There goes the neighborhood

[oracle-watching.livejournal.com]

"Oracle to all JLA, JSA, Titans, Outsiders, and allied groups ... we have reports of the space cockroaches--" she can't believe she just said space cockroaches with a straight face "--heading through the atmosphere to Earth. Please report any sightings ASAP. Oracle out."

Comments

[plazmania.livejournal.com]

(http://photobucket.com)

Plastic Man is on the scene! Huzzah!

"It's Stompy Gooey Tiiiiiiime!"

[oracle-watching.livejournal.com]

"Oracle to Plastic Man--can you confirm? Are you engaging?"

[plazmania.livejournal.com]

(http://photobucket.com)

Tentacles and ugly bug-like appendanges flow freely from his form as he swipes a swath through the swarm.

"Chitown's got a nasty case of head lice, that's for sure! Where'd this crabalanche come from?"

[faceless-freak.livejournal.com]

Isn't really part of their association, not part of anything unless he needs to.

...This may or may not be the occasion.

So he lets himself in on the communication relay.

"Big bugs. Hub. Thank you very much. Extra pair of feet wouldn't be bad idea. Thanks. Bye."

And with that, he returns to what he's doing. He's got a wrench in one hand and he's certainly not afraid to use it.

As if Hub needs more trash. Hurm.

[jla-extras.livejournal.com]

The stench is foul enough when the cockroaches are alive. As they die under the wrench's blows, a disgusting purple slime oozes out of their bodies, and the air soon grows nauseating.

[faceless-freak.livejournal.com]

Excellent. As if Hub City didn't smell awful enough as it is.

Breathing through his mouth -- unseen -- is not much an option. He can taste the damned air.

He presses the switch on his belt buckle and releases his own gas. Smell is more tolerable, and it makes a small difference.

Just enough, hopefully.

[fleet-feet.livejournal.com]

"Keystone's getting it fast and ugly, Big O!"

Flash has to be wary of how much stomping he can do, what with the gooey sticking to his feet and messing up his traction. That's why his hands are covered in ex-bug gunk.

[oracle-watching.livejournal.com]

"Acknowledged, Flash. Reports suggest fire is very effective."

[fleet-feet.livejournal.com]

"Fire! The Biblical Cleanser! Wait - where IS Fire?"

More importantly - how do you apply fire in a populated area?

Answer - you don't. You go apeshit with the Speed Force and pull every last damn bug to the outskirts of town and THEN have some Roach Friccasee...

[a-winged-prayer.livejournal.com]

"Oracle, this is Zauriel. I'm over the Fountain Valley candy factory in Los Angeles and preparing to engage a cluster of bugs."

The angel folds his wings in and dives steeply, sword at the ready. The building below him is swarming with space-bugs drawn by the scent of boiling sugar. Really, it might have been funny if not for all the innocent employees in the way.

[jla-extras.livejournal.com]

A secretary is screaming, swinging her office chair at the bugs.

[a-winged-prayer.livejournal.com]

The east window implodes, sending glass bouncing off of the invaders' carapaces and giving them a considerably more aggressive target as Zauriel's flaming sword slices through the mid-section of the foremost insectoid.

[fleet-feet.livejournal.com]

"We've got them here, too, Oracle."

Jesse Quick is in Philadelphia, and she's charged her way to the center of a swarm and has started a whirlwind.

Super-speed and flight, keeping the winds contained in a tunnel, and splattering any bug that gets tossed out of it with that super-strength of hers.

It's a tall tunnel - more of a funnel, really, and she's trying to angle it out into the Atlantic. Her head is racing through the math to try to force the right arc for this impromptu bug-cannon... and she's going to need to rent out an Outback Steakhouse for a day to replenish her calories...

[jla-extras.livejournal.com]

Brick-red and purple splatters soon mingle with the cockroach bodies. The creatures utter a cacophony of hissing and wailing as the Fastest Woman Alive sends them flying out over the ocean.

[brian-durlin.livejournal.com]

Savant doesn't need to ask Creote if the pair of giant, bilious green bugs descending from the sky was a thing to be expected; the expression on his partner's face speaks volumes.

With Savant more or less healed, the pair have vacated their Gotham holding pen apratment and are currently in one of Albany's northern forests, looking to unearth some ill-gotten gains stashed some time before running into Oracle and her crew. Beginning anew takes starting capital, after all. This unforseen development is annoying, to say the least.

"You have three seconds to spit out some version of 'We come in peace'," Savant says conversationally, sliding one hand to his holstered batons. "And then we become unpleasant."

[jla-extras.livejournal.com]

The cockroaches hiss and advance, their mandibles clicking rapidly.

[brian-durlin.livejournal.com]

Savant grins and drops low, bringing one baton down on the head of the leading bug. There's a crunch and a spurt of purple as Savant rolls out of the way of the second. With their attention on Savant, the bugs don't notice Creote unslinging a rifle and taking aim.

[-nightwing-.livejournal.com]

It's been a hell of a day. Nothing like having your commute back to the 'Haven after spending the morning in Philly interrupted by a sudden bug infestation on the freeway. Traffic was backed up for miles, which made getting to the Cave for the Batwing after Oracle passed on the info from Question that much more frustrating. He's not so much worried about the roaches as he is by the foul mood he's pretty sure Babs will be in by the time he -does- get home.

Yeah. Married life is way more intense than space insects.

He nails a few of the things on the way there with explosive 'rangs, and screeches to a halt in the Batcave. Hopefully Alfred won't kill him for leaving purple gunk all over the floor.

This stuff better not ruin my paintjob, he grouses to nobody in particular as he makes a beeline for the 'plane.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_alfred_/]

"It should not, sir." Alfred appears, a purple-stained cricket bat gripped tightly in one hand. "Good hunting, sir."

[zinda-blackhawk.livejournal.com]

Zinda Blake very likely has the only F5F-1 Skyrocket left in the world. Even more likely, it's the only one still skyworthy. It's that plane used during her time with the Blackhawks that she's in right now, flying high above Atlanta as she patrols for the roaches. "Ready and waitin' on your RAID transport, skipper!"

[oracle-watching.livejournal.com]

"Stand by...."

[awesomelycosmic.livejournal.com]

"Okay, you've probably heard this a million times, but here we go: EW EW NASTY GROSS WHAT THE HELL IS THIS ARRRGH. P.S.: I am so glad I don't have radiation powers, 'cuz that would be of NO help right now."

[oracle-watching.livejournal.com]

Oracle can feel a six-month headache coming on.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_bird_of_flame_/]

Of course.

Of freaking course.

Bette is in the middle of a match when, of course, stupid, stupid, stupid SPACE COCKROACHES start appearing at center court.

Most of the fans are screaming and running in a very short being of time. Bette, however, subvocalizes to Oracle, informs her of the situation.

And begins putting her lovely new racket to icky, sticky awful use.

She was really begining to like this one, too.

[jla-extras.livejournal.com]

Soon the green of the court is littered with the purple-oozing broken bodies of the cockroaches, and more piles of their brick-red dung.