Log:Phoenix Fire, Scene 1

From Champions MUSH

Advances Plot:
Phoenix Fire
Previous Scene:	Next Scene:
None	Scene 2
Contains Appearances by:
Howl, Jace, The Maid, SWK, SilverShadow
Log Date:
01/16/2007

Fire engines and race with blaring sirens towards One Phoenix Plaza, the site of a raging fire.

Howl walks down the sidewalk in the exact opposite way most people are. He heads towards the blaze, keeping the brim of his hat down in case of cinders. He turns onto the plaza.

Chewing on the last crust of his dinner, a medium super deluxe from Flying Saucer, Wei Zan bounds down the street towards the plaza, using every inanimate object, including a vehicle or two, as springboards.

There's a small crash as the fire blows out a window on the second floor, second glass showering down on the plaza below. Two fire trucks pull up at the base of the inferno, and fire fighters start to deploy.

Howl hunches as he hears the explosion, though hopefully the fact that he's covered from head to toe in heavy clothing will spare him any cuts. He walks up to the fire line and spares a glance upwards. "Jesus."

Wei Zan Zhou frees his metallic staff while his clothing shifts into something more appropriate for the situation. "Hmm, I do not have any water..."

Howl glances over at Wei. "What are you going to get, a bucket? This is a four alarm fire. Leave it to the professions unless we're not talking about some tool putting metal in a microwave."

The flames lick upward to the fifth story as the fire ascends higher. The firemen deploy four fire droids and they hover up into the air and enter the build. "Alright men, let's get those lines going!" The fire truck deploys legs to stabilize the truck in perparation for raising the ladders. Firemen hurry to connect into the sprinkler system.

SWK shrugs at Howl and scratches his chin. "Well, if they want me to get a bucket, I will. I think this would require a very big bucket."

Howl nods to SWK. "That's an understatement." He watches the firemen go up. "This is a hell of fire. Do you know anything about the building?"

SWK shakes his head and sets his staff on the ground, leaning on it lightly. "No. I have never been here before. I wonder what could have made this fire? There must be sprinklers or some such thing for such a big building."

There's anotehr crashing sound -- but this time it's not causes by fire. An the tenth floor, there are gunshots piercing the window. Soon afterwards, a chair smashes the punctured glass and starts to fall.

Howl frowns. "I think we can dismiss the idiot theory and go straight to nutjob paranoia." He turns to SWK. "Any ideas on how to get up? Firemen aren't exactly armed."

SWK looks at his staff. "I can use this to help me get up higher but I do not know if it will be good enough and it cannot take the both of us."

Howl nods. "I'm going to have to agree. We might have to comandeer ourselves one of those laddrs."

The fire spreads to the sixth floor. From the fifth floor however, a flaming object streaks from the window, like shooting start out over the plaza. The fiery sheath dies out and the object crashes into the fountain and sizzles out. It's one of the fire droids.

SWK nods and then gestures with his staff. "I think I can use this to keep us safe. I can go first on a ladder and stop anything they shoot at us while we climb."

Meanwhile on the tenth floor, a security guard waves down at the firefighters. "Help! Help! You gotta get me out of here."

The guard shouts down from the window that was smashed by the gunfire and the chair.

Howl hmms, reassessing the situation. "The guard was escaping. Whatever is causing this fire is headed down." He turns to SWK. "Can you rescue the guard with your pole?"

SWK nods slightly. "I can if he will let me catch him. I can reach him if I go straight up."

Howl nods. "Do it. He's dying up there."

Firefighters have their ladders extended and are dousing the sixth floor with firehose.

SWK rushes over to whoever appears to be in charge of the fire fighters. "I can help the guard up there but you must let him know that he is to jump out of the window." He waves his staff. "With this, I can ascend up to his floor."

On the fifth floor, there's a crash as a fire droid is ejected from the burning building. It falls and crashes to the ground in a half-molten heap.

Howl narrows his eyes at the fifth floor. "No way to get its attention..."

SWK extends his staff and vaults to the area directly below the security guard's window. "Please, let him know help is on the way!"

SWK finds the fire captain. "Damnit -- only two droids left!" He's very busy right now and almost fails to notice him. "Huh, what?" By the tine the fire captain turns, SWK is already airborn.

SWK manages to cling onto a ledge on the 9th floor and dangles precariously.

SWK mumbles, "This is not how I imagined it working..."

The fire spreads to the seventh floor. Thick smoke begins to pour out through the smashed window over the security guard's head.

SWK blinks and shakes his head. Turning his attention upwards, he shouts, "I am here to save you! Do not worry, sir!".

