Settin' the Town on Fire [Black Serpent, OPEN]

[Deleted]

Bullock Drive

Firefly stood on one of the rooftops in Gotham East, looking down at the crime-ridden streets that he had called home for a time. A bad time of his life. So, he wasn’t very fond of the place. You know what? He was gonna fix things. Yep. By burning as much of it as he could to the ground tonight. The wings of his jetpack extended slightly to balance him as he leaned forward a bit more. Where to start though, where to start…well, there was that alley he had gotten beaten senseless in that one time he was mugged.

Or…his old apartment complex where break-ins happened almost daily. Oh, but that bar he’d frequented often that eventually tossed him out in the dumpster was another great choice. Eeny, meeny, miny…Ah, to hell with it. He’d just burn them all! Pushing off from the ledge of the roof, Firefly soared into the open air, his jet pack whirring to life. Fishing out a napalm grenade from his chest pocket, he chucked it into the window of the building he’d been perched on.

With a bang and a scream, the room was alight with fire! “YEEEeeeehaaaw! Blaze away!” Firefly cackled as he tossed more grenades into the various windows. More screams and flames greeted him. Smoke began to rise. Fire alarms and sprinklers went off. But those sprinklers weren’t prepared to deal with his chemical inferno. They’d only serve to make it worse.

The blaze was already going strong, but Firefly decided to add in a little flamethrower action for good measure, dousing the side of the building and shooting the stream of molten chemicals through any windows or doors that he spotted. After that, he flew back to admire his handiwork. The flames licked the sky, shining brightly in the dark night.

As luck would have it, it was pretty windy too, so the flames began to spread to the nearby buildings by virtue of Mother Nature. Firefly sighed happily as he stared into the flames, feeling the weight of the world lift off of his shoulders. He felt so damn good!

[Zahira Ormarr - Black Serpent]

The Black Serpent stood on top of the rooftop of her apartment, somewhere in the southern parts of the city. Her dark lashes were closed, as she took in the deep and centred breaths. Taking in the approaching night. The sounds. The vibrations. Not just the ones above the surface, hmmm, no. The Serpent felt right down to the core of the city and all the corners her senses could reach. There was the usual rumble. Heart beats galore. Breathing deeply, reaching her dark arms above her head, stretching them together to the sky. Before travelling and reaching down. Stretching her arms, her hands to the rooftop floor… Hmmm, it was here that a rich sense of smoke tickled her nostrils and the tip of her tongue. Flashing her eyes open, motioned her upper body vertical again. She needn’t her enhanced senses, as it was easy to see the trail of smoke from where she stood, it was no mere fire lit simply to dance with midnight clouds. No, it was more black than grey and just beneath that, deep orange where the fire was burning. Black Serpent may not be a firefighter exactly, but she wasn’t without all means. Naturally she didn’t hesitate with questions, more went with instinct. As dark boots motioned towards the edge of her rooftop and motioned in a manner to swift for details, off the building. Be sure she landed within the shadows of the alley below, before hooking her legs and kicking her black bike into gear. Jetting off towards the trail of fire and smoke.

Alarms rang through the city, whether it was because of the fire alone or also something else. You never could really know with this city. So it was easy to slip through the craze of the city, with little target on the creature. Blending as if she was always suppose to be there. Darting through back streets and alleys, allowed for short cuts. Which led to getting to the location, rather swiftly. Of course also easily with one gigantic smoke signal. If one was your average soul, it would definitely be quit a sight, perhaps even terrifying. Overwhelming. Perhaps putting out fires wasn’t a snakes job, but fear was simply a serpent’s play. Coming to a break some blocks over, the fire was already stretched and one only knew how far it could travel. Not that her bike going down in flames was a heart breaking thing, it least hopefully had a chance to survive. Turning the machine off. Black boots it the ground and it really wasn’t long before the creature was met with smoke. Trying desperate to invade her lungs. Skin tingled at the feeling of the on coming heat. Taking a turn from an alley, leading towards the main building on fire. Met with the struggles of men, women and children fleeing for their lives. A couple ran right by, hardly even given a look over or a notice of the approaching serpent. Her snake contact covered eyes stretched up. Tilting her head, it didn’t take much effort to take in the screams. The many footsteps still attempting to flee. By chance this could have been a fire started by misplaced candles or an overturned heater, but with the scent of chemicals. Very harsh chemicals, the serpent felt tickling her tonsils. This was perhaps a little bit more and in Gotham, things usually were… Exactly whom or what… That was a question, she needed to find out, but just walking into these buildings, was a death sentence. Even for her.

So instead, the Serpent slithering through the surrounding darkness, creepy an alley to a close by building, that wasn’t engulfed by flames. Least not yet. Hook, a limb to a ladder that hung above. Climbed, with little sound. Though her feet. Her fingers. Her pulse, churned with the vibrations that went rapid around her, concentrated on the more refined sounds. The sounds, that were perhaps even more out of place. Of course, if there truly was a culprit. The Serpent was going to need a little more clues. Making the way onto the roof. It was obviously an entirely different view of the chaos. The flames. The smoke that encircled the building. The air. Looking up at the blanketed sky. Was it clouds or was it just the smoke? A motion far in the distance caught her attention, but it was just a sound of a chopper. Maybe more. Creeping. Slithering across the roof, in the midst of shadows. Coming a few inches from the blaze, that was growing jumping. Dancing like there was no tomorrow. Just as the Serpent’s eyes motioned at the flickering flames, she caught a shape from the corner of her sight. A helicopter? No… It was less of a what.. More of a whom, no less. Her feet motioned a little closer to the edge of the building. With a swift non detecting motion to the next building. Where flames walled at the other end of the roof, with random spots against the sides. Her image played a little hide and seek. As her predatory like eyes took in the suited fly within the sky. Admiring from above, no doubt. This was going to be an interesting play, one the Serpent needed to play with as many cards as she could get. Subtly a sound seeped from her lips, covered for now with a black medical mask, though it did little to muffle the hiss. The growling hiss, playing with the surrounding flames, it bounced around, in echoes and changed direction, just as you turned your head. Of course it was subtle, as it played well within the crackling of the flames. Perhaps to some, it could almost go unnoticed, but for others it was out place. Subtly play under the skin or prickle the hairs, that the fire hadn’t prickled first. With his attention on the fire, it was wonder if Serpent would so easily grab attention, but unlike some that really wasn’t her intention. Feeling her presence was another thing, that she could in ways control, though as even if he did look. She wasn’t escape jumping out of the flames. She stood momentarily glad in her black stream attire. Sleek. Leather. Snake skin. Boots. Gloves. Hair sleek in a high ponytail, trailed down her back. Dagger strapped to either thigh. Her fangs, were hidden behind the medical mask. Her snake eyes flashed at the floating bug, but not for long. Perhaps long enough to be noticed. As her mind also played to what was happening below. People scrambling to be free, most seemed to eventually find their way… Others not so easily. As the Serpent felt and heard; the clawing, the screams and the cries. Particularly not that far from her feet. Her head turned in the direction of the window, perhaps mere moments as the bug’s eyes may finally spot her… Unfortunately she wouldn’t linger long, before she was no longer where she stood, with little trace she was even there to begin with.

