2013-07-30 - Mojo in the Morning Pt 1: Mojo Mayhem

         TWENTY MINUTES AGO:

         A large, huge, bloated creature, skin pustule yellow-brown, spots across his hide, and enough girth to give the Blob competition, head huge and alien, misshapen, technological tendrils sinking into his skull, looking akin to some metallic form of dreadlocks andlong, fat arms, with skinny fingers - deadly 4" talons on their ends is riding a spider-legged platform, with a huge mechanical tail at the end. Wide, inhuman eyes open wide against the metallic pins and frames that seem to be there only to prevent him from ever blinking, "NO, NO, No NO, NO!"

         He turns, throwing an object through one of the screens, then stops, sneers, and giggles a little bit. "Oooooo, now -there- is something promising. We haven't been there, in a long time, have we, Major?"



         Major Domo pauses, and shakes his head, "No, Sir. We have not," the human speaks in a calm, rational, almost pleasent, placating tone. The image on the screen shows Earth. The Xavier institute; where, Laura and Cessily are presently in the kitchen, about to have a meal. Whether together or not, doens't seem to matter.

         Mojo spins round, throwing up his arms, seeming to prance, "SIREN!.... We've got wooooooooooooooork to dooooooooooo!"



8 MINUTES AGO:



         A six armed woman appears, suddenly in Xavier's institute. In the kitchen. And, before either Cessily or Laura are able to not only figure out what's going on, but respond to it, her six-hands are sliding through the air; two bolts firing out of cybernetic hands, and each student disappears. Spiral does, a few seconds after.



         10 MINUTES AGO:

         "We want MORE. More blood! More guts! More glory! We need someone visceral! Someone not afraid to get their hands dirty. Or cut off! Someone they can relate to. And the A-Team's not for hire! Get me her! And bring the fancy boy along, everyone likes to see a damsel in distress!"

         A sickly yellowish-brown hand, with deadly claw juts at the screen where America, and Julian are talking in his penthouse. "Then, our new season can begin. Let's call it: EXTREME MAKEOVER: MOJOVERSE EDITION!" And, he begins to laugh, madly, his face twisted in sickening glee.



         4 MINUTES AGO: As Julian gets up to get America another beer, Spiral appears through the television screen that was, up until then, showing UHF. Her dance begins, and again, two bolts fire.

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<p class="MsoNormal">         NOW: The four young heroes wake up. Teetering over a large area, expansive. Below them, Mojo is standing, skittering across the floor, while the auditorium, filled with creatures both like, and utterly unlike Mojo, cheer wildly. The room is awash in monitors. Major Domo walks paitently at Mojo's side.

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<p class="MsoNormal">As alerts go off at the sudden, unannounced intrusion in the Mansion, Laura has only seconds to react as her ice cream date wtih Cessily is interruption. Even as her claws are mid-way to releasing so she can charge and leap at the invading woman who has come inot her home, her body is suddenly locked up and teleported away along with anyone else who is unfortunate enough to be in the area!

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<p class="MsoNormal">         As Laura comes 'to' over in this strange, twisted world, her claws, if they can, complete their deployment as her eyes go wide, "Where are we!?" Assessment, training, focus.. Non eof those things have remotely prepared her for THIS!

<p class="MsoNormal">"What the f-" Julian's would-have-been-eloquent query is cut off by teleportation and unconsciousness and all those various and sundry things that come along with interdimensional kidnappings. When he comes to, he glances around as he clambers to his feet, "Laura? Cess?   What the...nevermind, guess you don't know either." Julian amends his question as Laura makes her query, and glances around again, eyes widening as he spots Mojo down below.

<p class="MsoNormal">"Damn. Guess we know where all the twinkies disappeared to last year."

<p class="MsoNormal">          As Wolverine has taught Cessily, she might not be the best fighter around, but there's a technique she can use when in danger that will save her most of times. Summoning this knowledge the Generation X member screams at the top of her lungs the moment she seesthe weird woman shooting bolts at her and Laura, but the second she takes to realize what's going on is what makes her voice be heard only in the Mojo World, inside her own glass cage. Her eyes are wide and she looks around desperately, pushing her skirt downwards as to keep this crowd from looking at her from their vantage point.

