Danger! High Voltage

Summer 2021, Week 5

Monday midnight

Henry, The Wards

Storyteller

The dimly lit streets and alleys of Henry were slick with rain, the few people that dared roam these streets scurried hurriedly through the dreary weather to find whatever shelter they called home.  

Laslow Karivatz-Briggins

He was walking back to where he had inconspicuously parked his car, having finished his delivery. Muttering to himself under his breath, "Gotta stay on top of my fuckin' jobs, but the power.. the hunger.. I need more." Deep down, he knew it to be true. He was desperately clinging to what little powers he could off of the iceman in his garden, but it Just. Wasn't. Enough. And it showed. His ability to grasp multiple powers was waning little by little. It craves variety. It needs more.  

Xander Knight

Rain. My god, I've missed rain. Xander trod along his late night walk, a cup of coffee from his favourite stand in the city slowly cooling in his hand as he savoured the falling droplets on the warm night. Virginia had not been kind to the Brit, so warm and humid without ever raining. Pulling the hood of his patched denim vest down, he allowed the rain to flow through his white hair, weighing his curls down a bit as he walked. He always loved the rain, especially considering it tended to lessen the field of static that seemed so eternally surrounding him. Despite his work on himself and his abilities, the fear of losing control remained constant, only now allowing himself to relax momentarily in the rain.  

Laslow Karivatz-Briggins

He wraps the open folds of his old, dark brown leather duster around himself, partially to shrug the rain off of his shoulders and partially to keep the twin pistols hidden inside. They were his on-street lines of defense when he was left empty, hungering for power. Any power.  

Boogeyman

H̶̓͗Ù̸͙N̵̐̊T̷̅͋
[b]̷̌͝
̶̜̆T̶̫̀A̶̯͂K̶͛͒È̸̕ ̶̔͛
̵̈́͑M̴̱̓O̵͙͝R̵̋̀E̶̎͠  

Laslow Karivatz-Briggins

The demands grew angrier and angrier by the day, wanting more and more. His eye's pupils instinctively became the predatory slits among their icy blue irises, hungrily searching for new powers to take, searching for the ever present static aura that surrounds people with power.

[Power Detection, Basic x1, -0EP (15/15)]

  Upon seeing a single aura among the streets, he notices a man with white hair, a denim vest that was positively soaked and a cup of coffee that fortunately seemed to have a lid. They'll do. Anything will do. He tries to make it seem like he is a little lost, and approaches with feigned confusion. Upon coming closer, he smiles and asks, "Hello, friend. I'm sorry to bug you, but you seem like someone that knows their way and is comfortable around these parts." Classic 'I just moved here' schtick. Done it a thousand times.  

Xander Knight

The man slowly lowered his face, opening his dull steel gray eyes and settling them on the man before him. "Eh.... yeah, but I've only been around here, don't much leave the Heights," the Brit said, looking around a bit. "Where've you got to go?" Xander approached slowly, cautious of strangers approaching at night for obvious reasons, but attempted to push those thoughts from his mind to help the man.  

Laslow Karivatz-Briggins

His face lit up with false relief, saying "Thank you, thank you. I was supposed to find a friend at a place called the... Magnificent Frog? I don't know exactly where it is, but she told me it was in Henry." He picked the bar that he parked closest to, and when this man was gone he would drive back home. But first I need to make sure I can touch him. Maybe an eager handsha-  

Boogeyman

G̴̓͌R̸̽̒Ẳ̸B̷́͊
̶̴̓͋̏̈́T̴̞̂A̸̫͊K̸͝ͅE̸̐͘  

Xander Knight

The realization struck him, this was in fact one of the places Xander had frequented, and could in fact give direction for this man. Stepping closer, though feeling the need to remind himself not to place a hand upon the man's shoulder, the surge of electricity built up within his very bones, feeling the static course through every muscle fiber as a single pale blue bolt of electricity arced between his first two fingers, clenching his fist and dropping the hand to his side, using the other to point in the bar's direction. "Yeah mate, I know the pub. Should I walk you, or have you got it from here?"  

