legionmissions | Camping: Part II!

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Camping: Part II!

Jason didn't exactly sell the new world well. Stepping through the Threshold Gate, the Legionnaires find themselves on a landing platform overseeing their new vacation hotspot. The first thing they'll notice is that everything feels slightly heavier. Nothing dramatic, but if they were carrying a hundred pounds of stuff, now they've got twenty more pounds weighing them down. The planet, Futuro's Folly, is as advertised, hollowed out with the entire ecosystem on the inside. Outside, if they'd bothered to look, there was only a barren, crater-pocked surface of a dwarf planet about half the size of Pluto. Inside, however...

While they're standing in the midst of what was surely once a base of some kind, the criminal resort according to Jason, it doesn't stretch out very far. Just about three quarters of a mile out, the 'settled' area ends, taken over by a vibrant jungle of dense violet and orange foliage, with gigantic red and blue mushrooms filling just as much area as the trees. More, in some cases, as some of them seem to be miles high off in the distance, just when the earth seems to start curving in on itself. An orange sphere that seems to be the size of a silver dollar hangs in space above their heads, with something rotating in the core of it. If anyone were to watch it, the orb flickers rapidly as rings blur around the sphere itself. After about 8 in the evening, the fields that the rings generated would turn slightly opaque, bringing darkness to the entire planet at once.

The former crime resort itself isn't exactly in the best of shape. By 31st century standards, the technology is centuries out of date and finding people who are capable of repairing it without ruining the 'historical significance' is increasingly difficult. There are six main buildings other than the small spaceport they're standing in:

The main building. The top three floors were once dedicated to administration, communications, and security. The bottom two floors are dedicated recreational areas, with infonet hookups (reception's not a problem when you can turn your entire planet into a signal amplifier), a variety of holographic games, and a bar/lounge area with some futuristic gambling machines tucked into a corner. Jason has turned on the parental controls, however.

Behind the main building is the storage center. There's a vast array of vehicles, furniture, and machinery that can be asked for, and it's all stored underground. Simply type in a command and the robots underground will shove the requested item into the gravity tubes, shooting them up to the customer's level.

The food court has the option to make your own food as well as an outdated and slightly buggy robo-chef that can make a variety of meals. Meat is on the menu, but if anyone asks for meals that require it, they'll have a long wait. The larder hasn't been stocked in centuries. However, it does have coffee. STRONG coffee. And just about any vegan meal you could ask for. It's open air, but can be covered with a dome at the push of a button. The dome has controllable transparency and can be programmed to display any number of things as a ceiling.

Standing roughly three hundred yards apart are two convertible athletic fields, each about a half-mile in distance. In the old days, they'd hold races or gladiatorial bouts in them. They'll form just about any field needed, however, from obstacle courses and splatterball to golf to the now-illegal slaughterball rings or laser tag arenas. However, most of the gear needed to play is in the storage center.

Finally, there's a single public bath house. Rather than the sonic showers of Legion World, these use real water. The bath house holds rooms for spas, saunas, massages, public bathing, and showers. Jason has assured everyone, however, that there are private bathing arrangements. He neglects to mention the cameras that subtly fill the rooms, though they are now sporting brand new Legion of Super-Hero stickers over the lenses to keep everyone's privacy intact.

About a quarter a mile off in the distance, there's about fifty luxhabs. Small cabins built for two people at most, with private bath rooms, small kitchenettes with freshly stocked food, personal computers, and a communications system to contact other luxhabs or make orders from the main house and kitchen. Food can be delivered by small drones if it's called for. The beds are made of a oxygenated memory gel, capable of taking nearly any consistency and shape requested, from a pudding to rows of gel-blades. Climate controls, down to programming the inhabitant's favored atmosphere or filling the luxhab with water, are in full effect. The outsides are programmable ferroliquids, so the guest can customize their vacation home's exterior, even going as far as to add porches.