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<p class="MsoNormal">          "WHATTHEHELL!?! LAURA! WHAT'S HAPPENING!? OHMIGOD! JULIAN!? Is this a joke?! Please say it's a joke! This is the Danger Room, right!? It's gotta be!"

<p class="MsoNormal">So far as beers went America was actually cutting back some lately. Even so, her current foray into 'learning pop culture' was making her thirsty for something more than soda. With eyes fixed on the screen she regards the movie with a studious intent that would likely make Weird Al shake his head in shame. It's for this reason that when the screen shifts and a figure comes out she has plenty of time to react. Without thinking, or even saying anything, she launches to her feet. Arm drawn back she aims a punch right for Spiral's face---And as luck would have it she's just too slow. With a groan her eyes roll back into her head as she falls forward straight into the floor she was teleported into in the box.

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<p class="MsoNormal">As everyone else starts to wake her head lifts from the floor planting a hand against the surface to push herself up. Long dark curls fall around her face, and she narrows her eyes with a scowl. Cessily's yelling earns another wincing groan from her as she rolls to herrear to sit there a moment while gathering her bearings and letting the others talk around her. "Shut up, chica," she tosses to Cessily. "It's real. Stop freaking out. You're making us look bad." Whatever that meant. Planting a hand on her thigh she pushes to her feet only to straighten her jacket out once upright. Glancing to the others, two of whom she doesn't know, she just nods to herself before looking down at the crowd and Mojo. "I'm guessing he's the one we need to punch to get out of here."

<p class="MsoNormal">        "Kids these days!" Complains Mojo, shaking his head, to Major Domo, "They don't have any culture! No appreciation for ANYTHING!" The last word said with a guttural snarl, that has a malevolent little glee to it. The huge inter-dimensional TV program director, kidnapper, and ancient force of evil skitters towards the 'cage' just a little further, than raises up on his mechanical carriages spider-like-legs.

<p class="MsoNormal">         "Oh, look everyone! It's Wolverine's little girl!" A sinister smile crawls over his many-sharp fanged teeth, and he presses his fingers close. A more evil look few of the people up there have really ever seen, save in film. "Oh, no. She's not making you look bad. We need a drama. And now," says Mojo, turning, wide-armed to the crowd, "May I present to you: EXTREME MAKEOVER: MOJO EDITION! Day One: Kill Your Daughter At Work Day! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAXXTION!" He bellows.

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<p class="MsoNormal">         There's another flash, and the entire group finds themselves in the wild west. Julian is tied to the railroad tracks. America is dressed like Calamity Jane, Cessily like Miss Kitty in Gunsmoke, and Laura like a Sioux woman.

<p class="MsoNormal">         A train - but, it's not really a train, suddenly piercely whistles in the distance. And it starts firing laser cannons at the group, as it barrels at a good 100 mph at Julian.

<p class="MsoNormal">The sudden teleportation yet again and suddenly having her outfit altered discombobulates Laura's hyper senses, throwing her off balance for a few moments as her mind tries to recalibrate just where she is and how she's been repositioned, right as the siren of the train whistle nearly deafens her. She dives over to the side just as a sizzling laser bolt takes out a chunk of her side flesh, the burning imprinted from the light leathery outfit as it sizzles against her side and part of the fabric melts. Laura's claws flash out, attempting to gague the arrival time of the train, calling out at Mojo, "Come here so we can gut you and string them up on the ceiling!" Okay, it's not the best taunt, but she's shocked enough to use one from Creed's playbook. She's ready for combat now, but can't do much until the train gets within stabbing range!

<p class="MsoNormal">          "Hey, 'yo', whatever, I'm totally not mak-"

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<p class="MsoNormal">          And there's another flash of light. Trying to stand with wobbly legs, which for Cessily actually means wobbly, boneless and very hard to stand upon, Mercury looks at her own dress. "I think I'm gonna throw up...", she mutters, before a laser beam hits a few feet from her, and from that moment on Cessily is running for her life, moving towards Julian the second she sees he is in trouble. "OHMIGOD! JU- I mean, Hellion! We gotta save Hellion!", she yells just before she trips on the long dress and falls over, cursing and standing up in a hurry, something her acrobatics help her with.

