Secret Invasion: X-men (The Milliways version)

[cutting_edgex23]

It has been a very long day, and it is not over yet. Skrull are flooding the streets, the airwaves are abuzz with surrender announcements, and the X-men have been performing guerilla attacks on whatever troops they can find for hours now.

They are not making a dent. Not really.

The ships are still hovering close to the city, and while the guns haven't sounded yet, they will.

It is a waste not to use the resources at hand. That is what X thinks, at least.

And, when the Skrull begin rounding up human prisoners, she (and several of the other X-men, Wolverine, Emma, and Cyclops in particular) are proven right.

Every X-man has been deployed, and they are all tired. Worn. Someone needs to have a plan.

X, in point of fact, does. She collars Pixie--"Wait here. I will need you."--and heads through a nearby doorway.

She will be back. Shortly.

Very shortly.

Comments

[raptorcanaria]

Dinah is rolling her shoulders as she comes through the door fromm the bar, loosening up her joints in preparation. She glances around casually, taking in the environment instantly.

She is, of course, in full costume, and is pleased to note she doesn't look out of place at all.

Although she quickly makes a promise to herself never to wear spandex.

[seewhatyoumean.livejournal.com]

Batgirl is also in costume. Her face is blank behind her mask.

There's work to be done. Her steps flowed forward easily, her head swiveling back and forth searching for targets.

[ellectrical]

The closest thing Elle's ever had to a costume is what she's wearing - black slacks, tall black shoes, and a light blue sleeveless shirt. She's not wearing a jacket - it might get in the way, and after so long with that sling arm, Elle doesn't want to have to worry about that.

Her hair's also tied back in a pony tail, and bright sparks are snapping over her right hand as she steps out.

[evil_koala_626]

What the shortest member of the quartet lacks in costume, he makes up for in volume. There is a great deal of snarling and incomprehensible yammering coming from somewhere around knee hight as Stitch charges through the doorway (and Cass' legs).

[cutting_edgex23]

X follows them, shutting the door behind her. It's quiet where they are--most of the X-men are elsewhere, using guerilla tactics to take on the invading Skrulls. Or they're in the lab, working on--whatever Cyclops' plan is.

"This way," she says, quick and sharp. "I will get Pixie."

Elle might recognize Josh, gold-skinned and harried-looking, running from one door to another. He's not the only one moving quickly.

X reaches out and snags a pink-skinned girl with fairy wings by the arm, grip careful but sure.

The girl gulps.

[23xnpcs]

"Are you sure you need me? I mean not that I won't help or anything, because they have people out there, Laura, only I'm still not very good with any other spells, and my soul dagger's kind of small, and--"

She stops talking after a few moments under X's deadpan stare, shooting a glance over Laura's shoulder at her--friends.

Okay, they're pretty scary too.

"Now is better," Laura says, and Pixie just nods. "Okay. Here goes."

She chants something in a language none of them understand, and then they're dissolving, falling, and reappearing--

In the middle of a horde of Skrull warriors. They don't seem to have been expected.

[seewhatyoumean.livejournal.com]

Cass is already in motion. She may be merely human, but she's a very fast and well trained merely human.

Her foot snaps back, smashing into the one behind her, shoving it into the one behind it. She immediately pivots, swinging that same foot around to catch one in the face. The spin is continued as she drops her weight low, hooking a leg and sweeping a fourth of its feet.

Then she really gets down to business.

[raptorcanaria]

Dinah does what many teenage girls would do if suddenly snatched out of one location and transported into the middle of a horde of Skrull warriors.

She screams.

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE"

The sonic wave hits hard and wide, throwing aliens back off their feet and causing no small amount of pain, buying the heroes space to move at least, and a dazed first wave of opponents at that.

[ellectrical]

It's been far too long since Elle's had a real job, and even longer since X and Elle had their practice fighting a different sort of alien.

What this means is that though these aliens may not have spikes coming out of their arms and don't look like creepy giant insects, Elle wastes absolutely no time in sending a bright arc of electricity into the crowd of Skrull.

Electricity is quickly crackling over her left hand as well, and sparks are snapping over her shoulders. While she might normally like to take her time, Elle doesn't bother now, figuring out what it takes to get the aliens down and firing her way through them.

[evil_koala_626]

For something with suck stubby leg, Stitch can spring surprisingly well when the need calls for it. It may lack grace, it may lack distance but as he nails the nearest Skrull in the solar plexus head first, it seems effective just the same.

Seconds later, the unfortunate soldier is sent hurtling toward his compatriots.

[cutting_edgex23]

They go down. Hard. X makes sure they stay down on her way past them and into the second squad of Skrull that is making its way into the loading dock.

Her claws are out. All six of them.

Skrull blood is not a pleasant smell, but it's overrun by the smell of ozone soon enough.

This is probably a good thing.

[23xnpcs]

Pixie, soul dagger drawn, is playing it defensively.

Except for the part where she's fluttering above the Skrull, dropping sparkling shiny dust on their heads.

Things are about to get very interesting for them.

Interesting and pink. And fuzzy.

They deserve it.

