Ginky and Alren's Bizarre Encounter! A Third-Degree Burglary! Steppenwolf and Skunk Anansie vs. Substitute!

[GinkyGotBack]

Having scouted out the building the day beforehand, the burglar would be well aware of the many different ways he could enter the three-floor manor. The front door, the garage door on the left side of the house, or the mudroom or the patio on the right. There were multiple windows all around the manor as well, if he was hoping to go to a specific room. In the end, the choice was all up to him.

Apparently, the owner of the manor was almost never home, but the house had been standing in this neighborhood for over fifty years. Nobody knew much about the old man who lived here, but some said that late at night you could hear a dog's howling coming from inside. Those who walked past the fenced off estate would often comment on the horrible smell the house gave off, but no one dared to complain. Others whispered that you could see lights glowing through the windows every now and again at the latest hours of the night. At the front of the fence was an intercom with which you could speak with whoever was inside, but more often than not you were met with a droning, monotone voice asking you to leave before hanging up.

But none of that mattered, of course, compared to the vast amount of wealth the man was said to have collected over the years. There were rumors that this fortune and the house along with it were inherited by the man when his father died, and that the current owner of the house only ever used it as a summer home. A veritable collection of money and jewels sat in that manor, begging for someone to squander and spend it to their heart's desire.

The heist begins now.

Spoiler: First Floor Map

Alren​

 

[Alren]

Peter moseyed up to the iron gate of the triple tiered manor, It size and opulence was just as impressive upon a second viewing. Its odor too, was just as ghastly. Peter's nose crinkled at the stench, causing his mustache to twitch and his dour expression to become more severe.

What an awful stench! It doesn't matter if it is a manor, this place should be condemned. I bet spirits of the dead wouldn't even abide this horrendous odor!

Peter checked his surroundings to make sure that no one was watching before he made his way for the front door. Having seen no one during his previous scouting he was certain the manor was abandoned. All he had to do was waltz in the front and back out again without arousing any outside suspicion.

 

[GinkyGotBack]

Substitute's C Rank Precision Roll: Definite Failure!!
(A Definite result is simply failing or succeeding at the Action. Very little happens that wasn’t a direct consequence of the Action.)

The streets outside this house were very unkempt, the lights by the sidewalk having died a long time ago and having never been replaced. It was just far too dark actually see if anyone was approaching the house or if someone might have seen him. The only visible lights were the ones from the houses next door and across the street. It looked like Peter was going to have to go in blind.

 

[Alren]

It was too dark to tell if anyone was lurking in the shadows, just waiting for Peter to brazenly make his way to the door to the manor only to be caught red handed. But Peter had already made the decision to arrive her tonight and he'd be damned if he ran with his tail between his legs empty handed. Such thieves would amount to nothing.

With a moment of wariness, Peter strode to the front door with purposeful strides. He didn't tear his eyes from the door as he moved, making it seem as if it were a resident of the manor itself returning after a night around town. When it made it to the top the steps Peter reached for the knob and gave turn, with luck the door would be open to seal the illusion he believed would throw of any unseen spectators.

 

[GinkyGotBack]

The door opened with relative ease, creaking rather loudly as the hinges seemed in dire need of oil. Stepping inside, Peter was met with more darkness as all the lights in the Entrance were off. In front of him was a set of doors that were slightly ajar, although there was some faint light to be seen through the small open space. On either side of this set of doors were suits of metal armor, wielding spears and shields. Old, worn out photographs hung on the walls, although most of the frames were empty. A golden chandelier hung on the ceiling, with little crystals littered across it like bats hanging in a cave.

A door to the left of him that would no doubt lead into the garage, although it was hard to say whether there was anything of value to be had in there. To the right of him, the mudroom, a secondary entryway into the house intended as an area to remove and store footwear, outerwear, and wet clothing among other things. Once again, not likely to have any sort of value, but perhaps more so than the garage.

 

[Alren]

Peter took a moment to let his eyes adjust to the darkness inside the manor, getting a feel for the layout before moving. Last thing he needed was causing unnecessary noise to arouse suspicion, though he was doubtful any noise would carry outdoors to any neighboring houses. Taking care all the same, Peter slowly closed the door behind him, lifting on the handle to alleviate some weight on the hinges as they noisily protested moving.