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<p class="MsoNormal">          "God damn it, if I knew I was gonna dress like granny today I wouldn't have gone to the hair salon yesterday! Sooo lame!", she groans, running to Hellion.

<p class="MsoNormal">Julian reaches out to put his hands on Cessily's shoulders, keeping his voice calm and controlled, "Cessily, I'm gonna need you to calm down, we have to-" And then Mojo's there, and then there's teleportings, and then he's tied up to some railroad tracks.

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<p class="MsoNormal">"Seriously?!? I am NOT into the bondage scene!" He yells, and starts to trigger his Telekinesis to get him off the tracks, and...nothing happens. Oh, there's a bit of green glow, but he doesn't move. "Power Damper?!? Great..." He does a good job of sounding like a jaded super-person when this is really like his second major super hero "thing" ever. "Little help here, ladies?"

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<p class="MsoNormal">America closes her eyes just a moment when that teleport occurs again saving herself that moment of vertigo when reality shifts from one locale to another entirely. Opening her eyes as the sound of lasers ring out, one slicing into the ground between her legs which were planted firmly and shoulder-width apart, she scowls from beneath the brim of her cowgirl hat. Snapping her head around the position of everyone else is noted with a single glance as she starts to run toward the oncoming source of those lasers.

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<p class="MsoNormal">"Get Hellion and don't get hit you two! What are your powers?"

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<p class="MsoNormal">It's automatic for her. Without thinking America snaps the orders as she falls back into the role she once had as leader of a group. Rag tag and as unexpected as it was they were going to have to act like one. Unfortunately as she didn't know two of them it would be a matter of learning on the fly. Even while demanding information she flies out toward the train doing what SHE does best--deal with the heavy stuff. She's not crazy enough to take it head-on though and instead she's heading for a side-long impact to send it off the tracks and away from the trio by crashing her entire body into it with a burst of speed.

<p class="MsoNormal">                  Mojo's voice comes from --- well, somewhere? Hard to say where. It's just sky, desert, and railroad tracks. And a very futuristic 'train', speeding along them, intent on blasting or running over the quartet. "Maybe they should've brough Marshall Dylan along! Then they'd have a sporting chance!"

<p class="MsoNormal">          Lasers fly and spout at America as she goes for the gusto, to knock the train off the tracks. And, she's partially successfull; the train does, indeed, tip onto it's side. Then, it completes rolling over, but it doesn't slow down at all, showing that the train is perhaps interchangable on any side. Two more laser turrets push out of it's side, and begin firing towards America. And in the distance, horses can be seen kicking up the dust.

<p class="MsoNormal">         "Da Da Da Da Da Da Da," Chant-Sings Mojo's voice, in a shrill, gleefull tone, "BONANZA of BLOOD!" Laura's keen vision will let her spot the incoming cadre first; Sheriff Wolverine, along with Deputies Sabretooth and Deadpool.

<p class="MsoNormal">As America charges towards the train, Laura calls out, "Cessily, retrieve Julian." Her claws are out, and she's out and racing towards the robots at a breakneck pace. "Then shield him and assist me in dealing with the next threat!" Yes, she's guessing something will becoming after. This is a Death Battle! Mojo will just keep on sending things at them until they are exhausted and die. Laura is racing to intercept the 'horses' now, at flank speed, intent on as she gets closer trying to just if she can kneecap the horses as she races towards them!

<p class="MsoNormal">       Cessily's hands, stretching as they do, reach Julian far faster than her body, and with her fingertips shifting into blades Mercury tries to rip the ropes before she reaches the boy. Of course her hands are shakey and she is muttering a thousand of different things, but Julian doesn't need to know she is scared and that she is nervous, although the ammount of 'Ohmigod!'s thrown per second might be a clue. Once she reaches the telekinetic, however, the mutant holds the body close to her, despite him being bound or not, she takes the out of the train's way, once again using her humiliating stretching powers.

