Crouching Harpy, Hidden Serpent

Hospitaller watched, mesmerized, as the snake drew itself back to its...  Well it didn't really have feet, so tail?  

In any case, the point was that it was up.  He'd hoped he could just fight the bird, but the snake was apparently a regenerator, and a durable one too.  That blast, when he'd thought to use it, had been meant just as a tap to get the creature's attention.  Based on the familiar tingling from his wrist, it had in fact been one of his stronger shots.  So now there were two homicidal metahumans giving him their undivided attention, which was definitely worse than one.  

The snake one seemed angry now.  Martin couldn't really blame him, that HAD sounded like he'd had his spine snapped.  That would leave even Hospitaller seeing red.  As the snake accused him Martin took a step back, never taking his eyes from the mutant pair.  Every foot would likely count in this engagement.  

Then the bird demonstrated that there was something worse than two powerful mutants giving him their undivided attention.  And that was one of them using the other as a distraction to tear into the few brave officers that had stuck around.  He raised his right hand again.  This would just be the equivalent of a hard punch, he was trying to buy time.  

A loud CRACK smote the space between him and the bird-hybrid.  He wasn't really aiming all that hard. Hitting was a secondary concern.  What mattered was that she turned back to him, and that he keep an eye on the snake.  

"That means you too."

"You're going to fight us BOTH?" A loud hissing sort of growl came with it, Ghast's face cortorting with anger. Looks like his first fight with a metahuman was going to be with a complete idiot. Just who the hell did this guy think he was? Some kind of hero? HAH. "Heroes" were a fucking joke in his mind.

Those that called themselves heroes never could last long. They pranced about in skintight suits and soaked up the praise from the populace, the pretty ones did. They followed orders blindly, practically posing for the papers with a gleaming white smile. Completely mindless, completely absorbed in their role. And ones like Ghast? He was lucky if he wasn't shot at on sight. Hmph. Life sucked, but he was not going to let that stop him. No, if anything it made him more determined than ever to fight back.

He cracked his knuckles to prepare for the now inevitable fight, rolling his shoulders to keep himself limber. He always felt so stiff after regenerating a terrible injury like that one, and this served another purpose as intimidation. A fearful enemy made mistakes, mistakes he could punish them severely for.
The snake's tail wrapped around his discarded lightpost-polearm, but found it to be in too shoddy of condition to use as a bludgeon any more. Damn. Couldn't use that now. The snake coiled up on himself, swaying slightly back and forth. He was not the fastest of fighters, but he certainly had some form of agility and certainly unpredictability. It was one thing to avoid those claws, but could this one avoid his claws, his tail, his coils, his teeth?

Ghast struck first, charging to attempt to close that gap. If he could just keep Hospitaller from fighting him at range, then both of them would find dodging anything that much harder.

Harpy dodged the blast of light just in time, though, the bright blast hit the edge of her feathers, burning the tips. She let out a horrid shriek. Her beautiful green feathers now black! Her natural beauty was one of the few things she had in this life that she had in the past. She let go of the police officer and flew up into the air, circling overhead. No more of this fighting! She was going to get out of here while she could, find herself another news paper and then return home and have a cup of coffee or something.

"It was fun!" She shouted at the two below, "But I'm not going to play when I look so awful!" And with that she sped off into the night.

Hospitaller watched the mass of herpatological muscle swaying back and forth in indescision. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the bird flying off to parts unknown. The departure was accompanied by a small spike of hope. If she was leaving, he might actually have a chance against the hulking snake here.

Then, the creature decided to move. Martin started backpedalling, mind working furiously as the serpent came on like an express train made of meat carrying an oversize load of pain, special delivery. He didn't dare take his eyes off the beast, lest it decide to spit acid at him or somesuch.

Then, inspiration struck. Hospitaller planted his feet, reached down and grabbed something, and then charged. At the last possible second, he threw his hands forward, sending the load of dust he'd picked up into his enemy's face.