Let it Snow: Red Start

[voidtreckermods]

The doors slam shut, the train moves. Through the snow this time but the shuddering is almost worse that entering the void. "Red team to doors." The visibility out of the window is low but they are moving further up the mountain.

The doors open, allowing red team to jump. The snow here is thick, there is little protection from the howling winds and biting cold.

Their SCA shows a route, following it will, presumably lead them to the gang that caused these problems. Here on the low slopes of the mountain there are some homesteads. Much fewer than in the town itself but cottages and small farm houses. All seem abandoned.

For now there is not much to do but to walk, forge a path through the snow. Fight the snow and ice monsters that attack and do their best to survive as they follow the map towards their goal.

Comments

[rieper]

I. Disembark.

47 didn't mingle yesterday as they all prepared for the mission and he didn't mingle now as they waited to disembark from the train. Things were in a hurry here and 47 was actually in a rare restless mood, ready to get off the train and even more ready to go on the mission. It had been far too long since he'd had one. He would have preferred his usual type of assassination; no partners, all stealth, and proper Intel at the start. But life was hardly perfect and it wasn't the first time 47 had gone on point in a hurry. He could improvise.

The hitman was back in a black outfit meant for comfort and mobility in the cold weather, though there was a noticeable splash of red on the front and back of the jacket. That suited the hitman fine anyway. He missed his red tie (and suit for that matter. He needed to talk to the spider sometime after this mission). He had the hood pulled over his bald head and a pair of goggles over his eyes for protection against the raging snow outside. He'd glimpsed it as the first few teams left for their parts of the mission. On his back he had his backpack with a dark weatherproofing over it, with various supplies and at least two coils of rope visible on the outside. He was prepared.

When their time to disembark came he was one of the first to exit the train. He wanted to get the lay of the land as soon as possible. He ignored the cold, biting winds ripping at his clothing as he hiked to a high point nearby. He swept his gaze over the area. He looked at the SCA that showed their route, glanced at the direction it indicated.

He looked back at the others gathering out of the train as they finished exiting, managed to catch the train as it disappeared back into the void. How strange. More importantly, 47 realized this was when he would finally get to see the extent of his team's skills and abilities. He was admittedly curious. If for no other reason than to know what was available and who was the weakest link. He wouldn't be the one to protect them.

Did they need a plan? Would their so-called leaders come up with one on the fly, quickly? 47 appeared impatient to wait. He wanted to get moving.

II. Scouting and Fighting.

47 liked to stay out in front of the pack. If asked he said he was scouting ahead to make certain they didn't run into any surprises. In reality he just didn't feel like being close to the liabilities. He had worked with small two to three man teams from time to time for special operations but mostly he worked alone. It's how he preferred it, and it's how he worked best.

There were a few notable times when 47 seemed to disappear for minutes at a time. This occurred most often when they passed by cottages and farm houses. Indeed, the assassin made his way into several of the buildings--by brute force if needed--and rummaged around in them. He wasn't above pilfering a few items here and there. He picked up a few tools out of one shed. A wrench, a screwdriver, a spade. Useful items. 47 had always found them to be quite handy to have on a mission. They made excellent weapons as much as tools to cause accidents with. He stuffed them into one of many pockets he had and moved on. At some point he picked up a shovel and used it as a walking stick as he trudged through the snow.

It made an excellent weapon, too. When the first ice monster appeared 47 hesitated for one full second as he stared at the incomprehensible creature made of ice and snow. The moment passed quickly--the hitman didn't feel fear or anything else for that matter--and he ducked and rolled as the monster swiped a meaty paw at him. As he rolled back onto his feet he swung the shovel with all his might and momentum, hit the monster squarely on the head, and watched it drop. He hacked it's head off with the thin edge of the shovel's head. It disappeared, melted, blended into the rest of the snow and ice. 47 turned around and started trudging towards their goal once more.

Not all of the fights he got into with ice creatures went so smoothly, of course. The smaller ones he seemed fine to handle on his own with just the shovel. The larger ones proved a challenge. He had to work with the team to take them on--or else waste precious ammo if caught alone. He had his pistol; his aim was impeccable. He had a few explosives; not many, and he didn't want to waste them before the final fight, but he might expend one if he had to in order to survive.

