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Team Argos

Book 1:The Unveilling

Chapter 2: Meetings

By Jear77

Shockwave

Tom snuck out of MegaCorp lab as Shockwave through the vents. He thought: _Even if the vents are monitored, all that will show up is a blip with how fast I go. With any luck, I'll be able to take care of this criminal and be back before anyone notices I'm missing. Even if they notice, I can say that I stepped out for a bite to eat. _

As he exited the roof vent he listened for where the alarm was coming from. Unfortunately, all the steel and glass served to cause the alarm both to be amplified and distorted. Thankfully he had a news-feed eyepiece going, which said the bank robbery was being held at Plainfield Avenue and 35th Place. Zipping down the building, he headed for the bank. Just as he got there he saw a familiar looking bear in a costume...

Mirror

Akhela stepped through the mirror into Mirror World, a relatively uninhabited, save for floating glimmers of varied colored light and far-away echoes or distorted sound in a vast sea of nothingness. Each of them is from a reflective surface. Some of them were small, from a coin, or a pen. Others are the size of entire buildings. Some reflections blink in and out with lighting conditions, others are stable under artificial lighting. Only by focusing on one at a time, can one see and hear what's on the other side. If a mirror is large enough the Mirror walker can phase through the other, standing on or near by it. As Akhela entered Mirror World, she floated and turned around to see the room she just departed from.

Unlike the Maze, only Mirror Walkers, and the 'natural' inhabitants of Mirror World can enter or exit. Even a person is in direct contact with a Mirror Walker when they phase into a mirror, they will have nothing to hold on to.

Mirror World, despite its innocuous appearance is a misunderstood place, full of hidden dangers. Mirror Walkers have to be careful that they don't careen out of control, ending up in a place that they do not want to be. Stepping through the wrong reflective surface could have the Mirror Walker end up many miles above the earth's surface, in outer space or tens of thousands of feet beneath the ocean's surface. In such dangerous circumstances, even the most trained Mirror Walker would find him or herself in danger, possibly not being able to return to Mirror World before he or she died. Further, the reflections that were in Mirror World weren't all of this existence. Some reflections were of things that were taking place now. Other reflections were of things that happened in the past. Still others were reflections of things that would be if things continued along the same path, might be if things changed, and would never be in this reality. Ending up in a different reality might mean being stuck there forever or being instantly killed due to physics working differently.

And those weren't the only dangers. The 'natural' inhabitants of Mirror World were also a danger. There are abominations that steal their victim's appearance; eat souls and inhabit the bodies of their victims; or simply eat the soul and leave the empty shell behind to die. Mirror Walkers have to make sure that they don't leave the mirrors 'open' after they phase through them, lest they let the abominations come through and terrorize reality.

Closing her eyes, she centered herself to get her bearings. One at a time, she tuned out all her hopes, dreams, and desires. The discipline of centering herself made sure she did not enter a window to the past, an alternate reality, or the one of any number of possible futures. In fact, those who practice captromancy/ enoptromancy, or "mirror divination" are gazing into Mirror World at such windows of time. To get around in Mirror world one either floats from mirror to mirror until they see the mirror they want to inspect or phase through; or rebound, bouncing from mirror to mirror, though they have to be careful. If a Mirror walker gets too close to the reflection, other Mirror Walkers can see their image. Even rebounding has its dangers around other Mirror Walkers, who can pull them out of the mirror, if they're fast enough to do so. Most anthros who see being done it think it's just the fact that they're tired when they see glitch. But others will enter Mirror World to investigate, potentially causing the Mirror Walker problems. Mirror rebounded from mirror to mirror until she came to a mirror in one of the bank's restroom above the sink. Phasing out of the mirror, she stepped lightly on the sink, and out of the restroom, where she encountered...

X-Zorb

Art left his apartment wearing his street clothes. Ducking into a dark alleyway, he changed into his costume, leaving through a different way in case the omnipresent cameras spotted him. Heading to the bank, he spots a familiar-looking wolf in a costume. His heart skipped a beat. Could it be?...

Everyone

The bear shakes his hand and says "X-Zorb. Powerhouse. Shall we do this?"

Shockwave nods, opening the door without another word.

Entering the bank together, Shockwave and X-Zorb said "Freeze!" a half a moment apart. Simultaneously, a person with a mirrored globe on their head stepped out of the restroom.

