World Tree MUSH

A dark room. A lone metal hooded lightbulb. A table. A man in a wheelchair.

"200K, 50k now, whether I find her or not," the owner of a pair of white athletic boots that were just barely visible in the ring of the overhead light spoke.

"We've hired other bounty hunters, I'm sure you realize," another voice rang out, beside the old man.

"What if she won't come back? Her new love is strong, she might already be..." the white boots replied dispassionately.

"Then..." the old man's gnarled fingers shakily pressed against the controls of his mechanized wheelchair, bringing him further into the light, the lenses of his spectacles reflecting back in the darkness.

"Then you collect the rest of your reward when you bring me back proof... that she's taken care of."

A small bag of money is tossed across the table into the light. The sound of footsteps. A long-nailed and white-furred hand picks it up.

The hand, the money and the bag disappears quietly back into the darkness, as if it had never been.

***

The search for the missing daughter--along with her lover's carriage has already traversed miles upon miles of land in the strange post-nuclear terrain of this world in the darkened branches. It's unclear what quite happened here, but it would appear humans once ruled this Earth--until nuclear fire damned them all. Mutants and other supernatural creatures rose up as the new ruling class, until humans dethroned them. This is why the enmity towards them and their kind. Now the populace is is a scattered frontier of towns and villages dotting the fantastic and dangerous countryside, littered with ruins and remains of a high-tech former civilization.

The carriage that the group is pursuing is now passing through a large and ancient forest--moss-choked and nearly blotting out all light. Perfect scenery for those that avoid the sunlight--however right now Mirage Mouse has a bit of a headstart and is lurking around here--as well as other hunters trying to claim the bounty on the girl, but not for long--as they are deadset on pursuing the carriage--where it is headed? Who knows.

Technically Ash hadn't taken this job. He was in this perticular forest because it as close enough to a vine that he had a way out because of this bounty, however. He wasn't here on Star Wolf's capacity and technically he was on his own time. After doing a little checking around to double check, Ash went to this place because he thought something smelled wrong about the bounty. Maybe it's because he had taken a job and it ended up a pile of lies, which as a result made him exchange concerned glances with Miwa when he showed her the posting.

"If you feel up to it I could use backup, or at least someone willing to try diffusing the situation. Nothing in the posted bounty says they have to make sure she STAYS with her father, or the guy she ran off with has to die." Then again Ash was perhaps being too hopeful while attempting to talk Miwa into this mess.

Which is why he was here, why he was in the road, and why he had his arms folded as if daring the carrage driver to run him down.

    Being a 'hero' wasn't Athena's line of work. It just so happened that she was doing things that most of the heroes would think of as 'good' so far. Well, mostly. At least, the visible things. Whatever the case, she had seen the bounty and wasn't sure what the situation was. She'd decked herself out with some lightweight camo armor for the trip, something that blended with the trees and foliage, though she wasn't really trained for hidden ops. An energy rifle and a slugthrower pistol were her usual loadout, and that's what she'd picked, plus the unlikely addition of a sword at her hip.

    She'd tried to intercept, but with the carriage speeding, that was making it awkward. "In a case like this, both sides are a little shady on the legality. I think we need to figure out who is in the wrong first, don't you? Think you can get on that carriage, or do you think you can help me out doing the same?" Ash appears to be here, too... in the road. Not the smartest thing to do in her opinion. "I hope we don't end up against Ash. He doesn't like gods overmuch."

    Either way they're going to need to slow the carriage before it passes out of range. For Athena, that means lining up a shot to try to blast off the hitch for the horses as it passes, unless Izuku comes up with a better plan.

Miwa nods to Ash. "Happy to be here to help. If this girl was kidnapped by the 'monster' of whatever sort, we should rescue her, but if she wasn't kidnapped, and instead ran away with her 'kidnapper' of her own free will, I don't think it's our place or anyones to force her to go back to her father. However, I have a feeling we'll be up against some bounty hunters who took this job in that case... We should approach this with caution." Miwa advises Ash as she floats about in a bubble beside the road, soon taking cover behind a tree.