Howl decides he has to get into the fifth floor. He steps back and then runs towards the building, leaping and covering his face as he tries to get inside.

Howl smashes through a window and lands on the fifth floor in a crouch. He raises his cloak with one hand and looks around.

Fire rages on the fifth floor, the air is hot and thick with smoke...

SWK stows his staff in his back sheath and quickly gets to climbing up to the tenth floor.

SWK pulls with all his strength and covers the last few feet in a single smooth movement. Shaking his head, he looks around and tries to survey his surrroundings. "I am here, sir!"

Howl, meanwhile, is beginning to realize this might not have been a good idea as the heat starts to get to him. He edges back towards the window. "C'mon out and play!" He shouts. "I know you're in here!"

Observers outside the building can see the fire progress. It seems to leap a couple of floors and it begins to spread on the tenth floor.

The guard on the tenth floor is crouched low and close to the floor under the thick and heavy smoke. He coughs. "There's a cleaning crew, up on 16!" he manages to spit out to SWK between coughs.

SWK nods. "I will help them but we need to get you safely outside first!"

The security guard looks over the SWK. "Great. How do we get out?"

SWK takes out his staff and gestures towards the exterior of the building. "I can use this to help us go down. It extends. It is how I came up here. You will have to hold onto me."

The guard has no objections. He grabs onto SWK.

SWK makes sure everything is secure and then hops out of the building.

Meanwhile, there's a strong FOOSH sound as the fire causes the air to move in odd ways. It feels as if a wave of hot air rushes from the tenth floor to teh fifth, sucking in air in it's wake.

SWK extends the staff as he and the security guard descend toward the street below. Aside from a sight hitch at the beginning when the staff's far end makes contact with the pavement, the descent is relatively smooth. When they land, the youth shouts, "There is a cleaning crew on the sixteenth floor. I will go back up!"

Howl looks up. "Either the building is collapsing or I got it's attention."

One fireman asks another, "Bring in the flying firetruck?" The other firefighter says, "No... the updrafts are too strong to have them fly in!"

The air shifts in Howl's area. Air is sucked into the building and with it, the smoke follows. The room clears enough for Howl to find himself in a building cubicle farm. Fire licks down through the ceiling, but instead of spreading it remains there stationary, a long tongue of fire that reached down form the roof, angling in Howl's direction.

Howl's eyes widen as the tongue of flame comes down. He tries to roll out of the way.

The gout of flame twists and it seems to follow Howl in his maneuver with uncanny intelligence.

FOOM! The fire lances towards Howl and melts an office desk to slag. If Howl were any slower, he'd have shared the fate of the furniture. The tail of his cloak ignites!

SWK nods to the firefighter who gave a negative for flying in. "I can go back up there."

The fire fighter gives SWK a grim look in return.

SWK nods and rushes to return to the building. Once again, he uses his staff as a vaulting enhancer.

SWK goes through the air in a far smoother arc this time and lands on the 12th floor of the building. Stowing away his staff, he looks for hand holds so that he can continue up to the 16th story.

Howl quickly undoes the clasp on his cloak and leaves it behind. It's just a piece of fabric, afterall. He staggers to his feet. "Show yourself!"

SWK falters for a moment at first but then begins to climb once he finds a good grip, picking up his pace with each foot of the ascent to the 16th floor. He finally makes it and readies himself to forcefully enter the building while Howl deals with the situation several stories below...

The wave of fiery retracts somewhat, withdrawing so that it's partly concealed by the ceiling. It circles Howl slowly as if sizing the hero up. It coils slightly, giving Howl a split second of warning before the fire lashes at him again.

Howl is not light on his feet today. The fire slams into him and he crashes against a wall, blinking largely as he slumps to the floor.

The fire rears, preparing for another attack.

Howl gets back to his feet and faces down the fire, narrowing his eyes. He flicks his wrists attempting to draw his patas and then, even though it seems crazy, attack the tendril of flame.

Howl lunges forward and stabs with the pata, penetrating the fire but not appearing to do any damage. "Really didn't think that would work." He mutters.

The fire roars, almost as if indignant at the attack. It rushes forth, this time, not at Howl, but at the floor he's standing on.

The flame leaps forward and eats a hole in the floor next to where Howl is standing, granting him a look at the inferno beneath him on the floor below.

Howl glances down at the inferno below. "Someone's looking out for me." He muses before launching another attack with his patas at the flame tendril. He goes for a simple stab, lunging forward to put his weight behind it.

Howl once again strike the flame tendril but barely seems to pierce it. "You know, we could end up stalemating each other." He tells the tendril.