Laslow Karivatz-Briggins

His eyes, trained from years of combat experience and general paranoia, catch the momentary arc of electricity. Well, I'll be damned. Electricity will be a new one for me. "Thank you so much! I think it's a good idea to go in a group. I can handle myself, but if you aren't busy I would enjoy the company." He extends a hand for a shake, adding "Name's Chad. What's yours, friend?" Just need one little handshake, 'mate'.  

Xander Knight

Taking a deep breath to focus on control, the Brit moved to shake Chad's hand. "Xander," he said, looking the man over. "The Frog's not too far, I can walk you." He clasped the man's hand, his suspicion fading a bit at this point, but still remaining cautious of his own power.  

Laslow Karivatz-Briggins

The hairs on the back of his neck rose slightly as his hand touched Xander's, his body taking in the Generation power through it. As an arc of lightning sparked around their arms like the electricity of a Tesla coil, his muscles and bones started to well up with an internal charge, something his body was not used to. The power gave him a rush, a tingly buzzing feeling that permeated his body.   He smiles, a hint of the darker side of his satisfaction showing before his facade of innocence comes back. "Thank you so much, Xander." That name and that face were slightly familiar, tickling at the back of his memory.  

Xander Knight

The electricity hummed throughout the air, the sparks and arcs hopping between their hands, Xander's arm tensed as his brow furrowed, the situation dawning on him. "What've you done to me?"  

Laslow Karivatz-Briggins

His brow furrows with genuine confusion. "Done to you?" He pulls back his hand, the arcs stretching between them as he withdraws, but not stopping as a feedback loop of lightning arced between the two. He feels the charge within his own body reaching close to 35% of what he feels he is capable of holding, simultaneously absorbing and being absorbed by the man close by through these lines of bright plasma.   And the charge kept growing.
40%.
45%.  

Boogeyman

M̵̔̂O̷͎͌R̵̀̇E̵͑̽  

Laslow Karivatz-Briggins

Thinking fast, he tries to explain, his false story now being lined with a modicum of truth. "I copy powers of people I touch. What-" He starts to feign terror, breathing heavily through his nose and smelling the familiar and intoxicating scent of.. fear. Not as strong as that night with the gangsters fearing him, but the scent was there. The scent made his heart race, made him feel even more alive. This power of electricity, and the sheer adrenaline flowing through his veins made him almost giddy.   No wonder Blood Bolt went mad.   The lines of lightning finally stopped as he continues, "What have you done to me?"  

Xander Knight

The feedback loop pulsed through him, the tingling current scattering between the two as they pulled their hands apart. "You... You've taken my power? Can you handle it, you body...?" He looked to his own hands, feeling the emptiness within him, the lightning which normally hummed within his very bones was... quiet. "Your body's not built to handle the voltage, not like mine. You've got to discharge, who knows what kind of damage you'll do to yourself if you hold it in!" Xander screamed, the rain streaming down his face, the fear gripping him now as he looked to Chad, this total stranger whom he had given his charge, the lightning which coursed through him could do unknowable damage to his nerves or muscles, or anyone he would come into contact with.  

Laslow Karivatz-Briggins

The charge continues to well up within him, his new internal well of electrical energy filling up bit by bit. The feeling starts to become overwhelming, wholly intoxicating while flooding his mind with a singular feeling, a rush of excitement and adrenaline overtaking and filling his mind. His eyes lit up with an icy light blue glow, his pupils becoming narrow predatory slits as he tries to tune in to the static aura surrounding Xander, trying to understand the intricacies of the power he just borrowed.

[Power Reader, Normal x1, -3EP (12/15)]

  With a nod he responds "Discharge? Then get back!" As light blue arcs of electricity dance across his duster, marking it with burns as the charge within him continued to grow.   75%
80%  

Xander Knight

No... No! The thoughts ran wild, streaking through his mind before he even had a chance to reevaluate. I can't let this happen, this'll be my fault. He's going to die, I'm going to die, three city blocks are going to die and its all my fault! He dove into the man, planting one hand onto his chest, getting the most surface area as possible, the other grabbing a hand, frantically searching for a skin contact point, completing the circuit and taking the power back into him, letting out a scream as the raw power of lightning coursed through him, absorbed into his very being, burning through his veins with bright, pale blue light, surging through him beneath his tattooed skin. Stumbling back, he was face to face with a sensation he hadn't felt in many, many years: the burn of electricity.  

