"so, nothing like Mittens then, right." Joe comments, once everyone is in he'll drive onwards to suicide Citizens Heroics and stuff.

  "Seriously, why the guns that can't shoot anything?"

Liberty frowns. "Hey! Mittens is a hero! She wouldn't do that!"

Emerald says, "Calm down, Liberty. He doesn't know Mittens personally. If he didn't take precautions, he wouldn't be a responsible man." Emerald then looks back at Johnson. "Liberty has a protective personality."

Timothius says, "Ironically... we're the ones with super powers, but if Sgt Johnson decided to, he could probably kick our butts."

Emerald then looks at Cade. "Dunno what you know about us, but I'm Emerald, this is Mittens, Liberty, Timothius and Joe. I can speak any language and have some decent senses."

Liberty hrms? Then says, "I'm tough. Bullets only leave bruises. And I'm strong too."

Timothius says, "I can heal people by touching them. I normally can fly, but as you showed, Cade, these winds aren't good for that..."

The road comes to a T at the end, beyond which is a rusty chain-link fence that blocks access to a run-down warehouse and the bay beyond.  Destruction is everywhere, some of it caused by the wind, some of it caused by age, some cosmetic put there by the movie set crew.  Like the smouldering space ship sticking out of an old abandoned apartment building.  To the right the wind damage is the worst, and as Johnson described, about half way down the block there is an emergency crew setting up a perimeter around the trapped police car... again.  Looks like the barricades were blown about recently.

At the far end of the block, a twister appears from around the corner!  No sooner does it show itself than the winds pick up intensely and the rescue workers dive for cover!

"OPEN FIRE!" Johnson orders!

He and Mittens shoot at the tornado, bright flashes exploding from the barrels!  The tornado changes direction and disappears around the corner again.

"Wow..." Mittens says, "Can you get us around those power lines to the rescue workers, please, Joe?"

---

For visual reference:
http://www.rreini.com/dixiehwy-mi/jefferson-dixie.JPG
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/...169_6f4e0d0690_z.jpg
The orientation in those pictures is all wrong, so don't take them as gospel.

Cade looks at the "shiny new toy" like a five year old looks at presents on Christmas.

Guns. Superheroes. WOOHOO! this was all to much. His heart races with excitement.

Cade’s heart wasn’t the only thing racing, because at that very moment a van came around a corner with squeaking tires. The van has ‘Coleman’s workshop’ written on the side with big letters, though slightly scratched up from the debris. As the passenger seat’s door is kicked open it flies off because of the heavy wind. “gaw… I told you to be careful miss.” Synch sobbingly exclaims to the tall redhead, knowing it’s his dad’s van and he will have to pay for repairs. “Hey, Don’t blame me, blame mother nature.” Sarah shouts while exiting the van.

As she nearly loses her balance when the wind catches her, Sarah is rather glad she left her favorite jacket in the car as Synch suggested. She isn’t wearing the citizens patrol vest nor a helmet, or protection of any kind except for the usual tank top, baggy trousers and an eye patch with a smiley print.  “nice breeze, any idea what’s causing it?” Sarah shouts while walking towards Mittens. “And text me next time there’s some kinda emergency fuzzy one, ya know I hate missing a fun suicide mission. Any way sticky powers can help?” Sarah shouts with a smug grin. At first glance she sees that the small ones will have a hard time with this wind.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:35, Fri 21 Dec 2012.

  "Well, I stand corrected about the guns then.  At least I'm wrong in a convenient way for once."

  As Joe maneuvers the car around the sparking safety hazard, he comments "Being able to get beaten unconscious without suffering brain damage has it's appeal I guess, when you consider the alternative."

  A wild (but Sober) Sarah appears!  Joe rolls down the window and comments "Well, not being blown onto our asses, or keeping live power lines from whipping around in the wind sound good, yes. Hi Sarah.
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:38, Thu 27 Dec 2012.