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<p class="MsoNormal">          God bless the footage on Mr. Fantastic.

<p class="MsoNormal">Cessily's clawed hands both manage to fray the ropes, and then she flat-out carries Julian off the tracks. Almost as soon as she's got him clear, the green glow intensifies, and the frayed ropes spilt and fall off of Julian. "Thanks Cess. That's a hell of a lot better." He does look a touch pale as he realizes the train missed turning him into street pizza (Er...rail pizza) by seconds. A telekinetic field goes up to deflect a laser blast from one of the train's turrets that targets him and Cessily, and then he growls, "This crap is already getting old." He reaches out, trying to swivel a few of those turrets around to direct their fire towards the oncoming riders.

<p class="MsoNormal">He also offers up to America, "Goth and pointy heals fast and likes stabbing things as much as you like punching them! Shiny is liquid metal!" Hey, he's only got time for the nutshell versions.

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<p class="MsoNormal">"Fantastic. So let's start punching things!" America lets out as she finds a few turrets turned on her. Wincing as they hit it doesn't otherwise seem to bother her. The clothes aren't so fortunate as they scorch, and burn away, leaving her skin revealed where they cut. Ignoring it completely her eyes narrow toward the rolling train which was now off the rails and on wheels making it still a potential threat. A hand lashes out to grab hold of one of the turrets as it was one of the few things on the futuristic train that offered a good handhold. Gripping it with one hand the other pulls back to slam into the side again, and again, digging deeper into the side of the machine with the screech of buckling metal. With a final crunching punch her arm slams through up to her shoulder. Feet dig into the side as she lifts the metal peeling it away from the frame enough that she ducks inside. More slamming, and punching, and screeching of protest. Still arm-deep she pulls parts out throwing them away like so much trash. She's thorough. Vicious. And doesn't relent until the machine is as 'dead' as a machine can be.

<p class="MsoNormal">         "Oooooooo. Mrs. Strech-Armstrong saves her damsel! There might be a wedding, soon! If the loving couple doesn't DIE, first! Looks like they broke the law! Here comes the posse!"

<p class="MsoNormal">         Both Sabretooth's and Wolverine's horses go down by Laura's claws, but Logan's already diving on her, and sinking his own claw into Laura's shoulder, "You're under arrest, bub," he says, in Logan's voice. Laura will smell the robotic workings, and synthetic skin; but that doesn't mean his claws aren't damn sharp, and his combat skills poor. Deadpool meanwhile, takes out an SMG with one hand, and begins to fire the gun - with explosive rounds - at America on horseback, while Sabertooth lumbers and runs towards Cessily and Julian.

<p class="MsoNormal">         Meanwhile, turrets are torn off the train by Julian's amazing mind powers. "Look at that! The damsel is learning to bend the spoon! But did he take the red pill, or the blue pill?!" Queries Mojo, sadistically.

<p class="MsoNormal">         America manages to peel away the outer layers of the train, even as she manages to still it to life; and, as Deadpool's explosive rounds begin to pelt the metal hull around America, the layers of metal suddenly buckle outwards, a huge red lizard-beak puncturingout, and then launching out of it's 'car'. "Little Laura Ingler's gunna get it. Daddy caught her out too late at night. And that one? Well. She really doesn't know who her daddy is. So we made one for her. Say Goodnight, Gracie!"

<p class="MsoNormal">As the claws sink over into her shoulder, Laura lets out a howl as they slash and cut deep. But while she's not over in a position to retaliate with her wrists, she takes advantage of the robot's poor combat ability to try and reverse her foot claw up and over into thebot, intent on skewering it while trying to toss the Logan robot over towards the Sabretooth one, her body bleeding and already starting to heal while yelling out, "They're fakes! You don't have to hold back!" Well, in fiarness she's not close enough over to tell if Deadpool is one as well. But it's Deadpool! He won't be missed.

