2013.07.28 - All Along the Water's Edge

The clouds that perpetually reside in the dark Gotham sky are acting a little out of sorts. The thick purple is highlighted in dark grays and there's a churning appearance to it all. The lightning flashes through the coverage casting an eerie hologen blue across everything and the rain will come down hard for several seconds, then suddenly stop altogether.

While this isn't completely unusual for the unpredictable weather in this part of Jersey, that it has been going since exactly after sunset probably is a little more so...

Constantine wasn't meaning to come to Gotham. As a matter of fact, he hated Gotham. Everything that happened here was dark and dangerous. Even buying a pack of cigarettes could prove life threatening if one wasn't careful about it. The Surgeon General really should put up some sort of advisory about this place...

Slackers.

But here he was in Gotham all the same. Standing in the rain with his hair blowing in every direction, then settling, and blowing in another. The thick drops of moisture hit like hail, but aren't solid enough to be specifically classified as such... It was enough to make him wish he'd stayed in bed and hadn't taken that wrong turn at Albuquerque, for sure.

More so when lightning slashed out of the sky and hit the water about one hundred yards from the shore, illuminating dark shapes that are most certainly not suppose to be there beneath the surface.

"Oh for fucks sake..."

As dangerous as the place is (doubly so for someone who doesn't typically have a dwelling of her own), it is immensely profitable for someone who is capable of healing. But this place is so gritty, even the pigeons smoke and carry switch blades. Or so Rain's convinced. But for a healer who doesn't ask obscene rates or ask too many questions, well... She keeps her jacket on and does her best to look like she belongs. There's a pause, at the unusual weather. She blinks, glad she has a nice hat on as well as her water molecule patterned umbrella.

But then, there's the Snark. Er, Constantine. Constantine. She pauses, noticing the man in the weather, without a hat or an umbrella. She heard an f-bomb, and heads over. Wait. What're th-- oh boy. "Um. I'd greet you but -" This seems like a bad time...

The weather is of little consequence to the Tomorrow Knight. As a Gotham native, he is used to oppressive clouds and driving rain, but Purple clouds are things that no one can really get used to. He moves to the waterfront to investigate where this weird stuff is coming from. Perched high above John Constantine, he looks out to the ocean cycling through his visor's vision modes to see anything. The lightning helps as he too sees the dark shapes John sees. He waits for a long moment, letting them get closer to see what is actually coming to dinner.

It's a nice night to be in Gotham. It's dark and gloomy. That's perfect for Zack. Who has a sword at his hip as he jumps out from a portal wearing his black costume. The teen manages to land in a bit of a role. "Ugh. Gotham /really/ feels gross." Not to mention the ugliness of the lines here to him. If he didn't want to check it out every so often he'd not come anywhere /near/ Gotham.

The weather grows a bit more oppressive as if in response to hearing Constantine speak. The clouds grow so thick overhead that it completely blankets the sky in darkness and the street lamps dim noticably in every direction starting in pattern that radiates out from John.

The voice beside him draws the brits attention away from the dark shapes churning beneath the water which is already kicking up into medium sized waves, even against the tide. His eyes search over Rain, then look back out to the ocean. His hair hangs like a soaked curtain to his face, but his eyes are starting to glow an intense and uncomely red as he stares at whatever it is that's breaking the surface of the water.

Faces at first, human in vague appearance but for subtle variations. Pale enough that the circulatory system beneath is visible against it and their eyes are completely white. As they crest to chest depth, clawing and scampering up the side of the dock, their clothing is a motley coupling. Some wear business attire, others teeshirts and jeans, but all of them have clawed fingers. And the water dripping from them looks more like blood than anything natural.

Constantine puts a hand in Rain's back and angles her away from the docks, "Run, now."

Whether she follows or not, the Brit is doing exactly that... running towards anything that can provide him with shelter. "Get out of god damn rain you bloody divvies!"

Rain seems surprised, dark purple eyes wide now. She blinks, spotting whomever Constantine is looking at. She would smile at the man, though, his hair and expression indicate that this is no time for smiles. She will follow, carefully holding her umbrella over him if he wishes. She has a hat as well. "What-" This magic seems unfamiliar to her. She's expanding her abilities - and magic is marvelously flexible, but this is a new situation. She trusts Constantine though and will move as he angles her away, following him.

