A Cult Following

The city's glow was like a beacon in the night sky, setting the world ablaze in its light. That light shimmered on the street, illuminating all the city had to offer its people. That light also fell upon the waters just on the edge of the city, giving it a strange, almost ghostly glow that rose up out from the water. The whole display almost seemed magical or otherworldly, something in old stories that seemed impossible to exist.

And otherworldly seemed to be a fitting way to describe the evening that Melody Potts was having.

The day had started of with a relative norm. A new city to patrol for a bit, punch a bad guy here, help a cat down from a tree there, stop for lunch, and then so on and so forth. Yet it was in the early settling of the evening that she encountered something that was most certainly...otherworldly. Well, it was of this world, it had to be, but it felt otherworldly for the girl with rabbit ears. That was a weird statement to think about, so she pushed it out of her mind. Either way, from her perch atop a small apartment building she had seen what she assumed was some form of cosplayer. They had been wearing all black, almost looking like a tight leather which may also mean they were some kind of pervert, but she didn't think that was illegal. They also wore a mask, which made her think it was probably the first one, just a cosplayer from something she didn't know about.

It was a strange sight, only made stranger by the fact that they were most certainly lurking. They were in the upper parts of town too, which didn't seem right either. What was a cosplayer doing out in this part of city at this time of day and so far from any convention center? Nope, she didn't like that one bit. She was about to hop to it, when she saw another further down, also lurking. It had been a quiet street, but maybe it was a flash mob?

Oh, there was another and another. There was a whole mess of them.

She mulled it over for a moment, they weren't doing anything bad, but this certainly had villainy written all over it. But pummeling without purpose was most certainly a crime, something she had learned very early in her hero days. She still fully intended to confront them at least, but before she took the step to hop, she flinched a bit as distant BANG caught her attention. She darted over to one side of the building, trying to get a better view, but as she did, another loud bang sounded from back where she had been. She tried her best to follow the sound, but as she returned to her previous post, several vans now lined the street and the creepy cosplayers were hopping in, beginning to speed away. Somewhere close by she could hear an alarm go off and even further sirens that were coming closer.

Thieves?

Had to be. That's what she determined at least. She considered for a few quick moments, her head racing as she tried to determine what to do. Medics and cops would be there if anyone was hurt, but they didn't know where these people went...so...she should follow them and leave the others in the hands of the authorities...yeah, that checked out. So, with a few quick hops, she began to bound from building to building, quietly following the cosplayers, trying to find where exactly they were going.

The cosplayers walked with unearthly poise through the streets. Trench coats and masks and all, the five of them walked in a perfect pentagram formation which probably wasn't anything to worry about at all. Though none were visibly armed, they carried with them an aura of menace that kept away most of the passersby.

All except for an old lady, who was waiting at a crosswalk. They came up beside her, and she turned, looking up at them in her crooked-back posture and smiling so wide the wrinkles on her face grew dark enough to swallow light. "Ooohhhh, such beautiful humming! And it is so far from christmas! Are you carolers? I would like to hear your rendition of Grandma Got-"

"We are brothers and sisters. Siblings in arms. Do not concern us with your petty request for a serenade." Said the one in the back, the tallest one, who crossed his arms and stared grandma down.

"Ooooo! You're LARPers! Heehee-- Well, no LARPer ever got my pussy!" She chortled as the light turned to a white walking caped figure, and skipped herself over to the other side.

The cosplayers exchange glances-- then the leader, his fist clenching, tells them to keep moving. They advance past the street and into a dark alley, where-- as there should be-- the glimmering sign of a pizza joint pierced the dark. "Pepperoni Peter's" was one of the more expensive restaurants despite its location, and Mel might have visited a few times to lose herself in the sauce-- the marinara sauce.

The cosplayers enter, and the cashier cheerily adjusts their hat and shouts, "Welcome to Pepperoni Peter's, home of the Monstro-Pie! What can we getcha?"

As she speaks, Mel would also notice something that was finally alarming. One of the cosplayers moves their coat a bit and, holstered at their side, there lies a pistol. He puts a hand on it-- but the big one that came in the back stops him and says, "Dude, no. She told us to buy it."

"Oh."

"Buy what?? Buy some PIZZA? Cause we got some TASTY selections!"

"Uuhhh yeah-- uhm, lemme see here..." He pulls up a piece of paper which, upon looking at, gives off the latent chaotic whispers of a deep sea monstrosity inked right onto a notebook. The lead thought for a moment before translating, "We'll be taking two monstro-pies, one cheese, one pepperoni, two..." His head rears back in surprise for a moment. "... Anchovies, and two boxes of buffalo wings."

"OMG!! That's so much pizza! Are you guys going to a costume party or something?"

"... Uh- Yeah."

"COOL! That'll be $173.33!! Cash or Credit?"

"Credit..." The lead cultist sighs, as he pulls out his credit card with his head hung low. Then he asks the others, "Hey-- do you guys uh... Have your wallets on you, wanna split maybe..."

