11-20-2017, 12:20 AM
With their chainsaw-wielding companion temporarily out of commission, the remainder of the Liberators were left to stare down Psyche as he approached. A tinny cackle echoed off of the acid-scorched floor as he closed the gap, savoring each second as he slowly bore down on his beleaguered opponents. “There’s no need to struggle any longer,” the doctor advised, his manic tone belying his seemingly calming words. “Nebula will save you from this pain.”
“Tell that to Kanda,” Revan spat, heart hammering arrhythmically as rage spurred his fatigued limbs. He raised his blade, the silvery steel pockmarked with dried blood and oil. “If you’re looking for converts, you’re talking to the wrong people.”
“Shame,” Dr. Psyche said, shaking his head. “Still, I’m sure I can find some use for you three.” The air around the mechanized madman began to roil as he finished his taunt, a pair of foot-long syringes flickering into existence at his sides.
The alicorn and the mage quickly worked their respective spellcraft, each knowing full-well that they lacked the energy to flee from the menacing needles for long. Magic met medicine between the trio in a spray of glass and fire as the attacks met, causing a thick plume of violet smoke to billow over the battleground from the point of contact.
“More cat and mouse?” Psyche sneered, striding confidently into the caustic cloud as he scanned for the pair. The fumes provided a convenient cover for his enemies to escape and provide cover for a counter, but he was more than ready for such wiles. The mechanized medicine man waited for the blips on his HUD to begin scampering away, readying another pair of needles at his side, angling outward in anticipation of a pincer-style ambush. “Come out, come out...” He stopped in his tracks as the indicators on his radar suddenly began to move...toward him. His sensors registered a steep uptick in ambient temperature before the sound of hooves on steel met his ears.
“NOW!” Celestia cried out, stumbling forward and kicking up her back legs as her Sunwall began to fade. Her rider was catapulted forward through the purple smog, landing heavily mere inches from the surprised doctor. Revan’s blade made quick work of the hovering pair of needles before tearing a wide slash across Psyche’s chestplate.
Nebula’s commander cried out in anguished rage as he stumbled backward to avoid another slash from the robed swordsman. “Insects!” he cried, quickly stuffing his hands into his pockets and unleashing twin beams of scarlet plasma wildly in the direction of the offending Liberators. “You think you’re worthy of Nebula’s power?!”
The smoke finally began to clear as the doctor’s lasers tore through the hazy air, leaving wide, erratic scorch marks across the battle-scarred walls. He broke into raucous laughter as his sensors registered the pair of liberators fleeing, moving toward the door of the laboratory. The doctor paused his assault for a moment at the sight; they would find no escape from him. Servos whirred as he stood tall, his robotic joints locking and rooting him in place as he pulled the laser emitters from his waist and brought them together before him. With a satisfying click, the twin weapons united, a single mote of energy already swelling within the unified barrel.
“Goodbye, Liberators.” Heat poured from the muzzle as the energy orb swelled to the size of a beach ball. He would only need a single shot. “Hopefully enough of your singed corpses will remain for the autopsy.” He finally caught sight of the pair standing resolute out in the open, directly in front of what would be the laser’s path. “I appreciate your cooperation,” Psyche sneered, leveling the cannon. As he took aim, a familiar noise gave him pause.
A chainsaw.
The doctor’s torso quickly spun about the waist, his mechanized limbs hurriedly unlocking in a desperate attempt to move his anchored body as he scanned his surroundings, prepped cannon ready to fire. Before he could take aim and fire the payload, the voice of Ash Williams met his ears.
“How about a little off the top?”
The deafening screech of gnashing saw teeth on metal echoed through the lab as Ash gripped the guide bar of his weaponized limb with his free hand and bore down. Seconds later he felt resistance disappear as the blade separated the doctor’s cranium from his body.
“Ash!” Revan called out, rushing toward the slayer with his equine companion in tow. “Is he dead?”
Ash smiled placidly as he killed the motor and staggered forward to meet them. “Decapitating is the only way I know to make sure something is DEFINITELY dead,” he replied, kicking the doctor’s lifeless head aside. “Are you two alright?”
“Not really,” Celestia replied, smiling sheepishly. “But I’m glad it’s all o-”
“OVER?” a chillingly familiar voice inquired.
The Liberator’s turned in unison toward the discarded head of Dr. Psyche, now floating a few inches from the lab floor, eyes blinking rhythmically. “Shit,” Ash muttered, pulling his shotgun free from its holster. “That usually always works.”
“THIS IS NOT OVER,” Psyche’s disembodied head cried out, breaking into manic laughter. With impressive speed, the commander’s noggin took off into the air, shooting toward the back of the lab.
“Get ready,” Revan commanded, sword at the ready. “Whatever he’s doing, it’s not good.”
No sooner had the swordsman issued his warning than the lab shook as if rocked by an earthquake. Moments later the doctor emerged from the depths of the lab in a form unfamiliar. Reborn.
“’Not good’ is an understatement,” Ash replied.
“Tell that to Kanda,” Revan spat, heart hammering arrhythmically as rage spurred his fatigued limbs. He raised his blade, the silvery steel pockmarked with dried blood and oil. “If you’re looking for converts, you’re talking to the wrong people.”