The faint sights of the Serpent’s shadow falling over the edge, curving around the flames and going feet first into a window. Shattering the glass. Landing with a knee down and hands to the ground. As her sharp eyes land on the slight movement of three small children, that had tried to, but unable to escape. Smoke seeped under the door, causing the shallow their shallow breathing and shallow movements. It was maybe well they were half passed out, otherwise they may have freaked more at the potential monster coming towards… She wasn’t as cruel as some myths and legends breath, but she also wasn’t skipping down to grandma’s house. Grabbing and ushering the children towards the window. There was flames sparking for some windows below, but there was seemingly a safe enough path down one of the ladders… All the creature had to do was help them reach it. Before letting them go at their pace, once safe. Keeping a feel. A sense of anything. Or particularly anyone that may jump out. The serpent would soon pull her attention, her skills towards it. Otherwise only it would get worse, but first was to reach anyone that couldn’t escape, least until the firemen/women came. As the potential sirens echoed. The black Serpent motioned back into the room. Through the smoke and with a foot to the door, broke it from her path. Causing more smoke to seep and flickers of flames to lick at the frame, but there was enough space, to bring her into one the hallways. Covered in smoke. Flames. Shadows. Darkness. For any other it was impossible to navigate through, but with a serpent’s eye. With a Serpent’s feel, the creature would always know its environment. As cries. Screams. Turned her head. Pulled in that direction. They wouldn’t be so helpless for long, even if the creature was to some of nightmares.

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Black Serpent Attire/mask!

SPOILER: Click to show

[Deleted]

Above the Flames

He didn’t notice it immediately, though he couldn’t really blame himself. The flames were…hypnotic at their worst and euphoric at best for Firefly. But he did notice it. The crackle and roar of the flames was broken up by something else. An unfamiliar hiss. Not a fiery hiss, which was usually accompanied by a satisfying pop or crack, but something more…bestial. Firefly’s masked head swiveled about slowly to try to pinpoint its source. He didn’t see anything…But that meant little. By now, Firefly had learned to rely on his gut when it came to situations like this. And right now it was telling him something was up. The Bat…? Or one of his stooges. Didn’t really matter. Gotham was crawling with costumed crazies of all kinds.

After waiting a moment to see if anything would come randomly flying his way like a batarang, Firefly shrugged indifferently. Well, if they weren’t gonna confront him, he was just going to keep on doing his thing. Sirens drew his attention below to the streets where a trail of fire engines and other such emergency vehicles raced toward the burning buildings. He only cared about the fire engines though. Thought they could kill his fire? Well, they had another thing comin’! But fiiiirst….Firefly glanced down at the building just to double check that the Bat wasn’t gunning for him.

He caught sight of three kiddies clambering out of one of the windows. Well, good for them. Other than more escaping people….nope. He didn’t see any costumed vigilantes. ArsoNITE! His mechanical wings tucked in as he wrenched his body around, plummeting into a dive that would line him right up with the oncoming red fire engines. Stretching wings as he leveled out, he raced through the panic of the city street, the fires of his jetpack streaking out behind him much like his namesake.

Digging into his chest pocket, Firefly snatched out a pack of C4, setting its timed detonator to thirty seconds. He swooped down and tagged one of the fire trucks on the side of its engine block. That was going to boom nicely! The next fire truck got one on the top of the cab. The last also on the side of the engine block. Firefly soared skyward with a devilish grin on his face as he waited for the telltale boom of the fire trucks.

[Zahira Ormarr - Black Serpent]

With this city relying so heavily upon its bat, perhaps it was no wonder that most if not all, didn’t expect a snake. Though perhaps both played in their own ways with the shadows. With the darkness, for they were not the animals more often gifted under a tree. They were the animals that drew more from fear. The Serpent, though. Played with the environment with a little more purpose. Played with the senses. Fire was warm and bright, but it could be deceiving. Brutal. As it tore through the building the Serpent had now placed itself in. Somewhere outside. Above. Was the Arsonist, responsible for the blaze. The Serpent needn’t see him, to know he was there. The faintest sounds from his jetpack wings, quite distinctive from the helicopter sounds that was also some distance from the building. Not just hearing it, the Serpent could feel… Feel it all. Did it feel it? As the dark boots fell silently in one of the hall ways, smothered by smoke. Flames licked at walls. Somewhere beneath the floor, the heat radiated through, the fire eating at the floorboards as if they were termites. There was little stopping it, least within the Serpent’s capabilities. The Serpent was perhaps a little heat proof, but it certainly wasn’t completely fire proof. Even if it preferred the heat to the cold. As it could feel the slightly bubbling feeling within its cold blood, lapping the warmth up. With so much going on, the trouble was pinpointed where exactly to go. So many sounds. Smells. Vibrations. The sights were mostly jaded with the smoke that begged to fill what the fire could not quite reach yet. Sharp turn of the head as bangs and cries pulled it in the varies directions. Breaking down doors and creating openings that were not perhaps there before. With decent enough path way through the flames, there was room enough for many if not most to make it out with hopefully minor damage. Between the need of survival and the covering of smoke, barely any cared to look at aid that the Snake offered. It was merely a shadow to most…

