Traitor Game L: Existential Crisis

[Joe Acro]

Saturn Girl stayed out of the fray, speaking to Immortus.

"Hummingbird brought up some interesting points, especially about one of your Limbo Legion. How could, no how would an egomaniac like Savage work with you? Unless you are him in the future or he's you in the past whichever you prefer. I think you're trying to pull one over on us, lord of Limbo" Saturn Girl said.

"In Limbo, perhaps nothing is ever quite as it seems," Immortus replied cryptically.

And with a deafening roar, Thor unleashed his Godblast, squarely hitting Power Woman, completely engulfing her in it's fury

Thor held the hall of Xanadu's, and that was enough.

Power Woman was down.

The moment sparked greater strength in Superwoman, now in a fighting frenzy over the fall of her lover.

[Chris Lang]

"In Limbo, perhaps nothing is ever quite as it seems," Immortus replied cryptically.

Had Linda not still been fighting with Sif, she would have told Immortus that they did not have time for his games or enigmatic behavior. As it was, she still needed to finish the fight with Sif so that she could help the others in the mission.

Thor held the hall of Xanadu's, and that was enough.

Power Woman was down.

The moment sparked greater strength in Superwoman, now in a fighting frenzy over the fall of her lover.

Mary Jane had retrieved the bell. But now she was wondering whether or not to participate in the battle against Power Woman.

It had been three years since Mary Jane obtained the Power Ring, but she still wasn't sure just what all it was capable of. She had been sticking mostly to the sort of enemies Peter used to face on a regular basis. Superman-level foes were ones she wasn't sure she was ready to face yet.

However, this group she had found herself with had a few heavy hitters. Did she even NEED to get involved in this fight, or would it be best to just concentrate on keeping the artifacts and the lesser-powered team members safe?

[Masterbasset]

Amidst sending more items to distract Power Woman, The Weaver perked up.

...QUITE PRESSING QUITE THE MYSTERY FOR LACK OF A BETTER OPTION I VOTE FOR THE ROGUE HERO PERHAPS ONE OF HER MANY ABILITIES ALLOWS HER PSIONIC SKILL FORGIVE ME IF I AM WRONG CHAMPION...

OOC: Vote for Ultra-Rogue!

[Chris Lang]

Amidst sending more items to distract Power Woman, The Weaver perked up.

...QUITE PRESSING QUITE THE MYSTERY FOR LACK OF A BETTER OPTION I VOTE FOR THE ROGUE HERO PERHAPS ONE OF HER MANY ABILITIES ALLOWS HER PSIONIC SKILL FORGIVE ME IF I AM WRONG CHAMPION...

OOC: Vote for Ultra-Rogue!

"Don't look at me. I don't know if I'm supposed to vote at all, or whether I should just stay out of it and help with the mission." Mary Jane said.

She wasn't quite thrilled with the idea of voting people off based on suspicion. Especially in this case, where the Hounds were moving between people. As much as she wanted to stop these Hounds, she didn't want to vote off an innocent, either.

Especially when that innocent could be very valuable to their mission. Suppose whoever got voted out had abilities that were indispensable to their later task? If they voted out the only person who could breathe in space, then they would have a harder time obtaining any artifact that had been sucked out of a space station's airlock or something.

Enough, Mary Jane, she scolded herself. Don't let your imagination run away with you like that. It was bad enough when you were worrying about Peter risking his life against Venom and the Chameleon and the Goblin. Just deal with it when the time comes.

She remembered why she was chosen. The ring had sensed in her the ability to overcome fear. She had demonstrated it several times; against the Chameleon, against a Jackal-possessed Peter, to name just two incidents. She had risen to the occasion when the situation called for it. The ring sensed that, and chose her.

So here she was, with Roy Lincoln and his group. And she needed to do what she could for them.

"Okay, there's two super-powered women out there giving super-powered women a bad name. One of them's gone down, but the other's still out there. And also, people are voting on who's being possessed by the Hound."

"So, who are our heavy hitters? Thor, Ultra Woman, and ... I'm still new here so I don't know what everyone here can do, yet."

[Deadpooligan]

Hawkman notices Ultra-Rogue battling Superwoman in the other room. "Rogue! Though I am preoccupied helping Thor with this harlot, I can still assist you in another way."

Hawkman tosses Ultra-Rogue his Nth-Metal mace! "Use it well! Use it often!"

