Welcome to the Cybernetic Arms Apartments

[The Hitman]

"What the...?"

"Ahem, sir, I understand that the argument between Liam and the rather rude jerk is quite fascinating, but can you please help me out here?"

"On second thought, why don't we see how this affair plays out?"

"What? Oh, no, I was just looking at this plant. When did we get a ficus?"

The blue one eventually caught on to what was going on in the room, though.

Somethng has to be done... I really don't want to have to repair the lobby... again. Liam will calm down, he usually does, but Vamp... man, that guy's got some anger management issues. And that bear- guy doesn't look too stable. Yes, someone has to do something...

...

... Nah, I'd rather just enjoy the show.

[Alaric]

Note to self, for future reference: don't use the super-villain speech patterns unless I'm in costume.

The unpleasant man mentally rebuked himself as he gazed at Liam with a look of utter shock on his face.

Then, the roar came.

The man visibly jumped, then turned and saw what was looming over him.

"Oh! Uh... I'm sorry. This... uh... must be the wrong address..."

He quickly turned, and hastily made for the exit.

By the voiceless palatal fricative! This place is crawling with metahumans!

[Gremlin]

The unpleasant man mentally rebuked himself as he gazed at Liam with a look of utter shock on his face.

Then, the roar came.

The man visibly jumped, then turned and saw what was looming over him.

"Oh! Uh... I'm sorry. This... uh... must be the wrong address..."

He quickly turned, and hastily made for the exit.

Liam stared at the man as he jogged out. Then he turned to Vamp and Grizz, scowling.

"I appreciate the aid, but it was unnecessary. Thanks." He turns to the rest of the lobby.

"Okay, who still hasn't filled out their forms? Vinnie? Vamp? Hand out some room assignments. And don't..." he turns, leaps over the desk, grabs a key, and tosses it in a wide arc towards the man whimpering in the elevator. He turns back to Vinnie. "...assume everyone can teleport."

[bearded]

  Baert starts laying out his bedroll.  "I'm for the common room, as I'm short on gold."

[Gremlin]

  Baert starts laying out his bedroll.  "I'm for the common room, as I'm short on gold."

"That's against safety regulations, sir. You can't sleep in the...er, common room."

[vamp]

Even after the man left Vamp's face still had a glower to it. In fact, it seemed that he looked even angrier than before. He turned his back to Liam as he walked towards the elevators.

"It had nothing to do with you, I just wanted to pick a fight."

Why did I give a damn about him? I'm not supposed to care. Not after what happened last time. Not after her.

"I have a few things to go fix, but it looks like you guys can handle yourselves anyways."

As he walked by the man in the grey v-neck, he glared harshly at him. He didn't know why he did so, but regardless of how hard he tried to scowl at the man he felt his face giving off a strange sadness.

Never...again...

[Alaric]

Outside, in the shadows, unseen by any, across the street, a figure stood, waving his fist in the direction of the building. He has shed his outer clothing, and stood fully costumed. He wore a black mask covering his entire head save his eyes and lower face. The rest of his costume was form-fitting black, with red trunks, red flared gloves and boots, a red capitol "K" on his chest, an elegant red devil-style cape, and a dark red belt with a bright red "K" for a belt buckle.

"I swear, by all the unholy, unpleasant sounds which can spit forth from a mouth with a closed upper vocal tract, I will take my revenge for this humiliation! The building known as the Cybernetic Arms Apartments will be the first target to feel the wrath of... the Crimson Consonant!"

[GrizzlyBearTalon]

"I swear, by all the unholy, unpleasant sounds which can spit forth from a mouth with a closed upper vocal tract, I will take my revenge for this humiliation! The building known as the Cybernetic Arms Apartments will be the first target to feel the wrath of... the Crimson Consonant!"

(OOC: BWAHAHAHA! Crimson consonant? Oh man now that... is funny...)