As it almost slithered through building, it drew more to where the heart of the fire seemed to be… At one point a huge chunk of ceiling craved in, only to melt another hole in the flooring beneath. There was little telling just how many floors it went, but it was certainly coming to the serious crunch time. The Serpent had reached most she could, though it was becoming more evident as she motioned further, that not all were probably getting out of here alive. There was just enough smell of death the Serpent could taste within the ashes. At one point it could almost feel there was little else left to save, but before the snake coiled to the night air. There was another faint cry and an even fainter sound of breathing. Seeping from the faintest cracks from the door at the end of the hall. Flames lapping the framing. With steady feet, the Serpent met the door, with its limbs. To break the wood in two or threes or more. It was of the least concern. As the shadow of the Serpent stood out, in its black with the flames that lapped the door and that were now lapping into the room. Snake eyes gleamed and the rest of the black attire half smoked. Perhaps she wasn’t the saviour you ask for. Stepping forward, but only to be met with resistance, rather than acceptance. There it was in the flash of the eyes, to the man before her, she might as well been the arsonist. If not, she was not something one easily trusted. That perhaps wasn’t completely unwise, but right now it was unnecessary. Not wasting the time, the Serpent stepped forward with more intent, as the man stepped back. A black gloved hand reached at him as the other gloved hand motioned the black mask at the Serpent’s mouth. Pulling it down and revealing the gleam of her fangs. As it was to be expected. The man’s eyes widened as his scream filled the room. Before it at abruptly ceased, as the Serpent swiftly sunk its fangs in his neck. Causing his body to limb, almost in a deathly state. Pulling at his body and that of the unconscious woman in the room, who had sunk to the ground, finger nails inches by the door. There was little time to waste unless the Serpent wished to be cooked snake, with the fire now racing. No exit through the door. The Serpent side stepped towards the small window. Shoot a line to something sturdy enough outside. Pulling them free, as the Serpent rolled, breaking what was left of the fall and she laid the limb bodies in hopefully a more safe location, a short distance from the flames. Though still covered by smoke.

Once out in the open, things were to most, quite unclear. Fogged by smoke, but a little more clear to the Serpent. As the building began to slowly crumble. There was little chance of jumping in there again, without committing suicide, but the Serpent was mostly confident that all that could have been saved were. Not that she entirely fashioned herself as hero. A vigilante, perhaps that was in ways the same. She just was never going to be the one you pick, more she be the one to tempt you or simply the one you needed when you least expect it. Snake eyes skimmed through the chaos on the streets, before trailing up through licks of flames. To the sky where the puffs of fire didn’t belong to anything below and the Serpent swiftly caught sight of the Arsonist. More pointedly the Arsonist with wings. Perhaps what was the point of him concealing himself, too few could really touch him if they tried and most certainly they would try. As the Serpent’s eyes could almost glimmer at the sight of red trucks, but that was potentially short lived. Where she had come from, she was generally in this alone. Why should this be any different? As her sleek self hid with darkness of smoke and flames. Eyes caught as the Arsonist was swift with his planes. Not Serpent was no rock scientist nor really much of a geek, although she could rock a nice pair of glasses, mostly given her not so great sense of natural sight, but it well. It didn’t take much guesses what he was planting on the trucks. Before he soared away.

There was little telling how much time there was, even though the Serpent could almost feel the ticks vibrating. With little time to waste. The Serpent couldn’t just hide away in the dark and let the truck along with Gotham go up in flames. It may not have began with being her home and perhaps it may never truly will be, but she was never going to know if it was destroyed. A snake couldn’t fly, but had to make do. As the creature aimed a zip line some where high near the first fire truck. Along with the Serpent’s swift reflexes, her form wouldn’t be exactly in detail, being still amongst the dark of smoke and nearby flames. The zip line pulled her swiftly upon the truck’s roof, potentially startling the men and women with in it, the Serpent could feel the slight sway, but didn’t heed to it. Instead swiftly as her feet landed, motioned for a dagger from a sleeve that hang around her thigh. Piercing the dagger through the detonator, causing the smallest of sparks, but hopefully not enough to cause another fire. Shooting out her line again to a object high about the second truck. Using every little second she could. Pulling her body from the first truck into the air and bringing herself swiftly through the side door where the windows were open. Hands grabbing the driver and passenger as the Serpent went. Dropping them to safety, before they could potentially even realise who or what had just happened. Swinging still on that line, in one swift to land upon the third truck’s roof, just as the second truck blew up. A tyre bounced somewhere near her. Keeping her senses on the rhythm the detonators made, she would just be within the thirty seconds. Hooking the third and potentially last detonator with her line. Tossing her line in the direction of the Arsonist and detonator unhooked from her line, flying in his general direction. Of course there was a good chance he’d dodge it, but it seemed worthy shot. As the Serpent’s dark figure half crouched still upon the third fire truck, before it came to a screeching stop. A large puff of smoke rolled over the truck and the Serpent. When the smoke partially cleared, the serpent was no longer there, but lost somewhere in the dark. Perhaps it was behind him? Beside him? Above him? As the really only sign now was the hiss that growled from the dark lips, that echoed and circled around the Arsonist; half dancing with him through the flames and smoke! Could a snake tempt his curiosity?

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Black Serpent Attire/mask!

SPOILER: Click to show

[Deleted]

When there was no initial BOOM when there most definitely should have been, the smile behind Firefly’s slowly fell as he spun around in the air, hovering level with the rooftops. Eyes flicked to the first truck where he had planted the explosive. It had been…destroyed. A massive BOOM and subsequent glorious fireball drew his eyes over the second truck. Well at least that one had blown up. He quickly whirled about to look at the third truck, raising his flamethrower, hoping to get a glimpse of the vigilante responsible.

What he got instead was a very nice view of someone with a line hooking his explosive and tossing it back up in his general direction. He instinctively reacted, sending himself rocketing skyward as the charge exploded beneath him. Firefly grit his teeth and growled as the fires of anger began to spark within him. And then that hissing sound started up again. Certainly wasn’t like the Bat to try to blow him up or hiss like that. So this wasn’t him.