Tomorrow Knight hears Constantine calling to get out of the rain. The cloaked vigilante takes the chance to hop, skip, and jump to a small bit of cover and out of the driving rain. His optics zoom in on the "water zombies" and he begins to take note of the faces and actions of the monsters. He reaches up, and an explosive Batarang readies itself into his hands. He waits for an opportune moment where they are clumped together.

"Bloody hell!" Zack suddenly shouts,"REALLY?! Oh bloody hell." He is really wishing he had decided NOT to come to Gotham tonight but there were signs of something going to happen in the near future here according to family members so he was here today checking it out. "Why the bloody hell couldn't this have happened tomorrow?" He mutters to himself and pulls his sword from it's sheath and begins making a sketch on the ground in front of him.

Constantine isn't much of a runner. On the one hand he smokes about a carton of cigarettes a day and on the other, he washes it down with another carton of cigarettes a day... So by the time he and Rain are out of the rain, he's huffing and puffing. Leaning down, which is not the way to get your breath, and taking in deep breaths that are rattling and sound horrible even over the pounding of the rain.

The 'zombies', for lack of a better word, are not zombie like in the sense that movies portray them. As soon as they spy activity, they rush towards it like raptors. Their mouths open wide, shouting a blood curdling sound like nails drug across a chalkboard and pounce on anything or anyone that doesn't have the good fortune to not be in their way.

But there's no shortage of them.

They just keep boiling up out of the ocean like ants from a hill. Clambering and clawing their way onto the dock and rushing in every direction after workers who were out late loading that last shipment or diving onto the hood of cars in the late night traffic.

A group of them even stare up at Tomorrow Knight as if they can see him.. and dive at him dispite the distance. It just ... disappears.. into the rain and reappears nearer to him, finishing the dive. There are no shortage of groups of them, either.

One such group is growling that horrible growl and headed in both Zack's and Constantine and Rain's direction.

Rain is - averageish. She excels only when her flying broomstick is involved. As he takes in deep breaths and leans over, Rain is breathing quickly - but she's healthy at least. Having hippy dippy new age witches for a family'll do tht. She peers out at the 'zombies', frowning at the noises. She hears the horrible growling coming their way. "Okay, I'm going to confess ignorance here... would- what are these?" She's quietly glad she keeps her relic guns with her, trying to stifle her inner horror. Those poor people. Those poor workers.

As the creatures begin to advance on the dockworkers, the Tomorrow Knight unleashes his explosive batarang at the largest cluster of the monsters. As he is spied, he narrows his eyes. "So it's like this then," he grumbles. As they launch themselves at him, he stands and readies himself...and then they appear right next to him. "Damnit!" He yells, immediately back=pedaling. He throws a kick at the jaw of the closest water-zombie, and readies his finger claws as they come on.

"From the deepest flames I conjure, spirits that dwell with the flames heed me and come to my aid." Zack says as he finish the pattern which flares to life with blue white flames that come from the ground and form a small dragon of blue white fire, not much taller than Zack himself. "Let's see how these things like a bit of flames..." He says and the dragon launches itself like a missile towards some of the water zombie's crashing down to the ground to splash out flames. "Have I ever mentioned I don't like zombies or demons much?" He asks as he whispers soft to his rapier and begins making his way there, flames surrounding his actual blade. Fire versus water. Stronger of the two shall win.

"They're fluffy bunnies... what do they look like?" Constantine snorts at Rain, rumaging around in his coat. He pats at pockets and sifts through endless asortment of implementations of his magic until he finally comes up with a pair of large black bags. The 'zombies' are rushing at them, shifting from view only to appear closer with each 'leap'. The rain swallows them then spits them right back out a few feet in their direction. "Be useful and start outlinin' the exterior with the stuff in that bag, aye?" Tossing one of the bags at Rain without warning and going about doing the same himself. Starting at one corner and working his way around with healthy handfuls of white sand... or salt.

"Get out of the god damn rain!" He shouts again. Staring at everyone whose not listening, such as the workers and drivers who are getting their windshields busted in and drug out of their vehicles by whatever the creatures can grab hold of.