Ultra-Rogue zipped around the errant thunderbolts, and briefly restrained Thunder God, that kept Superwoman at bay. She snagged the mighty Nth Metal mace by its lanyard. Hawkman, though outclassed, had truly made an opening for both heroes to attack.

"Aww... Wings, an' here ah thought you were manly enough to take two ladies at once without help."

The grinding of leather-on-leather could be heard as Rogue tightened her grip on the mace with both hands. She faced down Superwoman and readied a swing, one leg stepping out and her torso twisting back.

"Sugah, with Thor an' me here, you are up against a real pair'a designated hitters. You may wanna play medieval times, but ah'm takin' you yard--"

She swung with as much Hyper-Strength as she could muster...!

"Batter u--"

BDAAAAAAAMMMMMMNNNNN!

Hawkman's mace collided with Superwoman's Bracelets of Domination, sending out a shockwave so forceful, it shattered glass and splintered wood! A strike to veritably bring the house down around them, had Thor's Godblast not already helped with that. Both women, at the epicenter, were sent to the ground, blood trickling from their ears.

"U-up." she finished, staggering to her feet and muttering to herself, "Head's... ringin'... Hyper-Hearing really ain't helpin' with a thunderclap... an ah do hate when Logan's right..."

Mace in hand, Rogue charged again. She was finishing this one way or another.

"It was worth a try, Hummingbird The Demon told her, turning it's body into vapors, then seeping inside The Destroyer to try and take control of the machine. at least that's what he thought The Destroyer to be!

It seemed like there wasn't anything possessing the Destroyer... that it was simply sentient and alive, of it's own will! But how could that be??

Like a burning engine, it heated up to a vibrant orange, attempting to expel The Demon's vapors.

Linda moved at super-speed, to dodge the blasts of the Destroyer. She then moved forward toward Sif, intent on grabbing the crazed Asgardian's arm and spinning her at super-speed to knock the fight at her.

Linda didn't know who these people were or what was going on. All she did know was that they were senselessly standing in the way of their obtaining the items needed to save several realities.

Sif spun like a human top, only stopping by planting her sword into the ground. Her face was a sickly green, as her cheeks puffed. The Destroyer instinctively turned to her, delicately lifting up and holding her hair.

"No-- Troy, damn you, this is battle! When I have need of you in a similar fashion at Amora's sorority carousal in a fortnight, I shall ASK!

She immediately vomited, regardless.

"Huaaagh... Automaton! This one is... urp... too mercurial for me to strike... slow her down!"

Hummingbird looked as the ground around her darkened. She stood in the shadow a 30-foot tall Decepticon.

"I have a name you know."

"SOUNDWAVE!" Sif suddenly roared, "The belt! Hit her... HIT HER WITH THE BELT!"

"Fine," the robot-not-in-disguise replied, fiddling with a device around his waist, "You're gonna love this one."



"Let's see how light you are on your feet, when you're a-- GIRL ON THE MOON!"

Sound waves emanated in an arc from Soundwave's waist. Linda suddenly found it hard to maintain traction-- as if the gravity around her had been reduced to lunar proportions. She was one quick-step away from floating in the air. Sif charged at Hummingbird, slashing like a mad butcher.

[Chris Lang]

Hawkman's mace collided with Superwoman's Bracelets of Domination, sending out a shockwave so forceful, it shattered glass and splintered wood! A strike to veritably bring the house down around them, had Thor's Godblast not already helped with that. Both women were sent to the ground, and

"U-up." she finished, staggering to her feet and muttering to herself, "Head's... ringin'... Hyper-Hearing really ain't helpin' with a thunderclap... an ah do hate when Logan's right..."

She charged in again, mace in hand.

Mary Jane quickly flew toward the scene. "Need a hand?" she asked.

Hummingbird looked as the ground around her darkened. She stood in the shadow a 30-foot tall Decepticon.

"I have a name you know."

"SOUNDWAVE!" Sif suddenly roared, "The belt! Hit her... HIT HER WITH THE BELT!"

"Fine," the robot-not-in-disguise replied, fiddling with a device around his waist, "You're gonna love this one."

"Let's see how light you are on your feet, when you're a-- GIRL ON THE MOON!"

Sound waves emanated in an arc from Soundwave's waist. Linda suddenly found it hard to maintain traction-- as if the gravity around her had been reduced to lunar proportions. She was one quick-step away from floating in the air. Sif charged at Hummingbird, slashing like a mad butcher.[/CENTER]

Linda was taken completely by surprise by this sudden attack. Soundwave was one of those Transformer robots. The one that controlled sound and transmissions. She wasn't expecting some sort of gravity attack.

