Blasting In Again (Ask)

That was unexpected. Not the result he would have guessed, or hoped for. He wasn't immediately sure the information he could derive from that.

So what was Nina's ability? Magic. Okay, not helpful. The mechanism was beyond science. But the end result had to be quantifiable right? So the end result was putting physical matter in a place there was none before. What prevented that? Well he imagined Nina couldn't put a clone inside a wall. That would mean erasing other matter. So outside was... physical? Not necessarily. Dark matter? Exponential gravity? Maybe they were just wrapped up by a giant snake.

**** it. Nth Metal. Illusion. More powerful magic. Barrier expanding imperceptibly. All were possible. And more.

"Over here." Pix led them a dozen paces down the beach to a rocky spit jutting out into what once would have been the bay. He followed this spit to the barrier and dislodged the rock directly in contact to it. He whistled at what he found and chucked it at Quinn, "A clean cross-section. You know how they reproduce that in the geology lab? Lasers."

He then mentally willed his arms to disassemble and form a digger's wedge. The tool bit into the silt until he hit rock beneath. It removed enough detritus until they could find another buried rock equally flush with the barrier. This one was cut clean too.

Pix's arms returned to him, "What kind of forcefield penetrates the ground? Either the Titans built something that destabilises the island tectonically when they turn it on; they're stupid enough - but no sign of contact heat metamorphosis makes it unlikely... Or the barrier appeared after the island moved. We're not in Kansas anymore. Anybody got a compass? Double check with the magnetic poles. If we're not earth-bound they won't be there."

Kristoff was looking out a window when a couple people were gossiping about people falling from the sky. Kris scratched his neck, this would be something for him to check out...

There would be electricity in the air, static, it felt like how people described it felt right before getting struck by lightning. There would be a blinding flash of red light and a deafening boom of thunder. On the scorched grass would stand a familiar face, although he looked bulkier and his hair was cut into a sort of faux hawk, both thanks to the military, there was no denying who it was, and he seemed to have a new bag of tricks. He wore Combat boots, blue jeans, and a t-shirt that clung tight to his torso reading, "Whiskey Tango Foxtrot" with an American Flag on his Right shoulder. He looked at the three of them with a grin, "Nice of you to drop in."

it had never been the case that quinn had a vested interest in the science or inner workings behind things. that was not her role. not what she was brought into HIVE to do or to care about. and that hadn't changed in the time since they were last a collective team. so quinn paid little attention. shifting her hands into the pockets of her jacket and following along while the others figured things out, and at the odd occasion casting a glance around at their surroundings - not too sure what it is she was hoping to see. her attention was brought back with the rock hurled at her, and she caught it out of the air. giving it a quick look and then tossing it away. "you should really think more about throwing away the few friends you have left, megaman". quinn smirked. that was one of the other reasons for her entry onto HIVE; the quickly dispatched verbal burns she could deliver.

when pix had mentioned a compass, quinn rolled her eyes. who the hell carries a compass? reaching into her jacket pocket she pulled out a phone, switching it on then throwing it his way. "knock yourself out". a phone's gps was about the best you were gonna get.

bOOM. clap! she glanced over her shoulder towards the origin of the sound... and of course. exhaling a sigh she turned back to bomberman and ninetales. "who invited g.i. joe?".

Nina would have followed Pix and listened to his ponderings "maybe its something entirely new that we've never seen before" she said while Quinn tossed him her phone, that's when she heard the boom and winced, rubbing her more sensitive ears "always know how to make an entrance don't you Kris...why do you look like a redesigned Guile from Street Fighter now..." it looked like he'd been to war, rude, no postcards or letters or anything, not that she had been sent at least.

Pix almost didn't catch the phone. It hit off his shoulder, forcing him to use both hands to grab. Quinn should learn to throw better. He tapped up some buttons and found the gps to be going haywire. No satellites. Or at least a signal wasn't getting through. If light wasn't, this didn't surprise him.

"Good thinking, Nina. If we just assume that, we never have to think about anything. What's two plus two? I unno. Could be something new we've not seen before." He flinched at the thunder. No clouds. Not a weather phenomenon.

The appearance of Kris shouldn't have been so unexpected. It seemed the gods had deemed this a day for reunions. He hadn't seen Kris for a while either. But Pix hadn't exactly lost track of him like Quinn.

"Are you leaking?" If Kris lost too much energy he was liable to undergo a hypo. But he didn't look at all concerned. Assume then that this was normal. New, but normal. But if Kris was going to come down with a case of the bioelectrics, Pix wished he would have gone with a less vexing element. Like swamp.