Laslow Karivatz-Briggins

The rush, the charge, the overwhelming feeling of the energy that suffused his body, most of it was just.. gone. Drawn out of him in an instant as the Brit nobly risked his own life to pull the charge out of Laslow's body and into his own. The Brit's scream echoes in the night, paired with the sizzling crackle of the electricity as it runs through Xander's body.   As he stumbles back, Laslow takes a couple of shaky steps back, himself. The buildings and streets nearby bore scorch marks from errant arcs of electrical energy, and when Laslow's eyes could focus again he saw Xander, alive but hurt.  

Boogeyman

T̷̜̐A̵̋͝K̷̬͊Ẻ̷̈́.̸̅̽ ̷̆̔Ḿ̷̈́O̴̬͘Ȑ̸̡E̴͂͒.̶̒̌  

Laslow Karivatz-Briggins

He closes his eyes and tries to silence the oppressive presence, the gnawing and aching hunger for more. More power, more excitement, just.. more.   He staggers closer to the man, his denim vest now smoldering in the rainfall. Laslow felt shaky and weak from the sudden loss of his charge, but he pushed past it to check if the man was still alive, and asking him questions that helped determine the Brit's wellness.  

Xander Knight

Looking up through scared, pained eyes whited over as the pure essence of lightning coursed through him, zapping between each spike and stud of his smoking battlevest, the blue veins beneath his many tattoos pulsing and glowing. "N-no, stay back!" Back... back... back... His form flickered, pulsing between bright white and pale blue light, like the static of a TV screen covering his body. "No! he cried, his body evaporating into a streak of lightning, bolting away from the buildings, away from the bystanders, away from the danger, finding himself near the water.

[Mimic, Normal -3EP (22/25{Drastic Overcharge})]

  What... what's happening? The burn, the pain, it was unbearable. Every muscle burned as he forced himself to walk, forced himself to resist the body's directions to curl every limb into a ball, staggered step after step, pushing himself to get as far away from anyone or anything, the rain hissing against his skin, his smoking clothes, the tattered remains of his vest, once a piece of pride years in the making, one of his only true belongings, now torn and burnt, mere tatters strewn across his back. I've got to vent it, I've got to purge this power, I've got to... Collapsing to a knee, tears mingling with raindrops, washed away down his face, a single shaking hand raised to the sky with a horiffic scream, the current building up through every inch of his body as- ZZZZZKKKKKRRRRRRRAAAAAAAKKKKKK   The pained wail of Xander was amplified, electrified, and then simply overpowered as he vented the entirety of his charge, the immense bolt of lightning the width of his body lit up the night, a momentary burning starlight of blue as the very sky was split, the crack of lightning permeating the night for a few, decisive, solid seconds, scarring the concrete and splintering the glass of nearby warehouses. The scream and the crash of lightning faded into soft sobbing, the smoldering body of Xander tumbling into the river.

[Manipulation, Strenuous -22 (0/15{Overload Vented})]

 

Laslow Karivatz-Briggins

He is about to try and calm the panicking and struggling Xander, when the air around him changed rapidly, the eminent electric change rapidly taking effect as Xander transformed in the blink of an eye and zipped into the distance. Damn.. why do things like this seem to escalate so bad? First the superkid, now the lightning man. He scowls, frustrated that what he's doing just doesn't work out well.   Then the sky lit up with a divine bolt of plasmic fury, the thunderous crash drowning out his thoughts as the lightning rent the darkness of the midnight sky in two. Time to make tracks. He darts off to the area he parked at, near The Magnificent Frog.

---

The Magnificent Frog, The Wards

Laslow Karivatz-Briggins

He walks slowly into the pub, his charge and energy slowly returning after having it drawn out of him and released into the night sky. He narrows his eyes and looks for another ability to borrow, another ability to make his as his pupils narrow into predatory slits once more.

[Power reading, Normal x1, -3EP (9/15)]

  Nothing. NOTHING. Fuck, that pisses me off.  