Those who attacked the Tomorrow Knight? The kick snaps his jaw off and it immediately turns into water once it is seperated from his body. This does not stop the screeching sound it shouts at him when it again dives in his direction.

The batarang hits true amidst a grouping of them. They explode like a fountain of black water that pools on the ground and steams when the rain hits it.

Those who were rushing at Zack are met with the sudden breath of a blue fire dragon crashing down amongst their ranks. The first to task its breath is ignited instantly beneath it, but continues clawing and screaming that horrible sound that is like a chorus across the waterfront. The group pile ontop of the Dragon, uncaring for their own wellbeing. Each one that dies by claw or flame is the same as the others, errupting into that black water that, when doused on the dragon... begin to dim its light. But it's effective.

Tomorrow Knight growls back at the monster attacking him. As it dives at him, Terry attempts to grab its arm and levers him against the wall behind him. "Why, oh why, didn't we equip this thing with a flame thrower?" He grumbles, slashing at the rest of the group coming at him. His swipes at them attempt to diminish them down to nothing, and carve his way through the group to cover the civilians.

Rain just stifles a sigh. "Well, alright. Bad time for the question," She remarks. She goes with it and nods. Rain manages to catch the bag of salt. She'll outline the exterior as instructed, carefully sprinkling and moving the salt as instructed. She's a mighty sprinkler. She looks worried for people, frowning. Wishing for powers far beyond her own to shout at all of them. Get out of the rain! But she just - does as she's told, dark purple eyes downcast.

Taking a deep breath, Zack relinquishes the dragon. "Spirits of the Divine Fire, Holy force that grants life and purifies. In the Darkness, grant light, that white has been corrupted make new. Cleanse the unholy from my sight." He lifts his rapier high above his head and it begins shed pure white light for a moment before he makes a slashing gesture between the oncoming zombies and the poor workers. His spell designed to leave the workers there and get rid of the zombies... Although he's using a fair chunk of magic here so he's not even sure if he'll be able to pull it off. No doubt every mystical being within the tristate area is aware of him by this point.

Tomorrow Knight is affective at rending the water zombies, thinning their ranks and leaving behind a growing pool of that black water in his wake. That pool smokes and pops as the rain hits it, oozing together into one grotesque ceasepool of goo around him. A Bat-island.

There are more rushing out of the water towards him, but he at least has a break to protect some of the workers and pedestrians... some of whom have not been as lucky. A group is 'feasting' on one hapless individual over by a sedan with a shattered windshield.

Zack, likewise, is making short work of those zombies who were come to attack him. And like Tomorrow Knight there is a growing pool of black goo that smokes and writhes when the rain hits it. The workers are spared, at least for the moment, when that white light slashes through the group who were chasing after them... but when they go down, the form yet another of those dark pools.

Constantine is watching with yet glowing red eyes as their small shelter is battered by the ravaging creatures. Slashing at the sheet metal walls leaving large gashes where their claws rend. One finally gets an opening large enough to get through and dives at the Occultist... His hands come up together like an exagerated clap, foul sounding words of magic falling from his mouth like iron into a lake, and the creature collapses to the ground. Jerking and screaming as its skin begins to bubble and welt until it bulges and ultimately explodes....

Every drop of that black water is sucked up into the barrier of salt he and Rain have been sprinkling around the exterior. Which leaves an openning,

"Get everyone inside!" Waving at both Zack and Tomorrow Knight, motioning at the dozen or so civilians who aren't already being eaten or fled away from this horrible scene.

Rain is not idle, but her magic is slower. She surprised as the man's eyes glow red. She winces, but looks relieved as it is vanquished. "Okay," Rain nods, she'll try to make sure their salt berrier maintains. She hesitates. "It's not safe to fly out there, is it. Is it the water itself?" She could scoop someone up, but. "I am getting the distinct feeling I should stay here, make sure the salt holds up and help zap things," She offers.

Once he has an opening, Tomorrow Knight takes it. Rocket boots flare, and he is in the air. He soars over the advancing line of Zombie-things, and quickly drops a line of incendiary grenades powered by thermite. The small mines adhere and burn white hot. He scoops up as many civilians as he can and flies them toward the shelter. "GET INTO COVER NOW!" He yells in his big-boy Batman voice, trying to corral as much of the civvies as he can from the air.