After that, Peter tiptoed forward into the dark, taking in the feeling abandoned feeling the Manor gave off. The empty photo frames gave him pause, perhaps those missingphotos already meant the place was ransacked, or that the place was truly empty and hadn't held a living soul in a long time. Turning his attention to the light in the room ahead of him, Peter snuck ahead toward the empty armors, taking his time passing to admire how imposing they still were. He reached out his left hand to run his finger across the shield of the armor that stood closest to the door where the light was shone from. He inspected the shield to identify if it bore a crest, trying to determine if it gave any insight as to who the owner was.

 

[GinkyGotBack]

While the knights' shields had no crests, running his finger across it Peter might have been surprised to find that there wasn't a speck of dust on the shields or the suits of armor. Come to think of it, there wasn't much dust to be found on anything Peter had found so far. Everything was a spotless as the day it had been made. It would seem that either the owner of the house had an extraordinary maid, or everything in this room had just recently been purchased.

 

[Alren]

Peter marveled at the cleanliness. With how empty the manor felt, it hardly made any sense that no dust would be present on any surface Peter has seen thus far. How could this manor not possess any dust? The exterior had an atrocious stench but the interior could be on the cover of a interior catalog. How incredibly bizarre.

Peter turned his attention back to the door that faint light was trickling out from. He pressed his hand on the door and slowly pushed it open, keeping low to the ground to prevent his shadow from being cast out any of the potential windows in the next room.

So far anything of value was too big or too difficult to access, perhaps some treasure was deeper within.

 

[GinkyGotBack]

Past the door was a long hallway, lit up with candelabra along the walls with suits of armor standing guard beneath them on either side, keeping an ever vigilant watch for trespassers. These suits were also spick and span, showing no signs of rust, damage or dust. The hallway, however, was another story. The faint smell of skunk filled the air in this hall, invading Peter's nostrils with their musk. Moving down the hall, the stench only grew stronger, the door at the other end of the hall reeked of the unpleasant stink.

However, from what Peter had learned scouting the house the day prior, past the door was the foyer of the manor. Once he was in there, all the valuables of the house would be well within his grasp.

 

[Alren]

As Peter crept forward he quietly brought the striped sleeve of his suit to his face to block out some of the stench from the hall.

Is the owner of this estate some eccentric who takes skunks as pets? How else would such a stench waft from such opulence. Peter remarked internally as he suppressed his urge to gag on the scent. He'd have some washing to do tonight if he lingered too long and the skunky aroma seeped into his clothing.

The suits of armor did nothing as the trespasser snuck forward in plain view, his intent clearly etched into his skulking movements and face. His eyes dilated a fraction as he came closer to the foyer, his lips twitched upward partly in disgust with the odor that was now assailing his palette, turning his mouth sour. The other part was anticipation of the wealth he may soon acquire. His excitement and hurry to be rid of the ever increasing odor put more speed into Peter's step as he opened the foyer door as quickly and quietly as he could with as much grace as he could muster.

 

[GinkyGotBack]

Peter's Precision Roll: Moderate Failure!

When Peter grabbed the doorknob to the foyer, he failed to see the opaque, brown liquid that had covered it partially. The stench of it was absolutely foul, so much so that the smell burnt his eyes to the point where his eyes began to water. The substance was sticky, like the last drops in a hot soda can. Any attempts to wipe it off on something only smeared the liquid, spreading the smell and making anything it touched look unappealing.

Entering the foyer, Peter could immediately see the splendor of the manor as the halls seemed to shine like gold in the light of the crystal chandelier. There were two doors on either side of the room, along with a flight of stairs on the right side of the foyer leading to the second floor. However, what really caught Peter's eye was a figure sitting on a chair at the other end of the foyer, arms crossed but head looking straight forward. It was so dimly lit where the man was sitting, it was hard to tell if he was sleeping or standing guard. However, he didn't react when Peter stepped into the room.

 

[Alren]

"Quoi!? Th-This stench! It's so nauseating, I'm doing all I can to hold my dinner down! What could this be? Is it a Stand Attack?!"

Peter couldn't help but recoil and gag as the stench exponentially got worse as soon as the brown effluvium touched his right hand. His eyes burned and left rivers of tears down his face as he struggled to quiet himself and take in his surroundings through squinted eyes. He took in the glittering glamorous splendor of the foyer and while it was sure to have cost a fortune it definatly wasn't exactly something one could fit in their pockets.