Four members of HIVE. This wasn't a coincidence. Maybe Gilda was due to appear too. But she was too busy letting the universal cosmic forces down with her absence. "Are you behind this, Kris? We were getting round to the Titans. Eventually. You didn't need to go to such trouble." Kris wasn't behind this.

Kristoff stood there with a half cocked grin, looking them over. "It's a pretty good look for me, I think." He'd approach his old team, lighting a cigarette, taking a fairly long drag. "And before you ask, I have no idea what's going on, but I do have a theory. The consensus from inside the tower is that this is some sort of pocket dimension, and we have what I can only assume is some sort of apparition residing with us, maybe multiple, but the one I've noticed, and engaged, was a Zydon Officer." He would look around, it was quiet, unnaturally so, at least it wasn't Syria. He'd flick his cigarette against the barricade, "As you can see, without Pix sending someone face first into it, it's solid. Wait, Pix, you didn't do that yet did you?"

"from inside the tower?". quinn quirked a brow at that notion. they were hive, or was hive. they're not meant to sit around having tea parties with the titans. "you one of the nerds now? can't say I'm surprised". she added, releasing a small sigh and rolling her shoulders with a shrug.

"don't get any ideas, you can run into it yourself mr. game and watch". quinn had to throw out there before the idea of her running into the barrier entered into pix's mind. she turned to the barrier anyway, looking at it curiously. there was something that hadn't been tried. "we could try acid...". both as in her spitting at the barrier and them attacking the acidic spot, but also them getting high and forgetting about this mess.

"No worries Kris, already tried that, I'm fine by the way you two" she said looking to Pix and Quinn, she ignored Pix's sarcasm "we could try acid yeah, I mean, anything is worth trying, although it seems pretty strong" she just shrugged. "So how've you been Kris? What've you been up to? Clearly keeping yourself busy" she said.

Pix looked sheepish in response to Kris' question (<.<) (>.>) but he had latched onto the terms 'consensus' and 'engaged'. He's been here longer than us. And he's not been alone. A simultaneous arrival would have been daunting, a level of power or coordination difficult to foil. But pieces were being brought to bare only gradually. Mayhaps they had a chance of escaping yet.

Pix didn't make much of the conclusions reached. Alternate dimensions? Apparitions? Could be. But he'd like to check the locals' working before jumping on that band wagon.

When Nina asked Kris a question Pix answered, "He's joined the military. The flag on his shoulder is backwards. That's known as assaulting forward. Only the military use it." As well as large vehicles. But Kris didn't have a nose as big as a Boeing. "Which would suggest he got his citizenship. I hope... But you can regale us the tale later."

This wasn't a high school reunion. They were in potential danger. The sprite made a triangle of his fingers.

"So to summarise. HIVE abducted. Titans abducted. Marauding Zydons. I wouldn't put the tech to do this passed them. Clearly we're in the middle of some revenge plot." It was the theory which best fit all the facts presented. The Zydons were using their advanced technology to kidnap and torment their greatest foes. At least they weren't dealing with magic.

"Tell us. Did they nab the OG Titans, or the stand-ins we've got nowadays? Cus honestly, Omniarch would be useful."

Kris shook his head at the three, he didn't seem to miss this. Kris looked at Pix, rolling his eyes before looking at Nina, "I served as a lieutenant in the United States Army, Syria theater, would've contacted you, but you know, war zone and all." Kris waved his hand, almost as if being in a war zone was as nonchalant as going to the mall. He looked at Pix, "I've met Suzuki, only Titan I've seen so far, and all three of you will behave yourself inside the tower. Both of my nieces are in there." Kris would then check his watch and turn heel towards the tower, leaving without saying a word.

"he's turned". quinn said immediately as their former comrade elected to rudely take off towards the tower. "telling us to behave is like... like... telling mario not to jump". or telling waluigi he would be in smash - things that would never happen. "I miss gotham...". she said with a sigh and a heavy pout. how could one miss the polluted grey skyline of gotham? easy - stick 'em in a pocket dimension.

Nina would just shrug "I dunno about you guys, but we should probably follow him inside, I'd rather not spend all this time outside just hanging about" she said as she started to follow Kris inside, she felt that she didn't need telling to behave, she usually did, unless there was something shiny and valuable around, and she doubted the Titans kept any of that stuff out in the open.

Nieces? Kris had found more siblings? Or married and picked up an in-law. "Bagsy not on baby-sitting duty." There was little more that could be gleaned from outside. The Titans within would tell them what they knew. They Pix could point out something obvious and they could get to work on setting things right. The Zydons wouldn't get one over on them today.