“You can’t stop me!” Firefly barked out, inhaling a rasping breath, “Gotham’s gonna burrrrrrn!” He couldn’t get a fix on where the hissing was coming from. So. The solution was clear. Flamethrower in hand, Firefly swooped down to soar at high speeds over the rooftops and let loose a torrent of chemical flame from his weapon, dowsing the line of roofs in flame.

“This stinkin’ city isn’t worth saving! Let it be purged by purifying flame!”

[Zahira Ormarr - Black Serpent]

For 1000s of years, maybe even more the soul of the Serpent had lived, jumped bodies and clung to life. Perhaps a destiny for immortality. Naturally the Serpent had adapted, maybe only so much with fire. As the blaze of the second truck came into the side vision of her darkened eyes. Egypt had come along way, but a city like this… A city like Gotham, was something entirely different… In some ways, she could slip in rather well. Perhaps the Serpent didn’t slip right into the Bat circle, but that was never its intention. As far as she knew, she was in this alone as she had been many times before. Though she had to admit, a bug with a fiery jetpack was something different. Suppose, if she really took the time to chip away the harden surface then he’d start to crack, just like everyone else in the world. This didn’t exactly taste like a joy ride. This was intent… Maybe as the Serpent squared the explosive at him, but to actually aim to blow him up, hmmm well suppose that was a mystery now. A dark circle came at her lips. She could taste the uncertainty. Taste him figuring it out, why wouldn’t she play with that? He was running off impulse.

The Serpent needed to shut it down, but acting to quick could create an even greater disaster. Taking a little time. Motioning with a little care, even if he wasn’t aware of where she was. The Serpent did and even if she didn’t see everything. She could feel it. Everything, even down to every single flicker of the flames. She could even feel his pulse. His airway. His heart beat. The vibrations of his moves, could often give him away, when he was least expecting it. As the Serpent played with them as she kept her darkened shape hidden, but her hiss kept her presence. She maybe a vigilante to some, but she was still running on cold blood of a predator. He was but a fly. A moth to the flame, to seek and trap. One step at a time… “You can’t stop me!” A dark chuckle subtly slipped with the hiss, not so much out of mockery, than of shear difference. Of course with the follow up words, that was rather clear his intent. The Serpent needn’t to look left or right, to see the the ever growing lick of flames, growing higher to the sky. Still keeping with her rather toying within the darkness, feeling him out, but he didn’t come to her. Rather he took a different turn. In a way perhaps a smarter turn for him, though it was going to be short lived, if the Serpent had any say about it.

As dark eyes pierced through the darkness at the flame thrower in hand, just as he motioned to soar down to high speeds and starting to set rooftops on fire… In some distance there were sounds of helicopters… The Serpent wasn’t much of a flyer herself, but not without her ways. With the Arsonist’s mind on his task and his back turned, now was a time to take a strike. Pulling and aimed a zip line out, potentially hooking a helicopter leg or something that wasn’t caught on fire. Ceasing from a blackened spot from the flame covered rooftops, the Serpent took a swift motion with the space above those rooftops. Using feet first. Motioned to knock the Arsonist off his track, if not knocking him over, from the impact of her weight in motion. Before the Serpent came in contact with the roof top that was beneath, flames around. Her body rolled, half hidden at first, before she skidded to a stop, before falling in clear space with the flames around. Crouched to the roof, with both hands and feet. She could feel the heat run up. Feel the rumbling beats it took. With a subtle crawl on her fours a few inches. Moments after the Arsonist had spit fired, more words, proclaiming Gotham had set itself up for such a blaze. Naturally he was suffering from tunnel vision. ”Why? So they may feel a hint of what you feel?” Her dark voice sparked, stated more than questioned, it was seemingly clear it had the mark of personal. Did she really care why? She wasn’t much one for judgement, but nor really for pity. Dark eyes flickered, followed by the growling hiss from beneath the black mask! "To what end before this ring of fire backfires!" Curled darkly as she tested. Eyes stalked him, as her dark frame was highlighted more with the flickering of the flames. Perhaps revealing more of her feminine shape, that she was potentially more human, but still very much with a animal instinct. Challenging him. Drawing him in a little, if the Serpent could!

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Black Serpent Attire/mask!

SPOILER: Click to show

[Deleted]

A solid hit to his side let him know that whoever this was didn’t take too kindly to his pyrotechnics display. Whirling and spinning through the air in a haphazard uncontrolled spiral, Firefly zipped around both trying to regain control of his flight and to not crash into the side of a building. It didn’t take him long. Countless battled with the Bat had made his reflexes and expertise with the jetpack swift. If they weren’t, he would get tackled to the ground and have the kindling beat out of him.

He recovered and soon spotted his assailant thanks to them being so kind as to actually sit still and speak up. And the first thing she – because it was a feminine voice – said only served to anger Firefly. Not that angering him was particularly difficult. He spread out his hands wide to indicate the blaze surrounding them. “Can’t you see it?” he asked, not really expecting an answer in the affirmative.

“Look at them! The Flames. They…they writhe…living things…” Firefly stared down at the Serpent. Her form was highlighted by the flames. They wriggled and danced around her, entreating him to add her as fuel to the blaze. Yes. Yes, he would.

Firefly leveled his flamethrower at the Serpent. “How would you like to die? The quick…incinerating flash of an explosion?! Or maybe…a nice slow burn!” Without waiting for an answer, he loosed a torrent of flame from his flamethrower down at the Serpent, shooting out in a rapid stream.

[Deleted]

Sirens blared, The GCPD and GCFD responded as quickly as they possibly could. A lot of Gotham East had been engulfed in flames. Several of the fire trucks that were already on the scene had been targeted. Response fire fighter teams worked as hard as they could to suppress the flames. It wasn't long before the GCPD was on site as well. A SWAT team has been dispatched, they would attend to trying to take down Firefly. As for the uniformed officers, their job was to close off the area to the public and help civilians get out of the way. Captain Prescott of the GCPD had trouble forming a perimeter around where the flames were spreading. It was too big of an area. The Gotham City emergency services didn't give up however. They did the best they could with the best they had.

