The Boogymen! [open]

[Zahira Ormarr - Black Serpent]

A blanket of dusk had fallen upon the city of Gotham. It would only grow darker and just when you thought it was dark enough, it could truly get dark in a city like this. Though it was hardly silent on a saturday and summer evening. Least not for the young and young at heart… Somewhere tucked deep in the depths of the centre and down the dark strip of random clubs. A handful boarded up, some recently despite how rundown some of them looked. There was an old warehouse, with little movement and just a faint dim lit sign, but inside the almost hidden away club… Was certainly blazing with more life. Allowing also the underage, thus the burst of popularity it would seem and a good spot for underground gritty music. Not flashy by any means. Not large, but room to move. Booze flowed well at the bar and smoke mildly masked the venue. With a deep swell of movement on the dance floor and ears most certainly ringing at this point. One would expect this be a night of splendidness.

However, every now and then in a full moon, the creatures. The baddies came out in the city of Gotham, well it wasn't always a full moon. This world was dark, but this city seemed to have one up on the world… In the midst of dancing. The drinking. The cheers and laughter. The lights inside of the club were cut short, cut completely out. With only what windows that were there, to allow moonlight dance with shadows. Drums and strings ceased almost on point… With subtle sounds of panic, but this wasn't your average blackout. As shadows of an ambush raided into the club. Footsteps of a gang, it would appear. Who exactly was certainly playing like a mystery, but as the main architect spoke up with such words along the lines of 'we are taking over'. Taking it however you wish like a grain of salt… The main clue being this was heading into a dangerous evening, upon the locking of the doors, with everyone now trapped inside, huddling in deep shadows and screams here and there… To little prevail, as the brink of the nightmares ahead of them was only beginning to unravel… Or uncoil!

Somewhere high up above the silent and darkened stage. Towards the rafters was a creature masked much in shadows. With little even a quake in movements. Subtle. Patient. Though very much present. Feeling. Sensing the various vibrations. The thudding hearts. Feeling the pulse of the room. With a little more grace than a spider, the Serpent all but slithered down. Sank down the back wall. Not even stirring a mouse and not much of a thumb tack dropped either. Well, not yet. With the very subtle feel of the creature's presences. Dark hands and feet planted light on the top of an old piano. Feeling even more directly how the room drove in waves. Pulling and pushing. Sinking in a trembling brink of nightmares… Prey. Predator. As dark. Sharp. Piercing. Eyes starred through the dark. Who really was playing which part? As very lightly as the Serpent rattled her fingers ever slightly down. Running along and felt the semi warm keys of the piano. They gleamed like the teeth of a beast. With subtly, but with intent her dark fingers pressed along the keys. Creating a sound. Not too drowned out and long, but enough it was there. Her own presence now sent a subtle vibration. Followed in short by a tune of a hiss. Echoing through the blackened out club.

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Club inspired by:

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Musical influence:

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Black Serpent Attire!

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[Deleted]

This will do. Part 2 of the plan to return to Gotham City with a bang.  A pair of Ford Sedans pulled up the warehouse, spilling out quickly were five men. Three of them were nameless gang bangers without a future. Dressed in jeans, dark stained wife-beaters that were once white in color. They were armed with tire irons, chains, and a baseball bat.

The two three other villains of this story had a greater sort of recognition to them. One of them was a hulking man, easily standing over 6'9 and weighing over 350 lbs.  His name was Charles "Rhino" Daly, and now that the boss was back, it was time to get the ball rolling.

The last two came as a pair.  Always a pair!  One was a short man, who looked like a complete loser if you are the type to judge a book by it's cover.  The other was a mannequin dressed in Armani and holding a Tommy Gun. 

A bouncer came out of the warehouse, asking "Hey, what is going on here?"

"Heeee."  Giggled the Ventriloquist before opening up on the bouncer with the Tommy Gun.  The bouncer fell to the ground, a bloody heap.  Rhino grabbed a baseball bat and walked into the club, leading the way.  Smoke, booze, and gritty music came from inside. 

"Dis will definitely do."  Scarface chimed.  "Rhino, cut da lights!"