III. Wild Card!

[[Make something up?! Hit me! Am willing to have 47 caught in a Snowswirl and need rescue. Or notice someone else caught in one?? but he probably won't know how to hit a snowstorm... Similarly, if people need help getting over a patch of ice or a rope to climb up a hard part of the mountain slope--47 is good at this physical stuff and can point people to the easiest paths to take. Or, you know, just more fighting. If you want to discuss anything or have any questions, hit me with a PM or plurk at me!]]

[knifewithnoname]

She had been keeping up and fighting hard. The grav-con Lightning had loaned her had helped a lot. It meant she could navigate snowdrifts by bouncing off them and it meant that she had more range on the monsters and could get away easier.

All good things. She saw the man who had a number for a name fighting one of the ice creatures. Not the snow ones. The snow ones were easier, they fell apart quickly once you started hitting them. The ice ones were tougher.

He was very strong, but the monster was big. She jumped towards it, using the grav-con to jump up high and then land hard. If she had been a grown person the force would have done some damage to the creature but as it was she barely chipped it.

She had her knife though and attacked it from behind.

[rieper]

47 took advantage of the minute distraction. She may have been small but the knife trying to carve into the ice was just annoyance enough to gain the beast's attention. So the hitman swung his shovel hard into the creature's head as it looked away from him. He grit his teeth against the twang of the blow, the return vibrations painful from the thickness of the ice. It didn't stop him from swinging the shovel again in another attack.

Agent 47 was nothing if not tenacious. Besides, he wanted this creature dead so they could move on.

[knifewithnoname]

Jump

She had hung back whilst Purple and Blue were dropped off. Stood with her rucksack on, up against a wall to brace herself against all the rolling and lurching the train was doing. Soon it was reds turn. She tugged on her hat, making sure it was secure on her head and walked towards the doors.

She was prepared to be cold but still as she jumped down the cold, bitter wind took her breath away completely. Her teeth ached, her head hurt, her bones felt so cold they would shatter on impact.

Luckily they didn't as she hopped down from the train into the snow. She knew snow was like powder, she had seen it and felt it when the garden had been snowy after all. But she hadn't expect it to now be solid under her feet at all. She fell into the snowdrift that was so tall it almost buried her.

Once she found her feet the snow still came past her elbows. She gritted her teeth and began clambering out, trying to find any solid path.

Onward

After that shaky and unpleasant start she soon found her feet. She's very much out her element but she doesn't let that stop her. She trudges through the snow, she keeps going even when she is frozen and her feet want to stop.

She is aware she is smaller and slower than the others and she puts in an extra effort to not slow anyone down. She doesn't want to be left behind, she has a map but she knows very little about surviving in such an environment.

She listens and learns though, she might be confident in her skills but she also is aware when she has much to learn.

Fighting

The first attack is almost a relief. Something other than just plodding through freezing snow, wind whipping away her breath. She knows better than to try and engage more than a couple of enemies at once, she has been training with Tony but her strength still lies in taking things out before they know she is there.

Her best trick is coming up behind snowmen who are fighting other people and attacking from behind. Her dagger isn't all that more useful than her fists, but it doesn't feel the cold so much.

Running and ducking is hard in the snow though, so a few times she finds herself in trouble.

Jump

[enthunder]

Lightning was in the first batch of Reds to jump, primarily because she was one of the smaller members of the team and could duck around the taller men into prime position. So when Buttercup landed next to her and immediately disappeared into the drifts, she only barely suppressed a snort and held out the grav-con.

"Looks like you need this more than I do."

Would a manadrive be affected by the weather? She didn't know yet, but even if it was she figured the ability to ignore the snow some of the time was better than the alternative.

Re: Jump

[knifewithnoname]

She grumpily glared at Lightning, though not too much. She wouldn't actually be rude to her and the moment Lightning handed over the grav-con her eyes widened.

"You do be being serious?" They had practised and so she knew how to use it but wouldn't Lightning need it?

Still the idea of now having to walk shoulder deep in this snow was appealing. She took the grav-con with a nod. "I do be thanking you."

Onward

[runs_on_batteries]

Tony wasn't flying, but he was in his armor. It was helpful in all sorts of ways for both him and others. He could see a lot better with all of his extra scanners to help, he had far more strength if that was needed, and of course, there were the repulser beams. The metal itself wasn't as cold as one would think either, since there was a heating element inside.

He kept an eye on Buttercup, which would surprise no one- including the girl. After several hours of trudging through the snow, he came over to her. He kept his voice low enough to not embarrass her, but loud enough she could hear over the howling winds. "If you start to feel like you need a break, I can carry you a while or you can ride on my shoulders. I know you're strong, but just in case, okay?"