SWK gets his footing steady and checks the immediate area through the window before readying his staff to strike at the glass

SilverShadow is patrolling the area on this cold night and sees the inferno rising into the sky. He moves quickly to the building to see if he can do anything to help!

SWK swings hard at the glass after seeing that the coast is clear.

SWK smashes through the window and gives a sigh of relief.

SilverShadow lands on the top of the building with a thud, he looks around to see if he can find an entrance in. He flies about hoping to find a survivor or two near a window.

Howl wants to give the tendril time to respond to his statement. "Stop eating this building, we can go on like this all day."

SWK enters the building through the broken window and shouts as he looks around the area. "Hello! Is anyone here? I am here to help you out of the building!"

The fire seems to hiss defiantly at howl.

Howl nods. "Have it your way." He lunges to attack yet again, swiping at the fire with a pata.

"Que?" A voice comes from the direction of the stairwell on SWK's level.

SWK scratches his head. "Ah, what? Hello?"

SilverShadow swoops down toward 18th and onto the window, "Hello, Local Hero for helping, come to the window and i'll get you down!"

By the stairwell, four cleaning workers are crouched by the stairwell, padding damp cloths under to the door to prevent smoke from coming through (on the 16th floor.)

The man and woman on the 18th nod to SilverShadow and they back away from the window. for this perspective, JAce and see that the man has a shirt on, but no pants or shoes -- just boxers. The woman clutches her blouse closed with her hand.

Howl nods. "Have it your way." He lunges to attack yet again, swiping at the fire with a pata.

SilverShadow smirks shaking his head, "Some people...Throw some pants on...i got alot of people to save bud"

Howl hits, this time even weaker than the last. His brow knits in frustration.

Howl pulls back with the his other hand tries for more luck with this one. He roars as he strikes.

Howl strikes ineffectually again. "My patas are starting to get hot." He murmurs while looking around the office area.

The fire slinks away from Howl. It lurks back, waiting a moment, building heat the fire becomes larger and quickly, it surges forward at Howl, this time with a thich head of smoke at the front of it's attack.

The blast misses Howl and instead it blasts several windows out.

The fire continues to spread in the building and now it engulfs all the floors up until the 11th. The structure of the building suffers. The already damaged floor beneath Howl begins to give way...

Howl slips as the floor gives way and starts to slide towards the inferno that is the fourth floor. He's overwhelmed by th heat of th fire and collapses into unconsciousness.

On the 18th floor, the man tries to get his pants on as quickly as possible.

SilverShadow shakes his head, "Look brah...we gotta do this quick...I'll be back for you...use the fire escape if you can.." Shadow blasts forward, firing a beam at the door then moving through whats left of it. "Gotta find more people.."

SWK starts to lead people into the smoke filled staircase, heading to the roof.

With Howl no longer around to distract it, the fire begins to consume the building at an increased rate.

SilverShadow changes course and moves toward the stairs, hoping to find someone else who is helping...(Wheres Fire when we need him)

It's SWK leading a group of the janitorial staff. He coughs, "We can't go down. Maybe we can get out on the roof?"

SilverShadow says, "Wei, roofs open! I can help you through...whats going on?"

SilverShadow says, "Also people on 18th"

SWK says. "I'll get the people on 18 and take them with me to the roof. You can search for others."

SilverShadow says, "Good, i'll keep looking!"

SilverShadow zips onward, looking for survivors and perhaps even victoms.

SWK continues on.

Howl dreams hot dreams. Hot, hot hot dreams.

The intense fire begins to warp girders. Steel begins to groan and wither under strain.

Howl is in danger of being building crushed. He's face down on the burning fourth floor.

SilverShadow finds Howl laying face down and changes modes, "I gotta get you the hell out of here before you burn..." Shadow grabs Howl and takes off, blasting out a window and then moves down to the bottom floor to lay Howl down.

SilverShadow does his best to pat out Howl when he lands, hoping he can help him. Jace takes out his PDA and calls 911 getting medical attention down here as well as Fire.

Howl has been severely burned by his time on the fourth floor and a good bit of his clothing has been destroyed but he's decent. His patas are glowing slightly. His wounds, however, seem to be healing.

SWK waves down to the people below from the roof. He's got six people with him.

Evangeline was taking a stroll, enjoying the night air when she noticed the fire. Seeing that there are people on the roof, not much choice but to help. She starts to fly up towards the roof, offering to help carry people down.

SWK calls down to Evangeline, the girl flying up to the rooftop. "There are seven of us? How many can you carry?"