“Shame,” Dr. Psyche said, shaking his head. “Still, I’m sure I can find some use for you three.” The air around the mechanized madman began to roil as he finished his taunt, a pair of foot-long syringes flickering into existence at his sides.
The alicorn and the mage quickly worked their respective spellcraft, each knowing full-well that they lacked the energy to flee from the menacing needles for long. Magic met medicine between the trio in a spray of glass and fire as the attacks met, causing a thick plume of violet smoke to billow over the battleground from the point of contact.
“More cat and mouse?” Psyche sneered, striding confidently into the caustic cloud as he scanned for the pair. The fumes provided a convenient cover for his enemies to escape and provide cover for a counter, but he was more than ready for such wiles. The mechanized medicine man waited for the blips on his HUD to begin scampering away, readying another pair of needles at his side, angling outward in anticipation of a pincer-style ambush. “Come out, come out...” He stopped in his tracks as the indicators on his radar suddenly began to move...toward him. His sensors registered a steep uptick in ambient temperature before the sound of hooves on steel met his ears.
“NOW!” Celestia cried out, stumbling forward and kicking up her back legs as her Sunwall began to fade. Her rider was catapulted forward through the purple smog, landing heavily mere inches from the surprised doctor. Revan’s blade made quick work of the hovering pair of needles before tearing a wide slash across Psyche’s chestplate.
Nebula’s commander cried out in anguished rage as he stumbled backward to avoid another slash from the robed swordsman. “Insects!” he cried, quickly stuffing his hands into his pockets and unleashing twin beams of scarlet plasma wildly in the direction of the offending Liberators. “You think you’re worthy of Nebula’s power?!”
The smoke finally began to clear as the doctor’s lasers tore through the hazy air, leaving wide, erratic scorch marks across the battle-scarred walls. He broke into raucous laughter as his sensors registered the pair of liberators fleeing, moving toward the door of the laboratory. The doctor paused his assault for a moment at the sight; they would find no escape from him. Servos whirred as he stood tall, his robotic joints locking and rooting him in place as he pulled the laser emitters from his waist and brought them together before him. With a satisfying click, the twin weapons united, a single mote of energy already swelling within the unified barrel.
“Goodbye, Liberators.” Heat poured from the muzzle as the energy orb swelled to the size of a beach ball. He would only need a single shot. “Hopefully enough of your singed corpses will remain for the autopsy.” He finally caught sight of the pair standing resolute out in the open, directly in front of what would be the laser’s path. “I appreciate your cooperation,” Psyche sneered, leveling the cannon. As he took aim, a familiar noise gave him pause.
A chainsaw.
The doctor’s torso quickly spun about the waist, his mechanized limbs hurriedly unlocking in a desperate attempt to move his anchored body as he scanned his surroundings, prepped cannon ready to fire. Before he could take aim and fire the payload, the voice of Ash Williams met his ears.
“How about a little off the top?”
The deafening screech of gnashing saw teeth on metal echoed through the lab as Ash gripped the guide bar of his weaponized limb with his free hand and bore down. Seconds later he felt resistance disappear as the blade separated the doctor’s cranium from his body.
“Ash!” Revan called out, rushing toward the slayer with his equine companion in tow. “Is he dead?”
Ash smiled placidly as he killed the motor and staggered forward to meet them. “Decapitating is the only way I know to make sure something is DEFINITELY dead,” he replied, kicking the doctor’s lifeless head aside. “Are you two alright?”
“Not really,” Celestia replied, smiling sheepishly. “But I’m glad it’s all o-”
“OVER?” a chillingly familiar voice inquired.
The Liberator’s turned in unison toward the discarded head of Dr. Psyche, now floating a few inches from the lab floor, eyes blinking rhythmically. “Shit,” Ash muttered, pulling his shotgun free from its holster. “That usually always works.”
“THIS IS NOT OVER,” Psyche’s disembodied head cried out, breaking into manic laughter. With impressive speed, the commander’s noggin took off into the air, shooting toward the back of the lab.
“Get ready,” Revan commanded, sword at the ready. “Whatever he’s doing, it’s not good.”
No sooner had the swordsman issued his warning than the lab shook as if rocked by an earthquake. Moments later the doctor emerged from the depths of the lab in a form unfamiliar. Reborn.
“’Not good’ is an understatement,” Ash replied.
Quote:Dr. Psyche has pulled out all the stops, and transformed into his 'evolved' form, the Mad Nautilus: https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/mega...0730202413
He is much, much more durable and resilient in this form, though as a consequence much slower. The many tentacles and tendrils he has serve as powerful bludgeons, and can fire bursts of energy as well as blasts of chemicals of all sorts. The massive, white 'horn' emerging over his head is capable of discharging a massively powerful laser, after a substantial charge time.
At this point, Dr. Psyche will be attempting to bring his castle down on top of you. He's confident he could survive the collapse, but doesn't much care what happens to you. You can choose to stay and fight to try and finish him off, or flee to more open ground to avoid getting crushed. Either way, it won't be easy with the crazed, transformed doctor after you.
You all have two weeks, and one post each, up to 1500 words, to contend with this new development.
You're in the literal home stretch now. Have fun.