Grizz pays no mind as Liam glares at him, though he is a bit saddened he didn't get to toss the man through the door. Grizz will walk over to Vinnie and ask him a question.

"So papa smurf I gave Barney over there the forms and it sounds like you are my hook up for a room? Gonna need probably the biggest you got, and no paying extra is not a problem mostly because I really don't have a choice."

[PreRaphaelite]

Without breaking stride, she caught his arm as she passed on her way towards the elevator, and tried to gently lead him out of harm's way.

"May not be a good idea to bother them now," she quietly told him, "they look really busy."

Not particularly aware of the intervention, Murray moved with stiff limbs under the guidance of the woman-with-cat back towards the elevator, his forehead furrowed and covered with a thin glaze of sweat.

"Okay, who still hasn't filled out their forms? Vinnie? Vamp? Hand out some room assignments. And don't..." he turns, leaps over the desk, grabs a key, and tosses it in a wide arc towards the man whimpering in the elevator. He turns back to Vinnie. "...assume everyone can teleport."

Naturally he missed catching the keys as they skidded with a jingle across the floor, hitting the wall next to the elevator doors. Slowly, with the exit of the odd man from the lobby, the tension in the room began to subside, and he felt more able to collect his thoughts.

Moving from the safety of the elevator in the manner of an automaton, he slowly reached down to pick up the keys from the floor before turning around to witness a still-angry man-bat walking past him to the elevator.

As he walked by the man in the grey v-neck, he glared harshly at him. He didn't know why he did so, but regardless of how hard he tried to scowl at the he felt his face giving off a strange sadness.

Though Murray received the glare full on, he seemed a little spaced-out still to notice the harshness of the gaze. He flinched slightly, but that may have been more of an automatic response than anything else.
As the man-bat moved into the elevator, Murrays face dropped to the keys in his hand, and his eyes lingered intently on the glimmering metal. His head low, he began to collect itself, though occasionally his face adopted elements of the man-bat's own slightly saddened scowl.

As his head began to clear, a thought popped into his mind: Fresh air...

[bearded]

  Baert starts laying out his bedroll.  "I'm for the common room, as I'm short on gold."

"That's against safety regulations, sir. You can't sleep in the...er, common room."

"Thou'rt a man, then.  't'sright, I do listen, and I do learn."  Baert clasps his forearm.  "Take not all I say in seriousness.  I know they be not trees, to chop and throw to the fire.  Lightning rods, aye?  But I do need a fire, despite the warmth in the air..."  His look turns haunted, and distant, so that Liam knows he is not really looking at him anymore.  "In Hel, the snow burns, and the Grey Man steals away all your warmth, all ye care for...Well, enow, when I find him agin, I shall see if his heartsblood is grey."  He grins and is back.  "Mayhap I can earn my keep.  A story, or sweep your stables.  Ye need a security force?"  He pats his sword, releasing the man's arm.

[kkhohoho]

It seemed that all turned out well, for now. He went back to the blue freak.

"I think we can get to my room now. Can you please lead the way?"

[The Hitman]

Well, that ended rather anitclimatically, Vinnie thought. I was certain Vamp'd pop that guys head off. And not pop as in *POP* but pop as in... y'know... dead.

The blue man turned and faced two quite large beings both in search for the same thing: a room. From what he could tell, he was dealing with Santa and actor John Goodman.

"Well, hello gents, I 'reckon you'd all like a room, huh?

...

Right, southern accent doesn't suit me. Mr. Goodman, first off, I'd like to say that King Ralph is one of my all- time favorite movies. OK, you need a big room for a not- so- big cost... Room 421 it is then. Hope you don't mind heading up there yourself:"

He leans in and whispers,"I'm trying to get on Santy Claus' good side. I need a new Action Jackson action figure!"

The blue one leans back, giving the hairy one a key.

"I'll be up in a few to make sure you've settled in nicely. Al- righty, Santy, can I call you 'Santy?' Well Santy, I think we have a room a room that would work out great. Room 222. Grab your bag and let's head up."