Nobody responds.

"Alright..." He shakes his head. "The things I do for a place in the new world order..."

He pays for the pizza, and the cosplayers take their six pizzas and two buffalo wings and start off once again.

Whatever was happening in the distance seemed to solve itself as the alarms died down and the sirens went silent. It must've not been all that serious at all, which was a shame because if the events below turned out to be nothing she would at least have had something else to do. These could be, after all, just cosplayers or a flash mob and that it wouldn't be, in the slightest, worth her time. Still, though, their sketchy attire and demeanor was at least worthy of investigating. It wouldn't be the first time she had dealt with a shady organization, cult, or villain group who did something like this. Plus, as far as she could tell these outfits weren't from any popular media she knew about.

There was also the weapon the one was carrying, that was reason enough to investigate. If it was a prop, no problem, but if it wasn't...

She followed for a few more paces from above, keeping a close vigil from her building and then with a sudden hop she leaped from the building, descending down and then landing several feet ahead of them. Her body crackled for a moment with orange energy as it absorbed the impact from the fall. She stood in their path, looking at them with a plain expression and then slowly strode towards them, as she did, she spoke out calmly, not wanting to alarm them more than that landing may have.

"Hey, stop there..." She said, pointing a finger at them, almost lazily, feeling less and less confident in this. "What's up with the outfit? And, sir..." She looked to the one she had seen the gun on. "I want to see that weapon, and if it's real I am gonna need to see some sort of license for it." She jabbed a thumb into her chest, "Rabbit Punch, hero, so...yeah, don't run or else I'll whap ya." It was a threat, but one spoken casually if it were nothing. "I didn't hear about any cons going on so...it's better to just come clean with what you're doing, yeah?"

Her eyes did drift to the pizza for a moment and some doubt did begin to stir in her chest. She didn't show it on her face, a hero should never show any doubt, that was one of the first lessons she had taught Sam, but...in a case like this most of these guys seemed pretty young. It could just be a random pack of nerds going about their business. At the very least, they could say they were stopped by a professional hero, that might at least relieve some tension. Annnnnnnnd they did have a gun of sorts on them, that would be understandable at the very least. Anyone could understand her reasoning for stopping them. Yep, no, she was in the clear and nothing bad would come from this. The best case was they were actually bad and she could arrest them, the worst case would be she has to apologize and then go back to being bored.

The cult was unstoppable. Their grim advance into the darkness of the alley off 33rd street was one which would bring to their Dark Sister the flesh of cheese and tomato to consume til she was ready for her true awakening. Yes-- as one they walked towards the harbor, where the freshwater winds called for their worship and their power.

The tallest masked man among them, whose visage was that of a porcelain starfish clinging onto the face of a tired victim, began to raise a bell.

-- Only for the bunny to show up. The four shorter boys all staggered backward, nearly tripping over their black trench coats while they assumed some real power-stances. The taller one, he stood stone-still, watching the rabbit through that creepy mask which no normal being should have the ability to see out of.

He lifted a long and gnarled finger, and pointed it directly at the hero. "Aaaahhhhhh. A rrrrroddentt hath come to interfeeyah in ouwah ritual. Little doth she know, my brothers of the DEEP, she is reckoning with powaaahhhs beyond her own comprehensionnnn--"

"Hey- Hey, uh. Hey. We're feeding--" Another cultist walks up in front of the masked man, a nervous smile visible under the fishy visage covering his nose and eyes. "We're feeding our pet fish, she. Uh. She lives- in the lake, and. Uhm. She likes pizza. That's all we're doing, dude. Don't worry." He lets out a laugh that lasts for about ten whole seconds, his voice shaking inside the tone before he turns to whisper something to the taller one.

"... Aaaahhhh. Allow me to edit my previous statement. I am no cultiiissssst of Hadal, the Great Daughter of She Who Sleeps -- I am..."

He stares for a minute.

"Richaaarrrdd... Noorrmen.son. And theeeeeese are my biological, but not. Spiritual. Brotherrsss, James, Bobby, Dicki-"

"CAN I BLAT NOW?" The guy with the gun draws the pistol and, before waiting for anybody to confirm that it was indeed okay, starts BLATTIN' at bunny girl.  Pizza boxes start to drop to the ground as the other cultists draw their weapons, knives and canes with knives stuck to the end of them-- and forced into combat by their own friend, they charge her on the spot.

Melody, despite all of her eagerness to hop into combat, fists flying, liked to consider herself a patient woman. There was something to be said about following your gut, making split second decisions, and sometimes going in blind, but at the same time a good hero also had to know when to be patient, to hold punches, and sometimes it was better to wait than to take action. She liked to think she was, at least...

But with these weird...kids? She wanted to say kids, despite whatever age they. These kids were really trying her patience. She was ready to just assume they were cosplayers, especially with how that one weirdo in the middle was talking. Their cosplay was probably something from a cult classic (she smirked a bit at that joke) horror movie or something like that. She wasn't following much of what the one was blabbing on about...she assumed it was probably some quote from the movie or whatever, but then...