<p class="MsoNormal">     "Shiny!?", Cessily yells as she hugs Julian tight, bracing herself for the laser he keeps from hitting them both, her eyes wide as they scan around for Laura, having trouble keeping up with all the soudns and motions of the battle. "Mrs. Strech-Armstrong?! My self-steemn is not getting out here alive, is it...", she sighs, before finally locking her gaze at Laura.

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<p class="MsoNormal">          "Julli-..ELLION! HELLION! MOVE TO X-23'S POSITION! LIKE, RIGHT NOW! FLY FLY!", she manages to be as technical as she can, trying to remember the words she was taught. "ASAP! STAT! BRB! I don't know! Lets save laura!", she says, holding the boy with one hand, ready to fly, and shaping her other forearm into a wicked blade. Laura's warning was well done, Cessily would never gut someone real.

<p class="MsoNormal">"You're not the one that was tied to the train tracks." Julian notes towards Cessily with a smirk. He doesn't seem too concerned about "Sabretooth" and settles instead on wrapping an arm around Cessily's waist and lifting them into the air, launching towards Laura's position at slightly less than supersonic speed, and aiming to simply go -through- the lumbering Sabretooth (And the tossed Logan) in the meantime. "On it." He assures Cessily. "We're gonna be fine, Cess. Those two are like...two of the three most ass-kickingest girls I know."

<p class="MsoNormal">America throws her hair over her shoulder away from her eyes as she snaps around to re-assess the situation. The others seemed to be doing okay for the most part though the group was getting further away from the newly downed train where she was.Before she has time to react it buckles outward spewing out the...

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<p class="MsoNormal">"I know I'm hot, but I'm pretty sure my father isn't a dragon. Or whatever the hell that is." Letting out a somewhat disgusted sigh of annoyance she reaches down to grab the hole she created in the train lifting it and herself into the air. Twisting around she throws the mangled remnants of the train car up toward the presumably unseen ceiling in an attempt to smash through to whatever 'studio' they were apparently in. It leaves her open to attack from the new robot assuming it made it's way completely out of the train before she threw it upward. Either way she's moving immediately after to avoid the next part. What goes up DOES come down after all.

<p class="MsoNormal">       Logan-bot is skewered, but not before his other hand fast-draws a energy weapon, and fires it, point blank, into Laura's side. A lesser mutant might've been killed by it - Laura will be incapacitated for a few moments, however. Or, maybe longer. Luckily for hershe heals faster than Logan, thanks to not having a full adamantium skeleton her system is constantly battling.

<p class="MsoNormal">         "Oooooooo," seethes Mojo, "That'll leave a mark!"

<p class="MsoNormal">         Sabertooth suddenly jumps, up - up, and --- up. A huge, meaty paw grabbing Cessily, and he hauls himself up to slash at her leg with feral claws.

<p class="MsoNormal">         As the train goes up - the dragon goes out -- wings and all, unfurling, and it belches a sickening smell of acidic smoke and fire.

<p class="MsoNormal">         As Logan's 'life' fades away, he says, looking straight into Laura's eyes, "Tell me again, about the rabbits, George. " Then the lights in his eyes fall lifeless. Just as Deadpool swings the horse 'round, and fires more explosive rounds at the two in the sky. Laura seems to be dealt with, for now.

<p class="MsoNormal">         "Things are rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrRRRREALLY heating up out there!"

<p class="MsoNormal">Laura is hit point blanka nd blasted over in the flank then as she falls, her side sizzling from the blast then, the indian outfit she had been forcibly dressed in mostly on fire now from the impact as she topples over! A hole goes in one side and out the other now as her body 'reboots' itself a few moments later as things go quiet, and she is barely conscious, finally rising up, but only barely able to move as her body knits itself, and she wonders what hte next thing to hit them will be!

<p class="MsoNormal">      "OHMIGOD!!! OHMIGOD! MY LEG!", Cessily screams out loud, her voice getting more and more pained as she outright breaks out crying, turning into liquid metal and pouring herself all over Creedbot's hand, taking no damage from the actual blow but still her mind playing tricks on the fact she just saw a claw sink into her thigh.