[Glitch Girl]

Lauren shook her head;  there was something very wrong about that guy in the V-neck and hopefully it's not contageous.  Subconsciouly she wiped her free hand on her jeans as she stepped into the elevator.  Well, at least he hadn't ended up a casualty.  And it was time to bring Kitty to her new home anyway.

"I have a few things to go fix, but it looks like you guys can handle yourselves anyways."

With that, the bat-like... maintenance man (custodian? dang, what was the term these days) glared at the sickly fellow and stomped into the elvevator with her.  He reached over to push a button, noting that the three was already lit, and the doors slid shut.

A tinny version of "The Girl from Ipanema" played over the elevator's muzak system*. 

"Um... Hi," said Lauren brightly.

(*-no prize for those who get the movie reference)

[kkhohoho]

Well, that ended rather anitclimatically, Vinnie thought. I was certain Vamp'd pop that guys head off. And not pop as in *POP* but pop as in... y'know... dead.

The blue man turned and faced two quite large beings both in search for the same thing: a room. From what he could tell, he was dealing with Santa and actor John Goodman.

"Well, hello gents, I 'reckon you'd all like a room, huh?

...

Right, southern accent doesn't suit me. Mr. Goodman, first off, I'd like to say that King Ralph is one of my all- time favorite movies. OK, you need a big room for a not- so- big cost... Room 421 it is then. Hope you don't mind heading up there yourself:"

He leans in and whispers,"I'm trying to get on Santy Claus' good side. I need a new Action Jackson action figure!"

The blue one leans back, giving the hairy one a key.

"I'll be up in a few to make sure you've settled in nicely. Al- righty, Santy, can I call you 'Santy?' Well Santy, I think we have a room a room that would work out great. Room 222. Grab your bag and let's head up."

Yes. Time to get moving. He grabbed his bag, slung it over his shoulder, and asked "Are we going by stairs or elevator?"

[GrizzlyBearTalon]

Right, southern accent doesn't suit me. Mr. Goodman, first off, I'd like to say that King Ralph is one of my all- time favorite movies. OK, you need a big room for a not- so- big cost... Room 421 it is then. Hope you don't mind heading up there yourself:"

He leans in and whispers,"I'm trying to get on Santy Claus' good side. I need a new Action Jackson action figure!"

The blue one leans back, giving the hairy one a key.

Grizz just shrugs and replies...

"While I am rather proud of King Ralph my personal favorite is Arachnophobia."

He takes his key and looks over at the elevators. Hrm... they don't look very big and I don't wanna take the stairs. He heads over to Liam to ask a quick question but notices he is rather busy and just decides to head outside instead. He heads out the front door and takes a few steps back. Looking up he notices a few balconies dotting the side of the building.

"Ok I reckon that would be about the fourth floor or so..."

Grizz bends his knees and leaps straight up aiming at what he hopes is a fourth floor balcony. He overshoots just a little and reaches out to grab the edge of the building being careful not to damage it, with a quick shove he changes his momentum and lands without incident on the balcony. The balcony however does give a slight groan as he settles his weight down. Taking a moment he peers into the room and begins to knock on the glass.

"HELLLOOOOO? ANYBODY IN THERE? I didn't feel like taking the stairs. I live here on this floor now at least I think it is this floor, room 421. C'mon already!"

He keeps repeating this until whoever the apartment belongs to opens up, to emphasize the fact he lives there he takes out his apartment key and begins jingling it with this free hand while continuing to knock with the other. He also attempts to smile politely to appear as harmless as possible... however considering the four VERY prominent canine teeth on display in that smile among other assorted fangs & molars the effect may not be beneficial to appearing harmless let alone friendly.

[PreRaphaelite]

Fresh air... Fresh air would be good.

