4th Bite // [Spam]

[400yearsofsurvival]

[ Ice cold fury lurked in the laundromat. Trapped in a small ring of dust barely a few paces across. It didn't leave him much room to maneuver. The last time he'd dealt with Stiles, he'd put up the act of being out of control. But not this time. He was the perfect picture of control. Sure, he'd been surprised by the barrier. But he wasn't what Stiles had seen down in Zero.

He spent his time calmly testing the limits of the barrier. Pushing against it, creating those brilliant streaks of blue as the barrier reacted. Crouching down, trying to break the line of dust by any means. But it wouldn't budge.

Anyone who came down to see the truly trapped vampire would find him black-eyed and fanged. Paler than usual. Either standing at the center of the circle, waiting for them. Or idly dragging his claws against the barrier. ]

((ooc: Totally open, but final rights of defeat/removal go to Zane, at the player's request.))

Comments

[godsays]

[ Zane steps in.

He is dressed in close-fitting, dark-colored clothes, like he used to wear when he went out into the mists. The way he moves - even the way he walks - has an incredible grace to it, careful and predatory. If there is any emotion that he shows, it's mild annoyance.

He's already swallowed down more than enough combat metals. Pewter, for the strength and speed and agility; tin, for sharper sense and perception; steel and iron, for Pushing and Pulling metals against his own center of gravity. And atium. It may be wrong to waste one of the precious nuggets of the metal, but Zane has judged it worthwhile. With atium, a Mistborn could take on an army and win. Its unique quality lets Mistborn see a few seconds into the future, and react disproportionately fast. Atium makes it easier than ever to kill.

Not that Zane intends to kill Jerry. He just intends to win.

He steps up to the circle. ]

What do you think is about to happen?

[400yearsofsurvival]

[ Jerry knew the look of a fellow predator when he saw one. But this was not one that he expected. Zane. So alike to Stephen in appearance, yet so incredibly different otherwise. But something was different than he'd observed previously. Did it have something to do with that unnatural, metallic odor that clung to the man.

It was said it would take an army to take Jerry down. Especially if he were at full strength with an entire nest to back him up. His kind did not go down easy. At least not by human hands. And little did he know that Zane now had that power. And Jerry, weakened and contained, didn't stand a chance. But he didn't know that. Because he only saw someone who read to him as almost entirely human. And that's all that mattered.

He moved as close as he could when Zane stepped up to the circle. He guessed it was the same thing as everyone else. Humans thinking they were safe and secure. That they could come and look at him like some sort of animal, just as they'd done when he was in Zero. So there was nothing but mild distaste in his expression. ]

Not what you're expecting to happen, guy.

[godsays]

[ Not what you're expecting. Zane doesn't smile. This isn't triumph, for him, but it's not pain either. This is necessity. This is his duty.

He sees Jerry's confidence is unflagged, and he decides, abruptly, that more conversation isn't going to be productive.

He steps forward, and fudges out part of the ash circle, brushing it aside. He burns atium, and the ghost of what will happen solidifies in his vision. He waits. ]

CW: Vampire doing his bitey thing. For real, this time.

[400yearsofsurvival]

[ When Zane breaks the circle, the subtle pressure of the barrier is simply gone. No longer confining the vampire. He doesn't move, though. Glancing around briefly, before looking back to Zane. As if he expecting something else. An attack. An appearance of one of the werewolves. But instead it was just the two of them. Unmoving. Waiting. For a moment.

His patience had been worn down, so he didn't wait long. It happened in a snap. His mouth seemed to grow all at once, as he suddenly launched himself forward. Quick as a viper strike. He went for Zane's throat, but not to feed. This was purely for lethal purposes. ]

[godsays]

[ The shadow of Jerry's motion is visible to Zane before Jerry launches himself, a blue ghost twisting through the air towards Zane. Zane is ready, his weight already balanced properly, feeling the metal machines on either side as solid anchors to Steelpush against if he has to.

He could just dodge, knowing what it is Jerry's going to do. But he doesn't want to risk Jerry losing interest. So, in a smooth and liquid motion, he brings up a hand to plunge a metal dagger into Jerry's chest, dancing out of the way of the vampire's strike with Pewter-induced speed and grace.

Jerry's jaws will close on nothing but thin air. ]

[400yearsofsurvival]

[ It was more Zane's speed that surprised Jerry than anything. Anything human, anything living, shouldn't be able to match him. Let alone surpass him. He staggered back from the blow, staring down at the dagger in his chest. It barely missed his heart.

And it hurt. Just as Allison's arrows had. Not that he showed it, but it pissed him off. He reached up and yanked it out of his chest, dropping it to the floor. But the wound didn't start healing like he expected it to.