Liberty pouts a little as she removes her helmet, "Downside of being the tough one in the group: It's my job to get hurt so that nobody else does." she then offers the helmet to Sarah. "We could REALLY use your help here, Sarah. You're the best we got to combat something that sends everything flying. With your sticky powers, maybe we can be made immune to the whims of this monster... and I volunteer to be the first to try that out. If the wind pulling me against your stickiness is painful for me, I'll let you guys know to NOT do that so that your limbs don't get pulled from their sockets."

Emerald says, "Good thinking, Liberty, but once you are stuck, what are you going to do to stop the monster?"

Liberty says, "Gimme something to destroy the bracers and I'll use it?"

Timothius says, "Can't we try having Emerald talk peace with it first? Like the last two times?"

"That's what this megaphone's for, kiddo!" Emerald says with a bright smile, patting the megaphone.

Johnson chuckles at Cade's enthusiasm and comments, "You've got guts, kid.  When you see the recruiters at your highschool, go Army."

"Oh, hi, Sarah!" Mittens cheers, "Synch too!  Good to see you!  The wind is from that seems to be a wind monster that's apparently afraid of the sound of gunfire..."

No sooner does she say that than she's interrupted by the sound of distant gunfire.  It doesn't sound like a machine gun.  More like a dozen or so police officers firing their pistols repeatedly.  The sound is coming from the direction that the tornado monster went.

"Nuts!  Bet that's going to drive it right back to us!"

Several rescue workers approach one of them carrying a jaws of life machine.  "You're those superheroes, right?  The power company says they hit the off switch for this area, but that power line is still sparking.  If any of you can safely get close enough to use this and free the trapped officer, I can give you a quick demo on how to use it."

"Safely is a relative term today, I think."

Cade looks at Johnson and gives him the thumbs up.

When the rescue workers come around the corner with the jaws of life, Cade is reminded of the crocs back home. Which then reminds him of Steve Irwin. S mall tear comes to his eye and he says some silent words of reflection.

"Krikie mates, we better get goin'."

Synch greets back with an awkward smile by raising his hand. He figures it might be safer for him to stay in the van for the moment, seeing there is little he can do against a tornado with his synching powers, nor can he take bricks to the head that well. All in all he would be more in the way then of much use, but he will stick close by for if they do need his help for something.

Sarah nods at Mittens “sounds like we got ourselves a nice mess again fuzzy leader” She then accepts the helmet Liberty offers her and puts it on. “Thanks kid, I guess that’ll come in handy. Not sure if gluing ya to the ground is a good idea but it’s worth a shot, just gimme a sign when ya wanna try.”

Turning her head, the tall redhead looks at Joe with a smirk and says: “ So you’re volunteering to get passed the sparkly wires of death as long as I sticky em to the ground? Consider it done.”  As soon as she says it Sarah focuses her power to make small sticky spots where the wires hit the ground.

  "I'm sorry to say that I have the most experience with the city's electrical system, but I am planning on avoiding it this time around."  Joe wouldn't have much luck freeing trapped people if he was shocked unconscious again, after all.

  "Thanks for lowering my odds of electrocution Sarah, if I'm real lucky I won't have to drag people past the wires either."  That said, Joe approaches the car full o civilians carrying the safety approved sharp object.

Liberty says, "...I would have been perfect for that job if not for needing to be the experimental tornado distraction. Be careful, Joe!" she snatches a gun and hurries off to be in the path of the tornado before yelling, "Alright, Sarah! Glue my feet to the ground and the gun to my hands!"

She then stands firm, hoping she'll be able to single-handedly handle this latest monster.

Meanwhile, Emerald gets ready with the megaphone. When the tornado shows up, she'll yell out, "We are the citizen's patrol! My name is Emerald. We are here to HELP people! How can we help?"

Timothius just makes sure he's with Mittens.

The live power line stops dancing about when Sarah glues it to the ground, but there's always a danger of the wind either pushing someone into it or breaking it free.  Joe must look responsible and capable enough to the rescue workers because they give a quick demo of the jaws of life and hand it over to him.  "Simple as an electric screwdriver.  Just two directions: open and close.  Real trick is wedging it in.  Might take several tries."