Slowly raising his head, Murray automatically turned to check the surrounding area. The entrance hall was remarkably sparse considering the amount of oddities who had assembled earlier. He tried to recall exactly what had happened. Had there been a cat-woman? A man with a bat? He was not particularly sure. His limbs were tense with the sudden build up and dispersal of adrenalin, and when he faintly touched his brow, his fingers felt a carpet of perspiration.

Straightening up, he slowly made his way outside to sit on any available ledge or step he could find. A thin wheeze of a breeze was enough to cool his skin, slowly drying him and clearing his mind.

How embarrassing. I haven't acted like that in public for quite some time. I should not have dared come downstairs - not following such a busy day, and in the company of some particularly... volatile characters.

His mind drifted as he stared with absent eyes at the floor of the street.
After a few minutes, he took from his pocket the brick of the phone and once again began to text William.

'Dear William. Thank you for your assistance. Have signed for the accommodation. Will begin moving in soon, though have little to move in. Will search for vocational work in the morrow. My thanks also to Rosalind. I hope to visit sometime in the future.'

He considered writing about his evening, but decided he was estranged enough from his relatives, and did not wish to strain their relationship further.

I wonder if they will write.

His thought was distant, and whilst not forgotten he seemed almost detached from the answer he suspected. With effort, he pulled himself to his feet and automatically began to lumber back to his room. He was no longer particularly hungry.

[vamp]

His eyes no longer emanated the bright yellow glow as they did earlier. Even his usual anger was replaced by a pensive gloom. Vamp reached forward to press the level four button. As he did so he noticed the 3 was glowing.

"Um... Hi," said Lauren brightly.

While his insides jumped, his outward appearance stayed as stiff as ever. It wasn't so much the shock of another person on the elevator, but the slight resemblance this women bore with her.

"Hi," He replied, his tone noticeably softer than usual.

Giselle. Hi to you too.

[Alaric]

Al suddenly sat up, as a thought struck him.

Grizz was downstairs! I'd better take... precautions... I'm pretty sure I saw a store on the corner across the street...

He got up quickly, made sure he had his wallet and his key on him, and rushed for the elevator.

[Glitch Girl]

His eyes no longer emanated the bright yellow glow as they did earlier. Even his usual anger was replaced by a pensive gloom. Vamp reached forward to press the level four button. As he did so he noticed the 3 was glowing.

"Um... Hi," said Lauren brightly.

"Hi," He replied, his tone noticeably softer than usual.

"So.. you're the repair guy around here?  Just curious."   Lauren made a vague gesture to the wrench he was still holding

[vamp]

"

"So.. you're the repair guy around here?  Just curious."   Lauren made a vague gesture to the wrench he was still holding

"Yeah... I'm just good with hands I guess."

As he said this he suddenly became aware of the pain in his hand. He had been gripping the wrench so tightly in earlier that blood began to trickle down his hand. He quickly hid his left hand behind his back, trying not to cause anyone to worry.

[Gremlin]

Liam poured through the forms, checking the signatures and making sure everything was filled out properly. There was quite a few errors, especially on "Grizz's" forms. That probably wasn't even his real name...ick. The ones that were ready to go he filed in the proper locations. He put the other ones in the review section. He'd fill in the locations later today, once things had settled down a bit.

He sat back behind his desk and popped a can of coke as he poured over the forms, circling in red anything that needed to be fixed.

[GrizzlyBearTalon]

"Hellooooo? It is starting to rain..."

He continues knocking on the window and jingling his keys while smiling. At this point he has been out there a while, it isn't about avoiding the stairs anymore; he is simply determined to not alter his course of action. Unwilling to admit defeat Grizz continues.

I WILL WIN! I just hope whoever lives here isn't on vacation.

"I'm still here... c'mon already! GET UP! You're not there are you? I'm starting to talk to myself, that is a bad sign. I'll buy you a pizza...c'mon! Helllooooo?"

Sadly Grizz has yet to even bother checking if the balcony glass is open.

[Glitch Girl]

"

"So.. you're the repair guy around here?  Just curious."   Lauren made a vague gesture to the wrench he was still holding

"Yeah... I'm just good with hands I guess."