"Get moving you bloody gits!" Zack says as he points in the direction away from the zombies,"Unless you bloody well want to be eaten." He says sounding even more annoyed. Truth be told he's looking a little bit on the weakened side right now. He's trying to save enough energy to be able to open a portal home, which is part of why he doesn't just open one underneath all of these fools and send them off to safety, well that and he might leave some broken bones.

Constantine probably surprises everyone by helping pull civilians into the shelter, pushing them out of the openning and even taking the opertunity to defend Tomorrow from a rampaging gang of them by extending his hand and speaking in that foul language once again. His fingers sprouts black tendrils of shadowy energy and yank the creatures forward while he thrusts the other hand at them and cuts them in half with a blade made of blood.

Each one that falls near to the shelter errupts into the black water, but it is quickly soaked up into the salt.

Constantine casts a glance at Rain and points out at some of the straggling survivors, "If you get killed it's your own fault you numpty..." But he just seems like he's trying to sound snarky, while giving her something to do.

His eyes shift over to Zack, red eyes glowing a bit brighter when he looks him over. He for sure knows there's mystics going on with him, but there's also British comradery. "Go." He can feel the younger magi's battery is running low. "Get us help, aye? Those pools..." Motioning to them...

They're all starting to run together, moving towards the center like liquid mercury on a flat wood table.

"Oh blooming hell..." Glancing up at the sky, "A little help here, huh?" Flicking off the sky, but probably intending it for far further up than that.

Rain looks relieved, nodding. "I have no idea what that means, and casting thoughtlessly around someone else just seemed unwise. Anyway, I take full responsibility for my impending natural selection," She waves a hand, pulling her broomstick in her hand. Right. She's going to hop on and pick up a couple of survivors. She wouldn't have room for more than a couple of passengers tops and she's feeling like the chocolate smooshed in a s'more. She's going to pick them up and bring them over, hopefully before they /and/ the young magi get picked off.

Tomorrow Knight attempts to knock off some of his attackers with a barrel roll, before making another loop back to drag more civilians into the sheltered area. "Got any more Salt? He asks. "I'll drop it over their heads. Running low on ammo here!" He throws another cascade of thermite grenades to hold the horde back and dry some of this "black water."

"Ok. I'll some more experienced people know what's up." Meaning Zack's going to send his parents and sister to lend a hand. Considering they use far less energy when they do stuff than Zack, probably just as well. Behind him a swirling blue vortex appears but rather than stepping through he closes his eyes and falls backward, his body seeming to twist inside of the vortex for a second before both he, and the portal vanish.

Constantine eyes the Tomorrow Knight... but tosses what remains of the bag he was using to create their little shelter, "Don't waste it... I know how you bats think shite grows on god damn trees, but it doesn't." Snart, to a Bat, like he's got the least care of all the possible cares to not have.

Rain's heroism is met with thank yous and crying appreciation, at least until a huge hand comes up out of that 'black puddle' that was starting to form in the center of the docks and snaps out at her broomstick and the passangers she's so fearlessly gone to rescue.

Constantine points at the Tomorrow Bat and then at the huge horned skull that is forming black ichorous flesh in that pool. "There... That is where you need to not waste my fuckin' salt..."

The brit reaches into his coat and pulls out two pistols that are only really pistols at all because they vaguely have a gunlike shape. In truth they're more like relics of some bygone era. Explosion tudes with triggers that he steadily packs with small crystals and kicks one of the zombies in the chest and blows it in half with both barrels of rocksalt. The black water never even has a chance to hit the ground, sucked into the ammunition even as the thing explodes.

He's standing the middle of the vortex of zombies, blasting them, elbowing... kicking and headbutting.

"I'll need to warn you c**ts, I'm a biter..." And he bites a zombie back.

