London Calling: Jubilee

[x-jubilee.livejournal.com]

Jubilee bites off more then she can chew.



Jubilee tilted her head back, wondering what sort of rig she'd need in order to scale the giant monument in front of her. It was her standard response to anything significantly taller then herself; she'd resisted the urge with Bishop so far, but only because that sort of behaviour in an office setting was probably frowned upon. Something about the man made her want to get under his skin; no one should be that calm, it was irritating as hell.

She grumbled as she got to work, walking around the monument and eyeing the alleys and streets that led away from it, trying to keep her eyes open for anything unusual as Remy and his colleagues in the thief’s guild had been teaching her. One of the things she'd found about this type of work was that it was very rarely as interesting as movies might have made it seem, and in fact, you preferred it boring. It was when things started getting interesting that it got dangerous, the rest was mostly walking places, and listening to people gabble and spending a lot of time nosing about in general view, trying to look nonchalant.

There was nothing here, at least not that she could see with her eyes, or hear with her ears. Someone like Amanda or Illyana might have had better luck, and it was hard to contain the frustration that she often felt when coming up short against other people's abilities. It was something she could do nothing about however, so she forced it down, made herself refocus on the job at hand. She needed to trust that they wouldn't send her out here if they didn't think she had the goods to deliver.

It was at that point in time that she noticed the small licks of fire taking hold in a stack of wood from a construction site that lay near the road of a street called Potter's lane. Who would light a fire in the middle of nowhere for no conceivable reason that she could see, it didn't even look like an important place, just a lane.

She quickly made her way to where the fire crackled, stomping on the small flames with her foot in order to put it out.

It puffed out as her foot made contact, a hint of smoke lingering in the air. A second later and there was a soft crackle of wood burning just a few feet away - no sparks had jumped from the first fire to the next spot and it hadn't been aflame before but it certainly was now. It licked higher and twisted, eating the wood with hungry intentions. It winked out and then back in again almost cheerfully.

Jubilee frowned, moving her foot to see the small spot of ash underneath it and then moved to where the new fire was, taking off her jacket as she moved. She hated to do something like this to it, especially when it had cost her a pretty penny but there was no other material around with which to douse the fire.

With a small sigh and a prayer to the Gods of fashion that they forgive her, she beat at the fire with her coat, trying to smother it.

Even as part of it started to die, a section of the fire suddenly engulfed one entire sleeve of the jacket. It went up in flames fast, nearly up to Jubilee's fingers, licking the air around them as if getting her measure. Sparks from the jacket sleeve danced away, finding new and better purchase on wood that lay a few feet away.

Jubilee dropped the jacket with a harsh word, pulling her fingers back just in time to stop getting them burnt. While she obviously had immunity to her own powers, it didn't stretch to a general immunity to hot things and she'd been burnt once before.

She looked at the flames dancing merrily a few metres away with a frown, trying to figure out what was going on here. They weren't reacting as you would expect a normal fire to react and she had been here looking for any unusual activity.

Making a decision, she raised her hands and sent a volley of sparks at the wood, blowing it into small splinters.

When the dust settled, the splinters laid scattered around on the ground in a wide landing pattern. A heartbeat of time passed and suddenly all the pieces flared, seemingly in agitation, and far brighter, far hotter, than they had been previously. With them spread out as well, it went from one seemingly small fire to three or four not quite so small fires.

The one nearest to Jubilee's foot arched up in a spiral of nearly a foot before settling back down in an attempt to spread further.

It was not the result Jubilee had been hoping for and she stared at the now merrily burning files in something close to irritation, this should not have been this hard.

There weren’t any sources of water around that she could see, so she'd have to find some way to contain the fires and stop them from spreading any further.

Crouching down to get a closer look at the one nearest her, she moved her hands over it and started building a circle of sparks around the flames. If she could blow a circle of pavement away that was deep enough that the fire couldn't spread across easily, maybe she could contain it within till it ran out of fuel.

It crackled out suddenly and flared, at once trying to move towards and then away from the circle of fireworks surrounding it.

She rose from her crouch, backed up to a safe distance and then allowed the plasma sparks to explode, taking a large junk of pavement with it. There, that should take care of that particular blaze, now all she had to do was get the other ones.

When the explosion took out the first blaze, the others rippled in response. They grew larger and the colour deepened from a cheery orange to a darker hue of red. Two of the fires split by way of sparks jumping from them to other wooden objects while the remaining one spread faster, toward Jubilee. The ones that had split settled back down to the lighter colour while the one heading straight for her kept its angrier shade.

Jubilee watch the flame coming toward her, and then backed away fast, glancing about her for something to use against it. There was nothing nearby, not within enough distance that she could reach it in time.

She prayed that no one would question later on why a good section of pavement near a national monument was chewed to pieces and launched a volley of plasma globes at the pavement beneath her feet, chewing up a good deal of it between herself and the fire.

