And I can end the planet in a holocaust

[liebe_krieg]

WHO: Rot Team and those who will try to stop them.
WHERE: Washington D.C.
WHEN: Shortly after this post
WARNINGS: Violence and desecration
SUMMARY: The Major was counting on the heroes of the City to not act in force to stop the nuke. He was wrong. Time for a monumental battle.
FORMAT: Whatever works.
NOTES: Don't forget to add your character's tags as they join in!

Welcome to Washington D.C., heroes and villains. Since it’s so late at night, there aren’t many bystanders as Chronos teleports Rot Team into position on the National Mall. The security personnel who are present stand no chance against the supervillains the Major has assembled to ensure his plan’s success. There are screams and sirens as the chaos begins, the air full of panic and frantic phone calls. Beneath the Atlantic Arch of America’s World War Two memorial, the nuclear bomb continues its deadly countdown. If it goes off, the world will be forever changed, and not for the better. Whatever defence plans the Capital has, they don’t include a way to stop nuclear-armed supervillains, at least, not within less than an hour.

It’s all up to the heroes. They have to get to that bomb in time, and they’ll have to fight their way past every bad guy the Major has been able to recruit. No pressure, heroes. Time to save the world.

Comments

[redgunmetal.livejournal.com]

"We're all pawns," she retorted, easily meeting his sword with hers. At the contact, there was a spark, then an explosion of light. How did that joke go? Two horsemen walk into a bar? An unexpected effect, certainly, but how could she know? She'd never met another War before. Majors, generals, dictators, senators, presidents, and that one night with Napoleon who thought that he was the embodiment of war but really could not have been more mistaken -- but never her own counterpart.

She yanked her sword back and swung it at him again, and again she was thwarted by blinding light. "Has this ever happened to you?" she asked, conversationally, as if they weren't trying to disarm one another in the middle of a war zone.

[chaoseating.livejournal.com]

"I am a pawn of nothing," he snapped. Chaoseater swung to meet the opposing blade, causing War's frown to deepen even further at the resulting radiance. It was not entirely unlike the suppression the Watcher and the Charred Council sought to force upon him, though he could feel his full strength running through his veins. This was something else.

"Hardly," War responded a bit bitterly, though his fury from her previous response seemed to have ebbed away slightly. Ruin trotted sideways and War tried to swing one last time, charging his gauntlet to pulse with the very core of the earth. When Ruin's front hooves landed on the ground, a small earthquake shook the foundation around them -- not enough to cause any real damage, but enough to send cracks rippling through the soil.

And yet, he was met with the same results -- nothing he dished out seemed to target his doppelganger specifically.

"Disappointing."

[redgunmetal.livejournal.com]

"I guess I give up," she said, voice laced with disappointment. And she'd so hoped he would be a worthy adversary. It wasn't to be so, at least, not today. And, with that, the flaming sword was effectively dowsed. What was once an impressive weapon was now nothing but an ordinary sword, quickly sheathed. Maybe, just for a moment, that what was inhuman flashed behind her eyes, and then was gone. "I promise I'll be good."

She didn't oppose him directly, of course, but he did seem to take her divine purpose personally. With a sigh, she jumped off of her bike and took a seat at the edge of reflecting pool. "Human beings are inherently violent," she said to her reflection, and gestured toward where the majority of the fighting was taking place. "I merely awaken in them a primal need that already exists."

[chaoseating.livejournal.com]

War paused, if only due to shock -- if he had expected anything from her, the last thing would have been forfeit. Even Ruin stilled quite curiously, much like a statue, twisting his head with his rider's to stare at her stride towards the reflecting pool.

"I would hope you don't intend to feign innocence," he replied calmly, sliding off Ruin to approach her. Chaoseater would not be sheathed -- not yet. He didn't even trust himself that much. The steed behind him vanished in a wisp of shadow, flames licking the area where his hooves had been moments ago.

"There is a difference between instilling and invoking," War offered, turning to look at the explosions in the distance instead -- his attention was mostly on the woman in front of him. He didn't plan to be caught off-guard. "But I would not argue against their nature. It is the nature of all existence. The difference between intelligent and unintelligent lifeforms is choosing which battles to fight."

