Pet Avengers Action Scene: The Baxter Building
Here it is, the one you’ve all been waiting for, the final Action Scene that pits the heroes against a villain that none are prepared to face. A former heroic animal and pet of Speedball, the most hated man in America, Hairball the Bouncing Cat may have survived the tragedy at Stamford but his psyche did not fare as well as his body. He is a fractured feline, now calling himself P-Cat, the Penitent Puss.
Niels (Hairball’s pet name) was found near Speedball after the Stamford explosion. He has since been under close examination by Reed Richards. Richards became aware of Niels’ Kinetic abilities. In order to keep Niels from bouncing uncontrollably and potentially hurting himself and others, Richards designed a containment crate lined with spikes, thinking that the potential for pain would keep Niels in check. What Mister Fantastic didn’t realize was that the pain instead amplified Hairball’s powers in short bursts. Niels renamed himself the Penitent Puss, or P-Cat, and has confined himself to the Baxter Building. There he waits until he hears of what may have happened to his dearest friend, Speedball.
The Baxter Building’s security is quite potent and the anti-registration side of the Civil War must infiltrate it if they hope to compromise Project 42. The Pet Avengers must clear the way because the security system is too robust to be taken down by just one being, and it would never expect a seemingly non-intelligent creature to expose the building and anything contained within to invasion.
When our heroes reach what they decide will be the easiest point of entry to the Baxter Building, they find P-Cat waiting for them. What none of them realize is that Niels received the message from the Mind Gem like the others but he was somehow able to block out the link while also keeping track of the Pet Avengers just below notice. He has been waiting for them.
Scene Distinctions: There should be one for whatever location in or near the Baxter Building this takes place. As for the other, since P-Cat is loosely linked to the group and can read surface thoughts, so he Anticipates The Action.
Options:
- Feel free to bring along any villain from a previous scene that either made things difficult for the heroes or was just plain fun to throw at the team. Be sure to carry along any stress or trauma from before.
- Since P-Cat is linked to the team (although loosely) he can attempt to link with the group and use the Mind Gem’s Godlike Telepathy to make mental attacks on members of the group. He must first succeed in an action against the character possessing the Mind Gem. Once the link is established, he can make attacks on his action, and the heroes can also attack him in this manner.
The Marvel Universe Wiki entry for Niels.
If P-Cat is defeated, describe to the heroes how he is found in a complete state of mental and emotional disarray. When Reed Richards has had a chance to examine him, he decides that the best course of action is to give him to Robbie Baldwin (Speedball/Penance) as a way to help P-Cat cope.
Once everything is settled, The Mind Gem reveals itself to actually have a consciousness. Since it is in contact with the universal consciousness, it is able to communicate on behalf of all living things in the universe. It thanks the Pet Avengers for their service, and lets them know that it will call on them again when the time is right. For now, it must be returned to Xavier’s School, where it will await its next great moment. Once it is returned, it removes all memories of its involvement in Civil War, along with the memories of the Pet Avengers and any others they may have come in contact with, though some memories will leave an indelible mark. This will not be the last the world sees of the Pet Avengers!
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