Then the one drew the gun on her.

She didn't react, at least in the way a normal person might react to a gun being drawn on them. If anything she just seemed to hold a mixture of being unimpressed and being annoyed. She stared at the kid pointing the gun at her, clearly not amused by any of his antics. She was going to say something to him, a warning or...something, but before the words could even leave her mouth the boy started BLATTING. A few of the shots were simply poorly aimed and missed her completely, but the rest, even as they struck against her, didn't seem to do much damage. She winced like it hurt, but each bullet that struck her was met with a crackle of orange energy and the bullet just clinked down to the ground.

"Whelp..." She said with a defeated sigh. Before she said anything else, she pushed off with her foot, lurching towards the gun wielding cultist, past the other two with a quick hop, and attempted to do slam her fist into his face. It was just a normal, non-empowered punch. She had still been a boxer and her punches could easily knock down an untrained person if connected. Regardless of whether or not the punch had connected, though, in the pullback she'd attempt to bring an elbow into the back of the head of another. "We're doing this my way!"

It was time for the whapping.

Only the one had the gun, unfortunately. When it comes to weird cosplay high schooler cultist class, they don't teach you about your 2nd amendment rights. Melody tears through the cult of black-cloaked weirdos like they're thin sheets of paper. The gun is knocked free to the floor, letting out a stray shot as it hits the ground -- one that lands into another's knee, causing him to hop up in pain and shout. The pizza? The pizza's gettin' fuckin' DROPPED. That shit is stomped on by panicking cultists, as their asses hit the floor at her summoning of odd energy, and one runs away screaming-- while the others run TOWARD her, screaming as they lift rusty switch knives and lead pipes they'd been able to pry off the walls.

The guy with the gun? He laid on the floor, birds softly flying above his head as his eyes glazed over. The hood drops, and she sees that his skin is terribly sallow, white, with a receding... nose, as well as an overall -moist- complexion. It's kinda gross.

However, as the fight goes on, something else creeps into view -- a light in the darkness, pale blue at the tip of an iridescent esca. A long bundle of claws scrapes against the balcony railing above the heads of those fighting in the alleyway, and two massive blue eyes, utterly inhuman and devoid of thought, stare down at Melody...

... Only for the creature to jump down, a few feet from the fighting, and try to swipe as much pizza as could be salvaged. This creature from the deep, covered in glistening scales and bearing a head which was MOSTLY a maw, fit the description of a lake monster seen around the area -- and the men being beat the FUCK out of, it seems, were its follower...

Was it here for MElody's soul, as she sends one bald man careening into a dumpster? Was it here for her FLESH? No. It was here... For beeza. It picks up one of the few untarnished pies, steak and bell pepper, and lets out a gurgling sigh of relief.

And then, after that, sees fit to try to stop the violence. A claw lashes out, though not to slash a face -- just to grab attention as it gargles,

"HrgRGJSTPOPOPSSHJUgtgHRR FIGHIGNTINTGGNGTGRGRRHJ!!!"

HUH.

It was almost disappointing to see how easily the first guy went down. Usually with thugs like this or members of a cult, they could take a little more. But that was barely any effort with that punch? These seemed more like punk kids compared to an actual cult or people playing as villains because they thought it was cool. She had seen a rise in that, for some reason, and she had no clear idea where that rooted from.

A tinge of jealousy did surge in her knowing that she didn't have any impersonators or people inspired to be a hero by her.

She'd work on that later...

Just as she was about to go after another "cultist" her silent prayers for something more threatening was answered. A fish creature? A fish man? A fish...freak? No, that was rude. A fish dude. That was it. A fish dude appeared, having landed a few feet away from her.

She slid her left foot back a bit and lowered her position slightly, taking a more defensive stance. The fish dude uttered a strange array of...sounds? Yes, they were certainly sounds, but there was something else mixed into that mess. Her brow furrowed, giving the fish dude a cock of the head, absolutely confused. She got the...gist of what the creature was trying to put down, but...

She suddenly straightened, not even bothering to hold that defensive stance, seeming more casual now. "Do you need some water dude? Wanna clear your throat or something? It's gonna be hard to do the witty banter, back and forth thing if you keep talking like that." She scratched the side of her head, thinking, "I mean, we could get ya a chalkboard or some paper if you prefer..." She pointed a finger at the fish dude, "Ya gonna turn yourself in along with the cultists? They did technically pull a gun on me and I don't even think they got the proper documents for it. I know you're a...fish thing, but you should really know the laws of the land before you go marching about...doing...culty or cosplayer stuff."

From what she gathered through those sounds, this fish dude at least didn't want conflict. Normally, she would've still beat him into the ground, but a certain starry eyed apprentice has been tempering her pretty well lately...

She would listen to what this fish dude had to say (as best she could), for now.