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<p class="MsoNormal">          The mass of liquid metal flows over the robot's face, and into it's mouth, tearing circuit inside as Cessily curses some very unladylike things in her mind while she is at it, knowing nobody will listen to it anyway!

<p class="MsoNormal">"CESS!" Julian also curses under his breath as Cessily falls away, blinking as she seems to be flowing...-into- the faux-Sabretooth? Whatever she's doing...it seems to be working for the time being, so he resists the instinct to interfere just there for a moment, and glances towards the wild n' crazy Deadpool. May as well try to take out a different threat. He's never actually -tried- this before, but it's something Jeanne suggested to him at one point. He thought the idea disturbing at the time, but that was because he was thinking about human...or at least organic...opponents. He doesn't have to -see- stuff to affect it. Or to create telekinetic fields in a place. So he tries to create a small telekinetic field somewher -inside- the Deadpool bot...and then expand it outward as rapidly and forcefully as he can manage. If he were organic, this would be REALLY gross....

<p class="MsoNormal">America flies out of the path of the downward falling train bringing her arms up to block her eyes from the flames. They singe and scorch her already tattered clothes leaving her nearly in rags. The hat flits away finally, caught on fire, as it drifts to the ground turning into ash. America lowers her arms with fists clenched at her side. "Don't have time for this." Though she was doing well holding her ground and then some the fact of the matter was that she needed a moment to catch her breath. The dragon wouldn't allow her that. With a deep breath she tucks her arms in to her sides launching herself at the dragon's head feet-first in a speedy blur of color as she tries to plow the robot to the ground.

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<p class="MsoNormal">         Sabretooth-bot is decisively destroyed by the liquid-metal overloading it's systems, and it falls lifelessly to the ground, exploding in a huge TV-worthy sort of explosion that rocks the ground, even as Deadpool-bot is exploded from within by Julian's telekenetic powers; no blood and guts, but wires and circuitry reign down in buckets over the team.

<p class="MsoNormal">         "What is this world coming to?" Wails Mojo, in mock-horror, "The outlaws are winning, and our Sheriff is defeated!"

<p class="MsoNormal">         The dragon is plowed into by America --- but, there is no metallic give. Hard, diamond-hard (or harder) scales take nearly the full force of America's power she put into it. But it's warm. Hot. Organic. Golden reptilian eyes slit towards the flighted inter-dimensional hero, huge tail thrashing into America, to send her fast, and hard, into the the hard, unforgiving, dry ground of the 'western' desert.

<p class="MsoNormal">         At least (for now) the dragon (if that's what it is) is all that's left of the threats, for now. Another bout of fire-breath is spat, this time at the other 'threat' in the air, towards Julian and Cessily.

<p class="MsoNormal">Laura's eyes flash as she gets up, stumbling over as she looks up at it. She calls out to Julian, her claws out in front of her, "Throw me at it! I will survive." The dragon can blanket the entire area in fire otherwise, and the faster they deal with it, the faster they can regroup! She's hoping that Julian gets the idea of telekinetically launching her up and at it while she braces, and she calls out to Cessily, "Watch the flank!" Expecitng Mojo to send more threats at them.

<p class="MsoNormal">At this point Cessily is just a pool of metal slowly sloshing around the ground, seeking the tatters of it's dress, now burned by the Creedbot explosion. As the puddle visibly sighs at the realization it won't be getting dressed again so soon, it slowly goes up to Julian, so he can protect them both, as Cessily is not going to show up naked without perfectly good reason!

<p class="MsoNormal">Julian throws up a broad telekinetic field to deflect the flames spat by the big ol' dragon at himself and Cessily. He can still feel the heat of it around the edges. Crap that's hot. Then Laura shouts out her imperative, and while keeping an eye out for another attack, he does indeed telekinetically pick up Laura and launch her towards the Dragon. He's really glad he's done all that multitasking training right about now. Those TK Ping-pong games with Jeanne haven't hurt either. He even manages to score points sometimes now...even if he hasn't won a match yet.