Nonetheless, she used the super-speed at her disposal to avoid the mad Sif's attack.

"All right, Soundwave. You've decided to interfere in the Designated Girl Fight. Let's see how you handle this..."

She rushed toward Soundwave at super-speed. She noticed the strange belt Soundwave was wearing. Perhaps this was the source of Soundwave's new powers. If she could steal the belt off of him, perhaps he would be reduced to his normal power set.

[Wolvie616]

ooc: might not get back on in time, so vote for Dr. Thirteen

[Nschornhorst]

...ALLOW ME THE BUNDT CAKE THE DESSERT ROBBED OF ITS PRIME ALLOW ME PLEASE...

He goes toward the aisle where perishable magic objects should be. What does he find?

Circe observed the bundt cake atop the pedestal. "Hm. This one is pristine. The one we're looking for was said to have bites taken out of it. Perhaps, friend Weaver is having better luck in his search." Seeing a sparkling crystal apple, Circe added that to her basket instead. "A spell may have restored it to its former glory... or it could be a decoy... Hm. Even if it is not the one we seek, perhaps I should take this cake as well... just in case. After all, my spell *did* lead me to this room. If not for the cake, then why?" It was then that Circe noticed a golden chalice with several cards inside. "Curiouser and curiouser." The Suit of Cups was contained within the chalice and placed in front was The Hermit card. "Could this be part of Madame Xanadu's tarot deck? If so, where is the rest?" Circe added the chalice of cards and the Hermit one as well to her basket. She grabbed the bundt cake as well (just in case). Perhaps a spell had restored it or perhaps this one was a different cake than the one sought. It made no difference. All would be sorted later.

But then, as Circe was to grab more food/food-preparation based magical artifacts, strange red strands came up from the cracks in the walls, ceiling and floors! The red fibers wrapped swiftly around any remaining artifacts and created a series of webs, barring the exit. "Is this-- hair?!!" Indeed! It was hair! Here, baby! There, mama! Everywhere, daddy-daddy! Hair! Flowin', showin', long as it kept growin' hair! The hair strands now sought to engulf Circe as well. "My apologies, Xanadu! But your defenses will NOT bind me today!" In a fit of self-preservation, Circe teleported away just as the strands of hair whipped the area she had been standing.

Unfortunately, now she had no idea where she'd teleported to! Wherever it was, it was pitch-black and she could no longer hear any of her comrades. Even the massive battle that was echoing through the earlier chamber was barely a muffled whisper. Using her eldritch energies, Circe conjured up a light. Bright as she could make it, the area still was... murky. Given the newfound silence and darkness, her thoughts turned to voting.

I do not know for certain who could have pushed me. It happened so swiftly and I did not see my attacker. I cannot even recall the texture or shape of what knocked me over. Anyone could have done this, really. But to do so without anyone else seeing them? Hm. Perhaps it was someone so swift they were not easily seen. The Superboy Prime appeared, introduced himself, and remains silent and otherwise inactive. Yet, unlike Arak, he has not been banished by The Monitor. I find this suspicious and upon my return, will cast my vote for him.

"Looking for somewhere to hang your hat, Miss?" The sudden interruption of her thoughts caused Circe to turn with a start. "Who addresses me?! Show yourself!"

"Up here. Head in the clouds, so to speak."



Looking up, Circe saw a strange hat perched above the doorway... talking to her.

OOC: Vote for Superboy Prime

[Jeremi]

Seeing that she had been in a power disadvantage the Cat would have stayed in the shadows as the more heavy hitters were doing the work. "I got to think of something." She thought to herself as she looked through the items scattered about that could potentially help in the fight. At the same time her mind would be going through potential would be murderers. Circe was a creature of magic...and she knew Kryptonian's had a weakness against them that could explain the botched assassination tempt. So she would place her vote on Superboy Prime.

Nonetheless, she used the super-speed at her disposal to avoid the mad Sif's attack.

Sif would instead find her sword halted by the hand of the Cyborg Sage. Her eyes were fixed on the Asgardian before she delievered a swift punch to her gut.

[The Purple Skull]

"I am sorry...but I believe Thor was among the Hounds' victims. With all that power, the Hounds could certainly satiate their appetite for destruction. I'm sorry, my friend."