The Minotaur Multi-taur just smiled wickedly, saying, "I knew the ease of the bank robberies wasn't going to last. This is going to be fun! Ms. Stoner, do your stuff" Closing his eyes momentarily, he summoned five more clones of himself. Ms. Stoner started to sing

Round 1

Mirror went towards the "original" Multi-taur, but was intercepted by two of his clones, who circled her. They tried to grab her, but she ducked under them, doing a handstand, kicking both of them at the same time. Springing backwards, she motioned for them to come at her.

Shockwave zipped in with super-speed, only to be clotheslined by a pair of Minotaurs with their arms interlocked who were suddenly blocking his way, having been transported through the Maze. He went down. They were about to pummel him when X-Zorb stepped in their way absorbing the strength of their hit. "Thanks for the power-up boys!" he says as he punches one away from Shockwave into a wall. As it does, the Minotaur recalls it. Shockwave blasts the one remaining with waves of concussive force, which falls back, unconscious. The clone was recalled.

While Ms. Stoner sang Shockwave, X-Zorb, and Mirror's reflexes slowed down.

Round 2

Snapping his fingers, and simultaneously recalling the clones that were several of his minions appeared from the Maze that he had collected over the last several robberies. Among those summoned were an anthro rat, tiger, dragon, snake, horse, wolf and human. All of the minions were male, fine specimens and each wore a leather gear and collar around their neck.

"Attack!" Multi-taur said, pointing at the heroes.

Seeing what was going on Matthew/ "Argos" connected Shockwave, X-Zorb & Mirror's minds and said to all of them "This is Argos. I'm a Minotaur, like this guy, but I'm on your side. I'm going to try to help. Don't listen to Ms. Stoner's singing. If she can get your attention she can turn you to stone!" As he said this, Argos put mental blocks in each one of them to filter out her singing.

Mirror thought: Since you're a Minotaur, can't you grab this guy and put him into the Maze?

Argos tried to grab ahold of Multi-taur, but couldn't. "I can't," Argos said "It's like trying to wrestle water. He's too strong... or I'm too weak at this point. At least with the mental block in place, you should have a fighting chance."

Mirror thought back to Argos: What about shunting Ms. Stoner into the Maze?

Argos tried to do as Mirror asked, but found her protected. "She's protected by him. He's so strong he seems to be able to project protection around him."

Multi-taur smiled wickedly, saying "I can sense someone helping you out. Who, I don't know. But I DO know it's a male. I think I'm going to add him to my collection too... Be so kind as to tell him it's useless to try to force me or my helpers here into the Maze. And even if he could... you see those collars? They step too far out of my presence or that of my clones... and BOOM. They're dead!"

The minions smile wickedly and advance. Three approach Mirror, two approach Shockwave, and two approach X-Zorb.

Round 3: Mirror

The three that approach Mirror: the horse, snake, and rat, fan out in front of her, and attempt to surround her. She backs up into the bathroom she came out of and pursue her inside. She dives into the mirror, escaping them and phases through the other bathroom mirror. They look quizzically at the mirror that she went into and while they were doing so snuck up behind the snake and attacked the collar. As the snake realized what was going on, it turns its serpentine head around to bite her, but before it could do so, she attacks the collar again which short circuits. The snake comes to, as if waking up from a dream, asks "What's going on."

Not having time to explain she says "Run away!" The snake heeded her advice and headed out the door, out of the bank.

To the others through Argos she thinks: Attack the collars. They're the weak point.

"You're ruining my collection! For that you're going to have to pay!" She heard Multi-taur say from the other room.

The horse and the rat turn on her, diving for her. She ducked under them and they end up hitting each other's heads. Coming back up behind them she knifes her hands into both of their collars. They turn to her, one punching, the other kicking at her. She back-flipped to avoid their attacks and into the mirror she went. Re-phasing out of the mirror, she tumbled out of the mirror and performed a series of pressure-point attacks on the rat. The rat, unable to move, looked at her with disbelief. The horse, with its powerful legs, tried to kick her. Unable to move completely out of the way in time, she dove aside, and her suit absorbed some of the impact. Shit she thinks, that's going to leave a mark tomorrow. She tumbled backwards, grabbed the paralyzed rat and threw it against the oncoming horse. The horse not caring about his comrade dodged the rat's body with ease, but the moment it took to do so, gave her enough time. Diving into the closest stall, closing the door and locking it, she slid beneath the opening at the bottom and into the horse's legs, which collapsed underneath its own weight. Attacking the prone horse's collar, it went out. Turning her attention to the still-paralyzed rat, she attacked the collar removing it.