As Mittens guessed, the twister reappears from around the corner, kicking up the wind again.  The rescue workers immediately dive for cover.  Johnson and Mittens open fire, but a tree branch breaks free and spirals right for them!  Johnson ducks for cover beside the Humvee, and Mits grabs Timothius' arm to drag him to cover as well.  CRASH!  The branch shatters the windshield!  The twister continues on it's course toward the bay, the wind pelting the heroes with mostly harmless debris.

Emerald hears what everyone else hears.  Some describe the strange noise of a twister as a cross between the roar of a lion, the rumble of a freight train, and an unnerving sound like a squealing pig.  But with her unique ability to understand language, she knows that somewhere inside all the chaotic noise is the heartbreaking sound of a child screaming for help in utter terror drowned out by dozens of other fiery voices that together sound just like part of the wind to everyone else.  Voices shouting things like "Daddy!"  "They're shooting guns at me!"  "I can't see!"  "Make it stop!" all at once.

Having never been in a heroic situation Cade holds back to see what the others do, and then help out where needed.

  A lifetime of practice in a combination of deadpan and disapprovingly incredulous facial expressions leaves Joe at least occasionally looking like he knows what he's doing.

  At least on the way to the trapped people, Joe manages not to lose his footing and land on live wires.  He shouts over the wind just in case, "Get ready to get out fast if your ride doesn't take more holes being pried open into it well."

  Jaws of life are go!  No shark theme though.

Emerald wiggles her ears and then looks towards the others. She scurries to Mittens. "The tornado is a small child... I'm going to keep trying to get through to whoever it is. Meanwhile, stop shooting."

She puts the megaphone to her mouth. "Liberty! Cease fire!"

Liberty looks confused, but shrugs and stops shooting.

Emerald sings at the tornado through the megaphone,

"Somewhere, over the rainbow, way up high
There's a land that I heard of once in a lullaby

Somewhere, over the rainbow, skies are blue
And the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true

Someday I'll wish upon a star
And wake up where the clouds are far behind me
Where troubles melt like lemon drops
Away above the chimney tops
That's where you'll find me

Somewhere over the rainbow, bluebirds fly
Birds fly over the rainbow
Why then, oh why can't I?

If happy little bluebirds fly
Beyond the rainbow
Why, oh why, can't I?"

She figures if anything will get through, it will be the sound of a comforting song.

"Wish I could do as you ask!" the trapped police officer shouts in reply to Joe, "My legs are pinned!  Probably broken too!  Don't suppose un-pinning 'em will make me bleed out, do ya?"

CLANK!  RIIIIP!  The jaws pry open the crumpled door on the first try!  But then the wind catches it and rips it off it's weakened hinges!  Sure enough, the entire dash and steering wheel have been smushed down onto the officer's lap!  Blood soaks his pants legs.

"What?!" Mits shouts in disbelief at Emerald's assertion that the tornado is a child.  She and Johnson drop their weapons.

Emmy's song works!  She can hear the voices start saying things like, "I hear music!"  "I know that song!"  "Is that Mommy?"  "Mommy still loves me!"  "I knew he was lying!"  "Mommy!  Help me!"

The tornado begins moving in Emerald's direction!  The wind and debris are getting more and more severe!

"Shield Emmy from the flying junk, Lib!  Try and lure it away from us, Emerald!  Toward the bay is probably best!  They'll need help getting over the fence in the way of the shore, Johnson!  Timothius!  Let's go help that officer!  Cade!  Try and free the Hummer from the tree limb!  Watch for broken glass!"

She arm-arounds Timothius to help him get to the squad car without being blown over.

After having glued Liberty’s feet to the floor on her sign, Sarah had tried to keep her eye on both the power lines as on Liberty. With just her one eye and combining it with dodging some debris from time to time the tall redhead was rather distracted to notice what else was going on. This got interrupted when Emerald started singing ‘over the rainbow’. Sarah couldn’t help but give her a surprised look, even more so when it seemed to actually work.

She snaps out of it when Mittens divides the orders. “Right, erm… Lib, get ready to be unglued” She shouts before freeing Liberty from the ground, then the red giant moves towards Johnson “gonna need some help with that, old man? “

  "I'll be honest, I'm barely qualified for CPR and the Heimlich.  But you probably won't bleed to death before we can reach people who can give you your knees back."  You know, if nobody gets decapitated by a car door in the meantime.