It was long before the area with the fire was sealed off. Police Officers stood guard at the firefighters as they tried to put out the burning buildings. Snipers took up positions around the non-affected roof tops. They would do their damnedest to take down this demented arsonist. It did seem that they had some help in their task. Another vigilante seemed busy with the task of defeating the firefly. Uniformed patrol officers would only get in the way, the snipers and swat team could stand a chance. 

When Firefly and the vigilante were isolated, members of GCPD swat poured out of several vans while the snipers prepared to get Firefly in their sights. 

Captain Prescott stood below, with the swat teams with his radio in hand. 

"Hold your fire, I repeat hold your fire. Don't do anything until their is an opening. Let's see what they do."

[Zahira Ormarr - Black Serpent]

It was a test of will. A display of courage, then mere strength that pushed the Serpent into the fiery bug and caused his unsettling flight. Redirecting him, whilst getting more and more of the feel of whom her playmate was. Having fallen into the space in the midst of the burning roof of a building. Laid mostly in darkness, but not completely out of sight. There was little need to be as mysterious, as the Serpent’s eyes followed as the Arsonist whirled. Spun. In an uncontrollable spiral. Which is many skills the Serpent did not have, perhaps this was revealing he wasn’t so out of reach. He may thrive in the flames and the sky, but the Serpent thrived within her environment. A darkened hand almost clawed the rooftop, as there was almost a possibility he was going to crash and potentially burn a little more. Recollecting his barring in time, he was resilient, the Serpent would give him that… Then one could also argue he was obsessed and obsession can only get you so far.

There was a slight coiling in her stance as in his recovery, he also regained her presence. Where she was, mostly exposed, highlighted by his flames… Sitting still and speaking up, wasn’t really how she’d see it, but whatever drew him in. As her dark Serpent eyes stared back, potentially burning holes in his crispy skull. Otherwise her express was completely subjectively, not just because the mask that hid her mouth. It was best not to give too much away and she really wasn’t much one to make conversation. He was not really someone you’d think to sit down and have a cup of tea with. Like everything around them, it be burnt. Still she could taste him figuring her out, a little bit, but mostly tasted the slight bitter taste of anger. Hmmm, perhaps that hadn’t been entirely her intention, but it was revealing nonetheless. The Serpent’s eyes shifted at the sudden motion of his hands, spread wide to the blaze, the flames. The fire that rose up and up. Smoke licked its way to the clouds. Filling the already black sky, making it feel deadly. Darker. Menacing. Yeah, seeing it was a hard to miss kind of thing. Even if she couldn’t, she could taste it. Smell it. Feeling it. Even hear it, as it crackled around her. For how long did the Arsonist expect to control it, for if anyone knows fire, it does not care who it burns. You give fire a reason to live and it can be near unstoppable. Whilst still in her crouch. Her low stance. All fours on the ground. The dark flames did dance with her darkened frame, played even a little more as the Serpent motioned. Subtly of course, crawling ever so lightly as the Arsonist bared down upon her, as if an eagle looking for its next meal to roast, but was he truly the predator? She needed look far to see the flames. To know the depths of destruction they made. She had been within not moments earlier and she could still hear, feel cries. Screams within the area.

Eyes squared as the Arsonist levelled his weaponry, perhaps there was some wise enough reaction to it, but she wasn’t without her own weapons… Just as the words began spilling from his guts again, not only sound of copters, but the sound of the swats were heard. With a subtle cock, turn of her head. She may not have them clear in her eyes, but she was aware by their ever subtle moments. No gunfire. Least not yet, as vibrations of fingers balancing on triggers were felt. That was potentially a wise move, not that she didn’t play with others, just not entirely well. So long as they weren’t in the way. ”When the time is right, I will follow into death!" The Serpent hissed from her dark tongue, as her dark gaze hovered back on her primary target. Not necessarily meaning to be poetic, but she didn’t fear death. Death was just another chapter, as far as she could see it… However. ”It just isn’t tonight and it won’t be by your hand. What you bring with fire. I bring with my venom!” Darkly Serpent remarked perhaps more confidently than she could honestly predict, she wasn’t much of a physic, but she far more aware. It was easy to see it more clearly, as a slight scowl between her darkened brows.

Rolling swiftly to her side, as the blast of flames came into her direction. He shot in a constant stream, so the Serpent moved out of the way with it, half lost with flames and smoke. Her skin caught a little bit of heat, the sparks here and there. She couldn’t expected to come out of it with a few marks. A few minor burns, but she hadn’t walked through burning coals in the past, to sit down and cry about pain now. She just stayed as numb to it as she could. As his flame thrower half directed her movements, she also began shifting a little, causing her to somewhat dictate its next moves. Darting into shadows, her figure was not solid for most of it. Eventually motioned towards an edge and a wall to another building. It allowed for her to propel herself swiftly without hopefully much detection, as the Arsonist was more focused on his flame thrower. That could be a little taken back, with the Serpent subtly upon his back, a subtly muffed growling hiss at his ear and a dagger at his Jet pack. In efforts to better ground him. As her dagger motioned to stab and tear. Not overly in technic, as she could only assume how his wings and everything operated, but she was aware it eliminating that advance he had, there was a better shot at victory. Staying on his back for only so long, as it might be suicidal to go on a possible dive with him. Slithering off him and jumped back down to one of the rooftops. Summersaulting again, only regaining to her darkened feet. Taking a few swift running strides with the night and flames. Her feet stopped at an edge. With the surrounding force of Gotham’s finest below. ”Come on, don’t disappoint me now!” Turning around as her dark snake eyes look back at the Arsonist. Taunting him, if she was playing this well, slowly coiling him. Backing him in a corner and slowly make him feel helpless, a slim feeling what he had made half of Gotham tonight. He may not need to remember or know her name, but the Serpent would leave her mark. One way or another.

---

Black Serpent Attire/mask!