Oh hell. It's never that easy, is it? Rain stifles the urge to curse as the hand snaps out at her. A huge hand. "Hang on /tightly/," She's quietly wishing she had Constantine's snark powers or salt or something. It's one of those days having the powers to bless things or the good sense to keep a bag of salt with her would really come in handy. But not today. Fortunately, aside from large amounts of nudity, sensuality and general witchiness, Rain /does/ have her own elemental powers. And she need not pull her relic pistols to use him. Managing barely not to get swiped, passengers desperately clinging (please oh please don't drop one oh sweet merciful whomever is listening even that guy in the red jumpsuit), she has to concentrate to call down any sort of lighting at this black zombie felow.

Tomorrow Knight dives straight at the black hand coming from the pool of ichor. He opens the drawstring of the salt bag. He accelerates in a kamikaze dive and brakes at the very last second, he fires one last concussion grenade into the center of the mass to disrupt the goo, and follows it with a generous helping of the salt. He reroutes, burning the hand with his rockets for extra measure.

The creature crawling its way out of that black ichorous goop is suddenly beset on all sides by the equality of goodly men (and women, who are clothed, despite saying they go otherwise) (seriously) (seriously seriously) The lightning smashes through what has formed of its arm and hand, muscle seperating from bone and throwing the appendage back against the concrete like oil.. It begins to reform until some of that salt thrown by Tomorrow hits it right at the join and soaks up whatever oozing mass was condenced in that spot.

The creatures gaping, molten like mouth hangs open in a howl that shatters the glass in some of the warehouses and sets of car alarms for a mile, doubly so when the grenade is sucked into its mass and explodes. Illuminated from the inside like a orange mushroom cloud bathed in toilet water after a night at an Indian resteraunt (dot Indian not feather Indian).

The propellant from Knight's thrusters is just icing on the cake.

A very angry icing.

Sans one arm that does not reform, the creature continues to claw its way out of the goo. Only partially formed itself, each bit that does sucks up some of the oozing water that the zombies created.

Constantine is making sure it will never be a real boy, however. Tearing the head off one zombie and throwing it at another zombie. He's actually torn out a bit of gooey intestine and is using it like a garrot wire. Several of the creatures are piled on him now, but he's spitting and biting and doing everything imaginable to combat them.

"If one of you blighters ruins my coat, I'm going to die just so I can come down there and shove my fist in your arse with a spiked glove..."

BOOM

The rocksalt stick explodes and takes out a line of them, the other points at the creature forming and blows a huge chunk out of the side of its face.

Big guy in the midd-- now blasted. Ew. Well, she'll have to thank that Knight chap later. For now, Rain is working on getting to the others. Namely, Constantine and - oh dear. He's being piled on. "Please stay within the salt circle." She'll deposit them with the other survivors and NOT near the pile assailing Constantine. Now, time to double back. She's not really sure why, but Constantine does not deserve to get piled on. She slips a relic gun from beneath her pocket. Right then.

Tomorrow Knight loops around again with a sigh. "Just how big is this thing?" He says with a sigh. "Alright, they got Lightning? So do I!" He dives down again. He reaches down and activates the anti-theft device. His body crackles and ignites with electricity. While meant to taser would-be grapplers, it could work equally well inside a creatures gullet. "SMILE YOU SON OF A BITCH!" He dives straight at the creatures waiting maw.

Of all the people who could possibly be piled upon. Of every human who was ever cast beneath a pile of 'anything'. Of every soul imaginable in the cosmos, Constantine is probably the one who deserves it the MOST. He is not a very likeable guy. That the zombies are lining up to show him exactly how much he is disliked... literally abandoning every other survivor in favor of rushing directly AT HIM is indication enough.

Some don't make it that far. Much to the chagrin of the huge creature who was clearly trying to use their black water remains as fodder for its own growth. Its mouth opens wide enough to swallow a buick... and instead swallows a Tomorrow Knight.

You know how when you're driving or riding a bike and you suddenly swallow a bug? That shocked expression you get? That's the same one this demon makes when the Bat zooms into its insides and suddenly starts looming white electricity throughout its body like a water puddle with a power cable in it.

See, water is one of the single best electric conductive substance next to copper... Its one formed arm flails about throwing off bits of flesh that hisses and pops when it seperates from the creature and its eyes glow an intense white hot until they too explode.

The bones, not yet fully formed, are soaked with that black water that electrifies and melts beneath the surge, literally collapsing it back down into the puddle under its own wait.

The rain is dying down as well.