Fighting

[cepicorpus]

There is a child out here. A literal honest to god child, not the deceptively young looking NOT CHILD that Joss was, or at least Dio presumes so as she doesn't seem to be a vampire. Which means said literal child is being watched as she hops into the snow, and longer as she trudges along with the rest of them.

It doesn't surprise him that Stark is keeping an eye on her too, and likely offering aid-- but why. Was a child being sent to help kill some sort of lunatic professor? But she's keeping up, and isn't acting like a child normally would under these circumstances. Which means maybe he's wrong about how old she is.

Dio doesn't do a thing though, until the fighting starts, and he's still keeping an eye in the girl's direction. It's obvious in short order exactly how she fights, and that trouble's going to result - and only then does the vampire bother to actually interfere as one of the icy monstrosities turns to attempt to be rid of its small pest. Dio and The World strike in unison, sending the creature staggering and turning its attention to him instead, leaving its back exposed and focus entirely off the child.

He's not used to tanking, but there's no time like the present to learn, and provide other people easier targets.

Travel/Onwards

[enthunder]

Battling as a team was what she had trained for; despite her habits on the train, she had achieved almost all of her victories alongside others, and the difference in her behaviour made that obvious now they were moving as a unit. Now they had a goal and a route, she fell back into a support role wordlessly, a blur of pink and red appearing here with a blast of blazing magic or flurry of blows to knock a teammate's opponent off-balance, or there with a whirl of soft, healing lights that soaked into the chests of the team around her.

When battles were few, she marched without complaining, bundled into her parka with eyes narrowed at the storm around them. She'd stick mostly to Buttercup or Will, on the off-chance they disappeared into a snowdrift again. Nearly every other member of the Red team was tall enough that she could move away from them without worrying about losing them in the storm, but she'd check in occasionally, or use one of her bulkier teammates as a break from the wind and the deep snow.

[rieper]

47 definitely was not the bulkiest person on the red team but he was rather robust and appeared to be entirely accustomed to such severe conditions. He trudged along without a single complaint and barely took breaks. He knew his limits, it was everyone else that he didn't know.

He didn't remark on Lightning's approach to his position. It did speak volumes that she hiked up to his position as he clearly liked to be out in front. If there was one person he could grow accustomed to it was likely her.

The hitman's foot hit a patch of ice hidden beneath the snow and he would have slipped on it but for the support of the shovel he'd pilfered. He tapped the spot twice with the shovel to point it out. Unspoken warning: be careful here.

OTA

[runsfast_rollsfar]

Someone had managed to convince Prisoner into wearing at least something more substantial than the clothes Kumoko made him. Someone even managed to hold Prisoner down long enough to get shoes on him, and it's obvious by the way he's walkin' around like a kitten with bags of water on his feet that he hates it. But okay. Whatever.

He jumped out of the train with elation as the doors opened, tumbling immediately into the snow. He would eventually poke his fire back up out of a snowdrift and watch as the rest of the team exited the train. As the wind and cold hit him his head would change from the bright magenta it normally was to a low black flame that looked almost more like smoke than actual fire. The gleam of his gem would turn into a bright gold as he looked over the homesteads and they started to move.

When the ice and snow monsters started to attack Prisoner had no hesitation as the little charm at his wrist turned into a polearm and he jumped at the enemy, slicing it into pieces. A little snow and ice was nothing compared to where he was from and he particularly seemed to be having fun with it.

Re: OTA

[runs_on_batteries]

Tony is not said person. As much as he likely badgered the man.. corpse, whatever, that he needed to wear these items, he refused to touch Prisoner (or 'Skippy', depending on what mood he was in). He was wearing the thickest clothing he could without hindering his armor. It was really for the off-chance something were to happen to his suit as it had a built in heater.

He'd approached after he'd jumped and saw Prisoner had landed roughly. Moving over to him, he stopped when that flame popped up out of the snow. "Wow, you are not a graceful corpse are you?" He joked before offering his hand to help the guy up (only because he was wearing his armor and Prisoner had gloves on).

[marriedanidiot]

Nerdanel is here, rather than with her own team. Hopefully, she'll be a stabilising influence on her wayward husband and worryingly fragile son. Possibly two sons, if she misjudged and Maedhros isn't going with Fingon.

On the snow she walks over the crust, not sinking in, and keeps an eye out for anyone that needs help, although she sticks close to her family. She's stronger than she looks. But she's also not obviously armed.