Finally Peter's stinging eyes settled on the man in the dim light, he was facing this way but was completely immobile. It wasn't likely that Peter wasn't spotted, and with this stench it was even less likely that the man hadn't caught a wind of his odor. Peter couldn't be certain about the man until he acted, and if he hadn't raised an alarm with him entering he may be unaware still. Peter, careful to not make any noise, started to make his way for the side room keeping his eyes out for any more of the brown effluvium. As he moved he reached into his coat with his left hand to keep ready to draw his switch blade at the first sign of danger.

 

[GinkyGotBack]

Substitute's C-Rank Precision Roll: Moderate Failure!

Peter couldn't see any more of the smelly, brown liquid he noticed something very odd about the seated man as he made his way to the door. While he didn't seem to have any intention of standing, his arms still crossed and his legs stretched out, the man was following Peter with his head, watching him as he moved about. He didn't say anything, and it was hard to tell what his expression was from where Peter was standing, but it would be safe to say that he had acknowledged the burglar's presence.

 

[Alren]

Tsk tsk "Zut, so you are aware of my presence, monsieur. So why not call alarm to the presence of a burglar in your abode?" Peter rose from his crouching position and turned on his heel, changing course for the man in the chair. He started gesticulating with his right hand as he approached and drew his switch blade with his left.

"You see, when a burglar is seen they tend to have a professional tendency to eliminate witnesses so they can't be identified later. It's a standard precaution in this field of work." Peter drew closer, peering into the dim light to get a better look at the man as he made his threats, hopefully he'd be able to scare the man enough that he wouldn't have to resort to such vile methods.

"Now, if you value your life you'll pretend that you haven't seen me. Otherwise your rotting corpse may be the most pleasant smelling thing in this manor." To punctuate, Peter hit the trigger for his switchblade, snapping the blade into position and pointed at the man. The blade gleamed eerily in the dim light.

 

[GinkyGotBack]

The man sniffed and subsequently plugged his nose as Peter approached him. He made no effort to stand or move away from the burglar, even after his threats had been issued and his blade was unsheathed. His features were more visible as Peter drew closer. He appeared to be a man in his mid-twenties with wavy blonde hair, a chiseled jaw, wearing a biker vest with no shirt underneath to cover his muscles. A silver chain hanged from his ripped jeans and a 'Born 2B Wild' tattoo was displayed in harsh colors on his bicep.

He uncrossed his arms to cup his chin with one hand while resting his elbow on top of the other. He seemed completely unaffected by Peter's attempts at intimidation, staring blankly at him as he spoke up in a monotone voice that completely contradicted his tattoo. "Huh~? But it's your fault that I witnessed you sneaking around. You woke me up when you came in the front door. It's so loud and creaky, how could I not expect an intruder? Not to mention, you walked right in front of me and just assumed I couldn't see you."

The man slouched back into his chair, letting his one arm hang off the back of it, turning his head away from Peter to stare at nothing. "Anyways, you won't have to worry about being identified. Once I'm finished with you, no one will be able to find your corpse, let recognize you." The man lazily rolled his head back to face Peter, tilting it to the side like holding his neck up was some kind of chore. He continued to speak in the same boring tone, staring Peter in the eyes the whole time. "After you've been torn to shreds, I'll toss your remains in the pond in the backyard. It's not very deep, but I can't be bothered to leave the property. Besides, it's not like anyone with half a brain would actually think about trespassing here."

 

[Alren]

Peter started at the man for a long moment, his head tilting as the gears turned in his head. His eyes narrowed and his mouth opened and closed as he was trying hard to voice his thoughts but hadn't quite found the words. His brow had beads of sweat form upon it as his face scrunched up from the all encompassing odor that emanated from his right hand. Everything seemed to be piling up and grinding to a halt until suddenly his face went back to its defaulting frown. Peter looked the man in the eyes and said this,

"Rillettes? You seek to turn me into Rillettes? My my monsieur, such strange tastes you have shredding me to pieces, though you're throwing me into the pond is quite a waste." Peter shook his head in disappointment, letting his "joke" hang in the air for a beat before continuing. "Though I will admit that with this grime on me, who's to say my meat isn't tainted already." Peter waggled his hand in front of the mans face for effect. As he did so, Peter's stand emerged from behind him with its left hand reeled back for a powerful straight, which it let loose with all its might.