When the Legionnaires approach the border, heading to the wilderness, there's a small, almost decorative-looking wall. Even those with normal hearing will pick up on a ringing tone as they get closer to it, like a bad case of tinnitus. Walking through the gates is almost like walking through an actual barrier, but once they've done that, the noise fades the further they get from it. The sonic barrier covers the resort in a dome, meaning that they'd run into the same thing if they flew straight up.

Immediately outside the wall, the jungle starts abruptly. And, compared to the relative silence of the resort, the noise of life is practically deafening. Bugs clicking, birds calling, animals screaming at one another, it all slowly fades in the deeper they get. There are trails through the jungle, but they're slowly becoming overgrown as the resort's popularity slowly fades.

As they go deeper, it's not hard to find the first actual animals. Totally unused to humanoid life, they show more curiosity than fear. Small, chicken-sized dinosaurs roam in packs, sloth-like creatures hang from the ceilings, and there are trees that have been knocked over, and recently, in some huge brawl between titans. Every now and then, a small batch of overgrown buildings can be found, mechanical parts pushed out of them by growing vines, or torn out by wild animals. Slow, crackling noises that sound like drawn out thunder echo in the distance as something snaps trees, some of them several dozen feet in diameter, like twigs in the pursuit of prey.

The only thing that Jason's marked on the maps, beyond the default markers that the resort gives out, is a lake about five miles outside of the resort. Set in a clearing, it's over a mile long and several hundred feet deep, with a cave system connected to it underneath. The data regarding the caves is corrupt, the maps refuse to include them. A river feeds into the lake by a waterfall, and a number of small creeks seem to spring up near it. It's not uninhabited, there are several fish in there. And, possibly, something living in the caverns underneath. It's rare, but someone might see animals drinking from time to time, from the small dinosaur packs to titanic mammoths... with weapon mounts that alarmingly track anything that move too close, too fast.

There's a lot to work with, and Jason's rented the place for several days. Hopefully, everyone will find what they need to relax and recover from their recent traumatic events. Or just socialize and meet new people.

[[Okay, so there's some generic activity headers up right now. Feel free to pick one up and run with activities running in any of those areas. For those of you who wanted action, I'll have a separate top-level for that. However, I won't be running any of that chaos, so feel free to take it in the direction you'd like.

If you want to do anything, anything at all, and it doesn't fit into one of my toplevels, feel free to make a new thread entirely! Go wild with it, y'know?]]

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Reaper doesn't take kindly to people intruding in on his space. He made sure that the place looks very stand-offish from the rest of the luxhabs, clearly edited and tinkered with, so the fact that someone just waltzes in really grinds his gears.

He's not near the front door when Casey lets himself in, but he hears the soft creak of the hinges and senses the warm presence of the living. It's not like it's a special ability of his, but he seems to be much more attune to their presence after his own body warmth had all but disappeared.

Cautiously, Reaper makes his way out of the room he's in and dissolves into black mist, dropping low to the ground as he rushes out like a gale had ripped through the luxhab. A sharp whooshing sound follows as he fills the floor around Casey's feet, recognizing the kid.

The Reaper.

He chuckles lowly as he whirls away from his feet, solidifying into his original shape a few feet away from him. Most of his outfit is in tact, but missing his ammo and some belts. He'd been in the middle of inventorying his stuff.

Well, Casey has to give credit: watching the billowing black smoke form into a guy is still freaky as all heck but...

"Oh, 's just you. Bummer."

Honestly, he's a little disappointed. He was hoping for an alien vampire or at least a ghost.

"And what exactly were you expecting?"

He doesn't sound disappointed, but still, a reaction really takes the wind out of your sails.

"I dunno, somethin'...alien! We're on a totally different planet's camp, right? I figured this might be some kinda haunted cabin or somethin'!"

Casey really doesn't feel much threat from Reaper, not since he figures Legion has got him under control, and the possibility of having an experience out of a horror movie that was cool and not awful seemed to be dangled just under his nose until now.