Smoke and bits of pavement spewed high into the air from the force of the explosion, raining hot, steaming pieces everywhere. The other, still burning fires flared in shock and irritation, zipping from flammable piece to flammable piece until they met up again. Merging, swirling, absorbing. They flared almost petulantly at Jubilee and then took off.

Jubilee watched the fire catch hold, the buildings around her in the small lane were brick and glass but the scaffolding, that was wood, and the fire headed upwards along it, as if seeking the higher ground.

She pursued, vaulting her way easily up the sections, trying to head it off before it could reach the roof.

The flames were moving faster now, jumping between flammable materials as they headed up the scaffolding toward the roof of the building. Jubilee couldn't see where they were headed but she had the idea that maybe it wouldn't be a good idea to let them get there. She threw a series of sparks ahead of the fire, taking chips of brick off the building but the fire jumped over, burning a poster merrily before heading on.

Frustrated, she drew on more energy and simply blew up the entire length of scaffolding above them, sliding her way back down the steel pipes and rolling the last few meters on the ground to avoid any falling debris.

'Take that,' she thought with a grim smile, and then frowned as she noted a sullen flame headed along the street, jumping between bill postings toward Monument St. She got a chill as she realised it was heading directly toward the Great London Fire monument.

***

Jubilee ran out of the lane, looking around for the small fire she'd been following, which despite her best efforts appeared to keep just ahead of her, something that would seem impossible considering how short that street had been.

It was then she noticed the rather large female standing in front of the Monument to the Great London Fire and all she could think was 'Oh Fucking hell'

Nearing eight feet tall, the figure wasn't just insheathed with flames, she was the fire. The ground beneath was scorched beyond recognition and she laughed as it burned, head thrown back and face to the sky. Spreading her arms wide, she spun around in a circle, relishing her freedom, her ultimate escape. But she topped laughing when she spotted Jubilee approaching and she screeched loudly, resulting in several cars around her exploding.

"You!"

"Me!" Jubilee said falling back on sarcasm as sparks began to shoot up her arms to sparkle in her hair, building her power. Little fires she could cope with, big honking ass avatars of flame were another story all together. She was going to need something bigger then just herself, something that was anathema to fire. What luck that the Thames was just a hop, skip and a dead out panicked run from here.

The avatar gazed down at her with some amusement and crouched, studying Jubilee. "Such a little fire," she purred, "why would you wish to hurt my babies? They only wish to spread and grow, help me to bathe London in the cleansing fires that it calls for. Listen to it, little fire, and you will hear the song. Calling, calling, calling."

"Not even for a second." Jubilee spat, clenching her fists. "London doesn't need any cleansing, it's perfect fine uncleansed. Now back the fuck down and call off your babies, or there's going to be an altercation and I'd really rather not have to fight you, if it's all the same to you."

"Little fire, there will be no fight, there will simply be fire." And with that, she reached down in an open handed swat towards Jubilee.

Jubilee had been ready for the creature to attack her, and so didn't waste much time getting out of the way, avoiding the swat, and coming out of her tumble back to her feet a foot away.

"Now that's hardly sociable."

Not responding, the avatar unfolded herself from her crouch and lunged at the fleeing figure, trying to scoop her up in her hands. She screamed again when she missed, forcing windows and glass around her to either shatter or melt from the sudden heat.

Jubilee worked out very quickly at that point that there was no way in hell that she was going to be able to fight her on equal terms. She needed to find something to diminish her in some way, and she immediately looked around for fire hydrants. There weren't any, at least not nearby that she could see.

She avoided the avatar's hands again, diving and rolling out of the way again before taking off toward the end of the street. She needed to lead the thing toward the Thames, it seemed like the only way she was going to have a chance at survival.

But the woman of fire was not going to let Jubilee have it quite so easy. She followed, her amusement at this game starting to fade as her desire to burn gathered in intensity. The creature might not have been as fast as the little fire she sought to kill, or absorb, but she was strong.

Which came into play as the car was sent flying towards Jubilee's head, completely engulfed in flame, as the avatar screamed a battle cry.

It was instincts honed by training that saved Jubilee from becoming nothing more then a grease spot on the pavement. Power surged along her arms and then out through the palms of her hands, exploding the car in mid air. Bits of red hot metal rained down around her as she sort to avoid the biggest chunks. Despite her best efforts, she still had to slap out small fires on her shirt and pants.

"Fucking bitch." Jubilee snarled, taking off again at a dead run.

She was almost to the end of the street now, all she'd need to do was turn left and she'd have a straight run toward the Thames.

A row of flames that topped above Jubilee's head roared down the street as the avatar kept walking, purposefully and calmly. They ate anything in their paths as they headed straight towards her, cutting off alleyways and almost every other way for Jubilee to run. They were sent to trap, to box in, and to kill.