<p class="MsoNormal">That... That surprises America. A real dragon. A /real/ dragon. The behemoth is stared in the eye as she hangs in the air after attacking it and coming to such a realization. It only has her awed for a moment as she quickly shakes her head. "If you're intelligent at all, you probably want out of here too. Could work together," she offers. Trying. To reason with... The hell was she doing? The tail slams solidly into her sending her plummeting to the ground. A cloud of dirt, debris and dust is kicked up from the impact as she leaves a sizable crater in the ground not far from Julian and the Cessily-puddle. A hand lifts up out of the America-shaped indent to pull herself out looking dirtied, dusty, bruised and ... decidedly lacking in anything to help maintain her modesty at this point.Amazing what could be ignored in the heat of battle. "Okay, that does it.

<p class="MsoNormal">      "We had to bring in the Marshall on this one. These outlaws are daaaaaaaaaangerous fellas," Mojo says, in his best western voice, which sounds oddly similiar to Don Knotts when he played in comedic westerns - just a bit more disturbing.

<p class="MsoNormal">         The dragon plummets down, bearing straight for Julian, and Cessily-Puddle, now - instead getting a facefull of Laura in the process. Jaws open wide, and the dragon barrell-rolls, trying to literally bite Laura in half. Then, it begins to spin, diving straight towards the ground at a hurtling speed - playing some kind of dangerous 'chicken' game with Laura, turning at the last possible second, and skimming across the ground at a good solid 80 mph straight towards Julian and Cessily-Puddle again, jaws open wide, this time, grasping Julian with a huge, immense claw, and rising up into the air again, even while Laura tries to get her bearings.

<p class="MsoNormal">   Surging from the puddle Cessily goes up into the air, her face and arms defined, the rest of her completely liquid as she wraps herself around Julian. If the boy cannot dodge this thing, than the least Cessily can do is protect him if they go down like Pinnochio down the creature's gullet. Of course, she screams out loud, like a real, trained superhero, bracing herself for impact as her whole body hugs Julian around his waist, ready to become a ball of liquid metal around the boy should anything bad happen.

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<p class="MsoNormal">           "OHMIGODTAKEUSOUTOFHERE!", she says fast, her eyes shut tight!

<p class="MsoNormal">As she's launched through the air, Laura goes over into a spin as the dragon plays 'chicken'. Her intent is to steal a ride from the Neverending Story. To try and use her claws to snag a scale, and from there spin and twist her way up atop it, using her claws to try and slash into it at any point if she can clamber up. Focusing on joints, places where the scales are weaker, if she can reach them the long wing membranes used for gliding, or fialing that to try and get up towards the head to try and hack at the face if she can get a ride up on the dragon!

<p class="MsoNormal">It almost goes well. Julian has a TK field up ready to try to block the onrushing Dragon. He calls out towards America, "You OK?!?" And that's when the mistake happens. He turns his head to glance in her direction, then looks back to the Dragon, and then rapidly double-takes back at America. He can't help it. He's a teenage guy, and honestly doesn't have much experience at this sort of thing just yet, even if he's had a good bit of training in the last few months.

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<p class="MsoNormal">So yeah, he double-takes, and the field flickers at the least opportune moment, and with a "WHOULMPF!" He's suddenly snatched up by the dragon's claw, as well as being semi-enveloped by Cessily, though the latter isn't really a problem to his mind. Thankfully, the thing doesn't just pulp him outright, but the impact definitely knocks him for a loop (and the breath out of his lungs, leaving him flailing a bit limply in its' mighty talon for a couple moments.

<p class="MsoNormal">"Eyes up chico!" America snaps when she realizes that Julian is staring at HER and not the descending dragon that... Snaps him and Cessily up. Gritting her teeth in frustration she snaps both arms out to the side with wrists turned so that the star tattoos on each were displayed. Fingers flex, and the tattoos ignite with a blue glow...

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<p class="MsoNormal">And nothing happens.