[knifewithnoname]

This lady wasn't on the red team. Yet she was here. That wasn't too unusual. After all Peter had joined them on the world with the goblins. Maybe someone had asked her to be with them. Maybe she was very good at tracking people.

The lady elf was very good at walking over snow. Even though she had Lightnings grav-con unit the going was still tough but this lady just walked like it was the ground itself.

"How do you be doing that?"

[tinkerheart]

She shouldn’t even be here. It’s too dangerous. Fëanor knows better, and tries to remember that, than to argue with his wife. She knows what she’s doing way more often than he does. It doesn’t help to lessen his worry. So whatever the mission objectives are, they’re not his current priority.

“I don’t like the way those whirlwinds look. They don’t behave natural.“

Not all places in Aman were meadows or lush forests. There was snow in the mountains and it wasn’t uncommon for a gust of wind to pick loose snow from the ground and twirl it in a shimmering twister. What never happened was for such phenomena to have a presence. To look as if it moved with intention.

Mid-trip sometime

[runs_on_batteries]

It was the end of the second day trudging up this mountain and they'd had a couple run ins with Professor Chill's men. They seemed like ones who had purposefully been left behind to attempt to take out or at least slow down the red team's progress. Tony was glad Peter wasn't here or he might have asked that they try to convert these idiots instead of just take them out. A part of him wondered if that's what they should be doing. He pushed that thought aside.

He'd been in his armor for the majority of the journey, but when the group had stopped to take a rest, he'd finally taken it off. His winter gear wasn't quite as thick as the others since it had to fit under his armor, but he had enough, barely. That didn't mean he wasn't going to bitch about it!

Huddled in the cave they'd taken over for shelter, the older man muttered curses and munched on some of the rations they'd brought. He tightened the green scarf around his neck that sort of stood out against the rest of his dark outfit.

[seawanderer]

He's been busy fussing over keeping his mother safe (why must she be so stub- oh right. MOM.) But Maglor has also kept an eye on his teammates.

And that includes, especially! one Tony Stark. He leaves Nerdanel to Maedhros for the moment on one of their stops and makes his way to the human who has wormed his way into being adopted. He already has his outermost layer off and drapes it over Tony before taking a seat next to him.

"Not one for the cold either?" He asks quietly in concern.

Re: Mid-trip sometime

[tinkerheart]

Fëanor is utterly sick of the cold and wind so the moment they find the cave he’s overjoyed. Or he would be if wasn’t so dead tired.

“Not enjoying the lovely weather outside?” he asks as he drops beside Tony.

The conditions are harsh but the journey would be much easier on him if he slept properly the last four days before the mission was announced. Which he would if not for one pesky plague incident they all had to deal with.

[tholes]

Steve is the first to admit he has a little trouble following orders. Anyone's orders. He wouldn't be surprised if there's a top-secret diary from the war, with Colonel Phillips detailing all of his rule-breaking over the year that the Commandos were active. But he's trying really hard to at least give Tony the benefit of the doubt as team leader. Which means that, for the most part, he's stuck to helping route the thugs that Tony points him at.

But now it's late and cold, and even a super-soldier doesn't mind a breather now and then. Although he's got to keep on eye on his own reactions to the cold and snow and not let any unpleasant memories interfere with their mission. "You doing okay?" He slips into the cave, fresh from a perimeter patrol, and drops down next to Tony in the gloom.

[cepicorpus]

Disembark

Dio's putting his size (and The World's..) to good use as soon as they're on the ground, trailbreaking patiently through the snow towards the destination the SCA's given them .. or frankly anywhere else they're directed to, if some other spot seems better to whoever's leading this miserable trot through Antarctica. Being nearly tireless has its advantages, and that there's constantly a second path plowed by the ordinarily-unseen golden Stand might well be a mystery for anyone who can't see otherworldly things.

Anyone who wants an easier time through the snow may well find it simpler to simply follow in their wake. It might not be warmer but at least the snow's a little less deep.

Fighting! Or well. Tanking.

There is definitely one thing Dio is NOT used to, and that's fighting in a group. He can bring tremendous power to bear when he chooses to, but right now seems to be a VERY BAD IDEA for that given the risks of launching some monster or other into his companions.

So he's practicing simply catching the attention of frozen icy monsters and keeping it on him instead of his squishier, and possibly more damage-inflicting allies, either through his own barehanded bashing, or The World's similar fistfighting. Although they can't see the Stand, that doesn't seem to be affecting The World's ability to hit them at all, and the occasional sudden sideways lurch from an 'unseen' blow might be a little .. odd to those without the senses to see what's going on.