    Deku stands there with Athena, watching the carriage move and trying to judge the distance and speed. He glances around the area, frowning at the sight of it. And Ash's presence in the road in the distance is worrying. But... he knows there's something different to him, something a little more morally grey on the side of good, as opposed to just selfish mercenary behavior.

    "If you stop the carriage, everyone in it may as well be dead," he points out to Athena. "They're a target, right?"

    Then he takes up a sprinting position, and lines of red light spiderweb across his body, as if his veins were filled with a supernatural strength that glowed through his skin. Even his eyes shined a more vibrant green. And he said, "I'm gonna get on that carriage and try to defend her until we know more." And he looks to Athena, "Brace yourself."

    He moves to try and scoop Athena up by the waist when he takes off, his speed and strength far beyond that of a typical human. He makes leaps and dashes, bouncing off of trees, kicking off of branches hard enough to crack them, so he can land atop the carriage and grasp the top of it. Electricity seems to spark over his limbs as he moves, giving further hints to his superhuman traits.

There is a series of cries from ahead down the forest path, trees rustling and birds taking off into the sky, cawing. The carriage apparently already went through there--but it would appear someone was causing a commotion up ahead!

Past a wall of trees is the scene of a bloody battle already well underway. The bodies of two men in rugged clothing and hitched with armor are strewn about, a double-sided dagger and a large trifurcate crossbow lies near them. Meanwhile a large muscle-bound man with short dark hair clad in dark pants, boots and bandanna wields a sledgehammer, staring down... Mirage? Yes, it's the psionic mercenry mouse woman--and she seems to be facing off with the man even as more challengers approach!

"Oh great, company!" Mouse tchs, her form shimmering as she attempts to cloak herself--meanwhile the large hammer wielding man turns and spits, apparently now realizing the newcomers.

"Eh? two of my men are down thanks to this bitch--give me a hand here will you?" he announces in a gravelly voice.

It would appear however Athena and Izuku are alreading attempting to move past though--trying to catch up with the carriage even as Mouse tries to bump off the competition.

"It's time for some good old kandarian demon action out here~" Mirage Mouse's voice ripples from the area around the sledgehammer wielding man, the image of their body transparent and distorted to those without enhanced senses like heatvision--suddenly vines spring up around Athena and try to wrap around her wrists and ankles to lock her in place!

A sigh was Ash's reaction on seeing the artificial nature of the horse as it slowed down. This gave him an easier to arget to hit as he jumped, aiming to land on the carrage's roof before drawing his shotgun out. "Trouble up ahead kids." He said after rapping on the carrage roof. "Drive. Let me worry about clearing the road."

He motioned to where miwa was hiding. "Can you keep up?"

Miwa watches as carrage approaches their position, and both Ash and another she doesn't recognize take defensive position on the top of it. The carrage is moving pretty fast, but not wanting to be left behind, Miwa uses aquajet to propel her bubble toward the carrage like a rocket, and she begins singing in simple tones to control the bubble as she rides the momentum and floats above the carrage. She nods to Ash and gives a wave of her right flipper as she turns to watch for anything coming up behind them on or near the road.

    "That's true, but we need to- hey!" Athena is grabbed by the younger boy and just swept off her feet... but not in a romantic way! She doesn't actually mind, because this does let her travel faster, she just needs to tighten her grip. "This works too. Better than Tsu's tongue grab anyway." Ew.

    At least it is until Mirage is encountered and tries to grab her by vines on the way! With uncanny precision, Athena's limbs twist away, but there are a lot of vines and just her, so one grabs her ankle despite her efforts.

    The sword is in her hand immediately, slicing herself free, but it means she's slowing down Izuku. "Go on without me, I'll catch up! Looks like we have a few hunters trying to thin the competetion!"

Rather than trying to run down Ash in the middle of the road, the cyborg horses winnie and slowly come to a stop, the carriage driver, a middle-eastern looking man with tanned skin, long black hair, feral features like elongated ears and claw-like nails, regards them. He is dressed in a loose V-cut red shirt and baggy white pants, sandals gripping his ankles and feet. He doesn't look entirely human.