SPOILER: Click to show

[Deleted]

The slippery Serpent avoided him. She was not a pile of smoldering person. Kind of annoying that, though to be expected he supposed. A flamethrower wasn’t a particularly accurate weapon. Lovely though. Its flames were not wasted despite missing their primary target. They fled the blaze already growing out of control. So beautiful. Of course, there were those that sought to kill his flames like the GCFD that now surrounded the blazing buildings. Damn them. He couldn’t exactly deal with them right now either. Not with this vigilante and the SWAT snipers crawling over the rooftops.

Firefly frowned as he heard a hissing almost directly behind him. But he hadn’t…There was a scraping of metal against metal on his back. The! She was! On his back! Snarling, Firefly shot up into the air in a wild spin, hoping to throw the pesky vigilante. Her taunt from below told him that she had vacated his back. Not noticing anything different about his flight, he figured that she had tried to ground him, but many battles with the Bat had made him armor his jetpack up rather well. Even gunshots wouldn’t pierce it. Plummeting down to the ground got old very quickly.

His eyes followed the Serpent as she raced across the rooftops. Glancing over to the SWAT members, he scowled. At any moment he could be pelleted by bullets. And though he was armored, he didn’t really want to take a bullet. Fortunately for him, he knew a great way to avoid that. Diving down and slightly away from the Black Serpent, he zipped down over one of the rooftops with a sniper on it, snatching the man up by his collar.

“Yoink! You’re comin’ with me Officer…”

“B-B-Barnley!”

“Officer Barney, great!” Flying up back into the sky, he adjusted his grip on the man, tossing him up slightly to catch him by his arm. “Better hold on. It’s a long way down, Buckley.”

“It’s Barnley!”

“That’s what I said,” Firefly snapped before looking addressing both the vigilante and the police down on the ground below. “Now! You coppers down there? I’m not really in the mood to get shot tonight. So call your men off or Officer Bleakley here gets to find out what being a burnt ground pancake is like.”

Darting away from the flaming region and following more where the Black Serpent led, Firefly doused in fire haphazardly with one hand. Barnley yelped and tried his very best to stay far from the fiery stream’s path. “I didn’t sign up for this…” he mumbled unhappily.

“Really, Blake? You’re a police officer in Gotham! What did you think would happen? No commitment to your craft, tch. People like you piss me off,” Firefly commented as he continued to spread his flames while pursuing the Serpent.

“Hey, you!” he shouted out to the vigilante, “You know you should probably tell me your name or something so people know who to mourn when they see your funeral pyre!” Firefly let his flamethrower fall to his side and chucked a couple of grenades ahead. “Fire in the hole!”

[Deleted]

When Captain Prescott saw Firefly pick up and threaten one of his men. He was extremely anger. The man felt heated from more than just the flames that the arsonist had created. He wanted to stop the firefly once and for all. He knew that he couldn't order his officers to open fire with one of his officers in danger. Even if Captain Prescott had a unique way perceiving things on the force he would never let another officer be in danger. The man brought his radio up, pausing for a moment before letting out a rather heavy sigh. "Stand down. I repeat, stand down. Wait for an opportunity and until then do not fire unless I say so." Captain Prescott ordered. The officers started lowering their weapons. Corrupt or not, no other cop would ever endanger another cop on purpose. 

They'd have to wait and see what this vigilante would do. Perhaps she would win, perhaps she would save their fellow officer. They would have to wait. They couldn't do anything. They couldn't concentrate sniper fire on his jet pack in an attempt to disable it and they could not try to climb the builds he was near on account of them being on fire and their fellow officer being in danger. They couldn't do anything. 

They were sitting ducks.

[Zahira Ormarr - Black Serpent]

There was little stopping the blaze, even if firemen were on the scene with unharmed fire trucks, with the arsonist still on the loose, his wish so far was granted. A blaze. A enlarged beacon in the eastern part of the city and if the Arsonist was not stopped then, there was little stopping it until the entire city could be engulfed. Bedded in rubble, flames and smoke. All for what? If the Serpent was someone with more of a feeling heart, perhaps she’d be more inclined to ask. To seek it out. Though most obviously conclusions if any, were balanced enough on the tip of her tongue. For now the darkened creature had led a chase, least he was mostly on her heels. Dodging his flames was easier down, but it wasn’t without feeling. He shouldn’t feel too bad, he just wasn’t aware of every nook and granny, as Serpent was to the environment. Though what control he did have over the flames, wasn’t anything to sniffle at. Every effort he made, Serpent felt it at every turn. Twist. Until, she had attempt to turn the table or simply turn him down into the ground. She wasn’t perhaps as technology advanced as some, so maybe she underestimated the strength of his jet pack. His wings to fly. As though she did feel a jolt in his path from her attempt. He did not crash and burn as she had hoped, but it did seem she had grabbed his attention. That was a valuable thing, as someone like him, could be somewhat unpredictable. He ran off hot blood, as oppose to her cold blood. As the Serpent needn’t turn the slight of her head, to know he was following her path. With the slight darkened curl at her lips, she’d just need to find other ways to reach him.