And Rhino just did that.  Smashing a fuse box with the bat, as only Rhino can.  The destruction of the fuse generator sent the entire club into darkness with only the natural light from the outside serving as a form of sight.  That is when the three one of two of the nameless thugs, set up lanterns, and large Rhino picked up a flash light which he always kept on the Ventriloquist and Scarface.

Sauntering in, the Ventriloquist continued to giggle, covering It's mouth.  It made It's way to the center of the club, with Scarface in tow.

"LISTEN UP! EVERY'GODY!"  Scarface screamed, "WE'RE TAKING OVER."

The bartender picked up a shotgun from behind the bar and pointed it at the Ventriloquist, "Wh---"  The tender did not get to finish his statement as Scarface plugged him with a bullet in the forehead, killing the man instantly with the karma filled shot. 

Just then Rhino turned his head and began to look around, "Boss..uhmmm. Boss. You hear that?" 

The three nameless gang bangers fanned out in a triangle like formation, one at each cover of the club. 

"WHO's THERE?!  WHO's are yeeeee?!?"

Scarface yelled, issuing an open challenge to whatever was out there. 

[Zahira Ormarr - Black Serpent]

Where darkness had crept into the club. Vision was impaired to mostly shadows and faint silhouettes. As the club had been taken over by the in coming gang. Was it really by choice or had it simply been random, had it not been this club, would it have been the next? Who really could know? It was of little importance, for now. Whilst the cards were dealt and held by the gang… They truly did not know who or what was also deep in this club. Between the screams and shrills. The heavy breathing and the thudding of fearful hearts. Hmmm, perhaps that was mostly Serpent that could hear. No feel… Feel the true pulse of this building. One small part of Gotham, but still very much within the heart. Blending in was easy. For some where born to the darkness. Some lived and some thrived. The creature was very much one with its environment. Blended into the darkness. With no trace of a sound. Perhaps the faint trace of a scent, but the Serpent was everywhere and anywhere. As the piercing eyes tracked movement. Saw what it needed and felt out the rest. Footfalls of five… This was certainly a party, but a party the Serpent would cease. Find a way and take control… Before… As even as her breaths were spaced deep and silent. A gun spot hit through the air. It did not spook her, but rather caused the hairs stand a little haywire. Her sense ran with the scent… The taste of blood that trickle in the room. Causing nostrils to flare and curl ever so slightly. As the serpent stalked. Bid the time…. A life gone, but so many more… As she tasted the tears of fear. Hidden at first above. Circling. One couldn’t just strike, but the time was certainly coming…

It was certainly unexpected as screams from the main man came and it came from someone… Or something, very small… A doll… A mannequin… Suppose stranger things had happened in this city, but nevertheless, unexpected. As the serpent stalked them out… The larger man that stood near 7 foot, perhaps this was where the group was a little more levelled out… Three average looking thugs, with the muscles and looks as one may expect. With the sense of ignorance. What little weight did they carry in this game or were they simply disposable? As the clang of chain rattled, cold and dead inches from the ground. The wooden bat patted against the faded leather glove hand… Suppose the serpent couldn’t remain completely silent forever. By the next gunshot, action need to be taken now, but still with a incredible amount of stealth. Why reveal all the cards all at once? Why did they need to assume anything. Was she singular. Was she one of many. More important, where the creature in the dark of night… As her hiss, echoed. Bounced off the acoustics of the club. Strong. Faint. Subtle. Crisp. In varies spots in the club… Villain. Ally. Wondering too much, might get you in a serious amount of trouble… Somethings took a train of thought. Somethings could be quite simple… The attention from the gang had been averted to the creatures presence. She could almost offer darkly chuckle as the questions were raised and the subtle fear was potentially showing through. The unknown could be a terrible thing… The serpent was often surrounded by mystery. Why try to make sense of it, when she could utilise it… As her dark fingertips laced over the tops of piano keys. Eyes darted, but her figure was merely of faint shadows. A look of piercing eyes that perhaps didn’t so much linger. Like animals eyes keep within the woods… As sharply as the three gang members moved. Fanned out. Her eyes were with them. Felt the weight of every footstep beneath. Every gasp. Every movement… Hmmm. Now there’s a question. As the questions came. Direct, with very little clue… Her fingers laced a little more, before she was more or less perched on the piano. A dark shape. As piercing eyes and the hiss ceased at the questions. Followed by near silence. Perhaps if she was here for conversation, but there were other ways to communicate.