[seewhatyoumean.livejournal.com]

After the first three or four skrulls, Cass figures out that she can't fight them like humans. She shifts her focus from simple strikes to more complex disabling combinations. Joint locks, twists, throws.

She uses a lot of skrulls as makeshift weapons. In fact she's holding one by the wrist and elbow and slamming him into two who are moving in behind X. Not because X needs it, but because she's in the habit.

[raptorcanaria]

Dinah figures out what Cass figures out at about the same number of Skrulls. She uses throws and twists more than strikes anyway at this time in her training, and is quite happy to throw and twist them into each other, moving quickly and as silently as Batgirl herself.

Well, except for the occasions where all her allies are behind her and there's a large number of Skrull ahead. Then she knocks them down with a cry.

[ellectrical]

Elle has never been much of a team player. She did learn to at least make sure that her partner or other colleagues weren't in her line of fire, but cooperating enough to fight with others requires a kind of care for them that she usually doesn't have.

And so she doesn't pay more attention to the others than it takes to make sure what she's aiming at is in fact these aliens. There are more than enough for this to not be a problem, and after a few minutes, she loosens up. Or at least, what that means for her: rather than only taking out as many as possible with arcs and well placed bolts of electricity, she shoves herself against a few like a live wire.

[evil_koala_626]

By this point a few of the besiged Skrull have pulled themselves together enough to deside that perhaps hand to hand is not the most expedient way in which to elliminate this unwelcome new development. The air is pierced by weapons fire.

TSEW TSEW TSEW

Stitch leaps to the left, tumbling away as the floor panel beside him smokes ominously.

"Ah-chooga moopa!" growls the little alien, scrambling up the wall.

[cutting_edgex23]

The Skrull have done themselves one favor by pulling out weaponry--

X is now less likely to stab them and focus more on disabling their weapons.

Then she'll disable them.

She's also keeping half an eye on the corridors, just waiting for someone to make a move to escape. Then they'll know who to follow. And who will answer questions.

She doesn't flinch as she takes one solid shot to the gut, then another to her thigh. It will heal, and she cannot afford to give the Skrull a moment to breathe, to think.

None of them can. At least they all know what they're doing. And the Skrull were not expecting this.

[23xnpcs]

It's unfortunate that the element of surprise can only last so long, and on the flagship of the Skrull fleet over San Francisco--

Time has just run out. If the sudden distress call from the Skrull keeping track of the hostages wasn't enough, someone in the belly of the ship must have given warning of X's team's arrival. Why? Because the sudden cacophony of two different warning sirens plus sudden sharp orders in the Skrull tongue fills the air. There are flashing lights, too.

And about half the Skrull left standing immediately split into two groups and run down an adjacent set of hallways.

The remainder take up defensive positions, clearly intending to hold their ground until help arrives.

Now, if only someone could get one of them to talk--

[raptorcanaria]

Pulling a gun on Dinah is usually one of the least effective things you can do, after sending dogs or animals after her. The trouble is, her throat is sore and her sonic scream, if used to shatter guns, might also shatter the structural integrity of the ship she's standing in.

So she doesn't, especially with the current change in Skrull strategy.

"X! Batgirl! Stop them!" she says, pointing down the two hallways the Skrull are fleeing down. That leaves Stitch, Elle and herself with the remaing half, whichsin't much of a problem to her, as she's already launching herself feet first at her nearest one.

[seewhatyoumean.livejournal.com]

Luckily Cass' path of destruction has moved her to slightly behind Dinah, so she sees the pointing. One of the things that she's good at is taking orders, so she bobs her head in a quick nod, kicks a nearby skrull in the throat, and takes off down the indicated corridor.

[cutting_edgex23]

X doesn't need to see where Dinah points--there are only two sets of fleeing Skrull. She breaks the knees of the Skrull in front of her, then darts down the second hallway.

If her gaze flicks toward Elle for just a second, it's mostly to make sure her recently-healed friend isn't hurt.

Mostly.

And then she's busy tearing through Skrull warriors.

She'll be back shortly.

[ellectrical]

Elle's own gaze flickers to X; she would certainly rather be going with her, but the movement of her eyes is the only real acknowledgment of this her mind or body will give.

That, and her turning back on the remaining Skrull and releasing the strongest electrical surge yet.

Her expression remains impassive, however, eyes only darting to count what's left.

[evil_koala_626]

It is only through years of experience on the battlefield that the Skrull braced against one wall senses the scuttling of claws coming from somewhere in the direction of the ceiling. Is is, therefore, rather unfortunate that he chooses this particular moment to look up.

"GrrrrrrBLARGH!"

Stitch lunges, dropping heavily on to the alien's upturned face. The Skrull may be forgiven for executing the rather natural reaction of bellowing a muffled shout, pinwheeling his arms and shuffling rapidly backwards. The pair go down in a tangle of flailing limbs and snarled extraterrestrial profanity.

[23xnpcs]

The two Skrull beside the bundle of Stitch-and-Skrull immediately move away, one heading for Dinah, and one rushing Elle.

They will make their lives count.

He loves them.

[23xnpcs]

Pixie, soul dagger in hand, drops on the one heading toward Elle, glimmery, shimmery dust flying everywhere.

Now there's just one Skrull left.