Prelude - Heaven and Hell

[Muskrat]

"Stupid motherf-ers!" Pilgrim shouts as the gun blasts go off, forgetting himself and falling back into the foul language he used for so long.

He had been preparing to stun one of the thugs, but when Remnant speaks, he realizes that what he says makes sense and instead erects a barrier of light at the top of the stairs to protect the children. As he does so, he shouts at the thugs, "Drop your guns and stand down! You do that and I can keep your boss from dying. You don't and you can try explaining to his brothers how you shot and killed him. I imagine they'll put a real nasty hex on you."

Display

Free action: Drop emotion control on Tough Luck. It probably doesn't matter now. Maintain Force Construct.
Standard Action: Create Force Construct at the top of the stairs.

[Eanwulf]

OOC

Being as nice as I am, Pilgrim can use his action to create something like this if he so desires.

Map

Crystal screams at the top of her lungs when the thugs start shooting their guns. So much so that she doesn't even manage to hear her own son's voice calling out to her from atop the stairwell leading down into the laundry room. The panicked woman immediately crouches down as low as she can get behind the clothes counter and continues to sob and cry out loud.

The demon inside of Remnant broods for justice, his kind of justice. The conflicted hero quickly turns around with his eyes ablaze and shouts out behind him to someone or something unseen. The fiery man then turns back around and cries out to Pilgrim, asking the man to assist him by trying to erect a force field out in the stairwell near the top of the stairs. Without a word, Pilgrim complies. His body still fully wreathed in unholy flame, Remnant turns toglower at the imprisoned goons behind the shimmering wall of light, eagerly awaiting the opportunity to deal with them once and for all. As he does so, Crystal perks up from behind the counter at the mention of children. "My babies!?" the woman cries out, her eyes and face now marred by runny mascara. "Did someone mention my babies!?"

Pilgrim loses his cool and curses the thugs for their stupidity. Quickly reclaiming his coposure, the man then begins to refocus his thoughts; reshaping and solidifying his divine barriers to protect the stairwell. The thugs behind the wall of light continue to shout and curse vulgarities. This time however, they do so with fright at the realization of what it is that they've just done to their leader. Pilgrim's words only accentuate their rather dismal situation even further. In time, the men eventually begin to lower their weapons and plead to their captors for help.

OOC

Whomever Tough Luck's brothers are, these guys are apparently more afraid of them than you two. Take it from here and feel free to treat Tough Luck as if he were outside the wall if you want to. See above image for what I proposed if you haven't already.

[veritas]

Remnant can't help but be somewhat disappointed by the thugs surrender, as Malphas yearns for their blood, but this is a better solution.

"Alright. You said you can heal him? After that are we just going to march them out of Hoboken to the nearest functioning police station?"

[Muskrat]

Pilgrim calls to Crystal, "I've protected your babies--there's a wall of God's light up there, making sure these jokers won't get anywhere near them." He would really like to focus on getting her and her children out of here. But first he has to deal with this mess.

Pilgrim kneels beside Tough Luck, letting his life-giving powers flow into the man to hold him back from death's door. As he does so, he says to Remnant, "Hey man, I'm no fool. But we can't just go around killing people. People can change--I should know. I used to be no better than these thugs. A little smarter I'd like to think, but just as mean." He looks at the thugs and says, "So what do you say? Can we assume that you're smart enough that you and your gang will never set foot anywhere near here again? 'Cause next time you might just encounter this burning fellow alone and I think he'll have even fewer reservations about burning you to a crisp."

Display

Round 1: Free Action: Maintain Force Constructs.
Standard Action: Healing: Stabilize the Dying.

If you'll allow this:
Round1: Free Action: Maintain Force Constructs:
Emotion Control--Fear (of Remnant) on the nearest thug.

[veritas]

Remnant glares at the gangbangers. It's rather obvious that he'd rather just be done with them, these men have earned nothing in the way of mercy, but Jack's will refuses to kill in cold blood, deserving or not.

"People can change, but few do."

He lets his statement hang in the air, never letting his gaze waver from the thugs in the cage of light.

[Muskrat]

Pilgrim hesitates. He would prefer to escort Crystal out himself, since he doesn't entirely trust this burning fellow to take care of her properly. On the other hand, he trusts him even less left alone with the thugs--and he did seem genuinely concerned about Crystal. "OK, man," says Pilgrim, "Why don't you take Crystal upstairs to her kids and make sure the get to someplace safe. Her brother's supposed to be coming for dinner. Maybe he can help out." He looks over at Crystal to make sure she's OK with that. "You might want to turn off the flames," he adds to Remnant. "You're going to scare her kids looking like that." He turns back to the thugs. "And I'll make sure these jokers don't go anywhere for a while. I'll wait, say, twenty minutes, then escort them away from here. That should give you plenty of time." As he speaks, Pilgrim drops the force field hemming in Remnant, but keeps the one around the gang members.

[veritas]

Remnant nods and allows the flames to recede, revealing a clean cut, well dressed man in his mid-20s.

"Very well. I'm Jack, by the way. I'm in 404-C if you need anything."

Jack, temporarily separate from the entity within him, turns toward Crystal and smiles.

"Let's go and round up your children. Your brother was looking for you earlier as well. He may still be around somewhere."

[Eanwulf]

OOC

Going to wrap this up so we can start working on our First Mission. Improvising as need be to alleviate any post-wrap up scenarios. Q&A as always if need be through PM's to me, etc.