Of course in reaching the edge of the roof top building somewhere above police heads, she hadn’t led him here, to give him other ideas, but suppose this was chaotic side she shouldn’t of underestimated. As rather following her lead. The Arsonist flew around and swooped down snagging up one of the snippers on near by roof top. Why did he have to go and do something stupid? Suppose if Serpent was seeking a clear defined answer, she’d be sitting there for a while. Her darkened toes remained at the edge. With an enlarged gap between her and where the Arsonist now flew above, grasped with the sniper in his hands. She could all, but flinch as he teased and dangled the man like a rag doll. For the snake could not fly, least not with wings. Though as her dark eyes steadied upon, there was really little to go on what he’d do next. He was random, but he wouldn’t just drop the sniper. Though, he clearly enjoyed the taunting. Feeling he was in control, even though it was clear he was out of his mind. The Serpent was still one with a very keen mind. Keen senses. Just when she could almost go by that the Arsonist is distracted elsewhere, his attention soon returns upon her. Even though she didn’t exactly stand out in blue and red, being on her tail was a better thing. Ringing in and out the words he spat from his mouth to the policemen and the sniper in his grasp. Before the sounds of his flight path brought him in her general direction. The Serpent dived just out of the line of fire, to then shoot out her line and pulling her onto the opposite building’s rooftop. Leading a path on top of the roof, side lined a little in flames that licked the edge. Her path was cut short. Turning on her darkened heels, just to remind she wasn’t the one running nor avoiding… Coming all, but face to face with the Arsonist above her. His voiced shouting. Demanding. ”My name? You’re really not as bright as your flames!” Why was there always this need for names? Identities? If this was a true and proper fight. Then perhaps she would deliver such respect, but this. This was not a proper fight. His mind was here and anywhere else. Then again it shouldn’t be that hard to figure out a name for her. She wasn’t exactly in a tutu, so fairy princess was a far and away cry. Her snake covered eyes stalked him down, just as his flame thrower had also seemingly ceased. Her head slightly cocked to the side, as the Arsonist then dropped his weapon. ”Didn’t anyone warn you about cutting off the head of a snake?” Of course the Serpent wasn’t responding in literals, but metaphorical (though hows he to know she wouldn’t grow an extra head or more), at the Arsonist’s threats to end her life. Which he seemed to like spinning over and over again. Though she may appear weaker than some, she may just be more resilient than you can give credit for…

Well, maybe that was speaking too soon. As even with the flick of her eyes, the Arsonist chucked a couple of grenades. They may as well been half a dozen, as booms and flames sparked. As if he had caught her by surprise, that she hadn’t been aware of every flinch and inch of breath he attempted. For there had been no movement, least not movement was warranted by being seen. As a part from a slight gasp within the flames and smoke. There was silence, as if it had swallowed the Serpent whole. Even as the flames slightly parted and replaced by more smoke. Nothing, no form. No sigh. Just stillness and deadly silence. Not even a hint of a hiss or a coil of skin. The Arsonist could almost celebrate in the Serpent potential death as he had threatened, but even if he could take a breath of victory. A darkened shape began to materialised within the smoke, but didn’t take a true clear form. Even if the Arsonist tried, as soon a trail of fire replaced the dark shape. As the Serpent had managed to use a flame thrower she had found, that so happened to fall from the sniper's belt, and it was aimed straight to his face. His helmet, which was most likely fire proof, but chances it would mess with his eye sight. Enough to potentially lose grip of the sniper in his hands and potential lose sight of where exactly he was going. As the Serpent was still very much hidden behind the flames and smoke, that he potentially wouldn’t see her swing back through, until her feet had motioned square into his midsection. She wasn’t granted with super strength, but strength enough, if not hopefully the impact alone would knock him back. In another attempt to ground him, of course it also could lead to the sniper being grounded or potentially knocked over the edge. As the Serpent motioned with the Arsonist in the direction of the flooring of the roof top. Attempting to crawl, if not slither over the top of his scratched up and slightly burnt metal suit. Clearly he had been up to this more than once. Where he had avoided her, hopefully now she had even more of this attention. A prey to play with. Least that could appear from how her dark eyes looked upon him, not moving her eye sight away, he was perhaps even more immune to her hypnotising skills, with his mask, but didn’t mean he couldn’t feel some intent from her stare. Of course she knew it wasn’t going to be this easy to stop him, but it was hopefully a start. As a growling hiss curled from her tongue. It came direct. Subtly. As if from her and from varies directions around him. ”Are you not afraid?” Darkly cut through her hisses, he wanted to know her name, now he could be up close and somewhat personal with her. She just needed to find an opening. If not, make one.

[Deleted]

Firefly felt just a little insulted at Black Serpent’s retort when asking for her name. Just the teensy, tiniest bit. It was too bad really. But…the people of Gotham probably didn’t care about this serpentine vigilante. He had not heard much about her in the news or otherwise. So…no one would mourn her anyway. Was that really worth wasting good flames on? …Oh, who was HE kidding. Of course it was! There’s no such thing as too much fire after all. Though the GCFD would disagree. And the GCPD. But they were sticks in the mud. Very flammable sticks.

Predictably, the Serpent shot her own banter about snakes at him. Oh so riveting. But, his grenades soon reached her. They exploded in riotous, glorious fashion. Sparks! Flame! Smoke! The sound of their light bang beating out a cadence of a sudden and violent sort. Lovely. As the flash and flames faded to be replaced by smoke, Firefly’s masked visage scanned the area below. Ah, was that it? He had expected more of a fight. It was almost disappointing really. He hadn’t gotten Batman or Robin for his troubles. Just some serpentine knock-off. Not that he really cared for the dynamic duo interfering either, but at least they had something…something…ah, well. Another vigilante bit the dust.

At least, that’s what he had thought at first, but a darkened shape within the smoke alerted him to her continued unwanted presence. A twisted snarl cut Firefly’s face in half like a knife underneath his mask almost immediately. Before he could fully react, a stream of flame was shot at him. Where most people’s reflexes might have urged them to avoid the fiery blast, Firefly was gripped by the desire to be embraced by those flames.

The flames didn’t embrace Firefly, unfortunately. But…Officer Benton got more than a little singed by the vigilante’s bold maneuver. He screamed as his own auxiliary weapon was turned against him. Firefly, having hefted the good officer up liked a shield in front of him, woofed somewhat when the Serpent’s feet connected with his midsection once more.

Clearly, this feisty little reptile wanted him grounded. Firefly descended in a seemingly uncontrolled fall, letting Officer Barton fall onto the rooftop where he could writhe in agony without being a complete nuisance to Firefly. He clattered to the surface of the roof on his back, the slippery vigilante crawling atop him. He glared back into the Serpent’s dark eyes before glancing away without turning his head to look at something that had caught his eye.

“Afraid?” Firefly echoed almost wistfully, “No.” He nodded to indicate the direction in which the Serpent should look. “Look behind you. Do you see them? Can you hear them?” Firefly asked, his gaze turning back to Black Serpent. The sight in question was their trail of havoc, buildings on fire or past saving. Some blackened and the flames within extinguished but their work already done. “The flames…like a living thing…” Firefly said to clarify.