Constantine, looking like he just fought a honey badger (who doesn't give a shit), is dived upon by one of the few remaining zombies. The Warlock is tired and there's blood oozing from his mouth after a rather violent series of coughs. The creature rears up and starts coming down with the sole intent of tearing out his throat.

Okay. So Constantine is Britain's Subtle Revenge Plan Mk. Snark. Sure. Rain gets that. But he seems like a good person deep down in there (Maybe there's more booze involved in finding it. Must perfect conjure booze later) and frankly, the world would be less without him and worse with him shuffling around demanding brains and entrails. Her gun out, the witch opts to use a very strange magic technique. It seems particular to her. For you see, Rain declined to use a 12 inch wand (imagine all the jokes. Go on. Just imagine) and apparently had her guns consecrated as relics to fire bullets or - magic energy. She's crafty or sensible that way. Mercifully, she's in range to blast one of the remaining or the remaining zombie intending to tear Constantine a structurally superfluous hole. She's an engineer, and quite frankly, that structurally superfluous hole would just make no sense. The Knight chap can probably obliterate it if it isn't reeling from being shot.

Tomorrow Knight doesn't make his stay in the gullet of a black hydro long, as he punches his way out of the dissolving creature. He skids on the ground, bouncing abit. "I hate zombies..." he groans, struggling to his feet. He takes a moment to steady himself before throwing himself at the nearest remaining hydro-magneto-undying-necro-whateverandsomesuch. His claws are ready to rend and tear, ready to be done with this.

The zombies have thinned out considerably with all the killing been laid down by the good guys. There's only a hand full of them remaining and when that creature falls back in on itself, they scream in pain as if they suddenly realize the rain has stopped... Glancing skyward they growl and spit leaving themselves open for all sorts of finishing moves.

Diagnal Left Strong kick.

Constantine is spared a quick and painful death by Rain's intervention, huffing and puffing as he's temporarily covered in black water that soaks right into one of his pockets where the other bag of salt had emptied in all the struggling.

The streets, with the last of the zombies dead, are incredibly quiet. As if with them all the sound from the city has been washed into that slowly desolving black pool where the creature disappeared once Tomorrow Knight melted it down.

John blows out a long breath and rolls from his back to his knees, then pushes up to his feet and limps towards the source of that grotesque monster. One hand is fishing around in a pocket and comes out with a pack of smokes and a zippo together. One of them is slipped between his lips and his head tilts with the strike of the lighter, immediately blowing out a long drag of steely gray smoke that vaguely resembles a pair of eyes glaring down at him.

"Well, that could've been worse..." Looking over at his partners in all this with a smug smile, "So, first rou-" A hand whips out of the small puddle that remains, wraps around the Warlocks waist and yanks him down into the pool... the whole thing sucks down into the cracks and disappears.

All that remains there is his smoldering cigarette soaking up the rain water and letting off little whisps of white smoke until it dies out completely.

Rain blooks relieved for a moment, as Constantine is spared a painful death. The zombies gone. She looks to the survivors, and glances to John. "Yeah." First round- wait. Wait what. "Constantine!" She yelps, watching him disappear. His cigarette. Crap. "I wonder if Divination would work..." She furrows her brows, quietly hoping he gave her his real name.

"Wizard!" The Tomorrow Knight never got a name, but tries a warning anyway. It apparently doesn't take, and John is swept up anyway. As he is pulled down and away, the future Batman attempts to claw at the pavement. He quickly realizes the futility of it however. He grumbles and narrows his eyes at the ground. Taking a small test tube from his belt he scoops up a small bit of the quickly disappearing goo, and tucks it away. He looks at Rain. "Go home. Get some rest. I have a feeling this isn't over yet." He unfurls his wings again, and the boots fire.

"..." Rain furrows her brows, looking to the spot. Her gaze is troubled, worried. She sighs, shaking her head. SHe looks to the Knight. "I will. But uhm, you have a name or title so I can find you again - or something? Just in case -" The dude /does/ seem pretty badass. She'll accept any sort of code name and drift home. Or rather, she pulls a runestone and vanishes if he answers, whether affirmative or not.

"The Tomorrow Knight," Terry says as he ascends into the sky and is lost into the clouds.