OOC: Vote for Thor

[Anodyne]

ooc: might not get back on in time, so vote for Dr. Thirteen

OOC: Wolvie may have been posting OOC, but I'm assuming Thor Odinson has announced his choice to the other players.

IC: "I suppose it makes sense to sacrifice the most expendable person--the one with no super-powers," Dr. Thirteen observed. "But do you really believe I, without any special abilities, could have killed those people? That doesn't sound very logical to me.

"As for my vote, there was a good case made against Gammastorm earlier. I wonder if the Judge will protect him a second time."

OOC: Vote for Gammastorm.

[Cthulhudrew]

Hawkman's mace collided with Superwoman's Bracelets of Domination, sending out a shockwave so forceful, it shattered glass and splintered wood! A strike to veritably bring the house down around them, had Thor's Godblast not already helped with that. Both women, at the epicenter, were sent to the ground, blood trickling from their ears.

"U-up." she finished, staggering to her feet and muttering to herself, "Head's... ringin'... Hyper-Hearing really ain't helpin' with a thunderclap... an ah do hate when Logan's right..."

Mace in hand, Rogue charged again. She was finishing this one way or another.

Gammastorm watched as all the chaos erupted around him. For some odd reason, Rick felt paralyzed for the first time in his young, impulsive life. As if he could sense the stakes were high- higher than anything he'd known.

He turned inwardly to his mentor for guidance.

Doc! Doc? What do we do? This Superwoman's beating the snot out of the gang.

But Doc Banner, too, was at a loss for words for once. I... I don't know, Rick... I just... can't...

And then an accusation came:

"As for my vote, there was a good case made against Gammastorm earlier. I wonder if the Judge will protect him a second time."

"Wha?" Gammastorm sighed aloud. "Not this again? I'm tellin' ya, I am not..."

But before he could finish, he suddenly doubled over in pain. "What... what's happening...? Urgh!"

The baseless accusation, on top of all the other... wrongness... of everything around them, everything they'd seen- it made Doctor Banner angry. The suggestion that he and Rick had been turned to murder and evil, that his own science could have been so warped and perverted... it was his most secret, hidden shame come to life. At that moment, all the tragedies he'd faced- the death of Jartara, his separation from Betty, his childhood traumas- even the guilt he faced over exposing Rick to this strange dual life because of his own invention of the Gamma Bomb- all of it, all of the turmoil was too much for him to take. None of the good he'd done with Rick as Gammastorm could reconcile the feelings of self-loathing and anger inside of him.

And something snapped.

"Uh, Doc?" Rick was, naturally, the first to feel it. Gammastorm doubled over, seemingly in pain, although no one was outwardly harming him. "Doc? Guys?" he appealed to the rest of the group. "I think... hurrr... we've got... hurrhurrr... a problem!!"

Then, before anyone could react, Gammastorm seemed to explode in a burst of green light, which just as suddenly imploded back on itself. All light and sound seemed to be absorbed into a lone singularity for a long moment, which then burst once more in a riot of flame and green energy, revealing a towering green and purple figure, face twisted in barely suppressed rage, roaring at the top of it's lungs:

"The 'guys' are gone forever, sweet cheeks!"



"The 'guys' are gone forever, sweet cheeks!" The bloated, fusion-powered creature taunted.

"Say hello to RAGESTORM!!!"

In a blind fury, the monstrosity lurched forward, a whirlwind of fire, radiation, and powerful fists!

OOC: Oh, and vote for Superboy Prime.

[Cthulhudrew]

Ragestorm thundered into the melee, shoving Ultra-Rogue aside.

"Outta th' way, skirt! Lemme show ya what a real weapon c'n do!"



As the towering beast approached, Superwoman stood, wiping blood from the corner of her mouth. "I've fought bigger," she muttered, voice higher than usual, ears still ringing from Ultra-Rogue's powerful blow. "Do you expect me to run?"

"Yes." Ragestorm replied, death's head grin creeping across his distorted features. He raised his arm back to strike. "Run."



KA-THOOOOOOOOM!!!!!

The blow, when it came, slammed into the supervillainess with the force of a 20 kiloton nuclear blast, but directed- like a shaped charge- all towards Superwoman alone.

[Froggy]

"In Limbo, perhaps nothing is ever quite as it seems," Immortus replied cryptically.


.

"Yes, that seems true" Saturn Girl replied. She then broadcasted a thought to the others

(Be careful! Things are not as they seem here!)

(Affirmative Saturn Girl!)

(Understood)

(Gotcha!)