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<p class="MsoNormal">"I /hate/ magic users!" America blurts out in frustration. Shaking off each hand she stamps a foot to the ground as if throwing a fit. Instead she pushes off launching into the air after the dragon. "Tried being nice. Tried to reason. Tried to make this quick and get out. But nooo! You are PISSING me off!" Rather than grab the tail she lands solidly on the dragon's back walking up between it's 'shoulder' blades where the wings were. Reaching down she offers a hand up to Laura while calling out down to the other two, "You guys get ready to fall!"

<p class="MsoNormal">        "Hello Nurse!" Is Mojo's reply, as America's clothing is tattered enough to distract Julian, "What did I promise you people? Violence! Blood! Love! Hate! Sex! We've got it all, on Mojovision!"

<p class="MsoNormal">         Laura's claws do a fair share of the work; tearing into the winged monstrosity's backside, ripping apart more it's wings, than it's actual back but the leathery wings and those joints aren't nearly as protected as it's hide. It falter's hitching left, right, down, up, and it spins, turning trying to shake loose Laura. The dragon, it'd seem, has no -real- intelligence, a simple beastial mind, but a beast nevertheless. It's bloodied wings flash, and fold tight, and the creature begins to nose-dive once again, this time it'd seem willing to slam it's back into the dust of the desert, in order to free itself from it's tormentors. The claw gripping Julian lets him go, about four hundred feet up in the air, along with Cessily.

<p class="MsoNormal">         Mojo sings, "And they were freeeeeee, free fallin'!"

<p class="MsoNormal">As the dragon starts to take a tumble, Laura opens her arm out and sheathes her claws then for America to grab and take her, and then also will extend her other arm out to Julian to catch as well if necessary! As they would hopefully fly off, the hole in her side stillclosing, but faster now as her other injuries were being dealt with, she speaks casually, "He is likely to send another aggressor after us in short order. Be ready." May it not be a giant mechanical clockwork spider.

<p class="MsoNormal">Thankfully, Julian's recovered enough wits and enough breath by the time the dragon releases him that the "fall" isn't much of a problem at all, really. That green TK glow once again envelops both himself and Cessily, and they actually zip away with relatively impressive speed. "Sorry!" Julian calls out, cheeks actually flushed with embarrassment.

<p class="MsoNormal">         He watches the dragon dive towards the ground and frowns a bit, calculating a bit in his head, and looking to see if America and Laura are clear. If so...he then promptly plants a large telekinetic "spike" right in the Dragon's path. He knows this is gonna be gross, but he's really sick of this thing, and hopefully the momentum of the creature itself will be enough to overcome its' natural durability.

<p class="MsoNormal">America doesn't so much grab Laura's hand. A step has her drawn close to the other girl sliding her arm around her waist with palm gripping firmly against Laura's opposite hip to spare the hole in her side somewhat. It leaves her other arm free for anything else that may happen. Or in this case... She remains standing on the plummetting dragon's back with a leg raising to slam down against it's spine with enough force that would crack marble floors. It had before. Hard scales or not, the internals of a creaturewere always something that could be bruised. Damaged. Ruptured. And sending it right toward that TK spike that Julian was kind enough to erect. The hand on Laura's hip tightens to ensure a good grip as she launches herself away into the air toward the floating pair wearing a stern scowl. "My ticket to ride's shot. We're going to have to find another way out of this universe," she informs grimly.

<p class="MsoNormal">      The dragon's bones creak, and it crashes to the ground in a brilliant heap, it's body exploding in a sudden rush of volcanic guts that sizzle and smoke in the air; even it's blood seems acidic, or volcanic, burning, scorching - and, likely leaving a few marks on the heroes, as well, but, it's dead.

<p class="MsoNormal">         "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand cut!"

<p class="MsoNormal">         Suddenly, the four are back in that 'glass box', suspended over the auditorium/stadium, where Mojo looks up at them, gleefully, "My sponsors are going through the ROOF! I don't think they've ever DREAMED of ratings, like this! You guys are hired!" He slaps Major Domo on the back, "This was the best decision I ever made!"

<p class="MsoNormal">         The crowd is going wild, the sound nearly, but not quite defeaning, still allowing Mojo's screechy voice to be heard through the din.

<p class="MsoNormal">         "We start filming the sequel tomorrow. Get some rest, kids!"