"Calm down," a voice from inside the carriage drifts--male, likely through a sound system of some kind. "You want us to continue? Well then..." the coach driver snaps the reins of the mechanized horses and the carriage is off again, now with Ash and Miwa guarding it.

Mirage Mouse utilizes her telekinetic control of the plant-life and vines against Athena--trying to restrain her with the vines.

"Thin the competition? And how!" Mirage cackles as the large sledgehammer wielding man turns and attempts to swing his huge black metallic sledgehammer at her, her partially invisible and shimmering form throwing itself into a roll as the sledgehammer crashes into a nearby huge tree--breaking it entirely in half. Yeah, this guy is supernaturally strong--likely so were his buddies.

"Aw man it's the speed-force user again--don't you got some ladies manning to do somewhere?!" Mirage is more concerned with Athena and Itzuku it seems, at the moment. Athena is able to slice herself free, but at the same time feeling a mental intrusion by Mirage Mouse--trying to goad her into attacking the large sledgehammer wielding man for her.

"You two can kill eachother--I need to get paid," Mirage appears behind the man, blowing the two a kiss before turning and trying to run off.

"Hey?" Ash was kneeling atop the carrage, trying to keep a low profile as he kept his attention on his surroundings. "Saw you a bit back kid." It seemed he was addressing Midoriya. "Saw the bounty, something about it smelled like we werne't given the whole sotry. Don't like the idea of shooting at anyone going at us. It's a dad afraid for his kid."

For a moment he thought he could hear a voice lament. 'Become the one i love. Become Natah once more...' It was only for a moment then the memory was gone.

"But if it's you or them don't hesitat if you can't find another option." His voice was tight, "Most people crumple if you take a knee out or break ribs so hoping it won't come down that far. "

    Steadying herself after slicing the vine, Athena straightens up, flicks the blade, and readies to... do what? Fight the sledgehammer man, which she... was going to do... was she? Despite being divinity she isn't completely immune to mental influence, and it costs her precious seconds in figuring out what to do.

    "Wait..." the carriage! With a dash, the goddess moves in a superhuman swiftness after Mouse, instead of fighting the sledgehammer wielder detaching a small drone. Little Owl unfolds and whistles, darting toward the man with a quick burst of a low-powered laser, zipping to and fro.

    Athena goes after Mouse, going back to chasing down the carriage to get to the bottom of this.

Miwa can't really hear what's going on below on the carriage, between the bubble surrounding her muffling everything, and the fact that she continues to sing to power the aquakinesis that allows her bubble to float along with the carriage, but she is looking around from her bird's eye view, and blinks a bit as she spots Mirage, Athena, and some hulking figure with a sledgehammer who just smashed a tree in half. She winces a bit at that as she tries to expel the image of what that blow would have done if it were her in place of that tree. "Please tell me I'm not going to have to fight Mirage again..." Miwa thinks to herself, but likely strong enough that Mirage might pick up on it. Looking back to the sledgehamer hulk, she decides to make sure he doesn't follow Athena and head toward the carriage, by charging up a Moonblast, firing off a orb of pink energy from her mouth aimed at the muscle bound man.

"Waaa!" Mouse is thrown back as the sledgehammer wielding bounty hunter brings his mighty weapon down against the ground just before her--the impact grazing her and throwing her back against a tree--and now she has Athena to deal with, as well. Mouse turns and begins to run--bringing down several trees in her wake as she attempts to try and catch up to the carriage as it speeds off ahead of them--throwing the already felled tree directly at Athena as she makes a break for it!

The carriage tries to clear the site of the fighting going on--rolling on into what looks like the setting sun--but it's not out of trouble just yet.

<Miwa get yourself clear of danger> Mirage shoots to the Primarina.

The large hammer wielder is hit by Miwa's charged up Moonblast--throwing him off balance for just a bit--enough to buy Mirage and the others some time to move around him!

Ash frowned, too many friendlies to risk a shotgun blast so he lowered the shotgun, it seeming to adhear to his warframe's back as he pulled a pair of throwing knives out. Normally this would be nothing, but between Mirage, the carrage bouncing, and the fact he wasn't the only one on the rather small roof meant this was an annoying throw to make. However he did, and would keep throwing at the hulking brute if need be. Generally none of his knives were aimed at anything vital, but an ultra sharp pointy metal thing sticking out of a hand, or thigh, or foot would pretty well ruin someone's day regardless. 