"How about we Substitute mine for yours?"

 

[GinkyGotBack]

The biker remained seated and watched patiently as Peter tried to think up a response to his threats. When he finally did come up with a 'witty' comeback, the biker had no problems keeping a straight face. For as long as Peter was talking, the biker kept quiet, never keeping his eyes off of him. However, one odd thing occurred as the man took a long whiff of Peter's hand as he waggled it in front of the biker's face. Even as he did that, the man's expression did not change, although his eyes did start to water a bit.

The man did squint, however, as Peter summoned his Stand. Just as Substitute was readying a punch, a wolf made entirely of metal began to appear right in front of him. "Steppenwolf," the man said plainly as his canine Stand lunged at Substitute's arm, its serrated rows of teeth bared, in an attempt to intercept the attack with one of its own.

 

[Alren]

Substitute wasn't the fastest stand in the world, but it didn't mean it wouldn't try to avoid the incoming attack from the enemy stand. Substitute shifted its angle of attack to avoid the lupine assailant and stay on course for a devastating blow.

 

[GinkyGotBack]

Steppenwolf's Speed Roll (19): Success!
Substitute's Speed Roll (4): Failure!
Substitute wins the Contest!!

Substitute simply wasn't fast enough to avoid Steppenwolf's bite in time. Leaping upwards, something that shouldn't have been possible for a Stand with wheels for feet, Steppenwolf latched onto Substitute's arm and began shaking its head from side-to-side, tearing off some of the Stand's (and as a result, Peter's) flesh on its left forearm.

The seated man crossed his legs and idly watched his Stand work. "It's not my choice to rip you to shreds. That's just how my Steppenwolf kills its prey. Like a great white shark, it'll bite down on whatever it can and saw through the flesh and bone until you've been cut into pieces."

(Steppenwolf's User has received +1 Momentum while Peter has received -1 Momentum. These values are applied as a penalty or bonus to all Action rolls depending on whether you have Positive or Negative Momentum. Ex. +2 Momentum means a +2 Bonus to rolls, while -3 Momentum means -3 Penalty to rolls.)

(Peter has sustained 4 Light Injuries which have combined into 1 Heavy Injury on his Left Forearm. Any Action that uses the Left Forearm primarily will suffer a -3 Penalty. Upon receiving this Heavy Injury, Peter's Stamina has been reduced to 9/10.)

 

[Alren]

Peter gritted his teeth and suppressed the urge to shout in pain, however he wasn't about to let this unflappable adversary get his way.

"Not rillettes then, i'm chum. Ah, but I'm not even in the ocean. However, I wont be such an easy catch!" Peter passed his switchblade to Substitute's right hand and stabbed at Steppenwolf. This wasn't aimed to do any damage but it was aimedat the space between Steppenwolf's upper and lower jaws. If the man I the chair was keenly paying attention he'd notice a small black circle on the hilt of the switchblade. With a flourish, Peter crossed his arms with his left lifted over his head, pointed straight at the opulent chandelier overhead and the right arm bent at the elbow directly over his head which went behind the left. He took a breath and bellowed,

"Remplacer!"

In an instant the switchblade and shield from the hall switched places, the shield now occupied the space between Steppenwolf's jaws, perhaps prying them open so Substitute could be free from the fanged grasp.

(Peter has -1 momentum. Peter is now using a feint. Peter has -1 for the heavy injury and -1 momentum. Assuming they add up Peter would have a -2 to the roll.)

 

[GinkyGotBack]

Substitute's B-Rank Power Roll (20-1=19): Definite Success!!

The man watched with interest, raising an eyebrow as a shield suddenly appeared where the switchblade had been in Steppenwolf's mouth, prying it open as you'd see in any monster movie. "That's a shield from one of the knights in the hallway. So, your Stand can swap objects over a certain distance. Very intriguing."

Shaking its head, Steppenwolf tried closing its jaw in an attempt to crush the shield stuck in its mouth.

 

[GinkyGotBack]

Steppenwolf's C-Rank Power Roll (19+1=20): Definite Success!!

With one swift clench of its jaw, the shield was crushed like an empty soda can and just like an empty soda can, it was mindlessly tossed aside onto the ground.

Scratching his cheek, the man kept his eye on Substitute's hands, readying himself just in case Peter had anything else to swap. "If you're a Stand User, then I can think of only two reasons as to why you'd be in this house..."