As, the Serpent could almost feel the lanterns or torches in her general directions. Her shape was there no longer. Lost back within the dark of the club. Using it to her advantage. With her quick reflexes and stealth. With just the subtle sound of scattering up in the rafters above… Before a black line fell sharply, The Serpent fell more like a black widow. It was only fitting as she hit one of the targets. One of the gang members with a chain in hand… With little struggle, as with the swiftness of her fall, allowed little reaction for him to fight back… Not before she unhooked her fangs loose and sank them deep in his neck… Shrills and screams, shot throughout the club… The body of the goon fell to the ground, but not before the serpent took the chain… Disappearing back into the rafters above, before the other goons could even begin to make a move. Undoubtedly they wouldn’t be worth it… The hiss echoed again. Briefly. Before silently she fell again. Falling down back on the stage. Somewhere behind. Mostly covered by darkness, but the chain dragged on the ground as she made a subtle approach forward… ”That really isn’t the question you should be asking?” Came darkly from the dark lips of the Serpent, as her head half tilted and her snake eyes pierced directly. ”Be careful inviting the devil into your backyard, because he may just like it.” Poetically Serpent challenged…

[Deleted]

After seeing their companion 'devoured' the other two mooks plotted their course back towards the Ventriloquist and Rhino. The 'gang' formed a triangle like formation with Rhino being at the pinnacle, each of the mooks being at the side points, and with the Ventriloquist being the base back point, standing behind Big Rhino.

It appeared as if the intruder knew that Rhino served as the 'knight' to the Ventriloquist and Scarface as the King, while the other two were simply pawns. Like a little chess game between Ra's Al Ghul and the Joker.

"W---we---we don't know who this possibly can be right Mister Scarface?" Asked the Ventriloquist.

"Ye 'o'giously ain't da 'Gat despite ye 'geing steathly, no way da 'Gat takes a 'Gite out of people.  Nor does anyone in da 'Gat Family."

Scarface challenged Z back.  "And ye o'gviouisly ain't gonna tell us who ye are," he concluded.

Scarface had no intention of sacrificing or using Rhino, an important piece of his plan  Rhino nooded his head upwards, signaling for the two mooks to approach and stand guard.  No quite canabalistic in nature, the Joker had not gotten his hands on them yet, the two mooks circled in front of Rhino, serving as a guard or line between Z, Rhino and the Ventriloquist. 

One of them patted his bat and the other twisted his tire iron.

Z would have to get through them before getting to Rhino and the Ventriloquist. 

[Zahira Ormarr - Black Serpent]

Within the depths of the darkened nightclub in the rundown warehouse. Perception could very much be tainted. Mixed. Jolted. Completely flipped. So much as the case, as the creature had stalked. Toyed within the shadows. Pounced and had left her mark deep on one of the thugs. Literally as the droplets could almost glisten at his neck by the moonlight peaking through a few rusted holes in the building. Devoured. Killed. Eaten. The creature was willing and content with playing her part, but anyone in the real know. Knew her bite hadn’t been lethal. Not that it couldn’t be, but this creature of the night was very much a player of perception. That and she was passed concerned with whether someone actually thought she was a monster or not. Because at the heart her, was a warmth, but sounded by a vein the flowed of ice cold blood. With given the reason and motive. She could very much become what one would truly fear, but she was in control. As of now. Though she wasn’t blinded by the levels of control the men before her may possess. Of course, she was quite sure the scale would be greatly shifted by the end of the night. Shifted her feet. As her figure played within the dark and the light. Playing with the shadows. As her form was mostly visible as she approached. With the rattling of the chain, that dragged on the ground. It only stopped when she did. Tilting her dark head ever so slightly, as her eyes of the snake flashed them. If this was a proper fight. Following the proper rules, then perhaps the Serpent would grace the little wooden man with her name. Oddly she had fought stranger things. Hmmm, unknown. As her figure remained still, save the slight change in her eye direction as the communication went on between. Knight and king? Perhaps… Perhaps she was the monster under the castle. Maybe one should remind him, that unlike fairytales, the real world, may not have such a happy ending or least an ending of his choosing. He may not be the king that slays the beast, but it would rather be the beast that will slay the king. Whatever the role, she’d play it and who ever was put in front of her. She would challenge. As the three took a formation. Protecting their king… Hmmm, with the mighty in front, but like many a might thing. They can fall.