The wings of his jet-pack angled so that they allowed a vertical take-off roared to life. Firefly shot up high into the sky in an aerial spiral with or without the pesky vigilante still clinging on. His work was done here. For now. If the vigilante insisted on pursuing him…well. She was in for something of a wild ride.

[Deleted]

"We've got an officer down! Get up on that roof now and then fall back!" Officer Prescott ordered, one of the swat teams making their way up to the roof with an emergency stretcher to pick up the wounded officer. If they were lucky they'd be able to keep Firefly's attention away from them. They had hoped he would pay more attention on this 'serpent' character more than the at this moment. The objective of the GCPD is to protect the civilians of Gotham. To enforce the law. At this point they would have to do everything they possibly could to protect the firefighters and save those trapped in fires. Soon enough the team dispatched to the roof manged to reach the officer. 

"What is your name?" One of the men asked, while they loaded him onto the emergency stretcher. 

"B-Barnley" It was obvious that the man was in pain, he could barely mutter his name. The swat team then moved to extract him from the roof. At the same time, the other GCPD forces were working to evacuate burning buildings as well as the stray civilians left in the area to enforce their perimeter. Snipers still trained their sites on firefly, watching the fight between the fire bug and the serpent vigilante. Captain Prescott just watched, he'd have to wait until the right time. There might not even be a right time, but he had to wait until there was an opening. 

Or himself and many other officers would perish.

[Zahira Ormarr - Black Serpent]

It really was all about perception. Wasn’t it, but Serpent could care less about glory. Her name splashed across papers or even people calling her name. She was never going to fit that mould, least that was never her intention. She was here, because she could be. It was less about reasons and more instinct. A fire. A beacon. Certainly not something you just put your hand up or jump right into, but well here the Serpent was. Or even not here. Letting the grenades. The explosions encase her space. Causing her figure and even her shape to be consumes. As if she’d literally just bit the dust. The Serpent needn’t even see the Arsonist to know he’d bought just that. For she could feel his reaction. Every sensation throughout his nervous system, let a lone his pulse. Of course it jumped when ever he looked to flames. Causing a blanket of happiness, until the Serpent broke it. Tearing it almost into two. As the serpent appeared out from the smoke, a darkened figure only to unleash her own flames. Temporarily of course… It sure blinded the Arsonist, as she was expecting. Singeing the Officer, was certainly unfortunate, luckily it didn’t cost him his life. She didn’t stop. Nor did she flinch, whatever she felt was tucked beneath, as it was a manoeuvre that paid off. Long enough to knock the Arsonist off his feet. Letting the Officer free and well… A little more. One on one. As the Serpent crawled over the bug, like prey. Her fingers traced over the shape of his suit. A smirk laced underneath her face mask. Somehow his words weren’t entirely convincing, but he certainly should be afraid. She wasn’t about to let him slip away in the night so easily. She was a snake. You can’t just run away. With a slight glazed look and tilt of her head in almost disbelief, but at his command. ”You should be!” A hand traced at a hilt. She did not look. She did not need to look. The Serpent could merely see the reflection of flames dancing upon his mask. She could feel them in a way, he would never feel them. If he knew just how much she did, he’d be jealous. She felt every rivet, every heart beat. Every breath. Every spark, but her target now was set. She could turn, play savour to the flames, but she was no firefighter. She was no policewoman, but she was capable of stopping this bug. Stopping him, would stop any future fires. Any future chaos.

Of course Serpent never expected it to be easy. It never really could be. Such a fight would always offer it challenges. Serpent could simply find its way to adapt. Flight was certainly not a one of her skills. As swiftly Serpent had dropped kicked him tot he ground, the Arsonist took to the sky, not before Serpent motioned a swiped with her dagger against the finer fabrics that covered somewhere upon his arms. Whether or not it would cause a drop of blood was of a lesser concern, but suppose with his head in the clouds he wouldn’t even feel it. In such a vertical motion the Serpent could have slipped off, but instead she clung on. Or rather coiled on with her limbs around the front of the Arsonist. So close she could have almost seen him eye to eye, but the Serpent wasn’t just in for a ride. With his swift and jolt through the air, Serpent went with it and swiftly pulled her face mask down. Unleashing her fangs in such a swift motion, that she wouldn’t expect the Arsonist to realise. Least not until her fangs were deep within his flesh. Unleashed a trail of venom. Slowly into his system. It was perhaps questionable if his insides were completely burnt, but so long as he had a nervous system and a heart beat. Well, Serpent was sure she had a strong chance to knock him. Slowly. She’d need to release a steady amount, too much too fast could kill, let alone drop him along with herself from the sky. Serpent did not expect it to be easy and it certainly wasn’t with them being in flight mode. Jolting her around, it would mostly cause her to potentially loose her bite, but she’d only motion to bit him again. Maybe even in his other arm if he motioned to block her. If he didn’t feel a hint of her venom, maybe a sensation he wasn’t entirely familiar with. Before Serpent could really give him a proper means to grab her or even toss her off. Serpent slithered around until she was on his back, hoping to be able to throw him off long enough to use her face mask to cover his eye mask. Tying the face mask loosely. Temporarily, she’d expected it would stay, but hoped long enough.

To maybe direct the Arsonist’s paths. She’d expect he could have easily flown her anywhere in Gotham if she didn’t. Who knows what other fires he would start. With what unlit warehouses were around them, if they weren’t completely abandoned, they were certainly run down. As many windows were already broken and boarded at places. That it didn’t even toy at Serpent’s conscious as she shot out a line. Hooking, what may have been a radio tower or something similar, Serpent wasn’t so much focused on what it was. So long it was secure enough. As with her somewhat enhanced strength and mostly momentum of her solid feet at his back. Pushed to drive the Arsonist into if not through a side of a warehouse, with herself along with him. ”You’re either gonna have to keep running or fight me!” The Serpent hissed in the motion weighing the options, though it was clear, he wasn’t going to find it easy to lose her. One way or another. She’d be his shadow! Although, she was thoroughly aware she mightn’t be the only one. With swats. Cops. Firemen. There focus was certainly take by the fires, but certainly their eyes were also on the Arsonist. The battle at hand or through a window!