The Speech

[middle-amazon.livejournal.com]

This plot is on bendy time

The procession was uneventful. The stone podium in front of the Regent and the Regent's family awaits the wayward princess of the Amazons. Flanked by an honor guard of Titans magically able to breathe the water like air and survive the pressures of the deep and a council of those still proclaiming and interest in a kingdom falling apart at the seams.

This better be good - and she's not half as good as Diana.

"Regent. Lady Dolphin. Honored Council."

"As you and your people are aware, there was a great war on the surface between two great nations, Themyscira and the United States. This conflict was caused in part by the villain Circe and the War God of our -"

Water carries sound even faster then air. All heads turn towards the sound of rubble as the earth and water shake around them.

Comments

[-nightwing-.livejournal.com]

If experience has taught him anything over the years, it's that sounds like that mean trouble. Bigtime. He draws closer to Donna, and pulls her back from the sound with him -- they're her honor guard, after all, and that means getting some distance between this and whatever's headed their way. It also has a tactical advantage of allowing him to see everyone else's reactions to what's going on.

Titans, form up! Stay close until we know what's going on!

[violeteyedmage.livejournal.com]

Tempest moves into position, preparing protection spells. No one will hurt his subjects as long as he draws breath.

He waits for the attacker to reveal himself.

[jla-atlantis.livejournal.com]

What's coming could not be hidden in form or in feverish dreams. A giant of mud and flesh even under water comes for the assembled Titans unencumbered by the water.

Antaeus (http://ancienthistory.about.com/cs/herculespeople/p/antaeus.htm) is a being of nightmares. The bastard son of Gaia, champion of the deposed Hades, winner of the Pankration...

Murderer (http://community.livejournal.com/jla_watchtower/413474.html).

[jla-bellereve.livejournal.com]

And he is not alone. Another killer (http://www.titanstower.com/assets/whos%20who/aapanels/ntt/tuladies.jpg), mindless and nearly indestructible, follows and the crowd of civilians and dignitaries who came to see the Amazon speak collapse in heaps, unable to breathe in a horrific reflection of the worst moment of the Regent's life.

[blackest-bird.livejournal.com]

Raven's aura flutters as she prepares her soul-self for defensive maneuvers.

[3x2-9yz-4a.livejournal.com]

Jesse moves along the other side of Donna, making certain that she is between the dignitary and the attackers.

[middle-amazon.livejournal.com]

"Gods..." she breathes. "Make sure Antaeus is not in contact with the ground! It's the only way! Everyone get out of here! Inside! Now!"

The lasso is in her hands.

[jla-atlantis.livejournal.com]

Aeneas, the councilman of Skartaris stands and draws his sword while his retinue do the same. "What madness is this?! I do not run 'Titans' -" He sneers. "I fight!"

[jla-atlantis.livejournal.com]

The most roguish of the council stands and laughs as she leaves. "Please. These are heroes of their world and they appear outclassed. What would you plan on doing?"

[jla-atlantis.livejournal.com]

"Looking like a hero of course," says the aged wife of the advisor on Tempest's left. "Come, Lady Dolphin, take your son. Flee."

[jla-extras.livejournal.com]

There is a quick look to Kostan - and then her husband. "I shall do no such thing!" She throws Cerdian to Kostan and swims towards battle - in front of the Titans.

[middle-amazon.livejournal.com]

::blink, blink::

"When did she start using 'shall?'" She dives for the action. "Antaeus! My turn!"

[3x2-9yz-4a.livejournal.com]

Jesse looks to Nightwing as Donna darts away.

"So much for staying together. I'm going with her -- can you and the others get Chemo away from the crowd?" She taps her communicator quickly. "Let me know if plans change."

With that, she takes a breath, and speaks,
"3x2(9yx)4a!"; with that, she zips off towards and past Donna, hoping to hit Antaeus hard enough to knock him off the ground.

