Crush Hour

"I KNOW it was expensive and rare. That's what made breaking it fun."
Crush Hour
Player: @Belah Nain
Origin:	Mutant w/Magic Augmentation
Archetype:	Brute
Security Level:	Classified
Personal Data
Real Name:	Sarah Mallen
Known Aliases:	Crush, Thumper, Guilty Pleasures, The Angel of Ruin
Species:	Human
Age:	Unknown
Height:	228cm (7'6")
Weight:	500 kg (1100 lbs)
Eye Color:	Blue
Hair Color:	White
Biographical Data
Nationality:	U.S. Citizen
Occupation:	For-hire enforcer, Dancer
Place of Birth:	Unknown
Base of Operations:	Unknown
Marital Status:	Unknown
Known Relatives:	Unknown
Known Powers
Extreme physical strength, damage resistance, and regenerative abilities. Able to increase strength beyond measurable levels when exposed to combat stresses.
Known Abilities
Expert combatant in ancient melee weapons. Possible college education with an emphasis in psychology.
Equipment
Large impervium hammer and shield with an estimated combined mass of 600 kg.
Formerly associated with the Villain group "Devil's Night Syndicate", now freelance with ties to the Demolition Divas.

"Nothing sacred, nothing safe, nothing spared." - Crush Hour

Character History

There is very little information on Crush's personal history prior to her first arrest in Paragon City at age 18 on a rioting charge (A common practice for the PPD when it comes to first-time offenses with no injuries). While easily able to press at least five tons baseline, with that number increasing in proportion to exertion, (see subclassification "Brute") she was by no means remarkable, and was subdued by PPD specialists using standard methods.

Several short jail stints later, Crush was put away for twenty-five to forty in Zigursky for fifty-seven counts of grand theft, eighty-five counts of aggravated assault, public indecency, and public intoxication. Three weeks into her incarceration Arachnos launched a large-scale assault on the prison with OPERATION: BREAKOUT. Despite being classified as a mid-range threat, she was able to overload her power inhibitors and break out of her cell. Next, she made her way to one of the cold storage facilities and stole a large war hammer and shield, both made of solid impervium. The massive weights were soon overcome by her physiology, and she escaped with ease after making her way to the maximum-security wing, killing two guards, fifteen inmates, and apparently one Arachnos Crab Spider operative in the process.

Since then, she has been a major danger to Longbow, the PPD, and anybody else in Paragon City. Her violent, aggressive nature combined with indestructible weaponry and a possibly pathological need to show off and be seen means that she gravitates towards places with large crowds. Given her prior anger issues and absolute hatred of Longbow, the potential for a nightmare, mass casualty scenario can't be taken seriously enough. That this has not yet happened should be credited towards surreptitious evacuation protocols.

UPDATE: After several years of relative quiescence, Crush has reemerged. Far from the violent, barely-contained human time bomb she'd been, she is now far more mindful of civilian casualties, and substantially less prone to inflicting grievous harm on anybody hitting on her when not in the mood. Reports even have her working against several criminal enterprises in Paragon City, indirectly aiding the PPD. While doubtful that this new, magnanimous nature will extend to Longbow, the fact that she no longer leaves a trail of bodies in her wake is a welcome change. Eyewitness reports put her in the presence of the Demolition Divas club, but attempts to confirm this are hampered by the magical nature of the establishment's ownership; specifically her ability to sense and determine intent. Now freely moving between the Rogue Isles and US mainland, she's become a much more difficult target to track.

The Angel of Ruin

The hammer and shield Crush made off with had been evidence being held for the case of a fence specializing in antiquities. The pair, known as the "Caress of Nain" and the "Anvil of Lust", (though their original names, if they had ones, are still unknown) had been created from a solid block of impervium several thousand years ago. Both hammer and shield weigh well over three hundred kilograms each, and as of the time of this report, no device, magic, or element is known to be able to damage them. References to similar weapons appear in books of demonology, and were associated with a high Calabim (destruction demon) known as Belah Nain.

Personality and Reputation

"Of course it's irreplaceable... That's the point sweetie: wouldn't it beat just leaving it locked in a garage to eventually rot? It could get trashed in a super fight, or it could get chopped apart by clockwork, or trolls. Doesn't it sound more fun to wreck it on your terms? Squeeeeeze every last ounce of pleasure out of it in the most unique way possible?" - Crush Hour

"I'm paraphrasing my Chandler here, but Crush could convince a bishop to kick a hole in a stained glass window. She's a natural." - Belah Nain

The best word to describe Crush would be "inevitable". The nature of her powers means that she will not stop until her target submits. Dangerous enough, but her attention span and capricious nature means that this can be applied to anything that catches her eye. She is a force of nature, like a tornado or a earthquake: unstoppable and with the potential to strike anywhere.

Another word that could describe her is "seductive". Not just in the common sexual meaning, but in that she can make even seemingly outlandish ideas become more and more attractive over time. One of her hobbies, and one that makes her stand out among the other member of the Divas is that she enjoys corrupting and influencing a person. Unlike other individuals who have been enhanced by Belah Nain's abilities, Crush's powers of persuasion are entirely natural. No empathic nudge needed. She simply convinces a subject that doing the outrageous is a perfectly reasonable thing; one to be savored and enjoyed.

