilized right? Not like the guy made this personal. Now had he said anything negative about Dr. Strange this would be a whole other ball game.

Now he begins muttering the incantation for a spell while he has the time, concentrating hard to get the latin right. He'd asked Dr. Strange to teach him this one as a birthday thing after that whole evil doppleganger disaster. It looks like he's posed to pull back an invisible bow, except the outstretched hand is facing palm up. Runes circle the pulled back hand and an electric shot of blue magic arches out of it and into the outstretched hand which seems to take the powerful beam and redirect it straight at his opponent. The magic blazes through the air with a blinding light.

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	lightningsquad 2013-02-27 04:56 pm UTC (link)
	"Name's Gerald," he says in reply. Gerald's eyes widen as he recognizes the spell. "Shit!" He quickly begins casting his most powerful shield spell. He finished just as the blast connects, driving him across the sky as the shield strained to keep the energy at bay. Now it was a contest to see which would hold longer, the unstoppable force or the immovable object. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

magic_hands
2013-02-27 06:08 pm UTC (link)

"Never heard of you," he managed to get out while straining to keep the spell in his control. It was a delicate balance between adding more and more power while still keeping it his control. But he could feel it slipping. Control was always an issue and this was a newer spell for him. Strands of magic arc out of his control but the main beam stays true, so Martin tries to reign it in by using the escaping arcs to come around the sides and attack Gerald from there. But many go wild and hit nearby buildings.

The two of them are putting on quite the light show in the skies of downtown Boston but Martin isn't stopping. Gritting his teeth, he's using all his concentration to try and keep the wild power under his control just a little longer.

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lightningsquad
2013-02-27 06:20 pm UTC (link)

"That only means I'm doing my job right!" Indeed two bits of excess energy get past the shield to strike Gerald. However, his jacket was more than just for show. It was laced with runes that deflected the bulk of the damage, though it still stung. "Okay kid. Time to show you some real magic!" He closes his hands closer together, chanting, he warps the shield around Martin's energy in an attempt to encapsulate it.

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magic_hands
2013-02-27 06:41 pm UTC (link)

"Really? Thought it meant the opposite." Darn, though that was expected of a mage's clothes. Still...

Now it's Martin's turn to have his eyes widen at his opponents spell. Oh. No. As fast as he can, he jumps back and releases the spell. But Gerald's shield is still fast enough to catch quite a bit of the dissipating magic. Not good, that spell had had a lot of power put into it. No time to waste, Martin starts chanting his next spell, timing was everything here. Except he'd admit he was sort of having a little bit of fun. Though demon hunting was way better than people picking fights with you.

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	lightningsquad 2013-02-27 06:47 pm UTC (link)
	Gerald doesn't bother responding to what martin says. Suddenly the shield wraps completely around the spell, creating a giant glowing ball. "You like your spell? Let's see how much." And Gerald flings it at Martin. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

magic_hands
2013-02-27 07:02 pm UTC (link)

Martin frowns, he could teleport out of the way but the power he'd put behind that spell meant it'd create considerable damage to the building behind him. Well, back to basics then.

He conjures up a row of his magic discs, and then another, in front of himself to have double shielding. The discs stick close together to create a wall of defense as the glowing magic ball collides with full force against his barrier.

Unstoppable force vs. Immovable object round 2 and in reverse.

Both the ball and the wall of shielding burst and shatter as the blue glowing magics explode out, showering nearby buildings and street corners and causing minor chaos and destruction. Still better than if he'd dodged though.

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	lightningsquad 2013-02-27 07:13 pm UTC (link)
	And in the chaos of exploding magics, Gerald locked on Martin's signature and teleported behind him. A hand lifted up casually behind martin's head, glowing with mystic energy. "Checkmate, kid." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

magic_hands
2013-02-27 08:13 pm UTC (link)

Martin froze at the voice and turned slowly slightly to look at the guy over his shoulder. Had he been older, more cautious, or had a sense of self preservation, it'd be this point that would be smart to throw in the towel. But he was barely into his teen years chronologically and still had the overconfidence of youth that believed themselves immortal.

He was still standing on his usual blue disc that allowed him to fly by staying on it. All of a sudden the disc was no longer a platform but a hole to another dimension, the closest one he could think of in the heat of the moment to open a portal to, and he dropped into it and disappears as the disc does too once he's gone.

After a very long moment a blue flash appears in the distance, though Gerald will still make out who it is. A slightly breathless and more disheveled looking young mage sits on his disc. "That was close! Who'd you study with again?" Because maybe Dr. Strange would know the person.

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