Telling them to run, she exited the bathroom.

Round 3: Shockwave & X-Zorb

At the same time, the tiger, dragon, wolf and human menacingly approach Shockwave & X-zorb. The tiger and dragon approach Shockwave, while the other two approach X-Zorb.

Shockwave zipped around them at supersonic speed. They punch where he'd been only moments before. He was trying to figure out how to damage them enough to discourage them without actually hurting them, whereas X-Zorb simply allowed them to hit him, not even trying to block or evade, giving him time to think, absorbing the energy from their hits.

Just then they both heard Mirror's advice: Attack the collars. They're the weak point.

Just as Shockwave runs to attack their collars, hands appear, sticking up from out of the floor, grabbing at his feet. As he runs, he sends concussive waves from him out in front of him, hitting the hands.

The original Multi-taur exclaimed "That's smarts!"

"Good" Shockwave said "Perhaps you'll learn to keep your hands out of my way."

He zipped around to the dragon trying to zap its collar, but also damaged it in the process. Damn, he thought need to be careful not to hurt these guys. They don't know what they're doing. He must have not damaged it enough because the dragon looked meaner than ever. The dragon opened his mouth to breathe fire. "Switch!" Shockwave says to X-Zorb. Getting the point, X-Zorb stepped in the way of the dragon. Punching the dragon in its stomach, he caused it to lose its fire breath momentarily. Tossing the dragon at Multi-taur, he turned to the tiger, who takes a swipe at him.

Multi-taur, whose attention drifted momentarily, was knocked down by the dragon. They take a few moments and detangle themselves from one another.

At the same time Mirror steps out of the bathroom.

Shockwave zipped behind the human and grabbed the collar, getting shocked and thrown back a few feet. He mumbles to himself "I hate to do this" and punches the human in the face, giving him a black eye, zapping the collar, which shorted out.

X-Zorb, facing the tiger grapples with it. He pins it and pounds his fist against the collar, shorting it out.

Shockwave, only having the wolf to deal with figured out how to send a super concentrated beam of concussive force at the wolf's collar, shorting it out.

X-Zorb, turning to the dragon who was about to take to the air and slammed it onto the ground, shattering the collar.

Round 3: Mirror

As she exits the bathroom, she thought to Argos: This guy's troublesome so long as he's got access to the Maze. Is there any way to block it?

Argos thought for a moment and responded "There might be. Let me check." About 10 seconds go by and he says "There is, but it won't be easy. You have to get close enough to the original to do a series of pressure point attacks.

Mirror thought: Just show me where, and I'll take care of the rest.

Argos showed a Chi map of a Minotaur to Mirror, with a series of red dots on it. "It has to be done in the EXACT right order, or it won't work."

Understood. Mirror thought

Argos said "Right solar plexus, left knee, left bicep, right lateral dorsal, right trapezius..."

She leaves the bathroom just in time to see the dragon crashing into Multi-taur. Tossing several handfuls of reflective dust into the room, she approaches Multi-taur and Ms. Stoner. Multi-taur untangling himself from the dragon, got up and summoned five more clones. Ms. Stoner, seeing the reflective dust, stopped singing and covered her eyes to avoid reflections.

Because of the reflective dust, she was able to walk through them as if they didn't exist to get to face to face with Multi-taur. Solidifying she hits one of the pressure points, then another. As she does so, Multi-taur realizing what she's doing. He attacks her. But she's too quick. With all the mirrored dust around, she phased in and out of reality with a thought. The summoned clones attack her. But with reflective surfaces all around her, there was no way to flank her. One after another she strikes the Minotaur's pressure points, when she's finished, the clones winked out of existence.

"How," Multi-taur asked, "Could you know?"

Trouble

Shockwave zipped to tie up Multi-taur and Ms. Stoner, tying them up. As he does so, they hear the unmistakable sirens of the MegaCorp police.

"Let's get out of here." Mirror said. "We don't want to be caught here when the police arrive."

Argos said in their minds "I've got an idea. Hold on tight. I've never done this with living matter before"

They fade out of existence as the cops arrive, arriving in the hidden room of Argos...

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