He has no response for that. Sorry to burst your bubble, kid. If his face were human, it'd be a long, withering stare, akin to an annoyed grandpa whose grandkid comes busting in on his alone time.

"There's more out there," he growls, slowly turning away from him. "Try them out for size."

Whether Casey leaves or not isn't really his concern. The kid could wander around and see if he could find anything of interest for all he cares. In the meantime, Reaper continues to flicker through different options for the cabin, still going through all the tech available in the place while he finishes taking inventory.

Yeah, there is more than one cabin that might be interesting, but on the other hand...do any of them have a ghost guy in a skeleton mask picking out exteriors like he's some kind of grandpa deciding on doilies to go with his vase of dried flowers.

He does wander around the cabin a bit, just to see what he can find, but the sheer absurdity of a guy like Reaper caring so much about how his vacation home looks makes Casey snort in barely-suppressed laughter and he doesn't care if Reaper notices.

Fortunately for Casey, Reaper has no interest in forcibly removing a child from the premise and just lets him wander around. He taps a claw down on an option with finality, changing the blinds to blackout curtains. Oh, that works.

The snort does interrupt his thoughts, though, as vague as they may be. He really doesn't care about the look of his temporary base, but he is getting acquainted with the tech. That's always good. He supposes since the kid's here, and on Legion world for a reason, he could get a better picture of his abilities. Seems everyone needs them to be here anyway.

"So, kid. Why The Reaper?"

Not very good at idle conversation, but at least he's straight to the point.

Casey might have something to say if he knew Reaper thought of him as a "child." For now, Casey can think Reaper just wants to avoid a fight and be content with that.

"Woulda just been Reaper if you hadn't come along." Casey hops on the ledge of the fireplace to examine the knicknacks, but it's all just stuff that came with the cabin. "Back home, I just go by Casey Jones, but if you tell a scumbag that the vigilante is coming? They know who it is."

Considering he's the only human vigilante in town, it's less impressive than he makes it out to be.

He hums, low and uninterested.

"Just thought it sounded cool, then."

Though the chances of there being an actual reasoning behind the name choice seems 50/50. The blinds suddenly snap open as he flickers through a much more cheerier selection, clashing terribly with the rest of the drab decor.

"Well, hockey sticks kinda look like scythes! And I got my mask all done up like a skull!"

It's not just because it's wicked awesome. He's folds his arms before the sudden light makes him jump a little. He takes a moment to...well, chuckle at the total incongruity of the new decor.

"So why'd you take Reaper then, if it's totally not cool?"

Enjoying the aesthetics of reapers and other representations of death for its 'cool' factor is something even Reaper himself couldn't rule out. There's a very specific message that he tries to send out to his victims before they breathe their last, after all. Those that manage to get glimpses of him or spread rumors can only compound on that, which in all honesty, doesn't really bother him. In the end, it only spreads the infamy. A warning. Beware the Reaper.

But telling Casey, a Legionnaire— a young boy, at that— that his reasons were because he Brings Death Wherever He Goes doesn't exactly seem like the smartest thing. Trying to intimidate enemies is one thing. Intimidating people that may express concerns to the higher ups from his frightening conduct around children is a whole 'nother ball game. Though Casey doesn't exactly strike him as the type to get frightened by him, seeing as he's content to just hang around and ask him questions.

"Guess you got me," he finally replies. "Representing the harbinger of death is pretty cool."

It's almost a sneer, but there's a distinct lack of animosity behind the word. Then after a beat, he speaks again. It's posed like a question, but sounds more like a statement.

"You don't fear death."

"Uh..."

Casey had the distinct feeling he may be walking into a trap. Like whatever Reaper said was going to fall on him and crush him like a big spike ceiling if he stepped on the wrong tile. Looking at Reaper's face to figure out what he meant was a little pointless, but he does it anyway.

"Guess not."

He doesn't think about death much, so he probably doesn't.