"Kid," He managed between throws, "You alright over there?"

    Athena doesn't like trees being hurled at her, nope. Her sword is out, and she thankfully has that in hand, ducking and at the same time slicing through the trunk. Branches whip over her armor, and though she avoids any real damage, she is slowed for a moment, enough to remember her real goal. "I just wanted information," she laments... though she was pretty quick to start blasting anything that was in her way.

    Or Little Owl, her drone is, rather! The drone is zipping about and starting to shoot at the one she was supposed to be attacking, and that frees up Athena to pause and take stock of ehr surroundings with her tactical sense. She's going to head for the carriage, instead, moving through the forest with uncanny ease to make it a shortcut. "Maybe Ash knows," she grumbles, trying to raise the Tenno on her radio to see if he knows if this was really a kidnapping.

>> GAME >> Athena spends an Edge for: Sledgehammer guy attack and pursue carriage multi-action.

Miwa shakes her head at Mirage and thinks openly. <I appreciate your concern Mirage, but I'm not going anywhere.> The primarina then swiftly converts her air-filled bubble into an orb of water which cradles her from underneth, allowing for a wider range of attacks, while also not being as vulnerable to popping. As Ash throws his knives at the brute with the sledgehammer, she adds another attack of her own, Hydro Pump. A powerful jet of water blasts from her mouth, aiming to strike the brute and forcefully slam him into the trunk of a large tree.

"Not really--" Mirage Mouse replies back to Ash, even as the knives sink into the giant sledgehammer wielding man. The giant tree trunk is sliced clean down the middle by Athena's sword--able to break the giant former tree down and emerge with it in splinters! The sledge-hunter is still off balance enough for Ash's attack to do real damage--and he's thrown down just as Athena speeds by. He's left behind along with Mirage, for the moment.

Up ahead, the carriage is still going--though it brings itself around to a stop, the door slowly creaking open as the occuparts depart it.

A young woman, about 17-18, long curly brown hair and wearing a white gown--likely the one she was 'abducted' in, with her lover beside her--a tall man in dark lacquered armor and cape, white skin with short white hair longer in back than on front. Think Bowie, almost--nearly supernaturally beautiful.

"You aided us back there--but what will you do now?" he addresses Athena directly, and the others if they have caught up.

Meanwhile--Mirage tumbles in the water of the hydropump--getting seemingly washed away along with the hulking form of the sledgehammer wielder--though after a few moments they break the surface--thrashing in the now small pond in the middle of the forest.

Ash looked the man over when the carrage occupants spoke. "Frankly I don't know enough of the situation to like a bounty being called out so wanted to have a nice sitdown once thigns calm. Try findin a way to fix this since otherwise her dad'll just keep sending people out."

He frowned as he brought his shotgun back up, "Hey Mirage. You take the bounty?" He yelled, "THis's going to get real awquard if you did." He then spared the couple a glance. "SHe's psychic. Not sure if she can do mind voodoo and act at the same time, don't want to find out... So if Either me, kid there," He gestured to Deku-san, "Or the ladies yonder," He gestured first to Miwa then to Athena, "Start acting weird, that's probaly why."

He then started walking towards Mirage, shotgun still at the ready in case either she attacked or if sledgehammer had friends. "Look if you're on contract I get it, but maybe all of us can sit down for a couple minutes figure this out?" Granted if she WAS on contract there really wasn't much room for 'figuring thigns out.' On the other hand Ash had loopholed a bad faith job with Mirages help. Least he felt he should do is help her figure out if she's gotten in a simialrly bad spot.

Shortly after the carriage arrives and the two love birds exit, Miwa catches up on her water bubble and comes in to land as the bubble splats into the ground under her. She greets the pair with a smile. "Hello, please don't be frightened, my name is Miwa and I'm here to help, assuming you're both together by choice. Though I suppose we need to find a way to appease your father or make it so he and any he hires can't find the two of you." She says as she turns her attention briefly toward the young woman.