A few moments of observation might well make it obvious what Dio's doing at least, patiently and deliberately turning each creature he assaults away from the rest of Red Team, leaving the backs of his targets rather exposed.

assassins love aggro tanks

[rieper]

This was a fun game to play. Rather, 47 found that whenever the large muscular man was around the fighting always seemed to be extremely easy. Dio didn't seem to mind the constant barrage of fist, fang, and ice as the creatures focused on him after a simple attack. And 47 didn't mind the distraction it provided.

He only wished he had more ammo. If so, this would have been ridiculously easy.

Instead, the hitman relied on Dio's distractions to gain the upper hand in close quarters. His ideal method to take on opponents was from behind anyway. It made for clean kills. Ice monsters were no exception. 47 worked his way behind one of the creatures attacking Dio head-on and stabbed it in the neck with his stolen shovel. If it had been a living beast it's neck would have snapped from the impact. The ice creature suffered a large crack--from experience, 47 knew another blow would do the trick and waited for the next perfect opportunity to land it.

[tinkerheart]

Ever foreward - walking
[Of all the things it's the wind that get to him the most. It just never stops. The cold is bad on its own but the wind, the wind makes it all worse. It's so cold he's sure they'd be dead in minutes if not for the devices they have, the SCA's.
Their life support function even more obvious than on the previous world. It would be an excellent opportunity to study the device if only they had some reliable shelter. Fëanor doesn't want to end as a frozen corpse just because he tampered with his own SCA.

He was right when he told Tony he should be to work with ice. He does. So whenever they need to stop in their upward trek he can raise a wall to can shield them from the wind or throw a bridge over any obstacle they meet.

Yet every time he does it, it drains him of some of his own heat. Good thing then they were provided with all the warm clothes.]

I can’t bring you the sun - Fighting
[Fëanor would be most content with a sword. Alas, again he has no luck. It's more question of principle than practicality. It would not change a thing as the ice creatures are not living beings. They do not breathe, nor do they bleed. A good stick or bat works better on them. Smashing them to pieces is the only way to stop them and yet it feels wrong.

There is a certain amount of craftmaship that fashioning those beasts out snow and ice required. Not much artistic merit. They very much resemble animated statues made in the image living beings. Too crude to be truly realistic but good enough for the author's intention to be recognizable. He'd love to study them, to see how they were made, what makes them move. He can't do that when they are actively trying to kill him. And that just makes him angrier.

Still, smashing them feels barbaric. So he switches to another defense tactic. There is not enough flammable material around to make a decent fire. Just some low trees and bushes. More bushes, less trees, the higher they climb. But there are rocks. He can't burn rocks no more than he could burn the ice itself. He can, however, heat them. A heated rock sinks right through the ice. Given a little more encouragement it can turn the icy core of attacking beastie into water vapour. Time and pressure do all the rest. It's more laborious process but it feels so much better.

When it works, it’s spectacular. The ice beast explodes with a mighty hiss into shower of snow and ice.
When it doesn’t, it’s barely annoying to the creature.]

Ever forward~

[marriedanidiot]

[ He doesn't do it alone, and the first time he tries, Nerdanel cuffs him as if he were one of their sons ]

I'm here, Feanaro. [ She wraps her arms around him, and for the first time since they arrived, she opens the marriage bond to him ]

Stop trying to do everything on your own. Who knows stone better than I?

[castintoflames]

(Disembark and Fight)

He had been torn between following his team or straying to protect his cousin. In the end he trusts that Fingon will be strong - just as all of them have to be - and he can't abandon those who lack his strength - or Elvish strength in general. Upon disembarking, Maedhros places himself as a shield of sorts, approaching the monsters without even a flicker of fear in his eyes.

"Stay behind me!" he orders, his deep voice rumbling across the ice. His vivid hair whips behind him like fire and each time he slams his sword or his fist or his feet into the monstrosities, the sound echoes eerily. When the ice shatters, he feels the burn of small cuts against his exposed skin. But so what? He carries on, trudging a path through the snow.

"Which direction does the map point?" Maedhros asks the question when they find a rare moment of peace and he glances around for a piece of paper. His eyesight is not the best however, at least in one eye, it far exceeds that of a human.

[marriedanidiot]

"Let others sort that." Nerdanel says firmly, reaching up to tend to his cuts.

"And here I thought you were going with Finno..."