Not by ease, but they could all fall. Not externally, but rather internally one could almost roll their eyes, at their banter, but perhaps not knowing her. Knowing the creature first hand, was more than what she preferred. You reveal to much, you only lead to having a lot more to live up to. An image. That wasn’t really what she wanted. Not that she diss those that did, but well. Quite frankly, she was different. Who simply wanted to make a difference, because she could. Of course naturally her dark lips could smirk as the Bat names were flung about. Suppose she was and wasn’t far from it. ”I am no, Bat!” The Serpent curled darkly on her tongue, not out of insult, simply to clarify. Which seemed clear enough. ”I am someone. Something. Different.” To put it simply, perhaps to simply, but she wasn’t much one for a lengthy banter. Especially not to something that was a stretch from a sock puppet. Her sense remained open, whilst she was focus on the group before her. She was aware of the surroundings. Aware of the huddling people. If not for the whimpering and the cries. Scream. Here there. The Serpent could very much rely on the vibrations to know they were there. Whom she was in her own way. Protecting. We all have our ways, do we not? Ringing the chain that ever so slightly, around her fingers lightly. Her eyes danced upon the prey. As the dummy challenged her back… Who she was? Could be the easiest answer and potentially hardest… ”Who I am? If the picture isn’t painted for you yet, I’m sure it will be by the end of the night…” The Serpent chimed in, darkly responding, but not so much to devour to his demanding whim. Though she was sure whether by her doing or simply by his experience, his mind will finally have an impression of her. If he so desired. ”As for my name… I have been called and dubbed many things ” The Serpent teased with a hissing growl, after all there a difference, but surely she was more one thing than another. As her mind lightly graced the various descriptions and names. ”The Creature… The slithering demon… The Dark Queen…” The Serpent spoke briefly, spinning a couple that hadn’t slipped her mind. As she paced. Crept slowly forward. ”On the other side of the world, I was often known as ‘Cobra’… Here, in Gotham… The city deems me to be, The Black Serpent… Call me whatever you want… One thing remains the same throughout the centuries… I am the true creature of the night! My tale is an ever long and winding… Do not expect me to grace you with it! ” Serpent offered, not out of the kindness of her heart and she put a stop to any further, before she could be accused of boasting. Nor did she have any desire to sit down and lay out her life. Her legacy. That wasn’t even remotely why she was here. Least not tonight. ”Will you tell me why you are here, that requires such an abundant audience?” The Serpent asked, but she didn’t exactly expect an answer. Or least not the right answer, surely it wasn’t hard to guess.

It was rather clear the people here were to be put in danger. Perhaps worse. Serpent was here to make sure that didn’t happen and more or less not to let these goons leave by their own legs. Or suppose wooden legs. A hand? The details really didn’t matter… She was maybe not Batman. Definitely not Wonder Woman, but she wasn’t without years of skill. Training. Abilities, were just a small fraction… As the big burly goon was then covered by the two smaller goons. Perhaps it was wise that Serpent didn’t judge by size. She after all took down man-bat, but then that was another kettle in itself. The Serpent half crouched. Into her mantis stance. With the chain in her fingers gracing the ground. With her faintly growing hiss, as to egg on the challengers. Who would be first or would they both? Hmmm, suppose the creature wasn’t so picky. Her stance remind with her eyes on any approaching movement before she’d make a move. Coiling the chain as she would potentially move, aiming the chain at an ankle. Some aim of slight unbalancing, before the Serpent could rise and rise with a firm uncoiled boot to the chin. She had a little more than average strength, from her abilities and from her martial arts training, but she did not have super strength by any means. Though it would be felt and she rarely missed, but accidents happen. They just rarely happen multiple times in a row. As in a shift action in a tempts to coil the around his neck. Draw her up and over the goon. Not so much in an attempt to strangle to death, rather close to it. Though it did leave her a little with her back to the others, but the creature wasn’t completely unaware. Never completely unaware. She lived and thrived in such an environment.