His laugh starts off like a rumble, shaking his shoulders as the sound grows more distinct. It could most certainly be a trap, and he can sense a twinge of wariness in Casey's tone. Good instincts, he thinks. Might not be as dull as he looks, he muses.

"You should. Keeps you alive."

His claw flicks again through the device, switching to heavy, blackout curtains.

"Oh, I get it. You're tryin' to scare me. But you oughta know I don't frighten off easy." Casey leans against the wall, planting himself like a thorn in the Big Reaper's side.

"If I was scared of death I wouldn't do half the wicked awesome stuff I've done."

Wicked awesome stuff, eh? As much as the thorn needles into his thick, dead skin, he could always learn a little about his fellow Legionnaires. Knowing is much better than not. At least he was right about Casey; kid doesn't scare easy.

"Yeah?" He drawls, not sounding nearly as interested as he could be. "How many brushes with Death have you experienced?"

Casey actually has to think about it, to the point where he pulls himself off the wall and starts to pace.

"Well...There's the time I went toe to toe with the world's most dangerous assassins, the time I got thrown off a building by a killer tiger, the time I got cornered by a monster made of acid, the time I nearly got metal-plated in a factory, the time I got a poison kiss from a hot snake lady..."

He's just rattling these off as he thinks of them. "Got eaten by an alien worm once, nearly got digested. That one sucked..."

"You're shittin' me," he scoffs, the fantastical tales sounding very fake to him. "Let me guess, you're now the world's most dangerous assassin."

He can't help but underestimate the kid. Their first encounter wasn't exactly an all-out fight, nor did he really have a grasp of the kid's abilities and/or powers, so there isn't much to go off of here.

"I didn't kill the guy!" That is so not how Casey rolls. "Just foiled his gnarly brainwashing plot."

So this guy doesn't believe him. That's a little annoying, but it's not like Casey can't anticipate being too awesome for comprehension.

"Why, afraid I'm way cooler than you thought I was?"

If Reaper is disappointed in this revelation, he doesn't show it. Well, so much for underestimating him. Either way, he's getting a better picture of him now. He's clearly made for the Legion— doesn't seem to like the idea of being a killer to get his job done, even if his opponent is.

"The fear is real," he replies, punctuated with another snap of the device. Flowery curtains. "Foiling plans isn't enough. Gotta put 'em down before they come back at you faster and harder."

"That's not what heroes do, dude."

Casey's tone is a lot harder than it was before, though he's still calling Reaper "dude" and doesn't seem to realize how that might affect how he comes off. But he didn't start his nighttime vigilante gig and do everything he did to protect his fiends back home to become as bad as the freakin' Shredder.

Reaper laughs. It's a good change in tone, he thinks. A name like 'Reaper' (or The Reaper, whatever) shouldn't be taken so lightly. There's an image that comes with it, whether Casey likes it or not, and Reaper himself isn't going to hold back.

He can't kill anyone, but he sure as hell won't show any mercy. His penchant for brutal efficiency is something he plans to make known.

"Right," he says finally, before tossing the controller over his shoulder. "And that's why nothing gets done."

"Dude, me and my bros stopped Shredder every time and we never had to kill anyone!"

Nothing gets done? That's freakin' stupid. Casey's been winning his whole life without taking anyone else's. He has to conclude that Reaper's just being lazy about the hero-ing thing.

Reaper can almost appreciate how confident Casey sounds about his accomplishments. If he wasn't Reaper right now, maybe if he'd been Gabriel, he'd be impressed that no death toll had racked up on this kid's record. Not even once. Not even an accident.

"That's why you keep having to deal with him every single time," he continues, not really giving Casey much of a reason to like him at all. He could go on, talk about how not everyone out there is this Shredder. How sometimes the Bad Guys are not who you think they are. Sometimes there's no other choice but to eliminate the threat... but, well. Save that for another day.

He would also definitely be lazy about being a hero. He sure as hell didn't sign up to be a hero because he wanted this.

Edited 2017-01-23 07:46 (UTC)

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Camping: Part II!

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