Remnant continues to glower at the thugs, even as they begin to surrender and lay down their arms upon the ground and surrounding washing machines. Obviously in a panic, a brief argument erupts amongst the men. They seem to be uncertain as to whether or not that the idea of surrendering is indeed the right thing to do. In the end, the thugs comply with their majority's decision to do so and continue ridding themselves of weapons.

Meanwhile, Pilgrim informs Crystal that her child(ren) are indeed safe, at least for the time being. The young woman quickly snots and sobs with gratitude, going so far as the hug and squeeze the former gang-member tightly in admiration. "Thank you! Thank you!" she squeals exuberantly.

Now making his way over to the gang's leader, Pilgrim kneels down beside the twitching man's body. An ever-growing pool of blood covers one portion of the floor near Tough Luck's head. He continues to spasm and twitch, convulsing wildly. The man's eyes eventually roll back into their sockets and for a time, it would actually appear that Tough Luck is about to die.

Then a miracle happens...

Pilgrim's body glows with a shimmering light. The man appears to be praying. His prayer concluded, Pilgrim touches the wounded criminal softly upon the forehead. The hero's shimmering radiance is immediately transferred to the man's injured body through his touch. A sudden flash of light then covers Tough Luck's fallen form and his eyes begin to open with a newfound sense of life and awareness. Several blinks later, the gangsta's eyelids slowly begin to close peacefully, his breathing gradually resuming to normal as well.

Tough Luck is going to be alright!

Action

Healing is a Full Round Action. Stabilize Dying is automatic due to the Power Feat added.

Tough Luck is no longer Dying, merely Unconscious.

Good Job!

Finishing up 2nd Half ASAP. No need to reply just yet.

[Eanwulf]

Having dealt with one immediate crisis, Pilgrim and Remnant now face another. What to do with the gang-members trapped inside the laundry room? Not to mention how to interact with one another. The two heroes ponder their choices carefully, and in the end it is Pilgrim who displays the first signs of wanting to show an act of good faith.

The hero lowers his force field and allows the flaming Remnant a chance to enter the laundry room. He then proceeds to chastise the hoods a bit more before finally warning them about the consequences of such actions. Remnant lowers his deadly flames and enters the room to introduce himself. He quickly informs Crystal about her children's safety and the fact that the woman's brother was only just recently seen looking for her upstairs. The man's act of kindness seems to be quite genuine and sincere.

"Jack!?" the stressed woman proclaims with a strong sense of being thoroughly dumbfounded, "Jack's here!? I was supposed to meet him in town for dinner..."Oh never mind," Crystal continues to rant, a smile of relief suddenly creeping across her face, "Who cares why the f- he's here, I just want to make sure that my babies are alright! Please, take me to them!? OMFG, I can't thank the two of you enough for what you've done! JFC...You've literally saved my f-n life!"

OOC

There's no need to inspire fear towards Remnant. It's all good. This is just a Prelude. And Crystal commented that her brother was supposed to be "taking" her out to dinner, not coming. Just a friendly FYI. His presence wasn't expected.

Their hearts filled with fear, not only towards the two heroes that have managed to best them, but towards the uncertainty of their fates that awaits them for having shot their own boss, the four young thugs quickly comply with their captor's wishes and allow the two to take them wherever they wish. Crystal continues to shower the pair with her thanks and in time is led up out of the laundry room to the safety of her apartment by Remnant.

Waiting for Remnant and Crystal at the top of the stairs is the landlord Mr. Fowler, with an aluminum baseball bat grasped tightly in both hands. "What the Hell is going on!? the large man inquires immediately with a foul look upon his face, "Somebody reported gunshots!" Old Man Fowler is wearing nothing more than a simple pair of holey socks, some plaid-striped boxer shorts, and a overly-stretched and equally as over-stained tank top. He continues to grumble angrily.

"Oh...dammit, you'ze guys better start talking to me fast else I'm gonna hafta start bashing the shit outta something!"

"There's no need for violence," another voice cries out sternly, "They're probably just defending themselves. Ain't that right Sis?"

OOC

Bah, thought I could wrap it up in a couple of posts. Looks like I'm doing some more writing from work. ALMOST there though

The voice belongs to Jack Pearson, Crystal's brother. He has the wild kid in his underwear hefted up into one of his arms and the quiet boy by his side. The quiet kid with the skinned up nose clutches two of his uncle's fingers by one hand and smiles briefly at Remnant. The wild kid sticks his tongue out at the man.

Fowler snaps around to see who's interrupting him then starts to relax his look. Apparently, he recognizes the man as well.

@ Remnant - Sure enough, Jack Pearson's hoodie is pulled back and the wild kid is currently wearing his shades. Pearson's bald head clearly displays a prominent striping effect alongside his skull and neck. Most assuredly, he must be Amberjack from the New New York City's Gladiator Games.

@ Pilgrim - Assuming you let Remnant escort Crystal back to her place, you go through with your proposed plan. Shortly after Remnant leave you hear Old Man Fowler's voice barking from above. Sadly, you didn't manage to hear Jack Pearson.

Take it from here and we can wrap this up hopefully today.

[veritas]

Jack nods to Crystal's brother and old man Fowler.

"I encountered these two children while picking up a pizza. They mentioned that their mother was in trouble so I came to check on her. I believe she can give a better explanation as to what this was all about. One of the other residents is downstairs keeping an eye on the remaining thugs as well."