SilverShadow moves back up to the top of the building, hoping he can help move some people down with his shadow limbs. "Wei, lets roll this out"

Evangeline looks at the monkey man a bit uncomfortably. "From a weight perspective sir, everyone. But, from a logistics standpoint, probably 3? One in each arm, and one on my back... I think."

SWK nods to Evangeline and to Silver. "Three a piece then. I'm light!"

SWK serves as the odd man out. He'll climb on to the back of whoever is on Evangeline's back.

SilverShadow grabs his three with haste and takes off down to the street, landing then laying his people down.

Evangeline proceeds to wrap a person in each of her small arms, then looks to the person behind her. "Please hold on tight, sir." She then looks towards the simian figure. "And you, as well, please," before she takes off into the air.

The building stand no more. It begins to collapse in on itself, falling as if implodes. The firefighter have already retreated to a safe distance. The rumble of the debris mades an odd keening noise. Debris and smoke shoots out in every direction.

The crumbling debris existguishes the flames but covers the plaza in soot, dust, and debris.

Evangeline lands near the firefighters and helps set everyone down softly. "Oh my. How dreadful." she says as she sees the building collapse.

Firefighters have carried Howl away to a safe distance where they care for him.

SilverShadow's face twists into a a laughing smily face. "You dont do this much ehh?"

One fire fighter shakes his head, "I've never seen a building go that quickly." A second firefighter shakes his head, actually agreeing with the first.

Howl's eyelids flicker and he looks up at the firefighters. "That's...that's because that was no ordinary fire." He rasps, his voice almost a whisper after so much smoke inhalation.

Evangeline glances over towards SilverShadow. "That would be an accurate assessment, sir." She then looks towards the firefighters. "Is there anything I can do to assist you?" she says, curtseying as she does so.

SilverShadow hrmms to himself, and goes back to normal form...

A paramedic urges Howl, "You shouldn't talk." He tries to affix an oxygen mask over Howl's face.

Jace frowns and moves over to Howl, looking up at the paramedic, "What can we do? I can fly him to the emergency room if needed"

Howl raises an arm to push the paramedic away. "I'll be fine. I've had worse."

A firefighter looks devastated. HE shakes his head to Evangeline. "Looks like there's nothing left to save."

Evangeline sighs. "My humblest condolences. I certainly hope that no one was seriously injured."

"I don't get it... we lost how many of the droids?" a firefighter asks. "All of them, Cap."

"I would..." Howl gasps. "I'd be fine if it wasn't...for the fire that attacked me." He insists to the firefighter. "You. Have. A. Bigger. Problem."

Jace tilts his head a bit, "The fire..."attacked" you?"

Evangeline similarly tooks towards Howl. "Pardon me... ummm... sir, but did you just say the fire attacked you?"

Most of the firefighters are busy tending to the rubble, putting out the fire of a couple of flaming bits of rubble. A couple of them remain by Howl. "A what?"

Jace takes a seat, taking a breather from all the nights exercise, "Man this city...i tell you"

Howl breathes deeply and coughs, though he seems to be making visible improvements. "I don't know what it was. It was made of fire and we fought. It destroyed your drones and levelled the building."

Jace says, "Like an elemental?"

"Sure." Howl replies to Jace. "Why not. I'm just glad I left my PDA and my pipe at home."

A firefighter give the paramedic a quiestioning look. The paramedic shrugs. "I don't know. He /seems/ fine. Not delusional at least."

Evangeline says, "Do you believe that, ummm... 'fire' that attacked you is still around?" she asks out loud, too busy looking around to look towards Howl."

Xing-Liu leaves RP Room 1 and enters Remote RP Lounge.

"No idea." Howl replies. "All I know is I need a new hat."

Jace smirks and nods, "Right..."

Jace says, "Well...i think this is all the fun i can pack into my 2am action hour.."

Jace says, "It was a pleasure saving you." Jace gives a big grin toward Howl, "I hope we can meet again...when your not on fire"

"If there is nothing else I can assist with, I bid you adieu," says Evangeline. She curtseys in an elegant fashion, her hands at her sides lifting the ends of her dress slightly, as if she were at a formal ball. She then begins to hover upwards slowly.

Jace hovers up to match Evangeline's level, "Nice working with you as well, names Jace...SilverShadow to the papers. I hope we can do some more hero work together"

Howl sits up. "I'm gonna have to quit smoking for a week." He says before nodding to Jace. "Thanks for the save. Show up a little earlier next time."

Jace says, "For now, i got school in the morning" He grins toward Howl and nods, "I'll do my best, take care!"

Jace blasts off into the night, leaving a silver streak behind him!

Evangeline flies off as well.

Howl gets up, sheathes his patas and waves to the firefighters before stumbling home.