IRON MAN THEME?

[stabbywheelfeet]

[This is the most exclusive ski resort in ALL OF SWITZERLAND. Or something like that. It's expensive, exclusive, and full of crazy-rich people. Including this one. Look at him smoozing around the bar one evening. He seems to know everyone here, and he's greeting them all. And he may or may not have a fantastic bruise on one cheekbone, care of a snowdrift that was hiding a rock. A few people give him sidelong looks, but for the most part, he's a familiar, and apparently popular, face.]

[... Really, he came up here to relax. With his secretary -- but no one needs to know that part. So far, everything's been quiet. It's a good vacation.]

[After making his routine sweep of the bar, he wanders back over to one of the huge couches by the fire. They're so big, they make their own sort of privacy screen. And he flops down onto one. And since this is in Switzerland, and the author is totally winging this, there's totally a box of chocolate open on the side table, next to some wine.]

I have the best vacation ideas.

Comments

[stabbywheelfeet]

[He stops, half-turning.]

Jolt...?

[The lightbulb gutters. Then goes dark -- it didn't burst. Power is still flowing normally through the circuits...]

[It's just dark.]

[electrowhipit]

... Go, Sideswipe.

[stabbywheelfeet]

-- Without you?

[electrowhipit]

I'll catch up.

[stabbywheelfeet]

[Another light goes dark. But in the flickering instant, the heartbeat between light and dark, something moves between the darkened portion, and the next space of hallway.]

[A glimpse of flowing motion, like robes in the breeze. And a deepening scowl.]

... I don't want to leave you here alone.

[electrowhipit]

[ He casts a quick glance at Sideswipe. ]

Just don't get hurt, that's all I ask.

[ He then turns back to the darkened end of the hallway, his stance shifting ]

Hey! Are you gonna hide all day or what?

[stabbywheelfeet]

I could say the same to you.

[When Jolt turns, so does he, his fingers flexing around empty air. Of course, this would happen when his toys were back in the room...]

[In answer to the challenge, the light above them dies. There should be light coming in from the rest of the hallway, it should only be a bit dimmer where they stand... but it's pitch black.]

[And something strikes at Jolt's legs.]

[electrowhipit]

[ Whatever it is will get a nasty shock for their troubles, but Jolt goes down all the same, swearing loudly.

Still, down or not, he lights up like a Christmas tree- blue light flares up around his whole being, sparks flying suddenly and violently. ]

[stabbywheelfeet]

[The shock sends ... him? ... reeling backward from Jolt. The attacker is difficult to see, even in the sudden illumination. It seems like someone in... a black robe. They pull back from the glowing man, arm up to shield their eyes.]

[Sideswipe meanwhile is groping around, trying to find either Jolt, or a weapon.]

[electrowhipit]

Sideswipe! It doesn't like light! [ whatever's going on, they're still in the hall, and he can feel the electricity coursing through the building around him- he draws on that, making his own light as bright as he can. He thrusts out a hand, sending a bolt at the cloaked figure ]

[stabbywheelfeet]

Oh! Great! Since we have so much light to work with!

[Because he can't see. At all. Jolt seems to be the only one of them who can -- well. Jolt and their attacker.]

[An attacker who shrinks away from the brightness and the bolt. Who makes a lunge for the floundering Sideswipe.]

[electrowhipit]

What? There's plenty of-- [ Oh. Oh. Sideswipe must not be able to see.

But he can see, and he can see their assailant move. Jolt can guess where he's going. Who he's going after. ]

Don't touch him! [ he lunges after the figure, aiming to tackle it, and pump it full of every volt of electricity he can ]

[stabbywheelfeet]

I don't see anyth--

[He's cut off as something impacts between his shoulder blades. There's a sharp exhalation, and his knees buckle.]

[However, their attacker doesn't get to do more than that before Jolt's blast hits it -- him. Because the scream is definitely male.]

[But as it screams, something black, something wet and thick, wraps itself around Jolt's head. Squeezing.]

[electrowhipit]

[ Shit. All he manages is a strangled sort of noise, his hands flying up to his face, trying to get it off of him. Electricity is flying everywhere now, since he's too distracted to control it. ]

[stabbywheelfeet]

Jolt--?

[There is something sitting on his back, but he heard that noise. And that noise makes him want to kill whatever inspired it. He reaches back, to try and grapple with whatever is holding him down.]

[The bright flashes of light illuminate what seem to be tendrils of darkness issuing out of their attacker's hands. The attacker himself has his hood pulled down over his face, hissing at the light show.]

[electrowhipit]

[ If this guy wants to play dirty, fine. Ignoring the thing on his head for a moment, Jolt fishes for his gun- and fires two quick shots in the direction of the hissing. ]

[stabbywheelfeet]

[The figure jerks, its head snapping backward. Sideswipe wisely stays flat on the ground as the shots fire.]

[But as the figure jerks back, so too does the thing around Jolt's face. It moves like a heavy, dark whip, flinging him toward a wall, even as it dissipates.]

[electrowhipit]

[ He goes flying into that wall with surprising force, landing heavily on the floor, the electricity around him guttering and dying. ]

[stabbywheelfeet]

[The THUD and the lack of sound that follow are surprisingly terrifying. He calls out to Jolt a few times...]

[While the assailant seems to recover, taking a few steps forward.]

[... Only to be bashed in the kneecaps by what appears to be the leg of an end table, as Sideswipe goes in to defend his fallen secretary. He swings the table leg with all his superhuman speed, all the strength in his body.]

[He doesn't stop. Not until the form lies still, and the lights slowly start to come back on again.]

[electrowhipit]

[ Jolt groans as the light comes back, making him flinch a little. Dammit that hurt- but he's alive. ]

[stabbywheelfeet]

[He's over to Jolt's side in an instant, kneeling beside him. He touches the side of Jolt's face, gingerly.]

Are you okay?

[electrowhipit]

Feel like I've been hit by a truck. [ He rolls over a bit to get a look at their assailant. It seems his darkness effect drowned out the sound, too, since they're still alone in the hall. ]

Is he dead?

[stabbywheelfeet]

He's dead. He's very dead.

[People don't generally survive with their faces smashed in... but now that the darkness is gone... he just looks human. A human with a smashed-in face, and the same clothes of the Scowler from earlier.]

[But Sideswipe pays him no attention. He's too busy trying to pull Jolt up into his arms.]

He didn't hurt you? Did he hurt you?

[electrowhipit]

Easy, easy. He wrenched my neck a bit, and I'm going to have some bruises, but I'm fine.

[ He pauses only a moment to pluck his gun from where he dropped it before standing fully. ]

What are we going to do with him?

[stabbywheelfeet]

[He goes to check Jolt's neck before letting him stand -- only doing so when he's satisfied the damage is minor.]

Leave him to rot, for all I care. He hurt you.