Formerly a "Bishop" in the Devil's Night Syndicate, former associates describe her as violent, on-edge, and with the potential to erupt. They have also described her as remarkably soft-spoken, even as she struggled to avoid going on a rampage through their facilities. Quote one gang member "We never quite knew if the calm was the mask or the rage was." Despite word on the street being that she was legendary for taking multiple partners to bed every night she went clubbing, FBSA intelligence has been unable to verify more than a dozen partners over the course of ten years, and all subjects interviewed used the word "nervous" to describe her general demeanor. (NOTE: Supers were not contacted in that survey! Seriously, who dropped the ball here?! - Agent Cooling) Reports also indicate she values her solitude and is very firm about turning down unwanted advances; a fact that has earned several pushy wannabe partners the heavy end of the hammer. Literally.

"The music was pumping, things were great, the place was absolutely JUMPING! And then I caught ... I don't know. You know how sometimes you just know when the air changes? When something dangerous is coming through? The crowd parted for just a moment and I could see him talking to her. And the look on her face... No. No, he should have known better. And he wasn't that drunk that he didn't know what he was doing. I didn't hear everything he said over the music, but I made out 'threesome'.

And she got cold. I mean even colder. I mean, I know the stories, right? It's HER. It's Crush Hour. She doesn't do 'fight or flight', yeah? She does 'fight or fuck', and sometimes both! Right? I didn't think it would bother her much, she might bust the table, maybe over his head, because that's how she says 'no' and means it, you know, something like that, right? Cost of doing business. Whatever. But no... Her expression never changed. She just stood up, walked over to him, and... Well... after the screaming stopped and the place cleared out, someone called for help. Apparently he rated high enough for one of those mediport things, which is why you're probably here? But yeah... they're not sure he's ever going to walk again. First they gotta see if he ever wakes up again."

- Statement to investigating Fortunata by Ray Copperfield, owner of "The Copperhead" rave room in Port Oakes

While previous profiles should be retained, FBSA recommends that a new evaluation be undertaken, with contact tracing and other resources used to determine reasons for her more measured methodology and personality. The broad strokes of her personality profile can be retained, but we recommend moving her sociopolitical threat level up, while moving her civilian danger and mass casualty rating down. We cannot stress enough though that her EXTREME threat level towards Longbow personnel remains unchanged.

Goals & Motivations

It's closing in on you, closing in on you
Run from the fire raining down on you
It's closing in on you, closing in on you
Oh (oh), and no way out
- The Offspring "Dividing by Zero"

Instant gratification. Pure and simple. Crush Hour doesn't seem to have any goal beyond doing whatever she wants when the urge strikes her. Money is virtually useless to her, and she has no permanent possessions to speak of besides her clothes, hammer, and shield. That said, FBSA intelligence can't dismiss the theory that this "chaotic and random" nature is elaborate self-deception, or a carefully-crafted ruse. Actions towards Longbow personnel certainly seems to indicate a deadly focus when it comes to some subjects.

Some reports have suggested she's lashing out at a materialistic society, or that she fancies herself an artist. Forensic psychiatrists and psychologists have created a slightly different portrait, suggesting a deeply traumatic event. Over time, her usage of lethal force has dropped, with her highest body count being her breakout from The Zig. Several trained observers during attacks on Paragon City locations noted hesitation when fighting people vs destroying objects. One notable exception to this pattern is Longbow and anybody associated with Ms. Liberty. In these cases, borderline berserker behavior has been noticed, with any teammates being forced to extract her through various incapacitation methods ranging from sedative to intangibility to unrequested teleportation.

Out of combat she gravitates towards rare artifacts. Vehicles, architecture, sculpture, devices, etc. This does not seem to be out of any kind of profit desire. She genuinely lives for when she can find the last example of an object and destroy it. Security recordings of one incident caught her saying "Last cookie in the jar!" before carrying out the act.

Powers and Abilities

Crush possesses super strength and significant damage resistance, along with great skill at deflecting incoming attacks with her shield. Other powers exhibited include a degree of rapid regeneration. Her most dangerous ability appears to be her ability to meet and eventually surpass any feat of strength she sees performed. If she knows a feat can be performed, then she can achieve it. Rather than happening in a rapid burst, this increase in strength appears to happen at a moderate pace. Whether this is psychologically driven by a desire to slowly and surely overcome, or simply a physical limit to how fast she can gain muscle mass is a question that can't be answered without a full medical examination. And that seems highly unlikely at the present time.

Without her shield, she has still been observed to shrug off small arms fire, flamethrower bursts, and rocket rounds ranging from M72 LAW HEAT rounds to FGM-148 Javelin tandem-charge warheads.

Gallery

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  Art by @Jardel Cruz
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  Art by @ModeZombie

(In)famous Exploits and Notes

• Crush has gained some amount of notoriety online for videos she makes showing her criminal exploits. To date, the most popular video has depicted her dismantling a vintage '67 Shelby Mustang while the owner gradually shifts from begging her to stop, to begging her to continue. These videos continue circulating via DVD and the dark web, and even in seedier corners of the internet.

• Curiously, for someone of her reputation, no kind of sex tape has been released, despite several bounties posted online for just such a thing. Several thousand bounties contain at least three zeroes. At least two contain three commas. Even given her fearsome reputation, it seems likely that enough money would convince someone to release the material if they had it. This calls more of her public reputation into question versus who she is in the dark.

• The superheroine Mynx recently tangled with Crush inside a Longbow installation in the Rogue Isles. Reportedly, Mynx was found unconscious in the wreckage of the command center with several new piercings.

• The art world went wild with equal parts shock and anger in mid-November, when a video surfaced of Crush destroying a Fabergé egg. The 1913 Winter Egg had recently been stolen while in transit, presumably for the purpose of ransom. Upon recovering the artifact, Crush unceremoniously smashed it with a single blow from her hammer.

Writing

Crush Hour's Story