The biker held his index finger up, claiming out loud, "One: You're just some idiotic thief that blundered his way in here who just so happens to be in possession of a Stand." The man made a peace sign as he flicked his middle finger up to make two. "Two: You are a spy who has been sent to find out what's going on in this manor." The man slowly lowered his fingers and used them to brush away a stray hair from his face. "So, are you a thief, or a spy? You'll be killed regardless, but I'd still like to know for security purposes. I can't have more people like yourself sneaking in here and interfering with my business. I'm quite comfortable here and I'd rather not have to move because someone is trying to keep tabs on me."

 

[Alren]

Glad that his gambit paid off for the time being, Peter took the moment to crack a small and uncharacteristic smile that vanished the next instant as the shield was crushed so simply. He took his left arm into his right hand, clamping down with his grip to stymie the bleeding of his wound.

Peter listened with interest at the man's suspicions. Thieves typically are meant to steal physical, valuable goods and wares to sell. But information could sell for so much more, depending on how scarce it was and how many people wanted it. Peter realized that this man may be more valuable than the manor itself. But he needed more, to get him to give up something useful so he could sell the information for a hefty amount of wealth. But how best to approach this scenario?

If he played the part of a blunder he would be underestimated, thought as no more than a fool. Maybe he might brag, give away more than he should. On the other hand, if Peter acted as if he knew what he was talking about he could get him to talk as an equal, perhaps give him a token bit of info to take with him to the grave. But if he screwed up on either end he may just wind up dead or limping away empty handed.

Peter made his decision based on what little the man had let in about his personality from what little he said and his behavior. Peter gave another uncharacteristic grin, "Magnifique! You're an observant man. My employer will obviously pleased to know about your little operation, it's a shame that your work ends here. You see, my stand is already ready to pass along your location to an agent on the outside. My death won't stop what's coming."

 

[GinkyGotBack]

Steppenwolf looked ready to lunge at Peter at any moment, but a simple raising of the man's hand was enough to get it to heel. For the first time since they met, the biker stood from his chair, displaying his intimidating height and size. He appeared to be 6'4" or 6'5" with rippling bodybuilder muscles, the kind Arnold Schwarzenegger had back in his bodybuilding days. "If you truly are an agent of the Corporation, and you're telling the truth about what you know, then I respect your loyalty and willingness to die for the cause."

The ripped man's eyelids began to droop as his eyes began to roll to the back of his head. "Whether you are a spy or a mere thief, however, will make no difference. Either way, you will be tortured for whatever information you may have and then you will be killed. After, I will find your accomplice and kill them as well. They may not know it, but the Speedwagon Corporation is under my control now. Nowhere will be safe for either of you. You will be hunted like animals and killed like animals. The wheat will be separated from the chaff and the world will be a safe place again."

His eyes rolled back to their normal spots and bared down at Peter, seeming to look right through him as if he didn't exist. "Normally, I would offer that you work for me, but given how loyal you are to the Corporation, I can see how pointless that would be. Even if you did accept, it would show how untrustworthy you are, and I would kill you anyway." The man lowered his hand and Steppenwolf once again started its engine-like growling as it reared up for an attack. "I suppose what I'm trying to say is that death awaits you no matter what. Goodbye."

The man turned around and started making his way towards the door on the Left Side of the Foyer. As he did so, Steppenwolf revved its engines and began its charge towards Peter and Substitute, teeth bared and ready to rend anything that stood in its way.

 

[Alren]

Peter almost broke his corporate persona as the tall, muscular man reached his full height and explained himself. His whole demeanor was eerie and frankly his monotone voice was starting to get to him. His stand was likely a representation of his true emotional state as it reacted more to Peter's words than the man himself.

The Speedwagon Foundation? Isn't that the medical and environmental organization? I know there's a lot of money there but to kill and attempt to take it over...no there is definatly more going on here that I realize. And then there is making the world safe again, what in the world is that about? Peter managed those thoughts as the leather clad, mountain of a man spoke but the instant he made his way to the door his stand lunged.

Peter knew from before that Substitute wasn't a match for Steppenwolf's speed, but maybe Substitute wouldn't need to be faster, though he hoped he was right about this buildings layout. "Going down!" Peter roared as he directed Substitute to tear through the floor beneath his feet in a barrage of punches. White and black circles appearing on each blow.