Boogeyman

M̸̐̕O̶̊́R̷̃͌E̴͂̀.̸͒̈́  

Storyteller

The regular visitors quiet down and eye the newcomer suspiciously, especially after hearing the loud crash of thunder just moments ago. Amongst them came muttering of "Can't even have a week of peace from Evo bullshit." and "Why can't the freaks just leave us alone?"  

Laslow Karivatz-Briggins

His ears barely picked up that word 'freak'. That word made his blood boil, the charge increasing with the heart rate that beat with hate for that motherfucker that had the audacity to say it.   45%   He strides over to an empty bar stool, sitting almost uncomfortably close to a burly biker-looking dude. Forcing a smile that barely hid his anger as he growled through clenched teeth, "You mind repeating that, partner? I don't think I heard you right that first time."   55%  

Storyteller

The burly and bearded man, John, scowls and spits "Fuck off, freak." before shoving Laslow back, off of the bar stool and sending him to the ground.  

Laslow the Boogeyman

"That's what I fucking thought." He kips up with a swing of his legs and stands, ready people to start coming at him. Not even bothering to reach for the twins, he decides that he wants to give this new power a test run.   75%  

Storyteller

The bartender glares and shouts at Laslow "Look, I don't care who you are, but you can get the fuck out if you're gonna pick a fuckin' fight in my pub!" His hands run along underneath the counter, resting on and ready to push the panic button for if this crazy asshole doesn't back off.  

Laslow the Boogeyman

He mockingly gives the statement a thoughtful look before replying. "Huh, true, true. Except your pendejo friend here- I'm sorry, what was your name again?"   80%  

Storyteller

John the biker dude slurs "Fuck off." and grips the mug, fixing to break it across this bitch's face.  

Laslow the Boogeyman

"Mr. Off decided to assault me first when all I did was ask him to repeat himself. Seems a bit excessive, don't you think?" His thoughtful look is replaced with a malicious grin as he continues, a couple of errant sparks blinking into existence around his body.   90%  

Storyteller

The bartender presses the button. Fuck it, he's not gonna let it go. "Last warning. Get outta my pub before the cops get here."   Some of the patrons, Big John included, stand up to face the freak and beat the ever-loving shit out of him, when they see the sparks. A couple of them freeze, nervous and fearful of actually coming face to face with a freak hopped up on superpowers. But not Big John. Seeing the sparks only made him angry, reminding him of the family member he lost to Blood Bolt, a victim of simply being a police officer doing his job. His inibriated mind now filled with white-hot rage and took a few stumbling steps forward as he swung a swift haymaker to Laslow's head with the mug in hand, cracking it across his head.  

Laslow the Boogeyman

He breathed in, smelling the intoxicating scent of fear. The fear most delicious and invigorating. The fear of him. He takes a deep breath of it and barely moves as the hulking man's swing connects, the glass shattering across Laslow's head. To Big John's surprise, the broken glass barely even made a dent in Laslow's face, not even a scratch from the sharp pieces of the once proud mug. "Big mistake."

[Power from fear, Normal x1, -3EP (6/15)]

  100%   "Before y'all die, I want to get something off my chest. This is our city now. On behalf of all the 'freaks' that come here that have to deal with shit like you, I want to say 'GET. OUT.'" He quickly focuses on the charge within his body, and releases it in the nearby vicinity with a scream of hate drowned out only by the ZZZZSSAAAAAAKKK of electricity, hundreds and thousands of pale blue arcs seeking a nearby conductive medium and finding it amongst the patrons, the metal of the door frames, and the electronic appliances. The Magnificent Frog lit up like a blue novelty plasma ball for a solid 5 seconds before suddenly becoming quiet and dark.

[Electricity Generation (borrowed), Strenuous x1, -15EP (10/25)]

  He drops to one knee, and breathes heavily. Surveying the carnage he caused, the smoking bodies of the people inside the electrocuted pub replacing the sweet scent of fear with the revolting smell of seared human flesh to pair with the metallic smell of ozone in the air. The entire block was dark from the shattered bulbs of the streetlights, the discharge of Laslow's electricity overloading the local power grid proving too much for them.   He rises shakily to his feet, the loss of energy and surge of adrenaline leaving him feeling weak and unsteady. He hobbles over to the door, and climbs into his car before driving away, taking a long detour around the city before heading home.