[redgunmetal.livejournal.com]

"I don't have anything against you personally," she said, politely enough. Such distrust, and after she'd honorably given up! Perhaps they were more alike than the other would like to admit. "In fact, if I met you in bar, I'd probably buy you a drink."

Before or after the ensuing bar fights, she didn't quite specify.

"It's very interesting that we've both come to this world, don't you think?" she asked, stretching. She had more than one weapon at her disposal if he chose to attack her, but she didn't believe he was that stupid. "A sign of something to come?"

[chaoseating.livejournal.com]

"Is it not tradition that the man buys the lady a drink?" he asked simply. His tone hadn't changed at all. "I would prefer if you deterred yourself from slandering my honor, as you bear my name. Otherwise, I would not imagine myself having an issue with you."

Finally, Chaoseater was sheathed. His gauntlets glowed slightly golden -- no doubt he wouldn't need the sword at this point if she chose to attack him.

"I had entertained the notion. Many of the denizens here seem to think it is mere coincidence," he offered. "I am not inclined to agree, but it appears in spite of things, I am quite ignorant of this realm." His voice would take a bitter turn towards the end of his statement.

[redgunmetal.livejournal.com]

"An old fashioned one," she said, "and I prefer to change with the changing times. It's impossible to ride a horse when everyone else is racing ahead of you in a motor vehicle. Poor Pestilence was forced to retire after antibiotics gave him the shaft."

She'd liked Pestilence, too. Not as brooding as Him or cocky as Famine. And Pollution always left her with dust in her hair. The Pestilence of City had promise, like all the others, but was so insistent on defying her nature. Humans were so silly.

"As penance for slandering your honor, let me educate you on this realm. It's not very different from my own." She could not -- and would not -- promise to restrain herself, as that was much like asking humans not to breathe. How interesting that his imperative wasn't the same. "Do you have the time?"

The last was said with a slanted smile and dripping irony. Weren't they both, in fact, waiting for the same thing?

[chaoseating.livejournal.com]

It was the irony, perhaps, that caused him to relax. "I doubt there are many things in this plane that can outpace Ruin. This City is not unlike my own. However, it appears there are deviants between the two -- particularly concerning creatures such as you and myself."

Still, it would keep her occupied while the humans did whatever they felt they need to do. "Yes," War responded simply. "Time is all I have."

[redgunmetal.livejournal.com]

Little did he know that she had a hand in the chaos the entire time, fueling the fire. She had no preference for victor -- though she supposed a nuclear weapon would damper her fun for quite some time -- but the conflict was delicious. Pity that it would be over in moments. The Major would be so disappointed.

"Have you met the humans who are also horsemen?" she asked. "There are a least three of them by my count. There's also a man." Pausing, she put a finger to her lips, unsure of how to continue. "He seems to be the embodiment of the apocalypse. Never have I seen such a thing, and I've been around for quite some time."

[chaoseating.livejournal.com]

Calmly, War folded his arms and grunted in response. "Yes. Lorna in particular didn't seem to appreciate my observation of her nature." He paused for a few moments. "I met that man as well. They all seem to be connected to an individual that calls himself 'Apocalypse'. A mockery to be sure."

The irritation at his inability to lay a finger on the woman in front of him had begun to slowly fade. He would have been lying to admit he wasn't restless.

"They all appear very content to deny their nature and live as mortals do," he commented, shrugging. "They were altered into what they were by a man who fashions himself as some divine being. That is what I've gathered."

[redgunmetal.livejournal.com]

"A mockery with a least some power," she replied, a hand waving in the air. She still remembers her fingertips tingling at the sound of his voice, lightning crackling in her ears. "It would be unwise to brush him off."

Starsmore, his name was. A man of considerable interest to be sure.

"Oh," she said suddenly, turning toward the monument. "I believe the bomb has been disarmed. Good show."

[chaoseating.livejournal.com]

"Hrmph. I'll believe it when it comes to pass," he added darkly. Upon hearing her final statement, War let out a very long sigh, most of his limbs relaxing entirely as if he had his breath held the entire time the fighting was going on. The entire process was rather unnatural in appearance.

"Took them long enough," he commented, moving away from her and back to an area where he would be able to summon Ruin. "Mortals enjoy taking their time when their lives are on the line." A loud crack came from the horseman's neck as he turned to relief the tensed muscles.