  "I could leave you in the car if you really like, but that would be silly at best."  That said, Joe will get to work freeing the guy unless they protest to such a thing.

"Drive?! Me?! I, I," he stutters, "I don' even have a permi yet."

Liberty does as instructed and shields Emerald on their way to the jeep. Once Emmy is in the jeep, Liberty immediately starts rushing for Joe and the officer.

Timothius obviously sticks with Mittens, so him going where he's asked is a given. Heck, he would have been on his way already if not for being afraid of being pulled away by the winds.

Emerald gets into the passenger side of the jeep and says to Cade, "No time like the present to learn, right?" She looks and sees the jeep is manual transmission; the more complicated style of vehicle to teach. "Oh fudge..." She stands on Cade's lap. She turns to face Cade and speaks clearly and concisely. Nevermind she's a talking fox. "There's three pedals. The leftmost pedal is the break. You use that to stop. The middle pedal is the shift. The right pedal is the gas. Keep your left foot touching the middle pedal and your right foot touching the right pedal, but don't press them unless I tell you. When I say "left foot", you'll press the middle pedal, where your left foot is. When I say "right foot", you'll press the right pedal. When I say "break", you'll move your left foot to the break and press it. So all you need to worry about is "Right foot, left foot, break". Got all that?"

Emerald peeks her head out the door window and yells to the tornado. "Sweetheart, would you like to play the name game? I'll start! Mommy Mommy bo-bommy, banana-fanna fo-fommy, me-my-mo mommy! Mommy! ...now you try with your name!" she then turns to face forward again, listening carefully to hear the child's name.

For as much as people dislike getting that song stuck to their head, at least it's so memorable that anyone you meet who doesn't know it, should catch on quickly. And in this case, it was a way of asking the child's name without sounding like "mommy doesn't know your name".

---

Cade makes me think of the scene in Taken 2 where the daughter has to learn to stunt drive when she doesn't even have a license yet.

"Nonono," the officer answers Joe nervously, "Guess I was hoping that Hummer could push my squad car someplace safer so the pros could take over.  But don't worry about qualifications.  You got here without getting knocked over, which is more than I can say for the EMT's"

With the twister getting closer, the debris pelting the car sounds more and more like a hailstorm.

"Sure thing, young lady," Johnson answers Sarah then turns to Mittens, "No offense, miss, but you're a lightweight and just about as likely to be blown over as your brother."

"I drive a stick!" Mittens shouts back to Emmy.  "Johnson and Sarah will get you to Joe."

She's already in tears for having to part with him so soon after the insanity the other day.  She runs over to the Hummer.  "Lemme drive, I have an idea.  Emmy, tell the kid to take off the bracers.  Assuming there are any.  Cade....  Let's hope I don't have to ask you to try plan B."

If given the wheel, she'll drive toward a post of the fence blocking the way to the bay to knock it over!

The voice inside the tornado tries to sing along with Emerald.  "Casey Casey bo-b-b... I c-can't!"  "It hurts too much!"  "I'm scared!"
This message was last edited by the player at 15:52, Wed 23 Jan 2013.

  "You wanted somebody to RAM you to safety, with your legs like that?"  Joe gets to work unpinning the unnamed officer's legs (while glancing at their badge).  "I'll be generous and blame the blood loss for coming up with that winner.  Tim might be able to grow your legs back if they got snapped off at the knees from that kind of stunt, but I'd rather not have to find out."

  What's a bedside manner?

Cade slides out of the driver's seat, a bit sad. But when you're feet don't quit reach the pedals without sitting so close the the steering wheel that any closer you'd be the steering wheel, it's probably for the best.

"What's your plan then?" he asks Mittens.

Emerald lets Mittens take over driving and yells out to the tornado, "It's OK, sweety! Listen, Casey; There's something on your wrists... try to take them off." she really couldn't think of a clever way to go about it, but figured she didn't need to in this case anyway.

Liberty makes it up to Joe. Hair whipping from the wind, Liberty yells over all the noise, "You got a pair of extra hands now, Joe! Tell me how I can help!"