    Athena pants lightly - just lightly - as she's confronted with the questionof what she intends to do. Sword sheathing, the girl shrugs. "That depends. Miss, were you kidnapped against your will?" She looks to the girl, with an expectant expression. "I'm not here for the bounty, though I'd be glad to collect it if it works out. I don't mind money."

    Athena is maybe not the model hero, being pragmatic as she is. But she continues, "I'd like to hear the story from your mouth, that's all. Then I will decide what to do."

Mirage is slowly rousing as she pulls herself out of the water following the hydropump--she does not know where the other hunter is, and for the momsnt she doesn't seem to mind.

"I lost them, damnit--" Mirage utters as she clears water from her esophagus, even as Ash approaches.

"The deal was the girl or her dead body," she mutters with matter of factness, apparently sour that she has been shown up to the bounty--the carriage appears to have gotten away from her. She is battered and bruised and wet, however alive.

"We are," the girl speaks. "We chose to run away together, but my father hired hunters to bring me back to him," the girl speaks to Miwa and Athena. "My father could not believe that we'd want to be together, since my love is not human," she gestures to the unnaturally pale caped man next to her, who nods.

"If you would like to help us--please take this ring--my father will believe I died and you can take it--we... won't be back here," the girl takes a very thin gold ring worn on a chain from around her neck, holding it out to Athena.

"We will continue to the next state over, and hopefully catch a shuttle there, I have no love for this place," the man drapes the long black cloak over the girl's shoulder, meriting a warm smile from her.

"OK..." Ash offered Mirage a hand. "You hurt?" He shouldered his weapon and knelt to help Mirage to her feet.

In his transferrence pod Ash radio'd Miwa, "Yea mirage took the bounty. Try getting the girl's story if possible I keep hearing how people can get mind controlled, but I'm... well I dunno. Use best judgement," He was stuck in a bit of a bind. Disappointed Daddies were nothing new. Just ask Hunhow if you ever find the guy. Problem is he could see this from the father's perspective. So he added, "Try getting a read on if the girl and her dad had a falling out or something. COuld be a simple sitdown will help clear the air." He doubted it... but. Well. He wanted to hope.

Miwa would tap her round nose against what looked like a watch strapped to the upper part of her left flipper, and respond to Ash over radio. "Well, seems daddy isn't happy that his daughter fell in love with someone who isn't human. Somehow I doubt anyone is going to be terribly successful in convincing him to be more open minded, but the girl says if we deliver her ring to her father, believe she is dead and stop sending hunters after them." She would turn back to the couple and nod. "Sorry to hear about your toubles, I really hope you can get away and be happy together." She offers, leaving Athena to take the ring, as she had no easy way of grabbing it with her flippers.

    Athena will take the ring then, in the absence of anyone else claiming it. She considers the pale one carefully. What the others say is considered as well. "If I find out that this is a mind control or something, then I'll be back. But I have no real interest in separating you two. I did something like that once, and it didn't work out well for anyone. A lot of death all around, I don't think I'd like to repeat it."

    She twirls the ring and looks about for Mirage and the others to see if they object. "If it's the bounty you want, I can split it, I don't mind."

"Thank you, we'll make good use of our time," the two climb back into the carriage. The carriage then departs, leaving behind a sodden and bruised Mouse who looks a fair bit unhappy that she's been beaten at her own game.

"If you want," Mirage Mouse is still dripping water. "But I think the real question is what's going to happen to those two? You think they'll make it?" she shrugs a little, waving it off. "We should go now, I need a hairdryer, and some dry clothes," she walks off.

And the day is saved, it appears--for an uncertain but bright future.

Ash shrugged as he considered how things were headed with himself and Miwa. "Given my own life? I somehow am biased to want to hope." Ash started walking with Mirage to pick Miwa up. "Let's get you cleaned up, and get lunch."

He sounded more relaxed now that the threat had diffused. He again called up Miwa. "Mirage is with me. If you can get a ring or necklace or something off the girl that'll probably be good enoough."

As the young couple ride off in the carriage, Miwa follows Athena in looking for Mirage and Ash, responding to Ash on her radio. "The couple have left in the carriage now, but Athena has the ring."