(I understand!)

Princess Kori'andr twisted in midair, kicked off Iron Man's shoulder, then landed behind him and grabbed his shoulders to suplex him into the ground with super strength. When he looked up, her blade would be in his face. Bizarro would still be stuck in place, and Savage would find himself 'planted in the ground' by Captain Thunder and Dex-Starr.

It seemed like there wasn't anything possessing the Destroyer... that it was simply sentient and alive, of it's own will! But how could that be??

Like a burning engine, it heated up to a vibrant orange, attempting to expel The Demon's vapors

"I do not fear that which I can become. Your master treats this like a game. Do not toy with me, taste the power of a true flame!" The Demon rhymed, turning himself into sentient hellfire, an orange glow coming from within The Destroyer. Even in this elemental form, The Demon still banged around inside the god-machine, moving it like a possessed person!

[Joe Acro]

Spurred by Thor's sacrifice, Rogue's resolve, and Gammastorm's unexpected transformation, the group converges on Power Woman. Against such a coordinate strike, she doesn't stand a chance.

Roy Lincoln, The Weaver, Dr. Thirteen and a few others search for the remaining artifacts and find them. As soon as Harbinger senses this fact, she contacts The Monitor, gathers the group, and everyone returns to the satellite. They take their two opponents with them, to hold them captive.

As they appear in the satellite, containment chambers not unlock those used on the Hounds are placed around Superwoman and Power Woman.

"That should hold them for now," speaks The Monitor. "What of the Hounds?"

"Few have voted, but of those cast, only Superboy has received more than one vote."

She holds Roy's hand and they focus. "We sense no trace of a Hound within him."

"A pity. He was my Speaker. Yet as it turns outs, once more he has failed the Games and failed to reach any conclusion other than to fade into obscurity."

A beam of light targets him and he vanishes.

As the light fills the room, a gruesome explosion can be heard. When the light fades, everyone can see that Hawkman is dead, his skull and brain matter strewn about the floor.

"The final Hound has struck again," Roy states.

"I encourage you all to exercise better judgment and make sure you cast your votes, even within the extreme danger ahead," The Monitor says. "Which brings me to the matter of the next world you must visit."

He points to Mister Blue Skies. "Thank you for your assistance, such as it was, but you must return to the Wanderers."

In a flash of light, Blue Skies is replaced with...



"Hello, everyone. I'm Captain Wonder. But you can call me Billy."

"I am also able to access one replacement for the gaps in your team," The Monitor adds. Thus, the Superior Iron Man also arrives among the group.

"As for the world..." As in previous missions, visions of the world to come flash around them. "In the year 2001, the Kreehawks of Halagar returned to Earth after a previous defeat. This time, they managed to claim victory and conquered the planet. As part of this victory, much of humanity was wiped out. Some of those remaining were forced into gladiatorial combat and were the subjects of experimentation. One of these, John Raven, now Killraven, gained psychic abilities. I am sending you to the year 2018. Killraven and a few fellow gladiatorial warriors have escaped from the clutches of the Kreehawks. They have recently encountered Kamandi, who they consider to be the Last Boy on Earth.

"You will be sent to join them and to fight against the Kreehawks, for in these invaders' possession lie artifacts of use to us. Their commander has in his control the Nega Bands. The force as a whole has at their disposal the Absorbascon, a device that grants psychic powers to all who access it--Killraven himself is an example of its possible lasting effect. Also, hidden within their stronghold, within their archives, is a Cosmic Cube--a seemingly innocent device of tremendous power.

"A member of the Suicide Squad is already there, making its own assault on the Kreehawks and Earth natives alike."



"Let me introduce you all to the Starro Swarm. It's a large collective of alien creatures that are each like a cross between a starfish and octopus. Together, they possess great strength, can fire energy beams, and have immense psychic power. If one member of the collective falls onto your face, you will join their collective.

"Unfortunately, I will not be able to assist you on this mission. Now that we've built up a number of artifacts, I need to make preparations for using them against the Anti-Monitor. I am hopeful that Captain Wonder and Killraven's forces will be enough to help you. Best of luck."

They are then transported to the Earth's surface.


Meanwhile...

The Wanderers have already defeated Immortus's forces before Captain Wonder is summoned. "You have defeated my Limbo Legion... who were, in truth, just Space Phantoms," Immortus says, the Phantoms taking their true form. "I stand by my word. You can have what you came for." They were able to access the Armory of Limbo before being summoned to their next mission...