As he said this he suddenly became aware of the pain in his hand. He had been gripping the wrench so tightly in earlier that blood began to trickle down his hand. He quickly hid his left hand behind his back, trying not to cause anyone to worry.

"That's... that's good.  My name's Lauren."

They call me Glitch Girl with good reason, you poor sap, she added mentally.

The door dinged.

"My stop," said Lauren.  "Nice talking too you," she added as she stepped out into the hall.  "Might want to get that hand looked at."

[The Hitman]

Yes. Time to get moving. He grabbed his bag, slung it over his shoulder, and asked "Are we going by stairs or elevator?"

"Well, I just kinda assumed you'd want to take the fireplace, but it looks like it's being manhandled by that D&D guy over there at the moment, so... uhh-"

He looks over at the elevator, noticing it is occupied by Vamp, Sicky McGee, and that chick that make tech freak out.

Yeah, that may not be the best place to be, Vamp gets pretty territorial. And I don't want Santy Claus to get sick, 'cause then I'd have to take over his shift this Christmas, and "I don't wanna be Tim Allen!!"

The blue one pauses for a moment.

"I said that last part out loud, didn't I?"

Another pause.

"Stairs it is then!"

As the unlikely duo make there way up the stairs, Vinnie begins asking questions.

"Do you feed your reindeer beans as a means for propultion? Are the elves just midget dock workers wearing Spock ears? Have you considered leaving tiny solar pannels for the bad kids, since everyone is so worried about all that "Green" malarky? What do you do for the other 364 day out of the year? What's the deal with the time you were captured by martians?"

======

"I swear, by all the unholy, unpleasant sounds which can spit forth from a mouth with a closed upper vocal tract, I will take my revenge for this humiliation! The building known as the Cybernetic Arms Apartments will be the first target to feel the wrath of... the Crimson Consonant!"

"Da, that is the planningk I vas having on this day as vell."

The supervillian of syllables tuned to see a mammoth of a man, possibly Russian, wearing what looked to be a bright red bodysuit, made to replicate fish scales. A helmet sporting a dorsal fin adorned his head. He also had a very lagre, unkempt beard.

"For I am De RED HERRINGK!!! And the owners of dis, what you people say... establishment, vill rue de day that they refuesd to accept my apartment contract based on my list of certified references!!"

[GrizzlyBearTalon]

Grizz falls asleep. A ringing in his ears wakes him up.

"What are you doing?"

"Hurrrr...?"

"I'm trying to get in..."

"That isn't your room is it?"

"Nooooo.... whyzzat?"

"You've lept on to some strangers balcony and are attempting to get inside? WHY???"

"Cuz... umma... SHADDUP!"

"Hey... you're sposed to be a robot! Why you talking?"

"It isn't... you have the HAMSTER transponder on your wrist remember? Cell phone, interstellar communicator (only in supported dimensions with Hi End interstellar WiFi), etc."

"Oh..."

"The M.A.R.M.O.S.E.T. has been hovering right beside you for about 20 minutes. It shot some nonlethal rounds at you but that only made you start scratching yourself and begin what sounded like... well I don't really want to relive that actually. So fur brain where do you want your stuff?"

Grizz rubs his eyes and realizes his defeat. After nearly two hours whoever lives there isn't home and probably would have called the police anyways. He stretches out a bit and rises to his feet. The M.A.R.M.O.S.E.T. hovers about 10 feet away, it is a large oblong ship of mostly blue color with white highlights. A large H logo is emblazoned on the hood that appears to be the front of the vehicle, a cockpit with two chairs is clearly visible inside. The cockpit is a more conical shaped area with a much large rounder area seemingly attached to it like the thorax of a giant bumblebee. Their is almost no discernible sound other than a slight rippling noise in the air. It is about the size of a bus.

"Take us to the roof and unload there. I'll carry it down or hopefully find a freight  or service elevator to use."