There was an electronic goods shop on the corner off to Jubilee's right. Even boxed in by flames, the flicker of the television display caught Jubilee's eye as every screen suddenly switched on all at once to reveal not news or sports or the soap opera of the day, but a familiar blonde figure in a leather jacket. Amanda mouthed something Jubilee couldn't hear, pointing urgently at something on the side of the road between Jubilee and the flames.

She noticed the water main almost immediately and sent a silent thankyou to Amanda, wherever she currently was. Building her power, she launched a series of large plasmoids at the road, eating up pavement and digging down toward the water main. She just hoped she could explode enough of the pavement in time.

It was with a shout of triumph that she broke through the last bit of concrete and tar and unleashed the fury of the water that had until that moment gushed through the piping below.

The scream now was not one of anger but one of fear as the water rushed towards the fire. Ancient enemies clashed and steam covered everything like London fog as the avatar staggered backwards. The water itself bubbled and boiled, the hissing was loud and angry and when it was done, the woman was crouched in the street. She dropped her hands to her side and stood up - angry but lesser, the water having cleansed her in its own right.

"Are we done now?" she asked, watching the woman from her spot as she tried to ignore the uncomfortable wet squelchy feeling that came with being completely drenched. "I'm not going to let you burn this city, so you might as well just come quietly and give up now."

"Ah, little fire, you do not understand," came the rebuttal. "Where there is but a spark, the fire will go on." The avatar's eyes widened and she spread her arms as they sparked and spit. "Such is the way of London - if one single ember of London remains, it will burn forever."

Lesser now but still bigger than Jubilee, she lunged again, determined to reform London into her own image.

Jubilee didn't need to be told twice, and as the avatar lunged for her, she dodged left and turned to run once again. If this bitch was just going to keep coming until the lights were out, then she would oblige her with a whole hell of a lot of river water. She just had to get her there.

She turned left at the end of the street and she could feel her lungs starting to burn as she went tearing down toward London Bridge, and she cursed herself for not working out more. All that drinking and lying about in bed was really beginning to tell now, and she swore if she made it out of this alive she'd spend more time in the gym.

With some of her power having been drained by the fire, the avatar was keeping most of the flames and damage to a minimum. She was conserving strength as she chased Jubilee through the streets of London and with London Bridge looming in the near distance, she was gaining.

Jubilee knew if she could just make it to the water, she'd have some chance of defeating the avatar entirely, rather then just fighting a losing retreat. It was easier said then done when she had to keep dodging small fireballs. It was somewhat lucky that most people appeared to be indoors, and not wandering the streets. She did notice the flick of several curtains as she went by however, and she had a brief giddy thought of the sort of things they might tell themselves to explain a young girl lit up like a Christmas tree and a giant fire woman chasing behind.

She dodged left just as another fireball skidded past her and slammed into a rather expensive looking car. Whoever owned it was going to be so pissed when they went to use it.

London Bridge was meters away, and she sped up, trying to lengthen her stride despite her obvious physical limits. It wasn't going to work, there was only so fast she could run but she hoped that the universe would give her the benefit of a little judicious luck, just this once.

Seeing her prey falter even slightly made the fire goddess laugh with delight. "Come now!" she called cheerfully. "All will well in just a few moments." And behind the almost friendly smile, something wicked flared. "You won't feel it for long, little fire. The intense heat will give way to intense pain and right before you pass out, there is such a feeling of euphoria! And then you shall die and London will feast upon your ashes."

Jubilee had ever been someone who had little time for crazies, and this fire thing was most obviously completely cracked. It really was time to end this, and as she felt the bitumen of London Bridge under her feet, she stopped and turned.

"You'll find that I'm a difficult meal to swallow." Jubilee said, letting out a swarm of plasmoids at the feet of the avatar, not aiming for her but at the road beneath her feet.

She cocked her head sightly as she shifted on the bridge. "What are you --" The fire on her body - that was her body - suddenly flared in shock as she heard the bridge scream under the barrage. "NO!"

Bitumen exploded upwards around the avatar as Jubilee clenched her teeth and poured more power into her plasmoids. She sent barrage after barrage at the bridge, as she'd be damned if it would get a chance to run this time.

"Oh yes. London Bridge is falling, old girl. Hope you enjoy the ride down."

The concrete creaked and groaned under the weight of the avatar while the explosions chewed up the very foundations. The woman tried to leap away but there was too much being destroyed and she struggled to keep herself up on the bridge. An impossibly loud crack caused her to scream as bits and pieces of the bridge suddenly dropped out from under her and then she was free falling. The Thames surged upwards as she hit the water, steam rising as the river consumed the fire in great, greedy gulps.

Jubilee dropped to her knees, hands pressing firmly against the bitumen as she dragged in great gulps of air now that the danger had passed. She could still hear the avatar screaming below, and watched as gouts of steam spread upward from the hole she'd carved. Someone was going to be in a lot of trouble over this, hopefully that someone wasn't going to be her.