He stalked toward his attacker. Not bothering with wasting energy on speed. His intent was pure strength. To grab the guy by the throat and hurl him into the nearest wall. ]

[godsays]

[ He doesn't stay still. But he doesn't get out of reach either. He launches into a flurry of quick blows, each one with punishing strength, enough to break bones on a human.

Now it becomes a little more clear how he fights. That he always reacts just a hint faster than should be possible. That he seems to know where Jerry's about to move before he even starts, and that he's always right. And sometimes he even moves in ways that should be impossible, changing trajectory midair or blocking with force that seems to come from nowhere.

And something else might be clear, after a short time of this:

He's toying with Jerry.

It's not long before he pulls a little pouch from his belt and tosses it between them. The pouch breaks at the seams; coins burst from it, all on vectors straight from Zane and towards Jerry. They pick up speed, and at least a handful of them slam into Jerry. Zane intends to use them to pin Jerry against the wall. ]

[400yearsofsurvival]

[ Zane wasn't the only one toying here. Jerry had started to see what the guy was doing. Maybe not the how behind it, but movement like that didn't go unnoticed. Nor did that force. Each blow hurt like hell. Like a bullet to the chest. But he hardly seemed to react. He was focused testing the limits of Zane's apparent speed. Had he been at full power, he might have been able to do more. But he was working with what he had.

The blows may not have outright broken bones, he was made of heartier stuff than a human. But they were still wearing him down. Tiny fractures that should have healed instantly but remained. Soft tissue damage. He wasn't backing down. But one particular blow sent him back a little further than anticipated. But before he could strike again, those coins flew at him.

He hit the wall, looking down at what had pinned him. He plucked out a coin that and embedded in his chest with clawed fingers. Holding it up for a moment before letting it fall to the floor. ]

You think this can hold me?

[godsays]

[ An Allomancer can't push on metals embedded in the flesh. But ones that aren't, on the other hand, are perfectly fair game.

Which is why, as soon as the coin leaves Jerry's flesh, it snaps back against him. The force of the Push is strong; Zane is bracing himself with one Push against the machines behind him, and using that force on the coins ahead of him. ]

I think if you're smart you'll stop fighting.

[ Zane levitates into the air, slowly, positioning himself exactly between the coins and the machines, meaning that the Push on those coins becomes more and more direct, heavier and heavier. Jerry won't appreciate the fineness of control that this demonstrates; Zane's best power is Steelpushing, and he's capable of more control and finesse in this area than any other Mistborn there is. ]

You can't win this.

[400yearsofsurvival]

[ The levitation was new. Not something he'd seen, here on the ship or elsewhere. But whatever magic Zane possessed that allowed him to do such things. It had to have limits. And Jerry intended to find out what they were. ]

Can't I.

[ He started pushing harder against the force that held him back. Applying a great deal more strength than he had before. Pulling away the coins where he could. The levitating idiot wouldn't be able to work his magic if he could no longer draw breath. ]

[godsays]

[ Zane is braced securely, and the only way to overwhelm the force he can summon while anchored is to make it so he can't push on the coins anymore. Plucking it isn't likely to work.

Pushing until the coins dig into his flesh and Zane loses his grip - that might have a chance. ]

[punched_hitler]

[Steve's not wearing his uniform - no time to change, and what's the point, he's fought often enough in street clothes - but he's got his shield on his arm as he gets to the laundromat a minute or two later to see what's going on.

It looks like Zane's winning - Vin showed him that particular trick with the coins, on his first day here, and it was impressive - but he knows that could change in an instant. He doesn't want to distract Zane, though, because at least he's got the guy pinned, so he steps in and doesn't make a move just yet - but he's poised to spring if Jerry even looks like he's going to get free.]

Looks like you two are having fun.

[He's giving Jerry the once-over, trying to see how much of a threat he looks like on the outside, at least. And then, to Zane:] Where do you want me, pal?

[400yearsofsurvival]

[ Had he been at full power, his speed and strength could have done away with those infernal coins. He would have ripped Zane's throat out and been done with this mess already. But he couldn't pull them away fast enough. Giving up the struggle to remove them, he planted both hands on the wall, trying to overpower them with sheer force alone. Fixated on Zane. ]

You can't hold me here forever!

[ His gaze snapped to Steve at the man's arrival. Giving the soldier a similar once-over. Only he looked more like he was selecting where he'd sink his teeth in first. An unnatural sound emitted from his throat as his fury and struggle started to contort the human-looking features of his face. Somewhere between a high-pitched growl and a guttural hiss. His mouth stretching unnaturally, far more teeth than should have fit into his mouth visible. ]