Grizz leaps onto the top and the craft then grabs to handholds attached to the top. There are even some straps attached for any more prolonged flights among other devices. I could have rode inside but this is more fun.

Within twenty minutes Grizz finds himself alone on the rooftop with three large shipping containers, and one very large motorcycle. He looks around the rooftop and spots a what appears to be an elevator and a door. There might be something else but that is all there is he can see. He heads over to them and finds them... locked...

For just a single instant he very seriously considers crying. He looks down at his watch and presses a few buttons. The phone at the front desk of Cybernetic Arms begins to ring.

[kkhohoho]

Yes. Time to get moving. He grabbed his bag, slung it over his shoulder, and asked "Are we going by stairs or elevator?"

As the unlikely duo make there way up the stairs, Vinnie begins asking questions.

"Do you feed your reindeer beans as a means for propultion? Are the elves just midget dock workers wearing Spock ears? Have you considered leaving tiny solar pannels for the bad kids, since everyone is so worried about all that "Green" malarky? What do you do for the other 364 day out of the year? What's the deal with the time you were captured by martians?"

"Um, well..." It seemed that the rather nice attendant has mistaken him for the original 'Big Man', which wasn't out of the question since he shared the same attire. He would have to get out of costume ASAP. In the meantime, he didn't want this man who bore no ill will to him to mistake him for 'Santy', though he had no desire to tell the whole story at this time. "How about this? I can't say everything, but would you like to hear the abridged version?"

[Gremlin]

For just a single instant he very seriously considers crying. He looks down at his watch and presses a few buttons. The phone at the front desk of Cybernetic Arms begins to ring.

Liam answers. "Cybernetic Arms Apartments, this is Liam speaking, how can I help you?"

[GrizzlyBearTalon]

For just a single instant he very seriously considers crying. He looks down at his watch and presses a few buttons. The phone at the front desk of Cybernetic Arms begins to ring.

Liam answers. "Cybernetic Arms Apartments, this is Liam speaking, how can I help you?"

"This is Grizz, you know big fuzzy loveable? Anyways I'm on the roof with my stuff I got it dropped off, and well the doors up here are all locked. Can I have someone come up here and let me in? Also there a freight or service elevator up here or only the regular one, I got quite a bit of stuff to take down and having a larger elevator'd be nice if not that's fine. One last thing while I have you on the line, is there a parking garage for this building specifically? Need a place to put my bike if not I'll just keep it in my room."

[Gremlin]

For just a single instant he very seriously considers crying. He looks down at his watch and presses a few buttons. The phone at the front desk of Cybernetic Arms begins to ring.

Liam answers. "Cybernetic Arms Apartments, this is Liam speaking, how can I help you?"

"This is Grizz, you know big fuzzy loveable? Anyways I'm on the roof with my stuff I got it dropped off, and well the doors up here are all locked. Can I have someone come up here and let me in? Also there a freight or service elevator up here or only the regular one, I got quite a bit of stuff to take down and having a larger elevator'd be nice if not that's fine. One last thing while I have you on the line, is there a parking garage for this building specifically? Need a place to put my bike if not I'll just keep it in my room."

"...ok. Um. You're not allowed on the roof. That's in the contract, that you're not going to be in the off-limits areas. I'll...well, I'll come get you. Hold on."

Liam sets a "Back in 15 minutes!" sign on the front desk and jogs up the eight flights of stairs to the roof, keys jingling. Finally, panting, he undoes the door to the roof.

"Now, let's see your...stuff." He glances at the large pile. "...huh. Well. I can get Vinnie to teleport that, I think. And we do have a parking garage. Renting a parking space is an additional fee...er. We'll get this sorted out soon."

[The Hitman]

"How about this? I can't say everything, but would you like to hear the abridged version?"

"Sure thing, Santy!"

(Sorry, I'm not much in a goofy mood today. Hopefully this moves the story along enough, and I'll have something good tomorrow.)