[-nightwing-.livejournal.com]

For a second, he's rooted to the spot. He'd really hoped he'd seen the last of that guy. In fact, that guy -was- the last thing he'd seen, before he'd had his neck snapped during the Games a couple of years back.

Then he comes back to himself, and the chaos permeates everything. Chemo he knows - he's read the files on that guy. And he knows his friend has some payback of his own to deliver. He glances at Garth, and nods, then activates the small thrusters in his boots. He's thankful he thought of them - maneuvering underwater is something that can't necessarily be magically enhanced.

He'll distract and annoy. Let the heavy hitters do their job. He brings out the taser 'rangs, fanning them out in his gauntleted hands.

Let's go!

[duke-kostan.livejournal.com]

Kostan is up. Rattled, still keeping his sword in one hand and the young Cerdian under the other arm, he holds his ground.

"We are Atlanteans! We are not fleeing like cowards. We stand and we defend ourselves."

There's a waver in his voice. Either he is not as bold as it seems, or there's something else...

[santana-slade.livejournal.com]

Santana walks next to Kostan. "Right, but standing and defending yourself holding the royal heir in your right arm isn't exactly the best tactical decision, Duke Kostan."

When Ceridian sees Santana, he actually reaches toward her. "Let me watch Ceridian, so you can better defend. I...owe your King a lifedebt."

Which was true - Tempest was responsible for getting the Titans to her during the Brother Blood mess.

[duke-kostan.livejournal.com]

Kostan's face screws up bitterly. "Don't prtofess what your kind can't fathom."

He grips Cerdian by the arm. "Come on, young Lord, the evacuation sub is this way."

[jla-atlantis.livejournal.com]

Can you see her? Because she's there. Watching. Frustrated. A shimmering shape in the water that only Santana could see.

"Don't trust him!" Tula said desperately hoping she could be heard. "The sub is damaged. Kostan's just trying to take the crown--and Dolphin--for himself."

[jla-atlantis.livejournal.com]

The demigod rips up a gigantic pillar from the front of a house, causing it to collapse. He swings the support like a club towards the Amazon.

[jla-bellereve.livejournal.com]

The mindless Chemo follows a step behind the other attacker. Crowds that came to see the Regent and council fall in a panic as the creature's aura of poison makes them unable to breathe.

[middle-amazon.livejournal.com]

She owes this bastard. It's the one indulgent thought she'll allow before planting herself in his path, daring him to come forward.

[-nightwing-.livejournal.com]

Nightwing fits a rebreather over his face to hopefully avoid the contaminated waters, spread by Antaeus' erstwhile partner in crime. The boot thrusters allow him to soar up into the waters and twist to get a better vantage point of the scene.

Jesse! Let's get a funnel going around these guys!

If the speedster can work up enough velocity, maybe it'll serve a dual purpose - steer the pollution back in on itself, and perhaps help Donna lift that giant off the ground long enough to get a blow that'll count in.

Raven, Omen! Can you confuse Chemo long enough, make him move away? He isn't that smart, but we need to get him away from these people before they start dying!

[3x2-9yz-4a.livejournal.com]

"Can do." Jesse veers off from Antaeus and begins to build up speed around the two villains.

She's hoping to move fast enough to avoid the poison herself, but also to give the panicking crowd a chance to get out of the way.

[santana-slade.livejournal.com]

Months of studying Titan's history allows Santana to know exactly who she's talking to. Months of training to be a Titan tells her to not say a word about it. Santana looks right at her and motions to follow her.

Around a corner, safe from prying eyes, Santana looks towards the figure. "If you are who I think you are," Santana says quietly, "tell me something only a Titan would know. I'm sorry, I have to be sure."

[violeteyedmage.livejournal.com]

No.

Chemo will poison no one. He has killed enough. Stolen enough. He will not kill Tempest's citizens.

His hands glow, and the poisons oozing from Chemo refuse to spread through the water -- as if the water inherently is resisting his chemicals... which is exactly what it's doing.

Without a word, he also begins to boil the water immediately surrounding the monster.