The City Crumbles

Hawkgirl puts Bi-Clops in cuffs, so that he will be well and truly defeated.

"I suppose you'll have to take that up with my mom and dad, and I'm happy to help you defeat the monocled menace here, but what happens when the real boss gets back?" She has taken up a defensive position vs. the tree with a sword.

Swift gives Bi-Clops an apologetic look, but...no harm done.

What is Botanifex doing...and is there anything around like cable or rope?

Swift says, "No spoils necessary. Justice is its own reward."

Kanto says, "Is it? I hadn't noticed. Of course, justice is a rare bird around here."

Botanifex has finished growing a dozen small limbs and three very big ones, and is looking around, hefting his sword.

No cable or rope, but there certainly are chains, wrapped around each crumbling pastel-cement tenement.

Botanifex studies each of his three opponents, then nods gravely and closes his eyes. Massive blooms of small blue flowers, hundreds of them, break out along his head and back, and down his front, like a beard.

Hawkgirl, who was dressed in safari gear, pulls a raw silk scarf over her mouth, nose and ears. Hopefully she can convince the others to do likewise.

You know, there IS a distinctive floral scent ...

Swift will pick up a chain and try to wrap it around our tree menace at high speed.

If one side of the chain is attached to something...all tye better.

Swift will run out of the area each time she feels loke breathing.

KssshCHING!

Or whatever sound a chain makes going very fast. I'm sticking with kssshCHING!

Botanifex is chained up! He cannot escape. His floral scent is strong.

Thousands of insects, of different types, flock to his blooms. They also sting anyone in their path. Swift is in their path, but whoosh! then she's not.

Also, the tenement the chain was wrapped around starts sagging sideways, as though about to fall over.

Swift looks at the listing tenement. "That's not good!"

She grabs Hawkgirl and moves her out of the way of the stinging insects. As she does so, she points at the tenement and asks, "Any suggestions?"

Hawkgirl will also try to grab Kanto to get him out of the way. Because she's chivalrous. I guess. Is there anybody in that tenement?

Sure there are, hundreds of bleak Hunger Dogs.

So everyone, in turn, whisks everyone else out of the path of the insects. Because Kanto, you see, whirled his cloak to keep Hawkgirl safe from them while turning her vulnerable face away from them.

Thanagarians hunt with dogs sometimes, right? A dog is a medieval's best friend, I'm guessing. Well, a cat by rights should be. Plague and all. Hawkgirl has nothing against insects (unless she happened to bring bear spray along--because of the safari--and they don't make lion spray in America). But. dogs. She whistles for the bleak Hunger Dogs, to get them out of the soon-to-be-crashing tenement. For better or worse.

Most of the Hunger Dogs come bursting out of their collapsing building as soon as someone whistles authoritatively. Not answering a summons is FAR more dangerous than being in a collapsing tenement!

They're actually people, not dogs. Though their features betray a crudity of aspect.

Kanto immediately steps up where they can see him.

"Hunger Dogs! The reign of the tyrant Vundabar is over! Strike now, against his battle-tree!"

They strike now, against his battle-tree. Immediately.

"Yes, great Kanto!" they shout, straining to be heard over the shouts of their fellows. "Loyal to Kanto we are! Live for Kanto! Die for Kanto!"

Kanto shrugs to his Earthian audience.

"They always say that," he advises.